SUMMARY:

LC 33 7598   LC 33 7812S   LC 33 7812S(SCS)   LC 33 7984S

Would require all public schools with grade 9 or above to make available to eligible students elective courses in "History and Literature of the Old and New Testament Eras". 

The House Committee on Education offered a substitute to this bill which has an addition of a provision for the "Realizing Educational Achievement Can Happen (REACH) Scholarship Program".  This is a needs-based mentoring and scholarship program designed to provide promising students the support to graduate high school and achieve postsecondary educational success. To qualify for this scholarship program students would have to:

• be a United States Citizen or an eligible noncitizen for 12 consecutive months prior to the first day of classes of the spring term of the student's seventh grade school year
• be enrolled in a REACH participating school system
• qualify for the federal free or reduced lunch program
• not have had more than two in-school suspensions during the two semesters or four quarters immediately preceding the spring term of the student's seventh grade year
• not have any criminal or drug-related convictions
• not have more than five days of unexcused absences during any of the student's middle school calendar years
• have their parents or guardians complete and submit a release of information form as part of the application process, authorizing the school to provide the authority information related to the student's participation in the program
• demonstrate academic promise as defined by the authority, taking into consideration grades, attendance and behavior.

Subject to funding the authority will provide $10,000.00 for each REACH scholar for the first year of the school systems participation in the scholarship program. Each year after, each school system participating in the REACH scholarship program will be responsible for a proportionate share of the scholarship as designated by the Department of Community Affairs.  

EFFECTIVE DATE:

July 1, 2019, if passed.