JFAC approves K-12 budget adjustments: increases for deaf and blind services, teachers, IDLA growth and multiple program amendments

The Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee on a recorded vote advanced a set of K–12 funding actions that include staff pay adjustments, targeted enhancements for specialized programs, an ongoing population forecast increase for the Idaho Digital Learning Academy (IDLA) and a one-time federal supplement for Title I and IDEA payments.

The committee approved a combined motion for Educational Services for the Deaf and the Blind that added enhancements for career-ladder equivalents, recruitment and retention compensation, an early childhood outreach administrator and a Region 4 consulting teacher, and a small endowment adjustment. The motion increased the FY2026 appropriation for the school by $504,900 (general fund and dedicated funds). Jared Tatro, deputy division manager for budget and policy at the Legislative Services Office, described the enhancements and said the endowment board had increased distributions, producing a $12,900 endowment adjustment. Representative Miller urged support, saying, "These teachers... are hard to find and it's a high level of competition for the people that can do a good job in these situations." The motion passed with the majority recommendation.

Separately, the committee approved adjustments in the teachers division to reflect a population forecast change and career-ladder placement movement. The committee added $1,630,500 from the general fund for FY2026 to the public school support teachers division to cover placement and movement on the career ladder and a forecasted reduction in support units. Committee discussion noted an estimated 200 fewer support units in the formula and that the request included the previously enacted 5% compensation and employer contribution increases.

The committee also approved a $9,500,000 one-time supplemental from the federal grant fund to cover federal Title I and Part B (IDEA) payments that were not paid in FY2024 because districts had exhausted prior appropriations. Legislative staff described the supplemental as a recurring timing effect when federal grant payments exceed an annual appropriation and are carried into the next fiscal year.

The public school support student support division received a motion that netted a modest increase in total funds by shifting some general fund to dedicated and federal funds and accounting for population forecast adjustments and endowment distributions. Committee analysts noted a reduction of roughly 200 support units for administrators and classified staff in the forecast and also described a $10,000,000 shift from the general fund to the public school other income fund (royalties/interest) where appropriate.

The Idaho Digital Learning Academy (IDLA) received a population forecast increase request to raise enrollment assumptions from about 49,680 to an estimated 58,000 students, producing a $3,577,600 general fund increase for FY2026. Committee members also approved statutory language amending the allowable IDLA tuition charge from $75 to $40 and added a provision that IDLA should rely on existing cash balances for enrollments above the appropriation for the current year rather than drawing on the Public Education Stabilization Account (PISAF). Legislative staff said the new funding formula enacted last year will reduce state costs roughly by $2.8 million compared with the prior approach.

The facilities division budget was adjusted to reflect forecast changes for charter school facility enrollment and estimated lottery dividends used for the school district facilities fund, with a net reduction of $1,570,100. Committee discussion emphasized that House Bills 292 and 521 restructured many previously visible facility line items into the school district facilities fund; analysts said roughly 90% of distributed funds to date were used for property tax relief, with any remainder available for plant maintenance or saving if districts retire bonds.

Central services received a motion to add $2.2 million one-time for a student transportation routing software pilot to reduce paper-based tracking and pilot GPS-based routing in districts.

Language changes and federal funding restrictions tied to multiple K–12 appropriation motions were accepted unanimously where noted; the committee added verification language requiring the Department of Education to verify compliance with Idaho Code section 33-201 prior to the November distribution of funds when relevant, and it amended district salary apportionment allocations to align certain allocations with the 5% compensation decision adopted elsewhere.

Votes at a glance: - Educational Services for the Deaf and the Blind: motion to add $504,900 (FY2026) — passed (Grand total: 19 yes, 0 no, 1 absent/excused). - Teachers division: add $1,630,500 (FY2026) — passed (Grand total: 19 yes, 0 no, 1 absent/excused). - Student support supplemental (Title I / IDEA): $9,500,000 one-time (federal grants) — passed (Total: 18 yes, 1 no, 1 absent/excused). - Public school support student support division FY2026 package (population forecasts, endowment shifts, etc.): net increase noted in prepared motion — passed (Grand total recorded: 18 yes, 1 absent/excused as announced). - Idaho Digital Learning Academy (IDLA): add $3,577,600 (FY2026) and adopt fee and PISAF language — passed (Total announced: 18 yes, 1 no, 1 absent/excused). - Facilities division population forecast adjustments: net reduction $1,570,100 — passed (Grand total: 19 yes, 0 no, 1 absent/excused). - Central services routing software pilot: $2,200,000 one-time — passed (Total announced: 18 yes, 0 no, 1 absent/excused). - State Department of Education FY2026 package (reading indicator adjustments, underperforming charters funding, data dashboard reporting language, dispute resolution and charter specialist positions, and one-time office remodel reappropriation authority): motion passed (Grand total as announced: 15 yes, 4 no, 1 absent/excused). - State Department supplemental: school bus camera fund, FY2025 one-time $33,601 — passed (Grand total announced: 18 yes, 1 no, 1 absent/excused).

Why it matters: the motions update formula-based funding, add targeted staff and program support for growing and specialized student needs, and change fee and funding mechanics for IDLA and other programs. Many of the motions implement previously passed legislation (including adjustments tied to House Bill 251, House Bill 292, and other enacted bills) or respond to federal grant timing. The committee also added verification and reporting language to tie distributions to statutory compliance.

What’s next: the committee recorded the due-pass recommendations; several items noted possible follow-up (language, verification steps, and reports) and the office that administers the programs will implement the changes or return with follow-up reports as required.