[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 183 (Thursday, September 20, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58359-58364]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-23260]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES


Applications for New Awards; Race to the Top--Early Learning 
Challenge; Phase 2

AGENCY: Department of Education and Department of Health and Human 
Services.

ACTION: Notice.

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    Overview Information; Race to the Top--Early Learning Challenge; 
Phase 2 Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year 
(FY) 2012.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.412A.

DATES: Applications Available: September 20, 2012.
    Date of Pre-Application Meeting: September 25, 2012. Deadline for 
Transmittal of Applications: October 26, 2012.

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Purpose of Program: The purpose of the Race to the Top-Early 
Learning Challenge (RTT-ELC) program is to improve the quality of early 
learning and development and close the achievement gap for children 
with high needs. This program focuses on improving early learning and 
development for young children by supporting States' efforts to 
increase the number and percentage of low-income and disadvantaged 
children, in each age group of infants, toddlers, and preschoolers, who 
are enrolled in high-quality early learning and development programs; 
and to design and implement an integrated system of high-quality early 
learning and development programs and services.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FY 2011 RTT-ELC competition identified 
five key reform areas representing the foundation of an effective early 
learning and development reform agenda that is focused on school 
readiness and ongoing educational success. These areas, which provided 
a framework for the competition's priorities, requirements, and 
selection criteria, are:
    (A) Successful State Systems;
    (B) High-Quality, Accountable Programs;
    (C) Promoting Early Learning and Development Outcomes for Children;
    (D) A Great Early Childhood Education Workforce; and
    (E) Measuring Outcomes and Progress.
    The first two of these reform areas, (A) and (B), are core areas of 
focus for this program (hereafter ``Core Areas''), and applicants under 
the FY 2011 RTT-ELC competition were required to respond to all 
selection criteria under these Core Areas. The reform areas in (C), 
(D), and (E) are areas (hereafter ``Focused Investment Areas'') where 
applicants directed targeted attention to specific activities that were 
relevant to their State's context. Applicants were required to address 
each Focused Investment Area but not all of the selection criteria 
under them.
    In December 2011, the Departments made awards to the nine highest 
scoring applications from the FY 2011 RTT-ELC competition: California, 
Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, North Carolina, Ohio, 
Rhode Island, and Washington.
    On December 23, 2011, the President signed into law Public Law 112-
74, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2012, which made $550 million 
available for the Race to the Top Fund. This legislation authorized the 
Secretary of Education to make Race to the Top Fund awards on ``the 
basis of previously submitted applications.'' The Department of 
Education must obligate these funds by December 31, 2012.
    On April 9, 2012, the Departments announced that approximately $133 
million of the $550 million appropriated for the Race to the Top Fund 
would be made available to the next five highest scoring applicants 
from the FY 2011 RTT-ELC competition. These five applicants, each of 
which received approximately 75 percent or more of the available points 
under the competition, are Colorado, Illinois, New Mexico, Oregon, and 
Wisconsin. These States are referred to as ``eligible applicants'' for 
Phase 2 of the RTT-ELC program, under which the Departments will fund 
down

[[Page 58360]]

the slate of applications from the FY 2011 RTT-ELC competition.
    While $133 million can support only a selection of the activities 
in the plans submitted by these States in the FY 2011 RTT-ELC 
competition, the Secretaries believe that supporting with FY 2012 
funding high-scoring applicants that did not receive funding under the 
FY 2011 RTT-ELC competition will help build on the momentum from the FY 
2011 RTT-ELC competition and engage more States in transforming the 
patchwork of disconnected early childhood programs into a coordinated 
and high-quality system. Therefore, we will make FY 2012 funds 
available to the eligible applicants at up to 50 percent of the amount 
each requested in its application under the FY 2011 RTT-ELC 
competition.
    The Department of Education may use any unused funds from Phase 2 
of the RTT-ELC program to make awards in the FY 2012 Race to the Top 
District competition, which was announced in a separate notice 
published in the Federal Register on August 16, 2012 (77 FR 49654). 
Conversely, the Department of Education may use any unused FY 2012 
funds from the Race to the Top District competition to supplement the 
awards for Phase 2 RTT-ELC.

