Applications for New Awards; Model Demonstration Projects on Promoting Reentry Success Through Continuity of Educational Opportunities, 69604-69613 [2012-28068]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 224 (Tuesday, November 20, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 69604-69613]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-28068]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Applications for New Awards; Model Demonstration Projects on 
Promoting Reentry Success Through Continuity of Educational 
Opportunities

AGENCY: Office of Vocational and Adult Education, Department of 
Education.

ACTION: Notice.

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Overview Information

    Model Demonstration Projects on Promoting Reentry Success through 
Continuity of Educational Opportunities (PRSCEO) Notice inviting 
applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY) 2013.

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.191C.

DATES: Applications Available: November 20, 2012.
    Date of Pre-Application Meeting: December 10, 2012.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: December 26, 2012.

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Purpose of Program: The purpose of the PRSCEO program is to 
demonstrate the benefits of implementing a reentry education model, as 
described in the U.S. Department of Education (Department) November 
2012 publication entitled ``A Reentry Education Model, Supporting 
Education and Career Advancement for Low-Skill Individuals in 
Corrections'' (Reentry Education Model).\1\ This Reentry Education 
Model is focused on: (1) Supporting individuals, especially low-skilled 
adults, in their transition from correctional institutions \2\ into the 
community by strengthening and aligning educational services \3\ 
provided in those settings; (2) establishing a strong program 
infrastructure to support and improve education services in 
correctional institutions; (3) ensuring that education is well 
integrated into correctional institutions by making it a critical 
component of the intake and

[[Page 69605]]

pre-release processes, and by aligning it with support and employment 
services; and (4) encouraging individuals in correctional institutions 
to identify and achieve education and career goals, recognizing that 
their education paths are not linear or uniform.
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    \1\ See https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ovae/pi/AdultEd/reentry-model.pdf.
    \2\ Throughout this notice the term ``correctional institution'' 
has the meaning as set forth in 20 U.S.C. 9225(d)(2) to include ``a 
prison; jail; reformatory; work farm; detention center; or halfway 
house, community-based rehabilitation center, or any other similar 
institution designed for the confinement or rehabilitation of 
criminal offenders.''
    \3\ Educational services may include, but are not limited to, 
assessment; instruction in reading, writing, and speaking the 
English language, numeracy, problem solving, and other literacy 
skills; career and technical education instruction; postsecondary 
education instruction; development of a student individual 
educational plan; and counseling services.
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Background

    More than 700,000 incarcerated individuals leave Federal and State 
prisons each year.\4\ Too many of these individuals do not reintegrate 
successfully into society; within 3 years of release, 4 out of 10 
prisoners will have committed new crimes or violated the terms of their 
release and will be reincarcerated.\5\
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    \4\ Guerino, Paul, Paige M. Harrison, and William J. Sabol. 
2011. Prisoners in 2010. NCJ 236096. Washington, DC: U.S. Department 
of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics. Accessed September 5, 
2012, from https://bjs.ojp.usdoj.gov/content/pub/pdf/p10.pdf.
    \5\ The Pew Center on the States. 2011. State of Recidivism: The 
Revolving Door of America's Prisons. Washington, DC: The Pew 
Charitable Trusts. Accessed September 5, 2012, from 
www.pewcenteronthestates.org/uploadedFiles/Pew_State_of_Recidivism.pdf.
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    This negative cycle of release and return costs States more than 
$50 billion annually.\6\ Moreover, the number of individuals cycling in 
and out of our Nation's prisons jeopardizes public safety and 
negatively affects those individuals' families and their communities. 
Approximately 2.7 million children have an incarcerated parent, and 
these children are more likely to be expelled or suspended from school 
than children without an incarcerated parent.\7\
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    \6\ National Association of State Budget Officers. 2011. State 
Expenditure Report: Examining Fiscal 2009-2011 State Spending. 
Washington, DC: Author. Accessed September 5, 2012, from 
www.nasbo.org/sites/default/files/2010%20State%20Expenditure%20Report.pdf.
    \7\ Phillips, Susan D., Alaattin Erkanli, Gordon P. Keeler, E. 
Jane Costello, & Adrian Angold. 2006. ``Disentangling the Risks: 
Parent Criminal Justice Involvement and Children's Exposure to 
Family Risks.'' Criminology and Public Policy 5(4): 677-702.
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    Among the male U.S. population aged 20 to 34 without a high school 
credential, 1 in 3 black men, 1 in 8 white men, and 1 in 14 Hispanic 
men are incarcerated.\8\ Formerly incarcerated men earn approximately 
40 percent less per year than those who have never been 
incarcerated.\9\ Unfortunately, many offenders are ill-equipped to 
break this cycle of reincarceration because they lack the education and 
workforce skills needed to succeed in the labor market and the 
cognitive skills (e.g., the ability to solve problems) needed to 
address the challenges of reentry.\10\ In fact, approximately 41 
percent of Federal and State prisoners lack a high school credential, 
compared to 18 percent of the general population. Even fewer have 
completed any college coursework.\11\
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    \8\ The Pew Charitable Trusts. 2010. Collateral Costs: 
Incarceration's Effect on Economic Mobility. Washington, DC: Author. 
Accessed September 5, 2012, from www.pewstates.org/uploadedFiles/PCS_Assets/2010/Collateral_Costs%281%29.pdf.
    \9\ Gould, Eric D., Bruce A. Weinberg, and David B. Mustard. 
2002. ``Crime Rates and Local Labor Market Opportunities in the 
United States: 1979-1997.'' Review of Economics and Statistics 84 
(1): 45-61. Accessed September 5, 2012, from www.terry.uga.edu/
~mustard/labor.pdf.
    \10\ MacKenzie, Doris Layton. 2012. ``The Effectiveness of 
Corrections-Based Work and Academic and Vocational Education 
Programs.'' In The Oxford Handbook of Sentencing and Corrections, 
edited by Joan Petersilia and Kevin R. Reitz, 492-520. New York: 
Oxford University Press.
    \11\ Harlow, Caroline Wolf. 2003. Education and Correctional 
Populations. NCJ 195670. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, 
Bureau of Justice Statistics. Accessed September 5, 2012, from 
www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/ecp.pdf.
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    Although most State and Federal prisons offer adult education and 
career and technical education programs, and some offer postsecondary 
education, participation in these programs has not kept pace with the 
growing prison population.\12\ Similarly, those under community 
supervision (parole or probation) often do not participate in education 
and training programs.\13\ Possible reasons for these low participation 
rates include lack of or limited access to programs, limited awareness 
of program opportunities, reductions in services because of State 
budget constraints, insufficient personal motivation, and competing 
demands (e.g., employment) that may take precedence over pursuing 
education.\14\ It is not surprising, therefore, that formerly 
incarcerated individuals cited education, job training, and employment 
as vital needs not generally met during incarceration or after 
release.\15\
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    \12\ Western, Bruce, Vincent Schiraldi, and Jason Ziedenberg. 
2003. Education & Incarceration. Washington, DC: Justice Policy 
Institute. Accessed September 5, 2012, from www.justicepolicy.org/images/upload/03-08_REP_EducationIncarceration_AC-BB.pdf.
    \13\ Phillips, Susan D., Alaattin Erkanli, Gordon P. Keeler, E. 
Jane Costello, & Adrian Angold. 2006. ``Disentangling the Risks: 
Parent Criminal Justice Involvement and Children's Exposure to 
Family Risks.'' Criminology and Public Policy 5(4): 677-702.
    \14\ Crayton, Anna, and Suzanne Rebecca Neusteter. 2008. The 
Current State of Correctional Education. Paper prepared for the 
Reentry Roundtable on Education. New York: John Jay College of 
Criminal Justice, Prisoner Reentry Institute. Accessed September 5, 
2012, from www.jjay.cuny.edu/CraytonNeusteter_FinalPaper.pdf.
    \15\ Visher, Christy A., and Pamela K. Lattimore. 2007. ``Major 
Study Examines Prisoners and Their Reentry Needs.'' NIJ Journal 258: 
30-33. Accessed September 5, 2012, from www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/219603g.pdf.
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    Low-skilled individuals who move in and out of prison may not be 
able to access well-integrated and sequenced educational programs. 
Coordination and communication among educational programs and their 
partner related service providers, both inside and outside of 
correctional institutions, are essential to facilitating educational 
participation and progress. A lack of coordination and communication 
can result in such barriers as differing standardized assessments and 
curriculum and lack of articulation agreements, making student 
transfers from one program to another difficult. Other barriers to 
access to well-integrated and sequenced educational programs include:
     Misinterpretation of Federal and State privacy laws and 
insufficient links among data systems, making it difficult for programs 
to get a comprehensive picture of their students' backgrounds, avoid 
duplication of effort, and track outcomes.
     A perception among correctional officials (e.g., wardens, 
parole and probation officers, and court officials) and policymakers 
that individuals in the correctional institutions should not receive 
educational services; this, in turn, can make it difficult to require 
student participation and establish supportive education and reentry 
policies.
     Inadequate staff training, resulting in ineffective 
educational services.
     Limited funds, leading to long waiting lists for programs.
    A growing body of evidence \16\ shows that providing offenders with 
education and training programs increases their employment 
opportunities, decreases their cognitive deficits, and helps reduce the 
likelihood of recidivism.\17\ More work is needed, however, to ensure 
that low-skilled individuals in correctional institutions have access 
to these services and can advance their education and employment 
prospects despite their correctional status.
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    \16\ Aos, Steve, Marna Miller, and Elizabeth Drake. 2006. 
Evidence-Based Adult Corrections Programs: What Works and What Does 
Not. Olympia, WA: Washington State Institute for Public Policy. 
Accessed September 5, 2012, from www.wsipp.wa.gov/rptfiles/06-01-1201.pdf.
    \17\ MacKenzie, Doris Layton. 2006. What Works in Corrections: 
Reducing the Criminal Activities of Offenders and Delinquents. New 
York: Cambridge University Press.
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    For this purpose the Department supported the development of the 
Reentry Education Model, which illustrates an education continuum for 
bridging the gap between prison- and community-based education and 
training programs.\18\ The goal of this

[[Page 69606]]

Reentry Education Model is to ensure that individuals can gain the 
knowledge and skills they need to obtain long-term, living-wage 
employment and can transition successfully out of correctional 
institutions to other adult basic education or adult secondary 
education programs, postsecondary education, training programs, 
occupational training settings, or employment. It is based on a review 
of research studies and feedback from a panel of experts, including 
practitioners, administrators, and researchers in the fields of 
corrections and education. The Reentry Education Model, in addition to 
illustrating how educational service components should connect \19\ and 
be sequenced, includes detailed listings and discussions of the 
critical components of an educational continuum through the period of 
incarceration and reintegration.
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    \18\ MPR Associates, Inc. 2011. Community-based Correctional 
Education. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education, Office of 
Vocational & Adult Education. Accessed September 5, 2012, from 
https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ovae/pi/AdultEd/cbce-report-2011.pdf.
    \19\ See the Reentry Education Model publication, figure 1, page 
5.
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    Through this competition, which is carried out under part JJ of 
title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968, 42 
U.S.C. 3797dd(a)(3), the Secretary of Education will support the 
establishment and operation of projects that will test and demonstrate 
the benefits of using the Reentry Education Model, including 
implementation of the Reentry Education Model infrastructure 
elements.\20\ Grantees cannot effectively implement the Reentry 
Education Model without adequate infrastructure.\21\ Grantees may 
appropriately build their program infrastructure as part of the funded 
project. Because of the challenges associated with implementing many 
infrastructure elements in a short period of time, the Secretary will 
award competitive preference, as described in the Priorities section in 
this notice, to applicants that have portions of the Reentry Education 
Model infrastructure elements already in place for ``strategic 
partnerships'' and the ``use of electronic data system.'' This will 
increase the likelihood that a grantee will promptly complete all 
infrastructure requirements and successfully demonstrate the 
effectiveness of the Reentry Education Model within the timeframe of 
the grant period.
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    \20\ See Reentry Education Model publication, pages 10 through 
13 for more information about the infrastructure elements.
    \21\ A panel of researchers and practitioners identified 
infrastructure elements on which to base the Reentry Education 
Model. These elements are derived from evidence that promising or 
proven strategies, when adopted by correctional institutions, would 
result in improved student outcomes for attaining educational 
achievement levels, completing their education programs, and 
attaining their educational goals. The combination of these 
infrastructure elements in a single model is the result of cross-
disciplinary and creative work that is promising but needs to be 
tested and, depending on the results of that testing, modified.
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    Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (AEFLA)-funded eligible 
agencies,\22\ providers,\23\ or providers of adult education and 
literacy services using funds provided by an AEFLA-funded eligible 
agency or provider, are eligible for awards through this competition. 
AEFLA provides grants to States to provide adult education and literacy 
activities, including programs for individuals in correctional 
institutions (20 U.S.C. 9222(a)(1) and 20 U.S.C. 9225(b)). The 
Department intends to use National Leadership Activities funds under 20 
U.S.C. 9253 to provide technical assistance support for PRSCEO program 
grantees and for an independent evaluation of the PRSCEO program.
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    \22\ As defined in 20 U.S.C. 9202(4), the term ``eligible 
agency'' means ``the sole entity or agency in a State or an outlying 
area responsible for administering or supervising policy for adult 
education and literacy in the State or outlying area, respectively, 
consistent with the law of the State or outlying area, 
respectively.''
    \23\ As defined in 20 U.S.C. 9202(5), the term ``eligible 
provider'' means ``(A) a local educational agency; (B) a community-
based organization of demonstrated effectiveness; (C) a volunteer 
literacy organization of demonstrated effectiveness; (D) an 
institution of higher education; (E) a public or private nonprofit 
agency; (F) a library; (G) a public housing authority; (H) a 
nonprofit institution that is not described in any of subparagraphs 
(A) through (G) and has the ability to provide literacy services to 
adults and families; and (I) a consortium of the agencies, 
organizations, institutions, libraries, or authorities described in 
any of subparagraphs (A) through (H).''
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    Priorities: This notice includes two absolute priorities and two 
competitive preference priorities. We are establishing these priorities 
for the FY 2013 grant competition, and any subsequent year in which we 
make awards from the list of unfunded applicants from this competition, 
in accordance with section 437(d)(1) of the General Education 
Provisions Act (GEPA), 20 U.S.C. 1232(d)(1).
    Absolute Priorities: Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3) we consider only 
applications that meet both of the absolute priorities.
    Absolute Priority 1 is:

Model Demonstration Projects on Promoting Reentry Success Through 
Continuity of Educational Opportunities Based on the Reentry Education 
Model

    To meet this priority, an applicant must--
    (a) Propose a project that:
    (1) Implements the Reentry Education Model, including all 
infrastructure elements, to promote education engagement and continuity 
for individuals during their reentry process spanning correctional 
institution settings and community settings; and
    (2) Serves correctional institution residents (prisoners) and 
community correctional clients (e.g., parolees, probationers, or 
inmates in halfway house settings); and
    (b) Implement a project plan (which must be included in the 
application) that:
    (1) Identifies the partner entities described in paragraph 
(a)(3)(ii) of the Application Requirements section of this notice;
    (2) Describes the process the applicant will use for developing an 
individual educational plan that addresses an individual student's 
needs; and
    (3) Identifies formal tools of transition that the applicant will 
implement or has already implemented, including explicit interagency 
agreements that can facilitate the transition among educational 
programs and across correctional institution and community settings.
    Absolute Priority 2 is:

Implementation of a Demonstration Program Based on the Reentry 
Education Model Using Adult Education and Family Literacy Act-Funded 
Programs

    To meet this priority, an applicant must either be an AEFLA-funded 
eligible agency,\24\ an AEFLA-funded eligible provider,\25\ or a 
provider of adult education and literacy services with funds provided 
by an AEFLA-funded eligible agency or provider in the jurisdiction in 
which the services will be provided. Each applicant must submit a 
letter from the State agency administering AEFLA verifying that the 
applicant is an eligible agency or provider, or a provider of adult 
education and literacy services, as described in this priority, and has 
been an eligible agency or provider for at least one year prior to the 
submission of the application.
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    \24\ See footnote 22 in the Background section for the 
definition of ``eligible agency''.
    \25\ See footnote 23 in the Background section for the 
definition of ``eligible provider''.
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Competitive Preference Priorities

    The Secretary is also establishing two competitive preference 
priorities for this competition. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i) the 
Department will award up to an additional five points for Competitive 
Preference Priority 1 and up to an additional five points for 
Competitive Preference Priority 2. The

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maximum amount of points that an applicant can receive under these 
competitive preference priorities is 10 points, depending on how well 
the application meets these priorities.
    Competitive Preference Priority 1 is:

Demonstrated Existence of Program Infrastructure Elements Contained in 
the Reentry Education Model: Strategic Partnerships

    To meet this priority, an applicant must provide evidence of prior 
implementation of the infrastructure element \26\ ``strategic 
partnerships'' (at least one year prior to the date of application), 
which must include currently functioning agreements among partner 
entities as specified in the Reentry Education Model.
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    \26\ See Reentry Education Model, pages 10 through 13 for more 
information about the infrastructure elements.
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    Competitive Preference Priority 2 is:

Demonstrated Existence of Program Infrastructure Elements Contained in 
the Reentry Education Model: Electronic Data System

    To meet this priority, an applicant must provide evidence of the 
prior implementation (at least one year prior to date of application) 
of the infrastructure element,\27\ ``electronic data system,'' which 
must include the capacity to capture student data, including 
educational level, educational goals, educational participation, and 
educational attainments. Such evidence may include samples of student 
record forms, redacted as appropriate to protect personally 
identifiable information or other data necessary to protect student 
privacy, procedural guidance, or other documentation demonstrating the 
availability of student data for individuals transitioning among 
program settings during the release process. In addition, the applicant 
must provide an assurance that the data are used to inform program 
improvement initiatives within the educational partner entities serving 
such students.
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    \27\ See Reentry Education Model publication, pages 10 through 
13 for more information about the infrastructure elements.
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Requirements

Application Requirements
    The project plan submitted within the application must include:
    (a) A description of how the applicant will implement or already 
has implemented the Reentry Education Model. Specifically the 
application must include a description of the following:
    (1) The elements of the proposed project, including:
    (i) A correctional institution student intake protocol that 
includes assessment, individual educational plan development, and the 
recording of information in a centralized, electronic data system;
    (ii) Educational services with appropriate alignment and content, 
including basic educational services for low-skilled adults, within 
correctional facilities and within community-based educational programs 
for reentering formerly incarcerated or otherwise sanctioned 
individuals;
    (iii) Strategies describing proven successful or promising 
practices for:
    (A) Improving student outcomes in the attainment of educational 
achievement levels,
    (B) Increasing the number of students completing their educational 
programs, and
    (C) Increasing the number of students attaining their educational 
goals; \28\
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    \28\ See the Performance Measures section of this notice.
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    (iv) Pre-release procedures and protocols to support the transition 
of students, including low-skilled students, from correctional 
institution educational programs to community-based educational 
programs; and
    (v) Intake processes and procedures for the community-based 
educational services that include--
    (A) Connecting incarcerated individuals with community-based 
services by starting the services in the correctional institution,
    (B) Timely transfer of student data and educational plans, which 
are updated as necessary and appropriate, and
    (C) A process of communication among all partner entities and with 
the individual students, including a point person for tracking 
individual progress to the extent practicable and for tracking students 
transferring to other adult basic education or adult secondary 
education programs, postsecondary education, training programs, or 
occupational training programs.
    (2) Reentry Education Model infrastructure elements that the 
applicant will implement or already has implemented, which must 
include:
    (i) Monetary and other resources,
    (ii) Strategic partnerships,
    (iii) Electronic data system,
    (iv) Staff training,
    (v) Reentry policies, and
    (vi) Evaluation processes.\29\
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    \29\ See Reentry Education Model publication, pages 10 through 
13 for more information about the infrastructure elements.
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    (3) Implementation components, including--
    (i) The methodology that the applicant will use for selecting 
partner entities; \30\
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    \30\ A partner entity may be, but need not be, the applicant or 
a member of a consortium application.
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    (ii) Identification of the partner entities, which
    (A) Must include--
    (I) One or more community-based educational service providers, at 
least one of which must offer adult basic education services or English 
literacy programs, and
    (II) One or more correctional institution education program sites, 
at least one of which must offer adult basic education services or 
English literacy programs; and
    (B) May include--
    (I) One or more community colleges, or technical colleges,
    (II) One or more occupational training providers,
    (III) One or more community correction facilities or organizations, 
and
    (IV) One or more intermediary prisoner reentry service providers, 
such as providers of mentoring programs.
    (iii) For each partner entity selected in paragraphs (a)(3)(ii)(A) 
and (a)(3)(ii)(B), descriptions of--
    (A) The populations served by the partner entity; and
    (B) The expected contributions of the partner entity to the 
proposed project and the extent to which each partner entity has 
committed to the implementation and sustainability of the project.
    (iv) Strategies for identifying and allocating human resources 
among the partner entities as needed to implement the proposed project;
    (v) The applicant's approach to initial and ongoing personnel 
development or training for personnel involved in implementing the 
proposed project; and
    (4) Sustainability components, including a plan for:
    (i) Assessing the responsibilities for project maintenance and 
support among the partner entities at the participating project sites 
by the end of the project period in order to continue services after 
the project period ends; and
    (ii) Continuing personnel training among the partner entities in 
order to build capacity to implement the Reentry Education Model during 
the grant project period and to ensure that the project is sustained 
after the grant project period ends.
    (b) A detailed timeline for implementing the proposed project.
    (c) A plan for collecting data that will be submitted as required 
by the Department to the Department's

[[Page 69608]]

