Office of Innovation and Improvement; Overview Information, Charter Schools Program (CSP), 37921-37926 [E6-10396]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 127 (Monday, July 3, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37921-37926]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-10396]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Office of Innovation and Improvement; Overview Information, 
Charter Schools Program (CSP)

    Notice inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY) 
2006.

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.282B and 
84.282C.

    Dates: Applications Available: July 3, 2006.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: August 17, 2006.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: September 8, 2006.
    Eligible Applicants: Planning and Initial Implementation (CFDA No. 
84.282B): Non-State educational agency (non-SEA) eligible applicants in 
States with a State statute specifically authorizing the establishment 
of charter schools and in which the SEA elects not to participate in 
the CSP or does not have an application approved under the CSP program.

    Note: Eligible applicant is defined in section 5210(3) of the 
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended by the No 
Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (ESEA). The following States currently 
have approved applications under the CSP: Alaska, Arkansas, 
California, Colorado, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, 
Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Maryland, 
Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, 
New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, 
Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Wisconsin. In 
these States, non-SEA eligible applicants interested in 
participating in the CSP should contact the SEA for information 
related to the State's CSP subgrant competition.

    Dissemination (CFDA No. 84.282C): Charter schools, as defined in 
section 5210(1) of the ESEA.

    Note: A charter school may apply for funds to carry out 
dissemination activities, whether or not the charter school 
previously applied for or received funds under the CSP for planning 
or implementation, if the charter school has been in operation for 
at least three consecutive years and has demonstrated overall 
success, including--
    (1) Substantial progress in improving student academic 
achievement;
    (2) High levels of parent satisfaction; and
    (3) The management and leadership necessary to overcome initial 
start-up problems and establish a thriving, financially viable 
charter school.

    Estimated Available Funds: $4,000,000.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $130,000-$175,000 per year.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $150,000 per year.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 20-40.

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

    Project Period: Up to 36 months under CFDA No. 84.282B. Up to 24 
months under CFDA No. 84.282C.

    Note: Planning and implementation grants awarded by the 
Secretary to non-SEA eligible applicants will be awarded for a 
period of up to 36 months, no more than 18 months of which may be 
used for planning and program design and no more than two years of 
which may be used for the initial implementation of a charter 
school. Dissemination grants are awarded for a period of up to two 
years.

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Purpose of Program: The purpose of the CSP is to increase national 
understanding of the charter school model and to expand the number of

[[Page 37922]]

high-quality charter schools available to students across the Nation by 
providing financial assistance for the planning, program design, and 
initial implementation of charter schools, and to evaluate the effects 
of charter schools, including their effects on students, student 
academic achievement, staff, and parents.
    Non-SEA eligible applicants that propose to use grant funds for 
planning, program design, and implementation must apply under CFDA No. 
84.282B. Non-SEA eligible applicants that request funds for 
dissemination activities must submit their applications under CFDA No. 
84.282C.
    Priority: Under these competitions we are particularly interested 
in applications that address the following priority.
    Invitational Priority: For FY 2006 this priority is an invitational 
priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(1), we do not give an applicant that 
meets this invitational priority a competitive or absolute preference 
over other applications.
    This priority is:
    The applicant proposes to plan, design, and implement, or in the 
case of a dissemination grant, disseminate information about, a high-
quality charter high school in a geographic area in which a large 
proportion or number of public schools has been identified for 
improvement, corrective action, or restructuring under Title I, Part A 
of the ESEA.

    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 7221-7221j.

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

    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 only to 
institutions of higher education.


    Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 99 apply only to 
educational agencies or institutions.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
    Estimated Available Funds: $4,000,000.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $130,000-$175,000 per year.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $150,000 per year.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 20-40.

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

    Project Period: Up to 36 months under CFDA No. 84.282B. Up to 24 
months under CFDA No. 84.282C.

    Note: Planning and implementation grants awarded by the 
Secretary to non-SEA eligible applicants will be awarded for a 
period of up to 36 months, no more than 18 months of which may be 
used for planning and program design and no more than two years of 
which may be used for the initial implementation of a charter 
school. Dissemination grants are awarded for a period of up to two 
years.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: Planning and Initial Implementation (CFDA 
No. 84.282B): Non-SEA eligible applicants in States with a State 
statute specifically authorizing the establishment of charter schools 
and in which the SEA elects not to participate in the CSP or does not 
have an application approved under the CSP program.

