705 Ky. Admin. Regs. 3:141

Current through Register Vol. 51, No. 5, November 1, 2024

Section 705 KAR 3:141 - Area center or public high school, standards for vocational department

RELATES TO: KRS 151B.025, 156.029

NECESSITY, FUNCTION, AND CONFORMITY: KRS 151B.025 transfers authority for state-operated area vocational education centers, except for program standards, to the Department of Adult and Technical Education, Workforce Development Cabinet. This administrative regulation establishes minimum standards for the management of a vocational department of a public high school or an area vocational education center owned by a local school district.

Section 1. A vocational department of a public high school or area vocational education center may be established when the following standards are met:

(1) The facility shall be used exclusively or principally for providing vocational education in no less than five (5) different occupational clusters to students in preparation for entering the workforce or postsecondary education.

(2) The facility shall provide the vocational preparation component of the educational program for a minimum of 180 high school students.

(3) Each vocational education program offered in the facility shall meet the minimum state requirements for teachers, curriculum, and equipment and be approved by the chief state school officer.

(4) For a department constructed as a separate facility to serve two (2) or more high schools in a single local school district, a department constructed as a separate facility to serve two (2) or more high schools in two (2) or more local school districts, and a department constructed as a separate facility to serve only one (1) high school for a single local school district, the administrator of the center shall hold the certificate for administration, supervision, and coordination of vocational education. For a department constructed as an addition to the high school facility which is owned and operated by a single local school district for the benefit of only one (1) high school, the assistant high school principal or vocational education department head may be charged with supervision of the total vocational program; but he or she shall have the administration, supervision, and coordination certificate for vocational education.

(5) The facility shall be available to all residents of the area designated and approved by the State Board for Elementary and Secondary Education.

(6) The center shall be available, on a need basis and with approval of the State Board for Adult and Technical Education, to offer programs for postsecondary students and adults within the designated area.

(7) A minimum of five (5) acres of usable land shall be provided for building, expansion, and parking.

Section 2. The maintenance of area centers shall be provided as follows: maintenance of vocational education facilities owned by the local boards of education shall be the responsibility of the local boards of education and shall be accomplished from funds designated by the State Board for Elementary and Secondary Education. Maintenance shall be in accordance with current and approved plans and specifications filed in the office of the chief state school officer as specified by contractual agreements with the state board or its designated representatives.

Section 3. Requirements, procedures, and responsibilities in relation to construction of area vocational education schools shall be as follows:

(1) Any local educational agency preparing to construct an area vocational education school shall submit to the chief state school officer an appropriate application with proper explanation and supporting evidence to justify the need. Each local educational agency shall complete the necessary surveys to determine the needs, interests, and abilities of the potential enrollees, the demands of the labor market, and the facilities that can be provided.

(2) The State Board for Elementary and Secondary Education shall approve applications for area vocational education schools before any financial resources available shall be used for construction of a facility. Any local educational agency using local funds for the construction of an area vocational education school shall submit an application for program approval of the facility if operating expenses are anticipated from the financial resources available to the state board.

(3) Facilities which are constructed exclusively or principally for providing vocational education in less than the minimum number of vocational preparation programs as required in administrative regulations pertaining to minimum standards for establishing the facilities shall be constructed without federal financial assistance. The programs to be offered in the facilities shall be approved under normal procedures for operating vocational programs by the local educational agency.

Section 4. Procedures for determining the number of secondary school students eligible for enrollment in area vocational education centers when more than one (1) local school district enrolls students in such a facility shall be as follows:

(1) The enrollment quota for eligible secondary school students, fifteen (15) years of age and older, for each cooperating local school district utilizing the facilities of an area vocational education center shall be determined on a pro rata basis. Quotas shall be determined by the following factors:

(a) The ratio of secondary school students who are enrolled in grades nine (9) through twelve (12) in a given school district to the total number of students enrolled in grades nine (9) through twelve (12) in all of the cooperating local school districts;

(b) The total enrollment capacity of the area vocational education center during the regular school day; and

(c) The total capacity of each vocational education program offered in the area vocational education center during the regular school day.

(2) Each participating local school district shall receive its equitable quota of secondary school students to attend the center and to enroll in the different programs offered in the center. If a given local school district does not fill its quota, the enrollment vacancies shall be reallocated to the other cooperating local school districts on the same basis that the original quotas were established.

(3) Quotas shall be determined by the chief state school officer or the applicable regional executive director of vocational education and the principal of the area vocational education center working in cooperation with the official steering committee appointed for the area vocational education center. Quota calculations shall be submitted to the chief state school officer for consideration and approval.

(4) The State Board for Elementary and Secondary Education shall annually submit to the State Board for Adult and Technical Education a report on vocational education in these high schools.

705 KAR 3:141

20 Ky.R. 3386; eff. 8-4-1994; Crt. eff. 11-16-2018.

STATUTORY AUTHORITY: KRS 156.029, 156.070