[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 220 (Thursday, November 13, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67142-67148]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-26870]



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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Office of Innovation and Improvement; Overview Information; 
Transition to Teaching Grant Program; Notice Inviting Applications for 
New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2009

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.350A, 
84.350B, and 84.350C.

DATES: Applications Available: November 13, 2008.
    Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply: December 15, 2008.
    Date of Pre-Application Meeting: December 4, 2008.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: January 21, 2009.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: March 23, 2009.

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Purpose of Program: The Transition to Teaching program encourages 
(1) the development and expansion of alternative routes to full State 
teacher certification, as well as (2) the recruitment and retention of 
highly qualified mid-career professionals, recent college graduates who 
have not majored in education, and highly qualified paraprofessionals 
as teachers in high-need schools operated by high-need local 
educational agencies (LEAs), including charter schools that operate as 
high-need LEAs.
    Priorities: The Department has established two competitive 
preference priorities that are explained in the following paragraphs. 
In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(iv), Competitive Preference 
Priority 1 is from section 2313(c) of the Elementary and Secondary 
Education Act of 1965, as amended (ESEA) (20 U.S.C. 6683(c)). 
Competitive Preference Priority 2 is from the notice of final 
priorities and requirements for this program (NFP), published in the 
Federal Register on April 30, 2004 (69 FR 24002).
    Competitive Preference Priorities: For FY 2009 and any subsequent 
year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applicants from 
this competition, these priorities are competitive preference 
priorities. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i) we award an additional 5 
points to an application that meets Competitive Preference Priority 1, 
and up to an additional 10 points to an application depending on how 
well the application meets Competitive Preference Priority 2.
    These priorities are:
    Competitive Preference Priority 1--Partnerships or Consortia That 
Include a High-need LEA or a High-need State Educational Agency (SEA). 
This priority supports projects that are designed and implemented in 
active partnerships or consortia that include at least one high-need 
LEA or high-need SEA.
    Competitive Preference Priority 2--District Projects To Streamline 
Teacher Hiring Systems, Timelines, and Processes. This priority 
supports projects by one or more high-need LEAs to streamline their 
hiring systems, timelines, and processes. A participating high-need LEA 
will need to conduct both of the following activities:
    (a) Examine its current hiring system, processes, and policies to 
identify the critical barriers to hiring highly qualified teachers. The 
lack of highly qualified teachers in most urban and rural LEAs has 
often been attributed to their difficulty in recruiting interested and 
qualified individuals. However, recent research indicates that the 
problem may not be one of recruitment but may stem from inefficient and 
untimely LEA hiring systems and processes. This is especially true in 
high-poverty LEAs and schools--the very LEAs and schools the Transition 
to Teaching program is targeted to serve. Accordingly, each 
participating LEA will need to examine its current hiring processes and 
policies and, based upon that examination, identify the critical 
barriers to hiring highly qualified teachers.
    (b) Design and implement efforts to remove the identified barriers 
and put in place systems that streamline and revamp the hiring process. 
In conducting this activity, LEAs are encouraged to create an efficient 
and timely applicant hiring process with a strong data tracking system 
and clear hiring goals. These efforts also should involve negotiating 
policy reforms that remove critical barriers, such as delayed 
notification of vacancies and seniority and retirement rules.
    Participating LEAs also will carry out the requirements of the 
Transition to Teaching program by recruiting nontraditional candidates, 
using the streamlined hiring system to hire these individuals for 
teaching in high-need schools, working with them to achieve full State 
certification, and retaining them for at least three years.

    Note: While all applicants may address Competitive Preference 
Priority 2, only applicants that meet the eligibility requirements 
of a high-need LEA, as contained in this notice, may receive points 
under this competitive preference priority. In response to 
Competitive Preference Priority 2, applicants are encouraged (1) to 
identify existing barriers to an efficient and timely process of 
hiring new teachers and (2) to describe a specific plan to address 
these barriers that includes: (a) The active engagement of LEA 
officials, teacher unions, and other stakeholders in removing 
existing barriers and implementing changes; (b) the actions each 
participating LEA intends to undertake to streamline teacher hiring 
systems, timelines, and processes that will result in early 
notification and hiring of new teachers; (c) a timeline for major 
action steps; (d) a strong data tracking system; and (e) clear 
hiring goals, objectives, and performance measures that provide 
evidence of success in meeting the goals of hiring new teachers 
supported through the Transition to Teaching program.

    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 6681-6684.
    Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80, 
81, 82, 84, 85, 86, 97, 98, and 99. (b) The notice of final priorities 
and requirements for this program published in the Federal Register on 
April 30, 2004 (69 FR 24002).

    Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 79 apply to all applicants 
except federally recognized Indian tribes.


    Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to institutions of 
higher education (IHEs) only.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
    Estimated Available Funds: The Administration has requested 
$43,707,000 for this program for FY 2009, of which we intend to use an 
estimated $7,000,000 for this competition. The actual level of funding, 
if any, depends on final congressional action. However, we are inviting 
applications to allow enough time to complete the grant process if 
Congress appropriates funds for this program.
    The Department has established separate funding categories for 
projects of different scope. These categories are:
    (1) National/regional projects (84.350C) that serve eligible high-
need LEAs in more than one State;
    (2) Statewide projects (84.350B) that serve eligible high-need LEAs 
statewide or eligible high-need LEAs in more than one area of a State; 
and
    (3) Local projects (84.350A) that serve one eligible high-need LEA 
or two or more eligible high-need LEAs in a single area of a State.
    Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of 
applications, we may make additional awards in FY 2010 from the list of 
unfunded applicants from this competition.
    Estimated Range of Awards: National/regional projects--$450,000-
$750,000

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per year; Statewide projects--$300,000-$650,000 per year; and Local 
projects--$150,000-$450,000 per year.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: National/regional projects--
$600,000 per year; Statewide projects--$440,000 per year; and Local 
projects--$300,000 per year.
    Estimated Number of Awards: National/regional projects--3; 
Statewide projects--5; and Local projects--10.

    Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this 
notice.

    Project Period: Up to 60 months.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: A State educational agency (SEA); a high-
need LEA; a for-profit or nonprofit organization that has a proven 
record of effectively recruiting and retaining highly qualified 
teachers, in partnership with a high-need LEA or an SEA; an IHE in 
partnership with a high-need LEA or an SEA; a regional consortium of 
SEAs; or a consortium of high-need LEAs.
    Each application must identify participating LEAs that meet the 
definition of ``high-need LEA'' in section 2102(3) of the ESEA.

    Note: Section 2102(3) of the ESEA defines a high-need LEA as an 
LEA--
    (a) That serves not fewer than 10,000 children from families 
with incomes below the poverty line (as that term is defined in 
section 9101(33) of the ESEA), or for which not less than 20 percent 
of the children served by the LEA are from families with incomes 
below the poverty line; and
    (b) For which there is (1) a high percentage of teachers not 
teaching in the academic subjects or grade levels that the teachers 
were trained to teach, or (2) a high percentage of teachers with 
emergency, provisional, or temporary certification or licensing.

    The NFP describes how applicants must demonstrate that a 
participating LEA meets this statutory definition of ``high-need LEA'' 
(69 FR 24002, 24006). Pursuant to the NFP, we provide the following 
supplementary information regarding the data an applicant uses to 
demonstrate eligibility as a ``high-need LEA'' under this competition:
    As described in the NFP, absent a showing of alternative LEA data 
that reliably show the number of children from families with incomes 
below the poverty line that are served by the LEA, the eligibility of 
an LEA as a ``high-need LEA'' under component (a) of the definition 
must be determined on the basis of the most recent U.S. Census Bureau 
data. The most recent U.S. Census Bureau data can be found in the 
charts on the Internet at: http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/saipe/district.html. The Department examines the eligibility of any LEA not 
listed on these charts on a case-by-case basis.
    We understand that the U.S. Census Bureau may release data for 2007 
before the closing date for applications under this competition. If the 
U.S. Census Bureau publishes 2007 poverty data before the application 
due date, the Department will consider U.S. Census Bureau poverty data 
available for either 2005 or 2007 to be the most recent. Hence, if the 
U.S. Census Bureau releases its poverty data for 2007 prior to the 
closing date of this competition, we will consider an LEA to have the 
requisite poverty needed to be a ``high-need LEA'' if the LEA had the 
requisite level of poverty, based on the U.S. Census Bureau data, in 
either 2005 or 2007. If the U.S. Census Bureau does not release the 
2007 poverty data, we will rely on the U.S. Census Bureau's poverty 
data for 2005.
    As discussed in the NFP, with respect to component (b)(1) of the 
definition of ``high-need LEA,'' whether an LEA has a ``high percentage 
of teachers not teaching in the academic subjects or grade levels that 
the teachers were trained to teach'' is determined on a case-by-case 
basis.
    In addition, as noted in the NFP, with respect to component (b)(2) 
of the definition of ``high-need LEA,'' an LEA has a ``high 
percentage'' of teachers with emergency, provisional, or temporary 
certification or licensing if the percentage of teachers on waivers, as 
the LEA reported to the State for purposes of the State's latest report 
to the Secretary under section 207 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 
(HEA), was at least the national average percentage of teachers on 
waivers of State certification for all LEAs. As outlined in the NFP, 
the Secretary determines the national average percentage of teachers on 
waivers based on data contained in the most currently available HEA 
section 207 State reports. At the time of publication of this notice, 
the Department has received all 2007 State HEA section 207 reports and 
those reports reflect a national percentage of teachers on waivers of 
State certification in all LEAs of 1.5 percent.
    Accordingly, an LEA will be considered to have met component (b)(2) 
of the definition if the data that it provided to the State for 
purposes of the State's October 2007 HEA section 207 report demonstrate 
that at least 1.5 percent of its teachers were on waivers of State 
certification requirements.
    2. a. Cost Sharing or Matching: This program does not require cost 
sharing or matching.
    b. Supplement-Not-Supplant: This program involves supplement-not-
supplant funding requirements. In accordance with section 2313(h)(2) of 
the ESEA, funds made available under this section shall be used to 
supplement, and not supplant, State and local public funds expended for 
teacher recruitment and retention programs, including programs to 
recruit teachers through alternative routes to certification.
    3. Other: The NFP describes eligibility restrictions for 
individuals participating in this program.

