HB 2158 concerns the role of educational districts in dropout prevention, intervention, and reengagement activities. The bill states that educational service districts are uniquely positioned to play an important role in convening school districts and other partners to develop and deliver dropout prevention, intervention, and reengagement services throughout their region and that that these activities be considered a basic core service for all educational service districts.
In order to fulfill the mission of helping to provide pupils with equal educational opportunities, the bill states that each educational service district must (as a basic core service): coordinate and convene school, family, and community partnerships to develop and implement comprehensive K-12 dropout, prevention, intervention, and reengagement systems, facilitate and assist local partnerships in using dropout, prevention, intervention, and reengagement system assessment tools; and develop dropout reengagement programs to be offered under contract with school districts
The bill adds that an educational service district that offers a dropout reengagement program under contract with one or more school districts may award high school credit to students who successfully complete courses eligible for credit under the program.
Substitute: As amended, HB2158 adds dropout prevention, intervention, and reengagement services to the basic core services to be provided by Educational Service Districts (ESDs). Additionally, the bill authorizes the ESDs that operate dropout reengagement programs under contract to grant high school credits and issue transcripts to students, with the agreement of the contracting school district.
