Applications Available: March 8, 2004 (pre- and full applications).
Deadline for Transmittal of Pre-Applications: April 22, 2004.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: July 1, 2004 (for applicants invited to submit full applications only).
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: August 30, 2004.
The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice.
Full Text of Announcement
These priorities are:
The Secretary is especially interested in preschool programs that operate full-time, full-year early childhood
Scientifically based research on increasing the effectiveness of early childhood education programs serving children from low-income families tells us that children attending such programs that have a greater intensity of service make higher and more persistent gains in the language and cognitive domains than children who attend early childhood programs that have lesser intensity of service. In other words, children who spend more time in high-quality early childhood education programs learn more than children who spend less time in those programs. The purpose of Invitational Priority 1 is to encourage preschool programs supported with Early Reading First (ERF) funds to provide services that are of a sufficient duration and intensity to maximize language and early literacy gains for children enrolled in those programs.
The Secretary is especially interested in projects in which, in all preschool centers supported by the ERF funds, at least 75 percent of the children enrolled in the preschool qualify to receive free or reduced priced lunches; or at least 75 percent of the children enrolled in the elementary school in the school attendance area in which that center is located qualify to receive free or reduced priced lunches.
One of the statutory purposes of the ERF program is to enhance the early language, literacy, and early reading development of preschool-age children, particularly those from low-income families. This priority is intended to increase the likelihood that preschool programs supported with ERF funds serve children primarily from low-income families.
For FY 2004 this priority is a competitive preference priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i) we award an additional 5 points to a pre-application and an additional 5 points to a full application meeting this competitive priority.
This priority is:
The applicant must be a “novice applicant” as defined in 34 CFR 75.225.
The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to institutions of higher education only.
The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice.
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You may also contact Education Publications Center (ED Pubs), PO Box 1398, Jessup, MD 20794–1398. Telephone (toll free): 1–877–433–7827. FAX: (301) 470–1244. If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may call (toll free): 1–877–576–7734.
You may also contact ED Pubs at its Web site:
If you request an application package from ED Pubs, be sure to identify this competition as follows: CFDA number 84.359A/B.
Individuals with disabilities may obtain a copy of the application package in an alternative format (
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• 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, quotations, and references included in the body of the narrative.
• Text in endnotes, charts, tables, figures, and graphs may be single-spaced.
• Use a font that is either 12 point or larger or no smaller than 10 pitch (characters per inch).
The page limits do not apply to Part I, the cover sheet and the one-page abstract; or the following portions of the full application: Part III, the budget; or Part IV, the assurances and certifications; and the endnotes.
Our reviewers will not read any pages of your pre-application or full application that—
• Exceed the page limit if you apply these standards; or
• Exceed the equivalent of the page limit if you apply other standards.
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Applications Available: March 8, 2004 (pre- and full applications).
Deadline for Transmittal of Pre-Applications: April 22, 2004.
Deadline for Transmittal of Full Applications: July 1, 2004 (for applicants invited to submit full applications only).
The dates and times for the transmittal of pre- and full applications by mail or by hand (including a courier service or commercial carrier) are in the application package for this program.
We do not consider a pre-application or a full application that does not comply with the deadline requirements.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: August 30, 2004.
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Application Procedures:
Some of the procedures in these instructions for transmitting applications differ from those in the Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) (34 CFR 75.102). Under the Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C. 553) the Department generally offers interested parties the opportunity to comment on proposed regulations. However, these amendments make procedural changes only and do not establish new substantive policy. Therefore, under 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(A), the Secretary has determined that proposed rulemaking is not required.
Pilot Project for Electronic Submission of Applications:
We are continuing to expand our pilot project for electronic submission of applications to include additional formula grant programs and additional discretionary grant competitions. Early Reading First—CFDA Number 84.359A/B is one of the programs included in the pilot project. If you are an applicant under Early Reading First, you may submit your application to us in either electronic or paper format.
The pilot project involves the use of the Electronic Grant Application System (e-Application). If you use e-Application, you will be entering data online while completing your application. You may not e-mail an electronic copy of a grant application to us. If you participate in this voluntary pilot project by submitting an application electronically, the data you enter online will be saved into a database. We request your participation in e-Application. We shall continue to evaluate its success and solicit suggestions for its improvement.
If you participate in e-Application, please note the following:
• Your participation is voluntary.
• When you enter the e-Application system, you will find information about its hours of operation. We strongly recommend that you do not wait until the application deadline date to initiate an e-Application package.
• You will not receive additional point value because you submit a grant application in electronic format, nor will we penalize you if you submit an application in paper format.
• You may submit all documents electronically, including the Application for Federal Education Assistance (ED 424), Budget Information—Non-Construction Programs (ED 524), and all necessary assurances and certifications.
• Your e-Application must comply with any page limit requirements described in this notice.
• After you electronically submit your application, you will receive an automatic acknowledgement, which will include a PR/Award number (an identifying number unique to your application).
• Within three working days after submitting your electronic application, fax a signed copy of the Application for Federal Education Assistance (ED 424) to the Application Control Center after following these steps:
1. Print ED 424 from e-Application.
2. The institution's Authorizing Representative must sign this form.
3. Place the PR/Award number in the upper right hand corner of the hard copy signature page of the ED 424.
4. Fax the signed ED 424 to the Application Control Center at (202) 260–1349.
• We may request that you give us original signatures on other forms at a later date.
Application Deadline Date Extension in Case of System Unavailability: If you elect to participate in the e-Application pilot for Early Reading First and you are prevented from submitting your application on the application deadline date because the e-Application system is unavailable, we will grant you an extension of one business day in order to transmit your application electronically, by mail, or by hand delivery. We will grant this extension if—
1. You are a registered user of e-Application, and you have initiated an e-Application for this competition; and
2. (a) The e-Application system is unavailable for 60 minutes or more between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date; or
(b) The e-Application system is unavailable for any period of time during the last hour of operation (that is, for any period of time between 3:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time) on the application deadline date.
We must acknowledge and confirm these periods of unavailability before granting you an extension. To request this extension or to confirm our acknowledgement of any system unavailability, you may contact either (1) the person listed elsewhere in this notice under
You may access the electronic grant application for Early Reading First at:
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(i)
(a) The extent to which the proposed project represents an exceptional approach for meeting statutory purposes and requirements. (34 CFR 75.210(c)(2)(xiv))
We will award pre-applicants from 0–70 points for the quality of the project design.
(ii)
In addition, the Secretary considers the following factors:
(a) The extent to which the services to be provided by the proposed project reflect up-to-date knowledge from research and effective practice. (34 CFR 75.210(d)(3)(iii))
(b) The likelihood that the services to be provided by the proposed project will lead to improvements in the achievement of students as measured against rigorous academic standards. (34 CFR 75.210(d)(3)(vii))
We will award pre-applicants from 0–30 points for the quality of project services.
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(i)
(a) The extent to which the proposed project represents an exceptional approach for meeting statutory purposes and requirements. (34 CFR 75.210(c)(2)(xiv))
We will award applicants from 0–35 points for the quality of the project design.
(ii)
In addition, the Secretary considers the following factors:
(a) The extent to which the services to be provided by the proposed project reflect up-to-date knowledge from research and effective practice. (34 CFR 75.210(d)(3)(iii))
(b) The likelihood that the services to be provided by the proposed project will lead to improvements in the achievement of students as measured against rigorous academic standards. (34 CFR 75.210(d)(3)(vii))
We will award applicants from 0–15 points for the quality of project services.
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In addition, the Secretary considers the following factors:
(a) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience, of the project director or principal investigator. (34 CFR 75.210(e)(3)(i))
(b) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience, of key project personnel. (34 CFR 75.210(e)(3)(ii))
(c) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience, of project consultants or subcontractors. (34 CFR 75.210(e)(3)(iii))
We will award applicants from 0–10 points for the quality of project personnel.
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(a) The relevance and demonstrated commitment of each partner in the proposed project to the implementation and success of the project. (34 CFR 75.210(f)(2)(ii))
(b) The extent to which the costs are reasonable in relation to the objectives, design, and potential significance of the proposed project. (34 CFR 75.210(f)(2)(iv))
We will award applicants from 0–10 points for adequacy of resources.
(v)
(a) The adequacy of the management plan to achieve the objectives of the proposed project on time and within budget, including clearly defined responsibilities, timelines, and milestones for accomplishing project tasks. (34 CFR 75.210(g)(2)(i))
(b) The adequacy of procedures for ensuring feedback and continuous improvement in the operation of the proposed project. (34 CFR 75.210(g)(2)(ii))
(c) 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. (34 CFR 75.210(g)(2)(iv))
We will award applicants from 0–10 points for the quality of the management plan.
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(a) The extent to which the methods of evaluation are thorough, feasible, and appropriate to the goals, objectives, and outcomes of the proposed project. (34 CFR 75.210(h)(2)(i))
(b) The extent to which the methods of evaluation include the use of 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. (34 CFR 75.210(h)(2)(iv))
We will award applicants from 0–10 points for the quality of the project evaluation.
(vii)
(a) The potential contribution of the proposed project to the development and advancement of theory, knowledge, and practices in the field of study. (34 CFR 75.210(b)(2)(vi))
We will award applicants from 0–10 points for the significance of the proposed project.
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If your pre-application is not evaluated, or following the submission of your pre-application you are not invited to submit a full application, we notify you. If your full application is not evaluated or not selected for funding, we notify you.
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We reference the regulations outlining the terms and conditions of an award in the
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We will expect all grantees to document their success in addressing these performance measures in the annual performance report referred to in section VI.3. of this notice.
If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1–800–877–8339.
Individuals with disabilities may obtain this document in an alternative format (
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