Senate Education Committee holds bill to codify parent‑supported public schooling model

Senate members of the Idaho Senate Education Committee on March 5 paused consideration of Senate Bill 10‑68 after extensive public testimony and questions from senators, voting to hold the bill to the call of the chair with a date certain of March 12.

The bill would formally authorize and clarify a parent‑supported public schooling model already operating in several Idaho districts, including Idaho Home Learning Academy (IHLA). Sponsor Senator Steven Thain, who described the measure as a way to “give flexibility to the public school system to innovate,” told the committee roughly 11,000 students statewide are already using the model and that the bill aims to protect that option from future regulation.

Supporters — primarily parents and representatives of IHLA and service providers — said the model lets families pair home instruction with district teachers and access a limited education savings account for curriculum and approved activities. Opponents urged caution about using public funds for parent‑directed curriculum and questioned oversight, testing outcomes and how money flows.

Senator Thain, the bill sponsor, summarized the bill’s intent: “What it does is it basically gives flexibility to the public school system to, innovate and provide, what I think competition could compete in this new education marketplace that we're we find ourselves in.” He said the…