Office of Elementary and Secondary Education; Overview Information; Early Reading First Program; Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2006, 2916-2922 [06-446]
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Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 11 / Wednesday, January 18, 2006 / Notices
should be electronically mailed to the email address IC DocketMgr@ed.gov.
Individuals who use a
telecommunications device for the deaf
(TDD) may call the Federal Information
Relay Service (FIRS) at 1–800–877–
8339.
[FR Doc. E6–447 Filed 1–17–06; 8:45 am]
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Submission for OMB Review;
Comment Request
Department of Education.
The IC Clearance Official,
Regulatory Information Management
Services, Office of the Chief Information
Officer invites comments on the
submission for OMB review as required
by the Paperwork Reduction Act of
1995.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY:
Interested persons are invited to
submit comments on or before February
17, 2006.
ADDRESSES: Written comments should
be addressed to the Office of
Information and Regulatory Affairs,
Attention: Rachel Potter, Desk Officer,
Department of Education, Office of
Management and Budget, 725 17th
Street, NW., Room 10222, New
Executive Office Building, Washington,
DC 20503 or faxed to (202) 395–6974.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section
3506 of the Paperwork Reduction Act of
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Dated: January 11, 2006.
Angela C. Arrington,
IC Clearance Official, Regulatory Information
Management Services, Office of the Chief
Information Officer.
Institute of Education Sciences
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Reporting and/or Recordkeeping
burden. OMB invites public comment.
Type of Review: Revision.
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Safety: 2006 (SSOCS: 2006).
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Affected Public: State, Local, or Tribal
Gov’t, SEAs or LEAs.
Reporting and Recordkeeping Hour
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Responses: 2,550.
Burden Hours: 2,703.
Abstract: Authorized under the
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the School Survey on Crime and Safety:
2006 (SSOCS) is the only recurring
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edicsweb.ed.gov, by selecting the
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[FR Doc. E6–448 Filed 1–17–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000–01–P
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Office of Elementary and Secondary
Education; Overview Information;
Early Reading First Program; Notice
Inviting Applications for New Awards
for Fiscal Year (FY) 2006
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance
(CFDA) Number: 84.359A/B.
Dates: Applications Available:
January 20, 2006.
Deadline for Transmittal of PreApplications: February 20, 2006.
Deadline for Transmittal of Full
Applications: May 8, 2006.
Deadline for Intergovernmental
Review: July 7, 2006.
Eligible Applicants: Under this
competition, eligible applicants are (a)
one or more local educational agencies
(LEAs) that are eligible to receive a
subgrant under the Reading First
program (title I, part B, subpart 1 of the
Elementary and Secondary Education
Act of 1965, as amended (ESEA)); (b)
one or more public or private
organizations or agencies (including
faith-based organizations) located in a
community served by an eligible LEA;
or (c) one or more eligible LEAs,
applying in collaboration with one or
more eligible organizations or agencies.
To qualify under paragraph (b) of this
definition, the organization’s or agency’s
application must be on behalf of one or
more programs that serve preschool-age
children (such as a Head Start program,
a child care program, or a family literacy
program such as Even Start, or a lab
school at a university), unless the
organization or agency itself operates a
preschool program.
Estimated Available Funds:
$102,087,000.
Estimated Range of Awards:
$1,500,000–$4,500,000.
Estimated Average Size of Awards:
$3,000,000.
Estimated Number of Awards: 23–68.
Note: The Department is not bound by any
estimates in this notice.
Project Period: Up to 36 months.
Full Text of Announcement
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Purpose of Program: This program
supports local efforts to enhance the
oral language, cognitive, and early
reading skills of preschool-age children,
especially those from low-income
families, through strategies, materials,
and professional development that are
grounded in scientifically based reading
research.
The specific activities for which
recipients must use grant funds are
identified in the program statute, which
is included in the application package.
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Priorities: This competition includes
three invitational priorities and one
competitive preference priority that are
as follows.
Under this competition, we are
particularly interested in applications
that address the following invitational
priorities.
Invitational Priorities: For FY 2006
these priorities are invitational
priorities. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(1) we
do not give an application that meets
these invitational priorities a
competitive or absolute preference over
other applications.
These priorities are:
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Invitational Priority 1—Intensity
The Secretary is especially interested
in preschool programs that operate fulltime, full-year early childhood
educational programs, at a minimum of
6.5 hours per day, 5 days per week, 46
weeks per year, and that serve children
for the two consecutive years prior to
their entry into kindergarten.
Scientifically based research on
increasing the effectiveness of early
childhood education programs serving
children from low-income families tells
us that children attending programs that
have a greater intensity of service make
higher and more persistent gains in the
language and cognitive domains than
children who attend early childhood
programs that have lesser intensity of
service. In other words, children who
spend more time in high-quality early
childhood education programs learn
more than children who spend less time
in those programs. The purpose of
Invitational Priority 1 is to encourage
preschool programs supported with
Early Reading First funds to provide
services that are of a sufficient duration
and intensity to maximize language and
early literacy gains for children enrolled
in those programs.
Invitational Priority 2—Children From
Low-Income Families
The Secretary is especially interested
in projects in which, in all preschool
centers supported by the Early Reading
First funds, at least 75 percent of the
children enrolled in the preschool
qualify to receive free or reduced priced
lunches or at least 75 percent of the
children enrolled in the elementary
school in the school attendance area in
which that center is located qualify to
receive free or reduced priced lunches.
One of the statutory purposes of the
Early Reading First program is to
enhance the early language, literacy,
and early reading development of
preschool-age children, particularly
those from low-income families. This
invitational priority is intended to
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increase the likelihood that preschool
programs supported with Early Reading
First funds serve children primarily
from low-income families.
Education Department General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR),
which apply to this program (34 CFR
75.225).
Invitational Priority 3—English
Language Acquisition Plan
The Secretary is especially interested,
for applicants serving children with
limited English proficiency, in
applications that include a specific plan
for the development of English language
proficiency for these children from the
start of their preschool experience. The
Early Reading First program is designed
to prepare children to enter
kindergarten with the necessary
cognitive, early language, and literacy
skills for success in school. School
success often is dependent on each
child entering kindergarten being as
proficient as possible in English so that
the child is ready to benefit from formal
reading instruction in English when the
child starts school.
