[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 97 (Tuesday, May 20, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27546-27550]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-12602]



[[Page 27546]]

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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[CFDA No. 84.206A]


Office of Elementary and Secondary Education; Jacob K. Javits 
Gifted and Talented Students Education Program; Notice Inviting 
Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2003 and Establishing 
Two Absolute Priorities

    Purpose of Program: The purpose of the Jacob K. Javits Gifted and 
Talented Students Education Program (the Javits program) is to carry 
out a coordinated program of scientifically based research, 
demonstration projects, innovative strategies, and similar activities 
designed to build and enhance the ability of elementary and secondary 
schools nationwide to meet the special educational needs of gifted and 
talented students.
    Eligible Applicants: State educational agencies (SEAs), local 
educational agencies (LEAs), institutions of higher education, other 
public agencies, and other private agencies and organizations 
(including Indian tribes and Indian organizations and Native Hawaiian 
organizations). Under the first priority in this competition, all of 
these entities are eligible to apply. Under the second priority, an SEA 
and one or more LEAs collaborate on the project and either the SEA or 
an LEA is eligible to apply and to serve as the fiscal agent.
    Notification of Intent to Apply for Funding: We strongly encourage 
each potential applicant to notify us by June 6, 2003, of its intent to 
submit an application for funding. We will be able to develop a more 
efficient process of reviewing grant applications if we have an early 
estimate of the number of entities that intend to apply for funding 
under this competition. Notifications should be sent by e-mail to the 
following Internet address: [email protected].
    Please put ``Notice of Intent, Priority 1'' or ``Notice of Intent, 
Priority 2'' in the subject line. Applicants that choose not to provide 
this e-mail notification may still apply for funding.
    Applications Available: May 20, 2003.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: July 7, 2003.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: Septrember 2, 2003.
    Available Funds: Priority 1--$5,100,000. Priority 2--$3,676,875.
    Estimated Number of Awards: Priority 1--10. Priority 2--12.
    Estimated Size of Awards: Priority 1--$400,000--$600,000. Priority 
2--$200,000--$300,000.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: Priority 1--$500,000. Priority 
2--$250,000.

Note: These estimates are projections for the guidance of potential 
applicants. The Department is not bound by any estimates in this 
notice.)

    Project Period: Up to 60 months for the first priority and up to 36 
months for the second priority.
    Applicable Regulations: The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80, 
81, 82, 85, 97, 98, and 99.
    Page Limit: The application narrative is where you, the applicant, 
address the selection criteria that reviewers use to evaluate your 
application. Applicants are strongly encouraged to limit the program 
narrative (text plus all figures, charts, tables and diagrams) to the 
equivalent of 25 pages, using the following standards:
    [sbull] A page is 8.5'' x 11'', on one side only, with 1'' margins 
at the top, bottom and both sides.
    [sbull] Double space (no more than three lines per vertical inch) 
all text in the application narrative.
    [sbull] Use a font that is either 12 point or larger or no smaller 
than 10 pitch (characters per inch).
    [sbull] The page limit does not apply to Standard Form 424; the 
project abstract; the budget section, including the narrative budget 
justification; the assurances and certifications; or the resumes, 
bibliography, or letters of support.
    We have found that reviewers are able to conduct the highest-
quality review when applications are concise and easy to read, with 
pages consecutively numbered.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Assistant Secretary for Elementary and 
Secondary Education invites applications for new grant awards for FY 
2003 for the Javits program. In 2001, the Javits program was rewritten 
in its entirety by Pub. L. 107-110, the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) 
as the ``Jacob K. Javits Gifted and Talented Students Education Act of 
2001'' (The Act), and is now located in title V, part D, subpart 6 of 
the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended (ESEA), 
under which these grants are authorized (20 U.S.C 7253 et seq.). The 
Act supports a coordinated program of research, demonstration projects, 
and other activities designed to build and enhance the ability of 
schools nationwide to serve gifted and talented students.
    The Assistant Secretary also announces two final absolute 
priorities and final selection criteria to govern this competition and 
the FY 2003 Javits program grant awards. In accordance with Sec.  
5465(a) and (b) of the statute, the Assistant Secretary intends to give 
priority to projects designed to: (1) develop new information that 
improves the capability of schools to plan, conduct, and improve 
programs to identify and serve gifted and talented students and, (2) 
identify and serve students from underrepresented groups, including 
economically disadvantaged, limited English proficient, and disabled 
students. The Assistant Secretary also will implement Sec.  5464(c) of 
the statute, requiring funding of certain projects when appropriation 
levels for the Javits program in a given year exceed the FY 2001 
appropriation.
    Accordingly, the Assistant Secretary will make awards under the 
following two absolute priorities to encourage activities that will 
contribute to an understanding of the most effective ways to educate 
gifted and talented students. These priorities will help to target 
funds to high-needs populations within the general program purpose of 
assisting States and local school districts to better serve gifted and 
talented students.
    The Assistant Secretary's first priority implements Sec.  5465(a) 
of the statute and focuses on projects that propose to develop, 
conduct, ``scale up'', and evaluate programs that identify and serve 
gifted and talented students who are economically disadvantaged or 
limited English proficient, or who have disabilities, and who may not 
be identified and served through traditional assessment methods. 
According to a 2002 report by the National Research Council titled 
``Minority Students in Special and Gifted Education,'' these groups of 
students remain significantly underrepresented at the highest levels of 
performance. Over the past decade, small-scale model projects and 
intervention strategies have produced some evidence of effectiveness in 
raising student achievement to high levels. The goal of this first 
priority is to expand upon, field-test, and evaluate research-based 
interventions that have existing evidence of success in increasing the 
proportion of economically disadvantaged, limited English proficient, 
or disabled students performing at high levels of achievement. Based on 
the experience of previous grant recipients, the Assistant Secretary 
believes that these projects will be most successful if they are 
carried out by applicants that can demonstrate an expertise in: 
education research and program evaluation, one or more of the core 
academic subject areas (English, reading or language arts, mathematics, 
science, foreign languages,

