[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 124 (Thursday, June 27, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53595-53606]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-14054]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Applications for New Awards; Promise Neighborhoods (PN) 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) 2024 for the PN program.

DATES: 
    Applications Available: June 27, 2024.
    Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply: July 29, 2024.
    Date of Pre-Application Meetings: The Department will hold pre-
application meetings via webinar for prospective applicants. Detailed 
information regarding pre-application webinars will be provided on the 
PN website at https://oese.ed.gov/offices/office-of-discretionary-grants-support-services/school-choice-improvement-programs/promise-neighborhoods-pn/.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Application: September 10, 2024.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: November 12, 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: Rich Wilson, U.S. Department of 
Education,

[[Page 53596]]

400 Maryland Avenue SW, Room 3W101, Washington, DC 20202. Telephone: 
(202)453-6709. 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

    1. Purpose of Program: The PN program is authorized under the 
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended (ESEA). The 
purpose of the PN program is to significantly improve the academic and 
developmental outcomes of children and youth living in the most 
distressed communities of the United States, including ensuring school 
readiness, high school graduation, and access to a community-based 
continuum of high-quality services. The program serves neighborhoods 
with high concentrations of individuals with low incomes; multiple 
signs of distress, which may include high rates of poverty, childhood 
obesity, academic challenges, and juvenile delinquency, adjudication, 
or incarceration; and adverse childhood experiences; and also serves 
schools implementing comprehensive support and improvement activities 
or targeted support and improvement activities under section 1111(d) of 
the ESEA. All strategies in the continuum of solutions must be 
accessible to children with disabilities and English learners.
    Assistance Listing Number: 84.215N.
    OMB Control Number: 1894-0006.
    2. Award Information:
    Type of Award: Discretionary grant.
    Estimated Available Funds: $4,000,000.
    Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of 
applications, we may make additional awards in FY 2025 or in subsequent 
years from the list of unfunded applications from this competition.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $400,000 to $500,000.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $450,000.
    Maximum Award: We will not make an award exceeding $500,000 for a 
single budget period of 12 months. The Department plans to fully fund 
awards made under this notice with FY 2024 funds.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 4-5.

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

    Project Period: Up to 24 months.
    Under section 4623 of the ESEA, a grant awarded under this 
competition will be for a period of not more than 2 years.
    3. Eligible Applicants: Under section 4622 of the ESEA, an eligible 
entity must be one of the following:
    (a) An institution of higher education (IHE), as defined in section 
102 of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA) (20 U.S.C. 
1002);
    (b) An Indian Tribe or Tribal organization, as defined in section 4 
of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 
U.S.C. 5304); or
    (c) One or more nonprofit entities working in formal partnership 
with not less than one of the following entities:
    (i) A high-need local educational agency (LEA).
    (ii) An IHE, as defined in section 102 of the HEA (20 U.S.C. 1002).
    (iii) The office of a chief elected official of a unit of local 
government.
    (iv) An Indian Tribe or Tribal organization, as defined under 
section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act 
(25 U.S.C. 5304).
    Note: 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 Internal Revenue Code; (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.
    4. Background: A Promise Neighborhood is a place-based, collective 
impact approach to improving results for children and families. The 
transformative vision of the Promise Neighborhoods initiative is that 
all children and youth growing up in Promise Neighborhoods have access 
to great schools and strong systems of family and community support. 
Promise Neighborhoods weave together people, services, and 
organizations to create a seamless cradle-to-career pipeline, along 
which community members have access to high-quality early care and 
education, smooth and effective transition to kindergarten, excellent 
K-12 schools, and pathways to achieve postsecondary and career success.
    The PN program's successes in helping communities respond to the 
COVID-19 pandemic highlight the importance of ensuring place-based 
supports for children and families. When the pandemic hit, Promise 
Neighborhoods became an important source of funding for local 
governments to quickly respond to community needs and have confidence 
that available resources would benefit the hardest hit community 
members.
    Promise Neighborhoods is particularly apt for addressing issues 
that worsened during the pandemic, such as chronic absenteeism and 
community violence, due to three key characteristics: (1) a strong 
backbone organization to support families, which can take years to 
build; (2) flexible funding targeted for year-round K-12 interventions; 
and (3) networks of partnerships that draw on the internal resources of 
the community, such as local organizers, trusted elders, and youth 
leaders, to guide services to those who need them most. Those with deep 
community relationships can inform practice, act nimbly, and respond to 
community needs as they arise. Importantly, the PN program also allows 
grantees to use the first two years of funding for both implementation 
and planning activities. Planning activities have been particularly 
important for organizations that have not previously had a Federal PN 
grant and are working to establish a foundation to implement the 
program.
    One recent study of chronic absenteeism found that the number of 
public school students who are chronically absent--meaning they miss at 
least 10 percent of days in a school year, whether excused or 
unexcused--nearly doubled between the 2018-19 and 2021-22 school 
years,\1\ from about 15 percent to around 30 percent. The greatest 
increase has been in kindergarten, with the rate of chronic absenteeism 
now as high as 40 percent in some communities.\2\ Research suggests 
that children who are chronically absent for multiple years between 
preschool and second grade are much less likely to read at grade level

