July 1, 2003

Highlights from the State Board of Education June 26-27, 2003 Meeting

The State Board of Education concluded a day and a half meeting in Moscow on Friday, June 27th, with a review of the federal funds expended on education in the state. As the State Education Agency (SEA) for Idaho, the Board has oversight responsibility for the receipt and expenditure of federal funds.

After hearing a report on federal programs from State Superintendent of Schools Marilyn Howard and her staff, the Board authorized that federal expenditures be passed through to the Department except for monies designated for higher education programs, assessment, and language acquisition grants. These three areas, being held for additional analysis, amount to about $5 million of a total of $176.9 million the state receives from the U.S. Department of Education.

Additional items addressed during the meeting were:

The Board approval of the FY 2004 operating budgets for the Office of the State Board of Education, the School for the Deaf and the Blind, Professional-Technical Education, Idaho Public Television, BSU, ISU, UI and LCSC.

Higher Education

• CEOs of each of the institutions were authorized to finalize and execute the Site Lease, the Facilities Lease and Development Agreements with the Idaho State Building Authority. This action allows the ISBA to issue bonds to finance the construction of buildings on our campuses statewide. The bonding project, proposed by the Governor and passed by the legislature this last session, provides for the construction of the following projects.
• Coeur d'Alene - NIC Nursing/Life Science
• Moscow - UI Teaching & Learning Center
• Lewiston - LCSC Classroom/Activity Center
• Nampa - BSU West Campus Building
• Twin Falls - CSI Fine Arts Addition
• Pocatello - ISU Classroom Building
• Idaho Falls - EITC Nursing Building
• Criteria to aid the Board in determining the location of the nursing education facility in Idaho Falls was recommended by the Executive Committee and approved by the Board. The Board will hear proposals for the location of the facility at its August meeting.
• Student health insurance premiums and contracts for ISU, BSU, UI and LCSC were approved.
• The screening committee for the new president of the University of Idaho was announced. Board Vice President Jim Hammond will chair the committee, which will be responsible for recruiting and screening applicants, performing preliminary reference checks, and making recommendations to the State Board of Education. The process is expected to take six to eight months.

Charter Schools

Representatives of Idaho charter schools addressed the Board regarding several issues. Ensuing discussions resulted in the State Board of Education taking action on the following:

• The Board advised Liberty Charter School to apply to the Nampa School district for renewal of its charter.

• In response to an appeal from representatives from Nampa wishing to start an additional charter school, the Board will investigate the procedure and the timeliness of the appeal.

• Additional recommendations addressed the concerns of statewide charter schools. The Board instructed its staff to develop policy options that would assign the Department of Education or a college or university as the chartering authority for a statewide charter school. The Board also asked the Department of Education to report on its findings regarding equitable funding for charter schools. The information will be made available by July 8th so determination can be made regarding concerns presented to the Board by Idaho Virtual Academy regarding payment of funds to the school.

  "No Child Left Behind" Act

  Board member Karen McGee reported the State of Idaho has now achieved compliance with the U.S. Department of Education's requirements for the accountability work plan. As the State Education Agency for Idaho, the Board was notified in May that Idaho was in jeopardy of being penalized for failing to put together a plan that met the federal requirements. Given a short window of time, the Board staff worked with the U.S Department of Education to develop an acceptable plan modeled after approved plans from other compliance agreement states.

  The Board also took action needed to meet federal requirements, including the modification of the formula for Adequate Yearly Progress and approval of the definition for Persistently Dangerous Schools.