Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools; Overview Information; Partnerships in Character Education Program; Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2008, 9554-9559 [E8-3250]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 35 (Thursday, February 21, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9554-9559]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-3250]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools; Overview Information; 
Partnerships in Character Education Program; Notice Inviting 
Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2008

    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.215S.
    Dates:
    Applications Available: February 21, 2008.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: March 31, 2008.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: May 30, 2008.

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Purpose of Program: Under this program we support Federal grants to 
design and implement character education programs that can be 
integrated into classroom instruction, that are consistent with State 
academic content standards. Such programs may be carried out in 
conjunction with other educational reform efforts, and must take into 
consideration the views of parents, students, students with 
disabilities (including those with mental or physical disabilities), 
and other members of the community, including members of private, 
nonprofit organizations or entities, including faith-based 
organizations and community organizations.
    Priorities: In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(iv), this 
priority is from Title V, Part D, Subpart 3, Section 5431 of the 
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended by the No 
Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (ESEA) (20 U.S.C. 7247).
    Absolute Priority: For FY 2008 and any subsequent years in which we 
make awards from the list of unfunded applicants from this competition, 
this priority is an absolute priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3), we 
consider only applications that meet this priority.
    This priority is:
    The design and implementation of character education programs that 
are able to be--
    (A) Integrated into classroom instruction and consistent with State 
academic content standards; and
    (B) carried out in conjunction with other educational reform 
efforts.
    Competitive Preference Priority: Within this absolute priority, we 
give competitive preference to applications that address the following 
priority. This priority is from the notice of final priorities for 
discretionary grant programs, published in the Federal Register on 
January 25, 2005 (70 FR 3585).
    Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i), we award up to an additional 20 
points to an application, depending on how well the application meets 
this priority. When using the priority to give competitive preference 
to an application, the Secretary will review applications using a two-
stage process. In the first stage, the application will be reviewed 
without taking the priority into account. In the second stage of 
review, the applications rated highest in stage one will be reviewed 
for competitive preference.
    This priority is:
    The Secretary establishes a priority for projects proposing an 
evaluation plan that is based on rigorous scientifically based research 
methods used to assess the effectiveness of a particular intervention. 
The Secretary intends that this priority will allow program 
participants and the Department to determine whether the project 
produces meaningful effects on student achievement or teacher 
performance.
    Evaluation methods using an experimental design are best for 
determining project effectiveness. Thus, when feasible, the project 
must use an experimental design under which participants--e.g., 
students, teachers, classrooms, or schools--are randomly assigned to 
participate in the project activities being evaluated or to a control 
group that does not participate in the project activities being 
evaluated.
    If random assignment is not feasible, the project may use a quasi-
experimental design with carefully matched comparison conditions. This 
alternative design attempts to approximate a randomly assigned control 
group by matching participants--e.g., students, teachers,

[[Page 9555]]

classrooms, orchools--with non-participants having similar pre-program 
characteristics.
    In cases where random assignment is not possible and participation 
in the intervention is determined by a specified cutting point on a 
quantified continuum of scores, regression discontinuity designs may be 
employed.
    For projects that are focused on special populations in which 
sufficient numbers of participants are not available to support random 
assignment or matched comparison group designs, single-subject designs 
such as multiple baseline or treatment-reversal or interrupted time 
series that are capable of demonstrating causal relationships can be 
employed.
    Proposed evaluation strategies that use neither experimental 
designs with random assignment nor quasi-experimental designs using a 
matched comparison group nor regression discontinuity designs will not 
be considered responsive to the priority when sufficient numbers of 
participants are available to support these designs. Evaluation 
strategies that involve too small a number of participants to support 
group designs must be capable of demonstrating the causal effects of an 
intervention or program on those participants.
    The proposed evaluation plan must describe how the project 
evaluator will collect--before the project intervention commences and 
after it ends--valid and reliable data that measure the impact of 
participation in the program or in the comparison group.
    Points awarded under this priority will be determined by the 
quality of the proposed evaluation method. In determining the quality 
of the evaluation method, we will consider the extent to which the 
applicant presents a feasible, credible plan that includes the 
following:
    (1) The type of design to be used (that is, random assignment or 
matched comparison). If matched comparison, include in the plan a 
discussion of why random assignment is not feasible.
    (2) Outcomes to be measured.
    (3) A discussion of how the applicant plans to assign students, 
teachers, classrooms, or schools to the project and control group or 
match them for comparison with other students, teachers, classrooms, or 
schools.
    (4) A proposed evaluator, preferably independent, with the 
necessary background and technical expertise to carry out the proposed 
evaluation. An independent evaluator does not have any authority over 
the project and is not involved in its implementation.
    In general, depending on the implemented program or project, under 
a competitive preference priority, random assignment evaluation methods 
will receive more points than matched comparison evaluation methods.

