83 FR 30151 - Applications for New Awards; Native Hawaiian Career and Technical Education Program (NHCTEP)

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 124 (June 27, 2018)

The Department of Education (Department) is issuing a notice inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY) 2018 for the Native Hawaiian Career and Technical Education Program (NHCTEP), Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number 84.259A.

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 124 (Wednesday, June 27, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30151-30158]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-13856]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Applications for New Awards; Native Hawaiian Career and Technical 
Education Program (NHCTEP)

AGENCY: Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education, Department of 
Education.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Education (Department) is issuing a notice 
inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY) 2018 for the 
Native Hawaiian Career and Technical Education Program (NHCTEP), 
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number 84.259A.

DATES: 
    Applications Available: June 27, 2018.
    Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply: July 9, 2018. We will be 
able to develop a more efficient process for reviewing grant 
applications if we can anticipate the number of applicants that intend 
to apply for funding under this competition. Therefore, we strongly 
encourage each potential applicant to notify us of the applicant's 
intent to submit an application for funding by sending a short email 
message. This short email should provide the applicant organization's 
name and address. Please send this email notification to 
[email protected] with ``Intent to Apply'' in the email subject line. 
Applicants that do not provide this email notification may still apply 
for funding.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: July 27, 2018.
    Pre-Application Teleconference Information: The Department will 
hold a pre-application meeting via teleconference for prospective 
applicants on July 9, 2018 at 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time. The 
teleconference is intended to provide technical assistance to all 
interested grant applicants. Information regarding the teleconference 
can be found on the Perkins Collaborative Resource Network at http://cte.ed.gov/.

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: Linda Mayo, U.S. Department of 
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Potomac Center Plaza, Room 11075, 
Washington, DC 20202-7241. Telephone: (202) 245-7792. 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 Native Hawaiian Career and Technical 
Education Program (NHCTEP) provides grants to eligible community-based 
organizations to plan, conduct, and administer programs, or portions of 
programs, that are for the benefit of Native Hawaiians and authorized 
by and consistent with the purposes of section 116 of the Carl D. 
Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 (Act). Section 
116(e) of the Act provides that programs, services, and activities 
funded under NHCTEP must support and improve career and technical 
education programs. (20 U.S.C. 2326(e))
    Background: Under section 116(h) of the Act, eligible community-
based organizations receive NHCTEP grants to plan, conduct, and 
administer programs, or portions thereof that are consistent with the 
purposes of section 116 of the Act, for the benefit of Native 
Hawaiians. Section 116(e) of the Act provides that educational 
programs, services, and activities funded under NHCTEP must support and 
help to improve career and technical education programs. (20 U.S.C. 
2326(e)). This requirement, along with the statutory definition of 
``career and technical education,'' aligns NHCTEP with other programs 
authorized under the Act that offer a sequence of courses that provides 
individuals with coherent and rigorous content.
    Under section 3(5)(A) of the Act (20 U.S.C. 2302(5)(A)), the 
Department awards grants under this competition to carry out career and 
technical education projects that provide organized educational 
activities offering a sequence of courses that--
    (a) Provides individuals with coherent and rigorous content aligned 
with challenging academic standards and relevant technical knowledge 
and skills needed to prepare for further education and careers in 
current or emerging professions;
    (b) Provides technical skill proficiency, an industry-recognized 
credential, a certificate, or an associate degree; and
    (c) Includes competency-based applied learning that contributes to 
the

[[Page 30152]]

academic knowledge, higher-order reasoning and problem-solving skills, 
work attitudes, general employability skills, technical skills, and 
occupation-specific skills, and knowledge of all aspects of an 
industry, including entrepreneurship, of an individual. Projects may 
include prerequisite courses (other than remedial courses) that meet 
the definition of ``career and technical education,'' in section 
3(5)(A) of the Act. (20 U.S.C. 2302(5)(A)). In addition, at the 
secondary level, coherent and rigorous academic curriculum in reading 
or language arts and in mathematics must be aligned with challenging 
academic content standards and student academic achievement standards 
that the State in which the applicant is located has established under 
the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA).

