[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 36 (Wednesday, February 24, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9229-9256]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-4552]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[CFDA No.: 84.314B]


Even Start Statewide Family Literacy Initiative Grants

AGENCY: Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice inviting State applications for new awards for fiscal 
year (FY) 1999 funds for Even Start Statewide Family Literacy 
Initiative grants.

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    Note to Applicants: This notice is a complete application package. 
Together with the statute authorizing these grants, and the Education 
Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR), this notice 
contains all of the information, application forms, and instructions 
needed to apply for a grant under this competition. These grants are 
authorized by Section 1202(c) of the Elementary and Secondary Education 
Act (ESEA), as amended by the Reading Excellence Act (REA) (enacted as 
Title VIII of the Labor-Health and Human Services-Education 
Appropriations Act, 1999 by Section 101(f) of Public Law 105-277, the 
Omnibus Appropriations Act for FY 1999).
    Summary of Program: Even Start Statewide Family Literacy Initiative 
grants are awarded to States for planning and implementing Statewide 
family literacy initiatives, consistent with the Even Start Family 
Literacy Program (Part B of Title I of the ESEA). The purpose of Even 
Start is to help break the cycle of poverty and illiteracy by improving 
the educational opportunities of the Nation's low-income families by 
integrating early childhood education, adult literacy or adult basic 
education, and parenting education into a unified family literacy 
program. These initiatives coordinate and, where appropriate, integrate 
existing Federal, State, and local literacy resources to strengthen and 
expand family literacy services in the State.
    States must conduct Even Start Statewide family literacy initiative 
activities through a consortium that includes at least the following 
State-level programs:
     Title I of the ESEA, Part A (LEA grants);
     Even Start (Title I, Part B);
     Migrant Education Program (Title I, Part C);
     Comprehensive School Reform Demonstration Program (Title 
I, Part E, Section 1502);
     Head Start;
     Adult Education and Family Literacy Act; and
 All other State-funded preschool programs and State-funded 
programs providing literacy services to adults.
    The State must include in its application a plan developed by the 
consortium to use a portion of the State's resources (monetary or non-
monetary, or both) from one or more of the programs required to be in 
the consortium, to strengthen and expand family literacy services in 
the State. The consortium also may include other programs, such as 
programs for infants and toddlers with disabilities under Part C of the 
Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA), and programs for children 
with disabilities under Sections 611 and 619 of the IDEA.
    The law specifically requires the programs listed above to be part 
of the consortium that conducts the initiative's activities. The law 
also requires the consortium to coordinate and integrate activities and 
resources from specified programs. Please note that these programs 
differ slightly from the State-level programs required to be part of 
the consortium.
    The initiative must coordinate and integrate resources and 
activities from, at least, the following programs: Part A of Title I of 
the ESEA (LEA grants); Even Start (Title I, Part B); the Adult 
Education and Family Literacy Act; Head Start; and the State's block 
grant under Part A of Title IV of the Social Security Act for Temporary 
Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). The law also requires the 
consortium to coordinate its activities with the activities of the 
reading and literacy partnership for the State established under 
Section 2253(d) of the REA if the State Educational Agency receives a 
reading and literacy grant under the REA. The consortium is encouraged 
to coordinate and integrate resources and appropriate activities from 
other programs as well, such as programs for infants and toddlers with 
disabilities and children with disabilities under the IDEA, and 
programs included in the consortium such as Migrant Education (Title I, 
Part C), Comprehensive School Reform Demonstration (Title I, Part E), 
and State-funded preschool and adult literacy programs.
    Eligible Applicants: One State office or agency from each State, 
the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: States will have two 
opportunities to submit their applications under this competition for 
FY 1999 funds. Transmittal deadline for the first stage of 
applications: April 26, 1999. Transmittal deadline for the second stage 
of applications: August 20, 1999.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: First stage: April 30, 1999. 
Second stage: September 3, 1999.
    Applications Available: February 24, 1999.
    Available Funds: $10,000,000.

    Note: The Secretary intends to reserve about $328,000 from these 
funds to provide technical assistance to the Even Start Statewide 
Family Literacy Initiative.

    Matching and Use of Funds Requirements: A State receiving a grant 
for an Even Start Statewide Family Literacy Initiative must make 
available non-Federal contributions (cash or in-kind) in an amount at 
least equal to the Federal funds awarded under the grant. These non-
Federal contributions may be from State or local resources, or both. 
Grantees may not use these grant funds for indirect costs, either as a 
direct charge or as part of the matching requirement.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $75,000-$250,000 for each of two years.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $186,000 for 52 grants.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 40-52.

