[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 164 (Thursday, August 22, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43346-43347]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-21402]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Office of the Secretary


Assistance to Local Educational Agencies (LEAs)

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, DoD.

ACTION: Notice of a program for providing financial assistance to LEAs.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to Section 386 of Pub. L. No. 102-484, as amended by 
Section 373 of Public Law 103-160, the ``National Defense Authorization 
Act for Fiscal Year 1994'' and Section 1074 of Public Law 104-106, the 
``National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1996,'' February 
10, 1996, notice is hereby given of a program to provide financial 
assistance to eligible LEAs that are impacted by the presence of 
military dependent children or by the base closure process.

DATE: August 22, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (Personnel Support, 
Families & Education), room 3E784, The Pentagon, Washington, DC 20301-
4000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Hector O. Nevarez or Mr. Norman R. 
Heitzman, Domestic Dependent Elementary and Secondary Schools, 4040 
North Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA 22203-1635; telephone (703) 696-4354 
or 4361; facsimile number (703) 696-8920.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Program Announcement

    During fiscal year (FY) 1996, the Department of Defense (DoD) is 
authorized to 35 million dollars to assist eligible Local Education 
Agencies (LEAs) affected by the impact of military dependent students 
or by reductions in the size of the Armed Forces. DoD shall rely on 
data from the Department of Education for the purpose of determining 
eligibility of an LEA.
    Pursuant to subsection 386(c) of Pub. L. No. 102-484, as amended, 
30 million dollars will be provided to eligible LEAs for educational 
agency assistance if without such assistance, that LEA would be unable 
to provide its students with a level of education equivalent to the 
minimum available in other LEAs in the same state, and
    (1) At least 20 percent (as rounded to the nearest whole percent) 
of the students in average daily attendance in the schools of that LEA 
in that fiscal year are military dependent students counted under 
subsection 8003(a) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 
1965 (20 U.S.C. 7703(a));
    (2) There has been a significant increase, as determined by the 
Secretary, in the number of military dependent students in average 
daily attendance in the LEA's schools as a result of relocation of 
Armed Forces personnel or civilian employees of the Department of 
Defense or as a result of a realignment of one or more military 
installations; or
    (3) An LEA is a successor of one or more LEAs that was eligible for 
payments in Fiscal Year 1992 under DoD Directive 1342.18, and satisfies 
one of the two previously listed criteria.
    Pursuant to subsection 386(d) of Public Law 102-484; as amended, 5 
million dollars is authorized for the Secretary to make educational 
agency payments to LEAs that are impacted by reductions in the size of 
the Armed Forces. Eligible LEAs are those that during the period 
between the end of the school year preceding the fiscal year for which 
the payments are authorized and the beginning of the school year 
immediately preceding that school year, had an overall reduction of not 
less than 20 percent of military dependent students, as a result of 
closure or realignment of military installations.
    Any funds provided under this notice shall be available only for 
eligible LEAs who (1) exercise due diligence in obtaining State and 
other financial assistance; (2) are treated the same as other LEAs 
under State law for the purpose of receiving State aid for public 
education; and (3) file with the Under Secretary of Defense for 
Personnel and Readiness, a letter of application (see Sample Letter at 
the end of this notice) and a copy of an independently audited 
financial report on the LEA for the preceding fiscal year.
    Applications for financial assistance in response to this notice 
must be received no later than August 30, 1996.

Definitions

    For the purposes of this program, the following definitions are 
applicable: (a) Applicant. Any LEA requesting assistance under this 
notice. (b) Local Education Agency (LEA). A public board of education 
or other public authority legally constituted within a State for either 
administrative control or direction of, or to perform a service 
function for, public elementary or secondary schools in a city, county, 
township, school district, or other political subdivision of a State, 
or such

[[Page 43347]]

combination of school districts or counties as are recognized in a 
State as an administrative agency for its public elementary or 
secondary schools. Such term includes any other public institution or 
agency having administrative control and direction of a public 
elementary or secondary school. (c) Military Dependent Student. A 
student that is a dependent child of a member of the Armed Forces or a 
dependent child of a civilian employee of the Department of Defense.

Amount of Assistance

    An applicant requesting assistance under this notice shall submit a 
letter of application (see sample letter at the end of this notice) and 
a copy of an independently audited financial report of the applicant 
LEA for the second preceding FY, requesting a DoD contribution and 
assuring the ASD(FMP) that the LEA has applied for, has received or 
shall receive all financial assistance from other sources for which it 
is qualified. Letters of application must be addressed as follows: 
Assistant Secretary of Defense, (Force Management Policy), 4000 Defense 
Pentagon, Washington, D.C. 20301-4000.
    The applicant shall also file a copy of the letter of application 
for financial assistance and required supportive information with the 
State educational agency (SEA). The SEA may submit comments on the 
LEA's application to the Department of Defense (at the above address) 
by August 30, 1996. Such comments shall be considered when applications 
are reviewed by the OSD. The LEA's application and all required 
supporting information must reach the ASD(FMP) no later than August 30, 
1996. No assurances of confidentiality are being made, other than the 
assurance that the audits will not be released.
    This information collection has been approved as OMB Control Number 
0704-0389, with an expiration date of 09/30/96. The public reporting 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 20 
minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, 
searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data 
needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. 
Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of 
this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing the 
burden, to Department of Defense, Washington Headquarters Services, 
Directorate for Information Operations and Reports (0704-0389), 1215 
Jefferson Davis Highway, Suite 1204, Arlington, VA 22202-4302. 
Respondents should be aware that notwithstanding any other provision of 
law, no person shall be subject to any penalty for failing to comply 
with a collection of information if it does not display a currently 
valid OMB control number.
Sample Letter of Application for Financial Assistance
Assistant Secretary of Defense (Force Management Policy),
4000 Defense Pentagon, Washington, DC 20301-4000.
    Dear Mr. Assistant Secretary: Pursuant to this ``Notice of a 
Program for Providing Financial Assistance to LEAs,'' ______ Federal 
Register ______ (______, 1996), the (name of the local educational 
agency (LEA)) requests financial assistance for the LEA for school 
year 1995-1996. We certify that the LEA has applied for financial 
assistance from all sources, including the State/Commonwealth of 
(name). We understand that funds available for that purpose shall be 
paid on a per-pupil basis for military dependent students, as in the 
``Notice of a Program for Providing Financial Assistance to LEAs.'' 
Enclosed find a copy of our independent audit ``(Title)'' prepared 
by (name of firm or agency). We have submitted a complete and timely 
application for Section 3 impact aid assistance to the Secretary of 
Education and have submitted applications for all other assistance 
for which the LEA may be entitled. This LEA is treated the same as 
other LEAs under state law for the purpose of state aid for public 
education. A copy of this letter, with the above supporting 
information, is being submitted to the State educational agency.

    Sincerely,

(Authorized LEA Official)

    Dated: August 16, 1996.
Patricia L. Toppings,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.
[FR Doc. 96-21402 Filed 8-21-96; 8:45 am]
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