[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 48 (Monday, March 14, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12448-12455]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-4978]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Office of Innovation and Improvement (OII) Overview Information, 
Ready-To-Learn Television Program; Notice Inviting Applications for New 
Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2005

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Numbers: 84.295A and 
84.295B.

    Dates: Applications Available: March 15, 2005.
    Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply: April 13, 2005.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: May 13, 2005.

[[Page 12449]]

    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: July 12, 2005.
    Eligible Applicants: To receive a cooperative agreement under this 
competition, an entity shall be a public telecommunications entity that 
is able to demonstrate each of the following:
    (A) A capacity to develop and nationally distribute educational and 
instructional television programming of high quality that is accessible 
by a large majority of disadvantaged preschool and elementary school 
children;
    (B) A capacity to contract with the producers of children's 
television programming for the purpose of developing educational 
television programming of high quality;
    (C) A capacity, consistent with the entity's mission and nonprofit 
nature, to negotiate such contracts in a manner that returns to the 
entity an appropriate share of any ancillary income from sales of any 
program-related products; and
    (D) A capacity to localize programming and materials to meet 
specific State and local needs and to provide educational outreach at 
the local level.

    Note: The term public telecommunications entity means any 
enterprise which (a) is a public broadcast station or a 
noncommercial telecommunications entity; and (b) disseminates public 
telecommunications services to the public.


    Estimated Available Funds: $23,312,000.
    Estimated Range of Awards: Programming Projects --$10,000,000--
$20,000,000; Outreach Project--$2,000,000-$4,000,000.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: Programming Projects--
$10,000,000; Outreach Project--$3,500,000.
    Estimated Number of Awards: Programming Projects--1-2; Outreach 
Project--1.


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


    Project Period: Up to 60 months.

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Purpose of Program: The Ready-To-Learn (RTL) Television program 
supports awards to: (1) Develop, produce and distribute educational and 
instructional video programming for preschool and early elementary 
school children and their parents in order to facilitate academic 
achievement; (2) facilitate the development of educational programming 
for preschool and elementary school children and the accompanying 
support materials and services that promote the effective use of such 
programming; (3) facilitate the development of programming and digital 
content containing RTL-based children's programming and resources for 
parents and caregivers that is specially designed for nationwide 
distribution over public television stations' digital broadcasting 
channels and the Internet; (4) contract with entities, such as public 
telecommunications entities, so that programs developed are 
disseminated and distributed to the widest possible audience 
appropriate to be served by the programming, and through the use of the 
most appropriate distribution technologies; and (5) develop and 
disseminate education and training materials, including interactive 
programs and programs adaptable to distance learning technologies that 
are designed to (a) promote school readiness; and (b) promote the 
effective use of materials developed through the program among parents, 
teachers, Head Start providers, Even Start providers, providers of 
family literacy services, child care providers, early childhood 
development personnel, elementary school teachers, public librarians, 
and after school program personnel caring for preschool and elementary 
school children.
    The Department will hold two separate competitions under this 
program. Both programming and outreach grantees will be expected to 
collaborate on RTL activities. Eligible applicants may apply for grants 
under programming projects (CFDA No. 84.295A) and outreach projects 
(CFDA No. 84.295B).
    Priorities: This competition includes two absolute priorities and 
one competitive preference priority that are explained in the following 
paragraphs.
    We are establishing these priorities for the FY 2005 grant 
competition only, in accordance with section 437(d)(1) of the General 
Education Provisions Act.
    Absolute Priorities: For FY 2005 these priorities are absolute 
priorities. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3) we consider only applications 
that meet these priorities. Applicants may choose to apply under 
Absolute Priority 1 or Absolute Priority 2 or both.
    These priorities are:
    Absolute Priority 1--Programming Grants (CFDA No. 84.295A): This 
priority supports projects designed to develop, produce and distribute 
age appropriate educational video programming and curricula that employ 
scientifically based reading research for children ages two through 
eight years old and their parents and educators. Applicants must 
demonstrate how they will create partnerships to develop and produce 
multiple series within each proposal. Under this absolute priority, 
applicants may develop new programming as well as continuations of 
existing programming that meets the stated criteria.
    Applications must--
    (a) Describe how educational programming developed using RTL funds 
will target low-income children and families. The term low-income 
children is defined on the basis of the poverty criteria set out in 
section 1113(a)(5) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 
1965 (ESEA), as amended by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB). 
Those criteria are as follows: living below the poverty level, 
eligibility for free or reduced price lunches under the Richard B. 
Russell National School Lunch Act, living in a family receiving funding 
under the State program funded under part A of title IV of the Social 
Security Act, or eligibility to receive medical services under the 
Medicaid program.
    (b) Describe how scientifically based reading research will be used 
to inform educational programming developed using RTL funds, and how 
scientifically based reading instruction techniques and age appropriate 
academic content will be incorporated into the proposed programming to 
facilitate improved academic outcomes for children, including children 
from low-income backgrounds.
    (c) Demonstrate how new technologies will be utilized to ensure 
that educational programming developed using RTL funds reaches a wide 
audience in an efficient and cost-effective manner. The applicant must 
include a plan for the national distribution of digital programming 
content that includes, but is not limited to, low-income children and 
families.
    (d) Include as key personnel an expert in scientifically based 
reading instruction who will devote no less than 25% of his or her time 
to the overall guidance and direction of the program. The applicant 
will be required to establish an advisory board for each series 
composed of early childhood, media, scientifically based reading 
research and other relevant experts as programming requires who will 
provide advice on the age appropriateness of content and the 
development of related curricula and materials.
    Absolute Priority 2--Outreach Grants (CFDA No. 84.295B): This 
priority supports a project that will develop a national outreach plan 
and targeted local strategies that promote the programming content 
developed using RTL funds. The outreach shall be designed to reach 
children ages two

