Section 388.1627r - West Michigan Teacher Collaborative; grow your own program(1) From the state school aid fund money appropriated in section 11, there is allocated for 2024-2025 only an amount not to exceed $7,000,000.00 to Kent ISD for the West Michigan Teacher Collaborative as a part of a consortium of at least 3 intermediate districts. The West Michigan Teacher Collaborative shall use the funding to implement a grow your own program.(2) A grow your own program described in this section must be implemented to improve the teacher talent pipeline and provide a no-cost pathway for support staff members to become certified teachers. Allowable expenses for grow your own programs under this section include, but are not limited to, all of the following:(a) Tuition and fees for an accelerated degree, for a traditional bachelor's degree for current candidates who are not teachers, or for an advanced degree.(d) Travel to and from coursework.(e) Substitute employee salary and wages for the duration of the educator preparation program attended by the recipient staff of the district or intermediate district.(f) Costs for curriculum, materials, professional development, and hands-on learning experiences to implement a program within the district or intermediate district to encourage students in grades 6 to 12 to consider a career in education. Not more than 10% of the funding may be used for this purpose.(3) In addition to the allowable uses in subsection (2), the West Michigan Teacher Collaborative may use the money received under this section for any of the following purposes:(a) Recruiting, retaining, and developing teachers to ensure greater efficacy, satisfaction, and outcomes.(b) Serving as a convener and model for other local and intermediate school districts interested in developing and improving grow your own programs.(c) Engaging in rigorous program evaluation and research so that this state can learn from its investments and innovations and become a top state for educators.(4) Notwithstanding section 17b, the department shall make payments under this section on a schedule determined by the department.(5) The funds allocated under this section for 2024-2025 are a work project appropriation, and any unexpended funds for 2024-2025 are carried forward into 2025-2026. The purpose of the work project is to continue support for the grow your own programs under this section. The estimated completion date of the work project is September 30, 2028.Added by 2024, Act 120,s 44, eff. 10/1/2024.