Community Technology Centers (CTC) Program; Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2004 for Novice and Non-Novice Applicants for the Community Technology Centers Program [OVAE]

FR Doc 04-8660
[Federal Register: April 16, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 74)]
[Notices]
[Page 20771-20776]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr16ap04-128]

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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Office of Vocational and Adult Education; Overview Information;
Community Technology Centers (CTC) Program; Notice Inviting
Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2004 for Novice and
Non-Novice Applicants for the Community Technology Centers Program

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.341A.

Dates:
Applications Available: April 16, 2004.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: June 1, 2004.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: June 16, 2004.
Eligible Applicants: Eligible applicants shall be an entity, such
as a foundation, museum, library, for-profit business, public or
private nonprofit organization or community-based organization
(including faith-based organizations), an institution of higher
education, a State educational agency (SEA), a local educational agency
(LEA) (including a charter school that meets its State's definition of
an LEA), a private school, or a consortium of such entities,
institutions, or agencies. To be eligible, an applicant must have the

[[Page 20772]]

capacity to significantly expand access to computers and related
services for disadvantaged residents of economically distressed urban
and rural communities who would otherwise be denied such access.
One combined competition will be conducted for both non-novice and
novice applicants. The Department will rank and fund the two groups
separately. At least seventy-five percent of the funds will be set
aside for non-novice applicants and up to twenty-five percent will be
set aside for novice applicants.
Novice Applicants: An applicant is considered a ``novice
applicant'' if it meets the following definition taken from 34 CFR
75.225(a)(1):
The applicant must--
(i) Have never received a grant or subgrant under the Community
Technology Centers program;
(ii) Have never been a member of a group application, submitted in
accordance with 34 CFR 75.127-75.129, that received a grant under the
Community Technology Centers program; and
(iii) Have not had an active discretionary grant from the Federal
Government in the five (5) years before the deadline date for
applications in this competition.
34 CFR 75.225(a)(2) and (b) further interpret this definition in
cases of group applications in this competition.
Estimated Available Funds: $10,000,000. Up to 25 percent of the
available funds will be set aside for novice applicants.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $350,000.
Minimum and Maximum Award Amounts: The minimum award amount is
$250,000 and the maximum award amount is $500,000, for the 12-month
project period. No grant application will be considered for funding if
it requests an award amount outside the funding range of $250,000 to
$500,000.
Estimated Number of Awards: 18-25.

Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this
notice.

Project Period: Up to 12 months.

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

Purpose of Program: As authorized by Title V, Part D, Subpart 11,
Sections 5511-13 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965
(ESEA), as amended by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB), the
purpose of the CTC program is to assist eligible applicants to create
or expand community technology centers that provide disadvantaged
residents of economically distressed urban and rural communities with
access to information technology and related training.
Priorities: These priorities are from the notice of final
requirements, priorities, and selection criteria for this program,
published elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register.
Absolute Priorities: For FY 2004 these priorities are absolute
priorities. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3) we consider only applications
that meet these priorities. If you are not a novice applicant, as
defined elsewhere in this notice, you must meet both priorities. Your
application will be declared ineligible and will not be read if you do
not address both of the absolute priorities. If you are a novice
applicant, you must meet at least the second priority or your
application will be declared ineligible and will not be read.
These priorities are:

Absolute Priority 1

This priority supports projects by eligible applicants that include
a partnership with a community-based organization, on the one hand, and
a local educational agency (including a charter school that meets its
State's definition of an LEA), or a public school or a private school,
on the other hand. To meet the priority, an applicant must clearly
identify the partnering agencies and include a detailed plan of their
working relationship, including a project budget that reflects fund
disbursements to the various partnering agencies. Thus, the Secretary
gives priority to projects in which the delivery of instructional
services includes:
1. A community-based organization (CBO), which may include a faith-
based organization, and
2. A local educational agency (LEA) (including a charter school
that meets its State's definition of an LEA), or a public school or a
private school.
A CBO is not required to submit a joint application with an LEA or
school when applying for funds; however, the proposed project must
deliver the educational services in partnership with an LEA (including
a charter school that meets its State's definition of an LEA), or a
public school or a private school.
An LEA (including a charter school that meets its State's
definition of an LEA) or a private school also is not required to
submit a joint application with a CBO when applying for funds; however,
the proposed project must deliver the educational services in
partnership with a CBO.
An eligible applicant, e.g., an institution of higher education,
that is not a CBO or an LEA (including a charter school that meets its
State's definition of an LEA) or a private school must enter into a
partnership that includes a CBO, on the one hand, and an LEA (including
a charter school that meets its State's definition of an LEA), or a
public school or a private school, on the other hand, in the delivery
of educational services.
An individual public school is not eligible to submit an
application under the CTC program in general due to the authorizing
statute's general eligibility restrictions. However, an individual
public school may be included as a partner in an eligible applicant's
proposed project and application.
This priority does not apply to novice applicants. Novice
applicants are not required to meet the requirements of this priority.