The English language acquisition plan
should, at a minimum: (1) Include a
description of the approach for the
development of language, based on the
linguistic factors or skills that serve as
the foundation for a strong language
base, which is a necessary precursor for
success in the development of preliteracy and literacy skills for children
with limited English proficiency; (2)
explain the instructional strategies,
based on best available valid and
reliable research, that the applicant will
use to address English language
acquisition in a multi-lingual classroom;
(3) describe how the project will
facilitate the children’s transition to
English proficiency by means such as
the use of environmental print in
appropriate multiple languages and
hiring bilingual teachers,
paraprofessionals, or translators to work
in the preschool classroom; (4) include
intensive professional development for
instructors and paraprofessionals on the
development of English language
proficiency; and (5) include a timeline
that describes benchmarks for the
introduction of the development of
English language proficiency and the
use of measurement tools.
Ideally, at least one instructional staff
member in each Early Reading First
classroom should be dual-language
proficient both in a child’s first language
and in English to facilitate the child’s
understanding of instruction and
transition to English proficiency. At a
minimum, each classroom should
include a teacher who is proficient in
English.
Competitive Preference Priority: In
accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(ii),
this priority is from § 75.225 of the
Competitive Preference Priority—Novice
Applicant
For FY 2006 this priority is a
competitive preference priority. Under
34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i) we award an
additional five (5) points to a preapplication and an additional five (5)
points to a full application meeting this
competitive preference priority.
This priority is:
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Novice Applicant
The applicant must be a ‘‘novice
applicant’’ as defined in 34 CFR 75.225.
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 6371–
6376.
Applicable Regulations: EDGAR in 34
CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80, 81, 82, 84,
85, 86, 97, 98, and 99 as applicable.
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 79
apply to all applicants except federally
recognized Indian tribes.
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86
apply to institutions of higher education
only.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Discretionary grant.
Estimated Available Funds:
$102,087,000.
Estimated Range of Awards:
$1,500,000–$4,500,000.
Estimated Average Size of Awards:
$3,000,000.
Estimated Number of Awards: 23–68.
Note: The Department is not bound by any
estimates in this notice.
Project Period: Up to 36 months.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants
Under this competition, eligible
applicants are (a) one or more LEAs that
are eligible to receive a subgrant under
the Reading First program (title I, part
B, subpart 1, ESEA); (b) one or more
public or private organizations or
agencies (including faith-based
organizations) located in a community
served by an eligible LEA; or (c) one or
more eligible LEAs, applying in
collaboration with one or more eligible
organizations or agencies. To qualify
under paragraph (b) of this definition,
the organization’s or agency’s
application must be on behalf of one or
more programs that serve preschool-age
children (such as a Head Start program,
a child care program, or a family literacy
program such as Even Start, or a lab
school at a university), unless the
organization or agency itself operates a
preschool program.
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2. Cost Sharing or Matching
This program does not involve cost
sharing or matching.
IV. Application and Submission
Information
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1. Address to Request Application
Package
You may obtain an application
package via the Internet or from the
Education Publications Center (ED
Pubs). To obtain an application via the
Internet, use the following Web address:
https://www.ed.gov/programs/
earlyreading/applicant.html.
To obtain a copy from ED Pubs, write
or call Education Publications Center
(ED Pubs), P.O. Box 1398, Jessup, MD
20794–1398. Telephone (toll free): 1–
877–433–7827. FAX: (301) 470–1244. If
you use a telecommunications device
for the deaf (TDD), you may call (toll
free): 1–877–576–7734.
You may also contact ED Pubs at its
Web site: https://www.ed.gov/pubs/
edpubs.html or you may contact ED
Pubs at its e-mail address:
edpubs@inet.ed.gov.
If you request an application package
from ED Pubs, be sure to identify this
competition as follows: CFDA number
84.359A/B.
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 section VII of
this notice.
2. Content and Form of Application
Submission
Requirements concerning the content
of the pre-application and the full
application, together with the forms you
must submit, are in the application
package for this competition. All
applicants must apply in the preapplication phase; applicants must be
invited to submit a full application.
Page Limits: The pre-application
narrative and the full application
narrative for this program (Part II of the
pre- and full applications) are where
you, the applicant, address the selection
criteria that reviewers use to evaluate
your pre- and full applications. You
must limit Part II of the pre-application
to the equivalent of no more than ten
(10) pages and Part II of the full
application to the equivalent of no more
than thirty-five (35) pages.
Part III of the pre-application is where
you, the applicant, provide the
Appendices. Pre-application
Appendices are limited to the following:
A list and a brief description of the
existing preschool programs that the
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proposed Early Reading First project
would support; a language acquisition
plan, if applicable; and endnote
citations for research cited specifically
in the pre-application narrative. You
must limit the list and the brief
description of the existing preschool
programs to the equivalent of no more
than five (5) pages. You must limit any
English language acquisition plan to the
equivalent of no more than two (2)
pages for the pre-application. No page
limit applies to the pre-application
endnote citations.
Part III of the full application is where
you, the applicant, provide a budget
narrative that reviewers use to evaluate
your full application. You must limit
the budget narrative in Part III of the full
application to the equivalent of no more
than five (5) pages.
Part IV of the full application is where
you, the applicant, provide the
Appendices. Full application
Appendices are limited to the following:
A list and a brief description of the
existing preschool programs that the
proposed Early Reading First project
would support; an English language
acquisition plan, if applicable; position
descriptions (and resumes or
curriculum vitae if available) for up to
five (5) key personnel; endnote citations
for research cited specifically in the full
application narrative; and
documentation demonstrating the
stakeholder support for the project. You
must limit the list and the brief
description of the existing preschool
programs to the equivalent of no more
than five (5) pages. You must limit each
resume or curriculum vitae to the
equivalent of no more than three (3)
pages each, and limit the documentation
demonstrating stakeholder support for
the project to the equivalent of no more
than five (5) pages. You must limit any
English language acquisition plan to the
equivalent of no more than five (5)
pages for the full application.
For all page limits, use 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 and budget narratives,
including titles, headings, footnotes,
quotations, references, and captions
included in the body of the narrative.
• Text in endnotes, charts, tables,
figures, and graphs may be singlespaced.
• Use a font that is either 12 point or
larger or no smaller than 10 pitch
(characters per inch), including text in
endnotes, charts, tables, figures, and
graphs.
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For the full application, the page
limits do not apply to the budget form
(ED Form 524) in Part III, or to the
assurances and certifications, position
descriptions, and endnotes in Part IV.
Our reviewers will not read any pages
of your pre-application or full
application that—
• Exceed the page limit if you apply
these standards; or
• Exceed the equivalent of the page
limit if you apply other standards.
3. Submission Dates and Times
Applications Available: January 20,
2006.
Deadline for Transmittal of PreApplications: February 20, 2006.
Deadline for Transmittal of Full
Applications: May 8, 2006.
Pre- and full 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: July 7, 2006.
