Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 68 / Friday, April 8, 2011 / Notices 19757 

employment (percentage employed in 

the first quarter after program exit); (2) 

retention in employment (percentage of 

those employed in the first quarter after 

exit that were still employed in the 

second and third quarters after program 

exit); (3) average weekly earnings 

(average earnings of those participants 

who are employed in the first, second, 

and third quarters after the exit quarter); 

and (4) the annual cost per participant. 

The AIVRS Annual Progress 

Reporting Form was revised in 2008 to 

collect data needed to assess the 

Vocational Rehabilitation Services 

Projects for American Indians with 

Disabilities program’s performance on 

supplemental measures that are 

comparable to the job training and 

employment common measures. Each 

grantee will be required to collect and 

report data for these supplemental 

measures as part of the annual 

performance report requirement, 

including information on: (1) The 

number of individuals whose case 

record has not been closed, but have not 

received project services for 90 

consecutive calendar days, (2) the 

number of eligible individuals who 

were employed three months after 

achieving an employment outcome, (3) 

the number of eligible individuals who 

were employed six months after 

achieving an employment outcome, (4) 

the average weekly earnings at entry, 

and (5) the average weekly earnings of 

the individuals whose employment 

outcomes resulted in earnings. 

Note: For purposes of this section VI. 4., 

the term ‘‘employment outcome’’ has the 

meaning provided in 34 CFR 369.4. 

5. Continuation Awards: In making a 

continuation award, the Secretary may 

consider, under 34 CFR 75.253, the 

extent to which a grantee has made 

‘‘substantial progress toward meeting the 

objectives in its approved application.’’ 

This consideration includes the review 

of a grantee’s progress in meeting the 

targets and projected outcomes in its 

approved application, and whether the 

grantee has expended funds in a manner 

that is consistent with its approved 

application and budget. In making a 

continuation grant, the Secretary also 

considers whether the grantee is 

operating in compliance with the 

assurances in its approved application, 

including those applicable to Federal 

civil rights laws that prohibit 

discrimination in programs or activities 

receiving Federal financial assistance 

from the Department (34 CFR 100.4, 

104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23). 

VII. Agency Contact 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

August Martin, U.S. Department of 

Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., 

room 5049, Potomac Center Plaza (PCP), 

Washington, DC 20202–2800. 

Telephone: (202) 245–7410 or by e-mail: 

august.martin@ed.gov. 

If you use a TDD, call the Federal 

Relay Service (FRS), toll free, at 1–800– 

877–8339. 

VIII. Other Information 

Accessible Format: Individuals with 

disabilities can obtain this document 

and a copy of the application package in 

an accessible format (e.g., braille, large 

print, audiotape, or computer diskette) 

by contacting the Grants and Contracts 

Services Team, U.S. Department of 

Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., 

room 5075, PCP, Washington, DC 

20202–2550. Telephone: (202) 245– 

7363. If you use a TDD, call the FRS, toll 

free, at 1–800–877–8339. 

Electronic Access to This Document: 

You can view this document, as well as 

all other documents of this Department 

published in the Federal Register, in 

text or Adobe Portable Document 

Format (PDF) on the Internet at the 

following site: http://www.ed.gov/news/ 

fedregister. To use PDF you must have 

Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is 

available free at this site. 

Note: The official version of this document 

is the document published in the Federal 

Register. Free Internet access to the official 

edition of the Federal Register and the Code 

of Federal Regulations is available via the 

Federal Digital System at: http:// 

www.gpo.gov/fdsys. 

Dated: April 5, 2011. 

Alexa Posny, 

Assistant Secretary for Special Education and 

Rehabilitative Services. 

[FR Doc. 2011–8455 Filed 4–7–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4000–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION 

The Federal Student Aid Programs 

Under Title IV of the Higher Education 

Act of 1965, as Amended 

AGENCY: Department of Education. 

ACTION: Notice inviting letters of 

application for participation in the 

Quality Assurance Program. 

SUMMARY: The Secretary of Education 

invites institutions of higher education 

that may wish to participate in the 

Quality Assurance Program, under 

section 487A(a) of the Higher Education 

Act of 1965, as amended (HEA), to 

submit a letter of application to 

participate in the program. 

