Office of Innovation and Improvement;, 37020-37025 [E9-17851]
Download as PDF
37020
Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 142 / Monday, July 27, 2009 / Notices
collection, grouped by office, contains
the following: (1) Type of review
requested, e.g., new, revision, extension,
existing or reinstatement; (2) Title; (3)
Summary of the collection; (4)
Description of the need for, and
proposed use of, the information; (5)
Respondents and frequency of
collection; and (6) Reporting and/or
Recordkeeping burden. ED invites
public comment.
The Department of Education is
especially interested in public comment
addressing the following issues: (1) Is
this collection necessary to the proper
functions of the Department; (2) will
this information be processed and used
in a timely manner, (3) is the estimate
of burden accurate; (4) how might the
Department enhance the quality, utility,
and clarity of the information to be
collected, and (5) how might the
Department minimize the burden of this
collection on respondents, including
through the use of information
technology.
Dated: July 21, 2009.
Angela C. Arrington,
Director, Information Collection Clearance
Division, Regulatory Information
Management Services, Office of Management.
jlentini on DSKJ8SOYB1PROD with NOTICES
Office of Special Education and
Rehabilitative Services
Type of Review: New.
Title: Report on IDEA Part B
Maintenance of Effort Reduction (34
CFR 300.205(a)) and Coordinated Early
Intervening Services (34 CFR 300.226)
Abstract: This package provides
instructions and forms necessary for
States to report the provisions of
coordinated early intervening services
(CEIS) and maintenance of effort (MOE)
reduction in IDEA. The form satisfies
reporting requirements and is used by
OSEP to monitor SEAs and for
Congressional reporting.
Additional Information: OSEP has not
previously exercised its authority under
20 U.S.C. 1418(a)(3), which allows the
Secretary to annually collect any
information that may be needed to
implement IDEA, to collect the
information describe above because the
Part B amounts received by LEAs from
fiscal year to fiscal year rarely increased
by an amount that would warrant an
LEA to take advantage of the provisions
of 34 CFR 300.205(a). Further, it has
been assumed that LEAs are exercising
their responsibilities under 34 CFR
300.226(d). However, due to the
enactment of ARRA and the
disbursement of $11.7 billion in IDEA
Part B ARRA funds to LEAs (in addition
to the regular FY 09 appropriation of
$11.8 billion), the FY 2009 allocation for
VerDate Nov<24>2008
19:02 Jul 24, 2009
Jkt 217001
more LEAs far exceed those of FY 2008;
thereby making it advantageous for
these LEAs to reduce their MOE under
34 CFR 300.205 (a) and to reserve an
amount under 34 CFR 300.226 to
provide CEIS. Therefore, it is now
necessary to collect information on the
implementation of 34 CFR §§ 300.205
(a) and 300.226. Collecting this
information will allow the Department
to Monitor the reduction of MOE;
Determine the amount of FY 2009 Part
B funds (both regular IDEA and IDEA
ARRA funds) reserved for CEIS;
Exercise our fiduciary responsibilities to
prevent fraud, waste and abuse and to
ensure the effective use of FY 2009 Part
B funds; Provide information to
Congress and the public regarding LEAs
that took advantage of these flexibilities.
Frequency: Annually.
Affected Public: State, Local, or Tribal
Gov’t, SEAs or LEAs.
Reporting and Recordkeeping Hour
Burden:
Responses: 60.
Burden Hours: 1,032,480.
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 4095. 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.,
LBJ, Washington, DC 20202–4537.
Requests may also be electronically
mailed to the Internet address
ICDocketMgr@ed.gov or faxed to 202–
401–0920. 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. E9–17757 Filed 7–24–09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Office of Innovation and Improvement;
Overview Information: Charter
Schools Program (CSP) Grants to NonState Educational Agencies for
Planning, Program Design, and
Implementation and for Dissemination;
Notice Inviting Applications for New
Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2009
PO 00000
Frm 00024
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance
(CFDA) Numbers: 84.282B and 84.282C.
