Applications for New Awards; Advanced Placement Test Fee Program, 21541-21545 [2016-08396]
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Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 70 / Tuesday, April 12, 2016 / Notices
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[FR Doc. 2016–08378 Filed 4–11–16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 5001–10–P
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Applications for New Awards;
Advanced Placement Test Fee
Program
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 79
apply to all applicants except federally
recognized Indian tribes.
Office of Elementary and
Secondary Education, Department of
Education.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
Overview Information
Advanced Placement Test Fee Program
Notice inviting applications for new
awards for fiscal year (FY) 2016.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance
(CFDA) Number: 84.330B.
Project Period: Up to 12 months.
Applications Available: April 12,
2016.
Deadline for Transmittal of
Applications: May 12, 2016.
Deadline for Intergovernmental
Review: July 11, 2016.
Full Text of Announcement
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I. Funding Opportunity Description
Purpose of Program: The Advanced
Placement Test Fee (APTF) Program
awards grants to State educational
agencies (SEAs) to enable them to pay
all or a portion of advanced placement
test fees on behalf of eligible lowincome students who (1) are enrolled in
an advanced placement course; and (2)
plan to take an advanced placement
exam. The program is designed to
increase the number of low-income
students who take advanced placement
tests and receive scores for which
college academic credit is awarded.
Program Authority: The Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA), as
amended by the No Child Left Behind Act of
2001 (NCLB) (20 U.S.C. 6531–6537).
Note: On December 10, 2015, the President
signed into law the Every Student Succeeds
Act (ESSA), Public Law 114–95, which
reauthorized the ESEA, as amended by
NCLB. Under section 5(c) of the ESSA, APTF
Program grants awarded in FY 2016 and
earlier years will operate in accordance with
the requirements of the ESEA, as amended by
NCLB.
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II. Award Information
Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
Estimated Available Funds:
$28,483,000.
Estimated Range of Awards: $13,235–
$10,757,186.
Estimated Average Size of Awards:
$694,710.
Estimated Number of Awards: 41.
Note: The Department is not bound by any
estimates in this notice.
DATES:
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Applicable Regulations: (a) The
Education Department General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in
34 CFR parts 75, 77, 79, 81, 82, 84, 97,
98, and 99. (b) The OMB Guidelines to
Agencies on Governmentwide
Debarment and Suspension
(Nonprocurement) in 2 CFR part 180, as
adopted and amended as regulations of
the Department in 2 CFR part 3485. (c)
The Uniform Administrative
Requirements, Cost Principles, and
Audit Requirements for Federal Awards
in 2 CFR part 200, as adopted and
amended as regulations of the
Department in 2 CFR part 3474. (d) The
regulations in 34 CFR part 299.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants: SEAs in any
State, including the District of
Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto
Rico, the United States Virgin Islands,
Guam, American Samoa, the
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana
Islands, and the freely associated states
of the Republic of the Marshall Islands,
the Federated States of Micronesia, and
the Republic of Palau (subject to
continued eligibility).
Note: For the purposes of this program, the
Bureau of Indian Education in the U.S.
Department of the Interior is treated as an
SEA.
2.a. Cost Sharing or Matching: This
program does not require cost sharing or
matching.
b. Supplement-Not-Supplant: This
program involves supplement, not
supplant, funding requirements. Section
1706 of the ESEA, as amended by NCLB,
requires that grant funds provided
under the APTF Program supplement,
and not supplant, other non-Federal
funds that are available to assist lowincome individuals in paying for the
cost of advanced placement test fees.
IV. Application and Submission
Information
1. Address to Request Application
Package: You can obtain an application
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21541
package via the Internet or from the
program office.
To obtain a copy via the Internet, use
the following address: https://
www2.ed.gov/programs/apfee/
applicant.html.
To obtain a copy from the program
office, contact: Francisco Ramirez, U.S.
Department of Education, 400 Maryland
Avenue SW., Room 3E310, Washington,
DC 20202–6200. Telephone: (202) 260–
1541 or by email: francisco.ramirez@
ed.gov.
If you use a telecommunications
device for the deaf (TDD) or a text
telephone (TTY), call the Federal Relay
Service (FRS), toll free, at 1–800–877–
8339.
Individuals with disabilities can
obtain a copy of the application package
in an accessible format (e.g., braille,
large print, audiotape, or compact disc)
by contacting the program contact
person listed in this section.
2. Content and Form of Application
Submission: Requirements concerning
the content of an application, together
with the forms you must submit, are in
the application package for this
competition.
3. Submission Dates and Times:
Applications Available: April 12,
2016.
Deadline for Transmittal of
Applications: May 12, 2016.
Applications for grants under this
competition must be submitted
electronically using the Grants.gov
Apply site (Grants.gov). For information
(including dates and times) about how
to submit your application
electronically, or in paper format by
mail or hand delivery if you qualify for
an exception to the electronic
submission requirement, please refer to
Other Submission Requirements in
section IV of this notice.
We do not consider an application
that does not comply with the deadline
requirements.
Individuals with disabilities who
need an accommodation or auxiliary aid
in connection with the application
process should contact the person listed
under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT in section VII of this notice. If
the Department provides an
accommodation or auxiliary aid to an
individual with a disability in
connection with the application
process, the individual’s application
remains subject to all other
requirements and limitations in this
notice.
Deadline for Intergovernmental
Review: July 11, 2016.
4. Intergovernmental Review: This
program is subject to Executive Order
12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR
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part 79. Information about
Intergovernmental Review of Federal
Programs under Executive Order 12372
is in the application package for this
competition.
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 System for Award
Management: 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 System for Award
Management (SAM) (formerly the
Central Contractor Registry), the
Government’s primary registrant
database;
c. Provide your DUNS number and
TIN on your application; and
d. Maintain an active SAM
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 at the following
Web site: https://fedgov.dnb.com/
webform. A DUNS number can be
created within one to two business days.
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 two to five weeks for your
TIN to become active.
The SAM registration process can take
approximately seven business days, but
may take upwards of several weeks,
depending on the completeness and
accuracy of the data you enter into the
SAM database. Thus, if you think you
might want to apply for Federal
financial assistance under a program
administered by the Department, please
allow sufficient time to obtain and
register your DUNS number and TIN.
We strongly recommend that you
register early.
Note: Once your SAM registration is active,
it may be 24 to 48 hours before you can
access the information in, and submit an
application through, Grants.gov.
If you are currently registered with
SAM, 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 registration
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annually. This may take three or more
business days.
Information about SAM is available at
www.SAM.gov. To further assist you
with obtaining and registering your
DUNS number and TIN in SAM or
updating your existing SAM account,
we have prepared a SAM.gov Tip Sheet,
which you can find at: https://
www2.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/samfaqs.html.
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/
web/grants/register.html.
7. 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
APTF Program, CFDA number 84.330B,
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 the APTF Program at
www.Grants.gov. You must search for
the downloadable application package
for this competition by the CFDA
number. Do not include the CFDA
number’s alpha suffix in your search
(e.g., search for 84.330, not 84.330B).
Please note the following:
• When you enter the Grants.gov site,
you will find information about
submitting an application electronically
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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. In
addition, for specific guidance and
procedures for submitting an
application through Grants.gov, please
refer to the Grants.gov Web site at:
www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/
apply-for-grants.html.
• 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.
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• You must upload any narrative
sections and all other attachments to
your application as files in a read-only,
non-modifiable Portable Document
Format (PDF). Do not upload an
interactive or fillable PDF file. If you
upload a file type other than a readonly, non-modifiable PDF (e.g., Word,
Excel, WordPerfect, etc.) or submit a
password-protected file, we will not
review that material. Please note that
this could result in your application not
being considered for funding because
the material in question—for example,
the project narrative—is critical to a
meaningful review of your proposal. For
that reason it is important to allow
yourself adequate time to upload all
material as PDF files. The Department
will not convert material from other
formats to PDF.
• 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. Grants.gov
will also notify you automatically by
email if your application met all the
Grants.gov validation requirements or if
there were any errors (such as
submission of your application by
someone other than a registered
Authorized Organization
Representative, or inclusion of an
attachment with a file name that
contains special characters). You will be
given an opportunity to correct any
errors and resubmit, but you must still
meet the deadline for submission of
applications.
Once your application is successfully
validated by Grants.gov, the Department
will retrieve your application from
Grants.gov and send you an email with
a unique PR/Award number for your
application.
These emails do not mean that your
application is without any disqualifying
errors. While your application may have
been successfully validated by
Grants.gov, it must also meet the
Department’s application requirements
as specified in this notice and in the
application instructions. Disqualifying
errors could include, for instance,
failure to upload attachments in a readonly, non-modifiable PDF; failure to
submit a required part of the
application; or failure to meet applicant
eligibility requirements. It is your
responsibility to ensure that your
submitted application has met all of the
Department’s requirements.
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• 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 person 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 the problem
affected your ability to submit your
application by 4:30:00 p.m.,
Washington, DC time, on the
application deadline date. We will
contact you after we determine whether
your application will be accepted.
Note: The extensions to which we refer in
this section apply only to the unavailability
of, or technical problems with, the Grants.gov
system. We will not grant you an extension
if you failed to fully register to submit your
application to Grants.gov before the
application deadline date and time or if the
technical problem you experienced is
unrelated to the Grants.gov system.
Exception to Electronic Submission
Requirement: You qualify for an
exception to the electronic submission
requirement, and may submit your
application in paper format, if you are
unable to submit an application through
the Grants.gov system because—
• You do not have access to the
Internet; or
• You do not have the capacity to
upload large documents to the
Grants.gov system;
and
• No later than two weeks before the
application deadline date (14 calendar
days or, if the fourteenth calendar day
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21543
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: Francisco Ramirez, U.S.
Department of Education, 400 Maryland
Avenue SW., Room 3E310, Washington,
DC 20202–6200. FAX: (202) 260–8969.
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 84.330B), 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.
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.
We will not consider applications
postmarked after the application
deadline date.
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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 84.330B), 550 12th
Street SW., Room 7039, 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
1. Review and Selection Process: The
Department intends to fund, at some
level, all applications that meet the
requirements for approving applications
described in the application package for
this program and that demonstrate a
need for new or additional funds to pay
advanced placement exam fees on
behalf of low-income students for
school year 2015–16.
Under section 1707(1) of the ESEA, as
amended by NCLB, ‘‘advanced
placement test’’ means an advanced
placement test administered by the
College Board or approved by the
Secretary. For FY 2016, advanced
placement tests administered by the
College Board include Advanced
Placement (AP) Seminar and AP
Research under the College Board’s new
AP Capstone program. In addition, for
FY 2016, the Secretary approves the
following advanced placement tests:
(a) Diploma Programme tests
administered by the International
Baccalaureate Organization (IBO);
(b) Advanced Subsidiary (AS) Level
tests administered by Cambridge
International Examinations, including
Global Perspectives and Research Test;
and
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(c) Advanced (A) Level tests
administered by Cambridge
International Examinations; including
Global Perspectives and Research Test.
For FY 2016, the Department expects
to award approximately $28,483,000 in
new grants under this program. Based
on the anticipated number of
applications and other available
information (including any expected fee
reductions for low-income students), the
Department expects this amount to be
sufficient to pay all but $15 of the cost
of each advanced placement exam taken
by low-income students.
