LEGISLATURE
Education news, including daily roundups, from the 2026 session
After neglecting a $100 million budget gap — and the needs of 41,200 Idaho students — lawmakers have two relatively low-cost chances to put their money where their mouth is.
A $10 million cut to Idaho Launch could leave as many as 1,250 high school graduates on their own this fall. Proposed cuts to the state’s brand-new private school tax credit law could leave as many as 900 Idaho families out of luck.
The five-member court unanimously agreed that the Idaho Constitution doesn’t prohibit the state from funding private education in addition to the public system.
The latest round of proposed budget cuts would take a disproportionate bite out of a growing college and university system that can ill afford it. No other state agency has more to lose.
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.
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Statehouse roundup, 3.20.26: JFAC slashes IDLA budget while largely sparing virtual charters
In other news, the House Education Committee sent a $5 million high-needs special education funding bill to the House floor.
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Statehouse roundup, 3.19.26: Senate approves higher education budget cuts, sends them to governor
Also Thursday, the House Education Committee punted a decision on budget cuts for the Idaho Digital Learning Alliance, potentially opening the door for the budget-setting committee to implement the cuts.
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Statehouse roundup, 3.18.26: Community college budget survives dustup over CWI
In other news, a new bill on school abuse reporting and disclosure surfaced.
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Statehouse roundup, 3.17.26: Little signs off on lawmakers’ plan for deeper spending cuts
In other Statehouse news from Tuesday, a new bill would cut Idaho Digital Learning Alliance funds roughly in half.
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Statehouse roundup, 3.16.26: House approves spending cuts for higher ed
In other Monday news, the House passed a bill that would make violations of Idaho’s bathroom law a criminal offense.