158.848 Grant programs concerning STEM disciplines and AP and IB courses. (1) Using funds from the science and mathematics advancement fund, the Department of Education shall establish the following grant programs for public schools: (a) High School Advanced Science and Mathematics Course Start-up Program; (b) Middle School Mathematics and Science Scholars Program; and (c) District Energy Technology Career Track Program. (2) (a) High School Advanced Science and Mathematics Course Start-up Program. The purpose of the program is to increase the number of students who successfully complete rigorous science and mathematics coursework during high school by providing support to high schools to offer additional advanced science and mathematics courses with highly trained teachers and appropriate course materials. (b) The program shall provide two (2) year grants to high schools. To qualify for a grant, a school shall initiate at least one (1) advanced mathematics and science course. During the first year of the grant, funds shall be used for planning and the training of teachers. During the second year of the grant, funds shall be used to provide additional support for implementation of an advanced science and mathematics course. (c) Permissible uses of funds include additional training for an advanced science and mathematics teacher and the purchase of classroom supplies, textbooks, laboratory equipment, and other instructional materials. (d) A high school applying for a grant under this subsection shall provide assurances that: 1. All teachers of advanced science and mathematics courses supported by the grant shall participate in a College Board-endorsed AP summer training institute or International Baccalaureate-sponsored IB summer workshop, as available; and 2. All students completing AP courses supported by the grant shall take the AP examination, and all students enrolled in the IB courses supported by the grant shall take the IB examination, in the respective content areas. (3) (a) Middle School Mathematics and Science Scholars Program. The purpose of the program is to increase the number of students entering high school who are well-prepared to undertake rigorous mathematics and science coursework, culminating in successful completion of advanced science and mathematics courses and high achievement on AP and IB examinations. (b) The program shall provide two (2) year renewable grants to middle schools to support intensive, accelerated student learning in mathematics and the sciences, to be offered at no cost to participants. Grants shall be used to support activities that may include but not be limited to programs during the school day, after-school programs, Saturday programs, or multiweek summer sessions. (c) The grant application shall ensure that teachers participating in the grant have the skills to provide intensive, accelerated student learning in mathematics or the sciences and that they will receive ongoing, relevant professional development. (d) A middle school receiving grants shall collaborate with elementary schools from which it receives students, and with high schools to which it sends students, to share information on grant activities; strengthen alignment of curricula, content-knowledge expectations, and instructional practice between schools; and provide relevant professional development opportunities. (e) The accelerated learning program shall include strategies to improve the academic skills in mathematics and science for all students for whom significant academic achievement gaps have been identified and to attract them into higher level mathematics and science courses. Specific activities to recruit and enroll students from all racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups within the school shall be conducted. Each grant applicant shall provide assurances that the necessary resources will be allocated and utilized to help students in all subpopulations academically succeed in the accelerated learning program and to meet the enrollment goal. The enrollment goal shall be that the number of students representing each racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic group enrolled in the mathematics and science accelerated learning program shall not be less than nor limited to the percentage of each group in the total school population. (4) District Energy Technology Career Track Program. The purpose of the program is to provide grants to school districts to develop and implement an energy technology engineering career track across middle and high schools within the district as described in KRS 158.808. Effective: July 15, 2008 History: Created 2008 Ky. Acts ch. 134, sec. 4, effective July 15, 2008. Legislative Research Commission Note (7/15/2008). The Reviser of Statutes has renumbered subsections (2) and (3) of this statute from the way they appeared in 2008 Ky. Acts ch. 134, sec. 4, under the authority of KRS 7.136(1)(a).