[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 71 (Monday, April 13, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20482-20490]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-07704]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Applications for New Awards; Supporting Effective Educator
Development Program
AGENCY: Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, 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) 2020 for the Supporting
Effective Educator Development (SEED) program, Catalog of Federal
Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number 84.423A. This notice relates to the
approved information collection under OMB control number 1894-0006.
DATES:
Applications Available: April 13, 2020.
Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply: Applicants are strongly
encouraged, but not required, to submit a notice of intent to apply by
May 13, 2020.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: June 12, 2020.
Pre-Application Webinars: The Office of Elementary and Secondary
Education intends to post pre-recorded informational webinars designed
to provide technical assistance to interested applicants for grants
under the SEED program. These informational webinars will be available
on the SEED web page April 20, 2020 at oese.ed.gov/offices/office-of-discretionary-grants-support-services/effective-educator-development-programs/supporting-effective-educator-development-grant-program/applicant-info-and-eligibility/.
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: Mia Howerton, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Room 3C-152, Washington, DC 20202-
5960. Telephone: (202) 205-0147. Email: [email protected] or
[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 SEED program, authorized under section 2242
of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended
(ESEA) (20 U.S.C. 6672), provides funding to increase the number of
highly effective educators by supporting the implementation of
Evidence-Based \1\ practices that prepare, develop, or enhance the
skills of educators. These grants will allow eligible entities to
develop, expand, and evaluate practices that can serve as models to be
sustained and disseminated.
Background: The SEED program is designed to encourage the use of
rigorous evidence in selecting and implementing interventions to
support educators' development across the continuum of their careers
(e.g. in preparation, recruitment, evaluation, professional learning,
and leadership development). The evidence required for interventions
aimed at teachers and other School Leaders,\1\ respectively, are
outlined in this competition's absolute priorities.
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\1\ Throughout this notice, all defined terms are denoted with
capitals.
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This competition also includes three areas of particular interest
to the Administration. Competitive Preference Priority 1 is from the
Secretary's Supplemental Priorities and aligns with the aims of the
Federal Government's five-year strategic plan for science, technology,
engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education entitled Charting A
Course for Success: America's Strategy for Stem Education \2\ published
in December 2018. The Plan is responsive to the requirements of section
101 of the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 and strengthens
the Federal commitment to equity and diversity, to Evidence-Based
[[Page 20483]]
practices, and to engagement with the national STEM community through a
nationwide collaboration with learners, families, educators, community
leaders, and employers. Beyond guiding Federal agency actions over the
next five years, it is intended to serve as a ``North Star'' for the
STEM community as it charts a course for collective success. The
Federal Government encourages STEM education stakeholders from across
the Nation to support the goals of this plan through their own actions.
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\2\ The White House, National Science and Technology Council
available at: www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/STEM-Education-Strategic-Plan-2018.pdf.
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This strategic plan is based on a vision for a future where all
Americans have lifelong access to high-quality STEM education and the
United States is the global leader in STEM literacy, innovation, and
employment. To achieve this vision, the plan highlights the following
three goals:
Build strong foundations for STEM literacy.
Increase diversity, equity, and inclusion in STEM.
Prepare the STEM workforce for the future.
Competitive Preference Priority 2 is also from the Secretary's
Supplemental Priorities and provides explicit support for developing
students' noncognitive skills (also sometimes termed non-academic
skills or social emotional skills) and directly responds to the
Managers' Statement accompanying the Further Consolidated
Appropriations Act, 2020. This statement directs the Department to
support professional development in the SEED program that incorporates
social and emotional learning (SEL) practices into teaching and
pathways into teaching that provide a strong foundation in child
development and learning, including skills for implementing SEL
strategies in the classroom.
Finally, Competitive Preference Priority 3 is aligned with the
Department's mission to promote equity and excellence in education by
giving competitive preference to projects providing services to
educators serving students and schools located in distressed
communities designated as Qualified Opportunity Zones (QOZs). Public
law (P.L.) 115-97 authorized the designation of QOZs to promote
economic development and job creation in distressed communities through
preferential tax treatment for investors. A list of QOZs is available
at www.cdfifund.gov/Pages/Opportunity-Zones.aspx; applicants may also
determine whether a particular area overlaps with a QOZ using the
National Center of Education Statistics' map located at nces.ed.gov/programs/maped/LocaleLookup/. To receive competitive preference points
under this priority, applicants must provide the Department with the
census tract number of the QOZ they plan to serve and describe the
services they will provide.