    Note: Eligible applicant is defined in section 5210(3) of the 
ESEA. The following States currently have approved applications 
under the CSP: Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Delaware, 
District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, 
Iowa, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, 
Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, 
North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, 
Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Wisconsin. In these States, non-SEA eligible 
applicants interested in participating in the CSP should contact the 
SEA for information related to the State's CSP subgrant competition.

    Dissemination (CFDA No. 84.282C): Charter schools, as defined in 
section 5210(1) of the ESEA.

    Note: A charter school may apply for funds to carry out 
dissemination activities, whether or not the charter school 
previously applied for or received funds under the CSP for planning 
or implementation, if the charter school has been in operation for 
at least three consecutive years and has demonstrated overall 
success, including--
    (1) Substantial progress in improving student academic 
achievement;
    (2) High levels of parent satisfaction; and
    (3) The management and leadership necessary to overcome initial 
start-up problems and establish a thriving, financially viable 
charter school.

    2. Cost Sharing or Matching: These competitions do not involve cost 
sharing or matching.

IV. Application and Submission Information

    1. Address to Request Application Package: Erin Pfeltz, U.S. 
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Room 4W255, 
Washington, DC 20202-5970. Telephone: (202) 205-3525 or by e-mail: 
erin.pfeltz@ed.gov.
    If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may 
call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1-800-877-8339.
    Individuals with disabilities may obtain a copy of the application 
package in an alternative format (e.g., Braille, large print, 
audiotape, or computer diskette) by contacting the program contact 
person listed in this section.
    2. Content and Form of Application Submission: Requirements 
concerning the content of an application, together with the forms you 
must submit, are in the application package for this competition.
    Page Limit: The application narrative (Part III of the application) 
is where you, the applicant, address the selection criteria that 
reviewers use to evaluate your application. The Secretary strongly 
encourages applicants to limit Part III to the equivalent of no more 
than 50 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 suggested 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-
page abstract, the resumes, the bibliography, or the letters of 
support. However, you must include all of the application narrative in 
Part III.
    3. Submission Dates and Times: Applications Available: July 3, 
2006.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: August 17, 2006.
    Applications for grants under these competitions 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: September 8, 2006.
    4. Intergovernmental Review: These competitions are subject to 
Executive Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79. 
Information about

[[Page 37923]]

Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs under Executive Order 
12372 is in the application package for these competitions.
    5. Funding Restrictions: Use of Funds for Post-Award Planning and 
Design of the Educational Program and Initial Implementation of the 
Charter School. A non-SEA eligible applicant receiving a grant under 
this program may use the grant funds only for--
    (a) Post-award planning and design of the educational program, 
which may include (i) refinement of the desired educational results and 
of the methods for measuring progress toward achieving those results; 
and (ii) professional development of teachers and other staff who will 
work in the charter school; and
    (b) Initial implementation of the charter school, which may include 
(i) informing the community about the school; (ii) acquiring necessary 
equipment and educational materials and supplies; (iii) acquiring or 
developing curriculum materials; and (iv) other initial operational 
costs that cannot be met from State or local sources.
    Use of Funds for Dissemination Activities. A charter school may use 
these funds to assist other schools in adapting the charter school's 
program (or certain aspects of the charter school's program), or to 
disseminate information about the charter school through such 
activities as--
    (a) Assisting other individuals with the planning and start-up of 
one or more new public schools, including charter schools, that are 
independent of the assisting charter school and the assisting charter 
school's developers and that agree to be held to at least as high a 
level of accountability as the assisting charter school;
    (b) Developing partnerships with other public schools, including 
charter schools, designed to improve student performance in each of the 
schools participating in the partnership;
    (c) Developing curriculum materials, assessments, and other 
materials that promote increased student achievement and are based on 
successful practices within the assisting charter school; and
    (d) Conducting evaluations and developing materials that document 
the successful practices of the assisting charter school and that are 
designed to improve student performance in other schools.
    We reference regulations outlining funding restrictions in the 
Applicable Regulations section of this notice.
    6. Other Submission Requirements: Applications for grants under 
these competitions must be submitted electronically unless you qualify 
for an exception to this requirement in accordance with the 
instructions in this section.
    a. Electronic Submission of Applications. Applications for grants 
under the Charter School Program, CFDA Numbers 84.282B and 84.282C must 
be submitted electronically using 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.
    We will reject your application if you submit it in paper format 
unless, as described elsewhere in this section, you qualify for one of 
the exceptions to the electronic submission requirement and submit, no 
later than two weeks before the application deadline date, a written 
statement to the Department that you qualify for one of these 
exceptions. Further information regarding calculation of the date that 
is two weeks before the application deadline date is provided later in 
this section under Exception to Electronic Submission Requirement.
    You may access the electronic grant application for the Charter 
School Program at: https://www.grants.gov. You must search for the 
downloadable application package for this program by the CFDA number. 
Do not include the CFDA number's alpha suffix in your search.
    Please note the following:
     When you enter the Grants.gov site, you will find 
information about submitting an application electronically through the 
site, as well as the hours of operation.
     Applications received by Grants.gov are time and date 
stamped. Your application must be fully uploaded and submitted, 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 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 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://Grants.ed.gov/help/GrantsgovSubmissionProcedures. 
pdf.
     To submit your 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 
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 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 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 acknowledgment from

