12:39PM Friday
February 15, 2013

BOISE, Idaho (AP) More gifted Idaho high school students are one step closer to having an expedited path to one of the state's public universities under a bill approved by the Senate.

The Senate signed off on a bipartisan bill Friday that makes permanent a pilot program offering high-achieving students college scholarships equal to about $1,400 if they graduate early from high school.

That bill will now move to the House.

Republican Sen. Steve Thayn, of Emmett, said over $40,000 in scholarships was dispersed last year. He said Idaho saved $150,000 that year because the state's cost of educating one student annually is higher than the average award.

Thayn said the measure also benefits local districts by providing them a portion of the state's savings to use for other expenses.