Dates:
Applications Available: July 27, 2009.
Deadline for Transmittal of
Applications: August 26, 2009.
Deadline for Intergovernmental
Review: September 16, 2009.
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. 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 2009, 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
E:\FR\FM\27JYN1.SGM
27JYN1
Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 142 / Monday, July 27, 2009 / Notices
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 under CFDA No. 84.282B 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 awarded under
CFDA No. 84.282C are for a period of up to
two years.
jlentini on DSKJ8SOYB1PROD with NOTICES
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants:
(a) 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.
(b) Dissemination (CFDA No.
84.282C): Charter schools, as defined in
section 5210(1) of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965, as
amended (ESEA), in States in which the
SEA elects not to participate in the CSP
or does not have an application
approved under the CSP.
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
VerDate Nov<24>2008
19:02 Jul 24, 2009
Jkt 217001
(3) The management and leadership
necessary to overcome initial start-up
problems and establish a thriving, financially
viable charter school.
Note: The term eligible applicant is defined
in section 5210(3) of the ESEA. The following
States currently have approved applications
under the CSP: Arizona, 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 and
charter schools 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: This
program does 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, at
1–800–877–8339.
Individuals with disabilities can
obtain a copy of the application package
in an accessible 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).
PO 00000
Frm 00025
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
37021
• 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).
3. Submission Dates and Times:
Applications Available: July 27, 2009.
Deadline for Transmittal of
Applications: August 26, 2009.
Applications for grants under this
program must be submitted
electronically using the Electronic Grant
Application System (e-Application)
accessible through the Department’s eGrants site. 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 of
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 of 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 16, 2009.
4. Intergovernmental Review: This
program is subject to Executive Order
12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR
part 79. Information about
Intergovernmental Review of Federal
Programs under Executive Order 12372
is in the application package for this
program.
5. Funding Restrictions:
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—
E:\FR\FM\27JYN1.SGM
27JYN1
jlentini on DSKJ8SOYB1PROD with NOTICES
37022
Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 142 / Monday, July 27, 2009 / Notices
(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. 20 U.S.C. 7221c(f)(3))
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. (20 U.S.C. 7221c(f)(6))
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 School Programs—CFDA
Numbers 84.282B and 84.282C—must
be submitted electronically using e-
VerDate Nov<24>2008
19:02 Jul 24, 2009
Jkt 217001
Application, accessible through the
Department’s e-Grants Web site at:
https://e-grants.ed.gov.
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.
While completing your electronic
application, you will be entering data
online that will be saved into a
database. You may not e-mail an
electronic copy of a grant application to
us.
Please note the following:
• You must complete the electronic
submission of your grant application by
4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on
the application deadline date. EApplication will not accept an
application for this program after
4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on
the application deadline date.
Therefore, we strongly recommend that
you do not wait until the application
deadline date to begin the application
process.
• The hours of operation of the eGrants Web site are 6:00 a.m. Monday
until 7:00 p.m. Wednesday; and 6:00
a.m. Thursday until 8:00 p.m. Sunday,
Washington, DC time. Please note that,
because of maintenance, the system is
unavailable between 8:00 p.m. on
Sundays and 6:00 a.m. on Mondays, and
between 7:00 p.m. on Wednesdays and
6:00 a.m. on Thursdays, Washington,
DC time. Any modifications to these
hours are posted on the e-Grants Web
site.
• 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: the 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.
You must attach any narrative sections
of your application as files in a .DOC
PO 00000
Frm 00026
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
(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.
• Prior to submitting your electronic
application, you may wish to print a
copy of it for your records.
• After you electronically submit
your application, you will receive an
automatic acknowledgment that will
include a PR/Award number (an
identifying number unique to your
application).
• Within three working days after
submitting your electronic application,
fax a signed copy of the SF 424 to the
Application Control Center after
following these steps:
(1) Print SF 424 from e-Application.
(2) The applicant’s Authorizing
Representative must sign this form.
(3) Place the PR/Award number in the
upper right hand corner of the hardcopy signature page of the SF 424.
