[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 27 (Tuesday, February 10, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7432-7439]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-02596]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Applications for New Awards; Arts in Education National Program

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

ACTION: Notice.

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    Overview Information: Arts in Education National Program (AENP). 
Notice inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY) 2015.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.351F.
    Dates:
    Applications Available: February 10, 2015.
    Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply: March 12, 2015.
    Date of Informational Webinar: The AENP intends to hold a Webinar 
designed to provide technical assistance to interested applicants. 
Detailed information regarding this Webinar will be provided on the 
AENP Web site at http://www2.ed.gov/programs/artsnational/index.html.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: April 13, 2015.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: June 10, 2015.

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Purpose of Program: The AENP supports national-level, high-quality 
Arts \1\ education activities and services for children and youth, with 
special emphasis on serving Children from Low-income Families and 
Children with Disabilities.
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    \1\ Capitalized terms are defined in the Definitions section of 
this notice.
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    Priorities: This notice includes one absolute priority, two 
competitive preference priorities, and one invitational priority. The 
absolute priority is from the notice of final priority, requirements, 
definitions, and selection criteria for this program, published in the 
Federal Register on June 15, 2012 (77 FR 35953) (2012 NFP).
    The competitive preference priorities and invitational priority are 
from the notice of final supplemental priorities and definitions for 
discretionary grant programs, published in the Federal Register on 
December 10, 2014 (79 FR 73425) (Supplemental Priorities).
    Absolute Priority: For FY 2015 and any subsequent year in which we 
make awards from the list of unfunded applicants from this competition, 
this priority is an absolute priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3) we 
consider only applications that meet this priority.
    This priority is:
    Absolute Priority: Model Projects.
    One or more high-quality projects that are designed to develop and 
implement, or expand, initiatives in Arts education and Arts 
Integration on a national level for pre-kindergarten-through-grade-12 
children and youth, with special emphasis on serving Children from Low-
income Families and Children with Disabilities. In order to meet this 
priority, an applicant must demonstrate that the project for which it 
seeks funding will provide services and develop initiatives in multiple 
schools and school districts throughout the country, including in at 
least one urban, at least one rural, and at least one High-need 
Community.
    Competitive Preference Priorities: For FY 2015 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 up to an additional 
five points to an application, depending on how well the application 
meets Competitive Preference Priority 1. We award up to an additional 
five points to an application that meets Competitive Preference 
Priority 2. The total number of points an application may receive for 
addressing the competitive preference priorities is 10.
    These priorities are:
    Competitive Preference Priority 1: Supporting High-Need Students (0 
to 5 points).
    (a) Projects that are designed to improve:
    (i) Academic outcomes;
    (ii) Learning environments; or
    (iii) Both,
    (b) For one or more of the following groups of students:
    (i) High-need Students.
    (ii) Students served by Rural Local Educational Agencies.
    (iii) Students with disabilities.
    (iv) English learners.
    (v) Students in Lowest-performing Schools.
    (vi) Students who are living in poverty and are served by schools 
with high concentrations of students living in poverty.
    (vii) Disconnected Youth or migrant youth.
    (viii) Low-skilled Adults.
    (ix) Students who are members of federally recognized Indian 
tribes.
    Competitive Preference Priority 2: Promoting Science, Technology, 
Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education (0 to 5 points).
    Projects that are designed to improve Student Achievement or other 
related outcomes by addressing one or both of the following:
    (a) Increasing the preparation of teachers or other educators in 
STEM subjects through activities that may include building content 
knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge, and increasing the number 
and quality of Authentic STEM Experiences.
    (b) Providing students with increased access to rigorous and 
engaging STEM coursework and Authentic STEM Experiences that may be 
integrated across multiple settings.
    Invitational Priority: For FY 2015 and any subsequent year in which 
we make awards from the list of unfunded applicants from this 
competition, this priority is an invitational priority. Under 34 CFR 
75.105(c)(1) we do not give an application that meets this invitational 
priority a competitive or absolute preference over other applications.
    This priority is:
    Invitational Priority: Improving Parent, Family, and Community 
Engagement.
    Projects that are designed to improve student outcomes through 
implementing initiatives that improve Community Engagement or the 
relationships between parents or

[[Page 7433]]

families and school or program staff by cultivating Sustained 
Partnerships.
    Definitions:
    The definitions for the terms ``Arts,'' ``Arts Educator,'' ``Arts 
Integration,'' ``Child from Low-income Family,'' ``Children with 
Disabilities,'' ``High-need Community,'' and ``National Non-profit Arts 
Education Organization'' are from the 2012 NFP. The definitions for the 
terms ``Evidence of Promise,'' ``Logic Model,'' ``Quasi-experimental 
Design Study,'' ``Randomized Controlled Trial,'' ``Relevant Outcome,'' 
and ``Strong Theory'' are from 34 CFR 77.1(c). The definition for the 
term ``Sustained and Intensive'' is specific to the AENP's Government 
Performance and Results Act (GPRA) measure only. All other definitions 
are from the Supplemental Priorities.
    Arts means music, dance, theater, media arts, and visual arts, 
including folk arts.
    Arts educator means a teacher or other instructional staffer who 
works in music, dance, theater, media arts, or visual arts, including 
folk arts.
    Arts integration means (i) using high-quality arts instruction 
within other academic content areas, and (ii) strengthening the arts as 
a core academic subject in the school curriculum.
    Authentic STEM experiences means laboratory, research-based, or 
experiential learning opportunities in a STEM (science, technology, 
engineering, and mathematics) subject in informal or formal settings.
    Child from low-income family means a child who is determined by a 
State educational agency or local educational agency (LEA) to be a 
child, in pre-kindergarten through grade 12, from a low-income family, 
on the basis of (a) the child's eligibility for free or reduced-price 
lunches under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act, (b) the 
child's eligibility for medical assistance under the Medicaid program 
under title XIX of the Social Security Act, (c) the family having an 
income that meets the poverty criteria established by the U.S 
Department of Commerce, or (d) the family's receipt of assistance under 
part A of title IV of the Social Security Act.
    Children with disabilities means children who meet the definition 
of ``individual with a disability'' applicable to Section 504 of the 
Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, which definition is set out at 
29 U.S.C. 705(20)(B).
    Community engagement means the systematic inclusion of community 
organizations as partners with State educational agencies, LEAs, or 
other educational institutions, or their school or program staff to 
accomplish activities that may include developing a shared community 
vision, establishing a shared accountability agreement, participating 
in shared data-collection and analysis, or establishing community 
networks that are focused on shared community-level outcomes. These 
organizations may include faith- and community-based organizations, 
institutions of higher education (including minority-serving 
institutions eligible to receive aid under title III or title V of the 
Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA)), businesses and industries, labor 
organizations, State and local government entities, or Federal entities 
other than the Department.
    Disconnected youth means low-income individuals, ages 14-24, who 
are homeless, are in foster care, are involved in the justice system, 
or are not working or not enrolled in (or at risk of dropping out of) 
an educational institution.
    Evidence of promise means there is empirical evidence to support 
the theoretical linkage(s) between at least one critical component and 
at least one relevant outcome presented in the logic model for the 
proposed process, product, strategy, or practice. Specifically, 
evidence of promise means the conditions in both paragraphs (i) and 
(ii) of this definition are met:
    (i) There is at least one study that is a--
    (A) Correlational study with statistical controls for selection 
bias;
    (B) Quasi-experimental design study that meets the What Works 
Clearinghouse Evidence Standards with reservations; or
    (C) Randomized controlled trial that meets the What Works 
Clearinghouse Evidence Standards with or without reservations.
    (ii) The study referenced in paragraph (i) of this definition found 
a statistically significant or substantively important (defined as a 
difference of 0.25 standard deviations or larger) favorable association 
between at least one critical component and one relevant outcome 
presented in the logic model for the proposed process, product, 
strategy, or practice.
    High-minority school means a school as that term is defined by a 
local educational agency (LEA), which must define the term in a manner 
consistent with its State's Teacher Equity Plan, as required by section 
1111(b)(8)(C) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as 
amended (ESEA). The applicant must provide the definition(s) of High-
minority school used in its application.
    High-need community means (i) a political subdivision of a State or 
portion of a political subdivision of a State, in which at least 50 
percent of the children are from low-income families; or (ii) a 
political subdivision of a State that is among the 10 percent of 
political subdivisions of the State having the greatest numbers of such 
children. For the purposes of determining if a community meets this 
definition, the term ``low-income families'' means families that have 
an income that meets the poverty criteria established by the U.S. 
Department of Commerce for the most recent fiscal year for which 
satisfactory data are available.
    High-need students means students who are at risk of educational 
failure or otherwise in need of special assistance and support, such as 
students who are living in poverty, who attend High-minority Schools, 
who are far below grade level, who have left school before receiving a 
Regular High School Diploma, who are at risk of not graduating with a 
diploma on time, who are homeless, who are in foster care, who have 
been incarcerated, who have disabilities, or who are English learners.
    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.
    Low-skilled adult means an adult with low literacy and numeracy 
skills.
    Lowest-performing schools means--
    For a State with an approved request for flexibility under the 
ESEA, Priority Schools or Tier I and Tier II Schools that have been 
identified under the School Improvement Grants program.
    For any other State, Tier I and Tier II Schools that have been 
identified under the School Improvement Grants Program.
    National non-profit arts education organization means an 
organization of national scope that is supported by staff or affiliates 
at the State and local levels and that has a demonstrated history of 
advancing high-quality Arts education and Arts Integration for Arts 
Educators, education leaders, artists, and students through 
professional development, partnerships, educational programming, and 
supporting systemic school reform.
    Persistently-lowest achieving school means, as determined by the 
State--
    (a)(1) Any Title I school that has been identified for improvement, 
corrective action, or restructuring under section

