Idaho’s state endowment fund earned 18.8 percent on its investments in the past year, investment manager Larry Johnson told the state Land Board this morning. He said that’s the second-highest earnings year in its history; the fund is now worth $1.736 billion, a new record. The endowment fund’s earnings mainly benefit the state’s public schools, along with other institutions. The Endowment Fund Investment Board will meet in mid-August to finalize its recommendations on distributions to the schools and other beneficiaries in fiscal year 2016; that recommendation will come to the Land Board in September. Distributions to schools are likely to rise slightly, from $31.3 million a year to $31.5 million, now that reserves have reached the target level.

“Likely the fund will earn between 6 and 7 percent over the next 10 years,” Johnson said, saying he can’t promise a continuation of the recent very strong earnings. Over the past five years, the fund’s returns were 14.6 percent; over the past 10 years, 8.5 percent.