LEGISLATURE
Education news, including daily roundups, from the 2026 session
Idaho colleges and universities are working through compliance with Idaho’s latest anti-DEI law, passed last year. Two right-wing groups say the colleges and the State Board are breaking the law.
The $1,700 credit refunds donations to organizations that offer students scholarships covering tuition, tutoring and other education expenses.
For more than a decade, no legislator has put more fingerprints on education budgets — or had more of a voice in the private school choice debate. But as Horman leaves the Statehouse, the Legislature will have to wrestle Idaho’s biggest budget crunch in nearly 20 years, and implement a new private school tax credit law.
Rural public school leaders say the Idaho Digital Learning Alliance is a “lifeline” for supplementing curriculum.
Gov. Brad Little worked in a raft of rosy remarks about the Idaho economy on Monday. And he talked a lot about the need for cuts. The strange mixed message sets the table for what could be a strange session.
Virtual schools and universities aren’t immune from more than $850 million in cuts, reversions and transfers aimed at balancing the state’s budget.
Rep. Dale Hawkins, R-Fernwood, served as House Education vice chairman in 2025, frequently aligning with hardline conservatives on the divided panel.
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Democrats aren’t buying it. Also, Gov. Brad Little says special education funding is a ‘critical’ issue that will be addressed after the state budget is ironed out.
Idaho faces a projected $555 million gap between spending requests and available revenues — a 10% gulf. And this time around, Idaho won’t get a truckload of federal money to erase the shortfall.
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Statehouse roundup, 1.29.26: Budget-writers drop K-12 exemption, tell Critchfield to prepare for cuts
In other news, a new plan to adopt tax cuts from the feds’ “One Big Beautiful Bill” makes its debut — and this could further complicate this year’s budget.
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Statehouse roundup, 1.28.26: A bipartisan House group is working on a virtual schools fix
In other news, the Senate is a step closer to voting on a bill to move college and university presidential searches almost entirely behind closed doors.
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Statehouse roundup, 1.27.26: JFAC co-chair urges policy committee to tackle K-12 funding formula
In other news, the state wants to use federal childcare grant money to hire a fraud investigator.
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Statehouse roundup, 1.26.26: Bill to clamp down on higher ed searches heads to Senate floor
In other news, Idaho’s teacher of the year urges legislators to invest in college scholarships and the Launch program.
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Statehouse roundup, 1.23.26: ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ tax plan debuts
In other news, a Boise State University survey found that most Idahoans support the state’s controversial new private school choice law — but are undecided about where to go from here.