[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 99 (Monday, May 23, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32306-32319]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-12101]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Applications for New Awards; Teacher Quality Partnership Grant
Program
AGENCY: Office of Innovation and Improvement, Department of Education.
ACTION: Notice.
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Overview Information:
Teacher Quality Partnership Grant Program.
Notice inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY)
2016.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.336S.
DATES:
Applications Available: May 23, 2016.
Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply: June 22, 2016.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: July 7, 2016.
Date of Pre-Application Webinars: The Office of Innovation and
Improvement intends to hold Webinars designed to provide technical
assistance to interested applicants for grants under the Teacher
Quality Partnership (TQP) Grant Program. Details regarding the dates
and times of these Webinars will be provided on the TQP Web site at
http://innovation.ed.gov/what-we-do/teacher-quality/teacher-quality-partnership/applicant-info-and-eligibility/.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: September 20, 2016.
Full Text of Announcement
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Purpose of Program: The TQP Grant Program aims to increase student
achievement by improving the quality of new teachers and prospective
teachers
[[Page 32307]]
through enhanced preparation of prospective teachers and professional
development activities for new teachers; holding teacher preparation
programs at institutions of higher education (IHEs) accountable for
preparing teachers who meet applicable State certification and
licensure requirements; and recruiting individuals with strong content
knowledge or a record of professional accomplishment, including
minorities and individuals from occupations other than education, into
the teaching force.
Background: The TQP Grant Program supports partnerships among (i)
IHEs, (ii) high-need local educational agencies (LEAs), and (iii) high-
need schools served by such LEAs or high-need early childhood education
(ECE) programs. Under section 202(d) and (e) of the Higher Education
Act of 1965, as amended (HEA), these partnerships must implement either
(a) teacher preparation programs at the pre-baccalaureate or ``fifth-
year'' level that include specific reforms in IHEs' existing teacher
preparation programs and follow-up support for program completers who
become teachers in partner LEAs, or (b) teacher residency programs in
which individuals with strong academic or professional backgrounds but
without teaching experience are teaching in high-need schools with
support from mentor teachers, and concurrently enrolled in a Master's
degree program. These two options are further explained in this notice
under the Absolute Priorities section of this notice.
In the FY 2016 TQP competition, we are especially interested in
supporting TQP projects that serve or are designed to serve tribal
communities and rural areas, given the need for effective educators
serving these communities. On November 5, 2009, pursuant to Executive
Order 13175, President Obama issued a memorandum requiring each Federal
agency to prepare a detailed plan of action the agency would take to
consult with tribal officials when developing policies that have
implications for tribal communities. Consistent with its
responsibilities under the President's memorandum, the U.S. Department
of Education (Department) conducted two consultation sessions by
teleconference with tribal officials about the TQP program, on January
19 and 21, 2016. During these consultations, we provided participants
with an overview of the TQP program and the current TQP grantees, and
facilitated a discussion around potential opportunities and challenges
that this grant program may provide for tribal communities. In
addition, the Department solicited feedback and questions from tribal
communities over a two-week period following the calls.
During this outreach, the Department received numerous comments and
questions from participants. Some of these concerns were of a general
nature and could affect all applicants, regardless of whether or not
they serve Tribal communities. For example, participants were concerned
about forming the necessary eligible partnership needed to apply, what
entity should lead that effort, and what entity should serve as the
lead applicant for the eligible partnership. Participants also
expressed concern about whether their local LEAs or BIE-funded schools
would meet the definition of a high-need LEA, as that term is defined
in section 200 of HEA.
Some concerns raised by participants reflected the unique
challenges facing tribal communities. For example, participants raised
issues related to the status of Bureau of Indian Education-funded
schools (e.g., whether they are LEAs) in many tribal communities, and
the role of two-year colleges in preparing and producing teachers to
serve those communities. In addition, TQP staff learned that members of
the Tribal community are widely familiar with the Indian Education
Professional Development Grant program in the Department's Office of
Elementary and Secondary Education, and sought additional information
about the differences between that program and the TQP program.
Answers to these and other questions will be addressed in the
upcoming TQP pre-application Webinars. Additionally, responses to
questions and concerns addressed during the consultations also can be
found in this notice inviting applications, and in the TQP Frequently
Asked Questions (FAQ) document found at http://innovation.ed.gov/what-we-do/teacher-quality/teacher-quality-partnership/. The Department has
also prepared a document that outlines the difference between the TQP
and PDP programs. This document can be found as part of the TQP FAQ
document.
We appreciate the dialogue with tribal leaders and the opportunity
to gain insight into tribal communities. Due to the detailed statutory
requirements for the TQP program in sections 200-204 of the HEA, the
Department has limited flexibility to address all of the concerns
raised during our consultation process. The consultations nevertheless
confirmed that rural communities and tribal communities could greatly
benefit from the TQP program, and therefore we have decided to
encourage applications from rural and tribal communities through
adoption of a competitive preference priority and an invitational
priority that focus on the specific teaching needs of these
communities.
Priorities: This notice contains two absolute priorities, one
competitive preference priority, and one invitational priority. In
accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(iv), Absolute Priority 1 is from
section 202(d) of the HEA, and Absolute Priority 2 is from section
202(e) of the HEA. The competitive preference priority is from the
Department's notice of final supplemental priorities and definitions
for discretionary grant programs, published in the Federal Register on
December 10, 2014 (79 FR 73425) (Supplemental Priorities).
Absolute Priorities: For FY 2016 and any subsequent year in which
we make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this
competition, these priorities are absolute priorities. All applications
must address either Absolute Priority 1 or Absolute Priority 2 in order
to be considered for funding, but not both. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3)
we consider only applications that meet Absolute Priority 1 or Absolute
Priority 2. Applications that address both absolute priorities will not
be reviewed.
Each of the two absolute priorities constitutes its own funding
category. Assuming that applications in each funding category are of
sufficient quality, the Secretary intends to award grants under each
absolute priority.
Applications will be peer reviewed and scored based on the TQP
program's selection criteria. Applications will be scored and placed in
rank order by absolute priority; thus, applications that address each
priority will be scored and ranked separately to create two funding
slates. Applications that do not clearly identify the priority being
addressed will not be reviewed.
These priorities are from section 202(d) and (e) of the HEA, and
are:
Absolute Priority 1: Partnership Grants for the Preparation of
Teachers.
Under this priority, an eligible partnership must carry out an
effective pre-baccalaureate teacher preparation program or a fifth-year
initial licensing program that includes all of the following:
(a) Program Accountability. Implementing reforms, described in
paragraph (b) of this priority, within each teacher preparation program
and, as applicable, each preparation program for early childhood
education (ECE) programs, of the eligible partnership that is assisted
under this priority, to hold each program accountable for--
(1) Preparing--
[[Page 32308]]
(i) New or prospective teachers to meet the applicable State
certification and licensure requirements, including any requirements
for certification obtained through alternative routes to certification,
or, with regard to special education teachers, the qualifications
described in section 612(a)(14)(C) of the Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act (IDEA), (including teachers in rural school districts,
special educators, and teachers of students who are limited English
proficient);
(ii) Such teachers and, as applicable, early childhood educators,
to understand empirically-based practice and scientifically valid
research related to teaching and learning and the applicability of such
practice and research, including through the effective use of
technology, instructional techniques, and strategies consistent with
the principles of universal design for learning, and through positive
behavioral interventions and support strategies to improve student
achievement; and
(iii) As applicable, early childhood educators to be highly
competent; and
(2) Promoting strong teaching skills and, as applicable, techniques
for early childhood educators to improve children's cognitive, social,
emotional, and physical development.
Note: In addressing paragraph (a) of this priority, applicants
may either discuss their implementation of reforms within all
teacher preparation programs that the partner institution of higher
education administers and that would be assisted under this TQP
grant, or selected teacher preparation programs that need particular
assistance and that would receive the TQP grant funding.
(b) Required reforms. The reforms described in paragraph (a) shall
include--
(1) Implementing teacher preparation program curriculum changes
that improve, evaluate, and assess how well all prospective and new
teachers develop teaching skills;
(2) Using empirically-based practice and scientifically valid
research, where applicable, about teaching and learning so that all
prospective teachers and, as applicable, early childhood educators--
(i) Understand and can implement research-based teaching practices
in classroom instruction;
(ii) Have knowledge of student learning methods;
(iii) Possess skills to analyze student academic achievement data
and other measures of student learning and use such data and measures
to improve classroom instruction;
(iv) Possess teaching skills and an understanding of effective
instructional strategies across all applicable content areas that
enable general education and special education teachers and early
childhood educators to--
(A) Meet the specific learning needs of all students, including
students with disabilities, students who are limited English
proficient, students who are gifted and talented, students with low
literacy levels, and, as applicable, children in ECE programs; and
(B) Differentiate instruction for such students;
(v) Can effectively participate as a member of the individualized
education program team, as defined in section 614(d)(1)(B) of the IDEA;
and
(vi) Can successfully employ effective strategies for reading
instruction using the essential components of reading instruction;
(3) Ensuring collaboration with departments, programs, or units of
a partner institution outside of the teacher preparation program in all
academic content areas to ensure that prospective teachers receive
training in both teaching and relevant content areas in order to meet
the applicable State certification and licensure requirements,
including any requirements for certification obtained through
alternative routes to certification, or, with regard to special
education teachers, the qualifications described in section
612(a)(14)(C) of the IDEA, which may include training in multiple
subjects to teach multiple grade levels as may be needed for
individuals preparing to teach in rural communities and for individuals
preparing to teach students with disabilities;
(4) Developing and implementing an induction program;
(5) Developing admissions goals and priorities aligned with the
hiring objectives of the high-need LEA in the eligible partnership; and
(6) Implementing program and curriculum changes, as applicable, to
ensure that prospective teachers have the requisite content knowledge,
preparation, and degree to teach Advanced Placement or International
Baccalaureate courses successfully.
(c) Clinical experience and interaction. Developing and improving a
sustained and high-quality preservice clinical education program to
further develop the teaching skills of all prospective teachers and, as
applicable, early childhood educators involved in the program. Such
programs shall do the following--
(1) Incorporate year-long opportunities for enrichment, including--
(i) Clinical learning in classrooms in high-need schools served by
the high-need LEA in the eligible partnership, and identified by the
eligible partnership; and
(ii) Closely supervised interaction between prospective teachers
and faculty, experienced teachers, principals, other administrators,
and school leaders at ECE programs (as applicable), elementary schools,
or secondary schools, and providing support for such interaction;
(2) Integrate pedagogy and classroom practice and promote effective
teaching skills in academic content areas;
(3) Provide high-quality teacher mentoring;
(4) Be offered over the course of a program of teacher preparation;
(5) Be tightly aligned with course work (and may be developed as a
fifth-year of a teacher preparation program);
(6) Where feasible, allow prospective teachers to learn to teach in
the same LEA in which the teachers will work, learning the
instructional initiatives and curriculum of that LEA;
(7) As applicable, provide training and experience to enhance the
teaching skills of prospective teachers to better prepare such teachers
to meet the unique needs of teaching in rural or urban communities; and
(8) Provide support and training for individuals participating in
an activity for prospective or new teachers described in this
paragraph, or paragraphs (a) and (b), or (d), and for individuals who
serve as mentors for such teachers, based on each individual's
experience. Such support may include--
(i) With respect to a prospective teacher or a mentor, release time
for such individual's participation;
(ii) With respect to a faculty member, receiving course workload
credit and compensation for time teaching in the eligible partnership's
activities; and
(iii) With respect to a mentor, a stipend, which may include bonus,
differential, incentive, or performance pay, based on the mentor's
extra skills and responsibilities.
(d) Induction programs for new teachers. Creating an induction
program for new teachers or, in the case of an ECE program, providing
mentoring or coaching for new early childhood educators.
(e) Support and training for participants in ECE programs. In the
case of an eligible partnership focusing on early childhood educator
preparation, implementing initiatives that increase compensation for
early childhood educators who attain associate or baccalaureate degrees
in ECE.
(f) Teacher recruitment. Developing and implementing effective
mechanisms
[[Page 32309]]
(which may include alternative routes to State certification of
teachers) to ensure that the eligible partnership is able to recruit
qualified individuals to become teachers who meet the applicable State
certification and licensure requirements, including any requirements
for certification obtained through alternative routes to certification,
or, with regard to special education teachers, the qualifications
described in section 612(a)(14)(C) of the IDEA through the activities
of the eligible partnership, which may include an emphasis on
recruiting into the teaching profession--
(1) Individuals from underrepresented populations;
(2) Individuals to teach in rural communities and teacher shortage
areas, including mathematics, science, special education, and the
instruction of limited English proficient students; and
(3) Mid-career professionals from other occupations, former
military personnel, and recent college graduates with a record of
academic distinction.
(g) Literacy training. Strengthening the literacy teaching skills
of prospective and, as applicable, new elementary school and secondary
school teachers--
(1) To implement literacy programs that incorporate the essential
components of reading instruction;
(2) To use screening, diagnostic, formative, and summative
assessments to determine students' literacy levels, difficulties, and
growth in order to improve classroom instruction and improve student
reading and writing skills;
(3) To provide individualized, intensive, and targeted literacy
instruction for students with deficiencies in literacy skills; and
(4) To integrate literacy skills in the classroom across subject
areas.
Absolute Priority 2: Partnership Grants for the Establishment of
Effective Teaching Residency Programs.
Under this priority, an eligible partnership must carry out an
effective teaching residency program that includes all of the following
activities:
(a) Supporting a teaching residency program described in paragraph
II (a) for high-need subjects and areas, as determined by the needs of
the high-need LEA in the partnership;
(b) Placing graduates of the teaching residency program in cohorts
that facilitate professional collaboration, both among graduates of the
teaching residency program and between such graduates and mentor
teachers in the receiving school;
(c) Ensuring that teaching residents who participate in the
teaching residency program receive--
(1) Effective pre-service preparation as described in paragraph II;
(2) Teacher mentoring;
(3) Support required through the induction program as the teaching
residents enter the classroom as new teachers; and
(4) The preparation described in paragraphs (c)(1), (2), and (3) of
Absolute Priority 2.
II. Teaching Residency Programs.
(a) Establishment and design. A teaching residency program under
this priority is a program based upon models of successful teaching
residencies that serves as a mechanism to prepare teachers for success
in the high-need schools in the eligible partnership, and must be
designed to include the following characteristics of successful
programs:
(1) The integration of pedagogy, classroom practice, and teacher
mentoring;
(2) Engagement of teaching residents in rigorous graduate-level
course work leading to a master's degree while undertaking a guided
teaching apprenticeship;
(3) Experience and learning opportunities alongside a trained and
experienced mentor teacher--
(i) Whose teaching shall complement the residency program so that
classroom clinical practice is tightly aligned with coursework;
(ii) Who shall have extra responsibilities as a teacher leader of
the teaching residency program, as a mentor for residents, and as a
teacher coach during the induction program for new teachers; and for
establishing, within the program, a learning community in which all
individuals are expected to continually improve their capacity to
advance student learning; and
(iii) Who may be relieved from teaching duties as a result of such
additional responsibilities;
(4) The establishment of clear criteria for the selection of mentor
teachers based on measures of teacher effectiveness and the appropriate
subject area knowledge. Evaluation of teacher effectiveness must be
based on, but not limited to, observations of the following--
(i) Planning and preparation, including demonstrated knowledge of
content, pedagogy, and assessment, including the use of formative and
diagnostic assessments to improve student learning;
(ii) Appropriate instruction that engages students with different
learning styles;
(iii) Collaboration with colleagues to improve instruction;
(iv) Analysis of gains in student learning, based on multiple
measures that are valid and reliable and that, when feasible, may
include valid, reliable, and objective measures of the influence of
teachers on the rate of student academic progress; and
(v) In the case of mentor candidates who will be mentoring new or
prospective literacy and mathematics coaches or instructors,
appropriate skills in the essential components of reading instruction,
teacher training in literacy instructional strategies across core
subject areas, and teacher training in mathematics instructional
strategies, as appropriate;
(5) Grouping of teaching residents in cohorts to facilitate
professional collaboration among such residents;
(6) The development of admissions goals and priorities--
(i) That are aligned with the hiring objectives of the LEA
partnering with the program, as well as the instructional initiatives
and curriculum of such agency, in exchange for a commitment by such
agency to hire qualified graduates from the teaching residency program;
and
(ii) Which may include consideration of applicants that reflect the
communities in which they will teach as well as consideration of
individuals from underrepresented populations in the teaching
profession; and
(7) Support for residents, once the teaching residents are hired as
teachers of record, through an induction program, professional
development, and networking opportunities to support the residents
through not less than the residents' first two years of teaching.
