Virginia Law

With such funds as are appropriated for this purpose, the Virginia Public School Educational Technology Grants Program, hereinafter referred to as "the Program," is hereby established to provide grants to eligible school divisions for educational technology, including infrastructure, software, and hardware acquisitions and replacement, and innovative programs to advance the effectiveness of educational technology. The Program shall be administered by the Board of Education.

1999, c. 870.

A. From such funds as may be appropriated for this purpose and from such gifts, donations, grants, bequests, and other funds as may be received on its behalf, there is hereby created in the Department of the Treasury a special nonreverting fund known as the Virginia Public School Educational Technology Trust Fund, hereinafter referred to as "the Fund." The Fund shall be established on the books of the Comptroller, and any moneys remaining in such Fund at the end of the biennium shall not revert to the general fund but shall remain in the Fund. Interest earned on such funds shall remain in the Fund and be credited to it. Funds may be disbursed to any school division that is eligible for financial assistance pursuant to the provisions of this chapter.

B. The State Treasurer shall manage the Virginia Public School Educational Technology Trust Fund, subject to the authority of the Board of Education to provide for its disbursement. The Fund shall be disbursed to award grants as provided in § 22.1-175.6.

C. The amount of such educational technology grants shall be matched by funds of the qualifying school division based on the locality's composite index of ability to pay. In awarding such grants, the Board shall take into consideration any other state or federal grants which may have been applied for or awarded for the same projects. In addition, the Board shall assist local school divisions in applying for such grants and shall seek to ensure that all divisions have equitable access, based on superintendent's regions, to such funds as may be available.

1999, c. 870.

The Board shall issue guidelines for the administration of the Program as it may deem necessary and appropriate. The guidelines shall include, but shall not be limited to, provisions which address compliance with other law or Board requirements for educational technology, the application for a grant from the Fund, the innovations included in the proposal, and other criteria as established by the Board.

1999, c. 870.

Grants pursuant to this chapter shall be awarded upon a determination of the Governor of the appropriate funding source and amounts for the Fund established in § 22.1-175.7.

Funds appropriated for financial assistance for the purposes of this chapter shall be apportioned and distributed among the school divisions of the Commonwealth in accordance with eligibility and needs criteria to be established by the Board.

1999, c. 870.