21-22-107. Innovative program grants; application; selection by the state department of education; classification of districts; distribution; report on grants awarded; initial grants.

(a) Proposals for innovative program grants authorized under W.S. 21-22-106 may be submitted annually by any Wyoming school district to the department of education on or before June 1. Submitted proposals shall be in a form provided and prescribed by the state department, which shall require the minimum information necessary to describe the proposal without unduly burdening the applicant, including target populations and objectives, compliance with criteria prescribed under W.S. 21-22-106 and proper grant expenditures including program budget and evaluation.

(b) Each school district, either separately or in conjunction with another school district, shall be given the opportunity to submit a proposal for innovative program grants authorized under W.S. 21-22-106 at least once every five (5) years.

(c) For the purposes of this section, school districts shall be annually classified based upon average daily membership for the previous school year, as follows:

(i) Classification I, less than five hundred (500) average daily membership;

(ii) Classification II, five hundred (500) but less than one thousand (1,000) average daily membership;

(iii) Classification III, one thousand (1,000) but less than two thousand (2,000) average daily membership; and

(iv) Classification IV, two thousand (2,000) or greater average daily membership.

(d) The state department shall award a grant authorized under this section to at least one (1) district from each classification pursuant to subsection (c) of this section. Nothing in this subsection shall prohibit the state department from awarding grants to more than one (1) district under each classification or more than one (1) grant to the same school district under criteria established under W.S. 21-22-106.

(e) Subject to available funding, the state department shall select those proposals it determines best fulfill criteria established under W.S. 21-22-106 and promote excellence in public education. The state department may use available funds to support innovative program evaluation projects and may contract with the University of Wyoming to conduct program evaluations.

(f) The state department shall annually distribute funds to selected proposals on or before August 15. In no event shall grants awarded exceed funds available for this purpose within the separate account. Innovative program grants received under this subsection shall only be used for the purposes for which the grant is awarded and shall not be expended for any other program, activity or purpose.

(g) Repealed by Laws 2019, ch. 102, § 2.

(h) Repealed By Laws 2014, Ch. 103, § 2.