(b) Selection of individuals as teacher residents.
(1) Eligible Individual. In order to be eligible to be a teacher
resident in a teaching residency program under this priority, an
individual shall--
(i) Be a recent graduate of a four-year IHE or a mid-career
professional from outside the field of education possessing strong
content knowledge or a record of professional accomplishment; and
(ii) Submit an application to the teaching residency program.
(2) Selection Criteria. An eligible partnership carrying out a
teaching residency program under this priority shall establish criteria
for the selection of eligible individuals to participate in the
teaching residency program based on the following characteristics--
(i) Strong content knowledge or record of accomplishment in the
field or subject area to be taught;
[[Page 32310]]
(ii) Strong verbal and written communication skills, which may be
demonstrated by performance on appropriate tests; and
(iii) Other attributes linked to effective teaching, which may be
determined by interviews or performance assessments, as specified by
the eligible partnership.
(c) Stipends or salaries; applications; agreements; repayments.
(1) Stipends or salaries. A teaching residency program under this
priority shall provide a one-year living stipend or salary to teaching
residents during the teaching residency program;
(2) Applications for stipends or salaries. Each teacher residency
candidate desiring a stipend or salary during the period of residency
shall submit an application to the eligible partnership at such time,
and containing such information and assurances, as the eligible
partnership may require;
(3) Agreements to serve. Each application submitted under paragraph
(c)(2) of this priority shall contain or be accompanied by an agreement
that the applicant will--
(i) Serve as a full-time teacher for a total of not less than three
academic years immediately after successfully completing the teaching
residency program;
(ii) Fulfill the requirement under paragraph (c)(3)(i) of this
priority by teaching in a high-need school served by the high-need LEA
in the eligible partnership and teach a subject or area that is
designated as high-need by the partnership;
(iii) Provide to the eligible partnership a certificate, from the
chief administrative officer of the LEA in which the resident is
employed, of the employment required under paragraph (c)(3)(i) and (ii)
of this priority at the beginning of, and upon completion of, each year
or partial year of service;
(iv) Meet the applicable State certification and licensure
requirements, including any requirements for certification obtained
through alternative routes to certification, or, with regard to special
education teachers, the qualifications described in section
612(a)(14)(C) of the IDEA, when the applicant begins to fulfill the
service obligation under this clause; and
(v) Comply with the requirements set by the eligible partnership
under paragraph (e) of this priority if the applicant is unable or
unwilling to complete the service obligation required by the paragraph.
(d) Repayments.
(1) In general. A grantee carrying out a teaching residency program
under this priority shall require a recipient of a stipend or salary
under paragraph (c)(1) of this priority who does not complete, or who
notifies the partnership that the recipient intends not to complete,
the service obligation required by paragraph (c)(3) of this priority to
repay such stipend or salary to the eligible partnership, together with
interest, at a rate specified by the partnership in the agreement, and
in accordance with such other terms and conditions specified by the
eligible partnership, as necessary;
(2) Other terms and conditions. Any other terms and conditions
specified by the eligible partnership may include reasonable provisions
for pro rata repayment of the stipend or salary described in paragraph
(c)(1) of this priority or for deferral of a teaching resident's
service obligation required by paragraph (c)(3) of this priority, on
grounds of health, incapacitation, inability to secure employment in a
school served by the eligible partnership, being called to active duty
in the Armed Forces of the United States, or other extraordinary
circumstances;
(3) Use of repayments. An eligible partnership shall use any
repayment received under paragraph (d) to carry out additional
activities that are consistent with the purposes of this priority.
Competitive Preference Priority: For FY 2016 and any subsequent
year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applicants from
this competition, this priority is a competitive preference priority.
The priority comes from the Secretary's Supplemental Priorities and
Definitions for Discretionary Grant Programs (Secretary's Supplemental
Priorities) published in the Federal Register on December 10, 2014 at
79 FR 73426, 73451.
If an applicant chooses to address the competitive preference
priority, the project narrative section of its application must
identify its response to this competitive preference priority. The
Department will not review or award points under this competitive
preference priority if the applicant fails to clearly identify its
response in its application. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i) we award up
to an additional fifteen points to an application, depending on how
well the application addresses the competitive preference priority. An
applicant is not required to address both paragraphs (a) and (b) of the
competitive preference priority in order to receive the full 15 points.
Only applicants that are highly rated on the selection criteria for
Absolute Priority 1 or Absolute Priority 2 will be eligible to receive
competitive preference points.
The priority is:
Competitive Preference Priority: Supporting High-Need Students (up
to 15 points).
Projects that are designed to improve academic outcomes for one or
both of the following groups of students:
(a) Students who are members of federally-recognized Indian Tribes.
(b) Students served by rural LEAs (as defined in this notice).
Within this competitive preference priority, we are particularly
interested in applications that address the following invitational
priority.
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:
Enhancing Cultural Competencies to Support High-Need Students.
(a) Under this priority, the Department invites applicants to
propose a TQP project that will provide project participants with
specific coursework, experiences, and professional development to
enable them to gain cultural competencies and content knowledge, and
related pedagogical skills, to support the learning needs of American
Indian and Alaska Native students, rural students, or both.
(b) In responding to this invitational priority, applicants are
encouraged to include the following elements in their proposed
projects:
(1) An identification of the proposed population(s) to be served in
the partner high-need LEA(s), including data that document a high
number or high concentration of American Indian and Alaska Native and/
or rural students to be served, as well as data regarding how the
project will address the unique challenges of serving the identified
population(s).
(2) A description of how the project will promote collaboration
across partner institutions of higher education to ensure that TQP
project participants who intend to teach American Indian and Alaska
Native and/or rural students have access to coursework, experiences,
and professional development that will build both cultural competency
and content knowledge to teach students in the identified population(s)
effectively.
(3) A description of how the grantee will align its proposed TQP
project activities with the appropriate State licensure standards and,
how it will implement strategies that translate those standards into
classroom practice with regard to the identified population(s).
[[Page 32311]]
Definitions: The definitions for ``Early childhood educator,''
``High-need early childhood education (ECE) program,'' ``High-need
local educational agency (LEA)'', ``High-need school,'' and ``Partner
institution'' are from section 200 of the HEA. The definitions for
``Logic model,'' ``Relevant outcome,'' and ``Strong theory'' are from
34 CFR 77.1. The definitions for ``high minority school,'' ``high-need
students,'' ``regular high school diploma,'' and ``rural local
education agency'' are from the Secretary's Supplemental Priorities.
Early childhood educator means an individual with primary
responsibility for the education of children in an early childhood
education program.
High-minority school means a school as that term is defined by a
local educational agency (LEA), which must define the term in a manner
consistent with its State's Teacher Equity Plan, as required by section
1111(b)(8)(C) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as
amended (ESEA). The applicant must provide the definition(s) of High-
minority Schools used in its application.
High-need early childhood education (ECE) program means an ECE
program serving children from low-income families that is located
within the geographic area served by a high-need LEA.
