Notice2025-00209
Applications for New Awards; Native Hawaiian Career and Technical Education Program (NHCTEP)
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
January 8, 2025
Issuing agencies
Education Department
Abstract
The Department of Education (Department) is issuing a notice inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY) 2025 for the Native Hawaiian Career and Technical Education Program (NHCTEP).
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 5 (Wednesday, January 8, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 5 (Wednesday, January 8, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1462-1469]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-00209]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Applications for New Awards; Native Hawaiian Career and Technical
Education Program (NHCTEP)
AGENCY: Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education, Department of
Education.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Department of Education (Department) is issuing a notice
inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY) 2025 for the
Native Hawaiian Career and Technical Education Program (NHCTEP).
[[Page 1463]]
DATES:
Applications Available: January 8, 2025.
Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply: Applicants are strongly
encouraged, but not required, to submit a notice of intent to apply by
February 7, 2025.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: February 7, 2025.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: June 9, 2025.
Pre-Application Webinar Information: For information about a pre-
application webinar or potential future webinars, visit the Perkins
Collaborative Resource Network (PCRN) at <a href="http://cte.ed.gov/">http://cte.ed.gov/</a>.
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: Patti Beltram, Ed.D., U.S. Department
of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Room 4A115, Washington, DC 20202.
Telephone: (202) 987-1370. Email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#57191f1403120717323379303821"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="713f39322534213114155f161e07">[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
Purpose of Program: NHCTEP provides grants to improve career and
technical education (CTE) programs that are consistent with the
purposes of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of
2006 (the Act or Perkins V), and that benefit Native Hawaiians.
Assistance Listing Number: 84.259A.
OMB Control Number: 1894-0006.
Background: This notice invites applications for a NHCTEP
competition that implements section 116 of the Act. Section 116(h) of
the Act authorizes the Secretary of Education (Secretary) to award
grants to, or enter into cooperative agreements or contracts with,
community-based organizations primarily serving and representing Native
Hawaiians to plan, conduct, and administer programs, or portions of
programs, that are for the benefit of Native Hawaiians and authorized
by and consistent with Perkins V.
Priorities: This competition has one absolute priority. The
absolute priority is from section 116 of the Act.
Absolute Priority: For FY 2025, and any subsequent year in which we
make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this
competition, this priority is an absolute priority. Under 34 CFR
75.105(c)(3), we consider only applications that meet this priority.
The priority is:
Authorized Program.
To meet this priority, applicants must propose and carry out a CTE
program consistent with Perkins V. (20 U.S.C. 2302(5))
Note: If an applicant with an open NHCTEP grant receives a grant
under this competition, they must demonstrate that the activities and
objectives of the grant will not duplicate or overlap with the
expenses, activities, and objectives of other open grants with the same
or similar activities and objectives. (2 CFR 200.403 and 200.404)
Requirements:
This notice includes one application and two program requirements
that are based on statutory requirements or the Notice of final
requirements, definitions, and selection criteria (Notice of Final
Requirements) published in the Federal Register on March 24, 2009 (74
FR 12341). The source is noted after each requirement.
The application requirement is:
Career and technical education agreement. Any applicant that is not
proposing to provide career and technical education directly to Native
Hawaiian students and proposes instead to pay one or more qualified
educational entities to provide such career and technical education to
Native Hawaiian students must include with its application a written
career and technical education agreement between the applicant and the
educational entity. The written agreement must describe the commitment
between the applicant and the educational entity and must include, at a
minimum, a statement of the responsibilities of the applicant and the
entity. The agreement must be signed by the appropriate individuals on
behalf of each party, such as the authorizing official or
administrative head of the applicant Native Hawaiian community-based
organization. (Notice of Final Requirements).
The program requirements are:
Requirement 1--Authorized Use of NHCTEP Funds:
Section 116(c) of the Act requires that funds awarded under NHCTEP
be used to carry out ``career and technical education programs'' (20
U.S.C. 2326(c), as the term ``career and technical education'' is
defined by the Act as amended by the Strengthening Career and Technical
Education for the 21st Century Act (20 U.S.C. 2302(5)). Grantees may
use funds awarded under NHCTEP to--
(1) Provide preparatory, refresher, and remedial education services
that are designed to enable students to achieve success in career and
technical education programs or programs of study.
