[Federal Register: May 14, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 94)]
[Notices]               
[Page 27812-27816]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr14my08-52]                         

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

 
Office of Elementary and Secondary Education; Overview 
Information; Training and Advisory Services Program--Equity Assistance 
Centers (EACs) (Formerly Desegregation Assistance Centers (DACs))

    Notice inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY) 
2008.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.004D.
    DATES: Applications Available: May 14, 2008.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: June 30, 2008.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: August 27, 2008.

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Purpose of Program: The Training and Advisory Services Program is 
authorized under Title IV of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. 
2000c-2000c-2, 2000c-5, and the implementing regulations at 34 CFR 
parts 270 and 272. This program awards grants through cooperative 
agreements to operate 10 regional EACs that provide technical 
assistance (including training) at the request of school boards and 
other responsible governmental agencies in the preparation, adoption, 
and implementation of plans for the desegregation of public schools--
which in this context means plans for equity (including desegregation 
based on race, sex, and national origin)--and in the development of 
effective methods of coping with special educational problems 
occasioned by desegregation.
    Priorities: Under this competition we are particularly interested 
in applications that address the following priorities.
    Invitational Priorities: For FY 2008, these priorities are 
invitational priorities. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(1) we do not give an 
application that meets these invitational priorities a competitive or 
absolute preference over other applications.
    These priorities are:

Invitational Priority One

    The Secretary is interested in projects that will assist school 
boards and other responsible governmental agencies in addressing the 
over-representation of minorities in special education, the under-
representation of minorities in gifted and talented programs, or both, 
through technical assistance products, services, training, and other 
informational resources.

Invitational Priority Two

    The Secretary is interested in projects that will provide, to 
school boards and other responsible governmental agencies, resource 
materials, services, and training on successful strategies for 
providing limited English proficient students with equitable access to 
a high-quality education.

Invitational Priority Three

    The Secretary is interested in projects that will ensure equal 
access to highly qualified teachers for students, including students 
who are economically disadvantaged or are racial and ethnic minorities, 
by providing information on effective strategies, training, and other 
resources in that area to school boards and other responsible 
governmental agencies.

Invitational Priority Four

    The Secretary is interested in projects that will provide (to 
school boards and other responsible governmental agencies) information, 
training, and other technical assistance on effective approaches to 
school dropout prevention and reentry, that promote equity by 
addressing the special needs of high-risk students, including students 
from racial and ethnic minority backgrounds.
    Program Authority: 42 U.S.C. 2000c-2000c-2, 2000c-5.
    Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80, 
81, 82, 84, 85, 86, 97, 98, and 99, except that 34 CFR 75.232 does not 
apply to grants under 34 CFR part 272. (b) The regulations for this 
program in 34 CFR parts 270 and 272.

    Note: The regulations in 34 CFR parts 86 apply to institutions 
of higher education only.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Cooperative Agreement.
    Estimated Available Funds: $6,970,736.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $500,000-$800,000.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $697,000.
    Maximum Award: We will not fund any application that requests more 
than $800,000. The Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary 
Education may change the maximum amount through a notice published in 
the Federal Register.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 10.

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

    Project Period: Up to 36 months.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: (a) A public agency (other than a State 
educational agency or a school board) or a private, non-profit 
organization.
    2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This program does not require cost 
sharing or matching.
    3. Other: (Definitions): The definitions applicable to this program 
are found in the authorizing statute at 42 U.S.C. 2000c and in the 
regulations at 34 CFR parts 77, 270, and 272, and will be included in 
the application package.
    4. Geographical Regions: Ten EACs will be funded under this grant 
program in ten different geographical regions in accordance with 34 CFR 
272.12. Our reviewers will read the proposals according to the region 
from which the proposal originates. One award will be made in each 
region to the highest ranking proposal from that region.
    The geographic regions served by the EACs are:
    Region I: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode 
Island, Vermont.
    Region II: New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands.

