**DB CONSULTING GROUP, INCORPORATED**

**Moderator: Karen Dorsey**

**February 21, 2008**

**12:30 pm CT**

Operator: Good afternoon and welcome to the Technical Assistance Call
for the FY 2008 Safe School Healthy Students Initiative.

Karen Dorsey from the U.S. Department of Education will provide opening
remarks before we begin the Question and Answer portion of the call.
During the Question and Answer session you press star then the number 1
to ask a question. To withdraw your question, press the pound key.

I will now turn the call over to Ms. Dorsey. Please go ahead.

Karen Dorsey: Good afternoon again and welcome Safe School Healthy
Students Technical Assistance Call for Fiscal Year 2008. My name is
Karen Dorsey. I'm with the Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools at the
U.S. Department of Education and I will serve as the moderator for the
call.

Also joining me in today's call is the entire Safe Schools Healthy
Students Team. Each year we work hard to produce an application that is
so incomplete, but it's impossible to anticipate every question that an
applicant may have. The purpose of this call is to provide technical
assistance by responding to applicants' question relating to eligibility
requirements, the absolute priority grant application submission
process, selection criteria and the application review process.
Technical assistance does not include providing recommendations on your
approach or your proposed projects designs. I recommend that you have
your application available as we will reference page numbers in
responding to your questions.

For this call I will not review all of the changes and other information
we have reviewed in previous calls. I would ask that you go and read the
transcripts or listen to the audio teleconference that is posted on the
Website. So, for this call we're just going to open up the lines for
questions and begin to respond to those. Thank you.

Operator: At this time I would like to remind everyone if you would like
to ask a question, please press star 1 on your telephone keypad. Your
first question comes from the line of (Doug Meddle).

(Doug Meddle): Yes, I have a question that's really a follow-up to a
question that was asked last week. I missed the call, but I read it on
the transcript. Relative to expenses under Element 1 I clearly
understand that purchasing equipment falls under the 10% of the budget
cap. I also read the employing a resource officer would also fall into
that 10% cap if they only did security type of work. My question is
we're looking at bringing in a consultant to help with the revision and
development of our crisis response plan. Would that also fall under the
10% cap since it would be an Element 1 or do we have a little bit leeway
in Element 1 then just the 10% cap?

Karen Dorsey: The 10% cap relates to security related equipment and
security related personnel and your question about having a consultant
to come in to help with your crisis plan would not be security related;
therefore, would not be included in that 10% cap.

(Doug Meddle): That's very helpful, but it will be in Element 1 and when
I read that from last week, you know, a flag went up and I just wanted
to get clarification. Thank you for your help.

Michelle Bechard: Just to add a little bit more clarification. It's not
just -- it's just not Element -- the security might be a part of
Element 1. There might be other costs in Element 1 that don't fall under
that security cap. So, that's okay.

(Doug Meddle): Okay. Well, as I said, it was better to ask the question
than to regret not asking the question later.

Karen Dorsey: Thank you.

Operator: Again, if you would like to ask a question, press star 1.

Your next question comes from the line of (Maureen McNamara).

(Maureen McNamara): Hi, I have a couple of questions. One of them we
have done a needs assessment already, but it's not complete. SO, in
order to establish the baseline data is it okay for us to have
percentage increases of performance measures or do we have to have
initial baseline data in the first year's logic model?

Karen Dorsey: This is Karen. You are not required to have baseline data
in the application, but if an award is made you must have baseline in
year one prior to implementing the grant project.

(Maureen McNamara): So, that means that we can find -- we can develop
the baseline data in that first year of the grant?

Karen Dorsey: Correct.

Patrick Weld: If before implementing your program. That's correct.

(Maureen McNamara): Okay. And, so for performance measures for a logic
model we could use percentage increases once we establish the baseline
data?

Karen Dorsey: This is Karen. Yes, you can do that.

(Maureen McNamara): Okay. And, then I have a couple of other questions.
Another one was about the budget narrative. I didn't know if we had to
kind of have a written explanation of the budget or if it needs to be
done on the form that is provided or if we need to have kind of an
explanation of each item somewhere else.

Karen Dorsey: If you turn to page 9 in the application \-- this is
Karen. On page 9 it talks about the various pieces of the budget.
There's first the 524 Form in which you have totals for each of the
budget categories. And then to support that you need to put together a
detailed budget -- two detailed budgets for each of the four, 12-month
periods.

(Maureen McNamara): Okay.

Karen Dorsey: And, then in addition to providing that budget information
one of the selection criteria relates to budget and you need to respond
to that in a narrative form in your application.

(Maureen McNamara): Okay. So, it wouldn't be an additional thing? It
would just be built into the narrative?

Michelle Bechard: This is (Michelle). There is a part that's in the
narrative and then there are your actual budget and the 524 Form that
are in the appendix -- in what you include as an appendix.

(Maureen McNamara): Okay.

Michelle Bechard: So, it's both.

(Maureen McNamara): Okay. And, then I am helping a really small school
district and I didn't know if there was a penalty if we were applying
for less than what our maximum is or if its better to try and make it
bigger or if its okay to apply for let's say for \$600,000 instead of
\$750,000.

Michelle Bechard: This is (Michelle). You're not going to be penalized
if you ask for less than the maximum amount that you're eligible for.
The amount that you ask is based on what you've defined as your needs
and what you've defined as your comprehensive plan.

(Maureen McNamara): Okay.

Michelle Bechard: But there's no penalty if you ask for less. There is a
problem if you ask for more.

(Maureen McNamara): Yes, definitely. And, t hen I have two other
questions. If there are not any private schools in the district, in the
region, how do we fill out the private school's form?

Karen Dorsey: Just write on a separate piece of paper there are no
private schools in the district.

(Maureen McNamara): Okay. And, then my last question. On the sample
logic model that's included, it says that it's not complete. IS there
anything additional that should be included or -- I mean I didn't really
understand what wasn't complete and what was complete.

Karen Dorsey: This is Karen. What we meant by its not complete is we
just showed one activity for one element. Your logic would go through
all five of the elements, what's all of your activity.

(Maureen McNamara): Okay. But the categories are full.

Karen Dorsey: Yes, the template itself is complete.

(Maureen McNamara): Okay. And, so for each logic model for each element
we can have multiple activities on that one logic model, we don't need
to do a logic model for each separate activity within each element?

Michelle Bechard: No, your logic model again, is the comprehensive plan
that addresses all five of the elements together. And, for each element
you might have -- for each one of the elements you might have more than
strategy or activity that you're doing for that element. That doesn't
matter, but it's not a logic model by activities it's a logic model by
based on your needs, based on how they relate to the five elements.

(Maureen McNamara): Okay. We should have five logic models, one for each
element?

Michelle Bechard: You should have one logic model that addresses all
five elements.

(Maureen McNamara): Oh, okay.

Michelle Bechard: Just one logic model. A big one.

(Maureen McNamara): Okay. And, it's okay if it's in Word format and its
just pages and pages?

Michelle Bechard: Yes. It can be a table -- I mean a table is what we're
looking for. You don't have to follow the format that's in the
application. That's there just as a suggestion.

(Maureen McNamara): And, do we need to define which element each
activity is geared towards or just all of the activities.

Karen Dorsey: This is Karen. The logic model should be repeating what
you're presenting in the narrative portion.

Man: And, breaking it down by element is usually a good way to do that.

Michelle Bechard: You might want to take a look at page 19 -- 18 to 19
of the application which tells you a little bit more about developing
your logic model.

(Maureen McNamara): Okay.

Michelle Bechard: And, on page 19 it said that it allows you -- what the
logic model does is provide cross-referencing between the narrative, the
MOA and the budget.

(Maureen McNamara): Okay. And, we just need one logic model for the
whole program, not one logic model per year?

Michelle Bechard: Correct.

(Maureen McNamara): Okay. I think that's all I have.

Michelle Bechard: Okay.

