SECTION 210:40-52-5. Equipment and materials grants and vertical teaming grants

(a)   At such point in the legislative session that state funds are appropriated for this competitive grant program to be awarded by the State Board of Education, and administered by the State Department of Education, a notification letter will be sent to each district superintendent announcing the availability of application forms.

(1)   The notification will clearly state those grant programs for which applications are being solicited and state the name and telephone number of the contact person at the Department who administers the program.

(2)   The original grant application and three (3) copies will be submitted to the grant administrator. A specific deadline date will be clearly stated in the application solicitation letter. This date may vary from year to year depending on the point in the legislative session that grant funds are appropriated.

(3)   The signature of the Chief Executive Officer of the local educational agency must appear on the application.

(4)   The Oklahoma Advanced Placement Incentives Program grants are site based. A school site may apply for a one-time equipment and materials grant of up to $5000 for each Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate course. (Two sections of a course such as Advanced Placement Calculus are considered to be one course.)

(5)   Additional grants may be awarded to school sites demonstrating successful implementation of the Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate course for which the original equipment and materials grant was awarded. Successful implementation may be demonstrated by, but is not limited to:

(A)   The class having been reported on the Application for Accreditation Coded Class Schedule.

(B)   A student having completed the relevant Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate examination.

(C)   A student having scored three or better for Advanced Placement or four or better on International Baccalaureate on the relevant examination.

(D)   Evidence of activities to prepare growing numbers of students for the challenges offered by the Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate classes.

(6)   Vertical team grants for the purpose of enabling school districts to prepare growing numbers of students for the challenges offered by the Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate classes. Vertical team grants are content area and team-based. A school district may apply for a vertical team grant for a content area team from a high school and its feeder middle level school(s). The vertical team shall include at least one representative from each grade level in the content area for grades seven (7) through twelve (12).

(7)   Grants for the purpose of implementing a program that supports training for the development or continuation of Advanced Placement (AP) or Pre-AP classes at a public middle or high school.

(b)   The evaluation of the grant applications will take place following the submission deadline. Grant applications shall be read, evaluated, and scored by a committee of outside evaluators.

(1)   Each evaluation committee member shall possess expertise relative to the content area of the grant.

(2)   Selection committee members will not evaluate an application from his or her own site.

(3)   Each application for an equipment and materials grant will be scored in the following areas:

(A)   Rationale demonstrating understanding of program and need for funds

(B)   Teacher quality relevant to preparation for teaching a challenging course and willingness to participate in professional development opportunities relative to Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate curriculum

(C)   Budget meets intent of the grant

(4)   Each application for a vertical team grant will be scored in the following areas:

(A)   Abstract briefly summarizing the grant proposal.

(B)   Significance of the project answering the question, "How will the proposed vertical team address the program purpose?"

(C)   Project design describing the steps to be taken to organize the Vertical Team as well as the steps to be taken to develop and sustain the Vertical Team.

(D)   Vertical team make-up describing the staff positions to be included on the Vertical Team and describing the training of these persons.

(E)   Program quality describing the degree to which the Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate program has been implemented as defined in the grant application.

(F)   Budget consistent with intent of the grant. Allowable expenditures include but are not limited to:

(i)   Release time for vertical team members

(ii)   Vertical team resources

(G)   Expenditures which are not allowed include but are not limited to:

(i)   Facilities

(ii)   Training which is otherwise available through the Oklahoma Advanced Placement Incentives Program

(iii)   Expenditures related to Internet access

(H)   Program evaluation describing how the proposed vertical team will be evaluated in relation to the program purpose.

(c)   After evaluation, a recommendation will be made to the State Board of Education those applications determined to be eligible for funding.

(d)   As a final report, each grantee shall agree to send an Oklahoma Cost Accounting System printout for the appropriate code showing proper expenditure of funds. Data collected will be compiled and submitted as requested by the State Department of Education. Grant funds spent for purposes or items other than those approved by the State Board of Education or the grant administrator will be withheld in like amount in AP Incentive funds to that district. For the purpose of this funding opportunity, "materials" are defined as instructional items (i.e., books, manipulatives, etc.) and "equipment" is any necessary device (i.e., graphing calculators and overhead models, etc.) directly related to Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate course(s).

[Source: Added at 14 Ok Reg 249, eff 11-5-96 (emergency); Added at 14 Ok Reg 1595, eff 5-27-97; Amended at 15 Ok Reg 20, eff 8-1-97 (emergency); Amended at 15 Ok Reg 2337, eff 6-1-98; Amended at 18 Ok Reg 38, eff 10-11-00 (emergency); Amended at 18 Ok Reg 3015, eff 7-12-01; Amended at 27 Ok Reg 107, eff 10-2-09 (emergency); Amended at 27 Ok Reg 1425, eff 6-11-10]