[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 72 (Friday, April 13, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22298-22306]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-8980]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Applications for New Awards: Charter Schools Program (CSP) Grants
to Non-State Educational Agency (Non-SEA) Eligible Applicants for
Planning, Program Design, and Initial Implementation and for
Dissemination
AGENCY: Office of Innovation and Improvement, Department of Education.
ACTION: Notice.
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Overview Information
CSP Grants to Non-SEA Eligible Applicants for Planning, Program
Design, and Initial Implementation and for Dissemination.
Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY)
2012.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Numbers: 84.282B and
84.282C.
DATES: Applications Available: April 13, 2012.
Dates of Pre-Application Webinars:
1. April 24, 2012, 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.;
2. April 26, 2012, 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.;
3. May 3, 2012, 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.; and
4. May 9, 2012, 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. (all times are Washington, DC
time).
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: June 6, 2012.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: August 5, 2012.
Full Text of Announcement
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Purpose of Program: The purposes of the CSP are to increase
national understanding of the charter school model by expanding the
number of high-quality charter schools available to students across the
Nation; providing financial assistance for the planning, program
design, and initial implementation of charter schools; and evaluating
the effects of charter schools, including their effects on students,
student academic achievement, staff, and parents.
Non-SEA eligible applicants in States in which the SEA does not
have an approved application under the CSP may receive grants directly
from the Secretary for planning, program design, and initial
implementation of charter schools, and to carry out dissemination
activities. States with approved CSP applications are Arizona,
Arkansas, California, Colorado, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia,
Indiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire,
New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee,
Texas, and Wisconsin.
Non-SEA eligible applicants that propose to use grant funds for
planning, program design, and initial implementation of charter schools
must apply under CFDA number 84.282B. Non-SEA eligible applicants that
request funds for dissemination activities must apply under CFDA number
84.282C.
Priorities: This notice includes four competitive preference
priorities and one invitational priority. The competitive preference
priorities 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), and corrected on May 12,
2011 (76 FR 27637).
Competitive Preference Priorities: For FY 2012 and any subsequent
year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applicants from
this competition, these priorities are competitive preference
priorities. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i) we will award up to an
additional six points to an application depending on how well the
application meets Competitive Preference Priority 1, up to an
additional two points to an application depending on how well the
application meets Competitive Preference Priority 2, up to an
additional two points to an application depending on how well the
application meets Competitive Preference Priority 3, and up to an
additional five points to an application depending on how well the
application meets Competitive Preference Priority 4. The maximum number
of points an application can receive under these priorities is 15.
Note: In order to be eligible to receive preference under these
competitive preference priorities, the applicant must identify the
priority or priorities that it believes it meets and provide
documentation supporting its claims.
These priorities are:
Competitive Preference Priority 1--Improving Achievement and High
School Graduation Rates (up to 6 points).
This priority is for 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).
(b) Accelerating learning and helping to improve high school
graduation rates and college enrollment rates for students with
disabilities.
(c) Accelerating learning and helping to improve high school
graduation rates and college enrollment rates for English learners.
(d) Accelerating learning and helping to improve high school
graduation rates and college enrollment rates for high-need students
(as defined in this notice).
(e) Accelerating learning and helping to improve high school
graduation rates and college enrollment rates in high-poverty schools
(as defined in this notice).
(f) Accelerating learning and helping to improve high school
graduation rates and college enrollment rates for all students in an
inclusive manner that ensures that the specific needs of high-need
students participating in the project are addressed.
Note: Applicants will receive one point for each priority area
they address satisfactorily under this priority.
Competitive Preference Priority 2--Promoting Diversity (up to 2
points).
This priority is for projects that are designed to promote student
diversity, including racial and ethnic diversity, or avoid racial
isolation.
Note: An applicant addressing Competitive Preference Priority
2--Promoting Diversity is invited to discuss how the proposed design
of its project would help bring together students from different
backgrounds, including students from different racial and ethnic
backgrounds, to attain the benefits that flow from a diverse student
body, or to avoid racial isolation.
