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Senate passes bill allowing school boards to deny enrollment in narrow, specified cases
Summary
House Bill 236, which updates the list of limited circumstances when local school boards may deny a student’s enrollment, passed the Senate unanimously; sponsors emphasized protections for students with disabilities and preserved due process rights.
The Idaho Senate on March 20 passed House Bill 2‑36 as amended, which updates provisions allowing local school boards to deny school attendance in limited, specified circumstances.
Senator Semoroth, who carried the bill in the Senate, said the bill adds two narrowly defined situations to the list of conditions under which a district may deny enrollment: (1) disclosure of withdrawing in lieu of discipline when a student has been withdrawn following severe disciplinary action, and (2) required disclosure by a parent or guardian when a student has severe criminal convictions or adjudications. The sponsor said the bill retains protections for students with disabilities and preserves due process, including a hearing before the school board.
Senator Den Hartog emphasized during floor remarks that denial of enrollment in these narrow situations does not leave students without options; she noted virtual programs, virtual charter schools and alternate placements that districts can offer. The sponsor also noted that the bill does not require access to court records and does not apply to minor misdemeanors.
Debate on the measure was brief and the Senate recorded a unanimous roll call: 35 votes in favor, none against. House Bill 2‑36, as amended in the Senate, passed and will be returned to the House of Representatives.