DATES: Letters of application may be 

submitted any time after April 8, 2011. 

ADDRESSES: Institutions may apply to 

participate in the Quality Assurance 

Program by addressing a letter of 

application to Barbara Mroz, Federal 

Student Aid, U.S. Department of 

Education, and submitting this letter of 

application electronically to the Quality 

Assurance mailbox at: 

Quality.Assurance@ed.gov. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Warren Farr, Federal Student Aid, U.S. 

Department of Education, 830 First 

Street, NE., UCP–3, Room 43H2, 

Washington, DC 20202–5232. 

Telephone: (202) 377–4380, or by email: Warren.Farr@ed.gov. 

If you use a telecommunications 

device for the deaf (TDD), call the 

Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll free, at 

1–800–877–8339. 

Individuals with disabilities can 

obtain this document in an accessible 

format (e.g., braille, large print, audio 

tape or computer diskette) on request by 

contacting the person listed under FOR

FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background 

Institutions of higher education are 

invited to join the Department in an 

effort to simplify regulations and 

administrative processes for the Federal 

Student Aid Programs authorized by 

Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 

1965, as amended (HEA). The goal of 

the Quality Assurance Program is to 

provide tools that help all institutions of 

higher education participating in these 

programs (Title IV, HEA programs) to 

promote better service to students, 

compliance with Title IV requirements, 

and continuous improvement in 

program delivery. The Quality 

Assurance Program encourages and 

provides tools to assist participating 

institutions to develop and implement 

their own comprehensive systems to 

verify student financial aid application 

data, and continually assess compliance 

with Federal requirements. 

Pursuant to section 487A(a)(3) of the 

HEA (20 U.S.C. 1094a(a)(3)), the 

Secretary is authorized to waive for any 

institution participating in the Quality 

Assurance Program any regulations 

dealing with reporting or verification 

requirements, thus providing 

participating institutions with 

regulatory flexibility for the verification 

of student data, and encouraging 

alternative approaches that improve 

award accuracy. 

The Secretary believes that the data 

provided to the Department by the 

institutions participating in the Quality 


srobinson on DSKHWCL6B1PROD with NOTICES
19758 Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 68 / Friday, April 8, 2011 / Notices 

Assurance Program have influenced 

Federal verification policies. The data 

provided by participating institutions 

have addressed not only the accuracy of 

student aid awards and payments, but 

also the management of student aid 

offices and the delivery of services to 

students. 

Features of the Program 

The Quality Assurance Program gives 

institutions tools and techniques to 

assess, measure, analyze, correct, and 

prevent compliance problems. The 

Institutional Student Information 

Record (ISIR) Analysis Tool provides 

participating institutions with data for 

achieving targeted verification 

outcomes, as explained below. The 

evaluation tools that QA schools must 

complete (‘‘FSA Assessments’’) help 

schools develop policies and procedures 

as well as strengthen compliance. 

The Secretary encourages institutions 

participating in the Quality Assurance 

Program to evaluate their verification 

policies and procedures and adopt 

improvements to those procedures. 

Institutions measure performance and 

test the effectiveness of their verification 

program by using the Department’s ISIR 

Analysis Tool. The ISIR Analysis Tool 

is a Web-based software product that 

provides financial aid administrators 

with an in-depth analysis of their 

applicant population. It allows them to 

see not only which elements on the 

student’s Free Application for Federal 

Student Aid (FAFSA) changed when 

verified, but also what impact these 

changes have on the student’s Expected 

Family Contribution (EFC) and aid 

eligibility. This analysis helps financial 

aid administrators develop a targeted 

institutional verification program, 

which ultimately makes the financial 

aid process easier for students, while 

ensuring accountability and program 

integrity. 

The Quality Assurance Program also 

helps institutions make improvements 

beyond verification. By using the FSA 

Assessments, school staff in the 

financial aid office can, through 

teamwork, set goals for excellence in all 

areas of financial aid delivery on their 

campus. Another benefit of participating 

in the Quality Assurance Program is that 

both parties become engaged in 

promoting program integrity, 

stewardship, and customer service in 

the administration and delivery of the 

student financial assistance programs, 

thereby producing a more positive 

customer experience. 

