[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 141 (Wednesday, July 23, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39502-39503]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-19342]
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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 Public Law 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,'' and
pursuant to Section 372 of Public Law 104-201, the ``National Defense
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1997,'' September 23, 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.
DATES: July 23, 1997.
ADDRESSES: Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (Personnel Support,
Families & Education), room 3A280, The Pentagon, Washington, DC 20301-
4000.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Dr. Linda L. Renz 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) 1997, the Department of Defense (DoD) is
authorized 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 Public Law 102-484, as amended,
and subsection 372(a)(1) of Public Law 104-484, 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)(1));
(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,
and subsection 372(a)(2) of Public Law 104-201, 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 our 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 Assistant Secretary of Defense for
(Force Management Policy), 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 13, 1997.
Definition
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 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 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), Attn: DoD
Domestic Dependent Elementary and Secondary Schools (DDESS), 4040 North
Fairfax Drive, Arlington VA 22203-1635.
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 13, 1997. Such comments shall be considered when applications
are reviewed by the Office of the Secretary of Defense. The LEA's
application and all required supporting information must reach the
ASD(FMP) no later than August 13, 1997. 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 June 30, 2000. 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
[[Page 39503]]
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 Operation 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), Attn: DoD
Domestic Dependent Elementary, and Secondary Schools (DDESS), 4040
North Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA 22203-1635.
Dear Mr. Assistant Secretary: Pursuant to this ``Notice of a
Program for Providing Financial Assistance to LEAs,'' Federal
Register Vol. ________, No. ________, dated________, 1997, the (name
of the local educational agency (LEA)) requests financial assistance
for the LEA for school year 1996-1997. 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: July 17, 1997.
Patricia L. Topping,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.
[FR Doc. 97-19342 Filed 7-22-97; 8:45 am]
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