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Idaho
81,571 high school students

State Profile
As states work to raise their academic standards, several national high school reform initiatives are assisting them in their efforts to strengthen their high schools so that they provide students with a 21st century education and skills.

Through the profile provided here, the National High School Center offers (a) a snapshot of the state’s graduation requirements and college entrance requirements (see table below) and (b) summaries of national reform initiatives active in the state (see list below table).

High School and College Alignment in the State
The following table shows the state’s alignment between high school graduation requirements and minimum state college entrance requirements, providing a quick source for determining whether there is a gap between what students must know to graduate and what they are expected to have mastered in order to enter college.

High School Graduation Requirements College Admission Requirements**

English Units*

9

8

 

Speech (1)

Composition, Literature, or courses which integrate components of Composition, Literature, and Language.

Mathematics Units

6

6

 

Including Algebra I and Geometry.
2 credits must be taken in last year of
high school

Applied Math I or Algebra I; Geometry or Applied Math II or III; and Algebra II

Social Studies Units

5

5

 

US History, Economics and American Government

From American Government, Geography, U.S. History, World History, Economics, Psychology, Sociology.

Science Units

6

6

 

4 w/lab

2 w/lab and from anatomy, biology, chemistry, geology, earth science, physical science, physiology, physics, and zoology

Foreign Language Units

N/S

N/S

Art Units

N/S

N/S

Additional Units

Humanities (Interdisciplinary
Humanities, Fine Arts or
Foreign Language) - 2
Health - 1
Electives - 17

Humanities and Language- 2
Art/Speech/Debate/Foreign Language - 3

Total Units

46

30

Tests

Idaho Standards Achievement Test (ISAT)

SAT or ACT

Source

Idaho Department of Education

University of Idaho

* Units are measured in credit hours.
** Admission requirements for the University of Idaho.

National High School Improvement Initiatives at Work in the State
As states work to ready high school students for postsecondary success, many are partnering with national organizations to undertake high school improvement efforts. The following list includes national improvement initiatives at work in the state. National initiatives are defined as significant programs, projects, technical assistance, or key information clearinghouses dedicated to high school improvement. For information about and related to research on these initiatives, please click on the name of the initiative to link to a synthesis:


Idaho State High School Improvement Initiatives
For information on high school improvement initiatives launched at the state level visit Idaho’s High Schools That Work Web page.

Idaho ARRA Information
For information on Idaho's ARRA efforts as it relates to education, please visit the state Web page.

Idaho ARRA Information
For information on Idaho's ARRA efforts as it relates to education, please visit the state Web page.