[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 45 (Tuesday, March 8, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12085-12092]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-05155]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Applications for New Awards; Education Research and Special 
Education Research Grant Programs

AGENCY: Institute of Education Sciences, Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: 
    Overview Information:
    Education Research and Special Education Research Grant Programs.
    Notice inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY) 
2017.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Numbers: 84.305A, 
84.305B, 84.305D, 84.305H, 84.305L, 84.305N, 84.324A, 84.324B, and 
84.324L.
    The Deputy Director for Policy and Research, Delegated the Duties 
of the Director, of the Institute of Education Sciences (Institute) 
announces the Institute's FY 2017 competitions for grants to support 
education research and special education research. The Delegated 
Director takes this action under the Education Sciences Reform Act of 
2002. The Institute's purpose in awarding these grants is to provide 
national leadership in expanding fundamental knowledge and 
understanding of (1) developmental and school readiness outcomes for 
infants and toddlers with or at risk for disability, and (2) education 
outcomes for all students from early childhood education through 
postsecondary and adult education.

DATES: The dates when applications are available and the deadlines for 
transmittal of applications invited under this notice are indicated in 
the chart at the end of this notice.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Purpose of Program: The central purpose of the Institute's research 
grant programs is to provide interested individuals and the general 
public with reliable and valid information about education practices 
that support learning and improve academic achievement and access to 
education opportunities for all students. These interested individuals 
include parents, educators, students, researchers, and policymakers. In 
carrying out its grant programs, the Institute provides support for 
programs of research in areas of demonstrated national need.
    Competitions in This Notice: The Institute will conduct nine 
research competitions in FY 2017 through two of its centers:
    The Institute's National Center for Education Research (NCER) will 
hold six competitions, one in each of the following areas:
     Education research;
     Education research training;
     Statistical and research methodology in education;
     Partnerships and collaborations focused on problems of 
practice or policy;
     Low-cost, short-duration evaluations; and
     Research networks.
    The Institute's National Center for Special Education Research 
(NCSER) will hold three competitions, one in each of the following 
areas:
     Special education research;
     Special education research training; and
     Low-cost, short-duration evaluations.

NCER Competitions

    The Education Research Competition. Under this competition, NCER 
will consider only applications that address one of the following 
twelve education research topics:
 Cognition and Student Learning.
 Early Learning Programs and Policies.
 Education Leadership.
 Education Technology.
 Effective Teachers and Effective Teaching.
 English Learners.
 Improving Education Systems.
 Mathematics and Science Education.
 Postsecondary and Adult Education.
 Reading and Writing.
 Social and Behavioral Context for Academic Learning.
 Special Topics, which include
     Arts in Education.
     Career and Technical Education.
     Systemic Approaches to Educating Highly Mobile Students.
    The Research Training Programs in the Education Sciences 
Competition. Under this competition, NCER will consider only 
applications that address one of the following three topics:
     Pathways to the Education Sciences Research Training.
     Postdoctoral Research Training.
     Methods Training for Education Researchers.
    The Statistical and Research Methodology in Education Competition. 
Under this competition, NCER will consider only applications that 
address one of the following two topics:
     Statistical and Research Methodology Grants.
     Early Career Statistical and Research Methodology Grants.
    The Partnerships and Collaborations Focused on Problems of Practice 
or Policy Competition. Under this competition, NCER will consider only 
applications that address one of the following two topics:
     Researcher-Practitioner Partnerships in Education 
Research.
     Evaluation of State and Local Education Programs and 
Policies.
    The Low-Cost, Short-Duration Evaluation of Education Interventions 
Competition. Under this competition, NCER will consider only 
applications that address low-cost, short-duration evaluation of 
education interventions.
    The Research Networks Focused on Critical Problems of Education 
Policy and Practice Competition. Under this competition, NCER will 
consider only applications that address one of the following two 
topics:
 Exploring Science Teaching in Elementary School Classrooms, 
which includes
     Network Lead.
     Research Team.
 Scalable Strategies to Support College Completion, which 
includes
     Network Lead.
     Research Team.

NCSER Competitions

    The Special Education Research Competition. In FY 2017, NCSER will 
consider only applications that focus on teachers and other 
instructional personnel within one of the following eleven topics:
     Autism Spectrum Disorders.
     Cognition and Student Learning in Special Education.
     Early Intervention and Early Learning in Special 
Education.
     Families of Children with Disabilities.
     Mathematics and Science Education.

