83_FR_47104 83 FR 46924 - Applications for New Authorities; Innovative Assessment Demonstration Authority

83 FR 46924 - Applications for New Authorities; Innovative Assessment Demonstration Authority

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 180 (September 17, 2018)

Page Range46924-46931
FR Document2018-20152

The Department of Education is issuing a notice inviting applications for new authorities for fiscal year (FY) 2019 under the Innovative Assessment Demonstration Authority.

Federal Register, Volume 83 Issue 180 (Monday, September 17, 2018)
[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 180 (Monday, September 17, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46924-46931]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-20152]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Applications for New Authorities; Innovative Assessment 
Demonstration Authority

AGENCY: Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, Department of 
Education.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Education is issuing a notice inviting 
applications for new authorities for fiscal year (FY) 2019 under the 
Innovative Assessment Demonstration Authority.

DATES: 
    Applications Available: September 17, 2018.
    Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply: October 17, 2018.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: December 17, 2018.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Donald Peasley, U.S. Department of 
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Room 3E124, Washington, DC 20202-
6132. Telephone: (202) 453-7982. 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. Opportunity Description

    Purpose of Program: The Secretary provides State educational 
agencies (SEAs), including consortia of SEAs, with the authority to 
establish and operate an innovative assessment system in their public 
schools under the Innovative Assessment Demonstration Authority in 
section 1204 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as 
amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESEA or the Act). During the 
initial demonstration period--i.e., the first three years that the 
Secretary provides innovative assessment demonstration authority--no 
more than seven SEAs may participate, including those participating in 
consortia, which may include no more than four SEAs. The Department 
held its first competition for this authority in 2018. We have awarded 
one State the authority and continue to consider one other application. 
Provided no additional authority is awarded under the 2018 competition, 
up to six additional States may be approved for this authority during 
this competition. If fewer than seven States are approved through the 
2018 competition and this competition, the Department expects to 
conduct another competition in FY 2020.
    Requirements: The following requirements are from 34 CFR 200.105.
    An eligible application must include the following:
    (a) Consultation. Evidence that the SEA or consortium has developed 
an innovative assessment system in collaboration with--
    (1) Experts in the planning, development, implementation, and 
evaluation of innovative assessment systems, which may include external 
partners; and
    (2) Affected stakeholders in the State, or in each State in the 
consortium, including--
    (i) Those representing the interests of children with disabilities, 
English learners, and other subgroups of students described in section 
1111(c)(2) of the Act;
    (ii) Teachers, principals, and other school leaders;
    (iii) Local educational agencies (LEAs);
    (iv) Representatives of Indian Tribes located in the State;
    (v) Students and parents, including parents of children described 
in paragraph (a)(2)(i) of this section; and
    (vi) Civil rights organizations.
    (b) Innovative assessment system. A demonstration that the 
innovative assessment system does or will--
    (1) Meet the requirements of section 1111(b)(2)(B) of the Act, 
except that an innovative assessment--
    (i) Need not be the same assessment administered to all public 
elementary and secondary school students in the State during the 
demonstration authority period described in 34 CFR 200.104(b)(2) or 
extension period described in 34 CFR 200.108 and prior to statewide use 
consistent with 34 CFR 200.107, if the innovative assessment system 
will be administered initially to all students in participating schools 
within a participating LEA, provided that the statewide academic 
assessments under 34 CFR 200.2(a)(1) and section 1111(b)(2) of the Act 
are administered to all students in any non-participating LEA or any 
non-participating school within a participating LEA; and
    (ii) Need not be administered annually in each of grades 3-8 and at 
least once in grades 9-12 in the case of reading/language arts and 
mathematics assessments, and at least once in grades 3-5, 6-9, and 10-
12 in the case of science assessments, so long as the statewide 
academic assessments under 34 CFR 200.2(a)(1) and section 1111(b)(2) of 
the Act are administered in any required grade and subject under 34 CFR 
200.5(a)(1) in which the SEA does not choose to implement an innovative 
assessment;
    (2)(i) Align with the challenging State academic content standards 
under section 1111(b)(1) of the Act, including the depth and breadth of 
such standards, for the grade in which a student is enrolled; and
    (ii) May measure a student's academic proficiency and growth using 
items above or below the student's grade level so long as, for purposes 
of meeting the requirements for reporting and school accountability 
under sections 1111(c) and 1111(h) of the Act and paragraphs (b)(3) and 
(b)(7)-(9) of this section, the State measures each student's academic 
proficiency based on the challenging State academic standards for the 
grade in which the student is enrolled;
    (3) Express student results or competencies consistent with the 
challenging State academic achievement standards under section 
1111(b)(1) of the Act and identify which students are not making 
sufficient progress toward, and attaining, grade-level proficiency on 
such standards;
    (4)(i) Generate results, including annual summative determinations 
as defined in paragraph (b)(7) of this section, that are valid, 
reliable, and comparable for all students and for each subgroup of 
students described in 34 CFR 200.2(b)(11)(i)(A)-(I) and sections 
1111(b)(2)(B)(xi) and 1111(h)(1)(C)(ii) of the Act, to the results 
generated by the State academic assessments described in

[[Page 46925]]

34 CFR 200.2(a)(1) and section 1111(b)(2) of the Act for such students. 
Consistent with the SEA's or consortium's evaluation plan under 34 CFR 
200.106(e), the SEA must plan to annually determine comparability 
during each year of its demonstration authority period in one of the 
following ways:
    (A) Administering full assessments from both the innovative and 
statewide assessment systems to all students enrolled in participating 
schools, such that at least once in any grade span (i.e., 3-5, 6-8, or 
9-12) and subject for which there is an innovative assessment, a 
statewide assessment in the same subject would also be administered to 
all such students. As part of this determination, the innovative 
assessment and statewide assessment need not be administered to an 
individual student in the same school year.
    (B) Administering full assessments from both the innovative and 
statewide assessment systems to a demographically representative sample 
of all students and subgroups of students described in section 
1111(c)(2) of the Act, from among those students enrolled in 
participating schools, such that at least once in any grade span (i.e., 
3-5, 6-8, or 9-12) and subject for which there is an innovative 
assessment, a statewide assessment in the same subject would also be 
administered in the same school year to all students included in the 
sample.
    (C) Including, as a significant portion of the innovative 
assessment system in each required grade and subject in which both an 
innovative and statewide assessment are administered, items or 
performance tasks from the statewide assessment system that, at a 
minimum, have been previously pilot tested or field tested for use in 
the statewide assessment system.
    (D) Including, as a significant portion of the statewide assessment 
system in each required grade and subject in which both an innovative 
and statewide assessment are administered, items or performance tasks 
from the innovative assessment system that, at a minimum, have been 
previously pilot tested or field tested for use in the innovative 
assessment system.
    (E) An alternative method for demonstrating comparability that an 
SEA can demonstrate will provide for an equally rigorous and 
statistically valid comparison between student performance on the 
innovative assessment and the statewide assessment, including for each 
subgroup of students described in 34 CFR 200.2(b)(11)(i)(A)-(I) and 
sections 1111(b)(2)(B)(xi) and 1111(h)(1)(C)(ii) of the Act; and
    (ii) Generate results, including annual summative determinations as 
defined in paragraph (b)(7) of this section, that are valid, reliable, 
and comparable, for all students and for each subgroup of students 
described in 34 CFR 200.2(b)(11)(i)(A)-(I) and sections 
1111(b)(2)(B)(xi) and 1111(h)(1)(C)(ii) of the Act, among participating 
schools and LEAs in the innovative assessment demonstration authority. 
Consistent with the SEA's or consortium's evaluation plan under 34 CFR 
200.106(e), the SEA must plan to annually determine comparability 
during each year of its demonstration authority period;
    (5)(i) Provide for the participation of all students, including 
children with disabilities and English learners;
    (ii) Be accessible to all students by incorporating the principles 
of universal design for learning, to the extent practicable, consistent 
with 34 CFR 200.2(b)(2)(ii); and
    (iii) Provide appropriate accommodations consistent with 34 CFR 
200.6(b) and (f)(1)(i) and section 1111(b)(2)(B)(vii) of the Act;
    (6) For purposes of the State accountability system consistent with 
section 1111(c)(4)(E) of the Act, annually measure in each 
participating school progress on the Academic Achievement indicator 
under section 1111(c)(4)(B) of the Act of at least 95 percent of all 
students, and 95 percent of students in each subgroup of students 
described in section 1111(c)(2) of the Act, who are required to take 
such assessments consistent with paragraph (b)(1)(ii) of this section;
    (7) Generate an annual summative determination of achievement, 
using the annual data from the innovative assessment, for each student 
in a participating school in the demonstration authority that 
describes--
    (i) The student's mastery of the challenging State academic 
standards under section 1111(b)(1) of the Act for the grade in which 
the student is enrolled; or
    (ii) In the case of a student with the most significant cognitive 
disabilities assessed with an alternate assessment aligned with 
alternate academic achievement standards under section 1111(b)(1)(E) of 
the Act, the student's mastery of those standards;
    (8) Provide disaggregated results by each subgroup of students 
described in 34 CFR 200.2(b)(11)(i)(A)-(I) and sections 
1111(b)(2)(B)(xi) and 1111(h)(1)(C)(ii) of the Act, including timely 
data for teachers, principals and other school leaders, students, and 
parents consistent with 34 CFR 200.8 and section 1111(b)(2)(B)(x) and 
(xii) and section 1111(h) of the Act, and provide results to parents in 
a manner consistent with paragraph (b)(4)(i) of this section and part 
200.2(e); and
    (9) Provide an unbiased, rational, and consistent determination of 
progress toward the State's long-term goals for academic achievement 
under section 1111(c)(4)(A) of the Act for all students and each 
subgroup of students described in section 1111(c)(2) of the Act and a 
comparable measure of student performance on the Academic Achievement 
indicator under section 1111(c)(4)(B) of the Act for participating 
schools relative to non-participating schools so that the SEA may 
validly and reliably aggregate data from the system for purposes of 
meeting requirements for--
    (i) Accountability under sections 1003 and 1111(c) and (d) of the 
Act, including how the SEA will identify participating and non-
participating schools in a consistent manner for comprehensive and 
targeted support and improvement under section 1111(c)(4)(D) of the 
Act; and
    (ii) Reporting on State and LEA report cards under section 1111(h) 
of the Act.
    (c) Selection Criteria. Information that addresses each of the 
selection criteria under 34 CFR 200.106.
    (d) Assurances. Assurances that the SEA, or each SEA in a 
consortium, will--
    (1) Continue use of the statewide academic assessments in reading/
language arts, mathematics, and science required under 34 CFR 
200.2(a)(1) and section 1111(b)(2) of the Act--
    (i) In all non-participating schools; and
    (ii) In all participating schools for which such assessments will 
be used in addition to innovative assessments for accountability 
purposes under section 1111(c) of the Act consistent with paragraph 
(b)(1)(ii) of this section or for evaluation purposes consistent with 
34 CFR 200.106(e) during the demonstration authority period;
    (2) Ensure that all students and each subgroup of students 
described in section 1111(c)(2) of the Act in participating schools are 
held to the same challenging State academic standards under section 
1111(b)(1) of the Act as all other students, except that students with 
the most significant cognitive disabilities may be assessed with 
alternate assessments aligned with alternate academic achievement 
standards consistent with 34 CFR 200.6 and section 1111(b)(1)(E) and 
(b)(2)(D)

