[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 60 (Thursday, March 27, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16277-16283]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-6236]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Office of English Language Acquisition, Language Enhancement, and 
Academic Achievement for Limited English Proficient Students; Overview 
Information; Foreign Language Assistance Program--Local Educational 
Agencies; Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year 
(FY) 2008

[Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.293B].

    Dates: Applications Available: March 27, 2008.
    Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply: April 11, 2008.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: April 30, 2008.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: June 30, 2008.

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Purpose of Program: The Foreign Language Assistance Program (FLAP) 
provides grants to local educational agencies (LEAs) for innovative 
model programs providing for the establishment, improvement, or 
expansion of foreign language study for elementary and secondary school 
students. Under this competition, as required by the fiscal year 2008 
Appropriations Act, 5-year grants will be awarded to LEAs to work in 
partnership with one or more institutions of higher education (IHEs) to 
establish or expand articulated programs of study in languages critical 
to United States national security in order to enable successful 
students to achieve a superior level of proficiency in those languages 
as they advance from elementary school through high school and college. 
In addition, an LEA that receives a grant under this program must use 
the funds to support programs that show the promise of being continued 
beyond the grant period and demonstrate approaches that can be 
disseminated to and duplicated in other LEAs. Projects supported under 
this program may also include a professional development component.
    Priorities: This notice involves an absolute priority and four 
competitive preference priorities. The absolute priority is from Public 
Law 110-161, the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2008, Division G, 
Title III, School Improvement Programs. In accordance with 34 CFR 
75.105(b)(2)(iv), Competitive Preference Priorities 1 through 
4 are from section 5493 of the Foreign Language Assistance Act 
of 2001 (20 U.S.C. 7259b).

[[Page 16278]]

    Absolute Priority: For FY 2008, and any subsequent year in which we 
make awards from the list of unfunded applicants from this competition, 
this priority is an absolute priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3) we 
consider only applications that meet this priority.
    This priority is:

Sequential Study of Critical Languages

    This priority supports projects to establish or expand articulated 
programs of study in foreign language learning that exclusively teach 
one or more of the following languages critical to United States 
national security--Arabic, Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Russian, and 
languages in the Indic, Iranian, and Turkic language families. Such 
programs must be designed to enable successful students to achieve a 
superior level of proficiency in those languages as they advance from 
elementary school through high school and college.
    The following definitions apply to this priority:
    (1) Articulated program of study. Each grade level of the 
elementary-school-through-college foreign language program is designed 
to expand sequentially on the achievement students have made in the 
previous level, with a goal of achieving a superior level of language 
proficiency.
    (2) Superior level of language proficiency. A proficiency level of 
3, as measured by the Federal Interagency Language Roundtable (ILR), 
achieved by a student.
    Competitive Preference Priorities: For FY 2008, and any subsequent 
year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applicants from 
this competition, these priorities are competitive preference 
priorities. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(ii) we give preference to an 
application that meets one or more of these priorities over an 
application of comparable merit that does not meet the priorities.

    Note: There is no advantage to addressing all four competitive 
preference priorities. Creating a program around all four priorities 
may result in an unfocused program design. We give preference to 
applications describing programs that address any of these 
priorities.

    These priorities are:
    Competitive Preference Priority #1. Projects that include intensive 
summer foreign language programs for professional development.
    Competitive Preference Priority #2. Projects that link non-native 
English speakers in the community with the schools in order to promote 
two-way language learning.
    Competitive Preference Priority #3. Projects that make effective 
use of technology, such as computer-assisted instruction, language 
laboratories, or distance learning, to promote foreign language study.
    Competitive Preference Priority #4. Projects that promote 
innovative activities, such as foreign language immersion, partial 
foreign language immersion, or content-based instruction.
    Waiver of Proposed Rulemaking: Under the Administrative Procedure 
Act (5 U.S.C. 553) the Department generally offers interested parties 
the opportunity to comment on rules. Section 437(d)(1) of the General 
Education Provisions Act (GEPA), however, allows the Secretary to 
exempt from rulemaking rules governing the first grant competition 
under a new or substantially revised program authority. This program 
was substantially revised by Public Law 110-161, the Consolidated 
Appropriations Act of 2008, Division G, Title III, School Improvement 
Programs and, therefore, qualifies for this exemption. In order to 
ensure timely grant awards, the Secretary has decided to forgo public 
comment under section 437(d)(1) of GEPA on the absolute priority and 
definitions in this notice. The absolute priority and definitions will 
apply to the FY 2008 grant competition only.
    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 7259a-7259b and Public Law 110-161, 
the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2008, Division G, Title III, 
School Improvement Programs.
    Applicable Regulations: The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 75, 77, 79, 80, 81, 
82, 84, 85, 97, 98 and 99.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
    Estimated Available Funds: $2,360,000.
    Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of 
applications, we may make additional awards in FY 2009 from the list of 
unfunded applicants from this competition.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $100,000-$300,000.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $200,000.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 12.

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

    Project Period: 60 months. Applications that request funding for a 
project period of other than 60 months will be deemed ineligible and 
will not be read.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: LEAs, including charter schools that are 
considered LEAs under State law, in partnership with one or more 
institutions of higher education.
    2. Cost Sharing or Matching: Section 5492(c)(2) of the Foreign 
Language Assistance Act of 2001 (20 U.S.C. 7259a(c)) requires that the 
Federal share of a project funded under this program for each fiscal 
year be 50 percent. For example, an LEA requesting $100,000 in Federal 
funding for its foreign language program each fiscal year must match 
that amount with $100,000 of non-Federal funding for each year. Section 
80.24 of EDGAR addresses Federal cost-sharing requirements.
    If an LEA does not have adequate resources to pay the non-Federal 
share of the cost, a waiver may be requested. An LEA may request a 
waiver of part or all of the matching requirement. The waiver request 
should be submitted by letter to the Secretary of Education and 
included in the application. An authorized representative of the school 
district, such as the Superintendent of Schools, should sign the 
letter. Further information on submitting a waiver request is included 
in the application package.
    The request for waiver should--
     Provide an explanation, supported with appropriate 
documentation, of the basis for the LEA's position that it does not 
have adequate resources to pay the non-Federal share of the cost of the 
project.
     Specify the amount, if any, of the non-Federal share that 
the LEA can pay.
    We recommend that LEAs that are unable to provide the required 
level of non-Federal support for their project provide as much non-
Federal support as possible.

IV. Application and Submission Information

    1. Address to Request Application Package: Yvonne Putney-Mathieu, 
U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Room 10070, 
PCP, Washington, DC 20202-6500. Telephone: (202) 245-7155, or by e-
mail: [email protected].

    Note: Please include ``FLAP Application Request'' in the subject 
heading of your e-mail.
    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.


[[Page 16279]]


    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: If you intend to apply for a grant under 
this competition, contact Yvonne Mathieu by e-mail: 
[email protected].

    Note: Please include ``FLAP Intent to Apply'' in the subject 
heading of your e-mail. The e-mail should specify: (1) The LEA name, 
(2) city, (3) state, (4) number of grants, and (5) language(s) of 
instruction. We do not consider an application that does not comply 
with the deadline requirements established in this notice. However, 
we will consider an application submitted by the deadline date for 
transmittal of applications, even if the applicant did not provide 
us notice of its intent to apply.
    Page Limit: The application narrative (Part III of the 
application) is where you, the applicant, address the selection 
criteria that reviewers use to evaluate your application. You must 
limit the application narrative to the equivalent of no more than 35 
pages using the following standards:
     A ``page'' is 8.5'' x 11'', on one side only, with 1'' 
margins at the top, bottom, and both sides.
     Double space (no more than three lines per vertical 
inch) all text in the application narrative, including titles, 
headings, footnotes, quotations, references, and captions, as well 
as all text in charts, tables, figures, and graphs.
     Use a font that is either 12 point or larger or no 
smaller than 10 pitch (characters per inch).
     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.
    The page limit does not apply to Part I, the cover sheet; Part 
II, the budget section, including the narrative budget 
justification; Part IV, the assurances and certifications; or the 
two-page abstract. However, the page limit does apply to all of the 
application narrative section in Part III.
    We will reject your application if you exceed the page limit or 
if you apply other standards and exceed the equivalent of the page 
limit.

    3. Submission Dates and Times:
    Applications Available: March 27, 2008.
    Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply: April 11, 2008.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: April 30, 2008.
    Applications for grants under this program may be submitted 
electronically using the Grants.gov Apply site (http://www.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 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: June 30, 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 program may be submitted electronically or in paper format by mail 
or hand delivery.
a. Electronic Submission of Applications
    To comply with the President's Management Agenda, we are 
participating as a partner in the Governmentwide Grants.gov Apply site. 
The Foreign Language Assistance Program, CFDA Number 84.293B, is 
included in this project. We request your participation in Grants.gov.
    If you choose to submit your application electronically, you must 
use the Governmentwide 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 Foreign 
Language Assistance 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 
(e.g., search for 84.293, not for 84.293B).
    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 date and time 
stamped. Your application must be fully uploaded and submitted and must 
be date and 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 and 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 and 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 steps in the Grants.gov registration process (see http://www.grants.gov/applicants/get_registered.jsp). These steps include (1) 
registering your organization, a multi-part process that includes 
registration with the Central Contractor Registry (CCR); (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/section910/Grants.govRegistrationBrochure.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

[[Page 16280]]

five or more business days to complete, and you must have completed all 
registration steps to allow you to submit successfully an application 
via Grants.gov. In addition you will need to update your CCR 
registration on an annual basis. This may take three or more business 
days to complete.
     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.
     If you submit your application electronically, you must 
submit all documents electronically, including all information you 
typically provide on the following forms: Application for Federal 
Assistance (SF 424), the Department of Education Supplemental 
Information for SF 424, Budget Information--Non-Construction Programs 
(ED 524), and all necessary assurances and certifications. Please note 
that two of these forms--the SF 424 and the Department of Education 
Supplemental Information for SF 424--have replaced the ED 424 
(Application for Federal Education Assistance).
     If you 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 in 
this paragraph 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 from Grants.gov an automatic notification of receipt that 
contains a Grants.gov tracking number. (This notification indicates 
receipt by Grants.gov only, not receipt by the Department.) The 
Department then will retrieve your application from Grants.gov and send 
a second notification to you by e-mail. This second notification 
indicates that the Department has received your application and has 
assigned your application 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 experiencing problems submitting 
your application through Grants.gov, please contact the Grants.gov 
Support Desk, toll free, at 1-800-518-4726. You must obtain a 
Grants.gov Support Desk Case Number and must keep a record of it.
    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 described elsewhere in this notice.
    If you submit an application after 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, 
on the application deadline date, please contact either 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. 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: The extensions to which we refer 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 application 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 84.293B), 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 
84.293B), 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.
    (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 
84.293B), 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 11 of the SF 424 the CFDA number, including 
suffix letter, if any, of the competition under which you are 
submitting your application; and
    (2) The Application Control Center will mail to you a 
notification of receipt of your grant application. If you do not 
receive this notification 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 Secretary evaluates an application by 
determining how well the proposed project meets the

[[Page 16281]]

following selection criteria. The selection criteria for this program 
are from 34 CFR 75.210 of EDGAR. Applicants are not required to address 
the criteria as outlined in the Notes. However, the Notes we have 
included are guidance to assist applicants in understanding each 
criterion as they prepare their applications and are not required by 
statute or regulation. In addressing each criterion, applicants are 
encouraged to make explicit connections to relevant aspects of the 
Purpose of the Program including the Absolute Priority as described in 
section I of this notice. The maximum score for all of these criteria 
is 100 points. The maximum score for each criterion is indicated in 
parentheses.
    (a) Need for project. (5 points)
    The Secretary considers the need for the proposed project. In 
determining the need for the proposed project, the Secretary considers 
the following factor:
    (1) The extent to which specific gaps or weaknesses in services, 
infrastructure, or opportunities have been identified and will be 
addressed by the proposed project, including the nature and magnitude 
of those gaps or weaknesses.

