FR Doc E9-4497[Federal Register: March 3, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 40)]
[Notices]
[Page 9225-9232]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr03mr09-38]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Office of Elementary and Secondary Education; Overview
Information; Early Reading First Program; Notice Inviting Applications
for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2009.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Numbers: 84.359A and
B.
Dates: Applications Available: March 3, 2009.
Deadline for Transmittal of Pre-Applications: April 2, 2009.
Deadline for Transmittal of Full Applications: June 16, 2009 (for
applicants invited to submit full applications only).
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: August 17, 2009.
Full Text of Announcement
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Purpose of Program: This program supports local efforts to enhance
the oral language, cognitive, and early reading skills of preschool-
aged children, especially those from low-income families, through
strategies, materials, and professional development that are grounded
in scientifically based reading research.
The specific activities for which recipients must use grant funds
are identified in section 1222(d) of the Elementary and Secondary
Education Act of 1965, as amended (ESEA). This and other relevant
provisions of the ESEA are included in the application package.
Statutory Requirements: All applicants must meet the application
requirements established in section 1222(b) of the ESEA in order to be
considered for funding. All applications must include a description of
the following:
(1) The programs to be served by the proposed project, including
demographic and socioeconomic information on the preschool-aged
children enrolled in the programs;
(2) How the proposed project will enhance the school readiness of
preschool-aged children in high-quality oral language and literature-
rich environments;
(3) How the proposed project will prepare and provide ongoing
assistance to staff in the programs, through professional development
and other support, in providing high-quality language, literacy, and
prereading activities using scientifically based reading research, for
preschool-aged children;
(4) How the proposed project will provide services and use
instructional materials that are based on scientifically based reading
research on early language acquisition, prereading activities, and the
development of spoken vocabulary skills;
(5) How the proposed project will help staff in the programs to
meet more effectively the diverse needs of preschool-aged children in
the community, including such children with limited English
proficiency, disabilities, or other special needs;
(6) How the proposed project will integrate such instructional
materials and literacy activities with existing preschool programs and
family literacy services;
(7) How the proposed project will help children, particularly
children experiencing difficulty with spoken language, prereading, and
early reading
[[Page 9226]]
skills, to make the transition from preschool to formal classroom
instruction in school;
(8) If the eligible applicant has received a subgrant under the
Reading First program, subpart 1, part B, title I of the ESEA, how the
activities conducted under the Early Reading First program will be
coordinated with the eligible applicant's activities under the Reading
First program at the kindergarten through grade 3 level; and
(9) How the proposed project will evaluate the success of the
activities supported under the Early Reading First program in enhancing
the early language, literacy, and prereading development of the
preschool-aged children served by the project.
Priorities: This competition includes four invitational priorities.
Under this competition we are particularly interested in applications
that address the following priorities.
Invitational Priorities: For FY 2009 and any subsequent year in
which we make awards from the list of unfunded applicants from this
competition, these priorities are invitational priorities. Under 34 CFR
75.105(c)(1) we do not give an application that meets these
invitational priorities a competitive or absolute preference over other
applications.
These priorities are:
Invitational Priority 1--Intensity
The Secretary is especially interested in preschool programs that
operate full-time, full-year, early childhood educational programs and
that serve children for the two consecutive years prior to their entry
into kindergarten.
Scientifically based research on increasing the effectiveness of
early childhood education programs serving children from low-income
families tells us that children attending these types of programs that
have a greater intensity of service make higher and more persistent
gains in the language and cognitive domains than children who attend
early childhood programs that have lesser intensity of service. In
other words, children who spend more time in high-quality early
childhood education programs learn more than children who spend less
time in those programs. The purpose of this invitational priority is to
encourage preschool programs supported with Early Reading First funds
to provide services that are of a sufficient duration and intensity to
maximize language and early literacy gains for children enrolled in
those programs.
Invitational Priority 2--English Language Acquisition Plan
For applicants serving children with limited English proficiency,
the Secretary is especially interested in applications that include a
specific plan for the development of English language proficiency for
these children from the start of their preschool experience. The Early
Reading First program is designed to prepare children to enter
kindergarten with the necessary cognitive, early language, and literacy
skills for success in school. School success often is dependent on each
child entering kindergarten as proficient as possible in English so
that the child is ready to benefit from formal reading instruction in
English when he or she starts school.
Note: The term ``limited English proficient'' is defined in
section 9101(25) of the ESEA (20 U.S.C. 7801(25)). That definition
is included in the application package.
