33-1629. AGRICULTURAL AND NATURAL RESOURCE EDUCATION PROGRAMS. (1) Idaho Quality Program Standards Incentive Grants.

(a) The board for career technical education shall adopt and implement Idaho quality program standards for agricultural and natural resource education programs offered in any grade 9 through 12. Such standards shall apply to the areas of instruction, curriculum development, advisory committees, student development and community development. Such standards shall be used to assess the quality of local programs and to set goals for continued program improvement.

(b) The board for career technical education shall establish and administer an incentive grant program for instructors of agricultural and natural resource education programs offered in any grade 9 through 12 where such programs meet or exceed the applicable Idaho quality program standards as determined by the board. A district may apply to the board, on behalf of an instructor, for a grant provided for in this subsection. The board shall develop an application form and criteria to judge each application for the grant program. Grant awards shall be made by the board to instructors of programs that meet or exceed the criteria established by the board. The maximum amount of an incentive grant as provided for in this section shall be ten thousand dollars ($10,000).

(c) There is hereby created in the state treasury the quality program standards incentive grant fund, to which shall be credited all moneys both public and private that may be appropriated, allocated, donated, distributed to or otherwise provided for by law. Moneys in the fund shall be used exclusively for incentive grants as provided for in this subsection. Moneys in the fund shall be continuously appropriated for the purposes of this incentive grant program. All idle moneys in the fund shall be invested by the state treasurer in a like manner as provided for in section 67-1210, Idaho Code, with respect to other surplus or idle moneys in the state treasury. Interest earned on the investments shall be returned to the fund.

(d) The board for career technical education shall in its annual budget request to the legislature request funding for the grant program provided for in this section.

(e) The board for career technical education shall adopt rules to implement the grant program established by this subsection.

(2) Agricultural Education Program Start-Up Grants.

(a) The board for career technical education shall establish and administer a start-up grant program for school districts and public charter schools to begin or to re-establish an agricultural and natural resource education program in any grade 9 through 12.

(b) The board shall develop an application form and criteria to judge each application for a start-up grant. Any school district or public charter school may apply for a start-up grant.

(c) There shall be no more than four (4) start-up grants awarded per school year. The maximum award for any one (1) start-up grant shall be twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000).

(d) There is hereby created in the state treasury the agricultural and natural resource education program start-up grant fund, to which shall be credited all moneys both public and private that may be appropriated, allocated, donated, distributed to or otherwise provided for by law. Moneys in the fund shall be used exclusively for start-up grants as provided for in this subsection. Moneys in the fund shall be continuously appropriated for the purposes of this start-up grant program. All idle moneys in the fund shall be invested by the state treasurer in a like manner as provided for in section 67-1210, Idaho Code, with respect to other surplus or idle moneys in the state treasury. Interest earned on the investments shall be returned to the fund.

(e) The board for career technical education shall in its annual budget request to the legislature request funding for the grant program provided for in this subsection.

(f) The board for career technical education shall adopt rules to implement the grant program established by this subsection.

(3) The provisions of this section shall apply to agricultural and natural resource education programs provided for in grades 9 through 12.

History:

[33-1629, added 2014, ch. 124, sec. 1, p. 354; am. 2015, ch. 244, sec. 20, p. 1018; am. 2016, ch. 25, sec. 9, p. 41.]