KRS 158.145: Legislative findings and declarations on school dropout rate.

(1) The General Assembly hereby finds that:

(a) Little progress has been made in reducing the state's student dropout

rate;

(b) The number of school dropouts in Kentucky is unacceptable;

(c) The factors, such as lack of academic success, poor school attendance,

lack of parental support and encouragement, low socioeconomic status,

poor health, child abuse, drug and alcohol addictions, alienation from

school and community, and other factors that are associated with an

increased probability of students dropping out of school, occur long before

the end of compulsory school age;

(d) Students who drop out of school before graduation are less likely to have

the basic capacities as defined in KRS 158.645 and the skills as defined

in KRS 158.6451;

(e) The number of school dropouts seriously interferes with Kentucky's ability

to develop and maintain a well-educated and highly trained workforce;

(f) The effects of students dropping out of school can be felt throughout all

levels of society and generations in increased unemployment and

underemployment, reduced personal and family incomes, increased

crime, decreased educational, social, emotional, and physical well-being,

and in increased needs for government services; and

(g) The positive reduction in school dropouts can only be achieved by

comprehensive intervention and prevention strategies.

(2) The General Assembly declares on behalf of the people of the Commonwealth

the following goals to be achieved by the year 2006:

(a) The statewide annual average school dropout rate will be cut by fifty

percent (50%) of what it was in the year 2000. All students who drop out

of a school during a school year and all students who have not graduated,

fail to enroll in the school for the following school year, and do not transfer

to another school, shall be included in the statewide annual average

school dropout rate;

(b) No school will have an annual dropout rate that exceeds five percent

(5%); and

(c) Each county will have thirty percent (30%) fewer adults between the ages

of sixteen (16) and twenty-four (24) without a high school diploma or a

High School Equivalency Diploma than the county had in the year 2000.