4/18/96: Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for FY 1996 for Even Start Family Literacy Program for Federally Recognized Indian Tribes and Tribal Organizations [OESE]

[Federal Register: April 18, 1996 (Volume 61, Number 76)]
[Notices]               
[Page 17167-17188]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]



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Part V





Department of Education





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Even Start Family Literacy Program for Federally Recognized Indian 
Tribes and Tribal Organizations; Applications for New Awards for Fiscal
Year 1996; Notice


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[CFDA No.: 84.258]

 
Even Start Family Literacy Program for Federally Recognized 
Indian Tribes and Tribal Organizations; Notice Inviting Applications 
for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 1996

    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), the notice 
contains all of the information, application forms, and instructions 
needed to apply for a grant under this competition.
    Purpose of Program: The Even Start Family Literacy Program for 
Indian tribes and tribal organizations is designed to help break the 
cycle of poverty and illiteracy by improving the educational 
opportunities of low-income families by integrating early childhood 
education, adult literacy or adult basic education, and parenting 
education into a unified family literacy program for federally 
recognized Indian tribes and tribal organizations.
    Eligible Applicants: Federally recognized Indian tribes and tribal 
organizations.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: June 11, 1996.
    Available Funds: The Department estimates that about $1.2 million 
will be available for new projects after funding continuation awards in 
FY 1996, contingent upon final congressional action on the FY 1996 
budget.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $75,000-$200,000.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $150,000.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 8.

    Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this 
notice.

    Project Period: Up to 48 months.
    Applicable Regulations: The EDGAR as follows:
    (1) 34 CFR Part 75 (Direct Grant Programs).
    (2) 34 CFR Part 77 (Definitions that Apply to Department 
Regulations).
    (3) 34 CFR Part 80 (Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants 
and Cooperative Agreements to State and Local Governments).
    (4) 34 CFR Part 81 (General Education Provisions Act--Enforcement).
    (5) 34 CFR Part 82 (New Restrictions on Lobbying).
    (6) 34 CFR Part 85 (Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension 
(Nonprocurement) and Governmentwide Requirements for Drug-Free 
Workplace (Grants)).
    Description of Program: Under the authority of section 
1202(a)(1)(C) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), the 
Assistant Secretary of Elementary and Secondary Education (Assistant 
Secretary) awards grants to eligible applicants for projects that--
    (1) Improve the educational opportunities of low-income families by 
integrating early childhood education, adult literacy or adult basic 
education, and parenting education into a unified family literacy 
program for federally recognized Indian tribes and tribal 
organizations;
    (2) Are implemented through cooperative activities that build on 
existing community resources to create a new range of services for 
federally recognized Indian tribes and tribal organizations;
    (3) Promote achievement of the National Education Goals one, five, 
and eight that address school readiness, student achievement, and 
parent involvement in the education of their children; and
    (4) Assist children and adults to achieve to challenging State 
content standards and challenging State student performance standards.
    Eligible participants. Eligible participants are children and their 
parents who also meet the following conditions specified in section 
1206(a) of the ESEA:
    (1) The parent or parents must be eligible for participation in an 
adult education program under the Adult Education Act; or
    (2) For a parent or parents within the State's compulsory school 
attendance age range, a local educational agency must provide (or 
ensure the availability of) the basic education component; and
    (3) The child or children must be younger than eight years of age.

    Note: Family members of eligible participants described in 
paragraphs one through three, above, also may participate in Even 
Start Family Literacy Program activities when appropriate to serve 
Even Start purposes. In addition, section 1206(b) of the ESEA 
permits families to remain eligible for Even Start Family Literacy 
services until all family members become ineligible for 
participation. For example, in the case of a family in which the 
parent or parents have become ineligible due to educational 
advancement, eligibility would continue until all children in the 
family reach age eight.

    Budget period. Under 34 CFR Sec. 75.112 and 34 CFR Sec. 75.117, an 
eligible applicant must propose a project period and provide budgetary 
information for each year of that proposed project period in its 
initial application. The budgetary information provided should include 
an amount for all key project components with an accompanying breakdown 
of any subcomponents. A written justification for all requested amounts 
should be provided.
    An applicant is also required under 34 CFR 75.112(b) to describe 
how and when, in each budget period of the project, it plans to meet 
each objective of the project.