David DeVoursney: Thank you.

Operator: Your next question comes from the line of (Sara Pepper).

(Sara Pepper): Hi, I am located in a rural county in Idaho. We are
looking at applying as a consortium with one lead school district as the
applicant agency and then involving smaller school districts within our
county. And, the question is so the lead school district would be the
fiscal and have staff like a project director and other staff, but for
some of the activities and so on we are looking to have a service
provider to manage other aspects. So, for example, staff who are serving
outlying communities in school districts in outlying areas. Is that okay
if then, so the lead agency does have staff, but is also kind of acting
as a pass-through for another non-profit organization that will managing
aspects of the project?

Man: That would be okay as long as you follow any contracting procedures
that you have in place in choosing the non-profit.

(Sara Pepper): Okay. So, and then those activities then would be listed
not under personnel for the lead agency, but personnel under as a
contracted?

Michelle Bechard: Yes, but this is (Michelle). Also, I mean it really
also goes back to what is your comprehensive plan. It shouldn't be
something that looks like you're running two different programs.

(Sara Pepper): No.

Michelle Bechard: It's really one, large comprehensive plan, you know,
and perhaps because of geography, you've got other people out there that
are working with, you know, some of your outlying areas for the
district.

Michael Wells: This is (Michael Wells). I would just add that I think
it's also to important to remember that the lead agency or the lead
district is going to be ultimately responsible for all the reporting and
all the requirements and for the budget and so forth. So, even though
there may be a different entity that's managing a certain portion of
that program, the school district that is the lead applicant will be
ultimately responsible for the entire program.

(Sara Pepper): Yes. And, then as -- yes, we do understand that. So, we
would have employees of two different agencies essentially managing the
project, but it would be coordinated, the activities themselves.

Michelle Bechard: Yes, but -- this is (Michelle) again. There's only one
project director. So, when you talk about managing versus directing --

Michael Wells: And, then coordinating.

Michelle Bechard: And coordinate. It's a little confusing. The
requirement is that there be on full-time project director and that
person's going to be responsible for managing that project in its
totality.

(Sara Pepper): Yes. One of the references I'm using is the Spokane
School District Application that was funded in 2004 and it was listed on
your Web site as one of the -- through the FOIA Act one of the top three
scoring applicants. And, they did something pretty similar I believe to
what we're proposing where they had a full-time project director
employed by Spokane District and then, they had in this instance it
was - with Washington State it's organized a little differently. It was
-- still it wasn't the school district, but like their educational
district that oversees several districts that was then actually a
service provider managing aspects of the project in the rural districts.

Michelle Bechard: So, just remember that there's been changes to the --
there are two things that you need to be wary of is that there's changes
to the -- what the application requires you to do and you're looking at
an application and you might not be fully aware if that worked or did
not work or perhaps its an arrangement that works because of the
uniqueness of something there that you might not be fully aware of. So,
what you do is really based on what your needs are and what you hope to
accomplish and I think its difficult to take something that perhaps
works in different site and replicate it in another unless you're sure
you know what all the variables are.

(Sara Pepper): Yes, actually it kind of worked the other way where we
came up with a model that was workable for us and then I noticed that
they had done the same thing. So, my question came from their other
agency was somehow an educational agency rather than a private
non-profit that was involved in other management aspects. Would a
private non-profit be able to function in that same, you know, as in
their instance it was some kind of educational district. In ours it
would be a private non-profit I don't' know if that\...

Michael Wells: It is allowable, but you need to make sure that you have
the proper controls in place so that that district that is legally
responsible for the grant has oversight of the grant.

(Sara Pepper): Yes. Okay. I had another small question. I can't find it
in the application now, but I seem to remember if we're submitting a
hard copy instead of, you know, grants.gov, it said to provide an
original and two copies, but then it sounded like an additional copy
would be appreciated. So, would you like an original plus three copies?

Karen Dorsey: Correct. And, it's on the bottom of page 1.

(Sara Pepper): So, original and three copies is your preference?

Karen Dorsey: Correct.

(Sara Pepper): Okay. Thank you.

Man: Thank you very much.

Operator: Your next question comes from the line of (Gretchen Bing).

(Gretchen Bing): Hi. I have a couple of follow-up questions to what has
already been discussed today. My first pertains to the budget narrative.
In some of the proposals that I've looked at and maybe they just didn't
fully address them, but they've indicated that under their budget
narrative piece they've said things like the school district has a
history of supporting federal grants. And, they sort of talked about the
administration, but not necessarily talking about their specific budget.
And, our proposal, we're sort of addressing it ongoing so, when we talk
about a piece for example, fully implementing second step we have a
statement in that description of that stating that funding from this
proposal will support blah, blah, blah.

Karen Dorsey: This is Karen.

(Gretchen Bing): Yes.

Karen Dorsey: Earlier applications had a different selection criteria
related to budget in which one of the questions had to do with
experience with fiscal operations.

(Gretchen Bing): Okay. I'm looking at last year's proposal. Of last
year's funded one. Is it different from last year?

Karen Dorsey: No.

(Gretchen Bing): Okay. I have only looked at the ones that were funded
last year.

Karen Dorsey: Okay. Well\...

Michelle Bechard: Sometimes people also put things in their narrative
that they don't necessarily need to put in their narrative.

(Gretchen Bing): Yes. And, that's what I was just, you know, I was sort
of assessing that that may not have been responding to what you were
looking for in the budget narrative piece.

Michelle Bechard: And, I was just going to refer you back - I think if
you take a look at the criteria, you respond to the criteria, I think
you'll be fine.

(Gretchen Bing): And, does it have to be in a section that says budget
or like I'm doing sort of weaving the pieces throughout. Like the, you
know, our budget is building in a director to do this piece, or you
know, whatever, sort of addressing it each place of how the budget is
feeding, supporting the different services.

Michelle Bechard: The actual narrative, think of what a reviewer needs
-- how a reviewer is looking at your application and I think, you know,
that where you talk about your budget its going to be in one place
rather than scattered throughout.

(Gretchen Bing): Okay. And, then my other question for you is about sort
of the differentiating. I understand and you've had extensive
discussions on all three of these conversations about that its one
comprehensive model. It's not a cafeteria and people can choose. Some of
the things that we're looking at in terms of like differentiating
between the communities because we have two different school districts
is sort of paying particular attention to the nuances in the community
and the relationships that already exist.

So, in one school district we may be putting in a SRO for example, that
a police officer sort of based position. In another district it may be a
civilian placed position that's doing the same types of function, but
due to a variety of reasons it's not going to be, you know, a badge,
gun-carrying officer for those types of differentiations appropriate.

Michael Wells: That sounds fine.

(Gretchen Bing): Okay. And, then we are also because we have two
different communities we recognize that it's all one, large project, but
we do feel its necessary in the partnering school district has been
unvocal that they want to have a go-to person that's strictly like their
implementation specialist. So, we were sort of building an assistant
project director who does a variety of things, but one of the pieces is
making sure that they're the go-to person for the smaller school
district so that they don't get lost in the shuffle.

Michael Wells: This is (Michael Wells). That also sounds fine. As long
as you have one person ultimately responsible, how you develop your
management's structure beyond that is specific to what your needs are.

(Gretchen Bing): Okay. Fantastic. Thanks a lot.

Man: Thank you.

Operator: Your next question comes from the line of (Karen Watts).

(Karen Watts): Hello?

Man: Hello?

(Karen Watts): Oh, yes. We're with the Boston Public Schools in Boston,
Mass. and wanted to find out about the private school participation.
Wanted to ask a question about that. Well, one is a technical question
as far as the documentation that you're asking for evidence of equitable
participation. I wanted to know do you want the page from our NCLB
application? I think it's called -- or what were you looking for for
that piece of the\...