[[Page 46926]]

of the Act, and receive the instructional support needed to meet such 
standards;
    (3) Report the following annually to the Secretary, at such time 
and in such manner as the Secretary may reasonably require:
    (i) An update on implementation of the innovative assessment 
demonstration authority, including--
    (A) The SEA's progress against its timeline under 34 CFR 200.106(c) 
and any outcomes or results from its evaluation and continuous 
improvement process under 34 CFR 200.106(e); and
    (B) If the innovative assessment system is not yet implemented 
statewide consistent with 34 CFR 200.104(a)(2), a description of the 
SEA's progress in scaling up the system to additional LEAs or schools 
consistent with its strategies under 34 CFR 200.106(a)(3)(i), including 
updated assurances from participating LEAs consistent with paragraph 
(e)(2) of this section.
    (ii) The performance of students in participating schools at the 
State, LEA, and school level, for all students and disaggregated for 
each subgroup of students described in section 1111(c)(2) of the Act, 
on the innovative assessment, including academic achievement and 
participation data required to be reported consistent with section 
1111(h) of the Act, except that such data may not reveal any personally 
identifiable information.
    (iii) If the innovative assessment system is not yet implemented 
statewide, school demographic information, including enrollment and 
student achievement information, for the subgroups of students 
described in section 1111(c)(2) of the Act, among participating schools 
and LEAs and for any schools or LEAs that will participate for the 
first time in the following year, and a description of how the 
participation of any additional schools or LEAs in that year 
contributed to progress toward achieving high-quality and consistent 
implementation across demographically diverse LEAs in the State 
consistent with the SEA's benchmarks described in 34 CFR 
200.106(a)(3)(iii).
    (iv) Feedback from teachers, principals and other school leaders, 
and other stakeholders consulted under paragraph (a)(2) of this 
section, including parents and students, from participating schools and 
LEAs about their satisfaction with the innovative assessment system.
    (4) Ensure that each participating LEA informs parents of all 
students in participating schools about the innovative assessment, 
including the grades and subjects in which the innovative assessment 
will be administered, and, consistent with section 1112(e)(2)(B) of the 
Act, at the beginning of each school year during which an innovative 
assessment will be implemented. Such information must be--
    (i) In an understandable and uniform format;
    (ii) To the extent practicable, written in a language that parents 
can understand or, if it is not practicable to provide written 
translations to a parent with limited English proficiency, be orally 
translated for such parent; and
    (iii) Upon request by a parent who is an individual with a 
disability as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, provided 
in an alternative format accessible to that parent; and
    (5) Coordinate with and provide information to, as applicable, the 
Institute of Education Sciences for purposes of the progress report 
described in section 1204(c) of the Act and ongoing dissemination of 
information under section 1204(m) of the Act.
    (e) Initial implementation in a subset of LEAs or schools. If the 
innovative assessment system will initially be administered in a subset 
of LEAs or schools in a State--
    (1) A description of each LEA, and each of its participating 
schools, that will initially participate, including demographic 
information and its most recent LEA report card under section 
1111(h)(2) of the Act; and
    (2) An assurance from each participating LEA, for each year that 
the LEA is participating, that the LEA will comply with all 
requirements of this section.
    (f) Application from a consortium of SEAs. If an application for 
the innovative assessment demonstration authority is submitted by a 
consortium of SEAs--
    (1) A description of the governance structure of the consortium, 
including--
    (i) The roles and responsibilities of each member SEA, which may 
include a description of affiliate members, if applicable, and must 
include a description of financial responsibilities of member SEAs;
    (ii) How the member SEAs will manage and, at their discretion, 
share intellectual property developed by the consortium as a group; and
    (iii) How the member SEAs will consider requests from SEAs to join 
or leave the consortium and ensure that changes in membership do not 
affect the consortium's ability to implement the innovative assessment 
demonstration authority consistent with the requirements and selection 
criteria in this section and 34 CFR 200.106.
    (2) While the terms of the association with affiliate members are 
defined by each consortium, consistent with 34 CFR 200.104(b)(1) and 
paragraph (f)(1)(i) of this section, for an affiliate member to become 
a full member of the consortium and to use the consortium's innovative 
assessment system under the demonstration authority, the consortium 
must submit a revised application to the Secretary for approval, 
consistent with the requirements of this section and 34 CFR 200.106 and 
subject to the limitation under 34 CFR 200.104(d).
    Definitions: The following definitions are from 34 CFR 200.104(b).
    (1) Affiliate member of a consortium means an SEA that is formally 
associated with a consortium of SEAs that is implementing the 
innovative assessment demonstration authority, but is not yet a full 
member of the consortium because it is not proposing to use the 
consortium's innovative assessment system under the demonstration 
authority, instead of, or in addition to, its statewide assessment 
under section 1111(b)(2) of the Act for purposes of accountability and 
reporting under sections 1111(c) and 1111(h) of the Act.
    (2) Demonstration authority period refers to the period of time 
over which an SEA, or consortium of SEAs, is authorized to implement 
the innovative assessment demonstration authority, which may not exceed 
five years and does not include the extension or waiver period under 34 
CFR 200.108. An SEA must use its innovative assessment system in all 
participating schools instead of, or in addition to, the statewide 
assessment under section 1111(b)(2) of the Act for purposes of 
accountability and reporting under section 1111(c) and 1111(h) of the 
Act in each year of the demonstration authority period.
    (3) Innovative assessment system means a system of assessments, 
which may include any combination of general assessments or alternate 
assessments aligned with alternate academic achievement standards, in 
reading/language arts, mathematics, or science administered in at least 
one required grade under 34 CFR 200.5(a)(1) and section 
1111(b)(2)(B)(v) of the Act that--
    (i) Produces--
    (A) An annual summative determination of each student's mastery of 
grade-level content standards aligned to the challenging State academic 
standards under section 1111(b)(1) of the Act; or

[[Page 46927]]

    (B) In the case of a student with the most significant cognitive 
disabilities assessed with an alternate assessment aligned with 
alternate academic achievement standards under section 1111(b)(1)(E) of 
the Act and aligned with the State's academic content standards for the 
grade in which the student is enrolled, an annual summative 
determination relative to such alternate academic achievement standards 
for each such student; and
    (ii) May, in any required grade or subject, include one or more of 
the following types of assessments:
    (A) Cumulative year-end assessments.
    (B) Competency-based assessments.
    (C) Instructionally embedded assessments.
    (D) Interim assessments.
    (E) Performance-based assessments.
    (F) Another innovative assessment design that meets the 
requirements under 34 CFR 200.105(b).
    (4) Participating LEA means an LEA in the State with at least one 
school participating in the innovative assessment demonstration 
authority.
    (5) Participating school means a public school in the State in 
which the innovative assessment system is administered under the 
innovative assessment demonstration authority instead of, or in 
addition to, the statewide assessment under section 1111(b)(2) of the 
Act and where the results of the school's students on the innovative 
assessment system are used by its State and LEA for purposes of 
accountability and reporting under section 1111(c) and 1111(h) of the 
Act.
    Program Authority: Section 1204 of the ESEA (20 U.S.C. 6364); 34 
CFR 200.104 through 200.108.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Innovation authority.
    Estimated Available Funds: No funds are authorized to be 
appropriated for the Innovative Assessment Demonstration Authority. 
However, an SEA may use funds it receives under Grants for State 
Assessments and Related Activities (see section 1201 of the ESEA (20 
U.S.C. 6361) to implement its innovative assessment system.
    Estimated Number of Awards: As noted earlier, up to six States may 
be approved for this authority in this competition because one State 
has received the authority in 2018. For the initial demonstration 
period, no more than seven States, including States that are part of a 
consortium (which may include no more than four States), may 
participate.
    Project Period: Up to 60 months.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: SEAs (as defined in section 8101(49) of the 
ESEA) and consortia of SEAs that include no more than four SEAs.
    2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This program does not require cost 
sharing or matching.
    3. Other: An application from a consortium of SEAs must designate 
one SEA as the lead State for project management.

IV. Application and Submission Information

    1. Address to Request Application Package: Donald Peasley, Office 
of Elementary and Secondary Education, U.S. Department of Education, 
400 Maryland Avenue SW, Room 3E124, Washington, DC 20202-6132. 
Telephone: (202) 453-7982. Email: [email protected].
    To obtain a copy via the internet, use the following address: 
www2.ed.gov/admins/lead/account/saa.html#Related_Programs_and_Initiatives.
    If you use a TDD or a TTY, call the FRS, toll free, at 1-800-877-
8339.
    Individuals with disabilities can obtain a copy of the application 
package in an accessible format (e.g., braille, large print, audiotape, 
or compact disc) by contacting the program contact person listed in 
this section.
    2.a. Content and Form of Application Submission: Requirements 
concerning the content and form of an application, together with the 
forms you must submit, are in the application package for this program, 
which can be found at www2.ed.gov/admins/lead/account/saa.html#Related_Programs_and_Initiatives.
    Notice of Intent to Apply: We will be able to develop a more 
efficient process for reviewing applications if we have a better 
understanding of the number of applicants that intend to apply for 
selection under this program. Therefore, we strongly encourage each 
potential applicant to notify us of their intent to submit an 
application. This notification should be brief, and identify the SEA 
applicant and, if part of a consortium, the SEA that is the fiscal 
agent for the consortium. Submit this notification by email to 
[email protected] with ``Intent to Apply'' in the email subject 
line or by mail to Donald Peasley, U.S. Department of Education, 400 
Maryland Avenue SW, Room 3E124, Washington, DC 20202-6132. Applicants 
that do not provide this notification may still apply for the 
authority.
    b. Submission of Proprietary Information: Given the types of 
projects that may be proposed in applications for the Innovative 
Assessment Demonstration Authority, 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 believe is exempt from disclosure 
under Exemption 4. In the appropriate Appendix section of your 
application, under ``Other Attachments Form,'' please list the page 
number or numbers on which we can find this information. For additional 
information, please see 34 CFR 5.11(c).
    3. Intergovernmental Review: This competition is not subject to 
Executive Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79.
    4. Submission Dates and Times:
    Applications Available: September 17, 2018.
    Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply: October 17, 2018.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: December 17, 2018.
    Applications under this program must be submitted electronically 
using the Department's application portal at www.Max.gov. For 
directions on how to access and use the application portal, please 
contact Donald Peasley at [email protected]. For information 
(including dates and times) about how to submit your application 
electronically, please refer to Other Submission Requirements in 
section IV of this notice.
    We do not consider an application that does not comply with the 
deadline requirements.
    Individuals with disabilities who need an accommodation or 
auxiliary aid in connection with the application process should contact 
the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. If the 
Department provides an accommodation or auxiliary aid to an individual 
with a disability in connection with the application process, the 
individual's application remains subject to all other requirements and 
limitations in this notice.
    5. Other Submission Requirements:
    a. Electronic Submission of Applications.

[[Page 46928]]

    Applications under this program must be submitted electronically 
using the Department's application portal at www.Max.gov by 5:00:00 
p.m. Eastern Time on December 17, 2018. For directions on how to access 
and use the application portal, please contact Donald Peasley at 
[email protected].
    You may access the electronic application for this program at 
www2.ed.gov/admins/lead/account/saa.html#Related_Programs_and_Initiatives. You must submit all 
documents electronically.
     You must upload any narrative sections and all other 
attachments to your application as files in a read-only, flattened 
Portable Document Format (PDF), meaning any fillable PDF documents must 
be saved as flattened non-fillable files. Do not upload an interactive 
or fillable PDF file. If you upload a file type other than a read-only, 
flattened PDF (e.g., Word, Excel, WordPerfect, etc.) or submit a 
password-protected file, we will not review that material. Please note 
that this could result in your application not being considered because 
the material in question--for example, the project narrative--is 
critical to a meaningful review of your proposal. For that reason it is 
important to allow yourself adequate time to upload all material as PDF 
files. The Department will not convert material from other formats to 
PDF.
     Your application must also meet the Department's 
application requirements as specified in this notice and in the 
application instructions. Disqualifying errors could include, for 
instance, failure to upload attachments in a read-only, flattened PDF; 
failure to submit a required part of the application; or failure to 
meet applicant eligibility requirements. It is your responsibility to 
ensure that your submitted application has met all of the Department's 
requirements.
     We may request that you provide us original signatures on 
forms at a later date.
    b. Submission of Application in Case of Technical Issues.
    If you are prevented from electronically submitting your 
application on the application deadline date because of technical 
problems with the Max.gov system, you may email your application to the 
person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT and provide an 
explanation of the technical problem you experienced. We will contact 
you after we determine whether your application will be accepted.

