The Kentucky Department of Education says many midnight meetings planned at area school districts on June 25 will not place them at the front of the line for a $10,000 grant.
KDE announced grants would be awarded to the first 57 school districts to approve a new minimum dropout age of 18. Undernew state law,districts can choose to increase the dropout age from 16. The earliest school boards will have the chance to do this is June 25, when it becomes law, which has led districts to schedule early morning meetings.But documents won't be able to be uploaded to KDE until some time on June 26, says Nancy Rodriguez, spokeswoman for the Kentucky Department of Education.“The department sent an advisory out about a week ago to superintendents letting them know," she says.This means all 174 Kentucky school districts will have an equal chance of getting the grant money, regardless of time zone. The Jefferson County school board approved a resolution this year in support of raising the dropout age to 18. JCPS is not one of the district that has planned a midnight meeting.KDE will begin awarding the grant money to schools after July first.
