Senate Education Committee advances bill to restore school staffing flexibility

The Senate Education Committee voted to send House Bill 305 to the Senate floor with a due-pass recommendation, advancing a proposal to restore a 9.5% staff-allowance flexibility for Idaho school districts.

Representative Galaviz, sponsor of House Bill 305, told the committee the bill would reverse a 2016 change that permanently reduced districts’ ability to hire fewer full-time-equivalent staff than their funding would otherwise allow. "If they had 1 more student than the statewide average, it would shrink that flexibility from 9 and a half percent to 8 and a half, 7 and a half and on," Representative Galaviz said, describing the statute’s one-way penalty.

Supporters said the flexibility lets districts direct funds to local priorities such as curriculum, transportation or special education rather than being forced to hire…