AO: Public School
Advanced Opportunities for Public Schools connects secondary school students with opportunities to grow their future.
The Advanced Opportunities program provides both funding and opportunities for students who want to jump start their career while attending an Idaho public school in grades 7-12.
Deadlines for Portal Submission:
| Term | Request Funding Window | Verification Deadline | Submission Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Summer 2025 | April 7 – June 20, 2025 | August 22, 2025 | August 29, 2025 |
| Fall 2025/Trimester 1 | April 7 – October 15, 2025 | November 14, 2025 | November 21, 2025 |
| Spring 2026 | November 24 – March 15, 2026 | May 8, 2026 | May 15, 2026 May 22, 2026 (exams) |
| Trimester 2 | November 24 – March 15, 2026 | May 8, 2026 | May 15, 2026 May 22, 2026 (exams) |
| Trimester 3 | February 15-April 3, 2026 | May 8, 2026 | May 15, 2026 May 22, 2026 (exams) |
About the Program
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Overview
- Advanced Opportunities Brochure
- Advanced Opportunities Booklet
- Advanced Opportunities Videos
The Advanced Opportunities program provides every student attending an Idaho public school $4,625 to use towards eligible expenses in grades 7-12 to explore, advance and gain experience. The funds can be used for a variety of opportunities:
| Opportunity | Description | Allowance |
|---|---|---|
| Overload | A course taken for high school credit, outside the regular school day. The course is provided by an Idaho certified instructor and a properly accredited organization. E.G. Idaho Digital Learning Alliance | Up to $225 |
| Dual Credit | A college course that earns both high school and college credit. | Up to $75 per credit |
| Exams/Certifications | Approved industry recognized certifications. College placement exams. College credit earning exams. | Up to the full cost |
| Workforce Training | Regionally approved courses, specifically aligned to industry at Idaho technical colleges. E.g. Apprenticeships | Up to $4,625 |
| Early Graduation Scholarship | A scholarship for graduating at least one year early to be used at Idaho public colleges. | Estimated at $2,500 |
| Course Challenges | A mechanism for students to show prior learning to earn credit. | No cost |
Getting Started
Students interested in pursuing Advanced Opportunities should follow these steps:
- Meet with the school counselor/college and career advisor.
The school district will have Advanced Opportunities available locally. By meeting with a counselor, students can learn more about specific opportunities available and draft a plan. - Develop a career pathway plan.
Having a plan sketched out is critical to effectively taking advantage of Advanced Opportunities. A learning plan should include high school courses needed for graduation, and could include courses such as dual credit, workforce training or other advanced course work. - Agree to program terms.
Sign participation form.- Students and parents must sign the Advanced Opportunities Participation Form before being eligible for state funding. This form should be turned into the school district Advanced Opportunities staff.
- Create an Advanced Opportunities account.
Create an account to access funding. School approval required.
Information to Know
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Knowing Your Opportunities
To get started, contact your school’s Advanced Opportunities coordinator to learn about your options locally.
Find your interests and discover your possibilities with Next Steps Idaho.
- School Flexibility Guide
- Dual Credit
- An overview of Idaho is available on the Dual Credit Resource website.
- Dual Credit Brochure
- Exams
- Overload Courses
- Workforce Training
- Early Graduation
Advising
Advising is both a requirement and a critical element to utilizing Advanced Opportunities. Contact your school’s Advanced Opportunities coordinator to learn about available options.
- Visit with a college advisor. College and University Dual Credit Contacts
- Take dual credit advising modules. Login – Next Steps Idaho
There are risks to taking advanced courses. The participation form outlines some of the potential risks to ensure students and parents are aware before they commit to the course(s).
Each public school student has an advisor at the school who is trained to provide support. Students who use Advanced Opportunities funds for more than 15 dual credits must receive advising on how credits will translate into their post high-school goals.
One important item to consider is that the student’s grade will be recorded on the student’s high school transcript if the state pays for the course, regardless of the course outcome.
Students and parents also need to communicate with their school district Advanced Opportunities staff to learn the school district’s policies and deadlines for participation in the program and registration in the state Advanced Opportunities portal for funding.
