Business Session

LOCAL CONTROL OF DECISION MAKING REGARDING SCHOOL SECURITY

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED,

the Idaho School Boards Association support legislation to assure that decisions about school security, including allowing guns on campus by any person, be a decision left up to the local school board.

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

This resolution would direct the Idaho School Boards Association to support legislation that would ensure School Boards retain the ability to allow or prohibit individuals from possessing guns on campus. It would also direct the Association to oppose any legislation that would grant individuals the ability to possess guns on campus without Board approval.

RECOMMENDATION OF THE ISBA EXECUTIVE BOARD: DO PASS

UPDATING 33-802(5), IDAHO CODE, TO EXTEND SCHOOL LEVIES

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED,

that the Idaho School Boards Association support the rewrite of Section 33-802(5), Idaho Code, which would eliminate the requirement of 20% of a district’s maintenance and operational budget as the minimum amount of a supplemental levy, and would allow a school district that has passed a levy for at least seven consecutive years to be able to extend the levy length for three (3) to ten (10) years without going back to the voters every year.

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

It is rare to find a district in Idaho that does not rely on a supplemental levy to help provide the programs and services to their schools that their community expects. Section 33-802(5), Idaho Code, recognizes this fact and aims to make it easier for districts to plan their longer-term strategic budgets. However, this statute could be more effective with two substantive changes. First, by removing the requirement of a minimum dollar amount of 20% of the maintenance and operational budget for the levy; and secondly by replacing the “indefinite term” with a three (3) to ten (10) year term if the school district has passed a supplemental levy for seven (7) consecutive years. The five districts that currently have permanent levies (Boise, Blaine, Moscow, Lewiston, and Mullan) will all be grandfathered in.

RECOMMENDATION OF THE ISBA EXECUTIVE BOARD: DO PASS

40-50-60 SALARY ALLOCATION FOR INSTRUCTIONAL & PUPIL SERVICE STAFF

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED,

that the Idaho School Boards Association work with the Idaho State Department of Education, Idaho State Board of Education, the Idaho Legislature, and other Education Stakeholders to amend Idaho Code to phase in a $60,000 rung on the Idaho Career Ladder over a period of two years and phase out the Master Educator Premium.

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

The purpose of this resolution is to encourage the Legislature to implement the complete three-tier recommendation from the Task Force for Improving Education convened under Governor Otter regarding the Career Ladder. The third rung of the Career Ladder was designed to recognize the contribution of experienced educators in Idaho. In addition, it was suggested as a method of encouraging teachers to continue improving their practice, to explore additional credentialing, and to incentivize them to remain in Idaho. Finally, this resolution encourages the Legislature to recognize the disparity of allocation for more experienced teachers by increasing the differential between new-to-the-profession teacher allocations and experienced teacher allocation.

RECOMMENDATION OF THE ISBA EXECUTIVE BOARD: DO PASS

TASK FORCE ON PROPERTY TAX REFORM

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED,

that the Idaho School Boards Association research, draft, and submit legislation that either establishes an interim committee to study and make recommendations to the Legislature to reform the property taxes for school purposes to support a uniform and thorough system of public education in Idaho, or advocate that the Honorable Governor Brad Little establish a task force to study and make recommendations to reform property taxes for school purposes to support a uniform and thorough system of public education.

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

Changes to Idaho’s property tax system in 2006 has put schools and districts in a tough position of asking their taxpayers for levies in order to provide the programs and educational services their communities expect. This resolution would convene members of the legislature, taxpayers, and stakeholders together to discuss a statewide solution to ensure Idaho’s constitutional obligation to provide a uniform and thorough system of education is being met.

RECOMMENDATION OF THE ISBA EXECUTIVE BOARD: DO PASS

REVISION OF IDAHO CODE ON EXCISION

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED,

that the Idaho School Boards Association work to revise Section 33-308, Idaho Code, to end the unintended consequences of disenfranchising district taxpayers and the unreasonably short timeline for districts to consider petitions. The Idaho School Boards Association shall seek to amend Section 33-308, Idaho Code to allow participation by all district taxpayers in both districts in the excision/annexation process. Allowing all district taxpayers in both districts the opportunity to vote in an excision/annexation election will protect all taxpayers from having their taxes increased without their permission. The potential excision of real property in the taxpayers’ district would reduce property value in the excision district and would automatically cause the remaining district taxpayers’ taxes increase. The Idaho School Boards Association shall also seek to increase the allotted time for both districts to respond to a submitted excision petition to allow sufficient time to research the impact of the petition, including changes in USDA programs and federal programs and to get input from district patrons. The current process unfairly penalizes taxpayers in the district impacted by an excision.

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

Section 33-308, Idaho Code needs to be significantly revised due to the hardship it causes district taxpayers and districts. The current process allows a small group of individuals to increase taxes for another, larger group of taxpayers in an affected district. As a result of the process allowed by Section 33-308, Idaho Code it is extremely difficult for districts to do short or long term financial planning. Additionally, the timeline for district consideration should be changed to allow much more time for both districts’ Boards of Trustees to research the impact of an excision petition and seek input from district taxpayers.

