[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 32 (Wednesday, February 16, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8812-8820]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-03369]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Applications for New Awards; Jacob K. Javits Gifted and Talented
Students Education 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 new awards for fiscal year (FY) 2022 for the
Jacob K. Javits Gifted and Talented Students Education (Javits)
program, Assistance Listing Number 84.206A. This notice relates to the
approved information collection under the Office of Management and
Budget (OMB) control number 1894-0006.
DATES:
Applications Available: February 16, 2022.
Deadline for Notice of Intent To Apply: March 8, 2022.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: April 4, 2022.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: June 1, 2022.
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 December 27, 2021 (86 FR 73264) and available at
www.federalregister.gov/d/2021-27979. Please note that these Common
Instructions supersede the version published on February 13, 2019, and,
in part, describe the transition from the requirement to register in
SAM.gov a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number to the
implementation of the Unique Entity Identifier (UEI). More information
on the phase-out of DUNS numbers is available at https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ofo/docs/unique-entity-identifier-transition-fact-sheet.pdf.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: M. Jeanette Horner-Smith, U.S.
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Room 3E252,
Washington, DC 20202-6450. Telephone: (202) 453-6661. Email:
[email protected] or, Jennifer Brianas, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Room 3E239, Washington, DC 20202-
6450. Telephone: (202) 401-0299. 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.
Pre-Application Meeting Information: The Department will hold a
pre-application meeting via Microsoft Teams for prospective applicants.
For information about the pre-application meeting, visit the Javits
website at: https://oese.ed.gov/offices/office-of-discretionary-grants-support-services/well-rounded-education-programs/jacob-k-javits-gifted-and-talented-students-education-program/.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Full Text of Announcement
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Purpose of Program: The Javits program supports evidence-based \1\
research, demonstration projects, innovative strategies, and similar
activities designed to build and enhance the ability of elementary
schools and secondary schools nationwide to identify gifted and
talented students and meet their special educational needs. A major
emphasis of the program is on identifying and serving students
traditionally underrepresented in gifted and talented programs
(including economically disadvantaged individuals, individuals who are
English learners, and children with disabilities), including the
training of personnel in the identification and education of gifted and
talented students and in the use, where appropriate, of gifted and
talented services, materials, and methods, for all students.
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\1\ Terms defined in this notice are italicized.
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Background: Through this competition, the Department seeks to
increase the focus on students who are traditionally underserved and
underrepresented in gifted and talented programs by funding projects
that are
[[Page 8813]]
designed to develop new information that assists schools in
identifying, and providing services to, gifted and talented students
(including economically disadvantaged individuals, individuals who are
English learners, and children with disabilities) who may not be
identified and served through traditional assessment methods.
Schools and districts have an opportunity to better identify and
serve the educational needs of children with disabilities who are
gifted and talented. According to the Report on the Condition of
Education 2021 from the National Center for Education Statistics
(NCES), approximately 7.3 million students (ages 3 through 21) received
special education services under the Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act (IDEA) in school year 2019-20. Based on the NCES data,
the most common category of children with disabilities receiving IDEA
services are students with learning disabilities.\2\ Unfortunately,
researchers have been unable to collect accurate data on the number of
children with disabilities who are gifted and talented largely because
of the unique characteristics of this group of students. Research has
also demonstrated that teachers and administrators may struggle to
identify gifted and talented children with disabilities because the
disability could mask the giftedness or vice versa.\3\
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\2\ Irwin, V., Zhang, J., Wang, X., Hein, S., Wang, K., Roberts,
A., York, C., Barmer, A., Bullock Mann, F., Dilig, R., and Parker,
S. (2021). Report on the condition of education 2021 (NCES 2021-
144). U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: National Center
for Education Statistics. Retrieved February 4, 2022 from https://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2021144.
\3\ Beckmann, E., & Minnaert, A. (2018). Non-cognitive
characteristics of gifted students with learning disabilities: An
in-depth systematic review. Frontiers in Psychology, 9(504). https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00504.