Absolute Priority 2

This priority supports applicants that meet the following criteria:
Applicants must state whether they are proposing a local or State
project. A local project must include one or more CTCs; a State project
must include two or more CTCs. In addition, the project must be
coordinated with one or more LEAs (including a charter school that
meets its State's definition of an LEA), or a public school or a
private school that provides supplementary instruction in the core
academic subjects of reading or language arts, or mathematics, to low-
achieving high school students. Projects must serve students who are
entering or enrolled in grades 9 through 12 and who: (1) Have academic
skills significantly below grade level, or (2) have not attained
proficiency on State academic assessments mandated under Title I of the
ESEA. Supplementary instruction may be delivered before or after school
or at other times when school is not in session. Instruction may also
be provided while school is in session, provided that it increases the
amount of time students receive instruction in core academic subjects
and does not require their removal from class. The instructional
strategies used must be based on practices that have proven effective
for improving the academic performance of low-achieving students. If
these services are not provided directly by an LEA or school, they must
be provided in coordination with an LEA or school. Each applicant must
demonstrate how their project's proposed academic approach is aligned
with the secondary school curricula of the school or schools in which
the students to be served by the grant are entering or enrolled.

Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 7263-7263b.

[[Page 20773]]

Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 75, 77, 79, 80, 81,
82, 84, 85, 86, 97, 98, and 99; and (b) the notice of final
requirements, priorities, and selection criteria, published elsewhere
in this issue of the Federal Register.

Note: The regulations in part 79 apply to all applicants except
federally recognized Indian tribes.

Note: The regulations in part 86 apply to institutions of higher
education only.

II. Award Information

Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
Estimated Available Funds: $10,000,000. Up to 25 percent of the
available funds will be set aside for novice applicants.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $350,000.
Minimum and Maximum Award Amounts: The minimum award amount is
$250,000 and the maximum award amount is $500,000, for the 12-month
project period. No grant application will be considered for funding if
it requests an award amount outside the funding range of $250,000 to
$500,000.
Estimated Number of Awards: 18-25.

Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this
notice.

Project Period: Up to 12 months.

III. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants: Eligible applicants shall be an entity,
such as a foundation, museum, library, for-profit business, public or
private nonprofit organization or community-based organization
(including faith-based organizations), an institution of higher
education, an SEA, an LEA (including a charter school that meets its
State's definition of an LEA), a private school, or a consortium of
such entities, institutions, or agencies. To be eligible, an applicant
must have the capacity to significantly expand access to computers and
related services for disadvantaged residents of economically distressed
urban and rural communities who would otherwise be denied such access.
One combined competition will be conducted for both non-novice and
novice applicants. The Department will rank and fund the two groups
separately. At least seventy-five percent of the funds will be set
aside for non-novice applicants and up to twenty-five percent will be
set aside for novice applicants.
Novice Applicants: An applicant is considered a ``novice
applicant'' if it meets the following definition taken from 34 CFR
75.225(a)(1):
The applicant must--
(i) Have never received a grant or subgrant under the Community
Technology Centers program;
(ii) Have never been a member of a group application, submitted in
accordance with 34 CFR 75.127-75.129, that received a grant under the
Community Technology Centers program; and
(iii) Have not had an active discretionary grant from the Federal
Government in the five (5) years before the deadline date for
applications in this competition.
34 CFR 75.225(a)(2) and (b) further interpret this definition in
cases of group applications in this competition.
2. Cost Sharing or Matching: Pursuant to section 5512(c) of the
ESEA, as amended by the NCLB, Federal funds may not be used to pay for
more than 50 percent of total CTC project costs. In order to receive a
grant award under the CTC competition, each applicant must furnish from
non-Federal sources at least 50 percent of its total project costs.
Applicants may satisfy this requirement in cash or in kind, fairly
evaluated, including services. Each applicant must provide a dollar-
for-dollar match of the amount requested from the Federal Government.
An example of an allowable match would be a situation in which an
applicant requested $250,000 in Federal funds (the mandatory minimum
request). In that situation, the applicant would be required to furnish
at least $250,000 in cash or in kind from non-Federal funds, fairly
evaluated, resulting in a total project cost of $500,000.

