(IMPORTANT NOTE ON THIS DOCUMENT - There is an error on the instructions
for Part III: Application Narrative on pages 17639 - 17640,
paragraphs 3 - 6. Those instructions do not apply to this program.
A corrective notice will be issued.)
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[Federal Register: April 9, 1998 (Volume 63, Number 68)]
[Notices]
[Page 17629-17651]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr09ap98-176]
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_______________________________________________________________________
Part III
Department of Education
_______________________________________________________________________
Comprehensive Local Reform Assistance; Notice Inviting Applications
From Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) in Montana and Oklahoma for New
Awards With Fiscal Year (FY) 1997 and 1998 Goals 2000 Funds
[[Page 17630]]
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
[CFDA No.: 84.317]
Comprehensive Local Reform Assistance; Notice Inviting
Applications From Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) in Montana and
Oklahoma for New Awards With Fiscal Year (FY) 1997 and 1998 Goals 2000
Funds
AGENCY: Department of Education.
Note To Applicants: This notice is a complete application package.
Together with the statute authorizing the program and the Education
Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR), the notice
contains all of the information, application requirements, and
instructions needed to apply for a grant under these competitions.
Purpose of Program: To assist local educational agencies (LEAs) in
the development and implementation of comprehensive local improvement
plans directed at enabling all children to reach challenging academic
standards.
Eligible Applicants: LEAs in Oklahoma and Montana are eligible to
apply for grants. The Secretary is especially interested in receiving
applications from consortia of LEAs in each State.
LEAs or consortia of LEAs in Oklahoma and Montana that have
previously received FY 1995 and 1996 Goals 2000 funds are eligible to
apply for funds under this competition. However, in order that other
needy districts may benefit from Goals 2000 support, the Secretary is
particularly interested in receiving applications from LEAs or
consortia that have not previously received Goals 2000 funding.
Note: This competition, authorized by section 304(e) of the
Goals 2000: Educate America Act, is only for LEAs in Oklahoma and
Montana. LEAs in other States apply to their respective State
educational agency (SEA) for funds under Title III of Goals 2000.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: May 27, 1998.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: July 27, 1998.
Available Funds: For LEAs in Montana: $2,039,546 from the FY 1997
allotment and $1,907,714 from the FY 1998 allotment; for LEAs in
Oklahoma: $5,808,148 from the FY 1997 allotment and $5,549,703 from the
FY 1998 allotment.
In accordance with section 402 of the Department of Education
Organization Act, 20 U.S.C. 3462, the Secretary may use up to one
percent of the funds from each State's allotment to pay the expenses
and fees for non-Federal experts necessary to review the applications
submitted in response to this notice.
In the event that there are an insufficient number of funded
applications to use all of either State's allotment, the Secretary may
reallot the remaining funds consistent with the Act.
The Secretary does not intend to conduct competitions for FY 1998
funds. Instead, pursuant to 34 CFR 75.253, the Secretary intends to
make continuation awards from the FY 1998 allotments to each grantee
that has made substantial progress toward meeting the objectives in its
approved application.
Project Period: Up to 24 months.
Estimated Range of Awards: $20,000-$200,000 annually.
The sizes of the awards requested should be governed by the size of
the LEA or consortium and the scope of the proposed project. The
Secretary will consider each applicant's request and the needs of all
successful applicants in determining the amount of each grant award.
The Department of Education is not bound by the estimates in this
notice.
In their applications, LEAs are encouraged to seek funds for a two-
year period. Oklahoma LEAs are encouraged to seek a second-year amount
that is 4.5 percent less than their first-year award request; Montana
LEAs are encouraged to seek a second-year amount that is 6.5 percent
less than their first-year request. By doing so, the budget requests
will align with the funding available for each State from the State's
respective FY 1997 and 1998 allotments.
Estimated Average Size of FY 1997 and 1998 Awards: $80,000
annually.
Estimated Numbers of Awards: 70 in Oklahoma; 25 in Montana.
