FR Doc 04-2285
[Federal Register: February 4, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 23)]
[Notices]
[Page 5324-5327]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr04fe04-57]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Office of English Language Acquisition, Language Enhancement, and
Academic Achievement for Limited English Proficient Students: Overview
Information; National Professional Development Program; Notice Inviting
Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2004
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.195N.
DATES: Applications Available: February 4, 2004.
Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply: February 19, 2004.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: March 5, 2004.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: May 4, 2004.
Eligible Applicants: Institutions of higher education in consortia
with State educational agencies or local educational agencies.
Estimated Available Funds: 3,100,000.
Estimated Range of Awards: $100,000-$150,000.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $125,000.
Estimated Number of Awards: 25.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this
notice.
Project Period: Up to 60 months.
Full Text of Announcement
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Purpose of Program: The purpose of the National Professional
Development Program is to provide for professional development
activities that will improve classroom instruction for limited English
proficient (LEP) children and assist educational personnel working with
such children to meet high professional standards, including standards
for certification and licensure as teachers who work in language
instruction education programs or serve LEP children.
Priorities: Under this competition we are particularly interested
in applications that address the following priorities.
Invitational Priorities: For FY 2004 these priorities are
invitational priorities. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(1) we do not give an
application that meets these invitational priorities a competitive or
absolute preference over other applications.
These priorities are:
Invitational Priority 1. Applications that propose to prepare
teachers to involve parents and community groups in school improvement.
Invitational Priority 2. Applications that propose professional
development that is designed to prepare regular classroom teachers in
curricula, instructional strategies, and assessment of LEP students and
that is aligned with State academic content standards, academic
achievement standards, and English language proficiency standards.
Invitational Priority 3. Applications that propose professional
development that is designed to prepare non-instructional staff, such
as counselors
[[Page 5325]]
and administrators to meet the needs of LEP students.
Invitational Priority 4. Applications that propose to prepare
participants with proficiency in a language other than English and high
academic achievement to teach in dual language programs, including
providing professional development to ensure that participants meet the
Highly Qualified Teacher requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act
of 2001 (NCLB) and that they are prepared to provide challenging
content in languages of instruction.
Invitational Priority 5. Applications that propose to develop or
improve teacher preparation curricula and materials for all teachers to
better reflect the needs of LEP students, and which may include
professional development to improve the knowledge and skills of higher
education faculty.
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 6861.
Applicable Regulations: The Education Department General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80,
81, 82, 84, 85, 86, 97, and 99.
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to institutions of
higher education only.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
Estimated Available Funds: 3,100,000.
Estimated Range of Awards: $100,000-$150,000.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $125,000.
Estimated Number of Awards: 25.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this
notice.
Project Period: Up to 60 months.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants: Institutions of higher education in
consortia with State educational agencies or local educational
agencies.
2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This program does not involve cost
sharing or matching.
IV. Application and Submission Information
1. Address to Request Application Package: Patrice Swann, U.S.
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Ave, SW., room 5626, Washington,
DC 20202-6510. Telephone: (202) 205-8966, or by e-mail:
patrice.swann@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) by contacting the program 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.
Notice of Intent to Apply: If you intend to apply for a grant under
this competition, contact Robert Trifiletti: Telephone: (202) 205-5712
or by e-mail: robert.trifiletti@ed.gov.
Page Limit: The application narrative (Part III of the application)
is where you, the applicant, address the selection criteria that
reviewers use to evaluate your application. You must limit Part III to
the equivalent of no more than 35 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, as well as
all text in charts, tables, figures, and graphs.
Use a font that is either 12 point or larger or
no smaller than 10 pitch (characters per inch).
The page limit does not apply to Part I, the cover sheet; Part II,
the budget section, including the narrative budget justification; Part
IV, the assurances and certifications; or the one page abstract.
However, you must include all of the application narrative in Part III.
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: February 4, 2004.
Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply: February 19, 2004.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: March 5, 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. However, we will consider an application,
submitted by the deadline date for submission of applications, even if
the applicant did not provide us notice of its intent to apply by the
deadline date specified above.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: May 4, 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: We reference 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 Submittal 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 National Professional
Development Program--CFDA Number 84.195N is one of the programs
included in the pilot project. If you are an applicant under the
National Professional Development Program, you may submit your
application to us in either electronic or paper format.