Karen Dorsey: This is Karen. What we're looking for is for you to tell
us how you outreached to private schools in your area and how they
responded. And, if they responded affirmatively that they wanted to
participate in the application that they participate in it and if they
responded that they did not, then you would say that. That's what we're
looking for.

(Karen Watts): Oh, this a narrative. This a one-pager type narrative on
-- because in our NCLB application there's a form there that says how
many private schools there are in the area, how many we're contacting,
how many are participating in our Title I program, Title I through V
program I should say, but you don't want that?

Karen Dorsey: No. No. This is Karen again. No, we don't need that level
of detail. We just need for you to tell to describe what your outreach
activities were and the response and how you are accommodating with
preparing the applications.

(Karen Watts): Okay. Are -- with the equitable participation are the
private school in our area are you looking for them to receive the same
material, services, et cetera as were offered under Safe School?

Michelle Bechard: Per capita?

Karen Dorsey: The services to be equitable\...

(Karen Watts): I'm sorry?

Debbie Rudy: The services need to be equitable, but they do not have to
be exactly the same thing, same materials. One test that is often used
is a per capita or an estimated cost of a service provided per child.
That's one test of equitability although, certainly not the only one.

Michael Wells: It is necessary that all the elements be addressed across
the board.

(Karen Watts): For each private -- for the private schools?

Michael Wells: Yes.

(Karen Watts): In other words, if they are offered services under each
element?

Karen Dorsey: If they are offered to participate in your comprehensive
plan. So they for example, as part of your comprehensive plan is
installing security equipment it is not appropriate for them to say we
just want the security equipment and don't want to do anything else. If
they are interested in participating in the comprehensive plan, they
need to participate in the comprehensive plan, the elements which would
include local evaluation activity as well.

(Karen Watts): Okay. So, they have to participate slowly. There's no
well, we want this, but we don't' want that kind of thing?

Karen Dorsey: Correct.

(Karen Watts): Okay. All right. Thank you very much.

Man: Thank you.

Operator: Your next question comes from the line of (Andrea Johnson).

(Andrea Johnson): I'm asking for al little clarification or guidance on
maintenance of efforts which is listed as an appendices.

Karen Dorsey: What would you like to know?

(Andrea Johnson): What exactly are you looking for? Is there a template?
Is there more information that we can get regarding what you're looking
for that maintenance of effort statement?

Debbie Rudy: I believe that the language in the application for
maintenance of effort is pretty closely to the statutory requirement. It
comes from Title IX of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and
basically, describes a requirement that is designed to help us ensure
when grant funds are going into a district they are going into an area
that is maintaining its effort with regards to spending, education
spending or education funding. And, I guess our best advice I have to
say this is not our strongest area of expertise because it's pretty
unusual requirement for discretionary grants. Its one that attaches to
most of the large formula grants that are administered by the Department
of Education.

So, usually, the first thing that we suggest is that you might have a
chat with the person in the business office or you finance office. I
know that folks that implement our Title I program monitor maintenance
of effort very carefully. And, I suspect that calculations have been
done to verify that you maintained effort and I'd also say that it's
pretty unusual for district not to have maintained different.

There are a couple of exceptions that I'm sure - I don't think we talk
about them in the application that are in the statutes. So there are a
couple of reasons why its okay not to maintain effort and probably the
best example of that is a scenario like the one associated with
Hurricane Katrina for example, where there were huge drop-offs in
education funding at the local level, but they could get a pass on that
because those are of extraordinary circumstances. But I would definitely
try your business office and see if they are not folks there who have
already dealt with this issue and assessed where your district is in
terms of maintaining effort.

(Andrea Johnson): This is (Andrea) again. We do have to do it also with
Special Service Education as well as Title 1, but what I was looking for
is if there -- if its just like a statement similar to what we have to
do with the equitable participation or the GAPA 427? It is similar to
that?

Debbie Rudy: That's fine. Just to tell us that you verified that you've
maintained effort.

(Andrea Johnson): Okay. Thank you very much.

David Thank you.

Operator: Your next question comes from the line of (Perry May).

(Perry May): Hello?

Michelle Bechard: Hi.

(Perry May): Can I put this on speaker or it won't work on speaker if I
put it on speaker?

Michelle Bechard: Well, we can hear you.

(Perry May): I have someone that's in my office.

Michelle Bechard: Well, go ahead and put it on speaker, we'll tell you
if you can't hear you.

(Perry May): No, you can't. Can you hear me now?

Michelle Bechard: Talk a little bit louder.

(Perry May): Hello?

Michael Wells: Can you speak a little louder?

(Perry May): Yes, can you hear me now?

Michelle Bechard: Yes.

(Perry May): Okay. I've got a couple of follow-up questions as well. One
is back to the -- it says what is needed for the state single point of
contact and I know you can go online and find out if that's in your
school district, but what concerns me is that is it a long process for
them to review it prior to coming to you?

Karen Dorsey: They have until July something, I think to come\...

Debbie Rudy: They have 60 days from the transmission date and if they're
not done that's fine.

Post call clarification: Applicants are not penalized if their Single
State Point of Contact doesn't not complete its review in the 60 days
provided.

(Perry May): Okay. But it won't affect March 14th then, right?

Debbie Rudy: No.

(Perry May): Okay. Thank you. I have other questions.

Michelle Bechard: Go ahead.

(Perry May): The other question I had was back to the logic model. I
heard someone say, or you said, it says one. I understand that, but when
you look at all five elements do you address -- do you have to identify
which element you're addressing on that logic model?

Michelle Bechard: Yes.

Michael Wells: That's helpful to do that, yes.

(Perry May): So, pro activity with one logic model, say Element 1, is
you address that activity, correct?

Michelle Bechard: You'll address that Element.

(Perry May): Okay.

Michelle Bechard: And, their might be -- you know, the terminology is
tough because you might be using activity differently then how we define
activity, but our recommendation is you would -- as you're developing
your logic model you address each of the five elements within that logic
model.

(Perry May): And, I can dress -- let me use the word activity again. I
can address two elements under the same activity, correct?

Man: Usually, you would have your elements and then underneath the five
required elements, you might have multiple activities than any given
element, although you might just have one activity.

(Perry May): Okay. That's good.

Man: Does that make any sense?

(Perry May): Yes, that makes sense. The grant writer. I wasn't taken
back, but I was kind of confused on that. You said the pre-award -- in
other words, if I had a grant writer to write this process and I paid
him, let's \$1000. When you say pre-award is that telling me I got it
and then you will pay that -- you reimburse me for the grant write or
how does that process work?

Michelle Bechard: No. That would be nice though, wouldn't it?

(Perry May): It would. It really would.

Michelle Bechard: No. It means that you're taking the -- if you have a
grant writer and you're paying them to help you write the grant, if you
don't get awarded, you've got a nice application, but we can't pay you
for it because you were not awarded.

(Perry May): Right. And, that was my concern. Okay. But if get awarded.
Let's say if money is reasonable then you will reimburse us, correct?

Michelle Bechard: You would reimburse. We provide you with the award
amount.

(Perry May): Right. We reimburse from the grant.

Michelle Bechard: Correct. Its not - what we can't do you can certainly
pay for it out of your award, but its not going to be additional funds
on top of your award.

(Perry May): Right. I understand that.

Karen Dorsey: And, this is Karen. For pre award costs are those costs
that are incurred 90 days before the award is made.

(Perry May): But I think in the application or where I've read the word
reasonable was used.

Michelle Bechard: Yes.

(Perry May): You know, that can be looked at in many different ways.
When you say reasonable, what's that mean?

Michelle Bechard: Well, there is a definition of reasonable in the
definition section of the application and we'll find that page number
for you. Reasonable is when a prudent person would pay for a similar
item or service.

(Perry May): Okay.

Michelle Bechard: Page 56 has the definition of reasonable.

(Perry May): Also, we may call you -- and we call you back again because
we have a non-profit. We're working with (unintelligible) school
district and they have the grant plus the lead agency. So, are we
allowed to call back on another day as well to ask more questions?

