13470 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 54 / Thursday, March 20, 1997 / Notices

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[CFDA Nos.: 84.203A and C]

Star Schools Program; Notice Inviting

Applications for New Awards for Fiscal

Years 1997 and 1998

Note to Applicants: This notice is a

complete application package. Together

with the statute authorizing the program

and the Education Department General

Administrative Regulations (EDGAR),

this notice contains all of the

information, application forms, and

instructions needed to apply for a grant

under the Star Schools Program

competitions.

Purpose of Program: The purpose of

this program is to encourage improved

instruction in mathematics, science,

foreign languages, and other subjects,

such as literacy skills and vocational

education, and to serve underserved

populations, including the

disadvantaged, illiterate, limitedEnglish proficient, and individuals with

disabilities through the use of distance

learning technologies. Under this

competition, the Secretary intends to

support two separate grant

competitions: General Projects and a

Dissemination Project. General Projects

are designed to, among other things:

(1) Develop, construct, acquire,

maintain and operate

telecommunications audio and visual

facilities and equipment;

(2) Develop and acquire live

interactive educational and

instructional programming; and

(3) Obtain technical assistance for the

use of such facilities and instructional

programming.

The Dissemination Project is designed

to provide dissemination and technical

assistance to State and local educational

agencies to assist them to plan and

implement technology-based distance

learning systems.

Eligible Applicants—General Projects

Only eligible entities, if at least one

local educational agency is participating

in the proposed project, may receive

grants under the General Projects

Competition. Eligible

telecommunications partnerships must

be organized on a statewide or

multistate basis. Eligible entities

include:

(a) A public agency or corporation

established for the purpose of

developing and operating

telecommunications networks to

enhance educational opportunities

provided by educational institutions,

teacher training centers, and other

entities, except that any such agency or

corporation represents the interests of

elementary and secondary schools that

are eligible to participate in the program

under part A of title I of the Elementary

and Secondary Education Act of 1965,

as amended by P.L. 103–352 (ESEA); or

(b) A partnership that will provide

telecommunications services and which

includes three or more of the following

entities, at least one of which shall be

an agency described in (1) or (2):

(1) A local educational agency that

serves a significant number of

elementary and secondary schools that

are eligible for assistance under part A

of title I of the ESEA or elementary and

secondary schools operated or funded

for Indian children by the Department of

the Interior eligible under section

1121(c) of the ESEA;

(2) A State educational agency;

(3) Adult and family education

programs;

(4) An institution of higher education

or a State higher education agency;

(5) A teacher training center or

academy which—

(i) Provides teacher preservice and

inservice training; and

(ii) Receives Federal financial

assistance or has been approved by a

State agency;

(6)(i) A public or private entity with

experience and expertise in the

planning and operation of a

telecommunications network, including

entities involved in telecommunications

through satellite, cable, telephone, or

computer; or

(ii) A public broadcasting entity with

such experience; or

(7) A public or private elementary or

secondary school.

Eligible Applicants—Dissemination

Projects

The statute places no restrictions on

what parties are eligible to apply for

Dissemination Projects under the Star

Schools Program.

Deadline for Transmittal of

Applications: May 9, 1997.

Deadline for Intergovernmental

Review: June 23, 1997.

Available Funds: $15,000,000.

Estimated Size of Awards:

$2,000,000 (General Projects).

$500,000 (Dissemination Project).

Estimated Number of Awards:

7 (General projects).

1 (Dissemination project).

Project Period: Up to 60 months.

Note: The Department is not bound by any

estimates in this notice.

Supplementary Information: It is the

Department’s intent to fund two cycles

of General Projects awards from this

competition. The first cycle of awards

will be made from fiscal year 1997

funds. If General Projects applications of

high quality remain unfunded,

additional awards will be made in the

second cycle in 1998, pending

availability of fiscal year 1998 funds.

This section does not apply to the

Dissemination Project competition.

Applicable Regulations

The Education Department General

Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in

34 CFR Parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80, 81, 82,

85, and 86.

Description of Program

The Star Schools program is

authorized by the ESEA, Title III, Part B

(20 U.S.C. 6891–6900). Section 3204 of

the ESEA authorizes the Secretary to

award General Projects grants, on a

competitive basis, to eligible entities to

carry out the following:

(1) The development, construction,

acquisition, maintenance and operation

of telecommunications facilities and

equipment;

(2) The development and acquisition

of live, interactive instructional

programming;

(3) The development and acquisition

of preservice and inservice teacher

training programs based on established

research regarding teacher-to-teacher

mentoring, effective skill transfer, and

ongoing, in-class instruction;

(4) The establishment of

teleconferencing facilities and resources

for making interactive training available

to teachers;

(5) Obtaining technical assistance;

and

(6) The coordination of the design and

connectivity of telecommunications

networks to reach the greatest number of

schools.

The Star Schools program supports

Goals 2000, the President’s strategy for

moving the Nation toward the National

Education Goals. Furthermore, the Star

Schools program addresses the

President’s technology initiative to help

students achieve high content

standards.

The Star Schools program is also

authorized, by section 3207(c) of the

ESEA (20 U.S.C. 6897(c)), to support

activities that disseminate information,

including lists and descriptions of

services available from grant recipients

under this program and carry out other

activities designed to enhance the

quality of long distance learning.

Geographic Distribution

In determining which applications

under the General Projects competition

are to be funded, the Secretary shall, to

the extent feasible, ensure an equitable

geographic distribution of services.
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 54 / Thursday, March 20, 1997 / Notices 13471

Definitions

The following definitions apply to the

terms used in this notice:

‘‘Educational institution’’ means an

institution of higher education, a local

educational agency, or a State

educational agency.

‘‘Institution of higher education’’ has

the same meaning given that term under

20 U.S.C. 1141(a) (section 1201(a) of the

Higher Education Act of 1965, as

amended) (20 U.S.C. 8801(17)).

‘‘Instructional programming’’ means

courses of instruction and training

courses for elementary and secondary

students, teachers, and others, and

materials used in such instruction and

training which have been prepared in

audio and visual form on tape, disc,

film, or live interactive presentations,

and presented by means of

telecommunications devices.

‘‘Local educational agency’’ has the

same meaning given the term under

section 14101(18) of the ESEA (20

U.S.C. 8801(18)).

‘‘Public broadcasting entity’’ has the

same meaning given that term in section

397 of the Communications Act of 1934

(47 U.S.C. 397).

‘‘State’’ has the same meaning given

that term under section 14101(27) of the

ESEA (20 U.S.C. 8801(27)).

‘‘State educational agency’’ has the

same meaning given that term under

section 14101(28) of the ESEA (20

U.S.C. 8801(28)) and includes the

Bureau of Indian Affairs for purposes of

serving schools funded by the BIA in

accordance with Title III of the ESEA of

1965, as amended.

‘‘Secretary’’ means the Secretary of

Education.

Priorities

Invitational Priorities—General Projects

(84.203A)

Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(1), the

Secretary is particularly interested in

General Projects applications that meet

one or more of the following invitational

priorities. However, an application that

meets one or more of these invitational

priorities does not receive competitive

or absolute preference over other

applications. Applicants that propose

to:

Invitational Priority 1—Deliver live,

interactive instructional programming

that integrates reading throughout the

curriculum at all grade levels for all

children and their families;

Invitational Priority 2—Deliver

challenging content and advanced

placement courses in mathematics,

science, and foreign languages for

elementary and secondary students;

Invitational Priority 3—Offer

professional development opportunities

for teachers to focus on early reading

and elementary and middle school

mathematics instruction to help

students achieve to high standards; or

Invitational Priority 4—Employ

multiple technologies which advance

the role of distance learning in

supporting school reform at the local

level such as broadcast television

coupled with computer networking or

other technologies.

