Section 75.1  Definitions

 

"ACTE" means the Association of Career and Technical Education.

 

"Approvable Agricultural Education Program at the Middle School Level" means an agricultural education program that includes at least one State-approved introductory agricultural education course with an appropriately licensed teacher in an agricultural education career pathway that connects to a secondary program.  This introductory course must include a career exploration component with SAE as a part of instruction. A middle school program shall also connect to either a stand-alone middle school or a secondary FFA chapter.

 

"Approvable Agricultural Education Program at the Secondary Level" means an agricultural education program, taught by appropriately licensed teachers, that includes one foundational course and one skill course for which no fewer than two credits are awarded for the successful completion of the course sequence (see https://www.ilaged.org/courseoutlines).

 

"Curricular/Intra-curricular Related Activities" means activities that are connected to the classroom instruction. Grant funds from Subpart F shall be used only to support activities related to the classroom outside of the regularly scheduled teaching duties for the benefit of agricultural education.  Examples of these activities include, but are not limited to, professional development, professional organization conferences, curriculum development or improvement, and classroom and laboratory facilities maintenance. The recommended maximum level of activity for this component is 16 days or 128 hours.

 

"FFA" means a State and federally recognized career and technical student organization for students in State-approved agricultural education programs. (FFA was formerly known as Future Farmers of America and is now the National FFA Organization.)

 

"FFA Activities" means those activities that demonstrably relate to the intra-curricular nature of the career and technical student organizations and focus on premier leadership, personal growth, or career success.  Examples of these activities include leadership training or events, community service or education activities, career development event preparation or competitions, chapter program management, program/chapter recruitment and marketing activities, alumni meetings and professional events, program fundraising events, and public events related to agricultural education.  The recommended minimum level of activity for this component is 17 days or 136 hours.

 

"Full-Time Teacher" means an agricultural education teacher with at least a nine-month (180 day) contract based on an eight-hour day when the teacher is teaching at least one approved agricultural education class published in the Agricultural, Food, and Natural Resources course matrix.

 

"Illinois Agricultural Company" means any company in this State that has an interest in the agricultural industry, as determined by the pre-service teaching student's public university.  [105 ILCS 5/2-3.80d(a)]

 

"IAVAT" means the Illinois Association of Vocational Agriculture Teachers.

 

"Middle School" means grades five through eight.

 

"New Education Program" means an education program approved by the State Board of Education in a school district that has not had an education program for a period of 10 years or more prior to the date of application for a grant. [105 ILCS 5/2-3.80b(a)]

 

"Personal Services Cost" means the cost (salary and benefits) of a teacher providing 60 additional days, which shall mean 400 additional hours, outside the teacher's regularly scheduled teaching duties for the benefit of education.  The 400 additional hours shall be any activity that is to the benefit of education, as defined by the State Board in Subpart E, regardless of the time of year the activity occurs. [105 ILCS 5/2-3.80b(a)]

 

"Post-secondary Agricultural Courses" means college courses directly relating to technical industry knowledge in Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources (AFNR) as well as those relating to the teaching of agricultural concepts to classes, groups, and organizations.

 

"Post-secondary Agricultural Program of Study" means a community college or university that offers a series of courses in agriculture, foods, or natural resources that may be transferred to other universities or enables a student to pursue either a minor or major concentration in one of those areas of study.

 

"Pre-service Teaching Student" means a student who:

 

is a declared agricultural education major accepted into an approved agricultural teacher education program at a public university in this State;

 

has completed at least 30 credit hours; and

 

has maintained, at a minimum, a 2.5 cumulative grade point average on a 4.0 scale or its equivalent.  [105 ILCS 5/2-3.80d(a)]

 

"Restart program" means an agricultural education program approved by the State Board of Education in a school district that has not had an agricultural education program for a period of 9 years or less prior to the date of application for a grant.

 

"School Code" or "Code" means the Illinois School Code [105 ILCS 5].

 

"School District" means a public school district or area career center.

 

"Supervised Agricultural Experience" or "SAE" means activities that are work-based learning activities such as degree/award preparation, SAE visits, record book instruction, training or assistance. The recommended minimum level of activity for this component is 17 days or 136 hours.

 

"Three Circle Model" means a model used to identify the central components of an agricultural education program.  The central components are:

 

Classroom/laboratory instruction, which includes contextual, inquiry-based instruction and learning;

 

FFA, which fosters the development of premier leadership, personal growth, and career success through engagement in its programs and activities; and

 

SAE, which includes experiential, service, and work-based learning.

 

"Work-based Learning" means an activity or interaction among the teacher, student, or employer or industry representative who provides experience related to an agricultural career interest. Work-based learning includes, but is not limited to, SAEs, job shadowing, internships, apprenticeships, school-based enterprises, industry-led projects and challenges or competitions. 

 

(Source:  Added at 45 Ill. Reg. 16012, effective December 1, 2021)

SUBPART B: GROWING AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE TEACHER (GAST) GRANTS

 

Section 75.10  Purpose and Applicability

 

This Subpart B establishes the application procedure and criteria for the allocation of grant funds to eligible institutions of higher education under the agricultural science teacher education program established pursuant to Section 2-3.80a of the School Code [105 ILCS 5/2-3.80a].

 

(Source:  Amended at 45 Ill. Reg. 16012, effective December 1, 2021)

 

Section 75.20  Eligible Applicants

 

Eligible applicants under this Subpart B shall be as specified in Section 2-3.80a of the School Code, provided that institutions of higher education that offer State-approved agricultural science teacher preparation programs and public community colleges that provide an articulated agriculture science teacher education course of study [105 ILCS 5/2-3.80a] are only those that offer at least:

 

a)         the introductory agricultural education course for which transfer credit is accepted by the public universities under the Illinois Articulation Initiative (see the information posted by the Illinois Board of Higher Education at www.itransfer.org); and

 

b)         a one-semester-hour internship or other, equivalent field experience.

 

(Source:  Amended at 45 Ill. Reg. 16012, effective December 1, 2021)

 

Section 75.30  Application Procedure

 

a)         When State funding is expected to be available for the agricultural science teacher education program for a given fiscal year, the State Superintendent of Education shall issue a request for applications from eligible entities.  This request shall:

 

1)         indicate the amount or expected amount of the appropriation for the program and the expected range for grant awards;

 

2)         describe the required content and format of applications and identify the activities that will receive priority consideration for funding, if applicable;

 

3)         identify the data that recipients will be required to collect and report regarding the activities conducted with the funds provided and the results of those activities, as well as the timelines for reporting;

 

4)         include such certifications, assurances, and program-specific terms of the grant as the State Superintendent may require; and

 

5)         indicate the deadline for submission of applications, which shall provide applicants with at least 30 days in which to respond.

 

b)         Each application shall be signed by an authorized representative of the institution, and each application shall be accompanied by a letter of support signed by the head of the agriculture department and, as applicable, the head of the education department or other department responsible for the education program at the applicant institution.

 

c)         Applicants may be requested to clarify various aspects of their proposals.  The content of the approved proposal shall be incorporated into a grant agreement to be signed by the applicant's authorized representative and the State Superintendent.

 

d)         Each participating institution's eligibility to receive funding in fiscal years following the initial appropriation for this program, or following the institution's initial receipt of funding, as applicable, shall be contingent upon the submission of:

 

1)         a description of activities undertaken to date and any other information required to be reported, demonstrating that the project has been implemented in conformance with the grant agreement;

 

2)         an updated project narrative that discusses the services and activities for which the funding will be used and a rationale for the activities to be undertaken;

 

3)         an updated budget summary and payment schedule for the coming fiscal year, including a narrative budget breakdown;

 

4)         signed certifications, assurances, and program-specific terms of the grant, as applicable to the renewal period.

 

(Source:  Amended at 45 Ill. Reg. 16012, effective December 1, 2021)

 

Section 75.40  Program Specifications; Allowable Expenditures

 

Funds provided pursuant to this Subpart B may be expended only for activities and initiatives conducted in accordance with Section 2-3.80a(b) of the School Code and this Section.

