[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 126 (Friday, June 28, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33716-33717]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-16508]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[CDFA No.: 84.165B]


Magnet Schools Assistance--Innovative Programs; Notice Inviting 
Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 1996

Purpose of Innovative Programs

    To award grants to local educational agencies (LEAs) or consortia 
of LEAs to enable them to conduct innovative programs that will assist 
in the desegregation of schools served by the LEA or LEAs.

Eligible Applicants

    An LEA or consortium of LEAs that (1) is implementing a plan 
undertaken pursuant to a final order issued by a court of the United 
States, a court of any State, or any other State agency or official of 
competent jurisdiction that requires the desegregation of minority-
group-segregated children or faculty in elementary and secondary 
schools of that agency; or (2) has voluntarily adopted and is 
implementing, or, if assistance is made available under the Innovative 
Programs section of the Magnet Schools Assistance statute, will 
voluntarily implement such a plan that has been approved by the 
Secretary of Education as adequate under Title VI of the Civil Rights 
Act of 1964.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: August 2, 1996.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: October 1, 1996.
    Applications Available: July 2, 1996.
    Available Funds: $3 million.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $300,000-$500,000.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $400,000.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 6-9.

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

    Project Period: Up to 36 months.
    Applicable Regulations: The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR Parts 75, 77, 79, 80, 81, 
82, 85, and 86.

General Requirements

    Innovative Programs are authorized under the Magnet Schools 
Assistance (MSA) statute. However, while these programs must carry out 
the purpose of the MSA statute, (i.e., assist in the desegregation of 
schools served by an eligible LEA or consortium of LEAs), they must 
involve strategies other than magnet schools, such as neighborhood or 
community model schools. In addition, they must be organized around a 
special emphasis, theme, or concept and involve extensive parent and 
community involvement.
    In order to be eligible for an Innovative Programs grant, an LEA or 
consortium of LEAs must be implementing a required desegregation plan 
or have adopted and implemented, or will implement if assistance is 
made available under the MSA statute, a voluntary desegregation plan. 
Accordingly, an applicant that is eligible due to a required 
desegregation plan shall submit a copy of its plan including, if the 
applicant is submitting a desegregation plan ordered by a State agency 
or official, documentation showing that the plan was ordered based on a 
determination that State law was violated. An applicant that is 
eligible due to a voluntary desegregation plan also shall submit a copy 
of its plan. In addition, the applicant shall submit evidence of final 
official action adopting and implementing the desegregation plan or 
agreeing to adopt and implement the desegregation plan upon award of 
assistance.
    Innovative Programs are exempt from certain provisions of the MSA 
statute, including section 5106 (Applications and Requirements), 
section 5107 (Priority), and section 5108 (Use of Funds). Other MSA 
statute requirements apply to applications submitted under Innovative 
Programs. Under section 5109, grants may not be used for transportation 
or any activity that does not augment academic improvement. In 
addition, an LEA or consortium may not expend funds for planning 
activities associated with its Innovative Programs grant after the 
third year of Federal funding. Under section 5110, a grantee may expend 
for planning not more than 50 percent of the funds received for the 
first year of the project, 15 percent of the grant funds for the second 
year, and 10 percent of the grant funds for the third year.

Selection Criteria

    The selection criteria are included in full in the application 
package for this competition. These selection criteria were established 
based on the regulations for evaluating discretionary grants found in 
34 CFR 75.200 through 75.210 (as amended December 12, 1995).
    For Applications or Information Contact: Carrolyn N. Andrews, U.S. 
Department of Education, 600 Independence Avenue, S.W., Portals 4500, 
Washington, D.C. 20202-6140. Telephone (202) 260-2670. 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.ED.GOV (under Announcements, Bulletins, and Press Releases); or 
on the World Wide Web (at http://www.ed.gov/money.html). However, the 
official application notice for a discretionary grant competition is 
the notice published in the Federal Register.

    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 7211.


[[Page 33717]]


    Dated: June 24, 1996.
Gerald N. Tirozzi,
Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education.
[FR Doc. 96-16508 Filed 6-27-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P