81_FR_91050 81 FR 90809 - Applications for New Awards; Education Innovation and Research Program-Early-Phase Grants

81 FR 90809 - Applications for New Awards; Education Innovation and Research Program-Early-Phase Grants

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 241 (December 15, 2016)

Page Range90809-90820
FR Document2016-30085

Federal Register, Volume 81 Issue 241 (Thursday, December 15, 2016)
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 241 (Thursday, December 15, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 90809-90820]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-30085]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Applications for New Awards; Education Innovation and Research 
Program--Early-Phase Grants

AGENCY: Office of Innovation and Improvement, Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice.

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Overview Information

    Education Innovation and Research Program--Early-phase Grants.
    Notice inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY) 
2017.

    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.411C 
(Early-phase Grants).

DATES: 
    Applications Available: December 19, 2016.
    Deadline for Notice of Intent To Apply: February 13, 2017.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: April 13, 2017.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: June 13, 2017.

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Purpose of Program: The Education Innovation and Research (EIR) 
Program, established under section 4611 of the Elementary and Secondary 
Education Act (ESEA), as amended by Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), 
provides funding to create, develop, implement, replicate, or take to 
scale entrepreneurial, evidence-based, field-initiated innovations to 
improve student achievement (as defined in this notice) and attainment 
for high-need students (as defined in this notice); and rigorously 
evaluate such innovations. The EIR program is designed to generate and 
validate solutions to persistent educational challenges and to support 
the expansion of effective solutions to serve substantially larger 
numbers of students.
    The central design element of the EIR program is its multi-tier 
structure that links the amount of funding that an applicant may 
receive to the quality of the evidence supporting the efficacy of the 
proposed project, with the expectation that projects that build this 
evidence will advance through EIR's grant tiers. Applicants proposing 
innovative projects that are supported by limited evidence can receive 
relatively small grants to support the development, iteration, and 
initial evaluation of the practices (as defined in this notice); 
applicants proposing projects supported by evidence from rigorous 
evaluations, such as large randomized controlled trials (as defined in 
this notice), can receive larger grant awards to support expansion 
across the country. This structure provides incentives for applicants 
to: (1) Explore new ways of addressing persistent challenges that other 
educators can build on and learn from; (2) build evidence of 
effectiveness of their practices; and (3) replicate and scale 
successful practices in new schools, districts, and states while 
addressing the barriers to scale, such as cost structures and 
implementation fidelity.
    All EIR projects are expected to generate information regarding 
their effectiveness in order to inform EIR grantees' efforts to learn 
about and improve upon their efforts, and to help similar, non-EIR 
efforts across the country benefit from EIR grantees' knowledge. By 
requiring that all grantees conduct independent evaluations (as defined 
in this notice) of their EIR projects, EIR ensures that its funded 
projects make a significant contribution to improving the quality and 
quantity of information available to practitioners and policymakers 
about which practices improve student achievement, for which types of 
students, and in what contexts.
    The Department of Education (Department) awards three types of 
grants under this program: ``Early-phase'' grants, ``Mid-phase'' 
grants, and ``Expansion'' grants. These grants differ in terms of the 
level of prior evidence of effectiveness required for consideration for 
funding, the expectations regarding the kind of evidence and 
information funded projects should produce, the level of scale funded 
projects should reach, and, consequently, the amount of funding 
available to support each type of project.
    EIR Early-phase grants provide funding to support the development, 
iteration, implementation, and feasibility testing of practices that 
are expected to be novel and significant relative to others that are 
underway nationally. These Early-phase grants are not intended simply 
to implement established practices in additional locations or address 
needs that are unique to one particular context. The goal is to 
determine whether and in what ways relatively newer practices can 
improve student achievement for high-need students.
    This notice invites applications for Early-phase grants only. The 
notices inviting applications for Mid-phase and Expansion grants are 
published elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register.
    Background: EIR builds on seven years of investments--over $1.4 
billion, matched by over $200 million in private sector resources--from 
the Department's Investing in Innovation (i3) program. i3 has generated 
new information regarding effective educational practices and increased 
evaluators' capacity to conduct rigorous evaluations of student 
learning outcomes that provide actionable information for educators. 
EIR is designed to build upon the successes of i3 to offer new 
opportunities for States, districts, schools, and educators to develop 
innovations and scale effective practices that address their most 
pressing challenges.
    Early-phase EIR grantees are expected to continuously make 
improvements in project design and implementation before conducting a 
full-scale evaluation of effectiveness. Grantees should consider 
questions such as:
     How easy would it be for others to implement this 
practice, and how can its implementation be improved?
     How can I use data from early indicators to gauge impact, 
and what changes in implementation and student achievement do these 
early indicators suggest? By focusing on continuous improvement and 
iterative development, Early-stage grantees can make adaptations that 
are necessary to increase their practice's potential to be effective 
and ensure that its EIR-funded evaluation assesses the impact of a 
thoroughly conceived practice.
    In order to leverage existing information that can inform which 
kinds of practices could have a meaningful impact on underserved 
students, Early-phase applicants must demonstrate a rationale (as 
defined in this notice) for their project. In addition, like all EIR 
grantees, Early-stage grantees are expected to conduct an independent 
evaluation. Given EIR's goal of helping develop a collective body of 
evidence that can inform the future expansion and refinement of 
practices that effectively serve high-need students, Early-stage 
grantees' evaluation designs are expected to have the potential meet 
the moderate evidence (as defined in this notice) threshold. Not only 
will such evaluation data build the knowledge base about effective 
practices for underserved students, but it will also encourage 
prospective Mid-phase applicants to leverage the findings from Early-
phase

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grantees' efforts, and thereby continue to evolve EIR-funded practices.
    To the extent possible, we intend to fund multiple projects 
addressing similar challenges. By so doing, we aim to accelerate the 
building of a knowledge base of effective practices for addressing 
these challenges and increase the likelihood that grantees can learn 
from one another while still exploring different approaches. We believe 
that improving outcomes across the education sector depends, in part, 
upon policymakers, practitioners and researchers continually building 
upon one another's efforts to have the greatest impact.
    All EIR applicants are required to serve high-need students and are 
therefore required to address absolute priority one. In addition, EIR 
Early-phase applicants are also required to address one of the other 
five absolute priorities. These are critical areas in which rigorous 
evidence is scarce, and schools, districts, and States can meaningfully 
contribute to the generation and use of evidence-based approaches.
    First, we include an absolute priority to improve school climate. 
Under this priority, the Department seeks to support innovative 
alternatives to exclusionary discipline policies and to support 
positive interventions that can address the negative and often 
disparate impact of classroom removals by promoting safe schools that 
have a positive culture for all students. Research has shown that 
implementing alternative disciplinary policies and behavioral supports 
can support both improved academic and non-academic outcomes for 
students.\1\ More efforts are needed to identify the root causes of 
discipline-related disparities, to demonstrate viable alternatives to 
removing students from classroom activities, and to contribute new 
research on how such practices can result in positive outcomes. Such 
efforts can help ensure a positive and inclusive school culture for 
students and educators alike.
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    \1\ Flay, B., Acock, A., Vuchinich, S., and Beets, M. (2006). 
Progress Report of the Randomized Trial of Positive Action in 
Hawaii: End of Third Year of Intervention. Twin Falls, ID: Positive 
Action, Inc.; Flay, B.R., and Allred, C.G. (2003). ``Long-term 
Effects of the Positive Action Program.'' American Journal of 
Healthy Behavior, 27(1), 6-21.
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    Second, we include an absolute priority focusing on student 
diversity. In parts of the country, America's schools are more 
segregated than they were in the late 1960s, including by students' 
race and socioeconomic status.\2\ One-quarter of our nation's public 
school students attend high-poverty schools where more than 75 percent 
of the student body is eligible for free and reduced-price lunch; in 
our cities, nearly half of all students attend schools where poverty is 
concentrated.\3\ In addition, almost half of all African-American and 
Latino public school students attend economically segregated schools. 
Children raised in segregated communities have significantly lower 
social and economic mobility than children growing up in integrated 
communities, and States with socioeconomically segregated schools tend 
to have larger achievement gaps between students from low- and higher-
income households.\4\ There is a growing body of evidence suggesting 
that socioeconomic diversity in schools can lead to improved outcomes 
for students from low-income households (compared to students from low-
income households who attend higher-poverty schools),\5\ and innovative 
strategies for increasing diversity within classroom or school 
environments could benefit all high-need students. These strategies may 
include new instructional approaches that impact socioeconomic 
integration and student achievement within schools (e.g., schools could 
improve participation of students from low-income households in 
advanced placement or ``honors'' coursework) or redesigned inter-
district recruitment and admissions strategies to support and foster 
such diversity in schools. It is particularly important to focus 
concurrently on increasing diversity and improving student outcomes 
(including closing gaps in academic performance between socioeconomic 
and racial groups) in areas where schools are acutely impacted by 
segregation.
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    \2\ Orfield, G., and Frankenberg, E., (May, 2014). Brown at 60: 
Great Progress, a Long Retreat and an Uncertain Future. Civil Rights 
Project/Proyecto Derechos Civiles, May 2014 (revised version 5-15-
14).
    \3\ U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education 
Statistics, Common Core of Data (CCD), ``Public Elementary/Secondary 
School Universe Survey,'' 2012-13. See Digest of Education 
Statistics 2014. https://nces.ed.gov/ccd/pubschuniv.asp.
    \4\ Mantil, A., Perkins, A.G., and Aberger, S., (2012). ``The 
Challenge of High-Poverty Schools: How Feasible Is Socioeconomic 
School Integration?'' The Future of School Integration: 155-222.
    \5\ Stuart Wells, A., Fox, L., and Cordova-Cobo, D. (February 
2016). ``How Racially Diverse Schools and Classrooms Can Benefit All 
Students.'' The Century Foundation. Available at: https://tcf.org/content/report/how-racially-diverse-schools-and-classrooms-can-benefit-all-students/. Paper presented at the American Sociological 
Association, Chicago, IL; Mickelson, R.A. (2001). ``Subverting 
Swann: First and Second-Generation Segregation in Charlotte, North 
Carolina.'' American Educational Research Journal, 38, 215-252; 
Mickelson, R.A. (2006). How Middle School Segregation Contributes to 
the Race Gap in Academic Achievement. Paper presented at AERA 425; 
Tevis, (2007). African-American Students' College Transition 
Trajectory: An Examination of the Effects of High School Composition 
and Expectations on Degree Attainment. Dissertation in Educational 
Theory & Policy. The Pennsylvania State University.
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    Third, we include an absolute priority to increase the number and 
proportion of high-need students who are academically prepared for the 
transition to college, other postsecondary education, or other career 
and technical education. Postsecondary education is an increasingly 
critical requirement for succeeding in today's economy. By 2020, 
approximately 35 percent of job openings will require at least a 
bachelor's degree, and another 30 percent will require at least an 
associate's degree or some college.\6\ However, many high school 
students--especially those from low-income backgrounds--lack access to 
the rigorous coursework and support services that help prepare students 
for success in college or career education. New approaches are needed 
to address inequities in preparation for postsecondary education, and 
to help high-need students to transition successfully to college or to 
technical training that will lead to meaningful employment 
opportunities. Applicants under this priority must serve students in K-
12 settings at some point during the grant, but may also provide 
support to help these students enroll in and successfully transition 
into college or other career or technical education.
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    \6\ Anthony P. Carnevale, Nicole Smith and Jeff Strohl. (2014). 
``Recovery, Job Growth and Education Requirements Through 2020.'' 
Georgetown Public Policy Institute Center on Education and the 
Workforce. Available at: https://cew.georgetown.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Recovery2020.FR_.Web_.pdf.
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    Fourth, the Department includes an absolute priority to increase 
the number of effective principals who improve student outcomes in 
public schools. School leaders play an essential role in shaping school 
cultures, aligning parents and educators around shared goals, and, 
ultimately, influencing student achievement.\7\ Yet preparation 
programs and support for school leaders are often lacking. The best 
principal preparation programs, for example, may include rigorous 
screening and selection entry requirements, offer courses that are 
aligned with standards of practice, and provide sufficient clinical 
experiences for candidates. Current principals need support and 
development opportunities that will

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enable them to shape a strong professional community with collective 
responsibility for student learning. The evidence base of effective 
practices for training, supporting, and retaining high-impact school 
leaders is relatively underdeveloped, and new, aligned efforts from EIR 
grantees could make significant strides in better understanding how to 
ensure that our school leaders are best positioned to improve the 
achievement of high-need students.
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    \7\ Sebastian, J., & Allensworth, E. (2012). ``The influence of 
principal leadership on classroom instruction and student learning a 
study of mediated pathways to learning.'' Educational Administration 
Quarterly, 48(4), 626-663. Available at: http://eaq.sagepub.com/content/48/4/626.short.
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    Finally, we include an absolute priority to reconnect disconnected 
youth (as defined in this notice) to educational opportunities. Today, 
roughly 14 percent of youth ages 16 to 24 in America are neither 
enrolled in school nor working.\8\ This percentage equates to more than 
5.6 million young Americans (more youths than in the entire K-12 public 
school systems in Colorado, Georgia, Michigan, and Virginia 
combined).\9\ Consequently, we believe it is important to link 
disconnected youth with the appropriate supports and interventions they 
need to achieve academic success. One approach might include cross-
sector regional initiatives that create opportunities for disconnected 
youth to get a high school diploma (or equivalent) before pursuing 
postsecondary education or full-time employment. Another possibility is 
to build upon the experiences of ``re-engagement centers'' such as 
those in Boston, MA, Washington, DC, and St. Paul, MN, where 
communities have shown positive outcomes in re-connecting youth with 
the systems and supports needed for academic and career success.\10\ 
Additionally, States, districts, and schools might better utilize 
longitudinal data systems to provide timely information about students 
at risk of dropping out, those students who are chronically absent, or 
those who have already dropped out in order to better match them with 
targeted educational and related interventions.
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    \8\ Kena, G., Musu-Gillette, L., Robinson, J., Wang, X., 
Rathbun, A., Zhang, J., Wilkinson-Flicker, S., Barmer, A., and 
Dunlop Velez, E. (2015). The Condition of Education 2015 (NCES 2015-
144). U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education 
Statistics. Washington, DC. Retrieved August 13, 2015 from http://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/indicator_soa.asp.
    \9\ U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education 
Statistics, Common Core of Data (CCD), ``State Nonfiscal Survey of 
Public Elementary/Secondary Education,'' 1990-91 through 2012-
13.Table 203.20. http://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d14/tables/dt14_203.20.asp.
    \10\ For additional information please see: http://www.bostonpic.org/programs/project-reconnect, http://osse.dc.gov/dcreengagementcenter, and http://www.ujamaaplace.org/about.html.
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    Priorities: This competition includes six absolute priorities. 
Absolute Priority 1 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). We are establishing Absolute 
Priorities 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 in accordance with section 437(d)(1) of 
the General Education Provisions Act (GEPA), 20 U.S.C. 1232(d)(1). 
These absolute priorities will apply to the FY 2017 EIR Early-phase 
competition and any subsequent year in which we make awards from the 
list of unfunded applicants from this competition.
    Absolute Priorities: These priorities are absolute priorities. 
Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3) we consider only applications that meet 
Absolute Priority 1, Supporting High-Need Students, and one additional 
priority. Applicants must clearly identify the specific absolute 
priority that the proposed project addresses.
    These priorities are:

Absolute Priority 1--Supporting High-Need Students

    Under this priority, we provide funding to projects that are 
designed to improve academic outcomes for high-need students.

Absolute Priority 2--Improving School Climate

    Under this priority, we provide funding to projects that are 
designed to improve student outcomes through reducing or eliminating 
disparities in school disciplinary practices for particular groups of 
students, including students of color and students with disabilities, 
or reducing or eliminating the use of exclusionary discipline (such as 
suspensions, expulsions, and unnecessary placements in alternative 
education programs) by identifying and addressing the root causes of 
those disparities or uses and promoting alternative disciplinary 
practices that address the disparities or uses.

Absolute Priority 3--Promoting Diversity

    Under this priority, we provide funding to projects that are 
designed to help LEAs prepare students for success in an increasingly 
diverse society by increasing the diversity--including racial, ethnic, 
and socioeconomic diversity--of students enrolled in the individual 
schools in the LEAs.

Absolute Priority 4--Increasing Postsecondary Preparedness

    Under this priority, we provide funding to projects that are 
designed to increase the number and proportion of K-12 high-need 
students who are academically and socially prepared for and 
subsequently enroll in college, other postsecondary education, or other 
career and technical education.