Note: Consistent with Section 309(c) of the Goals 2000 Act, the
Secretary will award at least 50 percent of each State's available
allotment to LEAs that have a greater percentage or number of
disadvantaged children than the statewide average percentages or
numbers for all LEAs in each respective State. The Department will
waive this provision if it does not receive a sufficient number of
applications from such districts.
Applicable Regulations: The Education Department General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) as follows:
(1) 34 CFR Part 75 (Direct Grant Programs).
(2) 34 CFR Part 77 (Definitions that Apply to Department
Regulations).
(3) 34 CFR Part 79 (Intergovernmental Review of Department of
Education Programs and Activities).
(4) 34 CFR Part 80 (Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants
and Cooperative Agreements to State and Local Governments).
(5) 34 CFR Part 81 (General Education Provisions Act--Enforcement).
(6) 34 CFR Part 82 (New Restrictions on Lobbying).
(7) 34 CFR Part 85 (Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension
(Nonprocurement) and Governmentwide Requirements for Drug-Free
Workplace (Grants)).
GEPA Section 427 Requirements: In preparing applications, LEAs
should pay particular attention to the requirements in section 427 of
the General Education Provisions Act (GEPA), as detailed later in this
notice. Applicants must address the requirements in section 427 in
order to receive funding under this competition. Section 427 requires
each applicant to describe the steps it proposes to take to address one
or more barriers (i.e., gender, race, national origin, color,
disability, or age) that can impede equitable access to, or
participation in, the program. A restatement of compliance with civil
rights requirements is not sufficient to meet the GEPA section 427
requirements.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Section 304(e) of the Goals 2000: Educate America Act (Pub. L. 103-
227) (20 U.S.C. 5801 et seq.) (the Act) authorizes the Secretary to
award direct grants to LEAs in States that were not participating in
Goals 2000 as of October 20, 1995, if the applicable SEA approves the
LEAs' participation in the program. Oklahoma and Montana were not
participating in Goals 2000 as of that date and the Oklahoma and
Montana SEAs have approved LEA participation in this direct grant
program.
The Secretary has determined that grants awarded under Section
304(e) will be used to support the development and implementation of
comprehensive local improvement plans designed to help all children
reach challenging academic standards. In particular, the Secretary
encourages LEAs to address in their applications how their reform
strategies might include enhanced preservice teacher education and
professional development activities of educators that are directly
connected to challenging standards.
Applicants that have already developed comprehensive improvement
plans may propose activities funded through the grant that are aligned
with and carry out parts of this plan. In order to best meet the
selection criteria, LEAs should use funds awarded under this notice to
build upon comprehensive reform strategies that have already been
[[Page 17631]]
initiated with federal and other resources.
Application Requirements
The authorizing statute--section 304(e) of the Act--permits the
Secretary to fund LEA applications that are consistent with the
provisions of Goals 2000. Grants under this competition will support
the development and implementation of comprehensive local improvement
plans to help all students reach challenging academic standards. Local
improvement plans that are developed or implemented with funds awarded
under section 304(e) must be consistent with the requirements in
sections 309(a)(3)(B) through (E) of the Act. Adapted to this direct
grant program, these requirements specify that local plans--
(1) Describe a process of broad-based community participation in
the development, implementation, and evaluation of the local
improvement plan;
(2) Address districtwide education improvement, directed at
enabling all students to meet the State content standards and State
student performance standards, including specific goals and benchmarks;
reflect the priority of the State improvement plan (if there is a
comprehensive State improvement plan); and include a strategy for--
(a) Improving teaching and learning, through such strategies as
enhanced professional development and preservice education activities
aligned to the standards;
(b) Improving governance, management, and accountability for
performance; and
(c) Generating, maintaining, and strengthening parental and
community involvement;
(3) Promote the flexibility of local schools in developing plans
that address the particular needs of their school and community and are
consistent with the local improvement plan; and
(4) Describe how the LEA will encourage and assist schools to
develop and implement comprehensive school improvement plans that focus
on helping all students reach State content standards and student
performance standards.