technical assistance provider and the Department's independent 
evaluator,\31\ in order to monitor the continuous progress of the 
applicant's program outcomes based on the Reentry Education Model. Such 
data, at a minimum, must include:
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    \31\ For the purposes of reporting the data related to the grant 
program, the Department will identify the categories of student 
records to be submitted to the Department's independent evaluator 
for the PRSCEO program grantees. The Department's independent 
evaluator will, among other things, review numerical data indicating 
success or failure rates in terms of adult student participant 
outcomes including persistence, continued involvement in programs 
across settings, learning gains, credentials earned, and benefits of 
program participation.
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    (1) The numbers of individuals who maintain educational 
participation while transitioning from and among correctional 
institutions, including to community correctional settings and other 
community-based educational programs; and
    (2) The numbers of adults who acquire basic skills (including 
English language acquisition), complete secondary education, and 
transition to further education, training, or to work as indicated by 
attainment of educational functioning levels, attainment of high school 
credentials, enrollment in postsecondary education or training 
programs, and attainment of employment.
    (d) A description of the project's logic model, consistent with the 
Reentry Education Model,\32\ and a plan to collect data on the 
following system outputs:
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    \32\ See the Reentry Education Model publication, figure 1, page 
5.
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    (1) Changes to policies, procedures, or data collection systems, 
and
    (2) Changes related to student information or record sharing, 
referrals for services, educational services, assessments, and 
transition planning.
    (e) A proposed budget that includes estimates of the costs of:
    (1) Implementing the proposed project, including but not limited 
to--
    (i) Personnel, and
    (ii) The various components of the proposed project; and
    (2) Attendance of up to two attendees at a required one-and-one-
half-day meeting in Washington, DC.
    (f) A description of the applicant's formative evaluation plan, 
consistent with the proposed project's logic model, and consistent with 
the Reentry Education Model and student data collection plan, that:
    (1) Includes information on how these data described in paragraph 
(c) will be reviewed by the project staff prior to finalizing data 
collection plans and again prior to submitting those data to the 
Department (consistent with the timeline in this section), and how they 
will be used during the course of the project to adjust the project or 
its implementation in order to enhance the project's outcomes, 
generalizability, and potential for sustainability; and
    (2) Includes, as appropriate, periodic collection of student and 
system data in addition to other data relating to fidelity of 
implementation, stakeholder acceptability, and the types of facilities 
in which the services are provided (e.g., correctional institution, 
community center, library).
General Requirements
    To meet the general requirements of this proposed competition, each 
applicant must propose to conduct the following activities:
    (a) Commit to work with the Department's independent evaluator \33\ 
to--
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    \33\ For the purposes of the assessment related to the grant 
program, the Department's independent evaluator will develop 
assessments and collect and analyze the data to ensure 
standardization of measurement across grant programs.
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    (1) Measure the fidelity of implementation of the Reentry Education 
Model; and
    (2) Collect and assess the stakeholders' (e.g., service providers, 
teachers, case workers, program administrators, clients) feedback on 
the efficacy of the Reentry Education Model components, processes, and 
outcomes.
    (b) Participate in program activities and collaborative efforts 
among grantees, Department staff, and the Department-identified 
technical assistance provider to disseminate Reentry Education Model 
information to such entities as adult education providers, correctional 
institutions, community-based organizations, community colleges, 
professional organizations, and other entities identified by the 
Department.
    (c) Communicate and collaborate on an ongoing basis with 
Department-funded or other Department-designated projects in order to 
share information on successful strategies and challenges of the 
Reentry Education Model implementation across correctional and 
community settings.
    (d) Maintain ongoing telephone and email communication with the 
Department project officer and the administrators of other projects 
funded under this competition.
    (e) Submit data, when and as specified by the Department, to the 
independent evaluator designated by the Department in order to evaluate 
the Reentry Education Model.
    Waiver of Proposed Rulemaking: Under the Administrative Procedure 
Act (5 U.S.C. 553), the Department generally offers interested parties 
the opportunity to comment on proposed requirements and priorities. 
Section 437(d)(1) of GEPA, however, allows the Secretary to exempt from 
rulemaking requirements regulations governing the first grant 
competition under a new or substantially revised program authority. 
This is the first grant competition for this program under part JJ of 
title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968, 42 
U.S.C. 3797dd(a)(3) and therefore qualifies for this exemption. In 
order to ensure timely grant awards, the Secretary has decided to forgo 
public comment on the priorities and other requirements under section 
437(d)(1) of GEPA. These priorities and other requirements will apply 
to the FY 2013 grant competition and any subsequent year in which we 
make awards from the list of unfunded applicants from this competition.

    Program Authority: 42 U.S.C. 3797dd(a)(3).

    Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80, 
81, 82, 84, 86, 97, 98, and 99. (b) The Education Department debarment 
and suspension regulations in 2 CFR part 3485.

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


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

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
    Estimated Available Funds: $924,036.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $200,000 to $400,000.
    Estimated Average Size of Award: $308,012.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 2 to 4.

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

    Project Period: Up to 30 months. Applicants under this competition 
are required to provide detailed budget information for each year of 
the project and for the total grant.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: AEFLA-funded eligible agencies as defined 
by 20 U.S.C. 9202(4) and providers as defined by 20 U.S.C. 9202(5) and 
providers of adult education and literacy services with funds provided 
by an AEFLA-funded eligible agency or provider. Pursuant to 20 U.S.C. 
9202(4) and 20 U.S.C. 9202(5), eligible) eligible AEFLA agencies and 
providers include the sole entity or

[[Page 69609]]