    Note: This Department is not bound by any estimates in this 
notice. The Secretary expects that the amount of available funds 
will be sufficient for all States with high-quality applications to 
receive awards. Funding for each stage of this competition will be 
based initially on the estimated average size of awards ($186,000) 
multiplied by the number of approved applicants (grantees) in each 
stage. If the sum total of the approved application budgets in 
either stage exceeds the total funding available for that stage of 
the competition, all of the budgets will be reduced proportionately. 
If there are remaining funds at the end of the second stage, each 
grantee's budget will be increased proportionately up to the amount 
of the approved budget.

    Project Period: 24 months (comprised of two one-year budget 
periods).
    Applicable Regulations: The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) as follows:
     34 CFR Part 75 (Direct Grant Programs).
     34 CFR Part 77 (Definitions that Apply to Department 
Regulations).

[[Page 9230]]

     34 CFR Part 79 (Intergovernmental Review of Department of 
Education Programs and Activities).
     34 CFR Part 80 (Uniform Administrative Requirements for 
Grants and Cooperative Agreements to State and Local Governments).
     34 CFR Part 81 (General Education Provisions Act--
Enforcement).
     34 CFR Part 82 (New Restrictions on Lobbying).
     34 CFR Part 85 (Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension 
(Nonprocurement) and Governmentwide Requirements for Drug-Free 
Workplace (Grants)).
    Absolute Priority: The Secretary has published elsewhere in this 
issue of the Federal Register a notice of final priority, which 
establishes an absolute priority for applicants for these grants. The 
absolute priority is for any State applicant that includes in its 
application (1) indicators of program quality as described in Section 
1210 of the ESEA (as amended by the Reading Excellence Act) that the 
State has developed for Even Start family literacy projects; or (2) a 
plan and timeline for the development of those indicators within a 
reasonable time period, not to exceed one year from the date of the 
grant award. The law requires States to base these program quality 
indicators on the best available research and evaluation data. Once 
developed, the law requires States to use the indicators in evaluating 
Even Start projects' program performance and improvement for the 
purpose of continued funding. The Secretary will fund under this 
competition only applicants that meet this priority (34 CFR 
75.105(c)(3)).
    Invitational Priorities: The Secretary is particularly interested 
in applications that meet one or more of the following invitational 
priorities. However, an application that meets an invitational priority 
does not receive competitive or absolute preference over other 
applications (34 CFR 75.105(c)(1)).
    Invitational Priorities--Statewide family literacy initiatives that 
propose any or all of the following activities:
     Adopting and implementing recommendations and findings 
from the best available research on reading and literacy, such as the 
following: those reported in two publications by the National Research 
Council (NRC), Preventing Reading Difficulties in Young Children and 
NRC's practitioner's guide, Starting Out Right, A Guide to Promoting 
Children's Reading Success (National Academy Press, 1998) 
(www.nap.edu); reading research pertaining to persons with learning 
disabilities and limited English proficiency, such as Educating 
Language-minority Children (www.nap.edu); and research reflected in the 
joint position statement by the National Association for the Education 
of Young Children and International Reading Association (www.naeyc.org/
about/position/psread1.htm). Information on reading and literacy 
research is also available from the National Institute for Literacy 
(www.nifl.gov).
     Implementing a professional development plan, for staff 
working in family literacy programs, based upon the best available 
research on emerging literacy, language development, and reading 
instruction, especially for families who are limited English 
proficient, migrant or homeless and adults and children with 
disabilities.
     Strategies to increase the intensity of local family 
literacy activities for school-age children through seven years old 
through before- and after-school, weekend, and summer literacy 
activities, including family literacy activities for families who are 
limited English proficient, migrant or homeless and adults and children 
with disabilities.
     Strategies to strengthen local evaluations for Even Start 
family literacy projects (required by Section 1205(10) of the ESEA) so 
that those evaluations generate data that can be used for continuous 
improvement efforts, including improved literacy outcomes for adults 
and children.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This two-stage FY 1999 competition is 
designed to allow all interested States adequate time to submit high-
quality applications, including States that have existing statewide 
family literacy plans and those that are developing those plans.
    States that received Even Start Statewide Family Literacy 
Initiative grants in the two previous competitions in 1996 and 1998 are 
eligible to apply under this competition. However, 1998 grant 
recipients must propose to use the funds under this competition for 
activities that are different than for which they are using their 
current Even Start Statewide Family Literacy Initiative grant funds, 
which were awarded under a previous authority.
    To receive a grant, the consortium established by a State must 
create a plan to use a portion of the State's resources (monetary or 
non-monetary), derived from one or more of the required programs in the 
consortium, to strengthen and expand the State's family literacy 
services. The law requires the consortium to include the following 
programs: Part A of Title I of the ESEA (LEA grants); Even Start (Title 
I, Part B); Migrant Education Program (Title I, Part C); Comprehensive 
School Reform Demonstration Program (Title I, Part E, Section 1502); 
Head Start; the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act; and all other 
State-funded preschool programs and State-funded programs providing 
literacy services to adults. The State may include in the consortium 
other programs and resources as well, such as programs for infants and 
toddlers with disabilities and for children with disabilities under the 
IDEA. The programs that the law requires to be in the consortium differ 
slightly from the programs that the law requires the consortium to 
coordinate and integrate. The State, in forming its consortium and 
planning its coordination of activities and resources, may expand the 
two sets of programs so that they are identical, such as by adding the 
State-level TANF program to the consortium, and including all of the 
programs in the consortium in coordination and integration activities.
    Two specific statutory definitions apply to these grants: ``family 
literacy services'' and ``scientifically-based reading research.'' The 
law defines ``family literacy services'' as services provided to 
participants on a voluntary basis that are of sufficient intensity in 
terms of hours, and of sufficient duration, to make sustainable changes 
in a family, and that integrate all of the following activities:
     Interactive literacy activities between parents and their 
children.
     Training for parents regarding how to be the primary 
teacher for their children and full partners in their children's 
education.
     Parent literacy training that leads to economic self-
sufficiency.
     An age-appropriate education to prepare children for 
success in school and life experiences. (Section 1202(e)(3) of the 
ESEA.)
    In addition, Statewide family literacy initiatives that receive 
grant awards must base reading instruction on ``scientifically-based 
reading research,'' as that term is defined in Section 2252 of the REA.
    The Secretary will review applications on the basis of the absolute 
priority and the selection criteria included in this notice. All funded 
projects must meet the absolute priority. However, applicants have 
discretion in determining how best to address that priority. The 
absolute priority requires that States receiving these grants include 
in their applications indicators of program quality for Even Start 
family literacy projects, or a plan and timeline to develop those 
indicators within a

