[Federal Register: May 24, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 101)]
[Notices]
[Page 36773-36778]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr24my02-133]
[[Page 36773]]
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Part VI
Department of Education
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Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services; Special
Education--Training and Information for Parents of Children with
Disabilities; Notice
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
[CFDA No.: 84.328M]
Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services; Special
Education--Training and Information for Parents of Children with
Disabilities
AGENCY: Department of Education.
ACTION: Notice inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year
(FY) 2002.
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SUMMARY: This notice provides closing dates and other information
regarding the transmittal of applications for FY 2002 competitions
under one program authorized by the Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act (IDEA), as amended: Special Education--Training and
Information for Parents of Children with Disabilities (one priority).
Waiver of Rulemaking
It is generally our practice to offer interested parties the
opportunity to comment on proposed priorities. However, section
661(e)(2) of IDEA makes the rulemaking procedures in the Administrative
Procedure Act (5 U.S.C. 553) inapplicable to the priority in this
notice.
General Requirements
(a) The projects funded under this notice must make positive
efforts to employ and advance in employment qualified individuals with
disabilities in project activities (see section 606 of IDEA).
(b) Applicants and grant recipients funded under this notice must
involve individuals with disabilities or parents of individuals with
disabilities in planning, implementing, and evaluating the projects
(see section 661(f)(1)(A) of IDEA).
(c) The projects funded under these priorities must budget for a
two-day Project Directors' meeting in Washington, DC during each year
of the project.
(d) Part III of each application submitted under this notice, the
application narrative, is where an applicant addresses the selection
criteria that are used by reviewers in evaluating the application. You
must limit Part III to the equivalent of no more than the number of
pages listed in the table at the end of this notice, using the
following standards:
[sbull] A ``page'' is 8.5'' x 11'' (on one side only) with one-inch
margins (top, bottom, and sides).
[sbull] Double-space (no more than three lines per vertical inch)
all text in the application narrative, including titles, headings,
footnotes, quotations, and captions, as well as all text in charts,
tables, figures, and graphs.
[sbull] 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 narrative budget justification; Part
IV, the assurances and certifications; or the one-page abstract, the
resumes, the bibliography or references, or the letters of support.
However, you must include all of the application narrative in Part III.
We will reject without consideration or evaluation any application
if--
[sbull] You apply these standards and exceed the page limit; or
[sbull] You apply other standards and exceed the equivalent of the
page limit.
Instructions for Transmittal of Applications
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
In FY 2002, the U.S. Department of Education is continuing to
expand its pilot project of electronic submission of applications to
include additional formula grant programs and additional discretionary
grant competitions. The Special Education--Training and Information for
Parents of Children with Disabilities program--CFDA 84.328M is one of
the programs included in the pilot project. If you are an applicant
under the Special Education--Training and Information for Parents of
Children with Disabilities 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:
[sbull] Your participation is voluntary.
[sbull] You will not receive any additional point value or penalty
because you submit a grant application in electronic or paper format.
[sbull] You can submit all documents electronically, including the
Application for Federal Assistance (ED 424), Budget Information--Non-
Construction Programs (ED 524), and all necessary assurances and
certifications.
[sbull] Within three working days of submitting your electronic
application, fax a signed copy of the Application for Federal
Assistance (ED 424) to the Application Control Center 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 at (202) 260-1349.
[sbull] 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 Special
Education--Training and Information for Parents of Children with
Disabilities 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) in the
application package.
Special Education--Training and Information for Parents of Children
with Disabilities (CFDA No. 84.328M)
Purpose of Program: The purpose of this program is to ensure that
parents of children with disabilities receive training and information
to help improve results for their children.
Under section 682(e) of IDEA, the Assistant Secretary is required
to: (a) Make at least one award to a parent organization in each State,
unless the Assistant Secretary does not receive an application from
such an organization in each State of sufficient quality to warrant
approval; and (b) select among applications submitted by parent
organizations in a State in a manner that ensures the most effective
assistance to
[[Page 36775]]
parents, including parents in urban and rural areas, in the State.
Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80,
81, 82, 85, 97, 98, and 99; and (b) The selection criteria for this
priority drawn from the EDGAR general selection criteria menu (34 CFR
75.210). The specific selection criteria for this priority are included
in the funding application packet for this competition.
