Notices. Notice

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BILLING CODE 6351-01-M CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request—Flammability Standards for Children's Sleepwear AGENCY: Consumer Product Safety Commission. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: In the **Federal Register** of January 25, 2006, 71 FR 4118, the Consumer Product Safety Commission

(CPSC)or Commission published a notice in accordance with provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35) to announce the agency's intention to seek extension of approval of collections of information in the flammability standards for children's sleepwear and implementing regulations. Two comments were received in response to that notice. One comment supported the proposed extension of information collection for children's sleepwear. One comment stated that over-the-counter samples should be tested and that the collection of information should be computerized and violations reported. Currently, the standard is enforced through the inspection of establishments manufacturing sleepwear, through retail surveillance and by follow-up to consumer and trade complaints. During these inspections, randomly selected samples are tested and samples required to be maintained by the standard, as well as record keeping that is required by the standard, are examined. Information regarding violations of the standard are available on the recall section of the CPSC Web site at *http://www.cpsc.gov.* Accordingly, by publication of this notice, the Commission announces that it has submitted to the Office of Management and Budget

(OMB)a request for extension of approval of the collections of information for three years from the date of approval. The standards and regulations are codified as the Flammability Standard for Children's Sleepwear: Sizes 0 Through 6X, 16 CFR Part 1615; and the Flammability Standard for Children's Sleepwear: Sizes 7 Through 14, 16 CFR part 1616. The flammability standards and implementing regulations prescribe requirements for testing and recordkeeping by manufacturers and importers of children's sleepwear subject to the standards. The information in the records required by the regulations allows the Commission to determine if items of children's sleepwear comply with the applicable standard. This information also enables the Commission to obtain corrective actions if items of children's sleepwear fail to comply with the applicable standard in a manner which creates a substantial risk of injury. Additional Information About the Request for Reinstatement of Approval of Collections of Information *Agency address:* Consumer Product Safety Commission, 4330 East West Highway, Bethesda, MD 20814. *Title of information collection:* Standard for the Flammability of Children's Sleepwear: Sizes 0 Through 6X, 16 CFR Part 1615; Standard for the Flammability of Children's Sleepwear: Sizes 7 Through 14, 16 CFR part 1616. *Type of request:* Extension of approval without change. *General description of respondents:* Manufacturers and importers of children's sleepwear in sizes 0 through 14. *Estimated number of respondents:* 53. *Estimated average number of hours per respondent:* 2,000 per year. *Estimated number of hours for all respondents:* 318,000 per year. *Estimated cost of collection for all respondents:* $9,142,500 per year. *Comments:* Comments on this request for extension of approval of information collection requirements should be submitted by May 26, 2006 to

(1)the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Attn: OMB Desk Officer for CPSC, Office of Management and Budget, Washington, DC 20503; telephone:

(202)395-7340, and

(2)the Office of the Secretary, Consumer Product Safety Commission, 4330 East West Highway, Bethesda, MD 20814. Written comments may also be sent to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, Office of the Secretary by e-mail at *cpsc-os@cpsc.gov* or facsimile at

(301)504-0127. Copies of this request for extension of the information collection requirements and supporting documentation are available from Linda Glatz, Management and Program Analyst, Office of Planning and Evaluation, Consumer Product Safety Commission, 4330 East West Highway, Bethesda, MD 20814; telephone:

(301)504-7671. Dated: April 20, 2006. Todd A. Stevenson, Secretary, Consumer Product Safety Commission. [FR Doc. E6-6269 Filed 4-25-06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6355-01-P CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION Proposed Collection; Comment Request—Citizens Band Base Station Antennas AGENCY: Consumer Product Safety Commission. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. chapter 35), the Consumer Product Safety Commission requests comments on a proposed extension of approval of a collection of information from manufacturers and importers of citizens band base station antennas. The collection of information is in regulations implementing the Safety Standard for Omnidirectional Citizens Band Base Station Antennas (16 CFR part 1204). These regulations establish testing and recordkeeping requirements for manufacturers and importers of antennas subject to the standard. The Commission will consider all comments received in response to this notice before requesting an extension of approval of this collection of information from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). DATES: The Office of the Secretary must receive comments not later than June 26, 2006. ADDRESSES: Written comments should be captioned “Citizens Band Base Station Antennas” and e-mailed to the Office of the Secretary at *cpsc-os@cpsc.gov.* Comments may also be sent by facsimile to

(301)504-0127, or by mail to the Office of the Secretary, Consumer Product Safety Commission, 4330 East West Highway, Bethesda, Maryland 20814. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information about the proposed extension of approval of the collection of information, or to obtain a copy of 16 CFR part 1204, call or write Linda L. Glatz, Office of Planning and Evaluation, Consumer Product Safety Commission, 4330 East West Highway, Bethesda, Maryland 20814; telephone

(301)504-7671. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A. Background In 1982, the Commission issued the Safety Standard for Omnidirectional Citizens Band Antennas (16 CFR part 1204) to reduce risks of death and serious injury that may result if an omnidirectional antenna contacts an overhead power line while being erected or removed from its site. The standard contains performance tests to demonstrate that an antenna will not transmit a harmful electric current if it contacts an electric power line with a voltage of 14,500 volts phase-to-ground. Certification regulations implementing the standard require manufacturers, importers, and private labelers of antennas subject to the standard to perform tests to demonstrate that those products meet the requirements of the standard, and to maintain records of those tests. The certification regulations are codified at 16 CFR part 1204, subpart B. The Commission uses the information compiled and maintained by manufacturers, importers, and private labelers of antennas subject to the standard to help protect the public from risks of injury or death associated with omnidirectional citizens band base station antennas. More specifically, this information helps the Commission determine that antennas subject to the standard comply with all applicable requirements. The Commission also uses this information to obtain corrective actions if omnidirectional citizens band base station antennas fail to comply with the standard in a manner which creates a substantial risk of injury to the public. The Office of Management and Budget approved the collection of information in the certification regulations under control number 3041-0006. OMB's most recent extension of approval expires on July 31, 2006. The Commission now proposes to request an extension of approval without change for the collection of information in the certification regulations. B. Estimated Burden The Commission staff estimates that about 5 firms manufacture or import citizens band base station antennas subject to the standard. The Commission staff estimates that the certification regulations will impose an average annual burden of about 220 hours on each of those firms. That burden will result from conducting the testing required by the regulations and maintaining records of the results of that testing. The total annual burden imposed by the regulations on manufacturers and importers of citizens band base station antennas is approximately 1,100 hours. The hourly wage for the testing and recordkeeping required to conduct the testing and maintain records required by the regulations is about $42.84 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2006), for an estimated annual cost to the industry of $47,000. C. Request for Comments The Commission solicits written comments from all interested persons about the proposed collection of information. The Commission specifically solicits information relevant to the following topics: —Whether the collection of information described above is necessary for the proper performance of the Commission's functions, including whether the information would have practical utility; —Whether the estimated burden of the proposed collection of information is accurate; —Whether the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected could be enhanced; and —Whether the burden imposed by the collection of information could be minimized by use of automated, electronic or other technological collection techniques, or other forms of information technology. Dated: April 20, 2006. Todd A. Stevenson, Secretary, Consumer Product Safety Commission. [FR Doc. E6-6270 Filed 4-25-06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6355-01-P CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION Proposed Collection of Information; Comment Request—Safety Standard for Cigarette Lighters AGENCY: Consumer Product Safety Commission. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35), the Consumer Product Safety Commission requests comments on a proposed request for an extension of approval of a collection of information from manufacturers and importers of disposable and novelty cigarette lighters. This collection of information consists of testing and recordkeeping requirements in certification regulations implementing the Safety Standard for Cigarette Lighters (16 CFR part 1210). The Commission will consider all comments received in response to this notice before requesting an extension of approval of this collection of information from the Office of Management and Budget. DATES: The Office of the Secretary must receive written comments not later than June 26, 2006. ADDRESSES: Written comments should be captioned “Cigarette Lighters” and e-mailed to the Office of the Secretary at *cpsc-os@cpsc.gov* . Comments may also be sent by facsimile to