    Note: This information will be used by the Assistant Secretary, 
in conjunction with the grantee's annual performance report required 
under 34 CFR 75.118(a), to determine whether to make a continuation 
award for the subsequent budget year. Under 34 CFR Sec. 75.253 a 
grantee can receive a continuation award only if it demonstrates 
that it either has made substantial progress toward meeting the 
objectives of the approved project, or has received the Assistant 
Secretary's approval of changes in the project to enable it to meet 
the objectives in the succeeding budget periods.

    Federal and local funding. An Even Start Family Literacy project's 
funding is comprised of both a Federal portion of funds (Federal share) 
and a portion contributed by the eligible applicant (local project 
share). The Federal share of the project may not exceed--
    * 90 percent of the total cost of the project in the first
year;
    * 80 percent in the second year;
    * 70 percent in the third year;
    * 60 percent in the fourth year; and
    * 50 percent in any subsequent year.
    The Federal share for any grantee receiving a grant for a second 
grant cycle may not exceed 50 percent. The local share of the project 
may be provided in cash or in kind and may be obtained from any source, 
including other Federal programs funded by the ESEA.
    Indirect costs. Even Start Family Literacy Program funds generally 
may not be used for the indirect costs of a project.
    Eligible recipients of an Even Start Indian tribe and tribal 
organization grant, however, may request the Secretary to waive this 
requirement if the recipient demonstrates to the Secretary's 
satisfaction that the recipient otherwise would not be able to 
participate in the Even Start Family Literacy Program.
    National Evaluation: The Department is conducting a national 
evaluation of Even Start Family Literacy projects. Grantees are 
required to participate in the Department's national evaluation and to 
conduct a separate independent local evaluation consistent with the 
grantee's responsibilities under 34 CFR Sec. 75.590. The Department 
encourages grantees to develop a local evaluation plan that is 
consistent with the national

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evaluation. It is not expected that the application will include a 
complete local evaluation plan as grantees will not be familiar with 
the national evaluation plan prior to award of the grant.
    The Secretary suggests that each applicant budget for evaluation 
activities as follows: a project with an estimated cost of up to 
$120,000 should designate $5,000 for this purpose; a project with an 
estimated cost of over $120,000 should designate $10,000 for these 
activities. These funds will be used for expenditures related to the 
collection and aggregation of data required for the Department's 
national evaluation. The Secretary also recommends that projects budget 
for the cost of travel to Washington, DC, and two nights' lodging for 
the project director and the project evaluator, for their participation 
in annual evaluation meetings.
    Selection Criteria:
    (a)(1) The Secretary uses the following selection criteria to 
evaluate applications for grants under this competition.
    (2) The maximum composite score for all of these criteria is 100 
points.
    (3) The maximum score for each criterion is indicated in 
parentheses.
    (b)(2) The Criteria.--(1) Meeting the purposes of the authorizing 
statute. (20 points). The Secretary reviews each application to 
determine how well the project will meet the purpose of the Even Start 
Family Literacy Program for federally recognized Indian tribes and 
tribal organizations, which under sections 1201 and 1202(a)(1)(C) of 
the ESEA is to help break the cycle of poverty and illiteracy by 
awarding grants for projects that--
    * Improve the educational opportunities of low-income
families by integrating early childhood education, adult literacy or 
adult basic education, and parenting education into a unified family 
literacy program for federally recognized Indian tribes and tribal 
organizations;
    * Are implemented through cooperative projects that build on
existing community resources to create a new range of services for 
Indian tribes and tribal organizations;
    * Promote achievement of the National Education Goals; and
    * Assist children and adults from low-income families to
achieve to challenging State content standards and challenging State 
student performance standards.
    (2) Extent of need for the project. (20 points) The Secretary 
reviews each application to determine the extent to which the project 
meets specific needs recognized in the statute that authorizes the 
program, including consideration of--
    (i) The needs addressed by the project;
    (ii) How the applicant identified those needs;
    (iii) How those needs will be met by the project; and
    (iv) The benefits to be gained by meeting those needs.

    Note: Applicants may address this criterion in any way that is 
reasonable, given the purpose of the Indian Even Start program. 
Applicants may, for example, address such factors as the following: 
the number of children and families in the area who need Even Start 
services, the lack of availability of comprehensive family literacy 
services for that population, other resources that will be used to 
benefit project participants, and any other factors that the 
applicant considers relevant to the extent of need for the project.

