(The Center Square) – The Idaho House on Friday passed a school choice bill that would provide a tax credit to certain families to use toward education expenses, including toward private school tuition.
Idaho House Bill 93 passed 42-28 and now heads to the state Senate.
“This is big win for Idaho families,” Mountain States Policy Center President Chris Cargill said. “Our research work clearly shows choice programs improve student achievement and cause nearby public schools to improve their performance.”
The measure, if signed into law, would give qualifying families a $5,000 tax credit to pay educational expenses including private school tuition. The credit jumps to $7,500 for families of special need students.
The credits are capped at $50 million.
Democratic representatives argued against the bill, saying it would take away funding from public schools.
Polling from the Mountain States Policy Center showed 66% of Idaho voters support the tax credit program including 53% of Democrats, to 24% opposed.