Goal Setting
College Coursework
It’s important to be realistic about the goal of taking college course work. While an Associate Degree may be attainable in high school, it’s important to be realistic and understand fully the commitment and value to be earned.
Courses within the GEM Framework (general education core courses) are what are generally recommended when considering which courses to take. These courses have additional value as:
- Many Idaho colleges have specific pathways and transfer agreements for those who transfer with such courses.
- Students who complete these courses at a regionally-accredited Idaho public college will likely be considered as satisfying the general education core requirements when transferring to another public college/university in Idaho.
- Completing these courses can significantly reduce overall costs and time of obtaining further education.
Transferring College Credits
Most courses taken for dual credit from an Idaho college will transfer seamlessly to other Idaho colleges, however this is ultimately at the discretion of the receiving college. More information on transferability between Idaho colleges can be found on the Idaho Course Transfer website. Idaho colleges have an agreement through the General Education Matriculation (GEM) framework, as these approved courses tend to transfer most flexibly. If a student isn’t particularly sure which major they hope to pursue, a GEM course is highly recommended.
If a student plans to attend a private or out-of-state college, it is advised to contact the final college to ask how Idaho post-secondary credits will be accepted. Each institution will have transfer guides and articulation agreements that can assist with this.
In order to transfer college credit, a transcript will need to be sent.
Transcript Request Document
How to Sign Up
To utilize Advanced Opportunities funds, requests must be made through the student’s local school district. Student and parent will be asked to fill out a participation form that will be kept at their school. Depending on local processes, the student may need to request funds for specific courses/exams through their Advanced Opportunities account, or the Advanced Opportunities staff may apply for funds on their behalf. Check with your school’s Advanced Opportunities staff to learn more about local deadlines and procedures.
To apply for funding, please follow the instructions to create an Advanced Opportunities account.
When applying for Advanced Opportunities funds, please note that this does not
take the place of college registration for dual credit. Each college/university has an admissions and course registration process for their institution.
- Student Sign-Up Instructions Student Sign-Up Instructions English Version | Student Sign-Up Instructions versión en español
- Student Account Presentation
- Participation Form Participation Form English Version | Participation Form versión en español
Enrolling in Dual Credit Courses
Applying for college courses is different than applying for funds through the Advanced Opportunities program. The following is the general process:
- Complete Dual Credit Application: This information provides the necessary details to register for courses and ensures the criteria for enrolling in dual credit courses is met.
- Complete Course Registration: This registration is the actual selection of courses.
- If necessary, complete IDLA Application: When taking an online dual credit course through the Idaho Digital Learning Alliance, will need to work with the IDLA site coordinator at the school to get signed up.
Processes, deadlines, and requirements for college courses differ between colleges and universities. It is important to be aware of the requirements for the college(s) you are choosing to attend.
View our list of college and university dual credit webpages.
Additional Information
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Administrator Information
Welcome to Advanced Opportunities! Read the Welcome Letter for the first steps to navigating the Advanced Opportunities program.
Technical Support and Documents
Reporting
External Resources
College Providers
- Boise State University
- Brigham Young University – Idaho
- College of Eastern Idaho
- College of Western Idaho
- College of Southern Idaho
- Idaho State University
- Lewis-Clark State College
- North Idaho College
- Northwest Nazarene University
- Treasure Valley Community College
- University of Idaho
Family Resources
- Next Steps Idaho
- CourseTransfer Idaho
- IDeal – Idaho College Savings Program
- Idaho Commission for Libraries
- Dual Credit Resource Center
Online College Courses
Program Information
Program Definitions
Additional Costs
Depending on the course and type there may be additional costs not met by Advanced Opportunities program funding. For example, costs could include: textbooks, transportation, tools, supplies, and transcription fees.
Awarding Credit
Course Types
Advanced Opportunities (AO) is inclusive of many different course types including college courses for both Career & Technical Education (CTE) and academic education that earn high school credit.
Early Graduate Scholarship
An early graduate is determined by the school district exit code and the verification of enrollment by the college.
