[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 196 (Thursday, October 12, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47484-47493]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-22127]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

RIN 1894-AA09
[Docket ID ED-2017-OS-0078]


Secretary's Proposed Supplemental Priorities and Definitions for 
Discretionary Grant Programs

AGENCY: Department of Education.

ACTION: Proposed priorities and definitions.

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SUMMARY: In order to support and strengthen the work that educators do 
every day in collaboration with parents, advocates, and community 
members, the Secretary proposes 11 priorities and related definitions 
for use in discretionary grant programs that are in place today or may 
exist in the future. The Secretary may choose to include an entire 
priority within a grant program or merely one or more of its component 
parts. These proposed priorities and definitions are intended to 
replace the current supplemental priorities published on December 10, 
2014 (79 FR 73425).

DATES: We must receive your comments on or before November 13, 2017.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments through the Federal eRulemaking Portal 
or via postal mail, commercial delivery, or hand delivery. We will not 
accept comments by fax or by email, or those submitted after the 
comment period. To ensure that we do not receive duplicate copies, 
please submit your comments only once. In addition, please include the 
Docket ID at the top of your comments.
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to www.regulations.gov to 
submit your comments electronically. Information on using 
Regulations.gov, including instructions for accessing agency documents, 
submitting comments, and viewing the docket, is available on the site 
under ``How to use regulations.gov.''
     Postal Mail, Commercial Delivery, or Hand Delivery: If you 
mail or deliver your comments, address them to Jennifer Bell-Ellwanger, 
U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 6W231, 
Washington, DC 20202.
    Privacy Note: The Department's policy is to make all comments 
received from members of the public available for public viewing in 
their entirety on the Federal eRulemaking Portal at 
www.regulations.gov. Therefore, commenters should be careful to include 
in their comments only information that they wish to make publicly 
available.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jennifer Bell-Ellwanger, U.S. 
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 6W231, 
Washington, DC 20202. Telephone: (202) 401-0831 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, toll free, at 1-800-
877-8339.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Invitation to Comment: We invite you to submit comments regarding 
this notice. To ensure that your comments have maximum effect in 
developing the notice of final priorities, we urge you to identify 
clearly the specific issues that each comment addresses.
    We invite you to assist us in complying with the specific 
requirements of Executive Orders 12866 and 13563 and their overall 
requirement of reducing regulatory burden that might result from these 
proposed priorities and definitions. Please let us know of any further 
ways we could reduce potential costs or increase potential benefits 
while preserving the effective and efficient administration of our 
programs.
    During and after the comment period, you may inspect all public 
comments about this notice by accessing Regulations.gov. You may also 
inspect the comments in person in Room 6W231, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., 
Washington, DC, between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., 
Washington, DC time, Monday through Friday of each week except Federal 
holidays.
    Assistance to Individuals with Disabilities in Reviewing the 
Rulemaking Record: On request we will provide an appropriate 
accommodation or auxiliary aid to an individual with a disability who 
needs assistance to review the comments or other documents in the 
public rulemaking record for this notice. If you want to schedule an 
appointment for this type of accommodation or auxiliary aid, please 
contact the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1221e-3.
    Proposed Priorities:
    This notice contains 11 proposed priorities.
    Background:
    The Secretary proposes 11 priorities and related definitions for 
use in discretionary grant programs to reflect the Secretary's vision 
for American education. Specifically, the priorities are designed to 
encourage grantees to empower parents and educators; reduce red tape; 
utilize and build evidence of what works; and, most importantly, take 
strides toward ensuring equal access to the high-quality, affordable 
education every American student deserves in an educational environment 
that is safe and respectful of all viewpoints and backgrounds.
    Improving education starts with allowing greater decision-making 
authority at the State and local level while also recognizing that the 
ultimate form of local control occurs when parents and students are 
empowered to choose their own educational paths forward. This work also 
requires helping all students overcome challenges they may face outside 
of the classroom, learn to read so they can use reading to learn, and 
complete their formal education with a well-considered and attainable 
path to a sustainable career. These priorities will also support broad-
based access to 21st-century technologies.
    The Department believes that more Federal programs are not a 
sufficient proxy for progress and that increased Federal funding cannot 
be a stand-in for increased learning. We will focus less on discrete 
funding streams and more on innovative problem solving. This can only 
happen when everyone gets a seat at the table and can focus on high-
priority local projects that promote change from the ground up. We will 
place a renewed focus on our core mission: serving the most vulnerable 
students, ensuring equal access for all students, protecting their path 
to a world-class education, and empowering local educators to deliver 
for our students.
    Proposed Priority 1--Empowering Families to Choose a High-Quality 
Education that Meets Their Child's Unique Needs.
    Background:
    In his first address to a joint session of Congress on February 28, 
2017, the President underscored the importance of educational choice 
and providing families with access to quality

[[Page 47485]]