[[Page 37924]]

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 Technical Issues 
with the Grants.gov System: 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.

    Exception to Electronic Submission Requirement: You qualify for an 
exception to the electronic submission requirement, and may submit your 
application in paper format, if you are unable to submit an application 
through the Grants.gov system because--
     You do not have access to the Internet; or
     You do not have the capacity to upload large documents to 
the Grants.gov system; and
     No later than two weeks before the application deadline 
date (14 calendar days or, if the fourteenth calendar day before the 
application deadline date falls on a Federal holiday, the next business 
day following the Federal holiday), you mail or fax a written statement 
to the Department, explaining which of the two grounds for an exception 
prevent you from using the Internet to submit your application. If you 
mail your written statement to the Department, it must be postmarked no 
later than two weeks before the application deadline date. If you fax 
your written statement to the Department, we must receive the faxed 
statement no later than two weeks before the application deadline date.
    Address and mail or fax your statement to: Erin Pfeltz, U.S. 
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Room 4W255, 
Washington, DC 20202-5970. FAX: (202) 205-5630.
    Your paper application must be submitted in accordance with the 
mail or hand delivery instructions described in this notice.
    b. Submission of Paper Applications by Mail. If you qualify for an 
exception to the electronic submission requirement, you may mail 
(through the U.S. Postal Service or a commercial carrier) your 
application to the Department. You must mail the original and two 
copies of your application, on or before the application deadline date, 
to the Department at the applicable following address:
    By mail through the U.S. Postal Service: U.S. Department of 
Education, Application Control Center, Attention: (CFDA Number 84.282B 
or 84.282C), 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 84.282B 
or 84.282C), 7100 Old Landover Road, Landover, MD 20785-1506.
    Regardless of which address you use, you must show proof of mailing 
consisting of one of the following:
    (1) A legibly dated U.S. Postal Service postmark,
    (2) A legible mail receipt with the date of mailing stamped by the 
U.S. Postal Service,
    (3) A dated shipping label, invoice, or receipt from a commercial 
carrier, or
    (4) Any other proof of mailing acceptable to the Secretary of the 
U.S. Department of Education.
    If you mail your application through the U.S. Postal Service, we do 
not accept either of the following as proof of mailing:
    (1) A private metered postmark, or
    (2) A mail receipt that is not dated by the U.S. Postal Service.
    If your application is postmarked after the application deadline 
date, we will not consider your application.

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

    c. Submission of Paper Applications by Hand Delivery. If you 
qualify for an exception to the electronic submission requirement, you 
(or a courier service) may deliver your paper application to the 
Department by hand. You must deliver the original and two copies of 
your application, by hand, on or before the application deadline date, 
to the Department at the following address: U.S. Department of 
Education, Application Control Center, Attention: (CFDA Number 84.282B 
or 84.282C), 550 12th Street, SW., Room 7041, Potomac Center Plaza, 
Washington, DC 20202-4260.
    The Application Control Center accepts hand deliveries daily 
between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, except Saturdays, 
Sundays, and Federal holidays.
    Note for Mail or Hand Delivery of Paper Applications: If you mail 
or hand deliver your application to the Department:
    (1) You must indicate on the envelope and--if not provided by the 
Department--in Item 4 of the Application for Federal Education 
Assistance (ED 424) the CFDA number--and suffix letter, if any--of the 
competition under which you are submitting your application.
    (2) The Application Control Center will mail a grant application 
receipt acknowledgment to you. If you do not receive the grant 
application receipt acknowledgment within 15 business days from the 
application deadline date, you should call the U.S. Department of 
Education Application Control Center at (202) 245-6288.

