Controversial charter school contracts bill passes Senate, 22-13

After much debate, a divided Idaho Senate has voted 22-13 in favor of SB 1248, legislation from Sen. Bob Nonini, R-Coeur d’Alene, to strike from state law a requirement that public charter schools have written contracts with their teachers and administrators “in form as approved by the state superintendent of public instruction.” The change was hard-fought in committee and there are charter schools both for and against it; the Idaho School Boards Association is opposing it.

Senate Majority Leader Bart Davis, R-Idaho Falls, told the Senate, “My charter schools genuinely believe this is a game-changer, but at the end of the day, it doesn’t change a thing.” He predicted it would lead to lawsuits, and voted against the bill.

SB 1248 , which was delayed several times before coming up in the Senate today, now moves to the House side, where its next step would be a House committee hearing. AP reporter Kimberlee Kruesi has a full report here .