[Federal Register: June 28, 1996 (Volume 61, Number 126)]
[Notices]
[Page 33716-33717]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
[CDFA No.: 84.165B]
Magnet Schools Assistance--Innovative Programs; Notice Inviting
Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 1996
Purpose of Innovative Programs
To award grants to local educational agencies (LEAs) or consortia
of LEAs to enable them to conduct innovative programs that will assist
in the desegregation of schools served by the LEA or LEAs.
Eligible Applicants
An LEA or consortium of LEAs that (1) is implementing a plan
undertaken pursuant to a final order issued by a court of the United
States, a court of any State, or any other State agency or official of
competent jurisdiction that requires the desegregation of minority-
group-segregated children or faculty in elementary and secondary
schools of that agency; or (2) has voluntarily adopted and is
implementing, or, if assistance is made available under the Innovative
Programs section of the Magnet Schools Assistance statute, will
voluntarily implement such a plan that has been approved by the
Secretary of Education as adequate under Title VI of the Civil Rights
Act of 1964.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: August 2, 1996.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: October 1, 1996.
Applications Available: July 2, 1996.
Available Funds: $3 million.
Estimated Range of Awards: $300,000-$500,000.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $400,000.
Estimated Number of Awards: 6-9.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this
notice.
Project Period: Up to 36 months.
Applicable Regulations: The Education Department General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR Parts 75, 77, 79, 80, 81,
82, 85, and 86.
General Requirements
Innovative Programs are authorized under the Magnet Schools
Assistance (MSA) statute. However, while these programs must carry out
the purpose of the MSA statute, (i.e., assist in the desegregation of
schools served by an eligible LEA or consortium of LEAs), they must
involve strategies other than magnet schools, such as neighborhood or
community model schools. In addition, they must be organized around a
special emphasis, theme, or concept and involve extensive parent and
community involvement.
In order to be eligible for an Innovative Programs grant, an LEA or
consortium of LEAs must be implementing a required desegregation plan
or have adopted and implemented, or will implement if assistance is
made available under the MSA statute, a voluntary desegregation plan.
Accordingly, an applicant that is eligible due to a required
desegregation plan shall submit a copy of its plan including, if the
applicant is submitting a desegregation plan ordered by a State agency
or official, documentation showing that the plan was ordered based on a
determination that State law was violated. An applicant that is
eligible due to a voluntary desegregation plan also shall submit a copy
of its plan. In addition, the applicant shall submit evidence of final
official action adopting and implementing the desegregation plan or
agreeing to adopt and implement the desegregation plan upon award of
assistance.
Innovative Programs are exempt from certain provisions of the MSA
statute, including section 5106 (Applications and Requirements),
section 5107 (Priority), and section 5108 (Use of Funds). Other MSA
statute requirements apply to applications submitted under Innovative
Programs. Under section 5109, grants may not be used for transportation
or any activity that does not augment academic improvement. In
addition, an LEA or consortium may not expend funds for planning
activities associated with its Innovative Programs grant after the
third year of Federal funding. Under section 5110, a grantee may expend
for planning not more than 50 percent of the funds received for the
first year of the project, 15 percent of the grant funds for the second
year, and 10 percent of the grant funds for the third year.
Selection Criteria
The selection criteria are included in full in the application
package for this competition. These selection criteria were established
based on the regulations for evaluating discretionary grants found in
34 CFR 75.200 through 75.210 (as amended December 12, 1995).
For Applications or Information Contact: Carrolyn N. Andrews, U.S.
Department of Education, 600 Independence Avenue, S.W., Portals 4500,
Washington, D.C. 20202-6140. Telephone (202) 260-2670. Individuals who
use a 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; 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 a discretionary grant competition is
the notice published in the Federal Register.
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 7211.
[[Page 33717]]
Dated: June 24, 1996.
Gerald N. Tirozzi,
Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education.
[FR Doc. 96-16508 Filed 6-27-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P