[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 142 (Monday, July 27, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37020-37025]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-17851]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Office of Innovation and Improvement;
Overview Information: Charter Schools Program (CSP) Grants to Non-
State Educational Agencies for Planning, Program Design, and
Implementation and for Dissemination; Notice Inviting Applications for
New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2009
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Numbers: 84.282B and
84.282C.
Dates:
Applications Available: July 27, 2009.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: August 26, 2009.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: September 16, 2009.
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 to evaluate the effects
of charter schools, including their effects on students, student
academic achievement, staff, and parents. The non-State educational
agency (non-SEA) grants for planning, program design, and
implementation, and non-SEA grants for dissemination provide funds for
these purposes to eligible applicants in States in which the SEA does
not have an approved application under the CSP.
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 request funds for
dissemination activities must submit their applications under CFDA No.
84.282C.
Priority: This priority is from the notice of final priorities for
discretionary grant programs, published in the Federal Register on
October 11, 2006 (71 FR 60046).
Competitive Preference Priority: For FY 2009, this priority is a
competitive preference priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i), we award
an additional 10 points to an application that meets this priority.
This priority is:
Secondary Schools. Projects that support activities and
interventions aimed at improving the academic achievement of secondary
school students who are at greatest risk of not meeting challenging
State academic standards and not completing high school.
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 7221-7221j.
Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 76, 77, 79,
80, 81, 82, 84, 85, 86, 97, 98, and 99. (b) The notice of final
priorities for discretionary grant programs published
[[Page 37021]]
in the Federal Register on October 11, 2006 (71 FR 60046).
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 only to
institutions of higher education.
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 99 apply only to
educational agencies or institutions.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
Estimated Available Funds: $3,000,000.
Estimated Range of Awards: $130,000-$175,000 per year.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $150,000 per year.
Estimated Number of Awards: 17-23.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this
notice.
Project Period: Up to 36 months under CFDA No. 84.282B. Up to 24
months under CFDA No. 84.282C.
Note: Planning and implementation grants awarded by the
Secretary to non-SEA eligible applicants under CFDA No. 84.282B 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 awarded under CFDA No.
84.282C are for a period of up to two years.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants:
(a) Planning and Initial Implementation (CFDA No. 84.282B): Non-SEA
eligible applicants in States with a State statute specifically
authorizing the establishment of charter schools and in which the SEA
elects not to participate in the CSP or does not have an application
approved under the CSP.
(b) Dissemination (CFDA No. 84.282C): Charter schools, as defined
in section 5210(1) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of
1965, as amended (ESEA), in States in which the SEA elects not to
participate in the CSP or does not have an application approved under
the CSP.
Note: A charter school may apply for funds to carry out
dissemination activities, whether or not the charter school
previously 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
(3) The management and leadership necessary to overcome initial
start-up problems and establish a thriving, financially viable
charter school.
Note: The term eligible applicant is defined in section 5210(3)
of the ESEA. The following States currently have approved
applications under the CSP: Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado,
Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia,
Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland,
Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New
York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas,
Utah, Wisconsin. In these States, non-SEA eligible applicants and
charter schools interested in participating in the CSP should
contact the SEA for information related to the State's CSP subgrant
competition.
2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This program does not require cost
sharing or matching.
IV. Application and Submission Information
1. Address to Request Application Package: Erin Pfeltz, U.S.
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 4W255,
Washington, DC 20202-5970. Telephone: (202) 205-3525 or by e-mail:
[email protected].
If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), call the
Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll free, at 1-800-877-8339.
Individuals with disabilities can obtain a copy of the application
package in an accessible format (e.g., braille, large print, audiotape,
or computer diskette) by contacting the program contact person listed
in this section.
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 program.
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. The Secretary strongly
encourages applicants to limit Part III to the equivalent of no more
than 50 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).
Use one of the following fonts: Times New Roman, Courier,
Courier New, or Arial. An application submitted in any other font
(including Times Roman or Arial Narrow) will not be accepted.
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, the page
limit does apply to all of the application narrative section (Part
III).
3. Submission Dates and Times:
Applications Available: July 27, 2009.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: August 26, 2009.
Applications for grants under this program must be submitted
electronically using the Electronic Grant Application System (e-
Application) accessible through the Department's e-Grants site. For
information (including dates and times) about how to submit your
application electronically, or in paper format 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 of this notice.
We do not consider an application that does not comply with the
deadline requirements.
Individuals with disabilities who need an accommodation or
auxiliary aid in connection with the application process should contact
the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT in section VII
of this notice. If the Department provides an accommodation or
auxiliary aid to an individual with a disability in connection with the
application process, the individual's application remains subject to
all other requirements and limitations in this notice.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: September 16, 2009.
