*U.S. Department of Education*

*Office of Elementary and Secondary Education*

*Washington, DC 20202-6336*

**Archived Information**

**FISCAL YEAR 2005**

**APPLICATION FOR NEW GRANTS**

**FOR THE**

**STRIVING READERS PROGRAM**

**Title I, Part E, Section 1502**

**Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965**

**as amended by the No Child Left Behind Act, 2001, Public Law 107-110**

***CFDA Number: 84.371A***

***FORM APPROVED***

***OMB No.1890-0009***

***Expiration Date: June 30, 2008***

![](media/image1.png){width="1.3354166666666667in"
height="1.3354166666666667in"}

**DATED MATERIAL -- OPEN IMMEDIATELY**

*Application Deadline:* **November 14, 2005**

**Paperwork Burden Statement**

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are
required to respond to a collection of information unless that
collection displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control
number for this information collection is 1890-0009 (expiration date:
June 30, 2008). The time required to complete this information
collection is estimated to average 40 hours per response, including the
time to review instructions, search existing data resources, gather the
data needed, and complete and review the information collection. If you
have any comments about the accuracy of the time estimate or suggestions
for improving this form, or comments or concerns about the status of
your individual submission of this form, write directly to: Striving
Readers, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, U.S. Department
of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20202-6132;
(202) 205-6272; E-mail: StrivingReaders@ed.gov

###### Striving Readers: Table of Contents

#### Section A: Striving Readers Program Overview

Background 2

Program Purpose and Overview 3

**How the Striving Readers Application Process Will Work** 9

#### Section B: Federal Register Notice and Relevant Statutory and Regulatory Provisions

**Notice Inviting Applications** 13

**Relevant Statutory and Regulatory Provisions** 45

[**Section C: The Application -- (CFDA No. 84.371A**)]{.underline}

**The Application Process** 51

> **Application Deadline** 51
>
> **Application Procedures and Instructions** 51

**Application Selection Criteria** 60

**Budget Information** 71

**Application Final Checklist** 74

**Application Forms** 75

> **ED Form 424 (Application For Federal Assistance -- CFDA \#
> 84.371A)**
>
> **ED Form 524 (Budget Information Form -- CFDA \# 84.371A)**
>
> **Assurances -- Non-Construction Programs (Standard Form 424B)**
>
> **ED Form 80-0013 (Certification regarding Lobbying)**
>
> **Debarment, Supervision and other Responsibility Matters (ED Form
> 80-0014)**

**Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF LLL) (submit if applicable)**

> **Notice to All Applicants (Section 427, GEPA)**

**Other Important Information**

> **Executive Order 12372 (Intergovernmental Review of Federal
> Programs)**
>
> **Single State Point of Contact List**
>
> **Important Notice to Prospective Participants in U.S. Department of\
> Education Contract and Grant Programs**

Dear Applicant:

Striving Readers is a new U.S. Department of Education discretionary
grant program and part of President George W. Bush's initiative designed
to help States ensure that all students graduate with a meaningful high
school diploma in their hands -- one that ensures that graduates have
the skills needed to succeed in college and in a globally competitive
workforce.

The Striving Readers program is focused on raising reading achievement
among middle and high school-aged students by enhancing the quality of
literacy instruction across the curriculum in schools, providing
intensive interventions to improve the literacy skills of struggling
adolescent readers, and building a strong, scientific research base
around reading strategies that improve adolescent literacy skills.

For information about the Striving Readers program and instructions on
how to apply for a grant, please review the attached materials and visit
the Striving Readers website at
http://www.ed.gov/programs/strivingreaders. If you have specific
questions about the program or the application process, please contact
the Striving Readers program staff by e-mail at StrivingReaders@ed.gov,
or by telephone at (202) 205-6272.

Striving Readers offers an exciting opportunity to ensure that middle
and high school students acquire the literacy skills needed for
postsecondary education, careers, and meaningful participation in our
society. Thank you for your interest in this program. We are looking
forward to receiving your grant applications for Striving Readers and
appreciate your commitment to improving adolescent literacy.

Sincerely,

> Raymond Simon
>
> Deputy Secretary

# Section A:  STRIVING READERS PROGRAM OVERVIEW 

**Striving Readers: Background**

According to recent data from the National Assessment of Educational
Progress (NAEP) only about one-third of our nation's middle and high
school students meet the standard of reading "proficiently" for their
grade level. In a typical high-poverty, urban school, approximately half
of all in-coming ninth-grade students read at a sixth- or seventh-grade
level and, on average, African-American and Hispanic twelfth-grade
students read at the same level as white eighth-grade students. Studies
also show that adolescents who are struggling readers are at high risk
of dropping out of high school without a diploma, graduating unprepared
for college, and having limited opportunities in the workforce.

The basic skills adolescent readers need are the same foundational
skills we expect younger students to master as they learn to read.
Scientifically based reading research identifies explicit and systematic
instruction in five essential components of reading: *phonemic*
*awareness* (the ability to hear, identify and manipulate individual
sounds in spoken words), *phonics* (the understanding that there is a
predictable relationship between phonemes and graphemes), *vocabulary*
(development of stored information about the meanings and pronunciation
of words), *reading fluency* (the ability to read text accurately and
quickly) and *reading comprehension* (understanding, remembering, and
communicating with others about what has been read). Of particular
concern with adolescent struggling readers are vocabulary, fluency and
comprehension, as well as issues such as motivation and access to age
appropriate reading materials.

While research is strong on the basic components of literacy and
strategies to help young children learn to read, there is much less
research and proven practice on the development of reading skills among
adolescents and the identification, prevention, and remediation of
reading difficulties in middle and high school students. Some middle and
high school students still need to develop basic reading skills. For a
larger group of adolescent students who have learned basic reading
skills in the early grades, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension can
be significant challenges beyond elementary school.

# Recent publications by literacy experts and practitioners have recommended incorporating the following elements into efforts to help middle and high school students master reading basic skills and comprehension:

-   Extended learning time for literacy

-   Direct, explicit instruction in comprehension

-   Modeling of reading and thinking strategies for comprehension

-   Cooperative learning and discussion of texts among students

-   Self-selected reading at students' ability levels to build
    > motivation

-   On-going progress monitoring

-   Intensive writing

-   Age appropriate and diverse reading materials

-   Interdisciplinary, classroom-based efforts to focus on literacy

## Striving Readers: Program Purpose and Overview

Striving Readers is a new discretionary grant program authorized as part
of the 2005 Fiscal Year Appropriations Act under the Title I
demonstration authority (Part E, Section 1502 of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended by the No Child Left Behind
Act, 2001 **-** PL 107-110).

[Program Purpose]{.underline}

The purpose of the Striving Readers program is to raise the reading
achievement levels of middle and high school-aged students in Title
I-eligible schools with significant numbers of students reading below
grade level. The program supports new comprehensive reading initiatives
or expansion of existing initiatives that improve the quality of
literacy instruction across the curriculum, provide intensive literacy
interventions to struggling adolescent readers, and help to build a
strong, scientific research base for identifying and replicating
strategies that improve adolescent literacy skills.

[Program Goals]{.underline}

The goals of the Striving Readers program are to:

-   Enhance the overall level of reading achievement in middle and high
    schools through improvements to the quality of literacy instruction
    across the curriculum,

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-   Improve the literacy skills of struggling adolescent readers, and

-   Help build a strong, scientific, research base around specific
    strategies that improve adolescent literacy skills.

[Key Program Components]{.underline}

Striving Readers projects will include each of three key components:

-   **School level strategies designed to increase reading achievement
    for students by improving the quality of literacy instruction across
    the curriculum** -- These strategies must include, at a minimum, a
    needs assessment, professional development, and a process for
    monitoring student performance.

-   **Intensive, targeted intervention for struggling readers (i.e.,
    students who read at least two years below grade level, including
    limited English proficient students and students with
    disabilities)** -- The intervention must include, at a minimum,
    assessments to identify struggling readers, a supplementary literacy
    intervention designed to accelerate the development of literacy
    skills for these readers, professional development for their
    teachers, and a process for monitoring student progress that
    includes the administration of student assessments.

-   **A project evaluation that includes a rigorous experimental
    research evaluation of the intensive, targeted intervention for
    struggling readers.** The evaluation of the intensive, targeted
    intervention must be conducted by an independent evaluator and must
    include a randomized control trial. The project evaluation must also
    include a rigorous evaluation of the school-level strategies
    designed to increase reading achievement for students by integrating
    enhanced literacy instruction throughout the curriculum and the
    school. The evaluation of the school-level strategies also must be
    conducted by an independent evaluator and may, but need not, include
    a randomized control trial.

[Program Activities]{.underline}

Striving Reader grantees are expected to use program funds for the
following types of activities:

-   Providing middle and high school age children reading at least two
    years below grade level with supplemental or replacement
    interventions to improve basic skills, motivation, vocabulary,
    fluency, and comprehension using research-based strategies. Such
    interventions may include extra time, "double-dosing," small group
    instruction, supplemental curricula for accelerated learning,
    employment of a reading specialist or coach, access to reading
    materials that appeal to adolescent aged readers, administration of
    regular and ongoing, valid and reliable assessments, and
    professional development for teachers.

-   Providing professional development aligned with scientifically based
    reading research or integrating comprehension and literacy skills in
    the classroom across subject areas.

-   Acquiring, providing training for, and implementing valid and
    reliable reading assessments or other appropriate measures that are
    based on scientifically based reading research to determine whether
    students are developing and improving reading skills.

-   Designing and implementing a rigorous evaluation, including random
    assignment, of the grantee's literacy intervention that will measure
    whether the intervention was properly implemented and will track
    student performance in reading/literacy as measured by regular
    ongoing assessment as well as state assessment results.

[Planning Period]{.underline}

The Department anticipates that grantees may use the remainder of the
2005-06 school year, after grants are awarded, as a start up period.
During this time period grantees can secure program services, train
teachers for literacy interventions, and finalize evaluation designs.
During this period, the U.S. Department of Education will convene
project director grantees and their evaluators to discuss and help
refine program and evaluation plans.

Assessment

Grantees are not required to adopt a particular reading assessment
chosen by the U.S. Department of Education. However, funded projects
must have an assessment component to measure student achievement in
reading. Grantees are expected to use both state assessments and other
valid and reliable literacy assessments -- more regularly administered
and more finely tuned to growth in reading skills -- to measure and
demonstrate student progress.

Evaluation

Because Striving Readers is a demonstration program and because one of
the key goals of this demonstration program is to help build a strong,
scientific, research base around specific strategies that improve
adolescent literacy skills, each program must have a rigorous,
experimental evaluation design. This evaluation must be conducted by
independent researchers, such as independent research firms or
universities, who have experience in experimental design and
scientifically based reading research. In addition, the U.S. Department
of Education plans to provide technical assistance to help grantees and
their evaluation partners with evaluation design and implementation.

The key evaluation questions for the Striving Readers demonstration
program are:

-   Do the specific supplemental literacy and classroom-based strategies
    employed by the grantee significantly improve reading proficiency
    among students? Do different groups/types of students benefit in
    different ways/to a different extent?

In order to address these questions, the Striving Reader evaluations
will include:

-   An experimental evaluation design of the targeted literacy
    intervention for struggling readers. Evaluations will need to
    include plans for adequate sample sizes, random assignment,
    minimizing treatment-control contamination*,* and timing of
    interventions and data collection.

-   An evaluation of the classroom-based effort to improve the quality
    of literacy instruction across the curriculum. The evaluation of the
    school-level strategies may, but need not, include a randomized
    control trial.

-   A plan for measuring outcomes that includes the regularly required
    state and local assessments as well as an appropriate valid and
    reliable reading assessment to measure the regular progress of
    students participating in the supplemental literacy intervention.

-   A plan for measuring the fidelity and frequency of implementation of
    the supplemental literacy intervention and classroom-based literacy
    strategies. This may include teacher surveys, data on teacher
    preparation and professional development, classroom observations.

[Additional Program Requirements]{.underline}

Additionally, Striving Readers projects also must:

-   Establish a Cooperative Agreement **--** Several weeks after sending
    notification of a Striving Readers grant award, Striving Readers
    program staff will contact grantees in order to establish a
    cooperative agreement regarding implementation of the grant.

-   Report on Performance Annually ─ Submit to the Department of
    Education annual performance reports using the ED Form 524B Grant
    Performance Report, available at:
    <http://www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/appforms/appforms.html>.
    Additionally, the annual performance report must report the
    project's performance against the following program performance
    indicators for the Striving Readers program:

> 1\. The number/percentage of adolescent students reading significantly
> below grade level who demonstrate a gain in their reading achievement
> at a minimum of one grade level or its equivalent after participating
> in an intensive intervention over an academic year; and
>
> 2\. The number/percentage of schools participating in Striving Readers
> that demonstrate performance gains on their State's assessment of
> reading/language arts achievement.

-   Cooperate with any Department Evaluation, Technical Assistance and
    Grantee Coordination Efforts ─ Participate fully in any evaluation
    of the Striving Readers program carried out by the Department of
    Education. The Department intends to build the evaluation component
    of Striving Readers into local grants rather than conduct a national
    evaluation. Once awards are made, the Department and grantees will
    establish cooperative agreements that outline each grantee's role
    and responsibilities, including the evaluation, and the role of
    Department program staff in monitoring grant awards. The Department
    intends to provide technical assistance to grantees throughout the
    award period on grantee evaluation plans and expects to meet with
    Striving Reader grantees periodically.

-   Budget for Project Meetings -- Each applicant must budget for (a)
    the project director, the project evaluator, and up to two other key
    staff members to attend a two-day technical assistance meeting with
    Department officials in Washington, D.C. at least twice a year for
    each year of the project period; and (b) the project director and
    the evaluator to attend a two-day post-award conference with
    Department officials in Washington, D.C. after the grant award date.

[Eligible Applicants]{.underline}

Eligible applicants for Striving Readers include:

LEAs that have schools that ---

a\. Are eligible to receive funds under Part A of Title I of the ESEA,
pursuant to section 1113 of the ESEA, [and]{.underline}

b\. Serve students in one or more grades in grades 6 through 12.

Eligible LEAs may apply individually, with other eligible LEAs, or in
partnership with one or more of the following entities:

-   SEAs,

-   Intermediate service agencies,

-   Public or private institutions of higher education, and

-   Public or private organizations with expertise in adolescent
    literacy and/or rigorous evaluation.

In any partnership, the fiscal agent must be an eligible LEA.

Schools that receive support from Striving Readers funds must be
eligible for, but not necessarily receiving, funds under Part A of Title
I. Information on Title I eligibility can be found in Section 1113 of
Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) and the
regulations at 34 CFR 200.77 and 200.78. For further information on
Title I eligibility see Title I program guidance (especially Question 10
on middle and high schools) at:

http://www.ed.gov/programs/titleiparta/wdag.doc

Students who are reading at least two years below grade level
expectations would be eligible to participate in the grantee's literacy
intervention for struggling readers component of their Striving Readers
program. Any student within an eligible school would benefit from the
grantee's classroom level, cross-disciplinary efforts to improve
literacy skills.

In addition to meeting eligibility requirements, applicants will need to
demonstrate that the schools proposed to be served have significant
numbers or percentages of students reading below grade level and/or are
not or are in danger of not meeting Title I adequate yearly progress
requirements under NCLB.

Note:

-   Funding Allocation -- The Secretary may, if necessary, fund projects
    out of rank order in order to ensure that the Striving Readers
    funding is balanced between projects serving middle and high school
    students.

-   Literacy Study Participants -- Applicants may not apply for Striving
    Readers funds on behalf of, or use Striving Readers funds in,
    schools participating in the current Smaller Learning Communities
    Enhanced Reading Opportunities (ERO) Study, a U.S. Department of
    Education funded national research evaluation of supplemental
    adolescent literacy programs.

Available Funds

The Department will award Striving Readers grants on a competitive basis
for a project period of up to five years. We estimate that we will make
approximately 8 grant awards, ranging between \$1,000,000 and
\$5,000,000 per year, with the average size of award being \$3,000,000
per year. The Department expects to award grants in December 2005.

[Application Deadline]{.underline}

The deadline for Striving Readers applications is [NOVEMBER 14,
2005]{.underline}.

Additional Information

Additional information on Striving Readers is available on the program's
Web page at:

**http://www.ed.gov/programs/strivingreaders/**

**How The Striving Readers Application Process Will Work**

[General Award Information]{.underline}

Striving Readers is a national competitive grant program directly
administered by the U.S. Department of Education. The Department will
award grants based on the quality of the applications and regulatory
criteria in section 75.217 of the Education Department General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR). Congress has appropriated \$24.8
million for new awards under this competition for FY 2005.

The Department will award Striving Readers grants on a competitive basis
for a project period of up to five years. We estimate that we will make
approximately 8 grant awards, ranging between \$1,000,000 and
\$5,000,000 per year, with the average size of award being \$3,000,000
per year. The Department expects to award grants in December 2005.

[Priorities]{.underline}

For this competition, the Secretary has established two absolute
priorities.

The first absolute priority states that the applicant, if awarded a
grant under this program, will implement the proposed project only in
schools [eligible]{.underline} to receive Title I, Part A funds under
Section 1113 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as
amended (ESEA), and that only students in grades 6 through 12 attending
these schools will participate in the Striving Readers program.

For more information on determining whether schools are eligible for
Title I, please see:

http://www.ed.gov/programs/titleiparta/wdag.doc

This priority is established to ensure that Striving Readers funds will
be targeted at students in grades 6 through 12 attending schools that
serve a significant percentage of children from low-income families, as
intended by the authorizing statute.

The second absolute priority is for projects to include three required
components. In order to be considered for funding, proposed projects
must include the following three required components:

1.  School level strategies designed to increase reading achievement for
    students by improving the quality of literacy instruction across the
    curriculum -- These strategies must include, at a minimum, a needs
    assessment, professional development, and a process for monitoring
    student performance.

2.  Intensive, targeted intervention for struggling readers (i.e.,
    students who read at least two years below grade level, including
    limited English proficient students and students with disabilities)
    -- The intervention must include, at a minimum, assessments to
    identify struggling readers, a supplementary literacy intervention
    designed to accelerate the development of literacy skills for these
    readers, professional development for their teachers, and a process
    for monitoring student progress that includes the administration of
    student assessments.

3.  A project evaluation that includes a rigorous experimental research
    evaluation of the intensive, targeted intervention for struggling
    readers. The evaluation of the intensive, targeted intervention must
    be conducted by an independent evaluator and must include a
    randomized control trial. There must also be a rigorous evaluation
    of the school-level strategies designed to increase reading
    achievement for students by integrating enhanced literacy
    instruction throughout the curriculum and the school. The evaluation
    of the school-level strategies also must be conducted by an
    independent evaluator and may, but need not, include a randomized
    control trial.

This priority is established to ensure that Striving Readers projects
will result in accelerated reading achievement for adolescents reading
significantly below grade level, including limited English proficient
students and students with disabilities. This absolute priority is also
established to ensure that the evaluations of Striving Readers projects
include rigorous scientifically based research methods and that the
evaluations are of sufficient quality to determine the effectiveness of
the interventions provided.

The experimental evaluation design of the targeted intervention must
include a randomized controlled trial -- an experimental design in which
participants (e.g., schools or students) are randomly assigned either to
participate in the project activities or to a control group that does
not participate in the project activities to be evaluated.

Well-designed and implemented randomized control trials are considered
the \"gold standard\" for evaluating an intervention\'s effectiveness.
They enable the evaluator to determine whether the intervention itself,
as opposed to other factors, causes the observed outcomes.

The Institute for Educational Sciences' (IES) What Works Clearinghouse
supports a Help Desk that applicants may contact to help identify
interventions and design evaluations that meet IES evidence standards.
For more information see: http://www.whatworks.ed.gov

[Program Performance Measures]{.underline}

Striving Readers is subject to the Government Performance and Results
Act (GPRA). GPRA requires each agency and program to set targets for its
performance, measure progress toward those targets, report on whether or
not the targets have been met, and describe future strategies for
continued striving toward those targets. This process is designed to
improve program management, and to help Congress, the Department of
Education, the Office of Management and Budget, and others review a
program's progress toward its goals. Under GPRA, the Secretary has
established the following two measures for evaluating the overall
effectiveness of the Striving Readers program:

1.  The number/percentage of adolescent students reading significantly
    below grade level who demonstrate a gain in their reading
    achievement at a minimum of one grade level or its equivalent after
    participating in an intensive intervention over an academic year;
    and,

2.  The number/percentage of schools participating in the Striving
    Readers intervention that demonstrate performance gains on their
    State's assessment of reading/language arts achievement.

All grantees must document their performance in addressing these
performance measures in the required annual performance report.

[Application Process]{.underline}

The grant competition will include an application process. Eligible
applicants who wish to receive a Striving Readers grant must submit an
application in accordance with the instructions included in the Federal
Register Notice and the application package. The Department, through a
peer review panel of experts, will evaluate each application based on
the application selection criteria (worth up to 100 points). This
application must address both of the absolute priorities in addition to
the following seven selection criteria:

1.  Need for the Project

2.  Quality of the Project Design

3.  Quality of the Project Personnel

4.  Adequacy of Resources

5.  Quality of the Management Plan

6.  Evaluation

7.  Significance

[Awards]{.underline}

The Department will select applicants for funding based on the quality
of the applications, including their rank order based on the application
selection criteria. Additionally, the Department may make awards so that
Striving Readers funding is distributed between projects serving middle
school and high school aged students. In making funding decisions, the
Department will use the procedures in section 75.217 of EDGAR, 34 CFR
75.217.

The Department anticipates making final awards with FY 2005 funds in
December 2005.

Contingent upon the availability of funds and quality of applications
the Department may make additional awards with FY 2006 program funds, if
available, from the list of unfunded applicants from this competition.

# 

# Section B:  FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICE AND RELEVANT STATUTORY PROVISIONS 

4000-01-U

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Office of Elementary and Secondary Education

Overview Information

Striving Readers

Notice inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year

(FY) 2005.

[Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number]{.underline}:
84.371A

[Dates]{.underline}:

[Applications Available]{.underline}: August 15, 2005.

[Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply]{.underline}: September 14,
2005.

[Deadline for Transmittal of Applications]{.underline}: November 14,
2005.

[Deadline for Intergovernmental Review]{.underline}: December 13, 2005.

[Dates of Pre-Application Meetings]{.underline}: The Department will
conduct a series of briefings on this competition via conference call to
clarify the purposes of the program, the selection criteria, and the
competition process. Consult the Striving Readers Web site at
www.ed.gov/programs/strivingreaders for dates and times of the
pre-application meetings.

[Eligible Applicants]{.underline}: Local educational agencies (LEAs)
that have schools that ---

1.  Are eligible to receive funds under Part A of Title I of the
    Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended (ESEA),
    pursuant to section 1113 of the ESEA, [and]{.underline}

2.  Serve students in one or more grades in grades 6 through 12.

Eligible LEAs may apply individually, with other eligible LEAs, or in
partnership with one or more of the following entities:

-   State educational agencies (SEAs),

-   Intermediate service agencies,

-   Public or private institutions of higher education, and

-   Public or private organizations with expertise in adolescent
    literacy and/or rigorous evaluation.

In any partnership, the fiscal agent must be an eligible LEA.

[Estimated Available Funds]{.underline}: \$24,000,000. Contingent upon
the availability of funds and quality of applications we may make
additional awards in subsequent years from the list of unfunded
applicants from this competition.

[Estimated Range of Awards]{.underline}: \$1,000,000-5,000,000 per year.

[Estimated Average Size of Awards]{.underline}: \$3,000,000 per year.

[Maximum Award Amount]{.underline}: We do not intend to make any awards
exceeding \$5,000,000 per year.

[Estimated Number of Awards]{.underline}: 8.

[Note]{.underline}: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this
notice.

# [Project Period]{.underline}: Up to 60 months. Continuation awards are contingent on a grantee's progress and future Congressional appropriations.

#### Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

[Purpose of Program]{.underline}: The purpose of the Striving Readers
program is to raise the reading achievement levels of middle and high
school-aged students in Title I-eligible schools with significant
numbers of students reading below grade level. The program supports new
comprehensive reading initiatives or expansion of existing initiatives
that improve the quality of literacy instruction across the curriculum,
provide intensive literacy interventions to struggling adolescent
readers, and help to build a strong, scientific research base for
identifying and replicating strategies that improve adolescent literacy
skills.

[Priorities]{.underline}: We are establishing these priorities in
accordance with section 437(d)(1) of the General Education Provisions
Act.

[Absolute Priorities]{.underline}: For FY 2005 and any subsequent year
in which we make awards based on the list of unfunded applicants from
this competition, these priorities are absolute priorities. Under 34 CFR
75.105(c)(3) we consider only applications that meet these priorities.

These priorities are: Priority One \-- Students in Grades 6 through 12
in Title I-eligible schools; and Priority Two --- Comprehensive Reading
Initiative Components.

[Background of Priority One]{.underline}

The first absolute priority is established to ensure that the funds will
be targeted as intended by the authorizing statute.

[Statement of Priority One -- Students in Grades 6 through 12 in Title
I-eligible Schools]{.underline}

The applicant, if awarded a grant under this program, will use the funds
to serve only students in one or more grades in grades 6 through 12 in
schools eligible to receive funds under Part A of Title I of the ESEA.

[Background of Priority Two]{.underline}

The second absolute priority is established to ensure that Striving
Readers projects will result in accelerated reading achievement for
adolescents reading significantly below grade level, including limited
English proficient students and students with disabilities. This
absolute priority is also established to ensure that the evaluations of
Striving Readers projects include rigorous scientifically based research
methods and that the evaluations are of sufficient quality to determine
the effectiveness of the interventions provided.

The experimental evaluation design of the targeted intervention must
include a randomized controlled trial -- an experimental design in which
participants (e.g., schools or students) are randomly assigned either to
participate in the project activities or to a control group that does
not participate in the project activities to be evaluated.

Well-designed and implemented randomized control trials are considered
the \"gold standard\" for evaluating an intervention\'s effectiveness.
They enable the evaluator to determine whether the intervention itself,
as opposed to other factors, causes the observed outcomes.

The Institute for Educational Sciences' (IES) What Works Clearinghouse
supports a Help Desk that applicants can contact to help identify
interventions and design evaluations that meet IES evidence standards.
For more information see: http://www.whatworks.ed.gov

[Statement of Priority Two -- Comprehensive Reading Initiative
Components]{.underline}

The applicant, if awarded a grant under this program, will use the funds
to support a comprehensive reading initiative that includes the
following components:

1.  School-level strategies designed to increase reading achievement for
    students by integrating enhanced literacy instruction throughout the
    curriculum and the entire school. These strategies must include, at
    a minimum, a needs assessment, professional development, and a
    process for monitoring student performance.

2.  An intensive, targeted intervention for struggling readers (i.e.,
    students who read at least two years below grade level, including
    limited English proficient students and students with disabilities).
    The intervention must include, at minimum, assessments to identify
    struggling readers, a supplementary literacy intervention designed
    to accelerate the development of literacy skills for these readers,
    professional development for their teachers, and a process for
    monitoring student progress that includes the administration of
    student assessments.

3\. A project evaluation that includes ---

\(a\) A rigorous experimental research evaluation of the intensive,
targeted intervention for struggling readers. The evaluation of the
intensive, targeted intervention must be conducted by an independent
evaluator and must include a randomized control trial; [­and]{.underline}

\(b\) A rigorous evaluation of the school-level strategies designed to
increase reading achievement for students by integrating enhanced
literacy instruction throughout the curriculum and the school. The
evaluation of the school-level strategies must be conducted by an
independent evaluator and may, but need not, include a randomized
control trial.

To meet this priority, applicants must demonstrate that they have
allocated sufficient program and other funds to carry out a high-quality
evaluation of the proposed Striving Readers project. Applicants also
will need to include a sufficient number of schools and students to
support an experimental evaluation design of the targeted intervention.

[Other Program Requirements]{.underline}:

1.  Funding Allocation: The Secretary may fund projects out of rank
    order in order to ensure that the Striving Readers funding is
    balanced between projects serving middle and high school students.

2.  Literacy Study Participants: Applicants may not apply for Striving
    Readers funds on behalf of, or use Striving Readers funds in,
    schools participating in the current Smaller Learning Communities
    Enhanced Reading Opportunities (ERO) Study, a U.S. Department of
    Education funded national research evaluation of supplemental
    adolescent literacy programs.

3.  Implementation Schedule: The 2006-2007 school year will be
    considered the first year for full Striving Readers project
    implementation. A grantee may use that portion of the 2005-2006
    school year that remains after it receives its award as a planning
    period to prepare for the full implementation of its Striving
    Readers project during the following school year and to complete the
    design of Striving Readers project evaluation. The Department will
    provide technical assistance on evaluation plans during the planning
    period and throughout the project period.

4.  Project Meetings: Each applicant must budget

for ---

\(a\) The project director, the project evaluator, and up to two other
key staff members to attend a two-day technical assistance meeting with
Department officials in Washington, D.C. at least twice a year for each
year of the project period; and

\(b\) The project director and the evaluator to attend a two-day
post-award conference with Department officials in Washington, D.C.
after the grant award date.

[Waiver of Proposed Rulemaking]{.underline}: Under the Administrative
Procedure Act (APA) (5 U.S.C. 553), the Department generally offers
interested parties the opportunity to comment on proposed priorities,
eligibility requirements, and other non-statutory program requirements.
Section 437(d)(1) of the General Education Provisions Act (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 section 1502 of the ESEA 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, eligibility requirements, and non-statutory program
requirements under section 437(d)(1). These absolute priorities,
eligibility requirements and non-statutory program requirements will
apply to the FY 2005 grant competition and any subsequent awards we make
based on the list of unfunded applications from this competition.

[Program Authority]{.underline}: 20 U.S.C. 6492.

[Applicable Regulations]{.underline}: The Education Department General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80,
81, 82, 84, 85, 86, 97, 98, and 99, as applicable.

[Note]{.underline}: The regulations in 34 CFR part 79 apply to all
applicants except federally recognized tribes.

[Note]{.underline}: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to
institutions of higher education only.

II\. Award Information

[Type of Award]{.underline}: Cooperative agreement.

[Estimated Available Funds]{.underline}: \$24,000,000. Contingent upon
the availability of funds and quality of applications we may make
additional awards in subsequent years from the list of unfunded
applicants from this competition.

[Estimated Range of Awards]{.underline}: \$1,000,000-5,000,000 per year.

[Estimated Average Size of Awards]{.underline}: \$3,000,000 per year.

[Maximum Award Amount]{.underline}: We do not intend to make any awards
exceeding \$5,000,000 per year.

[Estimated Number of Awards]{.underline}: 8.

[Note]{.underline}: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this
notice.

# [Project Period]{.underline}: Up to 60 months. Continuation awards are contingent on a grantee's progress and future Congressional appropriations.

## III. Eligibility Information

1\. [Eligible Applicants]{.underline}: LEAs that have schools that ---

a\. Are eligible to receive funds under Part A of Title I of the ESEA,
pursuant to section 1113 of the ESEA, [and]{.underline}

b\. Serve students in one or more grades in grades 6 through 12.

Eligible LEAs may apply individually, with other eligible LEAs, or in
partnership with one or more of the following entities:

-   SEAs,

-   Intermediate service agencies,

-   Public or private institutions of higher education, and

-   Public or private organizations with expertise in adolescent
    literacy and/or rigorous evaluation.

In any partnership, the fiscal agent must be an eligible LEA.

[Note]{.underline}: For more information on determining Title I
eligibility see:

http://www.ed.gov/programs/titleiparta/wdag.doc

2\. [Cost Sharing or Matching]{.underline}: This program does not
involve cost sharing or matching.

IV\. Application and Submission Information

1.  [Address to Request Application Package]{.underline}: You may obtain
    the application package electronically by downloading it from the
    Striving Readers Web site:
    http://www.ed.gov/programs/strivingreaders/applicant.html

You may also request an application package by contacting the Striving
Readers program contact person listed in section VII of this notice at
(202) 205-6272 or by e-mail at StrivingReaders@ed.gov.

Individuals with disabilities may obtain a copy of the application
package in an alternative format (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape,
or computer diskette) by contacting the program contact person listed in
section VII of this notice.

2.  [Content and Form of Application Submission]{.underline}:
    Requirements concerning the content of the application, together
    with the forms you must submit, are in the application package for
    this program.

Page Limits: The application narrative for this program (Part II of the
application) is where you, the applicant, address the selection criteria
that reviewers use to evaluate your application. We strongly encourage
applicants to limit Part II of the application to the equivalent of no
more than 60 pages. Part III of the application is where you, the
applicant, provide a budget narrative that reviewers use to evaluate
your application. We strongly encourage you to limit the budget
narrative in Part III to the equivalent of no more than five pages. Part
IV of the application is where you, the applicant, provide the list and
a brief description of the schools included in the proposed Striving
Readers project, up to five resumes (curriculum vitae), and the
demonstration of stakeholder support for the project that reviewers use
to evaluate your application. The Department strongly encourages
applicants to limit the list and the brief description of the schools to
the equivalent of no more than 10 pages. The Department also strongly
encourages applicants to limit each resume to the equivalent of no more
than three pages each and limit the demonstration of stakeholder support
for the project to the equivalent of no more than 10 pages. While the
Department strongly encourages applicants to follow page limit
recommendations, applications that exceed these limits will not be
excluded from the competition. For all page limit recommendations, use
the following standards:

-   A "page" is 8.5\" x 11\", on one side only, with 1\" margins at the
    top, bottom, and both sides.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   Double space (no more than three lines per vertical inch) all text
    in the application narrative, including titles, headings, footnotes,
    quotations, and references included in the body of the narrative.

-   Text in endnotes, charts, tables, figures, and graphs may be
    single-spaced.

-   Use a font that is either 12 point or larger or no smaller than 10
    pitch (characters per inch), including text in endnotes, charts,
    tables, figures, and graphs.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   The page limits do not apply to Part I, the cover sheet and the
    one-page abstract; the budget (ED Form 524); or the endnotes.

3\. [Submission Dates and Times]{.underline}:

[Applications Available]{.underline}: August 15, 2005.

[Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply]{.underline}: September 14,
2005.

In order to expedite the process for reviewing grant applications, we
strongly encourage each potential applicant to send a notice of its
intent to apply for funding to the following address:
StrivingReaders@ed.gov. The notice of intent to apply is optional and
should not include information regarding the proposed application.

[Dates of Pre-Application Meetings]{.underline}: The Department will
conduct a series of briefings on this competition via conference call to
clarify the purposes of the program, the selection criteria, and the
competition process. Consult the Striving Readers Web site at
www.ed.gov/programs/strivingreaders for dates and times of the
pre-application meetings.

[Deadline for Transmittal of Applications]{.underline}: November 14,
2005.

Applications for grants under this program 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]{.underline} in this notice.

[Deadline for Intergovernmental Review]{.underline}: December 13, 2005.

We do not consider an application that does not comply with the deadline
for transmittal of applications.

4\. [Intergovernmental Review]{.underline}: 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]{.underline}: We reference regulations
outlining funding restrictions in the [Applicable
Regulations]{.underline} section of this notice.

6\. [Other Submission Requirements]{.underline}: 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.

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]{.underline}
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]{.underline}.

a\. [Electronic Submission of Applications]{.underline}.

Applications for grants under the Striving Readers program---CFDA Number
84.371A 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 program
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 6:00 a.m.
Monday until 7:00 p.m. Wednesday; and 6:00 a.m. Thursday until midnight
Saturday, Washington, DC time. Please note that the system is
unavailable on Sundays, and between 7:00 p.m. on Wednesdays and 6:00
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 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 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]{.underline}: 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
acknowledgement of any system unavailability, you may contact either (1)
the person listed elsewhere in this notice under [For Further
Information Contact]{.underline} (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]{.underline}: 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]{.underline}

• 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: Kathryn []{.mark}Doherty,
U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 3W309,
Washington, DC 20202-6132. FAX: (202) 205-0303.

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]{.underline}.

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]{.underline}:

U.S. Department of Education

Application Control Center

Attention: (CFDA Number 84.371A*)*

400 Maryland Avenue, SW.

Washington, DC 20202-4260

or

[By mail through a commercial carrier]{.underline}:

U.S. Department of Education

Application Control Center -- Stop 4260

Attention: (CFDA Number 84.371A)

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,

\(2\) 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]{.underline}: 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]{.underline}.

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: (Number 84.371A)

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 p.m., Washington, DC time, except Saturdays, Sundays,
and Federal holidays.

[Note for Mail or Hand Delivery of Paper Applications]{.underline}: 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

> [Selection Criteria]{.underline}:

The selection criteria for this program are from 34 CFR 75.210 of EDGAR
and are as follows. Further information about each of these selection
criteria is in the application package. The maximum score for each
criterion is listed in parentheses next to the title of the criterion.

\(i\) [Need for project]{.underline}. (5 points) The Secretary considers
the need for the proposed project. In determining the need for the
proposed project, the Secretary considers the following factors:

\(a\) The magnitude of the need for the services to be provided or the
activities to be carried out by the proposed project. (34 CFR
75.210(a)(2)(ii))

\(b\) The extent to which the proposed project will provide services or
otherwise address the needs of students at risk of educational failure.
(34 CFR 75.210(a)(2)(iii))

\(ii\) [Quality of the project design]{.underline}. (40 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:

a.  The extent to which the design of the proposed project is
    appropriate to, and will successfully address, the needs of the
    target population or other identified needs. (34 CFR
    75.210(c)(2)(ii))

\(b\) The extent to which the proposed project is based upon a specific
research design, and the quality and appropriateness of that design,
including the scientific rigor of the studies involved. (34 CFR
75.210(c)(2)(vi))

\(c\) The extent to which the design of the proposed project reflects
up-to-date knowledge from research and effective practice. (34 CFR
75.210(c)(2)(xiii))

\(iii\) [Quality of project personnel]{.underline}. (10 points) The
Secretary considers the quality of the personnel who will carry out the
proposed project. In determining the quality of project personnel, the
Secretary considers 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. (34 CFR 75.210(e)(1), (2))

In addition, the Secretary considers the following factors:

\(a\) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience, of
the project director. (34 CFR 75.210(e)(3)(i))

\(b\) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience of
key project personnel. (34 CFR 75.210(e)(3)(ii))**.**

\(c\) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience, of
project consultants or subcontractors. (34 CFR 75.210(e)(3)(iii))

\(iv\) [Adequacy of resources]{.underline}. (5 points) The Secretary
considers the adequacy of resources for the proposed project. In
determining the adequacy of resources for the proposed project, the
Secretary considers the following factors:

\(a\) The relevance and demonstrated commitment of each partner in the
proposed project to the implementation and success of the project. (34
CFR 75.210(f)(2)(ii))

\(b\) The extent to which the costs are reasonable in relation to the
objectives, design, and potential significance of the proposed project.
(34 CFR 75.210(f)(2)(iv))

\(v\) [Quality of the management plan]{.underline}. (5 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:

\(a\) 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. (34 CFR 75.210(g)(2)(i))

\(b\) 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. (34 CFR 75.210(g)(2)(iv))

\(vi\) [Quality of the project evaluation]{.underline}. (30 points) The
Secretary considers the quality of the evaluation to be conducted of the
proposed project. In determining the quality of the evaluation of the
proposed project, the Secretary considers the following factors:

\(a\) The extent to which the methods of evaluation are thorough,
feasible, and appropriate to the goals, objectives, and outcomes of the
proposed project. (34 CFR 75.210(h)(2)(i))

b.  The extent to which the methods of evaluation provide for examining
    the effectiveness of project outcomes and implementation strategies.
    (34 CFR 75.210(h)(2)(iii))

c.  The extent to which the evaluation will provide guidance about
    effective strategies suitable for replication or testing in other
    settings. (34 CFR 75.210(h)(2)(vii))

\(vii\) [Significance]{.underline}. (5 points) The Secretary considers
the significance of the proposed project. In determining the
significance of the proposed project, the Secretary considers the
following factor:

\(a\) The potential contribution of the proposed project to the
development and advancement of theory, knowledge, and practices in the
field of study. (34 CFR 75.210(b)(2)(vi))\
VI. Award Administration Information

1\. [Award Notices]{.underline}: If your application is successful, we
notify you in writing and post the list of successful applicants on the
Striving Readers Web site at
http://www.ed.gov/programs/strivingreaders/applicant.html. If your
application is successful, we also 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]{.underline}: We
identify administrative and national policy requirements in the
application package and reference these and other requirements in the
[Applicable Regulations]{.underline} section of this notice.

We reference the regulations outlining the terms and conditions of an
award in the [Applicable Regulations]{.underline} 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]{.underline}: At the end of your project period, you must
submit a final performance report, including financial information, as
directed by the Secretary. If you receive a multi-year award, you must
submit an annual performance report that provides the most current
performance and financial expenditure information as specified by the
Secretary in 34 CFR 75.118.

4\. [Performance Measures]{.underline}: Under the Government Performance
and Results Act of 1993 (GPRA), the Secretary has established the
following two measures for evaluating the overall effectiveness of the
Striving Readers program: (1) the percentage of adolescent students
reading significantly below grade level who demonstrate a gain in their
reading achievement, at a minimum of one grade level or its equivalent
after participating in an intensive intervention over an academic year;
and (2) the percentage of schools participating in the Striving Readers
intervention that demonstrate performance gains on their State's
assessment of reading or language arts achievement.

