Applications for Idaho’s private education tax credit reopen Thursday, and nearly $7.1 million is up for grabs.

The Idaho State Tax Commission is launching a second round of applications for the Parental Choice Tax Credit, a refundable tax credit covering non-public school expenses, including private school tuition. The inaugural round of Idaho’s fledgling private school choice program did not reach its $50 million spending cap when it closed in March.

The Tax Commission announced this week that it will accept new applications through Aug. 15, or until the leftover $7.09 million runs out, whichever comes first.

Click here to learn how to apply.

Commission to release additional data on recipients by 2027

During the first application period, which ran from Jan. 15 to March 15, the Tax Commission received 6,069 applications covering 10,809 students. In April, the agency distributed $42.4 million.

About 45% of applications came from households with modified adjusted gross incomes at or below 300% of the federal poverty level. These households had priority access to the credits. Otherwise, the state funds were distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.

A Tuesday news release from the Tax Commission said additional data will be released in January. That’s when a report on the first year of the controversial program is due to the Legislature.

Idaho Education News reported this month that tax commissioners declined to release additional data through public records request, including figures on how many tax credit recipients were already attending a private school or learning at home.

Next year’s report to the Legislature must include the federal poverty data, the average dollar amount of tax credits, the “geographic area” of recipients, and a list of expenses claimed for reimbursement, among other data points.