Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the School Staffing Flexibility topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Committee backs bill restoring staff-allocation flexibility for school districts
Summary
Representative Sonia Galaviz presented RS 32-458 to remove a statutory reduction that limited districts' ability to use staff-allocation flexibility. The committee voted to introduce the RS; supporters said it restores pre-2016 flexibility and avoids the 'use it or lose it' effect on small districts.
The Idaho House Education Committee voted to introduce RS 32-458, a cleanup measure carried by Representative Sonia Galaviz that restores school-district flexibility on staff allowances and removes a statutory provision that had reduced that flexibility incrementally since 2016.
Representative Sonia Galaviz, the sponsor, said the provision being removed had created a one-way reduction in flexibility for districts whose class sizes exceeded statewide averages. "Right now school districts are permitted to employ 9 and a half percent fewer positions than they're allocated full time equivalent," Galaviz said, and the later statutory change that began in 2016 "started to squeeze the flexibility and ... it is nicknamed ... 'use it or lose it.'"
Galaviz told the committee the change had unintentionally penalized some smaller districts and limited local options for staffing. She said the proposal simply restores the prior flexibility and does not change the divisors used to determine statewide average class sizes. The sponsor indicated there is no fiscal note attached to the RS and that allocations will continue to be made as intended.
Representative Harris asked about language being struck that related to reporting. Galaviz responded that the state Department of Education would still receive reports on staff allowance and hiring, and that the struck language related only to the statutory reduction in flexibility rather than ongoing reporting requirements.
Representative Clow moved to introduce RS 32-458 and spoke in favor. Several committee members, including a former school board member, said they had opposed the prior restriction and welcomed returning local control and flexibility. The committee passed the introduction of RS 32-458 by voice vote; the chair stated, "All in favor say aye." After no recorded opposition, the chair said, "Motion carries." The RS will be printed and proceed to the next steps of the legislative process.
