HOUSE BILL No. 5532 December 13, 2001, Introduced by Rep. Kolb 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 certain powers and duties of certain state and local agencies 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. 01105'01 DAM 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 train- 5 ing for tutors for after-school, weekend, or summer reading pro- 6 grams, 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 01105'01 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 (e) "Parents as teachers grant" means a grant to develop, 13 carry out, or expand effective local programs, such as family 14 literacy programs, that provide appropriate support, training, 15 and educational materials to involve and assist parents and other 16 adult primary caregivers to help their children become successful 17 readers by the end of the third grade. 18 Sec. 3. The department shall establish a program to provide 19 grants to eligible applicants to develop, carry out, or expand 20 local reading programs. 21 Sec. 4. An eligible applicant that wishes to receive a 22 local reading program grant under this act shall submit an appli- 23 cation to the department in the manner required by the department 24 that includes all of the following: 25 (a) A description of how the applicant will use the funds to 26 develop, carry out, or expand a local reading program. 01105'01 4 1 (b) An identification of a school district or other member 2 of the applicant's consortium that has a record of sound fiscal 3 management to act as the applicant's fiscal agent. 4 (c) Other information required by the department. 5 Sec. 5. A person who wishes to receive a parents as teach- 6 ers grant under this act shall submit an application to the 7 department in the manner required by the department that includes 8 either of the following: 9 (a) Evidence that the applicant has a demonstrated record of 10 successfully working with parents in improving reading skills of 11 their young children. 12 (b) Evidence that the applicant intends to use a program 13 model that meets all of the following requirements: 14 (i) Has been demonstrated to be effective. 15 (ii) Has the support of the community. 16 (iii) Will be coordinated with other programs that provide 17 support for parents, such as adult education programs. 18 Sec. 6. (1) The Michigan reads challenge fund is created 19 within the state treasury. 20 (2) The state treasurer may receive money or other assets 21 from any source for deposit into the fund. The state treasurer 22 shall direct the investment of the fund. The state treasurer 23 shall credit to the fund interest and earnings from fund 24 investments. 25 (3) Money in the fund at the close of the fiscal year shall 26 remain in the fund and shall not revert to the general fund. 01105'01 5 1 (4) The department shall expend money from the fund, upon 2 appropriation, only for 1 or more of the following purposes: 3 (a) Subject to subdivision (b), to provide grants to eligi- 4 ble applicants for expenses reasonably necessary to develop, 5 carry out, or expand effective local reading programs, such as 6 the costs of reading specialists, materials, training of tutors, 7 and family literacy activities. 8 (b) At least 20% of the money received by the fund from the 9 federal government shall be used to provide parents as teachers 10 grants. 01105'01 Final page. DAM