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The use of appropriate assessments can help identify gifted and
talented students who are children with disabilities and measure not
only improvements in academic achievement but growth and development in
other areas, such as social and emotional development, critical
thinking, and behavioral skills. Appropriate monitoring and continuous
assessments are necessary elements of a successful strategy for
addressing the needs of gifted and talented students. Cao, Jung and Lee
(2017) list a number of assessments that are typically used to identify
gifted and talented students, such as ability tests, achievement tests,
norm-referenced achievement tests, performance-based tests, and dynamic
assessments.\4\
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\4\ Cao, T. H., Jung, J. Y., & Lee, J. (2017). Assessment in
gifted education: A review of the literature from 2005 to 2016.
Journal of Advanced Academics, 28(3), 163-203. https://doi.org/10.1177/1932202X17714572.
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Some of these traditional methods of assessing gifted and talented
students may be limited in their current form in reflecting the needs
of underrepresented groups. Nontraditional assessment methods can
provide comprehensive analyses that reduce bias related to the
student's education, background, or culture and provide greater
opportunities for identifying gifted and talented students who are
underserved (including students who are economically disadvantaged,
individuals who are English learners, and children with disabilities)
than traditional assessment methods may afford. Additionally, there are
nontraditional assessment methods that focus on changes to student
performance over time, rather than student performance at a single
point in time, such as process-oriented assessments that evaluate a
student's performance of an actual task rather than an output.
The absolute priority in this notice requires applicants to develop
``new information'' that assists schools in the identification of, and
provision of services to, gifted and talented students (including
economically disadvantaged individuals, individuals who are English
learners, and children with disabilities) who may not be identified and
served through traditional assessment methods. In proposing projects
that would develop ``new information,'' we encourage applicants to
propose nontraditional and nondiscriminatory methods of identifying and
teaching gifted and talented students, such as utilizing a combination
of valid and reliable assessments; process-oriented and performance-
based assessments (e.g., portfolios of the student's work over a period
of time, open-ended essays, project work that involves collaboration
with peers, and artistic and musical skills and abilities); behavioral
characteristic checklists; and interviews with teachers, family
members, and community members who are familiar with the student's
abilities and performance.
Competitive Preference Priority 1 focuses on training personnel to
identify and educate gifted and talented students who are children with
disabilities. Competitive Preference Priority 2 emphasizes the
importance of utilizing nontraditional methods for assessing gifted and
talented students, particularly as they relate to the identification
of, and provision of services to, gifted and talented students who are
children with disabilities, because traditional assessment methods, on
their own, may not provide a complete evaluation of a potential gifted
and talented student's knowledge, skills and abilities and could
potentially lead to the misidentification of a gifted and talented
child with a disability.
Another important goal of the Javits program is to increase equity
in identifying and providing services to gifted and talented students
from underrepresented groups.\5\ In his research, Grissom (2016) found
that underserved students, such as Black and Hispanic students, are
less likely to be identified as gifted and talented, in part, because
many schools in low socio-economic status communities do not have
gifted and talented programs. Concomitantly, Grissom (2016) provides
evidence that suggests Black and Hispanic students excel in gifted and
talented programs in schools where there are larger numbers of
educators who are also Black and Hispanic.\6\
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\5\ WestEd (October 28, 2021). Addressing the social and
emotional assets and needs of underrepresented gifted and talented
students. Jacob K. Javits Gifted and Talented Students Project
Director's Meeting, [PPT] pp.1-39. Center to Improve Social and
Emotional Learning and School Safety.
\6\ Grissom, J.A., & Redding, C. (2016). Discretion and
Disproportionality: Explaining the Underrepresentation of High-
Achieving Students of Color in Gifted Programs. AERA Open. https://doi.org/10.1177/2332858415622175.
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Competitive Preference Priority 3 addresses projects designed to
increase the number and proportion of experienced, fully certified, in-
field, and effective educators, and educators from traditionally
underrepresented backgrounds or the communities they serve, in order to
support the needs of gifted and talented students who are traditionally
underserved students. In this context, with respect to in-field
educators, we encourage applicants to propose projects that are
designed to increase the number and proportion of experienced and
effective educators who are certified to identify and teach gifted and
talented students.
Priorities: This notice contains one absolute priority and three
competitive preference priorities. The absolute priority and
Competitive Preference Priority 2 are from section 4644(f)(1)(B) of the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended (ESEA) (20
U.S.C. 7294(f)(1)(B)). Competitive Preference Priority 1 is from
section 4644(b)(1) of the ESEA (20 U.S.C. 7294(b)(1)), and Competitive
[[Page 8814]]
Preference Priority 3 is from the Final Priorities and Definitions--
Secretary's Supplemental Priorities and Definitions for Discretionary
Grants Programs, published in the Federal Register on December 10, 2021
(86 FR 70612) (Supplemental Priorities).
Absolute Priority: For FY 2022 and any subsequent year in which we
make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this
competition, this priority is an absolute priority. Under 34 CFR
75.105(c)(3), we consider only applications that meet this absolute
priority.
This priority is:
Identification of, and Provision of Services to, Gifted and
Talented Students Who May Not Be Identified through Traditional
Assessment Methods.
Projects designed to develop new information that assists schools
in the identification of, and provision of services to, gifted and
talented students (including economically disadvantaged individuals,
individuals who are English learners, and children with disabilities)
who may not be identified and served through traditional assessment
methods.
Competitive Preference Priorities: For FY 2022 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
5 points to an application, depending on how well the application meets
Competitive Preference Priority 1, Competitive Preference Priority 2,
or Competitive Preference Priority 3, for a maximum of an additional 15
points.
These priorities are:
Competitive Preference Priority 1--Training Personnel in the
Identification and Education of Gifted and Talented Students Who are
Children with Disabilities. (up to 5 points)
Projects that include providing training to personnel in schools
served under the project to assist such personnel in identifying and
educating gifted and talented students who are children with
disabilities. Such training may include, but is not limited to,
workshops or programs that teach effective instructional and
communication techniques, classroom practices and culture, and other
strategies that support the social, emotional, developmental and
academic needs of gifted and talented students who are children with
disabilities.
Competitive Preference Priority 2--Identification of, and Provision
of Services to, Gifted and Talented Students Who are Children with
Disabilities. (up to 5 points)
Projects that include developing new information, that assists
schools in the identification of, and provision of services to, gifted
and talented students who are children with disabilities who may not be
identified through traditional assessment methods.
Competitive Preference Priority 3--Promoting Equity in Student
Access to Educational Resources and Opportunities. (up to 5 points)
Projects designed to promote educational equity and adequacy in
resources and opportunity for underserved students--
(1) In one or more of the following educational settings:
(i) Middle school.
(ii) Elementary school.\7\
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\7\ The Javits program supports gifted and talented programs and
their students in elementary schools and secondary schools. In
States in which elementary education includes preschool, preschool
students may receive services through the Javits program.
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(iii) High school.
(iv) Career and technical education programs.
(v) Out-of-school-time settings;
(2) That examine the sources of inequity and inadequacy and
implement responses, and that may include one or more of the following:
(i) Rigorous, engaging, and well-rounded (e.g., that include music
and the arts) approaches to learning that are inclusive with regard to
race, ethnicity, culture, language, and disability status and prepare
students for college, career, and civic life, including one or more of
the following:
(A) Student-centered learning models that may leverage technology
to address learner variability (e.g., universal design for learning, K-
12 competency-based education, project-based learning, or hybrid/
blended learning) and provide high-quality learning content,
applications, or tools.
(B) Middle school courses or projects that prepare students to
participate in advanced coursework in high school.
(C) Advanced courses and programs, including dual enrollment and
early college programs.
(D) Project-based and experiential learning, including service and
work-based learning.
(E) High-quality career and technical education courses, pathways,
and industry-recognized credentials that are integrated into the
curriculum.
(F) Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM),
including computer science coursework.
(ii) Increasing the number and proportion of experienced, fully
certified, in-field, and effective educators, and educators from
traditionally underrepresented backgrounds or the communities they
serve, to ensure that underserved students have educators from those
backgrounds and communities and are not taught at disproportionately
higher rates by uncertified, out-of-field, and novice teachers compared
to their peers.\8\
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\8\ All strategies to increase racial diversity of educators
must comply with applicable law, including Title VI of the Civil
Rights Act of 1964.
