[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 139 (Friday, July 21, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33881-33894]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-15359]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Applications for New Awards; Promise Neighborhoods Program
AGENCY: Office of Innovation and Improvement, Department of Education.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Department of Education is issuing a notice inviting
applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY) 2017 for the Promise
Neighborhoods Program--Grant Competition, Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance (CFDA) number 84.215N.
DATES: Applications Available: July 21, 2017.
Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply: August 21, 2017.
Date of Pre-Application Webinars: The Promise Neighborhoods team
intends to hold pre-application webinars to provide technical
assistance to interested applicants. Detailed information regarding
these webinar times will be provided on the Promise Neighborhoods' Web
site at https://innovation.ed.gov/what-we-do/parental-options/promise-neighborhoods-pn/.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: September 5, 2017.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: November 3, 2017.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Adrienne Hawkins, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 4W256, Washington, DC 20202.
Telephone: (202) 453-5638 or by email: [email protected].
If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) or a text
telephone (TTY), call the Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll free, at 1-
800-877-8339.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Full Text of Announcement
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Purpose of Program
The Promise Neighborhoods program is newly authorized under the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA), as amended by
the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). The purpose of the Promise
Neighborhoods program is to significantly improve the academic and
developmental outcomes of children living in the most distressed
communities of the United States, including ensuring school readiness,
high school graduation, and access to a community-based continuum of
high-quality services. The program serves neighborhoods with high
concentrations of low-income individuals; multiple signs of distress,
which may include high rates of poverty, childhood obesity, academic
failure, and juvenile delinquency, adjudication, or incarceration; and
schools implementing comprehensive support and improvement activities
or targeted support and improvement activities under section 1111(d) of
the ESEA. All strategies in the continuum of solutions must be
accessible to children with disabilities and English learners.
Background
The vision of the Promise Neighborhoods program is that all
children and youth living in our most distressed communities have
access to great schools and strong systems of family and community
support that will prepare them to attain an excellent education and
successfully transition to postsecondary education and a career.
A Promise Neighborhood is both a place and a strategy. A place
eligible to become a Promise Neighborhood is a geographic area \1\ that
is distressed, often facing inadequate access to high-quality early
learning programs and services, with struggling schools, low high
school and college graduation rates, high rates of unemployment, high
rates of crime, and indicators of poor health. These conditions
contribute to and intensify
[[Page 33882]]
the negative outcomes associated with children and youth living in
poverty.
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\1\ For the purpose of this notice, the Department uses the
terms ``geographic area'' and ``neighborhood'' interchangeably.
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A Promise Neighborhood strategy addresses the complex,
interconnected issues in the distressed community it serves. Promise
Neighborhoods are led by organizations, such as nonprofit
organizations, institutions of higher education, offices of chief
elected officials of local governments, or Indian Tribes or Tribal
organizations, that work to ensure that all children and youth in the
target geographic area have access to services that lead to improved
educational and developmental outcomes from cradle-to-career. The
organizations ensure that services are based on the best available
evidence and employ robust data collection and management systems to
learn about the impact of approaches for which there is less evidence;
that services are linked and integrated seamlessly; and that services
include education programs as well as programs that provide family and
community supports. Promise Neighborhoods enable children and youth
within targeted distressed communities to participate in the full range
of cradle-to-career supports that are necessary for them to realize
their potential. The Department of Education's expectation is that over
time, a greater proportion of the neighborhood residents receive these
supports and that neighborhood indicators (see Table 1) show
significant progress. For this reason, each Promise Neighborhood
applicant must demonstrate several core features: (1) Significant need
in the neighborhood; (2) a strategy to build pipeline services (as
defined in this notice) with strong schools at the center; and (3) the
organizational and relational capacity to achieve results.
This year's Promise Neighborhoods competition is different from
previous years' competitions in several ways. The Promise Neighborhoods
program, under the ESEA as amended by ESSA, requires applicants to
propose the use of not less than 50 percent of grant funds in year one,
and not less than 25 percent in year two, to support planning
activities for the development and implementation of pipeline services.
Because applicants must now propose to use grant funds for limited
planning activities, the Department will no longer award separate
Promise Neighborhoods planning and implementation grants. The
priorities and some program requirements for this year's competition
have also changed from previous competitions. In this year's
competition, we introduce new data and performance management
requirements while continuing to prioritize evidence-based (see section
8101(21) of the ESEA) activities and programs. Previously funded
Promise Neighborhoods grantees have struggled to conduct meaningful
data collection and evaluation activities, which include collecting the
full range of data necessary to effectively employ comprehensive case
and longitudinal data management systems. Such data systems are
critical to effectively coordinate a range of services for high-need
students and their families within a Promise Neighborhood. In response
to this challenge, we now require applicants to address specific data
collection and performance management requirements.
In addressing these requirements, we strongly encourage applicants
to review a publication released by the Department in 2013 entitled,
``Measuring Performance: A Guidance Document for Promise Neighborhoods
on Collecting Data and Reporting Results.'' \2\ This publication
provides guidance on Promise Neighborhoods case management and
longitudinal data systems; data collection strategies, sources, and
methods; and data tracking and reporting procedures.
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\2\ https://www2.ed.gov/programs/promiseneighborhoods/pndataguidance.pdf.
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Priorities: This competition includes three absolute priorities and
four competitive preference priorities. The three absolute priorities
focus on the types of neighborhoods or geographic areas that the
proposed project will serve. Absolute Priority 1 is focused on non-
rural and non-Tribal applicants; Absolute Priority 2 is focused on
rural communities; and Absolute Priority 3 is focused on Tribal
communities.
Absolute Priorities: We are establishing Absolute Priorities 1, 2,
and 3 for the FY 2017 grant competition and any subsequent year in
which we make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this
competition in accordance with section 437(d)(1) of the General
Education Provisions Act (GEPA). Applicants should indicate in their
application whether they are applying under Absolute Priority 1,
Absolute Priority 2, or Absolute Priority 3. If an applicant applies
under Absolute Priority 2 or Absolute Priority 3 and is deemed
ineligible, the application still may be considered for funding under
Absolute Priority 1. The Secretary prepares a rank order of
applications for each absolute priority based solely on the evaluation
of their quality according to the selection criteria.
Each of the three absolute priorities constitutes its own funding
category. Assuming that applications in each funding category are of
sufficient quality, the Secretary intends to award grants under each
absolute priority.
Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3) we consider only applications that meet
one or more of these priorities.
These priorities are:
Absolute Priority 1--Promise Neighborhoods in Non-Rural and Non-
Tribal Communities.\3\
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\3\ An applicant that serves one or more non-rural or non-Tribal
communities will not be disqualified because it also proposes to
serve rural or Tribal communities.