V. Application Review Information

    1. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this program are 
from 34 CFR 200.106. We will award up to 120 points to an application 
under the selection criteria; the total possible points for addressing 
each selection criterion are noted in parentheses.
    (a) Project narrative. (Up to 40 points)
    The quality of the SEA's or consortium's plan for implementing the 
innovative assessment demonstration authority. In determining the 
quality of the plan, the Secretary considers--
    (1) The rationale for developing or selecting the particular 
innovative assessment system to be implemented under the demonstration 
authority, including--
    (i) The distinct purpose of each assessment that is part of the 
innovative assessment system and how the system will advance the design 
and delivery of large-scale, statewide academic assessments in 
innovative ways; and
    (ii) The extent to which the innovative assessment system as a 
whole will promote high-quality instruction, mastery of challenging 
State academic standards, and improved student outcomes, including for 
each subgroup of students described in section 1111(c)(2) of the Act; 
(5 points if factor (3) is applicable; 10 points if factor (3) is 
inapplicable)
    (2) The plan the SEA or consortium, in consultation with any 
external partners, if applicable, has to--
    (i) Develop and use standardized and calibrated tools, rubrics, 
methods, or other strategies for scoring innovative assessments 
throughout the demonstration authority period, consistent with relevant 
nationally recognized professional and technical standards, to ensure 
inter-rater reliability and comparability of innovative assessment 
results consistent with 34 CFR 200.105(b)(4)(ii), which may include 
evidence of inter-rater reliability; and
    (ii) Train evaluators to use such strategies, if applicable; (25 
points if factor (3) is applicable; 30 points if factor (3) is 
inapplicable) and
    (3) If the system will initially be administered in a subset of 
schools or LEAs in a State--
    (i) The strategies the SEA, including each SEA in a consortium, 
will use to scale the innovative assessment to all schools statewide, 
with a rationale for selecting those strategies;
    (ii) The strength of the SEA's or consortium's criteria that will 
be used to determine LEAs and schools that will initially participate 
and when to approve additional LEAs and schools, if applicable, to 
participate during the requested demonstration authority period; and
    (iii) The SEA's plan, including each SEA in a consortium, for how 
it will ensure that, during the demonstration authority period, the 
inclusion of additional LEAs and schools continues to reflect high-
quality and consistent implementation across demographically diverse 
LEAs and schools, or contributes to progress toward achieving such 
implementation across demographically diverse LEAs and schools, 
including diversity based on enrollment of subgroups of students 
described in section 1111(c)(2) of the Act and student achievement. The 
plan must also include annual benchmarks toward achieving high-quality 
and consistent implementation across participating schools that are, as 
a group, demographically similar to the State as a whole during the 
demonstration authority period, using the demographics of initially 
participating schools as a baseline. (10 points, if applicable)
    (b) Prior experience, capacity, and stakeholder support. (Up to 20 
points)
    (1) The extent and depth of prior experience that the SEA, 
including each SEA in a consortium, and its LEAs have in developing and 
implementing the components of the innovative assessment system. An SEA 
may also describe the prior experience of any external partners that 
will be participating in or supporting its demonstration authority in 
implementing those components. In evaluating the extent and depth of 
prior experience, the Secretary considers--
    (i) The success and track record of efforts to implement innovative 
assessments or innovative assessment items aligned to the challenging 
State academic standards under section 1111(b)(1) of the Act in LEAs 
planning to participate; and
    (ii) The SEA's or LEA's development or use of--
    (A) Effective supports and appropriate accommodations consistent 
with 34 CFR 200.6(b) and (f)(1)(i) and section 1111(b)(2)(B)(vii) of 
the Act for administering innovative assessments to all students, 
including English learners and children with disabilities, which must 
include professional development for school staff on providing such 
accommodations;
    (B) Effective and high-quality supports for school staff to 
implement innovative assessments and innovative assessment items, 
including professional development; and
    (C) Standardized and calibrated tools, rubrics, methods, or other 
strategies for

[[Page 46929]]

scoring innovative assessments, with documented evidence of the 
validity, reliability, and comparability of annual summative 
determinations of achievement, consistent with 34 CFR 200.105(b)(4) and 
(7). (5 points)
    (2) The extent and depth of SEA, including each SEA in a 
consortium, and LEA capacity to implement the innovative assessment 
system considering the availability of technological infrastructure; 
State and local laws; dedicated and sufficient staff, expertise, and 
resources; and other relevant factors. An SEA or consortium may also 
describe how it plans to enhance its capacity by collaborating with 
external partners that will be participating in or supporting its 
demonstration authority. In evaluating the extent and depth of 
capacity, the Secretary considers--
    (i) The SEA's analysis of how capacity influenced the success of 
prior efforts to develop and implement innovative assessments or 
innovative assessment items; and
    (ii) The strategies the SEA is using, or will use, to mitigate 
risks, including those identified in its analysis, and support 
successful implementation of the innovative assessment. (5 points)
    (3) The extent and depth of State and local support for the 
application for demonstration authority in each SEA, including each SEA 
in a consortium, as demonstrated by signatures from the following:
    (i) Superintendents (or equivalent) of LEAs, including 
participating LEAs in the first year of the demonstration authority 
period.
    (ii) Presidents of local school boards (or equivalent, where 
applicable), including within participating LEAs in the first year of 
the demonstration authority.
    (iii) Local teacher organizations (including labor organizations, 
where applicable), including within participating LEAs in the first 
year of the demonstration authority.
    (iv) Other affected stakeholders, such as parent organizations, 
civil rights organizations, and business organizations. (10 points)
    (c) Timeline and budget. (Up to 15 points)
    The quality of the SEA's or consortium's timeline and budget for 
implementing the innovative assessment demonstration authority. In 
determining the quality of the timeline and budget, the Secretary 
considers--
    (1) The extent to which the timeline reasonably demonstrates that 
each SEA will implement the system statewide by the end of the 
requested demonstration authority period, including a description of--
    (i) The activities to occur in each year of the requested 
demonstration authority period;
    (ii) The parties responsible for each activity; and
    (iii) If applicable, how a consortium's member SEAs will implement 
activities at different paces and how the consortium will implement 
interdependent activities, so long as each non-affiliate member SEA 
begins using the innovative assessment in the same school year 
consistent with 34 CFR part 200.104(b)(2); (5 points) and
    (2) The adequacy of the project budget for the duration of the 
requested demonstration authority period, including Federal, State, 
local, and non-public sources of funds to support and sustain, as 
applicable, the activities in the timeline under paragraph (c)(1) of 
this section, including--
    (i) How the budget will be sufficient to meet the expected costs at 
each phase of the SEA's planned expansion of its innovative assessment 
system; and
    (ii) The degree to which funding in the project budget is 
contingent upon future appropriations at the State or local level or 
additional commitments from non-public sources of funds. (10 points)
    (d) Supports for educators, students, and parents. (Up to 25 
points)
    The quality of the SEA or consortium's plan to provide supports 
that can be delivered consistently at scale to educators, students, and 
parents to enable successful implementation of the innovative 
assessment system and improve instruction and student outcomes. In 
determining the quality of supports, the Secretary considers--
    (1) The extent to which the SEA or consortium has developed, 
provided, and will continue to provide training to LEA and school 
staff, including teachers, principals, and other school leaders, that 
will familiarize them with the innovative assessment system and develop 
teacher capacity to implement instruction that is informed by the 
innovative assessment system and its results; (5 points if factor (4) 
is applicable; 9 points if factor (4) is inapplicable)
    (2) The strategies the SEA or consortium has developed and will use 
to familiarize students and parents with the innovative assessment 
system; (5 points if factor (4) is applicable; 8 points if factor (4) 
is inapplicable)
    (3) The strategies the SEA will use to ensure that all students and 
each subgroup of students under section 1111(c)(2) of the Act in 
participating schools receive the support, including appropriate 
accommodations consistent with 34 CFR 200.6(b) and (f)(1)(i) and 
section 1111(b)(2)(B)(vii) of the Act, needed to meet the challenging 
State academic standards under section 1111(b)(1) of the Act; (5 points 
if factor (4) is applicable; 8 points if factor (4) is inapplicable) 
and
    (4) If the system includes assessment items that are locally 
developed or locally scored, the strategies and safeguards (e.g., test 
blueprints, item and task specifications, rubrics, scoring tools, 
documentation of quality control procedures, inter-rater reliability 
checks, audit plans) the SEA or consortium has developed, or plans to 
develop, to validly and reliably score such items, including how the 
strategies engage and support teachers and other staff in designing, 
developing, implementing, and validly and reliably scoring high-quality 
assessments; how the safeguards are sufficient to ensure unbiased, 
objective scoring of assessment items; and how the SEA will use 
effective professional development to aid in these efforts. (10 points 
if applicable)
    (e) Evaluation and continuous improvement. (Up to 20 points)
    The quality of the SEA's or consortium's plan to annually evaluate 
its implementation of innovative assessment demonstration authority. In 
determining the quality of the evaluation, the Secretary considers--
    (1) The strength of the proposed evaluation of the innovative 
assessment system included in the application, including whether the 
evaluation will be conducted by an independent, experienced third 
party, and the likelihood that the evaluation will sufficiently 
determine the system's validity, reliability, and comparability to the 
statewide assessment system consistent with the requirements of 34 CFR 
200.105(b)(4) and (9); (12 points) and
    (2) The SEA's or consortium's plan for continuous improvement of 
the innovative assessment system, including its process for--
    (i) Using data, feedback, evaluation results, and other information 
from participating LEAs and schools to make changes to improve the 
quality of the innovative assessment; and
    (ii) Evaluating and monitoring implementation of the innovative 
assessment system in participating LEAs and schools annually. (8 
points)
    2. Risk Assessment and Specific Conditions: Consistent with 2 CFR 
200.205(c) and 200.207, before approving a project under this 
authority, the Department may conduct a review of

[[Page 46930]]

the risks posed by the applicant and impose specific conditions as 
needed.

VI. Administration Information

    1. Approval Notices: If your application is approved, we notify 
your U.S. Representative and U.S. Senators and send you a letter or 
email approving your project.
    If your application is not selected, we notify you.
    2. Programmatic Requirements: Your application must address the 
programmatic requirements in section 1204 of the ESEA and 34 CFR 
200.104 through 200.108.
    3. Reporting: (a) If you apply under this program, you must ensure 
that you have in place the necessary processes and systems to comply 
with the reporting requirements should your application be approved.
    (b) You must submit, at the end of each year of your project 
period, an annual update on program activity according to the 
requirements of 34 CFR 200.105(d)(3).
    4. Transition to Statewide Use: Pursuant to 34 CFR 200.107:
    (a)(1) After an SEA has scaled its innovative assessment system to 
operate statewide in all schools and LEAs in the State, the SEA must 
submit evidence for peer review under section 1111(a)(4) of the Act and 
34 CFR 200.2(d) to determine whether the system may be used for 
purposes of both academic assessments and the State accountability 
system under sections 1111(b)(2), (c), and (d) and 1003 of the Act.
    (2) An SEA may only use the innovative assessment system for the 
purposes described in paragraph (a)(1) of this section if the Secretary 
determines that the system is of high quality consistent with paragraph 
(b) of this section.
    (b) Through the peer review process of State assessments and 
accountability systems under section 1111(a)(4) of the Act and 34 CFR 
200.2(d), the Secretary determines that the innovative assessment 
system is of high quality if--
    (1) An innovative assessment developed in any grade or subject 
under 34 CFR 200.5(a)(1) and section 1111(b)(2)(B)(v) of the Act--
    (i) Meets all of the requirements under section 1111(b)(2) of the 
Act and 34 CFR 200.105(b) and (c);
    (ii) Provides coherent and timely information about student 
achievement based on the challenging State academic standards under 
section 1111(b)(1) of the Act;
    (iii) Includes objective measurements of academic achievement, 
knowledge, and skills; and
    (iv) Is valid, reliable, and consistent with relevant, nationally 
recognized professional and technical standards;
    (2) The SEA provides satisfactory evidence that it has examined the 
statistical relationship between student performance on the innovative 
assessment in each subject area and student performance on other 
measures of success, including the measures used for each relevant 
grade-span within the remaining indicators (i.e., indicators besides 
Academic Achievement) in the statewide accountability system under 
section 1111(c)(4)(B)(ii)-(v) of the Act, and how the inclusion of the 
innovative assessment in its Academic Achievement indicator under 
section 1111(c)(4)(B)(i) of the Act affects the annual meaningful 
differentiation of schools under section 1111(c)(4)(C) of the Act;
    (3) The SEA has solicited information, consistent with the 
requirements under 34 CFR 200.105(d)(3)(iv), and taken into account 
feedback from teachers, principals, other school leaders, parents, and 
other stakeholders under 34 CFR 200.105(a)(2) about their satisfaction 
with the innovative assessment system; and
    (4) The SEA has demonstrated that the same innovative assessment 
system was used to measure--
    (i) The achievement of all students and each subgroup of students 
described in section 1111(c)(2) of the Act, and that appropriate 
accommodations were provided consistent with 34 CFR 200.6(b) and 
(f)(1)(i) under section 1111(b)(2)(B)(vii) of the Act; and
    (ii) For purposes of the State accountability system consistent 
with section 1111(c)(4)(E) of the Act, progress on the Academic 
Achievement indicator under section 1111(c)(4)(B)(i) of the Act of at 
least 95 percent of all students, and 95 percent of students in each 
subgroup of students described in section 1111(c)(2) of the Act.
    (c) With respect to the evidence submitted to the Secretary to make 
the determination described in paragraph (b)(2) of this section, the 
baseline year for any evaluation is the first year that a participating 
LEA in the State administered the innovative assessment system under 
the demonstration authority.
    (d) In the case of a consortium of SEAs, evidence may be submitted 
for the consortium as a whole so long as the evidence demonstrates how 
each member SEA meets each requirement of paragraph (b) of this section 
applicable to an SEA.
    5. Continuation of Authority: Pursuant to 34 CFR 200.108:
    (1) The Secretary may extend an SEA's demonstration authority 
period for no more than two years if the SEA submits to the Secretary--
    (i) Evidence that its innovative assessment system continues to 
meet the requirements under 34 CFR 200.105 and the SEA continues to 
implement the plan described in its application in response to the 
selection criteria in 34 CFR 200.106 in all participating schools and 
LEAs;
    (ii) A high-quality plan, including input from stakeholders under 
34 CFR 200.105(a)(2), for transitioning to statewide use of the 
innovative assessment system by the end of the extension period; and
    (iii) A demonstration that the SEA and all LEAs that are not yet 
fully implementing the innovative assessment system have sufficient 
capacity to support use of the system statewide by the end of the 
extension period.
    (2) In the case of a consortium of SEAs, the Secretary may extend 
the demonstration authority period for the consortium as a whole or for 
an individual member SEA.
    (b) Withdrawal of demonstration authority. (1) The Secretary may 
withdraw the innovative assessment demonstration authority provided to 
an SEA, including an individual SEA member of a consortium, if at any 
time during the approved demonstration authority period or extension 
period, the Secretary requests, and the SEA does not present in a 
timely manner--
    (i) A high-quality plan, including input from stakeholders under 34 
CFR 200.105(a)(2), to transition to full statewide use of the 
innovative assessment system by the end of its approved demonstration 
authority period or extension period, as applicable; or
    (ii) Evidence that--
    (A) The innovative assessment system meets all requirements under 
34 CFR 200.105, including a demonstration that the innovative 
assessment system has met the requirements under 34 CFR 200.105(b);
    (B) The SEA continues to implement the plan described in its 
application in response to the selection criteria in 34 CFR 200.106;
    (C) The innovative assessment system includes and is used to assess 
all students attending participating schools in the demonstration 
authority, consistent with the requirements under section 1111(b)(2) of 
the Act to provide for participation in State assessments, including 
among each subgroup of students described in section 1111(c)(2) of the 
Act, and for appropriate

