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Idaho financing tools saved charter schools an estimated $113 million, speaker tells House committee
Summary
A national policy analyst told the Idaho House Education Committee that state-backed short‑ and long‑term financing tools, leveraged with philanthropy, have reduced charter school facility costs and freed funds for instruction, while lawmakers discussed caps and next steps.
Matthew Joseph, senior policy advisor for education funding at ExcelinEd, told the Idaho House Education Committee that a combined set of state policies and private support has substantially lowered facility financing costs for charter schools and allowed those dollars to be reinvested in instruction.
"The state so far has spent $0...the total savings so far to the state is a $113,000,000," Joseph said, summarizing a study his organization produced with Bloom that examined Idaho charter‑school facility financing. He said those savings translate, on average, into the equivalent of about 10 additional teachers per charter school when annualized.
Why it matters: Committee members pressed for details because the financing tools — a no‑interest revolving loan fund for start‑up financing and a separate moral‑obligation credit enhancement for long‑term bonds — affect charter schools’ operating budgets and teacher hiring. Joseph and charter‑school representatives said the policies reduced reliance on costly leases and private developer…
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