Notices. Notice of open meeting

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BILLING CODE 3710-92-M DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Notice of Proposed Information Collection Requests AGENCY: Department of Education. SUMMARY: The IC Clearance Official, 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 April 10, 2007. 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 IC Clearance Official, 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. 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: February 5, 2007. Angela C. Arrington, IC Clearance Official, Regulatory Information Management Services, Office of Management. Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services *Type of Review:* Revision of a currently approved collection. *Title:* Annual Performance Reporting

(APR)Forms for NIDRR Grantees (RERCs, RRTCS, FIPs, ARRTs, DBTACs, DRRPs) (JS). *Frequency:* Annually. *Affected Public:* Not-for-profit institutions (primary); Businesses or other for-profit. *Reporting and Recordkeeping Hour Burden:* Responses: 271. Burden Hours: 13,550. *Abstract:* NIDRR will use the information gathered through these forms to comply with EDGAR, enable grantees to complete 5248 reporting requirements, and provide OMB information required for assessment of performance on GPRA indicators and the PART evaluation. Respondents are approximately 270 grantees in 10 NIDRR programs. 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 3277. 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 *ICDocketMgr@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 *ICDocketMgr@ed.gov* 202-245-6566. 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. E7-2138 Filed 2-8-07; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4000-01-P DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Elementary and Secondary Education Overview Information; Office of Indian Education—Demonstration Grants for Indian Children; Notice inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year

(FY)2007 *Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance

(CFDA)Number:* 84.299A. DATES: Applications Available: February 9, 2007. *Deadline for Transmittal of Applications:* March 12, 2007. *Deadline for Intergovernmental Review:* May 10, 2007. *Eligible Applicants:* Eligible applicants for this program are State educational agencies (SEAs); local educational agencies (LEAs); Indian tribes; Indian organizations; federally supported elementary or secondary schools for Indian students; Indian institutions (including Indian institutions of higher education); or a consortium of any of these entities. An application from a consortium of eligible entities must meet the requirements of 34 CFR 75.127 through 75.129. An application from a consortium of eligible entities must include a signed consortium agreement with the application. Letters of support do *not* meet the requirement for a consortium agreement. Applicants applying in consortium with or as an “Indian organization” must demonstrate eligibility by showing how the “Indian organization” meets all the criteria outlined in 34 CFR 263.20. The term “Indian institution of higher education” means an accredited college or university within the United States cited in section 532 of the Equity in Educational Land-Grant Status Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 301 note), any other institution that qualifies for funding under the Tribally Controlled College or University Assistance Act of 1978 (25 U.S.C. 1801 *et seq.* ), and Dine College (formerly Navajo Community College), authorized in the Navajo Community College Assistance Act of 1978 (25 U.S.C. 640a *et seq.* ). We will reject any application that does not meet these requirements. *Estimated Available Funds:* The Administration has requested $19,399,000 for this program for FY 07, of which $1,934,000 is available for new awards. The actual level of funding, if any, depends on final Congressional action. However, we are inviting applications to allow enough time to complete the grant process if Congress appropriates funds for this program. *Estimated Range of Awards:* $100,000-$300,000. *Estimated Average Size of Awards:* $276,000. *Maximum Award:* We will reject any application that proposes a budget exceeding $300,000 for a single budget period of 12 months. The Assistant Secretary may change the maximum amount through a notice published in the **Federal Register** . *Estimated Number of Awards:* 7. Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice. *Project Period:* Up to 48 months. Full Text of Announcement I. Funding Opportunity Description *Purpose of Program:* The purpose of the Demonstration Grants for Indian Children program is to provide financial assistance to projects that develop, test, and demonstrate the effectiveness of services and programs to improve the educational opportunities and achievement of preschool, elementary, and secondary Indian students. *Priorities:* This competition contains two absolute priorities and two competitive preference priorities. *Absolute Priorities:* For FY 2007 these priorities are absolute priorities. In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(ii), these priorities are from the regulations for this program (34 CFR 263.21(c)(1) and (3)). Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3), we consider only applications that meet one or both of the following priorities. *These priorities are:* Absolute Priority One School readiness projects that provide age appropriate educational programs and language skills to three- and four-year-old Indian students to prepare them for successful entry into school at the kindergarten school level. Absolute Priority Two College preparatory programs for secondary school students designed to increase competency and skills in challenging subject matters, including mathematics and science, to enable Indian students to transition successfully to postsecondary education. *Competitive Preference Priorities:* Within these absolute priorities, we give competitive preference to applicants that address the following priorities. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i) we award up to an additional 10 points to an application, depending on the extent to which the application meets one or both of these priorities. These priorities are: Competitive Preference Priority One In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(iv), this priority is from section 7121 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended (ESEA), 20 U.S.C. 7441(d)(1)(B). We award five competitive preference priority points to an applicant that presents a plan for combining two or more of the activities described in section 7121(c) of the ESEA over a period of more than one year. Note: For Competitive Preference Priority One, the combination of activities is limited to the activities described in the Absolute Priorities. Competitive Preference Priority Two In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(iv), this priority is from section 7143 of the ESEA, 20 U.S.C. 7473. We award five competitive preference priority points to an application submitted by an Indian tribe, Indian organization, or Indian institution of higher education, including a consortium of any of these entities with other eligible entities. An application from a consortium of eligible entities that meets the requirements of 34 CFR 75.127 through 75.129 and includes an Indian tribe, Indian organization, or Indian institution of higher education will be considered eligible to receive the five competitive preference points. These competitive preference points are in addition to the five competitive preference points that may be given under Competitive Preference Priority One. Note: A consortium agreement, signed by all parties, must be submitted with the application in order for the application to be considered a consortium application. Letters of support do *not* meet the requirement for a consortium agreement. We will reject any application from a consortium that does not meet this requirement. Note: The term “Indian institution of higher education” means an accredited college or university within the United States that in section 532 of the Equity in Educational Land-Grant Status Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 301 note), any other institution that qualifies for funding under the Tribally Controlled College or University Assistance Act of 1978 (25 U.S.C. 1801 *et seq.* ), and Dine College (formerly Navajo Community College), authorized in the Navajo Community College Assistance Act of 1978 (25 U.S.C. 640a *et seq.* ). *Program Authority:* 20 U.S.C. 7441. *Applicable Regulations:*

(a)The Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80, 81, 82, 84, 85, 86, 97, 98, and 99.

(b)The regulations for this program in 34 CFR part 263. Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 79 apply to all applicants except federally recognized Indian tribes. Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to institutions of higher education only. II. Award Information *Type of Award:* Discretionary grants. *Estimated Available Funds:* The Administration has requested $19,399,000 for this program for FY 07, of which $1,934,000 is available for new awards. The actual level of funding, if any, depends on final Congressional action. However, we are inviting applications to allow enough time to complete the grant process if Congress appropriates funds for this program *Estimated Range of Awards:* $100,000-$300,000. *Estimated Average Size of Awards:* $276,000. *Maximum Award:* We will reject any application that proposes a budget exceeding $300,000 for a single budget period of 12 months. The Assistant Secretary may change the maximum amount through a notice published in the **Federal Register** . *Estimated Number of Awards:* 7. Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice. *Project Period:* Up to 48 months. III. Eligibility Information 1. *Eligible Applicants:* Eligible applicants for this program are SEAs; LEAs; Indian tribes; Indian organizations; federally supported elementary or secondary schools for Indian students; Indian institutions (including Indian institutions of higher education); or a consortium of any of these entities. An application from a consortium of eligible entities must meet the requirements of 34 CFR 75.127 through 75.129. An application from a consortium of eligible entities must submit the consortium agreement, signed by all parties, with the application. Letters of support do *not* meet the requirement for a consortium agreement. Applicants applying in consortium with or as an “Indian organization” must demonstrate eligibility by showing how the “Indian organization” meets all the criteria outlined in 34 CFR 263.20. The term “Indian institution of higher education” means an accredited college or university within the United States cited in section 532 of the Equity in Educational Land-Grant Status Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 301 note), any other institution that qualifies for funding under the Tribally Controlled College or University Assistance Act of 1978 (25 U.S.C. 1801 *et seq.* ), and Dine College (formerly Navajo Community College), authorized in the Navajo Community College Assistance Act of 1978 (25 U.S.C. 640a *et seq.* ). We will reject any application that does not meet these requirements. 2. *Cost Sharing or Matching:* This program does not involve cost sharing or matching. 3. *Other:* Projects funded under this competition should plan to budget for a one-and-one-half-day Project Directors' meeting in Washington, DC during each year of the project period. IV. Application and Submission Information 1. *Address to Request Application Package:* Applications for grants under this competition must be submitted electronically through the Grants.gov Apply site ( *http://www.Grants.gov* ). However, if you would like a paper copy of the application to review, you may order one from the Education Publications Center (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.* You may also obtain an electronic copy of the application package by downloading it from the following Web site: *http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/oese/oie/index.html.* 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 the program contact person listed elsewhere in this notice under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT . 2. *Content and Form of Application Submission:* Requirements concerning the content of an application, together with the forms you must submit, are in the application package for this competition. Page Limit: The application narrative (Part III of the application) is where you, the applicant, address the selection criteria that reviewers use to evaluate your application. You must limit Part III to no more than 35 pages, using 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 12 point or larger but no smaller than 10 point. The page limit does not apply to Part I, the cover sheet; Part II, the budget section, including the narrative budget justification; Part IV, the assurances and certifications; or the one-page abstract, the resumes, the bibliography, or the letters of support. However, you must include all of the application narrative in Part III. The page limit of 35 pages for Part III is mandatory. We will reject your application if: • You apply these standards and exceed the page limit; or • You apply other standards and exceed the equivalent of the page limit. 3. *Submission Dates and Times:* *Applications Available:* February 9, 2007. *Deadline for Transmittal of Applications:* March 12, 2007. 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. Individuals with disabilities who need an accommodation or auxiliary aid in connection with the application process should contact the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT . *Deadline For Intergovernmental Review:* May 10, 2007. 4. *Intergovernmental Review:* This program 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 program. 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 Demonstration Grants for Indian Children, CFDA Number 84.299A must be submitted electronically using the Governmentwide 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 requirement *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 Demonstration Grants for Indian Children at *http://www.Grants.gov.* You must search for the downloadable application package for this program or competition by the CFDA number. Do not include the CFDA number's alpha suffix in your search (e.g., search for 84.299, not 84.299A). 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 date and time stamped. Your application must be fully uploaded and submitted, and must be date and 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 and 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 and 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 steps in the Grants.gov registration process (see *http://www.grants.gov/applicants/get_registered.jsp* ). These steps include

(1)registering your organization, a multi-part process that includes registration with the Central Contractor Registry (CCR);

(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/section910/Grants.govRegistrationBrochure.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 successfully an application via Grants.gov. In addition you will need to update your CCR registration on an annual basis. This may take three or more business days to complete. • 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 you typically provide on the following forms: Application for Federal Assistance (SF 424), the Department of Education Supplemental Information for SF 424, Budget Information—Non-Construction Programs (ED 524), and all necessary assurances and certifications. Please note that two of these forms—the SF 424 and the Department of Education Supplemental Information for SF 424—have replaced the ED 424 (Application for Federal Education Assistance). • 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 in this paragraph 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 from Grants.gov an automatic notification of receipt that contains a Grants.gov tracking number. (This notification indicates receipt by Grants.gov only, not receipt by the Department.) The Department then will retrieve your application from Grants.gov and send a second notification to you by e-mail. This second notification indicates that the Department has received your application and has assigned your application 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 experiencing problems submitting your application through Grants.gov, please contact the Grants.gov Support Desk at 1-800-518-4726. You must obtain a Grants.gov Support Desk Case Number and must keep a record of it. 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 described elsewhere in this notice. If you submit an application after 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application 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. 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: The extensions to which we refer 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 application 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: Lana Shaughnessy, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Room 5C152, Washington, DC 20202-6335. FAX:

(202)260-4149. 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 84.299A),400 Maryland Avenue, SW.,Washington, DC 20202-4260. or *By mail through a commercial carrier:* U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Center, Stop 4260, Attention: CFDA Number 84.299A), 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.

(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.