    Note: Contacts for State ESEA programs may be found on the 
internet at: www.ed.gov/about/contacts/state/index.html.

    Priority: This notice contains one invitational priority. The 
invitational priority is from the Secretary's Final Supplemental 
Priorities and Definitions for Discretionary Grant Programs, published 
on March 2, 2018 (83 FR 9096) (Secretary's Supplemental Priorities).
    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:
    Creating or expanding opportunities for students to obtain 
recognized postsecondary credentials in science, technology, 
engineering, mathematics, or computer science.
    For the purposes of this invitational priority, 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. (See definition of 
``computer science'' in the Secretary's Supplemental Priorities)
    Requirements: Requirements 1-6 are from the notice of final 
requirements, definitions, and selection criteria for this program 
(notice of final requirements), published in the Federal Register on 
March 24, 2009 (74 FR 12341). Requirement 7 is from section 315 of the 
Act.
    Requirement 1--Authorized Programs:
    (a) In accordance with section 116(e) of the Act, under this 
program, NHCTEP projects must--
    (1) Develop new programs, services, or activities or improve or 
expand existing programs, services, or activities that are consistent 
with the purposes of the Act. In other words, the Department will 
support ``expansions'' or ``improvements'' that include, but are not 
necessarily limited to, the expansion of effective programs or 
practices; upgrading of activities, equipment, or materials; increasing 
staff capacity; adoption of new technology; modification of curriculum; 
or implementation of new policies to improve program effectiveness and 
outcomes; and
    (2) Fund a CTE program, service, or activity that--
    (i) Is a new program, service, or activity that was not provided by 
the applicant during the instructional term (a defined period, such as 
a semester, trimester, or quarter, within the academic year) that 
preceded the request for funding under NHCTEP;
    (ii) Will improve or expand an existing CTE program; or
    (iii) Inherently improves CTE. A program, service, or activity 
``inherently improves CTE'' if it--
    (A) Develops new CTE programs of study for approval by the 
appropriate accreditation agency;
    (B) Strengthens the rigor of the academic and career and technical 
components of funded programs;
    (C) Uses curriculum that is aligned with industry-recognized 
standards and will result in students attaining industry-recognized 
credentials, certificates, or degrees;
    (D) Integrates academics (other than remedial courses) with CTE 
programs through a coherent sequence of courses to help ensure learning 
in the core academic and career and technical subjects;
    (E) Links CTE at the secondary level with CTE at the postsecondary 
level and facilitates students' pursuit of a baccalaureate degree;
    (F) Expands the scope, depth, and relevance of curriculum, 
especially content that provides students with a comprehensive 
understanding of all aspects of an industry and a variety of hands-on, 
job-specific experiences; or
    (G) Offers--
    (1) Work-related experience, internships, cooperative education, 
school-based enterprises, studies in entrepreneurship, community 
service learning, and job shadowing that are related to CTE programs;
    (2) Coaching/mentoring, support services, and extra help for 
students after school, on the weekends, or during the summer, so they 
can meet higher standards;
    (3) Career guidance and academic counseling for students 
participating in CTE programs under NHCTEP;
    (4) Placement services for students who have successfully completed 
CTE programs and attained a technical skill proficiency that is aligned 
with industry-recognized standards;
    (5) Professional development programs for teachers, counselors, and 
administrators;
    (6) Strong partnerships among grantees and local educational 
agencies, postsecondary institutions, community leaders, adult 
education providers, and, as appropriate, other entities, such as 
employers, labor organizations, parents, and local partnerships, to 
enable students to achieve State academic standards and attain career 
and technical skills;
    (7) The use of student assessment and evaluation data to improve 
continually instruction and staff development; or
    (8) Research, development, demonstration, dissemination, evaluation 
and assessment, capacity-building, and technical assistance, related to 
CTE programs.
    Requirement 2--Evaluation:
    To help ensure the high quality of NHCTEP projects and the 
achievement of the goals and purposes of section 116(h) of the Act, 
each grantee must budget for and conduct an ongoing evaluation of the 
effectiveness of its project. An independent evaluator must conduct the 
evaluation. The evaluation must--

