[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 115 (Thursday, June 14, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35795-35806]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-14269]
[[Page 35795]]
Vol. 77
Thursday,
No. 115
June 14, 2012
Part III
Department of Education
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Applications for New Awards; Teacher Incentive Fund; Notice
Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 115 / Thursday, June 14, 2012 /
Notices
[[Page 35796]]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Applications for New Awards; Teacher Incentive Fund
AGENCY: Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, Department of
Education.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Overview Information
Teacher Incentive Fund; General TIF Competition and TIF Competition
with a Focus on STEM. Notice inviting applications for new awards for
fiscal year (FY) 2012.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Numbers: 84.374A and
84.374B.
DATES: Applications Available: June 14, 2012.
Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply: June 26, 2012.
Dates of Pre-Application Workshops: Visit the Teacher Incentive
Fund's Web site at: http://www2.ed.gov/programs/teacherincentive/applicant.html for more information about TIF Pre-Application
Workshops.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: July 27, 2012.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: September 25, 2012.
Full Text of Announcement
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Purpose of Program: The purpose of the TIF program is to support
the development and implementation of sustainable performance-based
compensation systems (PBCSs) for teachers, principals, and other
personnel in high-need schools in order to increase educator
effectiveness and student achievement in those schools.
Priorities: This notice contains five priorities, three of which
are absolute priorities and two of which are competitive preference
priorities. These priorities are from the notice of final priorities,
requirements, definitions, and selection criteria for this program,
published elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register.
Absolute Priorities: For FY 2012 and any subsequent year in which
we make awards from the list of unfunded applicants from the General
TIF Competition and the TIF Competition with a Focus on STEM (CFDA
84.374A and 84.374B), the first two priorities, Priority 1--A Local
educational agency (LEA)-wide Human Capital Management System (HCMS)
with Educator Evaluation Systems at the Center and Priority 2--LEA-wide
Educator Evaluation Systems Based, in Significant Part, on Student
Growth, are absolute priorities. For FY 2012 and any subsequent year in
which we make awards from the list of unfunded applicants from the TIF
Competition with a Focus on STEM (CFDA 84.374B), the third priority,
Priority 3--Improving Student Achievement in Science, Technology,
Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), is an absolute priority. Under 34
CFR 75.105(c)(3) we will only approve applications that meet either the
first two or all three of these applicable absolute priorities. The
following chart illustrates which absolute priorities apply to each
competition:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Competition Absolute priorities
------------------------------------------------------------------------
TIF General Competition (CFDA Priority 1--An LEA-wide Human
84.374A). Capital Management System (HCMS) with
Educator Evaluation Systems at the
Center.
Priority 2--LEA-wide Educator
Evaluation Systems Based, in Significant
Part, on Student Growth.
TIF Competition with a Focus Priority 1--An LEA-wide Human
on STEM (CFDA 84.374B). Capital Management System (HCMS) with
Educator Evaluation Systems at the
Center.
Priority 2--LEA-wide Educator
Evaluation Systems Based, in Significant
Part, on Student Growth.
Priority 3--Improving Student
Achievement in Science, Technology,
Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).
------------------------------------------------------------------------
These priorities are:
Priority 1 (Absolute): An LEA-Wide Human Capital Management System
(HCMS) With Educator Evaluation Systems at the Center
To meet this priority, the applicant must include, in its
application, a description of its LEA-wide HCMS, as it exists currently
and with any modifications proposed for implementation during the
project period of the grant. The application must describe--
(1) How the HCMS is or will be aligned with the LEA's vision of
instructional improvement;
(2) How the LEA uses or will use the information generated by the
evaluation systems it describes in its application to inform key human
capital decisions, such as decisions on recruitment, hiring, placement,
retention, dismissal, compensation, professional development, tenure,
and promotion;
(3) The human capital strategies the LEA uses or will use to ensure
that high-need schools are able to attract and retain effective
educators; and
(4) Whether or not modifications are needed to an existing HCMS to
ensure that it includes the features described in response to
paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) of this priority, and a timeline for
implementing the described features, provided that the use of
evaluation information to inform the design and delivery of
professional development and the award of performance-based
compensation under the applicant's proposed PBCS in high-need schools
begins no later than the third year of the grant's project period in
the high-need schools listed in response to paragraph (a) of
Requirement 3--Documentation of High-Need Schools.
Note: TIF funds can be used to support the costs of the systems
and strategies described under this priority, Priority 3--Improving
Student Achievement in Science, Technology, Engineering, and
Mathematics (STEM), and Priority 5--An Educator Salary Structure
Based on Effectiveness only to the extent allowed under Requirement
6--Use of TIF Funds to Support the PBCS.
Priority 2 (Absolute): LEA-Wide Educator Evaluation Systems Based, in
Significant Part, on Student Growth
To meet this priority, an applicant must include, as part of its
application, a plan describing how it will develop and implement its
proposed LEA-wide educator evaluation systems. The plan must describe--
(1) The frequency of evaluations, which must be at least annually;
(2) The evaluation rubric for educators that includes at least
three performance levels and the following--
(i) Two or more observations during each evaluation period;
(ii) Student growth, which for the evaluation of teachers with
regular instructional responsibilities must be growth at the classroom
level; and
(iii) Additional factors determined by the LEA;
[[Page 35797]]
(3) How the evaluation systems will generate an overall evaluation
rating that is based, in significant part, on student growth; and
(4) The applicant's timeline for implementing its proposed LEA-wide
educator evaluation systems. Under the timeline, the applicant must
implement these systems as the LEA's official evaluation systems for
assigning overall evaluation ratings for at least a subset of educators
or schools no later than the beginning of the second year of the
grant's project period. The applicant may phase in the evaluation
systems by applying them, over time, to additional schools or educators
so long as the new evaluation systems are the official evaluation
systems the LEA uses to assign overall evaluation ratings for all
educators within the LEA no later than the beginning of the third year
of the grant's project period.