The pilot project involves the use of the Electronic Grant
Applications 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.
[[Page 5326]]
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 theses 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 the National Professional Development Program 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--
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
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 the National
Professional Development Program at: http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=leavingFR.html&log=linklog&to=http://e-grants.ed.gov.
V. Application Review Information
Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this program are as
follows:
(a) Need for project. (10 points)
The Secretary considers the need for the proposed project. In
determining the need for the proposed project, the Secretary considers
one or more of the following factors:
(1) The magnitude of the need for the services to be provided or
the activities to be carried out by the proposed project.
(2) The extent to which the proposed project will prepare personnel
for fields in which shortages have been demonstrated.
(b) Quality of the project design. (30 points)
The Secretary considers the quality of the design of the proposed
project. In determining the quality of the design of the proposed
project, the Secretary considers one or more of the following factors:
(1) The extent to which the goals, objectives, and outcomes to be
achieved by the proposed project are clearly specified and measurable.
(2) The extent to which the design of the proposed project is
appropriate to, and will successfully address, the needs of the target
population or other identified needs.
(3) 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.
(4) 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.
(c) Quality of project services. (20 points)
The Secretary considers the quality of the services to be provided
by the proposed project. 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. In addition, the Secretary
considers one or more of the following factors:
(1) The extent to which the services to be provided by the proposed
project reflect up-to-date knowledge from research and effective
practice.
(2) The extent to which the training or professional development
services to be provided by the proposed project are of sufficient
quality, intensity, and duration to lead to improvements in practice
among the recipients of those services.
(3) The extent to which the services to be provided by the proposed
project involve the collaboration of appropriate partners for
maximizing the effectiveness of project services.
(d) Quality of project personnel. (10 points)
The Secretary considers the quality of the personnel who will carry
out the proposed project. 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. In addition, the
Secretary considers one or more of the following factors:
(1) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience,
of the project director or principal investigator.
(2) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience,
of key project personnel.
(e) Quality of the management plan. (10 points)
The Secretary considers the quality of the management plan for the
proposed project. In determining the quality of the management plan for
the proposed project, the Secretary considers one or more of the
following factors:
(1) 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.
[[Page 5327]]
(2) The extent to which the time commitments of the project
director and principal investigator and other key project personnel are
appropriate and adequate to meet the objectives of the proposed
project.
(3) 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.
(f) Quality of the project evaluation. (20 points)
The Secretary considers the quality of the evaluation to be
conducted of the proposed project. In determining the quality of the
evaluation, the Secretary considers one or more of the following
factors:
(1) The extent to which the methods of evaluation are thorough,
feasible, and appropriate to the goals, objectives, and outcomes of the
proposed project.
(2) The extent to which the methods of evaluation provide for
examining the effectiveness of project implementation strategies.
(3) 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.
(4) The extent to which the methods of evaluation will provide
performance feedback and permit periodic assessment of progress toward
achieving intended outcomes.
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). 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: Performance measures for the National
Professional Development Program are:
1. Program improvement related to K-12 state standards,
scientifically based research practices, or development of subject area
competence.
2. Effectiveness of graduates/completers in the instructional
setting.
3. The rate of placement of graduates in an instructional setting
serving LEP students, within one year of graduation.
4. The percentage of program completers who are highly qualified
teachers as defined in the NCLB's Highly Qualified Teacher
Requirements.
Grantees will be expected to report on progress in meeting the
performance measures for the National Professional Development Program
in their Annual Performance Report and in their Final Performance
Report.
VII. Agency Contact
For Further Information Contact: Samuel Lopez, 400 Maryland Avenue,
SW., Switzer Building, room 5605, Washington, DC 20202-6510. Telephone:
(202) 401-1427, or by e-mail: Samuel.Lopez@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://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=leavingFR.html&log=linklog&to=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://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=leavingFR.html&log=linklog&to=http://www.gpoaccess.gov/nara/index.html
.
Dated: January 30, 2004.
Maria H. Ferrier,
Deputy Under Secretary and Director for English Language Acquisition,
Language Enhancement, and Academic Achievement for Limited English
Proficient Students.
[FR Doc. 04-2285 Filed 2-3-04; 8:45 am]
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