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JFAC advances school funding trailers: continuous facilities fund, $330M cash transfer, and $5M literacy intervention
Summary
Committee approved trailer actions tied to school funding: making the school district facilities fund continuously appropriated, a $330 million cash transfer into the public school income fund, and a $5 million literacy intervention for grades K–3, among other related actions.
The Joint Finance‑Appropriations Committee advanced multiple trailer appropriations and policy‑linked budget actions affecting public schools.
Analyst Jared Tetrault explained that House Bill 304 makes the established school district facilities fund continuously appropriated so those dollars can be distributed to districts in August; monies may be used first for paying outstanding bonds, then for supplemental levies, plant facility levies, reserves or maintenance. Committee members asked how the continuous appropriation differs from a direct appropriation; analysts said the continuous approach reduces the need for JFAC to guess annual amounts because distributions can vary substantially year to year.
The committee also approved a motion to transfer $330 million from the general fund to the Public School Income Fund for FY2026; analysts said this clarifies accounting and aligns the money with the general‑fund path used for public‑school dollars. The motion passed by roll call (combined committees: 17 ayes, 2 nays, 1 absent and excused).
On literacy, Mr. Tetrault presented Senate Bill 1069 trailer language that would fund literacy coaches and professional development targeted to districts and charters in the lowest 25 percent on the fall Idaho Reading Indicator. The committee approved a $5 million general‑fund appropriation for that literacy intervention; the combined vote was 14 ayes, 4 nays, 2 absent and excused.
Separately, Representative Price moved a reduction/cleanup action tied to the school district facilities fund accounting (a reduction of $180,822,300 from the fund as part of the reclassification and timing changes); the committee approved that motion and it will carry a due‑pass recommendation.
Analysts and members said the trailer actions are dependent on the policy bills: if the policy bills fail, the trailer appropriations will not advance. Committee members asked whether moving the $330 million into the general fund could obscure the source of the dollars; staff said the legislature has tracked the amount as general‑fund for reporting and auditors and that the transfer simply clears accounting and keeps the base consistent.
