Office of Innovation and Improvement; Overview Information; Voluntary Public School Choice Program (VPSC); Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2007, 4700-4705 [E7-1539]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 21 (Thursday, February 1, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4700-4705]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-1539]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Office of Innovation and Improvement; Overview Information; 
Voluntary Public School Choice Program (VPSC); Notice Inviting 
Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2007

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.361A

    Dates: Applications Available: February 1, 2007.
    Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply: February 26, 2007.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: April 2, 2007.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: June 1, 2007.
    Eligible Applicants:
    (a) One or more State educational agencies (SEAs);
    (b) One or more local educational agencies (LEAs);
    (c) One or more SEAs in partnership with one or more LEAs or other 
public, for-profit, or non-profit entities; or
    (d) One or more LEAs in partnership with one or more public, for-
profit, or non-profit entities.

    Note: For regulations governing partnership applications, see 34 
CFR 75.127 through 75.129.

    Estimated Available Funds: The Administration has requested 
$26,278,000 for this program for FY 2007. The actual level of funding, 
if any, depends on final congressional action. However, we are inviting 
applications to allow enough time to complete the grant process before 
the end of the current fiscal year, if Congress appropriates funds for 
this program.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $700,000-$3,000,000 per year.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $2,000,000 per year.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 10-15.

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

    Project Period: Up to 60 months.

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Purpose of Program: This program provides grants for eligible 
applicants to establish or expand a program of voluntary public school 
choice. This public school choice program must focus on providing 
parents with greater options in acquiring a high-quality public 
education for their children, particularly parents whose children 
currently attend schools in need of improvement as defined in section 
1116(b) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as 
amended by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (ESEA).
    Priorities: This notice contains five competitive preference 
priorities. In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(iv) and (b)(2)(v), 
Competitive Preference Priorities 1 through 3 are from section 5244 of 
the ESEA (20 U.S.C. 7225c) and Competitive Preference Priorities 4 and 
5 are from the notice of final priorities for discretionary grant 
programs published in the Federal Register on October 11, 2006 (71 FR 
60046).
    Competitive Preference Priorities: For FY 2007, these priorities 
are competitive preference priorities. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2), we 
give preference to and award up to 60 points to an application that 
meets one or more of these priorities over an application that does not 
meet one or more of these priorities.
    These priorities are:
    Competitive Preference Priority 1: Partnership/Interdistrict 
Approach. Up to 20 points for establishing or expanding a partnership 
that implements an interdistrict approach to carrying out a public 
school choice program. This priority focuses on implementing different 
models of interdistrict choice arrangements that foster collaboration 
and cooperation between LEAS in order to expand options for students to 
attend higher-performing schools.


[[Page 4701]]


    Note: In determining whether a proposed project would implement 
interdistrict choice, the Department will consider, among other 
things, a written partnership agreement between two or more school 
districts to accept students as transfers from low-performing 
schools in one school district to higher-performing schools in 
another school district.

    Background: The ESEA requires LEAs that have Title I schools 
identified for improvement, but cannot provide the students attending 
those identified schools with the option to attend another school 
within the LEA, to the extent practicable, to enter into partnerships 
with other LEAs that can accept their students as transfers. Other LEAs 
that have schools identified for improvement, even if they can provide 
some choice within the LEA, may also enter into such partnerships to 
provide a broader range of educational options. However, very few 
students have participated in interdistrict choice programs under the 
Title I choice provisions, and the failure or inability of LEAs to 
enter into interdistrict agreements has likely contributed to the very 
limited participation in Title I choice arrangements nationally. (Only 
one percent of students eligible to change schools under the Title I 
provisions have done so.)
    However, surveys and other data clearly show that parents and 
students will take advantage of interdistrict choice opportunities when 
they are made available. Existing interdistrict choice arrangements are 
well-subscribed. The Secretary believes that expanding interdistrict 
choice arrangements will give students enrolled in schools identified 
for improvement much broader choices in transferring to higher-
performing schools. The Department is focusing this competition on an 
interdistrict choice priority by providing a significant number of 
points for applicants that propose to use interdistrict approaches to 
public school choice.
    Competitive Preference Priority 2: Wide Variety of Choices. Up to 
10 points for providing a wide variety of choices to all students in 
participating schools.

    Note: In determining whether a proposed project would provide a 
wide variety of choices, the Department will consider, among other 
things, the characteristics of the school district. For example, a 
wide variety of choices in a small rural district may differ from a 
wide variety of choices in a large urban district.

