Boise, ID – Idaho parents have even more school choice options on top of a long list of education alternatives in the State of Idaho after Governor Brad Little signed Senate Bill 1125 into law this week.
Senate Bill 1125 allows parents to send their child to any public school in Idaho regardless of where they live. The current law restricts parents’ ability to choose the public school that is best for their child, and Senate Bill 1125 modernizes the law to give parents more choice in public education.
“Idaho parents already benefit from an abundance of school choice options, and this new law expands their ability to choose the best public school for their child, regardless of their zip code,” Governor Little said. “Idaho is all about school choice options that make sense for our state, and Senate Bill 1125 fits right into our responsible, transparent, accountable approach to expanding school choice.”
The bill received unanimous support in the Idaho Senate and near-unanimous support in the Idaho House of Representatives. Senators Kevin Cook and Dave Lent were two legislators in support of the bill.
“The passage of Senate Bill 1125 further demonstrates that parents know what is best for their children’s education experience,” Senator Kevin Cook said. “I was proud to support responsible school choice legislation that keeps parents in the driver’s seat of their children’s education.”
“Senate Bill 1125 adds yet another choice for parents and students to find the right fit for their educational needs,” Senator Dave Lent said.
Governor Little pointed to the abundant school choice options available to Idaho families, including:
- Idaho is third in the nation for education freedom – measures that include spending, school choice, transparency, and regulations
- With nine different school types available to Idaho families – including traditional public schools, public charter schools, public magnet schools, private schools, online academies, homeschooling, and others – there are hundreds of schooling options available to Idaho families
- With the passage of Senate Bill 1125, Idaho now leads the country with the fewest restrictions on allowing parents to send their child to any public school they wish
- Idaho is a top 10 state for the number of students enrolled in public charter schools
- Idaho led the country in standing up the Empowering Parents grant program to provide access to approved educational resources outside the classroom. Public, private, and home school families are all eligible to receive grants.
“I appreciate my partners in the Legislature from both sides of the political aisle for their commitment to expanding responsible school choice options for Idaho families,” Governor Little said.
