Section 158.146 - Establishment of strategy to address school dropout problem - Department to provide technical assistance, award grants, and disseminate information to school districts and school level personnel(1) No later than December 30, 2000, the Kentucky Department of Education shall establish and implement a comprehensive statewide strategy to provide assistance to local districts and schools to address the student dropout problem in Kentucky public schools. In the development of the statewide strategy, the department shall engage private and public representatives who have an interest in the discussion. The statewide strategy shall build upon the existing programs and initiatives that have proven successful. The department shall also take into consideration the following:(a) Analyses of annual district and school dropout data as submitted under KRS 158.148 and 158.6453;(b) State and federal resources and programs, including, but not limited to, extended school services; early learning centers; family resource and youth service centers; alternative education services; preschool; service learning; drug and alcohol prevention programs; School-to-Careers; High Schools that Work; school safety grants; and other relevant programs and services that could be used in a multidimensional strategy;(c) Comprehensive student programs and services that include, but are not limited to, identification, counseling, mentoring, and other educational strategies for elementary, middle, and high school students who are demonstrating little or no success in school, who have poor school attendance, or who possess other risk factors that contribute to the likelihood of their dropping out of school; and(d) Evaluation procedures to measure progress within school districts, schools, and statewide.(2) No state or federal funds for adult education and literacy, including but not limited to funds appropriated under KRS 151B.409 or 20 U.S.C. secs. 9201 et seq., shall be used to pay for a high school student enrolled in an alternative program operated or contracted by a school district leading to a certificate of completion or a High School Equivalency Diploma.(3) The department, with assistance from appropriate agencies, shall provide technical assistance to districts requesting assistance with dropout prevention strategies and the development of district and schoolwide plans.(4) The department shall award grants to local school districts for dropout prevention programs based upon available appropriations from the General Assembly and in compliance with administrative regulations promulgated by the Kentucky Board of Education for this purpose. Seventy-five percent (75%) of the available dropout funds shall be directed to services for at-risk elementary and middle school students, including, but not limited to, identification, counseling, home visitations, parental training, and other strategies to improve school attendance, school achievement, and to minimize at-risk factors. Twenty-five percent (25%) of the funds shall be directed to services for high school students identified as likely to drop out of school, including, but not limited to, counseling, tutoring, extra instructional support, alternative programming, and other appropriate strategies. Priority for grants shall be awarded to districts that average, over a three (3) year period, an annual dropout rate exceeding five percent (5%).(5) The department shall disseminate information on best practices in dropout prevention in order to advance the knowledge for district and school level personnel to address the dropout problem effectively.Amended by 2019 Ky. Acts ch. 146,§ 27, eff. 6/26/2019.Amended by 2017 Ky. Acts ch. 63,§ 13, eff. 6/29/2017.Effective:7/13/2004
Amended 2004, Ky. Acts ch. 103, sec. 3, effective7/13/2004. -- Created 2000, Ky. Acts ch. 452, sec. 2, effective 7/14/2000.