1. I. There is hereby established a dropout prevention and dropout recovery program in the department of education. The department is authorized to provide the services described in this subdivision to the state and to public, quasi-public, and private entities to assist pupils in successfully completing high school. The program shall:

   1. (a) Provide and coordinate services designed to assist pupils in the successful completion of high school.
   2. (b) Encourage individual, corporate, and state support and involvement to promote employment opportunities for New Hampshire's students.
   3. (c) Render assistance in ensuring student placement in quality jobs with ample career opportunities.
   4. (d) Encourage students to pursue postsecondary education by assisting in securing appropriate part-time work to accompany that education.
   5. (e) Encourage lifelong learning by introducing students to the importance of skills training and demonstrating how learning is relevant to skills necessary in the workplace.
   6. (f) Provide tutoring, study skills training, and instruction leading to successful completion of secondary school, including dropout prevention strategies through a school-site mentor.
   7. (g) Provide alternative secondary school services with high academic standards.
   8. (h) Deliver pre-employment and work maturity skill training, paid and unpaid work, work-based learning experiences that teach all aspects of industry-specific and general workplace competencies, including internships, job shadowing, and school sponsored workplace mentoring.
   9. (i) Provide opportunities which may include community service and peer- centered activities encouraging responsibility and other positive social behaviors during non-school hours, including linking youth and adult mentoring, as appropriate.
   10. (j) Provide support services and transitional links that assist students in the elimination of barriers.
   11. (k) Establish an 85 percent graduation rate, and a 90 percent return to school rate as performance goals for program participants most likely to drop out. "Graduation rate" means the number of seniors who receive a diploma from a high school divided by the number enrolled in this program at such high school. "Return to school rate" means the percentage of students in grades 9-11 enrolled in the program who return to school for the next school year.

2. II. The commissioner of the department of education shall adopt rules pursuant to RSA 541-A, relevant to the implementation of this subdivision. Such rules shall include:

   1. (a) Procedures for securing funds for participating entities.
   2. (b) Methods for tracking compliance with program goals and reporting performance outcomes.

Source. 2003, 288:1, eff. Sept. 16, 2003.