§ 16-5-32. Elementary and secondary education excellence fund. (a) There is created a fund of three million dollars ($3,000,000) for the purposes set forth below:

(1) Two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000) shall be used to make competitive grant awards to local school districts for exemplary dropout prevention programs;

(2) One hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) shall be used to establish training programs for parents, with special emphasis on parents of preschool children, and to make competitive grant awards to local school districts for exemplary parent involvement programs;

(3) One hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) shall be used for school committee and administrator training;

(4) Two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000) shall be used to make competitive grant awards to local school districts which develop exemplary school site management programs;

(5) One million dollars ($1,000,000) shall be prorated among local school districts on the basis of their 1987-88 entitlement under § 16-7-20 to fund grants to further the literacy focus in instruction in kindergarten through grade three (3) for all students and supplementary literacy instruction for educationally disadvantaged students in grades kindergarten through twelve (12);

(6) Two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000) shall be used to establish a statewide screening program for all children just entering school;

(7) Three hundred thousand dollars ($300,000) for use by the commissioner of elementary and secondary education to implement recommendations of the task force to study the governor's 1991 report on education;

(8) Five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) shall be used for vocational education in accordance with § 16-45-7; and

(9) Two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000) will be used to establish and expand programs in area vocational schools.

(b) All grant money received by a local school district from this fund will be ineligible for reimbursement under the school operations aid program. Funds, with the exception of subsection (a)(8), may not be used to supplant funding for existing programs and activities.

(c) The commissioner of elementary and secondary education shall promulgate any rules and regulations as he or she shall deem necessary for the operation of the education excellence fund. The decision of the commissioner of elementary and secondary education shall be final on all questions regarding grants.

History of Section. (P.L. 1987, ch. 581, § 1; P.L. 1988, ch. 84, § 1.)