[[Page 27813]]

    Region III: Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, 
Virginia, West Virginia.
    Region IV: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North 
Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee.
    Region V: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Wisconsin.
    Region VI: Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas.
    Region VII: Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska.
    Region VIII: Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, 
Wyoming.
    Region IX: Arizona, California, Nevada.
    Region X: Alaska, American Samoa, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Northern 
Mariana Islands, Oregon, The Federated States of Micronesia, The 
Republic of the Marshall Islands, and The Republic of Palau (the three 
proceeding entities were formerly known as the Trust Territory of the 
Pacific Islands), Washington.

IV. Application and Submission Information

    1. Address to Request Application Package:
    Education Publications Center (ED Pubs), P.O. Box 1398, Jessup, MD 
20794-1398. Telephone, toll free: 1-877-433-7827. FAX: (301) 470-1244. 
If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), call, toll 
free: 1-877-576-7734.
    You can contact ED Pubs at its Web site, also: http://www.ed.gov/
pubs/edpubs.html or at its e-mail address: edpubs@inet.ed.gov.
    If you request an application package from ED Pubs, be sure to 
identify this program or competition as follows: CFDA number 84.004D.
    Individuals with disabilities can obtain a copy of the application 
package in an alternative format (e.g., Braille, large print, 
audiotape, or computer diskette) by contacting the person or team 
listed under Alternative Format in section VIII of this notice.
    2. Content and Form of Application Submission: Requirements 
concerning the content of an application, together with the forms you 
must submit, are in the application package for this program.
    Page Limit: The application narrative (Part III of the application) 
is where you, the applicant, address the selection criteria that 
reviewers use to evaluate your application. You must limit the 
application narrative [Part III] to the equivalent of no more than 50 
pages, using the following standards:
     A ``page'' is 8.5 x 11, on one side 
only, with 1 margins at the top, bottom, and both sides.
     Double space (no more than three lines per vertical inch) 
all text in the application narrative, including titles, headings, 
footnotes, quotations, references, and captions, as well as all text in 
charts, tables, figures, and graphs.
     Use a font that is either 12 point or larger or no smaller 
than 10 pitch (characters per inch).
     Use one of the following fonts: Times New Roman, Courier, 
Courier New, or Arial. An application submitted in any other font 
(including Times Roman or Arial Narrow) will not be accepted.
    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, the page 
limit does apply to all of the application narrative section [Part 
III].
    Our reviewers will not read any pages of your application that 
exceed the page limit.
    3. Submission Dates and Times:
    Applications Available: May 14, 2008.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: June 30, 2008.
    Applications for grants under this program must be submitted 
electronically using the Grants.gov Apply site (Grants.gov). For 
information (including dates and times) about how to submit your 
application electronically, or in paper format by mail or hand delivery 
if you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission 
requirement, please refer to section IV. 6. Other Submission 
Requirements in this notice.
    We do not consider an application that does not comply with the 
deadline requirements.
    Individuals with disabilities who need an accommodation or 
auxiliary aid in connection with the application process should contact 
the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT in section VII 
in this notice. If the Department provides an accommodation or 
auxiliary aid to an individual with a disability in connection with the 
application process, the individual's application remains subject to 
all other requirements and limitations in this notice.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: August 27, 2008.
    4. Intergovernmental Review: This program is subject to Executive 
Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79. Information about 
Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs under Executive Order 
12372 is in the application package for this program.
    5. Funding Restrictions: We reference regulations outlining funding 
restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section in this notice.
    6. Other Submission Requirements: Applications for grants under 
this program must be submitted electronically unless you qualify for an 
exception to this requirement in accordance with the instructions in 
this section.
    a. Electronic Submission of Applications. Applications for grants 
under the Training and Advisory Services Program, CFDA Number 84.004D, 
must be submitted electronically using the Governmentwide Grants.gov 
Apply site at http://www.Grants.gov. Through this site, you will be 
able to download a copy of the application package, complete it 
offline, and then upload and submit your application. You may not e-
mail an electronic copy of a grant application to us.
    We will reject your application if you submit it in paper format 
unless, as described elsewhere in this section, you qualify for one of 
the exceptions to the electronic submission requirement and submit, no 
later than two weeks before the application deadline date, a written 
statement to the Department that you qualify for one of these 
exceptions. Further information regarding calculation of the date that 
is two weeks before the application deadline date is provided later in 
this section under Exception to Electronic Submission Requirement.
    You may access the electronic grant application for the Training 
and Advisory Services Program at http://www.Grants.gov. You must search 
for the downloadable application package for this program by the CFDA 
number. Do not include the CFDA number's alpha suffix in your search 
(e.g., search for 84.004, not 84.004D).
    Please note the following:
     When you enter the Grants.gov site, you will find 
information about submitting an application electronically through the 
site, as well as the hours of operation.
     Applications received by Grants.gov are date and time 
stamped. Your application must be fully uploaded and submitted and must 
be date and time stamped by the Grants.gov system no later than 4:30 
p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. Except as 
otherwise noted in this section, we will not accept your application if 
it is received--that is, date and time stamped by the Grants.gov 
system--after 4:30 p.m., Washington,

[[Page 27814]]

DC time, on the application deadline date. We do not consider an 
application that does not comply with the deadline requirements. When 
we retrieve your application from Grants.gov, we will notify you if we 
are rejecting your application because it was date and time stamped by 
the Grants.gov system after 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the 
application deadline date.
     The amount of time it can take to upload an application 
will vary depending on a variety of factors, including the size of the 
application and the speed of your Internet connection. Therefore, we 
strongly recommend that you do not wait until the application deadline 
date to begin the submission process through Grants.gov.
     You should review and follow the Education Submission 
Procedures for submitting an application through Grants.gov that are 
included in the application package for this program to ensure that you 
submit your application in a timely manner to the Grants.gov system. 
You can also find the Education Submission Procedures pertaining to 
Grants.gov at http://e-Grants.ed.gov/help/
GrantsgovSubmissionProcedures.pdf.
     To submit your application via Grants.gov, you must 
complete all steps in the Grants.gov registration process (see http://
www.grants.gov/applicants/get_registered.jsp). These steps include (1) 
Registering your organization, a multi-part process that includes 
registration with the Central Contractor Registry (CCR); (2) 
registering yourself as an Authorized Organization Representative 
(AOR); and (3) getting authorized as an AOR by your organization. 
Details on these steps are outlined in the Grants.gov 3-Step 
Registration Guide (see http://www.grants.gov/section910/
Grants.govRegistrationBrochure.pdf). You also must provide on your 
application the same D-U-N-S Number used with this registration. Please 
note that the registration process may take five or more business days 
to complete, and you must have completed all registration steps to 
allow you to submit successfully an application via Grants.gov. In 
addition you will need to update your CCR registration on an annual 
basis. This may take three or more business days to complete.
     You will not receive additional point value because you 
submit your application in electronic format, nor will we penalize you 
if you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission 
requirement, as described elsewhere in this section, and submit your 
application in paper format.
     You must submit all documents electronically, including 
all information you typically provide on the following forms: 
Application for Federal Assistance (SF 424), the Department of 
Education Supplemental Information for SF 424, Budget Information--Non-
Construction Programs (ED 524), and all necessary assurances and 
certifications. Please note that two of these forms--the SF 424 and the 
Department of Education Supplemental Information for SF 424--have 
replaced the ED 424 (Application for Federal Education Assistance).
     You must attach any narrative sections of your application 
as files in a .DOC (document), .RTF (rich text), or .PDF (Portable 
Document) format. If you upload a file type other than the three file 
types specified in this paragraph or submit a password-protected file, 
we will not review that material.
     Your electronic application must comply with any page-
limit requirements described in this notice.
     After you electronically submit your application, you will 
receive from Grants.gov an automatic notification of receipt that 
contains a Grants.gov tracking number. (This notification indicates 
receipt by Grants.gov only, not receipt by the Department.) The 
Department then will retrieve your application from Grants.gov and send 
a second notification to you by e-mail. This second notification 
indicates that the Department has received your application and has 
assigned your application a PR/Award number (an ED-specified 
identifying number unique to your application).
     We may request that you provide us original signatures on 
forms at a later date.
    Application Deadline Date Extension in Case of Technical Issues 
with the Grants.gov System: If you are experiencing problems submitting 
your application through Grants.gov, please contact the Grants.gov 
Support Desk, toll free, at 1-800-518-4726. You must obtain a 
Grants.gov Support Desk Case Number and must keep a record of it.
    If you are prevented from electronically submitting your 
application on the application deadline date because of technical 
problems with the Grants.gov system, we will grant you an extension 
until 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, the following business day to 
enable you to transmit your application electronically or by hand 
delivery. You also may mail your application by following the mailing 
instructions described elsewhere in this notice.
    If you submit an application after 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, 
on the application deadline date, please contact the person listed 
under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT in section VII in this notice and 
provide an explanation of the technical problem you experienced with 
Grants.gov, along with the Grants.gov Support Desk Case Number. We will 
accept your application if we can confirm that a technical problem 
occurred with the Grants.gov system and that that problem affected your 
ability to submit your application by 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, 
on the application deadline date. The Department will contact you after 
a determination is made on whether your application will be accepted.

