Commencing with the 1993–94 fiscal year, from the funds appropriated for that purpose, the Superintendent shall issue grants to school districts maintaining high schools that meet the specifications of Section 54692, for purposes of planning, establishing, and maintaining academies, as follows:

(a) The Superintendent may issue planning grants for purposes of planning partnership academies. The Superintendent shall ensure that the planning grants are equitably distributed among high-wealth and low-wealth school districts in urban, rural, and suburban areas. Each planning grant shall be in the amount of fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000).

(b) For the 1993–94 fiscal year, and each fiscal year thereafter, the Superintendent may issue grants for the implementation and maintenance of existing academies or academies planned pursuant to subdivision (a). Implementation and maintenance grants shall be calculated in accordance with the following schedule:

(1) Districts operating academies may receive one thousand four hundred dollars ($1,400) per year for each qualified pupil enrolled in an academy during the first year of that academy’s operation, provided that no more than forty-two thousand dollars ($42,000) may be granted to any one academy for the initial year.

(2) Districts operating academies may receive one thousand two hundred dollars ($1,200) for each qualified pupil enrolled in an academy during the second year of that academy’s operation, provided that no more than seventy-two thousand dollars ($72,000) may be granted to any one academy for the second year.

(3) Districts operating academies may receive nine hundred dollars ($900) for each qualified pupil enrolled in an academy during the third and following years of that academy’s operation, provided that no more than eighty-one thousand dollars ($81,000) may be granted to any one academy for each fiscal year.

(c) For purposes of this section, a qualified pupil is a pupil who is enrolled in a partnership academy for the 10th, 11th, or 12th grade, obtains 90 percent of the credits each academic year in courses that are required for graduation, and does any of the following:

(1) Successfully completes a school year during the 10th grade with an attendance record of no less than 80 percent.

(2) Successfully completes a school year during the 11th grade with an attendance record of no less than 80 percent.

(3) Successfully graduates after the 12th grade.

A pupil enrolled in an academy who successfully completes only one semester with regard to enrollment, attendance, and credits within the school year is considered qualified for that semester and the district may receive one-half of the funds specified under subdivision (b) for that pupil.

(d) At the end of each school year, school districts that have been approved to operate academies pursuant to this article shall certify the following information to the Superintendent:

(1) The operation of each academy in accordance with this article, including Sections 54692 and 54694.

(2) The number of qualified pupils enrolled during the just completed school year, by grade level, for each academy operated by the district.

(3) The amount of matching funds and the dollar value of in-kind support made available to each academy in accordance with subdivisions (a) and (b) of Section 54692.

(e) The Superintendent shall adjust each school district’s grant in accordance with the certification made to him or her pursuant to subdivision (d) or in accordance with any discrepancies to the certification that may be revealed by audit. Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, the Superintendent may advance up to 50 percent of the funds as he or she deems appropriate to districts that are approved to operate, or plan to operate partnership academies.

(f) Funds granted to school districts pursuant to this article may be expended without regard to fiscal year. However, the funds must be expended for the maintenance and operation of academies.

(Amended by Stats. 2010, Ch. 650, Sec. 2. (SB 1354) Effective January 1, 2011. Operative July 1, 2011, by Sec. 4 of Ch. 650.)