If any provision of this subpart or its application to any person, act, or practice is held invalid, the remainder of the subpart or the application of its provisions to any person, act, or practice shall not be affected thereby.

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1221e-3, 3474) [85 FR 59980, Sept. 23, 2020]

A State and a subgrantee shall comply with § 76.500, the State plan, applicable statutes, regulations, and approved applications, and shall use Federal funds in accordance with those statutes, regulations, plan, and applications.

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1221e-3, 3474) [85 FR 59980, Sept. 23, 2020]

A State or a subgrantee shall directly administer or supervise the administration of each project.

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1221e-3, 3474, and 6511(a))

A State and a subgrantee shall use fiscal control and fund accounting procedures that ensure proper disbursement of and accounting for Federal funds.

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1221e-3, 3474, and 6511(a)) [45 FR 22517, Apr. 3, 1980, as amended at 89 FR 70339, Aug. 29, 2024]

(a)(1) The Secretary may establish, for a program subject to this part, a date by which a State must submit for review by the Department a State plan and any other documents required to be submitted under guidance provided by the Department under paragraph (b)(3) of this section.

(2) If the Secretary does not establish a date for the submission of State plans and any other documents required under guidance provided by the Department, the date for submission is three months before the date the Secretary may begin to obligate funds under the program.

(b)(1) This paragraph (b) describes the circumstances under which the submission date for a State plan may be deferred.

(2) If a State asks the Secretary in writing to defer the submission date for a State plan because of a Presidentially declared disaster that has occurred in that State, the Secretary may defer the submission date for the State plan and any other document required under guidance provided by the Department if the Secretary determines that the disaster significantly impairs the ability of the State to submit a timely State plan or other document required under guidance provided by the Department.

(3)(i) The Secretary establishes, for a program subject to this part, a date by which the program office must deliver guidance to the States regarding the contents of the State plan under that program.

(ii) The Secretary may only establish a date for the delivery of guidance to the States so that there are at least as many days between that date and the date that State plans must be submitted to the Department as there are days between the date that State plans must be submitted to the Department and the date that funds are available for obligation by the Secretary on July 1, or October 1, as appropriate.

(iii) If a State does not receive the guidance by the date established under paragraph (b)(3)(i) of this section, the submission date for the State plan under the program is deferred one day for each day that the guidance is late in being received by the State.

Note:

The following examples describe how the regulations in § 76.703(b)(3) would act to defer the date that a State would have to submit its State plan.

Example 1.The Secretary decides that State plans under a forward-funded program must be submitted to the Department by May first. The Secretary must provide guidance to the States under this program by March first, so that the States have at least as many days between the guidance date and the submission date (60) as the Department has between the submission date and the date that funds are available for obligation (60). If the program transmits guidance to the States on February 15, specifying that State plans must be submitted by May first, States generally would have to submit State plans by that date. However, if, for example, a State did not receive the guidance until March third, that State would have until May third to submit its State plan because the submission date of its State plan would be deferred one day for each day that the guidance to the State was late. Example 2.If a program publishes the guidance in the Federal Register on March third, the States would be considered to have received the guidance on that day. Thus, the guidance could not specify a date for the submission of State plans before May second, giving the States 59 days between the date the guidance is published and the submission date and giving the Department 58 days between the submission date and the date that funds are available for obligation.

(c)(1) For the purposes of this section, the submission date of a State plan or other document is the date that the Secretary receives the plan or document.

(2) The Secretary does not determine whether a State plan is substantially approvable until the plan and any documents required under guidance provided by the Department have been submitted.

(3) The Secretary notifies a State when the Department has received the State plan and all documents required under guidance provided by the Department.

(d) If a State submits a State plan in substantially approvable form (or an amendment to the State plan that makes it substantially approvable), and submits any other document required under guidance provided by the Department, on or before the date the State plan must be submitted to the Department, the State may begin to obligate funds on the date that the funds are first available for obligation by the Secretary.

(e) If a State submits a State plan in substantially approvable form (or an amendment to the State plan that makes it substantially approvable) or any other documents required under guidance provided by the Department after the date the State plan must be submitted to the Department, and—

(1) The Department determines that the State plan is substantially approvable on or before the date that the funds are first available for obligation by the Secretary, the State may begin to obligate funds on the date that the funds are first available for obligation by the Secretary; or

(2) The Department determines that the State plan is substantially approvable after the date that the funds are first available for obligation by the Secretary, the State may begin to obligate funds on the earlier of the two following dates:

(i) The date that the Secretary determines that the State plan is substantially approvable.

