CHAPTER 288

HB 619-FN-A - FINAL VERSION

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2003 SESSION

03-0191

04/10

HOUSE BILL 619-FN-A

AN ACT expanding opportunities for dropout prevention and dropout recovery.

SPONSORS: Rep. Leber, Merr 35; Rep. Weyler, Rock 79; Rep. Colcord, Merr 34; Rep. Tahir, Hills 50; Rep. Kennedy, Merr 34; Sen. Gallus, Dist 1; Sen. O'Hearn, Dist 12; Sen. Odell, Dist 8; Sen. Barnes, Dist 17; Sen. D'Allesandro, Dist 20

COMMITTEE: Education

AMENDED ANALYSIS

This bill establishes a dropout prevention and dropout recovery program in the department of education to provide a variety of services to high school students.

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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

12mar03... 0494h

10apr03... 1025h

05/15/03 1546s

06/05/03 1820s

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03-0191

04/10

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Three

AN ACT expanding opportunities for dropout prevention and dropout recovery.

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

288:1 New Subdivision; Dropout Prevention and Dropout Recovery Program. Amend RSA 189 by inserting after section 58 the following new subdivision:

Dropout Prevention and Dropout Recovery Program

189:59 Dropout Prevention and Dropout Recovery Program Established.

I. There is hereby established a dropout prevention and dropout recovery program in the department of education. The department is authorized to provide the services described in this subdivision to the state and to public, quasi-public, and private entities to assist pupils in successfully completing high school. The program shall:

(a) Provide and coordinate services designed to assist pupils in the successful completion of high school.

(b) Encourage individual, corporate, and state support and involvement to promote employment opportunities for New Hampshire's students.

(c) Render assistance in ensuring student placement in quality jobs with ample career opportunities.

(d) Encourage students to pursue postsecondary education by assisting in securing appropriate part-time work to accompany that education.

(e) Encourage lifelong learning by introducing students to the importance of skills training and demonstrating how learning is relevant to skills necessary in the workplace.

(f) Provide tutoring, study skills training, and instruction leading to successful completion of secondary school, including dropout prevention strategies through a school-site mentor.

(g) Provide alternative secondary school services with high academic standards.

(h) Deliver pre-employment and work maturity skill training, paid and unpaid work, work-based learning experiences that teach all aspects of industry-specific and general workplace competencies, including internships, job shadowing, and school sponsored workplace mentoring.

(i) Provide opportunities which may include community service and peer-centered activities encouraging responsibility and other positive social behaviors during non-school hours, including linking youth and adult mentoring, as appropriate.

(j) Provide support services and transitional links that assist students in the elimination of barriers.

(k) Establish an 85 percent graduation rate, and a 90 percent return to school rate as performance goals for program participants most likely to drop out. "Graduation rate" means the number of seniors who receive a diploma from a high school divided by the number enrolled in this program at such high school. "Return to school rate" means the percentage of students in grades 9-11 enrolled in the program who return to school for the next school year.

II. The commissioner of the department of education shall adopt rules pursuant to RSA 541-A, relevant to the implementation of this subdivision. Such rules shall include:

(a) Procedures for securing funds for participating entities.

(b) Methods for tracking compliance with program goals and reporting performance outcomes.

189:60 Dropout Prevention and Dropout Recovery Oversight Council.

I. There is established a dropout prevention and dropout recovery oversight council consisting of the following members:

(a) One member from the house of representatives, appointed by the speaker of the house.

(b) One member from the senate, appointed by the president of the senate.

(c) The commissioner of the department of education, or designee.

(d) The commissioner of the community-technical college system, or designee.

(e) Three members of the public, qualified by education or experience, in dropout prevention and dropout reduction, appointed by the governor and council.

II. The council shall:

(a) Maintain programmatic and fiscal oversight of the program requirements as set forth in this subdivision.

(b) Develop and establish funding opportunities at the federal, state, and local levels for each entity participating in this program.

(c) Review each participating entity's performance outcomes and suggest strategies for improvement where appropriate.

(d) Apply for, receive, and expend any funds from federal, state, or non-state sources, including grants and matching funds which may be available, and accept private donations and gifts from any source.

III.(a) The term of office for council members in subparagraphs I (a)-(d) shall be coterminous with the term of office which qualifies that member to serve on the council. Two members in subparagraph I (e) shall serve a 2-year term of office and one member in subparagraph I(e) shall serve a 3-year term of office. Members of the council shall serve without compensation, except that legislative members shall receive mileage at the legislative rate while attending to the duties of the council.

(b) The council shall elect a member to serve as chairperson of the council. The chairperson shall serve a 2-year term. The council shall meet at least quarterly and may meet more frequently at the call of the chairperson.

(c) Members shall serve until a successor is appointed and confirmed. Vacancies shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment and shall only be for the unexpired term.

189:61 Local Matching Funds Required. A school district may receive dropout prevention and dropout recovery services by a favorable vote of its legislative body authorizing the expenditure of not less than 10 percent of estimated program costs for such school district.

189:62 Eligible Program Participants.

I. All programs shall be eligible to apply for dropout prevention and dropout recovery programs and funds under this subdivision, provided that such programs and funds shall be targeted, to the extent available, to those high schools with the highest dropout rate, as determined by the department of education.

II. Program participants shall be certified by the department of education according to the following criteria:

(a) Programs which focus on youth development strategies.

(b) A minimum of 3 years and preferably 10 or more years of experience at the state and national levels in providing dropout prevention and dropout recovery programming to at-risk youth.

(c) Experience in program delivery in both rural and city high schools in New Hampshire.

(d) Programs shall be existing operations with boards of directors.

(e) Documentable accountability and performance measures with supporting data.

(f) State or national recognition for dropout prevention or dropout recovery.

(g) Ability to provide multiple sources of funds for the purposes of expansion and efficiency of service delivery.

(h) Programs which are members of the National Career Association.

(i) Provide nationally normed outcomes in the following areas:

(1) Basic academic competencies.

(2) Career development.

(3) Job attainment.

(4) Leadership and self development.

(5) Personal skills.

(6) Job survival competencies.

(j) Connection with an established tracking and reporting system.

189:63 Report. The dropout prevention and dropout recovery oversight council shall annually submit a report to the speaker of the house of representatives, the president of the senate, the commissioner of the department of education, and the governor on the status of the dropout prevention and dropout recovery program. The report shall include details regarding an overall assessment of the effectiveness of the program, the utilization of available funds in the program, dropout rates of participating high schools or other participating entities, graduation rates of participating high schools, the percent of participating students pursuing postsecondary education, and the percent of participating students securing employment in the year following graduation.

288:2 Repeal. RSA 189:55, relative to dropout prevention, is repealed.

288:3 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.

(Approved: July 18, 2003)

(Effective Date: September 16, 2003)