[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 36 (Thursday, February 23, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9324-9329]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-2582]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools, Overview Information, 
Partnerships in Character Education; Notice Inviting Applications for 
New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2006

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.215S

DATES

    Applications Available: February 23, 2006.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: April 10, 2006.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: June 12, 2006.
    Eligible Applicants: Eligible applicants under this competition 
are:
    (a)(1) A State educational agency (SEA) in partnership with one or 
more local educational agencies (LEAs); or
    (2) An SEA in partnership with one or more LEAs and nonprofit 
organizations or entities, including an institution of higher education 
(IHE); and
    (b)(1) An LEA or consortium of LEAs; or
    (2) An LEA in partnership with one or more nonprofit organizations 
or entities, including an IHE.
    Estimated Available Funds: $16,000,000. Contingent upon the 
availability of funds, we may make additional awards in FY 2007 and FY 
2008, from the rank-ordered list of unfunded applications from this 
competition.
    Estimated Range of Awards: For SEAs, $500,000-$750,000. For LEAs, 
$250,000-$500,000. We anticipate that applicants that request funding 
at the higher end of these ranges are planning to implement 
experimental or quasi-experimental evaluation designs.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: For SEAs, $600,000 for each 12-
month budget period. For LEAs, $350,000 for each 12-month budget 
period.
    Minimum Award: Pursuant to Section 5431(a)(4) of the Elementary and 
Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended by the No Child Left Behind 
Act of 2001 (ESEA) (20 U.S.C. 7247), we will reject any application 
from an SEA that proposes a total budget for a single 12-month budget 
period that is less than $500,000. This restriction does not apply to 
applications from LEAs.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 35.

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

    Project Period: Up to 48 months, of which no more than 12 months 
may be used for planning and program design.

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Purpose of Program: Under this program we provide Federal financial 
assistance to eligible entities to assist them in designing and 
implementing character education programs that are able to be 
integrated into classroom instruction and to be consistent with state 
academic content standards and are able to be carried out in 
conjunction with other educational reform efforts. These character 
education programs must take into consideration the view of parents, 
students, students with disabilities (including those with mental or 
physical disabilities) and other members of the community, including 
members of private and nonprofit organizations.
    Priorities: This competition includes one absolute priority and one 
invitational priority. These priorities are as follows.
    Absolute Priority: In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(iv), this 
priority is from Title V, Part D, Subpart 3, Section 5431 of the ESEA 
(20 U.S.C. 7247). For FY 2006 and any subsequent year in which we make 
awards based on the list of unfunded applications from this 
competition, this priority is an absolute priority. To be considered 
for funding, each applicant must address the absolute priority. Under 
34 CFR

[[Page 9325]]

75.105(c)(3) we consider only applications that meet this priority.
    This priority is: the design and implementation of character 
education programs that:
    (A) Are able to be integrated into classroom instruction and to be 
consistent with State academic content standards; and
    (B) Are able to be carried out in conjunction with other 
educational reform efforts.
    Within this absolute priority, we are particularly interested in 
applications that address the following invitational priority.
    Invitational Priority: For FY 2006 and any subsequent year in which 
we make awards based on the list of unfunded applications from this 
competition, this priority is an invitational priority. Under 34 CFR 
75.105(c)(1) we do not give an application that meets this invitational 
priority a competitive or absolute preference over other applications.
    The Secretary is particularly interested in 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 grantees responding to this priority will work 
with 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 
should 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 should 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.
    In determining the quality of the proposed evaluation method, we 
will consider the extent to which the applicant presents a feasible, 
credible plan that includes details such as 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 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.

Definitions

    As used in this notice--Scientifically based research (section 
9101(37) NCLB):
    (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 conclusion drawn;
    (iii) Relies on measurements or observational methods 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 of applicants' proposal for funding, the (``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.

[[Page 9326]]

    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.
    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 7247.
    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, 99, and 299.

    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 IHEs only.

II. Award Information

Award Information

    Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
    Estimated Available Funds: $16,000,000. Contingent upon the 
availability of funds, we may make additional awards in FY 2007 and FY 
2008 from the rank-ordered list of unfunded applications from this 
competition.
    Estimated Range of Awards: For SEAs, $500,000-$750,000. For LEAs, 
$250,000-$500,000. We anticipate that applicants that request funding 
at the higher end of these ranges are planning to implement 
experimental or quasi-experimental evaluation designs.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: For SEAs, $600,000 for each 12-
month budget period. For LEAs, $350,000 for each 12-month budget 
period.
    Minimum Award: Pursuant to Section 5431(a)(4) of the ESEA, we will 
reject any application from an SEA that proposes a total budget for a 
single budget period that is less than $500,000. This restriction does 
not apply to applications from LEAs.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 35.

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

    Project Period: Up to 48 months, of which no more than 12 months 
may be used for planning and program design.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: Eligible applicants under this competition 
are:
    (a)(1) An SEA in partnership with one or more LEAs; or
    (2) An SEA in partnership with one or more LEAs and nonprofit 
organizations or entities, including an IHE; and
    (b)(1) An LEA or consortium of LEAs; or
    (2) An LEA in partnership with one or more nonprofit organizations 
or entities, including an IHE.
    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: Sharon J. Burton, U.S. 
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 3E322, 
Washington, DC 20202. Telephone: (202) 205-8122, FAX: (202) 260-7767 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 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:
    (a) Statutory Application Requirements: Each application for a 
grant under this program must include information that: (1) 
Demonstrates that the program for which the grant is sought has clear 
objectives that are based on scientifically based research; (2) 
describes any partnerships or collaborative efforts among the 
organizations and entities comprising the eligible entity; (3) 
describes the activities that will be carried out with the grant funds 
and how such activities will meet the project objectives, including (i) 
how parents, students, students with disabilities (including those with 
mental or physical disabilities), and other members of the community, 
including members of private and nonprofit organizations, will be 
involved in the design and implementation of the program and how the 
eligible entity will work with the larger community to increase the 
reach and promise of the program; (ii) curriculum and instructional 
practices that will be used or developed; and (iii) methods of teacher 
training and parent education that will be used or developed; (4) 
describes how the program for which the grant is sought will be linked 
to other efforts to improve academic achievement, including (i) broader 
educational reforms that are being instituted by the eligible entity or 
its partners and (ii) State academic content standards; and (5) 
describes how the eligible entity will evaluate the success of its 
program based on the project objectives.
    Factors that may be considered in evaluating the success of 
programs funded include the following: Discipline issues, student 
academic achievement, participation in extracurricular activities, 
parental and community involvement, faculty and administration 
involvement, student and staff morale, and overall improvements in 
school climate for all students, including students with disabilities.
    In addition, any application from an SEA must include information 
that describes how the SEA (1) will provide technical and professional 
assistance to its LEA partners in the development and implementation of 
character education programs; and (2) will assist other interested LEAs 
that are not members of the original partnership in designing and 
establishing character education programs.
    Each eligible entity receiving a grant must provide, to the extent 
feasible and appropriate, for the participation of students and 
teachers in private elementary and secondary schools in the funded 
activities.
    (b) Other Application Requirements: Additional requirements 
concerning the content of an application, together with the forms you 
must submit, are in the application package for this competition.
    (c) 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. It is 
strongly suggested that you limit Part III to the equivalent of no more 
than 25 pages, using the following standards:

[[Page 9327]]

     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 the title page, the Application 
for Federal Assistance (SF 424), the one-page abstract, the budget 
summary form (ED 524), and the narrative budget justification, any 
curriculum vitae, the bibliography of literature cited, or the 
assurances and certifications.
    3. Submission Dates and Times:
    Applications Available: February 23, 2006.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: April 10, 2006. 
Applications for grants under this program, Partnerships in Character 
Education, may be submitted electronically using the Grants.gov Apply 
site (Grants.gov), or in paper format by mail or hand delivery. For 
information (including dates and times) about how to submit your 
application electronically, or by mail or hand delivery, please refer 
to section IV. 6. Other Submission Requirements.
    We do not consider an application that does not comply with the 
deadline requirements.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: June 12, 2006.
    4. Intergovernmental Review: This competition is subject to 
Executive Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 part CFR 79. 
Information about Intergovernmental Review of Federal Competitions 
under Executive Order 12372 is in the application package for this 
competition.
    5. Funding Restrictions: An SEA receiving a grant may use no more 
than 3 percent of the grant funds, each year, for administrative 
purposes. The remainder of these funds may be used for (a) 
collaborative initiatives with and between LEAs and schools; (b) the 
preparation or purchase of materials, and teacher training; (c) 
providing assistance to LEAs, schools or IHEs; and (d) technical 
assistance and evaluation.
    The regulations on determining allowable costs are in 34 CFR part 
80. We reference regulations outlining additional funding restrictions 
in the Applicable Regulations sections of this notice.
    6. Other Submission Requirements: Applications for grants under 
this competition may be submitted electronically or in paper format by 
mail or hand delivery.
    a. Electronic Submission of Applications.
    We have been accepting applications electronically through the 
Department's e-Application system since FY 2000. In order to expand on 
those efforts and comply with the President's Management Agenda, we are 
continuing to participate as a partner in the new government wide 
Grants.gov Apply site in FY 2006. The Partnerships in Character 
Education Program-CFDA Number 84.215S is one of the programs included 
in this project. We request your participation in Grants.gov.
    If you choose to submit your application electronically, you must 
use the Grants.gov Apply site at http://www.Grants.gov. 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.
    You may access the electronic grant application for the 
Partnerships in Character Education Program at: http://www.grants.gov. 
You must search for the downloadable application package for this 
program by the CFDA number. Do not include the CFDA number's alpha 
suffix in your search.
    Please note the following:
     Your participation in Grants.gov is voluntary.
     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, and 
must be date/time stamped by the Grants.gov system no later than 4:30 
p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. Except as 
otherwise noted in this section, we will not consider your application 
if it is date/time stamped by the Grants.gov system later than 4:30 
p.m., Washington, DC time, 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 date/time stamped by the 
Grants.gov system after 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, 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 program to ensure that you 
submit your application in a timely manner to the Grants.gov system. 
You can also find the Education Submission Procedures pertaining to 
Grants.gov at http://e-Grants.ed.gov/help/GrantsgovSubmissionProcedures.pdf.
     To submit your application via Grants.gov, you must 
complete all of the steps in the Grants.gov registration process (see 
http://www.Grants.gov/GetStarted). These steps include (1) registering 
your organization, (2) registering yourself as an Authorized 
Organization Representative (AOR), and (3) getting authorized as an AOR 
by your organization. Details on these steps are outlined in the 
Grants.gov 3-Step Registration Guide (see http://www.grants.gov/assets/GrantsgovCoBrandBrochure8X11.pdf). You also must provide on your 
application the same D-U-N-S Number used with this registration. Please 
note that the registration process may take five or more business days 
to complete, and you must have completed all registration steps to 
allow you to successfully submit an application via Grants.gov.
     You will not receive additional point value because you 
submit your application in electronic format, nor will we penalize you 
if you submit your application in paper format.
     You may submit all documents electronically, including all 
information typically included on the Application for Federal Education 
Assistance (SF 424), Budget Information--Non-Construction Programs (ED 
524), and all necessary assurances and certifications. If you choose to 
submit your application electronically, you must attach any narrative 
sections of your application as files in a .DOC (document), .RTF (rich 
text), or .PDF (Portable Document) format. If you upload a file type 
other than the three file types specified above or submit a password 
protected file, we will not review that material.
     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 acknowledgment from Grants.gov that contains a 
Grants.gov tracking number. The Department will retrieve your 
application from

[[Page 9328]]

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.

Application Deadline Date Extension in Case of System Unavailability

    If you are prevented from electronically submitting your 
application on the application deadline date because of technical 
problems with the Grants.gov system, we will grant you an extension 
until 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, the following business day to 
enable you to transmit your application electronically, or by hand 
delivery. You also may mail your application by following the mailing 
instructions as described elsewhere in this notice. If you submit an 
application after 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the deadline date, 
please contact the person listed elsewhere in this notice under FOR 
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT, and provide an explanation of the 
technical problem you experienced with Grants.gov, along with the 
Grants.gov Support Desk Case Number (if available). We will accept your 
application if we can confirm that a technical problem occurred with 
the Grants.gov system and that that problem affected your ability to 
submit your application by 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the 
application deadline date. The Department will contact you after a 
determination is made on whether your application will be accepted.

