Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the K 12 Finance topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Committee introduces bill to expand Advanced Opportunity access for homeschoolers and testing
Summary
The House Education Committee voted to introduce RS 32‑105, which would allow Idaho homeschool students to access the state Advanced Opportunities benefits directly through community colleges, permit multiple uses of exam funds, and align private‑ and public‑school program language.
Representative Wendy Horman, R‑District 32, introduced RS 32‑105 on Feb. 7, 2025, a resolution that would adjust administration of Idaho's Advanced Opportunities program so more high school students can use the state funds to prepare for college. The committee moved to introduce the RS and the motion carried.
The measure would create a direct pathway for homeschool students to participate through community colleges instead of relying solely on school districts, allow students to use Advanced Opportunities money to take a college entrance exam more than once, and make technical changes to align the private‑school program with the public‑school program. Horman said the State Department of Education participated in drafting the language.
"It is a program that funds Idaho high school students' efforts to go on to college, whether that's extra coursework, testing, dual enrollment," Representative Wendy Horman said during the hearing. She told the committee the change to permit homeschool students to work directly with community colleges is intended to remove barriers that have arisen from differing district interpretations.
Representative Harris asked about a wording change on the bill's page 3 replacing "tuition and fees" with "educational costs." Horman said the phrase "educational costs" aligns the language with Idaho's Opportunity Scholarship program and called the edit a technical correction. Representative Church asked whether all students could access the funds through community colleges; Horman answered yes.
The committee moved to introduce RS 32‑105 and approved the motion by voice vote. The resolution will be formally introduced.
Clarifying details from the hearing: the Advanced Opportunities account size was stated in the hearing as $4,625 per student when Representative Horman discussed college entrance‑exam funding. Committee members and the sponsor said the State Department of Education reviewed the draft language.
The committee took no further action on the bill at the Feb. 7 public hearing; introduction means the RS will be placed on the committee or legislative calendar for subsequent processing.
