[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 40 (Tuesday, March 3, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9225-9232]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-4497]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Office of Elementary and Secondary Education; Overview 
Information; Early Reading First Program; Notice Inviting Applications 
for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2009.

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Numbers: 84.359A and 
B.

    Dates: Applications Available: March 3, 2009.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Pre-Applications: April 2, 2009.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Full Applications: June 16, 2009 (for 
applicants invited to submit full applications only).
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: August 17, 2009.

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Purpose of Program: This program supports local efforts to enhance 
the oral language, cognitive, and early reading skills of preschool-
aged children, especially those from low-income families, through 
strategies, materials, and professional development that are grounded 
in scientifically based reading research.
    The specific activities for which recipients must use grant funds 
are identified in section 1222(d) of the Elementary and Secondary 
Education Act of 1965, as amended (ESEA). This and other relevant 
provisions of the ESEA are included in the application package.
    Statutory Requirements: All applicants must meet the application 
requirements established in section 1222(b) of the ESEA in order to be 
considered for funding. All applications must include a description of 
the following:
    (1) The programs to be served by the proposed project, including 
demographic and socioeconomic information on the preschool-aged 
children enrolled in the programs;
    (2) How the proposed project will enhance the school readiness of 
preschool-aged children in high-quality oral language and literature-
rich environments;
    (3) How the proposed project will prepare and provide ongoing 
assistance to staff in the programs, through professional development 
and other support, in providing high-quality language, literacy, and 
prereading activities using scientifically based reading research, for 
preschool-aged children;
    (4) How the proposed project will provide services and use 
instructional materials that are based on scientifically based reading 
research on early language acquisition, prereading activities, and the 
development of spoken vocabulary skills;
    (5) How the proposed project will help staff in the programs to 
meet more effectively the diverse needs of preschool-aged children in 
the community, including such children with limited English 
proficiency, disabilities, or other special needs;
    (6) How the proposed project will integrate such instructional 
materials and literacy activities with existing preschool programs and 
family literacy services;
    (7) How the proposed project will help children, particularly 
children experiencing difficulty with spoken language, prereading, and 
early reading

[[Page 9226]]

skills, to make the transition from preschool to formal classroom 
instruction in school;
    (8) If the eligible applicant has received a subgrant under the 
Reading First program, subpart 1, part B, title I of the ESEA, how the 
activities conducted under the Early Reading First program will be 
coordinated with the eligible applicant's activities under the Reading 
First program at the kindergarten through grade 3 level; and
    (9) How the proposed project will evaluate the success of the 
activities supported under the Early Reading First program in enhancing 
the early language, literacy, and prereading development of the 
preschool-aged children served by the project.
    Priorities: This competition includes four invitational priorities. 
Under this competition we are particularly interested in applications 
that address the following priorities.
    Invitational Priorities: For FY 2009 and any subsequent year in 
which we make awards from the list of unfunded applicants from this 
competition, these priorities are invitational priorities. Under 34 CFR 
75.105(c)(1) we do not give an application that meets these 
invitational priorities a competitive or absolute preference over other 
applications.
    These priorities are:

Invitational Priority 1--Intensity

    The Secretary is especially interested in preschool programs that 
operate full-time, full-year, early childhood educational programs and 
that serve children for the two consecutive years prior to their entry 
into kindergarten.
    Scientifically based research on increasing the effectiveness of 
early childhood education programs serving children from low-income 
families tells us that children attending these types of programs that 
have a greater intensity of service make higher and more persistent 
gains in the language and cognitive domains than children who attend 
early childhood programs that have lesser intensity of service. In 
other words, children who spend more time in high-quality early 
childhood education programs learn more than children who spend less 
time in those programs. The purpose of this invitational priority is to 
encourage preschool programs supported with Early Reading First funds 
to provide services that are of a sufficient duration and intensity to 
maximize language and early literacy gains for children enrolled in 
those programs.

Invitational Priority 2--English Language Acquisition Plan

    For applicants serving children with limited English proficiency, 
the Secretary is especially interested in applications that include a 
specific plan for the development of English language proficiency for 
these children from the start of their preschool experience. The Early 
Reading First program is designed to prepare children to enter 
kindergarten with the necessary cognitive, early language, and literacy 
skills for success in school. School success often is dependent on each 
child entering kindergarten as proficient as possible in English so 
that the child is ready to benefit from formal reading instruction in 
English when he or she starts school.


    Note: The term ``limited English proficient'' is defined in 
section 9101(25) of the ESEA (20 U.S.C. 7801(25)). That definition 
is included in the application package.

    Under this invitational priority, the Secretary is interested in 
English language acquisition plans that, at a minimum: (1) Include a 
description of the applicant's approach to the development of language, 
based on the linguistic factors or skills that serve as the foundation 
for a strong language base, which foundation is a necessary precursor 
for success in the development of pre-literacy and literacy skills for 
children with limited English proficiency; (2) Explain the 
instructional strategies, based on best available valid and reliable 
research, that the applicant will use to address English language 
acquisition in a multi-lingual classroom; (3) Describe how the project 
will facilitate the children's transition to English proficiency 
through such means as the use of environmental print in appropriate 
multiple languages and hiring bilingual teachers, paraprofessionals, or 
translators to work in the preschool classroom; (4) Include intensive 
professional development for instructors and paraprofessionals on the 
development of English language proficiency; and (5) Include a timeline 
that describes benchmarks for the introduction of the development of 
English language proficiency and the use of measurement tools.
    Ideally, at least one instructional staff member in each Early 
Reading First classroom that serves limited English proficient children 
will be dual-language proficient in the children's first language and 
in English so as to facilitate those children's understanding of 
instruction and transition to English proficiency. At a minimum, each 
such classroom should include a teacher who is proficient in English.

Invitational Priority 3--Kindergarten Transition

    The Early Reading First program is designed to prepare children to 
enter kindergarten with the necessary cognitive, early language, and 
literacy skills for success in school. The Secretary is especially 
interested in applications that include a specific plan to transition 
preschool-aged children to kindergarten.
    Under this invitational priority, the Secretary is especially 
interested in supporting projects that have kindergarten transition 
plans that, at a minimum: (1) Identify the key issues involved in 
transitioning preschool-aged children to kindergarten; (2) Explain how 
the program would support continuity through developmentally 
appropriate curricula for preschool and kindergarten children; (3) 
Where applicable, include a description of how the program will 
effectively support ongoing communication and cooperation between the 
program and Reading First; (4) Include a description of how the program 
will effectively support ongoing communication and cooperation between 
the program and the local educational agency (LEA); (5) Include a 
timeline that describes benchmarks for transition activities; and (6) 
Include a description of the role of stakeholders in transitioning 
preschool-aged children to kindergarten.

Invitational Priority 4--Community-Based Organizations

    The Secretary is especially interested in applications that propose 
to engage community-based organizations in the delivery of services 
under this program.
    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 6371-6376.
    Applicable Regulations: 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.


    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 grant.
    Estimated Available Funds: $111,424,000. 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

[[Page 9227]]

before the end of the current fiscal year if Congress appropriates 
funds for this program.
    Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of 
applications, we may make additional awards in FY 2010 from the list of 
unfunded applicants from this competition.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $1,500,000-$4,500,000.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $3,000,000.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 24-74.

