BOISE, ID – Rep. John Vander Woude wants to decide when Idaho’s 192 public school districts and charter schools start the academic year.

Vander Woude, R-Nampa, proposed a bill mandating that the school year statewide starts the Tuesday after Labor Day. The House Education Committee voted to introduce the bill Monday.

“We seem to be creeping up more and more into August, and the tourist industry would like to keep their employees through Labor Day,” Vander Woude said.

The bill could face pushback if it returns to House Education for a public hearing. A couple Republicans wondered how the mandatory start date would affect harvest breaks in rural districts, and whether it would delay Christmas break or the end of academic years.

“The later we start, the longer we go in the spring,” said Rep. Jack Nelsen, R-Jerome.

Also Monday, the committee introduced bills related to:

Administrator certification. Rep. Dale Hawkins resurrected a proposal from last legislative session that would allow school districts to hire uncertified administrators through an apprenticeship program.

The bills would allow districts to hire superintendents and principals who don’t have a state certification but have experience in other fields. It would create “pathways” for teachers along with military leaders, private sector executives, nonprofit leaders and government officials.

“It’s an apprenticeship program so that small, rural areas through their boards … can seek and get these positions filled where it seems to be very hard,” said Hawkins, R-Fernwood.

Hawkins proposed a similar bill last year. It cleared the House but stalled in the Senate Education Committee.

Civics diploma endorsement. Rep. Michael Veile, R-Soda Springs, introduced a bill to create a civics endorsement for high school diplomas.

The “State Seal of Excellence in Civics” would recognize a “high level of civics proficiency and civics engagement.”

Students would qualify by obtaining a 3.25 grade point average or higher in social studies courses and by scoring 90% or higher on the state’s civics assessment. Students would also have to complete a civics research project and participate in volunteering.