Absolute Priority 5--Improving the Effectiveness of Principals

    Under this priority, we provide funding to projects that are 
designed to increase the number and percentage of highly effective 
principals by creating or expanding practices and strategies to 
recruit, select, prepare, and support individuals to significantly 
improve instruction in schools.

Absolute Priority 6--Re-Engagement of Disconnected Youth

    Under this priority, we provide funding to projects that are 
designed to improve student achievement through strategies that provide 
disconnected youth (as defined in this notice) with high-quality 
educational opportunities.

Definitions

    The definition of ``nonprofit'' is from 34 CFR 77.1. The 
definitions for ``disconnected youth,'' ``high-need students,'' and 
``regular high school diploma,'' are from the Supplemental Priorities. 
The definitions of ``local educational agency'' and ``state educational 
agency'' are from Section 8101 of the ESEA, as amended by ESSA. We are 
establishing the definitions for ``demonstrates a rationale,'' 
``experimental study,'' ``high-minority school,'' ``independent 
evaluation,'' ``large sample,'' ``logic model,'' ``meets What Works 
Clearinghouse Evidence Standards without reservations,'' ``meets What 
Works Clearinghouse Evidence Standards with reservations,'' ``moderate 
evidence,'' ``multi-site sample,'' ``practice,'' ``quasi-experimental 
design study,'' ``randomized controlled trial,'' ``regression 
discontinuity design study,'' ``relevant finding,'' ``relevant 
outcome,'' ``rural local educational agencies,'' ``single-case design 
study,'' and ``student achievement'' for the FY 2017 grant competition 
only, in accordance with section 437(d)(1) of the General Education 
Provisions Act (GEPA), 20 U.S.C. 1232(d)(1).
    Demonstrates a rationale means the practice is supported by a 
reasonable logic model (as defined in this notice) that that is 
informed by research or an evaluation that suggests how the

[[Page 90812]]

practice is likely to improve relevant outcomes (as defined in this 
notice).
    Disconnected youth means low-income individuals, ages 14-24, who 
are homeless, are in foster care, are involved in the justice system, 
or are not working or not enrolled in (or at risk of dropping out of) 
an educational institution.
    Experimental study means a study, such as a randomized controlled 
trial (RCT) (as defined in this notice), that is designed to compare 
outcomes between two groups of individuals that are otherwise 
equivalent except for their assignment to either a treatment group 
receiving a practice or a control group that does not. In some 
circumstances, a finding from a regression discontinuity design study 
(RDD) (as defined in this notice) or findings from a collection of 
single-case design studies (SCDs) (as defined in this notice) may be 
considered equivalent to a finding from an RCT. RCTs and RDDs, and 
collections of SCDs, depending on design and implementation, can Meet 
What Works Clearinghouse Evidence Standards without reservations (as 
defined in this notice).
    High-minority school means a school as that term is defined by a 
local educational agency (LEA) (as defined in this notice), which must 
define the term in a manner consistent with its State's Teacher Equity 
Plan, as required by section 1111(g)(1)(B) of the Elementary and 
Secondary Education Act (ESEA), as amended by Every Student Succeeds 
Act (ESSA). The applicant must provide the definition(s) of high-
minority schools (as defined in this notice) used in its application.
    High-need students means students who are at risk for educational 
failure or otherwise in need of special assistance and support, such as 
students who are living in poverty, who attend high-minority schools 
(as defined in this notice), who are far below grade level, who have 
left school before receiving a regular high school diploma (as defined 
in this notice), 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.
    Independent evaluation means that the evaluation is designed and 
carried out independent of, but in coordination with, any employees of 
the entities who develop a practice and are implementing it.
    Large sample means an analytic sample of 350 or more students (or 
other single analysis units), or 50 or more groups (such as classrooms 
or schools) that each contain, on average, 10 or more students (or 
other single analysis units, regardless of whether these single 
analysis units are disaggregated in the analysis of outcomes for the 
groups). Multiple studies can cumulatively meet the large sample and 
multi-site (as defined in this notice) requirements of moderate 
evidence, as long as each study meets the other requirements of the 
particular level of evidence (i.e., moderate evidence).
    Local educational agency means:
    (a) A public board of education or other public authority legally 
constituted within a State for either administrative control or 
direction of, or to perform a service function for, public elementary 
schools or secondary schools in a city, county, township, school 
district, or other political subdivision of a State, or of or for a 
combination of school districts or counties that is recognized in a 
State as an administrative agency for its public elementary schools or 
secondary schools.
    (b) Administrative Control and Direction. The term includes any 
other public institution or agency having administrative control and 
direction of a public elementary school or secondary school.
    (c) Bureau of Indian Education Schools. The term includes an 
elementary school or secondary school funded by the Bureau of Indian 
Education but only to the extent that including the school makes the 
school eligible for programs for which specific eligibility is not 
provided to the school in another provision of law and the school does 
not have a student population that is smaller than the student 
population of the local educational agency receiving assistance under 
this Act with the smallest student population, except that the school 
shall not be subject to the jurisdiction of any State educational 
agency (as defined in this notice) other than the Bureau of Indian 
Education.
    (d) Educational Service Agencies. The term includes educational 
service agencies and consortia of those agencies.
    (e) State Educational Agency. The term includes the State 
educational agency in a State in which the State educational agency is 
the sole educational agency for all public schools.
    Logic model (also known as a theory of action) means a reasonable 
conceptual framework that identifies key components of the proposed 
project (i.e., the active ``ingredients'' that are hypothesized to be 
critical to achieving the relevant outcomes) and describes the 
theoretical and operational relationships among the key components and 
outcomes.
    Meets What Works Clearinghouse Evidence Standards without 
reservations is the highest possible rating for a study finding 
reviewed by the What Works Clearinghouse (WWC). Studies receiving this 
rating provide the highest degree of confidence that an estimated 
effect was caused by the practice studied. Experimental studies (as 
defined in this notice) may receive this highest rating. These 
standards are described in the WWC Procedures and Standards Handbooks, 
Version 3.0, which can be accessed at http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/Handbooks.
    Meets What Works Clearinghouse Evidence Standards with reservations 
is the second-highest rating for a study finding reviewed by the What 
Works Clearinghouse (WWC). Studies receiving this rating provide a 
reasonable degree of confidence that an estimated effect was caused by 
the practice studied. Both experimental studies (as defined in this 
notice) (such as randomized controlled trials with high rates of sample 
attrition) and quasi-experimental design studies (as defined in this 
notice) may receive this rating if they establish the equivalence of 
the treatment and comparison groups in key baseline characteristics. 
These standards are described in the WWC Procedures and Standards 
Handbooks, Version 3.0, which can be accessed at http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/Handbooks.
    Moderate evidence means the following conditions are met: (a) There 
is at least one experimental or quasi-experimental design study of the 
effectiveness of the practice with a relevant finding (as defined in 
this notice) that Meets What Works Clearinghouse Evidence Standards 
with or without reservations (as defined in this notice) (e.g., a 
quasi-experimental design study or high-attrition randomized controlled 
trial that establishes the equivalence of the treatment and comparison 
groups in student achievement at baseline); (b) the relevant finding in 
the study described in paragraph (a) is of a statistically significant 
and positive (i.e., favorable) effect on a student outcome or other 
relevant outcome, with no statistically significant and overriding 
negative (i.e., unfavorable) evidence on that practice from other 
findings on the intervention reviewed by and reported on the What Works 
Clearinghouse that Meet What Works Clearinghouse Evidence Standards 
with or without reservations; (c) the relevant finding in the study 
described in paragraph (a) is based on a sample that overlaps with the 
populations (e.g., the types of student

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served) or settings proposed to receive the practice (e.g., an after-
school program studied in urban high schools and proposed for rural 
high schools); and (d) the relevant finding in the study described in 
paragraph (a) is based on a large sample and a multi-site sample (as 
defined in this notice).
    Multi-site sample means more than one site, where site can be 
defined as an LEA, locality, or State. A sample could be multi-site if 
it includes campuses in two or more localities (e.g., cities or 
counties), even if the campuses all belong to the same LEA or the same 
postsecondary school system. Multiple studies can cumulatively meet the 
multi-site sample and large sample (as defined in this notice) 
requirements of moderate evidence, as long as each study meets the 
other requirements of the particular level of evidence (i.e., moderate 
evidence).
    Nonprofit, as applied to an agency, organization, or institution, 
means that it is owned and operated by one or more corporations or 
associations whose net earnings do not benefit, and cannot lawfully 
benefit, any private shareholder or entity.
    Practice means an activity, strategy, or intervention included in a 
project. Evidence may pertain to an individual practice, or to a 
combination of practices (e.g., training teachers on instructional 
practices for English learners and follow-on coaching for these 
teachers).
    Quasi-experimental design study (QED) means a study using a design 
that attempts to approximate an experimental design by identifying a 
comparison group that is similar to the treatment group in important 
respects. This type of study, depending on design and implementation, 
can Meet What Works Clearinghouse Evidence Standards with reservations 
(but not without reservations).
    Randomized controlled trial (RCT) means a study that employs random 
assignment of, for example, students, teachers, classrooms, or schools 
to receive the practice being evaluated (the treatment group) or not to 
receive the practice (the control group). The estimated effectiveness 
of the practice is the difference between the average outcomes for the 
treatment group and for the control group. These studies, depending on 
design and implementation, can Meet What Works Clearinghouse Evidence 
Standards without reservations.
    Regression discontinuity design study (RDD) means a study that 
assigns the practice 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. The effectiveness of the practices is estimated 
for individuals who barely qualify to receive that practice. These 
studies, depending on design and implementation, can Meet What Works 
Clearinghouse Evidence Standards without reservations.
    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 finding means a finding from a study regarding the 
relationship between (a) an activity, strategy, or intervention 
included as a practice of the logic model for the proposed project, and 
(b) a student outcome or other relevant outcome included in the logic 
model for the proposed project.
    Relevant outcome means the student outcome(s) (or the ultimate 
outcome if not related to students) the proposed practice is designed 
to improve; consistent with the specific goals of a project.
    Rural local educational agencies means local educational agencies 
with an urban-centric district locale code of 32, 33, 41, 42, or 43, 
which can be found at the following link: https://nces.ed.gov/ccd/ccdLocaleCodeDistrict.asp.
    Single-case design study (SCD) means a study that use 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. According to the What Works 
Clearinghouse Single Case Design Pilot Standards, a collection of these 
studies, depending on design and implementation (e.g., including a 
sufficient number of cases and of data points per condition), can Meet 
What Works Clearinghouse Evidence Standards without reservations.
    State educational agency means the agency primarily responsible for 
the State supervision of public elementary schools and secondary 
schools.
    Student achievement means--
    For grades and subjects in which assessments are required under 
section 1111(b)(2) of Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), as 
amended by Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA): (1) A student's score on 
such assessments; and, as appropriate (2) other measures of student 
learning, such as those described in the subsequent paragraph, provided 
that they are rigorous and comparable across schools with a local 
educational agency (LEA).
    For grades and subjects in which assessments are not required under 
section 1111(b)(2) of ESEA, as reauthorized by ESSA: (1) Alternative 
measures of student learning and performance, such as student results 
on pre-tests, end-of-course tests, and objective performance-based 
assessments; (2) students learning objectives; (3) student performance 
on English language proficiency assessments; and (4) other measures of 
student achievement that are rigorous and comparable across schools 
within an LEA.
    Waiver of Proposed Rulemaking: Under the Administrative Procedure 
Act (5 U.S.C. 553), the Department generally offers interested parties 
the opportunity to comment on proposed priorities, definitions, and 
other requirements. Section 437(d)(1) of GEPA, however, allows the 
Secretary to exempt from rulemaking requirements, regulations governing 
the first grant competition under a new or substantially revised 
program authority. This grant competition is the first grant 
competition for the EIR program under 20 U.S.C. 1138-1138d and 
therefore qualifies for this exemption. In order to ensure timely grant 
awards, the Secretary has decided to forego public comment on the 
priorities, definitions, and requirements under section 437(d)(1) of 
GEPA. These priorities, definitions, and requirements will apply to the 
FY 2017 grant competition only.
    Program Authority: Section 4611 of the ESEA, as amended by ESSA.
    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 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.

    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 institutions of 
higher education only.


[[Page 90814]]



II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Cooperative agreements.
    Estimated Available Funds: The Administration has requested 
$180,000,000 for the EIR program for FY 2017, of which approximately 
$141,000,000 would be used, in total, for new awards under the Early-
phase, Mid-phase, and Expansion competitions. The actual level of 
funding, if any, depends on final congressional action. However, we are 
inviting applications to allow enough time to complete the grant 
process if Congress appropriates funds for this program.
    Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of 
applications, we may make additional awards in subsequent years from 
the list of unfunded applications from this competition.
    Estimated Range of Awards:
    Early-phase grants: $700,000-$800,000 per year.
    Mid-phase grants: $1,400,000-$1,600,000 per year.
    Expansion grants: $2,750,000-$3,000,000 per year.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards:
    Early-phase grants: $3,750,000 for the entirety of the project 
period.
    Mid-phase grants: $7,750,000 for the entirety of the project 
period.
    Expansion grants: $14,500,000 for the entirety of the project 
period.
    Estimated Number of Awards:
    Early-phase grants: 24-38 awards.
    Mid-phase grants: 15-20 awards.
    Expansion grants: 3-5 awards.
    Maximum Awards:
    Early-phase grants: $4,000,000 for the entirety of the project 
period.
    Mid-phase grants: $8,000,000 for the entirety of the project 
period.
    Expansion grants: $15,000,000 for the entirety of the project 
period.
    Project Period: Up to 60 months.
    Under section 4611(c) of the ESEA, as amended by ESSA, the 
Department must use at least 25 percent of EIR funds for a fiscal year 
to make awards to applicants serving rural areas, contingent on receipt 
of a sufficient number of applications of sufficient quality. For 
purposes of this competition, we will consider an applicant as rural if 
the applicant meets the qualifications for rural applicants as 
described in the eligible applicants section and the applicant 
certifies that it meets those qualifications through the application. 
In implementing this statutory provision, the Department may fund high-
quality applications from rural applicants out of rank order in one or 
more of the EIR competitions.

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

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants:
    (a) An LEA;
    (b) A State educational agency;
    (c) The Bureau of Indian Education;
    (d) A consortium of State educational agencies or LEAs;
    (e) A nonprofit organization; and
    (f) A State educational agency, an LEA, a consortium described in 
(d), or the Bureau of Indian Education, in partnership with--
    (1) A nonprofit (as defined in this notice) organization;
    (2) A business;
    (3) An educational service agency; or
    (4) An institution of higher education.
    To qualify as a rural applicant under the EIR program, an applicant 
must meet both of the following requirements:
    (a) The applicant is--
    (1) An LEA with an urban-centric district locale code of 32, 33, 
41, 42, or 43, as determined by the Secretary;
    (2) A consortium of such LEAs;
    (3) An educational service agency or a nonprofit organization in 
partnership with such an LEA; or
    (4) A grantee described in clause (1) or (2) in partnership with a 
State educational agency; and
    (b) A majority of the schools to be served by the program are 
designated with a locale code of 32, 33, 41, 42, or 43, or a 
combination of such codes, as determined by the Secretary.
    More information on rural applicant eligibility is in the 
application package.
    2.a. Cost Sharing or Matching: Under section 4611 of the ESEA, as 
amended by ESSA, each grant recipient must provide, from Federal, 
State, local, or private sources, an amount equal to 10 percent of 
funds provided under the grant, which may be provided in cash or 
through in-kind contributions, to carry out activities supported by the 
grant. Grantees must include a budget showing their matching 
contributions on an annual basis relative to the annual budget amount 
of EIR grant funds and must provide evidence of their matching 
contributions for the first year of the grant in their grant 
applications. Section 4611 of the ESEA, as amended by ESSA also 
authorizes the Secretary to waive this matching requirement on a case-
by-case basis, upon a showing of exceptional circumstances, such as:
    (a) The difficulty of raising matching funds for a program to serve 
a rural area;
    (b) The difficulty of raising matching funds in areas with a 
concentration of local educational agencies or schools with a high 
percentage of students aged 5 through 17--
    (1) Who are in poverty, as counted in the most recent census data 
approved by the Secretary;
    (2) Who are eligible for a free or reduced price lunch under the 
Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq.);
    (3) Whose families receive assistance under the State program 
funded under part A of title IV of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
601 et seq.); or
    (4) Who are eligible to receive medical assistance under the 
Medicaid program; and
    (c) The difficulty of raising funds on tribal land.
    Applicants that wish to apply for a waiver must include a request 
in their application that describes why the 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.
    3. Other: The Secretary establishes the following requirements for 
the EIR program.
     Innovations that Serve Kindergarten-through-Grade-12 (K-
12) Students: All grantees must implement practices that serve students 
who are in grades K-12 at some point during the funding period. To meet 
this requirement, projects that serve early learners (i.e., infants, 
toddlers, or preschoolers) must provide services or supports that 
extend into kindergarten or later years, and projects that serve 
postsecondary students must provide services or supports during the 
secondary grades or earlier.
     Evidence Standards: To be eligible for an award, an 
application for an Early-phase grant must demonstrate a rationale by 
including a reasonable logic model that is informed by research or an 
evaluation that suggests how the intervention is likely to improve 
relevant outcomes, and includes an effort to study the effects of the 
intervention that will happen as part of the proposed project.
     Funding Categories: An applicant will be considered for an 
award only for the type of EIR grant (i.e., Early-phase, Mid-phase, and 
Expansion grant) for which it applies. An applicant may not submit an 
application for the same proposed project under more than one type of 
grant.