Note: For additional information on permissible ways to address
this priority, please refer to the joint guidance issued by the
Department of Education and the Department of Justice entitled,
``Guidance on the Voluntary Use of Race to Achieve Diversity and
Avoid Racial Isolation in Elementary and Secondary Schools'' at
http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/guidance-ese-201111.pdf.
Competitive Preference Priority 3--Improving Productivity (up to 2
points).
This priority is for 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.
Competitive Preference Priority 4--Support for Military Families
(up to 5 points).
This priority is for projects that are designed to address the
needs of military-connected students (as defined in this notice).
Note: For purposes of this competition, projects meeting this
priority must target military-connected students who are current or
prospective public charter school students.
Invitational Priority: For FY 2012 and any subsequent year in which
we make awards from 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
[[Page 22300]]
absolute preference over other applications.
This priority is: Serving Students From Persistently Low-Performing
Schools.
The Secretary is particularly interested in projects that support
turning around persistently low-performing schools. To meet this
invitational priority, the proposed project should engage in one or
both of the following types of activities: (1) The creation of a new
charter school in the vicinity of one or more public schools identified
for restructuring under section 1116(b)(8) of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act, as amended (ESEA), provided that this is done
in coordination with the LEA's restructuring plan for the school(s); or
(2) the creation of a new charter school under the restart model of
intervention described under the Department's School Improvement Grants
program. (See Final Requirements for School Improvement Grants, 75 FR
66363 (Oct. 28, 2010) at http://www2.ed.gov/programs/sif/2010-27313.pdf.) Under this model, an LEA converts a 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 the first activity described in the
priority, applicants in States operating under ESEA Flexibility may
partner with LEAs to create new charter schools that serve students
attending ``priority schools'' (see the September 23, 2011 ``ESEA
Flexibility'' document at http://www.ed.gov/esea/flexibility/documents/esea-flexibility.doc). The term ``priority school'' means
a school that has been identified by the State as a priority school
pursuant to the State's approved request for ESEA flexibility.
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 corrected on May 12, 2011 (76 FR 27637), and apply to this
competition.
1. 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.
2. High-need children and high-need students means children and
students at risk of educational failure, such as children and students
who are living in poverty, who are English learners, who are far below
grade level or who are not on track to becoming college- or career-
ready by graduation, who have left school or college before receiving,
respectively, a regular high school diploma or a college degree or
certificate, who are at risk of not graduating with a diploma on time,
who are homeless, who are in foster care, who are pregnant or parenting
teenagers, who have been incarcerated, who are new immigrants, who are
migrant, or who have disabilities.
3. 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.
4. Military-connected student means (a) a child participating in an
early learning program, a student in preschool through grade 12, or a
student enrolled in postsecondary education or training who has a
parent or guardian on active duty in the uniformed services (as defined
by 37 U.S.C. 101, in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast
Guard, National Guard, or the reserve component of any of the
aforementioned services) or (b) a student who is a veteran of the
uniformed services, who is on active duty, or who is the spouse of an
active-duty service member.
5. Open educational resources 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.
6. Rural local educational agency means a local educational agency
(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.
Requirements: Applicants approved for funding under this
competition must attend an in-person, two-day meeting for project
directors during each year of the project.
Note: Applicants are encouraged to include the cost of attending
this meeting in their proposed budgets.
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 7221-7221i; Consolidated
Appropriations Act, 2012, Division F, Title III, Public Law 112-74.
Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 76, 77, 79,
80, 81, 82, 84, 85, 86, 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), and corrected on May 12, 2011 (76 FR
27637).
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 79 apply to all applicants
except federally recognized Indian tribes.
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply only to
institutions of higher education.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
Estimated Available Funds: The FY 2012 appropriation for the CSP is
$255,036,069, of which we intend to use an estimated $3,000,000 for
this competition for non-SEA eligible applicants.
Contingent upon the availability of funds and quality of
applications, we may make additional awards in FY 2013 from the list of
unfunded applications from this competition.
Estimated Range of Awards: $140,000 to $200,000 per year.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $175,000 per year.
Estimated Number of Awards: 15-19.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this
notice.
Project Period: Up to 36 months for planning, program design, and
initial implementation grants under CFDA number 84.282B. Up to 24
months for dissemination grants under CFDA number 84.282C.
Note: For planning, program design, and initial implementation
grants awarded by the Secretary to non-SEA eligible applicants under
CFDA number 84.282B, no more than 18 months may be used for planning
and program design and no more than two years may be used for the
initial implementation of a charter school.
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III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants:
(a) Planning, Program Design, and Initial Implementation grants
(CFDA number 84.282B): A developer that has (1) applied to an
authorized public chartering authority to operate a charter school; and
(2) provided adequate and timely notice to that authority under section
5203(d)(3) of the ESEA (20 U.S.C. 7221b(d)(3)). In accordance with
section 5203(d)(3) of the ESEA, an applicant for a pre-charter planning
grant may include, in section V of its application, a request for a
waiver from the Secretary of the requirement that the eligible
applicant provide its authorized public chartering authority timely
notice, and a copy, of its application for CSP funds (20 U.S.C.
7221b(d)(3)).
Note: Section 5210 of the ESEA (20 U.S.C. 7221i(2)) defines a
``Developer'' as an individual or group of individuals (including a
public or private nonprofit 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. The charter school must be located in a State
with a State statute specifically authorizing the establishment of
charter schools and in which the SEA elects not to participate in
the CSP or does not have an application approved under the CSP.
(b) Dissemination grants (CFDA number 84.282C): Charter schools, as
defined in section 5210(1) of the ESEA (20 U.S.C. 7221i(1)), that have
been in operation for at least three consecutive years and have
demonstrated overall success, including--
(1) Substantial progress in improving student academic achievement;
(2) High levels of parent satisfaction; and
(3) The management and leadership necessary to overcome initial
start-up problems and establish a thriving, financially viable charter
school.
Note: Consistent with section 5204(f)(6) of the ESEA (20 U.S.C.
7221c(f)(6)), a charter school may apply for funds to carry out
dissemination activities, whether or not the charter school
previously applied for or received funds under the CSP for planning,
program design, or implementation.
Note: These competitions (CFDA numbers 84.282B and 84.282C) are
limited to eligible applicants in States in which the SEA does not
have an approved application under the CSP (or will not have an
approved application as of October 1, 2012). The following States
currently have approved applications under the CSP: Arizona,
Arkansas, California, Colorado, District of Columbia, Florida,
Georgia, Indiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New
Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Rhode Island, South Carolina,
Tennessee, Texas, and Wisconsin.
Eligible applicants, including charter schools, located in States
with currently approved CSP applications that are interested in
participating in the CSP should contact the SEA for information related
to the State's CSP subgrant competition. Further information is
available at http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/oii/csp/funding.html.
2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This program does not require cost
sharing or matching.
IV. Application and Submission Information
1. Address to Request Application Package: LaShawndra Thornton,
U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., room 4W257,
Washington, DC 20202-5970. Telephone: (202) 453-5617 or by email:
[email protected].
If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) or a text
telephone (TTY), 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 compact disc) 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 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.
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, you must
include all of the application narrative in Part III.
3. Submission Dates and Times:
Applications Available: April 13, 2012.
Date of Pre-Application Webinar: The Department will hold a pre-
application webinar for prospective applicants on the following dates:
1. April 24, 2012, 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.;
2. April 26, 2012, 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.;
3. May 3, 2012, 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.; and
4. May 9, 2012, 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. (all times are Washington, DC
time).
Individuals interested in attending one of the webinars are
encouraged to pre-register by emailing their name, organization,
contact information, and preferred webinar date and time with the
subject heading NON-SEA PRE-APPLICATION MEETING to
[email protected]. There is no registration fee for attending this
webinar.
For further information about the pre-application webinar, contact
LaShawndra Thornton, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue
SW., room 4W257, Washington, DC 20202-5970. Telephone: (202) 453-5617
or by email: [email protected].
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: June 6, 2012.
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. 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
of 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 5, 2012.
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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 program.
5. Funding Restrictions:
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 grant under CFDA number 84.282B may use
the grant 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))
Note: CSP funds may be used only for the planning and initial
implementation of a charter school. As a general matter, the
Secretary considers charter schools that have been in operation for
more than three years to be past the initial implementation phase
and, therefore, ineligible to receive CSP funds to support the
initial implementation of a charter school.
Use of Funds for Dissemination Activities. A charter school
receiving a grant under CFDA number 84.282C may use grant 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 performance in other schools. (20 U.S.C.
7221c(f)(6))
We reference additional regulations outlining funding restrictions
in the Applicable Regulations section in 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 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 Numbers 84.282B and
84.282C, 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 email
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
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 84.282, not
84.282B or 282C).
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.
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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 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 upload any narrative sections and all other
attachments to your application as files in a .PDF (Portable Document)
read-only, non-modifiable format. Do not upload an interactive or
fillable .PDF file. If you upload a file type other than a read-only,
non-modifiable .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 email. 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 4:30:00 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: LaShawndra Thornton,
U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 4W257,
Washington, DC 20202-5970. Fax: (202) 205-5630.
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:
(CFDA Number 84.282B or 84.282C), 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
[[Page 22304]]
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 84.282B or 84.282C), 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 4:30:00 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. An applicant applying for CSP grant
funds, under either CFDA number 84.282B or 84.282C, must address the
following application requirements, which are based on 20 U.S.C.
7221b(b), as well as the applicable selection criteria in this notice,
and may choose to respond to the application requirements in the
context of its responses to the selection criteria.
(i) Describe the educational program to be implemented by the
proposed charter school, including how the program will enable all
students to meet challenging State student academic achievement
standards, the grade levels or ages of children to be served, and the
curriculum and instructional practices to be used;
(ii) Describe how the charter school will be managed;
(iii) Describe the objectives of the charter school and the methods
by which the charter school will determine its progress toward
achieving those objectives;
(iv) Describe the administrative relationship between the charter
school and the authorized public chartering agency;
(v) Describe how parents and other members of the community will be
involved in the planning, program design, and implementation of the
charter school;
(vi) Describe how the authorized public chartering agency will
provide for continued operation of the charter school once the Federal
grant has expired, if that agency determines that the charter school
has met its objectives as described in paragraph (iii) of this section;
(vii) If the charter school desires the Secretary to consider
waivers under the authority of the CSP, include a request and
justification for waivers of any Federal statutory or regulatory
provisions that the applicant believes are necessary for the successful
operation of the charter school, and a description of any State or
local rules, generally applicable to public schools, that will be
waived for, or otherwise not apply to, the school. Each applicant for a
pre-charter planning grant that is requesting a waiver of the
requirement under section 5203(d)(3) of the ESEA (20 U.S.C.
7221b(d)(3)) that an eligible applicant provide its authorized public
chartering agency with notice, and a copy, of its CSP application
should indicate whether it has applied for a charter previously and, if
so, the name of the authorized public chartering authority and the
disposition of the charter application;
(viii) Describe how the grant funds will be used, including a
description of how these funds will be used in conjunction with other
Federal programs administered by the Secretary;
(ix) Describe how students in the community will be informed about
the charter school and be given an equal opportunity to attend the
charter school;
(x) Describe how a charter school that is considered an LEA under
State law, or an LEA in which a charter school is located, will comply
with sections 613(a)(5) and 613(e)(1)(B) of the Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act (IDEA); and
Note: For more information on IDEA, please see http://idea.ed.gov/explore/view/p/%2Croot%2Cstatute%2CI%2CB%2C613%2C.
(xi) If the eligible applicant desires to use grant funds for
dissemination activities under section 5202(c)(2)(c) of the ESEA (20
U.S.C. 7221a(c)(2)(C)), describe those activities and how those
activities will involve charter schools and other public schools, LEAs,
developers, and potential developers.
2. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this competition
are from 20 U.S.C. 7221b and 7221c and 34 CFR 75.210 of EDGAR.
The selection criteria for applicants submitting applications under
CFDA number 84.282B are listed in paragraph (a) of this section, and
the selection criteria for applicants submitting applications under
CFDA number 84.282C are listed in paragraph (b) of this section.
