Schools Told To Set Own Rules Fox Tells Districts It’s A Chance To Exercise Local Control

The Idaho Legislature voted to let local school districts set their own operating rules in many areas, and Schools Superintendent Anne Fox says local boards need to decide what their regulations will be.

Fox and Department of Education staff members were in Idaho Falls Tuesday, explaining the impact of the recent school rules consolidation.

The Legislature approved about 380 new rules, replacing 1,300 old regulations. The state acted after Idaho educators complained existing rules were cumbersome, duplicative and in some cases outdated.

The message to local educators was that they must come up with their own policies.

“You can’t use the state manual as an excuse anymore,” said Darrell Loosle, Fox’s chief deputy. “You need to develop your own guidelines and procedures before problems arise,” he told about 80 superintendents, principals, teachers and school board members.

“This is our experiment in local control. It can and must made to be successful.”

Classroom size limits and teacher-student ratios as requirements are gone. The state recommends 20 students per classroom in kindergarten through third grade and 26 in grades four to six, but those are only goals.

The state board doesn’t require review of school building plans. As long as new construction meets construction codes, local boards will have full approval.

Districts must have a guidance program, but the district can make its own rules. The old rules required one counselor for every 400 students. Now that’s just a goal.

State policies on school buses and bus driver duties are gone.

Area superintendents generally support the emphasis on local control, but see drawbacks.

“I’m a little concerned about uniformity across the state,” said Gordon Woolley, Teton District superintendent. “I don’t see a mechanism for uniformity especially in a mobile society with students moving from one district to another.”

School trustees have their work cut out for them, said John Murdoch, acting superintendent for the Idaho Falls District.

“Boards are going to have to very carefully and thoroughly analyze their policies to make sure there are no gaps between new state policies and board policy.”

The Legislature rejected two proposed rules. One gave districts greater discretion in allowing teachers to instruct in courses outside their area of expertise. The other would have increased requirements in math and science, eliminating required credits in humanities, physical education and reading.