Eligibility Designations and Applications for Waiving Eligibility Requirements; Programs Under Parts A and F of Title III and Programs Under Title V of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as Amended (HEA), 12665-12668 [2021-04447]
Download as PDF
<![CDATA[
Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 41 / Thursday, March 4, 2021 / Notices
Register. You may access the official
edition of the Federal Register and the
Code of Federal Regulations at
www.govinfo.gov. 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 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.
Mark Washington,
Deputy Assistant Secretary, Office of
Elementary and Secondary Education.
[FR Doc. 2021–04491 Filed 3–3–21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Eligibility Designations and
Applications for Waiving Eligibility
Requirements; Programs Under Parts
A and F of Title III and Programs Under
Title V of the Higher Education Act of
1965, as Amended (HEA)
Office of Postsecondary
Education, Department of Education
(Department).
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
The Department announces
the process for designation of eligible
institutions and invites applications for
waivers of eligibility requirements for
fiscal year (FY) 2021, for the following
programs: 1. Programs authorized under
title III, part A of the HEA:
Strengthening Institutions Program (Part
A SIP), Alaska Native and Native
Hawaiian-Serving Institutions (Part A
ANNH), Predominantly Black
Institutions (Part A PBI), Native
American-Serving Nontribal Institutions
(Part A NASNTI), and Asian American
and Native American Pacific IslanderServing Institutions (Part A AANAPISI).
2. Programs authorized under title III,
part F of the HEA: Hispanic-Serving
Institutions STEM and Articulation
(Part F HSI STEM and Articulation),
Predominantly Black Institutions (Part F
PBI), Alaska Native and Native
Hawaiian-Serving Institutions (Part F
ANNH), Native American-Serving
Nontribal Institutions (Part F NASNTI),
and Asian American and Native
American Pacific Islander-Serving
Institutions (Part F AANAPISI). 3.
Programs authorized under title V of the
jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with NOTICES
SUMMARY:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
20:27 Mar 03, 2021
Jkt 253001
HEA: Developing Hispanic-Serving
Institutions (HSI) and Promoting
Postbaccalaureate Opportunities for
Hispanic Americans (PPOHA).
DATES:
Applications Available: March 4,
2021.
Deadline for Transmittal of
Applications: April 5, 2021.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Christopher Smith, Institutional Service,
U.S. Department of Education, 400
Maryland Avenue SW, Room 2B108,
Washington, DC 20202. Telephone:
(202) 453–7946 or (202) 262–7141.
Email: Christopher.Smith@ed.gov; or
Jason Cottrell, Institutional Service, U.S.
Department of Education, 400 Maryland
Avenue SW, Room 2B127, Washington,
DC 20202. Telephone: (202) 453–7530
or (202) 262–1833. Email:
Jason.Cottrell@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.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Full Text of Announcement
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Purpose of Programs: The Part A SIP,
Part A ANNH, Part A PBI, Part A
NASNTI, and Part A AANAPISI
programs are authorized under title III,
part A of the HEA. The Part F HSI STEM
and Articulation, Part F PBI, Part F
ANNH, Part F NASNTI, and Part F
AANAPISI programs are authorized
under title III, part F of the HEA. The
HSI and PPOHA programs are
authorized under title V of the HEA.
Please note that certain programs
addressed in this notice have the same
or similar names as other programs that
are authorized under a different
statutory authority. For this reason, we
specify the statutory authority as part of
the acronym for certain programs.
Under the programs discussed above,
institutions are eligible to apply for
grants if they meet specific statutory and
regulatory eligibility requirements. An
institution of higher education that is
designated as an eligible institution may
also receive a waiver of certain nonFederal cost-sharing requirements for
one year under the Federal
Supplemental Educational Opportunity
Grant (FSEOG) program authorized by
title IV, part A of the HEA and the
Federal Work-Study (FWS) program
authorized by section 443 of the HEA.
Qualified (eligible) institutions may
receive the FSEOG and FWS waivers for
one year even if they do not receive a
grant under a title III or V grant
program. An applicant that receives a
PO 00000
Frm 00073
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
12665
grant from the Student Support Services
(SSS) program that is authorized under
section 402D of the HEA, 20 U.S.C.
1070a–14, may receive a waiver of the
required non-Federal cost share for
institutions for the duration of the grant.
An applicant that receives a grant from
the Undergraduate International Studies
and Foreign Language (UISFL) program
that is authorized under section 604 of
the HEA, 20 U.S.C. 1124, may receive a
waiver or reduction of the required nonFederal cost share for institutions for the
duration of the grant.
Sections 312 and 502 of the HEA, 34
CFR 607.2–607.5, and 34 CFR 606.2–
606.5 include most of the basic
eligibility requirements for grant
programs authorized under titles III and
V of the HEA. Sections 312(b)(1)(B) and
502(a)(2)(A) of the HEA provide that, to
be eligible for these programs, an
institution of higher education’s average
‘‘educational and general expenditures’’
(E&G) per full-time equivalent (FTE)
undergraduate student must be less than
the average E&G expenditures per FTE
undergraduate student of institutions
that offer similar instruction in that
year.
The National Center for Education
Statistics (NCES) calculates Core
Expenses per FTE of institutions, a
statistic like E&G per FTE. Both E&G per
FTE and Core Expenses per FTE are
based on regular operational
expenditures of institutions (excluding
auxiliary enterprises, independent
operations, and hospital expenses).
They differ only in that E&G per FTE is
based on fall undergraduate enrollment,
while Core Expenses per FTE is based
on 12-month undergraduate enrollment
for the academic year.
To avoid inconsistency in the data
submitted to, and produced by, the
Department, for the purpose of sections
312(b)(1)(B) and 502(a)(2)(A) of the
HEA, E&G per FTE is calculated using
the same methodology as Core Expenses
per FTE. Accordingly, the Department
will apply the NCES methodology for
calculating Core Expenses per FTE.
Institutions requesting an eligibility
exemption determination must use the
Core Expenses per FTE data reported to
NCES’ Integrated Postsecondary
Education Data System (IPEDS) for the
most currently available academic year,
in this case academic year 2018–2019.
Special Note: To qualify as an eligible
institution under the grant programs
listed in this notice, your institution
must satisfy several criteria. For most of
these programs, these criteria include
those that relate to the enrollment of
needy students and to the Core
Expenses per FTE student count for a
specified base year. The most recent
E:\FR\FM\04MRN1.SGM
04MRN1
jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with NOTICES
12666
Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 41 / Thursday, March 4, 2021 / Notices
data available in IPEDS for Core
Expenses per FTE are for base year
2018–2019. To award FY 2021 grants in
a timely manner, we will use these data
to evaluate eligibility.
Accordingly, each institution
interested in either applying for a new
grant under the title III or V programs
addressed in this notice, or requesting a
waiver of the non-Federal cost share,
must be designated as an eligible
institution in FY 2021. Under the HEA,
any institution interested in applying
for a grant under any of these programs
must first be designated as an eligible
institution. (34 CFR 606.5 and 607.5).
Note: Please be advised that the list of
institutions of higher education
identified in the allocation table as
eligible to receive an award under
section 314(a)(2) of the Coronavirus
Response and Relief Supplemental
Appropriations Act, 2021 (CRRSAA)
only speaks to the eligibility of those
institutions for the purposes of receiving
funds under CRRSAA section 314(a)(2).
The appearance of an institution on the
section 314(a)(2) allocation table does
not grant or otherwise indicate that the
institution is currently eligible for
funding under titles III, V, and VII of the
HEA. An institution that seeks to meet
the eligibility requirements for programs
identified in this notice under titles III,
V, and VII of the HEA must apply under
the procedures contained in this notice.
Eligible Applicants:
The eligibility requirements for the
programs authorized under part A of
title III of the HEA are in sections 312
and 317–320 of the HEA (20 U.S.C.
1058, 1059d-1059g) and in 34 CFR 607.2
through 607.5. The regulations may be
accessed at www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/textidx?SID=bc12bf5d685021e069cd1a
15352b381a&mc=true&node=pt34.3.607
&rgn=div5. The eligibility requirements
for the programs authorized by part F of
title III of the HEA are in section 371 of
the HEA (20 U.S.C. 1067q). There are
currently no specific regulations for
these programs.
The eligibility requirements for the
title V HSI program are in part A of title
V of the HEA and in 34 CFR 606.2
through 34 CFR 606.5. The regulations
may be accessed at www.ecfr.gov/cgibin/text-idx?SID=bc12bf5d685021e
069cd1a15352b381a
&mc=true&node=pt34.3.606&rgn=div5l.
The requirements for the PPOHA
program are in part B of title V of the
HEA and in the notice of final
requirements published in the Federal
Register on July 27, 2010 (75 FR 44055),
and in 34 CFR 606.2(a) and (b), and
606.3 through 606.5.
The Department has instituted a
process known as the Eligibility Matrix
VerDate Sep<11>2014
20:27 Mar 03, 2021
Jkt 253001
(EM), under which we will use
information submitted by institutions to
IPEDS to determine which institutions
meet the basic eligibility requirements
for the programs authorized by title III
or V of the HEA listed above. We will
use enrollment and fiscal data from the
2018–2019 year submitted by
institutions to IPEDS to make eligibility
determinations for FY 2021. Beginning
February XX, 2021, an institution will
be able to review the Department’s
decision on whether it is eligible for the
grant programs authorized by title III or
V of the HEA through this process by
checking the institution’s eligibility in
the eligibility system linked through the
Department’s Institutional Service
Eligibility website: https://www2.ed.gov/
about/offices/list/ope/idues/
eligibility.html.
Please note that through this process,
the Department does not certify, nor
designate, an institution as a
Historically Black College or University,
Tribally Controlled College or
University, Minority-Serving Institution,
or Hispanic-Serving Institution. The
Department’s determination that an
institution is eligible is solely for the
purpose of the institution’s ability to
apply for and receive grants under
certain programs as discussed in this
notice.
