[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 49 (Friday, March 13, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 12584]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-6520]



[[Page 12583]]

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Part II





Department of Education





_______________________________________________________________________



Magnet Schools Assistance Program; Notice

  Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 49 / Friday, March 13, 1998 / 
Notices  

[[Page 12584]]



DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[CFDA No.: 84.165A]


Magnet Schools Assistance Program

AGENCY: Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice extending closing date for receipt of applications for 
new awards for fiscal year (FY) 1998 and for submission of approved 
modifications to required plans and school board approval for voluntary 
plans.

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SUMMARY: On February 17, 1998, a notice was published in the Federal 
Register (63 FR 8021) that established the closing date for transmittal 
of applications for the FY 1998 Magnet Schools Assistance Program 
(MSAP). The purpose of this notice is to extend the closing date for 
the transmittal of applications until April 27, 1998 in response to 
requests from school districts.
    This notice also changes the procedures for the submission of 
applications, as described under PROCEDURES FOR SUBMISSION OF 
APPLICATIONS to require that applications are received on or before the 
due date. In making the decision to give applicants additional time to 
prepare their applications, the Secretary also recognizes that this 
decision reduced the amount of time available for the review of 
applications and will delay the announcement of awards. In order to 
minimize the impact of these delays, while giving applicants as much 
time as possible for the development of their applications, this change 
has been made to reduce the amount of time that it takes before 
application review activities can begin after the deadline date.

DEADLINE FOR TRANSMITTAL OF APPLICATIONS: The new closing date is April 
27, 1998.

PROCEDURES FOR SUBMISSION OF APPLICATIONS: In order to ensure timely 
receipt and processing of applications, an application must be received 
on or before the deadline date announced in this application notice. 
The Secretary will not consider an application for funding if it is not 
received by the deadline date unless the applicant can show proof that 
the application was: (1) Sent by registered or certified mail not later 
than five days before the deadline date; or (2) sent by commercial 
carrier not later than two days before the deadline date. An applicant 
must show proof of mailing in accordance with 34 CFR 75.102(d) and (e). 
Applications delivered by hand must be received by 4:30 p.m. (Eastern 
Time) on the deadline date. For the purposes of this program 
competition, the Secretary does not apply 34 CFR 75.102(a) and (b)(1) 
which require an application to be mailed, rather than received, by the 
deadline date.
    These procedures replace the application submission procedures 
contained in the MSAP application package.

    Note: All applications must be received on or before the 
deadline date unless one of the mailing conditions noted in the 
previous paragraph applies. This requirement takes exception to 
EDGAR, 34 CFR 75.102(a) and (b)(1). In accordance with the 
Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C. 553), it is the practice of 
the Secretary to offer interested parties the opportunity to comment 
on proposed regulations. However, this amendment makes procedural 
changes only and does not establish new substantive policy. 
Therefore, under 5 U.S.C. 553 (b)(A), proposed rulemaking is not 
required.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Districts submitting voluntary plans also 
expressed concern that even with the extension of the application due 
date, additional time might be needed to obtain school board approval 
of their plans. Therefore, we are extending the date for the submission 
of school board approval of the plans submitted with applications until 
May 22,1998. All other voluntary plan information must be submitted by 
the closing date.
    Additionally, the date by which applicants must submit any 
modifications to required plans (i.e., a modification to include a new 
magnet schools component in a previously approved plan) is also 
changed. All applicants must submit proof to ED of approval of all 
modifications by May 22, 1998.

FOR APPLICATIONS OR INFORMATION CONTACT: Steven L. Brockhouse, U.S. 
Department of Education, 600 Independence Avenue, S.W., Portals Room 
4509, Washington, D.C. 20202-6140. Telephone (202) 260-2476. 
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 of 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. 3021-3032.

    Dated: March 10, 1998.
Gerald N. Tirozzi,
Assistant Secretary, Elementary and Secondary Education.
[FR Doc. 98-6520 Filed 3-12-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-U