[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 49 (Wednesday, March 12, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13215-13217]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-4961]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Office of Elementary and Secondary Education; Overview 
Information; Migrant Education Program (MEP) Consortium Incentive 
Grants Program; Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal 
Year (FY) 2008

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.144F.


DATES: Applications Available: March 12, 2008.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: May 7, 2008.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: July 7, 2008.

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Purpose of Program: The purpose of the MEP Consortium Incentive 
Grants program is to provide incentive grants to State educational 
agencies (SEAs) that participate in high-quality consortium 
arrangements with another SEA or other appropriate entity to improve 
the delivery of services to migrant children whose education is 
interrupted. Through this program, the Department provides financial 
incentives to SEAs to participate in high-quality consortium 
arrangements that improve the intrastate and interstate coordination of 
migrant education programs by addressing key needs of migratory 
children who have their education interrupted.
    Priorities: These priorities are from the notice of final 
requirements for this program, published in the Federal Register on 
March 3, 2004 (69 FR 10110) and from the notice of final priority 
published elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register.
    Absolute Priorities: For FY 2008, these priorities are absolute 
priorities. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3) we consider only applications 
that meet one or more of these priorities. In order for SEAs to be 
considered for incentive grants, an application from a proposed 
consortium in which an SEA participates must address one or more of the 
following absolute priorities:
    1. Services designed to improve the proper and timely 
identification and recruitment of eligible migratory children whose 
education is interrupted;
    2. Services designed (based on a review of scientifically based 
research) to improve the school readiness of pre-school-aged migratory 
children whose education is interrupted;
    3. Services designed (based on a review of scientifically based 
research) to improve the reading proficiency of migratory children 
whose education is interrupted;
    4. Services designed (based on a review of scientifically based 
research) to improve the mathematics proficiency of migratory children 
whose education is interrupted;
    5. Services designed (based on a review of scientifically based 
research) to decrease the dropout rate of migratory students whose 
education is interrupted and improve their high school completion rate;
    6. Services designed (based on a review of scientifically based 
research) to strengthen the involvement of migratory parents in the 
education of migratory students whose education is interrupted;
    7. Services designed (based on a review of scientifically based 
research) to expand access to innovative educational technologies 
intended to increase the academic achievement of migratory students 
whose education is interrupted; and
    8. Services designed (based on a review of scientifically based 
research) to improve the educational attainment of out-of-school 
migratory youth whose education is interrupted.
    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 6398(d).
    Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General

[[Page 13216]]

Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 75 (except 75.232), 
76, 77, 79, 80 (except 80.40(b)), 82, 84, 85, 97, 98, and 99; (b) The 
notice of final requirements, published in the Federal Register on 
March 3, 2004 (69 FR 10110); and (c) The notice of final priority 
published elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Formula grants.
    Estimated Available Funds: $3,000,000.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $85,000-$175,000.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $130,435.
    Maximum Award: By statute, the maximum amount that we may award 
under this program is $250,000.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 23.

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

    Project Period: Up to 24 months.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: State educational agencies (SEAs) receiving 
MEP Basic State Formula grants.
    2. a. Cost Sharing or Matching: This program does not require cost 
sharing or matching.
    b. Supplement-Not-Supplant: This program involves supplement-not-
supplant funding requirements. Pursuant to the notice of final 
requirements published in the Federal Register on March 3, 2004 (69 FR 
10110), the supplement-not-supplant provisions in sections 1120A(b) and 
1304(c)(2) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as 
amended, are applicable to this program.

