Senate Bill sb1294

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    Florida Senate - 2001                                  SB 1294

    By Senator Sanderson





    31-825-01

  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to education; creating s.

  3         228.507, F.S.; directing the Commissioner of

  4         Education to make recommendations to the

  5         Legislature for funding off-site learning

  6         grants; providing for a review panel; providing

  7         requirements for grant recipients; authorizing

  8         rulemaking; providing an effective date.

  9  

10  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

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12         Section 1.  Section 228.507, Florida Statutes, is

13  created to read:

14         228.507  Off-site learning grants.--

15         (1)(a)  The Commissioner of Education shall annually

16  make recommendations to the Legislature for funding off-site

17  learning grants to nonprofit and community-based

18  organizations, including mathematics, science, art, and

19  environmental facilities that provide learning opportunities

20  for public school students in nontraditional settings.

21  Organizations must demonstrate the educational components of

22  their program. Funding from the Public Education Capital

23  Outlay and Debt Service Trust Fund as authorized in s. 235.42,

24  the Florida School Improvement and Academic Achievement Trust

25  Fund as authorized in s. 236.12295, the Classrooms First

26  Program as authorized in s. 235.187, the effort index grants

27  as authorized in s. 235.186, and the Public Education Capital

28  Outlay and Debt Service Trust Fund as authorized in s. 9, Art.

29  XII of the State Constitution may not be used for off-site

30  learning grants.

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    Florida Senate - 2001                                  SB 1294
    31-825-01




  1         (b)  In making recommendations, the commissioner shall

  2  annually appoint a review panel to assist in the grant-review

  3  process. Review panel members shall be appointed to serve for

  4  1-year terms. The panel shall review grant applications and

  5  make recommendations to the commissioner concerning the

  6  relative merits of the applicants. The department shall by

  7  rule establish criteria for reviewing grant applications to

  8  ensure compliance with applicable federal and state laws

  9  relating to discrimination and conflicts of interest.

10         (c)  The review panel shall provide a forum for public

11  comment before voting on any grant application.

12         (2)  The commissioner shall annually include in the

13  department's legislative budget request a recommendation for

14  funding off-site learning grants. The recommendation must

15  include the panel's ranking of applicants and recommended

16  funding levels for each grant.

17         (3)(a)  Upon appropriation by the Legislature of

18  funding for these grants, the department shall execute a

19  contract with each organization which must contain information

20  relating to the program, the projected operating income and

21  expenses, and other provisions considered necessary by the

22  department for the administration of the program.

23         (b)  Each recipient organization must submit an annual

24  report to the department detailing the expenditure of the

25  funds and is subject to the auditing provisions and rules of

26  the department.

27         (c)  The recipient of a grant shall comply with all

28  provisions of statute and rule as outlined in the grant.

29         (d)  The department shall adopt rules necessary to

30  administer this section.

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    Florida Senate - 2001                                  SB 1294
    31-825-01




  1         Section 2.  This act shall take effect upon becoming a

  2  law.

  3  

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  5                          SENATE SUMMARY

  6    Requires the Commissioner of Education to request funding
      for off-site learning grants. Establishes a review panel
  7    to assist in the grant-making process. Provides
      requirements for the nonprofit and community-based
  8    organization grant recipients.

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