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1997 SESSION

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HB 2325 Application for certain federal education funds and grants.

Introduced by: Kenneth R. Plum | all patrons    ...    notes | add to my profiles

SUMMARY:

Application for certain federal education funds and grants. Designates the Board of Education as the "state educational agency" for purposes of applying for and accepting federal education funds and grants, except as may be otherwise provided by law, and grants the Board the power to apply for and accept such federal funds. Consistent with federal law, the Board is authorized to approve applications for federal funds by local school boards without gubernatorial approval.

School board resolutions passed on behalf of 93 school divisions requesting the Superintendent of Public Instruction to apply for funds under the federal Goals 2000: Educate America Act (Pub. L. No. 103-227, 108 Stat. 125), as amended, are to constitute request for approval of a direct application to the U.S. Department of Education by these divisions for Goals 2000 funds. The Board is to approve any direct applications for funds made by these and any other school division.

The measure also articulates the policy of the Commonwealth to implement a comprehensive statewide School-To-Work Opportunities system, to coordinate activities under that system with school improvement initiatives undertaken pursuant to Goals 2000, and to seek those funds and grants available under the federal School-To-Work Opportunities Act of 1994 (Pub. L. No. 103-239, 108 Stat. 568), as amended. Neither the Governor nor the Board of Education may act, either directly or indirectly, in contravention of this policy. The federal act provides funds for school-to-work transition initiatives for the states upon application by the Governor; the applications are to include a state plan that addresses ways of stimulating school-to-work programs; training teachers, employers, and others for counseling; training others for high-skill, high-wage careers; and strategies for integrating academic and vocational education.

Signed into law on March 31, 1994, Goals 2000: Educate America Act (H.R. 1804) offers funding to the states to support various educational goals and objectives. Amendments to the Act adopted in the spring of 1996 allow local school boards to apply directly to the U.S. Department of Education for these funds, upon the approval of the state education agency. A 1994 opinion of the Attorney General recognized the Board of Education as the "appropriate" entity to serve as the state education agency for Goals 2000 purposes.


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