Competitive Priorities—General Projects

(84.203A)

Under 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(iv) and

(c)(2) and 20 U.S.C. 6896(c), the

Secretary gives preference to General

Projects applications that meet the

following five competitive priorities.

The Secretary awards up to two points

for each competitive priorities met by

the applicant in a particularly effective

way. These points are in addition to any

points the application earns under the

selection criteria. An applicant can

receive no more than ten competitive

preference points. Competitive

preference points will be awarded to an

applicant that:

Competitive Priority 1—Proposes

high-quality plans to assist in achieving

one or more of the National Education

Goals, will provide instruction

consistent with State content standards,

or will otherwise provide significant

and specific assistance to States and

local educational agencies undertaking

systemic education reform;

Competitive Priority 2—Will provide

services to programs serving adults,

especially parents, with low levels of

literacy or limited English proficiency;

Competitive Priority 3—Will serve

schools with significant numbers of

children counted for the purposes of

part A of title I of the ESEA;

Competitive Priority 4—Will ensure

that its proposed project will—

(A) Serve the broadest range of

institutions, programs providing

instruction outside of the school setting,

programs serving adults, especially

parents, with low levels of literacy,

institutions of higher education, teacher

training centers, research institutes, and

private industry;

(B) Have substantial academic and

teaching capabilities, including the

capability of training, retraining, and

inservice upgrading of teaching skills

and the capability to provide

professional development;

(C) Provide a comprehensive range of

courses for educators to teach

instructional strategies for students with

different skill levels;

(D) Provide training to participating

educators in ways to integrate

telecommunications courses into

existing school curriculum;

(E) Provide instruction for students,

teachers, and parents;

(F) Serve a multistate area; and

(G) Give priority to the provision of

equipment and linkages to isolated

areas; and

Competitive Priority 5—Involve a

telecommunications entity (such as a

satellite, cable, telephone, computer

organization, or public or private

television stations) participating in the

eligible entity and donating equipment

or in-kind services for

telecommunications linkages.

Absolute Priority—Dissemination

Project (84.203C)

Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3), the

Secretary gives an absolute preference to

applications that meet the following

priority. The Secretary funds under this

competition only an application that

meets this absolute priority.

A project that will disseminate

information, including lists and

descriptions of services available from

grant recipients under the Star Schools

program, and conduct other activities

designed to enhance the quality of

distance learning activities nationwide.

Invitational Priority—Dissemination

Project (84.203C)

Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(1), the

Secretary is particularly interested in

Dissemination Project applications that

meet the following invitational

priorities. However, an application that

meets these invitational priorities does

not receive competitive or absolute

preference over other applications.

Applications that propose to—

Invitational Priority 1—Use a variety

of technologies and dissemination

strategies to provide information and

technical assistance services about

distance education nationwide; and

Invitational Priority 2—Produce and

disseminate information in print,

electronic, media and other formats

about instructional programming,

promising and exemplary practices,

policies, resources, and research

involving distance education including

Department-sponsored distance

education projects and technology

initiatives.

Application Requirements—General

Projects

Each eligible entity desiring a General

Project grant under this program shall

submit an application to the Secretary

that responds to the selection criteria. In

addition, each application shall—

(1) Describe how the proposed project

will assist in achieving the National
13472 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 54 / Thursday, March 20, 1997 / Notices

Education Goals, how the project will

assist all students to have an

opportunity to learn to challenging State

standards, how the project will assist

State and local educational reform

efforts, and how the project will

contribute to creating a high quality

system of lifelong learning;

(2) Describe the telecommunications

facilities and equipment and technical

assistance for which assistance is

sought, which may include—

(A) The design, development,

construction, acquisition, maintenance

and operation of State or multistate

educational telecommunications

networks and technology resource

centers;

(B) Microwave, fiber optics, cable, and

satellite transmission equipment or any

combination thereof;

(C) Reception facilities;

(D) Satellite time;

(E) Production facilities;

(F) Other telecommunications

equipment capable of serving a wide

geographic area;

(G) The provision of training services

to instructors who will be using the

facilities and equipment for which

assistance is sought, including training

in using these facilities and equipment

and training in integrating programs

into the classroom curriculum; and

(H) The development of educational

and related programming for use on a

telecommunications network;

(3) In the case of an application for

assistance for instructional

programming, describe the types of

programming which will be developed

to enhance instruction and training and

provide assurances that the

programming will be designed in

consultation with professionals

(including classroom teachers) who are

experts in the applicable subject matter

and grade level;

(4) Describe how the eligible entity

has engaged in sufficient survey and

analysis of the area to be served to

ensure that the services offered by the

eligible entity will increase the

availability of courses of instruction in

English, mathematics, science, foreign

languages, arts, history, geography, or

other disciplines;

(5) Describe the professional

development policies for teachers and

other school personnel to be

implemented to ensure the effective use

of the telecommunications facilities and

equipment for which assistance is

sought;

(6) Describe the manner in which

historically underserved students (such

as students from low-income families,

limited English proficient students,

students with disabilities, or students

who have low literacy skills) and their

families, will participate in the benefits

of the telecommunications facilities,

equipment, technical assistance, and

programming assisted under this

program;

(7) Describe how existing

telecommunications equipment,

facilities, and services, where available,

will be used;

(8) Provide assurances that the

financial interest of the United States in

the telecommunications facilities and

equipment will be protected for the

useful life of these facilities and

equipment;

(9) Provide assurances that a

significant portion of any facilities and

equipment, technical assistance, and

programming for which assistance is

sought for elementary and secondary

schools will be made available to

schools or local educational agencies

that have a high number or percentage

of children eligible to be counted under

part A of title I of the ESEA;

(10) Provide assurances that the

applicant will use the funds provided

under this part to supplement and not

supplant funds otherwise available for

the purposes of this part;

(11) If any member of the consortia

receives assistance under subpart 3 of

part A of title III of the ESEA (’’Regional

Technical Support and Professional

Development’’) (20 U.S.C. 6861),

describe how funds received under this

part will be coordinated with funds

received for educational technology in

the classroom under such section;

(12) Describe the activities or services

for which assistance is sought such as—

(A) Providing facilities, equipment,

training services, and technical

assistance;

(B) Making programs accessible to

students with disabilities through

mechanisms such as closed captioning

and descriptive video services;

(C) Linking networks around issues of

national importance (such as elections)

or to provide information about

employment opportunities, job training,

or student and other social service

programs;

(D) Sharing curriculum resources

between networks and development of

program guides which demonstrate

cooperative, cross-network listing of

programs for specific curriculum areas;

(E) Providing teacher and student

support services including classroom

and training support materials which

permit student and teacher involvement

in the live interactive distance learning

telecasts;

(F) Incorporating community

resources such as libraries and

museums into instructional programs;

(G) Providing professional

development for teachers, including, as

appropriate, training to early childhood

development and Head Start teachers

and staff and vocational education

teachers and staff, and adult and family

educators;

(H) Providing programs for adults to

maximize the use of

telecommunications facilities and

equipment;

(I) Providing teacher training on

proposed or established voluntary

national content standards in

mathematics and science and other

disciplines as such standards are

developed; and

(J) Providing parent education

programs during and after the regular

school day which reinforce a student’s

course of study and actively involve

parents in the learning process;

(13) Describe how the proposed

project as a whole will be financed and

how arrangements for future financing

will be developed before the project

expires;

(14) Provide an assurance that a

significant portion of any facilities,

equipment, technical assistance, and

programming for which assistance is

sought for elementary and secondary

schools will be made available to

schools in local educational agencies

that have a high percentage of children

counted for the purpose of part A of title

I of the ESEA; and

(15) Provide an assurance that the

applicant will provide this information

and cooperate in any evaluation that the

Secretary may conduct under this

program.