[[Page 27547]]

civics and government, economics, arts, history, and geography), the 
needs of disadvantaged or other underrepresented students, and gifted 
and talented education. In order to meet the absolute priority, 
projects must: (1) build on successful interventions and strategies 
that show evidence that they have increased student achievement, (2) 
draw on expertise in research and program evaluation, disciplinary 
knowledge in the core subject areas, the needs of underrepresented 
groups, and gifted and talented education, (3) expand upon the 
intervention by carrying it out in multiple sites, and (4) propose a 
careful research and evaluation plan.
    The Assistant Secretary establishes this first priority after 
having reviewed the relevant research base and the evaluations of 
previously funded projects, holding discussions with project directors, 
and consulting with experts in the field.
    The Assistant Secretary's second absolute priority implements the 
``Special Rule'' in Sec.  5464(c) of the authorizing legislation that 
requires any funds available in a fiscal year that exceed the amount 
that was available in FY 2001 to be awarded to SEAs or LEAs, or both, 
to carry out such activities as: research and development on gifted and 
talented education and how it may be used to improve the education of 
all students, program evaluations and information collection 
activities, model projects and innovative strategies, technical 
assistance and information dissemination, distance learning 
opportunities, and professional development. Because the FY 2001 
appropriation was $7.5 million and the FY 2003 appropriation is 
$11,176,875, $3,676,875 will support Priority 2 activities. To ensure 
the most effective use of funds for the above-stated purposes, under 
this second priority the Assistant Secretary will fund collaborative 
projects submitted by SEAs and one or more LEAs to carry out a 
coordinated set of activities to build capacity to serve gifted and 
talented students. Under this priority, either the SEA or an LEA may 
submit the application on behalf of the other participants in the 
collaborative project and either may be the fiscal agent for the 
collaborative project.
    Waiver of Proposed Rulemaking: It is the Secretary's practice, in 
accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C. 553), to 
offer interested parties the opportunity to comment on proposed rules 
that are not taken directly from statute. Ordinarily, this practice 
would have applied to the priorities in this notice. However, section 
437(d)(2) of the General Education Provisions Act (GEPA), exempts the 
Secretary from this rulemaking requirement where the Secretary has 
determined that going through rulemaking would cause extreme hardship 
to the intended beneficiaries of the program that would be affected by 
those rules or regulations. In accordance with section 437(d)(2) of 
GEPA, the Secretary has decided to forgo public comment with respect to 
the priorities in this notice in order to be able to make timely and 
high-quality awards. These priorities will apply only to the FY 2003 
grant competition.
    Absolute Priorities: Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3) and the Jacob K. 
Javits Gifted and Talented Students Education Act of 2001, the 
Assistant Secretary gives absolute priority to applications that meet 
one of the following priorities, meaning that only applications that 
meet one of these absolute priorities will be funded. Each application 
must address one of these two priorities. However, applicants cannot 
address both priorities in the same application. Applicants eligible to 
apply under both priorities must submit separate applications to 
address each of the priorities, and the applications will be reviewed 
separately.