IV. Application and Submission Information

    1. Address to Request Application Package: Education Publications 
Center (ED Pubs), P.O. Box 1398, Jessup, MD 20794-1398. Telephone, toll 
free: 1-877-433-7827. FAX: (301) 470-1244. If you use a 
telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), call, toll free: 1-877-
576-7734.
    You can contact ED Pubs at its Web site, also: http://www.ed.gov/pubs/edpubs.html or at its e-mail address: [email protected].
    If you request an application package from ED Pubs, be sure to 
identify this program or competition as follows: CFDA number 84.350A, 
84.350B, or 84.350C.
    Individuals with disabilities can obtain a copy of the application 
package in an accessible format (e.g., braille, large print, audiotape, 
or computer diskette) by contacting the program contact person or team 
listed under Accessible Format in section VIII of this notice.
    2. Content and Form of Application Submission: Requirements 
concerning the content of an application, together with the forms you 
must submit, are in the application package for this competition. 
Additional information concerning application content requirements is 
in the NFP.
    Notice of Intent to Apply: December 15, 2008. The Department will 
be able to develop a more efficient process for reviewing grant 
applications if it has a better understanding of the number of entities 
that intend to apply for funding under this competition. Therefore, the 
Secretary strongly encourages each potential applicant to notify the 
Department by sending a short e-mail message indicating the applicant's 
intent to submit an application for funding. The e-mail need not 
include information regarding the content of the proposed application, 
only the applicant's intent to submit it. The Secretary requests that 
this e-mail notification be sent to Thelma Leenhouts at: 
[email protected].

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    Applicants that fail to provide this e-mail notification may still 
apply for funding.
    Page Limit: The application narrative (Part III of the application) 
is where you, the applicant, address the selection criteria that 
reviewers use to evaluate your application. You must limit the 
application narrative Part III to the equivalent of no more than 50 
pages, using the following standards:
     A ``page'' is 8.5'' x 11'', on one side only, with 1'' 
margins at the top, bottom, and both sides.
     Double space (no more than three lines per vertical inch) 
all text in the application narrative, except titles, headings, 
footnotes, quotations, references, and captions, as well as all text in 
charts, tables, figures, and graphs.
     Use a font that is either 12 point or larger or no smaller 
than 10 pitch (characters per inch).
     Use one of the following fonts: Times New Roman, Courier, 
Courier New, or Arial. An application submitted in any other font 
(including Times Roman or Arial Narrow) will not be accepted.
    The page limit does not apply to Part I, the cover sheet; Part II, 
the budget section, including the narrative budget justification; Part 
IV, the assurances and certifications; or the one-page abstract, the 
resumes, or letters of support. However, you must include all of the 
application narrative in Part III.
    Our reviewers will not read any pages of your application that 
exceed the page limit.
    3. Submission Dates and Times:
    Applications Available: November 13, 2008.
    Deadline for Notice of Intent To Apply: December 15, 2008.
    Date of Pre-Application Meeting: December 4, 2008, from 2:00 p.m. 
to 4:00 p.m. in the LBJ Auditorium at the U.S. Department of Education 
headquarters, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., in Washington, DC. The 
Department is accessible by Metro on the Blue, Orange, Green, and 
Yellow lines at the 7th Street and Maryland Avenue exit of the L'Enfant 
Plaza Metro station. Please contact the U.S. Department of Education 
contact persons listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT if you 
have any questions about the details of the pre-application meeting.
    Individuals interested in attending this pre-application meeting 
are encouraged to pre-register by e-mailing their name, organization, 
and contact information to [email protected]. There is no 
registration fee for this pre-application meeting. We encourage 
attendance from those who will be responsible for submitting the 
application or otherwise providing technical support for submitting the 
application electronically using the Grants.gov Apply site.