We will expect all grantees to document their success in addressing
these performance measures in the annual performance report referred to
in section VI. 3. of this notice.

#### VII. Agency Contact

[For Further Information Contact]{.underline}: Kathryn Doherty, U.S.
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 3W309,
Washington, DC 20202-6132. Telephone: (202) 205-6272 or by e-mail:
StrivingReaders@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.

#### VIII. Other Information

[Electronic Access to This Document]{.underline}: You may view this
document, as well as all other documents of this Department published in
the [Federal Register]{.underline}, 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]{.underline}: The official version of this document is the
document published in the [Federal Register]{.underline}. Free Internet
access to the official edition of the [Federal Register]{.underline} and

the Code of Federal Regulations is available on GPO Access at:
www.gpoaccess.gov/nara/index.html

Dated:

\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

Raymond Simon,

> [Deputy Secretary]{.underline}.

**Authorizing Statutory Language for Striving Readers**

Striving Readers is a discretionary grant program authorized as part of
the FY 2005 Appropriations Act under the Title I demonstration authority
(Part E, Section 1502 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of
1965 as amended by No Child Left Behind Act, 2001 - PL 107-110).

### 

#### SEC. 1502. DEMONSTRATIONS OF INNOVATIVE PRACTICES

\(a\) IN GENERAL- From the funds appropriated for any fiscal year under
section 1002(e)(1), the Secretary may award grants to State educational
agencies, local educational agencies, other public agencies, nonprofit
organizations, public or private partnerships involving business and
industry organizations, and consortia of such entities to carry out
demonstration projects that show the most promise of enabling children
served under this title to meet challenging State academic content
standards and challenging State student academic achievement standards.

\(b\) EVALUATION- The Secretary shall evaluate the demonstration
projects supported under this title, using rigorous methodological
designs and techniques, including control groups and random assignment,
to the extent feasible, to produce reliable evidence of effectiveness.

\(c\) PARTNERSHIPS- From funds appropriated under section 1002(e)(1) for
any fiscal year, the Secretary may, directly or through grants or
contracts, work in partnership with State educational agencies, local
educational agencies, other public agencies, and nonprofit organizations
to disseminate and use the highest quality research and knowledge about
effective practices to improve the quality of teaching and learning in
schools assisted under this title.

**[SEC. 1208. DEFINITIONS (from ESEA, Title I, Part B)]{.underline}**

\(3\) ESSENTIAL COMPONENTS OF READING INSTRUCTION- The term "essential
components of reading instruction" means explicit and systematic
instruction in ---

\(A\) phonemic awareness;

\(B\) phonics;

\(C\) vocabulary development;

\(D\) reading fluency, including oral reading skills; and

\(E\) reading comprehension strategies.

\(6\) SCIENTIFICALLY BASED READING RESEARCH- The term "scientifically
based reading research" means research that ---

\(A\) applies rigorous, systematic, and objective procedures to obtain
valid knowledge relevant to reading development, reading instruction,
and reading difficulties; and

\(B\) includes research that ---

> \(i\) employs systematic, empirical methods that draw on observation
> or experiment;
>
> \(ii\) involves rigorous data analyses that are adequate to test the
> stated hypotheses and justify the general conclusions drawn;
>
> \(iii\) relies on measurements or observational methods that provide
> valid data across evaluators and observers and across multiple
> measurements and observations; and
>
> \(iv\) has been accepted by a peer-reviewed journal or approved by a
> panel of independent experts through a comparably rigorous, objective,
> and scientific review.

(7)(B) SCREENING READING ASSESSMENT- The term "screening reading
assessment" means an assessment that is ---

\(i\) valid, reliable, and based on scientifically based reading
research; and

\(ii\) a brief procedure designed as a first step in identifying
children who may be at high risk for delayed development or academic
failure and in need of further diagnosis of their need for special
services or additional reading instruction.

(7)(C) DIAGNOSTIC READING ASSESSMENT- The term "diagnostic reading
assessment" means an assessment that is ---

\(i\) valid, reliable, and based on scientifically based reading
research; and

\(ii\) used for the purpose of ---

(I) identifying a child\'s specific areas of strengths and weaknesses;

(II) determining any difficulties that a child may have in learning to
     read and the potential cause of such difficulties; and

(III) helping to determine possible reading intervention strategies and
      related special needs.

**[SEC. 9101 DEFINITIONS (Title IX General Provisions,
ESEA)]{.underline}**

\(11\) CORE ACADEMIC SUBJECTS- The term "core academic subjects" means
English, reading or language arts, mathematics, science, foreign
languages, civics and government, economics, arts, history, and
geography.

\(23\) HIGHLY QUALIFIED- The term "highly qualified" ---

\(A\) when used with respect to any public elementary school or
secondary school teacher teaching in a State, means that ---

> \(i\) the teacher has obtained full State certification as a teacher
> (including certification obtained through alternative routes to
> certification) or passed the State teacher licensing examination, and
> holds a license to teach in such State, except that when used with
> respect to any teacher teaching in a public charter school, the term
> means that the teacher meets the requirements set forth in the
> State\'s public charter school law; and
>
> \(ii\) the teacher has not had certification or licensure requirements
> waived on an emergency, temporary, or provisional basis;

\(B\) when used with respect to ---

> \(i\) an elementary school teacher who is new to the profession, means
> that the teacher ---
>
> \(I\) holds at least a bachelor\'s degree; and
>
> \(II\) has demonstrated, by passing a rigorous State test, subject
> knowledge and teaching skills in reading, writing, mathematics, and
> other areas of the basic elementary school curriculum (which may
> consist of passing a State-required certification or licensing test or
> tests in reading, writing, mathematics, and other areas of the basic
> elementary school curriculum); or
>
> \(ii\) a middle or secondary school teacher who is new to the
> profession, means that the teacher holds at least a bachelor\'s degree
> and has demonstrated a high level of competency in each of the
> academic subjects in which the teacher teaches by ---
>
> \(I\) passing a rigorous State academic subject test in each of the
> academic subjects in which the teacher teaches (which may consist of a
> passing level of performance on a State-required certification or
> licensing test or tests in each of the academic subjects in which the
> teacher teaches); or
>
> \(II\) successful completion, in each of the academic subjects in
> which the teacher teaches, of an academic major, a graduate degree,
> coursework equivalent to an undergraduate academic major, or advanced
> certification or credentialing; and

\(C\) when used with respect to an elementary, middle, or secondary
school teacher who is not new to the profession, means that the teacher
holds at least a bachelor\'s degree and ---

> \(i\) has met the applicable standard in clause (i) or (ii) of
> subparagraph (B), which includes an option for a test; or
>
> \(ii\) demonstrates competence in all the academic subjects in which
> the teacher teaches based on a high objective uniform State standard
> of evaluation that ---
>
> \(I\) is set by the State for both grade appropriate academic subject
> matter knowledge and teaching skills;
>
> \(II\) is aligned with challenging State academic content and student
> academic achievement standards and developed in consultation with core
> content specialists, teachers, principals, and school administrators;
>
> \(III\) provides objective, coherent information about the teacher\'s
> attainment of core content knowledge in the academic subjects in which
> a teacher teaches;
>
> \(IV\) is applied uniformly to all teachers in the same academic
> subject and the same grade level throughout the State;
>
> \(V\) takes into consideration, but not be based primarily on, the
> time the teacher has been teaching in the academic subject;
>
> \(VI\) is made available to the public upon request; and
>
> \(VII\) may involve multiple, objective measures of teacher
> competency.

\(29\) OTHER STAFF- The term "other staff" means pupil services
personnel, librarians, career guidance and counseling personnel,
education aides, and other instructional and administrative personnel.

\(34\) PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT- The term \`professional
development\'\--

\(A\) includes activities that\--

> \(i\) improve and increase teachers\' knowledge of the academic
> subjects the teachers teach, and enable teachers to become highly
> qualified;
>
> \(ii\) are an integral part of broad schoolwide and districtwide
> educational improvement plans;
>
> \(iii\) give teachers, principals, and administrators the knowledge
> and skills to provide students with the opportunity to meet
> challenging State academic content standards and student academic
> achievement standards;

\(iv\) improve classroom management skills;

> (v)(I) are high quality, sustained, intensive, and classroom-focused
> in order to have a positive and lasting impact on classroom
> instruction and the teacher\'s performance in the classroom; and
>
> \(II\) are not 1-day or short-term workshops or conferences;
>
> \(vi\) support the recruiting, hiring, and training of highly
> qualified teachers, including teachers who became highly qualified
> through State and local alternative routes to certification;

\(vii\) advance teacher understanding of effective instructional
strategies that are\--

> \(I\) based on scientifically based research (except that this
> subclause shall not apply to activities carried out under part D of
> title II); and
>
> \(II\) strategies for improving student academic achievement or
> substantially increasing the knowledge and teaching skills of
> teachers; and

\(viii\) are aligned with and directly related to\--

> \(I\) State academic content standards, student academic achievement
> standards, and assessments; and
>
> \(II\) the curricula and programs tied to the standards described in
> subclause (I) except that this subclause shall not apply to activities
> described in clauses (ii) and (iii) of section 2123(3)(B);
>
> \(ix\) are developed with extensive participation of teachers,
> principals, parents, and administrators of schools to be served under
> this Act;
>
> \(x\) are designed to give teachers of limited English proficient
> children, and other teachers and instructional staff, the knowledge
> and skills to provide instruction and appropriate language and
> academic support services to those children, including the appropriate
> use of curricula and assessments;
>
> \(xi\) to the extent appropriate, provide training for teachers and
> principals in the use of technology so that technology and technology
> applications are effectively used in the classroom to improve teaching
> and learning in the curricula and core academic subjects in which the
> teachers teach;
>
> \(xii\) as a whole, are regularly evaluated for their impact on
> increased teacher effectiveness and improved student academic
> achievement, with the findings of the evaluations used to improve the
> quality of professional development;

\(xiii\) provide instruction in methods of teaching children with
special needs;

> \(xiv\) include instruction in the use of data and assessments to
> inform and instruct classroom practice; and
>
> \(xv\) include instruction in ways that teachers, principals, pupil
> services personnel, and school administrators may work more
> effectively with parents; and

\(B\) may include activities that\--

> \(i\) involve the forming of partnerships with institutions of higher
> education to establish school-based teacher training programs that
> provide prospective teachers and beginning teachers with an
> opportunity to work under the guidance of experienced teachers and
> college faculty;
>
> \(ii\) create programs to enable paraprofessionals (assisting teachers
> employed by a local educational agency receiving assistance under part
> A of title I) to obtain the education necessary for those
> paraprofessionals to become certified and licensed teachers; and
>
> \(iii\) provide follow-up training to teachers who have participated
> in activities described in subparagraph (A) or another clause of this
> subparagraph that are designed to ensure that the knowledge and skills
> learned by the teachers are implemented in the classroom.

\(38\) SECONDARY SCHOOL- The term secondary school\' means a nonprofit
institutional day or residential school, including a public secondary
charter school, that provides secondary education, as determined under
State law, except that the term does not include any education beyond
grade 12.

\(42\) TEACHER MENTORING- The term teacher mentoring\' means activities
that ---

\(A\) consist of structured guidance and regular and ongoing support for
teachers, especially beginning teachers, that ---

\(i\) are designed to help the teachers continue to improve their
practice of teaching and to develop their instructional skills; and

part of an ongoing developmental induction process ---

\(I\) involve the assistance of an exemplary teacher and other
appropriate individuals from a school, local educational agency, or
institution of higher education; and

\(II\) may include coaching, classroom observation, team teaching, and
reduced teaching loads; and

\(B\) may include the establishment of a partnership by a local
educational agency with an institution of higher education, another
local educational agency, a teacher organization, or another
organization.

# Section C:

# 

# STRIVING READERS

#  APPLICATION 

# 

# CFDA No. 84.371A

**The Application Process\
**

**Application Deadline\
Application Procedures and Instructions**

**Application Selection Criteria**

**Application Budget Information**

**Application Final Checklist**

**Application Forms and Notice:**

ED Form 424 (Application For Federal Assistance -- CFDA \# 84.371A)

ED Form 524 (Budget Information Form -- CFDA \# 84.371A)

Assurances -- Non-Construction Programs (Standard Form 424B)

Certification Regarding Lobbying; Debarment, Supervision and Other
Responsibility Matters; and Drug Free Workplace Requirements (ED Form
80-0013)

Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF LLL) (submit if applicable)

Notice to All Applicants (Section 427, GEPA)

**Other Important Information:**

Executive Order 12372 (Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs)

Single State Point of Contact List

Important Notice to Prospective Participants in U.S. Department of
Education Contract and Grant Programs

### The Application Process

In the Striving Readers application process, peer reviewers will
evaluate applications based on the application selection criteria.
Before each application is reviewed, Department program staff will
screen applications to ensure that they meet the absolute priorities
included in the Federal Register notice. The Department will prepare a
rank order of the applications as determined by the total score assigned
by peer reviewers against the selection criteria.

The Secretary then determines which applications will be selected for
funding, considering the quality of the applications, including their
rank order. The Secretary may make awards so that Striving Readers
funding is balanced between projects serving middle and high school
students. The Department will make award determinations under section
75.217 of the Education Department General Administrative Regulations
(EDGAR).

### Application Deadline

Applications for grants under this program must be submitted
electronically using the Department's e-Grants system, accessible
through the e-Grants portal page at: http://e-grants.ed.gov. **The
deadline for electronic submission of Striving Readers program
applications is 4:30 p.m. (Washington, DC time) on November 14, 2005.**

### Instructions for Electronic Submission of Your Application

Applications for grants under this program must be submitted
electronically using the Department's e-Grants system, accessible
through the e-Grants portal page at: http://e-grants.ed.gov, unless you
qualify for an exception to this 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 an
application to us.

We will reject your application if you submit it in paper format unless
you qualify for one of the exceptions to the electronic submission
requirement [and]{.underline} 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.

You must submit all documents electronically, including the Application
for Federal Education Assistance (ED 424). Any narrative sections of
your application should 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
the Federal Register Notice.

#### Deadline for Electronic Submission

You must complete the electronic submission of your grant application by
4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on November 14, 2005. The e-Grants
system will not accept an application for this program after 4:30 p.m.,
Washington, DC time, on November 14, 2005. [Therefore, we strongly
recommend that you do not wait until the application deadline date to
begin the application process.]{.underline}

The regular 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 midnight
Saturday, Washington, DC time. Please note that the system is
unavailable on Sundays, and between 7:00 p.m. on Wednesdays and 6:00
a.m. on Thursdays, Washington, DC time, for maintenance. Any
modifications to these hours are posted on the e-Grants Web site.

#### After Submitting Your Application Electronically

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 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.

#### Tips for Electronic Submission

-   We strongly recommend that you do not wait until the application
    deadline date to begin the application process.

-   Prior to submitting your electronic application, we recommend that
    you print a copy of it for your records.

-   For technical assistance with the e-Application system, contact the
    e-Grants Help Desk at 1-888-336-8930.

#### Application Deadline Date Extension in Case of 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]{.underline} in order to transmit your application electronically,
by mail, or by hand delivery.

We will grant this extension if\--

You are a registered user of e-Application and you have initiated an
electronic application for this competition;

> And
>
> 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

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
acknowledgement of any system unavailability, you may contact either

Striving Readers Program Office

\(202\) 205-6272

[StrivingReaders@ed.gov](mailto:Sally.Program@ed.gov)

Or

> e-Grants Help Desk
>
> 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]{.underline}
>
> No later than two weeks before the application deadline date 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.

Address and mail or fax your statement to:

> Kathryn Doherty
>
> Striving Readers
>
> Office of Elementary and Secondary Education
>
> 400 Maryland Ave, SW
>
> Room 3W309
>
> Washington DC, 20202-6132

Fax: (202) 205-0303

Your paper application must be submitted in accordance with the mail or
hand delivery instructions described in this notice.

#### Submission of Paper Applications by Mail

If you qualify for any 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]{.underline}:
>
> U.S. Department of Education
>
> Application Control Center
>
> Attention: CFDA Number 84.371A
>
> 400 Maryland Avenue, SW.
>
> Washington, DC 20202-4260
>
> Or
>
> [By mail through a commercial carrier]{.underline}:
>
> U.S. Department of Education
>
> Application Control Center -- Stop 4260
>
> Attention: CFDA Number 84.371A
>
> 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,

> \(2\) 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.

#### 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 84.371A

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 p.m., Washington, DC time, except Saturdays, Sundays,
and Federal holidays.

#### 

### The Application Contents

Applicants must submit an Abstract, an Application Narrative addressing
the application selection criteria, and the additional forms/materials
indicated below and in the Application Final Checklist.

#### Part I of the Application -- ED Form 424 and Abstract

[ED FORM 424]{.underline}

Applicants must complete and submit ED Form 424 with their application
narrative.

[Abstract]{.underline}

Applicants must submit a one-page, double-spaced Abstract, briefly
describing their proposed project. Do not number this page. Place the
name of the applicant at the top of the page.

#### Part II of the Application - Narrative

[Application Narrative]{.underline}

Peer reviewers will evaluate each application on how well it responds to
the seven application selection criteria. The maximum number of points
that an application may receive on the application selection criteria is
100. [We strongly encourage applicants to limit the narrative to 60
pages and to respond to the application selection criteria and factors
in the order in which they are listed.]{.underline}

[Absolute Priority 2 \-- Projects that include three required
components]{.underline}

In order to be considered for funding, proposed projects must include
three required components. These components are:

1.  School level strategies designed to increase reading achievement for
    students by improving the quality of literacy instruction across the
    curriculum -- These strategies must include, at a minimum, a needs
    assessment, professional development, and a process for monitoring
    student performance.

2.  Intensive, targeted intervention for struggling readers (i.e.,
    students who read at least two years below grade level, including
    limited English proficient students and students with disabilities)
    -- The intervention must include, at a minimum, assessments to
    identify struggling readers, a supplementary literacy intervention
    designed to accelerate the development of literacy skills for these
    readers, professional development for their teachers, and a process
    for monitoring student progress that includes the administration of
    student assessments.

3.  A project evaluation that includes a rigorous experimental
    evaluation of the targeted intervention for struggling readers. The
    evaluation of the intensive, targeted intervention must be conducted
    by an independent evaluator and must include a randomized control
    trial. There also must be a rigorous evaluation of the school-level
    strategies designed to increase reading achievement for students by
    improving literacy instruction throughout the curriculum. The
    evaluation of the school-level strategies must be conducted by an
    independent evaluator and may, but need not, include a randomized
    control trial.

While not required, it would be helpful and would expedite the review
process if applicants could highlight either with titles, underlining,
or bold font type where they have addressed these requirements in their
application.

Place the name of the applicant and the page number at the top of each
page of the Application Narrative.

#### Part III of the Application -- Budget and Budget Narrative

For the Application Budget, applicants must use ED Form 524, Section A
only, which is attached and also available on ED's website. [Applicants
must complete Section A, columns for the all years of the proposed
project (up to 5 years), and the total column. Section B is not
applicable to these grants.]{.underline}

[This Budget must be accompanied by a Budget Narrative (which serves to
meet the requirements of ED Form 524, Section C) that is no more than
five double-spaced pages]{.underline}. Place the name of the applicant
and the page number at the top of each page of the Budget Narrative.
Number each page consecutively with the first page of the Budget
Narrative listed as page 1. In the budget narrative, identify the
general nature and amounts of proposed expenditures within budget
categories and provide a brief justification of how you intend to spend
the funds requested for each budget category. Include enough detail to
enable reviewers and project staff to understand [what]{.underline} the
funds will be used for, [how much]{.underline} will be expended, and the
relationship between expended funds and project activities and outcomes.

#### Part IV of the Application -- Appendices

#### Additional Information Supporting Selection Criterion One, Need for the Project

Include:

a)  The names, addresses, and instructional level of each of the schools
    to be included in the project.

b)  Information that addresses Absolute Priority 1 -- Schools Eligible
    to Receive Title I Funds. Include assurances of each participating
    school's eligibility for Title I, Part A funding.

c)  The demographics of the entire population of each of the schools to
    be included in the project. Include at a minimum data on poverty,
    ethnicity, number of English language learners, and children with
    special needs

d)  Information regarding the qualification of the schools' teachers and
    instructional staff. Include information regarding the percentage of
    highly qualified teachers.

e)  Information regarding the overall level of achievement in reading
    for the entire school population, the number of struggling readers,
    and any information related to the school's AYP status.

f)  The current reading instructional program implemented at each school
    if there is one.

g)  Any recent or current initiatives undertaken by each school included
    in the application to raise reading achievement.

h)  Any federal, state, or local programs with which the proposed
    project will coordinate or collaborate.

