FRANKFORT, Ky. (LEX 18) — Gov. Andy Beshear signed Senate Bill 128, the "do-over" bill, into law on Wednesday.
"The pandemic has deprived some students of priceless opportunities and memories," said Gov. Beshear. "This supplemental school year program will allow those students the chance to enjoy the same school year experience they expected a year ago."
Beshear's signature gives all Kentucky K-12 students the chance to re-do this school year. But that opportunity can only happen if local school boards choose to offer this option to their students.
"School boards can decide," said Sen. Max Wise, the sponsor of SB 128. "They can look at how many students wish to do this and see do we have enough teachers? Is this going to cause a major impact? So local control is the key in allowing this to happen or not."
How will everything work? According to the law, a student will need to submit a request to their school board by May 1, 2021. Then, by June 1, 2021 the school board must decide whether it accepts all of the requests or not.
The law specifies that school boards "shall not approve or reject requests on an individual basis." So, they're either offering the re-do year to everyone who wants it or no one at all.
"All or none," said Wise. "We're not allowing - five get chosen but ten do not get chosen. We're not picking and choosing and holding back the star point guard from Butler County. We're not picking or choosing certain ones we think will be good, but not taking all. This is an all or none approach."
