Office of English Language Acquisition, Language Enhancement, and Academic Achievement for Limited English Proficient Students; Overview Information; Foreign Language Assistance Program-Local Educational Agencies; Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2006, 29229-29233 [06-4617]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 97 (Friday, May 19, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29229-29233]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-4617]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Office of English Language Acquisition, Language Enhancement, and 
Academic Achievement for Limited English Proficient Students; Overview 
Information; Foreign Language Assistance Program--Local Educational 
Agencies; Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year 
(FY) 2006

    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.293B.

Dates

     Applications Available: May 19, 2006.
    Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply: June 16, 2006.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: June 30, 2006.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: August 30, 2006.
    Eligible Applicants: Local educational agencies (LEAs).
    Estimated Available Funds: $12,920,000.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $50,000-$300,000.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $150,000.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 86.


    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 provides grants to LEAs for 
innovative model programs providing for the establishment, improvement, 
or expansion of foreign language study for elementary and secondary 
school students. An LEA that receives a grant under this program must 
use the funds to support programs that show the promise of being 
continued beyond the grant period, demonstrate approaches that can be 
disseminated and duplicated in other LEAs, and may include a 
professional development component.
    Priorities: This notice involves six competitive preference 
priorities and two invitational priorities. Competitive Preference 
Priority 1 is from the notice of final priority for this 
program published elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register. In 
accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(iv), Competitive Preference 
Priorities 2 through 6 are from section 5493 of the 
Foreign Language Assistance Act of 2001 (20 U.S.C. 7259b).
    Competitive Preference Priority #1: For FY 2006 this priority is a 
competitive preference priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i) we award 
up to an additional 15 points to an application, depending on how well 
the application meets this priority.
    This priority is:

Critical Need Languages

    This priority supports projects that establish, improve or expand 
foreign language learning primarily during the traditional school day, 
within grade kindergarten through grade 12 that exclusively teach one 
or more of the following less commonly taught languages: Arabic, 
Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Russian, and languages in the Indic, 
Iranian, and Turkic language families.
    Competitive Preference Priorities #2-6: For FY 2006 these 
priorities are competitive preference priorities. Under 34 CFR 
75.105(c)(2)(ii) we give preference to an application that meets one or 
more of these priorities over an application of comparable merit that 
does not meet one of the priorities.


    Note: There is no advantage in addressing all five competitive 
preference priorities. Creating a program around the five priorities 
may result in a scattered or unfocused program design. We give 
preference to

[[Page 29230]]

applications describing programs that address any of these 
priorities.


    These priorities are:
    Competitive Preference Priority #2. Projects that include intensive 
summer foreign language programs for professional development.
    Competitive Preference Priority #3. Projects that link non-native 
English speakers in the community with the schools in order to promote 
two-way language learning.
    Competitive Preference Priority #4. Projects that promote the 
sequential study of a foreign language for students, beginning in 
elementary schools.
    Competitive Preference Priority #5. Projects that make effective 
use of technology, such as computer-assisted instruction, language 
laboratories, or distance learning, to promote foreign language study.
    Competitive Preference Priority #6. Projects that promote 
innovative activities, such as foreign language immersion, partial 
foreign language immersion, or content-based instruction.
    Within Competitive Preference Priorities 2 through 
6, we are particularly interested in applications addressing 
the following 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 one or more of these invitational priorities a 
competitive or absolute preference over other applications.
    These priorities are:
    Invitational Priority #1. Projects that propose innovative 
approaches to build the capacity to use technology to provide foreign 
language instruction.
    Invitational Priority #2. Projects that propose to collaborate with 
institutions of higher education to improve the quality and skills of 
foreign language teachers.

    Program Authority:  20 U.S.C. 7259a-7259b.

    Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 75, 77, 79, 80, 81, 
82, 84, 85, 86, 97, 98 and 99. (b) The notice of final priority for 
this program published elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
    Estimated Available Funds: $12,920,000.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $50,000-$300,000.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $150,000.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 86.


