[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 89 (Wednesday, May 8, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26758-26765]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-10980]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Applications for New Awards; School Leadership Program
AGENCY: Office of Innovation and Improvement, Department of Education.
ACTION: Notice.
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Overview Information:
School Leadership Program.
Notice inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY)
2013.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.363A.
DATES:
Applications Available: May 8, 2013.
Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply: June 7, 2013.
Date of Pre-Application Meeting: May 22, 2013. Further information
will be available at: www2.ed.gov/programs/leadership/applicant.html.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: July 8, 2013.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: September 5, 2013.
Full Text of Announcement
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Purpose of Program: The School Leadership Program (SLP) assists
high-need local educational agencies (LEAs) in recruiting, training,
and supporting principals (including assistant principals) by
providing--
Financial incentives to aspiring new principals (teachers
or individuals from other fields who want to become principals);
Stipends to principals who mentor new principals;
Professional development programs that focus on
instructional leadership and management; and
Other incentives that are appropriate and effective in
retaining new principals.
Background:
The goal of the SLP is to increase student achievement by investing
in innovative projects that prepare aspiring principals and provide
professional development to current principals (including current
assistant principals) to foster mastery of core leadership skills. To
this end, the Department encourages applicants under this competition
to propose projects that will implement pre- and in-service programs
that produce the most highly qualified school leaders.
Studies show that there is no overall shortage of candidates with
the credentials that States require for school principals. However,
those same studies indicate that most of these candidates acquired
their credentials in order to obtain salary increases or attain an
advanced degree, not necessarily because of a commitment to become
principals.\1\ And, when credentialed candidates do seek to become
principals, some lack the readiness to meet the demands of the
position. In fact, many district leaders and policy-makers are critical
of preparation programs that lack rigorous screening and selection
entry requirements, courses that are not aligned with standards of
practice, and insufficient clinical experiences for candidates.\2\
[[Page 26759]]
Furthermore, once credentialed individuals become principals, they are
often not provided the necessary support and development opportunities
that will enable them to shape a strong professional community and
collective responsibility for student learning. In terms of
professional development, too often these programs are not aligned with
principals' needs, fragmented, episodic and not sustained, lacking in
rigor, and not designed to allow for any assessment of impact.
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\1\ Roza, M., Celio, M.B., Harvey, J., & Wishon, S. (January
2003). A Matter of Definition: Is There Truly a Shortage of School
Principals? A Report to the Wallace--Reader's Digest Fund.
\2\ Hale, E. L., & Moorman, H.N. (September 2003). Preparing
School Principals: A National Perspective on Policy and Program
Innovations. Washington, DC: Institute for Educational Leadership.
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Consequently, both novice and experienced principals (including
assistant principals) lack the necessary skills to respond to the
growing demands of their positions, which include evaluating,
supporting, and developing teachers and implementing effective
organizational processes. Moreover, as the effect of leaders on student
achievement becomes more evident, high-quality professional development
programs are increasingly critical.
Unfortunately, there is limited evidence that demonstrates the
effect of principal preparation and professional development programs'
impact on teaching and learning. Therefore, through this competition,
we encourage applicants to address the challenges of preparing and
supporting principals by creating or enhancing projects that contribute
to the limited body of high-quality evidence on principal preparation,
professional development for principals, or both.
More specifically, under the selection criteria, applicants are
encouraged to include an evaluation plan that is likely to produce
valid, reliable, and rigorous evidence of the SLP-funded project's
impact on producing effective principals, as measured, at least in
part, using student outcome data, where data is available.
Given the pre-service and in-service challenges that so many
principals face, we are including two invitational priorities to
promote high-quality professional development for principals and to
identify evidence of effectiveness of principal preparation or
professional development programs. Invitational priority one encourages
applicants to design projects that will provide ongoing support and
development of principals (including assistant principals) to increase
principal effectiveness. Invitational priority two seeks to identify
project designs that address principal preparation, professional
development, or both and that are supported by moderate evidence of
effectiveness (as defined in this notice). Through these invitational
priorities we encourage applicants to identify practices, strategies,
and program models that build and enhance school leader capacity to
positively impact teaching and learning. Addressing the invitational
priorities will not give an applicant an advantage over another
applicant that does not choose to respond to the invitational
priorities. However, we hope applicants will consider the invitational
priorities in developing their applications.
Priority: Under this competition we are particularly interested in
applications that address the following priorities.
Invitational Priorities: For FY 2013 and any subsequent year in
which we make awards from the list of unfunded applicants from this
competition, these priorities are invitational priorities. Under 34 CFR
75.105(c)(1), we do not give an application that meets these
invitational priorities a competitive or absolute preference over other
applications.
These priorities are:
Invitational Priority 1--Building Leadership Capacity.
Projects that implement professional development for current
principals (including assistant principals), especially in schools that
the State educational agency (SEA) has identified as persistently
lowest-achieving schools, (as defined in this notice) or in schools
that the SEA has identified in accordance with its approved ESEA
flexibility request as priority schools or focus schools (as defined in
this notice), to: (1) Help them master essential school leadership
skills, such as evaluating and providing feedback to teachers,
analyzing student data, developing school leadership teams, and
creating a positive school environment; and (2) enable them to support
instruction in their schools aligned to college- and career-ready
standards.
Invitational Priority 2--Supporting Practices and Strategies for
Which There Is Moderate Evidence of Effectiveness.
Projects that provide principal preparation, professional
development, or both that are supported by moderate evidence of
effectiveness (as defined in this notice).
Definitions:
Focus school means a Title I school in the State that, based on the
most recent data available, is contributing to the achievement gap in
the State. The total number of focus schools in a State must equal at
least 10 percent of the Title I schools in the State. A focus school is
a school that has the largest within-school gaps between the highest-
achieving subgroup or subgroups and the lowest-achieving subgroup or
subgroups or, at the high school level, has the largest within-school
gaps in graduation rates; or a school that has a subgroup or subgroups
with low achievement or, at the high school level, low graduation
rates.
An SEA must also identify as a focus school a Title I high school
with a graduation rate less than 60 percent over a number of years that
is not identified as a priority school.
These determinations must be based on the achievement and lack of
progress over a number of years of one or more subgroups of students
identified in section 1111(b)(2)(C)(v)(II) of the Elementary Secondary
Education Act, as amended (ESEA), in terms of proficiency on the
statewide assessments that are part of the SEA's differentiated
recognition, accountability, and support system, combined, or, at the
high school level, graduation rates for one or more subgroups.
Large sample means a sample of 350 or more students (or other
single analysis units) who were randomly assigned to a treatment or
control group, or 50 or more groups (such as classrooms or schools)
that contain 10 or more students (or other single analysis units) and
that were randomly assigned to a treatment or control group.
Moderate evidence of effectiveness means one of the following
conditions is met:
(1) There is at least one study of the effectiveness of the
process, product, strategy, or practice being proposed that meets the
What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) Evidence Standards without reservations;
\3\ finds a statistically significant favorable impact on a relevant
outcome (as defined in this notice) (with no statistically significant
unfavorable impacts on that outcome for relevant populations in the
study or in other studies of the intervention reviewed by and reported
on by the WWC); and includes a sample that overlaps with the
populations or settings proposed to receive the process, product,
strategy, or practice.
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\3\ See WWC Procedures and Standards Handbook (Version 2.1,
September 2011), which can currently be found at: http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/DocumentSum.aspx?sid=19.
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(2) There is at least one study of the effectiveness of the
process, product, strategy, or practice being proposed that meets the
WWC Evidence Standards with reservations; \4\ finds a statistically
significant favorable impact on a relevant outcome (as defined in this
[[Page 26760]]
notice) (with no statistically significant unfavorable impacts on that
outcome for relevant populations in the study or in other studies of
the intervention reviewed by and reported on by the WWC); includes a
sample that overlaps with the populations or settings proposed to
receive the process, product, strategy, or practice; and includes a
large sample (as defined in this notice) and a multi-site sample (as
defined in this notice). (Note: Multiple studies can cumulatively meet
the large and multi-site sample requirements as long as each study
meets the other requirements in this paragraph.)
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\4\ See WWC Procedures and Standards Handbook (Version 2.1,
September 2011), which can currently be found at: http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/DocumentSum.aspx?sid=19.
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Multi-site sample means more than one site, where site can be
defined as an LEA, locality, or State.
Persistently lowest-achieving school means, as determined by the
State: (1) Any Title I school in improvement, corrective action, or
restructuring that is (a) 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) 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 (2) any secondary school that is eligible for, but does not
receive, Title I funds that is (a) 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) 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.
Note: For the purposes of this competition, the Department
considers schools that are identified as Tier I or Tier II schools
under the SIG Program (see 75 FR 66363) as part of a State's
approved FY 2009, FY 2010, or FY 2011 application to be persistently
lowest-achieving schools. A list of these Tier I and Tier II schools
can be found on the Department's Web site at http://www2.ed.gov/programs/sif/index.html.
Priority school means a school that, based on the most recent data
available, has been identified as among the lowest-performing schools
in the State. The total number of priority schools in a State must be
at least five percent of the Title I schools in the State. A priority
school is a--
School among the lowest five percent of Title I schools in
the State based on the achievement of the ``all students'' group in
terms of proficiency on the statewide assessments that are part of the
SEA's differentiated recognition, accountability, and support system,
combined, and that has demonstrated a lack of progress on those
assessments over a number of years in the ``all students'' group;
Title I-participating or Title I-eligible high school with
a graduation rate less than 60 percent over a number of years; or
Tier I or Tier II school under the School Improvement
Grant (SIG) Program that is using SIG funds to implement a school
intervention model.
Relevant outcome means the student outcome or outcomes (or the
ultimate outcome if not related to students) that the proposed project
is designed to improve, consistent with the specific goals of a
program.
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 6651(b).
Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General
Administrative Regulations 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.
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: $14,800,000.
Estimated Range of Awards: $750,000-$1,000,000.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $850,000.
Estimated Number of Awards: 14-17.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this
notice and may elect to forward fund awards for a project period of
up to 60 months, thereby decreasing the number of estimated awards.
Project Period: Up to 60 months (subject to availability of funds).
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants: High-need LEAs; consortia of high-need
LEAs; and partnerships of high-need LEAs, nonprofit organizations
(which may be community- or faith-based organizations), and
institutions of higher education.
``High-need LEA'' (as defined in section 2102(3) of the ESEA) means
an LEA--
(a)(1) That serves not fewer than 10,000 children from families
with incomes below the poverty line, or (2) for which not less than 20
percent of the children served by the LEA are from families with
incomes below the poverty line; and
(b) For which there is (1) a high percentage of teachers not
teaching in the academic subjects or grade levels the teachers were
trained to teach, or (2) a high percentage of teachers with emergency,
provisional, or temporary certification or licensing.
So that the Department can confirm the eligibility of the LEAs that
applicants propose to serve, applicants must include information in
their applications that demonstrates that each participating LEA in the
project is a high-need LEA. This information must be based on the most
recent available data on the number of children that the LEA serves
from families with incomes below the poverty line. When presenting
evidence to support that each participating LEA is a high-need LEA, an
applicant must consider the following:
The Department is not aware of any reliable data that are available
to LEAs--other than data periodically gathered by the U.S. Census
Bureau--that would show that an LEA serves the required number or
percentage of children (individuals ages 5 through 17) from families
below the poverty line (as defined in section 9101(33) of the ESEA).
Note: The data that many LEAs collect on the number or
percentage of children eligible for free- and reduced-priced meal
subsidies may not be used to satisfy the requirements under
component (a) of the ESEA definition of ``high-need LEA.'' Those
data do not reflect children from families with incomes below the
poverty line, as that term is defined in section 9101(33) of the
ESEA.
Therefore, absent a showing of alternative LEA data that reliably
show the number of children from families with incomes below the
poverty line that are served by the LEA, the eligibility of an LEA as a
high-need LEA under component (a) would be determined on the basis of
the most recent U.S. Census Bureau data. U.S. Census Bureau data are
available for all school districts with geographic boundaries that
existed when the U.S. Census Bureau collected its information. The link
to the Census Bureau data is: www.census.gov/hhes/www/saipe/data/index.html. The Department also makes these data available on its Web
site at: www.ed.gov/programs/lsl/eligibility.html. (Although the
Department has posted this listing specifically for the Improving
Literacy through School Libraries program, these same data apply to the
ESEA definition of a ``high-need LEA'' used for purposes of determining
eligibility under the SLP.)
[[Page 26761]]
With regard to component (b)(1) of the ESEA definition of ``high-
need LEA,'' the Department interprets the phrase ``a high percentage of
teachers not teaching in the academic subjects or grade levels that the
teachers were trained to teach'' as being equivalent to ``a high
percentage of teachers teaching out of field.'' We expect that LEAs
that rely on component (b)(1) of the ESEA definition of ``high-need
LEA'' will choose to address why they believe that they have a high
percentage of teachers teaching out of field rather than try to provide
the data needed to show the percentage of teachers not teaching in the
academic subjects or grade levels they were trained to teach. The
Department is not aware of any specific data that would demonstrate a
``high percentage'' of teachers teaching out of field (or a high
percentage of teachers not teaching in the academic subjects or grade
levels they were trained to teach). Accordingly, the Department will
review this aspect of an LEA's proposed eligibility on a case-by-case
basis.
