[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 90 (Wednesday, May 9, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23685-23686]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-11703]


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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) 2001 funds for Even Start Family Literacy Program grants for 
Indian tribes and tribal organizations.

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SUMMARY: Purpose of Competition: The Secretary of Education announces 
the availability of applications and an application deadline for 
federally recognized Indian tribes and tribal organizations to apply 
for FY 2001 new awards under the Even Start Family Literacy Program 
grant authority for Indian tribes and tribal organizations.
    Even Start Family Literacy Program grants for Indian tribes and 
tribal organizations are awarded under Section 1202(a)(1)(C) of the 
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA). The purpose of 
these grants is 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 9, 2001.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: July 9, 2001.
    Available Funds: The Secretary estimates that there will be 
sufficient FY 2001 funds for 6-10 new grants.

Matching and Use of Funds Requirements

    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 eighth years; and
     35 percent in any subsequent year.
    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: Recipients of an Even Start Indian tribe and tribal 
organization grant may not use funds awarded under this competition for 
the indirect costs of a project, or claim indirect costs as part of the 
local project share. Grant recipients 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. (Section 1204(b)(2), ESEA.)
    Estimated Range of Awards: $100,000-$200,000 per year.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $175,000 per year.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 6-10.

    Note: This 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, 86, 97, 98, and 99.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Background: As required by Section 1202(a)(1)(C) of the ESEA, the 
Assistant Secretary of Elementary and Secondary Education (Assistant 
Secretary) awards grants to eligible Indian tribe and tribal 
organization 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;
     Are implemented through cooperative activities that build 
on high-quality existing community resources to create a new range of 
services for federally recognized Indian tribe and tribal organization 
projects;
     Promote the academic achievement of children and adults;
     Assist children and adults from low-income families to 
achieve to challenging State content standards and challenging State 
student performance standards; and
     Use instructional programs based on scientifically based 
reading research (as defined in section 2252 of the ESEA) and the 
prevention of reading difficulties for children and adults, to the 
extent such research is available.
    Each project must use the grant funds to provide intensive family 
literacy services that involve 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. (Section 1204(a), ESEA.)
    ``Family literacy services'' means services provided to 
participants on a voluntary basis that are of sufficient intensity in 
terms of hours, and of sufficient duration, to make sustainable changes 
in a family, and that integrate all of the following activities:
    (A) Interactive literacy activities between parents and their 
children.
    (B) Training for parents regarding how to be the primary teacher 
for their children and full partners in the education of their 
children.
    (C) Parent literacy training that leads to economic self-
sufficiency.
    (D) An age-appropriate education to prepare children for success in 
school and life experiences. (Section 14401(15), ESEA.)
    Each Even Start family literacy project must include fifteen 
specific program elements (listed in the application package). (Section 
1205, ESEA.) Those elements include in part the following:

[[Page 23686]]

     identifying, recruiting, and providing services to 
families that are the most in need of family literacy services, as 
indicated by a low level of income, a low level of adult literacy or 
English language proficiency of the eligible parent or parents, and 
other need-related indicators;
     providing high-quality, intensive instructional programs 
that promote adult literacy (adult basic or secondary education or 
English language training) and empower parents to support the 
educational growth of their children (parenting education and 
interactive literacy-based activities between parents and their 
children), developmentally appropriate early childhood educational 
services, and preparation of children for success in regular school 
programs;
     providing home-based instructional services to 
participating parents and children;
     operating on a year-round basis, including providing both 
instructional and enrichment services during the summer months;
     using instructional programs based on scientifically based 
reading research for children and adults to the extent that research is 
available;
     encouraging participating families to attend regularly and 
to remain in the program a sufficient time to meet their program goals; 
and
     providing for an independent evaluation of the project to 
be used for program improvement.

    Note: Applicants should refer to the application package for a 
specific description of all of the required program elements.

    Staff qualifications: All instructional staff in new Even Start 
projects (and all new staff in existing Even Start projects) whose 
salaries are paid in whole or part with Federal Even Start funds must 
have obtained an associate's, bachelor's, or graduate degree in a field 
related to early childhood education, elementary or secondary school 
education, or adult education, and, if applicable, meet State 
qualifications for that respective field. For continuing Even Start 
projects that are applying for a second or third project period, the 
majority of instructional staff must meet these qualifications by 
December 2004 (in addition to new instructional staff meeting the 
qualifications immediately). Instructional staff include any staff who 
are hired to provide instructional services in any of the four core 
instructional components (early childhood education, adult basic or 
secondary education, parenting education, and interactive activities 
between parents and their children).
    In addition, by December 2004, all individuals who are responsible 
for administering Even Start family literacy projects and who are paid 
in whole or part with Federal Even Start funds must have received 
training in the operation of family literacy programs, and all 
paraprofessionals who provide support for the instructional components 
of an Even Start program and who are paid in whole or part with Federal 
Even Start funds must have a high school diploma or its recognized 
equivalent. (Section 1205(5), ESEA.)
    Eligible participants: In general, eligible participants are 
families with children and their parents who meet the following 
qualifications specified in section 1206(a) of the ESEA:
    (1) The parent or parents must be eligible for participation in 
adult education and literacy activities under the Adult Education and 
Family Literacy Act, be 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), or be 
attending secondary school; and
    (2) The child or children must be younger than eight years of age.
    National and Local Evaluations: The Department conducts a national 
evaluation of Even Start family literacy projects as required by 
section 1209 of the ESEA. Although the current national evaluation is 
ending in summer of 2001, a new national evaluation is scheduled to 
begin in fall 2002. The new national evaluation is planned to be based 
upon data collected from a sample of Even Start family literacy 
projects.
    Every Even Start project must conduct an independent local 
evaluation for program improvement. (Section 1205(15), ESEA.) The 
application package includes additional information about this local 
evaluation, and about performance objectives and indicators that the 
Department encourages applicants to use when developing their proposed 
programs.

FOR APPLICATIONS AND FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Doris Sligh, U.S. 
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20202-
6132. Telephone: (202) 260-0999, or via Internet: [email protected]
    The application package also is available on the Department's Web 
site at: www.ed.gov/GrantApps/#84.258.
    If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may 
call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339. 
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.
    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 
standard forms included in the application package.

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 the following site: 
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free at the previous site. If you have questions about using PDF, call 
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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. 6362(a)(1)(C).

    Dated: May 3, 2001.
Thomas M. Corwin,
Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary 
Education.
[FR Doc. 01-11703 Filed 5-8-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P