4. Intergovernmental Review
This program 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
program.
5. Funding Restrictions
We reference regulations outlining
funding restrictions in the Applicable
Regulations section of this notice.
6. Other Submission Requirements
Pre- and full 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
Pre- and full applications for grants
under the Early Reading First programCFDA Number 84.359A (preapplication) and CFDA Number 84.359B
(full application) must be submitted
electronically using the Grants.gov
Apply site at: https://www.grants.gov
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Through this site, you will be able to
download a copy of the application
package, complete it offline, and then
upload and submit your pre- or full
application. You may not e-mail an
electronic copy of a grant application to
us.
We will reject your pre- or full
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 pre- or full
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 pre- or full application
deadline date is provided later in this
section under Exception to Electronic
Submission Requirement.
You may access the electronic grant
application for the Early Reading First
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 preand full applications must be fully
uploaded and submitted, and must be
date/time stamped by the Grants.gov
system no later than 4:30 p.m.,
Washington, DC time, on the pre- or full
application deadline date. Except as
otherwise noted in this section, we will
not consider your pre- or full
application if it is date/time stamped by
the Grants.gov system later than 4:30
p.m., Washington, DC time, on the preor full application deadline date. When
we retrieve your pre- or full application
from Grants.gov, we will notify you if
we are rejecting your pre- or full
application because it was date/time
stamped by the Grants.gov system after
4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the
pre- or full 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 pre- or full
application deadline date to begin the
submission process through Grants.gov.
• You should review and follow the
Education Submission Procedures for
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submitting an application through
Grants.gov that are included in the
application package for this competition
to ensure that you submit your pre- and
any full application in a timely manner
to the Grants.gov system. You can also
find the Education Submission
Procedures pertaining to Grants.gov at
https://e-Grants.ed.gov/help/
GrantsgovSubmissionProcedures.pdf.
• To submit your pre- or full
application via Grants.gov, you must
complete all of the steps in the
Grants.gov registration process (see
https://www.grants.gov/GetStarted).
These steps include (1) registering your
organization, (2) registering yourself as
an Authorized Organization
Representative (AOR), and (3) getting
authorized as an AOR by your
organization. Details on these steps are
outlined in the Grants.gov 3-Step
Registration Guide (see https://
www.grants.gov/assets/
GrantsgovCoBrandBrochure8X11.pdf).
You also must provide on your pre- and
full applications the same D–U–N–S
Number used with this registration.
Please note that the registration process
may take five or more business days to
complete, and you must have completed
all registration steps to allow you to
successfully submit a pre- or full
application via Grants.gov.
• 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—NonConstruction Programs (ED 524), and all
necessary assurances and certifications.
You must attach any narrative sections
of your pre- and full applications as files
in a .DOC (document), .RTF (rich text),
or .PDF (Portable Document) format. If
you upload a file type other than the
three file types specified above or
submit a password protected file, we
will not review that material.
• Your electronic pre- and full
applications must comply with any page
limit requirements described in this
notice.
• After you electronically submit
your pre- or full application, you will
receive an automatic acknowledgment
from Grants.gov that contains a
Grants.gov tracking number. The
Department will retrieve your pre- or
full application from Grants.gov and
send you a second confirmation by e-
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mail that will include a PR/Award
number (an ED-specified identifying
number unique to your pre- or full
application).
• We may request that you provide us
original signatures on forms at a later
date.
Application Deadline Date Extension
in Case of Technical Issues with the
Grants.gov System: If you are prevented
from electronically submitting your preor full application on the pre- or full
application deadline dates because of
technical problems with the Grants.gov
system, we will grant you an extension
until 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time,
the following business day to enable
you to transmit your pre- or full
application electronically, or by hand
delivery. You also may mail your preand full applications by following the
mailing instructions as described
elsewhere in this notice. If you submit
a pre- or full application after 4:30 p.m.,
Washington, DC time, on the deadline
date, please contact the person listed
elsewhere in this notice under FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT, and
provide an explanation of the technical
problem you experienced with
Grants.gov, along with the Grants.gov
Support Desk Case Number (if
available). We will accept your pre- or
full application if we can confirm that
a technical problem occurred with the
Grants.gov system and that that problem
affected your ability to submit your preor full application by 4:30 p.m.,
Washington, DC time, on the pre- or full
application deadline date. The
Department will contact you after a
determination is made on whether your
pre- or full application will be accepted.
Note: Extensions referred to in this section
apply only to the unavailability of or
technical problems with the Grants.gov
system. We will not grant you an extension
if you failed to fully register to submit your
pre- or full application to Grants.gov before
the deadline date and time or if the technical
problem you experienced is unrelated to the
Grants.gov system.
Exception to Electronic Submission
Requirement: You qualify for an
exception to the electronic submission
requirement, and may submit your preor full application in paper format, if
you are unable to submit a pre- or full
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
pre- or full application deadline date (14
calendar days or, if the fourteenth
calendar day before the pre- or full
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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 pre- or full application. If you mail
your written statement to the
Department, it must be postmarked no
later than two weeks before the pre- or
full application deadline date. If you fax
your written statement to the
Department, we must receive the faxed
statement no later than two weeks
before the pre- or full application
deadline date.
Address and mail or fax your
statement to: Jill Stewart, U.S.
Department of Education, 400 Maryland
Avenue, SW., room 3C136, Washington,
DC 20202–6132. Telephone: (202) 260–
2533; FAX number (202) 260–7764 or
Rebecca Haynes, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW.,
room 3C138, Washington, DC 20202–
6132. Telephone: (202) 260–0968; FAX
number (202) 260–7764.
Your paper pre- or full 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
pre- or full application to the
Department. You must mail the original
and two copies of your pre- or full
application, on or before the pre- or full
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
84.359A/B), 400 Maryland Avenue, SW.,
Washington, DC 20202–4260, or
By mail through a commercial carrier:
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U.S. Department of Education, Application
Control Center—Stop 4260, Attention: (CFDA
Number 84.359A/B), 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
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(4) Any other proof of mailing
acceptable to the Secretary of the U.S.
Department of Education.
If you mail your pre- or full
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 pre- or full application is
postmarked after the pre- or full
application deadline date, we will not
consider your pre- or full 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 pre- or full application to the
Department by hand. You must deliver
the original and two copies of your preor full application by hand, on or before
the pre- or full application deadline
date, to the Department at the following
address:
U.S. Department of Education, Application
Control Center, Attention: (CFDA Number
84.359A/B), 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 pre- or full 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 pre- or full 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 pre- or full application
deadline date, you should call the U.S.
Department of Education Application
Control Center at (202) 245–6288.
