[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 58 (Wednesday, March 25, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16931-16934]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-06255]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Applications for New Awards; Statistical and Research Methodology 
in Education and Using Longitudinal Data To Support State Education 
Policymaking Grant Programs

AGENCY: Institute of Education Sciences, Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Education (Department) is issuing a notice 
inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY) 2021 for the 
Statistical and Research Methodology in Education and the Using 
Longitudinal Data to Support State Education Policymaking Grant 
Programs, Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) numbers 84.305D 
and 84.305S. This notice relates to the approved information collection 
under OMB control number 4040-0001.

DATES: 
    Applications Available: May 7, 2020.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: July 30, 2020.

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 13, 2019 (84 FR 3768) and available at 
www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2019-02-13/pdf/2019-02206.pdf.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For the Statistical and Research 
Methodology in Education competition (84.305D): Phill Gagne, U.S. 
Department of Education, 550 12th Street SW, Room 4122, Potomac Center 
Plaza, Washington, DC 20202. Telephone: (202) 245-7139. Email: 
[email protected]. For the Using Longitudinal Data to Support State 
Education Policymaking competition (84.305S): Allen Ruby, U.S. 
Department of Education, 500 12th Street SW, Room 4148, Potomac Center 
Plaza, Washington, DC 20202. Telephone: (202) 245-8145. 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: Through the National Center for Education 
Research (NCER), the Institute of Education Sciences (Institute) 
provides support for

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programs of research in areas of demonstrated national need. The 
Institute's research grant programs are designed to provide interested 
individuals and the general public with reliable and valid information 
about education practices that support learning and improve academic 
achievement and access to education opportunities for all learners. 
Through the Statistical and Research Methodology in Education grant 
program, NCER intends to support the development of a wide range of 
methodological and statistical tools to better enable applied education 
scientists to conduct rigorous education research. Through the Using 
Longitudinal Data to Support State Education Policymaking grant 
program, NCER intends to expand the research use of State Longitudinal 
Data Systems to examine long-term learner outcomes and pathways in 
order to provide evidence for State education policymaking.
    Competitions in This Notice: The Institute's NCER is announcing two 
competitions--one competition in statistical and research methodology 
in education and one competition in using longitudinal data to support 
State education policymaking.
    The Statistical and Research Methodology in Education Competition. 
Under this ccompetition, NCER will consider only applications that 
address one of the following topics:
     Statistical and Research Methodology Grants.
     Early Career Statistical and Research Methodology Grants.
    Using Longitudinal Data to Support State Education Policymaking. 
Under this competition, NCER will consider only applications that 
expand the research use of State Longitudinal Data Systems (SLDS) to 
provide evidence for State education policymaking. Through this new 
grant program, IES will increase its support for the research use of 
SLDS beyond its ongoing research grants program and Grants for 
Statewide Longitudinal Data Systems.
    Exemption from Proposed Rulemaking: Under section 191 of the 
Education Sciences Reform Act, 20 U.S.C. 9581, the Institute is not 
subject to section 437(d) of the General Education Provisions Act, 20 
U.S.C. 1232(d), and is therefore not required to offer interested 
parties the opportunity to comment on priorities, selection criteria, 
definitions, and requirements.
    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 9501 et seq.
    Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations in 34 CFR parts 77, 81, 82, 84, 86, 97, 98, 
and 99. In addition, the regulations in 34 CFR part 75 are applicable, 
except for the provisions in 34 CFR 75.100, 75.101(b), 75.102, 75.103, 
75.105, 75.109(a), 75.200, 75.201, 75.209, 75.210, 75.211, 75.217(a)-
(c), 75.219, 75.220, 75.221, 75.222, 75.230, and 75.708. (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.
    Note: The open licensing requirement in 2 CFR 3474.20 does not 
apply for these competitions.

II. Award Information

    Types of Awards: Discretionary grants and cooperative agreements.
    Fiscal Information: Although Congress has not yet enacted an 
appropriation for FY 2021, the Institute is inviting applications for 
these competitions now so that applicants can have adequate time to 
prepare their applications. The actual level of funding, if any, 
depends on final congressional action. The Department will announce 
additional competitions later in FY 2020.
    Estimated Range of Awards: For the Statistical and Research 
Methodology in Education competition (84.305D): $40,000 to $300,000. 
For the Using Longitudinal Data to Support State Education Policymaking 
competition (84.305S): $40,000 to $333,000. The size of the awards will 
depend on the scope of the projects proposed.
    Estimated Number of Awards: The number of awards made under each 
competition will depend on the quality of the applications received and 
the availability of funds.
    Contingent on the availability of funds and the quality of 
applications, we may make additional awards in FY 2022 from the list of 
highly-rated unfunded applications from the FY 2021 competitions.
    Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice.
    Project Period: Up to 36 months.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: For the Statistical and Research 
Methodology in Education grant program, applicants that have the 
ability and capacity to conduct scientifically valid research are 
eligible to apply. These include, but are not limited to, nonprofit and 
for-profit organizations and public and private agencies and 
institutions of higher education, such as colleges and universities. 
For the Using Longitudinal Data to Support State Education Policymaking 
grant program, eligible applicants must be a State educational agency 
(SEA), defined as a State or Territory's K-12 authority, alone, or in 
conjunction with research organizations such as universities and 
research firms, and/or with other appropriate organizations (such as 
other State agencies or local educational agencies). The SEA must be 
the grantee and must provide the Principal Investigator.
    2. Cost Sharing or Matching: These programs do not require cost 
sharing or matching.
    3. Subgrantees: Under 34 CFR 75.708(b) and (c) a grantee under this 
competition may award subgrants--to directly carry out project 
activities described in its application--to the following types of 
entities: Nonprofit and for-profit organizations and public and private 
agencies and institutions of higher education. The grantee may award 
subgrants to entities it has identified in an approved application.