    Competitive Preference Priority 3: Substantial Impact on Students 
in Low-Performing Schools. Up to 10 points for having a substantial 
impact, through various choice options, in allowing students in low-
performing schools to attend higher-performing schools.

    Note: In determining whether a proposed project would have a 
substantial impact in allowing students in low-performing schools to 
attend higher-performing schools, the Department will consider, 
among other things, the percentage of students in low-performing 
schools who would be able to attend higher-performing schools under 
the jurisdiction of the applicant and/or neighboring school district 
jurisdictions.

    Competitive Preference Priority 4: Secondary Schools. Up to 10 
points for projects that support activities and interventions aimed at 
improving the academic achievement of secondary school students who are 
at greatest risk of not meeting challenging State academic standards 
and not completing high school.
    Competitive Preference Priority 5: Student Achievement Data. Up to 
10 points for projects that collect pre- and post-intervention test 
data to assess the effect of the projects on the academic achievement 
of student participants relative to appropriate comparison or control 
groups.

Statutory And Regulatory Requirements

    Permissible Activities: Activities supported under this competition 
must establish or expand a program of public school choice and may 
involve one or more of the following:
     The cost of providing students selected to participate in 
the program with transportation services or a substantial portion of 
the cost of transportation to and from the public elementary schools 
and secondary schools, including charter schools, that the students 
choose to attend under the public school choice program.
     The cost of planning or designing a program (for not more 
than one year).
     The cost of making tuition transfer payments to public 
elementary or secondary schools to which students transfer under the 
program.
     The cost of capacity-enhancing activities that enable 
high-demand public elementary or secondary schools to accommodate 
transfer requests under the program.
     The cost of carrying out public education campaigns to 
inform students and parents about the program.
     The cost of other activities reasonably necessary to 
implement the program.

    Note: Grant funds may not be used for school construction.


    Note: The term charter school has the meaning given such term in 
section 5210(1) of ESEA.


    Note: Applications that do not propose to use grant funds to 
provide students selected to participate in the program with 
transportation services or the cost of transportation to or from the 
public elementary or secondary schools, including charter schools, 
the students choose to attend under the program must include a 
detailed explanation of how such transportation services or costs 
will be paid.

    Application Requirements: An application submitted to the Secretary 
must include the following:
    a. A description of the program for which the eligible entity seeks 
funds and the goals for the program.
    b. A description of how and when parents of students who are to be 
served by the program will be given prompt notification of: (1) The 
existence of the program, (2) the program's availability, and (3) a 
clear explanation of how the program will operate.
    c. A description of how students will be selected for the program.

    Note: Students must be selected on the basis of lottery if more 
students apply to participate in the program than can be 
accommodated.

    d. A description of how the program will be coordinated with, and 
will complement and enhance, the applicant's other related Federal and 
non-Federal projects.
    e. If the program is to be carried out by a partnership, the name 
of each partner, a description of the partners' responsibilities, and a 
written partnership agreement that meets the requirements of 34 CFR 
75.128(b).
    f. Among the application requirements, an assurance that the 
applicant will collect information to meet the requirements of 34 CFR 
75.590.

    Note: Section 75.590 requires the recipient of an award to 
evaluate at least annually its progress in achieving the objectives 
in its approved application, the effectiveness of the project in 
meeting the purposes of the program, and the program's effects on 
participants being served by the project.

    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 7225-7225g.
    Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80, 
82, 84, 85, 86, 97, 98, and 99. (b) The notice of final priorities for 
discretionary grant programs published in the Federal Register on 
October 11, 2006 (71 FR 60046).

    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.


[[Page 4702]]



II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
    Estimated Available Funds: The Administration has requested 
$26,278,000 for this program for FY 2007. The actual level of funding, 
if any, depends on final congressional action. However, we are inviting 
applications to allow enough time to complete the grant process before 
the end of the current fiscal year, if Congress appropriates funds for 
this program.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $700,000-$3,000,000 per year.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $2,000,000 per year.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 10-15.

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

    Project Period: Up to 60 months.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants:
    (a) One or more SEAs;
    (b) One or more LEAs;
    (c) One or more SEAs in partnership with one more LEAs or other 
public, for-profit, or non-profit entities; or
    (d) One or more LEAs in partnership with one or more public, for-
profit, or non-profit entities.

    Note: For regulations governing partnership applications, see 34 
CFR 75.127 through 75.129.

    2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This competition does not involve cost 
sharing or matching.

