[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 58 (Friday, March 25, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16741-16743]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-7126]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Applications for New Awards; Erma Byrd Scholarship Program

AGENCY: Office of Postsecondary Education, Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice.

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Overview Information

Erma Byrd Scholarship Program

    Notice inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY) 
2011.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.116E.

Dates: Applications Available: March 25, 2011.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: April 25, 2011.

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Purpose of Program: The Erma Byrd Scholarship Program provides 
scholarships to individuals pursuing a course of study that will lead 
to a career in industrial health and safety occupations, including mine 
safety. This program is designed to increase the skilled workforce in 
these fields at both the fundamental skills level and the advanced 
skills level. The program has a service obligation component, which 
requires recipients of the scholarship to begin employment in a career 
position related to industrial health and safety no later than six 
months after completion of the degree program, and to continue to work 
in a career position related to industrial health and safety, including 
mine safety, for a period of one year.
    The scholarships are available to students in the following 
eligible areas of study related to industrial health and safety: Mining 
and mineral engineering, industrial engineering, occupational safety 
and health technology/technician, quality control technology/
technician, industrial safety technology/technician, hazardous 
materials information systems technology/technician, mining technology/
technician, and occupational health and industrial hygiene.

    Program Authority: For FY 2011, the authority for the Erma Byrd 
Scholarship Program is established under division D, title III of 
the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2010, Public Law 111-117. FY 
2010 funds are being used in FY 2011 to make new awards.

    Applicable Regulations: The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts, 75, 77, 81, 82, 84, 
85, 86, and 99.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Discretionary grant.
    Estimated Available Funds for New Awards: $205,767.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $2,500 (associate's degree 
student); $5,000 (bachelor's degree student); $10,000 (graduate degree 
student).
    Estimated Number of Awards: 41. The number of scholarships awarded 
will be allocated between undergraduate students and graduate students 
in the same proportion as the number of fundable applications received 
from those groups of students, taking into account the size of the 
awards to be made to students in those groups.

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

    Project Period: Up to 24 months.

[[Page 16742]]

III. Eligibility Information and Program Requirements

    1. Eligible Applicants: Individuals who, at the time of 
application, are: (1) Enrolled or planning to enroll in an associate's, 
bachelor's, or graduate degree program at an accredited U.S. 
institution of higher education; (2) within two years of completing a 
degree in an eligible field of study under the Erma Byrd Scholarship 
Program; (3) a citizen, national, or permanent resident of the United 
States; and (4) eligible to receive Federal grants, loans, or work 
assistance pursuant to section 484 of the Higher Education Act of 1965, 
as amended (HEA).
    2. Program Requirements:
    (a) Satisfactory Academic Progress. Scholarship recipients must 
maintain satisfactory academic progress in accordance with 34 CFR 
668.34 throughout the period of funding; additionally, they must submit 
a Student Activities Report to the Secretary at the end of each year of 
funding, with a certification from an authorized representative of the 
institution that the student is maintaining satisfactory academic 
progress. If an Erma Byrd Scholarship recipient does not maintain 
satisfactory academic progress throughout the period of funding or does 
not submit a Student Activities Report to the Secretary at the end of 
each year of funding, the recipient is not eligible for any additional 
funding and must repay the scholarship amount as a Direct Unsubsidized 
Student Loan with all the associated repayment conditions, including 
interest charges and fees as provided under title IV, part D of the 
HEA.
    (b) Service Obligation. Scholarship recipients must be employed in 
a career position related to industrial health and safety, including 
mine safety, for a period of one year following the completion of their 
degree program. Scholarship recipients must begin such employment no 
more than six months after the completion of their degree program. A 
scholarship recipient must submit a verification of employment report 
to the Secretary no more than six months immediately after completion 
of his or her degree program, reporting on post-graduation activities, 
including changes in their permanent address, e-mail, phone number, and 
employment status. Additionally, scholarship recipients must submit a 
final employment report to the Secretary at the end of the one-year 
service obligation period.
    If an Erma Byrd Scholarship recipient does not fulfill the complete 
service obligation within eighteen months after completion of his or 
her degree program, the recipient must repay the scholarship amount as 
a Direct Unsubsidized Student Loan with all the associated repayment 
conditions, including interest charges and fees as provided under title 
IV, part D of the HEA.
    3. Cost Sharing or Matching: This program does not require cost 
sharing or matching.
    4. Applicability of Rulemaking Requirements. Under the 
Administrative Procedure Act (APA) (5 U.S.C. 553) and section 437 of 
the General Education Provisions Act (GEPA), 20 U.S.C. 1232(d)(1), the 
Department generally offers interested parties the opportunity to 
comment on proposed eligibility and other program requirements. 
Division D, title III, of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2010, 
Public Law 111-117 provides, however, that the provisions of section 
553 of the APA and section 437 of GEPA do not apply to this program.

