Notice2024-14054
Applications for New Awards; Promise Neighborhoods (PN) Program
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
June 27, 2024
Issuing agencies
Education Department
Abstract
The Department of Education (Department) is issuing a notice inviting applications for fiscal year (FY) 2024 for the PN program.
Full Text
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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 124 (Thursday, June 27, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53595-53606]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2024-14054]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Applications for New Awards; Promise Neighborhoods (PN) Program
AGENCY: Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, Department of
Education.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Department of Education (Department) is issuing a notice
inviting applications for fiscal year (FY) 2024 for the PN program.
DATES:
Applications Available: June 27, 2024.
Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply: July 29, 2024.
Date of Pre-Application Meetings: The Department will hold pre-
application meetings via webinar for prospective applicants. Detailed
information regarding pre-application webinars will be provided on the
PN website at <a href="https://oese.ed.gov/offices/office-of-discretionary-grants-support-services/school-choice-improvement-programs/promise-neighborhoods-pn/">https://oese.ed.gov/offices/office-of-discretionary-grants-support-services/school-choice-improvement-programs/promise-neighborhoods-pn/</a>.
Deadline for Transmittal of Application: September 10, 2024.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: November 12, 2024.
ADDRESSES: For the addresses for obtaining and submitting an
application, please refer to our Common Instructions for Applicants to
Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs, published in the
Federal Register on December 7, 2022 (87 FR 75045) and available at
<a href="http://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/12/07/2022-26554/common-instructions-for-applicants-to-department-of-education-discretionary-grant-programs">www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/12/07/2022-26554/common-instructions-for-applicants-to-department-of-education-discretionary-grant-programs</a>.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rich Wilson, U.S. Department of
Education,
[[Page 53596]]
400 Maryland Avenue SW, Room 3W101, Washington, DC 20202. Telephone:
(202)453-6709. Email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#d686a4b9bbbfa5b398b3bfb1beb4b9a4beb9b9b2a596b3b2f8b1b9a0"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="1b4b69747672687e557e727c737974697374747f685b7e7f357c746d">[email protected]</span></a>.
If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability and
wish to access telecommunications relay services, please dial 7-1-1.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Full Text of Announcement
I. Funding Opportunity Description
1. Purpose of Program: The PN program is authorized under the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended (ESEA). The
purpose of the PN program is to significantly improve the academic and
developmental outcomes of children and youth 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 individuals with low incomes; multiple
signs of distress, which may include high rates of poverty, childhood
obesity, academic challenges, and juvenile delinquency, adjudication,
or incarceration; and adverse childhood experiences; and also serves
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.
Assistance Listing Number: 84.215N.
OMB Control Number: 1894-0006.
2. Award Information:
Type of Award: Discretionary grant.
Estimated Available Funds: $4,000,000.
Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of
applications, we may make additional awards in FY 2025 or in subsequent
years from the list of unfunded applications from this competition.
Estimated Range of Awards: $400,000 to $500,000.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $450,000.
Maximum Award: We will not make an award exceeding $500,000 for a
single budget period of 12 months. The Department plans to fully fund
awards made under this notice with FY 2024 funds.
Estimated Number of Awards: 4-5.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this
notice.
Project Period: Up to 24 months.
Under section 4623 of the ESEA, a grant awarded under this
competition will be for a period of not more than 2 years.
3. Eligible Applicants: Under section 4622 of the ESEA, an eligible
entity must be one of the following:
(a) An institution of higher education (IHE), 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 local educational agency (LEA).
(ii) An IHE, 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).
Note: If you are a nonprofit organization, under 34 CFR 75.51, you
may demonstrate your nonprofit status by providing: (1) proof that the
Internal Revenue Service currently recognizes the applicant as an
organization to which contributions are tax deductible under section
501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code; (2) a statement from a State
taxing body or the State attorney general certifying that the
organization is a nonprofit organization operating within the State and
that no part of its net earnings may lawfully benefit any private
shareholder or individual; (3) a certified copy of the applicant's
certificate of incorporation or similar document if it clearly
establishes the nonprofit status of the applicant; or (4) any item
described above if that item applies to a State or national parent
organization, together with a statement by the State or parent
organization that the applicant is a local nonprofit affiliate.
4. Background: A Promise Neighborhood is a place-based, collective
impact approach to improving results for children and families. The
transformative vision of the Promise Neighborhoods initiative is that
all children and youth growing up in Promise Neighborhoods have access
to great schools and strong systems of family and community support.
Promise Neighborhoods weave together people, services, and
organizations to create a seamless cradle-to-career pipeline, along
which community members have access to high-quality early care and
education, smooth and effective transition to kindergarten, excellent
K-12 schools, and pathways to achieve postsecondary and career success.
The PN program's successes in helping communities respond to the
COVID-19 pandemic highlight the importance of ensuring place-based
supports for children and families. When the pandemic hit, Promise
Neighborhoods became an important source of funding for local
governments to quickly respond to community needs and have confidence
that available resources would benefit the hardest hit community
members.
Promise Neighborhoods is particularly apt for addressing issues
that worsened during the pandemic, such as chronic absenteeism and
community violence, due to three key characteristics: (1) a strong
backbone organization to support families, which can take years to
build; (2) flexible funding targeted for year-round K-12 interventions;
and (3) networks of partnerships that draw on the internal resources of
the community, such as local organizers, trusted elders, and youth
leaders, to guide services to those who need them most. Those with deep
community relationships can inform practice, act nimbly, and respond to
community needs as they arise. Importantly, the PN program also allows
grantees to use the first two years of funding for both implementation
and planning activities. Planning activities have been particularly
important for organizations that have not previously had a Federal PN
grant and are working to establish a foundation to implement the
program.
One recent study of chronic absenteeism found that the number of
public school students who are chronically absent--meaning they miss at
least 10 percent of days in a school year, whether excused or
unexcused--nearly doubled between the 2018-19 and 2021-22 school
years,\1\ from about 15 percent to around 30 percent. The greatest
increase has been in kindergarten, with the rate of chronic absenteeism
now as high as 40 percent in some communities.\2\ Research suggests
that children who are chronically absent for multiple years between
preschool and second grade are much less likely to read at grade level
[[Page 53597]]
by the third grade.\3\ As of the 2021-22 school year, over 14 million
students nationwide were chronically absent, missing crucial
instructional time and posing serious implications for students'
overall academic success and wellbeing.\4\
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\1\ Dee, T. S. (2023, August 10). Higher Chronic Absenteeism
Threatens Academic Recovery from the COVID-19 Pandemic. <a href="https://doi.org/10.31219/osf.io/bfg3p">https://doi.org/10.31219/osf.io/bfg3p</a>.
\2\ <a href="https://edsource.org/2023/reaching-kindergarten-parents-is-key-to-addressing-dramatic-post-pandemic-rise-in-chronic-absenteeism-panel-says/696511">https://edsource.org/2023/reaching-kindergarten-parents-is-key-to-addressing-dramatic-post-pandemic-rise-in-chronic-absenteeism-panel-says/696511</a>.
\3\ Ehrlich, Stacy B., et al. (May 2014). Preschool Attendance
in Chicago Public Schools. <a href="https://consortium.uchicago.edu/publications/preschool-attendance-chicago-public-schools-relationships-learning-outcomes-and-reasons">https://consortium.uchicago.edu/publications/preschool-attendance-chicago-public-schools-relationships-learning-outcomes-and-reasons</a>.
\4\ See note 2.
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The Biden-Harris Administration has made addressing chronic
absenteeism one of the focal points of its Improving Student
Achievement Agenda \5\ and is using several strategies to help schools
and communities address this issue. These efforts include:
disseminating grants that can fund interventions and supports in
schools; offering technical assistance to States and districts,
including the Department's Student Engagement and Attendance Center,\6\
which supports States and schools in designing and implementing
evidence-based strategies to improve student attendance and engagement,
and the Department's National Center on Safe Supportive Learning
Environments,\7\ which provides technical assistance focused on
improving school climate; investing in comprehensive mental health
programs for students, including through the transformational
investments of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act; \8\ and
establishing and strengthening the National Partnership for Student
Success,\9\ which marshals evidence-based supports such as tutoring and
mentoring to help keep students engaged and on-track.
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\5\ <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/01/17/fact-sheet-biden-harris-administration-announces-improving-student-achievement-agenda-in-2024/">https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/01/17/fact-sheet-biden-harris-administration-announces-improving-student-achievement-agenda-in-2024/</a>.
\6\ <a href="https://oese.ed.gov/student-engagement-and-attendance-technical-assistance-sea-center/">https://oese.ed.gov/student-engagement-and-attendance-technical-assistance-sea-center/</a>.
\7\ <a href="https://safesupportivelearning.ed.gov/school-climate-improvement">https://safesupportivelearning.ed.gov/school-climate-improvement</a>
\8\ <a href="https://oese.ed.gov/bipartisan-safer-communities-act/">https://oese.ed.gov/bipartisan-safer-communities-act/</a>.
\9\ <a href="https://www.partnershipstudentsuccess.org/?utm_content&utm_medium=email&utm_name&utm_source=govdelivery&utm_term">https://www.partnershipstudentsuccess.org/?utm_content&utm_medium=email&utm_name&utm_source=govdelivery&utm_term</a>.
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Additionally, the Promise Neighborhoods incorporates the unique
insights of young people to better address their needs and
circumstances. PN grantees and like-minded cross-sector initiatives
have been successful in engaging children and young people in K-12,
college students, recent college graduates, and young adults pursuing
employment. Youth engagement is used to improve school climate,
consistent attendance, college preparedness, and leadership development
among older youths. Because such engagement activities directly address
the youth populations they involve, they can be adapted and applied to
many contexts. In this instance, program grantees are encouraged to
engage young people in the planning and implementation of these two-
year grants.
Promise Neighborhoods also provide a unique opportunity for
communities to create a comprehensive approach to help prevent and
address violence in their neighborhoods. Funds can support a broad
approach that allows grantees to coordinate mental health
professionals, the criminal justice system, economic or workforce
development organizations, and community leaders to intervene in areas
with high rates of violence. Current grantees have engaged with Parks
Departments, Departments of Justice, and local community organizations
to focus on creating safe public spaces such as parks and more walkable
communities, improving both safety and wellness in their neighborhoods,
and creating a safe passage for students to get to school. Grantees
have also focused on increasing attendance and graduation rates as well
as community mentoring to mitigate violence among teens.
5. Priorities: This notice includes three absolute priorities,
three competitive preference priorities, and one invitational priority.
Absolute Priorities 1 and 3 are from the Final Priorities,
Requirements, Definitions, and Selection Criteria for this program
published in the Federal Register on January 19, 2021 (86 FR 5009) (PN
NFP). Absolute Priority 2 is from the Administrative Priorities for
Discretionary Grant Programs published in the Federal Register on March
9, 2020 (85 FR 13640) (Administrative Priorities). Competitive
Preference Priorities 1 and 3 are from the Secretary's Supplemental
Priorities and Definitions for Discretionary Grants Programs published
in the Federal Register on December 10, 2021 (86 FR 70612)
(Supplemental Priorities). Competitive Preference Priority 2 is from
the Administrative Priorities.
Absolute Priorities: For FY 2024 and any subsequent year in which
we make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this
competition, these priorities are absolute priorities. Under 34 CFR
75.105(c)(3), we consider only applications that meet one or more of
these priorities. Absolute Priorities 1, 2, and 3 each constitute
separate funding categories. The Secretary intends to award grants
under each of these absolute priorities provided that applications
submitted are of sufficient quality. An applicant may address no more
than one absolute priority in its application. To ensure that
applicants are reviewed under the absolute priority most relevant to
their proposed project, applicants must clearly identify the specific
absolute priority that the proposed project addresses.
These priorities are:
Absolute Priority 1--Non-Rural and Non-Tribal Communities.
To meet this priority, an applicant must propose to implement a PN
strategy that serves one or more non-rural or non-Tribal communities.
Absolute Priority 2--Rural Applicants.
