[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 250 (Monday, December 31, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 77056-77062]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-31434]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Applications for New Awards; Magnet Schools Assistance Program
AGENCY: Office of Innovation and Improvement, Department of Education.
ACTION: Notice.
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Overview Information
Magnet Schools Assistance Program (MSAP)
Notice inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY)
2013.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.165A.
DATES:
Applications Available: December 31, 2012.
Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply: January 30, 2013.
Date of Pre-Application Webinar: January 17, 2013.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: March 1, 2013.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: April 30, 2013.
Full Text of Announcement
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Purpose of Program: The MSAP provides grants to eligible local
educational agencies (LEAs) and consortia of LEAs to support magnet
schools under an approved desegregation plan--either a required plan or
voluntary plan--that is adequate under Title VI of the Civil Rights
Act, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, or
national origin. By supporting the development and implementation of
magnet schools that reduce, eliminate, or prevent minority group
isolation, these program resources can be used in pursuit of the
objectives of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as
amended (ESEA), which supports State and local efforts to enable all
elementary and secondary school students to achieve high standards and
which holds schools, LEAs, and States accountable for ensuring that
their students do so. In particular, the MSAP provides an opportunity
for eligible entities to expand their capacity to provide public school
choice to students who attend low-performing schools.
Priorities: This competition includes four competitive preference
priorities that are described in the following paragraphs.
Competitive Preference Priorities: In accordance with 34 CFR
75.105(b)(2)(ii), Competitive Preference Priorities 1, 2, and 3 are
from the regulations for this program (34 CFR 280.32). Competitive
Preference Priority 4 is 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).
For FY 2013 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 280.30(f) we will
award up to 30 additional points to an application, depending on how
well the applicant addresses Competitive Preference Priorities 1, 2,
and 3. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i) we will award up to an additional
10 points to an application, depending on how well the application
addresses Competitive Preference Priority 4. Together, depending on how
[[Page 77057]]
well the application meets these priorities, a total of 40 points will
be awarded. Applicants may apply under any or all competitive
preference priorities. The maximum possible points for each competitive
preference priority are indicated in parentheses following the name of
the priority. These points are in addition to any points the
application earns under the selection criteria in this notice.
These priorities are:
Priority 1--Need for assistance (up to 10 additional points). The
Secretary evaluates the applicant's needs for assistance by
considering--
(a) The costs of fully implementing the magnet schools project as
proposed;
(b) The resources available to the applicant to carry out the
project if funds under the program were not provided;
(c) The extent to which the costs of the project exceed the
applicant's resources; and
(d) The difficulty of effectively carrying out the approved plan
and the project for which assistance is sought, including consideration
of how the design of the magnet schools project--e.g., the type of
program proposed, the location of the magnet school within the LEA--
impacts on the applicant's ability to successfully carry out the
approved plan.
Priority 2--New or revised magnet schools projects (up to 10
additional points). The Secretary determines the extent to which the
applicant proposes to carry out new magnet schools projects or
significantly revise existing magnet schools projects.
Priority 3--Selection of students (up to 10 additional points). The
Secretary determines the extent to which the applicant proposes to
select students to attend magnet schools by methods such as lottery,
rather than through academic examination.
Priority 4--Promoting Science, Technology, Engineering, and
Mathematics (STEM) Education (up to 10 additional points). Projects
that are designed to address one or more of the following priority
areas:
(a) Providing students with increased access to rigorous and
engaging coursework in STEM.
(b) Increasing the opportunities for high-quality preparation of,
or professional development for, teachers or other educators of STEM
subjects.
Note: Additional background information pertaining to this
priority can be found in 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).
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 7231-7231j.
Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 75, 77, 79, 80, 81,
82, 84, 97, 98, and 99. (b) The Education Department suspension and
debarment regulations in 2 CFR part 3485. (c) The regulations for this
program in 34 CFR part 280. (d) The Notice of Final Supplemental
Priorities and Definitions for Discretionary Programs, published in the
Federal Register on December 15, 2010 (75 FR 78486), and corrected on
May 12, 2011 (76 FR 27637).
