[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 107 (Monday, June 5, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29730-29747]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-13689]
[[Page 29729]]
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Part III
Department of Education
_______________________________________________________________________
Grants and Cooperative Agreements, Availability, etc.; Tribal Division
of Education School Reform Program; Notice
Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 107 / Monday, June 5, 1995 / Notices
[[Page 29730]]
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
[CFDA No.: 84.311]
Tribal Division of Education School Reform Program Notice
Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 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 requirements, and
instructions needed to apply for a grant under this competition.
Purpose of Program: To assist tribal divisions of education in
coordinating school reform plans developed for schools funded by the
Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and those plans developed for public
schools.
Eligible Applicants: Tribal divisions of education of federally
recognized tribes whose students attend BIA-funded and public schools.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: July 20, 1995.
Available Funds: $500,000.
Estimated Range of Awards: $50,000 to $75,000.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $62,500.
Estimated Number of Awards: 8.
Note: These estimates are projections for the guidance of
potential applicants. The Department of Education is not bound by
any estimates in this notice.
Project Period: Up to 48 months.
Applicable Regulations: 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 80 (Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants
and Cooperative Agreements to State and Local Governments).
(4) 34 CFR Part 81 (General Education Provisions Act--Enforcement).
(5) 34 CFR Part 82 (New Restrictions on Lobbying).
(6) 34 CFR Part 85 (Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension
(Nonprocurement) and Governmentwide Requirements for Drug-Free
Workplace (Grants)).
(7) 34 CFR Part 86 (Drug-Free Schools and Campuses).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Goals 2000: Educate America Act (Pub. L.
103-227) (20 U.S.C. 5801 et seq.) (the Act) promotes systemic education
reform through the development and implementation of comprehensive
improvement plans based on challenging academic standards and high
expectations for all students. One of the basic premises of Goals 2000
is that reform should be promoted from the bottom up in communities,
local educational agencies (LEAs), and schools, and guided by the
coordination and facilitation of State and local leaders. Consistent
with the concept of bottom-up reform, a State educational agency (SEA)
awards most of the funds that it receives under title III of the Act to
LEAs for local reform initiatives, preservice teacher education, and
professional development activities. Only a small portion of the
funding is retained by the SEA for the development and implementation
of the State improvement plan. Likewise, an LEA awards most of its
local reform funds to individual public schools to develop and
implement comprehensive school improvement plans that are designed to
help all students meet challenging State content and student
performance standards.
Title III also reserves for the Secretary of the Interior funds
for, among other things, the development of a system-wide reform plan
that provides for the fundamental restructuring and improvement of
elementary and secondary education in schools funded by the BIA.
Similar to SEA grants, the funds to BIA also support the development
and implementation of comprehensive school improvement plans--in this
case, reform plans for BIA-funded schools (i.e., schools that receive
funding from the BIA and are operated either by BIA or a tribe).
Recognizing the importance of coordinating the various school
reform initiatives affecting Indian children, Congress has authorized
under section 314(a)(4) of the Act grants to tribal divisions of
education for coordination efforts between school reform plans
developed for public schools and plans developed for BIA-funded
schools. The coordination efforts, which include tribal activities in
support of the plans, are essential because Indian children from the
same tribe are often served by a patchwork of schools from different
jurisdictions throughout their elementary and secondary education. In
many instances, there is little consistency in educational policy,
standards, and curriculum among the various public and BIA-funded
schools. Furthermore, the high transfer rates of Indian students among
schools and, in some areas, the large number of Indian students in
public schools underscore the necessity for improved coordination
activities.
Because a recipient tribal division of education under this program
would help coordinate the reform efforts of BIA-funded and public
schools, eligible applicants are limited to tribal divisions of
education of federally recognized tribes. A federally recognized tribe
is any Indian tribe, band, Nation, or other organized group or
community that is recognized by the Secretary of the Interior as
eligible for the special programs and services provided by the United
States to Indians because of their status as Indians. A ``tribal
division of education'' would include a department, agency, board,
committee, or other institution within the tribe whose primary
responsibility is planning, developing, and coordinating existing
elementary and secondary education programs for the children of the
tribe.
Many school reform plans are being developed and implemented with
funds from sources other than Goals 2000. A tribal division of
education is eligible to apply for a grant under section 314(a)(4)
regardless of whether the relevant schools are receiving Goals 2000
funds to support reform initiatives or are even located in a State that
is participating in the Goals 2000 Title III grant program. However, in
order for a tribal division of education to be eligible for a grant,
the public and BIA-funded schools that the children of the tribe attend
must be implementing (or in the process of developing and implementing)
comprehensive school reform plans that are designed to meet the needs
of their particular student population and help all students meet
challenging academic standards.