Michelle Bechard: Yes, we have two more phone calls after today. You're
certainly welcome to call in on one or both.

(Perry May): And, the (unintelligible) all that kind of stuff comes from
the school district, correct?

(Perry May): I saw in here that you had a (unintelligible) number in one
of these\...

Karen Dorsey: A DUNS number. It's from Dunns and Bradstreet. Those
numbers are associated with the school district or the lead applicant.

(Perry May): Okay. We'll probably call you back on the next technical
assistant day.

Man: Okay.

(Perry May): Thank you very much.

David DeVoursney: Thank you.

Operator: Again, if you would like to ask a question, please press
star 1. Your have a follow up question from the line of (Maureen
McNamara).

(Maureen McNamara): Hi. I just had one more question that I thought of.
Is there a specific format that the project narrative should be in?
Should it follow the criteria or should it be broken out by element?
What's the best way to kind of form it?

Karen Dorsey: This is Karen. On page 26 we actually say for ease of
reading by the reviewers applicants should develop their narrative to
follow the sequence of the criteria. But that's what we recommend.

(Maureen McNamara): Okay. And, then within each -- so then the elements
can be addressed in kind of every area, not specifically pulled out
Element 1 and Element 2 or should that be done under one of the
specific?

Michael Wells: Particularly under the project design section, its most
easily followed if you break it out by elements.

(Maureen McNamara): Okay. Do the other ones need to be broken out by
elements or just that one?

Michael Wells: It's appropriate to do that, but it's not necessarily
required in each one.

(Maureen McNamara): Okay. Thank you.

Man: Sure. Thank you.

Operator: Your next question comes from the line of (Toni Reed).

(Toni Reed): I have a question about Year 1. Can you hear me?

Michelle Bechard: We sure can.

(Toni Reed): Okay. I had that question about Year 1. What exactly should
happen during that year? I mean if we have baseline data already, can we
implement, you know, during Year 1 or is Year 1 entirely about setting
up the program and planning it and collecting baseline data?

Karen Dorsey: This is Karen. In Year 1 if you have your baseline data
you begin implementation.

(Toni Reed): Okay. And, Year 1 is to implement Elements 1 and 2.

Karen Dorsey: This is Karen. No, that's not correct. It's to implement
the entire proposed plan.

(Toni Reed): Okay. Somewhere I read in the RFP that it's either 1 and 2
or 1, 2 and 3. I think its 1 and 2 are implemented during Year 1 and
then years 2 through 4 all five elements. So, that's not correct then?

Karen Dorsey: That's not correct and if you see that, please bring it to
our attention because I don't remember that being in there.

(Toni Reed): Okay. I'll see if I can find it.

Michelle Bechard: That would be helpful.

Karen Dorsey: Do you have any other questions?

(Toni Reed): No, but I am looking for this -- looking what -- I'll call
back if I can find it for you.

Karen Dorsey: Okay. Or you can send me an email at
<Karen.dorsey@ed.gov>.

(Toni Reed): Okay. Very good. Thank you.

Operator: Your next question comes from the line of (Stacey Hopper).

(Stacey Hopper): Hi. I was wondering if we have several evidenced based
programs that we want funded, but we would also like to include a
broader program that would augment the evidence based programs, but the
broader program has less empirical evidence itself, should we not try to
include it in the grant?

Michelle Bechard: No, you could still include it in the grant. If you
believe that it supports the remainder of your comprehensive plan.

Michael Wells: If you can show that it\...

Michelle Bechard: And, if you can show that it works, then, or identify
how it works then I think that's fine.

David DeVoursney: I would just pay attention to the selection criteria
and make sure that you address those criteria because that is how your
application will be scored and if for some reason a reviewer doesn't
think that you're meeting their standards for evidence based then you
may not score as highly as you might want to.

(Stacey Hopper): Okay. And every reviewer looks at the selection
criteria?

David DeVoursney: I would focus on the selection criteria, yes.

(Stacey Hopper): Okay. And, then I have one more question. What are the
chances that the grant will be back next year?

David DeVoursney: It's not really for us to talk about future
appropriation.

Debbie Rudy: I mean we can tell you that there is money President's FY
2009 budget for Safe School Healthy Students, but we're a long way from
having final budget numbers for 2009. So, it would just be through the
crystal ball. We'd be guessing along with, but we can tell you the
President's budget does include a request for funding to the program.

(Stacey Hopper): Okay. Wonderful. Thank you very much. Bye-bye.

David DeVoursney: Thank you.

Operator: You have a follow-up question from the line of (Perry May).

(Perry May): I'm back on again. I'm kind of confused on that budget you
got. I keep hearing different answers to that. Is it 750, let's say if
we had under 3500 students, is 750 is that for three years or 48 months?

Michelle Bechard: It would be up to \$750,000 for each year.

(Perry May): Oh, for each year?

Michelle Bechard: Correct.

(Perry May): And, I read somewhere the budget has to be equal per year,
correct?

Michelle Bechard: Say that again, I'm sorry.

(Perry May): The budget has to be equal. In other words year 1, year 2
and year 3 have to be equally proportionate.

Michelle Bechard: No. No.

Karen Dorsey: This is Karen. For each of the budget years you cannot
exceed the maximum amount based on the allocation for your student
enrollment module. And, that's on page 20. So, if you have fewer than
5000 students you could request up to \$750,000 for each of the four
12-month periods. What you cannot do is ask for \$700,000 in year 1 and
then \$800,000 in year 2.

(Perry May): Okay. That's what I was -- okay. Thank you. That's what I
-- so, it has to be equally, correct? It has to be -- if I'm going to
ask for \$750,000 the first year --

Michelle Bechard: It can't -- it doesn't have to be equal. It's just
that no 12-month budget can be any more than \$750,000.

Patrick Weld: Right. You can't go by an average amount over the four
years.

(Perry May): Okay. Got you.

Michelle Bechard: And, it's not flat funded. We're not looking at you
submitting an identical budget for each of the four years.

(Perry May): You just can't go over the \$750,000?

Michelle Bechard: As long as you don't exceed the \$750,000 for each of
the 12-month periods you're okay.

Man: And, that's if you have less than 5000 students. You're eligible
for more funds if you have greater than 5000 students in your
(unintelligible).

(Perry May): Right. I think our district is we qualify for the
\$750,000. So, that's what it's based on. And, that's page 20, correct?

Man: That's right.

Michelle Bechard: Correct.

(Perry May): Thank you.

David DeVoursney: Thank you.

Operator: You have a follow-up question from the line of (Toni Reed).

(Toni Reed): On page 9 and you referenced this page before, but on page
9 under Budget, it says the standard Form 424 should represent the total
funds needed, okay. Then it says the first detailed budget should
represent the funds needed to support program Elements 1, 2, and 3. The
second detailed budget should represent the funds needed to support
Elements 4 and 5. I'm not sure how this would look. Is it -- are they
two separate\...

Michael Wells: There should be two separate budgets for each 12-month
period. So, if you have \$750,000 as your maximum you'd have one budget
for Elements 1, 2, and 3 for year 1. One budget for Elements 4 and 5 for
year 1 and the total of those two budgets would not exceed \$750,000.
You would do that same process for years 2, 3 and 4.

Michelle Bechard: You can also look on page 86 of the application and it
will thoroughly describes in more detail describes what (Michael) just
explained.

(Toni Reed): Okay. Very good. That's what I wanted to know. Than you so
much.

David Devourseny: Thank you.

Operator: Your next question comes from the line of (Heidi Yokum).

(Heidi Yokum): Good afternoon. I'm just joining you due to another
meeting. I have a question for you in terms of and perhaps you've
already covered it -- their universal prevention nearly intervention and
intensive strategies required for all five elements. We have that
impression, but we don't know that we can find that exactly.

