The Florida Senate

235.186  Effort index grants for school district facilities work program projects.--

(1)  PROJECT REVIEW; ELIGIBILITY.--Annually, the SMART Schools Clearinghouse established pursuant to s. 235.217 shall review the adopted district facilities work program of each district to ensure compliance with the provisions of s. 235.185 and to determine the district's eligibility to receive an effort index grant for local school facilities projects pursuant to this section. Projects identified in a district facilities work program which are eligible to receive an effort index grant shall be limited to those projects which provide new student stations and associated core facility space to meet student membership requirements in K-12 programs. Effort index grants shall not be provided to replace relocatable classrooms which meet standards.

(2)  COMPUTATION OF REQUIRED LOCAL EFFORT AMOUNT FOR DISTRICT EFFORT INDEX.--Prior to a school district being eligible to receive an effort index grant pursuant to this section, the clearinghouse shall certify that the district agreed to expend, from among all eligible sources, an amount that is equivalent to the amount of funds projected to be available during the period covered by the district facilities work program from the following four sources for eligible basic capital outlay expenditures described in subsection (4):

(a)  Public Education Capital Outlay and Debt Service Trust Fund moneys for construction pursuant to s. 235.42.

(b)  The maximum potential bond proceeds available from the School District and Community College District Capital Outlay and Debt Service Trust Fund.

(c)  Proceeds from the Classrooms First Program authorized in s. 235.187.

(d)  One-half cent local option school sales surtax, pursuant to s. 212.055(7), if fully levied over the 5-year period.

(3)  ELIGIBLE REVENUE SOURCES FOR REQUIRED LOCAL EFFORT.--Expenditures from eligible revenues which may be counted toward a district's required local effort shall be limited to:

(a)  Public Education Capital Outlay and Debt Service Trust Fund distributions for construction pursuant to s. 235.42.

(b)  School District and Community College District Capital Outlay and Debt Service Trust Fund distributions.

(c)  Direct proceeds from the half-cent local option school sales surtax authorized in s. 212.055(7).

(d)  Direct proceeds from the local government infrastructure sales surtax authorized in s. 212.055(2).

(e)  Direct proceeds from the 2-mill discretionary capital outlay levy authorized in s. 236.25.

(f)  Direct proceeds from district voted millage for capital outlay purposes as authorized in s. 9, Art. VII of the State Constitution.

(g)  School Infrastructure Thrift (SIT) Program awards received pursuant to ss. 235.2155 and 235.216.

(h)  Classrooms First Program proceeds received pursuant to s. 235.187.

(i)  Private donations.

(j)  Grants from local governments or not-for-profit organizations.

(4)  COMPUTATION OF BASIC DISTRICT CAPITAL OUTLAY EXPENDITURES ELIGIBLE FOR INCLUSION IN CALCULATION FOR EFFORT INDEX GRANTS.--

(a)  When reviewing a district facilities work program, the clearinghouse shall calculate the district's planned basic capital outlay expenditures that may be eligible for an effort index grant. For each district, this calculation shall consist of:

1.  Expenditures for district capital outlay projects described in subsection (1).

2.  Expenditures for debt service payments for outstanding capital outlay bonds sold to finance new construction, remodeling, renovation, or major repair of educational facilities.

3.  Expenditures for scheduled payments on outstanding certificates of participation used to finance new construction, remodeling, renovation, or major repair of educational facilities.

Expenditures relating to the replacement of relocatable classrooms that meet standards shall not qualify as expenditures eligible for inclusion in the calculation for effort index grants.

(b)  The computation of basic district capital outlay expenditures eligible for inclusion in the clearinghouse's calculation for effort index grants for projects initiated after July 1, 1997, shall be based upon the actual cost per student station or the cost per student station calculated pursuant to s. 235.435(6), whichever is less.

(5)  ALLOCATION OF EFFORT INDEX GRANTS FOR DISTRICT FACILITIES.--

(a)  If the calculated district obligation is equal to or greater than the calculated required effort amount for the eligible expenditures, the district shall be eligible for an effort index grant, to be determined by the clearinghouse by calculating need from the actual cost per student station or the cost per student station pursuant to s. 235.435(6), whichever is less, plus debt service payments for new construction, remodeling, renovation, or major repair of educational facilities less the calculated required effort amount.

(b)  Annually by November 1, the clearinghouse shall report to the Governor and the Legislature on the amount required to fully fund effort index grants for each of the following 5 years.

(c)  Districts demonstrating inability to finance eligible projects in their district facilities work programs after meeting the requirements in subsection (2) may be eligible to receive effort index grants, subject to legislative appropriations for this purpose.

(d)  If legislative appropriations are insufficient to fully fund the eligible total statewide qualified effort index grants as calculated by the clearinghouse, priority consideration shall be given to providing effort index grants to those districts based upon:

1.  The extent to which they have exceeded the district effort index in subsection (2); and

2.  The extent to which they have maximized their revenue generating potential from the district effort index in subsection (2) through the purchase of certificates of participation, the sale of bonds, or other appropriate long-term financing.

History.--s. 5, ch. 97-384.