Under this priority, an applicant must demonstrate one or more of
the following:
(a) The applicant proposes to serve an LEA that is eligible under
the Small Rural School Achievement (SRSA) program or the Rural and Low-
Income School (RLIS) program authorized under Title V, Part B of the
ESEA.
(b) The applicant proposes to serve a community that is served by
one or more LEAs with a locale code of 32, 33, 41, 42, or 43.
(c) The applicant proposes a project in which a majority of the
schools served have a locale code of 32, 33, 41, 42, or 43.
(d) The applicant is an IHE with a rural campus setting, or the
applicant proposes to serve a campus with a rural setting. Rural
settings include any of the following: Town-Fringe, Town-Distant, Town-
Remote, Rural-Fringe, Rural-Distant, Rural-Remote, as defined by the
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) College Navigator
search tool.
Note: To determine whether a particular LEA is eligible for SRSA or
RLIS, refer to the Department's website at <a href="https://oese.ed.gov/offices/office-of-formula-grants/rural-insular-native-achievement-programs/rural-education-achievement-program/">https://oese.ed.gov/offices/office-of-formula-grants/rural-insular-native-achievement-programs/rural-education-achievement-program/</a>. Applicants are encouraged to
retrieve locale codes from the NCES School District search tool
(<a href="https://nces.ed.gov/ccd/districtsearch/">https://nces.ed.gov/ccd/districtsearch/</a>), where LEAs can be looked up
individually to retrieve locale codes, and the Public School search
tool (<a href="https://nces.ed.gov/ccd/schoolsearch/">https://nces.ed.gov/ccd/schoolsearch/</a>), where individual schools
can be looked up to retrieve locale codes. Applicants are encouraged to
retrieve campus settings from the NCES College Navigator search tool
(<a href="https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/">https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/</a>), where IHEs can be looked up
individually to determine the campus setting.
Absolute Priority 3--Tribal Communities.
To meet this priority, an applicant must propose to implement a PN
strategy that serves one or more Indian Tribes (as defined in this
notice).
[[Page 53598]]
Competitive Preference Priorities: For FY 2024 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 up to an additional
15 points to an application, depending on how well the application
meets one or more of these priorities; the total possible points for
each competitive preference priority are noted in parentheses.
These priorities are:
Competitive Preference Priority 1--Strengthening Cross-Agency
Coordination and Community Engagement to Advance Systemic Change (up to
5 points).
Projects that are designed to take a systemic evidence-based
approach to improving outcomes for underserved students in coordinating
efforts with Federal, State, or local agencies, or community-based
organizations, that support students, to address community violence
prevention and intervention.
Competitive Preference Priority 2--Applications From New Potential
Grantees (0 or 5 points).
Under this priority, an applicant must demonstrate that the
applicant has never received a grant, including through membership in a
group application submitted in accordance with 34 CFR 75.127-75.129,
under the program from which it seeks funds.
Competitive Preference Priority 3--Promoting Equity in Student
Access to Educational Resources and Opportunities (up to 5 points).
Under this priority, an applicant must demonstrate that the
applicant proposes a project designed to promote educational equity and
adequacy in resources and opportunity for underserved students--
(1) In one or more of the following educational settings:
(i) Early learning programs.
(ii) Elementary school.
(iii) Middle school.
(iv) High school.
(v) Career and technical education programs.
(vi) Out-of-school-time settings.
(vii) Alternative schools and programs.
(viii) Juvenile justice system or correctional facilities.
(ix) Adult learning;
(2) That examines the sources of inequity and inadequacy and
implements responses, and that includes establishing, expanding, or
improving the engagement of underserved community members (including
underserved students and families) in informing and making decisions
that influence policy and practice at the school, district, or State
level by elevating their voices, through their participation and their
perspectives and providing them with access to opportunities for
leadership (e.g., establishing partnerships between civic student
government programs and parent and caregiver leadership initiatives).
Invitational Priority: For FY 2024 and any subsequent year in which
we make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this
competition, this priority is an invitational priority. Under 34 CFR
75.105(c)(1) we do not give an application that meets this invitational
priority a competitive or absolute preference over other applications.
This priority is:
Addressing Chronic Absenteeism.
Projects designed to increase regular student attendance and
engagement and reduce chronic absenteeism through evidence-based
strategies such as--
(1) Developing and implementing family- and child-centered
effective engagement, messaging, and communication plans with parents,
families, and students;
(2) Strengthening relationships with families, including through
strategies such as home visits;
(3) Using multitiered systems of support and intervention,
including through strategies such as an early warning system; or
(4) Creating and sustaining positive and inclusive school climates,
including those designed to build strong, trusting relationships.
6. Requirements: For FY 2024 and any subsequent year in which we
make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this
competition, applicants must meet the following application and program
requirements from section 4624 of the ESEA and the PN NFP.
Application Requirements: The application requirements are as
follows:
(a) 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.
(b) A description of the neighborhood the eligible entity will
serve.
Note: Applicants may propose to serve multiple, non-contiguous
geographically defined areas. In cases where target areas are non-
contiguous, the applicant should explain its rationale for including
non-contiguous areas.
(c) An applicant must demonstrate that its proposed project--
(1) Is representative of the geographic area proposed to be served
(as defined in this notice); and
(2) Would provide a majority of the solutions from the applicant's
proposed pipeline services in the geographic area proposed to be
served.
(d) An analysis of the needs and assets of the neighborhood,
including:
(1) The size and scope of the population affected;
(2) 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;
(3) 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, LEAs, and IHEs;
(4) The steps that the eligible entity is taking at the time of the
application to address the needs identified in the needs analysis; and
(5) Any barriers the eligible entity, public agencies, and other
community-based organizations have faced in meeting such needs.
(e) 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 three 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.
(f) A description of how the pipeline services will facilitate the
coordination of the following activities:
(1) 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 through 9 experiencing
developmental delays, consistent with the Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act (IDEA) (20 U.S.C. 1400 et seq.), where applicable.
(2) 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
[[Page 53599]]
prepare students for postsecondary education admissions and success.
(3) Supporting partnerships between schools and other community
resources with an integrated focus on academics and other social,
health, and familial supports.
(4) 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.
(5) Supporting evidence-based programs 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.
(g) 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 PN
program. 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
nonprofit 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 IHE, 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).\10\
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\10\ The original citation in ESEA section 4622 was to 25 U.S.C.
450b, but 25 U.S.C. 450b was editorially reclassified as 25 U.S.C.
5304. We use the updated citation throughout this notice.
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(h) A description of the process used to develop the application,
including the involvement of family and community members. In
addressing this paragraph, an applicant must provide a description of
the process used to develop the application, which must include the
involvement of an LEA(s) (including but not limited to the LEA's or
LEAs' involvement in the creation and planning of the application and a
signed Memorandum of Understanding) and at least one public elementary
or secondary school that is located within the identified geographic
area that the grant will serve.
(i) 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 PN program.
(j) An explanation of the process the eligible entity will use to
establish and maintain family and community engagement, including:
(1) Involving representative participation by the members of such
neighborhood in the planning and implementation of the activities of
each grant awarded;
(2) The provision of strategies and practices to assist family and
community members in actively supporting student achievement and child
development;
(3) Providing services for students, families, and communities
within the school building; and
(4) Collaboration with IHEs, workforce development centers, and
employers to align expectations and programming with postsecondary
education and workforce readiness.
(k) Measurable annual objectives and outcomes for the grant, in
accordance with the metrics described in the Promise Neighborhoods
Performance Indicators for each year of the grant.
(l) 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.
(m) In addressing the application requirements in paragraphs (d),
(e), and (f), an applicant must clearly demonstrate needs, including a
segmentation analysis, gaps in services, and any available data from
within the last 3 years to demonstrate needs. The applicant must also
describe proposed activities that address these needs and the extent to
which these activities are evidence-based (as defined in this notice).
The applicant must also describe its experience, or its partner
organizations' experience, if applicable, providing these activities,
including any data demonstrating effectiveness.
Program Requirements: Each applicant that receives a grant award
for the PN 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. Section 4624(d) of
the ESEA. 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.
Each eligible entity that receives a grant under this program must
prepare and submit an annual report to the Secretary that includes 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 must 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 PN grant. Data on academic indicators pertinent to the PN
program already will be, in most cases, part of statewide longitudinal
data systems.
7. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria are from 34 CFR
75.210, the PN NFP, and the notice of final priorities, requirements,
definitions, and selection criteria published in the Federal Register
on July 6, 2011 (76 FR 39589) (2011 PN NFP). Each selection criterion
includes the factors that reviewers will consider in determining the
extent to which an applicant meets the criterion. The maximum score for
each criterion is included in parentheses following the title of the
specific selection criterion. Points awarded under these selection
criteria are in addition to any points an applicant earned under the
competitive preference priorities in this notice. The maximum score
that an application may receive on the selection criteria is 100
points.
The selection criteria are as follows:
(a) Need for project (up to 20 points).
In determining the need for the proposed project, the Secretary
considers the following factors:
(1) The magnitude or severity of the problem to be addressed by the
proposed project (34 CFR 75.210).
(2) 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 services (up to 30 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:
[[Page 53600]]
(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 extent to which the proposed project involves the
development or demonstration of promising new strategies that build on,
or are alternatives to, existing strategies (34 CFR 75.210).
(3) The likelihood that the proposed project will result in system
change or improvement (34 CFR 75.210).
(4) The extent to which the services to be provided by the proposed
project involve the collaboration of appropriate partners for
maximizing the effectiveness of project services (34 CFR 75.210).
(c) Quality of project design (up to 20 points).
In determining the quality of project design for 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, without time and resource gaps, that is
designed to prepare all children in the neighborhood to attain a high-
quality education and successfully transition to college and a career
(PN NFP).
(2) The potential and planning for the incorporation of project
purposes, activities, or benefits into the ongoing work of the
applicant beyond the end of the grant (34 CFR 75.210).
(3) The extent to which the proposed project will integrate with or
build on similar or related efforts to improve relevant outcomes (as
defined in 34 CFR 77.1[euro]), using existing funding streams from
other programs or policies supported by community, State, and Federal
resources (34 CFR 75.210).
(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 (34 CFR 75.210).
(2) The adequacy of procedures for ensuring feedback and continuous
improvement in the operation of the proposed project (34 CFR 75.210).
(3) The experience, lessons learned, and proposal to build capacity
of the applicant's management team and project director in 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 (2011 PN NFP).
(e) Adequacy of resources (up to 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 potential for continued support of the project after
Federal funding ends, including, as appropriate, the demonstrated
commitment of appropriate entities to such support (34 CFR 75.210).
(2) 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 a continuum of
solutions (2011 PN NFP).
(3) The applicant's capacity (e.g., in terms of qualified
personnel, financial resources, or management capacity) to further
develop and bring to scale the proposed process, product, strategy, or
practice, or to work with others to ensure that the proposed process,
product, strategy, or practice can be further developed and brought to
scale, based on the findings of the proposed project (34 CFR 75.210).
8. Performance Measures: The Secretary has established performance
indicators (i.e., performance measures) for the PN program under
section 4624(h) of the ESEA and 34 CFR 75.110. 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.
The Secretary establishes, in Table 1, the following performance
indicators under section 4624(h) of the ESEA and 34 CFR 75.110:
Table 1--Promise Neighborhoods Performance Indicators
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Result Indicator Recommended source
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Children enter kindergarten 1. Number and Administrative
ready to succeed in school. percentage of data from LEA.
children in
kindergarten who
demonstrate at
the beginning 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 2.1 Number and
core academic subjects. percentage of
students at or
above grade level
according to
State mathematics
assessments in at
least the grades
required by the
ESEA (third
through eighth
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 3.1 Attendance
transition from middle school rate of students
grades to high school. in sixth,
seventh, eighth,
and ninth grade
as defined by
average daily
attendance.
[[Page 53601]]
3.2 Chronic
absenteeism rate
of students in
sixth, seventh,
eighth, and ninth
grades.
4. Youth graduate from high 4. 4-year adjusted
school. cohort graduation
rate.
5. High school graduates obtain 5.1 Number and Third party data
a postsecondary degree, percentage of such as the
certification or credential. Promise National Student
Neighborhood Clearinghouse.
students who
enroll in a 2-
year or 4-year
college or
university after
graduation.
