Already in place at the collegiate level, a Kentucky bill would offer high school seniors an extra year of eligibility due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
WLKY, a CBS-affiliated station in Louisville, reported Tuesday that Senate Bill 129 had passed through the Kentucky Senate and was moving on to the House. If passed, Kentucky public high school students “may request to use the 2021-2022 school year as a supplemental school year to retake or supplement the courses the student has already taken.”
The bill, introduced by Senators Max Wise, Rick Girdler and Danny Carroll, would require any student requests to be approved or denied by the local school board. If a student’s request is approved, they can return to school next year and remain eligible to compete in high school sports.
The senators introduced the bill “Due to the COVID-19 pandemic’s effect on school operations and student learning.” Schools across Kentucky and the United States have used various learning models since the pandemic began in earnest in March 2020.
According to WLKY, most Kentucky school districts have returned to some form of in-person learning. However, the state’s largest district — Jefferson County Public Schools — has been learning virtually for nearly a full year and is set to resume later this month.
The NCAA is offering college athletes extra eligibility, as a blanket waiver has been available to all student-athletes since last spring.
