[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 68 (Thursday, April 9, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17630-17651]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-9344]



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Part III





Department of Education





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Comprehensive Local Reform Assistance; Notice Inviting Applications 
From Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) in Montana and Oklahoma for New 
Awards With Fiscal Year (FY) 1997 and 1998 Goals 2000 Funds

  Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 68 / Thursday, April 9, 1998 / 
Notices  

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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[CFDA No.: 84.317]


Comprehensive Local Reform Assistance; Notice Inviting 
Applications From Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) in Montana and 
Oklahoma for New Awards With Fiscal Year (FY) 1997 and 1998 Goals 2000 
Funds

AGENCY: Department of Education.
    Note To Applicants: This notice is a complete application package. 
Together with the statute authorizing the program and the Education 
Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR), the notice 
contains all of the information, application requirements, and 
instructions needed to apply for a grant under these competitions.
    Purpose of Program: To assist local educational agencies (LEAs) in 
the development and implementation of comprehensive local improvement 
plans directed at enabling all children to reach challenging academic 
standards.
    Eligible Applicants: LEAs in Oklahoma and Montana are eligible to 
apply for grants. The Secretary is especially interested in receiving 
applications from consortia of LEAs in each State.
    LEAs or consortia of LEAs in Oklahoma and Montana that have 
previously received FY 1995 and 1996 Goals 2000 funds are eligible to 
apply for funds under this competition. However, in order that other 
needy districts may benefit from Goals 2000 support, the Secretary is 
particularly interested in receiving applications from LEAs or 
consortia that have not previously received Goals 2000 funding.

    Note: This competition, authorized by section 304(e) of the 
Goals 2000: Educate America Act, is only for LEAs in Oklahoma and 
Montana. LEAs in other States apply to their respective State 
educational agency (SEA) for funds under Title III of Goals 2000.

    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: May 27, 1998.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: July 27, 1998.
    Available Funds: For LEAs in Montana: $2,039,546 from the FY 1997 
allotment and $1,907,714 from the FY 1998 allotment; for LEAs in 
Oklahoma: $5,808,148 from the FY 1997 allotment and $5,549,703 from the 
FY 1998 allotment.
    In accordance with section 402 of the Department of Education 
Organization Act, 20 U.S.C. 3462, the Secretary may use up to one 
percent of the funds from each State's allotment to pay the expenses 
and fees for non-Federal experts necessary to review the applications 
submitted in response to this notice.
    In the event that there are an insufficient number of funded 
applications to use all of either State's allotment, the Secretary may 
reallot the remaining funds consistent with the Act.
    The Secretary does not intend to conduct competitions for FY 1998 
funds. Instead, pursuant to 34 CFR 75.253, the Secretary intends to 
make continuation awards from the FY 1998 allotments to each grantee 
that has made substantial progress toward meeting the objectives in its 
approved application.
    Project Period: Up to 24 months.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $20,000-$200,000 annually.
    The sizes of the awards requested should be governed by the size of 
the LEA or consortium and the scope of the proposed project. The 
Secretary will consider each applicant's request and the needs of all 
successful applicants in determining the amount of each grant award. 
The Department of Education is not bound by the estimates in this 
notice.
    In their applications, LEAs are encouraged to seek funds for a two-
year period. Oklahoma LEAs are encouraged to seek a second-year amount 
that is 4.5 percent less than their first-year award request; Montana 
LEAs are encouraged to seek a second-year amount that is 6.5 percent 
less than their first-year request. By doing so, the budget requests 
will align with the funding available for each State from the State's 
respective FY 1997 and 1998 allotments.
    Estimated Average Size of FY 1997 and 1998 Awards: $80,000 
annually.
    Estimated Numbers of Awards: 70 in Oklahoma; 25 in Montana.