While applicants are not required to do so, some of this information may
be provided in chart format or by submitting copies of school report
cards.

[Additional Information Supporting Selection Criterion Two, Quality of
the Project Design]{.underline}

Include endnote citations for research cited specifically in the
Application Narrative. A specific citation style is not required,
however, each reference should include at a minimum the author(s), the
title of the book, or journal and article, and the date of publication.

[Curriculum Vitae or Resumes of Five Key Persons]{.underline}

Submit curriculum vitae for key personnel including key contract
personnel and consultants. [Include no more than 3 one-sided pages for
each curriculum vita submitted.]{.underline}

[Demonstration of Stakeholder Support]{.underline}

Include documentation that demonstrates the support of the application
by those stakeholders who would implement it, and may include
principals, teachers, and paraprofessionals. This documentation should
reflect an understanding of the proposed project and the stakeholders'
willingness to carry out and participate in the proposed project's
activities.

### Page and Formatting Standards

-   A page is 8.5", on one side only, with 1" margins at the top,
    bottom, and both sides. The name of the applicant and the page
    number should be placed in the header of the document. Headers may
    be placed in the margins.

-   Double space (no more than three lines per vertical inch) all text
    in the application narrative, including titles, headings,
    quotations, and references included in the body of the narrative.

-   Text in endnotes, charts, tables, figures and graphs may be
    single-spaced.

-   Use a font that is either 12 point or larger or no smaller than 10
    pitch (characters per inch), including text in endnotes, charts,
    tables, figures, and graphs.

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------
  NOTE: Do not include any enclosures or appendices other than those
  listed on the "Application Final Checklist." The Department will
  instruct peer reviewers to base their evaluations and scoring only on
  the information contained in the Application Narrative and the other
  limited materials listed in the Application Final Checklist. Any other
  materials, including non-print materials such as videotapes or CDs,
  will not be considered.

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------

[If you receive an exception to submit your application in paper
format]{.underline}: Submit the signed original application in a format
that will ensure that the application stays intact (such as staples or
binder clips), and that no pages are lost during our handling and review
processes (for example, do not use rubber bands or paper clips).
Although not required, it will facilitate the application review process
if applicants include [two additional copies for a total of one original
and four copies]{.underline} of their application. Please do not submit
your application bound or in a three-ring binder.

#### 

### Application Selection Criteria

Each of the selection criteria listed below is critical to the design
and implementation of high-quality Striving Readers projects. This
application must address both of the absolute priorities in addition to
the seven selection criteria listed below.

Department program staff will review applications to ensure that
applicants are eligible and that they meet the absolute priorities
included in the Federal Register notice. The Department, through a peer
review panel of experts, will evaluate each application based on the
application selection criteria (worth up to 100 points).

The Department will select applicants for funding based on the quality
of the applications, including their rank order based on the application
selection criteria. Additionally, the Department may make awards so that
Striving Readers funding is balanced between projects serving middle
school and high school students. In making funding decisions, the
Department will use the procedures in section 75.217 of EDGAR, 34 CFR
75.217.

**Selection Criteria Maximum Points**

1.  **Need for Project 5 points**

2.  **Quality of the Project Design 40 points**

3.  **Quality of Project Personnel 10 points**

4.  **Adequacy of Resources 5 points**

5.  **Quality of Management Plan 5 points**

6.  **Quality of the Project Evaluation 30 points**

7.  **Significance 5 points**

########  {#section-6 .unnumbered}

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| ######## Reminder to Applicants: Th                                   |
| e applicant should prepare the Application Narrative to respond to th |
| e Application Selection Criteria in the order in which they are liste |
| d. Applicants should ensure that their applications include all infor |
| mation needed by the reviewers to evaluate their proposals. To avoid  |
| redundancy within the application, information that the applicant pro |
| vides in one section of the application may be cross-referenced in an |
| other section. Reviewers will base their evaluation of the applicatio |
| n on the Application Narrative, the Budget and the Budget Narrative a |
| nd other limited materials listed in the Application Final Checklist. |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

######## 

######## Detailed Application Selection Criteria for the Striving Readers Program

**PART II - APPLICATION NARRATIVE- ADDRESS EACH OF THE FOLLOWING
APPLICATION SELECTION CRITERIA**

The Secretary will use the following selection criteria in Section
75.210 of EDGAR (34 CFR 75.210) to evaluate applications under this
competition. The maximum score for all of these selection criteria is
100 points. The maximum score for each criterion is indicated below. The
Department strongly recommends using [no more than a total of 60
double-spaced pages]{.underline} to address all of the following
application selection criteria. The criteria follow in the boxes below.

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **1. NEED FOR PROJECT (0-10 points)**                                 |
|                                                                       |
| **The Secretary considers the need for the proposed project. In       |
| determining the need for the proposed project, the Secretary          |
| considers the following factors:**                                    |
|                                                                       |
| *Selection Criterion 1, Factor 1:* The magnitude of the need for the  |
| services to be provided or the activities to be carried out by the    |
| proposed project. (34 CFR 75.210(a)(2)(ii))                           |
|                                                                       |
| *Selection Criterion 1, Factor 2:* The extent to which the proposed   |
| project will provide services or otherwise address the needs of       |
| students at risk of educational failure. (34 CFR 75.210(a)(2)(iii))   |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

NOTE: Applicants may address this selection criterion in any way they
choose. However, the Secretary believes that high-quality applications
addressing the above criterion likely will --

1)  [Describe setting(s) in which the proposed project will be
    implemented and demonstrate specifc literacy needs of students.
    Include:]{.smallcaps}

    a.  The names, addresses, and instructional level of each of the
        schools to be included in the project.

    b.  Information that addresses absolute priority 1, Schools Eligible
        to Receive Title I Funds. Include information confirming each
        participating school's eligibility for Title I, Part A funding.

    c.  The demographics of the population of each of the schools to be
        included in the project. Include at a minimum data on poverty,
        ethnicity, number of English language learners, and children
        with special needs.

    d.  Information regarding the qualification of the schools' teachers
        and instructional staff. Include information regarding the
        percentage of highly qualified teachers.

    e.  Information regarding the overall level of achievement in
        reading for the entire school population, the number of
        struggling readers, and any information related to the school's
        AYP status.

    f.  The current reading instructional program implemented at each
        school, if applicable.

    g.  Any recent or current initiatives undertaken by the SEA, the LEA
        or each school to raise reading achievement in each of the
        schools to be included in the project.

    h.  Any federal, state, or local programs with which the proposed
        project will coordinate or collaborate.

**While applicants are not required to do so, this information may be
provided in chart format.**

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **2. Quality of the project design. (0 to 40 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:**             |
|                                                                       |
| *Selection Criterion 2, Factor 1:* **The extent to which the design   |
| of the proposed project is appropriate to, and will successfully      |
| address, the needs of the target population or other identified       |
| needs. (34 CFR 75.210(c)(2)(ii))**                                    |
|                                                                       |
| *Selection Criterion 2, Factor 2:* **The extent to which the proposed |
| project is based upon a specific research design, and the quality and |
| appropriateness of that design, including the scientific rigor of the |
| studies involved. (34 CFR 75.210(c)(2)(vi))**                         |
|                                                                       |
| *Selection Criterion 2, Factor 3:* **The extent to which design of    |
| the proposed project reflects up-to-date knowledge from research and  |
| effective practice. (34 CFR 75.210(c)(2)(xiii))**                     |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

NOTE: Applicants may address this selection criterion in any way they
choose. However, the Secretary believes that high-quality applications
addressing the above criterion likely will --

1)  [Describe the program designed to increase reading achievement
    throughout the school by improving the quality of literacy
    instruction across the curriculum. Include:]{.smallcaps}

    a.  The assessment process that the proposed project will use to
        inform the planning and implementation of the program designed
        to increase reading achievement throughout the school.

    b.  The goals of the proposed program designed to increase reading
        achievement throughout the school. Describe the extent to which
        program will address:

        i.  Reading comprehension -- Understanding, remembering, and
            communicating with others about what has been read.
            Comprehension strategies are sets of steps that purposeful,
            active readers use to make sense of text.

        ii. Reading fluency, including oral reading skills -- Fluency is
            the ability to read text accurately and quickly. It provides
            a bridge between word recognition and comprehension. Fluent
            readers recognize words and comprehend at the same time.

        iii. Vocabulary -- Development of stored information about the
             meanings and pronunciation of words necessary for
             communication. There are four types of vocabulary:
             listening, speaking, reading and writing.

        iv. Motivation and self directed learning -- building motivation
            to read and learn and providing students with the
            instructions and supports needed for continued independent
            learning.

        v.  Phonemic awareness and phonics if necessary.

    c.  An outline of the instructional strategies of the proposed
        research-based program designed to increase reading achievement
        throughout the school. Describe the extent to which the program
        will include

        i.  Direct, explicit instruction.

        ii. Reading instruction that uses texts and content from
            student's content-area courses.

    d.  A description of the professional development for the teachers
        or other instructional staff this is designed to increase
        reading achievement throughout the school. Include:

        i.  An outline of the goals for the project's proposed
            professional development program.

        ii. The expected participants.

        iii. A description of the content and scope and sequence of the
             professional development to be provided.

        iv. An explanation of the strategies and materials that will be
            implemented in the professional development that will ensure
            that it will be classroom focused and will enhance the
            implementation of the curricula, materials and instructional
            strategies adopted.

        v.  The number of hours, the frequency, and the method of
            delivery of the professional development for each teacher
            and the extent to which the professional development will be
            high quality, sustained and intensive.

        vi. If literacy coaching is provided as part of the professional
            development plan, the qualifications and responsibilities of
            the literacy coach(es) and explain the link between the
            literacy coaching and any professional development delivered
            in a classroom or workshop setting.

    e.  A description of the process that the proposed project will use
        to monitor the progress of the research-based program designed
        to increase reading achievement throughout the school.

2)  [Describe the research-based supplementary literacy intervention
    designed to accelerate the development of literacy skills for
    struggling adolescent readers. Include:]{.smallcaps}

    a.  A description of the process that the proposed project will use
        to identify struggling readers.

    b.  The assessment process that the proposed project will use to
        plan instruction for each struggling reader.

    c.  The goals of the proposed supplementary literacy intervention
        designed to accelerate the development of literacy skills for
        struggling adolescent readers. Describe the extent to which the
        intervention will address:

        i.  Reading comprehension -- Understanding, remembering, and
            communicating with others about what has been read.
            Comprehension strategies are sets of steps that purposeful,
            active readers use to make sense of text.

        ii. Reading fluency, including oral reading skills -- Fluency is
            the ability to read text accurately and quickly. It provides
            a bridge between word recognition and comprehension. Fluent
            readers recognize words and comprehend at the same time.

        iii. Vocabulary -- Development of stored information about the
             meanings and pronunciation of words necessary for
             communication. There are four types of vocabulary:
             listening, speaking, reading and writing.

        iv. Phonics - The understanding that there is a predictable
            relationship between phonemes -- the sounds of spoken
            language -- and graphemes -- the letters and spellings
            representing those sounds in written language. Readers use
            these relationships to recognize familiar words accurately
            and automatically and to decode unfamiliar words.

        v.  Phonemic Awareness -- The ability to hear, identify and
            manipulate the individual sounds -- phonemes -- in spoken
            words. Phonemic awareness is the understanding that the
            sounds of spoken language work together to make words.

        vi. Motivation and self directed learning -- Building motivation
            to read and learn and providing students with the
            instructions and supports needed for continued independent
            learning.

    d.  An outline of the instructional strategies of the proposed
        intervention for struggling readers. Describe the extent to
        which the proposed intervention for struggling readers will
        include:

        i.  Extended instructional time.

        ii. Direct, explicit instruction.

        iii. Intensive, individualized instruction.

        iv. Reading instruction that utilizes texts and content from
            student's content-area courses.

    e.  A description of the professional development for the teachers
        or other instructional staff providing the intervention to
        struggling readers. Include:

        i.  An outline of the goals for the project's proposed
            professional development program.

        ii. The expected participants.

        iii. A description of the content and scope and sequence of the
             professional development to be provided.

        iv. An explanation of the strategies and materials that will be
            implemented in the professional development that will ensure
            that it will be classroom focused and will enhance the
            implementation of the curricula, materials and instructional
            strategies.

        v.  The number of hours, the frequency, and the method of
            delivery of the professional development for each teacher
            and the extent to which the professional development will be
            high quality, sustained and intensive.

        vi. If literacy coaching is provided as part of the professional
            development plan, the qualifications of the literacy
            coach(es) and explain the link between the literacy coaching
            and any professional development delivered in a classroom or
            workshop setting.

    f.  A description of the process that the proposed project will use
        to monitor the progress of struggling readers and how
        instructional decisions will be made based on data.

3)  [Describe evidence that the proposed intervention and program show
    promise in substantially raising student achievement in reading.
    include:]{.smallcaps}

    a.  A description of evaluations or research studies that have been
        conducted of the proposed intervention and school level program.

    b.  Information about the design and methodology of these studies,
        such as the use of random assignment versus a comparison group,
        the sample sizes, and the analysis techniques employed.

    c.  Information about the results from the studies, including the
        evidence of effectiveness or successful outcomes and any
        implementation lessons that would be useful for the applicant to
        take into account.

    d.  Include, as needed, [in the appendices]{.underline}, full
        endnote citations supporting the research basis for the Quality
        of Project Design (Selection Criterion 2) narrative. Do not
        include a general reference bibliography.

    e.  Explain the extent to which the body of research on which the
        project is based meets the definition of scientifically based
        reading research in Section 1208 of the ESEA.

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| 3\. Quality of Project Personnel (0-10 points)                        |
|                                                                       |
| **The Secretary considers the quality of personnel who will carry out |
| the proposed project. In determining the quality of project           |
| personnel, the Secretary considers 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. (34 CFR     |
| 75.210(e)(1),(2)) In addition, the Secretary considers the following  |
| factors:**                                                            |
|                                                                       |
| ***Selection Criterion 3, Factor 1:* The qualifications, including    |
| relevant training and experience, of the project director or          |
| principal investigator. (34 CFR 75.210(e)(3)(i))**                    |
|                                                                       |
| ***Selection Criterion 3, Factor 2:* The qualifications, including    |
| relevant training and additional experience, of key project           |
| personnel. (34 CFR 75.210(e)(3)(ii))**                                |
|                                                                       |
| Selection Criterion 3, Factor 3: **The qualifications, including      |
| relevant training and experience, of project consultants or           |
| subcontractors. (34 CFR 75.210(e)(3)(iii))**                          |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

NOTE: Applicants may address this selection criterion in any way they
choose. However, the Secretary believes that high-quality applications
addressing the above criterion likely will --

1)  Specify the steps the proposed project will take to ensure equitable
    employment practices. The response to this selection criterion,
    along with the applicant's response to Quality of the Project Design
    (Selection Criterion 2), will constitute the applicant's response to
    Section 427 of the General Education Provisions Act.

2)  Demonstrate the leadership experience of the proposed project
    director, including his/her past success with implementing large
    projects, bringing together different entities to work together
    towards a common goal, and building capacity for sustained
    improvement within an organization.

3)  Demonstrate the qualifications of the project director to serve as
    the instructional leader for a project grounded in scientifically
    based reading research and adolescent literacy practices.

4)  Discuss the training, qualifications, and experience of the
    principal investigator/evaluator, including his/her experience in
    designing and conducting randomized control trials in the education
    field.

5)  Discuss the training, qualifications, and experience of any other
    key personnel, including any professional development providers.

6)  Discuss the training, qualifications, and experience of all entities
    with whom the proposed project will contract, especially those
    providing the professional development and evaluation services, if
    applicable.

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| 4\. Adequacy of Resources (0-5 points)                                |
|                                                                       |
| **The Secretary considers the adequacy of resources for the proposed  |
| project. In determining the adequacy of resources for the proposed    |
| project, the Secretary considers the following factors:**             |
|                                                                       |
| ***Selection Criterion 4, Factor 1:* The relevance and demonstrated   |
| commitment of each partner in the proposed project to the             |
| implementation and success of the project. (34 CFR                    |
| 75.210(f)(2)(ii))**                                                   |
|                                                                       |
| ***Selection Criterion 4, Factor 2*: The extent to which the costs    |
| are reasonable in relation to the objectives, design, and potential   |
| significance of the proposed project. (34 CFR 75.210(f)(2)(iv))**     |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

NOTE: Applicants may address this selection criterion in any way they
choose. However, the Secretary believes that high-quality applications
addressing the above criterion likely will --

1)  Demonstrate the support of the application by those stakeholders who
    would implement it, particularly teachers, principals and their
    local professional organizations. The Secretary considers "partners"
    in the context of this factor to mean those stakeholders. If the
    successful implementation of the application requires the
    involvement or commitment of individuals or entities (for example,
    attending a certain number of hours of professional development,
    implementing new curriculum, or providing a certain number of
    release hours, etc.), then demonstrate their understanding of the
    proposed project and the willingness of the individuals and entities
    involved to carry it out. While not required, 10 one-sided pages of
    documentation providing evidence that the individuals and entities
    whose cooperation is crucial to the successful implementation of the
    proposed project understand it and are willing to support it may be
    included [in the appendices]{.underline}.

2)  Some LEAs require that any research activities carried out in the
    district be reviewed and approved by their research office or an
    Institutional Review Board (IRB). Districts must submit letters of
    approval from these offices or boards in support of their
    applications.

3)  Explain the adequacy of the proposed costs in relation to the
    proposed activities, the number of persons to be served, and the
    anticipated results and benefits.

4)  Explain the adequacy of the proposed costs in relation to the
    significance of improvements of the proposed project over the
    existing school program.

5)  Explain the adequacy of the proposed costs in relation to the
    increases in student achievement that would likely be attained by
    adolescents who are served by the proposed project.

6)  Explain the adequacy of the proposed costs in relation to the scope
    and scale of the evaluation to be conducted, particularly the
    randomized control trial.

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| 5\. Quality of ManageMENT PLAN (0-5 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:                                                              |
|                                                                       |
| ***Selection Criterion 5, Factor 1*: 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. (34 CFR               |
| 75.210(g)(2)(i))**                                                    |
|                                                                       |
| ***Selection Criterion 5, Factor 2*: 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. (34 CFR 75.210(g)(2)(iv))**       |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

NOTE: Applicants may address this selection criterion in any way they
choose. However, the Secretary believes that high-quality applications
addressing the above criterion likely will --

1)  Provide a management plan for achieving the proposed project's
    goals.

2)  Include benchmarks for each goal, project activities that support
    each benchmark, and a timeline that indicates when each of the
    activities will begin and target dates for completion.

3)  Specify objective indicators of achievement for each benchmark.

4)  Assign responsibility for each activity.

5)  Specify the number of hours per week each key person will dedicate
    to project activities. Applicants may consider anyone who has
    oversight or project-wide responsibilities a key person, including
    when applicable, the project director, the principal
    investigator/evaluator, the project manager or coordinator, and the
    provider(s) of the professional development.

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| 6\. Quality of the Project EvaluATion (0-30 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:            |
|                                                                       |
| ***Selection Criterion 6, Factor 1:* The extent to which the methods  |
| of evaluation are thorough, feasible, and appropriate to the goals,   |
| objectives, and outcomes of the proposed project. (34 CFR             |
| 75.210(h)(2)(i))**                                                    |
|                                                                       |
| ***Selection Criterion 6, Factor 2:* The extent to which the methods  |
| of evaluation provide for examining the effectiveness of project      |
| outcomes and implementation strategies. (34 CFR 75.210(h)(2)(iii))**  |
|                                                                       |
| ***Selection Criterion 6, Factor 3:* The extent to which the          |
| evaluation will provide guidance about effective strategies suitable  |
| for replication or testing in other settings. (34 CFR                 |
| 75.210(h)(2)(vii))**                                                  |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

NOTE: Applicants may address this selection criterion in any way they
choose. However, the Secretary believes that high-quality applications
addressing the above criterion likely will --

1)  Describe a project evaluation that includes a rigorous experimental
    design that will evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention for
    struggling readers and an evaluation of the program designed to
    increase reading achievement throughout the school by improving the
    quality of literacy instruction across the curriculum. In the
    description of the evaluations, include:

    a.  The extent to which the evaluation will employ systematic,
        empirical methods consistent with a rigorous experimental
        design.

    b.  How schools and/or students will be recruited to participate in
        the evaluation.

    c.  When applicable, the number of schools or students that will be
        randomly assigned and the extent to which the numbers provide
        sufficient statistical power to detect reasonable effect sizes
        or impacts.

    d.  When applicable, the procedures that will be used to randomly
        assign schools or students to the treatment or the control group
        and any procedures that will be instituted to prevent
        undermining of the randomization process.

    e.  The baseline data that will be collected before the
        intervention.

    f.  A description of the valid and reliable assessments that will be
        used to measure the extent to which the proposed project
        attained each of its goals.

    g.  The timing of assessments and who will administer them.

    h.  A description of the extent to which the evaluation involves
        rigorous data analyses adequate to test the stated hypotheses
        and justify the conclusions drawn.

    i.  The extent to which the trial will evaluate long-term student
        outcomes.

    j.  The procedures that will be used to reduce attrition of students
        from both the program and the evaluation's data collection.

