Sec. 102d.

(1) From the funds appropriated in section 11, there is allocated an amount not to exceed $1,500,000.00 for 2018-2019 for reimbursements to districts, intermediate districts, and authorizing bodies of public school academies for the licensing of school data analytical tools as described under this section. The reimbursement is for districts, intermediate districts, and authorizing bodies of public school academies that choose to use a school data analytical tool to assist the district, intermediate district, or authorizing body of a public school academy and that enter into a licensing agreement for a school data analytical tool with 1 of the vendors approved by the department of technology, management, and budget under subsection (2). Funds allocated under this section are intended to provide districts, intermediate districts, and authorizing bodies of public school academies with financial forecasting and transparency reporting tools to help improve the financial health of districts and to improve communication with the public, resulting in increased fund balances for districts and intermediate districts.

(2) A vendor approved under this section for 2017-2018 is approved for use by a district, intermediate district, or authorizing body of a public school academy and for reimbursement for 2018-2019.

(3) Funds allocated under this section shall be paid to districts, intermediate districts, and authorizing bodies of public school academies as a reimbursement for already having a licensing agreement or for entering into a licensing agreement not later than December 1, 2018 with a vendor approved under subsection (2) to implement a school data analytical tool. Reimbursement will be prorated for the portion of the state fiscal year not covered by the licensing agreement. However, a licensing agreement that takes effect after October 1, 2018 and before December 1, 2018 will not be prorated if the term of the agreement is at least 1 year. Reimbursement under this section shall be made as follows:

(a) All districts, intermediate districts, and authorizing bodies of public school academies seeking reimbursement shall submit requests not later than December 1, 2018 indicating the cost paid for the school data analytical tool.

(b) The department shall determine the sum of the funding requests under subdivision (a) and, if there are sufficient funds, shall pay 1/2 of the costs submitted under subdivision (a). If there are insufficient funds to pay 1/2 of the costs submitted under (a), then reimbursement shall be made on an equal percentage basis.

(c) Funds remaining after the calculation and payment under subdivision (b) shall be distributed on an equal per-pupil basis, with an intermediate district's pupils considered to be the sum of the pupil memberships of the constituent districts for which the intermediate district is purchasing the school data analytical tool, and with an authorizing body's pupils considered to be the sum of the pupil memberships of the public school academies authorized by the authorizing body for which the authorizing body is purchasing the school data analytical tool.

(d) The reimbursement to a district, intermediate district, or authorizing body of a public school academy shall not be greater than the amount paid for a data analytics application.

(e) A district, intermediate district, or authorizing body of a public school academy shall not be reimbursed for the purchase of more than 1 software application.

(4) If an intermediate district purchases both a school data analytical tool specifically for intermediate district finances and a school data analytical tool for those constituent districts that opt in, the intermediate district shall be reimbursed for both purchases under this section.

(5) If an intermediate district makes available to 1 or more of its constituent districts a school data analytical tool funded under this section, that constituent district shall not be reimbursed under this section for the purchase of that school data analytical tool if the constituent district has opted in for that tool.

(6) If an authorizing body of a public school academy makes available to 1 or more public school academies a school data analytical tool funded under this section, the public school academy shall not be reimbursed under this section for the purchase of a school data analytical tool if the public school academy opted in for that tool.

(7) Notwithstanding section 17b, payments under this section shall be made on a schedule determined by the department.

History: Add. 2015, Act 85, Eff. Oct. 1, 2015 ;-- Am. 2016, Act 249, Eff. Oct. 1, 2016 ;-- Am. 2017, Act 108, Eff. Oct. 1, 2017 ;-- Am. 2017, Act 143, Imd. Eff. Nov. 2, 2017 ;-- Am. 2018, Act 265, Eff. Oct. 1, 2018