Idaho Board of Ed sets new minimum number of school days

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) - Students in Idaho will need to attend school a minimum of 152 days per school year. That is the new requirement from the State Board of Education.

The board held its regular meeting at Idaho State University in Pocatello on Wednesday.

The board said, "The recommendation was based on findings that Idaho public schools operating on a four-day calendar currently average 146 student instructional days per year, compared to an average of 172 instructional days conducted by schools operating five days per week."

More than half of Idaho's schools are holding four-day school weeks, they reported.

House Bill 521 and House Bill 766, recently signed into law, require LEAs to meet minimum instructional days or hours to be eligible for state school facilities funding.

The new minimum requirements will begin with the 2025/26 school year.

Other Board actions include:

• Extended president contracts for one year for three of Idaho’s institution presidents along with FY25 salaries for:

• Dr. Marlene Tromp; Boise State University - $473,448.77
• C. Scott Green; University of Idaho - $479,191.78
• Dr. Cynthia Pemberton; Lewis-Clark State College - $297.412.50

Idaho State University President Dr. Robert Wagner was appointed president six months ago will be eligible for a potential salary increase next year.

• Approved the FY25 Athletic Spending Limit increases of state appropriated funding at Idaho’s four-year institutions by the following amounts:
  • Boise State University; $1 million increase – FY25 Athletic Spending Limit: $10,004,500.
  • Idaho State University; $1.2 million increase – FY25 Athletic Spending Limit: $7,832,800.
  • Lewis-Clark State College; $500,000 increase – FY25 Athletic Spending Limit: $4,574,900.
• University of Idaho; $1.35 million increase- FY25 Athletic Spending Limit: $9, 251,700.

The institutions requested spending limits increases to help pay increased athletic department inflationary costs, support future program growth, and accurately reflect indirect expenditures. 

• Approved contracts for Boise State University’s head football coach; University of Idaho’s head football coach; and Idaho State University’s head women’s basketball coach.
  • Boise State Head Football Coach Spencer Danielson’s contract runs through February, 2029. His FY25 base compensation is $1,555,000, with incentives.
  • University of Idaho Head Football Coach Jason Eck’s contract was extended until January, 2029. His FY25 base compensation is $375,000 with incentives.
  • Idaho State University’s Head Women’s Basketball Coach Seton Sobolewski’s contract was extended until May, ,2029. His salary was increased from $139,287 to $151,287.

• Approved contracts for three Boise State University assistant football coaches:
  • Offensive Coordinator Dirk Koetter’s FY25 base compensation is $460,000 in addition to a $5,000 signing bonus.
  • Defensive Coordinator Erik Chinander’s FY25 base compensation is $440,000, with incentives.
  • Assistant Head Coach Stacy Collins’s FY25 base compensation FY25 base salary is $350,000 with incentives.

• Approved a University of Idaho request to begin the bid and construction phase of expansion of Huckabay Medical Education Building on the Moscow campus. The building houses the Washington Wyoming Alaska Montana Idaho (WWAMI) medical education program. The project is expected to cost nearly $4.5 million and will add additional classrooms and faculty office space

The Board meeting will continue tomorrow morning (June 13) starting at 8 a.m. Mountain Time.