(1) There is created in the department a grant program for eligible teachers who wish to pursue additional postsecondary education in order to provide computer science education to students in public schools. A school district or a school district on behalf of an eligible teacher or teachers may apply for a grant.

(2) The department shall administer the grant program in accordance with state board rules. The department shall accept and review grant applications received from school districts or school districts on behalf of an eligible teacher or teachers and shall make recommendations to the state board for the award of grants. In making its recommendations, the department may consider the priorities contained in subsection (4) of this section.

(3) Pursuant to article 4 of title 24, the state board shall promulgate rules necessary for the implementation of the grant program, including rules relating to:

(a) The application process, including application requirements and deadlines;

(b) Criteria for the award of grants, including the priorities for awarding grants contained in subsection (4) of this section;

(c) The amount and duration of the grants; and

(d) The approved uses of the grant, including tuition, fees, training program costs, and books and materials.

(4) In awarding grants, the state board may:

(a) Give priority to grant applications that benefit a teacher or teachers in a school district that serves:

(I) A high-poverty student population;

(II) A high number of minority students; or

(III) Students in rural areas;

(b) Give priority to grant applications that benefit a teacher or teachers who intend to continue teaching in public schools in Colorado after completing postsecondary education obtained through the grant program; and

(c) Give priority to grant applications for postsecondary course work or training that enables a teacher to teach computer science, including concurrent enrollment courses in computer science, and that applies toward the completion of a degree in computer science, the completion of an industry-recognized certificate in computer science, or the completion of a high-quality training program, or that results in the mastery of a teaching content area in computer science.

(5) The state board may award grants to school districts for high-quality training programs offered to teachers in the district that enable the teachers to teach computer science courses.

(6) Subject to available appropriations, the state board shall annually award grants.

(7) The general assembly declares that, for purposes of section 17 of article IX of the state constitution, computer science education grants for teachers are an important element in expanding technology education and may therefore receive funding from the state education fund created in section 17 (4) of article IX of the state constitution.