Section 2050.20 Application Procedure and Content for New or Expanding Programs

TITLE 23: EDUCATION AND CULTURAL RESOURCES

SUBTITLE A: EDUCATION

CHAPTER XI: DEPARTMENT OF EARLY CHILDHOOD

PART 2050 EARLY CHILDHOOD BLOCK GRANT

SECTION 2050.20 APPLICATION PROCEDURE AND CONTENT FOR NEW OR EXPANDING PROGRAMS

Section 2050.20  Application Procedure and Content for

New or Expanding Programs

Each applicant that is proposing a program that has not

received funding in the year previous to the current application or is seeking

additional funds to expand its currently funded program shall submit to IDEC a

proposal that includes the components specified in this Section.  For purposes

of this Section, an "expanded" program includes one in which the

applicant is proposing to serve additional children and their families or to

offer initiatives not provided under its currently funded program.

a)         Grants

for new or expanded programs shall be offered in years in which the level of

available funding is such that one or more new or expanded programs can be

supported, along with those currently funded programs that seek continuation

funding in accordance with Section 2050.60.

b)         When

sufficient funding is available, the State Superintendent of Education shall

issue one or more Requests 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 45 calendar days

in which to submit proposals.

1)         Proposals

for preschool education programs shall be submitted electronically through the

State Board of Education's grant management system (see

http://www.isbe.net/egms/).

2)         Proposals

for prevention initiative programs shall be submitted in a format specified by

the State Board of Education

P.  The RFP shall provide at least 45 calendar days

in which to submit proposals.

1)         Proposals

for preschool education programs shall be submitted electronically through the

State Board of Education's grant management system (see

http://www.isbe.net/egms/).

2)         Proposals

for prevention initiative programs shall be submitted in a format specified by

the State Board of Education.

c)         All

proposals submitted in response to an RFP shall include the following

components:

1)         A

cover page signed by the school district superintendent or official authorized

to submit the proposal or, in the case of a joint application, by the

superintendent from each of the school districts and each authorized official

of other eligible entities participating in the joint proposal.

2)         For

applicants other than public school districts, a description that includes the

following:

A)        the

applicant's mission statement, organizational structure, and goals or policies

regarding early childhood programs;

B)        the

applicant's existing competencies to provide early childhood education

programs, to include a list of any early childhood accreditations that have

been achieved, which may include, as applicable, the most current designation

the applicant has received through the ExceleRate Illinois: Quality Rating and

Improvement System (http://www.excelerateillinoisproviders.com/); and

C)        in the

case of a joint application, the goals and objectives of the collaboration and

a brief description of each partner's experience in providing services similar

to those to be provided under the Early Childhood Block Grant program

n

the applicant has received through the ExceleRate Illinois: Quality Rating and

Improvement System (http://www.excelerateillinoisproviders.com/); and

C)        in the

case of a joint application, the goals and objectives of the collaboration and

a brief description of each partner's experience in providing services similar

to those to be provided under the Early Childhood Block Grant program.

3)         A description

of how the comprehensive services to be provided are aligned with:

A)        as

applicable to the program being proposed, the Illinois Early Learning and

Development Standards, as set forth in Appendix A or, beginning July 1, 2015,

the Illinois Early Learning Guidelines, as set forth in Appendix C;

B)        the

Illinois Birth to Five Program Standards as set forth in Appendix B; and

C)        for

proposed preschool education programs that will serve English learners, the

"Early English Language Development Standards Ages 2.5-5.5 2013

Edition" (2013), published by the Board of Regents of the University of

Wisconsin System on behalf of the WIDA Consortium, Wisconsin Center for

Education Research (WCER), University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1025 West Johnson

Street, MD#23, Madison WI 53706 and posted at http://www.wida.us/standards/eeld.aspx.

No later amendments to or editions of these standards are incorporated.

4)         A description of the

need for the program, which shall include:

A)        current

demographic or descriptive information regarding the community in which the

families and children reside (including information on the prevalence of

homelessness); and

B)        the

process that was used to determine the need for the program in the community in

relation to other similar services that may be operating in the same geographic

area; this description must list, to the extent known, the other services

offered and an estimate of the number of children being served

s and children reside (including information on the prevalence of

homelessness); and

B)        the

process that was used to determine the need for the program in the community in

relation to other similar services that may be operating in the same geographic

area; this description must list, to the extent known, the other services

offered and an estimate of the number of children being served.

5)         A

description of the population to be served, as defined in Section 2050.10(a),

for each program to be funded under the Early Childhood Block Grant.  This

description shall include:

A)        how the

eligible population will be recruited;

B)        the

geographic area to be served; and

C)        the

estimated number of children and/or families to be enrolled.

