Create new sections of KRS Chapter 610 to establish a pilot program to be known as the Supporting Opportunities for Accountability and Restoration Program for children who are truant; require the pilot program to be established in no less than 10 public school districts; establish the responsive interventions to support and empower teams; establish criteria for participation and procedure for the program; create a new section of KRS Chapter 159 to establish the duties of the director of pupil personnel in school districts that are participating in the pilot program; amend KRS 159.140 to conform; create a new section of KRS Chapter 160 to require schools to collect certain data relating to habitual truancy and require the Kentucky Department of Education to annually report data relating to habitual truancy to the Legislative Research Commission for referral to the Interim Joint Committee on Education and the Interim Joint Committee on Judiciary; amend KRS 610.030 to require the use of an evidence-based family screening tool to identify family strengths, needs, and risks; create family diversion plans and require a child's parent to participate; amend KRS 605.030 to require a court-designated worker to coordinate the pilot program in the school districts that participate; amend KRS 17.125 to allow responsive interventions to support and empower teams to access information on juveniles involved with the juvenile justice system; amend KRS 600.020 to amend the definition of "habitual truant" and define "Supporting Opportunities for Accountability and Restoration Program" or "SOAR Program" and "Responsive Interventions to Support and Empower Teams" or "RISE teams"; create a new section of KRS Chapter 630 to provide that a child who is alleged to be a status offender, adjudicated a status offender, or is a status offender alleged or found to have violated a valid court order shall not be detained in a secure detention facility until the child is at least 16 years old; amend various sections to conform; repeal KRS 630.100.
Amend KRS 158.060 to require teachers to be compensated for noninstructional planning time within their school day during which they are required to supervise or instruct students.
HB 591 requires the Kentucky Department of Education to develop a career pathway focused on performing arts for inclusion in the state's career and technical education (CTE) programs. This bill directly affects Kentucky high school students by creating a new structured educational track in performing arts within existing CTE frameworks. The key mechanism mandates the Department to design this pathway through consultation with the Career and Technical Education Advisory Committee, ensuring it aligns with student needs and employer demands. The bill does not allocate new funding or change current programs but establishes a requirement for the Department to create this specific pathway.
Create a new section of KRS Chapter 160 to require each local school board to include at least 1 student representative; require each local school board to adopt a school board student representative policy with certain requirements.
Amend KRS 156.502 to define "medication" and "sunscreen"; require local boards of education to adopt a policy authorizing students in kindergarten through grade 5 to carry and self administer sunscreen with parent permission and allow students in grades 6 to 12 to carry and self-administer sunscreen; require board policy to cover possession and use in various settings; amend KRS 194A.380 to define "sunscreen"; create a new section of KRS 194A.380 to 194A.383 to require youth camps to adopt a policy authorizing a child to carry and self-administer sunscreen.
HB 685 requires Kentucky's Education Professional Standards Board to issue 5-year teaching certificates to new teachers who pass required assessments. This directly affects new educators and those seeking additional certification in Kentucky public schools, as it mandates successful completion of field-specific tests before receiving a professional certificate. Key provisions include: (1) a 5-year professional certificate after passing assessments, (2) conditional certificates for one year if assessments are failed (with mentoring support), and (3) temporary certificates for out-of-state teachers with less than two years' experience. The bill standardizes certification timelines and assessment requirements without altering existing fee structures or minority recruitment data collection.
Amend KRS 156.070 to require the Kentucky Board of Education or any agency designated to manage interscholastic athletics to train administrators and coaches on how to prevent suicide.
Amend KRS 45.021 to require the Finance and Administration Cabinet to contract with each local board of education of a district that has 65% or more in tax-exempt real property and that does not receive financial relief from other sources for the tax revenue lost from the tax-exempt property, to provide for recoupment to the board of at least 25% of the local board of education's lost tax revenue from the tax-exempt properties.
This resolution urges the Kentucky High School Athletic Association (KHSAA) to recognize girls flag football as an official sport for member schools. It directly affects high school girls in Kentucky who currently participate in unsanctioned pilot programs or the growing Kentucky Girls High School Flag Football Association (KGHSFFA), which expanded from 12 to 24 teams in two years. The resolution cites that 88 KHSAA member schools expressed interest in fielding teams if sanctioned, and notes 17 states have already recognized the sport. The Senate formally encourages KHSAA to take this step, but the resolution itself has no legal force and does not mandate any action.
Amend KRS 164.020 to direct the Council on Postsecondary Education to postpone the approval of any new program at a state postsecondary educational institution if the institution has not met its equal educational opportunity goals; amend KRS 164.011, 164.131, 164.321, 164.821, and 335B.010 to conform; repeal KRS 164.2894, 164.2895, 164.2896, 164.2897, 164.2898. 164.2899, and 335B.035; provide that the Act may be cited as the Restoration of Postsecondary Inclusion and Student Success Programs Act.
