83 FR 12356 - Applications for New Awards; Supporting Effective Educator Development Program

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 55 (March 21, 2018)

The Department of Education is issuing a notice inviting applications for fiscal year (FY) 2018 for the Supporting Effective Educator Development (SEED) program, Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number 84.423A.

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 55 (Wednesday, March 21, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12356-12362]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-05750]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Applications for New Awards; Supporting Effective Educator 
Development Program

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

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Education is issuing a notice inviting 
applications for fiscal year (FY) 2018 for the Supporting Effective 
Educator Development (SEED) program, Catalog of Federal Domestic 
Assistance (CFDA) number 84.423A.

DATES: 
    Applications Available: March 21, 2018.
    Date of Informational Webinar: The SEED program intends to hold a 
webinar designed to provide technical assistance to interested 
applicants. Detailed information regarding this webinar will be 
provided on the SEED web page at http://innovation.ed.gov/what-we-do/teacher-quality/supporting-effective-educator-development-grant-program/.
    Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply: April 5, 2018.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: May 17, 2018.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: July 19, 2018.

ADDRESSES: For the addresses for obtaining and submitting an 
application, please refer to our Common Instructions for Applicants to 
Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs, published in the 
Federal Register on February 12, 2018 (83 FR 6003) and available at 
www.thefederalregister.org/fdsys/pkg/FR-2018-02-12/pdf/2018-02558.pdf.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Richard Wilson, U.S. Department of 
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Room 4W111, Washington, DC 20202-
5960. Telephone: (202) 453-6709 or by email: [email protected].
    If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) or a text 
telephone (TTY), call the Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll free, at 1-
800-877-8339.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Purpose of Program: The SEED program, authorized under section 2242 
of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA or Act), as 
amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) (20 U.S.C. 6672),\1\ 
provides funding to increase the number of highly effective educators 
by supporting the implementation of Evidence-Based \2\ practices that 
prepare, develop, or enhance the skills of educators. These grants will 
allow eligible entities to develop, expand, and evaluate practices that 
can serve as models that can be sustained and disseminated.
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    \1\ Unless otherwise indicated, all references to the ESEA or 
the Act are to the ESEA, as amended by the ESSA.
    \2\ Throughout this notice, all defined terms are denoted with 
capitals.
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    Priorities: This competition includes two absolute priorities, one 
competitive preference priority, and one invitational priority. In 
accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(iv), Absolute Priority 1, which 
requires moderate evidence, and Absolute Priority 2, which requires 
promising evidence, are from section 2242 of the ESEA (20 U.S.C. 6672) 
and 34 CFR 75.226. The competitive preference priority is from the 
Department's notice of final supplemental priorities and definitions, 
published in the Federal Register on March 2, 2018 (83 FR 9096) 
(Supplemental Priorities). Under the SEED grant competition, each of 
the two absolute priorities constitutes its own funding category. The 
Secretary intends to award grants under each absolute priority for 
which applications of sufficient quality are submitted.
    Absolute Priorities: For FY 2018 and any subsequent year in which 
we make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this 
competition, these priorities are absolute priorities. Under 34 CFR 
75.105(c)(3), we consider only applications that meet one of these 
priorities. Applicants may address only one absolute priority and must 
clearly indicate the specific absolute priority their project 
addresses.
    These priorities are:
    Absolute Priority 1--Supporting Effective Teachers.
    This priority is for projects that will implement activities that 
are supported by Moderate Evidence. Applicants under this priority may 
propose one or more of the following activities:
    (1) Providing teachers from nontraditional preparation and 
certification routes or pathways to serve in traditionally underserved 
Local Educational Agencies (LEAs);
    (2) Providing teachers with Evidence-Based Professional Development 
activities that address literacy, numeracy, remedial, or other needs of 
LEAs and the students the agencies serve; or
    (3) Providing teachers with Evidence-Based professional enhancement 
activities, which may include activities that lead to an advanced 
credential.

    Note: An LEA includes a public charter school that operates as 
an LEA.

