[Federal Register: June 12, 1996 (Volume 61, Number 114)] [Notices] [Page 29903-29922] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [[Page 29903]] _______________________________________________________________________ Part VII Department of Education _______________________________________________________________________ Even Start Family Literacy Program Women's Prison Project; Notice Inviting Applications [[Page 29904]] DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION [CFDA NO.: 84.313A] Even Start Family Literacy Program Women's Prison Project; Notice Inviting Applications for a New Award With Fiscal Year (FY) 1995 Funds Note to Applicants: This notice is a complete application package. Together with the statute authorizing the program and the Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR), the notice contains all of the information, application forms, and instructions needed to apply for a grant under this competition. Purpose of Program: The Even Start Family Literacy Program Women's Prison grant is designed to help break the cycle of poverty and illiteracy and improve the educational opportunities of low-income families with mothers in prison by integrating early childhood education, adult literacy or adult basic education, and parenting education into a unified family literacy program of high quality. This project, which must be located in a prison that houses women and their preschool-aged children, will serve women inmates and their children, birth through age seven. (For the purposes of this program, the Secretary considers a prison to be a correctional institution that houses inmates, most of whom are incarcerated in the institution for at least one year.) Eligible Applicants: A prison (other than a Federal prison) that houses women and their preschool-aged children, an institution of higher education, local educational agency, hospital, or other public or private organization or entity. (A Federal prison may not apply for these Federal funds. However, another eligible entity may apply for a grant to operate this family literacy program in a Federal prison.) Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: August 7, 1996. Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: October 7, 1996. Available Funds: $200,000 (for the entire project period). Number of Awards: 1. Project Period: 24 months. Applicable Regulations: The EDGAR as follows: (1) 34 CFR Part 74 (Administration of Grants and Agreements with Institutions of Higher Education, Hospitals, and other Non-profit Organizations), for applicants that are institutions of higher education, hospitals, or other public or private organizations that are not State educational agencies, local educational agencies, or Indian tribes and tribal organizations. (2) 34 CFR Part 75 (Direct Grant Programs). (3) 34 CFR Part 77 (Definitions that Apply to Department Regulations). (4) 34 CFR Part 79 (Intergovernmental Review of Department of Education Programs and Activities). (5) 34 CFR Part 80 (Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements to State and Local Governments), for applicants that are State or local governments, or federally recognized Indian tribal governments. (6) 34 CFR Part 81 (General Education Provisions Act--Enforcement). (7) 34 CFR Part 82 (New Restrictions on Lobbying). (8) 34 CFR Part 85 (Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension (Nonprocurement) and Governmentwide Requirements for Drug-Free Workplace (Grants)). Description of Program: Under the authority of section 1202(a)(2) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), the Assistant Secretary of Elementary and Secondary Education will award one Even Start Family Literacy grant to an eligible applicant to plan and implement a family literacy program of high quality, that integrates adult literacy or adult basic education (including, as appropriate, English as a second language), parenting education, and early childhood education, in a prison that houses women and their preschool-aged children. This family literacy project will serve female inmates and their children birth through age seven. The children are eligible participants in the project whether or not they reside in the prison. Some project activities may be located outside the prison. The Secretary intends to award this grant for a 24-month period. Eligible participants. Eligible participants are-- 1. Female prison inmates who participate in the project with one or more of their eligible children, and who-- * Are eligible for participation in an adult basic education program under the Adult Education Act; or * Are within the State's compulsory school attendance age range; and 2. The child or children, from birth through age seven, of an individual described in paragraph 1 (whether or not the child resides in the prison). (Note: Family members of eligible participants described in paragraphs one and two, above, also may participate in Even Start Family Literacy Program activities when appropriate to serve Even Start purposes. In addition, under section 1206(b)(2) of the ESEA, participants remain eligible for Even Start Family Literacy services until all eligible participants in a family become ineligible for participation. For example, in the case of a participating family in which the mother becomes ineligible due to educational advancement, the family would remain eligible until the participating children reach age eight.) Federal and local funding. The Even Start Family Literacy Program Women's Prison grant funding comprises both a Federal portion of funds (Federal share) and a portion contributed by the eligible applicant (local project share). The Federal share of the project may not exceed-- * 90 percent of the total cost of the program in the first year; and * 80 percent of the total cost of the program in the second year. The local share of the project may be provided in cash or in kind and may be obtained from any source, including other Federal programs funded by the ESEA. Indirect costs. Funds under this grant may not be used for the indirect costs of an Even Start Family Literacy Program Women's Prison grant project. National Evaluation: The Secretary suggests that each applicant budget for evaluation activities as follows: a project with an estimated cost of up to $120,000 should designate $5,000 for this purpose; a project with an estimated cost of over $120,000 should designate $10,000 for these activities. These funds will be used for expenditures related to the collection and aggregation of data required for the Department's national evaluation. The Secretary also recommends that projects budget for the cost of travel to Washington, DC, and two nights' lodging for the project director and the project evaluator, for their participation in annual evaluation meetings. Waiver of Reporting Requirement: Under the EDGAR, an applicant generally must submit an annual performance report to the Department. (See 34 CFR 74.51, 75.720, and 80.40.) However, in the interest of reducing burden at the local level, the Secretary has determined that a performance report is unnecessary until the end of the 24-month project period, and therefore waives the requirement for a performance report at the end of the first year. This waiver is in accordance with the Secretary's authority under these regulations. Invitational Priority: Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(1) and section 1202(a)(2) of the ESEA (20 U.S.C. 6362(a)(2)), the Secretary is particularly interested in applications that meet the following invitational priority. However, an applicant that meets this invitational priority does not receive competitive or [[Page 29905]] absolute preference over other applications: The applicant's proposed project includes the following: (1) A recruitment and intake procedure for participants that involves extensive participant preparation for the family literacy program and an established agreement with the participants to participate for a specified minimum length of time sufficient to meet the program's purposes. (2) An intensity of services in parenting education, adult literacy or adult basic education, and early childhood education. (3) Active involvement of participants in planning and implementing the project. (4) Integration with other educational and related activities offered to inmates at the prison. (5) An approach that has been successful in providing academic or family literacy programs in the past. Selection Criteria: (a)(1) The Secretary uses the following selection criteria to evaluate applications for grants under this competition. (2) The maximum composite score for all of these criteria is 100 points. (3) The maximum score for each criterion is indicated in parentheses. (b) The Criteria.--(1) Meeting the purposes of the authorizing statute. (20 points) The Secretary reviews each application to determine how well the project will meet the purpose of the Even Start Family Literacy Program Women's Prison Grant, which under sections 1201 and 1202(a)(2) of the ESEA is to help break the cycle of poverty and illiteracy by awarding a grant for a project that-- * Improves the educational opportunities of low-income families with mothers in prison by integrating early childhood education, adult literacy or adult basic education, and parenting education into a unified family literacy program; * Is implemented through cooperative projects that build on existing community resources to create a new range of services for women inmates and their children through age seven; * Promotes achievement of the National Education Goals; and * Assists children and women in prison to achieve to challenging State content standards and challenging State student performance standards. (2) Extent of need for the project. (20 points) The Secretary reviews each application to determine the extent to which the project meets specific needs recognized in the authorizing statute, including consideration of-- (i) The needs addressed by the project; (ii) How the applicant identified those needs; (iii) How those needs will be met by the project; and (iv) The benefits to be gained by meeting those needs. (Note: The Secretary invites applicants to address such factors as the following: the number of women in the prison who need Even Start services, the average educational level of female inmates with eligible children, the lack of availability of comprehensive family literacy services for that population, other resources that will be used to benefit project participants, and any other factors that the applicant considers relevant to the extent of need for the project.) (3) Plan of Operation. (30 points) The Secretary reviews each application to determine the quality of the plan of operation for the project, including-- (i) The quality of the design of the project; (ii) The extent to which the plan of management is effective and ensures proper and efficient administration of the project; (iii) How well the objectives of the project relate to the purposes of the program; (iv) The quality of the applicant's plan to use its resources and personnel to achieve each objective; and (v) How the applicant will ensure that project participants who are otherwise eligible to participate are selected without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, age, or handicapping condition. (Note: Concerning the design of the project, an eligible applicant must propose a project that incorporates, at a minimum, the following program elements required by section 1205 of the ESEA: * Identification and recruitment of eligible participants most in need of services provided under the Even Start Family Literacy Program, as indicated by a low level of adult literacy or English language proficiency of the eligible mother and other need- related indicators. * Screening and preparation of mothers and children to enable those mothers to participate fully in the Even Start activities and services provided by the project, including testing, referral to necessary counseling (which may include drug and alcohol counseling), other necessary developmental and support services, and related services. * Design that accommodates the participants' work schedules and other responsibilities, including the provision of support services, when those support services are unavailable from other sources, but are necessary for participation in the Even Start activities provided by the project, such as--- * Scheduling and locating of services to allow joint participation by mothers and children; * Child care for the period that mothers participate in project activities; and * Transportation, if necessary, to enable mothers and their children to participate in the project. * High-quality instructional programs that promote adult literacy and empower the mothers to support the educational growth of their children, developmentally appropriate early childhood educational services, and preparation of children for success in regular school programs. * Special training of project staff, including child care staff, to develop the skills necessary to work with mothers and young children in the full range of instructional services offered through the Even Start Family Literacy Program. * Operation on a year-round basis, including the provision of some program services, instructional or enrichment, during the summer months. * As appropriate, coordination with programs assisted under other parts of Title I and other programs under the ESEA, any relevant programs under the Adult Education Act, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and the Job Training Partnership Act, the Head Start program, volunteer literacy programs, and other relevant programs. * Ensuring that the program will serve those eligible participants most in need of the activities and services provided by the project. * An independent evaluation of the project.) (4) Quality of key personnel. (5 points) (i) The Secretary reviews each application to determine the quality of key personnel the applicant plans to use on the project, including-- (A) The qualifications of the project director (if one is to be used); (B) The qualifications of each of the other key personnel to be used in the project; (C) The time that each person referred to in paragraphs (b)(4)(i) (A) and (B) will commit to the project; and (D) How the applicant, as part of its nondiscriminatory employment practices, will ensure that its personnel are selected for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, age, or handicapping condition. (ii) To determine personnel qualifications under paragraphs (b)(4)(i) (A) and (B), the Secretary considers-- (A) Experience and training in fields related to the objectives of the project; and (B) Any other qualifications that pertain to the quality of the project. (5) Staff training. (10 points) The Secretary reviews each application to determine how well the project provides special staff training, including child care staff, to develop the skills necessary to work with parents and young children in the full range of instructional services offered under the Even Start Family Literacy Program. [[Page 29906]] (6) Budget and cost effectiveness. (2 points) The Secretary reviews each application to determine the extent to which-- (i) The budget is adequate to support the project; and (ii) Costs are reasonable in relation to the objectives of the project. (7) Evaluation plan. (10 points) The Secretary reviews each application to determine the quality of the evaluation plan for the project, including the extent to which the applicant's methods of evaluation-- (i) Are appropriate to the project; and (ii) To the extent possible, are objective and produce data that are quantifiable. (Cross-reference: See 34 CFR 75.590 Evaluation by the grantee.) (8) Adequacy of resources. (3 points) The Secretary reviews each application to determine the adequacy of the resources that the applicant plans to devote to the project, including facilities, equipment, and supplies. Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs: This program is subject to the requirements of Executive Order 12372 (Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs) and the regulations in 34 CFR Part 79. The objective of the Executive Order is to foster an intergovernmental partnership and to strengthen federalism by relying on State and local processes for State and local government coordination and review of proposed Federal financial assistance. Applicants must contact the appropriate State Single Point of Contact to find out about, and to comply with, the State's process under Executive Order 12372. Applicants proposing to perform activities in more than one State should immediately contact the Single Point of Contact for each of those States and follow the procedure established in each State under the Executive Order. If you want to know the name and address of any State Single Point of Contact, see the list published in the Federal Register on August 10, 1995 (60 FR 40980). In States that have not established a process or chosen a program for review, State, areawide, regional, and local entities may submit comments directly to the Department. Any State Process Recommendation and other comments submitted by a State Single Point of Contact and any comments from State, areawide, regional, and local entities must be mailed or hand-delivered by the date indicated in this notice to the following address: The Secretary, E.O. 12372--CFDA #84.313A, U.S. Department of Education, Room 6213, 600 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20202. Proof of mailing will be determined on the same basis as applications (see 34 CFR 75.102). Recommendations or comments may be hand-delivered until 4:30 p.m. (Washington, DC time) on the date indicated in this notice. PLEASE NOTE THAT THE ABOVE ADDRESS IS NOT THE SAME ADDRESS AS THE ONE TO WHICH THE APPLICANT SUBMITS ITS COMPLETED APPLICATION. DO NOT SEND APPLICATIONS TO THE ABOVE ADDRESS. INSTRUCTIONS FOR TRANSMITTAL OF APPLICATIONS: (a) If an applicant wants to apply for a grant, the applicant shall-- (1) Mail the original and two copies of the application on or before the deadline date to: U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Center, Attention: Patricia McKee (CFDA #84.313A), Compensatory