KRS 158.031: Primary school program -- Authority for administrative regulations --

Attributes -- Part time attendance -- Grouping -- Advancement -- Reporting

requirements.

(1) In this section, "primary school program" means that part of the elementary school

program in which children are enrolled from the time they begin school until they

are ready to enter the fourth grade. Notwithstanding any statute to the contrary,

successful completion of the primary school program shall be a prerequisite for a

child's entrance into fourth grade.

(2) The Kentucky Board of Education shall establish, by administrative regulation,

methods of verifying successful completion of the primary school program in

carrying out the goals of education as described in KRS 158.6451.

(3) The primary program shall include the following critical attributes: developmentally

appropriate educational practices; multiage and multiability classrooms; continuous

progress; authentic assessment; qualitative reporting methods; professional

teamwork; and positive parent involvement.

(4) Each school council or, if none exists, the school shall determine the organization of

its ungraded primary program including the extent to which multiage groups are

necessary to implement the critical attributes based on the critical attributes and

meeting individual student needs.

(5) The implementation of the primary program may take into consideration the

necessary arrangements required for students attending part -time and will allow for

grouping of students attending their first year of school when determined to be

developmentally appropriate.

(6) A school district may advance a student through the primary program when it is

determined that it is in the best educational interest of the student. A student who is

at least fiv e (5) years of age, but less than six (6) years of age, and is advanced in

the primary program may be classified as other than a kindergarten student for

purposes of funding under KRS 157.310 to 157.440 if the student is determined to

have acquired the aca demic and social skills taught in kindergarten as determined

by local board policy in accordance with the process established by Kentucky Board

of Education administrative regulation.

(7) Data shall be collected by each school district on the number of stu dents, in each

school having a primary program, who take five (5) years to complete the primary

program. The data shall be reported in the annual performance report described in

KRS 158.6453.