83 FR 14265 - Final Waiver and Extension of the Project Period for the Opportunity Scholarship Program

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 64 (April 3, 2018)

For projects funded under the DC Opportunity Scholarship Program (OSP), the Secretary: (1) Waives the requirements of the Education Department General Administrative Regulations that generally prohibit project period extensions involving the obligation of additional Federal funds; and (2) extends the project period for the current OSP grantee for up to an additional 24 months under the existing program authority. This waiver and extension will enable the Department to provide continuation awards to the current OSP grantee through FY 2019 under the existing program authority.

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 64 (Tuesday, April 3, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14265-14266]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-06757]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Final Waiver and Extension of the Project Period for the 
Opportunity Scholarship Program

AGENCY: Office of Innovation and Improvement, Department of Education.

ACTION: Final waiver and extension of the project period.

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[Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.370A.]

SUMMARY: For projects funded under the DC Opportunity Scholarship 
Program (OSP), the Secretary: (1) Waives the requirements of the 
Education Department General Administrative Regulations that generally 
prohibit project period extensions involving the obligation of 
additional Federal funds; and (2) extends the project period for the 
current OSP grantee for up to an additional 24 months under the 
existing program authority. This waiver and extension will enable the 
Department to provide continuation awards to the current OSP grantee 
through FY 2019 under the existing program authority.

DATES: As of May 3, 2018, the waiver and extension of the project 
period are finalized.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Anna Hinton, U.S. Department of 
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, room 4W229, Washington, DC 20202. 
Telephone: (202) 260-1816. Email: [email protected].
    If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) or a text 
telephone (TTY), call the Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll free, at 1-
800-877-8339.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On January 24, 2018, the Department 
published a notice in the Federal Register (83 FR 3336) proposing to 
waive the requirements of 34 CFR 75.261(a) and (c)(2) that generally 
prohibit project period extensions involving the obligation of 
additional Federal funds. In that notice, the Secretary also proposed 
to extend the OSP project period for up to an additional 24 months, to 
enable the Department to provide continuation awards to the current OSP 
grantee through FY 2019 under the existing program authority.
    That notice contained background information and our reasons for 
proposing the waiver and extension of the project period. This notice 
makes the waiver and extension of the project period final. Any 
activities carried out during the period of an OSP continuation award 
will have to be consistent with, or a logical extension of, the scope, 
goals, and objectives of the grantee's application as approved in the 
FY 2015 OSP competition and the ensuing cooperative agreement. The 
requirements applicable to continuation awards for this competition set 
forth in the 2015 notice inviting applications (80 FR 9448) and the 
requirements in 34 CFR 75.253 will apply to any continuation awards 
sought by the current OSP grantee. The Department will not announce a 
new competition or make new awards in FY 2018 and FY 2019.
    Public Comment: In response to our invitation in the proposed 
waiver and extension, we received two comments. Generally, the 
Department does not address technical and other minor changes. In 
addition, the Department does not address general comments that raise 
concerns not directly related to the proposed waiver and extension.
    There are no substantive differences between the proposed waiver 
and extension and the final waiver and extension.

Analysis of Comments and Discussion

    Comments: One commenter supported the proposed waiver and extension 
of the OSP project period, and one commenter opposed the proposed 
action. The commenters provided various reasons for their positions.
    An anonymous commenter stated that the administration of the OSP 
should remain the responsibility of the current grantee until there is 
a justifiable reason to identify another. The commenter further stated 
that selection of a new grantee should always coincide with the 
reauthorization of the Scholarships for Opportunity and Results (SOAR) 
Act.
    One commenter, a coalition of more than 50 organizations devoted to 
the support of public schools, opposed the proposed waiver and 
extension. The commenter cited concerns with the current and prior 
grantees' administration of the program; and challenged the 
Department's assumptions regarding a qualified and interested applicant 
pool to compete for the grant. For these reasons, the commenter states 
that the Department should hold a competition in FY 2018.
    Discussion: The Department appreciates the commenters' feedback. 
Under the SOAR Act, the Department is responsible for administration of 
the OSP and oversight of the OSP grantee. Based on the Department's 
experience working with the current OSP grantee, the Department 
believes that extending the current grantee's project will create 
stability and continuity by: (1) Permitting the current grantee to 
fully implement the new recruitment and marketing strategies designed 
to significantly increase scholarship usage rates; and (2) aligning the 
next OSP competition with the next anticipated reauthorization of the 
SOAR Act. Additionally, based on the Department's current experience 
administering and overseeing the OSP and the number of qualified 
applicants in past competitions, the Department does not believe that 
another eligible organization with capacity to administer this program 
is interested in doing so.
    Changes: None.

Regulatory Flexibility Act Certification

    The Secretary certifies that the final waiver and extension and the 
activities required to support additional months of funding will not 
have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small 
entities.
    The small entity that will be affected by this final waiver and 
extension is the FY 2015 grantee, the non-profit organization currently 
receiving Federal funds under the OSP. This final waiver and extension 
will not have a significant economic impact on this entity because the 
activities required to support the additional year(s) of funding will 
not impose excessive regulatory burdens or require unnecessary Federal 
supervision. The waiver will impose minimal requirements to ensure the 
proper expenditure of program funds,

[[Page 14266]]

including requirements that are standard for continuation awards.

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995

    This notice of final waiver and extension does not contain any 
information collection requirements.

Intergovernmental Review

    This program is subject to Executive Order 12372 and the 
regulations in 34 CFR part 79. One of the objectives of the Executive 
order is to foster an intergovernmental partnership and a strengthened 
federalism. The Executive order relies on processes developed by State 
and local governments for coordination and review of proposed Federal 
financial assistance.
    This document provides early notification of our specific plans and 
actions for this program.
    Accessible Format: Individuals with disabilities can obtain this 
document in an accessible format (e.g., braille, large print, 
audiotape, or compact disc) on request to the contact person listed 
under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
    Electronic Access to This Document: The official version of this 
document is the document published in the Federal Register. You may 
access the official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of 
Federal Regulations via the Federal Digital System at: www.thefederalregister.org/fdsys. At this site you can view this document, as well as all other 
documents of this Department published in the Federal Register, in text 
or Portable Document Format (PDF). To use PDF you must have Adobe 
Acrobat Reader, which is available free at the site.
    You may also access documents of the Department published in the 
Federal Register by using the article search feature at: 
www.federalregister.gov. Specifically, through the advanced search 
feature at this site, you can limit your search to documents published 
by the Department.

    Dated: March 29, 2018.
Margo K. Anderson,
Acting Assistant Deputy Secretary for Innovation and Improvement.
[FR Doc. 2018-06757 Filed 4-2-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4000-01-P