[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 24 (Monday, February 7, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6424-6428]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-2438]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Office of Elementary and Secondary Education


Overview Information; Early Childhood Educator Professional 
Development Program; Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for 
Fiscal Year (FY) 2005

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.349A.

    Dates:
    Applications Available: February 7, 2005.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: April 22, 2005.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: June 21, 2005.
    Eligible Applicants: A partnership consisting of at least one 
entity from each of the following categories, as indicated below:
    (i) One or more institutions of higher education, or other public 
or private

[[Page 6425]]

entities (including faith-based organizations), that provide 
professional development for early childhood educators who work with 
children from low-income families in high-need communities.
    (ii) One or more public agencies (including local educational 
agencies, State educational agencies, State human services agencies, 
and State and local agencies administering programs under the Child 
Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990), Head Start agencies, or 
private organizations (including faith-based organizations).
    (iii) If feasible, an entity with demonstrated experience in 
providing training to educators in early childhood education programs 
concerning identifying and preventing behavior problems or working with 
children identified as or suspected to be victims of abuse. This entity 
may be one of the partners described in paragraphs (i) and (ii) under 
Eligible Applicants.
    A partnership may apply for these funds only if one of the partners 
currently provides professional development for early childhood 
educators working in programs located in high-need communities with 
children from low-income families.
    Estimated Available Funds: $14,695,000.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $2,500,000-$5,000,000.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $3,750,000.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 3-6 awards.

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

    Project Period: Up to 36 months. Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Purpose of Program: The purpose of the Early Childhood Educator 
Professional Development (ECEPD) program is to enhance the school 
readiness of young children, particularly disadvantaged young children, 
and to prevent them from encountering difficulties once they enter 
school, by improving the knowledge and skills of early childhood 
educators who work in communities that have high concentrations of 
children living in poverty.
    Projects funded under the ECEPD program provide high-quality, 
sustained, and intensive professional development for these early 
childhood educators in how to provide developmentally appropriate 
school-readiness services for preschool-age children that are based on 
the best available research on early childhood pedagogy and on child 
development and learning. For these grants, increased emphasis is being 
placed on the quality of program evaluations for the proposed projects.
    The specific activities for which recipients may use grant funds 
are identified in the application package.
    Priorities: This competition includes one absolute priority and two 
invitational priorities that are explained in the following paragraphs. 
In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(iv), the absolute priority is 
from section 2151(e)(5)(A) of the Elementary and Secondary Education 
Act of 1965, as amended (ESEA), 20 U.S.C. 6651(e)(5)(A). The absolute 
priority and the two invitational priorities are as follows.
    Absolute Priority: For FY 2005 this priority is an absolute 
priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3) we consider only applications that 
meet this priority. This priority is:

High-Need Communities

    The applicant partnership, if awarded a grant, shall use the grant 
funds to carry out activities that will improve the knowledge and 
skills of early childhood educators who are working in early childhood 
programs that are located in ``high-need communities.''
    An eligible applicant must demonstrate in its application how it 
meets the statutory requirement in section 2151(e)(5)(A) of the ESEA by 
including relevant demographic and socioeconomic data about the ``high-
need community'' in which the program is located, as indicated in the 
application package. (See section 2151(e)(3)(B)(i) of the ESEA.)
    ``High-need community,'' as defined in section 2151(e)(9)(B) of the 
ESEA, means--
    (a) A political subdivision of a State, or a portion of a political 
subdivision of a State, in which at least 50 percent of the children 
are from low-income families; or
    (b) A political subdivision of a State that is among the 10 percent 
of political subdivisions of the State having the greatest numbers of 
such children.

    Note: The following additional terms used in or related to this 
absolute priority have statutory definitions that are included in 
the application package: ``early childhood educator,'' ``low-income 
family,'' and ``professional development.''

    Under this competition we are particularly interested in 
applications that address the following two invitational priorities.
    Invitational Priorities: For FY 2005, these priorities are 
invitational priorities. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(1), we do not give an 
application that meets these invitational priorities a competitive or 
absolute preference over other applications.
    Invitational Priority 1--Young Children with Limited English 
Proficiency, Disabilities, or Other Special Needs
    The Secretary is especially interested in applications that focus 
on providing professional development for early childhood educators who 
work with young children (including infants or toddlers, as applicable) 
with: limited English proficiency; disabilities, as identified under 
Parts B or C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act; or 
other special needs.

    Note: The following terms used in this invitational priority 
have statutory definitions that are included in the application 
package: ``child with a disability,'' ``infants and toddlers with 
disabilities,'' and ``limited English proficient.''