    Note: The extensions to which we refer in this section apply 
only to the unavailability of, or technical problems with, the 
Grants.gov system. We will not grant you an extension if you failed 
to fully register to submit your application to Grants.gov before 
the application deadline date and time or if the technical problem 
you experienced is unrelated to the Grants.gov system.

    Exception to Electronic Submission Requirement: You qualify for an 
exception to the electronic submission requirement, and may submit your 
application in paper format, if you are unable to submit an application 
through the Grants.gov system because--
     You do not have access to the Internet; or
     You do not have the capacity to upload large documents to 
the Grants.gov system; and
     No later than two weeks before the application deadline 
date (14 calendar days or, if the fourteenth calendar day before the 
application deadline date falls on a Federal holiday, the next business 
day following the Federal holiday), you mail or fax a written statement 
to the Department, explaining which of the two grounds for an exception 
prevent you from using the Internet to submit your application.
    If you mail your written statement to the Department, it must be 
postmarked no later than two weeks before the application deadline 
date. If you fax your written statement to the Department, we must 
receive the faxed statement no later than two weeks before the 
application deadline date.
    Address and mail or fax your statement to: Sandra H. Brown, U.S. 
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 3E116, 
Washington, DC 20202-6400. FAX: (202) 205-5870.
    Your paper application must be submitted in accordance with the 
mail or hand delivery instructions described in this notice.
    b. Submission of Paper Applications by Mail.

[[Page 27815]]

    If you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission 
requirement, you may mail (through the U.S. Postal Service or a 
commercial carrier) your application to the Department. You must mail 
the original and two copies of your application, on or before the 
application deadline date, to the Department at the applicable 
following address:

By mail through the U.S. Postal Service: U.S. Department of Education, 
Application Control Center, Attention: (CFDA Number 84.004D), 400 
Maryland Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20202-4260; or
By mail through a commercial carrier: U.S. Department of Education, 
Application Control Center, Stop 4260, Attention: (CFDA Number 
84.004D), 7100 Old Landover Road, Landover, MD 20785-1506.

    Regardless of which address you use, you must show proof of mailing 
consisting of one of the following:
    (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 of the 
U.S. Department of Education.
    If you mail your application through the U.S. Postal Service, we do 
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.
    If your application is postmarked after the application deadline 
date, we will not consider your application.

    Note: The U.S. Postal Service does not uniformly provide a dated 
postmark. Before relying on this method, you should check with your 
local post office.

    c. Submission of Paper Applications by Hand Delivery.
    If you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission 
requirement, you (or a courier service) may deliver your paper 
application to the Department by hand. You must deliver the original 
and two copies of your application by hand, on or before the 
application deadline date, to the Department at the following address: 
U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Center, Attention: 
(CFDA Number 84.004D), 550 12th Street, SW., Room 7041, Potomac Center 
Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-4260.
    The Application Control Center accepts hand deliveries daily 
between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, except Saturdays, 
Sundays, and Federal holidays.
    Note for Mail or Hand Delivery of Paper Applications: If you mail 
or hand deliver your application to the Department--
    (1) You must indicate on the envelope and--if not provided by the 
Department--in Item 11 of the SF 424 the CFDA number, including suffix 
letter, if any, of the competition under which you are submitting your 
application; and
    (2) The Application Control Center will mail to you a notification 
of receipt of your grant application. If you do not receive this 
notification within 15 business days from the application deadline 
date, you should call the U.S. Department of Education Application 
Control Center at (202) 245-6288.