agency in a State or an outlying area responsible for administering or 
supervising policy for adult education and literacy in the State or 
outlying area, local educational agencies, community-based 
organizations of demonstrated effectiveness, volunteer literacy 
organizations of demonstrated effectiveness, institutions of higher 
education, public or private non-profit agencies, libraries, public 
housing authorities, nonprofit institutions that are not described 
above and have the ability to provide literacy services to adults and 
families; and consortia. Note that eligible applicants seeking to apply 
as a consortium must comply with the regulations in 34 CFR 75.127-
75.129, which address group applications.
    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: You can obtain an 
application package via the Internet or from the Education Publications 
Center (ED Pubs), or from the program office.
    To obtain a copy via the Internet, use the following address: 
www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/grantapps/. To obtain a copy from 
ED Pubs, write, fax, or call the following: ED Pubs, U.S. Department of 
Education, P.O. Box 22207, Alexandria, VA 22304. Telephone, toll free: 
1-877-433-7827. FAX: (703) 605-6794. If you use a telecommunications 
device for the deaf (TDD) or a text telephone (TTY), call, toll free: 
1-877-576-7734.
    You can contact ED Pubs at its Web site, also: www.EDPubs.gov or at 
its email address: edpubs@inet.ed.gov.
    If you request an application package from ED Pubs, be sure to 
identify this program or competition as follows: CFDA number 84.191C.
    To obtain a copy from the program office, contact the persons 
listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT in section VII of this 
notice.
    Individuals with disabilities can obtain a copy of the application 
package in an accessible format (e.g., braille, large print, audiotape, 
or compact disc) by contacting the person or team listed under 
Accessible Format in section VIII of this notice.
    2. a. 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 III of the application) 
is where you, the applicant, address the selection criteria that 
reviewers use to evaluate your application. You must limit the 
application narrative [Part III] to no more than 25 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, documentation for meeting priorities, or the 
letters of support. However, the page limit does apply to all of the 
application narrative section [Part III].
    Our reviewers will not read any pages of your application that 
exceed the page limit.
    b. Submission of Proprietary Information:
    Given the types of projects that may be proposed in applications 
for the PRSCEO program, your application may include business 
information that the applicant considers proprietary. The Department's 
regulations define ``business information'' in 34 CFR 5.11.
    Because we plan to make successful applications available to the 
public upon request, you may wish to request confidentiality of 
business information.
    Consistent with Executive Order 12600, please designate in your 
application any information that you feel is exempt from disclosure 
under Exemption 4 of the Freedom of Information Act. In the appropriate 
Appendix section of your application, under ``Other Attachments Form,'' 
please list the page number or numbers on which we can find this 
information. For additional information please see 34 CFR 5.11(c).
    3. Submission Dates and Times:
    Applications Available: November 20, 2012.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: December 26, 2012.
    Applications for grants under this competition must be submitted 
electronically using the Grants.gov Apply 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. 7. 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 persons 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.
    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: We reference regulations outlining funding 
restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.
    6. Data Universal Numbering System Number, Taxpayer Identification 
Number, and Central Contractor Registry: To do business with the 
Department of Education, you must--
    a. Have a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number and a 
Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN);
    b. Register both your DUNS number and TIN with the Central 
Contractor Registry (CCR), the Government's primary registrant 
database;
    c. Provide your DUNS number and TIN on your application; and
    d. Maintain an active CCR registration with current information 
while your application is under review by the Department and, if you 
are awarded a grant, during the project period.
    You can obtain a DUNS number from Dun and Bradstreet. A DUNS number 
can be created within one business day.
    If you are a corporate entity, agency, institution, or 
organization, you can obtain a TIN from the Internal Revenue Service. 
If you are an individual, you can obtain a TIN from the Internal 
Revenue Service or the Social Security Administration. If you need a 
new TIN, please allow 2-5 weeks for your TIN to become active. The CCR 
registration

[[Page 69610]]

process may take five or more business days to complete. If you are 
currently registered with the CCR, you may not need to make any 
changes. However, please make certain that the TIN associated with your 
DUNS number is correct. Also note that you will need to update your CCR 
registration on an annual basis. This may take three or more business 
days to complete.
    In addition, if you are submitting your application via Grants.gov, 
you must (1) be designated by your organization as an Authorized 
Organization Representative (AOR); and (2) register yourself with 
Grants.gov as an AOR. Details on these steps are outlined at the 
following Grants.gov Web page: www.grants.gov/applicants/get_registered.jsp.
    7. 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 this competition must be submitted 
electronically using the Governmentwide Grants.gov Apply site at 
www.Grants.gov. Through this site, you will be able to download a copy 
of the application package, complete it offline, and then upload and 
submit your application. You may not email an electronic copy of a 
grant application to us.
    We will reject your application if you submit it in paper format 
unless, as described elsewhere in this section, you qualify for one of 
the exceptions to the electronic submission requirement and submit, no 
later than two weeks before the application deadline date, a written 
statement to the Department that you qualify for one of these 
exceptions. Further information regarding calculation of the date that 
is two weeks before the application deadline date is provided later in 
this section under Exception to Electronic Submission Requirement.
    You may access the electronic grant application for PRSCEO at 
www.Grants.gov. You must search for the downloadable application 
package for this program by the CFDA number. Do not include the CFDA 
number's alpha suffix in your search (e.g., search for 84.191, not 
84.191C).
    Please note the following:
     When you enter the Grants.gov site, you will find 
information about submitting an application electronically through the 
site, as well as the hours of operation.
     Applications received by Grants.gov are date and time 
stamped. Your application must be fully uploaded and submitted and must 
be date and time stamped by the Grants.gov system no later than 4:30:00 
p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. Except as 
otherwise noted in this section, we will not accept your application if 
it is received--that is, date and time stamped by the Grants.gov 
system--after 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application 
deadline date. We do not consider an application that does not comply 
with the deadline requirements. When we retrieve your application from 
Grants.gov, we will notify you if we are rejecting your application 
because it was date and time stamped by the Grants.gov system after 
4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date.
     The amount of time it can take to upload an application 
will vary depending on a variety of factors, including the size of the 
application and the speed of your Internet connection. Therefore, we 
strongly recommend that you do not wait until the application deadline 
date to begin the submission process through Grants.gov.
     You should review and follow the Education Submission 
Procedures for submitting an application through Grants.gov that are 
included in the application package for this competition to ensure that 
you submit your application in a timely manner to the Grants.gov 
system. You can also find the Education Submission Procedures 
pertaining to Grants.gov under News and Events on the Department's G5 
system home page at www.G5.gov.
     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 upload any narrative sections and all other 
attachments to your application as files in a PDF (Portable Document) 
read-only, non-modifiable format. Do not upload an interactive or 
fillable PDF file. If you upload a file type other than a read-only, 
non-modifiable PDF or submit a password-protected file, we will not 
review that material.
     Your electronic application must comply with any page-
limit requirements described in this notice.
     After you electronically submit your application, you will 
receive from Grants.gov an automatic notification of receipt that 
contains a Grants.gov tracking number. (This notification indicates 
receipt by Grants.gov only, not receipt by the Department.) The 
Department then will retrieve your application from Grants.gov and send 
a second notification to you by email. This second notification 
indicates that the Department has received your application and has 
assigned your application a PR/Award number (an ED specified 
identifying number unique to your application).
     We may request that you provide us original signatures on 
forms at a later date.
    Application Deadline Date Extension in Case of Technical Issues 
with the Grants.gov System: If you are experiencing problems submitting 
your application through Grants.gov, please contact the Grants.gov 
Support Desk, toll free, at 1-800-518-4726. You must obtain a 
Grants.gov Support Desk Case Number and must keep a record of it. If 
you are prevented from electronically submitting your application on 
the application deadline date because of technical problems with the 
Grants.gov system, we will grant you an extension until 4:30:00 p.m., 
Washington, DC time, the following business day to enable you to 
transmit your application electronically or by hand delivery. You also 
may mail your application by following the mailing instructions 
described elsewhere in this notice.
    If you submit an application after 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC 
time, on the application deadline date, please contact the persons 
listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT in section VII of this 
notice and provide an explanation of the technical problem you 
experienced with Grants.gov, along with the Grants.gov Support Desk 
Case Number. We will accept your application if we can confirm that a 
technical problem occurred with the Grants.gov system and that that 
problem affected your ability to submit your application by 4:30:00 
p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. The 
Department will contact you after a determination is made on whether 
your application will be accepted.