Requirements

    Except where otherwise indicated in this notice inviting 
applications or in the notice of final requirements for the RTT-ELC 
Phase 2 competition, published elsewhere in this issue of the Federal 
Register, the applicable final requirements and definitions of key 
terms from the notice inviting applications, published in the Federal 
Register on August 26, 2011 (76 FR 53564), apply to the RTT-ELC Phase 2 
application process. The following application requirements are from 
the RTT-ELC Phase 2 notice of final requirements published elsewhere in 
this issue of the Federal Register and apply to this program.
    Award Process: To receive a Phase 2 RTT-ELC award, an eligible 
applicant must submit--
    (a) An application, consistent with its FY 2011 RTT-ELC 
application, that--
    (1) Meets the application requirements described in the Application 
Requirements section of this notice; and
    (2) Provides the assurances described in the Application Assurances 
section of this notice; and
    (b) For review and approval by both Departments, a detailed plan 
and budget describing the activities selected from its FY 2011 RTT-ELC 
application that would be implemented with Phase 2 RTT-ELC funding, in 
accordance with the Budget Requirements section in this notice.

    Note: We encourage eligible applicants to partner with each 
other and currently funded RTT-ELC grantees in carrying out specific 
activities (such as validation of a State's Tiered Quality Rating 
and Improvement System (TQRIS), implementation of longitudinal data 
systems, or development of a kindergarten entry assessment). Each 
eligible applicant may apply for Phase 2 RTT-ELC awards individually 
or as a member of a consortium (with other eligible applicants) 
under 34 CFR 75.127-129. A consortium can be formed only with other 
eligible applicants and requires a single application. A partnership 
can be described in the application of an individual State or a 
consortium and can include eligible applicants as well as currently-
funded grantees. In any event, an eligible applicant must propose 
activities for Phase 2 of the RTT-ELC program that are consistent 
with its FY 2011 RTT-ELC application.

    Eligibility Requirements: Eligible applicants for Phase 2 RTT-ELC 
awards are those States that applied for funding under the FY 2011 RTT-
ELC competition and received approximately 75 percent or more of the 
available points but that did not receive grant awards under that 
competition. Therefore, only the States of Colorado, Illinois, New 
Mexico, Oregon, and Wisconsin are eligible to apply for Phase 2 RTT-ELC 
awards.
    Application Requirements: Eligible applicants must meet the 
following requirements to receive Phase 2 RTT-ELC awards:
    (a) Each eligible applicant must describe how it would implement an 
organizational structure for managing the Phase 2 RTT-ELC grant that is 
consistent with the activities and commitments described in response to 
selection criterion A(3)(a)(1)\1\ of its FY 2011 RTT-ELC application, 
and describe how it would implement the activities described in 
response to Core Area B (selection criteria one through five) of its FY 
2011 RTT-ELC application using a Phase 2 RTT-ELC award. The FY 2011 
RTT-ELC Core Area B criteria promote broad participation in the State's 
TQRIS across a range of programs, active and continuous program quality 
improvement, and the publication of program ratings so that families 
can make informed decisions about which programs can best serve the 
needs of their children. Specifically, in Core Area B of its FY 2011 
RTT-ELC application, each applicant had to demonstrate that it had 
developed and adopted, or had a high-quality plan to develop and adopt, 
a TQRIS. In addition, each eligible applicant must also implement the 
activities it proposed under Competitive Preference Priority 2, 
including all early learning and development programs in the TQRIS.
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    \1\ The selection criteria from the FY 2011 RTT-ELC application 
can be found at http://www2.ed.gov/programs/racetothetop-earlylearningchallenge/2011-412.doc (pp. 26-74).
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    (b) In addition to addressing the requirements in paragraph (a) of 
this section, each eligible applicant must select and describe how it 
will implement activities that it identified in its FY 2011 RTT-ELC 
application in response to Focused Investment Areas C, D, or E. The 
eligible applicant must select activities from two or more of the three 
Focused Investment Areas C, D, and E, and the activities must be 
responsive to one or more of the selection criteria under the Focused 
Investment Areas chosen by the applicant. (Eligible applicants may 
implement additional activities proposed under more than one selection 
criterion within each Focused Investment Area.) In determining which 
selection criteria to address given the amount of available funds under 
Phase 2 of the RTT-ELC program, each eligible applicant must give 
consideration to those activities that will have the greatest impact on 
improving access to high-quality early learning programs for children 
with high needs.