V. Application Review Information

    Selection Criteria: Non-SEA eligible applicants applying for CSP 
grant funds must address both the statutory application requirements 
and the selection criteria described in the following paragraphs. Each 
applicant applying for CSP grant funds may choose to respond to the 
application requirements in the context of its responses to the 
selection criteria.
    The statutory application requirements for all applicants 
submitting under CFDA Nos. 84.282B and 84.282C are listed in paragraph 
(a) in this section.
    The selection criteria for non-SEA applicants for Planning, Program

[[Page 37925]]

Design, and Implementation Grants (CFDA No. 84.282B) are listed in 
paragraph (b) in this section.
    The selection criteria for non-SEA applicants for Dissemination 
Grants (CFDA No. 84.282C) are listed in paragraph (c) in this section.
    (a) Application Requirements (CFDA Nos. 84.282B and 84.282C). (i) 
Describe the educational program to be implemented by the proposed 
charter school, including how the program will enable all students to 
meet challenging State student academic achievement standards, the 
grade levels or ages of students to be served, and the curriculum and 
instructional practices to be used;
    (ii) Describe how the charter school will be managed;
    (iii) Describe the objectives of the charter school and the methods 
by which the charter school will determine its progress toward 
achieving those objectives;
    (iv) Describe the administrative relationship between the charter 
school and the authorized public chartering agency;
    (v) Describe how parents and other members of the community will be 
involved in the planning, program design, and implementation of the 
charter school;
    (vi) Describe how the authorized public chartering agency will 
provide for continued operation of the charter school once the Federal 
grant has expired, if that agency determines that the charter school 
has met its objectives;
    (vii) If the charter school desires the Secretary to consider 
waivers under the authority of the CSP, include a request and 
justification for waivers of any Federal statutory or regulatory 
provisions that the applicant believes are necessary for the successful 
operation of the charter school and a description of any State or local 
rules, generally applicable to public schools, that will be waived for, 
or otherwise not apply to, the school;
    (viii) Describe how the grant funds will be used, including how 
these funds will be used in conjunction with other Federal programs 
administered by the Secretary;
    (ix) Describe how students in the community will be informed about 
the charter school and be given an equal opportunity to attend the 
charter school;
    (x) Describe how a charter school that is considered an LEA under 
State law, or an LEA in which a charter school is located, will comply 
with sections 613(a)(5) and 613(e)(1)(B) of the Individuals with 
Disabilities Education Act; and
    (xi) If the eligible applicant desires to use grant funds for 
dissemination activities under section 5202(c)(2)(C), describe those 
activities and how those activities will involve charter schools and 
other public schools, LEAs, developers, and potential developers.
    (b) Selection Criteria (CFDA No. 84.282B). The following selection 
criteria are from the authorizing statute for this program and 34 CFR 
75.210 of EDGAR.
    The maximum possible score for all the criteria in this section is 
130 points.
    The maximum possible score for each criterion is indicated in 
parentheses following the criterion.
    In evaluating an application from a non-SEA eligible applicant for 
Planning, Program Design, and Implementation, the Secretary considers 
the following criteria:
    (i) The quality of the proposed curriculum and instructional 
practices (20 points).

    Note: The Secretary encourages the applicant to describe the 
educational program to be implemented by the proposed charter 
school, including how the program will enable all students to meet 
challenging State student academic achievement standards, the grade 
levels or ages of students to be served, and the curriculum and 
instructional practices to be used.

    (ii) The degree of flexibility afforded by the SEA and, if 
applicable, the LEA to the charter school (10 points).

    Note: The Secretary encourages the applicant to include a 
description of how the State's law establishes an administrative 
relationship between the charter school and the authorized public 
chartering agency and exempts the charter school from significant 
State or local rules that inhibit the flexible operation and 
management of public schools.
    The Secretary also encourages the applicant to include a 
description of the degree of autonomy the charter school will have 
over such matters as the charter school's budget, expenditures, 
daily operation, and personnel in accordance with its State's 
charter school law.

    (iii) The extent of community support for the application (20 
points).

     Note: The Secretary encourages the applicant to describe how 
parents and other members of the community will be informed about 
the charter school, and how students will be given an equal 
opportunity to attend the charter school.

    (iv) The ambitiousness of the objectives for the charter school (10 
points).

    Note: The Secretary encourages the applicant to describe the 
objectives for the charter school and how these grant funds will be 
used, including how these funds will be used in conjunction with 
other Federal programs administered by the Secretary, in meeting 
these objectives.

