[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 60 (Wednesday, March 30, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16249-16253]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-6315]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Office of Vocational and Adult Education; Overview Information; 
Smaller Learning Communities--Special Competition for Supplemental 
Reading Program Research Evaluation; Notice Inviting Applications for 
New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2004

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.215L.

DATES: Applications Available: March 30, 2005.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: May 16, 2005.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: July 13, 2005.
    Eligible Applicants: Local educational agencies (LEAs), including 
schools funded by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA schools) and 
educational service agencies that meet the requirements specified in 
the Educational Service Agencies section of the Application 
Requirements in the notice of final priorities, requirements, 
definitions and selection criteria for this competition (NFP), 
published elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register, are eligible 
to apply on behalf of two or four large high schools that agree to all 
of the requirements of participation in the research evaluation. 
Additional eligibility requirements aware listed in the Eligibility 
section of the Application Requirements in the NFP, published elsewhere 
in this issue of the Federal Register.
    Estimated Available Funds: $40,000,000.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $1,250,000-$5,000,000. Additional 
information regarding awards and budget determinations is in the Budget 
Information for Determination of Award section in the Application 
Requirements in the NFP, published elsewhere in this issue of the 
Federal Register.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 8-12.

    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 purpose of the Smaller Learning Communities 
(SLC) program is to promote academic achievement through the planning, 
implementation or expansion of small, safe, and successful learning 
environments in large high schools to help ensure that all students 
graduate with the knowledge and skills necessary to make successful 
transitions to college and careers. The purpose of this special 
competition is to fund, using a portion of FY 2004 SLC program funds, a 
national research evaluation of supplemental reading programs in a 
special type of SLC structure called freshman academies, and, in 
addition, to support a broader range of activities to create or expand 
SLCs in participating schools.
    Priorities: This competition includes one absolute priority and one 
competitive preference priority. Both of these priorities are from the 
NFP, published elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register.
    Absolute Priority: For this special competition, Priority 1 is an 
absolute priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3) we consider only 
applications that meet this priority.
    The priority is:

Priority 1--Participation in a National Research Evaluation that 
Assesses the Effectiveness of Supplemental Reading Programs in Freshman 
Academies

    To be eligible for consideration under this priority, an applicant 
must--
    (1) Apply on behalf of two or four large high schools that are 
currently implementing freshman academies;
    (2) Provide a detailed description of literacy classes and/or other 
activities implemented within the last two years that were designed to 
promote the reading achievement of striving ninth-grade readers (as 
defined in the NFP, published elsewhere in this issue of the Federal 
Register) at any of the schools on behalf of which the LEA has applied;
    (3) Provide documentation of the LEA's and schools' willingness to 
participate in a large-scale national evaluation that uses 
scientifically based research methods. Each LEA must include in its 
application a letter from its superintendent and the principals of the 
high schools named in the application, agreeing to meet the 
requirements of the research design, and each LEA must include in its 
application a letter from its research office or research board 
agreeing to meet the requirements of the research design, if such 
approval is needed according to local policies;
    (4) Agree to implement two designated supplemental reading programs 
for striving ninth-grade readers, one in each eligible high school, 
adhering strictly to the design of the reading program, with the 
understanding that the supplemental reading program will be either the 
Strategic Instruction Model or Reading Apprenticeship Academic 
Literacy, as assigned to each school by the evaluation contractor;
    (5) Assign a language arts or social studies teacher, providing his 
or her name, resume, and a signed letter of interest, in each 
participating high school to: (a) Participate in professional 
development necessary to implement the supplemental reading program 
(which will include travel to Washington, DC, or another off-site 
location during the first two weeks in August of 2005); (b) teach the 
selected supplemental reading program to participating students for a 
minimum of 225 minutes per week for each week of the 2005-2006 and 
2006-2007 school years; (c) complete two surveys; (d) assist with the 
administration of surveys and student assessments; (e) work with the 
LEA, school officials, MDRC, and AIR to recruit 125 or more students 
for the program and the larger research evaluation; (f) determine 
students'

[[Page 16250]]

eligibility to participate in the research evaluation, with the 
guidance of the evaluation contractor; and (g) work with the LEA, 
school officials, MDRC, and AIR to obtain parental consent for students 
to participate in assessments and other data collections;
    (6) Designate a substitute or replacement teacher in the event that 
the teacher of the supplemental reading program takes a leave of 
absence, resigns, or is otherwise unwilling or unable to participate; 
and
    (7) Agree to provide, prior to the start of school years 2005-06 
and 2006-07, for each participating high school, a list of at least 125 
striving ninth-grade readers who are eligible to participate in the 
research evaluation; work with the contractor to assign by lottery 50 
of those students in each participating high school to the supplemental 
reading program and assign the remaining students to other activities 
in which they would otherwise participate, such as a study hall, 
electives, or other activity that does not involve supplemental reading 
instruction; provide students selected for the supplemental reading 
program with a minimum of 225 minutes per week of instruction in the 
supplemental reading program for each week of the school year; and 
allow enough flexibility in the schedules of all eligible students so 
that students who are not initially selected by lottery to participate 
in the supplemental reading program may be reassigned, at random, to 
the program if students who were initially selected for the program 
transfer to another school, drop out, or otherwise discontinue their 
participation in supplemental reading instruction during the school 
year.
    Competitive Preference Priority: For this special competition, 
Priority 2 is a competitive preference priority. Under 34 CFR 
75.105(c)(2) we award 25 additional points to applications that meet 
this priority. These points are in addition to any points the 
application earns under the selection criteria.
    The priority is:

Priority 2--Number of Schools

    The Secretary gives priority to applications from LEAs applying on 
behalf of four high schools that are implementing freshman academies 
and that commit to participate in the research evaluation.
    Application Requirements: Additional requirements for all projects 
funded through this competition are in the NFP, published elsewhere in 
this issue of the Federal Register.
    These additional requirements are: Eligibility; School Report 
Cards; Consortium Applications and Governing Authority; Educational 
Service Agencies; Budget Information for Determination of Award; 
Student Placement within the Broader SLC Project; Performance 
Indicators for the Broader SLC Project; Evaluation of Broader SLC 
Projects; Participation in the Research Evaluation; and High-Risk 
Status and Other Enforcement Mechanisms.
    Definitions: In addition to the definitions in the authorizing 
statute and 34 CFR 77.1, the definitions in the NFP, published 
elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register, apply.
    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 7249.
    Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 75, 77, 79, 80, 81, 
82, 84, 85, 86, 97, 98, and 99; and (b) the priorities, requirements, 
definitions, and selection criteria contained in the NFP, published 
elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register.

    Note: The regulations in part 79 apply to all applicants except 
federally recognized Indian tribes.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
    Estimated Available Funds: $40,000,000.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $1,250,000-$5,000,000.
    Additional information regarding awards and budget determinations 
is in the Budget Information for Determination of Award section in the 
Application Requirements in the NFP, published elsewhere in this issue 
of the Federal Register.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 8-12.

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

    Project Period: Up to 60 months.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: LEAs, including BIA schools and educational 
service agencies that meet the requirements specified in the 
Educational Service Agencies section of the Application Requirements in 
the NFP, published elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register, are 
eligible to apply on behalf of two or four large high schools that 
agree to all of the requirements of participation in the research 
evaluation. Additional eligibility requirements are listed in the 
Eligibility section of the Application Requirements in the NFP, 
published elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register.
    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: Matthew Fitzpatrick, 
U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 11120, 
Potomac Center Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-7241. Telephone: (202) 245-
7770. Fax: (202) 245-7170.
    If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may 
call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1-800-877-8339.
    You may also obtain an application package via Internet from the 
following address: http://www.ed.gov/programs/slcp/applicant.html.
    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 this section.
    2. Content and Form of Application Submission: Requirements 
concerning the content of an application, together with the forms you 
must submit, are in the application package for this competition.
    Page Limit: The application narrative (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 to 
the equivalent of no more than 35 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 budget section, including the narrative budget justification; Part 
IV, the assurances and certifications; or the one-page abstract, 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 30, 
2005.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: May 16, 2005.
    Applications for grants under this competition must be submitted by 
mail

