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1997 SESSION

971695188
HOUSE BILL NO. 2723
Offered January 20, 1997
A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 22.1-209.02, relating to the Virginia Academic Achievement and Development Pilot Program.
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Patrons-- Cunningham, Christian, Cooper, Crittenden, Darner, Jackson, Lovelace, McEachin, Melvin and Spruill; Senators: Edwards, Maxwell and Miller, Y.B.
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Referred to Committee on Education
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Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That the Code of Virginia is amended by adding a section numbered 22.1-209.02 as follows:

§ 22.1-209.02. Virginia Academic Achievement and Development Pilot Program created; purpose; Board of Education to administer cooperatively with State Council of Higher Education.

A. From such funds as may be appropriated for this purpose and from such gifts, donations, grants, bequests, and other funds as may be received on its behalf, there is hereby established the Virginia Academic Achievement and Development Pilot Project, which shall be composed of pilot programs to provide intense academic, developmental, enrichment, and residential experiences for rising ninth and tenth grade disadvantaged minority male students who have potential for success at the postsecondary level. The program shall be administered cooperatively by the Board of Education and the State Council of Higher Education. The Board and the Council shall promulgate such regulations as may be necessary for the implementation of the Program.

B. The program shall consist of up to ten regional pilot projects located throughout the state to provide geographical representation of such projects. All such projects shall be awarded on a competitive basis to applicants responding to requests for proposals, giving priority in awarding sites, to the extent practicable, to applicants in areas with high concentrations of educationally at-risk students and students eligible for free or reduced lunch, and in areas whose crime, unemployment, and mortality and morbidity rates among the population equals or exceeds that for the surrounding localities, the state, or the nation, according to federal and state agencies which collect national and state vital records, health, employment, and crime statistics.

C. Upon the appropriation of funds for the purposes of this section, the Board of Education and the State Council of Higher Education shall issue a request for proposals for the pilot projects by October 1, 1997. The first such grants shall be awarded by March 1, 1998. Applications for grants shall include the following components:

1. A procedure for identifying rising ninth and tenth grade at-risk minority male students enrolled in the secondary grades in the public schools who demonstrate academic potential, a desire to attend college, and the willingness to pursue a rigorous academic program of study or the advanced studies program leading to eligibility for college admission;

2. A procedure for obtaining participation in or support for the program by the parent of the student to be engaged in the program;

3. An agreement executed with a two-year or four-year institution of higher education located within or in the proximity of the school division to enter into a partnership with the school division to provide relevant support services including, but not limited to, access to advanced course work, student mentorships and tutorials, and cultural and enrichment experiences;

4. A curriculum developed for intensive, accelerated instruction designed to establish high standards and academic achievement for participating students;

5. An emphasis on college preparation and college awareness, access to advanced college preparatory courses at the high school level, building self-esteem and promoting personal and social responsibility, the availability of support services for students enrolled in the pilot program, and developing and fostering a positive attitude toward learning and the advantages of higher education;

6. A low pupil-teacher ratio to promote a high level of interaction between the students and the teacher;

7. A current program of staff development and training for teachers, administrators, faculty, and support staff of the school division and the institution to prepare such persons for effective and positive interaction with and instruction of at-risk students, and to help develop and heighten the cultural sensitivity, awareness, and appreciation of such persons;

8. Community outreach to build strong school, business, and community partnerships, and to promote parental involvement in the educational process of participating children;

9. Specific, measurable goals and objectives and an evaluation component to determine the program's effectiveness in preparing students participating in the program for college, increasing academic achievement, and developing positive attitudes toward education, work, and civic involvement.

C. Upon completion of the pilot program, each school board and institution implementing such program shall report on the status, effectiveness, and results of such program no later than November 30 of the year following the completion of the first year of the program to the Board of Education and the State Council of Higher Education, which shall jointly transmit such reports to the Governor and the General Assembly.