Office of Innovation and Improvement; Overview Information; Charter Schools Program (CSP); Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2007, 33986-33991 [E7-11712]
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33986
Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 118 / Wednesday, June 20, 2007 / Notices
Additional Information: Realizing
how important the pilot grant is towards
future developments, the Department
looks to postsecondary institutions for
their continuing input in this new
endeavor.
Frequency: Annually
Affected Public:
Businesses or other for-profit; not-forprofit institutions; State, Local, or Tribal
Gov’t, SEAs or LEAs
Reporting and Recordkeeping Hour
Burden:
Responses: 5
Burden Hours: 150
Requests for copies of the proposed
information collection request may be
accessed from https://edicsweb.ed.gov,
by selecting the ‘‘Browse Pending
Collections’’ link and by clicking on
link number 3387. When you access the
information collection, click on
‘‘Download Attachments’’ to view.
Written requests for information should
be addressed to U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW.,
Potomac Center, 9th Floor, Washington,
DC 20202–4700. Requests may also be
electronically mailed to the Internet
address ICDocketMgr@ed.gov or faxed to
202–245–6623. Please specify the
complete title of the information
collection when making your request.
Comments regarding burden and/or
the collection activity requirements
should be electronically mailed to
ICDocketMgr@ed.gov. Individuals who
use a telecommunications device for the
deaf (TDD) may call the Federal
Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1–
800–877–8339.
[FR Doc. E7–11860 Filed 6–19–07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Office of Innovation and Improvement;
Overview Information; Charter Schools
Program (CSP); Notice Inviting
Applications for New Awards for Fiscal
Year (FY) 2007
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance
(CFDA) Numbers: 84.282B and 84.282C.
Dates:
Applications Available: June 20, 2007.
Deadline for Transmittal of
Applications: August 6, 2007.
Deadline for Intergovernmental
Review: September 5, 2007.
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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
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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-State educational agency (nonSEA) 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 2007 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
Elementary and Secondary Education
Act of 1965, as amended (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.
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.
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, Connecticut, Delaware, District of
Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois,
Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland,
Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota,
Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New
Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio,
Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina,
Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and 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.
II. Award Information
2. Cost Sharing or Matching: These
programs do not require cost sharing or
matching.
Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
Estimated Available Funds:
$3,000,000.
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.
IV. Application and Submission
Information
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.
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If you use a telecommunications
device for the deaf (TDD), you may call
the Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll
free, 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
program. Page Limit: The application
narrative is where you, the applicant,
address the selection criteria that
reviewers use to evaluate your
application. You must limit the
application narrative (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).
• Use one of the following fonts:
Times New Roman, Courier, Courier
New, or Arial. An application submitted
in any other font (including Times
Roman or Arial Narrow) will not be
accepted.
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-page abstract,
the resumes, the bibliography, or the
letters of support. However, the page
limit does apply to all of the application
narrative section (Part III).
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: June 20, 2007.
Deadline for Transmittal of
Applications: August 6, 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 in paper format by
mail or hand delivery if you qualify for
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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 in section VII in this notice. If
the Department provides an
accommodation or auxiliary aid to an
individual with a disability in
connection with the application
process, the individual’s application
remains subject to all other
requirements and limitations in this
notice. Deadline for Intergovernmental
Review: September 5, 2007.
4. Intergovernmental Review: These
competitions are 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 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
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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 additional regulations
outlining funding restrictions in the
Applicable Regulations section in 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
Charter Schools Program, CFDA
Numbers 84.282B and 84.282C, 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 email 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 Schools
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 (e.g., search for 84.282, not
84.282B or 84.282C).
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Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 118 / Wednesday, June 20, 2007 / Notices
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,
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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—NonConstruction 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 EDspecified 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,
toll free, 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
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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 under FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT in
section VII in this notice 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.
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
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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.
(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
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(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 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
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
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
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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) of
the ESEA, 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 section 5204 of the
ESEA and 34 CFR 75.210 of EDGAR.
The maximum possible score for all
the criteria in this section is 130 points.
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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).
rwilkins on PROD1PC63 with NOTICES
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
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18:25 Jun 19, 2007
Jkt 211001
members of the community will be involved
in the planning, program design, and
implementation of the charter school.
(viii) The quality of the personnel
who will carry out the proposed project.
In determining the quality of project
personnel, the Secretary considers 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 have
traditionally 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 section 5204 of the
ESEA 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).
(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 quality of the personnel who
will carry out the proposed project. In
determining the quality of project
personnel, the Secretary considers the
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
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 have
traditionally been underrepresented
based on race, color, national origin,
gender, age, or disability (10 points).
