[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 47 (Monday, March 13, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13438-13442]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-04907]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Application for New Awards; Indian Education Formula Grants to 
Local Educational Agencies; Part I of the Formula Grant Electronic 
Application System for Indian Education (EASIE) Applications

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

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Education is issuing a notice inviting 
applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY) 2017 for Indian 
Education Formula Grants to Local Educational Agencies, Catalog of 
Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.060A.

DATES: Part I of EASIE Applications Available: March 31, 2017.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Part I Applications: April 28, 2017.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For questions about the Formula Grants 
program, contact Bernard Garcia, U.S. Department of Education, 400 
Maryland Avenue SW., Room 3W115, 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 
PSC, telephone: 877-457-3336 (877-HLP-EDEN) or by email at: 
[email protected].
    If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf or a text 
telephone, call the EDFacts PSC, toll free, at 1-888-403-3336 (888-403-
EDEN).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

    Note: Applicants must meet the deadlines for Part I to be 
eligible to complete Part II of the application process. EASIE Part 
II application dates will be announced in a separate notice inviting 
applications. Applicants must meet the deadlines for both EASIE Part 
I and Part II to be eligible to receive a grant. Any application not 
meeting the Part I and Part II deadlines will not be considered for 
funding. Failure to submit the required supplemental documentation, 
described under Content and Form of Application Submission in 
section IV of this notice, by the EASIE Parts I and II deadlines 
will result in an incomplete application that will not be considered 
for funding. The Office of Indian Education recommends uploading the 
documentation at least two days prior to each deadline date to 
ensure that any potential submission issues are resolved prior to 
the deadlines.

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Purpose of Program: The Indian Education Formula Grants to Local 
Educational Agencies (Formula Grants) program provides grants to 
support local educational agencies (LEAs), Indian tribes and 
organizations, and other eligible entities in developing elementary and 
secondary school programs that serve Indian students. The U.S. 
Department of Education (Department) funds comprehensive programs that 
are designed to meet the unique cultural, language, and educational 
needs of American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) students, and ensure 
that all students meet challenging State academic standards.
    As authorized under section 6116 of the Elementary and Secondary 
Education Act of 1965 (ESEA), as amended by the Every Student Succeeds 
Act (ESSA),\1\ 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 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 under Application Process and 
Submission Information in section IV of this notice.
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    \1\ All references to the ESEA refer to the ESEA, as amended by 
the ESSA.

    Note: Under the Formula Grants program, all applicants are 
required to develop the project for which an application is made in 
open consultation with parents of Indian children and teachers of 
Indian children, representatives of Indian tribes on Indian lands 
located within 50 miles of any school that the LEA will serve if 
such tribes have any children in such school, Indian organizations 
(IOs), and, if appropriate, Indian students from secondary schools, 
including through public hearings held to provide to the individuals 
described above a full opportunity to understand the program and to 
offer recommendations regarding the program (ESEA section 
6114(c)(3)(C)). LEA applicants are required to develop the project 
for which an application is made with the participation and written 
approval of a parent committee whose membership includes parents and 
family members of Indian children in the LEA's schools; 
representatives of Indian tribes on Indian lands located within 50 
miles of any school that the LEA will serve if such tribes have any 
children in such school; teachers in the schools; and if 
appropriate, Indian students attending secondary schools of the LEA 
(ESEA section 6114(c)(4)). The majority of the parent committee 
members must be parents and family members of Indian children (ESEA 
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section 6114(c)(4)).

    Definitions: The following definition is from section 6112(d)(3) of 
the ESEA:
    Indian community-based organization means any organization that (1) 
is composed primarily of Indian parents, family members and community 
members, tribal government educational officials, and tribal members, 
from a specific community; (2) assists in the social, cultural, and 
educational development of Indians in such community; (3) meets the 
unique cultural, language, and academic needs of Indian students; and 
(4) demonstrates organizational and administrative capacity to manage 
the grant.
    Statutory Hiring Preference:
    (a) Awards that are primarily for the benefit of Indians are 
subject to the provisions of section 7(b) of the Indian Self-
Determination and Education Assistance Act (Pub. L. 93-638). That 
section requires that, to the greatest extent feasible, a grantee--
    (1) Give to Indians preferences and opportunities for training and 
employment in connection with the administration of the grant; and
    (2) Give to IOs and to Indian-owned economic enterprises, as 
defined in section 3 of the Indian Financing Act of 1974 (25 U.S.C. 
1452(e)), preference in the award of contracts in connection with the 
administration of the grant.
    (b) For purposes of this section, an Indian is a member of any 
federally recognized Indian tribe.
    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, 81, 82, 
84, 97, 98, and 99. (b) The Office of Management and Budget Guidelines 
to Agencies on Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension (Nonprocurement) 
in 2 CFR part 180, as