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
Estimated Available Funds
The Administration has requested $99,611,000 for the MSAP for FY
2013, of which we intend to use an estimated $96,622,670 for awards
under this competition. The actual level of funding, if any, depends on
final congressional action. However, we are inviting applications to
allow enough time to complete the grant process before the end of the
current fiscal year, if Congress appropriates funds for this program.
Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of
applications, we may make additional awards in FY 2014 from the list of
unfunded applicants from this competition.
Estimated Range of Awards: $350,000-$4,000,000 per year.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $2,500,000 per year.
Maximum Award: Under section 5309(c) of the ESEA, no MSAP grantee
may receive more than $4,000,000 in program funds for any single fiscal
year. We will not fund any application at an annual amount exceeding
this maximum amount. We may choose not to further review an application
with a budget request for any 12-month budget period that exceeds this
maximum amount, if we conclude during our initial review of the
application that the proposed goals and objectives cannot be attained
without exceeding the maximum amount.
Estimated Number of Awards: 40.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this
notice.
Project Period: Up to 36 months.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants: LEAs or consortia of LEAs implementing a
desegregation plan as specified in section III.3.
2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This program does not involve cost
sharing or matching.
3. Other: Applicants must submit with their applications one of the
following types of desegregation plans to establish eligibility to
receive MSAP assistance: (a) A desegregation plan required by a court
order; (b) a desegregation plan required by a State agency or an
official of competent jurisdiction; (c) a desegregation plan required
by the Office for Civil Rights (OCR), United States Department of
Education (Department), under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
(Title VI); or (d) a voluntary desegregation plan adopted by the
applicant and submitted to the Department for approval as part of the
application. Under the MSAP regulations, applicants are required to
provide all of the information required in 34 CFR 280.20(a) through (g)
in order to satisfy the civil rights eligibility requirements found in
34 CFR 280.2(a)(2) and (b).
In addition to the particular data and other items for required and
voluntary desegregation plans described in the application package, an
application must include--
Projected enrollment by race and ethnicity for magnet and
feeder schools);
Signed civil rights assurances (included in the
application package); and
An assurance that the desegregation plan is being
implemented or will be implemented if the application is funded.
Required Desegregation Plans
1. Desegregation plans required by a court order. An applicant that
submits a desegregation plan required by a court order must submit
complete and signed copies of all court documents demonstrating that
the magnet schools are a part of the approved desegregation plan.
Examples of the types of documents that would meet this requirement
include a Federal or State court order that establishes specific magnet
schools, amends a previous order or orders by establishing additional
or different specific magnet schools, requires or approves the
establishment of one or more unspecified magnet schools, or that
authorizes the inclusion of magnet schools at the discretion of the
applicant.
2. Desegregation plans required by a State agency or official of
competent jurisdiction. An applicant submitting a desegregation plan
ordered by a State agency or official of competent jurisdiction must
provide documentation that shows that the desegregation plan was
ordered based upon a determination that State law was
[[Page 77058]]
violated. In the absence of this documentation, the applicant should
consider its desegregation plan to be a voluntary plan and submit the
data and information necessary for voluntary plans.
3. Desegregation plans required by Title VI. An applicant that
submits a desegregation plan required by OCR under Title VI must submit
a complete copy of the desegregation plan demonstrating that magnet
schools are part of the approved plan.
4. Modifications to required desegregation plans. A previously
approved desegregation plan that does not include the magnet school or
program for which the applicant is now seeking assistance must be
modified to include the magnet school component. The modification to
the desegregation plan must be approved by the court, agency, or
official that originally approved the plan. An applicant that wishes to
modify a previously approved OCR Title VI desegregation plan to include
different or additional magnet schools must submit the proposed
modification for review and approval to the OCR regional office that
approved its original plan.
An applicant should indicate in its application if it is seeking to
modify its previously approved desegregation plan. However, all
applicants must submit proof of approval of all modifications to their
plans to the Department by April 1, 2013. Proof of plan modifications
should be mailed to the person and address identified under FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT in section VII of this notice.
Voluntary Desegregation Plans
A voluntary desegregation plan must be approved by the Department
each time an application is submitted for funding. Even if the
Department has approved a voluntary desegregation plan in an LEA in the
past, the desegregation plan must be resubmitted for approval as part
of the application.
An applicant's voluntary desegregation plan must demonstrate how
the LEA will reduce, eliminate, or prevent minority group isolation,
and demonstrate that the proposed voluntary desegregation plan is
adequate under Title VI. For additional guidance on how an LEA can
voluntarily reduce minority group isolation and promote diversity in an
LEA in light of the Supreme Court's decision in Parents Involved in
Community Schools v. Seattle School District No 1 et al., 551 U.S. 701
(2007), see the December 2, 2011, ``Guidance on the Voluntary Use of
Race to Achieve Diversity and Avoid Racial Isolation in Elementary and
Secondary Schools'' (Guidance) available on the Department's Web site
at www.ed.gov/ocr/docs/guidance-ese-201111.pdf.
Complete and accurate enrollment forms and other information as
required by the regulations in 34 CFR 280.20(f) and (g) for applicants
with voluntary desegregation plans are critical to the Department's
determination of an applicant's eligibility under a voluntary
desegregation plan (specific requirements are detailed in the
application package).
Voluntary desegregation plan applicants must submit evidence of
school board approval or evidence of other official adoption of the
plan as required by the regulations in 34 CFR 280.20(f)(2).
IV. Application and Submission Information
1. Address to Request Application Package: You can obtain an
application package via the Internet, from the Education Publications
Center (ED Pubs), or from the program office.
To obtain a copy via the Internet, use the following address:
www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/grantapps/.
To obtain a copy from ED Pubs, write, fax, or call the following:
Education Publications Center, P.O. Box 22207, Alexandria, VA 22304.
Telephone, toll free: 1-877-433-7827. FAX: (703) 605-6794. If you use a
telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) or text telephone (TTY),
call, toll free: 1-877-576-7734.
You can contact ED Pubs at its Web site, also: www.EdPubs.gov or at
its email address: edpubs@inet.ed.gov.
If you request an application from ED Pubs, be sure to identify
this program as follows: CFDA number 84.165A.
To obtain a copy from the program office, contact: Rosie Kelley,
U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., room 4W227,
Washington, DC 20202-5970. Telephone: (202)453-5601 or by email:
msap.team@ed.gov. If you use a TDD or 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:
a. Requirements concerning the content of an application, together
with the forms you must submit, are in the application package for this
competition.
Notice of Intent to Apply: The Department will be able to develop a
more efficient process for reviewing grant applications if it has a
better understanding of the number of entities that intend to apply for
funding under this competition. Therefore, the Secretary strongly
encourages each potential applicant to notify the Department of the
applicant's intent to submit an application for funding by completing a
Web-based form. When completing this form, applicants will provide (1)
the applicant organization's name and address, (2) information on the
competitive priority or priorities under which the applicant intends to
apply, (3) schools that will be served through the MSAP grant with NCES
numbers and grades, and (4) MSAP grant writer. Applicants may access
this form online at http://www2.ed.gov/programs/magnet/index.html.
Applicants that do not complete this form may still apply for funding.
Page Limit: The application narrative (Part III of the application)
is where you, the applicant, address the selection criteria and the
competitive preference that reviewers use to evaluate your application.
You are strongly encouraged to limit the application narrative [Part
III] to no more than 100 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 of one of the following fonts is strongly encouraged:
Times New Roman, Courier, Courier New, or Arial.
Include page numbers at the bottom of each page in your
narrative.
The suggested page limit does not apply to the Part I, the cover
sheet; Part II, the budget section, including the narrative budget
justification; Part IV, the assurances, certifications, the
desegregation plan and related information, and the forms used to
respond to Competitive Preference Priority 2--New or revised magnet
schools projects and Competitive Preference Priority 3--Selection of
students; or the one-page abstract, the resumes, or letters of support.
However, the suggested page limit does apply to all of the application
narrative in Part III.
[[Page 77059]]
b. Submission of Proprietary Information:
Given the types of projects that may be proposed in applications
for the MSAP program an application may include business information
that the applicant considers proprietary. The Department's regulations
define ``business information'' in 34 CFR 5.11.
Because we plan to make successful applications available to the
public, you may wish to request confidentiality of business
information.
Consistent with Executive Order 12600, please designate in your
application any information that you feel is exempt from disclosure
under Exemption 4 of the Freedom of Information Act. In the appropriate
Appendix section of your application, under ``Other Attachments Form,''
please list the page number or numbers on which we can find this
information. For additional information please see 34 CFR 5.11(c).
3. Submission Dates and Times:
Applications Available: December 31, 2012.
Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply: January 30, 2013.
Date of Pre-Application Webinar: January 17, 2013.
The Department will hold a pre-application Webinar for prospective
applicants on Tuesday, January 17, 2013, from 1:00 to 4:30 p.m.,
Washington, DC time. The Webinar will discuss the purpose of the MSAP
competitive preference priorities, selection criteria, application
content, submission requirements, and reporting requirements.
Interested parties may obtain information about this Webinar from the
program Web site at http://www2.ed.gov/programs/magnet/index.html. A
recording of this Webinar will be available on the Web site following
the session.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: March 1, 2013.
Applications for grants under this competition must be submitted
electronically using the Grants.gov Apply site (Grants.gov). For
information (including dates and times) about how to submit your
application electronically, or in paper format by mail or hand delivery
if you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission
requirement, please refer to section IV. 7. Other Submission
requirements of this notice.
We do not consider an application that does not comply with the
deadline requirements.
Individuals with disabilities who need an accommodation or
auxiliary aid in connection with the application process should contact
the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT in section VII
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: April 30, 2013.
4. Intergovernmental Review: This program is subject to Executive
Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79. Information about
Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs under Executive Order
12372 is in the application package for this program.
5. Funding Restrictions: We specify unallowable costs in 34 CFR
280.41. We reference additional regulations outlining funding
restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.
6. Data Universal Numbering System Number, Taxpayer Identification
Number, Central Contractor Registry, and System for Award Management:
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)--and, after July 24, 2012, with the System
for Award Management (SAM), the Government's primary registrant
database;
c. Provide your DUNS number and TIN on your application; and
d. Maintain an active CCR or SAM 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 or SAM 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 registration annually. This may take three or more
business days to complete. Information about SAM is available at
SAM.gov.
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 at the
following Grants.gov Web page: www.grants.gov/applicants/get_registered.jsp.
7. Other Submission Requirements: Applications for grants under the
Magnet Schools Assistance Program must be submitted electronically
unless you qualify for an exception to this requirement in accordance
with the instructions in this section.
a. Electronic Submission of Applications.
Applications for grants under the Magnet Schools Assistance
Program, CFDA number 84.165A, 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 Magnet
Schools Assistance Program at www.Grants.gov. You must search for the
downloadable application package for this program Magnet Schools
Assistance Program (MSAP 84.165) by the CFDA number. Do not include the
CFDA number's alpha suffix in your search (e.g., search for 84.165, not
84.165A).
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
[[Page 77060]]
stamped by the Grants.gov system no later than 4:30:00 p.m.,
Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. Except as
otherwise noted in this section, we will not accept your application if
it is received--that is, date and time stamped by the Grants.gov
system--after 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application
deadline date. We do not consider an application that does not comply
with the deadline requirements. When we retrieve your application from
Grants.gov, we will notify you if we are rejecting your application
because it was date and time stamped by the Grants.gov system after
4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date.
