BOISE, Idaho — The number of Gem State high school students earning credit at an Idaho college has more than doubled since 2015, according to the Idaho State Board of Education (ISBE).
During the 2022 fiscal year, 28,609 Idaho high schoolers earned dual credit. That figure was at a clip of 12,624 in 2015. The credits are discounted at $75 apiece.
These costs are often covered in full by the Advance Opportunity program where each Idaho student between seventh and 12th grade have access to $4,125 for extra classes, dual credit, and exam costs. Dual credit is the most common use of these funds; ISBE credits these funds with the rapid increase of dual credit participation.
"It gives students from all types of backgrounds the chance to see, 'Am I ready for college? Can I do college class?' Knowing they successfully completed a college class builds their confidence," ISBE Chief Research Officer Kathleen McHugh said.
The programs working in tandem have increased college credit accessibility to lower income families. ISBE numbers show 32% of "economically disadvantaged" students received at least one college credit in the 2015-16 school year. The most recent data from the 2019-20 school years show that figure has jumped to 51%.
The College of Western Idaho (CWI) enrolled 12,056 dual-credit students through the 2022 fiscal year, according to ISBE. CWI leads all Idaho colleges - including two and four-year institutions - in this measurement.
"My personal fear is I don't want anybody to think we are a luxury priced item that is not meant for everyone," CWI President Gordon Jones said. "CWI works with high school faculty to make sure that class is college quality. That's quality you can transfer to any institution."
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