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| 84.004 CIVIL RIGHTS TRAINING AND ADVISORY SERVICES |
| FEDERAL AGENCY |
| OFFICE OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION |
| AUTHORIZATION |
| Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IV, as amended. |
| OBJECTIVES |
| To provide technical assistance and training services to school districts to cope with educational problems occasioned by race, gender, and national origin desegregation. |
| TYPES OF ASSISTANCE |
| Project Grants (Cooperative Agreements). |
| USES AND USE RESTRICTIONS |
| Funds support Equity Assistance Centers to provide technical assistance and training, upon request, in the areas of race, sex, and national origin to public school districts and other responsible governmental agencies to promote equitable education opportunities. The centers work in the areas of civil rights, equity, and school reform. This assistance helps schools and communities ensure that equitable education opportunities are available and accessible for all children. |
| Applicant Eligibility |
| Any private, nonprofit organization or any public agency may apply. |
| Beneficiary Eligibility |
| Educational personnel and elementary and secondary students in local school districts benefit. |
| Credentials/Documentation |
| Submission of a proposal for one or more of the sections of Title IV, Civil Rights Act of 1964. More detailed information may be found in the regulations. Costs will be determined in accordance with OMB Circular No. A-87 for State and local governments. OMB Circular No. A-122 for nonprofit organizations also applies. |
| Preapplication Coordination |
| Applicants may contact the Department of Education. This program is eligible for coverage under E.O. 12372, "Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs." An applicant should consult the office or official designated as the single point of contact in his or her State for more information on the process the State requires to be followed in applying for assistance, if the State has selected the program for review. The standard application forms as furnished by the Federal agency and required by OMB Circular No. A-102 must be used for this program. |
| Application Procedure |
| This program is subject to the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-110. |
| Award Procedure |
| Final recommendations are made following advice from a panel of peer reviewers. |
| Deadlines |
| Published in the Federal Register. |
| Range of Approval/Disapproval Time |
| Approximately 30 to 90 Days. |
| Appeals |
| None. |
| Renewals |
| Equity assistance centers receive three-year awards if they meet the criteria for annual continuation in the regulations. Renewals are subject to the availability of appropriations. |
| Formula and Matching Requirements |
| None. |
| Length and Time Phasing of Assistance |
| Funds are appropriated on an annual basis. |
| Reports |
| In accordance with OMB Circular No. A-102 (Attachments H and I) and ED General Administrative Regulations for Direct Project Grant and Contract Programs, 34 CFR 74, 75. |
| Audits |
| In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised, June 27, 2003), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Nonprofit Organizations," nonfederal entities that expend financial assistance of 500,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than 500,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133. |
| Records |
| In accordance with Section 443 of the General Education Provisions Act, grantees must maintain records for three years. |
| Account Identification |
| 91-1000-0-1-501. |
| Obligations |
| (Grants) FY 07 $7,113,000; FY 08 est $6,989,000; and FY 09 est $6,989,000. |
| Range and Average of Financial Assistance |
| The average fiscal year 2007 continuation award was $718,506. |
| PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS |
| Awards were made to ten equity assistance centers in FY 05. Each center is responsible for providing technical assistance on the basis of race, gender, and national origin. New awards will be made in FY 08. |
| REGULATIONS, GUIDELINES, AND LITERATURE |
| 34 CFR 270, 271, and 272 apply. |
| Regional or Local Office |
| None. |
| Headquarters Office |
| School Support and Technology Programs, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, S.W., Washington, DC 20202. Contact: Sandra Brown. Telephone: (202) 260-2638. E-mail: Sandra.brown@ed.gov. |
| Web Site Address |
| http://www.ed.gov/programs/equitycenters/index.html or http://www.ed.gov/about/contacts/gen/othersites/equity.html |
| RELATED PROGRAMS |
| 84.165, Magnet Schools Assistance. |
| EXAMPLES OF FUNDED PROJECTS |
| Equity assistance centers provide training and technical assistance to public school districts in the States in their geographical service area. Typical activities include the dissemination of general information on such topics as successful educational practices and legal requirements related to non- discrimination on the basis of race, gender, and national origin in educational programs; training designed to develop educators' skills in specific areas, such as the identification of race and sex bias in instructional materials; and technical assistance in the identification and selection of appropriate educational programs to meet the needs of limited English speaking students. In all instances, the assistance provided is at the request of the local educational agency. |
| CRITERIA FOR SELECTING PROPOSALS |
| New equity assistance center applications are evaluated on the basis of selection criteria, in Section 272.30(a)-(g), addressing mission and strategy, organizational capability, plan of operation, quality of key personnel, budget and cost-effectiveness, evaluation plan, and adequacy of resources. The highest ranking application for each geographical service area is selected for an award. |
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General Services Administration Office of Chief Acquisition Officer Regulatory and Federal Assistance Division (VIR) |
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