    Absolute Priority 2--Supporting Effective Principals or Other 
School Leaders.
    This priority is for projects that will implement activities that 
are supported by Promising Evidence. Applicants under this priority may 
propose one or more of the following activities:
    (1) Providing principals or other School Leaders from 
nontraditional preparation and certification routes or pathways to 
serve in traditionally underserved LEAs;
    (2) Providing principals or other School Leaders with Evidence-
Based Professional Development activities that address literacy, 
numeracy, remedial, or other needs of LEAs and the students the 
agencies serve; or
    (3) Providing principals or other School Leaders with Evidence-
Based professional enhancement activities, which may include activities 
that lead to an advanced credential.

    Note: An applicant must identify at least one but no more than 
two citations for the purposes of meeting the evidence requirement 
for the priority the applicant addresses, Moderate Evidence for 
Absolute Priority 1 or Promising Evidence for Absolute Priority 2. 
An applicant should clearly identify these citations in the Evidence 
form. The Department will not review a citation that an applicant 
fails to clearly identify for review. Studies included for review 
may have been conducted by the applicant or by a third party.

    In addition to including up to two citations, an applicant must 
provide a description of: (1) The positive outcome(s) and practice(s) 
the applicant intends to replicate under its SEED grant and (2) the 
relevance of the outcome(s) and practice(s) to the SEED program. For an 
applicant addressing Absolute Priority 1 to meet the definition of 
Moderate Evidence, the

[[Page 12357]]

applicant must describe how the population it proposes to serve 
overlaps with the population or settings in the citations.
    An applicant must ensure that all evidence is available to the 
Department from publicly available sources and provide links or other 
guidance indicating where it is available. If the Department determines 
that an applicant has provided insufficient information, the applicant 
will not have an opportunity to provide additional information at a 
later time. However, if the What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) determines 
that a study does not provide enough information on key aspects of the 
study design, such as sample attrition or equivalence of intervention 
and comparison groups, the WWC will submit a query to the study 
author(s) to gather information for use in determining a study rating. 
Authors are asked to respond to queries within 10 business days. Should 
the author query remain incomplete within 14 days of the initial 
contact to the study author(s), the study will be deemed ineligible 
under the grant competition. After the grant competition closes, the 
WWC will continue to include responses to author queries and will make 
updates to study reviews as necessary, but no additional information 
will be taken into account after the competition closes and the initial 
timeline established for response to an author query passes.
    Competitive Preference Priority: For FY 2018 and any subsequent 
year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applications 
from this competition, this priority is a competitive preference 
priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i) we award up to an additional 
three points to an application, depending on how well the application 
addresses this priority.
    This priority is:
    Promoting Science, Technology, Engineering, or Math (STEM) 
Education, With a Particular Focus on Computer Science.
    Projects designed to improve student achievement or other 
educational outcomes in one or more of the following areas: Science, 
technology, engineering, math, or Computer Science. These projects must 
address the following priority area:
    Increasing the number of educators adequately prepared to deliver 
rigorous instruction in STEM fields, including Computer Science, 
through recruitment, Evidence-Based Professional Development strategies 
for current STEM educators, or evidence-based retraining strategies for 
current educators seeking to transition from other subjects to STEM 
fields.
    Invitational Priority: For FY 2018 and any subsequent year in which 
we make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this 
competition, this priority is an invitational priority. Under 34 CFR 
75.105(c)(1) we do not give an application that meets this invitational 