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Program Requirements: These program requirements are from sections
4644(c) and (g) of the ESEA (20 U.S.C. 7294(c) and (g)). For FY 2022
and any subsequent year in which we make awards from the list of
unfunded applications, the following program requirements apply:
Uses of Funds: Programs and projects funded under this competition
may include any of the following:
(a) Conducting evidence-based research on methods and techniques
for identifying and teaching gifted and talented students and for using
gifted and talented programs and methods to identify and provide the
opportunity for all students to be served, particularly low-income and
at-risk students.
(b) Establishing and operating programs and projects for
identifying and serving gifted and talented students, including
innovative methods and strategies (such as summer programs, mentoring
programs, peer tutoring programs, service-learning programs, and
cooperative learning programs involving business, industry, and
education) for identifying and educating students who may not be served
by traditional gifted and talented programs.
(c) Providing technical assistance and disseminating information,
which may include how gifted and talented programs and methods may be
adapted for use by all students, particularly low-income and at-risk
students. (Section 4644(c) of the ESEA).
Equitable Participation of Private School Students and Teachers:
Grant recipients under this program must provide for the equitable
participation of students and teachers in private nonprofit elementary
schools and secondary schools, including the participation of teachers
and other personnel in professional development programs serving such
students. (Section 4644(g) of the ESEA).
Application Requirements: These application requirements are from
section 4644(b) and (c) of the ESEA (20 U.S.C. 7294(b) and (c)). For FY
2022 and
[[Page 8815]]
any subsequent year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded
applications from this competition, the following application
requirements apply:
Each application must describe how--
(1) The proposed identification methods, as well as gifted and
talented services, materials, and methods, can be adapted, if
appropriate, for use by all students;
(2) The proposed programs can be evaluated; and
(3) The proposed project will provide for training of personnel in
the identification and education of gifted and talented students and in
the use, where appropriate, of gifted and talented services, materials,
and methods for all students.
Definitions: These definitions are from section 8101 of the ESEA
(20 U.S.C. 7801), 34 CFR 77.1, and the Supplemental Priorities. These
definitions apply to the FY 2022 Javits grant competition and any
subsequent year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded
applications from this competition.
Child with a disability (or children with disabilities), unless
otherwise indicated, has the same meaning given that term in section
602 of IDEA, which is--
(1) A child--
(i) With intellectual disabilities, hearing impairments (including
deafness), speech or language impairments, visual impairments
(including blindness), serious emotional disturbance (referred to in
the IDEA 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.
(2) The term ``child with a disability,'' for a child aged three
through nine (or any subset of that age range, including ages three
through five), may, at the discretion of the State and the local
educational agency, 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. (Section 8101(4) of the ESEA).
Competency-based education (also called proficiency-based or
mastery-based learning) means learning based on knowledge and skills
that are transparent and measurable. Progression is based on
demonstrated mastery of what students are expected to know (knowledge)
and be able to do (skills), rather than seat time or age. (Supplemental
Priorities).
Disconnected youth means an individual, between the ages 14 and 24,
who may be from a low-income background, experiences homelessness, is
in foster care, is involved in the justice system, or is not working or
not enrolled in (or at risk of dropping out of) an educational
institution. (Supplemental Priorities).\9\
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\9\ In accordance with sections 4644(a) and 8101(45) of the
ESEA, disconnected youth may only receive Javits program services
through secondary schools. See 20 U.S.C. 7294(a) and 7801(45).
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Educator means an individual who is an early learning (as defined
in the Supplemental Priorities) educator, teacher, principal or other
school leader, specialized instructional support personnel (e.g.,
school psychologist, counselor, school social worker, early
intervention service personnel), paraprofessional, or faculty.
(Supplemental Priorities).
Elementary school means a nonprofit institutional day or
residential school, including a public elementary charter school, that
provides elementary education, as determined under State law. (Section
8101(19) of the ESEA).
