loading…
loading…
loading…
_ 209 Item Details($) Appropriations($) ITEM 125. First Year Second Year First Year Second Year FY2025 FY2026 FY2025 FY2026 to increase parent and student knowledge of good nutritional practices. In no event shall these funds be used to reduce local tax revenues below the level appropriated to school nutrition programs in the prior year. Further, these funds must be provided to the school nutrition programs and may not be used for any other school purpose. c.1) Out of this appropriation, $1,074,000 the first year and $1,074,000 the second year from the general fund is provided to fund an After-the-Bell Model breakfast program available on a voluntary basis to elementary, middle, and high schools where student eligibility for free or reduced lunch exceeds 45.0 percent for the participating eligible school, and to provide additional reimbursement for eligible meals served in the current traditional school breakfast program at all grade levels in any participating school. The Department of Education is directed to ensure that only eligible schools receive reimbursement funding for participating in the After-the-Bell school breakfast model. The schools participating in the program shall evaluate the educational impact of the models implemented that provide school breakfasts to students after the first bell of the school day, based on the guidelines developed by the Department of Education and submit the required report to the Department of Education no later than August 31 each year. 2) The Department of Education shall communicate, through Superintendent's Memo, to school divisions the types of breakfast serving models and the criteria that will meet the requirements for this State reimbursement, which may include, but are not limited to, breakfast in the classroom, grab and go breakfast, or a breakfast after first period. School divisions may determine the breakfast serving model that best applies to its students, so long as it occurs after the instructional day has begun. The Department of Education shall monthly transfer to each school division a reimbursement rate of $0.05 per breakfast meal that meets either of the established criteria in elementary schools and a reimbursement rate of $0.10 per breakfast meal that meets either of the established criteria in middle or high schools. 3) No later than July 1 each year, the Department of Education shall provide for a breakfast program application process for school divisions with eligible schools, including guidelines regarding specified required data to be compiled from the prior school year or years and for the upcoming school year program. The number of approved applications shall be based on the estimated number of sites that can be accommodated within the approved funding level. The Department of Education shall set criteria for establishing priority should the number of applications from eligible schools exceed the approved funding level. The reporting requirements must include: chronic absenteeism rates, student attendance and tardy arrivals, office discipline referrals, student achievement measures, teachers' and administrators' responses to the impact of the program on student hunger, student attentiveness, and overall classroom learning environment before and after implementation, and the financial impact on the division's school food program. Funded schools that do not provide data by August 31 are subject to exclusion from funding in the following year. The Department of Education shall collect and compile the results of the breakfast program and shall submit the report to the Governor and the Chairs of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance and Appropriations Committees no later than November 1 following each school year. 30. Clinical Faculty and Mentor Teacher Program Payments This appropriation includes $1,000,000 the first year and $1,000,000 the second year from the Lottery Proceeds Fund to be paid to local school divisions for statewide Mentor Teacher Programs to assist pre-service teachers and beginning teachers to make a successful transition into full-time teaching. This appropriation also includes $318,750 the first year and $318,750 the second year from the general fund for Clinical Faculty programs to assist pre-service teachers and beginning teachers to make a successful transition into full-time teaching. Such programs shall include elements which are consistent with the following: a. An application process for localities and school/higher education partnerships that wish to participate in the programs; b. For Clinical Faculty programs only, provisions for a local funding or institutional commitment of 50 percent, to match state grants of 50 percent;