[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 65 (Wednesday, April 5, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17406-17422]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-8357]
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_______________________________________________________________________
Part IV
Department of Education
_______________________________________________________________________
Assessment Development and Evaluation Grants Program; Notice Inviting
Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year 1995; Notice
Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 65 / Wednesday, April 5, 1995 /
Notices
[[Page 17406]]
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
CFDA No: 84.279-A
Assessment Development and Evaluation Grants Program; Notice
Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year 1995
Note to Applicants: This notice is a complete application package.
Together with the statute authorizing the program and the Education
Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR), the notice
contains all of the information, application forms, and instructions
needed to apply for a grant under this competition.
Purpose of the Program: To provide grants to help defray the cost
of developing, testing, and evaluating State assessments, including
assessments in languages other than English, and assessments for
students with disabilities.
Eligible Applicants: State educational agencies, local educational
agencies, and consortia of such agencies are eligible.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: June 5, 1995.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: August 5, 1995.
Available Funds: $5,000,000.
Estimated Range of Awards: $100,000 to $500,000 per year.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $300,000.
Estimated Number of Awards: 16 awards.
Project Period: Up to 48 months.
Budget Period: 12 months.
Applicable Regulations:
(a) The Education Department General Administrative Regulations
(EDGAR) as follows:
(1) 34 CFR Part 75 (Direct Grant Programs).
(2) 34 CFR Part 77 (Definitions that Apply to Department
Regulations).
(3) 34 CFR Part 79 (Intergovernmental Review of Department of
Education Programs and Activities).
(4) 34 CFR Part 80 (Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants
and Cooperative Agreements to State and Local Governments).
(5) 34 CFR Part 81 (General Education Provisions Act--Enforcement).
(6) 34 CFR Part 82 (New Restrictions on Lobbying).
(7) 34 CFR Part 85 (Government-wide Debarment and Suspension
(Nonprocurement) and Government-wide Requirements for Drug-Free
Workplace (Grants)).
(8) 34 CFR Part 86 (Drug-Free Schools and Campuses).
(b) The regulations in--
(1) 34 CFR Part 98 (Student Rights in Research, Experimental
Programs, and Testing); and
(2) 34 CFR Part 99 (Family Educational Rights and Privacy).
Description of the Program: The Assessment Development and
Evaluation Grants Program is authorized by section 220 of the Goals
2000: Educate America Act (Public Law 103-227). Under this program, the
Secretary provides grants to help defray the cost of developing, field-
testing, and evaluating State assessments aligned to State content
standards certified by the National Education Standards and Improvement
Council. The Secretary is required to reserve a portion of the
available funds for purposes of developing such assessments in
languages other than English and developing such assessments for
students with disabilities. Therefore, the Secretary has established
three absolute priorities for this competition as outlined below. Under
priority (a), the Secretary will support the development of State
assessments for all students that are aligned with State content
standards. Under priorities (b) and (c), the Secretary will support the
modification of State assessments for all students necessary to
facilitate their use with students of limited-English proficiency or
students with disabilities. The Secretary anticipates that assessments
developed under this program will serve as models for other States and,
therefore, expects that grantees will carefully document their efforts
to develop and evaluate assessments.
Absolute Priorities: Under this competition, the Secretary will
consider applications that address one or more of the following
priorities:
(a) Projects to develop, field-test, and evaluate State assessments
for all students that are aligned to State content standards.
(b) Projects to modify, field-test, and evaluate State assessments
in languages other than English. The State assessments to be modified
must be those developed under priority (a) or similar State assessments
developed for all students and aligned to State content standards.
(c) Projects to modify, field-test, and evaluate State assessments
for students with disabilities. The State assessments to be modified
must be those developed under priority (a) or similar State assessments
developed for all students and aligned to State content standards.
Purposes of the Assessments
Grants awarded under this competition may be used only for the
development, field-testing, and evaluation of State assessments to be
used for some or all of the following purposes:
(a) Informing students, parents, teachers, and related services
personnel about the progress of all students toward the State's content
standards;
(b) Improving classroom instruction and improving the learning
outcomes for all students;
(c) Exemplifying for students, parents, and teachers the kinds and
levels of achievement that should be expected of all students,
including the identification of State student performance standards;
(d) Measuring and motivating individual students, schools,
districts, States, and the Nation to improve educational performance;
and
(e) Assisting education policymakers in making decisions about
education programs.
Council Certification of Content Standards
This program supports the development and evaluation of State
assessments that are aligned to State content standards certified by
the National Education Standards and Improvement Council (NESIC).