The EM is part of the Department’s
eligibility data system. The EM is a
read-only worksheet that lists all
potentially eligible postsecondary
institutions, as determined by the
Department using the data described
above. If the entry for your institution in
the EM shows that your institution is
eligible to apply for a grant for a
particular program, and you plan to
apply for a grant in that program, you
will not need to apply for eligibility or
for a waiver through the process
described in this notice. Rather, you
may print out the eligibility letter
directly. However, if the EM does not
show that your institution is eligible for
a program in which you plan to apply
for a grant, you must submit an
application as discussed in this notice
before the application deadline of April
5, 2021.
To check your institution’s eligibility
in the EM, go to https://HEPIS.ed.gov,
and log into the system using your email
address and password. If you are not
sure whether you have an account in the
system, click the ‘‘New User’’ button. If
you have an account, it will walk you
through setup. Note that it may take up
to five business days to verify user
identity and to complete new account
setup, so please allow yourself enough
time to complete the application. If the
Grant Eligibility Application (GEA)
PO 00000
Frm 00074
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
system is open, click the link on your
dashboard to check your institution’s
eligibility status by clicking the ‘‘View
pre-Eligibility Information’’ button.
Your institution’s eligibility information
will display.
If the EM does not show that your
institution is eligible for a program, or
if your institution does not appear in the
eligibility system, or if you disagree
with the eligibility determination
reflected in the eligibility system, you
can apply for a waiver or
reconsideration through the process
described in this notice. The application
process is like previous years; you will
choose the waiver option on the website
at https://HEPIS.ed.gov/ and submit
your institution’s application.
Enrollment of Needy Students: For
programs under titles III and V
(excluding the PBI programs), an
institution is considered to have an
enrollment of needy students if: (1) At
least 50 percent of its degree-seeking
students received financial assistance
under the Federal Pell Grant, FSEOG,
FWS, or the Federal Perkins Loan
programs; or (2) the percentage of its
undergraduate degree-seeking students
who were enrolled on at least a halftime basis and received Federal Pell
Grants exceeded the median percentage
of undergraduate degree students who
were enrolled on at least a half-time
basis and received Federal Pell Grants at
comparable institutions that offer
similar instruction.
To qualify under criterion 2, an
institution’s Federal Pell Grant
percentage for base year 2018–2019
must be more than the median for its
category of comparable institutions
provided in the 2018–2019 Average Pell
Grant and Core Expenses per FTE
Student Table in this notice. If your
institution qualifies under the first
criterion, under which at least 50
percent of its degree-seeking students
received financial assistance under one
of several Federal student aid programs
(the Federal Pell Grant, FSEOG, FWS, or
the Federal Perkins Loan programs), but
not the second criterion, under which
an institution’s Federal Pell Grant
percentage for base year 2018–2019
must be more than the average for its
category of comparable institutions
provided in the 2018–2019 Average Pell
Grant and Core Expenses per FTE
Student Table in this notice, you must
submit an application including the
requested data, which is not available in
IPEDS.
For the definition of ‘‘Enrollment of
Needy Students,’’ for purposes of the
Part A PBI program, see section
318(b)(2) of the HEA, and for purposes
E:\FR\FM\04MRN1.SGM
04MRN1
12667
Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 41 / Thursday, March 4, 2021 / Notices
the 2018–2019 base year are less than
the average for its category of
comparable institutions.
Core Expenses are defined as the total
expenses for the essential education
activities of the institution. Core
Expenses for public institutions
reporting under the Governmental
Accounting Standards Board (GASB)
requirements include expenses for
instruction, research, public service,
academic support, student services,
institutional support, operation and
maintenance of plant, depreciation,
scholarships and fellowships, interest,
and other operating and non-operating
expenses. Core Expenses for institutions
reporting under the Financial
Accounting Standards Board (FASB)
standards (primarily private, not-for-
of the Part F PBI program, see section
371(c)(9) of the HEA.
Core Expenses per FTE Student: For
the Title III, Part A SIP; Part A ANNH;
Part A PBI; Part A NASNTI; Part A
AANAPISI; Title III, Part F HSI STEM
and Articulation; Part F PBI; Part F
ANNH; Part F NASNTI; Part F
AANAPISI; Title V, Part A HSI; and
Title V, Part B PPOHA programs, an
institution should compare its base year
2018–2019 Core Expenses per FTE
student to the average Core Expenses
per FTE student for its category of
comparable institutions in the base year
2018–2019 Average Pell Grant and
Average Core Expenses per FTE Student
Table in this notice. The institution
meets this eligibility requirement under
these programs if its Core Expenses for
profit, and for-profit) include expenses
for instruction, research, public service,
academic support, student services,
institutional support, net grant aid to
students, and other expenses. Core
Expenses do not include Federal
student aid for the purposes of
eligibility. For both FASB and GASB
institutions, Core Expenses do not
include expenses for auxiliary
enterprises (e.g., bookstores,
dormitories), hospitals, and
independent operations.
The following table identifies the
relevant average Federal Pell Grant
percentages for the base year 2018–2019
and the relevant Core Expenses per FTE
student for the base year 2018–2019 for
the four categories of comparable
institutions:
Base year
2018–2019
median pell
grant
percentage
Type of institution
Two-year Public Institutions .....................................................................................................................................
Two-year Non-profit Private Institutions ..................................................................................................................
