FR Doc 05-13688
[Federal Register: July 12, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 132)]
[Notices]
[Page 40013-40015]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr12jy05-59]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Community Technology Centers Program
AGENCY: Office of Vocational and Adult Education, Department of
Education.
ACTION: Notice of final changes to requirements.
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SUMMARY: The Assistant Secretary for Vocational and Adult Education
announces changes to certain requirements governing the Community
Technology Centers (CTC) program that the Department established in
2004 and used for the fiscal year (FY) 2004 CTC competition.
Specifically, the Assistant Secretary is removing the following two
requirements: (1) That novice and non-novice applicants in CTC
competitions be ranked and funded separately, and (2) that at least 75
percent of the funds be set aside for non-novice applicants and up to
25 percent of the funds be set aside for novice applicants. The
Assistant Secretary will abide by the revised requirements in making
awards in FY 2005 from the list of unfunded applicants from the FY 2004
CTC competition.
DATES: This notice of final changes to requirements is effective August
11, 2005.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Karen Holliday, U.S. Department of
Education, Office of Vocational and Adult Education, 400 Maryland
Avenue, SW., Potomac Center Plaza, Room 11089, Washington, DC 20202-
7241. Telephone: (202) 245-7708 or via e-mail: karen.holliday@ed.gov.
Please type ``CTC Notice Correspondence'' as the subject line of your
electronic message.
If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may
call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) 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 contact person listed under FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT.
Note: This notice does not solicit applications.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
As authorized by title V, part D, subpart 11, of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended by the No Child Left Behind
Act of 2001 (ESEA), the purpose of the CTC program is to assist
eligible applicants to create or expand
[[Page 40014]]
community technology centers that provide disadvantaged residents of
economically distressed urban and rural communities with access to
information technology and related training.
In 2004, the Department held a CTC competition with FY 2004 funds,
in which it used the requirements, priorities, and selection criteria
that it had established through a notice of final requirements,
priorities, and selection criteria for novice and non-novice applicants
for the CTC program, published in the Federal Register on April 16,
2004 (69 FR 20766). Under those final requirements, the Department
ranked and funded separately two sets of applicants--novice applicants
and non-novice applicants--that met the established absolute
priorities. The Department set aside approximately 75 percent of the
funds for non-novice applicants and approximately 25 percent of the
funds for novice applicants.
During the 2004 CTC competition, the Department received nearly 500
applications in response to the FY 2004 notice inviting applications.
Because of the separate ranking of novice and non-novice applicants and
the set-aside requirements, a number of high-quality applications
received through the FY 2004 CTC competition were not funded.
Accordingly, the Department intends to make awards for FY 2005 based on
the list of unfunded applicants from the FY 2004 CTC competition
without regard to the set-aside provisions.
Analysis of Comments and Changes
On May 4, 2005, the Department published a notice of proposed
changes to requirements in the Federal Register (70 FR 23142). In
response to the notice of proposed changes to requirements, 12 parties
submitted comments. An analysis of the comments on the notice of
proposed changes follows.
Generally, we do not address technical and other minor changes--and
suggested changes the law does not authorize us to make under the
applicable statutory authority.
Comments: Several commenters stated that they would like the
Department to fund current CTC grantees, as well as FY 2004 unfunded
applicants.
Discussion: The purpose of the CTC program is to assist eligible
applicants to create or expand community technology centers that
provide disadvantaged residents of economically distressed urban and
rural communities with access to information technology and related
training. In order to reach additional needy communities, the Assistant
Secretary has determined that the best policy for the Department in FY
2005 is to fund additional high-quality applications and that a
sufficient number of high-quality 2004 applications remain available
for funding.
Changes: None.
Comments: Two commenters stated that they are concerned about the
status of unfunded applicants' current budget, partnerships, and other
resource capabilities due to the significant lapse of time since these
applicants submitted their application materials to the Department for
the 2004 CTC competition.
Discussion: Prior to awarding FY 2005 CTC grant funds, we will
contact the highest ranked FY 2004 unfunded applicants to verify that
applicants remain interested in receiving a grant to carry out the
project outlined in their application, have the personnel and other
resources needed to implement their project, and can meet the other
requirements of the program. If an applicant cannot meet that test, the
Department will contact the next applicant on the slate.
Changes: None.
Comments: Several commenters stated that they want the Department
to conduct a new competition for FY 2005 in order to fund the highest-
quality projects.
Discussion: The Department received nearly 500 applications in
response to the FY 2004 notice inviting applications for the CTC
program. With the $9.5 million available in FY 2004, the Department
awarded 25 grants. The Assistant Secretary has determined that a
sufficient number of high-quality FY 2004 applications remain available
for funding.
Changes: None.
Comments: Several commenters recommended that the Department
continue to distinguish between novice and non-novice applicants.
Discussion: In order to ensure that the Department funds the
highest-quality applications and for the reasons stated in the notice
of proposed changes to requirements, we continue to believe that we
should select for funding unfunded applicants from the FY 2004
competition irrespective of their novice or non-novice status.
Changes: None.
Target Applicants
We will change two of the requirements of the CTC competition held
in 2004, so that the Department is no longer required to: (1) Rank and
fund novice and non-novice applicants separately, and (2) set aside at
least 75 percent of the funds for non-novice applicants and up to 25
percent of the funds for novice applicants that met the absolute
priorities.
For FY 2005, we will make awards from the list of unfunded
applicants from the FY 2004 competition in the highest-ranking order,
using the same priorities and selection criteria and irrespective of
the novice or non-novice status of applicants.
Executive Order 12866
This notice of final changes to requirements has been reviewed in
accordance with Executive Order 12866. Under the terms of this order,
we have assessed the potential costs and benefits of this regulatory
action.
The potential costs associated with the notice of final changes to
requirements are those resulting from statutory requirements and those
we have determined as necessary for administering this program
effectively and efficiently.
In assessing the potential costs and benefits--both quantitative
and qualitative--of this notice of changes to requirements, we have
determined that the benefits of the change to the requirements
governing the FY 2004 CTC competition justify the costs.
We have also determined that this regulatory action does not unduly
interfere with State, local, and tribal governments in the exercise of
their governmental functions.
Intergovernmental Review
This program is subject to Executive Order 12372 and the
regulations in 34 CFR part 79. One of the objectives of the Executive
Order is to foster an intergovernmental partnership and a strengthened
federalism. The Executive Order relies on processes developed by State
and local governments for coordination and review of proposed Federal
financial assistance.
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:
http://www.ed.gov/news/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
[[Page 40015]]
of Federal Regulations is available on GPO Access at:
http://www.gpoaccess.gov/nara/index.html.
(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number 84.341--Community
Technology Centers Program)
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 7263-7263b.
Dated: July 7, 2005.
Susan Sclafani,
Assistant Secretary for Vocational and Adult Education.
[FR Doc. 05-13688 Filed 7-11-05; 8:45 am]
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