[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 216 (Tuesday, November 9, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65034-65038]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-24896]



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Part IV





Department of Education





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Office of Innovation and Improvement (OII) Overview Information; 
Advanced Placement Incentive (API) Program Notice Inviting Applications 
for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2005; Notice

Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 216 / Tuesday, November 9, 2004 / 
Notices

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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Office of Innovation and Improvement (OII) Overview Information; 
Advanced Placement Incentive (API) Program; Notice Inviting 
Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2005

    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.330C.

    Dates: Applications Available: November 9, 2004.
    Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply: December 15, 2004.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: January 5, 2005.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: March 7, 2005.
    Eligible Applicants:
    (a) State educational agencies (SEAs);
    (b) Local educational agencies (LEAs), including charter schools 
that are considered LEAs under State law; or
    (c) National nonprofit educational entities with expertise in 
advanced placement services.


    Note: In the case of an eligible entity that is an SEA, the SEA 
may use API grant funds to award subgrants to LEAs to enable those 
LEAs to carry out authorized activities that support the absolute 
priority for this competition.


    Estimated Available Funds: The Administration has requested 
$51,534,000 for the Advanced Placement programs for FY 2005. The actual 
level of funding depends on final congressional action. The Department 
is inviting applications for this competition now so that it may be 
prepared to make awards following final congressional action on the 
Department's appropriation bill. Based on the Administration's request, 
we estimate that $25 million will be available for new awards under 
this competition.


    Note: In accordance with statutory requirements, this estimate 
is based on the amount of funds the Secretary estimates will be 
available after the Department has awarded grants under the Advanced 
Placement Test Fee program, which is being announced separately 
under CFDA number 84.330B.


    Estimated Range of Awards: $500,000--$1,000,000.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $750,000.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 32.

    Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this 
notice.


    Project Period: Up to 36 months.

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Purpose of Program: The API program, funded under section 1705 of 
Title I, Part G of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 
(ESEA), as amended by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB), 
awards competitive grants designed to increase the successful 
participation of low-income students in pre-advanced placement and 
advanced placement courses and tests. By supporting increased access to 
and participation in pre-advanced placement and advanced placement 
courses and tests, the program provides greater opportunities for low-
income students to achieve to high standards in English, mathematics, 
science, and other core subjects.
    Priorities: This competition includes one absolute priority and 
four competitive preference priorities. In accordance with 34 CFR 
75.105(b)(2)(iv) and (b)(2)(v), these priorities are from the 
priorities and allowable activities specified in section 1705(c) and 
(d) of the ESEA, as amended by the NCLB (20 U.S.C. 6535-6537).
    Absolute Priority: For FY 2005 this priority is an absolute 
priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3) we consider only applications that 
meet this priority.
    This priority is: Implementation of Pre-Advanced Placement and 
Advanced Placement Programs in High-Poverty Schools. The Secretary 
establishes an absolute priority for applications that:
    (1) Demonstrate an intent to carry out activities that target 
schools, or LEAs operating schools, with a high concentration of low-
income students (and, if the applicant is an LEA, propose to serve 
schools with a high concentration of low-income students); and
    (2) Propose to develop, enhance, or expand pre-advanced placement 
courses, in conjunction with advanced placement courses, in English, 
mathematics, science, and other core academic areas at the middle or 
high school level. Effective pre-advanced placement programs should 
increase the level of participation of low-income students who enroll 
and succeed in advanced placement courses and tests in core academic 
areas. Proposals may include vertical teams training, high-quality 
professional development for pre-advanced placement and advanced 
placement teachers, and coordination of curriculum design and 
development between middle and high school teachers.

    Notes: (1) Pre-advanced placement courses are intended to 
provide middle and high school students with the critical thinking 
skills, content knowledge, and study habits necessary for successful 
participation in advanced placement courses. Applicants should 
explain why the courses supported by the proposed project qualify as 
pre-advanced placement or advanced placement.
    (2) For the definitions of low-income individual (including a 
list of other types of data that may be used to verify low-income 
status) and high concentration of low-income students, see the 
definitions in Section III. 3. Other of this notice.