Priority 3 (Absolute): Improving Student Achievement in Science,
Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)
To meet this priority, an applicant must include a plan in its
application that describes the applicant's strategies for improving
instruction in STEM subjects through various components of each
participating LEA's HCMS, including its professional development,
evaluation systems, and PBCS. At a minimum, the plan must describe--
(1) How each LEA will develop a corps of STEM master teachers who
are skilled at modeling for peer teachers pedagogical methods for
teaching STEM skills and content at the appropriate grade level by
providing additional compensation to teachers who--
(i) Receive an overall evaluation rating of effective or higher
under the evaluation system described in the application;
(ii) Are selected based on criteria that are predictive of the
ability to lead other teachers;
(iii) Demonstrate effectiveness in one or more STEM subjects; and
(iv) Accept STEM-focused career ladder positions;
(2) How each LEA will identify and develop the unique competencies
that, based on evaluation information or other evidence, characterize
effective STEM teachers;
(3) How each LEA will identify hard-to-staff STEM subjects, and use
the HCMS to attract effective teachers to positions providing
instruction in those subjects;
(4) How each LEA will leverage community support, resources, and
expertise to inform the implementation of its plan;
(5) How each LEA will ensure that financial and non-financial
incentives, including performance-based compensation, offered to reward
or promote effective STEM teachers are adequate to attract and retain
persons with strong STEM skills in high-need schools; and
(6) How each LEA will ensure that students have access to and
participate in rigorous and engaging STEM coursework.
Competitive Preference Priorities: For FY 2012 and any subsequent
year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applicants from
the competitions announced in this notice, the following two priorities
are competitive preference priorities: Priority 4 (Competitive
Preference)--New or Rural Applicants to the Teacher Incentive Fund and
Priority 5 (Competitive Preference)--An Educator Salary Structure Based
on Effectiveness. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i) we award up to an
additional 30 points to an application, depending on how well the
application meets one or more of these priorities.
Priority 4 (Competitive Preference): New or Rural Applicants to the
Teacher Incentive Fund (Up to 10 Total Points)
To meet this priority, an applicant must provide at least one of
the two following assurances, which the Department accepts:
(a) An assurance that each LEA to be served by the project has not
previously participated in a TIF-supported project.
(b) An assurance that each LEA to be served by the project is a
rural local educational agency (as defined in this notice).
Note: An applicant that proposes to serve only LEAs that have
not previously participated in a TIF-supported project may earn 6
points. An applicant that proposes to serve only rural LEAs may earn
10 points. An applicant may not receive more than 10 points under
this priority. In other words, an applicant that meets both
paragraph (a) and (b) of this priority may receive no more than 10
total points.
Priority 5 (Competitive Preference): An Educator Salary Structure Based
on Effectiveness (Up to 20 Additional Points)
To meet this priority, an applicant must propose, as part of its
PBCS, a timeline for implementing no later than in the fifth year of
the grant's project period a salary structure based on effectiveness
for both teachers and principals. As part of this proposal, an
applicant must describe--
(a) The extent to which and how each LEA will use overall
evaluation ratings to determine educator salaries;
(b) How each LEA will use TIF funds to support the salary structure
based on effectiveness in the high-need schools listed in response to
Requirement 3(a); and
(c) The extent to which the proposed implementation is feasible,
given that implementation will depend upon stakeholder support and
applicable LEA-level policies.
Note: To meet Priority 2 (Absolute)--LEA-wide Educator
Evaluation Systems Based, in Significant Part, on Student Growth, an
applicant must implement its proposed PBCS in the high-need schools
listed in response to paragraph (a) of Requirement 3--Documentation
of High-Need Schools by the beginning of the third year of the
grant's project period. If the timeline for implementing the salary
structure proposed under this Priority 5 does not meet that
deadline, the applicant must describe, under Requirement 1--
Performance-Based Compensation for Teachers, Principals, and Other
Personnel, a proposed PBCS that the LEA will implement until the
proposed salary structure is implemented.
Requirements:
The following requirements, which are from the notice of final
priorities, requirements, definitions, and selection for this program,
published elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register, apply to the
competitions announced in this notice.
Requirement 1--Performance-Based Compensation for Teachers, Principals,
and Other Personnel
In its application, an applicant must describe, for each
participating LEA, how its proposed PBCS will meet the definition of a
PBCS set forth in this notice.
Note: The following charts illustrate how an applicant can
design its PBCS to meet the definition of a PBCS. Chart 1 describes
the two types of design models that meet the statutory requirements.
Chart 2 identifies additional optional features that could be
implemented as part of a PBCS. To ensure that funded applications
reflect a diversity of PBCSs, the Secretary reserves the right to
fund a sufficient number of high-quality Design Model 1 and Design
Model 2 projects, as shown in Chart 1.
[[Page 35798]]
Chart 1--PBCS Design Options To Meet Statutory Requirements
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Design model Mandatory elements
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 *.......................... Proposed PBCS provides both of the
following:
*Corresponds to paragraph (1) Additional compensation for
(a)(1) of the PBCS teachers and principals who receive
definition. an overall rating of effective or
higher under the evaluation systems
described in the application.
(2) Of those teachers and principals
eligible for compensation under
paragraph (1), additional
compensation for teachers and, at the
applicant's discretion, for
principals, who take on additional
responsibilities and leadership roles
(as defined in this notice).
2 *.......................... Proposed PBCS provides both of the
following:
*Corresponds to paragraph (1) Additional compensation for
(a)(2) of the PBCS teachers who receive an overall
definition. rating of effective or higher under
the evaluation system described in
the application and who take on
career ladder positions (as defined
in this notice).
(2) Additional compensation for one or
both of the following:
(A) Principals who receive an overall
rating of effective or higher under
the evaluation system described in
the application, or
(B) Principals who receive an overall
rating of effective or higher under
the evaluation system described in
the application and who take on
additional responsibilities and
leadership roles (as defined in this
notice).
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chart 2--PBCS Optional Features
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Optional elements
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Compensation for Transfers to Proposed PBCS provides additional
High-Need Schools. compensation for educators (which at the
applicant's option may be for teachers
or principals or both) who receive an
overall rating of effective or higher
under the evaluation systems described
in the application or under comparable
evaluation systems in another LEA, and
who either:
(1) Transfer to a high-need school
from a school of the LEA that is not
high-need, or
(2) For educators who previously
worked in another LEA, are hired to
work in a high-need school.
Compensation for Other Proposed PBCS provides additional
Personnel. compensation for other personnel, who
are not teachers or principals, based on
performance standards established by the
LEA so long as those standards, in
significant part, include student
growth, which may be school-level
student growth.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Requirement 2--Involvement and Support of Teachers and Principals
In its application, the applicant must include--
(a) Evidence that educators in each participating LEA have been
involved, and will continue to be involved, in the development and
implementation of the PBCS and evaluation systems described in the
application;
(b) A description of the extent to which the applicant has educator
support for the proposed PBCS and educator evaluation systems; and
(c) A statement indicating whether a union is the exclusive
representative of either teachers or principals in each participating
LEA.
