Graduate Early and Receive $4,000

by Mark Cavers During their latest session Indiana’s legislature passed and Governor Mitch Daniels signed into law a bill that will reward students who graduate from high school a year early. Under the program, Indiana high school students who graduate in three years will receive a $4,000 scholarship to attend any Indiana university or trade school. Providing a cash...

by Mark Cavers

During their latest session Indiana’s legislature passed and Governor Mitch Daniels signed into law a bill that will reward students who graduate from high school a year early. Under the program, Indiana high school students who graduate in three years will receive a $4,000 scholarship to attend any Indiana university or trade school.

Providing a cash reward encourages students to complete all graduation requirements in three years instead of the typical four years. The program could benefit two groups of students at opposite ends of the educational spectrum. First, it will encourage students who are not interested in academic pursuits to focus on fulfilling core curriculum so they can graduate early and pursue vocational or other programs. Secondly, for students who are interested in further academic studies it encourages them to prepare for and attend college.

For those eligible, the program gives parents and students more choices: Would they rather spend an extra year in high school taking AP classes or at a university taking a full time college schedule? Would they rather spend their senior year transitioning from high school to college or start college a year earlier? This program helps give families the power to make this choice on an individual basis depending on what is best for them.

Lastly, in a state like Illinois where the foundational level for general state aid is $6,119 and schools often spend over $12,000 educating each student each year, a program like this would be cost neutral or even end up saving money.