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| **7. Significance (0-10 points)**                                     |
|                                                                       |
| **The Secretary considers the significance of the proposed project.   |
| In determining the significance of the proposed project, the          |
| Secretary considers the following factor:**                           |
|                                                                       |
| *Selection Criterion 7, Factor 1*: The potential contribution of the  |
| proposed project to the development and advancement of theory,        |
| knowledge, and practices in the field of study. (34 CFR               |
| 75.210(b)(2)(vi))                                                     |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

NOTE: Applicants may address this selection criterion in any way they
choose. However, the Secretary believes that high-quality applications
addressing the above criterion likely will --

1)  Demonstrate that the proposed project is likely to result in
    significant improvement in adolescent literacy and that the
    materials, programs, and procedures implemented could be replicated.

2)  Demonstrate that the implementation of the proposed project has the
    potential to suggest new best practices and effective strategies in
    the field of adolescent literacy that are tied to scientifically
    based reading research.

### PART III-BUDGET INFORMATION

In order to be considered for Federal funding each applicant must
provide the following with its application:

-   ED Form 524 Section A

-   A descriptive Budget Narrative (up to 5 double-spaced pages and
    serves to meet the requirements of ED Form 524, Section C) that
    explains the requested Federal amounts for individual cost
    categories, for all proposed project years.

#### ED FORM 524

ED Form 524 Section A is used to apply to individual U.S. Department of
Education discretionary grant programs. All applicants must complete
Section A, including columns a-e (one for each proposed project year),
[and]{.underline} column f. (the total column). (Do not complete Section
B.)

*[Instruction to Complete ED Form 524, Section A]{.underline}*

**[Name:]{.underline}** Enter the name of the applicant organization(s)
or institution(s) in the blank space provided.

**[Personnel (line 1):]{.underline}** Enter project personnel salaries
and wages only. Include fees and expenses for consultants on line 6.

**[Fringe Benefits (line 2):]{.underline}** The institution's normal
fringe benefit contribution may be charged to the program. Leave this
line blank if fringe benefits applicable to direct salaries and wages
are treated as part of the indirect cost.

**[Travel (line 3):]{.underline}** Indicate the travel costs of
employees and participants only. (Please include travel to at least one
Striving Readers conference in Year 1 of your project.) Include travel
of such persons as consultants and trainees on line 6.

**[Equipment (line 4):]{.underline}** Indicate the cost of
non-expendable personal property that has a usefulness of greater than
one year, and acquisition cost that is the lesser of the capitalization
level established by the applicant entity for financial statement
purposes, or \$5,000 per article. Lower limits may be established to
maintain consistency with the applicant's policy.

**[Supplies (line 5):]{.underline}** Show all tangible personal property
except that included on line 4.

**[Contractual (line 6):]{.underline}** Include consultant travel costs
and fees.

**[Construction (line 7):]{.underline}** Not applicable.

**[Other (line 8):]{.underline}** Indicate all direct costs not covered
on lines 1-6. Examples are equipment rental, required fees,
communication costs, or printing costs.

**[Total Direct Costs (line 9):]{.underline}** The sum of lines 1-8.

**[Indirect Costs (line 10):]{.underline}** Indicate the applicant's
approved, unrestricted, indirect cost rate, per sections 75.560 --
75.580 of EDGAR. If an applicant does not have an approved indirect cost
rate agreement with a cognizant Federal agency, the applicant must apply
to ED for a temporary indirect cost rate if it wishes to charge indirect
costs to the grant.

For more information, go to ED's website at:
<http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocfo/fipao/icgindex.html>

or call the Indirect Cost group at (202) 708-8787.

**[Training Stipends (line 11)]{.underline}**: Indicate the level of
awards given to participants either in the forms of stipends
(non-repayable), or in the form of scholarships for tuition and fees.

**[Total Cost (line 12):]{.underline}** This should equal the sum of
lines 9-11 (total direct costs + indirect + stipends). The sum for
column F, labeled *Total,* should also be equal to item 14(g) on the
application face sheet (ED Form 424)

**DETAILED BUDGET NARRATIVE**

Each application must provide a Budget Narrative (which serves to meet
the requirements of Form 524, Section C) for requested Federal funds. We
strongly encourage you to limit your Budget Narrative to the equivalent
of no more than **[5 double-spaced pages]{.underline},** using a font
that is either 12-point or larger or no smaller than 10 pitch
(characters per inch).

The Budget Narrative for requested Federal funds should provide a
justification of how money requested per budget category is intended to
be spent. This Budget Narrative provides an opportunity for the
applicant to identify the nature and amount of the proposed
expenditures. There should be enough detail to enable reviewers and
project staff to understand [what]{.underline} funds will be used for,
[how much]{.underline} will be expended, and the relationship between
expended funds and project activities and outcomes. Applicants'
narratives should contain the following information:

**Personnel**

-   Provide the title of each position.

-   Provide the salary for each position.

-   Provide the amount of time each person will devote to the project.

-   Explain the importance of each position to the success of the
    project.

**Fringe Benefits**

-   Give the fringe benefit percentages of all personnel in the project.

**Travel**

-   Explain the purpose of the travel and how it relates to project
    success, and which staff will participate. Please include travel to
    at least one Striving Readers grantee conference in Year 1 of your
    project.

**Equipment**

-   Identify each type of equipment.

-   Provide the cost per equipment item.

-   Explain the purpose of the equipment, and how it relates to project
    success.

**Supplies**

-   Identify the type of supplies by general category (e.g.
    instructional materials, office supplies, etc.)

-   Provide the purpose for purchasing the supplies.

**Contractual**

-   Provide the purpose and relation to project success.

-   Identify the name(s) of the contracting party, including
    consultants, if available.

-   Provide the cost per contractor.

-   Provide the amount of time that the project will be working with the
    contractor(s).

**Construction**

No costs allowed.

**Other Direct Costs**

-   Identify each type of cost in the *Other* category (e.g.,
    communications, printing, postage, equipment rental).

-   Provide the cost per item (printing = \$500, postage = \$750).

-   Provide the purpose for the expenditures and relation to project
    success.

**Total Direct Costs**

The amount that is the sum of expenditures, per budget category, of
lines 1-8.

**Indirect Costs**

See previous reference to Indirect Costs.

**Training Stipends (Scholarships)**

-   Identify who will benefit from a scholarship/stipend.

-   Provide the purpose of the scholarship/stipend award.

-   Identify the cost per scholarship/stipend.

-   Explain the importance of the scholarship/stipend to the success of
    the project.

### Application Final Checklist

**Part I: Preliminary Documents (required for all applicants, except as
indicated below)**

-   ED 424 Form, Application for Federal Assistance, CFDA No. 84.371A
    (Face Sheet) (in Forms section of this guide), including human
    subjects research narrative if applicable.

-   Title Page

-   Table of Contents

-   Abstract briefly describing proposed project (1 page only,
    double-spaced, not numbered, with project name at top)

**Part II: Application Narrative (required for all applicants)**

-   Application Narrative (the equivalent of approximately 60 pages,
    double-spaced, 12-point font, addressing the application selection
    criteria.

-   Highlight either with titles, underlining, or bold font type
    narrative that addresses Absolute Priority 2 \-- [Projects that
    include three required components]{.underline}

**Part III: Budget Information (required for all applicants)**

-   ED 524 Form, Budget Information -- Non Construction Programs, [Part
    A only]{.underline}, columns for Project Years 1, 2, and 3,
    [and]{.underline} total column.

-   Budget Narrative (ED Form 524, Section C) (Explanation of proposed
    costs in narrative form -- this is in addition to the above
    estimated budget ─ the equivalent of no more than 5 pages,
    double-spaced, 12 point font)

**Part IV The Appendices and Assurance and Certifications (required for
all applicants, except as indicated below or on the form)**

-   Provide the list and the brief description of the schools that will
    participate in the proposed Striving Readers project. Include a
    brief description indicated under Need For Project. Include
    information that addresses Absolute Priority 1 -- [Students in
    Grades 6-12.]{.underline}

-   Curriculum vitae of key personnel -- no more than 5 people
    (including key contract personnel and consultants). Include no more
    than 3 one-sided pages for each curriculum vita submitted.

```{=html}
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-   Numbered endnote citations (Do not include a general reference
    bibliography.)

```{=html}
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-   SF 424B Form - Assurance - Non-Construction Programs

-   Demonstration of Stakeholder Support -- limited to five (10) one
    sided pages. (no form)

-   ED 80-0013 Form - Certifications Regarding Lobbying; Debarment,
    Supervision and other Responsibility Matters; and Drug-free
    Workplace Requirements

-   SF LLL Form - Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF LLL) (submit if
    applicable)

-   Response to Notice to All Applicants (Section 427, GEPA)

[Please check to make sure that you have done the
following:]{.underline}

-   The Application for Federal Assistance ED Form 424 (CFDA No.
    84.371A) has been signed and dated by an authorized official and you
    have included the signed original with your submission. Those
    applicants submitting their applications electronically must fax a
    signed ED Form 424 to the Application Control Center at (202)
    245-6272.

-   For those submitting an application in paper format, you have
    included the signed original and at least two copies of your
    complete application. (Although not required, it will facilitate the
    application review process if you [include two additional copies of
    your complete application for a total of one original and four
    copies]{.underline}.)

### Application Forms

**For those applicants submitting their full application electronically,
these forms are available at the e-Grants website:
[http://e-grants.ed.gov](http://e-grants.ed.gov/)**

**All of the forms listed and attached below can be downloaded as Word,
Wordperfect, or PDF files from:**

**<http://www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/appforms/appforms.html>.**

**They appear in the same sequence here as they appear on that
website.**

1.  **ED 424 Form** **and Instructions**-- Application Form for Federal
    Assistance **(CFDA \# 84.371A)**

2.  **ED 524 Form and Instructions** -- Budget Information,
    Non--Construction Programs

3.  **SF 424B Form** -- Assurances, Non-Construction Programs

4.  **ED 80--0013 Form** -- Certifications Regarding Lobbying;
    Debarment, Suspension and Other Responsibility Matters; and
    Drug-Free Workplace Requirements

5.  **SF LLL Form** -- Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (submit if
    applicable)

**Information on the following is also attached below:**

**1. Executive Order 12372 (Intergovernmental Review of Federal
Programs)**

**2. Single State Point of Contact List**

1.  **Important Notice to Prospective Participants in U.S. Department of
    Education**

**Grant and Contract Programs**

![](media/image2.wmf)**Application for Federal** **U.S. Department of
Education**

# *Education Assistance (ED 424*)

**Applicant Information** Organizational Unit

**1.** Name and Address

Legal
Name:\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

Address:
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ - \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

City State County ZIP Code + 4

**2.** Applicant's D-U-N-S Number
\|\_\_\_\|\_\_\_\|\_\_\_\|\_\_\_\|\_\_\_\|\_\_\_\|\_\_\_\|\_\_\_\|\_\_\_\|
**6.** Novice Applicant \_\_\_Yes \_\_\_No

**3.** Applicant's T-I-N \|\_\_\_\|\_\_\_\| -
\|\_\_\_\|\_\_\_\|\_\_\_\|\_\_\_\|\_\_\_\|\_\_\_\|\_\_\_\| **7.** Is the
applicant delinquent on any Federal debt? ­\_\_\_Yes \_\_\_No

*(If "Yes," attach an explanation.)*

**4.** Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance #:
**84.\_\_\_\_\|\_\_\_\_\|\_\_\_\_\|\_\_\_\_\|**

Title:
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_
**8.** Type of Applicant *(Enter appropriate letter in the box.)
\|\_\_\_\_\|*

\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

**5.** Project
Director:\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

Address:\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ \_\_\_\_\_\_
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ \_\_\_\_\_\_\_

City State Zip code + 4

Tel. #: ( ) \_\_\_\_\_\_\_-\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ Fax #: (
)\_\_\_\_\_\_\_-\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

**9.** State Application Identifier
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

E-Mail Address:
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

**\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_**

**Application Information**

**10.** Type of Submission: **13.** Are any research activities
involving human subjects planned at

*-PreApplication -Application* any time during the proposed project
period?

\_\_\_ Construction \_\_\_ Construction ­­\_\_\_ Yes (Go to 13a.) \_\_\_
No (Go to item 14.)

\_\_\_ Non-Construction \_\_\_ Non-Construction

**13a.** Are **all** the research activities proposed designated to be

**11.** Is application subject to review by Executive Order 12372
process? exempt from the regulations?

\_\_\_ Yes (*Date made available to the Executive Order 12372* \_\_\_
Yes (Provide Exemption(s) #):
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

*process for review):* \_\_\_\_/\_\_\_\_/\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

**\_\_\_** No (Provide Assurance #):
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

\_\_\_ No *(If "No," check appropriate box below.)*

\_\_\_ Program is not covered by E.O. 12372. **14.** Descriptive Title
of Applicant's Project:

\_\_\_ Program has not been selected by State for review.

\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

**12.** Proposed Project Dates: \_\_\_\_/\_\_\_\_/\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_
\_\_\_\_/\_\_\_\_/\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

**Start Date: End Date:**
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

**Estimated Funding** **Authorized Representative Information**

**16.** To the best of my knowledge and belief, all data in this
pre-application/application are true

**15a.** Federal **\$ \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_. 00** and
correct. The document has been duly authorized by the governing body of
the applicant

**b.** Applicant **\$ \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_. 00** and the
applicant will comply with the attached assurances if the assistance is
awarded.

**c.** State **\$ \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_. 00 a.** Authorized
Representative (*Please type or print name clearly*.)

**d.** Local **\$ \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_. 00
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_**

**e.** Other **\$ \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_. 00 b.** Title:
**\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_**

**f.** Program Income **\$ \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_. 00 c.**
Tel. #: ( ) \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_-\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ Fax #: ( )
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_-\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

**d.** E-Mail Address:
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

**g. TOTAL \$ \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_. 00 e. Signature of
Authorized Representative**

\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_
Date:\_\_\_/\_\_\_\_/\_\_\_\_\_\_

**Instructions for Form ED 424**

**1.** **Legal Name and Address.** Enter the legal name of applicant and
the name of the primary organizational unit which will undertake the
assistance activity.

**2.** **D-U-N-S Number.** Enter the applicant's D-U-N-S Number. If your
organization does not have a D-U-N-S Number, you can obtain the number
by calling 1-800-333-0505 or by completing a D-U-N-S Number Request
Form. The form can be obtained via the Internet at the following URL:
**http://www.dnb.com.**

**3. Tax Identification Number.** Enter the taxpayer's identification
number as assigned by the Internal Revenue Service.

**4.** **Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance** **(CFDA) Number.**
Enter the CFDA number and title of the program under which assistance is
requested. The CFDA number can be found in the federal register notice
and the application package.

**5. Project Director**. Name, address, telephone and fax numbers, and
e-mail address of the person to be contacted on matters involving this
application.

**6. Novice Applicant**. Check "**Yes**" or "**No**" only if assistance
is being requested under a program that gives special consideration to
novice applicants. Otherwise, **leave blank**.

> Check "**Yes"** if you meet the requirements for novice applicants
> specified in the regulations in 34 CFR 75.225 and included on the
> attached page entitled "Definitions for Form ED 424." By checking
> "Yes" the applicant certifies that it meets these novice applicant
> requirements. Check "**No**" if you do not meet the requirements for
> novice applicants**.**

**7. Federal Debt Delinquency**. Check "**Yes**" if the applicant's
organization is delinquent on any Federal debt. (This question refers to
the applicant's organization and not to the person who signs as the
authorized representative. Categories of debt include delinquent audit
disallowances, loans and taxes.) Otherwise, check "**No**."

**8. Type of Applicant.** Enter the appropriate letter in the box
provided.

**9. State Application Identifier**. State use only (if applicable).

**10. Type of Submission**. See "Definitions for Form ED 424" attached.

**11. Executive Order 12372**. See "Definitions for Form ED 424"
attached. Check "**Yes**" if the application is subject to review by
E.O. 12372. Also, please enter the month, day, and four (4) digit year
(mm/dd/yyyy). Otherwise, check "**No**."

**12. Proposed Project Dates**. Please enter the month, day, and four
(4) digit year (mm/dd/yyyy).

**13. Human Subjects Research**. (See I.A. "Definitions" in attached
page entitled "Definitions for Form ED 424.")

If Not Human Subjects Research. Check "No" if research activities
involving human subjects are not planned at any time during the proposed
project period. The remaining parts of Item 12 are then not applicable.

If Human Subjects Research. Check "Yes" if research activities involving
human subjects are planned at any time during the proposed project
period, either at the applicant organization or at any other performance
site or collaborating institution. Check "Yes" even if the research is
exempt from the regulations for the protection of human subjects. (See
I.B. "Exemptions" in attached page entitled "Definitions for Form ED
424.")

**13a. If Human Subjects Research is Exempt from the Human Subjects
Regulations**. Check "**Yes**" if all the research activities proposed
are designated to be exempt from the regulations. Insert the exemption
number(s) corresponding to one or more of the six exemption categories
listed in I.B. "Exemptions." In addition, follow the instructions in
II.A. "Exempt Research Narrative" in the attached page entitled
"Definitions for Form ED 424." Insert this narrative immediately
following the ED 424 face page.

**13a. If Human Subjects Research is Not Exempt from Human Subjects
Regulations**. Check "**No**" if some or all of the planned research
activities are covered (not exempt). In addition, follow the
instructions in II.B. "Nonexempt Research Narrative" in the page
entitled "Definitions for Form ED 424." Insert this narrative
immediately following the ED 424 face page.

**13a. Human Subjects Assurance Number**. If the applicant has an
approved Federal Wide (FWA) or Multiple Project Assurance (MPA) with the
Office for Human Research Protections (OHRP), U.S. Department of Health
and Human Services, that covers the specific activity, insert the number
in the space provided. If the applicant does not have an approved
assurance on file with OHRP, enter "None." In this case, the applicant,
by signature on the face page, is declaring that it will comply with 34
CFR 97 and proceed to obtain the human subjects assurance upon request
by the designated ED official. If the application is
recommended/selected for funding, the designated ED official will
request that the applicant obtain the assurance within 30 days after the
specific formal request.

**Note about Institutional Review Board Approval**. ED does not require
certification of Institutional Review Board approval with the
application. However, if an application that involves non-exempt human
subjects research is recommended/selected for funding, the designated ED
official will request that the applicant obtain and send the
certification to ED within 30 days after the formal request.

**14. Project Title**. Enter a brief descriptive title of the project.
If more than one program is involved, you should append an explanation
on a separate sheet. If appropriate (e.g., construction or real property
projects), attach a map showing project location. For preapplications,
use a separate sheet to provide a summary description of this project.

**15. Estimated Funding**. Amount requested or to be contributed during
the first funding/budget period by each contributor. Value of in-kind
contributions should be included on appropriate lines as applicable. If
the action will result in a dollar change to an existing award, indicate
**only** the amount of the change. For decreases, enclose the amounts in
parentheses. If both basic and supplemental amounts are included, show
breakdown on an attached sheet. For multiple program funding, use totals
and show breakdown using same categories as item 15.

**16. Certification**. To be signed by the authorized representative of
the applicant. A copy of the governing body's authorization for you to
sign this application as official representative must be on file in the
applicant's office. Be sure to enter the telephone and fax number and
e-mail address of the authorized representative. Also, in item 15e,
please enter the month, day, and four (4) digit year (mm/dd/yyyy) in the
date signed field.

