Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 24 / Thursday, February 5, 2004 / Notices 5521

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: www.gpoaccess.gov/nara/

index.html.

Dated: February 2, 2004. 

Raymond Simon, 

Assistant Secretary, Office of Elementary and 

Secondary Education.

[FR Doc. 04–2518 Filed 2–4–04; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4000–01–M

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Office of Elementary and Secondary 

Education; Overview Information; High 

School Equivalency Program (HEP); 

Notice Inviting Applications for New 

Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2004

Catalog of Federal Domestic 

Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.141A.

DATES: Applications Available: February 

5, 2004. 

Deadline for Transmittal of 

Applications: April 5, 2004. 

Deadline for Intergovernmental 

Review: June 4, 2004. 

Eligible Applicants: Institutions of 

higher education (IHEs) or private nonprofit agencies working in cooperation 

with IHEs, including faith-based 

organizations, provided that they meet 

all statutory and regulatory 

requirements. 

Estimated Available Funds:

$5,900,000. 

Estimated Range of Awards:

$150,000–$475,000. 

Estimated Average Size of Awards:

$375,000. 

Estimated Number of Awards: 15.

Note: The Department is not bound by any 

estimates in this notice.

Project Period: Up to 60 months. 

Full Text of Announcement 

I. Funding Opportunity Description 

Purpose of Program: The purpose of 

the High School Equivalency Program 

(HEP) is to help migrant and seasonal 

farmworkers and their children obtain a 

general education diploma (GED) that 

meets the guidelines for high school 

equivalency established by the State in 

which the HEP project is conducted, 

and to gain employment or be placed in 

an IHE or other postsecondary 

education or training. 

Priority: In accordance with 34 CFR 

75.105(b)(2)(ii), this priority is from 

section 75.225 of the Education 

Department General Administrative 

Regulations (EDGAR), which apply to 

this program (34 CFR 75.225). 

Competitive Preference Priority—

Novice Applicant 

For FY 2004 this priority is a 

competitive preference priority. Under 

34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i) we award an 

additional 5 points to an application 

meeting this competitive priority. 

This priority is: 

Novice Applicant 

The applicant must be a ‘‘novice 

applicant’’ as defined in 34 CFR 75.225. 

Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1070d–

2. 

Applicable Regulations: (a) The 

Education Department General 

Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 

34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 82, 84, 85, 

86, 97, 98, and 99. (b) 34 CFR part 206. 

(c) the definitions of a migrant 

agricultural worker in 34 CFR 200.81. 

(d) 20 CFR part 669.110, and 669.320, 

respectively. 

II. Award Information 

Type of Award: Discretionary grants, 

that are awarded for a five-year grant 

cycle. 

Estimated Available Funds:

$5,900,000. 

Estimated Range of Awards:

$150,000—$475,000. 

Estimated Average Size of Awards:

$375,000. 

Estimated Number of Awards: 15.

Note: The Department is not bound by any 

estimates in this notice.

Project Period: Up to 60 months. 

III. Eligibility Information 

1. Eligible Applicants: Institutions of 

higher education (IHEs) or private nonprofit organizations, working in 

cooperation with IHEs, including faithbased organizations, provided that they 

meet all statutory and regulatory 

requirements. 

2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This 

competition does not involve cost 

sharing or matching. 

IV. Application and Submission 

Information 

1. Address to Request Application 

Package: Mary L. Suazo, U.S. 

Department of Education, Office of 

Migrant Education, room 3E227, 400 

Maryland Ave., SW., Washington, DC 

20202–6135. Telephone: (202) 260–1396 

or by e-mail: mary.suazo@ed.gov.

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 a copy of the application package 

in an alternative format (e.g., Braille, 

large print, audiotape, or computer 

diskette) or by contacting the program 

contact person listed in this section. 

2. Content and Form of Application 

Submission: Requirements concerning 

the content of an application, together 

with the forms you must submit, are in 

the application package for this 

competition. Page Limit: The 

application narrative (Part III of the 

application) is where you, the applicant, 

address the selection criteria that 

reviewers use to evaluate your 

application. You must limit Part III of 

the application to the equivalent of no 

more than 25 pages, using the following 

standards: 

• A ‘‘page’’ is 8.5′′ x 11′′, on one side 

only, with 1′′ margins at the top, bottom, 

and both sides. 

• Double space (no more than three 

lines per vertical inch) all text in the 

application narrative (Part III), including 

titles, headings, footnotes, quotations, 

references, and captions. However, you 

may single space all text in charts, 

tables, figures, and graphs. Charts, 

tables, figures, and graphs presented in 

the application narrative count toward 

the page limit. 

• Use a font that is either 12 point or 

larger or no smaller than 10 pitch 

(characters per inch). 

• Appendices are limited to the 

following: resumes, job descriptions, 

letters of support, bibliography, and 

additional information relevant to the 

support of the proposal. 

The page limit does not apply to part 

I, the cover sheet; part II, the budget 

section, including the narrative budget 

justification; part IV, the assurances and 

certifications; or the one-page abstract, 

the resumes, that bibliography, or the 

letters of support. However, you must 

include all of the application narrative 

in part III. 

