Trustees warned House Bill 940 will cut IDLA seats and raise student fees; district to seek provider partnerships

District staff briefed the Emmett Independent District Board about incoming legislative changes that will reshape online course availability and student costs through the Idaho Digital Learning Academy (IDLA).

"The legislature has stated in House Bill 940 that IDLA courses are to be capped at 40,000 statewide," the presenter said, noting last year IDLA enrolled roughly 58,200 students statewide. Staff calculated that the cap would reduce the district's IDLA course capacity by several hundred offerings unless the district secures additional out-of-state providers.

Under the new legislative structure presented to trustees, graduation-required courses (core math, English, science, social studies) will cost $40 per course; electives will cost $100; and certain non-required or part-time/online pathway courses may cost up to $445 per course. Dual-credit credit costs remain governed by credit fees (district noted $75 per college-level credit as an example), and the state's Advanced Opportunities funding rules limit a student's out-of-pocket course-credit cost to $225 in some cases.

The presenter also explained that custom IDLA sections (previously $20 per student) will be restricted to emergency situations only, and that the legislature's changes effectively remove district-run driver's education as previously offered through IDLA. "Parents right now are those that are providing the road unless you take private drivers training," one trustee observed during discussion about the cost shift.

Staff recommended a strategic response: preserve graduation pathways, prioritize seniors for registration, maintain dual-credit options where feasible, and expand provider partnerships (BYU Online, Imagine Learning, Edgenuity and others were mentioned) to replace lost course capacity. The district also plans to emphasize scheduling practices to reduce pressure on counselors caused by new limits and fees.

Trustees discussed the equity and logistical impacts: counselors will need to prioritize students who require courses for graduation and districts may pass some course fees back to families in certain circumstances. Staff said the district would continue to use IDLA where possible but will pursue local and external partners to fill gaps created by the cap and fee changes.

The board requested follow-up planning to protect graduation pathways and to report back on provider agreements, fee impacts for families, and counselor procedures for prioritizing registration.