High-need local educational agency (LEA) means an LEA--
(i)(A) For which not less than 20 percent of the children served by
the agency are children from low-income families;
(B) That serves not fewer than 10,000 children from low-income
families;
(C) That meets the eligibility requirements for funding under the
Small, Rural School Achievement (SRSA) Program under section 5211(b) of
the ESEA; or
(D) That meets eligibility requirements for funding under the Rural
and Low-Income School (RLIS) Program under section 6211(b) of the ESEA;
and--
(ii)(A) For which there is a high percentage of teachers not
teaching in the academic subject areas or grade levels in which the
teachers were trained to teach; or
(B) For which there is a high teacher turnover rate or a high
percentage of teachers with emergency, provisional, or temporary
certification or licensure.
Note: Information on how an applicant may demonstrate that a
partner LEA meets this definition is included in the application
package.
High-need school means a school that, based on the most recent data
available, meets one or both of the following:
(i) The school is in the highest quartile of schools in a ranking
of all schools served by an LEA, ranked in descending order by
percentage of students from low-income families enrolled in such
schools, as determined by the LEA based on one of the following
measures of poverty:
(A) The percentage of students aged 5 through 17 in poverty counted
in the most recent census data approved by the Secretary.
(B) The percentage of students eligible for a free or reduced price
school lunch under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act.
(C) The percentage of students in families receiving assistance
under the State program funded under Part A of Title IV of the Social
Security Act.
(D) The percentage of students eligible to receive medical
assistance under the Medicaid program.
(E) A composite of two or more of the measures described in
paragraphs (A) through (D).
(ii) In the case of--
(A) An elementary school, the school serves students not less than
60 percent of whom are eligible for a free or reduced price school
lunch under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act; or
(B) Any other school that is not an elementary school, the other
school serves students not less than 45 percent of whom are eligible
for a free or reduced price school lunch under the Richard B. Russell
National School Lunch Act.
(iii) The Secretary may, upon approval of an application submitted
by an eligible partnership seeking a grant under this title, designate
a school that does not qualify as a high-need school under this
definition, as a high-need school for the purpose of this title. The
Secretary shall base the approval of an application for designation of
a school under this clause on a consideration of the information
required under section 200 (II)(B)(ii) of the HEA, and may also take
into account other information submitted by the eligible partnership.
Note: Information on how an applicant may demonstrate that a
partner LEA meets this definition is included in the application
package.
High-need students means students who are at risk of educational
failure or otherwise in need of special assistance and support, such as
students who are living in poverty, who attend high-minority schools,
who are far below grade level, who have left school before receiving a
regular high school diploma, who are at risk of not graduating with a
diploma on time, who are homeless, who are in foster care, who have
been incarcerated, who have disabilities, or who are English learners.
Logic model (also referred to as a theory of action) means a well-
specified conceptual framework that identifies key components of the
proposed process, product, strategy, or practice (i.e., the active
``ingredients'' that are hypothesized to be critical to achieving the
relevant outcomes) and describes the relationships among the key
components and outcomes, theoretically and operationally.
Partner institution means an IHE, which may include a two-year IHE
offering a dual program with a partner four-year IHE, participating in
an eligible partnership that has a teacher preparation program--
(i) Whose graduates exhibit strong performance on State determined
qualifying assessments for new teachers through--
(A) Demonstrating that 80 percent or more of the graduates of the
program who intend to enter the field of teaching have passed all of
the applicable State qualification assessments for new teachers, which
shall include an assessment of each prospective teacher's subject
matter knowledge in the content area in which the teacher intends to
teach; or
(B) Being ranked among the highest-performing teacher preparation
programs in the State as determined by the State--
(1) Using criteria consistent with the requirements for the State
Report Card under section 205(b) of the HEA before the first
publication of the report card; and
(2) Using the State report card on teacher preparation required
under section 205(b), after the first publication of such report card
and for every year thereafter; and
(ii) That requires--
(A) Each student in the program to meet high academic standards or
demonstrate a record of success, as determined by the institution
(including prior to entering and being accepted into a program), and
participate in intensive clinical experience;
(B) Each student in the program preparing to become a teacher who
meets the applicable State certification and licensure requirements,
including any requirements for certification obtained through
alternative routes to certification, or, with regard to special
education teachers, the qualifications described in section
612(a)(14)(C) of the IDEA; and
(C) Each student in the program preparing to become an early
childhood educator to meet degree requirements,
[[Page 32312]]
as established by the State, and become highly competent.
Note: For purposes of paragraph (ii)(C) of this definition, the
term ``highly competent,'' under section 200(12) of the HEA, when
used with respect to an early childhood educator, means an
educator--
(a) With specialized education and training in development and
education of young children from birth until entry into kindergarten;
(b) With--
(i) A baccalaureate degree in an academic major in the arts and
sciences; or
(ii) An associate's degree in a related educational area; and
(c) Who has demonstrated a high level of knowledge and use of
content and pedagogy in the relevant areas associated with quality ECE.
Regular high school diploma means the standard high school diploma
that is awarded to students in the State and that is fully aligned with
the State's academic content standards or a higher diploma and does not
include a General Education Development (GED) credential, certificate
of attendance, or any alternative award.
Relevant outcome means the student outcome (or the ultimate outcome
if not related to students) the proposed process, product, strategy, or
practice is designed to improve, as consistent with the specific goals
of a program.
Rural local education agency means a local educational agency (LEA)
that is eligible under the Small Rural School Achievement (SRSA)
program or the Rural and Low-Income School (RLIS) program authorized
under Title VI, Part B of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of
1965, as amended (ESEA). Eligible applicants may determine whether a
particular LEA is eligible for these programs by referring to
information on the Department's Web site at www2.ed.gov/nclb/freedom/local/reap.html.
Strong theory means a rationale for the proposed process, product,
strategy, or practice that includes a logic model.
Note: Definitions for the following terms that also apply to
this program are in section 200 of the HEA: ``arts and sciences,''
``induction program,'' ``limited English proficient,''
``professional development,'' ``scientifically valid research,'' and
``teacher mentoring.''
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1021-1022c.
Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 75, 77, 79, 82, 84,
86, 97, 98, and 99. (b) The OMB Guidelines to Agencies on
Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension (Nonprocurement) in 2 CFR part
180, as adopted and amended as regulations of the Department in 2 CFR
part 3485. (c) The Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost
Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards in 2 CFR part
200, as adopted and amended as regulations of the Department in 2 CFR
part 3474. (d) The Supplemental Priorities (79 FR 73425).
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.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
Estimated Available Funds: $5,000,000.
Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of
applications, we may make additional awards in FY 2017 from the list of
unfunded applications from this competition.
Estimated Range of Awards: $500,000-$1,500,000.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $1,000,000 for the first year of
the project. Funding for the second, third, fourth, and fifth years is
subject to the availability of funds and the approval of continuation
awards (see 34 CFR 75.253).
Maximum Award: We will not award more than $1,500,000 to any
applicant for a budget period of 12 months.
Estimated Number of Awards: 3-5.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this
notice.
Project Period: Up to 60 months.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants: An eligible applicant must be an ``eligible
partnership'' as defined in section 200(6) of the HEA. The term
``eligible partnership'' means an entity that--
(1) Must include:
(i) A high-need LEA;
(ii)(A) A high-need school or consortium of high-need schools
served by the high-need LEA, or
(B) As applicable, a high-need ECE program;
(iii) A partner institution;
(iv) A school, department, or program of education within such
partner institution, which may include an existing teacher professional
development program with proven outcomes within a four-year IHE that
provides intensive and sustained collaboration between faculty and LEAs
consistent with the requirements of title II of the HEA;
(v) A school or department of arts and sciences within such partner
institution; and
(2) May include any of the following--
(i) The Governor of the State.
(ii) The State educational agency.
(iii) The State board of education.
(iv) The State agency for higher education.
(v) A business.
(vi) A public or private nonprofit educational organization.
(vii) An educational service agency.
(viii) A teacher organization.
