PUBLIC SCHOOLS - PROGRAMS TO PREVENT PUBLIC STUDENT DROPOUTS - REPEALED — 1987 Pa. Act 49 (historical enacted text)

Historical Act text

PRIOR PRINTER'S NOS. 12, 1586 PRINTER'S NO. 1816
INTRODUCED BY PRESTON, MANDERINO, PIEVSKY, IRVIS, COWELL,
O'DONNELL, D. R. WRIGHT, ITKIN, DOMBROWSKI, MICHLOVIC, VEON,
F. TAYLOR, STEWART, KUKOVICH, CARN, OLIVER, KOSINSKI, ACOSTA,
TRUMAN, ROEBUCK, FEE, STUBAN, SALOOM, DeLUCA, CAPPABIANCA,
BALDWIN, SHOWERS, COHEN, FATTAH, LINTON, WIGGINS, JOSEPHS,
DEAL, GRUITZA, COLAFELLA, PISTELLA, RUDY, WASS, FOX, COY,
BUNT, R. C. WRIGHT, PRESSMANN, HARPER, LESCOVITZ, LIVENGOOD,
MORRIS, STEIGHNER, LAGROTTA AND EVANS, MARCH 18, 1987
AS AMENDED ON THIRD CONSIDERATION, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
JUNE 10, 1987
AN ACT
1 Promoting the development of programs to prevent students from
2 dropping out of school.
3 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
4 hereby enacts as follows:
5 Section 1. Legislative findings and intent.
6 The General Assembly finds and declares that large numbers of
7 students are leaving school prior to graduation, that these
8 students, due to their lack of education, are unable to
9 participate as productive citizens in the Commonwealth, and that
10 State leadership is required to reduce the number of dropouts
11 from the public school system. It is the intent of this
12 legislation to promote the development of programs to prevent
13 students from dropping out of school, to promote the collection
14 of information on dropouts and to promote the development and
1 use of Statewide programs designed to prevent current students
2 from dropping out.
3 Section 2. Program established.
4 The Department of Education shall establish a program of
5 school dropout prevention.
6 Section 3. Eligible grant applicants.
7 Applications for grants may be submitted by school districts.
8 Section 4. Program requirements.
9 Services and programs may be provided to students in grades
10 kindergarten through 12. Services and programs shall include the
11 following:
12 (1) Academic coursework.
13 (2) Remedial education.
14 (3) Other courses required for graduation.
15 (4) Vocational education.
16 (5) Programs of employment and training and related
17 services, counseling and assessment.
18 (6) Involvement of parents and guardians of students and
19 individuals enrolled in dropout prevention programs.
20 (7) Public information and outreach activities.
21 (8) Human, social and community services.
22 Section 5. Criteria for awarding grants.
23 In awarding grants, the Secretary of Education shall be
24 guided by the following criteria:
25 (1) The extent to which dropout rates in the school
26 district exceed the Statewide average dropout rate.
27 (2) The program effectiveness in prior years if the
28 grant application is intended to provide funding for programs
29 already in existence, expressed in terms of:
30 (i) A decline in both the number and percentage of
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1 students leaving school prior to graduation.
2 (ii) Improvement in the promotion rate, attendance
3 rate and academic achievement of students enrolled in the
4 program.
5 (3) The anticipated results of new programs, expressed
6 in terms of:
7 (i) A decline in both the number and percentage of
8 students leaving school prior to graduation.
9 (ii) Improvement in the promotion rate, attendance
10 rate and academic achievement of students enrolled in the
11 program.
12 (4) The extent to which the school district program is
13 linked to those of other relevant service providers, such as
14 literacy councils, area vocational-technical schools,
15 postsecondary educational and training institutions, private
16 industry councils, social service agencies and community-
17 based organizations.
18 (5) The number of dropouts in the school district.
19 Section 6. Duties and responsibilities of the Secretary of
20 Education.
21 (a) Grant-making process.--The Secretary of Education shall
22 develop applications for grants and make them available to
23 school districts with the highest rates or numbers of dropouts,
24 shall develop any regulations, guidelines or standards required
25 for the implementation of this act, and shall review all grant
26 applications and make grants from funds appropriated for this
27 purpose.
28 (b) Data collection, analysis and distribution.--The
29 Secretary of Education shall prepare a report by February 1 of
30 each year which must, at a minimum, contain the following:
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1 (1) Numbers of students leaving school without
2 graduating.
3 (2) Grade levels at the time of their withdrawal from
4 school.
5 (3) Age at the time of their withdrawal from school.
6 (4) Reasons for withdrawing from school.
7 (5) The postwithdrawal activities of individuals who
8 left school prior to graduation.
9 (6) Numbers of students enrolled in dropout prevention
10 programs.
11 (7) An evaluation of programs provided in the prior
12 school year and their effectiveness.
13 (C) LIMITATIONS TO EACH SCHOOL DISTRICT.--NOTWITHSTANDING <--
14 ANY PROVISION TO THE CONTRARY, NO ONE SCHOOL DISTRICT SHALL
15 RECEIVE MORE THAN 10% OF THE TOTAL FUNDS AVAILABLE UNDER THIS
16 PROGRAM ESTABLISHED BY THE SECRETARY OF EDUCATION IN ANY ONE
17 SCHOOL YEAR.
18 Section 7. Effective date.
19 This act shall take effect July 1, 1987, or immediately,
20 whichever is later.
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