Section 20-2-274. Uniform state-wide needs program and documented local needs program grants

   (a) The state board shall be authorized to provide each regional educational service agency with a uniform state-wide needs program grant and a documented local needs program grant, subject to appropriation by the General Assembly. The uniform state-wide needs program grant shall consist of two components: the same fixed amount for each regional educational service agency; and an amount which reflects the number of local school systems, the number of schools, the number of students, and the number of square miles contained collectively within its member local school systems. Each regional educational service agency shall be required to match the uniform state-wide needs program grant with an amount of funds equal to one-fourth of this grant. The uniform state-wide needs grant and its matching local funds shall be used to finance the basic administrative overhead of the regional educational service agencies and to provide the areas of assistance specified in Code Sections 20-2-270.1 and 20-2-271. The amount of funds granted to each regional educational service agency for the documented local needs program grant shall depend upon the proportion that the number of local school systems, number of schools, number of students, and number of square miles contained collectively within its member local school systems are of these respective factors state wide, as well as the adopted operational plan and the budget designed to address documented needs for assistance to member local school systems. Each regional educational service agency shall be required to match the documented local needs program grant with an amount of funds equal to two-thirds of that grant. The state board shall provide grants to regional educational service agencies for Georgia Learning Resources Systems or to a local school system contracted to be a fiscal agent for a Georgia Learning Resources System. Each board of control shall be authorized to adopt the manner by which each member local school system shall be assessed its share of the uniform state-wide needs program and the documented local needs program; provided, however, that member local school systems shall not be allowed to use funds received under the provisions of this article for this purpose. The state board shall grant the regional educational service agency the funds needed to provide services to all local school systems in the service area of the Georgia Learning Resources System designated as the fiscal agent or to any local school system contracted to serve as the fiscal agent for a Georgia Learning Resource System as well as the grants authorized previously by this subsection. All other financing will be based on contracts to supply service programs to member local school systems. The funds for these programs, upon a contract approval basis, may be derived from local, state, federal, or private sources.

(b) A regional educational service agency may not receive directly from the State Board of Education any state funds originally intended for or directed to a local school system by this article; provided, however, that, upon the official request of a local school system, the state board may send directly to a regional educational service agency any funds allocated to a local school system. All grants from the state along with the contributions from member local school systems and funds from other sources shall be budgeted by the board of control other than those designated to local systems designated as fiscal agents for a Georgia Learning Resource System through contract with the State Board of Education.

Code 1981, § 20-2-274, enacted by Ga. L. 1985, p. 1657, § 1; Ga. L. 1987, p. 1169, § 1; Ga. L. 1988, p. 612, § 13; Ga. L. 1995, p. 1340, § 2; Ga. L. 1996, p. 1062, § 1; Ga. L. 2000, p. 618, § 49.