**Paperwork Burden Statement**. According to the Paperwork Reduction Act
of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of
information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number.
The valid OMB control number for this information collection is
1875-0106. The time required to complete this information collection is
estimated to average between 15 and 45 minutes per response, including
the time to review instructions, search existing data resources, gather
the data needed, and complete and review the information collection.
**If you have any comments concerning the accuracy of the estimate(s) or
suggestions for improving this form, please write to**: U.S. Department
of Education, Washington, D.C. 20202-4700. **If you have comments or
concerns regarding the status of your individual submission of this form
write directly to**: Joyce I. Mays, Application Control Center, U.S.
Department of Education, Potomac Center Plaza, 550 12th Street SW, Room
7076, Washington, DC 20202-4260

##  {#section-8 .unnumbered}

**Definitions for Form ED 424**

**Novice Applicant (See 34 CFR 75.225**). For discretionary grant
programs under which the Secretary gives special consideration to novice
applications, a novice applicant means any applicant for a grant from ED
that---

-   Has never received a grant or subgrant under the program from which
    it seeks funding;

-   Has never been a member of a group application, submitted in
    accordance with 34 CFR 75.127-75.129, that received a grant under
    the program from which it seeks funding; and

-   Has not had an active discretionary grant from the Federal
    government in the five years before the deadline date for
    applications under the program. For the 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.

In the case of a group application submitted in accordance with 34 CFR
75.127-75.129, a group includes only parties that meet the requirements
listed above.

**Type of Submission.** "Construction" includes construction of new
buildings and acquisition, expansion, remodeling, and alteration of
existing buildings, and initial equipment of any such buildings, or any
combination of such activities (including architects' fees and the cost
of acquisition of land). "Construction" also includes remodeling to meet
standards, remodeling designed to conserve energy, renovation or
remodeling to accommodate new technologies, and the purchase of existing
historic buildings for conversion to public libraries. For the purposes
of this paragraph, the term "equipment" includes machinery, utilities,
and built-in equipment and any necessary enclosures or structures to
house them; and such term includes all other items necessary for the
functioning of a particular facility as a facility for the provision of
library services.

**Executive Order 12372.** The purpose of Executive Order 12372 is to
foster an intergovernmental partnership and strengthen federalism by
relying on State and local processes for the coordination and review of
proposed Federal financial assistance and direct Federal development.
The application notice, as published in the Federal Register, informs
the applicant as to whether the program is subject to the requirements
of E.O. 12372. In addition, the application package contains information
on the State Single Point of Contact. An applicant is still eligible to
apply for a grant or grants even if its respective State, Territory,
Commonwealth, etc. does not have a State Single Point of Contact. For
additional information on E.O. 12372 go to
http://12.46.245.173/cfda/cfda.html.

**PROTECTION OF HUMAN SUBJECTS IN RESEARCH**

**I. Definitions and Exemptions**

**A. Definitions.**

A research activity involves human subjects if the activity is research,
as defined in the Department's regulations, and the research activity
will involve use of human subjects, as defined in the regulations.

---**Research**

The ED Regulations for the Protection of Human Subjects, Title 34, Code
of Federal Regulations, Part 97, define research as "a systematic
investigation, including research development, testing and evaluation,
designed to develop or contribute to generalizable knowledge." *If an
activity follows a deliberate plan whose purpose is to develop or
contribute to generalizable knowledge it is research.* Activities which
meet this definition constitute research whether or not they are
conducted or supported under a program which is considered research for
other purposes. For example, some demonstration and service programs may
include research activities.

**---Human Subject**

The regulations define human subject as "a living individual about whom
an investigator (whether professional or student) conducting research
obtains (1) data through intervention or interaction with the
individual, or (2) identifiable private information." *(1) If an
activity involves obtaining information about a living person by
manipulating that person or that person's environment, as might occur
when a new instructional technique is tested, or by communicating or
interacting with the individual, as occurs with surveys and interviews,
the definition of human subject is met. (2) If an activity involves
obtaining private information about a living person in such a way that
the information can be linked to that individual (the identity of the
subject is or may be readily determined by the investigator or
associated with the information), the definition of human subject is
met.* \[Private information includes information about behavior that
occurs in a context in which an individual can reasonably expect that no
observation or recording is taking place, and information which has been
provided for specific purposes by an individual and which the individual
can reasonably expect will not be made public (for example, a school
health record).\]

**B. Exemptions.**

Research activities in which the **only** involvement of human subjects
will be in one or more of the following six categories of
***exemptions*** are not covered by the regulations:

\(1\) Research conducted in established or commonly accepted educational
settings, involving normal educational practices, such as (a) research
on regular and special education instructional strategies, or (b)
research on the effectiveness of or the comparison among instructional
techniques, curricula, or classroom management methods.

\(2\) Research involving the use of educational tests (cognitive,
diagnostic, aptitude, achievement), survey procedures, interview
procedures or observation of public behavior, unless: (a) information
obtained is recorded in such a manner that human subjects can be
identified, directly or through identifiers linked to the subjects; and
(b) any disclosure of the human subjects' responses outside the research
could reasonably place the subjects at risk of criminal or civil
liability or be damaging to the subjects' financial standing,
employability, or reputation. ***If the subjects are children, exemption
2 applies only to research involving educational tests and observations
of public behavior when the investigator(s) do not participate in the
activities being observed. Exemption 2 does not apply if children are
surveyed or interviewed or if the research involves observation of
public behavior and the investigator(s) participate in the activities
being observed.*** \[Children are defined as persons who have not
attained the legal age for consent to treatments or procedures involved
in the research, under the applicable law or jurisdiction in which the
research will be conducted.\]

\(3\) Research involving the use of educational tests (cognitive,
diagnostic, aptitude, achievement), survey procedures, interview
procedures or observation of public behavior that is not exempt under
section (2) above, if the human subjects are elected or appointed public
officials or candidates for public office; or federal statute(s)
require(s) without exception that the confidentiality of the personally
identifiable information will be maintained throughout the research and
thereafter.

\(4\) Research involving the collection or study of existing data,
documents, records, pathological specimens, or diagnostic specimens, if
these sources are publicly available or if the information is recorded
by the investigator in a manner that subjects cannot be identified,
directly or through identifiers linked to the subjects.

\(5\) Research and demonstration projects which are conducted by or
subject to the approval of department or agency heads, and which are
designed to study, evaluate, or otherwise examine: (a) public benefit or
service programs; (b) procedures for obtaining benefits or services
under those programs; (c) possible changes in or alternatives to those
programs or procedures; or (d) possible changes in methods or levels of
payment for benefits or services under those programs.

\(6\) Taste and food quality evaluation and consumer acceptance studies,
(a) if wholesome foods without additives are consumed or (b) if a food
is consumed that contains a food ingredient at or below the level and
for a use found to be safe, or agricultural chemical or environmental
contaminant at or below the level found to be safe, by the Food and Drug
Administration or approved by the Environmental Protection Agency or the
Food Safety and Inspection Service of the U.S. Department of
Agriculture.

**II. Instructions for Exempt and Nonexempt Human Subjects Research
Narratives**

If the applicant marked "Yes" for Item 12 on the ED 424, the applicant
must provide a human subjects "exempt research" or "nonexempt research"
narrative and insert it immediately following the ED 424 face page.

**A. Exempt Research Narrative.**

If you marked "Yes" for item 12 a. and designated exemption numbers(s),
provide the "exempt research" narrative. The narrative must contain
sufficient information about the involvement of human subjects in the
proposed research to allow a determination by ED that the designated
exemption(s) are appropriate. The narrative must be succinct.

B. Nonexempt Research Narrative.

If you marked "No" for item 12 a. you must provide the "nonexempt
research" narrative. The narrative must address the following seven
points. Although no specific page limitation applies to this section of
the application, be succinct.

\(1\) **Human Subjects Involvement and Characteristics**: Provide a
detailed description of the proposed involvement of human subjects.
Describe the characteristics of the subject population, including their
anticipated number, age range, and health status. Identify the criteria
for inclusion or exclusion of any subpopulation. Explain the rationale
for the involvement of special classes of subjects, such as children,
children with disabilities, adults with disabilities, persons with
mental disabilities, pregnant women, prisoners, institutionalized
individuals, or others who are likely to be vulnerable

\(2\) **Sources of Materials**: Identify the sources of research
material obtained from individually identifiable living human subjects
in the form of specimens, records, or data. Indicate whether the
material or data will be obtained specifically for research purposes or
whether use will be made of existing specimens, records, or data.

\(3\) **Recruitment and Informed Consent**: Describe plans for the
recruitment of subjects and the consent procedures to be followed.
Include the circumstances under which consent will be sought and
obtained, who will seek it, the nature of the information to be provided
to prospective subjects, and the method of documenting consent. State if
the Institutional Review Board (IRB) has authorized a modification or
waiver of the elements of consent or the requirement for documentation
of consent.

\(4\) **Potential Risks**: Describe potential risks (physical,
psychological, social, legal, or other) and assess their likelihood and
seriousness. Where appropriate, describe alternative treatments and
procedures that might be advantageous to the subjects.

\(5\) **Protection Against Risk**: Describe the procedures for
protecting against or minimizing potential risks, including risks to
confidentiality, and assess their likely effectiveness. Where
appropriate, discuss provisions for ensuring necessary medical or
professional intervention in the event of adverse effects to the
subjects. Also, where appropriate, describe the provisions for
monitoring the data collected to ensure the safety of the subjects.

\(6\) **Importance of the Knowledge to be Gained**: Discuss the
importance of the knowledge gained or to be gained as a result of the
proposed research. Discuss why the risks to subjects are reasonable in
relation to the anticipated benefits to subjects and in relation to the
importance of the knowledge that may reasonably be expected to result.

\(7\) **Collaborating Site(s)**: If research involving human subjects
will take place at collaborating site(s) or other performance site(s),
name the sites and briefly describe their involvement or role in the
research.

+--------+----+--------+--------+--------+--------+---+-----+---------+
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|        | ON |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
|        |  P |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
|        | RO |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
|        | GR |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
|        | AM |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
|        | S  |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
+--------+----+--------+--------+--------+--------+---+-----+---------+
| > Name |    |        |        | Appl   |        |   |     |         |
| > of   |    |        |        | icants |        |   |     |         |
| >      |    |        |        | requ   |        |   |     |         |
| Instit |    |        |        | esting |        |   |     |         |
| ution/ |    |        |        | f      |        |   |     |         |
| Organi |    |        |        | unding |        |   |     |         |
| zation |    |        |        | for    |        |   |     |         |
|        |    |        |        | only   |        |   |     |         |
|        |    |        |        | one    |        |   |     |         |
|        |    |        |        | year   |        |   |     |         |
|        |    |        |        | should |        |   |     |         |
|        |    |        |        | co     |        |   |     |         |
|        |    |        |        | mplete |        |   |     |         |
|        |    |        |        | the    |        |   |     |         |
|        |    |        |        | column |        |   |     |         |
|        |    |        |        | under  |        |   |     |         |
|        |    |        |        | \"P    |        |   |     |         |
|        |    |        |        | roject |        |   |     |         |
|        |    |        |        | Year   |        |   |     |         |
|        |    |        |        | 1.\"   |        |   |     |         |
|        |    |        |        | Appl   |        |   |     |         |
|        |    |        |        | icants |        |   |     |         |
|        |    |        |        | requ   |        |   |     |         |
|        |    |        |        | esting |        |   |     |         |
|        |    |        |        | f      |        |   |     |         |
|        |    |        |        | unding |        |   |     |         |
|        |    |        |        | for    |        |   |     |         |
|        |    |        |        | mult   |        |   |     |         |
|        |    |        |        | i-year |        |   |     |         |
|        |    |        |        | grants |        |   |     |         |
|        |    |        |        | should |        |   |     |         |
|        |    |        |        | co     |        |   |     |         |
|        |    |        |        | mplete |        |   |     |         |
|        |    |        |        | all    |        |   |     |         |
|        |    |        |        | appl   |        |   |     |         |
|        |    |        |        | icable |        |   |     |         |
|        |    |        |        | co     |        |   |     |         |
|        |    |        |        | lumns. |        |   |     |         |
|        |    |        |        | Please |        |   |     |         |
|        |    |        |        | read   |        |   |     |         |
|        |    |        |        | all    |        |   |     |         |
|        |    |        |        | instru |        |   |     |         |
|        |    |        |        | ctions |        |   |     |         |
|        |    |        |        | before |        |   |     |         |
|        |    |        |        | comp   |        |   |     |         |
|        |    |        |        | leting |        |   |     |         |
|        |    |        |        | form.  |        |   |     |         |
+--------+----+--------+--------+--------+--------+---+-----+---------+
| **S    |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| ECTION |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| A -    |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| BUDGET |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| SUM    |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| MARY** |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
|        |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| #      |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| # U.S. |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
|  DEPAR |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| TMENT  |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| OF EDU |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| CATION |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
|  FUNDS |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
+--------+----+--------+--------+--------+--------+---+-----+---------+
| Budget |    | P      | P      | P      | P      | P |     | Total   |
| Cate   |    | roject | roject | roject | roject | r |     |         |
| gories |    | Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | o |     | \(f\)   |
|        |    |        |        |        |        | j |     |         |
|        |    | \(a\)  | \(b\)  | \(c\)  | \(d\)  | e |     |         |
|        |    |        |        |        |        | c |     |         |
|        |    |        |        |        |        | t |     |         |
|        |    |        |        |        |        | Y |     |         |
|        |    |        |        |        |        | e |     |         |
|        |    |        |        |        |        | a |     |         |
|        |    |        |        |        |        | r |     |         |
|        |    |        |        |        |        | 5 |     |         |
|        |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
|        |    |        |        |        |        | \ |     |         |
|        |    |        |        |        |        | ( |     |         |
|        |    |        |        |        |        | e |     |         |
|        |    |        |        |        |        | \ |     |         |
|        |    |        |        |        |        | ) |     |         |
+--------+----+--------+--------+--------+--------+---+-----+---------+
| 1\.    |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| Per    |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| sonnel |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
+--------+----+--------+--------+--------+--------+---+-----+---------+
| 2\.    |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| Fringe |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| Be     |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| nefits |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
+--------+----+--------+--------+--------+--------+---+-----+---------+
| 3\.    |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| Travel |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
+--------+----+--------+--------+--------+--------+---+-----+---------+
| 4\.    |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| Equ    |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| ipment |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
+--------+----+--------+--------+--------+--------+---+-----+---------+
| 5\.    |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| Su     |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| pplies |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
+--------+----+--------+--------+--------+--------+---+-----+---------+
| 6\.    |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| Contr  |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| actual |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
+--------+----+--------+--------+--------+--------+---+-----+---------+
| 7\.    |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| Constr |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| uction |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
+--------+----+--------+--------+--------+--------+---+-----+---------+
| 8\.    |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| Other  |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
+--------+----+--------+--------+--------+--------+---+-----+---------+
| 9\.    |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| Total  |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| Direct |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| Costs  |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| (lines |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| 1-8)   |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
+--------+----+--------+--------+--------+--------+---+-----+---------+
| 10\.   |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| In     |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| direct |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| C      |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| osts\* |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
+--------+----+--------+--------+--------+--------+---+-----+---------+
| 11\.   |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| Tr     |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| aining |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| St     |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| ipends |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
+--------+----+--------+--------+--------+--------+---+-----+---------+
| 12\.   |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| Total  |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| Costs  |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| (lines |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| 9-11)  |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
+--------+----+--------+--------+--------+--------+---+-----+---------+
| >      |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| **\*In |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| direct |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| > Cost |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| >      |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
|  Infor |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| mation |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| > *(To |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| > Be   |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| > Com  |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| pleted |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| > by   |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| > Your |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| > Bu   |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| siness |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| >      |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
|  Offic |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| e*):** |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| >      |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| > If   |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| > you  |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| > are  |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| > requ |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| esting |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| > r    |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| eimbur |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| sement |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| > for  |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| > in   |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| direct |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| >      |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
|  costs |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| > on   |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| > line |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| > 10,  |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| >      |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| please |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| >      |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| answer |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| > the  |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| > fol  |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| lowing |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| > ques |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| tions: |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
|        |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| (1) Do |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
|        |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
|    you |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
|        |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
|   have |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
|     an |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
|     In |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| direct |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
|        |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
|   Cost |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
|        |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
|   Rate |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
|        |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
|    Agr |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| eement |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
|     ap |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| proved |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
|     by |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
|        |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
|    the |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
|     F  |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| ederal |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
|        |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
|  gover |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| nment? |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
|        |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
|  \_\_\ |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| _\_Yes |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
|     \_ |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| \_\_\_ |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
|     No |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
|        |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| (2) If |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
|        |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
|   yes, |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
|        |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| please |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
|     p  |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| rovide |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
|        |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
|    the |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
|        |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
|    fol |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| lowing |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
|        |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| inform |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| ation: |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
|        |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| >      |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| Period |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| > C    |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| overed |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| > by   |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| > the  |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| > In   |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| direct |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| > Cost |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| > Rate |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| > Agre |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| ement: |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| >      |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
|  From: |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| > \_   |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| \_\_/\ |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| _\_\_/ |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| \_\_\_ |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| \_\_\_ |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| > To:  |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| > \_   |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| \_\_/\ |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| _\_\_/ |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| \_\_\_ |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| \_\_\_ |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| >      |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| (mm/dd |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| /yyyy) |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| >      |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| > App  |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| roving |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| > F    |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| ederal |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| > a    |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| gency: |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| > \_   |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| \_\_\_ |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| > ED   |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| > \_   |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| \_\_\_ |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| >      |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
|  Other |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| > (    |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| please |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| > spe  |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| cify): |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| > \_\_ |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| \_\_\_ |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| \_\_\_ |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| \_\_\_ |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| \_\_\_ |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| \_\_\_ |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| \_\_\_ |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| \_\_\_ |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| \_\_\_ |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
|        |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| (      |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| 3) For |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
|        |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
|   Rest |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| ricted |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
|        |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
|   Rate |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
|     Pr |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| ograms |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
|        |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| (check |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
|        |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
|   one) |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
|        |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
|    \-- |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
|        |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
|    Are |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
|        |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
|    you |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
|        |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
|  using |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
|     a  |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
|        |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
|   rest |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| ricted |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
|     in |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| direct |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
|        |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
|   cost |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
|        |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
|   rate |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
|        |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
|  that: |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
|        |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| >      |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| \_\_\_ |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| > Is   |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| > in   |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| cluded |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| > in   |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| > your |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| > ap   |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| proved |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| > In   |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| direct |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| > Cost |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| > Rate |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| > Agre |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| ement? |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| > or   |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| >      |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| \_\_\_ |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| > Co   |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| mplies |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| > with |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| > 34   |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| > CFR  |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| > 7    |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| 6.564( |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
| c)(2)? |    |        |        |        |        |   |     |         |
+--------+----+--------+--------+--------+--------+---+-----+---------+

