Compulsory school attendance compromise reached

Students dropping out of high school would be required to undergo an exit interview under a bill amended and advanced from select file March 28.

Currently, a student may terminate school enrollment with the notarized consent of a parent or guardian at age 16. LB996, introduced by Lexington Sen. John Wightman, originally would have raised the age of compulsory attendance to 18 years of age.

“The era when a high school dropout can earn a living wage is over,” Wightman said. “It is in the best interest of the child to stay in school.”

A Wightman amendment, adopted 32-1, instead would provide a mechanism for students wanting to drop out of school for financial or health reasons. Wightman said the amendment would make it more difficult for students to drop out but still would give them a method of recourse.

“This amendment is designed to make the parent as accountable as possible for allowing their student to drop out,” Wightman said. “We would be sending a message to parents and students that they should stay in school.”

Under the amendment, any parent or legal guardian wishing to withdraw a student from school would be required to notify the student’s school district. An exit interview would be conducted with the student, parent or legal guardian, superintendent and school principal.

The parent or guardian would be required to provide evidence that the student is facing either a financial hardship that requires that the student be employed to support the student’s family or an illness making attendance improbable or impossible.

During an exit interview, a superintendent would be required to provide information about alternative educational opportunities and reduced future earning potential and likelihood for unemployment for high school dropouts. At the end of the interview, if the parties wished to continue with the withdrawal, both the parent or legal guardian and the student would be required to sign the withdrawal form.

York Sen. Greg Adams supported the amendment, acknowledging that the exit interview may have no effect on a student’s decision.

“The conversation may never change their mind,” Adams said. “But we’re making sure everyone in the decision-making process makes an attempt to encourage that young man or woman to finish school.”

Senators advanced the bill to final reading on a 25-9 vote.