Office of Innovation and Improvement; Overview Information; Charter Schools Program (CSP) Grants to Non-State Educational Agencies for Planning, Program Design, and Implementation and for Dissemination; Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2008, 33995-34001 [E8-13470]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 116 (Monday, June 16, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33995-34001]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-13470]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Office of Innovation and Improvement; Overview Information; 
Charter Schools Program (CSP) Grants to Non-State Educational Agencies 
for Planning, Program Design, and Implementation and for Dissemination; 
Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2008

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

    Dates: Applications Available: June 16, 2008.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: July 31, 2008.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: September 29, 2008.

Full Text of Announcement

[[Page 33996]]

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. The non-State Educational 
Agency (non-SEA) grants for planning, program design, and 
implementation, and non-SEA grants for dissemination provide funds for 
these purposes to eligible applicants in States in which the SEA does 
not have an approved application under the CSP.
    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: This priority is from the notice of final priorities for 
discretionary grant programs, published in the Federal Register on 
October 11, 2006 (71 FR 60046).
    Competitive Preference Priority: For FY 2008, this priority is a 
competitive preference priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i), we award 
an additional 10 points to an application that meets this priority.
    This priority is:
    Secondary Schools.
    Projects that support activities and interventions aimed at 
improving the academic achievement of secondary school students who are 
at greatest risk of not meeting challenging State academic standards 
and not completing high school.

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

    Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 76, 77, 79, 
80, 81, 82, 84, 85, 86, 97, 98, and 99. (b) The notice of final 
priorities for discretionary grant programs published in the Federal 
Register on October 11, 2006 (71 FR 60046).

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


    Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply 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: 17-23.

    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.
    Dissemination (CFDA No. 84.282C): Charter schools, as defined in 
section 5210(1) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, 
as amended by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001(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.


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

    2. Cost Sharing or Matching: These programs do not require cost 
sharing or matching.

IV. Application and Submission Information

    1. Address to Request Application Package: Erin Pfeltz, U.S. 
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 4W255, 
Washington, DC 20202-5970. Telephone: (202) 205-3525 or by e-mail: 
erin.pfeltz@ed.gov.
    If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), call the 
Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll free 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 (Part III of the application) 
is where you, the applicant, address the selection criteria that 
reviewers use to evaluate your application. The Secretary strongly 
encourages applicants to limit Part III to the equivalent of no more 
than 50 pages, using the following standards:
     A ``page'' is 8.5 x 11, on one side 
only, with 1 margins at the top, bottom, and both sides.
     Double space (no more than three lines per vertical inch) 
all text in the application narrative, including titles, headings, 
footnotes, quotations, references, and captions, as well as all text in 
charts, tables, figures, and graphs.
     Use a font that is either 12 point or larger or no smaller 
than 10 pitch (characters per inch).
     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).

[[Page 33997]]

    3. Submission Dates and Times:
    Applications Available: June 16, 2008.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: July 31, 2008.
    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 29, 2008.
    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).
    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 4:30:00 
p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. Except as 
otherwise noted in this section, we will not accept your application if 
it is received--that is, date and time stamped by the Grants.gov 
system--after 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application 
deadline date. We do not consider an application that does not comply 
with the deadline requirements. 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 
4:30:00 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

[[Page 33998]]

(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 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.

[[Page 33999]]

    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 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, except Saturdays, 
Sundays, and Federal holidays.

    Note for Mail or Hand Delivery of Paper Applications: If you 
mail or hand deliver your application to the Department--
    (1) You must indicate on the envelope and--if not provided by 
the Department--in Item 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.
    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

[[Page 34000]]

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 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 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 Measures: The goal of the CSP is to support the 
creation and development of a large number of high-quality charter 
schools that are free from State or local rules that inhibit flexible 
operation, are held accountable for enabling students to reach 
challenging State performance standards, and are open to all students. 
The Secretary has set two performance indicators to measure this goal: 
(1) The number of charter schools in operation around the Nation, and 
(2) 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).
    All grantees will be expected to submit an annual performance 
report documenting their contribution in assisting the Department in 
meeting these performance measures.

VII. Agency Contact

    For Further Information Contact: Erin Pfeltz, U.S. Department of 
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Room 4W255, Washington, DC 20202-
5970. Telephone: (202) 205-3525 or by e-mail: erin.pfeltz@ed.gov.
    If you use a 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 34001]]

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 11, 2008.
Douglas B. Mesecar,
Assistant Deputy Secretary for Innovation and Improvement.
 [FR Doc. E8-13470 Filed 6-13-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P