Note: It is the responsibility of the grantee to ensure that, in
observing the rights, remedies, and procedures afforded school or
school district employees under Federal, State, or local laws
(including applicable regulations or court orders) or under terms of
collective bargaining agreements, memoranda of understanding, or
other agreements between these employees and their employers, the
grantee also remains in compliance with the priorities,
requirements, and definitions included in this notice. In the event
that a grantee is unable to comply with these priorities,
requirements, and definitions, the Department may take appropriate
enforcement action (e.g., discontinue support for the project).
Requirement 3--Documentation of High-Need Schools
Each applicant must demonstrate, in its application, that the
schools participating in the implementation of the TIF-funded PBCS are
high-need schools (as defined in this notice), including high-poverty
schools (as defined in this notice), priority schools (as defined in
this notice), or persistently lowest-achieving schools (as defined in
this notice). Each applicant must provide, in its application--
(a) A list of high-need schools in which the proposed TIF-supported
PBCS would be implemented;
(b) For each high-poverty school listed, the most current data on
the percentage of students who are eligible for free or reduced-price
lunch subsidies under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act
or are considered students from low-income families based on another
poverty measure that the LEA uses (see section 1113(a)(5) of the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended (ESEA) (20
U.S.C. 6313(a)(5))). Data provided to demonstrate eligibility as a
high-poverty school must be school-level data; the Department will not
accept LEA- or State-level data for purposes of documenting whether a
school is a high-poverty school; and
(c) For any priority schools listed, documentation verifying that
the State has received approval of a request for ESEA flexibility, and
that the schools have been identified by the State as priority schools.
Requirement 4--SEA and Other Group Applications
(a) Applications from the following are group applications:
(1) Any application from two or more LEAs.
(2) Any application that includes one or more SEAs.
(3) Any application that includes a nonprofit organization.
(b) An applicant that is a nonprofit organization must apply in a
partnership that includes one or more LEAs, and must identify in the
application the LEA(s) and any SEA(s) with which the proposed project
would be implemented.
(c) An applicant that is an SEA must apply for a grant under this
program as part of a group application that includes
[[Page 35799]]
one or more LEAs in the same State as the SEA, and must identify in the
application the LEA(s) in which the project would be implemented.
(d) All group applications must include a Memorandum of
Understanding (MOU) or other binding agreement signed by all of the
members of the group. At a minimum, the MOU or other agreement must
include--
(1) A commitment by each participating LEA to implement the HCMS,
including the educator evaluation systems and the PBCS, described in
the application;
(2) An identification of the lead applicant;
(3) A description of the responsibilities of the lead applicant in
managing any grant funds and ensuring overall implementation of the
proposed project as described in the application if approved by the
Department;
(4) A description of the activities that each member of the group
will perform; and
(5) A statement binding each member of the group to every statement
and assurance made in the application.
(e) In any group application identified in paragraph (a) of this
requirement, each entity in the group is considered a grantee.
Requirement 5--Limitations on Multiple Applications
(a) An LEA applicant may participate in no more than one
application in any fiscal year.
(b) An SEA applicant may participate in no more than one group
application for the General TIF Competition, and no more than one group
application for the TIF Competition with a Focus on STEM in any fiscal
year.
(c) A nonprofit organization applicant may participate in one or
more group applications for the General TIF Competition, and in one or
more applications for the TIF Competition with a Focus on STEM, in any
fiscal year.
Requirement 6--Use of TIF Funds To Support the PBCS
(a) LEA-wide Improvements to Systems and Tools. TIF funds may be
used to develop and improve systems and tools that support the PBCS and
benefit the entire LEA.
(b) Performance-based Compensation and Professional Development.
(1) High-Need Schools. TIF funds may be used to provide
performance-based compensation and related professional development in
the high-need schools listed in response to paragraph (a) of
Requirement 3--Documentation of High-Need Schools. TIF funds may not be
used to provide performance-based compensation or related professional
development in schools other than those high-need schools listed in
response to paragraph (a) of Requirement 3--Documentation of High-Need
Schools.
(2) PBCSs. TIF funds may be used to compensate educators only when
the compensation is provided as part of the LEA's PBCS, as described in
the application.
(3) For Additional Responsibilities and Leadership Roles. When a
proposed PBCS provides additional compensation to effective educators
who take on additional responsibilities and leadership roles, TIF funds
may be used for either the entire amount of salary for career ladder
positions, or for salary augmentations (i.e., an additional amount of
compensation over and above what the LEA would otherwise pay the
effective teacher), or both. TIF-funds may be used to fund additional
compensation for additional responsibilities and leadership roles up to
the cost of 1 full-time equivalent position for every 12 teachers, who
are not in a career ladder position, located in the high-need schools
listed in response to Requirement 3(a).
(c) Other Permissible Types of Compensation. Nothing in this
requirement precludes the use of TIF funds to compensate educators who
are hired by a grantee to administer or implement the TIF-supported
PBCS, or to compensate educators who attend TIF-supported professional
development outside their official duty hours, or to develop or improve
systems and tools needed to support the PBCS.
Requirement 7--Limitation on Using TIF Funds in High-Need Schools
Served by Existing TIF Grants
Each applicant must provide an assurance, in its application, that,
if successful under this competition, it will use the grant award to
implement the proposed PBCS and professional development only in high-
need schools that are not served, as of the beginning of the grant's
project period or as planned in the future, by an existing TIF grant.
Definitions:
The following definitions, which are from the notice of final
priorities, requirements, definitions, and selection criteria for this
program, published elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register,
apply to the competitions announced in this notice.
Additional responsibilities and leadership roles means:
(a) In the case of teachers, meaningful school-based
responsibilities that teachers may voluntarily accept to strengthen
instruction or instructional leadership in a systemic way, such as
additional responsibilities related to lesson study, professional
development, and peer evaluation, and may also include career ladder
positions.
(b) In the case of principals, additional responsibilities and
leadership roles that principals may voluntarily accept, such as a
position in which an effective principal coaches a novice principal.
Career ladder positions means school-based instructional leadership
positions designed to improve instructional practice, which teachers
may voluntarily accept, such as positions described as master teacher,
mentor teacher, demonstration or model teacher, or instructional coach,
and for which teachers are selected based on criteria that are
predictive of the ability to lead other teachers.
Educators means teachers and principals.
High-need school means:
(a) A high-poverty school, or
(b) A persistently lowest-achieving school, or
(c) In the case of States that have received the Department's
approval of a request for ESEA flexibility, a priority school.
