[Federal Register: May 21, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 98)]
[Notices]
[Page 35887-35890]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr21my02-98]
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Part III
Department of Education
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Office of Educational Research and Improvement; Fund for the
Improvement of Education (FIE) Program-Partnerships in Character
Education; Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year
(FY) 2002; Notice
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
[CFDA No. 84.215V-State Educational Agencies; CFDA No.
84.215S-Local Educational Agencies]
Office of Educational Research and Improvement; Fund for the
Improvement of Education (FIE) Program-Partnerships in Character
Education; Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year
(FY) 2002
Purpose of Program: The purpose of this program is to provide
grants to eligible entities to assist them in designing and
implementing character education programs that teach students any of
the following elements of character: caring, civic virtue and
citizenship, justice and fairness, respect, responsibility,
trustworthiness, giving, or any other elements deemed appropriate by
the eligible entity, having taken into consideration the views of
parents and students. The character education programs supported must
be programs that can be integrated into classroom instruction, are
consistent with State academic content standards, and can be carried
out in conjunction with other educational reform efforts.
Eligible Applicants: An eligible applicant under the 84.215V
competition is:
(a) A State educational agency (SEA) in partnership with one or
more local educational agencies (LEAs); or
(b) An SEA in partnership with one or more (LEAs) and nonprofit
organizations or entities, including an institution of higher
education.
An eligible applicant under the 84.215S competition is:
(a) An LEA or consortium of LEAs; or
(b) An LEA or LEAs in partnership with one or more nonprofit
organizations or entities, including an institution of higher
education.
In making selections for funding, the Secretary will ensure, to the
extent practicable, that the projects are equitably distributed among
the geographic regions of the United States, and among urban, suburban
and rural areas.
Applications Available: May 23, 2002.
The application package for this competition is available on line
at: http://ed.gov/GrantApps/. At this site, you may download and print
a paper copy of the application package. Using these paper forms, you
may submit a paper copy of your application to the Department.
If you want to submit an application electronically, please refer
to the instructions, "Pilot Project for Electronic Submission of
Applications" later on in this notice. You must use the "e-
APPLICATION" process described in these instructions to submit an
application electronically.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: July 11, 2002.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: September 9, 2002.
Estimated Available Funds: $16,000,000.
Estimated Range of Awards: $100,000-$500,000 per year.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: The size of an award will be
commensurate with the scope of the activities to be carried out.
Minimum Award: We will reject any application from an SEA that
proposes a total budget for the entire project period that is less than
$500,000. There is no such restriction on applications from LEAs.
Estimated Number of Awards: 40 to 45.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this
notice.
Project Period: Up to 48 months, of which no more than 12 months
may be used for planning and program design.
Budget Period: 12 months.
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. It is strongly suggested
that you limit Part III to the equivalent of no more than 25 pages
using the following standards:
-A page is 8.5 × 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.
-Use a font that is either 12 point or larger or not
smaller than 10 pitch (characters per inch).
Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 80, 81,
82, 85, 86, 97, 98 and 99.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Eligible entities awarded grants under this program may contract
with outside sources, including institutions of higher education and
private and nonprofit organizations, for the purposes of: (1)
Evaluating the program for which the assistance is made available; (2)
measuring the integration of such program into the curriculum and
teaching methods of schools where the program is carried out; and (3)
measuring the success of the program in fostering the elements of
character selected by the recipient.
Entities receiving grants may also contract with the same types of
outside sources, for assistance in: (1) Developing secular curricula,
materials, teacher training, and other activities related to character
education; and (2) integrating secular character education into the
curricula and teaching methods of schools where the program is carried
out.
An SEA receiving a grant may use no more than 3 percent of the
grant funds, each year, for administrative purposes. The remainder may
be used for: (1) Collaborative initiatives with and between LEAs and
schools; (2) the preparation or purchase of materials, and teacher
training; (3) providing assistance to LEAs, schools, or institutions of
higher education; and (4) technical assistance and evaluation.
Each application for a grant under this program must include
information that: (1) Demonstrates that the program for which the grant
is sought has clear objectives that are based on scientifically based
research; (2) describes any partnerships or collaborative efforts among
the organizations and entities comprising the eligible entity; (3)
describes the activities that will be carried out with the grant funds
and how such activities will meet the project objectives, including:
(a) How parents, students, students with disabilities (including those
with mental or physical disabilities), and other members of the
community, including members of private and nonprofit organizations,
will be involved in the design and implementation of the program and
how the eligible entity will work with the larger community to increase
the reach and promise of the program; (b) curriculum and instructional
practices that will be used or developed; and (c) methods of teacher
training and parent education that will be used or developed; (4)
describes how the program for which the grant is sought will be linked
to other efforts to improve academic achievement, including: (a)
Broader educational reforms that are being instituted by the eligible
entity or its partners; and (b) State academic content standards; and
(5) describes how the eligible entity will evaluate the success of its
program based on the project objectives.
In addition, any application from an SEA must also include
information that describes how the SEA: (1) Will provide technical and
professional assistance to its LEA partners in the development and
implementation of character education programs; and (2) will assist
other
[[Page 35889]]
interested LEAs that are not members of the original partnership in
designing and establishing character education programs.
Each eligible entity receiving a grant must provide, to the extent
feasible and appropriate, for the participation in the funded programs
and activities of students and teachers in private elementary and
secondary schools.
Factors that may be considered in evaluating the success of
programs funded include the following: Discipline issues, student
academic achievement, participation in extracurricular activities,
parental and community involvement, faculty and administration
involvement, student and staff morale, and overall improvements in
school climate for all students, including students with disabilities.
Selection Criteria: In selecting eligible entities to receive
grants, the Secretary will use a peer review process that includes the
participation of experts in the field of character education and
development. Peer reviewers will use the criteria listed below in
evaluating applications. The criteria will receive the points
indicated.
(1) The extent to which project objectives are significant, clearly
identified, measurable, and likely to be achieved. (20 points)
(2) The extent to which the applicant utilizes scientifically based
research to select character education program components that are
likely to foster character in students and achieve project objectives.
(20 points)
(3) The extent to which the character education program activities
are integrated into teacher professional development, curricula,
materials, and classroom instruction. (20 points)
(4) The extent and ongoing nature of the involvement of students,
parents, and community, such as faith-based organizations, in the
design, implementation, and evaluation of the project. (20 points)
(5) The extent to which the factors to be considered in evaluating
the success of the project will be clearly identified and the quality
of the plan for evaluating the project. (20 points)
Priority
This competition focuses on projects designed to meet the following
priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i), applications will receive up to
20 additional points depending on how well they meet the priority.
These points are in addition to any points the application earns under
the selection criteria.
Competitive Preference Priority
The project is designed to determine whether the character
education program implemented produces meaningful effects on students.
In order to do this, the project preferably employs an experimental
design with random assignment. If random assignment is not feasible,
the project may employ a quasi-experimental design with carefully
matched comparison conditions. For experimental designs, random
assignment to the character education program being evaluated versus
one or more comparison conditions may occur at the level of students,
or classrooms, or schools. Alternatively, in a quasi-experimental
design, schools or students or classrooms that are receiving the
character education program are matched with comparable schools or
students or classrooms that are not receiving a character education
program. Data from reliable and valid measures of the elements of
character that the character education program intends to teach and any
other characteristics of school climate that the program intends to
influence should be collected before and after participation in the
character education program or the comparison condition.
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 selection criteria, competitive preference priority, and
special application requirements. Section 437(d)(1) of the General
Education Provisions Act, however, exempts from this requirement rules
that apply to the first competition under a new or substantially
revised program authority. This is the first competition under the Fund
for the Improvement of Education: Character Education Program, which
was substantially revised by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.
These selection criteria, competitive preference priority, and
application requirements will apply to the FY 2002 grant competition
only.
Pilot Project for Electronic Submission of Applications
In FY 2002, the U.S. Department of Education is continuing to
expand its pilot project of electronic submission of applications to
include additional formula grant programs and additional discretionary
grant competitions. The Fund for the Improvement of Education (FIE):
Partnerships in Character Education Program (84.215V for SEAs and
84.215S for LEAs) is one of the programs included in the pilot project.
If you are an applicant under either the SEA competition or the LEA
competition for the FIE: Partnerships in Character Education Program,
you may submit your application to the Department in either electronic
or paper format.
The pilot project involves the use of the Electronic Grant
Application System (e-APPLICATION, formerly e-GAPS) portion of the
Grant Administration and Payment System (GAPS). The Department requests
your participation in this pilot project. We shall continue to evaluate
its success and solicit suggestions for improvement.
If you participate in this e-APPLICATION pilot, please note the
following:
-Your participation is voluntary but strongly
encouraged.
-You will not receive any additional point value or
penalty because you submit a grant application in electronic or paper
format.
-On the deadline date, the deadline time for
transmitting applications is 4:30 p.m. Washington, DC Time.
-If you wait until the deadline date to submit your
application electronically and you are unable to access the e-
Application system, you must contact the Help Desk by 4:30 p.m.
Washington DC time on the deadline date.
-Keep in mind that e-Application is not operational 24
hours a day every day of the week. Click on Hours of Web Site Operation
for specific hours of access during the week.
-You will have access to the e-Application Help Desk
for technical support: 1-888-336-8930 (TTY:
1-866-697-2696, local 202-401-8363). The
Help Desk hours of operation are limited to: 8 a.m.-6 p.m.
Washington, DC time Monday-Friday.
-If you submit your application electronically by the
transmittal date but also wish to submit a paper copy of your
application, then you must mail the paper copy of the application on or
before the deadline date to: U.S. Department of Education, Application
Control Center, Attention: CFDA # 84.305G, 7th and D Streets, SW.,
Room 3671, Regional Office Building 3, Washington, DC 20202-4725.
-You can submit all documents electronically, including
the Application for Federal Assistance (ED 424), Budget
Information-Non-Construction Programs (ED 524), and all necessary
assurances and certifications.
-Within three working days of submitting your
electronic application fax a signed copy of the Application for Federal
Assistance (ED 424) to the
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Application Control Center after following these steps:
1. Print ED 424 from the e-APPLICATION system.
2. Make sure that the institution's Authorizing Representative
signs this form.
3. Before faxing this form, submit your electronic application via
the e-APPLICATION system. You will receive an automatic
acknowledgement, which will include a PR/Award number (an identifying
number unique to your application).
4. Place the PR/Award number in the upper right hand corner of ED
424.
5. Fax ED 424 to the Application Control Center at (202)
260-1349.
-We may request that you give us original signatures on
all other forms at a later date.
You may access the electronic grant application for the FIE:
Partnerships in Character Education Program: 84.215V for SEAs or
84.215S for LEAs at: http://e-grants.ed.gov.
We have included additional information about the e-APPLICATION
pilot project (see Parity Guidelines between Paper and Electronic
Applications) in the application package.
FOR APPLICATIONS AND FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Beverly A. Farrar,
U.S. Department of Education, 555 New Jersey Avenue, NW., room 502J,
Washington, DC 20208-5645. FAX: (202) 219-2053 or via the
Internet: beverly.a.farrar@ed.gov. If you use a
telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may call the Federal
Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339.
Individuals with disabilities may obtain this document in an
alternative format, e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer
diskette) on request to the program contact person listed under FOR
APPLICATIONS AND FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
Individuals with disabilities also may obtain a copy of the
application package in an alternative format by contacting that person.
However, the Department is not able to reproduce in an alternative
format the standard forms included in the application package.
Electronic Access to This Document
You may view this document, as well as all other Department of
Education documents published in the Federal Register, in text or Adobe
Portable Document Format (PDF) on the Internet at the following site:
www.ed.gov/legislation/FedRegister.
To use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available
free at this site. If you have questions about using PDF, call the U.S.
Government Printing Office (GPO) toll free, at
1-888-293-6498; or in the Washington, DC, area at
(202) 512-1530.
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.access/
gpo.gov/nara/index.html.
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 7247.
Dated: May 16, 2002.
Grover J. Whitehurst,
Assistant Secretary for Educational Research and Improvement.
[FR Doc. 02-12693 Filed 5-20-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P