Office of Elementary and Secondary Education; Overview Information; Enhanced Assessment Instruments Grants Program-Enhanced Assessment Instruments; Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2009 Funds, 18488-18491 [2010-8305]
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Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 69 / Monday, April 12, 2010 / Notices
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
sroberts on DSKD5P82C1PROD with NOTICES
Office of Elementary and Secondary
Education; Overview Information;
Enhanced Assessment Instruments
Grants Program—Enhanced
Assessment Instruments; Notice
Inviting Applications for New Awards
for Fiscal Year (FY) 2009 Funds
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance
(CFDA) Number: 84.368A.
DATES: Applications Available: April 12,
2010.
Deadline for Transmittal of
Applications: May 27, 2010.
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I. Funding Opportunity Description
Purpose of Program: The purpose of
this program is to enhance the quality
and validity of assessment instruments
and systems used by States for
measuring the achievement of all
students. The grant funds may be used
for the development of new assessment
products or procedures, such as
innovative test formats, empirical
analysis of variations in test formats or
procedures, or statistical models useful
for combining data from multiple
measures, or charting student progress
over time.
Background: In addition to this
competition, the Department recently
announced that it will use
approximately $350 million under the
Race to the Top Fund for a Race to the
Top Assessment program to award
grants to consortia of States for the
development of common, high-quality
assessments aligned with an applicant
consortium’s common set of K–12
standards that are internationally
benchmarked and that build toward
college and career readiness by the time
of high school completion. We plan to
publish a notice inviting applications
for that competition in the near future.
In addition, the Department intends to
announce shortly a competition under
the Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act (IDEA) General
Supervision Enhancement Grants
(GSEG) program, inviting consortia of
States to apply for support to develop
common alternate assessments based on
alternate academic achievement
standards for students with the most
significant cognitive disabilities who are
eligible for such assessments. We
encourage you to conduct a
comprehensive review of these
announcements and design your
respective applications accordingly.
Priorities: This competition includes
four absolute priorities and three
competitive preference priorities. In
accordance with 34 CFR
75.105(b)(2)(iv), the absolute priorities
are based on those established in section
6112 of the Elementary and Secondary
Education Act of 1965, as amended
(ESEA) (20 U.S.C. 7301a). The
competitive preference priorities are
those established in Appendix E to the
notice of final requirements for optional
State consolidated applications
submitted under section 9302 of the
ESEA, published in the Federal Register
on May 22, 2002 (67 FR 35967).
Absolute Priorities: For FY 2009 funds
to be awarded through a competition
conducted in 2010, these priorities are
absolute priorities. Under 34 CFR
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75.105(c)(3), we consider only
applications that meet one or more of
these priorities.
These priorities are:
Absolute Priority 1. Collaborate with
institutions of higher education, other
research institutions, or other
organizations to improve the quality,
validity, and reliability of State
academic assessments beyond the
requirements for these assessments
described in section 1111(b)(3) of the
ESEA.
Absolute Priority 2. Measure student
academic achievement using multiple
measures of student academic
achievement from multiple sources.
Absolute Priority 3. Chart student
progress over time.
Absolute Priority 4. Evaluate student
academic achievement through the
development of comprehensive
academic assessment instruments, such
as performance- and technology-based
academic assessments.
Competitive Preference Priorities:
Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i), we award
up to an additional 35 points to an
application, depending on how well the
application meets these competitive
preference priorities.
For FY 2009 funds to be awarded
through a competition conducted in
2010, these priorities are:
Competitive Preference Priority 1.
Accommodations and alternate
assessments (20 points). Applications
that can be expected to advance practice
significantly in the area of increasing
accessibility and validity of assessments
for students with disabilities or limited
English proficiency, or both, including
strategies for test design, administration
with accommodations, scoring, and
reporting.1
Competitive Preference Priority 2.
Collaborative efforts (10 points).
Applications that are sponsored by a
consortium of States.
Competitive Preference Priority 3.
Dissemination (5 points). Applications
that include an effective plan for
dissemination of results.
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 7301a
and 7842.
Applicable Regulations: (a) The
Education Department General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in
34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 80, 81, 82, 84,
85, 86, 97, 98, and 99. (b) The notice of
final requirements published in the
1 As noted above, the Department also intends to
announce shortly a competition under the General
Supervision Enhancement Grants (GSEG) program
that will invite State consortia to apply for funding
to support the development of common alternate
assessments based on alternate academic
achievement standards for students with the most
significant cognitive disabilities.