6)         A

description of the procedures to be used to screen children and their families

to determine their need for services.  Results of the screening shall be made

available to the program staff and parents of the children screened.  All

screening procedures shall include:

A)        research-based

criteria to determine at what point performance on the screening instrument

indicates that children are at risk of academic failure as well as to assess

other environmental, economic and demographic information that indicates a

likelihood that the children would be at risk;

B)        screening

instruments/activities that are:

i)          related

to and able to measure the child's development in at least the following areas

(as appropriate for the age of the child):  vocabulary, visual-motor

integration, language and speech development, English proficiency, fine and

gross motor skills, social skills, and emotional and cognitive development; and

ii)         formally

validated with evidence that the instruments/activities reliably and accurately

detect children who are at risk for developmental delays and do not incorrectly

identify children disproportionately as being at risk of academic failure;

C)        written

parental permission

proficiency, fine and

gross motor skills, social skills, and emotional and cognitive development; and

ii)         formally

validated with evidence that the instruments/activities reliably and accurately

detect children who are at risk for developmental delays and do not incorrectly

identify children disproportionately as being at risk of academic failure;

C)        written

parental permission for the screening;

D)        parent

interview (to be conducted in the parents' home language, if necessary),

including at least the following:

i)          a

summary of the child's health history and status, including whether the child

has an existing disability, and social development; and

ii)         information

about the parents, such as age, educational achievement and employment history;

E)        vision

and hearing screening, in accordance with 77 Ill. Adm. Code 685 (Vision

Screening) and 675 (Hearing Screening); and

F)         where

practicable, provision for the inclusion of program teaching staff in the

screening process.

7)         A

description of the parent education and involvement component that will be

provided, which shall include activities in each of the following areas:

A)        communication

between the home and the preschool education program that is regular, two-way

and meaningful;

B)        parenting skills are promoted and

supported;

C)        recognition that

parents play an integral role in assisting student learning;

D)        parents are

welcome in the program, and their support and involvement are sought; and

E)        parents

are full partners in the decisions that affect children and families.

8)         A

description of how the program will coordinate with other programs, as

specified in the RFP, that are in operation in the same area and that are

concerned with the education, welfare, health and safety needs of young

children

me in the program, and their support and involvement are sought; and

E)        parents

are full partners in the decisions that affect children and families.

8)         A

description of how the program will coordinate with other programs, as

specified in the RFP, that are in operation in the same area and that are

concerned with the education, welfare, health and safety needs of young

children. A copy of the written agreement between the program and any Head

Start program (see http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ohs) operating in the same

area shall be executed by the date and contain the information specified in

Section 2-3.71(a)(4.5) of the School Code.  If a Head Start program is either

unable or unwilling to enter into a written agreement, the program shall notify

IDEC of this fact no later than December 31 of each fiscal year.

9)         A

description of the full-time and part-time professional and nonprofessional

staff to be paid by the program, indicating that program administrators, early

childhood teachers, counselors, psychologists, psychiatrists and social workers

are appropriately qualified.

A)        Teachers

of children ages 3 to 5 years must hold a professional educator license

endorsed in early childhood education or an educator license with stipulations

endorsed in early childhood and one of the following endorsements: provisional

educator, alternative provisional educator, resident teacher or visiting

international educator.  (See Section 2-3.71(a)(3) of the School Code and 23 Ill.

Adm. Code 1.Appendix A.)

B)        Paraprofessional

staff employed to assist in instruction provided to children ages 3 to 5 years

shall meet the requirements set forth in 23 Ill. Adm. Code 25.510(b)

(Endorsement for Paraprofessional Educator) or hold an approval for

paraprofessional educator received in accordance with Section 25.15(a)(2)(J)

(Types of Licenses; Exchange)

ol Code and 23 Ill.

Adm. Code 1.Appendix A.)

B)        Paraprofessional

staff employed to assist in instruction provided to children ages 3 to 5 years

shall meet the requirements set forth in 23 Ill. Adm. Code 25.510(b)

(Endorsement for Paraprofessional Educator) or hold an approval for

paraprofessional educator received in accordance with Section 25.15(a)(2)(J)

(Types of Licenses; Exchange).

C)        Teachers

of children ages 3 to 5 years who are assigned to a transitional bilingual

program or a transitional program of instruction that is administered by a

school district, either in an attendance center or a non-school-based facility,

shall meet the requirements set forth in 23 Ill. Adm. Code 228.35 (Transitional

Bilingual Education), as applicable.

D)        By July

1, 2017, directors of child care centers offering preschool programs funded

under Section 2-3.71 of the School Code and this Part shall have either:

i)          a

minimum of a baccalaureate degree in child development or early childhood

education or the equivalent (i.e., baccalaureate in any discipline with a

minimum of 24 semester hours of credit in child development, early childhood

education, or early childhood special education, including relevant field

experience) and a Gateways to Opportunity Level II or III Illinois Director

Credential issued pursuant to Section 10-70 of the Department of Human Services

Act [20 ILCS 1305/10-70] (see http://www.ilgateways.com/en/credentials); or

ii)         meet

the requirements of subsection (c)(9)(E).

