44700-44705
EDUCATION CODE
SECTION 44700-44705
44700. It is the intent of the Legislature to provide funds to encourage teachers, whether acting individually or with other teachers, to improve the quality of instruction. Grants made pursuant to this chapter shall supplement, and not supplant, regular instructional activities. 44701. Any teacher eligible to receive an instructional improvement grant, or any group of eligible teachers, may submit a grant proposal to the grant committee established pursuant to Section 44702. Each grant recipient shall be a full-time teacher or mentor teacher whose primary duty is classroom instruction. 44702. (a) Any school district which applies to the Superintendent of Public Instruction for funding pursuant to this chapter shall establish an instructional improvement grant committee to review grant proposals and make recommendations to the governing board concerning awards of instructional improvement grants. The majority of the members of the committee shall be teachers meeting the requirements of Section 44701 and selected by the teachers of the district. The committee shall also include at least one principal selected by the district superintendent. (b) The committee shall consider all instructional improvement grant proposals submitted by teachers or groups of teachers meeting the requirements of Section 44701. The committee shall recommend to the governing board of the district a plan for the allocation of the district's funding entitlement for purposes of this chapter, taking into account the areas in the district with greatest need for instructional improvement. The plan shall include the committee's recommendations for the funding of any grant proposal, and shall specify a grant amount not in excess of two thousand dollars ($2,000) per fiscal year for an individual recipient, or two thousand dollars ($2,000) per fiscal year for each eligible teacher participating in a group proposal. The committee may recommend the award of grants for proposals which would continue for more than one fiscal year if the committee specifically finds there is a need to provide continued funding. (c) The committee shall establish procedures for the evaluation of grant proposals and for the review of the use of grant funds by grant recipients. (d) Members of the committee shall not receive compensation for participation in committee activities, except that teacher members may receive released time in order to attend meetings of the committee. 44703. (a) The governing board of any school district which applies to the Superintendent of Public Instruction for funding pursuant to this chapter shall review the recommendations of the grant committee and make the final decision on awards of grant funds for purposes of this chapter. The governing board shall award grants so as to improve instruction in those areas of the district with greatest need. The governing board may award for any grant proposal submitted by an individual teacher any amount not in excess of two thousand dollars ($2,000) per fiscal year. The governing board may award for any grant proposal submitted by a group of teachers any amount not in excess of two thousand dollars ($2,000) per fiscal year for each eligible teacher in the group. (b) The governing board shall annually certify to the Superintendent of Public Instruction the number of instructional improvement grants awarded and the aggregate amount of money awarded for the grants and may include a request for reimbursement for administrative costs of this chapter in an amount not to exceed 5 percent of the district's entitlement for funding computed pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 44704. 44704. (a) It is the intent of the Legislature that the Budget Act for each fiscal year appropriate funds for purposes of this chapter in an amount equal to 5 percent of the number of permanent full-time teachers, exclusive of teachers in adult education, child care and development, and regional occupational centers and programs, multiplied by two thousand dollars ($2,000). (b) The Superintendent of Public Instruction shall compute each fiscal year for each school district, an entitlement equal to 5 percent of the number of permanent, full-time teachers, exclusive of teachers in adult education, child care and development, and regional occupational centers and programs, multiplied by two thousand dollars ($2,000). The superintendent shall apportion to each school district from funds appropriated for the purposes of this chapter in that fiscal year, the amount certified by the governing board pursuant to Section 44703, but not in excess of the district's entitlement. In the event that, in any fiscal year, sufficient funds are not appropriated to fully fund each school district requesting apportionments for purposes of this chapter, the superintendent shall reduce each district's apportionment on a pro rata basis. 44705. The provisions of this chapter shall become operative July 1, 1984.