Section 254.2350  Payment of Grant Funds

a)         Allocations to each Educational Service Center will be based on the allotment provided for in Section 254.2320 of this Subpart and the amount requested in the letter of agreement submitted by each Center pursuant to Section 254.2340 of this Subpart. Allotment amounts not requested or utilized by Educational Service Centers will be reallocated on an equal basis to other Centers whose requests exceed their allotments.

b)         Funds for grant awards shall be issued to Educational Service Centers by May 30 of each year.

c)         Payment of grant awards by an Educational Service Center to vocational education personnel selected to participate in the Vocational Instructor Practicum is subject to the following provisions:  

1)         Payment may only be made to public vocational education teachers, counselors, or administrators;

2)         Grant award and payment of funds to personnel participating in the Vocational Instructor Practicum shall be made:  

A)        at a rate not to exceed $50 per day up to a total of $2000.  A practicum day is defined as the standard working day for the business or industry, and it must not be less than five nor more than eight hours of continuing education time; and

B)        on the basis of weekly or bi-monthly submission of an application by the grant recipient to the Educational Service Center for reimbursement on forms to be provided by the State Board of Education; the forms shall be signed by the grant recipient and employer as evidence of the recipient's participation in the program. These forms shall be kept by the Educational Service Centers for a minimum of three (3) years to substantiate personnel participation in the program.

3)         In those instances where the employer will benefit from an individual's employment, the individual's grant application shall indicate the nature and degree of benefit to be derived and shall be signed by the employer, who thereby agrees to contribute an amount, to be specified on the application, to that individual's award or directly to the state.  This amount shall not be less than 30% of the total award requested (e.g., $1400 from the state and $600 from the employer).  The private employer shall be deemed to benefit when the grant recipient will participate, in excess of the time required for a normal learning experience as determined by the employer, in the routine production of a product or service which will benefit the employer.

(Source:  Amended at 13 Ill. Reg. 8459, effective May 22, 1989)