Because NESIC has not yet been established and States cannot yet seek
certification of State content standards, an applicant for a grant
under this competition must demonstrate in its application that the
proposed project is designed to ensure the likelihood that the
assessments to be developed and evaluated will be aligned to State
content standards certified by NESIC. This demonstration must include
an assurance by the State that it intends to seek NESIC certification
of the State content standards to which the assessments will be
aligned.
Other Requirements
The recipient of a grant awarded under this competition must:
(a) Examine the validity and reliability of the State assessment
for the particular purposes for which such assessment was developed;
(b) Ensure that the State assessment is consistent with relevant,
nationally recognized professional and technical standards for
assessments; and
(c) Devote special attention to how a State assessment treats all
students, especially with regard to the race, gender, ethnicity,
disability, and language proficiency of such students.
Use of Assessments
A State assessment developed and evaluated with a grant awarded
under this competition may not be used for decisions about individual
students [[Page 17407]] relating to program placement, promotion or
retention, graduation, or employment for a period of 5 years from the
enactment of the Goals 2000: Educate America Act on March 31, 1994.
Selection Criteria: (a) (1) The Secretary uses the following
selection criteria to evaluate applications for new grants under this
competition.
(2) The maximum score for all of these criteria is 100 points.
(3) The maximum score for each criterion is indicated in
parentheses.
(b) The criteria--(1) Meeting the purposes of the authorizing
statute. (30 points) The Secretary reviews each application to
determine how well the project will meet the purpose of the Assessment
Development and Evaluation Grants Program, including consideration of--
(i) The objectives of the project; and
(ii) How the objectives of the project further the purposes of the
authorizing statute.
(2) Extent of need for the project. (20 points) The Secretary
reviews each application to determine the extent to which the project
meets specific needs recognized in the authorizing statute, including
consideration of--
(i) The needs addressed by the project;
(ii) How the applicant identified those needs;
(iii) How those needs will be met by the project; and
(iv) The benefits to be gained by meeting those needs.
(3) Plan of operation. (15 points) The Secretary reviews each
application to determine the quality of the plan of operation for the
project, including--
(i) The quality of the design of the project;
(ii) The extent to which the plan of management is effective and
ensures proper and efficient administration of the project;
(iii) How well the objectives of the project relate to the purpose
of the program;
(iv) The quality of the applicant's plan to use its resources and
personnel to achieve each objective; and
(v) How the applicant will ensure that project participants who are
otherwise eligible to participate are selected without regard to race,
color, national origin, gender, age, or handicapping condition.
(4) Quality of key personnel. (15 points)
(i) The Secretary reviews each application to determine the quality
of key personnel the applicant plans to use on the project, including--
(A) The qualifications of the project director (if one is to be
used);
(B) The qualifications of each of the other key personnel to be
used in the project;
(C) The time that each person referred to in paragraphs
(b)(4)(i)(A) and (B) will commit to the project; and
(D) How the applicant, as part of its nondiscriminatory employment
practices, will ensure that its personnel are selected for employment
without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, age, or
handicapping condition.
(ii) To determine personnel qualifications under paragraphs
(b)(4)(i)(A) and (B), the Secretary considers--
(A) Experience and training in fields related to the objectives of
the project; and
(B) Any other qualifications that pertain to the quality of the
project.
(5) Budget and cost effectiveness. (5 points) The Secretary reviews
each application to determine the extent to which--
(i) The budget is adequate to support the project; and
(ii) Costs are reasonable in relation to the objectives of the
project.
(6) Evaluation plan. (10 points) The Secretary reviews each
application to determine the quality of the evaluation plan for the
project, including the extent to which the applicant's methods of
evaluation--
(i) Are appropriate to the project; and
(ii) To the extent possible, are objective and produce data that
are quantifiable.
(Cross-reference: See 34 CFR 75.590 Evaluation by the grantee.)
(7) Adequacy of resources. (5 points) The Secretary reviews each
application to determine the adequacy of the resources that the
applicant plans to devote to the project, including facilities,
equipment, and supplies.
Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs: This program is
subject to the requirements of Executive Order 12372 (Intergovernmental
Review of Federal Programs) and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79.
The objective of the Executive Order is to foster an
intergovernmental partnership and to strengthen federalism by relying
on State and local processes for State and local government
coordination and review of proposed Federal financial assistance.
Applicants must contact the appropriate State Single Point of
Contact to find out about, and to comply with, the State's process
under Executive Order 12372. Applicants proposing to perform activities
in more than one State should immediately contact the Single Point of
Contact for each of those States and follow the procedure established
in each State under the Executive Order. If you want to know the name
and address of any State Single Point of Contact, see the list
published in the Federal Register on June 10, 1994 (59 FR 30214).