[[Page 12450]]

through eight years old, their parents and educators. The outreach plan 
will support the programming goal of scientifically based reading 
instruction. Outreach activities must address all RTL funded shows, 
including shows funded under previous RTL awards and new shows, which 
are consistent with Absolute Priority One of this notice. Both national 
and local campaigns must be conducted and evaluated.
    The outreach plan must be two-fold--
    1. National Campaign. The national campaign must include a national 
outreach with unified RTL messages and strategies that support the goal 
of scientifically based reading instruction. The applicant must--
    (a) Develop a partnership plan that leverages the outreach 
available for the program through collaborative efforts that may 
include local educational agencies, State educational agencies, Head 
Start centers, Even Start programs, early childhood development 
entities, public libraries, after-school programs, faith-based groups, 
Extension Service programs, pre-kindergarten programs, child care 
providers, and providers of family literacy services.
    (b) Develop, manage and maintain Web sites for children, parents 
and educators to support outreach and that links the programming 
activities of all RTL shows.
    (c) Include a description of a national marketing plan for all RTL 
shows that targets parents, elementary classroom teachers and early 
childhood educators. The plan should include strategies for embedding 
educational programming developed using RTL funds into other 
appropriate television series, movies, and videos for both children and 
adults.
    (d) Establish an advisory board that will provide advice on the age 
appropriateness of outreach content and the development of curricula 
and materials related to programming.
    2. Targeted Local Campaigns. The applicant shall propose a 
systematic outreach campaign at the local level that targets low-income 
children and their families. The term low-income children is defined on 
the basis of the poverty criteria set out in section 1113(a)(5) of the 
ESEA, as amended by NCLB. Those criteria are as follows: living below 
the poverty level, eligibility for a free or reduced price lunches 
under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act, living in a 
family receiving funding under the State program funded under Part A of 
title IV of the Social Security Act, or eligibility to receive medical 
services under the Medicaid program.
    The applicant must--
    (a) Describe how new technologies, where appropriate, will be 
utilized to deliver curricula, ancillary materials, as well as how such 
technologies will be used to support program-related outreach 
activities for all shows developed using RTL funds.
    (b) Describe how the applicant will conduct public awareness/
advertising campaigns for all shows developed using RTL funds that 
target the needs of low-income children and families.
    The applicant will evaluate outreach through a market/survey 
evaluation to determine the percentage of parents and educators 
randomly surveyed who participated in the public awareness campaign and 
either co-viewed programs developed using RTL funds with their 
children/students for the first time or increased co-viewing.
    Competitive Preference Priority--Programming Grants (CFDA No. 
84.295A): This priority is from the notice of final priority for 
Scientifically Based Evaluation Methods, published in the Federal 
Register on January 25, 2005 (70 FR 3586). Within Absolute Priority 1 
(Programming Grants), we give competitive preference to applications 
that address the following priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i) we 
award up to an additional 25 points to an application, depending on the 
extent to which the application meets this priority.


