FR Doc 04-2520
[Federal Register: February 5, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 24)]
[Notices]
[Page 5523-5526]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr05fe04-56]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Office of Elementary and Secondary Education
Overview Information; Early Childhood Educator Professional
Development Program Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for
Fiscal Year (FY) 2004
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.349A.
DATES: Applications Available: February 5, 2004.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: March 16, 2004.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: May 17, 2004.
Eligible Applicants: A partnership consisting of at least one
entity from each of the following categories, as indicated below:
(i) One or more institutions of higher education, or other public
or private entities (including faith-based organizations), that provide
professional development for early childhood educators who work with
children from low-income families in high-need communities.
(ii) One or more public agencies (including local educational
agencies, State educational agencies, State human services agencies,
and State and local agencies administering programs under the Child
Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990), Head Start agencies, or
private organizations (including faith-based organizations).
(iii) If feasible, an entity with demonstrated experience in
providing training to educators in early childhood education programs
concerning identifying and preventing behavior problems or working with
children identified as or suspected to be victims of abuse. This entity
may be one of the partners described in paragraphs (i) and (ii) under
Eligible Applicants.
A partnership may apply for these funds only if one of the partners
currently provides professional development for early childhood
educators working in programs located in high-need communities with
children from low-income families.
Estimated Available Funds: $14,814,000.
Estimated Range of Awards: $1,000,000-$1,500,000 for one year;
$2,000,000-$3,000,000 for two years.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $1,250,000 for one year;
$2,500,000 for two years.
Estimated Number of Awards: 5-15 awards.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this
notice.
Project Period: Up to 24 months.
Full Text of Announcement
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Purpose of Program: The purpose of the Early ChildhoodEducator
Professional Development (ECEPD) program is to enhance the school
readiness of young children, particularly disadvantaged young children,
and to prevent them from encountering difficulties once they enter
school.
Projects funded under the ECEPD program provide high-quality,
sustained, and intensive professional development for these early
childhood educators in how to provide developmentally appropriate
school-readiness services for preschool-age children that are based on
the best available research on early childhood pedagogy and on child
development and learning.
The specific activities for which recipients may use grant funds
are identified in the application package.
Priorities:
This competition includes one absolute priority and one
invitational priority that are explained in the following paragraphs.
These priorities are as follows. In accordance with 34 CFR
75.105(b)(2)(iv), the absolute priority is from section 2151(e)(5)(A)
of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended
(ESEA), 20 U.S.C. 6651(e)(5)(A).
Absolute Priority: For FY 2004 this priority is an absolute
priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3) we consider only applications that
meet this priority.
This priority is:
High-Need Communities
To provide professional development to early childhood educators
who are working in early childhood programs that are located in ``high-
need communities.''
An eligible applicant must demonstrate in its application narrative
how it meets the statutory requirement in section 2151(e)(5)(A) of the
ESEA by including relevant demographic and socioeconomic data about the
``high-need community'' in which the program is located. (See section
2151(e)(3)(B)(i) of the ESEA.)
``High-need community,'' as defined in section 2151(e)(9)(B) of the
ESEA, means--
(a) A political subdivision of a State, or a portion of a political
subdivision of a State, in which at least 50 percent of the children
are from low-income families; or
(b) A political subdivision of a State that is among the 10 percent
of political
[[Page 5524]]
subdivisions of the State having the greatest numbers of such children.
Note: The following additional terms used in or related to this
absolute priority have statutory definitions that are included in
the application package: ``early childhood educator,'' ``low-income
family,'' and ``professional development.''
Under this competition we are particularly interested in
applications that address the following priority.
Invitational Priority: For FY 2004 this priority is an invitational
priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(1) we do not give an application that
meets this invitational priority a competitive or absolute preference
over other applications.
This priority is:
Young Children With Limited English Proficiency, Disabilities, or Other
Special Needs
The Secretary is particularly interested in receiving applications
that focus on providing professional development for early childhood
educators who work with young children (including infants or toddlers,
as applicable) with: limited English proficiency; disabilities, as
identified under Parts B or C of the Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act; or other special needs.
