FR Doc 2010-12436
[Federal Register: May 24, 2010 (Volume 75, Number 99)]
[Notices]
[Page 28789-28795]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr24my10-42]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Office of Innovation and Improvement; Overview Information;
Charter Schools Program (CSP) Grants for Replication and Expansion of
High-Quality Charter Schools; Notice Inviting Applications for New
Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2010
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.282M.
Dates:
Applications Available: May 24, 2010.
Date of Pre-Application Meeting: June 8, 2010.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: July 7, 2010.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: September 7, 2010.
Full Text of Announcement
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Purpose of Program: The purpose of the CSP is to increase national
understanding of the charter school model and to expand the number of
high-quality charter schools available to students across the Nation by
providing financial assistance for the planning, program design,
initial implementation, or expansion of charter schools, and to
evaluate the effects of charter schools, including their effects on
students, student academic achievement, staff, and parents.
The purpose of this competition (CFDA 84.282M) is to award grants
to eligible applicants to enable them to replicate or expand high-
quality charter schools with demonstrated records of success, including
success in increasing student academic achievement. Eligible applicants
may use their CSP funds to expand the enrollment of one or more
existing charter schools by substantially increasing the number of
available seats per school, or to open one or more new charter schools
that are based on the charter school model for which the eligible
applicant has presented evidence of success.
Priorities: This competition includes one absolute priority, three
competitive preference priorities, and one invitational priority. We
are establishing these priorities for the FY 2010 grant competition and
any subsequent year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded
applicants from this competition, in accordance with section 437(d)(1)
of the General Education Provisions Act (GEPA), 20 U.S.C. 1232(d)(1).
Absolute Priority: This priority is an absolute priority. Under 34
CFR 75.105(c)(3) we consider only applications that meet this priority.
This priority is:
Experience Operating or Managing High-Quality Charter Schools
The applicant must have experience operating or managing more than
one high-quality charter school. For purposes of this priority, a high-
quality charter school is a school that shows evidence of strong
academic results, based on the criteria described in Selection
Criterion (a), and has no significant issues in the areas of student
safety, financial management, or statutory or regulatory compliance.
For purposes of this competition, significant issue means something
that did, will, or could lead to the revocation of a school's charter.
Competitive Preference Priorities: These priorities are competitive
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preference priorities. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i) we will award up to
an additional 30 points to an application, depending on how well the
application meets one or more of these priorities.
Note: In order to receive preference under these competitive
preference priorities, the applicant must identify the priority or
priorities that it believes it meets and provide documentation
supporting its claims.
These priorities are:
Competitive Preference Priority 1--Low-Income Demographic (up to 10
points). To meet this competitive preference priority, the applicant
must demonstrate that at least 60 percent of all students in the
charter schools it operates or manages are individuals from low-income
families.
For purposes of this priority, the term individual from a low-
income family means an individual who is determined by a State
educational agency (SEA) or local educational agency (LEA) to be a
child, ages 5 through 17, from a low-income family, on the basis of (i)
data used by the Secretary to determine allocations under section 1124
of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended
(ESEA), (ii) data on children eligible for free or reduced-price
lunches under the National School Lunch Act, (iii) data on children in
families receiving assistance under part A of title IV of the Social
Security Act, or (iv) data on children eligible to receive medical
assistance under the Medicaid program under Title XIX of the Social
Security Act, or (v) an alternate method that combines or extrapolates
from those data (see section 1707(3) of the ESEA).
Competitive Preference Priority 2--School Improvement (up to 10
points). To meet this competitive preference priority, the applicant
must demonstrate that its proposed replication or expansion of one or
more high-quality charter schools is in partnership with, and designed
to assist, one or more LEAs in implementing academic or structural
interventions to serve students attending schools that have been
identified for improvement, corrective action, closure, or
restructuring under section 1116 of the ESEA, and as described in the
notice of final requirements for the School Improvement Grants,
published in the Federal Register on December 10, 2009 (74 FR 65618).
Competitive Preference Priority 3--Matching (up to 10 points). To
meet this competitive preference priority, the applicant must commit to
provide matching funds in an amount equal to or greater than 25 percent
of the grant award to support its proposed project under this program.
In order to secure matching funds and meet this competitive preference
priority, the applicant may enter into a partnership or otherwise
collaborate with other entities, including philanthropic organizations.
In order to receive points under this competitive preference
priority, the matching funds must be included in the proposed budget
and used to cover allowable costs. In addition, the applicant must
include in its application assurances documentation demonstrating that
it will be able to secure the specified matching funds. An applicant
that is approved for a grant must have the proposed matching funds in
place prior to receiving the grant award.
