Mathematics supports; committee for mathematics achievement.

Sec. 36. (1) From the state school aid fund money appropriated in section 11, there is allocated for 2026-2027 only an amount not to exceed $5,000,000.00 for the purposes described in this section, including payments to improve educational outcomes in mathematics. (2) The department shall create the committee for mathematics achievement, which must include representatives of higher education and mathematics educators who have expertise in mathematics instruction and research. The committee shall exist until at least September 2029. The department shall appoint the members of the committee for mathematics achievement. The department shall develop a process to identify and assemble experts for the committee for mathematics achievement. The primary focus of the committee for mathematics achievement is to recommend curricula and materials with the goal of increasing student academic outcomes in the area of mathematics. The committee for mathematics achievement is encouraged to collaborate with entities with expertise on the subject of mathematics. The department shall determine the size and benchmarks of the committee for mathematics achievement. The committee for mathematics achievement shall do all of the following: (a) Critically evaluate K to 5 mathematics curricula and materials. The committee for mathematics achievement shall evaluate with research-based outcomes, using the committee for mathematics achievement's expertise in the field of mathematics. The committee for mathematics achievement shall assign grade tiers to a curriculum based on the curriculum's likelihood of increasing student mathematics outcomes. Priority must be given to curricula that already have a demonstrated history of increasing student outcomes. The committee for mathematics achievement may perform an evaluation under this subdivision based on submissions from a vendor, but must independently verify the validity of information provided by the vendor. The committee for mathematics achievement is also strongly encouraged to evaluate available materials not submitted to the department by a vendor. (b) Create, maintain, and annually post on a publicly available website a rankings list of all K to 5 mathematics curricula the committee for mathematics achievement has evaluated. This includes items from each part of the rankings list, items evaluated in the 2026-2027 school year, and any subsequent items evaluated going forward. The committee for mathematics achievement shall denote on the list whether major changes have been made to a mathematics curriculum on the list since the mathematics curriculum was evaluated by the committee for mathematics achievement and if the mathematics curriculum has not been evaluated since the last ranking. (c) The committee for mathematics achievement must select not more than 5 mathematics curricula to recommend for purchase by districts. (3) An individual on the committee for mathematics achievement shall recuse themselves from evaluating mathematics curricula or other items that the individual has helped create, that the individual would benefit from financially, or for which the individual has any other conflict of interest. (4) From the funds allocated in subsection (1), and subject to subsection (6), the department shall make payments to districts and intermediate districts in an amount determined by the department. The department shall not make payments under this subsection until the committee for mathematics achievement has critically evaluated as many mathematics curricula and other items from subsection (2) as possible. Payments under this subsection may be used only to purchase 1 of the 5 mathematics curricula described in subsection (2)(c). If funding remains after all payments have been made to districts and intermediate districts, the department may open a second round of applications. The department shall award funding under this subsection as a formula grant in an amount equal to the amount necessary for the district or intermediate district to implement the chosen mathematics curriculum or other item until funding is depleted. The department may place a cap on the total award per district or intermediate district. (5) From the funds allocated in subsection (1), the department may pay an annual stipend of up to $8,000.00 for each member of the committee for mathematics achievement who is employed by or at a public institution of higher education, a district, or an intermediate district. A stipend paid under this subsection must be commensurate with the committee member's contribution to the committee for mathematics achievement. Funding must be paid to the public institution of higher education, the district, or the intermediate district where the committee member is employed, and the public institution of higher education, the district, or the intermediate district must then use funding received to award the stipend directly to the individual committee member. A committee member who is not employed by or at a public institution of higher education, a district, or an intermediate district is not eligible to receive a stipend under this subsection. (6) To be eligible for funding under subsection (4), a district or intermediate district must apply in a form and manner determined by the department. As a condition of receiving the funding, the district or intermediate district must agree to provide to the department information twice per year, on or before May 1 and October 1, on the mathematics curriculum used for the previous and current school years, and the mathematics curriculum and other items to be used for the next school year. The mathematics curricula used by districts and intermediate districts described in this subsection must be added to the annual rankings required under subsection (2). (7) Except as otherwise provided in this section and notwithstanding section 17b, the department shall make payments under this section on a schedule determined by the department. (8) Funds allocated under subsection (1) for 2026-2027 are a work project appropriation, and any unexpended funds for 2026-2027 are carried forward into 2027-2028. The purpose of the work project is to improve mathematics instructional practices. The estimated completion date of the work project is September 30, 2029.