[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 84 (Tuesday, May 1, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19055-19060]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-09215]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Applications for New Awards; Assistance for Arts Education--
Assistance for Arts Education Development and Dissemination

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

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Education (Department) is issuing a notice 
inviting applications for fiscal year (FY) 2018 for the Assistance for 
Arts Education (AAE)--Assistance for Arts Education Development and 
Dissemination (AAEDD) Program, Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance 
(CFDA) number 84.351D.

DATES: 
    Applications Available: May 1, 2018.
    Date of Informational Webinar: For information about the pre-
application webinar, visit the AAE website at: https://innovation.ed.gov/what-we-do/arts/arts-in-education-model-development-and-dissemination-grants-program/.
    Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply: May 16, 2018.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: July 2, 2018.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: August 29, 2018.

ADDRESSES: For the addresses for obtaining and submitting an 
application, please refer to our Common Instructions for Applicants to 
Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs, published in the 
Federal Register on February 12, 2018 (83 FR 6003) and available at 
www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2018-02-12/pdf/2018-02558.pdf.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bonnie Carter, U.S. Department of 
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Room 4W223, Washington, DC 20202-
5960. Telephone: (202) 401-3579. Email: [email protected].
    If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) or a text 
telephone (TTY), call the Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll free, at 1-
800-877-8339.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Purpose of Program: The AAEDD program, which is part of the AAE 
program, is authorized under title IV, part F, subpart 4 of the 
Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), as amended by the Every 
Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).\1\ In general, the purpose of the AAE 
program is to promote arts education for students, including 
disadvantaged students and students who are children with disabilities. 
The AAEDD program specifically supports the development and 
dissemination of accessible instructional materials and arts-based 
educational programming, including online resources, in multiple arts 
disciplines that effectively (1) increase access to standards-based 
arts education; (2) integrate standards-based arts education into other 
subjects; and (3) improve students' academic performance, including 
their knowledge and skills in creating, performing, and responding to 
the arts.
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    \1\ Unless otherwise indicated, all references to the ESEA are 
to the ESEA, as amended by the ESSA.
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    Background: The arts are included in the list of subjects in the 
statutory definition of a ``well-rounded education,'' the purpose of 
which is ``providing all students access to an enriched curriculum and 
educational experience'' (ESEA section 8101(52)). The AAEDD program 
builds on its predecessor, the Arts in Education Model Development and 
Dissemination (AEMDD) program, to include a focus on the development 
and dissemination of arts-based educational programming, including 
online resources, in all arts disciplines, such as music, dance, 
theater, and visual arts, including folk arts.
    Certain activities that were supported under the AEMDD program may 
also be supported under the new AAEDD program, including but not 
limited to professional development for teachers and administrators, 
arts-based programming such as classroom support through the use of 
teaching artists, art specialists, and art therapists, and the 
development and dissemination of curricula, lesson plans, and software 
programs, such as mobile apps.
    Priority: This notice includes one absolute priority. We are 
establishing this priority for the FY 2018 grant competition and any 
subsequent year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded 
applications from this

[[Page 19056]]

