[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 41 (Tuesday, March 2, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9813-9817]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-4554]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Office of Indian Education; Overview Information; Professional 
Development; Notice Inviting Applications for New Discretionary Program 
Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2004

    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.299B.

DATES: 
    Applications Available: March 3, 2004.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: April 5, 2004.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: June 1, 2004.
    Eligible Applicants: Eligible applicants for this program are an 
institution of higher education, including an Indian institution of 
higher education; a State or local educational agency, in consortium 
with an institution of higher education; an Indian tribe or 
organization, in consortium with an institution of higher education; 
and a Bureau-funded school.
    An application from a consortium of eligible entities must meet the 
requirements of 34 CFR 75.127 through 75.129. The consortium agreement, 
signed by all parties, must be submitted with the application in order 
to be considered as a consortium application. Letters of support do not 
meet the consortium requirements.
    In order to be considered an eligible entity, applicants, including 
institutions of higher education, must be eligible to provide the level 
and type of degree proposed in the application or must apply in 
consortium with an institution of higher education that is eligible to 
grant the target degree.
    Applicants that apply as an ``Indian organization'' must 
demonstrate in the application how they meet all criteria of this term 
as defined in 34 CFR 263.3 in order to be considered an eligible Indian 
organization.
    We will reject any application that does not meet these 
requirements.
    Estimated Available Funds: $6,791,630.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $300,000 to $500,000.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $424,476.

[[Page 9814]]

    Maximum Award: We will reject any application that proposes a 
budget exceeding $500,000 for a single budget period of 12 months 
during the first 24 months of the project. The last 12-month budget 
period of a 36-month award will be limited to induction services only, 
at a cost not to exceed $75,000. The Deputy Under Secretary may change 
the maximum amount through a notice published in the Federal Register.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 16.

    Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this 
notice.

    Project Period: 36 months.

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Purpose of Program: The purposes of the Professional Development 
program are to: (1) Increase the number of qualified Indian individuals 
in professions that serve Indian people; (2) provide training to 
qualified Indian individuals to become teachers, administrators, 
teacher aides, social workers, and ancillary educational personnel; and 
(3) improve the skills of qualified Indian individuals who serve in the 
education field. Activities may include, but are not limited to, 
continuing programs, symposia, workshops, conferences, and direct 
financial support.
    Priorities: In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(ii), these 
absolute priorities are from the regulations for this program (34 CFR 
263.5(c)(1) and (2)). These priorities are designed to meet two primary 
goals of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, Pub. L. 107-110.
    Absolute Priorities: For FY 2004 these priorities are absolute 
priorities. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3) we consider only applications 
that meet one or both of these priorities.
    These priorities are:

Pre-Service Training for Teachers

    A project that provides support and training to Indian individuals 
to complete a pre-service education program that enables these 
individuals to meet the requirements for full State certification or 
licensure as a teacher through--
    (1)(i) Training that leads to a bachelor's degree in education 
before the end of the award period;
    (ii) For States allowing a degree in a specific subject area, 
training that leads to a bachelor's degree in the subject area as long 
as the training meets the requirements for full State teacher 
certification or licensure; or
    (iii) Training in a current or new specialized teaching assignment 
that requires at least a bachelor's degree and in which a documented 
teacher shortage exists; and
    (2) One year induction services after graduation, certification, or 
licensure provided during the award period to graduates of the pre-
service program while they are completing their first year of work in 
schools with significant Indian student populations.

    Note: In working with various institutions of higher education 
and State certification/licensure requirements, we found that states 
requiring a degree in a specific subject area (e.g., specialty areas 
or teaching at the secondary level) generally require a master's 
degree or fifth-year requirement before an individual can be 
certified or licensed as a teacher. These students would be eligible 
to participate as long as their training meets the requirements for 
full State certification or licensure as a teacher.

Pre-Service Administrator Training

    A project that provides--
    (1) Support and training to Indian individuals to complete a 
master's degree in education administration that is provided before the 
end of the award period and that allows participants to meet the 
requirements for State certification or licensure as an education 
administrator; and
    (2) One year of induction services during the award period to 
participants after graduation, certification or licensure, while they 
are completing their first year of work as administrators in schools 
with significant Indian student populations.
    Competitive Preference Priorities: Within each of the absolute 
priorities, we give competitive preference to applications that address 
the following priorities. In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(ii), 
these priorities are from the regulations for this program (34 CFR 
263.5(a) and (b)). These priorities are:

Competitive Preference Priority One

    We award five points to an application submitted by an Indian 
tribe, Indian organization, or Indian institution of higher education 
that is eligible to participate in the Professional Development 
program. A consortium application of eligible entities that meets the 
requirements of 34 CFR 75.127 through 75.129 of EDGAR and includes an 
Indian tribe, Indian organization or Indian institution of higher 
education will be considered eligible to receive the five (5) priority 
points.

Competitive Preference Priority Two

    We award five points to an application submitted by a consortium of 
eligible applicants that includes a tribal college or university and 
that designates that tribal college or university as the fiscal agent 
for the application. The consortium application of eligible entities 
must meet the requirements of 34 CFR 75.127 through 75.129 of EDGAR to 
be considered eligible to receive the five (5) priority points. These 
points are in addition to the five (5) competitive preference points we 
may award under Competitive Preference One.

    Note: The consortium agreement, signed by all parties, must be 
submitted with the application in order to be considered a 
consortium application. Letters of support do not meet the 
consortium requirements. We will reject any application that does 
not meet these requirements.


    Note: Tribal colleges and universities are those institutions 
cited in section 532 of the Equity in Educational Land-Grant Status 
Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 301 note), any other institution that 
qualifies for funding under the Tribally Controlled College or 
University Assistance Act of 1978 (25 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.), or Dine 
College (formerly Navajo Community College), authorized in the 
Navajo Community College Act (25 U.S.C. 640a et seq.).


    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 7442.

    Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80, 
81, 82, 84, 85, 86, 97, 98 and 99; and (b) 34 CFR part 263.

    Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 79 apply to all applicants 
except federally recognized Indian tribes.


    Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to institutions of 
higher education only.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
    Estimated Available Funds: $6,791,630.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $300,000 to $500,000.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $424,476.
    Maximum Award: We will reject any application that proposes a 
budget exceeding $500,000 for a single budget period of 12 months 
during the first 24 months of the project. The last 12-month budget 
period of a 36-month award will be limited to induction services only, 
at a cost not to exceed $75,000. The Deputy Under Secretary may change 
the maximum amount through a notice published in the Federal Register.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 16.

    Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this 
notice.


[[Page 9815]]


    Project Period: 36 months.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: Eligible applicants for this program are an 
institution of higher education, including an Indian institution of 
higher education; a State or local educational agency, in consortium 
with an institution of higher education; an Indian tribe or 
organization, in consortium with an institution of higher education; 
and a Bureau-funded school.
    An application from a consortium of eligible entities must meet the 
requirements of 34 CFR 75.127 through 75.129. The consortium agreement, 
signed by all parties, must be submitted with the application in order 
to be considered as a consortium application. Letters of support do not 
meet the consortium requirements.
    In order to be considered an eligible entity, applicants, including 
institutions of higher education, must be eligible to offer the level 
and type of degree proposed in the application or must apply in 
consortium with an institution of higher education that is eligible to 
grant the target degree.
    Applicants that apply as an ``Indian organization'' must 
demonstrate in the application how they meet all criteria of this term 
as defined in 34 CFR 263.3 in order to be considered an eligible Indian 
organization.
    We will reject any application that does not meet these 
requirements.
    2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This program does not involve cost 
sharing or matching.
    3. Other:
    (a) Indian institution of higher education. The term ``Indian 
institution of higher education'' means an accredited college or 
university within the United States cited in section 532 of the Equity 
in Educational Land-Grant Status Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 301 note), any 
other institution that qualifies for funding under the Tribally 
Controlled College or University Assistance Act of 1978 (25 U.S.C. 1801 
et seq.), and Dine College (formerly Navajo Community College), 
authorized in the Navajo Community College Act (25 U.S.C. 640a et 
seq.).
    (b) Budget Requirement. Projects funded under this competition must 
budget for a two-day Project Directors' meeting in Washington, DC 
during each year of the project period.

