Idaho State of the State: Governor signals support for school vouchers as lawmakers return
Idaho Gov. Brad Little called for continued investments in public schools and transportation while signaling support for a limited school voucher plan Monday in his annual State of the State address at the Idaho Capitol.
Proposing that the Idaho Legislature approve $50 million to support “education freedom,” Little endorsed sending taxpayer dollars to students who are home-schooled or attend private schools. The governor has previously appeared skeptical of what proponents call school choice, and the issue is likely be one of the biggest fights at the Statehouse this year.
Little’s speech, which ran a brief 22 minutes, launched the formal start of the 68th legislative session. Little said he guessed it was the shortest such address in recent memory, drawing thanks from House Speaker Mike Moyle. Idaho’s part-time lawmakers are now expected to be in session until at least late March.
The two-term Republican governor’s remarks also welcomed the incoming administration of former President Donald Trump, who won reelection in November. Congress certified his victory earlier Monday afternoon.
“With their votes, Americans affirmed they want for our country what Idaho has — safe communities, bustling economic activity, increasing incomes, tax relief, fewer regulations, fiscal responsibility, and common-sense values”, Little said Monday.
Little’s $5.6 billion budget — a 4.6% increase from the current fiscal year — proposes $100 million in tax cuts along with investments in road infrastructure, workforce education programs and wildfire management, among other programs. Idaho’s 2026 fiscal year starts July 1.
During a press conference with reporters after Little’s speech, Moyle said he’d prefer triple the tax relief requested by Little.
“I want to see a lot more tax relief than you’ve seen the last few years,” he said.
Little’s proposed budget includes a $9.6 million investment in the state’s foster care program. The news outlet InvestigateWest has reported on allegations of neglect and abuse at state-licensed foster homes.
Little: ‘Growing desire to expand school choice’
For years, Idaho lawmakers have hotly debated school vouchers, which fund education expenses for students who do not attend public schools. Though a number of bills have been introduced in past sessions, none of those passed. Proponents have said they will try again this year.
Other states have adopted such programs, with supporters arguing the money gives parents more schooling options for their children. Opponents, including some Republicans and Democrats in the state, counter that the plan will inevitably siphon money away from already-underfunded public schools, and that the per-student dollars will largely go toward families who can already afford to pay for private school.
Senate Majority Leader Lori Den Hartog, R-Meridian, previously told the Idaho Statesman she expects the topic to be the No. 1 debate this year. Lawmakers are expected to introduce multiple competing versions of voucher bills, and Little’s endorsement may be an effort to get ahead of it and steer those discussions.
Private schools in Idaho are concentrated in urban areas, which could potentially make it difficult for rural students to take advantage of the credits. Of the state’s roughly 120 registered private schools, a majority are in four counties: Ada, Canyon, Kootenai and Twin Falls, according to the Idaho State Department of Education.
Tuition can also cost tens of thousands of dollars, which leaves private schools out of reach for many families, even with some of the costs written off. The budgets for some voucher programs in other states also have ballooned, opponents point out.
“I recognize the growing desire to expand school choice especially for students with unique physical or developmental conditions,” Little said Monday. “Just as we expect the following from our public schools, any school choice measure I would consider must be done the Idaho way. That means it is fair, responsible, transparent, and accountable. It must prioritize the families that need it most and it must not take away funds from public schools.”
Little called funding public schools adequately a “moral obligation.” Idaho still ranked second-to-last in per-pupil-education spending in fiscal year 2022, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, and years of scarce funding has led to widespread heating and cooling failures, leaks, and inaccessability for people with disabilities, according to joint reporting from the Statesman and ProPublica.
State employee pay raises, public defenders funding
Little’s budget requests also included a 5% pay raise for state employees, which includes $83 million for school staff, as well as additional funding for teacher health insurance. The 2026 fiscal year’s proposed education budget is a 5% increase over the current year’s, according to Lori Wolff, the governor’s budget chief.
To attend to reported problems at the newly created Idaho State Public Defender’s Office, Little also is calling for around $5.5 million in additional dollars for this fiscal year, Wolff said, plus $37 million of additional funds in the next year.
Since the new public defense system took effect in October, which consolidated services for low-income defendants in all of the state’s 44 counties, a number of attorneys have left, the Idaho Capital Sun has reported. In addition, some defendants have been held in jail for weeks or months without the ability to speak to their attorney, according to the ACLU of Idaho. The organization called the functioning of the new office a “disastrous step backward” and has filed a lawsuit.
This story was originally published January 6, 2025 at 1:15 PM.
