[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 66 (Thursday, April 6, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17578-17585]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-8477]
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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Employment and Training Administration
Job Training Partnership Act: Dropout Prevention
AGENCY: Employment and Training Administration, Labor.
ACTION: Notice of availability of funds and solicitation for grant
application (SGA).
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SUMMARY: All the information required to submit a proposal is contained
in the announcement. The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), Employment and
Training Administration (ETA), announces the availability of funds for
demonstration projects to replicate and formally evaluate a successful
model by the Ford Foundation, known as the Quantum Opportunities
Project (QOP). The U.S. Department of Education may also provide funds
for this demonstration. The project is directed specifically toward at-
risk youth entering the ninth grade. The objectives of the project are
to enable participants to complete high school, and to improve their
rate of entering and succeeding in post-secondary education.
Initial grants of $200,000 will be made to five local areas.
Pending availability of funds, these grants will be renewed at the same
level for three additional years to cover the four years of high school
of participating students. To receive these funds, local sites will
need to agree to participate in an evaluation in which eligible youth
will be randomly assigned to receive or not to receive QOP services.
These grants will be limited to service delivery areas (SDAs) under
the Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA). To apply for these grants,
SDAs will need to have the local public school district as a co-
applicant, and identify a community-based organization (CBO) to operate
the demonstration. Matching funds in the amount of $200,000 a year will
be required to operate a Quantum Opportunity Project. Additionally,
local sites will need to commit to provide summer jobs for QOP
participants for the three summers in which the participants are in the
program. This demonstration is aimed at schools with high dropout
rates. Target schools will need to have at least 40 percent fewer
graduating seniors in June of 1994 than entering ninth graders in
September of 1990 (For example, if a school had 300 entering ninth
graders in September 1990, the graduating class in June of 1994 must
have been 180 or fewer).
DATES: The closing date for receipt of applications will be May 15,
1995 at 2:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) at the address below.
ADDRESSES: Applications shall be mailed to the U.S. Department of
Labor, Employment and Training Administration, Division of Acquisition
and Assistance, Attention: Brenda M. Banks, Reference: SGA/DAA 95-005,
[[Page 17579]] Room S-4203, 200 Constitution Avenue N.W., Washington
D.C. 20210.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Brenda Banks (202-219-7300) in the Division of Acquisition and
Assistance. This is not a toll-free number.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This announcement consists of four parts and
appendices. Part I describes the authority and purpose of this
demonstration. Part II is the Statement of Work (responsibilities of
grantees). Part III describes the application process and guidelines
for applying for these grants. Part IV identifies and defines the
selection criteria which will be used in reviewing and evaluating
applications. Appendix No. 1 provides a more detailed description of
the QOP program. There is no separate application package.
Part I. Background
A. Authority
Section 452 of the Job Training Partnership Act authorizes the
Secretary of Labor to establish pilot and demonstration programs.
B. Purpose of this Demonstration
There is a large and growing gap in this country between the
employment and earnings of these individuals who have dropped out of
high school, those that have graduated from high school but have not
gone on to college, and those that have graduated from college. In many
inner-city high schools today, over 50 percent of entering ninth
graders drop out of school prior to graduation. Further, the proportion
of students from inner-city high schools who go on to post-secondary
education remains very low.
The Ford Foundation has recently announced the results of its
Quantum Opportunities Project (QOP) demonstration. In this
demonstration, 100 entering ninth graders in inner-city high schools
were joined together in groups of 25 at four sites and assigned to the
same adult coordinator. The students stayed with the same group and
adult counselor throughout their four years of high school, receiving
basic skills remediation, participating in group community service
activities and cultural enrichment and youth development activities,
visiting college campuses, and ``job shadowing'' professionals. The
students earned two sets of stipends--one in cash and the second
reserved in an ``opportunity account'' to be used for post-secondary
education.
Entering ninth graders were randomly assigned to the QOP program,
and a control group was also followed. The Ford Foundation evaluation
of the program showed that QOP had been able to cut dropout rates in
half and double the college entrance rate of participants.
Ideally, the development of new approaches to serving youth occurs
in several stages--(1) an idea or model is developed; (2) the idea is
put into practice at one site, and then perhaps at a second site with
some modifications; (3) the model program is then pilot-tested at
several sites; (4) the model program then enters a demonstration stage
in which it is formally evaluated using random assignment of program
applicants at several sites; and (5) if the random-assignment
evaluation results come out positive, the model program is replicated
widely across the country. This grant is part of stage (4) of this
process.
C. Demonstration Policy
1. Eligible Applicants. Eligible applicants under this solicitation
are Service Delivery Areas (SDAs) under the Job Training Partnership
Act.
2. Funding. DOL expects to make approximately five awards. It is
anticipated that individual grant awards will be $200,000 for the first
year of the project.
3. Matching Requirements. In order to receive a grant award, an
applicant must include a 100% match. These matching funds can come from
JTPA Title II-C, Education for the Disadvantaged School-Wide Programs
(ESEA Title I), general school district funds, local foundations and
private corporations, or other sources.
4. Period of Performance/Options. The period of performance for
these Grants will be twelve months from the date of execution by the
Government. Pending satisfactory performance and availability of funds,
these awards will be extended for an additional three years (three one-
year options). The idea is to cover the entire four years of high
school of students served.
5. Eligible Participants. All entering ninth graders who rank in
the bottom half of their class according to the previous year's grades
will be eligible for the QOP program, and then will be randomly
assigned to receive or not receive QOP services.
6. Allowable activities. Grantees will conduct activities
consistent with the QOP program described below.
7. Cost limitations. Demonstration grants are not subject to the
cost limitations in JTPA Title II. However, $50,000 to be used for the
overall program coordinator at each site should be considered the
administrative costs for this demonstration.
Part II. Statement of Work (Responsibilities of Grantees)
Applicants should take into account the responsibilities listed
below. The local school system will be responsible for identifying the
target high schools and students; the CBO will be responsible for
hiring the adult coordinators; and the SDA will be responsible for
administering the Grant and providing summer jobs for the youth.
A. Identification of target high schools. Target high schools
should have a rate of at least 40 percent of entering ninth graders
dropping out before graduation to qualify for this grant--that is, if
the graduating class in June of 1994 was 180 then the entering 9th
grade class in September 1990 must have been 300 or more. The target
high schools can be small or large, but they should have a combined
expected enrollment of at least 560 entering ninth graders this coming
fall in order to divide the class in half by grades from the previous
year, and then to provide for two groups of 140 from the bottom half
for non-treatment and QOP participation. The school district will need
to identify during the summer the bottom half of the entering ninth
graders at these schools, as ranked by grades.
B. Develop and implement the QOP model. The local QOP project shall
be comprised of the following features:
--Groups of 20 entering ninth graders will be assigned to two half-time
adult counselors. Students will stay with the same group and the same
counselors throughout their time in high school.
--The QOP counselors will have office space at the high schools.
--Each site will hire an overall coordinator overseeing each of the QOP
counselors.
--QOP activities will include each year 250 hours educational
enrichment; 250 hours of cultural and development activities, including
visits to college campuses; and 250 hours of community service
activities. The educational enrichment activities can occur either at
the school or at a separate CBO site.
--QOP students will be able to receive up to $500 a year in stipends
based on attendance at program activities. Counselors are responsible
for tracking and recording stipend-related activities for those
individuals in their charge. The stipends for QOP participants are to
be put into a bank account to used only for post-secondary educational
expenses once the individual completes (or leaves) the QOP
program. [[Page 17580]]
--QOP students will receive summer jobs during their three summers in
high schools. Offerors should be able to identify the person within the
SDA who will be in charge of linking school to summer work activities
and ensuring that each participant is employed during the summer. The
jobs can be provided through JTPA Title II-B if the students are
eligible for JTPA and if Congress continues the Title II-B program;
otherwise summer jobs will need to be found for the students.
Preferably, jobs provided to QOP participants should be at the same
worksite each summer, with increasing levels of responsibility each new
year.
--The salaries of QOP counselors and the overall site coordinator will
include incentives for keeping students in the QOP program.
--Group cohesion will be emphasized throughout the program. Students
cannot be dropped from the program, even for non-attendance. An
inactive student can return to the group at any time. Replacement
students will not be added.
C. Coordination of evaluation activities. In conjunction with the
Department's evaluation contractor, the eligible entering ninth graders
will be randomly assigned during the first week of school in September
to one of two groups, those who ``enter'' or ``do not enter'' the QOP
program. For example, City A selects two high schools as its target
schools for this demonstration. Each target high school has had a
recent dropout rate of over 40 percent, and each is expecting an
entering enrollment of 300 ninth graders--a combined total of 600
entering ninth graders. The school district will identify the bottom
half of these entering ninth graders, or 300 youth. In turn, the school
district will work with the Department's evaluation contractor to
randomly select 140 of the eligible youth who report the first week of
school to be part of the QOP program. There will be no eligibility
requirement for the QOP program other than being ranked in the bottom
half of the entering ninth grade class.
D. Use of funds and matching commitments. Grantees are required to
provide a $200,000 local match for each year of the project. The
$200,000 grant and $200,000 matching funds are expected to be
sufficient to serve 140 youth at each site. These funds will allow for
hiring fourteen half-time adult coordinators at $17,500 (salaries plus
fringe benefits included); stipends of $500 a year to each youth; an
overall coordinator at $50,000 (salary plus fringe benefits); with some
funds left over for other project activities. Matching funds cannot be
in-kind to simply use existing school counselors. JTPA Title II-C
funds, Education for the Disadvantaged School-Wide Programs (ESEA,
Title I) funds, local foundations, and local corporations are all
appropriate sources for matching funds. Compensatory education funds
outside of school-wide projects may not be an appropriate source of
matching funds, because of possible conflict between random assignment
and statutory requirements in these compensatory education funds.
Applicants will note that there are some differences between the
QOP model that will be implemented in this demonstration and the
original QOP pilot project described in the Appendix No. 1. The model
that will be implemented under this demonstration will have 20 rather
than 25 youth in each group; it will not be restricted to minority
youth or youth in families receiving welfare; and it does not include
cash stipends. Additional funds may be made available to grantees at a
later time to provide cash.
E. Project Description. 1. Describe the need for the QOP project in
the target high school or schools. What percentage of youth who entered
the 9th grade in September of 1990 in these schools have dropped out
prior to graduation? (You can simply show the number of entering 9th
graders in September of 1990 and the number of students graduating in
June of 1994). How many students are expected to enter the 9th grade at
these schools this coming September? What is the poverty rate of the
neighborhoods served by the schools? You may also discuss other factors
that may reflect need, for example, teen pregnancy rates and crime
rates in the neighborhoods served by the schools.
2. Describe your plan for implementing the QOP program this coming
September. How will the 140 QOP slots be apportioned among the target
high schools that have been identified? When during the summer will you
be able to provide a list of entering ninth graders who rank in the
bottom half of their class? Who in the school system will be
responsible for providing this list, and what is their telephone number
during the summer? What community-based organization (CBO) will carry
out the QOP program? How was this CBO selected? What is the hiring plan
of the CBO to make sure that the overall coordinator and 14 half-time
counselors will be hired by September? Can you provide examples of
likely candidates for these positions? What physical space will be
provided to the counselors at the target high schools? Who in the
school system will be responsible for overseeing the QOP program? How
will the school system and the CBO coordinate services provided under
QOP? Describe the SDA's plans for providing summer jobs for the youth.
3. Describe the matching funds that will be provided.
Part III. Application Process
A. Submission of Proposals
An original and three (3) copies of the proposal shall be
submitted. The proposal shall consist of two (2) separate and distinct
parts.
