IDAHO

Legislative roundup, 3.15.21: Mask mandate ban heads to House; Clow absent with coronavirus

House Education Committee Chairman Lance Clow, R-Twin Falls, is at least the fourth legislator to contract coronavirus this legislative session.

Campus coronavirus roundup, 3.15.21: Case spikes mirror statewide trends

Ada and Bonneville counties accounted for nearly half of Idaho’s new coronavirus cases last week — and Boise State University and the College of Eastern Idaho also reported increases in cases.

The wait is over — state announces bonus recipients

The State Board initially said it would notify applicants last August, but portfolio reviews were sidelined by the pandemic.

Legislative roundup, 3.12.21: A reworked tax bill makes its debut

The $389.4 million proposal could set the stage for a late-session tax debate, with implications for school funding.

JFAC draws up K-12 budget bills

Using more than $2 billion in state dollars — and a big infusion of federal coronavirus aid — the budgets would put another $44.9 million teacher pay and $30 million into programs to address learning loss.

Analysis: Are legislators serious about helping kids learn to read, or not?

By the end of the 2021 session, we’ll have a better idea of whether lawmakers want to put money into reading readiness, and post-pandemic catchup.

Legislative roundup 3.11.21: House passes guns-in-schools bill

The House Education Committee also introduced a bill that would fund optional full-day kindergarten, so districts wouldn’t have to rely on supplemental levy funds.

Caldwell requires permission slips for sex ed. Teachers say it might not work everywhere.

“We’ve had to work really hard to make this process go as smoothly as it does,” one teacher told EdNews. She worries that a legislative mandate requiring parental permission could leave some students without necessary information.