BOISE, Idaho — Idaho legislators will discuss a potential $410 million investment into public education on Sept. 1, which would be the single largest state investment into public education ever.
If passed, $330 million will go toward K-12 schools and another $80 million to post-secondary training for in-demand careers. To keep up with inflation, the total amount would increase annually by 3%.
“This is ongoing funding for public education in our state," said Mike Journee, Idaho Education Association spokesperson. "And that in and of itself, is a huge game changer."
The $410 million is just one part of a three-piece legislation proposed by Gov. Brad Little made possible by the expected $2 billion state surplus.
It also includes $500 million in one-time income tax rebates for all Idahoans, ongoing tax cuts through a lower and a flat income rate of 5.8%.
Journee said this legislation is a long time coming, considering public education is chronically underfunded and that there is not steady funding.
Adequate funding in post-secondary institutions is particularly lacking, said Rod Gramer, Idaho Business for Education president.
“We need to invest more in the operations of our universities and colleges,” Gramer said. “We need more money for scholarships for students so they can afford to go to college.”
There are currently 900 teacher vacancies in Idaho, District 19 Rep. Lauren Necochea said. Investing in public education, is imperative to keeping people in the business.
To increase retention rates, Journee said he hopes some of the money goes toward improving teacher salaries and benefits.
“Those teachers are going to feel more valued. They're going to feel like the state of Idaho believes in what they do,” Journee said. “They're going to believe that they believe in the value of public education, and they're going to be more likely to stay around next school year.”
If passed, funds would become available in 2024. Necochea said even though the legislation is a step in the right direction, she hopes investment into public education does not stop here.
“Idaho is last in the nation for education funding,” Necochea said. “This boost might help us move up a couple notches, but there's a lot more work to be done to truly prioritize our kids.”
If lawmakers pass this legislation during the special session, Necochea said the public will not learn how these funds are specifically allocated until January 2023.
Watch more Local News:
See the latest news from around the Treasure Valley and the Gem State in our YouTube playlist: