[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 42 (Wednesday, March 3, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10006-10009]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-4766]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Office of Postsecondary Education


Overview Information; Teacher Quality Enhancement Grants 
Program--Partnership Grants; Notice Inviting Applications for New 
Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2004.

    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Numbers: 84.336B, 
84.336D.

DATES: Applications Available: March 3, 2004.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Pre-Applications: April 2, 2004.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Full Applications: June 14, 2004.

    Note: The Department will invite full applications from those 
partnerships whose pre-applications ranked highly enough to be 
competitive at the full application stage. Only those partnerships 
that are invited to submit a full application will be eligible to 
receive a grant award.

    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: August 12, 2004.
    Eligible Applicants: Eligible partnerships, which include, at a 
minimum:
    a. a partner institution: a private independent or State-supported 
public institution of higher education with an eligible teacher 
education program;
    b. a school of arts and sciences; and
    c. a high-need local educational agency.
    A partnership may include additional entities, as listed in title 
II, part A, section 203(b) of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as 
amended (HEA). An eligible partnership may include a Governor, State 
educational agency, the State board of education, the State agency for 
higher education, an institution of higher education not described in 
item a, a public charter school, a public or private elementary school 
or secondary school, a public or private nonprofit educational 
organization, a business, a teacher organization, or a pre-kindergarten 
program.

    Note: A partnership that received a previous partnership grant 
under section 203 of the HEA is not eligible for a FY 2004 grant.

    Estimated Available Funds: $28,800,000.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $500,000--$2,000,000.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $1,100,000 per year.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 25.

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

    Project Period: Up to 60 months.

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Purpose of Program: The purpose of this program is to provide 
grants to promote improvements in the quality of new teachers, with the 
ultimate goal of increasing student achievement in the nation's K-12 
classrooms. Partnership grants are designed to promote significant 
improvements in teacher education by strengthening the vital role of K-
12 educators in the design and implementation of effective teacher 
education programs, and by increasing collaboration among these 
educators and institutions of higher education and schools of arts and 
sciences.
    Priority: In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(ii), this priority 
is taken from the regulations for this program (34 CFR 611.25).
    Competitive Preference Priority: For FY 2004, this priority is a 
competitive preference priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i) we award 
up to an additional 10 points to an application, depending on how well 
the application meets this priority.
    This priority is a significant role for private business in the 
design and implementation of the project.
    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1023 et seq.
    Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80, 
82, 84, 85, 86, 97, 98 and 99. (b) The regulations for this program in 
34 CFR part 611.

    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: $28,800,000.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $500,000--$2,000,000.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $1,100,000 per year.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 25.

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

    Project Period: Up to 60 months.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: Eligible partnerships which include, at a 
minimum:
    a. a partner institution: a private independent or State-supported 
public institution of higher education with an eligible teacher 
education program;
    b. a school of arts and sciences; and
    c. a high-need local educational agency.

[[Page 10007]]

    A partnership may include additional entities, listed in title II, 
part A, section 203(b) of the HEA. An eligible partnership may include 
a Governor, State educational agency, the State board of education, the 
State agency for higher education, an institution of higher education 
not described in item a, a public charter school, a public or private 
elementary school or secondary school, a public or private nonprofit 
educational organization, a business, a teacher organization, or a pre-
kindergarten program.

    Note: A partnership that received a previous partnership grant, 
under section 203 of the HEA, is not eligible for a FY 2004 grant.

    2. Cost Sharing or Matching: See 34 CFR 611.62 for cost sharing and 
matching requirements.

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 numbers 84.336B, 336D.
    Individuals with disabilities may obtain a copy of the application 
package in an alternative format (e.g., Braille, large print, 
audiotape, or computer diskette) by contacting the program contact 
person listed in section VII.
    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.
    Notice of Intent to Apply: The intent to submit form is included in 
the application package.
    Pre-application: The pre-application narrative and estimated budget 
information is where you, the applicant, address the selection criteria 
that reviewers use to evaluate your pre-application.
    Page Limit: You must limit the pre-application abstract to the 
equivalent of no more than one page and the narrative to the equivalent 
of no more than 10 pages. You must limit the estimated budget narrative 
to the equivalent of no more than 3 pages.
    For the pre-application abstract, narrative and estimated budget 
narrative the following standards apply:
    [sbull] A ``page'' is 8.5[sec] x 11[sec], on one side only, with 
1[sec] margins at the top, bottom, and both sides.
    [sbull] Double space (no more than three lines per vertical inch) 
all text in the pre-application narrative and estimated budget 
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). Full Applications: The application 
narrative is where you, the applicant, address the selection criteria 
that reviewers use to evaluate your application.
    You must limit the full application narrative to the equivalent of 
no more than 50 pages. In addition, you must limit your accompanying 
abstract to the equivalent of no more than one page, your work plan to 
the equivalent of no more than 10 pages, your budget narrative to the 
equivalent of no more than 10 pages, and your evaluation plan to the 
equivalent of no more than 5 pages.
    For the full application narrative, work plan, budget narrative, 
and evaluation plan the following standards apply:
    [sbull] A ``page'' is 8.5[sec] x 11[sec], on one side only, with 
1[sec] 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, work plan, budget narrative and 
evaluation plan, including titles, headings, 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 the cover sheet; the budget 
section, the assurances and certifications; or the one-page abstract, 
the resumes, the bibliography, or the letters of support.
    We will reject your pre-application and full 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.
    3. Submission Dates and Times:
    Applications Available: March 3, 2004.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Pre-Applications: April 2, 2004.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Full Applications: June 14, 2004.