priority a competitive or absolute preference over other applications.
    This priority is:
    Support for the Use of Micro-Credentials.
    Under this priority, we are interested in projects that support 
teachers, principals, or other School Leaders earning micro-credentials 
based on demonstrated mastery of specific skills or competencies 
through the use of performance-based outcomes. The micro-credentials 
should be portable across schools, LEAs, or States.
    Definitions: The definition of ``Evidence-Based'' is from section 
2242 of the ESEA (20 U.S.C. 6672) and section 8101 of the ESEA (20 
U.S.C. 7801). The definitions of ``Institution of Higher Education,'' 
which incorporates by reference section 101(a) of the Higher Education 
Opportunity Act (20 U.S.C. 7801(a)), ``Local Educational Agency,'' 
``Professional Development,'' ``School Leader,'' and ``State 
Educational Agency'' are from section 8101 of the ESEA (20 U.S.C. 
7801). The definition of ``Computer Science'' is from the Supplemental 
Priorities. The definitions of ``Experimental Study,'' ``Moderate 
Evidence,'' ``Project Component,'' ``Promising Evidence,'' ``Quasi-
Experimental Design Study,'' ``Relevant Outcome,'' and ``What Works 
Clearinghouse Handbook'' are from 34 CFR 77.1.
    Computer Science means the study of computers and algorithmic 
processes and includes the study of computing principles and theories, 
computational thinking, computer hardware, software design, coding, 
analytics, and computer applications.
    Computer science often includes computer programming or coding as a 
tool to create software, including applications, games, websites, and 
tools to manage or manipulate data; or development and management of 
computer hardware and the other electronics related to sharing, 
securing, and using digital information.
    In addition to coding, the expanding field of computer science 
emphasizes computational thinking and interdisciplinary problem-solving 
to equip students with the skills and abilities necessary to apply 
computation in our digital world.
    Computer science does not include using a computer for everyday 
activities, such as browsing the internet; use of tools like word 
processing, spreadsheets, or presentation software; or using computers 
in the study and exploration of unrelated subjects.
    Evidence-Based, when used with respect to a State, Local 
Educational Agency, or school activity, means an activity, strategy, or 
intervention that demonstrates a statistically significant effect on 
improving student outcomes or other Relevant Outcomes based on--
    (I) Strong evidence from at least 1 well-designed and well-
implemented Experimental Study;
    (II) Moderate Evidence from at least 1 well-designed and well-
implemented Quasi-Experimental Study; or
    (III) Promising Evidence from at least 1 well-designed and well-
implemented correlational study with statistical controls for selection 
bias.
    Experimental Study means a study that is designed to compare 
outcomes between two groups of individuals (such as students) that are 
otherwise equivalent except for their assignment to either a treatment 
group receiving a Project Component or a control group that does not. 
Randomized controlled trials, regression discontinuity design studies, 
and single-case design studies are the specific types of experimental 
studies that, depending on their design and implementation (e.g., 
sample attrition in randomized controlled trials and regression 
discontinuity design studies), can meet What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) 
standards without reservations as described in the WWC Handbook:
    (i) A randomized controlled trial employs random assignment of, for 
example, students, teachers, classrooms, or schools to receive the 
Project Component being evaluated (the treatment group) or not to 
receive the Project Component (the control group).
    (ii) A regression discontinuity design study assigns the Project 
Component being evaluated using a measured variable (e.g., assigning 
students reading below a cutoff score to tutoring or developmental 
education classes) and controls for that variable in the analysis of 
outcomes.
    (iii) A single-case design study uses observations of a single case 
(e.g., a student eligible for a behavioral intervention) over time in 
the absence and presence of a controlled treatment manipulation to 
determine whether the outcome is systematically related to the 
treatment.
    Institution of Higher Education means an educational institution in 
any State that--

