[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 216 (Tuesday, November 9, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65028-65031]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-24895]



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Part III





Department of Education





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Office of Innovation and Improvement, Overview Information, Advanced 
Placement (AP) Test Fee Program, Inviting Applications for New Awards 
for Fiscal Year (FY) 2005; Notice

  Federal Register / Vol. 69 , No. 216 / Tuesday, November 9, 2004 / 
Notices  

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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Office of Innovation and Improvement, Overview Information, 
Advanced Placement (AP) Test Fee Program, Notice Inviting Applications 
for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2005

    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.330B.


DATES: Applications Available: November 9, 2004.
    Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply: December 1, 2004.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: December 13, 2004.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: February 11, 2005.
    Eligible Applicants: State educational agencies (SEAs) in any 
State, including the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto 
Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the 
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and the freely associated 
states of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of 
Micronesia, and the Republic of Palau.

    Note: For purposes of this program, the Bureau of Indian Affairs 
is treated as an SEA.

    Estimated Available Funds: The Administration has requested 
$51,534,000 for the Advanced Placement programs for FY 2005. The actual 
level of funding depends on final congressional action. The Department 
is inviting applications for this competition now so that it may be 
prepared to make awards following final congressional action on the 
Department's appropriation bill. Based on the Administration's request, 
we estimate $6 million will be available for new awards under this 
competition but, in accordance with statutory requirements, will make 
more funds available from the Advanced Placement Incentive program 
(CFDA number 84.330C) if necessary.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $5,000-$500,000.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $120,000.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 50.

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

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Purpose of Program: The AP Test Fee program provides grants to 
States to enable them to pay advanced placement test fees on behalf of 
eligible low-income students who (1) are enrolled in an advanced 
placement course; and (2) plan to take an advanced placement exam. The 
program is designed to increase the number of low-income students who 
take advanced placement tests and receive scores for which college 
academic credit is awarded. Participation in this program helps low-
income students achieve to higher standards in English, mathematics, 
science, and other core subjects. The program also seeks to increase 
the number of low-income students who achieve baccalaureate and 
advanced degrees.
    Allowable Activities: States receiving grants under this program 
may use the grant funds to pay part or all of the cost of advanced 
placement test fees for low-income individuals who (1) are enrolled in 
an advanced placement class; and (2) plan to take an advanced placement 
test.
    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 6531-6537.
    Applicable Regulations: The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 75, 77, 79, 80, 81, 
82, 84, 85, 97, 98, and 99.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
    Estimated Available Funds: The Administration has requested 
$51,534,000 for the Advanced Placement programs for FY 2005. The actual 
level of funding depends on final congressional action. The Department 
is inviting applications for this competition now so that it may be 
prepared to make awards following final congressional action on the 
Department's appropriation bill. Based on the Administration's request, 
we estimate $6 million will be available for new awards under this 
competition but, in accordance with statutory requirements, will make 
more funds available from the Advanced Placement Incentive program 
(CFDA number 84.330C) if necessary.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $5,000-$500,000.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $120,000.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 50.


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


    Project Period: Up to 36 months.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: SEAs in any State, including the District 
of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin 
Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana 
Islands, and the freely associated states of the Republic of the 
Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic 
of Palau.


    Note: For purposes of this program, the Bureau of Indian Affairs 
is treated as an SEA.


    2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This program does not involve cost 
sharing or matching but does involve supplement-not-supplant funding 
provisions.
    Supplement not Supplant: Funds provided under this program must be 
used only to supplement and not supplant other non-Federal funds that 
are available to assist low-income individuals in paying advanced 
placement test fees (20 U.S.C. 6536).
    3. Other: (a) Definitions. The following definitions are taken from 
the Advanced Placement Programs authorizing statute, in Title I, Part G 
of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended 
(ESEA). They are repeated in this application notice for the 
convenience of the applicant.
    (i) The term advanced placement test means an advanced placement 
test administered by the College Board or approved by the Secretary of 
Education.


    Note: The Department has approved advanced placement tests 
administered by the International Baccalaureate Organization. As 
part of the grant application process, applicants may request 
approval of tests from other educational entities that provide 
comparable programs of rigorous academic courses and testing through 
which students may earn college credit.


    (ii) The term low-income individual means an individual who is 
determined by an SEA or local educational agency to be a child, ages 5 
through 19, from a low-income family on the basis of data used by the 
Secretary to determine allocations under section 1124 of Title I of the 
ESEA, data on children eligible for free or reduced-price lunches under 
the National School Lunch Act, data on children in families receiving 
assistance under part A of title IV of the Social Security Act, or data 
on children eligible to receive medical assistance under the Medicaid 
program under title XIX of the Social Security Act, or through an 
alternate method that combines or extrapolates from those data.
    (b) Information Dissemination. In accordance with section 1704(c) 
of the ESEA (20 U.S.C. 1704(c)), an SEA awarded a grant under the AP 
Test Fee Program must disseminate information regarding the 
availability of advanced placement test fee payments under this program 
to eligible individuals through secondary school teachers and guidance 
counselors.

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IV. Application and Submission Information

    1. Address to Request Application Package: You may obtain an 
application package via Internet or from the ED Publication Center (ED 
Pubs). To obtain a copy via Internet use the following address: http://www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/grantapps/index.
    To obtain a copy from ED Pubs, write or call the following: 
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 84.330B.
    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 elsewhere in this notice under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION 
CONTACT (see VII. Agency Contact).
    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: Applicants that plan to apply for 
funding under this program are encouraged to e-mail the AP Test Fee 
Program manager of an intent to apply at [email protected] no 
later than December 1, 2004. Applicants that fail to supply this e-mail 
notification may still apply for funding under this competition.
    Page Limit for Program Narrative: The program narrative is where 
you, the applicant, address the Requirements for Approval of 
Application. You must limit the program narrative to the equivalent of 
no more than 30 pages, using the following standards:
     A ``page'' is 8.5'' x 11'', on one side only, with 1'' 
margins at the top, bottom, and both sides.
     Double space (no more than three lines per vertical inch) 
all text in the program narrative, including titles, headings, 
footnotes, quotations, references, and captions, as well as all text in 
charts, tables, figures, and graphs.
     Use a font that is either 12-point or larger or no smaller 
than 10 pitch (characters per inch).
    The page limit applies only to the narrative section of the 
application. Instructions for completing the program narrative section 
are in the application package (see Section C: Application Forms and 
Instructions).
    Our reviewers will not read any pages of your program narrative 
that--
     Exceed the page limit if you apply these standards; or
     Exceed the equivalent of the page limit if you apply other 
standards.
    3. Submission Dates and Times: Applications Available: November 9, 
2004.
    Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply: December 1, 2004.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: December 13, 2004.
    Applications for grants under the AP Test Fee program must be 
submitted electronically using the Electronic Grant Application System 
(e-Application) available through the Department's e-Grants system. For 
information (including dates and times) about how to submit your 
application electronically or to request a waiver of the electronic 
submission requirement, please refer to Section IV. 6. Other Submission 
Requirements in this notice.
    We do not consider an application that does not comply with the 
application requirements.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: February 11, 2005.
    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. Funding Restrictions: We reference regulations outlining funding 
restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.
    6. Other Submission Requirements: Applications for grants under 
this program must be submitted electronically, unless you request a 
waiver of this requirement in accordance with the instructions in this 
section.
    a. Electronic Submission of Applications.
    Applications for grants under the AP Test Fee Program--CFDA Number 
84.330B must be submitted electronically using e-Application available 
through the Department's e-Grants system, accessible through the e-
Grants 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: Madeline Baggett, U.S. Department 
of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 4W210, Washington, DC 
20202-5943. Please submit your request no later than two weeks before 
the application deadline date. Your paper application must be submitted 
in accordance with the mail or hand delivery instructions described in 
this notice.
    If, within two weeks of the application deadline date, including 
the application deadline date itself, you are unable to submit an 
application electronically, you must submit a paper application in 
accordance with the mail or hand delivery instructions described in 
this notice. 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 electronically.
    While completing your electronic application, you will be entering 
data online that will be saved into a database. You may not e-mail an 
electronic copy of a grant application to us.
    Please note the following:
     You must complete the electronic submission of your grant 
application by 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application 
deadline date. The e-Application system will not accept an application 
for the AP Test Fee Program after 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on 
the application deadline date. Therefore, we strongly recommend that 
you do not wait until the application deadline date to begin the 
application process.
     The regular hours of operation of the e-Grants Web site 
are 6 a.m. Monday until 7 p.m. Wednesday; and 6 a.m. Thursday until 
midnight Saturday, Washington, DC time. Please note that the system is 
unavailable on Sundays, and between 7 p.m. on Wednesdays and 6 a.m. on 
Thursdays, Washington, DC time, for maintenance. Any modifications to 
these hours are posted on the e-Grants Web site.
     You will not receive additional point value because you 
submit your application in electronic format, nor will we penalize you 
if you request a waiver and submit your application in paper format 
because you were prevented from submitting it electronically as 
required.
     You must submit all documents electronically, including 
the Application for Federal Education

