Iowa Admin. Code r. 877-10.3

Current through Register Vol. 47, No. 6, September 18, 2024

Rule 877-10.3 - In-school public service employment program

(1)In-school component objectives. The objectives of the in-school program are to provide disadvantaged youth between the ages of 14 and 21 years with supervised work experience, educational services and other services designed to assist them in completing their secondary education and becoming self-sufficient adults.

(2)Participating agencies. Nonprofit private and public agencies will be chosen to operate in-school programs through a request for proposal process. For fiscal year 1999, regional advisory boards have the option of selecting participating agencies from the agencies that have been participating agencies of this component from previous fiscal years or a member of the region's coordinating service provider using sole source procurement procedures. Sole source procurement will ensure the timely implementation of the program during the fall of 1998.

(3)Selection system. Each regional advisory board shall develop a regional request for proposal (RFP), including at a minimum the RFP selection criteria, participant work sites, career awareness activities to be conducted, staff roles and responsibilities, and a detailed budget. The RFP will be widely distributed throughout the region to potential participating agencies.

(4)Youth served. To be eligible to participate in the in-school program a youth shall at the time of application be at least 14 years old, but no older than 21 years; either a current recipient of AFDC or disadvantaged; and enrolled in a full-time educational program leading to the completion of a secondary degree or its equivalent.

a. "Current recipient of AFDC" means a recipient of the family investment program (FIP) and includes youth in the FIP foster care program.

b. "Disadvantaged" means those youth who fall in one or more of the following categories:

(1) Youth who are from families whose gross income is equal to or less than the federal OMB poverty level guidelines. A complete income statement signed by the head of the household shall accompany the enrollee's application for admission into the program.

(2) Youth who have been or potentially will be judged as delinquent by the appropriate law enforcement agency, by the juvenile court or by the probation department in the county in which the youth resides. A brief narrative description of the youth's circumstances and relevant data should be attached to the application along with the recommendation of an official of one of the above-mentioned agencies.

(3) Youth who are mentally retarded, which for purposes of these rules means any individuals scoring 79 or below on an individually administered psychological examination by a qualified psychologist or any individual presently enrolled in a program for the mentally retarded. An identifying statement documenting the youth's mental retardation should be attached to the application.

(4) Youth who have been determined as disadvantaged for some other cause such as family disruption, under foster care, learning disabilities, physical handicaps, potential school withdrawal, or behavioral disorders. A brief statement, which is signed by the referring agency, describes the rationale for utilizing this category, indicates the source of information on which the rationale is based and gives all other pertinent information, shall be attached to the enrollee's application.

(5)Project period. Projects will be funded for all or part of the ten-month period beginning August 15 and ending June 15 of each program year.

(6)Local contribution. Fifty percent of the total project costs shall be provided from local sources. Up to a maximum of 20 percent of the total project costs may be in the form of in-kind services.

(7)Mandatory components. Each in-school project shall be composed of the following three components: work experience; support services; project administration.

a. "Work experience" means work activities related to soil conservation, land management, energy savings, community improvement and work benefiting human service programs. Work sites are restricted to public and private nonprofit agencies. Youth shall work a maximum of 18 hours per week while school is in session and a maximum of 40 hours per week during school recesses. Youth may work no more than 540 total hours under the work experience component unless a waiver is granted by the department of workforce development. Waivers will be granted on an individual basis based on need and prior attendance.

b. "Support services " means services designed to expand a youth's understanding of employment and experience in the world of work or broaden a youth's perception of the environment. At least one hour of supportive services will be provided to each youth for every 20 hours they work. This time may be paid or nonpaid at the project's discretion.

c. "Project administration" means activities related to project management, bookkeeping and payroll.

(8)Audit. Within 90 days from the contract's termination date, unless an extension of time is approved by the department of workforce development, every organization awarded a contract shall submit to the workforce development department two copies of an audit report performed by a certified public accountant or a public accountant, as defined by Iowa Code chapter 542C. The audit report shall, at a minimum, include:

a. Short form auditor's opinion on the financial statements;

b. The auditor's comments on:

(1) The compliance of subgrantee with the terms and conditions of the contract (including the statement of work) and policies and procedures prescribed by the subgrantee's governing board regarding financial operations;

(2) The internal accounting controls;

(3) The reasonableness of the cost allocation methods if personnel and overhead costs are allocated to more than one project;

c. A cumulative statement of the resources and expenses by individual project; contract for the full contract period with a balance sheet if there are receivables and payables at the end of the project period;

d. Notes to the financial statements and comments on questioned costs and accounting systems weaknesses.

If the audit of the contract is included as a part of an annual agencywide audit conducted in accordance with the federal OMB Circular A-133, the audit will meet the requirements of the subrule. The audit report shall be due within 90 days of the end of the agency's fiscal year, rather than 90 days within the end of the contract. In the case of agencies utilizing the state auditor, the audit will be required 30 days after the state auditor issues the audit report.

(9)Allowable program costs. To be allowable, the costs shall be necessary and reasonable for the proper and efficient administration of the program, be allocable to the program under standard accounting procedures, and shall be properly documented.

a. Work experience costs. Allowable cost categories for the work experience component are youth salaries, FICA, liability insurance and workers' compensation. All contractors shall report the amount of grant funds expended for wages and fringe benefits for all minority youth employed.

b. Reimbursement. No reimbursements shall be made for costs which relate to youth who have not been certified eligible by the project director, or for claims which are over three months old.

c. Administrative costs. Administrative costs including those for support services may not exceed 20 percent of the total project budget, unless a higher amount, not to exceed 30 percent, is specifically allowed in writing by the regional advisory board based on adequate justification submitted by the contractor.

Allowable administrative costs are limited to: project management (job development, placement, supervision, recruitment, certification), bookkeeping, payroll activities, travel, consumable supplies, printing, audit, postage, telephone, and rent. Every effort should be made to share costs with other programs and agencies to minimize administrative expenses.

Travel reimbursements shall not exceed mileage, meals and lodging allowed for state employees.

(10)Funds allocation. Regional advisory boards will determine funds available for this component on an annual basis.

(11)Youth planning areas. Rescinded IAB 7/15/98, effective 7/1/98.

Iowa Admin. Code r. 877-10.3