5.2 Number and
percent of
Promise
Neighborhood
students who
graduate from a 2-
year or 4-year
college or
university or
vocational
certification
completion.
6. Students are healthy......... 6. Number and Neighborhood
percentage of survey, school
children who climate survey or
consume five or other reliable
more servings of data source for
fruits and population level
vegetables daily. data collection.
7. Students feel safe at school 7. Number and
and in their community. percentage of
children who feel
safe at school
and traveling to
and from school
as measured by a
school climate
survey.
8. Students live in stable 8. Student
communities. mobility rate (as
defined in the
notice).
9. Families and community 9.1 Number and
members support learning in PN percentage of
schools. parents or family
members that read
to or encourage
their children to
read three or
more times a week
or reported their
child reads to
themselves three
or more times a
week (birth-
eighth grade).
9.2 Number and
percentage of
parents/family
members who
report talking
about the
importance of
college and
career (ninth-
12th grade).
10. Students have access to 21st 10. Number and
century learning tools. percentage of
students who have
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.
Please see the Program Requirements section of this notice for the
reporting requirements associated with the PN program performance
indicators.
9. Definitions: For FY 2024 and any subsequent year in which we
make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this
competition, the following definitions apply. The definitions for
``eligible entity'' and ``pipeline services'' are from section 4622 of
the ESEA. The definitions of ``graduation rate,'' ``Indian Tribe,''
``indicators of need,'' ``regular high-school diploma,''
``representative of the geographic area to be served,'' ``segmentation
analysis,'' ``student achievement,'' and ``student mobility rate'' are
from the PN NFP. The definitions of ``children or students with
disabilities,'' ``community college,'' ``disconnected youth,'' ``early
learning,'' ``English learner,'' and ``underserved student'' are from
the Supplemental Priorities. The remaining definitions are from 34 CFR
77.1.
Children or students with disabilities means children with
disabilities as defined in section 602(3) of the IDEA (20 U.S.C.
1401(3)) and 34 CFR 300.8, or students with disabilities, as defined in
the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 705(37), 705(202)(B)).
Community college means ``junior or community college'' as defined
in section 312(f) of the HEA.
Disconnected youth means an individual, between the ages 14 and 24,
who may be from a low-income background, experiences homelessness, is
in foster care, is involved in the justice system, or is not working or
not enrolled in (or at risk of dropping out of) an educational
institution.
Early learning means any (a) State-licensed or State-regulated
program or provider, regardless of setting or funding source, that
provides early care and education for children from birth to
kindergarten entry, including, but not limited to, any program operated
by a child care center or in a family child care home; (b) program
funded by the Federal Government or State or LEAs (including any IDEA-
funded program); (c) Early Head Start and Head Start program; (d) non-
relative child care provider who is not otherwise regulated by the
State and who regularly cares for two or more unrelated children for a
fee in a provider setting; and (e) other program that may deliver early
learning and development services in a child's home, such as the
Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program; Early Head
Start; and Part C of IDEA.
Eligible entity means (1) an IHE, as defined in section 102 of the
HEA (20 U.S.C. 1002); (2) 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 (3) one or more nonprofit entities
working in formal partnership with not less than 1 of the following
entities:
(i) A high-need LEA.
(ii) An IHE, 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
[[Page 53602]]
Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304).
English learner means an individual who is an English learner as
defined in section 8101(20) of the ESEA, or an individual who is an
English language learner as defined in section 203(7) of the Workforce
Innovation and Opportunity Act.
Evidence-based means the proposed project component is supported by
one or more of strong evidence, moderate evidence, or promising
evidence.
Experimental study means a study that is designed to compare
outcomes between two groups of individuals (such as students) that are
otherwise equivalent except for their assignment to either a treatment
group receiving a project component or a control group that does not.
Randomized controlled trials, regression discontinuity design studies,
and single-case design studies are the specific types of experimental
studies that, depending on their design and implementation (e.g.,
sample attrition in randomized controlled trials and regression
discontinuity design studies), can meet What Works Clearinghouse (WWC)
standards without reservations as described in the WWC Handbooks:
(i) A randomized controlled trial 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).
(ii) A regression discontinuity design study 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.
(iii) A single-case design study 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.
Graduation rate means the four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate
or extended-year adjusted cohort graduation rate as defined in section
8101(25) and (23) of the ESEA.
Indian Tribe means an Indian Tribe or Tribal organization as
defined in section 4 of the Indian Self-determination Act (25 U.S.C.
5304(e)).
Indicators of need means currently available data that describe--
(a) Education need, which means--
(1) 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
(2) 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
(b) Family and community support need, which means--
(1) Percentages of children with preventable chronic health
conditions (e.g., asthma, poor nutrition, dental problems, obesity) or
avoidable developmental delays;
(2) Immunization rates;
(3) Rates of crime, including violent crime;
(4) Student mobility rates;
(5) Teenage birth rates;
(6) Percentage of children in single parent or no-parent families;
(7) Rates of vacant or substandard homes, including distressed
public and assisted housing; or
(8) Percentage of the residents living at or below the Federal
poverty threshold.
Moderate evidence means that there is evidence of effectiveness of
a key project component in improving a relevant outcome for a sample
that overlaps with the populations or settings proposed to receive that
component, based on a relevant finding from one of the following:
(i) A practice guide prepared by the WWC using version 2.1, 3.0,
4,0, or 4.1 of the WWC Handbooks reporting a ``strong evidence base''
or ``moderate evidence base'' for the corresponding practice guide
recommendation;
(ii) An intervention report prepared by the WWC using version 2.1,
3.0, 4.0, or 4.1 of the WWC Handbooks reporting a ``positive effect''
or ``potentially positive effect'' on a relevant outcome based on a
``medium to large'' extent of evidence, with no reporting of a
``negative effect'' or ``potentially negative effect'' on a relevant
outcome; or
(iii) A single experimental study or quasi-experimental design
study reviewed and reported by the WWC using version 2.1, 3.0, 4.0, or
4.1 of the WWC Handbooks, or otherwise assessed by the Department using
version 4.1 of the WWC Handbooks, as appropriate, and that--
(A) Meets WWC standards with or without reservations;
(B) Includes at least one statistically significant and positive
(i.e., favorable) effect on a relevant outcome;
(C) Includes no overriding statistically significant and negative
effects on relevant outcomes reported in the study or in a
corresponding WWC intervention report prepared under version 2.1, 3.0,
4.0, or 4.1 of the WWC Handbooks; and
(D) Is based on a sample from more than one site (e.g., State,
county, city, school district, or postsecondary campus) and includes at
least 350 students or other individuals across sites. Multiple studies
of the same project component that each meet requirements in paragraphs
(iii)(A), (B), and (C) of this definition may together satisfy this
requirement.
