[Federal Register: December 24, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 247)]
[Notices]
[Page 74558-74563]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr24de03-57]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Office of Innovation and Improvement; Overview Information;
Charter Schools Program (CSP); Notice Inviting Applications for New
Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2004
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.282A,
84.282B, and 84.282C.
Dates: Applications Available: December 24, 2003.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: February 19, 2004.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: April 19, 2004.
Eligible Applicants: (a) State educational agencies (SEAs) in
States with a State statute specifically authorizing the establishment
of charter schools may apply for funding.
(b) Non-SEA eligible applicants may apply for funding directly from
the U.S. Department of Education (Department) if the SEA in the State
elects not to participate in the CSP or does not have an application
approved under the program.
Estimated Available Funds: Although the Congress has not enacted a
final appropriation for FY 2004, the Department is inviting
applications for this competition now so that it may be prepared to
make awards following final action on the Department's appropriations
bill. Based on the congressional action to date, we estimate that
$64,000,000 will be available for new awards under this competition.
The actual level of funding depends on final congressional action.
Estimated Range of Awards: SEAs: $500,000-$8,000,000 per year.
Other eligible applicants: $10,000-$150,000 per year.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: SEAs: $3,000,000 per year. Other
eligible applicants: $130,000 per year.
Estimated Number of Awards: SEAs: 18-22. Other eligible applicants:
50-75.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this
notice.
Project Period: Up to 36 months.
Full Text of Announcement
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Purpose of Program: The purpose of the CSP is to increase national
understanding of the charter school model and to expand the number of
high-quality charter schools available to students across the Nation by
providing financial assistance for the planning, program design, and
initial implementation of charter schools and for evaluating the
effects of charter schools, including the effects on students, student
academic achievement, staff, and parents.
The Department will hold three (3) separate competitions under this
program. All SEA applicants must apply for grant funds under CFDA No.
84.282A. Non-SEA eligible applicants that propose to use grant funds
for planning, program design, and implementation must apply under CFDA
No. 84.282B. Non-SEA eligible applicants that are requesting funds for
dissemination activities must submit their applications under CFDA No.
84.282C.
Priorities: In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(iv), these
priorities are from section 5202(e) of the Elementary and Secondary
Education Act of 1965, as amended (ESEA), 20 U.S.C. 7221a(e).
Competitive Preference Priorities: For FY 2004 these priorities are
competitive preference priorities. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i) we
award up to an additional 40 points to an applicant, depending on how
well the application meets these priorities.
In awarding grants to SEAs under this competition, the Secretary
gives priority to States to the extent that the State meets the
statutory criterion described in paragraph (a) of this section, and one
or more of the statutory criteria described in paragraphs (b) through
(d) of this section.
An SEA that meets priority (a) but does not meet one or more of the
other
[[Page 74559]]
priorities will not receive any priority points.
An SEA that does not meet priority (a) but meets one or more of the
other priorities will not receive any priority points.
In order to receive preference, an applicant must identify the
priorities that it believes it meets and provide documentation
supporting its claims.
These priorities are:
(a) Periodic Review and Evaluation (10 points). The State provides
for periodic review and evaluation by the authorized public chartering
agency of each charter school at least once every 5 years, unless
required more frequently by State law, to determine whether the charter
school is meeting the terms of the school's charter, and is meeting or
exceeding the academic achievement requirements and goals for charter
schools as provided under State law or the school's charter.
(b) Number of High-Quality Charter Schools (10 points). The State
has demonstrated progress in increasing the number of high-quality
charter schools that are held accountable in the terms of the schools'
charters for meeting clear and measurable objectives for the
educational progress of the students attending the schools, in the
period prior to the period for which an SEA or non-SEA eligible
applicant applies for a grant under this competition.
(c) One Authorized Public Chartering Agency Other than a Local
Educational Agency (LEA), or an Appeals Process (10 points). The
State--
(1) Provides for one authorized public chartering agency that is
not an LEA, such as a State chartering board, for each individual or
entity seeking to operate a charter school pursuant to State law; or
(2) In the case of a State in which LEAs are the only authorized
public chartering agencies, allows for an appeals process for the
denial of an application for a charter school.
(d) High Degree of Autonomy (10 points). The State ensures that
each charter school has a high degree of autonomy over the charter
school's budgets and expenditures.
Invitational Priorities: Under these competitions we are
particularly interested in applications that address the following
priorities. For FY 2004 these priorities are invitational priorities.
Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(1), we do not give an application that meets
these invitational priorities a competitive or absolute preference over
other applications.
These priorities are:
(a) The applicant proposes to plan, design, and implement one or
more high-quality charter schools to address parental interest in
public school choice, particularly for parents of children attending
schools identified for improvement under Title I, part A of the ESEA.
(b) The applicant proposes to plan, design, and implement one or
more high-quality charter schools in geographic areas, including urban
and rural areas, in which a large proportion or number of public
schools have been identified for improvement, corrective action, or
restructuring under Title I, Part A of the ESEA; and
(c) The applicant proposes to plan, design, and implement one or
more high-quality charter schools in geographic areas in which a large
proportion of students have difficulty meeting State academic content
and student achievement standards.
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 7221-7221j.
Applicable Regulations: The Education Department General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 75, 76, 77, 79, 80,
81, 82, 85, 86, 97, 98, and 99.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
Estimated Available Funds: Although the Congress has not enacted a
final appropriation for FY 2004, the Department is inviting
applications for this competition now so that it may be prepared to
make awards following final action on the Department's appropriations
bill. Based on the congressional action to date, we estimate that
$64,000,000 will be available for new awards under this competition.
The actual level of funding depends on final congressional action.
Estimated Range of Awards: SEAs: $500,000-$8,000,000 per year.
Other eligible applicants: $10,000-$150,000 per year.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: SEAs: $3,000,000 per year. Other
eligible applicants: $130,000 per year.
Estimated Number of Awards: SEAs: 18-22. Other eligible applicants:
50-75.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this
notice.
Project Period: Up to 36 months.
Note: Planning and implementation grants or subgrants awarded by
the Secretary or an SEA to non-SEA eligible applicants will be
awarded for a period of up to 36 months, no more than 18 months of
which may be used for planning and program design; and no more than
two years of which may be used for the initial implementation of a
charter school. Dissemination grants and subgrants are awarded for a
period of up to two years.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants: (a) SEAs in States with a State statute
specifically authorizing the establishment of charter schools may apply
for funding.
Note: The Secretary awards grants to SEAs to enable them to
conduct charter school programs in their States. SEAs use their CSP
funds to award subgrants to eligible applicants, as defined in this
notice, for planning, program design, and initial implementation of
a charter school; and to support the dissemination of information
about, including successful practices in, charter schools.
(b) Non-SEA eligible applicants may apply for funding directly from
the Department if the SEA in the State elects not to participate in the
CSP or does not have an application approved under the program.
Note: A non-SEA eligible applicant is defined as a developer
that has applied to an authorized public chartering authority to
operate a charter school and has provided to that authority adequate
and timely notice, and a copy, of its CSP application, except that
the Secretary or the SEA may waive these requirements in the case of
a pre-charter planning grant. Non-SEA eligible applicants, like
SEAs, must be in States that have statutes specifically authorizing
charter schools. If an SEA's application is approved in this
competition, the Department will return applications from non-SEA
eligible applicants in that State to the applicants. In such a case,
the non-SEA eligible applicant should contact the SEA for
information related to the State's subgrant competition.
The following States currently have approved applications under
this program: Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of
Columbia, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, New Hampshire, New
Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee, Utah,
and Wisconsin. In these States, only the SEA is eligible to receive an
award under this competition. Non-SEA eligible applicants in States
that are not listed must apply directly to the Department on or before
the deadline for transmittal of applications in order to be considered
for funding in this competition.
(c) Dissemination Grants. A charter school may apply to an SEA for
funds to carry out dissemination activities, whether or not the charter
school has applied for or received funds under the CSP for planning or
implementation, if the charter school has been in operation for at
least three consecutive years and has demonstrated overall success,
including--
(1) Substantial progress in improving student academic achievement;
(2) High levels of parent satisfaction; and
[[Page 74560]]
(3) The management and leadership necessary to overcome initial
start-up problems and establish a thriving, financially viable charter
school.
2. Cost Sharing or Matching: These competitions do not involve cost
sharing or matching.
3. Other: All applicants must meet the definitions of charter
school, developer, eligible applicant, and authorized public chartering
agency, as defined in the authorizing statute. These definitions are in
the application package.
IV. Application and Submission Information
1. Address to Request Application Package: Rik Lanzendorfer, U.S.
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 3C148 FB6,
Washington, DC 20202-5961. Telephone: (202) 205-9786 or by e-mail:
Rik.Lanzendorfer@ed.gov
If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may
call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339.
Individuals with disabilities may obtain a copy of the application
package in an alternative format (e.g., Braille, large print,
audiotape, or computer diskette) by contacting the program contact
person listed in this section. However, the Department is not able to
reproduce in an alternative format the standard forms included in the
application package.
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. Page
Limit: The application narrative (Part III of the application) is where
you, the applicant, address the selection criteria that reviewers use
to evaluate your application. You must limit Part III to the equivalent
of no more than 50 pages, using the following standards:
[sbull] A ``page'' is 8.5'' x 11'', on one side only, with 1''
margins at the top, bottom, and both sides.
[sbull] Double space (no more than three lines per vertical inch)
all text in the application narrative, including titles, headings,
footnotes, quotations, references, and captions, as well as all text in
charts, tables, figures, and graphs.
[sbull] Use a font that is either 12 point or larger or no smaller
than 10 pitch (characters per inch).
The page limit does not apply to Part I, the cover sheet; Part II,
the budget section, including the narrative budget justification; Part
IV, the assurances and certifications; or the one-page abstract, the
resumes, the bibliography, or the letters of support. However, you must
include all of the application narrative in Part III.
We will reject your application if--
[sbull] You apply these standards and exceed the page limit; or
[sbull] You apply other standards and exceed the equivalent of the
page limit.
3. Submission Dates and Times:
Applications Available: December 24, 2003.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: February 19, 2004.
Note: We are requiring that applications for grants under these
competitions be submitted electronically using the Electronic Grant
Application System (e-Application) available through the
Department's e-GRANTS system. For information about how to access
the e-GRANTS system or to request a waiver of the electronic
submission requirement, please refer to Section IV, Other Submission
Requirements, in this notice.
The application package for this competition specifies the hours of
operation of the e-Application Web site. If you are requesting a waiver
of the electronic submission requirement, the dates and times for the
transmittal of applications by mail or by hand (including a courier
service or commercial carrier) are also in the application package.
We do not consider an application that does not comply with the
deadline requirements.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: April 19, 2004.
4. Intergovernmental Review: This competition is subject to
Executive Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79.
Information about Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs under
Executive Order 12372 is in the application package for this
competition.
5. Funding Restrictions: Use of Funds for Dissemination Activities.
An SEA may reserve not more than 10 percent of the grant funds to
support dissemination activities. A charter school may use those funds
to assist other schools in adapting the charter school's program (or
certain aspects of the charter school's program), or to disseminate
information about the charter school through such activities as--
(a) Assisting other individuals with the planning and start-up of
one or more new public schools, including charter schools, that are
independent of the assisting charter school and the assisting charter
school's developers, and that agree to be held to at least as high a
level of accountability as the assisting charter school;
(b) Developing partnerships with other public schools, including
charter schools, designed to improve student performance in each of the
schools participating in the partnership;
(c) Developing curriculum materials, assessments, and other
materials that promote increased student achievement and are based on
successful practices within the assisting charter school; and
(d) Conducting evaluations and developing materials that document
the successful practices of the assisting charter school and that are
designed to improve student achievement.
We reference regulations outlining funding restrictions in the
Applicable Regulations section of this notice.
6. Other Submission Requirements: Instructions and requirements for
the transmittal of applications by mail or by hand (including a courier
service or commercial carrier) are in the application package for these
competitions. Application Procedures: The Government Paperwork
Elimination Act (GPEA) of 1998 (Pub. L. 105-277) and the Federal
Financial Assistance Management Improvement Act of 1999 (Pub. L. 106-
107) encourage us to undertake initiatives to improve our grant
processes. Enhancing the ability of individuals and entities to conduct
business with us electronically is a major part of our response to
these Acts. Therefore, we are taking steps to adopt the Internet as our
chief means of conducting transactions in order to improve services to
our customers and to simplify and expedite our business processes.
Some of the procedures in these instructions for transmitting
applications differ from those in EDGAR (34 CFR 75.102). Under the
Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C. 553), the Department generally
offers interested parties the opportunity to comment on proposed
regulations. However, these amendments make procedural changes only and
do not establish new substantive policy. Therefore, under 5 U.S.C.
