|
Back to State Profiles
 Print
IDAHO
Idaho received $208,264 in federal funds for
abstinence-only-until-marriage programs in Fiscal Year 2006.
Idaho Sexuality Education Law and Policy
In Idaho, local school boards are charged with the decision of whether or not to offer sexuality education. Idaho law states that the “primary responsibility of family life and sex education” rests with a student’s home and church. If a school board decides to institute sexuality education, the program must place “major emphasis” on the home, family, and church as areas of importance for learning such knowledge. Family is not defined under this statute. School boards must include parents and community groups in all aspects of instituting and evaluating sexuality education programs.
In addition, the program should give youth “the scientific, psychological information for understanding sex and its relation to the miracle of life.” It must also include “knowledge of the power of the sex drive and the necessity of controlling that drive by self-discipline.”
According to the Idaho Content Standards of Health, by the end of 12th grade, students should be able to “assess the consequences of sexual activity (unplanned pregnancy, STDs, emotional distress).”
Parents or guardians wishing to excuse their children from sexuality education must file a written request to the school board. The school board will then supply the parent with necessary forms to remove the child from the class. This is referred to as an “opt-out” policy. See Idaho Statutes 33-1608, 33-1609, 33-1610, 33-1611, and Idaho Content Standards of Health.
Recent Legislation
Executive Order Re-Establishes Teen Pregnancy Council
Executive Order 11 re-established the Governor’s Council on Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention. The Council must consist of no more than 19 members who are appointed by the Governor. Among other duties, it provides administrative support to the Title V “abstinence education” program. The Order was introduced in April 2006 and is effective for four years.
Legislation Requires Parental Notification of Club Participation
House Bill 863, introduced in March 2006, would require parents of public school students to sign a permission slip before their child could join any school club or organization. This bill was intended to make parents more aware of and involved in their children’s school activities. The bill passed in the House but died when the Senate did not take action before the end of the legislative session.
Events of Note
School Boards Approve GSAs, Parental Permission Bill Results
January-April 2006; Coeur d’Alene, ID and Sandpoint, ID
The controversy surrounding Gay-Straight Alliances (GSAs) in high schools throughout the state of Idaho came to a head when the House Education Committee passed a bill that would require parental permission before young people could join any student clubs.
Upon hearing of the creation of GSAs at Sandpoint High School and Lake City High School, parents and community members stormed school board meetings and insisted that the clubs be disbanded. A member of the Constitution Party of Idaho voiced his opposition saying that GSAs are “a breeding ground for pedophiles.”2 Others suggested that all non-curricular clubs be prohibited for fear that discriminatory clubs would follow the GSA’s example. As an attorney from the community exclaimed, “What’s next, a Holocaust Denial Club?”3 Students in support of the GSAs, however, emphasized the need for tolerance of homosexuality in schools.
Both school boards approved the GSAs, explaining that they are obliged to comply with the Equal Access Act, which protects the formation of GSAs and other clubs under First Amendment rights. In response, State Representative Bob Nonini sponsored a bill that would require parental permission for all school clubs. The House education committee passed the bill on April 3, 2006, by a 35-32 vote. Representative Nicole LeFavour opposed the bill, pointing out that imposing a parental permission statute may hurt students in the end: “It’s estimated that one third of teens who commit suicide [nationwide] are struggling with their sexual orientation. A good chunk from Idaho are at risk….”4
After passage in the Idaho House of Representatives, the bill was sent to the Senate Committee on Education for a first reading. However, the bill died when the Legislature adjourned on April 16, 2006.
Idaho’s Youth: Statistical Information of Note5
-
In 2005, 40% of female high school students and 37% of male high school students in Idaho reported ever having had sexual intercourse compared to 46% of female high school students and 48% of male high school students nationwide.
-
In 2005, 4% of female high school students and 9% of male high school students in Idaho reported having had sexual intercourse before age 13 compared to 4% of female high school students and 9% of male high school students nationwide.
-
In 2005, 85% of high school students in Idaho reported having been taught about AIDS/HIV in school compared to 88% of high school students nationwide.