Definitions

    As used in this notice--
    Scientifically based research (section 9101(37) ESEA):
    (A) Means research that involves the application of rigorous, 
systematic, and objective procedures to obtain reliable and valid 
knowledge relevant to education activities and programs; and
    (B) Includes research that--
    (i) Employs systematic, empirical methods that draw on observation 
or experiment;
    (ii) Involves rigorous data analyses that are adequate to test the 
stated hypotheses and justify the general conclusions drawn;
    (iii) Relies on measurements or observational methods that provide 
reliable and valid data across evaluators and observers, across 
multiple measurements and observations, and across studies by the same 
or different investigators;
    (iv) Is evaluated using experimental or quasi-experimental designs 
in which individuals entities, programs, or activities are assigned to 
different conditions and with appropriate controls to evaluate the 
effects of the condition of interest, with a preference for random-
assignment experiments, or other designs to the extent that those 
designs contain within-condition or across-condition controls;
    (v) Ensures that experimental studies are presented in sufficient 
detail and clarity to allow for replication or, at a minimum, offer the 
opportunity to build systematically on their findings; and
    (vi) Has been accepted by a peer-reviewed journal or approved by a 
panel of independent experts through a comparably rigorous, objective, 
and scientific review.
    Random assignment or experimental design means random assignment of 
students, teachers, classrooms, or schools to participate in a project 
being evaluated (treatment group) or not participate in the project 
(control group). The effect of the project is the difference in 
outcomes between the treatment and control groups.
    Quasi-experimental designs include several designs that attempt to 
approximate a random assignment design.
    Carefully matched comparison groups design means a quasi-
experimental design in which project participants are matched with non-
participants based on key characteristics that are thought to be 
related to the outcome.
    Regression discontinuity design means a quasi-experimental design 
that closely approximates an experimental design. In a regression 
discontinuity design, participants are assigned to a treatment or 
control group based on a numerical rating or score of a variable 
unrelated to the treatment such as the rating of an application for 
funding. Eligible students, teachers, classrooms, or schools above a 
certain score (``cut score'') are assigned to the treatment group and 
those below the score are assigned to the control group. In the case of 
the scores of applicants' proposals for funding, the ``cut score'' is 
established at the point where the program funds available are 
exhausted.
    Single subject design means a design that relies on the comparison 
of treatment effects on a single subject or group of single subjects. 
There is little confidence that findings based on this design would be 
the same for other members of the population.
    Treatment reversal design means a single subject design in which a 
pre-treatment or baseline outcome measurement is compared with a post-
treatment measure. Treatment would then be stopped for a period of 
time, a second baseline measure of the outcome would be taken, followed 
by a second application of the treatment or a different treatment. For 
example, this design might be used to evaluate a behavior modification 
program for disabled students with behavior disorders.
    Multiple baseline design means a single subject design to address 
concerns about the effects of normal development, timing of the 
treatment, and amount of the treatment with treatment-reversal designs 
by using a varying time schedule for introduction of the treatment and/
or treatments of different lengths or intensity.
    Interrupted time series design means a quasi-experimental design in 
which the outcome of interest is measured multiple times before and 
after the treatment for program participants only.

