HB 2457 Summary

• Establishes the Rural STEM Program Fund to support science, technology, engineering and math programs in rural schools through grants, gifts, and legislative appropriations.

• Fund monies are continuously appropriated, exempt from lapsing, with the Department of Education administering the fund and using no more than 5% annually for administrative costs.

• Department of Education must establish an application process for rural schools to apply for grants and demonstrate planned use of funds and expected student outcomes.

• Rural schools receiving funding must demonstrate their STEM programs meet state academic standards and provide annual reports to the Department on outcomes achieved and how monies were spent.

• Defines "rural school" as a charter school or school district school with 300 or fewer students located in a county with fewer than 400,000 persons, or in a census county division with fewer than 50,000 persons in larger counties.