[Federal Register: December 14, 1998 (Volume 63, Number 239)] [Notices] [Page 68987-68988] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr14de98-113] [[Page 68987]] _______________________________________________________________________ Part V Department of Education _______________________________________________________________________ Fund for the Improvement of Education: Partnerships in Character Education Pilot Projects; Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Years (FY) 1999 and 2000; Notice [[Page 68988]] DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION [CFDA No.: 84.215V] Fund for the Improvement of Education: Partnerships in Character Education Pilot Projects; Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Years (FY) 1999 and 2000 Purpose of Program: The purpose of the Fund for the Improvement of Education (FIE) is to support nationally significant programs to improve the quality of education, assist all students to meet challenging State content standards, and contribute to the achievement of the National Education Goals. The purpose of this competition is to support pilot projects that design and implement character education programs as a way to address the broader FIE objectives. Eligible Applicants: Only State educational agencies, in partnership with one or more local educational agencies, may apply for grants under this program. A State educational agency means the State board of education or other agency or officer primarily responsible for the supervision of public elementary and secondary schools in a State. In the absence of this officer or agency, it is an officer or agency designated by the Governor or State law (20 U.S.C. 8801(28) and 34 CFR 77.1(c)). Applications Available: 12/17/98. Deadline for Transmittal of Application: 2/12/99. Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: 4/13/99. Available Funds: Up to $4,000,000. Estimated Range of Awards: $100,000-$1,000,000. Estimated Number of Awards: Up to 10. Maximum Award: The Secretary will not consider an application that proposes a budget for the entire project period exceeding a total of $1,000,000. Budget Period: 12 months. Project Period: Up to 60 months. Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice. Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80, 81, 82, 85, and 86; and (b) the regulations in 34 CFR parts 98, 99, and 299. Supplementary Information: It is the Department's intent to fund two cycles of awards from this competition. The first cycle of awards will be made from FY 1999 funds. If applications of high quality remain unfunded, additional awards will be made in the second cycle in FY 2000, pending availability of FY 2000 funds. The statute governing the Partnerships in Character Education Pilot Projects program limits the total amount awarded to any State to $1,000,000 and the funding period to five years, of which not more than one year may be used for planning and program design. Each applicant, operating within these parameters, may, in designing character education activities, determine the combination of funds and time that is most appropriate. For example, one applicant may request $500,000 per year for two years, another may request $100,000 for the first year, $400,000 for the second and third years, and $100,000 for the fourth year, and a third may request $200,000 per year for five years. In preparing an application, each applicant should take special care to provide a timeline and a narrative that explains the costs requested for each budget period. Under the Character Education program, State educational agencies provide technical and professional assistance to local educational agencies in the development and implementation of curriculum materials, teacher training, and other activities related to character education. Applicants must propose projects designed to develop character education programs that incorporate the following elements of character: (a) Caring. (b) Civic virtue and citizenship. (c) Justice and fairness. (d) Respect. (e) Responsibility. (f) Trustworthiness. (g) Any other elements deemed appropriate by the members of the partnership. Other program requirements are described in the application package. For Applications or Information Contact: To request an application: Facsimile machine: 202-219-2053; Voice Mail: 202-219-2116; E-Mail: Judy__Collins@ed.gov; or Mail: OERI/FIE Application, 555 New Jersey Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20208-5645. 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. Individuals with disabilities may obtain this document in an alternate format (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer diskette) on request to the contact person listed in the preceding paragraph. Individuals with disabilities may obtain a copy of the application package in an alternate format, also, by contacting that person. However, the Department is not able to reproduce in an alternate format the standard forms included in the application package. Electronic Access to This Document Anyone may view this document, as well as all other Department of Education documents published in the Federal Register, in text or portable document format (pdf) via Internet at either of the following sites: http://ocfo.ed.gov/fedreg.htm http://www.ed.gov/news.html To use the pdf you must have the Adobe Acrobat Reader Program with Search, which is available free at either of the previous sites. If you have questions about using the pdf, call the U.S. Government Printing Office at (202) 512-1530 or, toll free, at 1-888-293-6498. Anyone may also view these documents in text copy only on an electronic bulletin board of the Department. Telephone: (202) 219-1511 or, toll free, 1-800-222-4922. The documents are located under Option G--Files/Announcements, Bulletins and Press Releases. Note: The official version of a document is the document published in the Federal Register. Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 8003. Dated: December 9, 1998. C. Kent McGuire, Assistant Secretary, Office of Educational Research and Improvement. [FR Doc. 98-33093 Filed 12-11-98; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4000-01-P