[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 3 (Tuesday, January 6, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 638]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-178]



[[Page 637]]

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Part III





Department of Education





_______________________________________________________________________



Fund for the Improvement of Education: Partnerships in Character 
Education Pilot Projects; Notice

  Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 3 / Tuesday, January 6, 1998 / 
Notices  

[[Page 638]]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[CFDA No.: 84.215V]


Fund for the Improvement of Education: Partnerships in Character 
Education Pilot Projects; Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards 
for Fiscal Years (FY) 1998 and 1999

    Purpose of Program: The purpose of the Fund for the Improvement of 
Education (FIE) is to support nationally significant programs to 
improve the quality of education, assist all students to meet 
challenging State content standards, and contribute to the achievement 
of the National Education Goals. The purpose of this competition is to 
support pilot projects that design and implement character education 
programs as a way to address the broader FIE objectives.
    Eligible Applicants: Only State educational agencies, in 
partnership with one or more local educational agencies, may apply for 
grants under this program.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: 3/16/98.
    Applications Available: 1/20/98.
    Available Funds: Up to $4,000,000.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $100,000-$1,000,000.
    Estimated Number of Awards: Up to 10.
    Maximum Award: The Secretary will not consider an application that 
proposes a budget exceeding a total of $1,000,000.

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

    Project Period: Up to 60 months.

    Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) 34 CFR Parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80, 81, 
82, 85, and 86; and (b) the regulations in 34 CFR Parts 98, 99, 700, 
and 299 (General Provisions, Elementary and Secondary Education Act, 
published on May 22, 1997, in the Federal Register (62 FR 28247).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: It is the Department's intent to fund two 
cycles of awards from this competition. The first cycle of awards will 
be made from FY 1998 funds. If applications of high quality remain 
unfunded, additional awards will be made in the second cycle in FY 
1999, pending availability of FY 1999 funds.
    The statute governing the Partnerships in Character Education Pilot 
Projects program, limits the amount awarded to any State to $1,000,000 
and limits the funding period to five years. Within those parameters, 
for the previous funding cycles for this program, the Secretary 
established a ceiling of $250,000 per year for up to four years. 
However, based on the experiences of previous grantees, and on 
suggestions made by State educational agency officials who have not 
participated in this program, the Secretary has decided to offer a more 
flexible funding structure for this competition. Therefore, in 
designing character education activities, each applicant may determine 
the combination of funding and time that is most appropriate. The total 
funding requested for the entire grant period may not exceed 
$1,000,000; the total project period may not exceed five years; and not 
more than one year may be used for planning and program design. For 
example, one applicant may request $500,000 per year for two years, 
while another may request $100,000 for the first year, $400,000 for the 
second and third years, and $100,000 for the fourth year.
    In preparing an application, each applicant should take special 
care to provide a timeline and a narrative that explains the costs 
requested for each budget period.
    Under the Character Education program, State educational agencies 
provide technical and professional assistance to local educational 
agencies in the development and implementation of curriculum materials, 
teacher training, and other activities related to character education. 
Applicants must propose projects designed to develop character 
education programs that incorporate the following elements of 
character:
    (a) Caring.
    (b) Civic virtue and citizenship.
    (c) Justice and fairness.
    (d) Respect.
    (e) Responsibility.
    (f) Trustworthiness.
    (g) Any other elements deemed appropriate by the members of the 
partnership.
    Other program requirements are described in the application 
package.

FOR APPLICATIONS OR INFORMATION CONTACT: To request an application: 
Facsimile machine: 202-219-2053; Voice Mail: 202-219-2116; E-Mail: 
Judy__C[email protected]; or Mail: OERI/FIE Application, 555 New Jersey 
Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20208-5645. Individuals who use a 
telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), may call the Federal 
Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 between 8 a.m. and 8 
p.m., Eastern time, Monday through Friday.
    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 the preceding 
paragraph.
    Individuals with disabilities may obtain a copy of the application 
package in an alternate format, also, by contacting that person. 
However, the Department is not able to reproduce in an alternate format 
the standard forms included in the application package.

Electronic Access to This Document

    Anyone may view this document, as well as all other Department of 
Education documents published in the Federal Register, in text or 
portable document format (pdf) on the World Wide Web at either of the 
following sites:
    http://ocfo.ed.gov/fedreg.htm
    http://www.ed.gov/news.html
    To use the pdf you must have the Adobe Acrobat Reader Program with 
Search, which is available free at either of the previous sites. If you 
have questions about using the pdf, call the U.S. Government Printing 
Office toll free at 1-888-293-6498.
    Anyone may also view these documents in text copy only on an 
electronic bulletin board of the Department. Telephone: (202) 219-1511 
or, toll free, 1-800-222-4922. The documents are located under Option 
G--Files/Announcements, Bulletins and Press Releases.

    Note: The official version of a document is the document 
published in the Federal Register.

    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 8003.

    Dated: December 30, 1997.
Ricky T. Takai,
Acting Assistant Secretary, Office of Educational Research and 
Improvement.
[FR Doc. 98-178 Filed 1-5-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P