[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 38 (Friday, February 26, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8930-8934]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-4058]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Office of Elementary and Secondary Education Overview
Information; Native Hawaiian Education Program--Competition for Novice
Applicants
Notice inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY)
2010.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.362A.
Dates:
Applications Available: February 26, 2010.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: April 27, 2010.
Full Text of Announcement
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Purpose of Program: The purpose of the Native Hawaiian Education
program is to support innovative projects that enhance the educational
services provided to Native Hawaiian children and adults. These
projects may include those activities authorized under section
7205(a)(3) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as
amended (ESEA).
Note: Under Public Law 111-117, the Consolidated Appropriations
Act, 2010, construction, renovation, or modernization of any
elementary school, secondary school, or structure related to an
elementary school or secondary school, run by the Department of
Education of the State of Hawaii, that serves a predominantly Native
Hawaiian student body is a permissible use of FY 2010 funds under
this program.
Priorities: In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(ii), the
absolute priority for this competition is from 34 CFR 75.225(c)(1). In
accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(iv), the competitive preference
priorities are from section 7205(a)(2) of the ESEA (20 U.S.C.
7515(a)(2)).
Absolute Priority: For FY 2010, this priority is an absolute
priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3) we consider only applications that
meet this priority.
This priority is:
Novice Applicants. Applicants must be novice applicants as defined
in 34 CFR 75.225(a). In accordance with 34 CFR 75.225, the Secretary is
only making awards to applicants that have never received a grant or
subgrant under the Native Hawaiian Education program, have never been a
member of a group application, submitted in accordance with 34 CFR
75.127 through 75.129, that received a grant under the Native Hawaiian
Education program, and have not had an active discretionary grant from
the Federal Government in the five years before the deadline date for
applications under the program. For purposes of this absolute priority,
a grant is active until the end of the grant's project or funding
period, including any extensions of those periods that extend the
grantee's authority to obligate funds.
Competitive Preference Priorities: For FY 2010 and any subsequent
year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applicants from
this competition, these priorities are competitive preference
priorities. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i) we award an additional five
points to an application that meets one or more of these priorities.
These priorities are:
(a) Projects that are designed to address beginning reading and
literacy among students in kindergarten through third grade.
(b) Projects that are designed to address the needs of at-risk
children and youth.
(c) Projects that are designed to address the needs in fields or
disciplines in which Native Hawaiians are underemployed.
(d) Projects that are designed to address the use of the Hawaiian
language in instruction.
Note: In order to receive additional points under a competitive
preference priority, an application should provide adequate and
sufficient information that clearly substantiates its claim that it
meets at least one of the priorities addressed.
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 7511-7517; Public Law 111-117, the
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2010.
Applicable Regulations: The Education Department General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 80, 81,
82, 84, 85, 86, 97, 98, and 99.
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to institutions
of higher education only.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Discretionary grant.
Estimated Available Funds: $2,895,000
Estimated Range of Awards: $250,000-$950,000.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $413,500.
Estimated Number of Awards: 7.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this
notice.
Project Period: Up to 36 months.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants: Native Hawaiian educational organizations;
Native Hawaiian community-based organizations; public and private
nonprofit organizations, agencies, and institutions with experience in
developing or operating Native Hawaiian programs or programs of
instruction in the Native Hawaiian language; and consortia of the
previously mentioned organizations, agencies, and institutions, if they
meet the definition of novice applicant in 34 CFR 75.225.
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: You can obtain an
application package via the Internet or from the Education Publications
Center (ED Pubs). To obtain a copy via the Internet, use the following
address: http://www.ed.gov/programs/nathawaiian/applicant.html. To
obtain a copy from ED Pubs, write, fax, or call the following:
Education Publications Center, 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), call, toll free: 1-877-
576-7734.
You can contact ED Pubs at its Web site, also: http://www.ed.gov/pubs/edpubs.html or at its e-mail address: [email protected].