Under this invitational priority, the Secretary is interested in
English language acquisition plans that, at a minimum: (1) Include a
description of the applicant's approach to the development of language,
based on the linguistic factors or skills that serve as the foundation
for a strong language base, which foundation is a necessary precursor
for success in the development of pre-literacy and literacy skills for
children with limited English proficiency; (2) Explain the
instructional strategies, based on best available valid and reliable
research, that the applicant will use to address English language
acquisition in a multi-lingual classroom; (3) Describe how the project
will facilitate the children's transition to English proficiency
through such means as the use of environmental print in appropriate
multiple languages and hiring bilingual teachers, paraprofessionals, or
translators to work in the preschool classroom; (4) Include intensive
professional development for instructors and paraprofessionals on the
development of English language proficiency; and (5) Include a timeline
that describes benchmarks for the introduction of the development of
English language proficiency and the use of measurement tools.
Ideally, at least one instructional staff member in each Early
Reading First classroom that serves limited English proficient children
will be dual-language proficient in the children's first language and
in English so as to facilitate those children's understanding of
instruction and transition to English proficiency. At a minimum, each
such classroom should include a teacher who is proficient in English.
Invitational Priority 3--Kindergarten Transition
The Early Reading First program is designed to prepare children to
enter kindergarten with the necessary cognitive, early language, and
literacy skills for success in school. The Secretary is especially
interested in applications that include a specific plan to transition
preschool-aged children to kindergarten.
Under this invitational priority, the Secretary is especially
interested in supporting projects that have kindergarten transition
plans that, at a minimum: (1) Identify the key issues involved in
transitioning preschool-aged children to kindergarten; (2) Explain how
the program would support continuity through developmentally
appropriate curricula for preschool and kindergarten children; (3)
Where applicable, include a description of how the program will
effectively support ongoing communication and cooperation between the
program and Reading First; (4) Include a description of how the program
will effectively support ongoing communication and cooperation between
the program and the local educational agency (LEA); (5) Include a
timeline that describes benchmarks for transition activities; and (6)
Include a description of the role of stakeholders in transitioning
preschool-aged children to kindergarten.
Invitational Priority 4--Community-Based Organizations
The Secretary is especially interested in applications that propose
to engage community-based organizations in the delivery of services
under this program.
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 6371-6376.
Applicable Regulations: The Education Department General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80,
81, 82, 84, 85, 86, 97, 98, and 99.
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 79 apply to all applicants
except federally recognized Indian tribes.
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to institutions of
higher education only.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Discretionary grant.
Estimated Available Funds: $111,424,000. The actual level of
funding, if any, depends on final congressional action. However, we are
inviting applications to allow enough time to complete the grant
process
[[Page 9227]]
before the end of the current fiscal year if Congress appropriates
funds for this program.
Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of
applications, we may make additional awards in FY 2010 from the list of
unfunded applicants from this competition.
Estimated Range of Awards: $1,500,000-$4,500,000.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $3,000,000.
Estimated Number of Awards: 24-74.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this
notice.
Project Period: Up to 36 months.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants: Under this competition, eligible applicants
are:
(a) One or more LEAs, including charter schools that are considered
LEAs under State law, that are eligible to receive a subgrant under the
Reading First program (Title I, Part B, Subpart 1 of the ESEA);
(b) One or more public or private organizations or agencies
(including faith-based organizations) located in a community served by
an eligible LEA; or
(c) One or more eligible LEAs, applying in collaboration with one
or more eligible organizations or agencies.
To qualify under paragraph (b) of this definition, the
organization's or agency's application must be on behalf of one or more
programs that serve preschool-aged children (such as a Head Start
program, a child care program, a family literacy program such as Even
Start, or a lab school at a university), unless the organization or
agency itself operates a preschool program.
Lists, by State, of LEAs that qualify under paragraph (a) of this
definition for this FY 2009 competition are posted on the Early Reading
First Web site at http://www.ed.gov/programs/earlyreading/eligibility.html.
These lists are based on the most recent information
provided by each State and the Department of Interior's Bureau of
Indian Education (BIE) to the Department's Reading First program, and
are posted for the convenience of Early Reading First applicants.
However, we consider it to be each applicant's responsibility to verify
with the Reading First office in its State, or with the BIE, as
appropriate, whether a particular LEA is eligible to receive a subgrant
under the Reading First program as of the date of publication of this
notice in the Federal Register. A list of State and BIE contacts for
this purpose is also posted at the Early Reading First Web site at
http://www.ed.gov/programs/earlyreading/eligibility.html.