Assistance to Individuals With Disabilities at the Pre-Application 
Meeting

    The meeting site is accessible to individuals with disabilities, 
and a sign language interpreter will be available. If you will need an 
auxiliary aid or service other than a sign language interpreter in 
order to participate in the meeting (e.g., other interpreting service 
such as oral, cued speech, or tactile interpreter; assistive listening 
device; or materials in alternate format), notify the contact person 
listed in this notice at least two weeks before the scheduled meeting 
date. Although we will attempt to meet a request we receive after this 
date, we may not be able to make available the requested auxiliary aid 
or service because of insufficient time to arrange it.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: January 21, 2009.
    Applications for grants under this competition must be submitted 
electronically using the Grants.gov Apply site (Grants.gov). For 
information (including dates and times) about how to submit your 
application electronically, or in paper format by mail or hand delivery 
if you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission 
requirement, please refer to section IV.6. Other Submission 
Requirements in this notice.
    We do not consider an application that does not comply with the 
deadline requirements.
    Individuals with disabilities who need an accommodation or 
auxiliary aid in connection with the application process should contact 
the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT in section VII 
in this notice. If the Department provides an accommodation or 
auxiliary aid to an individual with a disability in connection with the 
application process, the individual's application remains subject to 
all other requirements and limitations in this notice.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: March 23, 2009.
    4. Intergovernmental Review: This competition is subject to 
Executive Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79. 
Information about Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs under 
Executive Order 12372 is in the application package for this 
competition.
    5. Funding Restrictions: We reference regulations outlining funding 
restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section in this notice and 
in the NFP.
    6. Other Submission Requirements: Applications for grants under 
this competition must be submitted electronically unless you qualify 
for an exception to this requirement in accordance with the 
instructions in this section.
    a. Electronic Submission of Applications. Applications for grants 
under the Transition to Teaching Competition, CFDA number 84.350A, 
84.350B, and 84.350C must be submitted electronically using the 
Governmentwide Grants.gov Apply site at http://www.Grants.gov. Through 
this site, you will be able to download a copy of the application 
package, complete it offline, and then upload and submit your 
application. You may not e-mail an electronic copy of a grant 
application to us.
    We will reject your application if you submit it in paper format 
unless, as described elsewhere in this section, you qualify for one of 
the exceptions to the electronic submission requirement and submit, no 
later than two weeks before the application deadline date, a written 
statement to the Department that you qualify for one of these 
exceptions. Further information regarding calculation of the date that 
is two weeks before the application deadline date is provided later in 
this section under Exception to Electronic Submission Requirement.
    You may access the electronic grant application for Transition to 
Teaching at http://www.Grants.gov. You must search for the downloadable 
application package for this competition by the CFDA number. Do not 
include the CFDA number's alpha suffix in your search (e.g., search for 
84.350, not 84.350A).
    Please note the following:
     When you enter the Grants.gov site, you will find 
information about submitting an application electronically through the 
site, as well as the hours of operation.
     Applications received by Grants.gov are date and time 
stamped. Your application must be fully uploaded and submitted, and 
must be date and time stamped by the Grants.gov system no later than 
4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. 
Except as otherwise noted in this section, we will not accept your 
application if it is received--that is, date and time stamped by the 
Grants.gov

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system--after 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application 
deadline date. We do not consider an application that does not comply 
with the deadline requirements. When we retrieve your application from 
Grants.gov, we will notify you if we are rejecting your application 
because it was date and time stamped by the Grants.gov system after 
4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date.
     The amount of time it can take to upload an application 
will vary depending on a variety of factors, including the size of the 
application and the speed of your Internet connection. Therefore, we 
strongly recommend that you do not wait until the application deadline 
date to begin the submission process through Grants.gov.
     You should review and follow the Education Submission 
Procedures for submitting an application through Grants.gov that are 
included in the application package for this competition to ensure that 
you submit your application in a timely manner to the Grants.gov 
system. You can also find the Education Submission Procedures 
pertaining to Grants.gov at http://e-Grants.ed.gov/help/GrantsgovSubmissionProcedures.pdf.
     To submit your application via Grants.gov, you must 
complete all steps in the Grants.gov registration process (see http://www.grants.gov/applicants/get_registered.jsp). These steps include (1) 
Registering your organization, a multi-part process that includes 
registration with the Central Contractor Registry (CCR); (2) 
registering yourself as an Authorized Organization Representative 
(AOR); and (3) getting authorized as an AOR by your organization. 
Details on these steps are outlined in the Grants.gov 3-Step 
Registration Guide (see http://www.grants.gov/section910/Grants.govRegistrationBrochure.pdf). You also must provide on your 
application the same D-U-N-S Number used with this registration. Please 
note that the registration process may take five or more business days 
to complete, and you must have completed all registration steps to 
allow you to submit successfully an application via Grants.gov. In 
addition you will need to update your CCR registration on an annual 
basis. This may take three or more business days to complete.
     You will not receive additional point value because you 
submit your application in electronic format, nor will we penalize you 
if you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission 
requirement, as described elsewhere in this section, and submit your 
application in paper format.
     You must submit all documents electronically, including 
all information you typically provide on the following forms: 
Application for Federal Assistance (SF 424), the Department of 
Education Supplemental Information for SF 424, Budget Information--Non-
Construction Programs (ED 524), and all necessary assurances and 
certifications. Please note that two of these forms--the SF 424 and the 
Department of Education Supplemental Information for SF 424--have 
replaced the ED 424 (Application for Federal Education Assistance).
     You must attach any narrative sections of your application 
as files in a .DOC (document), .RTF (rich text), or .PDF (Portable 
Document) format. If you upload a file type other than the three file 
types specified in this paragraph or submit a password-protected file, 
we will not review that material.
     Your electronic application must comply with any page-
limit requirements described in this notice.
     After you electronically submit your application, you will 
receive from Grants.gov an automatic notification of receipt that 
contains a Grants.gov tracking number. (This notification indicates 
receipt by Grants.gov only, not receipt by the Department.) The 
Department then will retrieve your application from Grants.gov and send 
a second notification to you by e-mail. This second notification 
indicates that the Department has received your application and has 
assigned your application a PR/Award number (an ED-specified 
identifying number unique to your application).
     We may request that you provide us original signatures on 
forms at a later date.
    Application Deadline Date Extension in Case of Technical Issues 
with the Grants.gov System: If you are experiencing problems submitting 
your application through Grants.gov, please contact the Grants.gov 
Support Desk, toll free, at 1-800-518-4726. You must obtain a 
Grants.gov Support Desk Case Number and must keep a record of it.
    If you are prevented from electronically submitting your 
application on the application deadline date because of technical 
problems with the Grants.gov system, we will grant you an extension 
until 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, the following business day to 
enable you to transmit your application electronically or by hand 
delivery. You also may mail your application by following the mailing 
instructions described elsewhere in this notice.
    If you submit an application after 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC 
time, on the application deadline date, please contact the person 
listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT in section VII in this 
notice and provide an explanation of the technical problem you 
experienced with Grants.gov, along with the Grants.gov Support Desk 
Case Number. We will accept your application if we can confirm that a 
technical problem occurred with the Grants.gov system and that that 
problem affected your ability to submit your application by 4:30:00 
p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. The 
Department will contact you after a determination is made on whether 
your application will be accepted.