In States that have not established a process or chosen a program
for review, State, areawide, regional, and local entities may submit
comments directly to the Department.
Any State Process Recommendation and other comments submitted by a
State Single Point of Contact and any comments from State, areawide,
regional, and local entities must be mailed or hand-delivered by the
date indicated in this notice to the following address: The Secretary,
E.O. 12372--CFDA #84.279-A, U.S. Department of Education, Room 6213,
600 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20202-0125.
Proof of mailing will be determined on the same basis as
applications (see 34 CFR 75.102). Recommendations or comments may be
hand-delivered until 4:30 p.m. (Washington, DC time) on the dated
indicated in this notice.
Please note that the above address is not the same address as the
one to which the applicant submits its completed application. Do not
send applications to the above address.
Instructions for Transmittal of Applications
(a) If an applicant wants to apply for a grant, the applicant
shall--
(1) Mail the original and two copies of the application on or
before the deadline date to: U.S. Department of Education, Application
Control Center, Attention: CFDA #84.279-A, Washington, DC 20202-4725.
or
(2) Hand deliver the original and two copies of the application by
4:30 p.m. (Washington, DC time) on the deadline date to: U.S.
Department of Education, Application Control Center, Attention: CFDA
#84.279-A, Room 3633, Regional Office Building 3, 7th and D Streets
SW., Washington, DC.
(b) An applicant must show one of the following as proof of
mailing:
(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.
(c) If an application is mailed through the U.S. Postal Service,
the Secretary does not accept either of the following as proof of
mailing: [[Page 17408]]
(1) A private metered postmark.
(2) A mail receipt that is not dated by the U.S. Postal Service.
Notes: (1) The U.S. Postal Service does not uniformly provide a
dated postmark. Before relying on this method, an applicant should
check with its local post office.
(2) The Application Control Center will mail a Grant Application
Receipt Acknowledgment to each applicant. If an applicant fails to
receive the notification of application receipt within 15 days from
the date of mailing the application, the applicant should call the
U.S. Department of Education Application Control Center at (202)
708-9494.
(3) The applicant must indicate on the envelope and--if not
provided by the Department--in Item 30 of the Application for
Federal Assistance (Standard Form 424) the CFDA number--and letter,
if any--of the competition under which the application is being
submitted.
Application Instructions and Forms: The appendix to this
application is divided into three parts plus a statement regarding
estimated public reporting burden and various assurances and
certifications. These parts and additional materials are organized in
the same manner that the submitted application should be organized. The
parts and additional materials are as follows:
Part I: Application for Federal Assistance (Standard Form 424 (Rev.
4-88)) and instructions.
Part II: Budget Information--Non-Construction Programs (ED Form
524) and instructions.
Special Budget Instructions: The Department is participating in
the Administration's Reinventing Government Initiative. As part of that
initiative, the National Performance Review urged the Department to
``eliminate the continuation application process for budget years
within the project period'' and replace it with ``yearly program
progress reports focusing on program outcomes and problems related to
program implementation and service delivery.'' The Department is
implementing this recommendation for as many programs as possible
beginning in fiscal year 1995. This will require all applicants for
multi-year awards to provide detailed budget information for the total
cooperative agreement period. The Department will negotiate at the time
of the initial award the funding levels for each year of the
cooperative agreement award. A new generic budget form, included in
this package, requests the information needed to implement this
initiative.
By requesting detailed budget information in the initial
application for the total project period, the need for formal
noncompeting continuation applications in the remaining years will be
eliminated. An annual report will be used in place of the continuation
application to determine progress, thereby relieving grantees of the
burden to resubmit assurances, certifications, etc.
Part III: Application Narrative.
Additional Materials:
Estimated Public Reporting Burden.
Assurances--Non-Construction Programs (Standard Form 424B).
Certifications regarding Lobbying; Debarment, Suspension, and Other
Responsibility Matters; and Drug-Free Workplace Requirements (ED 80-
0013).
Certification regarding Debarment, Suspension, Ineligibility and
Voluntary Exclusion: Lower Tier Covered Transactions (ED 80-0014, 9/90)
and instructions. (NOTE: ED 80-0014 is intended for the use of grantees
and should not be transmitted to the Department.)
Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (Standard Form LLL) (if
applicable) and instructions; and Disclosure of Lobbying Activities
Continuation Sheet (Standard Form LLL-A).
An applicant may submit information on a photostatic copy of the
application and budget forms, the assurances, and the certifications.