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To meet this priority, an applicant must propose to implement a
Promise Neighborhood strategy that serves one or more non-rural or non-
Tribal communities.
Absolute Priority 2--Promise Neighborhoods in Rural Communities.
To meet this priority, an applicant must propose to implement a
Promise Neighborhood strategy that serves one or more rural communities
(as defined in this notice) only.
Under section 4623 of the ESEA, the Department will use at least 15
percent of the funds available for the Promise Neighborhoods program to
award grants to eligible entities (as defined in this notice) that
propose to carry out the Promise Neighborhoods activities in rural
areas. The Department will reduce the funds reserved for rural areas if
we do not receive enough applications of sufficient quality.
Absolute Priority 3--Promise Neighborhoods in Tribal Communities.
To meet this priority, an applicant must propose to implement a
Promise Neighborhood strategy that serves one or more Indian Tribes (as
defined in this notice).
Competitive Preference Priorities: We are establishing Competitive
Preference Priorities 1 and 2 for the FY 2017 grant competition and any
subsequent year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded
applications from this competition in accordance with section 437(d)(1)
of the GEPA, 20 U.S.C. 1232(d)(1). Competitive Preference Priority 3 is
from section 4624 of the ESEA, as amended by the ESSA, 20 U.S.C. 7231e.
Competitive Preference Priority 4 is from the Promise Zones notice of
final priority published in the Federal Register on March 27, 2014 (79
FR 17035) (Promise Zones NFP).
For FY 2017 and any subsequent year in which we make awards from
the list of unfunded applications from this competition, these
priorities are competitive preference priorities. Under 34 CFR
75.105(c)(2)(i), we award an additional three points to an application
that meets Competitive Preference
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Priority 1; we award three additional points to an application that
meets Competitive Preference Priority 2; we award one additional point
to an application that meets Competitive Preference Priority 3; and we
award one additional point to an application that meets Competitive
Preference Priority 4.
Applicants may address all of the competitive preference
priorities. Also, applicants should identify on the abstract form and
in the project narrative section of their application which competitive
preference priority or priorities the applicants address. We will not
award competitive preference priority points to an application that
fails to clearly identify the competitive preference priority or
priorities it wishes the Department to consider for purposes of earning
the competitive preference priority points.
These priorities are:
Competitive Preference Priority 1--Byrne Criminal Justice
Innovation (BCJI) Program (0 or 3 points).
To meet this priority, an applicant must propose to serve
geographic areas that were the subject of a targeted strategy
addressing crime in a specific community pursuant to a BCJI grant
awarded by the U.S. Department of Justice during FY 2012 or later
years. To be eligible under this priority, the applicant must either:
(1) Be able to demonstrate that it has received a BCJI grant; or (2)
provide, in its application, a memorandum of understanding between it
and a partner that is a recipient of a BCJI grant. The memorandum of
understanding must indicate a commitment on the part of the applicant
and partner to coordinate implementation and align resources to the
greatest extent practicable.
Competitive Preference Priority 2--Drug Free Communities (DFC)
Support Program (0 or 3 points).
To receive points under this priority, the applicant must either:
(1) Demonstrate that it has received a DFC grant to prevent opioid
abuse (as one of its areas of focus); or (2) provide, in its
application, a memorandum of understanding between it and a partner
that is a recipient of a DFC grant to address opioid abuse prevention
as one of its areas of focus.
Competitive Preference Priority 3--Evidence-Based Activities,
Strategies, or Interventions (0 or 1 point).
To meet this priority, an applicant must propose to carry out
evidence-based activities, strategies, or interventions that, based on
information included in their application, are supported by promising
evidence (as defined in this notice).
Competitive Preference Priority 4--Promise Zones (0 or 1 point).
This priority is for projects that are designed to serve and
coordinate with a federally designated Promise Zone.
To meet this priority, an applicant must include a Certification of
Consistency with Promise Zone Goals and Implementation (HUD Form 50153)
signed by an authorized representative of the lead organization of a
Promise Zone designated by the Department of Housing and Urban
Development (HUD) or the United States Department of Agriculture. An
application for Promise Neighborhoods grant funds that is not
accompanied by a signed certification (HUD Form 50153) will receive
zero points for this priority. The certification form is available at /
/portal.hud.gov/hudportal/documents/huddoc?id=HUD_Form_50153.pdf. To
view the list of designated Promise Zones and lead organizations please
go to www.hud.gov/promisezones.
Definitions
The definition of ``strong theory'' is from 34 CFR 77.1. The
remaining definitions are established in accordance with section
437(d)(1) of GEPA, 20 U.S.C. 1232(d)(1).
The following definitions apply to this program:
Eligible entity means an organization that:
(1) Is representative of the geographic area (as defined in this
notice) proposed to be served;
(2) Operates or proposes to work with and involve in carrying out
its proposed project, in coordination with the school's local
educational agency (LEA), at least one public elementary or secondary
school that is located within the identified geographic area that the
grant will serve;
(3) Is one of the following:
(a) An institution of higher education, as defined in section 102
of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA) (20 U.S.C. 1002);
(b) An Indian Tribe or Tribal organization, as defined in section 4
of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25
U.S.C. 5304); or
(c) One or more nonprofit entities working in formal partnership
with not less than one of the following entities:
i. A high-need LEA.
ii. An institution of higher education, as defined in section 102
of the HEA (20 U.S.C. 1002).
iii. The office of a chief elected official of a unit of local
government.
iv. An Indian Tribe or Tribal organization, as defined under
section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act
(25 U.S.C. 5304); and
(4) Currently provides at least one of the solutions from the
applicant's proposed pipeline services in the geographic area proposed
to be served.
Experimental study means a study, such as a randomized controlled
trial (RCT) (as defined in this notice), that is designed to compare
outcomes between two groups of individuals that are otherwise
equivalent except for their assignment to either a treatment group
receiving a project component (as defined in this notice) or a control
group that does not. In some circumstances, a finding from a regression
discontinuity design study (RDD) (as defined in this notice) or
findings from a collection of single-case design studies (SCDs) (as
defined in this notice) may be considered equivalent to a finding from
an RCT. RCTs, RDDs, and collections of SCDs, depending on design and
implementation, can Meet What Works Clearinghouse Evidence Standards
without reservations.
Graduation rate means the four-year or extended-year adjusted
cohort graduation rate as defined by 34 CFR 200.19(b)(1).
Note: This definition is not meant to prevent a grantee from
also collecting information about the reasons why students do not
graduate from the target high school, e.g., dropping out or moving
outside of the school district for non-academic or academic reasons.