Invitational Priority: This priority is an invitational priority.
Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(1) we do not give an application that meets this
invitational priority a competitive or absolute preference over other
applications.
This priority is:
Students With Disabilities and English Learners
The Secretary is particularly interested in applicants that
demonstrate through participant, achievement, and outcome data for
students with disabilities and English learners--
(1) Prior success in improving educational achievement and outcomes
for students with disabilities and English learners; and
(2) That the model they propose to replicate or expand serves
students with disabilities and English learners at rates comparable to
the rates of students with disabilities and English learners in the
LEAs in which their schools operate.
Requirements
(1) Grantees under this program must use the grant funds to
replicate or substantially expand an existing high-quality charter
school that is based on the model or models for which the applicant has
presented evidence of success.
For purposes of this competition, the term replicate means to open
one or more new charter schools that are based on the charter school
model or models for which the applicant has presented evidence of
success.
In addition, in the context of this competition, the term
substantially expand means to increase the enrollment of one or more
existing charter schools by more than 50 percent or to add at least two
grades to an existing charter school over the course of the grant.
(2) Applicants approved for funding under this competition must
attend a two-day meeting for project directors in the Washington, DC
area during each year of the project. Applicants are encouraged to
include the cost of attending this meeting in their proposed budgets.
Waiver of Proposed Rulemaking: Under the Administrative Procedure
Act (5 U.S.C. 553) the Department generally offers interested parties
the opportunity to comment on proposed priorities, selection criteria,
application requirements, and definitions. Section 437(d)(1) of GEPA,
however, allows the Secretary to exempt from rulemaking requirements,
regulations governing the first grant competition under a new or
substantially revised program authority. This is the first grant
competition for the replication and expansion of high-quality charter
schools under the Charter Schools Program authority, as described in
the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2010 (Pub. L. 111-117), and,
therefore, qualifies for this exemption. In order to ensure timely
grant awards, the Secretary has decided to forgo public comment on the
priorities, selection criteria, requirements, and definitions in this
notice under section 437(d)(1) of GEPA. These priorities, selection
criteria, requirements, and definitions will apply to the FY 2010 grant
competition and any subsequent year in which we make awards from the
list of unfunded applicants from this competition.
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 7221-7221j; Consolidated
Appropriations Act, 2010, Division D, Title III, Pub. L. 111-117.
Applicable Regulations: The Education Department General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 76, 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 only to
institutions of higher education.
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 99 apply only to an
educational agency or institution.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
Estimated Available Funds: The FY 2010 appropriation for the
Charter Schools Program is $256,031,000, of which the Department will
use $50,000,000 for this competition. Contingent upon the availability
of funds, and the quality of the applications, we may make additional
[[Page 28791]]
awards later in FY 2010 and in FY 2011 from the list of unfunded
applicants from this competition.
Estimated Range of Awards: $1,000,000 to $15,000,000 per grant.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $7,000,000 per grant.
Estimated Number of Awards: 5-8.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this
notice.
Project Period: Up to five years.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants: Non-profit charter management organizations
(CMOs) and other entities that are not for-profit entities. A CMO is an
organization that operates or manages multiple charter schools by
centralizing or sharing certain functions and resources among schools.
Eligible applicants may also apply as a group or consortium.
2. Cost-Sharing or Matching: This competition does not require
cost-sharing or matching. This competition provides a competitive
preference priority for applications that commit to provide matching
funds in an amount equal to or greater than 25 percent of the grant
award.
IV. Application and Submission Information
1. Address to Request Application Package: Erin Pfeltz or Richard
Payton, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Room
4W255, Washington, DC 20202-5970. Telephone: (202) 205-3525 or (202)
453-7698 or by e-mail: erin.pfeltz@ed.gov or richard.payton@ed.gov.
If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), call the
Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll free, at 1-800-877-8339.
Individuals with disabilities can obtain a copy of the application
package in an accessible format (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape,
or computer diskette) by contacting the program contact person listed
in this section.
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 III of the application)
is where you, the applicant, address the selection criteria that
reviewers use to evaluate your application. The Secretary strongly
encourages applicants to limit Part III to the equivalent of no more
than 60 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, references, and captions, as well as all text in
charts, tables, figures, and graphs.
Use a font that is either 12 point or larger or no smaller
than 10 pitch (characters per inch).
Use one of the following fonts: Times New Roman, Courier,
Courier New, or Arial. An application submitted in any other font
(including Times Roman or Arial Narrow) will not be accepted.
