§2651. Fund for the Efficient Delivery of Educational Services
1. Fund created. The Fund for the Efficient Delivery of Educational Services, referred to in this chapter as "the fund" is created to assist in financing the cost of local and regional initiatives to improve educational opportunity and student achievement through more efficient delivery of educational programs and services. The fund is a dedicated, nonlapsing account within the department.
[PL 2015, c. 251, §3 (AMD).]
2. Use of fund. The department shall award grants from the fund to school administrative units, municipalities, counties and groups of 2 or more such entities to fund the costs of implementing changes in governance, administrative structures or policies that result in the creation of consolidated school administrative units; purchasing alliances; innovative, autonomous public schools, teacher-led schools, innovative public school districts or innovative public school zones; regional delivery of collaborative programs and educational services; regional school leadership academies; or collaborations of municipal-school service delivery or support systems, with the purpose of improving educational opportunity and student achievement. Grants must be used to implement changes that will be sustained by the school administrative unit, municipality or county without the need for additional grants from the fund or other sources.
[PL 2019, c. 70, §2 (AMD); PL 2019, c. 70, §9 (AFF).]
3. Grant criteria. Grants must be awarded on a competitive basis, in accordance with procedures and criteria set forth in rules adopted by the department. The rules must give priority to projects that:
A. Involve 2 or more school administrative units, municipalities, counties or a combination of these entities; [PL 2011, c. 446, §1 (NEW).]
B. Are sufficiently developed to be implemented in a short period of time after the award of the grant; [PL 2011, c. 446, §1 (NEW).]
B-1. Facilitate the transformation of the public education system to one in which standards are used to guide curriculum and instruction and in which student advancement and graduation are based on student demonstration of achievement in meeting educational standards; [PL 2017, c. 466, §3 (AMD).]
C. Expand access to high-quality professional development initiatives aligned with evidence-based best practices that can be linked to improvements in student learning and expansion of opportunities for professional growth for teachers and principals pursuant to chapter 508; more fully integrate educational technology and expand access to online and digital learning opportunities; improve management and use of data to enhance instruction and increase student achievement; broaden access to opportunities for career and technical education; expand access to early college opportunities for high school students; or increase student choice; or [PL 2015, c. 251, §6 (AMD).]
D. Implement projects that have demonstrated significant and sustainable savings in the cost of delivering educational services and improving student achievement. [PL 2011, c. 446, §1 (NEW).]
[PL 2017, c. 466, §3 (AMD).]
4. Sources of money. The fund consists of amounts appropriated or allocated by the State and any gifts or grants made to the department for the purpose of deposit in the fund.
[PL 2011, c. 446, §1 (NEW).]
5. Rules. Rules adopted or amended by the department to implement this section are major substantive rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.
[PL 2015, c. 251, §7 (AMD).]
SECTION HISTORY
PL 2011, c. 446, §1 (NEW). PL 2013, c. 303, §1 (AMD). PL 2015, c. 251, §§3-7 (AMD). PL 2017, c. 284, Pt. VVVVV, §5 (AMD). PL 2017, c. 284, Pt. VVVVV, §14 (AFF). PL 2017, c. 466, §3 (AMD). PL 2019, c. 70, §§1, 2 (AMD). PL 2019, c. 70, §9 (AFF).