6 CAR Part 277 — Intervention Block Grant Program

Chapter I

Subchapter I

Subpart 1

6 CAR § 277-101 Purpose {#sec-6-car-277-101 omnilex-key=us-ar-regs-official--title-6-part-277--6 CAR § 277-101}

6 CAR § 277-101. Purpose.

The purpose of this part is to set forth the general guidelines for the funding and operation of the Intervention Block Grant Program, which provides support and enhancement of the educational growth and preparation of children for success through early childhood into public school.

6 CAR § 277-102 Definitions {#sec-6-car-277-102 omnilex-key=us-ar-regs-official--title-6-part-277--6 CAR § 277-102}

6 CAR § 277-102. Definitions.

As used in this part:

(1) “ADE” means the Department of Education;

(2)(A) “At-risk” means students who are at-risk of failing or are not performing at their academic/grade level and/or developmental age level.

(B) Factors for being at-risk may include:

(i) Socioeconomic factors;

(ii) Disciplinary concerns;

(iii) Low academic performance;

(iv) High absenteeism; and

(v) Limited English proficiency;

(3)(A) “Early childhood education” means programs that are either home-based, parent-focused such as, PAT, HIPPY, or pre-kindergarten services.

(B) “PAT” means Parents As Teachers in Arkansas, utilizing the required elements as recognized by the Parents As Teachers National Center in St. Louis, Missouri, serving children less than four (4) years of age.

(C) “HIPPY” means Home Instruction Program for Pre-school Youngsters, serving children ages three (3) to five (5) years;

(4)(A) “Pre-K through sixth grade programs” means programs that target at-risk students, which may include, but are not limited to:

(i) Before-school and after-school services;

(ii) Parent centers;

(iii) Parent involvement activities;

(iv) Family literacy;

(v) Service learning;

(vi) Tutoring; and

(vii) Mentoring.

(B) “Service learning” means programs that engage students in structured, hands-on service projects that meet community needs, and at the same time help students develop personal, civic, and academic skills;

(5)(A) “RFP” means request for proposal.

(B) RFP is the method by which individual public schools, districts, or education service cooperatives will make application for funding under the Intervention Block Grant;

(6) “Shall” means that a provision is mandatory; and

(7) “Should” means that a provision is recommended, but is not mandatory.

6 CAR § 277-103 Funding the Intervention Block Grant {#sec-6-car-277-103 omnilex-key=us-ar-regs-official--title-6-part-277--6 CAR § 277-103}

6 CAR § 277-103. Funding the Intervention Block Grant.

(a) Public schools, districts, or education service cooperatives shall be eligible for funding for programs serving children/students up through sixth grade.

(b) Funding will be available through a competitive RFP process.

(c) Applicants are eligible to be funded for up to twelve (12) months and may re-apply on an annual basis, not to exceed three (3) consecutive years.

(d)(1) Applicants applying as a second-year program will be required to provide twenty-five percent (25%) in-kind matching funds.

(2) Applicants applying as third-year programs will be required to provide forty percent (40%) in-kind matching funds.

(e) Programs which go one (1) year or more without funding shall be considered as a first-year applicant when reapplying.

(f) The recipient of these funds shall ensure that the activities planned under the Intervention Block Grant:

(1) Must be correlated with the development of the current Department of Education initiatives, priorities, and goals; and

(2) If applicable, should continue during any summer activities.

(g) If funds are available, an RFP will be issued each year of the biennium.

(h) Funds may be used for programs, services, and/or activities such as:

(1) Before-school and after-school programs;

(2) Parent centers;

(3) Parent involvement programs/activities;

(4) Home-based, parent-focused services (PAT, HIPPY, etc.);

(5) Tutoring;

(6) Mentoring;

(7) Family literacy;

(8) Service learning programs; and

(9) Early childhood services.

(i) Funds may be expended for, but not limited to:

(1) Salaries;

(2) Benefits;

(3) Purchased services;

(4) Materials;

(5) Supplies;

(6) Telephone;

(7) Utilities;

(8) Travel related directly to the program;

(9) Professional development; and

(10) Transportation services.

