Eye On Boise

Ways & Means introduces ed bill

May 7, 2009 9:25 a.m. • 5 comments

House Education Chairman Bob Nonini, R-Coeur d’Alene, told the House Ways & Means Committee just now, “I think we can all agree with this, that education is going the way of virtuals.” HB 303, which sought to fund virtual, or online education, just like funding for children who are present in class in public schools, was amended in the Senate with the addition of a two-year expiration on the move. Nonini presented legislation this morning to do away with that expiration. He said schools don’t want to move into virtual education if they’ll be cut off in the short term. House Majority Leader Mike Moyle, R-Star, said House members have visited with the Senate about the issue. “We’ve visited with them and they know this is coming,” he said. “They’re having some of the same calls and the same concerns from their superintendents.” HB 303, which is pending in the Senate, has been amended twice and can’t be amended again, he said.

House Minority Leader John Rusche, D-Lewiston, asked about a study of virtual education, and Nonini said he, Senate Education Chairman John Goedde, R-Coeur d’Alene, and state Superintendent of Schools Tom Luna have signed a letter asking the Northwest Regional Educational Lab to study the issue. “So we hope we will have some data … moving forward with these virtual charter schools,” Nonini said. The Ways & Means Committee then voted to send the new bill to the House’s 2nd Reading calendar.

Five comments on this post so far. Add yours!

thomg57 on May 07 at 9:50 a.m.
How would Bob know which way education is going?
JFanselow on May 07 at 10:02 a.m.
Good point, Thom. If Bob Nonini and Tom Luna say education is going one way, we probably want to move in the other direction.

There can definitely be benefits to some virtual education. Kids in rural Idaho ought to have chances to take classes that they can’t get in their local schools, and students deserve opportunities to earn extra credits online.

But don’t our children already have enough “screen time” in their lives? Children need to learn how to learn, collaborate and interact with other people, just as they will do in their working lives. Children need opportunities for hands-on science labs, band, choir, sports, drama, debate and all those other things they cannot do online but that are integral to a well-rounded education and success in life.

Idaho needs to ask how much of this is about cost savings and efficiency and how much is about gutting our public schools.
BRR on May 07 at 11:49 a.m.
At least Bob Nonini didn’t say “everybody knows” education is going virtual.

Schools are a primary way our children learn to become members of a group, to join in society. Allowing them to stay home in front of a computer (to be bought with state funds?) is a way to promote just the opposite.

Why allocate money to this before any studies are done?

Are we really sure these moves aren’t meant to dumb down enough future voters so that these kind of legislators will continue to be voted into office in perpetuity?