Eligibility determination date: The date governing whether an LEA
is eligible to receive a subgrant under the Reading First program is
the date of publication in the Federal Register of this notice inviting
applications for new awards under the Early Reading First program for
FY 2009.
Required submission of eligibility information: In accordance with
the following instructions, each applicant must complete and submit
with its pre-application for this competition a Pre-Application
Attachment A, Applicant Eligibility, which is included in the
application package:
LEAs included on a posted eligibility list: If the LEA on
which you, the applicant, are basing your Early Reading First
eligibility is included on the State's Reading First subgrant
eligibility list posted on the Early Reading First Web site, you must
complete section I of Pre-Application Attachment A (Applicant
Eligibility) and submit that attachment with your pre-application.
LEAs not included on a posted eligibility list: If the LEA
on which you, the applicant, are basing your Early Reading First
eligibility is not included on the State's Reading First subgrant
eligibility list posted on the Early Reading First Web site, you must
complete both section I and section II of Pre-Application Attachment A
(Applicant Eligibility) and submit that form with your pre-application.
Section II requires you to verify with your State's Reading First
office, or the BIE, as appropriate, that the LEA is in fact eligible to
receive a Reading First subgrant as of the date of publication in the
Federal Register of this notice. You must also submit the name of, and
contact information for, the person with whom you verified that
information. If you are invited to submit a full application and we are
unable to verify the LEA's eligibility from the contact information
that you have provided, we may not consider the LEA as an eligible LEA
for the purposes of this competition or we may require you to submit
additional written information demonstrating eligibility.
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 Education Publications
Center (ED Pubs). To obtain a copy via Internet, use the following
address: http://www.Grants.gov. To obtain a copy from ED Pubs, write,
fax, or call the following: Education Publications Center, P.O. Box
1398, Jessup, MD 20794-1398. Telephone, toll free: 1-877-433-7827. FAX:
(301) 470-1244. If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf
(TDD), call, toll free: 1-877-576-7734.
You can contact ED Pubs at its Web site, also:
http://www.ed.gov/pubs/edpubs.html or at its e-mail address: edpubs@inet.ed.gov.
If you request an application package from ED Pubs, be sure to
identify this program or competition as follows: CFDA numbers 84.359A
and B.
Individuals with disabilities can obtain a copy of the application
package in an accessible format (e.g., braille, large print, audiotape,
or computer diskette) by contacting the program contact person or team
listed under Accessible Format in section VIII of this notice.
2. Content and Form of Application Submission: Requirements
concerning the content of an application, together with the forms you
must submit, are in the application package for this competition.
Pre-Application: All applicants must apply in the pre-application
phase; as explained in the application package, only selected
applicants will be invited to submit a full application.
Page Limits: You must include in Part 2 of the pre-application and
Part 3 of the full application an Abstract briefly describing your
proposed project. You must limit each Abstract to one (1) page.
The pre-application narrative and the full application narrative
for this program (Part 3 of the pre-application and Part 4 of the full
application) are where you, the applicant, address the selection
criteria that reviewers use to evaluate your pre- and full
applications. You must limit Part 3 of the pre-application to the
equivalent of no more than fifteen (15) pages and Part 4 of the full
application to no more than forty (40) pages.
Part 4 of the pre-application is where you, the applicant, provide
the Appendices for the pre-application. Pre-application Appendices are
limited to the following: a list and a brief description of the
existing preschool programs that the proposed Early Reading First
project would support; an English language acquisition plan, if
applicable; a kindergarten transition plan, if applicable; and endnote
citations for research cited specifically in the pre-application
narrative. You must limit the list and the brief description of the
existing preschool
[[Page 9228]]
programs to the equivalent of no more than five (5) pages. You must
limit any English language acquisition plan to the equivalent of no
more than two (2) pages. You must limit any kindergarten transition
plan to the equivalent of no more than two (2) pages. No page limit
applies to the pre-application endnote citations.
Part 5 of the full application is where you, the applicant, provide
a budget narrative that reviewers use to evaluate your full
application. You must limit the budget narrative in Part 5 of the full
application to the equivalent of no more than five (5) pages.