[[Page 12086]]

     Professional Development for Teachers and Other 
Instructional Personnel.
     Reading, Writing, and Language Development.
     Social and Behavioral Outcomes to Support Learning.
     Special Education Policy, Finance, and Systems.
     Technology for Special Education.
     Transition Outcomes for Secondary Students with 
Disabilities.
    The Research Training Programs in Special Education Competition. 
Under this competition, NCSER will consider only applications that 
address early career development and mentoring in special education 
research.
    The Low-Cost, Short-Duration Evaluation of Special Education 
Interventions Competition. Under this competition, NCSER will consider 
only applications that address low-cost, short-duration evaluation of 
special education interventions.

    Program Authority:  20 U.S.C. 9501 et seq.

    Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations in 34 CFR parts 77, 81, 82, 84, 86, 97, 98, 
and 99. In addition, the regulations in 34 CFR part 75 are applicable, 
except for the provisions in 34 CFR 75.100, 75.101(b), 75.102, 75.103, 
75.105, 75.109(a), 75.200, 75.201, 75.209, 75.210, 75.211, 75.217(a)-
(c), 75.219, 75.220, 75.221, 75.222, and 75.230. (b) The Office of 
Management and Budget 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. (c) 
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.

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

II. Award Information

    Types of Awards: Discretionary grants and cooperative agreements.
    Fiscal Information: Although Congress has not yet enacted an 
appropriation for fiscal year 2017, the Institute is inviting 
applications for these competitions now so that applicants can have 
adequate time to prepare their applications. The Department may 
announce additional topics later in 2016. The actual award of grants 
will depend on the availability of funds.
    Estimated Range of Awards: See chart at the end of this notice.
    Estimated Size and Number of Awards: The size of the awards will 
depend on the scope of the projects proposed. The number of awards made 
under each competition will depend on the quality of the applications 
received for that competition, the availability of funds, and the 
following limits on awards for specific competitions and topics set by 
the Institute. See the chart at the end of this notice for additional 
information.
    The Institute may waive any of the following limits on awards for a 
specific competition or topic in the special case that the peer review 
process results in a tie between two or more grant applications, making 
it impossible to adhere to the limits without funding only some of the 
equally ranked applications. In that case, the Institute may make a 
larger number of awards to include all applications of the same rank.
    For the NCER's Research Training Programs in the Education Sciences 
competition, we will award no more than four grants under the Pathways 
to the Education Sciences Research Training topic.
    For NCER's Research Networks Focused on Critical Problems of 
Education Policy and Practice competition, we will award no more than 
five grants under the Exploring Science Teaching in Elementary School 
Classrooms topic (one grant under the Network Lead and four grants 
under the Research Team) and four grants under the Scalable Strategies 
to Support College Completion topic (one grant under the Network Lead 
and three grants under the Research Team).
    For NCSER's Research Training Programs in Special Education 
competition, we will award no more than five grants under the Early 
Career Development and Mentoring topic.
    For NCSER's Low-Cost, Short-Duration Evaluation of Special 
Education Interventions, we will award no more than four grants.
    The Institute may change the maximum number of awards per 
competition through a notice in the Federal Register. Contingent on the 
availability of funds and the quality of applications, we may make 
additional awards in FY 2018 from the list of unfunded applications 
from the FY 2017 competitions.

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

    Project Period: See chart at the end of this notice.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: Applicants that have the ability and 
capacity to conduct scientifically valid research are eligible to 
apply. Eligible applicants include, but are not limited to, nonprofit 
and for-profit organizations and public and private agencies and 
institutions of higher education, such as colleges and universities.
    2. Cost Sharing or Matching: These programs do not require cost 
sharing or matching.

IV. Application and Submission Information

    1. Request for Applications and Other Information: Information 
regarding program and application requirements for the competitions 
will be contained in the NCER and NCSER Requests for Applications 
(RFAs), which will be available on the Institute's Web site at: http://ies.ed.gov/funding/. Each competition will have its own application 
package. The RFAs for all nine competitions announced in this notice 
will be available at the Web site listed above on or before March 31, 
2016. The dates on which the application packages for these 
competitions will be available are indicated in the chart at the end of 
this notice.
    The selection criteria and review procedures for the competitions 
are contained in the RFAs. The RFAs also include information on the 
maximum award available under each grant competition. Applications that 
include proposed budgets higher than the relevant maximum award will 
not be considered for an award. The Institute may change the maximum 
amount through a notice in the Federal Register.
    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 or team listed under 
Accessible Format in section VIII of this notice.
    2. Content and Form of Application Submission: Requirements 
concerning the content of an application are contained in the RFA for 
the specific competition. The forms that must be submitted are in the 
application package for the specific competition.
    3. Submission Dates and Times: The deadline date for transmittal of 
applications invited under this notice is indicated in the chart at the 
end of this notice and in the RFAs for the competitions.
    We do not consider an application that does not comply with the 
deadline requirements.

[[Page 12087]]

    Application packages for grants under these competitions must be 
obtained from and submitted electronically using the Grants.gov Apply 
site (www.Grants.gov). For information (including dates and times) 
about how to submit your application package electronically, or in 
paper format by mail or hand delivery if you qualify for an exception 
to the electronic submission requirement, please refer to Other 
Submission Requirements in section IV of this notice.
    Other Submission Requirements of this notice.
    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 and the chart at the end 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.
    4. Intergovernmental Review: This competition is not subject to 
Executive Order 12372 and the regulations in CFR part 79.
    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), 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 at the 
following Web site: http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform. 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 you enter into the SAM database. 
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 before you can access the information in, and 
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: 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 
these competitions 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 Education Research, Research 
Training Programs in the Education Sciences, Statistical and Research 
Methodology in Education, Partnerships and Collaborations Focused on 
Problems of Practice or Policy, Low-Cost, Short-Duration Evaluation of 
Education Interventions, Research Networks Focused on Critical Problems 
of Education Policy and Practice, Special Education Research, Research 
Training Programs in Special Education, and Low-Cost, Short-Duration 
Evaluation of Special Education Interventions competitions, CFDA 
numbers 84.305A, 84.305B, 84.305D, 84.305H, 84.305L, 84.305N, 84.324A, 
84.324B, and 84.324L 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 applications for the Education 
Research, Research Training Programs in the Education Sciences, 
Statistical and Research Methodology in Education, Partnerships and 
Collaborations Focused on Problems of Practice or Policy, Low-Cost, 
Short-Duration Evaluation of Education Interventions, Research Networks 
Focused on Critical Problems of Education Policy and Practice, Special 
Education Research, Research Training Programs in Special Education, 
and Low-Cost, Short-Duration Evaluation of Special Education 
Interventions competitions at www.Grants.gov. You must search for the 
downloadable application package for each competition by the CFDA 
number. Do not include the CFDA number's alpha suffix in your search 
(e.g., search for 84.305, not 84.305A).
    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

[[Page 12088]]

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 the competition to ensure that 
you submit your application in a timely manner to the Grants.gov 
system. You can also find the Education Submission Procedures 
pertaining to Grants.gov under News and Events on the Department's G5 
system home page at www.G5.gov. In addition, for specific guidance and 
procedures for submitting an application through Grants.gov, please 
refer to the Grants.gov Web site at: www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/apply-for-grants.html.
     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 read-only non-modifiable 
Portable Document Format (PDF). Do not upload an interactive or 
fillable PDF file. If you upload a file type other than a read-only, 
non-modifiable PDF (e.g., Word, Excel, WordPerfect, etc.) or submit a 
password-protected file, we will not review that material. Please note 
that this could result in your application not being considered for 
funding because the material in question--for example, the project 
narrative--is critical to a meaningful review of your proposal. For 
that reason it is important to allow yourself adequate time to upload 
all material as PDF files. The Department will not convert material 
from other formats to PDF.
     Your electronic application must comply with any page-
limit requirements described in the relevant RFA for your application.
     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.) Grants.gov 
will also notify you automatically by email if your application met all 
the Grants.gov validation requirements or if there were any errors 
(such as submission of your application by someone other than a 
registered Authorized Organization Representative, or inclusion of an 
attachment with a file name that contains special characters). You will 
be given an opportunity to correct any errors and resubmit, but you 
must still meet the deadline for submission of applications.
    Once your application is successfully validated by Grants.gov, the 
Department will retrieve your application from Grants.gov and send you 
an email with a unique PR/Award number for your application.
    These emails do not mean that your application is without any 
disqualifying errors. While your application may have been successfully 
validated by Grants.gov, it must also meet the Department's application 
requirements as specified in this notice and in the application 
instructions. Disqualifying errors could include, for instance, failure 
to upload attachments in a read-only, non-modifiable PDF; failure to 
submit a required part of the application; or failure to meet applicant 
eligibility requirements. It is your responsibility to ensure that your 
submitted application has met all of the Department's requirements.
     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.
    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

[[Page 12089]]

statement no later than two weeks before the application deadline date.
    Address and mail statement to: Ellie Pelaez, U.S. Department of 
Education, 550 12th Street SW., Potomac Center Plaza, Room 4107, 
Washington, DC 20202.
    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: [Identify the CFDA number, including suffix letter, for 
the competition under which you are applying.]), 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.

    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.

    We will not consider applications postmarked after the application 
deadline date.
    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: [Identify the CFDA number, including suffix letter, for 
the competition under which you are applying.]) 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 these 
competitions are provided in the RFAs.
    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 in regards to key aspects of the proposed 
research design and 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. Grant Administration: Applicants should budget for an annual 
two-day meeting for project directors to be held in Washington, DC.
    4. Reporting: (a) If you apply for a grant under one of the 
competitions announced in this notice, 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.
    5. Performance Measures: To evaluate the overall success of its 
education research and special education research grant programs, the 
Institute annually assesses the percentage of projects that result in 
peer-reviewed publications, the number of newly developed or modified 
interventions with evidence of promise for improving student education 
outcomes, and the number of Institute-

[[Page 12090]]

supported interventions with evidence of efficacy in improving student 
outcomes including school readiness outcomes for young children and 
student academic outcomes and social and behavioral competencies for 
school-age students. School readiness outcomes include pre-reading, 
reading, pre-writing, early mathematics, early science, and social-
emotional skills that prepare young children for school. Student 
academic outcomes include learning and achievement in core academic 
content areas (reading, writing, math, and science) and outcomes that 
reflect students' successful progression through the education system 
(e.g., course and grade completion; high school graduation; 
postsecondary enrollment, progress, and completion). Social and 
behavioral competencies include social and emotional skills, attitudes, 
and behaviors that may be important to student's academic and post-
academic success. Additional education outcomes for students with or at 
risk of disability include developmental outcomes for infants and 
toddlers (birth to age three) with or at risk for a disability 
pertaining to cognitive, communicative, linguistic, social, emotional, 
adaptive, functional, or physical development; and developmental and 
functional outcomes that improve education outcomes, transition to 
employment, independent living, and postsecondary education for 
students with disabilities.
    6. 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 meeting 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, whether 
the grantee has met the performance targets in the grantee's approved 
application.
    In making a continuation award, 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: The contact person associated with a 
particular research competition is listed in the chart at the end of 
this notice, in the relevant RFA, and in the relevant application 
package. The date on which applications will be available, the deadline 
for transmittal of applications, the estimated range of awards, and the 
project period ranges are also listed in the chart and in the RFAs that 
are posted at the following Web sites: http://ies.ed.gov/funding/ and 
www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ies/programs.html.
    If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) or a text 
telephone (TTY), call the Federal Relay Service, toll free, at 1-800-
877-8339.

VIII. Other Information

    Accessible Format: Individuals with disabilities can obtain this 
document and a copy of the RFA in an accessible format (e.g., braille, 
large print, audiotape, or compact disc) on request to the appropriate 
program contact person listed in the chart at the end 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 this 
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 3, 2016.
Ruth Neild,
Deputy Director for Policy and Research, Delegated Duties of the 
Director, Institute of Education Sciences.