Eligible Applicants: Parent organizations, as defined in section
682(g) of IDEA. A parent organization is a private nonprofit
organization (other than an institution of higher education) that:
(a) Has a board of directors, the parent and professional members
of which are broadly representative of the population to be served and
the majority of whom are parents of children with disabilities, that
includes individuals with disabilities and individuals working in the
fields of special education, related services, and early intervention;
or
(b) Has a membership that represents the interests of individuals
with disabilities and has established a special governing board meeting
the requirements for a board of directors in paragraph (a) under
Eligible Applicants and has a memorandum of understanding between this
special governing board and the board of directors of the organization
that clearly outlines the relationship between the board and the
committee and the decisionmaking responsibilities and authority of
each.
In addition, to demonstrate eligibility to receive a grant, an
applicant must describe how its board or special governing committee
meets the criteria for a parent organization in section 682(g) of IDEA.
Any parent organization that establishes a special governing committee
under section 682(g)(2) of IDEA must demonstrate that the bylaws of its
organization allow the governing committee to be responsible for
operating the project (consistent with existing fiscal policies of its
organization).
Priority
Under sections 661(e) and 682 of IDEA and 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3), we
give an absolute preference to applications that meet the following
priority. We will fund under this competition only those applications
that meet this priority: Absolute Priority--Parent Training and
Information Centers (84.328M)
Background
The IDEA Amendments of 1997 strengthen the role of parents and
increase their involvement in decisions about their children's
education. In order to allocate resources more equitably, create a
unified system of service delivery, and provide the broadest coverage
for the parents and families in every State, the Assistant Secretary is
making awards in five-year cycles for each State. In FY 2002,
applications for 5-year awards will be accepted for Arkansas,
California, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Michigan, Montana,
New Jersey, New Mexico, Ohio, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas, and Utah.
Exceptions to the 5-year awards will be in the States of Nebraska and
New York where applications will be accepted for 4-year awards. Awards
may also be made to authorized entities in Guam, the Commonwealth of
the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Freely Associated States.
Priority
A Parent Training and Information Center must--
(a) Provide training and information that meets the training and
information needs of parents of children with disabilities in the area
served by the Center, particularly underserved parents and parents of
children who may be inappropriately identified, including those who are
not identified at all;
(b) Assist parents to understand the availability of, and how to
effectively use, procedural safeguards under IDEA, including
encouraging the use, and explaining the benefits, of alternative
methods of dispute resolution, such as the mediation process described
in IDEA;
(c) Serve the parents of infants, toddlers, and children with the
full range of disabilities;
(d) Assist parents to--
(1) Better understand the nature of their children's disabilities
and their educational and developmental needs;
(2) Communicate effectively with personnel responsible for
providing special education, early intervention, and related services;
(3) Participate in decisionmaking processes and the development of
individualized education programs and individualized family service
plans;
(4) Obtain appropriate information about the range of options,
programs, services, and resources available to assist children with
disabilities and their families;
(5) Understand the provisions of IDEA for the education of, and the
provision of early intervention services to, children with
disabilities; and
(6) Participate in school reform activities;
(e) Contract with the State educational agency, if the State elects
to contract with the Parent Training and Information Center, for the
purpose of meeting with parents who choose not to use the mediation
process to encourage the use, and explain the benefits, of mediation
consistent with section 615(e)(2)(B) and (D) of IDEA;
(f) Establish cooperative relations with the Community Parent
Resource Center or Centers in their State in accordance with section
683(b)(3) of IDEA;
(g) Network with appropriate clearinghouses, including
organizations conducting national dissemination activities under
section 685(d) of IDEA, and with other national, State, and local
organizations and agencies, such as protection and advocacy agencies,
that serve parents and families of children with the full range of
disabilities;
(h) Annually report to the Assistant Secretary on--
(1) The number of parents to whom the Parent Training and
Information Center provided information and training in the most
recently concluded fiscal year, and
(2) The effectiveness of strategies used to reach and serve
parents, including underserved parents of children with disabilities;
and
(i) If there is more than one parent center in a particular State,
coordinate its activities with the other center or centers to ensure
the most effective assistance to parents in that State.
An applicant must identify the strategies it will undertake--
(a) To ensure that the needs for training and information for
underserved parents of children with disabilities in the areas to be
served are effectively met, particularly in underserved areas of the
State; and
(b) To work with the community-based organizations, particularly in
the underserved areas of the State.
