[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 43 (Monday, March 6, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12356-12357]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-5332]
[[Page 12355]]
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Part VII
Department of Education
_______________________________________________________________________
Family and Community Endeavor Schools Grant Program; Notice
Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 43 / Monday, March 6, 1995 / Notices
[[Page 12356]]
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
RIN 1810-ZA01
Family and Community Endeavor Schools Grant Program
AGENCY: Department of Education.
ACTION: Notice of final definition, maximum award amount, and
application evaluation criteria for fiscal year 1995.
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SUMMARY: The Secretary announces the final definition, maximum award
amount, and application evaluation criteria for the Family and
Community Endeavor Schools Grant Program for fiscal year 1995. The
Secretary takes this action to comply with the statute, the Violent
Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, and to ensure
appropriate criteria by which to evaluate applications under this Act.
EFFECTIVE DATE: The definition, maximum grant award, and application
evaluation criteria take effect on April 5, 1995.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Charlotte Dalton Gillespie, U.S.
Department of Education, 600 Independence Avenue SW., Portals Building,
Room 603, Washington, DC 20202-6123. Telephone (202) 260-3954.
Individuals who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may
call the TDD number at (202) 205-5516.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The purpose of the Family and Community
Endeavor Schools Grant Program is to prevent crime and violent behavior
by providing programs designed to improve the academic and social
development of at-risk children and youth in eligible communities
during and after school hours, evenings, on weekends, and during
holidays and the summer months. This notice contains the definition of
an eligible community, the maximum grant award, and final evaluation
criteria by which applications for funds will be evaluated in fiscal
year 1995.
Congress authorized the Family and Community Endeavor Schools Grant
Program under Title III, Subtitle D of Public Law 103-322, the Violent
Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994. This legislation
mandates the implementation of two similar programs under Subtitle D:
The Community Schools Youth Services and Supervision Grant Program
(Community Schools) through the Department of Health and Human Services
and the Family and Community Endeavor Schools Grant Program (FACES)
through the Department of Education. As the needs of children, youth,
and communities can best be served by integrating the two programs, the
Departments of Health and Human Services and Education have jointly
developed an announcement of the availability of funds under these two
programs.
Note: The definition, maximum grant award, and evaluation
criteria outlined in this notice apply only to the FACES program
operated through the Department of Education. A notice inviting
applications for Community Schools, FACES, or a joint Community
Schools/FACES program--all three programs--is published in the
Department of Health and Human Services section of this issue of the
Federal Register.
Authority for the FACES program is contained in 42 U.S.C. 13792 and
13793.
Definition
Eligible Community means--
(1) An identifiable community or neighborhood with boundaries
generally recognized by the residents in the community;
(2) A community that is small enough to allow a concentration of
resources and the potential for a measurable impact; and
(3) A community that can demonstrate that it has a significant
level of poverty, violent crime, and juvenile delinquency.
(Authority: 42 U.S.C. 13792, 13793)
Maximum Grant Award
The maximum award for a FACES grant is $500,000. (The Violent Crime
Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 sets a minimum FACES grant
award of $250,000.)
Application Evaluation Criteria
The Secretary uses the following criteria to evaluate applications
under this program:
(a) Objectives and need for assistance (15 points). The Secretary
reviews each application to determine the extent to which the project
clearly specifies goals and service objectives; identifies a geographic
area to be served; and demonstrates that the area has a significant
level of poverty, violent crime, and juvenile delinquency. Applicants
must--
(1) Demonstrate a need for assistance and identify existing gaps in
services, infrastructure, and opportunities that, if filled, will
support the academic and social development of children and youth in
the community and reduce crime and violence;
(2) Identify measurable goals and objectives of the proposed
project; and
(3) Identify the geographic area to be served, describe the factors
that make the area an identifiable community or neighborhood, and
demonstrate that the community is small enough to allow a concentration
of resources that will result in an appreciable difference for
children, youth, and the community.
(b)Approach (30 points). The Secretary reviews each application to
determine the overall quality and appropriateness of its comprehensive
plan to improve the academic and social development of at-risk
children. The applicant must--
(1) Describe the underlying child and youth development principles
that will be employed as a framework for the program and discuss why
this framework was chosen and how it will lead to the reduction of
crime and violence;
(2) Identify the age groups to be served, explain the reasons for
that choice, and indicate the period of time over which children and
youth will receive services;
(3) Describe in detail how the applicant will achieve each of the
goals and objectives identified in the application and identify any
unusual features of the program;
(4) Describe the continuum of services and activities that will be
provided and indicate how these services will meet the academic,
social, and developmental needs of the participants and reduce crime
and violence;
(5) Identify the physical location of the program and demonstrate
that the location and services are safe, secure, and accessible to
children, youth, and families in terms of days and hours of operation
and sensitivity to the population served;
(6) Provide information that demonstrates the extent to which the
applicant has attempted to generate local support for the program from
community leaders, a school district, local officials, and other
organizations that the applicant determines to be appropriate;
(7) Indicate the extent to which a community planning process has
occurred and the extent of the planning effort that remains to be
accomplished; include information on the process and timing for the
phase-in of services and other program components; and information on
how the following groups have been or will be included in the planning
and implementation of the program--
(i) Children, youth, and family members;
(ii) Local school officials and teachers;
(iii) Business and civic leaders;
(iv) Religious organizations;
(v) Museums, cultural and arts organizations; [[Page 12357]]
(vi) Juvenile justice, law enforcement and community policing
representatives;
(vii) Community residents, neighborhood associations and public
housing groups;
(viii) Public and private non-profit organizations that provide
education, child protective services, or other human services;
(ix) Other appropriate entities such as social service, health and
mental health agencies; and a description of barriers to participation
and how these barriers will be overcome; and
(8) Identify the applicant's plan for a collaborative structure
that trains and coordinates the efforts of administrators, social
workers, guidance counselors, parents, teachers, and school volunteers.
(c) Results or benefits expected (15 points). The Secretary reviews
each application to determine the results and benefits to be derived
from the project. The applicant must--
(1) Describe the long- and short-term outcomes of the program and
indicate, in measurable terms, appropriate indicators for assessment of
program implementation and impact; and
(2) Estimate the number of children and youth that will be served.
(d) Program evaluation (15 points). The Secretary considers the
quality and thoroughness of the applicant's plan to evaluate the
program, including an assessment of the academic and social achievement
of children assisted by the program. The applicant must--
(1) Provide assurances that it will cooperate with any data
collection, research or evaluation efforts independently funded or
sponsored by HHS and/or ED;
(2) Provide an evaluation plan for the project that is thorough,
feasible, and appropriate; that includes collection of baseline data
and identifies and tracks indicators that will show progress in program
implementation and attainment of outcomes, including program planning,
collaboration and coordination, and intensity, duration and location of
services provided; and that assesses the social and academic
achievement of children and youth served; and
(3) Provide information on how the program plans to periodically
collect and maintain data that can be used to report annually to
Congress on the number of children participating in the program; the
academic and social achievement of such children; the school attendance
and graduation rates of such children; and the number of such children
being processed by the juvenile justice system.
(e) Staff background and organizational experience (20 points). The
Secretary reviews each application to determine the skills, experience,
and educational background of key personnel the applicant plans to use
on the project. The applicant must--
(1) Identify the skills, experience, and educational requirements
of key staff and indicate how they are relevant to the objectives of
the project; provide resumes of individuals already chosen for
positions and identify recruitment strategies that will be used to
identify potential staff and volunteers, especially those that will be
used to hire staff that reflect or come from the community; and
(2) Demonstrate the staff's ability to effectively manage the
project, including the ability to lead community prevention efforts,
coordinate activities with schools and other agencies and participate
in or develop evaluation activities.
(f) Budget appropriateness (10 points). The Secretary reviews each
application to determine that the project's costs are reasonable in
view of the anticipated results and benefits. The applicant must--
(1) Identify the costs of the proposed project in terms of
children, youth, and neighborhoods to be served; include funds in the
budget, as appropriate, for training and technical assistance,
evaluation, and the cost of up to 3 annual trips to Washington, DC for
two people to participate in meetings and conferences;
(2) Describe the fiscal controls and accounting procedures that
will ensure prudent use, proper and timely disbursement, and accurate
accounting of funds received under this program, including assurance
that competitive procedures will be used when purchasing contracting or
otherwise providing goods, activities, and services; and
(3) Provide evidence that the applicant can and intends to generate
the local financial and in-kind support, service, and commitments
required for non-Federal match over the life of the project, including
a description of charitable, private and non-profit resources that will
be obtained to support the program. (Approved under Office of
Management and Budget control number 1810-A158.)
Waiver of Proposed Rulemaking
In accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C. 553),
it is the practice of the Department of Education to offer interested
parties the opportunity to comment on proposed regulations. However, in
order to make timely grant awards in fiscal year (FY) 1995, the
Assistant Secretary, in accordance with section 437(d)(1) of the
General Education Provisions Act, has decided to issue this final
notice of eligible community definition, maximum grant award, and
selection criteria, which will apply only to the FY 1995 grant
competition.
Intergovernmental Review
This program is subject to the requirements of Executive Order
12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR Part 79. The objective of the
Executive order is to foster an intergovernmental partnership and a
strengthened federalism by relying on processes developed by State and
local governments for coordination and review of proposed Federal
financial assistance.
In accordance with the order, this document is intended to provide
early notification of the Department's specific plans and actions for
this program.
(Authority: 42 U.S.C. 13792, 13793)
(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Program Number 84.285,
Family and Community Endeavor Schools Grant Program)
Dated: February 27, 1995.
Thomas W. Payzant,
Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education.
[FR Doc. 95-5332 Filed 3-3-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P
