EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new; matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted. Green numbers along left margin indicate location on the printed bill (e.g., 5-15 indicates page 5, line 15).

1-1 Section 1. 1. There is hereby appropriated from the state general

1-2 fund to the Department of Education for the support of programs for gifted

1-3 and talented pupils:

1-4 For the fiscal year 1999-2000 $300,000

1-5 For the fiscal year 2000-2001 $300,000

1-6 2. The board of trustees of a school district may submit an application

1-7 to the Department of Education for an allocation for each year that money

1-8 is available from the appropriation made by subsection 1. Such an

1-9 application must:

1-10 (a) Be on a form provided by the Department of Education; and

1-11 (b) Include a written description of the programs for the education of

1-12 gifted and talented pupils offered by the school district and the proposed

1-13 use of the allocation to support and improve the programs.

1-14 3. Upon receipt of an application, the Department of Education shall

1-15 review the application to determine whether it is complete. The Department

1-16 of Education shall approve an application if it is complete.

1-17 4. The Department of Education shall apportion the money available

1-18 for each fiscal year among the school districts whose applications have

2-1 been approved. The money available must be apportioned to each school

2-2 district in proportion to the total number of pupils enrolled in public

2-3 schools within the school district on the last day of the first month of the

2-4 school year.

2-5 5. A school district that receives an allocation of money shall use the

2-6 money to support the school district’s programs of education for gifted and

2-7 talented pupils, including:

2-8 (a) Providing professional development for all teachers, including

2-9 regular education teachers, relating to the instruction of gifted and talented

2-10 pupils;

2-11 (b) Creating committees throughout the school district consisting of

2-12 teachers who are trained to teach gifted and talented pupils to assist the

2-13 regular education teachers in providing instruction to gifted and talented

2-14 pupils;

2-15 (c) Increasing the amount of time that is devoted to the instruction of

2-16 gifted and talented pupils in the classroom;

2-17 (d) Preparing newsletters and informational pamphlets for dissemination

2-18 to parents and legal guardians concerning the programs of education for

2-19 gifted and talented pupils offered by the school district; and

2-20 (e) Offering programs of education for gifted and talented pupils

2-21 through mediums other than the traditional classroom setting including the

2-22 use of computers and mobile classrooms.

2-23 6. The board of trustees of a school district that receives an allocation

2-24 of money shall not use the money to:

2-25 (a) Supplant or cause to be reduced any other source of funding for the

2-26 programs of education for gifted and talented pupils offered by the school

2-27 district.

2-28 (b) Settle or arbitrate disputes or negotiate settlements between an

2-29 organization that represents licensed employees of the school district and

2-30 the school district.

2-31 (c) Adjust the schedules of salaries and benefits of the employees of the

2-32 school district.

2-33 7. Any balance of the sums appropriated by subsection 1 remaining at

2-34 the end of the respective fiscal years must not be committed for expenditure

2-35 after June 30 of the respective fiscal years and reverts to the state general

2-36 fund as soon as all payments of money committed have been made.

2-37 Sec. 2. This act becomes effective upon passage and approval.