(1) There is created in the department the John W. Buckner automatic enrollment in advanced courses grant program to increase the number of students enrolled in advanced courses for subjects in which the student has demonstrated proficiency.
(2) The department shall administer the grant program in accordance with state board rules. The department shall:
Notify local education providers of the grant program, including application deadlines, twice within the three months before the first application deadline after the creation of the grant program, and once annually thereafter;
Accept and review grant applications;
Determine the amount, in accordance with state board rules and based on availableappropriations, that will be awarded to each eligible local education provider; and
Award a grant to each eligible local education provider that has submitted an application.
(3) (a) Pursuant to article 4 of title 24, the state board shall promulgate rules to implement the grant program, including rules relating to:
The application process, including deadlines;
The formula for determining the amount of the grant awarded to each eligible localeducation provider;
Deadlines for the department to award grants; and
A process for verifying that local education providers that have received an awardare complying with the requirements of the grant program.
(b) When promulgating rules for determining the amount of the grant award pursuant to subsection (3)(a)(II) of this section, the state board shall include the following factors:
The costs associated with a local education provider implementing its plan submittedwith its application;
The number of grade levels in which the local education provider automatically enrolls students in advanced courses; and
The number of students automatically enrolled in advanced courses by the localeducation provider.
(c) In promulgating rules pursuant to this part 2, the state board shall ensure that a rural school district may submit a simplified grant application.
Source: L. 2019: Entire part added, (SB 19-059), ch. 149, p. 1771, § 2, effective August 2.