    Note: In light of the reduced funding available, applicants may 
make adjustments in the scope of services provided to meet selection 
criteria in Core Area A(3)(a)(1), Core Area B, Competitive 
Preference Priority 2, and Focused Investment Areas C, D, and E. For 
example, an applicant may propose to serve fewer programs or regions 
of the State than it proposed to serve in its FY 2011 RTT-ELC 
application. The eligible applicant must provide a detailed 
explanation of its rationale for such adjustments and also must 
amend its targets in Tables B(2)(c) and B(4)(c)(1-2) of the FY 2011 
RTT-ELC application, as needed. The adjustments may not diminish the 
program's impact on improving access to high-quality early learning 
programs for children with high needs. In addition, if the scope of 
work is adjusted by targeting specific regions in the State, the 
activities must be consistent across regions. In making these 
adjustments, the Departments strongly encourage eligible applicants 
to consider how to use other appropriate Federal, State, private, 
and local resources to support their selected activities.

    (c) In addition, each eligible applicant may implement the 
activities it proposed in response to the Invitational Priorities from 
its FY 2011 RTT-ELC application. Eligible applicants that wrote to 
Invitational Priority 2 are encouraged to enter into public-private 
partnerships if doing so would augment

[[Page 58361]]

total funds available for carrying out the activities described in 
their FY 2011 RTT-ELC applications. Note: We encourage grantees to 
enter into consortia, where relevant, in order to maximize the use of 
available funds. Please refer to section (V)(b).
    (d) The Departments will use Phase 2 RTT-ELC funding to support 
only those activities included in an eligible applicant's FY 2011 RTT-
ELC application. Therefore, an eligible applicant must not include new 
activities in its Phase 2 RTT-ELC application.
    (e) Each Phase 2 RTT-ELC application must include current 
signatures by the eligible applicant's Governor or an authorized 
representative signing on behalf of the Governor; an authorized 
representative from the eligible applicant's Lead Agency; and an 
authorized representative from each Participating State Agency.
    (f) Each Phase 2 RTT-ELC application must include a newly-signed 
Memorandum of Understanding and a preliminary scope of work for each 
Participating State Agency. Application Assurances: Each eligible 
applicant must include in its Phase 2 RTT-ELC application the following 
assurances from its Governor or authorized representative of the 
Governor of its State:
    (a) While the State may make appropriate adjustments to the scope, 
budget, timelines, and performance targets, consistent with the reduced 
amount of funding that is available under Phase 2 RTT-ELC, the State 
will maintain consistency with the absolute priority and meet all 
program and eligibility requirements of the FY 2011 RTT-ELC 
competition.
    (b) The State must update tables 1-5 from section (A)(1) of its FY 
2011 application. In addition, if the State has made any significant 
changes to the commitments, financial investments, numbers of children 
served, legislation, policies, practices, or other key areas of the 
program described in section (A)(1) of its FY 2011 application, it must 
submit an explanation of those changes, including updates to tables 6-
13 from section (A)(1) as needed.
    The State will maintain, in a manner consistent with its updates to 
tables 1-13, its commitment to and investment in high-quality, 
accessible early learning and development programs and services for 
children with high needs, as described in section (A)(1) of its FY 2011 
RTT-ELC application.
    (c) Subject to adjustments made because of the reduced amount of 
funding available under the Phase 2 RTT-ELC award process, the State 
will maintain its plan to establish strong participation and commitment 
by Participating State Agencies and other early learning and 
development stakeholders as described in section (A)(3) of its FY 2011 
RTT-ELC application.
    (d) The State will maintain its commitment to integrating and 
aligning resources and policies across Participating State Agencies as 
described in section (A)(3) of its FY 2011 RTT-ELC application.
    (e) The State will comply with all of the accountability, 
transparency, and reporting requirements that applied to the FY 2011 
RTT-ELC competition. (See the notice inviting applications for the FY 
2011 RTT-ELC competition, published in the Federal Register on August 
26, 2011 (76 FR 53564).)
    (f) The State will comply with the requirements of any evaluation 
of the RTT-ELC program, or of specific activities it proposes to pursue 
as part of the program, conducted and supported by the Departments.
    Budget Requirements: An eligible applicant may apply for up to 50 
percent of the funds it requested in its FY 2011 RTT-ELC application. 
The following budget requirements apply to the Phase 2 RTT-ELC award 
process:
    (a) Budget Narrative. Each eligible applicant must submit a 
detailed narrative and budget, using the format and instructions 
provided in the FY 2011 RTT-ELC application package, which describes 
the activities it has selected from its FY 2011 RTT-ELC application 
that it proposes to implement with a Phase 2 RTT-ELC award. This 
detailed narrative must include an explanation of why the eligible 
applicant has selected these activities and why the eligible applicant 
believes they will have the greatest impact on advancing its high-
quality plan for early learning. The narrative must also explain where 
the applicant has made adjustments (such as, a reduction in the number 
of participating programs or areas of the State served, or the 
dedication of additional Federal, State, local, or private funds to 
support the plan) to ensure that the activities can be carried out 
successfully with the amount of funds available. In reviewing the 
narrative, we may request that the applicant submit revisions to 
address concerns related to feasibility or the strategic use of funds. 
(See the notice inviting applications for the FY 2011 RTT-ELC 
competition, published in the Federal Register on August 26, 2011 (76 
FR 53564).)
    (b) Applying as a Consortium. As discussed previously, we encourage 
eligible applicants to form consortia with each other or partner with 
currently funded FY 2011 RTT-ELC grantees in carrying out specific 
activities (such as validation of a State's TQRIS, implementation of 
longitudinal data systems, or development of a kindergarten entry 
assessment). Eligible applicants may apply individually or as members 
of a consortium (with other eligible applicants) under 34 CFR 75.127-
129. A consortium can be formed only with other eligible applicants and 
requires a single application. A partnership can be described in the 
application of an individual State or a consortium and can include 
eligible applicants as well as currently-funded grantees. Each eligible 
applicant must propose activities consistent with its FY 2011 RTT-ELC 
application. Therefore, each eligible applicant that chooses to apply 
as a member of a consortium or to partner with a current RTT-ELC 
grantee in carrying out project activities must include in its revised 
budget narrative an explanation of how the activities to be undertaken 
by the consortium or partnership are consistent with the applicant's FY 
2011 RTT-ELC application and how the consortium or partnership will 
help the applicant implement its selected activities. It is important 
to note that an applicant may propose some activities that it would 
execute alone and others that it would execute as part of a consortium.
    (c) Available Funds. The maximum amounts of funding for which each 
eligible applicant may apply are shown in the following table. The 
amounts in this table are based on the requirement that each eligible 
applicant may apply for up to half of the amount it requested in its FY 
2011 RTT-ELC application.