educational options, noting that families should be free to choose the 
school that is right for their children. Likewise, the Secretary 
believes that every child, regardless of his or her ZIP code or family 
income, should have access to a high-quality education. A family should 
have the chance to select the educational path that best meets a 
child's needs, regardless of where or how instruction is delivered. The 
Department is committed to improving access to high-quality preschool 
through 12th grade (P-12) and postsecondary educational options, 
offering meaningful choices for families, and providing families with 
the information and tools they need to make these important decisions.
    In 2012, approximately 78 percent of kindergarten through 12th 
grade students attended the public school to which they were 
geographically assigned, about 14 percent attended a public school of 
their choice, and almost nine percent attended a private school.\1\ In 
addition, among all children ages 5-17, approximately three percent 
were homeschooled in 2012.\2\ Satisfaction levels are the highest among 
private school parents, with more than 80 percent of parents saying 
they were ``very satisfied'' with their children's school. Parents of 
children at public charter schools and public schools of choice also 
showed levels of satisfaction that were significantly higher than 
parents at geographically assigned district schools.\3\
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    \1\ U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education 
Statistics, Parent and Family Involvement in Education Survey of the 
2012 National Household Education Surveys Program (PFI-NEHS: 2012). 
(n.d.). ``Percentages of children enrolled in kindergarten through 
12th grade by school type: 2012.'' Available at: https://nces.ed.gov/nhes/tables/enrollment_school_type.asp.
    \2\ U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education 
Statistics, Digest of Education Statistics. (2014). ``Table 206.10. 
Number and percentage of homeschooled students ages 5 through 17 
with a grade equivalent of kindergarten through 12th grade, by 
selected child, parent, and household characteristics: 2003, 2007, 
and 2012.'' Available at: https://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d15/tables/dt15_206.10.asp.
    \3\ Cheng, A. & Peterson, P. (2017). How Satisfied are Parents 
with Their Children's Schools? Education Next, 17(2). Available at: 
http://educationnext.org/how-satisfied-are-parents-with-childrens-schools-us-dept-ed-survey.
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    A diverse array of postsecondary education choices are also 
available to high school students through dual-enrollment and similar 
programs, which allow these students to take postsecondary coursework 
offered by a college or university, the secondary school in which they 
are enrolled, or another provider.
    The Administration's goal is to maximize availability of high-
quality learning opportunities. This proposed priority would support 
grantees in offering innovative and, where possible, evidence-based 
models of educational choice (as defined in this notice, and consistent 
with applicable Federal, State, and local law) to students in both P-12 
and postsecondary settings.
    Proposed Priority:
    Projects that are designed to address one or more of the following 
priority areas:
    (a) Increasing the proportion of students with access to 
educational choice (as defined in this notice).
    (b) Increasing access to educational choice for one or more of the 
following groups of students:
    (i) Students in communities served by rural local educational 
agencies (as defined in this notice).
    (ii) Students who are children with disabilities as defined in the 
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and/or individuals 
with disabilities under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 
(Section 504) or students with disabilities and children with 
disabilities who are eligible under both laws);
    (iii) English learners (as defined in section 8101(20) of the 
Elementary and Secondary Education Act, as amended, or section 203(7) 
of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014).
    (iv) Students in schools identified for comprehensive or targeted 
support and improvement in accordance with section 1111(c)(4)(C)(iii), 
(c)(4)(D), or (d)(2)(C)-(D) of the Elementary and Secondary Education 
Act, as amended.
    (v) Students who are living in poverty (as defined under section 
1113(a)(5)(A) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, as 
amended) and are served by high-poverty schools (as defined in this 
notice), or are a low-income individual (as defined under section 
312(g) of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended).
    (vi) Disconnected youth.
    (vii) Migratory children.
    (viii) Low-skilled adults.
    (ix) Students who are Indians, as defined in section 6151 of the 
Elementary and Secondary Education Act, as amended.
    (x) Military- or veteran-connected students (as defined in this 
notice).
    (xi) Children or students who are academically far below grade 
level, who have left school before receiving a regular high school 
diploma, who are at risk of not graduating with a regular high school 
diploma on time.
    (xii) Children or students who are homeless.
    (xiii) Children or students who are or have been incarcerated.
    (xiv) Children or students who are or were previously in foster 
care.
    (c) Developing, increasing access to, and building evidence of 
effectiveness of innovative models of educational choice.
    Proposed Priority 2--Promoting Innovation and Efficiency, 
Streamlining Education with an Increased Focus on Improving Student 
Outcomes, and Providing Increased Value to Students and Taxpayers.
    Background:
    The Department is focused on fostering a more favorable environment 
for innovation by reducing red tape and streamlining regulations and 
other requirements in education while placing an increased focus on 
improving student outcomes. This increased focus on outcomes, and 
decreased emphasis on compliance first, will allow us to invest more in 
approaches supported by evidence of positive outcomes for students and 
avoid those that are inefficient, ineffective, or unproven.
    In order to accomplish this goal, the Department is rethinking the 
incentives we set for grantees and how those incentives, in turn, 
affect how grantees interact with subgrantees (such as schools within a 
district), nonprofits supporting implementation of a grant project, and 
other partners. In general, the Administration also welcomes and 
encourages entities pursuing innovative approaches to participate in 
the Department's programs.
    Leaders in States, districts, schools, and institutions of higher 
education must also have the opportunity to do things differently to 
meet the needs of their students. At the Federal level, the 
Administration is interested in eliminating unnecessary burdens placed 
on grantees. Through this priority, we likewise encourage States, 
school districts, schools, and others receiving grants from the 
Department to weigh whether requirements they place on subgrantees and 
other partners working to achieve grant objectives or being served by 
the grant are necessary to drive improvements in student outcomes, or 
if they actually hinder efforts to best serve students. Doing so will 
allow States, districts, schools, teachers, and institutions of higher 
education to spend less time on paperwork and burdensome administration 
and more time on their core missions.
    Proposed Priority:
    Projects that are designed to address one or more of the following 
priority areas:
    (a) Implementing strategies that ensure education funds are spent 
in a way that increases their efficiency and

[[Page 47486]]

effectiveness, including by reducing waste or achieving better 
outcomes.
    (b) Supporting innovative strategies with the potential to lead to 
significant and wide-reaching improvements in the delivery of 
educational services.
    (c) Reducing compliance burden within the grantee's operations 
(including on subgrantees or other partners working to achieve grant 
objectives or being served by the grant) in a manner that decreases 
paperwork or staff time spent on administrative functions, or other 
measurable ways that help educational providers to save money, benefit 
more students, or improve results.
    (d) Demonstrating innovative paths to improved outcomes by 
applicants that meet the requirements in 34 CFR 75.225 (a)(1)(i) and 
(ii).
    (e) Strengthening development capabilities to increase private 
support for institutions or demonstrating matching support for proposed 
projects.
    Proposed Priority 3--Fostering Flexible and Affordable Paths to 
Obtaining Knowledge and Skills.
    Background:
    An educated and well-prepared workforce is essential to maintaining 
an American advantage in a global economy where competition for jobs is 
increasing and technology is changing rapidly.\4\ In their 2017 State 
of the State addresses, at least 24 governors identified workforce 
development and career pathways as key education priorities.\5\ It is 
critical that we ensure our Nation's workforce is prepared to meet the 
challenges of tomorrow with the skills and credentials that employers 
require.
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    \4\ Schwab, K. (2016). The Global Competitiveness Report 2016-
2017. Geneva, Switzerland: World Economic Forum. Available at: 
http://www3.weforum.org/docs/GCR2016-2017/05FullReport/TheGlobalCompetitivenessReport2016-2017_FINAL.pdf.
    \5\ Rafa, A. and Rogowski, D. (2017). ``Governors' Top Education 
Priorities: 2017 State of the State addresses.'' Denver, CO: 
Education Commission of the States. Available at: www.ecs.org/ec-content/uploads/Governors%E2%80%99-Top-Education-Priorities-2017-State-of-the-State-addresses.pdf.
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    To meet these challenges, schools must better equip students with 
the skills or knowledge required by employers, particularly employment 
in in-demand industry sectors or occupations, and recognized 
postsecondary credentials need to be developed that focus on the career 
and technical skills needed for in-demand industry sectors or 
occupations (as defined in section 3(23)(A) of the Workforce Innovation 
and Opportunity Act of 2014). Such credentials should serve to define, 
measure, and communicate the skills students will need to be successful 
in workplaces.
    Meeting this challenge requires starting early in a student's 
education. Each American student is unique and enters school with a 
distinct set of strengths and challenges. Each student learns and grows 
at his or her own pace and in his or her own way; therefore, States, 
districts, schools, institutions of higher education, and other local 
providers must help every student build upon his or her unique 
strengths and address his or her unique challenges.
    Competency-based learning is one possible approach to improve 
student outcomes and prepare students for careers.\6\ Under this 
approach, instead of equating seat time with learning--assuming all 
students need the same amount of time to learn material--students can 
work at their own pace and progress as they demonstrate mastery of 
content. Other approaches to prepare students for work and life are 
also encouraged, including those that allow students to more easily 
demonstrate their knowledge and skills and employers to more easily 
communicate the knowledge and skills they require.
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    \6\ U.S. Department of Education, Office of Planning, Evaluation 
and Policy Development, Policy and Program Studies Service. (2017). 
National Survey on High School Strategies Designed to Help At-Risk 
Students Graduate: Competency-Based Advancement. Available at: 
https://www2.ed.gov/rschstat/eval/high-school/competency-based-advancement.pdf.
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    Proposed Priority:
    Projects that are designed to address one or more of the following 
priority areas:
    (a) Improving collaboration between education providers and 
employers to ensure student learning objectives are aligned with the 
skills or knowledge required for employment in an in-demand industry 
sector or occupation (as defined in section 3(23)(A) of the Workforce 
Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014).
    (b) Developing or developing pathways to recognized postsecondary 
credentials (as defined in section 3(52) of the Workforce Innovation 
and Opportunity Act of 2014) focused on career and technical skills for 
in-demand industry sectors or occupations and employment of credential 
holders. Students may obtain such credentials through a wide variety of 
education providers, such as: Institutions of higher education eligible 
for Federal student financial aid programs, non-traditional education 
providers (e.g., apprenticeship programs or computer coding boot 
camps), and other providers of self-guided learning.
    (c) Providing work-based learning experiences (such as internships, 
apprenticeships, and fellowships) leading to careers in in-demand 
industry sectors or occupations.
    (d) Creating or expanding innovative paths to a recognized 
postsecondary credential or obtainment of job-ready skills for careers 
in in-demand industry sectors or occupations, such as through career 
pathways (as defined in section 3(7) of the Workforce Innovation and 
Opportunity Act of 2014). Such credentials may be offered to all 
students through a wide variety of education providers, such as 
traditional institutions of higher education, non-traditional education 
providers, and other providers of self-guided learning.
    (e) Creating or expanding opportunities for individuals to obtain 
recognized postsecondary credentials through the demonstration of prior 
knowledge and skills, such as competency-based learning. Such 
credentials may include an industry-recognized certificate or 
certification, a certificate of completion of an apprenticeship, a 
license recognized by the State involved or Federal Government, or an 
associate or baccalaureate degree.
    (f) Creating or expanding opportunities for individuals to obtain 
recognized postsecondary credentials in science, technology, 
engineering, or mathematics.
    Proposed Priority 4--Fostering Knowledge and Promoting the 
Development of Skills that Prepare Students to be Informed, Thoughtful, 
and Productive Individuals and Citizens.
    Background:
    Knowledge and skills that prepare students to be informed, 
thoughtful, and productive individuals and citizens include knowledge 
of civics, financial literacy, problem solving, and employability 
skills \7\ (such as critical thinking, interpersonal skills, or 
organizational skills). Research suggests that self-regulation, 
perseverance, and social skills play an important role in students' 
academic, career, and life outcomes.\8\ Unfortunately, national 
assessments suggest that our students often lack such skills.
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    \7\ See http://cte.ed.gov/employabilityskills for more 
information.
    \8\ Farrington, C.A., Roderick, M., Allensworth, E., Nagaoka, 
J., Keyes, T.S., Johnson, D.W., & Beechum, N.O. (2012). Teaching 
adolescents to become learners. The role of noncognitive factors in 
shaping school performance: A critical literature review. Chicago: 
University of Chicago Consortium on Chicago School Research. 
Available at: https://consortium.uchicago.edu/sites/default/files/publications/Noncognitive%20Report.pdf.