[[Page 7434]]

1116 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended 
(ESEA), and that--
    (i) Is among the lowest-achieving five percent of Title I schools 
in improvement, corrective action, or restructuring or the lowest-
achieving five Title I schools in improvement, corrective action, or 
restructuring in the State, whichever number of schools is greater; or
    (ii) Is a high school that has had a graduation rate, as defined in 
34 CFR 200.19(b), that is less than 60 percent over a number of years; 
and
    (2) Any secondary school that is eligible for, but does not 
receive, Title I funds that:
    (i) Is among the lowest-achieving five percent of secondary schools 
or the lowest-achieving five secondary schools in the State that are 
eligible for, but do not receive, Title I funds, whichever number of 
schools is greater; or
    (ii) Is a high school that has had a graduation rate, as defined in 
34 CFR 200.19(b), that is less than 60 percent over a number of years.
    (b) To identify the lowest-achieving schools, a State must take 
into account both:
    (i) The academic achievement of the ``all students'' group in a 
school in terms of proficiency on the State's assessments under section 
1111(b)(3) of the ESEA, in reading/language arts and mathematics 
combined; and
    (ii) The school's lack of progress on those assessments over a 
number of years in the ``all students'' group.
    Priority schools means schools that, based on the most recent data 
available, have been identified as among the lowest-performing schools 
in the State. The total number of Priority Schools in a State must be 
at least five percent of the Title I schools in the State. A priority 
school is--
    (a) A school among the lowest five percent of Title I schools in 
the State based on the achievement of the ``all students'' group in 
terms of proficiency on the statewide assessments that are part of the 
SEA's differentiated recognition, accountability, and support system, 
combined, and has demonstrated a lack of progress on those assessments 
over a number of years in the ``all students'' group;
    (b) A Title I-participating or Title I-eligible high school with a 
graduation rate that is less than 60 percent over a number of years; or
    (c) A Tier I or Tier II school under the School Improvement Grant 
(SIG) program that is using SIG funds to implement a school 
intervention model.
    Quasi-experimental design study means a study using a design that 
attempts to approximate an experimental design by identifying a 
comparison group that is similar to the treatment group in important 
respects. These studies, depending on design and implementation, can 
meet What Works Clearinghouse Evidence Standards with reservations (but 
not What Works Clearinghouse Evidence Standards without reservations).
    Randomized controlled trial means a study that employs random 
assignment of, for example, students, teachers, classrooms, schools, or 
districts to receive the intervention being evaluated (the treatment 
group) or not to receive the intervention (the control group). The 
estimated effectiveness of the intervention is the difference between 
the average outcomes for the treatment group and for the control group. 
These studies, depending on design and implementation, can meet What 
Works Clearinghouse Evidence Standards without reservations.
    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.
    Regular high school diploma means the standard high school diploma 
that is awarded to students in the State and that is fully aligned with 
the State's academic content standards or a higher diploma and does not 
include a General Education Development (GED) credential, certificate 
of attendance, or any alternative award.
    Rural local educational agency means an LEA that is eligible under 
the Small Rural School Achievement (SRSA) program or the Rural and Low-
Income School (RLIS) program authorized under title VI, part B of the 
ESEA. Eligible applicants may determine whether a particular LEA is 
eligible for these programs by referring to information on the 
Department's Web site at www2.ed.gov/nclb/freedom/local/reap.html.
    Strong theory means a rationale for the proposed process, product, 
strategy, or practice that includes a logic model.
    Student achievement means--
    For grades and subjects in which assessments are required under 
section 1111(b)(3) of the ESEA: (1) A student's score on such 
assessments; and, as appropriate, (2) other measures of student 
learning, such as those described in the subsequent paragraph, provided 
that they are rigorous and comparable across schools within an LEA.
    For grades and subjects in which assessments are not required under 
section 1111(b)(3) of the ESEA: (1) Alternative measures of student 
learning and performance, such as student results on pre-tests, end-of-
course tests, and objective performance-based assessments; (2) student 
learning objectives; (3) student performance on English language 
proficiency assessments; and (4) other measures of student achievement 
that are rigorous and comparable across schools within an LEA.
    Sustained and Intensive, as used in the GPRA measure set forth 
under Performance Measures in section VI of this notice, means to 
complete 40 hours of professional development and 75 percent of the 
total number of professional development hours offered over a period of 
six or more months.
    Sustained partnership means a relationship that has demonstrably 
adequate resources and other support to continue beyond the funding 
period and that consist of community organizations as partners with an 
LEA and one or more of its schools. These organizations may include 
faith- and community-based organizations, institutions of higher 
education (including minority-serving institutions eligible to receive 
aid under title III or title V of the HEA), businesses and industries, 
labor organizations, State and local government entities, or Federal 
entities other than the Department.
    Tier I schools means--
    (a) A Title I school that has been identified as in improvement, 
corrective action, or restructuring under section 1116 of the 
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended (ESEA) and 
that is identified by the SEA under paragraph (a)(1) of the definition 
of Persistently-lowest Achieving School.
    (b) An elementary school that is eligible for Title I, Part A funds 
that--
    (1)(i) Has not made adequate yearly progress for at least two 
consecutive years; or
    (ii) Is in the State's lowest quintile of performance based on 
proficiency rates on the State's assessments under section 1111(b)(3) 
of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended 
(ESEA) in reading/language arts and mathematics combined; and
    (2) Is no higher achieving than the highest-achieving school 
identified by the SEA under paragraph (a)(1)(i) of the definition of 
Persistently-lowest Achieving School.
    Tier II schools means--
    (a) A secondary school that is eligible for, but does not receive, 
Title I, Part A funds and is identified by the State educational agency 
(SEA) under paragraph (a)(2) of the definition of Persistently-lowest 
Achieving Schools.

