Paving the Way for Educational Freedom

In this segment of "Faithful Advocacy," Senator Lori Den Hartog shares her perspective on the challenges families face when seeking school choice options and her efforts to promote greater freedom and access in education. This interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.

Jennifer Vermeer: Can you tell me a little about your background and experience in legislature?

Lori Den Hartog: I’ve been in the State Senate for 11 years and was always interested in politics. In high school, I did the Page program, which gave me a firsthand look at the legislative process. I was always interested in serving this way, but it was actually my dad who convinced me to run. I never expected it to happen when it did—our kids were just three, six, and nine."

Jennifer Vermeer: How did you get involved in education policy?

Lori Den Hartog: Almost everyone who serves in the legislature comes in caring about education—it's something we all experience. We’ve all been through K–12, and many of us have kids in school. It touches everyone’s life.

I knew right away that education would be a focus for me. The district I represent has a lot of young families going through similar stages of life. When I first ran, Common Core was a huge issue. I remember going door to door, and parents were fired up about Common Core math—wondering if their kids were even going to learn how to do this “new math.”

When I got elected, I joined the Education Committee and served on it for 10 years. This is actually the first session I’m not on the committee. I learned a lot over that time.

Since the pandemic, the school choice movement has really taken off. Even before this, though, school choice was something we cared about. Looking back, the reason my parents chose Nampa Christian for us, and why we chose it for our kids, wasn’t because the local public school wasn’t good—it was because we wanted a faith-based education. That was the driving factor.

So, I naturally came into education policy thinking that having options and choices is good and healthy. Over the past 10 years, I’ve worked on a lot of policies that promote and support that for parents and families.

Jennifer Vermeer: House Bill 93 has been described as a milestone for educational freedom in Idaho. From your perspective, what impact will it have on families and students across the state?

Lori Den Hartog: It’s a $50 million refundable tax credit program, with a limit of up to $5,000 per child. Once we account for administrative costs, we anticipate being able to serve about 9,000 kids in Idaho.

That could include kids already in a non-public school setting, or families who choose to switch from public to non-public schools.

The biggest goal for me is helping families who are looking at other options and thinking, “I want that for my kid, but I don’t know how to afford it.” For families considering faith-based education, this could help cover some of those costs.

What excites me most is thinking about the families who aren’t in these schools yet, and those who are making significant sacrifices to stay—especially with multiple children, where costs can add up quickly. This bill can help ease that burden.

Jennifer Vermeer: You brought up the financial challenges some families face in accessing education options, which is a key aspect of House Bill 93. How do you think this financial support will change the educational opportunities available to families?

Lori Den Hartog: One thing that comes up a lot at the Capitol is the perception that families who don’t choose public school must have the financial means to do something else—like paying for private school or staying home to homeschool. But in my experience, that’s not always the case.

A lot of families I know aren’t making those choices because it’s easy or because they have extra resources. It’s more often that they’ve really thought it through, believe it’s the right path for their child, and are doing what they can to make it happen. Many are making real sacrifices to afford it, and for some, it just doesn’t feel financially possible at all.

Choosing where to send your kids to school is always a big decision, and it can change over time. I’ve seen that even in my own extended family—where families start with one option, then switch because of a life change, or because one child has different needs than another.

That financial barrier is just one piece of the puzzle, but for a lot of families, it’s a huge hurdle. That’s why the program prioritizes families at or below 300% of the federal poverty level. Any family can apply, but prioritizing lower-income families was a major focus for us.

Right now, based on estimates, Idaho has a large homeschool population and a significant private school population—around 20,000 to 25,000 students. So, this 9,000 is just a fraction. It doesn’t even account for public school students who might want to switch and are looking for a different option.

We know that $5,000 per student won’t cover full tuition in many parts of the state—and I actually think that’s okay. It’s not meant to be the full amount. Families will still need to contribute their own funds, or they’ll need to partner with schools and churches that offer financial aid to help make it work.

Jennifer Vermeer: You mentioned the on-going decision making involved in education. How do you believe this bill will help open opportunities to better serve the unique needs of students?

Lori Den Hartog: Public schools have to accept all students and try to serve everyone, which is really hard to do well. I’ve always been a big supporter of charter schools—which are public schools, too—and over the past 20 years, that movement has grown and evolved. Now we see charter schools designed for specific purposes, like alternative high schools for kids on different paths. That’s exciting because it means we’re not expecting one school to meet every need but instead have a variety of schools where kids can find the right fit.

Some kids need more challenges; others need different types of support or hands-on learning experiences. Having different schools tailored to those needs is much better than one school trying to do it all. Offering a range of options improves the chances that every child will find a place where they can thrive.

Jennifer Vermeer: The bill includes flexibility to cover a range of educational expenses beyond just tuition. How does allowing families to use the bill’s support for different types of educational expenses open up new opportunities?

Lori Den Hartog: Several years ago, during the pandemic, I worked with Representative Wendy Gorman, a co-sponsor on the bill. Having someone in the House who can move the bill on her side, while I do the same on mine, has been tremendous. Back in 2020, we worked on a policy when Governor Little launched an initial program that we later codified. It started as Strong Families, Strong Students, and then changed into Empowering Parents.

It provided supplemental dollars to families when schools were shut down or only open part time. Families had to cobble together all kinds of things — maybe materials at home, tutoring, or a supplemental class. This has always been true, but I think it really exposed how much learning happens outside of the classroom. For Wendy and I, that became a major focus.

For example, Idaho kids can earn high school credits through programs like 4-H, because there’s a lot of learning in those kinds of activities.

This bill fits that approach: it’s not just about classroom time. As I touched on earlier, schools can’t do everything for every kid. Maybe a student needs extra tutoring, enrichment, or access to music or other interests that enhance learning. Having the option to cover expenses beyond tuition is really important — and that’s what this bill does.

Another part I’m really excited about is that it allows micro schools or learning pods as eligible expenses. That became popular again during the pandemic. There’s a micro school nearby where four families pooled resources to hire a teacher for about a dozen kids, some with special needs.

Chipping away at the financial barrier and providing resources opens up new and creative solutions for educational choices. We know the schools that have been around for a long time, but this lets families create new options, especially in rural areas where it’s too expensive to start a whole school.

I get so excited thinking about these possibilities for people who, historically, haven’t had them.

Jennifer Vermeer: Do you have any encouragement or advice for people who might want to be involved in advocating for healthier education systems or choices—especially considering those who may feel like they don’t have the resources or a “voice” to do so?

Lori Den Hartog: One of the really valuable ways to get involved—even if it feels intimidating—is sharing your story. Sometimes that looks like coming to testify or writing an email—whether it’s a form or a personal letter.

I think it’s important to recognize that legislators are just regular people living in our communities, too. I see part of my role as helping break down barriers and assumptions to help promote these healthy conversations and engagement.

Particularly in Christian education circles, there’s a temptation to be removed from engaging with the process. Having school leaders from across the state stay engaged—and encourage parents to do so—made a real difference in this bill. We needed everyone to be part of it.

Jennifer: Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?

Lori Den Hartog: I think the biggest thing is that we need Christians in politics—and in a faithful way that doesn’t have to be loud or abrasive. Over the years, I’ve seen a shift where people treat politics almost like a religion, and I think that’s really dangerous. Politics is just another sphere where we’re called to be engaged. There are limits to what we can do—no laws or bills are going to totally change things. At the end of the day, politics is one of many ways for Christians to make a difference.

It’s been such a pleasure and a joy to be a part of this work, knowing I’m just a small part of it. I know I was called to serve in this way, at this specific time, and I’m grateful for that opportunity.