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[[Page 47487]]

    For example, between 1998 and 2014, the average scores of eighth 
grade students only increased from 150 to 154 on the National 
Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) civics assessment, remaining 
well below the proficient score of 178.\9\ Additionally, numerous 
international studies indicate our Nation's students are not performing 
as well as students in other countries. On the Program for 
International Student Assessment (PISA), 15-year-old students in the 
United States performed near the Organization for Economic Cooperation 
and Development (OECD) average on financial literacy and slightly 
better than the OECD average on problem solving.\10\ However, 18 
percent of 15-year-old students in the United States were low-
performers (scoring below level 2 out of 5 levels) on the financial 
literacy assessment and 18 percent of students in the United States 
were low-performers on the problem solving assessment.\11\
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    \9\ The Nation's Report Card. (2015). 2014 Civics Assessment: 
Overall Civics Scores. Available at: www.nationsreportcard.gov/hgc_2014/#civics/scores.
    \11\ U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education 
Statistics. (2014). ``Program for International Student Assessment 
(PISA): Financial Literacy: Proficiency Levels.'' Available at: 
https://nces.ed.gov/surveys/pisa/pisa2012/pisa2012highlights_12.asp. 
U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education 
Statistics (2014). ``Program for International Student Assessment 
(PISA): Problem Solving: Proficiency Levels.'' Available at: https://nces.ed.gov/surveys/pisa/pisa2012/pisa2012highlights_11.asp.
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    For the United States to compete globally, schools must better 
prepare students to obtain each of these types of skills. It is 
especially critical for students to master these skills as the number 
of jobs created by new businesses has substantially declined since the 
1990s.\12\ In addition, while the number of business startups has 
climbed back to pre-2007 to 2009 recession levels, such activity has 
declined over the long term compared to peaks in the 1980s.\13\ 
Promoting the development of these skills can prepare students for 
later in life and prepare them for employment or entrepreneurship. 
This, in turn, will foster a learning society and ultimately boost 
Americans' quality of life.
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    \12\ Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2016). Entrepreneurship and 
the U.S. Economy. Available at: www.bls.gov/bdm/entrepreneurship/entrepreneurship.htm.
    \13\ Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation (May 18, 2017). Startup 
Activity Swings Upward for Third Consecutive Year, Annual Kauffman 
Index Reports. Available at: www.kauffman.org/newsroom/2017/05/startup-activity-swings-upward-for-third-consecutive-year-annual-kauffman-index-reports.
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    Proposed Priority:
    Projects that are designed to address one or more of the following 
priority areas:
    (a) Fostering knowledge of the common rights and responsibilities 
of American citizenship and civic participation, such as through civics 
education consistent with section 203(12) of the Workforce Innovation 
and Opportunity Act of 2014.
    (b) Supporting projects likely to improve student academic 
performance and better prepare students for employment, responsible 
citizenship, and fulfilling lives, including by preparing students to 
do one or more of the following:
    (i) Develop positive personal relationships with others.
    (ii) Develop determination, perseverance, and the ability to 
overcome obstacles.
    (iii) Develop self-esteem through perseverance and earned success.
    (iv) Develop problem-solving skills.
    (v) Control impulses and work toward long-term goals.
    (c) Supporting instruction in time management, job seeking, 
personal organization, public and interpersonal communication, or other 
practical skills needed for successful career outcomes.
    (d) Supporting instruction in personal financial literacy, 
knowledge of markets and economics, knowledge of higher education 
financing and repayment (e.g., college savings and student loans), or 
other skills aimed at building personal financial understanding and 
responsibility.
    Proposed Priority 5--Meeting the Unique Needs of Students and 
Children, including those with Disabilities and/or with Unique Gifts 
and Talents
    Background:
    Our Nation's schools must assist all students in reaching their 
full potential. The Department seeks to improve students' access to 
high-quality educational opportunities that lead to successful 
transitions to college and careers. In particular, the Department is 
committed to ensuring that students with disabilities have equal access 
to a high-quality education, consistent with applicable requirements in 
Federal and State law, are held to high standards, and are prepared to 
lead productive, independent lives.
    In addition, the Department believes that students possessing 
special innate skills, talents, and abilities--especially such students 
from disadvantaged backgrounds--should be given every opportunity to 
realize their full potential for the benefit of the Nation at large. 
Developing and empowering students to become the innovators of tomorrow 
is essential for our economic competitiveness. Therefore, this priority 
also seeks to promote high-quality educational opportunities that 
nurture students' individual gifts and talents to prepare them for 
future success.
    Proposed Priority:
    Projects that are designed to address one or more of the following 
priority areas:
    (a) Ensuring students with disabilities are offered the opportunity 
to meet challenging objectives and receive an educational program that 
is both meaningful and appropriately ambitious in light of each 
student's circumstances by improving one or more of the following:
    (i) Academic outcomes.
    (ii) Functional outcomes.
    (iii) Development of skills leading to competitive integrated 
employment or independent living.
    (iv) Social or emotional development.
    (b) Ensuring coursework, books, or other materials are accessible 
to students who are children with disabilities and/or individuals with 
disabilities under Section 504.
    (c) Developing opportunities for students who are gifted and 
talented (as defined in section 8101(27) of the Elementary and 
Secondary Education Act, as amended), particularly students with high 
needs (as defined in this notice) who may not be served by traditional 
gifted and talented programs, so that they can reach their full 
potential, such as providing a greater number of gifted and talented 
students with access to challenging coursework or other materials.
    Proposed Priority 6--Promoting Science, Technology, Engineering, 
and Math (STEM) Education, With a Particular Focus on Computer Science.
    Background:
    Our Nation's economic competitiveness depends on our ability to 
improve and expand STEM learning and engagement. In a 2005 report, 
``Rising Above the Gathering Storm,'' \14\ the National Academies 
concluded that a primary factor influencing the future health of the 
American economy and our ability to create jobs is innovation resulting 
from advances in science and engineering. Yet U.S. students finished 
behind those of 29 countries in mathematics and 22 countries in science 
on the 2012 Program for International Student Assessment, which 
measures the mathematics and science literacy of 15-year-olds in the 
world's most advanced countries. To ensure that our economic 
competitiveness is not at risk because of a shortage of STEM talent,

[[Page 47488]]

we must expand the capacity of our elementary and secondary schools to 
provide all students, including girls, students of color, and others 
historically underrepresented in STEM fields, with engaging and 
meaningful opportunities, both in and outside the classroom, to develop 
knowledge and competencies in these subjects.
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    \14\ National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of 
Engineering, and Institute of Medicine. 2007. Rising Above the 
Gathering Storm: Energizing and Employing America for a Brighter 
Economic Future. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. 
https://doi.org/10.17226/11463.
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    Computer science constitutes an important area within STEM. 
Georgetown University's Center on Education and the Workforce projects 
that, by 2020, 51 percent of STEM jobs will be in computer science-
related fields.\15\ If current trends continue, 1.4 million computer 
science-related jobs will be available over the next ten years, but 
according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, only 400,000 American 
computer science graduates will emerge with the skills needed to fill 
those jobs. This lack of skilled college graduates can be attributed, 
in part, to a dearth of opportunities to engage in computer science in 
elementary and secondary school. According to the National Center for 
Women and Information Technology, less than one-quarter of students 
nationwide have access to rigorous computer science courses.\16\ In 
light of findings such as these, it is clear we must redouble our 
efforts to prepare students and produce a workforce capable of 
sustaining and growing this critical sector of the economy.
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    \15\ See https://cew.georgetown.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/stem-complete.pdf.
    \16\ See http://www.prweb.com/releases/2012/12/prweb10219767.htm.
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    Computer science skills are important not only for the technology 
sector but also for a growing number of industries that rely on 
computer skills to improve their products and services, including 
transportation, healthcare, education, and financial services. 
Moreover, computer science instruction can help foster the problem-
solving and analytical skills needed in many other disciplines and 
careers. Not surprisingly, parents increasingly recognize the 
importance of computer science: 9 out of 10 parents surveyed by Gallup 
say they want computer science taught at their child's school.\17\
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    \17\ See http://services.google.com/fh/files/misc/images-of-computer-science-report.pdf.
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    Effective use of technology in the classroom can help reduce 
inequities in learning and achievement and better prepare students for 
the careers of tomorrow.\18\ Educators can leverage new digital 
technologies to improve their teaching, but also need support to do 
so.\19\ As the Department's 2017 National Education Technology Plan 
describes, technology can serve as a powerful tool to reimagine 
learning experiences by leveraging advances enabled by technology, 
including personalized learning, which adapts instruction to students' 
individual needs.\20\ Technology used for educational purposes must be 
accessible to students who are children with disabilities and/or 
individuals with disabilities, consistent with the requirements of the 
Americans with Disabilities Act, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation 
Act of 1973. The provision of assistive technology devices and services 
is also integral to the education of children with disabilities under 
the IDEA. Technology can enable adult learners to fit courses into 
their work schedule or to learn and earn new credentials that prepare 
them to further their careers regardless of where they live.
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    \18\ See Warschauer, M., & Matuchniak, T. (2010). New technology 
and digital worlds: Analyzing evidence of equity in access, use, and 
outcomes. Review of Research in Education, 34(1), 179-225.
    \19\ Purcell, K., Heaps, A., Buchanan, J., & Friedrich, L. 
(2013). How teachers are using technology at home and in their 
classrooms. Washington, DC: Pew Research Center's Internet & 
American Life Project. Available at: www.pewinternet.org/2013/02/28/how-teachers-are-using-technology-at-home-and-in-their-classrooms/.
    \20\ U.S. Department of Education, Office of Educational 
Technology (OET) (2017). Reimagining the Role of Technology in 
Education: 2017 National Education Technology Plan Update. Available 
at: https://tech.ed.gov/files/2017/01/NETP17.pdf.
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    Proposed Priority:
    Projects designed to improve student achievement in science, 
technology, engineering, math and computer science, or other 
educational outcomes and are designed to address one or more of the 
following priority areas:
    (a) Increasing the number of educators adequately prepared to 
deliver rigorous instruction in STEM fields, including computer science 
(as defined in this notice), through recruitment, evidence-based (as 
defined in 34 CFR 77.1) professional development for current STEM 
educators, or evidence-based retraining for current educators seeking 
to transition from other subjects to STEM fields.
    (b) Supporting student mastery of key prerequisites (e.g. Algebra 
I) to ensure success in all STEM fields, but particularly computer 
science coursework (notwithstanding the definition in this notice), and 
exposing students to building block skills (such as critical thinking 
and problem solving, gained through hands-on, inquiry-based learning), 
as well as the proficient use of computer applications necessary to 
transition from a user of technologies, particularly computer 
technologies, to a developer of them.
    (c) Identifying and implementing instructional strategies in STEM 
fields, including computer science (as defined in this notice), that 
are supported by strong or moderate evidence (as defined in 34 CFR 
77.1).
    (d) Expanding access to and participation in rigorous computer 
science (as defined in this notice) coursework for traditionally 
underrepresented students such as racial or ethnic minorities, women, 
or students in communities served by rural local educational agencies 
(as defined in this notice).
    (e) Increasing access to STEM coursework, including computer 
science (as defined in this notice), and hands-on learning 
opportunities, such as through expanded course offerings, dual-
enrollment, or other innovative delivery mechanisms including high-
quality online coursework.
    (f) Creating or expanding partnerships between schools, LEAs and/or 
SEAs, local businesses, not-for-profit organizations, or institutes of 
higher education to give students access to internships, 
apprenticeships, or other work-based learning experiences in STEM 
fields, including computer science (as defined in this notice).
    (g) Other evidence-based (as defined in 34 CFR 77.1) areas that 
encourage innovative new approaches to expanding access to high-quality 
STEM education, including computer science (as defined in this notice).
    (h) Utilizing technology for educational purposes in communities 
served by rural local educational agencies (as defined in this notice) 
or other areas identified as lacking sufficient access to such tools 
and resources.
    (i) Utilizing technology to provide access to educational choice 
(as defined in this notice).
    (j) Working with schools, municipal libraries, or other partners to 
provide new and accessible methods of accessing digital learning 
resources, such as by digitizing books or expanding access to such 
resources for a greater number of students.
    (k) Supporting programs that lead to recognized postsecondary 
credentials (as defined in section 3(52) of the Workforce Innovation 
and Opportunity Act of 2014 (WIOA)) for careers in science, technology, 
engineering, and mathematics or in in-demand industry sectors or 
occupations (as defined in section 3(23)(A) of WIOA).
    (l) Making coursework, books, or other materials available as open 
educational resources or taking other steps so that such materials may 
be inexpensively and widely used.
    Proposed Priority 7--Promoting Literacy.

[[Page 47489]]

    Background:
    Literacy is a foundation for learning and is essential to students' 
ability to progress, pursue higher education, and succeed in the 
workplace. For example, the reading level of third grade students is 
highly predictive of their later success in school and enrollment in 
college.\21\ Third grade literacy rates can have tremendous social 
consequences, including on individuals' earnings as adults.\22\ 
Students' reading scores on the NAEP, unfortunately, are not increasing 
at a fast enough rate to ensure all students are ready for college and 
today's careers. Between 1992 and 2015, the percentage of fourth grade 
students who scored at or above ``proficient'' increased by only seven 
percentage points, from 29 percent to 36 percent.\23\ Black and 
Hispanic students have experienced greater improvements than white 
students on fourth grade NAEP reading tests, but only 18 percent of 
black students and 21 percent of Hispanic students score at or above 
``proficient'' compared to 46 percent of their white counterparts.\24\
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    \21\ See, e.g., Lesnick, J., Goerge, R. M., Smithgall, C. & 
Gwynne, J. (2010). Reading on Grade Level in Third Grade: How Is It 
Related to High School Performance and College Enrollment? Chapin 
Hall at the University of Chicago. Available at: www.chapinhall.org/sites/default/files/Reading_on_Grade_Level_111710.pdf.
    \22\ The Annie E. Casey Foundation. (2013). Early Warning 
Confirmed: A Research Update on Third-Grade Reading. Available at: 
www.aecf.org/resources/early-warning-confirmed/.
    \23\ The Nation's Report Card. (2015). National Achievement 
Level Results. Available at: www.nationsreportcard.gov/reading_math_2015/#reading/acl?grade=4.
    \24\ Ibid.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    One strategy to improve literacy is to integrate literacy 
instruction into content-area teaching. This may be especially 
important for adolescents who need to learn to read a variety of texts 
in math, science, and social studies courses.\25\ A lack of literacy 
skills may hinder their pursuit of additional education, career 
opportunities, and participation in society.\26\
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    \25\ Baker, S., Lesaux, N., Jayanthi, M., Dimino, J., Proctor, 
C. P., Morris, J., Gersten, R., Haymond, K., Kieffer, M. J., Linan-
Thompson, S., & Newman-Gonchar, R. (2014). Teaching academic content 
and literacy to English learners in elementary and middle school. 
Washington, DC: National Center for Education Evaluation and 
Regional Assistance, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. 
Department of Education. Available at: http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/publications_reviews.aspx. Torgesen, J.K., Houston, D.D., Rissman, 
L.M., Decker, S.M., Roberts, G., Vaughn, S., Wexler, J., Francis, 
D.J., Rivera, M., & Lesaux, N. (2007). Academic Literacy Instruction 
For Adolescents. Portsmouth, NH: RMC Research Corporation, Center on 
Instruction. Available at: http://opi.mt.gov/pub/rti/EssentialComponents/RBCurric/Reading/RTIResources/Academic%20Literacy%20Instruction%20for%20Adolescents.pdf.
    \26\ See U.S. Department of Education, Office of Career, 
Technical and Adult Education. (2016). Adult Workers with Low 
Measured Skills: A 2016 Update. Available at: https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ovae/pi/AdultEd/factsh/adultworkerslowmeasuredskills.pdf.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    While there are numerous evidence-based literacy interventions and 
strategies,\27\ professional development and effective data use (e.g., 
formative assessments to inform reading groupings and instruction) are 
key to successful implementation. For example, after participating in a 
kindergarten-third grade early literacy professional development 
initiative, teachers in Mississippi improved the quality of their 
instruction and improved student engagement in their classrooms.\28\ 
Similarly, case studies of five programs that aligned preschool through 
third grade learning highlighted the importance of instructional 
coaches to train teachers in using data to inform instruction.\29\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \27\ See the What Works Clearinghouse's literacy publications at 
https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/Publication#/FWWFilterId:3,SortBy:RevisedDate,SetNumber:1.
    \28\ Folsom, J. S., Smith, K. G., Burk, K., & Oakley, N. (2017). 
Educator outcomes associated with implementation of Mississippi's K-
3 early literacy professional development initiative (REL 2017-270). 
Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education 
Sciences, National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional 
Assistance, Regional Educational Laboratory Southeast. Available at: 
https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/projects/project.asp?projectID=466.
    \29\ U.S. Department of Education, Office of Planning, 
Evaluation and Policy Development, Policy and Program Studies 
Service, Case Studies of Schools Implementing Early Elementary 
Strategies: Preschool Through Third Grade Alignment and 
Differentiated Instruction, Washington, DC, 2016. Available at 
https://www2.ed.gov/rschstat/eval/implementing-early-strategies/report.pdf.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Families play a critical role in supporting children's literacy. 
When families and schools work together and support each other in their 
respective roles, children have a more positive attitude toward school 
and experience more school success.\30\ Specifically, research has 
found that having parents reinforce specific literacy skills is 
effective in improving children's literacy.\31\
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    \30\ Henderson, A.T. & Mapp, K.L. (2002). A new wave of 
evidence: The impact of school, family and community connections on 
student achievement. Austin: SEDL.
    \31\ Senechal, M. (2006). The Effect of Family Literacy 
Interventions On Children's Acquisition of Reading: from 
Kindergarten to Grade 3. National Institute for Literacy, 
Washington, DC. Available at http://lincs.ed.gov/publications/pdf/lit_interventions.pdf.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Proposed Priority:
    Projects that are designed to address one or more of the following 
priority areas:
    (a) Promoting literacy interventions supported by strong evidence 
(as defined in 34 CFR 77.1), including by supporting educators with the 
knowledge, skills, professional development (as defined in section 
8101(42) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, as amended), or 
materials necessary to promote such literacy interventions.
    (b) Providing families with evidence-based (as defined in 34 CFR 
77.1) strategies for promoting literacy at home. This may include 
providing families with access to books or other physical or digital 
materials or content about how to support their child's reading 
development, or providing family literacy activities (as defined in 
section 203(9) of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 
2014).
    (c) Facilitating the accurate and timely use of data by educators 
to improve reading instruction and make informed decisions about how to 
help students build literacy skills while protecting student and family 
privacy.
    (d) Integrating literacy instruction into content-area teaching 
using practices supported by strong or moderate evidence (as defined in 
34 CFR 77.1).
    (e) Supporting the development of literacy skills to meet the 
employment and independent living needs of adults using practices 
supported by strong evidence (as defined in 34 CFR 77.1).
    Proposed Priority 8--Promoting Effective Instruction in Classrooms 
and Schools.
    Background:
    Research indicates that of all the school-related factors that 
impact student academic performance, teacher quality matters most.\32\ 
Teaching is critically important, challenging, and complex work, and 
great teachers contribute enormously to the learning and the lives of 
children.\33\ At the same time, there is still much work to be done to 
ensure meaningful and ample support

[[Page 47490]]

for educators so that they can help students reach their full 
potential.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \32\ RAND Corporation. (2012). Teachers matter: Understanding 
teachers' impact on student achievement. Santa Monica, CA: Author. 
Available at: www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/corporate_pubs/2012/RAND_CP693z1-2012-09.pdf.
    \33\ RAND Corporation. (2012). Teachers matter: Understanding 
teachers' impact on student achievement. Santa Monica, CA: Author. 
Available at: www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/corporate_pubs/2012/RAND_CP693z1-2012-09.pdf.; Rowan, B., Correnti, R. & Miller, R. 
J. (2002). What Large-Scale Survey Research Tells Us About Teacher 
Effects on Student Achievement: Insights from the Prospects Study of 
Elementary Schools. Teachers College Record, 104, 1525-1567; Rivkin, 
S.G., Hanushek, E. & Kain, J.F. (2000). Teachers, Schools, and 
Academic Achievement (Working Paper W6691). National Bureau of 
Economic Research. Available at: www.cgp.upenn.edu/pdf/Hanushek_NBER.PDF.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Similarly, effective principals and other school leaders are 
crucial to strengthening teaching and school communities and improving 
student achievement. School leadership is second only to classroom 
instruction in importance among school-based variables affecting 
student achievement.\34\ Research shows that effective leaders play a 
critical role in student academic success, especially in high-need 
schools, by creating cultures of high expectations and by recruiting 
and retaining highly effective teachers.\35\ Effective leaders also 
create a vision of academic success for all children, encourage other 
educators to take on leadership roles and responsibilities, and build a 
school that is part of, and responsive to, the community that it 
serves.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \34\ Louis, K.S., Leithwood, K., Wahlstrom, K., & Anderson, S. 
(2010). Investigating the links to improved student learning: Final 
report of research findings. Available at: 
www.wallacefoundation.org/knowledge-center/Documents/Investigating-the-Links-to-Improved-Student-Learning.pdf.
    \35\ Loeb, S., et al. (2012). Effective Schools: Teacher Hiring, 
Assignment, Development, and Retention. Journal of Education Finance 
and Policy, 7, 269-304.
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    In particular, this priority seeks to develop evidence on effective 
professional development and programs that support teachers and leaders 
as they enter the profession, different leadership pathways for 
educators in and out of the classroom, increased diversity through 
strategic recruitment, innovative staffing models, and retention of top 
talent.
    Proposed Priority:
    Projects that are designed to address one or more of the following 
priority areas:
    (a) Developing new career pathways for effective educators to 
assume leadership roles with the option to maintain instructional 
responsibilities and direct interaction with students.
    (b) Supporting the recruitment or retention of educators who are 
effective and increase diversity (including, but not limited to, racial 
and ethnic diversity).
    (c) Promoting innovative strategies to increase the number of 
students who have access to effective teachers or school leaders in one 
or more of the following:
    (i) Schools generally.
    (ii) Schools that are located in communities served by rural local 
educational agencies; or
    (iii) Schools with a large proportion of low-income students.
    (d) Developing or implementing innovative staffing or compensation 
models to attract effective educators.
    (e) Recruiting promising students and qualified individuals from 
other fields to become teachers, principals, or other school leaders, 
such as mid-career professionals from other occupations, former 
military personnel, or recent graduates of institutions of higher 
education with records of academic distinction who demonstrate 
potential to become effective teachers, principals, or other school 
leaders.
    (f) Increasing the opportunities for high-quality preparation of, 
or professional development for, teachers or other educators of 
science, technology, engineering, and math subjects.
    Proposed Priority 9--Promoting Economic Opportunity.
    Background:
    Data show that in 2016, a worker with a high school diploma earned 
almost $10,000 more per year than a worker with less than a high school 
diploma.\36\ Similarly, a worker with a bachelor's degree earned about 
$24,000 more per year than a worker with only a high school 
diploma.\37\ In general, individuals with higher educational attainment 
have higher rates of employment and higher average earnings than those 
with lower levels of educational attainment.\38\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \36\ Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2017). Unemployment rates and 
earnings by education attainment, 2016. Available at: www.bls.gov/emp/ep_chart_001.htm/.
    \37\ Ibid.
    \38\ Ibid.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Research tells us that children who grow up in stable households, 
with parents reaching higher levels of education, who read to them, and 
who engage in their intellectual development, will have advantages over 
children growing up in households without these characteristics.\39\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \39\ Egalite, A. (2016). How Family Background Influences 
Student Achievement. Education Next, 16(2). Available at: http://educationnext.org/how-family-background-influences-student-achievement.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    By recognizing the non-academic factors that contribute to academic 
success, this priority would support pathways out of poverty. While the 
Department--and education leaders at the State and local levels--cannot 
solve all of these out-of-school challenges, the Department can more 
effectively use its resources to support students (and their families) 
so that they have all of the tools that they need to be successful in 
the classroom and beyond. The Department can also help to ensure that 
its efforts are working in conjunction with--and not against--other 
Federal, State, local, and--most of all--private efforts to solve the 
challenges of poverty.
    Proposed Priority:
    Projects that are designed to reduce academic or non-academic 
barriers to economic mobility and, therefore, increase educational 
opportunities for children, by addressing one or more of the following 
priority areas:
    (a) Aligning Federal, State, and/or local funding streams to 
promote economic mobility of low-income parents and children.
    (b) Building greater effective family engagement in their students' 
education.
    (c) Creating or supporting alternative paths to a regular high 
school diploma (as defined in section 8101(43) of the Elementary and 
Secondary Education Act, as amended) and/or recognized postsecondary 
credentials (as defined in section 3(52) of the Workforce Innovation 
and Opportunity Act of 2014) for students whose environments outside of 
school, disengagement with a traditional curriculum, homelessness, or 
other challenges make it more difficult for them to complete an 
educational program.
    (d) Increasing the number of children who enter kindergarten ready 
to succeed in school and in life by supporting families and communities 
to help more children obtain requisite knowledge and skills to be 
prepared developmentally.
    (e) Creating or expanding partnerships between schools, LEAs, and/
or SEAs, and community-based organizations to provide supports and 
services to students and families.
    Proposed Priority 10--Encouraging Improved School Climate and Safer 
and More Respectful Interactions in a Positive and Safe Educational 
Environment.
    Background:
    In order for students to engage in thoughtful debate and meaningful 
discussion, a critical component of learning, they must feel safe to 
honestly and openly share their thoughts and opinions on a wide range 
of issues in school. School leaders, teachers, and professors must 
ensure that schools and institutions of higher education are physically 
and disciplinarily safe for students to learn. This environment can be 
developed through promoting a positive school setting that supports 
learning, minimizes disruptions, and increases respect for differing 
experiences and perspectives.
    Open and honest dialogue is especially important in postsecondary 
settings, where students grapple with particularly complex, difficult, 
and potentially polarizing issues. Ensuring that students and educators 
of all

[[Page 47491]]

backgrounds are able to engage in respectful dialogue--without fear of 
retribution--is likely to promote greater learning and understanding 
and a stronger Nation.
    Thoughtful debate is unlikely to take root in an environment that 
tolerates bullying and other major disruptions. Elementary and 
secondary schools have made strides in fostering safer environments. 
Between 2005 and 2015, the percentage of students ages 12-18 who 
reported being bullied decreased from 28 to 21 percent.\40\ 
Additionally, victimization rates have greatly declined between 1992 
and 2015, falling from 181 per 1,000 students to 33 per 1,000 
students.\41\ Thus, schools are becoming physically and emotionally 
safer for students; however, more needs to be done to stop bullying and 
ensure that every child can learn in a safe environment.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \40\ Musu-Gillette, L., Zhang, A., Wang, K., Zhang, J., and 
Oudekerk, B.A. (2017). Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2016 
(NCES 2017-064/NCJ 250650). U.S. Department of Education, National 
Center for Education Statistics and Bureau of Justice Statistics, 
Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. Washington, 
DC. Available at: https://nces.ed.gov/pubs2017/2017064.pdf.
    \41\ Ibid.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    A significant number of teachers report that the behavior of a few 
students is disrupting the education of many: Between 1994 and 2012, 
the percentage of teachers who reported that student misbehavior 
interfered with their teaching fluctuated over the years, ranging from 
34 to 41 percent.\42\ In classrooms that experience severe disruptions, 
it is difficult for teachers to provide instruction and students may 
not feel secure and comfortable enough to learn and grow.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \42\ Ibid.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Proposed Priority:
    Projects that are designed to address one or more of the following 
priority areas:
    (a) Creating positive and safe learning environments, including by 
providing school personnel with effective strategies.
    (b) Developing positive learning environments that promote strong 
relationships among students, faculty, and staff to help enhance the 
learning environment and prevent bullying, violence, and disruptive 
actions that can diminish the opportunity to receive a high-quality 
education.
    (c) Protecting free speech in order to allow for the discussion of 
diverse ideas or viewpoints.
    Proposed Priority 11--Ensuring that Service Members, Veterans, and 
Their Families Have Access to High-Quality Educational Choices.
    Background:
    It is essential to provide our Nation's veterans and service 
members with the resources necessary to continue their education and 
seek a path to a career outside of the military. In the 2011-12 school 
year, 1.3 million military students were enrolled as undergraduate or 
graduate students, a significant 22 percent increase from the 2008-09 
school year.\43\ However, despite the many education and training 
opportunities provided in the Post-9/11 GI Bill and through other 
programs, a 2013 survey found that fewer than half of Iraq and 
Afghanistan veterans had taken advantage of the financial aid benefits 
available to them.\44\ These opportunities must be made easier to use 
and their benefits more clearly communicated.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \43\ Radford, A.W., Bentz, A., Dekker, R., & Paslov, J. (2016). 
After the Post-9/11 GI Bill: A Profile of Military Service Members 
and Veterans Enrolled in Undergraduate and Graduate Education. Stats 
in Brief. (NCES 2016-435). U.S. Department of Education, National 
Center for Education Statistics. Washington, DC. Available at: 
nces.ed.gov/pubs2016/2016435.pdf.
    \44\ After the Wars--Washington Post-Kaiser Family Foundation 
(2013) survey of Afghanistan and Iraq war veterans. Available at: 
www.washingtonpost.com/page/2010-2019/WashingtonPost/2015/10/20/National-Politics/Polling/question_13812.xml.
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    When they enroll in higher education, military- and veteran-
connected postsecondary students frequently have different needs from 
other students. Unfortunately, the quality of services provided to 
these students can vary substantially.\45\ Such students are also more 
likely to experience obstacles to the successful completion of their 
programs, such as disruptions due to transfers, unit activities, or 
deployments. Despite these barriers, many military- and veteran-
connected students have succeeded in higher education. A recent study 
of veterans who used the Post-9/11 GI Bill to pursue higher education 
found that approximately 72 percent have either earned a postsecondary 
degree or are continuing to work toward a certificate or degree.\46\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \45\ Queen, B., Lewis, L. & Ralph, J. (2014). Services and 
Support Programs for Military Service Members and Veterans at 
Postsecondary Institutions, 2012-13. U.S. Department of Education, 
Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education 
Statistics. Available at: https://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2014017.
    \46\ Cate, C.A., Lyon, J., Schmelding, J., & Bogue, B.Y. (2017). 
National Veteran Education Success Tracker: A Report on the Academic 
Success of Student Veterans Using the Post-9/11 GI Bill. Student 
Veterans of America. Available at: http://nvest.studentveterans.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/NVEST-Report_FINAL.pdf.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    In addition, it is critical to support the educational 
opportunities and achievement of military- or veteran-connected 
students in elementary and secondary education. In 2015, the Department 
of Defense reported there were almost 1.8 million military-connected 
children and slightly more than 1 million military spouses.\47\ Many 
military families experience frequent moves that require their children 
to change schools, leading to additional challenges and stresses.\48\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \47\ U.S. Department of Defense, Office of the Deputy Assistant 
Secretary of Defense for Military Community and Family Policy 
(2015). 2015 Demographics: Profile of the Military Community. 
Available at: http://download.militaryonesource.mil/12038/MOS/Reports/2015-Demographics-Report.pdf.
    \48\ Clever, Molly M., and Segal, D.R. (2013). The Demographics 
of Military Children and Families. The Future of Children 23(2), 13-
39.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Proposed Priority:
    Projects that are designed to address the academic needs of 
military- or veteran-connected students (as defined in this notice).
    Types of Priorities:
    When inviting applications for a competition using one or more 
priorities, we designate the type of each priority as absolute, 
competitive preference, or invitational through a notice in the Federal 
Register. The effect of each type of priority follows:
    Absolute priority: Under an absolute priority, we consider only 
applications that meet the priority (34 CFR 75.105(c)(3)).
    Competitive preference priority: Under a competitive preference 
priority, we give competitive preference to an application by (1) 
awarding additional points, depending on the extent to which the 
application meets the priority (34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i)); or (2) 
selecting an application that meets the priority over an application of 
comparable merit that does not meet the priority (34 CFR 
75.105(c)(2)(ii)).
    Invitational priority: Under an invitational priority, we are 
particularly interested in applications that meet the priority. 
However, we do not give an application that meets the priority a 
preference over other applications (34 CFR 75.105(c)(1)).
    Proposed Definitions:
    The Secretary proposes the following definitions for use in any 
Department discretionary grant program.
    Children or students with high needs means children or students at 
risk of educational failure or otherwise in need of special assistance 
or support, such as children and students who are living in poverty, 
who are English learners, who are academically far below grade level, 
who have left school before receiving a regular high school diploma, 
who are at risk of not graduating with a regular

[[Page 47492]]

high school diploma on time, who are homeless, who are in foster care, 
who have been incarcerated, or are children or students with 
disabilities.
    Computer science means the study of computers and algorithmic 
processes and includes the study of computing principles and theories, 
computational thinking, computer hardware, software design, coding, 
analytics, and computer applications.
    Computer science often includes computer programming or coding as a 
tool to create software including applications, games, Web sites, and 
tools to manage or manipulate data; development and management of 
computer hardware and the other electronics related to sharing, 
securing, and using digital information.
    In addition to coding, the expanding field of computer science 
emphasizes computational thinking and interdisciplinary problem-solving 
to equip students with the skills and abilities necessary to apply 
computation in our digital world.
    Computer science does not include using a computer for everyday 
activities, such as browsing the internet; use of tools like word 
processing, spreadsheets or presentation software; or using computers 
in the study and exploration of unrelated subjects.
    Educational choice means the opportunity for a student (or a family 
member on their behalf) to create a personalized path for learning that 
is consistent with applicable Federal, State, and local laws, is in an 
educational setting that best meets the student's needs, and, where 
possible, incorporates evidence-based activities, strategies, and 
interventions.\49\ Opportunities made available to a student through a 
grant program are those that supplement what is provided by a student's 
geographically assigned school or the institution in which he or she is 
currently enrolled and may include one or more of the options listed 
below:
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    \49\ U.S. Department of Education, Office of Elementary and 
Secondary Education (2016). Non-Regulatory Guidance: Using Evidence 
to Strengthen Education Investments. Available at: https://www2.ed.gov/policy/elsec/leg/essa/guidanceuseseinvestment.pdf.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    (1) Public educational programs or courses including those offered 
by traditional public schools, public charter schools, public magnet 
schools, public online education providers, or other public education 
providers.
    (2) Private or home-based educational programs or courses including 
those offered by private schools, private online providers, private 
tutoring providers, community or faith-based organizations, or other 
private education providers.
    (3) Internships, apprenticeships, or other programs offering access 
to learning in the workplace.
    (4) Part-time coursework or career preparation offered by a public 
or private provider in person or through the internet or another form 
of distance learning, that serves as a supplement to full-time 
enrollment at an educational institution, as a stand-alone program 
leading to a credential, or as a supplement to education received in a 
homeschool setting.
    (5) Dual or concurrent enrollment programs or early college high 
schools (as defined in section 8101(15) and (17) of the Elementary and 
Secondary Education Act, as amended), or other programs that enable 
secondary school students to begin earning credit toward a 
postsecondary degree or credential prior to high school graduation.
    (6) Access to services or programs for aspiring or current 
postsecondary students not offered by the institution in which they are 
currently enrolled to support retention and graduation.
    (7) Other educational services including credit-recovery, 
accelerated learning, and tutoring. High-poverty school means a school 
in which at least 50 percent of students are from low-income families 
as determined using one of the measures of poverty specified under 
section 1113(a)(5) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, as 
amended. For middle and high schools, eligibility may be calculated on 
the basis of comparable data from feeder schools. Eligibility as a 
high-poverty school under this definition is determined on the basis of 
the most currently available data.
    Military- or veteran-connected student means one or more of the 
following:
    (a) A child participating in an early learning and development 
program, a student enrolled in preschool through grade 12, or a student 
enrolled in postsecondary education or career and technical education, 
who has a parent or guardian who is a member of the uniformed services 
(as defined by 37 U.S.C. 101, in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine 
Corps, Coast Guard, National Guard, National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration, or Public Health Service) or is a veteran of the 
uniformed services with an honorable discharge (as defined by 38 U.S.C. 
3311).
    (b) A student who is a member of the uniformed services, a veteran 
of the uniformed services, or the spouse of a service member or 
veteran.
    (c) A child participating in an early learning and development 
program or a student enrolled in preschool through grade 12 or in a 
postsecondary education program who has a parent or guardian who is a 
veteran of the uniformed services (as defined by 37 U.S.C. 101).
    Rural local educational agency means a local educational agency 
that is eligible under the Small Rural School Achievement (SRSA) 
program or the Rural and Low-Income School (RLIS) program authorized 
under Title V, Part B of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, as 
amended. Eligible applicants may determine whether a particular 
district is eligible for these programs by referring to information on 
the Department's Web site at www2.ed.gov/nclb/freedom/local/reap.html.
    Final Priorities and Definitions:
    We will announce the final priorities and definitions in a notice 
in the Federal Register. We will determine the final priorities and 
definitions after considering responses to this notice and other 
information available to the Department. This notice does not preclude 
us from proposing additional priorities, requirements, definitions, or 
selection criteria, subject to meeting applicable rulemaking 
requirements.

    Note:  This notice does not solicit applications. In any year in 
which we choose to use one or more of these priorities or 
definitions, we invite applications through a notice in the Federal 
Register.

Executive Orders 12866, 13563, and 13771

Regulatory Impact Analysis

    Under Executive Order 12866, the Secretary must determine whether 
this regulatory action is ``significant'' and, therefore, subject to 
the requirements of the Executive order and subject to review by the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Section 3(f) of Executive Order 
12866 defines a ``significant regulatory action'' as an action likely 
to result in a rule that may--
    (1) Have an annual effect on the economy of $100 million or more, 
or adversely affect a sector of the economy, productivity, competition, 
jobs, the environment, public health or safety, or State, local, or 
tribal governments or communities in a material way (also referred to 
as an ``economically significant'' rule);
    (2) Create serious inconsistency or otherwise interfere with an 
action taken or planned by another agency;
    (3) Materially alter the budgetary impacts of entitlement grants, 
user fees, or loan programs or the rights and obligations of recipients 
thereof; or

[[Page 47493]]

    (4) Raise novel legal or policy issues arising out of legal 
mandates, the President's priorities, or the principles stated in the 
Executive order.
    This proposed regulatory action is a significant regulatory action 
subject to review by OMB under section 3(f) of Executive Order 12866.
    Under Executive Order 13771, for each new regulation that the 
Department proposes for notice and comment or otherwise promulgates 
that is a significant regulatory action under Executive Order 12866, it 
must identify two deregulatory actions. Beginning with Fiscal Year 
2017, any new incremental costs associated with a new regulation must 
be fully offset by the elimination of existing costs through 
deregulatory actions. Although this regulatory action is a significant 
regulatory action, the requirements of Executive Order 13771 do not 
apply because this regulatory action is a ``transfer rule'' not covered 
by the Executive order.
    We have also reviewed this proposed regulatory action under 
Executive Order 13563, which supplements and explicitly reaffirms the 
principles, structures, and definitions governing regulatory review 
established in Executive Order 12866. To the extent permitted by law, 
Executive Order 13563 requires that an agency--
    (1) Propose or adopt regulations only upon a reasoned determination 
that their benefits justify their costs (recognizing that some benefits 
and costs are difficult to quantify);
    (2) Tailor its regulations to impose the least burden on society, 
consistent with obtaining regulatory objectives and taking into 
account--among other things and to the extent practicable--the costs of 
cumulative regulations;
    (3) In choosing among alternative regulatory approaches, select 
those approaches that maximize net benefits (including potential 
economic, environmental, public health and safety, and other 
advantages; distributive impacts; and equity);
    (4) To the extent feasible, specify performance objectives, rather 
than the behavior or manner of compliance a regulated entity must 
adopt; and
    (5) Identify and assess available alternatives to direct 
regulation, including economic incentives--such as user fees or 
marketable permits--to encourage the desired behavior, or provide 
information that enables the public to make choices.
    Executive Order 13563 also requires an agency ``to use the best 
available techniques to quantify anticipated present and future 
benefits and costs as accurately as possible.'' The Office of 
Information and Regulatory Affairs of OMB has emphasized that these 
techniques may include ``identifying changing future compliance costs 
that might result from technological innovation or anticipated 
behavioral changes.''
    We are issuing these proposed priorities and definitions only on a 
reasoned determination that their benefits will justify their costs. In 
choosing among alternative regulatory approaches, we selected the 
approach that will maximize net benefits. Based on the analysis that 
follows, the Department believes that this regulatory action is 
consistent with the principles in Executive Order 13563.
    We also have determined that this regulatory action will not unduly 
interfere with State, local, and tribal governments in the exercise of 
their governmental functions.
    In accordance with these Executive orders, the Department has 
assessed the potential costs and benefits, both quantitative and 
qualitative, of this regulatory action. The potential costs associated 
with this regulatory action are those resulting from regulatory 
requirements and those we have determined are necessary for 
administering the Department's programs and activities.
    Discussion of Costs and Benefits:
    The proposed priorities and definitions would impose minimal costs 
on entities that would receive assistance through the Department's 
discretionary grant programs. Additionally, the benefits of 
implementing the proposal contained in this notice outweigh any 
associated costs because it would result in the Department's 
discretionary grant programs encouraging the submission of a greater 
number of high-quality applications and supporting activities that 
reflect the Administration's educational priorities.
    Application submission and participation in a discretionary grant 
program are voluntary. The Secretary believes that the costs imposed on 
applicants by the proposed priorities would be limited to paperwork 
burden related to preparing an application for a discretionary grant 
program that is using a priority in its competition. Because the costs 
of carrying out activities would be paid for with program funds, the 
costs of implementation would not be a burden for any eligible 
applicants, including small entities.
    Regulatory Flexibility Act Certification: For these reasons as 
well, the Secretary certifies that these proposed priorities and 
definitions would not have a significant economic impact on a 
substantial number of small entities.
    Intergovernmental Review: Some of the programs affected by these 
proposed priorities and definitions are subject to Executive Order 
12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79. One of the objectives of 
the Executive order is to foster an intergovernmental partnership and a 
strengthened federalism. The Executive order relies on processes 
developed by State and local governments for coordination and review of 
proposed Federal financial assistance.
    This document provides early notification of our specific plans and 
actions for these programs.
    Accessible Format: Individuals with disabilities can obtain this 
document 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.
    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.

Betsy DeVos,
 Secretary of Education.
[FR Doc. 2017-22127 Filed 10-11-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4000-01-P