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JFAC requires Department of Education procurement reporting, removes competitive-acquisition language for ISAT
Summary
The committee approved language requiring the State Department of Education to use competitive acquisition processes for certain procurements and report on capacity-building schools; it also voted to remove earlier language about a competitive bid process for the Idaho Standards Achievement Test (ISAT).
Legislators on the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee approved changes to appropriation language for the State Department of Education that formalize procurement reporting and require the department to provide performance information on schools participating in a capacity-building program.
The committee accepted language changing the word "encouraged" to "required" with respect to open competitive acquisition processes for procurements tied to capacity-building programs, and added a requirement that the department provide a performance-status report to Legislative Services’ budget and policy analysts on each participating school. The change was debated after a senator objected to making procurement policy in appropriations language; the committee nonetheless approved the language after a roll call.
Separately, the committee voted to remove prior language regarding a competitive-bid process for the Idaho Standards Achievement Test (ISAT) from the appropriation bill by unanimous consent. The analyst explained the duplicate language had been included in error and that the removal was procedural.
Why it matters: the language tightens reporting expectations and makes procurement transparency a condition tied to the appropriation, which members said is intended to give the committee oversight on program performance and acquisitions.
Key details
- Procurement language: changes a prior phrase from "encouraged" to "required" for open competitive acquisition processes in specified appropriations. Senator Woodward objected to making that policy change in appropriation intent language, noting constitutional officers and executive-branch procurement authorities are governed by Title 67, Chapter 92. The committee voted to adopt the language over the objection.
- Reporting: the department will report on performance status of each school in the capacity-building program to budget and policy analysis (LSO).
- ISAT language removed: the committee voted to remove previously approved language relating to a competitive acquisition process for the Idaho Standards Achievement Test so that duplicative language will not appear in the appropriation bill.
What members said
- Senator Woodward said she objected to changing the requirement to "required" because procurement policy belongs in policy committees and is governed by existing procurement statutes (Title 67, Chapter 92), not in appropriation language.
- Representative Price moved the language and explained the reporting requirement would align capacity-building schools with existing reporting requirements for underperforming charter schools.
Next steps
The changed procurement and reporting language and the removal of the ISAT competitive-language will be included in the appropriation bill language forwarded by the committee.