competition, in accordance with section 437(d)(1) of the General 
Education Provisions Act (GEPA), 20 U.S.C. 1232(d)(1).
    Absolute Priority: This priority is an absolute priority. Under 34 
CFR 75.105(c)(3) we consider only applications that meet this priority.
    This priority is:
    Projects that develop, disseminate, and integrate high-quality, 
effective arts-based instructional materials and educational 
programming, including online resources, in multiple arts disciplines 
that (1) increase access to standards-based arts education; (2) 
integrate standards-based arts education into other subjects as part of 
a well-rounded education; and (3) improve students' academic 
performance, including their knowledge and skills in creating, 
performing, and responding to the arts.
    Application Requirement: Applicants are required to provide, in the 
application, data from the most recent U.S. Census as evidence that the 
local educational agencies (LEAs) meet the statutory requirement that 
20 percent or more of the students served by the LEA (or for each LEA 
within a consortium of LEAs) are from families with an income below the 
Federal poverty line.
    Definitions: We are establishing the definitions of ``arts'' and 
``integrate'' for the FY 2018 grant competition and any subsequent year 
in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applications from 
this competition, in accordance with section 437(d)(1) GEPA. The 
definitions of ``child with a disability,'' ``local educational 
agency,'' and ``State educational agency'' are from section 8101 of the 
ESEA (20 U.S.C. 7801). The definitions of ``demonstrates a rationale,'' 
``experimental study,'' ``logic model,'' ``project component,'' 
``promising evidence,'' ``quasi-experimental design study,'' ``relevant 
outcome,'' and ``What Works Clearinghouse Handbook (WWC Handbook)'' are 
from 34 CFR 77.1(c).
    Arts includes music, dance, theater, media arts, and visual arts, 
including folk arts.
    Child with a disability means--
    (a) A child (i) with intellectual disabilities, hearing impairments 
(including deafness), speech or language impairments, visual 
impairments (including blindness), serious emotional disturbance 
(referred to as ``emotional disturbance''), orthopedic impairments, 
autism, traumatic brain injury, other health impairments, or specific 
learning disabilities; and (ii) who, by reason thereof, needs special 
education and related services.
    (b) For a child aged 3 through 9 (or any subset of that age range, 
including ages 3 through 5), this term may, at the discretion of the 
State and the LEA, include a child (i) experiencing developmental 
delays, as defined by the State and as measured by appropriate 
diagnostic instruments and procedures, in one or more of the following 
areas: Physical development; cognitive development; communication 
development; social or emotional development; or adaptive development; 
and (ii) who, by reason thereof, needs special education and related 
services.
    Demonstrates a rationale means a key project component (as defined 
in this notice) included in the project's logic model (as defined in 
this notice) is informed by research or evaluation findings that 
suggest the project component is likely to improve relevant outcomes 
(as defined in this notice).
    Experimental study means a study that is designed to compare 
outcomes between two groups of individuals (such as students) that are 
otherwise equivalent except for their assignment to either a treatment 
group receiving a project component or a control group that does not. 
Randomized controlled trials, regression discontinuity design studies, 
and single-case design studies are the specific types of experimental 
studies that, depending on their design and implementation (e.g., 
sample attrition in randomized controlled trials and regression 
discontinuity design studies), can meet What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) 
standards without reservations as described in the WWC Handbook (as 
defined in this notice):
    (i) A randomized controlled trial employs random assignment of, for 
example, students, teachers, classrooms, or schools to receive the 
project component being evaluated (the treatment group) or not to 
receive the project component (the control group).
    (ii) A regression discontinuity design study assigns the project 
component being evaluated using a measured variable (e.g., assigning 
students reading below a cutoff score to tutoring or developmental 
education classes) and controls for that variable in the analysis of 
outcomes.
    (iii) A single-case design study uses observations of a single case 
(e.g., a student eligible for a behavioral intervention) over time in 
the absence and presence of a controlled treatment manipulation to 
determine whether the outcome is systematically related to the 
treatment.
    Integrate means to strengthen (1) the use of high-quality arts 
instruction in other academic/content areas; and (2) the place of the 
arts as a part of a well-rounded education.
    Local educational agency (LEA) means:
    (a) In General. A public board of education or other public 
authority legally constituted within a State for either administrative 
control or direction of, or to perform a service function for, public 
elementary schools or secondary schools in a city, county, township, 
school district, or other political subdivision of a State, or of or 
for a combination of school districts or counties that is recognized in 
a State as an administrative agency for its public elementary schools 
or secondary schools.
    (b) Administrative Control and Direction. The term includes any 
other public institution or agency having administrative control and 
direction of a public elementary school or secondary school.
    (c) Bureau of Indian Education Schools. The term includes an 
elementary school or secondary school funded by the Bureau of Indian 
Education but only to the extent that including the school makes the 
school eligible for programs for which specific eligibility is not 
provided to the school in another provision of law and the school does 
not have a student population that is smaller than the student 
population of the local educational agency receiving assistance under 
the ESEA with the smallest student population, except that the school 
shall not be subject to the jurisdiction of any State educational 
agency (as defined in this notice) other than the Bureau of Indian 
Education.
    (d) Educational Service Agencies. The term includes educational 
service agencies and consortia of those agencies.
    (e) State Educational Agency. The term includes the State 
Educational Agency in a State in which the State Educational Agency is 
the sole educational agency for all public schools.
    Logic model (also referred to as a theory of action) means a 
framework that identifies key project components of the proposed 
project (i.e., the active ``ingredients'' that are hypothesized to be 
critical to achieving the relevant outcomes) and describes the 
theoretical and operational relationships among the key project 
components and relevant outcomes.
    Project component means an activity, strategy, intervention, 
process, product, practice, or policy included in a project. Evidence 
may pertain to an individual project component or to a combination of 
project components (e.g., training

[[Page 19057]]

teachers on instructional practices for English learners and follow-on 
coaching for these teachers).
    Promising evidence means that there is evidence of the 
effectiveness of a key project component in improving a relevant 
outcome, based on a relevant finding from one of the following:
    (i) A practice guide prepared by WWC reporting a ``strong evidence 
base'' or ``moderate evidence base'' for the corresponding practice 
guide recommendation;
    (ii) An intervention report prepared by the WWC reporting a 
``positive effect'' or ``potentially positive effect'' on a relevant 
outcome with no reporting of a ``negative effect'' or ``potentially 
negative effect'' on a relevant outcome; or
    (iii) A single study assessed by the Department, as appropriate, 
that--
    (A) Is an experimental study (as defined in this notice), a quasi-
experimental design study (as defined in this notice), or a well-
designed and well-implemented correlational study with statistical 
controls for selection bias (e.g., a study using regression methods to 
account for differences between a treatment group and a comparison 
group); and
    (B) Includes at least one statistically significant and positive 
(i.e., favorable) effect on a relevant outcome.
    Quasi-experimental design study means a study using a design that 
attempts to approximate an experimental study by identifying a 
comparison group that is similar to the treatment group in important 
respects. This type of study, depending on design and implementation 
(e.g., establishment of baseline equivalence of the groups being 
compared), can meet WWC standards with reservations, but cannot meet 
WWC standards without reservations, as described in the WWC Handbook.
    Relevant outcome means the student outcome(s) or other outcome(s) 
the key project component is designed to improve, consistent with the 
specific goals of the program.
    State educational agency (SEA) means the agency primarily 
responsible for the State supervision of public elementary schools and 
secondary schools.
    What Works Clearinghouse Handbook (WWC Handbook) means the 
standards and procedures set forth in the WWC Procedures and Standards 
Handbook, Version 3.0 or Version 2.1 (incorporated by reference, see 34 
CFR 77.2). Study findings eligible for review under WWC standards can 
meet WWC standards without reservations, meet WWC standards with 
reservations, or not meet WWC standards. WWC practice guides and 
intervention reports include findings from systematic reviews of 
evidence as described in the Handbook documentation.
    Waiver of Proposed Rulemaking: Under the Administrative Procedure 
Act (5 U.S.C. 553) the Department generally offers interested parties 
the opportunity to comment on proposed priorities, application 
requirements, and definitions. Section 437(d)(1) of GEPA, however, 
allows the Secretary to exempt from rulemaking requirements regulations 
governing the first grant competition under a new or substantially 
revised program authority. This is the first grant competition for this 
program under section 4642 of the ESSA (20 U.S.C. 7292) and therefore 
qualifies for this exemption. In order to ensure timely grant awards, 
the Secretary has decided to forgo public comment on the priority, 
application requirements, and definitions, under section 437(d)(1) of 
GEPA. This priority and these application requirements and definitions 
will apply to the FY 2018 grant competition and any subsequent year in 
which we make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this 
competition.
    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 7291-7292.
    Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations in 34 CFR parts 75, 77, 79, 81, 82, 84, 86, 
97, 98, and 99. (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 as regulations of the Department in 2 CFR 
part 3474.

