Text: SF00412 Text: SF00414 Text: SF00400 - SF00499 Text: SF 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 1. There is appropriated from the general fund of the 1 4 state to the department of education for the fiscal year 1 5 beginning July 1,19961997, and each succeeding fiscal year, 1 6 the sum offourteenseventeen millionfivethree hundred 1 7 twenty thousand 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 each of the fiscal years during the 1 11 fiscal period beginning July 1, 1997, and ending June 30, 1 12 2001, two million eight hundred thousand dollars of the funds 1 13 appropriated shall be allocated for the middle school youth 1 14 services program established in subsection 3A. For each of 1 15 the fiscal years during the fiscal period beginning July 1, 1 16 1997, and ending June 30, 2001, twenty thousand dollars of the 1 17 funds allocated in this paragraph shall be expended for staff 1 18 development, research, and the development of strategies for 1 19 coordination with community-based youth organizations and 1 20 agencies. A school that received a grant under paragraph "c" 1 21 is eligible to receive a grant under this paragraph provided 1 22 the school meets the requirements of this subsection. Subject 1 23 to the approval of the state board of education, the 1 24 allocation made in this paragraph may be renewed for 1 25 additional four-year periods of time. 1 26 Sec. 3. Section 279.51, Code 1997, is amended by adding 1 27 the following new subsection: 1 28 NEW SUBSECTION. 3A. a. A middle school youth services 1 29 grant program is established. The department of education, in 1 30 consultation with the department of human services, the 1 31 department of workforce development, the Iowa department of 1 32 public health, the division of criminal and juvenile justice 1 33 planning of the department of human rights, institutions of 1 34 higher learning with applicable programs, and the division of 1 35 job training and entrepreneurship assistance of the department 2 1 of economic development, shall develop a four-year 2 2 demonstration grant program that commences in the fiscal year 2 3 beginning July 1, 1997. The department shall provide grants 2 4 to individual or consortiums of middle schools to establish 2 5 school-based youth services programs, in conjunction with 2 6 local agencies and community organizations, based upon program 2 7 plans filed by the board of directors of the school district. 2 8 The department shall provide grants to establish model 2 9 programs in at least the following three size categories: 2 10 (1) A school district with an enrollment of less than one 2 11 thousand two hundred. 2 12 (2) A school district with an enrollment of one thousand 2 13 two hundred to four thousand nine hundred ninety-nine. 2 14 (3) A school district with an enrollment of at least five 2 15 thousand. 2 16 b. Priority shall be weighted toward need, middle schools 2 17 that have not received grants under paragraph "c", middle 2 18 schools whose plans indicate a high degree of active 2 19 participation by community-based youth organizations and 2 20 agencies, and middle schools with student populations 2 21 characterized by high rates of a number of the following: 2 22 school dropout, absenteeism, and truancy; nonparticipation in 2 23 extracurricular activities; homelessness and runaway 2 24 challenges; teenage pregnancy; juvenile court involvement; 2 25 family conflict; unemployment; teenage suicide; and mental 2 26 health, substance abuse, and other health problems. In 2 27 addition, priority shall be given to programs that provide 2 28 access to a center for children and youth after school, 2 29 evenings, weekends, and during the summer; and that provide a 2 30 twenty-four-hour telephone hotline or similar service. 2 31 c. The department shall coordinate an evaluation 2 32 initiative with the approved projects designed to investigate 2 33 program effectiveness in reducing the rates within communities 2 34 as described in paragraph "b". In developing the evaluation 2 35 initiative, the department shall consult with the department 3 1 of human services, the department of workforce development, 3 2 the Iowa department of public health, the division of criminal 3 3 and juvenile justice planning of the department of human 3 4 rights, institutions of higher learning with applicable 3 5 programs, and the division of job training and 3 6 entrepreneurship assistance of the department of economic 3 7 development. 3 8 d. Programs shall provide at a minimum recreational 3 9 opportunities, personal skills development, basic academic 3 10 skills development, family interaction opportunities, and 3 11 mentoring. Additional objectives of the programs shall be: 3 12 to reduce juvenile crime; recruit community volunteers; 3 13 improve the academic performance, attitudes, and behaviors of 3 14 middle school students; increase the ability of existing 3 15 agencies within the community to address the multiple problems 3 16 of youth and teenagers; and to coordinate activities and 3 17 facilitate joint planning to make the most economic and 3 18 innovative use of community resources. Programs shall at a 3 19 minimum provide mental health and family counseling services 3 20 and primary health care services that include but are not 3 21 limited to physical examinations, immunizations, hearing and 3 22 vision screening, and preventive and primary health care 3 23 services, in the context of the educational needs of the 3 24 students. 