Senate Bill 1324 Summary

• Establishes the Idaho Promise Mentor Program as a statewide volunteer mentoring initiative administered by the State Board of Education to help fill skilled, good-paying jobs by creating pathways to career-ready credentials for high school students, recent graduates, veterans, and adults.

• Defines "career-ready credential" as job training certificates or associate degrees lasting no more than two years, or federally registered apprenticeships, with mentoring to include both volunteer mentors (unpaid) and paid mentor coordinators supervising them in each educational region.

• Requires the program to collaborate with workforce development councils, career technical education divisions, postsecondary institutions, apprenticeship programs, public schools, and nonprofits, with full implementation by July 1, 2021.

• Directs the program to raise awareness about financial aid, career options, application processes, and job placement while increasing relevance of high school learning plans and career exploration activities including job fairs, internships, and work-based experiences.

• Mandates annual written reports to specified legislative committees and the governor containing program data on enrollment, credential completion, job placements, financial needs, and return on investment analysis, with mentoring services beginning in high school and continuing through career-ready program completion.