553(b)(A), the Secretary has determined that proposed rulemaking is not
required.
We are requiring that applications for grants under Charter Schools
Program--CFDA Numbers 84.282A, B, and C be submitted electronically
using the Electronic Grant Application System (e-Application) available
through the Department's e-GRANTS system. The e-GRANTS system is
accessible through its portal page at: http://e-grants.ed.gov.
If you are unable to submit an application through the e-GRANTS
system, you may submit a written request for a waiver of the electronic
submission requirement. In your request, you should explain the reason
or reasons that prevent you from using
[[Page 74561]]
the Internet to submit your application. Address your request to: Rik
Lanzendorfer, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW.,
room FB6-3C148, Washington, DC 20202-5961. Please submit your request
no later than two weeks before the application deadline date.
If, within two weeks of the application deadline date, you are
unable to submit an application electronically, you must submit a paper
application by the application deadline date in accordance with the
transmittal instructions in the application package. The paper
application must include a written request for a waiver documenting the
reasons that prevented you from using the Internet to submit your
application.
Pilot Project for Electronic Submission of Applications: We are
continuing to expand our pilot project for electronic submission of
applications to include additional formula grant programs and
additional discretionary grant competitions. Charter Schools Program--
CFDA Numbers 84.282A, B, and C is one of the programs included in the
pilot project. If you are an applicant under the CSP competitions, you
must submit your application to us in electronic format or receive a
waiver.
The pilot project involves the use of e-Application. If you use e-
Application, you will be entering data online while completing your
application. You may not e-mail an electronic copy of a grant
application to us. The data you enter online will be saved into a
database. We shall continue to evaluate the success of e-Application
and solicit suggestions for its improvement.
If you participate in e-Application, please note the following:
[sbull] When you enter the e-Application system, you will find
information about its hours of operation. We strongly recommend that
you do not wait until the application deadline date to initiate an e-
Application package.
[sbull] You will not receive 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.
[sbull] You must 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] Your e-Application must comply with any page limit
requirements described in this notice.
[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 e-Application.
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
other forms at a later date.
Application Deadline Date Extension in Case of System
Unavailability: If you are prevented from submitting your application
on the application deadline 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. We will grant this extension if--
1. You are a registered user of e-Application and you have
initiated an e-Application for this competition; and
2. (a) The e-Application system is unavailable for 60 minutes or
more between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., Washington, DC time,
on the application deadline date; or
(b) The e-Application system is 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., Washington, DC time) on the
application deadline date.
We must acknowledge and confirm these periods of unavailability
before granting you an extension. To request this extension or to
confirm our acknowledgement of any system unavailability, you may
contact either (1) the person listed elsewhere in this notice under For
Further Information Contact (see VII. Agency Contact) or (2) the e-
GRANTS help desk at 1-888-336-8930.
You may access the electronic grant application for Charter Schools
Program--CFDA Numbers 84.282A, B, and C at: http://e-grants.ed.gov.
V. Application Review Information
1. Selection Criteria: All SEA and non-SEA applicants applying for
CSP grant funds must address both the application requirements and
selection criteria. All SEA and non-SEA applicants applying for CSP
grant funds may choose to respond to the application requirements in
the context of their response to the selection criteria.
(a) SEAs (CFDA No. 84.282A).
(i) Application Requirements (CFDA No. 84.282A). (A) Describe the
objectives of the SEA's charter school grant program and describe how
these objectives will be fulfilled, including steps taken by the SEA to
inform teachers, parents, and communities of the SEA's charter school
grant program;
(B) Describe how the SEA will inform each charter school in the
State about Federal funds that the charter school is eligible to
receive and Federal programs in which the charter school may
participate;
(C) Describe how the SEA will ensure that each charter school in
the State receives the school's commensurate share of Federal education
funds that are allocated by formula each year, including during the
first year of operation of the school;
(D) Describe how the SEA will disseminate best or promising
practices of charter schools to each local educational agency in the
State;
(E) If an SEA elects to reserve part of its grant funds (no more
than 10 percent) for the establishment of a revolving loan fund,
describe how the revolving loan fund would operate;
(F) If an SEA desires the Secretary to consider waivers under the
authority of the CSP, include a request and justification for any
waiver of statutory or regulatory provisions that the SEA believes is
necessary for the successful operation of charter schools in the State;
and
(G) Describe how charter schools that are considered to be LEAs
under State law and LEAs in which charter schools are located will
comply with sections 613(a)(5) and 613(e)(1)(B) of the Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act.
