Idaho Gov. opens hotline seeking advice on private school choice bill  

Should Idaho Gov. Brad Little sign a new school choice program into law?   

The governor’s office has set up a hotline for people to share their thoughts on House Bill 93.   

Idaho residents can press one if they want the Republican to enact the measure and two if they want him to veto it, KTVB reports.  

The proposal would make $50 million in tax credits available next school year for families that send their children to private schools in Idaho. The credit would be $5,000 per child,  or $7,500 for students with disabilities.   

The money could be used for tuition, textbooks, transportation and tutoring, among other expenses.  

The state Senate passed the bill 20-15 on last week, sending it to Little’s desk after it passed the Idaho House 42-28 previously.  

Proponents, including State Sen. C. Scott Grow, R-Eagle, say it would build on the state’s school choice successes and save taxpayers money.  

“One, they’re paying taxes, and two, their kids are not going to public schools, so that’s saving approximately $9,000 per student,” Grow said during last week’s Senate debate.  

“It’s not taking money away from public schools in that sense,” he added.  

However, Sen. Kevin Cook, R-Idaho Falls, argued that a new private school choice program takes money away from everything else because the state has limited resources.  

“When somebody says it won’t affect public schools — it will affect everything,” Cook said during the debate. “It will affect your roads, your schools, your bridges, everything that we do here at the State of Idaho. It will affect (it) because you’re taking that money away.”   

Little, who voiced support for making $50 million available for a private school choice program in his State of the State address in January, gave mixed signals to reporters Tuesday.

“There’s not enough accountability in it,” he said of HB 93. “But I don’t think there’s enough accountability in the money we give public schools either,” Idaho Education News reported.

Little had said he would support a school choice bill as long as it was “fair, responsible, transparent and accountable” and would “prioritize the families that need it most.

“I recognize the growing desire to expand school choice, especially for students with unique physical or developmental conditions,” he said in his January address. “… Just like we do with every taxpayer dollar that is spent in government, we will ensure there is oversight in school choice.”

The bill does not put additional expectations on private schools, including test scores or curriculum requirements. 

“The provisions of this section shall not be construed to permit any government agency to exercise control or supervision over any nonpublic school or to give the state authority to regulate the education of nonpublic school students,” the bill says. ” … A nonpublic school shall not be required to alter its creed, practices, admissions policy, or curriculum in order to accept students whose payment of tuition or fees stems from a refundable tax credit under this section.”  

Little resisted private school choice legislation in past sessions before softening his stance this year. 

A recent Mountain States Policy Center poll found that 66% of Idaho voters back the proposed tax credit program, while just 24% oppose it. A majority (53%) of Democrats support the proposal. 

State residents can access the hotline by calling Gov. Little’s office at 208-334-2100 and pressing one.  

Little has until midday Thursday to act on the bill.