Karen Dorsey: This is Karen. The programming is based on your
assessment. What we want is just to bring to folks' attention is that
you can provide those kinds of activities in those three domains.

(Heidi Yokum): So, it's not required?

Karen Dorsey: Correct, it's not required.

(Heidi Yokum): It's based on assessment. Okay. Great. Thank you.

David Devoursney: Thank you.

Operator: Again, if you would like to ask a question, please press
star 1. Your next question comes from the line of (Michelle Presley).

(Michelle Presley): Hi. Good afternoon. I have four questions in total.
A couple are the follow-up and I apologize because this is my first
grant. SO, I probably have a lot of questions that are pretty
self-explanatory, but on -- you had talked about a full-time project
director. Did you mean it has to be 100% of somebody's FTE or you just
meant one person completely dedicated to this program?

Michael Wells: Its 100% FTE for a full 12-month, per year position. One
full FTE totally dedicated to this grant.

Michelle Bechard: And, an FTE is defined as an 80-hour per pay period or
every two-week position. That's one FTE equals 80 hours or 2080 hours a
year.

(Michelle Presley): Okay. So, if you had one person trying to do this
plus something else, that's not allowed?

Michelle Bechard: Correct. That would not be a full FTE.

(Michelle Presley): Okay.

Man: And, there's enough work for that person, don't worry.

(Michelle Presley): Oh, no. I know there is, just my district doesn't
think that there is, but this is just going to be one of my job's
category. So, that's why I'm like this'll be interesting to see how they
try to get around that.

Michelle Bechard: But we do require that whoever's the project director
be a full FTE and it be a 12-month position. Even if the school district
thinks that a full-time person is something different than what we have
defined.

(Michelle Presley): Okay. So, it's a 12-month position, 80 hours a week?

Michelle Bechard: Every two weeks.

(Michelle Presley): I mean every two weeks. Okay. The other is for
evidence based, scientific based, research based, all those different
things -- is a state adopted textbook considered evidence based or the
fact that it's already state adopted and been through that process?

Michelle Bechard: I -- this is (Michelle). I think that's a very
specific question for your particular area. I don't know if we can
generalize and give you a yes or no on it.

David DeVoursney: I don't think that being state certified would qualify
it as being evidenced based. You should check the definition on page 54
for evidence based and use that in guiding your decision about whether
it's evidence based or not.

(Michelle Presley): Yes, and I have and I read it and that's, you know,
one of my -- the only way they can get adopted is they have to be
researched based. And, so when I read the other definition that said it
could be scientific based, evidence based, research based.

Michelle Bechard: I think if you can describe the process that the State
goes through to "approve" that particular textbook and if it aligns with
the definition of evidence based or research based then I think you can
make a case. But you're going to have to explain because no one's going
to know what that process is. You just state that it was approved by the
State and it was not completely implied that it would be considered an
evidence based\...

(Michelle Presley): But we're also going to do second step and that is
already evidence based. So, would it be smarter to have second step
defined as our evidence based and the textbook more like a supplemental?

Patrick Weld: They're all going to be looked at by peer review if it's
mentioned in your application.

Michael Wells: And, it's important for you not to assume anything about
what the reviewers know just because second step is widely used doesn't
mean that the reviewer would necessarily know that any better than they
would know your textbook. So, in your narrative be sure to discuss how
you know and how you establish that that particular curriculum, whatever
it is, is science based or evidence based.

(Michelle Presley): Okay.

Patrick Weld: and, I just want to add, whenever you say textbook and you
don't necessarily need to answer this, but whenever you say textbook are
we talking a math textbook, are we talking a prevention textbook? That's
what -- we don't -- you want to make sure that the peer reviewer knows
all of that information.

(Michelle Presley): Health. Got you.

Patrick Weld: Because it may not be readily apparent, so you want to be
clear with that in your application.

(Michelle Presley): Okay. The other question is for private schools.
When we're doing the numbers, even though we have to include them in the
grant, the way that I read it we don't get to count them though towards
our numbers. Because if we included the private schools, it would bump
us above the 35,000. Without the private schools we're below 35,000. So,
for the amount of money that we can ask for is my question.

Karen Dorsey: This is Karen. For the purposes of determining your
maximum funding request, you should only use those -- that data that's
in NCES which does not include the private schools.

(Michelle Presley): Okay. That's the way -- I'm like that's so unfair
though, but that's the way I had interpreted it. I just wanted to make
sure I was clear. I would rather use their numbers if I have to share
with them. So, and then, the last is on the budget. And, I just -- I'm
sorry to beat a dead horse. So, I have the 5 to 35, so I can apply to
the \$1.5 and that's \$1.5 per year, so really we're talking a total of
\$6 million.

(Michael Wells): Correct.

(Michelle Presley): Okay. I just wanted to make sure because so many
grants are \$1.5 million over the four years, so that's really only
\$300,000 per year or roughly. Okay. I just wanted \--

Michelle Bechard: Yes, \$1.5 million for a total over four years is \$6
million.

(Michelle Presley): Perfect. Thank you so much for your help. I
appreciate it.

David DeVoursney: No problem. Thank you

Operator: Your next question comes from the line of (Heidi Yokum).

(Heidi Yokum): Hello again. Question about human subjects research.
Wondering in terms of essentially what we understand to be a kind of a
gold star, sort of design. Randomized experimental research design is
that -- that's certainly not a requirement. Is that the -- but is that
the gold star for USCE for this grant? I hope that makes sense what I'm
asking.

Debbie Rudy: Well, (Heidi) I mean this grant doesn't prefer one
evaluation strategy or evaluation design over another. There are other
programs from the Department for example, for which competitive
preference is given for evaluations that are experimental or quasi
experimental designs. So, that's a decision that you all need to make
and in terms of what you want your evaluation to look like. Pretty
clearly, if you're going to be doing any experimental design that would
include random assignment you probably are gong to have human subjects
and whole lot of requirements to adhere to, you know, if you're doing
research -- generalized research which is usually the goal of that kind
of project.

(Heidi Yokum): Do you\...

Debbie Rudy: I would keep that in mind when you're thinking about what
you want your evaluation to look like.

(Heidi Yokum): That's why we were asking the question. Essentially, we
were thinking, you know, gosh, first of all, the challenge of
withholding treatment or services from students was causing some of our
partners concern, but also then the challenge of tracking and getting
permission, et cetera.

Debbie Rudy: You're not required.

(Patrick Weld): No, the requirement is for evaluation and that's a big
difference in research.

(Heidi Yokum): Very good. Thank you.

Debbie Rudy: Yes, I mean what you need to be able to respond to fully is
on selection criteria regarding evaluation. As long as you do a good,
comprehensive, high-quality job of that not that the design that you
select or the approach that you select.

(Heidi Yokum): Great. Thank you.

David DeVoursney: Thank you.

Operator: Your next question comes from the line of (Andrea Johnson).

(Andrea Johnson): I am currently a project director for several federal
programs and so I would not be the person that works full-time with this
upcoming project, but there is a form that wee needs to fill out on the
grants.gov page that says supplemental information required for
Department of Education and it asks for the project director. Would I
list that information and then, as that project director changes then
that would be changed for the project's year?

Karen Dorsey: Correct, yes. We primarily use that for contacts. So, if
its not you it should be somebody that we can contact if we need to
during the months of May, June and July.

(Andrea Johnson): All right. That would not be a problem. I'm currently
the grants administrator for the school district, but I just wanted to
be sure that I was not the next person to be hired, you know, if we
needed something different on that form. Thank you.

David DeVoursney: Thank you.

Operator: Your next question comes from the line of (Sara Pepper).

(Sara Pepper): I have a question about the project start date and I'm
sorry I don't know the page number of the application, but I seem to
remember it indicated that grant announcements, grant awards would be
made by July 1st, but there's a possibility it might no be until October
1st. Is that correct?

Karen Dorsey: Aiming for July 1st, By law we have until October 1st, but
we are really shooting for July 1st.

