(1) Establishing, maintaining or expanding a quality pre-kindergarten program aligned with the current academic standards contained in 22 Pa. Code Ch. 4 (relating to academic standards and assessment).

(2) Establishing, maintaining or expanding a quality full-day kindergarten program aligned with the current academic standards contained in 22 Pa. Code Ch. 4. Such programs shall be kept open for five hours each day for the full school term as provided in section 1501.¹ The board of school directors of a school district may offer a full-day kindergarten program to children who are between four and six years old.

(3) Establishing, maintaining or expanding a class size reduction program. Such class size reduction program shall appoint and assign a minimum of one teacher for every 17 students or two teachers for every 35 students enrolled in a kindergarten, first, second or third grade classroom. All teachers appointed and assigned to teach kindergarten, first, second or third grade shall be certified in accordance with 22 Pa. Code Ch. 49 (relating to certification of professional personnel) or its successors. The department shall establish guidelines to assure that no school district satisfies the requirements of this paragraph by making a reduction in, and subsequent increase to, current teacher complement. For purposes of this paragraph, the phrase “one teacher for every 17 students or two teachers for every 35 students enrolled in a kindergarten, first, second or third grade classroom” shall refer to the number of teachers conducting a class at any one time in a classroom containing the applicable number of students.

(4) Establishing, expanding or maintaining programs that promote the availability, coordination, integration and utilization of social and health services, associated resources and ancillary resources to meet the needs of children and families in addressing issues that may serve to limit student academic achievement.

(5) Notwithstanding the provisions of Article XV-C,² providing tutoring assistance during the normal school day and hours of the school district, provided that the tutoring is in addition to and does not interfere with a student's regularly scheduled classroom instruction times and does not supplant services required in a student's individualized education program.

(6) Improving the academic performance of subgroups identified under section 1111(b)³ of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.

(7) Establishing, expanding or maintaining programs to assist in the building of strong science and applied-knowledge skills.

(8) Providing additional programs for continuing professional education that may include any of the following: training in mathematics, science and literacy-specific curriculum and instructional strategies; training in school-wide improvement planning; analysis of student achievement data, including student work and the implications for classroom practice; observing and studying exemplary school and classroom practices; implementing school-wide programs and classroom management strategies designed to improve student conduct; using technology to boost student achievement; conducting transition planning and curriculum alignment across schools and grade levels; or implementing secondary strategies to increase student engagement and personalize learning.

(9) Establishing, expanding or maintaining math and literacy coaching programs within schools to improve math and reading instruction.

(10) Providing financial incentives to highly qualified, tenured teachers to work in the most academically challenged schools in a school district or providing financial incentives to aid in the recruitment of certificated teachers in mathematics, science, language arts or English as a second language to work in the most academically challenged schools in a school district.

(10.1) Establishing, expanding or maintaining a career awareness program.

(10.2) Purchasing materials or extending service hours for school libraries.

(11) Providing such other programs or activities that the board of school directors of a school district determines are essential to achieving or maintaining academic performance targets through the year 2014.

(12) Establishing, expanding or maintaining programs for instruction on world languages in the elementary grades, either in immersion classrooms or as separate periods of instruction.

(13) Establishing, expanding or maintaining programs to strengthen high school curricula by creating rigorous college and career preparatory programs, increasing academic achievement, offering additional advanced placement courses, providing school-based counseling and providing professional development.

(14) Establishing, expanding or maintaining programs to provide intensive teacher training, professional development opportunities and teaching resources to elementary level science teachers.

(b.2)(1) If, for the 2007-2008 school year, the amount of funding that a school district receives under subsection (d.2) exceeds the amount of the grant that it received during the 2006-2007 school year, the school district shall use its additional funds to establish or expand the full-day kindergarten program under subsection (b)(2).

(2) The department shall require each school district to certify as part of the plan submitted under subsection (c)(2) whether the school district will use its additional grant funds in compliance with this subsection.

(3) A school district that does one of the following shall forfeit the right to the additional grant funds received in the 2007-2008 school year under subsection (d.2)(2) and (3), and all forfeited funds shall be distributed pursuant to subsection (d.3):

(c)(1) No later than April 10, 2004, and April 10, 2005, the department shall notify each school district of the grant amount it will receive under subsection (d). No later than April 10, 2006, the department shall notify each school district of the grant amount it will receive under subsection (d.1).

(1.1) For the 2007-2008 school year, the department shall notify each school district of the programs and activities authorized under subsection (b)(12), (13) and (14) and of its grant amount under subsection (d.3) within fifteen (15) days of the effective date of this paragraph.