Note: The following terms used in this invitational priority
have statutory definitions that are included in the application
package: ``child with a disability,'' ``infants and toddlers with
disabilities,'' ``limited English proficient.''
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 6651(e).
Applicable Regulations: The Education Department General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80,
81, 82, 84, 85, 86, 97, 98, and 99.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
Estimated Available Funds: $14,814,000.
Estimated Range of Awards: $1,000,000-$1,500,000 for one year;
$2,000,000-$3,000,000 for two years.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $1,250,000 for one year;
$2,500,000 for two years.
Estimated Number of Awards: 5-15 awards.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this
notice.
Project Period: Up to 24 months.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants: A partnership consisting of at least one
entity from each of the following categories, as indicated below:
(i) One or more institutions of higher education, or other public
or private entities (including faith-based organizations), that provide
professional development for early childhood educators who work with
children from low-income families in high-need communities.
(ii) One or more public agencies (including local educational
agencies, State educational agencies, State human services agencies,
and State and local agencies administering programs under the Child
Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990), Head Start agencies, or
private organizations (including faith-based organizations).
(iii) If feasible, an entity with demonstrated experience in
providing training to educators in early childhood education programs
concerning identifying and preventing behavior problems or working with
children identified as or suspected to be victims of abuse. This entity
may be one of the partners described in paragraphs (i) and (ii) under
Eligible Applicants.
A partnership may apply for these funds only if one of the partners
currently provides professional development for early childhood
educators working in programs located in high-need communities with
children from low-income families.
2. Cost Sharing or Matching: Each partnership that receives a grant
under this program must provide (1) at least 50 percent of the total
cost of the project for the entire grant period; and (2) at least 20
percent of the project cost for each year. The project may provide
these funds from any source, other than this program, including other
Federal sources. The partnership may satisfy these cost-sharing
requirements by providing contributions in cash or in-kind, fairly
evaluated, including plant, equipment, and services. Only allowable
costs may be counted as part of the grantee's share. For example, any
indirect costs over and above the allowable amount may not be counted
toward a grantee's share. For additional information about indirect
costs, see section IV.5. of this notice.
IV. Application and Submission Information
1. Address To Request Application Package: Education Publications
Center (ED Pubs), P.O. Box 1398, Jessup, MD 20794-1398. Telephone (toll
free): 1-877-433-7827. FAX: (301) 470-1244. If you use a
telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may call the Federal
Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339.
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 number 84.349A. The public also may
obtain a copy of the application package on the Department's Web site
at the following address: http://www.ed.gov/programs/eceducator/index.html.
Individuals with disabilities may obtain a copy of the application
package in an alternative format (e.g., Braille, large print,
audiotape, or computer diskette) by contacting the program contact
person listed under For Further Information Contact elsewhere in this
notice. However, the Department is not able to reproduce in an
alternative format the standard forms included in the application
package.
2. Content and Form of Application Submission: Requirements
concerning the content of an application, together with the forms you
must submit, are in the application package for this program
competition.
Page Limit: The application narrative (Part III of the application)
is where you, the applicant, address the absolute priority and the
selection criteria that reviewers use to evaluate your application. You
must limit Part III to the equivalent of no more than 30 typed pages
and the additional budget narrative to the equivalent of no more than 5
typed pages, using the following standards.
A ``page'' is 8.5'' x 11'', on one side only,
with 1'' margins at the top, bottom, and both sides.
Double space (no more than three lines per
vertical inch) all text in the application narrative, including titles,
headings, footnotes, quotations, references, and captions. You may
single space information in tables, charts, or graphs, and you may
single space the limited Appendices.
Use a font that is either 12-point or larger or
no smaller than 10 pitch (characters per inch). You may use other point
fonts for any tables, charts, graphs, and the limited Appendices, but
those tables, charts, graphs and limited Appendices should be in a font
size that is easily readable by the reviewers of your application.