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


    Project Period: Up to 36 months.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: LEAs.
    2. Cost Sharing or Matching: See section 5492(c)(2) of the Foreign 
Language Assistance Act of 2001 (20 U.S.C. 7259a(c)). The Federal share 
of the Foreign Language Assistance Program (FLAP) for each fiscal year 
is restricted to 50 percent. For example, if the total cost for each 
fiscal year of the proposed foreign language program is $200,000, then 
the LEA may request $100,000 in Federal funding. Section 80.24 of EDGAR 
addresses Federal cost sharing requirements.
    If an LEA does not have adequate resources to pay the non-Federal 
share of the cost, a waiver may be requested. An LEA may request a 
waiver of part, or all, of the matching requirement. The waiver request 
should be submitted by letter to the Secretary of Education and 
included in the application. An Authorized Representative of the school 
district, such as the Superintendent of Schools, should sign the 
letter. Further information on submitting a waiver request is included 
in the application package.
    The request for waiver should--
     Provide an explanation, supported with appropriate 
documentation, of the basis for the LEA's position that it does not 
have adequate resources to pay the non-Federal share of the cost of the 
project.
     Specify the amount, if any, of the non-Federal share that 
the LEA can pay.
    It is recommended that the LEA share in the cost of its FLAP 
project to the extent possible.

IV. Application and Submission Information

    1. Address to Request Application Package: Yvonne Putney-Mathieu, 
U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 10074, 
Potomac Center Plaza, Washington, DC 20202. Telephone: (202) 245-7155, 
or by e-mail: yvonne.mathieu@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.
    Notice of Intent to Apply: If you intend to apply for a grant under 
this competition, contact Amy Weinmann by e-mail: amy.weinmann@ed.gov.


    Note: We do not consider an application that does not comply 
with the deadline requirements established in this notice. However, 
we will consider an application submitted by the deadline date for 
transmittal of applications, even if the applicant did not provide 
us notice of its intent to apply.


    Page Limit: The application narrative (Part III of the application) 
is where you, the applicant, address the selection criteria that 
reviewers use to evaluate your application. You must limit Part III 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).
    The page limit does not apply to Part I, the cover sheet; Part II, 
the budget section, including the narrative budget justification; Part 
IV, the assurances and certifications; or the one to two page abstract. 
However, you must include all of the application narrative in Part III.
    We will reject your application if--
     You apply these standards and exceed the page limit; or
     You apply other standards and exceed the equivalent of the 
page limit.
    3. Submission Dates and Times: Applications Available: May 19, 
2006.
    Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply: June 16, 2006.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: June 30, 2006.
    Applications for grants under this program may be submitted 
electronically using the Grants.gov Apply site (Grants.gov), or in 
paper format by mail or hand delivery. For information (including dates 
and times) about how to submit your application electronically, or by 
mail or hand delivery, please refer to section IV. 6. Other Submission 
Requirements in this notice.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: August 30, 2006.
    4. Intergovernmental Review: This program is subject to Executive 
Order

[[Page 29231]]

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: We reference regulations outlining funding 
restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.
    6. Other Submission Requirements: Applications for grants under 
this program may be submitted electronically or in paper format by mail 
or hand delivery.
    a. Electronic Submission of Applications. We have been accepting 
applications electronically through the Department's e-Application 
system since FY 2000. In order to expand on those efforts and comply 
with the President's Management Agenda, we are continuing to 
participate as a partner in the new government wide Grants.gov Apply 
site in FY 2006. The Foreign Language Assistance Program LEA-CFDA 
Number 84.293B is one of the programs included in this project. We 
request your participation in Grants.gov.
    If you choose to submit your application electronically, you must 
use the Grants.gov Apply site at https://www.Grants.gov. 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.
    You may access the electronic grant application for the Foreign 
Language Assistance 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:
     Your participation in Grants.gov is voluntary.
     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 and must 
be date/time stamped by the Grants.gov system no later than 4:30 p.m., 
Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. Except as 
otherwise noted in this section, we will not consider your application 
if it is date/time stamped by the Grants.gov system later than 4:30 
p.m., Washington, DC time, 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 date/time stamped by the 
Grants.gov system after 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time 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 to ensure that you 
submit your 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 application via Grants.gov, you must 
complete 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 
application 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 an 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 submit your application in paper format.
     You may 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. If you choose to 
submit your application electronically, you must attach any narrative 
sections of your application 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 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.