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Federal Register on May 22, 2002 (67
FR 35967).
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86
apply to institutions of higher education
only.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
Estimated Available Funds:
$10,732,000 in FY 2009 funds.
Contingent upon the availability of
funds and the quality of applications,
we may make additional awards with
FY 2010 funds from the list of unfunded
applicants from this competition.
Estimated Range of Awards:
$750,000–$2,000,000.
Estimated Average Size of Awards:
$1,500,000.
Estimated Number of Awards: 7.
Note: The Department is not bound by any
estimates in this notice.
Project Period: Up to 24 months.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants: State
educational agencies (SEAs) as defined
in section 9101(41) of the ESEA and
consortia of such SEAs.
2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This
competition does not require cost
sharing or matching.
3. Other: An application from a
consortium of SEAs must designate one
SEA as the fiscal agent.
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IV. Application and Submission
Information
1. Address to Request Application
Package: Address to Request
Application Package: To obtain an
application package via the Internet use
the following address: https://
www.ed.gov/programs/eag/
applicant.html. To obtain an application
package from the U.S. Department of
Education use the following address:
Collette Roney, Enhanced Assessment
Grants Program, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW.,
room 3W210, Washington, DC 20202–
6200. Telephone: (202) 401–5245 or by
e-mail: collette.roney@ed.gov.
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 person listed
under Accessible Format in section VIII
of this notice.
2. Content and Form of Application
Submission: Requirements concerning
the content of an application, together
with the forms you must submit, are in
the application package for this
competition. Page Limit: The
application narrative (Part IV of the
application) is where you, the applicant,
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address the selection criteria that
reviewers use to evaluate your
application and the absolute and
competitive preference priorities. You
must limit the application narrative
(Part IV) to the equivalent of no more
than 40 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, and
captions, as well as all text in charts,
tables, figures, and graphs.
• Use a font no smaller than 11.0
point for all text in the application
narrative, including titles, headings,
footnotes, quotations, and captions, as
well as all text in charts, tables, figures,
and graphs. (Font sizes that round up to
11, such as 10.7 point, will be
considered as smaller than 11.0.)
• Any screen shots included as part
of the application narrative should
follow these standards or, if other
standards are applied, be sized to equal
the equivalent amount of space if these
standards were applied.
The page limit does not apply to: The
cover sheet or table of contents; Part I
(including the response regarding
research activities involving human
subjects); Parts II and V (the budget
sections, including the chart and
narrative budget justification); Part III
(one-page project abstract); Part VI
(other attachments forms, including
references for the application narrative,
´
´
personnel resumes, letters of
commitment and support, copy of
indirect cost rate agreement, and
indication in the list of ESEA Programs
included in the Consolidated State
Application); and Part VII (the
assurances and certifications, including
the General Education Provisions Act
427 response). Applicants are
´
´
encouraged to limit each resume to no
more than 5 pages. The project narrative
(Part IV) must include a discussion of
how the application meets the absolute
priorities, how well the application
meets the competitive preference
priorities, and how well the application
addresses each of the selection criteria;
therefore, the page limit applies to this
discussion. The page limit also applies
to any attachments to the project
narrative other than references. In other
words, the entirety of Part IV of the
application, including the
aforementioned discussion and any
attachments to the narrative, must be
limited to the equivalent of no more
than 40 pages. Applicants should
include in their applications only the
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other attachments (Part VI) outlined in
the application package. Additional
attachments other than those included
in the project narrative will not be
accepted or reviewed.
Our reviewers will not read any pages
of your application that exceed the page
limit or exceed the equivalent of the
page limit if you apply other standards.
3. Submission Dates and Times:
Applications Available: April 12,
2010.
Deadline for Transmittal of
Applications: May 27, 2010.
Applications for grants under this
competition 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 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.
4. Intergovernmental Review: This
competition is not subject to Executive
Order 12372 and the regulations in 34
CFR part 79.
5. Funding Restrictions: We reference
regulations outlining funding
restrictions in the Applicable
Regulations section in this notice.
6. Other Submission Requirements:
Applications for grants under this
competition 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 Enhanced Assessment
Instruments Competition—CFDA
Number 84.368A must be submitted
electronically using e-Application,
accessible through the Department’s eGrants Web site at: https://egrants.ed.gov.
