1. A. Contingent upon the provision of appropriated funds designated for Alternative Approaches grants, the State Board of Education is authorized to award one or more such competitive grants to local education agencies or nonprofit organizations for programs providing services to high challenge children and youth. High challenge children and youth are those at risk of failing to complete a satisfactory education. Alternative Approaches grants shall include high challenge grants and grants for alternative education. Alternative Approaches grants shall be awarded to local education agencies or nonprofit organizations for programs serving school districts identified by the Board as having high percentages of children who are considered to be high challenge students. Such competitive grants shall be of local and state significance and shall be replicable across the state. Beginning July 1, 1993, at least twenty percent (20%) of the total dollar amount of Alternative Approaches grants shall be awarded to districts replicating state-validated programs. State validation is a process carried out by the Alternative Approaches Programs Technical Assistance Center by which grant-funded programs are evaluated for effectiveness in reaching the targeted population, local and state significance, and replicability. The Technical Assistance Center shall report to the State Department of Education the name and description of any program which receives state validation.
2. B. The State Board of Education is further authorized to award one competitive grant for operation of an Alternative Approaches Programs Technical Assistance Center. Said programs shall not supplant programs or activities funded by the United States Government pursuant to Chapter 1 of Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended. The High Challenge Programs Technical Assistance Center grant recipient shall have priority, if its operations are deemed satisfactory by the State Board of Education and if funds are available, for annual renewal of the grant.

3. C. Service program grant recipients shall have priority, if recommended by the Technical Assistance Center and if funds are available, for annual renewal of grants by the State Board of Education in amounts and on conditions as provided in this section. If a district has received grants for an at risk or high challenge program for three consecutive school years and if the program upon evaluation by the Technical Assistance Center meets the criteria set forth in subsection A of this section and satisfies criteria set forth in rules adopted by the State Board of Education pursuant to subsection D of this section, funding shall be as follows:

   1. 1. Funding for the fourth consecutive school year shall be in the amount of fifty percent (50%) of the average amount of grants awarded for the program pursuant to this section for the first three (3) consecutive school years;

   2. 2. Except as otherwise provided, funding for the fifth consecutive school year shall be awarded only if the program has been state-validated and replicated by another district; for programs that have received funding for three (3) years prior to July 1, 1992, funding will be awarded only if the program is state-validated and the grantee documents attempts to have the program replicated; if funding is awarded, it shall be in the amount of twenty-five percent (25%) of the average amount of grants awarded to the program pursuant to this section for the first three (3) consecutive school years.

      All grants for the fourth and fifth school years as provided above shall be matched with local funds or in-kind contributions. Programs which received grants continuously for five (5) consecutive school years shall not thereafter be eligible for grants pursuant to this section.

4. D. Rules adopted by the State Board of Education shall incorporate or provide for, but not necessarily be limited to:

   1. 1. Definition of the children and youth deemed high challenge for whom services are sought; provided the definition shall be consistent with the description of high challenge children and youth set forth in subsection A of this section;
   2. 2. The possibility of awards for one or more of a variety of program proposals targeted for services to limited portions of the high challenge population according to such distinctions as age groupings, rural or urban settings, other cultural characteristics, or innovative service delivery strategies;
   3. 3. Requirements that service program grant recipients have clear and measurable goals and objectives; show evidence of having given reasonable consideration to coordination with other community agencies and resources, where appropriate, in the development of their proposals; and agree to comply with all requirements of the Technical Assistance Center regarding use of assessment instruments, provision of data, and provision of information necessary for program evaluation;
   4. 4. Requirements that the recipient of the Technical Assistance Center grant show command of relevant research and demonstrate capability for: Providing technical assistance, including operation of clearinghouse functions; coordinating with agencies such as the Oklahoma Arts Council; performing assessment of high challenge children and youth; evaluating programs for effectiveness; making program cost assessments; promoting replication of successful programs; and capability for assisting program providers in attaining national validation of their programs and qualifying for federal funding;
   5. 5. Utilization of a selection committee to review applications for program and Technical Assistance Center grants and make recommendations to the State Board of Education, said selection committee to include, to the greatest extent feasible under constraints of time and funding, nationally recognized experts in the education of high challenge children and youth; and
   6. 6. Revocation of any high challenge or at risk grant awarded to, and ineligibility for award of any future high challenge grant pursuant to this act to, any grant recipient who has employed prior to May 24, 1991, any person who served as a volunteer assisting with the initial preparation of proposed rules for high challenge (formerly designated as at risk) grant programs or any person serving as a member of a selection committee during or within two (2) years following such person's service pursuant to paragraph 5 of this subsection.

Laws 1989, c. 299, § 1, emerg. eff. May 24, 1989; Amended by Laws 1992, c. 248, § 3, eff. July 1, 1992; Amended by Laws 1992, c. 281, § 4 (repealed by Laws 1992, c. 373, § 22, eff. July 1, 1992); Amended by Laws 1996, c. 348, § 10, eff. July 1, 1996.