(Sara Pepper): So, our proposed project start date would be July 1st?
Would that be reasonable?

Karen Dorsey: Yes.

Michelle Bechard: Yes.

(Sara Pepper): Okay. Great. Thank you.

David DeVoursney: Thank you.

Operator: Your next question comes from the line of (Michelle Presley).

(Michelle Presley): Hi. I had a follow-up for -- is there a page
reference you can give me for the definition of a project director
versus project coordinator versus -- because I was reading through the
table of contents and I'm not easily finding it.

Karen Dorsey: This is Karen. If you hold on for a second, we don't have
definitions for all of those terms, but on page\...

(Michelle Presley): Just because I'm not a 12-month employee and so, I'm
a teacher on special assignment and so, I'm like so, this whole grant
I'm writing basically, for my job and I'm writing myself out of a job.
And, so I'm like I need to see, you know, is there somebody else during
those months that can be, take over my duties for those three months
that I'm not -- or for those ten weeks that I'm not here?

Michael Wells: The reason for us asking for 12 months \-- while they
look for the page number I'll speak to that is is that we have training
during that period, we have budget issues, we have other kinds of things
that are ongoing, including often times summer programs the districts
hold. So, it's not appropriate to have one person be responsible during
that period of time and someone else during the other ten months. So,
it's important for the same project director to be involved through the
full 12 months of the program each year.

(Michelle Presley): But during the summer if school's not in session and
all of our programs -- there's not a full-time -- like for the month of
July well, there's no programs being run then there's nothing besides
attending a budget meeting or a seminar.

Michael Wells: Well, the federal government is still operating and we
still may be doing training and we may be still involved in budget
activities and need you available so we can be in touch with you as the
project director if you're that individual during that time period.

Michelle Bechard: But I think there's another point, too, is that again,
you're working with at a minimum three other partners and some of their
services and their programs are likely to be continuing throughout the
summer. So, even though the school itself might be closed there could be
even that -- even programs that initiate from the school, there still
could be programs depending on what you're comprehensive plan looks like
that continue to operate during the summer. You're youths don't go away
during the summer because school's closed.

(Michelle Presley): Right.

Karen Dorsey: And, this is Karen. I don't know of a Safe School Healthy
Student project that has been funded that does not operate during the
summer. All of our grant programs are year-round and while school's are
closed and you may not be doing particular activities as (Michelle)
said, there are areas -- administrative areas in working with partners
in corroboration and evaluation and those kinds of activities. If
anything, our project directors would probably like to have an
additional month in the year. So, I don't think the issue is not having
anything to do during the month of July or August or when school's not
in session.

(Michelle Presley): Okay. I'm just not sure what we're writing for is as
comprehensive then. So, I guess my question to you is if I'm not writing
something so overly comprehensive because at this time we're just not
prepared to do that. We're just kind of trying to take a small piece of
the pie, should we not be trying to participate now and we should be
waiting?

Karen Dorsey: That's a decision you'll need to make. I mean would remind
you to look at the absolute priority and what the expectation is to be
fully responsive, but clearly, this is about finding a comprehensive
plan. Not about funding three or four discrete activities.

Michelle Bechard: Also, there's a small tool on Safe School Healthy
Students Web site that you cold use to help assess whether you're -- to
assess readiness to see if you really are at a sufficient point in time
where you're ready to do this kind of a grant program. And, SSHS Web
site is www.sshs.samhsa.gov.

(Michelle Presley): Right. And, that's a -- it says like readiness tool
something or other?

Michelle Bechard: Right.

(Michelle Presley): Yes. I saw that.

Michelle Bechard: It might be worth it just to through that.

(Michelle Presley): Okay. I'm sorry. I have one more question and that
distracted me. And I didn't write it down. I apologize. Okay. Thank you.

Michelle Bechard: It's okay. If you think of your question, call back.

(Michelle Presley): All right. Thank you.

David DeVoursney: Thanks.

Operator: Your next question comes from the line of (Anna Demayan Plaz).

(Anna Demayan Plaz): Hello?

Michelle Bechard: Hello.

Karen Dorsey: Hello.

(Anna Demayan Plaz): We know that grant funds can be used to support
professional development, but is there a restriction on the amount of
money that is allowed for that training or professional development?

Michelle Bechard: No, there's no limit on staff development. Again, I
would refer you back to the definition of reasonable.

(Anna Demayan Plaz): Okay. Thank you.

Operator: Your next question comes from the line of (Heidi Yokum).

(Heidi Yokum): I have a question this time about evidence based and you
have not had an opportunity to read although my staff has participated
in other technical assistance calls, but hopefully, this isn't
applicative. In any case, evidence based, research based, science based,
I am wondering whether the emphasis would be on what's termed boxed
curriculum or whether evidence based approaches strategies are used in
these grants like risk and protective factors, asset development, even
(unintelligible)?

Michelle Bechard: I think and we're all kind of nodding our heads, but I
think it stands for both.

(Heidi Yokum): Okay.

David DeVournsey: I would make sure that whatever you do to look at the
selection criteria and respond directly to them and then also look at
the definition of (unintelligible) states within the application.

(Heidi Yokum): Okay. So, I do not necessarily have to choose from the
list of more or less boxed curriculum that are on the Web site?

Michelle Bechard: No, absolutely not.

Michael Wells: But I would remind you that whatever you choose, be sure
to make your case in the narrative so that the reviewer will be able to
understand why you chose that program and how it meets that criteria.

Jane Hodgdon: This is (Jane). Also on page 21 of the application there's
a series of questions around choosing evidence based programs and these
are good questions to consider as you are developing your program.

(Heidi Yokum): All right. Thank you.

Operator: Your next question comes from the line of (Gretchen Bing).

(Gretchen Bing): Hi. I have some questions about the required attendance
at national grantees meetings. I think I also saw somewhere that there's
regional ones as well, is that correct?

Michelle Bechard: There could be. Annually we develop a training
schedule. So, from year to year, whether it's a national meeting or
whether it's a regional meeting or workshop, we determine that on an
annual basis.

(Gretchen Bing): Okay. Can you provide some guidance then on how to sort
of address that in terms of budget?

Michelle Bechard: As far as budget what I would do is I think the budget
requires you to budget for up to five people to attend what we call a
national conference or I think its three days and then to budget for the
project director to attend two three-day meetings. If your purpose is in
calculating the costs, estimate it based on coming to a meeting here in
Washington, D.C.

(Gretchen Bing): Okay. Fantastic. And, then the five people that attend,
they're evaluators on another national SAMHSA project and it's required
that the evaluation be one of the team members that attend. Is there a
like requirement for Safe Schools?

Michelle Bechard: There are -- no. There are some meetings that perhaps
your evaluator would be asked to go to, but at the moment there's one I
can think of and we pay the costs for the evaluator to attend that
meeting. That could certainly change, but right now there's no mandatory
one, except for the -- what evaluation meeting.

(Michael Wells): In terms of those national meetings in which five
people might be asked to come. The team would be determined between the
project director, the partner's discussion locally and advice from your
FPO, your Federal Project Officer.

Patrick Weld: But for the purposes of your budget you just need five
people, you don't need to know at this point who those five people are.

(Gretchen Bing): Right. I just wanted to sort of like give people a
heads up as we're going through this or if the evaluation team has to
put that in that budget or if the project director, you know, where it
kind of fits in the budget. So, I wanted to have a discussion about
that. And, then you said if there were a required evaluation meeting in
the past that that's above and beyond about these national meetings that
you just talked about you have in the past provided funding for the
evaluators to attend?

Michelle Bechard: Yes, we have, but whether we do in the future or not
we don't know. I mean we might come to you and say, you know, if you
were funded there's a new training event, we're going to require you to
do it and you're going to have to figure out whether to budget the funds
in your budget from what was awarded you. So, you might not have
originally budgeted it, but we might ask you to go ahead and allocate
some funds to it.