[[Page 9231]]

reasonable period, not to exceed one year. These indicators of program 
quality, which States are required to develop under Section 1210 of the 
ESEA (Even Start), must be based upon the best available research and 
evaluation data. Once developed, the law requires States to use the 
indicators in evaluating Even Start projects' program performance and 
improvement for the purpose of continued funding. Even Start quality 
indicators will provide a measure of accountability to assess the 
extent to which overall program goals and objectives are being achieved 
and provide the basis for continuous improvement of local family 
literacy projects.
    Indicators of Program Quality. Section 1210 of the ESEA requires 
these Even Start indicators of program quality to include:
    (1) With respect to eligible participants in a program who are 
adult--
     achievement in the areas of reading, writing, English 
language acquisition, problem solving, and numeracy;
     receipt of a high school diploma or a general equivalency 
diploma;
     entry into a postsecondary school, job retraining program, 
or employment or career advancement, including the military; and
     such other indicators as the State may develop.
    (2) With respect to eligible participants in a program who are 
children--
     improvement in ability to read on grade level or reading 
readiness;
     school attendance;
     grade retention and promotion; and
     such other indicators as the State may develop.
    When developing specific State measures of performance for Even 
Start indicators for family literacy projects, States may wish to 
coordinate these quality indicators with the objectives and performance 
indicators in the Even Start Family Literacy Program Performance Plan 
that the Department has developed in accordance with the Government 
Performance and Results Act (GPRA). The GPRA indicators, included with 
this application notice, have been approved by the Office of Management 
and Budget and shared with the Congress. GPRA indicators may be used to 
guide local family literacy projects in strengthening their local 
evaluations.