Indian Tribe means an Indian Tribe or Tribal organization, as
defined in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education
Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304)
Indicators of need means currently available data that describe--
(1) Education need, which means--
(a) All or a portion of the neighborhood includes or is within the
attendance zone of a low-performing school that is a high school,
especially one in which the graduation rate (as defined in this notice)
is less than 60 percent or a school that can be characterized as low-
performing based on another proxy indicator, such as students' on-time
progression from grade to grade; and
(b) Other indicators, such as significant achievement gaps between
subgroups of students (as identified in section 1111(b)(2)(B)(xi) of
the ESEA) within a school or LEA, high teacher and principal turnover,
or high student absenteeism; and
(2) Family and community support need, which means--
(a) Percentages of children with preventable chronic health
conditions (e.g., asthma, poor nutrition, dental
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problems, obesity) or avoidable developmental delays;
(b) Immunization rates;
(c) Rates of crime, including violent crime;
(d) Student mobility rates;
(e) Teenage birth rates;
(f) Percentage of children in single-parent or no-parent families;
(g) Rates of vacant or substandard homes, including distressed
public and assisted housing; or
(h) Percentage of the residents living at or below the Federal
poverty threshold.
Logic model (also known as a theory of action) means a reasonable
conceptual framework that identifies key components of the proposed
project (i.e., the active ``ingredients'' that are hypothesized to be
critical to achieving the relevant outcomes) and describes the
theoretical and operational relationships among the key components and
outcomes.
Meets What Works Clearinghouse Evidence Standards without
reservations is the highest possible rating for a study finding
reviewed by the What Works Clearinghouse (WWC). Studies receiving this
rating provide the highest degree of confidence that an observed effect
was caused by the project component studied. Experimental studies (as
defined in this notice) may receive this highest rating. These
standards are described in the WWC Procedures and Standards Handbooks,
Version 3.0, which can be accessed at http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/Handbooks.
Meets What Works Clearinghouse Evidence Standards with reservations
is the second-highest rating for a group design study reviewed by the
WWC. Studies receiving this rating provide a reasonable degree of
confidence that an observed effect was caused by the project component
studied. Both experimental studies (such as randomized controlled
trials with high rates of sample attrition) and quasi-experimental
design studies (as defined in this notice) may receive this rating if
they establish the equivalence of the treatment and comparison groups
in key baseline characteristics. These standards are described in the
WWC Procedures and Standards Handbooks, Version 3.0, which can be
accessed at http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/Handbooks.
Pipeline services means a continuum of coordinated supports,
services, and opportunities for children from birth through entry into
and success in postsecondary education, and career attainment. Such
services shall include, at a minimum, strategies to address through
services or programs (including integrated student supports) the
following:
(a) High-quality early childhood education programs.
(b) High-quality school and out-of-school-time programs and
strategies.
(c) Support for a child's transition to elementary school, from
elementary school to middle school, from middle school to high school,
and from high school into and through postsecondary education and into
the workforce, including any comprehensive readiness assessment
determined necessary.
(d) Family and community engagement and supports, which may include
engaging or supporting families at school or at home.
(e) Activities that support postsecondary and work-force readiness,
which may include job training, internship opportunities, and career
counseling.
(f) Community-based support for students who have attended the
schools in the area served by the pipeline, or students who are members
of the community, facilitating their continued connection to the
community and success in postsecondary education and the workforce.
(g) Social, health, nutrition, and mental health services and
supports.
(h) Juvenile crime prevention and rehabilitation programs.
Project component means an activity, strategy, or intervention
included in a project. Evidence (as this term is used in this notice)
may pertain to an individual project component, or to a combination of
project components (e.g., training teachers on instructional practices
for English learners and follow-on coaching for these teachers).
Promising evidence means the following conditions are met:
(a) There is at least one study that is a correlational study with
statistical controls for selection bias with a relevant finding (quasi-
experimental design studies or experimental studies may also qualify);
and
(b) The relevant finding in the study described in paragraph (a) is
of a statistically significant and positive (i.e., favorable) effect of
the project component on a student outcome or other relevant outcome
with no statistically significant and overriding negative (i.e.,
unfavorable) evidence on that project component from other findings on
the intervention reviewed by and reported in the What Works
Clearinghouse that Meet What Works Clearinghouse Evidence Standards
with or without reservations.
Public officials means elected officials (e.g., council members,
aldermen and alderwomen, commissioners, State legislators,
Congressional representatives, members of the school board), appointed
officials (e.g., members of a planning or zoning commission, or of any
other regulatory or advisory board or commission), or individuals who
are not necessarily public officials (as defined in this notice), but
who have been appointed by a public official to serve on the Promise
Neighborhoods governing board or advisory board.
Quasi-experimental design study means a study using a design that
attempts to approximate an experimental design by identifying a
comparison group that is similar to the treatment group in important
respects. This type of study, depending on design and implementation,
can Meet What Works Clearinghouse Evidence Standards with reservations
(but not without reservations).
Randomized controlled trial (RCT) means a study that employs random
assignment of, for example, students, teachers, classrooms, or schools
to receive the project component being evaluated (the treatment group)
or not to receive the project component (the control group). The
estimated effectiveness of the project component is the difference
between the average outcomes for the treatment group and for the
control group. These studies, depending on design and implementation,
can Meet What Works Clearinghouse Evidence Standards without
reservations.
Regression discontinuity design study (RDD) means a study that
assigns the project component being evaluated using a measured variable
(e.g., assigning students reading below a cutoff score to tutoring or
developmental education classes) and controls for that variable in the
analysis of outcomes. The effectiveness of the project component is
estimated for individuals who barely qualify to receive that component.
These studies, depending on design and implementation, can Meet What
Works Clearinghouse Evidence Standards without reservations.
Relevant finding means a finding from a study regarding the
relationship between (A) an activity, strategy, or intervention
included as a component of the logic model (as defined in this notice)
for the proposed project, and (B) a student outcome or other relevant
outcome included in the logic model for the proposed project.
Relevant outcome means the student outcome(s) (or the ultimate
outcome if not related to students) the proposed project component is
designed to
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improve, consistent with the specific goals of a program.
Representative of the geographic area proposed to be served means
that residents of the geographic area proposed to be served have an
active role in decision-making and that at least one-third of the
eligible entity's (as defined in this notice) governing board or
advisory board is made up of--
(1) Residents who live in the geographic area proposed to be
served, which may include residents who are representative of the
ethnic and racial composition of the neighborhood's residents and the
languages they speak;
(2) Residents of the city or county in which the neighborhood is
located but who live outside the geographic area proposed to be served,
and who are low-income (which means earning less than 80 percent of the
area's median income as published by HUD);
(3) Public officials (as defined in this notice) who serve the
geographic area proposed to be served (although not more than one-half
of the governing board or advisory board may be made up of public
officials); or
(4) Some combination of individuals from the three groups listed in
paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) of this definition.
