This information was produced by the staff of the Belin-Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development (B-BC) at the University of Iowa (belinblank.org). The resources and information listed here are for informational purposes; there is no direct or implied endorsement by the B-BC. Services provided by the B-BC include programs for academically talented K-12 and college students, professional development for teachers, the Assessment and Counseling Clinic, the Acceleration Institute (accelerationinstitute.org), and graduate programs and research in gifted education.

print Printing

Our pages are formatted to be printer-friendly. Simply click and print.

 Twitter YouTube Facebook WordPress

State Policies in Idaho  

Idaho's state policy leaves local education agencies (LEA) to determine whether and to what extent acceleration is permitted.

Grade-based Acceleration

Early entrance to kindergarten

State policy does not permit. Students must be 5 by Sept. 1 to enroll in kindergarten.

Idaho Code 33-201 states that public schools are open to all children of "school age" (between the ages of 5 and 21 years). Children must turn 5 on or before September 1st to be considered "of school age". However, the law also mentions that once a child is enrolled, the placement can be changed if it is in the child's best interests. See page 1 of the Instruction Manual for Reporting Attendance and Enrollment for more information. Additionally, early admission to school is included as a programming option for gifted youngsters in the Gifted and Talented Primary-Age Students handbook.

Early entrance to 1st gradeIdaho Code 33-201 states that "for a child enrolling in the first grade, the age of six (6) years must be reached on or before the first day of September of the school year in which the child is to enroll. Any child of the age of five (5) years who has completed a private or public out-of-state kindergarten for the required four hundred fifty (450) hours but has not reached the "school age" requirement in Idaho shall be allowed to enter the first grade."
Whole-grade accelerationIn the Gifted and Talented Primary-Age Students handbook, the Idaho Department of Education suggests "grade advancement" as an option to meet the needs of young gifted students (on page 7). Additionally, whole-grade acceleration is mentioned as one of a multitude of options for gifted students of any age in the Best Practices Manual (on page 61).
Early high school graduationState policy permits. The Mastery Advancement Programenables districts and charter schools to utilize mastery exams to allow students to progress quicker through high school. MAP also allows for pilot programs within elementary schools to use various ways of challenging students at the appropriate level. Districts and public charter schools must apply to participate in MAP. Additionally, according to IDAPA 08.02.01-350 (on page 4), students not in the MAP program who have completed "the number of credits and exiting standards required by both the state and the school district prior to completing eight (8) semesters of high school work may petition the local superintendent and board of trustees to graduate early."  For Idaho's High School Graduation Requirements including early Graduation click here.
Early entrance to collegeIf you know where to find this information, please e-mail us.

Content-based Acceleration

Dual or concurrent enrollment in community college, college, or university

State policy leaves LEA to determine.

Idaho public and private universities offer concurrent credits to high-ability high school students. Information about dual credit can be found here.

Middle school students permitted dual or concurrent enrollment in high school

State policy leaves LEA to determine whether dual enrollment in middle and high school is permitted.
Advanced Placement®Idaho schools offer Advanced Placement courses, and encourage students to enroll in the courses and take AP exams. Fee assistance may be available.
Talent Search

There is no in-state Talent Search for Idaho, but gifted students in ID can participate in regional and national talent searches, including those offered by the University of Iowa Belin-Blank Center and the Center for Bright Kids Western Academic Talent Search .

Credit by examination/proficiency-based promotion

State policy leaves LEA to determine whether proficiency-based promotion is permitted.
Other forms of content-based acceleration

Typically left to LEAs to determine. If you know of state-level code, please e-mail us.

Additional Information

Idaho Gifted and Talented
Idaho Department of Education
Idaho: The Association for the Gifted

The information presented on this page was compiled from a variety of resources, including the State of the States in Gifted Education 2018-2019 (a report by the Council of State Directors of Programs for the Gifted and the National Association for Gifted Children), Websites, professional literature, and personal communication. The Acceleration Institute has not verified the accuracy of this information and does not warrant its accuracy or fitness of use for any purpose. Users should verify information prior to taking any action. Furthermore, the appearance of selected programs and/or resources does not imply an endorsement or affiliation. Programs and resources are highlighted for informational purposes only.