V. Application Review Information

Selection Criteria

    The following selection criteria for this program are from the 
program regulations in 34 CFR 272.30. The maximum score for all of the 
selection criteria is 100 points. The maximum score for each criterion 
is indicated in parenthesis with the criterion. Non-Federal peer 
reviewers will review each application. They will be asked to evaluate 
and score each program narrative against the selection criteria. The 
Secretary uses the following criteria to evaluate applications for EAC 
grants:
    (a) Mission and Strategy. (30 points) The Secretary reviews each 
application to determine the extent to which the applicant understands 
effective practices for addressing problems in each of the 
desegregation assistance areas, including the extent to which the 
applicant--
    (1) Understands the mission of the proposed EAC;
    (2) Is familiar with relevant research, theory, materials, and 
training models;
    (3) Is familiar with the types of problems that arise in each of 
the desegregation assistance areas;
    (4) Is familiar with relevant strategies for technical assistance 
and training; and
    (5) Is familiar with the desegregation needs of responsible 
governmental agencies in its designated region.
    (b) Organizational Capability. (15 points) The Secretary reviews 
each application to determine the ability of the applicant to sustain a 
long-term, high-quality, and coherent program of technical assistance 
and training, including the extent to which the applicant--
    (1) Demonstrates the commitment to provide the services of 
appropriate faculty or staff members from its organization;
    (2) Selects project staff with an appropriate mixture of scholarly 
and practitioner backgrounds; and
    (3) Has had past successes in rendering technical assistance and 
training in the desegregation assistance areas, including collaborating 
with other individuals and organizations.
    (c) Plan of Operation. (25 points) The Secretary reviews each 
application to determine the quality of the plan of operation for the 
project, including the extent to which--
    (1) The design of the project is of high quality;
    (2) The plan of management ensures proper and efficient 
administration of the project;
    (3) The applicant plans to use its resources and personnel 
effectively to achieve each objective; and
    (4) The applicant will ensure that project participants who are 
otherwise eligible to participate are selected without regard to race, 
color, national origin, sex, age, or handicapping condition.
    (d) Quality of Key Personnel. (15 points)
    (1) The Secretary reviews each application to determine the 
qualifications of the key personnel that the applicant plans to use on 
the project, including--
    (i) The qualifications of the project director;
    (ii) The qualifications of the other key personnel to be used in 
the project;
    (iii) The time that each person referred to in paragraphs (d)(1)(i) 
and (ii) of this section will commit to the project; and
    (iv) 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.
    (2) To determine personnel qualifications, under paragraphs 
(d)(1)(i) and (ii) of this section, the Secretary considers--
    (i) Experience and training in fields related to the objectives of 
the project; and
    (ii) Any other qualifications that pertain to the quality of the 
project.
    (e) Budget and Cost Effectiveness. (5 points) The Secretary reviews 
each application to determine the extent to which--
    (1) The budget for the project is adequate to support the project 
activities; and
    (2) Costs are reasonable in relation to the objectives of the 
project.
    (f) Evaluation Plan. (5 points) The Secretary reviews each 
application to determine the quality of the evaluation

[[Page 27816]]

plan for the project, including the extent to which the methods of 
evaluation--
    (1) Are appropriate for the project; and
    (2) To the extent possible, are objective and produce data that are 
quantifiable.
    (g) 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.

