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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 using additional allowable growth 1 20 for programs for returning dropouts and dropout prevention 1 21 under section 257.41, and that demonstrate the greatest need 1 22 for, and ability to provide for, the establishment of 1 23 innovative alternative education programs for habitually 1 24 disruptive, absent or truant, at-risk students. The 1 25 department of education, in consultation with the department 1 26 of human services, the Iowa department of public health, the 1 27 division of criminal and juvenile justice planning of the 1 28 department of human rights, and institutions of higher 1 29 learning with applicable programs, shall develop a four-year 1 30 demonstration grant program that commences in the fiscal year 1 31 beginning July 1, 1997. 1 32 b. The department shall provide grants to individual 1 33 public schools or to a consortia of public schools within a 1 34 school district to establish innovative alternative education 1 35 programs for youths age twelve and older, who meet the 2 1 criteria listed in paragraph "a". The programs shall be 2 2 established in conjunction with local agencies and community 2 3 organizations, based upon program plans filed by the board of 2 4 directors of the school district. The department shall 2 5 provide grants to establish model programs in one each at 2 6 least, of the following size categories: 2 7 (1) A school district with an enrollment of less than one 2 8 thousand two hundred. 2 9 (2) A school district with an enrollment of one thousand 2 10 two hundred to four thousand nine hundred ninety-nine. 2 11 (3) A school district with an enrollment of at least five 2 12 thousand. 2 13 c. Priority shall be weighted toward need within a school 2 14 or school district and shall be given to schools whose plans 2 15 indicate a high degree of active participation by community- 2 16 based youth organizations and agencies, and to schools with 2 17 student populations characterized by high rates of the 2 18 following: students expelled or suspended; school dropout and 2 19 absenteeism; juvenile court involvement; family conflict; and 2 20 child and youth mental health, substance abuse, and other 2 21 health problems. The department shall develop an evaluation 2 22 process for the approved projects designed to investigate 2 23 program effectiveness in reducing these rates and restoring 2 24 the student to the regular education program. In developing 2 25 the evaluation process, the department shall consult with the 2 26 department of human services, the Iowa department of public 2 27 health, the division of criminal and juvenile justice planning 2 28 of the department of human rights, and institutions of higher 2 29 learning with applicable programs. 2 30 d. A plan submitted pursuant to this subsection shall 2 31 address the academic curriculum and provide for, at a minimum, 2 32 basic academic skills development and social remediation 2 33 necessary to restore the student to the regular education 2 34 program; self-discipline and responsibility; family 2 35 interaction opportunities; personal skills development; and 3 1 shall include a program evaluation component. 3 2 e. Grants for the program shall not be used to construct a 3 3 new facility or to renovate an existing structure. 3 4 f. A plan submitted pursuant to this subsection shall 3 5 require a contribution of at least twenty percent of the total 3 6 costs of the program, which can include "in-kind" services. 3 7 The budget for a proposed program shall not exceed two hundred 3 8 thousand dollars per year. Funding provided under this 3 9 section shall supplement and not supplant funding received as 3 10 additional allowable growth under section 257.41. 3 11 EXPLANATION 3 12 This bill appropriates an additional $2.5 million to the 3 13 standing appropriation to the department of education for 3 14 programs for at-risk children under Code section 279.51, and 3 15 allocates the moneys for an alternative education program 3 16 established under the bill for habitually disruptive, absent 3 17 or truant, at-risk students. 3 18 The alternative education program is established to provide 3 19 four-year competitive demonstration grants to school districts 3 20 already using additional allowable growth for dropout 3 21 programs, either for individual schools or a consortia of 3 22 schools within a district, to establish innovative alternative 3 23 education programs for youths age twelve and older, in 3 24 conjunction with local agencies and community organizations. 3 25 The department is directed to provide grants to establish 3 26 model programs in school districts in at least one each of the 3 27 following size categories: less than 1,200; 1,200 to 4,999; 3 28 5,000 or more. 3 29 The department is also directed to coordinate an evaluation 3 30 process to investigate program effectiveness in restoring 3 31 students to the regular education program. 3 32 Program plans shall include a contribution of at least 20 3 33 percent of the total costs of the program, which can include 3 34 "in-kind" services. The budget for a proposed program shall 3 35 not exceed $200,000 per year and the funding is not to 4 1 supplant additional allowable growth funding for dropouts and 4 2 dropout prevention. 4 3 LSB 2420XS 77 4 4 kh/cf/24.1
Text: SF00262 Text: SF00264 Text: SF00200 - SF00299 Text: SF Index Bills and Amendments: General Index Bill History: General Index
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