A. The ninth grade on-track grant program is established in the department of education. The department shall administer the grant program and may adopt rules, policies and procedures to carry out the purposes of this section. The department shall:
1. Establish procedures for each of the following:
(a) A school district or charter school to apply for a grant.
(b) The department to evaluate the grant applications.
(c) The department to award grants to eligible school districts and charter schools for a term of more than one year and not more than five years.
2. The department shall ensure that the grant application and reporting requirements do not impose an undue burden on the school districts and charter schools.
3. Require each grant application to be approved by a majority vote of the school district governing board or charter school governing body, whichever applies, before the school district or charter school may submit the application to the department.
4. Award grants on a first-come, first-served basis to each eligible school district or charter school in an amount that is equal to at least $150 for each ninth grade student who is enrolled or projected to be enrolled in the school district or charter school during the term of the grant, except that the total number of ninth grade students who may be funded pursuant to this paragraph may not exceed:
(a) For grants that are awarded in fiscal year 2025-2026, twenty-two thousand six hundred fifty.
(b) For grants that are awarded beginning in fiscal year 2026-2027, zero.
5. Provide administrative support to grant recipients for implementing ninth grade on-track programs and services pursuant to this section.
B. Each school district or charter school that receives a grant award pursuant to subsection A of this section shall:
1. Use the monies to establish and expand programs, opportunities and strategies that help ninth grade students complete sufficient credits to be on track to graduate in four years, including all of the following:
(a) Providing real-time, accessibly formatted data regarding student grades, attendance and behavior to grade nine teachers and support staff.
(b) Allocating time for grade nine teachers and support staff to meet during the school day to review data and develop intervention strategies for at-risk students in grade nine. The school district or charter school shall maintain records of meetings held pursuant to this subdivision and provide those records to the department on request.
(c) Providing timely, actionable data for grade nine teachers, including providing access to data and developing teachers' data literacy.
(d) Creating highly effective grade nine success teams.
(e) Establishing foundational structures and conditions for grade nine on-track work.
(f) Establishing systems and processes to optimize operations of the grade nine success team.
(g) Systematizing grade nine success by recruiting and engaging all stakeholders.
(h) Creating and executing proactive and data-driven intervention and referral systems and processes.
(i) Implementing proactive and high-leverage intervention strategies.
(j) Creating and executing a comprehensive system of grade nine transition supports.
(k) Creating a personalized and supportive environment for students in grade nine.
(l) Providing early preparation for high school entry.
(m) Providing proactive supports to grade nine teachers and support staff.
(n) Implementing high quality instructional strategies and fair grading practices.
(o) Developing learning-centered professional communities and student-centered learning communities.
(p) Establishing a partnership with an organization that has at least five years of experience providing ninth grade on-track programs and services to school districts and charter schools to increase grade nine on-track rates.
2. On request from the department, provide any information necessary to demonstrate compliance with this section.
C. A school district or charter school that receives monies pursuant to this section shall supplement and not supplant programs, opportunities and strategies that help ninth grade students complete sufficient credits to be on track to graduate in four years.
D. For the purposes of this section, a student is deemed on track to graduate in four years if the student does both of the following:
1. Completes at least twenty-five percent of the credits required for the student to graduate from high school by the end of ninth grade.
2. Does not earn more than one letter grade of F, or the equivalent, in ninth grade.
E. The ninth grade on-track grant program fund is established consisting of legislative appropriations, gifts, grants and donations. The department shall administer the fund. Monies in the fund are continuously appropriated and are exempt from the provisions of section 35-190 relating to lapsing of appropriations. The department shall use monies in the fund to provide grants pursuant to subsection A of this section.