Current through Register Vol. 48, No. 12, March 22, 2024
The plan for each IHOPE program shall be approved by the
State Superintendent of Education in accordance with criteria set forth under
Section 2-3.66b(c) of the School Code and Section
210.75
of this Part.
a) The State
Superintendent of Education shall annually notify regional offices of education
and CPS of the opportunity to submit an IHOPE plan for approval, specifying the
information that shall be included in the plan and requiring that the plan be
submitted no later than the date specified in the notification.
b) Each application shall be reviewed for
completeness and conformance to the requirements of Section 2-3.66b of the
School Code and this Part.
1) Incomplete
plans shall be returned to the regional office of education or CPS, as
applicable, specifying the additional information that is needed, which shall
be submitted within 15 calendar days after receiving the request.
2) Based on the criteria contained in Section
210.75
of this Part, plans that do not meet the requirements of Section 2-3.66b of the
School Code and this Part shall be returned to the regional office of education
or CPS, as applicable, specifying the reasons why the plan was not
acceptable.
c) Each plan
for an IHOPE program shall be submitted in a format specified by the State
Superintendent of Education and shall contain the following elements:
1) A description of the planning process
conducted to determine the type of IHOPE program to be established and a list
of the participants in that process to at least include those entities
specified in Section 2-3.66b(c) of the School Code.
2) An organizational chart that reflects the
governance, administrative, educational and support structures of the proposed
IHOPE program and describes the responsibilities of each entity involved in the
program.
3) Evidence that the plan
for the IHOPE program includes each of the components enumerated in Section
2-3.66b(g) of the School Code.
A) Programs
that exceed the enrollment limits set forth under Section 2-3.66b(g)(1) of the
School Code shall provide a justification for a larger program and a
description of the steps to be taken to ensure that the program will meet the
needs of each student to be enrolled in an effective manner.
B) In order to demonstrate compliance with
Section 2-3.66b(g)(3) of the School Code, the plan shall include a description
of the experiences, competency, and qualifications of licensed and nonlicensed
staff that emphasizes their individual and collective abilities to work
successfully with students who have dropped out of school. (Also see Section
210.40(e)
of this Part.)
C) In order to
demonstrate compliance with Section 2-3.66b(g)(6) of the School Code, the plan
shall include a schedule of support services that will be available to students
as part of their instructional program, including the procedures for accessing
a student's need for services on an as-needed basis.
D) In order to demonstrate compliance with
Section 2-3.66b(g)(9), the plan shall address how instruction will incorporate
"action into study" to include but not be limited to the following elements:
observation and interaction, laboratory and field experiences, applying what is
learned in the classroom to real-life situations or problems, or students being
active participants in their learning.
4) The specific curriculum to be used (see
Section
210.40(a)
of this Part), to at least include a description of how work experience and the
instructional program will be integrated. If a non-profit entity will be
providing instructional services, then the regional office of education or CPS,
as applicable, shall identify the entity and provide evidence that it meets the
requirements of Section
210.40(a)(2)
of this Part.
5) The process for
admitting dropouts to the program, which shall address factors to be considered
to enroll students. These factors shall be nondiscrimintory and shall not take
into consideration the needs of individual students for specific services, such
as special education or bilingual services. If there are more eligible
applicants for enrollment in an IHOPE program than there are spaces available,
students shall be selected either on a first come, first served basis or by
lottery.
6) A list of any
cooperative and intergovernmental agreements and subcontracts that identifies
the entity with which the agreement or subcontract is entered and includes a
description of the need and purpose of the agreement or subcontract; measurable
and time-specific services to be provided, as applicable; associated costs,
i.e., the amounts to be paid, as applicable; and the projected number of
participants to be served.
7) An
agreement with each school district from which an IHOPE student will graduate
and receive a diploma in accordance with Section 2-3.66b(b) of the School
Code.
8) If any of the students
enrolled require special education services, then the cooperative agreement
with the school district of residence of each student that addresses
responsibility for at least, but not limited to, the evaluation process,
provision of services, dispute resolution, child count, and receipt of State
special education funds.
9) The
procedures to be used to review student progress on a regular basis, which
shall at least conform with the requirements of Section
210.40(d)
of this Part.
10) A summary of the
program's student discipline policy, to address the procedures to be used for a
student's suspension or expulsion from the program due to gross disobedience or
misconduct.
11) The proposed
calendar for the program, providing evidence that it is in conformance with the
requirements of Section 2-3.66b(e) of the School Code and Section
210.60
of this Part.
12) A description of
how the IHOPE program's professional development plan will address instruction
of students who have dropped out of school.
13) A detailed program budget that includes
the sources of funding to be used in conjunction with general State aid and/or
any incentive grant received pursuant to Subpart B of this Part and a plan for
allocating costs to those funds.
A) The
budget plan shall outline how any local, State or federal funds will be
coordinated to ensure the efficient and effective delivery of the
program.
B) The budget shall
describe sources of revenue other than general State aid or an incentive grant
that the regional office of education or CPS, as applicable, will allocate to
the program.
C) The budget shall
include an estimate of the total cost per student for the program and an
estimate of any gap between existing revenue available for the program and the
total cost of the program.
14) A plan for evaluating the effectiveness
of the program in improving academic performance of the students working
towards meeting State and local requirements for receipt of a high school
diploma. The plan shall include:
A) the
methods to be used to conduct the evaluation;
B) the data to be collected, which shall
include at least the indicators outlined in Section 2-3.66b(h) of the School
Code, as applicable to the program;
C) the specific procedures for how
achievement levels of individual students enrolled in the program will be
assessed to ensure that each student is making anticipated progress, as
stipulated in his or her individual instructional program;
D) the specific procedures for how
achievement levels of students with IEPs will be assessed, if these students
are enrolled in the program;
E) how
the evaluation will measure the extent to which the program overall is an
effective strategy for assisting dropouts in completing their high school
education and receiving a diploma; and
F) how the evaluation results will be used to
improve the program.