[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 58 (Monday, March 27, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15314-15320]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-2936]



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Part IV





Department of Education





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Office of Innovation and Improvement; Overview Information; Parental 
Information and Resource Centers (PIRC); Notice Inviting Applications 
for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2006; Notice

  Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 58 / Monday, March 27, 2006 / 
Notices  

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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Office of Innovation and Improvement; Overview Information; 
Parental Information and Resource Centers (PIRC); Notice Inviting 
Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2006

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.310A.


DATES: Applications Available: March 27, 2006.
    Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply: April 24, 2006.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: May 15, 2006.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: July 14, 2006.
    Eligible Applicants: Nonprofit organizations, or consortia of 
nonprofit organizations and local educational agencies (LEAs). Faith-
based and community organizations are eligible to apply for funding 
provided that they are nonprofit organizations, as defined elsewhere in 
this notice.
    For an application submitted by a consortium that includes a 
nonprofit organization and one or more LEAs the nonprofit organization 
must serve as the applicant and fiscal agent for the consortium. State 
and local governments, including LEAs, intermediate school districts, 
and schools, are not eligible to submit an application on behalf of a 
consortium or serve as the fiscal agent of a PIRC grant.


    Note: We define the term nonprofit organization for purposes of 
the PIRC program as an organization that--
    (1) Is owned and operated by one or more corporations or 
associations whose net earnings do not benefit, and cannot lawfully 
benefit, any private shareholder or entity, as set forth in 34 CFR 
part 77; and
    (2) Represents the interests of parents of pre-school and 
school-age children (including parents who are educationally or 
economically disadvantaged); or is governed by a board of directors 
whose membership includes such parents.


    Estimated Available Funds: $38,100,000.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $250,000-$950,000 per year.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $585,000 per year.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 65.


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


    Project Period: Up to five years.

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Purpose of Program: The purpose of the PIRC program is to help 
implement successful and effective parental involvement policies, 
programs, and activities that lead to improvements in student academic 
achievement and strengthen partnerships among parents, teachers, 
principals, administrators, and other school personnel in meeting the 
educational needs of children.
    The PIRC program supports school-based and school-linked parental 
information and resource centers that--
    (1) Help implement effective parental involvement policies, 
programs, and activities that will improve children's academic 
achievement;
    (2) Develop and strengthen partnerships among parents (including 
parents of children from birth through age five), teachers, principals, 
administrators, and other school personnel in meeting the educational 
needs of children;
    (3) Develop and strengthen the relationship between parents and 
their children's school;
    (4) Further the developmental progress of children assisted under 
the program;
    (5) Coordinate activities funded under the program with parental 
involvement initiatives funded under section 1118 and other provisions 
of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended 
(ESEA); and
    (6) Provide a comprehensive approach to improving student learning, 
through coordination and integration of Federal, State, and local 
services and programs.
    The Secretary reminds all applicants that section 5563(b) of the 
ESEA, as amended, requires each PIRC grantee to meet several specific 
conditions. The Secretary strongly encourages all applicants to review 
each of these conditions carefully to ensure that their applications 
appropriately address each of the areas addressed by section 5563(b).
    Priorities: We have established seven competitive preference 
priorities and one invitational priority that are explained in the 
following paragraphs. One competitive preference priority is from the 
regulations in 34 CFR 75.225, another competitive preference priority 
is from the statute for this program, and the other five competitive 
preference priorities are from the notice of final priorities and 
eligibility requirements (NFP) for this program, published elsewhere in 
this issue of the Federal Register.
    Competitive Preference Priorities: The competitive preference 
priorities are explained in the following paragraphs.

Competitive Preference Priority 1--Novice Applicants

    In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(ii), this priority is from 
the regulations in 34 CFR 75.225. For FY 2006 this priority is a 
competitive preference priority. We give 5 additional points to each 
novice applicant. These points will be in addition to any points the 
applicant earns under the selection criteria and other competitive 
preference priorities.
    For the purposes of this grant competition a novice applicant is--
    (1) An applicant for a grant from the Department that--
    (a) Has never received a grant or subgrant under the program from 
which it seeks funding;
    (b) Has never been a member of a group application, submitted in 
accordance with 34 CFR 75.127-75.129, that received a grant under the 
program from which it seeks funding; and
    (c) Has not had an active discretionary grant from the Federal 
Government in the 5 years before the deadline date for applications 
under the program.
    (2) In the case of a group application submitted in accordance with 
34 CFR 75.127-75.129, a group that includes only parties that meet the 
requirements of paragraphs (1)(a) through (c) of this priority.
    For the purposes of paragraph (c) of this priority, a grant is 
active until the end of the grant's project or funding period, 
including any extensions of those periods that extend the grantee's 
authority to obligate funds.

Competitive Preference Priority 2--Early Childhood Parent Education

    In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(iv), this priority is from 
section 5563(b)(10) of the ESEA (20 U.S.C. 7273b). For FY 2006 this 
priority is a competitive preference priority. Under 34 CFR 
75.105(c)(2)(i) we award up to an additional 10 points to an 
application, depending on how well the application meets this priority.
    This priority is:
    This priority supports applications that would implement effective 
plans to use at least 30 percent of the funds received in each fiscal 
year to establish, expand, or operate Parents as Teachers programs, 
Home Instruction for Pre-school Youngsters programs, or other early 
childhood parent education programs.

Competitive Preference Priority 3--Geographic Distribution of Awards: 
Highest-Ranking Application in a State

    This priority is from the NFP for this program, published elsewhere 
in this issue of the Federal Register. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(ii) we 
select an application that meets this priority over an application of 
comparable merit that does not meet the priority.
    This priority is:

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    This priority supports an application that meets the following 
three conditions:
    (1) The application is the highest-ranking application proposing to 
implement a PIRC project in a State, based on the selection criteria 
and competitive preference priorities used for this competition.
    (2) The application's PIRC project proposes to provide services 
only in that State.
    (3) The application is of sufficient quality to show that the 
proposed project is likely to succeed in meeting the purposes of the 
PIRC program, in implementing effective activities, and in achieving 
intended results.
    For the purpose of selecting applications under this priority, we 
use the definition of the term State in 34 CFR 77.1(c).
    Competitive Preference Priorities 4, 5, 6, and 7: These priorities 
are from the NFP for this program, published elsewhere in this issue of 
the Federal Register. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i) we award up to an 
additional 40 points to an application, depending on how well the 
application meets these priorities. The maximum possible points for 
each priority are indicated in parentheses following the name of the 
competitive preference priority.
    These priorities are:

Competitive Preference Priority 4--Statewide Impact of PIRC Services 
(15 Points)

    This priority supports applications that would implement broad 
statewide strategies to provide parents from across the State, 
particularly parents who are educationally or economically 
disadvantaged, with services that enhance their ability to participate 
effectively in their child's education, including their ability to 
communicate effectively with public school personnel in the school that 
their child attends.

Competitive Preference Priority 5--Understanding State and Local Report 
Cards and Opportunities for Public School Choice and Supplemental 
Educational Services (10 Points)

    This priority supports applications that would implement activities 
that effectively assist parents in understanding State and local report 
cards under Title I of the ESEA and, in cases where their child attends 
a school identified as in need of improvement, corrective action, or 
restructuring under Title I, in understanding their options for public 
school choice or supplemental educational services.

Competitive Preference Priority 6--Technical Assistance in the 
Implementation of Local Educational Agency and School Parental 
Involvement Policy under Section 1118 of the ESEA (10 Points)

    This priority supports applications that would provide technical 
assistance in the implementation of LEA and school parental involvement 
policies under Title I of the ESEA in order to improve student academic 
achievement and school performance.

Competitive Preference Priority 7--Geographic Distribution of Awards: 
Consideration of the Size of the Student Enrollment in a State (5 
Points)

    Under this competitive preference priority, we award additional 
points to applications based on the number of students enrolled in the 
public schools of a State.
    We award additional points to each application that proposes to 
provide services only in a single State based on the total number of 
students enrolled in the public elementary and secondary schools of 
that State. To determine the number of such students enrolled in each 
State, we use the most recent data reported by States to the National 
Center for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data.
    We award a maximum of five points to an application. We award five 
points to each applicant proposing to serve a State with an enrollment 
of 2,000,000 or more students; four points to each applicant proposing 
to serve a State with an enrollment between 1,500,000 students and 
1,999,999 students; three points to an applicant proposing to serve a 
State with an enrollment between 1,000,000 students and 1,499,999 
students; two points to an applicant proposing to serve a State with an 
enrollment between 500,000 and 999,999 students; and one point to an 
applicant proposing to serve a State with an enrollment of less than 
500,000 students.
    For the purpose of selecting applications under this priority, we 
use the definition of the term State in 34 CFR 77.1(c).
    Invitational Priority: Under this competition we are particularly 
interested in applications that address the following priority. For FY 
2006 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.
    This priority is:

Invitational Priority--Experimental and Quasi-Experimental Evaluation 
Designs

    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

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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 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 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) 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.
    Applicants who are planning to respond to this invitational 
priority are strongly encouraged to review the following technical 
assistance resources:
    (1) Random Assignment in Program Evaluation, Qs and As: http://www.ed.gov/rschstat/eval/resources/randomqa.pdf. This document lists 
basic questions and answers that an educator or administrator might 
have about random assignment and why it is an effective and beneficial 
tool to use in education.
    (2) How to Report the Results of Your Study: A User-Friendly Guide 
for Evaluators of Educational Programs and Practices: http://www.whatworkshelpdesk.ed.gov/guide_SRF.pdf. This guide can help 
grantees produce reports that are user-friendly and include the 
appropriate information needed to accurately and fully convey their 
findings to an audience.
    (3) Key Items to Get Right When Conducting a Randomized Control 
Trial in Education: http://www.whatworkshelpdesk.ed.gov/guide_RCT.pdf. 
This guide discusses planning a study, the random assignment process, 
measuring outcomes, and analysis.
    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 7273 et seq.
    Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 76, 77, 79, 
81, 82, 84, 85, 86, 97, 98, and 99. (b) The notice of final priorities 
and eligibility requirements, published elsewhere in this issue of the 
Federal Register.


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

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
    Estimated Available Funds: $38,100,000.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $250,000-$950,000 per year.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $585,000 per year.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 65.


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

    Project Period: Up to five years.

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III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: Nonprofit organizations, or consortia of 
nonprofit organizations and LEAs. Faith-based and community 
organizations are eligible to apply for funding provided that they are 
nonprofit organizations, as defined elsewhere in this notice.
    For an application submitted by a consortium that includes a 
nonprofit organization and one or more LEAs, the nonprofit organization 
must serve as the applicant and fiscal agent for the consortium. State 
and local governments, including LEAs, intermediate school districts, 
and schools, are not eligible to submit an application on behalf of a 
consortium or serve as the fiscal agent of a PIRC grant.


    Note: We define the term nonprofit organization for purposes of 
the PIRC program as an organization that--
    (1) Is owned and operated by one or more corporations or 
associations whose net earnings do not benefit, and cannot lawfully 
benefit, any private shareholder or entity, as set forth in 34 CFR 
part 77; and
    (2) Represents the interests of parents of pre-school and 
school-age children (including parents who are educationally or 
economically disadvantaged); or is governed by a board of directors 
whose membership includes such parents.


    2. Cost Sharing or Matching: Section 5565(a) of the ESEA requires 
that, after the first fiscal year of an award, a portion of the 
services provided by the organization or consortium must be supported 
through non-Federal contributions, either in cash or in kind.

IV. Application and Submission Information

    1. Address to Request Application Package: Fatimah Dozier, U.S. 
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 4W236, FB6, 
Washington, DC 20202-5970. Telephone: (202) 260-8757 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: 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: The Department will be able to develop a 
more efficient process for reviewing grant applications if it has a 
better understanding of the number of entities that intend to apply for 
funding under this competition. Therefore, the Secretary strongly 
encourages each potential applicant to notify the Department by sending 
a short e-mail message indicating the applicant's intent to submit an 
application for funding. The e-mail need not include information 
regarding the content of the proposed application, only the applicant's 
intent to submit it. This e-mail notification should be sent to Fatimah 
Dozier at [email protected].
    Applicants that fail to provide this e-mail notification may still 
apply for funding.
    Page Limit: The application narrative (Part III of the application) 
is where you, the applicant, address the selection criteria and 
competitive preference priorities that reviewers use to evaluate your 
application. The Secretary strongly encourages applicants to limit Part 
III to the equivalent of no more than 50 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 suggested 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.
    3. Submission Dates and Times:
    Applications Available: March 27, 2006.
    Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply: April 24, 2006.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: May 15, 2006.
    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. We do not consider an application that does not 
address the application requirements, selection criteria, and other 
required information outlined in the application package. Deadline for 
Intergovernmental Review: July 14, 2006.
    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 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 PIRC program, CFDA Number 84.310A 
must be submitted electronically using 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.
    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 the PIRC 
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:
     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.

[[Page 15318]]

     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 submission 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 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. 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 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 Technical Issues 
with the Grants.gov System: 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.