In seeking an array of ideas and perspectives, the Department
encourages national nonprofit organizations that have not previously
received grants under this program to apply.
Priorities: This notice contains two absolute priorities and three
competitive preference priorities. In accordance with 34 CFR
75.105(b)(2)(iv), Absolute Priority 1, which requires Moderate
Evidence, and Absolute Priority 2, which requires Promising Evidence,
are from section 2242 of the ESEA (20 U.S.C. 6672) and 34 CFR 75.226.
Competitive Preference Priorities 1 and 2 are from the Secretary's
Notice of Final Supplemental Priorities and Definitions, published in
the Federal Register on March 2, 2018 (83 FR 9096) (Supplemental
Priorities). Competitive Preference Priority 3 is from the notice of
final priority, published in the Federal Register on November 27, 2019
(84 FR 65300) (Opportunity Zones NFP).
Under the SEED grant competition, each of the two absolute
priorities constitutes its own funding category. The Secretary intends
to award grants under each absolute priority for which applications of
sufficient quality are submitted.
Absolute Priorities: For FY 2020 and any subsequent year in which
we make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this
competition, these priorities are absolute priorities. Under 34 CFR
75.105(c)(3), we consider only applications that meet one of these
absolute priorities. Applicants may address only one absolute priority
and must clearly indicate the specific absolute priority their project
addresses.
These priorities are:
Absolute Priority 1--Supporting Effective Teachers.
This priority is for projects that will implement activities that
are supported by Moderate Evidence. Applicants under this priority may
propose one or more of the following activities:
(1) Providing teachers from nontraditional preparation and
certification routes or pathways to serve in traditionally underserved
Local Educational Agencies (LEAs);
(2) Providing teachers with Evidence-Based Professional Development
activities that address literacy, numeracy, remedial, or other needs of
LEAs and the students the agencies serve; or
(3) Providing teachers with Evidence-Based professional enhancement
activities, which may include activities that lead to an advanced
credential.
Absolute Priority 2--Supporting Effective Principals or Other
School Leaders.
This priority is for projects that will implement activities that
are supported by Promising Evidence. Applicants under this priority may
propose one or more of the following activities:
(1) Providing principals or other School Leaders from
nontraditional preparation and certification routes or pathways to
serve in traditionally underserved LEAs;
(2) Providing principals or other School Leaders with Evidence-
Based Professional Development activities that address literacy,
numeracy, remedial, or other needs of LEAs and the students the
agencies serve; or
(3) Providing principals or other School Leaders with Evidence-
Based professional enhancement activities, which may include activities
that lead to an advanced credential.
Note on Meeting Evidence Requirements: An applicant must identify
at least one but no more than two citations for the purposes of meeting
the evidence requirements under either Absolute Priority 1 or Absolute
Priority 2. An applicant should clearly identify these citations in the
Evidence form. The Department will not review a citation that an
applicant fails to clearly identify for review. Studies included for
review may have been conducted by the applicant or by a third party.
In addition to including up to two citations, an applicant must
provide a description of: (1) The positive outcome(s) and practice(s)
the applicant intends to replicate under its SEED grant and (2) the
relevance of the outcome(s) and practice(s) to the SEED program. For
those applicants seeking to address Absolute Priority 1, to meet the
definition of Moderate Evidence the applicant must describe how the
population it proposes to serve overlaps with the population or
settings in the citations.
An applicant must ensure that all evidence is available to the
Department from publicly available sources and provide links or other
guidance indicating where it is available. If the Department determines
that an applicant has provided insufficient information, the applicant
will not have an opportunity to provide additional information at a
later time. However, if the What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) \3\
determines that a study does not provide enough information on key
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aspects of the study design, such as sample attrition or equivalence of
intervention and comparison groups, the WWC will submit a query to the
study author(s) to gather information for use in determining a study
rating. Authors are asked to respond to queries within 10 business
days. Should the author query remain incomplete within 14 days of the
initial contact to the study author(s), the study will be deemed
ineligible under the grant competition. After the grant competition
closes, the WWC will continue to include responses to author queries
and will make updates to study reviews as necessary, but no additional
information will be taken into account after the competition closes and
the initial timeline established for response to an author query
passes.