E)        By

July 1, 2017, directors of preschool programs funded under Section 2-3.71 of

the School Code and this Part and administered by school districts shall hold a

professional educator license endorsed for principal or general administrative

issued under 23 Ill. Adm. Code 25.337 (Principal (2013)) or 25.335 (General

Administrative (Through August 31, 2014)), respectively

ion (c)(9)(E).

E)        By

July 1, 2017, directors of preschool programs funded under Section 2-3.71 of

the School Code and this Part and administered by school districts shall hold a

professional educator license endorsed for principal or general administrative

issued under 23 Ill. Adm. Code 25.337 (Principal (2013)) or 25.335 (General

Administrative (Through August 31, 2014)), respectively.

F)         Beginning

September 1, 2015, an applicant must submit an assurance that each staff member

who will provide services to children enrolled in an early childhood classroom

funded under this Part and who does not hold a professional educator license

issued by the State Board of Education pursuant to Article 21B of the School

Code [105 ILCS 5/Art. 21B] and 23 Ill. Adm. Code 25 (Educator Licensure) has

registered in the Illinois Department of Human Services' "Gateways to

Opportunity" registry (see http://registry.ilgateways.com).

10)        A

description of staff development assessment procedures and ongoing professional

development activities to be conducted, to include a description of how the

results of the assessment will be used to inform the program's staff development

and, for proposals for expanded programs, the continuous quality improvement

plan required under Section 2050.67.

11)        A

description of how developmental and/or educational progress will be assessed

and documented to ensure that the program meets the needs of the child and

provides a system whereby that child's parents are routinely advised of their

child's progress.

A)        The

procedures to assess progress shall be formally validated with evidence that

the procedures reliably and accurately assess a child's progress relative to

his or her individual needs and the standards set forth in Appendix A or

Appendix C, as applicable.

B)        The

procedures shall address each of the domains of development specified in

Section 2050.20(c)(6)

child's progress.

A)        The

procedures to assess progress shall be formally validated with evidence that

the procedures reliably and accurately assess a child's progress relative to

his or her individual needs and the standards set forth in Appendix A or

Appendix C, as applicable.

B)        The

procedures shall address each of the domains of development specified in

Section 2050.20(c)(6).

12)        A

description of the required program components, as set forth in either Section 2050.30

or 2050.40.

13)        Other

information, as specified in the RFP, such as daily schedules (including the

number of hours per day and days per week the program will operate, which must

provide for at least 12.5 hours a week), an annual calendar of at least 165

days, classroom locations, facility information (e.g., owner's name, terms of

lease arrangement, size of classrooms and other areas to be used by the

program), if applicable.

14)        The

plan for ensuring that the program provides either a snack, in the case of a

half-day program, or a meal, in the case of a full-day program, for

participating children.

A)        Food

and beverages provided in programs located in a school district attendance

center shall meet the U.S. Department of Agriculture's competitive food

standards set forth at 7 CFR 210.11 (2013).

B)        Food

and beverages provided in programs located in a licensed child care center or

other community setting shall meet DCFS' standards set forth at 23 Ill. Adm.

Code 2008.330 (Nutrition and Meal Service).

15)        A

budget summary and payment schedule, as well as a budget breakdown, i.e., a

detailed explanation of each line item of expenditure

ards set forth at 7 CFR 210.11 (2013).

B)        Food

and beverages provided in programs located in a licensed child care center or

other community setting shall meet DCFS' standards set forth at 23 Ill. Adm.

Code 2008.330 (Nutrition and Meal Service).

15)        A

budget summary and payment schedule, as well as a budget breakdown, i.e., a

detailed explanation of each line item of expenditure.  The budget shall

specify that no more than 5 percent of the total grant award shall be used for

administrative and general expenses not directly attributed to program

activities, except that a higher limit not to exceed 10 percent may be

negotiated with an applicant that has provided evidence that the excess

administrative expenses are beyond its control and that it has exhausted all

available and reasonable remedies to comply with the limitation.

16)        A

description of how the applicant will ensure that no fees will be charged of

parents or guardians and their children who are enrolled and participate in

Early Childhood Block Grant programs.

17)        A

plan for evaluating the proposed programs and activities to be included in the

Early Childhood Block Grant, which shall correspond to the applicable

specifications set forth in the RFP.

18)        Such

certifications, assurances and program-specific terms of the grant as the State

Superintendent of Education may require, to be signed by each applicant that is

a party to the application and submitted with the proposal. (Also see Section 2050.70.)

d)         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

Secretary of Early Childhood

or designee and the school district

superintendent or, in the case of an entity that is not the school district,

the person legally authorized to submit the proposal and bind the applicant to

its contents.