By Elisabeth Mann
Teaching for IDLA allows me to build on the values that initially drew me to education: equal opportunity and access for all. At IDLA, students can take courses that may not be available to them due to their location in Idaho. As a Dual Credit teacher, my classes frequently include students from rural areas and smaller school districts, and for many of them, IDLA represents their only opportunity to take a college-level course while still in high school.
Why is this important? This exposure not only allows students to earn college credits but, more importantly, it shows them that college is possible. It gives them confidence to believe that they can succeed in that environment. This is what access looks like in action: students from small Idaho towns earning college credits alongside their peers from larger districts.
Just as Dual Credit opens doors to new opportunities, IDLA’s Credit Recovery and Flex programs reopen doors that would otherwise be closed.
Non-traditional students have always held a special place in my heart. Some students face challenges both inside and outside of school and require different pathways to earn their diplomas. Credit Recovery or Flex courses through IDLA meet these needs and provide students with an opportunity to recover credits and move forward. The opportunity for success is critical and, for many, transformative.
When I first became a teacher in Idaho, I worked at a small alternative high school in Nampa. My principal told me something I will never forget: “Many of our students already know how to fail; our job is to show them how it feels to succeed.”
IDLA does that, and I am grateful to be a small part of it. Teaching here reminds me that education is not just about content; it’s about making sure every student has a door to walk through.