(2) Within thirty (30) days of receipt of the notification under paragraph (1), the school district shall submit to the department an accountability grant plan. The plan shall include:

(2.1) For the 2007-2008 school year, a school district that proposes to use the grant funds for a program or activity not referenced in the accountability grant plan submitted under paragraph (2) shall submit an amended accountability grant plan to the department within thirty (30) days of the effective date of this paragraph. The amended plan shall include the information required under paragraph (2).

(4) Where the accountability grant plan submitted under paragraph (2) or where the amended accountability grant plan submitted under paragraph (2.1) proposes to use the grant funds for a program or activity under subsection (b)(1), (2), (3), (4), (5), (6), (7), (8), (9), (10), (12), (13) or (14), the department may, within thirty (30) days from the receipt of the plan, make nonbinding recommendations for alternative utilization of the grant funds.

(5) No later than February 1, 2005, and February 1 of each year thereafter, the department shall submit a report to the majority and minority chairs of the Appropriations and Education Committees of the Senate and to the majority and minority chairs of the Appropriations and Education Committees of the House of Representatives summarizing the operation of the program for that fiscal year. The report shall include:

(1) Each school district shall receive an amount based on the percentage of its students scoring below proficient on the PSSA tests, calculated as follows:

(2) Each school district shall receive an amount based on the percentage of its students scoring at or above proficient on the PSSA tests, calculated as follows:

(3) Grants awarded under this section shall be paid to school districts on the last Thursday of July.

(d.1)(1) During the 2006-2007 school year, the department shall pay to each school district a Pennsylvania accountability grant equal to the amount determined in subsection (d) plus the sum of the amounts calculated under paragraphs (2) and (3).

(2) Each school district shall receive an amount based on the percentage of its students scoring below proficient on the PSSA tests administered in grades five, eight and eleven, calculated as follows:

(3) Each school district shall receive an amount based on the percentage of its students scoring at or above proficient on the PSSA tests administered in grades five, eight and eleven, calculated as follows:

(4) Grants awarded under this subsection shall be paid to school districts on the last Thursday of July.

(d.2)(1) During the 2007-2008 school year, the department shall pay to each school district a Pennsylvania accountability grant equal to the amount determined under subsection (d.1) plus the sum of the amounts calculated under paragraphs (2) and (3).

(2) Each school district shall receive an amount based on the percentage of its students scoring below proficient on PSSA tests administered in the school district, calculated as follows:

(3) Each school district shall receive an amount based on the percentage of its students scoring at or above proficient on PSSA tests administered in the school district, calculated as follows:

(d.3)(1) During the 2007-2008 school year, the department shall pay a Pennsylvania accountability grant supplement from funds subject to distribution pursuant to subsection (b.2)(3) equal to the amount calculated under paragraphs (2), (3), (4) and (5).

(2) Each school district with a 2006-2007 full-day kindergarten average daily membership shall receive an amount based on the percentage of its students scoring below proficient on PSSA tests administered in the school district, calculated as follows:

(3) Each school district with a 2006-2007 full-day kindergarten average daily membership shall receive an amount based on the percentage of its students scoring at or above proficient on PSSA tests administered in the school district, calculated as follows:

(4) Each school district shall receive an amount equal to two percent (2%) of the amount determined pursuant to subsection (d.1).

(5) After amounts have been paid pursuant to paragraphs (2), (3) and (4), any remaining funds subject to distribution pursuant to subsection (b.2)(3) shall be allocated to each school district as follows:

(e)(1) The department shall establish reporting procedures and auditing guidelines to ensure that grant funds are utilized in accordance with subsection (b).

(2) A school district shall maintain separate accounts in its budget to facilitate monitoring the use of the grant funds.

(3) In no case shall a school district use grant funds for administrative costs as defined by the department.

(4) The department shall reduce the amount of a State subsidy payment to a school district by the amount of any grant funds provided under this section if the school district does not utilize the grant funds in accordance with subsection (b) and the accountability grant plan submitted pursuant to subsection (d).

(5) No grant funds may be used directly to increase salaries except as provided for in subsection (b)(10).

(6) No school district may place grant funds received under this section in a reserve account.

(7) For the 2008-2009, 2012-2013 and 2013-2014 fiscal years, if insufficient funds are appropriated to make Commonwealth payments pursuant to this section, such payments shall be made on a pro rata basis.

(8) For the 2010-2011 fiscal year, any funding remaining to be allocated to school districts from the appropriation for Pennsylvania Accountability Grants on or after July 1, 2011, shall be distributed as follows: