[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 60 (Friday, March 28, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17512-17520]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-06695]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Applications for New Awards; Turnaround School Leaders Program

AGENCY: Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, Department of 
Education.

ACTION: Notice.

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Overview Information

Turnaround School Leaders Program

    Notice inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY) 
2013 funds.

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.377B.


DATES: Applications Available: March 28, 2014.
    Date of Pre-Application Webinar: April 9, 2014.
    Further information will be available at http://www2.ed.gov/programs/sif/index.html.
    Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply (optional): April 25, 2014.

[[Page 17513]]

    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: May 23, 2014.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: July 22, 2014.

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Purpose of Program: The Turnaround School Leaders Program supports 
projects to develop and implement or enhance and implement a leadership 
pipeline that selects, prepares, places, supports, and retains school 
leaders (which may include leadership teams) for School Improvement 
Grant (SIG) schools (as defined in this notice) and/or SIG-eligible 
schools (as defined in this notice) in a local educational agency (LEA) 
or consortium of LEAs.
    Background: Effective leaders trained to lead turnaround efforts in 
the Nation's lowest-performing schools are essential to improving 
student outcomes in these schools. In particular, after teacher 
effectiveness, leadership is found to be the most important school-
based factor in explaining variation in student learning.\1\ Yet, 
interviews with external partners engaged in leadership pipeline 
development, as well as monitoring of performance of State educational 
agencies (SEAs) and LEAs under the SIG program, as authorized under the 
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA), as amended, 
Title I, Part A, Section 1003(g), 20 U.S.C. 6303(g), indicate that many 
LEAs do not have the capacity or resources to recruit or develop school 
leaders able to undertake successful turnaround efforts. In addition, 
it has become clear that State-approved certification programs are not 
preparing school leaders with the specialized skills needed to turn 
around schools identified as low-performing \2\ and that LEAs, in turn, 
struggle to identify the right competencies in leader candidates for 
turnaround schools and lack a comprehensive system that uses data to 
support the ongoing development of effective turnaround school 
leaders.\3\ Further, rural LEAs face unique challenges in recruiting 
strong leaders to guide school turnaround efforts due to the social and 
economic isolation of their communities.
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    \1\ Mendels, Pamela. (June 2012, Vol. 33, No. 3). Principals in 
the Pipeline. Oxford, Ohio: Learning Forward. Retrieved from http://learningforward.org/docs/jsd-june-2012/mendels333.pdf.
    \2\ Young, M. et al. (2013). Change Agents: How States Can 
Develop Effective School Leaders. Dallas, TX: George W. Bush 
Institute. Retrieved from www.bushcenter.org/bush-institute/education-reform.
    \3\ Rhim, Lauren Morando. (2012). No time to lose: Turnaround 
leader performance assessment. Charlottesville: University of 
Virginia's Darden School Foundation. Retrieved from 
www.centerii.org.
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    As of November 1, 2013, the U.S. Department of Education 
(Department) has approved 42 States, Puerto Rico and the District of 
Columbia for ``ESEA Flexibility.'' As a condition of this flexibility, 
States have committed, among other things, to turning around their 
lowest-performing schools over a three-year period. Similarly, under 
SIG, LEAs with low-performing schools implement models designed to turn 
around the State's lowest-performing schools. To address the need for 
leaders who are prepared to lead effectively in these turnaround 
schools, and consistent with the authority provided by Congress to use 
up to five percent of SIG funds for activities to build SEA and LEA 
capacity to implement the SIG program, the Department is using a 
portion of the fiscal year (FY) 2013 SIG funds to initiate the 
Turnaround School Leaders Program.
    The Turnaround School Leaders Program supports efforts to develop 
and implement or enhance and implement a leadership pipeline (as 
defined in this notice) for SIG schools and/or SIG-eligible schools in 
an LEA or consortium of LEAs. Grantees under this program will--
     Recruit and select promising current and prospective 
school leaders, using locally adopted competencies (as defined in this 
notice) identified by the applicant as necessary to turn around a SIG 
school or SIG-eligible school;
     Provide high-quality training to selected school leaders 
to prepare them to successfully lead turnaround efforts in SIG schools 
and/or SIG-eligible schools;
     Place school leaders in SIG schools and/or SIG-eligible 
schools and provide them with ongoing professional development and 
other support that focuses on instructional leadership and school 
management and is based on individual needs consistent with the LEA's 
plan for turning around its SIG schools and/or SIG-eligible schools; 
and
     Retain effective school leaders, using financial or other 
incentives, and replace ineffective school leaders.
    Priorities: This notice establishes two absolute priorities and two 
competitive preference priorities. We are establishing these priorities 
for the FY 2014 grant competition and any subsequent year in which we 
make awards from the list of unfunded applicants from this competition, 
in accordance with section 437(d)(1) of the General Education 
Provisions Act (GEPA), 20 U.S.C. 1232(d)(1).
    Absolute Priorities: These priorities are absolute priorities. 
Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3), we consider only applications that meet one 
of these priorities. An applicant may apply under only one absolute 
priority and must indicate in its application the priority under which 
it is applying.
    The Department seeks to encourage high-quality applications from 
applicants serving LEAs that are diverse in size and location. For this 
reason, the Department establishes two priorities--Absolute Priorities 
1 and 2--through which the Department intends to support leadership 
pipelines in both rural and non-rural communities with no fewer than 
five schools in each community that are SIG schools and/or SIG-eligible 
schools.
    If an otherwise eligible applicant applying under Absolute Priority 
2 is determined not to have met the priority because it has 
misidentified the designation of one or more schools as rural, the 
Department reserves the authority to review the applicant's submission 
with all other applications submitted for funding that meet Absolute 
Priority 1.
    These priorities are:

Absolute Priority 1: Non-Rural Turnaround School Leader Selection, 
Preparation, Placement, Support, and Retention Program

    To meet this priority, the applicant must submit a plan to develop 
and implement or enhance and implement a leadership pipeline for at 
least one LEA with no fewer than five SIG schools and/or SIG-eligible 
schools.

Absolute Priority 2: Rural Turnaround School Leader Selection, 
Preparation, Placement, Support, and Retention Program

    To meet this priority, the applicant must submit a plan to develop 
and implement or enhance and implement a leadership pipeline for at 
least one LEA with no fewer than five SIG schools and/or SIG-eligible 
schools designated as rural. A school is designated as rural if it is 
assigned a locale code of 41 (located in a census-defined rural 
territory less than 5 miles from an urban cluster), a locale code of 42 
(located in a census-defined rural territory more than 5 miles but less 
than or equal to 25 miles from an urban cluster), or a locale code of 
43 (located in a census-defined rural territory that is more than 25 
miles from an urban cluster) by the National Center for Education 
Statistics (NCES).

    Note 1: To identify the locale code of any school to be served 
by the proposed project, access the NCES public school database 
here: http://nces.ed.gov/ccd/schoolsearch/.



[[Page 17514]]


    Note 2: An applicant may apply under only one absolute priority 
and must indicate in its abstract the priority under which it is 
applying as well as the schools, and NCES identification numbers of 
those schools, the applicant intends to serve.


    Note 3: Applicants that fail to clearly identify in the abstract 
section the absolute priority for which it is seeking to apply will 
have its application reviewed with all other applications submitted 
for funding that under Absolute Priority 1.

    Competitive Preference Priorities: These priorities are competitive 
preference priorities. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i), we award three 
additional points to an application that meets Competitive Preference 
Priority 1 and five additional points to an application that meets 
Competitive Preference Priority 2. A total of eight points may be 
awarded.
    These priorities are:

Competitive Preference Priority 1: Existing Policy Conditions That Can 
Be Leveraged To Ensure Success and Sustainability of a Turnaround 
Leadership Pipeline

    To meet this priority, the applicant must provide documentation 
that the LEA or consortium of LEAs already has in place policies that 
provide school leaders (as defined in this notice) with decision-making 
autonomy (with regard to staffing, school schedules, and budgeting) and 
provide the LEA or consortium of LEAs with flexibility in the 
selection, preparation, placement, support, and retention of school 
leaders to successfully turn around SIG schools and/or SIG-eligible 
schools. This may include, for example, School Board meeting minutes 
recording the adoption of policies, guidance documents, or trainings 
provided to school leaders.

Competitive Preference Priority 2: Record of Preparing and Supporting 
Turnaround School Leaders Who Have Demonstrated Success in Increased 
Graduation Rates and Academic Growth

    To meet this priority, the applicant must provide documentation of 
previous success in preparing and supporting school leaders or 
leadership teams in SIG schools and/or SIG-eligible schools as 
demonstrated by increased graduation rates and academic growth on State 
assessments in reading/language arts and in mathematics for the ``all 
students'' group and for each subgroup, as specified in section 
1111(b)(3)(C)(xiii), 20 U.S.C. 6311(b)(3)(C)(xiii).

    Note 1:  Applicants may address either of the competitive 
preference priorities, both, or neither. In order to be eligible for 
earning competitive preference priority points, an applicant must 
identify in the abstract section of its application the competitive 
preference priority or priorities for which it is seeking points.


    Note 2:  Applicants that fail to clearly identify in the 
abstract section the competitive preference priority or priorities 
for which it is seeking to earn points will not have its application 
reviewed against the competitive preference priority and will not be 
awarded competitive preference priority points.

    Application Requirements: The applicant must provide the following.

Requirement 1--Demonstrating Capacity To Develop and Implement a 
Leadership Pipeline System

    In its application, an applicant must demonstrate its capacity to 
develop and implement or enhance and implement a leadership pipeline 
for SIG schools and/or SIG-eligible schools. The applicant must 
demonstrate such capacity by providing evidence of each of the 
following:
    a. An existing evaluation system that measures teacher and leader 
effectiveness.
    b. Commitment to implement and sustain the proposed plan by the 
applicant. To demonstrate this commitment, an applicant must include 
with its application a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), or, if the 
applicant is an LEA, a letter of commitment, signed by the 
superintendent and (if applicable) school board president of each LEA 
to be served by the project and by an appropriate representative of the 
applicant (if not an LEA) and any other partner entity, outlining the 
terms and conditions of the partnership.
    c. A reasonable opportunity for the public, including teachers and 
school leaders, to provide feedback on the applicant's proposed 
leadership pipeline plan as demonstrated by evidence, for instance, 
that forums designed to inform and engage school staff and community 
stakeholders have been held.

Requirement 2--Sustaining the Leadership Pipeline

    The applicant must describe its plan for sustaining the leadership 
pipeline it will implement as a result of this grant. The 
sustainability plan must include each of the following:
    a. A description of the data that the applicant will use, and how 
the applicant will use the data, to inform its continuous improvement 
of the leadership pipeline after the grant award period ends.
    b. A description of the actions that the applicant will undertake 
to continue to select, prepare, place, support, and retain school 
leaders in SIG schools and/or SIG-eligible schools after the grant 
award period ends.
    c. A budget narrative that identifies and aligns resources to 
sustain the system after the grant award period ends.
    Program Requirements: The following are program requirements. In 
its application, the applicant must describe its plan to carry out the 
following program requirements:

Requirement 3--Describing the Leadership Pipeline

    The grantee must use grant funds to develop and implement or 
enhance and implement a leadership pipeline that:
    a. Selects school leaders using locally adopted competencies 
identified by the applicant as necessary to turn around a SIG school or 
SIG-eligible school;
    b. Provides comprehensive and differentiated professional 
development to selected school leaders to prepare them to successfully 
lead turnaround efforts in SIG schools and/or SIG-eligible schools;
    c. Places school leaders in SIG schools and/or SIG-eligible 
schools, and provides them with ongoing individualized support based on 
the LEA's plan for turning around its SIG schools and/or SIG-eligible 
schools; and
    d. Retains effective school leaders, using financial or other 
incentives, and replaces ineffective school leaders.

Requirement 4--Determining Leadership Effectiveness

    The grantee must use data (which may include data from the 
evaluation system that measures teacher and leader effectiveness) to 
inform selection, placement, retention and incentive decisions.

Requirement 5--Continuous Project Improvement

    The grantee must identify and use data to inform continuous 
improvement of its leadership pipeline during the award period.

Requirement 6--Extension of Autonomy to School Leaders

    The grantee must ensure that school leaders placed in SIG schools 
and/or SIG-eligible schools have decision-making autonomy (with regard 
to staffing, school schedules, and budgeting).

Definitions

    The following definitions apply to the competition announced in 
this notice.
    Leadership pipeline means a system through which an LEA or 
consortium of

[[Page 17515]]

LEAs is able to select, prepare, place, support, and retain school 
leaders, including leadership teams, for SIG schools and/or SIG-
eligible schools.
    Locally adopted competencies means the knowledge, skills and 
abilities, developed by an LEA or school, which are associated with 
effective performance as a turnaround leader and supported by research-
based evidence.
    Logic model (also referred to as theory of action) means a well-
specified conceptual framework that identifies key components of the 
proposed process, product, strategy, or practice (i.e., the active 
``ingredients'' that are hypothesized to be critical to achieving the 
relevant outcomes) and describes the relationships among the key 
components and outcomes, theoretically and operationally.
    Relevant outcome means the student outcome(s) (or the ultimate 
outcome if not related to students) the proposed process, product, 
strategy, or practice is designed to improve; consistent with the 
specific goals of a program.
    School leader means a school's principal and may also include other 
members of a school's leadership team.
    SIG school means either:
    (1) A Tier I or Tier II school as defined in the SIG final 
requirements published in the Federal Register on October 28, 2010 (75 
FR 66363) (http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2010-10-28/pdf/2010-27313.pdf) that is, as of the date of the application, implementing a 
SIG model, or
    (2) For a State that has received approval of its ESEA Flexibility 
request, a priority school that is, as of the date of the application, 
implementing a SIG model.
    SIG-eligible school means either:
    (1) A school that meets the definition of a Tier I or Tier II 
school as defined in the SIG final requirements published in the 
Federal Register on October 28, 2010 (75 FR 66363) (http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2010-10-28/pdf/2010-27313.pdf), or
    (2) For States that have received approval of their ESEA 
Flexibility request, a priority school identified by an SEA in the list 
of schools in the SEA's approved FY 2013 SIG application.
    Strong theory means a rationale for the proposed process, product, 
strategy, or practice that includes a logic model.
    Waiver of Proposed Rulemaking: Under the Administrative Procedure 
Act (5 U.S.C. 553) the Department generally offers interested parties 
the opportunity to comment on proposed priorities, selection criteria, 
definitions, and other requirements. Section 437(d)(1) of GEPA, 
however, allows the Secretary to exempt from rulemaking requirements, 
regulations governing the first grant competition under a new or 
substantially revised program authority. This is the first grant 
competition for this program under the Consolidated and Further 
Continuing Appropriations Act, 2013 (Pub. L. 113-6) and the 
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2012 (Pub. L. 112-74) and therefore 
qualifies for this exemption. In order to ensure timely grant awards, 
the Secretary has decided to forego public comment on the priorities, 
selection criteria, definitions, and other requirements under section 
437(d)(1) of GEPA. These priorities, selection criteria, definitions, 
and other requirements will apply to the FY 2013 grant competition and 
any subsequent year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded 
applicants from this competition.

    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 6303(g); the Consolidated and 
Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2013 (Pub. L. 113-6); and the 
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2012 (Pub. L. 112-74).

    Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80, 
81, 82, 84, 86, 97, 98, and 99. (b) The Education Department suspension 
and debarment regulations in 2 CFR part 3485.

    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 only.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
    Estimated Available Funds: $14,000,000.
    Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of 
applications, the Department may make additional awards in future years 
from the list of unfunded applicants from this competition.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $1,000,000 to $2,000,000.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $1,500,000.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 8-12.

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

    Project Period: Up to 36 months.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: (1) An LEA or consortium of LEAs with at 
least five SIG schools and/or SIG-eligible schools; (2) A State 
educational agency (SEA) in partnership with an LEA or consortium of 
LEAs with at least five SIG schools and/or SIG-eligible schools; (3) An 
institution of higher education (IHE) in partnership with an LEA or 
consortium of LEAs with at least five SIG schools and/or SIG-eligible 
schools; (4) Another public or private nonprofit or for-profit 
organization in partnership with an LEA and/or consortium of LEAs with 
at least five SIG schools and/or SIG-eligible schools; and, (5) A 
combination of the above eligible applicants in partnership. Eligible 
applicants seeking to apply as a consortium or partnership must comply 
with the regulations in 34 CFR 75.127-75.129, which address group 
applications.
    2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This program does not require cost 
sharing or matching.

IV. Application and Submission Information

    1. Address to Request Application Package: ED Pubs, U.S. Department 
of Education, P.O. Box 22207, Alexandria, VA 22304. Telephone, toll 
free: 1-877-433-7827. FAX: (703) 605-6794. If you use a 
telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) or a text telephone (TTY), 
call, toll free: 1-877-576-7734.
    You can contact ED Pubs at its Web site, also: www.EDPubs.gov or at 
its email address: [email protected].
    If you request an application package from ED Pubs, be sure to 
identify this program or competition as follows: CFDA number 84.377B.
    Individuals with disabilities can obtain a copy of the application 
package in an accessible format (e.g., braille, large print, audiotape, 
or compact disc) by contacting the person listed under Accessible 
Format in section VIII of this notice.
    2.a. 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 program.
    Notice of Intent to Apply: 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 program. Therefore, the Secretary strongly 
encourages each potential applicant to notify the Department by sending 
a short email message indicating the applicant's intent to submit an 
application for funding. The email need not include information 
regarding the content of the proposed application, only the applicant's 
intent to submit it. This email notification should be sent to the 
Office of School Turnaround at: [email protected].

[[Page 17516]]

    Page Limit: The application narrative is where you, the applicant, 
address the selection criteria that reviewers use to evaluate your 
application. Panel readers will award points only for an applicant's 
response to a given selection criterion that is contained within the 
section of the application designated to address that particular 
selection criterion. Readers will not review, or award points for 
responses to a given selection criterion that is located in any other 
section of the application or the appendices. You must limit the 
application narrative to no more than 40 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, including 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 the cover sheet; the budget 
section, including the narrative budget justification; the assurances 
and certifications; or the one-page abstract, the resumes, the 
bibliography, or the letters of support. However, the page limit does 
apply to all of the application narrative section.
    We will reject your application if you exceed the page limit.
    2.b. Submission of Proprietary Information: Given the types of 
projects that may be proposed in applications for the Turnaround School 
Leaders Program an application may include business information that 
the applicant considers proprietary. The Department's regulations 
define ``business information'' in 34 CFR 5.11.
    Because we plan to make successful applications available to the 
public, you may wish to request confidentiality of business 
information.
    Consistent with Executive Order 12600, please designate in your 
application any information that you feel is exempt from disclosure 
under Exemption 4 of the Freedom of Information Act. In the appropriate 
Appendix section of your application, under ``Other Attachments Form,'' 
please list the page number or numbers on which we can find this 
information. For additional information please see 34 CFR 5.11(c).
    3. Submission Dates and Times:
    Applications Available: March 28, 2014.
    Date of Pre-Application Webinar: April 9, 2014. Further information 
will be available at http://www2.ed.gov/programs/sif/index.html.
    Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply: April 25, 2014.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: May 23, 2014.
    Applications for grants under this program 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 a paper format by mail or hand 
delivery if you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission 
requirement, please refer to section IV.7. Other Submission 
Requirements of 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 
of 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: July 22, 2014.
    4. Intergovernmental Review: This program 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 program.
    5. Funding Restrictions: We reference regulations outlining funding 
restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.
    6. Data Universal Numbering System Number, Taxpayer Identification 
Number, and System for Award Management: To do business with the 
Department of Education, you must--
    a. Have a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number and a 
Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN);
    b. Register both your DUNS number and TIN with the System for Award 
Management (SAM) (formerly the Central Contractor Registry (CCR)), the 
Government's primary registrant database;
    c. Provide your DUNS number and TIN on your application; and
    d. Maintain an active SAM registration with current information 
while your application is under review by the Department and, if you 
are awarded a grant, during the project period.
    You can obtain a DUNS number from Dun and Bradstreet. A DUNS number 
can be created within one-to-two business days.
    If you are a corporate entity, agency, institution, or 
organization, you can obtain a TIN from the Internal Revenue Service. 
If you are an individual, you can obtain a TIN from the Internal 
Revenue Service or the Social Security Administration. If you need a 
new TIN, please allow 2-5 weeks for your TIN to become active.
    The SAM registration process can take approximately seven business 
days, but may take upwards of several weeks, depending on the 
completeness and accuracy of the data entered into the SAM database by 
an entity. Thus, if you think you might want to apply for Federal 
financial assistance under a program administered by the Department, 
please allow sufficient time to obtain and register your DUNS number 
and TIN. We strongly recommend that you register early.

    Note: Once your SAM registration is active, you will need to 
allow 24 to 48 hours for the information to be available in 
Grants.gov. and before you can submit an application through 
Grants.gov.

    If you are currently registered with SAM, you may not need to make 
any changes. However, please make certain that the TIN associated with 
your DUNS number is correct. Also note that you will need to update 
your registration annually. This may take three or more business days.
    Information about SAM is available at www.SAM.gov. To further 
assist you with obtaining and registering your DUNS number and TIN in 
SAM or updating your existing SAM account, we have prepared a SAM.gov 
Tip Sheet, which you can find at: http://www2.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/sam-faqs.html.
    In addition, if you are submitting your application via Grants.gov, 
you must (1) be designated by your organization as an Authorized 
Organization Representative (AOR); and (2) register yourself with 
Grants.gov as an AOR. Details on these steps are outlined at the 
following Grants.gov Web page: www.grants.gov/applicants/get_registered.jsp.
    7. Other Submission Requirements: Applications for grants under 
this

[[Page 17517]]

program 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 Turnaround School Leaders 
Program, CFDA number 84.377B, must be submitted electronically using 
the Governmentwide Grants.gov Apply site at 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 email 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 the Turnaround 
School Leaders Program at www.Grants.gov. You must search for the 
downloadable application package for this program by the CFDA number. 
Do not include the CFDA number's alpha suffix in your search (e.g., 
search for 84.326, not 84.326A).
    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 
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 program 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 under News and Events on the Department's G5 system home 
page at http://www.G5.gov.
     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: The 
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.
     You must upload any narrative sections and all other 
attachments to your application as files in a PDF (Portable Document) 
read-only, non-modifiable format. Do not upload an interactive or 
fillable PDF file. If you upload a file type other than a read-only, 
non-modifiable PDF 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 email. 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 of 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

[[Page 17518]]

     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: Janine Rudder, U.S. 
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 3W252, 
Washington, DC 20202.
    FAX: (202) 205-5870.
    Alternatively, you may email a PDF of your statement to the Office 
of School Turnaround. Email: [email protected].
    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 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 84.377B), 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 84.377B), 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 program are 
as follows:
    a. Quality of the project design (up to 40 points). In determining 
the quality of the design of the proposed project, we consider the 
following factors:
    1. The extent to which the applicant proposes to select and place 
school leaders using locally adopted competencies identified by the 
applicant as being necessary to turn around SIG schools and/or SIG-
eligible schools (up to 7 points).
    2. The extent to which the applicant will provide comprehensive and 
differentiated professional development to prepare and support school 
leaders who are placed in SIG schools and/or SIG-eligible schools (up 
to 9 points).
    3. The extent to which the proposed project is supported by a 
strong theory (as defined in 34 CFR 77.1(c)) (up to 5 points).
    4. The extent to which the design of the applicant's proposed 
project will address the needs of traditionally underserved populations 
(including students with disabilities and English learners), such as by 
recruiting, incentivizing, and selecting special education teachers and 
those in language instruction educational programs to be school leaders 
(up to 5 points).
    5. The extent to which the applicant will use data to inform 
professional development, retention and incentive decisions (up to 7 
points).
    6. The extent to which the applicant plans to identify and use data 
to inform continuous improvement of its proposed leadership pipeline 
during the award period (up to 7 points).
    b. Significance of the project (up to 5 points). In determining the 
significance of the proposed project, we consider the extent to which 
the applicant's proposed leadership pipeline is likely to produce best 
practices and lessons learned that promote and support reforms in the 
turnaround field (up to 5 points).
    c. Capacity to implement the proposed project (up to 20 points). We 
consider the following factors in determining the applicant's capacity 
in implementing the proposed project:
    1. The extent to which the applicant has a system in place that 
determines teacher and leader effectiveness (up to 5 points).
    2. The extent to which the applicant demonstrates that decision-
making autonomy (with regard to staffing, school schedules, and 
budgeting) will be extended to school leaders placed in SIG schools 
and/or SIG-eligible schools (up to 5 points).
    3. The extent to which the proposed project will be coordinated 
with committed partners as evidenced by Memoranda of Understanding, 
signed by the superintendent and (if applicable) school board president 
of each LEA to be served by the project and by an appropriate 
representative of the applicant (if not an LEA) and any other partner 
entity, which outline the terms and contributions each partner will 
make to support full and effective implementation of the leadership 
pipeline for SIG schools and/or SIG-eligible schools (up to 5 points).
    4. The extent to which the applicant offers a reasonable 
opportunity for the public, including teachers and school leaders, to 
provide feedback on the applicant's proposed leadership pipeline plan 
as demonstrated by evidence, for instance, that forums designed to 
inform and engage