    Note: In awarding additional points to applications that address 
this competitive preference priority, we will consider only those 
applications that have top-ranked scores on the basis of the 
Selection Criteria in Section V. (see Section V. 1. Selection 
Criteria in this notice).


    The Secretary establishes a priority for projects proposing an 
evaluation plan that is based on rigorous scientifically based research 
methods to assess the effectiveness of a particular intervention. The 
Secretary intends that this priority will allow program participants 
and the Department to determine whether the project produces meaningful 
effects on student achievement or teacher performance.
    Evaluation methods using an experimental design are best for 
determining project effectiveness. Thus, when feasible, the project 
must use an experimental design under which participants--e.g., 
students, teachers, classrooms, or schools--are randomly assigned to 
participate in the project activities being evaluated or to a control 
group that does not participate in the project activities being 
evaluated.
    If random assignment is not feasible, the project may use a quasi-
experimental design with carefully matched comparison conditions. This 
alternative design attempts to approximate a randomly assigned control 
group by matching participants--e.g., students, teachers, classrooms, 
or schools--with non-participants having similar pre-program 
characteristics.
    In cases where random assignment is not possible and participation 
in the intervention is determined by a specified cutting point on a 
quantified continuum of scores, regression discontinuity designs may be 
employed.
    For projects that are focused on special populations in which 
sufficient numbers of participants are not available to support random 
assignment or matched comparison group designs, single-subject designs 
such as multiple baseline or treatment-reversal or interrupted time 
series that are capable of demonstrating causal relationships can be 
employed.
    Proposed evaluation strategies that use neither experimental 
designs with random assignment nor quasi-experimental designs using a 
matched comparison group nor regression discontinuity designs will not 
be considered responsive to the priority when sufficient numbers of 
participants are available to support these designs. Evaluation 
strategies that involve too small a number of participants to support 
group designs must be capable of demonstrating the causal effects of an 
intervention or program on those participants.
    The proposed evaluation plan must describe how the project 
evaluator will collect--before the project intervention commences and 
after it ends--valid and reliable data that measure the impact of 
participation in the program or in the comparison group.
    If the priority is used as a competitive preference priority, 
points awarded under this priority will be determined by the quality of 
the proposed evaluation method. In determining the quality of the 
evaluation method, we will consider the extent to which the applicant 
presents a feasible, credible plan that includes the following:
    (1) The type of design to be used (that is, random assignment or 
matched comparison). If matched comparison, include in the plan a 
discussion of why random assignment is not feasible.
    (2) Outcomes to be measured.
    (3) A discussion of how the applicant plans to assign students, 
teachers, classrooms, or schools to the project and control group or 
match them for comparison with other students, teachers, classrooms, or 
schools.
    (4) A proposed evaluator, preferably independent, with the 
necessary

[[Page 12451]]

background and technical expertise to carry out the proposed 
evaluation. An independent evaluator does not have any authority over 
the project and is not involved in its implementation.
    In general, depending on the implemented program or project, under 
a competitive preference priority, random assignment evaluation methods 
will receive more points than matched comparison evaluation methods.