V. Application Review Information
1. Selection Criteria
This program has separate selection
criteria for pre-applications and full
applications.
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A. Pre-Applications
The following selection criterion for
pre-applications is from 34 CFR 75.210
of EDGAR. Additional information
about this selection criterion is in the
application package. The maximum
score for the pre-application selection
criterion is 100 points.
(i) Quality of the project design (0–100
points)
The Secretary considers the quality of
the design of the proposed project. In
determining the quality of the design of
the proposed project, the Secretary
considers the following factors:
(a) The extent to which the design of
the proposed project reflects up-to-date
knowledge from research and effective
practice. (34 CFR 75.210(c)(2)(xiii))
(b) The extent to which the proposed
project represents an exceptional
approach for meeting statutory purposes
and requirements. (34 CFR
75.210(c)(2)(xiv))
(c) The extent to which the proposed
project will be coordinated with similar
or related efforts, and with other
appropriate community, State, and
Federal resources. (34 CFR
75.210(c)(2)(xvi))
B. Full Application
The following selection criteria for
full applications are from § 75.210 of
EDGAR (34 CFR 75.210). Additional
information about each of these
selection criteria is in the application
package. The maximum score for each
criterion is indicated after the title of the
criterion. The maximum score for the
full application selection criteria is 100
points.
(i) Quality of the project design (0–60
points)
The Secretary considers the quality of
the design of the proposed project. In
determining the quality of the design of
the proposed project, the Secretary
considers the following factors:
(a) The extent to which the design of
the proposed project reflects up-to-date
knowledge from research and effective
practice. (34 CFR 75.210(c)(2)(xiii))
(b) The extent to which the proposed
project represents an exceptional
approach for meeting statutory purposes
and requirements. (34 CFR
75.210(c)(2)(xiv))
(c) The extent to which the proposed
project will be coordinated with similar
or related efforts, and with other
appropriate community, State, and
Federal resources. (34 CFR
75.210(c)(2)(xvi))
(ii) Quality of project personnel (0–10
points)
The Secretary considers the quality of
the personnel who will carry out the
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Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 11 / Wednesday, January 18, 2006 / Notices
proposed project. 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. (34 CFR
75.210(e)(1), (2))
In addition, the Secretary considers
the following factors:
(a) The qualifications, including
relevant training and experience, of the
project director or principal
investigator. (34 CFR 75.210(e)(3)(i))
(b) The qualifications, including
relevant training and experience, of key
project personnel. (34 CFR
75.210(e)(3)(ii))
(c) The qualifications, including
relevant training and experience, of
project consultants or subcontractors.
(34 CFR 75.210(e)(3)(iii))
(iii) Adequacy of resources (0–5
points)
The Secretary considers the adequacy
of resources for the proposed project. In
determining the adequacy of resources
for the proposed project, the Secretary
considers the following factors:
(a) The relevance and demonstrated
commitment of each partner in the
proposed project to the implementation
and success of the project. (34 CFR
75.210(f)(2)(ii))
(b) The extent to which the costs are
reasonable in relation to the objectives,
design, and potential significance of the
proposed project. (34 CFR
75.210(f)(2)(iv))
(iv) Quality of the management plan
(0–15 points)
The Secretary considers the quality of
the management plan for the proposed
project. In determining the quality of the
management plan for the proposed
project, the Secretary considers the
following factors:
(a) 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. (34 CFR 75.210(g)(2)(i))
(b) The adequacy of procedures for
ensuring feedback and continuous
improvement in the operation of the
proposed project. (34 CFR
75.210(g)(2)(ii))
(c) The extent to which the time
commitments of the project director and
principal investigator and other key
project personnel are appropriate and
adequate to meet the objectives of the
proposed project. (34 CFR
75.210(g)(2)(iv))
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15:06 Jan 17, 2006
Jkt 208001
(v) Quality of the project evaluation
(0–10 points) The Secretary considers
the quality of the evaluation to be
conducted of the proposed project. In
determining the quality of the
evaluation, the Secretary considers the
following factors:
(a) The extent to which the methods
of evaluation are thorough, feasible, and
appropriate to the goals, objectives, and
outcomes of the proposed project. (34
CFR 75.210(h)(2)(i))
(b) 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. (34 CFR
75.210(h)(2)(iv))
VI. Award Administration Information
1. Award Notices
If your pre-application is successful,
we notify you in writing and post the
list of successful applicants on the Early
Reading First Web site at https://
www.ed.gov/programs/earlyreading/
awards.html. If your full 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 pre-application is not
evaluated, or following the submission
of your pre-application you are not
invited to submit a full application, we
notify you. If your full 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
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2921
specified by the Secretary in 34 CFR
75.118. Early Reading First grantees also
are required to meet the annual
reporting requirements outlined in
section 1225 of the ESEA. For specific
requirements on grantee reporting,
please go to: https://www.ed.gov/fund/
grant/apply/appforms/appforms.html.
4. Performance Measures
Under the Government Performance
and Results Act (GPRA), the Secretary
has established the following two
measures for evaluating the overall
effectiveness of the Early Reading First
program: (1) The percentage of
preschool-age children participating in
Early Reading First programs who
achieve significant gains on oral
language skills as measured by the
Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-III,
Receptive; and (2) the average number
of letters that preschool-age children are
able to identify as measured by the
Upper Case Alphabet Knowledge
subtask on the PALS Pre-K assessment.
We will expect all grantees to
document their success in addressing
these performance measures in the
annual performance report described in
section VI.3. of this notice.
VII. Agency Contact
Jill
Stewart, U.S. Department of Education,
400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room
3C136, Washington, DC 20202–6132.
Telephone: (202) 260–2533 or by e-mail:
Jill.Stewart@ed.gov or Rebecca Haynes,
U.S. Department of Education, 400
Maryland Avenue, SW., room 3C138,
Washington, DC 20202–6132.
Telephone: (202) 260–0968 or by e-mail:
Rebecca.Haynes@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.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
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: https://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–
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2922
Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 11 / Wednesday, January 18, 2006 / Notices
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: https://www.gpoaccess.gov/nara/
index.html.
Dated: January 12, 2006.
Henry L. Johnson,
Assistant Secretary for Elementary and
Secondary Education.