Part 6 of the full application is where you, the applicant, provide
the Appendices for the full application. Full application Appendices
are limited to the following: A list and a brief description of the
existing preschool programs that the proposed Early Reading First
project would support; an English language acquisition plan, if
applicable; a kindergarten transition plan, if applicable; position
descriptions (and resumes or curriculum vitae if available) for up to
five (5) key personnel; endnote citations for research cited
specifically in the full application narrative; and documentation
demonstrating the stakeholder support for the project. You must limit
the list and the brief description of the existing preschool programs
to the equivalent of no more than five (5) pages. You must limit each
resume or curriculum vitae to the equivalent of no more than three (3)
pages, and limit the documentation demonstrating stakeholder support
for the project to the equivalent of no more than five (5) pages. You
must limit any English language acquisition plan to the equivalent of
no more than five (5) pages. You must limit any kindergarten transition
plan to the equivalent of no more than five (5) pages.
For all page limits, 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 and budget narratives, including titles,
headings, quotations, references, and captions included in the body of
the narrative.
Text in charts, tables, figures, and graphs may be single-
spaced.
Use one of the following commonly used 12-point fonts or
larger, or no smaller than 10 pitch (characters per inch) including for
text in endnotes, charts, tables, figures, and graphs: Times New Roman,
Times, Courier, or CG Times. An application submitted in any other font
will not be accepted.
The page limits do not apply to any title page or table of
contents, or the forms in Part I of the pre- and full applications; or
the following portions of the full application: the budget form (ED
Form 524) in Part 2; or the assurances and certifications and the
endnotes in Part 7.
Our reviewers will not read any pages of your pre-application or
full application that exceed the page limit if you apply these
standards; or exceed the equivalent of the page limit if you apply
other standards.
3. Submission Dates and Times:
Applications Available: March 3, 2009.
Deadline for Transmittal of Pre-Applications: April 2, 2009.
Deadline for Transmittal of Full Applications: June 16, 2009 (for
applicants invited to submit full applications only).
Pre- and full 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 of 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
of 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: August 17, 2009.
4. Intergovernmental Review: This competition 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 in the application package for this
competition.
5. Funding Restrictions: We reference regulations outlining funding
restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.
6. Other Submission Requirements: Pre- and full 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.
a. Electronic Submission of Applications.
Pre- and full applications for grants under the Early Reading First
program, CFDA number 84.359A (pre-application) and CFDA number 84.359B
(full application), 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 pre- or
full application. You may not e-mail an electronic copy of a grant
application to us.
We will reject your pre- or full 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 pre- or full
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 pre- or full
application deadline date is provided later in this section under
Exception to Electronic Submission Requirement.
You may access the electronic grant application for the Early
Reading First competition 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 84.359, not 84.359A).
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 pre- and full applications must be fully uploaded and
submitted and must be date and time stamped by the Grants.gov system no
later than 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the pre- or full
application deadline date, as appropriate. Except as otherwise noted in
this section, we will not accept your pre- or full application if it is
received--that is, date and time stamped by the Grants.gov system--
after 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the pre- or full
application deadline date, as
[[Page 9229]]
appropriate. We do not consider an application that does not comply
with the deadline requirement. When we retrieve your pre- or full
application from Grants.gov, we will notify you if we are rejecting
your pre- or full application because it was date and time stamped by
the Grants.gov system after 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the
applicable application deadline date.
The amount of time it can take to upload a pre- or full
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 pre- or
full 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 pre- and any full 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 pre- or full 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 pre-
and full 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 a pre- or full
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 pre- or full 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 pre- or full 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.
You must attach any narrative sections of your pre- and
full applications 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 pre- and full applications must comply
with any page-limit requirements described in this notice.
After you electronically submit your pre- or full
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 pre- or full
application from Grants.gov and send a second notification to you by e-
mail. This second notification indicates that the Department has
received your pre- or full application and has assigned your pre- or
full application a PR/Award number (an ED-specified identifying number
unique to your pre- or full 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 pre- or full 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 pre- or
full application on the applicable application deadline date because of
technical problems with the Grants.gov system, we will grant you an
extension until 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, the following
business day to enable you to transmit your pre- or full application
electronically or by hand delivery. You also may mail your pre- and
full applications by following the mailing instructions described
elsewhere in this notice.
If you submit a pre- or full application after 4:30:00 p.m.,
Washington, DC time, on the applicable application deadline date,
please contact the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
in section VII of 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 pre- or full
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 pre- or full application by 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC
time, on the applicable application deadline date. The Department will
contact you after a determination is made on whether your pre- or full
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 pre- or full application to
Grants.gov before the pre- or full 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
pre- or full application in paper format, if you are unable to submit a
pre- or full 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 pre- or full
application deadline date (14 calendar days or, if the fourteenth
calendar day before the pre- or full application deadline date falls on
a Federal holiday, the next business day following the Federal
holiday), as appropriate, 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 pre- or full
application.
