Text: HF02047 Text: HF02049 Text: HF02000 - HF02099 Text: HF Index Bills and Amendments: General Index Bill History: General Index
PAG LIN 1 1 Section 1. There is appropriated from the general fund of 1 2 the state to the department of education for the fiscal year 1 3 beginning July 1, 1998, and ending June 30, 1999, the 1 4 following amount, or so much thereof as may be necessary, to 1 5 be used for the purpose designated: 1 6 For a modified full-year school calendar grant program and 1 7 study: 1 8 .................................................. $ 3,500,000 1 9 The funds appropriated shall be utilized by the department 1 10 to create an incentive program to encourage schools to propose 1 11 and utilize a modified full-year school calendar. The 1 12 department shall award grants to 12 schools with varying 1 13 enrollments that apply to the department by November 1, 1998. 1 14 Application forms and grant award criteria shall be developed 1 15 by the department. Applicants shall submit a proposal for a 1 16 full-year school calendar adhering to the current 180-day 1 17 requirement in section 279.10, subsection 1, but with a 1 18 modified calendar incorporating a nine-week on, three-week off 1 19 schedule. The modified calendar would commence annually on 1 20 the second Monday in July beginning in 1999, and alternate 1 21 nine-week on, three-week off intervals until the 180-day 1 22 requirement has been met. At that point, students would 1 23 remain on break until the next school year commences pursuant 1 24 to the modified calendar. Calendar proposals submitted by 1 25 applicants may modify the nine-week on, three-week off 1 26 schedule according to the particular needs of the school 1 27 district, but should provide a clear transition to such a 1 28 schedule. Grants shall be awarded for a three-year duration 1 29 and shall be used by the schools either to install air 1 30 conditioning in school buildings or finance other 1 31 infrastructure needs of the school district related to the 1 32 modified calendar. 1 33 In addition to the awarding of grants to applicant schools, 1 34 the funds appropriated shall be utilized by the department, in 1 35 conjunction with postsecondary education institutions in the 2 1 state, to conduct a study of the schools participating in the 2 2 grant program during the final year of the three-year program. 2 3 The study shall include an in-depth cost-benefit analysis of 2 4 the modified full-year school calendar and its effects on the 2 5 students, teachers, and community members involved in the 2 6 program, and include a measurement of academic achievement for 2 7 students participating in the program compared with students 2 8 from nonparticipant schools. The department shall submit a 2 9 report of its findings and recommendations to the general 2 10 assembly by October 1, 2002. 2 11 EXPLANATION 2 12 This bill provides for the creation of a three-year grant 2 13 program involving the awarding of grants by the department of 2 14 education to 12 schools of varying enrollment sizes throughout 2 15 the state that submit proposals for the utilization of a 2 16 modified full-year school calendar. Proposed calendars shall 2 17 begin annually on the second Monday in July, starting in 1999, 2 18 and shall provide a clear transition toward the attainment of 2 19 a nine-week on, three-week off school calendar. The calendar 2 20 proposal may modify the nine-week on, three-week off period 2 21 according to the particular needs of the applicant school 2 22 during the three-year grant program period. Application forms 2 23 and grant award criteria shall be developed by the department, 2 24 and shall be received by the department from applicant schools 2 25 by November 1, 1998. Grants received by successful applicants 2 26 may be used for the installation of air conditioning equipment 2 27 in school buildings or for additional infrastructure-related 2 28 modifications relating to the school's participation in the 2 29 program. The bill provides for an appropriation of $3.5 2 30 million to finance the grants, and to provide for a study 2 31 during the final year of the three-year program, conducted by 2 32 the department and postsecondary education institutions in the 2 33 state, of the impact of the program on students, teachers, and 2 34 community members involved in the program. The study shall 2 35 include an in-depth cost-benefit analysis of the modified 3 1 full-year school calendar and a measurement of student 3 2 academic progress as compared to students at nonparticipant 3 3 schools, and shall be submitted to the general assembly by 3 4 October 1, 2002. 3 5 LSB 3049HH 77 3 6 rn/cf/24.2
Text: HF02047 Text: HF02049 Text: HF02000 - HF02099 Text: HF Index Bills and Amendments: General Index Bill History: General Index
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