 

a)         For purposes of this Subpart B, "teacher education candidate recruitment and retention initiatives" include:

 

1)         the identification of students in grades 11 and 12 who may be interested in pursuing agricultural education as a profession; and

 

2)         activities and strategies that are designed to attract these and other students to teaching in agricultural education, including, but not limited to:

 

A)        introducing the students to multiple aspects of agricultural work and agricultural education in Illinois;

 

B)        providing mentors or other forms of personal support to the students as they determine whether to pursue careers as agricultural education teachers and as they progress through the teacher preparation program; and

 

C)        providing scholarships, stipends, or other forms of financial or in-kind support that will make completion of a teacher preparation program in agricultural education more affordable and accessible to students from a broad range of backgrounds.

 

b)         Each institution that elects to deliver professional development experiences for new teachers shall first seek approval as a provider of professional development for teachers in this field under the applicable provisions of the rules of the State Board of Education for Educator Licensure (see 23 Ill. Adm. Code 25.855 and 25.872).

 

c)         For purposes of this Subpart B:

 

1)         a "master teacher" is a teacher with no fewer than six years of teaching experience in the field of agricultural education, ending no more than ten years prior to submission of an application under this Subpart B, exclusive of teaching experience on an educator license with stipulations endorsed for either career and technical educator or provisional career and technical educator; and

 

2)         a "practitioner" is an individual who, as demonstrated by the institution's proposal narrative:

 

A)        is currently engaged, or has been engaged within the previous 10 years, in an agricultural occupation requiring knowledge and skills in agricultural science, agricultural mechanization, agricultural business, horticulture, or agricultural resources; or

 

B)        holds an educator license with stipulations endorsed for provisional career and technical educator for a skill area related to agricultural education and is currently teaching, or has taught within the previous 10 years, in a position requiring that educator license.

 

d)         A university shall expend no more than 5 percent of the grant funds received for professional development for the staff of its agricultural education teacher preparation program.

 

e)         Activities shall be supported by funding under this Subpart B only to the extent that they do not duplicate or supplant efforts already conducted by or under the auspices of the community college or university.  The use of grant funds for administrative expenditures shall be limited to amounts demonstrably necessary for the implementation or coordination of additional activities under this Subpart B.

 

(Source:  Amended at 45 Ill. Reg. 16012, effective December 1, 2021)

 

Section 75.50  Criteria for the Review of Proposals; Allocation of Funds

 

Each applicant may propose to expend grant funds for one or more of the four types of activities discussed in Section 2-3.80a(b) of the School Code.  Subsection (a) includes review criteria for all four types of activities; however, the individual criteria that are not relevant to the activities included in a particular proposal shall be disregarded in its review.  The State Superintendent of Education shall make final determinations regarding the amounts to be provided based upon the total funds appropriated for this initiative and the amounts necessary to fund high-quality proposals that are most responsive to the area or areas of priority identified in the request for applications.

 

a)         Quality of the Plan (80 points)

 

1)         Proposed recruitment and retention strategies appear likely to:

 

A)        promote increased awareness of agricultural education as a potential career among students from varied backgrounds and communities;

 

B)        create enhanced incentives for individual students to enter and persist in teacher preparation programs in agricultural education; and

 

C)        help eliminate barriers that may otherwise prevent individuals from completing preparation programs in this field.

 

2)         Proposed expenditures for the services of master teachers and practitioners as support for student teaching will enhance candidates' understanding of agricultural education as a profession and broaden their awareness of the varied facets of Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources (AFNR) and agriculturally based and related careers.

 

3)         Plans for delivery of professional development for new teachers provide evidence that the training is designed in response to the expressed needs of individuals who are in their first five years of teaching in the field of agricultural education and the school districts or area career centers where they are employed.

 

4)         Planned expenditures for professional development for a community college's or university's agricultural education staff are demonstrably related to the needs of those individuals.

 

b)         Cost-Effectiveness (20 points)

The proposal represents a cost-effective use of State resources, as evidenced by the amounts requested for the proposed activities in relation to the numbers of students or teachers to be served and the services to be provided.

 

(Source:  Amended at 45 Ill. Reg. 16012, effective December 1, 2021)

SUBPART C: INCENTIVE GRANTS FOR SECONDARY AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION

 

Section 75.200  Purpose and Applicability

 

This Subpart C establishes the application procedure and criteria for the allocation of grant funds to eligible school districts and area career centers under Section 2-3.80 of the School Code [105 ILCS 5/2-3.80] to expand and improve the academic content areas within agricultural education.

 

(Source:  Amended at 45 Ill. Reg. 16012, effective December 1, 2021)

 

Section 75.210  Eligible Applicants

 

Eligible applicants under this Subpart C shall be as specified in Section 2-3.80 of the School Code.  For purposes of eligibility, an "approved agricultural education program" is one that:

 

a)         offers a series of courses that are sequential in one or more pathways listed at https://www.ilaged.org/courseoutlines and includes:

 

1)         at least one introductory course and one skills (Group 3) course for which no less than two credits are awarded for the successful completion of the course sequence, as defined in 23 Ill. Adm. Code 1.440(c) (Additional Criteria for High Schools); and

 

2)         courses with content that aligns with the courses approved by the State Board of Education that are listed at https://www.ilaged.org/courseoutlines;

 

b)         unless otherwise exempt under Section 2-3.80 of the School Code, includes a State and nationally affiliated chapter of the National FFA Organization;

 

c)         provides for supervised agricultural experiences, including record keeping (also see Section 75.220(d)); and

 

d)         employs qualified instructional staff, each of whom either:

 

1)         holds a current and valid professional educator license endorsed for teaching for grades 6 through 12 and for agricultural education as set forth in 23 Ill. Adm. Code 1 (Public Schools Evaluation, Recognition and Supervision) and has 2,000 hours of work experience in a field related to agriculture, food or natural resources; or 

 

2)         holds an educator license with stipulations endorsed for career and technical educator or provisional career and technical educator issued pursuant to 23 Ill. Adm. Code 25 (Educator Licensure) and endorsed for a skill area in agricultural education.  (See 23 Ill. Adm. Code 25.70 or 25.72, respectively.)

 

(Source:  Amended at 45 Ill. Reg. 16012, effective December 1, 2021)

 

Section 75.220  Program Goals and Minimum Standards

 

This Section presents the goals and the accompanying minimum standards of each goal that are associated with high-quality agricultural education programs offered in high school settings.

 

a)         Goal 1: 

 

1)         Objective:  The agricultural education teacher is licensed by the State Board of Education for agricultural education.

 

2)         Minimum Standards: 

 

A)        The teacher has a Professional Educator License with a content endorsement for high school agricultural education; or

 

B)        The teacher has an Educator License with Stipulations with an endorsement as a Career and Technical Educator or a Provisional Career and Technical Educator in high school agricultural education.

 

b)         Goal 2: 

 

1)         Objective:  Support services are available to all students in agricultural programs.

 

2)         Minimum Standards:

 

A)        The agricultural education teacher shall meet at least annually with each student enrolled in the agricultural education program to provide advice and counseling relative to the student's career objectives.

 

B)        The agricultural education teacher shall meet annually with the school's guidance counselor to review information at http://www.ilaged.org regarding career opportunities, scholarships, course offerings and other pertinent information that will assist students in meeting postsecondary and career objectives.

 

c)         Goal 3: 

 

1)         Objective:  The instructional programs in AFNR are competency-based, include skills, knowledge and attitudes required for gainful employment in the occupations identified in the career pathways, and are sequentially structured.

 

2)         Minimum Standards:

 

A)        The program shall offer a balance of classroom, laboratory, field-based and industry-based experiences in AFNR (also see subsection (d)).

 

B)        Written lesson plans for all courses shall contain clearly stated goals, objectives, activities and experiences that relate to the school's School Improvement Plan.

 

d)         Goal 4: 

 

1)         Objective:  Each agricultural education teacher incorporates an ongoing Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) Program as part of the instructional program.  SAE experiences are incorporated into agricultural education courses or awarded as a separate SAE Workplace Experience course for credit.

 

2)         Minimum Standards:

 

A)        Each program shall include a supervised agricultural experience program that requires students to apply the lessons presented in the classroom or laboratory instruction to activities and projects beyond the classroom.

 

B)        A minimum of 50% of students enrolled in agricultural education participate in a Foundational or Immersion SAE Program.

 

e)         Goal 5: 

 

1)         Objective:  The National FFA Organization is an integral part of the instructional program in AFNR.

 

2)         Minimum Standards:

 

A)        The program shall incorporate into the curriculum opportunities to develop leadership skills through local, State and national FFA activities as planned in an annually documented Program of Activities (POA).