(301)504-0127, or by mail to the Office of the Secretary, Consumer Product Safety Commission, 4330 East West Highway, Bethesda, Maryland 20814. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information about the proposed extension of approval of the collection of information, or to obtain a copy of 16 CFR part 1210, call or write Linda L. Glatz, Office of Planning and Evaluation, Consumer Product Safety Commission, 4330 East West Highway, Bethesda, Maryland 20814; telephone

(301)504-7671. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In 1993, the Commission issued the Safety Standard for Cigarette Lighters (16 CFR part 1210) under provisions of the Consumer Product Safety Act

(CPSA)(15 U.S.C. 2051 *et seq.* ) to eliminate or reduce risks of death and burn injury from fires accidentally started by children playing with cigarette lighters. The standard contains performance requirements for disposable and novelty lighters that are intended to make cigarette lighters subject to the standard resist operation by children younger than five years of age. A. Certification Requirements Section 14(a) of the CPSA (15 U.S.C. 2063(a)) requires manufacturers, importers, and private labelers of a consumer product subject to a consumer product safety standard to issue a certificate stating that the product complies with all applicable consumer product safety standards. Section 14(a) of the CPSA also requires that the certificate of compliance must be based on a test of each product or upon a reasonable testing program. Section 14(b) of the CPSA authorizes the Commission to issue regulations to prescribe a reasonable testing program to support certificates of compliance with a consumer product safety standard. Section 16(b) of the CPSA (15 U.S.C. 2065(b)) authorizes the Commission to issue rules to require that firms “establish and maintain” records to permit the Commission to determine compliance with rules issued under the authority of the CPSA. The Commission has issued regulations prescribing requirements for a reasonable testing program to support certificates of compliance with the standard for cigarette lighters. These regulations require manufacturers and importers to submit a description of each model of lighter, results of surrogate qualification tests for compliance with the standard, and other information before the introduction of each model of lighter in commerce. These regulations also require manufacturers, importers, and private labelers of disposable and novelty lighters to establish and maintain records to demonstrate successful completion of all required tests to support the certificates of compliance that they issue. 16 CFR part 1210, subpart B. The Commission uses the information compiled and maintained by manufacturers, importers, and private labelers of disposable and novelty lighters to protect consumers from risks of accidental deaths and burn injuries associated with those lighters. More specifically, the Commission uses this information to determine whether lighters comply with the standard by resisting operation by young children. The Commission also uses this information to obtain corrective actions if disposable or novelty lighters fail to comply with the standard in a manner that creates a substantial risk of injury to the public. The Office of Management and Budget

(OMB)approved the collection of information in the certification regulations for cigarette lighters under control number 3041-0116. OMB's most recent extension of approval will expire on June 30, 2006. The Commission proposes to request an extension of approval for these collection of information requirements. B. Estimated Burden The cost of the rule's testing requirement is the cost of testing, either by the firm or by outside contractors. There are an estimated 60 firms that may be affected. If done through outside contractors, the cost per test has been estimated at $15,000 to $25,000 on average. Each firm is expected to test 2 models per year. Thus, for the 60 affected firms, the cost of outside testing would be $2.4 million. If tests are conducted in-house, testing 2 new models is expected to take 175 hours per firm. The total testing time for all 60 firms, if conducted in-house, would be approximately 10,500. Based on the average hourly total compensation (wages and benefits) for U.S. technical workers of $42.84 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, September, 2005), the total industry cost of the testing component for this regulation would be in the range of $450,000 to $2.4 million per year, depending on the method chosen. The cost of the recordkeeping requirements has two separate components: Recordkeeping for new models and recordkeeping for comparable models. The time consumed in recordkeeping for new models has been estimated at 20 hours per model. Thus the total time consumed for recordkeeping of new models would be 2,400 hours (20 hours × 2 models × 60 firms). Based on the average hourly compensation for technical workers, the cost of recordkeeping for new models would be about $100,000 annually (2,400 × 42.84). Time consumed in recordkeeping for lighters that are submitted for comparison to previously tested models will require approximately 3 hours for each model. Based on recent submission, each firm is expected to submit 35 models each year for comparison. Thus, an estimated 6,300 hours may be required by the 60 firms for recordkeeping regarding comparison lighters (35 models × 60 firms × 3 hours). Based on the average hourly compensation for technical workers, the cost of recordkeeping would be about $270,000 (6,300 hours × $42.84). The total recordkeeping costs associated with the lighter regulation would be approximately $370,000 ($100,000 + $270,000). In addition, each firm will submit information to the CPSC regarding the new testing and comparison submissions totaling about 2,200 responses per year (2 models tested + 35 comparison models × 60 firms). The total number of hours for these responses would be approximately 19,200 per year including new-product testing (175 hours × 60 firms = 10,500), new product recordkeeping (40 hours × 60 firms = 2,400), and recordkeeping for comparison lighters (35 models × 3 hours × 60 firms = 6,300). Based on the average hourly compensation for technical workers, the total cost of preparing these submissions would be about $823,000 (19,200 hours × $42.84). C. Request for Comments The Commission solicits written comments from all interested persons about the proposed collection of information. The Commission specifically solicits information relevant to the following topics: —Whether the collection of information described above is necessary for the proper performance of the Commission's functions, including whether the information would have practical utility; —Whether the estimated burden of the proposed collection of information is accurate; —Whether the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected could be enhanced; and —Whether the burden imposed by the collection of information could be minimized by use of automated, electronic or other technological collection techniques, or other forms of information technology. Dated: April 21, 2006. Todd A. Stevenson, Secretary, Consumer Product Safety Commission. [FR Doc. E6-6297 Filed 4-25-06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6355-01-P DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Department of the Navy Notice of Intent To Request Comments on Alternative Procedures To Implement Advisory Council on Historic Preservation Program Act

(NHPA)Section 106, Per 36 CFR 800.14(E) for Disposal of Naval Vessels AGENCY: Department of the Navy, DOD. ACTION: Notice of intent to request comments on implementing alternative procedures. SUMMARY: The Department of the Navy

(Navy)is requesting “Program Comments” for alternative procedures to implement the National Historic Preservation Act

(NHPA)Section 106 regulations. This programmatic approach substitutes all of 36 CFR part 800 subpart B, covers a category of undertakings in lieu of individual reviews and demonstrates the Navy's compliance with its responsibilities under Section 106 of NHPA regarding the disposal of U.S. Naval vessels which have been stricken from the Naval Vessel Register

(NVR)and are owned and under the physical custody of the Navy. This document will remain in effect indefinitely. In accordance with 36 CFR 800.14(e)(6), if the Advisory Council for Historic Preservation

(ACHP)determines that the consideration of NRHP eligible vessels are not being carried out in a manner consistent with this document, the ACHP may withdraw the comment and the Navy would be required to comply with the requirements of 36 CFR 800.3 through 88.7 for each adverse action. DATES: Submit comments on or before May 20, 2006. ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by any of the following methods: E-Mail at *Roderick.Speer@navy.mil,* fax at 202-781-4721, or mail to: Navy Inactive Ships Program Office, 1333 Isaac Hull Avenue, SE, Washington, DC 20376. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Commander, Program Executive Office Ships (PEO SHIPS), PMS333, Inactive Ship Program Office, Ship Donation Program, ATTN: Mr. Roderick Speer, 1333 Isaac Hull Avenue SE., Stop 2701, Washington Navy Yard, DC 20376-2701, telephone 202-781-0876. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: It is neither cost effective nor consistent with the Navy's mission to retain vessels once they have been stricken from the NVR by the Secretary of the Navy and authorized for disposal. Ship disposal actions include: Foreign Military Sales

(FMS)to an allied country, title transfer to another federal agency, donation to a U.S. nonprofit organization or state or local government entity for public display as a museum and/or memorial, transfer to the U.S. Fleet for sinking as a target during at-sea live-fire training exercises, transfer to a state for sinking as an artificial reef, or for dismantling and recycling. Vessel donations for public display as a museum or memorial and title transfers to another federal agency are not considered adverse effects subject to this document. Foreign Military Sales to an allied country, transfer to the U.S. Fleet for sinking as a target during at-sea live-fire training exercises, transfer to a state for sinking as an artificial reef, or dismantling and recycling are considered adverse effects subject to this document. Prior to undertaking an adverse effect described above, vessels shall be reviewed by the Naval Historical Center

(NHC)for eligibility for listing in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). Vessels determined to be eligible for listing in the NRHP shall be subject to the provisions of this document prior to undertaking an adverse effect. Vessels included in this program include those (ships and service craft) entered in the NVR with the following exceptions: a. Active vessels in commission or in service. b. Vessels that have already been disposed of or lost by whatever cause, and determined to be unsalvageable. c. Vessels retained in Navy custody for public display. *i.e.* , USS CONSTITUTION, Historic Ship NAUTILUS (SSN 571), or ex-BARRY (DD 933), which will continue to be managed individually. d. Vessels retained by the Navy for experimental purposes on a not-to-sink basis. e. Vessels retained by the Navy for possible remobilization (Mobilization B). f. Leased or chartered vessels not owned by the Navy, even if listed on the NVR. g. Non-self-propelled service craft and boats (boats are not on the NVR). Vessels that have already been determined to be eligible for listing in the NRHP by a process separate from this process and that are not the subject of an existing agreement established during the Section 106 consultation process will be subject to the provisions of this document as though their eligibility had been established as a result of this program. Vessels that are subject of an existing Section 106 agreement will continue to be subject to the existing agreement. The following criteria will be used to determine whether vessels are considered eligible for listing in the NRHP: a. Vessels that have been awarded an individual Presidential Unit Citation (granted to military units which have performed an extremely meritorious or heroic act, usually in the face of an armed enemy). b. Vessels aboard which an individual act of heroism took place such that the individual was subsequently awarded the Medal of Honor (for valor in action against an enemy force) or the Navy Cross (for extraordinary heroism in action not justifying an award of the Medal of Honor). c. Vessels to which a President of the United States was assigned during his or her naval service. d. The first vessel to incorporate weapon system, engineering, or other upgrades that represent a revolutionary change in naval design or war-fighting capabilities, or other special and unique considerations. In June of each year, the Chief of Naval Operations

(CNO)undertakes a Ship Disposition Review

(SDR)to determine which vessels shall be decommissioned from active service; the total each year has been averaging eight vessels. This list will be published by Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEASYSCOM) in the **Federal Register** two months after the Review, and will include the determination reached in coordination with the NHC as to which, if any, of the vessels are eligible for listing in the NRHP. During the public notice period, which shall extend sixty days from the time of publication, any member of the public may provide comments and justification to support or contradict the Navy's determinations regarding each named vessel. NAVSEASYSCOM, coordinating with the NHC, shall consider all recommendations and supporting justification received from the public in accordance with the criteria defined above before action is taken to dispose of the vessel. The NHC shall provide final determination of eligibility of Navy vessels in accordance with the foregoing criteria. The inactive vessels inventory will be reviewed in preparation for the annual CNO, SDR conference. Vessels previously reviewed for eligibility do not require rereview unless a triggering event occurred related to the eligibility criteria. The Navy's military mission requires that eligible vessels not stricken from the NVR continue to be fully available for naval service appropriate to each vessel's mission, including both routine and combat operations, and that they also continue to be available for modernization as necessary to keep them battle-worthy, safe, and habitable. Specifically, the Navy will employ, deploy, activate, inactivate, decommission, modify, and move such vessels without regard to their eligibility and without consultation under NHPA. The Navy's responsibilities with regard to eligible vessels are limited to the provisions of this section. The Navy will take the following steps, (if security classification permits), regarding vessels determined to be eligible for listing in the NRHP: a. Upon decommissioning or upon designation as eligible:

(1)Annotate the vessel's NVR entry to reflect eligibility.

(2)Unless the vessel is designated Foreign Military Sales

(FMS)transfer, there are other Navy requirements for its continued use, or national security or other restrictions preclude donation, make the vessel available for donation under 10 U.S.C. 7306. The Navy's Ship Donation Program (so-named, because service craft are only rarely eligible or requested for donation) is described at *http://www.navsea.navy.mil/ndp.* Donation applications requirements include submission of acceptable curatorial/museum and maintenance plans among other plans for the preservation of the vessel in a condition satisfactory to the Secretary of the Navy. If a qualified donee is not identified within two years, the Navy may proceed with other disposal options.

(3)Vessels designated by the Office of the CNO for Foreign Military Sales transfer will not be made available for donation under 10 U.S.C. 7306 as Department of Defense and Department of State Security Assistance programs have a higher national priority. Such FMS transfers may occur immediately upon decommissioning from the Navy (hot-ship transfer) or may occur several years after decommissioning (cold-ship transfer). However, if NRHP eligible vessels are removed from FMS hold and designated for disposal, they will be made available for donation under 10 U.S.C. 7306 according to the preceding provision. b. After NRHP eligible ships have been re-designated from donation hold status to disposal, and with the exception of classified information:

(1)The NHC, Ships History Branch will give priority to compiling histories of NRHP eligible vessels when preparing entries in the Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.

(2)The NHC, Ships History Branch will permanently retain and provide public access to appropriate documentation from NRHP eligible vessels such as command history reports and war diaries.

(3)The NHC, Ships History Branch, will provide public access to ship deck logs under its possession. Deck logs that are more than 30 years old are transferred to the National Archives and Records Administration for permanent retention.

(4)Navy policy requires the removal of curator artifacts from all vessels being decommissioned; including citations, correspondence of significant historical value, ship histories, paintings, and photographs selected to best display the physical characteristics of the vessel (ship's silver services are retained by the Naval Supply System). The NHC, Curator Branch, will maintain these items and will consider the loan of previously removed curator artifacts or other items of potential historical importance to qualified U.S. nonprofit organizations.

(5)Within three years of designation for disposal of an NRHP eligible vessel, the Navy Inactive Ships Program Office (NISPO) will deposit with the National Archives a documentation package consisting of archivally stable media of the following items: Unclassified Booklet of General Plans and the last unclassified report of the Board of Inspection and Survey describing the material condition of the vessel. The NISPO will submit an annual report to the Advisory ACHP on the progress of the program. The report will include the following information: a. Names and status of vessels identified as eligible for NRHP listing. b. Names of eligible vessels disposed of during the reporting period along with the status of documentation packages of eligible vessels that have been disposed of. By following this document, the Navy meets its responsibilities for compliance under Section 106 concerning management of its entire inventory of inactive vessels. Accordingly, the Navy is no longer required to follow the case-by-case Section 106 review process for each individual management action affecting inactive vessels, nor to conduct consultations with the ACHP, State Historic Preservation Officer, and other preservation authorities, except as provided in this program. The Navy may carry out management actions prior to the completion of the provisions outlined above, so long as such management actions do not preclude the eventual successful completion of these provisions. Dated: April 20, 2006. Eric Mcdonald, Lieutenant Commander, Judge Advocate General's Corps, U.S. Navy, Federal Register Liaison Officer. [FR Doc. E6-6248 Filed 4-25-06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3810-FF-P DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request AGENCY: Department of Education. SUMMARY: The Director, Regulatory Information Management Services, Office of Management invites comments on the submission for OMB review as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before May 26, 2006. ADDRESSES: Written comments should be addressed to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Attention: Rachel Potter, Desk Officer, Department of Education, Office of Management and Budget, 725 17th Street, NW., Room 10222, New Executive Office Building, Washington, DC 20503 or faxed to

(202)395-6974. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 3506 of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35) requires that the Office of Management and Budget

(OMB)provide interested Federal agencies and the public an early opportunity to comment on information collection requests. OMB may amend or waive the requirement for public consultation to the extent that public participation in the approval process would defeat the purpose of the information collection, violate State or Federal law, or substantially interfere with any agency's ability to perform its statutory obligations. The Director, Regulatory Information Management Services, Office of Management, publishes that notice containing proposed information collection requests prior to submission of these requests to OMB. Each proposed information collection, grouped by office, contains the following:

(1)Type of review requested, *e.g.* new, revision, extension, existing or reinstatement;

(2)Title;

(3)Summary of the collection;

(4)Description of the need for, and proposed use of, the information;

(5)Respondents and frequency of collection; and

(6)Reporting and/or Recordkeeping burden. OMB invites public comment. Dated: April 20, 2006. Jeanne Van Vlandren, Director, Regulatory Information Management Services, Office of Management. Federal Student Aid *Type of Review:* Extension. *Title:* Federal Perkins/NDSL Loan Assignment Form. *Frequency:* On Occasion. *Affected Public:* Businesses or other for-profit; Individuals or household; Not-for-profit institutions. *Reporting and Recordkeeping Hour Burden:* *Responses:* 21,262. Burden Hours: 8,505. *Abstract:* This form is used to collect pertinent data regarding student loans from institutions participating in the Federal Perkins Loan Program. The Perkins Assignment Form serves as the transmittal document in the assignment of such loans to the Federal government. Requests for copies of the information collection submission for OMB review may be accessed from *http://edicsweb.ed.gov,* by selecting the “Browse Pending Collections” link and by clicking on link number 2992. When you access the information collection, click on “Download Attachments” to view. Written requests for information should be addressed to U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Potomac Center, 9th Floor, Washington, DC 20202-4700. Requests may also be electronically mailed to IC *DocketMgr@ed.gov* or faxed to 202-245-6623. Please specify the complete title of the information collection when making your request. Comments regarding burden and/or the collection activity requirements should be electronically mailed to IC *DocketMgr@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. [FR Doc. E6-6242 Filed 4-25-06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4000-01-P DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Notice of Proposed Information Collection Requests AGENCY: Department of Education. SUMMARY: The Director, Regulatory Information Management Services, Office of Management, invites comments on the proposed information collection requests as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before June 26, 2006. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 3506 of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35) requires that the Office of Management and Budget

(1)Type of review requested, *e.g.* new, revision, extension, existing or reinstatement;

(2)Title;

(3)Summary of the collection;

(4)Description of the need for, and proposed use of, the information;

(5)Respondents and frequency of collection; and

(6)Reporting and/or Recordkeeping burden. OMB invites public comment. The Department of Education is especially interested in public comment addressing the following issues:

(1)Is this collection necessary to the proper functions of the Department;

(2)will this information be processed and used in a timely manner;

(3)is the estimate of burden accurate;

(4)how might the Department enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and

(5)how might the Department minimize the burden of this collection on the respondents, including through the use of information technology. Dated: April 19, 2006. Jeanne Van Vlandren, Director, Regulatory Information Management Services, Office of Management. Institute of Education Sciences *Type of Review:* Revision. *Title:* Evaluation of Math Curricula. *Frequency:* Semi-Annually. *Affected Public:* Not-for-profit institutions; Individuals or household. *Reporting and Recordkeeping Hour Burden:* *Responses:* 1,512. *Burden Hours:* 648. *Abstract:* The Evaluation of Math Curricula will assess the effectiveness of up to five early elementary math curricula. This submission is the second phase of the study and includes the justification and plan for the collection of information statistical methods for the evaluation and mathematics curricula. Data collection forms that will be used in the study are included in this submission. (The identification and recruitment phase was cleared in a previous OMB submission.) Requests for copies of the proposed information collection request may be accessed from *http://edicsweb.ed.gov* , by selecting the “Browse Pending Collections” link and by clicking on link number 3067. When you access the information collection, click on “Download Attachments” to view. Written requests for information should be addressed to U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Potomac Center, 9th Floor, Washington, DC 20202-4700. Requests may also be electronically mailed to IC *DocketMgr@ed.gov* or faxed to 202-245-6623. Please specify the complete title of the information collection when making your request. Comments regarding burden and/or the collection activity requirements should be electronically mailed to the e-mail address IC *DocketMgr@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. [FR Doc. E6-6243 Filed 4-25-06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4000-01-P DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Notice of Proposed Information Collection Requests AGENCY: Department of Education. SUMMARY: The Director, Regulatory Information Management Services, Office of Management, invites comments on the proposed information collection requests as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before June 26, 2006. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 3506 of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35) requires that the Office of Management and Budget

(1)Type of review requested, *e.g.* new, revision, extension, existing or reinstatement;

(2)Title;

(3)Summary of the collection;

(4)Description of the need for, and proposed use of, the information;

(5)Respondents and frequency of collection; and

(6)Reporting and/or Recordkeeping burden. OMB invites public comment. The Department of Education is especially interested in public comment addressing the following issues:

(1)Is this collection necessary to the proper functions of the Department;

(2)will this information be processed and used in a timely manner;

(3)is the estimate of burden accurate;

(4)how might the Department enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and

(5)how might the Department minimize the burden of this collection on the respondents, including through the use of information technology. Dated: April 19, 2006. Jeanne Van Vlandren, Director, Regulatory Information Management Services, Office of Management. Office of Planning, Evaluation and Policy Development *Type of Review:* New. *Title:* Data Collection for the Evaluation of the Improving Literacy Through School Libraries Program. *Frequency:* One time. *Affected Public:* State, Local, or Tribal Gov't, SEAs or LEAs. *Reporting and Recordkeeping Hour Burden:* *Responses:* 800. *Burden Hours:* 600. *Abstract:* This submission requests approval for an evaluation of the Improving Literacy through School Libraries Program (LSL). LSL, established under the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB), is designed to improve the literacy skills and academic achievement of students by providing them with access to up-to-date school library materials, technologically advanced school library media centers, and professionally certified school library media specialists. The evaluation of this program is authorized by NCLB Title I, Part B, Subpart 4. Requests for copies of the proposed information collection request may be accessed from *http://edicsweb.ed.gov* , by selecting the “Browse Pending Collections” link and by clicking on link number 3066. When you access the information collection, click on “Download Attachments” to view. Written requests for information should be addressed to U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Potomac Center, 9th Floor, Washington, DC 20202-4700. Requests may also be electronically mailed to IC *DocketMgr@ed.gov* or faxed to 202-245-6623. Please specify the complete title of the information collection when making your request. Comments regarding burden and/or the collection activity requirements should be electronically mailed to IC *DocketMgr@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. [FR Doc. E6-6244 Filed 4-25-06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4000-01-P DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Elementary and Secondary Education; Overview Information; Smaller Learning Communities Program; Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards Using Fiscal Year

(FY)2005 Funds *Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance

(CFDA)Number:* 84.215L. *Dates:* Applications Available: April 26, 2006. Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply: May 26, 2006. Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: June 26, 2006. Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: August 24, 2006. *Eligible Applicants:* Local educational agencies (LEAs), including educational service agencies and schools funded by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), applying on behalf of large public high schools, are eligible to apply for a grant. Additional eligibility requirements are listed elsewhere in this notice under section III. Eligibility Information. *Estimated Available Funds:* $86,954,000. The Department assumes that funds will be sufficient to provide the first 3 years of funding (36 months) for each grantee from funds available for this compeition. Funding to cover the remaining 24 months will be contingent on the availability of funds and each grantee's substantial progress toward accomplishing the goals and objectives of the project as described in its approved application. Contingent upon the availability of funds and quality of applications, we may make additional awards in a subsequent fiscal year, using FY 2006 funds, based on the list of unfunded applicants from this competition. Additional information regarding awards and budgets is provided elsewhere in this notice under section II. Award Information. *Estimated Range of Awards:* See section II. Award Information, elsewhere in this notice. *Estimated Size of Award:* See section II. Award Information, elsewhere in this notice. *Maximum Award:* See section II. Award Information, elsewhere in this notice. *Estimated Number of Awards:* 72. Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice. *Project Period:* Up to 60 months. Full Text of Announcement I. Funding Opportunity Description *Purpose of Program:* Authorized under title V, part D, subpart 4, section 5441 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended (ESEA), the purpose of the Smaller Learning Communities

(SLC)program is to promote academic achievement through the creation or expansion of small, safe, and successful learning environments in large public high schools to help ensure that all students graduate with the knowledge and skills necessary to make successful transitions to college and careers. *Priority:* This priority is from the notice of final priority, requirements, definitions, and selection criteria

(NFP)for this program, published in the **Federal Register** on April 28, 2005 (70 FR 22233). *Absolute Priority:* For this competition and any subsequent year in which we make awards based on the list of unfunded applicants from this competition, this priority is an absolute priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3) we consider only applications that meet this priority. This priority is: *Helping All Students to Succeed in Rigorous Academic Courses* . This priority supports projects to create or expand SLCs that will implement a coherent set of strategies and interventions that are designed to ensure that all students who enter high school with reading/language arts and mathematics skills that are significantly below grade level “catch up” quickly so that, by no later than the end of the 10th grade, they have acquired the reading/language arts and mathematics skills they need to participate successfully in rigorous academic courses that will equip them with the knowledge and skills necessary to transition successfully to postsecondary education, apprenticeships, or advanced training. These accelerated learning strategies and interventions must—

(1)Be grounded in the findings of scientifically based and other rigorous research;

(2)Include the use of age-appropriate instructional materials and teaching and learning strategies;

(3)Provide additional instruction and academic support during the regular school day, which may be supplemented by instruction that is provided before or after school, on weekends, and at other times when school is not in session; and

(4)Provide sustained professional development and ongoing support for teachers and other personnel who are responsible for delivering instruction. Application Requirements In the NFP, published in the **Federal Register** on April 28, 2005 (70 FR 22233), we established application requirements in the following areas for competitions conducted under this program: Eligibility; School Report Cards; Types of Grants; Consortium Applications and Educational Service Agencies; Student Placement; Including All Students; Budget Information for Determination of Award; Performance Indicators; Evaluation; High-Risk Status and Other Enforcement Mechanisms; Required Meetings Sponsored by the Department; and Previous Grantees. These requirements are in addition to the content that all SLC grant applicants must include in their applications as required by the program statute in title V, part D, subpart 4, section 5441(b) of the ESEA. In this competition, we will not be using the Types of Grants requirement. We have incorporated the terms of the remaining requirements under appropriate sections of this notice ( *e.g.* , the Eligibility requirement is listed in section III. Eligibility Information, elsewhere in this notice). Definitions In addition to the definitions in the authorizing statute and 34 CFR 77.1, the following definitions also apply to this program: *BIA School* means a school operated or supported by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. *Large High School* means a public school that includes grades 11 and 12 and has an enrollment of 1,000 or more students in grades 9 and above. *Smaller Learning Community (SLC)* means an environment in which a core group of teachers and other adults within the school knows the needs, interests, and aspirations of each student well, closely monitors each student's progress, and provides the academic and other support each student needs to succeed. Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 7249. *Applicable Regulations:*

(a)The Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 75, 77, 79, 80, 81, 82, 84, 85, 97, 98, and 99.

(b)The NFP published in the **Federal Register** on April 28, 2005 (70 FR 22233). Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 79 apply to all applicants except federally recognized Indian tribes. II. Award Information *Type of Award:* Discretionary grants. *Estimated Available Funds:* $86,954,000. The Department assumes that funds will be sufficient to provide the first 3 years of funding (36 months) for each grantee from funds available for this compeition. Funding to cover the remaining 24 months will be contingent on the availability of funds and each grantee's substantial progress toward accomplishing the goals and objectives of the project as described in its approved application. Contingent upon the availability of funds and quality of applications, we may make additional awards in a subsequent year, using FY 2006 funds, based on the list of unfunded applicants from this competition. *Estimated Range of Awards:* $650,000 to $11,750,000. The following chart provides the ranges of awards per high school size for 60-month SLC grants: SLC Grant Award Ranges Student enrollment Award ranges per school 1,000-2,000 Students $650,000-$800,000 2,001-3,000 Students 650,000-925,000 3,001-4,000 Students 650,000-1,050,000 4,001 and Up 650,000-1,175,000 *Estimated Size of Award:* LEAs may receive, on behalf of a single school, up to $1,175,000, depending upon the size of the school. This award is for the full 60-month project period. LEAs applying on behalf of a group of eligible schools could receive up to $11,750,000 per grant. To ensure that sufficient funds are available to support SLC activities, LEAs may not include more than 10 schools in a single application for a grant. The actual size of awards will be based on a number of factors. These factors include the scope, quality, and comprehensiveness of the proposed project and the range of awards indicated in the application. *Maximum Award:* Applications that request more funds than the maximum amounts specified (in the chart) for any school or for the total grant will not be read as part of the regular application process. However, if, after the Secretary selects applications to be funded, it appears that additional funds remain available, the Secretary may choose to read those additional applications that requested funds exceeding the maximum amounts specified. If the Secretary chooses to fund any of those additional applications, applicants will be required to work with the Department to revise their proposed budgets to fit within the appropriate funding range. *Estimated Number of Awards:* 72. Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice. *Project Period:* Up to 60 months. III. Eligibility Information 1. *Eligible Applicants:* Local educational agencies (LEAs), including educational service agencies and schools funded by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), applying on behalf of large public high schools, are eligible to apply for a grant. An LEA that was awarded an implementation grant on behalf of a school under the original SLC program competition held in 2000 (Cohort 1), under the second competition held in 2002 (Cohort 2), or under the third competition held in 2003 (Cohort 3) may apply on behalf of the school for a second SLC grant under the terms contained in the NFP. LEAs would not be able to apply for funding on behalf of schools that received an SLC implementation grant under the competitions held in 2004 (Cohort 4) and 2005 (Cohort 5). To be considered for funding, LEAs must identify in their applications the name or names of the eligible large high school or schools and the number of students enrolled in each school. A large high school is defined as one having grades 11 and 12, with 1,000 or more students enrolled in grades 9 and above. Enrollment figures must be based upon data from the current school year or data from the most recently completed school year. We will not accept applications from LEAs applying on behalf of schools that are being constructed and do not have an active student enrollment at the time of application. LEAs may apply on behalf of no more than 10 schools. In an effort to encourage systemic, district-level reform efforts, we permit an individual LEA to submit only one grant application in a competition, specifying in each application which high schools the LEA intends to fund. In addition, we require that an LEA applying for a grant under this competition apply only on behalf of a high school or high schools for which it has governing authority, unless the LEA is an educational service agency that includes in its application evidence that the entity that has governing authority over the eligible high school supports the application. An LEA, however, may form a consortium with another LEA and submit a joint application for funds. The consortium must follow the procedures for group applications described in 34 CFR 75.127 through 75.129 in EDGAR. An LEA is eligible for only one grant whether the LEA applies independently or as part of a consortium. 2. *Cost Sharing or Matching:* This competition does not involve cost sharing or matching. IV. Application and Submission Information 1. *Address To Request Application Package:* You may obtain an application package via the Internet or from the Education Publications Center (ED Pubs). To obtain a copy via the Internet use the following addresses: *http://www.grants.gov* or *http://www.ed.gov/programs/slcp/applicant.html* . To obtain a copy from ED Pubs, write or call the following: ED Pubs, P.O. 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: *http://www.ed.gov/pubs/edpubs.html* or you may contact ED Pubs at its e-mail address: *edpubs@inet.ed.gov* . If you request an application from ED Pubs, be sure to identify this competition as follows: CFDA number 84.215L. Individuals with disabilities may obtain a copy of the application package in an alternative format ( *e.g.* , Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer diskette) by contacting Deborah Williams, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 3W241, Washington, DC 20202-6200. Telephone:

(202)205-3783 or by e-mail: *deborah.williams@ed.gov* . 2. *Content and Form of Application Submission:* All SLC grant applicants must include in their applications the information required by the program statute in title V, part D, subpart 4, section 5441(b) of the ESEA. Applicants also must meet the following requirements:

(a)*School Report Cards* . We require that LEAs provide, for each school included in the application, the most recent “report card” produced by the State or the LEA to inform the public about the characteristics of the school and its students, including information about student academic achievement and other student outcomes. These “report cards” must include, at a minimum, the following information that LEAs are required to report for each school under section 1111(h)(2)(B)(ii) of the ESEA:

(1)Whether the school has been identified for school improvement; and

(2)information that shows how the academic assessments and other indicators of adequate yearly progress compare to those indicators for students in the LEA as a whole and also shows the performance of the school's students on statewide assessments.

(b)*Student Placement* . We require applicants for SLC grants to include a description of how students will be selected or placed in an SLC and an assurance that students will not be placed according to ability or any other measure, but will be placed at random or by student/parent choice and not pursuant to testing or other judgments.

(c)*Including All Students* . We require applicants for grants to create or expand an SLC project that will include every student within the school by no later than the end of the fifth school year of implementation. Elsewhere in this notice, we define an SLC as an environment in which a group of teachers and other adults within the school knows the needs, interests, and aspirations of each student well, closely monitors each student's progress, and provides the academic and other support each student needs to succeed.

(d)*Performance Indicators* . We require applicants to identify in their application specific performance indicators and annual performance objectives for each of these indicators. Specifically, we require applicants to use the following performance indicators to measure the progress of each school:

(1)The percentage of students who score at the proficient and advanced levels on the reading/language arts and mathematics assessments used by the State to determine whether a school has made adequate yearly progress under part A of title I of the ESEA, as well as these percentages disaggregated by subject matter and the following subgroups:

(A)Major racial and ethnic groups.

(B)Students with disabilities.

(C)Students with limited English proficiency.

(D)Economically disadvantaged students.

(2)The school's graduation rate, as defined in the State's approved accountability plan for part A of title I of the ESEA.

(3)The percentage of graduates who enroll in postsecondary education, apprenticeships, or advanced training for the semester following graduation.

(4)The percentage of graduates who are employed by the end of the first quarter after they graduate ( *e.g.* , for students who graduate in May or June, this would be September 30).

(5)Other appropriate indicators the LEA may choose to identify in its application, such as rates of average daily attendance and year-to-year retention; achievement and gains in English proficiency of limited English proficient students; the incidence of school violence, drug and alcohol use, and disciplinary actions; or the percentage of students completing advanced placement courses and the rate of passing advanced placement tests (such as Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate) and courses for college credit. Applicants are required to include in their applications baseline data for each of these indicators and identify performance objectives for each year of the project period. We further require recipients of grants to report annually on the extent to which each school achieves its performance objectives for each indicator during the preceding school year. We require grantees to report comparable data, if available, for the preceding three school years so that trends in performance will be more apparent. Grantees must submit this additional data using the Department's SLC electronic reporting Web site within three months after awards are made.

(e)*Evaluation* . We require each applicant to provide assurances that it will support an evaluation of the project that provides information to the project director and school personnel, and that will be useful in gauging the project's progress and in identifying areas for improvement. Each evaluation must include an annual report for each of the first four years of the project period and a final report that would be completed at the end of the fifth year of implementation and that will include information on implementation during the fifth year as well as information on the implementation of the project across the entire project period. We require grantees to submit each of these reports to the Department. In addition, we require that the evaluation be conducted by an independent third party, selected by the applicant, whose role in the project is limited to conducting the evaluation.

(f)*Required Meetings Sponsored by the Department* . Applicants must set aside adequate funds within their proposed budget to send their project director to a two-day project directors' meeting in Washington, DC, and to send a team of five key staff members, including their external evaluator, to attend a two-and-a-half-day Regional Institute. The Department will host both meetings. We anticipate that the meetings will be held in the first year of the grant period.

(g)*Additional Requirements* . Additional requirements concerning the content of an application for this program, together with the forms you must submit, also are in the application package for this competition. Page limit: The application narrative is where you, the applicant, address the selection criteria that reviewers use to evaluate your application. We encourage you to limit the narrative to the equivalent of no more than 25 pages and suggest that you use the following standards: • A “page” is 8.5 x 11, on one side only, with 1″ margins at the top, bottom, and both sides. • Double space (no more than three lines per vertical inch) all text in the application narrative, including titles, headings, footnotes, quotations, references, and captions, as well as all text in charts, tables, figures, and graphs. • Use a font that is either 12 point or larger or no smaller than 10 pitch (characters per inch). The suggested page limit does not apply to the forms, budget section, budget justification, assurances and certifications, one-page abstract, endnotes, school report cards, or resumes. However, you must include all of the application narrative in the narrative section. 3. *Submission Dates and Times:* Applications Available: April 26, 2006. Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply: May 26, 2006. Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: June 26, 2006. Applications for grants under this competition must be submitted electronically using the Grants.gov Apply site (Grants.gov). For information (including dates and times) about how to submit your application electronically or by mail or hand delivery if you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission requirement, please refer to section IV.6. *Other Submission Requirements* in this notice. We do not consider an application that does not comply with the deadline requirements. Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: August 24, 2006. 4. *Intergovernmental Review:* This competition is subject to Executive Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79. Information about Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs under Executive Order 12372 is in the application package for this competition. 5. *Funding Restrictions:* We reference regulations outlining funding restrictions in the *Applicable Regulations* section of this notice. 6. *Other Submission Requirements:* Applications for grants under this competition must be submitted electronically unless you qualify for an exception to this requirement in accordance with the instructions in this section. a. *Electronic Submission of Applications.* Applications for grants under the Smaller Learning Communities Program-CFDA Number 84.215L must be submitted electronically using the Grants.gov Apply site at: *http://www.grants.gov.* Through this site, you will be able to download a copy of the application package, complete it offline, and then upload and submit your application. You may not e-mail an electronic copy of a grant application to us. We will reject your application if you submit it in paper format unless, as described elsewhere in this section, you qualify for one of the exceptions to the electronic submission requirements *and* submit, no later than two weeks before the application deadline date, a written statement to the Department that you qualify for one of these exceptions. Further information regarding calculation of the date that is two weeks before the application deadline date is provided later in this section under *Exception to Electronic Submission Requirement.* You may access the electronic grant application for the Smaller Learning Communities Program at: *http://www.grants.gov.* You must search for the downloadable application package for this program by the CFDA number. Do not include the CFDA number s alpha suffix in your search. Please note the following: • When you enter the Grants.gov site, you will find information about submitting an application electronically through the site, as well as the hours of operation. • Applications received by Grants.gov are time and date stamped. Your application must be fully uploaded and submitted, and must be date/time stamped by the Grants.gov system no later than 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. Except as otherwise noted in this section, we will not consider your application if it is date/time stamped by the Grants.gov system later than 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. When we retrieve your application from Grants.gov, we will notify you if we are rejecting your application because it was date/time stamped by the Grants.gov system after 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. • The amount of time it can take to upload an application will vary depending on a variety of factors including the size of the application and the speed of your Internet connection. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you do not wait until the application deadline date to begin the submission process through Grants.gov. • You should review and follow the Education Submission Procedures for submitting an application through Grants.gov that are included in the application package for this competition to ensure that you submit your application in a timely manner to the Grants.gov system. You can also find the Education submission Procedures pertaining to Grants.gov at *http://e-Grants.ed.gov/help/GrantsgovSubmissionProcedures.pdf.* • To submit your application via Grants.gov, you must complete all of the steps in the Grants.gov registration process (see *http://www.Grants.gov/GetStarted* ). These steps include

