[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 83 (Monday, April 30, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25463-25469]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-10382]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Applications for New Awards; Enhanced Assessment Instruments
Grants Program--Enhanced Assessment Instruments (Accessibility
Competition)
AGENCY: Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, Department of
Education.
ACTION: Notice.
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Overview Information:
Enhanced Assessment Instruments Grants Program--Enhanced Assessment
Instruments (Accessibility Competition) Notice inviting applications
for new awards for fiscal year (FY) 2011 funds.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.368A-2.
DATES:
Applications Available: April 30, 2012.
Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply: May 30, 2012.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: June 14, 2012.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: August 13, 2012.
Full Text of Announcement
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Purpose of Program: The purpose of the Enhanced Assessments
Instruments Grants program, also called the Enhanced Assessment Grants
(EAG) program, is to enhance the quality of assessment instruments and
systems used by States for measuring the
[[Page 25464]]
academic achievement of elementary and secondary school students.
In 2012, the Department is holding two separate competitions for FY
2011 EAG funds. The competition announced in this notice (EAG
Accessibility Competition) (CFDA No. 84.368A-2) will support efforts
designed to advance practice significantly in the area of increasing
the accessibility and validity of assessments for students with
disabilities or limited English proficiency, or both, including
strategies for test design, administration with accommodations,
scoring, and reporting. Elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register
we are publishing a notice inviting applications for a separate
competition for FY 2011 EAG funds to be awarded in 2012 (the EAG
English Language Proficiency (ELP) Competition, CFDA No. 84.368A-1).
The Department may use any unused funds from the competition announced
in this notice to make awards in the EAG ELP Competition. Conversely,
the Department may use any unused funds from the EAG ELP Competition to
make awards in the competition announced in this notice.
Priorities: This competition includes four absolute priorities and
three competitive preference priorities. In accordance with 34 CFR
75.105(b)(2)(iv), absolute priorities 1 through 4 (Statutory
Priorities) are based on section 6112 of the Elementary and Secondary
Education Act of 1965, as amended (ESEA) (20 U.S.C. 7301a). Competitive
Preference Priority 1 and Competitive Preference Priority 3 are from
Appendix E to the notice of final requirements for optional State
consolidated applications submitted under section 9302 of the ESEA,
published in the Federal Register on May 22, 2002 (67 FR 35967).
Competitive Preference Priority 2 is from the notice of final
priorities, requirements, definitions, and selection criteria,
published in the Federal Register on April 19, 2011 (76 FR 21986).
Absolute Priorities: For awards made from this competition in 2012
with FY 2011 funds, and any subsequent year in which we make awards
from the list of unfunded applicants from this competition, these
priorities are absolute priorities. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3) we
consider only applications that meet one or more of the Statutory
Priorities.
These priorities are:
Absolute Priority 1--Collaboration. Collaborate with institutions
of higher education, other research institutions, or other
organizations to improve the quality, validity, and reliability of
State academic assessments beyond the requirements for these
assessments described in section 1111(b)(3) of the ESEA.
Absolute Priority 2--Use of Multiple Measures of Student Academic
Achievement. Measure student academic achievement using multiple
measures of student academic achievement from multiple sources.
Absolute Priority 3--Charting Student Progress Over Time. Chart
student progress over time.
Absolute Priority 4--Comprehensive Academic Assessment Instruments.
Evaluate student academic achievement through the development of
comprehensive academic assessment instruments, such as performance- and
technology-based academic assessments.
Competitive Preference Priorities: For awards made in 2012 with FY
2011 funds, and any subsequent year in which we make awards from the
list of unfunded applicants from this competition, the following
priorities are competitive preference priorities. Under 34 CFR
75.105(c)(2)(i) we award up to an additional 25 points to an
application, depending on how well the application meets these
competitive preference priorities.
These priorities are:
Competitive Preference Priority 1--Accommodations and Alternate
Assessments (up to 15 points). Applications that can be expected to
advance practice significantly in the area of increasing accessibility
and validity of assessments for students with disabilities or limited
English proficiency, or both, including strategies for test design,
administration with accommodations, scoring, and reporting.
Competitive Preference Priority 2--Collaborative Efforts Among
States (up to 5 points).
To meet this priority, an applicant must--
(a) Include a minimum of 15 States in the consortium;
(b) Identify in its application a proposed project management
partner and provide an assurance that the proposed project management
partner is not partnered with any other eligible applicant applying for
an award under this competition \1\;
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\1\ In selecting a proposed project management partner, an
eligible applicant must comply with the requirements for procurement
in 34 CFR 80.36.
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(c) Provide a description of the consortium's structure and
operation. The description must include--
(1) The organizational structure of the consortium (e.g.,
differentiated roles that a member State may hold);
(2) The consortium's method and process (e.g., consensus, majority)
for making different types of decisions (e.g., policy, operational);
(3) The protocols by which the consortium will operate, including
protocols for member States to change roles in the consortium, for
member States to leave the consortium, and for new member States to
join the consortium;
(4) The consortium's plan, including the process and timeline, for
setting key policies and definitions for implementing the proposed
project, including, for any assessments developed through a project
funded by this grant, the common set of standards upon which to base
the assessments, a common set of performance-level descriptors, a
common set of achievement standards, common assessment administration
procedures, common item-release and test-security policies, and a
common set of policies and procedures for accommodations and student
participation; and
(5) The consortium's plan for managing grant funds received under
this competition; and
(d) Provide a memorandum of understanding or other binding
agreement executed by each State in the consortium that includes an
assurance that, to remain in the consortium, the State will adopt or
use any instrument, including to the extent applicable, assessments,
developed under the proposed project no later than the end of the
project period.
Competitive Preference Priority 3--Dissemination (5 points).
Applications that include an effective plan for dissemination of
results.
Requirements: The following requirement, which was published in the
Federal Register on April 19, 2011 (76 FR 21986), applies to this
competition. An eligible applicant awarded a grant under this program
must:
Unless otherwise protected by law or agreement as proprietary
information, make any assessment content (i.e., assessments and
assessment items) and other assessment-related instruments developed
with funds from this competition freely available to States, technology
platform providers, and others that request it for purposes of
administering assessments, provided that those parties receiving
assessment content comply with consortium or State requirements for
test or item security.
Definitions: The following definition, which was published in the
Federal Register on April 19, 2011 (76 FR 21986), applies to this
competition.
[[Page 25465]]
Student with a disability means a student who has been identified
as a child with a disability under the Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act, as amended.
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 7301a and 7842.
Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 80, 81,
82, 84, 86, 97, 98, and 99. (b) The Debarment and Suspension
regulations in 2 CFR part 3485. (c) The notice of final requirements
for optional State consolidated applications submitted under section
9302 of the ESEA, published in the Federal Register on May 22, 2002 (67
FR 35967). (d) The notice of final priorities, requirements,
definitions, and selection criteria, published in the Federal Register
on April 19, 2011 (76 FR 21986). (e) The notice of final revision to
selection criteria, published elsewhere in this issue of the Federal
Register.
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to institutions
of higher education only.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
Estimated Available Funds: $3,900,000 in FY 2011 funds to be
awarded in 2012. Contingent upon the availability of funds and the
quality of applications, we may make additional awards with FY 2012
funds from the list of unfunded applicants from this competition.
Estimated Range of Awards: $1,000,000 to $3,000,000.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $1,950,000.
Estimated Number of Awards: 2.
Note: Applicants should submit a single budget request for a
single budget and project period of up to 24 months. Subject to the
availability of future years' funds, the Department may make
supplemental grant awards to the grants awarded with FY 2011 funds.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this
notice.
Project Period: Up to 24 months.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants: State educational agencies (SEAs) as
defined in section 9101(41) of the ESEA and consortia of such SEAs.
2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This competition does not require cost
sharing or matching.
3. Other: An application from a consortium of SEAs must designate
one SEA as the fiscal agent.
IV. Application and Submission Information
1. Address to Request Application Package: You can access the
electronic grant application for the Enhanced Assessment Instruments
Grants Program at 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
84.368, not 84.368A). Your search will result in two grant
opportunities; be sure to select the opportunity for the EAG
Accessibility Competition application package. You can also obtain a
copy of the application package by contacting the program contact
persons listed under Agency Contacts in section VII of this notice.
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 person listed under Accessible
Format in section VIII of this notice.
2. Content and Form of Application Submission: Requirements
concerning the content of an application, together with the forms you
must submit, are in the application package for this competition.
Page Limit: The application narrative (Part 4 of the application)
is where you, the applicant, address the selection criteria that
reviewers use to evaluate your application and the absolute and
competitive preference priorities. You must limit the application
narrative (Part IV) to the equivalent of no more than 45 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.
Times New Roman font no smaller than 11.0 point for 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. (Font sizes that round up to 11,
such as 10.7 point, will be considered as smaller than 11.0.)
Any screen shots included as part of the application
narrative should follow these standards or, if other standards are
applied, be sized to equal the equivalent amount of space if these
standards were applied.
