FR Doc E7-22957
[Federal Register: November 26, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 226)]
[Notices]
[Page 65951-65957]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr26no07-34]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Office of Elementary and Secondary Education Overview
Information; Smaller Learning Communities Program; Notice Inviting
Applications for New Awards Using Fiscal Year (FY) 2007 Funds
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.215L.
DATES: Applications Available: November 26, 2007.
Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply: January 10, 2008.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: February 25, 2008.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: April 24, 2008.
Full Text of Announcement
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Purpose of Program: The Smaller Learning Communities (SLC) program
awards discretionary grants to local educational agencies (LEAs) to
support the implementation of SLCs and activities to improve student
academic achievement in large public high schools with enrollments of
1,000 or more students. SLCs include structures such as freshman
academies, multi-grade academies organized around career interests or
other themes, ``houses'' in which small groups of students remain
together throughout high school, and autonomous schools-within-a-
school, as well as personalization strategies, such as student
advisories, family advocate systems, and mentoring programs.
Priority: This priority is from the notice of final priority,
requirements, and selection criteria for this program published in the
Federal Register on May 18, 2007 (72 FR 28426).
Absolute Priority: For new awards made using FY 2007 funds and any
subsequent year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded
applicants from this competition, this priority is an absolute
priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3) we consider only applications that
meet this priority.
This priority is:
Preparing All Students to Succeed in Postsecondary Education and
Careers.
This priority supports projects that create or expand SLCs that are
part of
[[Page 65952]]
a comprehensive effort to prepare all students to succeed in
postsecondary education and careers without need for remediation.
In order to meet this priority an applicant must demonstrate that,
using SLC grant funds or other resources, it will:
(1) Provide intensive interventions to assist students who enter
high school with reading/language arts or mathematics skills that are
significantly below grade level to ``catch up'' quickly and attain
proficiency by the end of 10th grade;
(2) Enroll students in a coherent sequence of rigorous English
language arts, mathematics, and science courses that will equip them
with the skills and content knowledge needed to succeed in
postsecondary education and careers without need for remediation;
(3) Provide tutoring and other academic supports to help students
succeed in rigorous academic courses;
(4) Deliver comprehensive guidance and academic advising to
students and their parents that includes assistance in selecting
courses and planning a program of study that will provide the academic
preparation needed to succeed in postsecondary education, early and
ongoing college awareness and planning activities, and help in
identifying and applying for financial aid for postsecondary education;
and
(5) Increase opportunities for students to earn postsecondary
credit through Advanced Placement courses, International Baccalaureate
courses, or dual credit programs.
Competitive Preference Priority: Within this absolute priority, we
give competitive preference to applications that address the following
priority.
This priority is from the notice of final priorities for
discretionary grant programs published in the Federal Register on
October 11, 2006 (71 FR 60045).
Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i) we award an additional 4 points to an
application that meets this priority.
This priority is:
School Districts With Schools in Need of Improvement, Corrective
Action, or Restructuring.
Projects that help school districts implement academic and
structural interventions in schools that have been identified for
improvement, corrective action, or restructuring under the Elementary
and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended by the No Child Left
Behind Act of 2001.
Note: To meet this priority, a school must receive funds under
Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of
1965, as amended by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (ESEA), and
have been identified by a State educational agency as in need of
improvement, corrective action, or restructuring at the time the
application is submitted.
Invitational Priority: For new awards made using FY 2007 funds and
any subsequent year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded
applicants from this competition, this priority is an invitational
priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(1), we do not give an application that
meets this invitational priority a competitive or absolute preference
over other applications.
This priority is:
Applications That Propose to Engage Faith-Based and Community
Organizations in the Delivery of Services Under This Program.
