Empowering Parents awards reach $17 million

As of close of business last Friday, 16,000 Idaho families had received Empowering Parents grant awards totaling more than $17 million.

Parents of all Idaho students in kindergarten through grade 12 can apply whether their children attend Idaho public school, private school or are homeschooled. Awards are prioritized based on the parent or guardian’s adjusted gross income.

In response, the Office of the State Board of Education set a target date to begin prioritization of the second income level of applications.

Applications for household with an AGI at or below $60,000 per year must be received by 8 p.m. MT on Friday, Dec. 16, to be prioritized within the first wave of funding. Most of the applications qualifying under the first wave to date have been funded. Remaining applications are being funded as the student verification is completed. This process will include all additional first wave qualified applications received by 8 p.m. MT on Dec. 16.

Once the first wave is complete, the AGI limit will be expanded to households earning up to $75,000 per year. After that phase, if there are funds still available, the program grants will be available to all other eligible students on a first-come, first-served basis.

Parents can submit applications at EmpoweringParents.idaho.gov.

Preventing fraud has been a key area of focus as the state deploys grants to Idaho families. Of approximately 28,500 applications received, nearly 2,500 applications have been identified either as fraudulent or ineligible for funding, along with nearly 600 applications for approximately 1,000 students that did not meet the baseline grade range qualifications for the program. Ensuring program security and protection of taxpayer dollars remains a top priority.

Eligible families can receive $1,000 per student, up to $3,000 per family. Empowering Parents grants can be used to purchase education-related resources and services such as computers and computer software, instructional materials and tutoring and therapy services. Purchases must be made through the Empowering Parents online marketplace. Reimbursement for goods or services purchased outside the marketplace is not allowed.