    Notes for (a) Need for project: The Secretary encourages 
applicants to describe current characteristics of the LEA and 
targeted schools, including the specific foreign languages offered 
and, for each foreign language offered, the number of students 
enrolled in classes, grade levels served or, in the case of 
secondary education, the course levels served; the number of schools 
providing instruction; the type of foreign language instructional 
model provided; and, the minutes of instruction per day and number 
of days per week.
    Applicants are also encouraged to address how the proposed 
project will increase enrollment in critical foreign languages 
during the course of the grant by adding languages, adding grades or 
course levels, recruiting students, and expanding to additional 
schools. Finally, applicants are encouraged to describe how the 
proposed project will improve instruction by hiring highly qualified 
teachers, improving teacher skills through professional development, 
expanding the curriculum, and increasing the minutes of instruction 
per day or week.

    (b) Quality of the project design. (60 points)
    The Secretary considers the quality of the design of the proposed 
project. In determining the quality of the design of the proposed 
project, the Secretary considers the following factors:
    (1) The extent to which the goals, objectives, and outcomes to be 
achieved by the proposed project are clearly specified and measurable.
    (2) The extent to which the design for implementing and evaluating 
the proposed project will result in information to guide possible 
replication of project activities or strategies, including information 
about the effectiveness of the approach or strategies employed by the 
project.
    (3) The extent to which the proposed project is designed to build 
capacity and yield results that will extend beyond the period of 
Federal financial assistance.
    (4) The extent to which the design of the proposed project reflects 
up-to-date knowledge from research and effective practice.
    (5) The extent to which the proposed project will establish 
linkages with other appropriate agencies and organizations providing 
services to the target population.
    (6) The extent to which the proposed project is part of a 
comprehensive effort to improve teaching and learning and support 
rigorous academic standards for students.

    Notes for (b) Quality of the project design--factors 1 through 
6: The Secretary encourages applicants to address the factors under 
this criterion by discussing the extent to which the proposed 
project addresses key components of project design, such as 
measurable objectives for all Government Performance and Results Act 
(GPRA) measures, including measures of improved student foreign 
language proficiency and expected student achievement. Further, the 
applicant is encouraged to describe the extent to which the proposed 
project will use its ambitious project objectives and will ensure 
that they are challenging, raise expectations, provide ways for 
students to demonstrate progress, and are specific to each year 
served by the grant. Finally, the applicant is encouraged to 
describe the extent to which performance guidelines for K-12 
students are incorporated by targeting the student proficiency level 
of Advanced, as measured by the American Council on the Teaching of 
Foreign Languages (ACTFL), for students exiting the K-12 program.
    The Secretary encourages applicants to discuss their plans to 
develop and implement an articulated curriculum with minimal content 
repetition, so that students in the project will, when they graduate 
from high school, have the skills needed to achieve a superior level 
of proficiency by the end of an undergraduate program.
    The Secretary encourages applicants to address the extent to 
which the proposed project describes how it will disseminate its 
innovative model and best practices for duplication by other LEAs.
    The Secretary encourages applicants to describe the specific 
assessments to be used or, if assessments are not available, how 
assessments will be developed and how assessment results will be 
used to inform decisions on instruction and articulation.
    The Secretary encourages applicants to describe a plan to carry 
out activities under the grant as part of their required partnership 
with one or more IHEs, including how each member will be involved in 
the planning, development, and implementation of the project; the 
resources to be provided by each partner; the rationale for 
selecting the partner(s); the specific activities that the 
partner(s) will contribute to the grant during each year of the 
project; and the identity of each member of the partnership, 
including contact information, with a one-page letter of commitment 
from the partner(s) in an appendix to the application narrative.
    The Secretary encourages applicants to address the commitment of 
partner(s) to building local capacity so that the program will be 
institutionalized and sustained after Federal funds are expended.
    The Secretary encourages applicants to discuss the overall 
project model, its key components, and the degree to which the 
model's key components are based on sound research and practice.
    The Secretary encourages applicants to include evidence of how 
they will establish linkages with the State educational agency, 
foreign language organizations, community-based organizations, and 
the heritage communities of the target language(s) in order to 
support the program. Further, the Secretary encourages applicants to 
address the extent to which the proposed project encourages parental 
involvement.
    Finally, the Secretary encourages applicants to include 
information on how they will use State and national standards for 
foreign language learning (including standards related to 
communication, cultures, connections, comparisons, and communities) 
as a framework for teaching and learning.