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\3\ ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/.
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Competitive Preference Priorities: For FY 2020 and any subsequent
year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applications
from this competition, these priorities are competitive preference
priorities. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i), we award up to an additional
three points to an application, depending on how well the application
meets Competitive Preference Priority 1, up to an additional two points
to an application, depending on how well the application meets
Competitive Preference Priority 2, and up to an additional five points,
depending on how well the application that meets Competitive Preference
Priority 3, for a maximum of 10 points to an application that meets all
the requirements for Competitive Preference Priorities 1, 2, and 3.
If an applicant chooses to address one or more of the competitive
preference priorities, the project narrative section of its application
must identify its response to the competitive preference priorities it
chooses to address.
These priorities are:
Competitive Preference Priority 1--Promoting Science, Technology,
Engineering, or Math (STEM) Education, with a Particular Focus on
Computer Science (up to 3 points).
Projects designed to improve student achievement or other
educational outcomes in science, technology, engineering, math, or
Computer Science. These projects must address increasing the number of
educators adequately prepared to deliver rigorous instruction in STEM
fields, including Computer Science, through recruitment, Evidence-Based
professional development strategies for current STEM educators, or
Evidence-Based retraining strategies for current educators seeking to
transition from other subjects to STEM fields.
Competitive Priority 2--Fostering Knowledge and Promoting the
Development of Skills That Prepare Students to Be Informed, Thoughtful,
and Productive Individuals and Citizens (up to 2 points).
Projects that are designed to support projects likely to improve
student academic performance and better prepare students for
employment, responsible citizenship, and fulfilling lives, including by
preparing children or students to:
(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) Develop self-regulation in order to work toward long-term
goals.
Competitive Preference Priority 3--Spurring Investment in Qualified
Opportunity Zones (up to 5 points).
Under this priority, an applicant must demonstrate the following:
(a) The area in which the applicant proposes to provide services
overlaps with a QOZ, as designated by the Secretary of the Treasury
under section 1400Z-1 of the Internal Revenue Code (IRC). An applicant
must--
(i) Provide the census tract number of the QOZ(s) in which it
proposes to provide services; and
(ii) Describe how the applicant will provide services in the
QOZ(s).
Definitions: The definition of ``Evidence-Based'' is from section
2242 of the ESEA (20 U.S.C. 6672) and section 8101 of the ESEA (20
U.S.C. 7801). The definitions of ``Institution of Higher Education,''
which incorporates by reference section 101(a) of the Higher Education
Opportunity Act (20 U.S.C. 7801(a)), ``Local Educational Agency,''
``Professional Development,'' ``School Leader,'' and ``State
Educational Agency'' are from section 8101 of the ESEA (20 U.S.C.
7801). The definition of ``Computer Science'' is from the Supplemental
Priorities. The definitions of ``Experimental Study,'' ``Moderate
Evidence,'' ``Project Component,'' ``Promising Evidence,'' ``Quasi-
Experimental Design Study,'' ``Relevant Outcome,'' and ``What Works
Clearinghouse Handbook'' are from 34 CFR 77.1.
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, websites, and
tools to manage or manipulate data; or 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.
Evidence-based, when used with respect to a State, LEA, or
intervention, means an activity, strategy, or intervention that
demonstrates a statistically significant effect on improving student
outcomes or other Relevant Outcomes based on--
(i) Strong evidence from at least one well-designed and well-
implemented Experimental Study;
(ii) Moderate Evidence from at least one well designed and well-
implemented Quasi-experimental Study; or
(iii) Promising evidence from at least one well-designed and well-
implemented correlational study with statistical controls for selection
bias.
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:
(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
[[Page 20485]]
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.