    (v) The quality of the strategy for assessing achievement of those 
objectives (20 points).
    (vi) The likelihood that the charter school will meet those 
objectives and improve educational results for students during and 
after the period of Federal financial assistance (10 points).
    (vii) The extent to which the proposed project encourages parental 
involvement (10 points).

    Note: The Secretary encourages the applicant to describe how 
parents and other members of the community will be involved in the 
planning, program design, and implementation of the charter school.

    (viii) The qualifications, including relevant training and 
experience, of the project director; and the extent to which the 
applicant encourages applications for employment from persons who are 
members of groups that traditionally have been underrepresented based 
on race, color, national origin, gender, age, or disability (10 
points).
    (ix) The contribution the charter school will make in assisting 
educationally disadvantaged and other students to achieve to State 
academic content standards and State student academic achievement 
standards (20 points).
    (c) Selection Criteria (CFDA No. 84.282C). The following selection 
criteria are from the authorizing statute for this program and 34 CFR 
75.210 of EDGAR.
    The maximum possible score for all the criteria in this section is 
110 points.
    The maximum possible score for each criterion is indicated in 
parentheses following the criterion.
    In evaluating an application from a non-SEA eligible applicant for 
a dissemination grant, the Secretary considers the following criteria:
    (i) The quality of the proposed dissemination activities and the 
likelihood that those activities will improve student achievement (30 
points).

    Note: The Secretary encourages the applicant to describe the 
objectives for the proposed dissemination activities and the methods 
by which the charter school will determine its progress toward 
achieving those objectives.

    (ii) The extent to which the school has demonstrated overall 
success, including--
    (1) Substantial progress in improving student achievement (10 
points);
    (2) High levels of parent satisfaction (10 points); and
    (3) The management and leadership necessary to overcome initial 
start-up problems and establish a thriving, financially viable charter 
school (10 points).

[[Page 37926]]

    (iii) The extent to which the results of the proposed project will 
be disseminated in a manner that will enable others to use the 
information or strategies (20 points).
    (iv) The qualifications, including relevant training and 
experience, of the project director and the extent to which the 
applicant encourages applications for employment from persons who are 
members of groups that traditionally have been underrepresented based 
on race, color, national origin, gender, age, or disability (10 
points).
    (v) 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 (20 points).

VI. Award Administration Information

    1. Award Notices: If your application is successful, we will notify 
your U.S. Representative and U.S. Senators and send you a Grant Award 
Notification (GAN). We may also notify you informally.
    If your application is not evaluated or not selected for funding, 
we notify you.
    2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements: We identify 
administrative and national policy requirements in the application 
package and reference these and other requirements in the Applicable 
Regulations section of this notice.
    We reference the regulations outlining the terms and conditions of 
an award in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice and 
include these and other specific conditions in the GAN. The GAN also 
incorporates your approved application as part of your binding 
commitments under the grant.
    3. Reporting: At the end of your project period, you must submit a 
final performance report, including financial information, as directed 
by the Secretary. If you receive a multi-year award, you must submit an 
annual performance report that provides the most current performance 
and financial expenditure information as specified by the Secretary in 
34 CFR 75.118. For specific requirements on grantee reporting, please 
go to the ED Performance Report Form 524B at https://www.ed.gov/fund/
grant/apply/appforms/appforms.html.
    4. Performance Measures: The goal of the CSP is to support the 
creation and development of a large number of high-quality charter 
schools that are free from State or local rules that inhibit flexible 
operation, are held accountable for enabling students to reach 
challenging State performance standards, and are open to all students. 
The Secretary has set three performance indicators to measure this 
goal: (1) The number of States, including the District of Columbia and 
Puerto Rico, with charter school laws, (2) the number of charter 
schools in operation around the Nation, and (3) the percentage of 
charter school students who are achieving at or above the proficient 
level on State examinations in mathematics and reading. Additionally, 
the Secretary has established the following measure to examine the 
efficiency of the CSP: Federal cost per student in implementing a 
successful school (defined as a school in operation for three or more 
years).
    All grantees will be expected to submit an annual performance 
report documenting their contribution in assisting the Department in 
meeting these performance measures.

VII. Agency Contact

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Erin Pfeltz, U.S. Department of 
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Room 4W255, Washington, DC 20202-
5970. Telephone: (202) 205-3525 or by e-mail: erin.pfeltz@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 1-888-293-6498; 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: June 28, 2006.
Christopher J. Doherty,
Acting Assistant Deputy Secretary Office of Innovation and Improvement.
[FR Doc. E6-10396 Filed 6-30-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P