(Gretchen Bing): Okay. SO, that was like my next question is again,
we're evaluating another project and as part of our contract --
evaluation contract we are presenting nationally at different
conferences and we never sort of built in any money into the evaluation
budget to send us to these different meetings. So, is that something
that would be appropriate if that's an expectation?

Michelle Bechard: That's not an expectation.

Karen Dorsey: And, this is Karen. I want to remind that the EDGAR
requires that all contracts be -- that they go through a procurement
process. You keep referring to we. You should understand that if the
district is awarded a grant they would need to follow a procurement
process and they need to meet the standards in the EDGAR.

(Gretchen Bing): I do understand that. I just am referring to we because
last week I was told that we should go ahead and develop the evaluation
piece as if we were the people because we need to have a budget and we
need to have a description of the evaluation.

Karen Dorsey: Okay.

(Gretchen Bing): So, is that not correct? That was what I was told last
week.

Karen Dorsey: As long as you understand that your participation in
putting together the application does not necessarily mean that you're
going to be awarded the contract.

(Gretchen Bing): Yes.

Karen Dorsey: Okay.

(Gretchen Bing): All right.

Debbie Rudy: Also, that your participation depending on your district
procedures of the EDGAR requirements concerning conflict of interest
could make it difficult for you to compete after the fact where there is
a fair competition based on early involvement, so you need to take a
look at what's required in terms of those standards in EDGAR.

(Gretchen Bing): Okay. I should take a look at that because one of the
things that -- and research will certainly support this -- is that some
of the best evaluations plan models are ones in which the evaluators are
involved in the project from the get go.

Debbie Rudy: I don't think we have a disagreement with that, but we do
have the requirements that we have about expenditures and public funds
being awarded in a competitive manner.

(Gretchen Bing): Okay.

Debbie Rudy: There's a discussion in there about information procedures,
small acquisition procedures that may be less extensive, so, you just
need to take a look through and be sure you're on firm ground in terms
of meeting those requirements.

(Gretchen Bing): And, where can I find this?

Debbie Rudy: In the Education Department Administrative Regulations
EDGAR, Part 80, Section 80.36 and its about four pages maybe of
information about competition and small acquisition procedures and that
kind of information.

***Post call information: You can access EDGAR at
[www.ed.gov/policy/fund/reg/edgarReg/edlite-table.html](http://www.ed.gov/policy/fund/reg/edgarReg/edlite-table.html)***

(Gretchen Bing): Okay. Thank you.

David DeVoursney: Thank you.

Operator: Your next question comes from the line of (Michelle Presley).

(Michelle Presley): Hi. It's your frequent flyer. I never got the page
number for the full-time project director of like, what you consider
about how many hours and that kind of stuff.

Karen Dorsey: 86 \[page\] and it's not a real definition it just says
"at a minimum the following should be included in each of the four
12-month projects filing for a full-time project director."

(Michelle Presley): Okay. And, then so could you tell me again, the
hours? I'm just trying to look if that's a 215 day position or a 225 day
position.

Debbie Rudy: At the federal level (Michelle) -- the information
(Michelle) gave you earlier was an annual number of hours of 2080 hours.
That's what we consider to be a full-time equivalent if we're
negotiating contracts here. I do know that contractors and others use a
number sometimes less than that. Sometimes 100 and I'm going to say I
think that's 1875 hours. You know, some people don't do 40-hour weeks.
They do 38-hour weeks or 37 ½-hour weeks. So, that, I mean when we say
full-time, for us its 40 hours. For you it might be 37 ½ or 38 hours,
but it's basically a -- you're a full-time equivalent. What is
considered in your organization a full-time position?

(Michelle Presley): Okay.

Debbie Rudy: So, and I mean and again\...

(Michelle Presley): Because we do it by days. So, we have like 185-day
position. We have a 215-day position. We have a 225-day position.

Debbie Rudy: I think that -- Karen (unintelligible). The longest,
largest amount. But yes, we're looking for basically, what you consider
-- what your organization considers to be a full-time, 12-month
employee.

Michelle Bechard: And, this is (Michelle) again. I think the key is
you're not closing down for the summer. That you're not -- when the
school year ends that you're not closing your door and not coming back
until school re-opens.

(Michelle Presley): Right, which is a 215-day position. Like they take a
4-week vacation we'll call it in July, but they still are here all
through June and then all through August, but you know, they could be
available if they needed to go to a training or whatever. It's just that
they do it by days.

David DeVoursney?: Yes. You have the three other partners with mental
health, law enforcement and juvenile justice. They're all going to be
open for the summer and you're going to be wanting to collaborate with
them and work with them throughout the summer. There's also a large
amount of literature that's out there and this is slightly separate that
it's not just Safe School specific. About the benefits of programs that
are through the summer to help maintain safe schools and help\...

(Michelle Presley): Oh, yes. I'm totally on board with that. I 'm just
trying to figure out how to go sell this to my\...

Michael Wells: The 215-hour position in most school districts would also
be referred to as an 11-month position. We're talking about the
12-month, so I think the 225 is what you want.

(Michelle Presley): Okay. And, then when we are talking about
identifying issues, conditions, behaviors and/or structures that
contribute to unsafe school environment. Would it be safe to say that
prevention of sexually transmitted disease and teen pregnancy all fall
in that category, as well as violence prevention, as in bullying and
self-esteem and those kinds of things? I'm the school wellness
coordinator and that's why I'm trying to make sure that I'm writing
appropriately. In my view it is, but I just didn't know in your view if
it is.

David DeVoursney: May I put you on hold for a second?

(Michelle Presley): Okay.

Karen Dorsey: This is Karen. We've had some discussion here and the most
important thing again, is to make sure that whatever you're proposing is
responsive to the assessment part of your work and your narrative, but
also when we read the descriptions of the elements, particularly Element
3, we're really looking at student behavior, social and emotional
support. And, not a whole lot is said around physical wellness to the
extent that you find those links because they are appropriate in
particular for your community then you can include them in the peer
reviewers will review it and evaluate that information.

(Michelle Presley): Okay. So, I just have to sell it? All right. Thank
you again.

Operator: There are no further questions at this time.

Michelle Bechard: Okay. We'll hold for a minute.

Operator: You do have a question from the line of (Gretchen Bing).

(Gretchen Bing): Hi. I just wanted to call again about the procurement
information. I tried to look it up online and I just have sort of like
the outline of where it falls, but I can't actually look at the
document. Is there a specific that I can go to or should I just email
you and you can send it to me?

Debbie Rudy: Yes, we can send you the link, I mean its from the
Department, but EDGAR is on the Department's Web site and I think -- I
was going to say I believe that you can pull up sections or parts by
chunk or by link, but we can certainly send you the link that would let
you use that section.

***Post call information: You can access EDGAR at
[www.ed.gov/policy/fund/reg/edgarReg/edlite-table.html](http://www.ed.gov/policy/fund/reg/edgarReg/edlite-table.html)***

(Gretchen Bing): Okay. Fantastic. And, I should send that to Karen?

Karen Dorsey: Yes.

(Gretchen Bing): Okay. Thank you.

David DeVoursney: Thank you.

Operator: Again, if you have a question, please press star 1. You have a
follow-up from the line of (Maureen McNamara).

(Maureen McNamara): Hi. I just have one more question. I was wondering
if there was a project narrative anywhere online. I had looked on the
Web site and I hadn't found one.

Karen Dorsey: This is Karen. On the Department's Web site there is a
Freedom of Information Act - FOIA - Reading Room. And for the Office of
Safe and Drug-Free Schools are applications that are posted from funding
in 2004, but I would caution you that the application in 2004 was very
different from the application for this year. So, you can read it and
look at it. I again, would really caution you not to use it as a
template in completing and putting together your application for 2008.

(Maureen McNamara): Okay. And, where was that again? That's on the Safe
and Healthy Schools?

