This article was originally published in Idaho Capital Sun.
When Idaho lawmakers consider a policy change affecting public schools a detailed spreadsheet is usually nearby.
When it comes to private schools, however, data is scanty. The state doesn’t regulate private schooling, so it doesn’t collect much information on private schools or their students.
This information is in high demand as the Idaho Legislature is preparing to consider proposals that would send taxpayer funds to private school students to help them pay tuition and other expenses.
There is some publicly available data on private schools, and it’s likely to shape debates about who would benefit from a private school choice program.
For instance, Idaho’s private schools are concentrated in urban areas, while there’s just one private school or none in more than half of the state’s counties. And most private schools are religious, teeing up likely debates over whether the state should fund religious institutions, and if so, how much oversight the state should have.