PURPOSE: This rule defines activities which will be considered as permissible through the Sponsorship and Mentoring Program, and categories of students eligible for program participation.

1. (1) Activities shall be designed to broaden and strengthen opportunities which shall include, but not be limited to the goals of the Sponsorship and Mentoring Program for all participating students:

   1. (A) Positive development and participation in community life for youth;
   2. (B) To discourage such persons from engaging in behavior detrimental to social, educational, and career advancement; and
   3. (C) To complete secondary school with a focus toward entering and completing postsecondary education, and successful entry into meaningful employment.

2. (2) Mentoring activities provided shall offer participating youth the opportunity for a oneon-one relationship with an adult or an older, responsible youth who will be a positive example from which the youth can learn. Three (3) general categories of mentoring activities will be eligible through this initiative: school-based mentoring; communitybased mentoring; and work-based mentoring.

   1. (A) The school-based mentor shall be a professional educator employed at a school who is designated as the mentor for a particular student and who works in consultation with other educators and possibly employers for older students to provide support and monitor the progress of the student in school. The school-based mentor shall assume responsibilities which include, but not be limited to:

      1. 1. Being available to assist the student;
      2. 2. Providing support to the student in

decision making;

1. 3. Assisting the student in planning

career and evaluation goals;

1. 4. Encouraging the student in a variety

of academic, personal, and social issues;

1. 5. Assisting the student in career aware-

ness and career exploration; and

1. 6. Seeking parental/legal guardian sup-

port.

1. (B) The community-based mentor shall be an adult or mature individual within the community who assumes a mentor or a rolemodel relationship for a particular child or youth; who works with educators, community-based agencies, and employers of older students to provide guidance and support; and who monitors the progress of the child and youth in the home, at school, and at the work site of older students if needed. The community-based mentor assumes a number of responsibilities which include, but not be limited to:

   1. 1. Being available to assist the student;
   2. 2. Providing support to the student in

decision making;

1. 3. Assisting the student in planning

career and evaluation goals;

1. 4. Encouraging the student in a variety

of academic, personal, and social issues;

1. 5. Assisting the student in career aware-

ness and career exploration; and

1. 6. Seeking parental/legal guardian sup-

port.

1. (C) The work-based mentor shall be an employee of a participating business or other individual, who is approved by a participating employer; who possesses the skills and knowledge to be mastered by a student; who instructs, critiques the performance, challenges the student to perform well; and who works in consultation with educators and employers of the student. The work-based mentor assumes a number of responsibilities which include, but not be limited to:

   1. 1. Introducing the student in the busi-

ness and establishing expectations;

1. 2. Providing instructions for the student;
2. 3. Evaluating the performance of the

student using a corrective learning approach; and

1. 4. Counseling the student on matters

related to work-site activities as well as encouraging good performance at school.

1. (3) Eligible participation in Sponsorship and Mentoring Program activities shall be limited to students deemed to be at-risk of dropping out of school, unless otherwise approved by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE).

   1. (A) A student deemed to be at-risk of dropping out of school shall be any student who is still school age, but whose continued education is in jeopardy because they are experiencing academic deficits, or have characteristics identified as indicative of at-risk students.

      1. 1. Students will be considered as experi-

encing academic deficits if they—

1. A. Are one (1) or more years behind

their age or grade level in mathematics or reading skills through eighth grade, or three (3) or more credits behind in the number of credits toward graduation from the ninth grade through twelfth grade;

1. B. Have low scores on tests of acade-

mic achievement and scholastic aptitude;

1. C. Have low grades and academic

deficiencies;

1. D. Have a history of failure and being

held back in school;

1. E. Have language problems or be

from non-English speaking home; or

1. F. Are without access to appropriate

educational programs.

1. 2. Students will be considered as having

characteristics identified as indicative of atrisk students if they have—

1. A. A parent or sibling who dropped

out of school;

1. B. Experienced numerous family relo-

cations;

1. C. Poor social adjustment, or deviant

social behavior;

1. D. Employment of more than twenty

1. (20) hours per week while school is in session;

   1. E. Been the victim of racial or ethnic

prejudice;

1. F. Low self-esteem and expectations

of teachers, parents, and the community;

1. G. A poorly educated mother and/or

father;

1. H. Children of their own;
2. I. A deprived environment which

slows economic and social development;

1. J. A fatherless home; or
2. K. Been a victim of personal or fami-

ly abuse, which includes substance abuse, emotional abuse, and sexual abuse.

1. (B) Any school district with an approved project may petition DESE to deem additional students as eligible for participation in the Sponsorship and Mentoring Program.

   1. 1. The principal of any school in a dis-

trict which has an approved project may recommend, to the local school board, those students who do not meet the criteria of at-risk, as defined in this rule, and the school board may submit the names of such students and the circumstances which justify the student’s participation to DESE for approval of the student’s participation.

1. 2. If the petition for participation of any

student is approved by DESE, said students shall be deemed eligible for participation in the Sponsorship and Mentoring Program.

AUTHORITY: section 135.348, RSMo Supp. 1998.* This rule previously filed as 5 CSR 60-95.010. Original rule filed March 22, 1999, effective Sept. 30, 1999. Moved to 5 CSR 20-200.120, effective Aug. 16, 2011. *Original authority: 135.348, RSMo 1998.