 

B)        The program has submitted a Chapter Strategic Plan to the Illinois FFA Center no later than the published annual deadline (November 30).

 

C)        The FFA Chapter must submit the online membership roster to the Illinois FFA Center by the published annual deadline (October 1). Membership dues payment and administrator approval must be submitted to the Illinois FFA Center or payment must be mailed to the Illinois FFA Center, postmarked no later than November 1.

 

f)         Goal 6: 

 

1)         Objective:  Each school conducting an agricultural education program provides adequate and safe classroom facilities, learning laboratories, equipment storage; and supplies for effective operation of the program.

 

2)         Minimum Standards:  The facilities, equipment and supplies available to students shall enable them to have hands-on experiences that replicate up-to-date, realistic situations similar to what is occurring in the AFNR careers for which training is provided. 

 

g)         Goal 7: 

 

1)         Objective:  The program of instruction in agricultural education is advised by a committee that is representative of all agricultural interests of the community.

 

2)         Minimum Standards:

 

A)        The school shall establish an agricultural advisory committee whose membership shall consist of representatives of the agriculture industries operating in the community.  The committee shall meet at least once a year to advise the school on the program being offered.

 

B)        Meeting minutes and a list of advisory council members are kept on file by the local entity, school, or area career center.

 

h)         Goal 8: 

 

1)         Objective:  The agricultural education teacher is involved in assessing the areas needed for literacy and agricultural education for the prekindergarten through adult audiences and provides or assists in providing programs to meet the needs identified in the community.

 

2)         Minimum Standards:  The agricultural education teacher assists in the coordination of agricultural education awareness and agriculture literacy activities for prekindergarten through adult audiences.

 

i)          Goal 9:  

 

1)         Objective:  The agricultural education program is actively developing the engagement of middle school students in AFNR coursework, SAE Programs, and the National FFA Organization.

 

2)         Minimum Standard:  The agricultural education program of instruction offered includes courses for middle school students equal to at least ten percent of the local full-time equivalent work load.

 

(Source:  Amended at 45 Ill. Reg. 16012, effective December 1, 2021)

 

Section 75.230  Quality Indicators

 

Each quality indicator is intended to measure an applicant's achievement of the goal to which it applies. (See Section 75.220.) The application for funding required under Section 75.250 shall list the specific quality indicators to be considered in a given funding cycle and their values, which shall range from 0 to 10.  The total value of an individual application shall be considered on a 100 percent basis.  That is, the percentage of the total represented by any quality indicator will be such that the total percentages of all quality indicators equal 100 percent.

 

a)         Goal 1:  Not to exceed 30 percent of the total value available.  Include, at a minimum, consideration of the teacher's affiliation with professional organizations, length of employment, leadership activities, professional development and other continuing education activities, college-level teaching or mentoring, and industry recognized credentials taught or utilized in the curriculum.

 

b)         Goal 2:  Not to exceed 10 percent of the total value available.  Include, at a minimum, maintenance of student portfolios or career plans, provision of accommodations for students with disabilities or other special needs, and assistance raising students' awareness about agricultural careers or postsecondary agricultural education. 

 

c)         Goal 3:  Not to exceed 25 percent of the total value available.  Include, at a minimum:

 

1)         acceptance of at least one AFNR course to meet high school graduation requirements;

 

2)         State-approved courses, as defined in Section 75.220, that are offered separately or as part of other coursework;

 

3)         curriculum planning and course integration aligned to the Illinois State Goals for Learning (23 Ill. Adm. Code 1.Appendix D) and supportive of the applicant's School Improvement Plan;

 

4)         articulation with or provisions for dual credit with postsecondary institutions;

 

5)         inclusion of technology-based instruction, recruitment activities and career development events;

 

6)         use of standardized instructional and assessment systems;

 

7)         credentials that are earned by students as part of enrollment in or completion of agricultural education courses; and

 

8)         teacher participation in international activities, the purpose of which is directly related to AFNR, as evidenced by an itinerary, certification of participation, correspondence from activity organizers, etc., presented as part of the application. 

 

d)         Goal 4:  Not to exceed 25 percent of the total value available.  Include, at a minimum, involvement in supervised agricultural experience programs that include classroom instruction, independent study, applied learning experiences, and record-keeping activities, starting in the first semester of the school year.  Experiences may include award and degree contests and agricultural education fairs or exhibits.

 

e)         Goal 5:  Not to exceed 25 percent of the total value available.  Include, at a minimum, instruction and activities specific to leadership development and participation of the agricultural education teacher and program in various activities and programs of a locally, State or nationally sponsored FFA organization or related agricultural organizations.

 

f)         Goal 6:  Not to exceed 15 percent of the total value available.  Include, at a minimum:

 

1)         classroom space of at least 600 square feet and adjacent laboratory facilities and equipment suitable for a range of agriculture specialties (e.g., plant, animal, mechanics, computer, greenhouse, aquaculture, landscape, garden, and agricultural science laboratories);

 

2)         suitable office and storage space;

 

3)         inventory of equipment and designation of equipment;

 

4)         program budget; and

 

5)         receipt of grant resources other than a grant received under this Subpart B.

 

g)         Goal 7:  Not to exceed 15 percent of the total value available.  Include, at a minimum, an agricultural advisory committee that meets at least twice a year, conducts programmatic reviews in conjunction with the school administration, and provides written recommendations about the program to the district.

 

h)         Goal 8:  Not to exceed 15 percent of the total value available.  Include, at a minimum, activities specific to enhancing prekindergarten through grade 12 students' awareness about and career exploration in AFNR (e.g., fairs and expositions, job-shadowing); and offering adult community education

 

i)          Goal 9:  Not to exceed 10 percent of the total value available. Include, at a minimum, activities specific to middle school participation in agricultural education activities.

 

(Source:  Amended at 45 Ill. Reg. 16012, effective December 1, 2021)

 

Section 75.240  Determination of Individual Grant Allocations

 

Individual grant allocations shall be determined by the applicant's achievement of one or more of the minimum standards and of one or more of the quality indicators established for each standard the applicant achieves.  (See Sections 75.220 and 75.230.)

 

a)         Programs in operation for three or more years

 

1)         The grant allocation to which each eligible applicant is entitled shall be determined no later than September 15 of each fiscal year.  

 

2)         A multiplier shall be used to weight each quality indicator that the applicant has achieved and for which achievement has been verified by State Board of Education staff through the application review process.

 

3)         A dollar value for the multiplier shall be calculated by dividing the appropriation for the funding year by the total value of all quality indicators claimed and verified in the applications received as of the due date specified in Section 75.250. 

 

4)         To determine an individual applicant's grant allocation, the dollar value of the multiplier shall be multiplied by the total value of quality indicators that the applicant has achieved and State Board of Education staff has verified.

 

b)         All programs in operation for two years or fewer shall receive a flat grant, the amount of which shall be set forth in the application for each funding cycle.  An applicant's achievement of any of the minimum standards and quality indicators shall not affect the amount to which it is entitled.

 

(Source:  Amended at 45 Ill. Reg. 16012, effective December 1, 2021)

 

Section 75.250  Application Procedure

 

The grant application is a measure of the components of a high-quality agricultural education program that the applicant currently has in place, and it is intended to help the applicant identify areas in which the program can be enhanced and improved. 

 

a)         The State Superintendent of Education shall provide the electronic application format for the agricultural education incentive grant. 

 

b)         The application shall be completed by the applicant's agricultural education teachers and submitted to the State Board of Education's Department of CTE and Innovation no later than July 15.  The application shall contain:

 

1)         an indication of the applicant's achievement, in the year previous to the year for which funding is requested, of one or more of the minimum standards and of one or more of the accompanying quality indicators for the minimum standard achieved;

 

2)         evidence or other documentation of the applicant's achievement of any standard or quality indicator, which shall be kept on file and provided to the staff of the State Board of Education's Department of CTE and Innovation upon request; and

 

3)         such certifications, assurances, and program-specific terms of the grant required by GATA or other applicable statutes or rules.

 

c)         No later than October 15, the applicant shall submit to the Department of CTE and Innovation a budget description for the grant year that will be based either on the applicant's grant allocation or flat grant amount for programs in operation for two years or fewer.  (See Section 75.240.)  The budget description shall at least list for each line item a detailed explanation of each expenditure. 

