(A) The State Board of Education, working with the Accountability Division and the Department of Education, must establish grant programs for schools designated as below average and for schools designated as unsatisfactory. A school designated as below average will qualify for a grant to undertake needed retraining of school faculty and administration once the revised plan is determined by the State Department of Education to meet the criteria on high standards and effective activities. In order to implement the school district and school renewal plan, a school must be eligible to receive the technical assistance funding over the next three years in order to implement fully systemic reform and to provide opportunity for building local education capacity. Should student performance not improve, any revisions to the plan must meet high standards prior to renewal of the grant. The revised plan must be reviewed by the district board of trustees and the State Department of Education to determine what other actions, if any, need to be taken. Technical assistance funds previously received must be expended based on the revised plan. If deficient use is determined, those deficiencies must be identified, noted, and corrective action taken before additional funding will be given.

(B) A public school assistance fund must be established as a separate fund within the state general fund for the purpose of providing financial support to assist poorly performing schools. The fund may consist of grants, gifts, and donations from any public or private source or monies that may be appropriated by the General Assembly for this purpose. Income from the fund shall be retained in the fund. All funds may be carried forward from fiscal year to fiscal year. The State Treasurer shall invest the monies in this fund in the same manner as other funds under his control are invested. The State Board of Education, in consultation with the commission, shall administer and authorize any disbursements from the fund. The State Board of Education shall promulgate regulations to implement the provisions of this section.

HISTORY: 1998 Act No. 400, Section 2; 2008 Act No. 282, Section 1, eff June 5, 2008.

Effect of Amendment

The 2008 amendment omitted Section 59-18-1550 relating to recertification credits for teachers participating in professional development activities and renumbered this section from Section 59-18-1560; rewrote subsection (A); deleted subsection (B) relating to development of guidelines outlining eligibility; and redesignated subsection (C) as subsection (B).