Indian Education_Grants to Local Educational Agencies
Published on AidPage by
IDILOGIC on Jun 24, 2005
Purpose of this program:
Support local educational agencies in their efforts to reform elementary and secondary school programs that serve Indian students in order to ensure that programs are based on challenging State content standards and student performance standards that are used for all students, and are designed to assist Indian students meet those standards in reaching the National Education Goals.
Possible uses and use restrictions...
Grants supplement the regular school program, helping Indian children sharpen their academic skills, assisting students in becoming proficient in the core content areas, and providing students an opportunity to participate in enrichment programs that would otherwise be unavailable. Funds support such activities as after-school programs, tutoring, and dropout prevention. This program is subject to non-supplanting requirements and must use a restricted indirect cost rate which is refereneced under 34 CFR 76.564-76.569. For assistance call the Office of the Chief Financial Officer/Indirect Cost Group on 202-708-7770.
Who is eligible to apply...
Local educational agencies (LEAs) that enroll at least 10 Indian children or in which Indians constitute at least 25 percent of the total enrollment. These requirements do not apply to LEAs serving Indian children in Alaska, California, and Oklahoma or located on, or in proximity to, an Indian reservation. Schools that receive funding from the Bureau of Indian Affairs under Section 1130 of the Education Amendments of 1978, 25 U.S.C. 2001, are deemed to be eligible to participate in this program.
Credentials/Documentation
The applicant must certify the number of eligible Indian children enrolled. The grant award is computed based on this information. An applicant must also assure that it has carried out a number of other required activities, including: holding a public hearing, establishing an Indian parent committee, and making arrangements for an evaluation of the effectiveness of the project. No grant will be made unless the applicant has the written approval of the applicant's Indian parent committee. Costs will be determined in accordance with OMB Circular No. A-87 for State and local governments.
Note:This is a brief description of the credentials or documentation required prior to, or along with, an application for assistance.
About this section:
This section indicates who can apply to the Federal government for assistance and the criteria the potential applicant must satisfy.
For example, individuals may be eligible for research grants, and the criteria to be satisfied may be that they have a professional or scientific degree,
3 years of research experience, and be a citizen of the United States. Universities, medical schools, hospitals, or State and local governments may also be eligible.
Where State governments are eligible, the type of State agency will be indicated (State welfare agency or State agency on aging) and the criteria that they
must satisfy.
Certain federal programs (e.g., the Pell Grant program which provides grants to students) involve intermediate levels of application processing, i.e., applications
are transmitted through colleges or universities that are neither the direct applicant nor the ultimate beneficiary. For these programs,
the criteria that the intermediaries must satisfy are also indicated, along with intermediaries who are not eligible.
How to apply...
Application Procedure:
The LEA annually submits to the Department of Education an application describing its proposed project. Application forms are available from the headquarters office. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-110.
Note: Each program will indicate whether applications are to be submitted to the Federal headquarters, regional or local office, or to a State or local government office.
Award Procedure:
Awards are issued annually directly to the LEA. Awards are made to all applicants that meet the applicable requirements of the Act and that have designed a project that the Secretary of Education determines will substantially increase the educational opportunities of the Indian children served by the applicant.
Note: Grant payments may be made by a letter of credit, advance by Treasury check, or reimbursement by Treasury check.
Awards may be made by the headquarters office directly to the applicant, an agency field office, a regional office,
or by an authorized county office. The assistance may pass through the initial applicant for further distribution by
intermediate level applicants to groups or individuals in the private sector.
Deadlines and process...
Deadlines
Deadlines are established annually. Notice of closing date is published in the Federal Register. A mailing list is maintained at the headquarters office. Application packets are generally mailed to applicants from the previous year as soon as they are available. However, if a packet is not received, the headquarters office should be contacted. The headquarters office should also be contacted for specific closing dates.
Note:
When available, this section indicates the deadlines for applications to the funding agency which will
be stated in terms of the date(s) or between what dates the application should be received.