[[Page 13439]]

adopted and amended as regulations of the Department in 2 CFR part 
3485. (c) The Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and 
Audit Requirements for Federal Awards in 2 CFR part 200, as adopted and 
amended as regulations of the Department in 2 CFR part 3474.

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

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Formula grants.
    Estimated Available Funds: The Further Continuing and Security 
Assistance Appropriations Act, 2017, would provide, on an annualized 
basis, $100,190,176 for Indian Education Formula Grants to LEAs. 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: $3,000 to $3,058,055.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $77,069.
    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: The following entities are eligible under 
this program: Certain LEAs, including charter schools authorized as 
LEAs under State law, as prescribed by section 6112(b) of the ESEA; 
certain schools funded by the Bureau of Indian Education of the U.S. 
Department of the Interior (BIE), as prescribed by section 6113(d) of 
the ESEA; Indian tribes and IOs under certain conditions, as prescribed 
by section 6112(c) of the ESEA; and Indian community-based 
organizations (ICBOs), as prescribed by section 6112(d) of the ESEA. 
Consortia of two or more LEAs, Indian tribes, IOs, and ICBOs are also 
eligible under certain circumstances, as prescribed by section 
6112(a)(4) 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 6114(c)(1) of the ESEA requires 
an LEA to use these grant funds only to supplement the funds that, in 
the absence of these Federal funds, such agency would make available 
for services described in this application, and not to supplant such 
funds.

IV. Application and Submission Information

    1. How to Request an Application Package: You can obtain a login 
and password for the electronic application for grants under this 
program by contacting the EdFacts Partner Support Center (EDFacts PSC) 
listed under Agency Contacts in section VI of this notice.
    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 EDFacts PSC listed under Agency 
Contacts 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 EASIE.
    a. Changes to Part I for EASIE FY 2017 due to the ESEA 
reauthorization include the following:
    (i) Application types. IOs and ICBOs have been added as eligible 
applicants (ESEA section 6112(a)).
    (ii) Application time span. All applicants must indicate whether 
they are submitting an application for a single year or a multiyear 
period. All applicants are required to start a new application cycle 
regardless of what the applicant selected the previous year.
    b. Supplementary Documentation: The EASIE application requires 
submission of the following supplementary documentation in electronic 
Portable Document Format (PDF):
    (i) Applicants that are tribes, IOs, or ICBOs must upload 
verification of their eligibility no later than April 28, 2017. The 
details of the verification process, which are necessary to meet the 
statutory eligibility requirements for tribes, IOs, and ICBOs, are in 
the application package. Applicants are required to use the correct 
applicant type eligibility verification document, all of which are 
available in EASIE as downloadable documents.
    (ii) An applicant that is the lead applicant for a consortium must 
upload a consortium agreement that meets the requirements of 34 CFR 
75.128(b) no later than April 28, 2017. Applicants must use the 
consortium agreement that is available in EASIE as a downloadable 
document.
    3. Submission Dates and Times: Part I of the Formula Grant EASIE 
Applications Available: March 31, 2017.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Part I Applications: April 28, 2017, 
8:00:00 p.m., Washington, DC time.
    Applications for grants under this program must be submitted 
electronically using 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 Other Submission 
Requirements in section IV 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 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.
    4. Intergovernmental Review: This program is not subject to 
Executive Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79.
    5. Funding Restrictions: Not more than 5 percent of the funds 
provided to a grantee may be used for administrative costs (ESEA 
section 6115(d)). We reference regulations outlining other funding 
restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.
    6. Data Universal Numbering System Number, Taxpayer Identification 
Number, 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 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 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 at the 
following Web site: http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform. A DUNS number can be 
created within one to two business days.
    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,

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please allow two to five weeks for your TIN to become active.
    The SAM registration process can take approximately seven business 
days, but may take upwards of several weeks, depending on the 
completeness and accuracy of the data you enter into the SAM database. 
Thus, if you think you might want to apply for Federal financial 
assistance under a program administered by the Department, please allow 
sufficient time to obtain and register your DUNS number and TIN. We 
strongly recommend that you register early.
    If you are currently registered with SAM, 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.
    Information about SAM is available at www.SAM.gov. To further 
assist you with obtaining and registering your DUNS number and TIN in 
www.SAM.gov. or updating your existing SAM account, we have prepared a 
SAM.gov Tip Sheet, which you can find at: http://www2.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/sam-faqs.html.
    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 Formula Grants program, CFDA 
number 84.060A, must be submitted electronically using the EASIE 
application located in the EDFacts System Portal at https://eden.ed.gov.
    Applications submitted in paper format will be rejected 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.
    Electronic Application System for Indian Education (EASIE): EASIE 
is an easy-to-use, electronic application found in the EdFacts System 
Portal at https://eden.ed.gov. The EASIE application is divided into 
two parts.
    Part I, student count, provides the appropriate data-entry screens 
to submit your verified Indian student count totals. All applicants 
must submit a current Indian student count for FY 2017. Applicants must 
use the Indian Student Eligibility Certification Form (ED 506 Form) to 
document eligible Indian students; however, BIE schools may use either 
the Indian School Equalization Program (ISEP) count or the ED 506 Form 
count to verify their Indian student counts. All individual data 
collected shall be protected and only aggregated data shall be reported 
to the Secretary.
    Applicants that verify their Indian student counts with the ED 506 
form must document their Indian student counts by completing the 
following procedures: (1) Each year, the LEA must verify there is a 
valid ED 506 Form for each Indian child included in the count; (2) all 
ED 506 Forms included in the count must be completed, signed, and dated 
by the parent, and be on file; (3) the LEA must maintain a copy of the 
student enrollment roster(s) covering the same period of time indicated 
in the application as the ``count period''; and (4) each Indian child 
included in the count must be listed on the LEA's enrollment roster(s) 
for at least one day during the count period. BIE schools that enter an 
ISEP count must use the most current Indian student count certified by 
the BIE.
    Once an Indian child is determined to be eligible to be counted for 
such grant award, the applicant shall maintain a record of such 
determination and shall not require a new or duplicate determination or 
form to be made for such child for a subsequent application for a grant 
under this subpart.
    Applicants will also indicate the time span for the project 
objectives and corresponding activities and services for AI/AN 
students. Applicants can choose to set objectives that remain the same 
for up to four years in order to facilitate data collection and enhance 
long-term planning.
    Registration for Formula Grant EASIE: Current, former, and new 
applicants interested in submitting an Indian Education Formula Grant 
EASIE application must register for Formula Grant EASIE. Prospective 
applicants will no longer register through the Registration Web site. 
In lieu of the Web site, the EDFacts PSC will send a broadcast to prior 
year grantees and new prospective applicants that have contacted 
EDFacts PSC and registered for EASIE. All recipients who receive 
EDFacts PSC's broadcast will be asked to respond to EDFacts PSC 
directly to confirm their intent to register and make updates to the 
registration information. Entities are strongly encouraged to respond 
to the email to ensure that any potential registration issues are 
resolved prior to the deadline for the submission of an application. 
Entities that do not have an active registration or are new applicants 
should contact EDFacts PSC to register any time before the Part I 
application deadline date. Registration does not serve as the entity's 
grant application. For assistance registering, contact the EDFacts PSC 
listed under Agency Contacts in section VI of this notice.
    Certification for Formula Grant EASIE: The applicant's authorized 
representative, who must be authorized by the applicant to legally bind 
the applicant, must certify Part I. Only users with the role type 
``managing user'' or ``certifying official user'' in the EASIE system 
can certify an application. Each applicant should identify at least 
three system users, one for each of the following: Project director, 
authorized representative, and another party designated to answer 
questions in the event the project director is unavailable. The 
certification process ensures that the information in the application 
is true, reliable, and valid. An applicant that provides a false 
statement in the application is subject to penalties under the False 
Claims Act, 18 U.S.C. 1001.
    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 prevents 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 3W115, 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.