To decrease the level of uncertainty, an applicant may choose
instead to demonstrate that each participating LEA meets the
eligibility test for a high-need LEA under component (b)(2) of the ESEA
definition. For component (b)(2), to demonstrate a ``high percentage''
of teachers with emergency, provisional, or temporary certification or
licensing, an applicant would provide the percentage of teachers on
waivers of State certification or licensure requirements. The
Department would expect that an LEA with over 1.1 percent of its
teachers having emergency, provisional, or temporary certification or
licensing (i.e., teachers on waivers) has a ``high percentage.'' This
percentage comes from data that States reported to the Secretary under
section 207 of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended by the
previous reauthorization, Higher Education Amendments of 1998. The most
recent report available that contains this information is the
Secretary's 2010 report, which is available at: http://www2.ed.gov/about/reports/annual/teachprep/2011-title2report.pdf.
The eligibility of LEAs for which data needed to implement section
2103(2) of the ESEA may not exist, such as newly formed LEAs or schools
funded by the Bureau of Indian Education, will be determined on a case-
by-case basis based on the best available data the applicant includes
with its application.
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: You can obtain an
application package via the Internet or from the Education Publications
Center (ED Pubs). To obtain a copy via the Internet, use the following
address: www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/grantapps/index.html. To obtain a
copy from ED Pubs, write, fax, or call the following: ED Pubs, U.S.
Department of Education, P.O. Box 22207, Alexandria, VA 22304.
Telephone, toll free: 1-877-433-7827. FAX: (703) 605-6794.
If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) or a text
telephone (TTY), call toll free: 1-877-576-7734.
You can contact ED Pubs at its Web site, also: www.EDPubs.gov or at
its email address: [email protected].
If you request an application from ED Pubs, be sure to identify
this program or competition as follows: CFDA number 84.363A.
Individuals with disabilities can obtain a copy of the application
package in an accessible format (e.g., braille, large print, audiotape,
or compact disc) by contacting the person or team listed under
Accessible Format in section VIII of this notice.
2. 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: The Department will be able to develop a
more efficient process for reviewing grant applications if it has a
better understanding of the number of entities that intend to apply for
funding under this program. Therefore, the Secretary strongly
encourages each potential applicant to notify the Department by sending
a short email message indicating the applicant's intent to submit an
application for funding. The email need not include information
regarding the content of the proposed application, only the applicant's
intent to submit it. This email notification should be sent to Tyra
Stewart at: [email protected].
Applicants that fail to provide this email notification may still
apply for funding.
Page Limit: The application narrative (Part III of the application)
is where you, the applicant, address the selection criteria that
reviewers use to evaluate your application. Applicants are strongly
encouraged to limit the application narrative to the equivalent of no
more than 50 single-sided 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 page limit does not apply to Part I, the cover sheet; Part II,
the budget section, including the narrative budget justification; Part
IV, the assurances and certifications; or the one-page abstract, the
resumes, the bibliography, or the letters of support. However, the page
limit does apply to all of the application narrative section (Part
III).
3. Submission Dates and Times: Applications Available: May 8, 2013.
Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply: June 7, 2013. Date of Pre-
Application Meeting: May 22, 2013. Further information will be
available at: www2.ed.gov/programs/leadership/applicant.html. Deadline
for Transmittal of Applications: July 8, 2013.
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: Sept. 5, 2013.
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
[[Page 26762]]
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, Central Contractor Registry, and System for Award Management:
To do business with the Department of Education, you must--
a. Have a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number and a
Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN);
b. Register both your DUNS number and TIN with the Central
Contractor Registry (CCR)--and, after July 24, 2012, with the System
for Award Management (SAM), the Government's primary registrant
database;
c. Provide your DUNS number and TIN on your application; and
d. Maintain an active CCR or SAM registration with current
information while your application is under review by the Department
and, if you are awarded a grant, during the project period.
You can obtain a DUNS number from Dun and Bradstreet. 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 or SAM 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 registration annually. This may take three or more
business days to complete. Information about SAM is available at
SAM.gov.
