[Federal Register: May 23, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 100)]
[Notices]
[Page 36162-36165]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr23my02-42]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
[CFDA No.: 84.330C]
Office of Elementary and Secondary Education--Advanced Placement
Incentive (API) Program; Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards
for Fiscal Year (FY) 2002 for the API Program
Purpose of Program: The API program, funded under section 1705 of
Title I, Part G of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965,
as amended by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (ESEA), awards
competitive grants designed to increase the successful participation of
low-income students in pre-advanced placement and advanced placement
courses and tests. Through increased access to and participation in
pre-advanced placement and advanced placement courses and tests, the
program provides greater opportunities for low-income students to
achieve to high standards in English, mathematics, science, and other
core subjects. Additional long-term goals of the program are to
demonstrate that larger and more diverse groups of students can
participate and succeed in advanced placement programs and to increase
the numbers of low-income and other disadvantaged students who receive
baccalaureate and advanced degrees.
Eligible Applicants: (a) State educational agencies (SEAs); (b)
local educational agencies (LEAs); or (c) national nonprofit
educational entities with expertise in advanced placement services. In
the case of an eligible entity that is an SEA, the SEA may use API
grant funds to award subgrants to LEAs to enable those LEAs to carry
out activities authorized under this program.
Note: The Bureau of Indian Affairs is considered an SEA for
purposes of this program.
Applications Available: May 23, 2002.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: July 8, 2002.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: September 5, 2002.
Estimated Available Funds: Approximately $2,000,000.
Note: In accordance with statutory requirements, this amount is
based on the amount of funds the Secretary estimates will be
available after the Department has awarded grants under the Advanced
Placement Test Fee program competition, which is being announced
separately under CFDA No. 84.330B.
Estimated Range of Awards: $100,000 to $600,000 per year.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $350,000 per year.
Estimated Number of Awards: 5-15.
Note: These estimates are projections for the guidance of
potential applicants. The Department is not bound by any estimates
in this notice.
Project Period: Up to 36 months.
E-Mail Notification of Intent to Apply for Funding: The Department
will be able to develop a more efficient process for reviewing grant
applications if it has a better understanding of the number of entities
that intend to apply for funding under this competition. Therefore, the
Secretary strongly encourages each potential applicant for the API
program to notify the Department by e-mail that it intends to submit an
application for funding. The Secretary requests that this
[[Page 36163]]
e-mail notification be sent no later than June 24, 2002. The e-mail
notification should be sent to Ms. Madeline Baggett at
madeline.baggett@ed.gov. Applicants that do not provide this e-mail
notification may still apply for funding.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The API program promotes greater access to,
and participation in, advanced placement courses and tests for low-
income and other disadvantaged students. The API program is an
important component of the Department's commitment to ensuring that
``no child is left behind.'' In order to improve academic achievement
for all students, the expectations for low-income children must be
raised. Therefore, in addition to improving reading and mathematics
achievement for all children in the early grades, the Secretary
supports more rigorous middle and high school curricula in English,
mathematics, science, and other core subjects. The development,
enhancement, and expansion of advanced placement courses in all core
subjects are key strategies for enabling low-income students to achieve
to high academic standards.
Since the original authorization of the Advanced Placement program
in 1998, funding for the program has increased from $3 million to the
current appropriation of $22 million. In May 2001, low-income students
took 114,112 advanced placement tests administered by the College
Board, an 11 percent increase compared to 2000. Nevertheless, there is
still a significant gap between the level of participation of low-
income students in advanced placement courses and tests and the level
of participation of students from more affluent backgrounds. Further,
recent data released by the College Board indicate a continued under-
representation of minority students taking advanced placement exams
generally, and of female students taking calculus and physics advanced
placement exams.
