Dailyfly News

State superintendent Debbie Critchfield wants $50 million to cut into Idaho’s special education budget gap. The grant program is the one big-ticket item in Critchfield’s 2026-27 budget request, submitted to Gov. Brad Little Friday. The budget would push general fund K-12 spending above the $3 billion mark for the first time in state history, an 8.9% increase.

This week, two of Critchfield’s top aides said the special education line item is the sole increase in a hold-the-line budget. “This is the one area that deserves the Legislature’s attention, the governor’s attention,” said Greg Wilson, Critchfield’s chief of staff.