Idaho Lawmakers Recognize Special Education Funding Crisis

State legislature considers bills to address underfunding of special education programs

Published on Feb. 21, 2026

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The Idaho legislature is showing signs of recognizing the state's special education funding crisis, with lawmakers debating bills that would increase state funding for high-needs students and create regional service centers to help rural schools. While a non-binding resolution calling on the federal government to cover 40% of special education costs is a modest step, the bipartisan support for the new funding initiatives suggests lawmakers may be ready to take more substantive action this legislative session.

Why it matters

Idaho's special education system has long been underfunded, with the federal government covering only 12% of costs despite a 40% funding commitment under federal law. This has left state and local taxpayers to shoulder the burden, straining school district budgets. Addressing the special education funding gap is crucial to ensuring students with disabilities receive the support and services they need.

The details

The Idaho legislature is considering two bills to boost special education funding. One would create a $5 million state fund to support high-needs students who require full-time staff or costly services. A similar bill was narrowly rejected last year, but this year's version appears to have bipartisan support. The other bill would provide $1 million to establish regional service centers to help rural schools share hard-to-find special education staff. These initiatives, while modest in scale, represent a shift in the legislature's approach to the special education funding crisis.

  • The Idaho legislature passed House Joint Memorial 11 on Tuesday, calling on the federal government to cover 40% of special education costs.
  • The Senate Education Committee unanimously voted to advance a bill creating a $5 million state fund for high-needs special education students on Wednesday.

The players

Judy Boyle

A Republican state representative from Midvale who referred to the joint memorial as a 'hanky in the wind'.

Debbie Critchfield

The Idaho state superintendent who is advocating for the high-needs funding bill and a companion bill to create regional special education service centers.

Wendy Landon

The special education director for Bonneville School District, who testified about the need for full-time aides for some students with high-needs.

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What they’re saying

“Several students in the eastern Idaho district need full-time respiratory aides, and one student requires two full-time aides simply to stay alive. Districts are required to provide these services regardless of cost, and regardless of the bills the state and the feds leave unpaid.”

— Wendy Landon, Bonneville School District special education director (dailyfly.com)

What’s next

The Senate Education Committee is scheduled to take up a bill on Monday that would create $1 million in regional service centers to help rural schools share hard-to-find special education staff.

The takeaway

While a non-binding resolution calling for more federal funding is a modest step, the bipartisan support for new state-level initiatives to address the special education funding crisis suggests Idaho lawmakers may be ready to take more substantive action this legislative session to support students with disabilities.