(Idaho) "Estimated $100 million gap between state and federal special education funding"
- The end of childhood
- 7 hours ago
- 2 min read
Dec 19, 2025, Lewiston Tribune: Critchfield pulls plug on special ed plan
The money simply won’t be available in a cash-strapped 2026-27 budget year,
State superintendent Debbie Critchfield is walking back her top legislative priority for 2026: a $50 million special education grant proposal.
The money simply won’t be available in a cash-strapped 2026-27 budget year, Critchfield told fellow State Board members Wednesday. . . .
Gov. Brad Little has shielded Idaho’s K-12 system from budget cuts, so far. He cut 3% from most state agencies in August, but he exempted K-12. But the state still has a projected $40 million deficit for the budget year ending June 30. And for 2026-27, Idaho faces a $555.2 million gap between agency requests and projected revenue.
Special education remains a priority, Critchfield said. There is still an estimated $100 million gap between state and federal special education funding and the local special education expenses.
Critchfield proposed her $50 million special education block grant proposal to erase some of this shortfall. But the state budget situation has worsened since August, the deadline for Critchfield and fellow agency heads to turn in their 2026-27 spending proposals. . . .
Critchfield’s special education plan, the one big-ticket item in an otherwise hold-the-line budget, had gained some traction in education circles. Earlier this month, the Idaho School Boards Association highlighted special education funding as its top priority for the 2026 session.
UI medical school partnership clears a first hurdle
In other business Wednesday, the State Board approved the first steps of a medical education partnership between the University of Idaho and the University of Utah.
The “bridge” agreement could bring a joint medical school campus in Idaho — perhaps to UI’s Water Center building in downtown Boise. In the long run, the universities hope the new campus will accept 30 Idaho students per year, for a total enrollment of 120.
But for now, the agreement calls for UI and Utah to start working on the medical school’s framework, such as curriculum design and planning. The universities will split the $1.2 million cost, with UI’s $600,000 coming from existing funds, U of I Chief of Staff Sunny Wallace told the State Board.
Daily headlines, straight to your inboxRead it online first and stay up-to-date, delivered daily at 7 AM
None of the money will go into facilities.
The UI-Utah partnership is one of several moving parts, as Idaho looks for ways to attack its physicians’ shortage by expanding its medical education portfolio.
Since August, a state task force has been studying the medical education issue. The task force issued a report on Dec. 1, laying out Idaho’s medical education options, and the group will meet Friday to review public comments on the plan and put finishing touches on the report. . . .
The Idaho State upgrades are on hold because the State Board was concerned about the prospect of using budget reserves for the project. A delay will give Idaho State time for a fundraising campaign or to explore a partnership with UI on the lab upgrades.
State Board approves new logo, rebrand
It’s not yet the new year, but the State Board of Education could head into 2026 with a new color scheme, a new logo and new messaging. . . .
Comments