    Note: The extensions to which we refer in this section apply 
only to the unavailability of, or technical problems with, the 
Grants.gov system. We will not grant you an extension if you failed 
to fully register to submit your application to Grants.gov before 
the application deadline date and time or if the technical problem 
you experienced is unrelated to the Grants.gov system.

    Exception to Electronic Submission Requirement: You qualify for an 
exception to the electronic submission requirement, and may submit your 
application in paper format, if you are unable to submit an application 
through the Grants.gov system because--
     You do not have access to the Internet; or
     You do not have the capacity to upload large documents to 
the Grants.gov system; and
     No later than two weeks before the application deadline 
date (14 calendar days or, if the fourteenth calendar day before the 
application deadline date falls on a Federal holiday, the next business 
day following the Federal holiday), you mail or fax a written statement 
to the Department, explaining which of the two grounds for an exception 
prevent you from using the Internet to submit your application.
    If you mail your written statement to the Department, it must be 
postmarked no later than two weeks before the application deadline 
date. If you fax your written statement to the Department, we must 
receive the faxed statement no later than two weeks before the 
application deadline date.
    Address and mail or fax your statement to: Thelma Leenhouts, U.S. 
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Room 4W302, 
Washington, DC 20202-5960. FAX: (202) 401-8466.
    Your paper application must be submitted in accordance with the 
mail or hand delivery instructions described in this notice.
    b. Submission of Paper Applications by Mail. If you qualify for an 
exception

[[Page 67146]]

to the electronic submission requirement, you may mail (through the 
U.S. Postal Service or a commercial carrier) your application to the 
Department. You must mail the original and two copies of your 
application, on or before the application deadline date, to the 
Department at the following address:
    U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Center, 
Attention: (CFDA Number 84.350A, 84.350B, or 84.350C), LBJ Basement 
Level 1, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20202-4260.
    You must show proof of mailing consisting of one of the following:
    (1) A legibly dated U.S. Postal Service postmark.
    (2) A legible mail receipt with the date of mailing stamped by the 
U.S. Postal Service.
    (3) A dated shipping label, invoice, or receipt from a commercial 
carrier.
    (4) Any other proof of mailing acceptable to the Secretary of the 
U.S. Department of Education.
    If you mail your application through the U.S. Postal Service, we do 
not accept either of the following as proof of mailing:
    (1) A private metered postmark.
    (2) A mail receipt that is not dated by the U.S. Postal Service.
    If your application is postmarked after the application deadline 
date, we will not consider your application.

    Note: The U.S. Postal Service does not uniformly provide a dated 
postmark. Before relying on this method, you should check with your 
local post office.

    c. Submission of Paper Applications by Hand Delivery. If you 
qualify for an exception to the electronic submission requirement, you 
(or a courier service) may deliver your paper application to the 
Department by hand. You must deliver the original and two copies of 
your application by hand, on or before the application deadline date, 
to the Department at the following address:
    U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Center, 
Attention: (CFDA Number 84.350A, 84.350B, or 84.350C), 550 12th Street, 
SW., Room 7041, Potomac Center Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-4260.

The Application Control Center accepts hand deliveries daily between 
8:00 a.m. and 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, except Saturdays, 
Sundays, and Federal holidays.

