[Federal Register: April 16, 2001 (Volume 66, Number 73)]
[Notices]
[Page 19437-19471]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr16ap01-43]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
[CFDA No.: 84.290U]
Bilingual Education: Comprehensive School Grants; Notice Inviting
Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2001
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),
this notice contains all of the information, application forms, and
instructions needed to apply for an award under this program. The
statutory authorization for this program, and the application
requirements that apply to this competition, are contained in
sections 7114 and 7116 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act
of 1965, as amended by the Improving America's Schools Act of 1994
(Pub. L. 103-382, enacted October 20, 1994 (the Act) (20 U.S.C. 7424
and 7426)).
Purpose of Program: This program provides grants to implement
schoolwide bilingual education programs or schoolwide special
alternative instruction programs for reforming, restructuring, and
upgrading all relevant programs and operations, within an individual
school, that serve all or virtually all limited English proficient
(LEP) children and youth in one or more schools with significant
concentrations of these children and youth.
Eligible Applicants: (a) One or more local educational agencies
(LEAs); or (b) one or more LEAs in collaboration with an institution of
higher education, community-based organizations, other LEAs, or a State
educational agency.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: June 15, 2001.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: August 14, 2001.
Available Funds: $8 million.
Estimated Range of Awards: $200,000-$300,000.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $250,000.
Estimated Number of Awards: 32.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this
notice.
Project Period: 60 months.
Page Limit: The application narrative (Part III of the application)
is where you, the applicant, address the selection criteria reviewers
use to evaluate your application. You must limit the application
narrative to the equivalent of no more than 50 pages, using the
following standards:
A page is 8\1/2\" by 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, including titles, headings,
footnotes, quotations, references, and captions, as well as all text in
charts, tables, figures, and graphs.
Use a font that is either 12-point or larger or no smaller
than 10 pitch (characters per inch).
The page limit does not apply to Part I, the cover sheet; Part II,
the budget section, including the budget justification and the cost
itemization; Part IV, the assurances and certifications; or the table
of contents or the one-page abstract. However, you must include all of
the application narrative in Part III.
If, to meet the page limit, you use more than one side of the page,
you use a larger page, or you use a print size, spacing, or margins
smaller than the standards in this notice, we will reject your
application.
Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80,
81, 82, 85, 86, and 99. (b) The regulations in 34 CFR part 299.
Description of Program: Funds under this program are to be used to
reform, restructure, and upgrade all relevant operations and programs,
within a school, that serve LEP children and youth. Before carrying out
a project assisted under this program, a grantee will plan, train
personnel, develop curriculum, and acquire or develop materials. In
addition, grantees are authorized, under this program, to improve the
education of LEP children and youth and their families by implementing
family education programs, improving the instructional program for LEP
children, compensating personnel who have been trained--or are being
trained--to serve LEP children and youth, providing tutorials and
academic or career counseling for LEP children and youth, and providing
intensified instruction.
Priorities
Absolute Priority: The priority in the notice of final priority for
this program, as published in the Federal Register on October 30, 1995
(60 FR 55245) and repeated immediately below, applies to this
competition.
Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3) and section 7114(a) of the Act, the
Secretary gives an absolute preference to applications that meet the
following priority. The Secretary funds under this competition only
applications that meet this absolute priority:
Projects that serve only schools in which the number of LEP
students, in each school served, equals at least 25 percent of the
total student enrollment.
Competitive Priority: Within the absolute priority specified in
this notice, the Secretary under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(ii) and 34 CFR
299.3(b) gives preference to applications that meet the following
competitive priority. An application that meets this competitive
priority is selected by the Secretary over applications of comparable
merit that do not meet the priority:
Projects that will contribute to systemic educational reform in an
Empowerment Zone or an Enterprise Community designated by the United
States Department of Housing and Urban Development or the United States
Department of Agriculture, and are made an integral part of the Zone's
or Community's comprehensive community revitalization strategies.
A list of areas that have been designated as Empowerment Zones and
Enterprise Communities is provided at the end of this notice and is
also available on the Internet at the following site: http://
www.ezec.gov.
