BOISE, Idaho -- More than a dozen school districts want to participate in a program that rewards students who graduate early from high school with scholarships to Idaho universities and colleges. The six-year pilot program was signed into law earlier this year. The program was introduced during the 2010 Idaho Legislature, where lawmakers pointed out that Idaho taxpayers now give school districts $4,593 a year for each of their students. Under the program, a student would get about 35 percent of that funding in a scholarship for each year they graduate early. The money left over would be split between the school district and the state. The state Department of Education confirmed this week that 17 school districts and charter schools have met a September deadline and submitted applications to participate in the pilot program.
