[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 39 (Tuesday, March 1, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9932-9936]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-3954]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Office of Elementary and Secondary Education; Overview 
Information; Training and Advisory Services (Equity Assistance Center 
Program); Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year 
(FY) 2005

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.004D.


DATES: 
    Applications Available: March 1, 2005.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: April 29, 2005.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: June 29, 2005.
    Eligible Applicants: A public agency (other than a State 
educational agency or a school board) or a private, non-profit 
organization.
    Estimated Available Funds: $7,185,056.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $300,000--$900,000.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $718,500.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 10.

    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 Training and Advisory program is authorized 
under Title IV of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. 2000c-2000c-
2, 2000c-5 and regulations at 34 CFR parts 270 and 272. This program 
awards grants through cooperative agreements to operate regional equity 
assistance centers to enable them to provide technical assistance and 
training, at the request of school boards and other responsible 
governmental agencies, on the preparation, adoption, and implementation 
of plans for the desegregation of public schools--which in this context 
means plans for equity (including desegregation based on race, sex, and 
national origin)--and in the development of effective methods of coping 
with special educational problems occasioned by desegregation. The 
Equity Assistance Centers (formerly the Desegregation Assistance 
Centers) assist States, districts, and public schools to provide 
effective instruction to all students and specifically to those 
students for whom disparities in achievement persist.

    Program Authority: 42 U.S.C. 2000c-2000c-2, 2000c-5, unless 
otherwise noted.

    Applicable Regulations: (a) 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, except that 34 CFR part 75.232 does 
not apply to grants under 34 CFR part 272; and (b) the regulations for 
this program in 34 CFR parts 270 and 272.

    Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to institutions of 
higher education only.



    Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 99 apply only to an 
educational agency or institution.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Cooperative agreement.
    Estimated Available Funds: $7,185,056.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $300,000-$900,000 per year.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $718,500.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 10.

    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 public agency (other than a State 
educational agency or a school board) or a private, non-profit 
organization.
    2. Geographical Regions: Ten regional Equity Assistance Centers 
will be established under this grant competition. The proposals will be 
read according to the region they represent, and one award will be made 
in each region, to the highest-scoring proposal from that region.
    The geographic regions served by the EACs are:
    Region I: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode 
Island, Vermont.
    Region II: New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands.
    Region III: Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, 
Virginia, West Virginia.
    Region IV: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North 
Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee.
    Region V: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Wisconsin.
    Region VI: Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas.
    Region VII: Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska.
    Region VIII: Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, 
Wyoming.
    Region IX: Arizona, California, Nevada.
    Region X: Alaska, American Samoa, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Northern 
Mariana

[[Page 9933]]

Islands, Oregon, Republic of Palau, Washington.

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/fund/grant/apply/grantapps/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.
    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 package from ED Pubs, be sure to 
identify this competition as follows: CFDA number 84.004D.
    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 of this notice.
    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.
    Page Limit: The application narrative (Part III of the application) 
is where you, the applicant, address the selection criteria that the 
reviewers use to evaluate your application. You must limit Part III to 
the equivalent of no more than 75 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 application 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 does not apply to Part I, the cover sheet; Part II, 
the one page abstract; Part IV, the budget section, including the 
narrative budget justification; or Part V, the assurances and 
certifications, the resumes, the bibliography, or the letters of 
support. However, you must include all of the application narrative in 
Part III.
    Our reviewers will not read any pages of your application 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: March 1, 2005.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: April 29, 2005.
    Applications for grants under this 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 by mail or hand delivery if you qualify 
for an exception to 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 
deadline requirements.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: June 29, 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 qualify for 
an exception to this requirement in accordance with the instructions in 
this section.
    We will reject your application if you submit it in paper format 
unless, as described elsewhere in this section, you qualify for one of 
the exceptions to the electronic submission requirement and submit, no 
later than two weeks before the application deadline date, a written 
statement to the Department that you qualify for one of these 
exceptions. Further information regarding calculation of the date that 
is two weeks before the application deadline date is provided later in 
this section under Exception to Electronic Submission Requirement.
    a. Electronic Submission of Applications.
    Applications for grants under the Equity Assistance Center 
Program--CFDA Number 84.004D, 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.
    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 this 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 qualify for an exception to the electronic submission 
requirement, as described elsewhere in this section, and 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

