When Idaho opened the application portal for its new Parental Choice Tax Credit this week, more than 3,300 families applied within hours. I was one of them. Idaho leaders debated the policy, passed it and launched a program as a clear commitment to supporting parents. Now, that commitment is being undermined by legal challenges from public school interests and the Idaho Democratic Party—placing families once again in the middle of a courtroom fight.

As a father of seven, with four children still at home, and as a school board member, I know firsthand the responsibility parents carry to meet the individual needs of their children. The Parental Choice Tax Credit represents a serious commitment by the state to expand options for parents who are taking responsibility for educating their kids within Idaho communities.

Educational freedom has shaped our family from the beginning. My wife, Megan, was homeschooled. I attended a small Christian school. When we began raising our children, we homeschooled all of them for years because it aligned with our convictions and their learning styles. As they grew older, we adjusted, choosing different schooling options as their needs changed.

Today, six of our children have attended private schools in Idaho. Four are currently students at Logos School in Moscow. Our youngest, Maeve, who has Down syndrome, attends Jubilee School, where she receives the specialized support she needs to thrive.

Having the ability to choose the right learning environment has been critical in shaping our children. That freedom has also come with real financial commitment. Like other families, we pay taxes to support public education for our neighbors’ children. At the same time, we have taken on the full cost of our own choices. At one point, we had six children enrolled in private school simultaneously. Even though private school tuition is often lower than public spending per student, the total cost adds up quickly.

Our decisions reflected responsibility and alignment with our beliefs. We do not believe education is one size fits all, so we sought options where our kids could grow, learn and succeed.

That experience is common in Moscow, where the education landscape looks different from much of Idaho. Public schools now serve fewer than 60% of local students. Families already exercise choice because it works for their kids. The Parental Choice Tax Credit feels less like a radical departure and more like the state finally acknowledging a long-standing reality.

For parents seeking educational options, even a modest tax credit makes a meaningful difference. It eases pressure on household budgets already strained by inflation and unexpected expenses, allowing families to focus on providing the best education for their children. That is why the lawsuit challenging this program is so concerning. Continued legal attacks create unnecessary uncertainty for the very families the program was designed to help. It also raises a serious question about whether opponents trust parents to make educational decisions for their own children.

I currently have four children in K-12, including a daughter with Down syndrome. Educating her has been one of the most meaningful journeys of my life, requiring deep engagement to understand her needs. We chose a private school because it offers inclusion, care and partnership in ways that best support her development. At Jubilee School, our daughter learns in small, mixed-age classes alongside neurotypical peers in an environment grounded in Christian values and tailored to her unique needs.

We love Jubilee School and wish more of Maeve’s friends had the opportunity to attend alongside her. Even though tuition is about $7,000— quite reasonable for high-quality special needs education and far below public spending per student— it remains just out of reach for some families.

The Parental Choice Tax Credit offers a practical, parent-empowering response to the diverse educational needs of Idaho’s students. It affirms a principle that should transcend politics: Parents understand their children better than anyone else, and education is not one size fits all.

– Stefan Haney is an experienced executive leader and dad of seven from Moscow, Idaho.