    Note: Consistent with Section 309(c) of the Goals 2000 Act, the 
Secretary will award at least 50 percent of each State's available 
allotment to LEAs that have a greater percentage or number of 
disadvantaged children than the statewide average percentages or 
numbers for all LEAs in each respective State. The Department will 
waive this provision if it does not receive a sufficient number of 
applications from such districts.

    Applicable Regulations: The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) as follows:
    (1) 34 CFR Part 75 (Direct Grant Programs).
    (2) 34 CFR Part 77 (Definitions that Apply to Department 
Regulations).
    (3) 34 CFR Part 79 (Intergovernmental Review of Department of 
Education Programs and Activities).
    (4) 34 CFR Part 80 (Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants 
and Cooperative Agreements to State and Local Governments).
    (5) 34 CFR Part 81 (General Education Provisions Act--Enforcement).
    (6) 34 CFR Part 82 (New Restrictions on Lobbying).
    (7) 34 CFR Part 85 (Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension 
(Nonprocurement) and Governmentwide Requirements for Drug-Free 
Workplace (Grants)).
    GEPA Section 427 Requirements: In preparing applications, LEAs 
should pay particular attention to the requirements in section 427 of 
the General Education Provisions Act (GEPA), as detailed later in this 
notice. Applicants must address the requirements in section 427 in 
order to receive funding under this competition. Section 427 requires 
each applicant to describe the steps it proposes to take to address one 
or more barriers (i.e., gender, race, national origin, color, 
disability, or age) that can impede equitable access to, or 
participation in, the program. A restatement of compliance with civil 
rights requirements is not sufficient to meet the GEPA section 427 
requirements.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Section 304(e) of the Goals 2000: Educate America Act (Pub. L. 103-
227) (20 U.S.C. 5801 et seq.) (the Act) authorizes the Secretary to 
award direct grants to LEAs in States that were not participating in 
Goals 2000 as of October 20, 1995, if the applicable SEA approves the 
LEAs' participation in the program. Oklahoma and Montana were not 
participating in Goals 2000 as of that date and the Oklahoma and 
Montana SEAs have approved LEA participation in this direct grant 
program.
    The Secretary has determined that grants awarded under Section 
304(e) will be used to support the development and implementation of 
comprehensive local improvement plans designed to help all children 
reach challenging academic standards. In particular, the Secretary 
encourages LEAs to address in their applications how their reform 
strategies might include enhanced preservice teacher education and 
professional development activities of educators that are directly 
connected to challenging standards.
    Applicants that have already developed comprehensive improvement 
plans may propose activities funded through the grant that are aligned 
with and carry out parts of this plan. In order to best meet the 
selection criteria, LEAs should use funds awarded under this notice to 
build upon comprehensive reform strategies that have already been

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initiated with federal and other resources.

