[Federal Register: June 21, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 118)]
[Notices]
[Page 35644-35649]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr21jn05-67]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Office of Innovation and Improvement; Overview Information,
Presidential Academies for American History and Civics Education,
Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2005
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.215A.
Dates:
Applications Available: June 21, 2005. Deadline for Notice of
Intent to Apply: July 21, 2005 Deadline for Transmittal of
Applications: August 5, 2005. Deadline for Intergovernmental Review:
September 9, 2005.
Eligible Applicants: Institutions of higher education (IHEs),
museums, libraries, and other public and private agencies,
organizations, and institutions (including for-profit organizations) or
a consortium of such agencies, organizations, and institutions.
Applicants are required to submit in their applications evidence of
their organization's demonstrated expertise in historical methodology
or the teaching of history.
Note: If more than one eligible entity wishes to form a
consortium and jointly submit a single application, they must follow
the procedures for group applications described in 34 CFR 75.127
through 34 CFR 75.129 of the Education Department General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR).
Estimated Available Funds: $700,000.
Estimated Range of Awards: $300,000 to $600,000 for each budget
period (up to 5 budget periods). Funding for subsequent years is
subject to the availability of funds and the approval of continuation
awards (see 34 CFR 75.253).
Estimated Number of Awards: 1-2.
The number of awards made under this competition will depend upon
the quality of the applications received. The size of the awards will
depend upon the scope of the projects proposed. Contingent upon the
availability of funds and the quality of applications, we may make
additional awards in FY 2006 from the list of unfunded applications
from this competition.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this
notice.
Project Period: Up to 60 months. Grantees that propose a 60-month
[[Page 35645]]
project period will be required to supplement the annual performance
report with an interim evaluation of the project near the end of the
third budget period. The Department, at its discretion, will use the
evaluation results along with the annual performance report to
determine whether to continue the grant (See 34 CFR 75.250 through
75.253).
Budget Period: 12 months. (The first budget period is the first 12
months of the project period; subsequent budget periods commence on the
first day following the previous budget period.)
Full Text of Announcement
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Purpose of Program: This program supports the establishment of
Presidential Academies for the Teaching of American History and Civics
that offer workshops for both veteran and new teachers of American
history and civics to strengthen their knowledge and preparation for
teaching these subjects (Presidential Academies).
Priorities: This competition contains one absolute priority and one
invitational priority. We are establishing the absolute priority in
accordance with section 437(d)(1) of the General Education Provisions
Act (GEPA).
Absolute Priority: For FY 2005 and any subsequent year in which we
make awards from the list of unfunded applicants from this competition,
this priority is an absolute priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3) we
consider only applications that meet this absolute priority.
This priority is:
Absolute Priority--Presidential Academies for New and Veteran Teachers
of American History and Civics
An applicant for a Presidential Academy must:
(a) Propose a project that would serve both new and veteran middle
and/or high school teachers of American history and civics.
(b) Propose a project that provides for a summer residential
academy of at least two weeks that focuses on helping teachers acquire
a deeper understanding and knowledge of American history and civics.
The academy must not replace a current, established project.
(c) Describe, in its application, how the professional development
provided by the experience in the academy will improve student
achievement in history and civics.
(d) Demonstrate, in its application, how specific civics and
traditional American history content will be covered by the project,
including the following:
(1) Civics content: An understanding of the development and
function of local, State and Federal Government and citizens'
responsibilities with respect to these institutions.
(2) Traditional American history content:
(i) Significant issues, episodes and turning points in the history
of the United States.
(ii) How the words and deeds of individuals have determined the
course of the Nation.
(iii) How the principles of freedom and democracy articulated in
the founding documents of this nation have shaped the United States'
struggles and achievements as well as its social, political, and legal
institutions and relations.
(e) Propose an evaluation on the success of the project in
achieving project objectives that will (1) provide quality data related
to the performance measure for this program listed in Section VI, 4 of
this notice; and (2) provide the Department an interim evaluation
report near the end of the third budget period. The Department, at its
discretion, will use the evaluation results along with the annual
performance report to determine whether to continue the grant (See 34
CFR 75.250 through 34 CFR 75.253).
The evaluation plan must be designed to shape the development of
the project from the beginning of the project period. The plan must
include benchmarks that monitor progress toward specific project
objectives and performance measures to assess the impact on teaching,
learning, and other important outcomes for project participants. More
specifically, the plan must identify the individual(s) and/or
organization(s) that will evaluate the project and describe their
qualifications. The plan must describe the evaluation design,
indicating: (1) What types of data will be collected; (2) when various
types of data will be collected; (3) what methods of evaluation will be
used; (4) what instruments will be developed and when; (5) how the data
will be analyzed; (6) when reports of results and outcomes will be
available; and (7) how the applicant will use the evaluation to monitor
progress of the project and to provide accountability information both
about success at the initial site and effective strategies for
replication of the academy in other settings. Applicants are encouraged
to devote an appropriate level of resources to the project evaluation.
Invitational Priority: Within the absolute priority, we are
particularly interested in applications that address the following
invitational priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(1) we do not give an
application that meets this invitational priority a competitive or
absolute preference over other applications.
This priority is:
Invitational Priority--Schools in High-Need Local Educational Agencies
(LEAs)
The proposed project will include a significant proportion of
project participants from schools in high-need local educational
agencies (LEAs). As defined in section 2102(3) of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended, a ``high-need''--LEA is an
LEA
(a)(1) That serves not fewer than 10,000 children from families
with incomes below the poverty line, or (2) for which not less than 20
percent of the children served by the LEA are from families with
incomes below the poverty line; or
(b) For which there is (1) a high percentage of teachers not
teaching in the academic subjects or grade levels the teachers were
trained to teach, or (2) a high percentage of teachers with emergency,
provisional, or temporary certification or licensing.
Waiver of Proposed Rulemaking: Under the Administrative Procedure
Act (5 U.S.C. 553) the Department generally offers interested parties
the opportunity to comment on proposed priorities, selection criteria,
and eligibility requirements. Section 437(d)(1) of GEPA (20 U.S.C.
1232(d)(1)), however, allows the Secretary to exempt from rulemaking
requirements, regulations governing the first grant competition under a
new or substantially revised program authority. This is the first grant
competition for this program under the American History and Civics
Education Act of 2004 and therefore qualifies for this exemption. In
order to ensure timely grant awards, the Secretary has decided to
forego public comment on the absolute priorities, selection criteria,
and non-statutory application requirements in this notice under Section
437(d)(1) of GEPA. These absolute priorities, selection criteria, and
eligibility requirements will apply to the FY 2005 grant competition
and any subsequent year in which we make awards based on the list of
unfunded applicants from this competition.
Program Authority: P.L. 108-474; 118 Stat. 3898.
Applicable Regulations: EDGAR in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80,
81, 82, 84, 85, 86, 97, 98, and 99.
[[Page 35646]]
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 of
higher education only.
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 99 apply to an educational
agency or institution.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
Estimated Available Funds: $700,000.
Estimated Range of Awards: $300,000 to $600,000 for each budget
period (up to 5 budget periods). Funding for subsequent years is
subject to the availability of funds and the approval of continuation
awards (see 34 CFR 75.253).
Estimated Number of Awards: 1-2.
The number of awards made under this competition will depend upon
the quality of the applications received. The size of the awards will
depend upon the scope of the projects proposed. Contingent upon the
availability of funds and the quality of applications, we may make
additional awards in FY 2006 from the list of unfunded applications
from this competition.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this
notice.
Project Period: Up to 60 months. Grantees that propose a 60-month
project period will be required to supplement the annual performance
report with an interim evaluation of the project near the end of the
third budget period. The Department, at its discretion, will use the
evaluation results along with the annual performance report to
determine whether to continue the grant (See 34 CFR 75.250 through
75.253).
