October 21, 2004

BOARD TO CREATE TASK FORCE TO FOCUS ON HIGH SCHOOL ACCELERATED LEARNING

Approves Bonding for ISU Purchase of University Place Idaho Falls

LEWISTON - Idaho State Board of Education President Rod Lewis announced the Board will create a task force to evaluate high school academics focusing on accelerated learning. The announcement came after a discussion and presentation on advanced placement (AP) courses and dual enrollment opportunities for high school students. The task force will consist of members of the State Board, State Department and Idaho's colleges and universities.

"We must create a challenging, accelerated learning environment that provides additional opportunities for our high achieving students to take college level courses," said Lewis. "This task force will look at enhancing the use of advanced placement courses and dual enrollment as part of an overall picture of academic opportunity. We'll evaluate our current system with the goal of creating a more rigorous and relevant high school curriculum for our students."

In other State Board of Education business:

• The State Board adopted the language usage Idaho Standards Achievement Test (ISAT) as another option for districts for the third academic indicator for "No Child Left Behind" implementation. There are now three options to recognize overall improvement by students: maintain progress on the language usage ISAT, increase the percent of advanced students in both the reading and math ISAT or decrease the percent of below basic students in the reading and math ISAT.

• The Board redirected Liberty Charter School to the Idaho Charter School Commission. Both the charter school and the Nampa School District have expressed the desire for Liberty Charter School to be placed under the jurisdiction of the Commission.

• The Board unanimously approved $4.5 million in bonds to finance Idaho State University's purchase of land and buildings at the University Place complex in Idaho Falls. The Board also approved the University of Idaho's request to acquire 10 acres of railroad property in Moscow in exchange for five acres of UI property to enhance a greenbelt bordering the campus. The Board postponed the UI's request to purchase a former fraternity house on campus until the December Board meeting.

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