If you mail your written statement to the Department, it must be
postmarked no later than two weeks before the applicable application
deadline date. If you fax your written statement to the Department, we
must receive the faxed statement no later than two weeks
[[Page 9230]]
before the pre- or full application deadline date.
Address and mail or fax your statement to: Pilla Parker, U.S.
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 3E247,
Washington, DC 20202-6200. FAX: (202) 260-8969; or Rebecca Marek, U.S.
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 33E250,
Washington, DC 20202-6200. FAX: (202) 260-8969.
Your paper pre- or full 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 pre- or full application to the Department.
You must mail the original and two copies of your pre- or full
application, on or before the applicable application deadline date, to
the Department at the following address: U.S. Department of Education,
Application Control Center, Attention: (CFDA Numbers 84.359A and B),
LBJ Basement Level 1, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20202-
4260.
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 pre- or full 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 pre- or full application is postmarked after the pre- or
full application deadline date, we will not consider your pre- or full
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 pre- or
full application to the Department by hand. You must deliver the
original and two copies of your pre- or full application by hand, on or
before the applicable application deadline date, to the Department at
the following address: U.S. Department of Education, Application
Control Center, Attention: (CFDA Numbers 84.359A and B), 550 12th
Street, SW., Room 7041, Potomac Center Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-
4260.
The Application Control Center accepts hand deliveries daily between
8:00 a.m. and 4:30:00 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 pre- or full 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 pre- or full application; and
(2) The Application Control Center will mail to you notification
of receipt of your grant application. If you do not receive this
notification within 15 business days from the pre- or full
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: This competition has separate selection
criteria for pre-applications and full applications.
A. Pre-application: The following selection criteria for this
competition for the pre-application are from 34 CFR 75.210 of EDGAR.
Further information about each of these selection criteria is in the
application package. There are two selection criteria, Need for Project
and Quality of the Project Design. The maximum score for the pre-
application selection criteria is 100 points.
(i) Need for project (0-20 points)
The Secretary considers the need for the proposed project. In
determining the need for the proposed project, the Secretary considers
the following factors:
(a) The extent to which the proposed project will provide services
or otherwise address the needs of students at risk of educational
failure. (34 CFR 75.210(a)(2)(iii))
(b) The extent to which the proposed project will focus on serving
or otherwise addressing the needs of disadvantaged individuals. (34 CFR
75.210(a)(2)(iv))
(ii) Quality of the project design (0-80 points)
The Secretary considers the quality of the design of the proposed
project. In determining the quality of the design of the proposed
project, the Secretary considers the following factors:
(a) The extent to which the design of the proposed project reflects
up-to-date knowledge from research and effective practice. (34 CFR
75.210(c)(2)(xiii))
(b) The extent to which the proposed project represents an
exceptional approach for meeting statutory purposes and requirements.
(34 CFR 75.210(c)(2)(xiv))
(c) The extent to which the proposed project will be coordinated
with similar or related efforts, and with other appropriate community,
State, and Federal resources. (34 CFR 75.210(c)(2)(xvi))
B. Full Application: The following selection criteria for those
invited to submit full applications are from 34 CFR 75.210 of EDGAR.
Further information about each of these selection criteria is in the
application package. The maximum score for each criterion is indicated
after the title of the criterion. The maximum score for the full
application selection criteria is 100 points.
(i) Quality of the project design (0-60 points)
The Secretary considers the quality of the design of the proposed
project. In determining the quality of the design of the proposed
project, the Secretary considers the following factors:
(a) The extent to which the design of the proposed project reflects
up-to-date knowledge from research and effective practice. (34 CFR
75.210(c)(2)(xiii))
(b) The extent to which the proposed project represents an
exceptional approach for meeting statutory purposes and requirements.
(34 CFR 75.210(c)(2)(xiv))
(c) The extent to which the proposed project will be coordinated
with similar or related efforts, and with other appropriate community,
State, and Federal resources. (34 CFR 75.210(c)(2)(xvi))
(ii) Quality of project personnel (0-10 points)
The Secretary considers the quality of the personnel who will carry
out the proposed project. 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. (34 CFR
75.210(e)(1), (2))
In addition, the Secretary considers the following factors:
(a) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience,
of the
[[Page 9231]]
project director or principal investigator. (34 CFR 75.210(e)(3)(i))
(b) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience,
of key project personnel. (34 CFR 75.210(e)(3)(ii))
(c) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience,
of project consultants or subcontractors. (34 CFR 75.210(e)(3)(iii))
(iii) Adequacy of resources (0-5 points)
The Secretary considers the adequacy of resources for the proposed
project. In determining the adequacy of resources for the proposed
project, the Secretary considers the following factors:
(a) The relevance and demonstrated commitment of each partner in
the proposed project to the implementation and success of the project.