+---------+---------+--------+---------+---------+---------+----------+
| > Name  |         |        | App     |         |         |          |
| > of    |         |        | licants |         |         |          |
| > Ins   |         |        | req     |         |         |          |
| titutio |         |        | uesting |         |         |          |
| n/Organ |         |        | funding |         |         |          |
| ization |         |        | for     |         |         |          |
|         |         |        | only    |         |         |          |
|         |         |        | one     |         |         |          |
|         |         |        | year    |         |         |          |
|         |         |        | should  |         |         |          |
|         |         |        | c       |         |         |          |
|         |         |        | omplete |         |         |          |
|         |         |        | the     |         |         |          |
|         |         |        | column  |         |         |          |
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|         |         |        | Year    |         |         |          |
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|         |         |        | funding |         |         |          |
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|         |         |        | ti-year |         |         |          |
|         |         |        | grants  |         |         |          |
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|         |         |        | c       |         |         |          |
|         |         |        | omplete |         |         |          |
|         |         |        | all     |         |         |          |
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|         |         |        | licable |         |         |          |
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|         |         |        | olumns. |         |         |          |
|         |         |        | Please  |         |         |          |
|         |         |        | read    |         |         |          |
|         |         |        | all     |         |         |          |
|         |         |        | instr   |         |         |          |
|         |         |        | uctions |         |         |          |
|         |         |        | before  |         |         |          |
|         |         |        | com     |         |         |          |
|         |         |        | pleting |         |         |          |
|         |         |        | form.   |         |         |          |
+---------+---------+--------+---------+---------+---------+----------+
| **      |         |        |         |         |         |          |
| SECTION |         |        |         |         |         |          |
| B -     |         |        |         |         |         |          |
| BUDGET  |         |        |         |         |         |          |
| SU      |         |        |         |         |         |          |
| MMARY** |         |        |         |         |         |          |
|         |         |        |         |         |         |          |
| **NON-  |         |        |         |         |         |          |
| FEDERAL |         |        |         |         |         |          |
| FUNDS** |         |        |         |         |         |          |
+---------+---------+--------+---------+---------+---------+----------+
| Budget  | Project | P      | Project | Project | Project | Total    |
| Cat     | Year 1  | roject | Year 3  | Year 4  | Year 5  |          |
| egories |         | Year 2 |         |         |         | \(f\)    |
|         | \(a\)   |        | \(c\)   | \(d\)   | \(e\)   |          |
|         |         | \(b\)  |         |         |         |          |
+---------+---------+--------+---------+---------+---------+----------+
|         |         |        |         |         |         |          |
+---------+---------+--------+---------+---------+---------+----------+
| 1\.     |         |        |         |         |         |          |
| Pe      |         |        |         |         |         |          |
| rsonnel |         |        |         |         |         |          |
+---------+---------+--------+---------+---------+---------+----------+
| 2\.     |         |        |         |         |         |          |
| Fringe  |         |        |         |         |         |          |
| B       |         |        |         |         |         |          |
| enefits |         |        |         |         |         |          |
+---------+---------+--------+---------+---------+---------+----------+
| 3\.     |         |        |         |         |         |          |
| Travel  |         |        |         |         |         |          |
+---------+---------+--------+---------+---------+---------+----------+
| 4\.     |         |        |         |         |         |          |
| Eq      |         |        |         |         |         |          |
| uipment |         |        |         |         |         |          |
+---------+---------+--------+---------+---------+---------+----------+
| 5\.     |         |        |         |         |         |          |
| S       |         |        |         |         |         |          |
| upplies |         |        |         |         |         |          |
+---------+---------+--------+---------+---------+---------+----------+
| 6\.     |         |        |         |         |         |          |
| Cont    |         |        |         |         |         |          |
| ractual |         |        |         |         |         |          |
+---------+---------+--------+---------+---------+---------+----------+
| 7\.     |         |        |         |         |         |          |
| Const   |         |        |         |         |         |          |
| ruction |         |        |         |         |         |          |
+---------+---------+--------+---------+---------+---------+----------+
| 8\.     |         |        |         |         |         |          |
| Other   |         |        |         |         |         |          |
+---------+---------+--------+---------+---------+---------+----------+
| 9\.     |         |        |         |         |         |          |
| Total   |         |        |         |         |         |          |
| Direct  |         |        |         |         |         |          |
| Costs   |         |        |         |         |         |          |
|         |         |        |         |         |         |          |
| (Lines  |         |        |         |         |         |          |
| 1-8)    |         |        |         |         |         |          |
+---------+---------+--------+---------+---------+---------+----------+
| 10\.    |         |        |         |         |         |          |
| I       |         |        |         |         |         |          |
| ndirect |         |        |         |         |         |          |
| Costs   |         |        |         |         |         |          |
+---------+---------+--------+---------+---------+---------+----------+
| 11\.    |         |        |         |         |         |          |
| T       |         |        |         |         |         |          |
| raining |         |        |         |         |         |          |
| S       |         |        |         |         |         |          |
| tipends |         |        |         |         |         |          |
+---------+---------+--------+---------+---------+---------+----------+
| 12\.    |         |        |         |         |         |          |
| Total   |         |        |         |         |         |          |
| Costs   |         |        |         |         |         |          |
|         |         |        |         |         |         |          |
| (Lines  |         |        |         |         |         |          |
| 9-11)   |         |        |         |         |         |          |
+---------+---------+--------+---------+---------+---------+----------+
| **      |         |        |         |         |         |          |
| SECTION |         |        |         |         |         |          |
| C --    |         |        |         |         |         |          |
| BUDGET  |         |        |         |         |         |          |
| NARR    |         |        |         |         |         |          |
| ATIVE** |         |        |         |         |         |          |
| (see    |         |        |         |         |         |          |
| instru  |         |        |         |         |         |          |
| ctions) |         |        |         |         |         |          |
+---------+---------+--------+---------+---------+---------+----------+

**Instructions for ED 524**

[General Instructions]{.underline}

This form is used to apply to individual U.S. Department of Education
(ED) discretionary grant programs. Unless directed otherwise, provide
the same budget information for each year of the multi-year funding
request. Pay attention to applicable program specific instructions, if
attached. Please consult with your Business Office prior to submitting
this form.

[Section A - Budget Summary]{.underline}

[U.S. Department of Education Funds]{.underline}

All applicants must complete Section A and provide a breakdown by the
applicable budget categories shown in lines 1-11.

Lines 1-11, columns (a)-(e): For each project year for which funding is
requested, show the total amount requested for each applicable budget
category.

Lines 1-11, column (f): Show the multi-year total for each budget
category. If funding is requested for only one project year, leave this
column blank.

Line 12, columns (a)-(e): Show the total budget request for each project
year for which funding is requested.

Line 12, column (f): Show the total amount requested for all project
years. If funding is requested for only one year, leave this space
blank.

Indirect Cost Information:\
If you are requesting reimbursement for indirect costs on line 10, this
information is to be completed by your Business Office. (1): Indicate
whether or not your organization has an Indirect Cost Rate Agreement
that was approved by the Federal government. (2): If you checked "yes"
in (1), indicate in (2) the beginning and ending dates covered by the
Indirect Cost Rate Agreement. In addition, indicate whether ED or
another Federal agency (Other) issued the approved agreement. If you
check "Other," specify the name of the Federal agency that issued the
approved agreement. (3): If you are applying for a grant under a
Restricted Rate Program (34 CFR 75.563 or 76.563), indicate whether you
are using a restricted indirect cost rate that is included on your
approved Indirect Cost Rate Agreement or whether you are using a
restricted indirect cost rate that complies with 34 CFR 76.564(c)(2).
Note: State or Local government agencies may not use the provision for a
restricted indirect cost rate specified in 34 CFR 76.564(c)(2). Check
only one response. Leave blank, if this item is not applicable.

Section B - Budget Summary

[Non-Federal Funds]{.underline}

If you are required to provide or volunteer to provide matching funds or
other non-Federal resources to the project, these should be shown for
each applicable budget category on lines 1‑11 of Section B.

Lines 1-11, columns (a)-(e): For each project year, for which matching
funds or other contributions are provided, show the total contribution
for each applicable budget category.

Lines 1-11, column (f): Show the multi-year total for each budget
category. If non-Federal contributions are provided for only one year,
leave this column blank.

Line 12, columns (a)-(e): Show the total matching or other contribution
for each project year.

Line 12, column (f): Show the total amount to be contributed for all
years of the multi-year project. If non-Federal contributions are
provided for only one year, leave this space blank.

[Section C - Budget Narrative \[Attach separate sheet(s)\]]{.underline}

[Pay attention to applicable program specific instructions, if
attached.]{.underline}

1.  Provide an itemized budget breakdown, and justification by project
    year, for each budget category listed in Sections A and B. For grant
    projects that will be divided into two or more separately budgeted
    major activities or sub-projects, show for each budget category of a
    project year the breakdown of the specific expenses attributable to
    each sub-project or activity.

2.  If applicable to this program, provide the rate and base on which
    fringe benefits are calculated.

3.  If you are requesting reimbursement for indirect costs on line 10,
    this information is to be completed by your Business Office. Specify
    the estimated amount of the base to which the indirect cost rate is
    applied and the total indirect expense. Depending on the grant
    program to which you are applying and/or your approved Indirect Cost
    Rate Agreement, some direct cost budget categories in your grant
    application budget may not be included in the base and multiplied by
    your indirect cost rate. For example, you must multiply the indirect
    cost rates of "Training grants\" (34 CFR 75.562) and grants under
    programs with "Supplement not Supplant" requirements (\"Restricted
    Rate\" programs) by a "modified total direct cost" (MTDC) base (34
    CFR 75.563 or 76.563). Please indicate which costs are included and
    which costs are excluded from the base to which the indirect cost
    rate is applied.

> When calculating indirect costs (line 10) for \"Training grants\" or
> grants under \"Restricted Rate\" programs, you must refer to the
> information and examples on ED's website at:
> [http://www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/appforms/appforms.html]{.underline}.
>
> You may also contact (202) 708-7770 for additional information
> regarding calculating indirect cost rates or general indirect cost
> rate information.

4.  Provide other explanations or comments you deem necessary.

**Paperwork Burden Statement**

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are
required to respond to a collection of information unless such
collection displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control
number for this information collection is 1890-0004. The time required
to complete this information collection is estimated to vary from 13 to
22 hours per response, with an average of 17.5 hours per response,
including the time to review instructions, search existing data sources,
gather the data needed, and complete and review the information
collection. If you have any comments concerning the accuracy of the time
estimate(s) or suggestions for improving this form, please write to:
U.S. Department of Education, Washington, D.C. 20202-4651. If you have
comments or concerns regarding the status of your individual submission
of this form, write directly to (insert program office), U.S. Department
of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20202.

**OMB Approval No. 0348-0040**

**\
ASSURANCES - NON-CONSTRUCTION PROGRAMS**

Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated
to average 15 minutes per response, including time for reviewing
instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining
the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of
information. Send comments regarding the burden estimate or any other
aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for
reducing this burden, to the Office of Management and Budget, Paperwork
Reduction Project (0348-0040), Washington, DC 20503

**PLEASE DO NOT RETURN YOUR COMPLETED FORM TO THE OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT
AND BUDGET. SEND IT TO THE ADDRESS PROVIDED BY THE SPONSORING AGENCY.**

**Note:** Certain of these assurances may not be applicable to your
project or program. If you have questions, please contact the awarding
agency. Further, certain Federal awarding agencies may require
applicants to certify to additional assurances. If such is the case, you
will be notified.

As the duly authorized representative of the applicant I certify that
the applicant:

1\. Has the legal authority to apply for Federal assistance, and the
institutional, managerial and financial capability (including funds
sufficient to pay the non-Federal share of project cost) to ensure
proper planning, management, and completion of the project described in
this application.

2\. Will give the awarding agency, the Comptroller General of the United
States, and if appropriate, the State, through any authorized
representative, access to and the right to examine all records, books,
papers, or documents related to the award; and will establish a proper
accounting system in accordance with generally accepted accounting
standards or agency directives.

3\. Will establish safeguards to prohibit employees from using their
positions for a purpose that constitutes or presents the appearance of
personal or organizational conflict of interest, or personal gain.

4\. Will initiate and complete the work within the applicable time frame
after receipt of approval of the awarding agency.

5\. Will comply with the Intergovernmental Personnel Act of 1970 (42
U.S.C. 4728-4763) relating to prescribed standards for merit systems
for programs funded under one of the 19 statutes or regulations
specified in Appendix A of OPM\'s Standards for a Merit System of
Personnel Administration (5 C.F.R. 900, Subpart F).

6\. Will comply with all Federal statutes relating to nondiscrimination.
These include but are not limited to: (a) Title VI of the Civil Rights
Act of 1964 (P.L. 88-352) which prohibits discrimination on the basis of
race, color or national origin; (b) Title IX of the Education Amendments
of 1972, as amended (20 U.S.C. 1681-1683, and 1685-1686), which
prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex; (c) Section 504 of the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (29 U.S.C. 794), which prohibits
discrimination on the basis of handicaps; (d) the Age Discrimination Act
of 1975, as amended (42 U.S.C.  6101-6107), which prohibits
discrimination on the basis of age; (e) the Drug Abuse Office and
Treatment Act of 1972 (P.L. 92-255), as amended, relating to
nondiscrimination on the basis of drug abuse; (f) the Comprehensive
Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Prevention, Treatment and Rehabilitation
Act of 1970 (P.L. 91-616), as amended, relating to nondiscrimination on
the basis of alcohol abuse or alcoholism; (g)  523 and 527 of the
Public Health Service Act of 1912 (42 U.S.C.  290 dd-3 and 290 ee 3),
as amended, relating to confidentiality of alcohol and drug abuse
patient records; (h) Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968 (42
U.S.C.  3601 et seq.), as amended, relating to nondiscrimination in the
sale, rental or financing of housing; (i) any other nondiscrimination
provisions in the specific statute(s) under which application for
Federal assistance is being made; and (j) the requirements of any other
nondiscrimination statute(s) which may apply to the application.

7\. Will comply, or has already complied, with the requirements of
Titles II and III of the uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property
Acquisition Policies Act of 1970 (P.L. 91-646) which provide for fair
and equitable treatment of persons displaced or whose property is
acquired as a result of Federal or federally assisted programs. These
requirements apply to all interests in real property acquired for
project purposes regardless of Federal participation in purchases.

8\. Will comply, as applicable, with the provisions of the Hatch Act (5
U.S.C. 1501-1508 and 7324-7328) which limit the political activities
of employees whose principal employment activities are funded in whole
or in part with Federal funds.

9\. Will comply, as applicable, with the provisions of the Davis-Bacon
Act (40 U.S.C. 276a to 276a-7), the Copeland Act (40 U.S.C. 276c and
18 U.S.C. 874) and the Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act
(40 U.S.C.  327-333), regarding labor standards for federally assisted
construction subagreements.

10\. Will comply, if applicable, with flood insurance purchase
requirements of Section 102(a) of the Flood Disaster Protection Act of
1973 (P.L. 93-234) which requires recipients in a special flood hazard
area to participate in the program and to purchase flood insurance if
the total cost of insurable construction and acquisition is \$10,000 or
more.

11\. Will comply with environmental standards which may be prescribed
pursuant to the following: (a) institution of environmental quality
control measures under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969
(P.L. 91-190) and Executive Order (EO) 11514; (b) notification of
violating facilities pursuant to EO 11738; (c) protection of wetlands
pursuant to EO 11990; (d) evaluation of flood hazards in floodplains in
accordance with EO 11988; (e) assurance of project consistency with the
approved State management program developed under the Coastal Zone
Management Act of 1972 (16 U.S.C. 1451 et seq.); (f) conformity of
Federal actions to State (Clear Air) Implementation Plans under Section
176(c) of the Clear Air Act of 1955, as amended (42 U.S.C. 7401 et
seq.); (g) protection of underground sources of drinking water under the
Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974, as amended, (P.L. 93-523); and (h)
protection of endangered species under the Endangered Species Act of
1973, as amended, (P.L. 93-205).

12 Will comply with the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act of 1968 (16 U.S.C.
1721 et seq.) related to protecting components or potential components
of the national wild and scenic rivers system.

13\. Will assist the awarding agency in assuring compliance with Section
106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended (16
U.S.C. 470), EO 11593 (identification and protection of historic
properties), and the Archaeological and Historic Preservation Act of
1974 (16 U.S.C. 469a-1 et seq.).

14\. Will comply with P.L. 93-348 regarding the protection of human
subjects involved in research, development, and related activities
supported by this award of assistance.

15\. Will comply with the Laboratory Animal Welfare Act of 1966 (P.L.
89-544, as amended, 7 U.S.C. 2131 et seq.) pertaining to the care,
handling, and treatment of warm blooded animals held for research,
teaching, or other activities supported by this award of assistance.

16\. Will comply with the Lead-Based Paint Poisoning Prevention Act (42
U.S.C. 4801 et seq.) which prohibits the use of lead- based paint in
construction or rehabilitation of residence structures.

17\. Will cause to be performed the required financial and compliance
audits in accordance with the Single Audit Act Amendments of 1996 and
OMB Circular No. A-133, Audits of States, Local Governments, and
Non-Profit Organizations.

18\. Will comply with all applicable requirements of all other Federal
laws, executive orders, regulations and policies governing this program

  ----------------------------------------- ------- -----------------------
  SIGNATURE OF AUTHORIZED CERTIFYING        TITLE   
  OFFICIAL                                          

  APPLICANT ORGANIZATION                            DATE SUBMITTED

                                                    **Standard Form 424B
                                                    (Rev. 7-97) Back**
  ----------------------------------------- ------- -----------------------

#  {#section-9 .unnumbered}

# 

# CERTIFICATION REGARDING LOBBYING

Applicants must review the requirements for certification regarding
lobbying included in the regulations cited below before completing this
form. Applicants must sign this form to comply with the certification
requirements under 34 CFR Part 82, \"New Restrictions on Lobbying.\"
This certification is a material representation of fact upon which the
Department of Education relies when it makes a grant or enters into a
cooperative agreement.

As required by Section 1352, Title 31 of the U.S. Code, and implemented
at 34 CFR Part 82, for persons entering into a Federal contract, grant
or cooperative agreement over \$100,000, as defined at 34 CFR Part 82,
Sections 82.105 and 82.110, the applicant certifies that:

\(a\) No Federal appropriated funds have been paid or will be paid, by
or on behalf of the undersigned, to any person for influencing or
attempting to influence an officer or employee of any agency, a Member
of Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an employee of a
Member of Congress in connection with the making of any Federal grant,
the entering into of any cooperative agreement, and the extension,
continuation, renewal, amendment, or modification of any Federal grant
or cooperative agreement;

\(b\) If any funds other than Federal appropriated funds have been paid
or will be paid to any person for influencing or attempting to influence
an officer or employee of any agency, a Member of Congress, an officer
or employee of Congress, or an employee of a Member of Congress in
connection with this Federal grant or cooperative agreement, the
undersigned shall complete and submit Standard Form - LLL, \"Disclosure
Form to Report Lobbying,\" in accordance with its instructions;

\(c\) The undersigned shall require that the language of this
certification be included in the award documents for all subawards at
all tiers (including subgrants and contracts under grants and
cooperative agreements) and that all subrecipients shall certify and
disclose accordingly.

As the duly authorized representative of the applicant, I hereby certify
that the applicant will comply with the above certification.

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------
  NAME OF APPLICANT PR/AWARD NUMBER AND / OR PROJECT NAME

  PRINTED NAME AND TITLE OF AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE

  SIGNATURE DATE
  -----------------------------------------------------------------------

ED 80-0013 06/04

**Certification Regarding Debarment, Suspension, Ineligibility and**

**Voluntary Exclusion \-- Lower Tier Covered Transactions**

This certification is required by the Department of Education
regulations implementing Executive Order 12549, Debarment and
Suspension, 34 CFR Part 85, for all lower tier transactions meeting the
threshold and tier requirements stated at Section 85.110.

**Instructions for Certification**

1\. By signing and submitting this proposal, the prospective lower tier
participant is providing the certification set out below.

2\. The certification in this clause is a material representation of
fact upon which reliance was placed when this transaction was entered
into. If it is later determined that the prospective lower tier
participant knowingly rendered an erroneous certification, in addition
to other remedies available to the Federal Government, the department or
agency with which this transaction originated may pursue available
remedies, including suspension and/or debarment.

3\. The prospective lower tier participant shall provide immediate
written notice to the person to which this proposal is submitted if at
any time the prospective lower tier participant learns that its
certification was erroneous when submitted or has become erroneous by
reason of changed circumstances.

4\. The terms \"covered transaction,\" \"debarred,\" \"suspended,\"
\"ineligible,\" \"lower tier covered transaction,\" \"participant,\" \"
person,\" \"primary covered transaction,\" \" principal,\" \"proposal,\"
and \"voluntarily excluded,\" as used in this clause, have the meanings
set out in the Definitions and Coverage sections of rules implementing
Executive Order 12549. You may contact the person to which this proposal
is submitted for assistance in obtaining a copy of those regulations.

5\. The prospective lower tier participant agrees by submitting this
proposal that, should the proposed covered transaction be entered into,
it shall not knowingly enter into any lower tier covered transaction
with a person who is debarred, suspended, declared ineligible, or
voluntarily excluded from participation in this covered transaction,
unless authorized by the department or agency with which this
transaction originated.

6\. The prospective lower tier participant further agrees by submitting
this proposal that it will include the clause titled Certification
Regarding Debarment, Suspension, Ineligibility, and Voluntary
Exclusion-Lower Tier Covered Transactions,without modification, in all
lower tier covered transactions and in all solicitations for lower tier
covered transactions.

7\. A participant in a covered transaction may rely upon a certification
of a prospective participant in a lower tier covered transaction that it
is not debarred, suspended, ineligible, or voluntarily excluded from the
covered transaction, unless it knows that the certification is
erroneous. A participant may decide the method and frequency by which it
determines the eligibility of its principals. Each participant may but
is not required to, check the Nonprocurement List.

8\. Nothing contained in the foregoing shall be construed to require
establishment of a system of records in order to render in good faith
the certification required by this clause. The knowledge and information
of a participant is not required to exceed that which is normally
possessed by a prudent person in the ordinary course of business
dealings.

9\. Except for transactions authorized under paragraph 5 of these
instructions, if a participant in a covered transaction knowingly enters
into a lower tier covered transaction with a person who is suspended,
debarred, ineligible, or voluntarily excluded from participation in this
transaction, in addition to other remedies available to the Federal
Government, the department or agency with which this transaction
originated may pursue available remedies, including suspension and/or
debarment.

**Certification**

\(1\) The prospective lower tier participant certifies, by submission of
this proposal, that neither it nor its principals are presently
debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, declared ineligible, or
voluntarily excluded from participation in this transaction by any
Federal department or agency.

\(2\) Where the prospective lower tier participant is unable to certify
to any of the statements in this certification, such prospective
participant shall attach an explanation to this proposal.