However, the application form, the assurances, and the certifications
must each have an original signature. No grant may be awarded unless a
completed application form has been received.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. David Sweet, U.S. Department of
Education, Office of Educational Research and Improvement, 555 New
Jersey Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20208-5573. Telephone 202-219-2079.
Individuals who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may
call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339
between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., Eastern time, Monday through Friday.
Information about the Department's funding opportunities, including
copies of application notices for discretionary grant competitions, can
be viewed on the Department's electronic bulletin board (ED Board),
telephone (202) 260-9950; or on the Internet Gopher Server at
GOPHER.ED.GOV (under Announcements, Bulletins and Press Releases).
However, the official application notice for a discretionary grant
competition is the notice published in the Federal Register.
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 5850.
Dated: March 31, 1995.
Sharon P. Robinson,
Assistant Secretary, Educational Research and Improvement.
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Instructions for Part III--Application Narrative
In order to be considered for funding you must submit an original
and two copies (and in order to expedite the review and award process,
it is strongly suggested that you voluntarily submit one additional
copy) of the following:
1. Federal Assistance Form (Standard Form 424)
2. Priority Identification Sheet
3. Project Summary (abstract)
4. Proposal Narrative
5. Budget Information--Non-Construction Programs (ED Form 524)
6. Resume(s) for the key personnel
7. Certifications Regarding Lobbying; Debarment, Suspension and
Other Responsibility Matters; and Drug-Free Workplace Requirements; and
Certification Regarding Debarment, Suspension, Ineligibility and
Voluntary Exclusion Lower Tier Covered Transactions
8. Disclosure of Lobbying Activities
Specific Instructions for Application Items
Item 3. Project Summary (abstract). Applicants are required to
provide a 250 word abstract. This summary serves an important function
in the proposal review process, and so applicants are encouraged to be
sure that the summary provides an accurate, intelligible and succinct
description of the project.
Item 4. Proposal Narrative. Applicants must provide a proposal
narrative addressing each of the selection criteria which serve as the
sole basis for reviewers to evaluate the applications. For the Budget
and cost effectiveness criterion applicants must include a budget
narrative that explains the line item figures included in Section B of
Form 424A. Applicants responding to more than one of the three absolute
priorities must disaggregate costs associated with each priority area
(to meet the congressional reporting requirements of the Department).
The applicant must limit the Proposal Narrative (including all
attachments and appendices, but excluding a table of contents) to no
more than 25 double spaced pages, typed on 8\1/2\'' x 11'' pages (on
one side only) with at least one inch margins on all sides (including
top and bottom of pages). Single spacing is only permitted for those
attachments or appendices where single-spacing is the standard
convention, e.g. letters of support and commitment, and the
bibliographic reference section. The applicant must use no smaller than
12 point type. The instructions printed on this page are printed in the
appropriate type size. Note: proposal narratives that exceed this page
limit, or narratives using a smaller print size or spacing that makes
the narrative exceed this limit, will not be considered for funding.
Item 6. Resume(s) for the key personnel. Each resume must be five
pages or less in length.
Item 7. Certifications. An original signature is required on one
copy of the application.
Item 8. Disclosure of Lobbying. An original signature is required
on one copy of the application.
ASSESSMENT DEVELOPMENT AND EVALUATION GRANTS PROGRAM ABSOLUTE PRIORITY
IDENTIFICATION SHEET
The Secretary has identified three absolute priorities for this
competition. Please identify the priority(ies) to be addressed by
marking the appropriate box(es).
Note that addressing at least one of the absolute priorities is a
requirement for receiving a grant under this competition.
[ ] Absolute Priority #1
Projects to develop, field-test, and evaluate State assessments
aligned to State content standards.
[ ] Absolute Priority #2
Projects to develop, field-test, and evaluate such State
assessments in languages other than English.
[ ] Absolute Priority #3
Projects to develop, field-test, and evaluate such State
assessments for students with disabilities.
Instructions for Estimated Public Reporting Burden
Under terms of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980, as amended, and
the regulations implementing that Act, the Department of Education
invites comment on the public reporting burden in this collection of
information. Public reporting burden for this collection of information
is estimated to average 30 hours per response, including the time for
reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and
maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the
collection of information. You may send comments regarding this burden
estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information,
including suggestions for reducing this burden, to the U.S. Department
of Education, Information Management and Compliance Division,
Washington, D.C. 20202-4651; and to the Office of Management and
Budget, Paperwork Reduction Project 1850-0710, Washington, D.C. 20503.
(Information collection approved under OMB control number 1850-
0710. Expiration date: September 31, 1998.)
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[FR Doc. 95-8357 Filed 4-4-95; 8:45 am]
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