    Note for Mail or Hand Delivery of Paper Applications: If you 
mail or hand deliver your application to the Department--
    (1) You must indicate on the envelope and--if not provided by 
the Department--in Item 11 of the SF 424 the CFDA number, including 
suffix letter, if any, of the competition under which you are 
submitting your application; and
    (2) The Application Control Center will mail to you a 
notification of receipt of your grant application. If you do not 
receive this notification within 15 business days from the 
application deadline date, you should call the U.S. Department of 
Education Application Control Center at (202) 245-6288.

V. Application Review Information

    1. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this competition 
are from the statute for this program and Sec.  75.210 of EDGAR and are 
listed in this section. The maximum score for all the selection 
criteria is 100 points. The maximum score for each criterion is 
indicated in parentheses. Each criterion also includes the factors that 
the reviewers will consider in determining how well an application 
meets the criterion. In addressing each criterion, applicants are 
encouraged to make explicit connections to relevant aspects of 
responses to other selection criteria.
    The Notes we have included after each criterion are guidance to 
assist applicants in understanding the criterion as they prepare their 
applications and are not required by statute or regulation.
    A. Quality of the Project Design (35 points).
    The Secretary considers the quality of the project design for the 
proposed project by considering how well the applicant describes a 
plan--
    (1) To recruit and retain highly qualified mid-career professionals 
(including highly qualified paraprofessionals) and recent graduates of 
an IHE as teachers in high-need schools operated by high-need LEAs; and
    (2) To enable individuals to become eligible for teacher 
certification under State-approved alternative routes to certification 
programs within a reduced period of time, relying on such factors as 
experience, expertise, and academic qualifications in lieu of 
traditional course-work in education.
    In considering the quality of the project design and the 
applicant's plan, the Secretary considers the following factors:
    (a) The extent to which the goals, objectives, and outcomes to be 
achieved by the proposed project are clearly specified and measurable.
    (b) The extent to which the design of the proposed project reflects 
up-to-date knowledge from research and effective practice.
    (c) The extent to which the design of the proposed project is 
appropriate to, and will successfully address, the needs of the target 
population or other identified needs.
    (d) The extent to which the proposed project is designed to build 
capacity and yield results that will extend beyond the period of 
Federal financial assistance.

    Note: The Secretary encourages applicants to address this 
criterion by discussing the overall project design and its key 
components, and the degree to which the design's key components are 
based on sound research and practice. Applicants are also encouraged 
to address this criterion by connecting the project design to the 
needs of the partner districts and identifying the specific teacher-
shortage areas faced by the participating high-need LEAs on which 
their proposed project would focus. Applicants should understand 
that a project's strategy for helping participating high-need LEAs 
to identify and hire highly qualified individuals to fill teaching 
positions in high-need subjects may rely on existing alternative 
routes to certification, the expansion of alternative routes to 
certification into new areas, or the creation of wholly new 
alternative routes.

    Additionally, applicants are encouraged to address such key 
components of project design as:
    (1) Recruitment and selection, including identifying the target 
group(s) on which the program will focus and why and how the project is 
designed to rigorously select participants with the requisite content 
knowledge, skills, and commitment to teach in high-need schools in 
high-need LEAs. Recruitment may include members of groups that are 
traditionally underrepresented.
    (2) Preparation, including how the project provides a route to 
certification that is accelerated, integrates coursework and field 
experience, is adapted to participants' learning needs, and will yield 
highly qualified teachers who are prepared to teach in high-need 
schools in high-need LEAs.
    (3) Teacher placement, including evidence that the proposed project 
will meet the needs of high-need LEAs and is developed in coordination 
with appropriate partners, and that the project includes a system of 
tracking to meet statutory requirements.
    (4) Support services, including mentoring, that are designed to 
retain participants and meet their needs in terms of length, content, 
and means of delivery in order to be successful in high-need schools in 
high-need LEAs.
    (5) Certification, including consideration of how the timeline for 
achieving certification will meet the needs of participants, LEAs, and 
partners, as well as the ``Highly Qualified Teacher'' requirements 
established in section 9101(23) of the ESEA.

[[Page 67147]]

    In addition, applicants are encouraged to clarify the means by 
which the project's specified outcomes and benefits may be sustained 
once Federal funding has ended.
    B. Quality of the Project Evaluation (25 points). The Secretary 
considers the quality of the evaluation to be conducted of the proposed 
project. In determining the quality of the evaluation to be conducted, 
the Secretary considers the following factors:
    (1) The extent to which the methods of evaluation include the use 
of objective performance measures that are clearly related to the 
intended outcomes of the project and will produce quantitative and 
qualitative data to the extent possible.
    (2) The extent to which the methods of evaluation will provide 
performance feedback and permit periodic assessment of progress toward 
achieving intended outcomes.