(ii) Selection Criteria (CFDA No. 84.282A). SEAs that propose to
use a portion of their grant funds for dissemination activities must
address each selection criterion (A) through (H) individually and title
each accordingly. SEAs that do not propose to use a portion of their
grant funds for dissemination activities must address selection
criteria (A) through (G) only, and need not address selection criterion
(H).
The maximum possible score is 130 points for SEAs that do not
propose to use grant funds to support dissemination activities, and 150
points for SEAs that propose to use grant funds to support
dissemination activities.
[[Page 74562]]
The maximum possible score for each criterion is indicated in
parentheses following the criterion.
To ensure fairness, if an SEA is not proposing to use grant funds
to support dissemination activities, the Secretary will not consider
points awarded under criterion (H) in determining whether to approve an
application for funding.
In evaluating an application from an SEA, the Secretary considers
the following criteria:
(A) The contribution the charter schools grant program will make in
assisting educationally disadvantaged and other students to achieve
State academic content standards and State student academic achievement
standards (25 points).
(B) The degree of flexibility afforded by the SEA to charter
schools under the State's charter school law (20 points).
(C) The ambitiousness of the objectives for the State charter
school grant program (15 points).
(D) The quality of the SEA's strategy for assessing achievement of
those objectives (15 points).
(E) The likelihood that the charter school grant program will meet
those objectives and improve educational results for students (15
points).
(F) The number of high-quality charter schools to be created in the
State (20 points).
(G) The adequacy of the management plan to achieve the objectives
of the proposed project on time and within budget, including clearly
defined responsibilities, timelines, and milestones for accomplishing
project tasks (20 points).
(H) In the case of SEAs that propose to use grant funds to support
dissemination activities under section 5204(f)(6) of the ESEA, the
quality of the dissemination activities (10 points) and the likelihood
that those activities will improve student achievement (10 points).
(b) Non-SEA Applicants (CFDA No. 84.282B and 84.282C). The
application requirements for all non-SEA applicants are listed in
paragraph (i) in this section.
The selection criteria for non-SEA applicants for Planning, Program
Design, and Implementation Grants (CFDA No. 82.282B) are listed in
paragraph (ii) in this section.
The selection criteria for non-SEA applicants for Dissemination
Grants (CFDA No. 84.282C) are listed in paragraph (iii) in this
section.
(i) Application Requirements (CFDA Nos. 84.282B and 84.282C). (A)
Describe the educational program to be implemented by the proposed
charter school, including how the program will enable all students to
meet challenging State student academic achievement standards, the
grade levels or ages of students to be served, and the curriculum and
instructional practices to be used;
(B) Describe how the charter school will be managed;
(C) Describe the objectives of the charter school and the methods
by which the charter school will determine its progress toward
achieving those objectives;
(D) Describe the administrative relationship between the charter
school and the authorized public chartering agency;
(E) Describe how parents and other members of the community will be
involved in the planning, program design, and implementation of the
charter school;
(F) Describe how the authorized public chartering agency will
provide for continued operation of the charter school once the Federal
grant has expired, if that agency determines that the charter school
has met its objectives;
(G) If the charter school desires the Secretary to consider waivers
under the authority of the CSP, include a request and justification for
waivers of any Federal statutory or regulatory provisions that the
applicant believes are necessary for the successful operation of the
charter school, and a description of any State or local rules,
generally applicable to public schools, that will be waived for, or
otherwise not apply to, the school;
(H) Describe how the grant funds will be used, including how these
funds will be used in conjunction with other Federal programs
administered by the Secretary; and
(I) Describe how students in the community will be informed about
the charter school and be given an equal opportunity to attend the
charter school.
(ii) Selection Criteria (CFDA No. 84.282B). Non-SEA Planning,
Program Design, and Initial Implementation Grant applicants must
address each selection criterion (A) through (I) individually and title
each accordingly.
The maximum possible score for all of the criteria in this section
is 145 points.
The maximum possible score for each criterion is indicated in
parentheses following the criterion.
