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SkillStack

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SkillStack is Idaho's new program that replaces Tech Prep, offering a modern way for high school students in career and technical education (CTE) programs to earn college credit based on the skills they have learned.

Idaho SkillStack is designed to help you turn your hands-on learning in high school into real progress toward a college degree or career. By showing what you can do through skill assessments and digital badges, you can save time, reduce college costs, and begin building your future even before you graduate high school.

Like Tech Prep, SkillStack is especially useful if you're in a high school CTE pathway and want to turn that work into credit at CSI or another Idaho college later on.

How It Works

  1. Take CTE classes at your high school that include a capstone experience and a Technical Skills Assessment (TSA).
  2. In the spring, you'll complete a Post-Secondary Skills Assessment at CSI, which is a hands-on test showing your skills in your CTE area.
  3. If you pass, you'll receive digital SkillStack badges, which you can view in your free personal SkillStack account.
  4. Later, if you enroll as a degree-seeking student at CSI or another participating Idaho college within two years, you can request to have those credits added to your transcript.

How to Get Started

  1. Talk to your high school CTE teacher to see if your program qualifies for SkillStack credit. They can help you with your next steps.
  2. Register at skillstack.idaho.gov to track your badges.

Get College Credit

To receive college credit for your SkillStack badges, you must enroll as a degree-seeking student at a college, not just take dual credit classes. You have up to two years after passing your skills assessment to transcribe the credits.

To transcribe credits please fill out the transcription request form completely and mail a check for $10 a credit to the address below.

College of Southern Idaho
c/o Melissa Chantry
315 Falls Ave
Twin Falls, ID 83303-1238

Because SkillStack is a statewide program, your credits can be transcribed at any participating Idaho college that offers the matching program. For example, if you earn welding credits in high school, you can apply those credits after enrolling at colleges such as the College of Southern Idaho, College of Western Idaho, Idaho State University, Lewis-Clark State College, or North Idaho College. To explore which programs are available at each college, visit the official SkillStack badge list: skillstack.idaho.gov/Default/PublicBadgeList

Questions?

For help or questions, contact CSI's Early College CTE Coordinator, Melissa Chantry, at mchantry@csi.edu or call (208) 732-6235.

 

Idaho SkillStack Explained