[[Page 7435]]

    (b) A secondary school that is eligible for Title I, Part A funds 
that--
    (1)(i) Has not made adequate yearly progress for at least two 
consecutive years; or
    (ii) Is in the State's lowest quintile of performance based on 
proficiency rates on the State's assessments under section 1111(b)(3) 
of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended 
(ESEA), in reading/language arts and mathematics combined; and
    (2)(i) Is no higher achieving than the highest-achieving school 
identified by the SEA under paragraph (a)(2)(i) of the definition of 
Persistently-lowest Achieving School; or
    (ii) Is a high school that has had a graduation rate, as defined in 
34 CFR 200.19(b), that is less than 60 percent over a number of years.
    What Works Clearinghouse Evidence Standards means the standards set 
forth in the What Works Clearinghouse Procedures and Standards Handbook 
(Version 3.0, March 2014), which can be found at the following link: 
http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/DocumentSum.aspx?sid=19.
    Application Requirements: The following eligibility and application 
requirements are from the 2012 NFP and apply to this competition.
    1. To be eligible for an award, an applicant must be a National 
Non-profit Arts Education Organization.
    2. An applicant must describe in its application how it would serve 
Children from Low-income Families and Children with Disabilities.
    3. An applicant must describe in its application how it would 
implement the following activities and services at the national level:
    (i) Professional development based on State or national standards 
for pre-kindergarten-through-grade-12 Arts Educators.

