HB 450 Summary

• Revises the Educational Support Program calculation in Section 33-1002, Idaho Code, including reordering of subsections and clarification of funding allocations for various education programs and support services.

• Repeals previous reading assessment and extended year reading intervention program sections (33-1614 and 33-1615) and replaces them with new provisions requiring statewide reading assessments for kindergarten through grade 3 students at least twice per year.

• Establishes a literacy intervention program requiring school districts to provide minimum 60 hours of supplemental instruction for students scoring below basic and 30 hours for students scoring basic on fall reading screening assessments in kindergarten through grade 3.

• Allocates funding for literacy intervention programs based on the average number of kindergarten through grade 3 students scoring basic or below basic on prior three years of fall reading assessments, with no more than $100 per student allowed for transportation costs.

• Requires the state department of education to provide professional development on literacy instruction aligned with the Idaho Comprehensive Literacy Plan and report intervention program participation and effectiveness annually to the state board, legislature, and governor; effective July 1, 2019.