IdahoQualified schools may choose how to spend allocated state funds
Starting July 1, 2026, qualifying school districts and nonvirtual public charter schools may use state funding more flexibly if they meet academic, audit, and charter-related conditions.
What it does
School districts that meet demanding academic and financial standards may decide how to use their state funding and skip listed state reports without losing money. Continued flexibility depends on yearly audits and academic performance.
Nonvirtual charter schools that meet listed academic and other requirements may choose how to use state funding and avoid certain reports, but audits and charter status can end that flexibility.
Argument forSchools could move state funds toward their students’ needs more easily and spend less time completing reports that the provision exempts.
Argument againstFewer required reports could make it harder for families and state officials to compare how participating schools use money and perform.
More detail
An eligible school district may spend its allocated state funding, including discretionary, categorical, and salary funds, as it decides best serves its students and schools. The option covers school districts that meet the academic and financial requirements in the new provision. The district must meet one of the listed performance measures in each of three academic areas: statewide test results, early reading results, and graduation or college-and-career readiness results. For each of the previous three fiscal years, the district must provide the required clean financial audit evidence. Participating districts are excused from listed state reporting requirements without a penalty or funding reduction. The state education department may revoke eligibility after certain audit failures or after the district fails the academic requirements for at least two years. The provision applies on and after July 1, 2026. Spending flexibility continues from year to year unless eligibility is revoked.
An eligible public charter school may spend its allocated state funding as it decides best serves its students and school, without changing its charter or performance certificate. The provision covers public charter schools that are not virtual schools and that meet the requirements listed in Idaho Code section 33-5218(2)(b), (e), and (g). Participating schools are excused from state reporting requirements that are not federally required or needed for public-school financial purposes. The state education department may revoke eligibility after certain audit failures, failure to meet the referenced academic requirements for at least two years, or charter revocation, nonrenewal, or conditional renewal. The provision applies on and after July 1, 2026. Spending flexibility continues from year to year unless eligibility is revoked.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed 1st Chamber
- Passed 2nd Chamber
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Apr 2Reported Signed by Governor Brad Little on April 2, 2026 Session Law Chapter 309 Effective: 07/01/2026Became Law
- Apr 1Delivered to Governor at 12:50 p.m. on April 1, 2026To Governor
- Apr 1Returned Signed by the President; Ordered Transmitted to GovernorMinor
- Mar 31Signed by President; returned to HouseMajor
- Mar 31Received from the House enrolled/signed by SpeakerMajor
- Mar 31Reported Enrolled; Signed by Speaker; Transmitted to SenateMajor
- Mar 31Returned from Senate Passed; to JRA for EnrollingMinor
- Mar 30Read third time in full – PASSED - 33-0-2AYES – Adams, Anthon, Bernt, Bjerke(Bjerke), Blaylock, Carlson, Cook, Den Hartog, Foreman, Grow, Guthrie, Harris, Hart, Keyser, Kohl, Lakey, Lenney, Lent, Nichols, Okuniewicz, Rabe, Ricks, Ruchti, Semmelroth, Shippy, Taylor, Toews, VanOrden, Ward-Engelking, Wintrow, Woodward, Zito, ZuiderveldNAYS – NoneAbsent and excused – Burtenshaw, GallowayFloor Sponsor - Den HartogTitle apvd - to HousePassed 2nd Chamber
- Vote recorded Read third time in full –. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 25Read second time; filed for Third ReadingMinor
- Mar 24Reported out of Committee with Do Pass Recommendation; Filed for second readingMinor
- Mar 19Introduced, read first time; referred to: EducationMinor
- Mar 19Received from the House passed; filed for first reading
- Mar 18Rules Suspended: Ayes 66 Nays 0 Abs/Excd 4, read in full as required – PASSED - 60-7-3AYES – Alfieri, Berch, Bingham, Boyle, Bruce, Burgoyne, Cheatum, Church, Cornilles, Crane(12), Crane(13), Dygert, Egbert, Ehardt, Ehlers, Erickson, Fuhriman, Furniss, Galaviz, Gannon, Garner, Green, Hall(Stone), Handy, Hawkins, Haws, Healey, Hill, Holtzclaw, Hostetler, Leavitt, Marmon, Mathias, McCann, Mendive, Mickelsen, Miller, Mitchell, Monks, Nelsen, Palmer, Petzke, Pickett, Pohanka, Raybould, Raymond, Redman, Rubel, Sauter, Scott, Shirts, Skaug(Chadwick), Tanner(13), Tanner(14), Thompson, Vander Woude, Veile, Weber, Wheeler, Mr. SpeakerNAYS – Barbieri, Beiswenger, Cayler, Harris, Price, Rasor, WisniewskiAbsent – Cannon, Manwaring, ShepherdFloor Sponsor - PickettTitle apvd - to SenatePassed 1st Chamber
- Vote recorded Rules Suspended: Ayes 66 Nays 0 Abs/Excd 4, read in full as required –. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 18Read second time; Filed for Third ReadingMinor
- Mar 17Reported out of Committee with Do Pass Recommendation, Filed for Second ReadingMinor
- Mar 12Reported Printed and Referred to Education
- Mar 12Introduced, read first time, referred to JRA for PrintingIntroduced
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