Panel rejects bill requiring students’ proof of address

BOISE – Legislation that would have required online charter schools to verify home addresses to keep out-of-state students from using the Idaho taxpayer-funded programs failed to make it out of the House Education Committee on Monday.

Sponsored by Rep. Tom Trail, R-Moscow, HB 625 aimed to have the state Board of Education set a uniform way for a virtual charter school to verify the addresses of its students at least twice a year. Regular public schools do it, but nothing mandates that the four online charter schools funded in Idaho also do it.

Committee members overwhelmingly rejected the bill, saying a lack of evidence that out-of-state students are enrolled in the schools makes it unnecessary to have a rule for just one type of public school.

“I think this is just going after one entity,” said Rep. Bob Nonini, R-Coeur d’Alene. “I have not been convinced this morning that there even is a problem.”

Trail said cases exist of non-Idaho residents enrolling in the schools but they are difficult to detect because there’s no address verification requirement.

“We know it’s going on, but it’s very difficult to prove,” Trail said.

A letter to the committee from the state Department of Education said information sessions about enrolling in the online schools are being offered outside of Idaho, such as in Ontario, Ore.

Representatives of online charter schools said they prevent non-Idaho students from enrolling by asking for a utility bill from parents or guardians that shows an Idaho address.

Verifying addresses more than once is unnecessary and rude, said Cody Claver, head of the Idaho Virtual Academy.

“We’re inherently telling our parents, ‘We don’t trust you,’ ” Claver said. “That’s sending a fairly negative message.”

Bridget Barrus, executive director of the Coalition for Charter School Families, said it’s unfortunate that some seem to think charter schools are taking advantage of the system. She said it’s easy for schools to find out if students aren’t living in Idaho.

“If the teacher has to call a Washington phone number, I think they’re going to realize the student is living in Washington,” Barrus said.

Jana Jones, chief deputy superintendent of public instruction, said the bill wasn’t meant as a statement about charter schools’ honesty; rather, it was written to give them the same address verification requirements of public schools.

Democrats Mike Mitchell, of Lewiston; Donna Pence, of Gooding; and Donna Boe, of Pocatello, joined Trail in voting for the bill, as did Rep. Mack Shirley, R-Rexburg. The bill failed 12-5.