Little signs contentious education bills targeting teachers’ unions, student social transitions

By: Ryan Suppe

Originally posted on IdahoEdNews.org on April 10, 2026

BOISE, Idaho — Brad Little on Friday signed into law several of this legislative session’s most contentious education bills, including new restrictions on teachers’ unions along with budget cuts to virtual education.

He also signed a far-reaching civics bill and new rules requiring public school employees to out transgender students to their parents.

But not without some angst and bitterness around a couple of the bills.

The Republican governor issued a “transmittal letter” on House Bill 516, legislation barring public schools from expending taxpayer resources accommodating teachers’ unions. The new restrictions prohibit schools from allowing unions to deduct dues from teachers’ paychecks and giving teachers paid time off for a wide range of union activities.

Little wrote that the bill contains language he hopes the Legislature “works to address moving forward.” Definitions are “overly broad and ambiguous,” he wrote, and they’ll “lead to increased scrutiny of a teacher’s actions purely based on their affiliation with their local association.” The bill could also have a “chilling effect” on collaboration between schools and unions when it comes to professional development and charitable work in communities.

“These are real and valuable activities that exist to improve the competency of our educators and, in turn, student outcomes,” Little wrote, before touting investments in teacher pay during his two terms as governor.

Idaho Education Association President Layne McInelly said Friday that Little had “every reason” to veto the bill, but he “ignored his better angels” and signed it. Little revealed that he signed the bill on a Friday evening — “a time designed to avoid the spotlight.”

“Gov. Little claims the mantle of a public education supporter, but he just signed a bill that could cement his legacy as anything but,” McInelly said in an emailed statement. “In the eyes of public education’s most ardent and dedicated advocates for students and public schools — IEA’s members — he has certainly forfeited that claim.”

Virtual education cuts

Also Friday, Little signed several bills making cuts to virtual education.

House Bill 940 overhauled state funding for the Idaho Digital Learning Alliance (IDLA) and took about $13.4 million from the state’s learning platform — more than half of its annual budget.

The legislation eliminated IDLA’s elementary programs along with driver’s education, and it enacted new restrictions on “custom sections,” when a virtual course’s entire enrollment comes from one school district.

Senate Bill 1438 effectively capped IDLA’s enrollment next fiscal year by prohibiting the platform from drawing on a public school stabilization fund if enrollment exceeds its budget.

Senate Bill 1444 cut $3 million from virtual public schools, including the Idaho Home Learning Academy (IHLA). The state’s largest online school was the subject of a state audit that found IHLA was giving millions in taxpayer funds to parents, some of whom spent it on questionable purchases.

While he signed it, Little also issued a transmittal letter on SB 1444, questioning the “mere $3 million cut” after he recommended $21 million at the beginning of the session.

“The Legislature did not meaningfully address such disturbing findings about taxpayer funds for public education being routinely spent on paddleboards, streaming services, water park passes and other inappropriate items and services,” he wrote.

But Little noted that a policy bill, House Bill 624, which he also signed, established “guardrails around how funds of this nature may be spent.”

'Social transition' reporting

Little also signed a bill requiring that public school officials notify parents within 72 hours if their child requests help with “social transitioning.”

This includes when a student asks to go by a different pronoun or use a bathroom or participate on a sports team that doesn’t align with their birth sex.

Schools and health care providers that fail to comply could face fines up to $100,000.

House Bill 822 was sponsored by Rep. Bruce Skaug, R-Nampa.

Planned Parenthood Alliance Advocates of Idaho slammed Little and the Legislature in a news release Friday for “enacting yet another harmful attack on transgender young people.” The new law will lead to “gender policing based on stereotypes, causing discrimination and a culture of fear,” the release said. 

“Governor Little and Idaho legislators should be ashamed of themselves,” Mistie DelliCarpini-Tolman, Idaho state director at the PPAA, said in the release. “They spent the entire legislative session attacking the LGBTQ+ community rather than focusing on what Idahoans actually need.”

Civics

Little on Friday also signed Senate Bill 1336, which codified a slew of new requirements for civics instruction in public schools.

The new requirements include a lengthy list of historical documents that students must understand to virtues that students must exemplify by the time they graduate.

It was co-authored by state superintendent Debbie Critchfield’s office and the Idaho Freedom Foundation and co-sponsored by Senate President Pro Tem Kelly Anthon, R-Rupert, and Rep. Barbara Ehardt, R-Idaho Falls.