Budget Period: 12 months. (The first budget period is the first 12
months of the project period; subsequent budget periods commence on the
first day following the previous budget period.)
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants: IHEs, museums, libraries, and other public
and private agencies, organizations and institutions (including for-
profit organizations) or a consortium of such agencies, organizations,
and institutions.
Applicants are required to submit in their application evidence of
their organization's demonstrated expertise in historical methodology
or the teaching of history.
Note: If more than one eligible entity wishes to form a
consortium and jointly submit a single application, they must follow
the procedures for group applications described in 34 CFR 75.127
through 34 CFR 75.129 of the Education Department General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR).
2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This competition does not involve cost
sharing or matching.
IV. Application and Submission Information
1. Address to Request Application Package: Education Publications
Center (ED Pubs), P.O. Box 1398, Jessup, MD 20794-1398. Telephone (toll
free): 1-877-433-7827. FAX: (301) 470-1244. If you use a
telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may call (toll free):
1-877-576-7734.
You may also contact ED Pubs at its Web site: http://www.ed.gov/pubs/edpubs.html
or you may contact ED Pubs at its e-mail address: edpubs@inet.ed.gov.
If you request an application from ED Pubs, be sure to identify
this competition as follows: CFDA number 84.215A.
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 under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT in Section VII of
this notice.
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.
Notice of Intent to Apply: The Department is requesting those
entities that are considering submitting an application to indicate
their intent in a letter, addressed to the contact person listed in
Section VII of this notice. The letter of intent should include the
name of the organization that will be submitting the application(s).
Page Limit: The application narrative is where you, the applicant,
address the selection criteria that reviewers use to evaluate your
application. All of the information addressing the selection criteria
and the priorities must be included in the narrative section of the
application. It is strongly suggested that you limit the narrative of
your application to the equivalent of no more than 25 pages, using the
following standards:
A ``page'' is 8.5 x 11, on one side
only, with 1 margins at the top, bottom, and both sides.
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.
Use a font that is either 12 point or larger or no smaller
than 10 pitch (characters per inch).
The suggested page limit does not apply to the cover sheet; the
budget section, including the narrative budget justification; the
assurances and certifications; or the one-page abstract, the resumes,
the bibliography, the evidence of eligibility, or the letters of
support.
3. Submission Dates and Times:
Applications Available: June 21, 2005.
Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply: July 21, 2005.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: August 5, 2005.
Applications for grants under this competition must be submitted
electronically using the Electronic Grant Application System (e-
Application) available through the Department's e-Grants system. For
information (including dates and times) about how to submit your
application electronically or by mail or hand delivery if you qualify
for an exception to the electronic submission requirement, please refer
to section IV.6. Other Submission Requirements in this notice.
We do not consider an application that does not comply with the
deadline requirements.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: September 9, 2005.
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: We reference regulations outlining funding
restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.
6. Other Submission Requirements: Applications for grants under
this competition must be submitted electronically, unless you qualify
for an exception to this requirement in accordance with the
instructions in this section.
We will reject your application if you submit it in paper format
unless, as described elsewhere in this section, you qualify for one of
the exceptions to the electronic submission requirement and submit, no
later than two weeks before the application deadline date, a written
statement to the Department that you qualify for one of these
exceptions. Further information regarding calculation of the date that
is two weeks
[[Page 35647]]
before the application deadline date is provided later in this section
under Exception to Electronic Submission Requirement.
a. Electronic Submission of Applications.
Applications for grants under the Presidential Academies for
Teaching of American History and Civics--CFDA Number 84.215A must be
submitted electronically using e-Application available through the
Department's e-Grants system, accessible through the e-Grants portal
page at: http://e-grants.ed.gov.
While completing your electronic application, you will be entering
data online that will be saved into a database. You may not e-mail an
electronic copy of a grant application to us.