Application Requirements: In the notice of final priorities
published in the Federal Register on April 28, 2005 (70 FR 22233), we
established application requirements in the following areas for
competitions conducted under this program: Eligibility; School Report
Cards; Consortium Applications and Educational Service Agencies;
Student Placement; Including All Students; and Evaluation. In the
notice of final priority, requirements, and selection criteria
published in the Federal Register on May 18, 2007 (72 FR 28426), we
established additional application requirements in the following areas:
Types of Grants; Budget Information for Determination of Award;
Indirect Costs; Performance Indicators; Required Meetings Sponsored by
the Department; and Previous Grantees.
These requirements are in addition to the content that all SLC
grant applicants must include in their applications as required by the
program statute in title V, part D, subpart 4, section 5441(b) of the
ESEA.
We have incorporated the terms of these requirements under
appropriate sections of this notice (e.g., the Eligibility requirement
is listed in section III. Eligibility Information, elsewhere in this
notice).
Definitions: In addition to the definitions in the authorizing
statute and 34 CFR 77.1, the following definitions apply to this
program:
BIE School means a school operated or supported by the Bureau of
Indian Education of the U.S Department of the Interior (DOI). Formerly,
these schools were operated or supported by the DOI Bureau of Indian
Affairs and were known as ``BIA schools.''
Large High School means a public school that includes grades 11 and
12 and has an enrollment of 1,000 or more students in grades 9 and
above.
Smaller Learning Community (SLC) means an environment in which a
core group of teachers and other adults within the school knows the
needs, interests, and aspirations of each student well, closely
monitors each student's progress, and provides the academic and other
support each student needs to succeed.
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 7249.
Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 75, 77, 79, 80, 81,
82, 84, 85, 97, 98, and 99. (b) The notice of final priorities
published in the Federal Register on April 28, 2005 (70 FR 22233). (c)
The notice of final priorities for discretionary grant programs
published in the Federal Register on October 11, 2006 (71 FR 60045).
(d) The notice of final priority, requirements, and selection criteria
published in the Federal Register on May 18, 2007 (72 FR 28426).
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
Estimated Available Funds: $88,323,609.
At the time of the initial award, the Department will provide funds
for the first 36 months of the performance period. Funding to cover the
remaining 24 months will be contingent on the availability of funds and
each grantee's substantial progress toward accomplishing the goals and
objectives of the project as described in its approved application.
Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of
applications, we may make additional awards using FY 2008 funds from
the list of unfunded applicants from this competition.
Estimated Range of Awards: $1,250,000-$14,000,000.
The following chart provides the ranges of awards per high school
size:
SLC Grant Award Ranges
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Student enrollment Award ranges per school
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1,000-2,000 Students......................... $1,000,000-$1,250,000
2,001-3,000 Students......................... $1,000,000-$1,500,000
3,001 and Up................................. $1,000,000-$1,750,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $2,208,090 for the first 36
months of the 60-month project period. LEAs may receive, on behalf of a
single school, up to $1,750,000, depending upon student
[[Page 65953]]
enrollment in the school, during the 60-month project period. To ensure
that sufficient funds are available to support awards to LEAs of all
sizes, and not only the largest LEAs, we limit to eight the number of
schools that an LEA may include in a single application for a grant.
LEAs applying on behalf of a group of eligible schools thus could
receive up to $14,000,000 per grant. The actual size of awards will be
based on a number of factors, including the scope, quality, and
comprehensiveness of the proposed project, and the range of awards
indicated in the application.
Maximum Award: Applications that request more funds than the
maximum amounts specified for any school or for the total grant will
not be read as part of the regular application process. However, if,
after the Secretary selects applications to be funded, it appears that
additional funds remain available, the Secretary may choose to read
those additional applications that requested funds exceeding the
maximum amounts specified. If the Secretary chooses to fund any of
those additional applications, applicants will be required to work with
the Department to revise their proposed budgets to fit within the
appropriate funding range.
Estimated Number of Awards: 40.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this
notice.
Project Period: Up to 60 months.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants: Local educational agencies (LEAs),
including educational service agencies and BIE schools, applying on
behalf of one or more large high schools.
An LEA may apply only on behalf of a school or schools that is not
included in an SLC implementation grant that has a performance period
that extends beyond the current fiscal year (September 30, 2008).