[[Page 53597]]

by the third grade.\3\ As of the 2021-22 school year, over 14 million 
students nationwide were chronically absent, missing crucial 
instructional time and posing serious implications for students' 
overall academic success and wellbeing.\4\
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    \1\ Dee, T. S. (2023, August 10). Higher Chronic Absenteeism 
Threatens Academic Recovery from the COVID-19 Pandemic. https://doi.org/10.31219/osf.io/bfg3p.
    \2\ https://edsource.org/2023/reaching-kindergarten-parents-is-key-to-addressing-dramatic-post-pandemic-rise-in-chronic-absenteeism-panel-says/696511.
    \3\ Ehrlich, Stacy B., et al. (May 2014). Preschool Attendance 
in Chicago Public Schools. https://consortium.uchicago.edu/publications/preschool-attendance-chicago-public-schools-relationships-learning-outcomes-and-reasons.
    \4\ See note 2.
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    The Biden-Harris Administration has made addressing chronic 
absenteeism one of the focal points of its Improving Student 
Achievement Agenda \5\ and is using several strategies to help schools 
and communities address this issue. These efforts include: 
disseminating grants that can fund interventions and supports in 
schools; offering technical assistance to States and districts, 
including the Department's Student Engagement and Attendance Center,\6\ 
which supports States and schools in designing and implementing 
evidence-based strategies to improve student attendance and engagement, 
and the Department's National Center on Safe Supportive Learning 
Environments,\7\ which provides technical assistance focused on 
improving school climate; investing in comprehensive mental health 
programs for students, including through the transformational 
investments of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act; \8\ and 
establishing and strengthening the National Partnership for Student 
Success,\9\ which marshals evidence-based supports such as tutoring and 
mentoring to help keep students engaged and on-track.
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    \5\ https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/01/17/fact-sheet-biden-harris-administration-announces-improving-student-achievement-agenda-in-2024/.
    \6\ https://oese.ed.gov/student-engagement-and-attendance-technical-assistance-sea-center/.
    \7\ https://safesupportivelearning.ed.gov/school-climate-improvement
    \8\ https://oese.ed.gov/bipartisan-safer-communities-act/.
    \9\ https://www.partnershipstudentsuccess.org/?utm_content&utm_medium=email&utm_name&utm_source=govdelivery&utm_term.
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    Additionally, the Promise Neighborhoods incorporates the unique 
insights of young people to better address their needs and 
circumstances. PN grantees and like-minded cross-sector initiatives 
have been successful in engaging children and young people in K-12, 
college students, recent college graduates, and young adults pursuing 
employment. Youth engagement is used to improve school climate, 
consistent attendance, college preparedness, and leadership development 
among older youths. Because such engagement activities directly address 
the youth populations they involve, they can be adapted and applied to 
many contexts. In this instance, program grantees are encouraged to 
engage young people in the planning and implementation of these two-
year grants.
    Promise Neighborhoods also provide a unique opportunity for 
communities to create a comprehensive approach to help prevent and 
address violence in their neighborhoods. Funds can support a broad 
approach that allows grantees to coordinate mental health 
professionals, the criminal justice system, economic or workforce 
development organizations, and community leaders to intervene in areas 
with high rates of violence. Current grantees have engaged with Parks 
Departments, Departments of Justice, and local community organizations 
to focus on creating safe public spaces such as parks and more walkable 
communities, improving both safety and wellness in their neighborhoods, 
and creating a safe passage for students to get to school. Grantees 
have also focused on increasing attendance and graduation rates as well 
as community mentoring to mitigate violence among teens.
    5. Priorities: This notice includes three absolute priorities, 
three competitive preference priorities, and one invitational priority. 
Absolute Priorities 1 and 3 are from the Final Priorities, 
Requirements, Definitions, and Selection Criteria for this program 
published in the Federal Register on January 19, 2021 (86 FR 5009) (PN 
NFP). Absolute Priority 2 is from the Administrative Priorities for 
Discretionary Grant Programs published in the Federal Register on March 
9, 2020 (85 FR 13640) (Administrative Priorities). Competitive 
Preference Priorities 1 and 3 are from the Secretary's Supplemental 
Priorities and Definitions for Discretionary Grants Programs published 
in the Federal Register on December 10, 2021 (86 FR 70612) 
(Supplemental Priorities). Competitive Preference Priority 2 is from 
the Administrative Priorities.
    Absolute Priorities: For FY 2024 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 or more of 
these priorities. Absolute Priorities 1, 2, and 3 each constitute 
separate funding categories. The Secretary intends to award grants 
under each of these absolute priorities provided that applications 
submitted are of sufficient quality. An applicant may address no more 
than one absolute priority in its application. To ensure that 
applicants are reviewed under the absolute priority most relevant to 
their proposed project, applicants must clearly identify the specific 
absolute priority that the proposed project addresses.
    These priorities are:
    Absolute Priority 1--Non-Rural and Non-Tribal Communities.
    To meet this priority, an applicant must propose to implement a PN 
strategy that serves one or more non-rural or non-Tribal communities.
    Absolute Priority 2--Rural Applicants.
    Under this priority, an applicant must demonstrate one or more of 
the following:
    (a) The applicant proposes to serve an LEA that is eligible under 
the Small Rural School Achievement (SRSA) program or the Rural and Low-
Income School (RLIS) program authorized under Title V, Part B of the 
ESEA.
    (b) The applicant proposes to serve a community that is served by 
one or more LEAs with a locale code of 32, 33, 41, 42, or 43.
    (c) The applicant proposes a project in which a majority of the 
schools served have a locale code of 32, 33, 41, 42, or 43.
    (d) The applicant is an IHE with a rural campus setting, or the 
applicant proposes to serve a campus with a rural setting. Rural 
settings include any of the following: Town-Fringe, Town-Distant, Town-
Remote, Rural-Fringe, Rural-Distant, Rural-Remote, as defined by the 
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) College Navigator 
search tool.
    Note: To determine whether a particular LEA is eligible for SRSA or 
RLIS, refer to the Department's website at https://oese.ed.gov/offices/office-of-formula-grants/rural-insular-native-achievement-programs/rural-education-achievement-program/. Applicants are encouraged to 
retrieve locale codes from the NCES School District search tool 
(https://nces.ed.gov/ccd/districtsearch/), where LEAs can be looked up 
individually to retrieve locale codes, and the Public School search 
tool (https://nces.ed.gov/ccd/schoolsearch/), where individual schools 
can be looked up to retrieve locale codes. Applicants are encouraged to 
retrieve campus settings from the NCES College Navigator search tool 
(https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/), where IHEs can be looked up 
individually to determine the campus setting.
    Absolute Priority 3--Tribal Communities.
    To meet this priority, an applicant must propose to implement a PN 
strategy that serves one or more Indian Tribes (as defined in this 
notice).

