[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 16 (Tuesday, January 25, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4322-4330]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-1518]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Charter Schools Program (CSP); Office of Innovation and
Improvement; Overview Information; Charter Schools Program (CSP): State
Educational Agencies Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for
Fiscal Year (FY) 2011
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.282A.
DATES:
Applications Available: January 25, 2011.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: March 18, 2011.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: May 17, 2011.
[[Page 4323]]
Full Text of Announcement
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Purpose of Program: The purpose of the CSP is to increase national
understanding of the charter school model (1) by expanding the number
of high-quality charter schools available to students across the Nation
by providing financial assistance for the planning, program design, and
initial implementation of charter schools, and (2) by evaluating the
effects of charter schools, including their effects on students,
student academic achievement, staff, and parents. The Secretary awards
grants to State educational agencies (SEAs) on a competitive basis to
enable them to conduct charter school programs in their States. SEAs in
turn use their CSP funds to make subgrants to eligible applicants in
their State. These subgrants are used for planning, program design, and
initial implementation of a charter school, and to support the
dissemination of information about charter schools, including
successful practices demonstrated by charter schools.
Priorities and Definitions: This competition includes seven
competitive preference priorities, one invitational priority, and
definitions. In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(1) and 34 CFR
75.105(b)(2)(iv), competitive preference priorities 1 through 4 are
from section 5202(e) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of
1965, as amended (ESEA), 20 U.S.C. 7221a(e). Competitive preference
priorities 5 through 7 and the definitions for graduation rate, high-
poverty school, open educational resources, and rural local educational
agency are from the notice of final supplemental priorities and
definitions for discretionary grant programs, published in the Federal
Register on December 15, 2010 (75 FR 78486). The definitions for
developer and eligible applicant are from 20 U.S.C. 7221i.
Competitive Preference Priorities: For FY 2011 and any subsequent
year in which we make awards based on the list of unfunded applicants
from this competition, these priorities are competitive preference
priorities. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i) we award up to an additional
50 points to an application, depending on how well the application
meets one or more of these priorities.
Note: In order to receive preference under priorities 1 through
7, an applicant must (a) Identify the priority or priorities that it
believes it meets; (b) describe, in detail, how it meets the
priority or priorities; and (c) provide documentation in support of
its claims, including citations and examples from its State's
charter school law, regulations, or policies. In order to receive
points for priority 1 or to receive points for priorities 2 through
4, an application must meet priority 1 and must meet one or more of
priorities 2 through 4.
An SEA that meets priority 1 but does not meet one or more of
priorities 2 through 4 will not receive any points for priorities 1
through 4.
An SEA that does not meet priority 1 but meets one or more of
priorities 2 through 4 will not receive any points for priorities 2
through 4.
The Notes following the competitive preference priorities are
guidance to assist applicants in responding to the priorities and are
not required by statute or regulation. However, we encourage applicants
to consider those Notes in responding to the priorities.
These priorities are:
Competitive Preference Priority 1--Periodic Review and Evaluation
(up to 10 points). The State provides for periodic review and
evaluation by the authorized public chartering agency of each charter
school at least once every five years, unless required more frequently
by State law, to determine whether the charter school is meeting the
terms of the school's charter and is meeting or exceeding the student
academic achievement requirements and goals for charter schools as set
forth under State law or the school's charter.
Note: The Secretary invites the applicant to provide information
regarding whether the periodic review that takes place at least once
every five years includes a public vote on whether to terminate,
extend, or renew a school's charter and on whether a failure to
affirmatively renew or extend a school's charter during the periodic
review that takes place at least once every five years would result
in the charter school being closed.
Competitive Preference Priority 2--Number of High-Quality Charter
Schools (up to 8 points). The State has demonstrated progress in
increasing the number of high-quality charter schools that are held
accountable in the terms of the schools' charters for meeting clear and
measurable objectives for the educational progress of the students
attending the schools, in the period prior to the period for which an
SEA applies for a grant under this competition.
Note: The Secretary invites the applicant to provide the
following information: (1) Its definition of ``high-quality charter
school''; (2) the number of ``high-quality charter schools'' in the
State and a description of how the rate has changed over the past
five years; and (3) the percentage of ``high-quality charter
schools'' in the State and a description of how the percentage has
changed over the past five years.
Competitive Preference Priority 3--One Authorized Public Chartering
Agency Other than a Local Educational Agency (LEA), or an Appeals
Process (5 points). The State--
(a) Provides for one authorized public chartering agency that is
not an LEA, such as a State chartering board, for each individual or
entity seeking to operate a charter school pursuant to State law; or
(b) In the case of a State in which LEAs are the only authorized
public chartering agencies, allows for an appeals process for the
denial of an application for a charter school.
Competitive Preference Priority 4--High Degree of Autonomy (up to 5
points). The State ensures that each charter school has a high degree
of autonomy over the charter school's budget and expenditures.
Competitive Preference Priority 5--Improving Achievement and High
School Graduation Rates (up to 12 points). Projects that are designed
to address one or more of the following priority areas:
(a) Accelerating learning and helping to improve high school
graduation rates (as defined in this notice) and college enrollment
rates for students in rural local educational agencies (as defined in
this notice) (up to 3 points).
(b) Accelerating learning and helping to improve high school
graduation rates (as defined in this notice) and college enrollment
rates for students with disabilities (up to 3 points).
(c) Accelerating learning and helping to improve high school
graduation rates (as defined in this notice) and college enrollment
rates for English learners (up to 3 points).
(d) Accelerating learning and helping to improve high school
graduation rates and college enrollment rates in high-poverty schools
(as defined in this notice) (up to 3 points).
Note: For each population of students for which the applicant is
seeking competitive priority points, the Secretary invites the
applicant to discuss the steps it would take to meet the priority.
For example, the applicant could describe any guidance or support it
would provide to charter school developers to assist such developers
in recruiting and providing high-quality services to students who
are members of the particular student populations(s); how it would
monitor charter schools in the State to ensure that they are taking
effective and active steps to recruit and enroll students who are
members of the particular student population(s); how it would
monitor charter schools in the State to ensure that students who are
members of the particular student population(s) are being served by
such schools; or how it would design its subgrant competition, which
may include the use of
[[Page 4324]]
preferences, to ensure that students who are members of the
particular student population(s) are being served at rates equal to
or greater than such students are being served in other schools in
the area.
Competitive Preference Priority 6--Promoting Diversity (up to 5
points). Projects that are designed to promote student diversity,
including racial and ethnic diversity, or avoid racial isolation.
Note: The Secretary invites the applicant to discuss how it
would design its subgrant competition to meet this priority.
Competitive Preference Priority 7-- Improving Productivity (up to 5
points). Projects that are designed to significantly increase
efficiency in the use of time, staff, money, or other resources while
improving student learning or other educational outcomes (i.e., outcome
per unit of resource). Such projects may include innovative and
sustainable uses of technology, modification of school schedules and
teacher compensation systems, use of open educational resources (as
defined in this notice), or other strategies.
Invitational Priority: Under this competition we are particularly
interested in applications that address the following priority. For FY
2011 and any subsequent year in which we make awards based on the list
of unfunded applicants from this competition, this priority is an
invitational priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(1), we do not give an
application that meets this invitational priority a competitive or
absolute preference over other applications. This priority is:
Support for Turnaround Schools.
The Secretary is particularly interested in projects that are
designed to turn around persistently low-performing schools by
providing support for one or both of the following types of activities:
(1) the creation of a charter school in coordination with an LEA in the
vicinity of one or more public schools closed as a consequence of the
LEA implementing a restructuring plan under section 1116(b)(8) of the
ESEA; or (2) the creation of a new charter school under the restart
model of intervention as described in the Final Requirements for School
Improvement Grants as Amended in January 2010 at (http://www2.ed.gov/programs/sif/faq.html). Under the restart model of intervention, an LEA
converts a school into a charter school or closes and reopens a school
under a charter school operator, a charter management organization, or
an education management organization that has been selected through a
rigorous review process.
Note: For purposes of this invitational priority--
Charter management organization is a non-profit organization
that operates, manages, or oversees multiple charter schools by
centralizing or sharing certain functions and resources among
schools.
Educational management organization is an organization that
provides whole-school operation services.
Definitions
The following definitions are taken from the notice of final
supplemental priorities and definitions for discretionary grant
programs, published in the Federal Register on December 15, 2010 (75 FR
78486) and the CSP authorizing statute (20 U.S.C. 7221).
Developer means an individual or group of individuals (including a
public or private non-profit organization), which may include teachers,
administrators and other school staff, parents, or other members of the
local community in which a charter school project will be carried out.
(20 U.S.C. 7221i(2)).
Eligible applicant means a developer that has (a) applied to an
authorized public chartering authority to operate a charter school; and
(b) provided adequate and timely notice to that authority under section
5203(d)(3) of the ESEA. (20 U.S.C. 7221i(3)).
Graduation rate means a four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate
consistent with 34 CFR 200.19(b)(1) and may also include an extended-
year adjusted cohort graduation rate consistent with 34 CFR
200.19(b)(1)(v) if the State in which the proposed project is
implemented has been approved by the Secretary to use such a rate under
Title I of the ESEA. (75 FR 78509).
High-poverty school means a school in which at least 50 percent of
students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunches under the
Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act or in which at least 50
percent of students are from low-income families as determined using
one of the criteria specified under section 1113(a)(5) of the ESEA. For
middle and high schools, eligibility may be calculated on the basis of
comparable data from feeder schools. Eligibility as a high-poverty
school under this definition is determined on the basis of the most
currently available data. (75 FR 78509).
Open educational resources (OER) means teaching, learning, and
research resources that reside in the public domain or have been
released under an intellectual property license that permits their free
use or repurposing by others. (75 FR 78509).
Rural local educational agency means an LEA that is eligible under
the Small Rural School Achievement (SRSA) program or the Rural and Low-
Income School (RLIS) program authorized under Title VI, Part B of the
ESEA. Eligible applicants may determine whether a particular LEA is
eligible for these programs by referring to information on the
Department's Web site at http://www2.ed.gov/nclb/freedom/local/reap.html. (75 FR 78510).
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 7221-7221i; Consolidated
Appropriations Act, 2010, Division D, Title III, Public Law 111-117.
Note: The Department anticipates that an authority similar to
that in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2010, Division D, Title
III, Public Law 111-117 will be included in the fiscal year 2011
appropriations act.
Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 76, 77, 79,
80, 81, 82, 84, 85, 97, 98, and 99; (b) The notice of final
supplemental priorities and definitions for discretionary grant
programs published in the Federal Register on December 15, 2010 (75 FR
78486).
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 79 apply to all applicants
except federally recognized Indian tribes.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
Estimated Available Funds: We estimate that between $45,000,000 and
$62,000,000 will be available for new awards for this program for FY
2011. The actual level of funding, if any, depends on final
congressional action. However, we are inviting applications to allow
enough time to complete the grant process, if Congress appropriates
funds for this program.
Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of
applications we may make additional awards later in FY 2011 and in FY
2012 from the list of unfunded applicants from this competition.
Estimated Range of Awards: $1,000,000-$15,000,000 per year.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $5,000,000 per year.
Estimated Number of Awards: 7-12.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this
notice. The estimated range, size, and number of awards are based on
a single 12-month budget period. However, the Department may choose
to fund more than 12 months of a project using the FY 2011 funds.
Project Period: Up to 36 months.
Note: Planning and implementation subgrants awarded by an SEA to
non-SEA eligible applicants will be awarded for a period of up to
three years, no more than 18 months of which may be used for
planning
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and program design and no more than two years of which may be used
for the initial implementation of a charter school. Dissemination
subgrants are awarded for a period of up to two years.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants: SEAs in States with a State statute
specifically authorizing the establishment of charter schools.
Note: Non-SEA eligible applicants in States in which the SEA
elects not to participate in or does not have an application
approved under the CSP may apply for funding directly from the
Department. The Department plans to hold a separate competition for
non-SEA eligible applicants under CFDA numbers 84.282B and 84.282C.
2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This competition does not require cost
sharing or matching.
IV. Application and Submission Information
1. Address to Request Application Package: Leslie Hankerson, U.S.
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 4W249,
Washington, DC 20202-5970. Telephone: (202) 205-8524 or by e-mail:
[email protected]. If you use a telecommunications device for the
deaf (TDD), call the Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll free, at 1-800-
877-8339.
Individuals with disabilities can obtain a copy of the application
package in an accessible format (e.g., braille, large print, audiotape,
or computer diskette) by contacting the program contact person listed
in this section.
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 competition.
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. The Secretary strongly
encourages applicants to limit Part III to the equivalent of no more
than 60 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.
The recommended page limit does not apply to Part I, the cover
sheet; Part II, the budget section, including the narrative budget
justification; Part IV, the assurances and certifications; or the one-
page abstract, the resumes, the bibliography, or the letters of
support. However, you must include all of the application narrative in
Part III.
3. Submission Dates and Times:
Applications Available: January 25, 2011.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: March 18, 2011.
Applications for grants under this competition 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. 7. Other Submission
Requirements of 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: May 17, 2011.
4. Intergovernmental Review: This competition 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
competition.
5. Funding Restrictions: The following funding restrictions apply
to this competition:
Use of Funds for Post-Award Planning and Design of the Educational
Program and Initial Implementation of the Charter School. A non-SEA
eligible applicant receiving a subgrant under this program may use the
subgrant funds only for--
(a) Post-award planning and design of the educational program,
which may include (i) refinement of the desired educational results and
of the methods for measuring progress toward achieving those results;
and (ii) professional development of teachers and other staff who will
work in the charter school; and
(b) Initial implementation of the charter school, which may include
(i) informing the community about the school; (ii) acquiring necessary
equipment and educational materials and supplies; (iii) acquiring or
developing curriculum materials; and (iv) other initial operational
costs that cannot be met from State or local sources. (20 U.S.C.
7221c(f)(3))
Use of Funds for Dissemination Activities. An SEA may reserve not
more than 10 percent of its grant funds to support dissemination
activities (20 U.S.C. 7221c(f)(1)). A charter school may use those
funds to assist other schools in adapting the charter school's program
(or certain aspects of the charter school's program) or to disseminate
information about the charter school through such activities as--
(a) Assisting other individuals with the planning and start-up of
one or more new public schools, including charter schools, that are
independent of the assisting charter school and the assisting charter
school's developers and that agree to be held to at least as high a
level of accountability as the assisting charter school;
(b) Developing partnerships with other public schools, including
charter schools, designed to improve student academic achievement in
each of the schools participating in the partnership;
(c) Developing curriculum materials, assessments, and other
materials that promote increased student achievement and are based on
successful practices within the assisting charter school; and
(d) Conducting evaluations and developing materials that document
the successful practices of the assisting charter school and that are
designed to improve student achievement (20 U.S.C. 7221c(f)(6)(B)(i)
through (iv)).
Award Basis. In determining whether to approve a grant award and
the amount of such award, the Department will consider, among other
things, the amount of any unobligated carryover funds the applicant has
under an existing CSP grant and the applicant's performance and use of
funds under a previous or existing award under any Department program
(34 CFR 75.233(b) and 75.217(d)(3)(ii)). In assessing applicant's
performance and use of funds under a previous or existing award the
Secretary will consider, among other things, the outcomes the applicant
has achieved and the results
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of any Departmental grant monitoring, as well as an applicant's
progress in remedying any deficiencies identified in such monitoring.
We reference additional regulations outlining funding restrictions
in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.
6. Data Universal Numbering System Number, Taxpayer Identification
Number, and Central Contractor Registry: To do business with the
Department of Education, you must--
a. Have a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number and a
Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN);
b. Register both your DUNS number and TIN with the Central
Contractor Registry (CCR), the Government's primary registrant
database;
c. Provide your DUNS number and TIN on your application; and
d. Maintain an active CCR registration with current information
while your application is under review by the Department and, if you
are awarded a grant, during the project period.
You can obtain a DUNS number from Dun and Bradstreet. A DUNS number
can be created within one business day.
If you are a corporate entity, agency, institution, or
organization, you can obtain a TIN from the Internal Revenue Service.
If you are an individual, you can obtain a TIN from the Internal
Revenue Service or the Social Security Administration. If you need a
new TIN, please allow 2-5 weeks for your TIN to become active.
The CCR registration process may take five or more business days to
complete. If you are currently registered with the CCR, you may not
need to make any changes. However, please make certain that the TIN
associated with your DUNS number is correct. Also note that you will
need to update your CCR registration on an annual basis. This may take
three or more business days to complete.
In addition, if you are submitting your application via Grants.gov,
you must (1) be designated by your organization as an Authorized
Organization Representative (AOR); and (2) register yourself with
Grants.gov as an AOR. Details on these steps are outlined in the
Grants.gov 3-Step Registration Guide (see http://www.grants.gov/section910/Grants.govRegistrationBrochure.pdf).
7. Other Submission Requirements: Applications for grants under
this competition 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 CSP, CFDA number 84.282A, must be
submitted electronically using the Governmentwide Grants.gov Apply site
at 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 CSP at
http://www.Grants.gov. You must search for the downloadable application
package for this competition by the CFDA number. Do not include the
CFDA number's alpha suffix in your search (e.g., search for 84.326, not
84.326A).
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 4:30:00
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 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, 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
4:30:00 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 competition 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 under News and Events on the Department's G5
system home page at http://www.G5.gov.
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: the
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.
You must attach any narrative sections of your application
as files in a .PDF (Portable Document) format only. If you upload a
file type other than a .PDF 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.
[[Page 4327]]
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 4:30:00 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 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC
time, on the application deadline date, please contact the person
listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT in section VII of 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 4:30:00
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: Leslie Hankerson, U.S.
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 4W249,
Washington, DC 20202-5970.
FAX: (202) 205-8524.
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.
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 following address:
U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Center, Attention:
84.282A, LBJ Basement Level 1, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Washington, DC
20202-4260.
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:
84.282A, 550 12th Street, SW., Room 7041, Potomac Center Plaza,
Washington, DC 20202-4260.
The Application Control Center accepts hand deliveries daily
between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30:00 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
1. Application Requirements: Applicants applying for CSP grant
funds must address the following application requirements, which are
based on 20 U.S.C. 7221b(b) and 7221c(f), and the selection criteria
described in this notice. An applicant may choose to respond to the
application requirements in the context of its responses to the
selection criteria.
(i) Describe the objectives of the SEA's charter school grant
program and how these objectives will be fulfilled, including steps
taken by the SEA to inform teachers, parents, and communities of the
SEA's charter school grant program;
(ii) Describe how the SEA will inform each charter school in the
State about Federal funds the charter school is eligible to receive and
Federal programs in which the charter school may participate;
(iii) Describe how the SEA will ensure that each charter school in
the State receives the school's commensurate share of Federal education
funds that are allocated by formula each year, including during the
first year of operation of the school and a year in which the school's
enrollment expands significantly;
(iv) Describe how the SEA will disseminate best or promising
practices of charter schools to each LEA in the State;
(v) If an SEA elects to reserve part of its grant funds (no more
than 10 percent) for the establishment of a revolving loan fund,
describe how the revolving loan fund would operate;
(vi) If an SEA desires the Secretary to consider waivers under the
authority of
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the CSP, include a request and justification for any waiver of
statutory or regulatory provisions that the SEA believes is necessary
for the successful operation of charter schools in the State; and
(vii) Describe how charter schools that are considered to be LEAs
under State law and LEAs in which charter schools are located will
comply with sections 613(a)(5) and 613(e)(1)(B) of the Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act.
2. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this competition
are from 20 U.S.C. 7221c and 34 CFR 75.210 of EDGAR and the
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2010, Division D, Title III, Public
Law 111-117. The Department anticipates that selection criteria similar
to that in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2010, Division D, Title
III, Public Law 111-117 will be included in the fiscal year 2011
appropriations act. The selection criteria are as follows:
SEAs that propose to use a portion of their grant funds for
dissemination activities must address each selection criterion (i)
through (vii) individually and title each accordingly. SEAs that do not
propose to use a portion of their grant funds for dissemination
activities must address selection criteria (i) through (v) and (vii)
only. SEAs that do not address criterion (vi) because they are not
proposing to use a portion of their grant funds for dissemination
activities will not be penalized. The maximum possible score (based on
the selection criteria and not including the competitive preference
priorities) is 100 points for SEAs that do not propose to use grant
funds to support dissemination activities and 110 points for SEAs that
propose to use grant funds to support dissemination activities. The
maximum possible score for each criterion is indicated in parentheses
following the criterion. The Notes following the selection criteria are
guidance to help applicants in preparing their applications and are not
required by statute or regulation. However, we encourage applicants to
consider those Notes in responding to the selection criteria.
(i) The contribution the charter schools grant program will make in
assisting educationally disadvantaged and other students in meeting
State academic content standards and State student academic achievement
standards (20 points).
Note: The Secretary encourages the applicant to provide a
description of the objectives for the SEA's charter school grant
program and to explain how these objectives will be met, including
steps that will be taken by the SEA to inform teachers, parents, and
communities of the SEA's charter school grant program and how the
SEA will disseminate best or promising practices of charter schools
to each LEA in the State.
(ii) The degree of flexibility afforded by the SEA to charter
schools under the State's charter school law (20 points).
Note: The Secretary encourages the applicant to describe how
the State's charter school law establishes an administrative
relationship between charter schools and the authorized public
chartering agency and exempts charter schools from significant State
or local rules that inhibit the flexible operation and management of
public schools.
The Secretary also encourages the applicant to describe the degree
of autonomy charter schools in the State exercise over such matters as
the charter school's budgets, expenditures, daily operation, schedules,
curricula, and personnel in accordance with the State's charter school
law.
(iii) The number of high-quality charter schools to be created in
the State (20 points).
Note: The Secretary considers the SEA's reasonable estimate of
the number of new high-quality charter schools that will be
authorized and opened in the State during the project period.
The Secretary encourages the applicant to describe, in detail, its
charter school subgrant application and peer review processes, how the
peer review process will assess quality, and how the SEA will ensure
that only high-quality charter school applicants (as defined by the
applicant) are selected for funding. States that have received grants
under this program previously are invited to provide data on the
percentages of eligible applicants that were awarded subgrants and how
this percentage related to the overall quality of applicants funded.
(iv) Quality of the management plan. In determining the quality of
the management plan for the proposed project, the Secretary considers
(a) the adequacy of the management plan to achieve the objectives of
the proposed project on time and within budget, including clearly
defined responsibilities, timelines, and milestones for accomplishing
project tasks; and (b) how the SEA will inform each charter school in
the State about Federal funds the charter school is eligible to receive
and ensure that each charter school in the State receives the school's
commensurate share of Federal education funds that are allocated by
formula each year, including during the first year of operation of the
school and during a year in which the school's enrollment expands
significantly (20 U.S.C. 7221b(b)(2)(A) and (B) and 7221e(a)) (10
points).
Note: The Secretary encourages the applicant to describe any
compliance issues or findings related to the CSP that have been
identified in an audit or other monitoring review, as well as the
steps taken to address such compliance issues or findings.
(v) The SEA's plan to monitor and hold accountable authorized
public chartering agencies through such activities as providing
technical assistance or establishing a professional development
program, which may include providing authorized public chartering
agency staff with training and assistance on planning and systems
development, so as to improve the capacity of those agencies to
authorize, monitor, and hold accountable charter schools (20 points).
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2010, Division D, Title III, Public
Law 111-117.
(vi) In the case of SEAs that propose to use grant funds to support
dissemination activities under section 5204(f)(6)(B) of the ESEA, the
quality of the dissemination activities (5 points) and the likelihood
that those activities will improve student academic achievement (5
points).
Note: The Secretary encourages the applicant to describe the
steps to be taken by the SEA to award these funds to eligible
applicants, including a description of the peer review process the
SEA will use to review applications for dissemination, the timelines
for awarding such funds, and how the SEA will assess the quality of
the applications.
Applicants that have previously awarded dissemination subgrants
under this program are encouraged to describe the outcomes of such
subgrants and to identify any improvements to the applicant's processes
for awarding and administering dissemination subgrants.
(vii) Quality of the project evaluation. In determining the quality
of the evaluation, the Secretary considers the extent to which the
methods of evaluation include the use of objective performance measures
that are clearly related to the intended outcomes of the project and
will produce quantitative and qualitative data (10 points).