    Note: Extensions referred to in this section apply only to the 
unavailability of or technical problems with the Grants.gov system. 
We will not grant you an extension if you failed to fully register 
to submit your application to Grants.gov before the deadline date 
and time or if the technical problem you experienced is unrelated to 
the Grants.gov system.

    b. Submission of Paper Applications by Mail.
    If you submit your application in paper format by mail (through the 
U.S. Postal Service or a commercial carrier), you must mail the 
original and two copies of your application, on or before the 
application deadline date, to the Department at the applicable 
following address:

By mail through the U.S. Postal Service: U.S. Department of Education, 
Application Control Center, Attention: (CFDA Number 84.215S), 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 
84.215S), 7100 Old Landover Road, Landover, MD 20785-1506.

    Regardless of which address you use, you must show proof of mailing 
consisting of one of the following:
    (1) A legibly dated U.S. Postal Service postmark,
    (2) A legible mail receipt with the date of mailing stamped by the 
U.S. Postal Service,
    (3) A dated shipping label, invoice, or receipt from a commercial 
carrier, or
    (4) Any other proof of mailing acceptable to the Secretary of the 
U.S. Department of Education.
    If you mail your application through the U.S. Postal Service, we do 
not accept either of the following as proof of mailing:
    (1) A private metered postmark, or
    (2) A mail receipt that is not dated by the U.S. Postal Service.
    If your application is postmarked after the application deadline 
date, we will not consider your application.

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

    c. Submission of Paper Applications by Hand Delivery.
    If you submit your application in paper format by hand delivery, 
you (or a courier service) must deliver the original and two copies of 
your application by hand, on or before the application deadline date, 
to the Department at the following address: U.S. Department of 
Education, Application Control Center, Attention: (CFDA Number 
84.215S), 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 (SF 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 in the application package.
    2. Review and Selection Process: Additional factors we consider in 
selecting an application for an award are in 20 U.S.C. 7247. In making 
selections for funding, we also will ensure, to the extent practicable, 
that the projects for which we provide funding are equitably 
distributed among the geographic regions of the United States, and 
among urban, suburban, and rural areas.

VI. Award Administration Information

    1. Award Notices: If your application is successful, we notify your 
U.S. Representatives 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. If you receive a multi-year award, you must submit an 
annual performance report that provides the most current performance 
and financial expenditure information as specified by the Secretary in 
34 CFR 75.118. The Secretary will also use this information to respond 
to reporting requirements concerning this program established in 
section 5431(h) of the ESEA (20 U.S.C. 7247).
    4. Performance Measure: We have established one performance 
indicator for the Partnerships in Character Education Program. The 
indicator is: Partnerships in Character Education Program grantees will 
demonstrate predicted student effects through valid, rigorous 
evaluations. Consequently, applicants for a grant under this

[[Page 9329]]

program are advised to give careful consideration to this measure in 
conceptualizing the design, implementation, and evaluation of their 
proposed project. If funded, applicants will be asked to collect and 
report data in their annual performance reports on evaluation outcomes. 
The Secretary will also use this information to respond to the 
reporting requirements concerning this program established in section 
5431(h) of the ESEA (20 U.S.C. 7247). We will track this indicator 
through the use of the following measure. This measure is: the 
proportion of projects funded under this competition demonstrating 
predicted student effects through valid, rigorous evaluations will 
increase.

VII. Agency Contact

    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sharon J. Burton, U.S. Department 
of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 3E322, Washington, DC 
20202. Telephone: (202) 205-8122, FAX: (202) 260-7767 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. 
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    Dated: February 17, 2006.
Deborah A. Price,
Assistant Deputy Secretary for Safe and Drug-Free Schools.
[FR Doc. E6-2582 Filed 2-22-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P