High-poverty school means a school with 50 percent or more of its
enrollment from low-income families, based on eligibility for free or
reduced-price lunch subsidies under the Richard B. Russell National
School Lunch Act, or other poverty measures that LEAs use (see section
1113(a)(5) of the ESEA (20 U.S.C. 6313(a)(5)). For middle and high
schools, eligibility may be calculated on the basis of comparable data
from feeder schools. Eligibility as a high-poverty school under this
definition is determined on the basis of the most currently available
data.
Human capital management system (HCMS) means a system by which an
LEA makes and implements human capital decisions, such as decisions on
recruitment, hiring, placement, retention, dismissal, compensation,
professional development, tenure, and promotion.
Other personnel means school-based personnel who are not serving in
a teacher or principal position. Other personnel may include, for
example, school counselors, media specialists, or para-educators.
Performance-based compensation system (PBCS) means a system that:
(a) Provides additional compensation for teachers and principals in
one of the following circumstances--
(1)(i) Design Model 1. Additional compensation for teachers and
[[Page 35800]]
principals who receive an overall evaluation rating of effective or
higher under the evaluation systems described in the application; and
(ii) Of those teachers and principals eligible for compensation
under paragraph (a)(1)(i) of this definition, additional compensation
for teachers and, at the applicant's discretion, for principals, who
take on additional responsibilities and leadership roles; or
(2)(i) Design Model 2. Additional compensation for teachers who
receive an overall evaluation rating of effective or higher under the
evaluation system described in the application and who take on career
ladder positions; and
(ii) Additional compensation for (A) principals who receive an
overall evaluation rating of effective or higher under the evaluation
system described in the application, or (B) principals who receive an
overall evaluation rating of effective or higher under the evaluation
system described in the application and who take on additional
responsibilities and leadership roles.
(b) May provide the following compensation:
(1) Additional compensation for educators (which at the applicant's
option may be for teachers or principals or both) who receive an
overall evaluation rating of effective or higher under the evaluation
systems described in the application or under comparable evaluation
systems in another LEA, and who either: (i) transfer to a high-need
school from a school of the LEA that is not high-need, or, (ii) for
educators who previously worked in another LEA, are hired to work in a
high-need school.
(2) Additional compensation for other personnel, who are not
teachers or principals, based on performance standards established by
the LEA so long as those standards, in significant part, include
student growth, which may be school-level student growth.
Persistently lowest-achieving school means, as determined by the
State:
(i) Any Title I school in improvement, corrective action, or
restructuring that--
(a) Is among the lowest-achieving five percent of Title I schools
in improvement, corrective action, or restructuring or the lowest-
achieving five Title I schools in improvement, corrective action, or
restructuring in the State, whichever number of schools is greater; or
(b) Is a high school that has had a graduation rate as defined in
34 CFR 200.19(b) that is less than 60 percent over a number of years;
and
(ii) Any secondary school that is eligible for, but does not
receive, Title I funds that--
(a) Is among the lowest-achieving five percent of secondary schools
or the lowest-achieving five secondary schools in the State that are
eligible for, but do not receive, Title I funds, whichever number of
schools is greater; or
(b) Is a high school that has had a graduation rate as defined in
34 CFR 200.19(b) that is less than 60 percent over a number of years.
To identify the persistently lowest achieving schools, a State must
take into account both:
(i) The academic achievement of the ``all students'' group in a
school in terms of proficiency on the State's assessments under section
1111(b)(3) of the ESEA in reading/language arts and mathematics
combined; and
(ii) The school's lack of progress on those assessments over a
number of years in the ``all students'' group.
Principal means any person who meets the definition of that term
under State or local law. At an LEA's discretion, it may also include
an assistant or vice principal or a person in a position that
contributes to the organizational management or instructional
leadership of a school.
Priority school means a school that has been identified by the
State as a priority school pursuant to the State's approved request for
Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) flexibility.
Rural local educational agency means an LEA that is eligible under
the Small Rural School Achievement program or the Rural and Low-Income
School program authorized under Title VI, Part B of the ESEA.
Applicants may determine whether a particular LEA is eligible for these
programs by referring to information on the Department's Web site at
http://www2.ed.gov/nclb/freedom/local/reap.html.
Student growth means the change in student achievement for an
individual student between two or more points in time. For the purpose
of this definition, student achievement means--
(a) For grades and subjects in which assessments are required under
section 1111(b)(3) of ESEA: (1) A student's score on such assessments
and may include (2) other measures of student learning, such as those
described in paragraph (b) of this definition, provided those measures
are rigorous and comparable across schools within an LEA.
(b) For grades and subjects in which assessments are not required
under section 1111(b)(3) of ESEA: alternative measures of student
learning and performance such as student results on pre-tests, end-of-
course tests, and objective performance-based assessments; student
learning objectives; student performance on English language
proficiency assessments; and other measures of student achievement that
are rigorous and comparable across schools within an LEA.
Teacher means any person who meets the definition of that term
under State or local law.
Vision of instructional improvement means a summary of the key
competencies and behaviors of effective teaching that an LEA views as
necessary to produce high levels of student achievement, as well as how
educators acquire or improve these competencies and behaviors.
Program Authority: The Department of Education Appropriations
Act, 2012 (Division F, Title III of Pub. L. 112-74).
Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80,
81, 82, 84, 86, 97, 98, and 99. (b) The Education Department suspension
and debarment regulations in 2 CFR part 3485. (c) The notice of final
priorities, requirements, definitions, and selection criteria for this
program, published elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register.
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 79 apply to all applicants
except federally recognized Indian tribes.
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to institutions of
higher education only.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
Estimated Available Funds: $284,461,350.
Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of
applications, we may make additional awards in FY 2013 from the list of
unfunded applicants from the competitions announced in this notice.
Estimated Range of Awards: $500,000-$12,000,000 for the first year
of the project period. Funding for the second through fifth years of
the project period is subject to the availability of funds and the
approval of continuation awards (see 34 CFR 75.253).
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $10,000,000 for the first year of
the project period. Funding for the second through fifth years of the
project period is subject to the availability of funds and the approval
of continuation awards (see 34 CFR 75.253).
Estimated Number of Awards: 30.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this
notice.
Project Period: Up to 60 months.
[[Page 35801]]
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants:
(a) LEAs, including charter schools that are LEAs.
(b) States that apply with one or more LEAs.
(c) Nonprofit organizations that apply in partnership with an LEA
or an LEA and State.
2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This program does not require cost
sharing or matching.
IV. Application and Submission Information
1. Address to Request Application Package:
Miriam Lund, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW.,
Room 3E245, LBJ Building, Washington, DC 20202-6200. Telephone: (202)
205-5224 or by email: TIF4@ed.gov.