Rural community means a neighborhood that--
(1) Is served by an LEA that is currently eligible under the Small
Rural School Achievement (SRSA) program or the Rural and Low-Income
School (RLIS) 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 following Department Web
sites. For the SRSA program: https://www2.ed.gov/programs/reapsrsa/eligible16/index.htmlFor the RLIS program: https://www2.ed.gov/programs/reaprlisp/eligibility.html; or
(2) Includes only schools designated with a school locale code of
41, 42, or 43. Applicants may determine school locale codes by
referring to the following Department Web site: http://nces.ed.gov/ccd/schoolsearch/.
Segmentation analysis means the process of grouping and analyzing
data from children and families in the geographic area proposed to be
served according to indicators of need (as defined in this notice) or
other relevant indicators. The analysis is intended to allow grantees
to differentiate and more effectively target interventions based on
what they learn about the needs of different populations in the
geographic area.
Single-case design study (SCD) means a study that uses observations
of a single case (e.g., a student eligible for a behavioral
intervention) over time in the absence and presence of a controlled
treatment manipulation to determine whether the outcome is
systematically related to the treatment. According to the WWC Single
Case Design Pilot Standards, a collection of these studies, depending
on design and implementation (e.g., including a sufficient number of
cases and of data points per condition), can Meet What Works
Clearinghouse Evidence Standards without reservations.
Strong theory means a rationale for the proposed process, product,
strategy, or practice that includes a logic model.
Student achievement means--
(1) For tested grades and subjects:
(a) A student's score on the State's assessments under the ESEA;
and, as appropriate,
(b) Other measures of student learning, such as those described in
paragraph (2) of this definition, provided they are rigorous and
comparable across classrooms and programs.
(2) For non-tested grades and subjects: Alternative measures of
student learning and performance, such as student scores on pre-tests
and end-of-course tests; student performance on English language
proficiency assessments; and other measures of student achievement that
are rigorous and comparable across classrooms.
Student mobility rate is calculated by dividing the total number of
new student entries and withdrawals at a school, from the day after the
first official enrollment number is collected through the end of the
academic year, by the first official enrollment number of the academic
year.
Note: This definition is not meant to limit a grantee from also
collecting information about why students enter or withdraw from the
school, e.g., transferring to charter schools, moving outside of the
school district for non-academic or academic reasons.
Waiver of Proposed Rulemaking: Under the Administrative Procedure
Act (5 U.S.C. 553) the Department generally offers interested parties
the opportunity to comment on proposed priorities, selection criteria,
definitions, and other requirements. Section 437(d)(1) of GEPA,
however, allows the Secretary to exempt from rulemaking requirements,
regulations governing the first grant competition under a new or
substantially revised program authority. This is the first grant
competition for this program under section 4623-4624 of the ESEA, 20
U.S.C. 7273-7274, and therefore qualifies for this exemption. In order
to ensure timely grant awards, the Secretary has decided to forgo
public comment on the priorities, requirements, definitions, and
selection criteria under section 437(d)(1) of GEPA. These priorities,
requirements, definitions, and selection criteria will apply to the FY
2017 grant competition and any subsequent year in which we make awards
from the list of unfunded applications from this competition.
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 7273-7274.
Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 75, 77, 79 81, 82,
84, 86, 97, 98, and 99. (b) The OMB Guidelines to Agencies on
Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension (Nonprocurement) in 2 CFR part
180, as adopted and amended as regulations of the Department in 2 CFR
part 3485. (c) The Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost
Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards in 2 CFR part
200, as adopted and amended as regulations of the Department in 2 CFR
part 3474. (d) Promise Zones NFP.
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: $30,000,000.
Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of
applications, we may make additional awards in subsequent years from
the list of unfunded applications from this competition.
Estimated Range of Awards: $4,000,000 to $6,000,000.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $5,000,000.
Maximum Award: $6,000,000.
The maximum award amount is $6,000,000 per 12-month budget period.
We will not fund an annual budget exceeding $6,000,000 per 12-month
budget period.
Estimated Number of Awards: 5-7.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this
notice.
Project Period: Up to 60 months.
Under section 4623 of the ESEA, a grant awarded under this
competition will be for a period of not more than five years, and may
be extended for an additional period of not more than two
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years. In addition, continued funding of a grant under this
competition, including an extended grant, after the third year of the
initial grant period will be contingent on the eligible entity's
progress toward meeting the performance metrics and annual performance
objectives and outcomes under section 4625(a)(4)(C) of the ESEA.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants: Under section 4623 of the ESEA, an eligible
organization must:
(1) Be representative of the geographic area proposed to be served;
(2) Operate or propose to work with and involve in carrying out its
proposed project, in coordination with the school's LEA, at least one
public elementary or secondary school that is located within the
identified geographic area that the grant will serve;
(3) Be one of the following:
(a) An institution of higher education, as defined in section 102
of the HEA (20 U.S.C. 1002);
(b) An Indian Tribe or Tribal organization, as defined in section 4
of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25
U.S.C. 5304); or
(c) One or more nonprofit entities working in formal partnership
with not less than one of the following entities:
i. A high-need LEA.
ii. An institution of higher education, as defined in section 102
of the HEA (20 U.S.C. 1002).
iii. The office of a chief elected official of a unit of local
government.
iv. An Indian Tribe or Tribal organization, as defined under
section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act
(25 U.S.C. 5304); and
(4) Currently provide at least one of the solutions from the
applicant's proposed pipeline services in the geographic area proposed
to be served.
2. Cost-Sharing or Matching: To be eligible for a grant under this
competition, an applicant must demonstrate a commitment from one or
more entities in the public or private sector, which may include
Federal, State, and local public agencies, philanthropic organizations,
private businesses, or individuals, to provide matching funds. An
applicant proposing a project that meets Absolute Priority 1--Promise
Neighborhoods in Non-rural and Non-Tribal Communities must obtain
matching funds or in-kind donations equal to at least 100 percent of
its grant award. An applicant proposing a project that meets Absolute
Priority 2--Promise Neighborhoods in Rural Communities or Absolute
Priority 3--Promise Neighborhoods in Tribal Communities must obtain
matching funds or in-kind donations equal to at least 50 percent of its
grant award.
Eligible sources of matching funds include sources of funds used to
pay for solutions within the pipeline services, initiatives supported
by the LEA, or public health services for children in the neighborhood.
At least 10 percent of an applicant's total match must be cash or in-
kind contributions from the private sector, which may include
philanthropic organizations, private businesses, or individuals.
