[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 77 (Wednesday, April 21, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21503-21504]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-9050]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[CFDA No. 84.069]


Federal Student Aid; Leveraging Educational Assistance 
Partnership and Special Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnership 
Programs

AGENCY: Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice of the deadline dates for receipt of State applications 
for Award Year 2004-2005 funds.

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SUMMARY: The Secretary announces the deadline dates for receipt of 
State applications for Award Year 2004-2005 funds under the Leveraging 
Educational Assistance Partnership (LEAP) and Special Leveraging 
Educational Assistance Partnership (SLEAP) programs.
    The LEAP and SLEAP programs, authorized under Title IV, Part A, 
Subpart 4 of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA), assist 
States in providing aid to students with substantial financial need to 
help them pay for their postsecondary education costs through matching 
formula grants to States. Under section 415C(a) of the HEA, a State 
must submit an application to participate in the LEAP and SLEAP 
programs through the State agency that administered its LEAP Program as 
of July 1, 1985, unless the Governor of the State has subsequently 
designated, and the Department has approved, a different State agency 
to administer the LEAP Program.

DATES: To assure receiving an allotment under the LEAP and SLEAP 
programs for Award Year 2004-2005, a State must meet the applicable 
deadline date. Applications submitted electronically must be received 
by 11:59 p.m. (eastern time) May 28, 2004. Paper applications must be 
received by May 21, 2004.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Greg Gerrans, LEAP Program 
Manager, Financial Partners Services, U.S. Department of Education, 
Federal Student Aid, 830 First Street, NE., room 111H1, Washington, DC 
20202. Telephone: (202) 377-3304.
    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.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Only the 50 States, the District of 
Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, the Commonwealth of 
the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Virgin Islands may submit an 
application for funding under the LEAP and SLEAP programs.
    State allotments for each award year are determined according to 
the statutorily mandated formula under section 415B of the HEA and are 
not negotiable. A State may also request its share of reallotment, in 
addition to its basic allotment, which is contingent upon the 
availability of such additional funds.
    In Award Year 2003-2004, 44 States, the District of Columbia, and 
the Virgin Islands received funds under the LEAP Program, and 31 
States, the District of Columbia, and the Virgin Islands received funds 
under the SLEAP Program.
    Electronic Submission of Applications: Financial Partners Services 
within Federal Student Aid has automated the LEAP and SLEAP application 
process in the Financial Management System (FMS). Applicants may use 
the Web-based form (Form 1288-E OMB 1845-0028) that is available on the 
FMS LEAP on line system at the following Internet address: http://fsa-fms.ed.gov:8000/PROD_j.htm.
    Paper Applications Delivered By Mail: States or territories may 
request that a paper version of the application (Form 1288 OMB 1845-
0028) be mailed to them by contacting Mr. Greg Gerrans, LEAP Program 
Manager, at (202) 377-3304 or by e-mail: [email protected].
    A paper application sent by mail must be addressed to: Mr. Greg 
Gerrans, LEAP Program Manager, Financial Partners Services, U.S. 
Department of Education, Federal Student Aid, 830 First Street, NE., 
room 111H1, Washington, DC 20202.

[[Page 21504]]

    The Department of Education encourages applicants that are 
completing a paper application to use certified or at least first-class 
mail when sending the application by mail to the Department. Paper 
applications that are mailed must be received no later than May 21, 
2004 to assure funding for the Award Year 2004-2005.
    Paper Applications Delivered By Hand: Paper applications that are 
hand-delivered must be delivered to Mr. Greg Gerrans, LEAP Program 
Manager, Financial Partners Services, U.S. Department of Education, 
Federal Student Aid, 830 First Street, NE., room 111H1, Washington, DC 
20002. Hand-delivered applications will be accepted between 8 a.m. and 
4:30 p.m. daily (Eastern time), except Saturdays, Sundays, and Federal 
holidays.
    Paper applications that are hand-delivered must be received by 4:30 
p.m. (eastern time) on May 21, 2004 to assure funding for the Award 
Year 2004-2005.
    Applicable Regulations: The following regulations are applicable to 
the LEAP and SLEAP programs:
    (1) The LEAP and SLEAP program regulations in 34 CFR part 692.
    (2) The Student Assistance General Provisions in 34 CFR part 668.
    (3) The Regulations Governing Institutional Eligibility in 34 CFR 
part 600.
    (4) The Education Department General Administrative Regulations 
(EDGAR) in 34 CFR 75.60 through 75.62 (Ineligibility of Certain 
Individuals to Receive Assistance), part 76 (State-Administered 
Programs), part 77 (Definitions that Apply to Department Regulations), 
part 79 (Intergovernmental Review of Department of Education Programs 
and Activities), part 80 (Uniform Administrative Requirements for 
Grants and Cooperative Agreements to State and local Governments), part 
82 (New Restrictions on Lobbying), part 84 (Governmentwide Requirements 
for Drug-Free Workplace (Financial Assistance)), part 85 
(Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension (Nonprocurement)), part 86 
(Drug and Alcohol Abuse Prevention), and part 99 (Family Educational 
Rights and Privacy).

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.


    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1070c et seq.

    Dated: April 16, 2004.
Theresa S. Shaw,
Chief Operating Officer, Federal Student Aid.
[FR Doc. 04-9050 Filed 4-20-04; 8:45 am]
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