[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 104 (Tuesday, May 30, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34546-34566]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-13429]



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Part III





Department of Education





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[CFDA No. 84.214A]



Migrant Education Even Start Program; Notice Inviting Applications for 
New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2000; Notice

Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 104 / Tuesday, May 30, 2000 / 
Notices

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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[CFDA No. 84.214A]


Migrant Education Even Start Program; Notice Inviting 
Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2000

AGENCY: Department of Education.

Note to Applicants

    This notice is a complete application package. Together with the 
statute authorizing the program and the Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations, the notice contains all of the information, 
application forms, and instructions needed to apply for a grant under 
this competition.

Purpose of Program

    The Migrant Education Even Start (MEES) program is designed to help 
break the cycle of poverty and improve the literacy of participating 
migrant families by integrating early childhood education, adult 
literacy or adult basic education (including English language training, 
as appropriate), and parenting education into a unified family literacy 
program.

Eligible Applicants

    While any entity is eligible to apply for a grant under the MEES 
program, the Secretary specifically invites applications from State 
educational agencies (SEAs) that administer migrant education programs; 
local educational agencies (LEAs) that have a high percentage of 
migrant students; and non-profit community-based organizations that 
work with migrant families.

Deadlines and Awards

    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: July 14, 2000.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: September 12, 2000.
    Available Funds: For FY 2000, approximately $3,600,000 is available 
for new grants under this program.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $75,000-$300,000.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $200,000.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 16-18.

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

    Project Period: Up to 48 months.

Applicable Regulations

    (a) The Education Department General Administrative Regulations as 
follows:
    (1) 34 CFR Part 74 (Administration of Grants and Agreements with 
Institutions of Higher Education, Hospitals, and Nonprofit 
Organizations).
    (2) 34 CFR Part 75 (Direct Grant Programs).
    (3) 34 CFR Part 77 (Definitions that Apply to Department 
Regulations).
    (4) 34 CFR Part 79 (Intergovernmental Review of Department of 
Education Programs and Activities).
    (5) 34 CFR Part 80 (Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants 
and Cooperative Agreements to State and Local Governments).
    (6) 34 CFR Part 81 (General Education Provisions Act--Enforcement).
    (7) 34 CFR Part 82 (New Restrictions on Lobbying).
    (8) 34 CFR Part 85 (Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension (Non-
procurement)) and Governmentwide Requirements for Drug-Free Workplace 
(Grants)).
    (9) 34 CFR Part 97 (Protection of Human Subjects).
    (10) 34 CFR Part 98 (Student Rights in Research, Experimental 
Programs, and Testing).
    (11) 34 CFR Part 99 (Family Educational Rights and Privacy).
    (b) The definitions of a migratory child, a migratory agricultural 
worker and a migratory fisher contained in 34 CFR 200.40.

Description of Program

    Under the authority of section 1202(a)(1)(A) of the Elementary and 
Secondary Education Act, as amended (ESEA), the Assistant Secretary for 
Elementary and Secondary Education (Assistant Secretary) awards grants 
to eligible applicants under the MEES program for projects that--
    (1) Improve the educational opportunities of migrant families by 
integrating early childhood education, adult literacy or adult basic 
education (including English language training, as appropriate), and 
parenting education into a unified program of family literacy services.
    Note: The term ``family literacy services'' is defined in ESEA 
section 1202(e) as services provided to participants on a voluntary 
basis that are of sufficient intensity in terms of hours, and of 
sufficient duration, to make sustainable changes in a family, and that 
integrate all of the following activities:
    (A) Interactive literacy activities between parents and their 
children.
    (B) Training for parents regarding how to be the primary teacher 
for their children and full partners in the education of their 
children.
    (C) Parent literacy training that leads to economic self-
sufficiency.
    (D) An age-appropriate education to prepare children for success in 
school and life experiences.
    (2) Implement cooperative activities that build on existing 
community resources to create a new range of services to migrant 
families.
    (3) Promote school readiness, early reading acquisition, adult 
literacy and lifelong learning, and parent involvement and 
participation in their child's education.
    (4) Where possible, use research-based strategies for developing 
literacy and reading proficiency and, where applicable, second language 
acquisition.
    (5) Assist children and adults from migrant families to achieve 
challenging State content standards and challenging State student 
performance standards.

