A bill

to amend the South Carolina Code of Laws by amending Section 59-65-470, relating to THE AUTHORITY OF THE WIL LOU GRAY OPPORTUNITY SCHOOL TO OBTAIN FROM SCHOOL DISTRICTS THE CONTACT INFORMATION OF STUDENTS WHO HAVE LEFT OR INTEND TO LEAVE SCHOOL BEFORE GRADUATION, so as to provide the state department of education shall create, publish, and provide to all public schools in the state a list of alternative education programs that can award high school degrees or high school equivalency credentials, to provide for the distribution of this list to students who are not on track for graduation or otherwise at risk of dropping out of school, to require school counselors to provide names and contact information of such students to institutions offering such programs, and to provide means through which students may opt out of having their information provided to these institutions.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION 1.   Section 59-65-470 of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

   Section 59-65-470.   To enable the Wil Lou Gray Opportunity School to inform dropouts of the school's academic and vocational training programs, the school is authorized to contact the attendance supervisors or principals at the various high schools or school districts of this State at reasonable intervals for the purpose of receiving access to the names and addresses of students reported by the supervisors and principals to be dropouts, and the attendance supervisors and principals must supply this information to the Wil Lou Gray Opportunity School. The State Department of Education shall create, publish, and provide to all public schools in the State a list of alternative education programs that can award a high school degree or high school equivalency credential. The list must include, but not be limited to, the Wil Lou Gray Opportunity School and the South Carolina Youth Challenge Academy. As part of each student's annual review of his Individualized Graduation Plan, school counselors shall distribute information provided by the Wil Lou Gray Opportunity School, the South Carolina Youth Challenge Academy, and any other alternative education program to students who are not on track for on time graduation or who otherwise are at risk of dropping out of school. School counselors shall provide those institutions the names and addresses of all students who are not on track for on time graduation or who are otherwise at risk of dropping out of school, except for students who have opted out of disclosure of directory information under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, 20 U.S.C. Section 1232g. Parents or students age eighteen or older may complete a form to opt the student out of the disclosure of student contact information with these institutions. The department shall develop this opt out and each district shall make the form available on its website.

SECTION 2.   This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

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