Amends existing law to revise provisions regarding the literacy intervention program.
Summary
Senate Bill 1069 revises Idaho’s literacy intervention program for students in kindergarten through grade 3 who score basic or below basic on fall reading screenings. It requires school districts and public charter schools to provide extended-time intervention with evidence-based instruction targeting phonemic awareness, decoding, vocabulary, comprehension, and fluency. The bill sets minimum supplemental instruction hours of 60 for students scoring below basic and 30 for students scoring basic, and it allows adaptive learning technology tools to be used as part of the program if they are aligned with the state literacy plan and approved by the State Board of Education.
The bill also expands state oversight and support. It directs the State Board of Education to select adaptive literacy providers through a request-for-proposals process, require annual effectiveness evaluations by an independent evaluator, identify best practices, and maintain a literacy resource center for schools and parents. The State Department of Education must provide reporting forms, reimbursement guidelines, annual reporting on participation and effectiveness, and professional development for teachers and elementary administrators over time, subject to appropriation. The act includes an emergency clause and takes effect July 1, 2025.
Impact
S1069 amends Section 33-1807 of the Idaho Code and would strengthen and formalize the state’s early literacy intervention framework for K-3 students. It adds specific instructional-hour requirements, narrows the types of intervention tools that may be used, creates an approved provider process for adaptive learning technology, and increases reporting, evaluation, and professional development obligations for the State Department of Education and State Board of Education. It also limits transportation reimbursement to $100 per student from appropriated funds and authorizes rulemaking to establish growth-to-proficiency benchmarks and timelines.
Sentiment
The voting history suggests the bill had meaningful support but was not unanimous. It passed the Senate 22-13 and the House 40-30, indicating a generally favorable view of the goal of improving early reading outcomes, while also showing substantial opposition. The absence of committee transcripts limits insight into detailed debate, but the broad support in both chambers suggests the bill’s literacy-focused approach was viewed as important by many lawmakers.
Contention
Likely points of contention include the bill’s mandates on school districts and charter schools, the cost and administrative burden of required interventions, professional development, reporting, and annual evaluations, and the use of state-approved adaptive learning technology providers. The requirement that intervention programs include evidence-based components and be aligned with the Idaho comprehensive literacy plan may also have raised concerns about flexibility for local districts. Opponents may have questioned the funding implications, especially because several provisions are subject to appropriation, while supporters likely emphasized accountability, early intervention, and measurable reading gains.