Bill > H452

This bill establishes a three-year pilot program, funded by legislative appropriations, to help prevent students from dropping out of school and to support those who have already left. The program will be managed by the department of elementary and secondary education and will offer competitive grants to school districts or local community agencies that serve students in districts with higher-than-average dropout rates. These programs will focus on high school students at risk of dropping out or who have already left school, using methods such as alternative education programs that offer diplomas or GEDs with evidence-based instruction and support, hiring graduation coaches who help students create and achieve academic and career goals, implementing dropout outreach and recovery programs to re-engage former students, and providing support for expectant and parenting students with flexible scheduling and dedicated liaisons. The department will develop guidelines for reviewing the progress of participating districts and agencies, require their participation in evaluations, and submit annual reports to the legislature detailing the program's implementation, student outcomes, and effectiveness, with a final report at the end of the pilot period recommending whether the program should be continued, expanded, or ended.