Some school leaders are talking about putting measures for supplemental funding and construction projects on the ballot.

Others aren’t.

“We won’t run anything in May,” Fremont County Superintendent Brandon Ferris told EdNews earlier this week.

Fremont County joined five other Idaho districts to go a combined zero for six in passing school bond issues last year — three failed measures in May and three in November.

Another one of those districts, Shelley, will also let things cool before going back to voters, Superintendent Doug McLaren told EdNews.

Shelley floated a $78.6 million bond issue for a new high school in May but received just 37% support — far from the required 66% supermajority needed for a bond request to pass in Idaho.

Voters squashed a $1.8 million measure in Camas County in November with 85% disapproval.

Visit our Elections page to see how past ballot measures performed heading into the May election. 

Despite 51% support for Fremont County’s $17 million bond issue in November, it’s still “not that good,” Ferris said, citing the state’s supermajority hurdle for bond issues. May is out of the picture to put a bond back on the ballot in Fremont County, Ferris added, but the November election is a possibility. 

Still, a statewide picture of ballot measures for May is emerging ahead of the election’s March 13 filing deadline for bonds and levies. 

Kimberly trustees asked administrators to start the process for running a plant facilities levy and bond issue in May, Superintendent Luke Schroeder announced at a board meeting Thursday night. Gooding, Glenns Ferry and Richfield could soon discuss measures, too, according to board agendas reviewed by EdNews.  

Unlike bond issues, which require two-thirds support to cover school constriction costs, levies range from chipping in supplemental funds to funding building repairs. Supplemental levies need a simple majority to pass, but other types require more. Click here for a detailed explainer. 

A lower hurdle for levies helps. Twenty of the 26 statewide supplemental levies passed in November.

With the ballot measure filing deadline approaching fast, a statewide snapshot will be accessible soon.

We’re watching. Follow our Ballot Beat blog for breaking election news and updates as things unfold. 

Has your district announced running a bond or levy? Email sean@idahoednews.org or devin@idahoednews.org with details.