House Education committee introduces RS 32396 to increase staffing support for rural math and science

The House Education Committee voted to introduce RS 32396, a proposal to amend Idaho Code 33-1021 that would increase fractional funding for small rural high schools so those schools receive larger portions of a full-time instructor for math and science instruction.

The bill would set fractional funding at least 0.5 full-time equivalent (FTE) for schools with 100–159 students and 0.75 FTE for schools with 160–319 students, and it would not change funding for larger schools, Representative Jeff Furness, the bill sponsor, told the committee.

Committee members said the proposal responds to long-standing challenges in rural math and science education: difficulty recruiting and retaining certified teachers, limited course offerings and technology, and small, geographically isolated student populations. Furness said rural districts often hire applicants with related degrees and use alternative certification paths because traditionally certified candidates are scarce.

Representative…