[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 164 (Wednesday, August 25, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52318-52319]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-21175]



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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Presidential Academies for American History and Civics Education; 
Congressional Academies for Students of American History and Civics 
Education

AGENCY: Office of Innovation and Improvement, Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice of final waiver and extension of project period.

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SUMMARY: The Secretary announces a waiver of the requirements in 34 CFR 
75.250 and 75.261(c)(2) of the Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR), as they apply to projects funded 
under the Presidential Academies for American History and Civics 
Education, and 34 CFR 75.261(c)(2), as it applies to the project funded 
under the Congressional Academies for Students of American History and 
Civics Education program. These regulations, respectively, generally 
prohibit project periods exceeding five years and any project period 
extensions involving the obligation of additional Federal funds. A 
waiver will extend the project period for 24 months through fiscal year 
(FY) 2012 for the two current five-year grants funded under the 
Presidential Academies for American History and Civics Education 
program and the one current three-year grant funded under the 
Congressional Academies for Students of American History and Civics 
Education program. These grantees will continue to receive additional 
Federal funds (from the FY 2010 appropriation for the program).

DATES: Effective Date: This waiver and extension of project period are 
effective August 25, 2010.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kelly Terpak, U.S. Department of 
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 4W253, Washington, DC 20202-
5960, Telephone: (202) 205-5231 or by e-mail: [email protected].
    If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), call the 
Federal Relay Service, toll free, at 1-800-877-8339.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The Presidential Academies for American History and Civics 
Education (Presidential Academies) program funds projects that offer 
workshops for both veteran and new teachers of American history and 
civics to strengthen their knowledge of, and preparation for, teaching 
these subjects. The Congressional Academies for Students of American 
History and Civics Education (Congressional Academies) program funds 
projects that help students to develop a broader and deeper 
understanding of these subjects. Currently, the Presidential Academies 
program funds two grantees, and the Congressional Academies program 
funds one grantee.
    Eligible entities for these programs are: Institutions of higher 
education, museums, libraries, and other public and private agencies, 
organizations, and institutions (including for-profit institutions) and 
consortia of such agencies, organizations, and institutions. Applicants 
must provide evidence of their organization's demonstrated expertise in 
historical methodology or the teaching of history.
    We published a notice of proposed waiver and extension of project 
period in the Federal Register on June 30, 2010, (75 FR 37780). That 
notice contained background information and our reasons for proposing 
the waiver and extension of project period.
    As outlined in that notice, we proposed this waiver and extension 
of project period in order to enable each of the current grantees to 
strengthen the quality of its evaluation and other data collection and 
reporting, and to conduct one additional round of academy activities as 
approved in each grant award. We believe the additional time and 
resources will provide information to strengthen this grant competition 
as well as similar professional development grant programs in coming 
years.
    In the case of these projects we believe it is preferable to review 
requests for continuation awards from the current grantees and extend 
currently funded projects, rather than hold a new competition in FY 
2010. Authorizing current grantees to request additional funds would be 
a more appropriate and effective means of continuing current projects 
and would result in a more cost-effective use of Federal funds.
    Therefore, the Secretary waives the requirements in 34 CFR 75.250, 
which prohibit project periods exceeding five years, and the 
requirements in 34 CFR 75.261(c)(2), which limit the extension of a 
project period if it involves the obligation of additional Federal 
funds. With this waiver and extension of project period: (1) Current 
Presidential Academies and Congressional Academies grantees will 
receive FY 2010 funds and continue to operate through FY 2012 to 
implement an additional budget period of up to 24 months; and (2) we 
will not announce a new competition or make new awards under the 
Presidential Academies or Congressional Academies programs in FY 2010.
    Public Comment: In response to our invitation in the notice of 
proposed waiver and extension of project period, we did not receive any 
substantive comments on the proposed waiver and extension of project 
period.

Final Waiver and Extension of Project Period--Presidential Academies 
and Congressional Academies

    The Secretary will waive the requirements in 34 CFR 75.250, which 
prohibit project periods exceeding five years, and the requirements in 
34 CFR 75.261(c)(2), which limit the extension of a project period if 
it involves the obligation of additional Federal funds, for the current 
Presidential Academies (34 CFR 75.250 and 34 CFR 75.261(c)(2)) and 
Congressional Academies grantees (34 CFR 75.261(c)(2)).

Regulatory Flexibility Act Certification

    The Secretary certifies that this waiver and extension of project 
period will not have a significant economic impact on a substantial 
number of small entities.
    The small entities that will be affected by this notice are those 
that have been historically eligible to receive an award under a 
competition for the Presidential Academies and Congressional Academies 
programs:
    (1) Institutions of higher education.
    (2) Museums.
    (3) Libraries.
    (4) Other public and private agencies, organizations and 
institutions (including for-profit institutions).
    (5) Consortia of such agencies, organizations, and institutions 
that show their organizations' demonstrated expertise in historical 
methodology or the teaching of history.
    The Secretary certifies that the waiver and extension of project 
period will not have a significant economic impact on these entities 
because the waivers and the activities required to support the 
additional years of funding will not impose excessive regulatory 
burdens or require unnecessary Federal supervision. The waiver will 
impose minimal requirements to ensure the proper expenditure of program 
funds, including requirements that are standard for continuation 
awards.

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995

    This notice does not impact information collection requirements.

Intergovernmental Review

    These programs are subject to Executive Order 12372 and the 
regulations in 34 CFR part 79. One of

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the objectives of the Executive Order is to foster an intergovernmental 
partnership and a strengthened federalism. The Executive Order relies 
on processes developed by State and local governments for coordination 
and review of proposed Federal financial assistance.
    This document provides early notification of our specific plans and 
actions for these programs.
    Accessible Format: Individuals with disabilities can obtain this 
document in an accessible format (e.g., braille, large print, 
audiotape, or computer diskette) on request to the contact person 
listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
    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.
    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.

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Numbers 84.215A, 
Presidential Academies for American History and Civics Education, 
and 84.215D, Congressional Academies for Students of American 
History and Civics Education)


    Program Authority:  20 U.S.C. 6713.

    Dated: August 20, 2010.
James H. Shelton, III,
Assistant Deputy Secretary for Innovation and Improvement.
[FR Doc. 2010-21175 Filed 8-24-10; 8:45 am]
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