(2) Provide stipends to students who are enrolled in career and
technical education programs and who have acute economic needs which
cannot be met through work-study programs. Stipends shall not exceed
reasonable amounts as prescribed by the Secretary. (Section 116(c) of
the Act)
Requirement 2--Direct Assistance to Students:
A grantee may provide direct assistance to students only if the
following conditions are met:
(1) The recipient of the direct assistance is an individual who is
a member of a special population (as defined in section 3(29) of the
Act) and who is participating in the grantee's NHCTEP project.
Note: As a result of the reauthorization of Perkins V, the
definition for ``special population'' referenced above is now found at
section 3(48) of the Act, and is provided in the definitions section of
this notice.
(2) The direct assistance is needed to address barriers to the
individual's successful participation in a NHCTEP project.
(3) The direct assistance is part of a broader, more generally
focused program or activity for addressing the needs of an individual
who is a member of a special population.
Note: Direct assistance to individuals who are members of special
populations is not, by itself, a ``program or activity for special
populations.''
(4) The grant funds used for direct assistance must be expended to
supplement, and not supplant, assistance that is otherwise available
from non-Federal sources. For example, generally, a community-based
organization could not use NHCTEP funds to provide child care for
single parents if non-Federal funds previously were made available for
this purpose, or if non-Federal funds are used to provide child care
services for single parents participating in non-CTE programs and these
services otherwise (in the absence of NHCTEP funds) would have been
available to CTE students.
(5) In determining how much of the NHCTEP grant funds it will use
for direct assistance to an eligible student, a grantee--
[[Page 1464]]
(i) May only provide assistance to the extent that it is needed to
address barriers to the individual's successful participation in CTE;
and
(ii) Considers whether the specific services to be provided are a
reasonable and necessary cost of providing CTE programs for special
populations. However, the Secretary does not envision a circumstance in
which it would be a reasonable and necessary expenditure of NHCTEP
project funds for a grantee to utilize a majority of a project's budget
to pay direct assistance to students, in lieu of providing the students
served by the project with CTE. (Notice of Final Requirements).
Definitions: These definitions are from the Act or the Notice of
Final Requirements. The source of each definition is noted after the
definition.
Acute economic need means an income that is at or below the
national poverty level according to the latest available data from the
U.S. Department of Commerce or the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services Poverty Guidelines. (Notice of Final Requirements).
Career and technical education (CTE) means organized educational
activities that--
(a) Offer a sequence of courses that--
(1) Provides individuals with rigorous academic content and
relevant technical knowledge and skills needed to prepare for further
education and careers in current or emerging professions, which may
include high-skill, high-wage, or in-demand industry sectors or
occupations, which shall be, at the secondary level, aligned with the
challenging State academic standards adopted by a State under section
1111(b)(1) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1964, as
amended (ESEA);
(2) Provides technical skill proficiency or a recognized
postsecondary credential, which may include an industry-recognized
credential, a certificate, or an associate degree; and
(3) May include prerequisite courses (other than a remedial course)
\1\ that meet the requirements of this paragraph (a);
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\1\ Section 116(c)(2) of the Act provides that, notwithstanding
the exclusion of remedial courses from the Act's definition of CTE,
funds made available under NHCTEP ``may be used to provide
preparatory, refresher, and remedial education services that are
designed to enable students to achieve success in career and
technical education programs or programs of study.''
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(b) Include competency-based, work-based, or other applied learning
that supports the development of academic knowledge, higher-order
reasoning and problem-solving skills, work attitudes, employability
skills, technical skills, and occupation-specific skills, and knowledge
of all aspects of an industry, including entrepreneurship, of an
individual;
(c) To the extent practicable, coordinate between secondary and
postsecondary education programs through programs of study, which may
include coordination through articulation agreements, early college
high school programs, dual or concurrent enrollment program
opportunities, or other credit transfer agreements that provide
postsecondary credit or advanced standing; and
(d) May include career exploration at the high school level or as
early as the middle grades (as such term is defined in section 8101 of
the ESEA). (20 U.S.C. 2302(5)).
