Rating: 0

Bill Summary:

Senate Bill 1145 creates Section 33-1812, Idaho Code, to authorize public school districts and charter schools to establish early literacy readiness programs for children aged four and five. These programs aim to prepare students to succeed in kindergarten and achieve grade-level reading proficiency by third grade. Participation is optional for school districts and charter schools. Curricula must be age-appropriate, evidence-based, and grounded in the science of reading, with focus areas including phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. The bill requires a parental involvement component and allows schools to use existing literacy intervention funds to support the program. It includes state-level evaluation requirements and an emergency clause, making it effective July 1, 2025.

Reason for Rating:
S1145 neither clearly violates nor strongly advances Idaho Republican Party Platform principles. While it expands the public education system into early childhood literacy, it does so without mandates, new funding, or new bureaucracy. The program is voluntary for local schools and includes a parental engagement component, which aligns with platform values emphasizing parental involvement and local control. However, the bill still increases the public sector’s role in early education and could set precedent for future state-run preschool initiatives. Given its optional nature, limited scope, and use of existing funds, the bill earns a neutral rating.