An LEA that applies for funds under this program should indicate
whether funds are being requested to (a) develop and implement a plan
in accordance with the requirements of sections 309(a)(3)(B) through
(E) of the Act; or (b) implement an existing comprehensive improvement
plan that meets the requirements of sections 309(a)(3)(B) through (E)
of the Act. (An applicant that received FY 1995 and 1996 funding under
the previous competition must have completed the development of a plan
that meets the stated requirements in order to be eligible for funding
under this competition.)
An LEA seeking funds to both develop and implement a comprehensive
plan must demonstrate evidence of a clear process that will result in a
plan that meets the stated plan requirements. This evidence may include
a description of how stakeholders will be involved in plan development
and specific steps and timelines for developing the plan. Successful
applicants will only be eligible to receive FY 1998 continuation
funding if they have completed development of a plan that meets the
plan requirements stated above.
An LEA that has already developed a comprehensive improvement plan
may seek FY 1997 and 1998 funds to implement the plan. The applicant
must demonstrate that its existing plan meets the plan requirements
listed above. The applicant may do this, for example, by providing a
description of how its plan addresses these requirements and the
progress the applicant has made in implementing its plan. In addition,
the applicant may demonstrate the comprehensiveness of the plan by
providing evidence that the plan is coordinated with other LEA plans
that, collectively, provide a framework for how federal and other funds
are used to achieve the goals and objectives of the district.
An applicant should clearly explain the strategies that will be
funded under this award and how these strategies are aligned with the
comprehensive plan.
The Secretary recommends that applicants reserve in their budgets
approximately $2,000 each year for activities that will be designed by
the Secretary, in conjunction with grantees, to facilitate the sharing
among grantees of information on successful comprehensive reform
strategies.
Selection Criteria
The Secretary will use the following selection criteria and factors
from 34 CFR 75.210 to evaluate applications under this competition.
The maximum score for all of the criteria is 100 points. The
maximum score for each criterion is indicated in parenthesis with the
criterion. The criteria and factors are as follows:
(1) Need for the project. (20 points) (a) The Secretary considers
the need for the proposed project.
(b) In determining the need for the proposed project, the Secretary
considers the following factors:
(i) The extent to which the proposed project will provide services
to or otherwise address the needs of students at risk of educational
failure.
(ii) The extent to which specific gaps or weaknesses in services,
infrastructure, or opportunities have been identified and will be
addressed by the proposed project, including the nature and magnitude
of those gaps or weaknesses.
(2) Quality of the project design. (33 points) (a) The Secretary
considers the quality of the design of the proposed project.
(b) In determining the quality of the design of the proposed
project, the Secretary considers the following factors:
(i) The extent to which the proposed project is part of a
comprehensive effort to improve teaching and learning and support
rigorous academic standards for students.
(ii) The extent to which the proposed project will be coordinated
with similar or related efforts, and with other appropriate community,
State, and Federal resources.
(iii) The extent to which the proposed project is designed to build
capacity and yield results that will extend beyond the period of
Federal financial assistance.
(iv) The extent to which the goals, objectives, and outcomes to be
achieved by the proposed project are clearly specified and measurable.
(3) Quality of project services. (15 points) (a) The Secretary
considers the quality of the services to be provided by the proposed
project.
(b) In determining the quality of the services to be provided by
the proposed project, the Secretary considers the quality and
sufficiency of strategies for ensuring equal access and treatment for
eligible project participants who are members of groups that have
traditionally been underrepresented based on race, color, national
origin, gender, age, or disability.
(c) In addition, the Secretary considers the following factors:
(i) The likelihood that the services to be provided by the proposed
project will lead to improvements in the achievement of students as
measured against rigorous academic standards.
(ii) The extent to which the services to be provided by the
proposed project are focused on those with greatest needs.
(iii) The extent to which the services to be provided by the
proposed project reflect up-to-date knowledge from research and
effective practice.
(4) Quality of project personnel. (5 points) (a) The Secretary
considers the
[[Page 17632]]
quality of the personnel who will carry out the proposed project.
(b) In determining the quality of project personnel, the Secretary
considers the extent to which the applicant encourages applications for
employment from persons who are members of groups that have
traditionally been underrepresented based on race, color, national
origin, gender, age, or disability.
(c) In addition, the Secretary considers the qualifications,
including relevant training and experience, of key project personnel.
