Office of Innovation and Improvement; Overview Information; Excellence in Economic Education Program; Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2005, 4107-4111 [05-1650]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 18 (Friday, January 28, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4107-4111]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-1650]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Office of Innovation and Improvement; Overview Information; 
Excellence in Economic Education Program; Notice Inviting Applications 
for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2005

    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.215B.

DATES: Applications Available: January 31, 2005.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: March 23, 2005.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: May 24, 2005.
    Eligible Applicants: Any national nonprofit educational 
organization that has as its primary purpose the improvement of the 
quality of student understanding of personal finance and economics 
through effective teaching of economics in grades kindergarten through 
grade 12 in the Nation's classrooms.
    Applicants are required to submit evidence of their organization's 
eligibility.
    Estimated Available Funds: $1,478,000 for budget period one, and 
$1,500,000 for budget periods two through five.
    Number of Awards: 1.

    Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this 
notice.


    Project Period: Up to 60 months.
    Budget Period: 12 months.

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Purpose of Program: This program promotes economic and financial 
literacy among all students in kindergarten through grade 12 through 
the award of one grant to a national nonprofit educational organization 
that has as its primary purpose the improvement of the quality of 
student understanding of personal finance and economics.
    Priorities: This competition includes two absolute priorities and 
two invitational priorities that are explained in the following 
paragraphs.
    In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(iv), these priorities are 
from sections 5533(b), 5534(b), and 5535(b) of the Elementary and 
Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended (ESEA) (20 U.S.C. 7267b-
7267e).
    Absolute Priorities: For FY 2005 these priorities are absolute 
priorities. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3) we consider only applications 
that meet both of these priorities.
    These priorities are:

Absolute Priority 1--Direct Activities

    A project must indicate how it would use 25 percent of the funds 
available each year to do all of the following activities:
    (a) Strengthen and expand the grantee's relationships with State 
and local personal finance, entrepreneurial, and economic education 
organizations.
    (b) Support and promote training of teachers who teach a grade from 
kindergarten through grade 12 regarding economics, including the 
dissemination of information on effective practices and research 
findings regarding the teaching of economics.
    (c) Support research on effective teaching practices and the 
development of assessment instruments to document student understanding 
of personal finance and economics.
    (d) Develop and disseminate appropriate materials to foster 
economic literacy.

Absolute Priority 2--Subgrant Activities

    A project must indicate how it would use 75 percent of the funds 
available each year to award subgrants both to (a) State educational 
agencies (SEAs) or local educational agencies (LEAs), and (b) State or 
local economic, personal finance, or entrepreneurial education 
organizations. (Definitions of SEAs and LEAs are found in section 
9101(26) and (41) of the ESEA, as amended by NCLB (20 U.S.C. 7801(26) 
and (41)).
    (a) Allowable Subgrantee Activities. Applications must indicate 
that these subgrants are to be used to pay for the Federal share of the 
cost of enabling the subgrantees to work in partnership with one or 
more eligible partners as described elsewhere in this notice, for one 
or more of the following purposes:
    (1) Collaboratively establishing and conducting teacher training 
programs that use effective and innovative approaches to the teaching 
of economics, personal finance, and entrepreneurship. The teacher 
training programs must--(i) train teachers who teach a grade from 
kindergarten through grade 12; and (ii) encourage teachers from 
disciplines other than economics and financial literacy to participate 
in such teacher training programs, if the training will promote the 
economic and financial literacy of those teachers' students.
    (2) Providing resources to school districts that desire to 
incorporate economics and personal finance into the curricula of the 
schools in those districts.
    (3) Conducting evaluations of the impact of economic and financial 
literacy education on students.

[[Page 4108]]

    (4) Conducting economic and financial literacy education research.
    (5) Creating and conducting school-based student activities to 
promote consumer, economic, and personal finance education (such as 
saving, investing, and entrepreneurial education) and to encourage 
awareness and student academic achievement in economics.
    (6) Encouraging replication of best practices to promote economic 
and financial literacy.
    (b) Eligible partners for subgrantees under Absolute Priority 2. 
Applications must indicate that subgrants will be made to an eligible 
subgrantee to work in partnership with one or more of the following 
entities:
    (1) A private-sector entity.
    (2) An SEA.
    (3) An LEA.
    (4) An institution of higher education.
    (5) An organization promoting economic development.
    (6) An organization promoting educational excellence.
    (7) An organization promoting personal finance or entrepreneurial 
education.
    (c) Subgrant application process under Absolute Priority 2. (1) 
Applications must describe the subgrant process the grantee will 
conduct prior to awarding subgrants.
    (2) Applications must provide that the grantee will invite the 
following types of individuals to review all applications for subgrants 
and to make recommendations to the grantee on the approval of the 
applications:
    (A) Leaders in the fields of economics and education.
    (B) Other individuals as the grantee determines to be necessary, 
especially members of the State and local business, banking, and 
finance communities.
    In addition to the two absolute priorities, we are particularly 
interested in applications that address the following invitational 
priorities.
    Invitational Priorities: For FY 2005 these priorities are 
invitational priorities. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(1) we do not give an 
application that meets one or both of these invitational priorities a 
competitive or absolute preference over other applications.
    These priorities are:

Invitational Priority 1--Involvement of Business Community

    The grantee and subgrantees are strongly encouraged to--
    (a) Include interactions with the local business community to the 
fullest extent possible to reinforce the connection between economic 
and financial literacy and economic development; and
    (b) Work with private businesses to obtain matching contributions 
for Federal funds and assist subgrantees in working toward self-
sufficiency.

Invitational Priority 2--Scientifically Based Evaluation

    The grantee and subgrantees are strongly encouraged to use 
scientifically based research as defined by the No Child Left Behind 
Act (20 U.S.C. 7801(37)) for the research and evaluation activities 
listed below that are required under the Absolute Priorities in this 
notice. Using scientifically based research for these activities will 
allow the grantee to provide the most trustworthy type of information 
necessary to meet the Performance Measures requirement for this program 
listed later in this notice. The activities are:
    (a) For research on effective teaching practices and the 
development of assessment instruments to document student understanding 
of personal finance and economics;
    (b) To conduct economic and financial literacy education research; 
and
    (c) To conduct evaluations of the impact of economic and financial 
literacy education on students.

    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 7267.

    Applicable Regulations: The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80, 
81, 82, 84, 85, 86, 97, 98, and 99.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Discretionary grant.
    Estimated Available Funds: $1,478,000 for budget period one, and 
$1,500,000 for budget periods two through five.
    Number of Awards: 1.

    Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this 
notice.

    Project Period: Up to 60 months.
    Budget Period: 12 months.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: Any national nonprofit educational 
organization that has as its primary purpose the improvement of the 
quality of student understanding of personal finance and economics 
through effective teaching of economics in grades Kindergarten through 
grade 12 in the Nation's classrooms.
    Applicants are required to submit evidence of their organization's 
eligibility.
    2. Cost Sharing or Matching: Subgrant Activities. The recipients of 
each subgrant are required to match the Federal grant funds with an 
equal amount of non-Federal funding. The Federal share of each subgrant 
will be fifty (50) percent of the cost of the funded activities. The 
recipient of the subgrant must pay the other fifty percent in cash or 
in kind. In kind payment, including plant, equipment, or services, must 
be fairly evaluated. (20 U.S.C. 7267e(a) and (b)).
    Supplement not supplant. Funds provided through this grant must be 
used to supplement, and not supplant, other Federal, State, and local 
funds expended to support activities that fulfill the purpose of this 
program. (20 U.S.C. 7267f).

IV. Application and Submission Information

    1. Address to Request Application Package: Carolyn J. Warren, U.S. 
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 4W209, 
Washington, DC 20202-5900. Telephone: (202) 205-5443 or by e-mail: 
carolyn.warren@ed.gov.
    If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may 
call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1-800-877-8339.
    Individuals with disabilities may obtain a copy of the application 
package in an alternative format (e.g., Braille, large print, 
audiotape, or computer diskette) by contacting the program contact 
person listed in this section.
    2. Content and Form of Application Submission: Requirements 
concerning the content of an application, together with the forms you 
must submit, are in the application package for this competition.
    Page Limit: The application narrative is where you, the applicant, 
address the selection criteria that reviewers use to evaluate your 
application. All of the information addressing the selection criteria 
and the priorities must be included in the narrative section of the 
application. It is strongly suggested that you limit the narrative of 
your application to the equivalent of no more than 25 pages, using the 
following standards:
     A ``page'' is 8.5'' x 11'', on one side only, with 1'' 
margins at the top, bottom, and both sides.
     Double space (no more than three lines per vertical inch) 
all text in the application narrative, including titles, headings, 
footnotes, quotations, references, and captions, as well as all text in 
charts, tables, figures, and graphs.
     Use a font that is either 12 point or larger or no smaller 
than 10 pitch (characters per inch).