 

1)         Allowable expenditures include, but are not limited to, activities that support the improvement of instruction or program improvements (e.g., curriculum development, classroom and laboratory equipment, instructional supplies, software or online subscriptions, textbooks, professional development, field support services, program coordination, including affiliation fees, pilot projects and lodging for the Illinois Association of Vocational Agriculture Teachers (IAVAT) Conference).  Mileage may be charged to the grant only for travel associated with supervised agricultural experience visits.  The rate of reimbursement will be specified in the application.

 

2)         Nonallowable expenditures include, but are not limited to:

 

A)        teacher professional organization or union dues; college tuition;

 

B)        operation, maintenance, or repair costs of school laboratory machines and implements;

 

C)        utilities (e.g., heating, cooling, telephone);

 

D)        ordinary, non-specialized classroom furniture; and

 

E)        food and lodging, other than food and lodging for the IAVAT Conference (see Section 75.250(c)(1)).

 

3)         No more than 50 percent of the applicant's allocation shall be expended for teacher extended contracts (i.e., those that exceed nine months) or stipends, and no more than 25 percent of the allocation shall be expended for consumables.  Consumable items shall include, but are not limited to, ink cartridges, soil, seed, plants, plant pots, fertilizer, animals, feed, lab supplies, welding rods, and utilities.

 

d)         Applicants may be requested to clarify various aspects of their proposals.  The content of the approved proposal shall be incorporated into a grant agreement to be signed by the applicant's authorized representative and the State Superintendent of Education or designee.

 

(Source:  Amended at 45 Ill. Reg. 16012, effective December 1, 2021)

 

Section 75.260  Terms of the Grant

 

a)         The grantee shall maintain on file documentation specific to its achievement of each quality indicator set forth on the application for funding; the documentation shall be made available for programmatic review and auditing purposes.  Up to 10 percent of grantees receiving funding under this Subpart C in each fiscal year may be selected for an on-site review or audit.

 

b)         In the event that the grantee closes its agricultural education department, all instructional materials, tools and equipment purchased with funds provided under this Subpart C shall be relocated by the grantee's Education for Employment Regional Delivery System to other agricultural education programs located in that system upon approval of the State Superintendent of Education or designee.

 

c)         No subcontracting will be allowed without the prior written approval of the State Superintendent of Education.

 

d)         Each grantee shall complete electronically a final performance report that summarizes the grant activities completed during the term of the grant and the accomplishments achieved.  The report shall be completed no later than 90 days after the end of the grant period.  Funding in any subsequent grant period shall not be approved until the performance report is received. 

 

e)         A grantee that employs any teacher who holds an educator license with stipulations endorsed for provisional career and technical educator shall ensure that the teacher submits documentation to the State Board of Education of the completion, during the validity period of the license, of the coursework required under 23 Ill. Adm. Code 25.72 (Endorsement for Provisional Career and Technical Educator).

 

(Source:  Amended at 45 Ill. Reg. 16012, effective December 1, 2021)

SUBPART D: INCENTIVE GRANTS FOR AGRICULTURAL TEACHER PREPARATION PROGRAMS

 

Section 75.300  Purpose and Eligible Applicants

 

This Subpart D establishes the application procedure and criteria for the allocation of grant funds under Section 2-3.80 of the School Code to regionally accredited institutions of higher education or not-for-profit entities that offer teacher preparation programs in agricultural education approved pursuant to 23 Ill. Adm. Code 25 (Educator Licensure).

 

(Source:  Amended at 45 Ill. Reg. 16012, effective December 1, 2021)

 

Section 75.310  Program Goals and Minimum Standards

 

This Section presents the goals for teacher preparation programs in agricultural education and the accompanying minimum standards of each that are associated with high-quality preparation programs.

 

a)         Goal 1: 

 

1)         Objective:  A continuing program of recruitment is undertaken to ensure that a sufficient number of competent agricultural education teachers are prepared to meet the demand for new teachers in Illinois.

 

2)         Minimum Standards:

 

A)        A program is offered in which students may transfer credit earned in agricultural education coursework from other postsecondary institutions.

 

B)        Each student who progresses to student teaching must have a 3.5 grade point average on a 5.0 scale or a 2.5 grade point average on a 4.0 scale.

 

C)        A minimum of one faculty member of the program is responsible for recruitment of students, including women and minorities, for the agricultural education teacher preparation program, as outlined in a written recruitment plan developed in conjunction with the program advisory committee.

 

b)         Goal 2: 

 

1)         Objective:  Practicing professionals and outstanding undergraduate students in AFNR are identified, selected and supported to develop their leadership potential through master's and, when appropriate, doctoral study in numerous areas of need in AFNR.

 

2)         Minimum Standards:  Graduate-level credit is awarded to students seeking advanced degrees in agricultural education through courses or workshops taught by agricultural education faculty.

 

c)         Goal 3: 

 

1)         Objective:  Agricultural education faculty have regular contact with students majoring in agricultural education to ensure that they are progressing in their degree program and toward obtaining teacher licensure.  Faculty answer questions and solve problems of currently enrolled students and provide counsel to prospective students for a degree program in agricultural education.

 

2)         Minimum Standards:  All students enrolled in agricultural education are advised by agricultural education faculty.

 

d)         Goal 4: 

 

1)         Objective:  Students preparing to teach AFNR are knowledgeable about a variety of teaching methods prior to beginning the student teaching experience.  Teacher quality is demonstrated by technical and professional competence.  Teacher preparation graduates must possess a well-developed repertoire of teaching skills.

 

2)         Minimum Standards: 

 

A)        A methods course in teaching agriculture is required prior to beginning the student teaching experience.

 

B)        A minimum of 12 weeks is spent student teaching under the guidance of a cooperating teacher who meets the requirements set forth in Section 75.210(d) and 23 Ill. Adm. Code 25.620 (Student Teaching).

 

e)         Goal 5: 

 

1)         Objective:  Students preparing to teach AFNR are technically competent in their specialty teaching area.

 

2)         Minimum Standards:

 

A)        All agricultural education graduates must complete at least 40 hours of agricultural courses.  Agricultural courses shall be those directly relating to technical industry knowledge in Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources as well as those relating to the teaching of agricultural concepts to classes, groups, and organizations.

 

B)        Chemistry/physical sciences and biology/life science courses are required for agricultural education students.

 

f)         Goal 6: 

 

1)         Objective:  The agricultural education staff provides a clearinghouse and counseling service for graduating seniors and other newly qualified agricultural education teachers to ensure that the highest proportion of newly trained teachers are placed in agricultural teaching positions.

 

2)         Minimum Standards:  One agricultural education faculty member is responsible for coordinating activities for placing agricultural education teachers into jobs; these activities include maintaining an up-to-date list of agricultural education teacher positions in Illinois in cooperation with other teacher preparation institutions offering agricultural education.

 

g)         Goal 7:

 

1)         Objective:  Professional development activities are available for all agricultural education students and faculty as an integral part of their academic program.

 

2)         Minimum Standards:

 

A)        An agricultural education student organization is integrated into the instructional program and is available to all students majoring in agricultural education.

 

B)        Faculty are involved in scholarly and professional activities and/or participate in organizations related to teacher training leadership, technical training, or dissemination of research results.

 

h)         Goal 8: 

 

1)         Objective:  Agricultural education students understand the importance of and are able to assist high school students in developing and carrying out supervised agricultural experience programs (including maintaining records).

 

2)         Minimum Standards:

 

A)        All pre-service teachers receive instruction about the requirements for obtaining the employment certification that a student may need to perform specific workplace learning activities.

 

B)        All agricultural education students receive instruction in planning, developing, implementing and evaluating supervised agricultural experiences, which include record-keeping methods, in a required agricultural education course.

 

i)          Goal 9: 

 

1)         Objective:  Agricultural education students are knowledgeable about the National FFA Organization and its use as an integral part of a complete agricultural education program, as well as the role of the FFA advisor. 

 

2)         Minimum Standards:

 

A)        Agricultural education students participate in at least two FFA events prior to the completion of their student teaching.

 

B)        All students develop a program of activities for an FFA chapter prior to the completion of their student teaching.

 

C)        All students assist in completing FFA degree and award applications prior to the completion of student teaching.

 

D)        Agricultural education faculty attend the State and national FFA conventions.