    Invitational Priority 2--Classroom Curricula and Teacher 
Professional Development
    The Secretary also is especially interested in applications that 
focus on professional development for early childhood educators on the 
specific preschool curricula that are being used in their early 
childhood programs and that promote young children's school readiness 
in the areas of language and cognitive development and early reading 
and numeracy skills. The curricula should be based on scientifically 
based research, and have standardized training procedures and published 
curriculum materials to support implementation by the early childhood 
educators. The chosen curricula should include a scope and sequence of 
skills and content with concrete instructional goals that will promote 
early language, reading, and numeracy skills.
    The need for rigorous preschool curricula is driven by the national 
focus on high-quality preschool experiences that prepare children for 
formal reading instruction in the elementary grades. The professional 
development in the ECEPD program provides opportunities for the program 
participants to achieve greater understanding of the implementation of 
scientifically based curricula that focus on early language, reading, 
and numeracy skills of young children. Grantees should focus on 
assisting the early childhood educators to fully implement the selected 
curricula and measuring learning outcomes for the children taught by 
those educators.
    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 6651(e).

[[Page 6426]]

    Applicable Regulations: 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, as applicable.

    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 grant.
    Estimated Available Funds: $14,695,000.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $2,500,000 `` $5,000,000.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $3,750,000.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 3-6 awards.

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

    Project Period: Up to 36 months.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: A partnership consisting of at least one 
entity from each of the following categories, as indicated below:
    (i) One or more institutions of higher education, or other public 
or private entities (including faith-based organizations), that provide 
professional development for early childhood educators who work with 
children from low-income families in high-need communities.
    (ii) One or more public agencies (including local educational 
agencies, State educational agencies, State human services agencies, 
and State and local agencies administering programs under the Child 
Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990), Head Start agencies, or 
private organizations (including faith-based organizations).
    (iii) If feasible, an entity with demonstrated experience in 
providing training to educators in early childhood education programs 
concerning identifying and preventing behavior problems or working with 
children identified as or suspected to be victims of abuse. This entity 
may be one of the partners described in paragraphs (i) and (ii) under 
Eligible Applicants.
    A partnership may apply for these funds only if one of the partners 
currently provides professional development for early childhood 
educators working in programs located in high-need communities with 
children from low-income families.
    2. Cost Sharing or Matching: Each partnership that receives a grant 
under this program must provide (1) at least 50 percent of the total 
cost of the project for the entire grant period; and (2) at least 20 
percent of the project cost for each year. The project may provide 
these funds from any source, other than this program, including other 
Federal sources. The partnership may satisfy these cost-sharing 
requirements by providing contributions in cash or in-kind, fairly 
evaluated, including plant, equipment, and services. Only allowable 
costs may be counted as part of the grantee's share. For example, any 
indirect costs over and above the allowable amount may not be counted 
toward a grantee's share. For additional information about indirect 
costs, see section IV.5. of this notice.

IV. Application and Submission Information

    1. Address to Request Application Package: You may obtain an 
application package via the Internet or from the Education Publications 
Center (ED Pubs). To obtain an application via the Internet, use the 
following Web address: http://www.ed.gov/programs/eceducator/index.html. To obtain a copy from ED Pubs, write or call the following: 
Education Publications Center, 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.
    If you request an application package from ED Pubs, be sure to 
identify this competition as follows: CFDA number 84.349A.
    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 84.349A.
    Individuals with disabilities may obtain a copy of the application 
package in an alternative format (e.g., Braille, large print, 
audiotape, or computer diskette) following the instructions in section 
VII of this notice.
    2. Content and Form of Application Submission: Requirements 
concerning the content of the application, together with the forms you 
must submit, are in the application package for this competition.
    Page Limits: The application narrative for this program (Part III 
of the application) is where you, the applicant, address the selection 
criteria that reviewers use to evaluate your application. You must 
limit Part III of the application to the equivalent of no more than 30 
typed pages. Part IV of the application is where you, the applicant, 
provide a budget narrative that reviewers use to evaluate your 
application. You must limit the budget narrative in Part IV of the 
application to the equivalent of no more than 5 typed pages. For all 
page limits, use 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 application and budget narratives, including titles, 
headings, footnotes, quotations, references, and captions. Text in 
tables, charts, or graphs, and the limited Appendices, may be single 
spaced.
     Use a font that is either 12-point or larger or no smaller 
than 10 pitch (characters per inch). You may use other point fonts for 
any tables, charts, graphs, and the limited Appendices, but those 
tables, charts, graphs and limited Appendices should be in a font size 
that is easily readable by the reviewers of your application.
     Any tables, charts, or graphs are included in the overall 
narrative page limit. The limited Appendices, including the partnership 
agreement required as a group agreement under 34 CFR 75.128, are not 
part of these page limits.
     Appendices are limited to the following: Required 
partnership agreement; and curriculum vitae of key personnel (including 
key contract personnel and consultants).
     Other application materials are limited to the specific 
materials indicated in the application package, and may not include any 
video or other non-print materials.
    Our reviewers will not read any pages of your application that--
     Exceed the page limits if you apply these standards; or
     Exceed the equivalent of the page limits if you apply 
other standards.
    3. Submission Dates and Times.
    Applications Available: February 7, 2005.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: April 22, 2005.
    Applications for grants under this program [competition] may be 
submitted electronically using the Electronic Grant Application System 
(e-Application) accessible through the Department's e-Grants system, or 
in paper format by mail or hand delivery. For information (including 
dates and times) about how to submit your application electronically, 
or by mail or hand delivery, please refer to section

