Students may have the chance to redo a year of school after Gov. Andy Beshear signed Senate Bill 128 into law Wednesday. The decision now moves into the hands of local school boards.
The law would allow students, regardless of academic status, to remain in their current grade level for the 2021-22 academic year and to retake or supplement classes they’ve taken during the pandemic.
The law would also give high school student-athletes an extra year of eligibility as long as they do not turn 19 before Aug. 1 of their senior year. Other KHSAA regulations such as transfer rules would remain in effect.
The final decision on whether or not students get a repeat year will be up to local boards of education. The law requires each board to either accept all requests or none at all from their students.
Student requests to redo the year must be made by May 1. School boards have until June 1 to determine if they will accept requests. If they do, plans for implementation along with all requests must be submitted to the state by June 16.
Last week, local private schools said they didn’t anticipate the legislation affecting their systems because they have utilized in-person instruction for most of the year.
Officials with both Owensboro and Daviess County public schools systems said they are in discussions but no decisions have been made one way or another.
The Kentucky House voted 92-5 in favor of passing Senate Bill 128, which cleared the Senate unanimously.
