The learning and life skills grant program is created. The purpose of the program is to provide services, to the extent funds are appropriated, for court-involved youth under the age of twenty-one to help the youth attain the necessary life skills and educational skills to obtain a certificate of educational competency, obtain employment, return to a school program, or enter a postsecondary education or job-training program.

Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter.

(1) "Court-involved youth" means those youth under the age of twenty-one who, within the past twenty-four months:

(a) Have served a court-imposed sentence;

(b) Are or have been on probation or parole; or

(c) Are involved in a legal proceeding in which the youth may be found to have committed a criminal or juvenile offense and are not participating in a diversion agreement under RCW 13.40.080.

(2) "Department" means the department of social and health services.

(1) The learning and life skills program grants shall be administered by the department.

(2) The department shall select individual school districts or groups of school districts through an educational service district that agree to establish a program for court-involved youth. To be eligible for grants, the district shall agree to expend for the program no less than the amount of state funds received on a full-time equivalent student basis for the number of full-time equivalent students participating in the program. The school district shall also transmit to the program any federal funds received for students participating in the program. During the 1994-95 school year, only school districts or educational service districts operating a program for court-involved youth on or before June 1, 1993, are eligible for grants.

(3) The department shall grant funds, to the extent funds are appropriated, to selected districts for the district to provide or contract for the provision of facilities and case management and counseling services for students in the program.

(4) In selecting districts, the department shall require districts to enter into agreements. Districts participating in the program shall agree to the following: To serve only court-involved youth in the program and give priority to those students who have few other educational options; to design a program to meet the specific needs of court-involved youth generally and the specific needs of individual students; to collaborate with the county courts and local community organizations; and to define program goals clearly.

(5) The department has the authority to withhold grant funds if the terms of the agreement are not met.

(6) Selected districts shall establish procedures to keep daily attendance records for students participating in the program.

(7) Selected districts shall agree to participate fully in an evaluation of the program by the department.

The department may adopt rules, as necessary, to carry out its duties under this program.

The department shall periodically evaluate the program including but not limited to providing data on the youth served, the type and extent of court involvement, the type of services provided, the length of stay of each student in the program, the academic progress of the youth, the recidivism rate, and rates of employment and enrollment in postsecondary education.