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(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

Relates to SB82

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

State Department of Public Education (SDE)

LFC files

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

House Education Committee Substitute for House Bill 194 appropriates $750.0 to SDE for the purpose of providing self-sustaining high school education programs that include training in prenatal care, parenting, healthy relationships, problem solving and economic independence for teenage parents as well as professional development, resources and technical assistance for teachers addressing both intervention and prevention of teenage pregnancy.

Significant Issues

This bill will provide funding for the expansion of the Graduation, Reality And Dual-Role Skills GRADS program a teen parent program currently operating in 27 high schools with on-site child care. Programs that offer on-site child care are significant to prevention of drop-outs and recruitment of previous drop-outs.

According to SDE, the primary focus of the GRADS program is to reduce teenage pregnancy and to provide education and support for teen parents to enable them to graduate from high school, have healthy babies, improve parenting skills, and to develop employability skills that will enable them to advance to post-secondary education and gainful employment.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

This bill appropriates $750.0 in general fund to the State Department of Public Education for expenditure by the Vocational Education Division in fiscal year 2000. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of the fiscal year 2000 shall revert to the general fund.

In FY99, the GRADS program is funded with non-recurring general fund in the amount of $200.0.

SDE indicates that under the current GRADS funding cycle, eligible school districts receive funding over a three year period to implement the program. Districts will be required to sustain the program beyond the initial funding period.

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

The State Department of Education indicates that this legislation would provide for the continuation of an on-going project currently administered by the department and administrative costs will be absorbed through the agency operating budget.

DUPLICATION

This bill relates to SB82.

OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES

SDE can provide statistical data on the GRADS program upon request.

CTF/prr