    Allowable Activities: Activities supported under this priority must 
be designed to expand access for low-income individuals to pre-advanced 
placement and advanced placement programs and must involve one or more 
of the following:
    <bullet> Teacher training;
    <bullet> Pre-advanced placement course development;
    <bullet> Coordination and articulation between grade levels to 
prepare students to enter and succeed in advanced placement courses;
    <bullet> Books and supplies;
    <bullet> Activities to increase the availability of, and 
participation in, on-line advanced placement courses; or
    <bullet> Any other activity directly related to expanding access to 
and participation in pre-advanced placement and advanced placement 
programs, particularly for low-income individuals.
    Competitive Preference Priorities: For FY 2005 these priorities are 
competitive preference priorities. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(i), we award 
up to an additional sixteen (16) points to an application, depending on 
the extent to which the application meets one or more of these 
priorities.
    These priorities are: Competitive Preference Priority 1: Up to ten 
(10) points for demonstrating a pervasive need for the development of 
pre-advanced placement or advanced placement courses for middle or high 
schools where there are few or no advanced placement courses currently 
available.
    Competitive Preference Priority 2: Up to two (2) points for 
demonstrating involvement of business and community organizations in 
the activities assisted.
    Competitive Preference Priority 3: Up to two (2) points for 
demonstrating the availability of matching funds from State, local, or 
other sources to pay for a portion of the cost of activities to be 
assisted.
    Competitive Preference Priority 4: Up to two (2) points for 
demonstrating the intent to carry out activities to increase the 
availability of, and participation in, on-line advanced placement 
courses.


    Note: These priority points are in addition to any points the 
applicant earns under the

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Selection Criteria described elsewhere in this notice (see V. 
Application Review Information). The Selection Criteria will not be 
used to evaluate these competitive preference priorities.


    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 6535-6537.
    Applicable Regulations: 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.

    Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to institutions of 
higher education only.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
    Estimated Available Funds: The Administration has requested 
$51,534,000 for this program for FY 2005. The actual level of funding 
depends on final congressional action. The Department is inviting 
applications for this competition now so that it may be prepared to 
make awards following final congressional action on the Department's 
appropriation bill. Based on the Administration's request, we estimate 
that $25 million will be available for new awards under this 
competition.


    Note: In accordance with statutory requirements, this estimate 
is based on the amount of funds the Secretary estimates will be 
available after the Department has awarded grants under the Advanced 
Placement Test Fee program, which is being announced separately 
under CFDA number 84.330B.


    Estimated Range of Awards: $500,000-$1,000,000.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $750,000.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 32.

    Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this 
notice.


    Project Period: Up to 36 months.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants:
    (a) SEAs;
    (b) LEAs, including charter schools that are considered LEAs under 
State law; or
    (c) National nonprofit educational entities with expertise in 
advanced placement services.


    Note: In the case of an eligible entity that is an SEA, the SEA 
may use API grant funds to award subgrants to LEAs to enable those 
LEAs to carry out authorized activities that support the absolute 
priority for this competition.


    2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This competition does not involve cost 
sharing or matching but does involve supplement-not-supplant funding 
provisions.
    Supplement not Supplant: Funds provided under this program must be 
used only to supplement and not supplant other non-Federal funds that 
are available to assist low-income individuals in paying advanced 
placement test fees (20 U.S.C. 6536).
    3. Other: Definitions. The following definitions are taken from the 
API Program authorizing statute, in Title I, Part G of the ESEA (20 
U.S.C. 6537). They are repeated in this application notice for the 
convenience of the applicant.
    (a) The term advanced placement test means an advanced placement 
test administered by the College Board or approved by the Secretary.

    Note: The Department has approved advanced placement tests 
administered by the International Baccalaureate Organization. As 
part of the grant application process, applicants may request 
approval of tests from other educational entities that provide 
comparable programs of rigorous academic courses and testing through 
which students may earn college credit.

    (b) The term high concentration of low-income students, used with 
respect to a school, means a school that serves a student population 40 
percent or more of whom are low-income individuals.
    (c) The term low-income individual means an individual who is 
determined by an SEA or LEA to be a child, ages 5 through 19, from a 
low-income family on the basis of data used by the Secretary to 
determine allocations under section 1124 of the ESEA, data on children 
eligible for free or reduced-price lunches under the National School 
Lunch Act, data on children in families receiving assistance under Part 
A of Title IV of the Social Security Act, or data on children eligible 
to receive medical assistance under the Medicaid program under Title 
XIX of the Social Security Act, or through an alternate method that 
combines or extrapolates from those data.

