LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear signed a mental health bill into law, allowing more excused absences in schools.
House Bill 44 gives Kentucky students up to 10 excused absences to be used for mental or behavioral health reasons, as long as the local school board includes those provisions.
“Both urban and rural, Democrat and Republican, with students who have been impacted by COVID-19, we've seen mental health come to the forefront especially in our students as they struggle in school and recover from the pandemic,” Senator Morgan McGarvey, D-Louisville, said.
HB44 also allows students to take those 10 days to "pursue an educational enhancement opportunity.” The absence must be pre-approved by the student's school principal.
These enhancement opportunities can include participation in educational foreign exchange programs or intensive programs in one of the state's core curriculum subjects like English, science, math, social studies or the arts.
Students who use these excused absences will be able to make up missed schoolwork without their grades being affected.
Students who have parents or guardians in the armed forces also have days set aside so they can visit their family members.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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