If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) or a text
telephone (TTY), call the Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll free, at 1-
800-877-8339.
Individuals with disabilities can obtain a copy of the application
package in an accessible format (e.g., braille, large print, audiotape,
or compact disc) by contacting the program contact person listed in
this section.
2. Content and Form of Application Submission: Requirements
concerning the content of an application, together with the forms you
must submit, are in the application package for this program.
Notice of Intent to Apply: We will be able to develop a more
efficient process for reviewing grant applications if we understand the
number of applicants that intend to apply for funding under these
competitions. Therefore, the Secretary strongly encourages each
potential applicant to notify us of the applicant's intent to submit an
application for funding by sending a short email message. This short
email should provide (1) the applicant organization's name and address,
(2) the competition for which the applicant intends to apply (i.e., the
TIF General Competition or the TIF Competition with a Focus on STEM),
and (3) all competitive preference priorities the applicant intends to
address. The Secretary requests that this email notification be sent to
tif4@ed.gov with ``Intent to Apply'' in the email subject line.
Applicants that do not provide this email notification may still apply
for funding.
Page Limit: The application narrative is where you, the applicant,
address the selection criteria that reviewers use to evaluate your
application. Please limit the application narrative to no more than 60
pages, using the following standards:
A ``page'' is 8.5'' x 11'', on one side only, with 1''
margins at the top, bottom, and both sides.
Double space (no more than three lines per vertical inch)
all text in the application narrative, including titles, headings,
footnotes, quotations, references, and captions, as well as all text in
charts, tables, figures, and graphs.
Use a font that is either 12 point or larger or no smaller
than 10 pitch (characters per inch).
Use one of the following fonts: Times New Roman, Courier,
Courier New, or Arial.
The suggested page limit does not apply to the cover sheet; the
budget section, including the narrative budget justification; the
assurances and certifications; or the one-page abstract, the resumes,
the bibliography, or the letters of support. However, the suggested
page limit does apply to all of the application narrative section.
3. Submission Dates and Times:
Applications Available: June 14, 2012.
Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply: June 26, 2012.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: July 27, 2012.
Pre-application workshops will be held for this competition in
June. The workshops are intended to provide technical assistance to all
interested grant applicants. Detailed information regarding the pre-
application workshops times, and on-line registration form, can be
found on the Teacher Incentive Fund's Web site at http://www2.ed.gov/programs/0teacherincentive/applicant.html.
Applications for grants under this program must be submitted
electronically using the Grants.gov Apply site (Grants.gov). For
information (including dates and times) about how to submit your
application electronically, or in paper format by mail or hand delivery
if you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission
requirement, please refer to section IV. 7. Other Submission
Requirements of this notice.
We do not consider an application that does not comply with the
deadline requirements.
Individuals with disabilities who need an accommodation or
auxiliary aid in connection with the application process should contact
the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT in section VII
of this notice. If the Department provides an accommodation or
auxiliary aid to an individual with a disability in connection with the
application process, the individual's application remains subject to
all other requirements and limitations in this notice.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: September 25, 2012.
4. Intergovernmental Review: This program is subject to Executive
Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79. Information about
Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs under Executive Order
12372 is in the application package for this program.
5. Funding Restrictions: We reference regulations outlining funding
restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.
6. Data Universal Numbering System Number, Taxpayer Identification
Number, and Central Contractor Registry: To do business with the
Department of Education, you must--
a. Have a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number and a
Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN);
b. Register both your DUNS number and TIN with the Central
Contractor Registry (CCR), the Government's primary registrant
database;
c. Provide your DUNS number and TIN on your application; and
d. Maintain an active CCR registration with current information
while your application is under review by the Department and, if you
are awarded a grant, during the project period.
You can obtain a DUNS number from Dun and Bradstreet. A DUNS number
can be created within one business day.
If you are a corporate entity, agency, institution, or
organization, you can obtain a TIN from the Internal Revenue Service.
If you are an individual, you can obtain a TIN from the Internal
Revenue Service or the Social Security Administration. If you need a
new TIN, please allow 2-5 weeks for your TIN to become active.
The CCR registration process may take five or more business days to
complete. If you are currently registered with the CCR, you may not
need to make any changes. However, please make certain that the TIN
associated with your DUNS number is correct. Also note that you will
need to update your CCR registration on an annual basis. This may take
three or more business days to complete.
In addition, if you are submitting your application via Grants.gov,
you must (1) be designated by your organization as an Authorized
Organization Representative (AOR); and (2) register yourself with
Grants.gov as an AOR. Details on these steps are outlined at the
following
[[Page 35802]]
Grants.gov Web page: www.grants.gov/applicants/get_registered.jsp.
7. Other Submission Requirements:
Applications for grants under this program must be submitted
electronically unless you qualify for an exception to this requirement
in accordance with the instructions in this section.
a. Electronic Submission of Applications
Applications for grants under the Teacher Incentive Fund, CFDA
number 84.374A, the General TIF Competition and 84.374B, the TIF
Competition with a Focus on STEM, must be submitted electronically
using the Governmentwide Grants.gov Apply site at www.Grants.gov.
Through this site, you will be able to download a copy of the
application package, complete it offline, and then upload and submit
your application. You may not email an electronic copy of a grant
application to us.
We will reject your application if you submit it in paper format
unless, as described elsewhere in this section, you qualify for one of
the exceptions to the electronic submission requirement and submit, no
later than two weeks before the application deadline date, a written
statement to the Department that you qualify for one of these
exceptions. Further information regarding calculation of the date that
is two weeks before the application deadline date is provided later in
this section under Exception to Electronic Submission Requirement.
You may access the electronic grant application for the Teacher
Incentive Fund competitions at www.Grants.gov. You must search for the
downloadable application package for this program by the CFDA number.
Do not include the CFDA number's alpha suffix in your search (e.g.,
search for 84.374, not 84.374A).
Please note the following:
When you enter the Grants.gov site, you will find
information about submitting an application electronically through the
site, as well as the hours of operation.
Applications received by Grants.gov are date and time
stamped. Your application must be fully uploaded and submitted and must
be date and time stamped by the Grants.gov system no later than 4:30:00
p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. Except as
otherwise noted in this section, we will not accept your application if
it is received--that is, date and time stamped by the Grants.gov
system--after 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application
deadline date. We do not consider an application that does not comply
with the deadline requirements. When we retrieve your application from
Grants.gov, we will notify you if we are rejecting your application
because it was date and time stamped by the Grants.gov system after
4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date.