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

    Project Period: Up to 36 months.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: Under this competition, eligible applicants 
are:
    (a) One or more LEAs, including charter schools that are considered 
LEAs under State law, that are eligible to receive a subgrant under the 
Reading First program (Title I, Part B, Subpart 1 of the ESEA);
    (b) One or more public or private organizations or agencies 
(including faith-based organizations) located in a community served by 
an eligible LEA; or
    (c) One or more eligible LEAs, applying in collaboration with one 
or more eligible organizations or agencies.
    To qualify under paragraph (b) of this definition, the 
organization's or agency's application must be on behalf of one or more 
programs that serve preschool-aged children (such as a Head Start 
program, a child care program, a family literacy program such as Even 
Start, or a lab school at a university), unless the organization or 
agency itself operates a preschool program.
    Lists, by State, of LEAs that qualify under paragraph (a) of this 
definition for this FY 2009 competition are posted on the Early Reading 
First Web site at http://www.ed.gov/programs/earlyreading/eligibility.html. These lists are based on the most recent information 
provided by each State and the Department of Interior's Bureau of 
Indian Education (BIE) to the Department's Reading First program, and 
are posted for the convenience of Early Reading First applicants. 
However, we consider it to be each applicant's responsibility to verify 
with the Reading First office in its State, or with the BIE, as 
appropriate, whether a particular LEA is eligible to receive a subgrant 
under the Reading First program as of the date of publication of this 
notice in the Federal Register. A list of State and BIE contacts for 
this purpose is also posted at the Early Reading First Web site at 
http://www.ed.gov/programs/earlyreading/eligibility.html.
    Eligibility determination date: The date governing whether an LEA 
is eligible to receive a subgrant under the Reading First program is 
the date of publication in the Federal Register of this notice inviting 
applications for new awards under the Early Reading First program for 
FY 2009.
    Required submission of eligibility information: In accordance with 
the following instructions, each applicant must complete and submit 
with its pre-application for this competition a Pre-Application 
Attachment A, Applicant Eligibility, which is included in the 
application package:
     LEAs included on a posted eligibility list: If the LEA on 
which you, the applicant, are basing your Early Reading First 
eligibility is included on the State's Reading First subgrant 
eligibility list posted on the Early Reading First Web site, you must 
complete section I of Pre-Application Attachment A (Applicant 
Eligibility) and submit that attachment with your pre-application.
     LEAs not included on a posted eligibility list: If the LEA 
on which you, the applicant, are basing your Early Reading First 
eligibility is not included on the State's Reading First subgrant 
eligibility list posted on the Early Reading First Web site, you must 
complete both section I and section II of Pre-Application Attachment A 
(Applicant Eligibility) and submit that form with your pre-application. 
Section II requires you to verify with your State's Reading First 
office, or the BIE, as appropriate, that the LEA is in fact eligible to 
receive a Reading First subgrant as of the date of publication in the 
Federal Register of this notice. You must also submit the name of, and 
contact information for, the person with whom you verified that 
information. If you are invited to submit a full application and we are 
unable to verify the LEA's eligibility from the contact information 
that you have provided, we may not consider the LEA as an eligible LEA 
for the purposes of this competition or we may require you to submit 
additional written information demonstrating eligibility.
    2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This program does not require cost 
sharing or matching.

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 Internet, use the following 
address: http://www.Grants.gov. 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 package from ED Pubs, be sure to 
identify this program or competition as follows: CFDA numbers 84.359A 
and B.
    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 program contact person or 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 competition.
    Pre-Application: All applicants must apply in the pre-application 
phase; as explained in the application package, only selected 
applicants will be invited to submit a full application.
    Page Limits: You must include in Part 2 of the pre-application and 
Part 3 of the full application an Abstract briefly describing your 
proposed project. You must limit each Abstract to one (1) page.
    The pre-application narrative and the full application narrative 
for this program (Part 3 of the pre-application and Part 4 of the full 
application) are where you, the applicant, address the selection 
criteria that reviewers use to evaluate your pre- and full 
applications. You must limit Part 3 of the pre-application to the 
equivalent of no more than fifteen (15) pages and Part 4 of the full 
application to no more than forty (40) pages.
    Part 4 of the pre-application is where you, the applicant, provide 
the Appendices for the pre-application. Pre-application Appendices are 
limited to the following: a list and a brief description of the 
existing preschool programs that the proposed Early Reading First 
project would support; an English language acquisition plan, if 
applicable; a kindergarten transition plan, if applicable; and endnote 
citations for research cited specifically in the pre-application 
narrative. You must limit the list and the brief description of the 
existing preschool

