Boise, Idaho – The State of Idaho finalized its fall 2024 postsecondary enrollment and go-on numbers last week, showing an even larger improvement than previously thought after the first year of LAUNCH – Idaho’s innovative workforce training program.

The State Board of Education’s full research report details the data and can be found at this link: https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/7b59f0140f3e409992c3e1b07e751aad

The report confirms the anticipated enrollment trends announced earlier and shows the workforce training landscape in Idaho is booming even more than expected.

“It is abundantly clear to me that without Idaho LAUNCH, we would not have seen the increases in workforce training enrollment that we are now. President Trump himself said we need to embrace new and effective job training approaches, and no program is working better to achieve that goal than LAUNCH. The numbers and research prove conclusively the first year of Idaho LAUNCH was a unique success,” Governor Little said.

The standout highlights from the research show:

• Community college enrollment increased by a staggering 18%
• Overall student enrollment increased by 11%
• An outstanding 19% increase in students with a 2.7% GPA or less going on. These are students who may have never considered pursuing a rewarding, in-demand profession.
• A whopping 15% increase in economically disadvantaged students going on
• A 5.6% increase in Idaho resident students at our institutions, showing we are focusing on IDAHO students

Students are among the strongest supporters of Idaho LAUNCH. The student body presidents of Boise State University, Idaho State University, the University of Idaho, and Lewis-Clark State College presented a “Resolution in Support of the Idaho LAUNCH Program” to Governor Little in his office today. The resolution can be found at this link: https://gov.idaho.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/launch-support-resolution.pdf

The students’ resolution opens with:

“The purpose of this resolution is to formally voice our support for the Idaho LAUNCH Program, which has expanded workforce development opportunities for Idahoans. We recognize and appreciate the significant benefit of Idaho LAUNCH in making both higher education and the trades more accessible and affordable, resulting in a positive economic impact for the state of Idaho.”

“I am proud of what we have been able to accomplish with Idaho LAUNCH. Our state continues to demonstrate success and sets the example for other states to follow. We are improving lives by offering opportunities for Idaho students to stay in Idaho and pursue rewarding careers that help our economy. I commend the Legislature and their continued support for Idaho LAUNCH through the passing of Senate Bill 1110,” Governor Little said.

“The State Board of Education is proud of the work we and the Workforce Development Council have done to show the success of Idaho LAUNCH. Our research team has put together a report that clearly shows the importance of workforce training and post-secondary education in Idaho, and that our students are clamoring for more education and training. The Board stands ready to help the Governor, Workforce Development Council, and the Legislature continue to make LAUNCH an Idaho success,” State Board of Education Executive Director Josh Whitworth said.

“The Idaho Workforce Development Council is thrilled to see this preliminary research on the positive outcomes of Idaho LAUNCH. We are excited for the students benefiting from the program and eager to see the long-term impact on strengthening Idaho’s economy. Idaho LAUNCH is changing the game for Idaho seniors just one year into its rollout, and the council is excited to see its continued success,” Workforce Development Council Executive Director Wendi Secrist said.