4. Intergovernmental Review: This program 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 program.
5. Funding Restrictions:
Use of Funds for Post-Award Planning and Design of the Educational
Program and Initial Implementation of the Charter School. A non-SEA
eligible applicant receiving a grant under this program may use the
grant funds only for--
[[Page 37022]]
(a) Post-award planning and design of the educational program,
which may include (i) refinement of the desired educational results and
of the methods for measuring progress toward achieving those results;
and (ii) professional development of teachers and other staff who will
work in the charter school; and
(b) Initial implementation of the charter school, which may include
(i) informing the community about the school; (ii) acquiring necessary
equipment and educational materials and supplies; (iii) acquiring or
developing curriculum materials; and (iv) other initial operational
costs that cannot be met from State or local sources. 20 U.S.C.
7221c(f)(3))
Use of Funds for Dissemination Activities. A charter school may use
these 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 performance in other schools. (20 U.S.C.
7221c(f)(6))
We reference additional regulations outlining funding restrictions
in the Applicable Regulations section in this notice.
6. Other Submission Requirements: Applications for grants under
this program must be submitted electronically unless you qualify for an
exception to this requirement in accordance with the instructions in
this section.
a. Electronic Submission of Applications.
Applications for grants under the Charter School Programs--CFDA
Numbers 84.282B and 84.282C--must be submitted electronically using e-
Application, accessible through the Department's e-Grants Web site at:
http://e-grants.ed.gov.
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 before the application deadline date is provided later in
this section under Exception to Electronic Submission Requirement.
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 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application
deadline date. E-Application will not accept an application for this
program after 4:30:00 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 hours of operation of the e-Grants Web site are 6:00
a.m. Monday until 7:00 p.m. Wednesday; and 6:00 a.m. Thursday until
8:00 p.m. Sunday, Washington, DC time. Please note that, because of
maintenance, the system is unavailable between 8:00 p.m. on Sundays and
6:00 a.m. on Mondays, and between 7:00 p.m. on Wednesdays and 6:00 a.m.
on Thursdays, Washington, DC time. 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
all information you typically provide on the following forms: the
Application for Federal Assistance (SF 424), the Department of
Education Supplemental Information for SF 424, Budget Information--Non-
Construction Programs (ED 524), and all necessary assurances and
certifications. You must attach any narrative sections of your
application as files in a .DOC (document), .RTF (rich text), or .PDF
(Portable Document) format. If you upload a file type other than the
three file types specified in this paragraph or submit a password
protected file, we will not review that material.
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 SF 424 to the Application Control
Center after following these steps:
(1) Print SF 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 SF 424.
(4) Fax the signed SF 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
Unavailability: If you are prevented from electronically submitting
your application on the application deadline date because e-Application
is unavailable, we will grant you an extension of one business day to
enable you 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) E-Application 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) E-Application is unavailable for any period of time between
3:30 p.m. and 4:30:00 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-
[[Page 37023]]
8930. If e-Application is unavailable due to technical problems with
the system 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 e-Application.
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 e-Application because--
You do not have access to the Internet; or
You do not have the capacity to upload large documents to
e-Application;
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
prevents 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: Erin Pfeltz, U.S.
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 4W255,
Washington, DC 20202-5970. FAX: (202) 205-5630.
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 following address:
U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Center, Attention:
CFDA Number 84.282B or 84.282C, LBJ Basement Level 1, 400 Maryland
Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20202-4260.
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.
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 84.282B or 84.282C, 550 12th Street, SW., Room 7041,
Potomac Center Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-4260.
The Application Control Center accepts hand deliveries daily
between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30:00 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 11 of the SF 424 the CFDA number, including
suffix letter, if any, of the competition under which you are
submitting your application; and
(2) The Application Control Center will mail to you a
notification of receipt of your grant application. If you do not
receive this grant notification 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
Selection Criteria: Non-SEA eligible applicants applying for CSP
grant funds must address both the statutory application requirements
and the selection criteria described in the following paragraphs. Each
applicant applying for CSP grant funds may choose to respond to the
application requirements in the context of its responses to the
selection criteria.
The statutory application requirements for all applicants
submitting under CFDA Nos. 84.282B and 84.282C are listed in paragraph
(a) in this section.
The selection criteria for non-SEA applicants for Planning, Program
Design, and Implementation Grants (CFDA No. 84.282B) are listed in
paragraph (b) in this section.
The selection criteria for non-SEA applicants for Dissemination
Grants (CFDA No. 84.282C) are listed in paragraph (c) in this section.
(a) Application Requirements (CFDA Nos. 84.282B and 84.282C). (i)
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;
(ii) Describe how the charter school will be managed;
(iii) Describe the objectives of the charter school and the methods
by which the charter school will determine its progress toward
achieving those objectives;
(iv) Describe the administrative relationship between the charter
school and the authorized public chartering agency;
(v) Describe how parents and other members of the community will be
involved in the planning, program design, and implementation of the
charter school;
(vi) 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;
(vii) 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;
(viii) 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;
[[Page 37024]]
(ix) Describe how students in the community will be informed about
the charter school and be given an equal opportunity to attend the
charter school;
(x) Describe how a charter school that is considered an LEA under
State law, or an LEA in which a charter school is located, will comply
with sections 613(a)(5) and 613(e)(1)(B) of the Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act; and
(xi) If the eligible applicant desires to use grant funds for
dissemination activities under section 5202(c)(2)(C) of the ESEA,
describe those activities and how those activities will involve charter
schools and other public schools, LEAs, developers, and potential
developers.