    (3) Plan of Operation. (15 points) The Secretary reviews each 
application to determine the quality of the plan of operation for the 
project, including--
    (i) The quality of the design of the project;
    (ii) The extent to which the plan of management is effective and 
ensures proper and efficient administration of the project;
    (iii) How well the objectives of the project relate to the purpose 
of the program;
    (iv) The quality of the applicant's plan to use its resources and 
personnel to achieve each objective; and
    (v) How the applicant will ensure that project participants who are 
otherwise eligible to participate are selected without regard to race, 
color, national origin, gender, age, or handicapping condition.

    Note: Applicants may address this criterion in any way that is 
reasonable. Concerning design of the project, the Secretary believes 
that an effective application would incorporate, at a minimum, the 
following program elements that each project is required to have by 
section 1205 of the ESEA:

    (a) Identification and recruitment of families most in need of 
services provided under the Even Start Family Literacy Program, as 
indicated by a low level of income, a low level of adult literacy or 
English language proficiency of the eligible parent or parents, and 
other need-related indicators.
    (b) Screening and preparation of parents, including teenage parents 
and children, to enable those parents to participate fully in the 
activities and services provided under the Even Start Family Literacy 
Program, including testing, referral to necessary counselling, other 
developmental and support services, and related services.
    (c) Design that accommodates the participants' work schedule and 
other responsibilities, including the provision of support services, 
when those services are unavailable from other sources, but are 
necessary for participation in the activities assisted under the Even 
Start Family Literacy Program, such as--
    * Scheduling and location of services to allow joint
participation by parents and children;
    * Child care for the period that parents are involved in the
project; and
    * Transportation to enable parents and their children to
participate in the project.
    (d) High-quality instructional programs that promote adult literacy 
and empower parents to support the educational growth of their 
children, developmentally appropriate early childhood educational 
services, and preparation of children for success in the regular school 
programs.
    (e) Special training of staff, including child care staff, to 
develop the skills necessary to work with parents and young children in 
the full range of instructional services offered through the Even Start 
Family Literacy Program.
    (f) Providing and monitoring of integrated instructional services 
to participating parents and children through home-based programs.
    (g) Operation on a year-round basis, including the provision of 
some program services, instructional or enrichment, during the summer 
months.
    (h) Coordination with--
    * Programs assisted under other parts of Title I and other
programs under the ESEA;
    * Any relevant programs under the Adult Education Act, the
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and the Job Training 
Partnership Act; and
    * The Head Start program, volunteer literacy programs, and
other relevant programs.
    (i) Ensuring that the proposed project will serve those families 
most in need of the activities and services provided by the Even Start 
Family Literacy Program.
    (j) An independent evaluation of the project.
    (4) Quality of key personnel. (10 points)
    (i) The Secretary reviews each application to determine the quality 
of key personnel the applicant plans to use on the project, including--
    (A) The qualifications of the project director (if one is to be 
used);
    (B) The qualifications of each of the other key personnel to be 
used in the project;
    (C) The time that each person referred to in paragraphs 
(b)(4)(i)(A) and (B) will commit to the project; and

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    (D) How the applicant, as part of its nondiscriminatory employment 
practices, will ensure that its personnel are selected for employment 
without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, age, or 
handicapping condition.
    (ii) To determine personnel qualifications under paragraphs 
(b)(4)(i) (A) and (B), the Secretary considers--
    (A) Experience and training in fields related to the objectives of 
the project; and
    (B) Any other qualifications that pertain to the quality of the 
project.
    (5) Staff training. (5 points) The Secretary reviews each 
application to determine how well the project provides special staff 
training, including child care staff, to develop the skills necessary 
to work with parents and young children in the full range of 
instructional services offered under the Even Start Family Literacy 
Program.
    (6) Screening and preparation of families. (5 points) The Secretary 
reviews each application to determine how well the project includes 
screening and preparation of parents, including teenage parents and 
children, to enable those parents to participate fully in the Even 
Start activities and services, including testing, referral to necessary 
counselling, other developmental and support services, and related 
services.
    (7) High-quality instruction. (10 points) The Secretary reviews 
each application to determine how well the project includes high-
quality instructional programs that will promote adult literacy and 
empower parents to support the educational growth of their children, 
developmentally appropriate early childhood educational services, and 
preparation of children for success in regular school programs.
    (8) Budget and cost effectiveness. (2 points) The Secretary reviews 
each application to determine the extent to which--
    (i) The budget is adequate to support the project; and
    (ii) Costs are reasonable in relation to the objectives of the 
project.
    (9) Evaluation plan. (10 points) The Secretary reviews each 
application to determine the quality of the evaluation plan for the 
project, including the extent to which the applicant's methods of 
evaluation--
    (i) Are appropriate to the project; and
    (ii) To the extent possible, are objective and produce data that 
are quantifiable.

