(105 ILCS 5/2-3.80b)

Sec. 2-3.80b. Agriculture education teacher grant program.

(a) As used in this Section:

"New agriculture education program" means an agriculture education program approved by the State Board of Education in a school district that has not had an agriculture education program for a period of 10 years or more prior to the date of application for a grant under this Section.

"Personal services cost" means the cost of a teacher providing 60 additional days, which shall mean 400 additional hours, outside the teacher's regularly scheduled teaching duties for the benefit of agriculture education. The 400 additional hours shall be any activity that is to the benefit of agriculture education, as defined by the State Board of Education by rule, regardless of the time of year the activity occurs.

(b) Subject to appropriation to the State Board of Education, there is created an agriculture education teacher grant program to fund personal services costs for agriculture education teachers in school districts. The grants shall be for the purpose of assisting school districts with paying for personal services costs of agriculture education teachers.

(c) A school district may apply for a grant to fund an amount not to exceed 50% of the personal services cost for an agriculture education teacher under this Section. However, a school district that is creating a new agriculture education program may apply for a grant to fund an amount not to exceed 100% of an agriculture teacher's personal services cost in the first and second year of the new agriculture education program and an amount not to exceed 80% of an agriculture teacher's personal services cost in the third and fourth years of the new agriculture education program. A school district may apply for a grant for more than one teacher under this Section.

(d) A school district that applies for a grant under this Section or offers any extended contract for agriculture education shall base its personal services costs on the reasonably expected personal services cost for the teacher based on the cost of the teacher's regularly scheduled teaching duties.

(e) The State Board of Education shall create a statewide system for an agriculture education teacher to track his or her additional hours completed pursuant to a grant under this Section.

(f) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules as necessary to implement this Section.

(Source: P.A. 99-826, eff. 1-1-17.)