HB 378: "An Act relating to the establishment of a research and development program for excellence in the public schools of this state; relating to grants for the improvement or enhancement of school performance; and providing for an effective date."
00 HOUSE BILL NO. 378 01 "An Act relating to the establishment of a research and development program for 02 excellence in the public schools of this state; relating to grants for the improvement or 03 enhancement of school performance; and providing for an effective date." 04 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 05 * Section 1. AS 14.03 is amended by adding a new section to read: 06 Sec. 14.03.124. Establishment of a program for excellence in the public 07 schools. (a) In consultation with the University of Alaska, the Department of 08 Education and Early Development shall establish a program for excellence in the 09 public schools of this state. 10 (b) To establish and further the program, the department may 11 (1) accept public and private money; 12 (2) apply for, administer, and award grants; and 13 (3) contract with an individual or a nonprofit corporation for the 14 operation of the program.
01 (c) The program shall include 02 (1) a mentoring program to assist new teachers and school 03 administrators to improve the quality of education in the public schools; 04 (2) research on school performance and quality as best educational 05 practices; 06 (3) coordination with outreach efforts in the public schools of this state 07 to make informational or educational resources available in the state; 08 (4) working with educational partners to identify strategies for 09 communities or public schools to use for success; 10 (5) research regarding, and application of, appropriate public and 11 private grants and other money to further the purposes of the program; and 12 (6) other development approved by the department that furthers 13 excellence in the public schools of this state. 14 (d) The program shall be administered by a director who is responsible for the 15 day-to-day operation of the program and the implementation of policy decisions 16 developed by the department. 17 (e) The department may establish technical advisory committees and a policy 18 advisory board to advise on the policies and activities for the program. 19 (f) In this section, "program" means the program for excellence in the public 20 schools of this state established under this section. 21 * Sec. 2. AS 14.03.125(a) is amended to read: 22 (a) The fund for the improvement or enhancement of school performance is 23 created as an account in the general fund. The fund shall be used by the commissioner 24 to make grants to a district located in the state for the purpose of improving or 25 enhancing school performance. The fund consists of money appropriated by the 26 legislature. The commissioner shall annually determine the amount requested for 27 grants under this section and shall include the amount in the department's budget 28 request. 29 * Sec. 3. AS 14.03.125(b) is amended to read: 30 (b) A governing body, district advisory board, or nonprofit organization 31 located in the state, or a teacher or principal employed by a public school in the state,
01 may apply for a grant of not less than $10,000 nor more than $100,000 [UP TO 02 $50,000] to develop and implement a plan to improve the [SCHOOL] performance 03 of each public school demonstrating low student achievement and to enhance the 04 performance of each public school demonstrating high student achievement. An 05 [BY SUBMITTING AN] application for a grant must be submitted to the 06 commissioner. 07 * Sec. 4. AS 14.03.125(d) is amended to read: 08 (d) Grant funds awarded under this section may only be expended to improve 09 or enhance the performance of a public school. The state board of education and 10 early development shall establish, by regulation adopted under AS 14.07.165, the 11 grant program described in this section. 12 * Sec. 5. AS 14.07.020(a)(2) is amended to read: 13 (2) study the conditions and needs of the public schools of the state, 14 adopt or recommend plans, administer and evaluate grants to improve or enhance 15 school performance awarded under AS 14.03.125, and adopt regulations for the 16 improvement of the public schools; 17 * Sec. 6. AS 36.30.850(b) is amended by adding a new paragraph to read: 18 (42) a contract for the operation of a program for excellence in the 19 public schools of this state awarded under AS 14.03.124(b). 20 * Sec. 7. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to 21 read: 22 TRANSITION: REGULATIONS. Notwithstanding sec. 10 of this Act, the state 23 Board of Education and Early Development may proceed to adopt regulations necessary to 24 implement the changes made by secs. 1 - 5 of this Act. 25 * Sec. 8. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to 26 read: 27 REVISOR'S INSTRUCTION. The revisor of statutes is instructed to change the 28 heading of AS 14.03.125 from "Fund for the improvement of school performance" to "Fund 29 for the improvement or enhancement of school performance." 30 * Sec. 9. Section 7 of this Act takes effect immediately under AS 01.10.070(c). 31 * Sec. 10. Except as provided in sec. 9 of this Act, this Act takes effect July 1, 2002.