Idaho State Capitol – The Senate Education committee voted to send Senator Grant Burgoyne’s/(D-Boise) Idaho Promise legislation to the 14th order for possible amendment. Idaho’s approach to increasing the percentage of residents prepared to enter the skilled workforce has a serious gap that new legislation proposed by Sen. Burgoyne intends to fill. Currently, local communities lack effective ways to help students after high school graduation transition into postsecondary career-ready programs and, from there, into skilled jobs. The Idaho Promise Mentor Program will create such mechanisms.
“From kindergarten through high school, community volunteers play a critical role in educating and supporting our kids. But that volunteering typically ends at graduation,” Sen. Burgoyne noted. “The Idaho Promise Mentor Program will give communities the chance to act on their concern in seeing their residents gain the skills needed to obtain good paying jobs and build successful lives while, at the same time, retaining these residents and improving the local economy.”
Senator Janie Ward-Engelking, a co-sponsor of the Idaho Promise legislation, believes the legislation will make a difference in our college enrollment numbers.
“Mentor coordinators would be placed throughout the state to work with local communities to identify adults willing to be trained to mentor students and their families during the transition into college, career training, and skilled jobs. Mentorship is especially critical in the summer months after graduation when high school counselors are no longer available and students may not have access to college or career advisors,” Sen. Ward-Engelking explained. “It is also important for military veterans and other adults interested in entering a career-ready credential program and preparing to enter the workforce.”
Idaho Promise mentors do not need formal education or training beyond high school. Mentors must pass background checks. They would be matched with 10 or fewer mentees and expected to serve for five or fewer total hours per month. Through training sessions, mentors will learn how to assist students and families to explore college and job training options, complete financial aid forms, access educational support services, successfully complete postsecondary programs and apply for skilled employment.
“In recent years, the state has made a significant investment in hiring more middle and high school college and career advisors. This is important, but we are still a long way from preparing enough Idahoans for the thousands of high wage jobs that go unfilled each year,” Sen. Burgoyne said. “It is time to help local community members play an active role in supporting recent high school graduates, veterans, and other adults to build the kind of skilled workforce throughout Idaho that all of our communities need.”
Jean Henscheid, a fellow with the National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience and Students in Transition, was instrumental in drafting the legislation and expressed her excitement that the committee had sent the bill to the House floor.
“Senator Burgoyne and I met with the Workforce Development Council, the Idaho State Board of Education, the STEM Action Center, all eight Idaho colleges and universities, the Idaho Community College Consortium, RISE Treasure Valley Education Partnership, and Idaho Association Commerce and Industry while drafting this legislation.” Henscheid said. “We structured the legislation based on the feedback and guidance that we received from all of these education partners. I believe that we have introduced the best version of the bill for Idaho students and families.”