Idaho Bill Would Lift Cap On Charter School Growth

State lawmakers are again taking up legislation to lift Idaho’s cap on the number of new charter schools allowed each year.

The House Education Committee voted Monday to introduce a bill that would eliminate a provision in state law that limits the number of new charter schools to six per year

The state law allowing public charter schools was passed in 1998 and since then, dozens have been established by teachers, parents and community members. Several attempts to lift Idaho’s charter school cap – a move public schools chief Tom Luna supports – have so far failed in the Idaho Legislature.

Last year, House Democrats led the charge to defeat an effort to eliminate the cap, staging a protest over pro-charter school promotional items passed out to lawmakers.