[[Page 17519]]

stakeholders have been held (up to 5 points).
    d. Sustainability of the proposed project after the award period 
ends (up to 25 points). We consider the following factors in 
determining the sustainability of the leadership pipeline:
    1. The adequacy of the applicant's plan to sustain the leadership 
pipeline it develops and implements or enhances as a result of the 
grant (up to 10 points).
    2. The adequacy of the proposed budget that indicates how the 
applicant will identify and align resources to sustain the leadership 
pipeline after the grant award period ends (up to 10 points).
    3. The adequacy of the applicant's plan to sustain stakeholder 
support of the project after Federal funding ends, including, as 
appropriate, the demonstrated commitment of the LEA's superintendent, 
local school board president, and any other partner entities (up to 5 
points).
    e. Quality of the management plan (up to 10 points). In determining 
the quality of the management plan for the proposed project, we 
consider the following factors:
    1. The extent to which the applicant's plan is likely to achieve 
the objectives of the proposed project on time and within budget, 
including how likely the plan is to result in the applicant carrying 
out clearly defined responsibilities, meeting articulated timelines, 
and achieving specified and measurable milestones for developing and 
implementing the leadership pipeline for SIG schools and/or SIG-
eligible schools (up to 5 points).
    2. The adequacy of the time commitment and qualifications of the 
project director and key personnel, including relevant training and 
experience, to continuously implement the proposed project and to 
support project participants (up to 5 points).
    2. Review and Selection Process: To ensure that grantees under this 
program serve both rural and non-rural communities, the Department may 
separately consider for funding applications meeting Absolute Priority 
1 and those meeting Absolute Priority 2.
    We remind potential applicants that in reviewing applications in 
any discretionary grant competition, the Secretary may consider, under 
34 CFR 75.217(d)(3), the past performance of the applicant in carrying 
out a previous award, such as the applicant's use of funds, achievement 
of project objectives, and compliance with grant conditions. The 
Secretary may also consider whether the applicant failed to submit a 
timely performance report or submitted a report of unacceptable 
quality.
    In addition, in making a competitive grant award, the Secretary 
also requires various assurances including those applicable to Federal 
civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination in programs or 
activities receiving Federal financial assistance from the Department 
of Education (34 CFR 100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).
    3. Special Conditions: Under 34 CFR 74.14 and 80.12, the Secretary 
may impose special conditions on a grant if the applicant or grantee is 
not financially stable; has a history of unsatisfactory performance; 
has a financial or other management system that does not meet the 
standards in 34 CFR parts 74 or 80, as applicable; has not fulfilled 
the conditions of a prior grant; or is otherwise not responsible.