3 25 e. The plan shall include the appointment by the board of 3 26 a local advisory board for each proposed program, which at a 3 27 minimum shall include parents of students enrolled in the 3 28 middle school, a middle school teacher recommended by the 3 29 local teachers association, a representative from the health 3 30 and mental health community in the area, youths and teenagers 3 31 enrolled in the school and recommended by the school student 3 32 government, a representative from the nonprofit provider 3 33 community, and a representative from the juvenile court system 3 34 serving the area. Management of the program shall be by the 3 35 middle school or by a nonprofit youth service organization. 4 1 As used in this subsection, "youth service" means recreational 4 2 services, employment services, civic services, or juvenile 4 3 treatment services. 4 4 f. Program proposals shall include a written commitment 4 5 from the school principal and the board of directors of the 4 6 school district that the middle school will work to coordinate 4 7 and integrate existing school services and activities with the 4 8 center and shall include letters of support for the proposal 4 9 from the local teachers association; parent-teacher 4 10 organizations; community organizations; nonprofit agencies 4 11 providing social services, health, or career development 4 12 services in the area; the juvenile court system serving the 4 13 area; and the area private industry council. 4 14 g. Grants for the program shall not be used to construct a 4 15 new facility or to renovate an existing structure. 4 16 h. Program proposals shall include a commitment to a 4 17 contribution of at least twenty percent of the total costs of 4 18 the program from the board of directors of the school 4 19 district, which can include "in-kind" services. Partnerships 4 20 between the public and private sectors to provide employment 4 21 and training opportunities for youth served by the program are 4 22 particularly encouraged. The budget for a proposed program 4 23 shall not exceed two hundred thousand dollars per year. 4 24 i. For purposes of this section, "middle school" means a 4 25 separately organized and administered unit beginning with 4 26 grade five or six, or the equivalent, and including at least 4 27 two grades. 4 28 EXPLANATION 4 29 This bill adds $2.8 million to the standing appropriation 4 30 for programs for at-risk children to provide for the 4 31 establishment of a middle school youth services program to be 4 32 developed as a four-year demonstration grant program by the 4 33 department of education in consultation with the departments 4 34 of public health, human services, workforce development, 4 35 economic development, the division of criminal and juvenile 5 1 justice planning of the department of human rights, and 5 2 institutions of higher learning with applicable programs. 5 3 Grants are to be awarded to programs in at least three size 5 4 categories: a school district with an enrollment of less than 5 5 1,200, a district with an enrollment of 1,200 to 4,999, and a 5 6 district with an enrollment of at least 5,000. 5 7 Priority shall be weighted toward need. Schools that have 5 8 not received any other school-based youth services grants 5 9 shall also be given a priority. In addition, priority shall 5 10 be given to schools whose plans indicate a high degree of 5 11 active participation by community-based youth organizations 5 12 and agencies and schools with student populations 5 13 characterized by high rates of a number of the following: 5 14 school dropouts, absenteeism, and truancy; nonparticipation in 5 15 extracurricular activities; homelessness and runaway 5 16 challenges; teenage pregnancy; juvenile court involvement; 5 17 family conflict; unemployment; teenage suicide; and mental 5 18 health, substance abuse, and other health problems. Lastly, 5 19 priority shall be given to programs that provide access to a 5 20 center for children and youth after school, evenings, 5 21 weekends, and during the summer and that provide a twenty- 5 22 four-hour telephone hotline or similar service. 5 23 The department shall coordinate an evaluation initiative 5 24 with the approved projects. 5 25 Programs shall provide at a minimum recreational 5 26 opportunities, personal skills development, basic academic 5 27 skills development, family interaction opportunities, and 5 28 mentoring. 5 29 Additional objectives of the programs shall be: to reduce 5 30 juvenile crime; recruit community volunteers; improve the 5 31 academic performance, attitudes, and behaviors of middle 5 32 school students; increase the ability of existing agencies 5 33 within the community to address the multiple problems of youth 5 34 and teenagers; and to coordinate activities and facilitate 5 35 joint planning to make the most economic and innovative use of 6 1 community resources. Programs shall at a minimum provide 6 2 mental health and family counseling services and primary 6 3 health care services that include but are not limited to 6 4 physical examinations, immunizations, hearing and vision 6 5 screening, and preventive and primary health care services, in 6 6 the context of the educational needs of the students. 6 7 The plan shall include the appointment of a local advisory 6 8 board for each proposed program. Management of the program 6 9 shall be by the middle school or by a nonprofit youth service 6 10 organization. 6 11 Program proposals shall include a contribution of at least 6 12 20 percent of the total costs of the program, which can 6 13 include "in-kind" services. 6 14 LSB 2224SS 77 6 15 kh/jj/8
Text: SF00412 Text: SF00414 Text: SF00400 - SF00499 Text: SF Index Bills and Amendments: General Index Bill History: General Index
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