The page limit does not apply to Part I, the cover sheet; Part II,
the budget section, including the narrative budget justification; Part
IV, the assurances and certifications; or the one-page abstract, the
r[eacute]sum[eacute]s, the bibliography, or the letters of support.
However, the page limit does apply to all of the application narrative
section (Part III).
3. Submission Dates and Times: Applications Available: May 24,
2010.
Date of Pre-Application Meeting: The Department will hold a pre-
application meeting for prospective applicants on June 8, 2010, from
8:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at the U.S. Department of Education, Barnard
Auditorium, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Washington, DC. Interested
parties are invited to participate in this meeting to discuss the
purpose of the program, absolute and competitive priorities, selection
criteria, application requirements, submission requirements, and
reporting requirements. Interested parties may participate in this
meeting either by conference call or in person. This site is accessible
by Metro on the Blue, Orange, Green, and Yellow lines at the Seventh
Street and Maryland Avenue exit of the L'Enfant Plaza station. After
the meeting, program staff will be available from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00
p.m. on that same day to provide information and technical assistance
through individual consultation.
Individuals interested in attending this meeting are encouraged to
pre-register by e-mailing their name, organization, and contact
information with the subject heading PRE-APPLICATION MEETING to
CharterSchools@ed.gov. There is no registration fee for attending this
meeting.
For further information about the pre-application meeting, contact
Erin Pfeltz or Richard Payton, U.S. Department of Education, 400
Maryland Avenue, SW., Room 4W255, Washington, DC 20202-5970. Telephone:
(202) 205-3525 or (202) 453-7698 or by e-mail: erin.pfeltz@ed.gov or
richard.payton@ed.gov.
Assistance to Individuals With Disabilities at the Pre-Application
Meeting
The meeting site is accessible to individuals with disabilities. If
you will need an auxiliary aid or service to participate in the meeting
(e.g., interpreting service, assistive listening device, or materials
in an alternate format), notify the contact person listed in this
notice at least two weeks before the scheduled meeting date. Although
we will attempt to meet a request we receive after that date, we may
not be able to make available the requested auxiliary aid or service
because of insufficient time to arrange it.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: July 7, 2010.
Applications for grants under this program 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
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: September 7, 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: Pursuant to section 5204(f)(3) of the ESEA
(20 U.S.C. 7221c(f)(3)), grantees under this program must use the grant
funds for--
(a) Post-award planning and design of the educational program,
which may
[[Page 28792]]
include: (i) Refinement of the desired educational results and of the
methods for measuring progress toward achieving those results; and (ii)
professional development of teachers and other staff who will work in
the charter school; and
(b) Initial implementation or expansion of the charter school,
which may include: (i) Informing the community about the school; (ii)
acquiring necessary equipment and educational materials and supplies;
(iii) acquiring or developing curriculum materials; and (iv) other
initial operational costs that cannot be met from State or local
sources.
Note: Use of up to 15 percent of grant funds for initial
operational costs associated with the expansion or improvement of
the eligible entity's oversight or management of its schools is
permitted provided that: (i) The specific schools being created or
expanded under this grant are beneficiaries of such expansion or
improvement, and (ii) such expansion or improvement is intended to
improve the applicant's ability to manage or oversee the charter
schools created or expanded under this grant.
Applicants should ensure that all costs included in the proposed
budget are reasonable and necessary in light of the goals and
objectives of the proposed project. Any costs determined by the
Secretary to be unreasonable or unnecessary will be removed from the
final approved budget. A charter school that receives funds under this
competition is ineligible to receive funds for the same purpose under
section 5202(c)(2) of the ESEA, including for planning and program
design or the initial implementation of a charter school (i.e., CFDA
84.282A or 84.282B).
We reference additional regulations outlining funding restrictions
in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.
6. Data Universal Numbering System Number, Taxpayer Identification
Number, and Central Contractor Registry: To do business with the
Department of Education, (1) you must have a Data Universal Numbering
System (DUNS) number and a Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN); (2)
you must register both of those numbers with the Central Contractor
Registry (CCR), the Government's primary registrant database; and (3)
you must provide those same numbers on your application.
You can obtain a DUNS number from Dun and Bradstreet. A DUNS number
can be created within one business day.
If you are a corporate entity, agency, institution, or
organization, you can obtain a TIN from the Internal Revenue Service.
If you are an individual, you can obtain a TIN from the Internal
Revenue Service or the Social Security Administration. If you need a
new TIN, please allow 2-5 weeks for your TIN to become active.
