State Board of Education asks for new positions, IT funding and $15 million one‑time workforce grant proposal

The Office of the State Board of Education asked the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee on Thursday to approve FY2026 funding that would strengthen centralized IT, data and school-safety capacity while funding a one‑time public–private workforce capacity grant proposed by the governor.

The request — presented by Kevin Campbell, Budget and Policy Analyst with the Legislative Services Office, and answered in detail by Joshua (Josh) Whitworth, executive director of the State Board — would add personnel and programming across the Office of the State Board (OSB). The largest single new item is the governor’s proposed one‑time $15 million public–private workforce capacity grant, which would provide state dollars to build workforce training infrastructure at institutions that raise private matching funds.

The governor’s proposal would award funds at a 1:1 match for Boise State University, Idaho State University and the University of Idaho, and at a 1:2 match for Lewis‑Clark State College and the four community colleges. Whitworth said the intent is to direct money to “in‑demand” programs identified by technical advisory and business advisory committees and the state Workforce…