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 the
incentive and innovation grant trust fund to provide incentive and innovation
grants to qualified schools, including charter schools.  Expenditures from the
trust fund shall be made by the department and shall be subject to the
allotment and expenditure plan required under section 37‑34.5. 
Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, tax deductible donations may be
made to, and received by, this trust fund.



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



(c)  The board shall establish and appoint the
members of a grant award panel, which shall consist of at least one
representative 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 be
requested.



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



The panel shall review proposals and make
recommendations to the superintendent on grant awards.  Panel members shall
serve for a term of two years without compensation, but shall be entitled to
reimbursement for necessary expenses while attending meetings and while in the
discharge of their duties.  A portion of the moneys in the incentive and
innovation grant trust fund, not to exceed one per cent, shall be used to
offset the expenses incurred by the review panel.



(d)  The panel shall develop a process for
submitting proposals that is distinguished by its simplicity and minimization
of paperwork.



(e)  All proposals for incentive and innovation
grants shall include:



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



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



(3)  A detailed budget and expenditure plan, which
shall 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 school
or schools shall submit a specific plan for establishing the program within the
school or schools' biennium budget.



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



(h)  The superintendent shall submit a report
to the legislature on the operations of the review panel at least twenty days
before the convening of each regular session. [L 1996, c 89, pt of §2; am L
2006, c 298, §18]