Funding Requirement—General

Projects

The Federal share for the first and

second years of a General Project funded

under this program shall not exceed 75

percent of the cost of the project. The

Federal share for the third and fourth

years of a General Project funded under

this program shall not exceed 60 percent

of the cost of the project. The Federal

share for the fifth year of a General

Project funded under this program shall

not exceed 50 percent of the cost of the

project. The recipient of a General

Project grant under this program shall

provide the remainder of the funds from

non-Federal sources. The matching

funds for the project may be in cash or

in-kind support, fairly evaluated. In the

case of financial hardship, an applicant

may request that the Secretary reduce or

waive the matching requirement. (This

requirement does not apply to the

dissemination projects.)
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 54 / Thursday, March 20, 1997 / Notices 13473

Application Requirements—

Dissemination Projects

Each applicant for a Dissemination

Project shall submit an application that

responds to the selection criteria.

Selection Criteria

(a)(1) The Secretary uses the following

selection criteria to evaluate

applications for new General Projects

and Dissemination Project grants under

this competition.

(2) The maximum score for all of

these criteria is 100 points.

(3) The maximum score for each

criterion is indicated in parentheses.

(b) The criteria. (1) Meeting the

purposes of the authorizing statute. (30

points) The Secretary reviews each

application to determine how well the

project will meet the purpose of the Star

Schools Program, including

consideration of—

(i) The objectives of the project; and

(ii) How the objectives of the project

further the purposes of the Star Schools

Program.

(2) Extent of need for the project. (20

points) The Secretary reviews each

application to determine the extent to

which the project meets specific needs

recognized in the Star Schools Program,

including consideration of—

(i) The needs addressed by the

project;

(ii) How the applicant identified those

needs;

(iii) How those needs will be met by

the project; and

(iv) The benefits to be gained by

meeting those needs.

(3) Plan of operation. (15 points) The

Secretary reviews each application to

determine the quality of the plan of

operation for the project, including—

(i) The quality of the design of the

project;

(ii) The extent to which the plan of

management is effective and ensures

proper and efficient administration of

the project;

(iii) How well the objectives of the

project relate to the purpose of the

program;

(iv) The quality of the applicant’s plan

to use its resources and personnel to

achieve each objective; and

(v) How the applicant will ensure that

project participants who are otherwise

eligible to participate are selected

without regard to race, color, national

origin, gender, age, or handicapping

condition.

(4) Quality of key personnel. (10

points)

(i) The Secretary reviews each

application to determine the quality of

key personnel the applicant plans to use

on the project, including—

(A) The qualifications of the project

director (if one is to be used);

(B) The qualifications of each of the

other key personnel to be used in the

project;

(C) The time that each person referred

to in paragraphs (b)(4)(i)A and (B) will

commit to the project; and

(D) How the applicant, as part of its

nondiscriminatory employment

practices, will ensure that its personnel

are selected for employment without

regard to race, color, national origin,

gender, age, or handicapping condition.

(ii) To determine personnel

qualifications under paragraphs

(b)(4)(i)(A) and (B), the Secretary

considers—

(A) Experience and training in fields

related to the objectives of the project;

and

(B) Any other qualifications that

pertain to the quality of the project.

(5) Budget and cost effectiveness. (5

points) The Secretary reviews each

application to determine the extent to

which—

(i) The budget is adequate to support

the project; and

(ii) Costs are reasonable in relation to

the objectives of the project.

(6) Evaluation plan. (15 points) The

Secretary reviews each application to

determine the quality of the evaluation

plan for the project, including the extent

to which the applicant’s methods of

evaluation—

(i) Are appropriate to the project; and

(ii) To the extent possible, are

objective and produce data that are

quantifiable.

(Cross-reference: See 34 CFR 75.590

Evaluation by the grantee.)