Education Programs, Room 3633, Regional Office Building #3, 7th and D Streets, SW, Washington, DC 20202-4725 or (2) Hand deliver the original and two copies of the application by 4:30 p.m. (Washington, DC time) on or before the deadline date to: U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Center, Attention: Patricia McKee (CFDA #84.313A), Compensatory Education Programs, Room 3633, Regional Office Building #3, 7th and D Streets, SW, Washington, DC (b) An applicant must show one of the following as proof of mailing: (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. (c) If any application is mailed through the U.S. Postal Service, the Secretary does 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. Notes: (1) The U.S. Postal Service does not uniformly provide a date postmark. Before relying on this method, an applicant should check with its local post office. (2) The Application Control Center will mail a Grant Application Receipt Acknowledgement to each applicant. If an applicant fails to receive the notification of application receipt within 15 days from the date of mailing the application, the applicant should call the U.S. Department of Education Application Control Center at (202) 708-9494. (3) The applicant must indicate on the envelope and--if not provided by the Department--in Item 10 of the Application for Federal Assistance (Standard Form 424) the CFDA number--and suffix letter, if any--of the competition under which the application is being submitted. Application Instructions and Forms: The appendix to this application is divided into three parts plus a statement regarding estimated public reporting burden and various assurances and certifications. These parts and additional materials are organized in the same manner that the submitted application should be organized and submitted. The parts and additional materials are as follows: Part I: Application for Federal Assistance (Standard Form 424 (Rev. 4-88)) and instructions. Part II: Budget Information--Non-Construction Programs (ED Form No. 524) and instructions. Part III: Application Narrative. Additional Materials: Estimated Public Reporting Burden Assurances--Non-Construction Programs (Standard Form 424B). Certifications Regarding Lobbying; Debarment, Suspension, and Other Responsibility Matters; and Drug-Free Workplace Requirements (ED 80- 0013). Certification regarding Debarment, Suspension, Ineligibility and Voluntary Exclusion--Lower Tier Covered Transactions (ED 80-0014, 9/90) and instructions. (Note: ED 80-0014 is intended for the use of grantees and should not be transmitted to the Department.) Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (Standard Form LLL) (if applicable) and instructions. This document has been marked to reflect statutory changes. See the notice published by the Office of Management and Budget at 61 FR 1413 (January 19, 1996). Notice to all Applicants (Section 427 of the General Education Provisions Act). An applicant may submit information on photostatic copies of the application, budget forms, assurances, and certifications. However, the application form, assurances, and certifications must each have an original signature. A grant may not be awarded unless a completed application form, including the signed assurances and certifications, have been received. For Further Information Contact: Patricia McKee, Compensatory Education Programs, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, U.S. Department of Education, 600 Independence Avenue, SW, Room 4400 Portals Building, Washington, DC 20202-6132. Telephone (202) 260-0991. Individuals who use a [[Page 29907]] telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., Eastern time, Monday through Friday. Information about the Department's funding opportunities including copies of application notices for discretionary grant competitions, can be viewed on the Department's electronic bulletin board (ED Board), telephone (202) 260-9950; or on the Internet Gopher Server at GOPHER.ED.GOV (under Announcements, Bulletins, and Press Releases); or on the World Wide Web (at http://www.ed.gov/money.html). However, the official application notice for discretionary grant competition is the notice published in the Federal Register. Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 6362(a)(2). Dated: June 6, 1996. Gerald N. Tirozzi, Assistant Secretary, Elementary and Secondary Education. BILLING CODE 4000-01-P [[Page 29908]] [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN12JN96.003 [[Page 29909]] [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN12JN96.004 [[Page 29910]] [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN12JN96.005 [[Page 29911]] [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN12JN96.006 [[Page 29912]] [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN12JN96.007 [[Page 29913]] [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN12JN96.008 BILLING CODE 4000-01-C [[Page 29914]] Instructions for Part III--Application Narrative Before preparing the Application Narrative, an applicant should read carefully the description of the program, the information about the invitational priority, and the selection criteria the Secretary uses to evaluate applications. The narrative should encompass each function or activity for which funds are being requested and should-- 1. Begin with an Abstract; that is, a summary of the proposed project; 2. Describe the proposed project in light of the invitational priority and each of the selection criteria, in the order in which the criteria are listed in this application package; 3. Provide the following in response to the attached ``Notice to all Applicants'': (1) a reference to the portion of the application in which information appears as to how the applicant is addressing steps to promote equitable access and participation, or (2) a separate statement that contains that information; 4. For any applicant other than the State educational agency (SEA), include a copy of the signed set of assurances specified in section 14306(a) of the ESEA (20 USC 8856(a)) that the applicant has filed