House File 2307 - Introduced
HOUSE FILE
BY D. OLSON
Passed House, Date Passed Senate, Date
Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays
Approved
A BILL FOR
1 An Act establishing a regional learning academy construction
2 grant program and making an appropriation.
3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
4 TLSB 5647YH 81
5 kh/je/5
PAG LIN
1 1 Section 1. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION == REGIONAL LEARNING
1 2 ACADEMY CONSTRUCTION GRANT PROGRAM. There is appropriated
1 3 from the tax=exempt bond proceeds restricted capital funds
1 4 account of the tobacco settlement trust fund to the department
1 5 of education for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2006, and
1 6 ending June 30, 2007, the following amount, or so much thereof
1 7 as is necessary, to be used for the purpose designated:
1 8 For the regional learning academy construction grant
1 9 program established pursuant to section 256.41:
1 10 .................................................. $ 3,000,000
1 11 A regional learning academy construction grant awarded to a
1 12 single school district or consortium of school districts
1 13 pursuant to section 256.41 shall not exceed $500,000.
1 14 Sec. 2. NEW SECTION. 256.41 REGIONAL LEARNING ACADEMY
1 15 CONSTRUCTION GRANT PROGRAM.
1 16 1. A regional learning academy construction grant program
1 17 is established within the department to provide matching funds
1 18 to school districts or consortia of school districts that
1 19 enter into a partnership with one or more community colleges
1 20 established under chapter 260C, an accredited private
1 21 institution as defined in section 261.9, or an institution of
1 22 higher education governed by the state board of regents to
1 23 provide access to college=level courses at a regional learning
1 24 academy.
1 25 2. A school district or a consortium of school districts
1 26 that meets the requirements of subsection 1 may submit an
1 27 application to the department for review. The department
1 28 shall establish criteria for the review and approval of grant
1 29 applications by rule. The department shall require a local
1 30 match or contribution toward the overall project cost. Other
1 31 state or federal funds cannot be used as a match source.
1 32 Priority shall be given to school districts that work with a
1 33 neighboring district to establish a common school calendar to
1 34 maximize the use of the regional learning academy, and to
1 35 school districts that qualify for federal funds for the same
2 1 project.
2 2 3. A grant shall be awarded only to a school district or a
2 3 consortium of school districts that currently does not have a
2 4 college campus located within the school district's or
2 5 consortium's school district boundaries. Projects shall be
2 6 located in small, medium, and large school districts, although
2 7 a consortium of school districts that meets the enrollment
2 8 requirements of a medium or large school district may qualify
2 9 as a medium or large school district for purposes of receiving
2 10 a grant award. For purposes of this section, a large school
2 11 district is a district with an actual enrollment of four
2 12 thousand seven hundred fifty or more pupils, a medium school
2 13 district is a district with an actual enrollment of at least
2 14 one thousand two hundred but not more than four thousand seven
2 15 hundred forty=nine pupils, and a small school district is a
2 16 district with an actual enrollment of one thousand one hundred
2 17 ninety=nine or fewer pupils.
2 18 4. Grant recipients shall submit an interim report to the
2 19 department one year after the grant approval and annually,
2 20 thereafter, until the project is complete, describing the
2 21 activities and providing information on the status of
2 22 implementation of the project and expenditures of funds. A
2 23 final report is required within forty=five days of completion
2 24 of the project. Project completion shall not be later than
2 25 September 27, 2009. The department shall evaluate the
2 26 projects and submit its findings and recommendations to the
2 27 chairpersons and ranking members of the senate and house of
2 28 representatives standing committees on education and the
2 29 chairpersons and ranking members of the joint subcommittees on
2 30 education appropriations by January 1, 2010.
2 31 EXPLANATION
2 32 This bill establishes a regional learning academy
2 33 construction grant program within the department of education
2 34 to provide matching funds to school districts or consortia of
2 35 school districts that enter into a partnership with one or
3 1 more community colleges, an accredited private institution, or
3 2 a state university to provide access to college=level courses
3 3 at a regional learning academy. The bill appropriates $3
3 4 million to the department for the program from the tax=exempt
3 5 bond proceeds restricted capital funds account of the tobacco
3 6 settlement trust fund to the department for FY 2006=2007 and
3 7 limits the amount which may be awarded to a single school
3 8 district or consortium of school districts to $500,000.
3 9 The department is directed to require a local match or
3 10 contribution toward the overall project cost, which cannot
3 11 come from other state or federal funds.
3 12 Priority must be given to school districts that work with a
3 13 neighboring district to establish a common school calendar and
3 14 to school districts that qualify for federal funds for the
3 15 same project. A grant shall be awarded only to a school
3 16 district or a consortium that currently does not have a
3 17 college campus located within the school district's or
3 18 consortium's boundaries. Projects shall be located in small,
3 19 medium, and large school districts.
3 20 Grant recipients must submit an annual interim report to
3 21 the department, and must submit a final report within 45 days
3 22 of completion of the project. Project completion must be by
3 23 September 27, 2009. The department shall evaluate the
3 24 projects and submit its findings and recommendations to the
3 25 chairpersons and ranking members of the senate and house of
3 26 representatives standing committees on education and the
3 27 chairpersons and ranking members of the joint subcommittees on
3 28 education appropriations by January 1, 2010.
3 29 LSB 5647YH 81
3 30 kh:rj/je/5