A Parent Training and Information Center that receives assistance
under this absolute priority may also conduct the following activities-
-
(a) Provide information to teachers and other professionals who
provide special education and related services to children with
disabilities;
(b) Assist students with disabilities to understand their rights
and responsibilities on reaching the age of majority, as stated in
section 615(m) of IDEA; and
(c) Assist parents of children with disabilities to be informed
participants
[[Page 36776]]
in the development and implementation of the State improvement plan
under IDEA.
In addition to the annual Project Directors' meeting included in
the ``General Requirements'' section of this notice, a project's budget
must include funds to attend a regional Project Directors' meeting to
be held each year of the project.
Current funding levels and population of school age children were
factors in determining the funding levels for these grants. Regions
were identified in California, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, and Texas by
using the educational services breakdowns operational within each
State.
Project Period: With the exception of projects in the States of
Nebraska and New York, projects will be funded for a period up to 60
months. Projects in the States of Nebraska and New York will be funded
for a period up to 48 months.
Estimated Project Awards: Project award amounts are for a single
budget period of 12 months. To ensure maximum coverage for this
competition, the Assistant Secretary has adopted regional designations
established by California, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, and Texas and has
identified corresponding maximum award amounts. Any applicant that
applies for grants for more than one region must complete a separate
application for each region.
In the following States, one award may be made in the following
amounts to a qualified applicant for a parent center to serve the
entire State:
--Arkansas $265,225
--Connecticut $283,050
--Georgia $481,750
--Kansas $299,475
--Montana $233,775
--New Jersey $465,750
--New Mexico $285,125
--Oregon $290,775
--South Carolina $295,560
--Utah $253,170
--Nebraska $230,625
--New York $234,075
(These figures represent the maximum amounts the Assistant Secretary
will award. In addition, the Assistant Secretary has not specified
maximum amounts for Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana
Islands, and the Freely Associated States).
In the following States with the exception of Illinois, one award
will be made in the following amounts to a qualified applicant for a
parent center to serve each identified Region. In Illinois Region 1,
the Assistant Secretary will make up to two awards. The total of these
two awards will not exceed the maximum amount listed in the chart
below. A list of the counties that are included in each Region also
follows.
California
--Region 1 $649,300
--Region 2 $532,300
--Region 3 $181,235
--Region 4 $473,785
--Region 5 $181,235
Illinois
--Region 1 $562,690
--Region 2 $289,570
Michigan
--Region 1 $249,265
--Region 2 $414,265
Ohio
--Region 1 $226,190
--Region 2 $438,115
Texas
--Region 1 $432,085
--Region 2 $432,085
--Region 3 $244,085
Consistent with EDGAR 34 CFR 75.104(b), we will reject any
application that proposes a project funding level for any year that
exceeds the stated maximum award amount for that year.
Listing of States/Regions/Counties
California Regions
Region 1 includes the following counties: Los Angeles, Ventura,
Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo.
Region 2 includes the following counties: Mono, Inyo, San
Bernadino, Orange, Riverside, San Diego, Imperial.
Region 3 includes the following counties: Madera, Stanislaus,
Mercer, Mariposa, San Benito, Monterey, Fresno, Kings, Tulare, Kern.
Region 4 includes the following counties: Sonoma, Napa, Yolo,
Solano, Marin, Contra Costa, San Joaquin, Alameda, San Mateo, Santa
Clara, Santa Cruz, San Francisco.
Region 5 includes the following counties: Del Norte, Humboldt,
Mendocino, Sisklyou, Trinity, Shasta, Modoc, Lassen, Tehama, Lake,
Glenn, Colusa, Butte, Sutter, Yuba, Sacramento, Nevada, Plumas, Sierra,
Placer, El Dorado, Amador, Calavaras, Alpine, Tuolumne.
Illinois Regions
Region 1 includes the following counties: Cook, DuPage, Grundy,
Kane, Kendall, Lake, McHenry, Will.
Region 2 includes the remainder of the State
Ohio Regions
Region 1 includes the following counties: Darke, Preble, Butler,
Hamilton, Clermont, Brown, Adams, Scioto, Lawrence, Jackson, Pike,
Ross, Fayette, Greene, Clark, Champaign, Logan, Shelby, Miami,
Montgomery, Warren, Clinton, Highland.
