HB333INTRODUCED
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JAQ4YF-1
By Representatives Garrett, Collins
RFD: Education Policy
First Read: 18-Apr-23
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5 JAQ4YF-1 04/13/2023 KMS (L)cr 2023-1533
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SYNOPSIS:
This bill would establish the Alabama Modified
School Calendar Grant Program to allow local boards of
education to adopt a modified school calendar and to
offset the associated costs with grant funds.
This bill would provide for the administration
of the program by the State Department of Education.
This bill would create the Alabama Modified
School Calendar Grant Fund and the Alabama Modified
School Calendar Administration Fund as special funds
within the State Treasury.
This bill would require the State Board of
Education to adopt rules and procedures for
implementing the program, including application
requirements.
This bill would provide eligibility criteria for
local boards of education to participate in the grant
program and limitations on participation.
This bill would also require the State Board of
Education to provide a comprehensive report on the use
of funds distributed under the grant program annually
to the Governor and the Legislature.
A BILL
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TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To establish the Alabama Modified School Calendar Grant
Program; to allow local boards of education to adopt a
modified school calendar and to offset the associated costs
with grants awarded through the program; to require the State
Department of Education to administer the program; to create
the Alabama Modified School Calendar Grant Fund and the
Alabama Modified School Calendar Administration Fund within
the State Treasury; to require the State Board of Education to
adopt rules for implementing the program; to provide
application and eligibility criteria for local boards of
education to participate; and to provide for annual reporting
on the use of funds by the State Board of Education.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
Section 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as
the Alabama Modified School Calendar Grant Program.
Section 2. The Legislature finds and declares all of
the following:
(1) A modified K-12 public school calendar apportioning
required instructional days throughout the year would increase
student achievement and engagement and provide staff with a
more flexible schedule.
(2) It is the intent of this act to allow local boards
of education to adopt a modified school calendar and offset
any costs associated with the modification through a grant.
Section 3. For purposes of this act, the following
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terms shall have the following meanings, unless the context
requires otherwise:
(1) BOARD. The State Board of Education.
(2) DEPARTMENT. The State Department of Education.
(3) FUNDING FORMULA. The formula used for determining
the amount of funding for the grant program annually.
(4) GRANT PROGRAM. The Alabama Modified School Calendar
Grant Program established by this act.
(5) INTERSESSION. The multi-week break between
scheduled school sessions during which the local board of
education shall provide intensive tutoring, additional
supports, and enrichment activities for all students who
choose to participate in those activities.
(6) LOCAL BOARD OF EDUCATION. All city and county
boards of education and governing boards of charter schools.
(7) MODIFIED SCHOOL CALENDAR. A nontraditional school
calendar in which the length of summer break is shortened,
there are breaks dispersed throughout the academic school
year, and required instructional days are evenly distributed
across the calendar year.
(8) TIME REQUIREMENTS. A minimum of 30 additional
instructional days per calendar year.
Section 4. (a) There is established the Alabama
Modified School Calendar Grant Program which shall be
administered by the department for the purpose of offsetting
initial costs incurred by local boards of education which have
implemented or intend to implement a modified school calendar
pursuant to this act.
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(b) The Alabama Modified School Calendar Grant Fund is
created in the State Treasury to receive appropriations from
the Legislature for funding grants provided by this act. The
Legislature shall make appropriations to this fund in amounts
sufficient to fully fund the projected amount of grants to be
made the proceeding fiscal year. Any monies remaining in the
fund at the end of a fiscal year shall not revert but shall
remain in the fund and are reappropriated for the purposes
authorized by this act.
