Section 75.640  Criteria for Review and Approval of Implementation Proposals

a)         Proposals for implementation grants must be evaluated in accordance with the following criteria.

1)         Quality of Proposed Program

A)        The proposal demonstrates that:

i)          coursework and experiences required for internship completion will be scheduled and located so that it is accessible to all candidates;

ii)         supportive services that have been identified as necessary, including assistance for housing and child care, will be offered to enable all candidates to complete the internship program;

iii)        a cohort model will be established with whole-group orientation, individual or small team work-based learning, and debriefing experiences; and

iv)        employer education and support will be provided in administering an internship and providing for interns.

B)        The proposal establishes a timetable and strategies for the administration and implementation of the program, to include, but not be limited to, all of the following:

i)          Recruitment of interns.

ii)         Recruitment of employers to offer internships.

iii)        Coordination of articulation agreements with four-year institutions offering course credit for the internship.

iv)        Internship induction programming.

v)         Capstone presentations and program conclusion.

C)        The proposal establishes a timetable or performance level for candidates as a condition for their continued receipt of assistance during the internship program.

D)        The proposal includes plans for assisting interns in tapping sources of financial aid beyond those made available under this Subpart and by the members of the partnership.

E)        The plan of work for the program includes effective strategies for overcoming known barriers faced by the interns.

F)         The evaluation plan is designed to yield information that can be used both in judging the program's qualitative and quantitative impact and in identifying changes or new approaches that will improve the program's outcomes.

2)         Program Need

A)        The proposal identifies deficiencies and needs of current pre-service agricultural education teachers with respect to experiences, skills, and knowledge of each of the career pathways aligned to the ACTE cluster for Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources.

B)        The proposal identifies the agricultural industry careers that are in-demand or upcoming for Illinois.

C)        The proposal clearly establishes criteria and indicators:

i)          for identifying individuals to be enrolled in the program; and

ii)         that are likely to target those individuals who have the greatest need for development of competency in one or more areas of the agricultural industry.

D)        The proposal includes recruitment strategies that are likely to be effective in enrolling the individuals in the program, particularly individuals who reflect the diversity of the students participating in accredited programs for agricultural education teacher licensure at postsecondary institutions in Illinois.

3)         Experience and Qualifications

A)        The proposal demonstrates that the postsecondary institution has the capacity, including faculty and other resources, to serve the group of individuals to be enrolled in its agricultural education internship program.

B)        The proposed roles and responsibilities of each entity that is a member of the partnership shall be appropriate, given the entity's qualifications, experience with adult learning and agricultural education initiatives and services, and the resources that each will devote to the program.

C)        The proposal demonstrates that the community organization or educational entity is familiar with the needs of postsecondary internship programs, specifically the needs of agricultural internship programs, and has the capacity to recruit individuals for the program and support those individuals as they progress through the program.

4)         Cost Effectiveness

A)        The program shall be cost effective, as evidenced by the cost of proposed services in relation to the individuals to be enrolled and the services to be provided.

B)        The proposal describes commitments on the part of all the partnership's members that will enable the partnership to obtain additional funding for the program if budgetary requirements exceed grant funded amounts.

b)         Priority consideration may be given to proposals with specific areas of emphasis, as identified by the State Superintendent of Education, in a particular RFP.

c)         The State Superintendent of Education shall determine the amount of individual grant awards. The final award amounts shall be based upon the following:

1)         the total amount of funds available for the Agricultural Education Pre-Service Teacher Internship Program; and

2)         the resources requested in the top-ranked proposals, as identified under subsections (a) and (b).

(Source:  Added at 44 Ill. Reg. 14770, effective August 27, 2020)