[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 12 (Wednesday, January 21, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3575-3579]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-1102]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Office of Elementary and Secondary Education


Overview Information Indian Education--Demonstration Grants for 
Indian Children; Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal 
Year (FY) 2009

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.299A.
    DATES:
    Applications Available: January 21, 2009.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: March 6, 2009.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: May 5, 2009.

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Purpose of Program: The purpose of the Demonstration Grants for 
Indian Children program is to provide financial assistance to projects 
that develop, test, and demonstrate the effectiveness of services and 
programs to improve the educational opportunities and achievement of 
preschool, elementary, and secondary Indian students.
    Priorities: This competition contains two absolute priorities and 
two competitive preference priorities. In accordance with 34 CFR 
75.105(b)(2)(ii), the absolute priorities are from the regulations for 
this program (34 CFR 263.21(c)(1) and (3)). In accordance with 34 CFR 
75.105(b)(2)(iv), the competitive

[[Page 3576]]

preference priorities are from sections 7121(d)(1)(B) and 7143 of the 
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended (ESEA) (20 
U.S.C. 7441(d)(1)(B) and 7473) and the regulations for this program in 
34 CFR 263.21.
    Absolute Priorities: For FY 2009 these priorities are absolute 
priorities. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3), we consider only applications 
that meet one or both of the following priorities.
    These priorities are:

Absolute Priority One

    School readiness projects that provide age-appropriate educational 
programs and language skills to three- and four-year-old Indian 
students to prepare them for successful entry into school at the 
kindergarten school level.

Absolute Priority Two

    College preparatory programs for secondary school students designed 
to increase competency and skills in challenging subject matter, 
including math and science, to enable Indian students to transition 
successfully to postsecondary education.
    Competitive Preference Priorities: For FY 2009, these priorities 
are competitive preference priorities. 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 one or both of these priorities.
    These priorities are:

Competitive Preference Priority One

    We award five competitive preference priority points to an 
applicant that presents a plan for combining two or more of the 
activities described in section 7121(c) of the ESEA over a period of 
more than one year.

    Note: For Competitive Preference Priority One, the combination 
of activities is limited to the activities described in the Absolute 
Priorities section of this notice.

Competitive Preference Priority Two

    We award five competitive preference priority points to an 
application submitted by an Indian tribe, Indian organization, or 
Indian institution of higher education, including a consortium of any 
of these entities with other eligible entities. An application from a 
consortium of eligible entities that meets the requirements of 34 CFR 
75.127 through 75.129 and includes an Indian tribe, Indian 
organization, or Indian institution of higher education will be 
considered eligible to receive the five competitive preference points. 
These competitive preference points are in addition to the five 
competitive preference points that may be given under Competitive 
Preference Priority One.

    Note: A consortium agreement, signed by all parties, must be 
submitted with the application in order for the application to be 
considered a consortium application. Letters of support do not meet 
the requirement for a consortium agreement. We will reject any 
application from a consortium that does not meet this requirement.

    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 7441.
    Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80, 
81, 82, 84, 85, 86, 97, 98, and 99. (b) The regulations for this 
program in 34 CFR part 263.

    Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 79 apply to all applicants 
except federally recognized Indian tribes.


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

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
    Estimated Available Funds: The Administration has requested 
$3,255,000 for new awards for the Indian Education--Demonstration 
Grants for Indian Children program for FY 2009. The actual level of 
funding, if any, depends on final congressional action. However, we are 
inviting applications to allow enough time to complete the grant 
process if Congress appropriates funds for this program. Estimated 
Range of Awards: $100,000-$300,000. Estimated Average Size of Awards: 
$250,000.
    Maximum Award: We will reject any application that proposes a 
budget exceeding $300,000 for a single budget period of 12 months. The 
Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education may change 
the maximum amount through a notice published in the Federal Register.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 13.

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

    Project Period: Up to 48 months.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: Eligible applicants for this program are 
State educational agencies (SEAs); local educational agencies (LEAs), 
including charter schools that are considered LEAs under State law; 
Indian tribes; Indian organizations; federally supported elementary or 
secondary schools for Indian students; Indian institutions (including 
Indian institutions of higher education); or a consortium of any of 
these entities.
    An application from a consortium of eligible entities must meet the 
requirements of 34 CFR 75.127 through 75.129. An application from a 
consortium of eligible entities must include a signed consortium 
agreement with the application. Letters of support do not meet the 
requirement for a consortium agreement.
    Applicants applying in consortium with or as an ``Indian 
organization'' must demonstrate eligibility by showing how the ``Indian 
organization'' meets all the criteria outlined in 34 CFR 263.20.
    The term ``Indian institution of higher education'' means an 
accredited college or university within the United States cited in 
section 532 of the Equity in Educational Land-Grant Status Act of 1994 
(7 U.S.C. 301 note), any other institution that qualifies for funding 
under the Tribally Controlled College or University Assistance Act of 
1978 (25 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.), and Dine College (formerly Navajo 
Community College), authorized in the Navajo Community College 
Assistance Act of 1978 (25 U.S.C. 640a et seq.).
    2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This competition does not require cost 
sharing or matching.
    3. Other: Projects funded under this competition are encouraged to 
budget for a two-day Project Directors' meeting in Washington, DC 
during each year of the project period.