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

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
    Estimated Available Funds: $14,000,000.
    Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of 
applications, we may make additional awards in subsequent years from 
the list of unfunded applications from this competition.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $525,000-$625,000 per project year.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $575,000 per project year.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 20-25.

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

    Project Period: Up to 48 months, depending on the availability of 
funds.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: (1) An LEA or consortium of LEAs in which 
20 percent or more of the students served by the LEA or LEAs within the 
consortium are from families with an income below the Federal poverty 
line \2\ (including a public charter school that meets the definition 
of LEA in section 8101(30) of the ESEA) (eligible LEA), and that may 
work in partnership with one or more of the following:
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    \2\ An LEA must show that at least 20 percent of students served 
by the LEA are from families with an income below the poverty line, 
based on the most recent LEA poverty estimates provided by the U.S. 
Census Bureau. The Census LEA poverty estimates are available at: 
www.census.gov/did/www/saipe/data/index.html.
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    (a) An SEA;
    (b) An institution of higher education;
    (c) The Bureau of Indian Education; or
    (d) A museum or cultural institution, or another private agency, 
institution, organization.
    (2) An SEA; an institution of higher education; a museum or 
cultural institution; Bureau of Indian Education; or private agency, 
institution, or organization, that must partner with an eligible LEA, 
and that may partner with another eligible entity.
    2. a. Cost Sharing or Matching: This program does not require cost 
sharing or matching.
    b. Supplement-Not-Supplant: This program involves supplement-not-
supplant funding requirements. In accordance with section 4624(b) of 
the ESEA, funds made available under this subpart must be used to 
supplement, and not supplant, non-Federal funds that would otherwise be 
used for activities authorized under this subpart.
    3. Coordination Requirement: In accordance with section 4642(b) of 
the ESEA, grantees are required to coordinate, to the extent 
practicable, each project or program carried out with such assistance 
with appropriate activities of public or private cultural agencies, 
institutions, and organizations, including museums, arts education 
associations, libraries, and theaters, and to use such assistance only 
to supplement, and not to supplant, any other assistance or funds made 
available from non-Federal sources for the activities assisted under 
this program.

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IV. Application and Submission Information

    1. Application Submission Instructions: For information on how to 
submit an application please refer to our Common Instructions for 
Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs, 
published in the Federal Register on February 12, 2018 (83 FR 6003) and 
available at www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2018-02-12/pdf/2018-02558.pdf.
    2. Submission of Proprietary Information: Given the types of 
projects that may be proposed in applications for the AAEDD program, 
your application may include business information that you consider 
proprietary. In 34 CFR 5.11 we define ``business information'' and 
describe the process we use in determining whether any of that 
information is proprietary and, thus, protected from disclosure under 
Exemption 4 of the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552, as 
amended).
    Because we plan to make successful applications available to the 
public, you may wish to request confidentiality of business 
information.
    Consistent with Executive Order 12600, please designate in your 
application any information that you believe is exempt from disclosure 
under Exemption 4. In the appropriate Appendix section of your 
application, under ``Other Attachments Form,'' please list the page 
number or numbers on which we can find this information. For additional 
information please see 34 CFR 5.11(c).
    3. Intergovernmental Review: This competition is subject to 
Executive Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79. 
Information about Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs under 
Executive Order 12372 is in the application package for this 
competition.
    4. Funding Restrictions: We reference regulations outlining funding 
restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.
    5. Recommended Page Limit: The application narrative is where you, 
the applicant, address the selection criteria that reviewers use to 
evaluate your application. We recommend that you (1) limit the 
application narrative to 50 pages and (2) use the following standards:
     A ``page'' is 8.5'' x 11'', on one side only, with 1'' 
margins at the top, bottom, and both sides.
     Double space (no more than three lines per vertical inch) 
all text in the application narrative, including titles, headings, 
footnotes, quotations, references, and captions, as well as all text in 
charts, tables, figures, and graphs.
     Use a font that is either 12 point or larger or no smaller 
than 10 pitch (characters per inch).
     Use one of the following fonts: Times New Roman, Courier, 
Courier New, or Arial.