(Cross-reference: See 34 CFR 75.590 Evaluation by the grantee.)
    (10) Adequacy of resources. (3 points) The Secretary reviews each 
application to determine the adequacy of the resources that the 
applicant plans to devote to the project, including facilities, 
equipment, and supplies.
    Instructions for Transmittal of Applications: (a) If an applicant 
wants to apply for a grant, the applicant shall--
    (1) 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: Patricia McKee (CFDA #84.258), Room #3633, 
Regional Office Building #3, 7th and D Streets, S.W., Washington, D.C. 
20202-4725

      or

    (2) Hand deliver the original and two copies of the application by 
4:30 p.m. (Washington, D.C. time) on the deadline date to: U.S. 
Department of Education, Application Control Center, Attention: 
Patricia McKee (CFDA #84.258), Room #3633, Regional Office Building #3, 
7th and D Streets, S.W., Washington, D.C.
    (b) An applicant 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.
    (c) If an application is mailed through the U.S. Postal Service, 
the Secretary does 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.

    Notes: (1) The U.S. Postal Service does not uniformly provide a 
dated postmark. Before relying on this method, an applicant should 
check with its local post office.

    (2) The Application Control Center will mail a Grant Application 
Receipt Acknowledgment to each applicant. If an applicant fails to 
receive the notification of application receipt within 15 days from the 
date of mailing the application, the applicant should call the U.S. 
Department of Education Application Control Center at (202) 708-9494.
    (3) The applicant must indicate on the envelope and--if not 
provided by the Department--in Item 10 of the Application for Federal 
Assistance (Standard Form 424) the CFDA number--and suffix letter, if 
any--of the competition under which the application is being submitted.
    Application Instructions and Forms: The appendix to this 
application is divided into three parts plus a statement regarding 
estimated public reporting burden and various assurances and 
certifications. These parts and additional materials are organized in 
the same manner that the submitted application should be organized. The 
parts and additional materials are as follows:
    Part I: Application for Federal Assistance (Standard Form 424 (Rev. 
4-88)) and instructions.
    Part II: Budget Information--Non-Construction Programs (ED Form No. 
524) and instructions.
    Part III: Application Narrative.
    Additional Materials:
    Estimated Public Reporting Burden.
    Assurances--Non-Construction Programs (Standard Form 424B).
    Certifications regarding Lobbying; Debarment, Suspension, and Other 
Responsibility Matters; and Drug-Free Workplace Requirements (ED 80-
0013, 6/90).
    Certification regarding Debarment, Suspension, Ineligibility and 
Voluntary Exclusion: Lower Tier Covered Transactions (ED 80-0014, 9/90) 
and instructions. (Note: ED 80-0014 is intended for the use of grantees 
and should not be transmitted to the Department.)
    Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (Standard Form LLL) (if 
applicable) and instructions. This document has been marked to reflect 
statutory changes. See the notice published by the Office of Management 
and Budget at 61 FR 1413 (January 19, 1996).
    Notice to all Applicants (Section 427 of the General Education 
Provisions Act).
    An applicant may submit information on a photostatic copy of the 
application and budget forms, the assurances, and the certifications. 
However, the application form, the assurances, and the certifications 
must each have an original signature. No grant may be awarded unless a 
completed application form has been received.
    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Patricia McKee, Compensatory 
Education Programs, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, U.S. 
Department of Education, 600 Independence Avenue, SW., Room 4400, 
Portals Building, Washington, DC 20202-6132. Telephone Number: (202) 
260-0991. 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.
    Information about the Department's funding opportunities, including 
copies of application notices for discretionary

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grant competitions, can be viewed on the Department's electronic 
bulletin board (ED Board), telephone (202) 260-9950; or on the Internet 
Gopher Server at GOPHER.ED.GOV (under Announcements, Bulletins, and 
Press Releases). However, the official application notice for a 
discretionary grant competition is the notice published in the Federal 
Register.

    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 6362(a)(1)(C).

    Dated: April 4, 1996.
Gerald N. Tirozzi,
Assistant Secretary, Elementary and Secondary Education.

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Appendix
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[FR Doc. 96-9522 Filed 4-17-96; 8:45 am]
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