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                          State                           Maximum amount
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Colorado................................................     $29,925,888
Illinois................................................      34,798,696
New Mexico..............................................      25,000,000
Oregon..................................................      20,508,902
Wisconsin...............................................      22,701,389
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    Program Authority: Sections 14005 and 14006, Division A, of the 
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Pub. L. 111-5), as 
amended by section 1832(b) of Division B of Pub. L. 112-10, the 
Department of Defense and Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act, 
2011, and the Department of Education Appropriations Act, 2012 
(Title III of Division F of Public Law 112-74, the Consolidated 
Appropriations Act, 2012).

    Applicable Regulations: The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in

[[Page 58362]]

34 CFR parts 75, 77, 79, 80, 82, 84, 85, 86, 97, 98, and 99.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
    Estimated Available Funds: $132,934,875. Contingent upon the 
availability of funds and the quality of applications, we may make 
supplemental awards in FY 2013 to grantees that did not receive the 
total amount requested in their FY 2011 applications.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $20 million-$35 million.
    Estimated Number of Awards: Up to five.

    Note: The Departments are not bound by any estimates in this 
notice.

    Project Period: Up to 48 months.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: States that applied for funding under the 
FY 2011 RTT-ELC competition and received approximately 75 percent or 
more of the available points, but that did not receive grant awards 
under that competition. Therefore, only the States of Colorado, 
Illinois, New Mexico, Oregon, and Wisconsin are eligible to apply for 
Phase 2 RTT-ELC awards.
    2.a. Cost Sharing or Matching: This program does not require cost 
sharing or matching.
    b. Supplement-Not-Supplant: This competition involves supplement-
not-supplant funding requirements. Consistent with RTT-ELC program 
requirement (J) in the notice inviting applications that published in 
the Federal Register on August 26, 2011 (76 FR 53564), funds made 
available under an RTT-ELC grant must be used to supplement, not 
supplant, any Federal, State, or local funds for activities such as 
increasing access to and improving the quality of early learning and 
development programs. If a State is using funds from another funding 
source to support elements of its RTT-ELC plan, the State must comply 
with all applicable requirements associated with that funding source, 
including any match or maintenance-of-effort requirements.