(4) Fax the signed SF 424 to the
Application Control Center at (202)
245–6272.
• We may request that you provide us
original signatures on other forms at a
later date.
Application Deadline Date Extension
in Case of e-Application Unavailability:
If you are prevented from electronically
submitting your application on the
application deadline date because eApplication is unavailable, we will
grant you an extension of one business
day to enable you to transmit your
application electronically, by mail, or by
hand delivery. We will grant this
extension if—
(1) You are a registered user of eApplication and you have initiated an
electronic application for this
competition; and
(2) (a) E-Application is unavailable for
60 minutes or more between the hours
of 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., Washington,
DC time, on the application deadline
date; or
(b) E-Application is unavailable for
any period of time between 3:30 p.m.
and 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time,
on the application deadline date.
We must acknowledge and confirm
these periods of unavailability before
granting you an extension. To request
this extension or to confirm our
acknowledgment of any system
unavailability, you may contact either
(1) the person listed elsewhere in this
notice under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT (see VII. Agency Contact) or (2)
the e-Grants help desk at 1–888–336–
E:\FR\FM\27JYN1.SGM
27JYN1
jlentini on DSKJ8SOYB1PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 142 / Monday, July 27, 2009 / Notices
8930. If e-Application is unavailable
due to technical problems with the
system and, therefore, the application
deadline is extended, an e-mail will be
sent to all registered users who have
initiated an e-Application. Extensions
referred to in this section apply only to
the unavailability of e-Application.
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
e-Application because—
• You do not have access to the
Internet; or
• You do not have the capacity to
upload large documents to eApplication;
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 prevents 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 following address:
U.S. Department of Education,
Application Control Center, Attention:
CFDA Number 84.282B or 84.282C, LBJ
Basement Level 1, 400 Maryland
Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20202–
4260.
You must show proof of mailing
consisting of one of the following:
VerDate Nov<24>2008
19:02 Jul 24, 2009
Jkt 217001
(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
8:00 a.m. and 4:30:00 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
grant 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
PO 00000
Frm 00027
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
37023
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;
E:\FR\FM\27JYN1.SGM
27JYN1
37024
Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 142 / Monday, July 27, 2009 / Notices
(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).
jlentini on DSKJ8SOYB1PROD with NOTICES
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
VerDate Nov<24>2008
19:02 Jul 24, 2009
Jkt 217001
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
PO 00000
Frm 00028
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
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 notify your U.S.
Representative and U.S. Senators and
send you a Grant Award Notification
(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
E:\FR\FM\27JYN1.SGM
27JYN1
Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 142 / Monday, July 27, 2009 / Notices
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
open to all students. The Secretary has
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
jlentini on DSKJ8SOYB1PROD with NOTICES
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
Accessible Format: Individuals with
disabilities can obtain this document
and a copy of the application package in
an accessible 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 of
this notice.
Electronic Access to This Document:
You can view this document, as well as
VerDate Nov<24>2008
19:02 Jul 24, 2009
Jkt 217001
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/
index.html.
Dated: July 22, 2009.
James H. Shelton, III,
Assistant Deputy Secretary for Innovation and
Improvement.
[FR Doc. E9–17851 Filed 7–24–09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Western Area Power Administration
Boulder Canyon Project
AGENCY: Western Area Power
Administration, DOE.
ACTION: Notice of base charge and rates.
SUMMARY: The Deputy Secretary of
Energy approved the Fiscal Year (FY)
2010 Base Charge and Rates (Rates) for
Boulder Canyon Project (BCP) electric
service provided by the Western Area
Power Administration (Western). The
Rates will provide sufficient revenue to
pay all annual costs, including interest
expense, and repay investments within
the allowable period.
DATES: The Rates will be effective the
first day of the first full billing period
beginning on or after October 1, 2009.
These Rates will stay in effect through
September 30, 2010, or until superseded
by other rates.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr.
