A bill for an act establishing an agriculture education grant program within the department of education and making appropriations.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Chad Ingels and 1 co-sponsor

HF 33 establishes a grant program to fund agriculture education teachers in schools, enhancing student access to quality agricultural education and supporting local districts.

Committee report approving bill, renumbered as HF 369.

#agriculture #education #educationdepartment #grants

Bill Overview

Bill Number: HF 33
Title: A bill for an act establishing an agriculture education grant program within the department of education and making appropriations.
Status: Renumbered as HF 369 after committee approval.
Introduced: January 14, 2025
Classification: Bill
Subject: Agriculture, Education, Education Department, Grants

Purpose and Intent

The primary purpose of HF 33 is to establish a grant program aimed at enhancing agriculture education in schools. This program is designed to support school districts by providing financial assistance for the costs associated with hiring teachers for agriculture education programs. The intent is to promote and expand agricultural education, particularly in districts where such programs are relatively new.

Key Provisions

Grant Application: School districts can apply to the Department of Education (DE) for grants to cover personal services costs related to hiring teachers for agriculture education.

Funding Levels:

100% Funding: For agriculture education programs that have been in existence for less than 10 consecutive years.
50% Funding: For all other agriculture education programs.

Supplemental Funding Requirement: Funds received through this program must be used to supplement existing public funding for similar educational purposes, ensuring that the program does not replace current funding.

Tracking System: The DE is required to develop a statewide system to track the instructional time teachers dedicate to agriculture education funded by these grants.

Administrative Rules: The state board of education will adopt rules to effectively administer the grant program.

Affected Parties

School Districts: The primary beneficiaries of this bill will be school districts that offer or wish to establish agriculture education programs.

Teachers: Educators involved in agriculture education will benefit from the funding that allows for additional instructional time and resources.

Students: Students in these districts will gain access to enhanced agricultural education, potentially improving their knowledge and skills in this vital field.

Legislative Timeline

January 14, 2025: Bill introduced and referred to the Education Committee.

February 3, 2025: Subcommittee meeting held.

February 5, 2025: Subcommittee recommends passage.

February 11, 2025: Committee report recommending passage approved with a vote of 23-0.

February 13, 2025: Committee report approving the bill, renumbered as HF 369.

Conclusion

HF 33 aims to bolster agriculture education in schools by providing financial support for hiring qualified teachers. By establishing a structured grant program, the bill seeks to ensure that more students have access to quality agricultural education, thereby fostering interest and expertise in the agricultural sector. The successful implementation of this program could have lasting benefits for both students and the broader agricultural community.

Bill