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    (a) Admits as regular students only persons having a certificate of 
graduation from a school providing secondary education, or the 
recognized equivalent of such a certificate, or persons who meet the 
requirements of section 484(d) of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as 
amended (HEA);
    (b) Is legally authorized within such State to provide a program of 
education beyond secondary education;
    (c) Provides an educational program for which the institution 
awards a bachelor's degree or provides not less than a 2-year program 
that is acceptable for full credit toward such a degree, or awards a 
degree that is acceptable for admission to a graduate or professional 
degree program, subject to review and approval by the Secretary;
    (d) Is a public or other nonprofit institution; and
    (e) Is accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency or 
association, or if not so accredited, is an institution that has been 
granted preaccreditation status by such an agency or association that 
has been recognized by the Secretary for the granting of 
preaccreditation status, and the Secretary has determined that there is 
satisfactory assurance that the institution will meet the accreditation 
standards of such an agency or association within a reasonable time.
    Local Educational Agency (LEA) means:
    (a) In General. 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 LEA receiving assistance under the ESEA with the 
smallest student population, except that the school shall not be 
subject to the jurisdiction of any SEA 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 SEA in a State 
in which the SEA is the sole educational agency for all public schools.
    Moderate Evidence means that there is evidence of effectiveness of 
a key Project Component in improving a Relevant Outcome for a sample 
that overlaps with the populations or settings proposed to receive that 
component, based on a relevant finding from one of the following:
    (i) A practice guide prepared by the WWC using version 2.1 or 3.0 
of the WWC Handbook reporting a ``strong evidence base'' or ``moderate 
evidence base'' for the corresponding practice guide recommendation;
    (ii) An intervention report prepared by the WWC using version 2.1 
or 3.0 of the WWC Handbook reporting a ``positive effect'' or 
``potentially positive effect'' on a Relevant Outcome based on a 
``medium to large'' extent of evidence, with no reporting of a 
``negative effect'' or ``potentially negative effect'' on a Relevant 
Outcome; or
    (iii) A single Experimental Study or Quasi-Experimental Design 
Study reviewed and reported by the WWC using version 2.1 or 3.0 of the 
WWC Handbook, or otherwise assessed by the Department using version 3.0 
of the WWC Handbook, as appropriate, and that--
    (A) Meets WWC standards with or without reservations;
    (B) Includes at least one statistically significant and positive 
(i.e., favorable) effect on a Relevant Outcome;
    (C) Includes no overriding statistically significant and negative 
effects on Relevant Outcomes reported in the study or in a 
corresponding WWC intervention report prepared under version 2.1 or 3.0 
of the WWC Handbook; and
    (D) Is based on a sample from more than one site (e.g., State, 
county, city, school district, or postsecondary campus) and includes at 
least 350 students or other individuals across sites. Multiple studies 
of the same Project Component that each meet requirements in paragraphs 
(iii)(A), (B), and (C) of this definition may together satisfy this 
requirement.
    Professional Development means activities that--
    (a) Are an integral part of school and LEA strategies for providing 
educators (including teachers, principals, other School Leaders, 
specialized instructional support personnel, paraprofessionals, and, as 
applicable, early childhood educators) with the knowledge and skills 
necessary to enable students to succeed in a well-rounded education and 
to meet the challenging State academic standards; and
    (b) Are sustained (not stand-alone, 1-day, or short term 
workshops), intensive, collaborative, job-embedded, data-driven, and 
classroom-focused, and may include activities that--
    (i) Improve and increase teachers': (1) Knowledge of the academic 
subjects the teachers teach; (2) understanding of how students learn; 
and (3) ability to analyze student work and achievement from multiple 
sources, including how to adjust instructional strategies, assessments, 
and materials based on such analysis;
    (ii) Are an integral part of broad schoolwide and districtwide 
educational improvement plans;
    (iii) Allow personalized plans for each educator to address the 
educator's specific needs identified in observation or other feedback;
    (iv) Improve classroom management skills;
    (v) Support the recruitment, hiring, and training of effective 
teachers, including teachers who became certified through State and 
local alternative routes to certification;
    (vi) Advance teacher understanding of: (1) Effective instructional 
strategies that are Evidence-Based; and (2) strategies for improving 
student academic achievement or substantially increasing the knowledge 
and teaching skills of teachers;
    (vii) Are aligned with, and directly related to, academic goals of 
the school or LEA;
    (viii) Are developed with extensive participation of teachers, 
principals, other School Leaders, parents, representatives of Indian 
Tribes (as applicable), and administrators of schools to be served 
under this Act;
    (ix) Are designed to give teachers of English learners, and other 
teachers and instructional staff, the knowledge and skills to provide 
instruction and appropriate language and academic support services to 
those children, including the appropriate use of curricula and 
assessments;
    (x) To the extent appropriate, provide training for teachers, 
principals, and other School Leaders in the use of technology 
(including education about the harms of copyright piracy), so that

