Today, the Idaho State Tax Commission released long-awaited data exposing how Idaho’s $50 million private school voucher program is benefiting higher-income families, not just the struggling families Republicans promised to prioritize. More than half of families awarded tax credits were above the income threshold for priority consideration, and nearly three-quarters of students benefiting from the program had never attended an Idaho public school.
The findings come after months of the Tax Commission denying requests from journalists, Democratic lawmakers, and the public for basic information about who was receiving the subsidies. The numbers weren’t released until ten days after the election, leaving Idahoans unable to weigh these findings before casting their ballots.
In response, House Democratic Leader Ilana Rubel and Senate Democratic Caucus Chair Janie Ward-Engelking released the following statements:
House Democratic Leader Ilana Rubel:
“Idahoans were sold a lie about this voucher scheme. We were told this program would help low-income children leave public schools for supposedly better-performing private schools. Instead, more than half of the families awarded tax credits are above the income threshold Republicans promised to prioritize, and nearly three-quarters of students have never attended an Idaho public school. There’s no academic performance data showing these private schools are delivering a decent education, much less a better one. We’re handing out millions in taxpayer subsidies without requiring proof that children are even learning. It’s disappointing that taxpayers had to fight for months to get these facts, only to have them released after the election. Voters deserved this information before casting their ballots. We should repeal this program or, at the very least, end subsidies for higher-income families.”
Senate Democratic Caucus Chair Janie Ward-Engelking:
“It’s hard enough for working parents to make ends meet without being asked to subsidize private school tuition for families who are better off than they are. I want someone to explain to a rural parent why their child’s school can’t afford another teacher, but the state can afford to help a well-off family pay private school tuition. That’s a pretty lousy deal for rural Idaho. Working families are helping pay for private school subsidies while the public schools their own children attend struggle for resources. If we have $50 million for education, it ought to help the kids who need it, not families who can already afford to send their children wherever they want.”
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