(a) On or before September fifteenth of each fiscal year in which payment is to be made, the State Board of Education shall authorize grant awards. A grant award shall be authorized only after (1) a proposal for such grant has been submitted to the Commissioner of Education by the local board of education for a school district described in § 10-266p, at such time and in such manner as the commissioner shall prescribe, and after the commissioner and such school district have reached agreement regarding how such grant shall be expended, or (2) for the school years commencing July 1, 2022, to July 1, 2024, inclusive, the commissioner has developed a plan for the expenditure of such grant for a local board of education described in subdivision (3) of subsection (c) of this section in accordance with the provisions of said subdivision. Each proposal or plan shall be based on a three-year project plan and include, but not be limited to, an explanation of project goals, objectives, evaluation strategies and budget which shall identify local funding and other resource contributions for the three-year period.

(b) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (c) of this section, for the school year commencing July 1, 2019, and each school year thereafter, a priority school district grant shall be payable to the local board of education for a school district described in § 10-266p, which shall expend such grant for any of the following uses: (1) The creation or expansion of programs or activities related to dropout prevention, (2) alternative and transitional programs for students having difficulty succeeding in traditional educational programs, (3) academic enrichment, tutorial and recreation programs or activities in school buildings during nonschool hours and during the summer, (4) development or expansion of extended-day kindergarten programs, (5) development or expansion of scientifically-based reading research and instruction, as defined in § 10-14u, including summer and after-school programs, (6) enhancement of the use of technology to support instruction or improve parent and teacher communication, (7) initiatives to strengthen parent involvement in the education of children, and parent and other community involvement in school and school district programs, activities and educational policies, which may be in accordance with the provisions of § 10-4g, (8) for purposes of obtaining accreditation for elementary and middle schools from the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, (9) numeracy instruction, or (10) support to chronically absent children, as defined in § 10-198c, and reducing the district chronic absenteeism rate, as defined in § 10-198c. Each such board of education shall use at least twenty per cent of its grant for scientifically-based reading research and instruction, as defined in § 10-14u. Each such board of education shall use its grant to supplement existing programs or create new programs. If the State Board of Education finds that any such grant is being expended for uses other than those described in subdivisions (1) to (10), inclusive, of this subsection or is being used to decrease the local share of support for schools, it may require repayment of such grant to the state.

(c) (1) Not later than March 1, 2022, the Commissioner of Education shall determine whether the accountability index, as defined in § 10-223e, for each local board of education for a school district described in § 10-266p has improved during the school years commencing July 1, 2018, to July 1, 2020, inclusive.

(2) For the school years commencing July 1, 2022, to July 1, 2024, inclusive, any such board whose accountability index has improved during the school years commencing July 1, 2018, to July 1, 2020, inclusive, shall (A) submit a proposal to the commissioner in accordance with the provisions of subdivision (1) of subsection (a) of this section, and (B) expend the priority school district grant for any of the uses described in subdivisions (1) to (10), inclusive, of subsection (b) of this section.

(3) For the school years commencing July 1, 2022, to July 1, 2024, inclusive, if the accountability index for any such board has not improved during the school years commencing July 1, 2018, to July 1, 2020, inclusive, then the commissioner shall (A) develop a three-year plan for the expenditure of the priority school district grant for such board, and (B) expend such grant for any of the following uses: (i) Scientifically-based reading research and instruction, as defined in § 10-14u, (ii) numeracy instruction, and (iii) support to chronically absent children, as defined in § 10-198c, and reducing the district chronic absenteeism rate, as defined in § 10-198c.

(d) Each priority school district grant shall be awarded by the State Board of Education on an annual basis. Funding in subsequent years shall be based on funds available, annual application and program evaluation.