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Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance

Program Descriptions

84.304:  International Education Exchange

Objectives:  To support international education exchange activities between the United States and eligible countries in civics and government education and economic education.

PROGRAM AND AWARD	FINANCIAL AND INFORMATION CONTACTS
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS	FINANCIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFO.
APPLICATION AND AWARD PROCESS	INFORMATION CONTACTS
RELATED PROGRAMS	ASSISTANCE CONSIDERATIONS
PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS	POST ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS

84.304 ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

Applicant Eligibility:  Independent nonprofit educational organizations that are experienced in: (1) developing national implementation of curricular programs in civics and government education and economic education for students from kindergarten through twelfth grade in local, intermediate, schools and State educational agencies, in schools funded by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and in private schools throughout the Nation with the cooperation and assistance of national professional educational organizations, colleges and universities and private sector organizations; (2) school-based in-service training programs for teachers in grades kindergarten through grade 12 using scholars from such relevant disciplines as political science, political philosophy, history, law, and economics; (3) development of model curricular frameworks in civics and government education and economic education; (4) administration of international seminars on the goals and objectives of civics and government education or economic education in constitutional democracies (including the sharing of curricular materials) for educational leaders, teacher trainers, scholars in related disciplines, and educational policy makers; and (5) the evaluation of civics and government education or economic education programs.

Beneficiary Eligibility:  Participating countries, public and nonprofit agencies and organizations, national and professional educational organizations, colleges and universities, private sector organizations, policy makers, education leaders, university and school-based in-service training programs for teachers of kindergarten through grade twelfth, State education agencies, public and private schools throughout the Nation benefit.

Credentials/Documentation:  None.

84.304 APPLICATION AND AWARD PROCESS:

Preapplication Coordination:  This program is eligible for coverage under E.O. 12372, "Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs." An applicant should consult the office or the 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:  Standard Form 424, "Application for Federal Assistance," an application narrative, and required certification must be submitted by the deadline specified in the Federal Register. Contact the headquarters office listed below for application packages containing the announcement, application, and assurance forms.

Award Procedure:  Applications are reviewed and evaluated by outside experts, in accordance with 34 CFR 700, Evaluation of Applications for Grants and Cooperative Agreements. The Assistant Secretary for Educational Research and Improvement approves the selection of applications.

Deadlines:  Application deadlines and other information for applicants are published as a notice in the Federal Register.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time:  About 120 days.

Appeals:  None.

Renewals:  Renewals are based on the review of annual performance reports and the recommendation of the project officer. All renewals are subject to the availability of funds.

Criteria for Selecting Proposals:  The criteria for selecting applications under this program are contained in 34 CFR 700, Evaluation of Applications for Grants and Cooperative Agreements. The specific criteria to be used for a particular grant competition are selected from among those in 34 CFR 700, and announced in the application package or the application notice in the Federal Register.

Examples of Funded Projects:  In 1999, a grant competition was held and two awards were made, each for one-half of the funds available. One focused on civics and government education and was awarded to the Center for Civic Education (CCE) in Calabasas, California. The second focused on economic education and was awarded to the National Council on Economic Education (NCEE) in New York, New York. CCE's program, "Civitas: An International Civic Education Exchange Program," is a cooperative project of a consortium of leading organizations in civic education in the United States and participating nations. The program enables civic educators from the United States and participating countries, to learn from and assist each other in improving education for democracy. The CCE conducts training seminars in civics education for teacher and educators; tours by civic educators of school systems, institutions of higher learning, and nonprofit organizations with exemplary programs in civics and government education in the U.S.; translation and adaptation of materials regarding U.S. civics and government education curricular programs and teacher training programs; joint research projects in the areas of curricular development and teacher education; home stays; and world conferences on the creation and strengthening of democracy and building networks. NCEE's program, "Economic Understanding for Democratic Transformation", is reaching large numbers of economics educators in post-Soviet countries and Eastern Europe. By training teacher trainers and classroom teachers in economics and pedagogy, translating and adapting quality U.S. materials, organizing conferences, study tours, and publishing lessons for U.S. classrooms, the National Council network is helping international partners reform their educational systems.

Range and Average of Financial Assistance:  Not available.

84.304 RELATED PROGRAMS:

84.304 PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

84.304 FINANCIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFO:

Federal Agency:  ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION RESEARCH STATISTICS, AND IMPROVEMENTS, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Type of Assistance:  Project Grants.

Obligations:  (Grants) FY 99 $7,000,000; FY 00 est $7,000,000; and FY 01 est $8,000,000.

Budget Account Number:  91-1100-2-1-503.

Authorization:  Goals 2000: Educate America Act, Title VI, Public Law 103-227, 20 U.S.C 5951.

Regulations, Guidelines, and Literature:  The regulations applicable to this program are in the Education Department General Administrative Regulations, 34 CFR 74, 75, 77, 79, 80, 81, 82, 85, 86, and 97.

84.304 INFO CONTACTS:

Regional or Local Office:  None.

Headquarters Office:  National Research Institute on Student Achievement, Curriculum, and Assessment, Office of Educational Research and Improvement, Department of Education, 555 New Jersey Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20208-5573. Phone: (202) 219-2079.

(See Appendix IV for more contact info.)

84.304 ASSISTANCE CONSIDERATIONS:

Formula and Matching Requirements:  None.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance:  Projects may be funded for up to 4 years. Funds are granted on a 12-month basis. All grant obligations shall be liquidated within 90 days following the end of the award period.

Uses and Use Restrictions:  At least 50 percent of the funds available is reserved for civics and government education activities, and 50 percent for economics education activities. Countries eligible to participate, in addition to the United States, include Central European countries, Eastern European countries, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Georgia, the Commonwealth of Independent States, and any country that formerly was a republic of the Soviet Union whose political independence is recognized in the United States.

84.304 POST ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS:

Reports:  As required by the Education Department General Administrative Regulations for direct grants (34 CFR 75). A final financial and performance report is due 90 days after termination of the grant.

Audits:  See 34 CFR 74.26. Institutions of higher education and nonprofit organizations are subject to the audit requirements of OMB Circular No. A-133. State and local governments are subject to the requirements in the Single Audit Act and the ED regulations implementing OMB Circular No. A-133 (see 34 CFR 80).

Records:  As required by EDGAR for direct grant programs (34 CFR 75). Generally, records related to grant funds, compliance, and performance must be maintained for a period of five years after completion.