IV. Application and Submission Information

    1. Address to Request Application Package: You can obtain an 
application package via the Internet at the following address: 
www.ed.gov/programs/racetothetop-earlylearningchallenge. Alternatively, 
an applicant may obtain the application package by contacting: Deborah 
Spitz, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Ave. SW., room 3E230, 
Washington, DC 20202, (202) 260-3793.
    Individuals with disabilities can obtain a copy of the application 
package in an accessible format (e.g., braille, large print, audiotape, 
or compact disc) by contacting the person listed under FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT in section VII of this notice.
    2.a. Content and Form of Application Submission: Requirements 
concerning the content of the application, together with the forms you 
must submit, are in the application package for this competition.
    3. Submission Dates and Times:
    Applications Available: September 20, 2012.
    Date of Pre-Application Meeting: September 25, 2012.
    To assist eligible applicants in preparing an application and 
responding to questions, the Departments will host a Webinar for 
eligible applicants shortly after the publication of this notice. 
Because only five States are eligible for these funds, information 
about the Webinar will be provided directly to those States. Deadline 
for Transmittal of Applications: October 26, 2012.
    We do not consider an application that does not comply with the 
deadline requirements.
    We will provide Congress with the names of the States that have 
submitted applications, as well as post the names of these States on 
the program's Web site. We will also post all applications submitted by 
the States. Therefore, please ensure that your application does not 
include personally identifiable information, proprietary information, 
or other non-public information.
    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 Departments provide 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.
    4. Intergovernmental Review: This program is 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. Data Universal Numbering System Number, Taxpayer Identification 
Number, Central Contractor Registry, and System for Award Management: 
To do business with the Departments, you must--
    a. Have a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number and a 
Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN);
    b. Register both your DUNS number and TIN with the Central 
Contractor Registry (CCR) and, after July 24, 2012, with the System for 
Award Management (SAM), the Government's primary registrant database;
    c. Provide your DUNS number and TIN on your application; and
    d. Maintain an active CCR or SAM registration with current 
information while your application is under review by the Departments 
and, if you are awarded a grant, during the project period.
    You can obtain a DUNS number from Dun and Bradstreet. A DUNS number 
can be created within one business day.
    The CCR or SAM registration process may take five or more business 
days to complete. If you are currently registered with the CCR, you may 
not need to make any changes. However, please make certain that the TIN 
associated with your DUNS number is correct. Also note that you will 
need to update your CCR registration annually. This may take three or 
more business days to complete. Information about SAM is available at 
SAM.gov.
    7. Other Submission Requirements: Applications for grants under 
this competition must be submitted by mail or hand delivery. We 
strongly recommend the use of overnight mail. Applications postmarked 
on the deadline date but arriving late will not be read.
    a. Application Submission Format and Deadline.
    Applications for grants under this competition must be submitted in 
electronic format on a CD or DVD, with CD-ROM or DVD-ROM preferred. In 
addition, applicants must submit a signed paper original of the 
Application Assurances and Certification and one copy of that signed 
original. Autopen, copies, PDFs (Adobe Portable Document Format), and 
faxed copies of signature pages are not acceptable originals.
    We strongly recommend the applicant to submit a CD or DVD of its 
application that includes the following files:
    1. A single file that contains the body of the application, 
including required budget tables, that has been converted into a PDF 
(Portable Document) format so that the PDF is searchable. Note that a 
PDF created from a scanned document will not be searchable.
    2. A single file in a PDF format that contains all of the required 
signature

[[Page 58363]]

