Fate of all-day kindergarten bill uncertain

BOISE — A plan to pay for optional full-day kindergarten classes flunked its first test Tuesday, when two of the bill sponsors disagreed about the proposed funding formula.

Educators across the state have been seeking state support for all-day kindergarten classes for years, saying it’s one of the best investments Idaho can make in student achievement.

Senate Bill 1373 builds on the $72.8 million in literacy intervention funding Gov. Brad Little included in his 2023 budget recommendation.

The joint budget committee approved the budget earlier this week. It’s an increase of $46.6 million or 179% over the current year. SB 1373 gives school districts the option to use some or all of that money for optional all-day kindergarten classes.

The state currently only pays for half-day kindergarten. Districts that want to provide full-day classes need to find other ways to pay for them, such as local supplemental levies.

During a 90-minute public hearing Tuesday, Senate Education Chairman Steve Thayn, R-Emmett, said SB 1373 is “one of the most important bills we’re dealing with in education this year.”

Besides offering greater predictability in funding kindergarten, he said, it also changes the funding formula to reward districts that perform well.

He noted that districts are currently funded based on the number of students who are reading at basic or below basic levels. That means if they’re successful in teaching kids how to read at grade level, they actually lose funding.

“The money that’s going out now is based on low reading scores,” Thayn said. “If districts want stable funding, that’s a disincentive to teach.”

SB 1373 addresses that by proposing a new funding formula: Half the literacy funding districts receive would be based on average full-time enrollment from kindergarten through the third grade; the other half would be based on the number who are proficient or who improve over the course of the school year.

“In education, if you want good outcomes, you need to have high expectations,” Thayn said. “This funding mechanism does that.”

Every major education stakeholder group in Idaho testified in support of the bill. However, several of them — along with some committee members — worried that the new funding formula could hurt districts that have the greatest need.

“It’s no surprise how badly I want full-day kindergarten,” said longtime educator Sen. Jani Ward-Engelking, D-Boise. “But it seems counter-intuitive to me to not fund students who aren’t proficient. That’s a pretty high-stakes test for 5- to 7-year-olds, where we take away funding if they don’t make their (reading indicator) score.”

Sens. Carl Crabtree, R-Grangeville, and David Nelson, D-Moscow, had similar concerns.

Crabtree, for example, noted that in some school districts he represents, 80% of kids aren’t prepared to enter the first grade. A funding formula that takes money away when students are struggling might not be the best approach.

“I’m trying to make sure rural schools are going to be OK with what we’re doing,” he said.

Crabtree cosponsored SB 1373, together with Thayn and the chairman and vice-chair of the House Education Committee.

Nevertheless, he made a motion to send the measure to the Senate amending order. That would allow changes to be made to address some of the concerns about the new funding formula.

Thayn did not appreciate the motion.

Given the substantial increase in the literacy funding, he said, school districts will get more money next year no matter what happens with their test scores.

Moreover, economically disadvantaged students get a higher weight under the proposed funding formula, so districts essentially earn a bonus for helping them improve or read at grade level.

“I’m concerned if this goes to the (amending) order, the bill dies,” he said. “There will be a big fight, and I’m not willing to take that risk. This is something we had an agreement on. The governor’s office supports it. There’s no big risk (districts) will lose money.”

Thayn offered a substitute motion to send the bill to the Senate floor with a favorable recommendation.

Before voting on either motion, however, he abruptly adjourned the meeting, leaving the fate of the bill up in the air.

“We need to have some discussion,” he said.

Spence may be contacted at bspence@lmtribune.com or (208) 791-9168.