Idaho

NCAI Region: Northwest

Total Population: 1,567,582

Native American Population: 36,385

Native American Reservation Population: 8,441

Percentage of population: 2.3%

Number of Tribes: 4

Number of Native American Charter Schools: 2

Number of Native American Charter Students: 2,086

Number of BIE Tribally Controlled Schools: 2

Total Number of Native American Schools: 4

State Public Education Department: Idaho State Department of Education

State Average Per Pupil Funding: $8,422

Charter Support Organizations: 1) Idaho Charter School Network2) Bluum

Year Charter Law Enacted: 1996

2020 Model Law Ranking: 17

Estimated Number of Charter Schools: 62

Estimated Number of Charter Students: 23,552

The Charter School Facilities Program requires the state department of education to distribute facilities funds to public charter schools on a per pupil basis. It provides that a proportion of moneys appropriated to the educational support program be distributed for this purpose, based on a percentage of the statewide average amount of bond and plant facility funds levied per student by Idaho school districts. This proportion may be adjusted according to a formula that considers an increase or decrease in overall education support appropriations. It also provides that the average amount of funding received per public charter school shall not exceed the average amount of funding received by each school district. This approach translated to approximately $420 per charter school pupil in 2019-20, which is 37% of the $1,131 in revenues otherwise available solely to districts through other local and state sources. This approach translated to approximately $468.09 per charter school pupil in 2020-21, which is 50% of the $936.17 in revenues otherwise available solely to districts through other local and state sources.
Charter schools are also provided two small per student distributions under two state programs available to both districts and charter schools. The State Facilities Funding Program, which allocates three-eighths of state lottery revenues to be distributed on a per-student basis to all public schools (with the exception of charter schools in their first year), amounted to $73 per student for 2020-21. The School Facilities Maintenance Match Program requires school districts and charter schools to allocate annually a minimum of two percent of each building’s replacement cost to cover maintenance and repairs, for which the state provides a proportion of these funds (based on 0.5% of the replacement value of school buildings, as determined by student‐occupied square footage multiplied by the replacement value set annually by the Joint Finance and Appropriations Committee), amounting to $8.49 per student for 2020-21.
The law gives school districts the authority to authorize the transfer or conveyance of any surplus district-owned property to various public entities including charter schools.
Idaho law provides that charter schools are eligible for tax-exempt facilities financing using Nonprofit Facilities Revenue Bonds issued by the Idaho Housing and Financing Association.
Idaho law creates the public charter school debt reserve to assist qualifying charter schools in obtaining favorable financing for facility improvements and construction. A public charter school seeking to use the public charter school debt reserve must receive approval from the Idaho housing and finance association pursuant to the criteria set forth in the law. In 2016, the state allocated $750,000 to this fund.
Effective July 2019, Idaho’s Public Charter Schools Facilities Program will provide moral obligation from the state as a credit enhancement mechanism for facilities projects of charter schools that have maintained good academic, financial, and operational standing for at least three years and who keep 12 months of bond payments in a reserve account.