(1) The professional educator standards board, with support from the office of the superintendent of public instruction, shall select school districts and consortia of school districts to receive partnership grants from funds appropriated by the legislature for this purpose. Factors to be considered in selecting proposals include, but are not limited to:

     (a) For routes one, two, and three, the degree to which the district, or consortia of districts in partnership, are currently experiencing teacher shortages;

     (b)(i) For routes one, two, three, and four, the degree to which the proposal addresses criteria specified in RCW 28A.660.020 and is in keeping with specifications of program routes in RCW 28A.660.040;

     (ii) The cost-effectiveness of the proposed program; and

     (iii) Any demonstrated district and in-kind contributions to the program.

     (2) Selection of proposals shall also take into consideration the need to ensure an adequate number of candidates for each type of route in order to evaluate their success.

     (3) Funds appropriated for the partnership grant program in this chapter shall be administered by the office of the superintendent of public instruction.

[2004 c 23 § 3; 2003 c 410 § 2; 2001 c 158 § 4.]