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Legislation Would Make it Easier for Kentucky Students to Change School Districts

A new bill in Kentucky would allow students to go to school outside of the district they live in, as long the new district allows it. State Senator Ken Winters is sponsoring the bill because of concerns he's heard from parents in his district. He says the measure isn’t aimed at getting students out of low-performing schools, but is instead tailored to parents who commute outside their home county.

“So what this bill does it says that a parent or guardian shall have the privilege of enrolling a child in a district other than the district of their residence contingent upon the willingness of the district to accept the out of state pupil under this subsection,” he says.

And as an incentive, the schools districts will split the state monies students receive.

“A pupil attending in this new district would generate 90 percent of the SEEK formula for the district that is accomplishing the education for the program. And the resident district where they actually live, in order to not lose everything, would reap ten percent of the SEEK formula,” Winters says.

Winters says the bill does not affect Kentucky school athletic rules, so students won’t  be able to transfer to play for another school's sports teams.