[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 101 (Thursday, May 25, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27836-27854]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-12788]
[[Page 27835]]
_______________________________________________________________________
Part IV
Department of Education
_______________________________________________________________________
Parental Assistance Program; Notice
Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 101 / Thursday, May 25, 1995 /
Notices
[[Page 27836]]
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
[CFDA No.: 84.310A]
Parental Assistance Program; Notice Inviting Applications for New
Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 1995
Note to Applicants: This notice is a complete application package.
Together with the statute authorizing the program and the Education
Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR), the notice
contains all of the information, application requirements, and
instructions needed to apply for a grant under this competition.
Purpose of Program: To assist nonprofit organizations, and
nonprofit organizations in consortia with local educational agencies
(LEAs), in establishing parental information and resource centers that
would (1) increase parents' knowledge of and confidence in child-
rearing activities, such as teaching and nurturing their young
children; (2) strengthen partnerships between parents and professionals
in meeting the educational needs of children aged birth through five
and the working relationship between home and school; and (3) enhance
the developmental progress of the children assisted under the program.
Eligible Applicants: Nonprofit organizations, and nonprofit
organizations in consortia with LEAs.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: July 7, 1995.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: September 7, 1995.
Available Funds: Approximately $10 million.
Estimated Range of Awards: $50,000 to $500,000.
(Note: Due to anticipated variances in the breadth of proposed
activities, the estimated range is very broad.)
Estimated Number of Awards: 44.
Note: These estimates are projections for the guidance of
potential applicants. The Department of Education is not bound by
any estimates in this notice.
Project Period: Up to 48 months.
Applicable Regulations: The Education Department General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) as follows:
(1) 34 CFR Part 74 (Administration of Grants to Institutions of
Higher Education, Hospitals, and Nonprofit Organizations).
(2) 34 CFR Part 75 (Direct Grant Programs).
(3) 34 CFR Part 77 (Definitions that Apply to Department
Regulations).
(4) 34 CFR Part 79 (Intergovernmental Review of Department of
Education Programs and Activities).
(5) 34 CFR Part 81 (General Education Provisions Act--Enforcement).
(6) 34 CFR Part 82 (New Restrictions on Lobbying).
(7) 34 CFR Part 85 (Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension
(Nonprocurement) and Governmentwide Requirements for Drug-Free
Workplace (Grants)).
(8) 34 CFR Part 86 (Drug-Free Schools and Campuses).
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR Part 80 (Uniform Administrative
Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements to State and
Local Governments) apply to an LEA that is part of a consortium
receiving assistance.
Supplementary Information: Increased parental involvement and
participation in the social, emotional and academic growth of children
is an essential part of comprehensive education reform. Title IV of the
Goals 2000: Educate America Act (Pub. L. 103-227) (20 U.S.C 5801 et
seq.) (the Act) helps foster parental involvement by authorizing grants
to nonprofit organizations, and nonprofit organizations in consortia
with LEAs, to establish and fund parent information and resource
centers. These centers will provide training, information, and support
to (a) parents of children aged birth through five years; (b) parents
of children enrolled in elementary and secondary schools; and (c)
individuals who work with these parents.
Grant funds received under this program may be used for the
following purposes:
(1) For parent training, information, and support programs that
assist parents to--
(a) Better understand their children's educational needs;
(b) Provide followup for their children's educational achievement;
(c) Communicate more effectively with teachers, counselors,
administrators, and other professional educators and support staff;
(d) Participate in the design and provision of assistance to
students who are not making adequate educational progress;
(e) Obtain information about the range of options, programs,
services, and resources available at the national, State, and local
levels to assist parents of children aged birth through five years, and
parents of children in elementary and secondary schools;
(f) Seek technical assistance regarding compliance with the
requirements of title IV and of other Federal programs relevant to
achieving the National Education Goals;
(g) Participate in State and local decisionmaking;
(h) Train other parents; and
(i) Plan, implement, and fund activities that coordinate the
education of their children with other Federal programs that serve
their children or their families.
(2) To include State or local educational personnel where such
participation will further the activities assisted under the grant.
Entities are encouraged to develop and implement their projects
through broad-based outreach and collaborative processes that reflect
the diverse needs of parents to be served. The Secretary is especially
interested in receiving applications from eligible entities that would
facilitate and support opportunities for broad-based participation of
communities and parents in the project from throughout the State or
throughout a large area of the State, including--
(i) Areas with high concentrations of low-income families;
(ii) Urban and rural areas; and
(iii) Parents of children who are low-income, minority, or have
limited English proficiency.
The Secretary believes that a meritorious proposal might also
describe how the applicant would coordinate project activities with the
activities being conducted by other organizations and agencies, parent
centers, and parent groups. The Secretary invites applications from
eligible entities that would provide training, information, and support
to parents who reside in communities that are developing or
implementing a comprehensive education reform plan in which family
involvement is an integral strategy, such as those communities
supported by a national leadership grant under section 314(b)(1) of
Goals 2000, by a subgrant under section 309(a) of the Act, or by other
funds. In developing proposals for increasing the involvement of
parents in their children's learning and for strengthening partnerships
between parents and educational professionals, applicants might
consider issues such as the following:
(1) How the participating communities have assessed or propose to
assess the interests and needs of parents in these communities,
particularly the interests and needs of parents of low-income,
minority, and limited English proficient children, in order to provide
services that meet their needs.
(2) How parent groups, schools, and organizations and agencies in
the local communities would collaborate to initiate or expand
opportunities for parents to be involved in their
[[Page 27837]] children's learning and strengthen their relationships
in order to meet the educational needs of children.
(3) How the applicant organization and participating communities
will use information currently available concerning best practices in
parent and family involvement activities to meet parents' information,
training, and support needs.
(4) How participating communities will implement activities that
enable parents to engage in learning activities with their children at
home and at school.
(5) How the applicant organization would establish, expand, or
otherwise participate in a broad-based Statewide or areawide network of
parents, school personnel, business and community leaders,
organizations that work with parents and their children, and others as
appropriate, that helps the communities participating in the project as
well as other communities learn from and support each other.
Geographic Distribution of Funds:
The Secretary will ensure that grants awarded under this
competition will be distributed, to the greatest extent possible, to
all geographic regions of the country.
Program Requirements:
Each grantee receiving funding under this program must--
(A)(i) Be governed by a board of directors the membership of which
includes parents; or
(ii) Be an organization that represents the interests of parents;
(B) Establish a special advisory committee the membership of
which--
(i) Includes--
(I) Parents of children aged birth through five years, and parents
of children enrolled in elementary and secondary schools; and
(II) Representatives of educational professionals with expertise in
improving services for disadvantaged children; and
(ii) Is broadly representative of minority, low-income, and other
individuals and groups that have an interest in compensatory education
and family literacy;
(C) Use at least one-half of the funds provided under this Act in
each fiscal year to serve areas with high concentrations of low-income
families in order to serve parents who are severely educationally or
economically disadvantaged;
(D) Operate a center of sufficient size, scope, and quality to
ensure that the center is adequate to serve the parents in the area;
(E) Serve both urban and rural areas;
(F) Design a center that meets the unique training, information,
and support needs of parents of children aged birth through five years,
and of parents of children enrolled in elementary and secondary
schools, particularly parents who are economically or educationally
disadvantaged;
(G) Demonstrate the capacity and expertise to conduct the effective
training information and support activities for which assistance is
sought;
(H) Network with--
(i) Clearinghouses;
(ii) Parent centers for the parents of infants, toddlers, children,
and youth with disabilities served under section 631(e) of the
Individuals with Disabilities Act;
(iii) Other organizations and agencies;
(iv) Established national, State, and local parent groups
representing the full range of parents of children, aged birth through
five years; and
(v) Parents of children enrolled in elementary and secondary
schools;
(I) Focus on serving parents of children aged birth through five
years, and parents of children enrolled in elementary and secondary
schools, who are parents of low-income, minority, and limited-English
proficient, children; and
(J) Use part of the funds received under this program to establish,
expand, or operate Parents as Teachers programs or Home Instructions
for Preschool Youngsters programs, as defined in section 405 of the
Act.
Each application for assistance must include assurances that the
grantee will comply with these requirements.
To be eligible for a continuation award, in each fiscal year after
the first fiscal year a grantee receives assistance under this program,
the grantee must demonstrate that a portion of the services provided by
the grantee is supported through non-Federal contributions, which
contributions may be in cash or in kind.
Selection Criteria
The Secretary will use the selection criteria in 34 CFR 75.210 to
evaluate applications under this competition. The Secretary assigns the
15 points that are reserved in 34 CFR 75.210(c) as follows: 10
additional points to selection criterion (2)--Extent of need for the
project--for a total of 30 points for that criterion; and 5 additional
points to criterion (3)--Plan of operation--for a total of 20 points
for that criterion.
The maximum score for all of the criteria totals 100 points. The
maximum score for each criterion is indicated in parentheses with the
criterion. The criteria are as follows:
(1) Meeting the purposes of the authorizing statute. (30 points)
The Secretary reviews each application to determine how well the
project will meet the purposes of the authorizing statute (i.e., title
IV of the Goals 2000: Educate America Act), including consideration
of--
(i) The objectives of the project; and
(ii) How the objectives of the project further the purposes of the
authorizing statute.
