Idaho lawmakers review public school funding as attendance-based support units fall

Jared Tetrault, deputy division manager with the Legislative Services Office Budget and Policy Analysis Division, told the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee on March 4 that the public school support program serves about 115 local school districts and roughly 75 public charter schools and that the program’s statutory framework is in Idaho Constitution, Article IX, Section 1 and Title 33 of Idaho Code.

Tetrault said the state distributes most K–12 funding through support units and staff allowances and described how this year’s appropriation is being affected by a roughly 200‑unit decline tied to attendance counts. "During that time, attendance and enrollment were closer to 98, 99 percent, which would be expected. And then the switch back to attendance as required in Idaho law. And so as a result, post COVID is those percentages are closer to 94 percent," he said, explaining why fewer support units are funding allocations even though enrollment remains similar.

The reduction in support units is the primary reason the teachers division shows a $15.7 million decrease in the budget line tied to fewer units, Tetrault said, while teachers advancing on the career ladder produced a roughly $17.3 million increase that offsets much of that decline. He told the committee the average amount funded per support unit is about $147,000.

Superintendent…