Issue · Education

Education (Higher Education)

Every education bill, vote, and legislator stance in Idaho, automatically classified by Maddy, our AI policy reader.

Total bills
9
68th Legislature, 2nd Regular Session (2026)
Top supporter
Camille Blaylock
100% support rate
Top opponent
Clint Hostetler
33% support rate
Ranked legislators
9
5 support · 4 oppose
Key legislators

Who's moving higher education in Idaho

Legislators moving higher education in Idaho
Legislator Party Stance Support rate Votes
Camille Blaylock
Camille Blaylock Senate · District 11
R
Strong +
100% 6
Jim Woodward
Jim Woodward Senate · District 1
R
Strong +
100% 6
Kelly Anthon
Kelly Anthon Senate · District 27
R
Strong +
100% 6
Ben Adams
Ben Adams Senate · District 12
R
Strong +
100% 5
Barbara Ehardt
Barbara Ehardt House · District 33A
R
Strong +
83% 6
Clint Hostetler
Clint Hostetler House · District 24A
R
Oppose
33% 6
Cornel Rasor
Cornel Rasor House · District 1B
R
Oppose
33% 6
Faye Thompson
Faye Thompson House · District 8B
R
Oppose
33% 6
Lucas Cayler
Lucas Cayler House · District 11B
R
Oppose
33% 6
Showing 9 of 9 bills

All education bills

signed · Idaho · Senate Apr 2, 2026

S 1452: APPROPRIATIONS – PUBLIC SCHOOLS – IDAHO DIGITAL LEARNING ACADEMY – Relates to the appropriation to the Public Schools Educational Support Program’s Division of the Idaho Digital Learning Academy for fiscal year 2027.

This bill appropriates state funds for the Idaho Digital Learning Academy for the 2027 fiscal year, directly affecting public school districts and charter schools in Idaho. The legislation sets a maximum tuition rate of $40 per student enrollment and mandates that the academy provide remedial coursework for students who are not proficient in state standards. Additionally, the bill requires the academy to offer advanced learning opportunities, such as dual credit courses, in accordance with state education rules. The law becomes effective on July 1, 2026, and was signed into law by the Governor.
signed · Idaho · House Apr 2, 2026

H 934: TAXATION – Amends existing law to revise provisions regarding the Idaho Parental Choice Tax Credit.

This bill amends Idaho law to revise the Parental Choice Tax Credit, which provides financial assistance to parents for private school and related educational expenses. It establishes eligibility for Idaho residents with children aged 5 to 18, or children with disabilities up to age 21, to claim a refundable tax credit of up to $5,000 per eligible student for qualified expenses including tuition, tutoring, assessments, and transportation. The bill creates a priority application system that favors lower-income families and allows eligible parents to request an advance payment of the credit before filing their tax return. It also repeals the previous advance payment fund and sets specific application deadlines and documentation requirements for claiming the credit.
signed · Idaho · House Mar 26, 2026

H 876: APPROPRIATIONS – STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION – Relates to the maintenance appropriation to the State Board of Education for fiscal year 2027.

This bill allocates state funding for Idaho's education system for fiscal year 2027, directing money to the State Board of Education, public universities, community colleges, and related agencies. It establishes specific dollar amounts for personnel, operating expenses, and capital outlays for institutions including Boise State, Idaho State, Lewis-Clark State, University of Idaho, and four community colleges. The legislation also sets limits on the number of authorized full-time equivalent positions for certain programs and provides flexibility to transfer funds between expense categories for higher education and health education programs. Additionally, it adjusts student tuition and fees for the upcoming fiscal year and designates funds for standards review, data sharing, and accountability reporting.
signed · Idaho · House Apr 2, 2026

H 920: APPROPRIATIONS – HEALTH EDUCATION PROGRAMS – Relates to the appropriation to the State Board of Education and the Board of Regents of the University of Idaho for Health Education Programs for fiscal year 2027.