Selection Criteria:

    The Secretary uses the following selection criteria to evaluate 
applications for grants under this competition. The word ``project,'' 
as used in the selection criteria, refers for the purposes of this 
grant competition to the proposed Statewide family literacy initiative.
    (1) The maximum composite score for all of these criteria is 100 
points. To ensure the quality of funded submissions, applications must 
receive a total of at least 70 points to qualify for funding.
    (2) The maximum score for each criterion is indicated in 
parentheses, and further divided between each subcriterion.
    (a) Meeting the purposes of the authorizing statute. (10 points). 
The Secretary considers how well the project will meet the purpose of 
Section 1202(c) of the ESEA (Even Start Statewide family literacy 
initiative grants). In making this determination, the Secretary 
considers how well the project will enable the State to plan and 
implement a Statewide family literacy initiative that will strengthen 
and expand the State's family literacy services, and coordinate and 
integrate existing Federal, State, and local literacy resources, 
consistent with the purpose of the Even Start Family Literacy Program 
(Part B of Title I of the ESEA).

    (Note: As required by Section 1202(c)(2) of the ESEA, the 
initiative must be conducted through a consortium that includes 
representatives from the following programs: Part A of Title I of 
the ESEA (LEA grants); Even Start (Title I, Part B), Migrant 
Education Program (Title I, Part C); Comprehensive School Reform 
Demonstration Program (Title I, Part E, Section 1502); Head Start; 
the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act; and all other State-
funded preschool programs and State-funded programs providing 
literacy services to adults. In addition, the State's application 
must include a plan developed by the consortium to use a portion of 
the State's resources (monetary or non-monetary) from one or more of 
those programs to strengthen and expand family literacy services in 
the State. The consortium also may include representatives from 
other programs, such as programs for infants and toddlers with 
disabilities and children with disabilities under the IDEA.)

    (b) Need for project. (10 points). The Secretary considers the need 
for the proposed project. In determining the need for the proposed 
project, the Secretary considers the following factors:
    (i) The extent to which the proposed project will focus on serving 
or otherwise addressing the needs of low-income families. (5 points).

    (Note: The Secretary invites applicants to describe any existing 
State initiatives that promote family literacy for families with 
economic and educational needs.)

    (ii) The extent to which specific gaps or weaknesses in services, 
infrastructure, or opportunities have been identified and will be 
addressed by the proposed initiative, including the nature and 
magnitude of those gaps or weaknesses. (5 points).
    (c) Significance. (20 points). The Secretary considers the 
significance of the proposed project. In determining the significance 
of the proposed project, the Secretary considers the following factors:
    (i) The likelihood that the proposed project will result in system 
change or improvement. (5 points).
    (ii) The extent to which the proposed project is likely to build 
local capacity to provide, improve, or expand services that address the 
needs of the target population. (15 points).
    (d) Quality of the project design. (20 points). The Secretary 
considers the quality of the design of the proposed project. 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. (10 points).
    (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. (10 points).

    (Note: The proposed initiative must coordinate and, where 
appropriate, integrate existing Federal, State, and local literacy 
resources, consistent with the purpose of the Even Start Family 
Literacy Program (Part B of Title I of the ESEA). These must include 
resources, monetary or non-monetary, from the following programs: 
the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act; Head Start; Part A of 
Title I of the ESEA (LEA Grants); Even Start (Title I, Part B), and 
the State's block grant for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families 
(TANF) (Part A of Title IV of the Social Security Act). In addition, 
the consortium must coordinate its activities with the activities of 
the reading and literacy partnership for the State established under 
Section 2253(d) of the REA if the State Educational Agency receives 
a reading and literacy grant under the REA. The consortium is 
encouraged to coordinate and integrate resources and appropriate 
activities from other programs as well, such as programs for infants 
and toddlers with disabilities and children with disabilities under 
the IDEA and other programs represented in the consortium such as 
Migrant Education and Comprehensive School Reform Demonstration 
programs, and State-funded preschool and adult literacy programs.
    Applicants may address this criteria in any way that is 
reasonable. In addressing an initiative's proposed coordination 
efforts, the Secretary encourages applicants to describe how the 
initiative will coordinate and ensure compatibility among (to the 
extent possible)

[[Page 9232]]

the different performance indicators and standards being developed 
for literacy-related programs, such as the Even Start indicators of 
program quality required under Section 1210 of the ESEA and the 
absolute priority in this competition, the Adult Education and 
Family Literacy Act performance indicators required under Section 
212 of that Act, and the Head Start quality performance standards 
required under Section 641A (a) of the Head Start Act.)

