FY09 INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMPLETING APPLICATION

Sample Application

To apply for an Incentive Funding Grant, the application must be completed by the agricultural education teacher(s). All system-wide grant assurances apply to this grant. An additional assurance specific to this grant must also be submitted by the EFE System. It must be signed and submitted with the other System assurances. All quality indicators claimed in the application must have been completed during the 2007 2008 school year (July 1, 2007 – June 30, 2008).

The application is based on the document “Illinois First through Quality Agricultural Education: Strategic Plan for Illinois Agricultural Education” which was developed by the Illinois State Board of Education, adopted by the Illinois Committee for Agricultural Education, and endorsed by the Illinois Leadership Council for Agricultural Education. The document identifies program standards for a high-quality secondary agricultural education program. The application lists quality indicators used to measure those program standards. Incentive funding will be granted to local districts based upon their successful implementation of these quality indicators.

Documentation for all quality indicators checked on the application must be on file within the district and available for programmatic review and fiscal audit. Up to ten percent (10%) of districts receiving incentive funds will be selected for on-site programmatic review and/or fiscal audit each year.

Each quality indicator has been weighted or prioritized through an x-value system. A dollar value will be assigned to the x-multiplier after all grant applications have been tabulated. (The dollar value is determined by dividing the appropriation by the total number of quality indicators claimed. The allocation is determined by multiplying the number of quality indicators claimed and verified times the x-value.) In order to qualify for funding in each of the components (A-H), the district must meet or exceed (have achieved) the MINIMUM STANDARDS. If the district has achieved the minimum standards, it qualifies for claiming the remaining quality indicators. Complete the application by checking those quality indicators which the district currently meets or exceeds and for which it can provide verification. Some of the fields have been pre-populated from the Agricultural Education Database and can only be changed by clicking on the red question mark (?) icon at the end of the indicator to trigger an email to the source of the data. Carefully review the quality indicators by referring to the instructions for clarification which are also available by clicking on the red ? icon. Upon completion of the check-off process, the application will tabulate the quality indicators claimed within each component, as well as the total for all components A-H. Teachers should click the Finalize and Submit button prior to printing a copy of the application for their file.

All applications must be finalized online by June 30, 2008. No printed copies will need to be submitted. A printed copy of the applications should be maintained in each agriculture department.

Sample Application