How are Idaho Schools Funded?

Idaho public school funding comes from federal, state, and local taxes.  The state funding portion is the largest. And how these funding sources are intertwined is complex.

In 2006 the state legislature passed a bill that encourages local control by districts, by shifting some of the school funding responsibility from the state to the local districts through property tax levies. Currently, the government provides approximately 75% of the funding for School District 244, with 8% of that amount coming from federal sources and 67% coming from the state of Idaho.  Local grants, revenue, and donations contribute 2%.

The state model for funding requires the additional 23% to be funded locally by one mechanism: a levy. This 23% is from the entire budget. The 77% from the State and Federal sources are largely allocated by the State of Idaho and limits the ability to shift or spread a portion of that 77% to cover the 23%. So its not just, we'll tighten our belts to see if we can trim the budget down, rather this 23% of the whole budget is specific to curriculum, teacher's salaries, utilities, extra curricular programs, etc.

*2024-2025 School year budget and May 21 levy amount won’t be finalized until March 2024.