Please note the following:
You must complete the electronic submission of your grant
application by 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application
deadline date. The e-Application system will not accept an application
for this competition after 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the
application deadline date. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you do
not wait until the application deadline date to begin the application
process.
The regular hours of operation of the e-Grants Web site
are 6 a.m. Monday until 7 p.m. Wednesday; and 6 a.m. Thursday until
midnight Saturday, Washington, DC time. Please note that the system is
unavailable on Sundays, and between 7 p.m. on Wednesdays and 6 a.m. on
Thursdays, Washington, DC time, for maintenance. Any modifications to
these hours are posted on the e-Grants Web site.
You will not receive additional point value because you
submit your application in electronic format, nor will we penalize you
if you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission
requirement, as described elsewhere in this section, and submit your
application in paper format.
You must submit all documents electronically, including
the Application for Federal Education Assistance (ED 424), Budget
Information--Non-Construction Programs (ED 524), and all necessary
assurances and certifications.
Any narrative sections of your application must be
attached as files in a .DOC (document), .RTF (rich text), or .PDF
(Portable Document) format.
Your electronic application must comply with any page
limit requirements described in this notice.
Prior to submitting your electronic application, you may
wish to print a copy of it for your records.
After you electronically submit your application, you will
receive an automatic acknowledgment that will include a PR/Award number
(an identifying number unique to your application).
Within three working days after submitting your electronic
application, fax a signed copy of the ED 424 to the Application Control
Center after following these steps:
(1) Print ED 424 from e-Application.
(2) The applicant'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) 245-6272.
We may request that you provide us original signatures on
other forms at a later date.
Application Deadline Date Extension in Case of e-Application System
Unavailability: If you are prevented from electronically 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 electronic 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
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 acknowledgment 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. If the system is down and therefore
the application deadline is extended, an e-mail will be sent to all
registered users who have initiated an e-Application. Extensions
referred to in this section apply only to the unavailability of the
Department's e-Application system.
Exception to Electronic Submission Requirement: You qualify for an
exception to the electronic submission requirement, and may submit your
application in paper format, if you are unable to submit an application
through the e-Application system because--
You do not have access to the Internet; or
You do not have the capacity to upload large documents to
the Department's e-Application system;
and
No later than two weeks before the application deadline
date (14 calendar days or, if the fourteenth calendar day before the
application deadline date falls on a Federal holiday, the next business
day following the Federal holiday), you mail or fax a written statement
to the Department, explaining which of the two grounds for an exception
prevent you from using the Internet to submit your application. If you
mail your written statement to the Department, it must be postmarked no
later than two weeks before the application deadline date. If you fax
your written statement to the Department, we must receive the faxed
statement no later than two weeks before the application deadline date.
Address and mail or fax your statement to: Neil Danberg, U.S.
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Room 4W324,
Washington, DC 20202-5960. FAX: (202) 401-8466.
Your paper application must be submitted in accordance with the
mail or hand delivery instructions described in this notice.
b. Submission of Paper Applications by Mail.
If you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission
requirement, you may mail (through the U.S. Postal Service or a
commercial carrier) your application to the Department. You must mail
the original and two copies of your application, on or before the
application deadline date, to the Department at the applicable
following address:
By mail through the U.S. Postal Service: U.S. Department of
Education, Application Control Center, Attention: (CFDA Number
84.215A), 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20202-4260, or
By mail through a commercial carrier: U.S. Department of Education,
Application Control Center--Stop 4260, Attention: (CFDA Number
84.215A), 7100 Old Landover Road, Landover, MD 20785-1506.
Regardless of which address you use, you must show proof of mailing
consisting of one of the following:
(1) A legibly dated U.S. Postal Service postmark,
[[Page 35648]]
(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, or
(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, or
(2) A mail receipt that is not dated by the U.S. Postal Service.
If your application is postmarked after the application deadline
date, we will not consider your application.
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.
c. Submission of Paper Applications by Hand Delivery.