(5) Adequacy of resources. (5 points) (a) The Secretary considers
the adequacy of resources for the proposed project.
(b) In determining the adequacy of resources for the proposed
project, the Secretary considers the following factors:
(i) The adequacy of support, including facilities, equipment,
supplies, and other resources, from the applicant organization or the
lead applicant organization.
(ii) The extent to which the costs are reasonable in relation to
the objectives, design, and potential significance of the proposed
project.
(iii) The potential for the incorporation of project purposes,
activities, or benefits into the ongoing program of the agency or
organization at the end of Federal funding.
(6) Quality of the management plan. (7 points) (a) The Secretary
considers the quality of the management plan for the proposed project.
(b) In considering the quality of the management plan for the
proposed project, the Secretary considers the following factors:
(i) The adequacy of the management plan to achieve the objectives
of the proposed project on time and within budget, including clearly
defined responsibilities, timelines, and milestones for accomplishing
project tasks.
(ii) The adequacy of mechanisms for ensuring high-quality products
and services from the proposed project.
(iii) How the applicant will ensure that a diversity of
perspectives are brought to bear in the operation of the proposed
project, including those of parents, teachers, the business community,
a variety of disciplinary and professional fields, recipients or
beneficiaries of services, or others, as appropriate.
(7) Quality of the project evaluation. (15 points) (a) The
Secretary considers the quality of the evaluation to be conducted of
the proposed project.
(b) In determining the quality of the evaluation, the Secretary
considers the extent to which the methods of evaluation include the use
of objective performance measures that are clearly related to the
intended outcomes of the project and will produce quantitative and
qualitative data to the extent possible.
Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs
This program is subject to the requirements of Executive Order
12372 (Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs) and the
regulations in 34 CFR Part 79. The objective of the Executive Order is
to foster an intergovernmental partnership and to strengthen federalism
by relying on State processes and on State, areawide, regional, and
local coordination for review of proposed Federal financial assistance.
Neither Oklahoma nor Montana has adopted State intergovernmental
review processes. Therefore, State, areawide, regional, and local
entities may submit comments directly to the Department.
Any comments submitted pursuant to the Executive Order must be
mailed or hand-delivered by the date indicated in this notice to the
following address: The Secretary, E.O. 12372--CFDA# 84.317, U.S.
Department of Education, Room 6300, 600 Independence Avenue, S.W.,
Washington, D.C. 20202.
Proof of mailing will be determined on the same basis as
applications (see 34 CFR 75.102). Recommendations or comments may be
hand-delivered until 4:30 p.m. (Washington, D.C. time) on the date
indicated in this notice.
Please note that the above address is not the same address as the
one to which the applicant submits its completed application. Do not
send applications to the above address.
Instructions for Transmittal of Applications
(a) If an applicant wants to apply for a grant, the applicant shall
--
(1) Mail the original and three copies of the application on or
before the deadline date to: U. S. Department of Education, Application
Control Center, Attention: (CFDA # 84.317), Washington, D.C. 20202-4725
or
(2) Hand deliver the original and two copies of the application by
4:30 p.m. (Washington, D.C. time) on the deadline date to: U.S.
Department of Education, Application Control Center, Attention: (CFDA#
84.317), Room #3633, Regional Office Building #3, 7th and D Streets,
S.W., Washington, D.C.
(b) An applicant must show one of the following as proof of
mailing:
(1) A legibly dated U.S. Postal Service postmark.
(2) A legible mail receipt with the date of mailing stamped by the
U.S. Postal Service.
(3) A dated shipping label, invoice, or receipt from a commercial
carrier.
(4) Any other proof of mailing acceptable to the Secretary.
(c) If an application is mailed through the U.S. Postal Service,
the Secretary does not accept either of the following as proof of
mailing:
(1) A private metered postmark.
(2) A mail receipt that is not dated by the U.S. Postal Service.
Notes: (1) The U.S. Postal Service does not uniformly provide a
dated postmark.
Before relying on this method, an applicant should check with its
local post office.