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    (a) Be appropriate for the project and be both formative and 
summative in nature; and
    (b) Include--
    (1) Collection and reporting of the performance measures for NHCTEP 
that are identified in the Performance Measures section of this notice; 
and
    (2) Qualitative and quantitative data with respect to--
    (i) Academic and career and technical competencies demonstrated by 
the participants and the number and kinds of academic and work 
credentials acquired by individuals, including their participation in 
programs providing skill proficiency assessments, industry 
certifications, or training at the associate degree level that is 
articulated with an advanced degree option;
    (ii) Enrollment, completion, and placement of participants by 
gender, for each occupation for which training was provided;
    (iii) Job or work skill attainment or enhancement, including 
participation in apprenticeship and work-based learning programs, and 
student progress in achieving technical skill proficiencies necessary 
to obtain employment in the field for which the student has been 
prepared, including attainment or enhancement of technical skills in 
the industry the student is preparing to enter;
    (iv) Activities, during the formative stages of the project, to 
help guide and improve the project, as well as a summative evaluation 
that includes recommendations for disseminating information on project 
activities and results;
    (v) The number and percentage of students who obtained industry-
recognized credentials, certificates, or degrees;
    (vi) The outcomes of students' technical assessments, by type and 
scores, if available;
    (vii) The rates of attainment of a proficiency credential or 
certificate, in conjunction with a secondary school diploma;
    (viii) The effectiveness of the project, including a comparison 
between the intended and observed results and a demonstration of a 
clear link between the observed results and the specific treatment 
given to project participants;
    (ix) The extent to which information about or resulting from the 
project was disseminated at other sites, such as through the grantee's 
development and use of guides or manuals that provide step-by-step 
directions for practitioners to follow when initiating similar efforts; 
and
    (x) The impact of the project, e.g., follow-up data on students' 
employment, sustained employment, promotions, further and continuing 
education or training, or the impact the project had on Native Hawaiian 
economic development or career and technical education activities.
    Requirement 3--Student Stipends:
    A portion of an award under this program may be used to provide 
stipends (as defined in the Definitions section of this notice) to help 
students meet the costs of participation in a NHCTEP project.
    (1) To be eligible for a stipend a student must--
    (i) Be enrolled in a CTE project funded under this program;
    (ii) Be in regular attendance in a NHCTEP project and meet the 
training institution's attendance requirement;
    (iii) Maintain satisfactory progress in his or her program of study 
according to the training institution's published standards for 
satisfactory progress; and
    (iv) Have an acute economic need that--
    (A) Prevents participation in a project funded under this program 
without a stipend; and
    (B) Cannot be met through a work-study program.
    (2) The amount of a stipend is the greater of either the minimum 
hourly wage prescribed by State or local law or the minimum hourly wage 
established under the Fair Labor Standards Act.
    (3) A grantee may award a stipend only if the stipend combined with 
other resources the student receives does not exceed the student's 
financial need. A student's financial need is the difference between 
the student's cost of attendance and the financial aid or other 
resources available to defray the student's cost of attending a NHCTEP 
project.
    (4) To calculate the amount of a student's stipend, a grantee must 
multiply the number of hours a student actually attends CTE instruction 
by the amount of the minimum hourly wage that is prescribed by State or 
local law, or by the minimum hourly wage that is established under the 
Fair Labor Standards Act. The grantee must reduce the amount of a 
stipend if necessary to ensure that it does not exceed the student's 
financial need.
    Example: If a grantee uses the Fair Labor Standards Act minimum 
hourly wage of $7.25 and a student attends classes for 20 hours a week, 
the student's stipend would be $145 for the week during which the 
student attends classes ($7.25 x 20 = $145.00). If the program lasts 16 
weeks and the student's total financial need is $2,000, the grantee 
must reduce the weekly stipend to $125, because the total stipend for 
the course would otherwise exceed the student's financial need by $320 
(or $20 a week).

