Some States Prodding Students to Graduate Early

Ball State University freshman Ranshitha Devendran is the recipient of a $4,000 Mitch Daniels Early Education Scholarship for graduating a year early from Burris Laboratory School in Muncie, Ind.

—Matt Detrich for Education Week

By Caralee J. Adams

To give students an incentive to work hard—and save education dollars along the way—some states are encouraging early high school graduation by ramping up curricula or giving college scholarships.

The policies emphasize proficiency over seat time. By giving students the green light to move on if they are ready, the hope is to bypass a senior slump, save families tuition money, and curb districts' instructional costs.

While a few states have rewarded early finishers for years, the concept is gaining momentum. New scholarship programs for early high school graduates are being rolled out in Idaho, Indiana, Minnesota, and South Dakota, and legislation is...