English learner, unless otherwise indicated, when used with respect
to an individual, means an individual--
(1) Who is aged three through 21;
(2) Who is enrolled or preparing to enroll in an elementary school
or secondary school;
(3)(i) Who was not born in the United States or whose native
language is a language other than English;
(ii)(A) Who is a Native American or Alaska Native, or a native
resident of the outlying areas; and
(B) Who comes from an environment where a language other than
English has had a significant impact on the individual's level of
English language proficiency; or
(iii) Who is migratory, whose native language is a language other
than English, and who comes from an environment where a language other
than English is dominant; and
(4) Whose difficulties in speaking, reading, writing, or
understanding the English language may be sufficient to deny the
individual--
(i) The ability to meet the challenging State academic standards;
(ii) The ability to successfully achieve in classrooms where the
language of instruction is English; or
(iii) The opportunity to participate fully in society. (Section
8101(20) of the ESEA).
Evidence-based, when used with respect to a State, local
educational agency, or school activity, means an activity, strategy, or
intervention that demonstrates a statistically significant effect on
improving student outcomes or other relevant outcomes based on--
(1) Strong evidence from at least one well designed and well-
implemented experimental study;
(2) Moderate evidence from at least one well-designed and well-
implemented quasi-experimental study; or
(3) Promising evidence from at least one well-designed and well
implemented correlational study with statistical controls for selection
bias. (Section 8101(21) of the ESEA).
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 What Works
Clearinghouse Handbooks (WWC Handbooks):
(1) 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).
(2) 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.
(3) 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. (34 CFR 77.1).
Gifted and talented, when used with respect to students, children,
or youth, means students, children, or youth who give evidence of high
achievement
[[Page 8816]]
capability in areas such as intellectual, creative, artistic, or
leadership capacity, or in specific academic fields, and who need
services or activities not ordinarily provided by the school in order
to fully develop those capabilities. (Section 8101(27) of the ESEA).
Military- or veteran-connected student means one or more of the
following:
(1) A student enrolled in preschool through grade 12 or a student
enrolled in career and technical education who has a parent or guardian
who is a member of the uniformed services (as defined by 37 U.S.C.
101), in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, Space
Force, National Guard, Reserves, National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration, or Public Health Service or is a veteran of the
uniformed services with an honorable discharge (as defined by 38 U.S.C.
3311).
(2) A student who is a member of the uniformed services, a veteran
of the uniformed services, or the spouse of a service member or
veteran.
(3) A student enrolled in preschool through grade 12 or a student
enrolled in career and technical education who has a parent or guardian
who is a veteran of the uniformed services (as defined by 37 U.S.C.
101). (Supplemental Priorities).
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:
(1) A practice guide prepared by the WWC using version 2.1, 3.0,
4.0, or 4.1 of the WWC Handbooks reporting a ``strong evidence base''
or ``moderate evidence base'' for the corresponding practice guide
recommendation;
(2) An intervention report prepared by the WWC using version 2.1,
3.0, 4.0, or 4.1 of the WWC Handbooks 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
(3) A single experimental study or quasi-experimental design study
reviewed and reported by the WWC using version 2.1, 3.0, 4.0, or 4.1 of
the WWC Handbooks, or otherwise assessed by the Department using
version 4.1 of the WWC Handbooks, as appropriate, and that--
(i) Meets WWC standards with or without reservations;
(ii) Includes at least one statistically significant and positive
(i.e., favorable) effect on a relevant outcome;
(iii) 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, 3.0,
4.0, or 4.1 of the WWC Handbooks; and
(iv) 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
(3)(i), (ii), and (iii) of this definition may together satisfy this
requirement in this paragraph (3)(iv). (34 CFR 77.1).
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). (34
CFR 77.1).
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:
(1) A practice guide prepared by WWC reporting a ``strong evidence
base'' or ``moderate evidence base'' for the corresponding practice
guide recommendation;
(2) 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
(3) A single study assessed by the Department, as appropriate,
that--
(i) 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
(ii) Includes at least one statistically significant and positive
(i.e., favorable) effect on a relevant outcome. (34 CFR 77.1).