    Note: Grantees must maintain records that fully support their 
decisions to award stipends to students, as well as the amounts that 
are paid, such as proof of a student's enrollment in a NHCTEP 
project, stipend applications, timesheets showing the number of 
hours of student attendance that are confirmed in writing by an 
instructor, student financial status information, and evidence that 
a student could not participate in the NHCTEP project without a 
stipend. (See generally 20 U.S.C. 1232f; 34 CFR 75.700-75.702; 
75.730; and 75.731.)

    (5) An eligible student may receive a stipend when taking a course 
for the first time. However, generally a stipend may not be provided to 
a student who has already taken, completed, and had the opportunity to 
benefit from a course and is merely repeating the course.
    (6) An applicant must include in its application the procedure it 
intends to use to determine student eligibility for stipends and 
stipend amounts, and its oversight procedures for the awarding and 
payment of stipends.
    Requirement 4--Direct Assistance to Students:
    A grantee may provide direct assistance (as defined elsewhere in 
this notice under the heading Definitions) to a student only if the 
following conditions are met:
    (1) The recipient of the direct assistance is an individual who is 
a member of a special population (as defined in section 3(29) of the 
Act) and who is participating in a NHCTEP project.
    (2) The direct assistance is needed to address barriers to the 
individual's successful participation in a NHCTEP project.
    (3) The direct assistance is part of a broader, more generally 
focused program or activity for addressing the needs of an individual 
who is a member of a special population.

    Note: Direct assistance to individuals who are members of 
special populations is not, by itself, a ``program or activity for 
special populations.''

    (4) The grant funds used for direct assistance must be expended to 
supplement, and not supplant, assistance that is otherwise available 
from non-Federal sources. For example, generally, a community-based 
organization could not use NHCTEP funds to provide child care for 
single parents if non-Federal funds previously were made available for 
this purpose, or if non-Federal funds are used to provide child care 
services for single parents participating in non-career and technical 
education programs and these services otherwise (in the absence of