(v) 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 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 Notice (GAN).
We may notify you informally, also.
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 directed by
the Secretary under 34 CFR 75.118. The
Secretary may also require more
frequent performance reports under 34
CFR 75.720(c). For specific
requirements on reporting, please go to
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 highquality 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
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Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 118 / Wednesday, June 20, 2007 / Notices
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 consecutive years).
These measures constitute the
Department’s indicators of success for
these programs. Consequently, we
advise an applicant for a grant under
these programs to give careful
consideration to these measures in
conceptualizing the approach and
evaluation for its proposed project. Each
grantee will be required to provide, in
its annual performance and final
reports, data about its progress in
meeting these measures.
VII. Agency 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 TDD, call the FRS at, tollfree, at 1–800–877–8339.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
rwilkins on PROD1PC63 with NOTICES
VIII. Other Information
Alternative Format: Individuals with
disabilities can obtain this document
and a copy of the application package in
an alternative format (e.g., Braille, large
print, audiotape, or computer diskette)
on request to the program contact
person listed under FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT in section VII in
this notice.
Electronic Access to This Document:
You can 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
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18:25 Jun 19, 2007
Jkt 211001
Register. Free Internet access to the official
edition of the Federal Register and the Code
of Federal Regulations is available on GPO
Access at: https://www.gpoaccess.gov/nara/
index.html.
Dated: June 13, 2007.
Morgan S. Brown,
Assistant Deputy Secretary for Innovation and
Improvement.
[FR Doc. E7–11712 Filed 6–19–07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
[OE Docket No. EA–212–C]
Application To Export Electric Energy;
Coral Power, L.L.C.
Office of Electricity Delivery
and Energy Reliability, DOE.
ACTION: Notice of application.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: Coral Power, L.L.C. (Coral)
has applied to renew its authority to
transmit electric energy from the United
States to Mexico pursuant to section
202(e) of the Federal Power Act (FPA).
DATES: Comments, protests or requests
to intervene must be submitted on or
before July 20, 2007.
ADDRESSES: Comments, protests or
requests to intervene should be
addressed as follows: Office of
Electricity Delivery and Energy
Reliability, Mail Code: OE–20, U.S.
Department of Energy, 1000
Independence Avenue, SW.,
Washington, DC 20585–0350 (Fax: 202–
586–8008).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Ellen Russell (Program Office) 202–586–
9624 or Michael Skinker (Program
Attorney) 202–586–2793.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Exports of
electricity from the United States to a
foreign country are regulated by the
Department of Energy (DOE) pursuant to
sections 301(b) and 402(f) of the
Department of Energy Organization Act
(42 U.S.C. 7151(b), 7172(f)) and require
authorization under section 202(e) of
the FPA (16 U.S.C. 824a(e)).
On June 9, 1999, the Department of
Energy (DOE) issued Order No. EA–212
authorizing Coral to transmit electric
energy from the United States to Mexico
as a power marketer for a two-year term.
On August 13, 2001, in Order No. EA–
212–A, DOE renewed that authorization
for a two-year term. On July 8, 2002,
Coral filed an application with DOE to
amend the existing export authorization
contained in Order No. EA–212–A to
add a list of authorized export points.
On August 26, 2002, in Order No. EA–
212–B, DOE renewed that authorization
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Sfmt 4703
33991
for a five-year term. That authorization
will expire on August 26, 2007.
On May 31, 2007, Coral filed an
application with DOE to renew the
export authority contained in Order No.
EA–212–B for an additional five-year
term and requested expedited treatment
of the application so that its
authorization will not lapse. Coral does
not own or control any transmission or
distribution assets, nor does it have a
franchised service area. The electric
energy which Coral proposes to export
to Mexico would be purchased from
electric utilities and Federal power
marketing agencies within the United
States.
Coral will arrange for the delivery of
exports to Mexico over the international
transmission facilities currently owned
by San Diego Gas and Electric Company,
El Paso Electric Company, Central
Power and Light Company, and
Comision Federal de Electricidad, the
national utility of Mexico.
The construction, operation,
maintenance, and connection of each of
the international transmission facilities
to be utilized by Coral has previously
been authorized by a Presidential permit
issued pursuant to Executive Order
10485, as amended.
Procedural Matters: Any person
desiring to become a party to this
proceeding or to be heard by filing
comments or protests to this application
should file a petition to intervene,
comment or protest at the address
provided above in accordance with
§§ 385.211 or 385.214 of the Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission’s Rules
of Practice and Procedures (18 CFR
385.211, 385.214). Fifteen copies of each
petition and protest should be filed with
DOE on or before the date listed above.
