94-6905. Assistance for School Expenditures and Construction in Cases of Certain Disasters

[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 58 (Friday, March 25, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-6905]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: March 25, 1994]


DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

 

Assistance for School Expenditures and Construction in Cases of 
Certain Disasters

AGENCY: Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice to extend deadline for applications for disaster 
assistance from local educational agencies affected by the midwestern 
floods of 1993.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Secretary of Education announces the extension of the 
deadline for local educational agencies (LEAs) to apply for assistance 
needed as a result of the midwestern floods of 1993 in the States of 
Iowa, Illinois, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, 
South Dakota, and Wisconsin. These LEAs must be located in a county 
identified in the Presidential Disaster Declarations and amendments as 
eligible for public assistance as a result of the midwestern floods of 
1993.
    To apply, LEAs must submit applications, through their State 
educational agencies, for disaster assistance under section 7(a) of 
Public Law 81-874 (the Impact Aid statute) to cover the costs of 
increased operating expenses or reduced revenue.

DATES: The new deadline for applications from all LEAs located in 
eligible counties will be May 24, 1994.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Frank Delia, Impact Aid Programs, U.S. Department of Education, 400 
Maryland Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20202-6244. Telephone: (202) 260-
3893. Individuals who use a telecommunications device for the deaf 
(TDD) may call the TDD number at [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the current statutory and regulatory 
provisions of Public Law 81-874 (the Impact Aid statute), the Secretary 
provides section 7(a) assistance to eligible LEAs that have increased 
costs or reduced revenue as a result of a Presidentially-declared 
disaster. Under Sec. 219.21 of the current regulations, an LEA must 
submit its application for section 7(a) disaster assistance to its 
State educational agency (SEA) and ensure that the SEA certifies and 
transmits the application to the Secretary of Education on a timely 
basis. To be timely, the application must be transmitted by the SEA on 
or before 90 days after the publication of a notice in the Federal 
Register that the President has declared a major disaster and that the 
county in which the LEA is located is eligible for public assistance. 
However, in an amendment to the regulatory provision in Sec. 219.21, 
published in this same issue of the Federal Register, the Secretary is 
authorized to extend the 90-day requirement, under unusual 
circumstances, through the publication of a notice in the Federal 
Register extending the deadline.
    Since the midwestern floods of 1993 affected a large part of the 
Midwest over a span of several months, 502 counties in nine States were 
declared eligible for public assistance with application deadlines 
ranging from September 30, 1993 to February 3, 1994. The regulatory 
closing date for applications for section 7(a) assistance is 90 days 
from the publication date of the Presidential declaration or amendment. 
The nature of this particular disaster resulted in numerous closing 
dates and confusion as to applicable deadlines, even within a given 
State. Consequently, certain LEAs and SEAs failed to file timely 
applications with the Department.
    In recognition of the unusual circumstances of this specific 
disaster and the resultant confusion with regard to the application 
deadlines, the Secretary extends the deadline for all applications for 
section 7(a) assistance from LEAs covered by the Presidential disaster 
declarations that pertain to these floods. All other statutory and 
regulatory criteria regarding section 7(a) disaster assistance remain 
in effect.
    LEAs that have already filed certified applications through their 
appropriate State representative need not apply again. Any other LEAs 
incurring damage from the floods in the affected eligible counties are 
encouraged to consider applying. These LEAs should be aware that in 
order to be eligible, an LEA's minimum need for assistance must be at 
least $10,000 or five percent of the LEA's operating costs for the 
fiscal year preceding the disaster, whichever is less. Further, new 
applicants must contact their State representative regarding 
eligibility and application forms. Applications must be submitted to 
their State representative for certification and the application must 
be forwarded to this Department on or before the new closing date 
specified above. The designated representative for each of the eligible 
States is as follows:

    Pam Roth, State Aid Consultant, Nebraska Department of 
Education, 301 Centennial Mall South, P.O. Box 94987, Lincoln, 
Nebraska 68509-4987, Phone: [phone], FAX: [phone].
    Maxine Schochenmaier, Budget Analyst, 700 DECA Finance 
Management, 700 Governors Drive, Pierre, South Dakota 57501, Phone: 
[phone], FAX: [phone].
    Dale Dennis, Deputy Commissioner of Education, Kansas State 
Board of Education, 120 East 10th Street, Topeka, Kansas 66612-1182, 
Phone: [phone], FAX: [phone].
    Tom Decker, Director, School Finance and Organization, 
Department of Public Instruction, North Dakota State Capitol, 600 
East Boulevard, Bismarck, North Dakota 58505, Phone: [phone], 
FAX: [phone].
    Kerry Suzuki, Education Finance Specialist, Minnesota Department 
of Education, 550 Capitol Square Building, 550 Cedar Street, St. 
Paul, Minnesota 55101, Phone: [phone], FAX: [phone].
    David Carson, School Consultant, Department of Public 
Instruction, P.O. Box 7841, Madison, Wisconsin 53707-7841, Phone: 
[phone], FAX: [phone].
    Gary Jones, Director of Administrative Services, Department of 
Elementary and Secondary Education, P.O. Box 480, Jefferson City, 
Missouri 65102, Phone: [phone], FAX: [phone].
    C. Milton Wilson, Consultant, School Facilities, Iowa Department 
of Education, Grimes State Office Building, Des Moines, Iowa 50319-
1046, Phone: [phone], FAX: [phone].
    Gary Ey, Assistant Superintendent, Department of School Finance, 
Illinois State Board of Education, 100 North First Street--3rd 
Floor, Springfield, Illinois 62777, Phone: [phone], FAX: 
[phone].

    Authority: 20 U.S.C. 241-1, 20 U.S.C. 242(b).

    Dated: March 17, 1994.
Thomas W. Payzant,
Assistant Secretary, Elementary and Secondary Education.
[FR Doc. 94-6905 Filed 3-24-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P-M