281—97.3(257) Supplementary weighting plan for a regional academy.
	97.3(1) Eligibility. Except if listed under subrule 97.2(6), a resident student is eligible for supplementary weighting if the student is eligible to be counted as a resident student for certified enrollment and if all of the following criteria are met:
	a. 	Two or more Iowa school districts, other than a whole-grade sharing partner district, send students to advanced-level courses that are included in the curriculum of the regional academy, and these students are eligible for supplementary weighting under paragraph 97.2(1)“a” or “c.” In addition, for the host district to qualify for the minimum weighting pursuant to subrule 97.3(4), one or more Iowa school districts, other than a whole-grade sharing partner district, must send students to career-technical classes that are included in the curriculum of the regional academy.
	b. 	The regional academy is located in the district.
	c. 	The grade levels include one or more grades seven through twelve.
	d. 	The curriculum is an organized course of study, adopted by the board, that includes a minimum of two advanced-level courses that are not part of a career-technical program. An advanced-level course is a course that is above the level of the course units required as minimum curriculum in 281—Chapter 12 in the host district.
	e. 	The resident students are not eligible for supplementary weighting under another supplementary weighting plan.
	f. 	No resident or nonresident students are attending the regional academy under a whole-grade sharing arrangement as defined in subrule 97.2(7).
	g. 	Two or more sending districts that are whole-grade sharing partner districts will be treated as one sending district for purposes of paragraph 97.3(1)“a.”
	h. 	The school districts participating in a regional academy will enter into an agreement on how the funding generated by the supplementary weighting received will be used and will submit the agreement, as well as a copy of the minutes of meetings of the local school district boards of directors in which the boards approved the agreement, to the department for approval by October 1 of the year in which the districts intend to request supplementary weighting for the regional academy.
	97.3(2) Weighting. Resident students eligible for supplementary weighting pursuant to subrule 97.3(1) are eligible for a weighting of one-tenth of the fraction of a school year during which the pupil attends courses at the regional academy in which nonresident students are enrolled pursuant to paragraph 97.3(1)“a.”
	97.3(3) Maximum weighting. The maximum amount of additional weighting for which a school district establishing a regional academy is eligible is an amount corresponding to 30 full-time-equivalent pupils.
	97.3(4) Minimum weighting. The minimum amount of additional weighting for which a school district establishing a regional academy is eligible is an amount corresponding to 15 full-time-equivalent pupils if the academy provides both advanced-level courses and career-technical courses.
	97.3(5) Additional programs. If all of the criteria in subrule 97.3(1) are met, the regional academy may also include in its curriculum career-technical courses, Internet-based courses and ICN courses.
	97.3(6) Career academy. A career academy is not a regional academy for purposes of these rules.
[ARC 7801C, IAB 4/17/24, effective 5/22/24]