[Federal Register: March 26, 1997 (Volume 62, Number 58)]
[Notices]
[Page 14570-14571]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr26mr97_dat-168]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
[CFDA Number: 84.305R]
Office of Educational Research and Improvement (OERI)--Education
Research and Development Centers Program; Notice Inviting Applications
for a New Award for Fiscal Year (FY) 1997
Purpose of Program: To support a national research and development
center to carry out sustained research that will lead to improvements
in early reading instruction and related practices.
Eligible Applicants: Institutions of higher education, institutions
of higher education in consort with public agencies or private
nonprofit organizations, and interstate agencies established by compact
that operate subsidiary bodies established to conduct postsecondary
educational research and development.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: May 28, 1997.
Applications Available: March 28, 1997.
Estimated Available Funds: The estimated funding level over the
five-year project period for the national research center on early
reading is $2,500,000 each year. Actual funding will depend upon the
availability of funds and needs as reflected in the approved
application.
Estimated Number of Awards: 1.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this
notice.
Project Period: Up to 60 months.
Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR Parts 74, 75, 77, 80, 81,
82, 85, and 86; and (b) The regulations in 34 CFR Part 700.
Priority: The absolute priority in the notice of final priority and
post-award requirements for this program, as published elsewhere in
this issue of the Federal Register apply to this competition.
Selection Criteria
(a)(1)(A) The Secretary uses the selection criteria in 20 U.S.C.
6031(c)(3)(E)(i)-(vi) and 34 CFR 700.30(e) to evaluate applications for
new grants under this program.
[[Page 14571]]
(b) The Secretary has incorporated the statutory selection criteria
into the criteria established under 34 CFR 700.30. The statutory
criteria are: (3)(ii)(C); (4)(ii)(D); (4)(ii)(E); (5)(ii)(C);
(5)(ii)(D); and, (5)(ii)(H).
(2) The maximum score for all of these criteria is 100 points.
(3) The maximum score for each criterion is indicated in
parentheses (34 CFR 700.30(c)).
(c) The criteria.
(1) National Significance. (30 points)
(i) The Secretary considers the national significance of the
proposed project.
(ii) In determining the national significance of the proposed
project, the Secretary considers the following factors:
(A) The importance of the problem or issue to be addressed.
(B) The potential contribution of the project to increased
knowledge or understanding of educational problems, issues, or
effective strategies.
(C) The potential contribution of the project to the development
and advancement of theory and knowledge in the field of study.
(D) The nature of the products (such as information, materials,
processes, or techniques) likely to result from the project and the
potential for their effective use in a variety of other settings.
(2) Quality of the Project Design. (30 points)
(i) The Secretary considers the quality of the design of the
proposed project.
(ii) In determining the quality of the design of the proposed
project, the Secretary considers the following factors:
(A) Whether there is a conceptual framework underlying the proposed
activities and the quality of that framework.
(B) Whether the proposed activities constitute a coherent,
sustained program of research and development in the field, including a
substantial addition to an ongoing line of inquiry.
(C) The extent to which the research design includes a thorough,
high-quality review of the relevant literature, a high-quality plan for
research activities, and use of appropriate theoretical and
methodological tools, including those of a variety of disciplines,
where appropriate.
(D) The quality of the plan for evaluating the functioning and
impact of the project, including the objectivity of the evaluation and
the extent to which the methods of evaluation are appropriate to the
goals, objectives, and outcomes of the project.
(3) Quality and Potential Contributions of Personnel. (20 points)
(i) The Secretary considers the quality and potential contributions
of personnel for the proposed project.
(ii) In determining the quality and potential contributions of
personnel for the proposed project, the Secretary considers the
following factors:
(A) The qualifications, including training and experience, of the
project director or principal investigator.
(B) The qualifications, including training and experience, of key
project personnel.
(C) Whether the applicant has assembled a group of high quality
researchers sufficient to achieve the mission of the center.
(4) Adequacy of Resources. (10 points)
(i) The Secretary considers the adequacy of resources for the
proposed project.
(ii) In determining the adequacy of resources for the proposed
project, the Secretary considers the following factors:
(A) The adequacy of support from the lead applicant organization.
(B) The relevance and commitment of each partner in the project to
the implementation and success of the project.
(C) Whether the costs are reasonable in relation to the objectives,
design, and potential significance of the project.
(D) Whether the proposed organizational structure and arrangements
will facilitate achievement of the mission of the center.
(E) Whether the directors and support staff will devote a majority
of their time to the activities of the center.
(5) Quality of the Management Plan. (10 points)
(i) The Secretary considers the quality of the management plan of
the proposed project.
(ii) In determining the quality of the management plan of a
proposed project, the Secretary considers the following factors:
(A) The adequacy of the management plan to achieve the objectives
of the project, including the specification of staff responsibility,
timelines, and benchmarks for accomplishing project tasks.
(B) The adequacy of plans for ensuring high-quality products and
services.
(C) The contributions of primary researchers (other than
researchers at the proposed center) and the appropriateness of such
researchers' experiences and expertise in the context of the proposed
center activities, and the adequacy of such primary researchers' time
and commitment to achievement of the mission of the center.
(D) Whether there is a substantial staff commitment to the work of
the center.
(E) How the applicant will ensure that a diversity of perspectives
are brought to bear in the operation of the project, including those of
parents and teachers, where appropriate.
(F) The manner in which the results of education research will be
disseminated for further use, including how the center will work with
the Office of Reform Assistance and Dissemination (an organizational
unit within the Office of Educational Research and Improvement).
For Applications or Information Contact: Dr. Anne P. Sweet, U.S.
Department of Education, 555 New Jersey Avenue, NW., Washington, DC
20208-5521. Telephone: (202) 219-2079. Internet address: (anne--
sweet@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.
Information about the Department's funding opportunities, including
copies of application notices or discretionary grant competitions, can
be viewed on the Department's electronic bulletin board (ED Board),
telephone (202) 260-9950; on the Internet Gopher Server (at gopher://
gcs.ed.gov); or on the World Wide Web (at http://gcs.ed.gov). However,
the official application notice for a discretionary grant competition
is the notice published in the Federal Register.
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 6031(c)(1)(B)(i).
Dated: March 20, 1997.
Marshall Smith,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Educational Research and Improvement.
[FR Doc. 97-7678 Filed 3-21-97; 3:28 pm]
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