(c) The Alabama Modified School Calendar Administration
Fund is created in the State Treasury for the administration
of the Alabama Modified School Calendar Grant Program by the
department. The three percent of the amount appropriated each
fiscal year to the Alabama Modified School Calendar Grant Fund
shall be transferred each fiscal year from the Alabama
Modified School Calendar Grant Fund to the Alabama Modified
School Calendar Administration Fund. The expenses incurred by
the department in carrying out this act shall be paid from
monies in the Alabama Modified School Calendar Administration
Fund. The Legislature may make additional appropriations to
the Alabama Modified School Calendar Administration Fund upon
a showing of the need for additional monies in the
administration of the grant program. Any monies remaining in
the administration fund at the end of each fiscal year shall
revert to the Alabama Modified School Calendar Grant Fund.
(d) No monies shall be withdrawn or expended from the
funds created in this section for any purpose unless the
monies have been appropriated by the Legislature and allocated
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pursuant to this act. Any monies appropriated shall be
budgeted and allotted pursuant to the Budget Management Act in
accordance with Article 4, commencing with Section 41-4-80 of
Chapter 4 of Title 41, Code of Alabama 1975, and only in the
amounts provided by the Legislature in the general
appropriations act or other appropriations act.
(e) Subject to this act and any other applicable state
law, a local board of education that receives a grant may use
the funds provided through this grant program in a manner that
best facilitates the plan established by the local board of
education to adopt, transition to, and maintain a modified
school calendar for the schools under its jurisdiction.
Section 5. (a) The board shall do all of the following:
(1) Inform all local boards of education about the
availability and benefits of the grant program.
(2) Within six months following the effective date of
this act, adopt rules and develop procedures for the
department to administer, implement, and maintain the grant
program including, but not limited to, application
requirements.
(3) Commencing with the 2024-2025 academic year, and
subject to appropriations, award local boards of education
meeting the requirements of the program a grant for expenses
related to the adoption or maintenance of a modified school
calendar. Initial grant awards shall be made by August 1,
2024, and August 1 of each year thereafter.
(b) The department shall administer the grant program
with existing personnel and resources and may not contract for
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external support.
(c) An application from a local board of education for
an award from the grant program shall include all of the
following:
(1) The rationale for adopting a modified school
calendar, including any relevant short and long term goals of
the local board of education which a modified calendar may
help achieve.
(2) Evidence of community support and engagement to
adopt a modified school calendar.
(3) A detailed budget of operating expenses expected to
be incurred as a result of adopting a modified calendar.
(4) A detailed calendar, including plans for any
intersession activities.
(d) Grants awarded pursuant to the program shall be
used for expenses incurred as a direct result of the adoption
of the modified school calendar including, but not limited to,
any of the following:
(1) Transportation.
(2) Certified and noncertified staffing during
intersessions.
(3) Remediation and enrichment programs during
intersession.
(4) Other existing expenses incurred during
intersessions.
Section 6. (a) Eligible school districts shall include
those which implement a modified school calendar by the
beginning of the 2024-2025 academic year.
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(b) The amount awarded each year shall be based on a
funding formula developed by the department that multiplies
the number of participating students by the per student
allocation set in the Alabama Modified School Calendar Grant
line item in the annual education budget. Each local board of
education shall submit to the department a plan that details
the number of students in the school district that the local
board of education oversees, and other factors that may
increase the cost of delivery of services, including the rural
nature of the local board of education.
(c) The amount of each award shall not exceed the
actual budget submitted by the local board of education
related to modified school calendar costs.
(d) Grant funds received by a local board of education
pursuant to this act may not be used to purchase land,
construct new facilities, or to finance or satisfy any
existing debt of the local board of education.
Section 7. On or before October 1 annually, the State
Board of Education shall provide a comprehensive report on the
use of funds distributed under the grant program, including
eligibility criteria and any data relating to the
effectiveness of using a modified school calendar, to the
Governor, President Pro Tempore of the Senate, Speaker of the
House of Representatives, and the Chairs of the Senate Finance
and Taxation Education Committee, Senate Education Policy
Committee, House Ways and Means Education Committee, and
House Education Policy Committee.
Section 8. This act shall become effective on the first
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day of the third month following its passage and approval by
the Governor, or its otherwise becoming law.
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