Program Requirements

(a) Eligible Participants
    Eligible MEES participants consist of migratory children and their 
parents as defined in 34 CFR 200.30 and 200.40 who also meet the 
following conditions specified in section 1206(a) of the ESEA:
    (1) The parent or parents--
    (i) Are eligible for participation in an adult basic education 
program under the Adult Education Act and Family Literacy Act; or
    (ii) Are within the State's compulsory school attendance age range, 
so long as a local educational agency provides (or ensures the 
availability of) the basic education component required under this 
part; and
    (2) The child or children must be younger than eight years of age.
    Note: Family members of eligible participants described in 
paragraphs (a)(1) and (a)(2) may also participate in MEES activities. 
These participants include siblings, grandparents, and other family 
members as long as one or more eligible children and their parents or 
guardian participate in the core services. In addition, section 1206(b) 
of the ESEA permits families to remain eligible for MEES services until 
all family members become ineligible to participate. For example, in 
the case of a family in which the parent or parents lose eligibility 
because of their educational advancement, the parent or parents can 
still participate in MEES activities until all children in the family 
reach age eight. If all children in the family have reached the age of 
eight, the family continues to be eligible for Even Start services for 
two more years (until the youngest participating child turns ten) or 
until the parents are no longer eligible for adult basic education 
under the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act, whichever occurs 
first. In addition, the Department interprets 34 CFR 200.30 together 
with section 1206(b) of ESEA to mean that MEES

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services can continue to be provided to a parent or child who is no 
longer migratory, provided that the family has at least one parent or 
child who is a migratory worker or migratory child as these terms are 
defined under 34 CFR 200.40.
(b) Required Program Elements
    Any MEES project must, at a minimum, incorporate the following 
program elements specified in section 1205 of the ESEA:
    <bullet> Identification and recruitment of migrant families most in 
need of MEES services, as indicated by a low level of income, a low 
level of adult literacy or English language proficiency of the eligible 
parent or parents, and other need-related indicators. (Note: MEES 
program services may be provided in communities where migratory 
families have resided for extended periods of time. 34 CFR 200.30 and 
200.40 make children eligible for MEES services up to three years after 
they make a move that makes the children eligible for the Migrant 
Education Program (MEP). However, in developing and using their need-
related indicators to identify and recruit those migrant families most 
in need of MEES program services, the Secretary believes that the most 
effective MEES projects are likely to focus on families that are highly 
mobile or who have only recently moved to the communities that those 
projects serve. In this regard, the MEP statute (section 1304(d) of the 
ESEA) provides that migrant students whose education has been 
interrupted and who are at most risk of failing must be given a 
priority in services that the program offers. While this MEP priority 
is not an explicit requirement of the MEES program, one would assume, 
because of the purpose of the MEES program, that the highly mobile 
families whose children receive a priority under the MEP also have the 
greatest need for MEES services.)
    <bullet> Screening and preparation of parents, including teenage 
parents, to enable these parents to participate fully in program 
activities and services, including testing, referral to counseling, 
other developmental and support services, and related services.
    <bullet> High-quality, intensive instructional programs that 
promote adult literacy and empower parents to support the educational 
growth of their children, developmentally appropriate early childhood 
educational services, and preparation of children for success in the 
regular school programs.
    <bullet> A design for service delivery that accommodates the 
participants' work schedules and other responsibilities, including the 
provision of support services, when such services are unavailable from 
other sources, necessary for participation in project activities, such 
as--
    Scheduling and locating of services to allow joint participation by 
parents and children;
    Child care for the period that parents are involved in the project 
activities.
    <bullet> Transportation for the purpose of enabling parents and 
their children to participate in project activities.
    <bullet> Special training of staff, including child care staff, to 
develop the skills necessary to work with parents and young children in 
the full range of instructional services offered through the Even Start 
Family Literacy program.
    <bullet> Providing and monitoring integrated instructional services 
to participating parents and children through home-based activities.
    <bullet> Operation on a year-round basis, including the provision 
of some program services, instructional or enrichment, during the 
summer months.
    <bullet> Appropriate coordination with other programs funded under 
the ESEA, any relevant programs under the Adult Education and Family 
Literacy Act, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, the 
Workforce Investment (Employment Training) Act, Head Start, volunteer 
literacy programs, and other relevant programs. (Note: In addition, to 
promote strong community collaboration, sections 1202(e) and 1207(a) of 
the ESEA require applicants for grants under the basic Even Start 
Family Literacy program administered by SEAs to be partnerships 
composed of (1) a local educational agency (LEA), and (2) a non-profit 
community-based organization, a public agency other than an LEA, an 
institution of higher education, or a public or private nonprofit 
organization of demonstrated quality other than an LEA. While these 
provisions are not requirements of the MEES program, the Secretary 
believes that the most effective MEES projects are also likely to 
contain strong, on-going collaborative relationships among these kinds 
of local entities.)
    <bullet> Ensure that the project will serve families most in need 
of MEES family literacy services.
    <bullet> An independent local evaluation. (Note: The Secretary 
encourages projects to use local evaluators for MEES projects who 
understand the family literacy model, are able to work with the project 
as a partner in designing the evaluation, and will help the project use 
its evaluation results in an on-going way for continuous program 
improvement.)
(c) Federal and Local Funding
    A MEES project's funding is comprised of both a Federal portion of 
funds (Federal share) and a portion contributed by the eligible 
applicant (local share). However, the Federal share of the program may 
not exceed--
    <bullet> 90 percent of the total cost of the project in the first 
year;
    <bullet> 80 percent in the second year;
    <bullet> 70 percent in the third year;
    <bullet> 60 percent in the fourth year;
    <bullet> 50 percent in the fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth years; 
and
    <bullet> 35 percent in any following year.
    The local share of the MEES project may be provided in cash or in 
kind and may be obtained from any source, including other Federal 
programs funded under the ESEA. Indirect costs are not an allowable 
cost either for the Federal share or the matching portion of a MEES 
project.

