Section 260.50  Procedure and Criteria for Approval of Applications

a)         The State Board of Education shall provide the electronic application format for this program and shall notify each eligible applicant of the maximum amount of its entitlement pursuant to Section 2-3.51 of the School Code.  Each applicant shall provide:

1)         a total grant request equal to or less than the amount for which the applicant is eligible;

2)         assurance that the applicant will comply with the provisions of Section 2-3.51 of the School Code and this Part;

3)         information identifying the purposes for which the applicant plans to use the funds provided pursuant to this Part;

4)         a description of the program or initiative to which the planned expenditures pertain, including evidence that the program or initiative is derived from scientifically based reading research as defined in Section 2-3.51 of the School Code and complies with the applicable requirements of subsection (a-5) of that Section; and

5)         the information called for in Section 260.55(a) through (c) of this Part.

b)         Applications must be submitted to the State Board of Education by May 1 for the subsequent school year, or by 30 days after the application becomes available, whichever is later.  This date will be determined so that all eligible applicants will have at least 30 days to complete and submit the application. 

c)         Information provided in the application will be reviewed by State Board of Education staff to determine that the information demonstrates compliance with Section 2-3.51 of the School Code and this Part.

d)         State Board staff shall notify applicants of any requested information that is missing from the application and of the latest date on which that information can be accepted.  An application shall not be approved for funding until it is complete.

e)         An applicant that fails to apply or to furnish requested information within the timeframe established shall forfeit any grant funds to which it would otherwise be eligible for the affected school year pursuant to this Part, due to the necessity for the State Superintendent to identify eligible entities, calculate grant allocations, and notify the eligible entities of their allocation amounts.

(Source:  Amended at 29 Ill. Reg. 20417, effective November 29, 2005)