State To Pay For College Entry Exams

As part of Idaho’s efforts to create a 21st century classroom that better prepares every student for post secondary-education, all high school juniors can now take the SAT or ACCUPLACER test for free, State Superintendent Tom Luna announced on Wednesday.

In a statement Luna said, “Our goal is for every Idaho child to be college and career ready and make sure Idaho students are prepared to succeed in the world that awaits them.”

The Idaho State Board of Education proposed new high school graduation requirements for the class of 2013 to ensure more students graduated from high school prepared to go on to post-secondary education or the workforce. The Legislature approved these new requirements in 2007. Among these requirements, students must take an additional year of math and science and complete a college entrance exam before the end of their junior year. Students can take either the ACT, SAT, COMPASS or ACCUPLACER test.

This year, lawmakers appropriated $963,000 for a statewide contract to pay for the test.

In addition, students who need extra help can retest in their senior year under Idaho?s contract.

Through Idaho?s contract, students will take the SAT free of charge during the school day. Students will still have the option to take another college entrance exam, but must pay for it at their own expense.