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Assistance (ED 424), Budget Information--Non-Construction Programs (ED 
524), and all necessary assurances and certifications.
     Your electronic application must comply with any page 
limit requirements described in this notice.
     Prior to submitting your electronic application, you may 
wish to download it and print a copy of it for your records.
     After you electronically submit your application, you will 
receive an automatic acknowledgement that 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 ED 424 to the Application Control 
Center after following these steps:
    1. Print ED 424 from e-Application.
    2. The applicant'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) 
245-6272.
     We may request that you provide us original signatures on 
other forms at a later date.
    Application Deadline Date Extension in Case of System 
Unavailability: If you are prevented from electronically 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 electronic 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 
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. If the system is down and therefore 
the application deadline is extended, an e-mail is sent to all 
registered users who have initiated an application.
    Extensions referred to in this section apply only to the 
unavailability of the Department's e-Application system. If the e-
Application system is available, and you are unable to submit your 
application electronically or you do not receive an automatic 
acknowledgement of your submission, you may submit your application in 
paper format by mail or hand delivery in accordance with the 
instructions in this notice. Your paper application must be accompanied 
by a written request for waiver of the electronic submission 
requirement documenting the reasons that prevented you from using the 
Internet to submit your application electronically.
    b. Submission of Paper Applications by Mail.
    If you submit your application in paper format by mail (through the 
U.S. Postal Service or a commercial carrier), you must send the 
original and two copies of your application, on or before the 
application deadline date, to the Department at the applicable 
following address:
    By mail through the U.S. Postal Service: U.S. Department of 
Education, Application Control Center, Attention: (CFDA Number 
84.330B), 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20202-4260; or
    By mail through a commercial carrier: U.S. Department of Education, 
Application Control Center--Stop 4260, Attention: (CFDA Number 
84.330B), 7100 Old Landover Road, Landover, MD 20785-1506.
    The Application Control Center will mail a Grant Application 
Receipt Acknowledgment to you. If you do not receive the notification 
of application receipt within 15 business days from the mailing of your 
application, you should call the U.S. Department of Education 
Application Control Center at (202) 245-6288.
    You must show proof of mailing consisting of one of the following:
    1. A legibly dated U.S. Postal Service postmark;
    2. A legible mail receipt with the date of mailing stamped by the 
U.S. Postal Service;
    3. A dated shipping label, invoice, or receipt from a commercial 
carrier; or
    4. Any other proof of mailing acceptable to the U.S. Secretary of 
Education.
    If you mail your application through the U.S. Postal Service, we do 
not accept either of the following as proof of mailing:
    1. A private metered postmark, or
    2. A mail receipt that is not dated by the U.S. Postal Service.
    If your application is postmarked after the application deadline 
date, we will not consider your application.