Invitational Priorities: Within the absolute priority specified in
this notice, the Secretary is particularly interested in applications
that meet one or more of the following invitational priorities.
However, under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(1) an application that meets one or
more of these invitational priorities does not receive competitive or
absolute preference over other applications.
Invitational Priority 1--Reading
Projects that focus on reforming, restructuring, and upgrading
reading instruction to assist limited English proficient students to
read independently and well by the end of third grade.
Invitational Priority 2--Mathematics
Projects that focus on reforming, restructuring, and upgrading
mathematics instruction to assist limited English proficient students
to master challenging mathematics, including the foundations of algebra
and geometry, by the end of eighth grade.
Invitational Priority 3--Preparation for Postsecondary Education
Projects that focus on motivating and academically preparing
limited English proficient students for successful participation in
college and other postsecondary education.
Invitational Priority 4--Professional Development
Applicants that consider the U.S. Department of Education
Professional
[[Page 19438]]
Development Principles in planning and designing a Comprehensive School
Grant project.
Those principles call for educator professional development that
focuses on teachers as central to student learning, yet includes all
other members of the school community; focuses on individual,
collegial, and organizational improvement; respects and nurtures the
intellectual and leadership capacity of teachers, principals, and
others in the school community; reflects best available research and
practice in teaching, learning, and leadership; enables teachers to
develop further expertise in subject content, teaching strategies, uses
of technologies, and other essential elements in teaching to high
standards; promotes continuous inquiry and improvement embedded in the
daily life of schools; is planned collaboratively by those who will
participate in and facilitate that development; requires substantial
time and other resources; is driven by a coherent long-term plan; is
evaluated ultimately on the basis of its impact on teacher
effectiveness and student learning; and uses this assessment to guide
subsequent professional development efforts.
Selection Criteria
(a)(1) The Secretary uses the following selection criteria in 34
CFR 75.210 and sections 7114, 7116, and 7123 of the Act to evaluate
applications for new grants under this competition.
(2) The maximum 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. (15 points) The Secretary reviews each application to
determine how well the proposed project will implement schoolwide
bilingual education programs or schoolwide special alternative
instruction programs for reforming, restructuring, and upgrading all
relevant programs and operations, within an individual school, that
serve all (or virtually all) children and youth of limited English
proficiency in schools with significant concentrations of those
children and youth.
(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 7424(a))
(2) Need for the project. (10 points) The Secretary considers the
need for the proposed project. In determining the need for the proposed
project, the Secretary considers the following factors:
(i) The number of children and youth of limited English proficiency
in the school or school district to be served, and
(ii) The characteristics of those children and youth, such as--
(A) Language spoken;
(B) Dropout rates;
(C) Proficiency in English and the native language;
(D) Academic standing in relation to the English proficient peers
of those children and youth; and
(E) If applicable, the recency of immigration.
(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 7426(g)(1)(A))
(3) Quality of the project design. (15 points) The Secretary
considers the quality of the design of the proposed project. In
determining the quality of the design of the proposed project, the
Secretary considers the following factors:
(i) The extent to which the goals, objectives, and outcomes to be
achieved by the proposed project are clearly specified and measurable.
(ii) The extent to which the design of the proposed project is
appropriate to, and will successfully address, the needs of the target
population or other identified needs.
(iii) The extent to which the proposed project is part of a
comprehensive effort to improve teaching and learning and support
rigorous academic standards for students. (Authority: 34 CFR
75.210(c)(2)(i), (ii), and (xviii))
(4) Project activities. (15 points) The Secretary reviews each
application to determine--
(i) How well the proposed project will improve the education of
limited English proficient students and their families by carrying out
some or all of the following authorized activities:
(A) Implementing family education programs and parent outreach and
training activities designed to assist parents to become active
participants in the education of their children.
(B) Improving the instructional program for limited English
proficient students by identifying, acquiring, and upgrading
curriculum, instructional materials, educational software, and
assessment procedures, and, if appropriate, applying educational
technology.
(C) Compensating personnel, including teacher aides who have been
specifically trained, or are being trained, to provide services to
children and youth of limited English proficiency.
