GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1991

S	1 

SENATE BILL 637

Short Title:  School Achievement Grants.	(Public)
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Sponsors: Senators Martin of Guilford; Ballance, Basnight, Conder, Cooper, Daniel, Hunt, Hyde, Lee, Martin of Pitt, Marvin, Odom, Parnell, Perdue, Richardson, Royall, Sands, Soles, Speed, Tally, Walker, Warren, and Winner.
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Referred to:  Appropriations.
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April 15, 1991

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR GRANTS TO SCHOOLS THAT EXPERIENCE THE MOST PROGRESS IN STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT FOR LOW-INCOME AND MINORITY STUDENTS.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  State Board of Education to award grants. – The State Board of Education shall award grants to schools that experience the most progress in student achievement for minority students and students who are eligible for free or reduced-price lunches.  These grants shall be a reward and further incentive to the recipient schools.
Sec. 2.  Eligibility for grants. – Schools are eligible for the grants if minority students and students who are eligible for free or reduced-price lunches constitute at least one-third of the student body.  If a student is both a member of a minority group and is eligible for free or reduced-price lunches, that student shall be counted only as a minority student.
In determining increases in student achievement for the two target groups, one-half weight shall be given to the students eligible for free or reduced-price lunches, and one-half weight shall be given to the minority students.
The formulas for determining the percentage and numerical increases in student achievement shall be devised so as to factor out the impact of increases in enrollment of students in the target groups over the previous year.
Sec. 3.  Uses of grant funds. – Grants may be used for any educational or enrichment purpose that benefits the target groups or the total student body including the target groups.  Up to one-half of the grant amount may be used for staff development in areas that relate to increasing faculty ability to be successful in increasing the level of student achievement for the target groups.
Sec. 4.  Categories of grants. – (a) Grants of ten thousand dollars ($10,000) a year for six years shall be awarded to the two high schools in each educational district with the largest increase over the past school year in the percentage of target-group students graduating who (i) are eligible for admission to a constituent institution of The University of North Carolina, based on the course requirements and other criteria of The University of North Carolina, and (ii) received a score of at least 750 points on the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT).
A grant of ten thousand dollars ($10,000) a year for six years shall also be awarded to the high school in each educational district with the largest increase in absolute numbers of these students in the target groups.
A school is eligible to receive both the grant based on percentage increase and the grant based on increase in absolute numbers.
(b) Grants of seven thousand five hundred dollars ($7,500) a year for six years shall be awarded to the four middle or junior high schools in each educational district with the largest increase over the past school year in the percentage of target-group students graduating who score at or above the sixtieth percentile on end-of-course tests for the ninth grade.
Grants of seven thousand five hundred dollars ($7,500) a year for six years shall also be awarded to the two schools in each educational district with the largest increase in absolute numbers of these students in the target groups.
A school is eligible to receive both the grant based on percentage increase and a grant based on increase in absolute numbers.
(c) Grants of five thousand dollars ($5,000) a year for six years each shall be awarded to the eight elementary schools in each educational district with the largest increase over the past school year in the percentage of target-group students graduating who score at or above the sixtieth percentile on end-of-course tests for the sixth grade.
Grants of five thousand dollars ($5,000) a year for six years shall also be awarded to the four schools in each educational district with the largest increase in absolute numbers of these students in the target groups.
A school is eligible to receive both the grant based on percentage increase and a grant based on increase in absolute numbers.
Sec. 5.  Appropriation. – There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Public Education the sum of $1,080,000 for the 1991-92 fiscal year and the sum of $1,080,000 for the 1992-93 fiscal year to provide grants to schools that experience the most progress in student achievement for low-income and minority students.
Sec. 6.  This act becomes effective July 1, 1991.