Applicants must demonstrate a commitment of matching funds in the
application. Applicants must specify the source of the funds or
contributions and in the case of a third-party in-kind contribution, a
description of how the value was determined for the donated or
contributed goods or service. Applicants must demonstrate the match
commitment by including letters in their applications explaining the
type and quantity of the match commitment with original signatures from
the executives of organizations or agencies providing the match.
The Secretary may consider decreasing the matching requirement in
the most exceptional circumstances, on a case-by-case basis. An
applicant that is unable to meet the matching requirement must include
in its application a request to the Secretary to reduce the matching
requirement, including the amount of the requested reduction, the total
remaining match contribution, and a statement of the basis for the
request. The Secretary will grant this request only if an applicant
demonstrates a significant financial hardship. An applicant should
review the Department's cost-sharing and cost-matching regulations,
which include specific limitations, in 2 CFR 200.306 and the cost
principles regarding donations, capital assets, depreciations and
allowable costs, set out in subpart E of 2 CFR part 200.
3. Application Requirements: Each applicant that receives a grant
award for the Promise Neighborhoods competition must use the grant
funds to implement the pipeline services and continuously evaluate the
success of the program and improve the program based on data and
outcomes. Applicants may use not less than 50 percent of grant funds in
year one, and not less than 25 percent of grant funds in year two for
planning activities to develop and implement pipeline services.
Under section 4624 of the ESEA, as amended by the ESSA, applicants
must submit and address the following:
(1) A plan to significantly improve the academic outcomes of
children living in the geographically defined area (neighborhood) that
is served by the eligible entity by providing pipeline services that
address the needs of children in the neighborhood, as identified by the
needs analysis; and that is supported by effective practices.
(2) A description of the neighborhood the eligible entity will
serve. Applicants may propose to serve multiple, non-contiguous
geographically defined areas. In cases where target areas are non-
contiguous, the applicant must explain its rationale for including non-
contiguous areas.
(3) An analysis of the needs and assets of the neighborhood,
including:
(a) The size and scope of the population affected;
(b) A description of the process through which the needs analysis
was produced, including a description of how parents, families, and
community members were engaged in such analysis;
(c) An analysis of community assets and collaborative efforts
(including programs already provided from Federal and non-Federal
sources) within, or accessible to, the neighborhood, including, at a
minimum, early learning opportunities, family and student supports,
local businesses, local educational agencies, and institutions of
higher education;
(d) The steps that the eligible entity is taking at the time of the
application to address the needs identified in the needs analysis; and
(e) Any barriers the eligible entity, public agencies, and other
community-based organizations have faced in meeting such needs.
(4) A description of all information the entity used to identify
the pipeline services to be provided, which shall not include
information that is more than 3 years old. This description should
address how the eligible entity plans to collect data on children
served by each pipeline service; and increase the percentage of
children served over time.
(5) A description of the process used to develop the Promise
Neighborhoods application, including the involvement of family and
community members.
(6) A description of how the pipeline services will facilitate the
coordination of the following activities:
(a) Providing early learning opportunities for children, including
by:
(i) Providing opportunities for families to acquire the skills to
promote early learning and child development; and
(ii) Ensuring appropriate diagnostic assessments and referrals for
children with disabilities and children aged 3
[[Page 33887]]
through 9 experiencing developmental delays, consistent with the
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1400 et seq.),
where applicable.
(b) Supporting, enhancing, operating, or expanding rigorous,
comprehensive, effective educational improvements, which may include
high-quality academic programs, expanded learning time, and programs
and activities to prepare students for postsecondary education
admissions and success.
(c) Supporting partnerships between schools and other community
resources with an integrated focus on academics and other social,
health, and familial supports.
(d) Providing social, health, nutrition, and mental health services
and supports, for children, family members, and community members,
which may include services provided within the school building.
(e) Supporting evidence-based programs (see section 8101(21) of the
ESEA) that assist students through school transitions, which may
include expanding access to postsecondary education courses and
postsecondary education enrollment aid or guidance, and other supports
for at-risk youth.
(7) A description of the strategies that will be used to provide
pipeline services (including a description of which programs and
services will be provided to children, family members, community
members, and children within the neighborhood) to support the purpose
of the Promise Neighborhoods program.
(8) An explanation of the process the eligible entity will use to
establish and maintain family and community engagement, including:
(a) Involving representative participation by the members of such
neighborhood in the planning and implementation of the activities of
each grant awarded;
(b) The provision of strategies and practices to assist family and
community members in actively supporting student achievement and child
development;
(c) Providing services for students, families, and communities
within the school building; and
(d) Collaboration with institutions of higher education, workforce
development centers, and employers to align expectations and
programming with postsecondary education and workforce readiness.
(9) An explanation of how the eligible entity will continuously
evaluate and improve the continuum of high-quality pipeline services to
provide for continuous program improvement and potential expansion.
(10) A commitment to collecting the required Promise Neighborhoods
performance indicators' data; establishing the conditions for effective
case and data management; and using data to improve program outcomes.
In understanding the conditions necessary to collect, manage, and
utilize data for Promise Neighborhoods, an applicant is required to:
(a) Hire dedicated staff to ensure its project has sufficient
personnel and/or contractors to effectively manage its data collection
activities, case management, and data systems;
(b) Submit a detailed data collection and reporting plan that
includes a description of how it will conduct a bi-annual neighborhood
survey of children and adults in the Promise Neighborhood; collect, at
least annually, data on the performance indicators in Table 1;
establish clear, annual targets and goals for growth on the performance
indicators; and report those data to the Department annually;
Table 1--Promise Neighborhoods Performance Indicators
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Result Indicator Source
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Children enter kindergarten 1. Number and percentage of children in Administrative data from
ready to succeed in school. kindergarten who demonstrate at the beginning LEA.
of the program or school year age-appropriate
functioning across multiple domains of early
learning as determined using developmentally-
appropriate early learning measures.
2. Students are proficient in core 2.1 Number and percentage of students at or
academic subjects. above grade level according to State
mathematics assessments in at least the grades
required by the ESEA (3rd through 8th grades
and once in high school).
2.2 Number and percentage of students at or
above grade level according to State English
language arts assessments in at least the
grades required by the ESEA.
3. Students successfully transition 3.1 Attendance rate of students in 6th, 7th,
from middle school grades to high 8th, and 9th grade as defined by average daily
school. attendance.
3.2 Chronic absenteeism rate of students in
6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th grades.
4. Youth graduate from high school. 4. Four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate...
5. High school graduates obtain a 5.1 Number and percentage of Promise Third party data such as
postsecondary degree, Neighborhood students who enroll in a two-year the National Student
certification or credential. or four-year college or university after Clearinghouse.
graduation.
