(2) Subject to the availability of funds, the department shall award grants each biennium to school districts, education service districts, public schools or public charter schools, or any combination thereof or in partnership with youth job development organizations as defined in ORS 344.415, for the uses described in subsection (3) of this section.

(3) Grants received under this section must be used to enhance the collaboration between education providers and employers by:

(a) Developing or enhancing career and technical education programs of study;

(b) Expanding the professional growth of and career opportunities for students through career and technical education programs;

(c) Assessing the ability of each career and technical education program to meet workforce needs and give students the skills required for jobs in this state that provide high wages and are in high demand; and

(d) Supporting the achievement of the high school diploma and modified diploma requirements established under ORS 329.451.

(4) Any school district, education service district, public school or public charter school, or any combination thereof or in partnership with a youth job development organization as defined in ORS 344.415, may apply for a grant under this section.

(5)(a) The department and the Bureau of Labor and Industries shall jointly establish a committee to:

(A) Assist with the grant program established under this section, including setting goals for the program, developing grant criteria, reviewing all grant applications and making recommendations related to the awarding of grants.

(B) Make recommendations to the Superintendent of Public Instruction related to the distribution of moneys under ORS 327.372.

(b) The committee established by this subsection must equally represent business, industry, labor and education providers.

(c) The department in awarding grants, and the committee in fulfilling its duties related to grants, shall award grants based on the ability of the applicant to use the grant as required under subsection (3) of this section. In addition, the department and the committee shall give priority to applicants that:

(A) Represent a diverse number of students served and a diverse selection of geographic locations;

(B) Have received commitments from business, industry, labor or education providers to enhance collaboration and to provide resources for any collaborative efforts; and

(C) Demonstrate that the collaboration between education providers and employers enhanced by the grant will be sustainable beyond the life of the grant.

(6) The State Board of Education may adopt any rules necessary for the implementation of this section.

(7) The department may pay the expenses incurred by the department in administering this section out of moneys that are available to the department for purposes of awarding grants under this section. For each biennium, the department may spend on administrative expenses an amount that does not exceed five percent of the total amount of moneys available to the department during the biennium for purposes of awarding grants under this section. [2011 c.682 §7; 2013 c.131 §6; 2013 c.138 §1; 2015 c.763 §8; 2017 c.726 §10]