3611 - Racial and cultural awareness fund.

§ 3611. Racial  and  cultural  awareness  fund.  1.  There  is  hereby  established in the joint  custody  of  the  state  comptroller  and  the  commissioner  of  taxation  and finance a fund to be known as the racial  and cultural awareness fund.    2. Such fund shall consist of all revenues received from  any  source,  public  or  private,  for  the purposes provided in this section and all  other moneys credited or transferred thereto  from  any  other  fund  or  source  pursuant  to law. No monies from the state general fund shall be  transferred to, or otherwise made available for deposit into this fund.    3. Moneys of the fund, following appropriation by the legislature, may  be  expended  for  operational  and  planning  grants  to  local  school  districts to promote racial and cultural understanding and awareness, as  provided  in  this  section. Moneys shall be paid out of the fund on the  audit and warrant of the state  comptroller  on  vouchers  certified  or  approved by the commissioner.    4.  A school district, or two or more school districts acting jointly,  shall be eligible to receive a planning or operational grant,  or  both,  pursuant  to  the  provisions  of  this  section  for  the  purposes  of  developing and implementing programs designed to meet local needs in the  reduction and prevention of racial and cultural conflict, such  programs  to  be  approved  by  the  commissioner  in  accordance with regulations  adopted by him for such purpose. A school district which applies  for  a  planning grant pursuant to subdivision five of this section for such new  programs  shall  not  be  eligible  for an operational grant pursuant to  subdivision six of this section until the school year following the year  in which the planning grant was received. For purposes of  this  section  as  applied within the city of New York, such city school district shall  be eligible for multiple awards  on  behalf  of  each  community  school  district  or  high  school district as though each was a separate school  district.    5. A school district shall be eligible to apply for a  planning  grant  on  a  one-year  competitive  basis  for the purpose of planning for the  implementation of programs for prevention and reduction  of  racial  and  cultural  conflict.  Applications  shall  be  evaluated on a competitive  basis and such grants shall be awarded accordingly.  Applications  shall  include  the  planning budget and program description for prevention and  reduction of racial and  cultural  conflict.  A  school  district  which  receives  a  competitive  planning  grant  and  implements  a successful  planning program shall be eligible to apply for a  two-year  operational  grant. Reports may be required for the purposes of program evaluation.    6. A school district shall be eligible to receive an operational grant  over  a two-year period as provided in this section for programs for the  prevention and reduction of racial  and  cultural  conflict.  First-year  applications  shall be evaluated on a competitive basis and grants shall  be awarded accordingly.  Both  first-year  applications  and  continuing  applications  shall include the operating budget and program description  for prevention  and  reduction  of  racial  and  cultural  conflict  for  approval  of the proposed program and the estimated expenditures for the  current year. Reports may be required as necessary for the  purposes  of  program evaluation.    7.  An  advisory  committee  shall  be established and assigned to the  department  to  consult,  review  and  make  recommendations  concerning  policy,  procedure,  program  content and community needs. Such advisory  committee shall consist of ten members appointed  by  the  commissioner.  Such  appointees  shall  include representatives from civil/human rights  organizations; educators; community-based organizations and  members  of  parent associations.8.  The  commissioner may adopt rules and regulations as are necessary  and appropriate to carry out the provisions of this section.    9.  The  commissioner  shall issue an annual report to the legislature  concerning the overall and individual programs, detailing their  impact;  and  shall  include  any  report  or  materials produced by the advisory  committee.