Definitions

    As used in this notice--
    Scientifically based research (section 9101(37), of the ESEA as 
amended by NCLB), 20 U.S.C. 7801(37)):
    (A) Means research that involves the application of rigorous, 
systematic, and objective procedures to obtain reliable and valid 
knowledge relevant to education activities and programs; and
    (B) Includes research that--
    (i) Employs systematic, empirical methods that draw on observation 
or experiment;
    (ii) Involves rigorous data analyses that are adequate to test the 
stated hypotheses and justify the general conclusions drawn;
    (iii) Relies on measurements or observational methods that provide 
reliable and valid data across evaluators and observers, across 
multiple measurements and observations, and across studies by the same 
or different investigators;
    (iv) Is evaluated using experimental or quasi-experimental designs 
in which individuals entities, programs, or activities are assigned to 
different conditions and with appropriate controls to evaluate the 
effects of the condition of interest, with a preference for random-
assignment experiments, or other designs to the extent that those 
designs contain within-condition or across-condition controls;
    (v) Ensures that experimental studies are presented in sufficient 
detail and clarity to allow for replication or, at a minimum, offer the 
opportunity to build systematically on their findings; and
    (vi) Has been accepted by a peer-reviewed journal or approved by a 
panel of independent experts through a comparably rigorous, objective, 
and scientific review.
    Random assignment or experimental design means random assignment of 
students, teachers, classrooms, or schools to participate in a project 
being evaluated (treatment group) or not participate in the project 
(control group). The effect of the project is the difference in 
outcomes between the treatment and control groups.
    Quasi experimental designs include several designs that attempt to 
approximate a random assignment design.
    Carefully matched comparison groups design means a quasi-
experimental design in which project participants are matched with non-
participants based on key characteristics that are thought to be 
related to the outcome.
    Regression discontinuity design means a quasi-experimental design 
that closely approximates an experimental design. In a regression 
discontinuity design, participants are assigned to a treatment or 
control group based on a numerical rating or score of a variable 
unrelated to the treatment such as the rating of an application for 
funding. Eligible students, teachers, classrooms, or schools above a 
certain score (``cut score'') are assigned to the treatment group and 
those below the score are assigned to the control group. In the case of 
the scores of applicants' proposals for funding, the ``cut score'' is 
established at the point where the program funds available are 
exhausted.
    Single subject design means a design that relies on the comparison 
of treatment effects on a single subject or group of single subjects. 
There is little confidence that findings based on this design would be 
the same for other members of the population.
    Treatment reversal design means a single subject design in which a 
pre-treatment or baseline outcome measurement is compared with a post-
treatment measure. Treatment would then be stopped for a period of 
time, a second baseline measure of the outcome would be taken, followed 
by a second application of the treatment or a different treatment. For 
example, this design might be used to evaluate a behavior modification 
program for disabled students with behavior disorders.
    Multiple baseline design means a single subject design to address 
concerns about the effects of normal development, timing of the 
treatment, and amount of the treatment with treatment-reversal designs 
by using a varying time schedule for introduction of the treatment and/
or treatments of different lengths or intensity.
    Interrupted time series design means a quasi-experimental design in 
which the outcome of interest is measured multiple times before and 
after the treatment for program participants only.
    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 absolute priorities. Section 437(d)(1) of 
the General Education Provisions Act, however, exempts from this 
requirement rules that apply to the first competition under a new or 
substantially revised program authority. This is the first competition 
under the RTL program, which was substantially revised by the No Child 
Left Behind Act of 2001. These absolute priorities will apply to the FY 
2005 grant competition only.
    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 6775.
    Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 81, 
82, 84, 85, 86, 97, 98, and 99. (b) The notice of final priority for 
Scientifically Based Evaluation Methods, published in the Federal 
Register on January 25, 2005 (70 FR 3586).

    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: Cooperative agreement.
    Estimated Available Funds: $23,312,000.
    Estimated Range of Awards: Programming Projects--$10,000,000-
$20,000,000; Outreach Project--$2,000,000-$4,000,000.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: Programming Projects--
$10,000,000; Outreach Project--$3,500,000.
    Estimated Number of Awards: Programming Projects--1-2; Outreach 
Project--1.


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


    Project Period: Up to 60 months.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: To receive a cooperative agreement under 
this competition, an entity shall be a public telecommunications entity 
that is able to demonstrate each of the following:
    (A) A capacity to develop and nationally distribute educational and 
instructional television programming of high quality that is accessible 
by a large majority of disadvantaged preschool and elementary school 
children.
    (B) A capacity to contract with the producers of children's 
television programming for the purpose of developing educational 
television programming of high quality.
    (C) A capacity, consistent with the entity's mission and nonprofit 
nature, to negotiate such contracts in a manner that returns to the 
entity an appropriate share of any ancillary income from sales of any 
program-related products.

[[Page 12452]]

    (D) A capacity to localize programming and materials to meet 
specific State and local needs and to provide educational outreach at 
the local level.


    Note: The term public telecommunications entity means any 
enterprise which (a) is a public broadcast station or a 
noncommercial telecommunications entity; and (b) disseminates public 
telecommunications services to the public.


    2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This competition does not involve cost 
sharing or matching.

