KRS 610.033: Supporting Opportunities for Accountability and Restoration Program --

Duties of Administrative Office of the Courts and school districts -- Responsive

Interventions to Support and Empower teams -- Membership and duties --

Annual report -- Sunset.

(1) A pilot program shall be established in no less than ten (10) public school districts

selected by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court to participate in a Supporting

Opportunities for Accountability and Restoration Program, also known as the

SOAR Program. The SOAR Program shall include at least one (1) school from each

participating school district and shall begin August 1, 2026, and continue for four

(4) years unless extended or limited by the General Assembly.

(2) The Administrative Office of the Courts shall create and maintain a SOAR Program

in each selected school to:

(a) Identify and address barriers to school attendance among students in grades

six (6) through twelve (12); and

(b) Address barriers to successful completion of status offense diversions if a

referral has been made to the RISE team as provided in subsection (6)(b) or

(c) of this section.

(3) All students in grades six (6) through twelve (12) of a school participating in the

SOAR Program who have been absent without excuse for f ive (5) or more days

during a school term, along with a parent, guardian, or other person exercising

custodial control or supervision, shall participate in the SOAR Program.

(4) Each selected school shall establish a Responsive Interventions to Support and

Empower team, also known as the RISE team, whose members shall include:

(a) The director of pupil personnel;

(b) A family resource and youth services center representative of the school;

(c) The school's social worker or school counselor;

(d) A school resource officer;

(e) A local representative of the Department for Community Based Services;

(f) One (1) or more additional members, at least one (1) of whom shall be a

representative of the:

1. Community mental health center;

2. Regional interagency council specified in KRS 200.509(1)(a) to (d) and

(g);

3. Corresponding local interagency council if a council exists; or

4. An additional school-based mental health services provider as defined in

KRS 158.4416; and

(g) The court -designated worker in the participating school district's judicial

district or circuit.

(5) The court-designated worker shall:

(a) Convene and facilitate the RISE team for each selected school district; and

(b) Provide case management support to the family of a participating student.

(6) Each RISE team shall adopt a case management approach and process for

reviewing:

(a) Families subject to a truancy intervention precomplaint;

(b) Referrals from the court-designated worker in cases in which a student has:

1. Failed to appear for a preliminary intake;

2. Declined to enter into a diversion agreement; or

3. Failed to complete the terms of a diversion agreement; and

(c) Status offense cases if the court -designated worker, after review of the

complaint, has determined that no further action is necessary.

(7) The RISE team shall meet with the student and the student's parent, guardian, or

other person exercising custodial control or supervision to develop a family-specific

improvement plan to address the barriers to school attendance or, if referred

pursuant to subsection (6)(b) of this section, address the barriers to successful

completion of a diversion agreement. The RISE team shall also identify resources

to address the identified barriers and issues and assist in connecting the families to

those resources.

(8) The RISE team shall be a part of Kentucky's juvenile justice system under KRS

17.125 and shall, subject to restrictions imposed by state or federal law, disclose

and share with other identified agencies all information they maintain on a student

in accordance with KRS 17.125.

(9) Each participating school district shall provide attendance information necessary for

the SOAR Program.

(10) The Administrative Office of the Courts shall submit an annual report to the

Legislative Research Commission for referral to the Interim Joint Committee on

Judiciary and the Interim Joint Committee on Education beginning July 1, 2027,

and by July 1 of each following year, that includes:

(a) The number of students referred to the SOAR Program;

(b) The services to which the family was referred;

(c) The number of students who completed the SOAR Program;

(d) The number of students who did not successfully complete the SOAR

Program that resulted in a habitual truancy complaint and the reasons for the

unsuccessful completion; and

(e) Recommendations for improvement of the SOAR Program.