05–071 DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

1. Chapter 122: GRANT APPLICATION AND AWARD PROCEDURE: FUND FOR THE EFFICIENT DELIVERY OF EDUCATIONAL SERVICES

SUMMARY: This rule governs the application for, and awarding of, funds from the Fund for the Efficient Delivery of Educational Services. Grants are intended to assist in the financing of local and regional initiatives to improve educational opportunity and student achievement by means of changes that increase efficiency in the delivery of services.

SECTION 1. PURPOSE

Grants from the Fund for the Efficient Delivery of Educational Services are awarded on a competitive basis to fund the costs of changes in the delivery of educational services that will increase efficiency of delivery, improve student achievement, and be sustained by the school administrative unit, municipality or county without the need for additional grants from the fund or other sources.

SECTION 2. DEFINITIONS

1. Department. “Department” means the Maine Department of Education

1. 2. Fund. “Fund” means the Fund for the Efficient Delivery of Educational Services, created in Title 20-A M.R.S. chapter 114-A and governed by this rule.
2. 3. Innovative, autonomous public school. “Innovative, autonomous public school” has the same meaning as in Title 20-A M.R.S. section 6213.
3. 4. Innovative public school district. “Innovative public school district” has the same meaning as in Title 20-A M.R.S. section 6213.
4. 5. Innovative public school zone. “Innovative public school zone” has the same meaning as in Title 20-A M.R.S. section 6213.

SECTION 3. APPLICATIONS

1. Eligible entities

The following entities are eligible to apply for funding under this rule:

1. A. School administrative units;
2. B. Municipalities;
3. C. Counties; and
4. D. Groups of two or more of the entities listed above.

2. Department announcement of competitions

1. Competition for grant awards will be announced by the Department, at a time to be determined by the Department, based on the availability of funding. The Department shall provide notice of a competition for grants from the Fund at least 90 days before the due date for grant applications.

3. Application form

1. Applications for grants must be filed in accordance with this rule and any instructions provided by the Department in the notice of a competition.

SECTION 4. REQUIREMENTS, CRITERIA, PRIORITIES

1. Requirements

A grant application must:

1. A. Be filed by an eligible entity;
   1. B. Be filed in accordance with Title 20-A M.R.S. chapter 114-A, this rule and any guidance provided by the Department in calling for applications;
   2. C. Include a project plan that meets the standards for use of the Fund, set forth in Title 20-A M.R.S. section 2651, subsection 2; and
   3. D. Include a project budget and budget narrative that meet the standards for use of the Fund, set forth in Title 20-A M.R.S. section 2651, subsection 2.

2. Programmatic criteria for evaluating grant applications

1. An application that meets the requirements of subsection 1 must be evaluated on the basis of the following programmatic criteria:
   1. A. Based on project design and applicant capacity, whether the project is likely to be successfully implemented;
   2. B. Based on project design and applicant capacity, whether the project is likely to meet its stated objectives;
   3. C. Whether the project is likely to result in efficiencies without harming student achievement;
2. D. Whether the project is likely to result in increased student achievement;
   1. E. The degree to which the project presents an innovative approach to improving educational practice.

3. Budget criteria for evaluating grant applications

1. An application that meets the requirements of subsection 1 must be evaluated on the basis of the following budgetary criteria:

1. The degree to which the project budget and budget narrative together are reasonable (i.e. realistic);
2. The degree to which the project budget and budget narrative together support the accomplishment of the goals of the project;
3. The degree to which the project budget and budget narrative together provide support for the continuation of the project plan in a sustainable way without additional grants from the Fund or other sources through projected savings and/or reallocation of resources.

4. Priority areas

1. In their project plans, applicants are encouraged to address any or all of the priorities listed in Title 20-A M.R.S. section 2651, subsection 3.

SECTION 5. REVIEW AND EVALUATION

1. Review team

1. The Commissioner will appoint a review team of at least three qualified individuals to review and evaluate grant applications. The review team will use a consensus approach to evaluate and score grant applications. Members of the review team will not score applications individually, instead, they will arrive at a consensus as to assignment of points for each section.

2. Scoring of proposals

1. The scoring of the applicant’s capacity in Section 4, subsection 2, paragraphs A and B, will make up 20% of the total score.
2. The scoring of the programmatic criteria in Section 4, subsection 2, will make up 50% of the total score.
3. The scoring of the budget and budget criteria in Section 4, subsection 3, will make up 25% of the total score.
4. The scoring of the priority areas referred to in Section 4, subsection 4, will make up 5% of the total score.

SECTION 6. GRANT AWARDS

1. Order of awarding grants

1. Grant awards will be made to applicants in the order in which they are scored, with the highest scoring applications funded first, as funding allows. The maximum grant award in any competition will be identified in the Department’s competition announcement.

2. Eligibility for subsequent grants

1. An applicant or partner who receives a grant award from the fund in a given fiscal year is not eligible to apply for another grant award from the fund until one fiscal year after the end of the program, function or service funded by the initial grant, and any subsequent application from that applicant or partner must be for a new program, service, or function that was not funded by the previous award from the fund.

3. Replication of grants

1. The replication of a project of similar scope of service previously funded by an award from the fund is permissible by a new applicant and partners.

4. Form of agreement for grant

1. Awards will be made by means of a standardized State agreement subject to approval by the State Procurement Review Committee. Awards are subject to appeal in accordance with the Division of Procurement Services rule, Chapter 120.

STATUTORY AUTHORITY: 20-A M.R.S. §2651(5)

EFFECTIVE DATE:

April 25, 2012 – filing 2012-80 (final adoption, major substantive)

May 12, 2019 – filing 2019-064 (final adoption, major substantive)