Jack Murray, Rates Manager, Desert
Southwest Customer Service Region,
Western Area Power Administration,
P.O. Box 6457, Phoenix, AZ 85005–
6457, (602) 605–2442, e-mail
jmurray@wapa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Rate
Schedule BCP–F7, Rate Order No.
WAPA–120, effective October 1, 2005
through September 30, 2010, allows for
an annual recalculation of the rates.1
FERC confirmed and approved Rate Order No.
WAPA–120 on June 22, 2006, in Docket No. EF05–
PO 00000
1
Frm 00029
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
37025
This notice sets forth the recalculated
rates for FY 2010.
Under Rate Schedule BCP–F7, the
existing composite rate effective on
October 1, 2008 was 18.62 mills per
kilowatthour (mills/kWh). The base
charge was $70,213,497, the energy rate
was 9.31 mills/kWh, and the capacity
rate was $1.73 per kilowattmonth
(kWmonth). The re-calculated rates for
BCP electric service, to be effective
October 1, 2009, will result in an overall
composite rate of 18.93 mills/kWh. The
proposed rates were calculated using
the FY 2010 Final Master Schedule.
This resulted in an increase of
approximately 1.70 percent when
compared with the existing BCP electric
service composite rate. The increase is
due to a decrease in the projected
energy sales and an increase in the
annual revenue requirement. The FY
2010 base charge is increasing to
$70,681,340. The major contributing
factors to the base charge increase is the
increase in annual operation and
maintenance expenses and uprating
program payments. The FY 2010 energy
rate of 9.47 mills/kWh is approximately
a 1.70 percent increase from the existing
energy rate of 9.31 mills/kWh. The
increase in the energy rate is due to a
decrease in the projected energy sales
resulting from a decrease in projected
water releases. The FY 2010 capacity
rate of $1.76/kWmonth reflects an
increase of approximately 1.22 percent
compared to the existing capacity rate of
$1.73/kWmonth. The increase in the
capacity rate is due to a decrease in the
projected capacity sales resulting from
dropping lake elevations. Another factor
contributing to the increase in both the
energy and capacity rates is the increase
in the annual revenue requirement. The
following summarizes the steps taken by
Western to ensure involvement of all
Interested Parties in determining the
Rates:
1. A Federal Register notice was
published on February 2, 2009 (74 FR
5839), announcing the proposed rate
adjustment process, initiating a public
consultation and comment period,
announcing public information and
public comment forums, and presenting
procedures for public participation.
2. Discussion of the proposed Rates
was initiated at an informal BCP
Contractor meeting held March 11, 2009
in Phoenix, Arizona. At this informal
meeting, representatives from Western
and the Bureau of Reclamation
(Reclamation) explained the basis for
5091–000, See United States Department of Energy,
Western Area Power Administration, Boulder
Canyon Project, 115 FERC ¶ 61.362 (June 22, 2006).
E:\FR\FM\27JYN1.SGM
27JYN1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 142 (Monday, July 27, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37020-37025]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-17851]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
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) 2009
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Numbers: 84.282B and
84.282C.
Dates:
Applications Available: July 27, 2009.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: August 26, 2009.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: September 16, 2009.
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. 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 2009, 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
[[Page 37021]]
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 under CFDA No. 84.282B 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 awarded under CFDA No.
84.282C are for a period of up to two years.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants:
(a) 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.
(b) Dissemination (CFDA No. 84.282C): Charter schools, as defined
in section 5210(1) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of
1965, as amended (ESEA), in States in which the SEA elects not to
participate in the CSP or does not have an application approved under
the CSP.
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: The term eligible applicant is defined in section 5210(3)
of the ESEA. The following States currently have approved
applications under the CSP: Arizona, 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 and
charter schools 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: This program does 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, at 1-800-877-8339.
Individuals with disabilities can obtain a copy of the application
package in an accessible 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).
3. Submission Dates and Times:
Applications Available: July 27, 2009.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: August 26, 2009.
Applications for grants under this program must be submitted
electronically using the Electronic Grant Application System (e-
Application) accessible through the Department's e-Grants site. 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 of 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
of 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 16, 2009.