If you request an application from ED Pubs, be sure to identify
this program or competition as follows: CFDA 84.362A.
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 person or team listed under
Accessible Format in section VIII 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.
[[Page 8931]]
Page Limit: The application narrative is where you, the applicant,
address the selection criteria that reviewers use to evaluate your
application. You must limit the application narrative to 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, except titles, headings,
footnotes, quotations, references, captions, and 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 the cover sheet; the budget
section, including the five-page narrative budget justification; the
assurances and certifications; the one-page abstract; the resumes; the
bibliography; or the five letters of support. However, the page limit
does apply to all of the application narrative section.
Our reviewers will not read any pages of your application that
exceed the page limit. Appendices to the narrative are not permitted,
with the exception of resumes and endnotes. None of the material sent
as appendices to the narrative, with the exception of resumes and
endnotes, will be sent to the reviewers.
3. Submission Dates and Times:
Applications Available: February 26, 2010.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: April 27, 2010.
Applications for grants under this competition 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.
4. Intergovernmental Review: This competition is not subject to
Executive Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79.
5. Funding Restrictions: Under section 7205(b) of the ESEA, not
more than five percent of funds provided to a grantee under this
competition for any fiscal year may be used for administrative
purposes. 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.
a. Electronic Submission of Applications.
Applications for grants under the Native Hawaiian Education
program--CFDA Number 84.362A 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
competition 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 a.m.
Monday until 7 p.m. Wednesday; and 6 a.m. Thursday until 8 p.m. Sunday,
Washington, DC time. Please note that, because of maintenance, the
system is unavailable between 8 p.m. on Sundays and 6 a.m. on Mondays,
and between 7 p.m. on Wednesdays and 6 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 acknowledgement 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
forms at a later date.
[[Page 8932]]
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 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. 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: Irene Harwarth, U.S.
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 3E244,
Washington, DC 20202-6200. FAX: (202) 260-8969.
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 84.362A), 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 84.362A), 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
1. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this competition
are from 34 CFR 75.210. The maximum possible score for all criteria is
100 points. The maximum possible score for each criterion is indicated
in parentheses. The selection criteria for this competition are as
follows:
a. Need for project (15 points). The Secretary considers the need
for the proposed project. In determining the need for the proposed
project, the Secretary considers the following factors:
(i) The extent to which the proposed project will provide services
or otherwise address the needs of students at risk of educational
failure.
(ii) The extent to which the proposed project will focus on serving
or otherwise addressing the needs of disadvantaged individuals.
(iii) The extent to which specific gaps or weaknesses in services,
infrastructure, or opportunities have been identified and will be
addressed by the proposed project, including the nature and magnitude
of those gaps or weaknesses.
b. Quality of the project design (30 points). The Secretary
considers the quality of the design of the proposed project. In
determining the quality of the design of the proposed project, the
Secretary considers the following factors:
(i) The extent to which the design for implementing and evaluating
the proposed project will result in information to guide possible
[[Page 8933]]
replication of project activities or strategies, including information
about the effectiveness of the approach or strategies employed by the
project.
(ii) The extent to which the design of the proposed project
reflects up-to-date knowledge from research and effective practice.
(iii) The extent to which the proposed project will establish
linkages with other appropriate agencies and organizations providing
services to the target population.
(iv) The extent to which the proposed project is part of a
comprehensive effort to improve teaching and learning and support
rigorous academic standards for students.
(v) The extent to which the proposed project represents an
exceptional approach for meeting statutory purposes and requirements.
c. Quality of project services (20 points). The Secretary considers
the quality of the services to be provided by the proposed project. In
determining the quality of the services to be provided by the proposed
project, the Secretary considers the quality and sufficiency of
strategies for ensuring equal access and treatment for eligible project
participants who are members of groups that have traditionally been
underrepresented based on race, color, national origin, gender, age, or
disability. In addition, the Secretary considers the following factors:
(i) The likely impact of the services to be provided by the
proposed project on the intended recipients of those services.