In addition, if you are submitting your application via Grants.gov,
you must (1) be designated by your organization as an Authorized
Organization Representative (AOR); and (2) register yourself with
Grants.gov as an AOR. Details on these steps are outlined at the
following Grants.gov Web page: www.grants.gov/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 School Leadership Program, CFDA number 84.363A, 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 School
Leadership Program 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 84.363, not 84.363A).
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 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 (a Department-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
[[Page 26763]]
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--
You do not have access to the Internet; or
You do not have the capacity to upload large documents to
the Grants.gov system;
and
No later than two weeks before the application deadline
date (14 calendar days or, if the fourteenth calendar day before the
application deadline date falls on a Federal holiday, the next business
day following the Federal holiday), you mail or fax a written statement
to the Department, explaining which of the two grounds for an exception
prevents you from using the Internet to submit your application.
If you mail your written statement to the Department, it must be
postmarked no later than two weeks before the application deadline
date. If you fax your written statement to the Department, we must
receive the faxed statement no later than two weeks before the
application deadline date.
Address and mail or fax your statement to: Tyra Stewart, U.S.
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 4C111,
Washington, DC 20202-5950. FAX: (202) 401-8466.
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 84.363A), 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 84.363A), 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 34 CFR 75.210. The maximum score for all of the selection criteria
is 100 points. The maximum score for each criterion is indicated in
parentheses. Each criterion also includes the factors that the
reviewers will consider in determining how well an application meets
the criterion. Any notes following a selection criterion are intended
to provide guidance to help applicants in preparing their applications
only, and are not statutory or regulatory requirements for this
competition.
Note: In responding to the selection criteria, applicants should
keep in mind that peer reviewers may consider only the information
provided in the written application when scoring and commenting on
the application. Therefore, applicants should draft their response
with the goal of helping peer reviewers understand the purpose of
the proposed project, as well as the expected outcomes of the
project if it is successful.
The criteria are as follows:
A. Quality of the project design (up to 45 points). The Secretary
considers the quality of the design of the proposed project. In
determining the quality of the design of the proposed project, the
Secretary considers the following factors:
[[Page 26764]]
1. The extent to which the goals, objectives, and outcomes to be
achieved by the proposed project are clearly specified and measurable.
2. The extent to which the design of the proposed project is
appropriate to, and will successfully address, the needs of the target
population or other identified needs.
3. The extent to which the proposed project is part of a
comprehensive effort to improve teaching and learning and support
rigorous academic standards for students.
4. The extent to which the design for implementing and evaluating
the proposed project will result in information to guide possible
replication of project activities or strategies, including information
about the effectiveness of the approach or strategies employed by the
project.
Note: The Secretary encourages applicants to clearly articulate
how the proposed project will support principals and assistant
principals in fostering school conditions that support effective
teaching and learning that lead to improved student outcomes.
B. Quality of the project evaluation (up to 15 points). The
Secretary considers the quality of the evaluation to be conducted of
the proposed project. In determining the quality of the evaluation, the
Secretary considers the following factors:
1. The extent to which the methods of evaluation include the use of
objective performance measures that are clearly related to the intended
outcomes of the project and will produce quantitative and qualitative
data to the extent possible.
2. The extent to which the methods of evaluation provide for
examining the effectiveness of project implementation strategies.
3. The extent to which the methods of evaluation will provide
performance feedback and permit periodic assessment of progress toward
achieving intended outcomes.
Note: Applicants are encouraged to develop a logic model, that
is, a well-conceptualized framework that identifies key components
of the proposed intervention and describes the relationship among
the key components and outcomes. Applicants are also encouraged to
ensure that they have devoted sufficient resources to support the
implementation of their evaluation plan.
C. Significance (up to 25 points). The Secretary considers the
significance of the proposed project. In determining the significance
of the proposed project, the Secretary considers the following factors:
1. The potential contribution of the proposed project to increased
knowledge or understanding of educational problems, issues, or
effective strategies.
2. The likelihood that the proposed project will result in system
change or improvement.
3. The importance or magnitude of the results or outcomes likely to
be attained by the proposed project, especially improvements in
teaching and student achievement.
D. Quality of the management plan (up to 15 points). The Secretary
considers the quality of the management plan for the proposed project.