4. Intergovernmental Review: This program is subject to Executive
Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79. Information about
Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs under Executive Order
12372 is in the application package for this program.
5. Funding Restrictions:
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--
[[Page 37022]]
(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. 20 U.S.C.
7221c(f)(3))
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. (20 U.S.C.
7221c(f)(6))
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 School Programs--CFDA
Numbers 84.282B and 84.282C--must be submitted electronically using e-
Application, accessible through the Department's e-Grants Web site at:
https://e-grants.ed.gov.
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.
While completing your electronic application, you will be entering
data online that will be saved into a database. You may not e-mail an
electronic copy of a grant application to us.
Please note the following:
You must complete the electronic submission of your grant
application by 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application
deadline date. E-Application will not accept an application for this
program after 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application
deadline date. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you do not wait
until the application deadline date to begin the application process.
The hours of operation of the e-Grants Web site are 6:00
a.m. Monday until 7:00 p.m. Wednesday; and 6:00 a.m. Thursday until
8:00 p.m. Sunday, Washington, DC time. Please note that, because of
maintenance, the system is unavailable between 8:00 p.m. on Sundays and
6:00 a.m. on Mondays, and between 7:00 p.m. on Wednesdays and 6:00 a.m.
on Thursdays, Washington, DC time. Any modifications to these hours are
posted on the e-Grants Web site.
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: the
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. 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.
Prior to submitting your electronic application, you may
wish to print a copy of it for your records.
After you electronically submit your application, you will
receive an automatic acknowledgment that will include a PR/Award number
(an identifying number unique to your application).
Within three working days after submitting your electronic
application, fax a signed copy of the SF 424 to the Application Control
Center after following these steps:
(1) Print SF 424 from e-Application.
(2) The applicant's Authorizing Representative must sign this form.
(3) Place the PR/Award number in the upper right hand corner of the
hard-copy signature page of the SF 424.
(4) Fax the signed SF 424 to the Application Control Center at
(202) 245-6272.
We may request that you provide us original signatures on
other forms at a later date.
Application Deadline Date Extension in Case of e-Application
Unavailability: If you are prevented from electronically submitting
your application on the application deadline date because e-Application
is unavailable, we will grant you an extension of one business day to
enable you to transmit your application electronically, by mail, or by
hand delivery. We will grant this extension if--
(1) You are a registered user of e-Application and you have
initiated an electronic application for this competition; and
(2) (a) E-Application is unavailable for 60 minutes or more between
the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the
application deadline date; or
(b) E-Application is unavailable for any period of time between
3:30 p.m. and 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application
deadline date.
We must acknowledge and confirm these periods of unavailability
before granting you an extension. To request this extension or to
confirm our acknowledgment of any system unavailability, you may
contact either (1) the person listed elsewhere in this notice under FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT (see VII. Agency Contact) or (2) the e-
Grants help desk at 1-888-336-
[[Page 37023]]
8930. If e-Application is unavailable due to technical problems with
the system and, therefore, the application deadline is extended, an e-
mail will be sent to all registered users who have initiated an e-
Application. Extensions referred to in this section apply only to the
unavailability of e-Application.
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 e-Application because--
You do not have access to the Internet; or
You do not have the capacity to upload large documents to
e-Application;
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
prevents 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 following address:
U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Center, Attention:
CFDA Number 84.282B or 84.282C, LBJ Basement Level 1, 400 Maryland
Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20202-4260.
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 8:00 a.m. and 4:30:00 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 grant 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;
[[Page 37024]]
(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 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 notify your
U.S. Representative and U.S. Senators and send you a Grant Award
Notification (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
[[Page 37025]]
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 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
Accessible Format: Individuals with disabilities can obtain this
document and a copy of the application package in an accessible 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 of 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: July 22, 2009.
James H. Shelton, III,
Assistant Deputy Secretary for Innovation and Improvement.
[FR Doc. E9-17851 Filed 7-24-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P