Four-year Public Institutions ....................................................................................................................................
Four-year Non-profit Private Institutions ..................................................................................................................
Waiver Information: Institutions that
do not meet the needy student
enrollment requirement or the Core
Expenses per FTE requirement may
apply to the Secretary for a waiver of
these requirements, as described in
sections 392 and 522 of the HEA, and
the implementing regulations at 34 CFR
606.3(b), 606.4(c) and (d), 607.3(b), and
607.4(c) and (d).
Institutions requesting a waiver of the
needy student enrollment requirement
or the Core Expenses per FTE
requirement must include in their
application detailed evidence
supporting the waiver request, as
described in the instructions for
completing the application.
The regulations governing the
Secretary’s authority to grant a waiver of
the needy student requirement refers to
‘‘low-income’’ students or families, at 34
CFR 606.3(b)(2) and (3) and 607.3(b)(2)
and (3). The regulations at 34 CFR
33
57
35
37
Base year
2018–2019
average core
expenses per
FTE student
$14,679
17,529
32,882
42,211
606.3(c) and 607.3(c) define ‘‘lowincome’’ as an amount that does not
exceed 150 percent of the amount equal
to the poverty level, as established by
the U.S. Census Bureau.
For the purposes of this waiver
provision, the following table sets forth
the low-income levels (at 150 percent)
for various sizes of families:
2019 ANNUAL LOW–INCOME LEVELS
Family
income for
the 48
contiguous
states, DC,
and outlying
jurisdictions
Size of family unit
jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with NOTICES
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................
Note: We use the 2019 annual lowincome levels because those are the
amounts that apply to the family income
reported by students enrolled for the fall
2018 semester. For family units with
VerDate Sep<11>2014
20:27 Mar 03, 2021
Jkt 253001
more than eight members, add the
following amount for each additional
family member: $6,630 for the
contiguous 48 States, the District of
Columbia, and outlying jurisdictions;
PO 00000
Frm 00075
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
$18,735
25,365
31,695
38,625
45,255
51,885
58,515
65,145
Family
income for
Alaska
$23,400
31,995
39,990
48,285
56,580
64,875
73,170
81,465
Family
income for
Hawaii
$21,570
29,190
36,810
44,430
52,050
59,670
67,290
74,910
$8,295 for Alaska; and $7,620 for
Hawaii.
The figures shown under family
income represent amounts equal to 150
percent of the family income levels
E:\FR\FM\04MRN1.SGM
04MRN1
jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with NOTICES
12668
Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 41 / Thursday, March 4, 2021 / Notices
established by the U.S. Census Bureau
for determining poverty status. The
poverty guidelines were published on
February 1, 2019, in the Federal
Register by the U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services (84 FR
1167), with an effective date of January
11, 2019.
Information about ‘‘metropolitan
statistical areas’’ referenced in 34 CFR
606.3(b)(4) and 607.3(b)(4) may be
obtained at: www.census.gov/prod/
2010pubs/10smadb/appendixc.pdf and
www.census.gov/prod/2008pubs/
07ccdb/appd.pdf.
Electronic Submission of Waiver
Applications:
If your institution does not appear in
the eligibility system as one that is
eligible for the program under which
you plan to apply for a grant, you must
apply for a waiver of the eligibility
requirements. To request a waiver, you
must upload a narrative at: https://
HEPIS.ED.gov.
Exception to the Electronic
Submission Requirement: We
discourage paper applications, but if
electronic submission is not possible
(e.g., you do not have access to the
internet), you must provide a written
statement that you intend to submit a
paper application. Send this written
statement no later than two weeks
before the application deadline date (14
calendar days or, if the 14th calendar
day before the application deadline date
falls on a Federal holiday, the next
business day following the Federal
holiday).
If you mail your written statement to
the Department, it must be postmarked
no later than two weeks before the
application deadline date. Please send
this statement to one of the persons
listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT section of this notice.
If you submit a paper application, you
must mail your application, on or before
the application deadline date, to the
Department at the following address:
U.S. Department of Education,
Attention: Jason Cottrell, Ph.D., 400
Maryland Avenue SW, Room 2B127,
Washington, DC 20202.
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
VerDate Sep<11>2014
20:27 Mar 03, 2021
Jkt 253001
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.
Applicable Regulations: (a) The
Education Department General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in
34 CFR parts 75, 77, 79, 82, 84, 86, 97,
98, and 99. (b) The Office of
Management and Budget Guidelines to
Agencies on Governmentwide
Debarment and Suspension
(Nonprocurement) in 2 CFR 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 for certain title III programs
in 34 CFR part 607, and for the HSI
program in 34 CFR part 606. (e) The
notice of final requirements for the
PPOHA program published in the
Federal Register on July 27, 2010 (75 FR
44055).
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part
79 apply to all applicants except
federally recognized Indian Tribes.
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part
86 apply to institutions only.
Note: There are no program-specific
regulations for the Part A PBI, Part A
NASNTI, and Part A AANAPISI
programs or any of the title III, part F
programs. Also, there have been
amendments to the HEA since the
Department last issued regulations for
the programs established under titles III
and V of the statute. Accordingly, we
encourage each potential applicant to
read the applicable sections of the HEA
to fully understand the eligibility
requirements for the program for which
they are applying.