Invitational Priority

    The Secretary is especially interested in receiving applications 
that include a plan demonstrating that grant activities will focus on 
one or more approaches described in this section. However, an 
application that meets one of more of these invitational priorities 
does not receive competitive or absolute preference over other 
applications (34 CFR 75.105(c)(1)).
    Coordination across SEAs and local school districts is at the heart 
of migrant education's purpose: To mitigate disruptions in the 
education of qualifying migrant students. Short-term MEES seasonal 
projects can provide intensity of services to migratory families, but 
those projects may not be of sufficient duration to demonstrate long-
term gains for students or to increase the level of economic self-
sufficiency of migrant parents, and may be another disruption in 
completing the family's educational goals.
    Therefore, to promote opportunities for continuous learning by 
migrant families, the Secretary is particularly interested in receiving 
applications that propose to include one or more of the following 
activities--
    <bullet> Coordinate continuing family literacy services across 
State and local school district boundaries to meet the needs of highly 
mobile migrant agricultural families.
    <bullet> Coordinate their activities with State and local endeavors 
to improve family literacy services; promote early reading proficiency, 
employ Federal Work-Study tutoring programs; create partnerships for 
family involvement in education; or other initiatives that foster early 
school success.

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    <bullet> Support the unique needs of single parent migrant families 
whose needs for child care and instructional services do not align with 
traditional schedules for educational and family support services.
    <bullet> Build networks with agricultural employers to coordinate 
and integrate resources that support English literacy for migrant 
agricultural families with limited English proficiency needs.

Selection Criteria

    The Secretary uses the following selection criteria to evaluate 
applications for grants under this competition.
    (1) The maximum score for all of these criteria is 100 points.
    (2) The maximum score for each criterion is indicated in 
parentheses.

(a) Meeting the Purposes of the Authorizing Statute (5 Points)

    The Secretary reviews each application to determine how well the 
project will--
    (1) Improve the educational opportunities of migrant families by 
integrating early childhood education, adult literacy or adult basic 
education (including English language training, as appropriate), and 
parenting education into a unified family literacy program.
    (2) Be implemented through cooperative projects that build on 
existing community resources to create a new range of services to 
migrant families.
    (3) Promote the achievement of family literacy goals (particularly 
the goals that address school readiness, student achievement, adult 
literacy, and parent involvement and participation in their child's 
early education) through research-based reading and English-language 
acquisition practices that meet the diverse needs of the migrant 
community of learners.
    (4) Assist children and adults from migrant families to achieve the 
challenging State content standards and challenging State student 
performance standards.

(b) Need for Project (20 Points)

    The Secretary considers the need for the proposed project. In 
determining the need for the proposed project, the Secretary considers 
the following factors:
    (1) The magnitude of the need for the services to be provided or 
the activities to be carried out by the proposed project.
    (2) The extent to which the proposed project will focus on serving 
or otherwise addressing the needs of disadvantaged individuals (i.e., 
eligible migrant agricultural or fishing families).
    (3) The extent to which specific gaps or weaknesses in services, 
infrastructure, or opportunities have been identified and will be 
addressed by the proposed project, including the nature and magnitude 
of those gaps or weaknesses.
    Note: Applicants are free to address criterion (b) in any way that 
they wish. However, given the purpose of the MEES program, the 
Secretary believes that high-quality applications will likely include a 
discussion of the following key elements:
    (i) How the project would be located in an area or areas with high 
percentages or large numbers of migratory children and their parents, 
guardians, or primary caretakers in need of MEES services.
    (ii) How the project will address the lack of existing 
comprehensive family literacy services for the migrant population.
    (iii) How community resources will be used to benefit project 
participants both during the participants' period of eligibility for 
migrant education services, and in the event that participating 
families lose their eligibility for MEES services during the project 
period.
    (iv) How the project will integrate child development, adult 
literacy, and parenting activities.
    (v) How the project will assist migrant children and adults to 
achieve the State content standards and student performance standards.
    In addition, some migrant families may settle in a community during 
their enrollment and therefore cease to meet the eligibility 
requirements outlined in the Program Requirements section of this 
notice; therefore, the Secretary also believes that high-quality 
applications will likely include a plan for ensuring that these 
families have ongoing access to family literacy services when their 
enrollment can no longer be supported with basic MEP or MEES program 
funds. In this regard, an applicant might, for example, consider 
providing a succinct description of how the project will fill any gaps 
in services, or how it will connect families with existing resources or 
services as they settle in the community.

(c) 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 design of the proposed project is 
appropriate to, and will successfully address, the needs of the target 
population or other identified needs.
    (2) The extent to which the project is designed to build capacity 
and yield results that will extend beyond the period of Federal 
financial assistance.
    (3) The extent to which the proposed project will establish 
linkages with other appropriate agencies and organizations providing 
services to the target population.
    Note: Applicants are free to address criterion (c) in any way that 
they wish. However, the Secretary believes that, in designing their 
project, high-quality applications likely will address each of the 
required program elements in section 1205 of the ESEA and listed in the 
Program Requirements section of this notice. In this regard, the 
Secretary believes that a high-quality application likely would explain 
how its proposed design addresses each one of those requirements in 
order to fully meet the needs of its target population. For example, 
given the mobility of the migrant population to be served by the MEES 
program, the Secretary believes that high-quality applications will 
likely include strategies that support family education plans whether 
or not families are resident in a community throughout a given project 
year or its continuation years.
    In addressing the requirement that projects conduct family literacy 
services year-round, the Secretary acknowledges that migrant families 
may reside in communities for varying lengths of time. Therefore, the 
Secretary interprets the requirement that projects operate on a year-
round basis to mean that project activities must be conducted not only 
throughout the period in which participating migrant families reside in 
the project area, as well as times when alternative activities or 
services, or both, are offered. The Secretary strongly encourages 
applicants to explore ways to maintain contact and continue to monitor 
the progress of highly mobile families whether or not they are resident 
in the applicant's community.
    Examples of strategies that address the requirement for year-round 
operations and ongoing family participation when families do not reside 
in the project area may include distance learning; capacity building 
and partnership efforts with sending and receiving States and school 
districts; self-paced learning packages; and other materials, 
technologies, and activities that make year-round literacy services 
viable and family-friendly for migrant workers.