    Note:  Each application will be reviewed under the competition 
it was submitted under in the Grants.gov system, and only 
applications that are successfully submitted

[[Page 90815]]

by the established deadline will be peer reviewed. Applicants should 
be careful that they download the intended EIR application package 
and that they submit their applications under the intended EIR 
competition.

     Limit on Grant Awards: No grantee may receive in a single 
year new EIR grant awards that total an amount greater than the sum of 
the maximum amount of funds for an Expansion grant and the maximum 
amount of funds for an Early-phase grant for that year. For example, in 
a year when the maximum award value for an Expansion grant is $15 
million and the maximum award value for an Early-phase grant is $4 
million, no grantee may receive in a single year new grants totaling 
more than $19 million.
     Partnerships: An applicant must demonstrate sufficient 
partnerships with schools/LEA(s) by identifying in the application 
implementation schools/LEA(s) for years 1 and 2 of the grant project.
     Evaluation: The grantee must conduct an independent 
evaluation (as defined in this notice) of its project. This evaluation 
must estimate the impact of the EIR-supported practice (as implemented 
at the proposed level of scale) on a relevant outcome, with an 
evaluation design with the potential to meet moderate evidence (as 
defined in this notice).
    The first years of an Early-phase grant are expected to focus on 
developing and iterating the practice in a few schools (or a limited 
version of the practice in a greater number of schools), and the 
independent evaluation is expected to generate information to inform 
the practice's development and iteration; the remaining years of an 
Early-phase grant are expected to entail full-scale implementation 
across the project's full set of schools, and the independent 
evaluation is expected to be an efficacy study of the practice, 
designed to have the potential meet the moderate evidence (as defined 
in this notice) threshold.
    In addition, the grantee and its independent evaluator must agree 
to cooperate with any technical assistance provided by the Department 
or its contractor and comply with the requirements of any evaluation of 
the program conducted by the Department. This includes providing to the 
Department or its contractor, an updated comprehensive evaluation plan 
in a format and using such tools as the Department may require, as 
outlined in the Cooperative Agreement. Grantees must update this 
evaluation plan at least annually to reflect any changes to the 
evaluation. All of these updates must be consistent with the scope and 
objectives of the approved application.
     Public Availability of Results:
    Recipients of awards are expected to publish or otherwise make 
publicly available the results of the work supported through EIR, 
including the evaluation report. EIR grantees must submit final studies 
resulting from research supported in whole or in part by EIR to the 
Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC, http://eric.ed.gov).
     Scaling: Early-phase grants must scale to multiple schools 
over the life of the project. Scaling targets should be established for 
the number of students to be served for the total project period as 
well as the target number of students to be served each year of the 
project. Early-phase grants must also include their scaling strategy as 
a component of the evaluation plan for the grant. Given that all EIR 
grantees are required to report on the performance measure regarding 
the target number of students served by the grant, applicants should 
propose scaling targets that represent reasonable costs per student for 
the grant.
     Management Plan: An EIR grantee must provide an updated 
comprehensive management plan for the approved project in a format and 
using such tools as the Department may require, as outlined in the 
Cooperative Agreement. This management plan must include detailed 
information about implementation of the first year of the grant, 
including key milestones, staffing details, and other information that 
the Department may require. It must also include a complete list of 
performance metrics, including baseline measures and annual targets. 
The grantee must update this management plan at least annually to 
reflect implementation of subsequent years of the project.

IV. Application and Submission Information

    1. Address to Request Application Package: You can obtain an 
application package via the Internet or from the Education Publications 
Center (ED Pubs). To obtain a copy via the Internet, use the following 
address: http://innovation.ed.gov/what-we-do/innovation/education-innovation-and-research-eir/. To obtain a copy from ED Pubs, write, 
fax, or call: ED Pubs, U.S. Department of Education, P.O. Box 22207, 
Alexandria, VA 22304. Telephone, toll free: 1-877-433-7827. FAX: (703) 
605-6794. If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) or 
a text telephone (TTY), call, toll free: 1-877-576-7734.
    You can contact ED Pubs at its Web site, also: www.EDPubs.gov or at 
its email address: edpubs@inet.ed.gov.
    If you request an application package from ED Pubs, be sure to 
identify this program or competition as follows: CFDA number 84.411C.
    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 person or team listed under 
Accessible Format in section VIII of this notice.
    2.a. Content and Form of Application Submission: Requirements 
concerning the content and form of an application, together with the 
forms you must submit, are in the application package for this 
competition.
    Notice of Intent to Apply: February 13, 2017.
    We will be able to develop a more efficient process for reviewing 
grant applications if we know the approximate number of applicants that 
intend to apply for funding under this competition. Therefore, the 
Secretary strongly encourages each potential applicant to notify us of 
the applicant's intent to submit an application by completing a Web-
based form. When completing this form, applicants will provide (1) the 
applicant organization's name and address and (2) the absolute priority 
the applicant intends to address. Applicants may access this form 
online at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/GSPSYXQ. Applicants that do 
not complete this form may still submit an application.
    Pre-Application: The EIR program intends to hold webinars and/or 
meetings designed to provide technical assistance to interested 
applicants for all three types of grants. Detailed information 
regarding these webinars and/or meetings will be provided on the EIR 
Web site at http://innovation.ed.gov/what-we-do/innovation/education-innovation-and-research-eir/.
    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. Applicants should limit the 
application narrative for an Early-phase grant application to no more 
than 25 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.

[[Page 90816]]

     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 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 page 
limit does apply to all of the application narrative.
    b. Submission of Proprietary Information: Given the types of 
projects that may be proposed in applications for the Early-phase 
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).
    We plan on posting the project narrative section of funded EIR 
applications on the Department's Web site. Accordingly, you may wish to 
request confidentiality of business information. Identifying 
proprietary information in the submitted application will help 
facilitate this public disclosure process.
    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: December 19, 2016.
    Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply: February 13, 2017.
    Pre-Application Webinars and/or Meetings: The EIR program intends 
to hold webinars and/or meetings designed to provide technical 
assistance to interested applicants for all three types of grants. 
Detailed information regarding these webinars and/or meetings will be 
provided on the EIR Web site at http://innovation.ed.gov/what-we-do/innovation/education-innovation-and-research-eir/.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: April 13, 2017.
    Applications for grants under this competition 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: June 13, 2017.
    4. Intergovernmental Review: This competition is subject to 
Executive Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79. 
Information about Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs under 
Executive Order 12372 is in the application package for this 
competition.
    5. Funding Restrictions: 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), 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.
    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: 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 competition 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 EIR Program, CFDA number 84.411C, 
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.

[[Page 90817]]

    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 EIR Early-phase 
at www.Grants.gov. You must search for the downloadable application 
package for this competition by the CFDA number. Do not include the 
CFDA number's alpha suffix in your search (e.g., search for 84.411, not 
84.411C).
    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 competition 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 Portable 
Document Format (PDF). Do not upload an interactive or fillable PDF 
file. If you upload a file type other than a read-only 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 application 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.
     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 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.


[[Page 90818]]


    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: Kelly Terpak, U.S. 
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 4W312, 
Washington, DC 20202-5900. FAX: (202) 401-4123.
    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 84.411C), 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 84.411C), 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.

V. Application Review Information

    1. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for the Early-phase 
competition are from 34 CFR 75.210.
    The points assigned to each criterion are indicated in the 
parentheses next to the criterion. An applicant may earn up to a total 
of 100 points based on the selection criteria for the application.
A. Significance (Up to 30 Points)
    In determining the significance of the project, the Secretary 
considers the following factors:
    (1) The national significance of the proposed project.
    (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.
    (3) The extent to which the proposed project represents an 
exceptional approach to the priority or priorities established for the 
competition.
B. Quality of the Project Design and Management Plan (Up to 50 Points)
    In determining the quality of the proposed project design, the 
Secretary considers the following factors:
    (1) The extent to which the goals, objectives, and outcomes to be 
achieved by the proposed project are clearly specified and measurable.
    (2) The adequacy of the management plan to achieve the objectives 
of the proposed project on time and within budget, including clearly 
defined responsibilities, timelines, and milestones for accomplishing 
project tasks.
    (3) The extent to which performance feedback and continuous 
improvement are integral to the design of the proposed project.
    (4) The mechanisms the applicant will use to broadly disseminate 
information on its project so as to support further development or 
replication.
D. Quality of the Project Evaluation (Up to 20 Points)
    In determining the quality of the project evaluation to be 
conducted, the Secretary considers the following factors:
    (1) The extent to which the methods of evaluation will, if well 
implemented, produce evidence about the project's effectiveness that 
would meet the What Works Clearinghouse Evidence Standards with 
reservations.
    (2) The extent to which the evaluation will provide guidance about 
effective strategies suitable for replication or testing in other 
settings.
    (3) The extent to which the methods of evaluation will provide 
valid and reliable performance data on relevant outcomes.
    (4) The extent to which the evaluation plan clearly articulates the 
key components, mediators, and outcomes of the grant-supported 
intervention, as well as a measurable threshold for acceptable 
implementation.


[[Page 90819]]


    Note:  Applicants may wish to review the following technical 
assistance resources on evaluation: (1) WWC Procedures and Standards 
Handbook: http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/references/idocviewer/doc.aspx?docid=19&tocid=1; (2) ``Technical Assistance Materials for 
Conducting Rigorous Impact Evaluations'' to the list of evaluation 
resources: http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/projects/evaluationTA.asp; and (3) 
IES/NCEE Technical Methods papers: http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/tech_methods/. In addition, applicants may view two optional Webinar 
recordings that were hosted by the Institute of Education Sciences. 
The first Webinar discussed strategies for designing and executing 
well-designed quasi-experimental design studies and is available at: 
http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/Multimedia.aspx?sid=23. The second 
Webinar focused on more rigorous evaluation designs, discussing 
strategies for designing and executing studies that meet WWC 
evidence standards without reservations. This Webinar is available 
at: http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/Multimedia.aspx?sid=18.

    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.
    Before making awards, we will screen applications submitted in 
accordance with the requirements in this notice to determine whether 
applications have met eligibility and other requirements. This 
screening process may occur at various stages of the process; 
applicants that are determined to be ineligible will not receive a 
grant, regardless of peer reviewer scores or comments.
    Peer reviewers will read, prepare a written evaluation of, and 
score the assigned applications, using the selection criteria provided 
in this notice. For Early-phase grant applications we intend to conduct 
a single-tier review.
    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.
    4. Integrity and Performance System: If you are selected under this 
competition to receive an award that over the course of the project 
period may exceed the simplified acquisition threshold (currently 
$150,000), under 2 CFR 200.205(a)(2) we must make a judgment about your 
integrity, business ethics, and record of performance under Federal 
awards--that is, the risk posed by you as an applicant--before we make 
an award. In doing so, we must consider any information about you that 
is in the integrity and performance system (currently referred to as 
the Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System 
(FAPIIS)), accessible through SAM. You may review and comment on any 
information about yourself that a Federal agency previously entered and 
that is currently in FAPIIS.
    Please note that, if the total value of your currently active 
grants, cooperative agreements, and procurement contracts from the 
Federal Government exceeds $10,000,000, the reporting requirements in 2 
CFR part 200, Appendix XII, require you to report certain integrity 
information to FAPIIS semiannually. Please review the requirements in 2 
CFR part 200, Appendix XII, if this grant plus all the other Federal 
funds you receive exceed $10,000,000.

VI. Award Administration Information

    1. Award Notices: If your application is successful, we notify your 
U.S. Representative and U.S. Senators and send you a Grant Award 
Notification (GAN); or we may send you an email containing a link to 
access an electronic version of your GAN. We may notify you informally, 
also.
    If your application is not evaluated or not selected for funding, 
we notify you.
    2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements: We identify 
administrative and national policy requirements in the application 
package and reference these and other requirements in the Applicable 
Regulations section of this notice.
    We reference the regulations outlining the terms and conditions of 
an award in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice and 
include these and other specific conditions in the GAN. The GAN also 
incorporates your approved application as part of your binding 
commitments under the grant.
    3. 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 overall purpose of the EIR program is 
to expand the implementation of, and investment in, innovative 
practices that are demonstrated to have an impact on improving student 
achievement for high-need students. We have established several 
performance measures for the EIR Early-phase grants. By reporting on 
these performance measures in Annual and Final Performance reports, 
grantees will satisfy the requirement in Section 8101(21)(A)(ii)(II) of 
the ESEA, as amended by ESSA, for projects relying on the 
``demonstrates a rationale'' evidence level, to have ``ongoing efforts 
to examine the effects'' of the funded activity, strategy, or 
intervention.
    Annual performance measures: (1) The percentage of grantees that 
reach their annual target number of students as specified in the 
application; (2) the percentage of grantees that reach their annual 
target number of high-need students as specified in the application; 
(3) the percentage of grantees with evaluations designed to provide 
performance feedback to inform project design; (4) the percentage of 
grantees with ongoing well-designed and independent evaluations that 
will provide evidence of their effectiveness

[[Page 90820]]

at improving student outcomes; (5) the percentage of grantees that 
implement an evaluation that provides information about the key 
elements and the approach of the project so as to facilitate testing, 
development, or replication in other settings; and (6) the cost per 
student served by the grant.
    Cumulative performance measures: (1) The percentage of grantees 
that reach the targeted number of students specified in the 
application; (2) the percentage of grantees that reached the target 
number of high-need students specified in the application; (3) the 
percentage of grantees that use evaluation data to make changes to 
their practice(s); (4) the percentage of grantees that implement a 
completed well-designed, well-implemented and independent evaluation 
that provides evidence of their effectiveness at improving student 
outcomes; (5) the percentage of grantees with a completed evaluation 
that provides information about the key elements and the approach of 
the project so as to facilitate testing, development or replication in 
other settings; and (6) the cost per student served by the grant.
    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:  Kelly Terpak, U.S. Department of 
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 4W312, Washington, DC 20202-
5900. Telephone: (202) 453-7122. FAX: (202) 401-4123 or by email: 
eir@ed.gov.
    If you use a TDD or a TTY, call the Federal Relay Service, 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.thefederalregister.org/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 Portable Document Format (PDF). To use PDF you 
must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available free at the site.
    You may also access documents of the Department published in the 
Federal Register by using the article search feature at: 
www.federalregister.gov. Specifically, through the advanced search 
feature at this site, you can limit your search to documents published 
by the Department.