IV. Application and Submission Information

    1. Address to Request Application Package: Alejandra V[eacute]lez-
Paschke, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Room 
3E249, LBJ, Washington, DC 20202-6135. Telephone: (202) 260-2834 or by 
e-mail: [email protected].
    If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), call the 
Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll free, at 1-800-877-8339.
    Individuals with disabilities can 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 program.
    Page Limit: The application narrative (Part IV of the application) 
is where you, the applicant, describe the proposed consortium, 
including how the consortium's proposed project meets (1) the 
Application Requirements listed in the notice of final requirements 
published in the Federal Register on March 3, 2004 (69 FR 10110), (2) 
one or more of the absolute priorities, and (3) the selection criteria 
that reviewers use to evaluate your application. You must limit Part IV 
to no more than 30 double-spaced 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).
     Use one of the following fonts: Times New Roman, Courier, 
Courier New, or Arial. An application submitted in any other font 
(including Times Roman or Arial Narrow) will not be accepted.
     For charts, tables, and graphs, use a font that is either 
12 point or larger or no smaller than 10 pitch.
    The page limit applies only to Part IV of the application. It does 
not apply to Parts I through III or Parts V through VII, or to any 
appendices, resumes, bibliography, or letters of support. However, an 
applicant must include all of the application narrative in Part IV.
    Department reviewers will not read any pages of the Part IV 
narrative that exceed the page limit.
    3. Submission Date and Times:
    Applications Available: March 12, 2008.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: May 7, 2008.
    Applications for grants under this competition must be submitted in 
paper format by mail or by hand delivery. For information (including 
dates and times) about how to submit your application by mail or by 
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.
    Individuals with disabilities who need an accommodation or 
auxiliary aid in connection with the application process should contact 
the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT in section VII 
in this notice. If the Department provides an accommodation or 
auxiliary aid to an individual with a disability in connection with the 
application process, the individual's application remains subject to 
all other requirements and limitations in this notice.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: July 7, 2008.
    4. Intergovernmental Review: This program is subject to Executive 
Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79. Information about 
Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs under Executive Order 
12372 is in the application package for this program.
    5. Funding Restrictions: We reference regulations outlining funding 
restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section in 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 Paper 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:

Alejandra V[eacute]lez-Paschke, Office of Migrant Education, U.S. 
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Room 3E249, 
Washington, DC 20202-6135 or

    By mail through a commercial carrier:

U.S. Department of Education, Attention: Alejandra V[eacute]lez-
Paschke, OESE, 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.
    (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.

[[Page 13217]]

    (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 Paper 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: Alejandra V[eacute]lez-Paschke, Office of Migrant 
Education, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Room 
3E249, Washington, DC 20202-6135.

    Note: A person delivering an application must show 
identification to enter the U.S. Department of Education building.

V. Application Review Information

    Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this program are 
from 34 CFR 75.210 and are listed in the application package.

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 notify you informally, also.
    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 in this notice.
    We reference the regulations outlining the terms and conditions of 
an award in the Applicable Regulations section in 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: Grant recipients under this program must submit the 
annual and final performance and financial reports specified in the 
notice of final requirements for this program published in the Federal 
Register on March 3, 2004 (69 FR 10110).
    4. Performance Measures: Consortium grantees are required to report 
on their project's effectiveness based on the project objectives, 
performance measures, and scheduled activities outlined in the 
consortium's application.
    In addition, all grantees are required, under 34 CFR 80.40(b), to 
report on the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) indicators 
as part of their Consolidated State Performance Report. The GPRA 
indicators established by the Department for the Migrant Education 
Program, of which the Consortium Incentive Grants are a component, 
are--
    a. the percentage of migrant students at the elementary school 
level who meet or exceed the proficient level on State assessments in 
reading;
    b. the percentage of migrant students at the middle school level 
who meet or exceed the proficient level on State assessments in 
reading;
    c. the percentage of migrant students at the elementary school 
level who meet or exceed the proficient level on State assessments in 
mathematics;
    d. the percentage of migrant students at the middle school level 
who meet or exceed the proficient level on State assessments in 
mathematics;
    e. the percentage of migrant students who drop out from secondary 
school (grades 7-12); and
    f. the percentage of migrant students who graduate from high 
school.

VII. Agency Contacts

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Alejandra V[eacute]lez-Paschke, U.S. 
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 3E249, LBJ, 
Washington, DC 20202-6135. Telephone: (202) 260-2834 or by e-mail: 
[email protected].
    If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), call the 
Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1-800-877-8339.

VIII. Other Information

    Alternative Format: Individuals with disabilities can obtain this 
document and a copy of the application package in an alternative format 
(e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer diskette) on 
request to the program contact person listed under FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT in section VII in this notice.
    Electronic Access to This Document: You can 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 
for 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.
    You may also view this document in text at the following site: 
http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/oese/ome/index.html.

    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 7, 2008.
Kerri L. Briggs,
Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education.
 [FR Doc. E8-4961 Filed 3-11-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P