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SB 218 - Under this act, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education is authorized to develop a pilot program, beginning in the 2020-2021 school year, to provide for agricultural education in elementary schools in the state. The purpose of the program is to determine whether and how to implement an elementary agricultural education program statewide. The Department shall select a minimum of one public elementary school from each of the 16 geographic areas across the state designated by the Department. In determining such areas, the Department may use the sixteen Future Farmers of America Association areas. The local school board for each elementary school selected to be in the pilot program shall agree to implement and fully fund an elementary agricultural education program in such school and to continue to provide such elementary agricultural education program for a period of at least 3 years. The local school district may employ an agricultural education teacher to provide such program for the elementary school. The Department and local school districts shall collaborate to establish the curriculum for each elementary agricultural education program, and such curriculum must meet the criteria set forth in the act. The Department shall provide for a program evaluation regarding the success and impact of the pilot program and shall report the results of such evaluation to the relevant House and Senate committees on agriculture and education. The Department is required to maintain an adequate number of full-time employees, certified in agricultural education and distributed regionally throughout the state. JOSIE BUTLER
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