B. Curriculum and Instruction

 

§302A-301  Incentive and innovation grants. (a)  There is established in the state treasury a trust fund to be known as theincentive and innovation grant trust fund to provide incentive and innovationgrants to qualified schools, including charter schools.  Expenditures from thetrust fund shall be made by the department and shall be subject to theallotment and expenditure plan required under section 37‑34.5. Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, tax deductible donations may bemade to, and received by, this trust fund.

(b)  Grants shall be for such purposes as thefunding of experimental and innovative instructional programs, in-servicetraining, and other activities that promote innovation as outlined in the proposal.

(c)  The board shall establish and appoint themembers of a grant award panel, which shall consist of at least onerepresentative from each of the following groups:

(1)  Parents;

(2)  Students;

(3)  Teachers;

(4)  School administrators;

(5)  School support staff;

(6)  Businesspersons; and

(7)  The military; whose participation shall berequested.

The panel shall include a representative fromeach school district among its members.

The panel shall review proposals and makerecommendations to the superintendent on grant awards.  Panel members shallserve for a term of two years without compensation, but shall be entitled toreimbursement for necessary expenses while attending meetings and while in thedischarge of their duties.  A portion of the moneys in the incentive andinnovation grant trust fund, not to exceed one per cent, shall be used tooffset the expenses incurred by the review panel.

(d)  The panel shall develop a process forsubmitting proposals that is distinguished by its simplicity and minimizationof paperwork.

(e)  All proposals for incentive and innovationgrants shall include:

(1)  A clear statement of how the proposed programwill improve student performance;

(2)  A method of evaluation to determine if theprogram has achieved its stated goals;

(3)  A detailed budget and expenditure plan, whichshall include any commitment of existing funds under the school or schools'allotment toward the proposed program; and

(4)  Other criteria required by the panel.

(f)  In the case of a renewal request, a schoolor schools shall submit a specific plan for establishing the program within theschool or schools' biennium budget.

(g)  The panel shall assist the superintendentin the evaluation of all grant programs under this section on a continuingbasis.  If an approved program fails to meet the requirements of its proposal,the panel shall recommend to the superintendent that funding for the grantshall be terminated.

(h)  The superintendent shall submit a reportto the legislature on the operations of the review panel at least twenty daysbefore the convening of each regular session. [L 1996, c 89, pt of §2; am L2006, c 298, §18]