    Dated: December 9, 2016.
Nadya Chinoy Dabby,
Assistant Deputy Secretary for Innovation and Improvement.
[FR Doc. 2016-30085 Filed 12-14-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4000-01-P



                                                                         Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 241 / Thursday, December 15, 2016 / Notices                                             90809

                                                 Dated: December 12, 2016.                             innovative projects that are supported                   This notice invites applications for
                                               Stephanie Valentine,                                    by limited evidence can receive                       Early-phase grants only. The notices
                                               Acting Director, Information Collection                 relatively small grants to support the                inviting applications for Mid-phase and
                                               Clearance Division, Office of the Chief Privacy         development, iteration, and initial                   Expansion grants are published
                                               Officer, Office of Management.                          evaluation of the practices (as defined in            elsewhere in this issue of the Federal
                                               [FR Doc. 2016–30106 Filed 12–14–16; 8:45 am]            this notice); applicants proposing                    Register.
                                               BILLING CODE 4000–01–P                                  projects supported by evidence from                      Background: EIR builds on seven
                                                                                                       rigorous evaluations, such as large                   years of investments—over $1.4 billion,
                                                                                                       randomized controlled trials (as defined              matched by over $200 million in private
                                               DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION                                 in this notice), can receive larger grant             sector resources—from the Department’s
                                                                                                       awards to support expansion across the                Investing in Innovation (i3) program. i3
                                               Applications for New Awards;                            country. This structure provides                      has generated new information
                                               Education Innovation and Research                       incentives for applicants to: (1) Explore             regarding effective educational practices
                                               Program—Early-Phase Grants                              new ways of addressing persistent                     and increased evaluators’ capacity to
                                                                                                       challenges that other educators can                   conduct rigorous evaluations of student
                                               AGENCY: Office of Innovation and
                                                                                                       build on and learn from; (2) build                    learning outcomes that provide
                                               Improvement, Department of Education.
                                                                                                       evidence of effectiveness of their                    actionable information for educators.
                                               ACTION: Notice.                                                                                               EIR is designed to build upon the
                                                                                                       practices; and (3) replicate and scale
                                                                                                       successful practices in new schools,                  successes of i3 to offer new
                                               Overview Information                                    districts, and states while addressing the            opportunities for States, districts,
                                                 Education Innovation and Research                     barriers to scale, such as cost structures            schools, and educators to develop
                                               Program—Early-phase Grants.                             and implementation fidelity.                          innovations and scale effective practices
                                                 Notice inviting applications for new                     All EIR projects are expected to                   that address their most pressing
                                               awards for fiscal year (FY) 2017.                       generate information regarding their                  challenges.
                                                 Catalog of Federal Domestic                           effectiveness in order to inform EIR                     Early-phase EIR grantees are expected
                                                                                                       grantees’ efforts to learn about and                  to continuously make improvements in
                                               Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.411C
                                                                                                       improve upon their efforts, and to help               project design and implementation
                                               (Early-phase Grants).
                                                                                                       similar, non-EIR efforts across the                   before conducting a full-scale evaluation
                                               DATES:
                                                                                                       country benefit from EIR grantees’                    of effectiveness. Grantees should
                                                 Applications Available: December 19,                                                                        consider questions such as:
                                                                                                       knowledge. By requiring that all
                                               2016.                                                                                                            • How easy would it be for others to
                                                                                                       grantees conduct independent
                                                 Deadline for Notice of Intent To                                                                            implement this practice, and how can
                                                                                                       evaluations (as defined in this notice) of
                                               Apply: February 13, 2017.                                                                                     its implementation be improved?
                                                 Deadline for Transmittal of                           their EIR projects, EIR ensures that its
                                                                                                       funded projects make a significant                       • How can I use data from early
                                               Applications: April 13, 2017.                                                                                 indicators to gauge impact, and what
                                                 Deadline for Intergovernmental                        contribution to improving the quality
                                                                                                       and quantity of information available to              changes in implementation and student
                                               Review: June 13, 2017.                                                                                        achievement do these early indicators
                                                                                                       practitioners and policymakers about
                                               Full Text of Announcement                               which practices improve student                       suggest? By focusing on continuous
                                                                                                       achievement, for which types of                       improvement and iterative
                                               I. Funding Opportunity Description                                                                            development, Early-stage grantees can
                                                                                                       students, and in what contexts.
                                                  Purpose of Program: The Education                       The Department of Education                        make adaptations that are necessary to
                                               Innovation and Research (EIR) Program,                  (Department) awards three types of                    increase their practice’s potential to be
                                               established under section 4611 of the                   grants under this program: ‘‘Early-                   effective and ensure that its EIR-funded
                                               Elementary and Secondary Education                      phase’’ grants, ‘‘Mid-phase’’ grants, and             evaluation assesses the impact of a
                                               Act (ESEA), as amended by Every                         ‘‘Expansion’’ grants. These grants differ             thoroughly conceived practice.
                                               Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), provides                   in terms of the level of prior evidence                  In order to leverage existing
                                               funding to create, develop, implement,                  of effectiveness required for                         information that can inform which
                                               replicate, or take to scale                             consideration for funding, the                        kinds of practices could have a
                                               entrepreneurial, evidence-based, field-                 expectations regarding the kind of                    meaningful impact on underserved
                                               initiated innovations to improve student                evidence and information funded                       students, Early-phase applicants must
                                               achievement (as defined in this notice)                 projects should produce, the level of                 demonstrate a rationale (as defined in
                                               and attainment for high-need students                   scale funded projects should reach, and,              this notice) for their project. In addition,
                                               (as defined in this notice); and                        consequently, the amount of funding                   like all EIR grantees, Early-stage
                                               rigorously evaluate such innovations.                   available to support each type of project.            grantees are expected to conduct an
                                               The EIR program is designed to generate                    EIR Early-phase grants provide                     independent evaluation. Given EIR’s
                                               and validate solutions to persistent                    funding to support the development,                   goal of helping develop a collective
                                               educational challenges and to support                   iteration, implementation, and                        body of evidence that can inform the
                                               the expansion of effective solutions to                 feasibility testing of practices that are             future expansion and refinement of
                                               serve substantially larger numbers of                   expected to be novel and significant                  practices that effectively serve high-
                                               students.                                               relative to others that are underway                  need students, Early-stage grantees’
                                                  The central design element of the EIR                nationally. These Early-phase grants are              evaluation designs are expected to have
                                               program is its multi-tier structure that                not intended simply to implement                      the potential meet the moderate
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                                               links the amount of funding that an                     established practices in additional                   evidence (as defined in this notice)
                                               applicant may receive to the quality of                 locations or address needs that are                   threshold. Not only will such evaluation
                                               the evidence supporting the efficacy of                 unique to one particular context. The                 data build the knowledge base about
                                               the proposed project, with the                          goal is to determine whether and in                   effective practices for underserved
                                               expectation that projects that build this               what ways relatively newer practices                  students, but it will also encourage
                                               evidence will advance through EIR’s                     can improve student achievement for                   prospective Mid-phase applicants to
                                               grant tiers. Applicants proposing                       high-need students.                                   leverage the findings from Early-phase


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                                               90810                      Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 241 / Thursday, December 15, 2016 / Notices

                                               grantees’ efforts, and thereby continue                 quarter of our nation’s public school                 improving student outcomes (including
                                               to evolve EIR-funded practices.                         students attend high-poverty schools                  closing gaps in academic performance
                                                  To the extent possible, we intend to                 where more than 75 percent of the                     between socioeconomic and racial
                                               fund multiple projects addressing                       student body is eligible for free and                 groups) in areas where schools are
                                               similar challenges. By so doing, we aim                 reduced-price lunch; in our cities,                   acutely impacted by segregation.
                                               to accelerate the building of a                         nearly half of all students attend schools               Third, we include an absolute priority
                                               knowledge base of effective practices for               where poverty is concentrated.3 In                    to increase the number and proportion
                                               addressing these challenges and                         addition, almost half of all African-                 of high-need students who are
                                               increase the likelihood that grantees can               American and Latino public school                     academically prepared for the transition
                                               learn from one another while still                      students attend economically segregated               to college, other postsecondary
                                               exploring different approaches. We                      schools. Children raised in segregated                education, or other career and technical
                                               believe that improving outcomes across                  communities have significantly lower                  education. Postsecondary education is
                                               the education sector depends, in part,                  social and economic mobility than                     an increasingly critical requirement for
                                               upon policymakers, practitioners and                    children growing up in integrated                     succeeding in today’s economy. By
                                               researchers continually building upon                   communities, and States with                          2020, approximately 35 percent of job
                                               one another’s efforts to have the greatest              socioeconomically segregated schools                  openings will require at least a
                                               impact.                                                 tend to have larger achievement gaps                  bachelor’s degree, and another 30
                                                  All EIR applicants are required to                   between students from low- and higher-                percent will require at least an
                                               serve high-need students and are                        income households.4 There is a growing                associate’s degree or some college.6
                                               therefore required to address absolute                  body of evidence suggesting that                      However, many high school students—
                                               priority one. In addition, EIR Early-                   socioeconomic diversity in schools can                especially those from low-income
                                               phase applicants are also required to                   lead to improved outcomes for students                backgrounds—lack access to the
                                               address one of the other five absolute                  from low-income households (compared                  rigorous coursework and support
                                               priorities. These are critical areas in                 to students from low-income                           services that help prepare students for
                                               which rigorous evidence is scarce, and                  households who attend higher-poverty                  success in college or career education.
                                               schools, districts, and States can                      schools),5 and innovative strategies for              New approaches are needed to address
                                               meaningfully contribute to the                          increasing diversity within classroom or              inequities in preparation for
                                               generation and use of evidence-based                    school environments could benefit all                 postsecondary education, and to help
                                               approaches.                                             high-need students. These strategies                  high-need students to transition
                                                  First, we include an absolute priority               may include new instructional                         successfully to college or to technical
                                               to improve school climate. Under this                   approaches that impact socioeconomic                  training that will lead to meaningful
                                               priority, the Department seeks to                       integration and student achievement                   employment opportunities. Applicants
                                               support innovative alternatives to                      within schools (e.g., schools could                   under this priority must serve students
                                               exclusionary discipline policies and to                 improve participation of students from                in K–12 settings at some point during
                                               support positive interventions that can                 low-income households in advanced                     the grant, but may also provide support
                                               address the negative and often disparate                placement or ‘‘honors’’ coursework) or                to help these students enroll in and
                                               impact of classroom removals by                         redesigned inter-district recruitment                 successfully transition into college or
                                               promoting safe schools that have a                      and admissions strategies to support                  other career or technical education.
                                               positive culture for all students.                      and foster such diversity in schools. It                 Fourth, the Department includes an
                                               Research has shown that implementing                    is particularly important to focus                    absolute priority to increase the number
                                               alternative disciplinary policies and                   concurrently on increasing diversity and              of effective principals who improve
                                               behavioral supports can support both                                                                          student outcomes in public schools.
                                               improved academic and non-academic                      Uncertain Future. Civil Rights Project/Proyecto       School leaders play an essential role in
                                                                                                       Derechos Civiles, May 2014 (revised version 5–15–     shaping school cultures, aligning
                                               outcomes for students.1 More efforts are                14).
                                               needed to identify the root causes of                     3 U.S. Department of Education, National Center
                                                                                                                                                             parents and educators around shared
                                               discipline-related disparities, to                      for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data         goals, and, ultimately, influencing
                                               demonstrate viable alternatives to                      (CCD), ‘‘Public Elementary/Secondary School           student achievement.7 Yet preparation
                                                                                                       Universe Survey,’’ 2012–13. See Digest of Education   programs and support for school leaders
                                               removing students from classroom                        Statistics 2014. https://nces.ed.gov/ccd/
                                               activities, and to contribute new                       pubschuniv.asp.
                                                                                                                                                             are often lacking. The best principal
                                               research on how such practices can                        4 Mantil, A., Perkins, A.G., and Aberger, S.,       preparation programs, for example, may
                                               result in positive outcomes. Such efforts               (2012). ‘‘The Challenge of High-Poverty Schools:      include rigorous screening and selection
                                               can help ensure a positive and inclusive                How Feasible Is Socioeconomic School                  entry requirements, offer courses that
                                                                                                       Integration?’’ The Future of School Integration:      are aligned with standards of practice,
                                               school culture for students and                         155–222.
                                               educators alike.                                          5 Stuart Wells, A., Fox, L., and Cordova-Cobo, D.   and provide sufficient clinical
                                                  Second, we include an absolute                       (February 2016). ‘‘How Racially Diverse Schools       experiences for candidates. Current
                                               priority focusing on student diversity. In              and Classrooms Can Benefit All Students.’’ The        principals need support and
                                                                                                       Century Foundation. Available at: https://tcf.org/    development opportunities that will
                                               parts of the country, America’s schools                 content/report/how-racially-diverse-schools-and-
                                               are more segregated than they were in                   classrooms-can-benefit-all-students/. Paper
                                                                                                                                                                6 Anthony P. Carnevale, Nicole Smith and Jeff
                                               the late 1960s, including by students’                  presented at the American Sociological Association,
                                                                                                       Chicago, IL; Mickelson, R.A. (2001). ‘‘Subverting     Strohl. (2014). ‘‘Recovery, Job Growth and
                                               race and socioeconomic status.2 One-                    Swann: First and Second-Generation Segregation in     Education Requirements Through 2020.’’
                                                                                                       Charlotte, North Carolina.’’ American Educational     Georgetown Public Policy Institute Center on
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                                                 1 Flay, B., Acock, A., Vuchinich, S., and Beets, M.                                                         Education and the Workforce. Available at: https://
                                                                                                       Research Journal, 38, 215–252; Mickelson, R.A.
                                               (2006). Progress Report of the Randomized Trial of      (2006). How Middle School Segregation Contributes     cew.georgetown.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/
                                               Positive Action in Hawaii: End of Third Year of         to the Race Gap in Academic Achievement. Paper        Recovery2020.FR_.Web_.pdf.
                                               Intervention. Twin Falls, ID: Positive Action, Inc.;    presented at AERA 425; Tevis, (2007). African-           7 Sebastian, J., & Allensworth, E. (2012). ‘‘The
                                               Flay, B.R., and Allred, C.G. (2003). ‘‘Long-term        American Students’ College Transition Trajectory:     influence of principal leadership on classroom
                                               Effects of the Positive Action Program.’’ American      An Examination of the Effects of High School          instruction and student learning a study of
                                               Journal of Healthy Behavior, 27(1), 6–21.               Composition and Expectations on Degree                mediated pathways to learning.’’ Educational
                                                 2 Orfield, G., and Frankenberg, E., (May, 2014).      Attainment. Dissertation in Educational Theory &      Administration Quarterly, 48(4), 626–663. Available
                                               Brown at 60: Great Progress, a Long Retreat and an      Policy. The Pennsylvania State University.            at: http://eaq.sagepub.com/content/48/4/626.short.



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                                                                         Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 241 / Thursday, December 15, 2016 / Notices                                            90811

