Secretary of Education (185)

Authority: Title 2.2, Chapter 2, §2.2-208 Code of Virginia.

A. The Secretary of Education is hereby authorized to make allocations to qualified zone academies of the portion of the national zone academy bond limitation amount to be allocated annually to the Commonwealth of Virginia pursuant to Section 1397E of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and to provide for carryovers of any unused limitation amount.  In making such allocations, the Secretary of Education is directed to give priority to allocation requests for qualified zone academies having at least 35 percent free lunch participation or either located in federal enterprise communities or located in cities and counties within which federal enterprise communities are located.

B. The Secretary of Education is hereby authorized to make allocations of the portion of the tax-exempt private activity bond limitation amount to be allocated annually to the Commonwealth of Virginia pursuant to the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 (PL 107-16)(Section 142(k)(5) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended) for the development of education facilities using public-private partnerships, and to provide for carryovers of any unused limitation amount. In making such allocations, the Secretary is directed to give priority to public-private partnership proposals that will serve as demonstration projects concerning the leveraging of private sector contributions and resources, the achievement of economies or efficiencies associated with private sector innovation, and other benefits that are or may be derived from public-private partnerships in contrast to more traditional approaches to public school construction and renovation. The Secretary is directed to report annually not later than August 31 to the Chairmen of the Senate Finance and House Appropriations Committees regarding any guidelines implemented and any allocations made pursuant to this paragraph.

C. Out of this appropriation, $600,000 the first year from the general fund is designated to plan for the development and implementation of innovative education programs and to promote greater cooperation and coordination among institutions of higher education in developing programs for students in preschool to grade 12 through the establishment of College Partnership Laboratory Schools pursuant to Chapter 871 of the 2010 Acts of Assembly.  The Secretary of Education is authorized to select institutions of higher education to receive funding provided in this Item.

D. For the funds identified for reallocation in each of the higher education institutions' educational and general programs, each respective institution shall report the amounts and the specific purposes for which they were used in its six-year academic plans finalized in the fall of 2014 and the fall of 2015.

E. The Secretary of Education, in consultation with the Virginia Community College System and the Board of Education, is authorized to coordinate with other stakeholders from school divisions, higher education institutions, and the private business sector to consider and review potential planning steps necessary to develop and implement a conceptual model for an Integrated School of the Future.  Elements of the new blended model for a school campus would include, but not be limited to, a cohesive approach to learning that infuses engineering and mathematical principles across all curriculum areas and a focus on providing state-of-the-art technology learning opportunities that ensure both secondary and post-secondary students will be equipped for the demands of the current and future workplace.

F. The Secretary of Education, with the support of the Department of Education, shall conduct a study of the formula used to determine governor’s school payments.  The study shall include, but not be limited to, consideration of the length of the program, appropriate state and local shares, and the academic model used by governor’s schools in the configuration of the funding formula.