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Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 69 / Monday, April 12, 2010 / Notices
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 competition 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
(document), .RTF (rich text), or .PDF
(Portable Document) format. If you
upload a file type other than the three
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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–
8930. If e-Application is unavailable
due to technical problems with the
system and, therefore, the application
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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. We
will not grant an extension for other
technical problems unrelated 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: Collette Roney, Enhanced
Assessment Grants Program, U.S.
Department of Education, 400 Maryland
Avenue, SW., room 3W210,
Washington, DC 20202–4260. FAX:
(202) 260–7764.
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 84.368A, LBJ Basement
Level 1, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW.,
Washington, DC 20202–4260.
You must show proof of mailing
consisting of one of the following:
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(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 84.368A, 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.
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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: The selection
criteria for this competition are from
Appendix E to the notice of final
requirements published in the Federal
Register on May 22, 2002 (67 FR 35967)
and are listed in the application
package.
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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 of 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, or at the end of your nocost extension, if any, you must submit
a final performance report, including
financial information, as directed by the
Secretary. Grantees must also submit an
interim progress report approximately
twelve months after the award date 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: Under the
Government Performance and Results
Act of 1993 (GPRA), the Department has
developed four measures to evaluate the
overall effectiveness of the Enhanced
Assessment Instruments Grants
program: (1) The number of States that
participate in Enhanced Assessment
Instruments Grants projects funded by
this competition; (2) the percentage of
grantees that, at least twice during the
period of their grants, make available to
SEA staff in non-participating States
and to assessment researchers
information on findings resulting from
the Enhanced Assessment Instruments
Grants through presentations at national
conferences, publications in refereed
journals, or other products disseminated
to the assessment community; (3) for
each grant cycle and as determined by
an expert panel, the percentage of
Enhanced Assessment Instruments
Grants that yield significant research,
methodologies, products, or tools
regarding assessment systems or
assessments; and (4) for each grant cycle
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18491
and as determined by an expert panel,
the percentage of Enhanced Assessment
Instruments Grants that yield significant
research, methodologies, products, or
tools specifically regarding
accommodations and alternate
assessments for students with
disabilities and limited English
proficient students. Grantees will be
expected to include in their interim and
final performance reports information
about the accomplishments of their
projects because the Department will
need data on these measures.
VII. Agency Contact
For Further Information Contact:
Collette Roney, Enhanced Assessment
Grants Program, Office of Elementary
and Secondary Education, U.S.
Department of Education, 400 Maryland
Avenue, SW., room 3W210,
Washington, DC 20202–6132.
Telephone: (202) 401–5245, or by email: collette.roney@ed.gov.
If you use a TDD, call the FRS, tollfree, 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 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.
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: April 7, 2010.
´
Thelma Melendez de Santa Ana,
Assistant Secretary for Elementary and
Secondary Education.
[FR Doc. 2010–8305 Filed 4–9–10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000–01–P
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Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 69 (Monday, April 12, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18488-18491]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-8305]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Office of Elementary and Secondary Education; Overview
Information; Enhanced Assessment Instruments Grants Program--Enhanced
Assessment Instruments; Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for
Fiscal Year (FY) 2009 Funds
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.368A.
DATES: Applications Available: April 12, 2010.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: May 27, 2010.
Full Text of Announcement
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Purpose of Program: The purpose of this program is to enhance the
quality and validity of assessment instruments and systems used by
States for measuring the achievement of all students. The grant funds
may be used for the development of new assessment products or
procedures, such as innovative test formats, empirical analysis of
variations in test formats or procedures, or statistical models useful
for combining data from multiple measures, or charting student progress
over time.
Background: In addition to this competition, the Department
recently announced that it will use approximately $350 million under
the Race to the Top Fund for a Race to the Top Assessment program to
award grants to consortia of States for the development of common,
high-quality assessments aligned with an applicant consortium's common
set of K-12 standards that are internationally benchmarked and that
build toward college and career readiness by the time of high school
completion. We plan to publish a notice inviting applications for that
competition in the near future.
In addition, the Department intends to announce shortly a
competition under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
(IDEA) General Supervision Enhancement Grants (GSEG) program, inviting
consortia of States to apply for support to develop common alternate
assessments based on alternate academic achievement standards for
students with the most significant cognitive disabilities who are
eligible for such assessments. We encourage you to conduct a
comprehensive review of these announcements and design your respective
applications accordingly.