(ii) The date that is determined by adding to the date that funds are first available for obligation by the Secretary—

(A) The number of days after the date the State plan must be submitted to the Department that the State plan or other document required under guidance provided by the Department is submitted; and

(B) If applicable, the number of days after the State receives notice that the State plan is not substantially approvable that the State submits additional information that makes the plan substantially approvable.

(f) Additional information submitted under paragraph (e)(2)(ii)(B) of this section must be signed by the person who submitted the original State plan (or an authorized delegate of that officer).

(g)(1) If the Department does not complete its review of a State plan during the period established for that review, the Secretary will grant pre-award costs for the period after funds become available for obligation by the Secretary and before the State plan is found substantially approvable.

(2) The period established for the Department's review of a plan does not include any day after the State has received notice that its plan is not substantially approvable.

Note:

The following examples describe how the regulations in § 76.703 would be applied in certain circumstances. For the purpose of these examples, assume that the grant program established an April 1 due date for the submission of the State plan and that funds are first available for obligation by the Secretary on July 1.

Example 1.Paragraph (d): A State submits a plan in substantially approvable form by April 1. The State may begin to obligate funds on July 1. Example 2.Paragraph (e)(1): A State submits a plan in substantially approvable form on May 15, and the Department notifies the State that the plan is substantially approvable on June 20. The State may begin to obligate funds on July 1. Example 3.Paragraph (e)(2)(i): A State submits a plan in substantially approvable form on May 15, and the Department notifies the State that the plan is substantially approvable on July 15. The State may begin to obligate funds on July 15. Example 4.Paragraph (e)(2)(ii)(A): A State submits a plan in substantially approvable form on May 15, and the Department notifies the State that the plan is substantially approvable on August 21. The State may begin to obligate funds on August 14. (In this example, the plan is 45 days late. By adding 45 days to July 1, we reach August 14, which is earlier than the date, August 21, that the Department notifies the State that the plan is substantially approvable. Therefore, if the State chose to begin drawing funds from the Department on August 14, obligations made on or after that date would generally be allowable.) Example 5.Paragraph (e)(2)(i): A State submits a plan on May 15, and the Department notifies the State that the plan is not substantially approvable on July 10. The State submits changes that make the plan substantially approvable on July 20 and the Department notifies the State that the plan is substantially approvable on July 25. The State may begin to obligate funds on July 25. (In this example, the original submission is 45 days late. In addition, the Department notifies the State that the plan is not substantially approvable and the time from that notification until the State submits changes that make the plan substantially approvable is an additional 10 days. By adding 55 days to July 1, we reach August 24. However, since the Department notified the State that the plan was substantially approvable on July 25, that is the date that the State may begin to obligate funds.) Example 6.Paragraph (e)(2)(ii)(B): A State submits a plan on May 15, and the Department notifies the State that the plan is not substantially approvable on August 1. The State submits changes that make the plan substantially approvable on August 20, and the Department notifies the State that the plan is substantially approvable on September 5. The State may choose to begin drawing funds from the Department on September 2, and obligations made on or after that date would generally be allowable. (In this example, the original submission is 45 days late. In addition, the Department notifies the State that the plan is not substantially approvable and the time from that notification until the State submits changes that make the plan substantially approvable is an additional 19 days. By adding 64 days to July 1, we reach September 2, which is earlier than September 5, the date that the Department notifies the State that the plan is substantially approvable.) Example 7.Paragraph (g): A State submits a plan on April 15 and the Department notifies the State that the plan is not substantially approvable on July 16. The State makes changes to the plan and submits a substantially approvable plan on July 30. The Department had until July 15 to decide whether the plan was substantially approvable because the State was 15 days late in submitting the plan. The date the State may begin to obligate funds under the regulatory deferral is July 29 (based on the 15 day deferral for late submission plus a 14 day deferral for the time it took to submit a substantially approvable plan after having received notice). However, because the Department was one day late in completing its review of the plan, the State would get pre-award costs to cover the period of July 1 through July 29.

(h) After determining that a State plan is in substantially approvable form, the Secretary informs the State of the date on which it could begin to obligate funds. Reimbursement for those obligations is subject to final approval of the State plan.

