[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 106 (Tuesday, June 3, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33108-33111]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-13836]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[CFDA No. 84.255A]


Office of Safe and Drug Free Schools--Life Skills for State and 
Local Prisoners Program; Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards 
Using Fiscal Year (FY) 2002 Funds

    Purpose of Program: The Life Skills for State and Local Prisoners 
Program provides financial assistance for establishing and operating 
programs designed to reduce recidivism through the development and 
improvement of life skills necessary for reintegration of adult 
prisoners into society.
    Eligible Applicants: State or local correctional agencies and State 
or local correctional education agencies.
    Applications Available: June 3, 2003.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: July 14, 2003.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: August 13, 2003.
    Estimated Available Funds: $4,750,000.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $315,000-$475,000
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $395,000.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 12.

    Note: Estimates are based on FY 2002 appropriated funds only, 
for the first budget

[[Page 33109]]

period of each grant. The Department plans to use FY 2003 funds 
appropriated for this program to make continuation awards for the 
second budget period of these projects to grantees that demonstrate 
they are making substantial progress toward achieving the goals and 
objectives for their projects. The Department is not bound by any 
estimates in this notice.

    Project Period: Up to 36 months.
    Applicable Regulations: The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR Parts 75, 77, 79, 80, 81, 
82, 85, 97, 98, and 99.
    Definitions: For purposes of this competition, terms used in this 
notice have the following meanings as found in 34 CFR 490.4:
    Life skills includes self-development, communication skills, job 
and financial skills development, education, interpersonal and family 
relationship development, and stress and anger management.
    Local correctional agency means any agency of local government that 
provides corrections services to incarcerated adults.
    Local correctional education agency means any agency of local 
government, other than a local correctional agency, that provides 
educational services to incarcerated adults.
    State correctional agency means any agency of State government that 
provides corrections services to incarcerated adults.
    State correctional education agency means any agency of State 
government, other than a State correctional agency, that provides 
educational services to incarcerated adults.
    Additional Awards: Contingent upon the availability of FY 2003 and 
FY 2004 funds, we may make additional awards under these appropriations 
from the rank-ordered list of unfunded applications from this 
competition.
    Absolute Priority: Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3), we will consider only 
applications that meet the following absolute priority: Grants for 
projects that assist State or local correctional agencies and State or 
local correctional education agencies in establishing and operating 
programs designed to reduce recidivism through the development and 
improvement of life skills necessary for reintegration of adult 
prisoners into society.
    Invitational Priorities: Within the absolute priority, we are 
particularly interested in applications that meet one or more of the 
following invitational priorities.
    Invitational Priority 1. Projects that integrate life skills 
instruction and services under a comprehensive reentry plan with the 
State Serious and Violent Offender Reentry Initiative project funded by 
the U.S. Department of Justice.
    Invitational Priority 2. Projects that emphasize cognitive and 
interpersonal skills such as goal setting, developing strong family 
relationships, strengthening values, and enhancing social skills.
    Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(1) we do not give an application that meets 
the invitational priorities a competitive or absolute preference over 
other applications.
    Performance Measures: The Secretary has established the following 
key performance measure for assessing the effectiveness of the Life 
Skills for State and Local Prisoners Program: the number of prisoners 
who attain measurable gains in one or more of the life skill domains 
(e.g., self-development, communication skills, job and financial skills 
development, education, interpersonal and family relationship 
development, stress and anger management or others) taught under these 
Life Skills projects. The Secretary has set an overall performance 
target that calls for the number of prisoners acquiring enhanced life 
skills from the cohort of Life Skills grant program projects initiated 
under this competition to increase by five percent annually.
    In applying the selection criteria that follow for ``Quality of 
project services'' and ``Quality of the project evaluation'', the 
Secretary will take into consideration the extent to which the 
applicant demonstrates a strong capacity (1) to help achieve this 
target, and (2) to provide reliable data to the Department on the 
project's impact as measured by number of prisoners participating in 
Life Skills grants acquiring enhanced life skills.
    Selection Criteria: We use the following selection criteria from 34 
CFR 75.210 to evaluate applications for new grants under this 
competition. The maximum score for all of these criteria is 100 points. 
The maximum score for each criterion or factor under that criterion is 
indicated in parentheses.
    (1) Significance. (20 points)--In determining the significance of 
the proposed project, the following factors are considered:
    (a) The likelihood that the proposed project will result in system 
change or improvement.
    (b) The potential contribution of the proposed project to the 
development and advancement of theory, knowledge, and practices in the 
field of study.
    (c) The extent to which the proposed project is likely to build 
local capacity to provide, improve, or expand services that address the 
needs of the target population.
    (d) The extent to which the proposed project is likely to yield 
findings that may be utilized by other appropriate agencies and 
organizations.
    (2) Quality of the project design. (25 points)--In determining the 
quality of the design of the proposed project, the following factors 
are considered:
    (a) The extent to which the goals, objectives, and outcomes to be 
achieved by the proposed project are clearly specified and measurable.
    (b) 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.
    (c) The extent to which the proposed project represents an 
exceptional approach for meeting statutory purposes and requirements.
    (d) The extent to which the design for implementing and evaluating 
the proposed project will result in information to guide possible 
replication activities or strategies, including information about the 
effectiveness of the approach or strategies employed by the project.
    (e) The extent to which the proposed project will establish 
linkages with other appropriate agencies and organizations providing 
services to the target population.
    (3) Quality of project services. (25 points)--In determining the 
quality of the services to be provided by the proposed project, the 
following factors are considered:
    (a) The quality and sufficiency of strategies for ensuring equal 
access and treatment for eligible project participants who are members 
of groups that have traditionally been underrepresented based on race, 
color, national origin, gender, age, or disability.
    (b) The extent to which the services to be provided by the proposed 
project reflect up-to-date knowledge from research and effective 
practice.
    (c) The extent to which the training or professional development 
services to be provided by the proposed project are of sufficient 
quality, intensity, and duration to lead to improvements in practice 
among the recipients of those services.
    (d) 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 the management plan. (10 points)--In determining the 
quality of the management plan for the

