[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 88 (Monday, May 7, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23009-23010]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-11439]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[CFDA No. 84.310A]


Parental Assistance Program

AGENCY: Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, Department of 
Education.

ACTION: Notice of Final Priority for Fiscal Year (FY) 2001.

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SUMMARY: The Secretary announces a final funding priority for the FY 
2001 grant competition under Parental Assistance Program (20 U.S.C. 
5911 et seq.). This program provides grants to eligible non-profit 
organizations, and eligible non-profit organizations in consortium with 
local educational agencies (LEAs), to establish parental information 
and resource centers. Under the funding priority, the Secretary gives 
competitive preference to eligible non-profit organizations that apply 
in consortium with one or more LEAs with low-performing schools and 
propose to implement comprehensive strategies designed to strengthen 
school-family-community partnerships in order to help children in low-
performing schools reach challenging academic standards.

EFFECTIVE DATE: June 6, 2001.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On January 12, 2001, we published in the 
Federal Register a notice of proposed priority (NPP) for the FY 2001 
grant competition under the Parental Assistance Program. In the NPP we 
announced our intent to give applicants that meet the preference up to 
10 additional points in the competition with the number of points 
awarded to be determined on the basis of how well the applicant 
addressed the competitive preference. This notice of final funding 
priority announces the final competitive preference for the 
competition.

    Note: This notice of final priority does not solicit 
applications. A notice inviting applications under this competition 
is published elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register.

Analysis of Comments and Changes

    Four parties submitted comments in response to the proposed 
priority. Two of the parties supported the priority, one party 
requested that the Department specify the percentage of grant funds 
that should be focused on the priority, and another party indicated 
that a parent center-LEA consortium priority would eliminate the 
autonomy and effectiveness of the centers. The comments of the latter 
two parties are summarized below.
    Comment: One commenter recommended that the Department indicate the 
amount of staff and funds that should be focused on the priority.
    Discussion: The Secretary believes that applicants should be given 
as much flexibility as possible in designing proposals that best 
address the funding priority. The number of points that an applicant 
receives under the priority should be based on how well the applicant 
addresses the priority, and not on the amount of resources that the 
applicant proposes to spend on the priority.
    Changes: None.
    Comment: One commenter indicated that requiring parent centers to 
work more formally with school districts in a consortium would 
eliminate the autonomy and effectiveness of the

[[Page 23010]]

centers. The commenter believes that by working independently of 
schools, the centers can better assist families who do not feel 
connected with the schools and provide families with the tools needed 
to create change in the schools.
    Discussion: The Secretary is not requiring non-profit organizations 
to apply in consortium with one or more LEAs. However, the Secretary 
believes that strengthening school-community-family partnerships will 
help children in low-performing schools succeed in school. Under the 
priority, the parent centers still will have considerable autonomy in 
designing proposals that best meet local needs and in coordinating with 
low-performing schools in implementing comprehensive strategies to 
assist children in these schools. The Secretary notes that the 
legislation explicitly supports consortia of non-profit organizations 
and school districts. The priority is designed to encourage such 
consortia.
    Changes: None.
    Competitive Preference: Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2), the Secretary 
gives a competitive preference in the FY 2001 competition under the 
Parental Assistance Program. To receive this preference, an applicant 
must--
    (1) Consist of a consortium that includes a non-profit organization 
and one or more LEAs with low-performing schools. The low-performing 
schools must be schools identified as in need of improvement under 
section 1116(c) of Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education 
Act of 1965, as amended.
    (2) Propose to implement comprehensive strategies designed to 
strengthen school-family-community partnerships in order to help 
children in the low-performing schools reach challenging academic 
standards. The applicant must clearly describe the role of the non-
profit organization and the LEA(s) in conducting these activities with 
the low-performing schools.
    (3) Provide documentation from the identified low-performing 
schools demonstrating that the schools will cooperate and coordinate 
with the applicant in implementing the proposed activities.
    An applicant that meets the competitive preference will receive up 
to 10 points in the competition. These points are in addition to any 
points the applicant earns under the selection criteria. The number of 
points that will be awarded will be determined on the basis of how well 
the applicant addresses the competitive preference.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rachael Couch, (202) 401-0039, U.S. 
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., FOB 6, Room 3E243, 
Mail Stop 6400, Washington, DC 20202. The e-mail address for Ms. Couch 
is: [email protected].
    Individuals who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) 
may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-888-877-
8339.
    Individuals with disabilities may obtain this document in an 
alternative format (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer 
diskette) on request to the contact person listed above.
    Individuals with disabilities may also obtain a copy of the 
application package in an alternative format on request to the contact 
person listed. However, the Department is not able to reproduce in an 
alternative format the standard forms included in the application 
package.

Electronic Access to This Document

    You may view this document, as well as other Department of 
Education documents published in the Federal Register, in text or 
Portable Document Format (PDF) on the Internet at the following site: 
www.ed.gov/legislation/FedRegister
    To use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available 
free at the preceding site. If you have questions about using 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.



    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 5911 et seq.

    Dated: May 1, 2001.
Thomas M. Corwin,
Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary 
Education.
[FR Doc. 01-11439 Filed 5-4-01; 8:45 am]
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