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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 Department. 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 
Department at the following address: U.S. Department of Education, 
Office of Indian Education, Attention: CFDA Number 84.060A, 400 
Maryland Avenue SW., Room 3W115, 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.
    (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.

    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.
    We will not consider applications postmarked after the 
application deadline date for Part I or Part II.

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 3W115, 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--in Item 11 of the SF 424 the CFDA number, including suffix 
letter, if any, of the program under which you are submitting your 
application; and
    (2) The program office will mail 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 contact 
the program office at (202) 260-3774.

V. Grant Administration Information

    1. Risk Assessment and Special Conditions: Consistent with 2 CFR 
200.205, before awarding grants under this program the Department 
conducts a review of the risks posed by applicants. Under 2 CFR 
3474.10, the Secretary may impose special conditions and, in 
appropriate circumstances, high-risk conditions on a grant if the 
applicant or 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 2 CFR part 200, subpart D; has not 
fulfilled the conditions of a prior grant; or is otherwise not 
responsible.
    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 a grant in the Applicable 
Regulations section of this notice.
    3. Reporting: (a) If you apply for a grant under this program, you 
must ensure that you have in place the necessary processes and systems 
to comply with the reporting requirements in 2 CFR part 170 should you 
receive funding. This does not apply if you have an exception under 2 
CFR 170.110(b).
    (b) You must submit a performance report using the EDFacts System 
Portal at https://eden.ed.gov, including financial information, as 
directed by the Secretary, within 90 days after the close of the grant 
year. The performance report is located within the EDFacts System 
Portal as Part III.
    (c) Under 34 CFR 75.250(b), the Secretary may provide a grantee 
with additional funding for data collection analysis and reporting. In 
this case the Secretary establishes a data collection period.
    4. Performance Measures: The Secretary has established the 
following key performance measures for assessing the effectiveness and 
efficiency of the Formula Grants program: (1) The percentage of AI/AN 
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 AI/AN students in grades four and eight who score 
at or above the basic level in mathematics on the NAEP; (3) the 
percentage of AI/AN students in grades three through eight meeting 
State achievement standards by scoring at or above the proficient level 
in reading and mathematics on State assessments; (4) the difference 
between the percentage of AI/AN students in grades three through eight 
at or above the proficient level in reading and mathematics on State 
assessments and the percentage of all students scoring at those levels; 
(5) the percentage of AI/AN students who graduate from high school as 
measured by the four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate; and (6) the 
percentage of funds used by grantees prior to award close-out.
    5. Integrity and Performance System: If you receive an award under 
this grant program that over the course of the project period may 
exceed the simplified acquisition threshold (currently $150,000), under 
2 CFR 200.205(a)(2) we must make a judgment about your integrity, 
business ethics, and record of performance under Federal awards--that 
is, the risk posed by you as an applicant--before we make an award. In 
doing so, we must consider any information about you that is in the 
integrity and performance system (currently referred to as the Federal 
Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System (FAPIIS)), 
accessible through SAM. You may review and comment on any information 
about yourself that a Federal agency previously entered and that is 
currently in FAPIIS.
    Please note that, if the total value of your currently active 
grants, cooperative agreements, and procurement contracts from the 
Federal Government exceeds $10,000,000, the reporting requirements in 2 
CFR part 200, Appendix XII, require you to report certain integrity 
information to FAPIIS semiannually. Please review the requirements in 2 
CFR part 200, Appendix XII, if this grant plus all the other Federal 
funds you receive exceed $10,000,000.

VI. 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 compact disc) by contacting 
the EDFacts PSC listed under

[[Page 13442]]

Agency Contacts in section VI of this notice.
    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 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: March 8, 2017.
Monique M. Chism,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education.
[FR Doc. 2017-04907 Filed 3-10-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4000-01-P