Institution of Higher Education (IHE) means an educational
institution in any State that--
(a) Admits as regular students only persons having a certificate of
graduation from a school providing secondary education, or the
recognized equivalent of such a certificate, or persons who meet the
requirements of section 484(d) of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as
amended (HEA);
(b) Is legally authorized within such State to provide a program of
education beyond secondary education;
(c) Provides an educational program for which the institution
awards a bachelor's degree or provides not less than a 2-year program
that is acceptable for full credit toward such a degree, or awards a
degree that is acceptable for admission to a graduate or professional
degree program, subject to review and approval by the Secretary;
(d) Is a public or other nonprofit institution; and
(e) Is accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency or
association, or if not so accredited, is an institution that has been
granted pre-accreditation status by such an agency or association that
has been recognized by the Secretary for the granting of pre-
accreditation status, and the Secretary has determined that there is
satisfactory assurance that the institution will meet the accreditation
standards of such an agency or association within a reasonable time.
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 LEA receiving assistance under the ESEA with the
smallest student population, except that the school shall not be
subject to the jurisdiction of any SEA 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 SEA in a State
in which the SEA is the sole educational agency for all public schools.
Moderate Evidence means that there is evidence of effectiveness of
a key Project Component in improving a Relevant Outcome for a sample
that overlaps with the populations or settings proposed to receive that
component, based on a relevant finding from one of the following:
(i) A practice guide prepared by the WWC using version 2.1 or 3.0
of the WWC Handbook reporting a ``strong evidence base'' or ``moderate
evidence base'' for the corresponding practice guide recommendation;
(ii) An intervention report prepared by the WWC using version 2.1
or 3.0 of the WWC Handbook reporting a ``positive effect'' or
``potentially positive effect'' on a Relevant Outcome based on a
``medium to large'' extent of evidence, with no reporting of a
``negative effect'' or ``potentially negative effect'' on a Relevant
Outcome; or
(iii) A single Experimental Study or Quasi-Experimental Design
Study reviewed and reported by the WWC using version 2.1 or 3.0 of the
WWC Handbook, or otherwise assessed by the Department using version 3.0
of the WWC Handbook, as appropriate, and that--
(A) Meets WWC standards with or without reservations;
(B) Includes at least one statistically significant and positive
(i.e., favorable) effect on a Relevant Outcome;
(C) Includes no overriding statistically significant and negative
effects on Relevant Outcomes reported in the study or in a
corresponding WWC intervention report prepared under version 2.1 or 3.0
of the WWC Handbook; and
(D) Is based on a sample from more than one site (e.g., State,
county, city, school district, or postsecondary campus) and includes at
least 350 students or other individuals across sites. Multiple studies
of the same Project Component that each meet requirements in paragraphs
(iii)(A), (B), and (C) of this definition may together satisfy this
requirement.
Professional Development means activities that--
(a) Are an integral part of school and LEA strategies for providing
educators (including teachers, principals, other School Leaders,
specialized instructional support personnel, paraprofessionals, and, as
applicable, early childhood educators) with the knowledge and skills
necessary to enable students to succeed in a well-rounded education and
to meet the challenging State academic standards; and
(b) Are sustained (not stand-alone, 1-day, or short term
workshops), intensive, collaborative, job-embedded, data-driven, and
classroom-focused, and may include activities that--
(1) Improve and increase teachers'--
(i) Knowledge of the academic subjects the teachers teach;
(ii) Understanding of how students learn; and
(iii) Ability to analyze student work and achievement from multiple
sources, including how to adjust instructional strategies, assessments,
and materials based on such analysis;
(2) Are an integral part of broad schoolwide and districtwide
educational improvement plans;
(3) Allow personalized plans for each educator to address the
educator's specific needs identified in observation or other feedback;
(4) Improve classroom management skills;
(5) Support the recruitment, hiring, and training of effective
teachers, including teachers who became certified through State and
local alternative routes to certification;
(6) Advance teacher understanding of--
(i) Effective instructional strategies that are Evidence-Based; and
(ii) Strategies for improving student academic achievement or
substantially increasing the knowledge and teaching skills of teachers;
(7) Are aligned with, and directly related to, academic goals of
the school or LEA;
[[Page 20486]]
