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| 84.361 VOLUNTARY PUBLIC SCHOOL CHOICE |
| FEDERAL AGENCY |
| OFFICE OF INNOVATION AND IMPROVEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION |
| AUTHORIZATION |
| Elementary and Secondary Education Act, as amended; Title V, Part B, Subpart 3; 20 U.S.C. 7225-7225g. |
| OBJECTIVES |
| To support efforts to establish or expand intradistrict, interdistrict, and open enrollment public school choice programs to provide parents, particularly parents whose children attend low-performing public schools, with expanded education options and with greater choice for their children's education. |
| TYPES OF ASSISTANCE |
| Project Grants (Discretionary). |
| USES AND USE RESTRICTIONS |
| An eligible entity that receives a grant under this subpart may use the grant funds for: (1) planning or designing a program (for not more than 1 year); (2) the cost of making tuition transfer payments to public elementary schools or secondary schools to which students transfer under the program; (3) the cost of capacity-enhancing activities that enable high-demand public elementary schools or secondary schools to accommodate transfer requests under the program; (4) the cost of carrying out public education campaigns to inform students and parents about the program; and (5) other costs reasonably necessary to implement the program. An eligible entity that receives a grant under this subpart may not use the grant funds for school construction. The eligible entity may use not more than 5 percent of the funds made available through the grant for any fiscal year for administrative expenses. |
| Applicant Eligibility |
| State educational agencies (SEAs); local educational agencies (LEAs); or a partnership of either 1(a)one or more SEAs; (b) one or more LEAs or other public, for-profit, or nonprofit entities; and 2(a) one or more LEAs and (b) one or more public, for-profit, or nonprofit entities may apply. |
| Beneficiary Eligibility |
| Public school students. |
| Credentials/Documentation |
| None. |
| Preapplication Coordination |
| Not applicable. 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. |
| Application Procedure |
| Applications must be prepared and submitted in accordance with a notice published in the Federal Register. By the due date, eligible applicants must submit to the Department of Education a complete application that addresses the purposes of the program, the selection criteria, and any priorities included in the application notice, and includes all required assurances and signatures. |
| Award Procedure |
| The Department of Education awards these grants on a competitive basis. The program office notifies successful applicants of awards, negotiates final budgets, and awards grants. Contact the program office for more information. |
| Deadlines |
| Deadlines will be published in the Federal Register. Contact the program office for application deadlines and information. |
| Range of Approval/Disapproval Time |
| The range of approval/disapproval time is approximately 60 to 120 days following the application deadline. |
| Appeals |
| The General Education Provisions Act hearing procedures regarding recovery of funds are applicable to this program. |
| Renewals |
| Continuation awards are subject to the availability of appropriations. |
| Formula and Matching Requirements |
| None. |
| Length and Time Phasing of Assistance |
| Awards may be made for up to five years. Continuation awards are subject to the availability of appropriations. |
| Reports |
| Each eligible entity receiving a grant under this program annually shall submit to the Secretary a report of its operations and activities. |
| Audits |
| The financial records of each eligible entity receiving a grant under this subpart shall be maintained in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and shall be subject to an annual audit by an independent public accountant. |
| Records |
| In accordance with the General Education Provisions Act and the Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR), certain records must be retained for three years after the end of the grant. |
| Account Identification |
| 91-0204-0-1-501. |
| Obligations |
| (Grants) FY 07 $26,278,000; FY 08 est $25,819,000; and FY 09 est $25,819,000. |
| Range and Average of Financial Assistance |
| The average award in fiscal year 2007 was $1,844,000. Range of new awards: $95,600 - $2,700,000. |
| PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS |
| Fourteen new awards were made in fiscal year 2007. |
| REGULATIONS, GUIDELINES, AND LITERATURE |
| Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR), Parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80, 81, 82, 85, 86, 97, 98, and 99. |
| Regional or Local Office |
| None. |
| Headquarters Office |
| Department of Education, OII Parental Options and Information 400 Maryland Ave., S.W., Washington DC 20202-6140. Contact: Iris Lane, E-mail: iris.lane@ed.gov Telephone (202) 260-1999. |
| Web Site Address |
| http://www.ed.gov/programs/choice/index.html |
| RELATED PROGRAMS |
| 84.282, Charter Schools. |
| EXAMPLES OF FUNDED PROJECTS |
| Grant funds support: planning and implementation costs associated with new programs; tuition transfer payments to public schools that students choose to attend; and efforts to strengthen the capacity and quality of schools to meet the demand for choice and provide equitable access to such programs. |
| CRITERIA FOR SELECTING PROPOSALS |
| The selection criteria contained in EDGAR, 34 CFR 75.209 and 75.210 are used to evaluate applications. |
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General Services Administration Office of Chief Acquisition Officer Regulatory and Federal Assistance Division (VIR) |
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