(2) Extent of need for the project. (30 points) The Secretary
reviews each application to determine the extent to which the project
meets specific needs recognized in the statute that authorizes the
program, including consideration of:
(i) The needs addressed by the project;
(ii) How the applicant identified those needs;
(iii) How those needs will be met by the project; and
(iv) The benefits to be gained by meeting those needs.
(3) Plan of operation. (20 points) The Secretary reviews each
application to determine the quality of the plan of operation for the
project, including--
(i) The quality of the design of the project;
(ii) The extent to which the plan of management is effective and
ensures proper and efficient administration of the project;
(iii) How well the objectives of the project relate to the purpose
of the program;
(iv) The quality of the applicant's plan to use its resources and
personnel to achieve each objective; and
(v) How the applicant will ensure that project participants who are
otherwise eligible to participate are selected without regard to race,
color, national origin, gender, age, or disability.
(4) Quality of key personnel. (7 points)
(i) The Secretary reviews each application to determine the quality
of key personnel the applicant plans to use on the project, including--
(A) The qualifications of the project director (if one is to be
used);
(B) The qualifications of each of the other key personnel to be
used in the project;
(C) The time that each person referred to in paragraphs (4)(i) (A)
and (B) will commit to the project; and
(D) How the applicant, as part of its nondiscriminatory employment
practices, will ensure that its personnel are selected for employment
without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, age, or
disability. [[Page 27838]]
(ii) To determine personnel qualifications under paragraphs (4)(i)
(A) and (B), the Secretary considers:
(A) Experience and training in fields related to the objectives of
the project; and
(B) Any other qualifications that pertain to the quality of the
project.
(5) Budget and effectiveness. (5 points) The Secretary reviews each
application to determine the extent to which:
(i) The budget is adequate to support the project; and
(ii) Costs are reasonable in relation to the objectives of the
project.
(6) Evaluation plan. (5 points) The Secretary reviews each
application to determine the quality of the evaluation plan for the
project, including the extent to which the applicant's methods of
evaluation:
(i) Are appropriate to the project; and
(ii) To the extent possible, are objective and produce data that
are quantifiable.
(7) Adequacy of resources. (3 points) The Secretary reviews each
application to determine the adequacy of the resources that the
applicant plans to devote to the project, including facilities,
equipment, and supplies.
Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs
This program is subject to the requirements of Executive Order
12372 (Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs) and the
regulations in 34 CFR Part 79.
The objective of the Executive order is to foster an
intergovernmental partnership and to strengthen federalism by relying
on State and local processes for State and local government
coordination and review of proposed Federal financial assistance.
Applicants must contact the appropriate State Single Point of
Contact to find out about, and to comply with, the State's process
under Executive Order 12372. Applicants proposing to perform activities
in more than one State should immediately contact the Single Point of
Contact for each of those States and follow the procedure established
in each State under the Executive order. If you want to know the name
and address of any State Single Point of Contact, see the list
published in the Federal Register on March 31, 1995 (60 FR 16713).
In States that have not established a process or chosen a program
for review, State, areawide, regional, and local entities may submit
comments directly to the Department.
Any State Process Recommendation and other comments submitted by a
State Single Point of Contact and any comments from State, areawide,
regional, and local entities must be mailed or hand-delivered by the
date indicated in this notice to the following address: The Secretary,
E.O. 12372--CFDA# 84.310, U.S. Department of Education, room 6300, 600
Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20202.
Proof of mailing will be determined on the same basis as
applications (see 34 CFR 75.102). Recommendations or comments may be
hand-delivered until 4:30 p.m. (Washington, DC time) on the date
indicated in this notice.
Please Note That the Above Address Is Not the Same Address as the
One to Which the Applicant Submits Its Completed Application. Do Not
Send Applications to the Above Address.
Instructions for Transmittal of Applications
(a) If an applicant wants to apply for a grant, the applicant
shall--
(1) Mail the original and two copies of the application on or
before the deadline date to: U.S. Department of Education, Application
Control Center, Attention: (CFDA #84.310), Washington, DC 20202-4725 or
(2) Hand deliver the original and two copies of the application by
4:30 p.m. (Washington, DC time) on the deadline date to: U.S.
Department of Education, Application Control Center, Attention: (CFDA
#84.310), room #3633, Regional Office Building #3, 7th and D Streets,
SW., Washington, DC.
(b) An applicant must show one of the following as proof of
mailing:
(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.
(c) If an application is mailed through the U.S. Postal Service,
the Secretary does 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.
Notes: (1) The U.S. Postal Service does not uniformly provide a
dated postmark. Before relying on this method, an applicant should
check with its local post office.
(2) The Application Control Center will mail a Grant Application
Receipt Acknowledgment to each applicant. If an applicant fails to
receive the notification of application receipt within 15 days from
the date of mailing the application, the applicant should call the
U.S. Department of Education Application Control Center at (202)
708-9494.
(3) The applicant must indicate on the envelope and--if not
provided by the Department--in Item 10 of the Application for
Federal Assistance (Standard Form 424) the CFDA number--and suffix
letter, if any--of the competition under which the application is
being submitted.
Application Instructions and Forms
The appendix to this application is divided into three parts plus a
statement regarding estimated public reporting burden and various
assurances and certifications. These parts and additional materials are
organized in the same manner that the submitted application should be
organized. The parts and additional materials are as follows:
Part I: Application for Federal Assistance (Standard Form 424 (Rev.
4-88)) and instructions.
Part II: Budget Information--Non-Construction Programs (Standard
Form 524A) and instructions.
Part III: Application Narrative.
Additional Materials
Estimated Public Reporting Burden.
Assurances--Non-Construction Programs (Standard Form 424B).
Certifications regarding Lobbying; Debarment, Suspension, and Other
Responsibility Matters; and Drug-Free Workplace Requirements (ED 80-
0013).
Certification regarding Debarment, Suspension, Ineligibility and
Voluntary Exclusion: Lower Tier Covered Transactions (ED 80-0014, 9/90)
and instructions.
(Note: ED 80-0014 is intended for the use of grantees and should not
be transmitted to the Department.)
Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (Standard Form LLL) (if
applicable) and instructions; and Disclosure of Lobbying Activities
Continuation Sheet (Standard Form LLL-A).
An applicant may submit information on a photostatic copy of the
application and budget forms, the assurances, and the certifications.
However, the application form, the assurances, and the certifications
must each have an original signature. No grant may be awarded unless a
completed application form has been received.
Application Workshops
The Department will conduct workshops to provide assistance to
potential applicants concerning requirements of the authorizing statute
and the application process. However, applicants are encouraged to
begin preparation of their applications immediately upon receipt of
this application package. [[Page 27839]]
The workshops will be held on the following dates and at the
following locations. Pre-registration is suggested.
Monday, June 12, 1995, 10:00 am to 3:00 pm, Federal Building, Room
16350, 3535 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, (215) 596-0175
Wednesday, June 14, 1995, 10:00 am to 3:00 pm, El Centro Community
College, Main & Lamar (Lamar entrance), A Building, 5th floor, Room
A525, Dallas, TX 75201, (214) 767-3626
Friday, June 16, 1995, 10:00 am to 3:00 pm, Federal Building, Room 205,
50 United Nations Plaza, San Francisco, CA 94102, (415) 556-4920
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Patricia Gore, U.S. Department of
Education, 600 Independence Avenue, S.W., Portals Building, Room 4000,
Washington, D.C. 20202-6135. Telephone: (202) 401-0039. Individuals who
use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal
Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 between 8 a.m. and 8
p.m., Eastern time.
Information about the Department's funding opportunities, including
copies of application notices for discretionary grant competitions, can
be viewed on the Department's electronic bulletin board (ED Board),
telephone (202) 260-9950; or on the Internet Gopher Server at
GOPHER.ED.GOV (under Announcements, Bulletins, and Press Releases).
However, the official application notice for a discretionary grant
competition is the notice published in the Federal Register.
Program Authority: Title IV of the Goals 2000: Educate America
Act, 20 U.S.C. 5911 et seq.
Dated: May 19, 1995.
Thomas W. Payzant,
Assistant Secretary, Elementary and Secondary Education.
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Instructions for Part III Application Narrative
Before preparing the Application Narrative an applicant should read
carefully the authorizing statute and the information in this notice,
including the selection criteria the Secretary uses to evaluate
applications.
The narrative should encompass each function or activity for which
funds are being requested and should--
1. Begin with an Abstract; that is, a summary of the proposed
project;
2. Describe the proposed project in light of each of the selection
criteria in the order in which the criteria are listed in this
application; and
3. Include any other pertinent information that might assist the
Secretary in reviewing the application.
The Secretary strongly requests the applicant to limit the
Application Narrative to no more than 20 double-spaced, typed (on one
side only), although the Secretary will consider applications of
greater length. The Department has found that successful applications
for similar programs generally meet this page limit.
Instructions for Estimated Public Reporting Burden
Under terms of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980, as amended, and
the regulations implementing that Act, the Department of Education
invites comment on the public reporting burden in this collection of
information. Public reporting burden for this collection of information
is estimated to average 48 hours per response, including the time for
reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and
maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the
collection of information. You may send comments regarding this burden
estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information,
including suggestions for reducing this burden, to the U.S. Department
of Education, Information Management and Compliance Division,
Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C. 20202-4651; and to the Office of
Management and Budget, Paperwork Reduction Project, 1810-0578),
Washington, D.C. 20503.
(Information collection approved under OMB control number 1810-0578.
Expiration date: 5/31/98.)
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[FR Doc. 95-12788 Filed 5-24-95; 8:45 am]
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