Budget panel keeps academic accelerator alive at reduced funding to preserve grantee cycles

The Joint Budget Committee on March 30 debated whether to end the time‑limited Academic Accelerator grant program a year early to realize roughly $8.0 million in savings, but settled on a narrower alternative intended to allow current grantees to finish their planned three‑year curriculum.

Brett Taggart, who raised concerns about the program's abrupt end, urged the committee to consider a smaller carry‑forward so awardees could complete the curricular cycle. Committee members asked staff and the department to clarify whether a reduced pot would mean fewer grantees, smaller per‑site awards, or higher administrative retention. "If you give me a number, I can talk to the department about how we would expect to handle it," a staff member said during the discussion.

Chair (committee) asked staff to prepare a bill draft that continues the program rather than repeals it and to reflect a $3,200,000 continuation in the draft so the committee could see how that figure would be allocated. Members also noted some administrative costs would likely be retained from that amount.

The committee did not take a final appropriation vote in the session but approved pursuing the alternative draft and directed staff to consult the department for an estimate of effects on grantees and administrative needs. The action preserves an option to adjust the funding level during final balancing.