V. Application Review Information

    1. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this competition 
are from 34 CFR 75.210. An applicant may earn up to a total of 100 
points based on the selection criteria. The maximum score for each 
criterion is indicated in parentheses. The criteria are as follows:
    A. Significance (25 points). The Secretary considers the 
significance of the proposed project. In determining the significance 
of the proposed project, the Secretary considers the following factors:
    (1) The significance of the problem or issue to be addressed by the 
proposed project.
    (2) The extent to which the results of the proposed project are to 
be disseminated in ways that will enable others to use the information 
or strategies.
    (3) The importance or magnitude of the results or outcomes likely 
to be attained by the proposed project, especially improvements in 
teaching and student achievement.
    B. Quality of the Project Design (25 points). The Secretary 
considers the quality of the design of the proposed project. In 
determining the quality of the design of the proposed project, the 
Secretary considers the following factors:
    (1) The extent to which the proposed project is part of a 
comprehensive effort to improve teaching and learning and support 
rigorous academic standards for students.
    (2) The extent to which the proposed project demonstrates a 
rationale (as defined in 34 CFR 77.1(c)).
    (3) The extent to which the design for implementing and evaluating 
the proposed project will result in information to guide possible 
replication of project activities or strategies, including information 
about the effectiveness of the approach or strategies employed by the 
project.
    (4) The extent to which the proposed project is designed to build 
capacity and yield results that will extend beyond the period of 
Federal financial assistance.
    C. Quality of Project Personnel (10 points). The Secretary 
considers the quality of the personnel who will carry out the proposed 
project. In determining the quality of project personnel, the Secretary 
considers the extent to which the applicant encourages applications for 
employment from persons who are members of groups that have 
traditionally been underrepresented based on race, color, national 
origin, gender, age, or disability. In addition, the Secretary 
considers the following factors:
    (1) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience, 
of key project personnel.
    (2) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience, 
of project consultants or subcontractors.
    D. Quality of the Management Plan (20 points). The Secretary 
considers the quality of the management plan for the proposed project. 
In determining the quality of the management plan for the proposed 
project, the Secretary considers the following factors:
    (1) The adequacy of the management plan to achieve the objectives 
of the proposed project on time and within budget, including clearly 
defined responsibilities, timelines, and milestones for accomplishing 
project tasks.
    (2) The adequacy of mechanisms for ensuring high-quality products 
and services from the proposed project.
    (3) The extent to which the time commitments of the project 
director and principal investigator and other key project personnel are 
appropriate and adequate to meet the objectives of the proposed 
project.
    E. Quality of the Project Evaluation (20 points). The Secretary 
considers the quality of the evaluation to be conducted of the proposed 
project. In determining the quality of the evaluation, the Secretary 
considers the following factors:
    (1) The extent to which the methods of evaluation include the use 
of objective performance measures that are clearly related to the 
intended outcomes of the project and will produce quantitative and 
qualitative data to the extent possible.
    (2) The extent to which the methods of evaluation will provide 
performance feedback and permit periodic assessment of progress toward 
achieving intended outcomes.
    (3) The extent to which the methods of evaluation will, if well 
implemented, produce promising evidence (as defined in 34 CFR 77.1(c)) 
about the project's effectiveness.
    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