[[Page 16251]]

or hand delivery. For information (including dates and times) about how 
to submit your application by mail or hand delivery, 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 13, 2005.
    4. Intergovernmental Review: This competition 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 in paper format by mail or hand 
delivery.
    a. Submission of Applications by Mail. If you submit your 
application 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 84.215L 
Special Competition), 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 84.215L 
Special Competition), 7100 Old Landover Road, Landover, MD 20785-1506.
    Regardless of the 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.

    b. Submission of Applications by Hand Delivery. If you submit your 
application 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 84.215L Special Competition), 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

    Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this special 
competition are described in this section. The maximum score for all 
selection criteria is 100 points. The maximum score for each criterion 
or factor under that criterion is indicated in parentheses.

Need for Participation in the Supplemental Reading Program (10 Points)

    In determining the need for participation in the supplemental 
reading program, we will consider the extent to which the applicant 
will--
    (1) Involve schools that have the greatest need for assistance as 
indicated by such factors as: Student achievement scores in English or 
language arts; student achievement scores in other core curriculum 
areas; enrollment; attendance and dropout rates; incidents of violence, 
drug and alcohol use, and disciplinary actions; percentage of students 
who have limited English proficiency, come from low-income families, or 
are otherwise disadvantaged; or other need factors as identified by the 
applicant (7 points); and
    (2) Address the needs it has identified in accordance with 
paragraph (1) through participation in the supplemental reading program 
activities (3 points).

Foundation for Implementation of the Supplemental Reading Program (50 
Points)

    In determining the foundation for implementation of the 
supplemental reading program, we will consider the extent to which--
    (1) Administrators, teachers, and other school staff within each 
school support the school's proposed involvement in the supplemental 
reading program and have been and will continue to be involved in its 
planning, development, and implementation, including, particularly, 
those teachers who will be directly affected by the proposed project, 
as evidenced in part by a letter of interest from the language arts or 
social studies teacher who will teach the supplemental reading program 
(15 points);
    (2) Parents, students, and other community stakeholders support the 
proposed implementation of the supplemental reading program and have 
been and will continue to be involved in its planning, development, and 
implementation (3 points);
    (3) The proposed implementation of the supplemental reading program 
is consistent with, and will advance, State and local initiatives to 
increase student achievement and narrow gaps in achievement between all 
students and students who are economically disadvantaged, students from 
major racial and ethnic groups, students with disabilities, or students 
with limited English proficiency (4 points);
    (4) The applicant demonstrates that it has carried out sufficient 
planning and preparatory activities, outreach, and consultation with 
teachers, administrators, and other stakeholders to enable it to 
participate effectively in the supplemental reading program at the 
beginning of the 2005-6 school year (5 points);
    (5) The applicant articulates a plan for using information gathered 
from the evaluation of the supplemental reading program to inform 
decision and policymaking at the LEA and school levels (3 points); and

[[Page 16252]]

    (6) The applicant, in its description of literacy classes and/or 
other activities (implemented, within the last two years, at each of 
the high schools on behalf of which the LEA is applying in this 
competition) that were designed to promote the reading achievement of 
striving ninth-grade readers, demonstrates that those activities will 
not affect the outcomes of the research evaluation, and that the ninth-
grade teachers in each school have not previously received professional 
development in either the Strategic Instruction Model, Reading 
Apprentice Academic Literacy, or a similar supplemental reading program 
(20 points).

Quality of the Project Design for the Broader SLC Project (15 Points)

    In determining the quality of the project design for the broader 
SLC project we will consider the extent to which--
    (1) The applicant demonstrates a foundation for implementing the 
broader SLC project, creating or expanding SLC structures or strategies 
in the school environment, including demonstrating--
    (A) That it has the support and involvement of administrators, 
teachers, and other school staff;
    (B) That it has the support of parents, students, and other 
community stakeholders;
    (C) The degree to which the proposed broader SLC project is 
consistent with, and will advance, State and local initiatives to 
increase student achievement and narrow gaps in achievement; and
    (D) The degree to which the applicant has carried out sufficient 
planning and preparatory activities to enable it to implement the 
proposed broader SLC project at the beginning of the 2005-6 school year 
(5 points);
    (2) The applicant will implement or expand strategies, new 
organizational structures, or other changes in practice that are likely 
to create an environment in which a core group of teachers and other 
adults within the school know the needs, interests, and aspirations of 
each student well, closely monitor each student's progress, and provide 
the academic and other support each student needs to succeed (5 
points); and
    (3) The applicant will provide high-quality professional 
development throughout the project period that advances the 
understanding of teachers, administrators, and other school staff of 
effective, research-based instructional strategies for improving the 
academic achievement of students, including, particularly, students 
with academic skills that are significantly below grade level; and 
provide the knowledge and skills they need to participate effectively 
in the development, expansion, or implementation of an SLC (5 points).

Quality of the Management Plan (15 Points)

    In determining the quality of the management plan for the proposed 
project, we consider the following factors--
    (1) The adequacy of the proposed management plan to allow the 
participating schools to implement effectively the research evaluation 
and broader SLC project on time and within budget, including clearly 
defined responsibilities and detailed timelines and milestones for 
accomplishing project tasks (3 points);
    (2) The extent to which time commitments of the project director 
and other key personnel, including the teachers who will be responsible 
for providing instruction in the supplemental reading program, are 
appropriate and adequate to implement effectively the supplemental 
reading program and broader SLC project (2 points);
    (3) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience, 
of the project director, program coordinator, and other key personnel 
who will be responsible for implementing the broader SLC project (3 
points);
    (4) The qualifications, including relevant training and years of 
experience, of the teachers who will be responsible for providing 
instruction in the supplemental reading program, as indicated by a 
resume and signed letter of interest (4 points); and
    (5) The adequacy of resources, including the extent to which the 
budget is adequate, the extent to which the budget provides sufficient 
funds for the implementation of the supplemental reading program, and 
the extent to which costs are directly related to the objectives and 
design of the research evaluation and broader SLC activities (3 
points).

Quality of the Broader SLC Project Evaluation (10 Points)

    In determining the quality of the broader SLC project evaluation to 
be conducted on the applicant's behalf by an independent, third-party 
evaluator, we consider 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 broader SLC project (2 points);
    (2) The extent to which the evaluation will collect and annually 
report accurate, valid, and reliable data for each of the required 
performance indicators, including student achievement data that are 
disaggregated for economically disadvantaged students, students from 
major racial and ethnic groups, students with disabilities, and 
students with limited English proficiency (2 points);
    (3) The extent to which the evaluation will collect additional 
qualitative and quantitative data that will be useful in assessing the 
success and progress of implementation, including, at a minimum, 
accurate, valid, and reliable data for the additional performance 
indicators identified by the applicant in the application (2 points);
    (4) The extent to which the methods of evaluation will provide 
timely and regular feedback to the LEA and the school on the success 
and progress of implementation and will identify areas for needed 
improvement (2 points); and
    (5) The qualifications and relevant training and experience of the 
independent evaluator (2 points).

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. Reporting: At the end of your project period, you must submit a 
final performance report, including financial information, as directed 
by the Secretary. You must submit an annual performance report that 
provides the most current performance and financial expenditure 
information as specified by the Secretary in 34 CFR 75.118.
    4. Performance Measures: We identify the specific performance 
indicators and annual performance objectives that applicants must 
identify in their applications and use to measure the progress of each 
school in the Performance Indicators for the Broader SLC Project 
section of the Application

[[Page 16253]]

Requirements in the NFP, published elsewhere in this issue of the 
Federal Register.
    Upon being awarded, grant recipients will be required to provide 
baseline data responding to each of the specific performance indicators 
for the three years preceding the baseline year. We will provide grant 
recipients with specific instructions regarding this reporting 
requirement. We also require grantees to include in their annual 
performance reports and final performance reports, which are required 
under the Reporting section of this notice, comparable data, if 
available, for the preceding three school years so that trends in 
performance will be more apparent.

VII. Agency Contact

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Matthew Fitzpatrick, U.S. Department 
of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 11120, Potomac Center 
Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-7241. Telephone: (202) 245-7809 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.

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 25, 2005.
Susan Sclafani,
Assistant Secretary for Vocational and Adult Education.
[FR Doc. 05-6315 Filed 3-29-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P