Karen Dorsey: It's on the U.S. Department of Education's Web site. If go
to [www.ed.gov](http://www.ed.gov/) and do a search for FOIA, F-O-I-A
you should get there.

(Maureen McNamara): Okay. Thank you.

David DeVoursney: Thank you.

Operator: Your next question is from the line of (Cynthia Barnett).

(Cynthia Barnett): Okay. Hi. Forgive me, I'm joining the call very late,
but and I'm hoping that these questions hadn't already been asked. So,
bear with me. I have a couple of questions. We're looking in our county
at three school districts who want to partner in this application and
some questions have come up with regards to the budget. Is each district
-- I know in the application it's referenced to submitting once
compressive budget. The questions have come up about subcontracting
between school districts and that that is problematic because of the
unions and you know, how they pay district employee. Have you faced
these kinds of problems before or concerns?

Michelle Bechard: I think we're a little perplexed by your question.

Jane Hodgdon: This is (Jane). If it's true are talking about submitting
an application for a consortia of school districts we recommend you
submit one, single comprehensive budget and the comprehensive budget is
submitted by the lead applicant and the consortia district, the
partnering school district would be reflect as contract within that
larger budget. That's our preference.

(Cynthia Barnett): Okay. Good. That was out thinking, but with one of
the school district partners they said they had attempted to do
something similar and they had run unto problems with their labor union.
So, I just -- have you funded consortia for districts before?

Michelle Bechard: Yes, we have.

Patrick Weld: Oh, yes. And, every single one is a little bit different
than the next one.

(Cynthia Barnett): Okay. Okay. All right. Then that answer that
question. You know, I think that actually takes care of my second
question as well. Thank you.

David DeVoursney: Thank you.

Operator: Again, if you have a question, press star 1. At this time
there are no further questions.

Michelle Bechard: We'll hold for one more minute.

Operator: You have a question from the line of (Heidi Yokum).

(Heidi Yokum): I didn't think I'd be able to get to this lower level
question. I'm delighted that we can. Thank you. I have -- I'm trying to
look at sample proposals, from past winners and my impression is that
the requirements in terms of the five elements is that pretty new? Is
that just in the past two years that each proposal must address all five
elements? Was it optional before that they could address one or two?

Michelle Bechard: No, it's never been optional. The only difference is
that up until 2005 or 2006, we're kind of looking at each other --
recently -- the elements changed, the number changed from six to five
and how they were worked and what they asked you to address became
slightly different, but since 1999 whether its been six elements or five
elements, applicants were required to comprehensively address all of the
elements. Whether they did so or not was a different issue, but they
were required to do that or they were asked to do that.

(Heidi Yokum): It makes me want to ask a follow-up question on that last
statement whether they did so or not. Is that -- winners could even
though they were required all they could have chosen not to and still be
funded or I just want to be sure I understand?

Michelle Bechard: No.

(Michael Wells): No.

Man: No.

Jane Hodgdon): (Heidi) this is (Jane) and on page 15 we talk about the
absolute priorities. And, before an application can go to peer review we
need to affirm that it does meet the absolute priority and that means
that it addresses all five of the required Safe Schools Healthy Students
initiatives elements.

(Heidi Yokum): Okay. That's what I thought I understood. Thank you.

David DeVoursney: Thank you.

Operator: Again, in order to ask a question, please press star 1. We
have a follow-up from the line of (Cynthia Barnett).

(Cynthia Barnett): Okay. Hi. My question is related to the last one.
Because we have multiple districts applying is comprehensively across
all of the districts all five elements are addressed does each school
district needs to address each of the five elements in their own
district?

David DeVoursney: Yes.

(Cynthia Barnett): Yes?

Michelle Bechard: Yes.

Man: Yes.

Karen Dorsey: Yes.

(Michael Wells): Yes.

(Cynthia Barnett): Okay. And, then as a quick follow-up question. The
reason why we are looking at this collaboration is because we have a
district-wide planning process that's been under the way for the last
year and a half. This plays into it with the role of probation and the
role of our behavioral health and mental health services provider for
the county. All three districts would need to engage and have begun
those entities. So, there are across the board, across all three
districts, common activities, curriculum and services particularly
related to work with behavioral health care and probation that they want
to do.

But then regard to other elements, the other three elements of the
application each district is a little bit different in terms of what it
precisely needs and wants to do in response to the needs of its school
community. Do we have to have a plan where -- I mean can we demonstrate
the distinctiveness in terms of some of the levels of activity in the
different school district or is there an expectation that they would all
be doing the same thing across all five elements?

Michael Wells: It's certainly reasonable to do different activities to
address the elements, but all the elements must be addressed in a
comprehensive manner.

(Cynthia Barnett): Okay. Thank you.

David DeVoursney: Thank you.

Operator: You have a follow-up from the line of (Heidi Yokum).

(Heidi Yokum): I'm fascinated with that last question and I was having a
hard time hearing the answer. We just had a meeting of our Safe and
Drug-Free Schools Consortium and we're talking about just this thing.
What we thought we understood from the technical assistance call last
week is that it can't be a menu approach for our participating
districts. They all have to sign the MOA that agrees to all of the same
activity. Is that a misunderstanding on our part?

Patrick Weld: You want to know about the (unintelligible) approach. You
have to have a comprehensive plan that addresses all five elements in
each district.

Michelle Bechard: But your answer was, was that a misunderstanding and
the answer is yes.

(Patrick Weld): You can have different activities addressing those
elements, but all the elements must be addressed.

(Heidi Yokum): Okay. So, as long as we have a comprehensive plan that
addresses all of the elements in a comprehensive way we could have
district A addressing -- oh, I don't know, safety in their school a
little bit differently from district B? Is that\...

Michael Wells: Yes.

Michelle Bechard: Yes, that, but you could not for example, school
district A could not say well, we're just going to -- we're going only
-- we only want to do elements 1 and 2; and school district B says well,
I only want to do 5; and then the third school district says well, I'm
going to do all five. That's not what you want to do.

(Heidi Yokum): Understood. Understood. Okay. So, the difference can be
in the activities that are done. I just have to get this right because
we just had a lot of disappointed folk in the room. They're like, oh my
gosh, we have to agree on what exact activities we're doing across 15
districts? And, I'm like, I believe so. Okay.

Michael Wells: In districts, your specific need in a given element might
be slightly different in 7 to 15 different districts. So, the way that
you address that gap or need might -- is going to be slightly different
across those 15 districts, but you still have to address that element.

(Heidi Yokum): Excellent. That really helps a lot. Thank you.

Operator: Your next question comes from the line of (Cynthia Barnett).

(Cynthia Barnett): Okay. This has to do with assessments. All of our
districts have been engaged in some comprehensive community assessment
work, but we do have one district that is wanting to implement some
focus groups to round out the effect of findings that they have. They
felt like they didn't get enough responsiveness from parents and so they
are wanting to do the focus group. Is that a legitimate activity in year
1 of this grant to kind of finalize some of the assessment work that's
going into their plan?

David DeVoursney: Will you hold one second, please?

(Cynthia Barnett): Sure.

David DeVoursney: Okay. This is (David DeVoursneyy) at SAMHSA. I just
wanted to say that it is permissible for you to convene focus groups to
refine your plan after the grant has been award, but you should have a
comprehensive plan in place in the application and you have to adhere to
that plan. And, that plan should be informed by community assessment
data which you'll need to have obviously, before you submit the
application.

So, while that it is permissible we would remind you to respond to all
the collection criteria in the application.

(Cynthia Barnett): Okay. All right. Thank you.

Operator: And, there are no questions at this time.

Karen Dorsey: Okay. Since it\'s 3:00 we're going to end today's call and
I want to thank everybody for joining us. And, our next call will be
next Thursday the 29th at 1:30. Thank you very much.

Operator: This concludes today's conference call. You may now
disconnect.

END