 

j)          Goal 10: 

 

1)         Objective:  Students in agricultural education programs understand the role of and gain experience in leading an agricultural advisory committee.

 

2)         Minimum Standards:

 

A)        Methods and strategies for organizing and using advisory committees is part of the instruction offered in a course required for agricultural education.

 

B)        All pre-service teachers observe and participate in at least one agricultural advisory committee during their student teaching. Pre-service teacher observation and participation in their respective University Agricultural Education Advisory Committee meeting must meet this minimum standard requirement.

 

(Source:  Amended at 45 Ill. Reg. 16012, effective December 1, 2021)

 

Section 75.320  Quality Indicators

 

Each quality indicator is intended to measure an applicant's achievement of the goal to which it applies. (See Section 75.310.) The application for funding required under Section 75.340 shall list the specific quality indicators to be considered in a given funding cycle and their values, which shall range from 0 to 10. The total value of an individual application shall be considered on a 100 percent basis. That is, the percentage of the total represented by any quality indicator will be such that the total percentages of all quality indicators equal 100 percent.

 

a)         Goal 1:  Not to exceed 15 percent of the total value available.  Include, at a minimum:

 

1)         provision of scholarships for agricultural teacher preparation programs;

 

2)         communication with teachers in high schools and community colleges (e.g., newsletters, website, brochures);

 

3)         speaking engagements involving representatives of the agricultural teacher preparation program and high school students;

 

4)         on-campus recruitment activities for high school students; and

 

5)         receipt of a grant under Subpart A.

 

b)         Goal 2:  Not to exceed 10 percent of the total value available.  Include, at a minimum:

 

1)         graduate assistantships for students specializing in teacher preparation;

 

2)         enrollment of students in the graduate agricultural education program;

 

3)         graduate courses (other than online courses) that complement schedules of secondary teachers of agriculture;

 

4)         a master's of education program and additional coursework leading to an endorsement in agricultural education; and

 

5)         online coursework in agricultural education that is available to graduate students.

 

c)         Goal 3:  Not to exceed 10 percent of the total value available.  Include, at a minimum:

 

1)         assignment to each agricultural education faculty of no more than 25 undergraduates;

 

2)         interview conducted by a panel prior to each student beginning student teaching; and

 

3)         qualification of graduates being eligible for dual endorsements (i.e., in agriculture and another subject area) due to the faculty providing candidates with information about endorsement options and requirements.

 

d)         Goal 4:  Not to exceed 25 percent of the total value available.  Include, at a minimum:

 

1)         requiring student teachers to develop a minimum of one lesson plan a week and participate in at least three cooperative teaching experiences (including, but not limited to, teaching with community college instructors, agricultural extension personnel, agricultural commodity groups, agricultural literacy project coordinators, or farm organizations) during their student teaching component;

 

2)         faculty observation and evaluation of student's teaching, with results shared with the student teacher (at least three half-day visits with at least one on-site);

 

3)         developing teaching skills related to online and other electronic learning; information about the structure of Illinois' agricultural education system integrated into a required agricultural education course; and

 

4)         activities available to all students related to assessing community needs, developing lesson plans for cooperative teaching with nonagricultural education staff, and designing a sequential course of study in an agricultural field.

 

e)         Goal 5:  Not to exceed 10 percent of the total value available.  Include, at a minimum:

 

1)         completion of at least one course in each technical agricultural education field (i.e., agronomy, animal science, horticulture, agricultural business and agricultural mechanics technology);

 

2)         credit provided for technical internships in AFNR; and

 

3)         completion by graduates of requirements necessary to obtain an endorsement on a professional educator license for agricultural education and for a related science or mathematics field of study, as identified in the application for funding.

 

f)         Goal 6:  Not to exceed 10 percent of the total value available.  Include, at a minimum:

 

1)         conferences at least annually for supervisors of student teachers focused on their roles and responsibilities;

 

2)         requiring students to develop professional portfolios;

 

3)         maintaining placement records of graduates in the agricultural education files; and

 

4)         placement of at least 40 percent of graduates in teaching positions at secondary or postsecondary institutions.

 

g)         Goal 7:  Not to exceed 25 percent of the total value available.  Include, at a minimum:

 

1)         ensuring agricultural education students are members of the Illinois Association of Vocational Agriculture Teachers (IAVAT) Student Branch, and that they demonstrate commitment to professionalism, as evidenced by their participation in various professional activities (e.g., IAVAT Student Branch conference, Central States Research Conference, Alpha Tau Alpha Student Teacher Conference, Intra-University Student Teacher Exchange); and

 

2)         faculty members also attend and participate in professional conferences and meetings (i.e., IAVAT annual conference, Central States Research Conference and Illinois Team Ag Ed meetings) and connect to instruction at the secondary level.

 

h)         Goal 8:  Not to exceed 15 percent of the total value available.  Include, at a minimum, that pre-service teachers, during their clinical and student teaching experiences, conduct supervised agricultural experience visits (e.g., outside of the school), provide instruction relative to supervised agricultural experience record-keeping, plan and develop a school-based supervised agricultural experience for their students, and participate in National FFA Organization proficiency award judging beyond the local chapter level. Instruction about agricultural-based supervised agricultural experiences is integrated into a required agricultural education course at the postsecondary level.

 

i)          Goal 9:  Not to exceed 15 percent of the total value available.  Include, at a minimum:

 

1)         student attendance at State or national FFA conventions and at least three leadership and/or career development events;

 

2)         agricultural education students' completion of award applications specified in the application for funding; and

 

3)         students' membership in post-secondary agriculture organizations.

 

j)          Goal 10:  Not to exceed 10 percent of the total value available.  Include, at a minimum, an advisory committee of the agricultural teacher preparation program that meets at least two times a year and has representation of agricultural organizations, agricultural business and industry, teachers and a student teacher, and produces an annual report that includes recommendations to be given to the teacher preparation program and presented at the annual IAVAT conference.

 

(Source:  Amended at 45 Ill. Reg. 16012, effective December 1, 2021)

 

Section 75.330  Determination of Individual Grant Allocations

 

Individual grant allocations shall be determined as set forth in Section 75.240(a).

 

(Source:  Amended at 45 Ill. Reg. 16012, effective December 1, 2021)

 

Section 75.340  Application Procedure

 

Applications shall be submitted in accordance with the procedures set forth in Section 75.250, except that the applicant shall submit a budget summary and payment schedule and a budget description that includes a detailed explanation of each expenditure. 

 

a)         Allowable expenditures must relate directly to the agricultural education program or support of pre-service agriculture education teachers.  This includes, but is not limited to, activities that support the improvement of instruction or program improvements (e.g., purchased professional services, registration and travel for professional events, temporary or overtime salaries, instructional materials, and equipment and software).

 

b)         Indirect costs are allowed for colleges and universities provided that under no circumstance shall the indirect cost rate exceed 8 percent.

 

c)         No more than 50 percent of the applicant's allocation shall be expended for extended contracts (i.e., those that exceed nine months) or stipends, and no more than 30 percent of the allocation shall be expended for travel expenses (e.g., mileage, lodging) other than for student visits.

 

(Source:  Amended at 45 Ill. Reg. 16012, effective December 1, 2021)

 

Section 75.350  Terms of the Grant

 

a)         The grantee shall maintain on file documentation specific to its achievement of each quality indicator set forth on the application for funding.  The documentation shall be made available for programmatic review and auditing purposes.  Up to 25 percent of grantees receiving funding under this Subpart D in each fiscal year may be selected for an on-site review or audit.

 

b)         In the event that the grantee discontinues its agricultural teacher preparation program, all instructional materials, tools and equipment purchased with funds provided under this Subpart D shall be relocated by the State Board of Education to other agricultural teacher preparation programs in the State.

 

c)         No subcontracting will be allowed without the prior written approval of the State Superintendent of Education.

 

d)         Activities shall be supported by funding under this Subpart D only to the extent that they do not duplicate or supplant efforts already conducted by or under the auspices of the grantee.  The use of grant funds for administrative expenditures shall be limited to amounts demonstrably necessary for the implementation or coordination of additional activities under this Subpart D.

 

e)         No later than 20 days after the end of the grant period, each grantee shall submit a final narrative report, in a format specified by the State Superintendent of Education, regarding the services and activities provided and their impact on the agricultural teacher preparation program.