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NHCTEP funds) would have been available to CTE students.
    (5) In determining how much of the NHCTEP grant funds it will use 
for direct assistance to an eligible student, a grantee--
    (i) May only provide assistance to the extent that it is needed to 
address barriers to the individual's successful participation in CTE; 
and
    (ii) Considers whether the specific services to be provided are a 
reasonable and necessary cost of providing career and technical 
education programs for special populations. However, the Secretary does 
not envision a circumstance in which it would be a reasonable and 
necessary expenditure of NHCTEP project funds for a grantee to utilize 
a majority of a project's budget to pay direct assistance to students, 
in lieu of providing the students served by the project with CTE.
    Requirement 5--Career and Technical Education Agreement:
    Any applicant that is not proposing to provide CTE directly to 
Native Hawaiian students and proposes instead to pay one or more 
qualified educational entities to provide such CTE to Native Hawaiian 
students must include with its application a written CTE agreement 
between the applicant and the educational entity. The written agreement 
must describe the commitment between the applicant and the educational 
entity and must include, at a minimum, a statement of the 
responsibilities of the applicant and the entity. The agreement must be 
signed by the appropriate individuals on behalf of each party, such as 
the authorizing official or administrative head of the applicant Native 
Hawaiian community-based organization.
    Requirement 6: Supplement-Not-Supplant:
    Grantees may not use funds under NHCTEP to replace otherwise 
available non-Federal funding for ``direct assistance to students'' (as 
defined elsewhere in this notice under the heading Definitions) and 
family assistance programs. For example, NHCTEP funds must not be used 
to supplant non-Federal funds to pay the costs of students' tuition, 
dependent care, transportation, books, supplies, and other costs 
associated with participation in a CTE program.
    Further, funds under NHCTEP may not be used to replace Federal 
student financial aid. The Act does not authorize the Secretary to fund 
projects that serve primarily as entities through which students may 
apply for and receive tuition and other financial assistance.
    Requirement 7--Additional Statutory Requirement Limiting Services:
    Section 315 of the Act prohibits the use of funds received under 
the Act to provide vocational and technical education programs to 
students prior to the seventh grade, except that equipment and 
facilities purchased with funds under the Act may be used by such 
students. (20 U.S.C. 2395)
    Definitions: These definitions are from the Act and the notice of 
final requirements. The source of each definition is noted after the 
definition.
    Acute economic need means an income that is at or below the 
national poverty level according to the latest available data from the 
U.S. Department of Commerce or the U.S. Department of Health and Human 
Services Poverty Guidelines. (Notice of Final Requirements)
    Career and technical education (CTE) means organized educational 
activities that--
    (a) Offer a sequence of courses that--
    (1) Provides individuals with coherent and rigorous content aligned 
with challenging academic standards and relevant technical knowledge 
and skills needed to prepare for further education and careers in 
current or emerging professions;
    (2) Provides technical skill proficiency, an industry-recognized 
credential, a certificate, or an associate degree; and
    (3) May include prerequisite courses (other than a remedial course) 
that meet the requirements of this definition; and
    (b) Include competency-based applied learning that contributes to 
the academic knowledge, higher-order reasoning and problem-solving 
skills, work attitudes, general employability skills, technical skills, 
and occupation-specific skills, and knowledge of all aspects of an 
industry, including entrepreneurship, of an individual. (20 U.S.C. 
2302(5))
    Coherent sequence of courses means a series of courses in which 
career and academic education is integrated, and that directly relates 
to, and leads to, both academic and occupational competencies. The term 
includes competency-based education and academic education, and adult 
training or retraining, including sequential units encompassed within a 
single adult retraining course, that otherwise meets the requirements 
of this definition. (Notice of Final Requirements)
    Direct assistance to students means tuition, dependent care, 
transportation, books, and supplies that are necessary for a student to 
participate in a project funded under this program. (Notice of Final 
Requirements)
    Individual with a disability means an individual with any 
disability (as defined in section 12102 of title 42) (20 U.S.C. 
2302(17)
    Individual with limited English proficiency means a secondary 
school student, an adult, or an out-of-school youth, who has limited 
ability in speaking, reading, writing, or understanding the English 
language, and--
    (a) Whose native language is a language other than English; or
    (b) Who lives in a family or community environment in which a 
language other than English is the dominant language. (20 U.S.C. 
2302(16))
    Native Hawaiian means any individual any of whose ancestors were 
natives, prior to 1778, of the area which now comprises the State of 
Hawaii. (20 U.S.C. 2326(a)(4))
    Special populations means--
    (a) Individuals with disabilities;
    (b) Individuals from economically disadvantaged families, including 
foster children;
    (c) Individuals preparing for nontraditional fields;
    (d) Single parents, including single pregnant women;
    (e) Displaced homemakers; and
    (f) Individuals with limited English proficiency. (20 U.S.C. 
2302(29))
    Stipend means a subsistence allowance--
    (a) For a student who is enrolled in a CTE program funded under the 
NHCTEP;
    (b) For a student who has an acute economic need that cannot be met 
through work-study programs; and
    (c) That is necessary for the student to participate in a project 
funded under this program. (Notice of Final Requirements)
    Support services means services related to curriculum modification, 
equipment modification, classroom modification, supportive personnel, 
and instructional aids and devices. (20 U.S.C. 2302(31))
    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 2301, et seq., particularly 2326(a)-
(g).
    Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations in 34 CFR parts 75, 77, 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

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the Department in 2 CFR part 3474. (d) The notice of final requirements 
published in the Federal Register on March 24, 2009 (74 FR 12341). (e) 
The Secretary's Supplemental Priorities published on March 2, 2018 (83 
FR 9096).

