1. The board of trustees of each school district may adopt a policy for the public high schools in the district to provide a program of teen mentoring, which may include a component of adult mentoring, designed to:

(a) Increase pupil participation in school activities, community activities and all levels of government; or

(b) Increase the ability of ninth grade pupils enrolled in high school to successfully make the transition from middle school or junior high school to high school,

or both.

2. If the board of trustees of a school district has adopted a policy pursuant to subsection 1, the principal of each public high school in the district may:

(a) Carry out a program of teen mentoring in accordance with the policy prescribed by the board of trustees pursuant to subsection 1;

(b) Adopt other policies for the program of teen mentoring that are consistent with this section and the policy prescribed by the board of trustees pursuant to subsection 1; and

(c) On a date prescribed by the board of trustees, submit an annual report to the board of trustees and the Legislature that sets forth a summary of:

(1) The specific activities of the program of teen mentoring; and

(2) The effectiveness of the program in increasing pupil participation in school activities, community activities and all levels of government or in increasing the ability of ninth grade pupils to successfully make the transition from middle school or junior high school to high school, as applicable to the type of program in effect at the school.

3. If the board of trustees of a school district has not adopted a policy pursuant to subsection 1, the principal of a public high school in the district may carry out a program of teen mentoring and take any action described in paragraph (b) or (c) of subsection 2 if:

(a) The principal submits to the board of trustees for its approval a plan for such a program of teen mentoring that is consistent with the provisions of this section; and

(b) The board of trustees approves the plan.

4. A plan submitted to a board of trustees of a school district pursuant to subsection 3 shall be deemed approved if the board of trustees does not act upon the plan within 60 days after the date on which the board of trustees receives the plan.

5. The board of trustees of each school district and each public high school may apply for and accept gifts, grants and donations from any source for the support of the board of trustees or a public high school in carrying out a program of teen mentoring pursuant to the provisions of this section. Any money received pursuant to this subsection may be used only for purposes of carrying out a program of teen mentoring pursuant to the provisions of this section.

6. This section does not preclude a board of trustees of a school district or a public high school from continuing any other similar program of teen mentoring that exists on May 22, 2009.

(Added to NRS by 2009, 652; A 2013, 2039)