1. The Outdoor Education and Recreation Grant Program is hereby created for the purpose of awarding grants to eligible public agencies, private nonprofit organizations and other community-based entities to conduct outdoor education and recreation programs for pupils in this State. Such an outdoor education and recreation program must:

(a) Provide the pupils with high-quality opportunities to directly experience the natural world;

(b) Integrate that experience with exposure to matters concerning the environment, agriculture, natural resources or other related matters;

(c) Be designed to improve the overall academic performance, self-esteem, personal responsibility, community involvement, personal health or understanding of nature of pupils; and

(d) Be primarily focused on pupils who are:

(1) From economically disadvantaged backgrounds, as measured by their eligibility for free or reduced-price meals pursuant to 42 U.S.C. §§ 1751 et seq. or an alternative measure prescribed by the State Board of Education;

(2) Most likely to fail academically; or

(3) Appear to have the greatest potential to drop out of school.

2. The Administrator shall, within the limits of available resources, develop and administer the Grant Program and adopt regulations for its governance. The regulations must prescribe, without limitation:

(a) The criteria for eligibility to receive money from the Grant Program;

(b) Procedures for the submission and review of applications to receive money from the Grant Program;

(c) Priorities for program selection that take into account, without limitation, the extent to which a program:

(1) Contributes to the reduction of academic failure and dropout rates;

(2) Uses a curriculum that is research-based and effective;

(3) Contributes to the healthy lifestyles of pupils through outdoor recreation and sound nutrition;

(4) Makes use of state parks as venues and the personnel of the Department as expert resources;

(5) Maximizes the number of pupils that can participate;

(6) Commits to providing matching funds and in-kind resources;

(7) Creates partnerships with other public or private entities;

(8) Provides participating pupils with opportunities to directly experience and understand nature and the natural world; and

(9) Includes ongoing evaluation, assessment, and reporting of the effectiveness of the program.

3. As used in this section, “public agency” has the meaning ascribed to it in NRS 277.100.

(Added to NRS by 2019, 3960)