H259 - 2023 Appropriations Act. (SL 2023-134)

Overview: Section 7.19 of S.L. 2023-134 requires the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) to provide grants to assist public school units with program costs associated with career and technical education (CTE) programs related to homebuilding. DPI must allow high schools within public school units to use the Pre-Apprenticeship Certificate Training (PACT) program approved by the U.S. Department of Labor. A public school unit or regional partnership of more than one public school unit can apply to receive the grant funds. DPI must prioritize public school units located in a county with at least one local school administrative unit that received low-wealth supplemental funding in the previous fiscal year and have a high population of at-risk students or students with disabilities.

By November 3, 2023, DPI will make the application for grants for both the 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 fiscal years available. Applications must be submitted no later than 60 days after applications are made available and be approved or denied within 30 days of submission.

All recipients of grants must report to DPI by October 15 of each year of the biennium on the outcomes of any programs funded by the grants, including data collection methods for reporting on student outcomes, impacts of the program, and the use of State funds. DPI must submit a report to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee and the Fiscal Research Division on the overall outcomes of the grant program by no later than December 15 of each year of the 2023-2025 fiscal biennium.

This section became effective July 1, 2023.