Idaho education officials outline budget requests, highlight special-education workload increases and Career Ready grant spending

Jared Tetro, deputy division manager with the Legislative Services Office Budget and Policy Analysis Division, opened the State Department of Education budget hearing Wednesday, saying: "For the record Jared Tetro, Deputy Division Manager, Budget and Policy Analysis Division with Legislative Services Office. Today I will be starting with the budget hearing for the State Department of Education."

The department presented a package of ongoing and one-time requests tied to personnel, assessments, grants and technology. State Superintendent Debbie Critchfield and department staff described rising special-education workload that the department said is driving a request for new dispute-resolution capacity and other staff additions.

Why it matters: the requests would change department staffing and spending on programs used statewide — including special education, charter oversight, career-technical grants and the statewide student assessment — and some items would depend on future legislation or federal funding.

Tetro told the committee the department is organized into two programs (administration and program services) and noted several funds the department manages, including the driver’s-training fund and a large Career Ready Students grant program. He flagged that the career-ready program has seen large appropriations in recent years and that some dollars remain obligated but unspent until districts move to implement projects.

Critchfield told legislators the department is seeking seven ongoing enhancements for 2026 and several one-time requests. Among the ongoing personnel requests, the department asked for: a dispute-resolution specialist to support special-education customer…