In determining the quality of the management plan for the proposed
project, the Secretary considers the following factors:
1. The adequacy of the management plan to achieve the objectives of
the proposed project on time and within budget, including clearly
defined responsibilities, timelines, and milestones for accomplishing
project tasks.
2. The adequacy of procedures for ensuring feedback and continuous
improvement in the operation of the proposed project.
2. Review and Selection Process: The Department will screen
applications submitted in accordance with the requirements in this
notice, and will determine which applications have met eligibility and
other statutory requirements. Applications that do not meet the
eligibility criteria will not be reviewed.
The Department will use independent peer reviewers with various
backgrounds and professions, including teachers and principals, college
and university educators, researchers and evaluators, grant makers and
managers, and others with education expertise. The Department will
thoroughly screen all reviewers for conflicts of interest to ensure a
fair and competitive review process.
Reviewers will read, prepare a written evaluation of, and score the
applications assigned to their panel, using the selection criteria
provided in this notice.
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 part 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); or we may send you an email containing a link to
access an electronic version of your GAN. We may notify you informally,
also.
If your application is not evaluated or not selected for funding,
we notify you.
2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements: We identify
administrative and national policy requirements in the application
package and reference these and other requirements in the Applicable
Regulations section of this notice.
We reference the regulations outlining the terms and conditions of
an award in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice and
include these and other specific conditions in the GAN. The GAN also
incorporates your approved application as part of your binding
commitments under the grant.
3. Reporting: (a) If you apply for a grant under this competition,
you must ensure that you have in place the necessary processes and
systems to comply with the reporting requirements in 2 CFR part 170,
should you receive funding under the competition. This does not apply
if you have an exception under 2 CFR 170.110(b).
(b) At the end of your project period, you must submit a final
performance report, including financial information, as directed by the
Secretary. If you receive a 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
[[Page 26765]]
reporting, please go to www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/appforms/appforms.html.
4. Performance Measures: The Secretary has established five
performance measures for assessing the effectiveness of the SLP. The
SLP performance measures are:
(1) The percentage of program graduates who are certified to become
a principal or assistant principal.
(2) The percentage of program graduates who are certified and hired
as a principal or assistant principal in a high-need LEA.
(3) The percentage of program graduates certified through the
program who are hired as a principal or assistant principal in a high-
need LEA and who remain in that position for at least two years.
(4) The percentage of principals and assistant principals who
complete the SLP-funded professional development program and whose
schools demonstrate positive change, no change, or negative change
based on pre- and post-school site measures, of which one measure must
include, if available, student growth (e.g., at least one grade level
in an academic year).
(5) The percentage of program graduates who are rated ``effective''
or ``highly effective'' as measured by a U.S. Department of Education
program approved principal evaluation system, if available.
Note: Applicants that receive funding under this program will be
required to collect and submit data on the measures that are aligned
to the project design in the annual performance report for each
performance period. Specifically, for performance measure 4,
grantees may include school site measures such as: Student
disciplinary actions, teacher attendance, parent engagement,
teachers rated ``effective'' or ``highly effective,'' or other
school climate measures. For performance measure 5, where available,
we are interested in collecting the percentage of SLP graduates who
are rated ``effective'' or ``highly effective'' after completing the
SLP funded professional development program for current principals
or after one year in the position as principals for participants
that became certified through the SLP funded project using a
principal evaluation that has met the requirements and has been
approved by programs such as: Race to the Top, ESEA Flexibility,
School Improvement Grants, or the FY 2012 Teacher Incentive Fund
principal evaluation system requirements. If a system is not yet
approved by one of these programs we will determine appropriate data
collection on a case-by-case basis.
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: Tyra Stewart, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 4C111, Washington, DC 20202-
5960. Telephone: (202) 260-1847, or by email:
[email protected].
If you use a TDD or TTY, call the Federal Relay Service, toll free,
at 1-800-877-8339.
VIII. Other Information
Accessible Format: Individuals with disabilities can obtain this
document and a copy of the application package in an accessible format
(e.g., braille, large print, audiotape, or compact disc) on request to
the program contact person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
in section VII of this notice.
Electronic Access to This Document: The official version of this
document is the document published in the Federal Register. Free
Internet access to the official edition of the Federal Register and the
Code of Federal Regulations is available via the Federal Digital System
at: www.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.
Dated: May 3, 2013.
James H. Shelton, III,
Assistant Deputy Secretary for Innovation and Improvement.
[FR Doc. 2013-10980 Filed 5-7-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P