[FR Doc. 06–446 Filed 1–12–06; 2:47 pm]
BILLING CODE 4000–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Office of Innovation and Improvement;
Notice Extending the Deadline Date for
Transmittal of Applications for the
Teaching American History Program
Fiscal Year (FY) 2006 Competition
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance
(CFDA) Number: 84.215X.
erjones on PROD1PC68 with NOTICES
SUMMARY: On December 6, 2005, we
published in the Federal Register (70
FR 72624) a notice inviting applications
for the Teaching American History
program’s FY 2006 competition. The
original notice for this FY 2006
competition established a February 3,
2006, deadline date for eligible
applicants to apply for funding under
this program. For this competition,
applicants are required to submit their
applications electronically through the
Department’s Electronic Grant
Application System (e-Application). In
order to accommodate a move of the eApplication system, which will result in
the unavailability of the system on the
original deadline date, we are extending
the deadline date for transmittal of
applications for the Teaching American
History program FY 2006 competition.
DATES: Deadline for Transmittal of
Applications: February 9, 2006.
(Applications must be received by eApplication no later than 4:30 p.m.,
Washington, DC time.)
Note: Applications for grants under the
Teaching American History program must be
submitted electronically using e-Application
available through the Department’s e-Grants
system. You may not e-mail an electronic
copy of a grant application to us. For
information about how to submit your
application electronically, please refer to
section IV. 6. Other Submission
Requirements in the December 6, 2005 notice
(70 FR 72624). We have not extended the
deadline for submitting a statement that an
applicant qualifies for an exception to the
electronic submission requirement.
Deadline for Intergovernmental
Review: The deadline date for
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15:06 Jan 17, 2006
Jkt 208001
Intergovernmental Review under
Executive Order 12732 is extended to
April 10, 2006.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Alex
Stein, U.S. Department of Education,
400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room
4W206, Washington, DC 20202–5960.
Telephone: (202) 205–9085 or by e-mail:
alex.stein@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.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Any
eligible applicant may apply for funding
under this program by the deadline date
established in this notice. Eligible
applicants that submit their applications
for the Teaching American History
program FY 2006 competition to the
Department before the competition’s
original deadline date of 4:30 p.m.,
February 3, 2006, are not required to
resubmit their applications or reapply in
order to be considered for FY 2006
awards under this program. We
encourage eligible applicants to submit
their applications as soon as possible to
avoid any problems with submitting
electronic applications on the deadline
date. The deadline for submission of
applications will not be extended any
further.
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: https://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: https://www.gpoaccess.gov/nara/
index.html.
Dated: January 12, 2006.
Nina Shokraii Rees,
Assistant Deputy Secretary for Innovation and
Improvement.
[FR Doc. E6–505 Filed 1–17–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000–01–P
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Environmental Management SiteSpecific Advisory Board, Rocky Flats
Department of Energy.
Notice of open meeting.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
SUMMARY: This notice announces a
meeting of the Environmental
Management Site-Specific Advisory
Board (EM SSAB), Rocky Flats. The
Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub.
L. 92–463, 86 Stat. 770) requires that
public notice of this meeting be
announced in the Federal Register.
DATES: Thursday, February 2, 2006, 6
p.m. to 9 p.m.
ADDRESSES: College Hill Library, Room
L–107, Front Range Community College,
3705 W. 112th Avenue, Westminster,
Colorado.
Ken
Korkia, Executive Director, Rocky Flats
Citizens Advisory Board, 12101 Airport
Way, Unit B, Broomfield, CO, 80021;
telephone (303) 966–7855; fax (303)
966–7856.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Purpose of
the Board: The purpose of the Board is
to make recommendations to DOE in the
areas of environmental restoration,
waste management, and related
activities.
Tentative Agenda:
1. Discussion on topics to include in
the Board’s recommendation on the
Final Proposed Plan for Rocky Flats.
2. Discussion on the Board’s Legacy
Report.
3. Other Board business may be
conducted as necessary.
Public Participation: The meeting is
open to the public. Written statements
may be filed with the Board either
before or after the meeting. Individuals
who wish to make oral statements
pertaining to agenda items should
contact Ken Korkia at the address or
telephone number listed above.
Requests must be received at least five
days prior to the meeting and reasonable
provisions will be made to include the
presentation in the agenda. The Deputy
Designated Federal Officer is
empowered to conduct the meeting in a
fashion that will facilitate the orderly
conduct of business. Individuals
wishing to make public comment will
be provided a maximum of five minutes
to present their comments.
Minutes: The minutes of this meeting
will be available for public review and
copying at the office of the Rocky Flats
Citizens Advisory Board, 12101 Airport
Way, Unit B, Broomfield, CO, 80021;
telephone (303) 966–7855. Hours of
operations are 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.,
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 11 (Wednesday, January 18, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2916-2922]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-446]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Office of Elementary and Secondary Education; Overview
Information; Early Reading First Program; Notice Inviting Applications
for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2006
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.359A/B.
Dates: Applications Available: January 20, 2006.
Deadline for Transmittal of Pre-Applications: February 20, 2006.
Deadline for Transmittal of Full Applications: May 8, 2006.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: July 7, 2006.
Eligible Applicants: Under this competition, eligible applicants
are (a) one or more local educational agencies (LEAs) that are eligible
to receive a subgrant under the Reading First program (title I, part B,
subpart 1 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as
amended (ESEA)); (b) one or more public or private organizations or
agencies (including faith-based organizations) located in a community
served by an eligible LEA; or (c) one or more eligible LEAs, applying
in collaboration with one or more eligible organizations or agencies.
To qualify under paragraph (b) of this definition, the organization's
or agency's application must be on behalf of one or more programs that
serve preschool-age children (such as a Head Start program, a child
care program, or a family literacy program such as Even Start, or a lab
school at a university), unless the organization or agency itself
operates a preschool program.
Estimated Available Funds: $102,087,000.
Estimated Range of Awards: $1,500,000-$4,500,000.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $3,000,000.
Estimated Number of Awards: 23-68.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this
notice.
Project Period: Up to 36 months.
Full Text of Announcement
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Purpose of Program: This program supports local efforts to enhance
the oral language, cognitive, and early reading skills of preschool-age
children, especially those from low-income families, through
strategies, materials, and professional development that are grounded
in scientifically based reading research.
The specific activities for which recipients must use grant funds
are identified in the program statute, which is included in the
application package.
[[Page 2917]]
Priorities: This competition includes three invitational priorities
and one competitive preference priority that are as follows.
Under this competition, we are particularly interested in
applications that address the following invitational priorities.
Invitational Priorities: For FY 2006 these priorities are
invitational priorities. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(1) we do not give an
application that meets these invitational priorities a competitive or
absolute preference over other applications.
These priorities are:
Invitational Priority 1--Intensity
The Secretary is especially interested in preschool programs that
operate full-time, full-year early childhood educational programs, at a
minimum of 6.5 hours per day, 5 days per week, 46 weeks per year, and
that serve children for the two consecutive years prior to their entry
into kindergarten.
Scientifically based research on increasing the effectiveness of
early childhood education programs serving children from low-income
families tells us that children attending programs that have a greater
intensity of service make higher and more persistent gains in the
language and cognitive domains than children who attend early childhood
programs that have lesser intensity of service. In other words,
children who spend more time in high-quality early childhood education
programs learn more than children who spend less time in those
programs. The purpose of Invitational Priority 1 is to encourage
preschool programs supported with Early Reading First funds to provide
services that are of a sufficient duration and intensity to maximize
language and early literacy gains for children enrolled in those
programs.
Invitational Priority 2--Children From Low-Income Families
The Secretary is especially interested in projects in which, in all
preschool centers supported by the Early Reading First funds, at least
75 percent of the children enrolled in the preschool qualify to receive
free or reduced priced lunches or at least 75 percent of the children
enrolled in the elementary school in the school attendance area in
which that center is located qualify to receive free or reduced priced
lunches.
One of the statutory purposes of the Early Reading First program is
to enhance the early language, literacy, and early reading development
of preschool-age children, particularly those from low-income families.
This invitational priority is intended to increase the likelihood that
preschool programs supported with Early Reading First funds serve
children primarily from low-income families.
Invitational Priority 3--English Language Acquisition Plan
The Secretary is especially interested, for applicants serving
children with limited English proficiency, in applications that include
a specific plan for the development of English language proficiency for
these children from the start of their preschool experience. The Early
Reading First program is designed to prepare children to enter
kindergarten with the necessary cognitive, early language, and literacy
skills for success in school. School success often is dependent on each
child entering kindergarten being as proficient as possible in English
so that the child is ready to benefit from formal reading instruction
in English when the child starts school.
The English language acquisition plan should, at a minimum: (1)
Include a description of the approach for the development of language,
based on the linguistic factors or skills that serve as the foundation
for a strong language base, which is a necessary precursor for success
in the development of pre-literacy and literacy skills for children
with limited English proficiency; (2) explain the instructional
strategies, based on best available valid and reliable research, that
the applicant will use to address English language acquisition in a
multi-lingual classroom; (3) describe how the project will facilitate
the children's transition to English proficiency by means such as the
use of environmental print in appropriate multiple languages and hiring
bilingual teachers, paraprofessionals, or translators to work in the
preschool classroom; (4) include intensive professional development for
instructors and paraprofessionals on the development of English
language proficiency; and (5) include a timeline that describes
benchmarks for the introduction of the development of English language
proficiency and the use of measurement tools.
Ideally, at least one instructional staff member in each Early
Reading First classroom should be dual-language proficient both in a
child's first language and in English to facilitate the child's
understanding of instruction and transition to English proficiency. At
a minimum, each classroom should include a teacher who is proficient in
English.
Competitive Preference Priority: In accordance with 34 CFR
75.105(b)(2)(ii), this priority is from Sec. 75.225 of the Education
Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR), which apply to
this program (34 CFR 75.225).
Competitive Preference Priority--Novice Applicant
For FY 2006 this priority is a competitive preference priority.
Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i) we award an additional five (5) points to
a pre-application and an additional five (5) points to a full
application meeting this competitive preference priority.
This priority is:
Novice Applicant
The applicant must be a ``novice applicant'' as defined in 34 CFR
75.225.
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 6371-6376.
Applicable Regulations: EDGAR in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80,
81, 82, 84, 85, 86, 97, 98, and 99 as applicable.
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 79 apply to all applicants
except federally recognized Indian tribes.
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to institutions of
higher education only.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Discretionary grant.
Estimated Available Funds: $102,087,000.
Estimated Range of Awards: $1,500,000-$4,500,000.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $3,000,000.
Estimated Number of Awards: 23-68.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this
notice.
Project Period: Up to 36 months.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants
Under this competition, eligible applicants are (a) one or more
LEAs that are eligible to receive a subgrant under the Reading First
program (title I, part B, subpart 1, ESEA); (b) one or more public or
private organizations or agencies (including faith-based organizations)
located in a community served by an eligible LEA; or (c) one or more
eligible LEAs, applying in collaboration with one or more eligible
organizations or agencies. To qualify under paragraph (b) of this
definition, the organization's or agency's application must be on
behalf of one or more programs that serve preschool-age children (such
as a Head Start program, a child care program, or a family literacy
program such as Even Start, or a lab school at a university), unless
the organization or agency itself operates a preschool program.
[[Page 2918]]
2. Cost Sharing or Matching
This program does not involve cost sharing or matching.
IV. Application and Submission Information
1. Address to Request Application Package
You may obtain an application package via the Internet or from the
Education Publications Center (ED Pubs). To obtain an application via
the Internet, use the following Web address: https://www.ed.gov/
programs/earlyreading/applicant.html.
To obtain a copy from ED Pubs, write or call Education Publications
Center (ED Pubs), P.O. Box 1398, Jessup, MD 20794-1398. Telephone (toll
free): 1-877-433-7827. FAX: (301) 470-1244. If you use a
telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may call (toll free):
1-877-576-7734.
You may also contact ED Pubs at its Web site: https://www.ed.gov/
pubs/edpubs.html or you may contact ED Pubs at its e-mail address:
edpubs@inet.ed.gov.
If you request an application package from ED Pubs, be sure to
identify this competition as follows: CFDA number 84.359A/B.
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 section VII of this notice.
2. Content and Form of Application Submission
Requirements concerning the content of the pre-application and the
full application, together with the forms you must submit, are in the
application package for this competition. All applicants must apply in
the pre-application phase; applicants must be invited to submit a full
application.
Page Limits: The pre-application narrative and the full application
narrative for this program (Part II of the pre- and full applications)
are where you, the applicant, address the selection criteria that
reviewers use to evaluate your pre- and full applications. You must
limit Part II of the pre-application to the equivalent of no more than
ten (10) pages and Part II of the full application to the equivalent of
no more than thirty-five (35) pages.
Part III of the pre-application is where you, the applicant,
provide the Appendices. Pre-application Appendices are limited to the
following: A list and a brief description of the existing preschool
programs that the proposed Early Reading First project would support; a
language acquisition plan, if applicable; and endnote citations for
research cited specifically in the pre-application narrative. You must
limit the list and the brief description of the existing preschool
programs to the equivalent of no more than five (5) pages. You must
limit any English language acquisition plan to the equivalent of no
more than two (2) pages for the pre-application. No page limit applies
to the pre-application endnote citations.
