Bill Analyses and Ratings
Bill Information: S1288 – Idaho High-Needs Student Fund Creation
Bill Summary
This bill creates the Idaho High-Needs Student Fund, a new state treasury fund administered by the State Department of Education to reimburse local education agencies for costs associated with educating students with disabilities whose individualized education program (IEP) expenses exceed $30,000 annually. The fund covers eligible costs including nursing, interpreting, speech therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, personal care, specialized equipment, extended school-year services, and school-based Medicaid match.
Local education agencies can apply for reimbursement annually by submitting detailed cost documentation. The reimbursement structure provides up to 100% of costs between $30,000 and $80,000, then 80% of costs above $80,000, with a maximum reimbursement of $100,000 per student. The fund allocates up to 60% of available money to non-rural agencies and 40% to rural agencies, with unused rural funds becoming available to non-rural agencies after July 1. If total approved applications exceed available funds, payments are distributed proportionally on a pro-rata basis.
The bill requires the State Department of Education to submit annual reports beginning in fiscal year 2028 detailing fund balances, number of applicants, amounts awarded, and services reimbursed. The legislation includes an emergency clause making it effective July 1, 2026.
Overall Assessment
This bill provides critical financial relief to school districts and charter schools serving students with severe disabilities by reimbursing costs exceeding $30,000 per student for specialized services and equipment. Rural school districts receive dedicated funding allocation (40% of the fund) to ensure they can serve high-needs students despite smaller tax bases. However, the bill creates a new state-funded program requiring ongoing legislative appropriations without specifying funding levels, expanding government spending obligations.
Rating Breakdown
ARTICLE I. RESPONSIBILITY IN GOVERNMENT (-1)
The bill establishes a new government fund in the state treasury requiring ongoing legislative appropriations (Section 1(2)(a)(i)). This creates a permanent state spending program with no specified funding cap beyond the per-student maximum of $100,000, expanding the size and cost of state government through a new administrative structure managed by the State Department of Education.
ARTICLE II. CITIZEN INVOLVEMENT IN GOVERNMENT (0)
The bill establishes an education funding mechanism with reporting requirements to legislative committees but contains no provisions related to citizen participation in government, electoral processes, civic education, or public involvement in decision-making.
ARTICLE III. EDUCATION (1)
The bill directly provides additional financial support to local education agencies for educating high-needs students with disabilities (Section 1(2)(b)), ensuring students with severe disabilities receive necessary specialized services regardless of cost. The 40% funding reservation for rural local education agencies (Section 1(4)(a)(ii)) specifically addresses equitable funding for rural schools that may struggle to serve high-cost students with limited local resources.
ARTICLE IV. AGRICULTURE (0)
The bill addresses special education funding for students with disabilities and contains no provisions related to agriculture, agricultural education, farm trade policy, water for agriculture, or family farming operations.
ARTICLE V. WATER (0)
The bill creates a special education funding mechanism and contains no provisions related to water rights, water appropriation, inter-basin transfers, dam construction, or federal involvement in state water management.
ARTICLE VI. NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT (0)
The bill establishes education funding for students with disabilities and contains no provisions related to environmental stewardship, federal environmental policy, wilderness areas, forest management, or natural resource utilization.
ARTICLE VII. ENERGY (0)
The bill creates a special education fund and contains no provisions related to energy independence, energy resource development, electrical rates, hydroelectric power, or energy research facilities.
ARTICLE VIII. IDAHO NATIONAL LABORATORIES (0)
The bill addresses special education funding and contains no provisions related to Idaho National Laboratory operations, nuclear power research, technology transfer, or Department of Energy missions.
ARTICLE IX. PRIVATE PROPERTY RIGHTS (0)
The bill establishes a state-administered education fund and contains no provisions related to private property rights, Fifth Amendment protections against property deprivation, regulatory takings, or development rights.
ARTICLE X. STATE AND FEDERAL LANDS (0)
The bill creates special education funding and contains no provisions related to federal land ownership, state management of federal lands, or reduction of federal land holdings within Idaho.
ARTICLE XI. WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT (0)
The bill establishes education funding for students with disabilities and contains no provisions related to fish and game management, hunting and fishing access, predator control, or federal wildlife designations.
ARTICLE XII. ECONOMY (0)
While the bill involves state funding for education, it operates within the K-12 education domain and contains no provisions related to commerce and industry, small business development, labor policy, workforce training beyond high school, or transportation infrastructure.
ARTICLE XIII. HEALTH AND WELFARE (0)
The bill references school-based Medicaid and health-related services like nursing and therapy (Section 1(1)(a)), but these are mentioned solely within the context of special education services mandated by individualized education programs, not general healthcare delivery, insurance, patient rights, or welfare programs.
ARTICLE XIV. AMERICAN FAMILY (0)
The bill creates special education funding and contains no provisions related to family values, parental authority in education, traditional marriage, right to life, abortion policy, or gender identity issues.
ARTICLE XV. OLDER AMERICANS (0)
The bill provides funding for school-age students with disabilities (Section 1(1)(f) references students of school age pursuant to section 33-201) and contains no provisions related to services, benefits, or policies affecting older Americans or seniors.
ARTICLE XVI. LAW AND ORDER WITH JUSTICE (0)
The bill establishes special education funding and contains no provisions related to criminal justice, law enforcement, gun rights, death penalty, drug policy, incarceration, juvenile justice, or border security.
ARTICLE XVII. NATIONAL DEFENSE – SECURING THE BORDER (0)
The bill creates education funding and contains no provisions related to military strength, veterans' services, National Guard operations, border security, terrorism prevention, or war powers.
ARTICLE XVIII. ELECTION OF JUDGES AND IDAHO SUPREME COURT JUSTICES (0)
The bill addresses special education funding and contains no provisions related to judicial elections, selection processes, partisan judicial races, or constitutional interpretation principles like textualism or originalism.
ARTICLE XIX. RELIGIOUS LIBERTY (0)
The bill establishes education funding mechanisms and contains no provisions related to religious freedom, free exercise of religion, prayer in schools, or Religious Freedom Restoration Act protections.