The budget will be tight during the 2026 legislative session, but the Idaho School Boards Association and the state superintendent are united in their top fiscal priority: Increase funding for special education.
Of the 11 resolutions trustees from around the state adopted last month at the ISBA annual convention in Coeur d’Alene, a proposal to increase funding for students with disabilities was at the top of the list. It passed with 99% of the vote.
“I think we’re really just going into the session acknowledging that it’s going to be a tough year for the budget, and our No. 1 goal is to ensure that services to students are not cut,” ISBA Deputy Director Quinn Perry told EdNews this week. “I think special ed is still going to be a high priority for us — and our members are aligned with the state superintendent.”
Over the summer, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Debbie Critchfield sent her budget request to Gov. Brad Little with one big-ticket item. She wants $50 million in block grants for special education.
Increasing support for students with disabilities is a matter of adhering to the Idaho Constitution and federal law, according to the ISBA resolution.
All kids are entitled to a “uniform and thorough” public education under the state constitution and the federal Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act makes available a “free appropriate public education” for all kids with disabilities.
“We recognize that even though the fiscal picture is looking tough, that it is still the state’s duty and obligation to provide those services mandated to students,” Perry said.
Little this year ordered 3% budget holdbacks for state agencies, with the exception of K-12 education, and the Idaho Legislative Services Office last month reported a 2026 budget deficit of $58.3 million.
With that in mind, Perry said any ISBA resolutions that requires a fiscal note or creates additional funding are “unlikely to succeed.” For example, a resolution trustees passed last year calling for new funds for math and science teachers is not going anywhere. The resolutions are good for two years.
No more money to private schools
Another resolution with strong support expresses opposition to increasing the cap on the $50 million private school tax credit that the Legislature passed this year through House Bill 93.
Perry said ISBA is “obviously” going to oppose new funding for private schools, but another piece of that resolution would be much harder to accomplish. It calls for a repeal of the existing tax credit program.
“I think even though we would love to repeal House Bill 93 via legislation, we also know that’s likely not a good use of our time,” she said.
ISBA has to consider their own staff capacity and focus on resolutions that broadly help all districts instead of giving advantage to a few, Perry said. Also, there may be issues that come up during the session that require the staff to switch gears.
And any draft legislation from ISBA requires a legislator to get on board and introduce the bill. Perry said they are now working on connecting resolution sponsors with legislators and having holistic conversations about the proposals.
“It’s all still out in the wings about what will come to fruition or not,” Perry said.
