Public comments on the State Board of Education's proposed new online class graduation requirement - requiring every Idaho high school student to take two online courses to graduate - are being accepted through next Wednesday, Oct. 26, at the state board's website here. Meanwhile, the state Department of Education also is taking public comments on several other new rules related to the "Students Come First" school reform legislation that passed this year.

The deadline for those comments also is Oct. 26. They include rules requiring school district negotiations with teachers unions to be conducted in open meetings; and requiring parent input and student achievement growth to be included in teacher evaluations. Comments on those rules, plus others regarding reinstatement of expired teaching certificates and modifications to the Dual Credit for Early Completers program, can be submitted on the department's website here.