Summary

Idaho SB 1199 (Open States or Idaho Legislature) details the funding and structure for two programs that are funded for one year in Idaho’s 2013-14 school budget, SB 1200. One program provides grant funding to school districts for differential pay based on excellence in achievement. The second program provides grant funding for technology pilot projects designed to improve student academic growth.

Legislative Analysis

Under SB 1199’s program for differential pay, school districts can request grant funds for local excellence in achievement awards. The funds are for certified and noncertified employees and may be distributed from the school wide level down to the individual level. Districts must approve plans for measuring excellence in achievement with input from a variety of local stakeholders and not subject to collective bargaining. Plans may allow spending up to 40% of funds on professional development, leadership, and other resources necessary to implement the state’s math and English/language arts standards. Plans must establish goals and objective measures of growth related to student achievement and districts receiving grants must submit a report to the state department of education regarding student achievement results and the effectiveness of the awards in helping them reach their goals. The appropriation for differential pay is $21 million.

The legislation’s technology pilot projects program appropriates $3 million to be distributed to public schools and public charter schools through a competitive grant process. The grants are for technology pilot projects lasting one to two years and designed to improve student academic growth. Grant applications must include growth measures and expected increases through the project, and grantees must report to the state department of education how the funds were used as well as student growth results from those uses.

The technology pilot projects provide teachers and students in Idaho’s schools the opportunity to innovate and experiment with digital learning in many different forms. Through studying academic growth, successful programs and techniques can be identified and then shared across and between districts. The increased funding for professional development available through the differential pay program may also have a positive impact on digital learning.

Legislative History

Detailed Vote History: Legiscan |  Open States

Approved by Governor Butch Otter on 4/11/2013