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    Competitive Preference Priorities: For FY 2024 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 
15 points to an application, depending on how well the application 
meets one or more of these priorities; the total possible points for 
each competitive preference priority are noted in parentheses.
    These priorities are:
    Competitive Preference Priority 1--Strengthening Cross-Agency 
Coordination and Community Engagement to Advance Systemic Change (up to 
5 points).
    Projects that are designed to take a systemic evidence-based 
approach to improving outcomes for underserved students in coordinating 
efforts with Federal, State, or local agencies, or community-based 
organizations, that support students, to address community violence 
prevention and intervention.
    Competitive Preference Priority 2--Applications From New Potential 
Grantees (0 or 5 points).
    Under this priority, an applicant must demonstrate that the 
applicant has never received a grant, including through membership in a 
group application submitted in accordance with 34 CFR 75.127-75.129, 
under the program from which it seeks funds.
    Competitive Preference Priority 3--Promoting Equity in Student 
Access to Educational Resources and Opportunities (up to 5 points).
    Under this priority, an applicant must demonstrate that the 
applicant proposes a project 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) Early learning programs.
    (ii) Elementary school.
    (iii) Middle school.
    (iv) High school.
    (v) Career and technical education programs.
    (vi) Out-of-school-time settings.
    (vii) Alternative schools and programs.
    (viii) Juvenile justice system or correctional facilities.
    (ix) Adult learning;
    (2) That examines the sources of inequity and inadequacy and 
implements responses, and that includes establishing, expanding, or 
improving the engagement of underserved community members (including 
underserved students and families) in informing and making decisions 
that influence policy and practice at the school, district, or State 
level by elevating their voices, through their participation and their 
perspectives and providing them with access to opportunities for 
leadership (e.g., establishing partnerships between civic student 
government programs and parent and caregiver leadership initiatives).
    Invitational Priority: For FY 2024 and any subsequent year in which 
we make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this 
competition, this priority is an invitational priority. Under 34 CFR 
75.105(c)(1) we do not give an application that meets this invitational 
priority a competitive or absolute preference over other applications.
    This priority is:
    Addressing Chronic Absenteeism.
    Projects designed to increase regular student attendance and 
engagement and reduce chronic absenteeism through evidence-based 
strategies such as--
    (1) Developing and implementing family- and child-centered 
effective engagement, messaging, and communication plans with parents, 
families, and students;
    (2) Strengthening relationships with families, including through 
strategies such as home visits;
    (3) Using multitiered systems of support and intervention, 
including through strategies such as an early warning system; or
    (4) Creating and sustaining positive and inclusive school climates, 
including those designed to build strong, trusting relationships.
    6. Requirements: For FY 2024 and any subsequent year in which we 
make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this 
competition, applicants must meet the following application and program 
requirements from section 4624 of the ESEA and the PN NFP.
    Application Requirements: The application requirements are as 
follows:
    (a) A plan to significantly improve the academic outcomes of 
children living in the geographically defined area (neighborhood) that 
is served by the eligible entity by providing pipeline services that 
address the needs of children in the neighborhood, as identified by the 
needs analysis, and that is supported by effective practices.
    (b) A description of the neighborhood the eligible entity will 
serve.
    Note: Applicants may propose to serve multiple, non-contiguous 
geographically defined areas. In cases where target areas are non-
contiguous, the applicant should explain its rationale for including 
non-contiguous areas.
    (c) An applicant must demonstrate that its proposed project--
    (1) Is representative of the geographic area proposed to be served 
(as defined in this notice); and
    (2) Would provide a majority of the solutions from the applicant's 
proposed pipeline services in the geographic area proposed to be 
served.
    (d) An analysis of the needs and assets of the neighborhood, 
including:
    (1) The size and scope of the population affected;
    (2) A description of the process through which the needs analysis 
was produced, including a description of how parents, families, and 
community members were engaged in such analysis;
    (3) An analysis of community assets and collaborative efforts 
(including programs already provided from Federal and non-Federal 
sources) within, or accessible to, the neighborhood, including, at a 
minimum, early learning opportunities, family and student supports, 
local businesses, LEAs, and IHEs;
    (4) The steps that the eligible entity is taking at the time of the 
application to address the needs identified in the needs analysis; and
    (5) Any barriers the eligible entity, public agencies, and other 
community-based organizations have faced in meeting such needs.
    (e) A description of all information the entity used to identify 
the pipeline services to be provided, which shall not include 
information that is more than three years old. This description should 
address how the eligible entity plans to collect data on children 
served by each pipeline service and increase the percentage of children 
served over time.
    (f) A description of how the pipeline services will facilitate the 
coordination of the following activities:
    (1) Providing early learning opportunities for children, including 
by:
    (i) Providing opportunities for families to acquire the skills to 
promote early learning and child development; and
    (ii) Ensuring appropriate diagnostic assessments and referrals for 
children with disabilities and children aged 3 through 9 experiencing 
developmental delays, consistent with the Individuals with Disabilities 
Education Act (IDEA) (20 U.S.C. 1400 et seq.), where applicable.
    (2) Supporting, enhancing, operating, or expanding rigorous, 
comprehensive, effective educational improvements, which may include 
high-quality academic programs, expanded learning time, and programs 
and activities to

