View Daily Data Tracking History
View Bill Text
View Statement of Purpose / Fiscal Impact
H0506..........................................................by EDUCATION SCHOOLS - ACCOUNTABILITY - Adds to existing law to provide for academic and financial accountability of school districts that operate schools demonstrating chronically low academic performance or which operate in a fiscally deficient position, through the development of a school academic achievement improvement plan or a district school finance plan in accordance with the requirements and procedures specified by the Department of Education. 01/26 House intro - 1st rdg - to printing 01/27 Rpt prt - to Educ
H0506|||| LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO |||| Fifty-fourth Legislature Second Regular Session - 1998IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES HOUSE BILL NO. 506 BY EDUCATION COMMITTEE 1 AN ACT 2 RELATING TO SCHOOL DISTRICT ACADEMIC AND FINANCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY; AMENDING 3 CHAPTER 13, TITLE 33, IDAHO CODE, BY THE ADDITION OF A NEW SECTION 4 33-1305, IDAHO CODE, TO PROVIDE FOR ACADEMIC AND FINANCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY 5 OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT OPERATE SCHOOLS DEMONSTRATING CHRONICALLY LOW 6 ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OR WHICH OPERATE IN A FISCALLY DEFICIENT POSITION. 7 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Idaho: 8 SECTION 1. That Chapter 13, Title 33, Idaho Code, be, and the same is 9 hereby amended by the addition thereto of a NEW SECTION , to be 10 known and designated as Section 33-1305, Idaho Code, and to read as follows: 11 33-1305. SCHOOL DISTRICT ACADEMIC AND FINANCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY. (1) In 12 order to improve accountability of school districts within the framework of 13 protecting local control and fulfilling state responsibility of assuring a 14 minimum standard of education for all students, the state department of educa- 15 tion shall require school improvement plans to be developed in accordance with 16 the provisions of this section. State funds shall be withheld from school dis- 17 tricts that do not comply with the provisions of this section. 18 (2) All school districts, including specially chartered districts, that 19 operate schools demonstrating chronically low academic achievement or perfor- 20 mance shall be required to develop a school academic achievement improvement 21 plan. The criteria for determining a low achieving school shall be defined by 22 the state department of education and shall include, but not be limited to, 23 the following: 24 (a) Results of standardized tests; 25 (b) Results of other tests; 26 (c) Loss of school accreditation; 27 (d) High school dropout percentages; 28 (e) School attendance percentages; and 29 (f) Percentage of students meeting district exiting standards. 30 (3) All school districts, including specially chartered districts, that 31 operate in a fiscally deficient position for more than one (1) year shall be 32 required to develop and implement a district school finance plan. The plan 33 shall include, but not be limited to, the following: 34 (a) Revenue sources that will be utilized to eliminate the deficit; and 35 (b) The time line for elimination of the deficit. 36 (4) The school district shall be required to notify patrons of the dis- 37 trict whenever a school academic achievement improvement plan or a district 38 school finance plan has been prepared and that copies will be provided upon 39 request.
l STATEMENT OF PURPOSE RS 07445 New Statute-Idaho Code 33-1304. Academic and Financial Accountability Act. Idaho has no law requiring school districts that have schools demonstrating chronically-low achievement to improve the level of achievement and performance. Further, there is no Idaho law requiring a school district that operates in a financially deficit position to develop a plan of action to eliminate the deficit. Idaho law states that a district cannot operate in a deficit position, but no corrective action is required. The intent of this proposed legislation is to assure that schools achieve at an even higher level and to provide more accountability. The legislation will be developed maintaining a balance of local control and the state's responsibility to assure a minimum level of education for all Idaho students. FISCAL NOTE There could be a fiscal impact as a district budgets funds to eliminate chronically-low performance or to require the District budget to eliminate a financially-deficit position. CONTACT: Dr. Darrell K. Loosle State Department of Education 208-332-6810 STATEMENT OF PURPOSE/FISCAL NOTE Bill H506