The CCR registration process may take five or more business days to
complete. If you are currently registered with the CCR, you may not
need to make any changes. However, please make certain that the TIN
associated with your DUNS number is correct. Also note that you will
need to update your CCR registration on an annual basis. This may take
three or more business days to complete.
7. Other Submission Requirements. Applications for grants under
this program 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 Charter School Program Grants for
Replication and Expansion of High-Quality Charter Schools--CFDA Numbers
84.282M must be submitted electronically using e-Application,
accessible through the Department's e-Grants Web site at:
http://e-grants.ed.gov.
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 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application
deadline date. E-Application will not accept an application for this
program after 4:30 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:
[[Page 28793]]
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 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.
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: Erin Pfeltz, U.S.
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Room 4W255,
Washington, DC 20202-5970. FAX: (202) 205-5630.
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 84.282M), 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 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 84.282M), 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. Application Requirements: Applicants applying for CSP grant
funds must address both the following application requirements, which
are based on the statutory requirements under the program, and the
selection criteria described in this notice. An applicant may choose to
respond to the application requirements in the context of its responses
to the selection criteria.
(a) Describe the objectives of the project for replicating or
substantially expanding high-quality charter schools and the methods by
which the applicant will determine its progress toward achieving those
objectives.
(b) Describe how the applicant currently operates or manages the
charter schools for which it has presented evidence of success, and how
the proposed new or expanded charter schools will be operated or
managed. Include a description of central office functions, governance,
daily operations, financial management, human resources management, and
instructional management. If applying as a group or consortium,
describe the roles and responsibilities of each member of the group or
consortium and how each member will contribute to this project.
(c) Describe how the applicant will ensure that each proposed new
or expanded charter school receives its commensurate share of Federal
education funds that are allocated by formula each year, including
during the first year of operation of the school and any year in which
the school's enrollment expands significantly.
(d) Describe the educational program to be implemented in the
proposed new or expanded charter schools, including
[[Page 28794]]
how the program will enable all students (including educationally
disadvantaged students) to meet challenging State student academic
achievement standards, the grade levels or ages of students to be
served, and the curriculum and instructional practices to be used. For
purposes of this competition, the term ``educationally disadvantaged
students'' includes, but is not necessarily limited to, economically
disadvantaged children, English learners, migratory children, children
with disabilities, Native American children, and neglected or
delinquent children.
(e) Describe the administrative relationship between the charter
schools to be replicated or expanded by the applicant and the
authorized public chartering agency.
(f) Describe how the applicant will provide for continued operation
of the proposed new or expanded charter schools once the Federal grant
has expired.
(g) Describe how parents and other members of the community will be
involved in the planning, program design, and implementation of the
proposed new or expanded charter schools.
(h) Include a request and justification for waivers of any Federal
statutory or regulatory provisions that the applicant believes are
necessary for the successful operation of the proposed new or expanded
charter schools and a description of any State or local rules,
generally applicable to public schools, that will be waived for, or
otherwise not apply to, such charter schools.
(i) Describe how the grant funds will be used, including how these
funds will be used in conjunction with other Federal programs
administered by the Secretary, and with any matching funds.
(j) Describe how students in the community, including students with
disabilities, English learners and other educationally disadvantaged
students, will be informed about the proposed new or expanded charter
schools and given an equal opportunity to attend such schools. For a
definition of educationally disadvantaged students, see paragraph (d)
of these Application Requirements.
(k) Describe how the proposed new or expanded charter schools that
are considered to be LEAs under State law, or the LEAs in which such
charter schools are located, will comply with sections 613(a)(5) and
613(e)(1)(B) of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.
(l) Provide information on any significant issues in the areas of
student safety, financial management, and statutory or regulatory
compliance. As noted in the absolute priority, for purposes of this
competition, ``significant'' means something that did, will, or could
lead to the revocation of a school's charter.
2. Selection Criteria. We are establishing these selection criteria
for the FY 2010 grant competition and any subsequent year in which we
make awards from the list of unfunded applicants from this competition,
in accordance with section 437(d)(1) of GEPA, 20 U.S.C. 1232(d)(1). The
maximum possible score for all the criteria in this section is 100
points. The maximum possible score for each criterion is indicated in
parentheses following the criterion.
In evaluating an application, the Secretary considers the following
criteria:
(a) Quality of the eligible applicant (50 points). In determining
the quality of the applicant, the Secretary considers the following
factors:
(i) The degree to which the applicant has demonstrated success in
significantly increasing student academic achievement and attainment
for all students, including educationally disadvantaged students,
served by charter schools operated or managed by the applicant. For a
definition of educationally disadvantaged students, see paragraph (d)
of the Application Requirements in this notice.