II. Other Information
Accessible Format: On request to one
of the program contact persons listed
under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT, individuals with disabilities
can obtain this document and a copy of
the application package in an accessible
format. The Department will provide the
requestor with an accessible format that
may include Rich Text Format (RTF) or
text format (txt), a thumb drive, an MP3
PO 00000
Frm 00076
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
file, braille, large print, audiotape, or
compact disc, or other accessible format.
Electronic Access to This Document:
The official version of this document is
the document published in the Federal
Register. You may access the official
edition of the Federal Register and the
Code of Federal Regulations at
www.govinfo.gov. 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 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.
Tiwanda Burse,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Management
& Planning, Office of Postsecondary
Education. Delegated authority to perform
functions and duties of the Assistant
Secretary for the Office of Postsecondary
Education.
[FR Doc. 2021–04447 Filed 3–3–21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Applications for New Awards; Indian
Education Discretionary Grants
Programs—Professional Development
Grants Program
Office of Elementary and
Secondary Education, Department of
Education.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
The Department of Education
(Department) is issuing a notice inviting
applications for new awards for fiscal
year (FY) 2021 for Indian Education
Discretionary Grants Programs—
Professional Development Grants
Program, Assistance Listing Number
84.299B. This notice relates to the
approved information collection under
OMB control number 1810–0580.
DATES:
Applications Available: March 4,
2021.
Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply:
March 19, 2021.
Date of Pre-Application Meeting:
Friday, February 26, 2021, and
Thursday, March 4, 2021.
Deadline for Transmittal of
Applications: May 3, 2021.
Deadline for Intergovernmental
Review: July 2, 2021.
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\04MRN1.SGM
04MRN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 41 (Thursday, March 4, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12665-12668]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-04447]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Eligibility Designations and Applications for Waiving Eligibility
Requirements; Programs Under Parts A and F of Title III and Programs
Under Title V of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as Amended (HEA)
AGENCY: Office of Postsecondary Education, Department of Education
(Department).
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Department announces the process for designation of
eligible institutions and invites applications for waivers of
eligibility requirements for fiscal year (FY) 2021, for the following
programs: 1. Programs authorized under title III, part A of the HEA:
Strengthening Institutions Program (Part A SIP), Alaska Native and
Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions (Part A ANNH), Predominantly Black
Institutions (Part A PBI), Native American-Serving Nontribal
Institutions (Part A NASNTI), and Asian American and Native American
Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions (Part A AANAPISI). 2. Programs
authorized under title III, part F of the HEA: Hispanic-Serving
Institutions STEM and Articulation (Part F HSI STEM and Articulation),
Predominantly Black Institutions (Part F PBI), Alaska Native and Native
Hawaiian-Serving Institutions (Part F ANNH), Native American-Serving
Nontribal Institutions (Part F NASNTI), and Asian American and Native
American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions (Part F AANAPISI). 3.
Programs authorized under title V of the HEA: Developing Hispanic-
Serving Institutions (HSI) and Promoting Postbaccalaureate
Opportunities for Hispanic Americans (PPOHA).
DATES:
Applications Available: March 4, 2021.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: April 5, 2021.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Christopher Smith, Institutional
Service, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Room
2B108, Washington, DC 20202. Telephone: (202) 453-7946 or (202) 262-
7141. Email: [email protected]; or Jason Cottrell, Institutional
Service, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Room
2B127, Washington, DC 20202. Telephone: (202) 453-7530 or (202) 262-
1833. Email: [email protected].
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.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Full Text of Announcement
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Purpose of Programs: The Part A SIP, Part A ANNH, Part A PBI, Part
A NASNTI, and Part A AANAPISI programs are authorized under title III,
part A of the HEA. The Part F HSI STEM and Articulation, Part F PBI,
Part F ANNH, Part F NASNTI, and Part F AANAPISI programs are authorized
under title III, part F of the HEA. The HSI and PPOHA programs are
authorized under title V of the HEA. Please note that certain programs
addressed in this notice have the same or similar names as other
programs that are authorized under a different statutory authority. For
this reason, we specify the statutory authority as part of the acronym
for certain programs.
Under the programs discussed above, institutions are eligible to
apply for grants if they meet specific statutory and regulatory
eligibility requirements. An institution of higher education that is
designated as an eligible institution may also receive a waiver of
certain non-Federal cost-sharing requirements for one year under the
Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) program
authorized by title IV, part A of the HEA and the Federal Work-Study
(FWS) program authorized by section 443 of the HEA. Qualified
(eligible) institutions may receive the FSEOG and FWS waivers for one
year even if they do not receive a grant under a title III or V grant
program. An applicant that receives a grant from the Student Support
Services (SSS) program that is authorized under section 402D of the
HEA, 20 U.S.C. 1070a-14, may receive a waiver of the required non-
Federal cost share for institutions for the duration of the grant. An
applicant that receives a grant from the Undergraduate International
Studies and Foreign Language (UISFL) program that is authorized under
section 604 of the HEA, 20 U.S.C. 1124, may receive a waiver or
reduction of the required non-Federal cost share for institutions for
the duration of the grant.