    Note: The term ``national standards'' was used, but not defined, 
in the 2005 NFP. Since then, the program has described ``national 
standards'' as the Arts standards developed by the Consortium of 
National Arts Education Associations (Consortium) or another 
comparable set of national arts standards. The standards developed 
by the Consortium outline what students should know and be able to 
do in the Arts. Although the program considers these standards 
``national standards,'' these standards are not established or 
endorsed by the Department.

    (ii) Development and dissemination of instructional materials, 
including online resources, in music, dance, theater, media arts, and 
visual arts, including folk arts, for Arts Educators.
    (iii) Arts-based educational programming in music, dance, theater, 
media arts, and visual arts, including folk arts, for pre-kindergarten-
through-grade-12 students and Arts Educators.
    (iv) Community and national outreach activities and services that 
strengthen and expand partnerships among schools, school districts, and 
communities throughout the country.

    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 7271.

    Applicable Regulations: (a) EDGAR in 34 CFR parts 75, 77, 79, 81, 
82, 84, 86, 97, 98, and 99. (b) The OMB Guidelines to Agencies on 
Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension (Nonprocurement)in 2 CFR part 
180, as adopted and amended as regulations of the Department in 2 CFR 
part 3485, and the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost 
Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards in 2 CFR part 
200, as adopted and amended in 2 CFR part 3474. (c) The 2012 NFP (77 FR 
35953). (d) The Supplemental Priorities (79 FR 73425).

    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: $6,700,000.
    Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of 
applications, we may make additional awards in FY 2016 from the list of 
unfunded applicants from this competition.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 1.

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

    Project Period: Up to 36 months (subject to availability of funds).

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: National Non-profit Arts Education 
Organizations.
    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. Under section 5551(f)(2) of the ESEA, 
the Secretary requires that assistance provided under this program be 
used only to supplement, and not to supplant, any other assistance or 
funds made available from non-Federal sources for the activities 
assisted under the program. This requirement has the effect of 
requiring grantees to use a restricted indirect cost rate, according to 
the requirements in 34 CFR 75.563 and 34 CFR 76.564 through 76.569. The 
restricted indirect cost rate excludes certain costs from the rate that 
otherwise would be recovered under a standard indirect cost rate. As 
soon as applicants decide to apply, they are urged to contact the ED 
Indirect Cost Group at (202) 245-7784 for guidance about obtaining a 
restricted indirect cost rate to use on the Budget Information form (ED 
Form 524) included with the application package.
    c. Coordination Requirement: Under section 5551(f)(1) of the ESEA, 
the Secretary requires that each entity funded under this program 
coordinate, to the extent practicable, each project or program carried 
out with funds awarded under this program with appropriate activities 
of public or private cultural agencies, institutions, and 
organizations, including museums, arts education associations, 
libraries, and theaters.

IV. Application and Submission Information

    1. Address to Request Application Package: Asheley McBride, U.S. 
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 4W240, 
Washington, DC 20202-5960 or by email: [email protected].
    If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) or a text 
telephone (TTY), call the Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll free, at 1-
800-877-8339.
    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 program contact person listed in 
this section.
    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 competition.
    Notice of Intent to Apply: March 12, 2015. 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 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. The email notification should be sent 
to the AENP program inbox at: [email protected].

[[Page 7436]]

    Eligible entities that fail to provide this email 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. We suggest you limit the 
application narrative 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 for titles, headings, 
footnotes, quotations, references, captions, 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.
    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, the page limit does apply to 
all of the application narrative section.
    b. Submission of Proprietary Information: Given the types of 
projects that may be proposed in applications for the AENP, 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: February 10, 2015.
    Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply: March 12, 2015.
    Date of Informational Webinar: The AENP intends to hold a webinar 
designed to provide technical assistance to interested applicants. 
Detailed information regarding this webinar will be provided on the 
AENP Web site at http://www2.ed.gov/programs/artsnational/index.html.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: April 13, 2015.
    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.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: June 10, 2015.
    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 competition.
    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 two to five 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/web/grants/register.html.
    7. 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 AENP, CFDA number 84.351F, must be submitted

[[Page 7437]]

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 AENP 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 84.351, not 
84.351F).
    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 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

     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 
prevents you from using the Internet to submit your application.

