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)