[[Page 9934]]

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 e-Application 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.
    Exception to Electronic Submission Requirement: You qualify for an 
exception to the electronic submission requirement, and may submit your 
application in paper format, if you are unable to submit an application 
through the e-Application system because--
     You do not have access to the Internet; or
     You do not have the capacity to upload large documents to 
the Department's e-Application system; and
     No later than two weeks before the application deadline 
date (14 calendar days or, if the fourteenth calendar day before the 
application deadline date falls on a Federal holiday, the next business 
day following the Federal holiday), you mail or fax a written statement 
to the Department, explaining which of the two grounds for an exception 
prevent you from using the Internet to submit your application. If you 
mail your written statement to the Department, it must be postmarked no 
later than two weeks before the application deadline date. If you fax 
your written statement to the Department, we must receive the faxed 
statement no later than two weeks before the application deadline date.
    Address and mail or fax your statement to: Sandra H. Brown, U.S. 
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Room 3E116, FB-6, 
Washington, DC 20202-6400. Fax: (202) 205-5870.
    Your paper application must be submitted in accordance with the 
mail or hand delivery instructions described in this notice.
    b. Submission of Paper Applications by Mail.
    If you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission 
requirement, you may mail (through the U.S. Postal Service or a 
commercial carrier) your application to the Department. 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 84.004D, 
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 84.004D, 
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 qualify for an exception to 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 84.004D, 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. Application Review Information

    1. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this competition 
are selection criteria from EDGAR 34 CFR part 75.210. Further 
information on these selection criteria is in the application package. 
The maximum score for all of the selection criteria is 100 points. The 
maximum score for

[[Page 9935]]

