EDUCATION – Amends existing law to require public school districts to adopt certain safety protocols.

This bill (H 43) amends Idaho Code to revise school district requirements for instructional hours, not safety protocols as the title suggests. It mandates public school districts to provide minimum annual instructional hours per grade level (e.g., 990 hours for grades 9-12, 810 for grades 1-3), with limited allowable reductions for staff development (up to 22 hours) or weather-related closures (up to 11 hours). Districts may request waivers from the state board of education for districtwide closures due to natural disasters requiring a declared emergency. The bill directly affects all Idaho public school districts and their compliance with state-mandated instructional time standards.