Invitation for Applications 

The Secretary invites institutions of 

higher education that administer one or 

more Title IV, HEA programs to submit 

a letter of application to participate in 

the Quality Assurance Program. 

Institutions that currently participate in 

the program may continue to do so 

without submitting a new letter of 

application. The Secretary will review 

the letter of application, which should 

reflect the institution’s commitment to: 

• Improve the accuracy of 

institutional verification programs; 

• Increase institutional flexibility in 

managing student aid funds, while 

maintaining accountability for the 

proper use of those funds; and 

• Encourage the development of 

innovative management approaches to 

strengthen stewardship by using the 

FSA Assessments. 

Review Process 

The Department will screen 

prospective participants to determine if 

the institution meets general Title IV, 

HEA eligibility requirements and has a 

demonstrated record of program 

compliance. The Secretary may also 

consider the institution’s performance 

with regard to financial responsibility, 

administrative capability, program 

review findings, audit findings, etc. as 

outlined in the applicable regulations 

and in the Federal Student Aid 

Handbook. 

Electronic Access to This Document 

You may view this document, as well 

as all other documents of this 

Department published in the Federal 

Register, in text or Adobe Portable 

Document Format (PDF) on the Internet 

at the following site: http://www.ed.gov/ 

news/fedregister. 

To use PDF you must have Adobe 

Acrobat Reader, which is available free 

at this site. 

Note: The official version of this document 

is the document published in the Federal 

Register. Free Internet access to the official 

edition of the Federal Register and the Code 

of Federal Regulations is available via the 

Federal Digital System at: http:// 

www.gpo.gov/fdsys. 

Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1094a(a). 

Dated: April 5, 2011. 

William J. Taggart, 

Chief Operating Officer, Federal Student Aid. 

[FR Doc. 2011–8458 Filed 4–7–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4000–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION 

Small, Rural School Achievement 

Program 

AGENCY: Office of Elementary and 

Secondary Education, Department of 

Education. 

ACTION: Notice announcing application 

deadline. 

Catalog of Federal Domestic 

Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.358A. 

SUMMARY: Under the Small, Rural 

School Achievement (SRSA) program, 

the U.S. Department of Education 

(Department) awards grants on a 

formula basis to eligible local 

educational agencies (LEAs) to address 

the unique needs of rural school 

districts. In this notice, we establish the 

deadline for submission of fiscal year 

(FY) 2011 SRSA grant applications. 

DATES: The deadline for transmittal of 

electronic applications is June 30, 2011, 

4:30:00 p.m. Washington, DC time. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. 

Eric Schulz, U.S. Department of 

Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., 

Room 3W107, Washington, DC 20202. 

Telephone: (202) 401–0039 or by e-mail: 

reap@ed.gov. 

If you use a telecommunications 

device for the deaf (TDD), call the 

Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll free, at 

1–800–877–8339. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Which LEAs are eligible for an award 

under the SRSA program? 

An LEA (including a public charter 

school that is considered an LEA under 

State law) is eligible for an award under 

the SRSA program if— 

(a) The total number of students in 

average daily attendance at all of the 

schools served by the LEA is fewer than 

600, or each county in which a school 

served by the LEA is located has a total 

population density of fewer than 10 

persons per square mile; and 

(b) All of the schools served by the 

LEA are designated with a school locale 

code of 7 or 8 by the Department’s 

National Center for Education Statistics 

(NCES), or the Secretary has 

determined, based on a demonstration 

by the LEA and concurrence of the State 

educational agency, that the LEA is 

located in an area defined as rural by a 

governmental agency of the State. 

The school locale codes are the locale 

codes determined on the basis of the 

NCES school code methodology in place 

on the date of enactment of section 

6211(b) of the Elementary and 

Secondary Education Act of 1965, as 

amended. 

Which eligible LEAs must submit an 

application to receive an FY 2011 SRSA 

grant award? 

An eligible LEA must submit an 

application to receive an FY 2011 SRSA 

grant award if that LEA has never 

submitted an application for SRSA 


srobinson on DSKHWCL6B1PROD with NOTICES