[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 101 (Thursday, May 25, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27836-27854]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-12788]




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Part IV





Department of Education





_______________________________________________________________________



Parental Assistance Program; Notice

Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 101 / Thursday, May 25, 1995 / 
Notices  
[[Page 27836]] 

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[CFDA No.: 84.310A]


Parental Assistance Program; Notice Inviting Applications for New 
Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 1995

    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), the notice 
contains all of the information, application requirements, and 
instructions needed to apply for a grant under this competition.
    Purpose of Program: To assist nonprofit organizations, and 
nonprofit organizations in consortia with local educational agencies 
(LEAs), in establishing parental information and resource centers that 
would (1) increase parents' knowledge of and confidence in child-
rearing activities, such as teaching and nurturing their young 
children; (2) strengthen partnerships between parents and professionals 
in meeting the educational needs of children aged birth through five 
and the working relationship between home and school; and (3) enhance 
the developmental progress of the children assisted under the program.
    Eligible Applicants: Nonprofit organizations, and nonprofit 
organizations in consortia with LEAs.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: July 7, 1995.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: September 7, 1995.
    Available Funds: Approximately $10 million.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $50,000 to $500,000.

(Note: Due to anticipated variances in the breadth of proposed 
activities, the estimated range is very broad.)

    Estimated Number of Awards: 44.

    Note: These estimates are projections for the guidance of 
potential applicants. The Department of Education is not bound by 
any estimates in this notice.

    Project Period: Up to 48 months.
    Applicable Regulations: The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) as follows:
    (1) 34 CFR Part 74 (Administration of Grants to 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 81 (General Education Provisions Act--Enforcement).
    (6) 34 CFR Part 82 (New Restrictions on Lobbying).
    (7) 34 CFR Part 85 (Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension 
(Nonprocurement) and Governmentwide Requirements for Drug-Free 
Workplace (Grants)).
    (8) 34 CFR Part 86 (Drug-Free Schools and Campuses).

    Note: The regulations in 34 CFR Part 80 (Uniform Administrative 
Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements to State and 
Local Governments) apply to an LEA that is part of a consortium 
receiving assistance.

    Supplementary Information: Increased parental involvement and 
participation in the social, emotional and academic growth of children 
is an essential part of comprehensive education reform. Title IV of the 
Goals 2000: Educate America Act (Pub. L. 103-227) (20 U.S.C 5801 et 
seq.) (the Act) helps foster parental involvement by authorizing grants 
to nonprofit organizations, and nonprofit organizations in consortia 
with LEAs, to establish and fund parent information and resource 
centers. These centers will provide training, information, and support 
to (a) parents of children aged birth through five years; (b) parents 
of children enrolled in elementary and secondary schools; and (c) 
individuals who work with these parents.
    Grant funds received under this program may be used for the 
following purposes:
    (1) For parent training, information, and support programs that 
assist parents to--
    (a) Better understand their children's educational needs;
    (b) Provide followup for their children's educational achievement;
    (c) Communicate more effectively with teachers, counselors, 
administrators, and other professional educators and support staff;
    (d) Participate in the design and provision of assistance to 
students who are not making adequate educational progress;
    (e) Obtain information about the range of options, programs, 
services, and resources available at the national, State, and local 
levels to assist parents of children aged birth through five years, and 
parents of children in elementary and secondary schools;
    (f) Seek technical assistance regarding compliance with the 
requirements of title IV and of other Federal programs relevant to 
achieving the National Education Goals;
    (g) Participate in State and local decisionmaking;
    (h) Train other parents; and
    (i) Plan, implement, and fund activities that coordinate the 
education of their children with other Federal programs that serve 
their children or their families.
    (2) To include State or local educational personnel where such 
participation will further the activities assisted under the grant.
    Entities are encouraged to develop and implement their projects 
through broad-based outreach and collaborative processes that reflect 
the diverse needs of parents to be served. The Secretary is especially 
interested in receiving applications from eligible entities that would 
facilitate and support opportunities for broad-based participation of 
communities and parents in the project from throughout the State or 
throughout a large area of the State, including--
    (i) Areas with high concentrations of low-income families;
    (ii) Urban and rural areas; and
    (iii) Parents of children who are low-income, minority, or have 
limited English proficiency.
    The Secretary believes that a meritorious proposal might also 
describe how the applicant would coordinate project activities with the 
activities being conducted by other organizations and agencies, parent 
centers, and parent groups. The Secretary invites applications from 
eligible entities that would provide training, information, and support 
to parents who reside in communities that are developing or 
implementing a comprehensive education reform plan in which family 
involvement is an integral strategy, such as those communities 
supported by a national leadership grant under section 314(b)(1) of 
Goals 2000, by a subgrant under section 309(a) of the Act, or by other 
funds. In developing proposals for increasing the involvement of 
parents in their children's learning and for strengthening partnerships 
between parents and educational professionals, applicants might 
consider issues such as the following:
    (1) How the participating communities have assessed or propose to 
assess the interests and needs of parents in these communities, 
particularly the interests and needs of parents of low-income, 
minority, and limited English proficient children, in order to provide 
services that meet their needs.
    (2) How parent groups, schools, and organizations and agencies in 
the local communities would collaborate to initiate or expand 
opportunities for parents to be involved in their 
[[Page 27837]] children's learning and strengthen their relationships 
in order to meet the educational needs of children.
    (3) How the applicant organization and participating communities 
will use information currently available concerning best practices in 
parent and family involvement activities to meet parents' information, 
training, and support needs.
    (4) How participating communities will implement activities that 
enable parents to engage in learning activities with their children at 
home and at school.
    (5) How the applicant organization would establish, expand, or 
otherwise participate in a broad-based Statewide or areawide network of 
parents, school personnel, business and community leaders, 
organizations that work with parents and their children, and others as 
appropriate, that helps the communities participating in the project as 
well as other communities learn from and support each other.

Geographic Distribution of Funds:

    The Secretary will ensure that grants awarded under this 
competition will be distributed, to the greatest extent possible, to 
all geographic regions of the country.

Program Requirements:

    Each grantee receiving funding under this program must--
    (A)(i) Be governed by a board of directors the membership of which 
includes parents; or
    (ii) Be an organization that represents the interests of parents;
    (B) Establish a special advisory committee the membership of 
which--
    (i) Includes--
    (I) Parents of children aged birth through five years, and parents 
of children enrolled in elementary and secondary schools; and
    (II) Representatives of educational professionals with expertise in 
improving services for disadvantaged children; and
    (ii) Is broadly representative of minority, low-income, and other 
individuals and groups that have an interest in compensatory education 
and family literacy;
    (C) Use at least one-half of the funds provided under this Act in 
each fiscal year to serve areas with high concentrations of low-income 
families in order to serve parents who are severely educationally or 
economically disadvantaged;
    (D) Operate a center of sufficient size, scope, and quality to 
ensure that the center is adequate to serve the parents in the area;
    (E) Serve both urban and rural areas;
    (F) Design a center that meets the unique training, information, 
and support needs of parents of children aged birth through five years, 
and of parents of children enrolled in elementary and secondary 
schools, particularly parents who are economically or educationally 
disadvantaged;
    (G) Demonstrate the capacity and expertise to conduct the effective 
training information and support activities for which assistance is 
sought;
    (H) Network with--
    (i) Clearinghouses;
    (ii) Parent centers for the parents of infants, toddlers, children, 
and youth with disabilities served under section 631(e) of the 
Individuals with Disabilities Act;
    (iii) Other organizations and agencies;
    (iv) Established national, State, and local parent groups 
representing the full range of parents of children, aged birth through 
five years; and
    (v) Parents of children enrolled in elementary and secondary 
schools;
    (I) Focus on serving parents of children aged birth through five 
years, and parents of children enrolled in elementary and secondary 
schools, who are parents of low-income, minority, and limited-English 
proficient, children; and
    (J) Use part of the funds received under this program to establish, 
expand, or operate Parents as Teachers programs or Home Instructions 
for Preschool Youngsters programs, as defined in section 405 of the 
Act.
    Each application for assistance must include assurances that the 
grantee will comply with these requirements.
    To be eligible for a continuation award, in each fiscal year after 
the first fiscal year a grantee receives assistance under this program, 
the grantee must demonstrate that a portion of the services provided by 
the grantee is supported through non-Federal contributions, which 
contributions may be in cash or in kind.

Selection Criteria

    The Secretary will use the selection criteria in 34 CFR 75.210 to 
evaluate applications under this competition. The Secretary assigns the 
15 points that are reserved in 34 CFR 75.210(c) as follows: 10 
additional points to selection criterion (2)--Extent of need for the 
project--for a total of 30 points for that criterion; and 5 additional 
points to criterion (3)--Plan of operation--for a total of 20 points 
for that criterion.
    The maximum score for all of the criteria totals 100 points. The 
maximum score for each criterion is indicated in parentheses with the 
criterion. The criteria are as follows:
    (1) Meeting the purposes of the authorizing statute. (30 points) 
The Secretary reviews each application to determine how well the 
project will meet the purposes of the authorizing statute (i.e., title 
IV of the Goals 2000: Educate America Act), including consideration 
of--
    (i) The objectives of the project; and
    (ii) How the objectives of the project further the purposes of the 
authorizing statute.
    (2) Extent of need for the project. (30 points) The Secretary 
reviews each application to determine the extent to which the project 
meets specific needs recognized in the statute that authorizes the 
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. (20 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 disability.
    (4) Quality of key personnel. (7 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 (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 
disability. [[Page 27838]] 
    (ii) To determine personnel qualifications under paragraphs (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 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. (5 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.
    (7) Adequacy of resources. (3 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 March 31, 1995 (60 FR 16713).
    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# 84.310, U.S. Department of Education, room 6300, 600 
Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20202.
    Proof of mailing will be determined on the same basis as 
applications (see 34 CFR 75.102). Recommendations or comments may be 
hand-delivered until 4:30 p.m. (Washington, DC 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

