[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 106 (Tuesday, June 3, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33318-33321]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-13834]



[[Page 33317]]

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Part IV





Department of Education





-----------------------------------------------------------------------



Community Technology Centers Program; Notice

  Federal Register / Vol. 68, No. 106 / Tuesday, June 3, 2003 / 
Notices  

[[Page 33318]]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[CFDA No.: 84.341]


Community Technology Centers Program

AGENCY: Office of Vocational and Adult Education, U.S. Department of 
Education.

ACTION: Notice of final priorities, program requirements, and selection 
criteria for Fiscal Year (FY) 2003.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Assistant Secretary for Vocational and Adult Education has 
established priorities, selection criteria, and program requirements 
under the Community Technology Centers (CTC) program. The Assistant 
Secretary will use these priorities, selection criteria, and program 
requirements for competitions in FY 2003. The Department takes this 
action to target Federal resources on improving the academic 
achievement of low-achieving students enrolled in, or entering, grades 
9 through 12 at low-performing secondary schools. The Department 
intends the priorities, selection criteria, and program requirements to 
support the goal of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 
(ESEA), as amended by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB), that 
all students will attain, at a minimum, proficiency on challenging 
State academic achievement standards and State academic assessments, 
particularly in the core academic subjects of reading or language arts, 
and mathematics.

EFFECTIVE DATE: These priorities, program requirements, and selection 
criteria are effective May 30, 2003.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you have questions pertaining to 
the application, need further assistance, or need to speak with someone 
in the CTC program, you may contact Gisela Harkin, Office of Vocational 
and Adult Education, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, 
SW., Mary E. Switzer Building, Room 4324, Washington, DC 20202 7100, 
Telephone: (202) 205-4238 or via e-mail: [email protected]. Please 
type ``CTC Notice Correspondence'' as the subject line of your 
electronic message.
    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.

    Note: This notice does not solicit applications. A notice 
inviting applications under this competition is published elsewhere 
in this issue of the Federal Register. The notice inviting 
applications specifies the deadline date by which applications for 
an award must be received or hand-delivered to the Department if a 
waiver to the electronic submission requirement is granted.


SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

General

    As authorized by Title V, Part D, Subpart 11, Section 5511-13 of 
the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA), as amended 
by the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) of 2001, the purpose of the CTC 
Program is to assist eligible applicants to create or expand community 
technology centers that will provide disadvantaged residents of 
economically distressed urban and rural communities with access to 
information technology and related training. Eligible applicants are 
community-based organizations (including faith-based organizations), 
State and local educational agencies, institutions of higher education, 
and other entities such as foundations, libraries, museums, public and 
private nonprofit organizations, and for-profit businesses, or 
consortia thereof. To be eligible, an applicant must also have the 
capacity to significantly expand access to computers and related 
services for disadvantaged residents of economically distressed urban 
and rural communities who would otherwise be denied such access.
    The focus of the CTC program competition has changed to give 
absolute priority to those applicants who will focus on improving the 
academic achievement of low-achieving high school students while 
continuing to provide a community technology center for all members of 
their community. Thus, grant recipients must meet this priority as they 
use grant funds to create or expand community technology centers that 
expand access to information technology and related training for 
disadvantaged residents of distressed urban or rural communities and to 
evaluate the effectiveness of their projects. Funds may be used to 
provide services and activities that use technology to improve academic 
achievement, such as academic enrichment activities for children and 
youth, career development, adult education, and English language 
instruction for individuals with limited English proficiency. Other 
authorized activities include, among other things, support for 
personnel, equipment, networking capabilities, and other infrastructure 
costs. No funds may be used for construction.
    Improving the academic achievement of our nation's secondary school 
students has become an urgent need. Current National Assessment of 
Educational Progress (NAEP) data indicate that, despite some slow and 
steady progress in secondary student achievement over the past few 
decades, many of our nation's secondary students are still not 
attaining the academic skills and knowledge required for graduation, 
postsecondary education, or careers. This is particularly true among 
students who are entering secondary school, with two in ten scoring 
below basic levels in reading, over three in ten scoring below basic 
levels in math, and four in ten scoring below basic levels in science. 
Moreover, as students move through secondary school, their academic 
progress wanes. Except in the area of science, students actually make 
greater academic gains between grades 4 and 8 than between grades 8 and 
12.
    To support the goal of the NCLB that all students attain 
proficiency in challenging State academic achievement standards, the 
Assistant Secretary has established priorities, selection criteria, and 
program requirements for the CTC program that will focus program 
resources on providing effective supplemental instruction to low-
achieving students who are entering or enrolled in grades 9 through 12 
at high-poverty, low-performing secondary schools.