    (e) Quality of project personnel. (10 points). The Secretary 
considers the quality of the personnel who will carry out the proposed 
project. (1) 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. (2) In addition, the Secretary 
considers the following factors:
    (i) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience, 
of key project personnel. (5 points).
    (ii) The qualifications, including relevant training and 
experience, of project consultants or subcontractors. (5 points).
    (f) Adequacy of resources. (10 points). The Secretary considers the 
adequacy of resources for the proposed project. In determining the 
adequacy of resources for the proposed project, the Secretary considers 
the following factors:
    (i) The relevance and demonstrated commitment of each partner in 
the proposed project to the implementation and success of the project. 
(5 points).

    (Note: ``Partner'' in the context of this grant competition 
refers to the programs comprising the consortium that conducts the 
Statewide family literacy initiative activities. That consortium 
must include representatives from the following programs at the 
State level: Part A of Title I of ESEA (LEA grants); Even Start 
(Title I, Part B); Migrant Education (Title I, Part C); 
Comprehensive School Reform Demonstration Program (Title I, Part E, 
Section 1502); the Head Start Act; the Adult Education and Family 
Literacy Act; and all other State-funded preschool programs and 
State-level programs providing literacy services to adults. The 
consortium must plan to use a portion of the State's resources 
(monetary or non-monetary), derived from one or more of those 
programs, to strengthen and expand family literacy services in the 
State. The consortium also may include representatives from other 
programs, and resources from those programs, such as programs for 
infants and toddlers with disabilities and for children with 
disabilities under the IDEA.)

    (ii) The extent to which the costs are reasonable in relation to 
the objectives, design, and potential significance of the proposed 
project. (5 points).
    (g) Quality of the management plan. (10 points). The Secretary 
considers the quality of the management plan for the proposed project. 
In determining the quality of the management plan for the proposed 
project, the Secretary considers the following factor:
    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.
    (h) Quality of project evaluation. (10 points). The Secretary 
considers the quality of the evaluation to be conducted of the proposed 
project. In determining the quality of the evaluation, the Secretary 
considers the following factors:
    (i) The extent to which the methods of evaluation are thorough, 
feasible, and appropriate to the goals, objectives, and outcomes of the 
proposed project. (5 points).
    (ii) The extent to which the methods of evaluation will provide 
performance feedback and permit periodic assessment of progress toward 
achieving intended outcomes. (5 points).

    (Note: In accordance with 34 CFR 75.118 and 80.40 of EDGAR, 
grant recipients in this competition must submit an annual 
performance report at the end of the first budget period to the 
Secretary to support a continuation award, and a final performance 
report at the completion of the project. This is in contrast to 
former Even Start Statewide Family Literacy Initiative grants that 
were awarded through a single award cycle and required only a final 
performance report. Consistent with administrative practice, the 
Department will provide specific instructions on what information 
must be addressed in the annual performance report.)

Even Start Family Literacy Program Performance Plan

Objectives and Indicators

    Objective 1. The literacy of participating families will improve.
    1.1  Adult literacy achievement. By fall 2001, 40 percent of Even 
Start adults will achieve significant learning gains on measures of 
math skills and 30 percent of adults will achieve such gains on 
measures of reading skills. In 1995-96, 24% of adults achieved a 
moderate- to large-sized gain between pretest and posttest on a test of 
math achievement, and 20% on a test of reading achievement.
    1.2  Adult educational attainment. By fall 2001, 25 percent of 
adult secondary education (ASE) Even Start participants will obtain 
their high school diploma or equivalent. In 1995-96, 18% of all ASE/GED 
participants earned a GED.
    1.3  Children's language development and reading readiness. By fall 
2001, 60 percent of Even Start children will attain significant gains 
on measures of language development a and reading readiness. In 1995-
96, 81% of children made better than expected gains on a test of school 
readiness, and 50% achieved moderate to large gains on a test of 
language development.
    1.4  Parenting skills. Increasing percentages of parents will show 
significant improvement on measures of parenting skills, home 
environment, and expectations for their children. In 1995-96, 41% of 
parents scored 75% or higher correct on the posttest measuring the 
quality of cognitive stimulation and emotional support provided to 
children in the home.
    Objective 2. Even Start projects will reach their target population 
of families that are most in need of services.
    2.1  Recruitment of most in need. The projects will continue to 
recruit low-income, disadvantaged families with low literacy levels. In 
1996-97, 90% of families had incomes at or substantially below the 
federal poverty level and 45% of parents had less than a ninth grade 
education at intake.
    Objective 3. Local Even Start projects will provide comprehensive 
instructional and support services of high quality to all families in a 
cost-effective manner.
    3.1  Service hours. By fall 2001, half of projects will offer at 
least 60 hours of adult education per month, at least 20 hours of 
parenting education per month, and at least 65 hours of early childhood 
education per month. In 1995-96, half of projects offered 32 hours or 
more of adult education per month, 13 hours or more of parenting 
education per month, and 34 hours or more of early childhood education 
per month.
    3.2  Participation, retention and continuity. Projects will 
increasingly improve retention and continuity of services. By fall 
2001, at least 60 percent of all families will stay in the program for 
more than one year. Of all families participating in Even Start in 
1994-95 38 percent stayed in the program for more than one year. Of new 
families entering in 1995-96, 41 percent stayed for more than one year.
    Objective 4. The Department of Education will provide effective 
guidance and technical assistance and will identify and disseminate 
reliable information on effective approaches.
    4.1  Federal technical assistance. An increasing percentage of 
local project