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
    Estimated Available Funds: $2,753,000, for the first 12 months of 
the project period. Funding for years two and three is subject to the 
availability of funds and to a grantee meeting the requirements of 34 
CFR 75.253.
    Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of 
applications, we may make additional awards in FY 2019 or in subsequent 
years from the list of unfunded applications from this competition.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $250,000 to $500,000.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $276,000.
    Maximum Award: We will not make an award exceeding $500,000 for a 
single budget period of 12 months.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 10.

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

    Project Period: Up to 36 months. The Secretary may extend the 
performance periods of funded NHCTEP grantees for an additional two 
years, should Congress continue to appropriate funds under the Act.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: The following entities are eligible to 
apply under this competition:
    (a) Community-based organizations primarily serving and 
representing Native Hawaiians. For purposes of the NHCTEP, a community-
based organization means a public or private organization that provides 
career and technical education, or related services, to individuals in 
the Native Hawaiian community.
    (b) Any community-based organization may apply individually or as 
part of a consortium with one or more eligible community-based 
organizations. (Eligible applicants seeking to apply for funds as a 
consortium must meet the requirements in 34 CFR 75.127-75.129.)
    2. (a) Cost Sharing or Matching: This program does not require cost 
sharing or matching.
    (b) Supplement-Not-Supplant: This program involves supplement-not-
supplant funding requirements. In accordance with section 311(a) of the 
Act, funds under this program may not be used to supplant non-Federal 
funds used to carry out CTE activities. Further, the prohibition 
against supplanting also means that grantees are required to use their 
negotiated restricted indirect cost rates under this program. (34 CFR 
75.563)
    We caution applicants not to plan to use funds under NHCTEP to 
replace otherwise available non-Federal funding for direct assistance 
to students and family assistance programs. For example, NHCTEP funds 
must not be used to supplant non-Federal funds with Federal funds in 
order to pay the costs of students' tuition, dependent care, 
transportation, books, supplies, and other costs associated with 
participation in a CTE program.
    Funds under NHCTEP should not be used to replace Federal student 
financial aid. The Act does not authorize the Secretary to fund 
projects that serve primarily as entities through which students may 
apply for and receive tuition and other financial assistance.
    (c) Limitation on Services: Section 315 of the Act prohibits the 
use of funds received under the Act to provide CTE programs to students 
prior to the seventh grade.

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. Intergovernmental Review: This program is not subject to 
Executive Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79.
    3. Funding Restrictions: We reference regulations outlining funding 
restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.
    4. Notice of Intent to Apply: The Department will be able to review 
grant applications more efficiently if we know the approximate number 
of applicants that intend to apply. Therefore, we strongly encourage 
each potential applicant to notify us of their intent to submit an 
application. To do so, please email [email protected] with the subject 
line ``Intent to Apply,'' and include the applicant's name and a 
contact person's name and email address. Applicants that do not submit 
a notice of intent to apply may still apply for funding; applicants 
that do submit a notice of intent to apply are not bound to apply or 
bound by the information provided.

