Section 235.100  Purpose

This Subpart B establishes the procedure and criteria for the award of one or more grants to eligible applicants for the purposes set forth in this Section.

a)         Grants for Statewide Training, Technical Assistance and High-Quality Supports, which are intended to:

1)         provide training, technical assistance and high-quality supports to recipients of funding under the Early Childhood Block Grant (see Subpart A) and offer other professional development opportunities that include, but are not limited to, evidence-based program models, job-specific training, support for mental health consultation and research-based curricula, as applicable to the early childhood program offered (i.e., Preschool Education or Prevention Initiative);

2)         align training and technical assistance opportunities to the Standards for Professional Learning (2011) promulgated by Learning Forward, 504 South Locust Street, Oxford OH 45056 and posted at http://learningforward.org/ (no later additions to or editions of these standards are incorporated);

3)         ensure that each provider of professional development meets the requirements set forth in 23 Ill. Adm. Code 25.Subpart J (Renewal of Professional Educator Licenses) to award credit for professional development for educator license renewal purposes; and

4)         support programs, leaders and teachers to continuously improve practice and student outcomes.

b)         Grants for Web-Based Services shall address:

1)         Web-Based Resources. These resources must:

A)        be provided through an early learning website for parents, caregivers, teachers, program personnel and program leaders;

B)        offer evidence-based, reliable information on early childhood education focusing on standards-based instruction in a variety of formats (e.g., printable tip sheets; video, webinars and other multi-media resources; discussion boards and "frequently asked questions" posts; "rich site summary" feeds; interactive tools and activities; in-person workshops; and online newsletters); and

C)        be made available in languages other than English.

2)         Web-Based Early Childhood Asset Mapping System. The System shall relate early care and education site locations to other contexts, such as income and ethnic variables, in order to ensure that allocations of early care and education resources:

A)        are more equitably distributed across the State; and

B)        focus on geographic areas with high concentrations of at-risk children (as defined in Section 235.10(a)(3)).

(Source:  Former Section repealed at 35 Ill. Reg. 3742, effective February 17, 2011, and new Section added at 40 Ill. Reg. 15168, effective October 24, 2016)