Absolute Priority 1--Javits Demonstration Programs

    Under this priority, applicants must propose to support projects to 
plan, implement, ``scale up'', and evaluate models designed to close 
the achievement gap and increase the number of students from 
underrepresented groups who are performing at high levels. 
Underrepresented groups include students who are economically 
disadvantaged, limited English proficient, or disabled.
    To meet this priority each project must include all of the 
following:
    (1) Evidence from one or more scientifically based research and 
evaluation studies indicating that the proposed intervention has raised 
the achievement of underrepresented groups to high levels of 
achievement in one or more core subject areas.
    (2) Evidence that the applicant has significant expertise on its 
leadership team in research and program evaluation, knowledge in one or 
more core academic subject areas, experience working with 
underrepresented groups, and knowledge about gifted and talented 
education.
    (3) A sound plan for implementing the model in multiple settings.
    (4) A research and evaluation plan that will yield both formative 
and summative information on the effectiveness of the model, including 
student achievement data.

Absolute Priority 2--Javits State Capacity-Building Grants

    Under this priority, SEAs, in collaboration with one or more LEAs, 
must propose projects to improve services to gifted and talented 
students and develop the capacity of the State and the LEAs to serve 
these students more effectively. Either the SEA, or one of the 
participating LEAs, may submit the application on behalf of the other 
participants and serve as the fiscal agent for the collaborative 
project. Under this priority, applicants must propose to carry out one 
or more of the following activities:
    (1) Conducting scientifically based research on methods and 
techniques for identifying and teaching gifted and talented students 
and for using gifted and talented programs and methods to serve all 
students; and conducting program evaluations, surveys, and the 
collection, analysis, and development of information needed to 
accomplish the proposed project.
    (2) Conducting professional development (including fellowships) for 
personnel (including leadership personnel) involved in the education of 
gifted and talented students.
    (3) Establishing and operating model projects and exemplary 
programs for serving gifted and talented students, including innovative 
methods for identifying and educating students who might not be served 
by traditional gifted and talented programs. (These model projects 
might include summer programs, mentoring programs, service-learning 
programs, and cooperative programs involving business, industry, and 
education.)
    (4) Implementing innovative strategies, such as cooperative 
learning, peer tutoring, and service learning.
    (5) Providing programs of technical assistance and information 
dissemination, including assistance and information with respect to how 
gifted and talented programs and methods, where appropriate, may be 
adapted for use by all students.
    (6) Making materials and services available through State regional 
educational service centers, institutions of higher education, or other 
entities.
    (7) Providing challenging, high-level course work, disseminated 
through technologies (including distance learning), for individual 
students or groups of students in schools and LEAs that would not 
otherwise have the resources to provide such course work.

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Other Requirements

    The Assistant Secretary directs the applicants' attention to the 
requirements in Sec.  5464(a)(2) of the statute, stating that each 
applicant requesting support under the Javits program must describe 
how:
    (1) The proposed gifted and talented services, materials, and 
methods can be adapted, if appropriate, for use by all students, and
    (2) The proposed programs can be evaluated.
    Definitions: The definitions contained in the Jacob K. Javits 
Gifted and Talented Students Education Act of 2001, at title IX, part A 
of the ESEA, apply to the Javits program and this competition. In 
particular, the Assistant Secretary directs applicants' attention to 
the following definition:
    Core Academic Subjects. The term ``core academic subjects'' means 
English, reading or language arts, mathematics, science, foreign 
languages, civics and government, economics, arts, history, and 
geography. (20 U.S.C. 7801(11)).
    Selection Criteria: The Assistant Secretary uses the following 
selection criteria to evaluate applications for new grants under this 
competition. Each of the two absolute priorities in this competition 
has separate selection criteria tailored to the specific requirements 
of the priority. These selection criteria are drawn from EDGAR Sec.  
75.210. In both sets of selection criteria, the maximum score for all 
of these criteria is 100 points. The maximum score for each criterion 
is indicated in parentheses.

Selection Criteria for Priority 1 (Javits Demonstration Programs)