The amount of time it can take to upload an application
will vary depending on a variety of factors, including the size of the
application and the speed of your Internet connection. Therefore, we
strongly recommend that you do not wait until the application deadline
date to begin the submission process through Grants.gov.
You should review and follow the Education Submission
Procedures for submitting an application through Grants.gov that are
included in the application package for the Magnet Schools Assistance
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 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: Rosie E. Kelley, U.S.
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW. room 4W227,
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 84.165A), 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.
[[Page 77061]]
(4) Any other proof of mailing acceptable to the Secretary of the
U.S. Department of Education.
If you mail your application through the U.S. Postal Service, we do
not accept either of the following as proof of mailing:
(1) A private metered postmark.
(2) A mail receipt that is not dated by the U.S. Postal Service.
If your application is postmarked after the application deadline
date, we will not consider your application.
Note: The U.S. Postal Service does not uniformly provide a dated
postmark. Before relying on this method, you should check with your
local post office.
c. Submission of Paper Applications by Hand Delivery.
If you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission
requirement, you (or a courier service) may deliver your paper
application to the Department by hand. You must deliver the original
and two copies of your application by hand, on or before the
application deadline date, to the Department at the following address:
U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Center, Attention:
(CFDA Number 84.165A), 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
Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for the MSAP are from 34
CFR 75.209, 34 CFR 280.30, 34 CFR 280.31 and sections 5305(b)(1)(A),
5305(b)(1)(B), 5305(b)(1)(D)(i), 5305(b)(2)(D) of the ESEA. All of the
selection criteria are listed in this section and in the application
package.
The maximum score for all of the selection criteria is 100 points.
The maximum score for each criterion is included in parentheses. Each
criterion also includes the factors that reviewers will consider in
determining the extent to which an applicant meets the criterion.
Points awarded under these selection criteria are in addition to
any points an applicant earns under the competitive preference
priorities in this notice. The maximum score that an application may
receive under the competitive preference priorities and the selection
criteria is 140 points.
(a) Plan of Operation. (30 points)
(1) The Secretary reviews each application to determine the quality
of the plan of operation for the project.
(2) The Secretary determines the extent to which the applicant
demonstrates--
(i) (5 points) The effectiveness of its management plan to ensure
proper and efficient administration of the project;
(ii) (5 points) The effectiveness of its plan to attain specific
outcomes that--
(A) Will accomplish the purposes of the program;
(B) Are attainable within the project period;
(C) Are measurable and quantifiable; and
(D) For multi-year projects, can be used to determine the project's
progress in meeting its intended outcomes;
(iii) (2 points) The effectiveness of its plan for utilizing its
resources and personnel to achieve the objectives of the project,
including how well it utilizes key personnel to complete tasks and
achieve the objectives of the project;
(iv) (3 points) How it will ensure equal access and treatment for
eligible project participants who have been traditionally
underrepresented in courses or activities offered as part of the magnet
school, e.g. women and girls in mathematics, science, or technology
courses, and disabled students; and
(v) (15 points) The effectiveness of its plan to recruit students
from different social, economic, ethnic, and racial backgrounds into
the magnet schools.
(b) Quality of Personnel. (15 points)
(1) The Secretary reviews each application to determine the
qualifications of the personnel the applicant plans to use on the
project.
(2) The Secretary determines the extent to which--
(i) (5 points) The project director (if one is used) is qualified
to manage the project;
(ii) (4 points) Other key personnel are qualified to manage the
project;
(iii) (5 points) Teachers who will provide instruction in
participating magnet schools are qualified to implement the special
curriculum of the magnet schools; and
(iv) (1 point) The applicant, as part of its nondiscriminatory
employment practices, will ensure that its personnel are selected for
employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin,
sex, age, or disability.
(3) To determine personnel qualifications, the Secretary considers
experience and training in fields related to the objectives of the
project, including the key personnel's knowledge of and experience in
curriculum development and desegregation strategies.
(c) Quality of Project Design. (30 points)
(1) The Secretary reviews each application to determine the quality
of the project design based on sections 5305(b)(1)(A), 5305(b)(1)(B),
5305(b)(1)(D)(i), 5305(b)(2)(D) of the ESEA.
(2) The Secretary determines the extent to which each magnet school
for which funding is sought will--
(i) (10 points) Promote desegregation, including how each proposed
magnet school program will increase interaction among students of
different social, economic, ethnic, and racial backgrounds;
(ii) (10 points) Improve student academic achievement for all
students attending each magnet school program, including the manner and
extent to which each magnet school program will increase student
academic achievement in the instructional area or areas offered by the
school; and
(iii) (10 points) Encourage greater parental decision-making and
involvement.
(d) Budget and Resources. (5 points)
The Secretary reviews each application to determine the adequacy of
the resources and the cost-effectiveness of the budget for the project,
including--
(1) (1 points) The adequacy of the facilities that the applicant
plans to use;
(2) (2 points) The adequacy of the equipment and supplies that the
applicant plans to use; and
(3) (2 points) The adequacy and reasonableness of the budget for
the project in relation to the objectives of the project.
(e) Evaluation Plan. (10 points)
The Secretary determines the extent to which the evaluation plan
for the project--
(1) (2 points) Includes methods that are appropriate to the
project;
(2) (6 points) Will determine how successful the project is in
meeting its intended outcomes, including its goals for desegregating
its students and increasing student achievement; and
(3) (2 points) Includes methods that are objective and that will
produce data that are quantifiable.
[[Page 77062]]
(f) Commitment and Capacity. (10 points)
(1) The Secretary reviews each application to determine whether the
applicant is likely to continue the magnet school activities after
assistance under the program is no longer available.
(2) The Secretary determines the extent to which the applicant--
(i) (5 points) Is committed to the magnet schools project; and
(ii) (5 points) Has identified other resources to continue support
for the magnet school activities when assistance under this program is
no longer available.
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) 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: We have established the following six
performance measures for the MSAP:
(a) The percentage of magnet schools receiving assistance whose
student enrollment reduces, eliminates, or prevents minority group
isolation.
(b) The percentage of students from major racial and ethnic groups
in magnet schools receiving assistance who score proficient or above on
State assessments in reading/language arts.
(c) The percentage of students from major racial and ethnic groups
in magnet schools receiving assistance who score proficient or above on
State assessments in mathematics.
(d) The cost per student in a magnet school receiving assistance.
(e) The percentage of magnet schools that received assistance that
are still operating magnet school programs three years after Federal
funding ends.
(f) The percentage of magnet schools that received assistance that
meet the State's annual measurable objectives and, for high schools,
graduation rate targets at least three years after Federal funding
ends.
5. Continuation Awards: In making a continuation award, the
Secretary may consider, under 34 CFR 75.253, the extent to which a
grantee has made ``substantial progress toward meeting the objectives
in its approved application.'' This consideration includes the review
of a grantee's progress in meeting the targets and projected outcomes
in its approved application, and whether the grantee has expended funds
in a manner that is consistent with its approved application and
budget. In making a continuation grant, the Secretary also considers
whether the grantee is operating in compliance with the assurances in
its approved application, including those applicable to Federal civil
rights laws that prohibit discrimination in programs or activities
receiving Federal financial assistance from the Department (34 CFR
100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).
VII. Agency Contact
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rosie Kelley, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., room 4W227, Washington, DC 20202-
5970. Telephone: (202) 453-5601 or by email: msap.team@ed.gov. If you
use a TDD or TTY, call the FRS, 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: December 26, 2012.
James H. Shelton, III,
Assistant Deputy Secretary for Innovation and Improvement.
[FR Doc. 2012-31434 Filed 12-28-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P