Application Procedures

    The Government Paperwork Elimination Act (GPEA) of 1998 (Public Law 
105-277) and the Federal Financial Assistance Management Improvement 
Act of 1999 (Public Law 106-107) encourage us to undertake initiatives 
to improve our grant processes. Enhancing the ability of individuals 
and entities to conduct business with us electronically is a major part 
of our response to these Acts. Therefore, the Department is taking 
steps to adopt the Internet as our chief means of conducting 
transactions in order to improve services to our customers and to 
simplify and expedite our processes.
    The Department is requiring that applications for the FY 2003 
Community Technology Centers program competition be submitted 
electronically using e-Application through the U.S. Department of 
Education's e-GRANTS system. The e-GRANTS system is accessible through 
its portal page at http://e-grants.ed.gov.
    Applicants who are unable to submit an application through the e-
GRANTS systems may apply for a waiver to the

[[Page 33319]]

electronic submission requirement. To apply for a waiver, applicants 
must explain the reason(s) that prevent(s) them from using the Internet 
to submit their applications. The reason(s) must be outlined in a 
letter addressed to: Gisela Harkin, U.S. Department of Education, 
Office of Vocational and Adult Education, 330 ``C'' Street, S.W., 
Washington, D.C., 20202-7100. Please mark your envelope ``CTC 
competition waiver request.'' The letter requesting the waiver is to be 
submitted no later than two (2) weeks before the deadline for 
transmittal of applications; last minute requests will not be 
considered.
    Any application that receives a waiver to the electronic submission 
requirement will be given the same consideration in the review process 
as an electronic application.

Pilot Project for Electronic Submission of Applications

    In FY 2003, the U.S. Department of Education is continuing to 
expand its pilot project of electronic submission of applications to 
include additional formula programs and additional discretionary grant 
competitions. The Community Technology Centers (CTC) program (CFDA 
84.341) is one of the programs included in the pilot project. If you 
are an applicant under the CTC Program, you must submit your 
application to us in electronic format or receive a waiver.
    The pilot project involves the use of the Electronic Grant 
Application System (e-Application, formerly e-GAPS) portion of the 
Grant Administration and Payment System (GAPS). We shall continue to 
evaluate its success and solicit suggestions for improvement.
    Please note the following:

--Do not wait until the deadline date for the transmittal of 
applications to submit your application electronically. If you wait 
until the deadline date to submit your application electronically and 
you are unable to access the e-Application system, you must contact the 
Help Desk by 4:30 p.m. EST on the deadline date.
--Keep in mind that e-Applications is not operational 24 hours a day, 7 
days a week. Click on ``Hours of Web Site Operation'' for specific 
hours of access during the week.
--You will have access to the e-Application Help Desk for technical 
support: 1(888)336-8930 (TTY: 1[866]697-2696, local [202]401-8363). The 
Help Desk hours of operation are limited to 8 a.m.-6 p.m. EST Monday 
through Friday.

    You must submit all documents electronically, including the 
Application for Federal Education Assistance (ED424), Budget 
Information--Non-Construction Programs (ED524), and assurances, 
certifications, and appendices, as appropriate.

--After you electronically submit your application, you will receive an 
acknowledgement, which will include a PR/Award number (an identifying 
number unique to your application).
--Within three (3) working days after submitting your electronic 
application, fax a signed copy of the Application for Federal Education 
Assistance (ED424) to the Application Control Center after following 
these steps:

    (1) Print the ED424 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 ED424.
    (4) Fax the signed ED424 to the Application Control Center at (202) 
260-1349.