Sections 312 and 502 of the HEA, 34 CFR 607.2-607.5, and 34 CFR
606.2-606.5 include most of the basic eligibility requirements for
grant programs authorized under titles III and V of the HEA. Sections
312(b)(1)(B) and 502(a)(2)(A) of the HEA provide that, to be eligible
for these programs, an institution of higher education's average
``educational and general expenditures'' (E&G) per full-time equivalent
(FTE) undergraduate student must be less than the average E&G
expenditures per FTE undergraduate student of institutions that offer
similar instruction in that year.
The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) calculates Core
Expenses per FTE of institutions, a statistic like E&G per FTE. Both
E&G per FTE and Core Expenses per FTE are based on regular operational
expenditures of institutions (excluding auxiliary enterprises,
independent operations, and hospital expenses). They differ only in
that E&G per FTE is based on fall undergraduate enrollment, while Core
Expenses per FTE is based on 12-month undergraduate enrollment for the
academic year.
To avoid inconsistency in the data submitted to, and produced by,
the Department, for the purpose of sections 312(b)(1)(B) and
502(a)(2)(A) of the HEA, E&G per FTE is calculated using the same
methodology as Core Expenses per FTE. Accordingly, the Department will
apply the NCES methodology for calculating Core Expenses per FTE.
Institutions requesting an eligibility exemption determination must use
the Core Expenses per FTE data reported to NCES' Integrated
Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) for the most currently
available academic year, in this case academic year 2018-2019.
Special Note: To qualify as an eligible institution under the grant
programs listed in this notice, your institution must satisfy several
criteria. For most of these programs, these criteria include those that
relate to the enrollment of needy students and to the Core Expenses per
FTE student count for a specified base year. The most recent
[[Page 12666]]
data available in IPEDS for Core Expenses per FTE are for base year
2018-2019. To award FY 2021 grants in a timely manner, we will use
these data to evaluate eligibility.
Accordingly, each institution interested in either applying for a
new grant under the title III or V programs addressed in this notice,
or requesting a waiver of the non-Federal cost share, must be
designated as an eligible institution in FY 2021. Under the HEA, any
institution interested in applying for a grant under any of these
programs must first be designated as an eligible institution. (34 CFR
606.5 and 607.5).
Note: Please be advised that the list of institutions of higher
education identified in the allocation table as eligible to receive an
award under section 314(a)(2) of the Coronavirus Response and Relief
Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 (CRRSAA) only speaks to the
eligibility of those institutions for the purposes of receiving funds
under CRRSAA section 314(a)(2). The appearance of an institution on the
section 314(a)(2) allocation table does not grant or otherwise indicate
that the institution is currently eligible for funding under titles
III, V, and VII of the HEA. An institution that seeks to meet the
eligibility requirements for programs identified in this notice under
titles III, V, and VII of the HEA must apply under the procedures
contained in this notice.
Eligible Applicants:
The eligibility requirements for the programs authorized under part
A of title III of the HEA are in sections 312 and 317-320 of the HEA
(20 U.S.C. 1058, 1059d-1059g) and in 34 CFR 607.2 through 607.5. The
regulations may be accessed at www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=bc12bf5d685021e069cd1a15352b381a&mc=true&node=pt34.3.607&rgn=div5. The eligibility requirements for the programs authorized by part F
of title III of the HEA are in section 371 of the HEA (20 U.S.C.
1067q). There are currently no specific regulations for these programs.
The eligibility requirements for the title V HSI program are in
part A of title V of the HEA and in 34 CFR 606.2 through 34 CFR 606.5.
The regulations may be accessed at www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=bc12bf5d685021e069cd1a15352b381a&mc=true&node=pt34.3.606&rgn=div5l.
The requirements for the PPOHA program are in part B of title V of
the HEA and in the notice of final requirements published in the
Federal Register on July 27, 2010 (75 FR 44055), and in 34 CFR 606.2(a)
and (b), and 606.3 through 606.5.
The Department has instituted a process known as the Eligibility
Matrix (EM), under which we will use information submitted by
institutions to IPEDS to determine which institutions meet the basic
eligibility requirements for the programs authorized by title III or V
of the HEA listed above. We will use enrollment and fiscal data from
the 2018-2019 year submitted by institutions to IPEDS to make
eligibility determinations for FY 2021. Beginning February XX, 2021, an
institution will be able to review the Department's decision on whether
it is eligible for the grant programs authorized by title III or V of
the HEA through this process by checking the institution's eligibility
in the eligibility system linked through the Department's Institutional
Service Eligibility website: https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/idues/eligibility.html.
Please note that through this process, the Department does not
certify, nor designate, an institution as a Historically Black College
or University, Tribally Controlled College or University, Minority-
Serving Institution, or Hispanic-Serving Institution. The Department's
determination that an institution is eligible is solely for the purpose
of the institution's ability to apply for and receive grants under
certain programs as discussed in this notice.
