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Homeschooling in Idaho

A year-round Idaho homeschool marketplace — curriculum, tutoring, therapy, STEM, arts and enrichment providers, plus a plain-English guide to the Idaho Parental Choice Tax Credit.

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Idaho Parental Choice Tax Credit at a glance

Overseen by: The Idaho Legislature, under Idaho Code 63-3029N (House Bill 93 of 2025, amended by House Bill 934 of 2026). The Idaho Supreme Court upheld the law on February 5, 2026.
Administered by: The Idaho State Tax Commission. Families apply through their Taxpayer Access Point (TAP) account; program details are on myschoolchoice.idaho.gov. The money goes to the parent, either as a refundable credit on the Idaho Form 40 or as a one-time advance payment to the parent's bank account.
Amount per student, 2026 tax year: Up to $5,000 per eligible child, or up to $7,500 for a child with a disability who requires ancillary personnel, for qualifying costs paid in calendar year 2026. Statewide credits are capped at $50 million per tax year. The credit and the advance payment are not Idaho taxable income.
Who is eligible: Full-year Idaho resident parents (including legal guardians and licensed foster parents) of children age 5 to 18 at any time during the tax year (5 to 21 with a qualifying disability) who are claimed as dependents on the parent's full-year Idaho resident return. There is no income limit for the credit. The advance payment is only for families whose modified adjusted gross income is at or below 300% of the federal poverty level.
Application window / next dates: Applications for the 2026 tax credit, or an advance payment awarded in 2027, open January 15, 2027 and close March 15, 2027, in TAP. The law requires award notices within 30 days of the window closing. If the $50 million cap isn't reached, the Tax Commission must reopen applications until August 15 or until the money runs out. The 2026 windows (January 15 – March 15 and May 21 – July 17, 2026) are closed.
Homeschool status: Homeschool families can apply. The Tax Commission's 2026 eligibility checklist defines a qualifying "nonpublic school" as a private school, homeschool, microschool or learning pod, and the law says homeschooling is not public school enrollment. A parent cannot claim payment for their own teaching, and any semester of full- or part-time public, charter or virtual charter enrollment is excluded.

Read the full guide: Idaho Parental Choice Tax Credit — A Guide for Homeschool Families

Coming up in Idaho

Mon, Nov 2, 2026 – Fri, Dec 18, 2026 · Poetry Out Loud Idaho: School and Co-op Contest Window
Statewide · Registered schools and organizations · Free
Registered schools and organizations hold their Poetry Out Loud recitation contests between Nov. 2 and Dec. 18, 2026, then submit champion information to the Idaho Commission on the Arts.
Tue, Nov 10, 2026 · Telescope Tuesday
Twin Falls · Centennial Observatory ·
.50, ages 6 & under free, or free with planetarium admission
Telescope viewing at the Centennial Observatory from 6:15 to 9:00 p.m. Join fellow astronomy enthusiasts for star parties or solar viewing; events are weather permitting.
Wed, Nov 11, 2026 – Thu, Nov 12, 2026 · Museum of Idaho Little Learners: Experimenting Like Galileo
Idaho Falls · Museum of Idaho, 200 N Eastern Ave · Registration required
Parents and kids ages 2-5 explore a monthly topic through crafts, games, songs and snacks; one-hour English sessions at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.
Fri, Nov 13, 2026 · LC State Fall Health Professions Day
Lewiston · Lewis-Clark State College, 500 8th Ave · Free lunch included
Rotating sessions in nursing and health sciences, pre-medical pathways, exercise science and allied health, plus a lunch panel of healthcare professionals (9 a.m.-1:45 p.m.).
Sat, Nov 14, 2026 · Boise State Math Invitational
Boise · Boise State University, Student Union Building, 1700 University Dr.
High school teams compete in individual and team math events in two divisions (Geometry/Algebra and Pre-Calculus & Beyond), 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m.; lunch provided and Dr. Po-Shen Loh speaks in the afternoon.
Sat, Nov 14, 2026 · CLT (Classic Learning Test) Remote Test Date (November 2026)
Online · Remotely proctored (at home) · CLT registration fee (see cltexam.com)
Remotely proctored CLT administration; registration deadline Nov. 5, 2026.
Sat, Nov 14, 2026 · Herrett Center Monthly Free Star Party
Twin Falls · Centennial Observatory, Herrett Center for Arts & Science (College of Southern Idaho), 315 Falls Ave · Free
Free public telescope viewing at the Centennial Observatory, 6:15-9 p.m., weather permitting.
Sat, Nov 14, 2026 · LC State Discovery Day
Lewiston · Lewis-Clark State College, 500 8th Ave · Free lunch included
Guided campus tour, residence life, sessions with faculty in your academic area and current students, lunch at the Student Involvement and Resource Fair, and an optional Application Station (8:30 a.m.-1:15 p.m.).
Sat, Nov 14, 2026 · Parental Choice Tax Credit: Last Day for Second-Period 2026 Advance Payments
Statewide · Idaho State Tax Commission · Free
Families awarded a 2026 advance payment in the second application period (May 21-July 17, 2026) are to be paid within 60 days of the award notice or by Nov. 14, 2026.
Sat, Nov 14, 2026 · Charcoal Drawing Raptors Workshop
Boise · World Center for Birds of Prey, 5668 W Flying Hawk Ln · Ticketed (see reservation page)
Learn raptor biology while drawing feather textures in charcoal with JK Studios' Julie Shelton; artists of all levels leave with a finished drawing and materials.

See all 95 upcoming Idaho events

Idaho homeschool & school choice news

Idaho LAUNCH applications open through April — Idaho Education News
Homeschool group to host craft fair at Calvary Chapel on Saturday — Idaho State Journal
State superintendent candidates call for transparency around private education tax credit — Idaho EdNews
State approves new charter schools for Meridian, Pocatello — Idaho EdNews
School choice super PAC endorses Gov. Little — Idaho EdNews

All news & regulations

Co-ops, groups and vendors

110 homeschool co-ops, support groups, microschools and hybrid schools across Idaho — browse the list. Homeschool vendors serving Idaho.

Homeschooling by city

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Articles for Idaho families

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