FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) -- Local school districts would have the option to raise the minimum dropout age to 18 under a bill that has cleared its first legislative hurdle.
The Senate Education Committee voted unanimously Thursday to approve the proposal. It now goes to the full Senate for consideration.
The measure sponsored by Republican Sen. Jack Westwood of Erlanger is an alternative to legislation being pushed by Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear that would uniformly increase the dropout age for all school districts from 16 to 18 by 2017.
Beshear said he was pleased to see some movement on the part of the Senate on the issue.
The House Education Committee previously approved the Beshear proposal. Westwood said he intended his bill as a compromise to that proposal.