CTE concentrator means--
(a) At the secondary school level, a student served by an eligible
recipient who has completed at least 2 courses in a single career and
technical education program or program of study; and
(b) At the postsecondary level, a student enrolled in an eligible
recipient who has--
(1) Earned at least 12 credits within a career and technical
education program or program of study; or
(2) Completed such a program if the program encompasses fewer than
12 credits or the equivalent in total. (20 U.S.C. 2302(12))
Direct assistance to students means tuition, dependent care,
transportation, books, and supplies that are necessary for a student to
participate in a project funded under this program. (Notice of Final
Requirements).
In-demand industry sector or occupation means--
(a) An industry sector that has a substantial current or potential
impact (including through jobs that lead to economic self-sufficiency
and opportunities for advancement) on the State, regional, or local
economy, as appropriate, and that contributes to the growth or
stability of other supporting businesses, or the growth of other
industry sectors; or
(b) An occupation that currently has or is projected to have a
number of positions (including positions that lead to economic self-
sufficiency and opportunities for advancement) in an industry sector so
as to have a significant impact on the State, regional, or local
economy, as appropriate. (20 U.S.C. 2302(26); 29 U.S.C. 3102).
Institution of higher education means--
(a) An educational institution in any State that--
(1) Admits as regular students only persons having a certificate of
graduation from a school providing secondary education, or the
recognized equivalent of such a certificate or persons who meet the
requirements of section 1091(d) of this title;
(2) Is legally authorized within such State to provide a program of
education beyond secondary education;
(3) Provides an educational program for which the institution
awards a bachelor's degree or provides not less than a 2-year program
that is acceptable for full credit toward such a degree, or awards a
degree that is acceptable for admission to a graduate or professional
degree program, subject to review and approval by the Secretary;
(4) Is a public or other nonprofit institution; and
(5) Is accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency or
association or, if not so accredited, is an institution that has been
granted pre-accreditation status by such an agency or association that
has been recognized by the Secretary of Education for the granting of
pre-accreditation status, and the Secretary has determined that there
is satisfactory assurance that the institution will meet the
accreditation standards of such an agency or association within a
reasonable time.
(b) The term ``institution of higher education'' also includes--
(1) Any school that provides not less than a 1-year program of
training to prepare students for gainful employment in a recognized
occupation and that meets the provisions of paragraphs (1), (2), (4),
and (5) of paragraph (a); and
(2) A public or nonprofit private educational institution in any
State that, in lieu of the requirement in paragraph (a)(1) of this
definition, admits as regular students individuals--
(A) who are beyond the age of compulsory school attendance in the
State in which the institution is located; or,
(B) who will be dually or concurrently enrolled in the institution
and a secondary school. (20 U.S.C. 2302(30); 20 U.S.C. 1001(a) and
(b)).
Native Hawaiian means any individual any of whose ancestors were
natives, prior to 1778, of the area which now comprises the State of
Hawaii. (20 U.S.C. 2326(a)(3)).
Professional development means activities that--
(a) are an integral part of eligible agency, eligible recipient,
institution, or school strategies for providing educators (including
teachers, principals, other school leaders, administrators, specialized
instructional support
[[Page 1465]]
personnel, career guidance and academic counselors, and
paraprofessionals) with the knowledge and skills necessary to enable
students to succeed in career and technical education, to meet
challenging State academic standards under section 1111(b)(1) of ESEA,
or to achieve academic skills at the postsecondary level; and
(b) Are sustained (not stand-alone, 1-day, or short-term
workshops), intensive, collaborative, job-embedded, data-driven, and
classroom-focused, to the extent practicable evidence-based, and may
include activities that--
(1) Improve and increase educators'--
(A) Knowledge of the academic and technical subjects;
(B) Understanding of how students learn; and
(C) Ability to analyze student work and achievement from multiple
sources, including how to adjust instructional strategies, assessments,
and materials based on such analysis;
(2) Are an integral part of eligible recipients' improvement plans;
(3) Allow personalized plans for each educator to address the
educator's specific needs identified in observation or other feedback;
(4) Support the recruitment, hiring, and training of effective
educators, including educators who became certified through State and
local alternative routes to certification;
(5) Advance educator understanding of--
(A) Effective instructional strategies that are evidence-based; and