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 Handbooks. (34 CFR 77.1).
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. (34 CFR 77.1).
Secondary school means a nonprofit institutional day or residential
school, including a public secondary charter school, that provides
secondary education, as determined under State law, except that the
term does not include any education beyond grade 12.
Strong evidence means that there is evidence of the effectiveness
of a key project component in improving a relevant outcome for a sample
that overlaps with the populations and settings proposed to receive
that component, based on a relevant finding from one of the following:
(1) A practice guide prepared by the WWC using version 2.1, 3.0,
4.0, or 4.1 of the WWC Handbooks reporting a ``strong evidence base''
for the corresponding practice guide recommendation;
(2) An intervention report prepared by the WWC using version 2.1,
3.0, 4.0, or 4.1 of the WWC Handbooks reporting a ``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
(3) A single experimental study reviewed and reported by the WWC
using version 2.1, 3.0, 4.0, or 4.1 of the WWC Handbooks, or otherwise
assessed by the Department using version 4.1 of the WWC Handbook, as
appropriate, and that--
(i) Meets WWC standards without reservations;
(ii) Includes at least one statistically significant and positive
(i.e., favorable) effect on a relevant outcome;
(iii) 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, 3.0,
4.0, or 4.1 of the WWC Handbooks; and
(iv) 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
(3)(i), (ii), and (iii) of this definition may together
[[Page 8817]]
satisfy the requirement in this paragraph (3)(iv). (34 CFR 77.1).
Underserved student means a student (which includes students in K-
12 programs and students in career and technical education, as
appropriate) \10\ in one or more of the following subgroups:
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\10\ The Javits program supports gifted and talented programs
and their students in elementary schools and secondary schools. For
each of the subgroups of underserved students included in this
definition, for the purpose of this program, we refer to those
students who are in elementary schools and secondary schools, which
includes students in preschool in those States in which elementary
education includes preschool.
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(1) A student who is living in poverty or is served by schools with
high concentrations of students living in poverty.
(2) A student of color.
(3) A student who is a member of a federally recognized Indian
Tribe.
(4) An English learner.
(5) A child or student with a disability.
(6) A disconnected youth.
(7) A technologically unconnected youth.
(8) A migrant student.
(9) A pregnant, parenting, or caregiving student.
(10) A student performing significantly below grade level.
(11) A military- or veteran-connected student.
For the purpose of the definition of underserved student only--
``Child or student with a disability'' means children with
disabilities as defined in section 602(3) of the Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) (20 U.S.C. 1401(3)) and 34 CFR 300.8,
or students with disabilities, as defined in the Rehabilitation Act of
1973 (29 U.S.C. 705(37), 705(202)(B)); and
``English learner'' means an individual who is an English learner
as defined in section 8101(20) of the ESEA, or an individual who is an
English language learner as defined in section 203(7) of the Workforce
Innovation and Opportunity Act. (Supplemental Priorities).
Universal design for learning means a scientifically valid
framework for guiding educational practice that--
(1) Provides flexibility in the ways information is presented, in
the ways students respond or demonstrate knowledge and skills, and in
the ways students are engaged; and
(2) Reduces barriers in instruction, provides appropriate
accommodations, supports, and challenges, and maintains high
achievement expectations for all students including students with
disabilities and students who are limited English proficient.\11\
(Supplemental Priorities).
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\11\ See the definition of English learner in the Definitions
section in this notice. The terms limited English proficient and
English learner have the same meaning.
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What Works Clearinghouse Handbooks (WWC Handbooks) means the
standards and procedures set forth in the WWC Standards Handbook,
Versions 4.0 or 4.1, and WWC Procedures Handbook, Versions 4.0 or 4.1,
or in the WWC Procedures and Standards Handbook, Version 3.0 or Version
2.1 (all 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 WWC
Handbooks documentation. (34 CFR 77.1).
Program Authority: Section 4644 of the ESEA (20 U.S.C. 7294).
Note: Projects will be awarded and must be operated in a manner
consistent with the nondiscrimination requirements contained in
Federal civil rights laws.