To be considered for funding, LEAs must identify in their
applications the name or names of the eligible large high school or
schools and the number of students enrolled in each school. A large
high school is defined as one having grades 11 and 12, with 1,000 or
more students enrolled in grades 9 and above. Enrollment figures must
be based upon data from the current school year.
Note: In prior years' competitions, we have also accepted
enrollment data from the most recently completed school year, since
applications were due after some schools had already completed the
school year. This was done in an effort to give applicants the
necessary flexibility required by the timing of the competition.
However, applications for awards under this competition will be due
during the school year and, thus, schools can easily determine
enrollment data for the current school year. Further, allowing
applicants to use data from the previous school year in these
circumstances could result in inaccurate eligibility determinations.
Consequently, in an effort to ensure consistent application of the
eligibility requirements, applicants must submit data from the
current school year to demonstrate that each school included in the
application meets the definition of large high school.
We will not accept applications from LEAs applying on behalf of
schools that are being constructed and do not have an active student
enrollment at the time of application. LEAs may apply on behalf of no
more than eight schools.
In an effort to encourage systemic, district-level reform efforts,
we permit an individual LEA to submit only one grant application in a
competition, specifying in each application which high schools the LEA
intends to fund.
In addition, we require that an LEA applying for a grant under this
competition apply only on behalf of a high school or high schools for
which it has governing authority, unless the LEA is an educational
service agency that includes in its application evidence that the
entity that has governing authority over the eligible high school
supports the application. An LEA, however, may form a consortium with
another LEA and submit a joint application for funds. The consortium
must follow the procedures for group applications described in 34 CFR
75.127 through 75.129 in EDGAR.
An LEA is eligible for only one grant whether the LEA applies
independently or as part of a consortium.
2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This program does not require cost
sharing or matching.
IV. Application and Submission Information
1. Address to Request Application Package: You can obtain an
application package via the Internet, or from the program office.
To obtain a copy via the Internet, use the following address:
http://www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/grantapps/index.html.
To obtain a copy from the program office, contact: Angela
Hernandez-Marshall, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, U.S.
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 3W236,
Washington, DC 20202-6200. Telephone: (202) 205-1909 or by e-mail:
smallerlearningcommunities@ed.gov.
If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), call the
Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll free, at 1-800-877-8339.
Individuals with disabilities can obtain a copy of the application
package in an alternative format (e.g., Braille, large print,
audiotape, or computer diskette) by contacting the person or team
listed under Alternative Format in section VIII of this notice.
2. Content and Form of Application Submission: All applicants must
include in their applications the information required by the program
statute in title V, part D, subpart 4, section 5441(b) of the ESEA.
Applicants also must meet the following requirements:
(a) School Report Cards. We require that LEAs provide, for each
school included in the application, the most recent ``report card''
produced by the State or the LEA to inform the public about the
characteristics of the school and its students, including information
about student academic achievement and other student outcomes. These
``report cards'' must include, at a minimum, the following information
that LEAs are required to report for each school under section
1111(h)(2)(B)(ii) of the ESEA: (1) Whether the school has been
identified for school improvement; and (2) Information that shows how
the academic assessments and other indicators of adequate yearly
progress compare to those indicators for students in the LEA as a whole
and also shows the performance of the school's students on statewide
assessments.
(b) Student Placement. We require applicants for SLC grants to
include a description of how students will be selected or placed in an
SLC and an assurance that students will not be placed according to
ability or any other measure, but will be placed at random or by
student/parent choice and not pursuant to testing or other judgments.
(c) Including All Students. We require applicants for grants to
create or expand an SLC project that will include every student within
the school by no later than the end of the fifth school year of
implementation. Elsewhere in this notice, we define an SLC as an
environment in which a group of teachers and other adults within the
school knows the needs, interests, and aspirations of each student
well, closely monitors each student's progress, and provides the
academic and other support each student needs to succeed.