Priorities: This competition includes four absolute priorities and
three competitive preference priorities. In accordance with 34 CFR
75.105(b)(2)(iv), the absolute priorities are based on those
established in section 6112 of the Elementary and Secondary Education
Act of 1965, as amended (ESEA) (20 U.S.C. 7301a). The competitive
preference priorities are those established in Appendix E to the notice
of final requirements for optional State consolidated applications
submitted under section 9302 of the ESEA, published in the Federal
Register on May 22, 2002 (67 FR 35967).
Absolute Priorities: For FY 2009 funds to be awarded through a
competition conducted in 2010, these priorities are absolute
priorities. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3), we consider only applications
that meet one or more of these priorities.
These priorities are:
Absolute Priority 1. Collaborate with institutions of higher
education, other research institutions, or other organizations to
improve the quality, validity, and reliability of State academic
assessments beyond the requirements for these assessments described in
section 1111(b)(3) of the ESEA.
Absolute Priority 2. Measure student academic achievement using
multiple measures of student academic achievement from multiple
sources.
Absolute Priority 3. Chart student progress over time.
Absolute Priority 4. Evaluate student academic achievement through
the development of comprehensive academic assessment instruments, such
as performance- and technology-based academic assessments.
Competitive Preference Priorities: Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i), we
award up to an additional 35 points to an application, depending on how
well the application meets these competitive preference priorities.
For FY 2009 funds to be awarded through a competition conducted in
2010, these priorities are:
Competitive Preference Priority 1. Accommodations and alternate
assessments (20 points). Applications that can be expected to advance
practice significantly in the area of increasing accessibility and
validity of assessments for students with disabilities or limited
English proficiency, or both, including strategies for test design,
administration with accommodations, scoring, and reporting.\1\
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\1\ As noted above, the Department also intends to announce
shortly a competition under the General Supervision Enhancement
Grants (GSEG) program that will invite State consortia to apply for
funding to support the development of common alternate assessments
based on alternate academic achievement standards for students with
the most significant cognitive disabilities.
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Competitive Preference Priority 2. Collaborative efforts (10
points). Applications that are sponsored by a consortium of States.
Competitive Preference Priority 3. Dissemination (5 points).
Applications that include an effective plan for dissemination of
results.
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 7301a and 7842.
Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 80, 81,
82, 84, 85, 86, 97, 98, and 99. (b) The notice of final requirements
published in the
[[Page 18489]]
Federal Register on May 22, 2002 (67 FR 35967).
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to institutions
of higher education only.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
Estimated Available Funds: $10,732,000 in FY 2009 funds.
Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of
applications, we may make additional awards with FY 2010 funds from the
list of unfunded applicants from this competition.
Estimated Range of Awards: $750,000-$2,000,000.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $1,500,000.
Estimated Number of Awards: 7.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this
notice.
Project Period: Up to 24 months.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants: State educational agencies (SEAs) as
defined in section 9101(41) of the ESEA and consortia of such SEAs.
2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This competition does not require cost
sharing or matching.
3. Other: An application from a consortium of SEAs must designate
one SEA as the fiscal agent.
IV. Application and Submission Information
1. Address to Request Application Package: Address to Request
Application Package: To obtain an application package via the Internet
use the following address: https://www.ed.gov/programs/eag/applicant.html. To obtain an application package from the U.S.
Department of Education use the following address: Collette Roney,
Enhanced Assessment Grants Program, U.S. Department of Education, 400
Maryland Avenue, SW., room 3W210, Washington, DC 20202-6200. Telephone:
(202) 401-5245 or by e-mail: collette.roney@ed.gov.
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 person listed under Accessible
Format in section VIII of this notice.
2. Content and Form of Application Submission: Requirements
concerning the content of an application, together with the forms you
must submit, are in the application package for this competition. Page
Limit: The application narrative (Part IV of the application) is where
you, the applicant, address the selection criteria that reviewers use
to evaluate your application and the absolute and competitive
preference priorities. You must limit the application narrative (Part
IV) to the equivalent of no more than 40 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, and captions, as well as all text in charts,
tables, figures, and graphs.
Use a font no smaller than 11.0 point for all text in the
application narrative, including titles, headings, footnotes,
quotations, and captions, as well as all text in charts, tables,
figures, and graphs. (Font sizes that round up to 11, such as 10.7
point, will be considered as smaller than 11.0.)
