2023-2024 Annual Report

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IDAHO SCHOOL DISTRICT COUNCIL

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The Idaho School District Council has completed its fifty-second year of operation as a cooperative
service agency, serving Idaho school districts and affiliate organizations. The following report is provided
to the membership and is being made available on the ISDC website www.idsdc.org for review by the
membership and the general public.

The staff of the ISDC includes Dale Layne who is completing his third year as the part-time ISDC
Executive Director and Tammy Elsmore who began her service as Office Manager in November 2022.
Tammy’s title change to Business Manager was approved by the board this year. Debbie Hainke,
full-time Benefits Manager, who provides contracted services to the Idaho School Benefit Trust,
completed her ninth year in that position. Superintendent Michael Garrett, Orofino School District,
served as the Chairman of the Board for the 2023-2024 term.

 

Those serving on the Council Board of Directors were:

● Superintendent Todd Howard, Wallace School District, Region 1 representative
● Council Chairman Superintendent Dr. Michael Garrett, Orofino School District, Region 2
representative
● Superintendent Eric Pingrey, McCall School District, Region 3 representative
● Superintendent Tim Perrigot, Wendell School District, Region 4 representative
● Superintendent Mark Kress, Snake River School District, Region 5 representative
● Council Vice-Chairman, Superintendent Shane Williams, West Jefferson School District
Representative, Region 6 representative
● Superintendent Stoney Winston, Parma School District, ISSA representative
● Retired Superintendent Robin Stanley, Retiree Ex-Officio Representative
 

Throughout the course of the year, there were many opportunities to review the various services of the
Council’s operation. The Council maintained its effort of providing membership quality supplies, good
service, and low prices. Business relationships with a variety of vendors were maintained.
 

The Council has been a visible presence as an exhibitor at the Idaho Association of School Administrators
Annual Conference, the Idaho School Boards Association Annual Convention, and the Idaho Association
of Business Officials Annual Conference. Through exposure at these kinds of events, the role and mission
of the Council have been reinforced.

I was also able to speak to new superintendents to the state last August and hope to be invited back by
the State Department of Education again in the fall of 2024 to inform them of the role of the ISDC.
 

The partnerships and endorsements continued with Blue Cross of Idaho, Dental Blue Connect
(Willamette Dental of Idaho), Standard Life Insurance, People Systems, Optimizon, Business Psychology
Associates, and others. ISDC continued its established relationship with the brokerage firm, Murray
Group, to assist districts with voluntary benefits. The Murray Group is also handling the Standard Life
option for districts. The Murray Group also represents the Idaho School Benefit Trust. The Murray Group
is going through a name and branding change to Acrisure. They continue to be a valuable partner.

 

During the 2021-2022 fiscal year, new partnerships and purchasing agreements were established with
Gaggle, M2 Automation, SiteShield, and In Focus. These offerings are valuable to districts and are
offered at a reduced rate because of the partnerships that have been developed.
 

A discussion and negotiation with Playworks continues. They plan to become an ISDC partner and
provide reduced rates to members in the upcoming fiscal year.

The Council-Sponsored, Idaho School Benefit Trust, began administering to the health and dental needs
of the active employees of Council members during the 2015-16 plan year. The Trust continues to be on
solid financial ground, with excess reserves of approximately $6,990,375 as of August 31, 2023. The
reserve amount decreased at the end of February 2024 to 2,858,525. This was a timing issue with claims
and will be adjusted. The 5-year routine audit by the Idaho Department of Insurance resulted in an
excellent review.

The new ISBT chairman is Gordon Wooley. Other trustees are Vice Chairman, Charles Kinsey, Darren
Urang, Gaylen Smyer, and Will Overgaard. 

 

The Idaho School District Council Board of Directors retains its role

in the administration of the “over 65” health insurance offerings, the Dental Blue Connect offering (Willamette Dental), Standard Life, and other non-medical programs and offerings.

The membership of the ISDC for FY2023 totaled 160 members representing school districts, charter
schools, and affiliates compared to 159 the previous year.

There were 115 groups as of August 31, 2023, enrolled in one or more portions of the Idaho School
Benefit Trust Insurance Program as compared to 120 groups on August 31, 2022 The most current
information for Dental Blue Connect was not available at the time of this report.

The unemployment claims monitoring program had 19 participants (FY2022, 19 participants).

Employee assistance programs, offered through BPA Health and endorsed by both the Council and Blue
Cross of Idaho, were offered. The most current report indicates an eligible employee count of 4,934.
There are 38 employee groups participating in the EAP program, up 2 groups from the previous year.
Standard Life Insurance, a long-time ISDC endorsee, was offered as a benefit in 34 member entities as of
July 2024. (July 2023, 33 member entities) Bonneville School District added this benefit for their
employees this past year. There are approximately 450 - 500 retiree life memberships from multiple
different districts.

Voluntary benefits from Colonial are still offered through Acrisure. The most current numbers are not
available. The numbers for the previous year were as follows: Voluntary benefits with Colonial were
offered in 6 member entities as of July 2024 (July 2023, 5 member entities). $159,345 in premiums have
been collected for the school year 2022/2023 and $38,167 in paid claims since 2021. Two additional
schools are committed to joining in September of 2023 and 3 schools are pending a decision to join
September 2023.

This report was prepared by Dale Layne, Executive Director, and presented to the Board of Directors on
July 30, 2024.

 

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