[Federal Register: May 9, 2001 (Volume 66, Number 90)]
[Notices]
[Page 23685-23686]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr09my01-55]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
[CFDA No. 84.258]
Even Start Family Literacy Program Grants for Indian Tribes and
Tribal Organizations
AGENCY: Department of Education.
ACTION: Notice inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year
(FY) 2001 funds for Even Start Family Literacy Program grants for
Indian tribes and tribal organizations.
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SUMMARY: Purpose of Competition: The Secretary of Education announces
the availability of applications and an application deadline for
federally recognized Indian tribes and tribal organizations to apply
for FY 2001 new awards under the Even Start Family Literacy Program
grant authority for Indian tribes and tribal organizations.
Even Start Family Literacy Program grants for Indian tribes and
tribal organizations are awarded under Section 1202(a)(1)(C) of the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA). The purpose of
these grants is 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. (The term ``Indian tribe'' and ``tribal organization''
have the meanings given those terms in section 4 of the Indian Self-
Determination and Education Assistance Act.)
Applications Available: May 9, 2001.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: July 9, 2001.
Available Funds: The Secretary estimates that there will be
sufficient FY 2001 funds for 6-10 new grants.
Matching and Use of Funds Requirements
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 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. 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;
50 percent in the fifth through eighth years; and
35 percent in any subsequent year.
Any grantee that wishes to reapply at the end of a project period
(up to 48 months) must recompete for funding with new applicants.
Indirect costs: Recipients of an Even Start Indian tribe and tribal
organization grant may not use funds awarded under this competition for
the indirect costs of a project, or claim indirect costs as part of the
local project share. Grant recipients may request the Secretary to
waive this requirement. To obtain a waiver, however, the recipient must
demonstrate to the Secretary's satisfaction that the recipient
otherwise would not be able to participate in the Even Start Family
Literacy Program. (Section 1204(b)(2), ESEA.)
Estimated Range of Awards: $100,000-$200,000 per year.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $175,000 per year.
Estimated Number of Awards: 6-10.
Note: This Department is not bound by any estimates in this
notice.
Project Period: Up to 48 months.
Applicable Regulations: The Education Department General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 75, 77, 80, 81, 82,
85, 86, 97, 98, and 99.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background: As required by Section 1202(a)(1)(C) of the ESEA, the
Assistant Secretary of Elementary and Secondary Education (Assistant
Secretary) awards grants to eligible Indian tribe and tribal
organization applicants 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;
Are implemented through cooperative activities that build
on high-quality existing community resources to create a new range of
services for federally recognized Indian tribe and tribal organization
projects;
Promote the academic achievement of children and adults;
Assist children and adults from low-income families to
achieve to challenging State content standards and challenging State
student performance standards; and
Use instructional programs based on scientifically based
reading research (as defined in section 2252 of the ESEA) and the
prevention of reading difficulties for children and adults, to the
extent such research is available.
Each project must use the grant funds to provide intensive family
literacy services that involve parents and children, from birth through
age seven, in a cooperative effort to help parents become full partners
in the education of their children and to assist children in reaching
their full potential as learners. (Section 1204(a), ESEA.)
``Family literacy services'' means services provided to
participants on a voluntary basis that are of sufficient intensity in
terms of hours, and of sufficient duration, to make sustainable changes
in a family, and that integrate all of the following activities:
(A) Interactive literacy activities between parents and their
children.
(B) Training for parents regarding how to be the primary teacher
for their children and full partners in the education of their
children.
(C) Parent literacy training that leads to economic self-
sufficiency.
(D) An age-appropriate education to prepare children for success in
school and life experiences. (Section 14401(15), ESEA.)
Each Even Start family literacy project must include fifteen
specific program elements (listed in the application package). (Section
1205, ESEA.) Those elements include in part the following:
[[Page 23686]]
identifying, recruiting, and providing services to
families that are the most in need of family literacy services, 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;
providing high-quality, intensive instructional programs
that promote adult literacy (adult basic or secondary education or
English language training) and empower parents to support the
educational growth of their children (parenting education and
interactive literacy-based activities between parents and their
children), developmentally appropriate early childhood educational
services, and preparation of children for success in regular school
programs;
providing home-based instructional services to
participating parents and children;
operating on a year-round basis, including providing both
instructional and enrichment services during the summer months;
using instructional programs based on scientifically based
reading research for children and adults to the extent that research is
available;
encouraging participating families to attend regularly and
to remain in the program a sufficient time to meet their program goals;
and
providing for an independent evaluation of the project to
be used for program improvement.
Note: Applicants should refer to the application package for a
specific description of all of the required program elements.
Staff qualifications: All instructional staff in new Even Start
projects (and all new staff in existing Even Start projects) whose
salaries are paid in whole or part with Federal Even Start funds must
have obtained an associate's, bachelor's, or graduate degree in a field
related to early childhood education, elementary or secondary school
education, or adult education, and, if applicable, meet State
qualifications for that respective field. For continuing Even Start
projects that are applying for a second or third project period, the
majority of instructional staff must meet these qualifications by
December 2004 (in addition to new instructional staff meeting the
qualifications immediately). Instructional staff include any staff who
are hired to provide instructional services in any of the four core
instructional components (early childhood education, adult basic or
secondary education, parenting education, and interactive activities
between parents and their children).
In addition, by December 2004, all individuals who are responsible
for administering Even Start family literacy projects and who are paid
in whole or part with Federal Even Start funds must have received
training in the operation of family literacy programs, and all
paraprofessionals who provide support for the instructional components
of an Even Start program and who are paid in whole or part with Federal
Even Start funds must have a high school diploma or its recognized
equivalent. (Section 1205(5), ESEA.)
Eligible participants: In general, eligible participants are
families with children and their parents who meet the following
qualifications specified in section 1206(a) of the ESEA:
(1) The parent or parents must be eligible for participation in
adult education and literacy activities under the Adult Education and
Family Literacy Act, be within the State's compulsory school attendance
age range (in which case a local educational agency must provide or
ensure the availability of the basic education component), or be
attending secondary school; and
(2) The child or children must be younger than eight years of age.
National and Local Evaluations: The Department conducts a national
evaluation of Even Start family literacy projects as required by
section 1209 of the ESEA. Although the current national evaluation is
ending in summer of 2001, a new national evaluation is scheduled to
begin in fall 2002. The new national evaluation is planned to be based
upon data collected from a sample of Even Start family literacy
projects.
Every Even Start project must conduct an independent local
evaluation for program improvement. (Section 1205(15), ESEA.) The
application package includes additional information about this local
evaluation, and about performance objectives and indicators that the
Department encourages applicants to use when developing their proposed
programs.
FOR APPLICATIONS AND FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Doris Sligh, U.S.
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20202-
6132. Telephone: (202) 260-0999, or via Internet: Doris.Sligh@ed.gov
The application package also is available on the Department's Web
site at: www.ed.gov/GrantApps/#84.258.
If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may
call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) 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.
Individuals with disabilities may obtain a copy of the application
package in an alternative format by contacting that person. However,
the Department is not able to reproduce in an alternative format the
standard forms included in the application package.
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:
www.ed.gov/legislation/fedregister.
To use PDF, you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available
free at the previous 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. 6362(a)(1)(C).
Dated: May 3, 2001.
Thomas M. Corwin,
Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary
Education.
[FR Doc. 01-11703 Filed 5-8-01; 8:45 am]
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