[[Page 6427]]

IV.6. Other Submission Requirements in this notice.
    We do not consider an application that does not comply with the 
deadline requirements.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: June 21, 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:
    (a) Indirect Costs. For purposes of indirect cost charges, the 
Secretary considers all ECEPD program grants to be ``educational 
training grants'' within the meaning of section 75.562(a) of EDGAR. 
Consistent with 34 CFR 75.562, the indirect cost rate for any fiscal 
agent other than a State agency or agency of local government (such as 
a local educational agency) is limited to a maximum of eight percent or 
the amount permitted by the fiscal agent's negotiated indirect cost 
rate agreement, whichever is less. Further information about indirect 
cost rates, and on how to apply for a negotiated indirect cost rate for 
fiscal agents that do not yet have one, is available at the following 
Web site: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocfo/intro.html?exp=0.
    (b) Pre-award Costs: For FY 2005 the Secretary exercises her 
authority under sections 75.263 and 74.25(e)(1) of EDGAR to approve 
pre-award costs incurred by recipients of these grants more than 90 
calendar days before the grant award. Specifically, the Secretary 
approves necessary and reasonable pre-award costs incurred by these 
grant recipients for up to 90 days before the application deadline 
date. These pre-award costs must be related to the needs assessment 
that applicants conduct under section 2151(e)(3)(B)(iii) of the ESEA 
before submitting their applications, to determine the most critical 
professional development needs of the early childhood educators to be 
served by the project and in the broader community.
    Applicants incur any pre-award costs at their own risk. The 
Secretary is under no obligation to reimburse these costs if for any 
reason the applicant does not receive an award or if the award is less 
than anticipated and inadequate to cover these costs.
    We reference additional regulations outlining funding restrictions 
in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.
    6. Other Submission Requirements.
    Applications for grants under this program [competition] may be 
submitted electronically or in paper format by mail or hand delivery.
    a. Electronic Submission of Applications.
    If you choose to submit your application to us electronically, you 
must use e-Application available through the Department's e-Grants 
system, accessible through the e-Grants portal page at: http://e-grants.ed.gov.
    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:
     Your participation in e-Application is voluntary.
     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 this program [competition] 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 submit your application in paper format.
     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.
     Any narrative sections of your application should be 
attached as files in a .DOC (document), .RTF (rich text), or .PDF 
(Portable Document) format.
     Your electronic application must comply with any page 
limit requirements described in this notice.
     Prior to submitting your electronic application, you may 
wish to 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 will be sent to all 
registered users who have initiated an e-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, for any reason, 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

[[Page 6428]]

paper format by mail or hand delivery in accordance with the 
instructions in this notice.
    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 mail 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 
84.349A), 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 
84.349A), 7100 Old Landover Road, Landover, MD 20785-1506.
    Regardless of which address you use, 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 Secretary of the 
U.S. Department 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: 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 submit your application in paper format by hand delivery, 
you (or a courier service) 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 84.349A), 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.

    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 grant 
application receipt acknowledgment 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. 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. ECEPD program grantees also are required by section 
2151(e)(6)(B) of the ESEA to report annually to the Secretary on the 
partnership's progress toward attaining the achievement indicators 
referenced in section VI. 4. Performance Measures in this notice. For 
specific requirements on grantee reporting, please go to http://www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/appforms/appforms.html.
    4. Performance Measures: For FY 2005, grants under this program 
will be governed by the achievement indicators that the Secretary 
published in the Federal Register on March 31, 2003 (68 FR 15646-
15648). These achievement indicators are included in the application 
package.

VI. Agency Contact

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rosemary Fennell, U.S. Department of 
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 3C-100, Washington, DC 20202-
6132. Telephone: (202) 260-0792, or by e-mail: [email protected].
    If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may 
call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) 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.

VII. 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 2, 2005.
Raymond Simon,
Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education.
[FR Doc. 05-2438 Filed 2-4-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P