House Bill No. 493 Summary

• Establishes a six-year "Mastery Advancement Pilot Program" allowing students in participating Idaho public schools and charter schools to progress through grades 1-12 curriculum at an accelerated, self-paced rate.

• Limits participation to no more than 21 school districts and 3 charter schools, divided geographically into three regions and selected based on district enrollment size through an application process by December 1, 2010.

• Requires participating schools to administer end-of-course assessments (grades 7-12) and benchmarks (grades 1-6), with students scoring 85% or higher eligible for accelerated study; schools receive funding based on either actual attendance hours or completed courses, whichever is more advantageous.

• Creates a "Mastery Advancement Scholarship" equal to 35% of statewide average daily attendance-driven funding per year of curriculum avoided through early graduation; limited to students completing grades 1-12 in 11 or fewer years who have attended Idaho public schools for at least 4 years, with maximum three years of scholarship eligibility.

• Directs the State Department of Education to develop rules, identify and adopt assessments, report annually on scholarships awarded, and collaborate with institutions of higher education to facilitate concurrent enrollment and advanced placement opportunities for early-graduating students.