Section 329.805 - Grants-in-aid; rules(1) Subject to ORS 291.232 to 291.260, the Educator Advancement Council shall distribute grants-in-aid to qualifying school districts or educator networks to offset the costs of beginning teacher and administrator mentorship programs. A qualifying district or educator network shall receive annually an amount that is aligned with evidence-based best practices.(2) If the funds are insufficient for all eligible proposals, the Educator Advancement Council shall award grants on a competitive basis, taking into consideration: (a) The priorities to be addressed by moneys received by a school district or an educator network, including efforts related to:(A) Increasing the number of culturally and linguistically diverse educators hired; and(B) Reflecting the demographics of the students of the school district or school districts within the educator network with the demographics of the educators of the school district or school districts within the educator network; and(b) Whether the school district is a small school district or serves a rural community or whether the educator network serves small school districts or a rural community.(3) The Educator Advancement Council may adopt such rules as the council considers appropriate for the distribution of grants-in-aid under this section.(4) A school district or an educator network that is determined by the Educator Advancement Council to be in violation of one or more of the requirements of ORS 329.788 to 329.820 may be required to refund all grants-in-aid moneys distributed under ORS 329.788 to 329.820. The amount of penalty shall be determined by the Educator Advancement Council.Amended by 2023 Ch. 592, § 42, eff. 7/31/2023.Amended by 2017 Ch. 639, § 14, eff. 7/1/2017, op. 6/30/2018.Amended by 2015 Ch. 487, § 4, eff. 6/18/2015.Amended by 2013 Ch. 521, § 1, eff. 6/26/2013.Formerly 342.790; 2001 c.317 §7; 2007 c. 863, § 5 Section 32 of 2024 Act Chapter 95 provides that notwithstanding ORS 329.805(2), grants awarded under ORS 329.805 during the 2023-2025 biennium are not required to be awarded on a competitive basis.