1. Cost Proposal. Part I shall contain the cost proposal,
consisting of the following items: Standard Form SF 424, ``Application
for Federal Assistance'' (Appendix No. 2) and the ``Budget
Information'' sheet (Appendix No. 3). Also, the budget shall include on
separate page(s) a detailed breakout of each line item on the budget
sheet. The Budget should provide for $200,000 in grant funds and
$200,000 in matching funds.
2. Technical Proposal. The technical proposal shall be limited to
ten pages (single-sided, single spaced). It should include the
``assurance'' provided below signed by the SDA director and the
superintendent of schools, and answers to the three sets of questions
and requirements included under Part II, Section E.
The following ``assurance'' should be signed by the local SDA
director and superintendent of schools and included in the technical
proposal: ``The service delivery area (SDA) and school district of
__________ are applying for a $200,000 a year grant under the
Department of Labor's Quantum Opportunities Project (QOP) demonstration
for entering ninth graders. We understand that pending availability of
funds the demonstration will continue throughout the 4 years of high
school of participating students. We also understand that $200,000 a
year in matching funds are required for the project, and QOP students
will be provided summer jobs for their three summers in high school. We
also understand that participating in a random assignment evaluation of
the program is a condition of award, and that eligible entering ninth
graders will be randomly assigned to participate or not participate in
QOP.''
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SDA Director
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School District Superintendent--------------------------------------
[[Page 17581]]
B. Hand-Delivered Proposals
Proposals should be mailed at least five (5) days prior to the
closing date for the receipt of applications. However, if proposals are
hand-delivered, they shall be received at the designated place by 2
p.m., Eastern Time on the closing date for receipt of applications. All
overnight mail will be considered to be hand-delivered and must be
received at the designated place by the specified time and closing
date. Telegraphed and/or faxed proposals will not be honored. Failure
to adhere to the above instructions will be a basis for a determination
of non-responsiveness.
C. Late Proposals
Any proposal received at the office designated in the solicitation
after the exact time specified for receipt will not be considered
unless it:
(1) was sent by the U.S. Postal Service registered or certified
mail not later than the fifth calendar day before the date specified
for receipt of the application (e.g., an offer submitted in response to
a solicitation requiring receipt of applications by the 5th of May must
have been mailed by the 1st of May); or
(2) was sent by U.S. Postal Service Express Mail Next Day Service--
Post Office to Addressee, not later than 5 p.m. at the place of mailing
two working days prior to the date specified for receipt of proposals.
The term ``working days'' excludes weekends and U.S. Federal holidays.
The only acceptable evidence to establish the date of mailing of a
late proposal sent either by the U.S. Postal Service registered or
certified mail is the U.S. postmark both on the envelope or wrapper and
on the original receipt from the U.S. Postal Service. Both postmarks
must show a legible date or the proposal shall be processed as if
mailed late. ``Postmark'' means a printed, stamped, or otherwise placed
impression (exclusive of a postage meter machine impression) that is
readily identifiable without further action as having been supplied and
affixed by employees of the U.S. Postal Service on the date of mailing.
Therefore, applicants should request the postal clerk to place a
legible hand cancellation ``bull's eye'' postmark on both the receipt
and the envelope or wrapper.
The only acceptable evidence to establish the date of mailing of a
late proposal sent by ``Express Mail Next Day Service--Post Office to
Addressee'' is the date entered by the post office receiving clerk on
the ``Express Mail Next Day Service--Post Office to Addressee'' label
and the postmark on both the envelope and wrapper and on the original
receipt from the U.S. Postal Service. ``Postmark'' has the same meaning
as defined above. Therefore, applicants should request the postal clerk
to place a legible hand cancellation ``bull's eye'' postmark on both
the receipt and the envelope or wrapper.
F. Withdrawal of Proposals
Proposals may be withdrawn by written notice or telegram (including
mailgram) received at any time before award. Proposals may be withdrawn
in person or by an applicant or an authorized representative thereof,
if the representative's identity is made known and the representative
signs a receipt for the proposal before a grant award is executed.
