BOISE — Members of the Joint Finance Appropriations Committee (JFAC) voted Monday morning to fund new math & science and other requirements for Idaho’s high school students.
Earlier in this, the First Regular Session of the Fifty-Ninth Idaho Legislature, members of the House Education Committee voted to implement rules, as proposed by the Idaho State Board of Education, increasing the graduation requirements for math and science for Idaho high school students. The new requirements, which start with the graduating class of 2013 as ninth (9th) graders in 2009-2010, mandate that every graduating student in Idaho successfully pass three (3) years of math and three (3) years of science. The rule, however needed budgetary funding, which was given today as part of the one point three seven (1.37) billion dollar public schools budget.
The new requirements were the result of many months of work by the Idaho High School Graduation Requirement Committee, which studied needs and opportunities to improve educational opportunities and challenges with regard to core subject classes such as math and science.
Today’s vote and subsequent budget approval also sends a very clear message that Idaho lawmakers and budget setters are committed to education and the success of Idaho’s students in an increasingly competitive global workplace.
JFAC members also voted to more than fully fund advances in the Idaho Digital Learning Academy (IDLA) and the Idaho Math Initiative and Teacher Training.
The public school’s budget, as set by JFAC, must still be voted on by the full House and Senate and signed by Governor Otter before it becomes fully approved.
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