Text: HF00433 Text: HF00435 Text: HF00400 - HF00499 Text: HF Index Bills and Amendments: General Index Bill History: General Index
PAG LIN 1 1 Section 1. Section 279.51, subsection 1, unnumbered 1 2 paragraph 1, Code 1997, is amended to read as follows: 1 3 There is appropriated from the general fund of the state to 1 4 the department of education for the fiscal year beginning July 1 5 1,19961997, and each succeeding fiscal year, the sum of 1 6fourteenseventeen millionfive hundredtwenty thousand 1 7 dollars. 1 8 Sec. 2. Section 279.51, subsection 1, Code 1997, is 1 9 amended by adding the following new paragraph: 1 10 NEW PARAGRAPH. g. For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1 11 1997, and for each fiscal year thereafter, two million five 1 12 hundred thousand dollars of the funds appropriated shall be 1 13 allocated for the alternative education program established in 1 14 subsection 4A. 1 15 Sec. 3. Section 279.51, Code 1997, is amended by adding 1 16 the following new subsection: 1 17 NEW SUBSECTION. 4A. a. An alternative education program 1 18 is established to provide four-year competitive demonstration 1 19 grants to school districts that demonstrate the greatest need 1 20 for, and ability to provide for, the establishment of 1 21 innovative alternative education programs for habitually 1 22 disruptive, absent or truant, at-risk students. The 1 23 department of education, in consultation with the department 1 24 of human services, the Iowa department of public health, the 1 25 division of criminal and juvenile justice planning of the 1 26 department of human rights, and institutions of higher 1 27 learning with applicable programs, shall develop a four-year 1 28 demonstration grant program that commences in the fiscal year 1 29 beginning July 1, 1997. 1 30 b. The department shall provide grants to individual 1 31 public schools or to a consortia of public schools within a 1 32 school district to establish innovative alternative education 1 33 programs for youths age twelve and older, who meet the 1 34 criteria listed in paragraph "a". The programs shall be 1 35 established in conjunction with local agencies and community 2 1 organizations, based upon program plans filed by the board of 2 2 directors of the school district. The department shall 2 3 provide grants to establish model programs in one each at 2 4 least, of the following size categories: 2 5 (1) A school district with an enrollment of less than one 2 6 thousand two hundred. 2 7 (2) A school district with an enrollment of one thousand 2 8 two hundred to four thousand nine hundred ninety-nine. 2 9 (3) A school district with an enrollment of at least five 2 10 thousand. 2 11 c. Priority shall be weighted toward need within a school 2 12 or school district and shall be given to schools whose plans 2 13 indicate a high degree of active participation by community- 2 14 based youth organizations and agencies, and to schools with 2 15 student populations characterized by high rates of the 2 16 following: students expelled or suspended; school dropout and 2 17 absenteeism; juvenile court involvement; family conflict; and 2 18 child and youth mental health, substance abuse, and other 2 19 health problems. The department shall develop an evaluation 2 20 process for the approved projects designed to investigate 2 21 program effectiveness in reducing these rates and restoring 2 22 the student to the regular education program. In developing 2 23 the evaluation process, the department shall consult with the 2 24 department of human services, the Iowa department of public 2 25 health, the division of criminal and juvenile justice planning 2 26 of the department of human rights, and institutions of higher 2 27 learning with applicable programs. 2 28 d. A plan submitted pursuant to this subsection shall 2 29 address the academic curriculum and provide for, at a minimum, 2 30 basic academic skills development and social remediation 2 31 necessary to restore the student to the regular education 2 32 program; self-discipline and responsibility; family 2 33 interaction opportunities; personal skills development; and 2 34 shall include a program evaluation component. 2 35 e. Grants for the program shall not be used to construct a 3 1 new facility or to renovate an existing structure. 3 2 f. A plan submitted pursuant to this subsection shall 3 3 require a contribution of at least twenty percent of the total 3 4 costs of the program, which can include "in-kind" services. 3 5 The budget for a proposed program shall not exceed two hundred 3 6 thousand dollars per year. 3 7 EXPLANATION 3 8 This bill appropriates an additional $2.5 million to the 3 9 standing appropriation to the department of education for 3 10 programs for at-risk children under Code section 279.51, and 3 11 allocates the moneys for an alternative education program 3 12 established under the bill for habitually disruptive, absent 3 13 or truant, at-risk students. 3 14 The alternative education program is established to provide 3 15 four-year competitive demonstration grants to school 3 16 districts, either for individual schools or a consortia of 3 17 schools within a district to establish innovative alternative 3 18 education programs for youths age twelve and older, in 3 19 conjunction with local agencies and community organizations. 3 20 The department is directed to provide grants to establish 3 21 model programs in school districts in at least one each of the 3 22 following size categories: less than 1,200; 1,200 to 4,999; 3 23 5,000 or more. 3 24 The department is also directed to coordinate an evaluation 3 25 process to investigate program effectiveness in restoring 3 26 students to the regular education program. 3 27 Program plans shall include a contribution of at least 20 3 28 percent of the total costs of the program, which can include 3 29 "in-kind" services. The budget for a proposed program shall 3 30 not exceed $200,000 per year. 3 31 LSB 2100YH 77 3 32 kh/cf/24
Text: HF00433 Text: HF00435 Text: HF00400 - HF00499 Text: HF Index Bills and Amendments: General Index Bill History: General Index
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