RELEASE: Critchfield Submits Annual Public Schools and Department of Education Budget Proposals

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 1, 2026
www.sde.idaho.gov

Media Contact:
Maggie T. Reynolds
Public Information Officer
208-332-6976
[email protected]

(BOISE) – Superintendent of Public Instruction Debbie Critchfield today submitted her annual budget proposals. The K-12 public schools and Idaho Department of Education funding requests are due each year to the Governor’s Budget Office and the Legislative Services Office by September 1.

The K-12 public schools budget represents most of the funding used for public education statewide and is one of the state’s largest allocations of public dollars. This year the Department is asking for a 4.5% increase in state funding due in part to the ongoing need to support non-discretionary increases, like those to educator salaries, benefits, and other mandatory expenses set by the Legislature. The remainder of the increase allows the Department to use discretionary funding towards the goals of overhauling the K-12 public school funding formula and preserving the Public Education Stabilization Fund.

“Now is the time to prepare a budget request that would allow us to tackle priorities that, frankly, are overdue for our students and educators in Idaho,” said Superintendent of Public Instruction Debbie Critchfield. “We know that the fiscal environment we’re working in is still tight, but we also know that Idahoans expect state leaders to initiate work to update our public school funding formula.”

Updating the public school funding formula is a goal of Superintendent Critchfield and a regular legislative discussion. Last session, legislators signaled their strong support for the Idaho Department of Education to draft new funding formula legislation that updates the model to meet the needs of the modern classroom and students of the 21st century. This summer, the Superintendent hosted multiple public listening sessions, specific stakeholder meetings, and discussions with legislators to develop options for modernizing the K-12 funding formula.

The general fund increase totals $127 million. Required health insurance and changes in employee compensation increases make up 53% of the request, with mandatory statutory adjustments – increases that the Department is legally mandated to fund – comprising another 31%. Statutory adjustments include mission-critical areas such as the educator career ladder, transportation, and other areas required by Idaho law.

The Idaho Department of Education budget is maintenance-only and includes requests to use grant funding to improve school support specifically leveraging federal resources to maximize local impact. “This year, our clear priority is moving forward both with the overall funding updates while promoting a budget that is targeted at the biggest gaps.” said Critchfield. “We need to be able to assure districts and charters that we’ve done the forward planning needed to support them. Our schools shouldn’t have to worry about sudden budget shifts, and no school should have to guess about its future.”

The Governor’s Budget Office and the Legislative Services Office will spend the next several months going over the various agency proposals ahead of the 2027 legislation session in January.

About Idaho Department of Education

The Idaho Department of Education is the state agency that supports and strengthens K-12 education in Idaho. By advocating for Idaho’s families, educators, and schools with funding and educational policy alignment, we support and lead academic achievement to ensure every student is prepared with the skills and job readiness to succeed.

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