PURPOSE: This rule establishes procedures for implementing section II of the Outstanding Schools Act, pertaining to grants to schools for the acquisition of equipment to promote the use of technol- WY. (1) Each year, the State Board of Education determines the proportion of the appropriation for the program which will be allocated for the purposes authorized and the manner in which theamountforeach purposetill bedistributed among eligible school districts. (2) Annually, the department announces allocations of funds for the authorized purposes and solicits applications from eligible school districts which shall be due as of a date and in a form established by the department, (3) The State Board of Education may authorize two (2) types of grants-technology acquisition grants and competitive grants. Eligible applicants may apply for funds in amounts up to but not exceeding their allocations as established by the State Board of Education; or, in the case of competitive grants, up to amounts available for the purposes of the competitive grants. (4) Applications for technology acquisition grants, to be approvable, must dembnstrate that the applicant has-

1. (A) Involved its governing board, its administration and appropriate staffmembersin the development of a plan for acquiring capacity to utilize technology for instruction, including goals and resource commitments;
2. (B) Developed sufficient competency in technology-supported instruction to ensure that the equipment functions properly and the capacity to train staffmembers in the effective utilization of technology for instruction;
3. (C) Developed concrete plans for utlhzing technology to enhance traditionally delivered instruction and plans to evaluate the effectiveness of technology-delivered instruction; and
4. (D) Demonstrated commitment to the project by providing matching funds from other state, local or federal sources equal to fifty percent (50%) of its requested budget.

5. (5) Applications for competitive grants, to be approvable, must demonstrate that the applicant meets program criteria announced at the time applications are solicited.

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   Sccratary Of state 5 CSR 50-380

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6. (6) Recipients of grants may obligate grant (11) By July 15 following each grant period, funds only during the period which begins on grant recipients shall file a final expenditure the date the department approves an applicareport and an evaluation report in the form tion and ends on the following June 30. required by the department reporting the Obligations are considered to have been results of financial and program activities incurred as follows: for equipment and supconducted during the preceding grant period. plies, when the recipient makes a binding Auth: section 170.254, RSMo (Cum. commitment to acquire theequipmentand sup- Supp. 19931.’ Original rule filed Dec. 21, plies, usually by issuing a purchase order; and, 1993, effective July 10,1994. for personal services, when the services are performed. All obligations for the purchase of *Original authority 1993. equipment must be incurred by March 31 of the grant period and liquidated by June 30. Any funds not properly obligated for approvable project costs are refundable to the department.
7. (7) The following costs are allowable under technology acquisition grants: television reception equipment and installation; signal enhancing equipment and installation; television receivers or monitors and video recording and playback equipment for classroom use; speaker telephones; data terminals; microcomputers; training expenses for technology coordinators and other staff members; subscription fees for public television; course fees for specific coursesj equipment maintenance; data transmission hnes; networking hardware and software; technology related to science and mathematics laboratory equipment; CD- ROM and laser disk equipment and other equipment to promote the use of computers and telecommunications technology.
8. (8) Allowable costs for competitive grants will be determined on the basis of the reasonable and necessary costs of implementing approved project activities.
9. (9) Each school districtreceiving a grant must provide the department, as part ofits statutory independent audit or other independent audit, a report of the results of the audit performed in accordance with the department’s general policy on audits.

10. (10) If the department, based on its own findings or those of an independent auditor, determines that an applicant has misspent, misapplied or otherwise used funds under this program in violation of any applicable rule or statutory provision, the applicant will be required to refund to the department the amount determined to have been improperly expended. If the applicant does not refund the money within a reasonable time after requested to do so, the department will withhold payments due the applicant under this program and may adjust payments due the applicant under other programs administered by the department.

    COOE OF STATE REGULATIONS