[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 93 (Friday, May 12, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30574-30575]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-12162]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[CFDA No. 84.258]


Even Start Family Literacy Program Grants for Indian Tribes and 
Tribal Organizations

AGENCY: Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year 
(FY) 2000.

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    Purpose of Program: The Even Start Family Literacy Program for 
Indian tribes and tribal organizations is designed to help break the 
cycle of poverty and illiteracy by improving the educational 
opportunities of low-income families by integrating early childhood 
education, adult literacy or adult basic education, and parenting 
education into a unified family literacy program for federally 
recognized Indian tribes and tribal organizations.
    Eligible Applicants: Federally recognized Indian tribes and tribal 
organizations. (The term ``Indian tribe'' and ``tribal organization'' 
have the meanings given those terms in section 4 of the Indian Self-
Determination and Education Assistance Act.)
    Applications Available: May 12, 2000.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: June 30, 2000.
    Available Funds: The Secretary estimates that there will be 
approximately $1,500,000 in FY 2000 funds for new grants.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $100,000-$200,000.
    Estimated Size of Average Award: $175,000.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 8-10.
    Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice.
    Project Period: Up to 48 months.
    Applicable Regulations: The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 75, 77, 80, 81, 82, 
85, 97, 98, and 99.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Description of Program

    Under the authority of section 1202(a)(1)(C) of the Elementary and 
Secondary Education Act (ESEA), the Assistant Secretary of Elementary 
and Secondary Education (Assistant Secretary) awards grants to eligible 
applicants for projects that--
     Improve the educational opportunities of low-income 
families by integrating early childhood education, adult literacy or 
adult basic education, and parenting education into a unified family 
literacy program for federally recognized Indian tribe and tribal 
organization projects;
     Are implemented through cooperative activities that build 
on

[[Page 30575]]

existing community resources to create a new range of services for 
federally recognized Indian tribe and tribal organization projects;
     Promote achievement of the National Education Goals one, 
three, five, and eight that address school readiness, student 
achievement, adult literacy, and parent involvement in the education of 
their children; and
     Assist children and adults to achieve to challenging State 
content standards and challenging State student performance standards.
    Each project must use the grant funds to provide an intensive 
family-centered education program that involves parents and children, 
from birth through age seven, in a cooperative effort to help parents 
become full partners in the education of their children and to assist 
children in reaching their full potential as learners.
    In accordance with section 1205 of the ESEA, each project must 
include ten specific program elements (listed in the application 
package). Those ten elements include in part the following activities: 
identifying, recruiting, and providing services to families that are 
the most in need of family literacy services, as indicated by a low 
level of adult literacy or English language proficiency of the eligible 
parent or parents, and other need-related indicators; providing 
(through collaboration with other entities when possible) high-quality, 
intensive instructional programs in adult basic or secondary education 
(or English language training), early childhood education, literacy-
based parenting education training, and interactive literacy activities 
between parents and their children; and providing year-round services, 
including some instructional services in the home. For a specific 
description of all of the required program elements, applicants should 
refer to the application package.

Eligible Participants

    Eligible participants are families with children and their parents 
who also meet the following conditions specified in section 1206(a) of 
the ESEA:
    (1) The parent or parents must be eligible for participation in an 
adult education program under the Adult Education Act; or within the 
State's compulsory school attendance age range (in which case a local 
educational agency must provide (or ensure the availability of) the 
basic education component); and
    (2) The child or children must be younger than eight years of age.

Federal and Local Funding

    An Even Start Family Literacy project's funding is comprised of 
both a Federal portion of funds (Federal share) and a portion 
contributed by the eligible applicant (local project share). The local 
share of the project may be provided in cash or in kind and may be 
obtained from any source, including other Federal programs funded by 
the ESEA. The Federal share of the project may not exceed--
     90 percent of the total cost of the project in the first 
year;
     80 percent in the second year;
     70 percent in the third year;
     60 percent in the fourth year;
     50 percent in the fifth through eight years; and
     35 percent in any subsequent year.
    The Federal share for any grantee receiving a grant for a second 
grant cycle may not exceed 50 percent, and for any cycle after that may 
not exceed 35 percent. Any grantee that wishes to reapply at the end of 
a project period (up to 48 months) must recompete for funding with new 
applicants.

Indirect Costs

    Even Start Family Literacy Program funds may not be used for the 
indirect costs of a project. Recipients of an Even Start Indian tribe 
and tribal organization grant may request the Secretary to waive this 
requirement. To obtain a waiver, however, the recipient must 
demonstrate to the Secretary's satisfaction that the recipient 
otherwise would not be able to participate in the Even Start Family 
Literacy Program.

National Evaluation

    The Department is conducting a national evaluation of Even Start 
Family Literacy projects. Grantees are required to participate in the 
Department's national evaluation and to conduct a separate independent 
local evaluation consistent with the grantee's responsibilities under 
34 CFR 75.590. Specific information about budgeting for those 
evaluations are contained in the application package.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To obtain a copy of the application 
package or further information, contact Doris Sligh, Compensatory 
Education Programs, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, U.S. 
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20202-
6132; telephone (202) 260-0999; or email [email protected].
    The application package also is available on the Department's Web 
site at: www.ed.gov/GrantApps/#84.258.
    Individuals who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) 
may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-
8339. 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 alternative format by contacting that person. However, 
the Department is not able to reproduce in an alternative format the 
standards 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 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 Adobe Acrobat Reader, 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.
    The official version of this document is the document published in 
the Federal Register. Free Internet access to the official education of 
the Federal Register and Code of Federal Regulations is available on 
GPO Access at: http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/index.html.

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

    Dated: May 9, 2000.
Michael Cohen,
Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education.
[FR Doc. 00-12162 Filed 5-11-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-M