                                               enable them to shape a strong                              Priorities: This competition includes              Absolute Priority 4—Increasing
                                               professional community with collective                  six absolute priorities. Absolute Priority            Postsecondary Preparedness
                                               responsibility for student learning. The                1 is from the Department’s notice of                    Under this priority, we provide
                                               evidence base of effective practices for                final supplemental priorities and                     funding to projects that are designed to
                                               training, supporting, and retaining high-               definitions for discretionary grant                   increase the number and proportion of
                                               impact school leaders is relatively                     programs, published in the Federal                    K–12 high-need students who are
                                               underdeveloped, and new, aligned                        Register on December 10, 2014 (79 FR                  academically and socially prepared for
                                               efforts from EIR grantees could make                    73425) (Supplemental Priorities). We                  and subsequently enroll in college,
                                               significant strides in better                           are establishing Absolute Priorities 2, 3,            other postsecondary education, or other
                                               understanding how to ensure that our                    4, 5, and 6 in accordance with section                career and technical education.
                                               school leaders are best positioned to                   437(d)(1) of the General Education
                                               improve the achievement of high-need                                                                          Absolute Priority 5—Improving the
                                                                                                       Provisions Act (GEPA), 20 U.S.C.
                                               students.                                                                                                     Effectiveness of Principals
                                                                                                       1232(d)(1). These absolute priorities
                                                  Finally, we include an absolute                      will apply to the FY 2017 EIR Early-                    Under this priority, we provide
                                               priority to reconnect disconnected                      phase competition and any subsequent                  funding to projects that are designed to
                                               youth (as defined in this notice) to                    year in which we make awards from the                 increase the number and percentage of
                                               educational opportunities. Today,                       list of unfunded applicants from this                 highly effective principals by creating or
                                               roughly 14 percent of youth ages 16 to                  competition.                                          expanding practices and strategies to
                                               24 in America are neither enrolled in                                                                         recruit, select, prepare, and support
                                               school nor working.8 This percentage                       Absolute Priorities: These priorities              individuals to significantly improve
                                               equates to more than 5.6 million young                  are absolute priorities. Under 34 CFR                 instruction in schools.
                                               Americans (more youths than in the                      75.105(c)(3) we consider only
                                                                                                       applications that meet Absolute Priority              Absolute Priority 6—Re-Engagement of
                                               entire K–12 public school systems in
                                                                                                       1, Supporting High-Need Students, and                 Disconnected Youth
                                               Colorado, Georgia, Michigan, and
                                               Virginia combined).9 Consequently, we                   one additional priority. Applicants must                 Under this priority, we provide
                                               believe it is important to link                         clearly identify the specific absolute                funding to projects that are designed to
                                               disconnected youth with the                             priority that the proposed project                    improve student achievement through
                                               appropriate supports and interventions                  addresses.                                            strategies that provide disconnected
                                               they need to achieve academic success.                     These priorities are:                              youth (as defined in this notice) with
                                               One approach might include cross-                                                                             high-quality educational opportunities.
                                               sector regional initiatives that create                 Absolute Priority 1—Supporting High-
                                                                                                       Need Students                                         Definitions
                                               opportunities for disconnected youth to
                                               get a high school diploma (or                                                                                    The definition of ‘‘nonprofit’’ is from
                                                                                                         Under this priority, we provide                     34 CFR 77.1. The definitions for
                                               equivalent) before pursuing
                                                                                                       funding to projects that are designed to              ‘‘disconnected youth,’’ ‘‘high-need
                                               postsecondary education or full-time
                                                                                                       improve academic outcomes for high-                   students,’’ and ‘‘regular high school
                                               employment. Another possibility is to
                                               build upon the experiences of ‘‘re-                     need students.                                        diploma,’’ are from the Supplemental
                                               engagement centers’’ such as those in                   Absolute Priority 2—Improving School                  Priorities. The definitions of ‘‘local
                                               Boston, MA, Washington, DC, and St.                     Climate                                               educational agency’’ and ‘‘state
                                               Paul, MN, where communities have                                                                              educational agency’’ are from Section
                                               shown positive outcomes in re-                             Under this priority, we provide                    8101 of the ESEA, as amended by ESSA.
                                               connecting youth with the systems and                   funding to projects that are designed to              We are establishing the definitions for
                                               supports needed for academic and                        improve student outcomes through                      ‘‘demonstrates a rationale,’’
                                               career success.10 Additionally, States,                 reducing or eliminating disparities in                ‘‘experimental study,’’ ‘‘high-minority
                                               districts, and schools might better                     school disciplinary practices for                     school,’’ ‘‘independent evaluation,’’
                                               utilize longitudinal data systems to                    particular groups of students, including              ‘‘large sample,’’ ‘‘logic model,’’ ‘‘meets
                                               provide timely information about                        students of color and students with                   What Works Clearinghouse Evidence
                                               students at risk of dropping out, those                 disabilities, or reducing or eliminating              Standards without reservations,’’ ‘‘meets
                                               students who are chronically absent, or                 the use of exclusionary discipline (such              What Works Clearinghouse Evidence
                                               those who have already dropped out in                   as suspensions, expulsions, and                       Standards with reservations,’’
                                               order to better match them with targeted                unnecessary placements in alternative                 ‘‘moderate evidence,’’ ‘‘multi-site
                                               educational and related interventions.                  education programs) by identifying and                sample,’’ ‘‘practice,’’ ‘‘quasi-
                                                                                                       addressing the root causes of those                   experimental design study,’’
                                                 8 Kena, G., Musu-Gillette, L., Robinson, J., Wang,
                                                                                                       disparities or uses and promoting                     ‘‘randomized controlled trial,’’
                                               X., Rathbun, A., Zhang, J., Wilkinson-Flicker, S.,                                                            ‘‘regression discontinuity design study,’’
                                               Barmer, A., and Dunlop Velez, E. (2015). The
                                                                                                       alternative disciplinary practices that
                                                                                                                                                             ‘‘relevant finding,’’ ‘‘relevant outcome,’’
                                               Condition of Education 2015 (NCES 2015–144).            address the disparities or uses.
                                               U.S. Department of Education, National Center for
                                                                                                                                                             ‘‘rural local educational agencies,’’
                                               Education Statistics. Washington, DC. Retrieved         Absolute Priority 3—Promoting                         ‘‘single-case design study,’’ and
                                               August 13, 2015 from http://nces.ed.gov/programs/       Diversity                                             ‘‘student achievement’’ for the FY 2017
                                               coe/indicator_soa.asp.                                                                                        grant competition only, in accordance
                                                 9 U.S. Department of Education, National Center
                                                                                                         Under this priority, we provide                     with section 437(d)(1) of the General
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                                               for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data           funding to projects that are designed to
                                               (CCD), ‘‘State Nonfiscal Survey of Public                                                                     Education Provisions Act (GEPA), 20
                                               Elementary/Secondary Education,’’ 1990–91               help LEAs prepare students for success                U.S.C. 1232(d)(1).
                                               through 2012–13.Table 203.20. http://nces.ed.gov/       in an increasingly diverse society by                    Demonstrates a rationale means the
                                               programs/digest/d14/tables/dt14_203.20.asp.             increasing the diversity—including                    practice is supported by a reasonable
                                                 10 For additional information please see: http://
                                                                                                       racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic                     logic model (as defined in this notice)
                                               www.bostonpic.org/programs/project-reconnect,
                                               http://osse.dc.gov/dcreengagementcenter, and            diversity—of students enrolled in the                 that that is informed by research or an
                                               http://www.ujamaaplace.org/about.html.                  individual schools in the LEAs.                       evaluation that suggests how the


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                                               90812                     Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 241 / Thursday, December 15, 2016 / Notices

                                               practice is likely to improve relevant                  units, regardless of whether these single             relationships among the key
                                               outcomes (as defined in this notice).                   analysis units are disaggregated in the               components and outcomes.
                                                  Disconnected youth means low-                        analysis of outcomes for the groups).                    Meets What Works Clearinghouse
                                               income individuals, ages 14–24, who                     Multiple studies can cumulatively meet                Evidence Standards without
                                               are homeless, are in foster care, are                   the large sample and multi-site (as                   reservations is the highest possible
                                               involved in the justice system, or are not              defined in this notice) requirements of               rating for a study finding reviewed by
                                               working or not enrolled in (or at risk of               moderate evidence, as long as each                    the What Works Clearinghouse (WWC).
                                               dropping out of) an educational                         study meets the other requirements of                 Studies receiving this rating provide the
                                               institution.                                            the particular level of evidence (i.e.,               highest degree of confidence that an
                                                  Experimental study means a study,                    moderate evidence).                                   estimated effect was caused by the
                                               such as a randomized controlled trial                      Local educational agency means:                    practice studied. Experimental studies
                                               (RCT) (as defined in this notice), that is                 (a) A public board of education or                 (as defined in this notice) may receive
                                               designed to compare outcomes between                    other public authority legally                        this highest rating. These standards are
                                               two groups of individuals that are                      constituted within a State for either                 described in the WWC Procedures and
                                               otherwise equivalent except for their                   administrative control or direction of, or            Standards Handbooks, Version 3.0,
                                               assignment to either a treatment group                  to perform a service function for, public             which can be accessed at http://
                                               receiving a practice or a control group                 elementary schools or secondary                       ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/Handbooks.
                                               that does not. In some circumstances, a                 schools in a city, county, township,                     Meets What Works Clearinghouse
                                               finding from a regression discontinuity                 school district, or other political                   Evidence Standards with reservations is
                                               design study (RDD) (as defined in this                  subdivision of a State, or of or for a                the second-highest rating for a study
                                               notice) or findings from a collection of                combination of school districts or                    finding reviewed by the What Works
                                               single-case design studies (SCDs) (as                   counties that is recognized in a State as             Clearinghouse (WWC). Studies receiving
                                               defined in this notice) may be                          an administrative agency for its public               this rating provide a reasonable degree
                                               considered equivalent to a finding from                 elementary schools or secondary                       of confidence that an estimated effect
                                               an RCT. RCTs and RDDs, and                              schools.                                              was caused by the practice studied.
                                               collections of SCDs, depending on                                                                             Both experimental studies (as defined in
                                                                                                          (b) Administrative Control and
                                               design and implementation, can Meet                                                                           this notice) (such as randomized
                                                                                                       Direction. The term includes any other
                                               What Works Clearinghouse Evidence                                                                             controlled trials with high rates of
                                                                                                       public institution or agency having
                                               Standards without reservations (as                                                                            sample attrition) and quasi-
                                                                                                       administrative control and direction of
                                               defined in this notice).                                                                                      experimental design studies (as defined
                                                  High-minority school means a school                  a public elementary school or secondary
                                                                                                                                                             in this notice) may receive this rating if
                                               as that term is defined by a local                      school.
                                                                                                                                                             they establish the equivalence of the
                                               educational agency (LEA) (as defined in                    (c) Bureau of Indian Education                     treatment and comparison groups in key
                                               this notice), which must define the term                Schools. The term includes an                         baseline characteristics. These standards
                                               in a manner consistent with its State’s                 elementary school or secondary school                 are described in the WWC Procedures
                                               Teacher Equity Plan, as required by                     funded by the Bureau of Indian                        and Standards Handbooks, Version 3.0,
                                               section 1111(g)(1)(B) of the Elementary                 Education but only to the extent that                 which can be accessed at http://
                                               and Secondary Education Act (ESEA),                     including the school makes the school                 ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/Handbooks.
                                               as amended by Every Student Succeeds                    eligible for programs for which specific                 Moderate evidence means the
                                               Act (ESSA). The applicant must provide                  eligibility is not provided to the school             following conditions are met: (a) There
                                               the definition(s) of high-minority                      in another provision of law and the                   is at least one experimental or quasi-
                                               schools (as defined in this notice) used                school does not have a student                        experimental design study of the
                                               in its application.                                     population that is smaller than the                   effectiveness of the practice with a
                                                  High-need students means students                    student population of the local                       relevant finding (as defined in this
                                               who are at risk for educational failure or              educational agency receiving assistance               notice) that Meets What Works
                                               otherwise in need of special assistance                 under this Act with the smallest student              Clearinghouse Evidence Standards with
                                               and support, such as students who are                   population, except that the school shall              or without reservations (as defined in
                                               living in poverty, who attend high-                     not be subject to the jurisdiction of any             this notice) (e.g., a quasi-experimental
                                               minority schools (as defined in this                    State educational agency (as defined in               design study or high-attrition
                                               notice), who are far below grade level,                 this notice) other than the Bureau of                 randomized controlled trial that
                                               who have left school before receiving a                 Indian Education.                                     establishes the equivalence of the
                                               regular high school diploma (as defined                    (d) Educational Service Agencies. The              treatment and comparison groups in
                                               in this notice), who are at risk of not                 term includes educational service                     student achievement at baseline); (b) the
                                               graduating with a diploma on time, who                  agencies and consortia of those                       relevant finding in the study described
                                               are homeless, who are in foster care,                   agencies.                                             in paragraph (a) is of a statistically
                                               who have been incarcerated, who have                       (e) State Educational Agency. The                  significant and positive (i.e., favorable)
                                               disabilities, or who are English learners.              term includes the State educational                   effect on a student outcome or other
                                                  Independent evaluation means that                    agency in a State in which the State                  relevant outcome, with no statistically
                                               the evaluation is designed and carried                  educational agency is the sole                        significant and overriding negative (i.e.,
                                               out independent of, but in coordination                 educational agency for all public                     unfavorable) evidence on that practice
                                               with, any employees of the entities who                 schools.                                              from other findings on the intervention
                                               develop a practice and are                                 Logic model (also known as a theory                reviewed by and reported on the What
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                                               implementing it.                                        of action) means a reasonable                         Works Clearinghouse that Meet What
                                                  Large sample means an analytic                       conceptual framework that identifies                  Works Clearinghouse Evidence
                                               sample of 350 or more students (or other                key components of the proposed project                Standards with or without reservations;
                                               single analysis units), or 50 or more                   (i.e., the active ‘‘ingredients’’ that are            (c) the relevant finding in the study
                                               groups (such as classrooms or schools)                  hypothesized to be critical to achieving              described in paragraph (a) is based on
                                               that each contain, on average, 10 or                    the relevant outcomes) and describes                  a sample that overlaps with the
                                               more students (or other single analysis                 the theoretical and operational                       populations (e.g., the types of student


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                                                                         Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 241 / Thursday, December 15, 2016 / Notices                                             90813

                                               served) or settings proposed to receive                 tutoring or developmental education                   of student learning, such as those
                                               the practice (e.g., an after-school                     classes) and controls for that variable in            described in the subsequent paragraph,
                                               program studied in urban high schools                   the analysis of outcomes. The                         provided that they are rigorous and
                                               and proposed for rural high schools);                   effectiveness of the practices is                     comparable across schools with a local
                                               and (d) the relevant finding in the study               estimated for individuals who barely                  educational agency (LEA).
                                               described in paragraph (a) is based on                  qualify to receive that practice. These                  For grades and subjects in which
                                               a large sample and a multi-site sample                  studies, depending on design and                      assessments are not required under
                                               (as defined in this notice).                            implementation, can Meet What Works                   section 1111(b)(2) of ESEA, as
                                                  Multi-site sample means more than                    Clearinghouse Evidence Standards                      reauthorized by ESSA: (1) Alternative
                                               one site, where site can be defined as an               without reservations.                                 measures of student learning and
                                               LEA, locality, or State. A sample could                    Regular high school diploma means                  performance, such as student results on
                                               be multi-site if it includes campuses in                the standard high school diploma that is              pre-tests, end-of-course tests, and
                                               two or more localities (e.g., cities or                 awarded to students in the State and                  objective performance-based
                                               counties), even if the campuses all                     that is fully aligned with the State’s                assessments; (2) students learning
                                               belong to the same LEA or the same                      academic content standards or a higher                objectives; (3) student performance on
                                               postsecondary school system. Multiple                   diploma and does not include a General                English language proficiency
                                               studies can cumulatively meet the                       Education Development (GED)                           assessments; and (4) other measures of
                                               multi-site sample and large sample (as                  credential, certificate of attendance, or             student achievement that are rigorous
                                               defined in this notice) requirements of                 any alternative award.                                and comparable across schools within
                                               moderate evidence, as long as each                         Relevant finding means a finding from              an LEA.
                                               study meets the other requirements of                   a study regarding the relationship                       Waiver of Proposed Rulemaking:
                                               the particular level of evidence (i.e.,                 between (a) an activity, strategy, or                 Under the Administrative Procedure Act
                                               moderate evidence).                                     intervention included as a practice of                (5 U.S.C. 553), the Department generally
                                                  Nonprofit, as applied to an agency,                  the logic model for the proposed project,             offers interested parties the opportunity
                                               organization, or institution, means that                and (b) a student outcome or other                    to comment on proposed priorities,
                                               it is owned and operated by one or more                 relevant outcome included in the logic                definitions, and other requirements.
                                               corporations or associations whose net                  model for the proposed project.                       Section 437(d)(1) of GEPA, however,
                                               earnings do not benefit, and cannot                        Relevant outcome means the student                 allows the Secretary to exempt from
                                               lawfully benefit, any private                           outcome(s) (or the ultimate outcome if                rulemaking requirements, regulations
                                               shareholder or entity.                                  not related to students) the proposed                 governing the first grant competition
                                                  Practice means an activity, strategy, or             practice is designed to improve;                      under a new or substantially revised
                                               intervention included in a project.                     consistent with the specific goals of a               program authority. This grant
                                               Evidence may pertain to an individual                   project.                                              competition is the first grant
                                               practice, or to a combination of                           Rural local educational agencies                   competition for the EIR program under
                                               practices (e.g., training teachers on                   means local educational agencies with                 20 U.S.C. 1138–1138d and therefore
                                               instructional practices for English                     an urban-centric district locale code of              qualifies for this exemption. In order to
                                               learners and follow-on coaching for                     32, 33, 41, 42, or 43, which can be found             ensure timely grant awards, the
                                               these teachers).                                        at the following link: https://                       Secretary has decided to forego public
                                                  Quasi-experimental design study                      nces.ed.gov/ccd/                                      comment on the priorities, definitions,
                                               (QED) means a study using a design that                 ccdLocaleCodeDistrict.asp.                            and requirements under section
                                               attempts to approximate an                                 Single-case design study (SCD) means               437(d)(1) of GEPA. These priorities,
                                               experimental design by identifying a                    a study that use observations of a single             definitions, and requirements will apply
                                               comparison group that is similar to the                 case (e.g., a student eligible for a                  to the FY 2017 grant competition only.
                                               treatment group in important respects.                  behavioral intervention) over time in the                Program Authority: Section 4611 of
                                               This type of study, depending on design                 absence and presence of a controlled                  the ESEA, as amended by ESSA.
                                               and implementation, can Meet What                       treatment manipulation to determine                      Applicable Regulations: (a) The
                                               Works Clearinghouse Evidence                            whether the outcome is systematically                 Education Department General
                                               Standards with reservations (but not                    related to the treatment. According to                Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in
                                               without reservations).                                  the What Works Clearinghouse Single                   34 CFR parts 75, 77, 79, 81, 82, 84, 86,
                                                  Randomized controlled trial (RCT)                    Case Design Pilot Standards, a                        97, 98, and 99. (b) The OMB Guidelines
                                               means a study that employs random                       collection of these studies, depending                to Agencies on Governmentwide
                                               assignment of, for example, students,                   on design and implementation (e.g.,                   Debarment and Suspension
                                               teachers, classrooms, or schools to                     including a sufficient number of cases                (Nonprocurement) in 2 CFR part 180, as
                                               receive the practice being evaluated (the               and of data points per condition), can                adopted and amended as regulations of
                                               treatment group) or not to receive the                  Meet What Works Clearinghouse                         the Department in 2 CFR part 3485. (c)
                                               practice (the control group). The                       Evidence Standards without                            The Uniform Administrative
                                               estimated effectiveness of the practice is              reservations.                                         Requirements, Cost Principles, and
                                               the difference between the average                         State educational agency means the                 Audit Requirements for Federal Awards
                                               outcomes for the treatment group and                    agency primarily responsible for the                  in 2 CFR part 200, as adopted and
                                               for the control group. These studies,                   State supervision of public elementary                amended as regulations of the
                                               depending on design and                                 schools and secondary schools.                        Department in 2 CFR part 3474. (d) The
                                               implementation, can Meet What Works                        Student achievement means—                         Supplemental Priorities.
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                                               Clearinghouse Evidence Standards                           For grades and subjects in which
                                               without reservations.                                   assessments are required under section                  Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 79
                                                  Regression discontinuity design study                1111(b)(2) of Elementary and Secondary                apply to all applicants except federally
                                                                                                                                                             recognized Indian tribes.
                                               (RDD) means a study that assigns the                    Education Act (ESEA), as amended by
                                               practice being evaluated using a                        Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA): (1)                  Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86
                                               measured variable (e.g., assigning                      A student’s score on such assessments;                apply to institutions of higher education
                                               students reading below a cutoff score to                and, as appropriate (2) other measures                only.