[[Page 9228]]

programs to the equivalent of no more than five (5) pages. You must 
limit any English language acquisition plan to the equivalent of no 
more than two (2) pages. You must limit any kindergarten transition 
plan to the equivalent of no more than two (2) pages. No page limit 
applies to the pre-application endnote citations.
    Part 5 of the full application is where you, the applicant, provide 
a budget narrative that reviewers use to evaluate your full 
application. You must limit the budget narrative in Part 5 of the full 
application to the equivalent of no more than five (5) pages.
    Part 6 of the full application is where you, the applicant, provide 
the Appendices for the full application. Full application Appendices 
are limited to the following: A list and a brief description of the 
existing preschool programs that the proposed Early Reading First 
project would support; an English language acquisition plan, if 
applicable; a kindergarten transition plan, if applicable; position 
descriptions (and resumes or curriculum vitae if available) for up to 
five (5) key personnel; endnote citations for research cited 
specifically in the full application narrative; and documentation 
demonstrating the stakeholder support for the project. You must limit 
the list and the brief description of the existing preschool programs 
to the equivalent of no more than five (5) pages. You must limit each 
resume or curriculum vitae to the equivalent of no more than three (3) 
pages, and limit the documentation demonstrating stakeholder support 
for the project to the equivalent of no more than five (5) pages. You 
must limit any English language acquisition plan to the equivalent of 
no more than five (5) pages. You must limit any kindergarten transition 
plan to the equivalent of no more than five (5) pages.
    For all page limits, use 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 and budget narratives, including titles, 
headings, quotations, references, and captions included in the body of 
the narrative.
     Text in charts, tables, figures, and graphs may be single-
spaced.
     Use one of the following commonly used 12-point fonts or 
larger, or no smaller than 10 pitch (characters per inch) including for 
text in endnotes, charts, tables, figures, and graphs: Times New Roman, 
Times, Courier, or CG Times. An application submitted in any other font 
will not be accepted.
    The page limits do not apply to any title page or table of 
contents, or the forms in Part I of the pre- and full applications; or 
the following portions of the full application: the budget form (ED 
Form 524) in Part 2; or the assurances and certifications and the 
endnotes in Part 7.
    Our reviewers will not read any pages of your pre-application or 
full application that exceed the page limit if you apply these 
standards; or exceed the equivalent of the page limit if you apply 
other standards.
    3. Submission Dates and Times:
    Applications Available: March 3, 2009.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Pre-Applications: April 2, 2009.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Full Applications: June 16, 2009 (for 
applicants invited to submit full applications only).
    Pre- and full 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 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: August 17, 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: Pre- and full 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.
    Pre- and full applications for grants under the Early Reading First 
program, CFDA number 84.359A (pre-application) and CFDA number 84.359B 
(full application), must be submitted electronically using 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 pre- or 
full application. You may not e-mail an electronic copy of a grant 
application to us.
    We will reject your pre- or full 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 pre- or full 
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 pre- or full 
application deadline date is provided later in this section under 
Exception to Electronic Submission Requirement.
    You may access the electronic grant application for the Early 
Reading First competition 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 84.359, not 84.359A).
    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 pre- and full applications 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 pre- or full 
application deadline date, as appropriate. Except as otherwise noted in 
this section, we will not accept your pre- or full application if it is 
received--that is, date and time stamped by the Grants.gov system--
after 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the pre- or full 
application deadline date, as

[[Page 9229]]

appropriate. We do not consider an application that does not comply 
with the deadline requirement. When we retrieve your pre- or full 
application from Grants.gov, we will notify you if we are rejecting 
your pre- or full application because it was date and time stamped by 
the Grants.gov system after 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the 
applicable application deadline date.
     The amount of time it can take to upload a pre- or full 
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 pre- or 
full 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 pre- and any full 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 pre- or full 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 pre- 
and full 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 a pre- or full 
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 pre- or full 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 pre- or full 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, Budget Information--Non-
Construction Programs (ED 524), and all necessary assurances and 
certifications.
     You must attach any narrative sections of your pre- and 
full applications 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 pre- and full applications must comply 
with any page-limit requirements described in this notice.
     After you electronically submit your pre- or full 
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 pre- or full 
application from Grants.gov and send a second notification to you by e-
mail. This second notification indicates that the Department has 
received your pre- or full application and has assigned your pre- or 
full application a PR/Award number (an ED-specified identifying number 
unique to your pre- or full 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 pre- or full 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 pre- or 
full application on the applicable 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 pre- or full application 
electronically or by hand delivery. You also may mail your pre- and 
full applications by following the mailing instructions described 
elsewhere in this notice.
    If you submit a pre- or full application after 4:30:00 p.m., 
Washington, DC time, on the applicable 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 pre- or full 
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 pre- or full application by 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC 
time, on the applicable application deadline date. The Department will 
contact you after a determination is made on whether your pre- or full 
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 pre- or full application to 
Grants.gov before the pre- or full 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 
pre- or full application in paper format, if you are unable to submit a 
pre- or full 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 pre- or full 
application deadline date (14 calendar days or, if the fourteenth 
calendar day before the pre- or full application deadline date falls on 
a Federal holiday, the next business day following the Federal 
holiday), as appropriate, 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 pre- or full 
application.
    If you mail your written statement to the Department, it must be 
postmarked no later than two weeks before the applicable application 
deadline date. If you fax your written statement to the Department, we 
must receive the faxed statement no later than two weeks

[[Page 9230]]

before the pre- or full application deadline date.
    Address and mail or fax your statement to: Pilla Parker, U.S. 
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 3E247, 
Washington, DC 20202-6200. FAX: (202) 260-8969; or Rebecca Marek, U.S. 
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 33E250, 
Washington, DC 20202-6200. FAX: (202) 260-8969.
    Your paper pre- or full 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 pre- or full application to the Department. 
You must mail the original and two copies of your pre- or full 
application, on or before the applicable application deadline date, to 
the Department at the following address: U.S. Department of Education, 
Application Control Center, Attention: (CFDA Numbers 84.359A and B), 
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 pre- or full 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 pre- or full application is postmarked after the pre- or 
full application deadline date, we will not consider your pre- or full 
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 pre- or 
full application to the Department by hand. You must deliver the 
original and two copies of your pre- or full application by hand, on or 
before the applicable application deadline date, to the Department at 
the following address: U.S. Department of Education, Application 
Control Center, Attention: (CFDA Numbers 84.359A and B), 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 4:30:00 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 pre- or full 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 pre- or full application; and
    (2) The Application Control Center will mail to you notification 
of receipt of your grant application. If you do not receive this 
notification within 15 business days from the pre- or full 
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: This competition has separate selection 
criteria for pre-applications and full applications.
    A. Pre-application: The following selection criteria for this 
competition for the pre-application are from 34 CFR 75.210 of EDGAR. 
Further information about each of these selection criteria is in the 
application package. There are two selection criteria, Need for Project 
and Quality of the Project Design. The maximum score for the pre-
application selection criteria is 100 points.
    (i) Need for project (0-20 points)
    The Secretary considers the need for the proposed project. In 
determining the need for the proposed project, the Secretary considers 
the following factors:
    (a) The extent to which the proposed project will provide services 
or otherwise address the needs of students at risk of educational 
failure. (34 CFR 75.210(a)(2)(iii))
    (b) The extent to which the proposed project will focus on serving 
or otherwise addressing the needs of disadvantaged individuals. (34 CFR 
75.210(a)(2)(iv))
    (ii) Quality of the project design (0-80 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:
    (a) The extent to which the design of the proposed project reflects 
up-to-date knowledge from research and effective practice. (34 CFR 
75.210(c)(2)(xiii))
    (b) The extent to which the proposed project represents an 
exceptional approach for meeting statutory purposes and requirements. 
(34 CFR 75.210(c)(2)(xiv))
    (c) The extent to which the proposed project will be coordinated 
with similar or related efforts, and with other appropriate community, 
State, and Federal resources. (34 CFR 75.210(c)(2)(xvi))
    B. Full Application: The following selection criteria for those 
invited to submit full applications are from 34 CFR 75.210 of EDGAR. 
Further information about each of these selection criteria is in the 
application package. The maximum score for each criterion is indicated 
after the title of the criterion. The maximum score for the full 
application selection criteria is 100 points.
    (i) Quality of the project design (0-60 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:
    (a) The extent to which the design of the proposed project reflects 
up-to-date knowledge from research and effective practice. (34 CFR 
75.210(c)(2)(xiii))
    (b) The extent to which the proposed project represents an 
exceptional approach for meeting statutory purposes and requirements. 
(34 CFR 75.210(c)(2)(xiv))
    (c) The extent to which the proposed project will be coordinated 
with similar or related efforts, and with other appropriate community, 
State, and Federal resources. (34 CFR 75.210(c)(2)(xvi))
    (ii) Quality of project personnel (0-10 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. (34 CFR 
75.210(e)(1), (2))
    In addition, the Secretary considers the following factors:
    (a) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience, 
of the