A student must apply within two years of graduation and be attending an Idaho public college through the student Advanced Opportunities account.
Annual scholarship payments will be made in one (1) installment during the first semester in which the student is enrolled, regardless of the number of years early the student graduated. Proof of enrollment in an Idaho public college or university is obtained via the Advanced Opportunities portal before any scholarship payment is made. The Idaho Department of Education will be responsible for making payments to the Idaho public colleges and universities attended by eligible students. Payments will be made no later than August 30 for the Summer Semester, August 30 for the fall semester and January 30 for the spring semester.
The following are the deadlines for scholarship submission to be considered in the corresponding semester:
- Summer Semester: Application submitted by June 1
- Fall Semester: Application submitted by August 1
- Spring Semester: Application submitted by January 1
Eligible Courses
Courses that espouse a religious doctrine are prohibited.
College dual credit courses must be provided by a regionally accredited college.
Failing a Course
Failing a course is determined by the course provider and generally means a student who withdrew, (earned a “W”) or a student who failed (earned a “F” letter grade.)
If a student fails to earn credit or successfully complete a course or exam for which the department has paid a reimbursement, the student shall pay for and successfully earn credit or pay for an examination before the state department of education pays any further reimbursements for the student.
Failing an Exam
At a minimum, a student whose exam is paid by Advanced Opportunities for which the student does not complete, the student will be deemed as unsuccessful for Advanced Opportunities funding purposes.
Each school district has the ability to further determine the interpretation of unsuccessful in regards to specific exams, but it is not required. The school district policy may inclu.
Grading
Grading policies vary by school district and provider. A student may enroll in a course for secondary credit, for postsecondary credit, or dual credit. If a college course is paid for by Advanced Opportunities, dual credit is required, meaning high school transcription is required. In the cases where a student is enrolled for dual credit, the student will likely receive a secondary and post-secondary grade. Students are responsible for providing grades and other necessary information in order to receive secondary credit for a post-secondary course, if desired. In many circumstances a student’s post-secondary institution will share information automatically with the secondary institution so high school credit can be granted.
High School-level Coursework
Advanced Opportunities may pay for overload courses, which are high school level courses that must be transcribed on a high school transcript, taken in excess of a full credit load, must be offered by the organization that accredits Idaho public schools, and must be taught by an Idaho certified teacher with the appropriate high school credentials. A full credit load means at least 12 credits per school year for grades 7-12. Overload is measured in the term for which the student is enrolled. Summer is generally considered overload, as courses are typically not expected of a student. Certain circumstance may vary by school.
Homeschool/Private School Students
The statute governing these programs explicitly states that these funds are available to students who are attending an Idaho public school. In many cases, homeschool students choose to dually enroll and participate in public school for Advanced Opportunities eligibility. Eligibility is determined by the school. Students attending an accredited Idaho private school should visit Advanced Opportunities for non-public school students.
Prohibited Expenses
Advanced Opportunities funding is limited to exams and courses, thus lab fees, prior learning credit transcription fees, and textbook fees are currently prohibited expenses. Many school districts and college providers have resources to help with these costs.
Repeated and Remedial Courses
Repeated and remedial courses or examinations are not eligible for funding through the program. Repeated courses are generally determined by the curriculum, and they may include similar or like course naming conventions or titles. Remedial courses are those courses designed for students in need of additional support to succeed in gateway courses in mathematics or English and require to be completed before a student may enroll in the college level work. Remedial courses are generally numbered below 100.
SESC Divisions
Quick Links
Sign up for AO Newsletter
Dual Credit Coordinators
Dual Credit Resource Center
Early Graduation Scholarship Contacts
Transcript Request
Workforce Training Contacts
Learn About Advanced Opportunities
Participation Form
Contact
General Information
StudentOpportunities@sde.idaho.gov
Rebecca Mattucci
Regional Contractor
(208) 991-3287
rmattucci@sde.idaho.gov
Helen Savage
Regional Contractor
(208) 305-0372
hsavage@sde.idaho.gov
Text Alerts
Schools: Text @sdeschool to 81010
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