Text: SF00156 Text: SF00158 Text: SF00100 - SF00199 Text: SF Index Bills and Amendments: General Index Bill History: General Index
PAG LIN
1 1 Section 1. NEW SECTION. 257.11B REGIONAL ACADEMIES –
1 2 PILOT PROGRAM.
1 3 1. The general assembly finds that the most efficient and
1 4 effective use of the state's educational resources may be
1 5 achieved through the consolidation of the resources of
1 6 multiple school districts to facilitate widespread access to
1 7 advanced level coursework and instruction of the highest
1 8 caliber which might otherwise not be available to students.
1 9 The general assembly additionally finds that existing
1 10 approaches to encourage the establishment of regional
1 11 academies should be enhanced through the allocation of
1 12 increased financial incentives, and the results of this
1 13 allocation should be monitored and evaluated to determine
1 14 whether regional academies have the potential to meaningfully
1 15 expand the educational opportunities of students throughout
1 16 the state.
1 17 2. The department of education shall establish a regional
1 18 academy pilot program to encourage the formation of regional
1 19 academies. For the purposes of the pilot program, a regional
1 20 academy means the same as defined in section 257.11,
1 21 subsection 5, paragraph "b". The department shall develop and
1 22 distribute an application form to every school district in
1 23 this state, requesting the submission of an application by
1 24 school districts interested in the formation of a regional
1 25 academy and accompanied by an implementation strategy. The
1 26 application form shall specify an application deadline of
1 27 October 1, 2003. The department shall review the
1 28 applications, group together applications involving contiguous
1 29 school districts by geographic region, and select three
1 30 regions across the state for participation in the pilot
1 31 program. Selection of the regions and notification of the
1 32 school districts involved shall take place by November 1,
1 33 2003.
1 34 3. For a five-year period beginning with the school budget
1 35 year commencing July 1, 2004, and ending with the school
2 1 budget year commencing July 1, 2008, in addition to the
2 2 supplementary weighting received pursuant to section 257.11,
2 3 subsection 5, paragraph "b", resident pupils in a school
2 4 district or school districts participating in the pilot
2 5 program pursuant to this section shall receive an additional
2 6 weighting of four-tenths of the percentage of the pupil's
2 7 school day during which the pupil attends classes at the
2 8 regional academy. During the fifth year of the program, the
2 9 department shall conduct an evaluation of the effectiveness of
2 10 the program in encouraging the formation of regional
2 11 academies, and shall assess the impact of attendance at the
2 12 academy on student academic performance. The department shall
2 13 submit a report of its findings to the general assembly by
2 14 January 1, 2010.
2 15 EXPLANATION
2 16 This bill provides for the establishment of a regional
2 17 academy pilot program. The bill provides that the general
2 18 assembly finds that the efficient and effective use of the
2 19 state's educational resources may be achieved through
2 20 consolidation of multiple school district resources to
2 21 facilitate widespread access to advanced level coursework and
2 22 instruction of the highest caliber which might otherwise not
2 23 be available to students. The bill provides that the general
2 24 assembly additionally finds that existing approaches to
2 25 encourage the establishment of regional academies should be
2 26 enhanced through the allocation of increased financial
2 27 incentives.
2 28 The bill requires the department of education to establish
2 29 a regional academy pilot program to encourage the formation of
2 30 regional academies. The bill defines a regional academy as in
2 31 Code section 257.11, subsection 5, paragraph "b". The bill
2 32 provides that the department shall develop and distribute an
2 33 application form, requesting the submission of an application
2 34 by school districts interested in the formation of a regional
2 35 academy and accompanied by an implementation strategy, to
3 1 every school district in the state, specifying an application
3 2 deadline of October 1, 2003. The bill provides that the
3 3 department shall review the applications, and shall group
3 4 together applications involving contiguous school districts by
3 5 geographic region, ultimately selecting three regions across
3 6 the state for participation in the pilot program by November
3 7 1, 2003.
3 8 The bill provides that for a five-year period beginning
3 9 with the school budget year commencing July 1, 2004, and
3 10 ending with the school budget year commencing July 1, 2008, in
3 11 addition to the supplementary weighting received pursuant to
3 12 Code section 257.11, subsection 5, paragraph "b", resident
3 13 pupils in a school district or school districts participating
3 14 in the program will receive an additional weighting of four-
3 15 tenths of the percentage of the pupil's school day during
3 16 which the pupil attends classes at the regional academy. The
3 17 bill provides that the department shall conduct an evaluation
3 18 of the effectiveness of the program in encouraging the
3 19 formation of regional academies, assess the impact of
3 20 attendance at the academy on student academic performance, and
3 21 submit a report of its findings to the general assembly by
3 22 January 1, 2010.
3 23 LSB 1078XS 80
3 24 rn/sh/8
Text: SF00156 Text: SF00158 Text: SF00100 - SF00199 Text: SF Index Bills and Amendments: General Index Bill History: General Index
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