VI. Award Administration Information

    1. Award Notices: If your application is successful, we notify your 
U.S. Representative and U.S. Senators and send you a Grant Award Notice 
(GAN). We may notify you informally, also.
    If your application is not evaluated or not selected for funding, 
we notify you.
    2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements: We identify 
administrative and national policy requirements in the application 
package and reference these and other requirements in the Applicable 
Regulations section in this notice.
    We reference the regulations outlining the terms and conditions of 
an award in the Applicable Regulations section in this notice and 
include these and other specific conditions in the GAN. The GAN also 
incorporates your approved application as part of your binding 
commitments under the grant.
    3. Reporting: At the end of your project period, you must submit a 
final performance report, including financial information, as directed 
by the Secretary. If you receive a multi-year award, you must submit an 
annual performance report that provides the most current performance 
and financial expenditure information as directed by the Secretary 
under 34 CFR 75.118. The Secretary may also require more frequent 
performance reports under 34 CFR 75.720(c). For specific requirements 
on reporting, please go to http://www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/appforms/
appforms.html.
    4. Performance Measures:
    The Department has established the following Government Performance 
and Results Act of 1993 (GPRA) performance measures for the Training 
and Advisory Services Program (Equity Assistance Centers), adapted from 
a set of common measures developed to help assess performance across 
the Department's technical assistance programs:
    Program Goal: To support access and equity in public schools and 
help school districts solve equity problems in education related to 
race, gender, and national origin.
    Objective 1 of 2: Provide high-quality technical assistance and 
training to public school districts in addressing equity in education.
    Measure 1.1 of 4: The percentage of customers of EACs that develop, 
implement, or improve their policies or practices, or both, in 
eliminating, reducing, or preventing harassment, conflict, and school 
violence.
    Measure 1.2 of 4: The percentage of customers of EACs that develop, 
implement, or improve their policies or practices, or both, ensuring 
that students of different race, sex, and national origin have 
equitable opportunity for high-quality instruction.
    Measure 1.3 of 4: The percentage of customers of EACS that report 
the products and services they received from the EACs are of high 
quality.
    Measure 1.4 of 4: The percentage of customers who report that the 
products and services they received from the EACs are of high 
usefulness to their policies and practices.
    All grantees will be expected to submit, as part of their annual 
and final performance reports, quantitative data documenting their 
progress with regard to these performance measures.

    Note: A strong evaluation plan should be included in the 
application narrative and should be used, as appropriate, to shape 
the development of the project from the beginning of the grant 
period. The plan should include benchmarks to monitor progress 
toward specific project objectives and outcome measures to assess 
the impact on teaching, learning, or other important outcomes for 
project participants. More specifically, the plan should identify 
the individual, organization, or both that have agreed to serve as 
evaluator for the project and describe the qualifications of that 
evaluator. The plan should describe the evaluation design, 
indicating--(1) What types of data will be collected; (2) when 
various types of data will be collected; (3) what methods will be 
used; (4) what instruments will be developed and when; (5) how the 
data will be analyzed; (6) when reports of results and outcomes will 
be available; and (7) how the applicant will use the information 
collected through the evaluation to monitor progress of the funded 
project and to provide accountability information about both success 
at the initial site and effective strategies for replication in 
other settings. Applicants are encouraged to devote an appropriate 
level of resources to project evaluation.
    Furthermore, the Department will provide information to grantees 
about the client satisfaction survey, which will be used to evaluate 
progress on these performance measures. The grantees will be 
expected to cooperate with the administration of the survey.

VII. Agency Contact

    For Further Information Contact:
    Sandra H. Brown, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, 
SW., room 3E116, Washington, DC 20202-6400. Telephone: (202) 260-2638 
or by e-mail: sandra.brown@ed.gov.
    If you use a TDD, call the FRS, toll free, at 1-800-877-8339.

VIII. Other Information

    Alternative Format: Individuals with disabilities can obtain this 
document and a copy of the application package in an alternative format 
(e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer diskette) on 
request to the program contact person listed under FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT in section VII in this notice.
    Electronic Access to This Document: You can view this document, as 
well as all other documents of this Department published in the Federal 
Register, in text or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) on the 
Internet at the following site: http://www.ed.gov/news/fedregister.
    To use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available 
free at this site. If you have questions about using PDF, call the U.S. 
Government Printing Office (GPO), toll free, at 1-888-293-6498; or in 
the Washington, DC, area at (202) 512-1530.

    Note: The official version of this document is the document 
published in the Federal Register. Free Internet access to the 
official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of Federal 
Regulations is available on GPO Access at: http://www.gpoaccess.gov/
nara/index.html.


    Dated: May 9, 2008.
Kerri L. Briggs,
Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education.
 [FR Doc. E8-10777 Filed 5-13-08; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4000-01-P