IV. Application and Submission Information

    1. Address to Request Application Package: 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 (TDD), you may call (toll free): 
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 84.299B.
    Individuals with disabilities may obtain this document in an 
alternative format (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer 
diskette) by contacting the program contact person listed under For 
Further Information Contact elsewhere in this notice.
    2. Content and Form of Application Submission: Requirements 
concerning the content of an application, together with the forms you 
must submit, are in the application package for this program.
    Page Limit: The application narrative is where you, the applicant, 
address the selection criteria that are used by reviewers in evaluating 
the application. You must limit the narrative to the equivalent of no 
more than 50 double-spaced 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, 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).
    The page limit does not apply to Part I, the cover sheet; Part II, 
the budget section, including the narrative budget justification; Part 
IV, the assurances and certifications; or the one-page abstract, the 
resumes, the bibliography, or the letters of support. However, you must 
include all of the application narrative in Part III.
    Our reviewers will not read any pages of your application that--
    [sbull] Exceed the page limit if you apply these standards; or
    [sbull] Exceed the equivalent of the page limit if you apply other 
standards.
    3. Submission Dates and Times:
    Applications Available: March 3, 2004.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: April 5, 2004. The dates 
and times for the transmittal of applications by mail or by hand 
(including a courier service or commercial carrier) are in the 
application package for this program. The application package also 
specifies the hours of operation of the e-Application Web site.
    We do not consider an application that does not comply with the 
deadline requirements.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: June 1, 2004.
    4. Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: This program is subject 
to Executive Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79. 
Information about Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs under 
Executive Order 12372 is in the application package for this program.
    5. Funding Restrictions: We will reject any application that 
proposes a budget exceeding $500,000 for a single budget period of 12 
months during the first 24 months of the project. The last 12-month 
budget period of a 36-month award will be limited to induction services 
only, at a cost not to exceed $75,000.
    Stipends may be paid only to full-time students. For the payment of 
stipends to project participants being trained, the Secretary expects 
to set the stipend maximum at $1,775 per month for full-time students 
and provide for a $275 allowance per month per dependent during an 
academic term. The terms ``stipend,'' ``full-time student,'' and 
``dependent allowance'' are defined in 34 CFR 263.3.
    We reference additional regulations outlining funding restrictions 
in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.
    6. Other Submission Requirements: Instructions and requirements for 
the transmittal of applications by mail or by hand (including a courier 
service or commercial carrier) are in the application package for this 
program.

    Note: Some of the procedures in these instructions for 
transmitting applications differ from those in the Education 
Department General Administrative Regulations (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: We are 
continuing to expand our pilot project for electronic submission of 
applications to include additional formula grant programs and 
additional discretionary grant

[[Page 9816]]