Any screen shots included as part of the application
narrative should follow these standards or, if other standards are
applied, be sized to equal the equivalent amount of space if these
standards were applied.
The page limit does not apply to: The cover sheet or table of
contents; Part I (including the response regarding research activities
involving human subjects); Parts II and V (the budget sections,
including the chart and narrative budget justification); Part III (one-
page project abstract); Part VI (other attachments forms, including
references for the application narrative, personnel
r[eacute]sum[eacute]s, letters of commitment and support, copy of
indirect cost rate agreement, and indication in the list of ESEA
Programs included in the Consolidated State Application); and Part VII
(the assurances and certifications, including the General Education
Provisions Act 427 response). Applicants are encouraged to limit each
r[eacute]sum[eacute] to no more than 5 pages. The project narrative
(Part IV) must include a discussion of how the application meets the
absolute priorities, how well the application meets the competitive
preference priorities, and how well the application addresses each of
the selection criteria; therefore, the page limit applies to this
discussion. The page limit also applies to any attachments to the
project narrative other than references. In other words, the entirety
of Part IV of the application, including the aforementioned discussion
and any attachments to the narrative, must be limited to the equivalent
of no more than 40 pages. Applicants should include in their
applications only the other attachments (Part VI) outlined in the
application package. Additional attachments other than those included
in the project narrative will not be accepted or reviewed.
Our reviewers will not read any pages of your application that
exceed the page limit or exceed the equivalent of the page limit if you
apply other standards.
3. Submission Dates and Times:
Applications Available: April 12, 2010.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: May 27, 2010.
Applications for grants under this competition 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
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.
4. Intergovernmental Review: This competition is not subject to
Executive Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79.
5. Funding Restrictions: We reference regulations outlining funding
restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section in this notice.
6. Other Submission Requirements: Applications for grants under
this competition 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 Enhanced Assessment Instruments Competition--CFDA Number
84.368A must be submitted electronically using e-Application,
accessible through the Department's e-Grants Web site at: https://e-grants.ed.gov.
[[Page 18490]]
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
competition 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 1-888-336-8930. 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. We will not
grant an extension for other technical problems unrelated 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: Collette Roney, Enhanced
Assessment Grants Program, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland
Avenue, SW., room 3W210, Washington, DC 20202-4260. FAX: (202) 260-
7764.
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 84.368A, LBJ Basement Level 1, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW.,
Washington, DC 20202-4260.
You must show proof of mailing consisting of one of the following:
[[Page 18491]]
(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 84.368A, 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 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: The selection criteria for this competition are
from Appendix E to the notice of final requirements published in the
Federal Register on May 22, 2002 (67 FR 35967) and are listed in the
application package.
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 of 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, or at the end of
your no-cost extension, if any, you must submit a final performance
report, including financial information, as directed by the Secretary.
Grantees must also submit an interim progress report approximately
twelve months after the award date 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: Under the Government Performance and
Results Act of 1993 (GPRA), the Department has developed four measures
to evaluate the overall effectiveness of the Enhanced Assessment
Instruments Grants program: (1) The number of States that participate
in Enhanced Assessment Instruments Grants projects funded by this
competition; (2) the percentage of grantees that, at least twice during
the period of their grants, make available to SEA staff in non-
participating States and to assessment researchers information on
findings resulting from the Enhanced Assessment Instruments Grants
through presentations at national conferences, publications in refereed
journals, or other products disseminated to the assessment community;
(3) for each grant cycle and as determined by an expert panel, the
percentage of Enhanced Assessment Instruments Grants that yield
significant research, methodologies, products, or tools regarding
assessment systems or assessments; and (4) for each grant cycle and as
determined by an expert panel, the percentage of Enhanced Assessment
Instruments Grants that yield significant research, methodologies,
products, or tools specifically regarding accommodations and alternate
assessments for students with disabilities and limited English
proficient students. Grantees will be expected to include in their
interim and final performance reports information about the
accomplishments of their projects because the Department will need data
on these measures.
VII. Agency Contact
For Further Information Contact: Collette Roney, Enhanced
Assessment Grants Program, Office of Elementary and Secondary
Education, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room
3W210, Washington, DC 20202-6132. Telephone: (202) 401-5245, or by e-
mail: collette.roney@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 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.
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: April 7, 2010.
Thelma Mel[eacute]ndez de Santa Ana,
Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education.
[FR Doc. 2010-8305 Filed 4-9-10; 8:45 am]
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