Idaho's S 1332 is a budget bill that transfers specific funds from specialized state accounts into the General Fund for fiscal years 2026 and 2027. It directs the transfer of $45 million from the Strategic Initiatives Program Fund, $3 million from the Opportunity Scholarship Program Account, $33.7 million from the Permanent Building Fund, $15 million from the Water Pollution Control Fund, and $10 million from the In-Demand Careers Fund (for 2026) and another $10 million (for 2027) to the General Fund. These transfers are intended to provide immediate funding flexibility for state operations during the 2025-2026 budget period. The bill declares an emergency to allow most provisions to take effect immediately upon passage, with one transfer scheduled for late 2026. This is a procedural budget adjustment, not a new policy.
Idaho's S 1331 reduces state funding for education programs in fiscal year 2026 by $22.3 million from the Public School Income Fund and transfers money to the General Fund. It directly affects public schools (teachers and student support), Idaho's universities (including Boise State, Idaho State, and the University of Idaho), community colleges, and education programs like medical residencies and career technical education. Key mechanisms include cutting specific budget line items (e.g., $5.4 million for Boise State University, $1.8 million for student administrators), reducing authorized staff positions, and reallocating funds. The bill declares an emergency to expedite these fiscal adjustments.
Idaho's H 636 revises how school districts access state funds for building and maintenance projects. It creates a dedicated School District Facilities Fund in the state treasury, using money from specific tax codes and legislative appropriations. The fund must be distributed by August 1 each year to school districts based on student attendance, with strict spending priorities: first paying existing school bonds and required levies, then allowing use for new construction, renovations, or maintenance. This reduces property tax levies for school districts since these funds replace some local tax revenue, directly affecting all Idaho school districts and their property taxpayers. The bill also includes temporary adjustments for fiscal years 2025-2026 related to bond levy equalization.
This bill updates Idaho's career ladder system for school staff, including superintendents, building administrators, and instructional employees, by adjusting how compensation increases are calculated based on experience and performance. It establishes specific pathways for salary progression tied to years of certification, professional endorsements, and performance evaluations, while also creating provisions for career technical education instructors with industry experience to receive equivalent placement on the ladder. The legislation requires school districts to allocate funds based on staff positions on the career ladder, with additional funding for staff who earn advanced degrees or meet specific performance criteria.
This Idaho bill (H 608) revises the Public School Facilities Cooperative Funding Program, which provides state financial support to school districts for fixing unsafe school buildings. It requires school districts to apply to a new panel (comprising education and building safety officials) if they’ve failed to pass local tax votes for repairs, approved insufficient levies, or been identified by state safety inspectors as having unresolved hazards. The panel reviews applications for the most cost-effective solutions over 20 years and may mandate a local voter referendum to approve bond funding if the state covers costs. School districts with projects exceeding $5 million or approved via state intervention must also appoint a state supervisor to oversee construction.
Idaho's S 1317 creates a framework for voluntary regional service centers (RSCs) that school districts and public charter schools can form to share specialized staff and administrative services. The bill allows multiple local education agencies to pool resources for high-cost, hard-to-staff roles like psychologists and special education support under IDEA, while maintaining local control over curriculum and enrollment. RSCs would receive state funding for core administrative services (e.g., HR, finance), operate under locally governed boards, and offer additional fee-based services through agreements. This aims to reduce duplication, improve compliance with federal special education requirements, and lower costs for participating schools.
This bill requires Idaho school districts and public charter schools to annually share clear information about harassment, intimidation, or bullying (as defined by Idaho law) with all staff, parents, and students, including that staff must intervene. It mandates ongoing professional development for school staff to prevent and address these issues, and requires school policies to include graduated consequences for offenders and procedures for mandatory reporting of incidents leading to student suspensions. Schools must also annually report bullying incidents to the state education department using a standardized format. These changes apply to all Idaho public schools and aim to standardize prevention, response, and reporting practices.