[[Page 46931]]

accommodations consistent with 34 CFR 200.6(b) and (f)(1)(i) and 
section 1111(b)(2)(B)(vii) of the Act;
    (D) The innovative assessment system provides an unbiased, 
rational, and consistent determination of progress toward the State's 
long-term goals and measurements of interim progress for academic 
achievement under section 1111(c)(4)(A) of the Act for all students and 
subgroups of students described in section 1111(c)(2) of the Act and a 
comparable measure of student performance on the Academic Achievement 
indicator under section 1111(c)(4)(B)(i) of the Act for participating 
schools relative to non-participating schools; or
    (E) The innovative assessment system demonstrates comparability to 
the statewide assessments under section 1111(b)(2) of the Act in 
content coverage, difficulty, and quality.
    (2)(i) In the case of a consortium of SEAs, the Secretary may 
withdraw innovative assessment demonstration authority for the 
consortium as a whole at any time during its demonstration authority 
period or extension period if the Secretary requests, and no member of 
the consortium provides, the information under paragraph (b)(1)(i) or 
(ii) of this section.
    (ii) If innovative assessment demonstration authority for one or 
more SEAs in a consortium is withdrawn, the consortium may continue to 
implement the authority if it can demonstrate, in an amended 
application to the Secretary that, as a group, the remaining SEAs 
continue to meet all requirements and selection criteria in 34 CFR 
200.105 and 200.106.
    (c) Waiver authority. (1) At the end of the extension period, an 
SEA that is not yet approved consistent with 34 CFR 200.107 to 
implement its innovative assessment system statewide may request a 
waiver from the Secretary consistent with section 8401 of the Act to 
delay the withdrawal of authority under paragraph (b) of this section 
for the purpose of providing the SEA with the time necessary to receive 
approval to transition to use of the innovative assessment system 
statewide under 34 CFR 200.107(b).
    (2) The Secretary may grant an SEA a one-year waiver to continue 
the innovative assessment demonstration authority, if the SEA submits, 
in its request under paragraph (c)(1) of this section, evidence 
satisfactory to the Secretary that it--
    (i) Has met all of the requirements under paragraph (b)(1) of this 
section and of 34 CFR 200.105 and 200.106; and
    (ii) Has a high-quality plan, including input from stakeholders 
under 34 CFR 200.105(a)(2), for transition to statewide use of the 
innovative assessment system, including peer review consistent with 34 
CFR 200.107, in a reasonable period of time.
    (3) In the case of a consortium of SEAs, the Secretary may grant a 
one-year waiver consistent with paragraph (c)(1) of this section for 
the consortium as a whole or for individual member SEAs, as necessary.
    (d) Return to the statewide assessment system. If the Secretary 
withdraws innovative assessment demonstration authority consistent with 
paragraph (b) of this section, or if an SEA voluntarily terminates use 
of its innovative assessment system prior to the end of its 
demonstration authority, extension, or waiver period under paragraph 
(c) of this section, as applicable, the SEA must--
    (1) Return to using, in all LEAs and schools in the State, a 
statewide assessment that meets the requirements of section 1111(b)(2) 
of the Act; and
    (2) Provide timely notice to all participating LEAs and schools of 
the withdrawal of authority and the SEA's plan for transition back to 
use of a statewide assessment.

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 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: September 12, 2018.
Frank Brogan,
Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education.
[FR Doc. 2018-20152 Filed 9-14-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P



                                               46924                            Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 180 / Monday, September 17, 2018 / Notices

                                                                                                                                                  Season                                                   Total per
                                                            Country/State                                        Locality                                        Season end     Lodging       M&IE                      Effective date
                                                                                                                                                   start                                                     diem

                                               VIRGIN ISLANDS (U.S.) .................        ST. JOHN ........................................          12/04         04/30         230             113          343      08/01/2015
                                               VIRGIN ISLANDS (U.S.) .................        ST. JOHN ........................................          05/01         12/03         170             107          277      08/01/2015
                                               VIRGIN ISLANDS (U.S.) .................        ST. THOMAS ..................................              04/15         12/15         249             110          359      03/01/2017
                                               VIRGIN ISLANDS (U.S.) .................        ST. THOMAS ..................................              12/16         04/14         339             110          449      03/01/2017
                                               WAKE ISLAND ................................   WAKE ISLAND ...............................                01/01         12/31         129              70          199      07/01/2016



                                               [FR Doc. 2018–20077 Filed 9–14–18; 8:45 am]                            participating in consortia, which may                        200.107, if the innovative assessment
                                               BILLING CODE 5001–06–P                                                 include no more than four SEAs. The                          system will be administered initially to
                                                                                                                      Department held its first competition for                    all students in participating schools
                                                                                                                      this authority in 2018. We have awarded                      within a participating LEA, provided
                                               DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION                                                one State the authority and continue to                      that the statewide academic assessments
                                                                                                                      consider one other application.                              under 34 CFR 200.2(a)(1) and section
                                               Applications for New Authorities;                                      Provided no additional authority is                          1111(b)(2) of the Act are administered to
                                               Innovative Assessment Demonstration                                    awarded under the 2018 competition,                          all students in any non-participating
                                               Authority                                                              up to six additional States may be                           LEA or any non-participating school
                                                                                                                      approved for this authority during this                      within a participating LEA; and
                                               AGENCY: Office of Elementary and                                       competition. If fewer than seven States                         (ii) Need not be administered
                                               Secondary Education, Department of                                     are approved through the 2018                                annually in each of grades 3–8 and at
                                               Education.                                                             competition and this competition, the                        least once in grades 9–12 in the case of
                                               ACTION: Notice.                                                        Department expects to conduct another                        reading/language arts and mathematics
                                                                                                                      competition in FY 2020.                                      assessments, and at least once in grades
                                               SUMMARY:   The Department of Education                                                                                              3–5, 6–9, and 10–12 in the case of
                                                                                                                        Requirements: The following
                                               is issuing a notice inviting applications                                                                                           science assessments, so long as the
                                                                                                                      requirements are from 34 CFR 200.105.
                                               for new authorities for fiscal year (FY)                                                                                            statewide academic assessments under
                                                                                                                        An eligible application must include
                                               2019 under the Innovative Assessment                                                                                                34 CFR 200.2(a)(1) and section
                                                                                                                      the following:
                                               Demonstration Authority.                                                 (a) Consultation. Evidence that the                        1111(b)(2) of the Act are administered in
                                               DATES:                                                                 SEA or consortium has developed an                           any required grade and subject under 34
                                                  Applications Available: September                                   innovative assessment system in                              CFR 200.5(a)(1) in which the SEA does
                                               17, 2018.                                                              collaboration with—                                          not choose to implement an innovative
                                                  Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply:                               (1) Experts in the planning,                               assessment;
                                               October 17, 2018.                                                      development, implementation, and                                (2)(i) Align with the challenging State
                                                  Deadline for Transmittal of                                         evaluation of innovative assessment                          academic content standards under
                                               Applications: December 17, 2018.                                       systems, which may include external                          section 1111(b)(1) of the Act, including
                                               FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:                                       partners; and                                                the depth and breadth of such
                                               Donald Peasley, U.S. Department of                                       (2) Affected stakeholders in the State,                    standards, for the grade in which a
                                               Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW,                                     or in each State in the consortium,                          student is enrolled; and
                                               Room 3E124, Washington, DC 20202–                                      including—                                                      (ii) May measure a student’s academic
                                               6132. Telephone: (202) 453–7982.                                         (i) Those representing the interests of                    proficiency and growth using items
                                               Email: Donald.Peasley@ed.gov.                                          children with disabilities, English                          above or below the student’s grade level
                                                  If you use a telecommunications                                     learners, and other subgroups of                             so long as, for purposes of meeting the
                                               device for the deaf (TDD) or a text                                    students described in section 1111(c)(2)                     requirements for reporting and school
                                               telephone (TTY), call the Federal Relay                                of the Act;                                                  accountability under sections 1111(c)
                                               Service (FRS), toll free, at 1–800–877–                                  (ii) Teachers, principals, and other                       and 1111(h) of the Act and paragraphs
                                               8339.                                                                  school leaders;                                              (b)(3) and (b)(7)–(9) of this section, the
                                                                                                                        (iii) Local educational agencies                           State measures each student’s academic
                                               SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
                                                                                                                      (LEAs);                                                      proficiency based on the challenging
                                               Full Text of Announcement                                                (iv) Representatives of Indian Tribes                      State academic standards for the grade
                                                                                                                      located in the State;                                        in which the student is enrolled;
                                               I. Opportunity Description
                                                                                                                        (v) Students and parents, including                           (3) Express student results or
                                                 Purpose of Program: The Secretary                                    parents of children described in                             competencies consistent with the
                                               provides State educational agencies                                    paragraph (a)(2)(i) of this section; and                     challenging State academic achievement
                                               (SEAs), including consortia of SEAs,                                     (vi) Civil rights organizations.                           standards under section 1111(b)(1) of
                                               with the authority to establish and                                      (b) Innovative assessment system. A                        the Act and identify which students are
                                               operate an innovative assessment                                       demonstration that the innovative                            not making sufficient progress toward,
                                               system in their public schools under the                               assessment system does or will—                              and attaining, grade-level proficiency on
                                               Innovative Assessment Demonstration                                      (1) Meet the requirements of section                       such standards;
                                               Authority in section 1204 of the                                       1111(b)(2)(B) of the Act, except that an                        (4)(i) Generate results, including
                                               Elementary and Secondary Education                                     innovative assessment—                                       annual summative determinations as
                                               Act of 1965, as amended by the Every                                     (i) Need not be the same assessment                        defined in paragraph (b)(7) of this
daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with NOTICES