[[Page 7438]]

    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: Asheley McBride, U.S. 
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 4W240, 
Washington, DC 20202-5950. Telephone: (202) 202-453-6500 or by email: 
[email protected]. FAX: (202) 205-5630.
    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 
84.351F), 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 
84.351F), 550 12th Street SW., Room 7039, 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 2012 NFP for this program and from 34 CFR 75.210, and are 
as follows:
    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.
    The selection criteria are as follows:
    (1) Significance (15 points).
    The Secretary reviews each application to determine the extent to 
which--
    (a) The proposed project is likely to build State and local 
capacity to provide, improve, or expand Arts education and Arts 
Integration that address the needs of children and youth, with special 
emphasis on serving Children from Low-income Families and Children with 
Disabilities; and
    (b) The applicant has a history of three or more years of 
demonstrated excellence in the areas of Arts education and Arts 
Integration on a national scale.
    (2) Quality of the project design (35 points). The Secretary 
reviews each application to determine the extent to which--
    (a) The design of the proposed project is appropriate to, and will 
successfully address, the Arts education needs of pre-kindergarten-
through-grade-12 children and youth, with special emphasis on Children 
from Low-income Families and Children with Disabilities;
    (b) The proposed project will provide high-quality professional 
development for pre-kindergarten-through-grade-12 Arts Educators who 
provide instruction in music, dance, drama, media arts, or visual arts, 
including folk arts;
    (c) The proposed project is supported by Strong Theory.

    Note:  The Secretary encourages the applicant to consider 
measures and targets tied to their grant activities. The measures 
and targets should be sufficient to gauge the progress throughout 
the grant period, and show results by the end of the grant period. 
The Department's Regional Educational Laboratories (RELs) seek to 
build the capacity of States and school districts to incorporate 
data and research into education decision making. Each REL provides 
research support and technical assistance to its region but makes 
learning opportunities available to educators everywhere. For 
example, the REL Northeast and Islands has created the following 
resource on Logic Models: http://relpacific.mcrel.org/ELM.html.

    (3) Quality of project services (25 points).
    In determining the quality of the services to be provided by the 
proposed project, the Secretary considers the extent to which--
    (a) The services to be provided by the proposed project involve the 
collaboration of appropriate partners in order to maximize the 
effectiveness of project services; and
    (b) The proposed project will provide services and initiatives that 
will reach students and Arts Educators in multiple schools and school 
districts in urban, rural, and High-need Communities throughout the 
country.
    (4) 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, the Secretary considers--
    (a) 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.
    (b) The extent to which the methods of evaluation will provide 
performance feedback and permit periodic assessment of progress toward 
achieving intended outcomes.
    (c) The extent to which the methods of evaluation will, if well-
implemented, produce Evidence of Promise.

[[Page 7439]]

    2. Review and Selection Process: 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 2 CFR 3474.10, the Secretary may 
impose special conditions and, in appropriate circumstances, high-risk 
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 2 CFR part 
200, subpart D; 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: Under GPRA, the Secretary has established 
four performance measures to assess the effectiveness of this program. 
Projects funded under this competition will be expected to collect and 
report to the Department data related to these measures. Applications 
should, but are not required to, discuss in the application narrative 
how they propose to collect these data. The four GPRA performance 
measures are: (1) The total number of students who participate in 
standards-based Arts education sponsored by the grantee; (2) the number 
of teachers participating in the grantee's program who receive 
professional development that is Sustained and Intensive; (3) the total 
number of students from low-income families who participate in 
standards-based Arts education sponsored by the grantee; and (4) the 
total number of students with disabilities who participate in 
standards-based Arts education sponsored by the grantee.
    5. Continuation Awards: In making a continuation award under 34 CFR 
75.253, the Secretary considers, among other things: whether a grantee 
has made substantial progress in achieving the goals and objectives of 
the project; whether the grantee has expended funds in a manner that is 
consistent with its approved application and budget; and, if the 
Secretary has established performance measurement requirements, the 
performance targets in the grantee's approved application. 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:  Asheley McBride, U.S. Department of 
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 4W, Washington, DC 20202-5950. 
Telephone: (202) 453-6500, or by email: [email protected].
    If you use a TDD or a TTY, call the 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 compact disc) on request to 
the program contact person 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: February 4, 2015.
Nadya Chinoy Dabby,
Assistant Deputy Secretary for Innovation and Improvement.
[FR Doc. 2015-02596 Filed 2-9-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P