    Note: The Department will invite full applications from those 
partnerships whose pre-applications ranked highly enough to be 
competitive at the full application stage. Only those partnerships 
that are invited to submit a full application will be eligible to 
receive a grant award.
    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 competition. 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: August 12, 2004.
    4. 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 competition.
    5. Funding Restrictions: We specify unallowable costs in 34 CFR 
part 74. We reference 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 competition.
    Application Procedures: The Government Paperwork Elimination Act 
(GPEA) of 1998 (Pub. L. 105-277) and the Federal Financial Assistance 
Management Improvement Act of 1999 (Pub. L. 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, we are 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 business processes.
    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.

[[Page 10008]]

    We are requiring that applications for grants under the Teacher 
Quality Enhancement Grants Program for Partnership Grants--CFDA Numbers 
84.336B, 84.336D be submitted electronically using the Electronic Grant 
Application System (e-Application) available through the Department's 
e-GRANTS system. The e-GRANTS system is accessible through its portal 
page at: http://e-grants.ed.gov
    If you are unable to submit an application through the e-GRANTS 
system, you may submit a written request for a waiver of the electronic 
submission requirement. In your request, you should explain the reason 
or reasons that prevent you from using the Internet to submit your 
application. Address your request to: Luretha Kelley, U.S. Department 
of Education, 1990 K Street, NW., Room 7096, Washington, DC 20006. 
Please submit your request no later than two weeks before the 
application deadline date.
    If, within two weeks of the application deadline date, you are 
unable to submit an application electronically, you must submit a paper 
application by the application deadline date in accordance with the 
transmittal instructions in the application package. The paper 
application must include a written request for a waiver documenting the 
reasons that prevented you from using the Internet to submit your 
application.

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 competitions. The Teacher Quality 
Enhancement Grants Program for Partnership Grants--CFDA Numbers 
84.336B, 84.336D is one of the programs included in the pilot project. 
If you are an applicant under Teacher Quality Enhancement Grants 
Program for Partnership Grants you must submit your application to us 
in electronic format or receive a waiver.
    The pilot project involves the use of 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. The data you enter online will be saved into a 
database. We shall continue to evaluate the success of e-Application 
and solicit suggestions for its improvement.
    If you participate in e-Application, please note the following:
    [sbull] When you enter the e-Application system, you will find 
information about its hours of operation. We strongly recommend that 
you do 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 must 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 
other forms at a later date.
    Application Deadline Date Extension in Case of System 
Unavailability: If 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 you 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 acknowledgement 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 Teacher 
Quality Enhancement Grants Program for Partnership Grants at: http://e-grants.ed.gov.

V. Application Review Information

    Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this program 
competition are in 34 CFR 611.21 through 611.24.

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 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 the 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: Under the Government Performance and 
Results Act (GPRA), one measure has been developed for evaluating the 
overall effectiveness of the Teacher Quality Enhancement Grants Program 
for Partnership Grants.
    Highly Qualified Teachers: The percentage of program completers who 
are highly qualified teachers.
    All grantees will be expected to submit an annual performance 
report documenting their success in addressing this performance 
measure.

[[Page 10009]]

VII. Agency Contact

    For Further Information Contact: Luretha Kelley, U.S. Department of 
Education, 1990 K Street, NW., room 7096, Washington, DC 20006-8526. 
Telephone: (202) 502-7645 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 program contact person listed in this 
section.

VIII. Other Information

    Electronic Access to This Document: You may view this document, as 
well as all other documents of this Department 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 27, 2004.
Sally L. Stroup,
Assistant Secretary, Office of Postsecondary Education.
[FR Doc. 04-4766 Filed 3-2-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P