[[Page 4109]]

    The suggested page limit does not apply to the cover sheet; the 
budget section, including the narrative budget justification; the 
assurances and certifications; or the one-page abstract, the resumes, 
the bibliography, the evidence of eligibility, or the letters of 
support.
    3. Submission Dates and Times: Applications Available: January 31, 
2005.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: March 23, 2005.
    Applications for grants under this competition must be submitted 
electronically using the Grants.gov Apply site (Grants.gov). For 
information (including dates and times) about how to submit your 
application electronically or by mail or hand delivery if you qualify 
for an exception to the electronic submission requirement, please refer 
to section IV.6. Other Submission Requirements in this notice.
    We do not consider an application that does not comply with the 
deadline requirements.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: May 24, 2005.
    4. Intergovernmental Review: This competition is subject to 
Executive Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79. 
Information about Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs under 
Executive Order 12372 is in the application package for this 
competition.
    5. Funding Restrictions: Twenty-five (25) percent of the grant 
funds must be used for Direct Activities as described in Absolute 
Priority 1. (20 U.S.C. 7267b(b)(1)).
    Seventy-five (75) percent of the grant funds must be used for 
Subgrant Activities as described in Absolute Priority 2. (20 U.S.C. 
7267b(b)(2)).
    The grantee and each subgrantee may use not more than five (5) 
percent of their grant funds for administrative costs. (20 U.S.C. 
7267d(a)).
    We reference regulations outlining other funding restrictions in 
the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.
    6. Other Submission Requirements: Applications for grants under 
this competition must be submitted electronically unless you qualify 
for an exception to this requirement in accordance with the 
instructions in this section.
    a. Electronic Submission of Applications. Applications for grants 
under the Excellence in Economic Education Program--CFDA Number 84.215B 
must be submitted electronically using the Grants.gov Apply site. 
Through this site, you will be able to download a copy of the 
application package, complete it offline, and then upload and submit 
your application. You may not e-mail an electronic copy of a grant 
application to us.
    We will reject your application if you submit it in paper format 
unless, as described elsewhere in this section, you qualify for one of 
the exceptions to the electronic submission requirement and submit, no 
later than two weeks before the application deadline date, a written 
statement to the Department that you qualify for one of these 
exceptions. Further information regarding calculation of the date that 
is two weeks before the application deadline date is provided later in 
this section under Exception to Electronic Submission Requirement.
    You may access the electronic grant application for Excellence in 
Economic Education Program at: https://www.grants.gov. You must search 
for the downloadable application package for this program by the CFDA 
number. Do not include the CFDA number's alpha suffix in your search.
    Please note the following:
     When you enter the Grants.gov site, you will find 
information about submitting an application electronically through the 
site, as well as the hours of operation.
     Applications received by Grants.gov are time and date 
stamped. Your application must be fully uploaded and submitted with a 
date/time received by the Grants.gov system no later than 4:30 p.m., 
Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. We will not 
consider your application if it was received by the Grants.gov system 
later than 4:30 p.m. on the application deadline date. When we retrieve 
your application from Grants.gov, we will notify you if we are 
rejecting your application because it was submitted after 4:30 p.m. on 
the application deadline date.
     The amount of time it can take to upload an application 
will vary depending on a variety of factors including the size of the 
application and the speed of your Internet connection. Therefore, we 
strongly recommend that you do not wait until the application deadline 
date to begin the application process through Grants.gov.
     You should review and follow the Education Submission 
Procedures for submitting an application through Grants.gov that are 
included in the application package for this program [competition] to 
ensure that your application is submitted timely to the Grants.gov 
system.
     To use Grants.gov, you, as the applicant, must have a D-U-
N-S Number and register in the Central Contractor Registry (CCR). You 
should allow a minimum of five business days to complete the CCR 
registration.
     You will not receive additional point value because you 
submit your application in electronic format, nor will we penalize you 
if you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission 
requirement, as described elsewhere in this section, and submit your 
application in paper format.
     You must submit all documents electronically, including 
all information typically included on the Application for Federal 
Education Assistance (ED 424), Budget Information--Non-Construction 
Programs (ED 524), and all necessary assurances and certifications. Any 
narrative sections of your application should be attached as files in a 
.DOC (document), .RTF (rich text), or .PDF (Portable Document) format.
     Your electronic application must comply with any page 
limit requirements described in this notice.
     After you electronically submit your application, you will 
receive an automatic acknowledgement from Grants.gov that contains a 
Grants.gov tracking number. The Department will retrieve your 
application from Grants.gov and send you a second confirmation by e-
mail that will include a PR/Award number (an ED-specified identifying 
number unique to your application).
     We may request that you provide us original signatures on 
forms at a later date.
    Exception to Electronic Submission Requirement: You qualify for an 
exception to the electronic submission requirement, and may submit your 
application in paper format, if you are unable to submit an application 
through the Grants.gov system because--
     You do not have access to the Internet; or
     You do not have the capacity to upload large documents to 
the Grants.gov system; and
     No later than two weeks before the application deadline 
date (14 calendar days or, if the fourteenth calendar day before the 
application deadline date falls on a Federal holiday, the next business 
day following the Federal holiday), you mail or fax a written statement 
to the Department, explaining which of the two grounds for an exception 
prevent you from using the Internet to submit your application. If you 
mail your written statement to the Department, it must be postmarked no 
later than two weeks before the application deadline date. If you fax

[[Page 4110]]

your written statement to the Department, we must receive the faxed 
statement no later than two weeks before the application deadline date.
    Address and mail or fax your statement to: Carolyn J. Warren, U.S. 
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 4W209, 
Washington, DC 20202-5900. FAX: (202) 205-5631.
    Your paper application must be submitted in accordance with the 
mail or hand delivery instructions described in this notice.
    b. Submission of Paper Applications by Mail. If you qualify for an 
exception to the electronic submission requirement, you may mail 
(through the U.S. Postal Service or a commercial carrier), your 
application to the Department. You must mail the original and two 
copies of your application, on or before the application deadline date, 
to the Department at the applicable following address:
    By mail through the U.S. Postal Service: U.S. Department of 
Education, Application Control Center, Attention: (CFDA Number 
84.215B), 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20202-4260; or
    By mail through a commercial carrier: U.S. Department of Education, 
Application Control Center--Stop 4260, Attention: (CFDA Number 
84.215B), 7100 Old Landover Road, Landover, MD 20785-1506.
    Regardless of which address you use, you must show proof of mailing 
consisting of one of the following:
    (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, or
    (4) Any other proof of mailing acceptable to the Secretary of the 
U.S. Department of Education.
    If you mail your application through the U.S. Postal Service, we do 
not accept either of the following as proof of mailing:
    (1) A private metered postmark, or
    (2) A mail receipt that is not dated by the U.S. Postal Service.
    If your application is postmarked after the application deadline 
date, we will not consider your application.

    Note: The U.S. Postal Service does not uniformly provide a dated 
postmark. Before relying on this method, you should check with your 
local post office.

    c. Submission of Paper Applications by Hand Delivery. If you 
qualify for an exception to the electronic submission requirement, you 
(or a courier service) may deliver your paper application to the 
Department by hand. You must deliver the original and two copies of 
your application by hand, on or before the application deadline date, 
to the Department at the following address: U.S. Department of 
Education, Application Control Center, Attention: (CFDA Number 
84.215B), 550 12th Street, SW., Room 7041, Potomac Center Plaza, 
Washington, DC 20202-4260.
    The Application Control Center accepts hand deliveries daily 
between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, except Saturdays, 
Sundays and Federal holidays.
    Note for Mail or Hand Delivery of Paper Applications: If you mail 
or hand deliver your application to the Department:
    (1) You must indicate on the envelope and--if not provided by the 
Department--in Item 4 of the Application for Federal Education 
Assistance (ED 424) the CFDA number--and suffix letter, if any--of the 
competition under which you are submitting your application.
    (2) The Application Control Center will mail a grant application 
receipt acknowledgment to you. If you do not receive the grant 
application receipt acknowledgment within 15 business days from the 
application deadline date, you should call the U.S. Department of 
Education Application Control Center at (202) 245-6288.

V. Application Review Information

    Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this competition are 
from EDGAR, 34 CFR 75.210, as follows:
    1. Quality of the Project Design--20 points. In determining the 
quality of the design of the proposed project, the Secretary considers 
the extent to which the proposed project represents an exceptional 
approach to the priorities established for the competition.
    2. Quality of Project Services--30 points. (a) In determining the 
quality of the services to be provided by the proposed project, the 
Secretary considers the quality and sufficiency of strategies for 
ensuring equal access and treatment for eligible project participants 
who are members of groups that have traditionally been underrepresented 
based on race, color, national origin, gender, age, or disability.
    (b) In addition, the Secretary considers the following factors:
    (i) The extent to which the training or professional development 
services to be provided by the proposed project are of sufficient 
quality, intensity, and duration to lead to improvements in practice 
among the recipients of those services.
    (ii) The likelihood that the services to be provided by the 
proposed project will lead to improvements in the achievement of 
students as measured against rigorous academic standards.
    (iii) The extent to which the services to be provided by the 
proposed project involve the collaboration of appropriate partners for 
maximizing the effectiveness of project services.
    3. Quality of the Management Plan--20 points. In determining the 
quality of the management plan for the proposed project, the Secretary 
considers the adequacy of the management plan to achieve the objectives 
of the proposed project on time and within budget, including clearly 
defined responsibilities, timelines, and milestones for accomplishing 
project tasks.
    4. Quality of Project Personnel--10 points. (a) In determining the 
quality of project personnel, the Secretary considers the extent to 
which the applicant encourages applications for employment from persons 
who are members of groups that have traditionally been underrepresented 
based on race, color, national origin, gender, age, or disability.
    (b) In addition, the Secretary considers the following factors:
    (i) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience, 
of the project director.
    (ii) The qualifications, including relevant training and 
experience, of key project personnel.
    5. Quality of Project Evaluation--20 points. In determining the 
quality of the evaluation, the Secretary considers the following 
factors:
    (a) The extent to which the methods of evaluation include the use 
of objective performance measures that are clearly related to the 
intended outcomes of the project and will produce quantitative and 
qualitative data to the extent possible.
    (b) The extent to which the evaluation will provide guidance about 
effective strategies suitable for replication or testing in other 
settings.

    Note: The Department notes that the grantee can, as authorized 
by section 5533(b)(2)(C) of the ESEA, award subgrants to conduct 
evaluations and to collect the information needed for implementation 
of the performance measure discussed elsewhere in this notice.

    Factors Applicants May Wish to Consider in Developing an Evaluation 
Plan. A strong evaluation plan should be included in the application 
narrative and should be used, as appropriate, to shape the development 
of the project

[[Page 4111]]

from the beginning of the grant period. The plan should include 
benchmarks to monitor progress toward specific project objectives and 
also outcome measures to assess the impact on teaching and learning or 
other important outcomes for project participants. More specifically, 
the plan should, where possible, identify the individual and/or 
organization that has agreed to serve as evaluator for the project and 
describe the qualifications of that evaluator. The plan should describe 
the evaluation design, indicating:
    (1) What types of data will be collected.
    (2) When various types of data will be collected.
    (3) What methods will be used.
    (4) What instruments will be developed and when.
    (5) How the data will be analyzed.
    (6) When reports of results and outcomes will be available.
    (7) How the applicant will use the information collected through 
the evaluation to monitor progress of the funded project and to provide 
accountability information both about success at the initial site and 
effective strategies for replication in other settings. Applicants are 
encouraged to devote an appropriate level of resources to project 
evaluation.

VI. Award Administration Information

    1. Award Notices: If your application is successful, we notify your 
U.S. Representative and U.S. Senators and send you a Grant Award 
Notification (GAN). We may also notify you informally.
    If your application is not evaluated or not selected for funding, 
we notify you.
    2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements: We identify 
administrative and national policy requirements in the application 
package and reference these and other requirements in the Applicable 
Regulations section of this notice.
    We reference the regulations outlining the terms and conditions of 
an award in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice and 
include these and other specific conditions in the GAN. The GAN also 
incorporates your approved application as part of your binding 
commitments under the grant.
    3. Reporting: At the end of your project period, you must submit a 
final performance report, including financial information, as directed 
by the Secretary. If you receive a multi-year award, you must submit an 
annual performance report that provides the most current performance 
and financial expenditure information as specified by the Secretary in 
34 CFR 75.118.
    4. Performance Measures: The percentage of students of teachers 
trained under the grant project that demonstrate an improved 
understanding of personal finance and economics as compared to similar 
students whose teachers have not had the training provided by this 
project. The grantee under this program will be expected to collect and 
report these data to the Department, and applicants are strongly 
encouraged to design their proposed project evaluations around this 
performance measure.

VII. Agency Contact

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carolyn J. Warren, U.S. Department of 
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 4W209, Washington, DC 20202-
5900. Telephone: (202) 205-5443 or by e-mail: carolyn.warren@ed.gov.
    If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may 
call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1-800-877-8339.
    Individuals with disabilities may obtain this document in an 
alternative format (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer 
diskette) on request to the program contact person listed in this 
section.

VIII. Other Information

    Electronic Access to This Document: You may view this document, as 
well as all other documents of this Department published in the Federal 
Register, in text or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) on the 
Internet at the following site: www.ed.gov/news/fedregister.
    To use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available 
free at this site. If you have questions about using PDF, call the U.S. 
Government Printing Office (GPO), toll free, at 1-888-293-6498; or in 
the Washington, DC, area at (202) 512-1530.

    Note: The official version of this document is the document 
published in the Federal Register. Free Internet access to the 
official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of Federal 
Regulations is available on GPO Access at: www.gpoaccess.gov/nara/
index.html.


    Dated: January 25, 2005.
Nina Shokraii Rees,
Assistant Deputy Secretary for Innovation and Improvement.
[FR Doc. 05-1650 Filed 1-27-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P