(A)
The rule is established by authority conferred upon the
chancellor of higher education by section
733.13 of Amended Substitute
House Bill 64 of the 131st General Assembly.
(B)
Policy and
intent
The purpose of the STEM public-private
partnership pilot program is to encourage public-private partnerships between
high schools, colleges, and the community to provide high school students the
opportunity to receive education and training in a targeted industry, as
defined by JobsOhio established under section
187.01 of the Revised Code,
while simultaneously earning high school and college credit for the
course.
(C)
General
(1)
Partnerships shall consist of one community college or
state community college, one or more private companies, and one or more high
schools, either public or private.
(2)
For purposes of
the program, the partnering community college or state community college shall
pursue one targeted industry during the pilot period. However, the college may
partner with multiple private companies within that industry.
(3)
The chancellor
shall develop an application and review process to select the five partnerships
to receive grants under the program. The community college or state community
college shall be responsible for submitting the application for the partnership
to the chancellor. The application shall include a proposed budget for the
program. Students that take courses offered under the program shall earn
college credit for that class from the community or state community
college.
(4)
Students, high schools, and colleges that participate
in this program shall do so under the college credit plus program established
under Chapter 3365. of the Revised Code.
(5)
The curriculum
offered by the program shall be developed by and agreed upon by all members of
the partnership.
(6)
The private company or companies that are part of the
partnership shall provide full- or part-time facilities to be used as classroom
space.
(D)
Application requirements
The chancellor shall issue a request
for proposal that will be posted on the chancellor's website ohiohighered.org.
The request for proposal will set forth the eligible costs and other
requirements. The chancellor will then select the five partnerships for the
program based on the following considerations:
(1)
Whether the
partnership existed before the application was submitted;
(2)
Whether the
program is oriented toward a targeted industry;
(3)
The likelihood of
a student gaining employment upon graduating from high school or upon
completing a two-year degree in the industry to which the program is oriented
in relation to its geographic region;
(4)
The number of
students projected to be served;
(5)
The program's
cost-per-student;
(6)
The sustainability of the program beyond the duration
of the two-year pilot program;
(7)
The level of
investment made by the private company partner or partners in the program,
including use of facilities, equipment, and staff and
financially.
(8)
Other criteria as determined by the
chancellor.
(E)
Application review and program awards
The chancellor shall review each
application submitted in response to a request for proposals. Applications
received from entities deemed to be ineligible to submit applications as
defined in the request for proposals shall not be reviewed. Applications will
be scored on a set rubric developed by the chancellor.
The chancellor shall notify each
applicant of the decision concerning each respective application.
(F)
Award
agreement
(1)
Any recipient of the STEM public-private partnership pilot
program award by the chancellor shall enter into an agreement with the
chancellor governing the use and disbursement of the award.
(2)
Any recipient of
an STEM public-private partnership pilot program award by the chancellor may be
required to provide the chancellor with periodic program and fiscal reports as
provided in the instructions for proposal and agreement.
(3)
Award recipients
shall agree to maintain financial and non-financial records documenting the
activities of the funded program. Such records shall be subject to inspection
and review at the discretion of the chancellor to ensure fiscal accountability,
operating progress, and desired outcomes.
(4)
The chancellor
may require an award recipient that violates the terms of its agreement to
repay the award plus interest calculated on any outstanding principal balance
of that award of not more than four per cent per annum, as described in the
request for proposal and agreement. A decision of the chancellor to require
such repayment shall be final.
