[Federal Register: July 11, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 133)]
[Notices]
[Page 41328-41330]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr11jy03-43]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
[CFDA No: 84.184D]
Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools--Demonstration Grants for
Student Drug Testing--Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for
Fiscal Year (FY) 2003
Purpose of Program: This program awards grants to local educational
agencies (LEAs) and public and private entities, to develop or enhance,
implement, and evaluate school-based drug testing programs for
students.
For FY 2003 the competition for new awards focuses on projects
designed to meet the priorities we describe in the PRIORITIES section
of this application notice.
Eligible Applicants: LEAs and public and private entities.
Applications Available: July 11, 2003.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: August 20, 2003.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: September 19, 2003.
Estimated Available Funds: The Department expects to make available
$2,000,000 for this program for FY 2003.
Estimated Range of Awards: $200,000-$400,000.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $300,000.
Estimated Number of Awards: 7.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this
notice.
Project Period: Up to 36 months.
Applicable Regulations: The Education Department General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80,
81, 82, 85, 86, 97, 98, and 99.
Other Requirements
Participation by Private School Children and Teachers
Entities receiving a grant under the Demonstration Grants for
Student Drug Testing Program are required to provide for the equitable
participation of private school children and their teachers or other
educational personnel. In order to ensure that grant program activities
address the needs of private school children, timely and meaningful
consultation with appropriate private school officials must occur
during the design and development of the program. Administrative
direction and control over grant funds must remain with the grantee.
Maintenance of Effort
An LEA may receive a grant under the Demonstration Grants for
Student Drug Testing Program only if the State educational agency finds
that the combined fiscal efforts per student or the aggregate
expenditures of the agency and the State with respect to the provisions
of free public education by the agency for the preceding fiscal year
was not less than 90 percent of the combined fiscal effort or aggregate
expenditures for the second preceding fiscal year.
School-Based Programs
Applicants other than LEAs must demonstrate that they have
established a partnership with one or more LEAs to carry out the
program. This partnership must be demonstrated by submitting a
partnership agreement signed by the superintendent or an authorized
representative of the participating LEA. Letters of support for the
proposed project are not sufficient to demonstrate the required
partnership.
Assurance
Applicants must provide an assurance that legal counsel has
reviewed the proposed program and advised that the program activities
do not appear to violate established constitutional principles or State
and Federal requirements related to implementing a student drug testing
program.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Additional Awards
Contingent upon the availability of funds, we may make additional
awards in FY 2004 from the rank-ordered list of unfunded applications
from this competition.
Participation of Faith-based Organizations
Faith-based organizations are eligible to apply for grants under
this competition provided they meet all statutory and regulatory
requirements.
Definition
Drug. The term drug includes controlled substances; the illegal use
of alcohol and tobacco; and the harmful, abusive, or addictive use of
substances, including inhalants and anabolic steroids.
Absolute Priority
We will award grants to LEAs and public and private entities to
develop or enhance, implement, and evaluate school-based drug testing
programs for students. Any random drug testing program conducted with
funds awarded under this competition must be limited to one or more of
the following: (1) Students who participate in the school's athletic
program; (2) students who are engaged in competitive, extracurricular
school-sponsored activities; and (3) students who, along with their
parents or guardian, have consented or volunteered to participate in a
random drug testing program.
In order to be eligible for an award, applicants must:
(1) Identify a target population and demonstrate a significant need
for drug testing within the target population;
(2) Explain how the proposed drug testing program will be part of a
comprehensive drug prevention program in the schools to be served;
(3) Provide a comprehensive plan for referral to treatment or
counseling of students identified as drug users through the testing
program; and
(4) Provide a plan to ensure the confidentiality of drug testing
results.
For FY 2003, this priority is an absolute priority. Under 34 CFR
75.105(c)(3), we will consider only applications that meet this
priority.
Competitive Preference Priority
In order to determine whether the drug testing projects supported
under this program produce meaningful effects on student drug use, we
have established a competitive preference priority within the absolute
priority for this competition. We will award up to 10 additional points
to applicants that propose experimental or quasi-experimental
evaluation of projects. These points are in addition to any points the
application earns under the selection criteria. The total number of
points available for this competition is 110.
[[Page 41329]]
Evaluations using an experimental design are the strongest for
determining program effectiveness. Thus, the project preferably uses an
experimental design. An evaluation using an experimental design is one
where subjects (students, teachers, classrooms, or schools) are
randomly assigned to receive the program being evaluated or to be in a
control group that does not receive the program.
If random assignment is not feasible, the project may employ a
quasi-experimental design with carefully matched comparison conditions.
