Section 6454. Science and technology entry program

1.  As used in this
  section:
    a. "Council" means the  council  on  professional  career  opportunity
  created pursuant to article forty-four of the executive law;
    b.  "Eligible  students"  shall mean secondary school students who are
  either   economically   disadvantaged   or    minorities    historically
  underrepresented    in    the   scientific,   technical,   health,   and
  health-related professions as defined by the regents after  consultation
  with the council; and
    c.  "Eligible  applicant"  shall  mean an institution of postsecondary
  education or a consortia of such institutions.
    2. The purpose of the science and technology entry programs  shall  be
  to  assist  eligible  students  in  acquiring  the skills, attitudes and
  abilities necessary to pursue professional or pre-professional study  in
  post-secondary    degree   programs   in   scientific,   technical   and
  health-related fields.
    3. Grant applications submitted by eligible applicants shall outline a
  plan of instruction and curriculum-related activities  and  services  to
  advance  the  purpose  of the science and technology entry program. Such
  plans may  provide  for  contracting  by  the  eligible  applicant  with
  specified  not-for-profit  community based educational organizations for
  the provision of instruction, activities and services  outlined  in  the
  plan.    Such  plans  shall  include quantifiable measures to assess the
  effectiveness of the instruction, activities and services  in  promoting
  the purposes of the science and technology entry program.  Such measures
  shall include, but not be limited to:
    a.  the  persistence  rate  of participating students in selecting and
  completing mathematics and science courses in an academic track in their
  subsequent years in high school;
    b.  the  college  placement  rate   of   participating   students   in
  professional  or  pre-professional programs in scientific, technical, or
  health-related fields. Such approved  plans  may  be  amended  with  the
  approval of the commissioner.
    4. Eligible applicants receiving grants pursuant to this section shall
  provide  a  program of instruction and curriculum-related activities and
  services to advance the purpose of  the  science  and  technology  entry
  program.   The   curricula  of  these  programs  shall,  to  the  extent
  practicable, emphasize the concrete aspects of the scientific, technical
  or health-related discipline as it relates  to  a  professional  career,
  through laboratories, relevant work experience opportunities, or similar
  activities.    In  addition  to specialized instruction, programs funded
  pursuant to this  section  shall  provide  participating  students  with
  personal,  career  and  financial  aid  counseling  to  ensure that such
  students are fully aware of the opportunities and necessary preparations
  for professional careers in  scientific,  technical,  or  health-related
  fields.
    5.  a.  Grants  shall  be  awarded  to  eligible applicants based upon
  criteria established by the commissioner  after  consultation  with  the
  council, including, but not limited to, the following:
    (1)  an  established  record  of  conducting  effective  collaborative
  educational programs with neighboring secondary schools;
    (2) the ability and willingness to cooperate with other  postsecondary
  institutions in operating a program funded pursuant to this section;
    (3)  the  capacity  to secure or provide additional support in amounts
  equal to at least twenty-five percent of the  grant  sought  under  this
  section  through  private  and  other  governmental  sources and through
  in-kind services;

    (4) a location within a school district with an  enrollment  comprised
  of  at  least  twenty percent minority group students or a location near
  such a district that is accessible by public transportation.
    b.   The   commissioner   shall  select  the  grant  recipients  after
  consultation with the council. To the  fullest  extent  practicable  the
  commissioner  and  the  council  shall ensure that grants are awarded to
  eligible applicants in a diversity of regions of the state.
    6. To be selected to participate in a program funded pursuant to  this
  section,  an  eligible  student  must  exhibit the potential for college
  level study if provided with special services, as indicated by  academic
  record,  test  scores, attendance record, personal references, and other
  measures deemed appropriate by the commissioner.
    7. No grant pursuant to this section shall exceed two hundred thousand
  dollars to any eligible applicant in a single state fiscal  year  unless
  the  eligible  applicant  is  a  consortium  comprised  of  two  or more
  institutions  of  post-secondary  education  or  unless   the   eligible
  applicant  is  conducting  summer  classes  as  an  approved part of its
  program.
    8. The commissioner  is  authorized  to  require  eligible  applicants
  receiving funds pursuant to this section to report periodically upon:
    a. compliance with the approved plan;
    b. the objectives of the applicant's program;
    c.  the  curricula  and  the  activities  and  services offered by the
  program;
    d. the sources of support and the expenditures of the program;
    e. the background and progress of students selected to participate  in
  the program;
    f.  the performance of the program in meeting the evaluation standards
  established pursuant to this section; and
    g. other matters the commissioner deems appropriate.