CHAPTER 37. DROPOUT PREVENTION

IC 20-20-37
    Chapter 37. Dropout Prevention

IC 20-20-37-1
"Fund"
    Sec. 1. As used in this chapter, "fund" refers to the dropoutprevention program fund established by section 3 of this chapter.
As added by P.L.65-2009, SEC.1.

IC 20-20-37-2
"Program"
    Sec. 2. As used in this chapter, "program" refers to a dropoutprevention program established by a school corporation.
As added by P.L.65-2009, SEC.1.

IC 20-20-37-3
Establishment of fund
    Sec. 3. (a) The dropout prevention program fund is established toprovide:
        (1) money for the department; and
        (2) grants to school corporations or a local nonprofit fiscalagent acting as intermediary on behalf of multiple schoolcorporations;
to establish and operate programs to identify students who are at riskof dropping out of school and to provide appropriate interventionsfor those students.
    (b) The department shall administer the fund.
    (c) The expenses of administering the fund shall be paid frommoney in the fund.
    (d) The fund consists of:
        (1) gifts, donations, and bequests;
        (2) appropriations from the general assembly;
        (3) grants, including federal grants and grants from privateentities;
        (4) income derived from investing the assets of the fund;
        (5) funds from any other source; and
        (6) a combination of the resources described in subdivisions (1),(2), (3), (4), and (5).
    (e) The treasurer of state shall invest the money in the fund notcurrently needed to meet the obligations of the fund in the samemanner as other public funds may be invested.
    (f) Money in the fund from sources other than state appropriationsat the end of a state fiscal year does not revert to the state generalfund.
As added by P.L.65-2009, SEC.1.

IC 20-20-37-4
Fund to provide assistance to school corporations
    Sec. 4. The department may use money from the fund to provideassistance to school corporations in:        (1) identifying students who are at risk of dropping out ofschool; and
        (2) developing strategies and appropriate interventions toprevent identified students from dropping out of school.
As added by P.L.65-2009, SEC.1.

IC 20-20-37-5
Eligibility for grants
    Sec. 5. (a) To be eligible for a grant under this chapter, a schoolcorporation or two (2) or more school corporations under a jointagreement must submit, before the application deadline, a properlycompleted grant application provided by the department.
    (b) The applying school corporation must include at least thefollowing information in the school corporation's application:
        (1) A detailed description of the proposed program.
        (2) The extent to which the applying school corporation intendsto include appropriate community resources not directlyaffiliated with the applying school corporation in the program.
        (3) The estimated cost of implementing the program.
        (4) Documented support for the program by the superintendentof each participating school corporation.
        (5) The goals established for increasing the graduation rate anddecreasing the dropout rate in each participating schoolcorporation.
        (6) Accurate baseline data on the graduation rate and dropoutrate for each participating school corporation for the precedingthree (3) consecutive years.
        (7) Accountability metrics for the program that demonstratehow the program's success is measured. Metrics may includethe following:
            (A) Attendance and truancy rates of at-risk studentpopulations.
            (B) Course credits earned by at-risk students.
            (C) The number of students who are on schedule to completehigh school within four (4) years.
        (8) Any other pertinent information required by the department.
As added by P.L.65-2009, SEC.1.

IC 20-20-37-6
Award of grants
    Sec. 6. The department shall approve a program based on at leastthe following criteria:
        (1) The relative need for the establishment of a dropoutprevention program as outlined by the applying schoolcorporation.
        (2) The overall quality of the applying school corporation'sprogram proposal, including the extent to which the applyingschool corporation demonstrates a willingness to include as apart of the program appropriate community resources notdirectly affiliated with the applying school corporation.        (3) The availability of money in the fund.
As added by P.L.65-2009, SEC.1.

IC 20-20-37-7
Annual reports
    Sec. 7. (a) Not later than June 1 of each school year, eachparticipating school corporation shall submit to the department awritten report, on forms developed by the department, outlining theactivities undertaken as part of the school corporation's program.
    (b) Not later than November 1 of each year, the department shallsubmit a comprehensive report to the governor and the generalassembly on dropout prevention programs, including thedepartment's conclusions on the impact of different types ofprograms in increasing the graduation rate in a school corporation.A report submitted under this subsection to the general assemblymust be in an electronic format under IC 5-14-6.
As added by P.L.65-2009, SEC.1.