    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: Steven L. Brockhouse, 
U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 4W229, 
FB6, Washington, DC 20202-5970. FAX: (202) 205-5630.
    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 84.310A, 
400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20202-4260, or
    By mail through a commercial carrier: U.S. Department of Education,

[[Page 15319]]

Application Control Center--Stop 4260, Attention: CFDA Number 84.310A, 
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 84.310A, 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 of EDGAR. The maximum score for all the selection 
criteria is 100 points. The maximum score for each criterion is 
indicated in parentheses. Each criterion also includes the factors that 
the reviewers will consider in determining how well an application 
meets the criterion. The Note following selection criterion (g) is 
guidance to help applicants in preparing their applications, and is not 
required by statute or regulations.
    The selection criteria are:
    (a) Need for project (10 points). The Secretary considers the need 
for the proposed project. In determining the need for the proposed 
project, the Secretary considers the extent to which the proposed 
project will provide services or otherwise address the needs of 
students at risk of educational failure.
    (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--
    (1) The extent to which the goals, objectives, and outcomes to be 
achieved by the proposed project are clearly specified and measurable;
    (2) The extent to which the proposed project represents an 
exceptional approach for meeting statutory purposes and requirements; 
and
    (3) The extent to which the proposed project will be coordinated 
with similar or related efforts, and with other appropriate community, 
State, and Federal resources.
    (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. The Secretary also considers--
    (1) The likely impact of the services to be provided by the 
proposed project on the intended recipients of those services; and
    (2) The extent to which the technical assistance services to be 
provided by the proposed project involve the use of efficient 
strategies, including the use of technology, as appropriate, and the 
leveraging of non-project resources.
    (d) Quality of project personnel (15 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. The Secretary also considers--
    (1) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience, 
of key project personnel; and
    (2) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience, 
of project consultants or subcontractors.
    (e) 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--
    (1) The adequacy of support, including facilities, equipment, 
supplies, and other resources, from the applicant organization or the 
lead applicant organization; and
    (2) The extent to which the costs are reasonable in relation to the 
number of persons to be served and to the anticipated results and 
benefits.
    (f) 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 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.
    (g) 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--
    (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; and
    (2) The extent to which the methods of evaluation will provide 
performance feedback and permit periodic assessment of progress toward 
achieving intended outcomes.



[[Page 15320]]


    Note: A strong evaluation plan should be included in the 
application narrative and should be used 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 outcome measures to assess the impact of project 
activities on project participants. A strong evaluation plan should 
describe the evaluation design, indicating the types of data that 
will be collected; when various types of data will be collected; 
what methods will be used; what instruments will be developed and 
when; how the data will be analyzed; and how the applicant will use 
the information collected through the evaluation to monitor progress 
of the funded project, provide performance feedback, and permit 
periodic assessment of progress in achieving results and outcomes. 
Applicants are encouraged to devote an appropriate level of 
resources to project evaluation.

    Applicants planning to address the invitational priority for 
Experimental and Quasi-Experimental Evaluation Designs should place 
information responsive to this invitational priority in an application 
appendix in Part IV of the application. Do not include information 
responsive to the invitational priority for Experimental and Quasi-
Experimental Evaluation Designs in the section of the application that 
responds to the application selection criteria.

VI. Award Administration Information

    1. Award Notices: If your application is successful, we will 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. 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. For specific requirements on grantee reporting, please 
go to the ED Performance Report Form 524B at http://www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/appforms/appforms.html.
    4. Performance Measures: We have established three performance 
indicators for the PIRC program. These performance indicators are: (1) 
The number of parents who are participating in PIRC activities designed 
to provide them with the information necessary to understand their 
State accountability systems and the rights and opportunities for 
supplemental services and public school choice afforded to their 
children under section 1116 of the ESEA; (2) the percentage of 
customers (parents, educators in State and local educational agencies, 
and other audiences) reporting that PIRC services are of high quality; 
and (3) the percentage of customers reporting that PIRC services are 
highly useful to them.
    The Department intends to collect data for the first indicator 
through annual performance reports and to collect data for the second 
and third indicators through a customer satisfaction survey to be 
administered for the first time in 2007.

VII. Agency Contact

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Steven L. Brockhouse, U.S. Department 
of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 4W229, FB6, Washington, DC 
20202-5961. Telephone: (202) 260-2476 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 22, 2006.
Christopher J. Doherty,
Acting Assistant Deputy Secretary for Innovation and Improvement.
[FR Doc. 06-2936 Filed 3-24-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P