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, intervention,
process, product, practice, or policy included in a project. Evidence
may pertain to an individual
[[Page 53603]]
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 that there is evidence of the
effectiveness of a key project component in improving a relevant
outcome, based on a relevant finding from one of the following:
(i) A practice guide prepared by WWC reporting a ``strong evidence
base'' or ``moderate evidence base'' for the corresponding practice
guide recommendation;
(ii) An intervention report prepared by the WWC reporting a
``positive effect'' or ``potentially positive effect'' on a relevant
outcome with no reporting of a ``negative effect'' or ``potentially
negative effect'' on a relevant outcome; or
(iii) A single study assessed by the Department, as appropriate,
that--
(A) Is an experimental study, a quasi-experimental design study, or
a well-designed and well-implemented correlational study with
statistical controls for selection bias (e.g., a study using regression
methods to account for differences between a treatment group and a
comparison group); and
(B) Includes at least one statistically significant and positive
(i.e., favorable) effect on a relevant outcome.
Quasi-experimental design study means a study using a design that
attempts to approximate an experimental study by identifying a
comparison group that is similar to the treatment group in important
respects. This type of study, depending on design and implementation
(e.g., establishment of baseline equivalence of the groups being
compared), can meet WWC standards with reservations, but cannot meet
WWC standards without reservations, as described in the WWC Handbooks.
Regular high school diploma has the meaning set out in section
8101(43) of the ESEA.
Relevant outcome means the student outcome(s) or other outcome(s)
the key project component is designed to improve, consistent with the
specific goals of the 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
applicant's governing board or advisory board is made up of--
(a) 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;
(b) 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 earn less than 80 percent of the area's median income as
published by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development;
(c) Public officials 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
(d) Some combination of individuals from the three groups listed in
paragraphs (a), (b), and (c) of this definition.
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 or other relevant indicators to
allow grantees to differentiate and more effectively target
interventions based on the needs of different populations in the
geographic area.
Strong evidence means that there is evidence of the effectiveness
of a key project component in improving a relevant outcome for a sample
that overlaps with the populations and settings proposed to receive
that component, based on a relevant finding from one of the following:
(i) A practice guide prepared by the WWC using version 2.1, 3.0,
4.0, or 4.1 of the WWC Handbooks reporting a ``strong evidence base''
for the corresponding practice guide recommendation;
(ii) An intervention report prepared by the WWC using version 2.1,
3.0, 4.0, or 4.1 of the WWC Handbooks reporting a ``positive effect''
on a relevant outcome based on a ``medium to large'' extent of
evidence, with no reporting of a ``negative effect'' or ``potentially
negative effect'' on a relevant outcome; or
(iii) A single experimental study reviewed and reported by the WWC
using version 2.1, 3.0, 4.0, or 4.1 of the WWC Handbooks, or otherwise
assessed by the Department using version 4.1 of the WWC Handbooks, as
appropriate, and that--
(A) Meets WWC standards without reservations;
(B) Includes at least one statistically significant and positive
(i.e., favorable) effect on a relevant outcome;
(C) Includes no overriding statistically significant and negative
effects on relevant outcomes reported in the study or in a
corresponding WWC intervention report prepared under version 2.1, 3.0,
4.0, or 4.1 of the WWC Handbooks; and
(D) Is based on a sample from more than one site (e.g., State,
county, city, school district, or postsecondary campus) and includes at
least 350 students or other individuals across sites. Multiple studies
of the same project component that each meet requirements in paragraphs
(iii)(A), (B), and (C) of this definition may together satisfy this
requirement.
Student achievement means--
(a) For tested grades and subjects--
(1) A student's score on the State's assessments under the ESEA;
and
(2) As appropriate, other measures of student learning, such as
those described in paragraph (b) of this definition, provided they are
rigorous and comparable across classrooms and programs; and
(b) 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.
Underserved student means a student (which may include children in
early learning environments, students in K-12 programs, students in
postsecondary education or career and technical education, and adult
learners, as appropriate) in one or more of the following subgroups:
(a) A student who is living in poverty or is served by schools with
high concentrations of students living in poverty.
(b) A student of color.
(c) A student who is a member of a federally recognized Indian
Tribe.
(d) An English learner.
(e) A child or student with a disability.
(f) A disconnected youth.
(g) A migrant student.
(h) A student experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity.
(i) A lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, or
intersex (LGBTQI+) student.
(j) A student who is in foster care.
(k) A student without documentation of immigration status.
(l) A pregnant, parenting, or caregiving student.
[[Page 53604]]
(m) A student impacted by the justice system, including a formerly
incarcerated student.
(n) A student who is the first in their family to attend
postsecondary education.
(o) A student enrolling in or seeking to enroll in postsecondary
education for the first time at the age of 20 or older.
(p) A student who is working full-time while enrolled in
postsecondary education.
(q) A student who is enrolled in or is seeking to enroll in
postsecondary education who is eligible for a Pell Grant.
What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) Handbooks (WWC Handbooks) means the
standards and procedures set forth in the WWC Standards Handbook,
Versions 4.0 or 4.1, and WWC Procedures Handbook, Versions 4.0 or 4.1,
or in the WWC Procedures and Standards Handbook, Version 3.0 or Version
2.1 (all incorporated by reference, see Sec. 77.2). Study findings
eligible for review under WWC standards can meet WWC standards without
reservations, meet WWC standards with reservations, or not meet WWC
standards. WWC practice guides and intervention reports include
findings from systematic reviews of evidence as described in the WWC
Handbooks documentation.
