Senate Bill No. 31–Committee on Human
Resources and Facilities

 

(On Behalf of the Legislative Committee on
Education (NRS 218.5352))

 

Prefiled January 30, 2003

____________

 

Referred to Committee on Human Resources and Facilities

 

SUMMARY—Authorizes boards of trustees of school districts to provide access to classes at community colleges for gifted and talented pupils and establish program of independent study for gifted and talented pupils. (BDR 34‑640)

 

FISCAL NOTE:  Effect on Local Government: No.

                           Effect on the State: No.

 

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EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new; matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted.

 

AN ACT relating to pupils; authorizing the board of trustees of a school district to establish a program to provide access to classes at a community college for gifted and talented pupils; requiring a board of trustees that establishes a program to arrange the enrollment and pay for certain fees and expenses related to participation in the program; authorizing the board of trustees of a school district to establish a program of independent study for gifted and talented pupils; and providing other matters properly relating thereto.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, REPRESENTED IN

SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

 

1-1  Section 1. Chapter 388 of NRS is hereby amended by adding

1-2  thereto the provisions set forth as sections 2 and 3 of this act.

1-3  Sec. 2.  1.  The board of trustees of a school district may

1-4  establish a program for gifted and talented pupils pursuant to

1-5  which a gifted and talented pupil who is enrolled full time in a

2-1  school within the district may attend a course at a community

2-2  college in this state if that course is not offered at the school which

2-3  the pupil attends or is not otherwise available within the pupil’s

2-4  zone of attendance.

2-5  2.  If the board of trustees of a school district establishes such

2-6  a program for gifted and talented pupils, the school district shall,

2-7  for each pupil who participates in the program:

2-8  (a) Assist the pupil with enrolling in one or more courses at a

2-9  community college;

2-10      (b) Pay the registration fees, laboratory fees and related

2-11  expenses for the pupil to attend the course; and

2-12      (c) Provide for any textbooks and course materials required

2-13  for the pupil to attend the course.

2-14      3.  Any credit earned by a pupil in a course which he attends

2-15  through a program established pursuant to this section must be

2-16  accepted and applied towards the coursework required for

2-17  advancement to the next grade or graduation from high school.

2-18      Sec. 3.  1.  The board of trustees of a school district may

2-19  establish a program for gifted and talented pupils pursuant to

2-20  which gifted and talented pupils who are enrolled full time in a

2-21  school within the district may complete any required or elective

2-22  course by independent study outside the normal classroom setting.

2-23  A program of independent study provided pursuant to this section

2-24  may be offered through a program of distance education pursuant

2-25  to NRS 388.820 to 388.874, inclusive.

2-26      2.  If the board of trustees of a school district establishes a

2-27  program pursuant to subsection 1, the program must:

2-28       (a) Require that the teacher of the course assign to the pupil

2-29  the work assignments necessary to complete the course;

2-30      (b) Require that the pupil and the teacher meet or otherwise

2-31  communicate with each other at least once each week during the

2-32  course to discuss the pupil’s progress; and

2-33      (c) If the program offers independent study to gifted and

2-34  talented pupils enrolled in high school, comply with the

2-35  regulations of the State Board adopted pursuant to NRS 389.155.

2-36      Sec. 4.  NRS 388.440 is hereby amended to read as follows:

2-37      388.440  As used in NRS 388.440 to 388.5315, inclusive[:] ,

2-38  and sections 2 and 3 of this act:

2-39      1.  “Gifted and talented pupil” means a person under the age of

2-40  18 years who demonstrates such outstanding academic skills or

2-41  aptitudes that he cannot progress effectively in a regular school

2-42  program and therefore needs special instruction or special services.

2-43      2.  “Pupil with a disability” means a person under the age of 22

2-44  years who deviates either educationally, physically, socially or

2-45  emotionally so markedly from normal patterns that he cannot

3-1  progress effectively in a regular school program and therefore needs

3-2  special instruction or special services.

3-3  Sec. 5.  NRS 388.829 is hereby amended to read as follows:

3-4  388.829  “Program of distance education” means a program

3-5  comprised of one or more courses of distance education that is

3-6  designed for pupils who:

3-7  1.  Are participating in a program for pupils who are at risk of

3-8  dropping out of high school pursuant to NRS 388.537.

3-9  2.  Are participating in a program of independent study

3-10  pursuant to NRS 389.155[.] or section 3 of this act.

3-11      3.  Are enrolled in a public school that does not offer advanced

3-12  or specialized courses.

3-13      4.  Have a physical or mental condition that would otherwise

3-14  require an excuse from compulsory attendance pursuant to

3-15  NRS 392.050.

