[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 45 (Tuesday, March 9, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11450-11451]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-5527]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE


Office of the Secretary; Assistance to Local Educational Agencies 
(LEAs)

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, DoD.

ACTION: Notice of a program for providing financial assistance to LEAs.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to Section 386 of Pub. L. 102-484, as amended by 
Section 373 of Pub. L. 103-160, the ``National Defense Authorization 
Act for Fiscal Year 1994,'' and Section 1074 of Pub. L. 104-106, the 
``National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1996,'' and 
pursuant to Section 372 of Pub. L. 105-261, the ``Strom Thurmond 
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1999,'' October 17, 
1998, notice is hereby given of a program to provide financial 
assistance to eligible LEAs that are impacted by the presence of 
military dependent children or by the base closure process.

DATES: Applications for financial assistance in response to this notice 
must be received no later than April 8, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Letters of application must be addressed to: Acting 
Assistant Secretary of Defense (Force Management Policy), Attn: DoD 
Education Activity (Fiscal Division), 4040 North Fairfax Drive, 
Arlington, VA 22203-1635.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Joyce Eastepp, Department of 
Defense Education Activity (Fiscal Division), 4040 North Fairfax Drive, 
Arlington, VA 22203-1634; telephone (703) 696-3833, extension 282; 
facsimile number (703) 696-4029.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Program Announcement

    During Fiscal Year (FY) 1999, the Department of Defense (DoD) is 
authorized 35 million dollars to assist eligible Local Education 
Agencies (LEAs) affected by the impact of military dependent students 
or by reductions in the size of the Armed Forces. DoD shall rely on 
data from the Department of Education for the purpose of determining 
eligibility of a LEA.
    Pursuant to subsection 386(c) of Pub. L. 102-484, as amended, and 
subsection 372(a)(1) of Pub. L. 105-261, 30 million dollars will be 
provided to eligible LEAs for educational agency assistance if without 
such assistance, such LEAs would be unable to provide their students 
with a level of education equivalent to the minimum available in other 
LEAs in the same state, and
    (1) at least 20 percent (as rounded to the nearest whole percent) 
of the students in average daily attendance in the schools of such LEAs 
in that Fiscal Year 1999 are military dependent students counted under 
subsection 8003(a) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 
1965 (20 U.S.C. 7703(a)(1));
    (2) there has been a significant increase, as determined by the 
Secretary, in the number of military dependent students in average 
daily attendance in the LEA's schools as a result of relocation of 
Armed Forces personnel or civilian employees of the Department of 
Defense or as a result of a realignment of one or more military 
installations; or
    (3) a LEA is a successor of one or more LEAs that was eligible for 
payments in Fiscal Year 1992 under DoD Instruction 1342.18 (32 CFR Part 
240), and satisfies one of the two previously listed criteria.
    Pursuant to subsection 386(d) of Pub. L. 102-484, as amended, and 
subsection 372(a)(2) of Pub. L. 105-261, 5 million dollars is 
authorized for the Secretary to make educational agency payments to 
LEAs that are impacted by reductions in the size of the Armed Forces. 
Eligible LEAs are those that during the period between the end of the 
school year preceding the fiscal year for which the payments are 
authorized and the beginning of the school year immediately preceding 
that school year, had an overall reduction of not less than 20 percent 
of military dependent students, as a result of closure or realignment 
of military installations.
    Any funds provided under this notice shall be available only for 
eligible LEAs who (1) exercise due diligence in obtaining state and 
other financial assistance; (2) are treated the same as other LEAs 
under state law for the purpose of receiving state aid for public 
education; and (3) file with the Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense 
(Force Management Policy), a letter of application (see sample letter 
at the end of this notice) and a copy of an independently audited 
financial report on the LEA for the preceding fiscal year.
    Applications for financial assistance in response to this notice 
must be received no later than [30 days after date of publication].

Definitions

    For the purposes of this program, the following definitions are 
applicable:
    (a) Applicant. Any LEA requesting assistance under this notice.
    (b) Local Education Agency (LEA). A public board of education or 
other public authority legally constituted within a state for either 
administrative control or direction of, or to perform a service 
function for, public elementary or secondary schools in a city, county, 
township, school district, or other political subdivision of a state, 
or such combination of school districts or counties as are recognized 
in a state as an administrative agency for its public elementary or 
secondary schools. Such term includes any other public institution or 
agency having administrative control and direction of a public 
elementary or secondary school.
    (c) Military Dependent Student. A student that is a dependent child 
of a member of the Armed Forces or a dependent child of a civilian 
employee of the Department of Defense.

Amount of Assistance

    An applicant requesting assistance under this notice shall submit a 
letter of application (see sample letter at end of this notice) and a 
copy of an independently audited financial report of the applicant LEA 
for the second

[[Page 11451]]

preceding FY, requesting a DoD contribution and assuring the Acting ASD 
(FMP) that the LEA has applied for, has received or shall receive all 
financial assistance from other sources for which it is qualified. 
Letters of application must be addressed as follows:
    Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense, (Force Management Policy), 
Attn: DoD Education Activity (Fiscal Division), 4040 North Fairfax 
Drive, Arlington, VA 22203-1635.
    The applicant shall also file a copy of the letter of application 
for financial assistance and required supportive information with the 
State Educational Agency (SEA). The SEA may submit comments on the 
LEA's application to the Department of Defense (at the above address) 
by [30 days after date of publication]. Such comments shall be 
considered when applications are reviewed by the Office of the 
Secretary of Defense. The LEA's application and all required supporting 
information must reach the Acting ASD (FMP) no later than [30 days 
after date of publication]. No assurances of confidentiality are being 
made, other than the assurance that the audits will not be released.
    This information collection has been approved as OMB Control Number 
0704-0389, with an expiration date of June 30, 2000. The public 
reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to 
average 20 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing 
instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and 
maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the 
collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate 
or any other aspect of this collection of information, including 
suggestions for reducing the burden, to Department of Defense, 
Washington Headquarters Services, Directorate for Information 
Operations and Reports (0704-0389), 1215 Jefferson Davis Highway, Suite 
1204, Arlington, VA 22202-4302. Respondents should be aware that 
notwithstanding any other provision of law, no person shall be subject 
to any penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information 
if it does not display a currently valid OMB control number.

Sample Letter of Application For Financial Assistance

Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense,
(Force Management Policy),
Attn: DoD Education Activity (Fiscal Division),
4040 North Fairfax Drive,
Arlington, VA 22203-1635
    Dear Mr. Acting Assistant Secretary: Pursuant to this ``Notice 
of a Program for Providing Financial Assistance to LEAs,'' Federal 
Register Vol. __, No. __, dated ______, 1999), the (name of the 
local educational agency (LEA) requests financial assistance for the 
LEA for school year 1998-1999. We certify that the LEA has applied 
for financial assistance from all sources, including the State/
Commonwealth of (name). We understand that funds available for that 
purpose shall be paid on a per-pupil basis for military dependent 
students, as in the ``Notice of a Program for Providing Financial 
Assistance to LEAs.'' Enclosed is a copy of our independent audit 
``(Title)'' prepared by (name of firm or agency). We have submitted 
a complete and timely application for Section 3 impact aid 
assistance to the Secretary of Education and have submitted 
applications for all other assistance for which the LEA may be 
entitled. This LEA is treated the same as other LEAs under state law 
for the purpose of state aid for public education. A copy of this 
letter, with the above supporting information, is being submitted to 
the State Educational Agency.
      Sincerely,
(Authorized LEA Official)
    Dated: March 1, 1999.
L.M. Bynum,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.
[FR Doc. 99-5527 Filed 3-8-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 5000-04-M