Appropriates $39,273,000 to the Superintendent of Public Instruction for fiscal year 2019; limits the number of authorized full-time equivalent positions to 142.00; and provides direction on distributions.

This is the FY 2019 original appropriation bill for the Superintendent of Public Instruction. It appropriates $39,273,000 and caps the number of authorized full-time equivalent positions at 142.00. For benefit costs, the bill removes $1,450 per eligible FTP to bring the annual employer contribution for health insurance down to $11,650 by including a two-month employee and employer premium holiday, adds a 6.8% increase for life insurance, and adjusts funding for workers' compensation in amounts that vary by agency. For replacement items, $141,300 is provided, which includes 11 network servers for $99,000; five network switchesfor$13,000; fourUPSbackupsystemsfor$4,200; andothermiscellaneousequipmentfor$25,100. For statewide cost allocation adjustments, no change is provided, as Attorney General fees will increase by $600,riskmanagementcostswilldecreaseby$3,200,StateControllerfeeswillincreaseby$2,800,andState Treasurer fees will decrease by $200 for a net change of $0. An annualization of $1,000 is provided for the constitutional officers' pay increase from July 1, 2018, through December 31, 2018. The Superintendent's salary for calendar year 2018 is $107,357. The bill also provides funding for a 3% ongoing merit-based salary increase for permanent employees, to be distributed at the discretion of the Superintendent. The bill funds one line item, which provides $305,000 from the General Fund to support an increase in the number of students participating in proficiency assessments. Most students in grades K - 12 are required to participate in the following assessments: the Idaho Reading Indicator (IRI), the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), the Idaho English Language Proficiency Assessment (ELPA), the Idaho Standards Achievement Tests (ISAT) in English Language Arts, Math and Science, the Idaho Alternate Assessments, and a college entrance exam.