[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 30 (Tuesday, February 16, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7732-7733]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-3603]



[[Page 7731]]

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Part IV





Department of Education





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Office of Postsecondary Education; Leveraging Educational Assistance 
Partnership Program; Notice

  Federal Register / Vol. 64, No. 30 / Tuesday, February 16, 1999 / 
Notices  

[[Page 7732]]



DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[CFDA No.: 84.069]


Office of Postsecondary Education; Leveraging Educational 
Assistance Partnership Program

AGENCY: Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice of the Closing Date for Receipt of State Applications 
for Fiscal Year 1999.

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SUMMARY: The Secretary of Education (Secretary) gives notice of the 
closing date for receipt of State applications for fiscal year 1999 
funds under the Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnership (LEAP) 
Program. This program was formerly known as the State Student Incentive 
Grant (SSIG) Program. This program, through matching formula grants to 
States, provides grant aid to students with substantial financial need 
to help them pay for their postsecondary education costs. The LEAP 
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.
    Under section 415C(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as 
amended (HEA), the State must submit an application through the State 
agency that administered its LEAP (SSIG) Program as of July 1, 1985, 
unless the Governor of the State has subsequently designated, and the 
Secretary has approved, a different State agency to administer the 
program.
    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, 
and the Virgin Islands. Authority for this program is contained in 
sections 415A through 415F of the HEA.
    Closing Date for Transmittal of Applications: An application for 
fiscal year 1999 LEAP funds must be mailed or hand-delivered by March 
31, 1999.
    Application Form: The Office of Student Financial Assistance 
Programs will mail the required application form for receiving LEAP 
funds to officials of the appropriate State agency in each State or 
territory at least 30 days before the closing date.
    Applications Delivered by Mail: An application sent by mail must be 
addressed to: Mr. Harold McCullough, Chief, Grants Branch, U.S. 
Department of Education, Office of Student Financial Assistance 
Programs, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, ROB-3, Room 3045, Washington, DC 
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 1999 funding.
    Applications Delivered by Hand: An application that is hand-
delivered must be taken to Mr. Harold McCullough, Chief, Grants Branch, 
U.S. Department of Education, Office of Student Financial Assistance 
Programs, 7th and D Streets, SW, ROB-3, Room 3045, Washington, DC. 
Hand-delivered applications will be accepted between 8 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 
LEAP 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 1998, 47 States, the District of 
Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, 
the Trust Territory (Palau), and the Virgin Islands received funds 
under the LEAP (SSIG) Program.
    Applicable Regulations: The following regulations are applicable to 
the LEAP Program:
    (1) The LEAP 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 Student Assistance General Provisions in 34 CFR part 668.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information contact Mrs. 
Jackie Butler, Program Specialist, Grants Branch, U.S. Department of 
Education, Office of Student Financial Assistance Programs, 400 
Maryland Avenue, SW, ROB-3, Room 3045, Washington, DC 20202-5447; 
telephone (202) 707-8242.
    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 at (202) 512-1530 or, 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

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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.

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1070c et seq.)

    Dated: February 9, 1999.
Greg Woods,
Chief Operating Officer, Office of Student Financial Assistance 
Programs.
[FR Doc. 99-3603 Filed 2-12-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P