    Note: Applicants should note that the U.S. Postal Service does 
not uniformly provide a dated postmark. Before relying on this 
method, you should check with your local post office.

    c. Submission of Paper Applications by Hand Delivery.
    If you have requested a waiver of the electronic submission 
requirement, you (or a courier service) may deliver your paper 
application to the Department by hand. You must deliver the original 
and two copies of your application by hand, on or before the 
application deadline date, to the Department at the following address: 
U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Center, Attention: 
CFDA Number 84.330B, 550 12th Street, SW., Room 7041, Potomac Center 
Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-4260.
    The Application Control Center accepts hand deliveries daily 
between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, except Saturdays, 
Sundays and Federal holidays. A person delivering an application must 
show photo identification to enter the building.

    Note for Mail or Hand Delivery of Paper Applications: If you 
mail or hand deliver your application to the Department:
    1. You must indicate on the envelope and--if not provided by the 
Department--in Item 4 of the ED 424 the CFDA number--and suffix 
letter, if any--of the competition under which you are submitting 
your application.
    2. The Application Control Center will mail a Grant Application 
Receipt Acknowledgment to you. If you do not receive the 
notification of application receipt within 15 business days from the 
application deadline date, you should call the U.S. Department of 
Education Application Control Center at (202) 245-6288.

V. Application Review Information

    1. Review and Selection Process: In accordance with statutory 
requirements, the Department gives priority to funding applications 
(from among those received for the two Advanced Placement programs 
authorized under Title I, Part G of the ESEA) to use grant funds to pay 
advanced placement test fees on behalf of eligible low-income 
individuals. The Department intends to fund, at some level, all 
applications for this competition that meet the minimum Requirements 
for Approval of Application as described in the application package. 
However, in determining whether to approve an application for a new 
award from an applicant with a current grant under the program, the 
Department will consider

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the amount of any carryover funds under the existing grant.
    2. Award Basis: In determining grant award amounts, the Department 
will consider, among other things, the amount of any carryover funds 
the applicant has under an existing grant under the program and the 
number of children in the State eligible to be counted under section 
1124(c) of Title I of the ESEA in relation to the number of such 
children counted in all the States that apply for funding. Complete 
budget data must be submitted for each year of funding requested.

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. Grant Administration. Applicants approved for funding under this 
competition may be required to attend a one- or two-day Grants 
Administration meeting in Washington, DC during the first year of the 
grant. The cost of attending this meeting may be paid from API program 
grant funds or State or local resources.
    4. 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 meets the reporting requirements in 
section 1704(f)(1) of the ESEA and provides the most current 
performance and financial expenditure information as specified by the 
Secretary in 34 CFR 75.118.
    5. Performance Measures: The Secretary has developed four 
performance measures for assessing the effectiveness of the two 
Advanced Placement programs authorized under Title I, Part G of the 
ESEA. These measures are:
    (a) Number of Advanced Placement (AP) tests taken by low-income 
students nationally;
    (b) Number of International Baccalaureate (IB) tests taken by low-
income students nationally;
    (c) Percentage of low-income students served by the Department's 
Advanced Placement programs who receive a passing score on AP tests; 
and
    (d) Percentage of low-income students served by the Department's 
Advanced Placement programs who receive a passing score on IB tests.

VII. Agency Contact

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Madeline E. Baggett, U.S. Department 
of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 4W210, Washington, DC 
20202-5943. Telephone: (202) 260-2502 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: November 3, 2004.
Nina Shokraii Rees,
Assistant Deputy Secretary for Innovation and Improvement.
[FR Doc. 04-24895 Filed 11-8-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-U