Department of Education April 25, 2012 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Federal Pell Grant, ACG, and National SMART Programs are student financial assistance programs authorized under the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA), as amended. These programs provide grant assistance to an eligible student attending an institution of higher education. The institution determines the student's award and disburses program funds to the student on behalf of the Department (ED). To account for the funds disbursed, institutions report student payment information to ED electronically. COD is a simplified process for requesting, reporting, and reconciling Pell Grant, ACG, and National SMART funds.

The Assistant Deputy Secretary for Innovation and Improvement proposes definitions, requirements, and selection criteria for the Exemplary Charter School Collaboration Awards (Collaboration Awards) and may use these definitions, requirements, and selection criteria for a competition in fiscal year (FY) 2012 and later years. The Assistant Deputy Secretary is taking this action to create incentives for charter schools (as defined in section 5210(1) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended (ESEA)) to (a) collaborate with non- chartered public schools (as defined in this notice) and non-chartered local educational agencies (LEAs) to share and transfer best educational and operational practices at the elementary and secondary school levels; and (b) disseminate information about these collaborations across the Nation. The Collaboration Awards competition would be designed to encourage charter schools and non-chartered public schools or non-chartered LEAs to share resources and responsibilities, build trust and teamwork, boost academic excellence in charter schools and non-chartered public schools alike, and provide students and their parents with a range of effective educational options.