Region 2 includes the remainder of the State.
Michigan Regions
Region 1 includes the following counties: Oakland, Macomb, Wayne.
Region 2 includes the remainder of the State.
Texas Regions:
Region 1 includes the following counties: Hardeman, Foard, Knox,
Wilbarger, Baylor, Throckmorton, Wichita, Archer, Young, Clay, Jack,
Montague, Cooke, Wise, Palo Pinto, Eralh, Parker, Hood, Somerveil,
Denton, Tarrant, Johnson, Grayson, Collin, Dallas, Ellis, Fannin, Hunt,
Rockwall, Kaufman, Lamar, Delta, Hopkins, Red River, Franklin, Titus,
Camp, Morris, Bowie, Casa, Cass, Marion, Bosque, Hamilton, Mills,
Lampaas, Coryell, Hill, McLennan, Bell, Navarro, Freestone, Limestone,
Falls, Burnet, Llano, Gillespie, Kendall, Comal, Blanco, Williamson,
Travis, Hays, Lee, Bastrop, Caldwell, Guadalupa, Fayette, Gonzales,
Leon, Robertson, Millam, Burleston, Washington, Austin, Brazoa,
Madison, Grimes, Houston, Trinity, Walker, Montgomery, Polk, San
Jacinto, Tyler, Hardin, Jefferson, Orange, Jasper, Newton, Raine, Van
Zandt, Henderson, Anderson, Wood, Smith, Cherokee, Upshur, Gregg, Rusk,
Nacogdoches, Angelina, Harrison, Panola, Shelby, San Augustine, Sabine.
Region 2 includes the following counties: Kerr, Real, Kinney,
Maverik, Uvalde, Zavala, Dimmit, Bandera, Medina, Frio, La Salle,
Boxer, Atascosa, Wilson, Webb, Zapata, Jim Hogg, Staarr, Hidalgo,
Willsoy, Cameron, McMullen, Duval, Live Oak, Jim Wells, Brooke, Nueces,
Kisberg, Kenedy, San Patricio, Aransas, Bee, Karnes, Gollad, Dewitt,
Lavaca, Colorado, Wharton, Malagorda, Jackson, Victoria, Refugio,
Calhoun, Waller, Fort Bond, Brezoria, Harris, Galveston, Liberty,
Chambers.
Region 3 includes the following counties: El Paso, Hudspeth,
Culberson, Jeff Davis, Presidio, Reeves, Brewster, Pecos, Terrell,
Dallam, Hartley, Oldham, Deaf Smith, Parmer, Bailey, Cochran, Yoakum,
Gaines, Andrews, Loving, Winkler, Ward, Sharman, Moore, Potter,
Randall, Castro, Swisher, Lamb, Hockley, Terry, Ector, Crane, Upton,
Reagan, Midland, Glasscook, Dawson, Martin, Borden, Howard, Hansford,
Hutchinson, Carson, Armstrong, Briscoe, Ochiltree, Roberts, Gray,
Donley, Hall, Lipscomb, Hemphill, Wheeler, Collingsworth, Childress,
[[Page 36777]]
Hale, Lubbock, Lynn, Floyd, Crosby, Garza, Motley, Dickens, Kent,
Cottle, King, Scurry, Mitchell, Stonewall, Fisher, Nolan, Haskall,
Jones, Taylor, Shackelford, Callahan, Stephens, Eastland, Sterling,
Irion, Crockett, Val Verde, Coke, Tom Green, Schlelcher, Sutton,
Edwards, Runnels, Concho, Menard, Kimble, Coleman, McCulloch, Mason,
Brown, San Sabe.
Page Limits: The maximum page limit for this priority is 50 double-
spaced pages.
Note: Applications must meet the required page limit standards
that are described in the ``General Requirements'' section of this
notice.
For Applications Contact: Education Publications Center (ED Pubs),
PO Box 1398, Jessup, Maryland 20794-1398. Telephone (toll free): 1-877-
4ED-Pubs (1-877-433-7827). FAX: 301-470-1244. If you use a
telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may call (toll free)
1-877-576-7734.