    Note: Due to the very short time frame that applicants have to 
select a proposed evaluator for the required competitive priority, 
we remind applicants that they can, under 34 CFR 80.36, use informal 
procedures to select a proposed contractor for this purpose. For 
example, Sec.  80.36 authorizes simple informal procedures to select 
contractors for contracts under the simplified acquisition threshold 
of $100,000. 34 CFR 80.36(d)(1). The regulations only require that 
you request offers from an adequate number of sources.


[[Page 9556]]


    In addition, even if you expect that the evaluation of your project 
would cost more than $100,000, the regulations recognize special cases 
where a contractor must be selected within a very limited time period. 
Again, you need to request proposals from an adequate number of 
qualified sources and select the contractor whose proposal is most 
advantageous to the program, considering price and other selection 
factors. In these situations, if informal solicitation does not result 
in an adequate number of proposals, you may select a single bidder so 
long as you document the facts that formed the basis for your decision. 
34 CFR 80.36(d)(1), (3) & (4).
    Invitational Priority: Within this absolute priority, we are 
particularly interested in applications that address the following 
invitational priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(1) we do not give an 
application that meets this invitational priority a competitive or 
absolute preference over other applications.
    This priority is:
    Faith-based and Community Organizations.
    The Secretary is especially interested in applications that propose 
to engage faith-based and community organizations in the planning and 
development of character education programs and the delivery of 
services under this program.
    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 7247.
    Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80, 
81, 82, 84, 85, 86, 97, 98, 99 and 299. (b) The notice of final 
priority published in the Federal Register on January 25, 2005 (70 FR 
3585).

    Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 79 apply to all applicants 
except federally recognized Indian tribes.


    Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to institutions of 
higher education only.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Discretionary grant.
    Estimated Available Funds: $1,106,865.
    Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of 
applications, we may make additional awards in FY 2009 and subsequent 
fiscal years from the list of unfunded applicants from this 
competition.
    Estimated Range of Awards: For State educational agencies (SEAs), 
$500,000-$750,000. For local educational agencies (LEAs), $250,000-
$500,000. We anticipate that applicants who request funding at the 
higher end of these ranges would respond to the competitive preference 
priority to implement experimental or quasi-experimental designs.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: For SEAs, $600,000 for each 12-
month budget period. For LEAs, $350,000 for each 12-month budget 
period.
    Minimum Award: Pursuant to Section 5431(a)(4) of the ESEA, SEAs 
must propose a total budget that is $500,000 or more for a single 
budget period. This restriction does not apply to applications from 
LEAs.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 2.

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

    Project Period: Up to 48 months, of which no more than 12 months 
may be used for planning and program design.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants:
    (a)(1) An SEA in partnership with one or more LEAs; or
    (2) An SEA in partnership with one or more LEAs and nonprofit 
organizations or entities, including faith-based and community 
organizations, and an Institute of Higher Education (IHE); and
    (b)(1) An LEA or consortium of LEAs; or
    (2) An LEA in partnership with one or more nonprofit organizations 
or entities, including faith-based and community organizations, and an 
IHE. Charter schools that are considered LEAs under State law are also 
eligible to apply.
    Participation by Private School Children and Teachers.
    Each eligible entity that receives a grant under this section shall 
provide, to the extent feasible and appropriate, for the participation 
of programs and activities under this section of students and teachers 
in private elementary and secondary schools.
    2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This competition does not require cost 
sharing or matching.

IV. Application and Submission Information

    1. Address to Request Application Package: Sharon J. Burton, U.S. 
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 3E322, 
Washington, DC 20202. Telephone: (202) 205-8122 or by e-mail: 
sharon.burton@ed.gov.
    If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), call the 
Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll free, at 1-800-877-8339.
    Individuals with disabilities can obtain a copy of the application 
package in an alternative format (e.g., Braille, large print, 
audiotape, or computer diskette) by contacting the program contact 
person listed in this section.
    2. Content and Form of Application Submission: Requirements 
concerning the content of an application, together with the forms you 
must submit, are in the application package for this competition.
    3. Submission Dates and Times:
    Applications Available: February 21, 2008.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: March 31, 2008.
    Applications for grants under this competition may be submitted 
electronically using the Grants.gov Apply site (Grants.gov), or in 
paper format by mail or hand delivery. For information (including dates 
and times) about how to submit your application electronically, or in 
paper format by mail or hand delivery, 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: May 30, 2008.
    4. Intergovernmental Review: This competition 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 
competition.
    5. Funding Restrictions: An SEA may use not more than three percent 
(3%) of the total funds received in any fiscal year for administrative 
purposes. This does not apply to LEAs. We reference regulations 
outlining funding restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section in 
this notice.
    6. Other Submission Requirements: Applications for grants under 
this competition may be submitted electronically or in paper format by 
mail or hand delivery.
    a. Electronic Submission of Applications.
    To comply with the President's Management Agenda, we are 
participating as a partner in the Governmentwide Grants.gov Apply site.

[[Page 9557]]

The Partnerships in Character Education Program, CFDA Number 84.215S, 
is included in this project. We request your participation in 
Grants.gov.
    If you choose to submit your application electronically, you must 
use 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.
    You may access the electronic grant application for the 
Partnerships in Character Education Program at https://www.Grants.gov. 
You must search for the downloadable application package for this 
competition by the CFDA number. Do not include the CFDA number's alpha 
suffix in your search (e.g., search for 84.215, not 84.215S).
    Please note the following:
     Your participation in Grants.gov is voluntary.
     When you enter the Grants.gov site, you will find 
information about submitting an application electronically through the 
site, as well as the hours of operation.
     Applications received by Grants.gov are 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 competition 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 submit your application in paper format.
     If you submit your application electronically, 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).
     If you submit your application electronically, you must 
attach any narrative sections of your application as files in a .DOC 
(document), .RTF (rich text), or .PDF (Portable Document) format. If 
you upload a file type other than the three file types specified 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.

    b. Submission of Paper Applications by Mail.

[[Page 9558]]

    If you submit your application in paper format by mail (through the 
U.S. Postal Service or a commercial carrier), you must mail the 
original and 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 84.215S), 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 
84.215S), 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 submit your application in paper format by hand delivery, 
you (or a courier service) must deliver the original and two copies of 
your application by hand, on or before the application deadline date, 
to the Department at the following address: U.S. Department of 
Education, Application Control Center, Attention: (CFDA Number 
84.215S), 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 part 75.210 in EDGAR and are listed in the application 
package.
    2. Review and Selection Process: Additional factors we consider in 
selecting an application for an award are included in 20 U.S.C. 7247. 
We will ensure that, to the extent practicable, the projects for which 
we provide funding are equally distributed among the geographic regions 
of the United States, and among urban, suburban and rural areas.

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 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 in this notice.
    We reference the regulations outlining the terms and conditions of 
an award in the Applicable Regulations section in 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 Measure: Under the Government Performance and 
Results Act (GPRA), two performance indicators have been established 
for the Partnerships in Character Education Program. The indicators 
are: the percentage of Partnerships in Character Education Program 
grantees that use an experimental or quasi-experimental design for 
their evaluation; and the percentage of Partnerships in Character 
Education Program grantees that use an experimental or quasi-
experimental design for their evaluation that are conducted 
successfully, and that yield scientifically valid results. 
Consequently, applicants for a grant under this program are advised to 
give careful consideration to these two measures in conceptualizing the 
design, implementation, and evaluation of their proposed project. If 
funded, applicants will be asked to report data in their annual 
performance reports on evaluation outcomes. The Secretary will use this 
information to assess the overall quality of performance data obtained 
through rigorous evaluations conducted by grantees, and to respond to 
reporting requirements concerning this program established in Section 
5431(h) of the ESEA.

VII. Agency Contact

    For Further Information Contact: Sharon J. Burton, U.S. Department 
of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 3E322, Washington, DC 
20202. Telephone: (202) 205-8122 or by e-mail: sharon.burton@ed.gov.
    If you use a TDD, call the FRS, 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

[[Page 9559]]

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: February 15, 2008.
Deborah A. Price,
Assistant Deputy Secretary for Safe and Drug-Free Schools.
 [FR Doc. E8-3250 Filed 2-20-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P