[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 35 (Monday, February 23, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9074-9075]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-4384]



[[Page 9073]]

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Part III





Department of Education





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Office of Postsecondary Education; State Student Incentive Grant 
Program; Notice

  Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 35 / Monday, February 23, 1998 / 
Notices  

[[Page 9074]]



DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[CFDA No.: 84.069]


Office of Postsecondary Education; State Student Incentive Grant 
Program

AGENCY: Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice of the Closing Date for Receipt of State Applications 
for Fiscal Year 1998.

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SUMMARY: The Secretary of Education (Secretary) gives notice of the 
closing date for receipt of State applications for fiscal year 1998 
funds under the State Student Incentive Grant (SSIG) Program. This 
program, through matching formula grants to States for student awards, 
provides grants to students with substantial financial need. The SSIG 
Program supports Goals 2000, the President's strategy for moving the 
Nation toward the National Education Goals, by enhancing opportunities 
for postsecondary education. The National Education Goals call for 
increasing the rate at which students graduate from high school and 
pursue high quality postsecondary education.
    A State that wishes to receive SSIG funds for this fiscal year must 
have an agreement with the Secretary as provided under section 1203(a) 
of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA). The State must 
submit an application through the State agency that administered its 
SSIG Program as of July 1, 1985, unless the Governor has subsequently 
designated, and the Secretary has approved, a different State agency. 
(20 U.S.C. 1070c-2(a).)
    The Secretary is authorized to accept applications from the 50 
States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, 
American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, 
the Virgin Islands, and the Republic of Palau. Authority for this 
program is contained in sections 415A through 415E of the HEA. (20 
U.S.C. 1070c-1070c-4)
    Closing Date for Transmittal of Applications: An application for 
fiscal year 1998 SSIG funds must be mailed or hand-delivered by March 
31, 1998.
    Application Form: The required application form for receiving SSIG 
funds will be mailed to officials of the appropriate State agency in 
each State or territory at least 30 days before the closing date. 
Applications must be prepared and submitted in accordance with the HEA 
and the program regulations cited in this notice. The Secretary 
strongly urges that applicants only submit information that is 
requested.
    Applications Delivered by Mail: An application sent by mail must be 
addressed to: Mr. Harold McCullough, Acting Chief, Grants Branch, Room 
3045, ROB-3, U.S. Department of Education, Student Financial Assistance 
Programs, 600 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20202-5447.
    The Secretary will accept the following proof of mailing: (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 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. The Department of Education encourages 
applicants to use certified or at least first-class mail.
    A late applicant cannot be assured that its application will be 
considered for fiscal year 1998 funding.
    Applications Delivered by Hand: An application that is hand-
delivered must be taken to Mr. Harold McCullough, U.S. Department of 
Education, Student Financial Assistance Programs, 7th and D Streets, 
S.W., Room 3045, General Service Administration Regional Office 
Building #3, Washington, D.C. Hand-delivered applications will be 
accepted between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. daily (Eastern time), except 
Saturdays, Sundays, and Federal holidays.
    An application that is hand-delivered will not be accepted after 
4:30 p.m. on the closing date.
    Program Information: Section 415C(a) of the HEA requires that an 
annual application be submitted for a State or territory to receive 
SSIG funds. In preparing the application, each State agency should be 
guided by the table of allotments provided in the application package.
    State allotments are determined according to the statutorily 
mandated formula under section 415B of the HEA and are not negotiable. 
A State may also request its share of reallotment, in addition to its 
basic allotment, which is contingent upon the availability of such 
additional funds. In fiscal year 1997, 48 States, the District of 
Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, 
the Trust Territory of the Pacific Island (Palau), and the Commonwealth 
of the Northern Mariana Islands received funds under the SSIG Program.
    Applicable Regulations: The following regulations are applicable to 
the SSIG Program:
    (1) The SSIG Program regulations in 34 CFR part 692.
    (2) The Education Department General Administrative Regulations 
(EDGAR) in 34 CFR part 75.60 through 75.62 (Ineligibility of Certain 
Individuals to Receive Assistance), part 76 (State-Administered 
Programs), part 77 (Definitions that Apply to Department Regulations), 
part 79 (Intergovernmental Review of Department of Education Programs 
and Activities), part 80 (Uniform Administrative Requirements for 
Grants and Cooperative Agreements to State and Local Governments), part 
82 (New Restrictions on Lobbying), part 85 (Governmentwide Debarment 
and Suspension (Nonprocurement), and Governmentwide Requirements for 
Drug-Free Workplace (Grants)), and part 86 (Drug-Free Schools and 
Campuses).
    (3) The regulations in 34 CFR part 604 that implement section 1203 
of the HEA (Federal-State Relationship Agreements).
    (4) The Student Assistance General Provisions in 34 CFR part 668.
    For Further Information: For further information contact Mr. Mike 
Oliver, Grants Branch, U.S. Department of Education, Student Financial 
Assistance Programs, Washington, D.C. 20202-5447; telephone (202) 708-
8242. 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.

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

[[Page 9075]]

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 this document is the document 
published in the Federal Register.

(Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1070c-1070c-4)

    Dated: February 12, 1998.
David A. Longanecker,
Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education.
[FR Doc. 98-4384 Filed 2-20-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P