with its SEA for this grant application; and 5. Include any other pertinent information that might assist the Secretary in reviewing the application. The Secretary strongly requests that the applicant limit the Application Narrative to no more than 20 double-spaced, typed pages on one side only, although the Secretary will consider applications of greater length. The Department has found that successful applications for similar programs generally meet this page limit. Instructions for Estimated Public Reporting Burden According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is 1810-0592. The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average 15 hours per response, including the time to review instructions, search existing data resources, gather the data needed, and complete and review the information collection. If you have any comments concerning the accuracy of the time estimate(s) or suggestions for improving this form, please write to: U.S. Department of Education, Washington, D.C. 20202-4651. If you have comments or concerns regarding the status of your individual submission of this form, write directly to: Patricia McKee, Compensatory Education Programs, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, U.S. Department of Education, 600 Independence Avenue, SW, Room 4400, Portals Building, Washington, DC 20202-6132. BILLING CODE 4000-01-P [[Page 29915]] [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN12JN96.009 [[Page 29916]] [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN12JN96.010 [[Page 29917]] [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN12JN96.011 [[Page 29918]] [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN12JN96.012 [[Page 29919]] [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN12JN96.013 [[Page 29920]] [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN12JN96.014 [[Page 29921]] [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN12JN96.015 BILLING CODE 4000-01-C [[Page 29922]] Notice to All Applicants Thank you for your interest in this program. The purpose of this enclosure is to inform you about a new provision in the Department of Education's General Education Provisions Act (GEPA) that applies to applicants for new grant awards under Department programs. This provision is section 427 of GEPA, enacted as part of the Improving America's Schools Act of 1994 (Pub. L. 103-382). To Whom Does This Provision Apply? Section 427 of GEPA affects applicants for new discretionary grant awards under this program. ALL APPLICANTS FOR NEW AWARDS MUST INCLUDE INFORMATION IN THEIR APPLICATIONS TO ADDRESS THIS NEW PROVISION IN ORDER TO RECEIVE FUNDING UNDER THIS PROGRAM. What Does This Provision Require? Section 427 requires each applicant for funds (other than an individual person) to include in its application a description of the steps the applicant proposes to take to ensure equitable access to, and participation in, its federally-assisted program for students, teachers, and other program beneficiaries with special needs. This section allows applicants discretion in developing the required description. The statute highlights six types of barriers that can impede equitable access or participation that you may address: gender, race, national origin, color, disability, or age. Based on local circumstances, you can determine whether these or other barriers may prevent your students, teachers, etc. from equitable access or participation. Your description need not be lengthy; you may provide a clear and succinct description of how you plan to address those barriers that are applicable to your circumstances. In addition, the information my be provided in a single narrative, or, if appropriate, may be discussed in connection with related topics in the application. Section 427 is not intended to duplicate the requirements of civil rights statutes, but rather to ensure that, in designing their projects, applicants for Federal funds address equity concerns that may affect the ability of certain potential beneficiaries to fully participate in the project and to achieve to high standards. Consistent with program requirements and its approved application, an applicant may use the Federal funds awarded to it to eliminate barriers it identifies. What are Examples of How an Applicant Might Satisfy the Requirement of This Provision? The following examples may help illustrate how an applicant may comply with section 427. (1) An applicant that proposes to carry out an adult literacy project serving, among others, adults with limited English proficiency, might describe in its application how it intends to distribute a brochure about the proposed project to such potential participants in their native language. (2) An applicant that proposes to develop instructional materials for classroom use might describe how it will make the materials available on audio tape or in braille for students who are blind. (3) An applicant that proposes to carry out a model science program for secondary students and is concerned that girls may be less likely than boys to enroll in the course, might indicate how it tends to conduct ``outreach'' efforts to girls, to encourage their enrollment. We recognize that many applicants may already be implementing effective steps to ensure equity of access and participation in their grant programs, and we appreciate your cooperation in responding to the requirements of this provision. Estimated Burden Statement According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is 1801-0004 (Exp. 8/31/98). The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to vary from 1 to 3 hours per response, with an average of 1.5 hours, including the time to review instructions, search existing data resources, gather and maintain the data needed, and complete and review the information collection. If you have any comments concerning the accuracy of the time estimate(s) or suggestions for improving this form, please write to: U.S. Department of Education, Washington, DC 20202-4651. [FR Doc. 96-14928 Filed 6-11-96; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4000-01-P