IV. Application and Submission Information

    1. Address to Request Application Package: You may obtain an 
application package via Internet or from the ED Publication Center (ED 
Pubs). To obtain a copy via Internet use the following address: http://www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/grantapps/index.
    To obtain a copy from ED Pubs, write or call the following: 
Education Publications Center (ED Pubs), P.O. Box 1398, Jessup, MD 
20794-1398. Telephone (toll free): 1-877-433-7827. FAX: (301) 470-1244. 
If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may call 
(toll free): 1-877-576-7734.
    You may also contact ED Pubs at its Web site: http://www.ed.gov/pubs/edpubs.html or you may contact ED Pubs at its e-mail address: 
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#5f3a3b2f2a3d2c1f36313a2b713a3b71383029"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="b9dcddc9ccdbcaf9d0d7dccd97dcdd97ded6cf">[email protected]</span></a>.
    If you request an application from ED Pubs, be sure to identify 
this competition as follows: CFDA number 84.330C.
    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 elsewhere in this notice under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION 
CONTACT (see VII. Agency Contact).
    2. Content and Form of Application Submission: Requirements 
concerning the content of an application, together with the forms you 
must submit, are in the application package for this program.
    Notice of Intent to Apply: Applicants that plan to apply for 
funding under this program notice are encouraged to indicate an intent 
to apply via e-mail notification sent to the API program manager, 
Madeline Baggett, at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#c4a9a5a0a1a8adaaa1eaa6a5a3a3a1b0b084a1a0eaa3abb2"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="cba6aaafaea7a2a5aee5a9aaacacaebfbf8baeafe5aca4bd">[email protected]</span></a> no later than December 15, 
2004. Applicants that fail to supply this e-mail notification may still 
apply for funding under this notice.
    Page Limit for Program Narrative: The program narrative is where 
you, the applicant, address the selection criteria (i.e., within the 
context of the absolute priority) as well as the competitive preference 
priorities that reviewers use to evaluate your application. You must 
limit the program narrative to the equivalent of no more than 75 pages, 
using the following standards:
    <bullet> A ``page'' is 8.5'' x 11'', on one side only, with 1'' 
margins at the top, bottom, and both sides.
    <bullet> Double space (no more than three lines per vertical inch) 
all text in the program narrative, including titles, headings, 
footnotes, quotations, references, and captions, as well as all text in 
charts, tables, figures, and graphs.
    <bullet> Use a font that is either 12-point or larger or no smaller 
than 10 pitch (characters per inch).
    The page limit applies only to the program narrative section of the 
application. A complete description of the requirements for the program 
narrative section is found in the application package in Section C: 
Application Forms and Instructions.
    Our reviewers will not read any pages of your program narrative 
that--

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    <bullet> Exceed the page limit if you apply these standards; or
    <bullet> Exceed the equivalent of the page limit if you apply other 
standards.
    3. Submission Dates and Times: Applications Available: November 9, 
2004.
    Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply: December 15, 2004.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: January 5, 2005.
    Applications for grants under the API program competition 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 to request a waiver of the electronic 
submission requirement, please refer to Section IV. 6. Other Submission 
Requirements in this notice.
    We do not consider an application that does not comply with the 
application requirements. Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: March 
7, 2005.
    4. Intergovernmental Review: This competition 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 
competition.
    5. Funding Restrictions: We reference the regulations outlining 
funding restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this 
notice.
    6. Other Submission Requirements: Applications for grants under 
this competition must be submitted electronically, unless you request a 
waiver of this requirement in accordance with the instructions in this 
section.
    a. Electronic Submission of Applications. Applications for grants 
under the API Program-CFDA Number 84.330C 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.
    If you are unable to submit an application through the e-Grants 
system, you may submit a written request for a waiver of the electronic 
submission requirement. In your request, you should explain the reason 
or reasons that prevent you from using the Internet to submit your 
application. Address your request to: Madeline Baggett, U.S. Department 
of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Room 4W210, Washington, DC 
20202-5943. Please submit your request no later than two weeks before 
the application deadline date. Your paper application must be submitted 
in accordance with the mail or hand delivery instructions described in 
this notice.
    If, within two weeks of the application deadline date, including 
the application deadline date itself, you are unable to submit an 
application electronically, you must submit a paper application in 
accordance with the mail or hand delivery instructions described in 
this notice. The paper application must include a written request for a 
waiver documenting the reasons that prevented you from using the 
Internet to submit your application electronically.
    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:
    <bullet> 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 the API Program competition 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.
    <bullet> The regular hours of operation of the e-Grants Web site 
are 6 a.m. Monday until 7 p.m. Wednesday; and 6 a.m. Thursday until 
midnight Saturday, Washington, DC time. Please note that the system is 
unavailable on Sundays, and between 7 p.m. on Wednesdays and 6 a.m. on 
Thursdays, Washington, DC time, for maintenance. Any modifications to 
these hours are posted on the e-Grants Web site.
    <bullet> You will not receive additional point value because you 
submit your application in electronic format, nor will we penalize you 
if you request a waiver and submit your application in paper format 
because you were prevented from submitting it electronically as 
required.
    <bullet> 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.
    <bullet> Your electronic application must comply with any page 
limit requirements described in this notice.
    <bullet> Prior to submitting your electronic application, you may 
wish to download it and print a copy of it for your records.
    <bullet> 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).
    <bullet> 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.
    <bullet> We may request that you provide us original signatures on 
other forms at a later date.
    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 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 (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 is sent to all 
registered users who have initiated an application.
    Extensions referred to in this section apply only to the 
unavailability of the Department's e-Application system. If the e-
Application system is available, and you are unable to submit your 
application electronically or you do not