This alternative design attempts to approximate a randomly assigned
control group by matching subjects (students, teachers, classrooms, or
schools) with non-participants possessing similar pre-program
characteristics.
Data from reliable and valid measures of the intervention that the
program intends to implement and of the outcomes that the program
intends to affect, should be collected before and after participation
in the program or the comparison condition.
Points awarded under this priority will be determined by the
quality of the proposed evaluation. In determining the quality of the
evaluation, we will consider the extent to which the applicant presents
a feasible, credible plan that includes:
(1) The type of design to be used (random assignment or matched
comparison);
(2) Outcomes to be measured;
(3) A discussion of how students, teachers, classrooms, or schools
will be assigned to the program or matched for comparison with other
students, teachers, classrooms, or schools; and
(4) A proposed evaluator, preferably independent, with the
necessary background and technical expertise to carry out the proposed
evaluation.
Applicants who apply for the competitive preference will have their
applications reviewed separately by a panel of non-federal experts that
includes at least one evaluation expert.
Performance Measures
The Secretary has established the following key performance measure
for assessing the effectiveness of the Demonstration Grants for Student
Drug Testing Program: The reduction of the incidence of drug use in the
past month and past year. The Secretary has set an overall performance
target that calls for the incidence of drug use by students in the
target population to decline by five percent annually.
In applying the selection criteria that follow for ``Quality of
project design'' and ``Quality of the project evaluation,'' the
Secretary will take into consideration the extent to which the
applicant demonstrates a strong capacity (1) To help achieve this
target, and (2) to provide reliable data on this indicator.
Selection Criteria
The following selection criteria are used to evaluate applications
for new grants under this competition. Together with the competitive
preference priority, the maximum number of points that may be awarded
is 110. The maximum score for each criterion or factor under that
criterion is indicated in parentheses.
(1) Need for project. (20 points)
In determining the need for the proposed project, the following
factor is considered:
The magnitude or severity of the problem to be addressed by the
proposed project. (20 points)
Note:
Under this criterion we will look for evidence that the
applicant has conducted a student drug use survey or other needs
assessment that demonstrates a significant need for drug testing in
the target population.
(2) Significance. (20 points)
In determining the significance of the proposed project, the
following factors are considered:
(a) The potential contribution of the proposed project to the
development and advancement of theory, knowledge, and practices in the
field of study. (10 points)
(b) The extent to which the proposed project involves the
development or demonstration of promising new strategies that build on,
or are alternatives to, existing strategies. (5 points)
(c) The potential for generalizing from the findings or results of
the proposed project. (5 points)
(3) Quality of the project design. (30 points)
In determining the quality of the design of the proposed project,
the following factors are considered:
(a) The extent to which the design of the proposed project reflects
up-to-date knowledge from research and effective practice. (10 points)
(b) The extent to which the proposed project will establish
linkages with other appropriate agencies and organizations providing
services to the target population. (5 points)
(c) The quality of the proposed demonstration design and procedures
for documenting project activities and results. (10 points)
(d) The extent to which the project demonstrates an exceptional
approach to the priority established for the competition. (5 points)
(Note: Under this criterion we will look at the likelihood that
the applicant's plan will lead to reductions in the incidence of
drug use by students in the target population.)
(4) Management plan. (10 points)
In determining the quality of the management plan, the following
factor is considered:
How the applicant will ensure that a diversity of perspectives are
brought to bear in the operation of the proposed project, including
those of parents, teachers, the business community, a variety of
disciplinary and professional fields, recipients or beneficiaries of
services, or others, as appropriate. (10 points)
(5) Quality of the project evaluation. (20 points)
In determining the quality of the evaluation, the following factors
are considered:
(a) The extent to which the methods of evaluation provide for
examining the effectiveness of project implementation strategies. (10
points)
(b) The extent to which the methods of evaluation include the use
of objective performance measures that are clearly related to the
intended outcomes of the project and will produce quantitative and
qualitative data to the extent possible. (10 points)
(Note: Under this criterion, we will look for the applicant's
plan to provide reliable data that measures declines in the
incidence of drug use by students in the target population in the
past month and in the past year.)
FOR APPLICATIONS AND FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Heather Carkuff, U.S.
Department of Education, Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools, 400
Maryland Avenue, SW., Room 3E250, Washington, DC 20202-6450. E-mail:
heather.carkuff@ed.gov. To download a copy of the application, visit
the Web site for the Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools at http://www.ed.gov/offices/OSDFS
.
If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may
call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 800/877-8339.
Individuals with disabilities may obtain this document in an
alternative format (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer
diskette) on request to the program contact person listed under FOR
APPLICATIONS AND FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
Individuals with disabilities also may obtain a copy of the
application package in an alternative format by contacting that person.
