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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Online education rules get hearings

Idaho considers two classes per student

BOISE – Idaho’s Board of Education has set seven public hearings across the state on a proposal to require high school students to take two online courses to graduate.

One of the two must be an “asynchronous” course, defined as one in which both students and teachers participate in the course on their own schedules.

“Our intent is to get all over the state as much as possible and get as much input as we can,” said board spokesman Mark Browning.

After the public hearings, a board committee will vote on its final recommendation for the rule – which could change based on the public input – and that recommendation will go to the full board for a vote, likely in September or October.

The online requirement was part of state schools Superintendent Tom Luna’s “Students Come First” school reform legislation that passed this year. Originally, Luna pushed to require eight online courses to graduate.