FR Doc 2010-8305
[Federal Register: April 12, 2010 (Volume 75, Number 69)]
[Notices]
[Page 18488-18491]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr12ap10-41]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Office of Elementary and Secondary Education; Overview
Information; Enhanced Assessment Instruments Grants Program--Enhanced
Assessment Instruments; Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for
Fiscal Year (FY) 2009 Funds
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.368A.
DATES: Applications Available: April 12, 2010.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: May 27, 2010.
Full Text of Announcement
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Purpose of Program: The purpose of this program is to enhance the
quality and validity of assessment instruments and systems used by
States for measuring the achievement of all students. The grant funds
may be used for the development of new assessment products or
procedures, such as innovative test formats, empirical analysis of
variations in test formats or procedures, or statistical models useful
for combining data from multiple measures, or charting student progress
over time.
Background: In addition to this competition, the Department
recently announced that it will use approximately $350 million under
the Race to the Top Fund for a Race to the Top Assessment program to
award grants to consortia of States for the development of common,
high-quality assessments aligned with an applicant consortium's common
set of K-12 standards that are internationally benchmarked and that
build toward college and career readiness by the time of high school
completion. We plan to publish a notice inviting applications for that
competition in the near future.
In addition, the Department intends to announce shortly a
competition under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
(IDEA) General Supervision Enhancement Grants (GSEG) program, inviting
consortia of States to apply for support to develop common alternate
assessments based on alternate academic achievement standards for
students with the most significant cognitive disabilities who are
eligible for such assessments. We encourage you to conduct a
comprehensive review of these announcements and design your respective
applications accordingly.
Priorities: This competition includes four absolute priorities and
three competitive preference priorities. In accordance with 34 CFR
75.105(b)(2)(iv), the absolute priorities are based on those
established in section 6112 of the Elementary and Secondary Education
Act of 1965, as amended (ESEA) (20 U.S.C. 7301a). The competitive
preference priorities are those established in Appendix E to the notice
of final requirements for optional State consolidated applications
submitted under section 9302 of the ESEA, published in the Federal
Register on May 22, 2002 (67 FR 35967).
Absolute Priorities: For FY 2009 funds to be awarded through a
competition conducted in 2010, these priorities are absolute
priorities. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3), we consider only applications
that meet one or more of these priorities.
These priorities are:
Absolute Priority 1. Collaborate with institutions of higher
education, other research institutions, or other organizations to
improve the quality, validity, and reliability of State academic
assessments beyond the requirements for these assessments described in
section 1111(b)(3) of the ESEA.
Absolute Priority 2. Measure student academic achievement using
multiple measures of student academic achievement from multiple
sources.
Absolute Priority 3. Chart student progress over time.
Absolute Priority 4. Evaluate student academic achievement through
the development of comprehensive academic assessment instruments, such
as performance- and technology-based academic assessments.
Competitive Preference Priorities: Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i), we
award up to an additional 35 points to an application, depending on how
well the application meets these competitive preference priorities.
For FY 2009 funds to be awarded through a competition conducted in
2010, these priorities are:
Competitive Preference Priority 1. Accommodations and alternate
assessments (20 points). Applications that can be expected to advance
practice significantly in the area of increasing accessibility and
validity of assessments for students with disabilities or limited
English proficiency, or both, including strategies for test design,
administration with accommodations, scoring, and reporting.\1\
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\1\ As noted above, the Department also intends to announce
shortly a competition under the General Supervision Enhancement
Grants (GSEG) program that will invite State consortia to apply for
funding to support the development of common alternate assessments
based on alternate academic achievement standards for students with
the most significant cognitive disabilities.
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Competitive Preference Priority 2. Collaborative efforts (10
points). Applications that are sponsored by a consortium of States.
Competitive Preference Priority 3. Dissemination (5 points).
Applications that include an effective plan for dissemination of
results.
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 7301a and 7842.
Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 80, 81,
82, 84, 85, 86, 97, 98, and 99. (b) The notice of final requirements
published in the
[[Page 18489]]
Federal Register on May 22, 2002 (67 FR 35967).
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to institutions
of higher education only.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
Estimated Available Funds: $10,732,000 in FY 2009 funds.
Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of
applications, we may make additional awards with FY 2010 funds from the
list of unfunded applicants from this competition.
Estimated Range of Awards: $750,000-$2,000,000.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $1,500,000.
Estimated Number of Awards: 7.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this
notice.
Project Period: Up to 24 months.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants: State educational agencies (SEAs) as
defined in section 9101(41) of the ESEA and consortia of such SEAs.
2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This competition does not require cost
sharing or matching.
3. Other: An application from a consortium of SEAs must designate
one SEA as the fiscal agent.
IV. Application and Submission Information
1. Address to Request Application Package: Address to Request
Application Package: To obtain an application package via the Internet
use the following address: http://www.ed.gov/programs/eag/applicant.html.
To obtain an application package from the U.S.
Department of Education use the following address: Collette Roney,
Enhanced Assessment Grants Program, U.S. Department of Education, 400
Maryland Avenue, SW., room 3W210, Washington, DC 20202-6200. Telephone:
(202) 401-5245 or by e-mail: collette.roney@ed.gov.
