TWIN FALLS — The State Board of Education has approved a petition to move property from the Fremont School District into the neighboring Sugar-Salem School District.

More than 100 landowners living south of the city of Teton signed a proposal for the change earlier this year.

Of the 70 students within in the area, 50 already enroll in Sugar-Salem, according to a letter supporting the petition.

Annexing the land would boost Sugar-Salem’s property tax valuations, which recurrently surface at the bottom of statewide tallies. Taxes levied on local businesses and housing account for a growing amount of money school districts use to increase teacher salaries, build infrastructure and supplement other budgets.

The State Board unanimously approved the proposal Wednesday during a meeting in Twin Falls. Local voters in the affected area will now have the final say, most likely in the May 2018 election.

Click here for an in-depth look at how Sugar-Salem’s meager tax base compares to other Idaho districts.