IV. Application and Submission Information

1. Address to Request Application Package: You may obtain an
electronic copy of the application package for this competition via
Internet by accessing the Department's Web site at:
http://www.ed.gov.GrantApps. To request a paper copy of the application
package, you may contact Karen Holliday, U.S. Department of Education,
OVAE, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20202-7110. Telephone:
(202) 245-7708 or via Internet at: Karen.Holliday@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 a copy of the application
package in an alternative format (e.g., Braille, large print,
audiotape, or computer diskette) on request to the contact person
listed in this section.
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.
Page Limit: Please note that the program narrative of the
application must not exceed the equivalent of 25 pages. The abstract
and table of contents pages will not count against the 25 page limit.
In addition, budget information must not exceed 5 pages (which includes
one page for the ED524 form and four pages for the narrative).
Appendices must be limited to 15 pages.
The selection criteria used by reviewers to evaluate your
application are to be addressed in the application narrative.
Applicants must limit the narrative to the equivalent of no more than
25 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 all text in the application
narrative.
Use a 12-point font.
If you are not a novice applicant, start page
numbering with your response to the first priority. Novice applicants
should start page numbering with their response to the second priority.
Applicants must limit the budget narrative to
four pages and the appendices to 15 pages using the aforementioned
standards.
We will reject your application if --
You apply these standards and exceed the page
limit; or,
You apply other standards and exceed the
equivalent of the page limit.
3. Submission Dates and Times:
Applications Available: April 16, 2004.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: June 1, 2004. The dates,
times and procedures for the transmittal of applications are described
in paragraph 6 of this section and are in the application package for
this program.
We do not consider an application that does not comply with the
deadline requirements.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: June 16, 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: Federal funds must be used for costs that
are allowable

[[Page 20774]]

under the Community Technology Centers program and cannot be used for
construction, food, stipends, childcare, or security personnel.
6. Procedures for Submitting Applications:
a. Applications Submitted Electronically.
We are requiring that applications for grants under the Community
Technology Centers Program--CFDA Number 84.341A be submitted
electronically. The Government Paperwork Elimination Act (GPEA) of 1998
(P.L. 105-277) and the Federal Financial Assistance Management
Improvement Act of 1999 (P.L. 106-107) encourage us to undertake
initiatives to improve our grant processes. Enhancing the ability of
individuals and entities to conduct business with us electronically is
a major part of our response to these Acts. Therefore, we are taking
steps to adopt the Internet as our chief means of conducting
transactions in order to improve services to our customers and to
simplify and expedite our business processes.

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 rulemaking is not required.

We are requiring that applications for grants under the Community
Technology Centers Program--CFDA Number 84.341A be submitted
electronically using the Electronic Grant Application System (e-
Application) available through the Department's e-GRANTS system. The e-
GRANTS system is accessible through its portal page at: http://e-grants.ed.gov
.

If you are unable to submit an application through the e-GRANTS
system, you may submit a written request for a waiver of the electronic
submission requirement. In your request, you should explain the reason
or reasons that prevent you from using the Internet to submit your
application. Address your request to: Karen Holliday, U.S. Department
of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20202-7110.
Please submit your request no later than two weeks before the
application deadline date.
If, within two weeks of the application deadline date, you are
unable to submit an application electronically, you must submit a paper
application by the application deadline date in accordance with the
transmittal instructions described in this notice and in the
application package. The paper application must include a written
request for a waiver documenting the reasons that prevented you from
using the Internet to submit your application.
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. The Community Technology
Centers Program--CFDA Number 84.341A is one of the programs included in
the pilot project. If you are an applicant under the Community
Technology Centers Program, you must submit your application to us in
electronic format unless a request to receive a waiver has been made
pursuant to the instructions provided herein.
The pilot project involves the use of 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. The data you enter online will be saved into a
database. We shall continue to evaluate the success of e-Application
and solicit suggestions for its improvement.
If you participate in e-Application, please note the following:
You must submit your grant application
electronically through the Internet using the software provided on the
e-Grants Web site (http://e-grants.ed.gov) by 4:30 p.m. (Washington, DC