each criterion is indicated in parentheses with the criterion. The 
maximum number of points an application may earn based on the selection 
criteria is 100 points. The criteria are as follows:
    (a) Significance (20 Points).
    The Secretary considers the significance of the proposed project. 
In determining the significance of the proposed project, the Secretary 
considers the following factors:
    (1) The national significance of the proposed project.
    (2) The potential contribution of the proposed project to increased 
knowledge or understanding of educational problems, issues, or 
effective strategies.
    (3) The likelihood that the proposed project will result in system 
change or improvement.
    (4) The extent to which the proposed project is likely to build 
local capacity to provide, improve, or expand services that address the 
needs of the target population.
    (5) The importance or magnitude of the results or outcomes likely 
to be attained by the proposed project, especially improvements in 
teaching and student achievement.
    (b) Quality of the Project Design (15 Points).
    The Secretary considers the quality of the design of the proposed 
project. In determining the quality of the design of the proposed 
project, the Secretary considers the following factors:
    (1) The extent to which the goals, objectives, and outcomes to be 
achieved by the proposed project are clearly specified and measurable.
    (2) The extent to which the design of the proposed project is 
appropriate to, and will successfully address, the needs of the target 
population or other identified needs.
    (3) The extent to which the proposed activities constitute a 
coherent, sustained program of training in the field.
    (4) The extent to which the design of the proposed project includes 
a thorough, high-quality review of the relevant literature, a high-
quality plan for project implementation, and the use of appropriate 
methodological tools to ensure successful achievement of project 
objectives.
    (5) The extent to which the proposed project encourages parental 
involvement.
    (c) Quality of Project Services (20 Points).
    The Secretary considers the quality of the services to be provided 
by the proposed project. In determining the quality of the services to 
be provided by the proposed project, the Secretary considers the 
quality and sufficiency of strategies for ensuring equal access and 
treatment for eligible project participants who are members of groups 
that have traditionally been underrepresented based on race, color, 
national origin, gender, age, or disability. In addition, the Secretary 
considers the following factors:
    (1) The extent to which the training or professional development 
services to be provided by the proposed project are of sufficient 
quality, intensity, and duration to lead to improvements in practice 
among the recipients of those services.
    (2) The likelihood that the services to be provided by the proposed 
project will lead to improvements in the achievement of students as 
measured against rigorous academic standards.
    (3) The extent to which the technical assistance services to be 
provided by the proposed project involve the use of efficient 
strategies, including the use of technology, as appropriate, and the 
leveraging of non-project resources.
    (4) The extent to which the services to be provided by the proposed 
project are focused on those with greatest needs.
    (d) Quality of Project Personnel (10 Points).
    The Secretary considers the quality of the personnel who will carry 
out the proposed project. In determining the quality of project 
personnel, the Secretary considers the extent to which the applicant 
encourages applications for employment from persons who are members of 
groups that have traditionally been underrepresented based on race, 
color, national origin, gender, age, or disability. In addition, the 
Secretary considers the following factors:
    (1) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience, 
of the project director.
    (2) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience, 
of key project personnel.
    (3) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience, 
of project consultants.
    (e) Adequacy of Resources (5 Points).
    The Secretary considers the adequacy of resources for the proposed 
project. In determining the adequacy of resources for the proposed 
project, the Secretary considers the following factors:
    (1) The adequacy of support, including facilities, equipment, 
supplies, and other resources, from the applicant organization or the 
lead applicant organization.
    (2) The extent to which the budget is adequate to support the 
proposed project.
    (3) The extent to which the costs are reasonable in relation to the 
objectives, design, and potential significance of the proposed project.
    (f) Quality of the Management Plan (15 Points).
    The Secretary considers the quality of the management plan for the 
proposed project. In determining the quality of the management plan for 
the proposed project, the Secretary considers the following factors:
    (1) The adequacy of the management plan to achieve the objectives 
of the proposed project on time and within budget, including clearly 
defined responsibilities, timelines, and milestones for accomplishing 
project tasks.
    (2) The extent to which the time commitments of the project 
director and other key project personnel are appropriate and adequate 
to meet the objectives of the proposed project.
    (g) Quality of the Project Evaluation (15 Points).
    The Secretary considers the quality of the evaluation to be 
conducted of the proposed project. In determining the quality of the 
evaluation, the Secretary considers the following factors:
    (1) The extent to which the methods of evaluation are thorough, 
feasible, and appropriate to the goals, objectives, and outcomes of the 
proposed project.
    (2) The extent to which the methods of evaluation include the use 
of objective performance measures that are clearly related to the 
intended outcomes of the project and will produce quantitative and 
qualitative data to the extent possible.
    (3) The extent to which the methods of evaluation will provide 
performance feedback and permit periodic assessment of progress toward 
achieving intended outcomes.

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

[[Page 9936]]

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 
accordance with 34 CFR 75.118.
    4. Performance Measures: In response to the Government Performance 
and Results Act (GPRA), the Department has established two overall 
performance indicators for assessing the effectiveness of the Equity 
Assistance Centers program. We will collect the data for these 
indicators from the grantees using the following measures:
    Performance Indicator 1: Training and technical assistance services 
result in the promotion of policies and practices to ensure that all 
children regardless of race, sex, or national origin have equal access 
to quality education and equitable opportunity for high-quality 
instruction.
    Measure One: As a result of products and services provided by the 
Equity Assistance Centers, an increasing percentage of customers will 
develop, implement, or improve their policies and practices in 
eliminating, reducing, or preventing harassment, conflict, and school 
violence.
    Measure Two: As a result of products and services provided by the 
Equity Assistance Centers, an increasing percentage of customers will 
develop, implement, or improve their policies and practices ensuring 
that students of different race, national origin, and sex have 
equitable opportunity for high-quality instruction.
    Performance Indicator Two: Training and technical assistance 
services result in products and services that are deemed to be of high 
usefulness to education policy or practice.
    Measure: An increasing percentage of customers will report that the 
products and services they received from the Equity Assistance Centers 
are of high usefulness to their policies and practices.
    We will expect all grantees to report data addressing these 
performance measures in the annual performance report referred to in 
section VI.3. of this notice.

VII. Agency Contact

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sandra H. Brown, U.S. Department of 
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Room 3E116, FB-6, Washington, DC 
20202-6400. Telephone: (202) 260-2638 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/index.html.
    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 24, 2005.
Raymond Simon,
Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education.
[FR Doc. 05-3954 Filed 2-28-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P