--The Department may request that you give us original signatures on 
all other forms at a later date.

Closing Date Extension in Case of System Unavailability

    If 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 (1) 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 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. EST, on the deadline date; or (B) 
The e-APPLICATION system must be unavailable for any period of time 
during the last hours of operation (that is, for any period of time 
between 3:30 and 4:30 p.m. EST) 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 
the e-Grants Help Desk at 1(888) 336-8930.
    You may access the electronic grant application for CFDA No. 84.341 
at http://e-grants.ed.gov.
    Page Limit: The application narrative (Part VI of the application) 
is where you, the applicant, address the selection criteria that 
reviewers use to evaluate your application. You must limit Part VI to 
the equivalent of no more than 25 pages, using the following standards:
    [sbull] A ``page'' is 8.5'' x 11'' on one side only, with 1'' 
margins on the top, bottom, and both sides.
    [sbull] Double space (no more than three lines per vertical inch) 
all text in the application narrative, including titles, headings, 
footnotes, quotations, references, and captions, as well as all text in 
charts, tables, figures, and graphs.
    [sbull] Use a font that is either 12-point or larger or no smaller 
than 10 pitch (characters per inch).
    In addition, you must limit Part VII (budget narrative) to four (4) 
pages and Part X (Appendices) to 15 pages, using the aforementioned 
standards. We will reject your application if:
    [sbull] You apply these standards and exceed the page limit; or
    [sbull] You apply other standards and exceed the equivalent of the 
page limit.

Scoring of Applications

    Applications received under this notice will be screened for 
eligibility and scored according to the criteria that follow in this 
notice. Each application under this competition must meet Absolute 
Priority 1 and Absolute Priority 2 in order to be eligible for funding. 
An application that does not meet both priorities will not be evaluated 
and scored under the selection criteria, which are the same for both 
competitions. Once eligibility is established, each application may 
earn up to 100 points under the selection criteria. In addition, each 
application may earn up to an additional five (5) points for satisfying 
the competitive preference priority. The highest possible score is 105 
points.

Waiver of 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 and requirements of this notice. However, section 
437(d)(2) of the General Education Provisions Act (GEPA) exempts from 
this requirement rules that would cause extreme hardship to the 
intended beneficiaries of the program that would be affected by those 
rules. In accordance with section 437(d)(2) of GEPA, the Secretary has 
decided to forgo public comment with respect to the rules in this grant 
competition in order to ensure timely and high-quality awards. The 
rules

[[Page 33320]]

established in this notice apply only to the FY 2003 grant competition.

Discussion of Priorities

    When inviting applications, we designate each priority as absolute 
or competitive preference. The effect of each type of priority follows:
    Absolute priority: Under an absolute priority, we consider only 
applications that meet the priority (34 CFR 75.105(c)(3)).
    Competitive preference priority: Under a competitive preference 
priority, we give competitive preference to an application by either 
(1) awarding additional points, depending on how well or the extent to 
which the application meets the competitive priority (34 CFR 
75.105(c)(2)(i)); or (2) selecting an application that meets the 
competitive priority over an application of comparable merit that does 
not meet the priority (34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(ii)).
    Priorities: Applicants must meet both Absolute Priority 1 and 
Absolute Priority 2 to be considered for funding under this notice. 
Eligible applicants may be either State or local entities.
    Absolute Priority 1: Each application must be submitted by an 
eligible applicant. In addition, each proposed project must include a 
partnership with a community-based organization and a local educational 
agency (or school). The application must clearly identify the 
partnering agencies and must include a detailed plan of their working 
relationship. Thus, under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3), the Secretary gives an 
absolute priority to projects in which the delivery of instructional 
services includes:
    1. a Community-Based Organization (CBO), which may include a faith-
based organization, and
    2. a Local Educational Agency (LEA) (or school, including private, 
non-profit schools).
    A CBO is not required to submit a joint application with an LEA or 
school when applying for funds; however, the proposed project must 
deliver the educational services in partnership with an LEA (or 
school).
    Likewise, an LEA is not required to submit a joint application with 
a CBO when applying for funds; however, the proposed project must 
deliver the educational services in partnership with a CBO.
    Applicants who are neither CBOs nor LEAs must enter into a 
partnership that includes a CBO and an LEA (or school) in the delivery 
of educational services.
    The Secretary has determined that the participation of both CBOs 
and LEAs (or schools) is critical to the success of the projects that 
will be funded in this competition. Many academic support programs for 
adolescents report that securing and maintaining a high level of 
student participation can be challenging. Involving CBOs in service 
delivery will help projects better master this challenge, such as by 
providing expanded outreach and support to students, joint programming, 
or alternative service sites that are in or near the neighborhoods 
where students live. Community-based and faith-based partners bring 
other important resources to the table as well, such as assistance in 
recruiting staff and volunteers. LEAs (or schools) are essential 
partners as well. Their involvement is needed to identify the students 
who are most in need of academic support and to ensure that the 
project's curriculum, assessment, and instructional practices are 
consistent with those of the schools the students attend.
    Applications that do not show evidence of a partnership with a CBO 
and an LEA (or school) will be ineligible for funding.