[[Page 53599]]

prepare students for postsecondary education admissions and success.
    (3) Supporting partnerships between schools and other community 
resources with an integrated focus on academics and other social, 
health, and familial supports.
    (4) Providing social, health, nutrition, and mental health services 
and supports, for children, family members, and community members, 
which may include services provided within the school building.
    (5) Supporting evidence-based programs that assist students through 
school transitions, which may include expanding access to postsecondary 
education courses and postsecondary education enrollment aid or 
guidance, and other supports for at-risk youth.
    (g) Each applicant must submit, as part of its application, a 
preliminary memorandum of understanding, signed by each organization or 
agency with which it would partner in implementing the proposed PN 
program. Within the preliminary memorandum of understanding, all 
applicants must detail each partner's financial, programmatic, and 
long-term commitment with respect to the strategies described in the 
application. Under section 4624(c) of the ESEA, applicants that are 
nonprofit entities must submit a preliminary memorandum of 
understanding signed by each partner entity or agency, which must 
include at least one of the following: A high-need LEA; an IHE, as 
defined in section 102 of the HEA (20 U.S.C. 1002); the office of a 
chief elected official of a unit of local government; or an Indian 
Tribe or Tribal organization as defined in section 4 of the Indian 
Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304).\10\
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    \10\ The original citation in ESEA section 4622 was to 25 U.S.C. 
450b, but 25 U.S.C. 450b was editorially reclassified as 25 U.S.C. 
5304. We use the updated citation throughout this notice.
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    (h) A description of the process used to develop the application, 
including the involvement of family and community members. In 
addressing this paragraph, an applicant must provide a description of 
the process used to develop the application, which must include the 
involvement of an LEA(s) (including but not limited to the LEA's or 
LEAs' involvement in the creation and planning of the application and a 
signed Memorandum of Understanding) and at least one public elementary 
or secondary school that is located within the identified geographic 
area that the grant will serve.
    (i) A description of the strategies that will be used to provide 
pipeline services (including a description of which programs and 
services will be provided to children, family members, community 
members, and children within the neighborhood) to support the purpose 
of the PN program.
    (j) An explanation of the process the eligible entity will use to 
establish and maintain family and community engagement, including:
    (1) Involving representative participation by the members of such 
neighborhood in the planning and implementation of the activities of 
each grant awarded;
    (2) The provision of strategies and practices to assist family and 
community members in actively supporting student achievement and child 
development;
    (3) Providing services for students, families, and communities 
within the school building; and
    (4) Collaboration with IHEs, workforce development centers, and 
employers to align expectations and programming with postsecondary 
education and workforce readiness.
    (k) Measurable annual objectives and outcomes for the grant, in 
accordance with the metrics described in the Promise Neighborhoods 
Performance Indicators for each year of the grant.
    (l) An explanation of how the eligible entity will continuously 
evaluate and improve the continuum of high-quality pipeline services to 
provide for continuous program improvement and potential expansion.
    (m) In addressing the application requirements in paragraphs (d), 
(e), and (f), an applicant must clearly demonstrate needs, including a 
segmentation analysis, gaps in services, and any available data from 
within the last 3 years to demonstrate needs. The applicant must also 
describe proposed activities that address these needs and the extent to 
which these activities are evidence-based (as defined in this notice). 
The applicant must also describe its experience, or its partner 
organizations' experience, if applicable, providing these activities, 
including any data demonstrating effectiveness.
    Program Requirements: Each applicant that receives a grant award 
for the PN competition must use the grant funds to implement the 
pipeline services and continuously evaluate the success of the program 
and improve the program based on data and outcomes. Section 4624(d) of 
the ESEA. Applicants may use not less than 50 percent of grant funds in 
year one, and not less than 25 percent of grant funds in year two, for 
planning activities to develop and implement pipeline services.
    Each eligible entity that receives a grant under this program must 
prepare and submit an annual report to the Secretary that includes the 
following: (1) information about the number and percentage of children 
in the neighborhood who are served by the grant program, including a 
description of the number and percentage of children accessing each 
support service offered as part of the pipeline of services; and (2) 
information relating to the metrics established under the Promise 
Neighborhood Performance Indicators.
    In addition, grantees must make these data publicly available, 
including through electronic means. To the extent practicable, and as 
required by law, such information must be provided in a form and 
language accessible to parents and families in the neighborhood served 
under the PN grant. Data on academic indicators pertinent to the PN 
program already will be, in most cases, part of statewide longitudinal 
data systems.
    7. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria are from 34 CFR 
75.210, the PN NFP, and the notice of final priorities, requirements, 
definitions, and selection criteria published in the Federal Register 
on July 6, 2011 (76 FR 39589) (2011 PN NFP). Each selection criterion 
includes the factors that reviewers will consider in determining the 
extent to which an applicant meets the criterion. The maximum score for 
each criterion is included in parentheses following the title of the 
specific selection criterion. Points awarded under these selection 
criteria are in addition to any points an applicant earned under the 
competitive preference priorities in this notice. The maximum score 
that an application may receive on the selection criteria is 100 
points.
    The selection criteria are as follows:
    (a) Need for project (up to 20 points).
    In determining the need for the proposed project, the Secretary 
considers the following factors:
    (1) The magnitude or severity of the problem to be addressed by the 
proposed project (34 CFR 75.210).
    (2) 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 (34 CFR 75.210).
    (b) Quality of project services (up to 30 points).
    The Secretary considers the quality of the services to be provided 
by the proposed project. In determining the quality of the project 
services, the Secretary considers:

[[Page 53600]]