The amount of time it can take to upload an application
will vary depending on a variety of factors, including the size of the
application and the speed of your Internet connection. Therefore, we
strongly recommend that you do not wait until the application deadline
date to begin the submission process through Grants.gov.
You should review and follow the Education Submission
Procedures for submitting an application through Grants.gov that are
included in the application package for this program to ensure that you
submit your application in a timely manner to the Grants.gov system.
You can also find the Education Submission Procedures pertaining to
Grants.gov under News and Events on the Department's G5 system home
page at http://www.G5.gov.
You will not receive additional point value because you
submit your application in electronic format, nor will we penalize you
if you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission
requirement, as described elsewhere in this section, and submit your
application in paper format.
You must submit all documents electronically, including
all information you typically provide on the following forms: the
Application for Federal Assistance (SF 424), the Department of
Education Supplemental Information for SF 424, Budget Information--Non-
Construction Programs (ED 524), and all necessary assurances and
certifications.
You must upload any narrative sections and all other
attachments to your application as files in a PDF (Portable Document)
read-only, non-modifiable format. Do not upload an interactive or
fillable PDF file. If you upload a file type other than a read-only,
non-modifiable PDF or submit a password-protected file, we will not
review that material.
Your electronic application must comply with any page-
limit requirements described in this notice.
After you electronically submit your application, you will
receive from Grants.gov an automatic notification of receipt that
contains a Grants.gov tracking number. (This notification indicates
receipt by Grants.gov only, not receipt by the Department.) The
Department then will retrieve your application from Grants.gov and send
a second notification to you by email. This second notification
indicates that the Department has received your application and has
assigned your application a PR/Award number (an ED-specified
identifying number unique to your application).
We may request that you provide us original signatures on
forms at a later date.
Application Deadline Date Extension in Case of Technical Issues
with the Grants.gov System: If you are experiencing problems submitting
your application through Grants.gov, please contact the Grants.gov
Support Desk, toll free, at 1-800-518-4726. You must obtain a
Grants.gov Support Desk Case Number and must keep a record of it.
If you are prevented from electronically submitting your
application on the application deadline date because of technical
problems with the Grants.gov system, we will grant you an extension
until 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, the following business day to
enable you to transmit your application electronically or by hand
delivery. You also may mail your application by following the mailing
instructions described elsewhere in this notice.
If you submit an application after 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC
time, on the application deadline date, please contact the person
listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT in section VII of this
notice and provide an explanation of the technical problem you
experienced with Grants.gov, along with the Grants.gov Support Desk
Case Number. We will accept your application if we can confirm that a
technical problem occurred with the Grants.gov system and that that
problem affected your ability to submit your application by 4:30:00
p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. The
Department will contact you after a determination is made on whether
your application will be accepted.
Note: The extensions to which we refer in this section apply
only to the unavailability of, or technical problems with, the
Grants.gov system. We will not grant you an extension if you failed
to fully register to submit your application to Grants.gov before
the application deadline date and time or if the technical problem
you experienced is unrelated to the Grants.gov system.
Exception to Electronic Submission Requirement: You qualify for an
exception to the electronic submission requirement, and may submit your
application in paper format, if you are unable to submit an application
through the Grants.gov system because--
[[Page 35803]]
You do not have access to the Internet; or
You do not have the capacity to upload large documents to
the Grants.gov system; and
No later than two weeks before the application deadline
date (14 calendar days or, if the fourteenth calendar day before the
application deadline date falls on a Federal holiday, the next business
day following the Federal holiday), you mail or fax a written statement
to the Department, explaining which of the two grounds for an exception
prevent you from using the Internet to submit your application.
If you mail your written statement to the Department, it must be
postmarked no later than two weeks before the application deadline
date. If you fax your written statement to the Department, we must
receive the faxed statement no later than two weeks before the
application deadline date.
Address and mail your statement to: Miriam Lund, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room, 3E245, Washington, DC, 20202-
6200.
Your paper application must be submitted in accordance with the
mail or hand delivery instructions described in this notice.
b. Submission of Paper Applications by Mail
If you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission
requirement, you may mail (through the U.S. Postal Service or a
commercial carrier) your application to the Department. You must mail
the original and two copies of your application, on or before the
application deadline date, to the Department at the following address:
U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Center, Attention:
(CFDA Number 84.374A for the General TIF Competition or CFDA Number
84.374B for the TIF Competition with a Focus on STEM), LBJ Basement
Level 1, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20202-4260.
You must show proof of mailing consisting of one of the following:
(1) A legibly dated U.S. Postal Service postmark.
(2) A legible mail receipt with the date of mailing stamped by the
U.S. Postal Service.
(3) A dated shipping label, invoice, or receipt from a commercial
carrier.
(4) Any other proof of mailing acceptable to the Secretary of the
U.S. Department of Education.
If you mail your application through the U.S. Postal Service, we do
not accept either of the following as proof of mailing:
(1) A private metered postmark.
(2) A mail receipt that is not dated by the U.S. Postal Service.
If your application is postmarked after the application deadline
date, we will not consider your application.
Note: The U.S. Postal Service does not uniformly provide a dated
postmark. Before relying on this method, you should check with your
local post office.
c. Submission of Paper Applications by Hand Delivery
If you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission
requirement, you (or a courier service) may deliver your paper
application to the Department by hand. You must deliver the original
and two copies of your application by hand, on or before the
application deadline date, to the Department at the following address:
U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Center, Attention:
(CFDA Number 84.374A for the General TIF Competition or CFDA Number
84.374B for the TIF Competition with a Focus on STEM), 550 12th Street
SW., Room 7041, Potomac Center Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-4260.
The Application Control Center accepts hand deliveries daily
between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, except
Saturdays, Sundays, and Federal holidays.
Note for Mail or Hand Delivery of Paper Applications: If you
mail or hand deliver your application to the Department--
(1) You must indicate on the envelope and--if not provided by
the Department--in Item 11 of the SF 424 the CFDA number, including
suffix letter, if any, of the competition under which you are
submitting your application; and
(2) The Application Control Center will mail to you a
notification of receipt of your grant application. If you do not
receive this notification within 15 business days from the
application deadline date, you should call the U.S. Department of
Education Application Control Center at (202) 245-6288.
V. Application Review Information
1. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this program are
from the notice of final priorities, requirements, definitions, and
selection criteria for this program, published elsewhere in this
edition of the Federal Register. The points or weights assigned to each
criterion are indicated in parentheses. Non-Federal peer reviewers will
review each application. They will be asked to evaluate and score each
program narrative against the following selection criteria.
