Section 3035.210  Definitions

"Adult Literacy Program" means a structured program that provides direct instructional services in reading, writing, comprehension, computation or English language skills to adult students using volunteer tutors.

"Adult Literacy Provider Agency" means an educational agency providing basic skills or English language instruction to adult students.

"Adult Student" means an individual in Illinois who has exceeded the maximum age for compulsory schooling (17), is not currently enrolled in school (see 105 ILCS 5/Art. 26) and qualifies for instructional services through an educational assessment.

"Applicant" means "Submitting Agency" as defined in this Section.

"Application" means the formal request for a literacy grant submitted to the Illinois State Library pursuant to this Subpart.  

"Basic Skills Instruction" means instructional services in reading, writing, comprehension and/or computation.

"Businesses" means public or private employers. Businesses functioning as educational agencies may not be a for-profit entity.

"Child Education Agency" means an entity working with children at risk of school failure.

"Coalition" means a structured cooperative effort among libraries, education agencies, and community-based organizations, or any combination of these entities, at the local or regional level.

"Community" means any county or municipality in Illinois.

"Community-based Organization" means a private or public not-for-profit organization, including volunteer organizations, located in an Illinois community, that provides services to citizens within that community and the surrounding area.

"Computation" means to determine by mathematics.

"Contract" means the agreement between the Illinois State Library and submitting agency to implement a literacy project. 

"Educational Agencies" means those entities eligible to apply that are public libraries and are members of an Illinois regional library system; community colleges, school districts and regional offices of education that are certified by the Illinois Board of Higher Education, the Illinois State Board of Education or the Illinois Community College Board; community based organizations, volunteer agencies or a coalition of those entities, and businesses as defined in this Section.  If not a governmental entity, the agency must have been granted 501(c)(3) status by the Internal Revenue Service.

"Educational Assessment" means testing methods that measure the educational skills possessed by adults, including reading, writing, comprehension, computation or English language skills.

"English Language Instruction" means instructional services in reading, writing, comprehension, computation and speaking the English language.

"Equipment" means a computer or similar technology that will be used to support instructional materials as defined in this Section but not for the administration or management of a literacy program.

"Family Literacy" means a structured program that provides direct instructional services in basic skills or English language, parenting instruction for adults, developmentally appropriate activities for children, structured reciprocal time for both to learn together, and library education.

"Fiscal Year" means the fiscal year of the State of Illinois.

"Instructional Materials" means written and electronic materials that are used in teaching adults basic reading, writing, comprehension, computation or English language skills.

"LAB" means the Literacy Advisory Board established by the State Library Act [15 ILCS 320/7.2].

"Library" means a tax-supported public library within an Illinois library system.

"Literacy" means the ability of an individual to read, write, compute, and speak in English, and solve problems at levels of proficiency necessary to function on the job and in society, to achieve one's goals, and develop one's knowledge and potential.

"Literacy Program" means a structured project or program that provides direct instructional services in literacy to adult students.

"Math Student" means an adult whose math skills are below the 9.0 grade level and/or below educational functioning level 6 and who is enrolled in the literacy program for math instruction.

"Partnering Agency" means those agencies who will receive part of the grant funds or who will actively participate in the literacy project as an essential component of that project, without whose participation the project would fail or be radically changed.

"Secretary of State" means the Illinois Secretary of State, who is the State Librarian.

"Site Visit" means a visit conducted by a literacy grant monitor to a literacy grant recipient to determine whether the project meets or maintains the criteria of the grant program. The site visit may be made in person, by phone or by electronic means, at the discretion of the Illinois State Library Literacy Office. 

"State Library" or "ISL" means the Illinois State Library, a department of the Illinois Secretary of State established pursuant to the State Library Act [15 ILCS 320].

"Submitting agency" means the eligible education agency or business authorized to submit a literacy grant application. The submitting agency shall be the legal entity responsible for the disbursement of public funds.

"Testing" means educational assessment.

"Volunteer Tutor" means an unpaid, trained individual over the age of 17 who provides one to one or small group instruction to adult students.

"Workplace Literacy Program" means a structured program that provides direct instructional services in reading, writing, comprehension, computation or English language skills to adult employees or prospective employees at their place of employment.

(Source:  Amended at 46 Ill. Reg. 6614, effective April 7, 2022)