[[Page 33110]]

proposed project, the following factor is considered:
    (a) 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.
    (5) Quality of the project evaluation. (20 points)--In determining 
the quality of the evaluation, the following factors are considered:
    (a) The extent to which the methods of evaluation are thorough, 
feasible, and appropriate to the goals, objectives, and outcomes of the 
proposed project.
    (b) The extent to which the methods of evaluation include the use 
of objective performance measures that are clearly related to the 
intended outcomes of the project and will produce quantitative and 
qualitative data to the extent possible.
    (c) The extent to which the methods of evaluation will provide 
performance feedback and permit periodic assessment of progress toward 
achieving intended outcomes.
    (d) The extent to which the evaluation will provide guidance about 
effective strategies suitable for replication or testing in other 
settings.
    For Applications Contact: Education Publications Center (ED Pubs), 
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, you may call 1-877-576-7734.
    You may also contact ED Pubs at its Web site: http://www.ed.gov/pubs/edpubs/html. Or you may contact ED Pubs at its e-mail address: 
[email protected].
    If you request an application from ED Pubs, be sure to identify 
this competition as follows: CFDA number 84.255A.

    Note: Some of the procedures in these instructions for 
transmitting applications differ from those in EDGAR (34 CFR 
75.102). Under the Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C. 553) the 
Department generally offers interested parties the opportunity to 
comment on proposed regulations. However, these amendments make 
procedural changes only and do not establish new substantive policy. 
Therefore, under 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(A), the Secretary has determined 
that proposed rulemaking is not required.

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 grant programs, as well as discretionary 
grant competitions. The Life Skills for State and Local Prisoners 
Program is one of the programs included in the pilot project. If you 
are an applicant under this grant competition, 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, formerly e-GAPS) portion of the 
Grant Administration and Payment System (GAPS). We invite your 
participation in this pilot project. We will continue to evaluate its 
success and solicit suggestions for improvement.
    If you participate in this e-APPLICATION pilot, please note the 
following:
    [sbull] Your participation is voluntary.
    [sbull] You will not receive any additional point value or penalty 
because you submit a grant application in electronic or paper format.
    [sbull] You can submit all documents electronically, including the 
Application for Federal Assistance (ED Form 424), Budget Information--
Non-Construction Programs, (ED Form 524), and all necessary assurances 
and certifications.
    [sbull] Within three working days of submitting your electronic 
application, fax a signed copy of the Application for Federal 
Assistance (ED Form 424) to the Application Control Center following 
these steps:
    1. Print ED Form 424 from the e-Application system.
    2. Make sure that the applicant's Authorizing Representative signs 
this form.
    3. Before faxing this form, submit your electronic application via 
the e-Application system. You will receive an automatic 
acknowledgement, which will include a PR/Award number an identifying 
number unique to your application).
    4. Place the PR/Award number in the upper right corner of ED Form 
424.
    5. Fax ED Form 424 to the Application Control Center within three 
business days of submitting your electronic application at (202) 260-
1349.
    6. We may request that you give us original signatures on all other 
forms at a later date.
    7. Closing Date Extension in the Case of System Unavailability: If 
you elect to participate in the e-Application pilot for the Life Skills 
for State and Local Prisoners 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 via e-
Application, by mail, or by hand delivery. For us to grant this 
extension:
    (1) You must be a registered user of e-Applications, 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. (ET), 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 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. Eastern time on the deadline date.
    The Department must acknowledge and confirm the period of 
unavailability before you will be granted an extension. To request this 
extension you must contact Carlette Huntley by e-mail at 
[email protected] or by telephone at (202) 260-7274 or the e-
Grants help desk at (888) 336-8930.
    You may access the electronic grant application for the Life Skills 
for State and Local Prisoners Program at: http://e-grants.ed.gov.
    We have included additional information on the e-Application pilot 
project (see Parity Guidelines between paper and Electronic 
Applications) in the application package.
    If you want to apply for a grant and be considered for funding, you 
must meet the deadline requirements included in this notice.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carlette Huntley, U. S. Department of 
Education, 330 C Street, SW., Washington, DC 20202-7274. Telephone: 
(202) 260-7272 or via Internet: [email protected].
    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 to the contact 
person listed at the beginning of this section. 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: 
http://www.ed.gov/legislation/FedRegister.

    Program Authority:  20 U.S.C. 1211-2 (1991).


[[Page 33111]]


    Dated: May 27, 2003.
Judge Eric Andell,
Deputy Under Secretary for Safe and Drug-Free Schools.
[FR Doc. 03-13836 Filed 6-2-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P