(D) Providing training for personnel participating in or preparing
to participate in the program that will assist that personnel in
meeting State and local certification requirements and, to the extent
possible, obtaining college or university credit.
(E) Providing tutorials and academic or career counseling for
children and youth of limited English proficiency.
(F) Providing intensified instruction.
(ii) The degree to which the program for which assistance is sought
involves the collaborative efforts of institutions of higher education,
community-based organizations, and the appropriate local and State
educational agency or businesses; and
(iii) How well the proposed project provides for utilization of the
State and national dissemination sources for program design and in
dissemination of results and products. (Authority: 20 U.S.C.
7424(b)(3); 7426(h)(6) and (i)(4)-(5))
(5) Quality of the management plan. (10 points) The Secretary
considers the quality of the management plan for the proposed project.
In determining the quality of the management plan for the proposed
project, the Secretary considers the following factors:
(i) The adequacy of the management plan to achieve the objectives
of the proposed project on time and within budget, including clearly
defined responsibilities, timelines, and milestones for accomplishing
project tasks.
(ii) The extent to which the time commitments of the project
director and other key project personnel are appropriate and adequate
to meet the objectives of the proposed project. (Authority: 34 CFR
75.210(g)(1) and (2)(i) and (iv))
(6) Quality of project personnel. (5 points) (i) The Secretary
considers the quality of the personnel who will carry out the proposed
project.
(ii) In determining the quality of project personnel, the Secretary
considers the extent to which the applicant encourages applications for
employment from persons who are members of groups that have
traditionally been underrepresented based on race, color, national
origin, gender, age, or disability.
(iii) In addition, the Secretary considers the following factors:
(A) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience,
of the project director.
(B) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience,
of key project personnel. (Authority: 34 CFR 75.210(e)(1)-(3)(i) and
(ii))
(7) Language skills of personnel. (3 points) The Secretary reviews
each application to determine how well the proposed project meets the
following requirements:
(i) The program will use qualified personnel, including personnel
who are
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proficient in the language or languages used for instruction.
(ii) The applicant will employ teachers in the proposed program
who, individually or in combination, are proficient in English,
including written, as well as oral, communication skills. (Authority:
20 U.S.C. 7426(g)(1)(E) and (h)(1))
(8) Adequacy of resources. (4 points) The Secretary considers the
adequacy of resources for the proposed project. In determining the
adequacy of resources for the proposed project, the Secretary considers
the following factors:
(i) The extent to which the budget is adequate to support the
proposed project.
(ii) The extent to which the costs are reasonable in relation to
the objectives, design, and potential significance of the proposed
project.
(Authority: 34 CFR 75.210(f)(1) and (2)(iii)-(iv))
(9) Integration of project funds. (3 points) The Secretary reviews
each application to determine how well funds received under this
program will be integrated with all other Federal, State, local, and
private resources that may be used to serve children and youth of
limited English proficiency.
(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 7426(g)(2)(A)(iii))
(10) Evaluation plan. (15 points) The Secretary reviews each
application to determine how well the proposed project's evaluation
will meet the following requirements:
(i) Student evaluation and assessment procedures must be valid,
reliable, and fair for limited English proficient students.
(ii) The evaluation must include--
(A) How students are achieving the State student performance
standards, if any, including data comparing children and youth of
limited English proficiency with nonlimited English proficient children
and youth with regard to school retention, academic achievement, and
gains in English (and, if applicable, native language) proficiency;
(B) Program implementation indicators that provide information for
informing and improving program management and effectiveness, including
data on appropriateness of curriculum in relationship to grade and
course requirements, appropriateness of program management,
appropriateness of the program's staff professional development, and
appropriateness of the language of instruction; and
(C) Program context indicators that describe the relationship of
the activities funded under the grant to the overall school program and
other Federal, State, or local programs serving children and youth of
limited English proficiency.
