Current through Register Vol. 49, No. 6, March 15, 2024
Education Enhancement Grant Award Program
PURPOSE: This rule establishes minimum requirements
for the administration of the Vocational-Technical Education Enhancement Grant
Award Program.
(1) The
Vocational-Technical Education Enhancement Grant Award Program shall be
administered by the Division of Vocational and Adult Education (division),
Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), which has the
authority to determine grant award criteria and annual grant amounts.
(2) Eligible institutions shall include
public high schools, area vocational-technical schools and community colleges
that operate DESE-approved occupational preparatory (long-term) vocational
education programs. Grant awards shall be made under the following conditions:
(A) Seventy-five percent (75%) of grant funds
shall be expended for new programs, curriculum enhancement or instructional
equipment that address demand occupations that have been determined to be in
critical shortage, as published by the division. The remaining twenty-five
percent (25%) or less of the grant may be used for these purposes, as well as
facility improvement without regard for demand occupations. A grant recipient
shall expend at least twenty-five percent (25%) matching funds from local
sources for all grant funds expended for instructional equipment. A grant
recipient shall expend at least fifty percent (50%) matching funds from local
sources for all other grant fund expenditures;
(B) An advisory committee with no fewer than
twelve (12) members shall be established by each eligible institution prior to
a grant award. This committee shall be composed of at least two (2) members
representing each of the following groups: business persons, labor leaders,
parents, senior citizens, community leaders and teachers. The committee shall
assist the grant recipient with the development of a plan which will ensure
that graduates proceed to a two (2)- or four (4)-year college/university or a
high wage job with workplace skill development opportunities. This plan shall
be developed prior to the close of the fiscal year that the grant recipient
receives an initial grant under this grant award program. Eligible institutions
that apply for grant funds after receiving an initial grant award shall submit
a description of the accomplishments made toward the implementation of their
initial plan and any modifications to their initial plan; and
(C) A budget shall be developed which details
all major expenditure categories and itemizes all equipment purchases.
Equipment purchases with grant funds shall:
1.
Have prior approval of the division;
and
2. Be
appropriate to the instructional content of the vocational education course or
program.
(3)
A request for proposals will be made available to eligible institutions by the
division for each fiscal year. Applicants must develop a grant proposal and
forward it to the division no later than the published date in order to receive
consideration. Grant awards will be effective July 1 of each year.
(4) Grant proposals must contain at least the
following:
(A) The name and address of the
institution and school or community college district applying for a grant
award;
(B) A statement of
commitment to implement the content of the grant proposal bearing the signature
of the chief administrator of the school or community college district
submitting the grant proposal;
(C)
A description of how the funds made available by this grant award program will
be used to enhance the vocational education offering at the institution and
address demand occupations;
(D) A
detailed, line item budget of anticipated local and grant fund
expenditures;
(E) An assurance that
fiscal control, property management control and fund accounting procedures are
provided;
(F) An assurance that
funds from local sources will be allocated and expended for the purposes
delineated in the grant proposal in an amount equal to or greater than
twenty-five percent (25%) for all instructional equipment and equal to or
greater than fifty percent (50%) for all other grant award
expenditure;
(G) An assurance that
seventy-five percent (75%) of grant funds will be expended for new programs,
curriculum enhancement or instructional equipment that address demand
occupations;
(H) An assurance that
the grant recipient will comply with all reporting requirements of the
department relating to this grant award program;
(I) An assurance by secondary school
districts that student performance standards will be established within the
district that lead to or qualify students for graduation, and that these
standards meet or exceed the Show-Me Standards;
(J) An assurance that prior to the close of
the fiscal year of the grant award a plan will be developed with the assistance
of the prescribed advisory committee, to ensure that graduates proceed to a two
(2)- or four (4)-year college/university or a high wage job with workplace
skill development opportunities;
(K) A listing of the advisory committee
members and the category that they represent;
(L) The title and classification of
instructional programs (CIP) code of any occupational preparatory (long-term)
vocational education program for which grant funds will be expended;
and
(M) A complete application for
new or expanding regular vocational education programs, if an occupational
preparatory (long-term) vocational education program is being established or
expended with grant funds.
(5) The division will review all grant
proposals submitted by eligible institutions based upon the extent to which:
(A) The proposed programs, services and
activities enhance vocational education;
(B) The proposed programs, services and
activities address demand occupations; and
(C) A complete grant proposal is received
prior to the proposal deadline.
(6) The division will give priority to
eligible institutions that have not previously received a grant
award.
(7) Beginning July 1, 1994,
the commissioner of education shall request from the director of the Division
of Workforce Development, Department of Economic Development, an annual listing
of demand occupations in the state, including substate projections. The listing
shall include those occupations for which, in the judgment of the director of
the Division of Workforce Development, there are critical shortages to meet
present and future employment needs necessary to the economic growth and
competitiveness of the state. The division will publish the list of demand
occupations annually in its request for proposals.
(8) The assistant commissioner for Vocational
and Adult Education may set aside up to ten percent (10%) of the monies
appropriated for regional or statewide projects. The projects shall:
(A) Enhance the delivery system of
vocational-technical education;
(B)
Integrate academic and vocational-technical education; or
(C) Improve the articulation of
vocational-technical programs at secondary and postsecondary
institutions.
*Original authority: 161.092, RSMo 1963, amended 1973; and
178.585, RSMo 1993, amended 1995.