(a) Selection Criteria for Planning, Program Design, and Initial
Implementation Grants (CFDA number 84.282B). The following selection
criteria are based on sections 5203, 5204, and 5210 of the ESEA (20
U.S.C. 7221b, 7221c, and 7221i) and from 34 CFR 75.210 of EDGAR. The
maximum possible score for addressing all of the criteria in this
section is 100 points. The maximum possible score for addressing each
criterion is indicated in parentheses following the criterion. In
evaluating an application for a planning, program design, and
implementation grant, the Secretary considers the following criteria:
(i) Quality of the proposed curriculum and instructional practices
(20 U.S.C. 7221c(b)(1)) (15 points).
Note: The Secretary encourages the applicant to describe the
quality of the educational program to be implemented by the proposed
charter school, including how the program will enable all students
to meet challenging State student academic achievement standards,
the grade levels or ages of students to be served, and the
curriculum and instructional practices to be used. If the curriculum
and instructional practices have been successfully used in other
schools operated or managed by the applicant, the Secretary
encourages the applicant to describe the implementation of such
practices and the academic results achieved.
(ii) The extent to which the proposed project will assist
educationally disadvantaged students in meeting State academic content
standards and State student academic achievement standards (20 U.S.C.
7221c(a)(1)) (3 points).
(iii) The quality of the strategy for assessing achievement of the
charter school's objectives (20 U.S.C. 7221c(a)(4)) (15 points).
(iv) The extent of community support for the application (20 U.S.C.
7221c(b)(3)) (8 points).
Note: The Secretary encourages the applicant to describe how
parents and other members of the community will be informed about
the charter school and how students
[[Page 22305]]
will be given an equal opportunity to attend the charter school.
The applicant is also encouraged to describe and provide
evidence of community support for the proposed project.
(v) The extent to which the proposed project encourages parental
and community involvement (20 U.S.C. 7221b(b)(3)(E)) (3 points).
Note: The Secretary encourages the applicant to describe how
parents and other members of the community will be involved in the
planning, program design, and implementation of the charter school.
(vi) Quality of project personnel (34 CFR 75.210(e)(1), (e)(2), and
(e)(3)(ii)) (22 points).
The Secretary considers the quality of the personnel who will carry
out the proposed project. In determining the quality of project
personnel, the Secretary considers--
(1) The extent to which the applicant encourages applications for
employment from persons who are members of groups that have
traditionally been underrepresented based on race, color, national
origin, gender, age, or disability (2 points); and
(2) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience,
of key project personnel (20 points).
Note: The applicant is encouraged to provide evidence of its
skills and experience in the following areas: successfully launching
a high-quality charter school; developing an innovative school
design; relevant non-profit organization management and leadership;
sound board governance; effective curriculum development and
implementation; and strong fiscal management.
(vii) Quality of the management plan (34 CFR 75.210(g)(1) and
(g)(2)(i)) (16 points). The Secretary considers the quality of the
management plan for the proposed project. In determining the quality of
the management plan for the proposed project, the Secretary considers
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.
(viii) Existence and quality of a charter or performance contract
between the charter school and its authorized public chartering agency
(20 U.S.C. 7221i(1)(L)) (15 points). The existence of a charter or
performance contract between the charter school and its authorized
public chartering agency and the extent to which the charter or
performance contract describes how student performance will be measured
in the charter school pursuant to State assessments that are required
of public schools and pursuant to any other assessments mutually
agreeable to the authorized public chartering agency and the charter
school.
Note: The Secretary encourages the applicant to discuss whether
its proposed project has been denied a charter from its authorizing
agency and, if so, how the applicant plans to revise its charter
application before resubmitting its charter application to the
authorizing agency. The applicant is also encouraged to submit a
copy of its approved charter contract, if applicable.
(ix) The degree of flexibility afforded by the SEA and, if
applicable, the LEA to the charter school (20 U.S.C. 7721c(b)(2)) (3
points).
Note: The Secretary encourages the applicant to include a
description of the flexibility afforded under its State's law in
terms of establishing an administrative relationship between the
charter school and the authorized public chartering agency and in
terms of whether charter schools are exempt from significant State
or local rules that inhibit the flexible operation and management of
public schools.
The Secretary also encourages the applicant to include a
description of the degree of autonomy the charter school will have over
such matters as the charter school's budget, expenditures, daily
operation, and personnel in accordance with its State's charter school
law.
(b) Selection Criteria for Dissemination Grants (CFDA number
84.282C). The following selection criteria are based on sections 5204
and 5210(1)(L) of the ESEA (20 U.S.C. 7221c and 7221i(1)(L)) and from
34 CFR 75.210 of EDGAR. The maximum possible score for addressing all
the criteria in this section is 100 points. The maximum possible score
for addressing each criterion is indicated in parentheses following the
criterion. In evaluating an application for a dissemination grant, the
Secretary considers the following criteria:
(i) The quality of the proposed dissemination activities and the
likelihood that those activities will improve student achievement (20
U.S.C. 7221c(b)(7)) (15 points).
Note: The Secretary encourages the applicant to describe the
objectives for the proposed dissemination activities and the methods
by which the charter school will determine its progress toward
achieving those objectives.
(ii) Existence of a charter or performance contract between the
charter school and its authorized public chartering agency (20 U.S.C.
7221i(1)(L)) (1 point). The existence of a charter or performance
contract between the charter school and its authorized public
chartering agency and the extent to which the charter or performance
contract describes how student performance will be measured in the
charter school pursuant to State assessments that are required of other
schools and pursuant to any other assessments mutually agreeable to the
authorized public chartering agency and the charter school.
(iii) Demonstration of success (20 U.S.C. 7221c(f)(6)(A)) (40
points). The extent to which the school has demonstrated overall
success, including--
(1) Substantial progress in improving student achievement (25
points);
(2) High levels of parent satisfaction (5 points); and
(3) The management and leadership necessary to overcome initial
start-up problems and establish a thriving, financially viable charter
school (10 points).
(iv) Dissemination strategy (34 CFR 75.210(b)(2)(xii)) (15 points).
The Secretary considers the significance of the proposed project. In
determining the significance of the proposed project, the Secretary
considers the extent to which the results of the proposed project are
to be disseminated in ways that will enable others to use the
information or strategies.
(v) Quality of project personnel (34 CFR 75.210(e)(1), (e)(2), and
(e)(3)(i)) (14 points). The Secretary considers the quality of the
personnel who will carry out the proposed project. In determining the
quality of project personnel, the Secretary considers--
(1) The extent to which the applicant encourages applications for
employment from persons who are members of groups that have
traditionally been underrepresented based on race, color, national
origin, gender, age, or disability (3 points); and
(2) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience,
of the project director or principal investigator (11 points).
(vi) Quality of the management plan (34 CFR 75.210 (g)(1) and
(g)(2)(i)) (15 points). The Secretary considers the quality of the
management plan for the proposed project. In determining the quality of
the management plan for the proposed project, the Secretary considers
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.
[[Page 22306]]
4. 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, achievement of project objectives, 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).
5. 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 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 two performance indicators to measure progress toward
this goal: (1) The number of high-quality 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 consecutive years).
All grantees must submit an annual performance report with
information that is responsive to 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 award, 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).
VII. Agency Contact
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: LaShawndra Thornton, U.S. Department
of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., room 4W257, Washington, DC
20202-5970. Telephone: (202) 453-5617 or by email:
[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 compact disc) on request to
the program contact person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
in section VII of this notice.
Electronic Access to This Document: 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 via the Federal Digital System
at: www.gpo.gov/fdsys. At this site 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). To use PDF
you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available free at the
site.
You may also access documents of the Department published in the
Federal Register by using the article search feature at:
www.federalregister.gov. Specifically, through the advanced search
feature at this site, you can limit your search to documents published
by the Department.
Dated: April 10, 2012.
James H. Shelton, III,
Assistant Deputy Secretary for Innovation and Improvement.
[FR Doc. 2012-8980 Filed 4-12-12; 8:45 am]
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