[[Page 12359]]

technology and technology applications are effectively used in the 
classroom to improve teaching and learning in the curricula and 
academic subjects in which the teachers teach;
    (xi) As a whole, are regularly evaluated for their impact on 
increased teacher effectiveness and improved student academic 
achievement, with the findings of the evaluations used to improve the 
quality of professional development;
    (xii) Are designed to give teachers of children with disabilities 
or children with developmental delays, and other teachers and 
instructional staff, the knowledge and skills to provide instruction 
and academic support services, to those children, including positive 
behavioral interventions and supports, multi-tier system of supports, 
and use of accommodations;
    (xiii) Include instruction in the use of data and assessments to 
inform and instruct classroom practice;
    (xiv) Include instruction in ways that teachers, principals, other 
School Leaders, specialized instructional support personnel, and school 
administrators may work more effectively with parents and families;
    (xv) Involve the forming of partnerships with Institutions of 
Higher Education, including, as applicable, Tribal Colleges and 
Universities as defined in section 316(b) of the HEA (20 U.S.C. 
1059c(b)), to establish school-based teacher, principal, and other 
School Leader training programs that provide prospective teachers, 
novice teachers, principals, and other School Leaders with an 
opportunity to work under the guidance of experienced teachers, 
principals, other School Leaders, and faculty of such institutions;
    (xvi) Create programs to enable paraprofessionals (assisting 
teachers employed by an LEA receiving assistance under part A of title 
I of the ESEA) to obtain the education necessary for those 
paraprofessionals to become certified and licensed teachers;
    (xvii) Provide follow-up training to teachers who have participated 
in activities described in paragraph (b) of this definition that are 
designed to ensure that the knowledge and skills learned by the 
teachers are implemented in the classroom; and
    (xviii) Where practicable, provide jointly for school staff and 
other early childhood education program providers, to address the 
transition to elementary school, including issues related to school 
readiness.
    Project Component means an activity, strategy, intervention, 
process, product, practice, or policy included in a project. Evidence 
may pertain to an individual project component or to a combination of 
project components (e.g., training teachers on instructional practices 
for English learners and follow-on coaching for these teachers).
    Promising Evidence means that there is evidence of the 
effectiveness of a key Project Component in improving a Relevant 
Outcome, based on a relevant finding from one of the following:
    (i) A practice guide prepared by WWC reporting a ``strong evidence 
base'' or ``moderate evidence base'' for the corresponding practice 
guide recommendation;
    (ii) An intervention report prepared by the WWC reporting a 
``positive effect'' or ``potentially positive effect'' on a Relevant 
Outcome with no reporting of a ``negative effect'' or ``potentially 
negative effect'' on a Relevant Outcome; or
    (iii) A single study assessed by the Department, as appropriate, 
that--
    (A) Is an Experimental Study, a Quasi-Experimental Design Study, or 
a well-designed and well-implemented correlational study with 
statistical controls for selection bias (e.g., a study using regression 
methods to account for differences between a treatment group and a 
comparison group); and
    (B) Includes at least one statistically significant and positive 
(i.e., favorable) effect on a Relevant Outcome.
    Quasi-Experimental Design Study means a study using a design that 
attempts to approximate an Experimental Study by identifying a 
comparison group that is similar to the treatment group in important 
respects. This type of study, depending on design and implementation 
(e.g., establishment of baseline equivalence of the groups being 
compared), can meet WWC standards with reservations, but cannot meet 
WWC standards without reservations, as described in the WWC Handbook.
    Relevant Outcome means the student outcome(s) or other outcome(s) 
the key Project Component is designed to improve, consistent with the 
specific goals of the program.
    School Leader means a principal, assistant principal, or other 
individual who is--
    (a) An employee or officer of an elementary school or secondary 
school, LEA, or other entity operating an elementary school or 
secondary school; and
    (b) Responsible for the daily instructional leadership and 
managerial operations in the elementary school or secondary school 
building.
    State Educational Agency (SEA) means the agency primarily 
responsible for the State supervision of public elementary schools and 
secondary schools.
    What Works Clearinghouse Handbook (WWC Handbook) means the 
standards and procedures set forth in the WWC Procedures and Standards 
Handbook, Version 3.0 or Version 2.1 (incorporated by reference, see 34 
CFR 77.2). Study findings eligible for review under WWC standards can 
meet WWC standards without reservations, meet WWC standards with 
reservations, or not meet WWC standards. WWC practice guides and 
intervention reports include findings from systematic reviews of 
evidence as described in the Handbook documentation.

    Program Authority: Section 2242 of the ESEA (20 U.S.C. 6672).

    Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations in 34 CFR parts 75, 77, 79, 81, 82, 84, 86, 
97, 98, and 99. (b) The Office of Management and Budget 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 86 apply to Institutions of 
Higher Education only.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
    Estimated Available Funds: The Administration's budget request for 
FY 2018 does not include funds for new awards under this program. 
However, we are inviting applications to allow sufficient time to 
complete the grant process before the end of the current fiscal year, 
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: $1,000,000-$6,000,000 per project year.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $3,500,000 per project year.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 5-8.

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

    Project Period: Up to 36 months, with renewal of up two additional 
years.

[[Page 12360]]

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants:
    (a) An Institution of Higher Education that provides course 
materials or resources that are Evidence-Based in increasing academic 
achievement, graduation rates, or rates of postsecondary education 
matriculation;
    (b) A national nonprofit organization with a demonstrated record of 
raising student academic achievement, graduation rates, and rates of 
higher education attendance, matriculation, or completion, or of 
effectiveness in providing preparation and Professional Development 
activities and programs for teachers, principals, or other School 
Leaders;
    (c) The Bureau of Indian Education; or
    (d) A partnership consisting of--
    (i) One or more entities described in paragraph (a) or (b); and
    (ii) A for-profit entity.
    2. a. Cost Sharing or Matching: Under section 2242 of the ESEA, 
each grant recipient must provide, from non-Federal sources, at least 
25 percent of the funds for the total cost for each year of activities 
supported by the grant. These funds may be provided in cash or through 
in-kind contributions. Grantees must include a budget showing their 
matching contributions on an annual basis relative to the annual budget 
amount of SEED grant funds and must provide evidence of their matching 
contributions for the first year of the grant in their grant 
applications.
    Section 2242 of the ESEA also authorizes the Secretary to waive 
this matching requirement on a case-by-case basis in cases of 
demonstrated financial hardship. Applicants that wish to apply for a 
waiver must include a request in their application that demonstrates a 
financial hardship.
    Further information about applying for waivers can be found in the 
application package. However, given the importance of matching funds to 
the long-term success of the project, the Secretary expects eligible 
entities to identify appropriate matching funds.
    b. Supplement-Not-Supplant: This program involves supplement-not-
supplant funding requirements. Under section 2301 of the ESEA (20 
U.S.C. 6691), funds made available under title II of the ESEA must be 
used to supplement, and not supplant, non-Federal funds that would 
otherwise be used for activities authorized under this title. Further, 
the prohibition against supplanting funds also means that grantees 
seeking to charge indirect costs to SEED funds will need to use their 
negotiated restricted indirect cost rates. See 34 CFR 75.563.
    3. Subgrantees: (a) Under 34 CFR 75.708(b) and (c) a grantee under 
this competition may award subgrants--to directly carry out project 
activities described in its application--to the following types of 
entities: LEAs, public entities, and private entities suitable to carry 
out the activities proposed in the application.
    (b) The grantee may award subgrants to entities it has identified 
in an approved application or under procedures established by the 
grantee.
    4. Certification: Pursuant to section 2242 of the ESEA (20 U.S.C. 
6672), applicants must include a certification that the services 
provided by an eligible entity under the grant to a LEA or to a school 
served by the LEA will not result in direct fees for participating 
students or parents.

IV. Application and Submission Information

    1. Application Submission Instructions: For information on how to 
submit an application please refer to our Common Instructions for 
Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs, 
published in the Federal Register on February 12, 2018 (83 FR 6003) and 
available at www.thefederalregister.org/fdsys/pkg/FR-2018-02-12/pdf/2018-02558.pdf.
    2. Submission of Proprietary Information: Given the types of 
projects that may be proposed in applications for the SEED program, 
your application may include business information that you consider 
proprietary. In 34 CFR 5.11 we define ``business information'' and 
describe the process we use in determining whether any of that 
information is proprietary and, thus, protected from disclosure under 
Exemption 4 of the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552, as 
amended).
    Because we plan to make successful applications available to the 
public, you may wish to request confidentiality of business 
information.
    Consistent with Executive Order 12600, please designate in your 
application any information that you feel is exempt from disclosure 
under Exemption 4. In the appropriate Appendix section of your 
application, under ``Other Attachments Form,'' please list the page 
number or numbers on which we can find this information. For additional 
information please see 34 CFR 5.11(c).
    3. Intergovernmental Review: This 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.
    4. Funding Restrictions: We reference regulations outlining funding 
restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.
    5. Recommended Page Limit: The application narrative is where you, 
the applicant, address the selection criteria that reviewers use to 
evaluate your application. We recommend that you (1) limit the 
application narrative to 40 pages and (2) use the following standards:
     A ``page'' is 8.5'' x 11'', on one side only, with 1'' 
margins at the top, bottom, and both sides.
     Double space (no more than three lines per vertical inch) 
all text in the application narrative, including titles, headings, 
footnotes, quotations, references, and captions, as well as all text in 
charts, tables, figures, and graphs.
     Use a font that is either 12 point or larger or no smaller 
than 10 pitch (characters per inch).
     Use one of the following fonts: Times New Roman, Courier, 
Courier New, or Arial.
    The recommended page limit does not apply to Part I, the cover 
sheet; Part II, the budget section, including the narrative budget 
justification; Part IV, the assurances and certifications; or the one-
page abstract, the resumes, the bibliography, or the letters of 
support. However, the recommended page limit does apply to all of the 
application narrative.