(8) Are developed with extensive participation of teachers,
principals, other School Leaders, parents, representatives of Indian
Tribes (as applicable), and administrators of schools to be served
under the ESEA;
(9) Are designed to give teachers of English learners, and other
teachers and instructional staff, the knowledge and skills to provide
instruction and appropriate language and academic support services to
those children, including the appropriate use of curricula and
assessments;
(10) To the extent appropriate, provide training for teachers,
principals, and other School Leaders in the use of technology
(including education about the harms of copyright piracy), so that
technology and technology applications are effectively used in the
classroom to improve teaching and learning in the curricula and
academic subjects in which the teachers teach;
(11) As a whole, are regularly evaluated for their impact on
increased teacher effectiveness and improved student academic
achievement, with the findings of the evaluations used to improve the
quality of professional development;
(12) Are designed to give teachers of children with disabilities or
children with developmental delays, and other teachers and
instructional staff, the knowledge and skills to provide instruction
and academic support services, to those children, including positive
behavioral interventions and supports, multi-tier system of supports,
and use of accommodations;
(13) Include instruction in the use of data and assessments to
inform and instruct classroom practice;
(14) Include instruction in ways that teachers, principals, other
School Leaders, specialized instructional support personnel, and school
administrators may work more effectively with parents and families;
(15) Involve the forming of partnerships with IHEs, including, as
applicable, Tribal Colleges and Universities as defined in section
316(b) of the HEA (20 U.S.C. 1059c(b)), to establish school-based
teacher, principal, and other School Leader training programs that
provide prospective teachers, novice teachers, principals, and other
School Leaders with an opportunity to work under the guidance of
experienced teachers, principals, other School Leaders, and faculty of
such institutions;
(16) Create programs to enable paraprofessionals (assisting
teachers employed by an LEA receiving assistance under part A of title
I of the ESEA) to obtain the education necessary for those
paraprofessionals to become certified and licensed teachers;
(17) Provide follow-up training to teachers who have participated
in activities described in paragraph (b) of this definition that are
designed to ensure that the knowledge and skills learned by the
teachers are implemented in the classroom; and
(18) Where practicable, provide jointly for school staff and other
early childhood education program providers, to address the transition
to elementary school, including issues related to school readiness.
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 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, a Quasi-Experimental Design Study, 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.
School Leader means a principal, assistant principal, or other
individual who is--
(a) An employee or officer of an elementary school or secondary
school, LEA, or other entity operating an elementary school or
secondary school; and
(b) Responsible for the daily instructional leadership and
managerial operations in the elementary school or secondary school
building.
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.
Note: The What Works Clearinghouse Procedures and Standards
Handbook (Version 3.0), as well as the more recent What Works
Clearinghouse Handbooks released in October 2017 (Version 4.0) and
January 2020 (Version 4.1), are available at ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/Handbooks.
Program Authority: Section 2242 of the ESEA (20 U.S.C. 6672).
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. (d) The Supplemental Priorities. (e) The Opportunity Zones
NFP.
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to IHEs only.
[[Page 20487]]
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
Estimated Available Funds: $22,000,000.
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: $1,000,000-$6,000,000 per project year.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $3,500,000 per project year.
Estimated Number of Awards: 7-10.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice.
Project Period: Up to 36 months.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants:
(a) An IHE that provides course materials or resources that are
Evidence-Based in increasing academic achievement, graduation rates, or
rates of postsecondary education matriculation;
(b) A national nonprofit organization with a demonstrated record of
raising student academic achievement, graduation rates, and rates of
higher education attendance, matriculation, or completion, or of
effectiveness in providing preparation and Professional Development
activities and programs for teachers, principals, or other School
Leaders;
(c) The Bureau of Indian Education; or
(d) A partnership consisting of--
(i) One or more entities described in paragraph (a) or (b); and
(ii) A for-profit entity.