Note: The What Works Clearinghouse Procedures and Standards
Handbook (Version 4.1), as well as the more recent What Works
Clearinghouse Handbooks released in August 2022 (Version 5.0), are
available at <a href="https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/Handbooks">https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/Handbooks</a>.
10. Program Authority and Applicable Regulations:
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 Office of Management and Budget (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 Guidance for
Federal Financial Assistance in 2 CFR part 200, as adopted and amended
as regulations of the Department in 2 CFR part 3474. (d) The PN NFP.
(e) The 2011 PN NFP. (f) The Administrative Priorities. (g) The
Supplemental Priorities.
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 IHEs only.
Note: The Department will implement the changes included in the OMB
final rule, OMB Guidance for Federal Financial Assistance
(<a href="http://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/04/22/2024-07496/guidance-for-federal-financial-assistance">www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/04/22/2024-07496/guidance-for-federal-financial-assistance</a>), formerly called, Office of Management
and Budget Guidance for Grants and Agreements, which amends 2 CFR part
200, on October 1, 2024. When preparing an application, grant
applicants who anticipate a performance period start date on or after
October 1, 2024, should follow the requirements in the updated 2 CFR
part 200. For more information about these updated regulations please
visit: <a href="https://www2.ed.gov/policy/fund/guid/uniform-guidance/index.html">https://www2.ed.gov/policy/fund/guid/uniform-guidance/index.html</a>.
Note: Projects will be awarded and must be operated in a manner
consistent with the nondiscrimination requirements contained in Federal
civil rights laws.
II. Supplemental Requirements
1. a. Cost Sharing or Matching: Under section 4623(d)(1)(A) of the
ESEA, 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, and private sources, to provide
matching funds.
An applicant proposing a project that meets Absolute Priority 1--
Non-Rural and Non-Tribal Communities must obtain matching funds or in-
kind donations equal to at least 100 percent of its grant award.
Section 4623(d)(1)(A) of the ESEA.
An applicant proposing a project that meets Absolute Priority 2--
Rural Applicants or Absolute Priority 3--Tribal Communities must obtain
matching funds or in-kind donations equal to at least 50 percent of its
grant award. Section 4623(d)(1)(C) of the ESEA.
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 or private sources. Section 4623(d)(1)(B)
of the ESEA.
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,
describe how the value was determined for the donated or contributed
goods or service. Section 4623(d)(1)(B) of the ESEA. 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. Section
4623(d)(1)(C) of the ESEA. 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. Section 4623(d)(1)(D) of the ESEA.
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, in subpart E of 2 CFR part 200.
b. Indirect Cost Rate Information: This program uses an
unrestricted indirect cost rate. For more information regarding
indirect costs, or to obtain a negotiated indirect cost rate, please
see <a href="https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocfo/intro.html">https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocfo/intro.html</a>.
c. Administrative Cost Limitation: This program does not include
any program-specific limitation on administrative expenses. All
administrative expenses must be reasonable and necessary and conform to
Cost Principles described in 2 CFR part 200 subpart E.
2. Subgrantees: The grantee may award subgrants to entities it has
identified in an approved application or that it selects through a
competition under procedures established by the grantee.
III. Application and Submission Information
1. Recommended Page Limit: The application narrative 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 no more than 50 pages and (2) use the
following standards:
[[Page 53605]]
<bullet> A ``page'' is 8.5'' x 11'', on one side only, with 1''
margins at the top, bottom, and both sides.
<bullet> 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.
<bullet> Use a font that is either 12 point or larger or no smaller
than 10 pitch (characters per inch).
<bullet> Use one of the following fonts: Times New Roman, Courier,
Courier New, or Arial.
The recommended page limit does not apply to the cover sheet; the
budget section, including the narrative budget justification; the
assurances and certifications; or the one-page abstract, the resumes,
the bibliography, or the letters of support. However, the recommended
page limit does apply to all of the application narrative.
2. Notice of Intent to Apply: The Department will be able to review
grant applications more efficiently if we know the approximate number
of applicants that intend to apply. Therefore, we strongly encourage
each potential applicant to notify us of their intent to submit an
application. To do so, please email the program contact person listed
under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT with the subject line ``Intent to
Apply,'' and include the applicant's name and a contact person's name
and email address. Applicants that do not submit a notice of intent to
apply may still apply for funding; applicants that do submit a notice
of intent to apply are not bound to apply or bound by the information
provided.
3. Funding Restrictions: Applicants that operate a school in a
neighborhood served by a PN grant 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 PN 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;
or (3) Evaluation of children, other than for the purposes of improving
instruction, classroom environment, professional development, or parent
and family engagement, or program improvement.
We reference additional regulations outlining funding restrictions
in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.
4. Application Submission Instructions: Applicants are required to
follow the Common Instructions for Applicants to Department of
Education Discretionary Grant Programs, published in the Federal
Register on December 7, 2022 (87 FR 75045) and available at
<a href="http://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/12/07/2022-26554/common-instructions-for-applicants-to-department-of-education-discretionary-grant-programs">www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/12/07/2022-26554/common-instructions-for-applicants-to-department-of-education-discretionary-grant-programs</a>.
5. Submission of Proprietary Information: Given the types of
projects that may be proposed in applications for the PN competition,
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 (Predisclosure Notification
Procedures for Confidential Commercial Information), please designate
in your application any information that you believe is exempt from
disclosure under Exemption 4. In the appropriate Appendix section of
your application, under ''Other Attachments Form,'' please list the
page number or numbers on which we can find this information. For
additional information please see 34 CFR 5.11(c).
6. 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.
IV. Application Review Information
1. Review and Selection Process: We remind potential applicants
that in reviewing applications in any discretionary grant competition,
the Secretary may consider, under 34 CFR 75.217(d)(3), the past
performance of the applicant in carrying out a previous award, such as
the applicant's use of funds, achievement of project objectives, and
compliance with grant conditions. The Secretary may also consider
whether the applicant failed to submit a timely performance report or
submitted a report of unacceptable quality.
