Vermont § 215 - Challenge to Excellence grants

§ 215. Challenge to Excellence grants

• (a) Purpose and findings. It is a goal of the General Assembly to promote quality education for every Vermont
  child and to create an opportunity for every Vermont student to achieve his or her
  personal best, while respecting divergent student goals and personal learning styles
  and abilities. The General Assembly finds that a school’s climate for learning is
  improved when parents, community members, and business leaders actively participate
  in promoting educational opportunities for every student. Further, it is the compassion
  and innovation of individual teachers and school personnel that often create the impetus
  for students to achieve excellence in education. (b) Grant Program. The Secretary shall establish and implement a Challenge to Excellence Grant Program
  for the purpose of promoting quality education for Vermont students. Eligible applicants
  include Vermont public schools, including regional career technical centers, and Vermont
  supervisory unions on behalf of a school or schools. All proposals shall be to develop
  or carry out a comprehensive plan, which may be an action plan pursuant to subdivision 165(a)(1) of this title, to create educational opportunities for each student within the school. Any plan
  shall be developed with the involvement of parents and other community members, staff,
  and business representatives and shall be designed to assist students in meeting State
  Board and school board standards. Grants shall be for up to $50,000.00 and shall include
  a 1-1 match from other sources of funding, including grants from businesses, foundations,
  or other federal or local funding. Priority shall be given to schools that the Secretary
  finds are having difficulty meeting the quality standards listed in subsection 165(a) of this title or are making insufficient progress in improving student performance in relation
  to the standards set forth in subdivision 164(9) of this title. Eligible activities include: (1) a comprehensive planning and goal-setting process to promote a quality education for
  all students within the school; (2) activities to carry out a comprehensive plan to promote quality education for students
  within the school; and (3) innovative methods to create educational opportunities for students according to a
  comprehensive plan, including special classes and activities; mentorship; summer institutes
  on math, science, reading and language arts, social studies, service, the arts, or
  technology; partnerships for learning with businesses, postsecondary schools, and
  community organizations; tutorials; programs for at-risk or gifted students; and guidance,
  peer counseling, and career planning activities. (Added 1997, No. 60, § 7, eff. June 26, 1997; amended 2013, No. 92 (Adj. Sess.), § 30, eff. Feb. 14, 2014; 2021, No. 20, § 54.)