State report cites barriers to college enrollment

BOISE (AP) - Idaho ranks last among its neighbors for providing state and local financial aid to college students, according to a new state report presented Monday to lawmakers.

But research also shows that college students are not taking full advantage of scholarship money Idaho makes available each year. The report prepared by the state's Office of Performance Evaluations found about $1.3 million was left untouched from a state-supported scholarship fund during the past two years.

That money went back to Idaho's general fund, according to the Idaho Legislature's budget director.

"While these scholarship moneys, in excess of $1.3 million, were reverted back to the General Fund and were not lost, per se, they were not used for their intended scholarship purposes," budget director Cathy Holland-Smith wrote in a letter included in the report presented to lawmakers.

The report recommends education officials work with lawmakers to review the state scholarship appropriation.