In addition, in making a competitive grant award, the Secretary
requires various assurances, including those applicable to Federal
civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination in programs or
activities receiving Federal financial assistance from the Department
(34 CFR 100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).
2. Risk Assessment and Specific Conditions: Consistent with 2 CFR
200.206, before awarding grants under this program the Department
conducts a review of the risks posed by applicants. Under 2 CFR
200.208, the Secretary may impose specific conditions and, under 2 CFR
3474.10, 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.
3. 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
$250,000), under 2 CFR 200.206(a)(2) we must make a judgment about your
integrity, business ethics, and record of performance under Federal
awards--that is, the risk posed by you as an applicant--before we make
an award. In doing so, we must consider any information about you that
is in the integrity and performance system (currently referred to as
the Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System
(FAPIIS)), accessible through the System for Award Management. You may
review and comment on any information about yourself that a Federal
agency previously entered and that is currently in FAPIIS.
Please note that, if the total value of your currently active
grants, cooperative agreements, and procurement contracts from the
Federal Government exceeds $10,000,000, the reporting requirements in 2
CFR part 200, Appendix XII, require you to report certain integrity
information to FAPIIS semiannually. Please review the requirements in 2
CFR part 200, Appendix XII, if this grant plus all the other Federal
funds you receive exceed $10,000,000.
4. In General: In accordance with the Guidance for Federal
Financial Assistance located at 2 CFR part 200, all applicable Federal
laws, and relevant Executive guidance, the Department will review and
consider applications for funding pursuant to this notice inviting
applications in accordance with--
(a) Selecting recipients most likely to be successful in delivering
results based
[[Page 53606]]
on the program objectives through an objective process of evaluating
Federal award applications (2 CFR 200.205);
(b) Prohibiting the purchase of certain telecommunication and video
surveillance services or equipment in alignment with section 889 of the
National Defense Authorization Act of 2019 (Pub. L. 115-232) (2 CFR
200.216);
(c) Providing a preference, to the extent permitted by law, to
maximize use of goods, products, and materials produced in the United
States (2 CFR 200.322); and
(d) Terminating agreements in whole or in part to the greatest
extent authorized by law if an award no longer effectuates the program
goals or agency priorities (2 CFR 200.340).
V. 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 also may notify you
informally.
If your application is not evaluated or not selected for funding,
we notify you.
2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements: We identify
administrative and national policy requirements in the application
package and reference these and other requirements in the Applicable
Regulations section of this notice.
We reference the regulations outlining the terms and conditions of
an award in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice and
include these and other specific conditions in the GAN. The GAN also
incorporates your approved application as part of your binding
commitments under the grant.
3. Open Licensing Requirements: Unless an exception applies, if you
are awarded a grant under this competition, you will be required to
openly license to the public grant deliverables created in whole, or in
part, with Department grant funds. When the deliverable consists of
modifications to pre-existing works, the license extends only to those
modifications that can be separately identified and only to the extent
that open licensing is permitted under the terms of any licenses or
other legal restrictions on the use of pre-existing works.
Additionally, a grantee or subgrantee that is awarded competitive grant
funds must have a plan to disseminate these public grant deliverables.
This dissemination plan can be developed and submitted after your
application has been reviewed and selected for funding. For additional
information on the open licensing requirements please refer to 2 CFR
3474.20.
4. Reporting: (a) If you apply for a grant under this competition,
you must ensure that you have in place the necessary processes and
systems to comply with the reporting requirements in 2 CFR part 170
should you receive funding under the competition. This does not apply
if you have an exception under 2 CFR 170.110(b).
(b) At the end of your project period, you must submit a final
performance report, including financial information, as directed by the
Secretary. If you receive a multiyear award, you must submit an annual
performance report that provides the most current performance and
financial expenditure information as directed by the Secretary under 34
CFR 75.118. The Secretary may also require more frequent performance
reports under 34 CFR 75.720(c). For specific requirements on reporting,
please go to <a href="http://www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/appforms/appforms.html">www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/appforms/appforms.html</a>.
(c) Under 34 CFR 75.250(b), the Secretary may provide a grantee
with additional funding for data collection analysis and reporting. In
this case the Secretary establishes a data collection period.
5. Continuation Awards: In making a continuation award under 34 CFR
75.253, the Secretary considers, among other things: whether a grantee
has made substantial progress in achieving the goals and objectives of
the project; whether the grantee has expended funds in a manner that is
consistent with its approved application and budget; and, if the
Secretary has established performance measurement requirements, whether
the grantee has made substantial progress in achieving the performance
targets in the grantee's approved application.
In making a continuation award, the Secretary also considers
whether the grantee is operating in compliance with the assurances in
its approved application, including those applicable to Federal civil
rights laws that prohibit discrimination in programs or activities
receiving Federal financial assistance from the Department (34 CFR
100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).
Also, in making continuation awards for years four and five, the
Department will consider whether the grantee is achieving the intended
goals and outcomes of the grant and shows substantial improvement
against baseline data on performance indicators and performance
measures.
VI. Other Information
Accessible Format: On request to the program contact person listed
under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT, individuals with disabilities
can obtain this document and a copy of the application package in an
accessible format. The Department will provide the requestor with an
accessible format that may include Rich Text Format (RTF) or text
format (txt), a thumb drive, an MP3 file, braille, large print,
audiotape, compact disc, or other accessible format.
Electronic Access to This Document: The official version of this
document is the document published in the Federal Register. You may
access the official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of
Federal Regulations at <a href="http://www.govinfo.gov">www.govinfo.gov</a>. At this site you can view this
document, as well as all other Department documents published in the
Federal Register, in text or Portable Document Format (PDF). To use
PDF, you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available free at the
site.
You may also access Department documents published in the Federal
Register by using the article search feature at
<a href="http://www.federalregister.gov">www.federalregister.gov</a>. Specifically, through the advanced search
feature at this site, you can limit your search to documents published
by the Department.
Adam Schott,
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Delegated the Authority to
Perform the Functions and Duties of the Assistant Secretary, Office of
Elementary and Secondary Education.
[FR Doc. 2024-14054 Filed 6-26-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P
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This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.