(7) Adequacy of resources. (5 points)

The Secretary reviews each application

to determine the adequacy of the

resources that the applicant plans to

devote to the project, including

facilities, equipment, and supplies.

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.

The objective of the Executive Order

is to foster an intergovernmental

partnership and to strengthen

federalism by relying on State and local

processes for State and local

government coordination and review of

proposed Federal financial assistance.

Applicants must contact the

appropriate State Single Point of

Contact to find out about, and to comply

with, the State’s process under

Executive Order 12372. Applicants

proposing to perform activities in more

than one State should immediately

contact the Single Point of Contact for

each of those States and follow the

procedure established in each State

under the Executive order. If you want

to know the name and address of any

State Single Point of Contact, see the list

published in the Federal Register on

August 20, 1996 (61 FR 43133–43135).

In States that have not established a

process or chosen a program for review,

State, areawide, regional, and local

entities may submit comments directly

to the Department.

Any State Process Recommendation

and other comments submitted by a

State Single Point of Contact 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# 84.203, U.S. Department of

Education, Room 6213, 600

Independence Avenue, S.W.

Washington, D.C. 20202–0124.

In those States that require review for

this program, applications are to be

submitted simultaneously to the State

Review Process and the U.S.

Department of Education.

Proof of mailing will be determined

on the same basis for applications (see

34 CFR 75.102). Recommendations or

comments may be hand-delivered until

4:30 p.m. (Washington, D.C. time) on

the date indicated in this notice.

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. INSTRUCTIONS FOR

TRANSMITTAL OF APPLICATIONS:

Note: The deadline for receipt of

applications is May 9, 1997. All applications

must be received on or before that date. This

requirement takes exception to EDGAR, 34

CFR 75.102. In accordance with the

Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C. 553),

it is the practice of the Secretary to offer

interested parties the opportunity to

comment on proposed regulations. However,

this amendment makes procedural changes

only and does not establish new substantive

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

proposed rulemaking is not required.

This closing date and procedures for

guaranteeing timely submission will be

strictly observed.

(a) If an applicant wants to apply for

a grant, the applicant shall—

(1) Mail the original and two copies

of the application to: U.S. Department of

Education, Application Control Center,

Attention: (CFDA #84.203 A and C),

Washington, D.C. 20202–4725 or
13474 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 54 / Thursday, March 20, 1997 / Notices

(2) Hand deliver the original and two

copies of the complete application by

4:30 p.m. (Washington, D.C. time) on or

before the deadline date to: U.S.

Department of Education, Application

Control Center, Attention: (CFDA

#84.203 A or C), Room #3633, Regional

Office Building #3, 7th and D Streets,

S.W., Washington, D.C.

The Application Control Center will

accept deliveries between 8:00 a.m. and

4:30 p.m. (Eastern Standard time) daily,

except Saturdays, Sundays and Federal

holidays.

Individuals delivering applications

must use the D Street entrance. Proper

identification is necessary to enter the

building.

In order for an application sent

through a Courier Service to be

considered timely, the Courier Service

must be in receipt of the application on

or before the closing date.

Note: Although applicants are not

obligated to do so, it would be helpful if an

additional two copies of the application were

submitted (an original and four copies). The

additional copies would be used during the

review process.

(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)

708–9495.

(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.

Application Instructions and Forms

The appendix to this notice contains

forms and instructions plus a statement

regarding estimated public reporting

burden, a notice to applicants regarding

compliance with section 427 of the

General Education Provisions Act, and

various assurances and certifications. In

preparing your application for

submission to the Department, please

organize your submitted application as

follows:

1. Application for Federal Assistance

(Standard Form 424 (Rev. 4–88)).

2. Budget Information—NonConstruction Programs (Standard Form

524).

Special Budget Instructions

The Department is participating in the

Administration’s Reinventing

Government Initiative. As part of that

initiative, the National Performance

Review urged the Department to

‘‘eliminate the continuation application

process for budget years within the

project period’’ and replace it with

‘‘yearly program progress reports

focusing on program outcomes and

problems related to program

implementation and service delivery.’’