(34 CFR 75.210(f)(2)(ii))
(b) The extent to which the costs are reasonable in relation to the
objectives, design, and potential significance of the proposed project.
(34 CFR 75.210(f)(2)(iv))
(iv) Quality of the management plan (0-15 points)
The Secretary considers the quality of the management plan for the
proposed project. In determining the quality of the management plan for
the proposed project, the Secretary considers the following factors:
(a) 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. (34 CFR 75.210(g)(2)(i))
(b) The adequacy of procedures for ensuring feedback and continuous
improvement in the operation of the proposed project. (34 CFR
75.210(g)(2)(ii))
(c) The extent to which the time commitments of the project
director and principal investigator and other key project personnel are
appropriate and adequate to meet the objectives of the proposed
project. (34 CFR 75.210(g)(2)(iv))
(v) Quality of the project evaluation (0-10 points) The Secretary
considers the quality of the evaluation to be conducted of the proposed
project. In determining the quality of the evaluation, the Secretary
considers the following factors:
(a) The extent to which the methods of evaluation are thorough,
feasible, and appropriate to the goals, objectives, and outcomes of the
proposed project. (34 CFR 75.210(h)(2)(i))
(b) 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. (34 CFR 75.210(h)(2)(iv))
VI. Award Administration Information
1. Award Notices: If your pre-application is successful, we notify
you in writing and post the list of successful applicants on the Early
Reading First Web site at http://www.ed.gov/programs/earlyreading/awards.html.
If your full 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 pre-application is not evaluated, or following the
submission of your pre-application you are not invited to submit a full
application, we notify you. If your full 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 of this notice.
We reference the regulations outlining the terms and conditions of
an award in the Applicable Regulations section of 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). Early Reading First
grantees also are required to meet the annual reporting requirements
outlined in section 1225 of the ESEA. For specific requirements on
reporting, please go to:
http://www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/appforms/appforms.html.
4. Performance Measures: Under the Government Performance and
Results Act of 1993 (GPRA), the Secretary has established the following
four (4) measures for evaluating the overall effectiveness of the Early
Reading First program: (1) The cost per preschool-aged child
participating in Early Reading First programs who achieves a
significant gain in oral language skills after each year of
implementation; (2) the percentage of preschool-aged children
participating in Early Reading First programs who demonstrate age-
appropriate oral language skills after each year of implementation; (3)
the average number of letters Early Reading First preschool-aged
children are able to identify after each year of implementation; and
(4) the percentage of preschool-aged children participating in Early
Reading First programs who achieve significant gains in oral language
skills after each year of implementation. The Department will provide
further information on selecting valid, reliable, and age-appropriate
assessment instruments on the program Web site at
http://www.ed.gov/programs/earlyreading/applicant.html.
All grantees must provide information on these performance measures
in the annual performance report referred to in section VI.3. of this
notice.
VII. Agency Contact
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Pilla Parker, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 3E247, Washington, DC 20202-
6132. Telephone: (202) 260-3710 or by e-mail: Pilla.Parker@ed.gov; or
Rebecca Marek, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW.,
room 3E250, Washington, DC 20202-6132. Telephone: (202) 260-0968 or by
e-mail: Rebecca.Marek@ed.gov.
If you use a TDD, call the Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll free,
at 1-800-877-8339.
VIII. Other Information
Accessible Format: Individuals with disabilities can obtain this
document and a copy of the application package in an accessible format
(e.g., braille, large print, audiotape, or computer diskette) on
request to the program contact persons listed under FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT in section VII of 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
[[Page 9232]]
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.
Delegation of Authority: The Secretary of Education has delegated
authority to Joseph C. Conaty, Director, Academic Improvement and
Teacher Quality Programs for the Office of Elementary and Secondary
Education to perform the functions of the Assistant Secretary for
Elementary and Secondary Education.
Dated: February 26, 2009.
Joseph C. Conaty,
Director, Academic Improvement and Teacher Quality Programs.
[FR Doc. E9-4497 Filed 3-2-09; 8:45 am]
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