State senators have approved a bill to spend $50 million to subsidize private school tuition after debating for more than two hours Wednesday.
The measure would give $5,000 a year per child in refundable tax credits to families who apply for the program. Parents could use the money to pay for things like tuition, books and tutoring.
Initially, families earning less than 300% of the federal poverty level would be prioritized. That equates to a family of four earning about $94,000 a year.
Beginning in 2027, those who’ve already received the tax credit would take priority.
Sen. Camille Blaylock (R-Caldwell) said the bill should not be considered a boogeyman.
“This bill is not going to defund our great public schools that we have in this state. This is just another avenue for more option [sic] in our state,” Blaylock said.
Parents in Idaho can currently choose among traditional public schools, charter schools, private schools or homeschool their children without any state regulations.
Still, supporters of the bill said more needs to be done to assist families whose kids don’t succeed with any of those options.
Opponents, like Sen. Jim Guthrie (R-McCammon), say the proposal offers no accountability to taxpayers. Private schools would not have to measure how well their students are taught.
Guthrie worries this money could prop up schools that teach critical race theory or support diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.
“Tax dollars could go to the exact things we fight against and fear as to what’s being taught in our public schools,” he said.
Private schools aren’t required to accept students with disabilities nor kids whose religious backgrounds don’t align with the curriculum, unlike public schools.
That didn’t sit well with Sen. Dave Lent (R-Idaho Falls), the chairman of the Senate Education Committee.
“This legislation provides an opportunity for us to institute publicly funded discrimination,” Lent said.
Critics painted the bill as a redistribution of wealth, which several Republicans at the statehouse have bristled at over the last few weeks.
“I would argue that all education funding is a redistribution of wealth,” said Senate Majority Leader Lori Den Hartog (R-Nampa), who sponsors the measure.
Ultimately, the bill passed 20-15, which could not sustain a veto should Gov. Brad Little choose to reject it.
Little has repeatedly said any proposal would need to be “fair, responsible, transparent, and accountable.”
Once it hits his desk, the governor has five days to sign the bill, veto it or let it pass into law without his signature.
This story was produced with help from from the Public Media Journalists Association Editor Corps funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people.
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