OK, this is complicated. JFAC has taken up the intent language to be added to the public school budget – strings tied to the funding that have the force of law – regarding high school WiFi networks and funding for the instructional management system. At issue is whether to stick with a current long-term contract that state Superintendent of Schools Tom Luna signed last summer based on a one-time appropriation, or whether to scrap the contract and send the money out to school districts.

A complicated proposal now before JFAC tries to kind of do both: It would continue funding the contract for those school districts who want to remain a part of it, but would pay $21 per enrollee to districts that aren’t in the contract for their own WiFi networks, plus let districts now in the contract opt out and get the payments instead. Sen. Dean Mortimer, R-Idaho Falls, said more information is needed on this and he asked for unanimous consent to hold off on it for another day. JFAC Co-Chair Rep. Maxine Bell, R-Jerome, objected.