[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 57 (Thursday, March 23, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15620-15621]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-7253]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[CFDA No.: 84.069]


Office of Student Financial Assistance; Leveraging Educational 
Assistance Partnership Program and Special Leveraging Educational 
Assistance Partnership Program

AGENCY: Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice of the closing date for receipt of State applications 
for fiscal year 2000.

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SUMMARY: The Secretary of Education (Secretary) gives notice of the 
closing date for receipt of State applications for fiscal year 2000 
funds under the Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnership (LEAP) 
and Special Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnership (SLEAP) 
programs. The LEAP 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 SLEAP Program, through matching formula grants to States: (1) 
Provides aid to students with financial need to help them pay for their 
postsecondary education costs; or (2) helps the State to carry out 
service programs to strengthen the opportunities for elementary and 
secondary students with financial need to enter postsecondary 
education. Both the LEAP and SLEAP programs support 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), a State must submit an application to participate in the 
LEAP and SLEAP programs through the State agency that administered its 
LEAP 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 LEAP 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 the LEAP and SLEAP programs is contained in sections 
415A through 415F of the HEA.
    Closing Date for Transmittal of Applications: Applications for 
fiscal year 2000 LEAP and SLEAP funds must be mailed or hand-delivered 
by May 15, 2000.
    Application Forms: The Office of Student Financial Assistance 
Programs mails the required application forms for receiving LEAP and 
SLEAP 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. Greg Gerrans, Financial Partners, U.S. Department of 
Education, Office of Student Financial Assistance Programs, 7th and D 
Streets, S.W., ROB-3, Room 4616, Washington, DC 20202.
    The Secretary accepts 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 2000 funding.
    Applications Delivered By Hand: Applications that are hand-
delivered must be taken to Mr. Greg Gerrans, Financial Partners, U.S. 
Department of Education, Office of Student Financial Assistance 
Programs, 7th and D Streets, S.W., ROB-3, Room 4616, 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.
    Applications that are hand-delivered will not be accepted after 
4:30 p.m. on the closing date and cannot be assured of consideration.
    Program Information: Section 415C(a) of the HEA requires that an 
annual application be submitted for a State or territory to receive 
LEAP and SLEAP 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 1999, 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 Program.
    Applicable Regulations: The following regulations are applicable to 
the LEAP Program:

[[Page 15621]]

    (1) The LEAP Program regulations in 34 CFR part 692.
    (2) The Student Assistance General Provisions in 34 CFR part 668.
    And the following regulations are applicable to both the LEAP and 
SLEAP programs:
    (3) 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)), part 86 (Drug-Free Schools and Campuses) 
and parts 97, 98, and 99 (Protection of Human Subjects).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information contact Mr. 
Greg Gerrans, Program Specialist, Financial Partners, U.S. Department 
of Education, Office of Student Financial Assistance Programs, 7th and 
D Streets, S.W., ROB-3, Room 4616, Washington, DC 20202; telephone 
(202) 401-2280. Individuals who use a telecommunications device for the 
deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-
800-877-8393.
    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

    You may view this document, as well as all other Department of 
Education documents published in the Federal Register, in text or Adobe 
Portable Document Format (PDF) on the Internet 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 (GPO) toll free at 1-888-293-6498; or in the Washington, DC area 
at (202) 512-1530.


    Note: The official version of this document is the document 
published in the Federal Register. Free Internet access to the 
official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of Federal 
Regulations is available on GPO Access at: http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/index.html


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

    Dated: March 17, 2000.
Greg Woods,
Chief Operating OfficerOffice of Student Financial Assistance Programs.
[FR Doc. 00-7253 Filed 3-22-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P