IV. Application and Submission Information

    1. Address to Request Application Package: You can obtain an 
application package via the Internet or from the Department. To obtain 
a copy via the Internet, use the following address for the Erma Byrd 
Scholarship Program Web site: http://www.ed.gov/programs/ermabyrd/index.html.
    To obtain a copy from the Department, write, fax, or call the 
following: Lorece Stanton, Erma Byrd Scholarship Program, U.S. 
Department of Education, Student Service, 1990 K Street, NW., Room 
7099, Washington, DC 20006-8524. Telephone: (202) 219-7077. Fax: (202) 
502-7857 or by email: [email protected].
    If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), call the 
Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll free, at 1-800-877-8339.
    Individuals with disabilities can obtain a copy of the application 
package in an accessible format (e.g. braille, large print, audiotape, 
or computer diskette) by contacting the person listed in this section.
    2. Content and Form of Application Submission: Requirements 
concerning the content of an application, together with the forms you 
must submit, are in the application package for this program.
    3. Submission Dates and Times:
    Applications Available: March 25, 2011.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: April 25, 2011.
    4. Intergovernmental Review: This program is not subject to 
Executive Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79.
    5. Funding Restrictions: We reference regulations outlining funding 
restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.
    6. Other Submission Requirements: All applications must be 
submitted electronically by e-mailing the application in the form of a 
Microsoft Word (.DOC or .DOCX) document to [email protected]. 
Please note that an electronic application in a format other than 
Microsoft Word will not be accepted.
    If you are unable to submit your application by e-mail and wish to 
submit your application by mail, you must submit a request for 
permission to submit it by mail, no less than 10 days prior to the 
application deadline date, to Lorece Stanton by e-mail to 
[email protected] or by postal mail to U.S. Department of 
Education, Student Service, 1990 K Street, NW., Room 7099, Washington, 
DC 20006-8524. In your request, you must include the reason why you are 
unable to submit the application electronically.
    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.

V. Application Review Information

    1. Selection Criteria:
    All applicants are required to complete and submit the Erma Byrd 
Scholarship Program Applicant Information Form, which will be used to 
determine the applicant's eligibility for the scholarship.
    2. Review and Selection Process: We remind potential applicants 
that in reviewing applications in any discretionary grant competition, 
the Secretary may consider, under 34 CFR 75.217(d)(3), the past 
performance of the applicant in carrying out a previous award, such as 
the applicant's use of funds, achievement of project objectives, and 
compliance with grant conditions. The Secretary may also consider 
whether the applicant failed to submit a timely performance report or 
submitted a report of unacceptable quality.

[[Page 16743]]

    Additional factors we consider in selecting an application for an 
award are as follows:
    (a) Undergraduate Applicants. In selecting undergraduate students 
to receive a scholarship, the Secretary will award scholarships to 
students in the order that the applications are received. Priority will 
be given first to students who have demonstrated financial need and are 
eligible to receive a Federal Pell Grant.
    Qualified undergraduate applicants who wish to have their Federal 
Pell Grant eligibility considered as part of their application must 
demonstrate financial need by submitting a Free Application for Federal 
Student Aid (FAFSA), which may be obtained at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov 
or from their institution's financial aid office, and by submitting 
their Social Security Number via postal mail using the Pell Grant 
Eligibility Certification Sheet contained in the Erma Byrd Scholarship 
Program application package. Applicants who have already submitted 
their FAFSA for the 2010-2011 award year do not need to resubmit the 
FAFSA.
    The Secretary will award scholarships to applicants who are 
eligible for Federal Pell Grants and who are enrolled in eligible 
fields of study in the order that the applications are received.
    If additional funds are available after awards are made to 
undergraduate students who are eligible for a Federal Pell Grant, the 
Secretary will award scholarships to qualified undergraduate students 
who are not eligible for a Federal Pell Grant in the order that their 
applications are received.
    (b) Graduate Applicants. In selecting graduate students to receive 
a scholarship, the Secretary will award scholarships to qualified 
students in the order that the applications are received.

VI. Award Administration Information

    1. Award Notices: If your application is successful, we notify you 
and send a Grant Award Notification (GAN) directly to the institution 
you will be attending. The institution will disburse funds to 
scholarship recipients in accordance with its regular payment schedule.
    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: Scholarship recipients must submit a Student 
Activities Report to the Secretary at the end of each year of funding, 
which includes certification from an authorized representative of the 
institution that the student is maintaining satisfactory academic 
progress. In addition, a scholarship recipient must submit a 
verification of employment report to the Secretary no more than six 
months immediately after completion of his or her degree program, 
reporting on post-graduation activities, including changes in their 
permanent address, e-mail, phone number, and employment status. 
Finally, scholarship recipients must submit a final employment report 
to the Secretary at the end of the service obligation period.
    The student must provide written certification from an authorized 
representative of the institution that the student is maintaining 
satisfactory academic progress.
    4. Performance Measures: The effectiveness of the Erma Byrd 
Scholarship Program will be measured by graduation completion rates, 
time-to-degree completion rates, and the percentage of students 
fulfilling the one-year service obligation within eighteen months of 
graduation. The Department will use the verification of employment and 
final employment reports to assess the program's success in assisting 
scholarship recipients in completing their course of study and 
receiving their degree, and entering the specified fields.

VII. Agency Contact

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lorece Stanton, Erma Byrd Scholarship 
Program, U.S. Department of Education, Student Service, 1990 K Street, 
NW., Room 7099, Washington, DC 20006-8524. Telephone: (202) 219-7077. 
Fax: (202) 502-7857 or by e-mail: [email protected].
    If you use a TDD, call the 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.

    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 via the Federal Digital System at: http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys.


    Dated: March 22, 2011.
Eduardo M. Ochoa,
Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education.
[FR Doc. 2011-7126 Filed 3-24-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P