This bill allocates $900,000 in state funding to the State Board of Education and the University of Idaho Board of Regents to support health education programs for fiscal year 2027. The money is designated for specific medical residency and fellowship programs, including positions for Eastern Idaho, Family Medicine, and University of Utah medical education. Additionally, the bill authorizes two and a half new full-time equivalent positions and directs that 15 new graduate medical education residencies and fellowships be funded through the Rural Health Transformation Program. If those specific funds become available, unused general fund money originally set aside for graduate programs will instead be used to create new undergraduate medical education seats. The legislation takes effect on July 1, 2026, and requires a compliance report to be submitted to the state legislature by December 1, 2026.
signed · Idaho · House Mar 30, 2026

H 922: APPROPRIATIONS – COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITIES – Relates to the appropriation to the State Board of Education and the Board of Regents of the University of Idaho for College and Universities and the Office of the State Board of Education for fiscal year 2027.

This bill allocates state funding to four Idaho higher education institutions - Boise State University, Idaho State University, Lewis-Clark State College, and the University of Idaho - for fiscal year 2027. It provides new money from various funds for personnel and operating costs while simultaneously reducing operating expenditure amounts from the General Fund by a total of $752,900. The legislation takes effect on July 1, 2026, and applies to the State Board of Education and the Board of Regents of the University of Idaho.
signed · Idaho · Senate Mar 30, 2026

S 1339: EDUCATION – Repeals and adds to existing law to provide for strategic performance plans and training.

Idaho's S 1339 requires all public school districts and public charter schools to create annual strategic performance plans focused on improving student outcomes. These plans must set measurable goals for academic proficiency, growth, college/career readiness, and support for at-risk students, using evidence-based strategies and data. Starting in 2027-2028, schools must submit these four-year plans with annual progress reports to the state education department, which will evaluate performance using a state-developed matrix and recognize top-performing schools. The bill replaces previous continuous improvement requirements and mandates regular board reviews of progress toward these goals.
Sub-Topics Higher Education
in committee · Idaho · House Feb 5, 2026

H 590: TAXATION – Amends, repeals, and adds to existing law to repeal and replace the Idaho Parental Choice Tax Credit and the Idaho Parental Choice Tax Credit Advance Payment Fund.

H 590 replaces Idaho's existing Parental Choice Tax Credit program with a new tax credit system. It establishes a refundable state tax credit of up to $5,000 per eligible student (increasing to $7,500 for students with disabilities) for parents paying qualified education expenses at nonpublic schools, including tuition, textbooks, and transportation. The credit applies to Idaho residents aged 5-18 (or 5-21 for disabled students) who meet income limits (300% of federal poverty level), with priority given to low-income families and prior recipients. Parents must apply annually by January 15-March 15, and the state will issue credits or advance payments by August 30. The bill repeals the previous credit and its advance payment fund while creating new administrative requirements.
in committee · Idaho · Senate Feb 12, 2026

S 1281: IDAHO PARENTAL CHOICE TAX CREDIT – Amends existing law to revise the total amount of tax credits available in the 2026 and 2027 tax years.

This bill increases Idaho's Parental Choice Tax Credit for 2026 and 2027, allowing eligible parents to claim up to $5,000 per child for education expenses. It directly affects Idaho parents of students aged 5-18 (or 5-21 for children with disabilities), covering costs like private school tuition, tutoring, textbooks, and transportation. Parents with income under 300% of the federal poverty level get priority, and families with children requiring disability services qualify for a higher $7,500 credit. To claim the credit, parents must apply annually, document expenses, and verify eligibility through the state tax commission.
signed · Idaho · House Mar 20, 2026

H 599: EDUCATION – Amends existing law to revise provisions regarding the Public School Digital Content and Curriculum Fund.

This bill establishes the Public School Digital Content and Curriculum Fund in Idaho's state treasury, administered by the Idaho Department of Education. It provides state funding for public school districts (including specialized programs like the Idaho Bureau of Educational Services for the Deaf and Blind) to purchase digital content, curriculum, and academic text support systems that directly improve student achievement in areas like reading, math, career readiness, and college preparation. School districts must demonstrate how requested funds (capped at $50,000 per request) will help meet measurable student performance targets outlined in their continuous improvement plans, with funding distributed first-come, first-served based on needs-based criteria. The bill also specifies that funds are continuously appropriated and interest earned must be returned to the fund.