[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 19 (Tuesday, January 29, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6083-6086]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-01722]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Application for New Awards; Indian Education Formula Grants to 
Local Educational Agencies

AGENCY: Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, Department of 
Education.

ACTION: Notice.

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    Overview Information:
    Indian Education Formula Grants to Local Educational Agencies.
    Notice inviting applications for fiscal year (FY) 2013.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.060A.

DATES: Part I of the Formula Grant Electronic Application System for 
Indian Education (EASIE) Applications Available: January 14, 2013.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Part I Applications: March 8, 2013.
    Part II of the Formula Grant EASIE Applications Available: March 
29, 2013.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Part II Applications: May 14, 2013.

    Note: Applicants must meet the deadlines for both EASIE Part I 
and Part II to receive a grant. Any application not meeting the Part 
I and Part II deadlines will not be considered for funding. This 
change is being initiated in order to be consistent with Department-
wide policy, and ensure that applicants who meet the deadlines 
receive the maximum amount of available funding. Other changes to 
application procedures are explained in section IV.2 Content and 
Form of Application Submission, and IV.7 Other Submission 
Requirements.

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Purpose of Program: The Indian Education Formula Grants to Local 
Educational Agencies program provides grants to support local 
educational agencies (LEAs) and other eligible entities described in 
this notice in reforming and improving elementary and secondary school 
programs that serve Indian students. The Department funds comprehensive 
programs that are designed to help Indian students meet the same State 
academic content and student academic achievement standards used for 
all students while addressing the language and cultural needs of Indian 
students. Such programs include supporting the professional development 
of teachers of Indian students.
    In addition, under section 7116 of the Elementary and Secondary 
Education Act of 1965, as amended (ESEA), the Secretary will, upon 
receipt of an acceptable plan for the integration of education and 
related services, and in cooperation with other relevant Federal 
agencies, authorize the entity receiving the funds under this program 
to consolidate all Federal formula funds that are to be used 
exclusively for Indian students. Instructions for submitting an 
integration of education and related services plan are included in the 
EASIE, which is described elsewhere in this notice under Application 
Process and Submission Information.

    Note: Under the Indian Education Formula Grants to Local 
Educational Agencies program, applicants are required to develop the 
project for which an application is made: (a) In open consultation 
with parents and teachers of Indian students and, if appropriate, 
Indian students from secondary schools, including through public 
hearings held to provide a full opportunity to understand the 
program and to offer recommendations regarding the program (section 
7114(c)(3)(C) of the ESEA); (b) with the participation of a parent 
committee selected in accordance with section 7114(c)(4) of the 
ESEA; and, (c) with the written approval of that parent committee 
(section 7114(c)(4) of the ESEA).

    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 7421 et seq.
    Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 75, 77, 79, 80, 81, 
82, 84, 97, 98, and 99. (b) The Education Department suspension and 
debarment regulations in 2 CFR part 3485.

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

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Indian Education Formula Grants to Local Educational 
Agencies.
    Estimated Available Funds: The Administration has requested 
$105,921,000 for this program for FY 2013. The actual level of funding, 
if any, depends on final congressional action. However, we are inviting 
applications to allow enough time to complete the grant process if 
Congress appropriates funds for this program.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $4,000 to $2,880,000.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $82,000.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 1,300.

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

    Project Period: 12 months.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: Certain LEAs, including charter schools 
authorized as LEAs under State law, as prescribed by section 7112(b) of 
the ESEA, certain schools funded by the Bureau of Indian Education of 
the U.S. Department of the Interior, as prescribed by section 7113(d) 
of the ESEA, and Indian tribes under certain conditions, as prescribed 
by section 7112(c) of the ESEA.
    2. a. Cost Sharing or Matching: This program does not require cost 
sharing or matching.
    b. Supplement-Not-Supplant: This program involves supplement-not-
supplant funding requirements. Section 7114(c)(1) of ESEA states that 
the LEA will use these grant funds only to supplement the funds that, 
in the absence of these Federal funds, such agency would make available 
for the education of Indian children, and not to supplant such funds.

