72-3819. Career technical education incentive program. (a) The state board of regents shall establish the career technical education incentive program.

(b) (1) Each school year, to the extent there are sufficient moneys appropriated to the career technical education incentive program, the state board of regents shall make an award to those school districts who have at least one pupil who graduates from a high school in the school district having obtained an industry-recognized credential either prior to graduation from high school or by December 31 immediately following graduation from high school in an occupation that has been identified by the secretary of labor, in consultation with the state board of regents and the state board of education, as an occupation in highest need of additional skilled employees at the time the pupil entered the career technical education course or program in the school district. Such school districts shall receive an award in an amount equal to $1,000 for each such pupil graduating from a high school in the school district. Such awards shall be paid at such times as established by the state board of regents. Such awards shall be expended for the expenses incurred by the board of education of the school district under this subsection, and any moneys remaining after distribution in accordance with this subsection may be expended as determined by the board of education of a school district towards operating the school from which the pupils graduated. Upon receipt of such award and application by a pupil who has not attained a high school diploma and is currently or was previously enrolled in a career technical education course or program in the school district, the board of education of each school district shall pay 1/2 of the costs of the industry-recognized credential assessment specified in such application in an amount not to exceed $1,000. Such industry-recognized credential assessment shall be related to the career technical education course or program which such pupil is currently or was previously enrolled as determined by the board of education. No board of education shall be required to pay 1/2 of the cost of three or more industry-recognized credential assessments for the same or substantially the same industry-recognized credential for a pupil if such pupil fails to earn the industry-recognized credential within two attempts of taking the industry-recognized credential assessment.

(2) The state board of education shall certify to the state board of regents and the director of accounts and reports the amounts due to each school district pursuant to this subsection. Such certification, and the amount payable, shall be approved by the director of the budget. The director of accounts and reports shall draw warrants on the state treasurer payable to the district treasurer of each school district entitled to payment of such award amount, pursuant to vouchers approved by the state board of regents. Upon receipt of such warrant, each district treasurer shall deposit the amount of such award in the general fund of the school district.

(c) (1) Each school year, to the extent there are sufficient moneys appropriated to the career technical education incentive program, the state board of regents shall make an award to a community college, technical college or institute of technology who has at least one secondary student who is currently or was previously admitted to a career technical education course or program in accordance with subsection (c) of K.S.A. 72-3810, and amendments thereto, and such secondary student is regularly enrolled in and attending a private secondary school. The purpose of such award is to reimburse such community college, technical college or institute of technology for paying 1/2 of the costs of an industry-recognized credential assessment in an occupation that has been identified by the secretary of labor, in consultation with the state board of regents and the state board of education, as an occupation in highest need of additional skilled employees at the time the secondary student was admitted into such career technical education course or program. Upon receipt of such award and application by a secondary student who is currently or was previously enrolled in a career technical education course or program in accordance with subsection (c) of K.S.A. 72-3810, and amendments thereto, and is regularly enrolled in and attending a private secondary school, the governing body of the community college, technical college or the institute of technology which admitted such secondary student shall pay 1/2 of the costs of the industry-recognized credential assessment specified in such application in an amount not to exceed $1,000. Such industry-recognized credential assessment shall be related to the career technical education course or program in which such secondary student is currently or was previously enrolled as determined by such governing body of a community college, technical college or institute of technology. No governing body of a community college, technical college or institute of technology shall be required to pay 1/2 of the cost of three or more industry-recognized credential assessments for the same or substantially the same industry-recognized credential for a secondary student if such secondary student fails to earn the industry-recognized credential within two attempts of taking the industry-recognized credential assessment.

(2) Each governing body of a community college, technical college or institute of technology shall certify to the state board of regents the amount of any payments such community college, technical college or institute of technology will pay based on applications submitted by students pursuant to paragraph (1). The certification shall be on a form prescribed and furnished by the state board of regents, shall contain such information as the state board of regents shall require and shall be filed at the time specified by the state board of regents.

(3) In each school year, each governing body of a community college, technical college or institute of technology is entitled to receive from appropriations for the career technical education incentive program an amount which is equal to the amount certified to the state board of regents in accordance with the provisions of paragraph (2). The state board of regents shall certify to the director of accounts and reports the amount due each governing body of a community college, technical college or institute of technology. The director of accounts and reports shall draw warrants on the state treasurer payable to the treasurer of each governing body of a community college, technical college or institute of technology entitled to payment under this subsection upon vouchers approved by the state board of regents.

(4) Moneys received by a state board of regents under this subsection shall be deposited in the postsecondary technical education fund of each community college and at Washburn university for the Washburn institute of technology or the general operating fund in the technical college in accordance with K.S.A. 71-1808, and amendments thereto, and shall be considered reimbursements to the community college, technical college or institute of technology.

(d) Each school year, at such time as agreed to by the secretary of labor, the president of the state board of regents and the commissioner of education, the secretary shall provide the state board of regents and the state board of education with a list of those occupations in highest need of additional skilled employees. If the occupations identified in such list are not substantially the same as those occupations identified in the list from the prior year, reasonable notice of such changes shall be provided to school districts, community colleges, technical colleges and the institute of technology.

(e) The state board of regents and the state board of education, jointly, may adopt such rules and regulations necessary to implement and carry out the provisions of this section.

History: L. 2012, ch. 159, § 2; L. 2013, ch. 70, § 2; July 1.