This website is best viewed in a browser that supports web standards.

Skip to content or, if you would rather, Skip to navigation.

Listen Live
Donate
MARYVILLE

KXCV-KRNW


News Brief

June 17, 2025 |  By: Gavin McGough

Falls City discusses impact of new legislation

Falls City Track

©2025 RDG Planning & Design

Download .mp3

Tim Heckenlively: We already have what we feel is a solid cell phone policy in place. We prohibit cell phones during the instructional day. And so probably the main thing the district's going need to do moving forward is have a review on the policy and allow parents to provide input. Currently the law does require parent input when with the development of the policy. We're a little different since we already have a policy in place.

Gavin McGough: Bill 390 requires schools to allow parents to monitor materials. Students are checking in and out of the school library. Have library books been a concern in Fall City? How will the district address this policy?

TH: We have had no inquiries and complaints locally here in Fall City, but across the state and nationally over the last several years [the issue] has popped up in a few different places. We currently have a library management system, and this software can provide those notices [which the state now requires], so parents can opt in for those notices at any time they want.

GM: Now, the Stand With Women Act requires students to compete on teams which match their sex assigned at birth. How will Fall City make a policy around trans athletes?

TH: More information on that will be coming from our legal counsel. And there will be specific language that the school board will need to adopt in order to comply with that statute.

GM: It also looks like a bill passed that will study taxes, school compensation and how schools get funding. What can you tell us about that and will it have impacts in the future?

TH: I think it could impact every district in the state. The legislation creates a school finance review commission. And that commission will really take a look at the school aid formula which has not been revisited for years.So this is actually a good idea to create this commission to take a look at school funding moving forward.

GM: In other news it looks like the district has a track replacement coming up. This seems like good news! What can you tell us about the new track?

TH: Our track is deteriorating and we're starting to get some cracks. And so the board did approve that resurfacing project and [a contractor] will do a tear up and then replace that crumb rubber surface.

This interview has been edited for brevity.