    Note: Applicants should bear in mind that LEAs are eligible 
applicants, but individual schools are not eligible applicants.

    Absolute Priority 2: Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3), the Secretary gives 
an absolute priority to projects that meet the following criteria:
    Applicants in this program must state whether they are proposing a 
local or State project. A local project must include one or more CTCs; 
a State project must include two or more CTCs. In addition, the project 
must be carried out by or in partnership with one or more LEAs or 
secondary schools that provide supplementary instruction in the core 
academic subjects of reading or language arts, or mathematics, to low-
achieving secondary school students. Projects must serve students who 
are entering or enrolled in grades 9 through 12 and who have academic 
skills significantly below grade level, or who have not attained 
proficiency on State academic assessments as established by NCLB. 
Supplementary instruction may be delivered before or after school or at 
other times when school is not in session. Instruction may also be 
provided while school is in session, provided that it increases the 
amount of time students receive instruction in core academic subjects 
and does not require their removal from regular academic classes. The 
instructional strategies used must be based on practices that have 
proven effective for improving the academic performance of low-
achieving students. If these services are not provided directly by an 
LEA, they must be provided in partnership with an LEA or secondary 
school.

Competitive Preference Priority--Low-Performing Secondary Schools

    In addition to the points to be awarded under the selection 
criteria, the Secretary awards up to five (5) additional points to 
projects that serve students in secondary schools that have not met 
adequate yearly progress for two (2) or more consecutive years.

Selection Criteria

    The following selection criteria will be used to evaluate 
applications submitted for grants. Please note:
    (1) The maximum score is 105 points. Up to 100 points will be 
awarded in response to the selection criteria listed below. A maximum 
of 5 additional points may be awarded to those applicants that respond 
to the competitive preference priority described earlier in the notice.
    (2) The maximum score for each criterion is indicated in 
parentheses.
    (a) Need for the Project (10 points):
    In evaluating the need for the proposed project, we consider the 
extent to which the proposed project will:
    (1) Serve students from low-income families;
    (2) Serve students entering or enrolled in secondary schools that 
are among the secondary schools in the State that have the highest 
numbers or percentages of students who have not achieved proficiency on 
the State academic assessments required by Title I of ESEA, or who have 
academic skills in reading or language arts, or mathematics, that are 
significantly below grade level;
    (3) Serve students who have the greatest need for supplementary 
instruction, as indicated by their scores on State or local 
standardized assessments in reading or language arts, or mathematics, 
or some other local measure of performance in reading or language arts, 
or mathematics; and
    (4) Create or expand access to information technology and related 
training for disadvantaged residents of distressed urban or rural 
communities.
    (b) Quality of the Project Design (35 points):
    In evaluating the quality of the proposed project, we consider the 
extent to which the proposed project will:
    (1) Provide instructional services that will be of sufficient size, 
scope, and intensity to improve the academic performance of 
participating students;
    (2) Incorporate strategies that have proven effective for improving 
the academic performance of low-achieving students;

[[Page 33321]]