(ix) A high-performing LEA, or a consortium of such LEAs, that can
serve as a resource to the partnership.
(x) A charter school (as defined in section 5210 of the ESEA).
(xi) A school or department within the partner institution that
focuses on psychology and human development.
(xii) A school or department within the partner institution with
comparable expertise in the disciplines of teaching, learning, and
child and adolescent development.
(xiii) An entity operating a program that provides alternative
routes to State certification of teachers. Any of the mandatory or
optional entities in the partnership may be the fiscal agent of the
grant.
Note: So that the Department can confirm the eligibility of the
LEA(s) that an applicant proposes to serve, applicants must include
information in their applications that demonstrates that each LEA to
be served by the project is a ``high-need LEA'' (as defined in this
notice and in section 200(10) of the HEA).
Applicants should review the application package for additional
information on determining whether an LEA meets the definition of
``high-need LEA.''
Additionally, applicants must also partner with a school or
department of arts and sciences within the partner institution. More
information on eligible partnerships can be found in the TQP FAQ
document found on the program Web site at http://innovation.ed.gov/what-we-do/teacher-quality/teacher-quality-partnership/.
2.a. Cost Sharing or Matching:
Under section 203(c) of the HEA (20 U.S.C. 1022b), each grant
recipient must provide, from non-Federal sources, an amount equal to
100 percent of the amount of the grant, which may be provided in cash
or in-kind, to carry out the activities supported by the grant.
Grantees must budget their matching contributions on an annual basis
relative to each annual award of TQP Grant Program funds.
The HEA also authorizes the Secretary to waive this matching
requirement for
[[Page 32313]]
any fiscal year for an eligible partnership if the Secretary determines
that applying the matching requirement to the eligible partnership
would result in serious hardship or an inability to carry out the
authorized activities described in section 202 of the HEA. Applicants
that wish to apply for a waiver for year one or for future years of the
project may include a request in their application that describes why
the 100 percent matching requirement would cause serious hardship or an
inability to carry out project activities. Further information about
applying for waivers can be found in the application package. However,
given the importance of matching funds to the long-term success of the
project, the Secretary expects eligible entities to identify
appropriate matching funds.
b. Supplement-Not-Supplant: This program involves supplement-not-
supplant funding requirements. In accordance with section 202(k) of the
HEA, funds made available under this program must be used to
supplement, and not supplant, other Federal, State, and local funds
that would otherwise be expended to carry out activities under this
program. For any high-need LEA that is funded by the Department of
Interior's Bureau of Indian Education, the Secretary considers funds
the LEA received from the Department of Interior's annual appropriation
to be non-Federal funds.
3. Other:
General Application Requirements:
All applicants must meet the following general application
requirements in order to be considered for funding. Except as
specifically noted in this section, the general application
requirements are from section 202 of the HEA (20 U.S.C. 1022a).
Each eligible partnership desiring a grant under this program must
submit an application that contains--
(a) A needs assessment of the partners in the eligible partnership
with respect to the preparation, ongoing training, professional
development, and retention of general education and special education
teachers, principals, and, as applicable, early childhood educators;
(b) A description of the extent to which the program to be carried
out with grant funds, as described in Absolute Priority 1 or Absolute
Priority 2, in this notice, and, if the applicant chooses to do so, a
Partnership Grant for the Development of Leadership Program, as
described in section 202(f) of the HEA, will prepare prospective and
new teachers with strong teaching skills;
(c) A description of how such a program will prepare prospective
and new teachers to understand and use research and data to modify and
improve classroom instruction;
(d) A description of--
(1) How the eligible partnership will coordinate strategies and
activities assisted under the grant with other teacher preparation or
professional development programs, and
(2) How the activities of the partnership will be consistent with
State, local, and other education reform activities that promote
teacher quality and student academic achievement;
(e) An assessment that describes the resources available to the
eligible partnership, including--
(1) The integration of funds from other related sources;
(2) The intended use of the grant funds; and
(3) The commitment of the resources of the partnership to the
activities assisted under this program, including financial support,
faculty participation, and time commitments, and to the continuation of
the activities when the grant ends.
(f) A description of--
(1) How the eligible partnership will meet the purposes of the TQP
Grant Program as specified in section 201 of the HEA;
(2) How the partnership will carry out the activities required
under Absolute Priority 1 or Absolute Priority 2, as described in this
notice, based on the needs identified in paragraph (a), with the goal
of improving student academic achievement;
(4) The partnership's evaluation plan under section 204(a) of the
HEA;
(5) How the partnership will align the teacher preparation program
with the--
(i) State early learning standards for ECE programs, as
appropriate, and with the relevant domains of early childhood
development; and
(ii) Student academic achievement standards and academic content
standards under section 1111(b)(1) of the ESEA as amended by ESSA,
established by the State in which the partnership is located;
(6) How the partnership will prepare general education teachers to
teach students with disabilities, including training related to
participation as a member of individualized education program teams, as
defined in section 614(d)(1)(B) of the IDEA;
(7) How the partnership will prepare general education and special
education teachers to teach students who are limited English
proficient;
(8) How faculty at the partner institution will work during the
term of the grant, with teachers who meet the applicable State
certification and licensure requirements, including any requirements
for certification obtained through alternative routes to certification,
or, with regard to special education teachers, the qualifications
described in section 612(a)(14)(C) of the Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act, in the classrooms of high-need schools served by the
high-need LEA in the partnership to--
(i) Provide high-quality professional development activities to
strengthen the content knowledge and teaching skills of elementary
school and secondary school teachers; and
(ii) Train other classroom teachers to implement literacy programs
that incorporate the essential components of reading instruction;
(9) How the partnership will design, implement, or enhance a year-
long and rigorous teaching preservice clinical program component;
(10) How the partnership will support in-service professional
development strategies and activities; and
(11) How the partnership will collect, analyze, and use data on the
retention of all teachers and early childhood educators in schools and
ECE programs located in the geographic area served by the partnership
to evaluate the effectiveness of the partnership's teacher and educator
support system.
(g) With respect to the induction program required as part of the
activities carried out under Absolute Priority 1 or Absolute Priority
2--
(1) A demonstration that the schools and departments within the IHE
that are part of the induction program will effectively prepare
teachers, including providing content expertise and expertise in
teaching, as appropriate;
(2) A demonstration of the eligible partnership's capability and
commitment to, and the accessibility to and involvement of faculty in,
the use of empirically-based practice and scientifically valid research
on teaching and learning;
(3) A description of how the teacher preparation program will
design and implement an induction program to support, through not less
than the first two years of teaching, all new teachers who are prepared
by the teacher preparation program in the partnership and who teach in
the high-need LEA in the partnership, and, to the extent practicable,
all new teachers who teach in such high-need LEA, in the further
development of the new teachers' teaching skills, including the use of
mentors who are trained and compensated by such program for the
mentors' work with new teachers; and
(4) A description of how faculty involved in the induction program
will
[[Page 32314]]
be able to substantially participate in an ECE program or elementary
school or secondary school classroom setting, as applicable, including
release time and receiving workload credit for such participation.
IV. Application and Submission Information
1. Address to Request Application Package: Mia Howerton, U.S.
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 4w205,
Washington, DC 20202. Telephone: (202) 205-0147 or by email:
[email protected].
If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) or a text
telephone (TTY), call the Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll free, at 1-
800-877-8339.
Individuals with disabilities can obtain a copy of the application
package in an accessible format (e.g., braille, large print, audiotape,
or compact disc) by contacting the program contact person listed in
this section.
2. Content and Form of Application Submission: Requirements
concerning the content of an application, together with the forms you
must submit, are in the application package for this program.
Notice of Intent to Apply: June 22, 2016.
The Department will be able to develop a more efficient process for
reviewing grant applications if it has a better understanding of the
number of entities that intend to apply for funding under this
competition. Therefore, the Secretary strongly encourages each
potential applicant to notify the Department of its intent to submit an
application for funding by completing the FY 16 Intent to Apply survey
at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/tqpfy16.