                                               Student Succeeds Act (ESEA or the                                      administered to all public elementary                        section, that are valid, reliable, and
                                               Act). During the initial demonstration                                 and secondary school students in the                         comparable for all students and for each
                                               period—i.e., the first three years that the                            State during the demonstration                               subgroup of students described in 34
                                               Secretary provides innovative                                          authority period described in 34 CFR                         CFR 200.2(b)(11)(i)(A)–(I) and sections
                                               assessment demonstration authority—                                    200.104(b)(2) or extension period                            1111(b)(2)(B)(xi) and 1111(h)(1)(C)(ii) of
                                               no more than seven SEAs may                                            described in 34 CFR 200.108 and prior                        the Act, to the results generated by the
                                               participate, including those                                           to statewide use consistent with 34 CFR                      State academic assessments described in


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                                                                         Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 180 / Monday, September 17, 2018 / Notices                                             46925

                                               34 CFR 200.2(a)(1) and section                          1111(b)(2)(B)(xi) and 1111(h)(1)(C)(ii) of            other school leaders, students, and
                                               1111(b)(2) of the Act for such students.                the Act; and                                          parents consistent with 34 CFR 200.8
                                               Consistent with the SEA’s or                               (ii) Generate results, including annual            and section 1111(b)(2)(B)(x) and (xii)
                                               consortium’s evaluation plan under 34                   summative determinations as defined in                and section 1111(h) of the Act, and
                                               CFR 200.106(e), the SEA must plan to                    paragraph (b)(7) of this section, that are            provide results to parents in a manner
                                               annually determine comparability                        valid, reliable, and comparable, for all              consistent with paragraph (b)(4)(i) of
                                               during each year of its demonstration                   students and for each subgroup of                     this section and part 200.2(e); and
                                               authority period in one of the following                students described in 34 CFR                            (9) Provide an unbiased, rational, and
                                               ways:                                                   200.2(b)(11)(i)(A)–(I) and sections                   consistent determination of progress
                                                  (A) Administering full assessments                   1111(b)(2)(B)(xi) and 1111(h)(1)(C)(ii) of            toward the State’s long-term goals for
                                               from both the innovative and statewide                  the Act, among participating schools                  academic achievement under section
                                               assessment systems to all students                      and LEAs in the innovative assessment                 1111(c)(4)(A) of the Act for all students
                                               enrolled in participating schools, such                 demonstration authority. Consistent                   and each subgroup of students
                                               that at least once in any grade span (i.e.,             with the SEA’s or consortium’s                        described in section 1111(c)(2) of the
                                               3–5, 6–8, or 9–12) and subject for which                evaluation plan under 34 CFR                          Act and a comparable measure of
                                               there is an innovative assessment, a                    200.106(e), the SEA must plan to                      student performance on the Academic
                                               statewide assessment in the same                        annually determine comparability                      Achievement indicator under section
                                               subject would also be administered to                   during each year of its demonstration                 1111(c)(4)(B) of the Act for participating
                                               all such students. As part of this                      authority period;                                     schools relative to non-participating
                                               determination, the innovative                              (5)(i) Provide for the participation of            schools so that the SEA may validly and
                                               assessment and statewide assessment                     all students, including children with                 reliably aggregate data from the system
                                               need not be administered to an                          disabilities and English learners;                    for purposes of meeting requirements
                                               individual student in the same school                      (ii) Be accessible to all students by              for—
                                               year.                                                   incorporating the principles of universal               (i) Accountability under sections 1003
                                                  (B) Administering full assessments                   design for learning, to the extent                    and 1111(c) and (d) of the Act,
                                               from both the innovative and statewide                  practicable, consistent with 34 CFR                   including how the SEA will identify
                                               assessment systems to a                                 200.2(b)(2)(ii); and                                  participating and non-participating
                                               demographically representative sample                      (iii) Provide appropriate
                                                                                                                                                             schools in a consistent manner for
                                               of all students and subgroups of                        accommodations consistent with 34
                                                                                                                                                             comprehensive and targeted support
                                               students described in section 1111(c)(2)                CFR 200.6(b) and (f)(1)(i) and section
                                                                                                                                                             and improvement under section
                                               of the Act, from among those students                   1111(b)(2)(B)(vii) of the Act;
                                                                                                                                                             1111(c)(4)(D) of the Act; and
                                               enrolled in participating schools, such                    (6) For purposes of the State
                                                                                                       accountability system consistent with                   (ii) Reporting on State and LEA report
                                               that at least once in any grade span (i.e.,
                                                                                                       section 1111(c)(4)(E) of the Act,                     cards under section 1111(h) of the Act.
                                               3–5, 6–8, or 9–12) and subject for which
                                               there is an innovative assessment, a                    annually measure in each participating                  (c) Selection Criteria. Information that
                                               statewide assessment in the same                        school progress on the Academic                       addresses each of the selection criteria
                                               subject would also be administered in                   Achievement indicator under section                   under 34 CFR 200.106.
                                               the same school year to all students                    1111(c)(4)(B) of the Act of at least 95                 (d) Assurances. Assurances that the
                                               included in the sample.                                 percent of all students, and 95 percent               SEA, or each SEA in a consortium,
                                                  (C) Including, as a significant portion              of students in each subgroup of students              will—
                                               of the innovative assessment system in                  described in section 1111(c)(2) of the                   (1) Continue use of the statewide
                                               each required grade and subject in                      Act, who are required to take such                    academic assessments in reading/
                                               which both an innovative and statewide                  assessments consistent with paragraph                 language arts, mathematics, and science
                                               assessment are administered, items or                   (b)(1)(ii) of this section;                           required under 34 CFR 200.2(a)(1) and
                                               performance tasks from the statewide                       (7) Generate an annual summative                   section 1111(b)(2) of the Act—
                                               assessment system that, at a minimum,                   determination of achievement, using the                  (i) In all non-participating schools;
                                               have been previously pilot tested or                    annual data from the innovative                       and
                                               field tested for use in the statewide                   assessment, for each student in a                        (ii) In all participating schools for
                                               assessment system.                                      participating school in the                           which such assessments will be used in
                                                  (D) Including, as a significant portion              demonstration authority that                          addition to innovative assessments for
                                               of the statewide assessment system in                   describes—                                            accountability purposes under section
                                               each required grade and subject in                         (i) The student’s mastery of the                   1111(c) of the Act consistent with
                                               which both an innovative and statewide                  challenging State academic standards                  paragraph (b)(1)(ii) of this section or for
                                               assessment are administered, items or                   under section 1111(b)(1) of the Act for               evaluation purposes consistent with 34
                                               performance tasks from the innovative                   the grade in which the student is                     CFR 200.106(e) during the
                                               assessment system that, at a minimum,                   enrolled; or                                          demonstration authority period;
                                               have been previously pilot tested or                       (ii) In the case of a student with the                (2) Ensure that all students and each
                                               field tested for use in the innovative                  most significant cognitive disabilities               subgroup of students described in
                                               assessment system.                                      assessed with an alternate assessment                 section 1111(c)(2) of the Act in
                                                  (E) An alternative method for                        aligned with alternate academic                       participating schools are held to the
                                               demonstrating comparability that an                     achievement standards under section                   same challenging State academic
                                               SEA can demonstrate will provide for                    1111(b)(1)(E) of the Act, the student’s               standards under section 1111(b)(1) of
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                                               an equally rigorous and statistically                   mastery of those standards;                           the Act as all other students, except that
                                               valid comparison between student                           (8) Provide disaggregated results by               students with the most significant
                                               performance on the innovative                           each subgroup of students described in                cognitive disabilities may be assessed
                                               assessment and the statewide                            34 CFR 200.2(b)(11)(i)(A)–(I) and                     with alternate assessments aligned with
                                               assessment, including for each subgroup                 sections 1111(b)(2)(B)(xi) and                        alternate academic achievement
                                               of students described in 34 CFR                         1111(h)(1)(C)(ii) of the Act, including               standards consistent with 34 CFR 200.6
                                               200.2(b)(11)(i)(A)–(I) and sections                     timely data for teachers, principals and              and section 1111(b)(1)(E) and (b)(2)(D)


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                                               46926                     Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 180 / Monday, September 17, 2018 / Notices

                                               of the Act, and receive the instructional               grades and subjects in which the                      authority consistent with the
                                               support needed to meet such standards;                  innovative assessment will be                         requirements and selection criteria in
                                                 (3) Report the following annually to                  administered, and, consistent with                    this section and 34 CFR 200.106.
                                               the Secretary, at such time and in such                 section 1112(e)(2)(B) of the Act, at the                 (2) While the terms of the association
                                               manner as the Secretary may reasonably                  beginning of each school year during                  with affiliate members are defined by
                                               require:                                                which an innovative assessment will be                each consortium, consistent with 34
                                                 (i) An update on implementation of                    implemented. Such information must                    CFR 200.104(b)(1) and paragraph (f)(1)(i)
                                               the innovative assessment                               be—                                                   of this section, for an affiliate member
                                               demonstration authority, including—                        (i) In an understandable and uniform               to become a full member of the
                                                 (A) The SEA’s progress against its                    format;                                               consortium and to use the consortium’s
                                               timeline under 34 CFR 200.106(c) and                       (ii) To the extent practicable, written            innovative assessment system under the
                                               any outcomes or results from its                        in a language that parents can                        demonstration authority, the consortium
                                               evaluation and continuous                               understand or, if it is not practicable to            must submit a revised application to the
                                               improvement process under 34 CFR                        provide written translations to a parent              Secretary for approval, consistent with
                                               200.106(e); and                                         with limited English proficiency, be                  the requirements of this section and 34
                                                 (B) If the innovative assessment                      orally translated for such parent; and                CFR 200.106 and subject to the
                                               system is not yet implemented                              (iii) Upon request by a parent who is              limitation under 34 CFR 200.104(d).
                                               statewide consistent with 34 CFR                        an individual with a disability as                       Definitions: The following definitions
                                               200.104(a)(2), a description of the SEA’s               defined by the Americans with                         are from 34 CFR 200.104(b).
                                               progress in scaling up the system to                    Disabilities Act, provided in an
                                               additional LEAs or schools consistent                                                                            (1) Affiliate member of a consortium
                                                                                                       alternative format accessible to that                 means an SEA that is formally
                                               with its strategies under 34 CFR                        parent; and
                                               200.106(a)(3)(i), including updated                                                                           associated with a consortium of SEAs
                                                                                                          (5) Coordinate with and provide                    that is implementing the innovative
                                               assurances from participating LEAs                      information to, as applicable, the
                                               consistent with paragraph (e)(2) of this                                                                      assessment demonstration authority, but
                                                                                                       Institute of Education Sciences for                   is not yet a full member of the
                                               section.                                                purposes of the progress report
                                                 (ii) The performance of students in                                                                         consortium because it is not proposing
                                                                                                       described in section 1204(c) of the Act               to use the consortium’s innovative
                                               participating schools at the State, LEA,                and ongoing dissemination of
                                               and school level, for all students and                                                                        assessment system under the
                                                                                                       information under section 1204(m) of                  demonstration authority, instead of, or
                                               disaggregated for each subgroup of                      the Act.
                                               students described in section 1111(c)(2)                                                                      in addition to, its statewide assessment
                                                                                                          (e) Initial implementation in a subset             under section 1111(b)(2) of the Act for
                                               of the Act, on the innovative                           of LEAs or schools. If the innovative
                                               assessment, including academic                                                                                purposes of accountability and reporting
                                                                                                       assessment system will initially be                   under sections 1111(c) and 1111(h) of
                                               achievement and participation data                      administered in a subset of LEAs or
                                               required to be reported consistent with                                                                       the Act.
                                                                                                       schools in a State—
                                               section 1111(h) of the Act, except that                                                                          (2) Demonstration authority period
                                                                                                          (1) A description of each LEA, and
                                               such data may not reveal any personally                                                                       refers to the period of time over which
                                                                                                       each of its participating schools, that
                                               identifiable information.                                                                                     an SEA, or consortium of SEAs, is
                                                                                                       will initially participate, including
                                                 (iii) If the innovative assessment                                                                          authorized to implement the innovative
                                                                                                       demographic information and its most
                                               system is not yet implemented                                                                                 assessment demonstration authority,
                                                                                                       recent LEA report card under section
                                               statewide, school demographic                                                                                 which may not exceed five years and
                                                                                                       1111(h)(2) of the Act; and
                                               information, including enrollment and                      (2) An assurance from each                         does not include the extension or
                                               student achievement information, for                    participating LEA, for each year that the             waiver period under 34 CFR 200.108.
                                               the subgroups of students described in                  LEA is participating, that the LEA will               An SEA must use its innovative
                                               section 1111(c)(2) of the Act, among                    comply with all requirements of this                  assessment system in all participating
                                               participating schools and LEAs and for                  section.                                              schools instead of, or in addition to, the
                                               any schools or LEAs that will                              (f) Application from a consortium of               statewide assessment under section
                                               participate for the first time in the                   SEAs. If an application for the                       1111(b)(2) of the Act for purposes of
                                               following year, and a description of how                innovative assessment demonstration                   accountability and reporting under
                                               the participation of any additional                     authority is submitted by a consortium                section 1111(c) and 1111(h) of the Act
                                               schools or LEAs in that year contributed                of SEAs—                                              in each year of the demonstration
                                               to progress toward achieving high-                         (1) A description of the governance                authority period.
                                               quality and consistent implementation                   structure of the consortium, including—                  (3) Innovative assessment system
                                               across demographically diverse LEAs in                     (i) The roles and responsibilities of              means a system of assessments, which
                                               the State consistent with the SEA’s                     each member SEA, which may include                    may include any combination of general
                                               benchmarks described in 34 CFR                          a description of affiliate members, if                assessments or alternate assessments
                                               200.106(a)(3)(iii).                                     applicable, and must include a                        aligned with alternate academic
                                                 (iv) Feedback from teachers,                          description of financial responsibilities             achievement standards, in reading/
                                               principals and other school leaders, and                of member SEAs;                                       language arts, mathematics, or science
                                               other stakeholders consulted under                         (ii) How the member SEAs will                      administered in at least one required
                                               paragraph (a)(2) of this section,                       manage and, at their discretion, share                grade under 34 CFR 200.5(a)(1) and
                                               including parents and students, from                    intellectual property developed by the                section 1111(b)(2)(B)(v) of the Act that—
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                                               participating schools and LEAs about                    consortium as a group; and                               (i) Produces—
                                               their satisfaction with the innovative                     (iii) How the member SEAs will                        (A) An annual summative
                                               assessment system.                                      consider requests from SEAs to join or                determination of each student’s mastery
                                                 (4) Ensure that each participating LEA                leave the consortium and ensure that                  of grade-level content standards aligned
                                               informs parents of all students in                      changes in membership do not affect the               to the challenging State academic
                                               participating schools about the                         consortium’s ability to implement the                 standards under section 1111(b)(1) of
                                               innovative assessment, including the                    innovative assessment demonstration                   the Act; or