    (c) Quality of project personnel. (10 points)
    The Secretary considers the quality of the personnel who will carry 
out the proposed project. In determining the quality of project 
personnel, the Secretary considers the extent to which the applicant 
encourages applications for employment from persons who are members of 
groups that have traditionally been underrepresented based on race, 
color, national origin, gender, age, or disability. In addition, the 
Secretary considers the following factors:
    (1) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience, 
of the project director.
    (2) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience, 
of key project personnel.

    Note for (c) Quality of project personnel--factors 1 and 2: The 
Secretary encourages applicants to address the factors under this 
criterion by including position descriptions (not resumes) for the 
project director and other key personnel. Further, the applicant is 
encouraged to describe the qualifications, including relevant 
training and experience, of current district employees who will be 
teaching critical languages, and, if applicable, how the proposed 
project plans to recruit highly qualified teachers of critical 
languages. Finally the applicant is encouraged to include the 
qualifications,

[[Page 16282]]

including relevant training and experience, of other key project 
personnel and consultants.

    (d) Quality of the management plan. (10 points)
    The Secretary considers the quality of the management plan for the 
proposed project. In determining the quality of the management plan for 
the proposed project, the Secretary considers the following factors:
    (1) The adequacy of the management plan to achieve the objectives 
of the proposed project on time and within budget, including clearly 
defined responsibilities, timelines, and milestones for accomplishing 
project tasks.
    (2) The extent to which the time commitments of the project 
director and other key project personnel are appropriate and adequate 
to meet the objectives of the proposed project.

    Notes for (d) Quality of the management plan--factors 1 and 2: 
Section 75.112 of EDGAR requires an applicant to include a narrative 
that describes how and when, in each budget period of the project, 
the applicant plans to meet each project objective. The Secretary 
encourages applicants to address the factors under this criterion by 
including in this narrative a clear, well thought-out implementation 
plan that includes annual timelines, key project milestones, a 
schedule of activities with sufficient time for developing an 
adequate implementation plan, and the persons responsible for each 
management activity. The Secretary encourages applicants to include 
the percentage of time the project director, partner staff, 
consultants, and other key personnel will spend on the project. 
Finally, each applicant is encouraged to address this criterion by 
describing the roles of the LEA and its IHE partner(s) in each phase 
of the proposed project.

    (e) Quality of the project evaluation. (15 points)
    The Secretary considers the quality of the evaluation to be 
conducted of the proposed project. In determining the quality of the 
evaluation, the Secretary considers the following factors:
    (1) The extent to which the methods of evaluation are thorough, 
feasible, and appropriate to the goals, objectives, and outcomes of the 
proposed project.
    (2) 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.
    (3) The extent to which the methods of evaluation will provide 
performance feedback and permit periodic assessment of progress toward 
achieving intended outcomes.