If you are a nonprofit organization, under 34 CFR 75.51, you may
demonstrate your nonprofit status by providing: (1) Proof that the
Internal Revenue Service currently recognizes the applicant as an
organization to which contributions are tax deductible under section
501(c)(3) of the IRC, (2) a statement from a State taxing body or the
State attorney general certifying that the organization is a nonprofit
organization operating within the State and that no part of its net
earnings may lawfully benefit any private shareholder or individual,
(3) a certified copy of the applicant's certificate of incorporation or
similar document if it clearly establishes the nonprofit status of the
applicant, or (4) any item described above if that item applies to a
State or national parent organization, together with a statement by the
State or parent organization that the applicant is a local nonprofit
affiliate.
2. (a) Cost Sharing or Matching: Under section 2242 of the ESEA,
each grant recipient must provide, from non-Federal sources, at least
25 percent of the total cost for each year of the project activities.
These funds may be provided in cash or through in-kind contributions.
Grantees must include a budget showing their matching contributions on
an annual basis relative to the annual budget amount of SEED grant
funds and must provide evidence of their matching contributions for the
first year of the grant in their grant applications.
Section 2242 of the ESEA also authorizes the Secretary to waive
this matching requirement for any fiscal year if the Secretary
determines that applying the matching requirement to the eligible
partnership would result in serious hardship or an inability to carry
out authorized SEED program activities. The Secretary does not, as a
general matter, anticipate waiving this requirement for recipients of
grants under this competition given the importance of matching funds to
the long-term success of the project.
Note: The combination of Federal and non-Federal funds should equal
the total cost of the project. Therefore, grantees that do not receive
a waiver of the matching (cost share) requirements under ESEA section
2242(c)(3) are required to support no less than 25 percent of the total
cost of the project with non-Federal funds. Grantees are strongly
encouraged to take this requirement into account when requesting
Federal funds and limit their request appropriately and should verify
that their budgets reflect the costs allocations appropriately. (Cost
share formula: total program cost (the amount of the Federal grant +
the amount of the non-Federal match) x .75 = Federal award amount).
(b) Supplement-Not-Supplant: This program involves supplement-not-
supplant funding requirements. Under section 2301 of the ESEA (20
U.S.C. 6691), funds made available under title II of the ESEA must be
used to supplement, and not supplant, non-Federal funds that would
otherwise be used for activities authorized under this title. Further,
the prohibition against supplanting funds also means that grantees
seeking to charge indirect costs to SEED funds will need to use their
negotiated restricted indirect cost rates. See 34 CFR 75.563.
3. Subgrantees: (a) 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: LEAs, IHEs, State and local governments, and other public or
private entities suitable to carry out the activities proposed in the
application.
(b) The grantee may award subgrants to entities it has identified
in an approved application or under procedures established by the
grantee.
4. Certification: Pursuant to section 2242 of the ESEA (20 U.S.C.
6672), applicants must include a certification that the services
provided by an eligible entity under the grant to an LEA or to a school
served by the LEA will not result in direct fees for participating
students or parents.
5. Renewal: Under section 2242(b)(2) of the ESEA (20 U.S.C. 6672),
the Secretary may renew a grant awarded under this section for one
additional two-year period.
Note: During the course of the third year of the project period for
grants awarded under this competition, details on the potential renewal
process will be provided. In making decisions on whether to award a
two-year renewal award, we will review performance data submitted in
regularly required reporting, as well as potentially request narrative
information to be assessed using selection criteria from 34 CFR 75.210.
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. Submission of Proprietary Information: Given the types of
projects that may be proposed in applications for the SEED 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 on the Department's website, you may wish to request
confidentiality of business information.
Consistent with Executive Order 12600, please designate in your
application any information that you feel is exempt from disclosure
under
[[Page 20488]]
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 40 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.
The recommended page limit does not apply to Part I, the cover
sheet; Part II, the budget section, including the narrative budget
justification; Part IV, the assurances and certifications; or the one-
page abstract, the resumes, the bibliography, or the letters of
support. However, the recommended page limit does apply to all of the
application narrative.
6. Notice of Intent to Apply: The Department will be able to
develop a more efficient process for reviewing grant applications if it
has a better understanding of the number of entities that intend to
apply for funding under this competition. Therefore, we strongly
encourage each potential applicant to notify us of their intent to
submit an application for funding by sending an email to [email protected]
with FY 2020 SEED Intent to Apply in the subject line, by May 13, 2020.
Applicants that do not send a notice of intent to apply may still apply
for funding.
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. Each criterion also includes the
factors that the reviewers will consider in determining how well an
application meets the criterion. The criteria are as follows:
A. Quality of the Project Design (35 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 represents an
exceptional approach to the priority or priorities established for the
competition.
(2) The extent to which the training or professional development
services to be provided by the proposed project are of sufficient
quality, intensity, and duration to lead to improvements in practice
among the recipients of those services.
(3) The extent to which the design of the proposed project is
appropriate to, and will successfully address, the needs of the target
population or other identified needs.
(4) The potential and planning for the incorporation of project
purposes, activities, or benefits into the ongoing work of the
applicant beyond the end of the grant.
B. Significance (20 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 importance or magnitude of the results or outcomes likely
to be attained by the proposed project, especially improvements in
teaching and student achievement.
(2) The potential contribution of the proposed project to the
development and advancement of theory, knowledge, and practices in the
field of study.
(3) 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.
C. 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 extent to which the goals, objectives, and outcomes to be
achieved by the proposed project are clearly specified and measurable.
(2) 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.
(3) The adequacy of procedures for ensuring feedback and continuous
improvement in the operation of the proposed project.
D. Quality of the Project Evaluation (25 points). The Secretary
considers the quality of the evaluation to be conducted of the proposed
project. In determining the quality of the evaluation, the Secretary
considers the following factors:
(1) The extent to which the methods of evaluation will, if well
implemented, produce evidence about the project's effectiveness that
would meet the WWC standards with or without reservations as described
in the WWC Handbook.
(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 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.
Note: Applicants may wish to review technical assistance resources
on evaluation relevant to the SEED program available at https://oese.ed.gov/offices/office-of-discretionary-grants-support-services/effective-educator-development-programs/supporting-effective-educator-development-grant-program/.
2. Review and Selection Process: We remind potential applicants
that in reviewing applications in any discretionary grant competition,
the Secretary may consider, under 34 CFR 75.217(d)(3), the past
performance of the applicant in carrying out a previous award, such as
the applicant's use of funds, achievement of project objectives, and
compliance with grant conditions. The Secretary may also consider
whether the applicant failed to submit a timely performance report or
submitted a report of unacceptable quality.
In addition, in making a competitive grant award, the Secretary
requires various assurances, including those applicable to Federal
civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination in programs or
activities receiving Federal financial
[[Page 20489]]
assistance from the Department (34 CFR 100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and
110.23).
Additional factors we consider in selecting an application for an
award are as follows:
(a) As required under section 2242 of the ESEA, the Secretary must
ensure that, to the extent practicable, grants are distributed among
eligible entities that will serve geographically diverse areas,
including urban, suburban, and rural areas.
(b) As required under section 2242 of the ESEA, the Department must
not award more than one grant under this program to an eligible entity
during a grant competition. If an entity submits multiple applications
for this competition, only the highest rated application will be
considered for an award.
3. Risk Assessment and Special 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 special conditions and, in
appropriate circumstances, high-risk conditions on a grant if the
applicant or grantee is not financially stable; has a history of
unsatisfactory performance; has a financial or other management system
that does not meet the standards in 2 CFR part 200, subpart D; has not
fulfilled the conditions of a prior grant; or is otherwise not
responsible.
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 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. For
additional information on the open licensing requirements please refer
to 2 CFR 3474.20(c).
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: The overall purpose of the SEED program is
to increase the number of highly effective educators by supporting
Evidence-Based projects that prepare or provide Professional
Development or enhancement activities for teachers, principals, or
other School Leaders. We have established the following performance
measures for the SEED program: (a) The percentage of teacher,
principal, or other School Leader participants who serve concentrations
of high-need students; (b) the percentage of teacher and principal
participants who serve concentrations of high-need students and are
highly effective; (c) the percentage of teacher and principal
participants who serve concentrations of high-need students, are highly
effective, and serve for at least two years; (d) the cost per such
participant; and (e) the number of grantees with evaluations that meet
the WWC standards with reservations. 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.
[[Page 20490]]
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.
Frank T. Brogan,
Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education.
[FR Doc. 2020-07704 Filed 4-10-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P