 

(Source:  Amended at 45 Ill. Reg. 16012, effective December 1, 2021)

SUBPART E: FACILITATING THE COORDINATION OF AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION

 

Section 75.400  Purpose and Objectives

 

a)         This Subpart E establishes the application procedure and criteria for award of one or more grants to eligible applicants for the following purposes, set forth in Section 2-3.80(d) of the School Code: 

 

1)         development of a curriculum and strategy for the purpose of establishing a source of trained and qualified individuals in agriculture;

 

2)         a strategy for articulating the State program in agricultural education throughout the public school system; and

 

3)         a consumer education outreach strategy regarding the importance of agricultural education in Illinois.

 

b)         In order to facilitate and coordinate agricultural education programs offered in public elementary and secondary schools in Illinois, projects funded under this Subpart E shall meet at least the following objectives:

 

1)         implementation of agricultural education initiatives as part of career and technical education through the use of a sufficient number of qualified professional and support staff (including designation of a director) who are located in identified regions of the State that at least include representation in each of the five districts established by the Illinois Association of Vocational Agriculture Teachers (see https://www.ilaged.org/IAVAT);

 

2)         review of existing or development of new curriculum and assessments, ensuring alignment to the Illinois Learning Standards.

 

A)        Agricultural education curriculum and assessments will be evaluated, revised, as needed, and disseminated to programs and teachers in prekindergarten through grade 12, as applicable; and

 

B)        Professional learning will be provided to assist teachers with planning, developing and implementing the resources using currently available technology;

 

3)         coordination of statewide consumer education outreach initiatives with a focus on agriculture (including urban agriculture and community food systems) and designed to increase literacy in and awareness of agriculture at all grade levels;

 

4)         coordination of a statewide system of professional learning and provision of on-site technical assistance for agricultural education teachers at all grade levels;

 

5)         coordination of the identification, compilation and dissemination of information and resources that include data collection from agricultural education programs (including information relating to student participation in SAE programs) and maintenance of the agriculture education website found at www.ilaged.org;

 

6)         coordination of efforts between the business community and educators to improve agricultural education;

 

7)         coordination of statewide recruitment strategies and retention initiatives for agricultural education teachers; and

 

8)         coordination of statewide contracts when economically advantageous for agricultural education programs.

 

(Source:  Amended at 45 Ill. Reg. 16012, effective December 1, 2021)

 

Section 75.410  Eligible Applicants

 

Eligible applicants under this Subpart E are community colleges and universities that offer an agricultural program of study, Regional Offices of Education, Intermediate Service Centers, and nonprofit organizations.

 

(Source:  Amended at 45 Ill. Reg. 16012, effective December 1, 2021)

 

Section 75.420  Application Procedure for Initial Proposals

 

Programs established under this Subpart E shall be funded for a three-year period.  Funding in each year subsequent to the initial grant year is subject to a sufficient appropriation for the program and satisfactory progress of the grantee in the previous grant year.  (See Section 75.435.)

 

a)         When State funding is expected to be available under this Subpart E for a given fiscal year, the State Superintendent of Education shall issue a request for proposals to eligible entities.  This request shall:

 

1)         indicate the amount or expected amount of the appropriation for the program and the expected range for grant awards;

 

2)         describe the required content and format of proposals and identify the services and activities that will receive priority consideration for funding, if applicable;

 

3)         identify the data that recipients will be required to collect and report regarding the services and activities conducted with the funds provided and the results of those services and activities, as well as the timelines for reporting;

 

4)         identify the categories of allowable expenditures and require the submission of a budget summary and payment schedule, completed on the forms provided, as well as a narrative budget description that provides a detailed explanation of each line item of expenditure;

 

5)         include the information to be provided regarding any subcontractors proposed to provide services or conduct activities;

 

6)         include certifications, assurances, and program-specific terms of the grant that the State Superintendent may require (also see Section 75.440); and

 

7)         indicate the deadline for submission of proposals, which shall provide applicants with at least 30 days in which to respond.

 

b)         Each proposal shall be signed by an authorized representative of the applicant entity.

 

c)         Applicants may be requested to clarify various aspects of their proposals.  The content of the approved proposal shall be incorporated into a grant agreement to be signed by the applicant's authorized representative and the State Superintendent of Education or designee.

 

(Source:  Amended at 45 Ill. Reg. 16012, effective December 1, 2021)

 

Section 75.430  Criteria for the Review of Initial Proposals; Allocation of Funds

 

Proposals submitted for funding under this Subpart D shall be evaluated in accordance with the following criteria.

 

a)         Quality of the Plan (80 points)

 

1)         The proposed professional development and technical assistance activities appear likely to accomplish the purposes and objectives set forth in Section 75.400.  The approaches selected are comprehensive in scope and will provide effective and relevant professional development and technical assistance activities.

 

2)         The proposal demonstrates an understanding of the agriculture, food and natural resource industry, generally, and of agricultural education in prekindergarten through adult, specifically.  The services and activities that are proposed will be accessible to teachers and others throughout the State.

 

3)         Sufficient evidence is presented of the applicant's capabilities to review, modify, and develop, as needed, agricultural education curriculum and other instructional resources designed to improve and enhance the quality of agricultural education programs.  Understanding of the relationship of agricultural education to the Illinois Learning Standards is evident. 

 

4)         Skills related to website management are clearly articulated and adequate for maintaining and updating, as needed, the Facilitating Coordination in Agricultural Education (FCAE) website (www.ilaged.org) and support content for the State Board of Education's agricultural education web page.

 

5)         The qualifications of staff and any proposed subcontractors demonstrate extensive experience in delivering the services and activities proposed.  The applicant has presented convincing evidence of its ability to manage large-scale programs on a statewide or comparable basis.

 

6)         The evaluation strategies are likely to gauge the effectiveness of the services provided and measure the impact that the activities will have on agricultural education statewide, while yielding sufficient data that can be used to improve agricultural education through the project.

 

7)         The applicant proposes innovative use of existing resources, leveraging a variety of State and local resources in delivering and coordinating its activities and work.

 

b)         Cost-Effectiveness (20 points)

The proposal represents a cost-effective use of State resources, as evidenced by the amounts requested for the proposed activities in relation to the numbers to be served and the services to be provided, and sufficient evidence is presented of the applicant's financial stability.

 

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

 

(Source:  Amended at 45 Ill. Reg. 16012, effective December 1, 2021)

 

Section 75.435  Application Content and Approval for Continuation Programs

 

a)         Each grantee's eligibility to receive funding during the grant period in each year following the grantee's initial receipt of funding shall be contingent upon the submission of:

 

1)         a description of activities undertaken to date and any other information required to be reported, demonstrating that the project has been implemented in conformance with the grant agreement;

 

2)         an updated project narrative that discusses the services and activities for which the funding will be used and a rationale for the activities to be undertaken;

 

3)         an updated budget summary and payment schedule for the coming fiscal year, including a narrative budget description;

 

4)         information about any subcontractors proposed to provide services or conduct activities; and

 

5)         signed certifications, assurances, and program-specific terms of the grant, as applicable to the renewal period.

 

b)         A program established under this Subpart E shall be approved for continuation, provided that:

 

1)         a need continues to exist for the program, as evidenced by the proposed number of secondary agricultural education programs whose needs are not currently being met;

 

2)         the activities and services proposed will be effective in facilitating curriculum development, ensuring the availability of trained and qualified individuals in agriculture, articulating the State program in agricultural education throughout the public school system and raising awareness about the importance of agricultural education in Illinois;

 

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 Subpart E.

 

(Source:  Amended at 45 Ill. Reg. 16012, effective December 1, 2021)

 

Section 75.440  Terms of the Grant

 

a)         Subcontracting is allowed with prior written approval of the State Superintendent of Education. 

 

b)         Activities shall be supported by funding under this Subpart E only to the extent that they do not duplicate or supplant efforts already conducted by or under the auspices of the grantee.  The use of grant funds for administrative expenditures shall be limited to amounts demonstrably necessary for the implementation or coordination of additional activities under this Subpart E.

 

c)         The grantee shall submit a mid-term report and final narrative report regarding the services and activities provided and their impact on agricultural education in a format and according to timelines specified by the State Superintendent of Education or designee.  The final report shall include either one copy of printed materials developed through the project or electronic access to those materials.