(B) Strategies for improving student academic and technical
achievement or substantially increasing the knowledge and teaching
skills of educators;
(6) Are developed with extensive participation of educators,
parents, students, and representatives of Indian Tribes (as
applicable), of schools and institutions served under the Act;
(7) Are designed to give educators of students who are English
learners in career and technical education programs or programs of
study the knowledge and skills to provide instruction and appropriate
language and academic support services to those students, including the
appropriate use of curricula and assessments;
(8) As a whole, are regularly evaluated for their impact on
increased educator effectiveness and improved student academic and
technical achievement, with the findings of the evaluations used to
improve the quality of professional development;
(9) Are designed to give educators of individuals with disabilities
in career and technical education programs or programs of study the
knowledge and skills to provide instruction and academic support
services to those individuals, including positive behavioral
interventions and supports, multi-tier system of supports, and use of
accommodations;
(10) Include instruction in the use of data and assessments to
inform and instruct classroom practice;
(11) Include instruction in ways that educators may work more
effectively with parents and families;
(12) Provide follow-up training to educators who have
participated in activities described in this definition that are
designed to ensure that the knowledge and skills learned by the
educators are implemented in the classroom;
(13) Promote the integration of academic knowledge and skills and
relevant technical knowledge and skills, including programming jointly
delivered to academic and career and technical education teachers; or
(14) Increase the ability of educators providing career and
technical education instruction to stay current with industry
standards. (20 U.S.C. 2302(40)).
Program of study means a coordinated, nonduplicative sequence of
academic and technical content at the secondary and postsecondary level
that--
(A) Incorporates challenging State academic standards, including
those adopted by a State under section 1111(b)(1) of ESEA;
(B) Addresses both academic and technical knowledge and skills,
including employability skills;
(C) Is aligned with the needs of industries in the economy of the
State, region, Tribal community, or local area;
(D) Progresses in specificity (beginning with all aspects of an
industry or career cluster and leading to more occupation-specific
instruction);
(E) Has multiple entry and exit points that incorporate
credentialing; and
(F) Culminates in the attainment of a recognized postsecondary
credential. (20 U.S.C. 2302(41)).
Recognized postsecondary credential means a credential consisting
of an industry-recognized certificate or certification, a certificate
of completion of an apprenticeship, a license recognized by the State
involved or Federal Government, or an associate or baccalaureate
degree. (20 U.S.C. 2302(43); 29 U.S.C. 3102(52)).
Secondary school means a nonprofit institutional day or residential
school, including a public secondary charter school, that provides
secondary education, as determined under State law, except that the
term does not include any education beyond grade 12. (20 U.S.C.
2302(44); 20 U.S.C. 7801(45)).
Special populations means--
(a) Individuals with disabilities;
(b) Individuals from economically disadvantaged families, including
low-income youth and adults;
(c) Individuals preparing for non-traditional fields; (d) Single
parents, including single pregnant women;
(e) Out-of-workforce individuals;
(f) English learners;
(g) Homeless individuals described in section 725 of the McKinney-
Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11434a);
(h) Youth who are in, or have aged out of, the foster care system;
and
(i) Youth with a parent who--
(i) Is a member of the armed forces (as such term is defined in
section 101(a)(4) of title 10, United States Code); and
(ii) Is on active duty (as such term is defined in section
101(d)(1) of such title). (20 U.S.C. 2302(48)).
Support services means services related to curriculum modification,
equipment modification, classroom modification, supportive personnel
(including paraprofessionals and specialized instructional support
personnel), and instructional aids and devices. (20 U.S.C. 2302(50)).
Work-based learning means sustained interactions with industry or
community professionals in real workplace settings, to the extent
practicable, or simulated environments at an educational institution
that foster in-depth, firsthand engagement with the tasks required of a
given career field, that are aligned to curriculum and instruction. (20
U.S.C. 2302(55)).
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 2326(h).
Note: Projects will be awarded and must be operated in a manner
consistent with the nondiscrimination requirements contained in Federal
civil rights laws.
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 Uniform
Guidance in 2 CFR part 200, as adopted and amended as regulations of
the Department in 2 CFR part 3474. (d) Notice of Final Requirements.