    (1) 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 (34 CFR 75.210).
    (2) The extent to which the proposed project involves the 
development or demonstration of promising new strategies that build on, 
or are alternatives to, existing strategies (34 CFR 75.210).
    (3) The likelihood that the proposed project will result in system 
change or improvement (34 CFR 75.210).
    (4) The extent to which the services to be provided by the proposed 
project involve the collaboration of appropriate partners for 
maximizing the effectiveness of project services (34 CFR 75.210).
    (c) Quality of project design (up to 20 points).
    In determining the quality of project design for the proposed 
project, the Secretary considers the following factors:
    (1) The extent to which the applicant describes a plan to create a 
complete pipeline of services, without time and resource gaps, that is 
designed to prepare all children in the neighborhood to attain a high-
quality education and successfully transition to college and a career 
(PN NFP).
    (2) 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 (34 CFR 75.210).
    (3) The extent to which the proposed project will integrate with or 
build on similar or related efforts to improve relevant outcomes (as 
defined in 34 CFR 77.1[euro]), using existing funding streams from 
other programs or policies supported by community, State, and Federal 
resources (34 CFR 75.210).
    (d) Quality of the management plan (up to 15 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 (34 CFR 75.210).
    (2) The adequacy of procedures for ensuring feedback and continuous 
improvement in the operation of the proposed project (34 CFR 75.210).
    (3) The experience, lessons learned, and proposal to build capacity 
of the applicant's management team and project director in collecting, 
analyzing, and using data for decision making, learning, continuous 
improvement, and accountability, including whether the applicant has a 
plan to build, adapt, or expand a longitudinal data system that 
integrates student-level data from multiple sources in order to measure 
progress while abiding by privacy laws and requirements (2011 PN NFP).
    (e) Adequacy of resources (up to 15 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:
    (1) The potential for continued support of the project after 
Federal funding ends, including, as appropriate, the demonstrated 
commitment of appropriate entities to such support (34 CFR 75.210).
    (2) The extent to which the applicant identifies existing 
neighborhood assets and programs supported by Federal, State, local, 
and private funds that will be used to implement a continuum of 
solutions (2011 PN NFP).
    (3) The applicant's capacity (e.g., in terms of qualified 
personnel, financial resources, or management capacity) to further 
develop and bring to scale the proposed process, product, strategy, or 
practice, or to work with others to ensure that the proposed process, 
product, strategy, or practice can be further developed and brought to 
scale, based on the findings of the proposed project (34 CFR 75.210).
    8. Performance Measures: The Secretary has established performance 
indicators (i.e., performance measures) for the PN program under 
section 4624(h) of the ESEA and 34 CFR 75.110. Performance indicators 
established by the Secretary include improved academic and development 
outcomes for children, including indicators of school readiness, high 
school graduation, postsecondary education and career readiness, and 
other academic and developmental outcomes. These outcomes promote data-
driven decision-making and access to a community-based continuum of 
high-quality services for children living in the most distressed 
communities of the United States, beginning at birth. All grantees will 
be required to submit data annually against these performance measures 
as part of their annual performance report.
    The Secretary establishes, in Table 1, the following performance 
indicators under section 4624(h) of the ESEA and 34 CFR 75.110:

          Table 1--Promise Neighborhoods Performance Indicators
------------------------------------------------------------------------
             Result                    Indicator      Recommended source
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Children enter kindergarten    1. Number and       Administrative
 ready to succeed in school.       percentage of       data from LEA.
                                   children in
                                   kindergarten who
                                   demonstrate at
                                   the beginning of
                                   the program or
                                   school year age-
                                   appropriate
                                   functioning
                                   across multiple
                                   domains of early
                                   learning as
                                   determined using
                                   developmentally
                                   appropriate early
                                   learning measures.
2. Students are proficient in     2.1 Number and
 core academic subjects.           percentage of
                                   students at or
                                   above grade level
                                   according to
                                   State mathematics
                                   assessments in at
                                   least the grades
                                   required by the
                                   ESEA (third
                                   through eighth
                                   grades and once
                                   in high school).
                                  2.2 Number and
                                   percentage of
                                   students at or
                                   above grade level
                                   according to
                                   State English
                                   language arts
                                   assessments in at
                                   least the grades
                                   required by the
                                   ESEA.
3. Students successfully          3.1 Attendance
 transition from middle school     rate of students
 grades to high school.            in sixth,
                                   seventh, eighth,
                                   and ninth grade
                                   as defined by
                                   average daily
                                   attendance.

[[Page 53601]]

