Relates to the appropriation to the Public Schools Educational Support Program's Division of Children's Programs for fiscal year 2022 and fiscal year 2021.

This is the FY 2022 original appropriation and the FY 2021 supplemental appropriation bill for the Public Schools Educational Support Program's Division of Children's Programs. This division includes programs that provide direct educational or material benefits to children, where funding does not primarily go to paying certificated teachers and administrators. It also includes programs that primarily and specifically provide funding for the separate instruction of identified subgroups of children outside the normal classroom of an Idaho public school. Funding is provided from both state and federal funds. For FY 2022: statutory-based adjustments include an additional $9.7 million for advanced opportunities; $1.96 million for the Idaho Digital Learning Academy; $655,000 for border contracts; and $371,500 for exceptional contracts and tuition equivalents. The bill also shifts certain costs from state funds to federal COVID-19 relief funds for one year and the bill provides federal COVID-19 relief funds for public school districts and public charter schools to address costs associated with the pandemic. Finally, the bill provides a net-total of $20 million for public school districts and public charter schools to address learning loss as a result of the pandemic; these funds are to be distributed by the Department of Education. Uses are outlined in the bill and are at the discretion of the school districts and public charter schools.