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The hidden cost of using Idaho's taxpayer dollars to subsidize private school tuition • Idaho Capital Sun [1]
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Date: 2025-09-09
Over the past 30 years, I’ve worked in nearly every corner of Idaho’s education system — teaching in classrooms, leading Catholic and public schools, and serving as a superintendent through times of growth, hardship and everything in between. Schools anchor our communities, especially in places like Kimberly where our school district is the city’s largest employer.
Right now, I’m more worried than ever about what’s ahead.
Earlier this year, the Legislature passed a law, despite record-breaking calls urging the governor to veto it, that uses $50 million in taxpayer dollars to subsidize private school tuition with little to no accountability for how those funds are used.
There’s a projected state budget deficit of $79 million. Gov. Brad Little has ordered state agencies to cut 3% from budgets to address the shortfall. While public schools, which serve 94% of Idaho’s students, have their operations budgets frozen for the fiscal year, that $50 million “Parental Choice Tax Credit” money remains untouched.
Let’s look at the big picture. Schools are already operating at a fraction of what budgets were before the recession. We made sacrifices during hard times with the promise things would bounce back. That was 15 years ago. Last session, legislators defeated a bill that would provide $3 million for high-needs special education students. Schools lost dedicated funds from the Idaho Lottery.
In their place we were given a new “facilities bill” that sounded like an increase in funding, but is just a pass through for property taxes. While that’s a relief for property owners, it doesn’t pay for repairs, maintain schools, support growing enrollment or cover rising costs.
When lawmakers say we need to trim the fat in education, I challenge you to show me where it is. Instead of solving the problem by tapping into Idaho’s maxed-out rainy day fund, they’re stripping away more.
Communities like mine will be forced to ask taxpayers to pick up the difference, or schools may be pushed into financial crisis. Families who were promised more choices will see new bonds and levies on their ballots. That’s not choice.
Here’s the truth: We already have school choice in Idaho. Families can choose public schools, charter schools, private schools, homeschooling or online learning. That’s something to celebrate. But private schools are private for a reason.
When I was a Catholic school principal, we existed for the Catholic identity. We accepted students regardless of faith, we had an accredited curriculum and a strong staff of certified teachers. With my Catholic school hat on, I would have been looking at this law saying “the government shouldn’t be telling me what to teach.”
I also worry this new law will water down Idaho’s quality private schools while stripping funds from our public and charter schools. Why? If families have $5,000 a year per child for private tuition, we’ll likely see what happened in Arizona. Pop-up “private schools” emerged without accreditation, teachers without diplomas, background checks and no curriculum. That hurts everyone.
That’s not what taxpayer dollars were meant to fund.
Idaho’s public schools are already running lean. In districts like mine, we’ve cut, consolidated and squeezed every dollar. If these cuts go through, we’ll be talking about eliminating programs, reducing salaries and real threats to keeping our schools open — especially in rural areas.
This isn’t just an education issue. It’s an economic one. Our schools are often the largest employers in town. When they suffer, the whole community suffers.
We can’t allow a small group of political operatives to dismantle a system that, as required by our state constitution, serves everyone. We must preserve public education.
I urge every Idahoan to learn what’s really happening and to stand up for your local schools. Whether or not you have kids in the classroom, your tax dollars are on the line.
It’s time to say enough. Not one more public dollar for private tuition.
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