In evaluating an application from a non-SEA eligible applicant for
Planning, Program Design, and Implementation, the Secretary considers
the following criteria:
(A) The quality of the proposed curriculum and instructional
practices (25 points).
(B) The degree of flexibility afforded by the SEA and, if
applicable, the LEA to the charter school (10 points).
(C) The extent of community support for the application (10
points).
(D) The ambitiousness of the objectives for the charter school (15
points).
(E) The quality of the strategy for assessing achievement of those
objectives (10 points).
(F) The likelihood that the charter school will meet those
objectives and improve educational results for students during and
after the period of Federal financial assistance (20 points).
(G) The extent to which the proposed project encourages parental
involvement (20 points).
(H) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience,
of the project director; and the extent to which the applicant
encourages applications for employment from persons who are members of
groups that traditionally have been underrepresented based on race,
color, national origin, gender, age, or disability (10 points).
(I) The contribution the charter school will make in assisting
educationally disadvantaged and other students to achieve to State
academic content standards and State student academic achievement
standards (25 points).
(iii) Selection Criteria (CFDA No. 84.282C). Non-SEA applicants for
Dissemination Grants must address each selection criterion (A) through
(E) individually and title each accordingly.
The maximum possible score for all of the criteria in this section
is 125 points.
The maximum possible score for each criterion is indicated in
parentheses following the criterion.
In evaluating an application from a non-SEA eligible applicant for
a dissemination grant, the Secretary considers the following criteria:
(A) The quality of the proposed dissemination activities and the
likelihood that those activities will improve student achievement (30
points).
(B) The extent to which the school has demonstrated overall
success, including--
(1) Substantial progress in improving student achievement (15
points);
(2) High levels of parent satisfaction (15 points); and
(3) The management and leadership necessary to overcome initial
start-up problems and establish a thriving, financially viable charter
school (15 points).
(C) The extent to which the results of the proposed project will be
disseminated in a manner that will enable others to use the information
or strategies (20 points).
[[Page 74563]]
(D) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience,
of the project director; and the extent to which the applicant
encourages applications for employment from persons who are members of
groups that traditionally have been underrepresented based on race,
color, national origin, gender, age, or disability (10 points).
(E) The adequacy of the management plan to achieve the objectives
of the proposed project on time and within budget, including clearly
defined responsibilities, timelines, and milestones for accomplishing
project tasks (20 points).
VI. Award Administration Information
1. Award Notices: If your application is successful, we will notify
your U.S. Representative and U.S. Senators and send you a Grant Award
Notification (GAN). We may also notify you informally.
If your application is not evaluated or not selected for funding,
we will 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: At the end of your project period, you must submit a
final performance report, including financial information, as directed
by the Secretary. If you receive a multi-year award, you must submit an
annual performance report that provides the most current performance
and financial expenditure information as specified by the Secretary in
34 CFR 75.118.
4. Performance Measures: Under the Government Performance and
Results Act (GPRA), one measure has been developed for evaluating the
overall effectiveness of the CSP: To support the creation of a large
number of high-quality charter schools. The objective of this goal is
to encourage the development of a large number of high-quality charter
schools that are free from state or local rules that inhibit flexible
operation, are held accountable for enabling students to reach
challenging state performance standards, and are open to all students.
The Secretary has set an overall performance target that calls for an
increase in both the number of states with charter school legislation
and the number of charter schools in operation around the nation.
All grantees will be expected to submit an annual performance
report documenting their contribution in assisting the Department in
meeting this performance measure.
VII. Agency Contact
For Further Information Contact: Rik Lanzendorfer, U.S. Department
of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 3C148 FB6, Washington, DC
20202-5961. Telephone: (202) 205-9786 or by e-mail:
Rik.Lanzendorfer@ed.gov.
If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may
call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339.
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 in this
section.
VIII. Other Information
Electronic Access to This Document: You may view this document, as
well as all other documents of this Department published in the Federal
Register, in text or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) on the
Internet at the following site: http://www.ed.gov/news/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 1-888-293-6498; 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.gpoaccess.gov/nara/index.html
.
Dated: December 19, 2003.
Nina Shokraii Rees,
Deputy Under Secretary for Innovation and Improvement.
[FR Doc. 03-31699 Filed 12-23-03; 8:45 am]
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