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(d) 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 underrepresented based on race, color, 
national origin, gender, age, or disability. In addition, the Secretary 
considers the following factors:
    (1) 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.
    (2) The extent to which the services to be provided by the proposed 
project reflect up-to-date knowledge from research and effective 
practice.
    (3) 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.
    (4) The extent to which the services provided by the proposed 
project are focused on those with the greatest needs.
    (5) The likelihood that the services to be provided by the proposed 
project will lead to improvements in the achievement of students as 
measured against rigorous academic standards.
    (e) Adequacy of Resources (15 Points)
    The Secretary considers the adequacy of resources for the proposed 
project. In determining the adequacy of resources for the proposed 
project, the Secretary considers the following factors:
    (1) The relevance and demonstrated commitment of each partner in 
the proposed project to the implementation and success of the project.
    (2) The extent to which the costs are reasonable in relation to the 
objectives, design, and potential significance of the proposed project.
    (3) The potential for continued support of the project after 
Federal funding ends, including, as appropriate, the demonstrated 
commitment of appropriate entities to such support.
    (4) The extent to which costs are reasonable in relation to the 
number of persons to be served and the anticipated results and 
benefits.

(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 provide for 
examining the effectiveness of project implementation strategies.
    (2) The extent to which the methods of evaluation will provide 
performance feedback and permit periodic assessment of progress toward 
achieving intended outcomes.
    (3) The extent to which the methods of evaluation are thorough, 
feasible, and appropriate to the goals, objectives, and outcomes of the 
proposed project.
    (4) The extent to which 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.
    (5) The extent to which the evaluation will provide guidance about 
effective strategies suitable for replication or testing in other 
settings.
    Note: Applicants are free to address criterion (f) in any way they 
wish. However, Section 1205(10)of the ESEA requires applicants must 
conduct an independent evaluation of their project. In addition, they 
must participate in the national Even Start data collection effort. 
Given these two requirements, the Secretary believes that high-quality 
applications are likely to address this criterion by explaining how the 
project will conduct an ongoing, independent, local evaluation to 
ensure that the quality of the proposed family literacy services are 
validated and improved over the course of the four-year project period.
    In addition, the Secretary believes that high-quality applicants 
would likely bear in mind the following information in considering how 
they intend to report the effectiveness of their project. Funded 
projects are required to complete an annual performance report on their 
progress in meeting the approved objectives of their grant to ensure 
continued funding. These reports and other evaluation information 
provide local projects, the Department, and the Congress with objective 
data about the activities and services provided by the project, the 
participants served, the retention rates of those participants, and the 
success of the families in the project. The Department has also 
developed a set of performance indicators for the Even Start Family 
Literacy Program in accordance with the Government Performance and 
Results Act (GPRA) that relate to participant outcomes and project 
management. These indicators are appended to this application package. 
The Secretary encourages applicants to refer to these indicators when 
developing their evaluation plans, as the Department uses these 
indicators in reporting to the Congress on the overall effectiveness of 
the program.
    The following items are not part of the program's selection 
criteria, but provide additional information for applicants.