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                                                                         Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 180 / Monday, September 17, 2018 / Notices                                            46927

                                                  (B) In the case of a student with the                III. Eligibility Information                          the Innovative Assessment
                                               most significant cognitive disabilities                   1. Eligible Applicants: SEAs (as                    Demonstration Authority, your
                                               assessed with an alternate assessment                   defined in section 8101(49) of the ESEA)              application may include business
                                               aligned with alternate academic                         and consortia of SEAs that include no                 information that you consider
                                               achievement standards under section                     more than four SEAs.                                  proprietary. In 34 CFR 5.11 we define
                                               1111(b)(1)(E) of the Act and aligned                      2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This                   ‘‘business information’’ and describe the
                                               with the State’s academic content                       program does not require cost sharing or              process we use in determining whether
                                               standards for the grade in which the                    matching.                                             any of that information is proprietary
                                               student is enrolled, an annual                            3. Other: An application from a                     and, thus, protected from disclosure
                                               summative determination relative to                     consortium of SEAs must designate one                 under Exemption 4 of the Freedom of
                                               such alternate academic achievement                     SEA as the lead State for project                     Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552, as
                                               standards for each such student; and                    management.                                           amended). Because we plan to make
                                                  (ii) May, in any required grade or                                                                         successful applications available to the
                                               subject, include one or more of the                     IV. Application and Submission                        public, you may wish to request
                                               following types of assessments:                         Information                                           confidentiality of business information.
                                                  (A) Cumulative year-end assessments.                    1. Address to Request Application                     Consistent with Executive Order
                                                  (B) Competency-based assessments.                    Package: Donald Peasley, Office of                    12600, please designate in your
                                                  (C) Instructionally embedded                         Elementary and Secondary Education,                   application any information that you
                                               assessments.                                            U.S. Department of Education, 400                     believe is exempt from disclosure under
                                                                                                       Maryland Avenue SW, Room 3E124,                       Exemption 4. In the appropriate
                                                  (D) Interim assessments.
                                                                                                       Washington, DC 20202–6132.                            Appendix section of your application,
                                                  (E) Performance-based assessments.                                                                         under ‘‘Other Attachments Form,’’
                                                  (F) Another innovative assessment                    Telephone: (202) 453–7982. Email:
                                                                                                       Donald.Peasley@ed.gov.                                please list the page number or numbers
                                               design that meets the requirements                                                                            on which we can find this information.
                                               under 34 CFR 200.105(b).                                   To obtain a copy via the internet, use
                                                                                                       the following address: www2.ed.gov/                   For additional information, please see
                                                  (4) Participating LEA means an LEA                                                                         34 CFR 5.11(c).
                                                                                                       admins/lead/account/saa.html#
                                               in the State with at least one school                                                                            3. Intergovernmental Review: This
                                                                                                       Related_Programs_and_Initiatives.
                                               participating in the innovative                                                                               competition is not subject to Executive
                                                                                                          If you use a TDD or a TTY, call the
                                               assessment demonstration authority.                                                                           Order 12372 and the regulations in 34
                                                                                                       FRS, toll free, at 1–800–877–8339.
                                                  (5) Participating school means a                        Individuals with disabilities can                  CFR part 79.
                                               public school in the State in which the                 obtain a copy of the application package                 4. Submission Dates and Times:
                                               innovative assessment system is                         in an accessible format (e.g., braille,                  Applications Available: September
                                               administered under the innovative                       large print, audiotape, or compact disc)              17, 2018.
                                               assessment demonstration authority                      by contacting the program contact                        Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply:
                                               instead of, or in addition to, the                      person listed in this section.                        October 17, 2018.
                                               statewide assessment under section                         2.a. Content and Form of Application                  Deadline for Transmittal of
                                               1111(b)(2) of the Act and where the                     Submission: Requirements concerning                   Applications: December 17, 2018.
                                               results of the school’s students on the                 the content and form of an application,                  Applications under this program must
                                               innovative assessment system are used                   together with the forms you must                      be submitted electronically using the
                                               by its State and LEA for purposes of                    submit, are in the application package                Department’s application portal at
                                               accountability and reporting under                      for this program, which can be found at               www.Max.gov. For directions on how to
                                               section 1111(c) and 1111(h) of the Act.                 www2.ed.gov/admins/lead/account/                      access and use the application portal,
                                                  Program Authority: Section 1204 of                   saa.html#Related_Programs_and_                        please contact Donald Peasley at
                                               the ESEA (20 U.S.C. 6364); 34 CFR                       Initiatives.                                          Donald.Peasley@ed.gov. For information
                                               200.104 through 200.108.                                   Notice of Intent to Apply: We will be              (including dates and times) about how
                                               II. Award Information                                   able to develop a more efficient process              to submit your application
                                                                                                       for reviewing applications if we have a               electronically, please refer to Other
                                                 Type of Award: Innovation authority.                  better understanding of the number of                 Submission Requirements in section IV
                                                 Estimated Available Funds: No funds                   applicants that intend to apply for                   of this notice.
                                               are authorized to be appropriated for the               selection under this program. Therefore,                 We do not consider an application
                                               Innovative Assessment Demonstration                     we strongly encourage each potential                  that does not comply with the deadline
                                               Authority. However, an SEA may use                      applicant to notify us of their intent to             requirements.
                                               funds it receives under Grants for State                submit an application. This notification                 Individuals with disabilities who
                                               Assessments and Related Activities (see                 should be brief, and identify the SEA                 need an accommodation or auxiliary aid
                                               section 1201 of the ESEA (20 U.S.C.                     applicant and, if part of a consortium,               in connection with the application
                                               6361) to implement its innovative                       the SEA that is the fiscal agent for the              process should contact the person listed
                                               assessment system.                                      consortium. Submit this notification by               under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
                                                 Estimated Number of Awards: As                        email to Donald.Peasley@ed.gov with                   CONTACT. If the Department provides an
                                               noted earlier, up to six States may be                  ‘‘Intent to Apply’’ in the email subject              accommodation or auxiliary aid to an
                                               approved for this authority in this                     line or by mail to Donald Peasley, U.S.               individual with a disability in
                                               competition because one State has                       Department of Education, 400 Maryland                 connection with the application
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                                               received the authority in 2018. For the                 Avenue SW, Room 3E124, Washington,                    process, the individual’s application
                                               initial demonstration period, no more                   DC 20202–6132. Applicants that do not                 remains subject to all other
                                               than seven States, including States that                provide this notification may still apply             requirements and limitations in this
                                               are part of a consortium (which may                     for the authority.                                    notice.
                                               include no more than four States), may                     b. Submission of Proprietary                          5. Other Submission Requirements:
                                               participate.                                            Information: Given the types of projects                 a. Electronic Submission of
                                                 Project Period: Up to 60 months.                      that may be proposed in applications for              Applications.


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                                               46928                     Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 180 / Monday, September 17, 2018 / Notices

