The following criteria apply to all types of dropout prevention grants approved by the Committee:
(1) Grants shall be issued in varying amounts up to a maximum of one hundred seventy-five thousand dollars ($175,000).
(2) These grants shall be provided to innovative programs and initiatives that target students at risk of dropping out of school and that demonstrate the potential to (i) be developed into effective, sustainable, and coordinated dropout prevention and reentry programs in middle schools and high schools and (ii) serve as effective models for other programs.
(3) Grants shall be distributed geographically throughout the State and throughout the eight educational districts as defined in G.S. 115C-65. No more than three grants shall be awarded in any one county under this section in a single fiscal year.
(4) Grants may be made to local school administrative units, schools, local agencies, or nonprofit organizations. Applications from nonprofits shall be subject to the additional fiscal accountability controls described in G.S. 115C-64.8.
(5) Grants shall be to programs and initiatives that hold all students to high academic and personal standards.
(6) Grant applications shall state (i) how grant funds will be used, (ii) what, if any, other resources will be used in conjunction with the grant funds, (iii) how the program or initiative will be coordinated to enhance the effectiveness of existing programs, initiatives, or services in the community, and (iv) a process for evaluating the success of the program or initiative.
(7) Programs and initiatives that receive grants under this section shall be based on best practices for helping at-risk students achieve successful academic progress, preventing students from dropping out of school, or for increasing the high school completion rate for those students who already have dropped out of school.
(8) Priority for grants shall be given to proposals that (i) demonstrate input from the local community and coordination with other available programs or resources and (ii) provide clear plans for sustaining the program in future years when State funding will no longer be provided.
(9) Grantees shall assure their compliance with applicable laws and rules regulating conflicts of interest.
(10) Priority for grants shall be given to programs that would serve students in local schools that have a four-year cohort graduation rate of less than sixty-five percent (65%). The Committee shall establish a grant rating cutoff score at such a level as to allow for consideration of all viable grants in this priority category. The Committee may require grantees to provide supplemental information in response to any prior reviewer comments.
(11) Priority for grants shall be given to proposals demonstrating the potential for success.
(12) The demonstrated need for a grant, level of collaboration, ability to increase attendance, persistence, academic success, ability to increase parental involvement, and graduation shall be given more weight than the quality of the written grant.
(13) Grants shall be made no later than November 1, 2009.
The Committee shall report to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee on the grants awarded under this section by March 1, 2010. (2009-451, s. 7.13(b); 2010-31, s. 7.19(c); 2011-266, s. 3.1; 2012-142, s. 7.13(e).)
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Last modified: March 23, 2014