IV. Application Process and Submission Information

    1. How to Request an Application: Applications for grants under 
this program must be submitted electronically using the Formula Grant 
EASIE, at https//eden.ed.gov/Survey/. 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 requirements, please refer to section 
IV.7. Other Submission Requirements of this notice.
    Individuals with disabilities can obtain a copy of the application 
package

[[Page 6084]]

in an accessible format (e.g., braille, large print, audiotape, or 
compact disc) by contacting the person or team listed under For Further 
Information Contact in section VI 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 online application package for this program. 
The online application requires the submission of data related to the 
performance measures, which are listed in this notice in section V. 
Grant Administration Information.
    The application submission under EASIE Part I and Part II of this 
program is entirely electronic and has been enhanced to include the 
electronic submission of required supplementary documentation. All of 
the changes to the submission process for FY 2013 are designed to 
reduce burden for the applicant and to streamline the grant-making 
process.
    Under EASIE Part I, applicants for FY 2013 that are tribes will be 
able to upload their verification of eligibility. The details of the 
verification process, which is necessary to meet the statutory 
eligibility requirements for tribes, are in the application package. 
The only change from past practice is that the documentation must be 
uploaded into the EASIE system prior to certification during the EASIE 
Part I open period. Failure to submit the required documentation by the 
EASIE Part I deadline will result in an incomplete application that 
will not be considered for funding. The Office of Indian Education 
recommends submitting the documentation 20 days prior to the closing 
date to ensure that any potential submission issues are resolved prior 
to the deadline.
    In EASIE Part II, an applicant that is the lead LEA for a 
consortium of LEAs will be able to upload the consortium agreement, 
which must meet the requirements of 34 CFR 75.128. This agreement must 
be uploaded into the EASIE system prior to certifying the EASIE Part II 
application. A consortium may use its existing consortium agreement 
provided that it includes details of the activities that each LEA 
member will perform and binds each member to every statement and 
assurance made by the lead LEA in the application. The agreement must 
include the signature of each participating LEA Superintendent or 
authorized representative assuring that each LEA will comply with the 
statutory requirements of the Indian Education Formula Grants, 
including the requirements regarding the Indian parent committee in 
section 7114(c) of the ESEA (20 U.S.C. 7424(c)). The consortium may use 
the sample agreement, available in the EASIE system as a downloadable 
document, as a guide.
    Also in EASIE Part II, the Indian Parent Committee Approval form, 
which is required of all applicants that are LEAs or consortia of LEAs, 
must be uploaded into the EASIE system prior to certification of Part 
II. The form is available in the EASIE system. In the past, applicants 
could submit the Indian Parent Committee Approval form up to three days 
following certification, but for FY 2013 this form must be submitted by 
the Part II deadline. For both the Indian Parent Committee Approval 
form and the consortium agreement, an applicant's failure to submit the 
required documentation by the Part II deadline will result in an 
incomplete application that will not be considered for funding. The 
Office of Indian Education recommends submitting these required forms 
20 days prior to the EASIE Part II closing date to ensure that any 
potential submission issues are resolved prior to the deadline.
    3. Submission Dates and Times: Part I of the Formula Grant 
Electronic Application System for Indian Education (EASIE) Applications 
Available: January 14, 2013. Deadline for Transmittal of Part I 
Applications: March 8, 2013.
    Part II of the Formula Grant EASIE Applications Available: March 
29, 2013.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Part II Applications: May 14, 2013.
    Applications for grants under this program must be submitted 
electronically using the Formula Grant EASIE. 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 requirements, 
please refer to section IV.7. Other Submission Requirements of this 
notice. All applications must be submitted by the Part I and Part II 
deadlines in order to receive funding; late applications will no longer 
be considered.
    Individuals with disabilities who need an accommodation process 
should contact the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT 
in section VI 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.
    Below is a table summarizing the FY 2013 EASIE deadlines.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                         Requirement                Open date                Close/due date
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
EASIE Part I......................  Open Period..........  Jan 14, 2013..............  Mar 8, 2013.
Tribe in Lieu of LEA(s)...........  Evidence of            ..........................  Mar 8, 2013.
                                     Eligibility.
EASIE Part II.....................  Open Period..........  Mar 29, 2013..............  May 14, 2013.
LEA Consortium Applicants.........  Consortium Agreement.  ..........................  May 14, 2013.
LEA and LEA Consortium Indian       Indian Parent          ..........................  May 14, 2013.
 Parent Committees.                  Committee Approval
                                     Form.
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    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 additional 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 Department of Education, 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 Department 
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.