5.2 Number and percent of Promise Neighborhood
students who graduate from a two-year or four-
year college or university or vocational
certification completion.
6. Students are healthy............ Number and percentage of children who consume Neighborhood survey,
five or more servings of fruits and vegetables school climate survey or
daily. other reliable data
source for population
level data collection.
7. Students feel safe at school and 7. Number and percentage of children who feel
in their community. safe at school and traveling to and from
school as measured by a school climate survey.
8. Students live in stable 8. Student mobility rate (as defined in the
communities. notice).
[[Page 33888]]
9. Families and community members 9.1 Number and percentage of parents or family
support learning in promise members that read to or encourage their
Neighborhood Schools. children to read three or more times a week or
reported their child read to themselves three
or more times a week (birth-8th grade).
9.2 Number and percentage of parents/family
members who report talking about the
importance of college and career (9th-12th
grade).
10. Students have access to 21st 10. Number and percentage of students who have
century learning tools. school and home access to broadband internet
and a connected computing device.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note: The indicators in Table 1 are not intended to limit an
applicant from collecting and using data from additional Family and
Community Support indicators proposed to the Department. Applicants
are strongly encouraged, but not required, to propose additional
performance indicators aligned to the specific pipeline services
proposed in their application.
(c) Describe how it will develop a case management system to track
key information and progress toward outcomes for individual children
and adults participating in its Promise Neighborhoods programs and to
facilitate communication and the coordination of services on behalf of
these individuals; and
(d) Describe how it will develop and maintain a longitudinal data
system to track outcome measures and other performance indicators over
time (e.g., snapshots and extracts from the case management system at
different points in time).
The established performance indicators for the Promise
Neighborhoods program serve as indicators of improved academic and
developmental outcomes for children, including indicators of school
readiness, high school graduation, postsecondary education and career
readiness, and other academic and developmental outcomes. Each grantee
is required to collect and report data on the performance indicators
annually. Subsequently, the Department will make a determination for
continuation funding and grant extensions based on performance
indicator outcomes and available funding.
(11) A commitment to work with the Department, and with a national
evaluator for Promise Neighborhoods or another entity designated by the
Department, to ensure that data collection and program design are
consistent with plans to conduct a rigorous national evaluation of the
Promise Neighborhoods program and of specific solutions and strategies
pursued by individual grantees. This commitment must include, but need
not be limited to--
(a) Ensuring that, through memoranda of understanding with
appropriate entities, the national evaluator and the Department have--
consistent with applicable privacy requirements--access to relevant
program and project data sources (e.g., administrative data and program
and project indicator data), including on a quarterly basis if
requested by the Department;
(b) Developing, in consultation with the national evaluator, an
evaluation strategy, including identifying a credible comparison group;
and
(c) Developing, in consultation with the national evaluator, a plan
for identifying and collecting reliable and valid baseline data for
both program participants and a designated comparison group of non-
participants.
(12) Each applicant must submit, as part of its application, a
preliminary memorandum of understanding, signed by each organization or
agency with which it would partner in implementing the proposed Promise
Neighborhood. Within the preliminary memorandum of understanding, all
applicants must detail each partner's financial, programmatic, and
long-term commitment with respect to the strategies described in the
application.
Under section 4624(c) of the ESEA, applicants that are non-profit
entities must submit a preliminary memorandum of understanding signed
by each partner entity or agency, which must include at least one of
the following: A high-need LEA; an institution of higher education, as
defined in section 102 of the HEA (20 U.S.C. 1002); the office of a
chief elected official of a unit of local government; or an Indian
Tribe or Tribal organization as defined in section 4 of the Indian
Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304).
Each eligible entity that receives a grant under this program is
required to prepare and submit an annual report to the Secretary that
must include the following: (1) Information about the number and
percentage of children in the neighborhood who are served by the grant
program, including a description of the number and percentage of
children accessing each support service offered as part of the pipeline
of services; and (2) information relating to the metrics established
under the Promise Neighborhood Performance Indicators.
In addition, grantees are required to make these data publicly
available, including through electronic means. To the extent
practicable, and as required by law, such information must be provided
in a form and language accessible to parents and families in the
neighborhood served under the Promise Neighborhoods grant. In addition,
data on academic indicators pertinent to the Promise Neighborhoods
program will, in most cases, already be part of statewide longitudinal
data systems.
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/. To obtain a copy from
ED Pubs, write, fax, or call: 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 TDD or a TTY, call FRS, 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 package from ED Pubs, be sure to
identify this program or competition as follows: CFDA number 84.215N.
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 VII of this notice.
2. a. Content and Form of Application Submission: Requirements
concerning the content of an application, together
[[Page 33889]]
with the forms you must submit, are in the application package for this
competition.
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
competition. Therefore, the Secretary strongly encourages each
potential applicant to notify the Department of the applicant's intent
to submit an application for funding by completing a web-based form.
When completing this form, applicants will provide (1) the applicant
organization's name and address, and (2) information on the competitive
preference priority or priorities under which the applicant intends to
apply. Applicants may access this form online at https://innovation.ed.gov/what-we-do/parental-options/promise-neighborhoods-pn/. Applicants that do not complete this form 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. We recommend that you (1)
limit the application narrative to 75 pages, and (2) use the following
standards:
A ``page'' is 8.5 x 11, on one side
only, with 1 margins at the top, bottom, and both sides.
Double space (no more than three lines per vertical inch)
all text in the application narrative, including titles, headings,
footnotes, quotations, references, and captions, as well as all text in
charts, tables, figures, and graphs.
Use a font that is either 12 point or larger or no smaller
than 10 pitch (characters per inch).
Use one of the following fonts: Times New Roman, Courier,
Courier New, or Arial.
The recommended page limit does not apply to Part I, the cover
sheet; Part II, the budget section, including the narrative budget
justification; Part IV, the assurances and certifications; or the one-
page abstract, the resumes, the bibliography, or the letters of
support. However, the recommended page limit does apply to all of the
application narrative.
2. b. Submission of Proprietary Information: Given the types of
projects that may be proposed in applications for the Promise
Neighborhoods program, your application may include business
information that you consider proprietary. In 34 CFR 5.11 we define
``business information'' and describe the process we use in determining
whether any of that information is proprietary and, thus, protected
from disclosure under Exemption 4 of the Freedom of Information Act (5
U.S.C. 552, as amended).
Because we plan to make successful applications available to the
public, you may wish to request confidentiality of business
information.
Consistent with Executive Order 12600, please designate in your
application any information that you feel is exempt from disclosure
under Exemption 4. In the appropriate Appendix section of your
application, under ``Other Attachments Form,'' please list the page
number or numbers on which we can find this information. For additional
information please see 34 CFR 5.11(c).
3. Submission Dates and Times:
Applications Available: July 21, 2017.
Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply: August 21, 2017.
Date of Pre-Application Webinar: Promise Neighborhoods intends to
hold pre-application webinars to provide technical assistance to
interested applicants. Detailed information regarding pre-application
webinar times will be provided on the Web site at https://innovation.ed.gov/what-we-do/parental-options/promise-neighborhoods-pn/.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: September 5, 2017.
Applications for grants under this competition 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 Other Submission Requirements in section
IV of this notice. We do not consider an application that does not
comply with the deadline requirements.
Individuals with disabilities who need an accommodation or
auxiliary aid in connection with the application process should contact
the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. If the
Department provides an accommodation or auxiliary aid to an individual
with a disability in connection with the application process, the
individual's application remains subject to all other requirements and
limitations in this notice.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: November 3, 2017.
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 competition.
Applicants that operate a school in a neighborhood served by a
grant program must provide such school with the operational
flexibility, including autonomy over staff, time, and budget, needed to
effectively carry out the activities described in this Notice.
Grantees cannot, in carrying out activities to improve early
childhood education programs, use Promise Neighborhoods funds to carry
out the following activities:
(1) Assessments that provide rewards or sanctions for individual
children or teachers.
(2) A single assessment that is used as the primary or sole method
for assessing program effectiveness.
(3) Evaluation of children, other than for the purposes of
improving instruction, classroom environment, professional development,
or parent and family engagement, or program improvement.
6. Data Universal Numbering System Number, Taxpayer Identification
Number, 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 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 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 at the
following Web site: http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform. A DUNS number can be
created within one to two business days.
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 two to five weeks for your TIN to become active.
The SAM registration process can take approximately seven business
days, but may take upwards of several weeks, depending on the
completeness and accuracy of the data you enter into the SAM database.
Thus, if you think you might want to apply for Federal financial
assistance under a program
[[Page 33890]]
administered by the Department, please allow sufficient time to obtain
and register your DUNS number and TIN. We strongly recommend that you
register early.
Note: Once your SAM registration is active, it may be 24 to 48
hours before you can access the information in, and submit an
application through, Grants.gov.
If you are currently registered with SAM, 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.
Information about SAM is available at www.SAM.gov. To further
assist you with obtaining and registering your DUNS number and TIN in
SAM or updating your existing SAM account, we have prepared a SAM.gov
Tip Sheet, which you can find at: www2.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/sam-faqs.html.
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/web/grants/register.html.
7. Other Submission Requirements: Applications for grants under
this competition 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 Promise Neighborhoods, CFDA number
84.215N, 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 Promise
Neighborhoods program at www.Grants.gov. You must search for the
downloadable application package for this competition by the CFDA
number. Do not include the CFDA number's alpha suffix in your search
(e.g., search for 84.215, not 84.215N).
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 competition 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. In addition, for specific guidance and
procedures for submitting an application through Grants.gov, please
refer to the Grants.gov Web site at: www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/apply-for-grants.html.
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 read-only, flattened
Portable Document Format (PDF), meaning any fillable PDF documents must
be saved as flattened non-fillable files. Therefore, do not upload an
interactive or fillable PDF file. If you upload a file type other than
a read-only, flattened PDF (e.g., Word, Excel, WordPerfect, etc.) or
submit a password-protected file, we will not review that material.
Please note that this could result in your application not being
considered for funding because the material in question--for example,
the application narrative--is critical to a meaningful review of your
proposal. For that reason it is important to allow yourself adequate
time to upload all material as PDF files. The Department will not
convert material from other formats to PDF. There is no need to
password protect a file in order to meet the requirement to submit a
read-only flattened PDF. And, as noted above, the Department will not
review password protected files.
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. Grants.gov
will also notify you automatically by email if your application met all
the Grants.gov validation requirements or if there were any errors
(such as submission of your application by someone other than a
registered Authorized Organization Representative, or inclusion of an
attachment with a file name that contains special characters). You will
be given an opportunity to correct any errors and resubmit, but you
must still meet the deadline for submission of applications.
Once your application is successfully validated by Grants.gov, the
Department will retrieve your application from Grants.gov and send you
an email with
[[Page 33891]]
a unique PR/Award number for your application.
These emails do not mean that your application is without any
disqualifying errors. While your application may have been successfully
validated by Grants.gov, it must also meet the Department's application
requirements as specified in this notice and in the application
instructions. Disqualifying errors could include, for instance, failure
to upload attachments in a read-only, flattened PDF; failure to submit
a required part of the application; or failure to meet applicant
eligibility requirements. It is your responsibility to ensure that your
submitted application has met all of the Department's requirements.
We may request that you provide us original signatures on
forms at a later date.
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 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 the problem affected your ability to
submit your application by 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the
application deadline date. We will contact you after we determine
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: Adrienne Hawkins, U.S.
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 4W256,
Washington, DC 20202-5970. FAX: (202) 205-5630.
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 84.215N), 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.
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.
We will not consider applications postmarked after the application
deadline date.
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 84.215N), 550 12th Street SW., Room 7039, 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 are either from 34
CFR 75.210 or established in accordance with section 437(d)(1) of GEPA,
20 U.S.C. 1232(d)(1). All of the selection criteria are listed in this
section and in the application package. The maximum score for all of
the selection criteria is 100 points. The maximum score for each
criterion is included in parentheses following the title of the
specific selection criterion. Each criterion also includes the factors
that reviewers will consider in
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determining the extent to which an applicant meets the criterion.
Points awarded under these selection criteria are in addition to
any points an applicant earns under the competitive preference
priorities in this notice. The maximum score that an application may
receive under the competitive preference priorities and the selection
criteria is 108 points.
(a) Need for the Project (15 points).
The Secretary considers the need for the proposed project. In
determining the need for the proposed project, the Secretary considers:
(1) The magnitude or severity of the problems to be addressed by
the proposed project as described by indicators of need (as defined in
this notice) and other relevant indicators identified in part by the
needs assessment and segmentation analysis (as defined in this notice);
(2) The extent to which the geographically defined area has been
described; and
(3) The extent to which specific gaps or weaknesses in services,
infrastructure, or opportunities have been identified and will be
addressed by the proposed project, including the nature and magnitude
of those gaps or weaknesses. (34 CFR 75.210)
(b) Quality of Project Design (30 points).