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                                        Application package      Deadline for transmittal
         CFDA No. and name                   available                of applications          Estimated range of awards*           Project period            FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                          National Center for Education Research (NCER)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
84.305A Education Research:
    [squf] Cognition and Student    May 5, 2016...............  August 4, 2016............  $100,000 to $760,000............  Up to 5 years.............  Rebecca McGill-Wilkinson,
     Learning.                                                                                                                                             [email protected].
    [squf] Early Learning Programs
     and Policies..
    [squf] Education Leadership.
    [squf] Education Technology.
    [squf] Effective Teachers and
     Effective Teaching.
    [squf] English Learners.
    [squf] Improving Education
     Systems.
    [squf] Mathematics and Science
     Education.
    [squf] Postsecondary and Adult
     Education.
    [squf] Reading and Writing.
    [squf] Social and Behavioral
     Context for Academic
     Learning.
    [squf] Special Topics.
        [cir] Arts in Education.
        [cir] Career and Technical
         Education.
        [cir] Systemic Approaches
         to Educating Highly
         Mobile Students.
84.305B Research Training Programs  May 19, 2016..............  August 4, 2016............  $50,000 to $270,000.............  Up to 5 years.............  Meredith Larson,
 in the Education Sciences:                                                                                                                                [email protected].

[[Page 12091]]

 
    [squf] Pathways to the
     Education Sciences Research
     Training..
    [squf] Postdoctoral Research
     Training Program.
    [squf] Methods Training for
     Education Researchers.
84.305D Statistical and Research    May 5, 2016...............  August 4, 2016............  $40,000 to $300,000.............  Up to 3 years.............  Phill Gagne, [email protected].
 Methodology in Education:
    [squf] Statistical and
     Research Methodology Grants..
    [squf] Early Career
     Statistical and Research
     Methodology Grants.
84.305H Partnerships and
 Collaborations Focused on
 Problems of Practice or Policy:
    [squf]Researcher-Practitioner   May 19, 2016..............  August 4, 2016............  $50,000 to $1,000.000...........  Up to 5 years.............  Allen Ruby, [email protected].
     Partnerships in Education
     Research..
    [squf] Evaluation of State and
     Local Education Programs and
     Policies.
84.305L Low-Cost, Short-Duration    May 19, 2016..............  August 4, 2016............  $50,000-$125,000................  Up to 2 Years.............  Allen Ruby, [email protected].
 Evaluation of Education
 Interventions.
84.305N Research Networks Focused
 on Critical Problems of Education
 Policy and Practice:
    [squf] Exploring Science        May 19, 2016..............  August 4, 2016............  $500,000 to $800,000............  Up to 5 years.............  Wai-Ying Chow (Science Teaching), Wai-
     Teaching in Elementary School                                                                                                                         [email protected]
     Classrooms.                                                                                                                                          James.Benson (College Completion),
    [squf] Scalable Strategies to                                                                                                                          [email protected].
     Support College Completion.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                     National Center for Special Education Research (NCSER)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
84.324A Special Education
 Research: In FY 2017,the focus of
 84.324A is on teachers and other
 instructional personnel within
 each of the following topics:.
    [squf] Autism Spectrum          May 5, 2016...............  August 4, 2016............  $100,000 to $760,000............  Up to 5 years.............  Jacquelyn Buckley,
     Disorders.                                                                                                                                            [email protected].
    [squf] Cognition and Student
     Learning in Special
     Education.
    [squf] Early Intervention and
     Early Learning in Special
     Education.
    [squf] Families of Children
     with Disabilities.
    [squf] Mathematics and Science
     Education.
    [squf] Professional
     Development for Teachers and
     Other Instructional
     Personnel.
    [squf] Reading, Writing, and
     Language Development.
    [squf] Social and Behavioral
     Outcomes to Support Learning.
    [squf] Special Education
     Policy, Finance, and Systems.
    [squf] Technology for Special
     Education.
    [squf] Transition Outcomes for
     Secondary Students with
     Disabilities.
84.324B Research Training Programs
 in Special Education:
    [squf] Early Career             May 19, 2016..............  August 4, 2016............  $50,000 to $100,000.............  Up to 4 years.............  Katherine Taylor,
     Development and Mentoring in                                                                                                                          [email protected].
     Special Education Research.
84.324L Low-Cost, Short-Duration    May 19, 2016..............  August 4, 2016............  $50,000 to $125,000.............  Up to 2 Years.............  Kimberley Sprague,
 Evaluation of Special Education                                                                                                                           [email protected].
 Interventions.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* These estimates are annual amounts.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice.
Note: If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) or a text telephone (TTY), call the Federal Relay Service, toll free, at 1-800-877-8339.


[[Page 12092]]

[FR Doc. 2016-05155 Filed 3-7-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4000-01-P