If you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission
requirement, you (or a courier service) may deliver your paper
application to the Department by hand. You must deliver the original
and two copies of your application, by hand, on or before the
application deadline date, to the Department at the following address:
U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Center, Attention:
(CFDA Number 84.215A), 550 12th Street, SW., Room 7041, Potomac Center
Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-4260.
The Application Control Center accepts hand deliveries daily
between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, except Saturdays,
Sundays, and Federal holidays.
Note for Mail or Hand Delivery of Paper Applications: If you mail
or hand deliver your application to the Department:
(1) You must indicate on the envelope and--if not provided by the
Department--in Item 4 of the ED 424 the CFDA number--and suffix letter,
if any--of the competition under which you are submitting your
application.
(2) The Application Control Center will mail a grant application
receipt acknowledgment to you. If you do not receive the grant
application receipt acknowledgment within 15 business days from the
application deadline date, you should call the U.S. Department of
Education Application Control Center at (202) 245-6288.
V. Application Review Information
1. Selection Criteria: We will use the following selection criteria
to evaluate applications under this competition. The maximum score for
all of these criteria is 100 points. The maximum score for each
criterion is indicated in parentheses.
a. Quality of the project design (25 points). In determining the
quality of the design of the proposed project, the Secretary considers
the extent to which the proposed project represents an exceptional
approach to the priorities established for the competition.
b. Significance (40 points). In determining the significance of the
proposed project, the Secretary considers the following factors:
(i) The demonstrated expertise and experience of the organization
in history or civics or the teaching of history or civics.
(ii) The format in which the project will deliver the history and
civics content, including but not limited to, the reading list and
syllabus for the academy.
(iii) The quality of the staff and consultants responsible for
conducting project activities, emphasizing, where relevant, their
teaching experience and scholarship in subject areas relevant to the
teaching of traditional American history. The applicant should include
the curriculum vitae for these individuals in appendices to the grant
application.
c. Quality of Management Plan (15 points). In determining the
quality of the management plan for the proposed project, the Secretary
considers the following factors:
(i) 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.
(ii) The extent to which the time commitments of the project
director and other key project personnel are appropriate and adequate
to meet the objectives of the proposed project.
d. Quality of Project Evaluation (20 points). In determining the
quality of the evaluation, the Secretary considers 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.
VI. Award Administration Information
1. Award Notices: If your application is successful, we notify your
U.S. Representative and U.S. Senators and send you a Grant Award
Notification (GAN). We may also notify you informally.
If your application is not evaluated or not selected for funding,
we notify you.
2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements: We identify
administrative and national policy requirements in the application
package and reference these and other requirements in the Applicable
Regulations section of this notice.
We reference the regulations outlining the terms and conditions of
an award in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice and
include these and other specific conditions in the GAN. The GAN also
incorporates your approved application as part of your binding
commitments under the grant.
3. Reporting: 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. For specific requirements on grantee reporting, please
go to: http://www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/appforms/appforms.html.
Funded projects requesting a 60-month project period, must submit
an interim evaluation of the project near the end of the third budget
period. The Department, at its discretion, may continue the grant for
an additional two years based on the results of this evaluation (see 34
CFR 75.250 through 75.253).
4. Performance Measures:
Indicator: Teachers will demonstrate through pre- and post-
assessments an increased understanding of American history and civics
that can be directly linked to their participation in the Presidential
Academy. Measure: The average percentage gain on a teacher assessment
after participation in the Presidential Academy.
VII. Agency Contact
For Further Information Contact: Neil Danberg, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Room 4W324, Washington, DC 20202-
5960. Telephone: (202) 205-3385 or by e-mail: Academies@ed.gov.
If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may
call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) 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.
[[Page 35649]]
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: June 16, 2005.
Nina Shokraii Rees,
Assistant Deputy Secretary for Innovation and Improvement.
[FR Doc. 05-12227 Filed 6-20-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P