The page limit does not apply to: Part 1 (including the response
regarding research activities involving human subjects); Parts 2 and 5
(the budget sections, including the chart and narrative budget
justification); Part 3 (one-page project abstract); Part 6 (other
attachments forms, including, if applicable, references/bibliography
for the application narrative; r[eacute]sum[eacute]s for the project
director and key personnel--applicants are encouraged to limit each
r[eacute]sum[eacute] to no more than five pages; memoranda of
understanding or other binding agreement; assurance regarding
management partner; copy of indirect cost rate agreement; and letters
of commit and support); and Part 7 (the assurances and certifications,
including the General Education Provisions Act 427 response).
The page limit applies to Part 4 project narrative, including any
table of contents for it. This section must include a discussion of how
the application meets at least one of the absolute priorities, how well
the application meets the competitive preference priorities (if
applicable), and how well the application addresses each of the
selection criteria. The page limit also applies to any attachments to
the project narrative other than references/bibliography. In other
words, the entirety of Part 4 of the application, including the
discussion described in this paragraph and any attachments to the
narrative, must be limited to the equivalent of no more than 45 pages.
The only allowable attachments other than any included in the project
narrative are those described in Part 6. Any attachments other than
those included within the page limit of the project narrative and those
outlined for Part 6 will not be reviewed.
Our reviewers will not read any pages of your project narrative
that exceed the page limit or that exceed the equivalent of the page
limit if you apply other standards. Applicants are encouraged to submit
applications that meet the page limit following the standards outlined
in this section rather than submitting applications that are the
equivalent of the page limit applying other standards.
3. Submission Dates and Times:
Applications Available: April 30, 2012.
Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply: May 30, 2012.
We will be able to develop a more efficient process for reviewing
grant applications if we have a better understanding of the number of
applicants that intend to apply for funding under this competition.
Therefore, the Secretary strongly encourages each potential applicant
to
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notify us of the applicant's intent to submit an application for
funding by sending a short email message. This short email should
provide the applicant organization's name and address. The Secretary
requests that this email be sent to Collette.Roney@ed.gov with ``Intent
to Apply'' in the email subject line. Applicants that do not provide
this email notification may still apply for funding.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: June 14, 2012.
Applications for grants under this competition must be submitted
electronically using the Grants.gov Apply site (Grants.gov). Note that
applications for this EAG Accessibility Competition must be submitted
under CFDA number 84.368A-2; only applications for the EAG ELP
Competition should be submitted under CFDA number 84.368A-1. 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 13, 2012.
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: We reference 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 Web page: www.grants.gov/applicants/get_registered.jsp.
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 Enhanced Assessment Instruments
Grants Program, CFDA number 84.368A-2, 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. You should submit applications to this competition,
the EAG Accessibility Competition, under CFDA number 84.368A-2; do not
submit applications for this competition under CFDA number 84.368A-1,
which is the number for the EAG ELP Competition.
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 Enhanced
Assessment Instruments Grants Program at 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 84.368, not 84.368A).
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
[[Page 25467]]
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 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: Collette Roney, U.S.
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., room 3W210,
Washington, DC 20202. Fax: (202) 260-7764.
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 84.368A-2), 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:
[[Page 25468]]
(CFDA Number 84.368A-2), 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. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this competition
are from the notice of final priorities, requirements, definitions, and
selection criteria, published elsewhere in this issue of the Federal
Register and are listed in the application package.
2. 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).
3. 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).
4. Performance Measures: Under the Government Performance and
Results Act of 1993 (GPRA), the Department has developed four measures
to evaluate the overall effectiveness of the Enhanced Assessment
Instruments Grants program: (1) The number of States that participate
in Enhanced Assessment Instruments Grants projects funded by this
competition; (2) the percentage of grantees that, at least twice during
the period of their grants, make available to SEA staff in non-
participating States and to assessment researchers information on
findings resulting from the Enhanced Assessment Instruments Grants
through presentations at national conferences, publications in refereed
journals, or other products disseminated to the assessment community;
(3) for each grant cycle and as determined by an expert panel, the
percentage of Enhanced Assessment Instruments Grants that yield
significant research, methodologies, products, or tools regarding
assessment systems or assessments; and (4) for each grant cycle and as
determined by an expert panel, the percentage of Enhanced Assessment
Instruments Grants that yield significant research, methodologies,
products, or tools specifically regarding accommodations and alternate
assessments for students with disabilities and limited English
proficient students. Grantees will be expected to include in their
interim and final performance reports information about the
accomplishments of their projects because the Department will need data
on these measures.
VII. Agency Contact
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Collette Roney, Enhanced Assessment
Grants Program, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, U.S.
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 3W210,
Washington, DC 20202-6132. Telephone: (202) 401-5245 or by email:
Collette.Roney@ed.gov.
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 in 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.
[[Page 25469]]
Dated: April 25, 2012.
Michael Yudin,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education.
[FR Doc. 2012-10382 Filed 4-27-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P