HOUSE BILL No. 5830 May 6, 1998, Introduced by Reps. Cherry, Hale, Prusi, Tesanovich, LaForge, Thomas, Stallworth, Schermesser, DeHart, Hanley, Agee, Brater and Emerson and referred to the Committee on Appropriations. A bill to provide for the establishment of a state matching grant program to fund programs that help preschool and elementary school aged students to read; to provide certain grants; and to prescribe the powers and duties of certain state and local agen- cies and officials. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT: 1 Sec. 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the 2 "Michigan reads challenge act". 3 Sec. 2. As used in this act: 4 (a) "Department" means the department of education. 5 (b) "Local reading program" means a program that does all of 6 the following: 7 (i) Helps children read well and independently by the end of 8 the third grade. 04581'97 JCB 2 1 (ii) Serves an area with a high number or percentage of 2 children from low-income families or with the greatest need for 3 reading assistance. 4 (iii) Recruits, and provides appropriate and effective 5 training for, tutors for after-school, weekend, or summer reading 6 programs, or for other proven reading programs, for children from 7 preschool through fourth grade. 8 (iv) Provides an opportunity for students attending Michigan 9 institutions of higher education with federal work-study finan- 10 cial aid to participate as tutors. 11 (v) Provides federal work-study students participating in 12 the program as tutors with an orientation program and necessary 13 support. 14 (vi) Uses qualified and trained individuals, such as program 15 coordinators, to organize and supervise the program and reading 16 specialists who can train participating tutors to effectively 17 supplement the in-school reading program. 18 (vii) Ensures that all program personnel are screened to 19 meet state and local safety standards. 20 (viii) Builds on and supports the in-school reading programs 21 for the children being served, and maintains regular communica- 22 tion between program staff and school personnel. 23 (ix) Makes parental involvement and support a high priority, 24 and is coordinated with early-childhood and family-literacy pro- 25 grams, such as head start and even start programs, and with 26 related programs carried out under title I of the elementary and 27 secondary education act of 1965, Public Law 89-10, 108 04581'97 3 1 Stat. 3519, 20 U.S.C. 6301 to 6304, 6311 to 6338, 6361 to 6370, 2 6391 to 6399, 6421 to 6472, 6491 to 6493, and 6511 to 6514. 3 (x) Provides information to the public about the program's 4 strategies for, and progress in, helping children read well and 5 independently by the end of the third grade. 6 (c) "Eligible applicant" means a consortium consisting of a 7 school district or an intermediate school district and at least 1 8 institution of higher education or other public or private 9 agency. 10 (d) "Fund" means the Michigan reads challenge fund created 11 in section 6. 12 Sec. 3. The department shall establish a program to provide 13 grants to eligible applicants to develop, carry out, or expand 14 local reading programs. 15 Sec. 4. An eligible applicant that wishes to receive a 16 local reading program grant under this act shall submit an appli- 17 cation to the department in the manner required by the department 18 that includes all of the following: 19 (a) A description of how the applicant will use the funds to 20 develop, carry out, or expand a local reading program. 21 (b) An identification of a school district or other member 22 of the applicant's consortium that has a record of sound fiscal 23 management to act as the applicant's fiscal agent. 24 (c) Other information required by the department. 25 Sec. 5. A person who wishes to receive a "parents as 26 teachers" grant under this act shall submit an application to the 04581'97 4 1 department in the manner required by the department that includes 2 either of the following: 3 (a) Evidence that the applicant has a demonstrated record of 4 successfully working with parents in improving reading skills of 5 their young children. 6 (b) Evidence that the applicant intends to use a program 7 model that meets all of the following requirements: 8 (i) Has been demonstrated to be effective. 9 (ii) Has the support of the community. 10 (iii) Will be coordinated with other programs that provide 11 support for parents, such as adult education programs. 12 Sec. 6. (1) The Michigan reads challenge fund is created 13 within the state treasury. 14 (2) The state treasurer may receive money or other assets 15 from any source for deposit into the fund. The state treasurer 16 shall direct the investment of the fund. The state treasurer 17 shall credit to the fund interest and earnings from fund 18 investments. 19 (3) Money in the fund at the close of the fiscal year shall 20 remain in the fund and shall not lapse to the general fund. 21 (4) The department of education shall expend money from the 22 fund, upon appropriation, only for 1 or more of the following 23 purposes: 24 (a) Subject to subdivision (b), to provide grants to eligi- 25 ble applicants for expenses reasonably necessary to develop, 26 carry out, or expand effective local reading programs, such as 04581'97 5 1 the costs of reading specialists, materials, training of tutors, 2 and family literacy activities. 3 (b) At least 20% of the money received by the fund from the 4 federal government shall be used to provide "parents as teachers" 5 grants to develop, carry out, or expand effective local programs, 6 such as family literacy programs, that provide appropriate sup- 7 port, training, and educational materials to involve and assist 8 parents and other adult primary caregivers to help their children 9 become successful readers by the end of the third grade. 04581'97 Final page. 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