198:15-s Eligibility; Administration. –
I. [Repealed.]
II. [Repealed.]
III. A kindergarten construction grant request shall contain, at a minimum, the following information:
(a) A set of educational specifications, prepared by district staff.
(b) Construction plans and cost estimates, prepared by a licensed architect. Construction plans and cost estimates shall comply with the following:
(1) To be eligible for reimbursement pursuant to RSA 198:15-r, kindergarten construction shall be approved by the school district's legislative body on or before June 30, 2013.
(2) The number of classrooms shall be based upon the largest projected kindergarten enrollment in the first 5 years following construction, based on a minimum of 20 students per half-day kindergarten class.
(3) Classrooms shall be no larger than 1,000 square feet in size including restrooms and storage space.
(4) Costs shall be limited to the annual maximum eligible cost standards in accordance with RSA 198:15-b, unless waived by the commissioner of the department of education for good cause.
(5) Classroom furniture and equipment purchased for temporary classrooms pursuant to RSA 198:15-r, IV shall be relocated to permanent classrooms or replaced at district expense.
(c) An assurance signed by the superintendent and the chair of the school board that facilities constructed under this subdivision will be used for a public kindergarten program.
IV. The department of education shall administer the kindergarten construction program and shall be responsible for the following:
(a) Providing technical assistance relative to kindergarten construction to school districts.
(b) Developing and maintaining a kindergarten construction guide, including a list of recommended furnishings and equipment for kindergarten classrooms.
(c) Establishing forms and procedures for school districts to use for the development and submission to the department of education of kindergarten construction grant requests.
(d) Reviewing grant requests, including educational specifications, kindergarten construction plans, and cost estimates, and forwarding them to the commissioner of education with recommendations relative to their adequacy, educational appropriateness, and cost effectiveness.
(e) Distributing kindergarten construction grant payments to eligible districts in accordance with the payment schedule specified by the commissioner of education in the district's grant approval notification.
(f) Assuring that the facilities are used as specified in the grant request.
Source. 1997, 348:5. 2001, 287:6, I, eff. July 1, 2001. 2008, 384:6, III, eff. July 11, 2008. 2011, 224:331, eff. July 1, 2011. 2012, 275:5, eff. Aug. 18, 2012.