Mountain Home hasn’t had much luck in passing bonds to build new schools.

But as luck would have it, the school district doesn’t need local property taxes to foot the bill for its next building. The federal government is paying for a new Stephensen Elementary on the Mountain Home Air Force Base.

It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, Superintendent James Gilbert told EdNews on Wednesday.

“It’s kind of unheard of,” he said.

Mountain Home School District owns and operates one school at the air force base. Stephensen Elementary has 263 students in grades K-4. Gilbert said about 90% of the students come from military families, and the rest are from civilian families, mostly folks who work on the base.

The new school will be built to house 600 students in grades K-6. Gilbert said there are lots of steps to go through to build a school on a federal military base, and he would be “thrilled” if the doors open in 2028.

The total cost is about $31 million. The U.S. Department of Defense has a grant program to fund schools on military bases, but it only covers 80% of the cost. Gilbert said the district has struggled to fund enough money to cover that remaining 20%.

That’s where U.S. Rep. Mike Simpson stepped in.

The Republican announced this week that he secured $6.4 million in federal funds for Stephensen Elementary through the Community Project Funding provision of the Consolidated Appropriations Act.

“By supporting our military children, their families, and the broader Mountain Home community, this project underscores our commitment and promise to those who serve,” Simpson stated in a press release. “The strength of the United States military is built on the foundation of strong, supported families at home. I am proud to champion this effort and support the necessary funding to make this vision a reality.”

Simpson visited the air force base last year, Gilbert said, and has always been very supportive of the military. Securing the remaining funding for the new school is a “huge victory” for the community.

“I am extremely appreciative of the work that Congressman Simpson did and his staff,” Gilbert said. “They really stepped up to help us.”

The Mountain Home Air Force base was in the news late last year when Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the U.S. military would train pilots from Qatar in Idaho.

Gilbert said the agreement with Qatar and the funding for the elementary school are not related.

“The way that the Qataris are doing their rotation, we don’t really expect families to be here,” he said.