(b) Selection Criteria (CFDA No. 84.282B). The following selection
criteria are from section 5204 of the ESEA and 34 CFR 75.210 of EDGAR.
The maximum possible score for all the criteria in this section is
130 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:
(i) The quality of the proposed curriculum and instructional
practices (20 points).
Note: The Secretary encourages the applicant to 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.
(ii) The degree of flexibility afforded by the SEA and, if
applicable, the LEA to the charter school (10 points).
Note: The Secretary encourages the applicant to include a
description of how the State's law establishes an administrative
relationship between the charter school and the authorized public
chartering agency and exempts the charter school from significant
State or local rules that inhibit the flexible operation and
management of public schools.
The Secretary also encourages the applicant to include a
description of the degree of autonomy the charter school will have over
such matters as the charter school's budget, expenditures, daily
operation, and personnel in accordance with its State's charter school
law.
(iii) The extent of community support for the application (20
points).
Note: The Secretary encourages the applicant to describe how
parents and other members of the community will be informed about
the charter school, and how students will be given an equal
opportunity to attend the charter school.
(iv) The ambitiousness of the objectives for the charter school (10
points).
Note: The Secretary encourages the applicant to describe the
objectives for the charter school and how these grant funds will be
used, including how these funds will be used in conjunction with
other Federal programs administered by the Secretary, in meeting
these objectives.
(v) The quality of the strategy for assessing achievement of those
objectives (20 points).
(vi) 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 (10 points).
(vii) The extent to which the proposed project encourages parental
involvement (10 points).
Note: The Secretary encourages the applicant to describe how
parents and other members of the community will be involved in the
planning, program design, and implementation of the charter school.
(viii) The quality of the personnel who will carry out the proposed
project. In determining the quality of project personnel, the Secretary
considers 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 have traditionally been underrepresented based
on race, color, national origin, gender, age, or disability (10
points).
(ix) 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 (20 points).
(c) Selection Criteria (CFDA No. 84.282C). The following selection
criteria are from section 5204 of the ESEA and 34 CFR 75.210 of EDGAR.
The maximum possible score for all the criteria in this section is
110 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:
(i) The quality of the proposed dissemination activities and the
likelihood that those activities will improve student achievement (30
points).
Note: The Secretary encourages the applicant to describe the
objectives for the proposed dissemination activities and the methods
by which the charter school will determine its progress toward
achieving those objectives.
(ii) The extent to which the school has demonstrated overall
success, including--
(1) Substantial progress in improving student achievement (10
points);
(2) High levels of parent satisfaction (10 points); and
(3) The management and leadership necessary to overcome initial
start-up problems and establish a thriving, financially viable charter
school (10 points).
(iii) 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).
(iv) The quality of the personnel who will carry out the proposed
project. In determining the quality of project personnel, the Secretary
considers 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 have traditionally been underrepresented based
on race, color, national origin, gender, age, or disability (10
points).
(v) The quality of the management plan for the proposed project. In
determining the quality of the management plan for the proposed
project, the Secretary considers 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 notify your
U.S. Representative and U.S. Senators and send you a Grant Award
Notification (GAN). We may notify you informally, also.
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 in this notice.
We reference the regulations outlining the terms and conditions of
an award in the Applicable Regulations section in this notice and
include these and other specific conditions in the GAN. The GAN also
incorporates your approved
[[Page 37025]]
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 directed by the Secretary
under 34 CFR 75.118. The Secretary may also require more frequent
performance reports under 34 CFR 75.720(c). For specific requirements
on reporting, please go to http://www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/appforms/appforms.html.
4. Performance Measures: The goal of the CSP is to support the
creation and 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 two performance indicators to measure this goal: (1)
The number of charter schools in operation around the Nation, and (2)
the percentage of charter school students who are achieving at or above
the proficient level on State examinations in mathematics and reading.
Additionally, the Secretary has established the following measure to
examine the efficiency of the CSP: Federal cost per student in
implementing a successful school (defined as a school in operation for
three or more consecutive years).
All grantees will be expected to submit an annual performance
report documenting their contribution in assisting the Department in
meeting these performance measures.
VII. Agency Contact
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Erin Pfeltz, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 4W255, Washington, DC 20202-
5970. Telephone: (202) 205-3525 or by e-mail: [email protected].
If you use a TDD, call the FRS, toll free, at 1-800-877-8339.
VIII. Other Information
Accessible Format: Individuals with disabilities can obtain this
document and a copy of the application package in an accessible format
(e.g., braille, large print, audiotape, or computer diskette) on
request to the program contact person listed under FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT in section VII of this notice.
Electronic Access to This Document: You can 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
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Dated: July 22, 2009.
James H. Shelton, III,
Assistant Deputy Secretary for Innovation and Improvement.
[FR Doc. E9-17851 Filed 7-24-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P