Comments on the Coral application to
export electric energy to Mexico should
be clearly marked with Docket No. EA–
212–C. Additional copies are to be filed
directly with Robert Reilley, Vice
President, Regulatory Affairs, Coral
Power, L.L.C., 909 Fannin, Plaza Level
One, Houston, TX 77010 and Jane
Barnett, Regulatory analyst, Coral
Power, L.L.C., 909 Fannin, Plaza Level
One, Houston, TX 77010.
A final decision will be made on this
application after the environmental
impacts have been evaluated pursuant
to the National Environmental Policy
Act of 1969, and a determination is
made by the DOE that the proposed
action will not adversely impact on the
reliability of the U.S. electric power
supply system.
Copies of this application will be
made available, upon request, for public
inspection and copying at the address
provided above or by accessing the
E:\FR\FM\20JNN1.SGM
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 118 (Wednesday, June 20, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33986-33991]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-11712]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Office of Innovation and Improvement; Overview Information;
Charter Schools Program (CSP); Notice Inviting Applications for New
Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2007
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Numbers: 84.282B and
84.282C.
Dates:
Applications Available: June 20, 2007.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: August 6, 2007.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: September 5, 2007.
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
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-State educational agency (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 2007 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 Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended
(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: $3,000,000.
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.
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, Connecticut,
Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois,
Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan,
Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico,
New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee,
Texas, Utah, and 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 programs do not require cost
sharing or matching.
IV. Application and Submission Information
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.
[[Page 33987]]
If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may
call the Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll free, 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 program. Page
Limit: The application narrative is where you, the applicant, address
the selection criteria that reviewers use to evaluate your application.
You must limit the application narrative (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).
Use one of the following fonts: Times New Roman, Courier,
Courier New, or Arial. An application submitted in any other font
(including Times Roman or Arial Narrow) will not be accepted.
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-page abstract, the
resumes, the bibliography, or the letters of support. However, the page
limit does apply to all of the application narrative section (Part
III).
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: June 20,
2007.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: August 6, 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 in paper format 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 in section VII
in this notice. If the Department provides an accommodation or
auxiliary aid to an individual with a disability in connection with the
application process, the individual's application remains subject to
all other requirements and limitations in this notice. Deadline for
Intergovernmental Review: September 5, 2007.
4. Intergovernmental Review: These competitions are 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 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 additional regulations outlining funding restrictions
in the Applicable Regulations section in 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 Charter Schools Program, CFDA
Numbers 84.282B and 84.282C, 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-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
Schools 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 (e.g.,
search for 84.282, not 84.282B or 84.282C).
[[Page 33988]]
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, toll free, 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
under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT in section VII in this notice 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.
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
[[Page 33989]]
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.
(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 84.282B 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 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
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
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) of the ESEA,
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 section 5204 of the ESEA and 34 CFR 75.210 of EDGAR.
The maximum possible score for all the criteria in this section is
130 points.
[[Page 33990]]
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 quality of the personnel who will carry out the proposed
project. In determining the quality of project personnel, the Secretary
considers 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 have traditionally 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 section 5204 of the ESEA 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).
(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 quality of the personnel who will carry out the proposed
project. In determining the quality of project personnel, the Secretary
considers 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 have traditionally been underrepresented based
on race, color, national origin, gender, age, or disability (10
points).
(v) 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 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
Notice (GAN). We may notify you informally, also.
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 directed by the Secretary
under 34 CFR 75.118. The Secretary may also require more frequent
performance reports under 34 CFR 75.720(c). For specific requirements
on reporting, please go to 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
[[Page 33991]]
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 consecutive years).
These measures constitute the Department's indicators of success
for these programs. Consequently, we advise an applicant for a grant
under these programs to give careful consideration to these measures in
conceptualizing the approach and evaluation for its proposed project.
Each grantee will be required to provide, in its annual performance and
final reports, data about its progress in meeting these 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 TDD, call the FRS at, toll-free, at 1-800-877-8339.
VIII. Other Information
Alternative Format: Individuals with disabilities can obtain this
document and a copy of the application package in an alternative format
(e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer diskette) on
request to the program contact person listed under FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT in section VII in this notice.
Electronic Access to This Document: You can 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 13, 2007.
Morgan S. Brown,
Assistant Deputy Secretary for Innovation and Improvement.
[FR Doc. E7-11712 Filed 6-19-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P
