Vallivue schools paid millions above appraisal to buy land — from a trustee’s family

The Vallivue School District, securing property for a future high school, purchased farmland from a board member’s father for millions more than its appraised value.

Superintendent Lisa Boyd on Aug. 20, 2024, signed a contract for $5 million with seller and former board chair Dave Christensen, even though the 87 acres were appraised at $2.87 million. Dave Christensen was a Vallivue board member for over a decade. His son, Clay Christensen, followed his father onto the board in 2022.

The price — nearly double the appraised value — raises questions about whether the deal aligns with Idaho law governing school land purchases.

“The fact that it was the Christensens just happens to be the Christensens,” Boyd told EdNews on Thursday. “If it had been somebody else, I would have bought it from them.”

The three-page agreement was not prepared by an attorney, nor was a same-day lease agreement that allows the Christensens to farm the land — free of charge — until the district decides to build a school some eight to 10 years from now. Dave Christensen agreed to pay for annual irrigation assessments and property taxes.

“I knew about what I wanted, and, you know, it was really the only way I probably would have sold it,” Christensen said about his $5 million price tag for the land.

However, seven months prior to signing the deal with Boyd, Christensen had the property on the market for $2.45 million. It didn’t sell over 73 days, according to the property history in the appraisal report EdNews obtained through a records request.

“I had this piece of property and I thought it was in a good location, so I contacted the superintendent and just said, ‘Hey, I don’t know if you have any in mind, but you might take a look,’ ” Christensen said.

Idaho law frowns on schools paying more for land than its appraised value. Idaho Statute 33-601 lays out the process. Before a district can purchase land, the code requires trustees to have the property appraised and that appraisal “shall be used to establish the value of the real property.”

Boyd signed the purchase contract before she had it appraised and before board approval. She said the district complied with the statute.

“It doesn’t say that we have to buy it for that appraised price,” Boyd said. “There’s nothing in the statute that says that. And every piece of property and house around here nowadays, as you know, many, many things go for well over appraisal because that’s what happens with the demand that’s out there right now.”

Boyd signed the $5 million deal in August of 2024. But the board didn’t approve the purchase until Sept. 10, 2024. According to board minutes, Boyd told the trustees that the district had been looking for land for an additional high school for a while. She shared that the 87-acre property “had become available” for $5 million. She said the land was flat and square, making it an ideal location.

In an interview this week, Boyd said it is a “perfect piece of land” with no canals and no trees located in a growing area where the district will eventually need to build a school. It’s also near a district elementary school.

Trustee Jennifer Cox made a motion, seconded by trustee Amy Johnson, and trustees Toni Brinegar and Paul Tierney voted 4-0 to purchase the land for $5 million. Clay Christensen recused himself from the discussion and abstained from the vote. He also recused himself from two executive sessions in April and August to discuss “property.” Vallivue trustees did not respond to our inquiries.

“(Clay Christensen) recused himself from all of the things,” Boyd said this week. “The Christensens own thousands of acres in this valley, thousands, and that’s the area where we need it.”

Dave Christensen declined to tell EdNews how much land he owns.

This story was originally published April 17, 2026 at 3:01 PM.