Lori Den Hartog

Rep. Wendy Horman, R-Idaho Falls, and Sen. Lori Den Hartog, R-Meridian, sponsored the latest school choice proposal, after years of failed attempts to pass a voucher or education savings account program.

Proposed Empowering Parents legislation that would cover a homeschool expense is slated for removal because of opposition. “I’ve asked for it to be scheduled early next week in Senate Education, and I will be asking the committee … to amend it and remove the co-op fee language,” Sen. Lori Den Hartog, R-Meridian, wrote in a response to Idaho Education News.

After years of failed attempts to open up public funding for private schooling, Republicans will float several new ideas this session. The proposal with the most steam would create a private school tax credit, according to multiple lawmakers and policy experts. Sen. Lori Den Hartog, R-Meridian, and co-chairs of the Legislature’s powerful Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee, Rep. Wendy Horman, R-Idaho Falls, and Sen. C. Scott Grow, R-Eagle, plan to announce the legislation Friday.