However, the Department is not able to reproduce in an alternative
[[Page 41330]]
format the standard forms included in the application package.
Waiver of Proposed Rulemaking
Under the Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C. 553) the
Department generally offers interested parties the opportunity to
comment proposed regulations. Section 437(d)(2) of the General
Education Provisions Act (GEPA), however, exempts from this rulemaking
requirement those rules where the Secretary determines it would cause
extreme hardship to the beneficiaries of the program that would be
affected by those rules. The Secretary, in accordance with section
437(d)(2) of GEPA, has decided to issue these rules without first
publishing them for public comment in order to ensure timely and high
quality grant awards. These rules will apply only to grant applications
submitted in FY 2003.
Pilot Project for Electronic Submission of Applications
In FY 2003, the U.S. Department of Education is continuing to
expand its pilot project for electronic submission of applications to
include additional formula grant programs and additional discretionary
grant competitions. The Demonstration Grants for Student Drug Testing
Program is one the programs included in the pilot project. If you are
an applicant under this competition, you may submit your application to
us in either electronic or paper format.
The pilot project involves the use of the Electronic Grant
Application System (e-Application) portion of the Grants Administration
and Payment System (GAPS). Users of e-Application will be entering data
on-line while completing their applications. You may not e-mail a soft
copy of a grant application to us. If you participate in this voluntary
pilot project by submitting an application electronically, the data you
enter on-line will be saved into a database. We request your
participation in e-Application. We shall continue to evaluate its
success and solicit suggestions for improvement.
If you participate in e-Application, please note the following:
[sbull] Your participation is voluntary.
[sbull] You will not receive any additional point value because you
submit a grant application in electronic format, nor will we penalize
you if you submit an application in paper format. When you enter the e-
Application system, you will find information about its hours of
operation.
[sbull] You may submit all documents electronically, including the
Application for Federal Education Assistance (ED 424), Budget
Information--Non-Construction Programs (ED 524), and all necessary
assurances and certifications.
[sbull] After you electronically submit your application, you will
receive an automatic acknowledgement, which will include a PR/Award
Number (an identifying number unique to your application).
[sbull] Within three working days after submitting your electronic
application, fax a signed copy of the Application for Federal Education
Assistance (ED 424) to the Application Control Center after following
these steps:
(1) Print ED 424 from the e-Application system.
(2) The institution's Authorizing Representative must sign this
form.
(3) Place the PR/Award number in the upper right hand corner of the
hard copy signature page of the ED 424.
(4) Fax the signed ED 424 to the Application Control Center at 202/
260-1349.
[sbull] We may request that you give us original signatures on all
other forms at a later date.
[sbull] Closing Date Extension in Case of System Unavailability: If
you elect to participate in the e-Application pilot for the
Demonstration Grants for Student Drug Testing Program and you are
prevented from submitting your application on the closing date because
the e-Application system is unavailable, we will grant you an extension
of one business day in order to transmit your application
electronically, by mail, or by hand delivery. For us to grant this
extension--
(1) You must be a registered user of e-Application, and have
initiated an e-Application for this competition; and
(2)(a) The e-Application system must be unavailable for 60 minutes
or more between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. (ET), on the
deadline date; or (b) The e-Application system must be unavailable for
any period of time during the last hour of operation (that is, for any
period of time between 3:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. (ET)) on the deadline
date. The Department must acknowledge and confirm these periods of
unavailability before granting you an extension. To request this
extension you must contact either (1) The person listed elsewhere in
this notice under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT or (2) the e-GRANTS
help desk at 888/336-8930.
You may access the electronic grant application for the
Demonstration Grants for Student Drug Testing Program: http://e-grants.ed.gov.
We have included additional information about the e-
Application pilot project (see Parity Guidelines Between Paper and
Electronic Applications) in the application package.
Electronic Access to This Document
You may view this document, as well as all other Department of
Education documents published in the Federal Register, in text or Adobe
Portable Document Format (PDF) on the Internet at the following site:
http://www.ed.gov/legislation/FedRegister.
To use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available
free at this site. If you have questions about using PDF, call the U.S.
Government Printing Office (GPO), toll free, at 888/293-6498; or in the
Washington, DC, area at 202/512-1530.
Note: The official version of this document is the document
published in the Federal Register. Free Internet access to the
official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of Federal
Regulations is available on GPO Access at: http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/
.
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 7131.
Dated: July 7, 2003.
Eric G. Andell,
Deputy Under Secretary for Safe and Drug-Free Schools.
[FR Doc. 03-17536 Filed 7-10-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P