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                                               90814                     Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 241 / Thursday, December 15, 2016 / Notices

                                               II. Award Information                                     Note: The Department is not bound by any               (1) Who are in poverty, as counted in
                                                                                                       estimates in this notice.                             the most recent census data approved by
                                                  Type of Award: Cooperative
                                               agreements.                                                                                                   the Secretary;
                                                                                                       III. Eligibility Information                             (2) Who are eligible for a free or
                                                  Estimated Available Funds: The
                                                                                                          1. Eligible Applicants:                            reduced price lunch under the Richard
                                               Administration has requested
                                                                                                          (a) An LEA;                                        B. Russell National School Lunch Act
                                               $180,000,000 for the EIR program for FY                    (b) A State educational agency;                    (42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq.);
                                               2017, of which approximately                               (c) The Bureau of Indian Education;                   (3) Whose families receive assistance
                                               $141,000,000 would be used, in total,                      (d) A consortium of State educational              under the State program funded under
                                               for new awards under the Early-phase,                   agencies or LEAs;                                     part A of title IV of the Social Security
                                               Mid-phase, and Expansion                                   (e) A nonprofit organization; and                  Act (42 U.S.C. 601 et seq.); or
                                               competitions. The actual level of                          (f) A State educational agency, an                    (4) Who are eligible to receive medical
                                               funding, if any, depends on final                       LEA, a consortium described in (d), or                assistance under the Medicaid program;
                                               congressional action. However, we are                   the Bureau of Indian Education, in                    and
                                               inviting applications to allow enough                   partnership with—                                        (c) The difficulty of raising funds on
                                               time to complete the grant process if                      (1) A nonprofit (as defined in this                tribal land.
                                               Congress appropriates funds for this                    notice) organization;                                    Applicants that wish to apply for a
                                               program.                                                   (2) A business;                                    waiver must include a request in their
                                                  Contingent upon the availability of                     (3) An educational service agency; or              application that describes why the
                                               funds and the quality of applications,                     (4) An institution of higher education.
                                                                                                                                                             matching requirement would cause
                                               we may make additional awards in                           To qualify as a rural applicant under
                                                                                                       the EIR program, an applicant must                    serious hardship or an inability to carry
                                               subsequent years from the list of                                                                             out project activities. Further
                                               unfunded applications from this                         meet both of the following
                                                                                                       requirements:                                         information about applying for waivers
                                               competition.                                                                                                  can be found in the application package.
                                                  Estimated Range of Awards:                              (a) The applicant is—
                                                                                                          (1) An LEA with an urban-centric                   However, given the importance of
                                                  Early-phase grants: $700,000–                                                                              matching funds to the long-term success
                                                                                                       district locale code of 32, 33, 41, 42, or
                                               $800,000 per year.                                                                                            of the project, the Secretary expects
                                                                                                       43, as determined by the Secretary;
                                                  Mid-phase grants: $1,400,000–                           (2) A consortium of such LEAs;                     eligible entities to identify appropriate
                                               $1,600,000 per year.                                       (3) An educational service agency or               matching funds.
                                                  Expansion grants: $2,750,000-                        a nonprofit organization in partnership                  3. Other: The Secretary establishes the
                                               $3,000,000 per year.                                    with such an LEA; or                                  following requirements for the EIR
                                                  Estimated Average Size of Awards:                       (4) A grantee described in clause (1)              program.
                                                  Early-phase grants: $3,750,000 for the               or (2) in partnership with a State                       • Innovations that Serve
                                               entirety of the project period.                         educational agency; and                               Kindergarten-through-Grade-12 (K–12)
                                                  Mid-phase grants: $7,750,000 for the                    (b) A majority of the schools to be                Students: All grantees must implement
                                               entirety of the project period.                         served by the program are designated                  practices that serve students who are in
                                                  Expansion grants: $14,500,000 for the                with a locale code of 32, 33, 41, 42, or              grades K–12 at some point during the
                                               entirety of the project period.                         43, or a combination of such codes, as                funding period. To meet this
                                                  Estimated Number of Awards:                          determined by the Secretary.                          requirement, projects that serve early
                                                  Early-phase grants: 24–38 awards.                       More information on rural applicant                learners (i.e., infants, toddlers, or
                                                  Mid-phase grants: 15–20 awards.                      eligibility is in the application package.            preschoolers) must provide services or
                                                  Expansion grants: 3–5 awards.                           2.a. Cost Sharing or Matching: Under               supports that extend into kindergarten
                                                  Maximum Awards:                                      section 4611 of the ESEA, as amended                  or later years, and projects that serve
                                                  Early-phase grants: $4,000,000 for the               by ESSA, each grant recipient must                    postsecondary students must provide
                                               entirety of the project period.                         provide, from Federal, State, local, or               services or supports during the
                                                  Mid-phase grants: $8,000,000 for the                 private sources, an amount equal to 10                secondary grades or earlier.
                                               entirety of the project period.                         percent of funds provided under the                      • Evidence Standards: To be eligible
                                                  Expansion grants: $15,000,000 for the                grant, which may be provided in cash or               for an award, an application for an
                                               entirety of the project period.                         through in-kind contributions, to carry               Early-phase grant must demonstrate a
                                                  Project Period: Up to 60 months.                     out activities supported by the grant.                rationale by including a reasonable logic
                                                  Under section 4611(c) of the ESEA, as                Grantees must include a budget showing                model that is informed by research or an
                                               amended by ESSA, the Department                         their matching contributions on an                    evaluation that suggests how the
                                               must use at least 25 percent of EIR funds               annual basis relative to the annual                   intervention is likely to improve
                                               for a fiscal year to make awards to                     budget amount of EIR grant funds and                  relevant outcomes, and includes an
                                               applicants serving rural areas,                         must provide evidence of their matching               effort to study the effects of the
                                               contingent on receipt of a sufficient                   contributions for the first year of the               intervention that will happen as part of
                                               number of applications of sufficient                    grant in their grant applications. Section            the proposed project.
                                               quality. For purposes of this                           4611 of the ESEA, as amended by ESSA                     • Funding Categories: An applicant
                                               competition, we will consider an                        also authorizes the Secretary to waive                will be considered for an award only for
                                               applicant as rural if the applicant meets               this matching requirement on a case-by-               the type of EIR grant (i.e., Early-phase,
                                               the qualifications for rural applicants as              case basis, upon a showing of                         Mid-phase, and Expansion grant) for
                                               described in the eligible applicants                    exceptional circumstances, such as:                   which it applies. An applicant may not
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                                               section and the applicant certifies that                   (a) The difficulty of raising matching             submit an application for the same
                                               it meets those qualifications through the               funds for a program to serve a rural area;            proposed project under more than one
                                               application. In implementing this                          (b) The difficulty of raising matching             type of grant.
                                               statutory provision, the Department may                 funds in areas with a concentration of                  Note: Each application will be reviewed
                                               fund high-quality applications from                     local educational agencies or schools                 under the competition it was submitted
                                               rural applicants out of rank order in one               with a high percentage of students aged               under in the Grants.gov system, and only
                                               or more of the EIR competitions.                        5 through 17—                                         applications that are successfully submitted



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                                                                         Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 241 / Thursday, December 15, 2016 / Notices                                            90815

                                               by the established deadline will be peer                consistent with the scope and objectives                 You can contact ED Pubs at its Web
                                               reviewed. Applicants should be careful that             of the approved application.                          site, also: www.EDPubs.gov or at its
                                               they download the intended EIR application                • Public Availability of Results:                   email address: edpubs@inet.ed.gov.
                                               package and that they submit their                                                                               If you request an application package
                                               applications under the intended EIR                       Recipients of awards are expected to
                                               competition.                                            publish or otherwise make publicly                    from ED Pubs, be sure to identify this
                                                                                                       available the results of the work                     program or competition as follows:
                                                  • Limit on Grant Awards: No grantee                                                                        CFDA number 84.411C.
                                                                                                       supported through EIR, including the
                                               may receive in a single year new EIR                                                                             Individuals with disabilities can
                                                                                                       evaluation report. EIR grantees must
                                               grant awards that total an amount                                                                             obtain a copy of the application package
                                                                                                       submit final studies resulting from
                                               greater than the sum of the maximum                                                                           in an accessible format (e.g., Braille,
                                                                                                       research supported in whole or in part
                                               amount of funds for an Expansion grant                                                                        large print, audiotape, or compact disc)
                                                                                                       by EIR to the Educational Resources
                                               and the maximum amount of funds for                                                                           by contacting the person or team listed
                                               an Early-phase grant for that year. For                 Information Center (ERIC, http://
                                                                                                       eric.ed.gov).                                         under Accessible Format in section VIII
                                               example, in a year when the maximum                                                                           of this notice.
                                               award value for an Expansion grant is                     • Scaling: Early-phase grants must
                                                                                                                                                                2.a. Content and Form of Application
                                               $15 million and the maximum award                       scale to multiple schools over the life of
                                                                                                                                                             Submission: Requirements concerning
                                               value for an Early-phase grant is $4                    the project. Scaling targets should be
                                                                                                                                                             the content and form of an application,
                                               million, no grantee may receive in a                    established for the number of students
                                                                                                                                                             together with the forms you must
                                               single year new grants totaling more                    to be served for the total project period
                                                                                                                                                             submit, are in the application package
                                               than $19 million.                                       as well as the target number of students
                                                                                                                                                             for this competition.
                                                  • Partnerships: An applicant must                    to be served each year of the project.                   Notice of Intent to Apply: February
                                               demonstrate sufficient partnerships                     Early-phase grants must also include                  13, 2017.
                                               with schools/LEA(s) by identifying in                   their scaling strategy as a component of                 We will be able to develop a more
                                               the application implementation schools/                 the evaluation plan for the grant. Given              efficient process for reviewing grant
                                               LEA(s) for years 1 and 2 of the grant                   that all EIR grantees are required to                 applications if we know the
                                               project.                                                report on the performance measure                     approximate number of applicants that
                                                  • Evaluation: The grantee must                       regarding the target number of students               intend to apply for funding under this
                                               conduct an independent evaluation (as                   served by the grant, applicants should                competition. Therefore, the Secretary
                                               defined in this notice) of its project.                 propose scaling targets that represent                strongly encourages each potential
                                               This evaluation must estimate the                       reasonable costs per student for the                  applicant to notify us of the applicant’s
                                               impact of the EIR-supported practice (as                grant.                                                intent to submit an application by
                                               implemented at the proposed level of                      • Management Plan: An EIR grantee                   completing a Web-based form. When
                                               scale) on a relevant outcome, with an                   must provide an updated                               completing this form, applicants will
                                               evaluation design with the potential to                 comprehensive management plan for                     provide (1) the applicant organization’s
                                               meet moderate evidence (as defined in                   the approved project in a format and                  name and address and (2) the absolute
                                               this notice).                                           using such tools as the Department may                priority the applicant intends to
                                                  The first years of an Early-phase grant              require, as outlined in the Cooperative               address. Applicants may access this
                                               are expected to focus on developing and                 Agreement. This management plan must                  form online at https://
                                               iterating the practice in a few schools                 include detailed information about                    www.surveymonkey.com/r/GSPSYXQ.
                                               (or a limited version of the practice in                implementation of the first year of the               Applicants that do not complete this
                                               a greater number of schools), and the                   grant, including key milestones, staffing             form may still submit an application.
                                               independent evaluation is expected to                   details, and other information that the                  Pre-Application: The EIR program
                                               generate information to inform the                      Department may require. It must also                  intends to hold webinars and/or
                                               practice’s development and iteration;                   include a complete list of performance                meetings designed to provide technical
                                               the remaining years of an Early-phase                   metrics, including baseline measures                  assistance to interested applicants for all
                                               grant are expected to entail full-scale                 and annual targets. The grantee must                  three types of grants. Detailed
                                               implementation across the project’s full                update this management plan at least                  information regarding these webinars
                                               set of schools, and the independent                     annually to reflect implementation of                 and/or meetings will be provided on the
                                               evaluation is expected to be an efficacy                subsequent years of the project.                      EIR Web site at http://
                                               study of the practice, designed to have                                                                       innovation.ed.gov/what-we-do/
                                                                                                       IV. Application and Submission
                                               the potential meet the moderate                                                                               innovation/education-innovation-and-
                                                                                                       Information
                                               evidence (as defined in this notice)                                                                          research-eir/.
                                               threshold.                                                 1. Address to Request Application                     Page Limit: The application narrative
                                                  In addition, the grantee and its                     Package: You can obtain an application                (Part III of the application) is where you,
                                               independent evaluator must agree to                     package via the Internet or from the                  the applicant, address the selection
                                               cooperate with any technical assistance                 Education Publications Center (ED                     criteria that reviewers use to evaluate
                                               provided by the Department or its                       Pubs). To obtain a copy via the Internet,             your application. Applicants should
                                               contractor and comply with the                          use the following address: http://                    limit the application narrative for an
                                               requirements of any evaluation of the                   innovation.ed.gov/what-we-do/                         Early-phase grant application to no
                                               program conducted by the Department.                    innovation/education-innovation-and-                  more than 25 pages, using the following
                                               This includes providing to the                          research-eir/. To obtain a copy from ED               standards:
                                               Department or its contractor, an updated                Pubs, write, fax, or call: ED Pubs, U.S.                 • A ‘‘page’’ is 8.5″ x 11″, on one side
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                                               comprehensive evaluation plan in a                      Department of Education, P.O. Box                     only, with 1″ margins at the top, bottom,
                                               format and using such tools as the                      22207, Alexandria, VA 22304.                          and both sides.
                                               Department may require, as outlined in                  Telephone, toll free: 1–877–433–7827.                    • Double space (no more than three
                                               the Cooperative Agreement. Grantees                     FAX: (703) 605–6794. If you use a                     lines per vertical inch) all text in the
                                               must update this evaluation plan at least               telecommunications device for the deaf                application narrative, including titles,
                                               annually to reflect any changes to the                  (TDD) or a text telephone (TTY), call,                headings, footnotes, quotations,
                                               evaluation. All of these updates must be                toll free: 1–877–576–7734.                            references, and captions.