pages. The signature pages may be scanned and turned into a PDF.
    3. Copies of the completed electronic budget spreadsheets with the 
required budget tables, which should be in a separate file from the 
body of the application.
    Each of these items must be clearly labeled with the State's name 
and any other relevant identifying information. States must not 
password-protect these files.
    We must receive all grant applications by 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, 
DC time, on the application deadline date. We will not accept an 
application for this competition after 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC 
time, on the application deadline date. Therefore, we strongly 
recommend that applicants arrange for mailing or hand delivery of their 
application in advance of the application deadline date.
    b. Submission of Applications by Mail. States choosing to submit 
their application (i.e., the CD or DVD, the signed paper original of 
the Application Assurances and Certifications, and the copy of that 
original) by mail (either through the U.S. Postal Service or a 
commercial carrier) must mail the original and two copies of the 
application, on or before the application deadline date, to the 
following mailing address: U.S. Department of Education, Application 
Control Center, Attention: (CFDA Number 84.412), LBJ Basement Level 1, 
400 Maryland Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20202-4260.
    c. Submission of Applications by Hand Delivery. States choosing to 
submit their application (i.e., the CD or DVD, the signed paper 
original of section IV of the application, and the copy of that 
original) by hand delivery (including via a courier service) must 
deliver the original and two copies of the application, on or before 
the application deadline date, to the following address: U.S. 
Department of Education, Application Control Center, Attention: (CFDA 
Number 84.412), 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.
    If we receive an application after the application deadline, we 
will not consider that application.
    d. Envelope requirements and receipt: When an applicant submits its 
application, whether by mail or hand delivery--
    (1) It must indicate on the envelope that the CFDA number of the 
competition under which it is submitting its application is 84.412; and
    (2) The Application Control Center will mail to the applicant a 
notification of receipt of the grant application. If the applicant does 
not receive this notification, it should call the Application Control 
Center at (202) 245-6288.
    In accordance with 34 CFR 75.216(b) and (c), an application will 
not be evaluated for funding if the applicant does not comply with all 
of the procedural rules that govern the submission of the application 
or the application does not contain the information required under the 
program.

V. Application Review Information

    1. Selection Criteria: The RTT-ELC program selection criteria, 
published in the Federal Register on August 26, 2011 (76 FR 53564), 
apply to the RTT-ELC Phase 2 application process.
    2. Review and Selection Process: Eligible applicants must submit a 
complete application, as described in this notice, for review and 
approval by the Secretaries. Staff from both Departments will review 
the Phase 2 RTT-ELC applications and conduct budget reviews. Since 
Phase 2 is not a competition and States will be submitting applications 
that are consistent with the content of their FY 2011 applications 
(which have already been peer-reviewed), we will not conduct a peer 
review by outside experts. In reviewing the applications, the 
Departments may request that applicants submit revisions to address 
concerns related to feasibility or the strategic use of funds.
    We remind potential applicants that in reviewing applications in 
any discretionary grant program, the Secretaries 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 
Secretaries may also consider whether the applicant failed to submit a 
timely performance report or submitted a report of questionable 
quality.
    In addition, the Secretaries also require various assurances 
including those applicable to Federal civil rights laws that prohibit 
discrimination in programs or activities receiving Federal financial 
assistance from the Department of Education (34 CFR 100.4, 104.5, 
106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).
    3. Special Conditions: Under 34 CFR 80.12, special conditions may 
be imposed on a grant if the grantee is not financially stable; has a 
history of unsatisfactory performance; has a financial or other 
management system that does not meet the standards in 34 CFR part 80, 
as applicable; has not fulfilled the conditions of a prior grant; or is 
otherwise not responsible.

VI. Award Administration Information

    1. Award Notices: If an application is successful, ED will notify 
the State's U.S. Representatives and U.S. Senators and send the 
applicant a Grant Award Notification (GAN). We may notify the State 
informally, also.
    If an 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 the binding 
commitments under the grant.
    3. Reporting: The RTT-ELC reporting requirements, published in the 
Federal Register on August 26, 2011 (76 FR 53564), apply to the RTT-ELC 
Phase 2 application process.
    4. Evidence and Performance Measures: The RTT-ELC performance 
measures, published in the Federal Register on August 26, 2011 (76 FR 
53564), apply to the RTT-ELC Phase 2 application process.

VII. Agency Contact

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Deborah Spitz, U.S. Department of 
Education, 400 Maryland Ave. SW., room 3E230, Washington, DC 20202. 
Telephone: 202-260-3793 or by email: [email protected] or 
[email protected].
    If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) or a text 
telephone (TTY), 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 in an accessible format (e.g., braille, large print, 
audiotape, or compact disc) on request to the program contact person 
listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
    Electronic Access to This Document: The official version of this 
document is the document published in the Federal

[[Page 58364]]

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: www.gpo.gov/fdsys. At this site you can view 
this document, as well as all other documents of these Departments 
published in the Federal Register, in text or Adobe Portable Document 
Format (PDF). To use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is 
available free at the site.
    You may also access documents of these Departments published in the 
Federal Register by using the article search feature at: 
www.federalregister.gov. Specifically, through the advanced search 
feature at this site, you can limit your search to documents published 
by the Department.

    Dated: September 17, 2012.
Deborah S. Delisle,
Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education, U.S. 
Department of Education.

George Sheldon,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Children and Families, U.S. Department 
of Health and Human Services.
[FR Doc. 2012-23260 Filed 9-19-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P