Note: The Secretary encourages the applicant to include a
strong evaluation plan in the application narrative and to use that
plan, as appropriate, to shape the development of the project from
the beginning of the grant period. The Secretary encourages the
applicant to design the plan so that it includes (a) benchmarks to
monitor progress toward specific project objectives and (b) outcome
measures to assess the impact on teaching and learning or other
important outcomes for project participants. In its plan, we
encourage the applicant to
[[Page 4329]]
identify the individual and/or organization that will serve as the
evaluator and to describe the qualifications of the evaluator. We
also encourage the applicant to describe, in its application, the
evaluation design, indicating: (1) The types of data that will be
collected; (2) when various types of data will be collected; (3) the
methods that will be used; (4) the instruments that 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 both about success at the initial site
and about effective strategies for replication in other settings.
Applicants are encouraged to devote an appropriate level of
resources to project evaluation.
3. Review and Selection Process: We remind potential applicants
that in reviewing applications in any discretionary grant competition,
the Secretary may consider, under 34 CFR 75.217(d)(3), the past
performance of the applicant in carrying out a previous award, such as
the applicant's use of funds, and compliance with grant conditions. The
Secretary may also consider whether the applicant failed to submit a
timely performance report or submitted a report of unacceptable
quality.
In addition, in making a competitive grant award, the Secretary
also requires various assurances including those applicable to Federal
civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination in programs or
activities receiving Federal financial assistance from the Department
of Education (34 CFR 100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).
4. Special Conditions: Under 34 CFR 74.14 and 80.12, the Secretary
may impose special conditions on a grant if the applicant or grantee is
not financially stable; has a history of unsatisfactory performance;
has a financial or other management system that does not meet the
standards in 34 CFR parts 74 or 80, as applicable; has not fulfilled
the conditions of a prior grant; or is otherwise not responsible.
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
Notification (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 of this notice.
We reference the regulations outlining the terms and conditions of
an award in the Applicable Regulations section of 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: (a) If you apply for a grant under this competition,
you must ensure that you have in place the necessary processes and
systems to comply with the reporting requirements in 2 CFR part 170
should you receive funding under the competition. This does not apply
if you have an exception under 2 CFR 170.110(b).
(b) 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 goal of the CSP is to support the
creation and development of a large number of high-quality charter
schools that are free from State or local rules that inhibit flexible
operation, are held accountable for enabling students to reach
challenging State performance standards, and are open to all students.
The Secretary has set two performance indicators to measure progress
toward this goal: (1) The number of charter schools in operation around
the Nation, and (2) the percentage of fourth- and eighth-grade charter
school students who are achieving at or above the proficient level on
State examinations in mathematics and reading/language arts.
Additionally, the Secretary has established the following measure to
examine the efficiency of the CSP: Federal cost per student in
implementing a successful school (defined as a school in operation for
three or more years).
All grantees will be expected to submit an annual performance
report documenting their contribution in assisting the Department in
meeting these performance measures.
5. Continuation Awards: In making a continuation award, the
Secretary may consider, under 34 CFR 75.253, the extent to which a
grantee has made ``substantial progress toward meeting the objectives
in its approved application.'' This consideration includes the review
of a grantee's progress in meeting the targets and projected outcomes
in its approved application, and whether the grantee has expended funds
in a manner that is consistent with its approved application and
budget. In making a continuation grant, the Secretary also considers
whether the grantee is operating in compliance with the assurances in
its approved application, including those applicable to Federal civil
rights laws that prohibit discrimination in programs or activities
receiving Federal financial assistance from the Department (34 CFR
100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).
6. Project Director's Meeting: Applicants approved for funding
under this competition must attend a two-day meeting for project
directors at a location to be determined in the continental United
States during each year of the project. Applicants may include the cost
of attending this meeting in their proposed budgets.
VII. Agency Contacts
For Further Information Contact: Leslie Hankerson, U.S. Department
of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 4W249, Washington, DC
20202-5970. Telephone: (202) 205-8524 or by e-mail:
[email protected].
If you use a TDD, call the FRS, toll free, at 1-800-877-8339.
VIII. Other Information
Accessible Format: Individuals with disabilities can obtain this
document and a copy of the application package in an accessible format
(e.g., braille, large print, audiotape, or computer diskette) on
request to the program contact person listed under FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT of 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.
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.
[[Page 4330]]
Dated: January 19, 2011.
James H. Shelton, III,
Assistant Deputy Secretary for Innovation and Improvement.
[FR Doc. 2011-1518 Filed 1-24-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P