Section 235.30  Additional Program Components for Preschool Education Proposals

a)         In addition to the requirements set forth in Section 235.20, applications for funding for preschool education programs and activities, as defined in Section 235.10(a)(1), must provide:

1)         a description of how the proposed educational program is developmentally appropriate for each child, which shall:

A)        be accepted based upon evidence in the proposal that the results of the individualized assessment profile for each child will be the basis for determining that child's educational program; and

B)        address the domains of development specified in Section 235.20(c)(6) and how a language and literacy development program shall be implemented for each child based on that child's individual assessment;

2)         a description of how the risk factors to determine eligibility reflect the community to be served and will be weighted to ensure that the children most at risk of academic failure are enrolled;

3)         the child/staff ratio for each classroom, which shall not exceed a ratio of 10 children to one adult, with no more than 20 children being served in each classroom;

4)         a description of the written transition plan to ensure that those children who are age-eligible for kindergarten are enrolled in school upon leaving the preschool education program;

5)         for school district applicants, a description of the steps to be taken to ensure that the provisions of Article 14C of the School Code [105 ILCS 5/Art. 14C] and 23 Ill. Adm. Code 228 (Transitional Bilingual Education) are met;

6)         a description of the provisions to be made to allow for the participation of children with disabilities in the program; and

7)         a description of the steps to be taken to ensure that a child who is not yet toilet trained is not excluded from the program.

b)         Each applicant also shall describe whether the program qualifies as a program serving primarily at-risk children or a program serving primarily children whose families meet the income guidelines set forth in Section 2-3.71(a)(4.5) of the School Code.

1)         A program serving "primarily at-risk children" is one that:

A)        has 80 percent or more of the enrolled children identified as being at risk of academic failure (see Sections 235.10(a)(3) and 235.20(c)(6));

B)        gives priority for enrollment to academically at-risk students over those students who have not been identified as academically at risk; and

C)        has taken specific proactive measures to ensure that parents of children who may be at risk of academic failure are aware of the opportunity to enroll in the preschool education program.

2)         A program serving "primarily children whose families meet income guidelines" is one that has 80 percent or more of the enrolled children from families meeting the income guidelines and does not qualify under subsection (b)(1) as serving primarily academically at-risk children.

3)         Each applicant shall estimate the percentage of children to be enrolled who are considered to be at risk of academic failure or whose families meet income guidelines, as applicable. 

c)         Programs serving primarily at-risk children shall describe:

1)         the process to ensure that, if the program has a waiting list of children to be enrolled, all children identified as being at risk of academic failure are enrolled before other children not identified as being at risk; and

2)         the specific proactive measures the program has taken or will take to ensure that parents of children who may be at risk of academic failure are made aware of the opportunity to participate in the preschool education program.

(Source:  Amended at 39 Ill. Reg. 6674, effective April 27, 2015)