The EM is part of the Department's eligibility data system. The EM
is a read-only worksheet that lists all potentially eligible
postsecondary institutions, as determined by the Department using the
data described above. If the entry for your institution in the EM shows
that your institution is eligible to apply for a grant for a particular
program, and you plan to apply for a grant in that program, you will
not need to apply for eligibility or for a waiver through the process
described in this notice. Rather, you may print out the eligibility
letter directly. However, if the EM does not show that your institution
is eligible for a program in which you plan to apply for a grant, you
must submit an application as discussed in this notice before the
application deadline of April 5, 2021.
To check your institution's eligibility in the EM, go to https://HEPIS.ed.gov, and log into the system using your email address and
password. If you are not sure whether you have an account in the
system, click the ``New User'' button. If you have an account, it will
walk you through setup. Note that it may take up to five business days
to verify user identity and to complete new account setup, so please
allow yourself enough time to complete the application. If the Grant
Eligibility Application (GEA) system is open, click the link on your
dashboard to check your institution's eligibility status by clicking
the ``View pre-Eligibility Information'' button. Your institution's
eligibility information will display.
If the EM does not show that your institution is eligible for a
program, or if your institution does not appear in the eligibility
system, or if you disagree with the eligibility determination reflected
in the eligibility system, you can apply for a waiver or
reconsideration through the process described in this notice. The
application process is like previous years; you will choose the waiver
option on the website at https://HEPIS.ed.gov/ and submit your
institution's application.
Enrollment of Needy Students: For programs under titles III and V
(excluding the PBI programs), an institution is considered to have an
enrollment of needy students if: (1) At least 50 percent of its degree-
seeking students received financial assistance under the Federal Pell
Grant, FSEOG, FWS, or the Federal Perkins Loan programs; or (2) the
percentage of its undergraduate degree-seeking students who were
enrolled on at least a half-time basis and received Federal Pell Grants
exceeded the median percentage of undergraduate degree students who
were enrolled on at least a half-time basis and received Federal Pell
Grants at comparable institutions that offer similar instruction.
To qualify under criterion 2, an institution's Federal Pell Grant
percentage for base year 2018-2019 must be more than the median for its
category of comparable institutions provided in the 2018-2019 Average
Pell Grant and Core Expenses per FTE Student Table in this notice. If
your institution qualifies under the first criterion, under which at
least 50 percent of its degree-seeking students received financial
assistance under one of several Federal student aid programs (the
Federal Pell Grant, FSEOG, FWS, or the Federal Perkins Loan programs),
but not the second criterion, under which an institution's Federal Pell
Grant percentage for base year 2018-2019 must be more than the average
for its category of comparable institutions provided in the 2018-2019
Average Pell Grant and Core Expenses per FTE Student Table in this
notice, you must submit an application including the requested data,
which is not available in IPEDS.
For the definition of ``Enrollment of Needy Students,'' for
purposes of the Part A PBI program, see section 318(b)(2) of the HEA,
and for purposes
[[Page 12667]]
of the Part F PBI program, see section 371(c)(9) of the HEA.
Core Expenses per FTE Student: For the Title III, Part A SIP; Part
A ANNH; Part A PBI; Part A NASNTI; Part A AANAPISI; Title III, Part F
HSI STEM and Articulation; Part F PBI; Part F ANNH; Part F NASNTI; Part
F AANAPISI; Title V, Part A HSI; and Title V, Part B PPOHA programs, an
institution should compare its base year 2018-2019 Core Expenses per
FTE student to the average Core Expenses per FTE student for its
category of comparable institutions in the base year 2018-2019 Average
Pell Grant and Average Core Expenses per FTE Student Table in this
notice. The institution meets this eligibility requirement under these
programs if its Core Expenses for the 2018-2019 base year are less than
the average for its category of comparable institutions.
Core Expenses are defined as the total expenses for the essential
education activities of the institution. Core Expenses for public
institutions reporting under the Governmental Accounting Standards
Board (GASB) requirements include expenses for instruction, research,
public service, academic support, student services, institutional
support, operation and maintenance of plant, depreciation, scholarships
and fellowships, interest, and other operating and non-operating
expenses. Core Expenses for institutions reporting under the Financial
Accounting Standards Board (FASB) standards (primarily private, not-
for-profit, and for-profit) include expenses for instruction, research,
public service, academic support, student services, institutional
support, net grant aid to students, and other expenses. Core Expenses
do not include Federal student aid for the purposes of eligibility. For
both FASB and GASB institutions, Core Expenses do not include expenses
for auxiliary enterprises (e.g., bookstores, dormitories), hospitals,
and independent operations.
The following table identifies the relevant average Federal Pell
Grant percentages for the base year 2018-2019 and the relevant Core
Expenses per FTE student for the base year 2018-2019 for the four
categories of comparable institutions:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Base year Base year
2018-2019 2018-2019
Type of institution median pell average core
grant expenses per
percentage FTE student
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Two-year Public Institutions............ 33 $14,679
Two-year Non-profit Private Institutions 57 17,529
Four-year Public Institutions........... 35 32,882
Four-year Non-profit Private 37 42,211
Institutions...........................
