Expanded Student Access to High Quality School Readiness Programs Grant Program -- Determination of high quality school readiness program -- Reporting requirement.
Expanded Student Access to High Quality School Readiness Programs Grant Program -- Determination of high quality school readiness program -- Reporting requirement.
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(1) There is created the Student Access to High Quality School Readiness Programs Grant Program to expand access to high quality school readiness programs for eligible students through grants administered by the board for eligible LEAs and eligible private providers.
(2) The board, in cooperation with the department and the State Board of Education, shall solicit proposals from eligible LEAs and eligible private providers to fund increases in the number of eligible students high quality school readiness programs can serve.
(3)
(a) Except as provided in Subsection (3)(c), a respondent shall submit a proposal that includes the information described in Subsection (3)(b) to the board.
(b) A respondent's proposal for the grant solicitation described in Subsection (2) shall include:
(i) the respondent's existing and proposed school readiness program, including:
(A) the number of students served by the respondent's school readiness program;
(B) the respondent's policies and procedures for admitting students into the school readiness program;
(C) the estimated cost per student; and
(D) any fees the respondent charges to a parent or legal guardian for the school readiness program;
(ii) the respondent's plan to use funding sources, in addition to a grant described in this section, including:
(A) federal funding; or
(B) private grants or donations;
(iii) existing or planned partnerships between the respondent and an LEA, eligible private provider, or eligible home-based technology provider to increase access to high quality school readiness programs for eligible students;
(iv) how the respondent would use a grant to:
(A) expand the number of eligible students served by the respondent's school readiness program; and
(B) target the funding toward the highest risk students;
(v) the results of any evaluations of the respondent's school readiness program; and
(vi) a demonstration that the respondent's existing school readiness program meets performance outcome measures.
(c) In addition to the requirements described in Subsection (3)(b), a respondent that is an eligible LEA shall describe in the respondent's proposal the percentage of the respondent's kindergarten through grade 12 students who are economically disadvantaged.
(4) For each proposal received in response to the solicitation described in Subsection (2), the board shall determine if the respondent school readiness program is a high quality school readiness program by:
(a) applying the tool; and
(b) reviewing performance outcome measures.
(5)
(a) Subject to legislative appropriations and Subsection (9), the board shall award a grant to a respondent.
(b) The board may only award a grant to a respondent if:
(i) the respondent submits a proposal that includes the information required under Subsection (3); and
(ii) the board determines that the respondent's program is a high quality school readiness program in accordance with Subsection (4).
(c)
(i) A recipient of a grant may use funds received under this section to supplement an existing program but not supplant other funding.
(ii) An eligible LEA or an eligible private provider may not receive funding under this section if the eligible LEA or eligible private provider receives funding under Section 35A-15-301 or 35A-15-401.
(6) In evaluating a proposal received in response to the solicitation described in Subsection (2), the board shall consider:
(a) the number and percent of students in the respondent's high quality school readiness program that are eligible students at the highest risk;
(b) geographic diversity, including whether the respondent is urban or rural;
(c) the extent to which the respondent intends to participate in a partnership with an LEA, eligible private provider, or eligible home-based technology provider; and
(d) the respondent's level of administrative support and leadership to effectively implement, monitor, and evaluate the program.
(7) A respondent that receives a grant under this section shall:
(a) use the grant to expand access for eligible students to high quality school readiness programs by enrolling eligible students in a high quality school readiness program;
(b) report to the board annually regarding:
(i) how the respondent used the grant awarded under Subsection (5);
(ii) participation in any partnerships between an LEA, eligible private provider, or eligible home-based technology provider; and
(iii) the results of any evaluations;
(c) allow classroom or other visits for an evaluation; and
(d) for a respondent that is an eligible LEA, notify a parent or legal guardian who expresses interest in enrolling the parent or legal guardian's child in the LEA's high quality school readiness program of each state-funded high quality school readiness program operating within the eligible LEA's geographic boundaries.
(8)
(a) The board shall establish interventions for a grantee that fails to comply with the requirements described in this section or meet the benchmarks described in Subsection (8)(c).
(b) An intervention under this Subsection (8) may include discontinuing or reducing funding.
(c)
(i) The board shall adopt benchmarks for success on the performance outcome measures for a grant recipient under this section.
(ii) If a grant recipient fails to meet the board's benchmarks for success on the performance outcome measures, the grant recipient may not receive additional funding under this section.
(9) Subject to legislative appropriations, the board shall give first priority in awarding grants to a respondent that has previously received a grant under this section if the respondent:
(a) makes the annual report described in Subsection (7)(b);
(b) participates in the evaluation; and
(c) continues to offer a high quality school readiness program as determined during an annual site visit by:
(i) the State Board of Education, for an eligible LEA; or
(ii) the department, for an eligible private provider.
(10) In accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act, the board shall make rules to: