The Idaho Legislature wrapped up its 2026 session having passed a resolution supporting the elimination of the United States Department of Education. The resolution urges Congress to cooperate with President Trump’s stated goal of returning education authority to states and local school boards.
Idaho’s Republican-controlled Legislature has been among the most vocal state bodies supporting the initiative. Supporters argue that federal education mandates impose compliance burdens on Idaho school districts without improving outcomes. Idaho already operates its schools through the State Board of Education and an elected Superintendent of Public Instruction.
In Bonner County, where local control of schools has been a consistent priority for parents and board members, the resolution reflects long-standing conservative concerns about federal overreach in education.
The resolution is non-binding and expresses the Legislature’s position to Idaho’s congressional delegation. For more on the 2026 Idaho legislative session and its impact on North Idaho, see North Idaho Republican.