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                                               90816                     Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 241 / Thursday, December 15, 2016 / Notices

                                                  • Use a font that is either 12 point or              electronically using the Grants.gov                   Service. If you are an individual, you
                                               larger or no smaller than 10 pitch                      Apply site (Grants.gov). For information              can obtain a TIN from the Internal
                                               (characters per inch).                                  (including dates and times) about how                 Revenue Service or the Social Security
                                                  • Use one of the following fonts:                    to submit your application                            Administration. If you need a new TIN,
                                               Times New Roman, Courier, Courier                       electronically, or in paper format by                 please allow two to five weeks for your
                                               New, or Arial.                                          mail or hand delivery if you qualify for              TIN to become active.
                                                  The page limit does not apply to Part                an exception to the electronic                           The SAM registration process can take
                                               I, the cover sheet; Part II, the budget                 submission requirement, please refer to               approximately seven business days, but
                                               section, including the narrative budget                 Other Submission Requirements in                      may take upwards of several weeks,
                                               justification; Part IV, the assurances and              section IV of this notice.                            depending on the completeness and
                                               certifications; or the one-page abstract,                  We do not consider an application                  accuracy of the data you enter into the
                                               the resumes, the bibliography, or the                   that does not comply with the deadline                SAM database. Thus, if you think you
                                               letters of support. However, the page                   requirements.                                         might want to apply for Federal
                                               limit does apply to all of the application                 Individuals with disabilities who                  financial assistance under a program
                                               narrative.                                              need an accommodation or auxiliary aid                administered by the Department, please
                                                  b. Submission of Proprietary                         in connection with the application                    allow sufficient time to obtain and
                                               Information: Given the types of projects                process should contact the person listed              register your DUNS number and TIN.
                                               that may be proposed in applications for                under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION                         We strongly recommend that you
                                               the Early-phase competition, your                       CONTACT in section VII of this notice. If             register early.
                                               application may include business                        the Department provides an                               Note: Once your SAM registration is active,
                                               information that you consider                           accommodation or auxiliary aid to an                  it may be 24 to 48 hours before you can
                                               proprietary. In 34 CFR 5.11 we define                   individual with a disability in                       access the information in, and submit an
                                               ‘‘business information’’ and describe the               connection with the application                       application through, Grants.gov.
                                               process we use in determining whether                   process, the individual’s application
                                               any of that information is proprietary                                                                           If you are currently registered with
                                                                                                       remains subject to all other
                                               and, thus, protected from disclosure                                                                          SAM, you may not need to make any
                                                                                                       requirements and limitations in this
                                               under Exemption 4 of the Freedom of                                                                           changes. However, please make certain
                                                                                                       notice.
                                               Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552, as                          Deadline for Intergovernmental                     that the TIN associated with your DUNS
                                               amended).                                               Review: June 13, 2017.                                number is correct. Also note that you
                                                  We plan on posting the project                          4. Intergovernmental Review: This                  will need to update your registration
                                               narrative section of funded EIR                         competition is subject to Executive                   annually. This may take three or more
                                               applications on the Department’s Web                    Order 12372 and the regulations in 34                 business days.
                                               site. Accordingly, you may wish to                      CFR part 79. Information about                           Information about SAM is available at
                                               request confidentiality of business                     Intergovernmental Review of Federal                   www.SAM.gov. To further assist you
                                               information. Identifying proprietary                    Programs under Executive Order 12372                  with obtaining and registering your
                                               information in the submitted                            is in the application package for this                DUNS number and TIN in SAM or
                                               application will help facilitate this                   competition.                                          updating your existing SAM account,
                                               public disclosure process.                                 5. Funding Restrictions: We reference              we have prepared a SAM.gov Tip Sheet,
                                                  Consistent with Executive Order                      regulations outlining funding                         which you can find at: www2.ed.gov/
                                               12600, please designate in your                         restrictions in the Applicable                        fund/grant/apply/sam-faqs.html.
                                               application any information that you                    Regulations section of this notice.                      In addition, if you are submitting your
                                               believe is exempt from disclosure under                    6. Data Universal Numbering System                 application via Grants.gov, you must (1)
                                               Exemption 4. In the appropriate                         Number, Taxpayer Identification                       be designated by your organization as an
                                               Appendix section of your application,                   Number, and System for Award                          Authorized Organization Representative
                                               under ‘‘Other Attachments Form,’’                       Management: To do business with the                   (AOR); and (2) register yourself with
                                               please list the page number or numbers                  Department of Education, you must—                    Grants.gov as an AOR. Details on these
                                               on which we can find this information.                     a. Have a Data Universal Numbering                 steps are outlined at the following
                                               For additional information please see 34                System (DUNS) number and a Taxpayer                   Grants.gov Web page: www.grants.gov/
                                               CFR 5.11(c).                                            Identification Number (TIN);                          web/grants/register.html.
                                                  3. Submission Dates and Times:                          b. Register both your DUNS number                     7. Other Submission Requirements:
                                                  Applications Available: December 19,                 and TIN with the System for Award                     Applications for grants under this
                                               2016.                                                   Management (SAM), the Government’s                    program competition must be submitted
                                                  Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply:              primary registrant database;                          electronically unless you qualify for an
                                               February 13, 2017.                                         c. Provide your DUNS number and                    exception to this requirement in
                                                  Pre-Application Webinars and/or                      TIN on your application; and                          accordance with the instructions in this
                                               Meetings: The EIR program intends to                       d. Maintain an active SAM                          section.
                                               hold webinars and/or meetings designed                  registration with current information                    a. Electronic Submission of
                                               to provide technical assistance to                      while your application is under review                Applications.
                                               interested applicants for all three types               by the Department and, if you are                        Applications for grants under the EIR
                                               of grants. Detailed information regarding               awarded a grant, during the project                   Program, CFDA number 84.411C, must
                                               these webinars and/or meetings will be                  period.                                               be submitted electronically using the
                                               provided on the EIR Web site at http://                    You can obtain a DUNS number from                  Governmentwide Grants.gov Apply site
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                                               innovation.ed.gov/what-we-do/                           Dun and Bradstreet at the following                   at www.Grants.gov. Through this site,
                                               innovation/education-innovation-and-                    Web site: http://fedgov.dnb.com/                      you will be able to download a copy of
                                               research-eir/.                                          webform. A DUNS number can be                         the application package, complete it
                                                  Deadline for Transmittal of                          created within one to two business days.              offline, and then upload and submit
                                               Applications: April 13, 2017.                              If you are a corporate entity, agency,             your application. You may not email an
                                                  Applications for grants under this                   institution, or organization, you can                 electronic copy of a grant application to
                                               competition must be submitted                           obtain a TIN from the Internal Revenue                us.


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                                                                         Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 241 / Thursday, December 15, 2016 / Notices                                          90817

                                                  We will reject your application if you               Education Submission Procedures                       meet the deadline for submission of
                                               submit it in paper format unless, as                    pertaining to Grants.gov under News                   applications.
                                               described elsewhere in this section, you                and Events on the Department’s G5                        Once your application is successfully
                                               qualify for one of the exceptions to the                system home page at www.G5.gov. In                    validated by Grants.gov, the Department
                                               electronic submission requirement and                   addition, for specific guidance and                   will retrieve your application from
                                               submit, no later than two weeks before                  procedures for submitting an                          Grants.gov and send you an email with
                                               the application deadline date, a written                application through Grants.gov, please                a unique PR/Award number for your
                                               statement to the Department that you                    refer to the Grants.gov Web site at:                  application.
                                               qualify for one of these exceptions.                    www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/                    These emails do not mean that your
                                               Further information regarding                           apply-for-grants.html.                                application is without any disqualifying
                                               calculation of the date that is two weeks                  • You will not receive additional                  errors. While your application may have
                                               before the application deadline date is                 point value because you submit your                   been successfully validated by
                                               provided later in this section under                    application in electronic format, nor                 Grants.gov, it must also meet the
                                               Exception to Electronic Submission                      will we penalize you if you qualify for               Department’s application requirements
                                               Requirement.                                            an exception to the electronic                        as specified in this notice and in the
                                                  You may access the electronic grant                  submission requirement, as described                  application instructions. Disqualifying
                                               application for EIR Early-phase at                      elsewhere in this section, and submit                 errors could include, for instance,
                                               www.Grants.gov. You must search for                     your application in paper format.                     failure to upload attachments in a read-
                                               the downloadable application package                       • You must submit all documents                    only, non-modifiable PDF; failure to
                                               for this competition by the CFDA                        electronically, including all information             submit a required part of the
                                               number. Do not include the CFDA                         you typically provide on the following                application; or failure to meet applicant
                                               number’s alpha suffix in your search                    forms: the Application for Federal                    eligibility requirements. It is your
                                               (e.g., search for 84.411, not 84.411C).                 Assistance (SF 424), the Department of                responsibility to ensure that your
                                                  Please note the following:                           Education Supplemental Information for                submitted application has met all of the
                                                  • When you enter the Grants.gov site,                SF 424, Budget Information—Non-                       Department’s requirements.
                                               you will find information about                         Construction Programs (ED 524), and all                  • We may request that you provide us
                                               submitting an application electronically                necessary assurances and certifications.              original signatures on forms at a later
                                               through the site, as well as the hours of                  • You must upload any narrative                    date.
                                               operation.                                              sections and all other attachments to                    Application Deadline Date Extension
                                                  • Applications received by                           your application as files in a read-only              in Case of Technical Issues with the
                                               Grants.gov are date and time stamped.                   Portable Document Format (PDF). Do                    Grants.gov System: If you are
                                               Your application must be fully                          not upload an interactive or fillable PDF             experiencing problems submitting your
                                               uploaded and submitted and must be                      file. If you upload a file type other than            application through Grants.gov, please
                                               date and time stamped by the                            a read-only PDF (e.g., Word, Excel,                   contact the Grants.gov Support Desk,
                                               Grants.gov system no later than 4:30:00                 WordPerfect, etc.) or submit a password-              toll free, at 1–800–518–4726. You must
                                               p.m., Washington, DC time, on the                       protected file, we will not review that               obtain a Grants.gov Support Desk Case
                                               application deadline date. Except as                    material. Please note that this could                 Number and must keep a record of it.
                                               otherwise noted in this section, we will                result in your application not being                     If you are prevented from
                                               not accept your application if it is                    considered for funding because the                    electronically submitting your
                                               received—that is, date and time                         material in question—for example, the                 application on the application deadline
                                               stamped by the Grants.gov system—after                  application narrative—is critical to a                date because of technical problems with
                                               4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on                   meaningful review of your proposal. For               the Grants.gov system, we will grant you
                                               the application deadline date. We do                    that reason it is important to allow                  an extension until 4:30:00 p.m.,
                                               not consider an application that does                   yourself adequate time to upload all                  Washington, DC time, the following
                                               not comply with the deadline                            material as PDF files. The Department                 business day to enable you to transmit
                                               requirements. When we retrieve your                     will not convert material from other                  your application electronically or by
                                               application from Grants.gov, we will                    formats to PDF.                                       hand delivery. You also may mail your
                                               notify you if we are rejecting your                        • Your electronic application must                 application by following the mailing
                                               application because it was date and time                comply with any page-limit                            instructions described elsewhere in this
                                               stamped by the Grants.gov system after                  requirements described in this notice.                notice.
                                               4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on                      • After you electronically submit                     If you submit an application after
                                               the application deadline date.                          your application, you will receive from               4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on
                                                  • The amount of time it can take to                  Grants.gov an automatic notification of               the application deadline date, please
                                               upload an application will vary                         receipt that contains a Grants.gov                    contact the person listed under For
                                               depending on a variety of factors,                      tracking number. This notification                    Further Information Contact in section
                                               including the size of the application and               indicates receipt by Grants.gov only, not             VII of this notice and provide an
                                               the speed of your Internet connection.                  receipt by the Department. Grants.gov                 explanation of the technical problem
                                               Therefore, we strongly recommend that                   will also notify you automatically by                 you experienced with Grants.gov, along
                                               you do not wait until the application                   email if your application met all the                 with the Grants.gov Support Desk Case
                                               deadline date to begin the submission                   Grants.gov validation requirements or if              Number. We will accept your
                                               process through Grants.gov.                             there were any errors (such as                        application if we can confirm that a
                                                  • You should review and follow the                   submission of your application by                     technical problem occurred with the
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                                               Education Submission Procedures for                     someone other than a registered                       Grants.gov system and that the problem
                                               submitting an application through                       Authorized Organization                               affected your ability to submit your
                                               Grants.gov that are included in the                     Representative, or inclusion of an                    application by 4:30:00 p.m.,
                                               application package for this competition                attachment with a file name that                      Washington, DC time, on the
                                               to ensure that you submit your                          contains special characters). You will be             application deadline date. We will
                                               application in a timely manner to the                   given an opportunity to correct any                   contact you after we determine whether
                                               Grants.gov system. You can also find the                errors and resubmit, but you must still               your application will be accepted.


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                                               90818                     Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 241 / Thursday, December 15, 2016 / Notices

                                                  Note: The extensions to which we refer in              (1) A legibly dated U.S. Postal Service             to a total of 100 points based on the
                                               this section apply only to the unavailability           postmark.                                             selection criteria for the application.
                                               of, or technical problems with, the Grants.gov            (2) A legible mail receipt with the                 A. Significance (Up to 30 Points)
                                               system. We will not grant you an extension              date of mailing stamped by the U.S.                      In determining the significance of the
                                               if you failed to fully register to submit your
                                               application to Grants.gov before the
                                                                                                       Postal Service.                                       project, the Secretary considers the
                                               application deadline date and time or if the              (3) A dated shipping label, invoice, or             following factors:
                                               technical problem you experienced is                    receipt from a commercial carrier.                       (1) The national significance of the
                                               unrelated to the Grants.gov system.                       (4) Any other proof of mailing                      proposed project.
                                                                                                       acceptable to the Secretary of the U.S.                  (2) The extent to which the proposed
                                                 Exception to Electronic Submission
                                                                                                       Department of Education.                              project involves the development or
                                               Requirement: You qualify for an
                                                                                                         If you mail your application through                demonstration of promising new
                                               exception to the electronic submission
                                                                                                       the U.S. Postal Service, we do not                    strategies that build on, or are
                                               requirement, and may submit your
                                                                                                       accept either of the following as proof               alternatives to, existing strategies.
                                               application in paper format, if you are
                                                                                                       of mailing:                                              (3) The extent to which the proposed
                                               unable to submit an application through
                                                                                                         (1) A private metered postmark.                     project represents an exceptional
                                               the Grants.gov system because—                            (2) A mail receipt that is not dated by
                                                  • You do not have access to the                                                                            approach to the priority or priorities
                                                                                                       the U.S. Postal Service.                              established for the competition.
                                               Internet; or
                                                  • You do not have the capacity to                      Note: The U.S. Postal Service does not              B. Quality of the Project Design and
                                               upload large documents to the                           uniformly provide a dated postmark. Before            Management Plan (Up to 50 Points)
                                               Grants.gov system;                                      relying on this method, you should check                 In determining the quality of the
                                                                                                       with your local post office.                          proposed project design, the Secretary
                                               and
                                                                                                         We will not consider applications                   considers the following factors:
                                                  • No later than two weeks before the
                                                                                                       postmarked after the application                         (1) The extent to which the goals,
                                               application deadline date (14 calendar
                                                                                                       deadline date.                                        objectives, and outcomes to be achieved
                                               days or, if the fourteenth calendar day
                                                                                                         c. Submission of Paper Applications                 by the proposed project are clearly
                                               before the application deadline date
                                                                                                       by Hand Delivery.                                     specified and measurable.
                                               falls on a Federal holiday, the next
                                               business day following the Federal                        If you qualify for an exception to the                 (2) The adequacy of the management
                                               holiday), you mail or fax a written                     electronic submission requirement, you                plan to achieve the objectives of the
                                               statement to the Department, explaining                 (or a courier service) may deliver your               proposed project on time and within
                                               which of the two grounds for an                         paper application to the Department by                budget, including clearly defined
                                               exception prevents you from using the                   hand. You must deliver the original and               responsibilities, timelines, and
                                               Internet to submit your application.                    two copies of your application, by hand,              milestones for accomplishing project
                                                  If you mail your written statement to                on or before the application deadline                 tasks.
                                               the Department, it must be postmarked                   date, to the Department at the following                 (3) The extent to which performance
                                               no later than two weeks before the                      address: U.S. Department of Education,                feedback and continuous improvement
                                               application deadline date. If you fax                   Application Control Center, Attention:                are integral to the design of the
                                               your written statement to the                           (CFDA Number 84.411C), 550 12th                       proposed project.
                                               Department, we must receive the faxed                   Street SW., Room 7039, Potomac Center                    (4) The mechanisms the applicant
                                               statement no later than two weeks                       Plaza, Washington, DC 20202–4260.                     will use to broadly disseminate
                                               before the application deadline date.                     The Application Control Center                      information on its project so as to
                                                  Address and mail or fax your                         accepts hand deliveries daily between                 support further development or
                                               statement to: Kelly Terpak, U.S.                        8:00 a.m. and 4:30:00 p.m., Washington,               replication.
                                               Department of Education, 400 Maryland                   DC time, except Saturdays, Sundays,                   D. Quality of the Project Evaluation (Up
                                               Avenue SW., Room 4W312,                                 and Federal holidays.                                 to 20 Points)
                                               Washington, DC 20202–5900. FAX:                            Note for Mail or Hand Delivery of Paper               In determining the quality of the
                                               (202) 401–4123.                                         Applications: If you mail or hand deliver             project evaluation to be conducted, the
                                                  Your paper application must be                       your application to the Department—                   Secretary considers the following
                                               submitted in accordance with the mail                      (1) You must indicate on the envelope              factors:
                                               or hand-delivery instructions described                 and—if not provided by the Department—in                 (1) The extent to which the methods
                                               in this notice.                                         Item 11 of the SF 424 the CFDA number,                of evaluation will, if well implemented,
                                                  b. Submission of Paper Applications                  including suffix letter, if any, of the               produce evidence about the project’s
                                                                                                       competition under which you are submitting            effectiveness that would meet the What
                                               by Mail.                                                your application; and
                                                  If you qualify for an exception to the                                                                     Works Clearinghouse Evidence
                                                                                                          (2) The Application Control Center will
                                               electronic submission requirement, you                  mail to you a notification of receipt of your         Standards with reservations.
                                               may mail (through the U.S. Postal                       grant application. If you do not receive this            (2) The extent to which the evaluation
                                               Service or a commercial carrier) your                   notification within 15 business days from the         will provide guidance about effective
                                               application to the Department. You                      application deadline date, you should call            strategies suitable for replication or
                                               must mail the original and two copies                   the U.S. Department of Education                      testing in other settings.
                                               of your application, on or before the                   Application Control Center at (202) 245–                 (3) The extent to which the methods
                                               application deadline date, to the                       6288.                                                 of evaluation will provide valid and
                                               Department at the following address:                                                                          reliable performance data on relevant
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                                               U.S. Department of Education,                           V. Application Review Information                     outcomes.
                                               Application Control Center, Attention:                    1. Selection Criteria: The selection                   (4) The extent to which the evaluation
                                               (CFDA Number 84.411C), LBJ Basement                     criteria for the Early-phase competition              plan clearly articulates the key
                                               Level 1, 400 Maryland Avenue SW.,                       are from 34 CFR 75.210.                               components, mediators, and outcomes
                                               Washington, DC 20202–4260.                                The points assigned to each criterion               of the grant-supported intervention, as
                                                  You must show proof of mailing                       are indicated in the parentheses next to              well as a measurable threshold for
                                               consisting of one of the following:                     the criterion. An applicant may earn up               acceptable implementation.


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                                                                         Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 241 / Thursday, December 15, 2016 / Notices                                          90819

                                                  Note: Applicants may wish to review the              conducts a review of the risks posed by               this notice and include these and other
                                               following technical assistance resources on             applicants. Under 2 CFR 3474.10, the                  specific conditions in the GAN. The
                                               evaluation: (1) WWC Procedures and                      Secretary may impose special                          GAN also incorporates your approved
                                               Standards Handbook: http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/             conditions and, in appropriate                        application as part of your binding
                                               wwc/references/idocviewer/
                                               doc.aspx?docid=19&tocid=1; (2) ‘‘Technical              circumstances, high-risk conditions on a              commitments under the grant.
                                               Assistance Materials for Conducting Rigorous            grant if the applicant or grantee is not                3. Reporting: (a) If you apply for a
                                               Impact Evaluations’’ to the list of evaluation          financially stable; has a history of                  grant under this competition, you must
                                               resources: http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/projects/             unsatisfactory performance; has a                     ensure that you have in place the
                                               evaluationTA.asp; and (3) IES/NCEE                      financial or other management system                  necessary processes and systems to
                                               Technical Methods papers: http://ies.ed.gov/            that does not meet the standards in 2                 comply with the reporting requirements
                                               ncee/tech_methods/. In addition, applicants             CFR part 200, subpart D; has not                      in 2 CFR part 170 should you receive
                                               may view two optional Webinar recordings                fulfilled the conditions of a prior grant;            funding under the competition. This
                                               that were hosted by the Institute of Education                                                                does not apply if you have an exception
                                                                                                       or is otherwise not responsible.
                                               Sciences. The first Webinar discussed
                                                                                                          4. Integrity and Performance System:               under 2 CFR 170.110(b).
                                               strategies for designing and executing well-
                                               designed quasi-experimental design studies              If you are selected under this                          (b) At the end of your project period,
                                               and is available at: http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/            competition to receive an award that                  you must submit a final performance
                                               wwc/Multimedia.aspx?sid=23. The second                  over the course of the project period                 report, including financial information,
                                               Webinar focused on more rigorous evaluation             may exceed the simplified acquisition                 as directed by the Secretary. If you
                                               designs, discussing strategies for designing            threshold (currently $150,000), under 2               receive a multiyear award, you must
                                               and executing studies that meet WWC                     CFR 200.205(a)(2) we must make a                      submit an annual performance report
                                               evidence standards without reservations.                judgment about your integrity, business               that provides the most current
                                               This Webinar is available at: http://                   ethics, and record of performance under               performance and financial expenditure
                                               ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/                                                                                          information as directed by the Secretary
                                                                                                       Federal awards—that is, the risk posed
                                               Multimedia.aspx?sid=18.
                                                                                                       by you as an applicant—before we make                 under 34 CFR 75.118. The Secretary
                                                 2. Review and Selection Process: We                   an award. In doing so, we must consider               may also require more frequent
                                               remind potential applicants that in                     any information about you that is in the              performance reports under 34 CFR
                                               reviewing applications in any                           integrity and performance system                      75.720(c). For specific requirements on
                                               discretionary grant competition, the                    (currently referred to as the Federal                 reporting, please go to www.ed.gov/
                                               Secretary may consider, under 34 CFR                    Awardee Performance and Integrity                     fund/grant/apply/appforms/
                                               75.217(d)(3), the past performance of the               Information System (FAPIIS)),                         appforms.html.
                                               applicant in carrying out a previous                    accessible through SAM. You may                         (c) Under 34 CFR 75.250(b), the
                                               award, such as the applicant’s use of                   review and comment on any                             Secretary may provide a grantee with
                                               funds, achievement of project                           information about yourself that a                     additional funding for data collection
                                               objectives, and compliance with grant                   Federal agency previously entered and                 analysis and reporting. In this case the
                                               conditions. The Secretary may also                      that is currently in FAPIIS.                          Secretary establishes a data collection
                                               consider whether the applicant failed to                   Please note that, if the total value of            period.
                                               submit a timely performance report or                   your currently active grants, cooperative               4. Performance Measures: The overall
                                               submitted a report of unacceptable                      agreements, and procurement contracts                 purpose of the EIR program is to expand
                                               quality.                                                from the Federal Government exceeds                   the implementation of, and investment
                                                 Before making awards, we will screen                  $10,000,000, the reporting requirements               in, innovative practices that are
                                               applications submitted in accordance                    in 2 CFR part 200, Appendix XII,                      demonstrated to have an impact on
                                               with the requirements in this notice to                 require you to report certain integrity               improving student achievement for
                                               determine whether applications have                     information to FAPIIS semiannually.                   high-need students. We have
                                               met eligibility and other requirements.                 Please review the requirements in 2 CFR               established several performance
                                               This screening process may occur at                     part 200, Appendix XII, if this grant                 measures for the EIR Early-phase grants.
                                               various stages of the process; applicants               plus all the other Federal funds you                  By reporting on these performance
                                               that are determined to be ineligible will               receive exceed $10,000,000.                           measures in Annual and Final
                                               not receive a grant, regardless of peer                                                                       Performance reports, grantees will
                                               reviewer scores or comments.                            VI. Award Administration Information                  satisfy the requirement in Section
                                                 Peer reviewers will read, prepare a                      1. Award Notices: If your application              8101(21)(A)(ii)(II) of the ESEA, as
                                               written evaluation of, and score the                    is successful, we notify your U.S.                    amended by ESSA, for projects relying
                                               assigned applications, using the                        Representative and U.S. Senators and                  on the ‘‘demonstrates a rationale’’
                                               selection criteria provided in this                     send you a Grant Award Notification                   evidence level, to have ‘‘ongoing efforts
                                               notice. For Early-phase grant                           (GAN); or we may send you an email                    to examine the effects’’ of the funded
                                               applications we intend to conduct a                     containing a link to access an electronic             activity, strategy, or intervention.
                                               single-tier review.                                     version of your GAN. We may notify                      Annual performance measures: (1)
                                                 In addition, in making a competitive                  you informally, also.                                 The percentage of grantees that reach
                                               grant award, the Secretary requires                        If your application is not evaluated or            their annual target number of students
                                               various assurances, including those                     not selected for funding, we notify you.              as specified in the application; (2) the
                                               applicable to Federal civil rights laws                    2. Administrative and National Policy              percentage of grantees that reach their
                                               that prohibit discrimination in programs                Requirements: We identify                             annual target number of high-need
                                               or activities receiving Federal financial               administrative and national policy                    students as specified in the application;
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                                               assistance from the Department of                       requirements in the application package               (3) the percentage of grantees with
                                               Education (34 CFR 100.4, 104.5, 106.4,                  and reference these and other                         evaluations designed to provide
                                               108.8, and 110.23).                                     requirements in the Applicable                        performance feedback to inform project
                                                 3. Risk Assessment and Special                        Regulations section of this notice.                   design; (4) the percentage of grantees
                                               Conditions: Consistent with 2 CFR                          We reference the regulations outlining             with ongoing well-designed and
                                               200.205, before awarding grants under                   the terms and conditions of an award in               independent evaluations that will
                                               this competition the Department                         the Applicable Regulations section of                 provide evidence of their effectiveness


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                                               90820                     Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 241 / Thursday, December 15, 2016 / Notices

                                               at improving student outcomes; (5) the                  an accessible format (e.g., Braille, large            commercial delivery, or hand delivery.
                                               percentage of grantees that implement                   print, audiotape, or compact disc) on                 Please note that comments submitted by
                                               an evaluation that provides information                 request to the program contact person                 fax or email and those submitted after
                                               about the key elements and the                          listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION                  the comment period will not be
                                               approach of the project so as to facilitate             CONTACT in section VII of this notice.                accepted. Written requests for
                                               testing, development, or replication in                    Electronic Access to This Document:                information or comments submitted by
                                               other settings; and (6) the cost per                    The official version of this document is              postal mail or delivery should be
                                               student served by the grant.                            the document published in the Federal                 addressed to the Director of the
                                                  Cumulative performance measures:                     Register. Free Internet access to the                 Information Collection Clearance
                                               (1) The percentage of grantees that reach               official edition of the Federal Register              Division, U.S. Department of Education,
                                               the targeted number of students                         and the Code of Federal Regulations is                400 Maryland Avenue SW., LBJ, Room
                                               specified in the application; (2) the                   available via the Federal Digital System              2E–347, Washington, DC 20202–4537.
                                               percentage of grantees that reached the                 at: www.gpo.gov/fdsys. At this site you               FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For
                                               target number of high-need students                     can view this document, as well as all                specific questions related to collection
                                               specified in the application; (3) the                   other documents of this Department                    activities, please contact Ian Foss, 202–
                                               percentage of grantees that use                         published in the Federal Register, in                 377–3681.
                                               evaluation data to make changes to their                text or Portable Document Format                      SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
                                               practice(s); (4) the percentage of                      (PDF). To use PDF you must have
                                               grantees that implement a completed                                                                           Department of Education (ED), in
                                                                                                       Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is                        accordance with the Paperwork
                                               well-designed, well-implemented and                     available free at the site.
                                               independent evaluation that provides                                                                          Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) (44 U.S.C.
                                                                                                          You may also access documents of the
                                               evidence of their effectiveness at                                                                            3506(c)(2)(A)), provides the general
                                                                                                       Department published in the Federal
                                               improving student outcomes; (5) the                                                                           public and Federal agencies with an
                                                                                                       Register by using the article search
                                               percentage of grantees with a completed                                                                       opportunity to comment on proposed,
                                                                                                       feature at: www.federalregister.gov.
                                               evaluation that provides information                                                                          revised, and continuing collections of
                                                                                                       Specifically, through the advanced
                                               about the key elements and the                                                                                information. This helps the Department
                                                                                                       search feature at this site, you can limit
                                               approach of the project so as to facilitate                                                                   assess the impact of its information
                                                                                                       your search to documents published by
                                               testing, development or replication in                                                                        collection requirements and minimize
                                                                                                       the Department.
                                               other settings; and (6) the cost per                                                                          the public’s reporting burden. It also
                                                                                                         Dated: December 9, 2016.                            helps the public understand the
                                               student served by the grant.
                                                  5. Continuation Awards: In making a                  Nadya Chinoy Dabby,                                   Department’s information collection
                                               continuation award under 34 CFR                         Assistant Deputy Secretary for Innovation and         requirements and provide the requested
                                               75.253, the Secretary considers, among                  Improvement.                                          data in the desired format. ED is
                                               other things: Whether a grantee has                     [FR Doc. 2016–30085 Filed 12–14–16; 8:45 am]          soliciting comments on the proposed
                                               made substantial progress in achieving                  BILLING CODE 4000–01–P                                information collection request (ICR) that
                                               the goals and objectives of the project;                                                                      is described below. The Department of
                                               whether the grantee has expended funds                                                                        Education is especially interested in
                                               in a manner that is consistent with its                 DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION                               public comment addressing the
                                               approved application and budget; and,                   [Docket No. ED–2016–ICCD–0144]
                                                                                                                                                             following issues: (1) Is this collection
                                               if the Secretary has established                                                                              necessary to the proper functions of the
                                               performance measurement                                 Agency Information Collection                         Department; (2) will this information be
                                               requirements, the performance targets in                Activities; Comment Request;                          processed and used in a timely manner;
                                               the grantee’s approved application.                     Application and Employment                            (3) is the estimate of burden accurate;
                                                  In making a continuation award, the                  Certification for Public Service Loan                 (4) how might the Department enhance
                                               Secretary also considers whether the                    Forgiveness                                           the quality, utility, and clarity of the
                                               grantee is operating in compliance with                                                                       information to be collected; and (5) how
                                               the assurances in its approved                          AGENCY: Federal Student Aid (FSA),                    might the Department minimize the
                                               application, including those applicable                 Department of Education (ED).                         burden of this collection on the
                                               to Federal civil rights laws that prohibit              ACTION: Notice.                                       respondents, including through the use
                                               discrimination in programs or activities                                                                      of information technology. Please note
                                                                                                       SUMMARY:   In accordance with the                     that written comments received in
                                               receiving Federal financial assistance                  Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44
                                               from the Department (34 CFR 100.4,                                                                            response to this notice will be
                                                                                                       U.S.C. chapter 3501 et seq.), ED is                   considered public records.
                                               104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).                       proposing a revision of an existing                      Title of Collection: Application and
                                               VII. Agency Contact                                     information collection.                               Employment Certification for Public
                                                                                                       DATES: Interested persons are invited to              Service Loan Forgiveness.
                                               FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
                                               Kelly Terpak, U.S. Department of                        submit comments on or before February                    OMB Control Number: 1845–0110.
                                               Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW.,                     13, 2017.                                                Type of Review: A revision of an
                                               Room 4W312, Washington, DC 20202–                       ADDRESSES: To access and review all the               existing information collection.
                                               5900. Telephone: (202) 453–7122. FAX:                   documents related to the information                     Respondents/Affected Public:
                                               (202) 401–4123 or by email: eir@ed.gov.                 collection listed in this notice, please              Individuals or Households.
                                                 If you use a TDD or a TTY, call the                   use http://www.regulations.gov by                        Total Estimated Number of Annual
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                                               Federal Relay Service, toll free, at 1–                 searching the Docket ID number ED–                    Responses: 728,419.
                                               800–877–8339.                                           2016–ICCD–0144. Comments submitted                       Total Estimated Number of Annual
                                                                                                       in response to this notice should be                  Burden Hours: 364,210.
                                               VIII. Other Information                                 submitted electronically through the                     Abstract: Final regulations for the
                                                 Accessible Format: Individuals with                   Federal eRulemaking Portal at http://                 Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)
                                               disabilities can obtain this document                   www.regulations.gov by selecting the                  Program were published in the Federal
                                               and a copy of the application package in                Docket ID number or via postal mail,                  Register on October 23, 2008 (73 FR


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Document Created: 2016-12-15 01:10:18
Document Modified: 2016-12-15 01:10:18
CategoryRegulatory Information
CollectionFederal Register
sudoc ClassAE 2.7:
GS 4.107:
AE 2.106:
PublisherOffice of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
SectionNotices
ActionNotice.
DatesApplications Available: December 19, 2016.
ContactKelly Terpak, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 4W312, Washington, DC 20202- 5900. Telephone: (202) 453-7122. FAX: (202) 401-4123 or by email: [email protected]
FR Citation81 FR 90809 

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