(d) Performance Indicators. We require applicants to identify in
their application specific performance indicators and annual
performance objectives for each of these indicators. Specifically, we
require applicants to use the following performance indicators to
measure the progress of each school:
[[Page 65954]]
(1) The percentage of students who score at or above the proficient
level on the reading/language arts and mathematics assessments used by
the State to determine whether a school has made adequate yearly
progress under part A of title I of the ESEA, as well as these
percentages disaggregated by subject matter and the following
subgroups:
(A) Major racial and ethnic groups;
(B) Students with disabilities;
(C) Students with limited English proficiency; and
(D) Economically disadvantaged students.
(2) The school's graduation rate, as defined in the State's
approved accountability plan for part A of title I of the ESEA.
(3) The percentage of graduates who enroll in postsecondary
education, advanced training, or a registered apprenticeship program in
the semester following high school graduation.
Applicants must include in their applications baseline data for
each of these indicators and identify performance objectives for each
year of the project period. We further require recipients of grant
funds to report annually on the extent to which each school achieves
its performance objectives for each indicator during the preceding
school year. We require grantees to include in these reports comparable
data, if available, for the preceding three school years so that trends
in performance will be more apparent.
Grantees must submit this additional data using the Department's
SLC electronic reporting Web site within three months after awards are
made.
(e) Evaluation. We require each applicant to provide assurances
that it will support an evaluation of the project that provides
information to the project director and school personnel, and that will
be useful in gauging the project's progress and in identifying areas
for improvement. Each evaluation must include an annual report for each
of the first four years of the project period and a final report that
would be completed at the end of the fifth year of implementation and
that will include information on implementation during the fifth year
as well as information on the implementation of the project across the
entire project period. We require grantees to submit each of these
reports to the Department.
In addition, we require that the evaluation be conducted by an
independent third party, selected by the applicant, whose role in the
project is limited to conducting the evaluation.
(f) Required Meetings Sponsored by the Department. Applicants must
set aside adequate funds within their proposed budget to send their
project director and at least two individuals from each school included
in the application to a two-day technical assistance meeting in
Washington, DC, in each year of the project period. The Department will
host these meetings.
(g) Additional Requirements. Additional requirements concerning the
content of an application for this program, together with the forms you
must submit, are in the application package for this competition.
Page Limit: The application narrative is where you, the applicant,
address the selection criteria that reviewers use to evaluate your
application. We encourage you to limit the narrative to the equivalent
of no more than 40 pages and suggest that you use the following
standards:
A ``page'' is 8.5 x 11'', on one side only,
with 1'' margins at the top, bottom, and both sides.
Double space (no more than three lines per vertical inch)
all text in the application narrative. Titles, headings, footnotes,
quotations, references, and captions, as well as text in charts,
tables, figures, and graphs, can be single spaced.
Use a font that is either 12 point or larger or no smaller
than 10 pitch (characters per inch).
Use one of the following fonts: Times New Roman, Courier,
Courier New, or Arial.
Number all pages consecutively using the style 1 of 40, 2
of 40, and so forth.
Include a Table of Contents with page references.
The suggested page limit does not apply to the Table of Contents;
forms; the budget section, including the narrative budget
justification; the assurances and certifications; the one-page
abstract; the resumes; school report cards; the indirect cost
agreement; or letters of support. However, the suggested page limit
does apply to all of the application narrative section. We further
encourage applicants to limit to no more than 20 pages any attachments
or appendices that are not resumes; school report cards; the indirect
cost agreement; or letters of support.
3. Submission Dates and Times:
Applications Available: November 26, 2007.
Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply: January 10, 2008. We will
be able to develop a more efficient process for reviewing grant
applications if we have a better understanding of the number of
entities that intend to apply for funding.
Therefore, we strongly encourage each potential applicant to send a
notification of its intent to apply for funding to
smallerlearningcommunities@ed.gov by January 10, 2008. The notification
of intent to apply for funding is optional. Applicants that do not
supply this e-mail notification may still apply for funding.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: February 25, 2008.