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 (OMB)
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 regulations
in 34 CFR part 299. (e) The Supplemental Priorities.
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 79 apply to all applicants
except federally recognized Indian Tribes.
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply only to
institutions of higher education (IHEs).
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
Estimated Available Funds: The Administration has requested
$13,500,000 for awards for the Javits program for FY 2022, of which we
intend to use an estimated $6,600,000 for this competition. The actual
level of funding, if any, depends on final congressional action.
However, we are inviting applications to allow enough time to complete
the grant process if Congress appropriates funds for this program.
Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of
applications, we may make additional awards in FY 2023 and subsequent
years from the list of unfunded applications from this competition.
Estimated Range of Awards: $450,000 to $730,000.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $600,000.
Estimated Number of Awards: 9-15.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this
notice.
Project Period: 60 months.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants: To be considered for an award under this
competition, an applicant must be one or more of the following:
(1) State educational agency;
(2) Local educational agency;
(3) Bureau of Indian Education;
(4) IHE;
(5) Other public agency; or
(6) Other private agency or organization.
2. a. Cost Sharing or Matching: This competition does not require
cost sharing or matching.
b. Indirect Cost Rate Information: This program uses an
unrestricted indirect cost rate. For more information regarding
indirect costs, or to obtain a negotiated indirect cost rate, please
see www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocfo/intro.html.
c. Administrative Cost Limitation: This program does not include
any program-specific limitation on administrative expenses. All
administrative expenses must be reasonable and necessary and conform to
the Cost Principles described in 2 CFR part 200, subpart E of the
Uniform Guidance.
3. Subgrantees: A grantee under this competition may not award
subgrants to entities to directly carry out project activities
described in its 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 December 27, 2021 (86 FR 73264) and available at
www.federalregister.gov/d/2021-27979, which contain
[[Page 8818]]
requirements and information on how to submit an application. Please
note that these Common Instructions supersede the version published on
February 13, 2019, and, in part, describe the transition from the
requirement to register in SAM.gov a DUNS number to the implementation
of the UEI. More information on the phase-out of DUNS numbers is
available at https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ofo/docs/unique-entity-identifier-transition-fact-sheet.pdf.
2. Submission of Proprietary Information: Given the types of
projects that may be proposed in applications for the Javits program,
your application may include business information that you consider
proprietary. In 34 CFR 5.11(c) 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 program 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 no more than 30 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 the cover sheet; the
budget section, including the narrative budget justification; the
assurances and certifications; the one-page abstract, resumes,
bibliography, or 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 review
grant applications more efficiently if we know the approximate number
of applicants that intend to apply. Therefore, we strongly encourage
each potential applicant to notify us of their intent to submit an
application. To do so, please email the program contact person listed
under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT with the subject line ``Intent to
Apply,'' and include the applicant's name and a contact person's name
and email address. Applicants that do not submit a notice of intent to
apply may still apply for funding; applicants that do submit a notice
of intent to apply are not bound to apply or bound by the information
provided.
V. Application Review Information
1. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this competition
are from 34 CFR 75.210 and are as follows:
(a) Need for the Project (up to 5 points).
The Secretary considers the need for the proposed project. In
determining the need for the proposed project, the Secretary considers
the extent to which specific gaps or weaknesses in services,
infrastructure, or opportunities have been identified and will be
addressed by the proposed project, including the nature and magnitude
of those gaps or weaknesses.
(b) Quality of the Project Design (up to 30 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 goals, objectives, and outcomes to be
achieved by the proposed project are clearly specified and measurable;
(2) 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;
(3) 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;
(4) The extent to which the design of the proposed project reflects
up-to-date knowledge from research and effective practice;
(5) The extent to which the proposed project is supported by
promising evidence; and
(6) The extent to which performance feedback and continuous
improvement are integral to the design of the proposed project.
(c) Quality of the Management Plan (up to 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 procedures for ensuring feedback and continuous
improvement in the operation of the proposed project; and
(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.
(d) Quality of Project Services (up to 30 points).
The Secretary considers the quality of the services to be provided
by the proposed project.