time) on the application deadline date. The regular hours of operation
of the e-Grants Web site are 6 a.m. Monday until 7 p.m. Wednesday; and
6 a.m. Thursday until midnight Saturday (Washington, DC time). Please
note that the system is unavailable on Sundays, and after 7 p.m. on
Wednesdays for maintenance (Washington, DC time). Any modifications to
these hours are posted on the e-Grants Web site. 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 because
you were prevented from submitting it electronically as required.
You must submit all documents electronically,
including the Application for Federal Education Assistance (ED 424),
the Community Technology Centers Program Grant Application Package
Coversheet, 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) cover sheet 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 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--
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.

[[Page 20775]]

You may access the electronic grant application for the Community
Technology Centers Program, CFDA No: 84.341A at: http://e-grants.ed.gov.

b. Applications Delivered by Mail.
An original and two copies of an application for an award must be
mailed or hand-delivered by the application deadline date if you have
requested a waiver of the electronic application submission
requirement. We do not consider an application that does not comply
with the deadline requirements.
Applications sent by mail must be addressed to: U.S. Department of
Education, Application Control Center, Attention: (CFDA Number
84.341A), Room 3671, Regional Office Building 3, 400 Maryland Avenue,
SW., Washington, DC 20202-4725.
Applicants must show proof of mailing consisting of one of the
following:
(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; or
(4) Any other proof of mailing acceptable to the U.S. Secretary of
Education.
If an application is sent through the U.S. Postal Service, the
Secretary does not accept either of the following as proof of mailing:
(1) A private metered postmark, or
(2) A mail receipt that is not dated by the U.S. Postal Service.
Applicants should note that the U.S. Postal Service does not
uniformly provide a dated postmark. Before relying on this method, you
should check with your local post office.
If you send your application by mail, the Application Control
Center will mail a Grant Application Receipt Acknowledgment to you. If
you do not receive the notification of application receipt within 15
days from the mailing of the application, you should call the U.S.
Department of Education Application Control Center at (202) 708-9493.
You must indicate on the envelope and-if not provided by the
Department-in Item 4 of the Application for Federal Education
Assistance (ED 424 (exp. 11/30/2004)) the CFDA number--and suffix
letter, if any--of the competition under which you are submitting your
application.
If your application is post marked after the deadline date, we will
notify you that we will not consider the application.
c. Applications Delivered by Hand/Courier Service.
An application that is hand-delivered must be taken to:
U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Center,
Attention: (CFDA Number 84.341A), Room 3671, Regional Office Building
3, 7th & D Streets, SW., Washington, DC 20202-4725.
The Application Control Center accepts deliveries daily between 8
a.m. and 4:30 p.m. (Washington, DC time), except Saturdays, Sundays and
Federal holidays. A person delivering an application must use the D
Street entrance only. A person delivering an application must show
identification to enter the building.
If you send your application by courier or hand delivery, the
Application Control Center will mail a Grant Application Receipt
Acknowledgment to you. If you do not receive the notification of
application receipt within 15 days from the delivery of the
application, you should call the U.S. Department of Education
Application Control Center at (202) 708-9493.
You must indicate on the envelope and--if not provided by the
Department--in Item 4 of the Application for Federal Education
Assistance (ED 424 (exp. 11/30/2004)) the CFDA number--and suffix
letter, if any--of the competition under which you are submitting your
application.

