SB 168 - This act makes makes several changes to help improve high school graduation rates.

TRANSPORTATION - The state board of education shall approve proper transportation costs to ensure that each resident pupil is able to attend the same district school throughout the school year even if the pupil s residence changes to a different school attendance area in the district.

FUNDING - The first ten million dollars of savings in court-ordered desegregation payments shall be appropriated to dropout prevention programs including at least two million dollars for alternative schools and two million dollars for A+ Schools.

DATABASE - The act establishes a public school pupil attendance database. The database will be used to improve monitoring of dropouts and to determine the number of eligible pupils used to determine state school aid. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education shall report the graduation rate annually to the Governor and General Assembly on a statewide and per district basis.

CHILD LABOR - Raises the minimum age at which a child may work on school days and nonschool days and the latest hour a child may work on a school night. The age is raised from 16 to 18 years.

DRIVER'S LICENSE - A person under 18 years of age may not get a driver s license without showing a high school diploma or enrollment in a GED program or school. If a pupil drops out or fails to enroll, the school attendance officer shall notify the Director of Revenue. The director shall then send notice and suspend the person s license in 30 days unless the person shows documentation satisfying the above requirements.

MIKE HOEFERKAMP