    (1) Significance. (15 points.)
    In determining the significance of the proposed project, the 
following factors are considered:
    (i) The potential contribution of the proposed project to the 
development and advancement of theory, knowledge, and practices in the 
field of study.
    (ii) The potential for generalizing from the findings or results of 
the proposed project.
    (2) Quality of the project design. (20 points.) In determining the 
quality of the project design of the proposed project, the following 
factors are considered:
    (i) The extent to which the goals, objectives, and outcomes to be 
achieved by the proposed project are clearly specified and measurable.
    (ii) The extent to which the proposed activities constitute a 
coherent, sustained program of research and development in the field, 
including, as appropriate, a substantial addition to an ongoing line of 
inquiry.
    (iii) The extent to which the proposed project represents an 
exceptional approach to the priority established for the competition.
    (iv) The quality of the methodology to be employed in the proposed 
project.
    (3) Quality of project services. (20 points.) In determining the 
quality of the services to be provided by the proposed project, the 
quality and sufficiency of strategies for ensuring equal access and 
treatment for eligible project participants without regard to race, 
color, national origin, gender, age, or disability is considered. In 
addition, the following factors are considered:
    (i) The extent to which the services to be provided by the proposed 
project are appropriate to the needs of the intended recipients or 
beneficiaries of those services.
    (ii) The likelihood that the services to be provided will lead to 
improvements in the achievement of students as measured against 
rigorous academic standards.
    (iii) The extent to which the services to be provided by the 
proposed project involve the collaboration of appropriate partners for 
maximizing the effectiveness of project services.
    (4) Quality of project personnel. (10 points.) In determining the 
quality of project personnel, the extent to which the applicant 
encourages applications for employment without regard to race, color, 
national origin, gender, age, or disability is considered. In addition, 
the following factors are considered:
    (i) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience, 
of the project director or principal investigator.
    (ii) The qualifications, including relevant training and 
experience, of key project personnel.
    (5) Adequacy of resources. (10 points.) In determining the adequacy 
of resources for the proposed project, the following factors are 
considered:
    (i) The adequacy of support, including facilities, equipment, 
supplies and other resources, from the applicant organization or the 
lead applicant organization.
    (ii) The extent to which the costs are reasonable in relation to 
the objectives, design, and potential significance of the proposed 
project.
    (6) Quality of project evaluation (25 points.) In determining the 
quality of the project evaluation, the following factors are 
considered:
    (i) The extent to which the methods of evaluation are thorough, 
feasible, and appropriate to the goals, objectives, and outcomes of the 
proposed project.
    (ii) The extent to which the evaluation will provide guidance about 
effective strategies suitable for replication or testing in other 
settings.

Section Criteria for Priority 2 (Javits State Capacity-Building Grants)

    (1) Need for the project. (15 points.) In determining the need for 
the project, the extent to which specific gaps or weaknesses in 
services, infrastructure, or opportunities have been identified and 
will be addressed by the proposed project, including the nature and 
magnitude of those gaps or weaknesses, is considered.
    (2) Quality of the project design. (20 points.) In determining the 
quality of the design of the proposed project, the following factors 
are considered:
    (i) The extent to which the goals, objectives, and outcomes to be 
achieved by the proposed project are clearly specified and measurable.
    (ii) The extent to which the design of the proposed project is 
appropriate to, and will successfully address, the needs of the target 
population or other identified needs.
    (iii) The extent to which the proposed project represents an 
exceptional approach to the priority established for the competition.
    (3) Quality of project services. (15 points.) In determining the 
quality of the services to be provided by the proposed project, the 
quality and sufficiency of strategies for ensuring equal access and 
treatment for eligible project participants without regard to race, 
color, national origin, gender, age, or disability is considered. In 
addition, the following factors are considered:
    (i) The extent to which the services to be provided by the proposed 
project reflect up-to-date knowledge from research and effective 
practice.
    (ii) The likely impact of the services to be provided by the 
proposed project on the intended recipients of those services.
    (4) Quality of project personnel. (10 points.)
    In determining the quality of the project personnel, the extent to 
which the applicant encourages applications for employment without 
regard to race, color, national origin, gender, age, or disability, is 
considered. In addition, the following factors are considered:
    (i) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience, 
of the project director or principal investigator.
    (ii) The qualifications, including relevant training and 
experience, of the key project personnel.
    (5) Adequacy of resources. (10 points.)

[[Page 27549]]

    The adequacy of resources for the proposed project is considered.
    (6) Quality of the management plan. (10 points.)
    In determining the quality of the management plan for the proposed 
project, the following factors are considered:
    (i) The adequacy of the management plan to achieve the objectives 
of the proposed project on time and within budget, including clearly 
defined responsibilities, timelines, and milestones for accomplishing 
project tasks.
    (ii) The adequacy of the procedures for ensuring feedback and 
continuous improvement in the operation of the proposed project.
    (7) Quality of the project evaluation. (20 points.)
    In determining the quality of the evaluation, the following factors 
are considered:
    (i) The extent to which the methods of evaluation are thorough, 
feasible, and appropriate to the goals, objectives, and outcomes of the 
proposed project.
    (ii) The extent to which the evaluation will provide guidance about 
effective strategies suitable for replication or testing in other 
settings.