 
                                  3.2 Chronic
                                   absenteeism rate
                                   of students in
                                   sixth, seventh,
                                   eighth, and ninth
                                   grades.
4. Youth graduate from high       4. 4-year adjusted
 school.                           cohort graduation
                                   rate.
5. High school graduates obtain   5.1 Number and      Third party data
 a postsecondary degree,           percentage of       such as the
 certification or credential.      Promise             National Student
                                   Neighborhood        Clearinghouse.
                                   students who
                                   enroll in a 2-
                                   year or 4-year
                                   college or
                                   university after
                                   graduation.
                                  5.2 Number and
                                   percent of
                                   Promise
                                   Neighborhood
                                   students who
                                   graduate from a 2-
                                   year or 4-year
                                   college or
                                   university or
                                   vocational
                                   certification
                                   completion.
6. Students are healthy.........  6. Number and       Neighborhood
                                   percentage of       survey, school
                                   children who        climate survey or
                                   consume five or     other reliable
                                   more servings of    data source for
                                   fruits and          population level
                                   vegetables daily.   data collection.
7. Students feel safe at school   7. Number and
 and in their community.           percentage of
                                   children who feel
                                   safe at school
                                   and traveling to
                                   and from school
                                   as measured by a
                                   school climate
                                   survey.
8. Students live in stable        8. Student
 communities.                      mobility rate (as
                                   defined in the
                                   notice).
9. Families and community         9.1 Number and
 members support learning in PN    percentage of
 schools.                          parents or family
                                   members that read
                                   to or encourage
                                   their children to
                                   read three or
                                   more times a week
                                   or reported their
                                   child reads to
                                   themselves three
                                   or more times a
                                   week (birth-
                                   eighth grade).
                                  9.2 Number and
                                   percentage of
                                   parents/family
                                   members who
                                   report talking
                                   about the
                                   importance of
                                   college and
                                   career (ninth-
                                   12th grade).
10. Students have access to 21st  10. Number and
 century learning tools.           percentage of
                                   students who have
                                   school and home
                                   access to
                                   broadband
                                   internet and a
                                   connected
                                   computing device.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Note: The indicators in Table 1 are not intended to limit an 
applicant from collecting and using data from additional Family and 
Community Support indicators proposed to the Department. Applicants are 
strongly encouraged, but not required, to propose additional 
performance indicators aligned to the specific pipeline services 
proposed in their application.
    Please see the Program Requirements section of this notice for the 
reporting requirements associated with the PN program performance 
indicators.
    9. Definitions: For FY 2024 and any subsequent year in which we 
make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this 
competition, the following definitions apply. The definitions for 
``eligible entity'' and ``pipeline services'' are from section 4622 of 
the ESEA. The definitions of ``graduation rate,'' ``Indian Tribe,'' 
``indicators of need,'' ``regular high-school diploma,'' 
``representative of the geographic area to be served,'' ``segmentation 
analysis,'' ``student achievement,'' and ``student mobility rate'' are 
from the PN NFP. The definitions of ``children or students with 
disabilities,'' ``community college,'' ``disconnected youth,'' ``early 
learning,'' ``English learner,'' and ``underserved student'' are from 
the Supplemental Priorities. The remaining definitions are from 34 CFR 
77.1.
    Children or students with disabilities means children with 
disabilities as defined in section 602(3) of the 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)).
    Community college means ``junior or community college'' as defined 
in section 312(f) of the HEA.
    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.
    Early learning means any (a) State-licensed or State-regulated 
program or provider, regardless of setting or funding source, that 
provides early care and education for children from birth to 
kindergarten entry, including, but not limited to, any program operated 
by a child care center or in a family child care home; (b) program 
funded by the Federal Government or State or LEAs (including any IDEA-
funded program); (c) Early Head Start and Head Start program; (d) non-
relative child care provider who is not otherwise regulated by the 
State and who regularly cares for two or more unrelated children for a 
fee in a provider setting; and (e) other program that may deliver early 
learning and development services in a child's home, such as the 
Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program; Early Head 
Start; and Part C of IDEA.
    Eligible entity means (1) an IHE, as defined in section 102 of the 
HEA (20 U.S.C. 1002); (2) an Indian tribe or tribal organization, as 
defined in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education 
Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304); or (3) one or more nonprofit entities 
working in formal partnership with not less than 1 of the following 
entities:
    (i) A high-need LEA.
    (ii) An IHE, as defined in section 102 of the HEA (20 U.S.C. 1002).
    (iii) The office of a chief elected official of a unit of local 
government.
    (iv) An Indian tribe or tribal organization, as defined under 
section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and

[[Page 53602]]

Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304).
    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.
    Evidence-based means the proposed project component is supported by 
one or more of strong evidence, moderate evidence, or promising 
evidence.
    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 Handbooks:
    (i) A randomized controlled trial employs random assignment of, for 
example, students, teachers, classrooms, or schools to receive the 
project component being evaluated (the treatment group) or not to 
receive the project component (the control group).
    (ii) A regression discontinuity design study assigns the project 
component being evaluated using a measured variable (e.g., assigning 
students reading below a cutoff score to tutoring or developmental 
education classes) and controls for that variable in the analysis of 
outcomes.
    (iii) A single-case design study uses observations of a single case 
(e.g., a student eligible for a behavioral intervention) over time in 
the absence and presence of a controlled treatment manipulation to 
determine whether the outcome is systematically related to the 
treatment.
    Graduation rate means the four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate 
or extended-year adjusted cohort graduation rate as defined in section 
8101(25) and (23) of the ESEA.
    Indian Tribe means an Indian Tribe or Tribal organization as 
defined in section 4 of the Indian Self-determination Act (25 U.S.C. 
5304(e)).
    Indicators of need means currently available data that describe--
    (a) Education need, which means--
    (1) All or a portion of the neighborhood includes or is within the 
attendance zone of a low-performing school that is a high school, 
especially one in which the graduation rate (as defined in this notice) 
is less than 60 percent or a school that can be characterized as low-
performing based on another proxy indicator, such as students' on-time 
progression from grade to grade; and
    (2) Other indicators, such as significant achievement gaps between 
subgroups of students (as identified in section 1111(b)(2)(B)(xi) of 
the ESEA), within a school or LEA, high teacher and principal turnover, 
or high student absenteeism; and
    (b) Family and community support need, which means--
    (1) Percentages of children with preventable chronic health 
conditions (e.g., asthma, poor nutrition, dental problems, obesity) or 
avoidable developmental delays;
    (2) Immunization rates;
    (3) Rates of crime, including violent crime;
    (4) Student mobility rates;
    (5) Teenage birth rates;
    (6) Percentage of children in single parent or no-parent families;
    (7) Rates of vacant or substandard homes, including distressed 
public and assisted housing; or
    (8) Percentage of the residents living at or below the Federal 
poverty threshold.
    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, 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;
    (ii) 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
    (iii) 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--
    (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, 3.0, 
4.0, or 4.1 of the WWC Handbooks; 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.
    Pipeline services means a continuum of coordinated supports, 
services, and opportunities for children from birth through entry into 
and success in postsecondary education, and career attainment. Such 
services shall include, at a minimum, strategies to address through 
services or programs (including integrated student supports) the 
following:
    (a) High-quality early childhood education programs.
    (b) High-quality school and out-of-school-time programs and 
strategies.
    (c) Support for a child's transition to elementary school, from 
elementary school to middle school, from middle school to high school, 
and from high school into and through postsecondary education and into 
the workforce, including any comprehensive readiness assessment 
determined necessary.
    (d) Family and community engagement and supports, which may include 
engaging or supporting families at school or at home.
    (e) Activities that support postsecondary and work-force readiness, 
which may include job training, internship opportunities, and career 
counseling.
    (f) Community-based support for students who have attended the 
schools in the area served by the pipeline, or students who are members 
of the community, facilitating their continued connection to the 
community and success in postsecondary education and the workforce.
    (g) Social, health, nutrition, and mental health services and 
supports.
    (h) Juvenile crime prevention and rehabilitation programs.
    Project component means an activity, strategy, intervention, 
process, product, practice, or policy included in a project. Evidence 
may pertain to an individual

