ARC 2107C
VOLUNTEER SERVICE, IOWA COMMISSION ON[817]
Notice of Intended Action
Twenty-five interested persons, a governmental subdivision, an agency or association of 25 or more persons may demand an oral presentation hereon as provided in Iowa Code section 17A.4(1)“b.”
Notice is also given to the public that the Administrative Rules Review Committee may, on its own motion or on written request by any individual or group, review this proposed action under section 17A.8(6) at a regular or special meeting where the public or interested persons may be heard.
Pursuant to the authority of 2015 Iowa Acts, House File 488, section 2, and Iowa Code section 17A.3, the Iowa Commission on Volunteer Service hereby gives Notice of Intended Action to adopt new Chapter 11, “Iowa Reading Corps,” Iowa Administrative Code.
The overall goal of the Iowa Reading Corps program is to ensure Iowa Reading Corps members are using evidence-based literacy instruction. Iowa Reading Corps is designed to benefit students from prekindergarten to third grade who are not proficient in reading or who are at risk of becoming not proficient in reading. The Iowa Reading Corps program will provide Iowa Reading Corps AmeriCorps members with the tools needed for literacy instruction to meet goals set by the Commission and Department of Education.
Public comments concerning the proposed rules will be accepted until 4:30 p.m.	on September 8, 2015. Interested persons may submit written comments by contacting Kristin Honz, Iowa Commission on Volunteer Service, 200 East Grand Avenue, Des Moines, Iowa 50309; telephone (515)725-3097; or e-mail Kristin.Honz@iowa.gov.
The Commission will hold a public hearing on September 8, 2015, from 9 to 10 a.m.	to receive comments on these rules. The public hearing will be held in the Main Conference Room, Iowa Economic Development Authority, 200 East Grand Avenue, Des Moines, Iowa.
These rules are not subject to waiver.
The Commission does not expect any fiscal impact.
After analysis and review of this rule making, the Commission anticipates that approximately 60 positions will be created pursuant to these rules.
These rules are intended to implement 2015 Iowa Acts, House File 488, section 2.
The following amendment is proposed.
	Adopt the following new 817—Chapter 11:
CHAPTER 11
IOWA READING CORPS
817—11.1(15H) Purpose and program description. The purpose of the Iowa reading corps program is to provide Iowa reading corps AmeriCorps members with a data-based, problem-solving model of literacy instruction to use in tutoring students from prekindergarten to third grade who are not proficient in reading or who are at risk of becoming not proficient in reading. The program shall use models of early literacy instruction reviewed and approved by the Iowa department of education pursuant to Iowa Code section 256.9(53)“c.” Iowa reading corps grants will give support, on a competitive basis, to AmeriCorps programs in Iowa that utilize AmeriCorps funding awarded by the commission and other funds received in the community programs account established pursuant to 2015 Iowa Acts, House File 488, section 2. The program is established under the authority of the Iowa commission on volunteer service in collaboration with the Iowa department of education pursuant to Iowa Code chapter 15H as amended by 2015 Iowa Acts, House File 488.
This rule is intended to implement 2015 Iowa Acts, House File 488, section 2.
817—11.2(15H) Applications. Appropriate forms and applications for grants and eligibility preapproval are available from the commission at www.volunteeriowa.org.
This rule is intended to implement 2015 Iowa Acts, House File 488, section 2.
817—11.3(15H) Program eligibility criteria. The commission and department of education will establish criteria consistent with federal regulations to ensure the alignment of the program with the goals outlined in Iowa Code section 256.9(53)“c” and 281—Chapter 62. Any program determined eligible for inclusion as an Iowa reading corps program must ensure that it meets standards outlined by the department of education in 281—Chapter 62, with the exception of existing early literacy-focused and single school district AmeriCorps programs operating in the 2014-2015 school year. These existing programs, upon request to the commission, will be granted conditional eligibility for inclusion for the 2015-2016 school year to provide adequate time for the programs to be evaluated and to make adjustments deemed necessary for the alignment of the program with the goals outlined in 2015 Iowa Acts, House File 488, section 2. Once a program is granted conditional eligibility, the program will be considered preapproved and eligible for the 2016-2017 application. In subsequent years, all applicants must be preapproved by the department of education as eligible to compete for Iowa reading corps grants.
This rule is intended to implement 2015 Iowa Acts, House File 488, section 2.
817—11.4(15H) Grant criteria. Beginning with the 2016-2017 program year applications, the commission will establish criteria and funding priorities consistent with federal regulations and the goals of the department of education and the commission. Preapproval of applicant eligibility shall be sought as outlined in 817—11.3(15H). Applicants will be considered either in conjunction with the regular AmeriCorps grant process or, in certain cases, through special competitions outlined and announced by the commission. At a minimum, the criteria will include the following:
	1.	Goals and objectives of the project;
	2.	Qualifications of the applicant to manage funds;
	3.	For new and returning applicants, letters of local support verifying coordination and community cooperation;
	4.	Total project budget;
	5.	For previous grantees, evidence of ability to submit timely and accurate reports;
	6.	Description and time line of planned activities;
	7.	Description of the applicant organization, including staffing pattern;
	8.	Documentation of the applicant’s ability to provide the required local match;
	9.	Program performance and evaluation results and outcomes; and
	10.	Demonstration of the project’s alignment with literacy program goals and strategies developed by the department of education, the local school districts served, and the Iowa reading research center.
This rule is intended to implement 2015 Iowa Acts, House File 488, section 2.
817—11.5(15H) Designated funds. A percentage of grant funding may be designated by the commission to address specific underserved or high-need geographic areas or schools. In advance of the competition, the commission may also set a minimum amount available for reading corps grants financed with state, federal and private funds, as well as any minimum or maximum funding amounts for individual applicants based on program need and the service territory of the communities described, and past performance of use of funds, if applicable. The commission may also give priority to programs that serve underserved or high-need areas or schools.
This rule is intended to implement 2015 Iowa Acts, House File 488, section 2.
817—11.6(15H) Application process for new grants.
	11.6(1) Request for application. The commission shall issue a request for applications, which shall include program criteria and application forms for the applicable fiscal year.
	11.6(2) Application time frame. The applicant shall submit the completed application to the commission according to the time line identified in the request for application.
	11.6(3) Application review process. Applications will be reviewed by a grant review committee, which is composed of members of the commission grant review committee, individuals with expertise in youth programming, and citizens of Iowa. Using the criteria in rule 817—11.4(15H), the committee will review the applications based on the appropriateness and merit of the projects.
	11.6(4) Notification. Applicants whose projects have been selected for funding shall be notified by the commission.
This rule is intended to implement 2015 Iowa Acts, House File 488, section 2.
817—11.7(15H) Administration of grants.
	11.7(1) Contracts. The commission shall prepare contractual agreements for the grants.
	a. 	The contract shall be executed by the executive director of the commission and the duly authorized official of the project.
	b. 	The contract shall include due dates and the process for the submission of the progress reports and financial reports.
	11.7(2) Reporting. All grant recipients shall submit progress and financial reports to the commission.
	11.7(3) Availability of funds. A separate request for applications will be issued only when there are available funds for this program. To the extent allowable by federal regulations, Iowa reading corps will always be an acceptable program model for annual AmeriCorps grants and will be listed in the annual AmeriCorps program request for applications.
This rule is intended to implement 2015 Iowa Acts, House File 488, section 2.
817—11.8(15H) Reversion of funds. Grant funds not expended by the project closeout date shall revert to the commission and the community programs account established pursuant to 2015 Iowa Acts, House File 488, section 2.
This rule is intended to implement 2015 Iowa Acts, House File 488, section 2.