The API program supports activities that enable greater numbers of
low-income and other disadvantaged students to benefit from advanced
placement courses and exams (ultimately increasing the likelihood that
these students will receive college degrees) through increased access
to, and participation in, pre-advanced placement and advanced placement
courses. These courses will be developed, enhanced, and expanded in
high-poverty schools, which are least likely to offer advanced
placement courses. In addition, pre-advanced placement and advanced
placement teachers in the schools served will participate in sustained,
high-quality professional development activities designed to: (1)
Improve teacher content area knowledge; (2) increase utilization of
research-based classroom practices that foster student achievement for
low-income students; and (3) strengthen the alignment of pre-advanced
placement and advanced placement curricula through vertical team
training and other strategies. Applicants approved for funding under
this program will be required to submit disaggregated data (by race,
ethnicity, sex, English proficiency status, and socio-economic status)
on individuals taking advanced placement courses and tests.
Allowable Activities: Under the API program, eligible entities
implement programs designed to expand access for low-income individuals
to advanced placement incentive programs through:
(1) Teacher training; (2) pre-advanced placement course
development; (3) coordination and articulation between grade levels to
prepare students for academic achievement in advanced placement
courses; (4) providing books and supplies; (5) activities to increase
the availability of, and participation in, on-line advanced placement
courses; and (6) any other activity directly related to expanding
access to and participation in advanced placement programs,
particularly for low-income individuals.
Note: Applicants approved for funding under this competition are
required to attend a two-day Project Directors' meeting in
Washington, D.C. during the first year of the grant. The cost of
attending this meeting may be paid from API program grant funds or
State or local resources.
Waiver of Proposed Rulemaking: In accordance with the
Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C. 553), it is the practice of the
Secretary to offer interested parties the opportunity to comment on
proposed rules. Ordinarily, this practice might have applied to one or
more of the priorities in this notice. Section 437(d)(1) of the General
Education Administrative Provisions Act (GEPA), however, exempts rules
that apply to the first competition under a new or substantially
revised program from this requirement. As this competition is the first
API program competition under the newly reauthorized ESEA, it qualifies
as a new competitive grants program and is exempt from notice and
comment rulemaking. The Secretary, in accordance with section 437(d)(1)
of GEPA, to ensure timely awards, has decided to forgo public comment.
These rules will apply to the FY 2002 competition only.
Absolute Priorities: Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3), the Secretary is
establishing three separate absolute priorities as described below. We
have chosen these priorities from the authorized activities and
priorities specified in the authorizing statute for this program (see
sections 1705(c) and (d) of Title 1, Part G of the ESEA). To implement
the priorities, the Secretary will fund under this competition only
applications that meet all three absolute priorities, except that
priority (b) below applies only to eligible applicants that are LEAs.
(a) The Secretary gives an absolute priority to applications that
demonstrate an intent to carry out activities that target schools, or
LEAs serving schools, with a high concentration of low-income students.
For a definition of high concentration of low-income students, see the
Definitions section of this notice.
(b) For eligible applicants that are LEAs, the Secretary gives an
absolute priority to applications that assure that the LEA serves
schools with a high concentration of low-income students. For a
definition of high concentration of low-income students, see the
Definitions section of this notice.
(c) The Secretary gives an absolute priority to applications that
propose to develop, enhance, or expand pre-advanced placement courses
in English, mathematics, science, and other core academic areas at the
middle or high school level. Proposals may include activities designed
to develop, enhance, or expand advanced placement courses in
conjunction with pre-advanced placement courses. Effective projects
must be designed to enable low-income students to enroll and succeed in
advanced placement courses and taking tests in core academic areas, and
must include activities for coordination of curriculum design and
development between middle and high school teachers as well as teacher
training activities necessary for effective implementation of such
programs.
Selection Criteria: The Secretary will use the following selection
criteria in 34 CFR 75.210 to evaluate applications under this
competition. The maximum score for all of the selection criteria is 100
points. The maximum score for each criterion is indicated in
parenthesis with the criterion. The criteria are as follows:
(a) Significance (20 points). The Secretary considers the
significance of the proposed project. In determining the significance
of the proposed project, the Secretary considers one or more of the
following factors:
[[Page 36164]]
(1) The potential contribution of the proposed project to increased
knowledge or understanding of educational problems, issues, or
effective strategies.
(2) The extent to which the proposed project involves the
development or demonstration of promising new strategies that build on,
or are alternatives to, existing strategies.
(3) The importance or magnitude of the results or outcomes likely
to be attained by the proposed project, especially improvements in
teaching and student achievement.
(b) Quality of the Project Design (20 points). The Secretary
considers the quality of the project design of the proposed project. In
determining the quality of the project design, the Secretary considers
the following factors:
(1) The extent to which the proposed project represents an
exceptional approach for meeting the priority or priorities established
for the competition.
(2) The extent to which the goals, objectives, and outcomes to be
achieved by the proposed project are clearly specified and measurable.
(3) The extent to which the design of the proposed project is
appropriate to, and will successfully address, the needs of the target
population or other identified needs.
(c) Quality of Project Services (20 points). The Secretary
considers the quality of project services to be provided by the
proposed project. In determining the quality of the services to be
provided by the proposed project, the Secretary considers the quality
and sufficiency of strategies for ensuring equal access and treatment
for eligible project participants who are members of groups that have
traditionally been underrepresented based on race, color, national
origin, gender, age, or disability. In addition, the Secretary
considers the following factors:
(1) The extent to which the services to be provided by the proposed
project reflect up-to-date knowledge from research and effective
practices.
(2) The extent to which the training or professional development
services to be provided by the proposed project are of sufficient
quality, intensity, and duration to lead to improvements in practice
among the recipients of those services.
(d) Quality of Project Personnel (10 points). The Secretary
considers the quality of the personnel who will carry out the proposed
project. In determining the quality of project personnel, the Secretary
considers the extent to which the applicant encourages applications for
employment from persons who are members of groups that have
traditionally been under represented based on race, color, national
origin, gender, age, or disability. In addition, the Secretary
considers the following factors:
(1) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience,
of the project director;
(2) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience,
of key project personnel.
(3) The qualification, including relevant training and experience,
of project consultants or subcontractors.
(e) Adequacy of Resources (10 points). The Secretary considers the
adequacy of resources for the proposed project. In determining the
adequacy of resources for the proposed project, the Secretary considers
the following factors:
(1) The adequacy of support, including facilities, equipment,
supplies, and other resources, from the applicant organization or the
lead applicant organization.
(2) The extent to which the costs are reasonable in relation to the
number of persons to be served and to the anticipated results and
benefits.
(3) The potential for incorporation of project purposes, activities
or benefits into the ongoing program of the agency or organization at
the end of Federal funding.
(f) Quality of the Management Plan (10 points). The Secretary
considers the quality of the management plan for the proposed project.
In determining the quality of the management plan for the proposed
project, the Secretary considers the following factors:
(1) The adequacy of the management plan to achieve the objectives
of the proposed project on time and within budget, including clearly
defined responsibilities, time lines, and milestones for accomplishing
project tasks.
(2) The extent to which the time commitments of the project
director and principal investigator and other key project personnel are
appropriate and adequate to meet the objectives of the proposed
project.
(g) Quality of the Project Evaluation (10 points). The Secretary
considers the quality of the project evaluation. In determining the
quality of the project evaluation, the Secretary considers the
following factors:
(1) The extent to which the methods of evaluation include objective
performance measures that are clearly related to the intended outcomes
of the project and will produce quantitative and qualitative data to
the extent possible.
(2) The extent to which the methods of evaluation will performance
feedback and permit periodic assessment of progress toward achieving
intended outcomes.
Priority Points: In accordance with statutory and regulatory
requirements, the Secretary will award a total of twenty (20)
additional priority points for applications based on the following
criteria: (a) Pervasive need for access to API programs, including a
focus on serving or otherwise addressing the needs of disadvantaged
individuals--two (2) points;
(b) involvement of business and community organizations in the
activities assisted--two (2) points; (c) availability of matching funds
from State, local, or other sources to pay for the cost of activities
to be assisted--two (2) points; (d) focus on developing or expanding
advanced placement programs in the core academic areas of English,
mathematics, or science--two (2) points; (e) intent to carry out
activities to increase the availability of, and participation in, on-
line advanced placement courses--two (2); and (f) serve schools where
75 percent or more of the students enrolled are from low-income
families--ten (10) points.
These priorities are specified in the authorizing statute for the
API Program. The priority points are in addition to any points the
applicant earns under the selection criteria listed below. The
Secretary may select an application that meets a priority over an
application of comparable merit that does not meet the priority.
Applicable Regulations and Statute: The Education Department
General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77,
79, 80, 81, 82, 85, 86, and 99. Title I, Part G of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended by the No Child Left Behind
Act of 2001, Pub. L. 107-110.
General Requirements: The following requirements must be met for
any application submitted under this program: (a) The program narrative
is limited to no more than 50 pages; (b) each ``page'' is 8.5# x 11#
(on one side only) with one inch margins (top, bottom, and sides); and
(c) all text in the application narrative is double-spaced (no more
than three lines per vertical inch), including titles, headings,
footnotes, quotations, captions, as well as all text in charts, tables,
figures, and graphs. The page limit applies to the narrative section
only. However, all of the application narrative must be included in the
narrative section. If the narrative section of an application
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exceeds the page limit, the application will not be reviewed.
Definitions
The following definitions and other provisions are taken from the
API program authorizing statute, in Title I, Part G of the ESEA. They
are repeated in this application notice for the convenience of the
applicant.
As used in this section:
(a) The term advanced placement test means an advanced placement
test administered by the College Board or approved by the Secretary.
Note:
In addition to advanced placement tests administered by the
College Board, the Department has approved advanced placement tests
administered by the International Baccalaureate Organization. As
part of the grant application process, applicants may request
approval of tests from other educational entities that provide
comparable programs of rigorous academic courses and testing through
which students may earn college credit.
(b) The term high concentration of low-income students, used with
respect to a school, means a school that serves a student population at
least 40 percent or more of whom are low-income individuals.
(c) The term low-income individual means an individual who is
determined by a State educational agency or local educational agency to
be a child, ages 5 through 17, from a low-income family, on the basis
of data used by the Secretary to determine allocations under section
1124 of the ESEA, data on children eligible for free or reduced lunches
under the National School Lunch Act, data on children in families
receiving assistance under part A of title IV of the Social Security
Act, or data on children eligible to receive medical assistance under
the Medicaid program under title XIX of the Social Security Act, or
through an alternate method that combines or extrapolates from those
data.
Supplement, Not Supplant Rule
Funds provided under this program must be used to supplement and
not supplant other non-Federal funds that are available to assist low-
income individuals in paying advanced placement test fees.
For Applications or Information Contact: Madeline E. Baggett, U.S.
Department of Education, School Improvement Programs, 400 Maryland
Avenue, SW., Room 3C153, Washington, DC 20202-6140. Telephone (202)
260-2669. Internet address: Madeline.Baggett@ed.gov.
Individuals who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD)
may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-
8339.
Individuals with disabilities may obtain this document in an
alternative format (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer
diskette) upon request to the contact person listed in the preceding
paragraph. Individuals with disabilities may obtain a copy of the
application package in an alternative format, also, by contacting that
person. However, the Department is not able to reproduce in an
alternative format the standard forms included in the application
package.
Electronic Access to This Document
You may view this document, as well as all other Department of
Education documents published in the Federal Register, in text or Adobe
Portable Document Format (PDF) on the Internet at the following site:
www.ed.gov/legislation/FedRegister.
To use PDF, you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available
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Government Printing Office (GPO) toll free at 1-888-293-6498; or in the
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Note:
The official version of a 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 on GPO Access at: http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/
index.html.
Program Authority: Pub. L. 107-110.
Dated: May 20, 2002.
Susan B. Neuman,
Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education.
[FR Doc. 02-13023 Filed 5-22-02; 8:45 am]
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