Taxpayer funds went to Disney+, water parks. Little calls to stop it
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- Gov. Brad Little proposed eliminating supplemental learning funds statewide.
- OPE found Idaho Home Learning Academy families received about $1,800 annually.
- More than 70% of surveyed parents said they would disenroll if funding ends.
Gov. Brad Little on Monday proposed eliminating millions of dollars for supplemental learning funds that families enrolled in virtual public schools across the state have used on costs such as Disney+ subscriptions, water parks and video games.
The governor’s budget recommendation comes after a report from the Office of Performance Evaluations, which found that families in Idaho’s largest virtual charter school, the Idaho Home Learning Academy, receive about $1,800 each year to buy enrichment materials and other learning resources, such as technology, art and science supplies and books. But the money’s use isn’t addressed in state law, which has led to inconsistencies and ambiguity on what it can be used for, the report found.
During the 2024-25 school year, families at the academy received more than $12 million in taxpayer money for supplemental learning funds, the OPE report said. Other virtual schools across the state also offer families supplemental learning funds, according to the report.
The governor’s budget recommendation cited the report and said it found “inefficiencies” in the virtual public school funding model. It called for a $23 million cut “while strengthening accountability and long-term sustainability.” The proposal eliminates the supplemental learning funds for all online schools across the state – about $20 million – and nixes about $3 million in transportation funding for virtual schools.
Virtual schools growing in Idaho
The proposed cuts come as virtual schools have become increasingly popular across the state in recent years.
The Idaho Home Learning Academy launched in 2016 with about 250 students and has climbed to nearly 8,000 students. Parents surveyed in the OPE report said the supplemental learning funds have been a major driver in their decision to enroll in the virtual academy, and more than 70% said they would disenroll if the money went away.
The state primarily funds public schools based on average daily attendance. For traditional schools, those calculations are based on whether students show up to class in person.
Virtual schools have more flexibility. Students enrolled in the Idaho Home Learning Academy must submit one assignment per subject each week and check in with their teachers every two weeks to be marked as present for the two-week period.
The OPE report identified at least 10 other public virtual schools that offer supplemental learning funds. Schools offer varying amounts of funding. Families enrolled in Twin Falls Virtual School House receive $1,200 in supplemental learning funds, while those at Boundary County Online School and Bear Lake On-Line Learning receive about $1,700, according to the report.
Most of the schools partner with education-service providers, private entities responsible for delivering “instructional and administrative services to schools.”
Little has said he wants to maintain funding for public schools, even as the state is expecting to face a large budget deficit.
Sarah Cutler contributed reporting.
This story was originally published January 12, 2026 at 1:52 PM.
