The Idaho Spending Index serves to provide a fiscally conservative perspective on state budgeting while providing an unbiased measurement of how Idaho lawmakers apply these values to their voting behavior on appropriations bills. Each bill is analyzed within the context of the metrics below. They receive one (+1) point for each metric that is satisfied by freedom-focused policymaking and lose one (-1) point for each instance in which the inverse is true. The sum of these points composes the score for the bill.

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Bill Description: House Bill 454 is an enhancement of $1,630,500 for the Public Schools, Teachers Division for fiscal year 2026. This legislation appropriates a total of $1,360,851,200 to the agency.

Is the continuation or growth in ongoing spending, if any, inappropriate for the changes in circumstances, scope of the agency, or current economic environment? Conversely, is the continuation or growth in ongoing spending appropriate given any change in circumstances or economic pressures?

This legislation funds the ongoing state pay and benefit allocation to districts for the Teachers Division at $1,360,851,200, and reflects statutory changes absorbing the CEC (pay increase) and benefit cost allocation changes. The year over year total increase of 5% is in line with the CEC change for state employees. Teachers are district employees and this money is therefore allocated to the districts for pay increases. There are five other smaller line items for things like career advisors and professional development, but none of these line items had increases. There are no additional federal funds in the enhancement. 

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