When not available, applicants should contact the funding agency for deadline information.
Range of Approval/Disapproval Time
Approximately 160 days.
Preapplication Coordination
The standard application forms as furnished by the Federal agency must be used for this program. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-102. 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.
Note:
This section indicates whether any prior coordination or approval is required with governmental or nongovernmental units
prior to the submission of a formal application to the federal funding agency.
Appeals
None.
Note:
In some cases, there are no provisions for appeal. Where applicable, this section discusses appeal procedures or allowable rework time for resubmission
of applications to be processed by the funding agency. Appeal procedures vary with individual programs and are either listed in this section or
applicants are referred to appeal procedures documented in the relevant Code of Federal Regulations (CFR).
Renewals
None.
Note:
In some instances, renewal procedures may be the same as for the application procedure, e.g., for projects of a non-continuing nature renewals will be treated as new, competing applications; for projects of an ongoing nature, renewals may be given annually.
Who can benefit...
Eligible Indian children enrolled in eligible local educational agencies, and BIA funded schools.
Beneficiaries
About this section:
This section lists the ultimate beneficiaries of a program, the criteria they must satisfy and who specifically is not eligible. The applicant and beneficiary will generally be the same for programs that provide assistance directly from a Federal agency. However, financial assistance that passes through State or local governments will have different applicants and beneficiaries since the assistance is transmitted to private sector beneficiaries who are not obligated to request or apply for the assistance.
What types of assistance...
Formula Grants
Allocations of money to States or their subdivisions in accordance with distribution formulas prescribed by law or administrative regulation, for activities of a continuing nature not confined to a specific project.
Project Grants
The funding, for fixed or known periods, of specific projects. Project grants can include fellowships, scholarships, research grants, training grants, traineeships, experimental and demonstration grants, evaluation grants, planning grants, technical assistance grants, survey grants, and construction grants.
How much financial aid...
Range and Average of Financial Assistance
$4,000 to $2,210,000.
Note:
This section lists the representative range (smallest to largest) of the amount of financial assistance available. These figures are based upon funds awarded in the past fiscal year and the current fiscal year to date. Also indicated is an approximate average amount of awards which were made in the past and current fiscal years.
Obligations
(Grants) FY 03 $96,502,000; FY 04 est $95,933,000; and FY 05 est $95,933,000.
Note:
The dollar amounts listed in this section represent obligations for the past fiscal year (PY), estimates for the current fiscal year (CY), and estimates for the budget fiscal year (BY) as reported by the Federal agencies. Obligations for non-financial assistance programs indicate the administrative expenses involved in the operation of a program.
Account Identification
91-0101-0-1-501.
Note:
Note: This 11-digit budget account identification code represents the account which funds a particular program.
This code should be consistent with the code given for the program area as specified in Appendix III of the Budget of the United States Government.
Examples of funded projects...
Instruction in reading and mathematics; counseling and guidance; native language and cultural education instruction; early childhood and family programs emphasizing school readiness; and school-to-work transition programs.
About this section
This section indicates the different types of projects which have been funded in the past. Only projects funded under Project Grants or Direct Payments for Specified Use should be listed here. The examples give potential applicants an idea of the types of projects that may be accepted for funding. The agency should list at least five examples of the most recently funded projects.
Program accomplishments...
In fiscal year 2003, awards were made to 1,076 LEAs, 61 BIA grant/contract schools, and 46 BIA operated schools. The projects that were funded served approximately 470,338 Indian students in elementary and secondary schools. The average per student payment was $205.
Criteria for selecting proposals...
Criteria are contained in EDGAR; contact the program office for additional information.
Assistance considerations...
Length and Time Phasing of Assistance
Grants are awarded for up to 60 months and funds must be spent or obligated within the project period. Payments are made by direct deposit upon request by LEAs.
Formula and Matching Requirements
The Indian Education program specifies that the amount of a grant to which an LEA is entitled is computed by multiplying the number of Indian children enrolled in the LEA's schools by the average per pupil expenditure for the State in which the applicant is located, or 80 percent of the national average per pupil expenditure, whichever is greater. In setting the actual amount of a grant, an applicant's formula amount is adjusted on the basis of available appropriations. In order for an LEA to receive a grant, the appropriate State educational agency (SEA) must certify that the combined fiscal effort of that LEA and the State with respect to the provision of free public education by that LEA for the preceding fiscal year was not less than 90 percent of the combined fiscal effort for that purpose for the second preceding fiscal year. If an LEA does not meet this requirement and the Secretary does not grant a waiver for unusual circumstances, the LEA's grant award is reduced in exact proportion by which the LEA failed to meet the combined fiscal effort requirement. Bureau of Indian Affairs are exempt from the combined fiscal effort requirement. This program has no matching requirements.
Note:
A formula may be based on population, per capita income, and other statistical factors. Applicants are informed whether there are any matching requirements to be met when participating in the cost of a project. In general, the matching share represents that portion of the project costs not borne by the Federal government. Attachment F of OMB Circular No. A-102 (Office of Management and Budget) sets forth the criteria and procedures for the evaluation of matching share requirements which may be cash or in-kind contributions made by State and local governments or other agencies, institutions, private organizations, or individuals to satisfy matching requirements of Federal grants or loans.
Cash contributions represent the grantees' cash outlay, including the outlay of money contributed to the grantee by other public agencies, institutions, private organizations, or individuals. When authorized by Federal regulation, Federal funds received from other grants may be considered as the grantees' cash contribution.
In-kind contributions represent the value of noncash contributions provided by the grantee, other public agencies and institutions, private organizations or individuals. In-kind contributions may consist of charges for real property and equipment, and value of goods and services directly benefiting and specifically identifiable to the grant program. When authorized by Federal legislation, property purchased with Federal funds may be considered as grantees' in-kind contribution.
Maintenance of effort (MOE) is a requirement contained in certain legislation, regulations, or administrative policies stating that a grantee must maintain a specified level of financial effort in a specific area in order to receive Federal grant funds, and that the Federal grant funds may be used only to supplement, not supplant, the level of grantee funds.
Post assistance requirements...
Reports
Financial and performance reports are due within 90 days of the termination of the project period.
Note:
This section indicates whether program reports, expenditure reports, cash reports or performance monitoring are required by the Federal funding agency, and specifies at what time intervals (monthly, annually, etc.) this must be accomplished.
Audits
In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A- 133 (Revised, June 27, 2003), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Nonprofit Organizations," nonfederal entities that expend financial assistance of $500,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $500,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133.
Note:
This section discusses audits required by the Federal agency.
The procedures and requirements for State and local governments and nonprofit entities are set forth in OMB Circular No. A-133.
These requirements pertain to awards made within the respective State's fiscal year - not the Federal fiscal year,
as some State and local governments may use the calendar year or other variation of time span designated as the fiscal year period,
rather than that commonly known as the Federal fiscal year (from October 1st through September 30th).
Records
Records must be maintained three years after the completion of the activity for which grant funds were used.
Note:
This section indicates the record retention requirements and the type of records the Federal agency may require.
Not included are the normally imposed requirements of the General Accounting Office.
For programs falling under the purview of OMB Circular No. A-102, record retention is set forth in Attachment C.
For other programs, record retention is governed by the funding agency's requirements.
Regulations...
Authorization
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended, Title VII, Part A, Subpart 1, 20 U.S.C. 7421-7429, 7491-7492.
Note:
This section lists the legal authority upon which a program is based (acts, amendments to acts, Public Law numbers, titles, sections, Statute Codes, citations to the U.S. Code, Executive Orders, Presidential Reorganization Plans, and Memoranda from an agency head).
Regulations, Guidelines, And Literature
34 CFR 74, 75, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 85, and 86.