KECSAC Regulations

In 1990, the Kentucky General Assembly enacted the landmark Kentucky Education Reform Act (KERA), passed in response to a Kentucky Supreme Court decision declaring the state's entire system of public schools unconstitutional (Rose c. Council for Better Education, 790 S.W.2d 196 {Ky. 1989}).

That decision was the culmination of a 1985 lawsuit filed by 66 of Kentucky's 176 local schools districts against the Governor, the Superintendent of Public Instruction, the State Board of Education, the State Treasurer, and the Kentucky General Assembly for failing to provide an efficient system of common schools.

KERA called for sweeping changes in the funding and delivery of elementary and secondary education in the Commonwealth. However, it did not specifically address the needs of State Agency Children. In response to this deficiency, the Kentucky General Assembly passed Senate Bill 260 (SB260) in 1992, which called for the establishment of the Kentucky Educational Collaborative for State Agency Children (KECSAC) (KRS 158.135). Kentucky House Bill 826 (HB826), passed by the Kentucky General Assembly in March 1994, broadened the eligibility for State Agency Children beyond those located in state operated and contracted day treatment, group homes, and residential placements. Under HB 826, the definition of State Agency Children was expanded to include youth placed or financed through the Cabinet for Families and Children in other residential treatment programs.

In 1996, the General Assembly enacted House Bill 117 which established public juvenile offenders to the new agency.

In 1998, the statute was again revised with the passage of House Bill 447 and House Bill 689 which expanded the definition of State Agency Children to include youth in therapeutic foster care placements and those confined in state operated juvenile detention facilities.

The Collaborative works with local education agencies and treatment programs to provide quality educational experiences that meet the varying needs of youth designated as State Agency Children. These educational experiences include academic, pre-vocational, vocational, special education, social skills, and post­secondary offerings, which are in compliance with state and federal educational laws and regulations.