The Problem
Lawmakers are attacking Idaho’s public schools with vouchers, book bans, censorship and chronic underfunding — and they’re ignoring public opinion to do it. The 2025 legislative session was the worst in over a decade. If we don’t change who’s in power, we all will keep paying the price.
How You Can Help
Start by making sure you’re registered to vote in the May primaries — and talk to your colleagues about doing the same. Step up to support local levies, school board races and eventually candidates who believe in public education. From door-knocking to donating to PACE, you can choose how involved to be — but above all, you must vote.
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Attacks on Idaho Public Education
This year’s legislative session was filled with bills and votes that threaten the future of Idaho’s public schools. See below for a sampling. Lawmakers pushed an aggressive agenda that intentionally undermined educators, students and the very foundation of public education.
School Vouchers: $50M to Private Schools
House Bill 93 created Idaho’s first voucher scheme that legalizes the government facilitation of public dollars siphoned to private schools — schools that owe no transparency to taxpayers, can discriminate in who they admit and are not required to serve students with disabilities — undermining both public accountability and equity in education.
High-Needs Student Fund: Failed by One Vote
House Bill 291 would have provided critical funding relief for public schools serving students with the highest needs, but it failed by one vote — leaving already underfunded districts to cover steep special education costs, while lawmakers ignore the state’s legal and ethical obligation to educate all students.
LGTBQ+ Instruction Ban: Signed Into Law
House Bill 352 mandates that schools prohibit instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity from kindergarten through 12th grade and allows parents to withdraw their children from any activity they object to, undermining comprehensive education and preventing educators from serving all of their students.
Mandatory Bible Reading in Classrooms: Referred to Committee
House Bill 162 mandates daily Bible readings in public schools, potentially violating the Idaho Constitution’s ban on religious instruction and contributing to an exclusionary learning environment that alienates students from diverse religious and non-religious backgrounds.
Classroom Flag Censorship: Signed Into Law
House Bill 41 bans flags and banners on public school property that display religious, political, or ideological viewpoints. By censoring educators and students, it limits schools’ ability to foster belonging, expression, and open dialogue.
IEA-Targeted Legislation: Passed by the House
House Bill 98 singles out public-school educators by imposing new restrictions on the Idaho Education Association’s ability to represent and advocate for its members. The bill excludes other public-sector unions, making it a direct attack on teachers and education professionals.