Accordingly, SEAs may use APTF
Program funds to cover a portion of the
cost of each approved advanced
placement exam taken by low-income
students in school year 2015–16, as
follows: (a) Up to $38 for each AP test
administered by the College Board that
is not an AP Seminar or AP Research
exam under the College Board’s AP
Capstone program; (b) up to $85 for each
AP Seminar test administered by the
College Board under its AP Capstone
program; (c) up to $85 for each AP
Research test administered by the
College Board under its AP Capstone
program; (d) up to $98 for each Diploma
Programme test administered by the
IBO; (e) up to $69.10 for each AS Level
test administered by Cambridge
International Examinations that is not a
Global Perspectives and Research exam;
(f) up to $112.90 for each A Level test
administered by Cambridge
International Examinations that is not a
Global Perspectives and Research exam;
(g) up to $134.73 for each AS Level
Global Perspectives and Research test
administered by Cambridge
International Examinations; and (h) up
to $226.50 for each A Level Global
Perspectives and Research test
administered by Cambridge
International Examinations.
Note: APTF Program funds may not be
used to pay registration fees on behalf of lowincome students. Therefore, advanced
placement test registration fees, including the
student registration fees charged by the IBO,
are not allowable costs under this program.
Further information and instructions
on how to request funds for school year
2015–16 are included in the application
package for this competition.
Also, in determining whether to
approve an application for a new award
(including the amount of the award)
from an applicant with a current grant
under this program, the Department will
consider the amount of any unexpended
funds under the existing grant and the
applicant’s use of funds under previous
APTF Program grant awards.
We remind potential applicants that
in reviewing applications in any
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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).
2. Risk Assessment and Special
Conditions: Consistent with 2 CFR
200.205, before awarding grants under
this competition the Department
conducts a review of the risks posed by
applicants. Under 2 CFR 3474.10, the
Secretary may impose special
conditions and, in appropriate
circumstances, high-risk 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 2
CFR part 200, subpart D; 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
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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 multiyear 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.
(c) Under 34 CFR 75.250(b), the
Secretary may provide a grantee with
additional funding for data collection
analysis and reporting. In this case the
Secretary establishes a data collection
period.
4. Performance Measures: Under the
Government Performance and Results
Act of 1993, the Department has
developed five performance measures to
evaluate the overall effectiveness of the
APTF Program: (1) The number of
advanced placement tests taken by lowincome public school students
nationally; (2) The number of advanced
placement tests taken by minority
(Hispanic, Black, Native American)
public school students nationally; (3)
The percentage of advanced placement
tests passed (for AP tests, scores of 3–
5) by low-income public school students
nationally; (4) The number of advanced
placement tests passed (for AP tests,
scores of 3–5) by low-income public
school students nationally; and (5) The
cost per passing advanced placement
test taken by a low-income public
school student. The information
provided by grantees in their final
performance reports will be one source
of data for the measures. Other sources
of data include the College Board, IBO,
and Cambridge International
Examinations.
VII. Agency Contact
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Francisco Ramirez, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW.,
Room 3E310, Washington, DC 20202–
6200. Telephone: (202) 260–1541 or by
email: francisco.ramirez@ed.gov.
If you use a TDD or a TTY, call the
FRS, toll free, at 1–800–877–8339.
VIII. Other Information
Accessible Format: Individuals with
disabilities can obtain this document
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:18 Apr 11, 2016
Jkt 238001
and a copy of the application package in
an accessible format (e.g., braille, large
print, audiotape, or compact disc) on
request to the program contact person
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 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: April 7, 2016.
Ann Whalen,
Senior Advisor to the Secretary Delegated
the Duties of Assistant Secretary for the Office
of Elementary and Secondary Education.
[FR Doc. 2016–08396 Filed 4–11–16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
[Docket No.: ED–2016–ICCD–0012]
Agency Information Collection
Activities; Submission to the Office of
Management and Budget for Review
and Approval; Comment Request;
Indian Education Professional
Development Grants Program: GPRA
and Service Payback Data Collection
Office of Elementary and
Secondary Education (OESE),
Department of Education (ED).
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
In accordance with the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44
U.S.C. chapter 3501 et seq.), ED is
proposing a revision of an existing
information collection.
DATES: Interested persons are invited to
submit comments on or before May 12,
2016.
ADDRESSES: To access and review all the
documents related to the information
collection listed in this notice, please
use https://www.regulations.gov by
searching the Docket ID number ED–
2016–ICCD–0012. Comments submitted
in response to this notice should be
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
Frm 00013
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
21545
submitted electronically through the
Federal eRulemaking Portal at https://
www.regulations.gov by selecting the
Docket ID number or via postal mail,
commercial delivery, or hand delivery.
Please note that comments submitted by
fax or email and those submitted after
the comment period will not be
accepted. Written requests for
information or comments submitted by
postal mail or delivery should be
addressed to the Director of the
Information Collection Clearance
Division, U.S. Department of Education,
400 Maryland Avenue SW., LBJ, Room
2E–105, Washington, DC 20202–4537.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For
specific questions related to collection
activities, please contact John Cheek,
202–401–0274.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
Department of Education (ED), in
accordance with the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) (44 U.S.C.
3506(c)(2)(A)), provides the general
public and Federal agencies with an
opportunity to comment on proposed,
revised, and continuing collections of
information. This helps the Department
assess the impact of its information
collection requirements and minimize
the public’s reporting burden. It also
helps the public understand the
Department’s information collection
requirements and provide the requested
data in the desired format. ED is
soliciting comments on the proposed
information collection request (ICR) that
is described below. The Department of
Education is especially interested in
public comment addressing the
following issues: (1) Is this collection
necessary to the proper functions of the
Department; (2) will this information be
processed and used in a timely manner;
(3) is the estimate of burden accurate;
(4) how might the Department enhance
the quality, utility, and clarity of the
information to be collected; and (5) how
might the Department minimize the
burden of this collection on the
respondents, including through the use
of information technology. Please note
that written comments received in
response to this notice will be
considered public records.
Title of Collection: Indian Education
Professional Development Grants
Program: GPRA and Service Payback
Data Collection.
OMB Control Number: 1810–0698.
Type of Review: A revision of an
existing information collection.
Respondents/Affected Public: State,
Local, and Tribal Governments.
Total Estimated Number of Annual
Responses: 1,740.
Total Estimated Number of Annual
Burden Hours: 2,728.
E:\FR\FM\12APN1.SGM
12APN1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 70 (Tuesday, April 12, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21541-21545]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-08396]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Applications for New Awards; Advanced Placement Test Fee Program
AGENCY: Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, Department of
Education.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Overview Information
Advanced Placement Test Fee Program
Notice inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY)
2016.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.330B.
DATES:
Applications Available: April 12, 2016.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: May 12, 2016.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: July 11, 2016.
Full Text of Announcement
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Purpose of Program: The Advanced Placement Test Fee (APTF) Program
awards grants to State educational agencies (SEAs) to enable them to
pay all or a portion of advanced placement test fees on behalf of
eligible low-income students who (1) are enrolled in an advanced
placement course; and (2) plan to take an advanced placement exam. The
program is designed to increase the number of low-income students who
take advanced placement tests and receive scores for which college
academic credit is awarded.
Program Authority: The Elementary and Secondary Education Act of
1965 (ESEA), as amended by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001
(NCLB) (20 U.S.C. 6531-6537).
Note: On December 10, 2015, the President signed into law the
Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), Public Law 114-95, which
reauthorized the ESEA, as amended by NCLB. Under section 5(c) of the
ESSA, APTF Program grants awarded in FY 2016 and earlier years will
operate in accordance with the requirements of the ESEA, as amended
by NCLB.
Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 75, 77, 79, 81, 82,
84, 97, 98, and 99. (b) The OMB Guidelines to Agencies on
Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension (Nonprocurement) in 2 CFR part
180, as adopted and amended as regulations of the Department in 2 CFR
part 3485. (c) The Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost
Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards in 2 CFR part
200, as adopted and amended as regulations of the Department in 2 CFR
part 3474. (d) The regulations in 34 CFR part 299.