Applications for grants under this competition must be submitted
electronically using the Grants.gov Apply site (Grants.gov). For
information (including dates and times) about how to submit your
application electronically, or in paper format by mail or hand delivery
if you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission
requirement, please refer to section IV. 6. Other Submission
Requirements in this notice.
We do not consider an application that does not comply with the
deadline requirements.
Individuals with disabilities who need an accommodation or
auxiliary aid in connection with the application process should contact
the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT in section VII
in this notice. If the Department provides an accommodation or
auxiliary aid to an individual with a disability in connection with the
application process, the individual's application remains subject to
all other requirements and limitations in this notice.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: April 24, 2008.
4. Intergovernmental Review: This program is subject to Executive
Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79. Information about
Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs under Executive Order
12372 is the application package for this competition.
5. Funding Restrictions: Eligible applicants that propose to use
SLC grant funds for indirect costs must include, as part of their
applications, a copy of their approved indirect cost agreement. We
reference regulations outlining funding restrictions in the Applicable
Regulations section in this notice.
6. Other Submission Requirements: Applications for grants under
this competition must be submitted electronically unless you qualify
for an exception to this requirement in accordance with the
instructions in this section.
[[Page 65955]]
a. Electronic Submission of Applications
Applications for grants under the Smaller Learning Communities
Program, CFDA Number 84.215L, must be submitted electronically using
the Governmentwide Grants.gov Apply site at http://www.Grants.gov.
Through this site, you will be able to download a copy of the
application package, complete it offline, and then upload and submit
your application. You may not e-mail an electronic copy of a grant
application to us.
We will reject your application if you submit it in paper format
unless, as described elsewhere in this section, you qualify for one of
the exceptions to the electronic submission requirement and submit, no
later than two weeks before the application deadline date, a written
statement to the Department that you qualify for one of these
exceptions. Further information regarding calculation of the date that
is two weeks before the application deadline date is provided later in
this section under Exception to Electronic Submission Requirement.
You may access the electronic grant application for the Smaller
Learning Communities Program at http://www.Grants.gov. You must search
for the downloadable application package for this competition by the
CFDA number. Do not include the CFDA number's alpha suffix in your
search (e.g., search for 84.215, not 84.215L).
Please note the following:
When you enter the Grants.gov site, you will find
information about submitting an application electronically through the
site, as well as the hours of operation.
Applications received by Grants.gov are date and time
stamped. Your application must be fully uploaded and submitted and must
be date and time stamped by the Grants.gov system no later than 4:30
p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. Except as
otherwise noted in this section, we will not consider your application
if it is date and time stamped by the Grants.gov system later than 4:30
p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. When we
retrieve your application from Grants.gov, we will notify you if we are
rejecting your application because it was date and time stamped by the
Grants.gov system after 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the
application deadline date.
The amount of time it can take to upload an application
will vary depending on a variety of factors, including the size of the
application and the speed of your Internet connection. Therefore, we
strongly recommend that you do not wait until the application deadline
date to begin the submission process through Grants.gov.
You should review and follow the Education Submission
Procedures for submitting an application through Grants.gov that are
included in the application package for this competition to ensure that
you submit your application in a timely manner to the Grants.gov
system. You can also find the Education Submission Procedures
pertaining to Grants.gov at
http://e-Grants.ed.gov/help/GrantsgovSubmissionProcedures.pdf.
To submit your application via Grants.gov, you must
complete all steps in the Grants.gov registration process (see
http://www.grants.gov/applicants/get_registered.jsp).
These steps include (1)
registering your organization, a multi-part process that includes
registration with the Central Contractor Registry (CCR); (2)
registering yourself as an Authorized Organization Representative
(AOR); and (3) getting authorized as an AOR by your organization.
Details on these steps are outlined in the Grants.gov 3-Step
Registration Guide (see
http://www.grants.gov/section910/Grants.govRegistrationBrochure.pdf).
