Amends TCA Title 49, Chapter 6.

This bill requires the department of education to select at least six rural districts to participate in a two-year pilot program that partners rural districts together to expand access to high-quality, robust college and career pathways. Each partnership must be evidenced by a written partnership agreement that includes, at the minimum: (1) The roles and responsibilities of each partnering rural district; (2) The partnership's goals; (3) How the partnership intends to achieve each of the goals identified in the partnership agreement; and (4) Ambitious and measurable performance goals that are aligned with college and career readiness measures, as well as longitudinal postsecondary participation and employment outcomes. This bill requires that each partnership is overseen by an intermediary organization. The governing body of the intermediary organization selected by the department to oversee a partnership for purposes of the pilot program must include members representing K-12 education, higher education, and workforce leaders in this state to encourage collaboration across systems. GRANTS Each partnership must submit its written partnership agreement to the department along with the partnership's application to receive grant funding. Grant applications must outline the partnership's goals and how grant funds will be used to increase the number of high school graduates on track to achieve their college or career goals. This bill requires, subject to appropriation, that the department must award competitive grants to partnerships. The department must determine the amount of grant funds awarded to a partnership based, in part, on the strength of the partnership agreement, the resources available to each partnering rural district, and the needs of the student population served by each partnering rural district to ensure grant funds are awarded to partnerships in a manner that allows each partnership to achieve the goals of the pilot program and of its partnership agreement in the most cost-effective and efficient manner possible. The department must begin accepting grant applications no later than September 1, 2023, and must distribute grants to partnerships no later than December 1, 2023. This bill provides that partnerships must not use more than 70 percent of the grant funds it receives to implement its partnership agreement for purposes of the pilot program. Partnerships must use at least 30 percent of the grant funds it receives to provide the technical assistance necessary to enable the design and launch of effective partnerships. Technical assistance must be provided by a nonprofit experienced with similar programs in other states. REPORT This bill requires the department to submit a report by December 1, 2025, to the chair of the education committee of the senate, the education administration committee of the house of representatives, and the education instruction committee of the house of representatives evaluating the successes and challenges of the pilot program.