1. (1) Subject to availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the office of the superintendent of public instruction must award grants to up to 20 pilot schools to support school-wide centers of excellence for inclusionary practices. School districts may apply for grant funding on behalf of a school within their district. The selected schools will generate a grant equivalent to the amount needed to bring the school to a multiplier of 1.5 for all students eligible for, and receiving special education in, the school in each school year over a four-year period. Grant amounts provided in this section must be spent on qualifying expenses for special education programs for students with disabilities.

2. (2) The superintendent of public instruction must select grant recipients based on the criteria in this subsection (2). Selected pilot schools must be diverse geographically and in size of enrollment. Successful school applicants must:

   1. (a) Demonstrate engaged and committed school leadership and faculty in support of inclusionary practices, which may include, but are not limited to, the following practices:

      1. (i) A willingness to make master schedule changes to allow for common collaboration time;
      2. (ii) A plan for transformational change in building practices in support of inclusion;
      3. (iii) Broadly communicating a commitment to the shift in practices; and
      4. (iv) A commitment to, and understanding of, universal design for learning;
   2. (b) Demonstrate that all school staff, including classified staff, are appropriately trained in inclusionary practices or submit a plan for all staff to obtain the appropriate training by the end of the following school year;
   3. (c) Provide data demonstrating the school's existing success in inclusionary practices or recent improvements in inclusionary practices; and
   4. (d) Describe how staff training and support in inclusionary practices will be sustained after initial training is provided.

3. (3) Beginning December 1, 2026, and annually thereafter, the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall submit a report to the appropriate committees of the legislature on the grant program. The report must include, at a minimum:

   1. (a) A list of the grant recipients from the previous school year;
   2. (b) The additional funding provided to each grant recipient as required in subsection (1) of this section; and
   3. (c) The effectiveness of the grant funds in increasing staff training in inclusionary practices and improving student outcomes.
4. (4) The funding provided under this section is not part of the state's statutory program of basic education.

[ 2025 c 368 s 4.]