Section 329.838 - School District Collaboration Grant Program; student achievement results; rules(1) The School District Collaboration Grant Program is established to provide funding for school districts or educator networks established under ORS 342.943 to improve student achievement through the voluntary collaboration of teachers and administrators to design and implement new approaches to: (a) Career pathways for teachers and administrators;(b) Evaluation processes for teachers and administrators;(c) Compensation models for teachers and administrators; and(d) Enhanced professional development opportunities for teachers and administrators.(2)(a) The Department of Education shall ensure that the grant program established by this section is administered and may provide technical expertise to school districts or educator networks applying for or receiving a grant under this section.(b) For the purpose of ensuring that the grant program is administered, the department may directly administer the grant program or may enter into a contract with a nonprofit entity to administer the grant program.(c) For the purpose of providing technical expertise, the department may enter into contracts with nonprofit entities that have experience in designing and implementing approaches that are similar to the approaches described in subsection (1) of this section.(3) Each school district or educator network may apply for a grant under this section, but a school district may receive grant funds under this section only as a school district or through an educator network. Applications may be for the design or for the implementation of an approach identified in subsection (1) of this section.(4) Prior to applying for a grant as a school district or through an educator network, the school district must receive the approval to apply for the grant from: (a) The exclusive bargaining representative for the teachers of the school district or, if the teachers are not represented by an exclusive bargaining representative, from the teachers of the school district;(b) The chairperson of the school district board; and(c) The superintendent of the school district.(5) Funding for the grant program established by this section shall be provided through the School District Collaboration Grant Account established by ORS 329.839.(6) The amount of each grant shall be determined as follows:(a) For grants that are for the design of an approach identified in subsection (1) of this section and that are awarded to a school district, the amount determined by the department based on:(A) The application submitted by the school district;(B) The portion of the total funds available for grants that are for the design of an approach; and(C) Any other criteria or limitations established by the State Board of Education by rule, which may include a minimum amount or a maximum amount for a grant.(b)(A) For grants that are for the implementation of an approach identified in subsection (1) of this section and that are awarded to a school district, the Grant Amount = School district ADMw × (the total amount available for distribution for an implementation grant in a fiscal year through the School District Collaboration Grant Program ÷ the total ADMw of the school districts that receive an implementation grant for the fiscal year through the School District Collaboration Grant Program). For the purpose of the calculation made under this paragraph, ADMw shall be calculated as provided by ORS 327.013, 338.155 (1) and 338.165 (2).(B) Notwithstanding subparagraph (A) of this paragraph, a school district may receive a grant for an amount that is 10 percent more than the amount calculated under subparagraph (A) of this paragraph if the grant program administrator approves a school district's supplemental plan to design and implement new approaches to improve student achievement that are in addition to the approaches identified in subsection (1) of this section and that are research-based best practices.(C) In addition to any amounts received under subparagraphs (A) and (B) of this paragraph, a school district that has an average daily membership of less than 1,500 may receive a supplemental amount of up to $50,000 if: (i) The supplemental amount is used for expenses incurred in relation to a grant manager who: (I) Manages the use of a grant received under this paragraph;(II) Supports the school district's committees related to the grant;(III) Monitors and measures the implementation of new approaches funded by the grant;(IV) Ensures timely and accurate communications with educators in the school district;(V) Completes all Department of Education requirements related to the grant; and(VI) Attends meetings and collaborates with other school districts; and(ii) The total of the implementation grant and the supplemental amount does not exceed $150,000.(c) For grants that are awarded to an educator network, the amount determined by the department based on: (A) The application submitted by the educator network;(B) The portion of the total funds available for grants that are for educator networks; and(C) Any other criteria or limitations established by the State Board of Education by rule, which may include a minimum or maximum amount for a grant.(7) Grants shall be awarded based on: (a) The application submitted by the school district or educator network;(b) Other funds received by a school district or educator network for a purpose identified in subsection (1) of this section; and(c) Any other criteria established by the State Board of Education by rule.(8) Moneys received by a school district or an educator network under this section must be separately accounted for and may be used only to provide funding for the purposes described in the application submitted by the school district or educator network.(9) The department shall accumulate, evaluate and publish student achievement results of school districts receiving grants under this section as a school district or through an educator network to determine the effectiveness of the approaches designed and implemented by the school districts or educator networks under the grant program.(10)(a) Except as provided by paragraph (b) of this subsection, the State Board of Education may adopt any rules necessary for the implementation of the grant program established by this section.(b) The board may not adopt any rules that establish statewide standards for the design and implementation of the approaches described in subsection (1) of this section.Amended by 2017 Ch. 639, § 17, eff. 7/1/2017, op. 6/30/2018.Amended by 2015 Ch. 27, § 34, eff. 1/1/2016.Amended by 2013 Ch. 661, § 4, eff. 7/1/2013.