Idaho educators gather to strategize post-legislative budget challenges
Ariel Jensen
IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI)—Idaho teachers and educators gathered Wednesday for a post-legislative recap of the 2025 Legislature.
The meeting focused on the state’s education funding and help them navigate next year’s budget. One key item was teacher pay increases, and another was about operational dollars that school districts and charter schools expected, but didn’t get.
As of now, school districts and charter schools are setting up next year’s budgets.
“This information and really being able to ask us a lot of very pointed questions is important as they set those budgets and negotiate with their teachers what the salary increases will look like for the upcoming school year after the budgets,” said Greg Wilson, Chief of Staff at the State Department of Education.
The group also discussed the impact of curricular decisions at the local level.
One bill updates the graduation requirements to begin next year for the class of 2028. One of which is digital literacy as a one-credit requirement.
“One of the key components is basic computer science concepts. Navigating artificial intelligence is an example and coding. Just basic things that are important to understanding how all the technology that we interact with every day works,” said Wilson.
There’s also an online safety component.
Wilson told Local News 8 they have heard from many parent groups and legislators want to make sure kids are safe online at age-appropriate levels, understand how to navigate online, and how to be safe online.