(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 7426(h)(3) and 7433(c)(1)-(3))
(11) Commitment and capacity building. (5 points) The Secretary
reviews each application to determine how well the proposed project
meets the following requirements:
(i) The proposed project must contribute toward building the
capacity of the applicant to provide a program on a regular basis,
similar to that proposed for assistance, that will be of sufficient
size, scope, and quality to promise significant improvement in the
education of students of limited English proficiency.
(ii) The applicant will have the resources and commitment to
continue the program when assistance under this program is reduced or
no longer available.
(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 7426(h)(5))
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.
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.
If you are an applicant, you must contact the appropriate State
Single Point of Contact (SPOC) to find out about, and to comply with,
the State's process under Executive order 12372. If you propose to
perform activities in more than one State, you should immediately
contact the SPOC 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 SPOC, see the list in the appendix to
this application notice; or you may view the latest official SPOC list
on the Web site of the Office of Management and Budget at the following
address: http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants.
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
SPOC and any comments from State, areawide, regional, and local
entities must be mailed or hand-delivered by the date indicated in this
application notice to the following address: The Secretary, E.O.
12372--CFDA# 84.290U, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland
Avenue, SW., Room 7E200, Washington, DC 20202-0125.
We will determine proof of mailing under 34 CFR 75.102 (Deadline
date for applications). 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 an applicant submits its completed application. do not
send applications to the above address.
Instructions for Transmittal of Applications
Note: Some of the procedures in these instructions for
transmitting applications differ from those in the Education
Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) (34 CFR
75.102). Under the Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C. 553) the
Department generally offers interested parties the opportunity to
comment on proposed regulations. However, these amendments make
procedural changes only and do not establish new substantive policy.
Therefore, under 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(A), the Secretary has determined
that proposed rulemaking is not required.
Pilot Project for Electronic Submission of Applications
The U.S. Department of Education is expanding its pilot project of
electronic submission of applications to include certain formula grant
programs, as well as additional discretionary grant competitions. The
Bilingual Education Comprehensive School Grants Program (CFDA No.
84.290U) is one of the programs included in the pilot project. If you
are an applicant under the Bilingual Education Comprehensive School
Grants Program, you may submit your application to us 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). We request 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.
You will not receive any additional point value or penalty
because you submit a grant application in electronic or paper format.
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You can submit all documents electronically, including the
Application for Federal Education Assistance (ED 424), Budget
Information--Non-Construction Programs (ED 524), and all necessary
assurances and certifications.
Fax a signed copy of the Application for Federal Education
Assistance (ED 424) 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 within three
working days of submitting your electronic application. We will
indicate a fax number in e-APPLICATION at the time of your submission.
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 Bilingual
Education Comprehensive School Grants Program 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) elsewhere in this notice.
If you want to apply for a grant and be considered for funding, you
must meet the following deadline requirements.
(A) If You Send Your Application by Mail
You must 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: CFDA No. 84.290U, Washington, DC 20202-4725.
You 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.
If you mail an application through the U.S. Postal Service, we do
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.
(B) If You Deliver Your Application by Hand
You or your courier must 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: CFDA No. 84.290U, Room 3633, Regional Office
Building 3, 7th and D Streets, SW., Washington, DC.
The Application Control Center accepts application deliveries daily
between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. (Washington, DC time), except
Saturdays, Sundays, and Federal holidays. The Center accepts
application deliveries through the D Street entrance only. A person
delivering an application must show identification to enter the
building.
(C) If You Submit Your Application Electronically
You must submit your grant application through the Internet using
the software provided on the e-Grants Web site (http://e-grants.ed.gov)
by 4:30 p.m. (Washington, DC time) on the deadline date.
The regular hours of operation of the e-Grants Web site are 6:00
a.m. until 12:00 midnight (Washington, DC time) Monday--Friday and 6:00
a.m. until 7:00 p.m. Saturdays. The system is unavailable on the second
Saturday of every month, Sundays, and Federal holidays. Please note
that on Wednesdays the Web site is closed for maintenance at 7:00 p.m.
(Washington, DC time).
Notes: (1) The U.S. Postal Service does not uniformly provide a
dated postmark. Before relying on this method, you should check with
your local post office.
