Eligibility
All eligibility criteria for Construction Grant Entitlements
and Debt Service Grants are defined in the State Board of Education
Rules for the Administration of the School Construction Program.
All criteria for determining allowable project costs and for
requirements for construction grant eligibity are defined in
the Capital Development Board Rules for Standards
for Award of Grants: School Construction Program.
Applications for Construction Grant Awards must be submitted
to the State Board of Education prior to April 1 of each year.
An entitlement issued by the State Board
of Education qualifies the local school district for a Construction
Grant from the Capital Development Board but does
not guarantee receipt of such a grant. Receipt of
a grant is dependent on available state funding each fiscal
year, the priority ranking of the district's project, the
documentation of the availability of the required local district
funding, and the district's compliance with all other requirements
of the School Construction Law.
Priority Categories
The priorities for awarding the grants, in order of importance,
are projects that:
A. Replace or reconstruct school buildings destroyed or damaged
by man-made or natural disasters.
B. Alleviate the overcrowding caused by population growth
or replace aged buildings.
C. Support school district reorganization, i.e. consolidation
or annexation.
D. Replace or reconstruct facilities considered to be serve
or continuing health/life-safety hazards.
E. Alter facilities to provide accessibility for qualified
individuals with disabilities.
F. Provide over unique solutions to facility needs.
Administration
The Illinois State Board of Education and the Capital Development
Board are jointly responsible for administering the School
Construction Program.
Responsibilities of the Illinois State Board of Education:
Approve district facilities plans of applicants.
Accept all program applications for Construction Grant Entitlements.
Annually calculate grant indexes for school districts, based
on a district's level of local wealth.
Develop eligibility standards for Construction Grants.
Develop standards for determining the priority needs of school
construction projects based upon approved district facilities
plans and a list of specific priorities.
Award Construction Grant Entitlements.
Responsibilities of the Capital Development Board:
Develop construction project standards that include definitions
of recognized costs, including space and capacity standards,
that would be eligible for state reimbursement and of enrichment
costs that would not be eligible for reimbursement.
Award Construction Grants.
Prepare payment scheduless for approved construction projects
and make grant payments.
Exercise general fiduciary supervision over school construction
projects receiving grants.
<<Back
|
