Committee backs fund to award competitive education grants, shifting vendor selection to state board

Vice Chair Caldwell introduced a proposed committee substitute and an amendment to Senate Bill 1338, and the committee accepted both without objection. The PCS establishes the Education Impact and Innovation Fund, described by Caldwell as a competitive grants pool that would allow the State Board of Education and the Department of Education to select programs and vendors rather than the Legislature naming specific vendors.

Caldwell said the change is intended to address problems noted in a recent state auditor audit, which identified issues with the Legislature naming specific vendors in past appropriations. "Instead of the legislature names specific vendors for programs... this would enable the state department of education, the state board of education to select those programs and those specific vendors," Caldwell said.

Representative Lowe and other members asked clarifying questions about the amendment and the PCS. Members moved and seconded the measure, the committee recorded a vote and sent SB 1338 out as a do pass. The chair closed the Education Oversight Committee after the vote.