(2) If you send your application by mail or deliver it by hand
or by a courier service, the Application Control Center will mail a
Grant Application Receipt Acknowledgment to you. If you do not
receive the notification of application receipt within 15 days from
the date of mailing the application, you should call the U.S.
Department of Education Application Control Center at (202) 708-
9493.
(3) You must indicate on the envelope and--if not provided by
the Department--in Item 4 of the Application for Federal Education
Assistance (ED 424; revised November 12, 1999) the CFDA number--and
suffix letter, if any--of the competition under which you are
submitting your application.
(4) If you submit your application through the Internet via the
e-Grants Web site, you will receive an automatic acknowledgment when
we receive your application.
Application Instructions and Forms
The appendix to this application notice contains the following
forms and instructions, including a statement regarding estimated
public reporting burden, a checklist for applicants, a notice to
applicants regarding compliance with section 427 of the General
Education Provisions Act (GEPA), and various assurances,
certifications, and required documentation:
a. Estimated Burden Statement.
b. Application Instructions.
c. Checklist for Applicants.
d. Application for Federal Education Assistance (ED 424) and
Instructions.
e. Group Application Certification.
f. Budget Information--Non-Construction Programs (ED 524) and
Instructions.
g. Student Data.
h. Project Documentation.
i. Program Assurances.
j. Assurances--Non-Construction Programs (Standard Form 424B) and
Instructions.
k. Certifications Regarding Lobbying; Debarment, Suspension and
Other Responsibility Matters; and Drug-Free Workplace Requirements (ED
80-0013) and Instructions.
l. Certification Regarding Debarment, Suspension, Ineligibility and
Voluntary Exclusion--Lower Tier Covered Transactions (ED 80-0014) and
Instructions.
m. Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (Standard Form LLL) and
Instructions.
n. Notice to All Applicants (GEPA Requirement) (OMB No. 1801-0004).
o. List of Empowerment Zones and Enterprise Communities.
p. List of State Single Points of Contact.
An applicant may submit information on a photostatic copy of the
application forms, assurances, and certifications. However, if an
application is submitted in conventional paper form, one copy of the
application forms, assurances, and certifications must have an original
signature.
All applicants submitting their applications in conventional paper
form must submit ONE original signed application, including ink
signatures on all forms and assurances, and TWO copies of the
application. Please mark each application as original or copy. No grant
may be awarded unless a complete application has been received.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Margarita Ackley, Lorena Dickerson, or
Jessica Knight, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW.,
[[Page 19441]]
Room 5086, Switzer Building, Washington, DC 20202-6510. Telephone:
Margarita Ackley (202) 205-0506, Lorena Dickerson (202) 205-9044,
Jessica Knight (202) 205-0706. E-mail: Margarita_Ackley@ed.gov;
Lorena_Dickerson@ed.gov; Jessica_Knight@ed.gov.
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. (Washington, DC time), Monday through Friday.
Individuals with disabilities may obtain this notice in an
alternative format (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer
diskette) on request to one of the contact persons listed above. Please
note, however, that the Department is not able to reproduce in an
alternative format the standard forms included in the notice.
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/legislation/FedRegister.
To use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available
free at the preceding 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. 7424.
Dated: April 10, 2001.
Art Love,
Acting Director, Office of Bilingual Education and Minority Languages
Affairs.
Appendix--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 OMB No. 1885-0535 (Exp. 12/31/2001). The time
required to complete this information collection is estimated to
average 120 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 or suggestions
for improving this form, please write to: U.S. Department of Education,
Washington, DC 20202-4651.
If you have comments or concerns regarding the status of your
individual submission of this form, write directly to: Office of
Bilingual Education and Minority Languages Affairs, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Room 5086, Switzer Building,
Washington, DC 20202-6510.
Application Instructions
Parity Guidelines Between Paper and Electronic Applications
The Department of Education is expanding the pilot project, which
began in FY 2000, that allows applicants to use an Internet-based
electronic system for submitting applications. This competition is
among those that have an electronic submission option available to all
applicants. The system, called e-APPLICATION, formerly e-GAPS
(Electronic Grant Application Package System), allows an applicant to
submit a grant application to us electronically, using a current
version of the applicant's Internet browser. To see e-APPLICATION visit
the following address: http://e-grants.ed.gov.
