Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

This page contains the text of a regulation adopted by the Missouri State Board of Education.  An official copy of the full text of this regulation is contained in the Code of State Regulations, published by the Office of Secretary of State.

Title 5-DEPARTMENT OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION
Division 60-Division of Vocational and Adult Education
Chapter 95-Sponsorship and Mentoring Program

5 CSR 60-95.030 Standards for Submission and Review of Proposals

PURPOSE: This rule identifies the content of acceptable proposals, and the review and approval process of proposals deemed acceptable by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE).

(1) The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) shall review all acceptable proposals from school districts, submitted in accordance with this rule, and shall approve or disapprove proposed projects for the Sponsorship and Mentoring Program.

(A) School districts may qualify for the Sponsorship and Mentoring Program provided these conditions are met:

1.  The project addresses a specific identified need for mentoring which will serve for the betterment of eligible students;

2.  The activities and services associated with the project are open to any eligible student of the administering school district that wishes to participate; and

3.  Costs outlined in the Sponsorship and Mentoring Program project budget do not reflect those costs associated with the normal or regular curriculum or operations of the school.

(B)  Submission of a proposal shall be defined as the act of putting forward a proposed project by a school district for carrying out a specific project consistent with mentoring activities as defined by the Sponsorship and Mentoring Program.

(C) All proposals shall be made on the forms supplied by DESE, which reserves the right to request any additional information it determines necessary to adequately evaluate a proposal or plan.

(2) Sponsorship and Mentoring Program projects shall be approved for a period not to exceed twelve (12) months.

(3) DESE shall determine an annual application deadline and application materials shall be distributed upon request no less than thirty (30) days prior to the actual application deadline.

(4) Facsimile copies of Sponsorship and Mentoring Program applications shall not be accepted.

(5) All proposals are to be submitted to the Sponsorship and Mentoring Program Office within DESE in Jefferson City.

(6) DESE shall issue an acknowledgment of receipt of the submitted proposal to the applying school district within fifteen (15) working days of the date received by the Sponsorship and Mentoring Program Office.

(7) The maximum of amount of tax credits allowed per project is two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000).

(8) DESE shall evaluate acceptable proposals for the Sponsorship and Mentoring Program, and determine proposal approval or disapproval based upon the project's design to meet the goals for participating students, and other factors including but not limited to:

(A) The degree to which the proposed project provides the youth of the community with mentoring that would not otherwise be possible;

(B) The degree to which the proposed project provides youth the opportunity to learn skills that could provide a better future for themselves and their families;

(C) The extent to which the applicant possesses sufficient capacity to administer the project and achieve the desired results;

(D) The extent to which the applicant possesses sufficient capacity to utilize the tax credits through fund-raising; and

(E) The degree to which the proposed project addresses specific priorities set by the DESE and the Sponsorship and Mentoring Program.

(9) Proposals submitted by school districts subsequent to the first year will be evaluated on performance of the first year project, other resources developed, continued need and potential for eventual self-sufficiency.

(10) Upon notice of approval of the proposed project, DESE will send an official agreement that is to be completed by the administering agency.

(A) No Sponsorship and Mentoring Program tax credits are officially allocated to projects until the Sponsorship and Mentoring Program Agreement has been signed and notarized by the administering agency and DESE.

(B) The Sponsorship and Mentoring Program Agreement shall discuss the official terms under which the project is to be approved, administered, evaluated, and completed. The Sponsorship and Mentoring Program Agreement shall refer to this document for explicit definitions and explanations.

(11) Proposals that have not been approved by the department shall be notified by telephone and in writing. At that time their official status will be "disqualified."

(12) When an application has been approved as a Sponsorship and Mentoring Program project, the following terminology will be used in reference to the status of the project:

(A) "Pending" – The proposal has been selected for approval, but the contract (Sponsorship and Mentoring Program Agreement) has not been completed;

(B) "Open project" – Projects that are in their fund-raising period;

(C) "Active project" – Projects that are no longer in their fund-raising period, but have not completed their performance targets and/or have not expended their Sponsorship and Mentoring Program budget;

(D) "Administratively closed" – Projects that have completed their performance targets and expended their Sponsorship and Mentoring Program budget, but have not completed and reported the final audit and/or final project evaluation; and

(E) "Closed" – Projects that have reported their final audit and final project evaluation, and which DESE have deemed "complete."

(13) Applicants who have a complaint concerning the status of their proposal may file their complaint with the director of the Sponsorship and Mentoring Program.

AUTHORITY: section 135.348, RSMo Supp. 1998.* Original rule filed March 22, 1999, effective Sept. 30, 1999.

*Original authority: 135.348, RSMo 1998

For more information regarding this rule,

please contact the Division of Career Education at (573) 751-2660.