Application Requirements

    The authorizing statute--section 304(e) of the Act--permits the 
Secretary to fund LEA applications that are consistent with the 
provisions of Goals 2000. Grants under this competition will support 
the development and implementation of comprehensive local improvement 
plans to help all students reach challenging academic standards. Local 
improvement plans that are developed or implemented with funds awarded 
under section 304(e) must be consistent with the requirements in 
sections 309(a)(3)(B) through (E) of the Act. Adapted to this direct 
grant program, these requirements specify that local plans--
    (1) Describe a process of broad-based community participation in 
the development, implementation, and evaluation of the local 
improvement plan;
    (2) Address districtwide education improvement, directed at 
enabling all students to meet the State content standards and State 
student performance standards, including specific goals and benchmarks; 
reflect the priority of the State improvement plan (if there is a 
comprehensive State improvement plan); and include a strategy for--
    (a) Improving teaching and learning, through such strategies as 
enhanced professional development and preservice education activities 
aligned to the standards;
    (b) Improving governance, management, and accountability for 
performance; and
    (c) Generating, maintaining, and strengthening parental and 
community involvement;
    (3) Promote the flexibility of local schools in developing plans 
that address the particular needs of their school and community and are 
consistent with the local improvement plan; and
    (4) Describe how the LEA will encourage and assist schools to 
develop and implement comprehensive school improvement plans that focus 
on helping all students reach State content standards and student 
performance standards.
    An LEA that applies for funds under this program should indicate 
whether funds are being requested to (a) develop and implement a plan 
in accordance with the requirements of sections 309(a)(3)(B) through 
(E) of the Act; or (b) implement an existing comprehensive improvement 
plan that meets the requirements of sections 309(a)(3)(B) through (E) 
of the Act. (An applicant that received FY 1995 and 1996 funding under 
the previous competition must have completed the development of a plan 
that meets the stated requirements in order to be eligible for funding 
under this competition.)
    An LEA seeking funds to both develop and implement a comprehensive 
plan must demonstrate evidence of a clear process that will result in a 
plan that meets the stated plan requirements. This evidence may include 
a description of how stakeholders will be involved in plan development 
and specific steps and timelines for developing the plan. Successful 
applicants will only be eligible to receive FY 1998 continuation 
funding if they have completed development of a plan that meets the 
plan requirements stated above.
    An LEA that has already developed a comprehensive improvement plan 
may seek FY 1997 and 1998 funds to implement the plan. The applicant 
must demonstrate that its existing plan meets the plan requirements 
listed above. The applicant may do this, for example, by providing a 
description of how its plan addresses these requirements and the 
progress the applicant has made in implementing its plan. In addition, 
the applicant may demonstrate the comprehensiveness of the plan by 
providing evidence that the plan is coordinated with other LEA plans 
that, collectively, provide a framework for how federal and other funds 
are used to achieve the goals and objectives of the district.
    An applicant should clearly explain the strategies that will be 
funded under this award and how these strategies are aligned with the 
comprehensive plan.
    The Secretary recommends that applicants reserve in their budgets 
approximately $2,000 each year for activities that will be designed by 
the Secretary, in conjunction with grantees, to facilitate the sharing 
among grantees of information on successful comprehensive reform 
strategies.

Selection Criteria

    The Secretary will use the following selection criteria and factors 
from 34 CFR 75.210 to evaluate applications under this competition.
    The maximum score for all of the criteria is 100 points. The 
maximum score for each criterion is indicated in parenthesis with the 
criterion. The criteria and factors are as follows:
    (1) Need for the project. (20 points) (a) The Secretary considers 
the need for the proposed project.
    (b) In determining the need for the proposed project, the Secretary 
considers the following factors:
    (i) The extent to which the proposed project will provide services 
to or otherwise address the needs of students at risk of educational 
failure.
    (ii) The extent to which specific gaps or weaknesses in services, 
infrastructure, or opportunities have been identified and will be 
addressed by the proposed project, including the nature and magnitude 
of those gaps or weaknesses.
    (2) Quality of the project design. (33 points) (a) The Secretary 
considers the quality of the design of the proposed project.
    (b) In determining the quality of the design of the proposed 
project, the Secretary considers the following factors:
    (i) The extent to which the proposed project is part of a 
comprehensive effort to improve teaching and learning and support 
rigorous academic standards for students.
    (ii) The extent to which the proposed project will be coordinated 
with similar or related efforts, and with other appropriate community, 
State, and Federal resources.
    (iii) The extent to which the proposed project is designed to build 
capacity and yield results that will extend beyond the period of 
Federal financial assistance.
    (iv) The extent to which the goals, objectives, and outcomes to be 
achieved by the proposed project are clearly specified and measurable.
    (3) Quality of project services. (15 points) (a) The Secretary 
considers the quality of the services to be provided by the proposed 
project.
    (b) In determining the quality of the services to be provided by 
the proposed project, the Secretary considers the quality and 
sufficiency of strategies for ensuring equal access and treatment for 
eligible project participants who are members of groups that have 
traditionally been underrepresented based on race, color, national 
origin, gender, age, or disability.
    (c) In addition, the Secretary considers the following factors:
    (i) The likelihood that the services to be provided by the proposed 
project will lead to improvements in the achievement of students as 
measured against rigorous academic standards.
    (ii) The extent to which the services to be provided by the 
proposed project are focused on those with greatest needs.
    (iii) The extent to which the services to be provided by the 
proposed project reflect up-to-date knowledge from research and 
effective practice.
    (4) Quality of project personnel. (5 points) (a) The Secretary 
considers the

