| Summary |
The bill establishes a bill of rights for K-12 students who are
involved in any capacity with the juvenile or criminal justice system
(justice-engaged student). School districts, boards of cooperative services,
charter schools, and institute charter schools (local education providers)
must follow the bill of rights for justice-engaged students. The bill of
rights includes, but is not limited to, providing the justice-engaged student
with a graduation and promotion plan; appropriate credit for coursework
completed while justice-engaged; prompt enrollment or re-enrollment no
later than 10 business days after the first request to the local education
provider; and allowing the justice-engaged student to participate in school
activities or career readiness pathways in accordance with rules
promulgated by the state board of education (board).
Each local education provider shall publish on its website an
explanation of the services and resources available for justice-engaged
students, including the name, phone number, and email address of a
designated, trained point-of-contact person (contact person) at the local
education provider. The contact person shall complete annual training
developed by the department of education (department) and be
knowledgeable about alternative education options and wraparound
services.
When notified that a student is justice-engaged, the contact person
shall schedule a meeting with the justice-engaged student and the
multi-tiered systems of supports team (MTSS), if one is available, at the
local education provider. If an MTSS is not available, the contact person
shall schedule a meeting with an intervention team. The MTSS or
intervention team shall, in collaboration with the justice-engaged student
and the justice-engaged student's family, develop a customized support
plan related to the justice-engaged student's education needs.
Beginning with the 2025-26 academic year, the department, in
collaboration with the division of youth services and the judicial
department, shall develop a data tracking system to track data on
attendance, drop-out rates, and graduation rates for justice-engaged
students.
The board shall promulgate rules to establish a process and
framework for interpreting and transferring credits and schoolwork
completed by a justice-engaged student while in custody.
The department shall provide guidance to local education
providers on how to allow a justice-engaged student to receive an
accommodation to participate in school activities, including, but not
limited to, graduation ceremonies, sporting events, after-school activities,
and college or career readiness pathways.
On or before September 1, 2025, the bill requires the department
to select and contract with an entity to establish and maintain a statewide
hotline for justice-engaged students, families and caregivers, justice
system personnel, and education personnel. Each justice-engaged student
shall be provided information about the hotline by law enforcement after
ticketing or arrest, by the division of youth services after release from the
division, and by local education providers after notification that a student
has become justice-engaged.
The bill requires the entity operating the hotline to submit a written
report to the department and board on or before June 30, 2025, and each
June 30 thereafter. The report must categorize and summarize the number
of calls received, the type of person calling, types of supports or referrals
provided, and the geography of calls received so that service gaps can be
identified.
The department shall create and maintain a position to serve as a
support person to assist students from frontier and rural school districts
who have been denied re-entry into school by a local education provider.
Under current law, if a child or youth is within a court's
jurisdiction, a preliminary investigation is made to determine whether
further actions be taken to protect the interests of the child or youth or the
community. The bill allows the court to extend the preliminary
investigation for an additional 6 months to make additional findings.
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