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 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 competition. Page
Limit: The application narrative (Part IV of the application) is where
you, the applicant, address the selection criteria that reviewers use
to evaluate your application and the absolute and competitive
preference priorities. You must limit the application narrative (Part
IV) to the equivalent of no more than 40 pages, using 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, including titles, headings,
footnotes, quotations, and captions, as well as all text in charts,
tables, figures, and graphs.
Use a font no smaller than 11.0 point for all text in the
application narrative, including titles, headings, footnotes,
quotations, and captions, as well as all text in charts, tables,
figures, and graphs. (Font sizes that round up to 11, such as 10.7
point, will be considered as smaller than 11.0.)
Any screen shots included as part of the application
narrative should follow these standards or, if other standards are
applied, be sized to equal the equivalent amount of space if these
standards were applied.
The page limit does not apply to: The cover sheet or table of
contents; Part I (including the response regarding research activities
involving human subjects); Parts II and V (the budget sections,
including the chart and narrative budget justification); Part III (one-
page project abstract); Part VI (other attachments forms, including
references for the application narrative, personnel
r[eacute]sum[eacute]s, letters of commitment and support, copy of
indirect cost rate agreement, and indication in the list of ESEA
Programs included in the Consolidated State Application); and Part VII
(the assurances and certifications, including the General Education
Provisions Act 427 response). Applicants are encouraged to limit each
r[eacute]sum[eacute] to no more than 5 pages. The project narrative
(Part IV) must include a discussion of how the application meets the
absolute priorities, how well the application meets the competitive
preference priorities, and how well the application addresses each of
the selection criteria; therefore, the page limit applies to this
discussion. The page limit also applies to any attachments to the
project narrative other than references. In other words, the entirety
of Part IV of the application, including the aforementioned discussion
and any attachments to the narrative, must be limited to the equivalent
of no more than 40 pages. Applicants should include in their
applications only the other attachments (Part VI) outlined in the
application package. Additional attachments other than those included
in the project narrative will not be accepted or reviewed.
Our reviewers will not read any pages of your application that
exceed the page limit or exceed the equivalent of the page limit if you
apply other standards.
3. Submission Dates and Times:
Applications Available: April 12, 2010.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: May 27, 2010.
Applications for grants under this competition must be submitted
electronically using the Electronic Grant Application System (e-
Application) accessible through the Department's e-Grants site. 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
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.
4. Intergovernmental Review: This competition is not subject to
Executive Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79.
5. Funding Restrictions: 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.
a. Electronic Submission of Applications. Applications for grants
under the Enhanced Assessment Instruments Competition--CFDA Number
84.368A must be submitted electronically using e-Application,
accessible through the Department's e-Grants Web site at:
http://e-grants.ed.gov.
[[Page 18490]]
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.
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:
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
competition 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 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: 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 e-Application
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
(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. We will not
grant an extension for other technical problems unrelated to the
unavailability of e-Application.
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 e-Application because--
You do not have access to the Internet; or
You do not have the capacity to upload large documents to
e-Application; 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
prevents 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: Collette Roney, Enhanced
Assessment Grants Program, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland
Avenue, SW., room 3W210, Washington, DC 20202-4260. FAX: (202) 260-
7764.
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 following address:
U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Center, Attention:
CFDA Number 84.368A, LBJ Basement Level 1, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW.,
Washington, DC 20202-4260.
You must show proof of mailing consisting of one of the following:
[[Page 18491]]
(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 84.368A, 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 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 selection criteria for this competition are
from Appendix E to the notice of final requirements published in the
Federal Register on May 22, 2002 (67 FR 35967) and are listed in the
application package.
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 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, or at the end of
your no-cost extension, if any, you must submit a final performance
report, including financial information, as directed by the Secretary.
Grantees must also submit an interim progress report approximately
twelve months after the award date 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: Under the Government Performance and
Results Act of 1993 (GPRA), the Department has developed four measures
to evaluate the overall effectiveness of the Enhanced Assessment
Instruments Grants program: (1) The number of States that participate
in Enhanced Assessment Instruments Grants projects funded by this
competition; (2) the percentage of grantees that, at least twice during
the period of their grants, make available to SEA staff in non-
participating States and to assessment researchers information on
findings resulting from the Enhanced Assessment Instruments Grants
through presentations at national conferences, publications in refereed
journals, or other products disseminated to the assessment community;
(3) for each grant cycle and as determined by an expert panel, the
percentage of Enhanced Assessment Instruments Grants that yield
significant research, methodologies, products, or tools regarding
assessment systems or assessments; and (4) for each grant cycle and as
determined by an expert panel, the percentage of Enhanced Assessment
Instruments Grants that yield significant research, methodologies,
products, or tools specifically regarding accommodations and alternate
assessments for students with disabilities and limited English
proficient students. Grantees will be expected to include in their
interim and final performance reports information about the
accomplishments of their projects because the Department will need data
on these measures.
VII. Agency Contact
For Further Information Contact: Collette Roney, Enhanced
Assessment Grants Program, Office of Elementary and Secondary
Education, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room
3W210, Washington, DC 20202-6132. Telephone: (202) 401-5245, or by e-
mail: collette.roney@ed.gov.
If you use a TDD, call the 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 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.
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: April 7, 2010.
Thelma Mel[eacute]ndez de Santa Ana,
Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education.
[FR Doc. 2010-8305 Filed 4-9-10; 8:45 am]
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