National Evaluation

    The Department is conducting a national evaluation of Even Start 
Family Literacy projects. MEES program grantees must cooperate with the 
Department's efforts by adopting an evaluation plan that is consistent 
with the national evaluation (as well as with the grantee's 
responsibilities under section 1205(10) of the ESEA and 34 CFR 74.51, 
75.118, 75.253, and 80.40).
    The Secretary suggests that each applicant budget for evaluation 
activities as follows: in addition to the costs of planning and 
conducting an independent local evaluation, a project with an estimated 
budget of up to $120,000 should designate $5,000 for this purpose; and 
a project with an estimated cost of over $120,000 should designate 
$10,000 for these activities. These funds will be used for expenditures 
related to the collection and entry of data required for the 
Department's national evaluation. The Secretary also recommends that 
applicants budget for the cost of travel to Washington, DC and three 
nights' lodging for the project director and project evaluator, for 
their participation in annual technical assistance/evaluation meetings.

Government Performance Results Act: Even Start Performance Indicators

Even Start Family Literacy Program Performance Plan: Objectives and 
Indicators
    Objective 1. The literacy of participating families will improve.
    1.1  Adult literacy achievement. Increasing percentages of Even 
Start adults will achieve significant learning gains on measures of 
math and reading skills.
    1.2  Adult educational attainment. Increasing percentages of adult 
secondary education Even Start participants will obtain their high 
school diploma or equivalent.
    1.3  Children's language development and reading readiness.

[[Page 34550]]

Increasing percentages of Even Start children will achieve significant 
gains on measures of language development and reading readiness.
    1.4  Parenting skills. Increasing percentages of parents will show 
significant improvement on measures of parenting skills, home 
environment, and expectations for their children.
    Objective 2. Even Start projects will reach their target population 
of families who are most in need of services.
    2.1  Recruitment of most in need. The projects will continue to 
recruit low-income, disadvantaged families with low literacy levels.
    Objective 3. Local Even Start projects will provide high-quality, 
comprehensive instructional and support services to all families in a 
cost-effective manner.
    3.1  Service hours. Increasing percentages of projects will offer 
at least 60 hours of adult education per month, at least 20 hours of 
parenting education per month, and at least 65 hours of early childhood 
education per month.
    3.2  Participation, retention and continuity. Projects will 
increasingly improve retention and continuity of services.
Information by Project and Budget Periods
    Under 34 CFR 75.112 and 75.117, an eligible applicant must propose 
a project period, and provide budgetary information for each budget 
period of that proposed project period. The Secretary requires that the 
budgetary information include an amount for all key project components 
with an accompanying breakdown of any subcomponents, along with a 
written justification for all requested amounts. (A form for reporting 
this information is contained in the appendix of this notice.)
    Section 75.112(b) also requires that an applicant describe how and 
when, in each budget period of the project, it plans to meet each 
objective of the project.
(Note: The Department will use this information, in conjunction with 
the grantee's annual performance report required under 34 CFR 
75.118(a), to determine whether a continuation award for the subsequent 
budget year should be made. Under 34 CFR 75.253, a grantee can receive 
a continuation award only if it demonstrates that it either has made 
substantial progress toward meeting the objectives of the approved 
project, or has received the Assistant Secretary's approval of changes 
in the project to enable it to meet the objectives in the succeeding 
budget periods.)
    As indicated in the Note to the selection criterion (f) (Quality of 
project evaluation), each project must conduct an independent local 
evaluation. In budgeting for the cost of this independent local 
evaluation, you may wish to contact potential local evaluators, such as 
researchers or teachers at local community colleges or universities, to 
ascertain a typical hourly rate.

Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs

    This program is subject to the requirements of Executive Order 
12372 (Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs) and the 
regulations in 34 CFR Part 79.
    One of the objectives of the Executive order is to foster an 
intergovernmental partnership and a strengthened federalism. The 
Executive Order relies on processes developed by State and local 
governments for coordination and review of proposed Federal financial 
assistance.
    If you are an applicant, you must contact the appropriate State 
Single Point of Contact (SPOC) to find out about, and to comply with, 
the State's process under Executive Order 12372. If you propose to 
perform activities in more than one State, you should immediately 
contact the SPOC for each of those States and follow the procedure 
established in each State under the Executive order. You may view the 
latest official SPOC list on the Web site of the Office of Management 
and Budget at the following address: http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants
    In States that have not established a process or chosen a program 
for review, State, area-wide, regional, and local entities may submit 
comments directly to the Department.
    Any State Process Recommendation and other comments submitted by a 
SPOC and any comments from State, areawide, regional, and local 
entities must be mailed or hand-delivered by the date indicated in this 
notice to the following address: The Secretary, E.O. 12372--CFDA# 
84.214A, U.S. Department of Education, Room 7E200, 400 Maryland Avenue, 
SW., Washington, DC 20202-0125.
    We will determine proof of mailing 34 CFR 75.102 (Deadline date for 
applications). Recommendations or comments may be hand-delivered until 
4:30 p.m. (Washington, D.C. time) on the date indicated in this notice.


    Note: Please note that the above address is not the same address 
as the one to which the applicant submits its completed application. 
Do not send applications to the above address.

Application Instructions and Forms

    The appendix to this application is divided into three parts 
plus a statement regarding estimated public reporting burden and 
various assurances and certifications. These parts and additional 
materials are organized in the same manner that the submitted 
application should be organized. The parts and additional materials 
are as follows:
    Part I: Application for Federal Assistance (Standard Form 424) 
and instructions.
    Part II: Budget Information--Non-Construction Programs (ED Form 
No. 524) and instructions.
    Part III: Application Narrative.
    Additional Materials:
    <bullet> Estimated Public Reporting Burden.
    <bullet> Assurances--Non-Construction Programs (Standard Form 
424B).
    <bullet> Certifications regarding Lobbying; Debarment, 
Suspension, and Other Responsibility Matters; and Drug-Free 
Workplace Requirements (ED 80-0013, 12/98).
    <bullet> Certification regarding Debarment, Suspension, 
Ineligibility and Voluntary Exclusion: Lower Tier Covered 
Transactions (ED 80-0014, 9/90) and instructions. (Note: ED 80-0014 
is intended for the use of grantees and should not be transmitted to 
the Department.)
    <bullet> Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (Standard Form LLL) 
(if applicable) and instructions; and Disclosure of Lobbying 
Activities Continuation Sheet (Standard Form LLL-A).
    You may submit information on a photocopy of the application and 
budget forms, the assurances, and the certifications. However, the 
application form, the assurances, and the certifications must each 
have an original signature. No grant may be awarded unless a 
completed application form has been received.
    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 under FOR 
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. However, the Department is not able to 
reproduce in an alternative format the standard forms included in 
the application package.

For Further Information Contact

    DonnaMarie Marlow, U.S. Department of Education, Office of 
Elementary and Secondary Education, Office of Migrant Education, 400 
Maryland Avenue, SW., Room 3E313, Washington, DC 20202-6135. 
Telephone: (202) 260-1164. The program contact may also be reached 
via e-mail at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#adc9c2c3c3ccc0ccdfc4c8f2c0ccdfc1c2daedc8c983cac2db"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="dcb8b3b2b2bdb1bdaeb5b983b1bdaeb0b3ab9cb9b8f2bbb3aa">[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.

Instructions for Transmittal of Applications

    (a) If an applicant wants to apply for a grant, an applicant 
must--
    (1) Mail the original and two copies of the application on or 
before the deadline date to: U. S. Department of Education, 
Application Control Center, Attention: (CFDA #84.214A), Washington, 
DC 20202-4725.
    (2) Hand deliver the original and two copies of the application 
by 4:30 p.m.

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(Washington, DC time) on the deadline date to: U.S. Department of 
Education, Application Control Center, Attention: (CFDA# 84.214A), 
Room #3633, Regional Office Building #3, 7th and D Streets, SW., 
Washington, DC 20202.
    (b) An applicant must show one of the following as proof of 
mailing:
    (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.
    (4) Any other proof of mailing acceptable to the Secretary.
    (c) If an application is mailed through the U.S. Postal Service, 
the Secretary does not accept either of the following as proof of 
mailing:
    (1) A private metered postmark.
    (2) A mail receipt that is not dated by the U.S. Postal Service.

