| Dual credit is changing the landscape of education in Idaho and most states in this country. The desire to keep high school students engaged academically throughout the entirety of their highschool careers coupled with a desire by parents, state education policy makers, and funders toaccelerate degree and certificate attainment makes dual credit a popular tool for all involved.The state of Idaho’s approach to increase degree and certificate attainment to better address agrowing need for a skilled workforce resulted in the adoption of the 2016 Idaho AdvancedOpportunities Act. This act established a program through which the state of Idaho provides$4,125 for dual credit courses along with other activities designed to help students advance their postsecondary learning while still in high school. The program pays 100% of the student cost for their dual credit courses. This qualitative case study looked at the Idaho Advanced OpportunitiesProgram (IAOP) through a conceptual framework of rationale choice theory, as students willmake decisions based on what is in their best economic interest. Students, faculty, programadministrators, and policy makers were interviewed for this case study. Dual credit students who participated in the IAOP also provided valuable data through survey responses to help provide context for the entirety of the program. Keywords: dual credit, Idaho, Advanced Opportunities, qualitative case study, rational choice theory, high school rigor, advanced placement. |