Regional Technical Support and Professional Development Consortia for Technology (later referenced as Regional Technology Consortia), Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year 1995

[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 91 (Thursday, May 11, 1995)]

[Notices]

[Pages 25572-25591]

From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

[FR Doc No: 95-11668]

[[Page 25571]]

_______________________________________________________________________

Part VII

Department of Education

_______________________________________________________________________

Regional Technical Support and Professional Development Consortia for

Technology Transfer; Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year 1995;

Notice

Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 91 / Thursday, May 11, 1995 / Notices

[[Page 25572]]

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[CFDA No. 84.302A]

Regional Technical Support and Professional Development Consortia

for Technology (later referenced as Regional Technology Consortia),

Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year 1995

Note to Applicants: This notice is a complete application package.

Together with the statute authorizing the program and applicable

regulations governing the program, including the Education Department

General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR), this notice contains all of

the information, application forms, and instructions needed to apply

for a cooperative agreement under this competition.

Purpose of Program: To help States, local educational agencies,

teachers, school library and media personnel, administrators and other

education entities successfully integrate advanced technologies into

kindergarten through 12th grade classrooms, library media centers, and

other educational settings (including adult literacy centers). In

providing such help, consortia receiving funds under this program

shall: (a) Establish and conduct regional activities that address

professional development, technical assistance, and information

resource dissemination to promote the effective use of technology in

education, with special emphasis on meeting the documented needs of

educators and learners in the region they serve; and (b) foster

regional cooperation and resource and coursework sharing.

Eligible Applicants: Recipients of cooperative agreement awards

under this notice shall be regional entities or consortia (later

referenced simply as consortium). Each Regional Technology Consortium

shall be composed of State educational agencies, institutions of higher

education, nonprofit organizations, or a combination thereof. For

example, for the purposes of this program, a consortium may include:

(a) An already defined ``regional entity'' such as the Eisenhower

Mathematics and Science Regional Consortia, the Regional Educational

Laboratories, the Comprehensive Regional Assistance Centers, or a

similar regional entity whether designated and funded by the Department

or by another agency;

(b) A combination of two or more of these already defined regional

entities;

(c) A combination of one or more of these regional entities in

addition to any State educational agencies, institutions of higher

education, or nonprofit organizations; or

(d) State educational agencies, institutions of higher education,

nonprofit organizations, or a combination thereof.

Furthermore, each applicant must show that it can serve all

geographic areas under one of the six regions identified below:

Northwest Region: Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington State, and

Wyoming

Southwest and Pacific Region: Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada,

New Mexico, and Utah; American Samoa, Commonwealth of Northern Mariana

Islands, Federal States of Micronesia, Guam, Hawaii, Republic of Palau,

and Republic of Marshall Islands

North Central Region: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota,

North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin

South Central Region: Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas

Northeast: Delaware, Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, Maine, New

Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island,

Vermont, and Washington, D.C.

Southeast & Islands Region: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia,

Kentucky, Louisiana, North Carolina, Mississippi, South Carolina,

Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia; Puerto Rico, and the Virgin

Islands

One award will be made for each geographic region.

Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: June 30, 1995.

Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: August 30, 1995.

Available Funds: $9,900,000--Subsequent funding of $10 million per

year is anticipated.

Estimated Range of Awards: $1,200,000-$2,100,000.

Estimated Average Size of Awards: $1,650,000.

Estimated Number of Awards: 6.

Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this

notice.

Project Period: Up to 60 months.

Budget Period: 12 months.

The Secretary will initially approve a cooperative agreement with a

budget period of 12 months. The Secretary will make continuation awards

for additional 12-month periods, subject to the requirements of 34 CFR

75.253(a). In determining whether to continue the cooperative agreement

for each additional budget period, the Secretary will consider whether

continuation is in the best interest of the Government.

Applicable Regulations

The Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR)

as follows:

(a) 34 CFR Part 74 (Administration of Grants to Institutions of

Higher Education, Hospitals, and Nonprofit Organizations).

(b) 34 CFR Part 75 (Direct Grant Programs).

(c) 34 CFR Part 77 (Definitions that Apply to Department

Regulations).

(d) 34 CFR Part 79 (Intergovernmental Review of Department of

Education Programs and Activities).

(e) 34 CFR Part 80 (Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants

and Cooperative Agreements to State and Local Governments).

(f) 34 CFR Part 81 (General Education Provisions Act--Enforcement).

(g) 34 CFR Part 82 (New Restrictions on Lobbying).

(h) 34 CFR Part 85 (Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension

(Nonprocurement) and Governmentwide Requirements for Drug-Free

Workplace (Grants)).

(i) 34 CFR Part 86 (Drug-Free Schools and Campuses).

Description of Program: Consortia receiving funds under this

program shall use these funds to: (a) establish and conduct regional

activities that address professional development, technical assistance,

and information resource dissemination to promote the effective use of

technology in education, with special emphasis on meeting the

documented needs of educators and learners in the region they serve;

and (b) foster regional cooperation and resource and coursework

sharing. The statutes emphasize collaboration and coordination with

other entities; Department-funded activities the consortia shall

closely coordinate their activities with include, but are not limited

to: the Comprehensive Technical Assistance Centers, the Regional

Educational Laboratories, the National Diffusion Network, and the

Eisenhower Mathematics and Science Regional Consortia. This program is

authorized by Title III, Part A, Section 3141 of the Elementary and

Secondary Education Act of 1965 as amended (20 U.S.C. 6861). Title III

of the ESEA is also known as the Technology for Education Act of 1994.

Special Provisions

1. Cooperative Agreement Provision: In conformance with 34 CFR

75.200(b)(4), the Secretary will award cooperative agreements under

this competition. Applicants can expect direct involvement by the

government [[Page 25573]] Project Officer in all matters which require

extensive regional and national collaboration and coordination.

2. Equipment. The Federal Government maintains an interest in all

equipment purchased through projects funded under this program for the

useful life of the equipment. Therefore, grantees are required to

maintain an annual inventory of equipment and the use of such

equipment. Any items of equipment authorized for purchase will be

subject to Title 34 CFR Parts 74.31 through 74.37 and 34 CFR Parts 80.3

and 80.32.

Definitions: The following definitions apply to the terms used in

this notice:

``Local educational agency'' has the same meaning given the term

under section 14101(18) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act

of 1965 as amended (20 U.S.C. 8801(18)).

``State'' means each of the fifty States, the District of Columbia,

the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the Virgin

Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the

Marshall Islands, Palau, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana

Islands.

``State educational agency'' has the same meaning given that term

under section 14101(28) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act

of 1965 as amended (20 U.S.C. 8801(28)) and includes the Bureau of

Indian Affairs for purposes of serving schools funded by the Bureau of

Indian Affairs in accordance with part A of Title III of the ESEA as

amended.

``Secretary'' means the Secretary of Education.

``Adult education'' has the same meaning given such term by section

312 of the Adult Education Act;

``All students'' means students from a broad range of backgrounds

and circumstances, including disadvantaged students, students with

diverse racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds, students with

disabilities, students with limited English proficiency, students who

have dropped out of school, and academically talented students.

``State library administrative agency'' has the same meaning given

to such term in section 3 of the Library Services and Construction Act.

``Technology'' means state-of-the-art technology products and

services, such as, but not limited to closed circuit television

systems, educational television and radio programs and services, cable

television, satellite, copper and fiber optic transmission, computer

hardware and software, video and audio laser and CD-ROM discs, and

video and audio tapes.

Requirements

The legislation authorizing the Regional Technology Consortia

Program requires that all applications address each of the following

requirements:

I. In general. Each consortium receiving a cooperative agreement

award under this program shall:

(A) In cooperation with State and local education agencies, develop

a regional program that addresses professional development, technical

assistance, and information resource dissemination, with special

emphasis on meeting the documented needs of educators and learners in

the region; and

(B) Foster regional cooperation and resource and coursework

sharing.