Applicants that fail to complete the FY 16 Intent to Apply survey
may still apply for funding.
Page Limit: The application narrative (Part III of the application)
is where you, the applicant, address the selection criteria that
reviewers use to evaluate your application. We recommend that you limit
the application narrative (Part III) to no more than 50 pages, using
the following standards:
A ``page'' is 8.5'' x 11'', on one side only, with 1''
margins at the top, bottom, and both sides.
Double space (no more than three lines per vertical inch)
all text in the application narrative, including titles, headings,
footnotes, quotations, references, and captions. However, you may
single space 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. An application submitted in any other font
(including Times Roman or Arial Narrow) will not be accepted.
The recommended page limit does not apply to Part I, the cover
sheet; Part II, the budget section, including the narrative budget
justification; Part IV, the assurances and certifications; or the one-
page abstract, the resumes, the bibliography, or the letters of
support. However, the recommended page limit does apply to all of the
application narrative (Part III).
b. Submission of Proprietary Information: Given the types of
projects that may be proposed in applications for the TQP Grant
Program, your application may include business information that you
consider proprietary. In 34 CFR 5.11 we define ``business information''
and describe the process we use in determining whether any of that
information is proprietary and, thus, protected from disclosure under
Exemption 4 of the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C 552, as
amended).
Because we plan to post the project narrative section of funded TQP
Grant Program applications on our Web site, you may wish to request
confidentiality of business information.
Consistent with Executive Order 12600, please designate in your
application any information that you believe is exempt from disclosure
under Exemption 4. In the appropriate Appendix section of your
application, under ``Other Attachments Form,'' please list the page
number or numbers on which we can find this information. For additional
information please see 34 CFR 5.11(c).
3. Submission Dates and Times:
Applications Available: May 23, 2016.
Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply: June 22, 2016.
Date of Pre-Application Webinars: The TQP program intends to hold
Webinars designed to provide technical assistance to interested
applicants. Details regarding the dates and times of these Webinars
will be provided on the TQP Web site at http://innovation.ed.gov/what-we-do/teacher-quality/teacher-quality-partnership/applicant-info-and-eligibility/.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: July 7, 2016.
Applications for grants under this program must be submitted
electronically using the Grants.gov Apply site (Grants.gov). For
information (including dates and times) about how to submit your
application electronically, or in paper format by mail or hand
delivery, if you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission
requirement, please refer to Other Submission Requirements in section
IV of this notice.
We do not consider an application that does not comply with the
deadline requirements.
Individuals with disabilities who need an accommodation or
auxiliary aid in connection with the application process should contact
the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT in section VII
of this notice. If the Department provides an accommodation or
auxiliary aid to an individual with a disability in connection with the
application process, the individual's application remains subject to
all other requirements and limitations in this notice.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: September 20, 2016.
4. 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 program.
5. Funding Restrictions: We specify unallowable costs in 2 CFR 200,
subpart E. We reference regulations outlining funding restrictions in
the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.
6. Data Universal Numbering System Number, Taxpayer Identification
Number, and System for Award Management: To do business with the
Department of Education, you must--
a. Have a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number and a
Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN);
b. Register both your DUNS number and TIN with the System for Award
Management (SAM) (formerly the Central Contractor Registry), the
Government's primary registrant database;
c. Provide your DUNS number and TIN on your application; and
d. Maintain an active SAM registration with current information
while your application is under review by the Department and, if you
are awarded a grant, during the project period.
You can obtain a DUNS number from Dun and Bradstreet at the
following Web site: http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform.
A DUNS number can be created within one to two business days.
[[Page 32315]]
If you are a corporate entity, agency, institution, or
organization, you can obtain a TIN from the Internal Revenue Service.
If you are an individual, you can obtain a TIN from the Internal
Revenue Service or the Social Security Administration. If you need a
new TIN, please allow two to five weeks for your TIN to become active.
The SAM registration process can take approximately seven business
days, but may take upwards of several weeks, depending on the
completeness and accuracy of the data you enter into the SAM database.
Thus, if you think you might want to apply for Federal financial
assistance under a program administered by the Department, please allow
sufficient time to obtain and register your DUNS number and TIN. We
strongly recommend that you register early.
Note: Once your SAM registration is active, it may be 24 to 48
hours before you can access the information in, and submit an
application through, Grants.gov.
If you are currently registered with SAM, you may not need to make
any changes. However, please make certain that the TIN associated with
your DUNS number is correct. Also note that you will need to update
your registration annually. This may take three or more business days.
Information about SAM is available at www.SAM.gov. To further
assist you with obtaining and registering your DUNS number and TIN in
SAM or updating your existing SAM account, we have prepared a SAM.gov
Tip Sheet, which you can find at: http://www2.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/sam-faqs.html.
In addition, if you are submitting your application via Grants.gov,
you must (1) be designated by your organization as an Authorized
Organization Representative (AOR); and (2) register yourself with
Grants.gov as an AOR. Details on these steps are outlined at the
following Grants.gov Web page: www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html.
7. Other Submission Requirements:
Applications for grants under this program must be submitted
electronically unless you qualify for an exception to this requirement
in accordance with the instructions in this section.
a. Electronic Submission of Applications. Applications for grants
under the TQP Grant Program, CFDA number 84.336S, must be submitted
electronically using the Governmentwide Grants.gov Apply site at
www.Grants.gov. Through this site, you will be able to download a copy
of the application package, complete it offline, and then upload and
submit your application. You may not email an electronic copy of a
grant application to us.
We will reject your application if you submit it in paper format
unless, as described elsewhere in this section, you qualify for one of
the exceptions to the electronic submission requirement and submit, no
later than two weeks before the application deadline date, a written
statement to the Department that you qualify for one of these
exceptions. Further information regarding calculation of the date that
is two weeks before the application deadline date is provided later in
this section under Exception to Electronic Submission Requirement.
You may access the electronic grant application for the TQP Grant
Program at www.Grants.gov. You must search for the downloadable
application package for this program by the CFDA number. Do not include
the CFDA number's alpha suffix in your search (e.g., search for 84.336,
not 84.336S).
Please note the following:
When you enter the Grants.gov site, you will find
information about submitting an application electronically through the
site, as well as the hours of operation.
Applications received by Grants.gov are date and time
stamped. Your application must be fully uploaded and submitted and must
be date and time stamped by the Grants.gov system no later than 4:30:00
p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. Except as
otherwise noted in this section, we will not accept your application if
it is received--that is, date and time stamped by the Grants.gov
system--after 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application
deadline date. We do not consider an application that does not comply
with the deadline requirements. When we retrieve your application from
Grants.gov, we will notify you if we are rejecting your application
because it was date and time stamped by the Grants.gov system after
4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date.
The amount of time it can take to upload an application
will vary depending on a variety of factors, including the size of the
application and the speed of your Internet connection. Therefore, we
strongly recommend that you do not wait until the application deadline
date to begin the submission process through Grants.gov.
You should review and follow the Education Submission
Procedures for submitting an application through Grants.gov that are
included in the application package for this program to ensure that you
submit your application in a timely manner to the Grants.gov system.
You can also find the Education Submission Procedures pertaining to
Grants.gov under News and Events on the Department's G5 system home
page at www.G5.gov. In addition, for specific guidance and procedures
for submitting an application through Grants.gov, please refer to the
Grants.gov Web site at: www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/apply-for-grants.html.
You will not receive additional point value because you
submit your application in electronic format, nor will we penalize you
if you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission
requirement, as described elsewhere in this section, and submit your
application in paper format.
You must submit all documents electronically, including
all information you typically provide on the following forms: The
Application for Federal Assistance (SF 424), the Department of
Education Supplemental Information for SF 424, Budget Information--Non-
Construction Programs (ED 524), and all necessary assurances and
certifications.
