SB1303 - Freshman Success Grant Program

• Creates a Freshman Success pilot program administered by the State Board of Education to award grants to eligible school districts for implementing freshman success plans.

• Grants of up to $100,000 per qualifying high school available to school districts identified as Tier 1 or Tier 2 organizational units that have at least one high school with a 5-year graduation rate or on-track freshman rate of 80% or less.

• Allowable uses for grant funds include hiring dedicated freshman support staff, professional development for attendance improvement, tutoring services, in-school mentoring programs, and other practices to improve freshman success.

• State Board must make grant applications available and issue lists of eligible districts on or before December 1, 2019 and annually thereafter; applicants must describe their plans and how funds will be allocated.

• Grant recipients must submit reports to the State Board and General Assembly accounting for fund expenditures and results in increasing on-track freshman rates.