IV. Application and Submission Information

    1. Address to Request Application Package: 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 from ED Pubs, be sure to identify 
this competition as follows: CFDA number 84.361A.
    You may also obtain the application package for the program via the 
Internet at the following address: https://www.ed.gov/programs/
voluntarypublicschoolchoice/applicant.html.
    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. Agency Contact of This Notice

    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 program.
    Notice of Intent to Apply: The Department will be able to develop a 
more efficient process for reviewing grant applications if it has a 
better understanding of the number of applicants that intend to apply 
for funding under this program. Therefore, the Secretary strongly 
encourages each potential applicant to notify the Department with a 
short e-mail indicating the applicant's intent to submit an application 
for funding. The e-mail need not include information regarding the 
content of the proposed application, only the applicant's intent to 
submit it. This e-mail notification should be sent to Iris A. Lane at: 
vpsc@ed.gov. Applicants that fail to provide this e-mail notification 
may still apply for funding.
    Page Limit: The program narrative is where you, the applicant, 
address the selection criteria that reviewers use to evaluate your 
application. You must limit the program narrative section that 
addresses the selection criteria to the equivalent of no more than 75 
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. Page numbers and an 
identifier may be within the 1'' margin.
     Double space (no more than three lines per vertical inch) 
all text in the application narrative, except titles, headings, 
footnotes, quotations, references, captions, and all text in charts, 
tables, and graphs may be single spaced.
     Use one or more of the following fonts: Times New Roman, 
Courier, Courier New or Arial. Applications submitted in any other font 
(including Times Roman and Arial Narrow) will be rejected.
     Use not less than 12-point font.
    The page limit does not apply to Part I, the Application for 
Federal Assistance face sheet (SF 424); the supplemental information 
form required by the Department of Education; Part II, the budget 
information summary form (ED 524); and Part IV, the assurances, 
certifications and related information. The page limit also does not 
apply to a table of contents, an abstract, resumes, or letters of 
support. However, you must include all of the application narrative in 
Part III. You must include your complete response to the selection 
criteria in the program narrative.
    Our reviewers will not read any pages of your 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: February 1, 
2007.
    Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply: February 26, 2007.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: April 2, 2007.
    Applications for grants under this program 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.
    Individuals with disabilities who need an accommodation or 
auxiliary aid in connection with the application process should contact 
the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: June 1, 2007.
    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 the regulations outlining 
funding restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this 
notice.
    6. Other Submission Requirements. Applications for grants under 
this program 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 Voluntary Public School Choice 
Program, CFDA Number 84.361A must be submitted electronically using the 
Governmentwide 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-

[[Page 4703]]

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 Voluntary 
Public School Choice Program at https://www.Grants.gov. You must search 
for the downloadable application package for this program or 
competition by the CFDA number. Do not include the CFDA number's alpha 
suffix in your search (e.g., search for 84.361, not 84.361A).
    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 date and time 
stamped. Your application must be fully uploaded and submitted, and 
must be date and 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 and 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 and 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://e-Grants.ed.gov/help/
GrantsgovSubmissionProcedures.pdf.
     To submit your application via Grants.gov, you must 
complete all steps in the Grants.gov registration process (see https://
www.grants.gov/applicants/get_registered.jsp). These steps include (1) 
registering your organization, a multi-part process that includes 
registration with the Central Contractor Registry (CCR); (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/section910/
Grants.govRegistrationBrochure.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 submit successfully an application via Grants.gov. In 
addition you will need to update your CCR registration on an annual 
basis. This may take three or more business days to complete.
     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 you typically provide on the following forms: 
Application for Federal Assistance (SF 424), the Department of 
Education Supplemental Information for SF 424, Budget Information--Non-
Construction Programs (ED 524), and all necessary assurances and 
certifications. Please note that two of these forms--the SF 424 and the 
Department of Education Supplemental Information for SF 424--have 
replaced the ED 424 (Application for Federal Education Assistance).
     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 in this paragraph 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 from Grants.gov an automatic notification of receipt that 
contains a Grants.gov tracking number. (This notification indicates 
receipt by Grants.gov only, not receipt by the Department.) The 
Department then will retrieve your application from Grants.gov and send 
a second notification to you by e-mail. This second notification 
indicates that the Department has received your application and has 
assigned your application 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 experiencing problems submitting 
your application through Grants.gov, please contact the Grants.gov 
Support Desk at 1-800-518-4726. You must obtain a Grants.gov Support 
Desk Case Number and must keep a record of it.
    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 described elsewhere in this notice.
    If you submit an application after 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, 
on the application 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. 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: The extensions to which we refer 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 application deadline date and time or if the technical problem 
you experienced is unrelated to the Grants.gov system.