Part IV. Rating Criteria for Award
Applicants are advised that the selection of grantees for awards is
to be made after careful review by a panel. Applicants are advised that
discussions may be necessary in order to clarify and inconsistencies in
their application. The panel results are advisory in nature to the
Grant Officer. The Grant Officer will make final awards based on what
is in the best interests of the Government as determined by the Grant
Officer. The rating criteria for award are the following:
1. Need in Target High Schools. This corresponds to questions and
requirements raised in Part II, Section E.1. The proposal should
provide information on the high schools, including the overall
enrollment at the schools and the proportion of entering ninth graders
who graduate from the school. The neighborhoods served by the schools
should be described. (30 points).
2. Development and Implementation Plan. This corresponds to
questions and requirements raised in Section E.2 and 3. This criteria
covers plans for recruiting and hiring of the QOP counselors and
overall coordinator; the availability of office space in the target
high schools for QOP coordinators; the summer jobs that will be made
available to QOP students through JTPA Title II-B; how jobs will be
provided to QOP students not income-eligible for JTPA; the experience
of the CBO in operating programs for at-risk youth; and the
availability of matching funds. (70 points).
Signed at Washington, D.C., this 31st day of March, 1995.
Janice E. Perry,
ETA Grant Officer.
Appendix 1 Description of Original QOP Program
(Note: This Appendix is provided as background information on the
original QOP program which the Ford Foundation funded. As discussed
above, the QOP model that sites will be implementing under this
grant announcement differs in slight ways from the original QOP
program. Where differences occur, applicants should follow the model
described in the main text of the grant announcement rather than in
this Appendix).
Quantum Opportunities Program: An Overview
Background
The Quantum Opportunities Program (QOP) was initiated as an
experiment to test whether impoverished young people could make a
``quantum leap'' up the ladder of opportunity if an intensive array
of coordinated services, coupled with a sustained relationship with
a peer group and a caring adult, were offered to them over their
four years of high school.
The program also tested a system of incentive payments for
participants, staff and delivery organizations to encourage
participation and retention in the program and to provide some money
for college, technical training or other education upon completion.
The program designer recognized that a variety of education,
training, employment, development and service opportunities were
already available to poor teenage youth through programs of
government agencies and nonprofit organizations. These, however,
were neither coordinated nor sequenced in a continuum that
recognized the developmental needs of maturing youth. Lacking
coordination and continuity, their cumulative impact was diluted.
The Quantum Opportunities Program adopted an investment
mentality. It tested whether comprehensive services could be
sequenced effectively, whether a single coordinator could broker
services efficiently, whether eligible youth would participate if
such opportunities were offered, and whether this approach and these
investments would have a positive effect on the youth's life
chances.
Purpose
The program's aim was to assist minority youth from solo-parent,
welfare families in poverty neighborhoods graduate from high school
and attend college. The Quantum Opportunities Programs sought to
rewrite the future for these-at-risk teens.
Sites
The multi-faceted QOP model was successfully implemented in four
of the five demonstration sites: Oklahoma City, Philadelphia,
Saginaw and San Antonio. The delivery organizations were OIC
affiliates--community organizations offering a variety of education,
training and self-sufficiency programs. Each also operated a
``Learning [[Page 17582]] Opportunity Center'' equipped with
computers, books and audiovisual equipment and materials for self-
paced and competency-based learning in academic, employability and
life skills.
There was variation among the four sites as to how each operated
the program. Two negotiated with their local high schools to
schedule time in the school day. In one case, a daily class period
for participating students was set up in each of the four school
years. This school time was used for group meetings, discussions and
development activities; other program activities took place outside
of the school day in the community organization. In the second site,
the local school provided a space for the program and released
students for daily meetings. Two sites conducted the program
entirely outside of school hours and facilities.
Youth Eligibility
Participating students, the ``Opportunity Associates'' were
each:
entering the 9th grade;
attending a public high school in a poverty
neighborhood;
a member of a racial minority; and
from a solo-parent family receiving welfare payments.
Recruitment
Each site enrolled 25 participants at the start of the 1989-1990
school year:
1. The participating public high school produced a list of all
entering freshman meeting the eligibility criteria.