You must upload any narrative sections and all other
attachments to your application as files in a read-only, non-modifiable
Portable Document Format (PDF). Do not upload an interactive or
fillable PDF file. If you upload a file type other than a read-only,
non-modifiable PDF (e.g., Word, Excel, WordPerfect, etc.) or submit a
password-protected file, we will not review that material. Please note
that this could result in your application not being considered for
funding because the material in question--for example, the project
narrative--is critical to a meaningful review of your proposal. For
that reason it is important to allow yourself adequate time to upload
all material as PDF files. The Department will not convert material
from other formats to PDF. Additional, detailed information on how to
attach files is in the application instructions.
Your electronic application must comply with any page-
limit requirements described in this notice.
After you electronically submit your application, you will
receive from Grants.gov an automatic notification of receipt that
contains a Grants.gov tracking number. This notification indicates
receipt by Grants.gov only, not receipt by the Department. Grants.gov
will also notify you automatically by email if your application met all
the Grants.gov validation requirements or if there were any errors
(such as submission of your application by someone other than a
registered
[[Page 32316]]
Authorized Organization Representative, or inclusion of an attachment
with a file name that contains special characters). You will be given
an opportunity to correct any errors and resubmit, but you must still
meet the deadline for submission of applications.
Once your application is successfully validated by Grants.gov, the
Department will retrieve your application from Grants.gov and send you
an email with a unique PR/Award number for your application.
These emails do not mean that your application is without any
disqualifying errors. While your application may have been successfully
validated by Grants.gov, it must also meet the Department's application
requirements as specified in this notice and in the application
instructions. Disqualifying errors could include, for instance, failure
to upload attachments in a read-only, non-modifiable PDF; failure to
submit a required part of the application; or failure to meet applicant
eligibility requirements. It is your responsibility to ensure that your
submitted application has met all of the Department's requirements.
We may request that you provide us original signatures on
forms at a later date.
Application Deadline Date Extension in Case of Technical Issues
with the Grants.gov System: If you are experiencing problems submitting
your application through Grants.gov, please contact the Grants.gov
Support Desk, toll free, at 1-800-518-4726. You must obtain a
Grants.gov Support Desk Case Number and must keep a record of it.
If you are prevented from electronically submitting your
application on the application deadline date because of technical
problems with the Grants.gov system, we will grant you an extension
until 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, the following business day to
enable you to transmit your application electronically or by hand
delivery. You also may mail your application by following the mailing
instructions described elsewhere in this notice.
If you submit an application after 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC
time, on the application deadline date, please contact the person
listed under For Further Information Contact in section VII of this
notice and provide an explanation of the technical problem you
experienced with Grants.gov, along with the Grants.gov Support Desk
Case Number. We will accept your application if we can confirm that a
technical problem occurred with the Grants.gov system and that the
problem affected your ability to submit your application by 4:30:00
p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. We will
contact you after we determine whether your application will be
accepted.
Note: The extensions to which we refer in this section apply
only to the unavailability of, or technical problems with, the
Grants.gov system. We will not grant you an extension if you failed
to fully register to submit your application to Grants.gov before
the application deadline date and time or if the technical problem
you experienced is unrelated to the Grants.gov system.
Exception to Electronic Submission Requirement: You qualify for an
exception to the electronic submission requirement, and may submit your
application in paper format, if you are unable to submit an application
through the Grants.gov system because--
You do not have access to the Internet; or
You do not have the capacity to upload large documents to
the Grants.gov system; and
No later than two weeks before the application deadline
date (14 calendar days or, if the fourteenth calendar day before the
application deadline date falls on a Federal holiday, the next business
day following the Federal holiday), you mail or fax a written statement
to the Department, explaining which of the two grounds for an exception
prevents you from using the Internet to submit your application.
If you mail your written statement to the Department, it must be
postmarked no later than two weeks before the application deadline
date. If you fax your written statement to the Department, we must
receive the faxed statement no later than two weeks before the
application deadline date.
Address and mail or fax your statement to: Mia Howerton, U.S.
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 4w205,
Washington, DC 20202-5960. FAX: (202) 205-5630.
Your paper application must be submitted in accordance with the
mail or hand delivery instructions described in this notice.
b. Submission of Paper Applications by Mail.
If you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission
requirement, you may mail (through the U.S. Postal Service or a
commercial carrier) your application to the Department. You must mail
the original and two copies of your application, on or before the
application deadline date, to the Department at the following address:
U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Center, Attention:
(CFDA Number 84.336S) LBJ Basement Level 1, 400 Maryland Avenue SW.,
Washington, DC 20202-4260.
You must show proof of mailing consisting of one of the following:
(1) A legibly dated U.S. Postal Service postmark.
(2) A legible mail receipt with the date of mailing stamped by the
U.S. Postal Service.
(3) A dated shipping label, invoice, or receipt from a commercial
carrier.
(4) Any other proof of mailing acceptable to the Secretary of the
U.S. Department of Education.
If you mail your application through the U.S. Postal Service, we do
not accept either of the following as proof of mailing:
(1) A private metered postmark.
(2) A mail receipt that is not dated by the U.S. Postal Service.
Note: The U.S. Postal Service does not uniformly provide a
dated postmark. Before relying on this method, you should check with
your local post office.
We will not consider applications postmarked after the application
deadline date.
c. Submission of Paper Applications by Hand Delivery.
If you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission
requirement, you (or a courier service) may deliver your paper
application to the Department by hand. You must deliver the original
and two copies of your application by hand, on or before the
application deadline date, to the Department at the following address:
U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Center, Attention:
(CFDA Number 84.336S), 550 12th Street SW., Room 7039, Potomac Center
Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-4260.
The Application Control Center accepts hand deliveries daily
between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, except
Saturdays, Sundays, and Federal holidays.
Note for Mail or Hand Delivery of Paper Applications: If you mail
or hand deliver your application to the Department--
(1) You must indicate on the envelope and--if not provided by the
Department--in Item 11 of the SF 424 the CFDA number, including suffix
letter, if any, of the competition under which you are submitting your
application; and
(2) The Application Control Center will mail to you a notification
of receipt of your grant application. If you do not receive this
notification within 15 business days from the application deadline
date, you should call the U.S. Department of Education Application
Control Center at (202) 245-6288.
[[Page 32317]]
V. Application Review Information
1. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this program are
from 34 CFR 75.210. An applicant may earn up to a total of 100 points
based on the selection criteria. The maximum score for each criterion
is indicated in parentheses. Each criterion also includes the sub-
factors that the reviewers will consider in determining how well an
application meets the criterion. The criteria are as follows:
(a) Significance (up to 10 points).
In determining the significance of the proposed project, the
Secretary considers the following factors--
(i) The extent to which the proposed project is likely to build
local capacity to provide, improve, or expand services that address the
needs of the target population.
(ii) The importance or magnitude of the results or outcomes likely
to be attained by the proposed project, especially improvements in
teaching and student achievement.
(b) Quality of the Project Design (up to 35 points).
In determining the quality of the design of the proposed project,
the Secretary considers the extent to which the proposed project
consists of a comprehensive plan that includes a description of--
(i) The extent to which the proposed project is supported by strong
theory (as defined in this notice).
(ii) 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.
(iii) The extent to which the proposed project represents an
exceptional approach to the priority or priorities established for this
competition.
Note: Applicants are encouraged to develop logic models. These
logic models should include the applicant's plan to implement and
evaluate the proposed project. Applicants should connect available
evidence of past history of successful outcomes to their logic models.
Applicants may use resources such as the Pacific Education Laboratory's
Education Logic Model Application (http://relpacific.mcrel.org/resources/elm-app) to help design their logic models.
(c) Quality of the Management Plan (up to 30 points).
In determining the quality of the management plan for the proposed
project, the Secretary considers the following factors--
(i) 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.
(ii) The extent to which performance feedback and continuous
improvement are integral to the design of the proposed project.
(d) Quality of the Project Evaluation (up to 25 points).
In determining the quality of the evaluation, the Secretary
considers--
(i) The extent to which the methods of evaluation will provide
valid and reliable performance data on relevant outcomes.
(ii) The extent to which the methods of evaluation are thorough,
feasible, and appropriate to the goals, objectives, and outcomes of the
proposed project.
(iii) The extent to which the methods of evaluation will provide
performance feedback and permit periodic assessment of progress toward
achieving intended outcomes.
2. Review and Selection Process: We remind potential applicants
that in reviewing applications in any discretionary grant competition,
the Secretary may consider, under 34 CFR 75.217(d)(3), the past
performance of the applicant in carrying out a previous award, such as
the applicant's use of funds, achievement of project objectives, and
compliance with grant conditions. The Secretary may also consider
whether the applicant failed to submit a timely performance report or
submitted a report of unacceptable quality.
In addition, in making a competitive grant award, the Secretary
requires various assurances including those applicable to Federal civil
rights laws that prohibit discrimination in programs or activities
receiving Federal financial assistance from the Department of Education
(34 CFR 100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).
3. Risk Assessment and Special Conditions: Consistent with 2 CFR
200.205, before awarding grants under this competition the Department
conducts a review of the risks posed by applicants. Under 2 CFR
3474.10, the Secretary may impose special conditions and, in
appropriate circumstances, high risk conditions on a grant if the
applicant or grantee is not financially stable; has a history of
unsatisfactory performance; has a financial or other management system
that does not meet the standards in 2 CFR part 200, subpart D; has not
fulfilled the conditions of a prior grant; or is otherwise not
responsible.
VI. Award Administration Information
1. Award Notices: If your application is successful, we notify your
U.S. Representative and U.S. Senators and send you a Grant Award
Notification (GAN); or we may send you an email containing a link to
access an electronic version of your GAN. We may notify you informally,
also.
If your application is not evaluated or not selected for funding,
we notify you.
2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements: We identify
administrative and national policy requirements in the application
package and reference these and other requirements in the Applicable
Regulations section of this notice.
We reference the regulations outlining the terms and conditions of
an award in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice and
include these and other specific conditions in the GAN. The GAN also
incorporates your approved application as part of your binding
commitments under the grant.
3. 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.
4. Performance Measures: The goal of the TQP Grant Program is to
increase student achievement in K-12 schools by developing teachers who
meet applicable State certification and licensure requirements. Under
GPRA, the following measures will be used by the Department in
assessing the performance of this program:
(a) Performance Measure 1: Certification/Licensure. The percentage
[[Page 32318]]
of program graduates who have attained initial State certification/
licensure by passing all necessary licensure/certification assessments
within one year of program completion.
(b) Performance Measure 2: 1-Year Persistence. The percentage of
program participants who were enrolled in the postsecondary program in
the previous grant reporting period, did not graduate, and persisted in
the postsecondary program in the current grant reporting period.
(c) Performance Measure 3: 1-Year Employment Retention. The
percentage of program completers who were employed for the first time
as teachers of record in the preceding year by the partner high-need
LEA or ECE program and were retained for the current school year.
(d) Performance Measure 4: 3-Year Employment Retention. The
percentage of program completers who were employed by the partner high-
need LEA or ECE program for three consecutive years after initial
employment.
(e) Performance Measure 5: Student Learning. The percentage of
grantees that report improved aggregate learning outcomes of students
taught by new teachers. These data can be calculated using student
growth, a teacher evaluation measure, or both.
Applicants must also address the evaluation requirements in section
204(a) of the HEA. This section asks applicants to develop objectives
and measures for increasing:
(1) Achievement for all prospective and new teachers, as measured
by the eligible partnership;
(2) Teacher retention in the first three years of a teacher's
career;
(3) Improvement in the pass rates and scaled scores for initial
State certification or licensure of teachers; and
(4) The percentage of teachers who meet the applicable State
certification and licensure requirements, including any requirements
for certification obtained through alternative routes to certification,
or, with regard to special education teachers, the qualifications
described in section 612(a)(14)(C) of the IDEA (20 U.S.C.
1412(a)(14)(C)), hired by the high-need LEA participating in the
eligible partnership;
(5) The percentage of teachers who meet the applicable State
certification and licensure requirements, including any requirements
for certification obtained through alternative routes to certification,
or, with regard to special education teachers, the qualifications
described in section 612(a)(14)(C) of the IDEA (20 U.S.C.
1412(a)(14)(C)), hired by the high-need LEA who are members of
underrepresented groups;
(6) The percentage of teachers who meet the applicable State
certification and licensure requirements, including any requirements
for certification obtained through alternative routes to certification,
or, with regard to special education teachers, the qualifications
described in section 612(a)(14)(C) of the IDEA (20 U.S.C.
1412(a)(14)(C)), hired by the high-need LEA who teach high-need
academic subject areas (such as reading, mathematics, science, and
foreign language, including less commonly taught languages and critical
foreign languages);
(7) The percentage of teachers who meet the applicable State
certification and licensure requirements, including any requirements
for certification obtained through alternative routes to certification,
or, with regard to special education teachers, the qualifications
described in section 612(a)(14)(C) of the IDEA (20 U.S.C.
1412(a)(14)(C)), hired by the high-need LEA who teach in high-need
areas (including special education, language instruction educational
programs for limited English proficient students, and early childhood
education);
(8) The percentage of teachers who meet the applicable State
certification and licensure requirements, including any requirements
for certification obtained through alternative routes to certification,
or, with regard to special education teachers, the qualifications
described in section 612(a)(14)(C) of the IDEA (20 U.S.C.
1412(a)(14)(C)), hired by the high-need LEA who teach in high-need
schools, disaggregated by the elementary school and secondary school
levels;
(9) As applicable, the percentage of early childhood education
program classes in the geographic area served by the eligible
partnership taught by early childhood educators who are highly
competent; and
(10) As applicable, the percentage of teachers trained--
(i) To integrate technology effectively into curricula and
instruction, including technology consistent with the principles of
universal design for learning; and
(ii) To use technology effectively to collect, manage, and analyze
data to improve teaching and learning for the purpose of improving
student academic achievement.
Note: If funded, grantees will be asked to collect and report
data on these measures in their project's annual performance reports
(34 CFR 75.590). Applicants are also advised to consider these
measures in conceptualizing the design, implementation, and
evaluation of their proposed projects because of their importance in
the application review process. Collection of data on these measures
should be a part of the evaluation plan, along with measures of
progress on goals and objectives that are specific to your project.
All grantees will be expected to submit an annual performance
report documenting their success in addressing these performance
measures.
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, the
performance targets in the grantee's approved application.
In making a continuation award, the Secretary also considers
whether the grantee is operating in compliance with the assurances in
its approved application, including those applicable to Federal civil
rights laws that prohibit discrimination in programs or activities
receiving Federal financial assistance from the Department (34 CFR
100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).
VII. Agency Contact
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mia Howerton, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 4W205, Washington, DC 20202-
5960. Telephone: (202) 205-0147 or by email: [email protected] or
[email protected].
If you use a TDD or a TTY, call the FRS, toll-free, at 1-800-877-
8339.
VIII. Other Information
Accessible Format: Individuals with disabilities can obtain this
document and a copy of the application package in an accessible format
(e.g., braille, large print, audiotape, or compact disc) on request to
the program contact person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
in section VII of this notice.
Electronic Access to This Document: The official version of this
document is the document published in the Federal Register. Free
Internet access to the official edition of the Federal Register and the
Code of Federal Regulations is available via the Federal Digital System
at: www.gpo.gov/fdsys. At this site you can view this document, as well
as all other documents of this Department published in the Federal
Register, in text or PDF. To use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat
Reader, which is available free at the site.
[[Page 32319]]
You may also access documents of the Department published in the
Federal Register by using the article search feature at:
www.federalregister.gov. Specifically, through the advanced search
feature at this site, you can limit your search to documents published
by the Department.
Dated: May 18, 2016.
Nadya Chinoy Dabby,
Assistant Deputy Secretary for Innovation and Improvement.
[FR Doc. 2016-12101 Filed 5-20-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P