(a)A school, which has an approved shared decision-making transition plan as specified in § 805 of this title, may apply to the Department of Education for a school improvement implementation grant. Such grants shall be awarded at the beginning of the fiscal year. A school with an approved application shall be eligible for such grant for the following 3 years as provided in the annual Appropriations Act. Subsequent applications may be made only after the review and evaluation of the school improvement plan required by § 808 of this title is completed and the results of such are included in the school’s application. The Department of Education with the approval of the State Board of Education shall adopt guidelines for the approval of school improvements grants to be awarded beginning Fisc
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(a) A school, which has an approved shared decision-making transition plan as specified in § 805 of this title, may apply to the Department of Education for a school improvement implementation grant. Such grants shall be awarded at the beginning of the fiscal year. A school with an approved application shall be eligible for such grant for the following 3 years as provided in the annual Appropriations Act. Subsequent applications may be made only after the review and evaluation of the school improvement plan required by § 808 of this title is completed and the results of such are included in the school’s application. The Department of Education with the approval of the State Board of Education shall adopt guidelines for the approval of school improvements grants to be awarded beginning Fiscal Year 1999, based upon the recommendations of an advisory committee comprised of representatives of the school community, and promulgate such guidelines by January 1, 1998. The guidelines shall require that the school demonstrate that its school improvement plan has the following components:
(1) Comprehensive school improvement goals tied to state and local academic performance standards and strategies to achieve these and other goals identified by the school, including staff development and parental involvement;
(2) A description of the rationale for the proposed governance structure, stating how and why the governance process should improve decision-making and support continuous improvement in teaching and student learning;
(3) Review by the broader school community with agreement that the school improvement plan is consistent with the school district plan and evidence that the local board of education has formally adopted the school’s improvement plan;
(4) A proposed budget that explains the use of resources allocated to the school to support strategies for achieving the school improvement goals;
(5) The structural changes or procedures for providing the necessary time and skill-building to support shared decision-making and continuous improvement in teaching and student learning;
(6) The assessment and evaluation process that the school will use to measure its progress toward achieving its stated goals;
(7) A proposed timeline for phasing-in its school improvement plan; and
(8) A proposed budget for the use of the school improvement grant.
(b) Without limiting the local board’s authority to determine district policy pursuant to § 1049 of this title or to disapprove plans to the extent they are inconsistent with the district transition plan, each school committee may propose in its school improvement plan, policies or suggestions relating to subjects, including but not limited to: Curricular, instructional and assessment strategies to be used at the school; assignment of staff within the school; assignments of students to classes; the school’s calendar; staff development; classroom materials; parental involvement; the need for extra learning time for students through longer days and years and Saturday sessions; the needs of at-risk students; discipline and school climate; teacher orientation and mentoring; and proposed waivers of regulations and district policies.