V. Application Review Information

    1. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this competition 
are from 34 CFR 75.210. An applicant may earn up to a total of 100 
points based on the selection criteria. The maximum score for each 
criterion is indicated in parentheses. Each criterion also includes the 
sub-factors that the reviewers will consider in determining how well an 
application meets the criterion. The criteria are as follows:
    A. Quality of the Project Design (35 points). The Secretary 
considers the quality of the design of the proposed project. In 
determining the quality of the design of the proposed project, the 
Secretary considers the following factors:
    (1) The extent to which the proposed project represents an 
exceptional approach to the priority or priorities established for the 
competition.
    (2) The extent to which the training or Professional Development 
services to be provided by the proposed project are of sufficient 
quality, intensity, and duration to lead to improvements in

[[Page 12361]]

practice among the recipients of those services.
    (3) The extent to which the services to be provided by the proposed 
project involve the collaboration of appropriate partners for 
maximizing the effectiveness of project services.
    (4) The extent to which the services to be provided by the proposed 
project are focused on those with greatest needs.
    (5) The extent to which the design of the proposed project is 
appropriate to, and will successfully address, the needs of the target 
population or other identified needs.
    B. Significance (20 points). The Secretary considers the 
significance of the proposed project. In determining the significance 
of the proposed project, the Secretary considers the following factors:
    (1) The importance or magnitude of the results or outcomes likely 
to be attained by the proposed project, especially improvements in 
teaching and student achievement.
    (2) The extent to which the costs are reasonable in relation to the 
number of persons to be served and to the anticipated results and 
benefits.
    (3) The potential for the incorporation of project purposes, 
activities, or benefits into the ongoing program of the agency or 
organization at the end of Federal funding.
    (4) The extent to which the results of the proposed project are to 
be disseminated in ways that will enable others to use the information 
or strategies.
    C. Quality of the Management Plan (25 points). The Secretary 
considers the quality of the management plan for the proposed project. 
In determining the quality of the management plan for the proposed 
project, the Secretary considers the following factors:
    (1) The 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 adequacy of procedures for ensuring feedback and continuous 
improvement in the operation of the proposed project.
    D. Quality of the Project Evaluation (20 points). The Secretary 
considers the quality of the evaluation to be conducted of the proposed 
project. In determining the quality of the evaluation, 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 WWC standards with or without reservations as described 
in the WWC Handbook.
    (2) The extent to which the methods of evaluation will provide 
performance feedback and permit periodic assessment of progress toward 
achieving intended outcomes.
    (3) The extent to which the methods of evaluation include the use 
of objective performance measures that are clearly related to the 
intended outcomes of the project and will produce quantitative and 
qualitative data to the extent possible.
    (4) The extent to which the methods of evaluation will provide 
valid and reliable performance data on Relevant Outcomes.