2. From the list, 25 students were selected at random for
invitation to participate in the program. Another 25 students were
selected, also at random, as a control group.
3. Selected students were contacted through mailings, school
counselors and teachers, orientation meetings with parents and
students, home visits and peers.
4. All contacted students were automatically enrolled. There was
no screening out or special selection.
Program Design
A youth developmental model was tested in the Quantum
Opportunities Program. The program was organized in four cycles
spanning the four high school years, including summers.
In each yearly cycle, the Opportunity Associates attended high
school and participated in three activity components of up to 250
hours each for a maximum of 750 hours per yearly cycle.
These activity components were organized by an Opportunity
Coordinator at each site. The Coordinator both brokered and directly
delivered services in the three activity components, which were:
Learning Opportunities--250 hours per year of self-paced and
competency based basic skills and enrichment study outside of
regular school hours. Reading, writing, math, science, and social
studies were covered. Opportunity Associates completed these extra
hours of learning in the existing OIC Learning Opportunity Center in
their community.
Development Opportunities--250 hours per year of cultural
enrichment and personal development. Students attended plays and
concerts, explored the visual arts, visited museums and new
locations, read and discussed current affairs and the Great Books,
learned about their own rich history and culture, dined in
restaurants, and ``job shadowed'' with professionals. Each
Opportunity Associate received a personal subscription to Time
Magazine. They learned how to set goals, manage their time, and
choose behavior appropriate for varying situations. They developed
life skills needed in the home, at work and in the marketplace. They
learned about themselves and how to get along with others.
Service Opportunities--250 hours per year of community service
connected Opportunity Associates to their communities and provided
opportunities to develop many of the skills needed for work--
reliability, following through on tasks, and working cooperatively.
Service projects ranged from tutoring elementary students, to
neighborhood cleanup, to volunteer work in hospitals, nursing homes,
libraries and human service agencies.
Key Features
The critical elements of Quantum Opportunities Program design
were:
Group cohesion--By design, each group of 25 Opportunity
Associates remained constant through the four high school years.
Students could not be dropped from the group, even for non-
attendance. An inactive student could return to the group at any
time over the four years; the promise of opportunity was never
withdrawn. New students were not admitted to the group.
Continuity with a caring adult--at each site, the same
Opportunity Coordinator was to stay with the group for the four
years. (There was turnover in some test sites.)
``Front line'' accountability--Each Opportunity
Coordinator was responsible for recruiting students, encouraging
active participation, brokering all service activities, counseling
students, communicating with families, assisting with college
financial aid applications, and tracking activities.
Incentives
Financial incentives were structured to encourage participation,
completion and long range planning. Opportunity Associates received:
an hourly stipend of $1.33 for each hour of
participation in the education, development and service activities;
a completion bonus of $100 for each activity component
completed during each of the four yearly cycles, for a possible
total of $300 in bonuses, and;
an Opportunity Account, created by matching, on a
dollar basis, all hourly stipend and bonuses earned by the Associate
over the four years of the program. At the end of the four years,
the funds accrued in Opportunity Accounts, including interest
earned, were available to Associates for approved college, job and
technical training, or continuing education.
The Coordinator's incentive payments, as well as those to the
OIC affiliate, were also tied directly to participation hours and
completion rates. QOP Coordinators received the same amount, and the
delivery organization received double the amount, of the stipends
and bonuses of their Opportunity Associates.
Research
Brandeis University is evaluating the program using a random
assignment, control group methodology. Progress during the school
years and post-program outcomes are being compared for Opportunity
Associates and a matched group of people who did not participate.
Early results are quite positive. The year after expected high
school graduation, Opportunity Associates were more likely to have
graduated from high school, to have enrolled in four-year colleges,
to have enrolled in any post-secondary education, and to still plan
college completion. They were less likely to have dropped out, to
have become a solo parent or to have been arrested.
Cost
The average cost per participant--covering all costs--was
$11,250 for the four years (half the annual costs of prison). Two-
fifths of this cost was in direct payments to participants in the
form of stipends, bonuses and the Opportunity Account.
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