(1) In determining the quality of the services to be provided by
the proposed project, the Secretary considers the quality and
sufficiency of strategies for ensuring equal access and treatment for
eligible project participants who are members of groups that have
traditionally been underrepresented based on race, color, national
origin, gender, age, or disability.
(2) In addition, the Secretary considers the likely impact of the
services to be provided by the proposed project on the intended
recipients of those services.
(e) Quality of Project Personnel (up to 5 points).
The Secretary considers the quality of the personnel who will carry
out the proposed project.
(1) In determining the quality of project personnel, the Secretary
[[Page 8819]]
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.
(2) In addition, the Secretary considers the following factors--
(i) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience,
of the project director or principal investigator; and
(ii) The qualifications, including relevant training and
experience, of key project personnel.
(f) Adequacy of Resources (up to 10 points).
The Secretary considers the adequacy of resources for the proposed
project. In determining the adequacy of resources for the proposed
project, the Secretary considers one or more of the following factors:
(1) The extent to which the budget is adequate to support the
proposed project;
(2) The extent to which the costs are reasonable in relation to the
objectives, design, and potential significance of the proposed project;
and
(3) The extent to which the costs are reasonable in relation to the
number of persons to be served and to the anticipated results and
benefits.
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 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
200.206, before awarding grants under this program the Department
conducts a review of the risks posed by applicants. Under 2 CFR
200.208, the Secretary may impose specific conditions and, under 2 CFR
3474.10, 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 200.206(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.
5. In General: In accordance with OMB's guidance located at 2 CFR
part 200, all applicable Federal laws, and relevant Executive guidance,
the Department will review and consider applications for funding
pursuant to this notice inviting applications in accordance with--
(a) Selecting recipients most likely to be successful in delivering
results based on the program objectives through an objective process of
evaluating Federal award applications (2 CFR 200.205);
(b) Prohibiting the purchase of certain telecommunication and video
surveillance services or equipment in alignment with section 889 of the
National Defense Authorization Act of 2019 (Pub. L. 115-232) (2 CFR
200.216);
(c) Providing a preference, to the extent permitted by law, to
maximize use of goods, products, and materials produced in the United
States (2 CFR 200.322); and
(d) Terminating agreements in whole or in part to the greatest
extent authorized by law if an award no longer effectuates the program
goals or agency priorities (2 CFR 200.340).
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
[[Page 8820]]
that provides the most current performance and financial expenditure
information as directed by the Secretary under 34 CFR 75.118. The
Secretary may also require more frequent performance reports under 34
CFR 75.720(c). For specific requirements on reporting, please go to
www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/appforms/appforms.html.
5. Performance Measures: For the purposes of Department reporting
under 34 CFR 75.110, the Department has established the following
performance measures for the Javits program: (1) The number of students
newly identified as gifted and talented under the program; (2) The
number of underserved students newly identified as gifted and talented
under the program; (3) The percentage of students newly identified as
gifted and talented under the program who were served under the
program; (4) The percentage of underserved students newly identified as
gifted and talented under the program who were served by the program;
(5) Of the students served under the program who were in tested grades,
the percentage who made gains on State assessments in mathematics; (6)
Of the students served under the program who were in tested grades, the
percentage who made gains on State assessments in science; (7) Of the
students served under the program who were in tested grades, the
percentage who made gains on State assessments in reading; and (8) The
number of teachers and other educators who received services that
enable them to better identify and improve instruction for gifted and
talented students.
All grantees will be expected to submit an annual performance
report that includes data addressing these performance measures to the
extent that they apply to the grantee's project.
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, whether
the grantee has made substantial progress in achieving 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: On request to the program contact person listed
under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT, individuals with disabilities
can obtain this document and a copy of the application package in an
accessible format. The Department will provide the requestor with an
accessible format that may include Rich Text Format (RTF) or text
format (txt), a thumb drive, an MP3 file, braille, large print,
audiotape, or compact disc, or other accessible format.
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.
Ruth E. Ryder,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy and Programs, Office of
Elementary and Secondary Education.
[FR Doc. 2022-03369 Filed 2-15-22; 8:45 am]
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