FR Doc 2010-390[Federal Register: January 12, 2010 (Volume 75, Number 7)]
[Notices]
[Page 1611-1614]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr12ja10-52]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools; Overview Information;
Elementary and Secondary School Counseling Programs; Notice Inviting
Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2010
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.215E.
Dates: Applications Available: January 12, 2010.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: February 26, 2010.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: April 27, 2010.
Full Text of Announcement
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Purpose of Program: The purpose of the Elementary and Secondary
School Counseling program is to support efforts by local educational
agencies (LEAs) to establish or expand elementary school and secondary
school counseling programs.
Priority: In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(iv), this priority
is from section 5421 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of
1965, as amended (ESEA) (20 U.S.C. 7245).
Absolute Priority: For FY 2010 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:
Establish or expand counseling programs in elementary schools,
secondary schools, or both.
Definitions: The following definitions are from 34 CFR part 77 and
apply to this competition:
Elementary school means a day or residential school that provides
elementary education, as determined under State law.
Secondary school means a day or residential school that provides
secondary education, as determined under State law. In the absence of
State law, the Secretary may determine, with respect to that State,
whether the term includes education beyond the twelfth grade.
Under this competition we are particularly interested in
applications that address the following priority.
Invitational Priority: For FY 2010 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 priority over other applications.
This priority is:
Low-Achieving Schools
Projects that are designed to dramatically improve student
achievement in schools identified for corrective action or
restructuring under Title I of the ESEA or in secondary schools with
graduation rates of less than 60 percent through either comprehensive
interventions or targeted approaches to reform.
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 7245.
Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 75, 77, 79, 80, 81,
82, 84, 85, 97, 98, 99, and 299. (b) The notice of final eligibility
requirements for the Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools discretionary
grant programs published in the Federal Register on December 4, 2006
(71 FR 70369).
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 79 apply to all applicants
except Federally recognized Indian Tribes.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
Estimated Available Funds: $15,437,591.
Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of
applications, we may make additional awards later in FY 2010 and in FY
2011 from the list of unfunded applicants from this competition.
Estimated Range of Awards: $250,000-$400,000.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $350,000.
Maximum Award: $400,000.
Note: Section 5421(a)(5) of the ESEA limits the amount of a
grant under this program in any one year to a maximum of $400,000.
Estimated Number of Awards: 44.
Note: Section 5421(g)(1) of the ESEA requires that for any
fiscal year in which the amount of funds made available by the
Secretary for this program equals or exceeds $40,000,000, the
Secretary shall award not less than $40,000,000 to enable LEAs to
establish or expand counseling programs in elementary schools. Under
this notice applicants may propose projects that establish or expand
counseling programs in elementary schools, secondary schools, or
both.
Note: We will use the highest grade level an applicant proposes
to serve under its grant, along with the information obtained by
examining the applicant State's law that defines what grade levels
constitute an elementary school in the State, to determine if the
application will be considered for funding from amounts available
for elementary school counseling programs only or from amounts
available for elementary or secondary school counseling programs or
both.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this
notice.
Project Period: Up to 36 months. Budgets should be developed for
each year of funding requested up to 36 months.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants: (a) LEAs, including charter schools that
are considered LEAs under State law.
(b) LEAs that currently have an active grant under the Elementary
and Secondary School Counseling Program are not eligible to apply for
an award in this competition. For the purpose of this eligibility
requirement, a grant is considered active until the end of the grant's
project or funding period, including any extensions of those periods
that extend the grantee's authority to obligate funds.
2. a. Cost Sharing or Matching: This program does not require cost
sharing or matching.
b. Supplement-Not-Supplant: This program involves supplement-not-
supplant funding requirements. Section 5421(b)(2)(G) of the ESEA
requires applicants under this program to assure that program funds
will be used to supplement, and not supplant, any other Federal, State,
or local funds used for providing school-based counseling and mental
health services to students.
IV. Application and Submission Information
1. Address to Request Application Package: You can obtain an
application package via the Internet or from the
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Education Publications Center (ED Pubs). To obtain a copy via the
Internet, use the following address:
http://www.ed.gov/programs/elseccounseling/applicant.html.
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 from ED Pubs, be sure to identify
this program or competition as follows: CFDA number 84.215E.
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 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 program.
3. Submission Dates and Times: Applications Available: January 12,
2010.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: February 26, 2010.
Applications for grants under this program may be submitted
electronically using the Electronic Grant Application System (e-
Application) accessible through the Department's e-Grants site, or in
paper format by mail or hand delivery. For information (including dates
and times) about how to submit your application electronically, or in
paper format by mail or hand delivery, 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: April 27, 2010.
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 in the application package for this program.
5. Funding Restrictions: Section 5421(d) of the ESEA requires that
no more than four percent of a grant award may be used for
administrative costs to carry out the project. We reference additional
regulations outlining funding restrictions in the Applicable
Regulations section of this notice.
6. Other Submission Requirements: Applications for grants under
this program may be submitted electronically or in paper format by mail
or hand delivery.
a. Electronic Submission of Applications
If you choose to submit your application to us electronically, you
must use e-Application, accessible through the Department's e-Grants
Web site at: http://e-grants.ed.gov.