The Department implemented this

recommendation for programs

beginning in fiscal year 1995. This

policy requires all applicants for multiyear awards to provide detailed budget

information for the total grant period

requested. The Department will review

at the time of the initial award the

funding levels for each year of the grant

award. A new generic budget form,

included in this package, requests the

relevant information in accordance with

this initiative.

By requesting detailed budget

information in the initial application for

the total project period, the need for

formal noncompeting continuation

applications in the remaining years will

be eliminated. An annual report will be

used in place of the continuation

application to determine progress,

thereby relieving grantees of the burden

to resubmit assurances, certifications,

etc.

3. Application Narrative.

4. Estimated Public Reporting Burden.

5. Assurances—Non-Construction

Programs (Standard Form 424B).

6. Certification Regarding Lobbying;

Debarment, Suspension, and Other

Responsibility Matters; and Drug-Free

Workplace Requirements (ED 80–0013,

6/90).

7. 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.)

8. Disclosure of Lobbying Activities

(Standard Form LLL) (if applicable) and

instructions. The document has been

marked to reflect statutory changes. See

the notice published by the Office of

Management and Budget at 61 FR 1413

(January 19, 1996).

9. Notice to Applicants.

An applicant may submit a

photostatic copy 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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Joseph Wilkes or Deborah Williams,

U.S. Department of Education, Office of

Educational Research and Improvement,

555 New Jersey Ave. N.W., Washington,

D.C. 20208–5645. Telephone 202–219–

2116. Individuals who use a

telecommunications device for the deaf

(TDD) may call the Federal Information

Relay Service (FIRS) at 1–800–877–8339

between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., Eastern time,

Monday through Friday.

Information about the Department’s

funding opportunities, including copies

of application notices for discretionary

grant competitions, can be viewed on

the Department’s electronic bulletin

board (ED Board), telephone (202) 260–

9950, on the Internet Gopher Server at

(gopher://gcs.ed.gov); on the World

Wide Web (http://gcs.ed.gov). However,

the official application notice for a

discretionary grant competition is the

notice published in the Federal

Register.

Note: Some of the forms in the Appendix

to this notice may not be available from these

electronic sources.

Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 6891–6900.

Dated: March 14, 1997.

Marshall S. Smith,

Acting Assistant Secretary for Educational

Research and Improvement.

Appendix

Instructions for Application Narrative

Before preparing the Application

Narrative, an applicant should read

carefully the description of the program,

the information regarding the priority,

and the selection criteria the Secretary

uses to evaluate applications.

1. The applicant may include other

pertinent information that may assist

the Secretary in reviewing the

application, including the scope and

degree of services to be provided, who
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will render the telecommunications

service, and when it will be delivered.

2. Justifications and specifications for

equipment purchases should be clearly

related to existing facilities and

resources as well as to distance learning

services to be delivered.

3. Applicants that apply for the

production of instructional

programming should be specific in the

scope and sequence of the content and

the tasks required to produce the

proposed courses of instruction.

4. The application should enable

reviewers to make clear linkages

between the proposed budget and the

specific tasks, operations, and service

delivery.

The Secretary strongly requests the

applicant to limit the Application

Narrative to no more than 45 doublespaced, typed 81⁄2′′ × 11′′ pages (on one

side only), although the Secretary will

consider applications of greater length.

The applicant may include an

appendix, also on 81⁄2′′×11′′ paper or

any other pertinent information (e.g.,

letters of support, footnotes, resumes,

etc.) that might assist the Secretary in

reviewing the application.

The applicant may provide a VHS 1⁄2

inch videotape, however such a tape

should be limited to no more than 12

minutes.