Application Deadline Date Extension in Case of System Unavailability

    If you are prevented from electronically submitting your 
application on the application deadline date 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 application electronically, or by hand 
delivery. You also may mail your application by following the mailing 
instructions as described elsewhere in this notice. If you submit an 
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 
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 application by 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the 
application deadline date. The Department will contact you after a 
determination is made on whether your 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 application to Grants.gov before the deadline date 
and time or if the technical problem you experienced is unrelated to 
the Grants.gov system.


    b. Submission of Paper Applications by Mail. If you submit your 
application in paper format by mail (through the U.S. Postal Service or 
a commercial carrier), you must mail the original and

[[Page 29232]]

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 84.293B), 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 84.293B), 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 submit 
your application in paper format by hand delivery, you (or a courier 
service) 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 84.293B), 550 12th Street, SW., 
Room 7041, Potomac Center Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-4260. The 
Application Control Center accepts hand deliveries daily between 8:00 
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 34 CFR 75.210 of EDGAR and are as follows:
    (a) Need for project. (5 points) The Secretary considers the need 
for the proposed project. In determining the need for the proposed 
project, the Secretary considers the extent to which specific gaps or 
weaknesses in services, infrastructure, or opportunities have been 
identified and will be addressed by the proposed project, including the 
nature and magnitude of those gaps or weaknesses.
    (b) Quality of the project design. (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:
    (1) The extent to which the goals, objectives, and outcomes to be 
achieved by the proposed project are clearly specified and measurable.
    (2) The extent to which the design for implementing and evaluating 
the proposed project will result in information to guide possible 
replication of project activities or strategies, including information 
about the effectiveness of the approach or strategies employed by the 
project.
    (3) The extent to which the proposed project is designed to build 
capacity and yield results that will extend beyond the period of 
Federal financial assistance.
    (4) The extent to which the design of the proposed project reflects 
up-to-date knowledge from research and effective practice.
    (5) The extent to which the proposed project will establish 
linkages with other appropriate agencies and organizations providing 
services to the target population.
    (6) The extent to which performance feedback and continuous 
improvement are integral to the design of the proposed project.
    (c) Quality of project personnel. (10 points) The Secretary 
considers the quality of the personnel who will carry out the 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. In addition, the Secretary 
considers the following factors:
    (1) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience, 
of the project director.
    (2) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience, 
of key project personnel.
    (d) Quality of the management plan. (10 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:
    (1) 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.
    (2) The extent to which the time commitments of the project 
director and other key project personnel are appropriate and adequate 
to meet the objectives of the proposed project.
    (e) Quality of the project evaluation. (15 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:
    (1) The extent to which the methods of evaluation are thorough, 
feasible, and appropriate to the goals, objectives, and outcomes of the 
proposed project.
    (2) 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.
    (3) The extent to which the methods of evaluation will provide 
performance feedback and permit periodic assessment of progress toward 
achieving intended outcomes.

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

[[Page 29233]]

(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 Measure: In response to the Government Performance 
and Results Act (GPRA), the Department developed one measure for 
evaluating the overall effectiveness of the Foreign Language Assistance 
Program (FLAP). The measure assesses the percentage of FLAP projects 
that report annual improvements in foreign language proficiency for 
three-quarters of school participants. We will expect each LEA that 
carries out a school-based project funded under this competition to 
document how its project is helping the Department meet this 
performance measure, including data on the proficiency of students 
served by projects. Grantees will be expected to report on progress in 
meeting this performance measure for FLAP in their Annual Performance 
Report and in their Final Performance Report.

VII. Agency Contact

    For Further Information Contact: Rebecca Richey, U.S. Department of 
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Potomac Center Plaza, room 10080, 
Washington, DC 20202. Telephone: (202) 245-7133, or by e-mail: 
rebecca.richey@ed.gov.
    Sharon Manassa, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, 
SW., Potomac Center Plaza, room 10071, Washington, DC 20202. Telephone: 
(202) 245-7124, or by e-mail: sharon.manassa@ed.gov.
    Ana Garcia, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., 
Potomac Center Plaza, room 10072, Washington, DC 20202. Telephone: 
(202) 245-7153, or by e-mail: ana.garcia@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 persons 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: May 12, 2006.
Kathleen Leos,
Assistant Deputy Secretary and Director, Office of English Language 
Acquisition, Language Enhancement, and Academic Achievement for Limited 
English Proficient Students.
[FR Doc. 06-4617 Filed 5-18-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P