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 79 apply to all applicants
except federally recognized Indian tribes.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
Estimated Available Funds: $28,483,000.
Estimated Range of Awards: $13,235-$10,757,186.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $694,710.
Estimated Number of Awards: 41.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this
notice.
Project Period: Up to 12 months.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants: SEAs in any State, including the District
of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin
Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana
Islands, and the freely associated states of the Republic of the
Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic
of Palau (subject to continued eligibility).
Note: For the purposes of this program, the Bureau of Indian
Education in the U.S. Department of the Interior is treated as an
SEA.
2.a. Cost Sharing or Matching: This program does not require cost
sharing or matching.
b. Supplement-Not-Supplant: This program involves supplement, not
supplant, funding requirements. Section 1706 of the ESEA, as amended by
NCLB, requires that grant funds provided under the APTF Program
supplement, and not supplant, other non-Federal funds that are
available to assist low-income individuals in paying for the cost of
advanced placement test fees.
IV. Application and Submission Information
1. Address to Request Application Package: You can obtain an
application package via the Internet or from the program office.
To obtain a copy via the Internet, use the following address:
https://www2.ed.gov/programs/apfee/applicant.html.
To obtain a copy from the program office, contact: Francisco
Ramirez, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room
3E310, Washington, DC 20202-6200. Telephone: (202) 260-1541 or by
email: francisco.ramirez@ed.gov.
If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) or a text
telephone (TTY), call the Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll free, at 1-
800-877-8339.
Individuals with disabilities can obtain a copy of the application
package in an accessible format (e.g., braille, large print, audiotape,
or compact disc) by contacting the program contact person listed in
this section.
2. Content and Form of Application Submission: Requirements
concerning the content of an application, together with the forms you
must submit, are in the application package for this competition.
3. Submission Dates and Times:
Applications Available: April 12, 2016.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: May 12, 2016.
Applications for grants under this competition must be submitted
electronically using the Grants.gov Apply site (Grants.gov). For
information (including dates and times) about how to submit your
application electronically, or in paper format by mail or hand delivery
if you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission
requirement, please refer to Other Submission Requirements in section
IV of this notice.
We do not consider an application that does not comply with the
deadline requirements.
Individuals with disabilities who need an accommodation or
auxiliary aid in connection with the application process should contact
the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT in section VII
of this notice. If the Department provides an accommodation or
auxiliary aid to an individual with a disability in connection with the
application process, the individual's application remains subject to
all other requirements and limitations in this notice.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: July 11, 2016.
4. Intergovernmental Review: This program is subject to Executive
Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR
[[Page 21542]]
part 79. Information about Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs
under Executive Order 12372 is in the application package for this
competition.
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 System for Award Management: 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 System for Award
Management (SAM) (formerly the Central Contractor Registry), the
Government's primary registrant database;
c. Provide your DUNS number and TIN on your application; and
d. Maintain an active SAM 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 at the
following Web site: https://fedgov.dnb.com/webform. A DUNS number can be
created within one to two business days.
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 two to five weeks for your TIN to become active.
The SAM registration process can take approximately seven business
days, but may take upwards of several weeks, depending on the
completeness and accuracy of the data you enter into the SAM database.
Thus, if you think you might want to apply for Federal financial
assistance under a program administered by the Department, please allow
sufficient time to obtain and register your DUNS number and TIN. We
strongly recommend that you register early.
Note: Once your SAM registration is active, it may be 24 to 48
hours before you can access the information in, and submit an
application through, Grants.gov.
If you are currently registered with SAM, 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 registration annually. This may take three or more business days.
Information about SAM is available at www.SAM.gov. To further
assist you with obtaining and registering your DUNS number and TIN in
SAM or updating your existing SAM account, we have prepared a SAM.gov
Tip Sheet, which you can find at: https://www2.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/sam-faqs.html.