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receive an automatic acknowledgement of your submission, you may submit 
your application in paper format by mail or hand delivery in accordance 
with the instructions in this notice. Your paper application must be 
accompanied by a written request for waiver of the electronic 
submission requirement documenting the reasons that prevented you from 
using the Internet to submit your application electronically.
    b. Submission of Paper Applications by Mail. If you submit your 
application in paper format by mail (through the U.S. Postal Service or 
a commercial carrier), you must send 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: U.S. Department of 
Education, Application Control Center, Attention: (CFDA Number 
84.330C), 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20202-4260; or
    By mail through a commercial carrier: U.S. Department of Education, 
Application Control Center-Stop 4260, Attention: (CFDA Number 84.330C), 
7100 Old Landover Road, Landover, MD 20785-1506.
    The Application Control Center will mail a Grant Application 
Receipt Acknowledgment to you. If you do not receive the notification 
of application receipt within 15 business days from the mailing of your 
application, you should call the U.S. Department of Education 
Application Control Center at (202) 245-6288.
    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 U.S. Secretary 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: Applicants should note that the U.S. Postal Service does 
not uniformly provide a dated postmark. Before relying on this 
method, you should check with your local post office.


    c. Submission of Paper Applications by Hand Delivery. If you have 
requested a waiver of 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 84.330C, 550 12th 
Street, SW., Room 7041, Potomac Center Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-
4260.
    The Application Control Center accepts hand deliveries daily 
between 8 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: 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 notification 
of application receipt 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: The selection criteria for this competition are 
from 34 CFR 75.210 and section 1705(f) of the ESEA. These selection 
criteria apply to the absolute priority and allowable activities only. 
The maximum score for all of the selection criteria is 100 points. The 
maximum score for each criterion is indicated in parentheses with the 
criterion. The maximum number of points an application may earn based 
on the competitive preference priorities and the selection criteria is 
116 points. The criteria are as follows:
    (a) Significance (20 points). The Secretary considers the 
significance of the proposed project. In determining the significance 
of the proposed project, the Secretary considers the following factors:
    (1) The likelihood that the proposed project will result in system 
changes or improvements.
    (2) The importance or magnitude of the results or outcomes likely 
to be attained by the proposed project, especially improvements in 
teaching and student achievement.
    (b) Quality of the Project Design (20 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:
    (1) The extent to which the proposed project represents an 
exceptional approach for meeting the priority or priorities established 
for this competition.
    (2) 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.
    (c) Quality of Project Services (20 points). The Secretary 
considers the quality of the services to be provided by the proposed 
project. In determining the quality of the services to be provided by 
the proposed project, the Secretary considers the quality and 
sufficiency of strategies for ensuring equal access and treatment for 
eligible project participants who are members of groups that have 
traditionally been under-represented based on race, color, national 
origin, gender, age, or disability. In addition, the Secretary 
considers the following factors:
    (1) The extent to which the services to be provided by the proposed 
project reflect up-to-date knowledge from research and effective 
practice.
    (2) The extent to which the training or professional development 
services to be provided by the proposed project are of sufficient 
quality, intensity, and duration to lead to improvements in practice 
among the recipients of those services.
    (d) Quality of Project Personnel (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. In addition, the Secretary 
considers the following factors:
    (1) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience, 
of the project director.
    (2) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience, 
of key project personnel.
    (e) Quality of the Management Plan (10 points). The Secretary 
considers the quality of the management plan for the proposed project. 
In determining the quality of the management plan for the