[[Page 53603]]

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 Handbooks.
    Regular high school diploma has the meaning set out in section 
8101(43) of the ESEA.
    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.
    Representative of the geographic area proposed to be served means 
that residents of the geographic area proposed to be served have an 
active role in decision-making and that at least one-third of the 
applicant's governing board or advisory board is made up of--
    (a) Residents who live in the geographic area proposed to be 
served, which may include residents who are representative of the 
ethnic and racial composition of the neighborhood's residents and the 
languages they speak;
    (b) Residents of the city or county in which the neighborhood is 
located but who live outside the geographic area proposed to be served, 
and who earn less than 80 percent of the area's median income as 
published by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development;
    (c) Public officials who serve the geographic area proposed to be 
served (although not more than one-half of the governing board or 
advisory board may be made up of public officials); or
    (d) Some combination of individuals from the three groups listed in 
paragraphs (a), (b), and (c) of this definition.
    Segmentation analysis means the process of grouping and analyzing 
data from children and families in the geographic area proposed to be 
served according to indicators of need or other relevant indicators to 
allow grantees to differentiate and more effectively target 
interventions based on the needs of different populations in the 
geographic area.
    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:
    (i) 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;
    (ii) 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
    (iii) 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 Handbooks, as 
appropriate, and that--
    (A) Meets WWC standards 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, 3.0, 
4.0, or 4.1 of the WWC Handbooks; 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.
    Student achievement means--
    (a) For tested grades and subjects--
    (1) A student's score on the State's assessments under the ESEA; 
and
    (2) As appropriate, other measures of student learning, such as 
those described in paragraph (b) of this definition, provided they are 
rigorous and comparable across classrooms and programs; and
    (b) For non-tested grades and subjects, alternative measures of 
student learning and performance, such as student scores on pre-tests 
and end-of-course tests; student performance on English language 
proficiency assessments; and other measures of student achievement that 
are rigorous and comparable across classrooms.
    Student mobility rate is calculated by dividing the total number of 
new student entries and withdrawals at a school, from the day after the 
first official enrollment number is collected through the end of the 
academic year, by the first official enrollment number of the academic 
year.
    Underserved student means a student (which may include children in 
early learning environments, students in K-12 programs, students in 
postsecondary education or career and technical education, and adult 
learners, as appropriate) in one or more of the following subgroups:
    (a) A student who is living in poverty or is served by schools with 
high concentrations of students living in poverty.
    (b) A student of color.
    (c) A student who is a member of a federally recognized Indian 
Tribe.
    (d) An English learner.
    (e) A child or student with a disability.
    (f) A disconnected youth.
    (g) A migrant student.
    (h) A student experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity.
    (i) A lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, or 
intersex (LGBTQI+) student.
    (j) A student who is in foster care.
    (k) A student without documentation of immigration status.
    (l) A pregnant, parenting, or caregiving student.

[[Page 53604]]

    (m) A student impacted by the justice system, including a formerly 
incarcerated student.
    (n) A student who is the first in their family to attend 
postsecondary education.
    (o) A student enrolling in or seeking to enroll in postsecondary 
education for the first time at the age of 20 or older.
    (p) A student who is working full-time while enrolled in 
postsecondary education.
    (q) A student who is enrolled in or is seeking to enroll in 
postsecondary education who is eligible for a Pell Grant.
    What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) 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 Sec.  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.
    Note: The What Works Clearinghouse Procedures and Standards 
Handbook (Version 4.1), as well as the more recent What Works 
Clearinghouse Handbooks released in August 2022 (Version 5.0), are 
available at https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/Handbooks.
    10. Program Authority and Applicable Regulations:
    Program authority: 20 U.S.C. 7273-7274.
    Applicable regulations: (a) The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) 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 Guidance for 
Federal Financial Assistance in 2 CFR part 200, as adopted and amended 
as regulations of the Department in 2 CFR part 3474. (d) The PN NFP. 
(e) The 2011 PN NFP. (f) The Administrative Priorities. (g) 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 to IHEs only.
    Note: The Department will implement the changes included in the OMB 
final rule, OMB Guidance for Federal Financial Assistance 
(www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/04/22/2024-07496/guidance-for-federal-financial-assistance), formerly called, Office of Management 
and Budget Guidance for Grants and Agreements, which amends 2 CFR part 
200, on October 1, 2024. When preparing an application, grant 
applicants who anticipate a performance period start date on or after 
October 1, 2024, should follow the requirements in the updated 2 CFR 
part 200. For more information about these updated regulations please 
visit: https://www2.ed.gov/policy/fund/guid/uniform-guidance/index.html.
    Note: Projects will be awarded and must be operated in a manner 
consistent with the nondiscrimination requirements contained in Federal 
civil rights laws.

