1. (1) Eligible applicant means:

   1. (i) a degree granting postsecondary institution or a consortium of such institutions, in cooperation with school districts and not-for-profit community-based organizations; or
   2. (ii) in an area of the State in which there is no degree-granting postsecondary institution that will provide appropriate services to eligible students, a not-for-profit community-based organization in cooperation with a local school district.
2. (2) Eligible student means a student enrolled in a New York State public or nonpublic intermediate school, middle school, junior high school or high school who has been identified as having a high risk of dropping out of school as measured by academic performance, attendance, discipline problems, and other factors affecting school performance, including but not limited to teenage pregnancy or parenting, residence in a homeless shelter or temporary living arrangement, substance abuse, child abuse or neglect, or limited English proficiency.
3. (3) Base year means the school year immediately preceding the current year as defined pursuant to section 3602(1) of the Education Law.

4. (4) Enrollment means the number of children on a regular enrollment register of a public school district as reported to the commissioner as the enrollment on the date prior to November 1st that is specified by the commissioner as the enrollment reporting date for the school district, plus the number of children receiving home instruction in the school district on such date, excluding children for whom equivalent attendance must be computed pursuant to section 3602(1) of the Education Law.

   (b) Applications.

5. (1) Eligible applicants seeking a grant shall submit, by dates prescribed by the commissioner, a comprehensive plan describing the supportive services and counseling activities to be provided to eligible students using the grant funds. Such plans shall be in a form prescribed by the commissioner and shall include, but shall not be limited to:

   1. (i) strategies for identifying students who are at risk of dropping out of secondary school;
   2. (ii) a program for encouraging the use of volunteers, parental involvement and the involvement of current or former liberty scholarship recipients;
   3. (iii) a program to provide continuity of services throughout a student's progression through secondary school;
   4. (iv) a proposed budget;

   5. (v) the following services and activities;

      1. (a) skills assessment;
      2. (b) tutoring;
      3. (c) academic, personal, and family counseling and home visits;
      4. (d) staff development for personnel with direct responsibility for eligible students; and
      5. (e) a student mentoring program;
   6. (vi) a description of how the eligible applicant proposes to develop cooperative relationships with school districts and not-for-profit community-based organizations; and

   7. (vii) a program evaluation plan.

      (c) Criteria for the award of grants.

      Liberty partnerships grants may be awarded to eligible applicants for programs that provide services and activities eligible for funding pursuant to section 612(2) of the Education Law to eligible students. In awarding such grants, the commissioner shall give priority to, but shall not be limited to, applications which meet the criteria set forth in section 612(1)(b) of the Education Law and applications from eligible applicants with experience and a record of success in operating similar programs directed at the target population.

      (d) Reports.

      Each grant recipient shall submit an interim report and an annual report in a form and by dates to be prescribed by the commissioner, and such additional reports as the commissioner may require. The content of the interim and annual reports shall include:

6. (1) a demonstration of compliance with the approved plan;
7. (2) a showing of how the objectives of the program are being met;
8. (3) the services and activities provided to eligible students by the program;
9. (4) the background and progress of the participating students;
10. (5) performance of the program in meeting the evaluation standards;
11. (6) an accounting of the expenditure of grant funds; and
12. (7) such additional information on the program as the commissioner may require.

(a) Definitions.

For purposes of section 612(4) of the Education Law and of this section: