[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 104 (Friday, May 28, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30752-30754]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-12073]



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Part II





Department of Education





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Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools; Grants to States To Improve 
Management of Drug and Violence Prevention Programs; Notice Inviting 
Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2004; Notice

  Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 104 / Friday, May 28, 2004 / 
Notices  

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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools; Overview Information; 
Grants to States To Improve Management of Drug and Violence Prevention 
Programs; Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year 
(FY) 2004

    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.184R.

    Dates: Applications Available: May 28, 2004.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: July 15, 2004.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: August 16, 2004.
    Eligible Applicants: State educational agencies or other State 
agencies administering the Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities 
Act (SDFSCA) State Grants program.
    Estimated Available Funds: $5,000,000. Contingent upon the 
availability of funds, the Secretary may make additional awards in FY 
2005 from the rank-ordered list of unfunded applicants from this 
competition.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $300,000--$500,000.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 12.

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

    Project Period: Up to 36 months.

I. Full Text of Announcement

    Purpose of Program: The purpose of the Grants to States To Improve 
Management of Drug and Violence Prevention Programs is to award grants 
to State agencies to support development and testing of strategies for 
developing, expanding, or enhancing the capacity of State and local 
educational agencies, and other State agencies and community-based 
entities, to collect, analyze, and use data to improve the quality of 
drug and violence prevention programs administered in the States.
    Background: This program is authorized by the No Child Left Behind 
Act of 2001 (20 U.S.C. 7131) under Subpart 2--National Programs 
(section 4121(a)(9)), which authorizes the Secretary to carry out other 
activities to prevent drugs and violence in the schools in addition to 
those specifically mentioned in the legislation. This program is 
designed to provide support to States to explore strategies that will 
address the challenges they face in collecting and using data to manage 
the implementation of drug and violence prevention programs, including:
    (a) Lack of standardized data collection instruments and common 
definitions in use within the States;
    (b) Lack of available expertise specific to collecting data about 
youth drug use and violence;
    (c) Lack of resources to support high-quality data collection at 
the State and sub-State level; and
    (d) Unfavorable community and media reaction to high rates of youth 
drug use and violence that discourages full and accurate reporting.
    This project complements the U.S. Department of Education's (ED's) 
Performance-Based Data Management Initiative (PBDMI), which focuses on 
strategies to facilitate the transfer of information from State 
administrative records to ED to satisfy reporting requirements for 
programs administered by ED. This program seeks to provide support to 
help States and their localities improve the quality of information 
collected at the individual school and school district levels, and as a 
result, to improve the quantity and quality of data related to youth 
drug use and violence that are available to the State for submission 
via the PBDMI.
    Priority: This notice includes one absolute priority and one 
competitive preference priority. We are establishing these priorities 
for the FY 2004 grant competition and any future awards made on the 
basis of the funding slate from this competition, in accordance with 
Section 437(d)(1) of the General Education Provisions Act (GEPA).
    Absolute Priority: For this competition, this priority is an 
absolute priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3) we consider only 
applications that meet this priority.
    This priority is: The development, enhancement, or expansion of the 
capacity of States and other entities that receive SDFSCA State Grants 
Program funds to collect, analyze, and use data to improve the 
management of drug and violence prevention programs. At a minimum, 
applicants must propose projects that will provide this expanded 
capacity to the State educational agency (SEA), the State agency 
administering the Governor's funding under the SDFSCA State Grants 
Program, and local educational agencies and community-based 
organizations that receive SDFSCA State Grants Program funding. 
Specifically, projects must be designed to:
    (a) Include activities designed to expand the capacity of local 
educational agencies and community-based organizations that receive 
SDFSCA funds to use data to assess needs, establish performance 
measures, select appropriate interventions, monitor progress toward 
established performance measures, and inform the public about drug and 
violence prevention programs;
    (b) Collect data that, at a minimum, meets the requirements of the 
Uniform Management Information and Reporting System (UMIRS) described 
in section 4112(c)(3) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 
1965, as amended by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (ESEA);
    (c) Be consistent with the State's PBDMI strategy and produce data 
that can be transmitted to ED via its Education Data Exchange Network 
(EDEN) project; and
    (d) Include validation and verification activities at the State and 
sub-State recipient levels designed to ensure the accuracy of data 
collected and reported.
    Competitive Preference Priority: For this competition, 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 the extent to which the application meets 
this priority.
    This priority is: The collection of incident data in a manner 
consistent with the definitions and protocols developed under the 
Federal Bureau of Investigation's Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) 
Program.
    Waiver of Proposed Rulemaking: Under the Administrative Procedure 
Act (5 U.S.C. 553) the Department generally offers interested parties 
the opportunity to comment on proposed priorities, selection criteria, 
and other non-statutory requirements. Section 437(d)(1) of GEPA (20 
U.S.C. 1232(d)(1)), however, allows the Secretary to exempt from 
rulemaking requirements rules governing the first grant competition 
under a new or substantially revised program authority. This is the 
first competition under the Grants to States to Improve Management of 
Drug and Violence Prevention Programs initiative, and therefore 
qualifies for this exemption. In order to ensure timely grant awards, 
the Secretary has decided to forego public comment on the priorities, 
selection criteria and other non-statutory requirements under section 
437(d)(1) of GEPA. These priorities, selection criteria, and other non-
statutory requirements will apply to this competition only.
    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 7131.
    Applicable Regulations: The Education Department regulations in 34 
CFR parts 75, 77, 79, 80, 81, 82, 84, 85, 97, 98, 99, and 299.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Discretionary grants.

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    Estimated Available Funds: $5,000,000. Contingent upon the 
availability of funds, the Secretary may make additional awards in FY 
2005 from the rank-ordered list of unfunded applicants from this 
competition.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $300,000-$500,000.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 12.

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


    Project Period: Up to 36 months.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: State educational agencies (SEAs) or other 
State agencies administering the SDFSCA State Grants program.
    2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This program does not involve cost 
sharing or matching.
    3. Other: In addition to meeting the absolute priority for this 
competition, a State (or the District of Columbia or Puerto Rico) may 
be awarded only a single grant for this program.
    The application must demonstrate the commitment of both the SEA and 
the State agency receiving the Governor's portion of SDFSCA State 
Grants Program funding to the project. In order to meet this 
requirement, an applicant must include in its application a memorandum 
of understanding that includes, at a minimum, the signatures of the 
authorized representatives for the SEA and the State agency (or 
agencies) receiving the Governor's portion of SDFSCA State Grants 
Program funding for the State. The memorandum of understanding must 
outline project roles and responsibilities for the participants.
    The application also must include evidence that the proposal has 
been reviewed by and has the approval of the State's chief information 
officer (CIO) and/or chief technology officer (CTO). The CIO and/or CTO 
may sign the required memorandum of understanding, or may provide a 
separate document including the required assurance.
    Projects must propose to employ appropriate technology for the 
collection and analysis of data. Data may not be collected or reported 
manually.

IV. Application and Submission Information

    1. Address to Request Application Package: Paper copies of the 
application package for this program are available from Maria Worthen, 
Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools, U.S. Department of Education, 400 
Maryland Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20202-6450. Telephone: 1 (202) 
205-5632. Fax: (202) 260-7767, or by e-mail: [email protected].
    The application package for this program is also available in PDF 
and WORD format from the Department's Web site at: http://www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/grantapps/index.html.
    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 a copy of the application 
package for this program in an alternative format (e.g., Braille, large 
print, audiotape, or computer diskette) on request to the program 
contact persons listed in this section.
    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.
    3. Submission Dates and Times:
    Applications Available: May 28, 2004.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: July 15, 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: August 16, 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.
    5. 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.
    Application Procedures:

    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 competitions. The Grants to States 
to Improve Management of Drug and Violence Prevention Programs 
competition--CFDA 84.184R is one of the programs included in the pilot 
project. If you are an applicant under Grants to States to Improve 
Management of Drug and Violence Prevention Programs, 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 
will continue to evaluate its success and solicit suggestions for its 
improvement.
    If you participate in e-Application, please note the following:
     Your participation is voluntary.
     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.
     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.
     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.
     Your e-Application must comply with any page limit 
requirements described in this notice.
     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).
     Within three working days after submitting your electronic 
application, fax a signed copy of the Application for Federal Education 
Assistance (ED 424)

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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.
     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 elect to participate in the e-Application pilot 
for the Grants to States to Improve Management of Drug and Violence 
Prevention Programs competition 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 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 Grants to 
States to Improve Management of Drug and Violence Prevention Programs 
competition at: http://e-grants.ed.gov.

V. Application Review Information

    Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this program are in 
the application package.

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 Notice 
(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: The Secretary has established the 
following performance measures for assessing the effectiveness of the 
Grants to States to Improve Management of Drug and Violence Prevention 
Programs:
    a. The proportion of LEAs and Governor's fund recipients that are 
using data related to youth drug and violence to manage youth drug, 
alcohol, and violence prevention programs by:
     Incorporating this data in needs assessment processes;
     Using this data to develop performance measures for their 
SDFSC program funds;
     Considering this data in selecting school and, where 
applicable community-based interventions for implementation;
     Monitoring the success of interventions in reducing drug 
and alcohol use and violence, and in building stronger communities; and
     Sharing data with entity officials and the public.
    b. The proportion of LEAs and Governor's Program fund recipients 
that have received training about collecting, analyzing and using data 
to manage and improve drug and violence prevention programs.
    c. The proportion of LEAs and Governor's Program fund recipients 
that submit complete responses to data collections.
    These three measures constitute the Department's indicators of 
success for this program. Consequently, applicants for a grant under 
this program are advised to give careful consideration to these 
outcomes in conceptualizing the design, implementation, and evaluation 
of their proposed project. If funded, applicants will be asked to 
collect and report data in their annual performance reports about 
progress toward these goals. Only baseline data and data at the 
conclusion of the project will be required for the first indicator.

VII. Agency Contact

    For Further Information Contact: Maria Worthen, U.S. Department of 
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20202-6450. 
Telephone: (202) 205-5632, 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: May 24, 2004.
Deborah A. Price,
Deputy Under Secretary for Safe and Drug-Free Schools.
[FR Doc. 04-12073 Filed 5-27-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P