[[Page 9231]]

project director or principal investigator. (34 CFR 75.210(e)(3)(i))
    (b) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience, 
of key project personnel. (34 CFR 75.210(e)(3)(ii))
    (c) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience, 
of project consultants or subcontractors. (34 CFR 75.210(e)(3)(iii))
    (iii) Adequacy of resources (0-5 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 the following factors:
    (a) The relevance and demonstrated commitment of each partner in 
the proposed project to the implementation and success of the project. 
(34 CFR 75.210(f)(2)(ii))
    (b) The extent to which the costs are reasonable in relation to the 
objectives, design, and potential significance of the proposed project. 
(34 CFR 75.210(f)(2)(iv))
    (iv) Quality of the management plan (0-15 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:
    (a) 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. (34 CFR 75.210(g)(2)(i))
    (b) The adequacy of procedures for ensuring feedback and continuous 
improvement in the operation of the proposed project. (34 CFR 
75.210(g)(2)(ii))
    (c) The extent to which the time commitments of the project 
director and principal investigator and other key project personnel are 
appropriate and adequate to meet the objectives of the proposed 
project. (34 CFR 75.210(g)(2)(iv))
    (v) Quality of the project evaluation (0-10 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:
    (a) The extent to which the methods of evaluation are thorough, 
feasible, and appropriate to the goals, objectives, and outcomes of the 
proposed project. (34 CFR 75.210(h)(2)(i))
    (b) 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. (34 CFR 75.210(h)(2)(iv))

VI. Award Administration Information

    1. Award Notices: If your pre-application is successful, we notify 
you in writing and post the list of successful applicants on the Early 
Reading First Web site at http://www.ed.gov/programs/earlyreading/awards.html. If your full 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 pre-application is not evaluated, or following the 
submission of your pre-application you are not invited to submit a full 
application, we notify you. If your full 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). Early Reading First 
grantees also are required to meet the annual reporting requirements 
outlined in section 1225 of the ESEA. For specific requirements on 
reporting, please go to: http://www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/appforms/appforms.html.
    4. Performance Measures: Under the Government Performance and 
Results Act of 1993 (GPRA), the Secretary has established the following 
four (4) measures for evaluating the overall effectiveness of the Early 
Reading First program: (1) The cost per preschool-aged child 
participating in Early Reading First programs who achieves a 
significant gain in oral language skills after each year of 
implementation; (2) the percentage of preschool-aged children 
participating in Early Reading First programs who demonstrate age-
appropriate oral language skills after each year of implementation; (3) 
the average number of letters Early Reading First preschool-aged 
children are able to identify after each year of implementation; and 
(4) the percentage of preschool-aged children participating in Early 
Reading First programs who achieve significant gains in oral language 
skills after each year of implementation. The Department will provide 
further information on selecting valid, reliable, and age-appropriate 
assessment instruments on the program Web site at http://www.ed.gov/programs/earlyreading/applicant.html.
    All grantees must provide information on these performance measures 
in the annual performance report referred to in section VI.3. of this 
notice.

VII. Agency Contact

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Pilla Parker, U.S. Department of 
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 3E247, Washington, DC 20202-
6132. Telephone: (202) 260-3710 or by e-mail: [email protected]; or 
Rebecca Marek, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., 
room 3E250, Washington, DC 20202-6132. Telephone: (202) 260-0968 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 persons 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

[[Page 9232]]

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.


    Delegation of Authority: The Secretary of Education has delegated 
authority to Joseph C. Conaty, Director, Academic Improvement and 
Teacher Quality Programs for the Office of Elementary and Secondary 
Education to perform the functions of the Assistant Secretary for 
Elementary and Secondary Education.

    Dated: February 26, 2009.
Joseph C. Conaty,
Director, Academic Improvement and Teacher Quality Programs.
[FR Doc. E9-4497 Filed 3-2-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P