[Federal Register: July 22, 1998 (Volume 63, Number 140)] [Notices] [Page 39281-39282] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr22jy98-48] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION [CFDA No.: 84.282A] Public Charter Schools Program (PCSP); Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 1998 Purpose of Program: A major purpose of the Public Charter Schools grant program is to increase understanding of the charter schools model by providing financial assistance for the design and initial implementation of charter schools. Who May Apply: (a) State educational agencies (SEAs) in States with laws authorizing the establishment of charter schools. The Secretary awards grants to SEAs to enable them to conduct charter schools programs in their States. SEAs use their PCSP funds to award subgrants to ``eligible applicants,'' as defined in this notice, for planning, program design, and initial implementation of a charter school. (b) Under certain circumstances, an authorized public chartering agency participating in a partnership with a charter school developer. Such a partnership is eligible to receive funding directly from the U.S. Department of Education if-- (1) The SEA in its State elects not to participate in this program; or (2) The SEA in its State does not have an application approved under this program. If an SEA's application is approved in this competition, applications received from non-SEA eligible applicants in that State will be returned to the applicants. In such a case, the eligible applicant should contact the SEA for information related to its subgrant competition. Note: The following States currently have approved applications under this program: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Texas, and Wisconsin. In these States, only the SEA is eligible to receive an award under this competition. Eligible applicants in these States should contact their respective SEAs for information about participation in the State's charter school subgrant program. Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: August 20, 1998. Deadline for Intergovernmental review: September 21, 1998. Applications Available: July 22, 1998. Available Funds: $55,000,000. Estimated Range of Awards: State educational agencies: $250,000-$5,000,000 per year. Other eligible applicants: $25,000-$150,000 per year. Estimated Average Size of Awards: State educational agencies: $3,000,000 per year. Other eligible applicants: $75,000 per year. Estimated Number of Awards: State educational agencies: 10-15. Other eligible applicants: 5-10. Note: These estimates are projections for the guidance of potential applicants. The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice. Project Period: State educational agencies: Up to 36 months. Other eligible applicants: Up to 36 months. Note: Grants awarded by the Secretary directly to non-SEA eligible applicants or subgrants awarded by SEAs to eligible applicants will be awarded for a period of up to 36 months, of which the eligible applicant may use-- (a) Not more than 18 months for planning and program design; and (b) Not more than two years for the initial implementation of a charter school. Applicable Regulations and Statute: The Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR Parts 75 (except Sec. 75.210), 77, 79, 80, 81, 82, 85, and 86. Title X, Part C, Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended, 20 U.S.C. Sec. 8061-8067. Priority: Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(1) the Secretary is particularly interested in applications that meet the following invitational priority. However, an application that meets this invitational priority does not receive absolute or competitive preference over applications that do not meet the priority: Invitational Priority--Empowerment Zones and Enterprise Communities Projects that address linkages between charter school initiatives and comprehensive educational improvement strategies undertaken in Empowerment Zones and Enterprise Communities designated by the Departments of Agriculture or Housing and Urban Development. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: As part of wider education reform efforts to strengthen teaching and learning, charter schools can be an innovative approach to improving public education and expanding public school choice. While there is no one model, public charter schools are exempted from most statutory and regulatory requirements in exchange for performance-based accountability. They are intended to stimulate the creativity and commitment of teachers, parents, students, and citizens and contribute to better student academic achievement. Information regarding the required contents of applications, diversity of projects, and waivers are provided in the application package for this program. The following definitions, selection criteria, and allowable activities are taken from the Public Charter Schools statute, in Title X, Part C, of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended. They are being repeated in this application notice for the convenience of the applicant. Definitions The following definitions apply to this program: (a) Charter school means a public school that-- (1) In accordance with an enabling State statute, is exempted from significant State or local rules that inhibit the flexible operation and management of public schools, but not from any rules relating to the other requirements of this definition; (2) Is created by a developer as a public school, or is adapted by a developer from an existing public school, and is operated under public supervision and direction; (3) Operates in pursuit of a specific set of educational objectives determined by the school's developer and agreed to [[Page 39282]] by the authorized public chartering agency; (4) Provides a program of elementary or secondary education, or both; (5) Is nonsectarian in its programs, admissions policies, employment practices, and all other operations, and is not affiliated with a sectarian school or religious institution; (6) Does not charge tuition; (7) Complies with the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and part B of the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act; (8) Admits students on the basis of a lottery, if more students apply for admission than can be accommodated; (9) Agrees to comply with the same Federal and State audit requirements as do other elementary and secondary schools in the State, unless the requirements are specifically waived for the purposes of this program; (10) Meets all applicable Federal, State, and local health and safety requirements; and (11) Operates in accordance with State law. (b) Developer means an individual or group of individuals (including a public or private nonprofit organization), which may include teachers, administrators and other school staff, parents, or other members of the local community in which a charter school project will be carried out. (c) Eligible applicant means an authorized public chartering agency participating in a partnership with a developer to establish a charter school in accordance with this program. (d) Authorized public chartering agency means a State educational agency, local educational agency, or other public entity that has the authority under State law and is approved by the Secretary to authorize or approve a charter school. Selection Criteria for SEAs The maximum possible score for all of the criteria in this section is 100 points. The maximum possible score for each criterion is indicated in parentheses following each criterion. In evaluating an application from an SEA, the Secretary considers the following criteria: (a) The contribution that the charter schools grant program will make in assisting educationally disadvantaged and other students to achieve State content standards, State student performance standards, and, in general, a State's education improvement plan (20 points). (b) The degree of flexibility afforded by the SEA to charter schools under the State's charter schools law (20 points). (c) The ambitiousness of the objectives for the State charter schools grant program (20 points). (d) The quality of the strategy for assessing achievement of those objectives (20 points). (e) The likelihood that the charter schools grant program will meet those objectives and improve educational results for students (20 points). Selection Criteria for Non-SEA Eligible Applicants The maximum possible score for all of the criteria in this section is 120 points. The maximum possible score for each criterion is indicated in parentheses following each criterion. In evaluating an application from an eligible applicant other than an SEA the Secretary considers the following criteria: (a) The quality of the proposed curriculum and instructional practices (20 points). (b) The degree of flexibility afforded by the SEA and, if applicable, the local educational agency to the charter school (20 points). (c) The extent of community support for the application (20 points). (d) The ambitiousness of the objectives for the charter school (20 points). (e) The quality of the strategy for assessing achievement of those objectives (20 points). (f) The likelihood that the charter school will meet those objectives and improve educational results for students (20 points). Allowable Activities An eligible applicant receiving a grant or subgrant under this program may use the grant or subgrant funds for only-- (a) Post-award planning and design of the educational program, which may include-- (1) Refinement of the desired educational results and of the methods for measuring progress toward achieving those results; and (2) Professional development of teachers and other staff who will work in the charter school; and (b) Initial implementation of the charter school, which may include-- (1) Informing the community about the school; (2) Acquiring necessary equipment and educational materials and supplies; (3) Acquiring or developing curriculum materials; and (4) Other initial operating costs that cannot be met from State or local sources. For Applications or Information Contact: John Fiegel, U.S. Department of Education, 600 Independence Avenue, SW, Room 4512, Portals Building, Washington, DC 20202-6140. Telephone (202) 260-2671. Internet address: John__Fiegel@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., 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) upon 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) on the World Wide Web 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 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. 8061-8067. Dated: July 17, 1998. Gerald N. Tirozzi, Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education. [FR Doc. 98-19548 Filed 7-21-98; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4000-01-P