(j) Funds may not be used for:

(1) Construction;

(2) Purchasing a facility;

(3) Major renovations;

(4) Purchasing vehicles;

(5) Professional grant writing services;

(6) Indirect administrative cost;

(7) Cultural enrichment activities that may include field trips;

(8) Rewards; or

(9) Financial incentives to individuals.

(k)(1) The average grant award will be through a competitive grant process and should not exceed seventy-five thousand dollars ($75,000).

(2) Funding per program will depend on the:

(A) Number of individuals served;

(B) Scope, diversity, and intensity of activities;

(C) Probability of long-range effect on student achievement; and

(D) Availability of additional resources.

(l) The funds shall be distributed to schools, districts, or education service cooperatives in two (2) payments contingent on receipt of required reports.

(m) The Department of Education may set aside up to five percent (5%) of the total amount budgeted by the State Board of Education for Intervention Block Grant funds each fiscal year for providing and/or receiving training, technical assistance, and program review activities for teachers, department personnel, and other staff supporting the grant program.

6 CAR § 277-104 Required application components {#sec-6-car-277-104 omnilex-key=us-ar-regs-official--title-6-part-277--6 CAR § 277-104}

6 CAR § 277-104. Required application components.

(a) The RFP will clearly define the required application components, which shall include, but not be limited to a:

(1) Program narrative;

(2) Coordination of resources;

(3) Management plan;

(4) Program evaluation; and

(5) Budget and budget summary.

(b) The program narrative should clearly define:

(1) The goals, objectives, and activities of the program;

(2) Justification of the need; and

(3) The target population.

(c)(1) The coordination of resources should clearly identify both financial and human resources that will be utilized to implement and maintain the proposed program.

(2) The coordination of these resources should reflect a linkage to the Arkansas Comprehensive School Improvement Plan (ACSIP).

(d) The management plan should:

(1) Provide the program goal or goals; and

(2) Include a detailed listing of program objectives with accompanying:

(A) Activities;

(B) Timeline;

(C) Number impacted;

(D) Personnel responsible; and

(E) Method of evaluation.

(e) The program evaluation should provide a detailed description of the qualitative and quantitative process for determining the success and/or impact of the program.

(f) The budget and budget summary should provide a detailed summary and justification of the proposed budget and information of other financial resources utilized.

6 CAR § 277-105 Selection process {#sec-6-car-277-105 omnilex-key=us-ar-regs-official--title-6-part-277--6 CAR § 277-105}

6 CAR § 277-105. Selection process.

(a)(1) The Department of Education will convene a panel to review and rate grant applications according to a scoring rubric.

(2) The recommendations based on the reviews of the panel will adhere to the internal approval process of the department.

(b) Applications shall meet a minimum score as designated in the RFP to be eligible for funding.

(c) The department shall not assume any responsibility for notifying the applicant regarding incomplete or missing information within the application.

6 CAR § 277-106 Reporting requirements {#sec-6-car-277-106 omnilex-key=us-ar-regs-official--title-6-part-277--6 CAR § 277-106}

6 CAR § 277-106. Reporting requirements.

(a) Programs will be required to submit in writing any request for changes in the approved:

(1) Goals;

(2) Objectives;

(3) Management plan; and/or

(4) Budget.

(b) Programs shall submit timely quarterly reports, end-of-program-year financial reports, results of evaluation/impact of the program, and samples of any product developed as a result of these funds as required by the Department of Education.

6 CAR § 277-107 Compliance {#sec-6-car-277-107 omnilex-key=us-ar-regs-official--title-6-part-277--6 CAR § 277-107}

6 CAR § 277-107. Compliance.

(a) Programs will be monitored through:

(1) Site visits;

(2) Required program reports; and

(3) Fiscal review.

(b) All applications made to the Department of Education requesting funding under the Intervention Block Grant:

(1) Become the property of the department; and

(2) May be reproduced and used at the discretion of the department.

(c) The department reserves the right to access any materials and/or products created as a result of the Intervention Block Grant for the purpose of:

(1) Training;

(2) Dissemination; and/or

(3) Replication.