34 C.F.R. Subpart C—How Does the Secretary Make a Grant?
Title 34 - Education
(a) The Secretary evaluates an application for a new grant as follows: (1)(i) The Secretary evaluates the application on the basis of the selection criteria in §644.21. (ii) The maximum score for all the criteria in §644.21 is 100 points. The maximum score for each criterion is indicated in parentheses with the criterion. (2)(i) For an application for a new grant to continue to serve substantially the same populations or campuses that the applicant is serving under an expiring project, the Secretary evaluates the applicant's prior experience in delivering services under the expiring project on the basis of the criteria in §644.22. (ii) The maximum score for all the criteria in §644.22 is 15 points. The maximum score for each criterion is indicated in parentheses with the criterion. (3) The Secretary awards additional points equal to 10 percent of the application's score under paragraphs (a) (1) and (2) of this section to an application for a project in Guam, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (Palau), or the Northern Mariana Islands if the applicant meets the requirements of subparts A, B, and D of this part. (b) The Secretary makes new grants in rank order on the basis of the applications' total scores under paragraphs (a) (1) through (3) of this section. (c) If the total scores of two or more applications are the same and there are insufficient funds for these applications after the approval of higher-ranked applications, the Secretary uses the remaining funds to serve geographic areas and eligible populations that have been underserved by the Educational Opportunity Centers program. (d) The Secretary may decline to make a grant to an applicant that carried out a project that involved the fraudulent use of funds under section 402A(c)(2)(B) of the HEA. (Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1070a–11, 1070a–16, and 1144a(a)) The Secretary uses the following criteria to evaluate an application for a new grant: (a) Need for the project (24 points). The Secretary evaluates the need for an Educational Opportunity Centers project in the proposed target area on the basis of the extent to which the application contains clear evidence of— (1) A high number or percentage, or both, of low-income families residing in the target area; (2) A high number or percentage, or both, of individuals residing in the target area with education completion levels below the baccalaureate level; (3) A high need on the part of residents of the target area for further education and training from programs of postsecondary education in order to meet changing employment trends; and (4) Other indicators of need for an Educational Opportunity Centers project, including the presence of unaddressed educational or socioeconomic problems of adult residents in the target area. (b) Objectives (8 points). The Secretary evaluates the quality of the applicant's proposed project objectives on the basis of the extent to which they— (1) Include both process and outcome objectives relating to each of the purposes of the Educational Opportunity Centers program stated in §644.1; (2) Address the needs of the target area; (3) Are clearly described, specific, and measurable; and (4) Are ambitious but attainable within each budget period and the project period given the project budget and other resources. (c) Plan of operation (30 points). The Secretary evaluates the quality of the applicant's plan of operation on the basis of the following: (1) (4 points) The plan to inform the residents, schools, and community organizations in the target area of the goals, objectives, and services of the project and the eligibility requirements for participation in the project; (2) (4 points) The plan to identify and select eligible participants and ensure their participation without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, or disability; (3) (2 points) The plan to assess each participant's need for services provided by the project; (4) (12 points) The plan to provide services that meet participants' needs and achieve the objectives of the project; and (5) (8 points) The management plan to ensure the proper and efficient administration of the project including, but not limited to, the project's organizational structure, the time committed to the project by the project director and other personnel, and, where appropriate, its coordination with other projects for disadvantaged students. (d) Applicant and community support (16 points). The Secretary evaluates the applicant and community support for the proposed project on the basis of the extent to which the applicant has made provision for resources to supplement the grant and enhance the project's services, including— (1) (8 points) Facilities, equipment, supplies, personnel, and other resources committed by the applicant; and (2) (8 points) Resources secured through written commitments from schools, community organizations, and others. (e) Quality of personnel (9 points). (1) The Secretary evaluates the quality of the personnel the applicant plans to use in the project on the basis of the following: (i) The qualifications required of the project director. (ii) The qualifications required of each of the other personnel to be used in the project. (iii) The plan to employ personnel who have succeeded in overcoming the disadvantages or circumstances like those of the population of the target area. (2) In evaluating the qualifications of a person, the Secretary considers his or her experience and training in fields related to the objectives of the project. (f) Budget (5 points). The Secretary evaluates the extent to which the project budget is reasonable, cost-effective, and adequate to support the project. (g) Evaluation plan (8 points). The Secretary evaluates the quality of the evaluation plan for the project on the basis of the extent to which the applicant's methods of evaluation— (1) Are appropriate to the project's objectives; (2) Provide for the applicant to determine, using specific and quantifiable measures, the success of the project in— (i) Making progress toward achieving its objectives (a formative evaluation); and (ii) Achieving its objectives at the end of the project period (a summative evaluation); and (3) Provide for the disclosure of unanticipated project outcomes, using quantifiable measures if appropriate. (Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1070a–16) (a) In the case of an application described in §644.20(a)(2)(i), the Secretary reviews information relating to an applicant's performance under its expiring Educational Opportunity Centers project. This information includes performance reports, audit reports, site visit reports, and project evaluation reports. (b) The Secretary evaluates the applicant's prior experience in delivering services on the basis of the following criteria: (1) (3 points) (i) Whether the applicant provided services to the required number of participants who resided in the target area; and (ii) Whether two-thirds of all participants served were low-income individuals and potential first-generation college students. (2) (6 points) The extent to which the applicant met or exceeded its objectives regarding the provision of assistance to individuals in applying for admission to, or financial aid for, programs of postsecondary education. (3) (6 points) The extent to which the applicant met or exceeded its objectives regarding the admission or reentry of participants to programs of postsecondary education. (Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1070a–16) (a) The Secretary sets the amount of a grant on the basis of— (1) 34 CFR 75.232 and 75.233, for new grants; and (2) 34 CFR 75.253, for the second and subsequent years of a project period. (b) If the circumstances described in section 402A(b)(3) of the HEA exist, the Secretary uses the available funds to set the amount of the grant beginning in fiscal year 1994 at the lesser of— (1) $180,000; or (2) The amount requested by the applicant. (Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1070a–11)
Title 34: Education
PART 644—EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY CENTERS
Subpart C—How Does the Secretary Make a Grant?
§ 644.20 How does the Secretary decide which new grants to make?
§ 644.21 What selection criteria does the Secretary use?
§ 644.22 How does the Secretary evaluate prior experience?
§ 644.23 How does the Secretary set the amount of a grant?