You also must provide on your
application the same D-U-N-S Number used with this registration. Please
note that the registration process may take five or more business days
to complete, and you must have completed all registration steps to
allow you to submit successfully an application via Grants.gov. In
addition you will need to update your CCR registration on an annual
basis. This may take three or more business days to complete.
You will not receive additional point value because you
submit your application in electronic format, nor will we penalize you
if you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission
requirement, as described elsewhere in this section, and submit your
application in paper format.
You must submit all documents electronically, including
all information you typically provide on the following forms:
Application for Federal Assistance (SF 424), the Department of
Education Supplemental Information for SF 424, Budget Information--Non-
Construction Programs (ED 524), and all necessary assurances and
certifications. Please note that two of these forms--the SF 424 and the
Department of Education Supplemental Information for SF 424--have
replaced the ED 424 (Application for Federal Education Assistance).
You must attach any narrative sections of your application
as files in a .DOC (document), .RTF (rich text), or .PDF (Portable
Document) format. If you upload a file type other than the three file
types specified in this paragraph or submit a password-protected file,
we will not review that material.
Your electronic application must comply with any page-
limit requirements described in this notice.
After you electronically submit your application, you will
receive from Grants.gov an automatic notification of receipt that
contains a Grants.gov tracking number. (This notification indicates
receipt by Grants.gov only, not receipt by the Department.) The
Department then will retrieve your application from Grants.gov and send
a second notification to you by e-mail. This second notification
indicates that the Department has received your application and has
assigned your application a PR/Award number (an ED-specified
identifying number unique to your application).
We may request that you provide us original signatures on
forms at a later date.
Application Deadline Date Extension in Case of Technical Issues
with the Grants.gov System: If you are experiencing problems submitting
your application through Grants.gov, please contact the Grants.gov
Support Desk, toll free, at 1-800-518-4726. You must obtain a
Grants.gov Support Desk Case Number and must keep a record of it.
If you are prevented from electronically submitting your
application on the application deadline date because of technical
problems with the Grants.gov system, we will grant you an extension
until 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, the following business day to
enable you to transmit your application electronically or by hand
delivery. You also may mail your application by following the mailing
instructions described elsewhere in this notice.
If you submit an application after 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time,
on the application deadline date, please contact the person listed
under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT in section VII in this notice and
provide an explanation of the technical problem you experienced with
Grants.gov, along with the Grants.gov Support Desk Case Number. We will
accept your application if we can confirm that a technical problem
occurred with the Grants.gov system and that that problem affected your
ability to submit your application by 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time,
on the application deadline date. The Department will contact you
[[Page 65956]]
after a determination is made on whether your application will be
accepted.
Note: The extensions to which we refer in this section apply
only to the unavailability of, or technical problems with, the
Grants.gov system. We will not grant you an extension if you failed
to fully register to submit your application to Grants.gov before
the application deadline date and time or if the technical problem
you experienced is unrelated to the Grants.gov system.
Exception to Electronic Submission Requirement: You qualify for an
exception to the electronic submission requirement, and may submit your
application in paper format, if you are unable to submit an application
through the Grants.gov system because--
You do not have access to the Internet; or
You do not have the capacity to upload large documents to
the Grants.gov system; and
No later than two weeks before the application deadline
date (14 calendar days or, if the fourteenth calendar day before the
application deadline date falls on a Federal holiday, the next business
day following the Federal holiday), you mail or fax a written statement
to the Department, explaining which of the two grounds for an exception
prevent you from using the Internet to submit your application.
If you mail your written statement to the Department, it must be
postmarked no later than two weeks before the application deadline
date. If you fax your written statement to the Department, we must
receive the faxed statement no later than two weeks before the
application deadline date.
Address and mail or fax your statement to: Angela Hernandez-
Marshall, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, U.S. Department
of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 3W236, Washington, DC
20202-6200. Fax: (202) 205-4921.