II. Supplemental Requirements

    1. a. Cost Sharing or Matching: Under section 4623(d)(1)(A) of the 
ESEA, to be eligible for a grant under this competition, an applicant 
must demonstrate a commitment from one or more entities in the public 
or private sector, which may include Federal, State, and local public 
agencies, philanthropic organizations, and private sources, to provide 
matching funds.
    An applicant proposing a project that meets Absolute Priority 1--
Non-Rural and Non-Tribal Communities must obtain matching funds or in-
kind donations equal to at least 100 percent of its grant award. 
Section 4623(d)(1)(A) of the ESEA.
    An applicant proposing a project that meets Absolute Priority 2--
Rural Applicants or Absolute Priority 3--Tribal Communities must obtain 
matching funds or in-kind donations equal to at least 50 percent of its 
grant award. Section 4623(d)(1)(C) of the ESEA.
    Eligible sources of matching funds include sources of funds used to 
pay for solutions within the pipeline services, initiatives supported 
by the LEA, or public health services for children in the neighborhood. 
At least 10 percent of an applicant's total match must be cash or in-
kind contributions from the private sector, which may include 
philanthropic organizations or private sources. Section 4623(d)(1)(B) 
of the ESEA.
    Applicants must demonstrate a commitment of matching funds in the 
application. Applicants must specify the source of the funds or 
contributions and, in the case of a third-party in-kind contribution, 
describe how the value was determined for the donated or contributed 
goods or service. Section 4623(d)(1)(B) of the ESEA. Applicants must 
demonstrate the match commitment by including letters in their 
applications explaining the type and quantity of the match commitment 
with original signatures from the executives of organizations or 
agencies providing the match.
    The Secretary may consider decreasing the matching requirement in 
the most exceptional circumstances, on a case-by-case basis. Section 
4623(d)(1)(C) of the ESEA. An applicant that is unable to meet the 
matching requirement must include in its application a request to the 
Secretary to reduce the matching requirement, including the amount of 
the requested reduction, the total remaining match contribution, and a 
statement of the basis for the request. The Secretary will grant this 
request only if an applicant demonstrates a significant financial 
hardship. Section 4623(d)(1)(D) of the ESEA.
    An applicant should review the Department's cost-sharing and cost 
matching regulations, which include specific limitations, in 2 CFR 
200.306, and the cost principles regarding donations, capital assets, 
depreciations, and allowable costs, in subpart E of 2 CFR part 200.
    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 https://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 
Cost Principles described in 2 CFR part 200 subpart E.
    2. Subgrantees: The grantee may award subgrants to entities it has 
identified in an approved application or that it selects through a 
competition under procedures established by the grantee.

III. Application and Submission Information

    1. 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 50 pages and (2) use the 
following standards:

[[Page 53605]]

     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; 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.
    2. 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.
    3. Funding Restrictions: Applicants that operate a school in a 
neighborhood served by a PN grant must provide such school with the 
operational flexibility, including autonomy over staff, time, and 
budget, needed to effectively carry out the activities described in 
this notice. Grantees cannot, in carrying out activities to improve 
early childhood education programs, use PN funds to carry out the 
following activities: (1) Assessments that provide rewards or sanctions 
for individual children or teachers; (2) A single assessment that is 
used as the primary or sole method for assessing program effectiveness; 
or (3) Evaluation of children, other than for the purposes of improving 
instruction, classroom environment, professional development, or parent 
and family engagement, or program improvement.
    We reference additional regulations outlining funding restrictions 
in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.
    4. 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 
www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/12/07/2022-26554/common-instructions-for-applicants-to-department-of-education-discretionary-grant-programs.
    5. Submission of Proprietary Information: Given the types of 
projects that may be proposed in applications for the PN competition, 
your application may include business information that you consider 
proprietary. In 34 CFR 5.11 we define ``business information'' and 
describe the process we use in determining whether any of that 
information is proprietary and, thus, protected from disclosure under 
Exemption 4 of the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552, as 
amended). Because we plan to make successful applications available to 
the public, you may wish to request confidentiality of business 
information.
    Consistent with Executive Order 12600 (Predisclosure Notification 
Procedures for Confidential Commercial Information), 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).
    6. 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.

IV. Application Review Information

    1. 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).
    2. 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.
    3. 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.
    4. In General: In accordance with the Guidance for Federal 
Financial Assistance 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

[[Page 53606]]

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).

V. 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. Open Licensing Requirements: Unless an exception applies, if you 
are awarded a grant under this competition, you will be required to 
openly license to the public grant deliverables created in whole, or in 
part, with Department grant funds. When the deliverable consists of 
modifications to pre-existing works, the license extends only to those 
modifications that can be separately identified and only to the extent 
that open licensing is permitted under the terms of any licenses or 
other legal restrictions on the use of pre-existing works. 
Additionally, a grantee or subgrantee that is awarded competitive grant 
funds must have a plan to disseminate these public grant deliverables. 
This dissemination plan can be developed and submitted after your 
application has been reviewed and selected for funding. For additional 
information on the open licensing requirements please refer to 2 CFR 
3474.20.
    4. Reporting: (a) If you apply for a grant under this competition, 
you must ensure that you have in place the necessary processes and 
systems to comply with the reporting requirements in 2 CFR part 170 
should you receive funding under the competition. This does not apply 
if you have an exception under 2 CFR 170.110(b).
    (b) At the end of your project period, you must submit a final 
performance report, including financial information, as directed by the 
Secretary. If you receive a multiyear award, you must submit an annual 
performance report that provides the most current performance and 
financial expenditure information as directed by the Secretary under 34 
CFR 75.118. The Secretary may also require more frequent performance 
reports under 34 CFR 75.720(c). For specific requirements on reporting, 
please go to www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/appforms/appforms.html.
    (c) Under 34 CFR 75.250(b), the Secretary may provide a grantee 
with additional funding for data collection analysis and reporting. In 
this case the Secretary establishes a data collection period.
    5. 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).
    Also, in making continuation awards for years four and five, the 
Department will consider whether the grantee is achieving the intended 
goals and outcomes of the grant and shows substantial improvement 
against baseline data on performance indicators and performance 
measures.

VI. 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, 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.

Adam Schott,
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Delegated the Authority to 
Perform the Functions and Duties of the Assistant Secretary, Office of 
Elementary and Secondary Education.
[FR Doc. 2024-14054 Filed 6-26-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P