RECOMMENDATION OF THE ISBA EXECUTIVE BOARD: DO PASS

DISCUSSION OF SALE OF PUBLIC PROPERTY WITHIN EXECUTIVE SESSION

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED,

that the Idaho School Boards Association work with the Idaho Legislature to amend Idaho Code to include language to allow deliberations within executive session on the sale of real property which is owned by a public agency for the sole purpose of discussing possible minimal acceptable bid amounts for the sale of real property.

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

A school district or charter school must be able to discuss within executive session, prior to receiving bid offers, the possible amount acceptable as a reasonable offer. If an interested party makes an offer on real property, a public agency needs to have had the opportunity to privately discuss what a reasonable offer would be without public knowledge of their final acceptable price. If these deliberations take place in open meetings, the interested party will have a large advantage over the school district or charter school by knowing what the minimal acceptable price is and make the an offer matching that amount. This is detrimental to the interest of the school district patrons if they do not receive the most competitive bid possible. This also is a major impact on rural school systems where there is typically only one interested buyer.

RECOMMENDATION OF THE ISBA EXECUTIVE BOARD: DO PASS

SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION AND PROPERTY TAX RELIEF

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED,

that the Idaho School Boards Association shall support legislation that would provide for 50 percent State funding using sales tax revenue from new construction to supplement the costs of future school bonds that receive a minimum of 66 and 2/3rds support from voters.

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

To support new legislation that would help school districts fund needed improvements to existing buildings, make additions to existing buildings, or construct new buildings needed to provide space for increasing enrollment while reducing the tax burden that school bonds place on district property tax payers. The central tenant of this resolution is to make funding school building repairs and construction a cost that is shared among all taxpayers, and not just a cost paid by property tax payers. Another tenant of the resolution is to resolve the facilities lawsuit that the Idaho Supreme Court ruled needed to be resolved by the legislature. Had such a resolution been in place over the last 20 years, it would have helped more than 90 of Idaho’s school districts. Had it been in place this August, the cost for local payers in the failed bond measure attempts in Lakeland, Bonneville, Oneida, Sugar-Salem, Filer, Kellogg, and Shoshone would have been decreased by 50% and the measures may have stood a better chance of earning voter support.

RECOMMENDATION OF THE ISBA EXECUTIVE BOARD:  NO RECOMMENDATION

FLEXIBILITY OF MISASSIGNMENT IN TEACHING ASSIGNMENTS

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED,

that the Idaho School Boards Association shall work to allow local districts additional flexibility in making teacher assignments. Such flexibility would be limited to teaching outside the teacher’s endorsed content area for no more than one period per day or less than 25% of the teacher’s total contract time.

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

Due to the limited number of applicants in the current teaching pool with multiple endorsements, the lack of teaching experience for alternatively authorized educators, and the need to provide one of a kind classes in many small and rural schools, the Idaho School Boards Association should actively work to allow local districts and charter schools to temporarily assign experienced teachers to fill assignments outside their areas of endorsement.

RECOMMENDATION OF THE ISBA EXECUTIVE BOARD: DO PASS

ALIGNING IDAHO’S SCHOOL AGE AND PUBLIC SCHOOL ACCOUNTABILITY REQUIREMENTS

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED,

that the Idaho School Boards Association shall draft legislation to align Idaho Code Section 33-202, Idaho Code, with the state’s accountability requirements for public schools by changing the required school age from 16 to 18, unless the pupil has graduated early or has received their GED.

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

Idaho’s accountability measures for high schools rely upon students completing academic requirements, participating in college level work, and mastering industry level skills during a four year window. Two of those four years occur in the final two years of high school, when most students are older than 16. Section 33-202, Idaho Code, should be amended to support state accountability expectations for schools by changing the required school age from 16 to 18, unless the pupil has graduated early or has received their GED.

RECOMMENDATION OF THE ISBA EXECUTIVE BOARD: DO PASS

ESTABLISHING LIMITS ON NON-ELECTED CHARTER SCHOOL AUTHORIZERS

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED,

that the Idaho School Boards Association shall work to amend Idaho Code to limit the number of charter schools the Idaho Public Charter School Commission and any other non-school district authorizer may authorize such that only 1 (one) such charter school may be authorized per each 25,000 of people residing within the legal boundaries of any Idaho school district.

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

The Idaho Public Charter School Commission’s authority to authorize charter schools in a community may create racial, social economic and resource inequities in communities. Further, Idaho Public Charter School Commission members, as political appointees are not elected, and members of the governing boards of Commission authorized charter schools are not elected by those they serve or required to reside in the community they serve. This resolution would limit the number of charter schools such authorizers could oversee to one school per 25,000 residents of the school district in which the charter school would be sited.

