A coalition of parents and community members opposing the Lake Pend Oreille High School relocation plan has shifted tactics, filing a formal audit request with the Idaho Department of Education and threatening board member recalls if the district proceeds with a scheduled vote this week.
The Concerned Citizens for LPOHS Coalition submitted a conditional settlement offer to the Lake Pend Oreille School District on July 6, following up on a 31-page grievance filed the previous week. The coalition is now requesting a state-level audit of the district’s PowerSchool Student Information System attendance records and compliance procedures, focusing on what organizers view as inflated enrollment documentation tied to alternative funding streams.
Audit Request Targets Attendance Practices
The coalition asked the Idaho Department of Education Chief Financial Officer Gideon Tolman to examine “PowerSchool Student Information System metadata logs and verify attendance logging compliance.” The grievance alleged the district uses optional work-from-home days known as “Flex Fridays” to artificially boost attendance numbers and increase state funding allocations.
The school district responded to the initial June 30 grievance by denying the core allegations. Officials stated that students participating in Flex Fridays without direct teacher contact are properly marked absent, and that the district maintains compliance with Idaho Open Meeting Law requirements. The district also rejected claims that it falsified graduation statistics by pressuring dropouts to sign Intent to Homeschool forms, and disputed assertions that federal emergency relief funds were misused for executive office renovations.
District officials explained the boardroom remodel was funded through the general operating fund to meet Americans with Disabilities Act accessibility requirements and address facility space and security concerns. The LPOHS facility, located on Boyer Avenue, is 117 years old.
As of early July, the Idaho Department of Education was reviewing the audit request. A department representative noted the review timeline depends on request complexity, with initial sorting and data analysis likely taking several days. When errors are identified, the state typically requests corrections from the district and adjusts funding in the next foundation payment cycle.
Board Vote Set for Tuesday Despite Opposition
The school board planned to vote on the relocation proposal at its Tuesday, July 14 meeting, scheduled for 5 p.m. at district headquarters, 365 Triangle Drive in Ponderay. The meeting is open to the public.
The coalition has threatened to pursue recall elections for board members if the vote proceeds without being rescheduled to a standalone public hearing format. The group argues the relocation violates the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and could jeopardize the district’s alternative school classification, potentially costing state funding.
The district announced the relocation plan in February, proposing to move LPOHS from the historic building to renovated portable classrooms behind Sandpoint Middle School. The program currently serves 56 students. Under the proposal, students would continue attending core classes in the original building during the 2026-’27 school year before transitioning fully to the portables in 2027-’28. The relocation would eliminate electives currently offered at the school.
Alternative School Status at Issue
The coalition contends the move could demote LPOHS from alternative school status to a program designation, reducing state funding eligibility. The district maintains that alternative school classification requires meeting three of five criteria: minimum enrollment of 36 students, full-time enrollment requirements, an instructional model different from traditional high school, the ability to award its own diploma, or receipt of its own federal accountability rating. LPOHS currently meets these standards.
The coalition’s original June 30 grievance demanded independent fiscal and attendance audits, supplemental information on the relocation including a public evaluation and ADA accessibility review, state inspection of the proposed facility, and administrative review of the plan. The group also called on the district to halt all relocation efforts immediately.
Related recent developments in district leadership changes and organized opposition to district initiatives have reflected broader governance questions at the district level.
What Comes Next
The school board’s July 14 vote will proceed as scheduled unless the district chooses to reschedule. The Idaho Department of Education’s review of the attendance audit request is underway, with results expected within days. The board meeting at 365 Triangle Drive in Ponderay begins at 5 p.m. and welcomes public attendance.