Our reviewers will not read any pages 

of your application that—

• Exceed the page limit if you apply 

these standards; or 

• Exceed the equivalent of the page 

limit if you apply other standards. 

3. Submission Dates and Times:

Applications Available: February 5, 

2004. 

Deadline for Transmittal of 

Applications: April 5, 2004. The dates 

and times for transmittal of applications 

by mail or by hand (including a courier 

service or commercial carrier) are in the 

application package for this 

competition. The application package 

also specifies the hours of operation of 

the e-Application Web site. 

5522 Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 24 / Thursday, February 5, 2004 / Notices 

We do not consider an application 

that does not comply with the deadline 

requirements. 

Deadline for Intergovernmental 

Review: June 4, 2004. 

4. Intergovernmental Review: This 

competition is subject to Executive 

Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 

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 

regulations outlining funding 

restrictions in the Applicable 

Regulations section of this notice. 

6. Other Submission Requirements:

Instructions and requirements for the 

transmittal of applications by mail or by 

hand (including a courier service or 

commercial carrier) are in the 

application package for this program.

Note: Some of the procedures in these 

instructions for transmitting applications 

differ from those in the Education 

Department General Administrative 

Regulations (EDGAR) (34 CFR 75.102). Under 

the Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C. 

553) the Department generally offers 

interested parties the opportunity to 

comment on proposed regulations. However, 

these amendments make procedural changes 

only and do not establish new substantive 

policy. Therefore, under 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(A), 

the Secretary has determined that proposed 

rulemaking is not required.

Pilot Project for Electronic 

Submission of Applications: We are 

continuing to expand our pilot project 

for electronic submission of 

applications to include additional 

formula grant programs and additional 

discretionary grant competitions. The 

High School Equivalency Program, 

CFDA Number 84.141A, is one of the 

programs included in the pilot project. 

If you are an applicant under the High 

School Equivalency Program you may 

submit your application to us in either 

electronic or paper format. 

The pilot project involves the use of 

the Electronic Grant Application System 

(e-Application). If you use eApplication, you will be entering data 

online while completing your 

application. You may not e-mail an 

electronic copy of a grant application to 

us. If you participate in this voluntary 

pilot project by submitting an 

application electronically, the data you 

enter online will be saved into a 

database. We request your participation 

in e-Application. We shall continue to 

evaluate its success and solicit 

suggestions for its improvement. 

If you participate in e-Application, 

please note the following: 

• Your participation is voluntary. 

• When you enter the e-Application 

system, you will find information about 

its hours of operation. We strongly 

recommend that you do not wait until 

the application deadline date to initiate 

an e-Application package. 

• You will not receive additional 

point value because you submit a grant 

application in electronic format, nor 

will we penalize you if you submit an 

application in paper format. 

You may 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. 

• Your e-Application must comply 

with any page limit requirements 

described in this notice. 

• After you electronically submit 

your application, you will receive an 

automatic acknowledgement, which 

will include a PR/Award number (an 

identifying number unique to your 

application.) 

• Within three working days after 

submitting your electronic application, 

fax a signed copy of the Application for 

Federal Education Assistance (ED 424) 

to the Application Control Center after 

following these steps: 

1. Print ED 424 from e-Application. 

2. The institution’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 form. 

4. Fax the signed ED 424 to the 

Application Control Center at (202) 

260–1349.

• We may request that you give us 

original signatures on other forms at a 

later date. 

Application Deadline Date Extension 

in Case of System Unavailability: If you 

elect to participate in the e-Application 

pilot for the High School Equivalency 

Program and you are prevented from 

submitting your application on the 

application deadline date because the eApplication 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 a eApplication, and you have initiated an 

e-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 

during the last hour of operation (that is, 

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 dest at 1–888–336–

8930. 

You may access the electronic grant 

application for the High School 

Equivalency Program at: http://egrants.ed.gov.

V. Application Review Information 

1. Selection Criteria: The selection 

criteria for this competition are in the 

application package. 

2. Review and Selection Process:

Additional factors we consider in 

selecting an application are Prior 

Experience. Applicants that are 

currently administering a HEP project 

that is in the final year of the five-year 

grant cycle, are eligible to receive up to 

15 points for prior performance in 

accordance with Section 418A(e) of the 

Higher Education Act of 1965, as 

amended. 

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 Notice (GAN). 

We may also notify you informally. 

If your application is not evaluated or 

not selected for funding, we notify you. 

2. Administrative and Natural Policy 

Requirements: We identify 

administrative and national policy 

requirements in the application package 

and reference these and other 

requirements in the Applicable 

Regulations section of this notice. 

We reference the regulations outlining 

the terms and conditions of an award in 

the Applicable Regulations section of 

this notice and include these and other 

specific conditions in the GAN. The 

GAN also incorporates your approved 

application as part of your binding 

commitments under the grant. 

3. Reporting: At the end of your 

project period, you must submit a final 

performance report, including financial 

information, as directed by the 

Secretary. If you receive a multi-year 

award, you must submit an annual 

performance report that provides the 

most current performance and financial 

expenditure information as specified by 

the Secretary in 34 CFR 75.118. 

Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 24 / Thursday, February 5, 2004 / Notices 5523

4. Performance Measures: Under the 

Government Performance and Results 

Act (GPRA), measures have been 

developed for evaluating the overall 

effectiveness of the Hight School 

Equivalency Program. These measures 

are: (1) The number and percent of HEP 

participants who complete the course of 

study and receive a GED, and (2) the 

number and percent of HEP participants 

with a GED who enter postsecondary 

education programs, career positions, or 

the military. 

All grantees will be requried to 

submit an annual performance report 

documenting their success in addressing 

these performance measures. 

VII. Agency Contact

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Mary L. Suazo, U.S. Department of 

Education, Office of Elementary and 

Secondary Education, Office of Migrant 

Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., 

room 3E227, Washington, DC 20202–

6135. Telephone number: (202) 260–

1396, or by e-mail: mary.suazo@ed.gov.

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 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: 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: www.gpoaccess.gov/nara/

index.html.

Dated: February 2, 2004. 

Raymond Simon, 

Assistant Secretary, Office of Elementary and 

Secondary Education.

[FR Doc. 04–2519 Filed 2–4–04; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4000–01–M

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Office of Elementary and Secondary 

Education 

Overview Information; Early Childhood 

Educator Professional Development 

Program Notice Inviting Applications 

for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 

2004

Catalog of Federal Domestic 

Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.349A.

DATES: Applications Available: February 

5, 2004. 

Deadline for Transmittal of 

Applications: March 16, 2004. 

Deadline for Intergovernmental 

Review: May 17, 2004. 

Eligible Applicants: A partnership

consisting of at least one entity from 

each of the following categories, as 

indicated below: 

(i) One or more institutions of higher 

education, or other public or private 

entities (including faith-based 

organizations), that provide professional 

development for early childhood 

educators who work with children from 

low-income families in high-need 

communities. 

(ii) One or more public agencies 

(including local educational agencies, 

State educational agencies, State human 

services agencies, and State and local 

agencies administering programs under 

the Child Care and Development Block 

Grant Act of 1990), Head Start agencies, 

or private organizations (including faithbased organizations). 

(iii) If feasible, an entity with 

demonstrated experience in providing 

training to educators in early childhood 

education programs concerning 

identifying and preventing behavior 

problems or working with children 

identified as or suspected to be victims 

of abuse. This entity may be one of the 

partners described in paragraphs (i) and 

(ii) under Eligible Applicants.

A partnership may apply for these 

funds only if one of the partners 

currently provides professional 

development for early childhood 

educators working in programs located 

in high-need communities with children 

from low-income families. 

Estimated Available Funds:

$14,814,000. 

Estimated Range of Awards:

$1,000,000–$1,500,000 for one year; 

$2,000,000–$3,000,000 for two years. 

Estimated Average Size of Awards:

$1,250,000 for one year; $2,500,000 for 

two years. 

Estimated Number of Awards: 5–15 

awards.

Note: The Department is not bound by any 

estimates in this notice.

Project Period: Up to 24 months. 

Full Text of Announcement 

I. Funding Opportunity Description 

Purpose of Program: The purpose of 

the Early ChildhoodEducator 

Professional Development (ECEPD) 

program is to enhance the school 

readiness of young children, 

particularly disadvantaged young 

children, and to prevent them from 

encountering difficulties once they enter 

school. 

Projects funded under the ECEPD 

program provide high-quality, 

sustained, and intensive professional 

development for these early childhood 

educators in how to provide 

developmentally appropriate schoolreadiness services for preschool-age 

children that are based on the best 

available research on early childhood 

pedagogy and on child development 

and learning. 

The specific activities for which 

recipients may use grant funds are 

identified in the application package. 

Priorities:

This competition includes one 

absolute priority and one invitational 

priority that are explained in the 

following paragraphs. These priorities 

are as follows. In accordance with 34 

CFR 75.105(b)(2)(iv), the absolute 

priority is from section 2151(e)(5)(A) of 

the Elementary and Secondary 

Education Act of 1965, as amended 

(ESEA), 20 U.S.C. 6651(e)(5)(A). 

Absolute Priority: For FY 2004 this 

priority is an absolute priority. Under 34 

CFR 75.105(c)(3) we consider only 

applications that meet this priority. 

This priority is: 

High-Need Communities 

To provide professional development 

to early childhood educators who are 

working in early childhood programs 

that are located in ‘‘high-need 

communities.’’

An eligible applicant must 

demonstrate in its application narrative 

how it meets the statutory requirement 

in section 2151(e)(5)(A) of the ESEA by 

including relevant demographic and 

socioeconomic data about the ‘‘highneed community’’ in which the program 

is located. (See section 2151(e)(3)(B)(i) 

of the ESEA.) 

‘‘High-need community,’’ as defined 

in section 2151(e)(9)(B) of the ESEA, 

means—

(a) A political subdivision of a State, 

or a portion of a political subdivision of 

a State, in which at least 50 percent of 

the children are from low-income 

families; or 

(b) A political subdivision of a State 

that is among the 10 percent of political