 

d)         The grantee shall designate a project director, who will have responsibility for:

 

1)         coordinating all grant activities with staff in the State Board of Education's Department of CTE and Innovation, which shall include attendance at monthly project meetings with the agency's AFNR Education principal consultant; and

 

2)         the preparation, submission and maintenance of all written project documentation, including, but not limited to, budget amendments, mid-year and final reports, expenditure reports and other information related to personnel.

 

e)         The grantee shall be required to attend the meetings of the Illinois Leadership Council for Agricultural Education and the Illinois Committee for Agricultural Education established pursuant to Section 2-3.80 of the School Code.

 

f)         Funds may not be used for out-of-state travel unless first approved by the State Board of Education at least 30 days in advance of the first day of travel.  Requests for approval shall contain the name or description of the function that personnel will be attending, number of travelers, projected cost, dates of travel and benefit to the project.  Out-of-state travel will be approved only if it is related to or benefits the project.

 

g)         The initial RFP and each continuation application shall specify the specific indirect cost rate to be used for the grant period, provided that in no case shall the indirect cost rate exceed 8 percent.

 

(Source:  Amended at 45 Ill. Reg. 16012, effective December 1, 2021)

SUBPART F: AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION TEACHER THREE CIRCLE GRANT PROGRAM (FFA and SAE)

 

Section 75.500  Definitions (Repealed)

 

(Source:  Repealed at 45 Ill. Reg. 16012, effective December 1, 2021)

 

Section 75.510  Purpose and Objectives

 

This Subpart F establishes the application procedure and criteria for the allocation of formula grant funds to eligible school districts and area career centers created pursuant to Section 10-22.31a of the School Code to support personal service costs of teachers' time spent outside the regularly scheduled teaching duties in order to expand and improve their ability to carry out activities based on the three circle model for agricultural education.

 

(Source:  Amended at 45 Ill. Reg. 16012, effective December 1, 2021)

 

Section 75.520  Eligible Applicants

 

Eligible applicants under this Subpart F shall be Illinois school districts and area vocational centers created pursuant to Section 10-22.31a of the School Code that employ full-time middle or secondary school teachers in a State approvable agricultural education program, as defined by Section 75.210, or in an approvable middle school program.

 

(Source:  Amended at 45 Ill. Reg. 16012, effective December 1, 2021)

 

Section 75.530  Application Procedure

 

a)         School districts shall submit an intent to apply application to the State Board of Education.  The application must include all information necessary in completing the formula calculations for this grant. This information shall include, at a minimum, the names of the teachers the school district used the grant to pay, current year base salaries, how the extra hours are an extension of the teachers' regular duties, and the anticipated number of individuals impacted.  School districts shall also indicate the initial prorated funding level at which the district would elect to opt out of the grant.  Applicants will have a minimum of 30 days from the date the applications are released to submit their intent to apply.

 

b)         Once the preliminary allocations have been determined and a total funding request has been identified, the State Board will distribute funds to school districts as follows:

 

1)         if the total appropriated funding allotment for the grant program is less than the total amount requested in the initial application, the allocation amounts to each school district will be prorated.  Allocations will be based on the school district's identified opt-out funding level in place of the prorated preliminary allocation.  School districts that choose to opt out forfeit their preliminary allocation. The remaining school districts will be recalculated to determine the final allocation to each school district.

 

2)         if the total appropriated funding allotment for this grant program is equal to or exceeds the total amount requested in the initial applications, the school district's preliminary allocations will become the final allocation.

 

c)         Once the final allocations have been determined, the school district must complete and submit a budget application.

 

(Source:  Added at 41 Ill. Reg. 14099, effective November 3, 2017)

 

Section 75.540  Allocation of Funds

 

a)         Funding in each year is subject to appropriation and satisfactory progress of the school district in the previous grant year.

 

b)         All eligible applicants shall receive funds in accordance with Section 75.530(b).

 

c)         Each teacher identified in the intent to apply application must complete 400 hours of approved activity.  No more than 400 hours will be paid according to the parameters of the grant.  Eight hours shall equal one day. Only hours when the teacher is representing the program/chapter or supervising students shall be counted and must relate to agricultural education.  No hours related to activities of a personal nature are permitted.  The hours of activity must be in approved activities based on the agricultural education three circle model and shall fall into one of the three following categories: work-based learning (SAE), career and technical student organization, and curricular/intra-curricular related activities.

 

d)         Determination of School District's Personal Service

 

1)         Existing agricultural education programs may apply for an amount not to exceed 50% of the days for personal services cost for each agricultural education teacher employed.

 

2)         New agricultural education programs may apply for an amount not to exceed:

 

A)        100% of the days for personal services cost for each agricultural education teacher in the program's first and second year; and

 

B)        80% of the days for personal services cost for each agricultural education teacher in the program's third and fourth year.  [105 ILCS 5/2-3.80b(c)]

 

e)         Personal service costs and/or extended contracts shall be based upon the following:

 

1)         the reasonably expected personal services cost for a teacher based on the cost of each teacher's regularly scheduled teaching duties, including all costs paid by the district at the daily rate of each teacher; and

 

2)         the daily rate of each teacher (base salary of each teacher in the current year divided by 180 days).  This rate will be multiplied by 60 days of approved activities for each teacher in the school district as indicated in subsection (d).

 

f)         Allocations may be prorated if the amount of funds allotted for this program is insufficient to cover the grant requests for funding. If funds are prorated, school districts will have an opportunity to opt out of the grant.

 

(Source:  Added at 41 Ill. Reg. 14099, effective November 3, 2017)

 

Section 75.550  System for Reporting Hours

 

An electronic mechanism will be provided for school districts to report hours of approved activities fulfilling the reporting and documentation requirements of the State Board. This mechanism will collect a report for school districts to determine the activity, hours and impact of the teacher's activities.  This report will include, at a minimum, the school district and teachers' names, date and time of activity, a description of how the activity performed relates to the activities approved under the grant, number of hours spent on each activity, and the number of individuals impacted.  This report must be submitted prior to approval of the subsequent fiscal year's grant budget approval.

 

(Source:  Added at 41 Ill. Reg. 14099, effective November 3, 2017)

 

Section 75.560  Terms of the Grant

 

a)         The teacher shall be a full-time teacher (i.e., under at least a current nine month (180 days) contract based on an eight hour day).

 

b)         A school district may apply for a grant for personal services of each full-time agricultural education teacher.

 

c)         Activities funded under this grant as personal services shall occur outside of the regularly scheduled teaching duties for the benefit of agricultural education.

 

d)         Grants are available to eligible school districts to assist with the personal services costs of agricultural education teachers beyond or outside of the nine month contract but not to exceed the total of 12 months in any given year.

 

e)         Each teacher identified in the intent to apply application is responsible for completing and documenting the 400 hours of approved activities beyond the regularly scheduled teaching duties for the benefit of agricultural education. The school district shall submit that documentation to the State Board of Education, along with documentation substantiating the total payment (its share of the cost of payments to each teacher as well as the allocated funds).

 

1)          Grant Term Violations

 

A)        Failure to Submit Required Documentation

If a school district fails to submit the required documentation in order to meet the grant requirements, the district is considered the offending party. 

 

B)        Failure to Meet the 400 Hour Extra Work Commitment

If an individual teacher within the district (if there is more than one agricultural education teacher) fails to complete or document the 400 hours, that teacher is the offending party. If all teachers in a district fail to complete or document the 400 hours, the district is the offending party. 

 

2)         Penalty for Failing to Meet the Documentation or Work Hour Requirement

Failure to meet a program requirement will result in the ineligibility of the offending party for a grant in the subsequent year.

 

3)         The State Board of Education can waive this ineligibility in extenuating circumstances when completion of the requirements is not possible and/or is out of the district's control (e.g., severe illness, death, etc.).  The district shall document the circumstance as applicable.

 

f)         In the case of a teacher on leave or long-term illness (e.g., sabbatical, sick leave, maternity leave), it is possible for a school district to request that a long-term substitute or equivalent representative fulfill the hours to receive the funds so long as the teacher or the substitute completing the hours receives those funds.

 

g)         The district will hold the teacher harmless in the event:

 

1)         the grant is prorated subject to Section 75.530(b). The teacher shall be entitled to the extended contract benefits or additional hours outside of the teacher's regularly scheduled teaching duties for the benefit of agricultural education, as agreed to by the school district and teacher prior to the grant application; or

 

2)         a district applies for the grant and then the grant becomes no longer available. The teacher shall be entitled to the extended contract benefits or additional hours outside of the teacher's regularly scheduled teaching duties for the benefit of agricultural education, as agreed to be the school district and teacher prior to acceptance of the grant.

