House Bill 590 Summary

• Amends Section 33-1004, Idaho Code to modify staff allowance calculations for school districts by allowing 50% of the difference between support units to be added when discretionary funding support units are at least 3% greater than February 15 apportionment support units

• Establishes special provisions for small districts with less than 40 support units, allowing additional one-half staff allowances for instructional and administrative positions if actual staff employed exceeds the calculated allowance

• Permits districts to utilize up to 15% of instructional staff position funding to purchase services from other districts or charter schools for instructional services or virtual education coursework without reducing funded positions

• Allows districts to employ up to 9.5% fewer positions than funded (with annual 1% reductions beginning fiscal year 2016 for districts with above-average class sizes) without losing funding for those positions

• Authorizes kindergarten teachers to conduct parent visits during the first week of school, with expenses not exceeding one week of instructional staff allowance