    Note: Applicants may wish to review the following technical 
assistance resources on evaluation: (1) WWC Procedures and Standards 
Handbooks: https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/Handbooks (2) ``Technical 
Assistance Materials for Conducting Rigorous Impact Evaluations'': 
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.
    In addition, in making a competitive grant award, the Secretary 
requires various assurances, including those applicable to Federal 
civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination in programs or 
activities receiving Federal financial assistance from the Department 
(34 CFR 100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).
    Additional factors we consider in selecting an application for an 
award are as follows:
    (a) As required under section 2242 of the ESEA, the Secretary must 
ensure that, to the extent practicable, grants are distributed among 
eligible entities that will serve geographically diverse areas, 
including urban, suburban, and rural areas.
    (b) As required under section 2242 of the ESEA, the Department must 
not award more than one grant under this program to an eligible entity 
during a grant competition. If an entity submits multiple applications 
for this competition, only the highest rated application will be 
considered for an award.
    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 the System for Award Management. You may 
review and comment on any information about yourself that a Federal 
agency previously entered and that is currently in FAPIIS.
    Please note that, if the total value of your currently active 
grants, cooperative agreements, and procurement contracts from the 
Federal Government exceeds $10,000,000, the reporting requirements in 2 
CFR part 200, Appendix XII, require you to report certain integrity 
information to FAPIIS semiannually. Please review the requirements in 2 
CFR part 200, Appendix XII, if this grant

[[Page 12362]]

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. Open Licensing Requirements: Unless an exception applies, if you 
are awarded a grant under this competition, you will be required to 
openly license to the public grant deliverables created in whole, or in 
part, with Department grant funds. When the deliverable consists of 
modifications to pre-existing works, the license extends only to those 
modifications that can be separately identified and only to the extent 
that open licensing is permitted under the terms of any licenses or 
other legal restrictions on the use of pre-existing works. For 
additional information on the open licensing requirements please refer 
to 2 CFR 3474.20(c).
    4. Reporting: (a) If you apply for a grant under this competition, 
you must ensure that you have in place the necessary processes and 
systems to comply with the reporting requirements in 2 CFR part 170 
should you receive funding under the competition. This does not apply 
if you have an exception under 2 CFR 170.110(b).
    (b) At the end of your project period, you must submit a final 
performance report, including financial information, as directed by the 
Secretary. If you receive a multiyear award, you must submit an annual 
performance report that provides the most current performance and 
financial expenditure information as directed by the Secretary under 34 
CFR 75.118. The Secretary may also require more frequent performance 
reports under 34 CFR 75.720(c). For specific requirements on reporting, 
please go to www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/appforms/appforms.html.
    (c) Under 34 CFR 75.250(b), the Secretary may provide a grantee 
with additional funding for data collection analysis and reporting. In 
this case the Secretary establishes a data collection period.
    5. Performance Measures: The overall purpose of the SEED program is 
to increase the number of highly effective educators by supporting 
Evidence-Based projects that prepare or provide Professional 
Development or enhancement activities for teachers, principals, or 
other School Leaders. We have established the following performance 
measures for the SEED program: (a) The percentage of teacher, 
principal, or other School Leader participants who serve concentrations 
of high-need students; (b) the percentage of teacher and principal 
participants who serve concentrations of high-need students and are 
highly effective; (c) the percentage of teacher and principal 
participants who serve concentrations of high-need students, are highly 
effective, and serve for at least two years; (d) the cost per such 
participant; and (e) the number of grantees with evaluations that meet 
the WWC standards with reservations. Grantees will report annually on 
each measure.
    6. Continuation Awards: In making a continuation award under 34 CFR 
75.253, the Secretary considers, among other things: Whether a grantee 
has made substantial progress in achieving the goals and objectives of 
the project; whether the grantee has expended funds in a manner that is 
consistent with its approved application and budget; and, if the 
Secretary has established performance measurement requirements, the 
performance targets in the grantee's approved application.
    In making a continuation award, the Secretary also considers 
whether the grantee is operating in compliance with the assurances in 
its approved application, including those applicable to Federal civil 
rights laws that prohibit discrimination in programs or activities 
receiving Federal financial assistance from the Department (34 CFR 
100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).

VII. Other Information

    Accessible Format: 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.
    Electronic Access to This Document: The official version of this 
document is the document published in the Federal Register. You may 
access the official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of 
Federal Regulations 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: March 16, 2018.
Margo Anderson,
Acting Assistant Deputy Secretary for Innovation and Improvement.
[FR Doc. 2018-05750 Filed 3-20-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4000-01-P