 

(Source:  Added at 41 Ill. Reg. 14099, effective November 3, 2017)

SUBPART G: AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION PRE-SERVICE TEACHER INTERNSHIP PROGRAM

 

Section 75.600  Definitions (Repealed)

 

(Source:  Repealed at 45 Ill. Reg. 16012, effective December 1, 2021)

 

Section 75.610  Purpose and Applicability

 

The goal of the Agricultural Education Pre-Service Teacher Internship Program is to address the shortages experienced by middle school and secondary agricultural education programs in this State by contributing to a highly qualified and effective agricultural education candidate pool that is sufficient in size to meet the workforce need.

 

a)         This Subpart establishes the procedures and criteria for the approval of proposals submitted to the State Board of Education by eligible applicants for grants to establish programs to assist pre-service teaching students in acquiring paid experience in the agricultural industry. The Agricultural Education Pre-Service Teacher Internship Program shall:

 

1)         offer, at a minimum, an 8-week experience or 300 hours of experience to prepare the pre-service teaching student for in-classroom experiences, including, but not limited to, experiences aligned to the pathways found within the Association of Career and Technical Education (ACTE) cluster for Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources;

 

2)         include both in-classroom lectures and hands-on, applied learning;

 

3)         be articulated with coursework at each of the agricultural teacher preparation institutions offering teacher licensure in agriculture in this State; and

 

4)         make a commitment to equity to pre-service teaching students across all agriculture teacher preparation institutions in this State.

 

b)         This Subpart does not apply to a school district or postsecondary institution that receives funding for agricultural education programs under Section 1D-1 of the School Code or to any entity that receives a grant from that school district for agricultural education programs funded under Section 1D-1 of the Code.

 

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

 

Section 75.620  Eligible Applicants

 

a)         An eligible applicant for the Agricultural Education Pre-Service Teacher Internship Program Grant shall be a partnership consisting of:

 

1)         one or more educational entities serving elementary and secondary schools, including, but not limited to, school districts, private schools, or Regional Offices of Education or one or more community-based organizations that provide agricultural education programs or related services, such as technical assistance or professional development, to agricultural education programs and practitioners; and

 

2)         one or more postsecondary institutions that offer postsecondary credit-bearing internship programs.

 

b)         The partnership established under subsection (a) must designate one entity to serve as the administrative agent for the grant.

 

c)         Preference for funding must be provided to eligible applicants whose programs:

 

1)         recruit pre-service teachers in agricultural education from all institutions of higher education offering accredited programs with teacher licensure in agricultural education;

 

2)         are articulated to offer course credit for the internship experience at both the:

 

A)        undergraduate level at each institution of higher education offering accredited programs with teacher licensure in agricultural education; and

 

B)        graduate level at each institution of higher education offering accredited programs with teacher licensure in agricultural education at the post-baccalaureate level; and

 

3)         target Illinois agricultural companies, as defined in Section 75.600, who will provide the pre-service teacher intern with both breadth and depth of high-quality experiences in one or more agricultural industries. Priority will be given to programs that additionally focus efforts in recruiting Illinois agricultural companies that:

 

A)        are not currently or have not been engaged in formal internship programs with postsecondary institutions in the previous fiscal year;

 

B)        are located in Illinois communities that have hired at least one provisionally licensed agricultural education teacher within the previous three years; or

 

C)        are located in Illinois communities that have experienced annual teacher turnover for at least the two previous consecutive years.

 

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

 

Section 75.630  Implementation Grants – Procedures and Content of Proposals

 

Implementation grants shall be offered in years when the level of available funding is such that one or more new partnerships may be funded or, for partnerships already funded, a new group of individuals may be supported in addition to the group of candidates already enrolled.

 

a)         When sufficient funding is available, the State Superintendent of Education shall issue a Request for Proposals (RFP) specifying the information that an applicant must include in its implementation proposal, informing an applicant of any bidders' conferences, and requiring that proposals be submitted no later than the date specified in the RFP. The RFP must provide at least 45 calendar days in which to submit proposals.

 

b)         Each proposal submitted in response to an RFP must include all of the following components:

 

1)         Descriptive information about each entity involved in the partnership, including the roles and responsibilities of each partner.

 

A)        The postsecondary institution must indicate specific information about the institution's success in facilitating internship programming that is credit-bearing for postsecondary students, particularly in areas serving each of the career pathways aligned to the ACTE cluster for Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources.

 

B)        The community-based organization or nonpublic educational entity must include its mission statement, organizational structure, and goals or policies regarding internships, adult learning, or agricultural education programs and services, including the applicant's existing competencies to provide agricultural internship programs, if applicable, and a list of any education-related accreditations that have been achieved.

 

2)         The goals and objectives of the partnership in ensuring a program that is successful and sustainable.

 

3)         A description of the need for the program, which must include all of the following:

 

A)        Information about the 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)        Information about the agricultural industry careers that are identified as in-demand or upcoming for Illinois.

 

4)         A description of the program to be implemented, which must include all of the following information:

 

A)        The partnership's plans for recruiting and providing support to individuals enrolled in the program, including working with internship employers to ensure that the individuals are able to fully participate in the program.

 

B)        Strategies that will be employed to ensure that individuals enrolled in the program are adequately prepared to successfully progress through the program. These strategies must include, but are not limited to, assistance to ensure each intern understands and is able to conform with the employment conditions and expectations set forth by the employer and facilitate any reasonable accommodations needed to ensure intern success.

 

C)        Coursework and experiences needed to complete the program, which must include the length of the program and sample schedules.

 

D)        Identification of potential sites where agricultural internships will occur.

 

E)        Expectations for candidates' performance levels needed to continue their participation in the program.

 

F)         Considerations for the methods of program-related payments to be made, including to employers and interns, taxes, and insurance.

 

5)         A plan for evaluating the impact of the proposed program and activities, which shall correspond to the applicable specifications set forth in the RFP.

 

6)         Budget information that corresponds to the categories of allowable expenditures identified in the RFP, completed on the forms provided and detailing each line item of expenditure. The budget information shall cover the entire period of time during which the proposed group of candidates is expected to participate in the internship program.

 

A)        Applicants must demonstrate that grant funds will supplement and not supplant amounts typically devoted by the institution of higher education to, and other resources available for, assisting teacher candidates.

 

B)        If necessary due to the budget exceeding grant funds available, applicants must describe the steps that will be taken, if any, to secure additional financial support for the partnership and its program over a period of time.

 

7)         Any certifications and assurances the State Superintendent of Education may require.

 

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

 

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)

 

Section 75.650  Application Content and Approval Criteria for Continuation Programs

 

a)         A partnership that has received implementation funding for a given fiscal year is subject to the requirements of this Section with respect to continued funding for subsequent years.

 

1)         The partnership must submit an application for continued funding for subsequent cohorts, using a format specified by the State Superintendent of Education.

 

2)         Each application must contain a mid-year report on the current status of the program that includes, but is not limited to, the following:

 

A)        documentation of the activities and support provided to date;

 

B)        a description of tentative enrollment for the upcoming internship program;

 

C)        progress on credit articulation agreements;

 

D)        progress on gaining employer commitments to participate in the program;

 

E)        follow-up data collected on previous cohort participants; and

 

F)         progress on completion of needs assessment for subsequent years.

 

3)         Each application must provide an updated narrative description of the objectives, activities, timelines, and evaluation procedures for the renewal year, relating the proposed plan of work to the results that have been achieved to date.

 

4)         Each application must include updated budget information for the renewal year, including a detailed budget breakdown, that describes any needed variances from the budget proposed in the initial year of funding.

 

5)         Each application must include any certifications or assurances the State Superintendent of Education may require.

 

b)         The State Superintendent of Education shall, contingent upon appropriation of funds for this initiative, provide continuation funding to a partnership that demonstrates all of the following:

 

1)         Success in providing the supports necessary for satisfactory program completion by interns in the program.

 

2)         That a majority of the candidates in the cohorts have completed coursework or other requirements for educator licensure during at least one semester of the following year, have progressed toward educator licensure, or are subsequently employed as an agricultural educator.

 

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