Your paper application must be submitted in accordance with the
mail or hand delivery instructions described in this notice.
b. Submission of Paper Applications by Mail
If you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission
requirement, you may mail (through the U.S. Postal Service or a
commercial carrier) your application to the Department. You must mail
the original and two copies of your application, on or before the
application deadline date, to the Department at the applicable
following address:
By mail through the U.S. Postal Service: U.S. Department of
Education, Application Control Center, Attention: (CFDA Number
84.215L), 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20202-4260, or
By mail through a commercial carrier: U.S. Department of Education,
Application Control Center, Stop 4260, Attention: (CFDA Number
84.215L), 7100 Old Landover Road, Landover, MD 20785-1506.
Regardless of which address you use, you must show proof of mailing
consisting of one of the following:
(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 of the
U.S. Department of Education.
If you mail your application through the U.S. Postal Service, we do
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.
If your application is postmarked after the application deadline
date, we will not consider your application.
Note: The U.S. Postal Service does not uniformly provide a dated
postmark. Before relying on this method, you should check with your
local post office.
c. Submission of Paper Applications by Hand Delivery
If you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission
requirement, you (or a courier service) may deliver your paper
application to the Department by hand. You must deliver the original
and two copies of your application by hand, on or before the
application deadline date, to the Department at the following address:
U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Center, Attention:
(CFDA Number 84.215L), 550 12th Street, SW., Room 7041, Potomac Center
Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-4260.
The Application Control Center accepts hand deliveries daily
between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, except Saturdays,
Sundays, and Federal holidays.
Note for Mail or Hand Delivery of Paper Applications: If you mail
or hand deliver your application to the Department--
(1) You must indicate on the envelope and--if not provided by the
Department--in Item 11 of the SF 424 the CFDA number, including suffix
letter, if any, of the competition under which you are submitting your
application; and
(2) The Application Control Center will mail to you a notification
of receipt of your grant application. If you do not receive this
notification within 15 business days from the application deadline
date, you should call the U.S. Department of Education Application
Control Center at (202) 245-6288.
V. Application Review Information
Selection Criteria: The following selection criteria will be used
to evaluate applications for new grants under this program and are from
the notice of final priority, requirements, and selection criteria
published in the Federal Register on May 18, 2007 (72 FR 28426).
Note: The maximum score for all selection criteria is 100
points. The points or weights assigned to each criterion or
subcriterion are indicated in parentheses.
Need for the Project (6)
In determining the need for the proposed project, we will consider
the magnitude of the need for the services that will be provided and
the activities that will be carried out by the proposed project.
Quality of the Project Design
In determining the quality of the design of the proposed project,
we will consider the extent to which--
(1) Teachers, school administrators, parents and community
stakeholders support the proposed project and have been and will
continue to be involved in its development and implementation (5);
(2) The applicant has carried out sufficient planning and
preparatory activities to enable it to implement the proposed project
during the school year in which the grant award will be made (5);
(3) School administrators, teachers, and other school employees
will receive effective, ongoing technical assistance and support in
implementing structural and instructional reforms (7);
(4) The applicant will offer all students a coherent sequence of
rigorous English language arts, mathematics, and science courses that
will provide students with the knowledge and skills needed to succeed
in postsecondary education and careers without need for remediation
(7); and
(5) The proposed project is part of a districtwide strategy for
high school redesign and strengthens the district's capacity to develop
and implement smaller learning communities and improve student academic
achievement as part of that strategy (1).
[[Page 65957]]
Quality of Project Services
In determining the quality of the services to be provided by the
proposed project, we will consider the extent to which the proposed
project is likely to be effective in--
(1) Creating an environment in which a core group of teachers and
other adults within the school know the needs, interests, and
aspirations of each student well, closely monitor each student's
progress, and provide the academic and other support each student needs
to succeed (9);
(2) Equipping all students with the reading/English language arts,
mathematics, and science knowledge and skills they need to succeed in
postsecondary education and careers without need for remediation (8);
(3) Helping students who enter high school with reading/English
language arts or mathematics skills that are significantly below grade-
level ``catch up'' quickly and attain proficiency by the end of the
10th grade (8);
(4) Providing teachers with the professional development, coaching,
regular opportunities for collaboration with peers, and other supports
needed to implement a rigorous curriculum and provide high-quality
instruction (8);
(5) Increasing the participation of students, particularly low-
income students, in Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, or
dual credit courses (8); and
(6) Increasing the percentage of students who enter postsecondary
education in the semester following high school graduation (8).
