Section 2050.70 Terms of the Grant

TITLE 23: EDUCATION AND CULTURAL RESOURCES

SUBTITLE A: EDUCATION

CHAPTER XI: DEPARTMENT OF EARLY CHILDHOOD

PART 2050 EARLY CHILDHOOD BLOCK GRANT

SECTION 2050.70 TERMS OF THE GRANT

Section 2050.70  Terms of the Grant

a)         Each

grantee shall submit evaluation information and other reports containing

program-related data in a format specified by IDEC, providing:

1)         descriptive

statistics on the population served, eligibility, screening procedures and

staff qualifications and training, including any social and emotional

consultation services provided pursuant to Subpart C;

2)         descriptive

information, including type and quality of the educational program, amount and

extent of interagency collaboration, and parent education and involvement;

3)         the extent

to which program objectives have been accomplished; and

4)         any

similar program-related information that the

Secretary of Early Childhood

may

request upon 30 days' written notice.

b)         At

least once every four years, a program review shall be conducted for each

project to ensure program quality, to assist in program improvement and to

provide technical assistance.

c)         All

equipment purchased by the grantee for the program with Early Childhood Block

Grant funds must be documented on a form supplied by IDEC and be maintained in

the grantee's files.

d)         A

time distribution worksheet shall be kept for any staff member in a part-time

position.

e)         Grantees

shall use funds provided under the Early Childhood Block Grant

to

supplement, not supplant, funds received from any other source

.  (Sections

2-3.71 and 2-3.89 of the School Code)

f)         Grant funds may not be used to provide religious instruction,

conduct worship services or engage in any form of proselytization

ll be kept for any staff member in a part-time

position.

e)         Grantees

shall use funds provided under the Early Childhood Block Grant

to

supplement, not supplant, funds received from any other source

.  (Sections

2-3.71 and 2-3.89 of the School Code)

f)         Grant funds may not be used to provide religious instruction,

conduct worship services or engage in any form of proselytization.

g)         Prior to final funding

approval, each grantee shall:

1)         present

evidence that staff meet the requirements of Section 2050.20(c)(9), as

applicable; and

2)         if

subject to licensure requirements of DCFS, present evidence that it holds the

appropriate licensure (also see Section 2050.10(b)).

h)         All

preschool education program grantees must electronically report the data

required under this subsection (h) in the Student Information System (23 Ill.

Adm. Code 1.75) no later than October 15 of each year.

1)         The

percentage of children enrolled in the program who have been identified as

being at risk of academic failure.

2)         The

percentage of children enrolled in the program who are from families whose

incomes are less than four times the federal poverty level (FPL), established

by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

3)         The

percentage of children enrolled in the program who do not qualify under either

category.

i)          Each

grantee shall enter information and other data relative to the students

participating in the preschool education program into the Student Information

System.

j)          Failure

of a grantee to enroll the required percentage of children (80 percent) in the

particular prioritization category for which the proposal was funded (i.e.,

at-risk status or income levels) shall result in the amount of the grant award

being reduced proportionate to the decrease in percentage of children enrolled

eschool education program into the Student Information

System.

j)          Failure

of a grantee to enroll the required percentage of children (80 percent) in the

particular prioritization category for which the proposal was funded (i.e.,

at-risk status or income levels) shall result in the amount of the grant award

being reduced proportionate to the decrease in percentage of children enrolled.

k)         School

district grantees with programs serving homeless children must comply with all

applicable provisions of the federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42

USC 11431 et seq.). Non-school district grantees should, to the extent

possible, ensure that homeless children enrolled in their programs receive the

support necessary for successful and continued participation, including,

without limitation, arranging for appropriate transportation when necessary.

l)          No

funds may be used to help support or sustain any institution controlled by any

church or sectarian denomination (see Article X, Section 3 of the Illinois

Constitution).

m)        Each

grantee that operates a program in a facility licensed by DCFS or IDEC shall

require all employees and volunteers who are persons subject to background

checks, as defined by 89 Ill. Adm. Code 385.20 (Definitions), to authorize DCFS

or IDEC to perform a Child Abuse and Neglect Tracking System (CANTS) background

check.  The grantee shall maintain evidence of completion of required CANTS

checks for all persons subject to background checks and copies of the evidence

of completion shall be provided to the administrator of the DCFS-licensed

facility

or IDEC-licensed facility

Adm. Code 385.20 (Definitions), to authorize DCFS

or IDEC to perform a Child Abuse and Neglect Tracking System (CANTS) background

check.  The grantee shall maintain evidence of completion of required CANTS

checks for all persons subject to background checks and copies of the evidence

of completion shall be provided to the administrator of the DCFS-licensed

facility

or IDEC-licensed facility

.

The requirement applies to any paid or unpaid individual, including any teacher

who is holding an educator license pursuant to Article 21B and employed by a

school district or other entity but working in the facility, who is used to

perform essential staff duties as evidenced by being counted in the staff-child

ratio or being allowed to be alone with children in a licensed child care

facility outside the visual or auditory supervision of facility staff.