    Notes: (1) The U.S. Postal Service does not uniformly provide a 
dated postmark. Before relying on this method, an applicant should 
check with its local post office.

    (2) The Application Control Center will mail a Grant Application 
Receipt Acknowledgment to each applicant. If an applicant fails to 
receive the notification of application receipt within 15 days from the 
date of mailing the application, the applicant should call the U.S. 
Department of Education Application Control Center at (202) 708-9494.
    (3) The applicant must indicate on the envelope and--if not 
provided by the Department--in Item 10 of the Application for Federal 
Assistance (Standard Form 424) the CFDA number--and suffix letter, if 
any--of the competition under which the application is being submitted.

Electronic Access to This Document

    You may view this document, as well as all other Department of 
Education documents published in the Federal Register, in text or 
portable document format (pdf) on the World Wide Web at either of the 
following sites:

http://ocfo.ed.gov/fedreg.htm
http://www.ed.gov/news.html

To use the PDF you must have the Adobe Acrobat Reader Program with 
Search, which is available free at either of the previous sites. If you 
have questions about using the PDF, call the U.S. Government Printing 
Office 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.access.gpo.gov/nara/index.html


    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 6362(a)(1)(A).

    Dated: May 24, 2000.
Michael Cohen,
Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education.

Instructions for Part III--Application Narrative

    Before preparing the Application Narrative, an applicant should 
read carefully the description of the program and the selection 
criteria the Secretary uses to evaluate applications.
    The narrative should encompass each function or activity for which 
funds are being requested and should--
    1. Begin with an Abstract; that is, a summary of the proposed 
project.
    2. Describe the proposed project in light of each of the selection 
criteria in the order in which the criteria are listed in this 
application package. (Note: While applicants can address the criteria 
in any way that is reasonable, given the required emphasis of any MEES 
project on an integrated program of early childhood education, adult 
literacy or adult basic education, and parenting education, the 
Secretary believes that a reasonable plan of operation would likely 
address how the proposed project will provide high-quality instruction 
in these three areas that, with interactive literacy activities between 
parents and children (PACT), is integrated into a unified family 
literacy program. Moreover, consistent with 34 CFR 75.112(b), which 
requires that the application describe how and when, in each budget 
period, the applicant plans to meet each project objective, the 
Secretary believes that applicants would want particularly to describe 
each goal in terms of measurable objectives, specific activities that 
are proposed to meet each objective, time lines associated with these 
activities, the resources believed to be needed to achieve each 
objective, and how each objective will be evaluated.)
    3. Provide the following information in response to the attached 
NOTICE TO ALL APPLICANTS: (1) A reference to the portion of the 
application in which the applicant has described the steps that the 
applicant proposes to take to remove barriers to equitable access to, 
and equitable participation in, project activities; or (2) a separate 
statement that includes this information.
    4. Include any other pertinent information that might assist the 
Secretary in reviewing the application.
    Page Limit: The application narrative (Part III of the application) 
is where the applicant addresses the selection criteria reviewers use 
to evaluate your application. The recommended page limit for this 
application is 50 pages (appendices excepted), 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 application 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 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, the bibliography, or the letters of support. However, you must 
include all of the application narrative in Part III.

Instruction for Estimated Public Reporting Burden

    According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are 
required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a 
valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this 
information collection is 1810-0541. (Expiration date: 04/30/2003). The 
time required to complete this information collection is estimated to 
average 60 hours per response including the time for reviewing 
instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and 
maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the 
collection of information. If you have any comments concerning the 
accuracy of the time estimate(s) or suggestions for improving this 
form, please write to: US Department of Education, Washington, DC 
20202-4651. If you have comments or concerns regarding the status of 
your individual submission of this form, write directly to: Office of 
Migrant Education, US Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, 
Washington, DC 20202-6135.

(Information collection approved under OMB control number 1810--
0541. Expiration date: 04/30/2003.)
BILLING CODE 4000-01-U

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[FR Doc. 00-13429 Filed 5-26-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-C


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