(1)registering your organization,

(2)registering yourself as an Authorized Organization Representative (AOR), and

(3)getting authorized as an AOR by your organization. Details on these steps are outlined in the Grants.gov 3-Step Registration Guide (see *http://www.grants.gov/assets/GrantsgovCoBrandBrochure8X11.pdf* ). You also must provide on your application the same D-U-N-S Number used with this registration. Please note that the registration process may take five or more business days to complete, and you must have completed all registration steps to allow you to submit an application successfully via Grants.gov. • You will not receive additional point value because you submit your application in electronic format, nor will we penalize you if you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission requirement, as described elsewhere in this section, and submit your application in paper format. • You must submit all documents electronically, including all information typically included on the Application for Federal Education Assistance (ED 424), Budget Information—Non-Construction Programs (ED 524), and all necessary assurances and certifications. You must attach any narrative sections of your application as files in a .DOC (document), .RTF (rich text), or .PDF (Portable Document) format. If you upload a file type other than the three file types specified above or submit a password protected file, we will not review that material. • Your electronic application must comply with any page-limit requirements described in this notice. • After you electronically submit your application, you will receive an automatic acknowledgement from Grants.gov that contains a Grants.gov tracking number. The Department will retrieve your application from Grants.gov and send you a second confirmation by e-mail that will include a PR/Award number (an ED-specified identifying number unique to your application). • We may request that you provide us original signatures on forms at a later date. *Application Deadline Date Extension in Case of Technical Issues with the Grants.gov System:* If you are prevented from electronically submitting your application on the application deadline date because of technical problems with the Grants.gov system, we will grant you an extension until 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, the following business day to enable you to transmit your application electronically, or by hand delivery. You also may mail your application by following the mailing instructions as described elsewhere in this notice. If you submit an application after 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the deadline date, please contact the person listed elsewhere in this notice under *For Further Information Contact* , and provide an explanation of the technical problem you experienced with Grants.gov, along with the Grants.gov Support Desk Case Number (if available). We will accept your application if we can confirm that a technical problem occurred with the Grants.gov system and that that problem affected your ability to submit your application by 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. The Department will contact you after a determination is made on whether your application will be accepted. Note: Extensions referred to in this section apply only to the unavailability of or technical problems with the Grants.gov system. We will not grant you an extension if you failed to fully register to submit your application to Grants.gov before the deadline date and time or if the technical problem you experienced is unrelated to the Grants.gov system. *Exception to Electronic Submission Requirement:* You qualify for an exception to the electronic submission requirement, and may submit your application in paper format, if you are unable to submit an application through the Grants.gov system because— • You do not have access to the Internet; or • You do not have the capacity to upload large documents to the Grants.gov system; *and* • No later than two weeks before the application deadline date (14 calendar days or, if the fourteenth calendar day before the application deadline date falls on a Federal holiday, the next business day following the Federal holiday), you mail or fax a written statement to the Department, explaining which of the two grounds for an exception prevent you from using the Internet to submit your application. If you mail your written statement to the Department, it must be postmarked no later than two weeks before the application deadline date. If you fax your written statement to the Department, we must receive the faxed statement no later than two weeks before the application deadline date. Address and mail or fax your statement to: Deborah Williams, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 3W241, Washington, DC 20202-6200. Fax:

(202)260-8969. Your paper application must be submitted in accordance with the mail or hand delivery instructions described in this notice. b. *Submission of Paper Applications by Mail.* If you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission requirement, you may mail (through the U.S. Postal Service or a commercial carrier), your application to the Department. You must mail the original and two copies of your application, on or before the application deadline date, to the Department at the applicable following address: *By mail through the U.S. Postal Service:* U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Center, Attention: (CFDA Number 84.215L), 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20202-4260, or *By mail through a commercial carrier:* U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Cente—Stop 4260, Attention: (CFDA Number 84.215L), 7100 Old Landover Road, Landover, MD 20785-1506. Regardless of which address you use, you must show proof of mailing consisting of one of the following:

(1)A legibly dated U.S. Postal Service postmark,

(2)A legible mail receipt with the date of mailing stamped by the U.S. Postal Service,

(3)A dated shipping label, invoice, or receipt from a commercial carrier, or

(4)Any other proof of mailing acceptable to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education. If you mail your application through the U.S. Postal Service, we do not accept either of the following as proof of mailing:

(1)A private metered postmark, or

(2)A mail receipt that is not dated by the U.S. Postal Service. If your application is postmarked after the application deadline date, we will not consider your application. Note: The U.S. Postal Service does not uniformly provide a dated postmark. Before relying on this method, you should check with your local post office. c. *Submission of Paper Applications by Hand Delivery.* If you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission requirement, you (or a courier service) may deliver your paper application to the Department by hand. You must deliver the original and two copies of your application by hand, on or before the application deadline date, to the Department at the following address: U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Center, Attention: (CFDA Number 84.215L), 550 12th Street SW., Room 7041, Potomac Center Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-4260. The Application Control Center accepts hand deliveries daily between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, except Saturdays, Sundays, and Federal holidays. *Note for Mail or Hand Delivery of Paper Applications:* If you mail or hand deliver your application to the Department:

(1)You must indicate on the envelope and—if not provided by the Department—in Item 4 of the ED 424 the CFDA number—and suffix letter, if any—of the competition under which you are submitting your application.

(2)The Application Control Center will mail a grant application receipt acknowledgment to you. If you do not receive the grant application receipt acknowledgment within 15 business days from the application deadline date, you should call the U.S. Department of Education Application Control Center at

(202)245-6288. V. Application Review Information *Selection Criteria:* The following selection criteria will be used to evaluate applications for new grants under this program. These selection criteria are from the NFP, published in the **Federal Register** on April 28, 2005 (70 FR 22233). Note: The maximum score for a grant under this program is 100 points. The points or weights assigned to each criterion and sub-criterion are indicated in parentheses. Need for the Project (10 Points) In determining the need for the proposed project, we consider the extent to which the applicant will— Assist schools that have the greatest need for assistance, as indicated by, relative to other high schools within the State, one or more of the factors below:

(A)Student performance on the academic assessments in reading/language arts and mathematics administered by the State under part A, title I of the ESEA, including gaps in the performance of all students and that of student subgroups, such as economically disadvantaged students, students from major racial and ethnic groups, students with disabilities, or students with limited English proficiency.

(B)The school's dropout rate and gaps in the graduation rate between all students and student subgroups.

(C)Disciplinary actions.

(D)The percentage of graduates who enroll in postsecondary education, apprenticeships, or advanced training in the semester following graduation, and gaps between all students and student subgroups. Foundation for Implementation (20 Points) In determining the quality of the implementation plan for the proposed project, we consider the extent to which—

(1)(5 points) Teachers and administrators within each school support the proposed project and have been and will continue to be involved in its planning and development, including, particularly, those teachers who will be directly affected by the proposed project;

(2)(5 points) Parents, students, and other community stakeholders support the proposed project and have been and will continue to be involved in its planning and development;

(3)(5 points) The proposed project is consistent with, and will advance, State and local initiatives to increase student achievement and narrow gaps in achievement between all students and student subgroups; and

(4)(5 points) The applicant demonstrates that it has carried out sufficient planning and preparatory activities to enable it to begin to implement the proposed project at the beginning of the school year immediately following receipt of an award. Quality of the Project Design (30 Points) In determining the quality of the project design for the SLC project, we consider the extent to which—

(1)(5 points) The applicant will implement or expand strategies, new organizational structures, or other changes in practice that are likely to create an environment in which a core group of teachers and other adults within the school knows the needs, interests, and aspirations of each student well, closely monitors each student's progress, and provides the academic and other support each student needs to succeed;

(2)(5 points) The applicant proposes research-based strategies that are likely to improve overall student achievement and other outcomes (including graduation rates and enrollment in postsecondary education), narrow any gaps in achievement between all students and student subgroups, and address the particular needs identified by the school under the paragraph titled *Need for the Project,* such as—

(A)More rigorous academic curriculum for all students and the provision of academic support to struggling students who need assistance to master more challenging academic content;

(B)More intensive and individualized educational counseling and career and college guidance, provided through mentoring, teacher advisories, adult advocates, or other means;

(C)Strategies designed to increase average daily attendance, increase the percentage of students who transition from the 9th to 10th grade, and improve the graduation rate; and

(D)Expanding opportunities for students to participate in advanced placement courses and other academic and technical courses that offer both high school and postsecondary credit;

(3)(5 points) The applicant will implement accelerated learning strategies and interventions that will assist students who enter the school with reading/language or mathematics skills that are significantly below grade level and that—

(A)Are designed to equip participating students with grade-level reading/language arts and mathematics skills by no later than the end of the 10th grade;

(B)Are grounded in scientifically based research;

(C)Include the use of age-appropriate instructional materials and teaching and learning strategies;

(D)Provide additional instructional and academic support during the regular school day, which may be supplemented by instruction that is provided before or after school, on weekends, and at other times when school is not in session;

(E)Will be delivered with sufficient intensity to improve the reading/language arts or math skills, as appropriate, of participating students; and

(F)Include sustained professional development and ongoing support for teachers and other personnel who are responsible for delivering instruction;

(4)(5 points) The applicant will provide high-quality professional development throughout the project period that advances the understanding of teachers, administrators, and other school staff of effective, research-based instructional strategies for improving the academic achievement of students, including, particularly, students with academic skills that are significantly below grade level, and provide the knowledge and skills those staff need to participate effectively in the development, expansion, or implementation of an SLC;

(5)(5 points) The proposed project fits into a comprehensive district high school improvement strategy to increase the academic achievement of all district high school students, reduce gaps between the achievement of all students and student subgroups, and prepare students to enter postsecondary education or the workforce; and

(6)(5 points) The proposed project is part of a cohesive plan that uses funds provided under the ESEA, the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act, or other Federal programs, as well as local, State, and private funds sufficient to ensure continuation of efforts after Federal support ends. Quality of the Management Plan (20 Points) In determining the quality of the management plan for the proposed project, we consider the following factors:

(1)(5 points) The adequacy of the proposed management plan to achieve the objectives of the proposed project on time and within budget, including clearly defined responsibilities and detailed timelines and milestones for accomplishing project tasks.

(2)(5 points) The extent to which time commitments of the project director and other key personnel are appropriate and adequate to implement the SLC project effectively.

(3)(5 points) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience, of the project director and other key personnel.

(4)(5 points) The adequacy of resources, including the extent to which the budget is adequate and costs are directly related to the objectives and SLC activities. Quality of the SLC Project Evaluation (20 Points) In determining the quality of the proposed project evaluation conducted by an independent, third-party evaluator, we consider the following factors:

(1)(5 points) The extent to which the methods of evaluation are thorough, feasible, and appropriate to the goals, objectives, and outcomes of the proposed SLC project.

(2)(5 points) The extent to which the evaluation will collect and report accurate qualitative and quantitative data that will be useful in assessing the success and progress of implementation, including, at a minimum—

(A)Measures of student academic achievement that provide data for the performance indicators identified in the application, including results that are disaggregated for economically disadvantaged students, students from major racial and ethnic groups, students with disabilities, students with limited English proficiency, and other subgroups identified by the applicant; and

(B)Other measures identified by the applicant in the application as performance indicators.

(3)(5 points) The extent to which the methods of evaluation will provide timely and regular feedback to the LEA and the school on the success and progress of implementation and identify areas for needed improvement.

(4)(5 points) The qualifications and relevant training and experience of the independent evaluator. VI. Award Administration Information 1. *Award Notices:* If your application is successful, we notify your U.S. Representative and U.S. Senators and send you a Grant Award Notification (GAN). We may also notify you informally. If your application is not evaluated or not selected for funding, we notify you. 2. *Administrative and National Policy Requirements:* We identify administrative and national policy requirements in the application package and reference these and other requirements in the *Applicable Regulations* section of this notice. We reference the regulations outlining the terms and conditions of an award in the *Applicable Regulations* section of this notice and include these and other specific conditions in the GAN. The GAN also incorporates your approved application as part of your binding commitments under the grant. Note: Requirements listed in the NFP are material requirements. Failure to comply with any requirement or with any elements of the grantee's application would subject the grantee to administrative action including, but not limited to, designation as a “high-risk” grantee, the imposition of special conditions, or termination of the grant. Circumstances that might cause the Department to take this action include, but are not limited to—the grantee showing a decline in student achievement after two years of implementation of the grant; the grantee's failure to make substantial progress in completing the milestones outlined in the management plan included in the application; and the grantee's expenditure of funds in a manner that is inconsistent with the budget as submitted in the application. 3. *Reporting:* At the end of your project period, you must submit a final performance report, including financial information, as directed by the Secretary. If you receive a multi-year award, you must submit an annual performance report that provides the most current performance and financial expenditure information as specified by the Secretary in 34 CFR 75.118. Additional reporting requirements are described elsewhere in this notice under section IV. Application and Submission Information, 2. *Content and Form of Application Submission.* 4. *Performance Measures:* The application requirements and other information related to performance indicators and objectives are described elsewhere in this notice under section IV. Application and Submission Information, 2. *Content and Form of Application Submission.* VII. Agency Contact FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Deborah Williams, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 3W241, Washington, DC 20202-6200. Telephone:

(202)205-3783 or by e-mail: *deborah.williams@ed.gov* If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may call the Federal Relay Service

(FRS)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) on request to the program contact person listed in this section. VIII. Other Information *Electronic Access to This Document:* You may view this document, as well as all other documents of this Department published in the **Federal Register** , in text or Adobe Portable Document Format

(PDF)on the Internet at the following site: *http://www.ed.gov/news/fedregister.* To use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available free at this site. If you have questions about using PDF, call the U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO), toll free, at 1-888-293-6498; or in the Washington, DC, area at

(202)512-1530. Note: The official version of this document is the document published in the **Federal Register** . Free Internet access to the official edition of the **Federal Register** and the Code of Federal Regulations is available on GPO Access at: *http://www.gpoaccess.gov/nara/index.html* Dated: April 21, 2006. Henry L. Johnson, Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education. [FR Doc. 06-3928 Filed 4-25-06; 8:45 am]

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