Section 245.10 Purpose and Applicability

 

a)         This Part establishes the procedure and criteria for approval by the State Board of Education of high-quality programs to facilitate the enrollment, attendance, and educational achievement of homeless children and youth. 

 

b)         It is the intention of the Education of Homeless Children and Youth State Grant Program to supplement, but operate independently of, the programs funded under Subtitle B, Title VII of the federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 USC 11431 et seq.).

 

c)         Services provided under the grant program shall not replace the regular academic program of the school.

 

Section 245.20  Eligible Applicants

 

a)         Proposals for grant awards under this Part may be submitted only by public school districts, 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)], charter schools, and regional offices of education.

 

b)         Each RFP shall state whether joint applications for funds may be submitted by any combination of eligible applicants, as described in subsection (a) of this Section, subject to the conditions stated in subsections (b)(1), (b)(2) and (b)(3) of this Section. 

 

1)         If a joint application is submitted, then an administrative agent shall be designated from among the participating eligible applicants or a regional office of education.

 

2)         The superintendent from each of the participating school districts and the official authorized to submit a proposal on behalf of any other eligible entity as defined in subsection (a) of this Section shall sign the joint application.

 

3)         An eligible applicant shall only participate in one proposal for a State-funded homeless education program.

 

Section 245.30  Application Procedures and Content

 

a)         When an appropriation is made for the State-funded homeless education program, the State Superintendent of Education shall issue a Request for Proposals (RFP) specifying the information that applicants shall include in their proposals, informing applicants of any bidders' conferences, and requiring that proposals be submitted no later than the date specified in the RFP.  The RFP shall provide at least 30 calendar days in which to submit proposals.

 

b)         It is the intention of the State Board of Education to approve Education of Homeless Children and Youth State Grant programs for a three-year period.  Funding in each subsequent year is subject to a sufficient appropriation for the program and satisfactory progress of the grantee in the previous grant period.  (See Section 245.50 of this Part.)

 

c)         Each RFP shall indicate the descriptive information that initial applicants will be required to provide about their proposed programs.  For the purposes of this Part, initial applicants are those that did not receive funding under this Part in the year previous to an application or that are completing the last year in a three-year funding cycle.  The proposal description shall include:

 

1)         evidence of the applicant's need for assistance under this Part, to include the process used to determine the need; demographic and other statistical information; and the barriers to school enrollment, attendance and success faced by homeless children and youth to be served;

 

2)         the activities and services to be provided, which shall be limited to those set forth under Section 723(d) of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Improvements Act of 2001, and how the proposed activities and services will meet the needs of homeless children and youth who will be served by the program;

 

3)         how the applicant will ensure effective coordination with other providers that serve homeless families; and

 

4)         the data to be collected and methods to be used to determine the success of the program in ensuring that homeless children and youth receive the supports and services necessary for them to meet the Illinois State Goals for Learning (see 23 Ill. Adm. Code 1.Appendix D).

 

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

 

e)         Each RFP shall include such certifications, assurances and program-specific terms of the grant, as the State Board of Education may require, to be signed by the applicant that is a party to the application and submitted with the proposal. 

 

f)         Applicants may be requested to clarify various aspects of their proposals.  The contents of the approved proposal shall be incorporated into a grant agreement to be signed by the State Superintendent of Education or designee and the superintendent of the school district or, in the case of other eligible applicants, by the authorized official.

 

Section 245.40  Proposal Review, Approval and Grant Award

 

a)         Proposals submitted for funding to establish a State-funded homeless education program shall be evaluated in accordance with the following criteria.

 

1)         There is sufficient need for the program, as evidenced by the number or proportion of students identified as eligible for program services.  Convincing evidence is presented of the applicant's inability to adequately meet the needs of its homeless children and youth without the additional assistance provided pursuant to this Part.  (25 points)

 

2)         The proposed activities and other services to be provided have a strong potential for helping the applicant design and continue programs that enable homeless children and youth to achieve stability and integration within the regular education programs in order to reach the same challenging State content and student performance standards to which all children and youth are held, including preparation for self-sufficiency.  The proposed activities and services address effective mechanisms for involving parents or guardians of homeless children and youth in the education of their children.  (35 points)

 

3)         The proposal demonstrates that effective coordination with private, non-profit entities, social services agencies and others serving homeless children and youth and their families will occur, as necessary, so that the applicant is able to provide services that are appropriate and comprehensive.  (15 points)

 

4)         The proposed evaluation process is designed to assess the effectiveness of the program's activities and services in relation to the program's goals and objectives and likely to produce data that can be used to improve the program.  (15 points)

 

5)         The proposed budget is consistent with the proposal's activities and appears to be cost-effective.  (10 points)

 

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:

 

1)         the total amount of funds available for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth State Grant Program; and

 

2)         the resources requested in the top-ranked proposals, as identified pursuant to subsections (a) and (b) of this Section.

 

Section 245.50  Application Content and Approval for Continuation Programs

 

The requirements of this Section shall apply to those applicants seeking funding to continue State-funded homeless education programs beyond the initial grant period. 

 

a)         In order to continue to operate an Education of Homeless Children and Youth State Grant program, a grantee each year shall submit an application for continuation.  The application shall include at least the following:

 

1)         an overview of the program, addressing the activities and services proposed for the renewal period;

 

2)         budget information for the year in which the application is being made; and

 

3)         the certifications, assurances and program-specific terms of the grant referred to in Section 245.30(e) of this Part applicable to the renewal period.

 

b)         An Education of Homeless Children and Youth State Grant program shall be approved for continuation provided that:

 

1)         a need continues to exist for the program, as evidenced by proposed numbers of homeless children and youth to be served whose needs are not currently being met;

 

2)         the activities and services proposed will be effective in facilitating the enrollment, attendance, and educational success of homeless children and youth;

 

3)         the proposed budget is cost-effective, as evidenced by the cost of proposed services in relation to the numbers to be served and the services to be provided; and

 

4)         in the year previous to the continuation application, the applicant complied with the terms and conditions of any grant it received pursuant to this Part.