LEGISLATURE
Education news, including daily roundups, from the 2026 session
The Legislature’s most powerful budget-writers asked state agencies to spell out plans for spending cuts — ratcheting up a debate that is dominating the 2026 session.
The Republican superintendent said she already “fulfilled the assignment” by making cuts to the K-12 budget ahead of the legislative session.
Step by step, legislative leaders are trying to dismantle Gov. Brad Little’s spending and tax proposals. Either way, the budgets are teetering — and if anything goes wrong, K-12 and higher ed could pay a big share of the price.
K-12 public schools would be exempt. But colleges and universities wouldn’t be immune.
Some justices appeared skeptical that the Idaho Constitution prohibits the state from funding private education. INSIDE: Photo gallery.
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.
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Statehouse roundup, 2.25.26: A late-session funding formula bill emerges
In other news, lawmakers advanced a civics diploma endorsement and introduced new bills relaxing rules for home-schoolers to participate in public-school sports.
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Statehouse roundup, 2.24.26: Lawmakers OK bill to give military preference on charter waitlists
In other news, the House passed a bill mandating a morning moment of silence in school.
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Statehouse roundup, 2.23.26: Far-ranging civics bill introduced
Also Monday, a divided House committee printed a bill requiring the state to review — and vote to renew — its $2 billion-a-year matrix of sales tax exemptions.
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Statehouse roundup, 2.20.26: JFAC approves tax conformity funding, rejects military scholarships
In other news, a bill mandating a morning period of silence in public schools cleared a House committee.
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Statehouse roundup, 2.19.26: JFAC leaders stand by plan for additional budget cuts
In other news, a bill that would have required public schools to start their academic years after Labor Day died amidst bipartisan opposition.