Idaho high school students won't have to take online classes to graduate. The State Board of Education repealed a rule Monday that required them.
Voters rejected the Students Come First laws on November 6 but one of those laws had a twist. It required the board of education to set the online class requirement, which it did. That requirement was still in place despite the laws' repeal. The Idaho Legislature still has to sign off but, board spokesperson Marilyn Whitney says students should consider it gone.
“This class of incoming freshmen who would have been subject to that two semester or two course requirement, will not be as of now,” Whitney says.
State Board of Education members reaffirmed their belief in the importance of online education despite ending the online class requirement. The board committed to explore a new online requirement with the public's help.
We reported earlier this month that any changes in the online class requirement would likely not be made until next year. That’s because of the laws which govern the board’s rule making ability. Whitney says by including the online rule with another rule about math requirements, which the board already had the go ahead to change, they were able to take it up more quickly
The board also repealed other rules related to the no vote on Prop 3. Those include a practice known as fractional ADA, which divided money between a school and an online service provider for students who take some online classes.
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