KRS 158.142: Early high school graduation program -- Requirements -- Early

Graduation Scholarship Certificate -- Award from early graduation

scholarship trust fund.

(1) Beginning with the 2014 -2015 school year, a public school student may complete

an ea rly high school graduation program and qualify for an Early Graduation

Scholarship Certificate for use at a Kentucky public two (2) year community and

technical college or a Kentucky four (4) year public or nonprofit, independent

institution that is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, if

conditions specified in this section are met.

(2) Each student desiring to complete an early graduation program shall indicate to the

secondary school principal his or her intent prior to the beg inning of grade nine (9)

or as soon thereafter as the intent is known. The intent shall be indicated on a form

provided by the Kentucky Department of Education and signed by the parent.

(3) For early graduation in accordance with this section, a student sh all successfully

complete the requirements for early high school graduation as established in

administrative regulation by the Kentucky Board of Education.

(4) The Kentucky Board of Education or a local board of education shall not impose

graduation requir ements that would prohibit a student who is pursuing an early

graduation program as described in this section from finishing high school in less

than four (4) years.

(5) Students pursuing early graduation may take two (2) high school English courses in

an academic year.

(6) Students pursuing early graduation may complete selected courses at the middle

school level. Each school district is encouraged to provide access to all middle

school students to English I and Algebra I courses for high school credit. Ac cess

may be provided by each middle school offering the course on -site or by the district

providing transportation for students to a central location within the district, to a

neighboring school within the district, or to a neighboring school district. The

district may also provide access for the student to take these courses online based on

the local board of education policy.

(7) (a) In addition to the regular high school diploma, a student who completes a

program of study that meets the requirements of s ubsection (3) of this section

shall receive an Early Graduation Scholarship Certificate signed by the high

school principal and district superintendent.

(b) A student who earns an Early Graduation Scholarship Certificate shall be

eligible for a scholarship award to be used at an institution described in

subsection (1) of this section. The award amount shall be equal to one -half

(1/2) of the state portion of the average statewide per pupil guaranteed base

funding level as described in KRS 157.360 for the yea r in which the student

graduates.

(c) The student shall be eligible for the scholarship award only for the next

academic year following early graduation.

(d) Each public high school shall report all Early Graduation Scholarship

Certificate recipients by July 1 for the previous academic year to the Kentucky

Higher Education Assistance Authority.

(e) Each postsecondary institution described in subsection (1) of this section shall

notify the Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority of students with

an Early Graduation Scholarship Certificate who enroll in the institution. The

authority shall disburse the award amount described in paragraph (b) of this

subsection from the early graduation trust fund established by KRS 164.7892.