Part III of the full application is where you, the applicant,
provide a budget narrative that reviewers use to evaluate your full
application. You must limit the budget narrative in Part III of the
full application to the equivalent of no more than five (5) pages.
Part IV of the full application is where you, the applicant,
provide the Appendices. Full application Appendices are limited to the
following: A list and a brief description of the existing preschool
programs that the proposed Early Reading First project would support;
an English language acquisition plan, if applicable; position
descriptions (and resumes or curriculum vitae if available) for up to
five (5) key personnel; endnote citations for research cited
specifically in the full application narrative; and documentation
demonstrating the stakeholder support for the project. You must limit
the list and the brief description of the existing preschool programs
to the equivalent of no more than five (5) pages. You must limit each
resume or curriculum vitae to the equivalent of no more than three (3)
pages each, and limit the documentation demonstrating stakeholder
support for the project to the equivalent of no more than five (5)
pages. You must limit any English language acquisition plan to the
equivalent of no more than five (5) pages for the full application.
For all page limits, use 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 and budget narratives, including titles,
headings, footnotes, quotations, references, and captions included in
the body of the narrative.
Text in endnotes, charts, tables, figures, and graphs may
be single-spaced.
Use a font that is either 12 point or larger or no smaller
than 10 pitch (characters per inch), including text in endnotes,
charts, tables, figures, and graphs.
For the full application, the page limits do not apply to the
budget form (ED Form 524) in Part III, or to the assurances and
certifications, position descriptions, and endnotes in Part IV.
Our reviewers will not read any pages of your pre-application or
full application that--
Exceed the page limit if you apply these standards; or
Exceed the equivalent of the page limit if you apply other
standards.
3. Submission Dates and Times
Applications Available: January 20, 2006.
Deadline for Transmittal of Pre-Applications: February 20, 2006.
Deadline for Transmittal of Full Applications: May 8, 2006.
Pre- and full 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: July 7, 2006.
4. Intergovernmental Review
This program 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 program.
5. Funding Restrictions
We reference regulations outlining funding restrictions in the
Applicable Regulations section of this notice.
6. Other Submission Requirements
Pre- and full 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
Pre- and full applications for grants under the Early Reading First
program-CFDA Number 84.359A (pre-application) and CFDA Number 84.359B
(full application) must be submitted electronically using the
Grants.gov Apply site at: https://www.grants.gov
[[Page 2919]]
Through this site, you will be able to download a copy of the
application package, complete it offline, and then upload and submit
your pre- or full application. You may not e-mail an electronic copy of
a grant application to us.
We will reject your pre- or full 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 pre- or full
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 pre- or full
application deadline date is provided later in this section under
Exception to Electronic Submission Requirement.
You may access the electronic grant application for the Early
Reading First 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 pre- and full applications must be fully uploaded and
submitted, and must be date/time stamped by the Grants.gov system no
later than 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the pre- or full
application deadline date. Except as otherwise noted in this section,
we will not consider your pre- or full application if it is date/time
stamped by the Grants.gov system later than 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC
time, on the pre- or full application deadline date. When we retrieve
your pre- or full application from Grants.gov, we will notify you if we
are rejecting your pre- or full application because it was date/time
stamped by the Grants.gov system after 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time,
on the pre- or full 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 pre- or full
application deadline date to begin the submission 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 competition to ensure that
you submit your pre- and any full application in a timely manner to the
Grants.gov system. You can also find the Education Submission
Procedures pertaining to Grants.gov at https://e-Grants.ed.gov/help/
GrantsgovSubmissionProcedures.pdf.
To submit your pre- or full application via Grants.gov,
you must complete all of the steps in the Grants.gov registration
process (see https://www.grants.gov/GetStarted). These steps include (1)
registering your organization, (2) registering yourself as an
Authorized Organization Representative (AOR), and (3) getting
authorized as an AOR by your organization. Details on these steps are
outlined in the Grants.gov 3-Step Registration Guide (see https://
www.grants.gov/assets/GrantsgovCoBrandBrochure8X11.pdf). You also must
provide on your pre- and full applications the same D-U-N-S Number used
with this registration. Please note that the registration process may
take five or more business days to complete, and you must have
completed all registration steps to allow you to successfully submit a
pre- or full application via Grants.gov.
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. You
must attach any narrative sections of your pre- and full applications
as files in a .DOC (document), .RTF (rich text), or .PDF (Portable
Document) format. If you upload a file type other than the three file
types specified above or submit a password protected file, we will not
review that material.
Your electronic pre- and full applications must comply
with any page limit requirements described in this notice.
After you electronically submit your pre- or full
application, you will receive an automatic acknowledgment from
Grants.gov that contains a Grants.gov tracking number. The Department
will retrieve your pre- or full 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 pre- or full
application).
We may request that you provide us original signatures on
forms at a later date.
Application Deadline Date Extension in Case of Technical Issues
with the Grants.gov System: If you are prevented from electronically
submitting your pre- or full application on the pre- or full
application deadline dates because of technical problems with the
Grants.gov system, we will grant you an extension until 4:30 p.m.,
Washington, DC time, the following business day to enable you to
transmit your pre- or full application electronically, or by hand
delivery. You also may mail your pre- and full applications by
following the mailing instructions as described elsewhere in this
notice. If you submit a pre- or full application after 4:30 p.m.,
Washington, DC time, on the deadline date, please contact the person
listed elsewhere in this notice under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT,
and provide an explanation of the technical problem you experienced
with Grants.gov, along with the Grants.gov Support Desk Case Number (if
available). We will accept your pre- or full application if we can
confirm that a technical problem occurred with the Grants.gov system
and that that problem affected your ability to submit your pre- or full
application by 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the pre- or full
application deadline date. The Department will contact you after a
determination is made on whether your pre- or full application will be
accepted.
Note: Extensions referred to in this section apply only to the
unavailability of or technical problems with the Grants.gov system.
We will not grant you an extension if you failed to fully register
to submit your pre- or full application to Grants.gov before the
deadline date and time or if the technical problem you experienced
is unrelated to the Grants.gov system.
Exception to Electronic Submission Requirement: You qualify for an
exception to the electronic submission requirement, and may submit your
pre- or full application in paper format, if you are unable to submit a
pre- or full 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 pre- or full
application deadline date (14 calendar days or, if the fourteenth
calendar day before the pre- or full
[[Page 2920]]
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 pre- or full
application. If you mail your written statement to the Department, it
must be postmarked no later than two weeks before the pre- or full
application deadline date. If you fax your written statement to the
Department, we must receive the faxed statement no later than two weeks
before the pre- or full application deadline date.
Address and mail or fax your statement to: Jill Stewart, U.S.