                                                  Applications under this program must                 V. Application Review Information                     applicable, to participate during the
                                               be submitted electronically using the                      1. Selection Criteria: The selection               requested demonstration authority
                                               Department’s application portal at                      criteria for this program are from 34 CFR             period; and
                                               www.Max.gov by 5:00:00 p.m. Eastern                                                                              (iii) The SEA’s plan, including each
                                                                                                       200.106. We will award up to 120 points
                                               Time on December 17, 2018. For                                                                                SEA in a consortium, for how it will
                                                                                                       to an application under the selection
                                               directions on how to access and use the                                                                       ensure that, during the demonstration
                                                                                                       criteria; the total possible points for
                                               application portal, please contact                                                                            authority period, the inclusion of
                                                                                                       addressing each selection criterion are
                                               Donald Peasley at Donald.Peasley@                                                                             additional LEAs and schools continues
                                                                                                       noted in parentheses.
                                               ed.gov.                                                                                                       to reflect high-quality and consistent
                                                                                                          (a) Project narrative. (Up to 40 points)
                                                  You may access the electronic                                                                              implementation across demographically
                                                                                                          The quality of the SEA’s or
                                               application for this program at                                                                               diverse LEAs and schools, or
                                                                                                       consortium’s plan for implementing the
                                               www2.ed.gov/admins/lead/account/                                                                              contributes to progress toward achieving
                                                                                                       innovative assessment demonstration
                                               saa.html#Related_Programs_and_                                                                                such implementation across
                                                                                                       authority. In determining the quality of
                                               Initiatives. You must submit all                                                                              demographically diverse LEAs and
                                                                                                       the plan, the Secretary considers—                    schools, including diversity based on
                                               documents electronically.                                  (1) The rationale for developing or
                                                  • You must upload any narrative                                                                            enrollment of subgroups of students
                                                                                                       selecting the particular innovative                   described in section 1111(c)(2) of the
                                               sections and all other attachments to                   assessment system to be implemented
                                               your application as files in a read-only,                                                                     Act and student achievement. The plan
                                                                                                       under the demonstration authority,                    must also include annual benchmarks
                                               flattened Portable Document Format                      including—
                                               (PDF), meaning any fillable PDF                                                                               toward achieving high-quality and
                                                                                                          (i) The distinct purpose of each
                                               documents must be saved as flattened                                                                          consistent implementation across
                                                                                                       assessment that is part of the innovative
                                               non-fillable files. Do not upload an                                                                          participating schools that are, as a
                                                                                                       assessment system and how the system
                                               interactive or fillable PDF file. If you                                                                      group, demographically similar to the
                                                                                                       will advance the design and delivery of
                                               upload a file type other than a read-                                                                         State as a whole during the
                                                                                                       large-scale, statewide academic
                                               only, flattened PDF (e.g., Word, Excel,                                                                       demonstration authority period, using
                                                                                                       assessments in innovative ways; and
                                               WordPerfect, etc.) or submit a password-                                                                      the demographics of initially
                                                                                                          (ii) The extent to which the
                                               protected file, we will not review that                                                                       participating schools as a baseline. (10
                                                                                                       innovative assessment system as a
                                               material. Please note that this could                                                                         points, if applicable)
                                                                                                       whole will promote high-quality                          (b) Prior experience, capacity, and
                                               result in your application not being                    instruction, mastery of challenging State
                                               considered because the material in                                                                            stakeholder support. (Up to 20 points)
                                                                                                       academic standards, and improved                         (1) The extent and depth of prior
                                               question—for example, the project                       student outcomes, including for each                  experience that the SEA, including each
                                               narrative—is critical to a meaningful                   subgroup of students described in                     SEA in a consortium, and its LEAs have
                                               review of your proposal. For that reason                section 1111(c)(2) of the Act; (5 points              in developing and implementing the
                                               it is important to allow yourself                       if factor (3) is applicable; 10 points if             components of the innovative
                                               adequate time to upload all material as                 factor (3) is inapplicable)                           assessment system. An SEA may also
                                               PDF files. The Department will not                         (2) The plan the SEA or consortium,                describe the prior experience of any
                                               convert material from other formats to                  in consultation with any external                     external partners that will be
                                               PDF.                                                    partners, if applicable, has to—                      participating in or supporting its
                                                  • Your application must also meet the                   (i) Develop and use standardized and               demonstration authority in
                                               Department’s application requirements                   calibrated tools, rubrics, methods, or                implementing those components. In
                                               as specified in this notice and in the                  other strategies for scoring innovative               evaluating the extent and depth of prior
                                               application instructions. Disqualifying                 assessments throughout the                            experience, the Secretary considers—
                                               errors could include, for instance,                     demonstration authority period,                          (i) The success and track record of
                                               failure to upload attachments in a read-                consistent with relevant nationally                   efforts to implement innovative
                                               only, flattened PDF; failure to submit a                recognized professional and technical                 assessments or innovative assessment
                                               required part of the application; or                    standards, to ensure inter-rater                      items aligned to the challenging State
                                               failure to meet applicant eligibility                   reliability and comparability of                      academic standards under section
                                               requirements. It is your responsibility to              innovative assessment results consistent              1111(b)(1) of the Act in LEAs planning
                                               ensure that your submitted application                  with 34 CFR 200.105(b)(4)(ii), which                  to participate; and
                                               has met all of the Department’s                         may include evidence of inter-rater                      (ii) The SEA’s or LEA’s development
                                               requirements.                                           reliability; and                                      or use of—
                                                  • We may request that you provide us                    (ii) Train evaluators to use such                     (A) Effective supports and appropriate
                                               original signatures on forms at a later                 strategies, if applicable; (25 points if              accommodations consistent with 34
                                               date.                                                   factor (3) is applicable; 30 points if                CFR 200.6(b) and (f)(1)(i) and section
                                                  b. Submission of Application in Case                 factor (3) is inapplicable) and                       1111(b)(2)(B)(vii) of the Act for
                                               of Technical Issues.                                       (3) If the system will initially be                administering innovative assessments to
                                                  If you are prevented from                            administered in a subset of schools or                all students, including English learners
                                               electronically submitting your                          LEAs in a State—                                      and children with disabilities, which
                                               application on the application deadline                    (i) The strategies the SEA, including              must include professional development
                                               date because of technical problems with                 each SEA in a consortium, will use to                 for school staff on providing such
                                               the Max.gov system, you may email                       scale the innovative assessment to all                accommodations;
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                                               your application to the person listed                   schools statewide, with a rationale for                  (B) Effective and high-quality
                                               under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION                           selecting those strategies;                           supports for school staff to implement
                                               CONTACT and provide an explanation of                      (ii) The strength of the SEA’s or                  innovative assessments and innovative
                                               the technical problem you experienced.                  consortium’s criteria that will be used to            assessment items, including
                                               We will contact you after we determine                  determine LEAs and schools that will                  professional development; and
                                               whether your application will be                        initially participate and when to                        (C) Standardized and calibrated tools,
                                               accepted.                                               approve additional LEAs and schools, if               rubrics, methods, or other strategies for


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                                                                         Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 180 / Monday, September 17, 2018 / Notices                                              46929

                                               scoring innovative assessments, with                    authority period, including a                         appropriate accommodations consistent
                                               documented evidence of the validity,                    description of—                                       with 34 CFR 200.6(b) and (f)(1)(i) and
                                               reliability, and comparability of annual                   (i) The activities to occur in each year           section 1111(b)(2)(B)(vii) of the Act,
                                               summative determinations of                             of the requested demonstration                        needed to meet the challenging State
                                               achievement, consistent with 34 CFR                     authority period;                                     academic standards under section
                                               200.105(b)(4) and (7). (5 points)                          (ii) The parties responsible for each              1111(b)(1) of the Act; (5 points if factor
                                                  (2) The extent and depth of SEA,                     activity; and                                         (4) is applicable; 8 points if factor (4) is
                                               including each SEA in a consortium,                        (iii) If applicable, how a consortium’s            inapplicable) and
                                               and LEA capacity to implement the                       member SEAs will implement activities                    (4) If the system includes assessment
                                               innovative assessment system                            at different paces and how the                        items that are locally developed or
                                               considering the availability of                         consortium will implement                             locally scored, the strategies and
                                               technological infrastructure; State and                 interdependent activities, so long as                 safeguards (e.g., test blueprints, item
                                               local laws; dedicated and sufficient                    each non-affiliate member SEA begins                  and task specifications, rubrics, scoring
                                               staff, expertise, and resources; and other              using the innovative assessment in the                tools, documentation of quality control
                                               relevant factors. An SEA or consortium                  same school year consistent with 34                   procedures, inter-rater reliability
                                               may also describe how it plans to                       CFR part 200.104(b)(2); (5 points) and                checks, audit plans) the SEA or
                                               enhance its capacity by collaborating                      (2) The adequacy of the project budget             consortium has developed, or plans to
                                               with external partners that will be                     for the duration of the requested                     develop, to validly and reliably score
                                               participating in or supporting its                      demonstration authority period,                       such items, including how the strategies
                                               demonstration authority. In evaluating                  including Federal, State, local, and non-             engage and support teachers and other
                                               the extent and depth of capacity, the                   public sources of funds to support and                staff in designing, developing,
                                               Secretary considers—                                    sustain, as applicable, the activities in             implementing, and validly and reliably
                                                  (i) The SEA’s analysis of how capacity               the timeline under paragraph (c)(1) of                scoring high-quality assessments; how
                                               influenced the success of prior efforts to              this section, including—                              the safeguards are sufficient to ensure
                                               develop and implement innovative                           (i) How the budget will be sufficient              unbiased, objective scoring of
                                               assessments or innovative assessment                    to meet the expected costs at each phase              assessment items; and how the SEA will
                                               items; and                                              of the SEA’s planned expansion of its                 use effective professional development
                                                  (ii) The strategies the SEA is using, or             innovative assessment system; and                     to aid in these efforts. (10 points if
                                                                                                          (ii) The degree to which funding in
                                               will use, to mitigate risks, including                                                                        applicable)
                                                                                                       the project budget is contingent upon
                                               those identified in its analysis, and                                                                            (e) Evaluation and continuous
                                                                                                       future appropriations at the State or
                                               support successful implementation of                                                                          improvement. (Up to 20 points)
                                                                                                       local level or additional commitments
                                               the innovative assessment. (5 points)                                                                            The quality of the SEA’s or
                                                                                                       from non-public sources of funds. (10
                                                  (3) The extent and depth of State and                                                                      consortium’s plan to annually evaluate
                                                                                                       points)
                                               local support for the application for                      (d) Supports for educators, students,              its implementation of innovative
                                               demonstration authority in each SEA,                    and parents. (Up to 25 points)                        assessment demonstration authority. In
                                               including each SEA in a consortium, as                     The quality of the SEA or                          determining the quality of the
                                               demonstrated by signatures from the                     consortium’s plan to provide supports                 evaluation, the Secretary considers—
                                               following:                                              that can be delivered consistently at                    (1) The strength of the proposed
                                                  (i) Superintendents (or equivalent) of               scale to educators, students, and parents             evaluation of the innovative assessment
                                               LEAs, including participating LEAs in                   to enable successful implementation of                system included in the application,
                                               the first year of the demonstration                     the innovative assessment system and                  including whether the evaluation will
                                               authority period.                                       improve instruction and student                       be conducted by an independent,
                                                  (ii) Presidents of local school boards               outcomes. In determining the quality of               experienced third party, and the
                                               (or equivalent, where applicable),                      supports, the Secretary considers—                    likelihood that the evaluation will
                                               including within participating LEAs in                     (1) The extent to which the SEA or                 sufficiently determine the system’s
                                               the first year of the demonstration                     consortium has developed, provided,                   validity, reliability, and comparability
                                               authority.                                              and will continue to provide training to              to the statewide assessment system
                                                  (iii) Local teacher organizations                    LEA and school staff, including                       consistent with the requirements of 34
                                               (including labor organizations, where                   teachers, principals, and other school                CFR 200.105(b)(4) and (9); (12 points)
                                               applicable), including within                           leaders, that will familiarize them with              and
                                               participating LEAs in the first year of                 the innovative assessment system and                     (2) The SEA’s or consortium’s plan for
                                               the demonstration authority.                            develop teacher capacity to implement                 continuous improvement of the
                                                  (iv) Other affected stakeholders, such               instruction that is informed by the                   innovative assessment system,
                                               as parent organizations, civil rights                   innovative assessment system and its                  including its process for—
                                               organizations, and business                             results; (5 points if factor (4) is                      (i) Using data, feedback, evaluation
                                               organizations. (10 points)                              applicable; 9 points if factor (4) is                 results, and other information from
                                                  (c) Timeline and budget. (Up to 15                   inapplicable)                                         participating LEAs and schools to make
                                               points)                                                    (2) The strategies the SEA or                      changes to improve the quality of the
                                                  The quality of the SEA’s or                          consortium has developed and will use                 innovative assessment; and
                                               consortium’s timeline and budget for                    to familiarize students and parents with                 (ii) Evaluating and monitoring
                                               implementing the innovative                             the innovative assessment system; (5                  implementation of the innovative
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                                               assessment demonstration authority. In                  points if factor (4) is applicable; 8 points          assessment system in participating LEAs
                                               determining the quality of the timeline                 if factor (4) is inapplicable)                        and schools annually. (8 points)
                                               and budget, the Secretary considers—                       (3) The strategies the SEA will use to                2. Risk Assessment and Specific
                                                  (1) The extent to which the timeline                 ensure that all students and each                     Conditions: Consistent with 2 CFR
                                               reasonably demonstrates that each SEA                   subgroup of students under section                    200.205(c) and 200.207, before
                                               will implement the system statewide by                  1111(c)(2) of the Act in participating                approving a project under this authority,
                                               the end of the requested demonstration                  schools receive the support, including                the Department may conduct a review of


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                                               46930                     Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 180 / Monday, September 17, 2018 / Notices