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1221e-3, 3474, 6511(a) and 31 U.S.C. 6503) [45 FR 22517, Apr. 3, 1980. Redesignated at 45 FR 77368, Nov. 21, 1980, as amended at 60 FR 41294, Aug. 11, 1995; 61 FR 14484, Apr. 2, 1996]

(a) This section specifies the State plan requirements that must be addressed in a State plan if the State plan requirements established in statutes or regulations change on a date close to the date that State plans are due for submission to the Department.

(b)(1) A State plan must meet the following requirements:

(i) Every State plan requirement in effect three months before the date the State plan is due to be submitted to the Department under 34 CFR 76.703; and

(ii) Every State plan requirement included in statutes or regulations that will be effective on or before the date that funds become available for obligation by the Secretary and that have been signed into law or published in the Federal Register as final regulations three months before the date the State plan is due to be submitted to the Department under 34 CFR 76.703.

(2) If a State plan does not have to meet a new State plan requirement under paragraph (b)(1) of this section, the Secretary takes one of the following actions:

(i) Require the State to submit assurances and appropriate documentation to show that the new requirements are being followed under the program.

(ii) Extend the date for submission of State plans and approve pre-award costs as necessary to hold the State harmless.

(3) If the Secretary requires a State to submit assurances under paragraph (b)(2) of this section, the State shall incorporate changes to the State plan as soon as possible to comply with the new requirements. The State shall submit the necessary changes before the start of the next obligation period.

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1221e-3, 3474, 6511(a) and 31 U.S.C. 6503) [60 FR 41296, Aug. 11, 1995]

The following table shows when a State or a subgrantee makes obligations for various kinds of property and services.

[45 FR 22517, Apr. 3, 1980. Redesignated at 45 FR 77368, Nov. 21, 1980, as amended at 55 FR 14817, Apr. 18, 1990; 57 FR 30342, July 8, 1992; 79 FR 76094, Dec. 19, 2014; 89 FR 70339, Aug. 29, 2024]

(a) If applicable statutes and regulations for a program require a State to make subgrants on the basis of a formula (see § 76.51(a)), the State may not authorize an applicant for a subgrant to obligate funds until the later of the following two dates:

(1) The date that the State may begin to obligate funds under § 76.703; or

(2) The date that the applicant submits its application to the State in substantially approvable form.

(b) Reimbursement for obligations under paragraph (a) of this section is subject to final approval of the application.

(c) If applicable statutes and regulations for a program give the State discretion to select subgrantees, the State may not authorize an applicant for a subgrant to obligate funds until the subgrant is made. However, the State may approve pre-agreement costs in accordance with the cost principles in 2 CFR part 200, subpart E-Cost Principles.

[45 FR 22517, Apr. 3, 1980. Redesignated at 45 FR 77368, Nov. 21, 1980. Further redesignated at 60 FR 41295, Aug. 11, 1995; 79 FR 76094, Dec. 19, 2014; 89 FR 70339, Aug. 29, 2024]

(a) If a State or a subgrantee does not obligate all of its grant or subgrant funds by the end of the fiscal year for which Congress appropriated the funds, it may obligate the remaining funds during a carryover period of one additional fiscal year.

(b) The State shall return to the Federal Government any carryover funds not obligated by the end of the carryover period by the State and its subgrantees.

[45 FR 22517, Apr. 3, 1980. Redesignated at 45 FR 77368, Nov. 21, 1980, as amended at 45 FR 86296, Dec. 30, 1980. Redesignated at 60 FR 41295, Aug. 11, 1995; 89 FR 70339, Aug. 29, 2024]

A State and a subgrantee shall use carryover funds in accordance with:

(a) The Federal statutes and regulations that apply to the program and are in effect for the carryover period; and

(b) Any State plan, or application for a subgrant, that the State or subgrantee is required to submit for the carryover period.

[45 FR 22517, Apr. 3, 1980. Redesignated at 45 FR 77368, Nov. 21, 1980, as amended at 45 FR 86296, Dec. 30, 1980. Redesignated at 60 FR 41295, Aug. 11, 1995; 89 FR 70339, Aug. 29, 2024]

If a program is listed in the Assistance Listings and assigned an Assistance Listing Number (ALN), a State, when requesting funds under the program, shall identify that program by the ALN.