IV. Application and Submission Information

    1. Address to Request Application Package: You may obtain an 
application package via Internet or from the Education Publications 
Center (ED Pubs). To obtain a copy via Internet use the following 
address: http://www.ed.gov/fundgrant/apply/grantapps/index. To obtain a 
copy from ED Pubs, write or call the following: Education Publications 
Center (ED Pubs), PO 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 84.295A or 84.295B, as 
appropriate.
    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 Contacts).
    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 competition.
    Notice of Intent to Apply: Applicants that plan to apply for 
funding under this competition are encouraged to indicate an intent to 
apply via e-mail notification sent to [email protected] no 
later than April 13, 2005. Applicants that fail to supply this e-mail 
notification may still apply for funding under this notice.
    Page Limit for Program Narrative: The program narrative is where 
you, the applicant, address the selection criteria (i.e., within the 
context of the absolute priority) 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).
    Although no page limit is required, applicants are encouraged to 
confine the program narrative to no more than 50 pages.
    3. Submission Dates and Times:
    Applications Available: March 15, 2005.
    Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply: April 13, 2005.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: May 13, 2005.
    Applications for grants under this competition must be submitted 
electronically using the Grants.gov Apply site (Grants.gov). 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: July 12, 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 competition.
    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 competition must be submitted electronically unless you qualify 
for an exception to this requirement in accordance with the 
instructions in this section.
    a. Electronic Submission of Applications.
    Applications for grants under the Ready-To-Learn program--CFDA 
Number 84.295A and 84.295B must be submitted electronically using the 
Grants.gov Apply site. Through this site, you will be able to download 
a copy of the application package, complete it offline, and then upload 
and submit your application. You may not e-mail an electronic copy of a 
grant application to us.
    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.
    You may access the electronic grant application for RTL at: http://www.grants.gov. You must search for the downloadable application 
package for this competition by the CFDA number. Do not include the 
CFDA number's alpha suffix in your search.
    Please note the following:
     When you enter the Grants.gov site, you will find 
information about submitting an application electronically through the 
site, as well as the hours of operation.
     Applications received by Grants.gov are time and date 
stamped. Your application must be fully uploaded and submitted with a 
date/time received by the Grants.gov system no later than 4:30 p.m., 
Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. We will not 
consider your application if it was received by the Grants.gov system 
later than 4:30 p.m. on the application deadline date. When we retrieve 
your application from Grants.gov, we will notify you if we are 
rejecting your application because it was submitted after 4:30 p.m. on 
the application deadline date.
     The amount of time it can take to upload an application 
will vary depending on a variety of factors including the size of the 
application and the speed of your Internet connection. Therefore, we 
strongly recommend that you do not wait until the application deadline 
date to begin the application process through Grants.gov.
     You should review and follow the Education Submission 
Procedures for submitting an application through Grants.gov that are 
included in the application package for this competition to ensure that 
your application is submitted timely to the Grants.gov system.
     To use Grants.gov, you, as the applicant, must have a D-U-
N-S

[[Page 12453]]

Number and register in the Central Contractor Registry (CCR). You 
should allow a minimum of five business days to complete the CCR 
registration.
     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 
all information typically included on 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.
     After you electronically submit your application, you will 
receive an automatic acknowledgement from Grants.gov that contains a 
Grants.gov tracking number. The Department will retrieve your 
application from Grants.gov and send you a second confirmation by e-
mail that will include a PR/Award number (an ED-specified identifying 
number unique to your application).
     We may request that you provide us original signatures on 
forms at a later date.
    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 Grants.gov system because--
     You do not have access to the Internet; or
     You do not have the capacity to upload large documents to 
the Grants.gov 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: Joseph Caliguro, U.S. 
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 4W212, 
Washington, DC 20202-5900. FAX: (202) 205-5720.
    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 84.295A or 
84.295B), 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 84.295A 
or 84.295B), 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 84.295A or 84.295B), 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 Application for Federal Education 
Assistance (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

    Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this competition are 
from 34 CFR 75.210. These selection criteria apply to the absolute 
priority only. The maximum score for all of the selection criteria is 
100 points. The maximum score for each criterion is indicated in 
parentheses with the criterion.
    Except where specifically indicated, the ``Notes'' we have included 
after each criterion are guidance to help applicants in preparing their 
applications and are not required by statute or regulation. The 
criteria are as follows:
    (a) Need for the project (15 Points). The Secretary considers the 
need for the proposed project. In determining the need for the proposed 
project, the Secretary considers the following factors:
    (1) The magnitude of the need for the services to be provided or 
the activities to be carried out by the proposed project.
    (2) The extent to which the proposed project will focus on serving 
or

[[Page 12454]]

otherwise addressing the needs of disadvantaged individuals.