V. Application Review Information

    1. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this program are 
from the notice of final requirements, and are as follows.
    The maximum possible score for addressing each criterion is 
indicated in parentheses.
    (a) Quality of the Project Design (35 points). In determining the 
quality of the design of the proposed project, we consider the 
following factors:
    (1) 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 (as evidenced by such data as 
local labor market demand, occupational trends, and surveys). (Up to 5 
points)
    (2) The extent to which goals, objectives, and outcomes are clearly 
specified and measurable. (For example, we look for clear descriptions 
of proposed student career and technical education activities; 
recruitment and retention strategies; expected student enrollments, 
completions, and placements in jobs, military specialties, and 
continuing education/training opportunities; the number of teachers, 
counselors, and administrators to be trained; and identification of 
requirements for each program of study to be provided under the 
project, including related training areas and a description of 
performance outcomes.) (Up to 10 points)
    (3) The extent to which the proposed project will establish 
linkages with other appropriate agencies (e.g., community, State, and 
other Federal resources) and organizations providing services to the 
target population in order to improve services to students and 
strengthen outcomes for the proposed project. (Up to 5 points)
    (4) The extent to which the services to be provided by the proposed 
project will create and offer activities that focus on enabling 
participants to obtain the skills necessary to gain employment in high-
skill, high-wage, and high-demand occupations in emerging fields or in 
a specific career field. (Up to 5 points)
    (5) The extent to which the services to be provided by the proposed 
project will create opportunities for students to acquire skills 
identified by the State at the secondary level or by industry-
recognized career and technical education programs for licensure, 
degree, certification, or as required by a career or profession. (Up to 
5 points)
    (6) The extent to which the proposed project will provide 
opportunities for

[[Page 30156]]

high-quality training or professional development services that--
    (i) Are of sufficient quality, intensity, and duration to lead to 
improvements in practice among instructional personnel;
    (ii) Will improve and increase instructional personnel's knowledge 
and skills to help students meet challenging and rigorous academic and 
career and technical skill proficiencies;
    (iii) Will advance instructional personnel's understanding of 
effective instructional strategies that are supported by scientifically 
based research; and
    (iv) Include professional development plans that clearly address 
ways in which learning gaps will be addressed and how continuous review 
of performance will be conducted to identify training needs. (Up to 5 
points)
    (b) Quality of the Management Plan (15 points). In determining the 
quality of the management plan for the proposed project, we consider 
the following factors:
    (1) The adequacy of the management plan to achieve the objectives 
of the proposed project on time and within budget, including clearly 
defined responsibilities, timelines, and the milestones and performance 
standards for accomplishing project tasks. (Up to 5 points)
    (2) The extent to which the time commitments of the project 
director and other key project personnel, including instructors, are 
appropriate and adequate to meet the objectives of the proposed 
project. (Up to 5 points)
    (3) The adequacy of procedures for ensuring feedback and continuous 
improvement in the operation of the proposed project. (Up to 5 points)
    (c) Quality of Project Personnel (25 points). In determining the 
quality of project personnel, we consider the following factors:
    (1) The extent to which the applicant encourages applications for 
employment from persons who are members of groups that have 
traditionally been underrepresented based on race, color, national 
origin, gender, age, or disability. (Up to 5 points)
    (2) The qualifications, including relevant training, expertise, and 
experience, of the project director. (Up to 10 points)
    (3) The qualifications, including relevant training, expertise, and 
experience, of key project personnel, especially the extent to which 
the project will use instructors who are certified to teach in the 
field in which they will provide instruction. (Up to 5 points)
    (4) The qualifications, including training, expertise, and 
experience, of project consultants. (Up to 5 points)
    (d) Adequacy of Resources (20 points). In determining the adequacy 
of resources for the proposed project, we consider the following 
factors:
    (1) The adequacy of support, including facilities, equipment, 
supplies, and other resources, from the applicant organization(s) and 
the entities to be served, including the evidence and relevance of 
commitments (e.g., articulation agreements, memoranda of understanding, 
letters of support, or commitments to employ project participants) of 
the applicant, local employers, or entities to be served by the 
project. (Up to 10 points)
    (2) The extent to which the budget is adequate and costs are 
reasonable in relation to the objectives and design of the proposed 
project. (Up to 5 points)
    (3) The potential for continued support of the project after 
Federal funding ends. (Up to 5 points)
    (e) Quality of the Project Evaluation (25 points). In determining 
the quality of the evaluation, we consider the following factors:
    (1) The extent to which the methods of evaluation proposed by the 
grantee are thorough, feasible, and appropriate to the goals, 
objectives, and outcomes of the proposed project.\1\ (Up to 10 points)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ This may include the Government Performance and Results Act 
of 1993 (GPRA) performance measures.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    (2) 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 the performance measures discussed 
elsewhere in this notice and will produce quantitative and qualitative 
data, to the extent possible. (Up to 5 points)
    (3) The extent to which the methods of evaluation will provide 
performance feedback and continuous improvement toward achieving 
intended outcomes. (Up to 5 points)
    (4) The quality of the proposed evaluation to be conducted by an 
external evaluator with the necessary background and technical 
expertise to carry out the evaluation. (Up to 5 points)
    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).
    3. Risk Assessment and Specific 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 specific 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 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.

