Section 232.20  Eligible Applicants

a)         Eligible applicants shall be school districts that include one or more schools serving students in prekindergarten, kindergarten, or any of grades 1 through 6 in which 50 percent or more of the students participating in the State assessment under Section 2-3.64a-5 of the School Code [105 ILCS 5/2-3.64a-5] have achieved scores indicating that they do not meet State standards in reading.  Public university laboratory schools approved by the State Board of Education pursuant to Section 18-8.05(K) of the School Code [105 ILCS 5/18-8.05(K)], area vocational centers, and charter schools shall be eligible under this Part on the same basis as school districts (see 105 ILCS 5/2-3.109a, 2-3.109b, and 27A-11.5, respectively.  For purposes of this Part, the term "district" shall be understood to include all these eligible entities).

b)         The State Superintendent shall annually identify the eligible districts based upon State assessment scores attained by students in the previous school year.  As a prerequisite to participation in the program, eligible districts shall be required to submit letters of intent in accordance with the timeframe established by the State Superintendent, in order to permit calculation of the approximate per-pupil allocation that will be available.

(Source:  Amended at 39 Ill. Reg. 13484, effective September 24, 2015)