Sec. 1. Island Grant Program established. There is established the Island Grant Program, to be administered by the Department of Education, to help island families meet boarding school costs if there is no regular transportation or ferry service for their children to attend a local school. Nonlapsing funds awarded under the grant program must be distributed by the department as part of a the general purpose aid to education disbursement and may be used only for the costs of tuition, room and board at a state-approved secondary school after the student has exhausted other financial aid resources. The funds must be awarded to the town where the student resides and be matched by the town. The department may adopt rules necessary to administer the grant program. Rules adopted pursuant to this section are routine technical rules as defined in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter II-A.

Sec. 2. Appropriation. The following funds are appropriated from the General Fund to carry out the purposes of this Act.

2000-01

EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF

Island Grant Program

All Other $50,000

Provides funds for a grant program for island families to send their children to boarding school if there is no regular transportation or ferry service.

SUMMARY

This bill would establish and fund a grant program for those island families that must send their children to boarding school as they have no regular transportation or ferry service.