753 - Instructional computer hardware and technology equipment apportionment.
§ 753. Instructional computer hardware and technology equipment apportionment. 1. In addition to any other apportionment under this chapter, a school district shall be eligible for an apportionment under the provisions of this section for approved expenses for (i) the purchase or lease of micro and/or mini computer equipment or terminals for instructional purposes or (ii) technology equipment, as defined in paragraph c of subdivision two of this section, used for instructional purposes, or (iii) for the repair of such equipment and training and staff development for instructional purposes as provided hereinafter. Such aid shall be provided pursuant to a plan developed by the district which demonstrates to the satisfaction of the commissioner that the instructional computer hardware needs of the district's public school students have been adequately met and that the school district has provided for the loan of instructional computer hardware to students legally attending nonpublic schools pursuant to section seven hundred fifty-four of this article. The apportionment shall equal the lesser of such approved expense in the base year or, the product of (i) the technology factor, (ii) the sum of the public school district enrollment and the nonpublic school enrollment in the base year as defined in subparagraphs two and three of paragraph n of subdivision one of section thirty-six hundred two of this chapter, and (iii) the building aid ratio, as defined in subdivision four of section thirty-six hundred two of this chapter. For aid payable in the two thousand seven--two thousand eight school year and thereafter, the technology factor shall be twenty-four dollars and twenty cents. A school district may use up to twenty percent of the product of (i) the technology factor, (ii) the sum of the public school district enrollment and the nonpublic school enrollment in the base year as defined in subparagraphs two and three of paragraph n of subdivision one of section thirty-six hundred two of this chapter, and (iii) the building aid ratio for the repair of instructional computer hardware and technology equipment and training and staff development for instructional purposes pursuant to a plan submitted to the commissioner. 2. As used in this article: a. "Current year" shall have the same meaning as that term is defined in subdivision one of section thirty-six hundred two of this chapter; b. "Base year" shall have the same meaning as that term is defined in subdivision one of section thirty-six hundred two of this article; and c. "Technology equipment", for the purposes of this article, shall mean equipment with a useful life used in conjunction with or in support of educational programs including but not limited to video, solar energy, robotic, satellite, laser and such other equipment as the commissioner shall approve provided that expenses for the purchase or lease of such equipment shall not be eligible for aid under any other provisions of this chapter. 3. No school district shall be required to purchase or otherwise acquire instructional computer hardware or technology equipment, the cost of which exceeds the amount of state aid provided pursuant to this section. 4. The apportionment provided for in this section shall be paid at such times as may be determined by the commissioner and approved by the director of the budget, during the school year in which the expenditures are reported to the department prior to such apportionment, but not earlier than the school year after the school year in which expenses are incurred. 5. Expenses aided pursuant to this section shall not be eligible for aid pursuant to any other provision of this chapter.