[[Page 30157]]

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. 
Additionally, a grantee or subgrantee that is awarded competitive grant 
funds must have a plan to disseminate these public grant deliverables. 
This dissemination plan can be developed and submitted after your 
application has been reviewed and selected for funding. For additional 
information on the open licensing requirements please refer to 2 CFR 
3474.20.
    4. Reporting: (a) If you apply for a grant under this competition, 
you must ensure that you have in place the necessary processes and 
systems to comply with the reporting requirements in 2 CFR part 170 
should you receive funding under the competition. This does not apply 
if you have an exception under 2 CFR 170.110(b).
    (b) At the end of your project period, you must submit a final 
performance report, including financial information, as directed by the 
Secretary. If you receive a multiyear award, you must submit an annual 
performance report that provides the most current performance and 
financial expenditure information as directed by the Secretary under 34 
CFR 75.118. The Secretary may also require more frequent performance 
reports under 34 CFR 75.720(c). For specific requirements on reporting, 
please go to www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/appforms/appforms.html.
    5. Performance Measures: Under the Government Performance and 
Results Act of 1993 (GPRA), Federal departments and agencies must 
clearly describe the goals and objectives of their programs, identify 
resources and actions needed to accomplish these goals and objectives, 
develop a means of measuring progress made, and regularly report on 
their achievement. One important source of program information on 
successes and lessons learned is the project evaluation conducted under 
individual grants. The Department has established the following core 
factors and measures for evaluating the overall effectiveness of the 
NHCTEP and projects supported under this program. Consequently, we 
advise an applicant for a grant under this program to give careful 
consideration to these core factors and measures.
    (a) Number of Secondary, Postsecondary, and Adult Projects. The 
number of secondary, postsecondary, and adult projects that--
    (1) Apply industry-recognized skill standards so that students can 
earn skill certificates in those projects; and
    (2) Offer skill competencies, related assessments, and industry-
recognized skill certificates in an area of study offered by secondary 
and postsecondary institutions.
    (b) Secondary Projects. The percentage of participating secondary 
career and technical education students who--
    (1) Meet or exceed State proficiency standards in reading/language 
arts and mathematics;
    (2) Attain a secondary school diploma or its State-recognized 
equivalent, or a proficiency credential in conjunction with a secondary 
school diploma;
    (3) Attain career and technical education skill proficiencies 
aligned with industry-recognized standards; and
    (4) Are placed in postsecondary education, advanced training, 
military service, or employment in high-skill, high-wage, and high-
demand occupations or in current or emerging occupations.
    (c) Postsecondary Projects. The percentage of participating 
postsecondary students in career and technical education programs who--
    (1) Receive postsecondary degrees, certificates, or credentials;
    (2) Attain career and technical education skill proficiencies 
aligned with industry-recognized standards;
    (3) Receive industry-recognized credentials, certificates, or 
degrees;
    (4) Are retained in postsecondary education or transfer to a 
baccalaureate degree program; and
    (5) Are placed in military service or apprenticeship programs, or 
are placed in employment, receive an employment promotion, or retain 
employment.

    Note:  All grantees must submit an annual performance report 
addressing these performance measures, to the extent feasible and to 
the extent that they apply to each grantee's NHCTEP project.

    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 persons 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

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your search to documents published by the Department.

    Dated: June 22, 2018.
Michael E. Wooten,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Career, Technical, and Adult Education.
[FR Doc. 2018-13856 Filed 6-26-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4000-01-P