Idaho Gov. Brad Little Signs Legislation to Transform the Charter School Sector 

“Today, Gov. Brad Little and Idaho lawmakers took meaningful action to expand public school options for thousands of Idaho families by improving and modernizing the state’s charter school sector.  

“This law eliminates unnecessary barriers, streamlines authorization processes and lays a new, fairer and more predictable foundation for high-performing charter schools. In addition, HB 422 better serves students by equalizing funding for children with special needs and opening the door to more innovative school models that can meet the needs of families seeking alternatives to traditional classrooms.   

“We are grateful to Gov. Little, Rep. Judy Boyle, Sen. Lori Den Hartog and the Idaho legislature for their commitment to empowering parents with choice and expanding quality educational opportunities for students and families.”  

About the Legislation 

HB 422 was designed to overhaul Idaho’s charter school laws. Some of the bills strengths include: 

• Creating a robust list of charter school authorizers, including school districts, a statewide authorizer and Idaho public or private colleges and universities. 
• Creating a 12-year renewal term for high-performing charter schools. 
• Providing charter school students with special needs with equal funding, including transportation dollars, to those attending traditional public schools.   
• Providing charter school operators time and due process to amend, refine and improve their application. In the past, charter schools could be denied for something as minor as a clerical error.  
• Allowing an expedited approval of a charter seeking to replicate an existing authorized school model. 
• Establishing pilot charter schools using innovative models, such as hybrid learning environments. 

Currently, Idaho charter schools serve less than 10 percent of the student population. Click here to learn more about this charter school legislation.