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 3C136,
Washington, DC 20202-6132. Telephone: (202) 260-2533; FAX number (202)
260-7764 or Rebecca Haynes, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland
Avenue, SW., room 3C138, Washington, DC 20202-6132. Telephone: (202)
260-0968; FAX number (202) 260-7764.
Your paper pre- or full 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 pre- or full application to the Department.
You must mail the original and two copies of your pre- or full
application, on or before the pre- or full 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 84.359A/B), 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 84.359A/B), 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 pre- or full 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 pre- or full application is postmarked after the pre- or
full application deadline date, we will not consider your pre- or full
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 pre- or
full application to the Department by hand. You must deliver the
original and two copies of your pre- or full application by hand, on or
before the pre- or full application deadline date, to the Department at
the following address:
U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Center,
Attention: (CFDA Number 84.359A/B), 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 pre- or full 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 pre- or full
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
pre- or full application deadline date, you should call the U.S.
Department of Education Application Control Center at (202) 245-6288.
V. Application Review Information
1. Selection Criteria
This program has separate selection criteria for pre-applications
and full applications.
A. Pre-Applications
The following selection criterion for pre-applications is from 34
CFR 75.210 of EDGAR. Additional information about this selection
criterion is in the application package. The maximum score for the pre-
application selection criterion is 100 points.
(i) Quality of the project design (0-100 points)
The Secretary considers the quality of the design of the proposed
project. In determining the quality of the design of the proposed
project, the Secretary considers the following factors:
(a) The extent to which the design of the proposed project reflects
up-to-date knowledge from research and effective practice. (34 CFR
75.210(c)(2)(xiii))
(b) The extent to which the proposed project represents an
exceptional approach for meeting statutory purposes and requirements.
(34 CFR 75.210(c)(2)(xiv))
(c) The extent to which the proposed project will be coordinated
with similar or related efforts, and with other appropriate community,
State, and Federal resources. (34 CFR 75.210(c)(2)(xvi))
B. Full Application
The following selection criteria for full applications are from
Sec. 75.210 of EDGAR (34 CFR 75.210). Additional information about
each of these selection criteria is in the application package. The
maximum score for each criterion is indicated after the title of the
criterion. The maximum score for the full application selection
criteria is 100 points.
(i) Quality of the project design (0-60 points)
The Secretary considers the quality of the design of the proposed
project. In determining the quality of the design of the proposed
project, the Secretary considers the following factors:
(a) The extent to which the design of the proposed project reflects
up-to-date knowledge from research and effective practice. (34 CFR
75.210(c)(2)(xiii))
(b) The extent to which the proposed project represents an
exceptional approach for meeting statutory purposes and requirements.
(34 CFR 75.210(c)(2)(xiv))
(c) The extent to which the proposed project will be coordinated
with similar or related efforts, and with other appropriate community,
State, and Federal resources. (34 CFR 75.210(c)(2)(xvi))
(ii) Quality of project personnel (0-10 points)
The Secretary considers the quality of the personnel who will carry
out the
[[Page 2921]]
proposed project. 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. (34 CFR 75.210(e)(1), (2))
In addition, the Secretary considers the following factors:
(a) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience,
of the project director or principal investigator. (34 CFR
75.210(e)(3)(i))
(b) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience,
of key project personnel. (34 CFR 75.210(e)(3)(ii))
(c) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience,
of project consultants or subcontractors. (34 CFR 75.210(e)(3)(iii))
(iii) Adequacy of resources (0-5 points)
The Secretary considers the adequacy of resources for the proposed
project. In determining the adequacy of resources for the proposed
project, the Secretary considers the following factors:
(a) The relevance and demonstrated commitment of each partner in
the proposed project to the implementation and success of the project.
(34 CFR 75.210(f)(2)(ii))
(b) The extent to which the costs are reasonable in relation to the
objectives, design, and potential significance of the proposed project.
(34 CFR 75.210(f)(2)(iv))
(iv) Quality of the management plan (0-15 points)
The Secretary considers the quality of the management plan for the
proposed project. In determining the quality of the management plan for
the proposed project, the Secretary considers the following factors:
(a) 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. (34 CFR 75.210(g)(2)(i))
(b) The adequacy of procedures for ensuring feedback and continuous
improvement in the operation of the proposed project. (34 CFR
75.210(g)(2)(ii))
(c) The extent to which the time commitments of the project
director and principal investigator and other key project personnel are
appropriate and adequate to meet the objectives of the proposed
project. (34 CFR 75.210(g)(2)(iv))
(v) Quality of the project evaluation (0-10 points) The Secretary
considers the quality of the evaluation to be conducted of the proposed
project. In determining the quality of the evaluation, the Secretary
considers the following factors:
(a) The extent to which the methods of evaluation are thorough,
feasible, and appropriate to the goals, objectives, and outcomes of the
proposed project. (34 CFR 75.210(h)(2)(i))
(b) 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. (34 CFR 75.210(h)(2)(iv))
VI. Award Administration Information
1. Award Notices
If your pre-application is successful, we notify you in writing and
post the list of successful applicants on the Early Reading First Web
site at https://www.ed.gov/programs/earlyreading/awards.html. If your
full 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 pre-application is not evaluated, or following the
submission of your pre-application you are not invited to submit a full
application, we notify you. If your full 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. Early Reading First grantees also are required to meet the
annual reporting requirements outlined in section 1225 of the ESEA. For
specific requirements on grantee reporting, please go to: https://
www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/appforms/appforms.html.
4. Performance Measures
Under the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA), the
Secretary has established the following two measures for evaluating the
overall effectiveness of the Early Reading First program: (1) The
percentage of preschool-age children participating in Early Reading
First programs who achieve significant gains on oral language skills as
measured by the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-III, Receptive; and (2)
the average number of letters that preschool-age children are able to
identify as measured by the Upper Case Alphabet Knowledge subtask on
the PALS Pre-K assessment.
We will expect all grantees to document their success in addressing
these performance measures in the annual performance report described
in section VI.3. of this notice.
VII. Agency Contact
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jill Stewart, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 3C136, Washington, DC 20202-
6132. Telephone: (202) 260-2533 or by e-mail: Jill.Stewart@ed.gov or
Rebecca Haynes, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW.,
room 3C138, Washington, DC 20202-6132. Telephone: (202) 260-0968 or by
e-mail: Rebecca.Haynes@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: https://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-
[[Page 2922]]
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: https://www.gpoaccess.gov/
nara/.
Dated: January 12, 2006.
Henry L. Johnson,
Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education.
[FR Doc. 06-446 Filed 1-12-06; 2:47 pm]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P