    Note: The extensions to which we refer in this section apply 
only to the unavailability of, or technical problems with, the 
Grants.gov system. We will not grant you an extension

[[Page 69611]]

if you failed to fully register to submit your application to 
Grants.gov before the application deadline date and time or if the 
technical problem you experienced is unrelated to the Grants.gov 
system.

    Exception to Electronic Submission Requirement: You qualify for an 
exception to the electronic submission requirement, and may submit your 
application in paper format, if you are unable to submit an application 
through the Grants.gov system because--
     You do not have access to the Internet; or
     You do not have the capacity to upload large documents to 
the Grants.gov system; and
     No later than two weeks before the application deadline 
date (14 calendar days or, if the fourteenth calendar day before the 
application deadline date falls on a Federal holiday, the next business 
day following the Federal holiday), you mail or fax a written statement 
to the Department, explaining which of the two grounds for an exception 
prevent you from using the Internet to submit your application.
    If you mail your written statement to the Department, it must be 
postmarked no later than two weeks before the application deadline 
date. If you fax your written statement to the Department, we must 
receive the faxed statement no later than two weeks before the 
application deadline date.
    Address and mail or fax your statement to: John Linton or Zina 
Watkins, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 
11021, Washington, DC 20202. FAX: (202) 245-7837.
    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 84.191C), 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 84.191C), 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

    1. Selection Criteria:
    The selection criteria for this competition are from 34 CFR 75.210 
and are listed in the following paragraphs. The maximum score for all 
the selection criteria is 90 points. The maximum score for each 
selection criterion is indicated in parentheses with the criterion. The 
selection criteria are as follows:
    (1) Significance (up to 15 points).
    (a) The Secretary considers the significance of the proposed 
project.
    (b) In determining the significance of the proposed project, the 
Secretary considers--
    (i) The extent to which the proposed project is likely to build 
local capacity to provide, improve, or expand services that address the 
needs of the target population; and
    (ii) The extent to which the proposed project involves the 
development or demonstration of promising new strategies that build on, 
or are alternatives to, existing strategies.
    (2) Quality of the project design (up to 20 points).
    (a) The Secretary considers the quality of the design of the 
proposed project.
    (b) In determining the quality of the design of the proposed 
project, the Secretary considers--
    (i) The extent to which the goals, objectives, and outcomes to be 
achieved by the proposed project are clearly specified and measurable;
    (ii) The extent to which the proposed development efforts include 
adequate quality controls and, as appropriate, repeated testing of 
products; and
    (iii) The extent to which the proposed project will be coordinated 
with similar or related efforts, and with other appropriate community, 
State, and Federal resources.
    (3) Quality of project personnel (up to 15 points).
    (a) The Secretary considers the quality of the project personnel 
who will carry out the proposed project.
    (b) In determining the quality of project personnel, the Secretary 
considers 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;
    (c) In addition, the Secretary considers--
    (i) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience, 
of the project director or principal investigator; and
    (ii) The qualifications, including relevant training and 
experience, of key project personnel.
    (4) Adequacy of resources (up to 15 points).
    (a) The Secretary considers the adequacy of resources for the 
proposed project.

[[Page 69612]]

    (b) In determining the adequacy of resources for the proposed 
project, the Secretary considers--
    (i) The relevance and demonstrated commitment of each partner in 
the proposed project to the implementation and success of the project;
    (ii) The extent to which the costs are reasonable in relation to 
the objectives, design, and potential significance of the proposed 
project; and
    (iii) The potential for the incorporation of project purposes, 
activities, or benefits into the ongoing program of the agency or 
organization at the end of Federal funding.
    (5) Quality of the management plan (up to 15 points).
    (a) The Secretary considers the quality of the management plan for 
the proposed project.
    (b) In determining the quality of the management plan for the 
proposed project, the Secretary considers--
    (i) 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;
    (ii) The adequacy of procedures for ensuring feedback and 
continuous improvement in the operation of the proposed project; and
    (iii) The extent to which the time commitments of the project 
director and principal investigator and other key project personnel are 
appropriate and adequate to meet the objectives of the proposed 
project.
    (6) Quality of the project evaluation (up to 10 points).
    (a) The Secretary considers the quality of the evaluation to be 
conducted of the proposed project.
    (b) In determining the quality of the evaluation, the Secretary 
considers--
    (i) The extent to which the methods of evaluation are thorough, 
feasible, and appropriate to the goals, objectives, and outcomes of the 
proposed project; and
    (ii) The extent to which the methods of evaluation include the use 
of objective performance measures that are clearly related to the 
intended outcomes of the project and will produce quantitative and 
qualitative data to the extent possible.
    2. Review and Selection Process: We remind potential applicants 
that in reviewing applications in any discretionary grant competition, 
the Secretary may consider, under 34 CFR 75.217(d)(3), the past 
performance of the applicant in carrying out a previous award, such as 
the applicant's use of funds, achievement of project objectives, and 
compliance with grant conditions. The Secretary may also consider 
whether the applicant failed to submit a timely performance report or 
submitted a report of unacceptable quality.
    In addition, in making a competitive grant award, the Secretary 
also requires various assurances including those applicable to Federal 
civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination in programs or 
activities receiving Federal financial assistance from the Department 
of Education (34 CFR 100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).
    3. Special Conditions: Under 34 CFR 74.14 and 80.12, the Secretary 
may impose special conditions on a grant if the applicant or grantee is 
not financially stable; has a history of unsatisfactory performance; 
has a financial or other management system that does not meet the 
standards in 34 CFR parts 74 or 80, as applicable; has not fulfilled 
the conditions of a prior grant; or is otherwise not responsible.