The Secretary reviews each application to determine the quality of
the project design. In determining the quality of the design of the
proposed project, the Secretary considers the following factors:
(1) The extent to which the applicant describes a plan to create a
complete pipeline of services, including early learning through grade
12, college- and career-readiness, and family and community supports,
without time and resource gaps, that will prepare all children in the
neighborhood to attain an excellent education and successfully
transition to college and a career, and that will significantly
increase the proportion of students in the neighborhood that are served
by the complete continuum to reach scale over time;
(2) The extent to which the methods of evaluation include the use
of objective performance measures that are clearly related to the
intended outcomes of the project and will produce quantitative and
qualitative data to the extent possible (34 CFR 75.210); and
(3) The extent to which the proposed project is supported by strong
theory (as defined in this notice) (34 CFR 75.210).
(c) Quality of Project Services (20 points).
The Secretary considers the quality of the services to be provided
by the proposed project. In determining the quality of the project
services, the Secretary considers:
(1) The quality and sufficiency of strategies for ensuring equal
access and treatment for eligible project participants who are members
of groups that have traditionally been underrepresented based on race,
color, national origin, gender, age, or disability (34 CFR 75.210);
(2) The likelihood that the services to be provided by the proposed
project will lead to improvement in the achievement of students as
measured against rigorous academic standards (34 CFR 75.210); and
(3) The quality of the applicant's plan to establish formal and
informal partnerships, including the alignment of the visions, theories
of action, and theories of change described in its memorandum of
understanding, and to create a system for holding partners accountable
for performance in accordance with the memorandum of understanding.
(d) Quality of the Management Plan (20 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 (34 CFR 75.210); and
(2) The adequacy of the management plan's provisions on collecting,
analyzing, and using data for decision-making, learning, continuous
improvement, and accountability, including whether the applicant has a
plan to build, adapt, or expand a longitudinal data system that
integrates student-level data from multiple sources in order to measure
progress while abiding by privacy laws and requirements, and ensuring
that any systems built, adapted, or expanded upon includes essential
security controls.
(e) Adequacy of Resources (15 points).
The Secretary considers the adequacy of resources for the proposed
project. In determining the adequacy of resources for the proposed
project, the Secretary considers:
(1) The extent to which the costs are reasonable in relation to the
number of persons to be served and to the anticipated results and
benefits (34 CFR 75.210);
(2) The extent to which the applicant demonstrates that it has the
resources to operate the project beyond the length of the grant,
including a multi-year financial and operating model and accompanying
plan; the demonstrated commitment of any partners; evidence of broad
support from stakeholders (e.g., State educational agencies, teachers'
unions) critical to the project's long-term success; or more than one
of these types of evidence (34 CFR 75.210); and
(3) The extent to which the applicant identifies existing
neighborhood assets and programs supported by Federal, State, local,
and private funds that will be used to implement pipeline services.
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.
The Department will use independent reviewers from various
backgrounds and professions including: Pre-kindergarten through grade
12, teachers and principals, college and university educators,
researchers and evaluators, social entrepreneurs, strategy consultants,
grant makers and managers, and others with community development and
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.
The Secretary prepares a rank order of applications for each
absolute priority based solely on the evaluation of their quality
according to the selection criteria and competitive preference priority
points. The Department may use more than one tier of reviews in
determining grantees, including possible site visits for applicants.
Additional information about the review process will be posted on the
Department's Web site.
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
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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. Risk Assessment and Special Conditions: Consistent with 2 CFR
200.205, before awarding grants under this competition the Department
conducts a review of the risks posed by applicants. Under 2 CFR
3474.10, the Secretary may impose specific conditions and, in
appropriate circumstances, high-risk conditions on a grant if the
applicant or grantee is not financially stable; has a history of
unsatisfactory performance; has a financial or other management system
that does not meet the standards in 2 CFR part 200, subpart D; has not
fulfilled the conditions of a prior grant; or is otherwise not
responsible.
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). If awarded a grant
under this competition, information about the number and percentage of
children in the neighborhood who are served by the grant program,
including a description of the number and percentage of children
accessing each support or service offered as part of the pipeline
services; and information relating to the performance metrics must be
stated in each annual report.
(b) At the end of your project period, you must submit a final
performance report, including financial information, as directed by the
Secretary. If you receive a multiyear award, you must submit an annual
performance report that provides the most current performance and
financial expenditure information as directed by the Secretary under 34
CFR 75.118. The Secretary may also require more frequent performance
reports under 34 CFR 75.720(c). For specific requirements on reporting,
please go to www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/appforms/appforms.html.
4. Integrity and Performance System: If you are selected under this
competition to receive an award that over the course of the project
period may exceed the simplified acquisition threshold (currently
$150,000) under 2 CFR 200.205(a)(2) we must make a judgment about your
integrity, business ethics, and record of performance under Federal
awards--that is, the risk posed by you as an applicant--before we make
an award. In doing so, we must consider any information about you that
is in the integrity and performance system (currently referred to as
the Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System
(FAPIIS)), accessible through SAM. You may review and comment on any
information about yourself that a Federal agency previously entered and
that is currently in FAPIIS.
Please note that, if the total value of your currently active
grants, cooperative agreements, and procurement contracts from the
Federal Government exceeds $10,000,000, the reporting requirements in 2
CFR part 200, Appendix XII, require you to report certain integrity
information to FAPIIS semiannually. Please review the requirements in 2
CFR part 200, Appendix XII, if this grant plus all the other Federal
funds you receive exceed $10,000,000.
5. Performance Measures: The Secretary has established performance
indicators (i.e., performance measures) for Promise Neighborhoods.
Performance indicators established by the Secretary include improved
academic and development outcomes for children, including indicators of
school readiness, high school graduation, postsecondary education and
career readiness, and other academic and developmental outcomes. These
outcomes promote data-driven decision-making and access to a community-
based continuum of high quality services for children living in the
most distressed communities of the United States, beginning at birth.
All grantees will be required to submit data annually against these
performance measures as part of their annual performance report.
5. Continuation Awards: In making a continuation award, the
Secretary considers, among other things: Whether a grantee has made
substantial progress in achieving the goals and objectives of the
project; whether the grantee has expended funds in a manner that is
consistent with its approved application and budget; and, the
performance of the grantee in meeting the targets established for each
performance indicator identified in the grantee's approved data plan.
In making a continuation award, the Secretary also considers
whether the grantee is operating in compliance with the assurances in
its approved application, including those applicable to Federal civil
rights laws that prohibit discrimination in programs or activities
receiving Federal financial assistance from the Department (34 CFR
100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).
VII. Other Information
Accessible Format: Individuals with disabilities can obtain this
document and a copy of the application package in an accessible format
(e.g., braille, large print, audiotape, or compact disc) on request to
the program contact person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT.
Electronic Access to This Document: The official version of this
document is the document published in the Federal Register. 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 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.
[[Page 33894]]
Dated: July 18, 2017.
Margo Anderson,
Acting Assistant Deputy Secretary for Innovation and Improvement.
[FR Doc. 2017-15359 Filed 7-20-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P