State Policy
School board advocacy group tees up potential legislative priorities
Trustees from across Idaho will vote on resolutions dealing with attendance-based school funding, a controversial fetal development law and local control, among other issues.
Higher ed’s budget requests: Who would get what and where it would go
The two- and four-year schools are pushing for $12.1 million to cover the cost of growth. It’s a fraction of budget requests that exceed $884 million.
Next winter, Idaho will spend about $6 billion — but it’s pretty much carved up already
This week, state superintendent Debbie Critchfield and Idaho’s colleges and universities turned in no-frills budget requests for 2027-28. There will still be budget debates next legislative session — just on the margins.
State Board roundup, 8.12.26: AI standards approved for K-12 schools
In other news, the State Board approved new rules that will guide how schools, colleges and universities deal with disputes related to the state’s transgender athletics ban.
Idaho’s new civics test is here. Test your knowledge.
INSIDE: Take our quiz using questions from Idaho’s new exam.
Professional Standards Commission restores public access to educator disciplinary hearings
EdNews had questioned the commission’s decision in June to move the hearings behind closed doors.
‘A concern, but not a surprise:’ A resurgence of measles looms over Idaho schools
The state has reported only a handful of cases so far this year. Nationally, cases have climbed to a 35-year high — sharpening a polarized debate over vaccines and declining immunization rates.
Few Idaho schools may use new spending flexibility this year
The “earned autonomy” program took effect July 1, but the Idaho Department of Education is still developing the application process, and some local leaders are more eager to participate than others.
Private education tax credit reaches annual cap, applications close
The program is capped at $50 million annually, including administrative costs. The Idaho State Tax Commission has released little information about who’s receiving the taxpayer funds.
A disputed Boise High incident became central to Idaho’s transgender bathroom fight
A “humiliating” story has surfaced in multiple lawsuits litigating the state’s transgender bathroom restrictions. Court records show conflicting accounts of what happened.