Idaho House OKs new reading test funding

Idaho’s House has passed a new spending plan for Superintendent of Public Instruction Sherri Ybarra’s office that includes funding for a new statewide reading test for young students.

House lawmakers agreed Wednesday to funnel $443,000 to fund the new test, called the Idaho Reading Indicator, after previously killing a prior version of the superintendent’s budget proposal last week because the new test was not included.

State budget writers had initially denied Ybarra’s request to expand the new test earlier this year because they argued not enough data was available to show the latest version was better than the one currently in place. However, the move sparked criticism from other lawmakers who argued budget writers had overstepped their role.

The early reading test is target toward kindergarten through third-graders students with the intent of identifying students falling behind.

The new budget proposal must now pass the Senate.