Application Procedures

Pilot Project for Electronic Submission of Applications

    In FY 2003, the U.S. Department of Education is continuing to 
expand its pilot project for electronic submission of applications to 
include additional formula grant programs and additional discretionary 
grant competitions. The Javits program--CFDA  84.206A is one 
of the programs included in the pilot project. If you are an applicant 
under the Javits program, you may submit your application to us in 
either electronic or paper format.
    The pilot project involves the use of the Electronic Grant 
Application System (e-Application) portion of the Grant Administration 
and Payment System (GAPS). Users of e-Application will be entering data 
on-line while completing their applications. You may not e-mail a soft 
copy of a grant application to us. If you participate in this voluntary 
pilot project by submitting an application electronically, the data you 
enter on-line will be saved into a database. We request your 
participation in e-Application. We shall continue to evaluate its 
success and solicit suggestions for improvement.
    If you participate in e-Application, please note the following:
    [sbull] Your participation is voluntary.
    [sbull] You will not receive any additional point value because you 
submit a grant application in electronic format, nor will we penalize 
you if you submit an application in paper format. When you enter the e-
Application system, you will find information about its hours of 
operation.
    [sbull] You may submit all documents electronically, including the 
Application for Federal Assistance (ED 424), Budget Information--Non-
Construction Programs (ED 524), and all necessary assurances and 
certifications.
    [sbull] After you electronically submit your application, you will 
receive an automatic acknowledgement, which will include a PR/Award 
number (an identifying number unique to your application).
    [sbull] Within three working days after submitting your electronic 
application, fax a signed copy of the Application for Federal 
Assistance (ED 424) to the Application Control Center after following 
these steps:
    (1) Print ED 424 from the e-Application system.
    (2) The institution's Authorizing Representative must sign this 
form.
    (3) Place the PR/Award number in the upper right hand corner of the 
hard copy signature page of the ED 424.
    (4) Fax the signed ED 424 to the Application Control Center at 
(202) 260-1349.
    [sbull] We may request that you give us original signatures on all 
other forms at a later date.
    [sbull] Closing Date Extension in Case of System Unavailability: If 
you elect to participate in the e-Application pilot for the Javits 
program and you are prevented from submitting your application on the 
closing date because the e-Application system is unavailable, we will 
grant you an extension of one business day in order to transmit your 
application electronically, by mail, or by hand delivery. For us to 
grant this extension--
    (1) You must be a registered user of e-Application, and have 
initiated an e-Application for this competition; and
    (2)(a) The e-Application system must be unavailable for 60 minutes 
or more between the hours of 8:30 and 3:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, 
on the deadline date; or
    (b) The e-Application system must be unavailable for any period of 
time during the last hour of operation (that is, for any period of time 
between 3:30 and 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time) on the deadline date. 
The Department must acknowledge and confirm these periods of 
unavailability before granting you an extension. To request this 
extension you must contact either (1) the person listed elsewhere in 
this notice under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT or (2) the e-GRANTS 
help desk at 1-888-336-8930.
    You may access the electronic grant application for the Javits 
program at: http://e-grants.ed.gov.
    We have included additional information about the e-Application 
pilot project in the application package.
    For Applications Contact: Education Publications Center (EDPubs), 
P.O. Box 1398, Jessup, MD 20794-1398. Telephone (toll free): 1-877-433-
7827. FAX: (301) 470-1244. If you use a telecommunications device for 
the deaf (TDD) you may call (toll free): 1-877-576-7734.
    You may also contact ED Pubs at its Web site: http://www.ed.gov/about/ordering.jsp.
    Or you may contact ED Pubs at its e-mail address: 
[email protected].
    If you request an application from ED Pubs, identify this 
competition as: CFDA number 84.206A.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
    For Information on Priority 1: Lar'Mara O'Neal, U.S. Department of 
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20202-6200. 
Telephone: (202) 205-1860 or via Internet: [email protected].
    For Information on Priority 2: Susan Toy, U.S. Department of 
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20202-6200. 
Telephone: (202) 260-0995 or via Internet: [email protected].
    If you use a telecommunications devise 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, or an 
application package in an alternative format (e.g., Braille, large 
print, audiotape, or computer diskette) on request using the contact 
information provided under For Applications Contact.
    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: www.ed.gov/legislation/FedRegister.
    To use PDF you must have the 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

[[Page 27550]]

Access at: http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/index.html.


    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 7253 et seq.

    Dated: May 14, 2003.
Eugene W. Hickok,
Under Secretary of Education.
[FR Doc. 03-12602 Filed 5-19-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P