While completing your electronic application, you will be entering
data online that will be saved into a database. You may not e-mail an
electronic copy of a grant application to us.
Please note the following:
Your participation in e-Application is voluntary.
You must complete the electronic submission of your grant
application by 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application
deadline date. E-Application will not accept an application for this
program after 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application
deadline date. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you do not wait
until the application deadline date to begin the application process.
The hours of operation of the e-Grants Web site are 6:00
a.m. Monday until 7:00 p.m. Wednesday; and 6:00 a.m. Thursday until
8:00 p.m. Sunday, Washington, DC time. Please note that, because of
maintenance, the system is unavailable between 8:00 p.m. on Sundays and
6:00 a.m. on Mondays, and between 7:00 p.m. on Wednesdays and 6:00 a.m.
on Thursdays, Washington, DC time. Any modifications to these hours are
posted on the e-Grants Web site.
You will not receive additional point value because you
submit your application in electronic format, nor will we penalize you
if you submit your application in paper format.
You must submit all documents electronically, including
all information you typically provide on the following forms: the
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
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.
Prior to submitting your electronic application, you may
wish to print a copy of it for your records.
After you electronically submit your application, you will
receive an automatic acknowledgment that will include a PR/Award number
(an identifying number unique to your application).
Within three working days after submitting your electronic
application, fax a signed copy of the SF 424 to the Application Control
Center after following these steps:
(1) Print SF 424 from e-Application.
(2) The applicant's Authorizing Representative must sign this form.
(3) Place the PR/Award number in the upper right hand corner of the
hard-copy signature page of the SF 424.
(4) Fax the signed SF 424 to the Application Control Center at
(202) 245-6272.
We may request that you provide us original signatures on
other forms at a later date.
Application Deadline Date Extension in Case of System
Unavailability: If you are prevented from electronically submitting
your application on the application deadline date because e-Application
is unavailable, we will grant you an extension of one business day to
enable you to transmit your application electronically, by mail, or by
hand delivery. We will grant this extension if--
(1) You are a registered user of e-Application and you have
initiated an electronic application for this competition; and
(2) (a) E-Application is unavailable for 60 minutes or more between
the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the
application deadline date; or
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(b) E-Application is unavailable for any period of time between
3:30 p.m. and 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application
deadline date.
We must acknowledge and confirm these periods of unavailability
before granting you an extension. To request this extension or to
confirm our acknowledgment of any system unavailability, you may
contact either (1) the person listed elsewhere in this notice under For
Further Information Contact (see VII. Agency Contact) or (2) the e-
Grants help desk at 1-888-336-8930. If e-Application is unavailable due
to technical problems with the system and, therefore, the application
deadline is extended, an e-mail will be sent to all registered users
who have initiated an e-Application.
Extensions referred to in this section apply only to the
unavailability of e-Application. If e-Application is available, and,
for any reason, you are unable to submit your application
electronically or you do not receive an automatic acknowledgment of
your submission, you may submit your application in paper format by
mail or hand delivery in accordance with the instructions in this
notice.
b. Submission of Paper Applications by Mail
If you submit your application in paper format by mail (through the
U.S. Postal Service or a commercial carrier), you must mail the
original and two copies of your application, 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 84.215E), 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 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 submit your application in paper format by hand delivery,
you (or a courier service) 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
84.215E), 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 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 grant 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
1. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this program are
from 34 CFR 75.210 of EDGAR and are listed in the application package.
2. Review and Selection Process: Additional factors we consider in
selecting an application for an award are from section 5421(a)(3) of
the ESEA, which requires an equitable geographic distribution among the
regions of the United States and among LEAs located in urban, rural,
and suburban areas.
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 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). For specific requirements
on reporting, please go to
http://www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/appforms/appforms.html.
4. Performance Measures: The Department has established the
following Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 (GPRA)
performance measures for the Elementary and Secondary School Counseling
Program:
(1) The percentage of grantees closing the gap between their
student/mental health professional ratios and the student/mental health
professional ratios recommended by the statute; and
(2) The average number of referrals per grant site that are made
for disciplinary reasons in schools participating in the program.
These measures constitute the Department's indicators of success
for this program. Consequently, we advise an applicant for a grant
under this program to give careful consideration to these measures in
conceptualizing the approach and evaluation for the applicant's
proposed project. Each grantee will be required to provide, in its
annual performance and final reports, data about the grantee's progress
against these measures.
VII. Agency Contacts
For Further Information Contact: Loretta McDaniel, U.S. Department
of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Potomac Center Plaza, room
10080, Washington, DC 20202-6450. Telephone: (202) 245-7870 or by e-
mail: Loretta.McDaniel@ed.gov.
If you use a TDD, call the Federal Relay Service, toll free, at 1-
800-877-8339.
VIII. Other Information
Accessible Format: Individuals with disabilities can obtain this
document
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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 person 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.
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: January 6, 2010.
Kevin Jennings,
Assistant Deputy Secretary for Safe and Drug-Free Schools.
[FR Doc. 2010-390 Filed 1-11-10; 8:45 am]
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