Section 565.10  Purpose and Applicability

This Subpart A establishes the application procedure and criteria for selection by the State Board of Education of the districts that will receive grant funds under the K-3 class size reduction program established pursuant to Section 2-3.136(a) of the School Code [105 ILCS 5/2-3.136(a)].

Section 565.20  Eligible Applicants

Eligible applicants shall be school districts in which one or more schools that maintain kindergarten or any of Grades 1 through 3 are in Academic Early Warning or Academic Watch status under Section 2-3.25d of the School Code [105 ILCS 5/2-3.25d].  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)] that maintain these grades and are in either status and charter schools that maintain these grades and are in either status shall also be eligible to apply; see 105 ILCS 5/2-3.109a and 27A-11.5, respectively.  Only kindergarten and Grades 1 through 3 in schools that are in Academic Early Warning or Academic Watch status ("eligible schools") shall be served with grant funds provided under this Subpart.  An applicant chosen for funding shall not subsequently lose eligibility due solely to improvement in the status of the schools served.

Section 565.30  Program Specifications

It is the intention of the State Board of Education to approve funding for projects under this Part for a three-year period.  Two separate approaches to class size reduction shall be considered.  Each applicant may propose either:

a)         serving the same grade levels within the same schools during each year for which funding is received; or

b)         following the same cohort of students from kindergarten through the second grade or from the first grade through the third grade during the three years of the grant.

Section 565.40  Application Procedure

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

a)         When State funding is available for grants under this Subpart, 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 identification of the specific schools that will be served throughout the grant period, the grades chosen for class size reduction, and the rationale for these choices.

c)         The RFP shall indicate the amount or expected amount of the appropriation for the program and shall describe the allowable expenditures and the basis for awarding grants.

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 data 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 certification and assurance forms that the State Superintendent may, by law, require.

g)         The RFP shall specify the deadline for submission of proposals, which shall provide potential applicants with at least 30 days to respond.

h)         Separate applications shall be required for renewal of grant 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 need for grant funds for this purpose; and

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

i)          Incomplete proposals shall not be considered.

Section 565.50  Criteria for the Review of Initial Applications

Applications for initial funding shall be evaluated in accordance with the following criteria:

a)          The proposal demonstrates that the average class size within the chosen grades exceeds 20 pupils and presents data related to student enrollment, achievement, and progress and an analysis of those data that justifies the approach selected and the choice of grade levels to be served.  (70 points)

b)          The proposal demonstrates either that the available facilities in the schools to be served can accommodate the number of additional classrooms for which teachers will be employed or that space for new classes is not available, as applicable.  The number of licensed teachers or paraprofessionals to be employed with grant funds is reasonable in relation to the number of students affected in the grades to be served.  (15 points)

c)          The proposal demonstrates that the equipment, supplies, instructional materials, or other resources requested are necessary for the support of the additional classrooms planned or the activities of the paraprofessionals to be assigned, and the grant request reflects a reasonable local contribution toward outfitting of any new classrooms.  (15 points)

(Source:  Amended at 37 Ill. Reg. 8145, effective June 6, 2013)

Section 565.60  Allocation of Funds

a)         The State Superintendent of Education shall approve initial applications for funding and make final determinations regarding the amounts to be provided based upon the total funds appropriated for this initiative, the amounts necessary to fund the top-ranked proposals, and the need to distribute the benefits of class size reduction on a statewide basis.

b)         It is the intention of the State Board of Education to approve funding for projects 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 that the projects have been implemented in accordance with the approved grant agreements and that the recipients continue to need additional State resources in order to maintain average class sizes below 20 within the designated grades.

c)         A district that has received three years' funding under this Subpart A may subsequently apply as a new applicant.

Section 565.110  Purpose and Applicability

This Subpart B establishes the application procedure and criteria for selection by the State Board of Education of the districts that will receive grant funds under the K-3 class size reduction pilot program established pursuant to Section 2-3.136(b) of the School Code [105 ILCS 5/2-3.136(b)].

Section 565.120  Eligible Applicants

Eligible applicants for grants under this Subpart B shall be those identified in Section 565.20 of this Part, and only kindergarten and Grades 1 through 3 in eligible schools shall be served with grant funds provided under this Subpart.

Section 565.130  Program Specifications

The provisions of Section 565.30 of this Part shall apply to grants under this Subpart B.

Section 565.140  Application Procedure

The provisions of Section 565.40 of this Part shall apply to grants under this Subpart B.

Section 565.150  Criteria for the Review of Initial Applications

Applications for initial funding shall be evaluated in accordance with the following criteria:

a)         Rationale and Cost-Effectiveness (50 points)

1)         The proposal demonstrates that the available facilities in the schools to be served can accommodate the number of additional classrooms for which teachers will be employed.

2)         The number of licensed teachers to be employed with grant funds is reasonable in relation to the number of students affected in the grades to be served, and the applicant has chosen one or more grades with the greatest need for class size reduction.

3)         The proposal demonstrates that the equipment, supplies, instructional materials, or other resources requested are necessary for the support of the additional classrooms planned, and the grant request reflects a reasonable local contribution toward outfitting of any new classrooms.

b)         Evaluation Plan (30 points)

The applicant proposes to collect and report information on the performance of the students in the classrooms served that will add to an understanding of the effects of class sizes of 15 or lower when compared to class sizes between 15 and 20 and when compared to class sizes above 20.

c)         Need (20 points)

1)         The proposal demonstrates that the average class size within the chosen grades exceeds 15 pupils and that students' performance may be improved through a reduction in class size.

2)         The proposal demonstrates that other sources of funding are limited to such an extent that the applicant is unable to employ additional licensed staff in the chosen grades.

(Source:  Amended at 37 Ill. Reg. 8145, effective June 6, 2013)

Section 565.160  Allocation of Funds

a)         The State Superintendent of Education shall approve initial applications for funding and make final determinations regarding the amounts to be provided based upon the total funds appropriated for this initiative, the amounts necessary to fund the top-ranked proposals, and the need to distribute the benefits of class size reduction on a statewide basis.  It is expected that approximately one-third of the funding available for programs under this Subpart B will be allocated within the City of Chicago, one-third within the balance of Cook County and the counties of DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, and Will, and one-third within the remainder of the State.

b)         It is the intention of the State Board of Education to approve funding for projects 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 that the projects have been implemented in accordance with the approved grant agreements and that the recipients continue to need additional State resources in order to maintain average class sizes of 15 or lower within the designated grades.

c)         A district that has received three years' funding under this Subpart B may subsequently apply as a new applicant.