[[Page 4704]]


    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: Iris A. Lane, U.S. 
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 4W219, 
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 (84.361A), 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 
(84.361A), 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.
    (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.
    (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 84.361A), 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 11 of the SF 424 the CFDA number, including 
suffix letter, if any, of the competition under which you are 
submitting your application; and
    (2) The Application Control Center will mail to you a 
notification of receipt of your grant application. If you do not 
receive this notification 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

    1. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this competition 
are from 34 CFR 75.210 and sections 5243 and 5244 of the ESEA. The 
maximum score for all of the selection criteria is 100 points. The 
maximum score for each criterion is indicated in parentheses with the 
criterion. The maximum number of points an application may earn based 
on the competitive preference priorities and the selection criteria is 
160 points. The criteria are as follows:
    (a) Significance (up to 10 points). The Secretary considers the 
significance of the proposed project. In determining the significance 
of the proposed project, the Secretary considers the following factors:
    (1) The likelihood that the proposed project will result in system 
change or improvement.
    (2) The extent to which the proposed project is likely to build 
local capacity to provide, improve, or expand services that address the 
needs of the target population.
    (b) Quality of the project design (up to 30 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 proposed project encourages parental 
involvement and ensures that parents have comprehensive information 
about their educational choices.
    (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.
    (c) Quality of project services (up to 20 points). The Secretary 
considers the quality of the services to be provided by the proposed 
project. In determining the quality of the services to be provided by 
the proposed project, the Secretary considers the quality and 
sufficiency of strategies for ensuring equal access and treatment for 
eligible project participants who are members of groups that have 
traditionally been underrepresented based on race, color, national 
origin, gender, age, or disability. In addition, the Secretary 
considers the following factors:
    (1) The likelihood that the services to be provided by the proposed 
project will lead to improvements in the achievement of students as 
measured against rigorous academic standards.
    (2) The extent to which the services to be provided by the proposed 
project involve the collaboration of appropriate partners for 
maximizing the effectiveness of project services.

[[Page 4705]]

    (d) Quality of the management plan (up to 20 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 adequacy of the management plan to 
achieve the objectives of the proposed project on time and within 
budget, including whether it includes clearly defined responsibilities, 
timelines, and milestones for accomplishing project tasks.
    (e) Quality of the project evaluation (up to 20 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 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.

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

    2. Review and Selection Process: The Secretary will select an 
application for funding in rank-order, based on the application's total 
score for the selection criteria and priorities.

VI. Award Administration Information

    1. Award Notices: If your application is successful, we notify your 
U.S. Representative and U.S. Senators and send you a Grant Award 
Notification (GAN). We may also notify you informally.
    If your application is not evaluated or not selected for funding, 
we notify you.
    2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements: We identify 
administrative and national policy requirements in the application 
package and reference these and other requirements in the Applicable 
Regulations section of this notice.
    We reference the regulations outlining the terms and conditions of 
an award in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice and 
include these and other specific conditions in the GAN. The GAN also 
incorporates your approved application as part of your binding 
commitments under the grant.
    3. Reporting: At the end of your project period, you must submit a 
final performance report, including financial information, as directed 
by the Secretary. If you receive a multi-year award, you must submit an 
annual performance report that provides the most current performance 
and financial expenditure information as specified by the Secretary in 
34 CFR 75.118. For specific requirements on grantee reporting, please 
go to https://www/ed/gov/fund/grant/apply/appforms.html.
    4. Performance Measures: The program goal is to assist States and 
local school districts in creating, expanding, and implementing a 
public school choice program. The Secretary has established three 
performance indicators: (1) The number of students who have the option 
of attending participating VPSC schools selected by their parents; (2) 
The percentage of students participating at VPSC sites who exercise 
school choice by changing schools; and, (3) The percentage of 
participating students whose achievement increases in mathematics and 
reading. All grantees will be expected to submit an annual performance 
report documenting their contribution in assisting the Department in 
measuring the performance of the program against these indicators.

VII. Agency Contact

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Iris A. Lane, U.S. Department of 
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 4W219, Washington, DC 20202-
5970. Telephone: (202) 260-1999 or by e-mail: vpsc@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: January 26, 2007.
Morgan S. Brown,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Innovation and Improvement.
[FR Doc. E7-1539 Filed 1-31-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P