Any tables, charts, or graphs are included in
the overall narrative page limit. The limited Appendices, including the
required Partnership Agreement, are not part of these page limits.
Appendices are limited to the following:
required Partnership Agreement; and curriculum vitae of key
[[Page 5525]]
personnel (including key contract personnel and consultants).
Other application materials are limited to the
specific materials indicated in the application package, and may not
include any video or other non-print materials.
Our reviewers will not read any pages of your application that--
Exceed the page limits if you apply these
standards; or
Exceed the equivalent of the page limits if you
apply other standards.
3. Submission Dates and Times:
Applications Available: February 5, 2004.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: March 16, 2004. The dates
and times for the transmittal of applications by mail or by hand
(including a courier service or commercial carrier) are in the
application package for this program. The application package also
specifies the hours of operation of the e-Application Web site.
We do not consider an application that does not comply with the
deadline requirements.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: May 17, 2004.
4. Intergovernmental Review: This program is subject to Executive
Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79. Information about
Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs under Executive Order
12372 is in the application package for this program.
5. Funding Restrictions:
(a) Indirect Costs. For purposes of indirect cost charges, the
Secretary considers all Early Childhood Educator Professional
Development program grants to be ``educational training grants'' within
the meaning of section 75.562(a) of EDGAR (34 CFR 75.562(a)).
Consistent with 34 CFR 75.562, the indirect cost rate for any fiscal
agent other than a State agency or agency of local government (such as
a local educational agency) is limited to a maximum of eight percent or
the amount permitted by the fiscal agent's negotiated indirect cost
rate agreement, whichever is less. Further information about indirect
cost rates, and on how to apply for a negotiated indirect cost rate for
fiscal agents that do not yet have one, is available at the following
Web site: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocfo/fipao/icgindex.html
.
(b) Pre-award Costs: For FY 2004 the Secretary exercises his
authority under sections 75.263 and 74.25(e)(1) of EDGAR (34 CFR 75.263
and 74.25(e)(1)) to approve pre-award costs incurred by recipients of
these grants more than 90 calendar days before the grant award.
Specifically, the Secretary approves necessary and reasonable pre-award
costs incurred by these grant recipients for up to 90 days before the
application due date. These pre-award costs must be related to the
needs assessment that applicants conduct under section
2151(e)(3)(B)(iii) of the ESEA before submitting their applications, to
determine the most critical professional development needs of the early
childhood educators to be served by the project and in the broader
community.
Applicants incur any pre-award costs at their own risk. The
Secretary is under no obligation to reimburse these costs if for any
reason the applicant does not receive an award or if the award is less
than anticipated and inadequate to cover these costs.
We reference additional regulations outlining funding restrictions
in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.
6. Other Submission Requirements: Instructions and requirements for
the transmittal of applications by mail or by hand (including a courier
service or commercial carrier) are in the application package for this
program.
Application Procedures:
Note: 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:We are
continuing to expand our pilot project for electronic submission of
applications to include additional formula grant programs and
additional discretionary grant competitions. Early Childhood Educator
Professional Development--CFDA Number 84.349A is one of the programs
included in the pilot project. If you are an applicant under Early
Childhood Educator Professional Development, 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). If you use e-Application, you will
be entering data online while completing your application. You may not
e-mail an electronic copy of a grant application to us. If you
participate in this voluntary pilot project by submitting an
application electronically, the data you enter online will be saved
into a database. We request your participation in e-Application. We
shall continue to evaluate its success and solicit suggestions for its
improvement.
If you participate in e-Application, please note the following:
Your participation is voluntary.
When you enter the e-Application system, you
will find information about its hours of operation. We strongly
recommend that you do not wait until the application deadline date to
initiate an e-Application package.
You will not receive additional point value
because you submit a grant application in electronic format, nor will
we penalize you if you submit an application in paper format.
