15-188. Charter schools stimulus fund

A. The charter schools stimulus fund is established for the purpose of providing financial support to charter school applicants and charter schools for start-up costs and costs associated with renovating or remodeling existing buildings and structures. The fund consists of monies appropriated by the legislature and grants, gifts, devises and donations from any public or private source. The department of education shall administer the fund.

B. The state board of education shall adopt rules to implement the provisions of this section, including application and notification requirements. If sufficient monies are appropriated for this purpose, monies from the charter schools stimulus fund shall be distributed to qualifying charter school applicants and charter schools in the following manner:

1. Each qualifying charter school applicant or charter school shall be awarded an initial grant of up to one hundred thousand dollars during or before the first year of the charter school's operation. If an applicant for a charter school receives an initial grant pursuant to this paragraph and fails to begin operating a charter school within the next eighteen months, the applicant shall reimburse the department of education for the amount of the initial grant plus interest calculated at a rate of ten per cent a year.

2. Applicants for charter schools and charter schools that received initial grants pursuant to paragraph 1 may apply to the department of education for an additional grant of up to one hundred thousand dollars. If an applicant for a charter school receives an additional grant pursuant to this paragraph and fails to begin operating a charter school within the next eighteen months, the applicant shall reimburse the department of education for the amount of the additional grant plus interest calculated at a rate of ten per cent a year. A reimbursement required by this paragraph is in addition to any reimbursement required by paragraph 1.

C. Monies in the charter schools stimulus fund are exempt from the provisions of section 35-190 relating to lapsing of appropriations.