[[Page 9233]]

directors will be satisfied with technical assistance and guidance. 
Baseline to be determined.

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 and local processes for State and local government 
coordination and review of proposed Federal financial assistance.
    Applicants must contact the appropriate State Single Points of 
Contact to find out about, and to comply with, the State's process 
under Executive Order 12372. Applicants proposing to perform activities 
in more than one State should immediately contact the Single Point of 
Contact for each of those States and follow the procedure established 
in each State under the Executive Order. The addresses of individual 
State Single Point of Contact are in the Appendix to this notice.
    In States that have not established a process or chosen a program 
for review, State, areawide, regional, and local entities may submit 
comments directly to the Department.
    Any State Process Recommendation and other comments submitted by a 
State Single Point of Contact and any comments from State, areawide, 
regional, and local entities must be mailed or hand-delivered by the 
date indicated in this notice to the following address: The Secretary, 
E.O. 12372--CFDA #84.314B, U.S. Department of Education, Room 7E200, 
400 Maryland Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20202-0125.
    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. (Eastern Standard 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 two copies of the application on or 
before the deadline date to: U.S. Department of Education, Application 
Control Center, Attention: Mary LeGwin (CFDA #84.314B), Compensatory 
Education Programs, Room 3633, Regional Office Building #3, 7th and D 
Streets, SW, Washington, DC 20202-4725, or
    (2) Hand deliver the original and two copies of the application by 
4:30 p.m. (Washington, DC time) on or before the deadline date to: U.S. 
Department of Education, Application Control Center, Attention: Mary 
LeGwin (CFDA #84.314B), Compensatory Education Programs, Room 3633, 
Regional Office Building #3, 7th and D Streets, SW, Washington, DC 
20202-4725.
    (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 any 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--if not 
provided by the Department--in Item 10 of the Application for 
Federal Assistance (Standard Form 424) the CFDA number--and suffix 
letter, if any--of the competition under which the application is 
being submitted.

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. The State should organize and submit its 
application in the same manner in which these parts and additional 
materials are organized. The parts and additional materials are as 
follows:
    Part I: Application for Federal Education Assistance (ED 424 
(approved OMB 1875-0106, exp. 06/30/2001) and instructions.
    Part II: Budget Information--Non-Construction Programs (ED Form No. 
524) and instructions.
    Part III: Application Narrative.

Additional Materials

     Estimated Public Reporting Burden.
     Assurances--Non-Construction Programs (Standard Form 424).
     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; and Disclosure of Lobbying Activities 
Continuation Sheet (Standard Form LLL-A). (See amendments by 61 FR 1412 
(1/19/96).
     Notice to all Applicants (Section 427 of the General 
Education Provisions Act).
    An applicant may submit information on photostatic copies of the 
application, budget forms, assurances, and certifications. However, the 
application form, assurances, and certifications must each have an 
original signature. No grant may be awarded unless a completed 
application form, including the signed assurances and certifications, 
has been received.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mary LeGwin, Compensatory Education 
Programs, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, U.S. Department 
of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20202-6132. 
Telephone (202) 260-2499. 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

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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.

    You may view information about the Department's funding 
opportunities, including copies of application notices for 
discretionary grant competitions, on the Department's electronic 
bulletin board (ED Board), telephone (202) 260-9950; or on the Internet 
Gopher Server at GOPHER.ED.GOV (under Announcements, Bulletins, and 
Press Releases). However, the official application notice for a 
discretionary grant competition is the notice published in the Federal 
Register.

    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. Section 6362(c).

    Dated: February 19, 1999.
Judith Johnson,
Acting Assistant Secretary, Elementary and Secondary Education.

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[FR Doc. 99-4552 Filed 2-23-99; 8:45 am]
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