In an effort to ensure parity and a similar look between
applications transmitted electronically and applications submitted in
conventional paper form, e-APPLICATION has an impact on all applicants
under this competition.
Users of e-APPLICATION, a data driven system, will be entering data
on-line while completing their applications. This will be more
interactive than just e-mailing a soft copy of a grant application to
us. If you participate in this voluntary pilot project by submitting an
application electronically, the data you enter on-line will go into a
database and ultimately will be accessible in electronic form to our
reviewers.
This pilot project is another step in the Department's transition
to an electronic grant award process. In addition to e-APPLICATION, the
Department is conducting a limited pilot of electronic peer review (e-
READER) and electronic annual performance reporting (e-REPORTS).
To help ensure parity and a similar look between electronic and
paper copies of grant applications, we are asking each applicant that
submits a paper application to adhere to the following guidelines:
Submit your application on 8\1/2\" by 11" paper.
Leave a 1-inch margin on all sides.
Use consistent font throughout your document. You may also
use boldface type, underlining, and italics. However, please do not use
colored text.
Please use black and white, also, for illustrations,
including charts, tables, graphs, and pictures.
For the narrative component, your application should
consist of the number and the heading of each selection criterion
followed by the narrative. The heading of the selection criterion, if
included, does not count against any page limitation.
Place a page number at the bottom right of each page of
the narrative component, beginning with 1; and number your pages
consecutively throughout the narrative component.
Abstract
The narrative component should be preceded by a one-page abstract
that includes a short description of the population to be served by the
project, project objectives, and planned project activities.
Selection Criteria
The narrative should address fully all aspects of the selection
criteria in the order listed and should give detailed information
regarding each criterion. Do not simply paraphrase the criteria. Do not
include resumes or curriculum vitae for project personnel; provide
position descriptions instead. Do not include bibliographies, letters
of support, or appendices in your application.
GPRA Program Performance Indicators
The Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) of 1993 directs
Federal agencies to improve the effectiveness of their programs by
setting outcome-related goals for programs and measuring program
results against those goals. One of the steps taken by the U.S.
Department of Education to implement this Act is to ask its grantees to
report annually their progress toward meeting the objectives of their
projects in relation to the GPRA program performance indicators.
Therefore applicants for new grants should ensure that the project
goals and objectives they propose in the narrative component of their
applications include outcome-oriented performance goals and objectives
that are measurable and reportable in relation to the GPRA performance
indicators for the particular program under which they are seeking
Federal assistance.
Applicants under the Bilingual Education Comprehensive School
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Grants Program should, in devising project goals and objectives, take
into account the following GPRA performance indicators:
English proficiency: Students in the project will annually
demonstrate continuous and educationally significant progress on oral
and written English proficiency measures. Target: 75 percent of project
students will make gains in oral and written English proficiency.
Other academic achievement: Students in the project will
annually demonstrate continuous and educationally significant progress
on appropriate academic achievement measures of language arts, reading,
and mathematics. Target: 75 percent of project students will make gains
in academic achievement in language arts, reading, and mathematics.
Students exiting programs: Students in Title VII projects
who have received bilingual education/ESL services continuously since
first grade will exit those projects in three years. This GPRA program
performance indicator applies to students in transitional bilingual
education projects or special alternative instruction projects. The
indicator also applies to students in dual language education projects
to the extent that those projects must assist the participating
students to become proficient in English, but the participating
students do not need to exit the projects in three years.
Teacher training: The number of teachers in Title VII
Comprehensive School projects who receive quality professional
development in the instruction of limited English proficient students
will increase each year by 20 percent.
Empowerment Zone/Enterprise Community Priority
Applicants that wish to be considered under the competitive
priority for Empowerment Zones and Enterprise Communities, as specified
in a previous section of this notice, should identify in Section D of
the Project Documentation Form the applicable Empowerment Zone or
Enterprise Community. The application narrative should describe the
extent to which the proposed project will contribute to systemic
educational reform in the particular Empowerment Zone or Enterprise
Community and be an integral part of the Zone's or Community's
comprehensive revitalization strategies. A list of areas that have been
designated as Empowerment Zones and Enterprise Communities is provided
at the end of this notice and is also available on the Internet at the
following site: http://www.ezec.gov.
