[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 64 (Thursday, April 3, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16270-16271]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-8131]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[CFDA No. 84.069]


Federal Student Aid; Leveraging Educational Assistance 
Partnership and Special Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnership 
Programs

AGENCY: Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice of the closing date for receipt of State applications 
for Award Year 2003-2004 funds.

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SUMMARY: This is a notice of the closing date for receipt of State 
applications for Award Year 2003-2004 funds under the Leveraging 
Educational Assistance Partnership (LEAP) and Special Leveraging 
Educational Assistance Partnership (SLEAP) programs.
    The LEAP and SLEAP programs, authorized under Title IV, Part A, 
Subpart 4 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 as amended (HEA), assist 
States in providing aid to students with substantial financial need to 
help them pay for their postsecondary education costs through matching 
formula grants to States. Under section 415C(a) of the 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 Department has approved, a different State agency 
to administer the LEAP Program.

DATES: To receive an allotment under the LEAP and SLEAP programs for 
Award Year 2003-2004, applications submitted electronically must be 
received by 11:59 p.m. (Eastern time) May 30, 2003. Paper applications 
must be received by May 23, 2003.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Greg Gerrans, LEAP Program 
Manager, Financial Partners, U.S. Department of Education, Federal 
Student Aid, 830 First Street, NE., Room 111H1, Washington, DC 20202. 
Telephone: (202) 377-3304.
    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 under FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT.
    Individuals with disabilities also may obtain a copy of the 
application 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.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Only 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 
may submit an application for funding under the LEAP and SLEAP 
programs.
    State allotments for each award year 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 Award Year 2002-2003, 47 States, the District of Columbia, Guam, 
Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands received 
funds under the LEAP Program. Additionally, 34 States, the District of 
Columbia, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin 
Islands received funds under the SLEAP Program.
    On-Line Application Submitted Electronically: The Financial 
Partners Channel within Federal Student Aid has automated the LEAP and 
SLEAP application process in the Financial Management System (FMS). 
Applicants are encouraged to use the web-based form (Form 1288-E OMB 
1845-0028) which is available on the FMS LEAP on-line system at the 
following Internet address: http://fms.sfa.ed.gov
    Paper Application Delivered by Mail: States or territories may 
request a paper version of the application (Form 1288 OMB 1845-0028) by 
contacting Mr. Greg Gerrans, LEAP Program Manager, at (202) 377-3304 or 
by E-mail at [email protected]. A paper version will be mailed to 
you. An application sent by mail must be addressed to: Mr. Greg 
Gerrans, LEAP Program Manager, Financial Partners, U.S. Department of 
Education, Federal Student Aid, 830 First Street, NE., Room 111H1, 
Washington, DC 20202.
    The Department of Education encourages applicants that are 
completing a paper application to use certified or at least first-class 
mail when sending the application by mail to the Department. 
Applications that are mailed must be received by the Department no 
later than May 23, 2003.
    A late applicant cannot be assured that its application will be 
considered for Award Year 2003-2004 funding.
    Paper Applications Delivered by Hand: Applications that are hand-
delivered must be delivered to Mr. Greg Gerrans, LEAP Program Manager,

[[Page 16271]]

Financial Partners, U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid, 
830 First Street, NE., Room 111H1, 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.
    Applicable Regulations: The following regulations are applicable to 
the LEAP and SLEAP programs:
    (1) The LEAP and SLEAP Program regulations in 34 CFR part 692.
    (2) The Student Assistance General Provisions in 34 CFR part 668.
    (3) The Regulations Governing Institutional Eligibility in 34 CFR 
part 600.
    (4) The Education Department General Administrative Regulations 
(EDGAR) in 34 CFR 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 part 99 (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act).

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: 
http://www.ed.gov/legislation/FedRegister.
    To use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available 
free at this 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. 1070c et seq.


    Dated: March 31, 2003.
Theresa S. Shaw,
Chief Operating Officer Federal Student Aid.
[FR Doc. 03-8131 Filed 4-2-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P