As reported earlier, Idaho embraced Complete College America, and the State Board of Education (SBOE) endorsed “Complete College Idaho.” Idaho Governor C.L. (Butch) Otter is not giving up on the “ambitious goal that 60% of Idahoans ages 25-34 will have a degree or certificate by 2020” of Complete College Idaho (“Complete College Idaho Plan”). The Complete College Idaho plan affects English studies in that, to achieve the goal, so-called “remedial” writing courses were re-conceived as co-requisite courses adapted from the accelerated learning program model of the Community College of Baltimore (ALP), rather than as non-credit, pre-composition level classes.
Otter is now appointing a 28-member higher education task force “comprised of a diverse group of stakeholders including our college and university presidents, representatives from business and industry, legislators and students. Their charge will be to study the state of higher education in Idaho, initiatives already underway and proven practices, and to report findings and recommendations on the strategies that best support postsecondary access and completion” (Otter, press release). Chairing the committee will be “Bob Lokken, CEO of WhiteCloud Analytics Inc. and chairman of the Idaho Business for Education board of directors, and Dr. Linda Clark, vice president of the State Board of Education” (Otter, press release). Clark has mentioned dual enrollment as way to work toward the college graduation goal: “Clark says Idaho has a unique opportunity. With a State Board that focuses both on K-12 and higher education, Idaho can capitalize on dual credit courses and other initiatives to encourage high school graduates to stay in school” (Idaho Education News).
In his state of the state address, the governor also recommended an “adult completer” scholarship, which “will provide an incentive for those with some college credits who have been away from school for at least three years to return to the classroom and finish up. It’s an important part of our strategy for reaching the ambitious and worthy goal of ensuring that at least 60 percent of Idahoans between the ages of 25 and 34 have a college degree or certificate by 2020” (Otter, address). The governor continues to support community colleges, encouraging local voters to support the College of Western Idaho’s expansion in Ada County and the creation of a new College of Eastern Idaho (Otter, address). Both are community colleges and require voters to tax themselves or approve other funding mechanisms beyond state financial support.
Sources:
Complete College Idaho Plan
Otter, C.L. (Butch). “State of the State and Budget Address.” 9 Jan. 2017.