                                               the risks posed by the applicant and                       (iv) Is valid, reliable, and consistent              (1) The Secretary may extend an
                                               impose specific conditions as needed.                   with relevant, nationally recognized                  SEA’s demonstration authority period
                                                                                                       professional and technical standards;                 for no more than two years if the SEA
                                               VI. Administration Information                             (2) The SEA provides satisfactory                  submits to the Secretary—
                                                 1. Approval Notices: If your                          evidence that it has examined the                       (i) Evidence that its innovative
                                               application is approved, we notify your                 statistical relationship between student              assessment system continues to meet
                                               U.S. Representative and U.S. Senators                   performance on the innovative                         the requirements under 34 CFR 200.105
                                               and send you a letter or email approving                assessment in each subject area and                   and the SEA continues to implement the
                                               your project.                                           student performance on other measures                 plan described in its application in
                                                 If your application is not selected, we               of success, including the measures used               response to the selection criteria in 34
                                               notify you.                                             for each relevant grade-span within the               CFR 200.106 in all participating schools
                                                 2. Programmatic Requirements: Your                    remaining indicators (i.e., indicators                and LEAs;
                                               application must address the                            besides Academic Achievement) in the                    (ii) A high-quality plan, including
                                               programmatic requirements in section                    statewide accountability system under                 input from stakeholders under 34 CFR
                                               1204 of the ESEA and 34 CFR 200.104                     section 1111(c)(4)(B)(ii)–(v) of the Act,             200.105(a)(2), for transitioning to
                                               through 200.108.                                        and how the inclusion of the innovative               statewide use of the innovative
                                                 3. Reporting: (a) If you apply under                  assessment in its Academic                            assessment system by the end of the
                                               this program, you must ensure that you                  Achievement indicator under section                   extension period; and
                                               have in place the necessary processes                   1111(c)(4)(B)(i) of the Act affects the                 (iii) A demonstration that the SEA
                                               and systems to comply with the                          annual meaningful differentiation of                  and all LEAs that are not yet fully
                                               reporting requirements should your                      schools under section 1111(c)(4)(C) of                implementing the innovative
                                               application be approved.                                the Act;                                              assessment system have sufficient
                                                 (b) You must submit, at the end of                       (3) The SEA has solicited information,             capacity to support use of the system
                                               each year of your project period, an                    consistent with the requirements under                statewide by the end of the extension
                                               annual update on program activity                       34 CFR 200.105(d)(3)(iv), and taken into              period.
                                               according to the requirements of 34 CFR                 account feedback from teachers,                         (2) In the case of a consortium of
                                               200.105(d)(3).                                          principals, other school leaders, parents,            SEAs, the Secretary may extend the
                                                 4. Transition to Statewide Use:                       and other stakeholders under 34 CFR                   demonstration authority period for the
                                               Pursuant to 34 CFR 200.107:                             200.105(a)(2) about their satisfaction                consortium as a whole or for an
                                                 (a)(1) After an SEA has scaled its                    with the innovative assessment system;                individual member SEA.
                                                                                                       and                                                     (b) Withdrawal of demonstration
                                               innovative assessment system to operate
                                                                                                          (4) The SEA has demonstrated that                  authority. (1) The Secretary may
                                               statewide in all schools and LEAs in the
                                                                                                       the same innovative assessment system                 withdraw the innovative assessment
                                               State, the SEA must submit evidence for
                                                                                                       was used to measure—                                  demonstration authority provided to an
                                               peer review under section 1111(a)(4) of                    (i) The achievement of all students                SEA, including an individual SEA
                                               the Act and 34 CFR 200.2(d) to                          and each subgroup of students                         member of a consortium, if at any time
                                               determine whether the system may be                     described in section 1111(c)(2) of the                during the approved demonstration
                                               used for purposes of both academic                      Act, and that appropriate                             authority period or extension period,
                                               assessments and the State accountability                accommodations were provided                          the Secretary requests, and the SEA
                                               system under sections 1111(b)(2), (c),                  consistent with 34 CFR 200.6(b) and                   does not present in a timely manner—
                                               and (d) and 1003 of the Act.                            (f)(1)(i) under section 1111(b)(2)(B)(vii)              (i) A high-quality plan, including
                                                 (2) An SEA may only use the                           of the Act; and                                       input from stakeholders under 34 CFR
                                               innovative assessment system for the                       (ii) For purposes of the State                     200.105(a)(2), to transition to full
                                               purposes described in paragraph (a)(1)                  accountability system consistent with                 statewide use of the innovative
                                               of this section if the Secretary                        section 1111(c)(4)(E) of the Act, progress            assessment system by the end of its
                                               determines that the system is of high                   on the Academic Achievement indicator                 approved demonstration authority
                                               quality consistent with paragraph (b) of                under section 1111(c)(4)(B)(i) of the Act             period or extension period, as
                                               this section.                                           of at least 95 percent of all students, and           applicable; or
                                                 (b) Through the peer review process                   95 percent of students in each subgroup                 (ii) Evidence that—
                                               of State assessments and accountability                 of students described in section                        (A) The innovative assessment system
                                               systems under section 1111(a)(4) of the                 1111(c)(2) of the Act.                                meets all requirements under 34 CFR
                                               Act and 34 CFR 200.2(d), the Secretary                     (c) With respect to the evidence                   200.105, including a demonstration that
                                               determines that the innovative                          submitted to the Secretary to make the                the innovative assessment system has
                                               assessment system is of high quality if—                determination described in paragraph                  met the requirements under 34 CFR
                                                 (1) An innovative assessment                          (b)(2) of this section, the baseline year             200.105(b);
                                               developed in any grade or subject under                 for any evaluation is the first year that               (B) The SEA continues to implement
                                               34 CFR 200.5(a)(1) and section                          a participating LEA in the State                      the plan described in its application in
                                               1111(b)(2)(B)(v) of the Act—                            administered the innovative assessment                response to the selection criteria in 34
                                                 (i) Meets all of the requirements under               system under the demonstration                        CFR 200.106;
                                               section 1111(b)(2) of the Act and 34 CFR                authority.                                              (C) The innovative assessment system
                                               200.105(b) and (c);                                        (d) In the case of a consortium of                 includes and is used to assess all
                                                 (ii) Provides coherent and timely                     SEAs, evidence may be submitted for                   students attending participating schools
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                                               information about student achievement                   the consortium as a whole so long as the              in the demonstration authority,
                                               based on the challenging State academic                 evidence demonstrates how each                        consistent with the requirements under
                                               standards under section 1111(b)(1) of                   member SEA meets each requirement of                  section 1111(b)(2) of the Act to provide
                                               the Act;                                                paragraph (b) of this section applicable              for participation in State assessments,
                                                 (iii) Includes objective measurements                 to an SEA.                                            including among each subgroup of
                                               of academic achievement, knowledge,                        5. Continuation of Authority:                      students described in section 1111(c)(2)
                                               and skills; and                                         Pursuant to 34 CFR 200.108:                           of the Act, and for appropriate


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                                                                         Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 180 / Monday, September 17, 2018 / Notices                                                  46931

                                               accommodations consistent with 34                       200.105(a)(2), for transition to statewide              Dated: September 12, 2018.
                                               CFR 200.6(b) and (f)(1)(i) and section                  use of the innovative assessment                      Frank Brogan,
                                               1111(b)(2)(B)(vii) of the Act;                          system, including peer review                         Assistant Secretary for Elementary and
                                                  (D) The innovative assessment system                 consistent with 34 CFR 200.107, in a                  Secondary Education.
                                               provides an unbiased, rational, and                     reasonable period of time.                            [FR Doc. 2018–20152 Filed 9–14–18; 8:45 am]
                                               consistent determination of progress                                                                          BILLING CODE 4000–01–P
                                               toward the State’s long-term goals and                     (3) In the case of a consortium of
                                               measurements of interim progress for                    SEAs, the Secretary may grant a one-
                                               academic achievement under section                      year waiver consistent with paragraph
                                                                                                       (c)(1) of this section for the consortium             DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
                                               1111(c)(4)(A) of the Act for all students
                                               and subgroups of students described in                  as a whole or for individual member
                                                                                                                                                             Environmental Management Site-
                                               section 1111(c)(2) of the Act and a                     SEAs, as necessary.                                   Specific Advisory Board, Portsmouth
                                               comparable measure of student                              (d) Return to the statewide assessment
                                               performance on the Academic                             system. If the Secretary withdraws                    AGENCY:   Department of Energy (DOE).
                                               Achievement indicator under section                     innovative assessment demonstration                   ACTION:   Notice of open meeting.
                                               1111(c)(4)(B)(i) of the Act for                         authority consistent with paragraph (b)
                                               participating schools relative to non-                                                                        SUMMARY:   This notice announces a
                                                                                                       of this section, or if an SEA voluntarily             meeting of the Environmental
                                               participating schools; or                               terminates use of its innovative
                                                  (E) The innovative assessment system                                                                       Management Site-Specific Advisory
                                               demonstrates comparability to the                       assessment system prior to the end of its             Board (EM SSAB), Portsmouth. The
                                               statewide assessments under section                     demonstration authority, extension, or                Federal Advisory Committee Act
                                               1111(b)(2) of the Act in content                        waiver period under paragraph (c) of                  requires that public notice of this
                                               coverage, difficulty, and quality.                      this section, as applicable, the SEA                  meeting be announced in the Federal
                                                  (2)(i) In the case of a consortium of                must—                                                 Register.
                                               SEAs, the Secretary may withdraw                           (1) Return to using, in all LEAs and               DATES:   Thursday, October 4, 2018            6
                                               innovative assessment demonstration                     schools in the State, a statewide                     p.m.
                                               authority for the consortium as a whole                 assessment that meets the requirements
                                               at any time during its demonstration                                                                          ADDRESSES:   Ohio State University,
                                                                                                       of section 1111(b)(2) of the Act; and                 Endeavor Center, 1862 Shyville Road,
                                               authority period or extension period if
                                               the Secretary requests, and no member                      (2) Provide timely notice to all                   Piketon, Ohio 45661.
                                               of the consortium provides, the                         participating LEAs and schools of the                 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Greg
                                               information under paragraph (b)(1)(i) or                withdrawal of authority and the SEA’s                 Simonton, Alternate Deputy Designated
                                               (ii) of this section.                                   plan for transition back to use of a                  Federal Officer, Department of Energy
                                                  (ii) If innovative assessment                        statewide assessment.                                 Portsmouth/Paducah Project Office, Post
                                               demonstration authority for one or more                                                                       Office Box 700, Piketon, Ohio 45661,
                                                                                                       VII. Other Information
                                               SEAs in a consortium is withdrawn, the                                                                        (740) 897–3737, Greg.Simonton@
                                               consortium may continue to implement                       Accessible Format: Individuals with                lex.doe.gov.
                                               the authority if it can demonstrate, in an              disabilities can obtain this document                 SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:   Purpose of
                                               amended application to the Secretary                    and a copy of the application package in              the Board: The purpose of the Board is
                                               that, as a group, the remaining SEAs                    an accessible format (e.g., Braille, large            to make recommendations to DOE–EM
                                               continue to meet all requirements and                   print, audiotape, or compact disc) on                 and site management in the areas of
                                               selection criteria in 34 CFR 200.105 and                request to the program contact person                 environmental restoration, waste
                                               200.106.                                                listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION                  management and related activities.
                                                  (c) Waiver authority. (1) At the end of
                                                                                                       CONTACT.                                              Tentative Agenda
                                               the extension period, an SEA that is not
                                               yet approved consistent with 34 CFR                        Electronic Access to This Document:                • Call to Order, Introductions, Review
                                               200.107 to implement its innovative                     The official version of this document is                of Agenda
                                               assessment system statewide may                         the document published in the Federal                 • Approval of May 2018 Minutes
                                               request a waiver from the Secretary                     Register. You may access the official                 • Deputy Designated Federal Officer’s
                                               consistent with section 8401 of the Act                 edition of the Federal Register and the                 Comments
                                               to delay the withdrawal of authority                    Code of Federal Regulations via the                   • Federal Coordinator’s Comments
                                               under paragraph (b) of this section for                 Federal Digital System at: www.gpo.gov/               • Liaison’s Comments
                                               the purpose of providing the SEA with                   fdsys. At this site you can view this                 • Presentation
                                               the time necessary to receive approval                  document, as well as all other                        • Administrative Issues
                                               to transition to use of the innovative                  documents of this Department                            Æ EM SSAB Chairs Meeting Update
                                               assessment system statewide under 34                    published in the Federal Register, in                     and Draft Recommendation
                                               CFR 200.107(b).                                         text or PDF. To use PDF you must have                   Æ Annual Executive Planning and
                                                  (2) The Secretary may grant an SEA a                 Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is                            Leadership Training Session
                                               one-year waiver to continue the                         available free at the site.                               Update
                                               innovative assessment demonstration                                                                             Æ Election of Leadership
                                               authority, if the SEA submits, in its                      You may also access documents of the                 Æ Adoption of Fiscal Year 2019 Work
                                               request under paragraph (c)(1) of this                  Department published in the Federal                       Plan
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                                               section, evidence satisfactory to the                   Register by using the article search                    Æ Draft Recommendation 19–01:
                                               Secretary that it—                                      feature at: www.federalregister.gov.                      Priorities for the President’s Fiscal
                                                  (i) Has met all of the requirements                  Specifically, through the advanced                        Year 2020 Budget Request
                                               under paragraph (b)(1) of this section                  search feature at this site, you can limit              Æ Draft Recommendation 19–02:
                                               and of 34 CFR 200.105 and 200.106; and                  your search to documents published by                     Development and Funding of a
                                                  (ii) Has a high-quality plan, including              the Department.                                           Master Site Plan
                                               input from stakeholders under 34 CFR                                                                          • Subcommittee Updates


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Document Created: 2018-09-15 01:37:19
Document Modified: 2018-09-15 01:37:19
CategoryRegulatory Information
CollectionFederal Register
sudoc ClassAE 2.7:
GS 4.107:
AE 2.106:
PublisherOffice of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
SectionNotices
ActionNotice.
DatesApplications Available: September 17, 2018.
ContactDonald Peasley, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Room 3E124, Washington, DC 20202- 6132. Telephone: (202) 453-7982. Email: [email protected]
FR Citation83 FR 46924 

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