[[Page 6085]]

    If you are a corporate entity, agency, institution, or 
organization, you can obtain a TIN from the Internal Revenue Service. 
If you are an individual, you can obtain a TIN from the Internal 
Revenue Service or the Social Security Administration. If you need a 
new TIN, please allow 2-5 weeks for your TIN to become active.
    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 registration annually. This may take three or more 
business days to complete. Information about SAM is available at 
www.SAM.gov.
    7. Other Submission Requirements: Applications for grants under 
this program must be submitted electronically unless you qualify for an 
exception to this requirement in accordance with the instructions in 
this section.
    a. Electronic Submission of Applications.
    Applications for grants under the Indian Education Formula Grants 
to Local Educational Agencies program--84.060A must be submitted 
electronically using the Formula Grant EASIE.
    We will reject your application if you submit it in paper format 
unless you qualify for one of the exceptions to the electronic 
submission requirement described later in this section under Exception 
to Electronic Submission Requirement, and follow the submission rules 
outlined therein.
    Formula Grant EASIE Electronic Application System: Formula Grant 
EASIE is an easy-to-use, electronic application system. It imports data 
from State submissions to EDFacts, the Department's data collection 
system that contains performance information from State educational 
agencies about schools and Federal education programs. To the extent 
that your State has provided the necessary EDFacts data files, Formula 
Grant EASIE will be able to interface with EDFacts and pull those LEA-
specific data into the application. Additionally, this system allows 
the Department to review applications and interact online with 
applicants during the application review and approval process.
    The Formula Grant EASIE application is divided into two parts--Part 
I and Part II.
    Part I, Student Count, provides the appropriate data-entry screens 
to submit your Indian student count totals.
    Part II, Program and Budget Information, provides your estimated 
award amount based on the Indian student count total submitted under 
Part I. Part II also enables you to enter student performance data, 
identify your project's services and activities, and build a realistic 
program budget based on an estimated grant amount. Based on student 
assessment data, you will select your program objectives and services 
from a variety of menu options that were designed with grantee input.
    For FY 2013, the EASIE Part II certification process has been 
changed to accommodate the reallocation of funds prior to awarding 
grants. After the initial grant amounts are determined, additional 
funds may become available due to such circumstances as withdrawn 
applications or reduction in an applicant's student count. For the FY 
2013 grants, the Department will reallocate any additional funds to all 
on-time applicants rather than funding late applicants. To accommodate 
this change, in the certification process, your certifying official 
must first agree to the assurances made in the application. The 
certifying official will then approve not only the budget submitted 
with the application, but also any budget revision submitted in the 
future by his or her authorized representative. An applicant whose 
award amount increases or decreases more than $1,000 must submit a 
revised budget prior to receiving its grant award but will not need to 
re-certify its application. For an applicant that receives an increase 
or decrease in its award less than $1,000, there will be no need for 
further action. For any applicant that receives notification of an 
increased award amount following submission of its original budget, the 
applicant must allocate the increased amount only to previously 
approved budget categories, whether or not the amount exceeds $1,000.
    Registration for Formula Grant EASIE: Entities are encouraged to 
register as soon as possible at the registration Web site 
www.easie.org, to ensure that any potential registration issues are 
resolved prior to the deadline for the submission of an application. 
The purpose of the initial registration is to activate or re-activate 
entities' access to EASIE and to ensure that the correct entity 
information (e.g., NCES or DUNS numbers) is pre-populated into the 
first part of Formula Grant EASIE. The registration Web site does not 
serve as the entity's grant application. The registration must be 
completed by current, former, and new applicants interested in 
submitting an Indian Formula Grant EASIE application. For information 
on how to register, contact the EDFacts Partner Support Center listed 
elsewhere in this notice under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
    Exception to Electronic Submission Requirement: You qualify for an 
exception to the electronic submission requirement, and may submit your 
application in paper format, if you are unable to submit an application 
through the EASIE system because--
     You do not have access to the Internet; or
     You do not have the capacity to upload documents to the 
EASIE system; and
     No later than two weeks before the application deadline 
date for Part I (14 calendar days or, if the fourteenth calendar day 
before the application deadline date falls on a Federal holiday, the 
next business day following the Federal holiday), you mail or fax a 
written statement to the Department, explaining which of the two 
grounds for an exception prevent you from using the Internet to submit 
your application.
    If you mail your written statement to the Department, it must be 
postmarked no later than two weeks before the application deadline 
date. If you fax your written statement to the Department, we must 
receive the faxed statement no later than two weeks before the 
application deadline date.
    Address and mail or fax your statement to: Bernard Garcia, U.S. 
Department of Education, Office of Indian Education, 400 Maryland 
Avenue SW., Room 3E307, Washington, DC 20202-6335. FAX: (202) 205-0606.
    Your paper application must be submitted in accordance with the 
mail or hand delivery instructions described in this notice.
    b. Submission of Paper Applications by Mail.
    If you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission 
requirement, you may mail (through the U.S. Postal Service or a 
commercial carrier) your application to the U.S Department of 
Education, Office of Indian Education. You must mail the original and 
two copies of your application, on or before the application deadline 
dates for both Part I and Part II, to the Office of Indian Education at 
the following address: U.S. Department of Education, Office of Indian 
Education, Attention: CFDA Number 84.060A, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., 
Room 3E307, Washington, DC 20202-6335.
    You must show proof of mailing consisting of one of the following:
    (1) A legibly dated U.S. Postal Service postmark.