Selection Criteria (a) through (f) apply to both the General TIF
Competition and the TIF Competition with a Focus on STEM. Selection
Criteria (g) applies only to applicants applying to the TIF Competition
with a Focus on STEM.
The maximum score for all of the General TIF Competition selection
criteria is 200 points. The maximum score for the TIF Competition with
a Focus on STEM is 225 points. The maximum score for each criterion and
subcriterion is indicated in parentheses. The selection criteria for
these competitions are as follows:
(a) A Coherent and Comprehensive Human Capital Management System
(HCMS). (45 points) We will consider the quality and comprehensiveness
of each participating LEA's HCMS as described in the application. In
determining the quality of the HCMS, as it currently exists and as the
applicant proposes to modify it during the grant period, we will
consider the extent to which the HCMS described in the application is--
(1) Aligned with each participating LEA's clearly described vision
of instructional improvement (10 points); and
(2) Likely to increase the number of effective educators in the
LEA's schools, especially in high-need schools, as demonstrated by (35
points)--
(i) The range of human capital decisions for which the applicant
proposes to consider educator effectiveness--based on the educator
evaluation systems described in the application.
(ii) The weight given to educator effectiveness--based on the
educator evaluation systems described in the application--when human
capital decisions are made;
(iii) The feasibility of the HCMS described in the application,
including the extent to which the LEA has prior experience using
information from the educator evaluation systems described in the
application to inform human capital decisions, and applicable LEA-level
policies that might inhibit or facilitate modifications needed to use
educator effectiveness as a factor in human capital decisions;
(iv) The commitment of the LEA's leadership to implementing the
described HCMS, including all of its component parts; and
(v) The adequacy of the financial and nonfinancial strategies and
incentives, including the proposed PBCS, for attracting effective
educators to work in high-need schools and retaining them in those
schools.
(b) Rigorous, Valid, and Reliable Educator Evaluation Systems. (35
points) We will consider, for each participating LEA, the quality of
the educator evaluation systems described
[[Page 35804]]
in the application. In determining the quality of each evaluation
system, we will consider the extent to which--
(1) Each participating LEA has finalized a high-quality evaluation
rubric, with at least three performance levels (e.g., highly effective,
effective, developing, unsatisfactory), under which educators will be
evaluated (2 points);
(2) Each participating LEA has presented (4 points)--
(i) A clear rationale to support its consideration of the level of
student growth achieved in differentiating performance levels; and
(ii) Evidence, such as current research and best practices,
supporting the LEA's choice of student growth models and demonstrating
the rigor and comparability of assessments;
(3) Each participating LEA has made substantial progress in
developing a high-quality plan for multiple teacher and principal
observations, including identification of the persons, by position and
qualifications, who will be conducting the observations, the
observation tool, the events to be observed, the accuracy of raters in
using observation tools and the procedures for ensuring a high degree
of inter-rater reliability (13 points);
(4) The participating LEA has experience measuring student growth
at the classroom level, and has already implemented components of the
proposed educator evaluation systems (4 points);
(5) In the case of teacher evaluations, the proposed evaluation
system (6 points)--
(i) Bases the overall evaluation rating for teachers, in
significant part, on student growth;
(ii) Evaluates the practice of teachers, including general
education teachers and teachers of special student populations, in
meeting the needs of special student populations, including students
with disabilities and English learners;
(6) In the case of principal evaluations, the proposed evaluation
system (6 points)--
(i) Bases the overall evaluation rating on, in significant part,
student growth; and
(ii) Evaluates, among other factors, a principal's practice in--
(A) Focusing every teacher, and the school community generally, on
student growth;
(B) Establishing a collaborative school culture focused on
continuous improvement; and
(C) Supporting the academic needs of special student populations,
including students with disabilities and English learners, for example,
by creating systems to support successful co-teaching practices,
providing resources for research-based intervention services, or
similar activities.
(c) Professional Development Systems to Support the Needs of
Teachers and Principals Identified Through the Evaluation Process. (35
points) We will consider the extent to which each participating LEA has
a high-quality plan for professional development to help all educators
located in high-need schools, listed in response to Requirement 3(a),
to improve their effectiveness. In determining the quality of each plan
for professional development, we will consider the extent to which the
plan describes how the participating LEA will--
(1) Use the disaggregated information generated by the proposed
educator evaluation systems to identify the professional development
needs of individual educators and schools (8 points);
(2) Provide professional development in a timely way (2 points);
(3) Provide school-based, job-embedded opportunities for educators
to transfer new knowledge into instructional and leadership practices
(5 points); and
(4) Provide professional development that is likely to improve
instructional and leadership practices, and is guided by the
professional development needs of individual educators as identified in
paragraph (c)(1) of this criterion (20 points).
(d) Involvement of Educators. (35 points) We will consider the
quality of educator involvement in the development and implementation
of the proposed PBCS and educator evaluation systems described in the
application. In determining the quality of such involvement, we will
consider the extent to which--
(1) The application contains evidence that educator involvement in
the design of the PBCS and the educator evaluation systems has been
extensive and will continue to be extensive during the grant period (10
points); and
(2) The application contains evidence that educators support the
elements of the proposed PBCS and the educator evaluation systems
described in the application (25 points).
(e) Project Management. (30 points) We will consider the quality of
the management plan of the proposed project. In determining the quality
of the management plan, we will consider the extent to which the
management plan--
(1) Clearly identifies and defines the roles and responsibilities
of key personnel (3 points);
(2) Allocates sufficient human resources to complete project tasks
(5 points);
(3) Includes measurable project objectives and performance measures
(5 points); and
(4) Includes an effective project evaluation plan (5 points);
(5) Specifies realistic and achievable timelines for:
(i) Implementing the components of the HCMS, PBCS, and educator
evaluation systems, including any proposal to phase in schools or
educators (8 points).
(ii) Successfully completing project tasks and achieving objectives
(4 points).
(f) Sustainability. (20 points) We will consider the quality of the
plan to sustain the proposed project. In determining the quality of the
sustainability plan, we will consider the extent to which the
sustainability plan--
(1) Identifies and commits sufficient non-TIF resources, financial
and nonfinancial, to support the PBCS and educator evaluation systems
during and after the grant period (10 points); and
(2) Is likely to be implemented and, if implemented, will result in
a sustained PBCS and educator evaluation systems after the grant period
ends (10 points).
