§ 6454 — Science and technology entry program

§ 6454. Science and technology entry program. 1. As used in this\nsection:\n a. "Council" means the council on professional career opportunity\ncreated pursuant to article forty-four of the executive law;\n b. "Eligible students" shall mean secondary school students who are\neither economically disadvantaged or minorities historically\nunderrepresented in the scientific, technical, health, and\nhealth-related professions as defined by the regents after consultation\nwith the council; and\n c. "Eligible applicant" shall mean an institution of postsecondary\neducation or a consortia of such institutions.\n 2. The purpose of the science and technology entry programs shall be\nto assist eligible students in acquiring the skills, attitudes and\nabilities necessary to pursue professional or pre-professional study in\npost-secondary degree programs in scientific, technical and\nhealth-related fields.\n 3. Grant applications submitted by eligible applicants shall outline a\nplan of instruction and curriculum-related activities and services to\nadvance the purpose of the science and technology entry program. Such\nplans may provide for contracting by the eligible applicant with\nspecified not-for-profit community based educational organizations for\nthe provision of instruction, activities and services outlined in the\nplan. Such plans shall include quantifiable measures to assess the\neffectiveness of the instruction, activities and services in promoting\nthe purposes of the science and technology entry program. Such measures\nshall include, but not be limited to:\n a. the persistence rate of participating students in selecting and\ncompleting mathematics and science courses in an academic track in their\nsubsequent years in high school;\n b. the college placement rate of participating students in\nprofessional or pre-professional programs in scientific, technical, or\nhealth-related fields. Such approved plans may be amended with the\napproval of the commissioner.\n 4. Eligible applicants receiving grants pursuant to this section shall\nprovide a program of instruction and curriculum-related activities and\nservices to advance the purpose of the science and technology entry\nprogram. The curricula of these programs shall, to the extent\npracticable, emphasize the concrete aspects of the scientific, technical\nor health-related discipline as it relates to a professional career,\nthrough laboratories, relevant work experience opportunities, or similar\nactivities. In addition to specialized instruction, programs funded\npursuant to this section shall provide participating students with\npersonal, career and financial aid counseling to ensure that such\nstudents are fully aware of the opportunities and necessary preparations\nfor professional careers in scientific, technical, or health-related\nfields.\n 5. a. Grants shall be awarded to eligible applicants based upon\ncriteria established by the commissioner after consultation with the\ncouncil, including, but not limited to, the following:\n (1) an established record of conducting effective collaborative\neducational programs with neighboring secondary schools;\n (2) the ability and willingness to cooperate with other postsecondary\ninstitutions in operating a program funded pursuant to this section;\n (3) the capacity to secure or provide additional support in amounts\nequal to at least twenty-five percent of the grant sought under this\nsection through private and other governmental sources and through\nin-kind services;\n (4) a location within a school district with an enrollment comprised\nof at least twenty percent minority group students or a location near\nsuch a district that is accessible by public transportation.\n b. The commissioner shall select the grant recipients after\nconsultation with the council. To the fullest extent practicable the\ncommissioner and the council shall ensure that grants are awarded to\neligible applicants in a diversity of regions of the state.\n 6. To be selected to participate in a program funded pursuant to this\nsection, an eligible student must exhibit the potential for college\nlevel study if provided with special services, as indicated by academic\nrecord, test scores, attendance record, personal references, and other\nmeasures deemed appropriate by the commissioner.\n 7. No grant pursuant to this section shall exceed two hundred thousand\ndollars to any eligible applicant in a single state fiscal year unless\nthe eligible applicant is a consortium comprised of two or more\ninstitutions of post-secondary education or unless the eligible\napplicant is conducting summer classes as an approved part of its\nprogram.\n 8. The commissioner is authorized to require eligible applicants\nreceiving funds pursuant to this section to report periodically upon:\n a. compliance with the approved plan;\n b. the objectives of the applicant's program;\n c. the curricula and the activities and services offered by the\nprogram;\n d. the sources of support and the expenditures of the program;\n e. the background and progress of students selected to participate in\nthe program;\n f. the performance of the program in meeting the evaluation standards\nestablished pursuant to this section; and\n g. other matters the commissioner deems appropriate.\n