-
In 2000, Idaho’s abortion rate was 10 per 1,000 women ages 15–19 compared to a teen abortion rate of 24 per 1,000 nationwide.6
-
In 2004, Idaho’s birth rate was 39 per 1,000 women ages 15–19 compared to a teen birth rate of 41 per 1,000 nationwide.7
Title V Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage Funding
The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare received $208,264 in federal Title V funding in Fiscal Year 2006. The Title V abstinence-only-until-marriage grant requires states to provide three state-raised dollars or the equivalent in services for every four federal dollars received. The state match may be provided in part or in full by local groups. The federal funding in Idaho is matched with $156,198 from the state. The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare oversees the funding.
The Idaho Governor’s Council on Adolescent Pregnancy works in partnership with the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, but no longer serves in an advisory capacity in selecting Title V sub-grantees. The council’s mission is to increase the number of teens who choose abstinence.
The Title V funding is distributed among seven local health departments with Regions 2 through 7 receiving $35,500 each and Region 1 receiving $62,000. Region 1 receives more funding because it designed the program used across the state and continues to provide technical assistance to the other regions. The program used in all regions, “Peers Encouraging Abstinent Kids (PEAK),” is based on the Postponing Sexual Involvement (PSI) curriculum.
Title V Evaluation
Boise State University (BSU) conducted an evaluation of the PEAK program in August of 2005 by administering pre- and post- surveys to PEAK participants, mentors, and facilitators. According to an executive summary, the survey found that participants initiated sex during the program at a greater rate than in the previous school year, based on results from the same survey in the 2004–05 school year. Even so, the executive summary, prepared by faculty at BSU, concluded that the program was successful and made recommendations for both administering the program and the survey for the following year. Currently, BSU is conducting another evaluation and the results are expected in August 2007.8
Community-Based Abstinence Education (CBAE) and Adolescent Family Life Act (AFLA) Grantees
There are no CBAE or AFLA grantees in Idaho.
Federal and State Funding for Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage Programs in FY 2006
Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage Grantee
Length of Grant
|
Amount of Grant |
Type of Grant (includes Title V, CBAE, AFLA, and other funds) |
The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare
www.healthandwelfare.idaho. gov
|
$208,264 federal
$156,198 state |
Title V |
Region 1 Field Office: Benewah, Bonner, Boundary, Kootenai, and Shoshone Counties |
$62,000 |
Title V sub-grantee |
Region 2 Field Office: Clearwater, Idaho, Latah, Lewis, and Nez Perce Counties |
$35,000 |
Title V sub-grantee |
Region 3 Field Office: Adams, Canyon, Gem, Owyhee, Payette, and Washington Counties |
$35,000 |
Title V sub-grantee |
Region 4 Field Office:
Ada, Boise, Elmore, and Valley Counties |
$35,000 |
Title V sub-grantee |
Region 5 Field Office:
Blaine, Camas, Cassia, Gooding, Jerome, Lincoln, Minidoka, and Twin Falls Counties |
$35,000 |
Title V sub-grantee |
Region 6 Field Office: Bannock, Bear Lake, Bingham, Caribou, Franklin, Oneida, and Power Counties |
$35,000 |
Title V sub-grantee |
Region 7 Field Office: Bonneville, Butte, Clark, Custer, Fremont, Jefferson, Lemhi, Madison, and Teton Counties |
