Department of Education previews updated content standards, special‑education manual and proposed graduation‑requirement changes to House committee

Greg Wilson, Idaho Department of Education, told the House Education Committee the department updated multiple administrative rules and is incorporating revised content standards and a revised special‑education manual by reference; the department also proposed a set of changes to high‑school graduation requirements designed to broaden pathways and align assessments.

Wilson said the department completed 2024 review cycles for several content areas — including driver education, arts and humanities, world language, social studies, and computer science — and that the updated standards were adopted by the State Board of Education on June 12, 2024. He said the standards-review committees were composed of classroom teachers, regional representatives and content experts, and that the department solicited public comment in April 2024.

On special education, Wilson said the department revised the Idaho Special Education Manual after a December 2023 letter from the U.S. Office of Special Education Programs identified areas of noncompliance with the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Wilson said the department conducted a multi‑month review in early 2024, solicited feedback from parents and field experts, and the updated manual was approved by the State Board on November 21, 2024.

Wilson described a proposed update to the state's graduation requirements intended to preserve the statewide minimum of 46 total credits while increasing flexibility to reflect a broader set of post‑secondary and workforce pathways. He said the department’s four principal changes are: more flexible ways to meet core academic requirements, adding digital literacy as a core academic requirement, establishing localized pathways aligned to regional needs, and replacing the senior project with a "future readiness project" and updated work‑based learning definitions.

Wilson emphasized the proposal maintains the state minimum of 46 credits (29 core academic and 17 elective credits) and noted that many local districts require more credits than the statewide minimum. He cited sample local requirements—Twin Falls (52 credits), West Bonner (57 credits), Compass Public Charter (54 credits) and Xavier Charter (52 credits)—to show local variance.

The department described its process: an agency work group beginning in October 2023, a broader work group after the 2024 legislative session (including parents, superintendents, college and career advisors, charter administrators and industry representatives), outreach to all six education regions, and negotiated rulemaking in October 2024. Wilson said the State Board approved an initial draft in August 2024 and the department plans to bring more detailed rule language and alignment analysis back to the committee for question and negotiation.

Representative Harris and others asked who creates the content standards and how committee membership was selected. Wilson said existing standards were reviewed and revised by the content committees, which included teachers and other content experts; he offered to provide the committee with the full membership lists for each review committee.

Committee members asked about alignment between standards, local curricula and state assessments; Wilson said after the standards are adopted the department reviews assessments for alignment and will begin that work later in the year and into next year.

Because the session was informational, the department did not request a committee vote on the proposed graduation‑requirement changes; Wilson said the department will return to the committee with specific rule language and supporting materials.