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 
Notification (GAN); or we may send you an email containing a link to 
access an electronic version of your 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 of this notice.
    We reference the regulations outlining the terms and conditions of 
an award in the Applicable Regulations section of 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: (a) If you apply for a grant under this competition, 
you must ensure that you have in place the necessary processes and 
systems to comply with the reporting requirements in 2 CFR part 170 
should you receive funding under the competition. This does not apply 
if you have an exception under 2 CFR 170.110(b).
    (b) At the end of your project period, you must submit a final 
performance report, including financial information, as directed by the 
Secretary. If you receive a multi-year award, you must submit an annual 
performance report that provides the most current performance and 
financial expenditure information as directed by the Secretary under 34 
CFR 75.118. The Secretary may also require more frequent performance 
reports under 34 CFR 75.720(c). For specific requirements on reporting, 
please go to www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/appforms/appforms.html.
    4. Performance Measures: The Secretary has established measures for 
assessing the effectiveness of the Turnaround School Leaders Program. 
Unless otherwise noted, we intend to collect from grantees data 
responsive to these measures for each project year. The measures are:
    a. The number and percent of school leaders placed in SIG schools 
and/or SIG-eligible schools who have increased graduation rates and 
academic growth on State assessments in reading/language arts and in 
mathematics for the ``all students'' group.
    b. The teacher attendance rate for each school for every year 
through the 2018-2019 school year for the SIG schools and/or SIG-
eligible schools in which school leaders are placed and retained by the 
LEA or consortium of LEAs.
    c. The student attendance rate for each school for every year 
through the 2018-2019 school year for the SIG schools and/or SIG-
eligible schools in which school leaders are placed and retained by the 
LEA or consortium of LEAs.
    d. The graduation rate, as applicable, for each school for every 
year through the 2018-2019 school year for the SIG schools and/or SIG-
eligible schools in which school leaders are placed and retained by the 
LEA or consortium of LEAs.
    e. The number and percent of school leaders selected, from all 
applicants for the project, to begin professional development to 
prepare for placement in SIG schools and/or SIG-eligible schools.
    f. The number and percent of school leaders that complete the 
preparation component of the pipeline for every year through the 2017-
2018 school year.
    g. The number and percent of school leaders placed in SIG schools 
and/or SIG-eligible schools for every year through the 2017-2018 school 
year.
    h. The leadership pipeline cost per school leader who increased 
graduation rates and academic growth on State assessments in reading/
language arts and in mathematics, by grade, for the ``all students'' 
group and for each subgroup served by the project.
    5. Continuation Awards: The Department may provide full funding for 
the entire project period to successful applicants from the FY 2013 
funds currently available or may provide funding for an initial budget 
period from the FY 2013 funds.

[[Page 17520]]

Depending upon the amount of funding provided in the initial awards and 
the availability of funds, the Department may make continuation awards 
for subsequent fiscal years in accordance with 34 CFR 75.253. In making 
such continuation awards, the Secretary may consider, under 34 CFR 
75.253, the extent to which a grantee has made ``substantial progress 
toward meeting the objectives in its approved application.'' This 
consideration includes the review of a grantee's progress in meeting 
the targets and projected outcomes in its approved application, and 
whether the grantee has expended funds in a manner that is consistent 
with its approved application and budget. In making a continuation 
grant, the Secretary also considers whether the grantee is operating in 
compliance with the assurances in its approved application, including 
those applicable to Federal civil rights laws that prohibit 
discrimination in programs or activities receiving Federal financial 
assistance from the Department (34 CFR 100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 
110.23).

VII. Agency Contact

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Janine Rudder, U.S. Department of 
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 3W252, Washington, DC 20202. 
Telephone: (202) 205-3785, or by email: [email protected]. or
    Christopher Tate, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue 
SW., Room 3W231, Washington, DC 20202. Telephone: (202) 260-8103, or by 
email: [email protected].

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 compact disc) on request to 
the program contact person persons listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION 
CONTACT in section VII of this notice.
    Electronic Access to This Document: 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 via the Federal Digital System 
at: www.gpo.gov/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 Adobe 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 21, 2014.
Deborah S. Delisle,
Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education.
[FR Doc. 2014-06695 Filed 3-27-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P