V. Application Review Information

1. Selection Criteria: The following criteria will be used to
evaluate applications submitted for grants under the CTC program. The
maximum score for an application is 100 points. The maximum score for
each criterion or factor under that criterion is indicated in
parentheses.
(a) Need for the Project. (10 points) In evaluating the need for
the proposed project, we will consider the extent to which the proposed
project will:
(1) Serve students from low-income families;
(2) Serve students entering or enrolled in high schools (9th
through 12th grades) that are among the high schools in the State that
have the highest numbers or percentages of students who have not
achieved proficiency on the State academic assessments required by
Title I of ESEA, or who have academic skills in reading or language
arts, or mathematics, that are significantly below grade level;
(3) Serve students who have the greatest need for supplementary
instruction, as indicated by their scores on State or local
standardized assessments in reading or language arts, or mathematics,
or some other local measure of performance in reading or language arts,
or mathematics; and
(4) Create or expand access to information technology and related
training for disadvantaged residents of distressed urban or rural
communities.
(b) Quality of the Project Design. (35 points) In evaluating the
quality of the project design, we will consider the extent to which the
proposed project will adequately and effectively investigate and
incorporate in its implementation plan the following elements:
(1) Provide instructional services that will be of sufficient size,
scope, and intensity to improve the academic performance of
participating students;
(2) Incorporate strategies that have proven effective for improving
the academic performance of low-achieving students;
(3) Implement strategies in recruiting and retaining students that
have proven effective;
(4) Provide instruction that is aligned with the high school
curricula of the schools in which the students to be served by the
grant are entering or enrolled; and
(5) Provide high-quality, sustained, and intensive professional
development for personnel who provide instruction to students.
(c) Quality of the Management Plan. (15 points) In evaluating the
quality of the management plan, we consider the extent to which the
proposed project:
(1) Outlines specific, measurable goals, objectives, and outcomes
to be achieved by the proposed project;
(2) Assigns responsibility for the accomplishment of project tasks
to specific project personnel, and provides timelines for the
accomplishment of project tasks;
(3) Requires appropriate and adequate time commitments of the
project director and other key personnel to achieve the objectives of
the proposed project; and
(4) Includes key project personnel, including the project director
and other staff, with appropriate qualifications and relevant training
and experience.
(d) Adequacy of Resources. (20 points) In determining the adequacy
of the resources for the proposed project, we consider the following
factors:
(1) The adequacy of support, including facilities, equipment,
supplies, and other resources, from the applicant;
(2) The extent to which a preponderance of project resources will
be used for activities designed to improve the academic performance of
low-achieving students in grades 9

[[Page 20776]]

through 12 in reading and/or mathematics;
(3) The extent to which the budget is adequate and costs are
reasonable in relation to the objectives and design of the proposed
project; and
(4) The potential for continued support of the project after
Federal funding ends, including, as appropriate, the demonstrated
commitment of appropriate entities to such support.
(e) Quality of the Evaluation. (20 points) In determining the
quality of the project evaluation, we consider the extent to which the
application:
(1) Includes a plan that utilizes evaluation methods that are
feasible and appropriate to the goals and outcomes of the project;
(2) Will regularly examine the progress and outcomes of
participating students on a range of appropriate performance measures
and has a plan for utilizing such information to improve project
activities and instruction;
(3) Will use an independent, external evaluator with the necessary
background and technical expertise to assess the performance of the
project; and
(4) Effectively demonstrates that the applicant has adopted a
rigorous evaluation design.
2. Review and Selection Process: Applicants that are NOT novice
applicants (the definition of a "novice applicant" is provided
elsewhere in this notice) must meet both absolute priorities in their
applications or their applications will be rejected. Novice applicants
must meet the second absolute priority in their applications or their
applications will be rejected.

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
Notification (GAN).
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.

Note: The requirements listed in this notice are material
requirements. A failure to comply with any applicable program
requirement (for example, failure to show improvement on the
required performance measures by the end of the year of the grant
cycle) may subject a grantee to administrative action, including but
not limited to designation as a ``high-risk'' grantee, the
imposition of special conditions or the ineligibility to receive
other awards from the Department of Education.

3. Reporting: At the end of your project period, you must submit a
final performance report, including financial information, as directed
by the Secretary.
4. Performance Measures: The Secretary requires applicants for CTC
grants to identify in their application specific goals and performance
objectives for each of these goals to measure the progress of their
project:
a. The number of disadvantaged students in high schools within the
distressed areas that have access to information technology to help
improve their academic performance.
b. The percentage of schools participating in the partnerships for
community technology centers that meet their adequate yearly progress
as defined by Title I of the ESEA.
In addition to the two required measures listed above, applicants
may choose to set performance levels for other appropriate measures,
such as:
a. Achievement and gains in English proficiency of limited English
proficient students; and
b. The level of teacher, student, and parent satisfaction with the
Community Technology Centers services provided.

VII. Agency Contact

For Further Information Contact: Karen Holliday, U.S. Department of
Education, OVAE, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20202-7110.
Telephone: (202) 245-7708 or via Internet at: Karen.Holliday@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
alternate format (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer
diskette) on request to the 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 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: April 12, 2004.
Susan Sclafani,
Assistant Secretary for Vocational and Adult Education.
[FR Doc. 04-8660 Filed 4-15-04; 8:45 am]

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