    Note: The Secretary encourages applicants to address this 
criterion by including benchmarks to monitor progress toward 
specific and measurable program and project objectives, as well as 
performance measures to assess the impact on teaching and learning 
or other important outcomes for project participants. The Secretary 
encourages applicants to consider the use of a logic model in 
determining intended short-term, intermediate, and long-term 
outcomes. (The specific performance measures established for the 
overall Transition to Teaching program are discussed under 
Performance Measures in section VI of this notice. Section 2314 of 
the ESEA also requires grantees to submit both an interim evaluation 
of the first three years of the grant and a final evaluation at the 
end of the grant.)

    With respect to the implementation of the project and monitoring 
progress toward achieving project objectives, applicants are encouraged 
to describe the following: (1) What types of data will be collected; 
(2) when various types of data will be collected; (3) what methods will 
be used; (4) what instruments will be developed and when; (5) how the 
data will be analyzed; (6) when reports of results and outcomes will be 
available; and (7) how the applicant will use the information collected 
through the evaluation to monitor progress and improve implementation 
of the funded project and to provide accountability information about 
project success. Applicants are encouraged to design an evaluation that 
provides data for annual as well as midpoint and final reporting. 
Applicants are encouraged to devote an appropriate level of resources 
to project evaluation.
    Finally, the Secretary encourages applicants to identify the 
individual or organization that has agreed to serve as the objective 
evaluator for the project and describe the qualifications of that 
evaluator.
    C. Quality of Project Services (20 points).
    In determining the quality of the services to be provided by the 
proposed project, the Secretary considers the following factors:
    (1) The extent to which the services to be provided by the proposed 
project are appropriate to the needs of the intended recipients or 
beneficiaries of those services.
    (2) The extent to which the training or professional development 
services to be provided by the proposed project are of sufficient 
quality, intensity, and duration to lead to improvements in practice 
among the recipients of those services.
    (3) The extent to which the training or professional development 
services to be provided by the proposed project are likely to alleviate 
the personnel shortages that have been identified or are the focus of 
the proposed project.
    (4) The extent to which the services to be provided by the proposed 
project involve the collaboration of appropriate partners for 
maximizing the effectiveness of project services.

    Note: The Secretary encourages applicants to address this 
criterion by discussing how the proposed project services will meet 
the needs of both the high-need LEAs identified in the application 
and the project participants they would recruit to become teachers. 
Applicants are encouraged to consult the list of authorized 
activities in section 2313(g) of the ESEA in describing the specific 
services to be delivered to recruit, prepare, and retain 
participants that will increase the number of highly qualified 
teachers in high-need schools in high-need LEAs. In addition, the 
Secretary encourages applicants to consider carefully the breadth of 
activities that section 2313(g) of the ESEA authorizes and then to 
address how the project will:

    (1) Provide preparation that meets the learning needs of the 
participants and makes use of appropriate media (such as face-to-face 
instruction, Web-based instruction, and distance learning) to provide 
them with the knowledge and skills needed to be highly qualified and 
effective teachers in the identified high-need subject areas and high-
need schools in high-need LEAs.
    (2) Support project participants' success in high-need schools in 
high-need LEAs during the period of their service obligation, through 
individual mentoring, support of participants as a group, use of 
technology, or other appropriate means.
    (3) Encourage the participation of all project partners, including 
school leaders, in providing services related to the recruitment, 
preparation, and retention of project participants and ensuring lasting 
benefits or outcomes. Applicants are encouraged to clarify the roles of 
partners in each phase of the project and the extent of coordination 
that will occur with similar efforts at the State and district levels. 
In addition, applicants are encouraged to consider how they might 
demonstrate (e.g., through narrative discussion, letters of support, or 
formal memoranda of understanding) the commitment of partners to the 
project, and the partners' understanding of responsibilities they have 
agreed to assume in service delivery.

    Applicants are encouraged to link their description of project 
services to be provided by the project to the overall project design 
described in the Quality of Project Design criterion.
    D. Quality of the Management Plan (20 points).
    In determining the quality of the management plan for the proposed 
project, the Secretary considers the following factors:
    (1) The adequacy of the management plan to achieve the objectives 
of the proposed project on time and within budget, including clearly 
defined responsibilities, timelines, and milestones for accomplishing 
project tasks.
    (2) The adequacy of procedures for ensuring feedback and continuous 
improvement in the operation of the proposed project.
    (3) The extent to which the time commitments of the project 
director and principal investigator and other key project personnel are 
appropriate and adequate to meet the objectives of the proposed 
project.

    Note: Section 75.112 of EDGAR requires an applicant for a multi-
year grant to include a narrative that describes how and when, in 
each budget period of the project, the applicant plans to meet each 
project objective. The Secretary encourages applicants to address 
this criterion by including in this narrative a clear, well thought-
out implementation plan that includes annual timelines, key project 
milestones, and a schedule of activities with sufficient time for 
developing an adequate implementation plan, as well as specific 
timelines for providing project participants the direct support they 
need in their initial year(s) as teachers.