Table of Contents
The application should include a table of contents listing the
various parts of the narrative in the order of the selection criteria.
The table should include the page numbers where the parts of the
narrative are found.
Budget
A separate budget summary and cost itemization must be provided on
the Budget Information Form (ED 524) and in the itemized budget for
each project year. Budget line items should be directly related to the
activities that are proposed to achieve the goals and objectives of the
project.
Submission of Application to State Educational Agency
Section 7116(a)(2) of the authorizing statute (Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended by the Improving America's
Schools Act of 1994, Pub. L. 103-382) requires all applicants except
schools funded by the Bureau of Indian Affairs to submit a copy of
their application to their State educational agency (SEA) for review
and comment (20 U.S.C. 7426(a)(2)). This requirement applies both to
applicants that submit their application to the U.S. Department of
Education electronically and to applicants that submit their
application in conventional paper form. Section 75.156 of the Education
Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) requires
applicants to submit their application to the SEA on or before the
deadline date for submitting the application to the U.S. Department of
Education. This section of EDGAR also requires applicants to attach to
the application they submit to the U.S. Department of Education a copy
of their letter that requests the SEA to comment on the application (34
CFR 75.156). This letter should be attached to the Project
Documentation Form contained in this application package. APPLICANTS
THAT DO NOT SUBMIT A COPY OF THEIR APPLICATION TO THEIR STATE
EDUCATIONAL AGENCY IN ACCORDANCE WITH THESE STATUTORY AND REGULATORY
REQUIREMENTS WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED FOR FUNDING.
Continued Eligibility of Current or Prior Grantees for New Grants
Please note that the authorizing statute for the Comprehensive
School Program provides that entities that have received Title VII
grants are eligible for funding under this competition only if their
new applications propose activities that do not duplicate activities
currently or previously funded by a Title VII grant.
Final Application Preparation
Use the Checklist for Applicants provided below to verify that your
application is complete. If you submit your application in conventional
paper form, provide three copies of the application, including one copy
with an original signature on each form that requires the signature of
the authorized representative. Do not use elaborate bindings,
notebooks, or covers. If you mail your application, the application
must be postmarked by the deadline date.
Checklist for Applicants
Application Forms and Other Items
1. Application for Federal Education Assistance Form (ED 424).
2. Group Application Certification Form (if applicable).
3. Budget Information Form (ED 524).
4. Itemized budget for each project year.
5. Student Data Form.
6. Project Documentation Form, including:
Section A--Copy of transmittal letter to SEA (if applicable);
Section B--Documentation of consultation with nonprofit private school
officials (if applicable);
Section C--Appropriate box checked;
Section D--Empowerment Zone or Enterprise Community identified (if
applicable).
7. Program Assurances Form.
8. Assurances--Non-Construction Programs Form (SF 424B).
9. Certifications Regarding Lobbying; Debarment, Suspension and
Other Responsibility Matters; and Drug-Free Workplace Requirements Form
(ED 80-0013).
10. Certification Regarding Debarment, Suspension, Ineligibility
and Voluntary Exclusion--Lower Tier Covered Transactions Form (ED 80-
0014) (if applicable).
11. Disclosure of Lobbying Activities Form (SF LLL).
12. Notice to All Applicants (GEPA Requirement) (OMB No. 1801-
0004).
13. One-page abstract.
14. Table of contents.
15. Application narrative (subject to page limit specifications).
Application Transmittal
1. By mail or hand delivery: one original and two copies of the
application to the U.S. Department of Education Application Control
Center;
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or by electronic transmission: software provided on the e-Grants Web
site.
2. One copy to the appropriate State Educational Agency (if
applicable).
3. One copy to the appropriate State Single Point of Contact (if
applicable).
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[FR Doc. 01-9293 Filed 4-13-01; 8:45 am]
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