(2) The Application Control Center will mail a Grant Application
Receipt Acknowledgment to each applicant. If an applicant fails to
receive the notification of application receipt within 15 days from the
date of mailing the application, the applicant should call the U.S.
Department of Education Application Control Center at (202) 708-9494.
(3) The applicant must indicate on the envelope and in Item 10 of
the Application for Federal Assistance (Standard Form 424) the CFDA
number of the competition under which the application is being
submitted (CFDA# 84.317).
Application Instructions and Forms
The appendix to this application is divided into three parts, plus
a statement regarding estimated public reporting burden and various
assurances and certifications. These parts and additional materials are
organized in the same manner that the submitted application should be
organized. The parts and additional materials are as follows:
Part I: Application for Federal Assistance (Standard Form 424 (Rev.
4-88)) and instructions.
Part II: Budget Information--Non-Construction Programs (Standard
Form 524A) and instructions. (NOTE: In addition to completing these
forms, the applicant should provide a brief description of the use of
funds in each budget category. The budget narrative should describe how
the budget will support the project proposed in the application
narrative in an effective and cost-efficient manner.)
Part III: Application Narrative.
Additional Materials
Estimated Public Reporting Burden.
[[Page 17633]]
Assurances--Non-Construction Programs (Standard Form 424B).
Certifications regarding Lobbying; Debarment, Suspension, and Other
Responsibility Matters; and Drug-Free Workplace Requirements (ED 80-
0013).
Certification regarding Debarment, Suspension, Ineligibility and
Voluntary Exclusion: Lower Tier Covered Transactions (ED 80-0014, 9/90)
and instructions.
(Note: ED 80-0014 is intended for the use of grantees and should
not be transmitted to the Department.)
Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (Standard Form LLL) (if
applicable) and instructions.
GEPA Section 427 Notice to All Applicants.
An applicant may submit information on a photostatic copy of the
application and budget forms, the assurances, and the certifications.
However, the application form, the assurances, and the certifications
must each have an original signature. No grant may be awarded unless a
completed application form has been received.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cindy Cisneros (contact for Oklahoma
applicants) or Jay McClain (contact for Montana applicants), U.S.
Department of Education, 600 Independence Avenue, S.W., Portals
Building, Room 4000, Washington, D.C. 20202-2110, Telephone: (202) 401-
0039, FAX: (202) 205-0303. These contacts may also be reached via e-
mail at cindy__ cisneros@ed.gov or jay__mcclain@ed.gov. Individuals who
use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal
Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 between 8 a.m. and 8
p.m., Eastern time.
Individuals with disabilities may obtain this document in an
alternate format (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer
diskette) on request to the contact person listed in the preceding
paragraph.
Individuals with disabilities may obtain a copy of the application
package in an alternate format, also, by contacting that person.
However, the Department is not able to reproduce in an alternate format
the standard forms included in the application package.
Electronic Access to This Document
Anyone may view this document, as well as all other Department of
Education documents published in the Federal Register, in text or
portable document format (pdf) on the World Wide Web at either of the
following sites:
http://ocfo.ed.gov/fedreg.htm
http://ww.ed.gov/news.html
To use the pdf you must have the Adobe Acrobat Reader Program with
Search, which is available free at either of the previous sites. If you
have questions about using the pdf, call the U.S. Government Printing
Office toll free at 1-888-293-6498.
Anyone may also view these documents in text copy only on an
electronic bulletin board of the Department. Telephone (202) 219-1511
or, toll free, 1-800-222-4922. The documents are located under Option
G--Files/Announcements, Bulletins and Press Releases.
Note: The official version of a document is the document
published in the Federal Register.
Information about the Department's funding opportunities, including
copies of application notices for discretionary grant competitions, can
be viewed on the Department's electronic bulletin board (ED Board),
telephone (202) 260-9950; or on the Internet at http://www.ed.gov.
However, the official application notice for a discretionary grant
competition is the notice published in the Federal Register.
Program Authority: Section 304(e) of the Goals 2000: Educate
America Act, 20 U.S.C. 5884(b).
Dated: April 3, 1998.
Gerald N. Tirozzi,
Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education.
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[FR Doc. 98-9344 Filed 4-8-98; 8:45 am]
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