[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 164 (Thursday, August 22, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43346-43347]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-21402]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Office of the Secretary
Assistance to Local Educational Agencies (LEAs)
AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, DoD.
ACTION: Notice of a program for providing financial assistance to LEAs.
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SUMMARY: Pursuant to Section 386 of Pub. L. No. 102-484, as amended by
Section 373 of Public Law 103-160, the ``National Defense Authorization
Act for Fiscal Year 1994'' and Section 1074 of Public Law 104-106, the
``National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1996,'' February
10, 1996, notice is hereby given of a program to provide financial
assistance to eligible LEAs that are impacted by the presence of
military dependent children or by the base closure process.
DATE: August 22, 1996.
ADDRESSES: Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (Personnel Support,
Families & Education), room 3E784, The Pentagon, Washington, DC 20301-
4000.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Hector O. Nevarez or Mr. Norman R.
Heitzman, Domestic Dependent Elementary and Secondary Schools, 4040
North Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA 22203-1635; telephone (703) 696-4354
or 4361; facsimile number (703) 696-8920.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Program Announcement
During fiscal year (FY) 1996, the Department of Defense (DoD) is
authorized to 35 million dollars to assist eligible Local Education
Agencies (LEAs) affected by the impact of military dependent students
or by reductions in the size of the Armed Forces. DoD shall rely on
data from the Department of Education for the purpose of determining
eligibility of an LEA.
Pursuant to subsection 386(c) of Pub. L. No. 102-484, as amended,
30 million dollars will be provided to eligible LEAs for educational
agency assistance if without such assistance, that LEA would be unable
to provide its students with a level of education equivalent to the
minimum available in other LEAs in the same state, and
(1) At least 20 percent (as rounded to the nearest whole percent)
of the students in average daily attendance in the schools of that LEA
in that fiscal year are military dependent students counted under
subsection 8003(a) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of
1965 (20 U.S.C. 7703(a));
(2) There has been a significant increase, as determined by the
Secretary, in the number of military dependent students in average
daily attendance in the LEA's schools as a result of relocation of
Armed Forces personnel or civilian employees of the Department of
Defense or as a result of a realignment of one or more military
installations; or
(3) An LEA is a successor of one or more LEAs that was eligible for
payments in Fiscal Year 1992 under DoD Directive 1342.18, and satisfies
one of the two previously listed criteria.
Pursuant to subsection 386(d) of Public Law 102-484; as amended, 5
million dollars is authorized for the Secretary to make educational
agency payments to LEAs that are impacted by reductions in the size of
the Armed Forces. Eligible LEAs are those that during the period
between the end of the school year preceding the fiscal year for which
the payments are authorized and the beginning of the school year
immediately preceding that school year, had an overall reduction of not
less than 20 percent of military dependent students, as a result of
closure or realignment of military installations.
Any funds provided under this notice shall be available only for
eligible LEAs who (1) exercise due diligence in obtaining State and
other financial assistance; (2) are treated the same as other LEAs
under State law for the purpose of receiving State aid for public
education; and (3) file with the Under Secretary of Defense for
Personnel and Readiness, a letter of application (see Sample Letter at
the end of this notice) and a copy of an independently audited
financial report on the LEA for the preceding fiscal year.
Applications for financial assistance in response to this notice
must be received no later than August 30, 1996.
Definitions
For the purposes of this program, the following definitions are
applicable: (a) Applicant. Any LEA requesting assistance under this
notice. (b) Local Education Agency (LEA). A public board of education
or other public authority legally constituted within a State for either
administrative control or direction of, or to perform a service
function for, public elementary or secondary schools in a city, county,
township, school district, or other political subdivision of a State,
or such
[[Page 43347]]
combination of school districts or counties as are recognized in a
State as an administrative agency for its public elementary or
secondary schools. Such term includes any other public institution or
agency having administrative control and direction of a public
elementary or secondary school. (c) Military Dependent Student. A
student that is a dependent child of a member of the Armed Forces or a
dependent child of a civilian employee of the Department of Defense.
Amount of Assistance
An applicant requesting assistance under this notice shall submit a
letter of application (see sample letter at the end of this notice) and
a copy of an independently audited financial report of the applicant
LEA for the second preceding FY, requesting a DoD contribution and
assuring the ASD(FMP) that the LEA has applied for, has received or
shall receive all financial assistance from other sources for which it
is qualified. Letters of application must be addressed as follows:
Assistant Secretary of Defense, (Force Management Policy), 4000 Defense
Pentagon, Washington, D.C. 20301-4000.
The applicant shall also file a copy of the letter of application
for financial assistance and required supportive information with the
State educational agency (SEA). The SEA may submit comments on the
LEA's application to the Department of Defense (at the above address)
by August 30, 1996. Such comments shall be considered when applications
are reviewed by the OSD. The LEA's application and all required
supporting information must reach the ASD(FMP) no later than August 30,
1996. No assurances of confidentiality are being made, other than the
assurance that the audits will not be released.
This information collection has been approved as OMB Control Number
0704-0389, with an expiration date of 09/30/96. The public reporting
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 20
minutes 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.
Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of
this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing the
burden, to Department of Defense, Washington Headquarters Services,
Directorate for Information Operations and Reports (0704-0389), 1215
Jefferson Davis Highway, Suite 1204, Arlington, VA 22202-4302.
Respondents should be aware that notwithstanding any other provision of
law, no person shall be subject to any penalty for failing to comply
with a collection of information if it does not display a currently
valid OMB control number.
Sample Letter of Application for Financial Assistance
Assistant Secretary of Defense (Force Management Policy),
4000 Defense Pentagon, Washington, DC 20301-4000.
Dear Mr. Assistant Secretary: Pursuant to this ``Notice of a
Program for Providing Financial Assistance to LEAs,'' ______ Federal
Register ______ (______, 1996), the (name of the local educational
agency (LEA)) requests financial assistance for the LEA for school
year 1995-1996. We certify that the LEA has applied for financial
assistance from all sources, including the State/Commonwealth of
(name). We understand that funds available for that purpose shall be
paid on a per-pupil basis for military dependent students, as in the
``Notice of a Program for Providing Financial Assistance to LEAs.''
Enclosed find a copy of our independent audit ``(Title)'' prepared
by (name of firm or agency). We have submitted a complete and timely
application for Section 3 impact aid assistance to the Secretary of
Education and have submitted applications for all other assistance
for which the LEA may be entitled. This LEA is treated the same as
other LEAs under state law for the purpose of state aid for public
education. A copy of this letter, with the above supporting
information, is being submitted to the State educational agency.
Sincerely,
(Authorized LEA Official)
Dated: August 16, 1996.
Patricia L. Toppings,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.
[FR Doc. 96-21402 Filed 8-21-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 5000-04-M
