[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 117 (Monday, June 17, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51317-51320]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-13268]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Applications for New Awards; From Seedlings to Scale Grant 
Program and Research Networks Focused on Critical Problems of Education 
Policy and Practice

AGENCY: Institute of Education Sciences, Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Department of Education (Department) is issuing a notice 
inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY) 2025 for the 
Education Research Grant Programs.

DATES: 
    Application Packages Available: June 20, 2024.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: August 15, 2024.

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 7, 2022 (87 FR 75045) and available at 
www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/12/07/2022-26554/common-instructions-for-applicants-to-department-of-education-discretionary-grant-programs.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Erin Higgins. Telephone: 202-987-1531. 
Email: [email protected].
    If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability and 
wish to access telecommunications relay services, please dial 7-1-1.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Purpose of Program: In awarding research grants, the Institute of 
Education Sciences (IES) intends to provide national leadership in 
expanding knowledge and understanding of (1) education outcomes for all 
learners from early childhood education through postsecondary and adult 
education, and (2) employment and wage outcomes when relevant (such as 
for those engaged in career and technical, postsecondary, or adult 
education). The IES research grant programs are designed to provide 
interested individuals and the general public with reliable and valid 
information about education practices that support learning and improve 
academic achievement and access to education opportunities for all 
learners. These interested individuals include parents, educators, 
learners, researchers, and policymakers. In carrying out its grant 
programs, IES provides support for programs of research in areas of 
demonstrated national need.
    Assistance Listing Numbers: 84.305I and 84.305N.
    OMB Control Number: 4040-0001.
    Competitions in This Notice:
    The IES National Center for Education Research (NCER) is announcing 
two competitions: From Seedlings to Scale and Research Networks Focused 
on Critical Problems of Education Policy and Practice. We published a 
request for information in the Federal Register on October 12, 2023 (88 
FR 70652) describing the purpose and goals for the From Seedlings to 
Scale program.
    From Seedlings to Scale (ALN 84.305I). Through this program, IES 
will invest in innovative products, policies, and processes within an 
identified focus area through three phases of increasing funding and 
time duration to support ideas as they grow from seedlings to scalable 
solutions. In this notice, IES is inviting applications to Phase One. 
During this initial phase, teams will clarify their understanding of 
the problem, refine their solution--which could be a product, policy, 
or process--through engagement with relevant stakeholders, and build 
out a detailed plan for further research and development (R&D). Phase 
One teams will apply for Phase Two funding and will need to provide a 
compelling rationale generated from the Phase One work that the idea is 
worth further investment and a detailed R&D plan for how they will 
develop their idea into a scalable solution and generate evidence of 
impact. Teams that move onto Phase Two will develop their concept into 
a fully functioning initial version of the solution. IES may, at its 
discretion, support additional work in Phase Three. This third phase 
would focus on evaluating the impact of the solution across multiple 
settings and contexts and laying the foundation to scale the solution 
to users. Additional information about the phased nature of this 
competition is provided in the request for applications (RFA). Projects 
will incorporate high-quality research, solution development, and 
attention to sustainability and scaling throughout all phases. For the 
FY 2025 competition, NCER will consider only applications that address 
the following topic:
    [cir] Phase One projects for the Seamless Personalized Education 
Experiences Delivered at Scale (SPEED at Scale) focus area. The SPEED 
at Scale focus area aims to develop innovative solutions that allow 
teachers to seamlessly provide personalized instruction for PreK-12 
grade students.
    Research Networks Focused on Critical Problems of Education Policy 
and Practice (ALN 84.305N). For the FY 2025 competition, NCER will only 
consider applications that address the following topic:
    [cir] Accelerate, Transform, Scale (ATS) Initiative Hub. The ATS 
Initiative supports education R&D to create scalable solutions to 
improve education outcomes for all learners and eliminate persistent 
achievement and attainment gaps. The ATS Initiative Hub will support 
the establishment of new ATS Initiative programs and provide high-level 
support to IES in coordinating existing programs that fall under this 
new initiative.
    Multiple Submissions: You may submit applications to more than one 
of the FY 2025 research grant programs offered through the Department, 
including those offered through IES as well as those offered through 
other offices and programs within the Department. You may submit 
multiple applications to each IES grant program announced here as long 
as they address different key issues, programs, or policies. However, 
you may submit a given application only once for the IES FY 2025 grant 
competitions, meaning you may not submit the same application or 
similar applications to multiple grant programs within IES, to multiple 
topics within a grant competition, or multiple times within the same 
topic. If you submit multiple similar applications, IES will determine 
whether and which applications will be accepted for review and/or will 
be eligible for funding. In addition, if you submit the same or similar 
application

[[Page 51318]]

to IES and to another funding entity within or external to the 
Department and receive funding for the non-IES application prior to IES 
scientific peer review of applications, you must withdraw the same or 
similar application submitted to IES, or IES may otherwise determine 
you are ineligible to receive an award. If reviews are happening 
concurrently, IES staff will consult with the other potential funder to 
determine the degree of overlap and which entity will provide funding 
if both applications are being considered for funding.
    Exemption from Proposed Rulemaking: Under section 191 of the 
Education Sciences Reform Act, 20 U.S.C. 9581, IES is not subject to 
section 437(d) of the General Education Provisions Act, 20 U.S.C. 
1232(d), and is therefore not required to offer interested parties the 
opportunity to comment on matters relating to grants.
    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 9501 et seq.
    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 77, 81, 82, 84, 86, 97, 98, 
and 99. In addition, the regulations in 34 CFR part 75 are applicable, 
except for the provisions in 34 CFR 75.100, 75.101(b), 75.102, 75.103, 
75.105, 75.109(a), 75.200, 75.201, 75.209, 75.210, 75.211, 75.217(a)-
(c), 75.219, 75.220, 75.221, 75.222, 75.230, 75.250(a), and 75.708. (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 Guidance for Federal Financial Assistance in 2 CFR 
part 200, as adopted and amended as regulations of the Department in 2 
CFR part 3474.
    Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to institutions of 
higher education only.
    Note: The open licensing requirement in 2 CFR 3474.20 does not 
apply to these competitions.
    Note: The Department will implement the provisions in the OMB final 
rule OMB Guidance for Federal Financial Assistance, which amends 2 CFR 
parts 25, 170, 175, 176, 180, 182, 183, 184, and 200, on October 1, 
2024. Grant applicants that anticipate a performance period start date 
on or after October 1, 2024 should follow the provisions in the OMB 
Guidance for Federal Financial Assistance (89 FR 30046) when preparing 
an application. For more information about these updated regulations 
please visit: www.cfo.gov/resources/uniform-guidance/.

II. Award Information

    Types of Awards: Discretionary grants and cooperative agreements.
    Fiscal Information: Although Congress has not yet enacted an 
appropriation for FY 2025, IES is inviting applications for these 
competitions now so that applicants can have adequate time to prepare 
their applications. The actual level of funding, if any, depends on 
final congressional action. IES may announce additional competitions 
later in 2024.
    Estimated Range of Awards:
    From Seedlings to Scale (SPEED at Scale Phase One): $300,000 to 
$500,000 for the entire project period of 1 year.
    ATS Initiative Hub: $500,0000 to $1,500,000 annually across an 
entire project period of 5 years.
    The size of the awards will depend on the scope of the projects 
proposed.
    Estimated Number of Awards: The number of awards made under each 
competition will depend on the quality of the applications received for 
that competition and the availability of funds.
    IES may waive any of the following limits on awards in the special 
case that the peer review process results in a tie between two or more 
grant applications, making it impossible to adhere to the limits 
without funding only some of the equally ranked applications. In that 
case, IES may make a larger number of awards to include all 
applications of the same rank.
    For the From Seedlings to Scale grant program (ALN 84.305I), we 
intend to fund up to 12 Phase One SPEED at Scale teams. However, should 
funding be available, we may consider making additional awards to high-
quality applications that remain unfunded after 12 awards are made.
    For the Research Networks Focused on Critical Problems of Education 
Policy and Practice (ALN 84.305N), we intend to fund one ATS Initiative 
Hub team.
    Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice.
    Project Period:
    From Seedlings to Scale (Phase One): Up to 1 year.
    ATS Initiative Hub: Up to 5 years.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: Eligible applicants are organizations that 
have the demonstrated ability and capacity to conduct rigorous research 
and development. Eligible applicants include, but are not limited to, 
institutions of higher education and non-profit, for-profit, public, or 
private entities.
    2. a. Cost Sharing or Matching: The competitions in this notice do 
not require cost sharing or matching.
    b. Indirect Cost Rate Information: These programs use 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.
    3. Subgrantees: Under 34 CFR 75.708(b) and (c) a grantee under 
these competitions may award subgrants--to directly carry out project 
activities described in its application--to the following types of 
entities: nonprofit and for-profit organizations and public and private 
agencies and institutions of higher education. The grantee may award 
subgrants to entities it has identified in an approved application.

IV. Application and Submission Information

    1. Application Submission Instructions: Applicants are required to 
follow the Common Instructions for Applicants to Department of 
Education Discretionary Grant Programs, published in the Federal 
Register on December 7, 2022 (87 FR 75045) and available at https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/12/07/2022-26554/common-instructions-for-applicants-to-department-of-education-discretionary-grant-programs, which contain requirements and information on how to 
submit an application.
    2. Other Information: Information regarding program and application 
requirements for the competitions can be found in the currently 
available IES Application Submission Guide and in the NCER Request for 
Applications (RFA), which will be available on or before June 20, 2024, 
on the IES website at: https://ies.ed.gov/funding/. The application 
packages for these competitions will also be available on or before 
June 20, 2024.
    3. Content and Form of Application Submission: Requirements 
concerning the content of an application are contained in the RFA for 
the specific competition. The forms that must be submitted are in the 
application package for the specific competition.
    4. Submission Dates and Times: The deadline date for transmittal of 
applications for each competition is August 15, 2024.
    We do not consider an application that does not comply with the 
deadline requirements.

[[Page 51319]]

    5. Intergovernmental Review: These competitions are not subject to 
Executive Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79.
    6. Funding Restrictions: We reference regulations outlining funding 
restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.

V. Application Review Information

    1. Selection Criteria: For all of its grant competitions, IES uses 
selection criteria based on a peer review process that has been 
approved by the National Board for Education Sciences. The Peer Review 
Procedures for Grant Applications can be found on the IES website at 
https://ies.ed.gov/director/sro/peer_review/application_review.asp.
    For the 84.305I competition, peer reviewers will evaluate the 
breakthrough potential, R&D strategy, and team capacity.
    For the 84.305N competition, peer reviewers will evaluate the ATS 
Initiative hub activities, personnel, and resources.
    For all IES competitions, applications must include budgets no 
higher than the relevant maximum award as set out in the relevant RFA. 
IES will not make an award exceeding the maximum award amount as set 
out in the relevant RFA.
    2. Review and Selection Process: We remind potential applicants 
that in reviewing applications in any discretionary grant competition, 
IES 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, compliance with the 
IES policy regarding public access to research, and compliance with 
grant conditions. IES 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, IES 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 these competitions, the 
Department conducts a review of the risks posed by applicants. Under 2 
CFR 200.208, IES 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 
these competitions 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 the 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 also may notify you 
informally.
    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. Grant Administration: Applicants should budget for an annual 
meeting of up to three days for project directors to be held in 
Washington, DC.
    4. Reporting: (a) If you apply for a grant under a competition 
announced in this notice, you must ensure that you have in place the 
necessary processes and systems to comply with the reporting 
requirements in 2 CFR part 170 should you receive funding under the 
competition. This does not apply if you have an exception under 2 CFR 
170.110(b).
    (b) At the end of your project period, you must submit a final 
performance report, including financial information, as directed by 
IES. 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 IES under 34 CFR 
75.118. IES may also require more frequent performance reports under 34 
CFR 75.720(c). For specific requirements on reporting, please go to 
www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/appforms/appforms.html.
    5. Performance Measures: To evaluate the overall success of its 
education research grant programs, IES annually assesses the percentage 
of projects that result in peer-reviewed publications and the number of 
IES-supported interventions with evidence of efficacy in improving 
learner education outcomes. School readiness outcomes include pre-
reading, reading, pre-writing, early mathematics, early

[[Page 51320]]

science, and social-emotional skills that prepare young children for 
school. Student academic outcomes include learning and achievement in 
academic content areas, such as reading, writing, math, and science, as 
well as outcomes that reflect students' successful progression through 
the education system, such as course and grade completion; high school 
graduation; and postsecondary enrollment, progress, and completion. 
Social and behavioral competencies include social and emotional skills, 
attitudes, and behaviors that are important to academic and post-
academic success. Employment and earnings outcomes include hours of 
employment, job stability, and wages and benefits, and may be measured 
in addition to student academic outcomes.
    6. Continuation Awards: In making a continuation award under 34 CFR 
75.253, IES 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; whether a grantee 
is in compliance with the IES policy regarding public access to 
research; and if IES 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, IES 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 relevant program contact 
person listed in FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT, as well as in the 
relevant RFA and application package, individuals with disabilities can 
obtain this document and a copy of the RFA 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, 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 Department documents 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 Department documents 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.

Matthew Soldner,
Acting Director, Institute of Education Sciences.
[FR Doc. 2024-13268 Filed 6-14-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P