[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 93 (Wednesday, May 14, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27580-27586]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-11113]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Applications for New Awards; State Charter School; Facilities
Incentive Grants Program
AGENCY: Office of Innovation and Improvement, Department of Education.
ACTION: Notice.
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Overview Information: State Charter School Facilities Incentive
Grants Program Notice inviting applications for new awards for fiscal
year (FY) 2014.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.282D
DATES:
Applications Available: May 14, 2014.
Date of Pre-Application Webinar: Thursday, May 22, 2014, at 2:00
p.m., Washington, DC time.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: June 30, 2014.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: August 27, 2014
Full Text of Announcement
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Purpose of Program: The State Charter School Facilities Incentive
Grants Program provides grants to eligible States to help them
establish or enhance, and then administer, per-pupil facilities aid
programs for charter schools. States eligible for these grants are
those with per-pupil facilities aid programs that assist charter
schools with their school facility costs.
Priorities: This competition includes three competitive preference
priorities. In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105 (b)(2)(ii), these
priorities are from the regulations for this program (34 CFR 226.13 and
226.14).
Competitive Preference Priorities: For FY 2014 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 award up to an additional
10 points to an application that meets competitive preference priority
1; up to an additional 10 points to an application that meets
competitive preference priority 2; and an additional 20 points to an
application that meets competitive preference priority 3.
These priorities are:
Competitive Preference Priority 1 (10 points). The Secretary will
award up to 10 points to an application under competitive preference
priority 1. The applicant must meet all of the requirements in (a)
through (d) in order to receive the full 10 points. The requirements
are: (a) Periodic Review and Evaluation.
The State provides for periodic review and evaluation by the
authorized public chartering agency of each charter school at least
once every five years, unless required more frequently by State law, to
determine whether the charter school is meeting the terms of the
school's charter and is meeting or exceeding the student academic
performance requirements and goals for charter schools as set forth
under State law or the school's charter.
(b) Number of High-Quality Charter Schools.
The State has demonstrated progress in increasing the number of
high-quality charter schools that are held accountable in the terms of
the schools' charters for meeting clear and measurable objectives for
the educational progress of the students attending the schools, in the
period prior to the period for which the State applies for a grant
under this competition.
Note: The Secretary encourages the applicant to include in its
application an analysis of the number of charter schools meeting and
exceeding State academic targets, as well as the number of charter
schools that have been closed due to academic and operational
performance.
(c) One Authorized Public Chartering Agency Other Than a Local
Educational Agency (LEA), or an Appeals Process.
The State--
(1) Provides for one authorized public chartering agency that is
not a LEA,
[[Page 27581]]
such as a State chartering board, for each individual or entity seeking
to operate a charter school pursuant to State law; or
(2) In the case of a State in which LEAs are the only authorized
public chartering agencies, allows for an appeals process for the
denial of an application for a charter school.
(d) High Degree of Autonomy.
The State ensures that each charter school has a high degree of
autonomy over the charter school's budgets and expenditures.
Competitive Preference Priority 2 (10 points). The Secretary will
award up to 10 points to an application under this competitive
preference priority regarding the capacity of charter schools to offer
public school choice in those communities with the greatest need for
this choice based on--
(1) The extent to which this applicant would target services to
geographic areas in which a large proportion or number of public
schools have been identified for improvement, corrective action, or
restructuring under Title 1 of the Elementary and Secondary Education
Act of 1965, as amended (ESEA).
Note: In order for a State with an approved request for ESEA
flexibility to receive points under this competitive preference
priority, the State should target geographic areas in which a large
proportion or number of public schools have been identified as
priority or focus schools or belong to a subset of other Title I
schools specifically identified as low-achieving under the State's
approved ESEA flexibility request (see the June 7, 2012, ``ESEA
Flexibility'' document at www.ed.gov/esea/flexibility). The State
should also describe how its proposed project is consistent with the
efforts to serve students attending priority or focus schools
described in its approved request for ESEA flexibility.
(2) The extent to which the applicant would target services to
geographic areas in which a large proportion of students perform poorly
on State academic assessments; and
(3) The extent to which the applicant would target services to
communities with large proportions of low-income students.
Competitive Preference Priority 3 (20 points). The Secretary will
award an additional 20 points to an application under a competitive
preference priority for applicants that have not previously received a
grant under this program.
Definitions: The following definitions are from 34 CFR 77.1(c):
Ambitious means promoting continued, meaningful improvement for
program participants or for other individuals or entities affected by
the grant, or representing a significant advancement in the field of
education research, practices, or methodologies. When used to describe
a performance target, whether a performance target is ambitious depends
upon the context of the relevant performance measure and the baseline
for that measure.
Logic model (also referred to as theory of action) means a well-
specified conceptual framework that identifies key components of the
proposed process, product, strategy, or practice (i.e., the active
``ingredients'' that are hypothesized to be critical to achieving the
relevant outcomes) and describes the relationships among the key
components and outcomes, theoretically and operationally.
Performance measure means any quantitative indicator, statistic, or
metric used to gauge program or project performance.
Performance target means a level of performance that an applicant
would seek to meet during the course of a project or as a result of a
project.
Relevant outcome means the student outcome(s) (or the ultimate
outcome if not related to students) the proposed process, product,
strategy, or practice is designed to improve; consistent with the
specific goals of a program.
Strong theory means a rationale for the proposed process, product,
strategy, or practice that includes a logic model.
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 7221d(b).
Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80,
81, 82, 84, 86, 97, 98, and 99. (b) The Education Department debarment
and suspension regulations in 2 CFR part 3485. (c) The regulations for
this program in 34 CFR part 226.
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 to institutions of
higher education only.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
Estimated Available Funds: $11,000,000.
Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of
applications, we may make additional awards in FY 2015 from the list of
unfunded applicants from this competition.
Note: The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014 states that
``funds available for part B of title V of the ESEA may be used for
grants that support preschool education in charter schools.'' An
application submitted under this competition may propose to use CSP
funds to support preschool education in a charter school, provided
that the charter school meets the definition of ``charter school''
in section 5210(1) of the ESEA, including the requirement that the
charter school provide a program of elementary or secondary
education, or both. Under section 9101(18) of the ESEA, ``elementary
school'' means a nonprofit institutional day or residential school,
including a public elementary charter school, that provides
elementary education, as determined under State law. In a number of
States, preschool education is part of elementary education under
State law. In such States, CSP funds may be used to support
preschool education in charter schools (as defined in section
5210(1)) that provide elementary or secondary education beyond
preschool, as well as in charter schools that provide only preschool
education. In States in which preschool education is not part of
elementary education under State law, CSP funds may be used to
support preschool education so long as the preschool program is
offered as part of a school that meets the definition of ``charter
school'' in section 5210(1)--that is, the school provides elementary
or secondary education, or both. Thus, in States in which preschool
education is not part of elementary education under State law, CSP
funds may not be used to support charter schools that provide only
preschool education. In Spring 2014, the Department plans to release
nonregulatory guidance that will provide additional information
about how CSP funds may be used to support preschool education in
charter schools. Please continue to check the CSP Web site for
updates.
Estimated Range of Awards: $1,000,000 to $10,000,000.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $5,500,000.
Estimated Number of Awards: 1-3.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this
notice.
Project Period: Up to 60 months.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants: States that have enacted a law authorizing
per-pupil facilities aid for charter schools.
2.a. Cost Sharing or Matching: Under section 5205(b)(2)(C) of the
ESEA, States, or parties that are closely collaborating with them, are
required to provide matching funds. The minimum non-Federal share of
the total cost of the project increases each year of the grant, from 10
percent the first year to 80 percent in the fifth year.
Applicants that are initially selected to receive grants will not
receive grant funds unless they demonstrate, by September 1, 2014, that
they will be able to fund the non-Federal share of the matching funds
required under this program. The Department reserves the right to
reject an application if an initial recipient does not demonstrate that
it will have the required non-Federal funding by this date.
[[Page 27582]]
b. Supplement-Not-Supplant: This program involves supplement-not-
supplant funding requirements. Under section 5205(b)(3)(C) of the ESEA
(20 U.S.C. 7221d(b)(3)(C)), program funds must be used to supplement,
and not supplant, State and local public funds expended to provide per-
pupil facilities aid programs, operations financing programs, or other
programs, for charter schools. Therefore, the Federal funds provided
under this program, as well as the matching funds provided by the
grantee, must be in addition to the State and local funds that would
otherwise be used for this purpose in the absence of this Federal
program. The Department generally considers that State and local funds
would be available for this purpose at least in the amount of the funds
that was available in the preceding year and that the Federal funds and
matching funds under this program would supplement that amount.
3. Other: The charter schools that a grantee selects to benefit
from this program must meet the definition of a ``charter school'' in
the Charter Schools Program authorizing statute throughout the grant
period. The definitions of ``charter school,'' ``per-pupil facilities
aid programs,'' and ``authorized public chartering agency'' are in
sections 5205(b) and 5210(1) of the ESEA.
IV. Application and Submission Information
1. Address to Request Application Package: Kristin Lundholm, U.S.
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 4W221,
Washington, DC 20202-5970. Telephone: (202) 205-4352 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.a. Content and Form of Application Submission: Requirements
concerning the content of an application, together with the forms you
must submit, are in the application package for this program.
Page Limit: The application narrative is where you, the applicant,
address the selection criteria that reviewers use to evaluate your
application. Applicants are encouraged to limit their application
narrative to no more than 40 pages (not including the required forms
and tables), 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.
Furthermore, applicants are strongly encouraged to include a table
of contents that specifies where each required part of the application
is located.
b. Submission of Proprietary Information: Given the types of
projects that may be proposed in applications for the State Charter
School Facilities Incentive Grants 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 Attachment 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: May 14, 2014.
Date of Pre-Application Webinar: The Department will hold a pre-
application Webinar for prospective applicants on the following date:
Thursday, May 22, 2014, at 2:00 p.m., Washington, DC time.
Individuals interested in attending the Webinar are encouraged to
pre-register by emailing their name, organization, contact information,
and preferred Webinar date and time with the subject heading STATE
INCENTIVE PRE-APPLICATION MEETING to [email protected]. There is
no registration fee for attending the pre-application Webinar.
For further information about the pre-application Webinar, contact
Kristin Lundholm, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue
SW., Room 4W221, Washington, DC 20202-5970. Telephone: (202) 205-4352
or by email: [email protected].
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: June 30, 2014.
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, 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 27, 2014.
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
75.533. We reference additional regulations outlining funding
restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.
6. Data Universal Numbering System Number, Taxpayer Identification
Number, and 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 System for Award
Management (SAM) (formerly 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 SAM registration with current information
while your application is under review by the Department and, if you
are
[[Page 27583]]
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-to-two business days.
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 SAM registration process can take approximately seven business
days, but may take upwards of several weeks, depending on the
completeness and accuracy of the data entered into the SAM database by
an entity. Thus, if you think you might want to apply for Federal
financial assistance under a program administered by the Department,
please allow sufficient time to obtain and register your DUNS number
and TIN. We strongly recommend that you register early.
Note: Once your SAM registration is active, you will need to
allow 24 to 48 hours for the information to be available in
Grants.gov and before you can submit an application through
Grants.gov.
If you are currently registered with SAM, 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.
Information about SAM is available at www.SAM.gov. To further
assist you with obtaining and registering your DUNS number and TIN in
SAM or updating your existing SAM account, we have prepared a SAM.gov
Tip Sheet, which you can find at: http://www2.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/sam-faqs.html.
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/web/grants/register.html.
7. Other Submission Requirements: Applications for grants under
this program must be submitted electronically unless you qualify for an
exception to this requirement in accordance with the instructions in
this section.
a. Electronic Submission of Applications.
Applications for grants under the State Charter School Facilities
Incentive Grants Program, CFDA number 84.282D, 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 State
Charter School Facilities Incentive Grants Program 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 84.282D).
Please note the following:
When you enter the Grants.gov site, you will find
information about submitting an application electronically through the
site, as well as the hours of operation.
Applications received by Grants.gov are date and time
stamped. Your application must be fully uploaded and submitted and must
be date and time stamped by the Grants.gov system no later than 4:30:00
p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. Except as
otherwise noted in this section, we will not accept your application if
it is received--that is, date and time stamped by the Grants.gov
system--after 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application
deadline date. We do not consider an application that does not comply
with the deadline requirements. When we retrieve your application from
Grants.gov, we will notify you if we are rejecting your application
because it was date and time stamped by the Grants.gov system after
4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date.
The amount of time it can take to upload an application
will vary depending on a variety of factors, including the size of the
application and the speed of your Internet connection. Therefore, we
strongly recommend that you do not wait until the application deadline
date to begin the submission process through Grants.gov.
You should review and follow the Education Submission
Procedures for submitting an application through Grants.gov that are
included in the application package for this 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
[[Page 27584]]
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: Kristin Lundholm, U.S.
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 4W221,
Washington, DC 20202-5970. FAX: (202) 250-5630.
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 84.282D)
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: (CFDA Number 84.282D)
550 12th Street SW.,
Room 7039, 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 and factors for this
program are from the program regulations in 34 CFR 226.12 and the
general selection criteria in 34 CFR 75.210. The selection criteria and
factors are also listed in this section. The maximum score for all of
the selection criteria is 100 points. The maximum score for each
criterion is indicated in parentheses. Each criterion also includes the
factors that the reviewers will consider to determine how well an
application meets the criterion. We encourage applicants to make
explicit connections to the selection criteria and factors in their
applications.
(a) Need for facility funding (30 points).
(1) The need for per-pupil charter school facility funding in the
State.
(2) The extent to which the proposal meets the need to fund charter
school facilities on a per-pupil basis.
(b) Quality of plan (30 points).
(1) The likelihood that the proposed grant project will result in
the State either retaining a new per-pupil facilities aid program or
continuing to enhance such a program without the total amount of
assistance (State and Federal) declining over a five-year period.
[[Page 27585]]
(2) The flexibility charter schools have in their use of facility
funds for the various authorized purposes.
(3) The quality of the plan for identifying charter schools and
determining their eligibility to receive funds.
(4) The per-pupil facilities aid formula's ability to target
resources to charter schools with the greatest need and the highest
proportions of students in poverty.
(5) For projects that plan to reserve funds for evaluation, the
quality of the applicant's plan to use grant funds for this purpose.
(6) For projects that plan to reserve funds for technical
assistance, dissemination, or personnel, the quality of the applicant's
plan to use grant funds for these purposes.
(7) The extent to which the proposed project is supported by strong
theory (as defined in this notice).
Note: The applicant should review the Performance Measures
section of this notice for information on the requirements for
developing project-specific performance measures and targets
consistent with the objectives of the program.
(c) The grant project team (10 points).
(1) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience,
of the project manager and other members of the grant project team,
including employees not paid with grant funds, consultants, and
subcontractors.
(2) The adequacy and appropriateness of the applicant's staffing
plan for the grant project.
(d) The budget (10 points).
(1) The extent to which the requested grant amount and the project
costs are reasonable in relation to the objectives, design, and
potential significance of the proposed grant project.
(2) The extent to which the costs are reasonable in relation to the
number of students served and to the anticipated results and benefits.
(3) The extent to which the non-Federal share exceeds the minimum
percentages (which are based on the percentages under section
5205(b)(2)(C) of the ESEA), particularly in the initial years of the
program.
(e) Quality of project evaluation (10 points).
(1) The Secretary considers the quality of the evaluation to be
conducted of the proposed project.
(2) In determining the quality of the evaluation, the Secretary
considers the extent to which--
(i) The methods of evaluation are thorough, feasible, and
appropriate to the goals, objectives, and outcomes of the proposed
project.
(ii) The methods of evaluation will provide performance feedback
and permit periodic assessment of progress toward achieving intended
outcomes.
(iii) The methods of evaluation will provide valid and reliable
performance data on relevant outcomes.
(f) State experience (10 points).
The experience of the State in addressing the facility needs of
charter schools through various means, including providing per-pupil
aid, access to State loan or bonding pools, and the use of Qualified
Zone Academy Bonds.
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).
Additional factors we consider in selecting an application for an
award are in 34 CFR 226.13 and 226.14.
Note: As described in 34 CFR 226.14(c), the Secretary may elect
to consider the points awarded under the competitive preference
priorities only for proposals that exhibit sufficient quality to
warrant funding under the selection criteria.
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); or we may send you an email containing a link to
access an electronic version of your 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:
(a) Program Performance Measures. The performance measure for this
program is the ratio of funds leveraged by States for charter school
facilities to funds awarded by the Department under the State Charter
School Facilities Incentive Grants Program.
(b) Project-Specific Performance Measures. Applicants must propose
project-specific performance measures and performance targets
consistent with the objectives of the project and program. Applications
must provide the following information as directed under 34 CFR
75.110(b):
(1) Project Performance Measures. How each proposed project-
specific performance measure would accurately measure the performance
of the project and how the proposed project-specific performance
measure would be consistent with the performance measures established
for the program funding the competition.
(2) Project Performance Targets. Why each proposed performance
target is
[[Page 27586]]
ambitious yet achievable compared to the baseline for the performance
measure and when, during the project period, the applicant would meet
the performance target(s).
Note: The Secretary encourages the applicant to consider
measures and targets tied to the applicant's grant activities during
the grant period. The measures should be sufficient to gauge the
progress throughout the grant period, show results by the end of the
grant period, and be included in the logic model.
For technical assistance in developing effective performance
measures, applicants are encouraged to review information provided by
the Department's Regional Educational Laboratories (RELs). The RELs
seek to build the capacity of States and school districts to
incorporate data and research into education decision-making. Each REL
provides research support and technical assistance to its region but
makes learning opportunities available to educators everywhere. For
example, the REL Pacific has developed an electronic program that
guides users through the processes of designing logic models, which is
available at: http://relpacific.mcrel.org/ELM.html.
(3) The applicant must also describe in the application:
(i) The data collection and reporting methods the applicant would
use and why those methods are likely to yield reliable, valid, and
meaningful performance data, and
(ii) The applicant's capacity to collect and report reliable,
valid, and meaningful performance data, as evidenced by high-quality
data collection, analysis, and reporting in other projects or research.
Note: If the applicant does not have experience with collection
and reporting of performance data through other projects or
research, it should provide other evidence of its capacity to
successfully carry out data collection and reporting for their
proposed project.
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: Kristin Lundholm, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 4W221, Washington, DC 20202-
5970. Telephone: (202) 205-4352 or by email: [email protected].
If you use a TDD or a TTY, 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: May 9, 2014.
Nadya Chinoy Dabby,
Assistant Deputy Secretary for Innovation and Improvement.
[FR Doc. 2014-11113 Filed 5-14-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P