Richard Westerberg, president of the Idaho State Board of Education, said after the board's unanimous vote to approve an online-class requirement for high school graduation, “We certainly received some input.” He said, “The board is firmly behind online learning. We believe it's imperative moving forward that our students be able to have skills in that area.” Mark Browning, state board spokesman, noted that many of the public comments objected to the law calling for requiring online courses. “That ship has sailed,” Browning said. “We have a law passed by the Legislature.”
Westerberg said the public comments received in public hearings across the state, which were largely negative as were those received in the final comment period on the rule, “actually informed what the rule might be.” He said, “Two credits is actually a fairly modest requirement.” State Superintendent of Schools Tom Luna's original proposal was to require eight online classes for graduation.
Westerberg said, “There is no equivocation among the board members - that's an area that we need to get good at, our students need to get good at.” You can read my full story here at spokesman.com.
Betsy Z. Russell covers Idaho news from The Spokesman-Review's bureau in Boise.
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