Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, high school students in Kentucky will have the chance to repeat this academic and athletic school year. But some parents worry how the policy might impact students and school districts.
"I think the intent of the bill is wonderful," said Kathy Bessler, teacher and mother of a graduating senior. "I don't know about the implementation."
Among other concerns, parents and teachers like Bessler worry about how schools will have to adapt already strained resources to accommodate students from five years of classes versus four.
"What if everybody took you up on this and now all of a sudden you have another 20 percent more students?" she said. "What is that going to do to the teachers and in terms of the number of kids in their classroom and their overall budget?"
Local school boards will have access to federal funds, according to the bill, and the power to approve or reject any requests to retake or supplement this year's classes.
Gov. Andy Beshear said this is a chance for students to reclaim lost experiences, including some for senior student athletes.
"While educators have done their best in these trying circumstances, the pandemic has deprived some students of priceless opportunities and memories," he said.
Ultimately, Bessler said she could feel better about the idea with more details about how it would work in practice.
"It could be a win-win for a lot of kids," she said. "But I think there's a lot of logistics and things that have to be worked out to make it work for everybody."