Support for Implementation
In determining the adequacy of the support the applicant will
provide for implementation of the proposed project, we will consider
the extent to which--
(1) The management plan is likely to achieve the objectives of the
proposed project on time and within budget and includes clearly defined
responsibilities and detailed timelines and milestones for
accomplishing project tasks (7);
(2) The project director and other key personnel are qualified to
carry out their responsibilities, and their time commitments are
appropriate and adequate to implement the SLC project effectively (4);
(3) The applicant will support the proposed project with funds
provided under other Federal or State programs and local cash or in-
kind resources (2); and
(4) The requested grant amount and the project costs are sufficient
to attain project goals and reasonable in relation to the objectives
and design of the project (2).
Quality of the SLC Project Evaluation
In determining the quality of the proposed project evaluation to be
conducted by an independent, third-party evaluator, we consider the
extent to which--
(1) The evaluation will provide timely, regular, and useful
feedback to the LEA and the participating schools on the success and
progress of implementation, and identify areas for needed improvement
(3); and
(2) The independent evaluator is qualified to conduct the
evaluation (2).
VI. Award Administration Information
1. Award Notices: If your application is successful, we notify your
U.S. Representative and U.S. Senators and send you a Grant Award
Notification (GAN). We may notify you informally, also.
If your application is not evaluated or not selected for funding,
we notify you.
2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements: We identify
administrative and national policy requirements in the application
package and reference these and other requirements in the Applicable
Regulations section in this notice.
We reference the regulations outlining the terms and conditions of
an award in the Applicable Regulations section in this notice and
include these and other specific conditions in the GAN. The GAN also
incorporates your approved application as part of your binding
commitments under the grant.
3. Reporting: At the end of your project period, you must submit a
final performance report, including financial information, as directed
by the Secretary. If you receive a multi-year award, you must submit an
annual performance report that provides the most current performance
and financial expenditure information as directed by the Secretary
under 34 CFR 75.118. The Secretary may also require more frequent
performance reports under 34 CFR 75.720(c). For specific requirements
on reporting, please go to
http://www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/appforms/appforms.html.
4. Performance Measures: The application requirements and other
information related to performance indicators and objectives are
described elsewhere in this notice under section IV. Application and
Submission Information, 2. Content and Form of Application Submission.
VII. Agency Contact
For Further Information Contact: Angela Hernandez-Marshall, Office
of Elementary and Secondary Education, U.S. Department of Education,
400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 3W236, Washington, DC 20202-6200.
Telephone: (202) 205-1909 or by e-mail:
smallerlearningcommunities@ed.gov.
If you use a TDD, call the FRS, toll free, at 1-800-877-8339.
VIII. Other Information
Alternative Format: Individuals with disabilities can obtain this
document and a copy of the application package in an alternative format
(e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer diskette) on
request to the program contact person listed under FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT in section VII in this notice.
Electronic Access to This Document: You can view this document, as
well as all other documents of this Department published in the Federal
Register, in text or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) on the
Internet at the following site: http://www.ed.gov/news/fedregister.
To use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available
free at this site. If you have questions about using PDF, call the U.S.
Government Printing Office (GPO), toll free, at 1-888-293-6498; or in
the Washington, DC, area at (202) 512-1530.
Note: The official version of this document is the document
published in the Federal Register. Free Internet access to the
official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of Federal
Regulations is available on GPO Access at:
http://www.gpoaccess.gov/nara/index.html.
Dated: November 20, 2007.
Kerri L. Briggs,
Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education.
[FR Doc. E7-22957 Filed 11-23-07; 8:45 am]
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