(ii) The likelihood that the services to be provided by the
proposed project will lead to improvements in the achievement of
students as measured against rigorous academic standards.
(iii) The extent to which the services to be provided by the
proposed project involve the collaboration of appropriate partners for
maximizing the effectiveness of project services.
(iv) The extent to which the services to be provided by the
proposed project are focused on those with greatest needs.
d. Quality of the management plan (15 points). The Secretary
considers 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 following factors:
(i) The adequacy of procedures for ensuring feedback and continuous
improvement in the operation of the proposed project.
(ii) The adequacy of mechanisms for ensuring high-quality products
and services from the proposed project.
(iii) The extent to which the time commitments of the project
director and principal investigator and other key project personnel are
appropriate and adequate to meet the objectives of the proposed
project.
(iv) 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.
e. Quality of the project evaluation (20 points). The Secretary
considers the quality of the evaluation to be conducted of the proposed
project. In determining the quality of the evaluation, the Secretary
considers the following factors:
(i) The extent to which the methods of evaluation provide for
examining the effectiveness of project implementation strategies.
(ii) The extent to which the methods of evaluation will provide
timely guidance for quality assurance.
(iii) 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.
(iv) The extent to which the methods of evaluation will provide
performance feedback and permit periodic assessment of progress toward
achieving intended outcomes.
2. Review and Selection Process: The Department will only consider
novice applicants for this competition. An applicant is considered a
``novice applicant'' if it meets the following criteria in 34 CFR
75.225(a)(1) and (b):
The applicant must--
(i) Have never received a grant or subgrant under the Native
Hawaiian Education program;
(ii) Have never been a member of a group application, submitted in
accordance with 34 CFR 75.127 through 75.129, that received a grant
under the Native Hawaiian Education program; and
(iii) Have not had an active discretionary grant from the Federal
Government in the five years before the deadline date for applications
in this competition. For purposes of this requirement, a grant is
active until the end of the grant's project or funding period,
including any extensions of those periods that extend the grantee's
authority to obligate funds.
Section 34 CFR 75.225(a)(2) addresses the requirements for group
applications submitted by novice applicants. In the case of a group
application submitted in accordance with 34 CFR 75.127 through 75.129,
each group member must meet the requirements in 34 CFR 75.225(a)(1) and
(b), previously described in this section of the notice, in order to
qualify as a novice applicant. All applicants should follow the
instructions in the application package to ensure they properly
indicate in their application their status as a novice applicant.
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 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 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: Under the Government Performance and
Results Act of 1993 (GPRA), the Department has developed the following
performance measures for evaluating the overall effectiveness of the
Native Hawaiian Education program:
(1) The percentage of Native Hawaiian students in schools served by
the program who meet or exceed proficiency standards in reading,
mathematics, and science on the State assessments;
(2) The percentage of Native Hawaiian children participating in
early education programs who consistently demonstrate school readiness
in literacy as measured
[[Page 8934]]
by the Hawaii School Readiness Assessment (HSRA);
(3) The percentage of students in schools served by the program who
graduate from high school with a regular high school diploma, as
defined in 34 CFR 200.19(b)(1)(iv), in four years; and
(4) The percentage of students participating in a Hawaiian language
program conducted under the Native Hawaiian Education program who meet
or exceed proficiency standards in reading on a test of the Hawaiian
language.
All grantees will be expected to submit an annual performance
report that includes data addressing these performance measures, to the
extent that they apply to the grantee's project.
VII. Agency Contact
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Irene Harwarth, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 3E244, Washington, DC 20202-
6200. Telephone: (202) 401-3751 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 free at
this site.
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 the GPO Access at http://www.gpoaccess.gov/nara/index.html.
Dated: February 23, 2010.
Thelma Mel[eacute]ndez de Santa Ana,
Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education.
[FR Doc. 2010-4058 Filed 2-25-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P