158.031 Primary school program -- Authority for administrative regulations -- Attributes -- Part time attendance -- Grouping -- Advancement -- Reporting requirements. (1) In this section, "primary school program" means that part of the elementary school program in which children are enrolled from the time they begin school until they are ready to enter the fourth grade. Notwithstanding any statute to the contrary, successful completion of the primary school program shall be a prerequisite for a child's entrance into fourth grade. (2) The Kentucky Board of Education shall establish, by administrative regulation, methods of verifying successful completion of the primary school program in carrying out the goals of education as described in KRS 158.6451. (3) The primary program shall include the following critical attributes: developmentally appropriate educational practices; multiage and multiability classrooms; continuous progress; authentic assessment; qualitative reporting methods; professional teamwork; and positive parent involvement. (4) Each school council or, if none exists, the school shall determine the organization of its ungraded primary program including the extent to which multiage groups are necessary to implement the critical attributes based on the critical attributes and meeting individual student needs. (5) The implementation of the primary program may take into consideration the necessary arrangements required for students attending part-time and will allow for grouping of students attending their first year of school when determined to be developmentally appropriate. (6) A school district may advance a student through the primary program when it is determined that it is in the best educational interest of the student. A student who is at least five (5) years of age, but less than six (6) years of age, and is advanced in the primary program may be classified as other than a kindergarten student for purposes of funding under KRS 157.310 to 157.440 if the student is determined to have acquired the academic and social skills taught in kindergarten as determined by local board policy in accordance with the process established by Kentucky Board of Education administrative regulation. (7) Data shall be collected by each school district on the number of students, in each school having a primary program, who take five (5) years to complete the primary program. The data shall be reported in the annual performance report described in KRS 158.6453. Effective: July 12, 2006 History: Amended 2006 Ky. Acts ch. 20, sec. 1, effective July 12, 2006. -- Created 1998 Ky. Acts ch. 434, sec. 1, effective July 15, 1998.