competitions. The Professional Development program--CFDA Number 
84.299B--is one of the programs included in the pilot project. If you 
are an applicant under the Professional Development 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). If you use e-Application, you will 
be entering data online while completing your application. You may not 
e-mail an electronic copy of a grant application to us. If you 
participate in this voluntary pilot project by submitting an 
application electronically, the data you enter online will be saved 
into a database. We request your participation in e-Application. We 
shall continue to evaluate its success and solicit suggestions for its 
improvement.
    If you participate in e-APPLICATION, please note the following:
    [sbull] Your participation is voluntary.
    [sbull] When you enter the e-Application system, you will find 
information about its hours of operation. We strongly recommend that 
you not wait until the application deadline date to initiate an e-
Application package.
    [sbull] You will not receive 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.
    [sbull] You may submit all documents electronically, including the 
Application for Federal Education Assistance (ED 424), Budget 
Information--Non-Construction Programs (ED 524), and all necessary 
assurances and certifications.
    [sbull] Your e-Application must comply with any page limit 
requirements described in this notice.
    [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 Education 
Assistance (ED 424) to the Application Control Center after following 
these steps:
    1. Print ED 424 from e-Application.
    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.
    Application Deadline Date Extension in Case of System 
Unavailability: If you elect to participate in the e-Application pilot 
for the Professional Development program and you are prevented from 
submitting your application on the application deadline 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. We will grant this 
extension if--
    1. You are a registered user of e-Application, and have initiated 
an e-Application for this competition; and
    2. (a) The e-Application system is unavailable for 60 minutes or 
more between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, 
on the application deadline date; or
    (b) The e-Application system is 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., Washington, DC time) on the 
application deadline date.
    We must acknowledge and confirm these periods of unavailability 
before granting you an extension. To request this extension or to 
confirm our acknowledgment of any system unavailability, you may 
contact either (1) the person listed elsewhere in this notice under FOR 
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT (see VII. Agency Contact) or (2) the e-
GRANTS help desk at 1-888-336-8930.
    You may access the electronic grant application for the 
Professional Development program at: http://e-grants.ed.gov.

V. Application Review Information

    Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this program are in 
the application package and 34 CFR 263.6.

VI. Award Administration Information

    1. Award Notices: If your application is successful, we notify your 
U.S. Representative and U.S. Senators and send you a Grant Award 
Notification (GAN). We may also notify you informally.
    If your application is not evaluated or not selected for funding, 
we will notify you.
    2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements: We identify 
administrative and national policy requirements in the application 
package and reference these and other requirements in the Applicable 
Regulations section of this notice.
    We reference the regulations outlining the terms and conditions of 
an award in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice and 
include these and other specific conditions in the GAN. The GAN also 
incorporates your approved application as part of your binding 
commitments under this grant.
    3. Reporting: At the end of your project period, you must submit a 
final performance report, including financial information, as directed 
by the Secretary. If you receive a multi-year award, you must submit an 
annual performance report that provides the most current performance 
and financial expenditure information as specified by the Secretary in 
34 CFR 75.118.
    4. Performance Measures: The Secretary has established the 
following key performance measures for assessing the effectiveness of 
the Professional Development program: To increase the percentages of 
the teacher and principal workforces serving American Indian and Alaska 
Native students who are themselves American Indian and Alaska Native. 
The program target is to increase the percentage of American Indian and 
Alaska Native principals and teachers in public schools with 25 percent 
or more American Indian and Alaska Native students.
    Under the selection criteria ``Quality of project services'' and 
``Quality of the project evaluation,'' we will consider the extent to 
which the applicant demonstrates a strong capacity to provide reliable 
data on these indicators.
    All grantees will be expected to submit, as part of their 
performance report, information documenting their progress with regard 
to these performance measures.

VII. Agency Contact

    For Further Information Contact: Victoria Vasques, Office of Indian 
Education, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 
3W205, Washington, DC 20202-6335. Telephone: (202) 260-3774 or by e-
mail: [email protected].
    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 in this section.

VII. Other Information

    Electronic Access to This Document: You may view this document, as 
well as all other documents of this Department

[[Page 9817]]

published in the Federal Register, in text or Adobe Portable Document 
Format (PDF) on the Internet at the following site: http://www.ed.gov/news/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.gpoaccess.gov/nara/index.html.


    Dated: February 25, 2004.
Victoria Vasques,
Deputy Under Secretary for Indian Education.
[FR Doc. 04-4554 Filed 3-01-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P