106.275 Technical education equipment grants.

(1) Awarding of grants.

(a) From the appropriation under s. 20.445 (1) (cg), the department may award technical education equipment grants under this section in the amount of not more than $50,000 to school districts whose grant applications are approved under sub. (2) (b).

(b) A school district that is awarded a grant under this section shall use the grant moneys awarded for the acquisition of equipment that is used in advanced manufacturing fields in the workplace, together with any software necessary for the operation of that equipment and any instructional material necessary to train pupils in the operation of that equipment.

(c) As a condition of receiving a grant under this section, a school district shall provide matching funds equal to 200 percent of the grant amount awarded. The match may be in the form of money, or the monetary value of equipment, contributed from private sources, the school district, or both.

(2) Grant application process.

(a) A school district that wishes to receive a grant under this section shall apply for the grant in accordance with procedures and requirements established by the department under rules promulgated under sub. (4) (b) 1. A grant application shall describe the purpose and need for the grant, the projected outcomes that the school district is seeking to achieve as a result of receiving the grant, the amount and source of the matching funds required under sub. (1) (c), and any other information that the department may require under rules promulgated under sub. (4) (b) 1.

(b) The department shall review and evaluate a grant application submitted under par. (a) in accordance with procedures and criteria established by the department under rules promulgated under sub. (4) (b) 2. After completing that review and evaluation, the department shall notify the school district of the department's decision on the grant application.

(3) Reporting requirements. Each school district that receives a grant under this section shall file a report with the department by September 1 of each of the first 3 fiscal years following the fiscal year in which the grant was received. The report shall describe how the grant moneys were expended, describe the outcomes achieved as a result of receiving the grant, share the best practices employed by the school district regarding the training of pupils in the use of the equipment acquired with the grant moneys, include a plan for sustainability of that training, and provide such other information as the department may require under rules promulgated under sub. (4) (b) 3.

(4) Implementation of grant program.

(b) The department shall promulgate rules to implement this section. Those rules shall include all of the following:

1. Rules establishing the procedures and requirements for applying for a grant under sub. (2) (a), including the information that must be submitted with a grant application.

2. Rules establishing the procedures and criteria for awarding a grant under sub. (2) (b).

3. Rules governing the reporting requirements under sub. (3), including the information that must be provided in a report submitted under sub. (3).

History: 2017 a. 59, 370.