District overview
Bliss Joint School District 234
Funding structure, how it compares to peers, and where major projects stand.
How is a one-school district with a shrinking board holding up?
Bliss Joint School District 234 runs a single K-12 school for about 124 students in Bliss, in Gooding County, Idaho. A five-member Board of Trustees, elected by zone, sets the budget and policies and hires the superintendent. It meets on the second Monday of each month at 7 p.m. in the elementary testing lab. Superintendent Matt Valadao also reports on facilities, and Emily Roe became principal in 2026-27.
Vacant seats
Two of five trustee seats were declared vacant in April 2026. The June budget was adopted with two trustees present.
Lunch program losses
The general fund covered a $29,072 food service deficit for 2025-26, including unpaid meal debt.
Building upgrades
A KEEP grant project is replacing HVAC, windows and doors; a federal window grant was denied.
Grants for programs
The district won a $25,000 digital curriculum grant for i-Ready and low-cost AI training in 2026.
The September 2026 audit report had no findings, and the board posts agendas and minutes every month. Minutes are short, so the reasons behind some decisions are not recorded.
Where the district stands
Context: NCES district enrollment figure.
Zone 1 vacancy declared April 2026; another oath was on the October 12 agenda.
Major projects
KEEP grant facility improvements
in progressHVAC, window and door replacement, LED lighting, thermostats and gym insulation, designed by Design West. The grant work must be finished by the end of September 2026.
- Design West proposals accepted
- Sealed bids authorized
- Both window bids disqualified
- Window installation under way; federal grant denied
Funding
Idaho KEEP grant plus district funds; a federal window grant was not awarded (total not stated in minutes)
New school greenhouse
completedA new greenhouse was built behind the school in 2026 and hosts a weekly 4-H group.
- Permits approved
- Build complete
Funding
Not stated in minutes
Recent news
Board agendas and approved minutes posted on the Bliss School District 234 website, from November 2025 to October 2026.
Get alerts for Bliss Joint School District 234
We read every agenda, packet, recording, and set of minutes, and write up the decisions that affect families — each one linked to the document it came from.
Copy the RSS link into your feed reader to get new published alerts.