During the recent Prescott School District Board meeting, recommendations were made for eight students to be approved for Youth Options, college course funding extended to Prescott juniors and seniors that pays for classroom and online courses through University of Wisconsin River Falls. This is a state of Wisconsin mandated program and students must meet several criteria to be considered for acceptance including good academic standing and a documented record of school attendance. A proposed amount of just over $10,000 was slated for approval for 8 students to receive funding for higher level classes for the 2015-2016 school year. High School Guidance Counselor Steve Peterson tells KDWA how the students take advantage in this opportunity.
Peterson continues with how Prescott schools have a much different level of responsibility than Minnesota schools when it comes to the funding of this offering.
Funding aside, several other factors influence the acceptance of the Prescott student, including class availability and scheduling of classes. The opportunity often requires the high school student to face difficult choices when these schedules overlap. Factoring in travel time and other priorities like sports and the arts, students and parents often struggle with the choice between the high school experience and the incentive to get a head start on college.
With education costs on the rise, the state-mandated program puts a decided strain on an already limited budget, but Peterson stressed the continued commitment by faculty and administration to provide the best possible education for their students.