    (a) If an applicant wants to apply for a grant, the applicant 
shall--
    (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 #84.310), Washington, DC 20202-4725 or
    (2) Hand deliver the original and two copies of the application by 
4:30 p.m. (Washington, DC time) on the deadline date to: U.S. 
Department of Education, Application Control Center, Attention: (CFDA 
#84.310), room #3633, Regional Office Building #3, 7th and D Streets, 
SW., Washington, DC.
    (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.

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 (Rev. 
4-88)) and instructions.
    Part II: Budget Information--Non-Construction Programs (Standard 
Form 524A) and instructions.
    Part III: Application Narrative.

Additional Materials

    Estimated Public Reporting Burden.
    Assurances--Non-Construction Programs (Standard Form 424B).
    Certifications regarding Lobbying; Debarment, Suspension, and Other 
Responsibility Matters; and Drug-Free Workplace Requirements (ED 80-
0013).
    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.)

    Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (Standard Form LLL) (if 
applicable) and instructions; and Disclosure of Lobbying Activities 
Continuation Sheet (Standard Form LLL-A).
    An applicant may submit information on 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.

Application Workshops

    The Department will conduct workshops to provide assistance to 
potential applicants concerning requirements of the authorizing statute 
and the application process. However, applicants are encouraged to 
begin preparation of their applications immediately upon receipt of 
this application package. [[Page 27839]] 
    The workshops will be held on the following dates and at the 
following locations. Pre-registration is suggested.

Monday, June 12, 1995, 10:00 am to 3:00 pm, Federal Building, Room 
16350, 3535 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, (215) 596-0175
Wednesday, June 14, 1995, 10:00 am to 3:00 pm, El Centro Community 
College, Main & Lamar (Lamar entrance), A Building, 5th floor, Room 
A525, Dallas, TX 75201, (214) 767-3626
Friday, June 16, 1995, 10:00 am to 3:00 pm, Federal Building, Room 205, 
50 United Nations Plaza, San Francisco, CA 94102, (415) 556-4920

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Patricia Gore, U.S. Department of 
Education, 600 Independence Avenue, S.W., Portals Building, Room 4000, 
Washington, D.C. 20202-6135. Telephone: (202) 401-0039. 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.
    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; or on the Internet Gopher Server at 
GOPHER.ED.GOV (under Announcements, Bulletins, and Press Releases). 
However, the official application notice for a discretionary grant 
competition is the notice published in the Federal Register.

    Program Authority: Title IV of the Goals 2000: Educate America 
Act, 20 U.S.C. 5911 et seq.

    Dated: May 19, 1995.
Thomas W. Payzant,
Assistant Secretary, Elementary and Secondary Education.
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Instructions for Part III Application Narrative

    Before preparing the Application Narrative an applicant should read 
carefully the authorizing statute and the information in this notice, 
including 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; and
    3. Include any other pertinent information that might assist the 
Secretary in reviewing the application.
    The Secretary strongly requests the applicant to limit the 
Application Narrative to no more than 20 double-spaced, typed (on one 
side only), although the Secretary will consider applications of 
greater length. The Department has found that successful applications 
for similar programs generally meet this page limit.

Instructions for Estimated Public Reporting Burden

    Under terms of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980, as amended, and 
the regulations implementing that Act, the Department of Education 
invites comment on the public reporting burden in this collection of 
information. Public reporting burden for this collection of information 
is estimated to average 48 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. You may send comments regarding this burden 
estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, 
including suggestions for reducing this burden, to the U.S. Department 
of Education, Information Management and Compliance Division, 
Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C. 20202-4651; and to the Office of 
Management and Budget, Paperwork Reduction Project, 1810-0578), 
Washington, D.C. 20503.

(Information collection approved under OMB control number 1810-0578. 
Expiration date: 5/31/98.)
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[FR Doc. 95-12788 Filed 5-24-95; 8:45 am]
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