Among the testimony at this afternoon's hearing on Idaho's new rule requiring high school students to take two online courses to graduate:

Julie Browning of Boise, parent of two children enrolled in Idaho Virtual Academy, testified in favor of the rule. "We have to employ tools that increase efficiency," she told the committee. She said, "I just feel like if my 11-year-old can do it, I'm pretty sure that some 11th and 12th graders can handle it as well."

Jan Sylvester of Meridian, who said she's a citizen representing herself, had a number of questions about the rule. Among them: Why an online course must be one in which there are no printed materials. She said she's taken online courses, and often there's a book to read on one's own time; she questioned whether the rule prohibits books in online courses. Committee Vice Chairman Dean Mortimer said she could ask questions of the state Department of Education; testimony should give positions on the rule. Sylvester than said she agreed with earlier testimony that the requirement that one of the courses be "asynchronous" should be removed.

Linda Clark, superintendent of the Meridian School District, said, "We are as a district in support of offering online courses for our students." She said, "I'm really here today to encourage the committee to drop the portion of the rule that requires some kind of synchronicity, and to simply say two credits of online courses are required for graduation. We believe as a district that this allows families the greatest choice, and allows districts the greatest options to best meet the needs."

Karen Echeverria of the Idaho School Boards Association, speaking on behalf of 560 school trustees across the state, called for removing the "asynchronous" course requirement. "ISBA has always called for as much flexibility as possible at the local level," she said. Under the "asynchronous" requirement, she said, "Parental choice is taken away," along with the school district's preferences. She called on the panel to reject the rule so a new, temporary rule without the "asynchronous" part can be submitted by the State Board of Education.

Penni Cyr, president of the Idaho Education Association, said, "When a child has a question, he or she should be able to get help in real time by a teacher who knows the subject matter."