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quality of the personnel who will carry out the proposed project.
    (b) In determining the quality of project personnel, the Secretary 
considers the extent to which the applicant encourages applications for 
employment from persons who are members of groups that have 
traditionally been underrepresented based on race, color, national 
origin, gender, age, or disability.
    (c) In addition, the Secretary considers the qualifications, 
including relevant training and experience, of key project personnel.
    (5) Adequacy of resources. (5 points) (a) The Secretary considers 
the adequacy of resources for the proposed project.
    (b) In determining the adequacy of resources for the proposed 
project, the Secretary considers the following factors:
    (i) The adequacy of support, including facilities, equipment, 
supplies, and other resources, from the applicant organization or the 
lead applicant organization.
    (ii) The extent to which the costs are reasonable in relation to 
the objectives, design, and potential significance of the proposed 
project.
    (iii) The potential for the incorporation of project purposes, 
activities, or benefits into the ongoing program of the agency or 
organization at the end of Federal funding.
    (6) Quality of the management plan. (7 points) (a) The Secretary 
considers the quality of the management plan for the proposed project.
    (b) In considering the quality of the management plan for the 
proposed project, the Secretary considers the following factors:
    (i) The adequacy of the management plan to achieve the objectives 
of the proposed project on time and within budget, including clearly 
defined responsibilities, timelines, and milestones for accomplishing 
project tasks.
    (ii) The adequacy of mechanisms for ensuring high-quality products 
and services from the proposed project.
    (iii) How the applicant will ensure that a diversity of 
perspectives are brought to bear in the operation of the proposed 
project, including those of parents, teachers, the business community, 
a variety of disciplinary and professional fields, recipients or 
beneficiaries of services, or others, as appropriate.
    (7) Quality of the project evaluation. (15 points) (a) The 
Secretary considers the quality of the evaluation to be conducted of 
the proposed project.
    (b) In determining the quality of the evaluation, the Secretary 
considers the extent to which the methods of evaluation include the use 
of objective performance measures that are clearly related to the 
intended outcomes of the project and will produce quantitative and 
qualitative data to the extent possible.

Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs

    This program is subject to the requirements of Executive Order 
12372 (Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs) and the 
regulations in 34 CFR Part 79. The objective of the Executive Order is 
to foster an intergovernmental partnership and to strengthen federalism 
by relying on State processes and on State, areawide, regional, and 
local coordination for review of proposed Federal financial assistance.
    Neither Oklahoma nor Montana has adopted State intergovernmental 
review processes. Therefore, State, areawide, regional, and local 
entities may submit comments directly to the Department.
    Any comments submitted pursuant to the Executive Order must be 
mailed or hand-delivered by the date indicated in this notice to the 
following address: The Secretary, E.O. 12372--CFDA# 84.317, U.S. 
Department of Education, Room 6300, 600 Independence Avenue, S.W., 
Washington, D.C. 20202.
    Proof of mailing will be determined on the same basis as 
applications (see 34 CFR 75.102). Recommendations or comments may be 
hand-delivered until 4:30 p.m. (Washington, D.C. time) on the date 
indicated in this notice.
    Please note that the above address is not the same address as the 
one to which the applicant submits its completed application. Do not 
send applications to the above address.

