Voluntary Public School Choice (84.361)

Program

84.361 Voluntary Public School Choice

Federal Agency

Agency: Department of Education
Office: Office Of Elementary And Secondary Education

Authorization

Elementary and Secondary Education Act, as amended, Executive Order Title V, Part B, Subpart 3.

Program Number

84.361

Last Known Status

Active

Objectives

To support efforts to establish or expand intra-district, inter-district, and open enrollment public school choice programs to provide parents, particularly parents whose children attend low-performing public schools, with expanded education options and with greater choice for their children's education.

Types of Assistance

Project Grants (Discretionary)

Uses and Use Restrictions

An eligible entity that receives a grant under this subpart may use the grant funds for: (1) planning or designing a program (for not more than 1 year); (2) the cost of making tuition transfer payments to public elementary schools or secondary schools to which students transfer under the program; (3) the cost of capacity-enhancing activities that enable high-demand public elementary schools or secondary schools to accommodate transfer requests under the program; (4) the cost of carrying out public education campaigns to inform students and parents about the program; and (5) other costs reasonably necessary to implement the program. An eligible entity that receives a grant under this subpart may not use the grant funds for school construction. The eligible entity may use not more than 5 percent of the funds made available through the grant for any fiscal year for administrative expenses.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicant Eligibility

State educational agencies (SEAs); local educational agencies (LEAs); or a partnership of either 1(a)one or more SEAs; (b) one or more LEAs or other public, for-profit, or nonprofit entities; and 2(a) one or more LEAs and (b) one or more public, for-profit, or nonprofit entities may apply.

Beneficiary Eligibility

Public school students.

Credentials/Documentation

No Credentials or documentation are required. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-87.

Application and Award Process

Preapplication Coordination

Preapplication coordination is required. Environmental impact information is not required for this program. This program is eligible for coverage under E.O. 12372, "Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs." An applicant should consult the office or official designated as the single point of contact in his or her State for more information on the process the State requires to be followed in applying for assistance, if the State has selected the program for review.

Application Procedure

This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-102. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-110. Applications must be prepared and submitted in accordance with a notice published in the Federal Register. By the due date, eligible applicants must submit to the Department of Education a complete application that addresses the purposes of the program, the selection criteria, and any priorities included in the application notice, and includes all required assurances and signatures.

Award Procedure

The Department of Education awards these grants on a competitive basis. The program office notifies successful applicants of awards, negotiates final budgets, and awards grants. Contact the program office for more information.

Deadlines

Contact the headquarters or regional office, as appropriate, for application deadlines.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time

The range of approval/disapproval time is approximately 60 to 120 days following the application deadline.

Appeals

The General Education Provisions Act hearing procedures regarding recovery of funds are applicable to this program.

Renewals

Continuation awards are subject to the availability of appropriations.

Assistance Considerations

Formula and Matching Requirements

Statutory formulas are not applicable to this program.

Matching requirements are not applicable to this program.

MOE requirements are not applicable to this program.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance

Awards may be made for up to 5 years. Continuation awards are subject to the availability of appropriations. See the following for information on how assistance is awarded/released: Electronic transfer.

Post Assistance Requirements

Reports

As part of the continuation funding process, grantees must submit performance reports annually. Final performance reports must be submitted within 190 days of the end of the grant award period. Cash reports are not applicable. Progress reports are not applicable. Expenditure reports are not applicable. Performance monitoring is not applicable.

Audits

This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-133. The financial records of each eligible entity receiving a grant under this subpart shall be maintained in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and shall be subject to an annual audit by an independent public accountant.

Records

In accordance with the General Education Provisions Act and the Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR), certain records must be retained for three years after the end of the grant.

Program Accomplishments

Fiscal Year 2008: Fourteen awards were made in fiscal year 2007. The next grant competition will be held in fiscal year 2012, subject to the availability of funds. Fiscal Year 2009: No Current Data Available Fiscal Year 2010: No Current Data Available

Financial Information

Account Identification

91-0204-0-1-501.

Obligations

(Project Grants) FY 08 $25,819,000; FY 09 est $25,819,000; FY 10 est $25,819,000

Range and Average of Financial Assistance

Range of awards: $720,000-$2,640,000.

Regulations, Guidelines and Literature

Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR), Parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80, 81, 82, 85, 86, 97, 98, and 99.

Related Programs

84.282 Charter Schools

Information Contacts

Regional or Local Office

None.

Headquarters Office

Iris Lane Department of Education, Office of Innavation and Improvement Parental Options and Information 400 Maryland Ave., S.W., Washington, District of Columbia 20202 Email: iris.lane@ed.gov Phone: (202) 260-1999

Web Site Address

http://www.ed.gov/programs/choice/index.html.

Examples of Funded Projects

Fiscal Year 2008: Grant funds support: planning and implementation costs associated with new programs; tuition transfer payments to public schools that students choose to attend; and efforts to strengthen the capacity and quality of schools to meet the demand for choice and provide equitable access to such programs. Fiscal Year 2009: No Current Data Available Fiscal Year 2010: No Current Data Available

Criteria for Selecting Proposals

The selection criteria contained in EDGAR, 34 CFR 75.209 and 75.210 are used to evaluate applications.