(IMPORTANT NOTE ON THIS DOCUMENT - There is an error on the instructions for Part III: Application Narrative on pages 17639 - 17640, paragraphs 3 - 6. Those instructions do not apply to this program. A corrective notice will be issued.) --------------------------------------------------------------- [Federal Register: April 9, 1998 (Volume 63, Number 68)] [Notices] [Page 17629-17651] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr09ap98-176] [[Page 17629]] _______________________________________________________________________ Part III Department of Education _______________________________________________________________________ Comprehensive Local Reform Assistance; Notice Inviting Applications From Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) in Montana and Oklahoma for New Awards With Fiscal Year (FY) 1997 and 1998 Goals 2000 Funds [[Page 17630]] DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION [CFDA No.: 84.317] Comprehensive Local Reform Assistance; Notice Inviting Applications From Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) in Montana and Oklahoma for New Awards With Fiscal Year (FY) 1997 and 1998 Goals 2000 Funds AGENCY: Department of Education. 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 requirements, and instructions needed to apply for a grant under these competitions. Purpose of Program: To assist local educational agencies (LEAs) in the development and implementation of comprehensive local improvement plans directed at enabling all children to reach challenging academic standards. Eligible Applicants: LEAs in Oklahoma and Montana are eligible to apply for grants. The Secretary is especially interested in receiving applications from consortia of LEAs in each State. LEAs or consortia of LEAs in Oklahoma and Montana that have previously received FY 1995 and 1996 Goals 2000 funds are eligible to apply for funds under this competition. However, in order that other needy districts may benefit from Goals 2000 support, the Secretary is particularly interested in receiving applications from LEAs or consortia that have not previously received Goals 2000 funding. Note: This competition, authorized by section 304(e) of the Goals 2000: Educate America Act, is only for LEAs in Oklahoma and Montana. LEAs in other States apply to their respective State educational agency (SEA) for funds under Title III of Goals 2000. Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: May 27, 1998. Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: July 27, 1998. Available Funds: For LEAs in Montana: $2,039,546 from the FY 1997 allotment and $1,907,714 from the FY 1998 allotment; for LEAs in Oklahoma: $5,808,148 from the FY 1997 allotment and $5,549,703 from the FY 1998 allotment. In accordance with section 402 of the Department of Education Organization Act, 20 U.S.C. 3462, the Secretary may use up to one percent of the funds from each State's allotment to pay the expenses and fees for non-Federal experts necessary to review the applications submitted in response to this notice. In the event that there are an insufficient number of funded applications to use all of either State's allotment, the Secretary may reallot the remaining funds consistent with the Act. The Secretary does not intend to conduct competitions for FY 1998 funds. Instead, pursuant to 34 CFR 75.253, the Secretary intends to make continuation awards from the FY 1998 allotments to each grantee that has made substantial progress toward meeting the objectives in its approved application. Project Period: Up to 24 months. Estimated Range of Awards: $20,000-$200,000 annually. The sizes of the awards requested should be governed by the size of the LEA or consortium and the scope of the proposed project. The Secretary will consider each applicant's request and the needs of all successful applicants in determining the amount of each grant award. The Department of Education is not bound by the estimates in this notice. In their applications, LEAs are encouraged to seek funds for a two- year period. Oklahoma LEAs are encouraged to seek a second-year amount that is 4.5 percent less than their first-year award request; Montana LEAs are encouraged to seek a second-year amount that is 6.5 percent less than their first-year request. By doing so, the budget requests will align with the funding available for each State from the State's respective FY 1997 and 1998 allotments. Estimated Average Size of FY 1997 and 1998 Awards: $80,000 annually. Estimated Numbers of Awards: 70 in Oklahoma; 25 in Montana. Note: Consistent with Section 309(c) of the Goals 2000 Act, the Secretary will award at least 50 percent of each State's available allotment to LEAs that have a greater percentage or number of disadvantaged children than the statewide average percentages or numbers for all LEAs in each respective State. The Department will waive this provision if it does not receive a sufficient number of applications from such districts. Applicable Regulations: The Education Department General Administrative Regulations (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 79 (Intergovernmental Review of Department of Education Programs and Activities). (4) 34 CFR Part 80 (Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements to State and Local Governments). (5) 34 CFR Part 81 (General Education Provisions Act--Enforcement). (6) 34 CFR Part 82 (New Restrictions on Lobbying). (7) 34 CFR Part 85 (Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension (Nonprocurement) and Governmentwide Requirements for Drug-Free Workplace (Grants)). GEPA Section 427 Requirements: In preparing applications, LEAs should pay particular attention to the requirements in section 427 of the General Education Provisions Act (GEPA), as detailed later in this notice. Applicants must address the requirements in section 427 in order to receive funding under this competition. Section 427 requires each applicant to describe the steps it proposes to take to address one or more barriers (i.e., gender, race, national origin, color, disability, or age) that can impede equitable access to, or participation in, the program. A restatement of compliance with civil rights requirements is not sufficient to meet the GEPA section 427 requirements. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background Section 304(e) of the Goals 2000: Educate America Act (Pub. L. 103- 227) (20 U.S.C. 5801 et seq.) (the Act) authorizes the Secretary to award direct grants to LEAs in States that were not participating in Goals 2000 as of October 20, 1995, if the applicable SEA approves the LEAs' participation in the program. Oklahoma and Montana were not participating in Goals 2000 as of that date and the Oklahoma and Montana SEAs have approved LEA participation in this direct grant program. The Secretary has determined that grants awarded under Section 304(e) will be used to support the development and implementation of comprehensive local improvement plans designed to help all children reach challenging academic standards. In particular, the Secretary encourages LEAs to address in their applications how their reform strategies might include enhanced preservice teacher education and professional development activities of educators that are directly connected to challenging standards. Applicants that have already developed comprehensive improvement plans may propose activities funded through the grant that are aligned with and carry out parts of this plan. In order to best meet the selection criteria, LEAs should use funds awarded under this notice to build upon comprehensive reform strategies that have already been [[Page 17631]] initiated with federal and other resources. Application Requirements The authorizing statute--section 304(e) of the Act--permits the Secretary to fund LEA applications that are consistent with the provisions of Goals 2000. Grants under this competition will support the development and implementation of comprehensive local improvement plans to help all students reach challenging academic standards. Local improvement plans that are developed or implemented with funds awarded under section 304(e) must be consistent with the requirements in sections 309(a)(3)(B) through (E) of the Act. Adapted to this direct grant program, these requirements specify that local plans-- (1) Describe a process of broad-based community participation in the development, implementation, and evaluation of the local improvement plan; (2) Address districtwide education improvement, directed at enabling all students to meet the State content standards and State student performance standards, including specific goals and benchmarks; reflect the priority of the State improvement plan (if there is a comprehensive State improvement plan); and include a strategy for-- (a) Improving teaching and learning, through such strategies as enhanced professional development and preservice education activities aligned to the standards; (b) Improving governance, management, and accountability for performance; and (c) Generating, maintaining, and strengthening parental and community involvement; (3) Promote the flexibility of local schools in developing plans that address the particular needs of their school and community and are consistent with the local improvement plan; and (4) Describe how the LEA will encourage and assist schools to develop and implement comprehensive school improvement plans that focus on helping all students reach State content standards and student performance standards. An LEA that applies for funds under this program should indicate whether funds are being requested to (a) develop and implement a plan in accordance with the requirements of sections 309(a)(3)(B) through (E) of the Act; or (b) implement an existing comprehensive improvement plan that meets the requirements of sections 309(a)(3)(B) through (E) of the Act. (An applicant that received FY 1995 and 1996 funding under the previous competition must have completed the development of a plan that meets the stated requirements in order to be eligible for funding under this competition.) An LEA seeking funds to both develop and implement a comprehensive plan must demonstrate evidence of a clear process that will result in a plan that meets the stated plan requirements. This evidence may include a description of how stakeholders will be involved in plan development and specific steps and timelines for developing the plan. Successful applicants will only be eligible to receive FY 1998 continuation funding if they have completed development of a plan that meets the plan requirements stated above. An LEA that has already developed a comprehensive improvement plan may seek FY 1997 and 1998 funds to implement the plan. The applicant must demonstrate that its existing plan meets the plan requirements listed above. The applicant may do this, for example, by providing a description of how its plan addresses these requirements and the progress the applicant has made in implementing its plan. In addition, the applicant may demonstrate the comprehensiveness of the plan by providing evidence that the plan is coordinated with other LEA plans that, collectively, provide a framework for how federal and other funds are used to achieve the goals and objectives of the district. An applicant should clearly explain the strategies that will be funded under this award and how these