Idaho § 33-4804 - Public school digital content and curriculum fund

§ 33-4804. Public school digital content and curriculum fund

(1) There is hereby established in the state treasury the public school digital content and curriculum fund, to be administered by the state department of education, which shall make available moneys in the fund, subject to appropriation, for schools to provide Idaho classrooms, including classrooms at the Idaho bureau of educational services for the deaf and the blind, with digital content and curriculum that directly impact student achievement and improve performance. Curriculum programs shall be designed to enhance outcomes for students in career technical education, character education, enrichment activities, reading and mathematics, and activities that increase grade-to-grade promotion and enhance career and college readiness. Moneys from the fund may also be spent on academic text support systems that include authentic fiction and nonfiction books, provide reader supports, provide teaching tools, and promote parent engagement. Moneys in the fund shall consist of legislative appropriations and are continuously appropriated for the purposes identified in this section. Any interest earned on idle moneys in the fund shall be returned to the fund.

(2) Subject to availability, moneys in the fund shall be distributed at the request of a local education agency (LEA) and shall be based on the amount requested. A single request shall not exceed fifty thousand dollars ($50,000). Distributions from the fund shall be made to LEAs that meet the requirements as outlined in this subsection based on competitive, needs-based criteria established by the state department of education. If distributions cannot be made due to lack of available moneys, requests by eligible LEAs shall be prioritized according to the competitive, needs-based criteria established by the state department of education pursuant to this subsection once moneys become available. Two (2) or more LEAs may jointly request a distribution. To qualify for funding, an LEA shall:

(a) Have technology infrastructure in place to facilitate usage of the digital content and curriculum; and

(b) Submit an explanation for how the distribution will be used to improve performance and enhance student achievement. Explanations should include:

(i) The amount of moneys requested;

(ii) The type of content or curriculum to be purchased;

(iii) How the purchase will assist the LEA in meeting its identified measurable targets from its continuous improvement plan as described in section 33-320 , Idaho Code; and

(iv) How progress toward those targets will be measured.

(3) Additional distributions shall be granted to an LEA only if, after the initial distribution, the LEA has met or is making demonstrable progress toward its measurable targets.