3-16      5.  Would otherwise be excused from compulsory attendance

3-17  pursuant to NRS 392.080.

3-18      6.  Are otherwise prohibited from attending public school

3-19  pursuant to NRS 392.264, 392.4642 to 392.4648, inclusive,

3-20  392.466, 392.467 or 392.4675.

3-21      7.  Are otherwise permitted to enroll in a program of distance

3-22  education provided by the board of trustees of a school district if the

3-23  board of trustees determines that special circumstances warrant

3-24  enrollment for the pupil.

3-25      8.  Are otherwise permitted to enroll in a program of distance

3-26  education provided by the governing body of a charter school if the

3-27  governing body of the charter school determines that special

3-28  circumstances warrant enrollment for the pupil.

3-29      Sec. 6.  NRS 388.850 is hereby amended to read as follows:

3-30      388.850 1.  A pupil may enroll in a program of distance

3-31  education only if the pupil satisfies the requirements of any other

3-32  applicable statute and the pupil:

3-33      (a) Is participating in a program for pupils at risk of dropping

3-34  out of high school pursuant to NRS 388.537;

3-35      (b) Is participating in a program of independent study pursuant

3-36  to NRS 389.155[;] or section 3 of this act.

3-37      (c) Is enrolled in a public school that does not offer certain

3-38  advanced or specialized courses that the pupil desires to attend;

3-39      (d) Has a physical or mental condition that would otherwise

3-40  require an excuse from compulsory attendance pursuant to

3-41  NRS 392.050;

3-42      (e) Would otherwise be excused from compulsory attendance

3-43  pursuant to NRS 392.080;

4-1  (f) Is otherwise prohibited from attending public school pursuant

4-2  to NRS 392.264, 392.4642 to 392.4648, inclusive, 392.466, 392.467

4-3  or 392.4675;

4-4  (g) Is otherwise permitted to enroll in a program of distance

4-5  education provided by the board of trustees of a school district if the

4-6  board of trustees determines that the circumstances warrant

4-7  enrollment for the pupil; or

4-8  (h) Is otherwise permitted to enroll in a program of distance

4-9  education provided by the governing body of a charter school if the

4-10  governing body of the charter school determines that the

4-11  circumstances warrant enrollment for the pupil.

4-12      2.  In addition to the eligibility for enrollment set forth in

4-13  subsection 1, a pupil must satisfy the qualifications and conditions

4-14  for enrollment in a program of distance education adopted by the

4-15  State Board pursuant to NRS 388.874.

4-16      3.  A child who is exempt from compulsory attendance and

4-17  receiving equivalent instruction authorized by the State Board

4-18  pursuant to subsection 1 of NRS 392.070 is not eligible to enroll in

4-19  or otherwise attend a program of distance education, regardless of

4-20  whether he is otherwise eligible for enrollment pursuant to

4-21  subsection 1.

4-22      4.  If a pupil who is prohibited from attending public school

4-23  pursuant to NRS 392.264 enrolls in a program of distance education,

4-24  the enrollment and attendance of that pupil must comply with all

4-25  requirements of NRS 62.405 to 62.485, inclusive, and 392.251 to

4-26  392.271, inclusive.

4-27      5.  If a pupil is eligible for enrollment in a program of distance

4-28  education pursuant to paragraph (c) of subsection 1, he may enroll

4-29  in the program of distance education only to take those advanced or

4-30  specialized courses that are not offered at the public school he

4-31  otherwise attends.

4-32      Sec. 7.  NRS 389.160 is hereby amended to read as follows:

4-33      389.160  1.  A pupil enrolled in high school, including,

4-34  without limitation, a pupil enrolled in grade 9, 10, 11 or 12 in a

4-35  charter school, who successfully completes a course of education

4-36  offered by a community college or university in this state which has

4-37  been approved pursuant to subsection 2, must be allowed to apply

4-38  the credit received for the course so completed to the total number

4-39  of credits required for graduation from high school or the charter

4-40  school in which the pupil is enrolled.

4-41      2.  With the approval of the State Board, the board of trustees of

4-42  each county school district and the governing body of each charter

4-43  school shall prescribe the courses for which credits may be received

4-44  pursuant to subsection 1, including occupational courses for

5-1  academic credit, and the amount of credit allowed for the

5-2  completion of those courses.

5-3  3.  If a pupil enrolled in high school is concurrently enrolled

5-4  in a course at a community college pursuant to section 2 of this

5-5  act, credit for successful completion of that course must be applied

5-6  in the manner set forth in subsection 3 of section 2 of this act.

5-7  Sec. 8.  This act becomes effective on July 1, 2003.

 

5-8  H