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 1850–0623. The time

required to complete this information

collection is estimated to average 80

hours per response, including the time

to review instructions, search existing

data resources, gather and maintain the

data needed, and complete and review

the information collection. If you have

any comments concerning the accuracy

of the time estimate(s) or suggestions for

improving this form, please write to:

U.S. Department of Education,

Washington, D.C. 20202–4651. If you

have comments or concerns regarding

the status of your individual submission

of this form, write directly to: Star

Schools Program, U.S. Department of

Education, 600 Independence Avenue,

SW, Washington, DC 20202–5645.

Information collection approved under

OMB control number 1850–0623.

Expiration date: 4/30/98.

Notice to All Applicants

Thank you for your interest in this

program. The purpose of this section is

to inform you about a new provision in

the Department of Education’s General

Education Provisions Act (GEPA) that

applies to applicants for new grant

awards under Department programs.

This provision is section 427 of GEPA,

enacted as part of the Improving

America’s Schools Act of 1994 (Pub. L.

103–382).

To Whom Does This Provision Apply?

Section 427 of GEPA affects

applicants for new discretionary grant

awards under this program. ALL

APPLICANTS FOR NEW AWARDS

MUST INCLUDE INFORMATION IN

THEIR APPLICATIONS TO ADDRESS

THIS NEW PROVISION IN ORDER TO

RECEIVE FUNDING UNDER THIS

PROGRAM.

What Does This Provision Require?

Section 427 requires each applicant

for funds (other than an individual

person) to include in its application a

description of the steps the applicant

proposes to take to ensure equitable

access to, and participation in, its

federally-assisted program for students,

teachers, and other program

beneficiaries with special needs.

This section allows applicants

discretion in developing the required

description. The statute highlights six

types of barriers that can impede

equitable access or participation that

you may address: gender, race, national

origin, color, disability, or age. Based on

local circumstances, you can determine

whether these or other barriers may

prevent your students, teachers, etc.

from equitable access or participation.

Your description need not be lengthy;

you may provide a clear and succinct

description of how you plan to address

those barriers that are applicable to your

circumstances. In addition, the

information may be provided in a single

narrative, or, if appropriate, may be

discussed in connection with related

topics in the application.

Section 427 is not intended to

duplicate the requirements of civil

rights statutes, but rather to ensure that,

in designing their projects, applicants

for Federal funds address equity

concerns that may affect the ability of

certain potential beneficiaries to fully

participate in the project and to achieve

to high standards. Consistent with

program requirements and its approved

application, an applicant may use the

Federal funds awarded to it to eliminate

barriers it identifies.

What Are Examples of How an

Applicant Might Satisfy the

Requirement of This Provision?

The following examples may help

illustrate how an applicant may comply

with section 427.

(1) An applicant that proposes to

carry out an adult literacy project

serving, among others, adults with

limited English proficiency, might

describe in its application how it

intends to distribute a brochure about

the proposed project to such potential

participants in their native language.

(2) An applicant that proposes to

develop instructional materials for

classroom use might describe how it

will make the materials available on

audio tape or in braille for students who

are blind.

(3) An applicant that proposes to

carry out a model science program for

secondary students and is concerned

that girls may be less likely than boys

to enroll in the course, might indicate

how it tends to conduct ‘‘outreach’’

efforts to girls, to encourage their

enrollment.

We recognize that many applicants

may already be implementing effective

steps to ensure equity of access and

participation in their grant programs,

and we appreciate your cooperation in

responding to the requirements of this

provision.

Estimated Burden Statement

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 1801–0004 (Exp. 8/31/98).

The time required to complete this

information collection is estimated to

vary from 1 to 3 hours per response,

with an average of 1.5 hours, including

the time to review instructions, search

existing data resources, gather and

maintain the data needed, and complete

and review the information collection. If

you have any comments concerning the

accuracy of the time estimate(s) or

suggestions for improving this form,

please write to: U.S. Department of

Education, Washington, DC 20202–

4651.

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[FR Doc. 97–6952 Filed 3–19–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4000–01–C