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Idaho Legislature: Ask Legislators to VOTE NO on S1093 - Adult students high school diploma (posted 02/13/25)
Bill: legislature.idaho.gov/s…
Contact Legislators: emailidaho.com
(Check the linked page or use My Bill Tracker for the bill’s current status.)
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S1093 is another expansion of the educational budget and the State Board of Education’s sphere of control. These must be reined in, not grown.
The fiscal note mentions a one-time $1.5 million appropriation by the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee for implementing and administering the program. But like all new funding programs, this one is sure to grow both in monetary amount and the expanded bureaucracy and associated costs needed to support it. In fact, S1093 appears to be an expansion of the expensive Idaho LAUNCH program.
Nowhere does the Idaho Constitution Article IX state that taxpayers must finance the education of adults 21 years or older. Adults can and should get jobs or scholarships to pay for their education; they should not receive taxpayer funds for this purpose. Please VOTE NO!
Key features:
Establishes the Adult Alternative Instructional Diploma Program in Idaho for adults 21 years and older obtain a high school diploma and develop career skills.
Allows qualified providers – e.g. accredited public, nonprofit, or other entities with at least two years of adult dropout recovery experience – to offer educational services, including academic assessments, personalized learning plans, literacy and numeracy remediation, employability skills certification, career pathway courses, and workforce credential preparation.
State Board of Education would reimburse providers $733 per credit completed.
Requires providers to report detailed student outcomes, including credits earned and diplomas awarded.
Creates a new fund, with moneys coming from legislative appropriations and interest earnings.
Providers must meet specific criteria, including maintaining a minimum 50% graduation rate.
Providers are evaluated and potentially removed from the approved list if they do not meet standards for two consecutive years.
Reference:
Idaho State Constitution ARTICLE IX:
