2 Idaho legislators propose awarding students cash for graduating early

Two Treasure Valley lawmakers introduced legislation Monday that would offer a financial incentive to students who graduate early from high school.

Reps. Steve Thayn, R-Emmett, and Branden Durst, D-Boise, proposed the Master Advancement Pilot Project for students complete graduation requirements at least a year early.

Under the program, students would receive 35 percent of their school districts annual average daily attendance rate for completing graduation requirements early. Based on figures in the proposal, students would be eligible to receive a $1,600 Master Advancement Scholarship for graduating early based on average daily attendance rate of $4,953.51 — though those numbers could change depending on which districts participate.

Students, however, would be required to graduate early and could choose to participate in concurrent enrollment or advanced placement classes.

The school district would also get 35 percent . The remaining 30 percent would go back to the state's General Fund.

If 5 percent of students graduate early, the state could save up between $65,000 and $97,000 a year, the proponents say. If 30 percent of students graduate early, the state could save between $390,000 and $585,000 a year.

The State Department of Education is charged with administering the pilot program with with 1,000 to 1,500 seniors in as many as 21 school districts and three charter schools.

Thayn and Durst have been working on the program for more than six months. Thayn said the co-sponsors have addressed several concerns by the Department of Education. Thayn had a resolution along similar lines that passed the House last season.

"I felt like we had to warm people up to the thinking a little bit," Thayn said. "Last year was to introduce the idea."

Students from first grade through 12th grade would be eligible to take challenge exams to prove their proficiency.

"There are students that simply want to learn faster," Thayn said. "It’s a shame to hold those students back if they could move ahead."

The proposal had no discussion at Monday's print hearing in the House Education Committee, but Thayn expects plenty of debate at the bill's hearing. One education stakeholder had plenty of questions Monday.

"We’re not opposed to innovative ideas in education," said Sherri Wood, the president of the Idaho Education Association. "We do have some questions about how it would actually roll out and how you would test a first-grader to move forward. How would you ensure they were receiving the quality of education that is needed? You can’t just move a first-grader to fourth grade. There are some social and developmental things that might come into play."