[Federal Register: July 2, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 127)] [Notices] [Page 35993-35994] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr02jy99-36] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION [CFDA No.: 84.330] Office of Elementary and Secondary Education--Advanced Placement Incentive Program AGENCY: Department of Education. ACTION: Notice inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY) 1999. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The Secretary invites applications for new awards for FY 1999 under the Advanced Placement Incentive Program and announces the deadline date for the transmittal of applications for funding under the program. This is a discretionary grant program. Purpose of Program: One purpose of the Advanced Placement Incentive Program is to enable States to reimburse part or all of the cost of advanced placement test fees for eligible low-income individuals. In addition, a State educational agency (SEA) in a State in which no eligible low-income individual is required to pay more than a nominal fee to take advanced placement tests in core subjects may use grant funds for activities directly related to increasing (a) the enrollment of low-income individuals in advanced placement courses; (b) the participation of low-income individuals in advanced placement tests; and (c) the availability of advanced placement courses in schools serving high-poverty areas. This program is authorized under title VIII, part B, of the Higher Education Amendments of 1998 (1998 Amendments) (20 U.S.C. 1070a-11, note). SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In the March 11, 1999 Federal Register (64 FR 12154), the Secretary published a notice inviting applications for new awards for FY 1999 under the Advanced Placement Incentive Program. Under that competition, which closed on April 26, 1999, the Secretary has awarded approximately $2.8 million in grants of a total FY 1999 appropriation of $4 million for this program. In order to provide more States that are eligible for funds under section 810(d) of the 1998 Amendments (20 U.S.C. 1070a-11(d), note) an opportunity to apply, the Secretary hereby announces a supplemental FY 1999 grant competition for new awards under the Advanced Placement Incentive Program to carry out activities directly related to increasing (a) the enrollment of low- income individuals in advanced placement courses; (b) the participation of low-income individuals in advanced placement tests; and (c) the availability of advanced placement courses in schools serving high- poverty areas. The Secretary also announces the deadline date for the transmittal of applications under this supplemental competition. Who May Apply: SEAs in any State; including the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic of Palau; in which no eligible low-income individual is required to pay more than a nominal fee to take advanced placement tests in core subjects. SEAs receiving grants under the competition that closed on April 26, 1999, may apply for additional funds under this supplemental competition, provided that they meet the eligibility criteria described above. Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: August 16, 1999. Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: September 15, 1999. Applications Available: July 2, 1999. Available Funds: $1,200,000. Estimated Range of Awards: $50,000 to $1,200,000. Estimated Average Size of Awards: $120,000. Estimated Number of Awards: 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: Up to 12 months. Requirements for Approval of Applications In order to receive funding under this supplemental competition, an SEA must submit to the Department an application that contains the following: (a) A description of the advanced placement test fees the State will pay on behalf of individual students; (b) A description of the State's plan to disseminate information on the availability of test fee payments to eligible individuals through secondary school teachers and guidance counselors; (c) The number of children in the State who were eligible to be counted [[Page 35994]] under section 1124(c) of title I, part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA), as amended (20 U.S.C. 6333(c)), during the preceding State fiscal year; (d) A description of the State's plan to evaluate the effectiveness of the program; (e) An assurance that funds provided under this program will be used to supplement, and not supplant, other Federal, State, local, or private funds available to assist low-income individuals in paying for advanced placement testing; (f) An assurance that no eligible low-income individual in the State will be required to pay more than a nominal fee to take advanced placement tests in core subjects; and (g) A narrative that addresses the selection criteria described below. Selection Criteria The Secretary will use the following selection criteria to evaluate applications for funding under this supplemental competition. These criteria are taken from the Education Department General Administrative Regulations, as codified at 34 CFR 75.210. The maximum total score for all of the selection criteria is 100 points. The maximum score for each criterion is as follows: (a) Need for project--10 points. (b) Significance--5 points. (c) Quality of project design--25 points. (d) Quality of project services--25 points. (e) Quality of project personnel--10 points. (f) Adequacy of resources--10 points. (g) Quality of the management plan--10 points. (h) Quality of the project evaluation--5 points. Allowable Activities States receiving grants under this supplemental competition may use the grant funds to support activities directly related to increasing (a) the enrollment of low-income individuals in advanced placement courses; (b) the participation of low-income individuals in advanced placement tests; and (c) the availability of advanced placement courses in schools serving high-poverty areas. Applicable Statute and Regulations: Title VIII, part B of the 1998 Amendments (20 U.S.C. 1070a-11, note). The Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 75, 76, 77, 79, 80, 81, 82, 85, and 86. The following definitions and other provisions are taken from the Advanced Placement Incentive Program statute, in title VIII, part B of the 1998 Amendments (20 U.S.C. 1070a-11, note). They are repeated in this application notice for the convenience of the applicant. Definitions As used in this section: (a) The term ``advanced placement test'' includes only an advanced placement test approved by the Secretary of Education for the purposes of this program. (b) The term ``low-income individual'' has the meaning given the term in section 402A(g)(2) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA) (20 U.S.C. 1070a-11(g)(2)). Note: Under section 402A(g)(2) of the HEA, as amended, the term ``low-income individual'' means an individual from a family whose taxable income for the preceding year did not exceed 150 percent of an amount equal to the poverty level determined by using criteria of poverty established by the Bureau of the Census (20 U.S.C. 1070a- 11(g)(2)). Information Dissemination The SEA shall disseminate information regarding the availability of test fee payments under this program to eligible individuals through secondary school teachers and guidance counselors. Supplementation of Funding Funds provided under this program must be used to supplement and not supplant other non-Federal funds that are available to assist low- income individuals in paying advanced placement test fees. For Applications or Information Contact: Frank B. Robinson, U.S. Department of Education, School Improvement Programs, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, Room 3C153, Washington, DC 20202-6140. Telephone (202) 260- 2669. Internet address: frank__robinson@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. Note: The official version of a document is the document published in the Federal Register. Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1070a-11, note. Dated: June 29, 1999. Judith Johnson, Acting Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education. [FR Doc. 99-16861 Filed 7-1-99; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4000-01-P