West Bonner County School District in Idaho Marks Year of Rebuilding With Financial Stability, Academic Gains, and New Facilities
PRIEST RIVER, Idaho — The West Bonner County School District has closed out the 2025–2026 school year with measurable progress across finances, academics, and facilities — a sharp contrast to the instability that defined much of the prior period. Operating under the motto “Grit to Greatness,” the district spent the year rebuilding its financial foundation, restoring programs, and working to regain the trust of taxpayers and families across one of North Idaho’s most geographically spread-out school communities.
Levy Victory Halts School Closures, Restores Programs
The cornerstone of the district’s recovery was the successful passage of a $2.35 million per year, two-year supplemental levy in May 2025. Approved by voters with approximately 55% support, the levy represented a turning point for a district that had been operating on what officials described as a “bare-bones” budget following a period of severe cuts.
The levy funding allowed the district to halt plans to close Priest Lake and Idaho Hill Elementary schools, ensuring students in outlying rural communities could continue attending their local schools. It also restored extracurricular activities, school athletics, and critical support roles including school nurses and psychologists — positions that had been eliminated or left vacant during the lean years.
District officials have made fiscal transparency a priority as part of rebuilding community trust. The 2023 fiscal audit was completed in late 2025, and the 2024 audit is on track for completion this spring. To reduce what outlying communities had described as a “Priest River-centric” bias in district communications, administrators held community meetings at locations including the Surf Shack in Blanchard, the Nickleplate Café in Nordman, and the Snow Valley Church — a deliberate effort to signal that every corner of the district matters.
For readers following education funding debates across the state, the levy’s passage reflects the kind of community-driven, locally accountable school finance that stands in contrast to top-down government mandates. For additional context on statewide education funding decisions, see related coverage at Idaho Gov. Brad Little’s veto of a bill affecting graduate medical education funding.
Reading Scores Climb, Forestry Building Takes Shape
On the academic front, the district recorded significant literacy gains at the elementary level. Student proficiency on the Idaho Reading Indicator (IRI) grew from 49.6% in the fall of the 2024–2025 school year to 65.4% in the spring — a 15.8 percentage point jump attributed to focused literacy coaching and targeted intervention in kindergarten through third grade.
Math teachers Courtney Greene and Kathy Prummer were recognized through the district’s Apple Awards program, which honors individuals and groups contributing to student education across West Bonner County. Priest River Elementary staff were also recognized for their response during an emergency school evacuation on January 13, 2026.
A major facilities milestone is the construction of a new forestry building at Priest River Lamanna High School, which is now well underway. As of spring 2026, excavation is complete and foundation work is progressing. The facility will anchor the district’s Forestry and Natural Resources Career Technical Education curriculum, allowing students to earn state-recognized industry certifications in a sector central to the local economy. The Priest River City Council unanimously voted to waive water and sewer connection fees to support the project — a sign of growing community partnership.
The district also received approximately $3.87 million through Idaho’s House Bill 521 school facilities fund. These dollars are being directed toward high-impact maintenance projects, including a second phase of fire alarm system upgrades at the high school, scheduled to begin in June 2026, and a comprehensive condition assessment at Priest River Junior High currently underway this April.
The district has also launched Innovate Academy, a flexible learning program that includes a home learning network in partnership with Overture Learning for K–8 students, a pilot of EdOptions Academy for students who need alternatives to traditional classrooms, and workforce-aligned curriculum designed to produce career-ready graduates. Decisions like these reflect the kind of parental rights and school choice principles that many Idaho families have championed. The Lake Pend Oreille School District’s recent board action selecting a Zone 2 trustee offers a look at how neighboring districts are also navigating governance and community engagement.
What Comes Next
As West Bonner County School District prepares for the 2026–2027 school year, district leadership says the focus is shifting from short-term survival to long-term sustainability. Strategic planning efforts are expected to center on maintaining the gains made in literacy and Career Technical Education, completing the forestry building, and continuing the audit process to demonstrate fiscal accountability to taxpayers. With a community levy secured and academic indicators trending upward, the district’s stated aim is to ensure that the progress made this year becomes a permanent foundation rather than a temporary recovery.