You may also contact Ed Pubs at its Web site: http://www.ed.gov/
pubs/edpubs.html
Or you may contact Ed Pubs at its e-mail address:
edpubs@inet.ed.gov
If you request an application from Ed Pubs, be sure to identify
this competition as follows: CFDA No. 84.328M.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Grants and Contracts Services Team,
U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 3317,
Switzer Building, Washington, DC 20202-2550. Telephone: (202) 205-8207.
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 Grants and Contracts Services Team under
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
Individuals with disabilities may also obtain a copy of the
application package in an alternative format by contacting the Grants
and Contracts Services Team under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
However, the Department is not able to reproduce in an alternative
format the standard forms included in the application package.
Intergovernmental Review
This program is subject to the requirements of 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. This document provides early
notification of our specific plans and actions for this program.
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 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 of Federal
Regulations is available on GPO Access at: http://www.access.gpo/
nara/index.html
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1482.
Dated: May 20, 2002.
Robert H. Pasternack,
Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.
Individuals With Disabilities Education Act--Application Notice for Fiscal Year 2002
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CFDA number and name: 84.328M-- Maximum Estimated
special education--training and Applications Application deadline Deadline for award Estimated average Estimated Page
information for parents of children available date Intergovernmental review (per range of size of number of Project period limit**
with disabilities year)* awards awards awards
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Parent Training and Information 05/24/02 07/08/02 09/06/02 ......... $100,000 $273,355 27 Up to 60 mos. 50
Centers.
Arkansas............................ ..................... ..................... ........................ $265,225 $585,000 ......... ......... ............................ .......
Connecticut......................... ..................... ..................... ........................ $283,050
Georgia............................. ..................... ..................... ........................ $481,750
Kansas.............................. ..................... ..................... ........................ $299,475
Montana............................. ..................... ..................... ........................ $233,775
New Jersey.......................... ..................... ..................... ........................ $465,750
New Mexico.......................... ..................... ..................... ........................ $285,125
Oregon.............................. ..................... ..................... ........................ $290,775
South Carolina...................... ..................... ..................... ........................ $295,560
Utah................................ ..................... ..................... ........................ ......... $253,170
Nebraska............................ ..................... ..................... ........................ $230,625 .......... ......... ......... Up to 48 mos. .......
New York............................ ..................... ..................... ........................ $234,075 .......... ......... ......... Up to 48 mos. .......
California: ..................... ..................... ........................ ......... .......... ......... ......... Up to 60 mos.
Region 1........................ ..................... ..................... ........................ $649,300
Region 2........................ ..................... ..................... ........................ $532,300
Region 3........................ ..................... ..................... ........................ $181,235
Region 4........................ ..................... ..................... ........................ $473,785
Region 5........................ ..................... ..................... ........................ $181,235
Illinois: ..................... ..................... ........................ ......... .......... ......... ......... Up to 60 mos.
Region 1........................ ..................... ..................... ........................ $562,690
Region 2........................ ..................... ..................... ........................ $289,570
Michigan: ..................... ..................... ........................ ......... .......... ......... ......... Up to 60 mos.
Region 1........................ ..................... ..................... ........................ $249,265
Region 2........................ ..................... ..................... ........................ $414,265
[[Page 36778]]
Ohio: ..................... ..................... ........................ ......... .......... ......... ......... Up to 60 mos.
Region 1........................ ..................... ..................... ........................ $226,190
Region 2........................ ..................... ..................... ........................ $438,115
Texas: ..................... ..................... ........................ ......... .......... ......... ......... Up to 60 mos.
Region 1........................ ..................... ..................... ........................ $432,085
Region 2........................ ..................... ..................... ........................ $432,085
Region 3........................ ..................... ..................... ........................ $244,085
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*Consistent with EDGAR 34 CFR 75.104(b), we will reject any application that proposes a project funding level for any year that exceeds the stated maximum award amount for that year. Awards
may also be made to authorized entities in Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Freely Associated States. However, the Assistant Secretary has not specified
maximum funding levels for these entities. ** Applicants must limit the Application Narrative, Part III of the Application, to the page limits noted in the table in this notice. Please refer
to the ``Page Limit'' requirements included in the priority description and the page limit standards described in the ``General Requirements'' section. We will reject and will not consider
an application that does not adhere to this requirement.
Note:The Department of Education is not bound by any estimates in this notice.
[FR Doc. 02-13159 Filed 5-23-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P