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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 
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 
(34 CFR 100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).
    3. Risk Assessment and Specific Conditions: Consistent with 2 CFR 
200.205, before awarding grants under this competition the Department 
conducts a review of the risks posed by applicants. Under 2 CFR 
3474.10, the Secretary may impose specific conditions and, in 
appropriate circumstances, high-risk conditions on a grant if the 
applicant or grantee is not financially stable; has a history of 
unsatisfactory performance; has a financial or other management system 
that does not meet the standards in 2 CFR part 200, subpart D; has not 
fulfilled the conditions of a prior grant; or is otherwise not 
responsible.
    4. Integrity and Performance System: If you are selected under this 
competition to receive an award that over the course of the project 
period may exceed the simplified acquisition threshold (currently 
$150,000), under 2 CFR 200.205(a)(2), we must make a judgment about 
your integrity, business ethics, and record of performance under 
Federal awards--that is, the risk posed by you as an applicant--before 
we make an award. In doing so, we must consider any information about 
you that is in the integrity and performance system (currently referred 
to as the Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System 
(FAPIIS)), accessible through the System for Award Management. You may 
review and comment on any information about yourself that a Federal 
agency previously entered and that is currently in FAPIIS.
    Please note that, if the total value of your currently active 
grants, cooperative agreements, and procurement contracts from the 
Federal Government exceeds $10,000,000, the reporting requirements in 2 
CFR part 200, Appendix XII, require you to report certain integrity 
information to FAPIIS semiannually. Please review the requirements in 2 
CFR part 200, Appendix XII, if this grant plus all the other Federal 
funds you receive exceed $10,000,000.

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. Open Licensing Requirements: Unless an exception applies, if you 
are awarded a grant under this competition, you will be required to 
openly license to the public grant deliverables created in whole, or in 
part, with Department grant funds. When the deliverable consists of 
modifications to pre-existing works, the license extends only to those 
modifications that can be separately identified and only to the extent 
that open licensing is permitted under the terms of any licenses or 
other legal restrictions on the use of pre-existing works. 
Additionally, a grantee or subgrantee that is awarded competitive grant 
funds must have a plan to disseminate these public grant deliverables. 
This dissemination plan can be developed and submitted after your 
application has been reviewed and selected for funding. For additional 
information on the open licensing requirements please refer to 2 CFR 
3474.20.
    4. Reporting: (a) If you apply for a grant under this competition, 
you must ensure that you have in place the necessary processes and 
systems to comply with the reporting requirements in 2 CFR part 170 
should you receive funding under the competition. This does not apply 
if you have an exception under 2 CFR 170.110(b).
    (b) At the end of your project period, you must submit a final 
performance report, including financial information, as directed by the 
Secretary. If you receive a multiyear 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.
    (c) Under 34 CFR 75.250(b), the Secretary may provide a grantee 
with additional funding for data collection analysis and reporting. In 
this case the Secretary establishes a data collection period.
    5. Performance Measures: We have established the following 
performance measures for the AAEDD program: (1) The percentage of 
students participating in arts model projects funded through the AAEDD 
program who demonstrate proficiency in mathematics compared to those in 
control or comparison groups; (2) the percentage of students 
participating in arts model projects who demonstrate proficiency in 
reading compared to those in control or comparison groups; and (3) the 
number of accessible, arts-based instructional materials that are 
developed. Grantees will report annually on each measure.
    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 achieving the goals and objectives of 
the project; whether the grantee has expended funds in a manner that is 
consistent with its approved application and budget; and, if the 
Secretary has established performance measurement requirements, the 
performance targets in the grantee's approved application.
    In making a continuation 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. Other Information

    Accessible Format: Individuals with disabilities can obtain this 
document and a copy of the application package in an accessible format 
(e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, or compact disc) on request to 
the program contact person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION 
CONTACT.
    Electronic Access to This Document: The official version of this 
document is the document published in the Federal Register. You may 
access the official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of 
Federal Regulations via the

[[Page 19060]]

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 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.

Margo Anderson,
Acting Assistant Deputy Secretary for Innovation and Improvement.
[FR Doc. 2018-09215 Filed 4-30-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P