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1221e-3, 6511(a), 3474, 31 U.S.C. 6503) [60 FR 41296, Aug. 11, 1995, as amended at 89 FR 70339, Aug. 29, 2024]

(a) An organization providing social services to beneficiaries under a Department program supported by direct Federal financial assistance must give written notice to a beneficiary or prospective beneficiary of certain protections. Such notice must be given in the manner and form prescribed by the Department. This notice must state that—

(1) The organization may not discriminate against a beneficiary or prospective beneficiary on the basis of religion, a religious belief, a refusal to hold a religious belief, or a refusal to attend or participate in a religious practice;

(2) The organization may not require a beneficiary or prospective beneficiary to attend or participate in any explicitly religious activities that are offered by the organization, and any participation by a beneficiary in such activities must be purely voluntary;

(3) The organization must separate in time or location any privately funded explicitly religious activities from activities supported by direct Federal financial assistance; and

(4) A beneficiary or prospective beneficiary may report an organization's violation of these protections, including any denials of services or benefits by an organization, by contacting or filing a written complaint with the Department.

(b) The written notice described in paragraph (a) of this section must be given to a prospective beneficiary prior to the time they enroll in the program or receive services from the program. When the nature of the service provided or exigent circumstances make it impracticable to provide such written notice in advance of the actual service, an organization must provide the notice at the earliest available opportunity.

(c) The Department may determine that the notice described in paragraph (a) of this section must inform each beneficiary or prospective beneficiary of the option to seek information from the Department, or a State agency or other entity administering the applicable program, as to whether there are any other federally funded organizations in their area that provide the services available under the applicable program.

(d) The notice that an organization uses to notify beneficiaries or prospective beneficiaries of the rights under paragraphs (a) through (c) of this section must include language substantially similar to that in appendix C to 34 CFR part 75.

[89 FR 15704, Mar. 4, 2024]

If a grantee under a State-Administered Formula Grant program of the Department has the authority under the grant or subgrant to select a private organization to provide services supported by direct Federal financial assistance, as defined in § 76.52(c)(3), under the program by subgrant, contract, or other agreement, the grantee must ensure compliance with applicable Federal requirements governing contracts, grants, and other agreements with faith-based organizations, including, as applicable, §§ 76.52 and 76.532 and 2 CFR 3474.15. If the pass-through entity is a nongovernmental organization, it retains all other rights of a nongovernmental organization under the program's statutory and regulatory provisions.

[85 FR 82130, Dec. 17, 2020, as amended at 89 FR 70339, Aug. 29, 2024]

(a) This section applies to a State's reports required for monitoring and continuous improvement, including 2 CFR 200.328 (Financial reporting) and 2 CFR 200.329 (Monitoring and reporting program performance), and other reports required by the Secretary and approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under the Subpart 1 of Chapter 35 (sections 3501-3521) of Title 44, U.S. Code, commonly known as the “Paperwork Reduction Act.”

(b) A State must submit these reports annually unless—

(1) The Secretary allows less frequent reporting; or

(2) The Secretary requires a State to report more frequently than annually, including reporting under 2 CFR 3474.10 and 2 CFR 200.207 (Specific conditions) and 2 CFR 3474.10 (Clarification regarding 2 CFR 200.207) or 2 CFR 200.302 Financial management and 200.303 Internal controls.

(c)(1) A State must submit these reports in the manner prescribed by the Secretary, including submitting any of these reports electronically and at the quality level specified in the data collection instrument.

(2) Failure by a State to submit reports in accordance with paragraph (c)(1) of this section constitutes a failure, under section 454 of GEPA , 20 U.S.C. 1234c, to comply substantially with a requirement of law applicable to the funds made available under that program.

(3) For reports that the Secretary requires to be submitted in an electronic manner, the Secretary may establish a transition period of up to two years following the date the State otherwise would be required to report the data in the electronic manner, during which time a State will not be required to comply with that specific electronic submission requirement, if the State submits to the Secretary—

(i) Evidence satisfactory to the Secretary that the State will not be able to comply with the electronic submission requirement specified by the Secretary in the data collection instrument on the first date the State otherwise would be required to report the data electronically;

(ii) Information requested in the report through an alternative means that is acceptable to the Secretary, such as through an alternative electronic means; and

(iii) A plan for submitting the reports in the required electronic manner and at the level of quality specified in the data collection instrument no later than the date two years after the first date the State otherwise would be required to report the data in the electronic manner prescribed by the Secretary.

[72 FR 3702, Jan. 25, 2007, as amended at 79 FR 76094, Dec. 19, 2014; 89 FR 70339, Aug. 29, 2024]

A State may require a subgrantee to submit reports in a manner and format that assists the State in complying with the requirements under 34 CFR 76.720, in carrying out other responsibilities under the program, engaging in periodic review and continuous improvement of the State's plan, and supporting the subgrantee in engaging in periodic review and continuous improvement of the subgrantee's plan.

[89 FR 70340, Aug. 29, 2024]

A State and a subgrantee shall keep records that fully show:

(a) The amount of funds under the grant or subgrant;

(b) How the State or subgrantee uses the funds;

(c) The total cost of the project;

(d) The share of that cost provided from other sources; and

(e) Other records to facilitate an effective audit.

(Approved by the Office of Management and Budget under control number 1880-0513) (Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1232f) [45 FR 22517, Apr. 3, 1980. Redesignated at 45 FR 77368, Nov. 21, 1980, as amended at 53 FR 49143, Dec. 6, 1988]

A State and a subgrantee shall keep records to show its compliance with program requirements.

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1221e-3, 3474, and 6511(a))

(a) A grantee must keep records of significant project experiences and results.

(b) The grantee must use the records under paragraph (a) to—

(1) Determine progress in accomplishing project objectives;

(2) Inform periodic review and continuous improvement of the project plans; and

(3) Revise those project objectives, if necessary.

[89 FR 70340, Aug. 29, 2024]

(a) Most records on present or past students are subject to the requirements of section 444 of GEPA and its implementing regulations under 34 CFR part 99.(Section 444 of GEPA (20 U.S.C. 1232g) is commonly referred to as the “Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974” or “FERPA”.)

(b) Under most programs administered by the Secretary, research, experimentation, and testing are subject to the requirements of section 445 of GEPA (20 U.S.C. 1232h; commonly known as the “Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment” or “PPRA”)and its implementing regulations at 34 CFR part 98.

[45 FR 22517, Apr. 3, 1980. Redesignated at 45 FR 77368, Nov. 21, 1980, as amended at 57 FR 30342, July 8, 1992; 89 FR 70340, Aug. 29, 2024]

A State or a subgrantee may use funds under more than one program to support different parts of the same project if the State or subgrantee meets the following conditions:

(a) The State or subgrantee complies with the requirements of each program with respect to the part of the project assisted with funds under that program.

(b) The State or subgrantee has an accounting system that permits identification of the costs paid for under each program.

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1221e-3, 3474, and 6511(a))

A State or a subgrantee may use program funds to pay up to 100 percent of the cost of a project if:

(a) The State or subgrantee is not required to match the funds; and

(b) The project can be assisted under applicable statutes and regulations.

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1221e-3, 3474, and 6511(a)) [45 FR 22517, Apr. 3, 1980, as amended at 89 FR 70340, Aug. 29, 2024]

Each State shall have procedures for reviewing and approving applications for subgrants and amendments to those applications, for providing technical assistance, for evaluating projects, and for performing other administrative responsibilities the State has determined are necessary to ensure compliance with applicable statutes and regulations.

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1221e-3 and 3474) [57 FR 30342, July 8, 1992]

(a) A subgrantee may request a hearing if it alleges that any of the following actions by the State educational agency violated a State or Federal statute or regulation:

(1) Ordering, in accordance with a final State audit resolution determination, the repayment of misspent or misapplied Federal funds;

(2) Terminating further assistance for an approved project; or

(3) Failing to provide funds in amounts in accordance with the requirements of applicable statutes and regulations.

(b) The procedures in 76.401(a) through (d) apply to any request for a hearing under this section.

[45 FR 22517, Apr. 3, 1980. Redesignated at 45 FR 77368, Nov. 21, 1980, as amended at 45 FR 86296, Dec. 30, 1980; 57 FR 30342, July 8, 1992; 89 FR 70340, Aug. 29, 2024]

If any provision of this subpart or its application to any person, act, or practice is held invalid, the remainder of the subpart or the application of its provisions to any person, act, or practice shall not be affected thereby.

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1221e-3 and 3474) [85 FR 59980, Sept. 23, 2020]