Idaho Senate rejects expansion of Empowering Parents K‑12 grant program (SB 10-25)

BOISE, Idaho — On Feb. 14, 2025, the Idaho Senate defeated Senate Bill 10‑25 as amended, a bill that would have expanded the state's Empowering Parents grant program to cover tuition and fees at participating nonpublic K‑12 schools and prekindergarten programs. The final roll call showed six senators voting in favor, 28 against and one absent; the bill failed and was retained in the office of the secretary.

Proponents said the bill would use an existing grant to deliver targeted help to lower‑income families and add basic accountability; opponents said it would route public dollars to private and religious schools and expand the state's education responsibilities. "School choice is a great thing," said Senator Lynch. "This legislation was meant to strike a balance between the flexibility parents want and the accountability we owe under the state constitution," he said.

SB 10‑25, as described on the Senate floor, would have altered the Empowering Parents grant program in several specific ways: it would have raised the per‑student grant maximum from $1,000 to $5,000, expanded eligible uses to…