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Waiver Information: Institutions that do not meet the needy student
enrollment requirement or the Core Expenses per FTE requirement may
apply to the Secretary for a waiver of these requirements, as described
in sections 392 and 522 of the HEA, and the implementing regulations at
34 CFR 606.3(b), 606.4(c) and (d), 607.3(b), and 607.4(c) and (d).
Institutions requesting a waiver of the needy student enrollment
requirement or the Core Expenses per FTE requirement must include in
their application detailed evidence supporting the waiver request, as
described in the instructions for completing the application.
The regulations governing the Secretary's authority to grant a
waiver of the needy student requirement refers to ``low-income''
students or families, at 34 CFR 606.3(b)(2) and (3) and 607.3(b)(2) and
(3). The regulations at 34 CFR 606.3(c) and 607.3(c) define ``low-
income'' as an amount that does not exceed 150 percent of the amount
equal to the poverty level, as established by the U.S. Census Bureau.
For the purposes of this waiver provision, the following table sets
forth the low-income levels (at 150 percent) for various sizes of
families:
2019 Annual Low-Income Levels
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Family income
for the 48
contiguous Family income Family income
Size of family unit states, DC, for Alaska for Hawaii
and outlying
jurisdictions
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1............................................................... $18,735 $23,400 $21,570
2............................................................... 25,365 31,995 29,190
3............................................................... 31,695 39,990 36,810
4............................................................... 38,625 48,285 44,430
5............................................................... 45,255 56,580 52,050
6............................................................... 51,885 64,875 59,670
7............................................................... 58,515 73,170 67,290
8............................................................... 65,145 81,465 74,910
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note: We use the 2019 annual low-income levels because those are
the amounts that apply to the family income reported by students
enrolled for the fall 2018 semester. For family units with more than
eight members, add the following amount for each additional family
member: $6,630 for the contiguous 48 States, the District of Columbia,
and outlying jurisdictions; $8,295 for Alaska; and $7,620 for Hawaii.
The figures shown under family income represent amounts equal to
150 percent of the family income levels
[[Page 12668]]
established by the U.S. Census Bureau for determining poverty status.
The poverty guidelines were published on February 1, 2019, in the
Federal Register by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
(84 FR 1167), with an effective date of January 11, 2019.
Information about ``metropolitan statistical areas'' referenced in
34 CFR 606.3(b)(4) and 607.3(b)(4) may be obtained at: www.census.gov/prod/2010pubs/10smadb/appendixc.pdf and www.census.gov/prod/2008pubs/07ccdb/appd.pdf.
Electronic Submission of Waiver Applications:
If your institution does not appear in the eligibility system as
one that is eligible for the program under which you plan to apply for
a grant, you must apply for a waiver of the eligibility requirements.
To request a waiver, you must upload a narrative at: https://
HEPIS.ED.gov.
Exception to the Electronic Submission Requirement: We discourage
paper applications, but if electronic submission is not possible (e.g.,
you do not have access to the internet), you must provide a written
statement that you intend to submit a paper application. Send this
written statement no later than two weeks before the application
deadline date (14 calendar days or, if the 14th calendar day before the
application deadline date falls on a Federal holiday, the next business
day following the Federal holiday).
If you mail your written statement to the Department, it must be
postmarked no later than two weeks before the application deadline
date. Please send this statement to one of the persons listed in the
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this notice.
If you submit a paper application, you must mail your application,
on or before the application deadline date, to the Department at the
following address: U.S. Department of Education, Attention: Jason
Cottrell, Ph.D., 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Room 2B127, Washington, DC
20202.
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.
Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 75, 77, 79, 82, 84,
86, 97, 98, and 99. (b) The Office of Management and Budget Guidelines
to Agencies on Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension (Nonprocurement)
in 2 CFR 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 for certain title III programs in 34 CFR
part 607, and for the HSI program in 34 CFR part 606. (e) The notice of
final requirements for the PPOHA program published in the Federal
Register on July 27, 2010 (75 FR 44055).
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 79 apply to all applicants
except federally recognized Indian Tribes.
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to institutions only.
Note: There are no program-specific regulations for the Part A PBI,
Part A NASNTI, and Part A AANAPISI programs or any of the title III,
part F programs. Also, there have been amendments to the HEA since the
Department last issued regulations for the programs established under
titles III and V of the statute. Accordingly, we encourage each
potential applicant to read the applicable sections of the HEA to fully
understand the eligibility requirements for the program for which they
are applying.
II. Other Information
Accessible Format: On request to one of the program contact persons
listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT, individuals with
disabilities can obtain this document and a copy of the application
package in an accessible format. The Department will provide the
requestor with an accessible format that may include Rich Text Format
(RTF) or text format (txt), a thumb drive, an MP3 file, braille, large
print, audiotape, or compact disc, or other accessible format.
Electronic Access to This Document: The official version of this
document is the document published in the Federal Register. You may
access the official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of
Federal Regulations at www.govinfo.gov. 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 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.
Tiwanda Burse,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Management & Planning, Office of
Postsecondary Education. Delegated authority to perform functions and
duties of the Assistant Secretary for the Office of Postsecondary
Education.
[FR Doc. 2021-04447 Filed 3-3-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P