II. Technical assistance. Each consortium shall, to the extent

practicable:

(A) Collaborate with State educational agencies and local

educational agencies requesting collaboration, particularly in the

development of strategies for assisting those schools with the highest

numbers or percentages of disadvantaged students with little or no

access to technology in the classroom;

(B) Provide information, in coordination with information available

from the Secretary, to State educational agencies, local educational

agencies, schools, and adult education programs on the types and

features of various educational technology equipment and software

available; evaluate and make recommendations on equipment and software

that support the National Education Goals and are suited for a school's

particular needs; and compile and share information regarding creative

and effective applications of technology in the classroom and school

library media centers in order to support the purposes of this program;

(C) Collaborate with such State educational agencies, local

educational agencies, or schools requesting to participate in the

tailoring of software programs and other supporting materials to meet

challenging State content standards or challenging State student

performance standards that may be developed;

(D) Provide technical assistance to facilitate use of the

electronic dissemination networks by State and local educational

agencies and schools throughout the region;

III. Professional development Each consortium shall, to the extent

practicable:

(A) Assist colleges and universities within the region to develop

and implement preservice training programs for students enrolled in

teacher education programs; and

(B) Develop and implement, in collaboration with State educational

agencies and institutions of higher education, technology-specific,

ongoing professional development; examples of possible project

development activities are:

(1) Intensive school year and summer workshops that use teachers,

school librarians, and school library personnel to train other

teachers, school librarians, and other school library media personnel;

(2) Distance professional development, including--

(a) interactive training telecourses using researchers, educators,

and telecommunications personnel who have experience in developing,

implementing, or operating educational and instructional technology as

a learning tool;

(b) Onsite courses teaching teachers to use educational and

instructional technology and to develop their own instructional

materials for effectively incorporating technology and programming in

their own classrooms;

(c) Methods for successful integration of instructional technology

into the curriculum in order to improve student learning and

achievement;

(d) Video conferences and seminars which offer professional

development through peer interaction with experts as well as other

teachers using technologies in their classrooms;

(e) Mobile education technology and training resources;

(C) Develop training resources that--

(1) Are relevant to the needs of the region and schools in the

region;

(2) Are relevant to the needs of adult literacy staff and

volunteers, including onsite courses on how to:

(a) Use instructional technology; and

(b) Develop instructional materials for adult learning; and

(3) Are aligned with the needs of teachers and administrators in

the region;

(D) Ensure that training, professional development, and technical

assistance meet the needs of educators, parents, and students served by

the region.

IV. Information and resource dissemination; collaboration and

coordination. Each consortium shall work collaboratively, and

coordinate the services the consortium provides, with appropriate

regional and other entities assisted in whole or in part by the

Department, and shall also, to the extent practicable:

(A) Coordinate activities and establish partnerships with

institutions of higher education and other organizations that represent

the interests of the region as such interests pertain to the

application [[Page 25574]] of technology in teaching, learning,

instructional management, dissemination, collection and distribution of

educational statistics, and the transfer of student information; and

(B) Assist State and local educational agencies in the

identification and procurement of financial, technological and human

resources needed to implement technology plans; and

(C) Assist local educational agencies and schools in working with

community members and parents to develop support from communities and

parents for educational technology programs and projects; and

(D) Identify and link technical assistance providers to State and

local educational agencies, as needed; and

(E) Establish a repository of professional development and

technical assistance resources;

(F) Provide outreach and, at the request of a State or local

educational agency, work with such agency to assist in the development

and validation of instructionally based technology education resources.

Priorities

Competitive Priority--Eisenhower Mathematics and Science Regional

Consortia Preference

Pursuant to 20 U.S.C. 6861(a)(1) and 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(ii), the

Secretary gives priority to applicants that include an Eisenhower

Mathematics and Science Regional Consortium (funded under 20 U.S.C.

8671-8677) as one of the Regional Technology Consortia members.

The Eisenhower Mathematics and Science Regional Consortia was

recently reauthorized under 20 U.S.C. 8671-8677. The Secretary intends

to hold a fiscal year 1995 competition to make new Eisenhower Consortia

awards. Only those Eisenhower Consortia that receive awards under the

fiscal year 1995 competition will be eligible to receive priority under

the Regional Technology Consortia program.

The Secretary will award three (3) points if the applicant is

comprised of only one or more Eisenhower Consortia.

The Secretary will award five (5) points if the applicant is

comprised of one or more Eisenhower Consortia, along with at least two

other entities, one of which is of a regional scope.

These points will be in addition to any points the application

earns under the selection criteria for the program.

Invitational Priorities

Within the overall project requirements outlined above, and under

34 CFR 75.105(c)(1), the Secretary is particularly interested in

supporting projects that meet the following invitational priorities.

However, an application that meets these invitational priorities does

not receive competitive or absolute preference over other applications.

Invitational Priority 1--Particularly Effective Strategies to Secure

Cooperation from Other Federal and Non-federal Sources

The Secretary encourages the development of project strategies that

are likely to be effective in engaging the expertise and resources of

community members (e.g. Federal, State and local government agencies

and their funded projects; schools, higher education institutions and

other education entities; parents and families; non-profit

organizations; businesses; and individual citizens) as the consortium

assists State and local educational agencies and education communities

in the identification and procurement of financial, technological and

human resources needed to implement advanced technologies.

Invitational Priority 2--Internet-based Repositories, Dissemination,

and Communication

The Secretary invites projects which propose creative uses of the

Internet/National Information Infrastructure (NII) to disseminate

information to their constituents, and to foster local, regional and

national collaboration. The Secretary particularly encourages: (a)

strategies to facilitate use of the electronic dissemination networks

established by State and local educational agencies and schools

throughout the region and which establish a repository of professional

development and technical assistance resources; and (b) repository

development and electronic linkages which build on the combined

strength of all six Regional Technology Consortia, as well as of other

technology and education projects whether these are funded by the

Department or otherwise.

Invitational Priority 3--Innovative, High-Quality Preservice and

Inservice Development Strategies for Teachers and Other Educators

The Secretary invites projects which propose particularly

innovative high-quality, intensive professional development strategies,

in order to meet the following challenges: (a) to consistently provide

training to ensure a technologically-sophisticated educator workforce,

and to ensure that educators can use advanced technologies with

competence and creativity immediately upon entering service: and (b) to

enhance the skills of all staff within the existing educator workforce

in the creative uses of advanced technologies.

Invitational Priority 4--Evaluation and Documentation of Needs and

Outcomes

The Secretary encourages applicants to propose evaluation

activities which will permit the development of reliable baseline

information, and subsequent progress data regarding (a) each State

within the region served, with respect to its evolving successes and

needs when implementing advanced technologies in education; and (b) the

activities assisted through this program, their results, and their

impact on the school communities served, in order to evaluate the

effectiveness of these activities and make informed adjustments over

time.

Selection Criteria

(a)(1) The Secretary uses the following selection criteria to

evaluate applications for new grants under this competition for FY

1995.

(2) The maximum score for all of these criteria is 100 points.

(3) The maximum score for each criterion is indicated in

parentheses.

(b) The criteria.--(1) Meeting the purposes of the authorizing

statute. (30 points) The Secretary reviews each application to

determine how well the project will meet the purpose of Section 3141 of

the Technology for Education Act of 1994, including consideration of--

(i) The objectives of the project; and

(ii) How the objectives of the project further the purposes of the

Regional Technology Consortia Program.

(2) Extent of need for the project. (20 points) The Secretary

reviews each application to determine the extent to which the project

meets specific needs recognized in the Technology for Education Act of

1994, 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;

[[Page 25575]]

(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 handicapping condition.

(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

(b)(4)(i)(A) and (A) 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

handicapping condition.

(ii) To determine personnel qualifications under paragraphs

(b)(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 cost effectiveness. (5 points) The Secretary review

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. (15 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.

(Cross-reference: See 34 CFR 75.590 Evaluation by the grantee.)

(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 13, 1995 (60 FR 16713-

16715).

In States that have not established a process or chosen a program

for review, State, area-wide, 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, area-wide,

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# 84.302A, U.S. Department of Education, Room 6213, 600

Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20202-0125.

In those States that require review for this program, applications

are to be submitted simultaneously to the State Review Process and the

U.S. Department of Education.

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, D.C. 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 cooperative agreement, 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 #84.302A), Washington, D.C. 20202-

4725, or

(2) Hand deliver the original and two copies of the application by

4:30 p.m. (Washington, D.C. time) on the deadline date to: U.S.

Department of Education, Application Control Center, Attention: (CFDA

#84.302A), Room #3633, Regional Office Building #3, 7th and D Streets,

S.W., Washington, D.C.

The application Control Center will accept deliveries between 8:00

a.m. and 4:30 p.m. (Washington, D.C. time) daily, except Saturdays,

Sundays and Federal holidays.

Individuals delivering applications must use the D Street Entrance.

Proper identification is necessary to enter the building.

In order for an application sent through a Courier Service to be

considered timely, the Courier Service must be in receipt of the

application on or before the closing date.

Note: Applicants are encouraged to voluntarily submit six (6)

additional copies of their application to expedite the review

process. The absence of these extra copies will not influence the

selection process.

(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. [[Page 25576]]

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 in which 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 524) and instructions.

Special Budget Instructions

The Department is participating in the Administration's Reinventing

Government Initiative. As part of that initiative, the National

Performance Review urged the Department to ``eliminate the continuation

application process for budget years within the project period'' and

replace it with ``yearly program progress reports focusing on program

outcomes and problems related to program implementation and service

delivery.'' The Department is implementing this recommendation for as

many programs as possible beginning in fiscal year 1995. This will

require all applicants for multi-year awards to provide detailed budget

information for the total cooperative agreement period. The Department

will negotiate at the time of the initial award the funding levels for

each year of the cooperative agreement award. A new generic budget

form, included in this package, requests the information needed to

implement this initiative.

By requesting detailed budget information in the initial

application for the total project period, the need for formal

noncompeting continuation applications in the remaining years will be

eliminated. An annual report will be used in place of the continuation

application to determine progress, thereby relieving grantees of the

burden to resubmit assurances, certifications, etc.

Please also note that Section 3115 of the Technology for Education

Act stipulates that not more than five (5) percent of the funds made

available to a recipient under this program for any fiscal year may be

used by such recipient for administrative costs or for technical

assistance (i.e. technical assistance to be received by the recipient).

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, 6/90).

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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Catherine Mozer, U.S. Department

of Education, Office of Educational Research and Improvement, Room

506a, 555 New Jersey Ave. N.W., Washington, D.C. 20208. Telephone 202-

219-8070. Individuals who use a telecommunications device for the deaf

(TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) between 8

a.m. and 8 p.m., Eastern time, Monday through Friday.

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: 20 U.S.C. 6861.

Dated: March 8, 1995.

Sharon P. Robinson,

Assistant Secretary for Educational Research and Improvement.

BILLING CODE 4000-01-P

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Appendix

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BILLING CODE 4000-01-C

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Instructions for Part III--Application Narrative

Before preparing the Application Narrative, an applicant should

read carefully the description of the program, the information

regarding the project requirements and the invitational priorities, as

well as 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; and

2. Describe how the proposed project will meet the statutory

requirements, and the invitational priorities if appropriate, in the

light of each of the selection criteria in the order in which the

criteria are listed in this application package.

3. The applicant may include other pertinent information that may

assist the Secretary in reviewing the application.

4. Justifications and specifications for equipment purchases should

be clearly related to existing facilities and to proposed activities.

5. Generally, the application should enable reviewers to make clear

linkages between the proposed budget and the specific tasks,

operations, and services delivered.

6. The Secretary strongly requests the applicant to limit the

Application Narrative to no more than 200 double-spaced, typed 8\1/2\''

x 11'' pages (one inch margins on all four sides, 26 lines per page

and no smaller than 10 characters per inch or the equivalent), although

the Secretary will consider applications of greater length. The 200

page recommended limit is exclusive of bibliography, budget tables,

resumes, letters of support, and other supplements.

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 160 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. 20202-4651; and to the Office of Management and

Budget, Paperwork Reduction Project 1850-0716, Washington, D.C. 20503.

Information collection approved under OMB control number 1850-0716.

Expiration date: 4/30/98.

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[FR Doc. 95-11668 Filed 5-10-95; 8:45 am]

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