Senate File 53 - Introduced
SENATE FILE
BY CONNOLLY
Passed Senate, Date Passed House, Date
Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays
Approved
A BILL FOR
1 An Act establishing an educational technology grant program and
2 making an appropriation.
3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
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PAG LIN
1 1 Section 1. NEW SECTION. 256G.1 LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS.
1 2 The general assembly finds and declares the following:
1 3 1. The use of computer technology in the classroom is a
1 4 powerful tool to motivate and accelerate learning.
1 5 2. The assimilation of computer skills is critical as
1 6 young people prepare for future employment.
1 7 3. There is a need for the state to commit to a long=term
1 8 investment in educational technology for Iowa classrooms.
1 9 Sec. 2. NEW SECTION. 256G.2 EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY GRANT
1 10 PROGRAM ESTABLISHED.
1 11 1. An educational technology grant program is established,
1 12 to be administered by the department of education. The board
1 13 of directors of a school district may participate in the
1 14 educational technology grant program by applying in writing to
1 15 the department of education, on forms provided by the
1 16 department, by September 30. Each application submitted shall
1 17 include a commitment by the school district to provide local
1 18 matching funds equivalent to the amount of grant funding
1 19 sought. A grant made pursuant to this section to a school
1 20 district with an enrollment of one hundred fifty or more
1 21 students shall not exceed an amount equal to five dollars per
1 22 resident pupil enrolled in the school district on the third
1 23 Friday of September of the school year in which the
1 24 application is submitted. A grant made pursuant to this
1 25 section to a school district with an enrollment of less than
1 26 one hundred fifty students shall not be less than seven
1 27 hundred fifty dollars.
1 28 2. The state board of education shall adopt rules
1 29 prescribing the criteria for the educational technology grant
1 30 program application, local match requirement, and award
1 31 process.
1 32 3. The department of education shall notify the department
1 33 of management of the amount to be paid to each school district
1 34 that is approved to receive a grant award pursuant to this
1 35 section. The allocation to each school district under this
2 1 section shall be made in one payment on or about November 1 of
2 2 the fiscal year in which the appropriation is made, taking
2 3 into consideration the relative budget and cash position of
2 4 the state resources.
2 5 4. Each school district that receives grant funding
2 6 pursuant to this chapter shall include a progress report on
2 7 the activities and expenditures funded by the educational
2 8 technology grant program moneys received as a component of the
2 9 annual report submitted to the department of education in
2 10 accordance with section 256.7, subsection 21, paragraphs "a"
2 11 and "c".
2 12 5. Payments made to school districts under this section
2 13 are miscellaneous income for purposes of chapter 257. Moneys
2 14 received under this section shall not be commingled with state
2 15 aid payments made under section 257.16 and shall be accounted
2 16 for by the local school district separately from state aid
2 17 payments.
2 18 6. Moneys received under this chapter shall not be used
2 19 for payment of any collective bargaining agreement or
2 20 arbitrator's decision negotiated or awarded under chapter 20.
2 21 Sec. 3. NEW SECTION. 256G.3 EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY GRANT
2 22 EXPENDITURES.
2 23 A school district shall expend funds received pursuant to
2 24 section 256G.2 for the acquisition, lease, lease=purchase,
2 25 installation, and maintenance of educational technology
2 26 equipment, including hardware and software, materials and
2 27 supplies related to educational technology, and staff
2 28 development and training related to educational technology,
2 29 and shall establish priorities for the use of the funds.
2 30 However, funds received by a school district pursuant to
2 31 section 256G.2 shall not be expended to add a full=time
2 32 equivalent position or otherwise increase staff.
2 33 Sec. 4. NEW SECTION. 256G.4 APPROPRIATION.
2 34 1. There is appropriated from the general fund of the
2 35 state to the department of management for each fiscal year an
3 1 amount sufficient to pay the grant awards to school districts
3 2 approved by the department of education under section 256G.2.
3 3 2. Notwithstanding section 8.33, moneys committed to
3 4 grantees under this chapter that remain unencumbered or
3 5 unobligated on June 30 of the fiscal year for which the funds
3 6 were appropriated shall not revert but shall be available for
3 7 expenditure for the following fiscal year for the purposes of
3 8 the educational technology grant program established under
3 9 this chapter.
3 10 EXPLANATION
3 11 This bill establishes an educational technology grant
3 12 program for approved school districts and codifies an annual
3 13 appropriation of state moneys sufficient to provide up to $5
3 14 per pupil in grant awards to approved school districts that
3 15 provide matching local funds.
3 16 The bill includes legislative findings which explain the
3 17 need for the establishment of an educational technology grant
3 18 program within the department of education.
3 19 School districts that apply for a grant under the program
3 20 must include in their application a commitment to provide
3 21 local matching funds equivalent to the amount of grant funding
3 22 sought. For districts with enrollments of 150 or more, a
3 23 grant made under the program shall not exceed an amount equal
3 24 to $5 per resident pupil enrolled in the school district. The
3 25 grant for a district with fewer than 150 pupils shall not be
3 26 less than $750.
3 27 The state board of education is directed to adopt rules and
3 28 criteria concerning the educational technology grant program
3 29 application, local match requirement, and award process.
3 30 Each school district that receives grant funding shall
3 31 include a progress report as a component of its comprehensive
3 32 school improvement plan.
3 33 The bill lists the expenditures allowed under the program.
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