(g) Comprehensive Approach to Improving STEM Instruction. (25
points) To meet Priority 3, we will consider the quality of an
applicant's plan for improving educator effectiveness in STEM
instruction. In determining the quality of the plan, we will consider
the extent to which--
(1) The financial and nonfinancial strategies and incentives,
including the proposed PBCS, are adequate for attracting effective STEM
educators to work in high-need schools and retaining them in these
schools (4 points);
(2) The proposed professional development opportunities--
(a) Will provide college-level STEM skills and content knowledge to
STEM teachers while modeling for teachers pedagogical methods for
teaching those skills and that content at the appropriate grade level
(4 points); and
(b) Will enable STEM teachers to provide students in high-need
schools with increased access to rigorous and engaging STEM coursework
appropriate for their grade level, including college-level material in
high schools (7 points);
(3) The applicant will significantly leverage STEM-related funds
across other Federal, State, and local programs to implement a high-
quality and comprehensive STEM plan (7 points); and
[[Page 35805]]
(4) The applicant provides evidence (e.g., letters of support) that
the LEA has or will develop extensive relationships with STEM experts
and resources in industry, academic institutions, or associations to
effectively implement its STEM plan and ensure that instruction
prepares students to be college-and-career ready (3 points).
2. Review and Selection Process: We remind potential applicants
that in reviewing applications in any discretionary grant competition,
the Secretary may consider, under 34 CFR 75.217(d)(3), the past
performance of the applicant in carrying out a previous award, such as
the applicant's use of funds, achievement of project objectives, and
compliance with grant conditions. The Secretary may also consider
whether the applicant failed to submit a timely performance report or
submitted a report of unacceptable quality.
In addition, in making a competitive grant award, the Secretary
also requires various assurances including those applicable to Federal
civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination in programs or
activities receiving Federal financial assistance from the Department
of Education (34 CFR 100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).
3. Special Conditions: Under 34 CFR 74.14 and 80.12, the Secretary
may impose special conditions on a grant if the applicant or grantee is
not financially stable; has a history of unsatisfactory performance;
has a financial or other management system that does not meet the
standards in 34 CFR parts 74 or 80, as applicable; has not fulfilled
the conditions of a prior grant; or is otherwise not responsible.
VI. Award Administration Information
1. Award Notices: If your application is successful, we notify your
U.S. Representative and U.S. Senators and send you a Grant Award
Notification (GAN). We may notify you informally, also.
If your application is not evaluated or not selected for funding,
we notify you.
2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements: We identify
administrative and national policy requirements in the application
package and reference these and other requirements in the Applicable
Regulations section of this notice.
We reference the regulations outlining the terms and conditions of
an award in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice and
include these and other specific conditions in the GAN. The GAN also
incorporates your approved application as part of your binding
commitments under the grant.
3. Reporting: (a) If you apply for a grant under one the
competitions announced in this notice, you must ensure that you have in
place the necessary processes and systems to comply with the reporting
requirements in 2 CFR part 170 should you receive funding under one of
the competitions. This does not apply if you have an exception under 2
CFR 170.110(b).
(b) At the end of your project period, you must submit a final
performance report, including financial information, as directed by the
Secretary. If you receive a multi-year award, you must submit an annual
performance report that provides the most current performance and
financial expenditure information as directed by the Secretary under 34
CFR 75.118. The Secretary may also require more frequent performance
reports under 34 CFR 75.720(c). For specific requirements on reporting,
please go to www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/appforms/appforms.html.
4. Performance Measures: Pursuant to the Government Performance and
Results Act of 1993, the Department has established the following
performance measures that it will use to evaluate the overall
effectiveness of the grantee's project, as well as the TIF program as a
whole:
Measure 1. The number of teachers and principals, who are rated at
the highest level, at least effective, and not effective, as measured
by the district's evaluation system and the number who are not rated.
Measure 2. The number of teachers teaching in a high-need field or
subject, such as teaching English learners, students with disabilities,
or STEM, who are rated at the highest level, at least effective, and
not effective, as measured by the district's evaluation system and the
number who are not rated.
Measure 3. The number of teachers and principals who were rated at
the highest level, at least effective, and not effective, as measured
by the district's evaluation system, and the number who were not rated,
in the previous year and who returned to serve in the same high-need
school in the LEA.
Measure 4. The number of school districts participating in a TIF
grant that use educator evaluation systems to inform the following
human capital decisions: recruitment; hiring; placement; retention;
dismissal; professional development; tenure; promotion; or all of the
above.
5. Continuation Awards: In making a continuation award, the
Secretary may consider, under 34 CFR 75.253, the extent to which a
grantee has made ``substantial progress toward meeting the objectives
in its approved application.'' This consideration includes the review
of a grantee's progress in meeting the targets and projected outcomes
in its approved application, and whether the grantee has expended funds
in a manner that is consistent with its approved application and
budget. In making a continuation grant, the Secretary also considers
whether the grantee is operating in compliance with the assurances in
its approved application, including those applicable to Federal civil
rights laws that prohibit discrimination in programs or activities
receiving Federal financial assistance from the Department (34 CFR
100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).
VII. Agency Contact
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Miriam Lund, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 3E245, LBJ Building,
Washington, DC 20202-6200. Telephone: (202) 205-5224 or by email:
TIF4@ed.gov.
If you use a TDD or a TTY, call the FRS, toll free, at 1-800-877-
8339.
VIII. Other Information
Accessible Format: Individuals with disabilities can obtain this
document and a copy of the application package in an accessible format
(e.g., braille, large print, audiotape, or compact disc) on request to
the program contact person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
in section VII of this notice. Electronic Access to This Document: The
official version of this document is the document published in the
Federal Register. Free Internet access to the official edition of the
Federal Register and the Code of Federal Regulations is available via
the Federal Digital System at: www.gpo.gov/fdsys. At this site you can
view this document, as well as all other documents of this Department
published in the Federal Register, in text or Adobe Portable Document
Format (PDF). To use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is
available free at the site.
You may also access documents of the Department published in the
Federal Register by using the article search feature at:
www.federalregister.gov. Specifically, through the advanced search
feature at this site, you can limit your search to documents published
by the Department.
Delegation of Authority: The Secretary of Education has delegated
authority to Michael Yudin, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy for
Elementary and Secondary Education to perform the functions and duties
of the Assistant
[[Page 35806]]
Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education.
Dated: June 7, 2012.
Michael Yudin,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy, and Strategic Initiatives,
Delegated, the Authority to Perform the Functions, and Duties of the
Assistant, Secretary for Elementary and Secondary, Education.
[FR Doc. 2012-14269 Filed 6-13-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P