(1) There is hereby created the Colorado information technology education grant program to provide moneys to school districts, charter schools, and facility schools to use in integrating information technology education into the public school curriculum for grades nine through twelve. The department shall administer the grant program through the acceptance, review, and recommendation of applications submitted pursuant to section 22-81.5-105. The state board shall select the grant recipients based on the department's recommendations.
Grants awarded through the grant program shall continue for two fiscal years andmay be renewed as provided by rule of the state board. Grants awarded through the grant program shall be paid out of any moneys appropriated or credited to the information technology education fund created in section 22-81.5-107. A school district, charter school, or facility school shall use any moneys obtained through the grant program to integrate information technology education into the ninth-grade through twelfth-grade curriculum. In the case of a school district, such integration shall be accomplished in one or more public schools in the district. It is the intent of the general assembly to allow flexibility to school districts, charter schools, and facility schools in determining how to integrate information technology into the curriculum and the degree of integration. The school district, charter school, or facility school may contract with one or more private entities for assistance in integrating information technology education into the curriculum. In addition, school districts, charter schools, and facility schools are encouraged to partner with businesses for assistance in integrating information technology education into the curriculum.
The state board shall adopt rules for the administration and implementation of thegrant program as provided in this article. The first grants shall be awarded through the grant program for the 2002-03 academic year, so long as moneys are appropriated to the information technology education fund for implementation of the grant program. Grants shall be awarded annually thereafter, based on available appropriations.
Source: L. 2001: Entire article added, p. 836, § 1, effective June 1.