IV. Application and Submission Information

    1. Address to Request Application Package: You can obtain an 
application package via the Internet or from the Education Publications 
Center (ED Pubs). To obtain a copy via the Internet, use the following 
address: http://www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/grantapps/index.html.
    To obtain a copy from ED Pubs, write, fax, or call the following: 
Education Publications Center, P.O. Box 1398, Jessup, MD 20794-1398. 
Telephone, toll free: 1-877-433-7827. FAX: (301) 470-1244. If you use a 
telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), call, toll free: 1-877-
576-7734.
    You can contact ED Pubs at its Web site, also: http://www.ed.gov/pubs/edpubs.html or at its e-mail address: [email protected].
    If you request an application from ED Pubs, be sure to identify 
this program or competition as follows: CFDA number 299A.
    Individuals with disabilities can obtain a copy of the application 
package in an accessible format (e.g., braille, large print, audiotape, 
or computer diskette) by contacting the person or

[[Page 3577]]

team listed under Accessible Format in section VIII of this notice.
    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 is where you, the applicant, 
address the selection criteria that reviewers use to evaluate your 
application. You must limit the application narrative to 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 the cover sheet; the budget 
section, including the budget narrative justification; the assurances 
and certifications; or the one-page abstract, the resumes, the 
bibliography, or the letters of support. However, the page limit does 
apply to all of the application narrative section.
    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: January 21, 2009.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: March 6, 2009
    Applications for grants under this competition must be submitted 
electronically using the Grants.gov application site (Grants.gov). For 
information (including dates and times) about how to submit your 
application electronically, or in paper format 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 of 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 
of 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: May 5, 2009.
    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 Demonstration Grants for Indian 
Children competition, CFDA Number 84.299A, must be submitted 
electronically using the Governmentwide Grants.gov application 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 Demonstration 
Grants for Indian Children at http://www.Grants.gov. You must search 
for the downloadable application package for this competition by the 
CFDA number. Do not include the CFDA number's alpha suffix in your 
search (e.g., search for 84.299, not 84.299A).
    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.
     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 
4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. 
Except as otherwise noted in this section, we will not accept your 
application if it is received--that is date and time stamped by the 
Grants.gov system--later than 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the 
application deadline date. We do not consider an application that does 
not comply with the deadline requirements. 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 4:30:00 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 competition 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 www.grants.gov/

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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 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 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 you typically provide on the following forms: 
Application for Federal Assistance (SF 424), the Department of 
Education Supplemental Information for SF 424, 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 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 (with the exception of consortium agreements, 
which must be submitted within the electronic application, if 
applicable).
    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 4:30:00 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 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC 
time, on the application deadline date, please contact the person 
listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT in section VII of this 
notice 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 4:30:00 
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.

    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: Lana Shaughnessy, U.S. 
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 3E231, 
Washington, DC 20202-6335. FAX: (202) 260-7779.
    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 following address: 
U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Center, Attention: 
(CFDA Number 84.299A), LBJ Basement Level 1, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., 
Washington, DC 20202-4260.
    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 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

[[Page 3579]]

date, to the Department at the following address: U.S. Department of 
Education, Application Control Center, Attention: (CFDA Number 
84.299A), 550 12th Street, SW., Room 7041, Potomac Center Plaza, 
Washington, DC 20202-4260.
    The Application Control Center accepts hand deliveries daily 
between 8:00 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

    Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this competition 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 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 directed by the Secretary 
under 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.
    4. Performance Measures: The Secretary has established the 
following key performance measures for assessing the effectiveness of 
the Demonstration Grants for Indian Children program: (1) The 
percentage of 3- and 4-year-old American Indian and Alaska Native 
children achieving gains of a predetermined magnitude, at a minimum, on 
an approved assessment of language and communication development as 
evidenced by a pre- and post-test each project year; (2) the percentage 
of 3- and 4-year-old American Indian and Alaska Native children 
achieving gains of a predetermined magnitude, at a minimum, on an 
approved assessment of cognitive skills and conceptual knowledge as 
evidenced by a pre- and post-test each project year; (3) the percentage 
of 3- and 4-year-old American Indian and Alaska Native children 
achieving gains of a predetermined magnitude, at a minimum, on an 
approved assessment of social development as evidenced by a pre- and 
post-test each project year; (4) the percentage of American Indian and 
Alaska Native high school students successfully completing (as defined 
by a passing grade of C or better) at least 3 years of challenging core 
courses (English, mathematics, science, and social studies) by the end 
of their fourth year in high school; and (5) the percentage of American 
Indian and Alaska Native students who graduate with their incoming 9th 
grade cohort (not counting those who transfer to another school).
    We encourage applicants to demonstrate a strong capacity to provide 
reliable data on these measures in their responses to the selection 
criteria ``Quality of project services'' and ``Quality of the project 
evaluation.'' All grantees will be expected to submit, as part of their 
performance report, information with respect to these performance 
measures.

VII. Agency Contact

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lana Shaughnessy, U.S. Department of 
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 3E231, Washington, DC 20202-
6335. Telephone: (202) 205-2528 or by e-mail: [email protected].
    If you use a TDD, call the Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll free, 
at 1-800-877-8339.

VIII. Other Information

    Accessible Format: Individuals with disabilities can obtain this 
document and a copy of the application package in an accessible 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 of 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: January 14, 2009.
Kerri L. Briggs,
Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education.
 [FR Doc. E9-1102 Filed 1-16-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P