(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 84.299A),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 11 of the SF 424 the CFDA number, including suffix letter, if any, of the competition under which you are submitting your application; and

(2)The Application Control Center will mail to you a notification of receipt of your grant application. If you do not receive this notification 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 selection criteria for this competition are from 34 CFR 75.210 and are listed in the application package. 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. 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. 4. *Performance Measures:* The Secretary has established the following key performance measures for assessing the effectiveness of the Demonstration Grants for Indian Children program:

(1)The percentage of pre-school American Indian and Alaska Native students who possess school readiness skills gained through a scientifically based research curriculum that prepares them for kindergarten;

(2)the percentage of American Indian and Alaska Native high school students successfully completing (as defined by receiving a passing grade) challenging classes in core subjects (including English, mathematics, science, and history); and

(3)the percentage of American Indian and Alaska Native high school students attaining at least the district average score in national college entrance examinations (the ACT and the SAT) and preliminary college entrance examinations (the PSAT). We encourage applicants to demonstrate a strong capacity to provide reliable data on these measures in their responses to the selection criteria “Quality of project services” and “Quality of the project evaluation.” All grantees will be expected to submit, as part of their performance report, information with respect to these performance measures. VII. Agency Contact For Further Information Contact: Lana Shaughnessy, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Room 5C152, Washington, DC 20202-6335. Telephone:

(202)205-2528 or by e-mail: *Indian.education@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 contact person listed in this section. VII. 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

(FY)2007 *Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance

(CFDA)Number:* 84.184A. DATES: *Applications Available:* February 9, 2007. *Deadline for Transmittal of Applications:* March 26, 2007. *Deadline for Intergovernmental Review:* May 25, 2007. *Eligible Applicants:* Local educational agencies (LEAs). The Secretary limits eligibility under this discretionary grant program competition to applicants that do not currently have an active grant under the Grants to Reduce Alcohol Abuse (CFDA No. 84.184A) Program. For the purpose of this eligibility requirement, a grant is considered active until the end of the grant's project or funding period, including any extensions of those periods that extend the grantee's authority to obligate funds. *Estimated Available Funds:* The Administration's budget request for FY 2007 does not include funds for this program. However, we are inviting applications to allow enough time to complete the grant process if Congress appropriates funds for this program. Note: The Secretary may reserve up to 25 percent of these funds to award grants to low-income and rural LEAs. Contingent upon the availability of funds, we may make additional awards in FY 2008 from the list of un-funded applications from this competition. *Estimated Range of Awards:* $200,000-$400,000. *Estimated Average Size of Awards:* $300,000. *Estimated Number of Awards:* 20. Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice. *Project Period:* Up to 36 months. Full Text of Announcement I. Funding Opportunity Description *Purpose of Program:* This program provides grants to LEAs to develop and implement innovative and effective programs to reduce alcohol abuse in secondary schools. *Priority:* In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(iv), this priority is from section 4129 of the Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act, 20 U.S.C. 7139. *Absolute Priority:* For FY 2007 and any subsequent year in which we make awards on the basis of the list of un-funded applications 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: Alcohol Abuse Reduction A project must develop and implement innovative and effective programs to reduce alcohol abuse in secondary schools. *Program Authority:* 20 U.S.C. 7139. *Applicable Regulations:*

(a)The Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 75, 77, 79, 80, 81, 82, 84, 85, 97, 98, 99, and 299.

(b)The notice of eligibility requirement for the Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools discretionary grant programs published in the **Federal Register** on December 4, 2006 (71 FR 70369). II. Award Information *Type of Award:* Discretionary grants. *Estimated Available Funds:* The Administration's budget request for FY 2007 does not include funds for this program. However, we are inviting applications to allow enough time to complete the grant process if Congress appropriates funds for this program. Note: The Secretary may reserve up to 25 percent of funds for grants to low-income and rural LEAs. Contingent upon the availability of funds, we may make additional awards in FY 2008 from the list of non-funded applications from this competition. *Estimated Range of Awards:* $200,000-$400,000. *Estimated Average Size of Awards:* $300,000. *Estimated Number of Awards:* 20. Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice. *Project Period:* Up to 36 months. III. Eligibility Information 1. *Eligible Applicants:* LEAs. *Eligible Applicants:* Local educational agencies (LEAs). The Secretary limits eligibility under this discretionary grant program competition to applicants that do not currently have an active grant under the Grants to Reduce Alcohol Abuse (CFDA No. 84.184A) Program. For the purpose of this eligibility requirement, a grant is considered active until the end of the grant's project or funding period, including any extensions of those periods that extend the grantee's authority to obligate funds. 2. *Cost Sharing or Matching:* This competition does not involve cost sharing or matching. 3. *Other:* To be eligible to receive a grant under this competition, an LEA's application must include— a. A description of the activities to be carried out under the grant; b. An assurance that such activities will include one or more of the proven strategies for reducing underage alcohol abuse as determined by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; c. An explanation of how other activities to be carried out under the grant that are not part of a SAMHSA model program will be effective in reducing underage alcohol abuse, including references to the past effectiveness of such activities; and d. An assurance that the applicant will submit to the Secretary an annual report concerning the effectiveness of the programs and activities funded under the grant. IV. Application and Submission Information 1. *Address to Request Application Package:* Education Publications Center (ED Pubs), P.O. Box 1398, Jessup, MD 20794-1398. Telephone (toll free): 1-877-433-7827. FAX:

(CFDA)number: 84.184A, is included in this project. We request your participation in Grants.gov. If you choose to submit your application electronically, you must use the Government wide 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. You may access the electronic grant application for the Grants to Reduce Alcohol Abuse at *http://www.grants.gov.* You must search for the downloadable application package for this competition by the CFDA number. Do not include the CFDA number's alpha suffix in your search (e.g., search for 84.184, not 84.184A). Please note the following: • Your participation in Grants.gov is voluntary. • 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 date and time stamped. Your application must be fully uploaded and submitted and must be date and 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 and 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 and 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 steps in the Grants.gov registration process (see *http://www.grants.gov/applicants/get_registered.jsp* ). These steps include

(1)registering your organization, a multi-part process that includes registration with the Central Contractor Registry (CCR);

(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/section910/Grants.govRegistrationBrochure.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 successfully an application via Grants.gov. In addition you will need to update your CCR registration on an annual basis. This may take three or more business days to complete. • You will not receive additional point value because you submit your application in electronic format, nor will we penalize you if you submit your application in paper format. • If you submit your application electronically, you must submit all documents electronically, including all information you typically provide on the following forms: Application for Federal Assistance (SF 424), the Department of Education Supplemental Information for SF 424, Budget Information-Non-Construction Programs (ED 524), and all necessary assurances and certifications. Please note that two of these forms—the SF 424 and the Department of Education Supplemental Information for SF 42—have replaced the ED 424 (Application for Federal Education Assistance). • If you submit your application electronically, 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 in this paragraph 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 from Grants.gov an automatic notification of receipt that contains a Grants.gov tracking number. (This notification indicates receipt by Grants.gov only, not receipt by the Department). The Department then will retrieve your application from Grants.gov and send a second notification to you by e-mail. This second notification indicates that the Department has received your application and has assigned your application 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 experiencing problems submitting your application through Grants.gov, please contact the Grants.gov Support Desk at 1-800-518-4726. You must obtain a Grants.gov Support Desk Case Number and must keep a record of it. 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 described elsewhere in this notice. If you submit an application after 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application 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. 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: The extensions to which we refer 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 application deadline date and time or if the technical problem you experienced is unrelated to the Grants.gov system. b. Submission of Paper Applications by Mail If you submit your application in paper format by mail (through the U.S. Postal Service or a commercial carrier), 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 84.184A),400 Maryland Avenue, SW.,Washington, DC 20202-4260. or *By mail through a commercial carrier:* U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Center—Stop 4260, Attention: (CFDA Number 84.184A),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

(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 submit your application in paper format by hand delivery, you (or a courier service) 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 84.184A),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 Application for Federal Education Assistance (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 1. * Selection Criteria:* The selection criteria for this program are in 34 CFR 75.210 and in the application package for this competition. 2. *Review and Selection Process:* An additional factor we consider in selecting an application for an award is rural and low-income status. Applications from rural and low-income applicants will be read and scored separately and up to 25 percent of the available funds will be reserved for awards to these LEAs. The following is the suggested definition of rural and low-income that has been used by this program in previous competitions; however, LEAs that want to be considered as rural and low-income applicants may provide other supporting evidence of their status as rural and low-income. A rural and low-income LEA is one

(a)that is designated with a locale code of 6, 7, or 8, as determined by the Department's National Center for Education Statistics (NCES); and

(b)in which 20 percent or more of the children ages 5 through 17 years served by the LEA are from families with incomes below the poverty line. Note: Applicants wishing to be considered under this factor must be both rural and low-income. VI. Award Administration Information 1. *Award Notices:* If your application is successful, we will notify your U.S. Representative and U.S. Senators and send you a Grant Award Notice (GAN). We may also notify you informally. If your application is not evaluated or not selected for funding, we will 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. 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 75.718. 4. *Performance Measures:* Under the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA), three measures have been developed for evaluating the overall effectiveness of the Grants to Reduce Alcohol Abuse Program:

(1)The percentage of grantees whose target students show a measurable decrease in binge drinking;

(2)the percentage of grantees that show a measurable increase in the percentage of target students who believe that alcohol abuse is harmful to their health; and

(3)the percentage of grantees that show a measurable increase in the percentage of target students who disapprove of alcohol abuse. These three measures constitute the Department's indicators of success for this program. Consequently, applicants for a grant under this program are advised to give careful consideration to these three measures in conceptualizing the design, implementation, and evaluation of their proposed project. If funded, applicants will be asked to collect and report data in their annual performance reports about progress toward these goals. VII. Agency Contact *FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:* Amalia Cuervo, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Ave., SW., Room 3E342, Washington, DC 20202-6450. Telephone:

(202)205-2855 or by e-mail: *amalia.cuervo@ed.gov* or Phyllis Scattergood, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Ave., SW., room 3E212, Washington DC, 20202-6450. Telephone:

(202)260-0504, or by e-mail: *phyllis.scattergood@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 one of the program contact persons 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: February 1, 2007. Deborah A. Price, Assistant Deputy Secretary for Safe and Drug-Free Schools. [FR Doc. E7-1982 Filed 2-8-07; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4000-01-P DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Advisory Committee AGENCY: Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools, ED ACTION: Notice of open meeting. SUMMARY: This notice sets forth the schedule and proposed agenda of an upcoming open meeting of The Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Advisory Committee. The notice also describes the functions of the Committee. Notice of this meeting is required by section 10(a)(2) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act and is intended to notify the public of their opportunity to attend. *Date:* Tuesday, February 20, 2007 and Wednesday, February 21, 2007. *Time:* February 20, 2007: 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; February 21, 2007: 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. ADDRESSES: The Committee will meet at the U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Washington, DC. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Catherine Davis, Executive Director, The Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Advisory Committee, Room 1E110B, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Washington, DC, telephone:

(202)205-4169, e-mail: *OSDFSC@ed.gov.* SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Committee was established to provide advice to the Secretary on federal, state, and local programs designed to create safe and drug-free schools, and on issues related to crisis planning. The focus of this meeting is to discuss requirements for data under the No Child Left Behind Act. The agenda includes a panel presentation by invited speakers providing an overview of the issue, as well as discussion by the Committee. Further, the Committee will address strategies to accomplish their mission as stated in the Committee charter. Individuals who need accommodations for a disability in order to attend the meeting (e.g., interpreting services, assistive listening devices, or materials in alternative formats) should notify Catherine Davis at *OSDFSC@ed.gov* or

(202)205-4169 no later than February 13, 2007. We will attempt to meet requests for accommodations after this date but cannot guarantee their availability. The meeting site is accessible to individuals with disabilities. Individuals interested in attending the meeting must register in advance because limited space is available at the meeting site. Please notify Catherine Davis at *OSDFSC@ed.gov* or

(202)205-4169 of your intention to attend the meeting. Opportunities for public comment are available on February 21 from 8:40-9:15 a.m. on a first come, first served basis. Comments presented at the meeting are limited to 5 minutes in length. Written comments to accompany oral remarks are optional. Five copies of written comments are recommended and should be submitted to the committee Chairman at the meeting. *Request for Written Comments:* We invite the public to submit written comments relevant to the focus of the Advisory Committee. We would like to receive written comments from members of the public no later than April 30, 2007. *Addresses:* Submit all comments to the Advisory Committee using one of the following methods: 1. *Internet.* We encourage the public to submit comments through the Internet to the following address: *OSDFSC@ed.gov;* 2. *Mail.* The public may also submit comments via mail to Catherine Davis, Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Room 1E110B, Washington, DC 20202. Due to delays in mail delivery caused by heightened security, please allow adequate time for the mail to be received. Records are kept of all Committee proceedings and available for public inspection at the staff office of the Committee located at the U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Room 1E110B, Washington, DC 20202 between the hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Raymond Simon, Deputy Secretary, U.S. Department of Education [FR Doc. 07-579 Filed 2-8-07; 8:45 am]

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