You may submit all documents electronically,
including the Application for Federal Education Assistance (ED 424),
Budget Information--Non-Construction Programs (ED 524), and all
necessary assurances and certifications.
Your e-Application must comply with any page
limit requirements described in this notice.
After you electronically submit your
application, you will receive an automatic acknowledgement, which will
include a PR/Award number (an identifying number unique to your
application).
Within three working days after submitting your
electronic application, fax a signed copy of the Application for
Federal Education Assistance (ED 424) to the Application Control Center
after following these steps:
1. Print ED 424 from e-Application.
2. The institution's Authorizing Representative must sign this
form.
3. Place the PR/Award number in the upper right hand corner of the
hard copy signature page of the ED 424.
4. Fax the signed ED 424 to the Application Control Center at (202)
260-1349.
We may request that you give us original
signatures on other forms at a later date.Application Deadline Date
Extension in Case of System Unavailability: If you elect to participate
in the e-Application pilot for Early Childhood Educator Professional
Development and you are prevented from submitting your application on
the application deadline date because the e-Application system is
unavailable, we will grant you an extension of one business day in
order to transmit your application electronically, by mail, or by hand
delivery. We will grant this extension if--
[[Page 5526]]
1. You are a registered user of e-Application, and you have
initiated an e-Application for this competition; and
2. (a) The e-Application system is unavailable for 60 minutes or
more between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., Washington, DC time,
on the application deadline date; or
(b) The e-Application system is unavailable for any period of time
during the last hour of operation (that is, for any period of time
between 3:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time) on the
application deadline date.
We must acknowledge and confirm these periods of unavailability
before granting you an extension. To request this extension or to
confirm our acknowledgement of any system unavailability, you may
contact either (1) the person listed elsewhere in this notice under For
Further Information Contact (see VII. Agency Contact) or (2) the e-
GRANTS help desk at 1-888-336-8930.
You may access the electronic grant application for Early Childhood
Educator Professional Development at: http://e-grants.ed.gov/.
V. Application Review Information
1. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this program are
from section 75.210 of EDGAR, 34 CFR 75.210, and are identified in the
application package.
2. Review and Selection Process: An additional factor we consider
in selecting an application for an award is geographical distribution
(section 2151(e)(4)(B) of the ESEA).
VI. Award Administration Information
1. Award Notices: If your application is successful, we notify your
U.S. Representative and U.S. Senators and send you a Grant Award Notice
(GAN). We may also notify you informally.
If your application is not evaluated or not selected for funding,
we notify you.
2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements: We identify
administrative and national policy requirements in the application
package and reference these and other requirements in the Applicable
Regulations section of this notice.
We reference the regulations outlining the terms and conditions of
an award in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice and
include these and other specific conditions in the GAN. The GAN also
incorporates your approved application as part of your binding
commitments under the grant.
3. Reporting: At the end of your project period, you must submit a
final performance report, including financial information, as directed
by the Secretary. If you receive a multi-year award, you must submit an
annual performance report that provides the most current performance
and financial expenditure information as specified by the Secretary in
34 CFR 75.118.
4. Performance Measures: For FY 2004, grants under this program
will be governed by the achievement indicators that the Secretary
published in the Federal Register on March 31, 2003 (68 FR 15646-
15648). These achievement indicators are included in the application
package.
VII. Agency Contact
For Further Information Contact: Early Childhood Educator
Professional Development (ECEPD) program, c/o Rosemary Fennell, U.S.
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Washington, DC
20202-6132. Telephone: (202) 260-0792, or via Internet:
eceprofdev@ed.gov.
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 program contact person listed in this
section.
VIII. Other Information
Electronic Access to This Document: You may view this document, as
well as all other documents of this Department published in the Federal
Register, in text or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) on the
Internet at the following site: http://www.ed.gov/news/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.gpoaccess.gov/nara/index.html
.
Dated: February 2, 2004.
Raymond Simon,
Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education.
[FR Doc. 04-2520 Filed 2-4-04; 8:45 am]
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