Promise scholarships

["William K. Medlin" <dev-plan@moscow.com>]

Tom: That's excellent news about broadening the post-secondary base 
in Idaho. At the same time, I would suggest that the final 
legislation include additional criteria recognizing that student 
need, job market opportunities for ID, and recruitment by 
post-secondary schools (other than the "big three") be included in 
the package.
	There are many talented youngsters who, if they could foresee 
the possibility of higher education, would be motivated to shoot for 
it. Some research, although dated in the l960's, reveals that over 
20% of our brightest kids are in the lower 30% of the income bracket 
-- but they are almost always deprived of access. As for job market, 
Idaho schools will err if they offer more and more degrees "for 
export" to the West or East Coast. Perhaps there ought to be a link 
between promise scholarships and those economic sectors that could 
most benefit from the college investments -- some kind of focus 
perhaps at higher level on Idaho's needs as against national needs. 
Would this be loading the dice too much?
	While every college in the State wants more students, there 
may be some which have special programs that the traditional schools 
have ignored or chosen not to promote. This is probably true, though 
I know of no data on it, with respect to many new skills areas that 
perhaps do not "rank" as university disciplines. I observed this very 
phenomenon myself while serving in various capacities in higher 
education in Michigan (l960-l987), and again in New Mexico as a 
retiree involved in university affairs there. As for data bases, I am 
concerned that in ID we do not do enough surveying and 
information-based decision making. So often it depends on political 
connections which, while important, do not necessarily served the 
best interests of all our communities.
	As for enrollments per 1000 children, data still support the 
fact, I do believe, that of every 100 elementary children, only 20 
eventually receive a college diploma or beyond. Our economy cannot 
absorb effectively much more than that, although certainly many 
"intermediate" skill levels are needed. As we become more and more an 
information and "paper pushing" culture, the level of skills needed 
for processing business tends to slacken in certain work areas. 
Perhaps in ID, where there is still some "catching up" to be done 
from a rural oriented economy toward one entering the technology era, 
this factor may not play as important a role. Anyway, we should have 
data that points in the right directions.
	I hope these suggestions merit your and other legislators 
attention. I am sending a copy to your colleague, Shirley Ringo, who 
as you know is also very much involved in educational policy matters. 
Regards, Ken M.
    PS: I presume this legislation is on the ID website? Any suggestion on that?