Union Bulletin

Idaho school districts will soon have a little help to serve students with disabilities. Gov. Brad Little on Friday signed legislation that finalizes a fund to provide money for school districts educating students with disabilities who need services that are costlier, like a nurse or an ASL interpreter. Under the bill, schools can tap into the fund when costs for educating a student exceed $30,000, and they have applied other resources, such as Medicaid. State Superintendent Debbie Critchfield championed the legislation. The bill is similar to one that lawmakers narrowly rejected last year, but one of the bill’s sponsors said this year’s version included changes to ensure transparency and accountability. The Legislature is appropriating $5 million in one-time funding to put toward the fund. Next year, legislators will have to decide whether to allocate additional money.