Idaho Promise Scholarships

[Tom Trail <ttrail@moscow.com>]

Visionaries:

Rep. Robert Lee of Rexburg and I successfully co-sponsored the Idaho
Promise Scholarship
bill signed into law by Gov. Kempthorne this past legislative session.  We
secured approval of
the concept but left funding to the coming session.  In the meanwhile Rep.
Lee and I have been
in constant communication with Governor Kempthorne and key legislators to
get the support
for funding the program.   The key was to get the Governor's backing and
include it in his Education
budget.

Today we received word the Gov. Kempthorne outlined his support for the
Idaho Promise
Scholarship Program.  He noted that it is an opportunity to keep very
talented students here in
Idaho.  An average of 65 percent of high school graduates continue their
education (nationally)
in college, technical or other institutions and some report as high as 80
percent.  But the
same figures show Idaho at just 49 percent.

The state's price tag for the post-secondary school aid program is
estimated at $2.5 million for the first year and $5 million annually after
that.  That would be matched by the schools.  Idaho High
School graduates with 3.0 gpa, 20 or higher on the American College Test or
a 2.5 grade point
average during the first semester in a college or technical school would
qualify for a $500/semester
scholarship from the state to be matched by the school they attend if it is
in Idaho.  The scholarship
would extend for a second year if the student maintains a 2.5 gpa.  An
estimated 10,000
10,000 students a year could ultimately benefit.

Financing Promise Scholarship, when taking the schools' matching
contributions into account,
would nearly quadruple the $2.7 million the state currently spends each
year on student aid.
The Promise Scholarships will help students and families with part of the
financial package needed
to attend post-secondary institutions.  It will also serve as an incentive
for students to seek more
education and stay with it.  Similar programs in other states have been
successful in achieving
these goals.

The inclusion of funding the Idaho Promise Scholarship Program as one of
the capstones in the
Governor's Education Budget is a major step forward toward it's final
legislative approval.  Sen.
Lee and I hope that we might be able to get a supplemental appropriation
with an emergency
clause so that next years graduating seniors would be able to apply this
coming spring for the
scholarship.   The program would be administered through the State Board of
Education.

Rep. Tom Trail/Dist. 5



Dr. Tom Trail
International Trails
1375 Mt. View Rd.
Moscow, Id. 83843
Tel:  (208) 882-6077
Fax:  (208) 882-0896
e mail ttrail@moscow.com