Bill Analyses and Ratings

Rating: –1

Bill Summary:

House Bill 476 appropriates $360,700 to the Office of the State Board of Education (OSBE) for Fiscal Year 2026 and $20,000 for Fiscal Year 2025. These funds support IT modernization, school safety operations, administrative overhead, and a Credit Mobility Grant. The bill also authorizes the reappropriation of unspent federal ARPA funds for nonrecurring uses in FY2026. One full-time equivalent position is added. In addition to funding, the bill requires detailed reporting on credit mobility efforts and mandates the development of outcomes-based funding models for Idaho’s colleges and universities, as well as community colleges, with a final proposal due by the end of 2025. An emergency clause allows Section 7 to take effect immediately.

Reason for Rating:

While containing language on education reform, House Bill 476 expands administrative authority and increases spending without clearly defined performance outcomes or any offsetting cuts. The creation of a new government position, ongoing reliance on federal ARPA funds, and vague directives for future funding models reflect mission creep and centralization under the State Board of Education. The bill mandates new reporting and policy design processes that risk further bureaucratic entrenchment with minimal legislative control. These elements conflict with the Idaho Republican Party Platform’s call for limited government, fiscal restraint, and decentralization of education oversight. For these reasons, H0476 is rated –1.