[[Page 6086]]

    (2) A legible mail receipt with the date of mailing stamped by the 
U.S. Postal Service.
    (3) A dated shipping label, invoice, or receipt from a commercial 
carrier.
    (4) Any other proof of mailing acceptable to the Secretary of the 
U.S. Department of Education.
    If you mail your application through the U.S. Postal Service, we do 
not accept either of the following as proof of mailing:
    (1) A private metered postmark.
    (2) A mail receipt that is not dated by the U.S. Postal Service.
    For all grant awards, if your application is postmarked after the 
application deadline date for Part I or Part II, we will not consider 
your application.

    Note: The U.S. Postal Service does not uniformly provide a dated 
postmark. Before relying on this method, you should check with your 
local post office.

    c. Submission of Paper Applications by Hand Delivery.
    If you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission 
requirement, you (or a courier service) may deliver your paper 
application to the Department by hand. You must deliver the original 
and two copies of your application by hand, on or before the 
application deadline dates for both Part I and Part II, to the 
Department at the following address: U.S. Department of Education, 
Office of Indian Education, Attention: CFDA Number 84.060A, 400 
Maryland Avenue SW., Room 3E307, Washington, DC 20202-6335.
    The Program Office 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 application to the Department--
    (1) You must indicate on the envelope and--if not provided by 
the Department--on your application, the CFDA number, including 
suffix letter, if any, of the competition under which you are 
submitting your application; and
    (2) The Program Office will mail to you a notification of 
receipt of your grant application. If you do not receive this 
notification within 15 business days from the application deadline 
date, you should call the U.S. Department of Education Office of 
Indian Education at (202) 260-3774.

V. Grant Administration Information

    1. 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 a grant in the Applicable 
Regulations section of this notice.
    2. Performance Measures: The Secretary has established the 
following key performance measures for assessing the effectiveness and 
efficiency of the Indian Education Formula Grants to Local Educational 
Agencies program: (1) The percentage of American Indian and Alaska 
Native students in grades four and eight who score at or above the 
basic level in reading on the National Assessment of Educational 
Progress (NAEP); (2) the percentage of American Indian and Alaska 
Native students in grades four and eight who score at or above the 
basic level in mathematics on the NAEP; (3) the percentage of American 
Indian and Alaska Native students in grades three through eight meeting 
State performance standards by scoring at the proficient or the 
advanced levels in reading and mathematics on State assessments; (4) 
the difference between the percentage of American Indian and Alaska 
Native students in grades three through eight at the proficient or 
advanced levels in reading and mathematics on State assessments and the 
percentage of all students scoring at those levels; (5) the percentage 
of American Indian and Alaska Native students who graduate from high 
school; and (6) the percentage of funds used by grantees prior to award 
close-out.

VI. Agency Contacts

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For questions about the Formula Grant 
Program to Local Educational Agencies, contact Bernard Garcia, U.S. 
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 3E307, 
Washington, DC 20202-6335. Telephone: (202) 260-1454 or by email: 
[email protected]. For questions about the EASIE application and 
uploading documentation, contact the EDFacts Partner Support Center, 
telephone: 877-457-3336 (877-HLP-EDEN) or by email at: [email protected].
    If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) or a text 
telephone (TTY), call the EDFacts Partner Support Center, toll free, at 
1-888-403-3336 (888-403-EDEN).
    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 compact disc) by contacting the EDFacts 
Partner Support Center.
    Electronic Access to This Document: 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: www.gpo.gov/fdsys. At this site you can view this document, as well 
as other documents of this Department 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 the Department 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: January 23, 2013.
Deborah Delisle,
Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education.
[FR Doc. 2013-01722 Filed 1-28-13; 8:45 am]
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