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UNOFFICIAL COPY 26 RS HB 826/EN
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AN ACT relating to education. 1
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky: 2
SECTION 1. A NEW SECTION OF KRS CHAPTER 151B IS CREATED TO 3
READ AS FOLLOWS: 4
No less than eighty -five percent (85%) of general fund moneys appropriated by the 5
General Assembly to the Office of Adult Education shall be used for programs to fulfill 6
the adult education mission and goals enumerated in KRS 151B.402, 151B.403, 7
151B.406, and 151B.408. The Office of Adult Education may utilize any remaining 8
general fund moneys for administrative operations. 9
Section 2. KRS 151B.403 is amended to read as follows: 10
(1) The Office of Adult Education within the Department of Workforce Development 11
in the Education and Labor Cabinet shall promulgate administrative regulations to 12
establish programs aligned with the College and Car eer Readiness Standards for 13
Adult Education, or any other similar standards adopted by the federal Office of 14
Career, Technical, and Adult Education, which upon successful completion, shall 15
result in the issuance of a High School Equivalency Diploma. 16
(2) (a) At least one (1) program authorized under subsection (1) of this section shall 17
include a test aligned with the College and Career Readiness Standards for 18
Adult Education, or any other standards adopted by the federal Office of 19
Career, Technical, and Ad ult Education, to serve as a qualifying test, which 20
upon passing, shall entitle students to receive a High School Equivalency 21
Diploma. 22
(b) A qualifying test meeting the requirements of paragraph (a) of this 23
subsection shall provide an option for students t o be administered a written 24
or paper test in lieu of an electronic administration. 25
(3) For purposes of any public employment, a High School Equivalency Diploma shall 26
be considered equal to a high school diploma issued under the provisions of KRS 27
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158.140. 1
(4) A High School Equivalency Diploma shall be issued without charge upon 2
successfully completing a High School Equivalency Diploma program. A fee may 3
be assessed by the Office of Adult Education for the issuance of a duplicate High 4
School Equivalency Diplo ma and for issuance of a duplicate score report. All fees 5
collected for duplicate diplomas and score reports shall be used to support the adult 6
education program. 7
(5) The Office of Adult Education is authorized to contract annually with an institution 8
of higher education or other appropriate agency or entity for scoring High School 9
Equivalency Diploma program examinations. 10
(6) On June 29, 2017, any high school equivalency diploma or external diploma 11
previously recognized or issued by the Commonwealth shall be considered 12
retroactively as a High School Equivalency Diploma. 13
(7) Upon issuance, a High School Equivalency Diploma shall not be invalidated by any 14
subsequent changes in test selection under this section. 15
Section 3. 2 026 RS SB 4/VO, Section 15, is hereby repealed. The reviser of 16
statutes shall not codify the provisions of Section 15 of 2026 RS SB 4/VO, and they shall 17
have no legal effect. 18
Section 4. 2026 RS SB 4/VO, Section 16, is amended to read as follows: 19
The [McConnell Center at the University of Louisville and the ] Center of American 20
Civics at the University of Kentucky shall develop materials and curricula for a degree 21
program that meets the requirements of this section and dist ribute the materials and 22
curricula developed to each public institution of higher education in this state. The 23
curricula shall be for a course of instruction that is three (3) semester hours, or the 24
equivalent, in American government or American history th at provides a comprehensive 25
overview of the major events and turning points of American history and government 26
and, at a minimum, includes: 27
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(1) An understanding of the United States Constitution in its entirety; 1
(2) An understanding of the Declaration of Independence in its entirety; 2
(3) An understanding of a minimum of five (5) essays from the Federalist Papers in 3
their entirety as selected by the course instructor; 4
(4) An understanding of the Emancipation Proclamation in its entirety; 5
(5) An understanding of the Gettysburg Address in its entirety; and 6
(6) Other documents foundational to the American Civil Rights movement. 7