RECOMMENDATION OF THE ISBA EXECUTIVE BOARD: DO NOT PASS

SUPPORT FOR SCIENCE CONTENT STANDARDS

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED,

that the Idaho School Boards Association work to ensure that the science standards and their “Supporting Content” sections, which are incorporated by reference into IDAPA 08.02.03.004.01 and approved by the Legislature in 2018, are maintained and reauthorized by the Idaho Legislature.

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

Idaho’s current Science Standards represent the work of a broad group of stakeholders over a three-year period and have garnered widespread support from stakeholders and citizens across Idaho. Districts and schools have invested significant resources of time and money into the professional development and curricular materials aligned to these standards over the past year and a half. To revise or not approve the standards as currently written, would represent a significant step backward in our efforts to prepare students with the 21st-century learning skills that will be necessary to fulfill the labor needs of our state’s ever-growing STEM job market.

RECOMMENDATION OF THE ISBA EXECUTIVE BOARD: DO PASS

K-12 FUNDING FORMULA PRINCIPLES

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED,

that the Idaho School Boards Association shall work with the Idaho Legislature to adopt a funding formula that is based upon the following principles:
● Predictability: It should have the ability to accurately predict and budgets in coming years;
● Adequacy: It should provide sufficient funding for districts and charter schools to provide essentials to students;
● Transparency: The process should be clear,
● Stability: There should be no cliffs from year to year,
● Equitability: It should differentiate between LEAs in a way that recognizes their unique needs,
● Honors the experience of staff,
● Honors the education of staff,
● Holds harmless: No LEA should lose funding, i.e., the cost per pupil is not lower than the current funding model; and the new model should take into account growing enrollment.

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

Over the past three years, a K-12 public school funding formula legislative interim committee has worked to develop a proposal for a new K-12 funding formula. While the proposed model was not approved, the 2019 Legislature did approve HB 293, which established definitions to be used in a SBFF model to be considered by the 2020 Legislature. It is our belief that by having a standard of fundamental guiding principles provides a measure against which ideas can be weighed and evaluated. These guiding principles represent a philosophical direction for funding public schools and reflect some of the concerns identified with the proposed model that was released last year.

RECOMMENDATION OF THE ISBA EXECUTIVE BOARD: DO PASS

INCREASING REIMBURSEMENTS FOR DRIVER TRAINING PROGRAMS

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED,

that the Idaho School Boards Association shall work to revise Section 33-1707, Idaho Code, increasing the driver training reimbursement to LEAs from $125 to $150 per student completing the program.

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

Currently, Section 33-1707, Idaho Code, sets the amount LEAs receive in reimbursement at $125 per student completing a public driver education program. Increasing the reimbursement from $125 to $150 per student will prevent LEAs from using discretionary funds to support their driver training programs and decrease the amount students have to pay in Driver Education fees to sustain these programs.

RECOMMENDATION OF THE ISBA EXECUTIVE BOARD: DO PASS

MODIFICATION TO DEFINITION RECOGNIZING PUBLIC SCHOOLS AS A “PUBLIC FACILITIES”

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED,

that the Idaho School Boards Association shall work with the Idaho State Department of Education, Idaho State Board of Education, and the Idaho Legislature to amend Idaho Code to add “Public School Facilities” to the definition of “Public Facilities”.

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

Adding “Public School Facilities” to the definition of “Public Facilities” in Section 67-8203(24) would allow school districts to access funding under Title 67 Chapter 82 for the purpose stated in Section 67-8202, namely to create “an equitable program for planning and financing public facilities needed to serve new growth and development is necessary in order to promote and accommodate orderly growth and development and to protect the public health, safety and general welfare of the citizens of the state of Idaho”.

RECOMMENDATION OF THE ISBA EXECUTIVE BOARD: DO NOT PASS

AMEND IDAHO PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL COMMISSION ACADEMIC FRAMEWORK

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED,

the Idaho School Boards Association calls upon the Idaho State Legislature to direct the PCSC to return to its original mission, which was to assist charter schools in providing choice in Idaho public education. ISBA also calls for replacing the Academic Framework of the Performance Certificate with the state accountability system to which all public schools are held and which is determined by the State Department of Education and based upon Idaho and Federal law. We further call on the State Legislature to recognize that parents have a right to choose schooling options for their children and that parental choice is based on many factors beyond academic performance.

FURTHERMORE, if the PCSC is not able to revise its accountability measure to better reflect the values of Idaho families instead of the values of its own professional bureaucrats, then the Idaho School Boards Association board calls upon the Idaho Legislature to dissolve the PCSC entirely.

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

This resolution will direct the Idaho School Boards Association to seek legislative action to direct the Public Charter School Commission to pursue a mission of increasing public school choice to families in Idaho, to replace the Performance Certificate approach to charter school oversight with the state accountability system, and call on the State Legislature to recognize that parents’ choice of their students’ school is based on many factors beyond academic performance. In the event the PCSC does not revise its accountability measures, it would direct ISBA to call on the Legislature to disband the PCSC.

RECOMMENDATION OF THE ISBA EXECUTIVE BOARD: DO NOT PASS