IV. Application and Submission Information

    1. Application Submission Instructions: Applicants are required to 
follow the Common Instructions for Applicants to Department of 
Education Discretionary Grant Programs, published in the Federal 
Register on February 13, 2019 (84 FR 3768) and available at 
www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2019-02-13/pdf/2019-02206.pdf, which 
contain requirements and information on how to submit an application.
    2. Other Information: Information regarding program and application 
requirements for the competitions will be contained in the NCER 
Requests for Applications (RFAs), which will be available on or before 
April 1, 2020 on the Institute's website at: https://ies.ed.gov/funding/. Application packages for these competitions will be available 
on May 7, 2020.
    3. Content and Form of Application Submission: Requirements 
concerning the content of an application are contained in the RFA for 
the specific competition. The forms that must be submitted are in the 
application package for the specific competition.
    4. Submission Deadline: July 30, 2020 11:59:59 p.m. Eastern Time.

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    We do not consider an application that does not comply with the 
deadline requirements.
    5. Intergovernmental Review: These competitions are not subject to 
Executive Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79.
    6. Funding Restrictions: We reference regulations outlining funding 
restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.

V. Application Review Information

    1. Selection Criteria: For all of its grant competitions, the 
Institute uses selection criteria based on a peer-review process that 
has been approved by the National Board for Education Sciences. The 
Peer Review Procedures for Grant Applications can be found on the 
Institute's website at https://ies.ed.gov/director/sro/peer_review/application_review.asp.
    For the 84.305D competition, peer reviewers will be asked to 
evaluate the significance of the application, the quality of the 
research plan, the qualifications and experience of the personnel, the 
resources of the applicant to support the proposed activities, and the 
quality of the dissemination history and dissemination plan. These 
criteria are described in greater detail in the RFA.
    For the 84.305S competition, peer reviewers will be asked to 
evaluate the significance of the application, the quality of the 
research plan, the applicability and availability of the data to be 
analyzed, and the quality of the plans to disseminate and use the 
findings in State decision-making. These criteria are described in 
greater detail in the RFA.
    For all of the Institute's competitions, applications should 
include budgets no higher than the relevant maximum award as set out in 
the relevant RFA. For the Statistical and Research Methodology in 
Education competition, the maximum award for the Regular Grants is 
$900,000 and the maximum award for the Early Career Grants is $225,000. 
For the Using Longitudinal Data to Support State Education Policymaking 
competition, the maximum award is $1,000,000. The Institute will not 
make an award exceeding the maximum award amount.
    2. Review and Selection Process: We remind potential applicants 
that in reviewing applications in any discretionary grant competition, 
the Institute may consider, under 34 CFR 75.217(d)(3), the past 
performance of the applicant in carrying out a previous award, such as 
the applicant's use of funds, achievement of project objectives, and 
compliance with grant conditions. The Institute 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 Institute 
also requires various assurances including those applicable to Federal 
civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination in programs or 
activities receiving Federal financial assistance from the Department 
(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 these competitions, the 
Department conducts a review of the risks posed by applicants. Under 2 
CFR 3474.10, the Institute 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 
$250,000), 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 will notify you.
    2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements: We identify 
administrative and national policy requirements in the application 
package and reference these and other requirements in the Applicable 
Regulations section of this notice.
    We reference the regulations outlining the terms and conditions of 
an award in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice and 
include these and other specific conditions in the GAN. The GAN also 
incorporates your approved application as part of your binding 
commitments under the grant.
    3. Grant Administration: Applicants should budget for an annual 
two-day meeting for project directors to be held in Washington, DC.
    4. Reporting: (a) If you apply for a grant under one of the 
competitions announced in this notice, you must ensure that you have in 
place the necessary processes and systems to comply with the reporting 
requirements in 2 CFR part 170 should you receive funding under the 
competition. This does not apply if you have an exception under 2 CFR 
170.110(b).
    (b) At the end of your project period, you must submit a final 
performance report, including financial information, as directed by the 
Institute. 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 Institute under 34 
CFR 75.118. The Institute may also require more frequent performance 
reports under 34 CFR 75.720(c). For specific requirements on reporting, 
please go to www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/appforms/appforms.html.
    5. Performance Measures: To evaluate the overall success of its 
education research grant programs, the Institute annually assesses the 
percentage of projects that result in peer-reviewed publications and 
the number of Institute-supported interventions with evidence of 
efficacy in improving learner education outcomes.
    6. Continuation Awards: In making a continuation award under 34 CFR 
75.253, the Institute 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

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in a manner that is consistent with its approved application and 
budget; and, if the Institute has established performance measurement 
requirements, whether the grantee has met the performance targets in 
the grantee's approved application.
    In making a continuation award, the Institute 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 RFA in an accessible format (e.g., braille, 
large print, audiotape, or compact disc) on request to the appropriate 
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 at www.govinfo.gov. 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.

Mark Schneider,
Director, Institute of Education Sciences.
[FR Doc. 2020-06255 Filed 3-24-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P