Bill
S 1017
The bill designates certain students as self-directed learners who gain flexible learning options and potential reimbursement for related expenses, funded within existing state mon
Status & key dates
- Introduced: 2025 (legislative file shows introduction/printing dates in Jan–Mar 2025).
- Committee: Referred to Higher Education / Education in the provided actions.
- Effective date: Emergency clause makes the act effective July 1, 2025.
- Fiscal note: Sponsor-prepared fiscal note states no net fiscal cost to the state, districts, or local taxpayers; reimbursable activities would be paid from existing state funding because districts already receive full funding for self-directed learners.
Purpose / intent
- To revise Idaho Code §33-512D to (1) clarify and expand the definition and procedures for designating “self-directed learners,” (2) guarantee flexible learning options for such students, and (3) permit districts/charters to reimburse parents or guardians for expenses directly related to approved flexible learning activities — subject to a cap.
Main provisions (substantive changes)
- Definition and eligibility
- Confirms a public-school student may be designated a “self-directed learner” if they are full-time and meet criteria including mastery of content (grades/assessments/rubrics), teacher designation, math-fact mastery beginning in grade 5 (addition/multiplication 0–10 and related subtraction/division), and—starting in grade 8—an informed choice of postsecondary/career goals documented and updated in the student learning plan.
- Grade-8 requirements include supplemental items such as extended learning opportunities, certain funded courses/exams, or other credits/programs tied to the plan and written personal life goals explaining how coursework supports those goals.
- Process and oversight
- Districts/charters may adopt policies for how students seek designation, how teachers designate or rescind designation, monitoring/support, and other implementation needs.
- A student’s self-directed designation can be rescinded by building administrator on teacher recommendation if agreed criteria or assignments are not met (with opportunity to cure within an agreed timeframe).
- Flexible learning rights
- Designated students gain the right to “flexible learning,” which can include flexible attendance, virtual attendance, extended learning opportunities, and other agreed learning inside/outside the classroom. Starting in grade 8, flexible learning should advance postsecondary goals. Flexible arrangements must be agreed upon by the student, teacher(s), and parent/guardian.
- Funding, reporting, and reimbursements
- Self-directed learners are reported as 1.0 FTE for funding; districts/charters receive full funding regardless of attendance or hours (up to one full day / 1.0 FTE, or pro rata for shared students).
- Parents/guardians may request reimbursement from the student’s district/charter for expenses directly related to flexible learning and to the criteria for remaining a self-directed learner. Total reimbursement for a student may not exceed 65% of the public school funding the district/charter receives for that student under the 1.0 FTE rule.
- Districts/charters must develop reimbursement submission policies and deadlines.
- Districts/charters must report annually the number of self-directed learners to the State Department of Education.
- Emergency clause: the act declares an emergency and becomes effective July 1, 2025.
Who is affected
- Students meeting self-directed criteria (especially grades 5+ and 8+) and their families — they could gain formal flexible-learning options and potential reimbursement for qualifying expenses.
- Teachers and school administrators — responsibility for designation, monitoring, and rescission decisions and for negotiating flexible learning agreements.
- School districts and public charter schools — required to adopt policies, process reimbursement requests, and report counts; funding treatment unchanged (districts retain full funding per FTE).
- State Department of Education — recipient of annual reports.
Fiscal and implementation notes
- Sponsor fiscal note claims no new net cost because districts already receive full funding for self-directed learners; reimbursements would use that existing funding pool. Districts will need procedures/policies and administrative capacity to manage reimbursement requests and reporting.
Document consistency note
- The materials provided also include unrelated text fragments (a Massachusetts bill text and a separate sponsors/actions list that appear inconsistent with the Idaho bill). This summary focuses on the Idaho §33-512D amendment (Senate Bill No. 1017) described in the main text. Users should verify bill identifiers and legislative history with the official Idaho legislative website to confirm status and any later amendments.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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