(a) Beginning with the 2008-2009 school year, from funds specifically appropriated by the Legislature for this purpose, the Department of Education may award grants on a competitive basis to public or private nonprofit organizations wishing to implement dropout retrieval activities or community-based dropout prevention programs. The Department of Education shall award the grants annually no later than January 30th of each year.
(b) Organizations wishing to apply for a grant shall submit a grant proposal to the Department of Education. In order to be considered for funding, the grant proposal must include the following assurances:
(1) A detailed description of the program to be implemented, including a statement of program objectives, activities, target population, number of students to be served, and an identification of all education, community agency, private sector or other personnel and resources involved in program development and implementation.
(2) Assurance that parents and guardians will be involved in the development and implementation of the program.
(3) A detailed program budget.
(4) Measures for the evaluation of the effectiveness of the program, including cost-effectiveness.
(c) The Department of Education shall consider the following factors in awarding grants as outlined in subsection (b):
(1) The dropout rate within the geographic area to be served by the program. Those geographic areas with high dropout rates shall have priority for selections;
(2) The qualification of the personnel who will be responsible for program implementation and administration;
(3) The extent to which the programs will be coordinated with existing public educational programs and social and medical services; or
(4) The degree to which the programs' objectives and activities are consistent with the goals of this subsection.
(d) The Department shall make information on all criteria to be used in the selection of proposals for funding pursuant to the provisions of this subsection available to any organization wishing to apply for a community-based dropout prevention program grant.
(e) Organizations that are awarded grants pursuant to the provisions of this subsection shall submit an annual report to the Department of Education documenting the extent to which the program objectives are being met.