$35,000 |
Title V sub-grantee |
Title V Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage Coordinator
Shelli Rambo Roberson
Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, Alexander House
304 W. State St.
Boise, ID 83702
Phone: (208) 334-2284 |
Idaho Organizations that Support Comprehensive Sexuality Education
Idaho Organizations that Oppose Comprehensive Sexuality Education
Newspapers in Idaho
Boise Weekly
Shea Anderson
News Editor
109 S. 4th St.
Boise, ID 83702
Phone: (208) 344-2055
|
Bonner County Daily Bee
Keith Kinnaird
News Editor
310 Church St.
Sandpoint, ID 83864
Phone: (208) 263-9534 |
Coeur d’Alene Press
Bill Buley
City Editor
201 N. 2nd St.
Coeur D Alene, ID 8381
Phone: (208) 664-8176
|
IDAHO Magazine
Kitty Delorey Fleischman
Editor
4301 W. Franklin Rd.
Boise, ID 83705
Phone: (208) 336-0653 |
Idaho Press-Tribune
Christin Runkle
Education Reporter
1618 N. Midland Blvd.
Nampa, ID 83651
Phone: (208) 465-8124
|
Idaho State Journal
Elizabeth Ziegler
Education Reporter
305 S. Arthur Ave.
Pocatello, ID 83204
Phone: (208) 233-3127 |
The Idaho Statesman
Bill Roberts
Education Reporter
1200 N. Curtis Rd.
Boise, ID 83706
Phone: (208) 377-6408
|
IEA Reporter
Gayle Moore
Education Editor
620 N. 6th St.
Boise, ID 83702
Phone: (208) 344-1341 |
Lewiston Morning Tribune
Kathy Hedberg
Education Reporter
505 C St.
Lewiston, ID 83501
Phone: (208) 743-9411
|
The Morning News
Chris O’Nan
Managing Editor
34 N. Ash St.
Blackfoot, ID 83221
Phone: (208) 785-1100 |
Moscow Pullman Daily News
Kate Baldwin
Education Reporter
409 S. Jackson St.
Moscow, ID 83843
Phone: (208) 882-5561
|
Post Register
Dean Miller
Editor
333 Northgate Mile
Idaho Falls, ID 83401
Phone: (208) 542-6766 |
Shoshone News-Press
Leila Sommers
Education Reporter
401 S. Main St.
Kellogg, ID 83837
Phone: (208) 783-1107
|
South Idaho Press
Chip Thompson
Managing Editor
230 E. Main St.
Burley, ID 83318
Phone: (208) 677-8771 |
Standard Journal
Education Editor
23 S. 1st E
Rexburg, ID 83440
Phone: (208) 356-5441
|
Sun Valley Magazine
Education Editor
12 E. Bullion St.
Hailey, ID 83333
Phone: (208) 788-0770 |
Teton Valley Top to Bottom
Deb Barracato
Editor
189 N. Main St.
Driggs, ID 83422
Phone: (208) 354-3466 |
The Times-News
Karin Kowalski
Education Reporter
132 Fairfield St. W
Twin Falls, ID 83301
Phone: (208) 733-0931 |
References
- This refers to the fiscal year for the federal government which begins on October 1 and ends on September 30. The fiscal year is designated by the calendar year in which it ends; for example, Fiscal Year 2006 begins on October 1, 2005 and ends on September 30, 2006.
- “Gay Club at High School Draws Criticism,” W-KXLY, 14 January 2006, accessed 16 February 2006, <http://www.kxly.com/news/getstory.asp?id=46521>.
- R.J. Cohn, “Board Keeps Clubs, Sends Message of Tolerance,” Bonner County Daily Bee, 16 February 2006, accessed 17 February 2006, <http://www.bonnercountydailybee.com/articles/2006/02/16/news/news01.txt>.
- Associated Press, “Idaho Bill to Require Parental Approval for GSAs,” Advocate.com, 4 April 2006, accessed 5 April 2006, <http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid28816.asp>.
- Unless otherwise cited, all statistical information comes from Danice K. Eaton, et al., “Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance—United States, 2005,” Surveillance Summaries, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, vol. 55, no. SS-5 (9 June 2006): 1-108, accessed 26 January 2007, <http://www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/yrbs/index.htm>.
- U.S. Teenage Pregnancy Statistics: Overall Trends, Trends by Race and Ethnicity and State-by-State Information (New York: The Guttmacher Institute, February 2004), accessed 26 January 2007, <http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/2006/09/12/USTPstats.pdf>.
- National Vital Statistics Reports 55.01 (Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics, 2006), 10, accessed 26 January 2006, <http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr55/nvsr55_01.pdf>.
- Mary E. Pritchard, Ph.D. and Caile E. Spear, Ph.D., A Year-Long Assessment of PEAK Program Effectiveness: Executive Summary and Recommendations (Boise, Idaho, Boise State University, 4 August 2006), 24.
|