    (3) Implement strategies in recruiting and retaining students that 
are likely to prove effective;
    (4) Provide instruction that is aligned with the secondary school 
curricula of the schools in which the students to be served by the 
grant are entering or enrolled, and supports the efforts of the State 
or LEA to improve the academic achievement of these students; and
    (5) Provide high-quality, sustained, and intensive professional 
development for personnel who provide instruction to students.
    (c) Quality of the Management Plan (15 points):
    In evaluating the quality of the management plan, we consider the 
extent to which the proposed project:
    (1) Outlines specific, measurable goals, objectives, and outcomes 
to be achieved by the proposed project;
    (2) Assigns responsibility for the accomplishment of project tasks 
to specific project personnel, and provides timelines for the 
accomplishment of project tasks;
    (3) Requires appropriate and adequate time commitments of the 
project director and other key personnel to achieve the objectives of 
the proposed project; and
    (4) Includes key project personnel, including the project director, 
teachers, counselors, and administrators, with appropriate 
qualifications and relevant training and experience.
    (d) Adequacy of Resources (20 points):
    In determining the adequacy of resources for the proposed project, 
we consider the following factors:
    (1) The adequacy of support, including facilities, equipment, 
supplies, and other resources, from the applicant;
    (2) The extent to which a preponderance of project resources will 
be used for activities designed to improve the academic performance of 
low-achieving students in reading or language arts, and/or mathematics;
    (3) The extent to which the budget is adequate and costs are 
reasonable in relation to the objectives and design of the proposed 
project; and
    (4) The potential for continued support of the project after 
Federal funding ends, including, as appropriate, the demonstrated 
commitment of appropriate entities to such support.
    (e) Quality of the Evaluation (20 points):
    In determining the quality of the evaluation, we consider the 
extent to which the proposed project:
    (1) Includes a plan that utilizes evaluation methods that are 
feasible and appropriate to the goals and outcomes of the project;
    (2) Will regularly examine the progress and outcomes of 
participating students on a range of appropriate performance measures, 
including their performance on State or local standardized academic 
assessments;
    (3) Will use an independent, external evaluator with the necessary 
background and technical expertise to assess the performance of the 
project; and
    (4) Effectively demonstrates that the applicant has adopted a 
rigorous evaluation design.

Program Requirements

    Project Period: 12 months.
    Range of Awards: $300,000-$500,000. Applicants who request more 
than $500,000 will be ineligible for funding.
    Matching Requirement: Pursuant to Section 5512(c) of ESEA, as 
amended by NCLB, Federal funds may not pay for more than 50 percent of 
total project costs. In order to apply for and receive a grant award 
under this competition, each applicant must furnish from nonfederal 
sources at least 50 percent of its total project costs. Applicants may 
satisfy this requirement in cash or in kind, fairly evaluated, 
including services.
    Reporting Requirements: In accordance with Education Department 
General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) cited elsewhere in this 
notice, grantees are required to submit to the Secretary a final 
performance report that:
    (1) Summarizes project progress with respect to the specific, 
measurable goals, objectives, and outcomes proposed in the management 
plan;
    (2) Summarizes project impact with respect to the achievement of 
participants, as measured by standardized State or local assessments;
    (3) Identifies barriers to progress as well as solutions; and
    (4) Provides information about the project's success in identifying 
funding to sustain its operations after the cessation of the grant.

Intergovernmental Review

    This program is subject to Executive Order 12372 and the 
regulations in 34 CFR part 79. One of the objectives of the Executive 
Order is to foster an intergovernmental partnership and a strengthened 
Federalism. The Executive order relies on processes developed by State 
and local governments for coordination and review of proposed Federal 
financial assistance.
    Applicable Program Regulations: 34 CFR parts 75, 77, 79, 80, 81, 
82, 85, 86, 97, 98 and 99.

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.

CFDA No. 84.341 Community Technology Centers Program

    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 7263-7263b.

    Dated: May 29, 2003.
Carol D'Amico,
Assistant Secretary for Vocational and Adult Education.
[FR Doc. 03-13834 Filed 6-2-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P