[[Page 65038]]

proposed project, the Secretary considers the following factors:
    (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.
    (2) 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.
    (f) Quality of the Project Evaluation (20 points). The Secretary 
considers the quality of the evaluation to be conducted of the proposed 
project. In determining the quality of the evaluation, the Secretary 
considers the following factors:
    (1) The extent to which the methods of evaluation include the use 
of objective performance measures that are clearly related to the 
intended outcomes of the project and will produce quantitative and 
qualitative data to the extent possible.
    (2) The extent to which the evaluation meets the reporting 
requirements of section 1705(f)(1) of the authorizing statute.


    Note: A strong evaluation plan should be included in the 
application narrative and should be used, as appropriate, to shape 
the development of the project from the beginning of the grant 
period. The plan should include benchmarks to monitor progress 
toward specific project objectives and also outcome measures to 
assess the impact on teaching and learning or other important 
outcomes for project participants. More specifically, the plan 
should identify the individual and/or organization that has agreed 
to serve as evaluator for the project and describe the 
qualifications of that evaluator. The plan should describe the 
evaluation design, indicating: (1) What types of data will be 
collected; (2) when various types of data will be collected; (3) 
what methods will be used; (4) what instruments will be developed 
and when; (5) how the data will be analyzed; (6) when reports of 
results and outcomes will be available; and (7) how the applicant 
will use the information collected through the evaluation to monitor 
progress of the funded project and to provide accountability 
information both about success at the initial site and effective 
strategies for replication in other settings. Applicants are 
encouraged to devote an appropriate level of resources to project 
evaluation.


VI. Award Administration Information

    1. Award Notices: If your application is successful, we notify your 
U.S. Representative and U.S. Senators and send you a Grant Award 
Notification (GAN). We may also notify you informally.
    If your application is not evaluated or not selected for funding, 
we notify you.
    2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements: We identify 
administrative and national policy requirements in the application 
package and reference these and other requirements in the Applicable 
Regulations section of this notice.
    We reference the regulations outlining the terms and conditions of 
an award in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice and 
include these and other specific conditions in the GAN. The GAN also 
incorporates your approved application as part of your binding 
commitments under the grant.
    3. Grant Administration: Applicants approved for funding under this 
competition may be required to attend a one- or two-day Grants 
Administration meeting in Washington, DC during the first year of the 
grant. The cost of attending this meeting may be paid from API program 
grant funds or State or local resources.
    4. Reporting: At the end of your project period, you must submit a 
final performance report, including financial information, as directed 
by the Secretary. If you receive a multi-year award, you must submit an 
annual performance report that meets the reporting requirements in 
section 1705(f)(1) of the ESEA and provides the most current 
performance and financial expenditure information as specified by the 
Secretary in 34 CFR 75.118.
    5. Performance Measures: The Secretary has developed four 
performance measures for assessing the effectiveness of the two 
Advanced Placement programs authorized under Title I, Part G of the 
ESEA. These measures are:
    (a) Number of Advanced Placement (AP) tests taken by low-income 
students nationally;
    (b) Number of International Baccalaureate (IB) tests taken by low-
income students nationally;
    (c) Percentage of low-income students served by the Department's 
Advanced Placement programs who receive a passing score on AP tests; 
and
    (d) Percentage of low-income students served by the Department's 
Advanced Placement programs who receive a passing score on IB tests.

VII. Agency Contact

    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Madeline E. Baggett, U.S. 
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Room 4W210, 
Washington, DC 20202-5943. Telephone number: (202) 260-2502 or by e-
mail: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#83eee2e7e6efeaede6ade1e2e4e4e6f7f7c3e6e7ade4ecf5"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="b9d4d8dddcd5d0d7dc97dbd8dededccdcdf9dcdd97ded6cf">[email protected]</span></a>.
    If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may 
call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) 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: 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. 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:  The official version of this document is the document 
published in the Federal Register. Free Internet access to the 
official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of Federal 
Regulations is available on GPO Access at: http://www.gpoaccess.gov/nara/index.html.


    Dated: November 3, 2004.
Nina Shokraii Rees,
Assistant Deputy Secretary for Innovation and Improvement.
[FR Doc. 04-24896 Filed 11-8-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P


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