    Applicants are encouraged to provide timelines that include 
benchmarks for determining whether the project is achieving its stated 
goals and objectives, with strategies for monitoring progress as well 
as making mid-project corrections and adjustments, as

[[Page 67148]]

appropriate. In addition, the Secretary encourages applicants to 
further address this criterion by providing specific information, such 
as name, title, responsibilities, and time commitment of each key 
individual working to implement the project's goals and objectives.
    2. Review and Selection Process: Additional factors we consider in 
selecting an application for an award are in the NFP.

VI. Award Administration Information

    1. Award Notices: If your application is successful, we notify your 
U.S. Representative and U.S. Senators and send you a Grant Award Notice 
(GAN). We may notify you informally, also.
    If your application is not evaluated or not selected for funding, 
we notify you.
    2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements: We identify 
administrative and national policy requirements in the application 
package and reference these and other requirements in the Applicable 
Regulations section in this notice.
    We reference the regulations outlining the terms and conditions of 
an award in the Applicable Regulations section in this notice and 
include these and other specific conditions in the GAN. The GAN also 
incorporates your approved application as part of your binding 
commitments under the grant.
    3. Reporting: The Secretary requires successful applicants to 
submit annual performance reports and, after the last year of the 
project, a final report. The annual performance report documents the 
grantee's yearly progress toward meeting expected programmatic and 
project specific outcomes. These outcomes must be based on measurable 
performance objectives including, but not limited to, the performance 
measures described in paragraph 4 of this section. These reports must 
evaluate--
    (1) The grantee's progress in meeting the application's objectives;
    (2) The project's effectiveness in meeting the purposes of the 
Transition to Teaching program; and
    (3) The project's effect on the specific LEAs the project serves.
    Among other things, the Department uses the annual performance 
reports to determine whether a grantee has demonstrated substantial 
progress in meeting the goals and objectives (as described in its 
approved application), and thereby merits a continuation award (for 
years 2-5). See Sec.  75.118 of EDGAR.
    Grantees also will be required to submit a final performance 
report, due no later than 90 days after the end of the project period.
    In addition, section 2314 of the ESEA requires grantees to submit 
to the Department and to the Congress interim and final evaluations at 
the end of the third and fifth years of the grant period, respectively. 
These evaluations must describe the extent to which high-need LEAs that 
received funds through the grant have met their goals relating to 
teacher recruitment and retention as described in the project 
application. Additional requirements pertaining to these reports are in 
the NFP.
    For specific requirements on reporting, please go to http://www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/appforms/appforms.html.
    4. Performance Measures: The Secretary has established one 
performance indicator for assessing the effectiveness of the Transition 
to Teaching program: the percentage of new, highly qualified Transition 
to Teaching teachers who teach in high-need schools in high-need LEAs 
for at least three years. We will track this indicator through the use 
of the following three performance measures. We will gather the data 
for these measures from the grantees.
    Measure One: The percentage of all Transition to Teaching 
participants who become teachers of record in high-need schools in 
high-need LEAs. For this measure we will collect data on the number of 
participants and the number of teachers of record in high-need schools 
in high-need LEAs.
    Measure Two: The percentage of Transition to Teaching participants 
receiving certification/licensure within three years. For this measure, 
we will collect data on the number of participants who become certified 
within three years.
    Measure Three: The percentage of Transition to Teaching teachers of 
record who teach in high-need schools in high-need LEAs for at least 
three years. For this measure, we will collect data on the number of 
participants who become teachers of record who have been teaching in 
high-need schools in high-need LEAs for at least three years.

VII. Agency Contacts

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Thelma Leenhouts, Patricia Barrett, 
Beatriz Ceja, Anthony Sepulveda, or Salimah Shabazz, U.S. Department of 
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Room 4W320, Washington, DC 20202. 
Telephone: (202) 260-0223 (Thelma Leenhouts), (202) 260-7350 (Patricia 
Barrett), (202) 205-5009 (Beatriz Ceja), (202) 260-0464 (Anthony 
Sepulveda), or (202) 260-2434 (Salimah Shabazz), or by e-mail: 
[email protected].
    If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), call the 
Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll free, at 1-800-877-8339.

VIII. Other Information

    Accessible Format: Individuals with disabilities can obtain this 
document and a copy of the application package in an accessible format 
(e.g., braille, large print, audiotape, or computer diskette) on 
request to the program contact persons listed under FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT in section VII in this notice.
    Electronic Access to This Document: You can view this document, as 
well as all other documents of this Department published in the Federal 
Register, in text or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) on the 
Internet at the following site: http://www.ed.gov/news/fedregister.
    To use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available 
free at this site. If you have questions about using PDF, call the U.S. 
Government Printing Office (GPO), toll free, at 1-888-293-6498; or in 
the Washington, DC, area at (202) 512-1530.

    Note: The official version of this document is the document 
published in the Federal Register. Free Internet access to the 
official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of Federal 
Regulations is available on GPO Access at: http://www.gpoaccess.gov/nara/index.html.


Douglas B. Mesecar,
Assistant Deputy Secretary for Innovation and Improvement.
 [FR Doc. E8-26870 Filed 11-12-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P