    Notes for (e) Quality of the project evaluation--factors 1 
through 3.  A strong evaluation plan should be included in the 
application narrative and should be used, as appropriate, to shape 
the development of the project from the beginning of the grant 
period. The plan should include benchmarks to monitor progress 
toward specific project objectives and also outcome measures to 
assess the impact on teaching and learning or other important 
outcomes for project participants. More specifically, the plan 
should identify the individual or organization that has agreed to 
serve as evaluator for the project and describe the qualifications 
of that evaluator. The applicant is encouraged to describe how it 
will select an independent, objective evaluator who has experience 
in evaluating foreign language programs and who will play an active 
role in the design and development of the project. The plan should 
describe the evaluation design, indicating: (1) What types of data 
will be collected; (2) when various types of data will be collected; 
(3) what methods will be used; (4) what instruments will be 
developed and when; (5) how the data will be analyzed; (6) when 
reports of results and outcomes will be available; and (7) how the 
applicant will use the information collected through the evaluation 
to monitor progress of the funded project and to provide 
accountability information both about success at the initial site 
and effective strategies for replication in other settings. 
Applicants are encouraged to devote an appropriate level of 
resources to project evaluation.
    The Secretary encourages applicants to address the factors under 
this criterion by describing how the evaluation plan is aligned with 
the goals, objectives and activities described in the Quality of 
Project Design criterion. In addition, each applicant is encouraged 
to provide how each objective will be evaluated and when the 
applicant will collect, analyze, and report quantitative and 
qualitative data. (The specific performance measures established for 
the overall Foreign Language Assistance Program are discussed under 
Performance Measures in section VI of this notice.) Grantees are 
required to submit annual performance reports for each of the first 
four years of the grant and a final evaluation at the end of the 
fifth year. Further, the Secretary encourages applicants to address 
this criterion by describing how they will monitor progress toward 
specific project objectives and outcome measures, in order to assess 
the impact on teaching and learning or other important project 
outcomes. Each applicant is encouraged to describe how it will 
monitor progress in meeting annual targets established for project 
objectives, as well as for the GPRA measures.

VI. Award Administration Information

    1. Award Notices: If your application is successful, we notify your 
U.S. Representative and U.S. Senators and send you a Grant Award 
Notification (GAN). We may also notify you informally.
    If your application is not evaluated or not selected for funding, 
we notify you.
    2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements: We identify 
administrative and national policy requirements in the application 
package and reference these and other requirements in the Applicable 
Regulations section of this notice.
    We reference the regulations outlining the terms and conditions of 
an award in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice and 
include these and other specific conditions in the GAN. The GAN also 
incorporates your approved application as part of your binding 
commitments under the grant.
    3. Grant Administration: Applicants should budget for a two-day 
meeting for project directors to be held in Washington, DC.
    4. Reporting: At the end of your project period, you must submit a 
final performance report, including financial information, as directed 
by the Secretary. If you receive a multi-year award, you must submit an 
annual performance report that provides the most current performance 
and financial expenditure information as specified by the Secretary in 
34 CFR 75.118. The Secretary may also require more frequent performance 
reports under 34 CFR 75.720(c). For specific requirements on reporting, 
please go to http://www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/appforms/appforms.html.
    5. Performance Measures: In response to the Government Performance 
and Results Act (GPRA), the Department developed three objectives for 
evaluating the overall effectiveness of the Foreign Language Assistance 
Program (FLAP) LEA program.
    Objective 1: To expand foreign language study for students served 
by FLAP.
    Measure 1.1 of 2: The number of students participating in foreign 
language instruction in the target languages(s) in the schools served 
by FLAP.
    Measure 1.2 of 2: The number of minutes of foreign language 
instruction in the target languages(s) provided in the schools served 
by FLAP.
    Objective 2: To expand foreign language study in critical languages 
for students served by the FLAP program.
    Measure 2.1 of 1: The number of students participating in critical 
languages in the schools served by FLAP.
    Objective 3: To improve the foreign language proficiency of 
students served by FLAP.
    Measure 3.1 of 1: The number of students in FLAP projects who meet 
ambitious project objectives for foreign language proficiency.
    We will expect each LEA funded under this competition to document 
how its project is helping the

[[Page 16283]]

Department meet these performance measures. Grantees will be expected 
to report on progress in meeting these performance measures for FLAP in 
their Annual Performance Report and in their Final Performance Report.

VII. Agency Contacts

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rebecca Richey, U.S. Department of 
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Potomac Center Plaza, room 10080, 
Washington, DC 20202. Telephone: (202) 245-7133, or by e-mail: 
[email protected] or Sharon Coleman, U.S. Department of Education, 
400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Potomac Center Plaza, room 10071, Washington, 
DC 20202. Telephone: (202) 245-7124, or by e-mail: 
[email protected].
    If you use TDD, call FRS, toll free, 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 persons 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 
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 19, 2008.
Margarita P. Pinkos,
Assistant Deputy Secretary and Director, Office of English Language 
Acquisition, Language Enhancement, and Academic Achievement for Limited 
English Proficient Students.
[FR Doc. E8-6236 Filed 3-26-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P