CHAPTER 27
WORKFORCE TRAINING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FUNDS
281—27.1(260C) Definitions.
“Community college” or “college” means a community college established under Iowa Code chapter 260C.
“Department” means the Iowa department of education.
“Fund” or “funds” means the workforce training and economic development funds created by Iowa Code section 260C.18A and allocated to each community college.
“Project” means a training or educational activity funded under this chapter.
“State board” or “board” means the Iowa state board of education.
“Targeted areas” means the areas of advanced manufacturing; information technology and insurance; alternative and renewable energy, including the alternative and renewable energy sectors listed in Iowa Code section 476.42(1)“a”; and life sciences, which include the areas of biotechnology, health care technology, and nursing care technology.
[ARC 7654C, IAB 3/6/24, effective 4/10/24]
281—27.2(260C) Funds allocation. A fund is created and the department will allocate moneys as specified in Iowa Code section 260C.18A(2).
[ARC 7654C, IAB 3/6/24, effective 4/10/24]
281—27.3(260C) Community college workforce and economic development fund plans and progress reports. Each community college, to receive its allocation for the forthcoming fiscal year, is to prepare and submit to the department for state board consideration the following items for the fiscal year.
	27.3(1) Workforce training and economic development fund plan. Each college will adopt a workforce training and economic development fund plan for the upcoming year that outlines the community college’s proposed use of moneys appropriated to its fund. Plans are to be based on fiscal years and submitted to the department, in a manner prescribed by the department, by September 30 for the current fiscal year allocation. Plans are to describe how the college proposes to allocate funds to support individual allowable uses pursuant to rule 281—27.4(260C) and the planned amount to be used to support targeted areas.
	27.3(2) Progress reports. Each college that receives an allocation of moneys pursuant to rule 281—27.2(260C) will prepare an annual progress report detailing the plan’s implementation. The report is to be submitted to the department by September 30 of each year in a manner and form as prescribed by the department. The report will provide information regarding projects supported by the college’s fund, including the number of participants enrolled in each program, the number of participants who complete each program, the dollars spent on each allowable use pursuant to rule 281—27.4(260C), the dollars spent in targeted areas, and other data necessary to report on state program performance metrics.
[ARC 7654C, IAB 3/6/24, effective 4/10/24]
281—27.4(260C) Use of funds. Moneys deposited into each community college fund are to be expended as specified in Iowa Code section 260C.18A. Any individual project using over $1 million of moneys from a workforce training and economic development fund requires prior approval from the state board.
[ARC 7654C, IAB 3/6/24, effective 4/10/24]
281—27.5(260C) Annual plan and progress report approval.
	27.5(1) The state board will review and consider approval of reports and plans submitted pursuant to rule 281—27.3(260C).
	27.5(2) The state board may reject a plan or progress report for any of the following reasons, including:
	a. 	Incomplete information or data;
	b. 	Failure to comply with rule 281—27.4(260C);
	c. 	Project not operated in compliance with state or federal law.
	27.5(3) If the state board does not accept a college’s annual progress report, the college is subject to the following actions as prescribed by the board based upon the severity of the noncompliance or default, including:
	a. 	The withholding of a portion of new fiscal year moneys based upon amounts awarded deemed to be ineligible;
	b. 	Tighter oversight and control of the college’s fund by the department;
	c. 	Loss of funds for one year;
	d. 	Other action deemed appropriate by the board.
[ARC 7654C, IAB 3/6/24, effective 4/10/24]
These rules are intended to implement Iowa Code section 260C.18A.
[Filed ARC 1662C (Notice ARC 1529C, IAB 7/9/14), IAB 10/15/14, effective 11/19/14]
[Filed ARC 7654C (Notice ARC 7159C, IAB 12/13/23), IAB 3/6/24, effective 4/10/24]