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/web/grants/register.html.
7. 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 APTF Program, CFDA number
84.330B, 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 the APTF
Program at www.Grants.gov. You must search for the downloadable
application package for this competition by the CFDA number. Do not
include the CFDA number's alpha suffix in your search (e.g., search for
84.330, not 84.330B).
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. In addition, for specific guidance and
procedures for submitting an application through Grants.gov, please
refer to the Grants.gov Web site at: www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/apply-for-grants.html.
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.
[[Page 21543]]
You must upload any narrative sections and all other
attachments to your application as files in a read-only, non-modifiable
Portable Document Format (PDF). Do not upload an interactive or
fillable PDF file. If you upload a file type other than a read-only,
non-modifiable PDF (e.g., Word, Excel, WordPerfect, etc.) or submit a
password-protected file, we will not review that material. Please note
that this could result in your application not being considered for
funding because the material in question--for example, the project
narrative--is critical to a meaningful review of your proposal. For
that reason it is important to allow yourself adequate time to upload
all material as PDF files. The Department will not convert material
from other formats to PDF.
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. Grants.gov
will also notify you automatically by email if your application met all
the Grants.gov validation requirements or if there were any errors
(such as submission of your application by someone other than a
registered Authorized Organization Representative, or inclusion of an
attachment with a file name that contains special characters). You will
be given an opportunity to correct any errors and resubmit, but you
must still meet the deadline for submission of applications.
Once your application is successfully validated by Grants.gov, the
Department will retrieve your application from Grants.gov and send you
an email with a unique PR/Award number for your application.
These emails do not mean that your application is without any
disqualifying errors. While your application may have been successfully
validated by Grants.gov, it must also meet the Department's application
requirements as specified in this notice and in the application
instructions. Disqualifying errors could include, for instance, failure
to upload attachments in a read-only, non-modifiable PDF; failure to
submit a required part of the application; or failure to meet applicant
eligibility requirements. It is your responsibility to ensure that your
submitted application has met all of the Department's requirements.
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 person
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 the
problem affected your ability to submit your application by 4:30:00
p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. We will
contact you after we determine whether your application will be
accepted.
Note: The extensions to which we refer in this section apply
only to the unavailability of, or technical problems with, the
Grants.gov system. We will not grant you an extension if you failed
to fully register to submit your application to Grants.gov before
the application deadline date and time or if the technical problem
you experienced is unrelated to the Grants.gov system.
Exception to Electronic Submission Requirement: You qualify for an
exception to the electronic submission requirement, and may submit your
application in paper format, if you are unable to submit an application
through the Grants.gov system because--
You do not have access to the Internet; or
You do not have the capacity to upload large documents to
the Grants.gov system;
and
No later than two weeks before the application deadline
date (14 calendar days or, if the fourteenth calendar day before the
application deadline date falls on a Federal holiday, the next business
day following the Federal holiday), you mail or fax a written statement
to the Department, explaining which of the two grounds for an exception
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: Francisco Ramirez, U.S.
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 3E310,
Washington, DC 20202-6200. FAX: (202) 260-8969.
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 84.330B), 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.
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.
We will not consider applications postmarked after the application
deadline date.
[[Page 21544]]
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 84.330B), 550 12th Street SW., Room 7039, 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. Review and Selection Process: The Department intends to fund, at
some level, all applications that meet the requirements for approving
applications described in the application package for this program and
that demonstrate a need for new or additional funds to pay advanced
placement exam fees on behalf of low-income students for school year
2015-16.
Under section 1707(1) of the ESEA, as amended by NCLB, ``advanced
placement test'' means an advanced placement test administered by the
College Board or approved by the Secretary. For FY 2016, advanced
placement tests administered by the College Board include Advanced
Placement (AP) Seminar and AP Research under the College Board's new AP
Capstone program. In addition, for FY 2016, the Secretary approves the
following advanced placement tests:
(a) Diploma Programme tests administered by the International
Baccalaureate Organization (IBO);
(b) Advanced Subsidiary (AS) Level tests administered by Cambridge
International Examinations, including Global Perspectives and Research
Test; and
(c) Advanced (A) Level tests administered by Cambridge
International Examinations; including Global Perspectives and Research
Test.