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); or we may send you an email containing a link to 
access an electronic version of your GAN. We may notify you informally, 
also.
    If your application is not evaluated or not selected for funding, 
we notify you.
    2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements: We identify 
administrative and national policy requirements in the application 
package and reference these and other requirements in the Applicable 
Regulations section of this notice.
    We reference the regulations outlining the terms and conditions of 
an award in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice and 
include these and other specific conditions in the GAN. The GAN also 
incorporates your approved application as part of your binding 
commitments under the grant.
    3. Reporting: (a) If you apply for a grant under this competition, 
you must ensure that you have in place the necessary processes and 
systems to comply with the reporting requirements in 2 CFR part 170 
should you receive funding under the competition. This does not apply 
if you have an exception under 2 CFR 170.110(b).
    (b) 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 www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/appforms/appforms.html.
    4. Performance Measures: Under the Government Performance and 
Results Act, the Department has established goals and measures for the 
Adult Education and Family Literacy Act program. Although the PRSCEO 
program is not authorized by AEFLA, the Department has decided that it 
would be appropriate to align the AEFLA performance measures for PRSCEO 
program. One of the established goals of the AEFLA program is to 
support adult education systems that result in increased adult 
achievement in order to prepare adults, including individuals in 
correctional settings, for family, work, citizenship, and future 
learning. The AEFLA program provides adults with opportunities to 
acquire basic foundation skills (including English language 
acquisition), complete secondary education, and transition to further 
education and training and to work. There are four established measures 
for the AEFLA program that are applicable for adults in the PRSCEO 
program. These measures are--
    (1) The percentage of adults enrolled in English literacy programs 
served by the PRSCEO program who acquire the level of English language 
skills needed to complete the levels of instruction in which they 
enrolled.
    (2) The percentage of adults enrolled in adult basic education 
programs served by the PRSCEO program who acquire the level of basic 
skills needed to complete the level of instruction in which they 
enrolled.
    (3) The percentage of all enrolled adults in the applicable 
population served by the PRSCEO program who pass all General 
Equivalency Diploma (GED) tests, or obtain secondary school 
diplomas.\34\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \34\ The applicable population consists of all enrolled adults 
who take all GED tests, or are enrolled in adult high school at the 
high adult secondary education level, or are enrolled in the 
assessment phase of the External Development Program who exit during 
the program year.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    (4) The percentage of adults in the applicable population served by 
the PRSCEO program who enter postsecondary education or a training 
program.\35\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \35\ The applicable population consists of all adults who passed 
the GED tests or earned a secondary credential while enrolled in 
adult education, or have a secondary credential at entry, or are 
enrolled in a class specifically designed for transitioning to 
postsecondary education who exit during the program year. Entry into 
postsecondary education or training can occur any time from the time 
of exit through the end of the following program year. A transition 
class is a class that has a specific purpose to prepare students for 
entry into postsecondary education, training or an apprenticeship 
program.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

[[Page 69613]]

    Under the Government Performance and Results Act, the Department 
has established goals and measures for the recidivism of individuals 
who have been in correctional institutions. The measure related to 
recidivism is--
    (5) The percentage of adults served by the PRSCEO program who, 
within one year of release, have criminal justice system involvement 
(arrest, re-conviction, violation of parole conditions, or return to 
incarceration) compared with the percentage of similarly situated 
individuals not served by the PRSCEO program.
    Grantees will be responsible for providing data to support 
evaluation of these objectives.

VII. Agency Contact [Contacts]

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John Linton, U.S. Department of 
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 11021, PCP, Washington, DC 
20202. Telephone: (202) 245-6592 or by email: John.Linton@ed.gov; or 
Zina Watkins, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., 
Room 11020, PCP, Washington, DC 20202. Telephone: (202) 245-6197 or by 
email: Zina.Watkins@ed.gov.
    If you use a TDD or TTY, call the FRS, toll free, at 1-800-877-
8339.

VIII. Other Information

    Accessible Format: Individuals with disabilities can obtain this 
document in an accessible format (e.g., braille, large print, 
audiotape, or compact disc) on request to the contact persons listed 
under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT in section VII of this notice.
    Electronic Access to This Document: 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 via the Federal Digital System 
at: www.gpo.gov/fdsys. At this site 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). To use PDF 
you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available free at the 
site.
    You may also access documents of the Department published in the 
Federal Register by using the article search feature at: 
www.federalregister.gov. Specifically, through the advanced search 
feature at this site, you can limit your search to documents published 
by the Department.

    Dated: November 14, 2012.
Daniel J. Miller,
Executive Officer, Delegated Authority to Perform the Functions and 
Duties of the Assistant Secretary for Vocational and Adult Education.
[FR Doc. 2012-28068 Filed 11-19-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P