    Note: Applicants should provide information concerning the 
current gap in the quality and quantity of television programming 
that rests on scientifically based reading research and is designed 
for the targeted population and propose strategies designed to close 
that gap. Furthermore, applicants responding to Absolute Priority 
One must describe how scientifically based reading instruction and 
academic content will be incorporated into the proposed programming 
to facilitate success in school for low-income children. In 
responding to both priorities, applicants should note that low-
income children and their families are the target population under 
this competition.


    (b) Quality of the project design (20 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 design of the proposed project reflects 
up-to-date knowledge from research and effective practice.
    (2) The extent to which the proposed project will establish 
linkages with other appropriate agencies and organizations providing 
services to the target population.
    (3) The extent to which the proposed project encourages parental 
involvement.


    Note: Applicants should include a thorough, high-quality review 
of the relevant literature, a high-quality plan for project 
implementation, and a description of how appropriate methodological 
tools will be used to assess the impact of the proposed activities 
on enhancing the scientifically based reading research skills of 
targeted low-income children.


    (c) Quality of project services (15 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 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.
    (2) The extent to which the services to be provided by the proposed 
project involve the collaboration of appropriate partners for 
maximizing the effectiveness of project services.
    (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 key project personnel.
    (2) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience, 
of project consultants or subcontractors.


    Note: An applicant submitting under Absolute Priority One 
(84.295A) must include as key personnel an expert in scientifically 
based reading instruction who will devote no less than 25% of his or 
her time to the overall guidance and direction of the program.


    (f) Adequacy of resources (10 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 extent to which the budget is adequate to support the 
proposed project.
    (2) The extent to which the costs are reasonable in relation to the 
objectives, design, and potential significance of the proposed project.
    (g) Quality of the management plan (10 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 adequacy of procedures for ensuring feedback and continuous 
improvement in the operation of the proposed project.
    (h) Quality of the project evaluation (20 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 factor:
    (1) 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.


    Note: A strong evaluation plan should be included in the 
application narrative and should be used, as appropriate, to shape 
the development of the project from the beginning of the grant 
period. The plan should include benchmarks to monitor progress 
toward specific project objectives and also outcome measures to 
assess the impact on teaching and learning or other important 
outcomes for project participants. More specifically, the plan 
should identify the individual and/or organization that has agreed 
to serve as evaluator for the project and describe the 
qualifications of that evaluator. The plan should describe the 
evaluation design, indicating: (1) What types of data will be 
collected; (2) when various types of data will be collected; (3) 
what methods will be used; (4) what instruments will be developed 
and when; (5) how the data will be analyzed; (6) when reports of 
results and outcomes will be available; and (7) how the applicant 
will use the information collected through the evaluation to monitor 
progress of the funded project and to provide accountability 
information both about success at the initial site and effective 
strategies for replication in other settings. Applicants are 
encouraged to devote 25-30% of the grant funds to project evaluation 
under Absolute Priority One and 10% of the grant funds to project 
evaluation under Absolute Priority Two.


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 two- or three-day Grants 
Administration meeting in Washington, DC during the first year of the 
grant. In

[[Page 12455]]

addition, applicants should budget for one Project Directors meeting to 
be held in Washington, DC in each subsequent year of the grant. The 
cost of attending these meetings may be paid from RTL program grant 
funds or other 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 2431(c)(1) of the ESEA, as amended by NCLB, and provides the 
most current performance and financial expenditure information as 
specified by the Secretary in 34 CFR 75.118. For specific requirements 
on grantee reporting, please go to http://www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/appforms/appforms.html.
    5. Performance Measures: The Department is currently developing 
measures that will be designed to yield information on the 
effectiveness of grant supported activities (e.g., the extent to which 
children ages 3 to 6 years old who view scientifically based RTL shows 
demonstrate expressive vocabulary and emergent literacy skills at or 
above national norms). If funded, applicants will be expected to 
participate in collecting and reporting data for these measures. We 
will notify grantees of the performance measures once they are 
developed.

VII. Agency Contacts

    For Further Information Contact: Joseph Caliguro or Norma 
Fleischman, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., 
Washington, DC 20202-5900. Telephone: (202) 205-5449 (Joe Caliguro) or 
(202) 205-5482 (Norma Fleischman), or by e-mail: [email protected] 
or [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 persons 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: March 9, 2005.
Michael J. Petrilli,
Acting Assistant Deputy Secretary for Innovation and Improvement.
[FR Doc. 05-4978 Filed 3-11-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P