Jerome Joint School District No. 261

INSTRUCTION 2435

Advanced Opportunities

The District provides opportunities for students to begin earning credit for college and vocational programs and/or to take advanced placement or other college credit-bearing or professional certificate examinations while they attend school in the District.

Participation in the District’s advanced opportunities program requires parent and student agreement to program requirements and completion of the District’s participation form documenting the program requirements found in 2435F.

In order to ensure that students have a chance to participate in advanced opportunity programs, the Board hereby directs the Superintendent to establish procedures and timelines and requirements for participation, requirements for financial transactions and transcription of credits.  

Definitions

"Credit" means middle level or high school credit.

"Dual credit" means credit awarded to a student on his or her secondary and postsecondary transcript for the completion of a single course.

"Full credit load" means at least twelve (12) credits per school year for grades 7 – 12 or the maximum number of credits offered by the student's school during the regular school day per school year, whichever is greater. 

"Overload course" means a course taken that is in excess of a full credit load and outside of the regular school day, including summer courses.

"School year" means the normal school year that begins upon the conclusion of the spring semester leading up to the break between grades and ends upon the beginning of the same break of the following year.

Fast Forward Program

The State’s Advanced Opportunities funding, known as the Fast Forward program, provides students in the District with $4625 to use toward overload courses, dual credits, college credit-bearing examinations, career technical certificate examinations, and federal registered workforce training programs that lead to regional “in demand” jobs.

Students may access these funds in grades 7 through 12 for:

1. Overload courses, in an amount which may not exceed $225 per overload course. A student must take and successfully complete a full credit load within a given school year to be eligible for funding of an overload course. An overload course must be taken for high school credit to be eligible for funding.

2. Eligible dual credits, in an amount which may not exceed $75.00 per one dual credit hour.

3. Eligible postsecondary credit-bearing examinations.

4. Career technical education (CTE) examinations that lead to an industry-recognized certificate, license or degree.

5. Eligible CTE workforce training courses. A list of such eligible training courses and costs will be maintained by the State Department of Education.

To qualify as an eligible overload course for the program, the course must be offered by a provider accredited by the organization that accredits Idaho high schools and be taught by an individual certified to teach the grade and subject area of the course in Idaho.  Eligible examinations include advanced placement (AP), international baccalaureate (IB), college-level examination program (CLEP), and career-technical examinations. 

The District shall make reasonable efforts to ensure that any student who considers participating in the District’s advanced opportunities program understands the challenges and time necessary to succeed in the program.  The District shall make such efforts prior to a student’s participation in the program.

Parents of participating students may enroll their child in any eligible course, with or without the permission of the District, up to the course enrollment limits described in this policy.  Each participating student's transcript shall include the credits earned and grades received by the student for any courses taken pursuant to this policy. For an eligible course to be transcribed as meeting the requirements of a core subject, as identified in administrative rule, the course must meet the approved content standards for the applicable subject and grade level.

The District shall establish timelines and requirements for participation in the program, including implementing procedures for the appropriate transcription of credits, reporting of program participation, and financial transaction requirements.

A student who has earned 15 postsecondary credits using the advanced opportunities program and wishes to earn additional credits must first identify his or her postsecondary goals. Advisors shall counsel any student who wishes to take dual credit courses that the student should ascertain for him/herself whether the particular postsecondary institution that he or she desires to attend will accept the transfer of coursework under this section

The District will collaborate with publicly funded institutions of higher education in Idaho to assist students who seek to participate in dual credit courses or graduate high school early by enrolling in postsecondary courses.

Challenging Courses

The Board hereby directs the Superintendent or designee to develop criteria by which a student may challenge a course.  The Superintendent will present the criteria for challenging courses to the Board for approval.  If a student successfully meets the criteria then the student shall be counted as having completed all required coursework for that course.

If a student fails to earn credit for any course or examination for which the State Department of Education has paid a reimbursement, the student must pay for and successfully earn credit for 1 similar course before any further reimbursements for the student can be paid.  If a student performs inadequately on an examination for which the State Department of Education has paid a reimbursement, the building principal shall determine whether the student must pay for and successfully pass such examination to continue receiving State funding. Repeated and remedial courses or examinations are not eligible for funding through this program. However, retaking eligible college entrance exams shall be an eligible expense. 

Advanced Opportunities Scholarship

Students who successfully complete grades 1-12 at least one (1) year early may be eligible for an advanced opportunities scholarship.  A student shall be eligible if they:

1. Shows that they have met all of the graduation requirements of the District; and

2. Completes grades 1 through 12 curriculum in eleven (11) or fewer years.

3. Applies within two years of graduating from a public school.

A student is not required to graduate early and can choose to participate in dual credit or advanced placement classes upon meeting these criteria.

If an eligible student requests an advanced opportunities scholarship, the student shall be entitled to such a scholarship which may be used educational costs at any publicly funded institution of higher education in Idaho.  The amount of such scholarship shall equal thirty-five percent (35%) of the statewide average daily attendance-driven funding per enrolled pupil for each year of grades 1-12 curriculum the student avoids due to early graduation. 

The District shall collaborate with publicly funded institutions of higher education in Idaho to assist early-graduating students in enrolling in postsecondary or advanced placement courses held in high school.

Cross Reference Description

2700 High School Graduation Requirements

2700P(1) High School Graduation Requirements-Publication of Graduation Requirements

Legal Reference Definitions

I.C. § 33-4601 Advanced Opportunities - Definitions

I.C. § 33-4602 Advanced Opportunities - Rulemaking

IDAPA 08.02.03.106 Advanced Opportunities

Other References:  http://www.sde.idaho.gov/student-engagement/advanced-ops/index.html

Policy History:

Adopted on: 08/26/2014

Revised on: 08/25/2015

Revised on: 10/25/2016

Revised on: 10/23/2018

Revised on: 12/17/2019

Revised on: 08/27/2024

Revised on: 11/18/2025

Revised on: 12/16/2025