For FY 2016, the Department expects to award approximately
$28,483,000 in new grants under this program. Based on the anticipated
number of applications and other available information (including any
expected fee reductions for low-income students), the Department
expects this amount to be sufficient to pay all but $15 of the cost of
each advanced placement exam taken by low-income students.
Accordingly, SEAs may use APTF Program funds to cover a portion of
the cost of each approved advanced placement exam taken by low-income
students in school year 2015-16, as follows: (a) Up to $38 for each AP
test administered by the College Board that is not an AP Seminar or AP
Research exam under the College Board's AP Capstone program; (b) up to
$85 for each AP Seminar test administered by the College Board under
its AP Capstone program; (c) up to $85 for each AP Research test
administered by the College Board under its AP Capstone program; (d) up
to $98 for each Diploma Programme test administered by the IBO; (e) up
to $69.10 for each AS Level test administered by Cambridge
International Examinations that is not a Global Perspectives and
Research exam; (f) up to $112.90 for each A Level test administered by
Cambridge International Examinations that is not a Global Perspectives
and Research exam; (g) up to $134.73 for each AS Level Global
Perspectives and Research test administered by Cambridge International
Examinations; and (h) up to $226.50 for each A Level Global
Perspectives and Research test administered by Cambridge International
Examinations.
Note: APTF Program funds may not be used to pay registration
fees on behalf of low-income students. Therefore, advanced placement
test registration fees, including the student registration fees
charged by the IBO, are not allowable costs under this program.
Further information and instructions on how to request funds for
school year 2015-16 are included in the application package for this
competition.
Also, in determining whether to approve an application for a new
award (including the amount of the award) from an applicant with a
current grant under this program, the Department will consider the
amount of any unexpended funds under the existing grant and the
applicant's use of funds under previous APTF Program grant awards.
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).
2. Risk Assessment and Special Conditions: Consistent with 2 CFR
200.205, before awarding grants under this competition the Department
conducts a review of the risks posed by applicants. Under 2 CFR
3474.10, the Secretary may impose special conditions and, in
appropriate circumstances, high-risk 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 2 CFR part 200, subpart D; 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
[[Page 21545]]
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 multiyear 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.
(c) Under 34 CFR 75.250(b), the Secretary may provide a grantee
with additional funding for data collection analysis and reporting. In
this case the Secretary establishes a data collection period.
4. Performance Measures: Under the Government Performance and
Results Act of 1993, the Department has developed five performance
measures to evaluate the overall effectiveness of the APTF Program: (1)
The number of advanced placement tests taken by low-income public
school students nationally; (2) The number of advanced placement tests
taken by minority (Hispanic, Black, Native American) public school
students nationally; (3) The percentage of advanced placement tests
passed (for AP tests, scores of 3-5) by low-income public school
students nationally; (4) The number of advanced placement tests passed
(for AP tests, scores of 3-5) by low-income public school students
nationally; and (5) The cost per passing advanced placement test taken
by a low-income public school student. The information provided by
grantees in their final performance reports will be one source of data
for the measures. Other sources of data include the College Board, IBO,
and Cambridge International Examinations.
VII. Agency Contact
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Francisco Ramirez, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 3E310, Washington, DC 20202-
6200. Telephone: (202) 260-1541 or by email: francisco.ramirez@ed.gov.
If you use a TDD or a TTY, 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 compact disc) on request to
the program contact person 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 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: April 7, 2016.
Ann Whalen,
Senior Advisor to the Secretary Delegated the Duties of Assistant
Secretary for the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education.
[FR Doc. 2016-08396 Filed 4-11-16; 8:45 am]
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