Instructions for Transmittal of Applications

    (a) If an applicant wants to apply for a grant, the applicant shall 
--
    (1) Mail the original and three copies of the application on or 
before the deadline date to: U. S. Department of Education, Application 
Control Center, Attention: (CFDA # 84.317), Washington, D.C. 20202-4725 
or
    (2) Hand deliver the original and two copies of the application by 
4:30 p.m. (Washington, D.C. time) on the deadline date to: U.S. 
Department of Education, Application Control Center, Attention: (CFDA# 
84.317), Room #3633, Regional Office Building #3, 7th and D Streets, 
S.W., Washington, D.C.
    (b) An applicant must show one of the following as 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.
    (4) Any other proof of mailing acceptable to the Secretary.
    (c) If an application is mailed through the U.S. Postal Service, 
the Secretary does not accept either of the following as proof of 
mailing:
    (1) A private metered postmark.
    (2) A mail receipt that is not dated by the U.S. Postal Service.

    Notes: (1) The U.S. Postal Service does not uniformly provide a 
dated postmark.

    Before relying on this method, an applicant should check with its 
local post office.
    (2) The Application Control Center will mail a Grant Application 
Receipt Acknowledgment to each applicant. If an applicant fails to 
receive the notification of application receipt within 15 days from the 
date of mailing the application, the applicant should call the U.S. 
Department of Education Application Control Center at (202) 708-9494.
    (3) The applicant must indicate on the envelope and in Item 10 of 
the Application for Federal Assistance (Standard Form 424) the CFDA 
number of the competition under which the application is being 
submitted (CFDA# 84.317).

Application Instructions and Forms

    The appendix to this application is divided into three parts, plus 
a statement regarding estimated public reporting burden and various 
assurances and certifications. These parts and additional materials are 
organized in the same manner that the submitted application should be 
organized. The parts and additional materials are as follows:
    Part I: Application for Federal Assistance (Standard Form 424 (Rev. 
4-88)) and instructions.
    Part II: Budget Information--Non-Construction Programs (Standard 
Form 524A) and instructions. (NOTE: In addition to completing these 
forms, the applicant should provide a brief description of the use of 
funds in each budget category. The budget narrative should describe how 
the budget will support the project proposed in the application 
narrative in an effective and cost-efficient manner.)
    Part III: Application Narrative.

Additional Materials

    Estimated Public Reporting Burden.

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    Assurances--Non-Construction Programs (Standard Form 424B). 
Certifications regarding Lobbying; Debarment, Suspension, and Other 
Responsibility Matters; and Drug-Free Workplace Requirements (ED 80-
0013).
    Certification regarding Debarment, Suspension, Ineligibility and 
Voluntary Exclusion: Lower Tier Covered Transactions (ED 80-0014, 9/90) 
and instructions.

    (Note: ED 80-0014 is intended for the use of grantees and should 
not be transmitted to the Department.)

    Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (Standard Form LLL) (if 
applicable) and instructions.
    GEPA Section 427 Notice to All Applicants.
    An applicant may submit information on a photostatic copy of the 
application and budget forms, the assurances, and the certifications. 
However, the application form, the assurances, and the certifications 
must each have an original signature. No grant may be awarded unless a 
completed application form has been received.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cindy Cisneros (contact for Oklahoma 
applicants) or Jay McClain (contact for Montana applicants), U.S. 
Department of Education, 600 Independence Avenue, S.W., Portals 
Building, Room 4000, Washington, D.C. 20202-2110, Telephone: (202) 401-
0039, FAX: (202) 205-0303. These contacts may also be reached via e-
mail at [email protected] or [email protected]. 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.
    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://ww.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.
    Information about the Department's funding opportunities, including 
copies of application notices for discretionary grant competitions, can 
be viewed on the Department's electronic bulletin board (ED Board), 
telephone (202) 260-9950; or on the Internet at http://www.ed.gov. 
However, the official application notice for a discretionary grant 
competition is the notice published in the Federal Register.

    Program Authority: Section 304(e) of the Goals 2000: Educate 
America Act, 20 U.S.C. 5884(b).

    Dated: April 3, 1998.
Gerald N. Tirozzi,
Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education.

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[FR Doc. 98-9344 Filed 4-8-98; 8:45 am]
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