Section 270.10  Purpose and Applicability

 

This Part establishes the application procedure and criteria for selection by the State Board of Education of the entities that will receive funding under the College and Career Success for All Students Act [105 ILCS 302] ("the Act").

 

Section 270.20  Eligible Applicants

 

Eligible applicants shall be school districts serving any of Grades 6 through 12 operating at least one school in which 40 percent or more of the students are classified as "low-income" (i.e., eligible to receive free or reduced-price meals under the School Breakfast and Lunch Program Act [105 ILCS 125]).  Public university laboratory schools approved by the State Board of Education pursuant to Section 18-8.05(K) of the School Code [105 ILCS 5/18-8.05(K)], area vocational centers, and charter schools shall be eligible to apply on the same basis as school districts (see 105 ILCS 5/2-3.109a, 2-3.109b, and 27A-11.5, respectively).  For purposes of this Part, the term "district" shall be understood to include all these eligible entities.  An applicant chosen for funding shall not subsequently lose eligibility due solely to a change in the low-income status of its schools.

 

Section 270.30  Program Specifications

 

Grant funds provided under this Part shall be used only in connection with Advanced Placement (AP) courses identified as such by the College Board (at http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/ public/courses/descriptions/index.htm) or in connection with initiatives in any of Grades 6 through 11 that are designed specifically to prepare students in those grades to participate successfully in AP courses.  Grant funds shall be expended only to serve students and staff in schools where at least 40 percent of the students are classified as "low-income".

 

a)         Allowable activities shall include, but need not be limited to, curriculum development, staff training, and the purchase of materials related to AP courses or, in Grades 6-11, initiatives and coursework designed to prepare students for enrollment and success in AP courses ("preparatory programs").

 

b)         At least 20 percent of the funding provided for each program under this Part shall be used to defray the cost of training for teachers, counselors, and principals that is sponsored by the College Board (see http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/ Pageflows/InstitutesAndWorkshops/InstitutesAndWorkshopsController.jtp).  Costs for other professional development activities that correspond to the purposes stated in Section 15 of the Act [105 ILCS 302/15] shall be allowable beyond the 20 percent threshold.  Training costs may include stipends for those participating and for substitute teachers.

 

c)         Some portion of the funding provided for each proposed program under this Part shall be devoted to strategies and activities specifically designed to increase the participation of low-income students in AP courses or to promote participation by low-income students in preparatory programs, such as:

 

1)         development and dissemination of promotional materials or other outreach to students and their families;

 

2)         counseling, enrichment, tutoring, or other assistance for students that will prepare them to succeed in these courses and on the culminating examinations; and

 

3)         administering to students the Pre-Scholastic Aptitude Test (PSAT) (see CollegeBoard.com).

 

d)         Grant funds shall not be used to pay for the services of teachers to teach Advanced Placement courses or preparatory courses.

 

e)         Grant funds shall not be used to supplant other efforts currently funded with local, State, or federal resources.

 

Section 270.40  Application Procedure

 

For purposes of this Part, the terms "proposal" and "application" shall have the same meaning.

 

a)         When State funding is available for new grants under this Part, the State Superintendent of Education shall issue a Request for Proposals (RFP) in order to solicit applications from eligible entities.

 

b)         The RFP shall describe the format that applicants will be required to follow and the information they will be required to submit, including, but not limited to, identification of the schools that will be served, the specific training planned and the schedule for those activities, and the strategies that will be used to increase the rate of participation by low-income students.

 

c)         The RFP shall indicate the amount or expected amount of the appropriation for the program, the expected average size of grant awards, the allowable expenditures, and the basis for awarding grants.  The RFP shall identify any restrictions or areas of high priority that have been established for a particular program year.  If matching funds or resources will be required of applicants, the RFP shall describe these requirements.

 

d)         The RFP shall include a budget summary and payment schedule, as well as a narrative budget breakdown, i.e., a detailed explanation of each line item of expenditure.

 

e)         The RFP shall identify the information recipients will be required to collect and report regarding the activities conducted with grant funds and the results of those activities, as well as the timelines for reporting.

 

f)         The RFP shall include such certification and assurances as the State Superintendent may require.

 

g)         The RFP shall specify the deadline for submission of proposals, which shall provide potential applicants with at least 45 days to respond.

 

h)         Separate applications shall be required for renewal of funding.  Each application for renewal shall include at least:

 

1)         a description of expenditures and activities during the year just concluded, demonstrating that the project has been implemented in conformance with the approved grant agreement and that the recipient continues to exhibit a need for grant funds for this purpose;

 

2)         time-specific goals and objectives for the project in the renewal year; and

 

3)         an updated budget summary and payment schedule for the renewal year, including a narrative budget breakdown.

 

i)                   Incomplete proposals shall not be considered.

 

Section 270.50  Criteria for the Review of Initial Proposals

 

a)         Applications shall be evaluated in accordance with the following criteria:

 

1)         Quality and Scope of the Plan (45 points)

 

A)        The proposal demonstrates that the training to be funded and the staff members to be involved will permit the district to offer AP courses or preparatory programs that are not currently available, or that greater numbers of students will have access to AP courses or preparatory programs, as applicable.

 

B)        The proposal includes plans for support for and collaboration among staff members and administrators that will result in the sequential alignment of rigorous course offerings across grade levels, culminating in Advanced Placement studies.

 

C)        The proposal demonstrates that the activities and materials to be supported with grant funds will enhance students' preparedness for AP courses and strengthen their ability to participate successfully.

 

2)         Student Recruitment and Support (25 points)

 

A)        The proposal provides evidence that the intended outreach and recruitment strategies respond to the needs of low-income students in the communities to be served.

 

B)        The proposal presents a combination of supportive elements that will strengthen low-income students' preparation for AP coursework, assist them in successful completion of the courses chosen, and enhance their likelihood of success on the culminating examinations.

 

3)         Need (15 points)

 

A)        The proposal describes the status of the applicant's instructional programs and demonstrates that students' access to rigorous academic coursework is limited by the scarcity of appropriately trained instructional staff or other necessary resources and materials.

 

B)        The proposal demonstrates that other sources of funding are limited to such an extent that the applicant is unable to conduct or expand the program as proposed without funding under this Part.

 

4)         Cost-Effectiveness and Sustainability (15 points)

 

A)        The scope of the proposed activities is reasonable in light of the amount of funding to be provided, and the project will be cost-effective considering the number and types of courses to be supported and the number of students to be served.

 

B)        The proposal gives evidence of the district's commitment to continuing efforts to foster greater participation in AP coursework by low-income students and to support them in achieving greater success and achievement in that coursework.

 

Section 270.60  Allocation of Funds

 

a)         Applications for funding shall be approved and final determinations regarding the amounts to be provided shall be made based upon the total funds appropriated for this initiative, the amounts necessary to fund the top-ranked proposals, and the need to promote students' participation in rigorous academic coursework on a statewide basis.

 

b)         It is the intention of the State Board of Education to approve grants under this Part for a three-year period.  Funding for the second and third years shall be contingent upon the availability of funds for the program and evidence presented in renewal proposals in accordance with Section 270.30(h) of this Part.  A district that has received three years' funding under this Part may subsequently apply as a new applicant.