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------
  NAME OF APPLICANT PR/AWARD NUMBER AND/OR PROJECT NAME

  PRINTED NAME AND TITLE OF AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE

  SIGNATURE DATE
  -----------------------------------------------------------------------

ED 80-0014, 9/90 (Replaces GCS-009 (REV.12/88), which is obsolete)

OMB Control No. 1890-0007 (Exp. 11/30/2007)

## NOTICE TO ALL APPLICANTS

The purpose of this enclosure is to inform you about a new provision in
the Department of Education\'s General Education Provisions Act (GEPA)
that applies to applicants for new grant awards under Department
programs. This provision is Section 427 of GEPA, enacted as part of the
Improving America\'s Schools Act of 1994 (Public Law (P.L.) 103-382).

**To Whom Does This Provision Apply?**

Section 427 of GEPA affects applicants for new grant awards under this
program. **ALL APPLICANTS FOR NEW AWARDS MUST INCLUDE INFORMATION IN
THEIR APPLICATIONS TO ADDRESS THIS NEW PROVISION IN ORDER TO RECEIVE
FUNDING UNDER THIS PROGRAM.**

(If this program is a State-formula grant program, a State needs to
provide this description only for projects or activities that it carries
out with funds reserved for State-level uses. In addition, local school
districts or other eligible applicants that apply to the State for
funding need to provide this description in their applications to the
State for funding. The State would be responsible for ensuring that the
school district or other local entity has submitted a sufficient section
427 statement as described below.)

**What Does This Provision Require?**

Section 427 requires each applicant for funds (other than an individual
person) to include in its application a description of the steps the
applicant proposes to take to ensure equitable access to, and
participation in, its Federally-assisted program for students, teachers,
and other program beneficiaries with special needs. This provision
allows applicants discretion in developing the required description. The
statute highlights six types of barriers that can impede equitable
access or participation: gender, race, national origin, color,
disability, or age. Based on local circumstances, you should determine
whether these or other barriers may prevent your students, teachers,
etc. from such access or participation in, the Federally-funded project
or activity. The description in your application of steps to be taken to
overcome these barriers need not be lengthy; you may provide a clear and
succinct description of how you plan

to address those barriers that are applicable to your

circumstances. In addition, the information may be provided in a single
narrative, or, if appropriate, may be discussed in connection with
related topics in the application.

Section 427 is not intended to duplicate the requirements of civil
rights statutes, but rather to ensure that, in designing their projects,
applicants for Federal funds address equity concerns that may affect the
ability of certain potential beneficiaries to fully participate in the
project and to achieve to high standards. Consistent with program
requirements and its approved application, an applicant may use the
Federal funds awarded to it to eliminate barriers it identifies.

**What are Examples of How an Applicant Might Satisfy the Requirement of
This Provision?**

The following examples may help illustrate how an applicant may comply
with Section 427.

> \(1\) An applicant that proposes to carry out an adult literacy
> project serving, among others, adults with limited English
> proficiency, might describe in its application how it intends to
> distribute a brochure about the proposed project to such potential
> participants in their native language.
>
> \(2\) An applicant that proposes to develop instructional materials
> for classroom use might describe how it will make the materials
> available on audio tape or in braille for students who are blind.
>
> \(3\) An applicant that proposes to carry out a model science program
> for secondary students and is concerned that girls may be less likely
> than boys to enroll in the course, might indicate how it intends to
> conduct \"outreach\" efforts to girls, to encourage their enrollment.

We recognize that many applicants may already be implementing effective
steps to ensure equity of access and participation in their grant
programs, and we appreciate your cooperation in responding to the
requirements of this provision.

**Estimated Burden Statement for GEPA Requirements**

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are
required to respond to a collection of information unless such
collection displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control
number for this information collection is **1890-0007.** The time
required to complete this information collection is estimated to average
1.5 hours per response, including the time to review instructions,
search existing data resources, gather the data needed, and complete and
review the information collection. **If you have any comments concerning
the accuracy of the time estimate(s) or suggestions for improving this
form, please write to:** Director, Grants Policy and Oversight Staff,
U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW,. Washington, DC
20202-4250.

This publication by the U.S. Department of Education is an unofficial
version of the State Single Point of Contact (SPOC) List published by
the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). This publication incorporates
the most recent revisions made by OMB. The Department has made every
effort to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in this
unofficial version. However, the only official version of the State
Single Point of Contact (SPOC) List is posted on the Grants Management
section of the OMB web site
<http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/spoc.html>. You may save a text
version of this document at the aforementioned site. Please note it will
be necessary to put a row of space between each state listing.

STATE SINGLE POINTS OF CONTACT (SPOCs)

It is estimated that in 2001, the Federal Government will outlay \$305.6
billion in grants to State and local governments. Executive Order 12372,
"Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs," was issued with the
desire to foster the intergovernmental partnership and strengthen
federalism by relying on State and local processes for the coordination
and review of proposed Federal financial assistance and direct Federal
development. The Order allows each State to designate an entity to
perform this function. Below is the official list of those entities. For
those States that have a home page for their designated entity, a direct
link has been provided on the official version
<http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/spoc.html>**.**

**States that are not listed on this page have chosen not to participate
in the intergovernmental review process, and therefore do not have a
SPOC. If you are located within one of these States, you may still send
application material directly to a Federal awarding agency.**

Contact information for Federal agencies that award grants can be found
in [Appendix IV of the Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance]{.underline}. \[http://12.46.245.173/cfda/cfda.html\]

+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| # ***ARKANSAS***                  | CALIFORNIA                        |
|                                   |                                   |
| #                                 | Grants Coordination               |
|                                   |                                   |
| Tracy L. Copeland                 | State Clearinghouse               |
|                                   |                                   |
| Manager, State Clearinghouse      | Office of Planning and Research   |
|                                   |                                   |
| Office of Intergovernmental       | P.O. Box 3044, Room 222           |
| Services                          |                                   |
|                                   | Sacramento, California 95812-3044 |
| Department of Finance and         |                                   |
| Administration                    | Telephone: (916) 445-0613         |
|                                   |                                   |
| 1515 7^th^ Street, Room 412       | FAX: (916) 323-3018               |
|                                   |                                   |
| Little Rock, Arkansas 72203       | <State.clearinghouse@opr.ca.gov>  |
|                                   |                                   |
| Telephone: (501) 682-1074         |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| FAX: (501) 682-5206               |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| <Tlcopeland@dfa.state.ar.us>      |                                   |
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| DELAWARE                          | # ***DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA***      |
|                                   |                                   |
| Charles H. Hopkins                | Luisa Montero-Diaz                |
|                                   |                                   |
| Executive Department              | Office of Partnerships and Grants |
|                                   | Development                       |
| Office of the Budget              |                                   |
|                                   | Executive Office of the Mayor     |
| 540 S. Dupont Highway , 3^rd^     |                                   |
| Floor                             | District of Columbia Government   |
|                                   |                                   |
| Dover, Delaware 19901             | 414 4^th^ Street, NW, Suite 530   |
|                                   | South                             |
| Telephone: (302) 739-3323         |                                   |
|                                   | Washington, DC 20001              |
| FAX: (302) 739-5661               |                                   |
|                                   | Telephone: (202) 727-8900         |
| <Chopkins@state.de.us>            |                                   |
|                                   | FAX: (202) 727-1652               |
|                                   |                                   |
|                                   | [opgd.eom@dc                      |
|                                   | .gov](mailto:Ogmd-ogmd@dcgov.org) |
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+

+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| FLORIDA                           | GEORGIA                           |
|                                   |                                   |
| Jasmin Raffington                 | Georgia State Clearinghouse       |
|                                   |                                   |
| Florida State Clearinghouse       | 270 Washington Street, SW         |
|                                   |                                   |
| Department of Community Affairs   | Atlanta, Georgia 30334            |
|                                   |                                   |
| 2555 Shumard Oak Blvd.            | Telephone: (404) 656-3855         |
|                                   |                                   |
| Tallahassee, Florida 32399-2100   | FAX: (404) 656-7901               |
|                                   |                                   |
| Telephone: (850) 922-5438         | <Gach@mail.opb.state.ga.us>       |
|                                   |                                   |
| FAX: (850) 414-0479               |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| [cle                              |                                   |
| aringhouse@dca.state.fl.us](mailt |                                   |
| o:Cherie.trainor@dca.state.fl.us) |                                   |
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| ILLINOIS                          | IOWA                              |
|                                   |                                   |
| Virginia Bova                     | Steven R. McCann                  |
|                                   |                                   |
| Department of Commerce and        | Division of Community and Rural   |
| Community Affairs                 | Development                       |
|                                   |                                   |
| James R. Thompson Center          | Iowa Department of Economic       |
|                                   | Development                       |
| 100 West Randolph, Suite 3-400    |                                   |
|                                   | 200 East Grand Avenue             |
| Chicago, Illinois 60601           |                                   |
|                                   | Des Moines, Iowa 50309            |
| Telephone: (312) 814-6028         |                                   |
|                                   | Telephone: (515) 242-4719         |
| FAX: (312) 814-8485               |                                   |
|                                   | FAX: (515) 242-4809               |
| <vbova@commerce.state.il.us>      |                                   |
|                                   | <Steve.mccann@ided.state.ia.us>   |
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| KENTUCKY                          | # ***MAINE***                     |
|                                   |                                   |
| Ron Cook                          | Joyce Benson                      |
|                                   |                                   |
| Department for Local Government   | State Planning Office             |
|                                   |                                   |
| 1024 Capital Center Drive, Suite  | 184 State Street                  |
| 340                               |                                   |
|                                   | 38 State House Station            |
| Frankfort, Kentucky 40601         |                                   |
|                                   | Augusta, Maine 04333              |
| Telephone: (502) 573-2382         |                                   |
|                                   | Telephone: (207) 287-3261         |
| FAX: (502) 573-2512               |                                   |
|                                   | Telephone: (207) 1461 (direct)    |
| [                                 |                                   |
| Ron.cook@mail.state.ky.us](mailto | FAX: (207) 287-6489               |
| :Kgoldmkgosmith@mail.state.ky.us) |                                   |
|                                   | <Joyce.benson@state.me.us>        |
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| # ***MARYLAND***                  | # ***MICHIGAN***                  |
|                                   |                                   |
| Linda Janey                       | Richard Pfaff                     |
|                                   |                                   |
| Manager, Clearinghouse and Plan   | Southeast Michigan Council of     |
| Review Unit                       | Governments                       |
|                                   |                                   |
| Maryland Office of Planning       | 535 Griswold, Suite 300           |
|                                   |                                   |
| 301 West Preston Street -- Room   | Detroit, Michigan 48226           |
| 1104                              |                                   |
|                                   | Telephone: (313) 961-4266         |
| Baltimore, Maryland 21201-2305    |                                   |
|                                   | FAX: (313) 961-4869               |
| Telephone: (410) 767-4490         |                                   |
|                                   | <pfaff@semcog.org>                |
| FAX: (410) 767-4480               |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| [linda@mail.op.state.md.us](ma    |                                   |
| ilto:linda_j@mail.op.state.md.us) |                                   |
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+

+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| MISSISSIPPI                       | MISSOURI                          |
|                                   |                                   |
| Mildred Tharpe                    | Federal Assistance Clearinghouse  |
|                                   |                                   |
| Clearinghouse Officer             | Office of Administration          |
|                                   |                                   |
| Department of Finance and         | P.O. Box 809                      |
| Administration                    |                                   |
|                                   | Truman Building, Room 840         |
| 1301 Woolfolk Building, Suite E   |                                   |
|                                   | Jefferson City, Missouri 65102    |
| 501 North West Street             |                                   |
|                                   | Telephone: (573) 751-4834         |
| Jackson, Mississippi 39201        |                                   |
|                                   | FAX: (573) 522-4395               |
| Telephone: (601) 359-6762         |                                   |
|                                   | [igr@mail.oa.state.mo.us](m       |
| FAX: (601) 359-6758               | ailto:pohll_@mail.oa.state.mo.us) |
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| # ***NEVADA***                    | # ***NEW HAMPSHIRE***             |
|                                   |                                   |
| Heather Elliott                   | MaryAnn Manoogian                 |
|                                   |                                   |
| Department of Administration      | Director, New Hampshire Office of |
|                                   |                                   |
| State Clearinghouse               | Energy and Planning               |
|                                   |                                   |
| 209 E. Musser Street, Room 200    | Attn: Intergovernmental Review    |
|                                   | Process                           |
| Carson City, Nevada 89701-4298    |                                   |
|                                   | Benjamin Frost                    |
| Telephone: (775) 684-0209         |                                   |
|                                   | 57 Regional Drive                 |
| FAX: (775) 684-0260               |                                   |
|                                   | Concord, New Hampshire 03301-8519 |
| <Helliot@govmail.state.nv.us>     |                                   |
|                                   | Telephone: (603) 271-2155         |
|                                   |                                   |
|                                   | FAX: (603) 271-2615               |
|                                   |                                   |
|                                   | <Jtaylor@osp.state.nh.us>         |
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| # ***NEW MEXICO***                | NORTH CAROLINA                    |
|                                   |                                   |
| Ken Hughes                        | Jeanette Furney                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| Local Government Division         | Department of Administration      |
|                                   |                                   |
| Room 201, Bataan Memorial         | 1302 Mail Service Center          |
| Building                          |                                   |
|                                   | Raleigh, North Carolina           |
| Santa Fe, New Mexico 87503\       | 27699-1302                        |
| Telephone: (505) 827-4370         |                                   |
|                                   | Telephone: (919) 807-2323         |
| FAX: (505) 827-4948               |                                   |
|                                   | FAX: (919) 733-9571               |
| <Khughes@dfa.state.nm.us>         |                                   |
|                                   | <Jeanette.furney@ncmail.net>      |
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| NORTH DAKOTA                      | # ***RHODE ISLAND***              |
|                                   |                                   |
| Jim Boyd                          | Kevin Nelson                      |
|                                   |                                   |
| Division of Community Services    | Department of Administration      |
|                                   |                                   |
| 600 East Boulevard Ave, Dept 105  | Statewide Planning Program        |
|                                   |                                   |
| Bismarck, North Dakota 58505-0170 | One Capitol Hill                  |
|                                   |                                   |
| Telephone: (701) 328-2094         | Providence Rhode Island           |
|                                   | 02908-5870                        |
| FAX: (701) 328-2308               |                                   |
|                                   | Telephone: (401) 222-2093         |
| <Jboyd@state.nd.us>               |                                   |
|                                   | FAX: (401) 222-2083               |
|                                   |                                   |
|                                   | <knelson@doa.state.ri.us>         |
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| # ***SOUTH CAROLINA***            | TEXAS                             |
|                                   |                                   |
| Omeagia Burgess                   | Denise S. Francis                 |
|                                   |                                   |
| Budget and Control Board          | Director, State Grants Team       |
|                                   |                                   |
| Office of State Budget            | Governor's Office of Budget and   |
|                                   | Planning                          |
| 1122 Ladies Street -- 12^th^      |                                   |
| Floor                             | P.O. Box 12428                    |
|                                   |                                   |
| Columbia, South Carolina 29201    | Austin, Texas 78711               |
|                                   |                                   |
| Telephone: (803) 734-0494         | Telephone: (512) 305-9415         |
|                                   |                                   |
| FAX: (803) 734-0645               | FAX: (512) 936-2681               |
|                                   |                                   |
| <Aburgess@budget.state.sc.us>     | [                                 |
|                                   | dfrancis@governor.state.tx.us](ma |
|                                   | ilto:tadams@governor.state.tx.us) |
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| # ***UTAH***                      | # ***WEST VIRGINIA***             |
|                                   |                                   |
| Carolyn Wright                    | Fred Cutlip, Director             |
|                                   |                                   |
| Utah State Clearinghouse          | Community Development Division    |
|                                   |                                   |
| Governor's Office of Planning and | West Virginia Development Office  |
| Budget                            |                                   |
|                                   | Building #6, Room 553             |
| State Capitol, Room 114           |                                   |
|                                   | Charleston, West Virginia 25305   |
| Salt Lake City, Utah 84114        |                                   |
|                                   | Telephone: (304) 558-4010         |
| Telephone: (801) 538-1535         |                                   |
|                                   | FAX: (304) 558-3248               |
| FAX: (801) 538-1547               |                                   |
|                                   | <fcutlip@wvdo.org>                |
| <cwright@gov.state.ut.us>         |                                   |
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| WISCONSIN                         | AMERICAN SAMOA                    |
|                                   |                                   |
| Jeff Smith                        | # ***Pat M. Galea\'i Federal Gra  |
|                                   | nts/Programs Coordinator Office o |
| Section Chief, Federal/State      | f Federal Programs Office of the  |
| Relations                         | Governor/Department of Commerce A |
|                                   | merican Samoa Government Pago Pag |
| Wisconsin Department of           | o, American Samoa 96799 Telephone |
| Administration                    | : (684) 633-5155 Fax: (684) 633-4 |
|                                   | 195 <pmgaleai@samoatelco.com>***  |
| 101 East Wilson Street -- 6^th^   |                                   |
| Floor                             |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| P.O. Box 7868                     |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| Madison, Wisconsin 53707          |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| Telephone: (608) 266-0267         |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| FAX: (608) 267-6931               |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| <jeffrey.smith@doa.state.wi.us>   |                                   |
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| # ***GUAM***                      | PUERTO RICO                       |
|                                   |                                   |
| Director                          | Jose Caballero / Mayra Silva      |
|                                   |                                   |
| Bureau of Budget and Management   | Puerto Rico Planning Board        |
| Research                          |                                   |
|                                   | Federal Proposals Review Office   |
| Office of the Governor            |                                   |
|                                   | Minillas Government Center        |
| P.O. Box 2950                     |                                   |
|                                   | P.O. Box 41119                    |
| Agana, Guam 96910                 |                                   |
|                                   | San Juan, Puerto Rico 00940-1119  |
| Telephone: 011-671-472-2285       |                                   |
|                                   | Telephone: (787) 723-6190         |
| FAX: 011-671-472-2825             |                                   |
|                                   | # ***FAX: (787) 722-6783***       |
| <jer@ns.gov.gu>                   |                                   |
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| # ***NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS***  | VIRGIN ISLANDS                    |
|                                   |                                   |
| Ms. Jacoba T. Seman               | Ira Mills                         |
|                                   |                                   |
| Federal Programs Coordinator      | Director, Office of Management &  |
|                                   | Budget                            |
| Office of Management and Budget   |                                   |
|                                   | \# 41 Norre Gade Emancipation     |
| Office of the Governor            | Garden Station, Second Floor      |
|                                   |                                   |
| Saipan, MP 96950                  | Saint Thomas, Virgin Islands      |
|                                   | 00802                             |
| Telephone: (670) 664-2289         |                                   |
|                                   | Telephone: (340) 774-0750         |
| FAX: (670) 664-2272               |                                   |
|                                   | FAX: (787) 776-0069               |
| [omb.jseman@saipan.com](          |                                   |
| mailto:omb.villagomez@saipan.com) | <Irmills@usvi.org>                |
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+

Changes to this list can be made only after OMB is notified by a State's
officially designated representative. E-mail messages can be sent to
<grants@omb.eop.gov>. If you prefer, you may send correspondence to the
following postal address:

Attn: Grants Management

Office of Management and Budget

New Executive Office Building, Suite 6025

725 17^th^ Street, NW

Washington, DC 20503

Please note: Inquiries about obtaining a Federal grant should not be
sent to the OMB e-mail or postal address shown above. The best source
for this information is the [**CFDA**](http://www.cfda.gov/).

IMPORTANT NOTICE TO PROSPECTIVE PARTICIPANTS

**IN U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION**

**GRANT AND CONTRACT PROGRAMS**

## *[GRANTS]{.underline}*

Applicants for grants from the U.S. Department of Education (ED) have to
compete for limited funds. Deadlines assure all applicants that they
will be treated fairly and equally, without last minute haste. For these
reasons, ED must set strict deadlines for grant applications.
Prospective applicants can avoid disappointment if they understand that:

**Failure to meet a deadline will mean that an applicant will be
rejected without any consideration.**

The rules, including the deadline, for applying for each grant are
published, individually, in the Federal Register. A one-year
subscription to the Register may be obtained by sending \$555.00 to:
Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office,
Washington, D.C. 20402-9371. (Send check or money order only, no cash or
stamps.) In addition, the Federal Register is available on-line for free
on Government Printing Office (GPO) Access:
[http://www.gpoaccess.gov/nara/index.html]{.underline}. Depository
Library location and Federal Register services:
[http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/]{.underline}.

The instructions in the Federal Register must be followed exactly. Do
not accept any other advice you may receive. No ED employee is
authorized to extend any deadline published in the Register. No ED
employees are authorized to extend any deadline published in the Federal
Register. Questions regarding submission of applications may be
addressed to:

U.S. Department of Education

Application Control Center

Washington, D.C. 20202-4725