R277-924-4. Procedure and Criteria for Awarding a Grant

  (1) The Superintendent shall award grants to eligible partnerships based on the amount of funding available for the grant program.

  (2) The Superintendent shall award the grant described in Subsection (1) to an eligible partnership based on the following criteria:

  (a) the percentage of students who live in families with an income at or below 185% of the federal poverty level enrolled in schools within the eligible school feeder pattern;

  (b) the comprehensive needs assessment of the eligible partnership, including the shared goals, outcomes and measurement practices based on the unique community needs and interests;

  (c) the proposed program services to be implemented based on the comprehensive needs assessment described in Subsection (2)(b), including how the eligible partnership's plan aligns with:

  (i) the five- and ten-year plan to address intergenerational poverty described in Section 35A-9-303; and

  (ii) if the eligible partnership has a low performing school within the eligible partnership's school feeder pattern, the school turnaround plans of the low performing schools;

  (d) how the eligible partnership will:

  (i) improve educational outcomes for low income students through the formation of cross-sector partnerships; and

  (ii) improve efforts focused on student success;

  (e) the outcome-based measures selected by the eligible partnership, including the eligible partnership's plan to:

  (i) objectively assess the success of the eligible partnership's program design plan; and

  (ii) make changes to the eligible partnership's plan based on the assessment described in Subsection (2)(e)(i);

  (f) the strength of the eligible partnership's commitment to:

  (i) the establishment and maintenance of data systems that inform program decisions;

  (ii) sharing of information and collaboration with third party evaluators; and

  (iii) meeting annual reporting requirements;

  (g) the eligible partnership's budget, including:

  (i) identifying the estimated cost per student for the program;

  (ii) an explanation for each proposed expenditure and how each expenditure aligns with the eligible partnership's proposed program; and

  (iii) providing matching funds as required in Section 53F-5-403.

  (3) Additional points will be awarded to an eligible partnership that:

  (a) includes a low performing school as defined in Section 53E-5-301; or

  (b) includes community and parent engagement as a part of the eligible partnership's plan.

  (4) The Superintendent shall administer and oversee the evaluation of the program as provided in Section 53F-5-405.