[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 135 (Thursday, July 15, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38187-38188]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-17974]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[CFDA Nos.: 84.299A, 84.299B]


Indian Education Discretionary Grant Programs--Demonstration 
Grants for Indian Children and Professional Development

AGENCY: Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year 
(FY) 1999.

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    Purpose of Program: The purpose of each program is included in this 
notice under the programmatic information for the program.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: August 16, 1999.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: October 18, 1999.
    Applications Available: July 16, 1999.
    Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts, 74, 75, 77, 79, 80, 
81, 82, 85, and 86; and (b) for the Professional Development Program, 
the payback provisions of 34 CFR 263.1(b), 263.3, and 263.35 through 
263.37.

Selection Criteria

    The selection criteria are included in full in the application 
package for this competition. These selection criteria were established 
based on the regulations for evaluating discretionary grants found in 
34 CFR 75.200 through 75.210.

84.299A  Demonstration Grants for Indian Children

Purpose of Program

    The purpose of this program is to provide financial assistance to 
projects to develop, test, and demonstrate the effectiveness of 
services and programs to improve the educational opportunities and 
achievement of preschool, elementary, and secondary Indian children, 
through activities such as--
    (a) Innovative programs related to the education needs of 
educationally deprived children;
    (b) Educational services that are not available to such children in 
sufficient quantity or quality, including remedial instruction, to 
raise the achievement of Indian children in one or more of the core 
academic subjects of English, mathematics, science, foreign languages, 
art, history, and geography.
    (c) Bilingual and bicultural programs and projects;
    (d) Special health and nutrition services, and other related 
activities, that address the special health, social, and psychological 
problems of Indian children;
    (e) Special compensatory and other programs and projects designed 
to assist and encourage Indian children to enter, remain in, or reenter 
school, and to increase the rate of secondary school graduation;
    (f) Comprehensive guidance, counseling, and testing services;
    (g) Early childhood and kindergarten programs, including family-
based preschool programs that emphasize school readiness and parental 
skills, and the provision of services to Indian children with 
disabilities;
    (h) Partnership projects between local educational agencies (LEAs) 
and institutions of higher education that allow secondary school 
students to enroll in courses at the postsecondary level to aid these 
students in the transition from secondary school to postsecondary 
education;
    (i) Partnership projects between schools and local businesses for 
school-to-work transition programs designed to provide Indian youth 
with the knowledge and skills they need to make an effective transition 
from school to a first job in a high-skill, high-wage career;
    (j) Programs designed to encourage and assist Indian students to 
work toward, and gain entrance into, an institution of higher 
education; or
    (k) Other services that meet the purpose of this program.

Eligible Applicants

    Eligible applicants for this program include a State educational 
agency, LEA, Indian tribe, Indian organization, federally supported 
elementary and secondary school for Indian students, Indian 
institution, including an Indian institution of higher education, or a 
consortium of such institutions that meet the requirements of 34 CFR 
75.127 through 75.219.
    Available funds: $1,265,000.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $150,000 to $220,000.
    Maximum Annual Award Amount: $220,000.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $210,000.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 6.
    Project Period: Up to 24 months.

Priorities

Competitive Preference
    (1) In making multiyear grants under this program, the Secretary 
will award five (5) additional points to applications that present a 
plan for combining two or more of the activities described above over a 
period of more than one year.

    Authority: Section 9121(d)(1)(B) of Subpart 2 of Part A of Title 
IX, Indian Education Programs, of the Elementary and Secondary 
Education Act of 1965 (the Act).

    (2) In making grants under this program, the Secretary will award 
five (5) additional points to applications submitted by Indian tribes, 
organizations, and institutions of higher education, including a 
consortium of any of these entities with other eligible entities. An 
application from a consortium of eligible entities that meets the 
requirements of 34 CFR 75.127 through 75.129 and includes an Indian 
tribe, organization, or institution of higher education shall be 
considered eligible to receive the five (5) additional priority points.

    Authority: 20 U.S.C. 7873.
Invitational Priorities
    While applicants may propose any project within the scope of 
section 9121(c) of the Act, the Secretary is particularly interested in 
applications that meet one or more of the following

[[Page 38188]]

invitational priorities. However, an application that meets one or more 
of the invitational priorities does not receive competitive or absolute 
preference over other applications.
    Invitational Priority 1--School readiness projects that provide age 
appropriate educational programs and language skills to three- and 
four-year old Indian students to prepare them for successful entry into 
school at the Kindergarten school level.
    Invitational Priority 2--Partnership projects between LEAs and 
institutions of higher education that provide programs and coursework 
for high school Indian students to prepare them for successful entry 
into an accredited post-secondary institution of higher education.
    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 7831.

84.299B  Professional Development

Purpose of Program

    The purposes of this program are to (1) increase the number of 
qualified Indian individuals in professions that serve Indian people; 
(2) provide training to qualified Indian individuals to become 
teachers, administrators, teacher aides, social workers, and ancillary 
educational personnel; and (3) improve the skills of qualified Indian 
individuals who serve in the capacities described in (2). Activities 
may include, but are not limited to, continuing programs, symposia, 
workshops, conferences, and direct financial support.
    Grants for training educational personnel may be for preservice or 
inservice training. For individuals who are being trained to enter any 
field other than education, the training received must be in a program 
resulting in a graduate degree.

Eligible Applicants

    Eligible applicants for this program are institutions of higher 
education, including Indian institutions of higher education; State or 
local educational agencies, in consortium with institutions of higher 
education; and Indian tribes or organizations, in consortium with 
institutions of higher education. An application from a consortium of 
eligible entities must meet the requirements of 34 CFR 75.127 through 
75.129.
    Available Funds: $2,000,000.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $250,000 to $300,000.
    Esitmated Average Size of Awards: $285,714.
    Maximum Annual Award Amount: $300,000.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 7.
    Project Period: Up to 24 months.

Fiscal Information

    For the payment of stipends to project participants being trained, 
the Secretary expects to set the stipend maximum at $1000 per month for 
full-time students and $125 allowance per month per dependent during 
the academic year. The terms ``stipend,'' ``full-time student,'' and 
``dependent allowance'' are defined in 34 CFR 263.3.

Priorities

Competitive Preference
    (1) The Secretary will award five (5) additional points to 
applications for programs that include only Indian individuals as 
training participants.

    Authority: Section 9122(e)(2); 20 U.S.C. 7832(e)(2).

    (2) The Secretary will award five (5) additional points to 
applications submitted by Indian tribes, organizations, and 
institutions of higher education. A consortium application of eligible 
entities that meets the requirements of 34 CFR 75.127 through 75.129 
and includes an Indian tribe, organization or institution of higher 
education shall be considered eligible to receive the five (5) 
additional priority points.

    Authority: 20 U.S.C. 7873.
    Invitational Priority: Pre-service training programs in education 
or related areas that will enable participants to complete a bachelor's 
degree and meet state certification requirements for teachers at the 
elementary, middle or secondary school level by conclusion of the 
project period. However, an application that meets this invitational 
priority does not receive competitive or absolute preference over other 
applications.
    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 7832.
    For Applications or Information Contact: Cathie Martin, Office of 
Indian Education, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, 
SW, Room 3W115, Washington, DC 20202-6335. Telephone: (202) 260-3774. 
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 
alternative format (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer 
diskette) on request of the person listed in the preceding paragraph.
    Individuals with disabilities may obtain a copy of the application 
package in an alternative 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.

    Note: The official version of this document is published in the 
Federal Register.

    Dated: July 9, 1999.
Judith Johnson,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education.
[FR Doc. 99-17974 Filed 7-14-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-M