(ii) The degree to which the applicant has demonstrated success in
closing historic achievement gaps for the subgroups of students
described in section 1111(b)(2)(C)(v)(II).
(iii) The degree to which the applicant has achieved results for
low-income and minority students that are significantly above the
average academic achievement results for such students in the State.
Applicants are invited to submit objective data that they believe
would provide relevant information in support of these three factors,
along with comparison data for similar schools, where available. In
particular, the Secretary is interested in the following data: (1)
Performance (school-wide and by subgroup) on statewide tests of all
charter schools operated or managed by the applicant as compared to all
students in other schools in the State or States at the same grade
level, and as compared with other schools serving similar demographics
of students; (2) annual student attendance and retention rates (school-
wide and by subgroup), and comparisons with other similar schools; (3)
where applicable and available, high school graduation rates, college
attendance rates, and college persistence rates (school-wide and by
subgroup) of students attending schools operated or managed by the
applicant. When reporting data for schools in States that may have
particularly demanding or low standards of proficiency (for example,
see the report available at
http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/pdf/studies/2010456.pdf),
applicants are invited to discuss how their
academic success might be considered against applicants from across the
country.
(b) Contribution in assisting educationally disadvantaged students
(15 points). The contribution the proposed project will make in
assisting educationally disadvantaged students served by the applicant
to meet or exceed State academic content standards and State student
academic achievement standards, and to graduate college- and career-
ready. For a definition of educationally disadvantaged students, see
paragraph (d) of the Application Requirements in this notice.
(c) Quality of the project design (10 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--
(i) The extent to which the goals, objectives, and outcomes to be
achieved by the proposed project are clearly specified, measurable, and
attainable. Applicants proposing to open schools serving substantially
different populations than those currently served by the model for
which they have demonstrated evidence of success should address the
attainability of outcomes given this difference.
(ii) The extent to which the design for implementing and evaluating
the proposed project will result in information to guide possible
replication of project activities or strategies, including information
about the effectiveness of the approach or strategies employed by the
project.
(d) Quality of the management plan (25 points). The Secretary
considers the quality of the management plan and personnel to replicate
and expand high-quality charter schools. In determining the quality of
the management plan and personnel for the proposed project, the
Secretary considers:
(i) The adequacy of the management plan to achieve the objectives
of the proposed project on time and within budget, including clearly
defined responsibilities, timelines, and milestones for accomplishing
project tasks.
(ii) The business plan for increasing, sustaining, and ensuring the
quality and
[[Page 28795]]
performance of charter schools opened under this program beyond the
initial period of Federal funding, including, but not limited to
facilities, financials, central office, academics, governance,
oversight, and human resources of the schools.
(iii) A multi-year financial and operating model for the
organization, as well as a demonstrated commitment of current and
future partners, and evidence of broad support form stakeholders
critical to the project's long-term success.
(iv) A plan for closing charter schools supported, overseen, or
managed by the applicant that do not meet high standards of quality.
(v) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience,
of the project director, CEO/organization leader, and key project
personnel, especially in managing projects of the size and scope of the
proposed project.
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 in
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 goal of the CSP is to support the
creation and development of a large number of high-quality charter
schools that are free from State or local rules that inhibit flexible
operation, are held accountable for enabling students to reach
challenging State performance standards, and are open to all students.
The Secretary has two performance indicators to measure progress
towards this goal: (1) The number of charter schools in operation
around the Nation, and (2) the percentage of fourth- and eighth-grade
charter school students who are achieving at or above the proficient
level on State examinations in mathematics and reading/language arts.
Additionally, the Secretary has established the following measure to
examine the efficiency of the CSP: Federal cost per student in
implementing a successful school (defined as a school in operation for
three or more consecutive years).
All grantees will be expected to submit an annual performance
report documenting their contribution in assisting the Department in
meeting these performance measures.
VII. Agency Contact
For Further Information Contact: Erin Pfeltz or Richard Payton,
U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Room 4W255,
Washington, DC 20202-5970. Telephone: (202) 205-3525 or (202) 453-7698
or by e-mail: erin.pfeltz@ed.gov or richard.payton@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 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: May 19, 2010.
James H. Shelton, III,
Assistant Deputy Secretary for Innovation and Improvement.
[FR Doc. 2010-12436 Filed 5-21-10; 8:45 am]
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