strategies are aligned with the comprehensive plan. The Secretary recommends that applicants reserve in their budgets approximately $2,000 each year for activities that will be designed by the Secretary, in conjunction with grantees, to facilitate the sharing among grantees of information on successful comprehensive reform strategies. Selection Criteria The Secretary will use the following selection criteria and factors from 34 CFR 75.210 to evaluate applications under this competition. The maximum score for all of the criteria is 100 points. The maximum score for each criterion is indicated in parenthesis with the criterion. The criteria and factors are as follows: (1) Need for the project. (20 points) (a) The Secretary considers the need for the proposed project. (b) In determining the need for the proposed project, the Secretary considers the following factors: (i) The extent to which the proposed project will provide services to or otherwise address the needs of students at risk of educational failure. (ii) The extent to which specific gaps or weaknesses in services, infrastructure, or opportunities have been identified and will be addressed by the proposed project, including the nature and magnitude of those gaps or weaknesses. (2) Quality of the project design. (33 points) (a) The Secretary considers the quality of the design of the proposed project. (b) In determining the quality of the design of the proposed project, the Secretary considers the following factors: (i) The extent to which the proposed project is part of a comprehensive effort to improve teaching and learning and support rigorous academic standards for students. (ii) The extent to which the proposed project will be coordinated with similar or related efforts, and with other appropriate community, State, and Federal resources. (iii) The extent to which the proposed project is designed to build capacity and yield results that will extend beyond the period of Federal financial assistance. (iv) The extent to which the goals, objectives, and outcomes to be achieved by the proposed project are clearly specified and measurable. (3) Quality of project services. (15 points) (a) The Secretary considers the quality of the services to be provided by the proposed project. (b) In determining the quality of the services to be provided by the proposed project, the Secretary considers the quality and sufficiency of strategies for ensuring equal access and treatment for eligible project participants who are members of groups that have traditionally been underrepresented based on race, color, national origin, gender, age, or disability. (c) In addition, the Secretary considers the following factors: (i) The likelihood that the services to be provided by the proposed project will lead to improvements in the achievement of students as measured against rigorous academic standards. (ii) The extent to which the services to be provided by the proposed project are focused on those with greatest needs. (iii) The extent to which the services to be provided by the proposed project reflect up-to-date knowledge from research and effective practice. (4) Quality of project personnel. (5 points) (a) The Secretary considers the [[Page 17632]] quality of the personnel who will carry out the proposed project. (b) In determining the quality of project personnel, the Secretary considers the extent to which the applicant encourages applications for employment from persons who are members of groups that have traditionally been underrepresented based on race, color, national origin, gender, age, or disability. (c) In addition, the Secretary considers the qualifications, including relevant training and experience, of key project personnel. (5) Adequacy of resources. (5 points) (a) The Secretary considers the adequacy of resources for the proposed project. (b) In determining the adequacy of resources for the proposed project, the Secretary considers the following factors: (i) The adequacy of support, including facilities, equipment, supplies, and other resources, from the applicant organization or the lead applicant organization. (ii) The extent to which the costs are reasonable in relation to the objectives, design, and potential significance of the proposed project. (iii) The potential for the incorporation of project purposes, activities, or benefits into the ongoing program of the agency or organization at the end of Federal funding. (6) Quality of the management plan. (7 points) (a) The Secretary considers the quality of the management plan for the proposed project. (b) In considering the quality of the management plan for the proposed project, the Secretary considers the following factors: (i) The adequacy of the management plan to achieve the objectives of the proposed project on time and within budget, including clearly defined responsibilities, timelines, and milestones for accomplishing project tasks. (ii) The adequacy of mechanisms for ensuring high-quality products and services from the proposed project. (iii) How the applicant will ensure that a diversity of perspectives are brought to bear in the operation of the proposed project, including those of parents, teachers, the business community, a variety of disciplinary and professional fields, recipients or beneficiaries of services, or others, as appropriate. (7) Quality of the project evaluation. (15 points) (a) The Secretary considers the quality of the evaluation to be conducted of the proposed project. (b) In determining the quality of the evaluation, the Secretary considers the extent to which the methods of evaluation include the use of objective performance measures that are clearly related to the intended outcomes of the project and will produce quantitative and qualitative data to the extent possible. Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs This program is subject to the requirements of Executive Order 12372 (Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs) and the regulations in 34 CFR Part 79. The objective of the Executive Order is to foster an intergovernmental partnership and to strengthen federalism by relying on State processes and on State, areawide, regional, and local coordination for review of proposed Federal financial assistance. Neither Oklahoma nor Montana has adopted State intergovernmental review processes. Therefore, State, areawide, regional, and local entities may submit comments directly to the Department. Any comments submitted pursuant to the Executive Order must be mailed or hand-delivered by the date indicated in this notice to the following address: The Secretary, E.O. 12372--CFDA# 84.317, U.S. Department of Education, Room 6300, 600 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20202. Proof of mailing will be determined on the same basis as applications (see 34 CFR 75.102). Recommendations or comments may be hand-delivered until 4:30 p.m. (Washington, D.C. time) on the date indicated in this notice. Please note that the above address is not the same address as the one to which the applicant submits its completed application. Do not send applications to the above address. Instructions for Transmittal of Applications (a) If an applicant wants to apply for a grant, the applicant shall -- (1) Mail the original and three copies of the application on or before the deadline date to: U. S. Department of Education, Application Control Center, Attention: (CFDA # 84.317), 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: (CFDA# 84.317), 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 in Item 10 of the Application for Federal Assistance (Standard Form 424) the CFDA number of the competition under which the application is being submitted (CFDA# 84.317). 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 (Standard Form 524A) and instructions. (NOTE: In addition to completing these forms, the applicant should provide a brief description of the use of funds in each budget category. The budget narrative should describe how the budget will support the project proposed in the application narrative in an effective and cost-efficient manner.) Part III: Application Narrative. Additional Materials Estimated Public Reporting Burden. [[Page 17633]] Assurances--Non-Construction Programs (Standard Form 424B). Certifications regarding Lobbying; Debarment, Suspension, and Other Responsibility Matters; and Drug-Free Workplace Requirements (ED 80- 0013). 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. GEPA Section 427 Notice to All Applicants. 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: Cindy Cisneros (contact for Oklahoma applicants) or Jay McClain (contact for Montana applicants), U.S. Department of Education, 600 Independence Avenue, S.W., Portals Building, Room 4000, Washington, D.C. 20202-2110, Telephone: (202) 401- 0039, FAX: (202) 205-0303. These contacts may also be reached via e- mail at cindy__ cisneros@ed.gov or jay__mcclain@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. Individuals with disabilities may obtain this document in an alternate format (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer diskette) on 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://ww.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. Information about the Department's funding opportunities, including copies of application notices for discretionary grant competitions, can be viewed on the Department's electronic bulletin board (ED Board), telephone (202) 260-9950; or on the Internet at http://www.ed.gov. However, the official application notice for a discretionary grant competition is the notice published in the Federal Register. Program Authority: Section 304(e) of the Goals 2000: Educate America Act, 20 U.S.C. 5884(b). Dated: April 3, 1998. Gerald N. Tirozzi, Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education. BILLING CODE 4000-01-P [[Page 17634]] [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN09AP98.070 [[Page 17635]] [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN09AP98.071 [[Page 17636]] [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN09AP98.072 [[Page 17637]] [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN09AP98.073 [[Page 17638]] [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN09AP98.074 [[Page 17639]] [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN09AP98.075 [[Page 17640]] [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN09AP98.076 [[Page 17641]] [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN09AP98.077 [[Page 17642]] [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN09AP98.078 [[Page 17643]] [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN09AP98.079 [[Page 17644]] [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN09AP98.080 [[Page 17645]] [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN09AP98.081 [[Page 17646]] [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN09AP98.082 [[Page 17647]] [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN09AP98.083 [[Page 17648]] [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN09AP98.084 [[Page 17649]] [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN09AP98.085 [[Page 17650]] [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN09AP98.086 [[Page 17651]] [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN09AP98.087 [FR Doc. 98-9344 Filed 4-8-98; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4000-01-C