If we shorten our children, we shorten our future. Lack of investment in schools means they cannot have qualified teachers, offer specialized courses such as career technical education, and serve students Monday through Friday.
Despite Republicans calling for increased funding for Idaho schools, recent news reports are telling the real story. Coeur d'Alene trustees were forced to close an elementary school due to a looming deficit. The Idaho Falls School District will have to lay off 20 full-time teachers in the coming year. In rural areas, four-day school weeks have become common. Now the Nampa School District is making the move. Many other districts, including Blaine County and Mountain View, face similar decisions.
Simply put, our schools are underfunded. Idaho ranks last in the nation in per-pupil spending, according to new data from the National Education Association.
The state's unfair and outdated funding formula is adding to this financial burden. We pledged to provide $381 million in funding to schools in 2022, but much of that was withdrawn after the state repealed temporary rules that funded schools based on enrollment. This led the district to take drastic action.
Decades of neglect of school buildings have also taken their toll. Although the Legislature has provided some relief in the form of $1 billion over 10 years, that funding falls far short of urgent infrastructure needs, not to mention the additional burden of explosive population growth.
Middleton gave the example of two of the district's three elementary schools being well over capacity. Unfortunately, the lack of state-level support for capital financing means that municipal bonds remain the primary source of financing for new buildings. But the two-thirds supermajority needed to pass a bond makes it difficult for communities to make these investments, even if most voters support them.
Despite relying on levies and bonds to bridge the funding gap, Republicans last year eliminated frequently used items from districts in March. This year, Republican lawmakers scrapped the August election. Left with little choice, the Middleton City Council passed an ordinance restricting developers from building subdivisions that would overcrowd schools, even though the area is in dire need of new housing. Kuna and Vallivue school districts are in a similar position.
The solutions to these challenges are clear, but they require political will.
We must prioritize investments in education over revenue cuts that benefit the wealthiest. Most recently, it reduced tax revenues by up to $75 million, bringing in $1 million in tax savings of $52 for a family making $80,000, or $1,019 per household. We must reform our school funding formula to reflect enrollment and deliver on our promises. Just as importantly, we must not be fooled by the school voucher system.
Voters must elect leaders who are committed to adequately funding public education and ensuring every student has the opportunity to succeed.