A tribal division of education receiving a grant under section
314(a)(4) will be given maximum flexibility to implement a program that
fits the unique circumstances of the children in the tribe. The grants
will assist tribal divisions of education in building partnerships
between public and BIA-funded schools, and could be used to support
many types of coordination efforts, including activities such as
improving consistency and compatibility of curricula among public and
BIA-funded schools, assisting in the development of curricula that are
culturally sensitive, creating mechanisms to increase communication
among parents and the schools that their children attend, increasing
tribal participation in the development and implementation of school
improvement plans, and conducting professional development programs for
local teachers.
The Secretary strongly encourages an applicant to propose
coordination [[Page 29731]] efforts that include broad-based outreach
and collaborative processes involving parents, teachers, school
administrators, and business and tribal leaders, as appropriate. A
meritorious proposal would also demonstrate that the relevant public
and BIA-funded schools are committed to cooperate with and assist the
applicant in its activities.
In demonstrating that there is a specific need for improved
coordination efforts between the school reform plans for the BIA-funded
schools and the plans for the public schools attended by the children
of the tribe, the Secretary encourages applicants to consider factors
such as--
(a) The rate of mobility of students between or among public and
BIA-funded schools;
(b) The lack of an effective system for tracking the transfer of
students between or among public and BIA-funded schools;
(c) The lack of consistency and compatibility in curriculum among
public and BIA-funded schools;
(d) Social and academic adjustment problems of students
transferring from one school to another;
(e) The number of children from the tribe attending pubic schools;
and
(f) Insufficient ongoing coordination efforts between and among
public and BIA-funded schools in the development or implementation of
their school reform plans.
Selection Criteria
The Secretary will use the selection criteria in 34 CFR 75.210 to
evaluate applications under this competition. The Secretary assigns the
15 points that are reserved in 34 CFR 75.210(c) as follows: 10
additional points to selection criterion (3)--Plan of operation--for a
total of 25 points for that criterion; 3 additional points to selection
criterion (4)--Quality of key personnel--for a total of 10 points for
that criterion; and 2 additional points to criterion (6)--evaluation
plan--for a total of 7 points for that criterion.
The maximum score for all of the criteria totals 100 points. The
maximum score for each criterion is indicated in parenthesis with the
criterion. The criteria are as follows:
(1) Meeting the purposes of the authorizing statute. (30 points)
The Secretary reviews each application to determine how well the
project will meet the purposes of the authorizing statute (i.e.,
sections 2 and 314(a)(4) of the Goals 2000: Educate America Act),
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 statute that authorizes the
program, 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. (25 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 disability.
(4) Quality of key personnel. (10 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 (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
disability.
Note: Section 7(b) of the Indian Self-Determination and
Education Assistance Act (Pub. L. 93-638) requires that, to the
greatest extent feasible, a grantee under this program (1) give to
Indians preferences and opportunities for training and employment in
connection with the administration of the grant, and (2) give to
Indian organizations and to Indian-owned economic enterprises
preference in the award of contracts in connection with the
administration of the grant.
(ii) To determine personnel qualifications under paragraphs
(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 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. (7 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.
(7) Adequacy of resources. (3 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.
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 #84.311), Washington, D.C. 20202-4725
or
(2) Hand deliver the original and two copies of the application by
4:30 p.m. (Washington, D.C. time) on the deadline date to: U.S.
Department of Education, Application Control Center, Attention:
(CFDA#84.311), Room #3633, Regional Office Building #3, 7th and D
Streets SW., Washington, D.C.
(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:
(1) A private metered postmark. [[Page 29732]]
(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 10 of the Application for
Federal Assistance (Standard Form 424) the CFDA number--and suffix
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 (Standard
Form 524A) and instructions.
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: Sandra L. Spaulding, U.S. Department
of Education, 600 Independence Avenue SW., Portals Building, Room 4300,
Washington, D.C. 20202-2110, Telephone: (202) 260-1441. 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.
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: Section 314(a)(4) of the Goals 2000: Educate
America Act, 20 USC 5894(a)(4).
Dated: May 30, 1995.
Thomas W. Payzant,
Assistant Secretary, Elementary and Secondary Education.
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Instructions for Part III Application Narrative
Before preparing the Application Narrative an applicant should read
carefully the information in this notice, including the selection
criteria the Secretary uses to evaluate applications.
The narrative should encompass each function or activity for which
funds are being requested and should--
1. Begin with an Abstract; that is, a summary of the proposed
project;
2. Describe the proposed project in light of each of the selection
criteria in the order in which the criteria are listed in this
application; and
3. Include any other pertinent information that might assist the
Secretary in reviewing the application.
The Secretary strongly requests the applicant to limit the
Application Narrative to no more than 20 double-spaced, typed (on one
side only), although the Secretary will consider applications of
greater length. The Department has found that successful applications
for similar programs generally meet this page limit.
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 40 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 1810-0573, Washington, D.C. 20503.
(Information collection approved under OMB control number 1810-
0573. Expiration date: 4/30/98.)
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[FR Doc. 95-13689 Filed 6-2-95; 8:45 am]
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