Publication Date: August 3, 2015
Posted Date: August 4, 2015
Subject: Notice Inviting Postsecondary Educational Institutions To Participate in Experiments Under the Experimental Sites Initiative
FR Type: Notice
[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 148 (Monday, August 3, 2015)] [Notices] [Pages 45964-45966] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 2015-18994] =========================================================== ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Notice Inviting Postsecondary Educational Institutions To Participate in Experiments Under the Experimental Sites Initiative; Federal Student Financial Assistance Programs Under Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as Amended AGENCY: Office of Postsecondary Education, Department of Education. ACTION: Notice. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The Secretary invites postsecondary educational institutions (institutions) that participate in the student financial assistance programs authorized under title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (the HEA), to apply to participate in a new institution- based experiment under the Experimental Sites Initiative (ESI). Under the ESI, the Secretary has authority to grant waivers from certain title IV HEA statutory or regulatory requirements to allow a limited number of institutions to participate in experiments to test alternative methods for administering the title IV HEA programs. The alternative methods of title IV HEA administration that the Secretary is permitting under the ESI are designed to facilitate efforts by institutions to test certain innovative practices aimed at improving student outcomes and the delivery of services. Under this experiment, participating institutions will provide Federal Pell Grant funding to otherwise eligible students who are incarcerated in Federal or State penal institutions. Details of the experiment are provided below in the ``The Experiment'' section of this notice. DATES: Letters of application to participate in the proposed experiment described in this notice must be received by the Department of Education (the Department) no later than October 2, 2015 in order for an institution to receive priority to be considered for participation in the experiment. Institutions submitting letters that are received after October 2, 2015 may still, at the discretion of the Secretary, be considered for participation. ADDRESSES: Letters of application must be submitted by electronic mail to the following email address: experimentalsites@ed.gov. For formats and other required information, see ``Instructions for Submitting Letters of Application'' under SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Warren Farr, U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid, 830 First Street NE., Washington, DC 20002. Telephone: (202) 377-4380 or by email at: Warren.Farr@ed.gov. 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.