Note: As of October 1, 2024, grant applicants must follow the
provisions stated in the updated OMB Uniform
[[Page 1466]]
Guidance (89 FR 30046, April 22, 2024) when preparing an application.
For more information about these regulations please visit: <a href="http://www.cfo.gov/resources-coffa/uniform-guidance/">www.cfo.gov/resources-coffa/uniform-guidance/</a>.
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR 86 apply to institutions of higher
education only.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
Estimated Available Funds: The Department estimates $3,800,000 will
be available for awards made in FY 2025.
Note: Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of
applications, the Department anticipates making awards for the first
12-month budget period using FY 2024 appropriations available in FY
2025 and FY 2025 appropriations, if any, that become available in FY
2026. The Department may make partial awards using FY 2024
appropriations available in FY 2025 and award the remaining funds using
FY 2025 appropriations available in FY 2026 when they become available.
Estimated Range of Awards: $150,000 to $650,000 for each 12-month
budget period (i.e., a total of approximately $750,000 to $3,250,000
for a full 60-month project period).
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $500,000 for each 12-month budget
period.
Estimated Number of Awards: 6-8.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice.
Project Period: Up to 60 months.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants: The following entities are eligible to
apply under this competition:
(a) Community-based organizations primarily serving and
representing Native Hawaiians.
(b) Any community-based organization may apply individually or as
part of a consortium with one or more one or more eligible community-
based organizations. (Eligible applicants seeking to apply for funds as
a consortium must meet the requirements in 34 CFR 75.127-75.129, which
apply to group applications.)
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.
Note: A faith-based organization is eligible to apply for and
receive a grant under this program on the same basis as any other
private organization, consistent with Appendix A to 34 CFR part 75.
2. a. Cost Sharing or Matching: This program does not require cost
sharing or matching.
b. Supplement-Not-Supplant: This competition involves supplement-
not-supplant funding requirements. In accordance with section 211(a) of
the Act (20 U.S.C. 2391(a)), funds under this program may not be used
to supplant non-Federal funds used to carry out CTE activities.
Further, the prohibition against supplanting also means that grantees
will be required to use their negotiated restricted indirect cost rates
under this program. (34 CFR 75.563)
We caution applicants not to plan to use funds under NHCTEP to
replace otherwise available non-Federal funding for direct assistance
to students and family assistance programs. For example, NHCTEP funds
must not be used to supplant non-Federal funds with Federal funds in
order to pay the costs of students' tuition, dependent care,
transportation, books, supplies, and other costs associated with
participation in a CTE program.
Funds under NHCTEP should not be used to replace Federal student
financial aid. The Act does not authorize the Secretary to fund
projects that serve primarily as entities through which students may
apply for and receive tuition and other financial assistance.
c. Indirect Cost Rate Information: This program uses a restricted
indirect cost rate. For more information regarding indirect costs, or
to obtain a negotiated indirect cost rate, please see <a href="http://www.ed.gov/about/ed-offices/ofo#Indirect-Cost-Division">www.ed.gov/about/ed-offices/ofo#Indirect-Cost-Division</a>.
d. 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 of the Uniform
Guidance.
e. Limitation on Services: Section 215 of the Act (20 U.S.C. 2395)
forbids the use of Perkins funds for the education of students prior to
the middle grades. The term middle grades refers to grades 5 through 8,
as defined in section 8101 of ESEA.
3. Subgrantees: Under 34 CFR 75.708 (b) and (c), a grantee under
this competition may award subgrants--to directly carry out project
activities described in its application--to the following types of
entities: institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations,
local educational agencies. The grantee may only award subgrants to
entities it has identified in an approved application, including any
amendments to an approved application.
IV. Application and Submission Information
1. 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>, which contain requirements and information on how to
submit an application.
2. Submission of Proprietary Information: Given the types of
projects that may be proposed in applications for NHCTEP, 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 on the Department's website, 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).
[[Page 1467]]
3. Intergovernmental Review: This competition 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.
4. Funding Restrictions: We reference regulations outlining funding
restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.
5. 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 35 pages and (2) use the following standards:
<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, and 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.
6. 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.
V. Application Review Information
1. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this program are
from the Notice of Final Requirements or 34 CFR 75.210. The source is
noted after each criterion.
The maximum score for each criterion is indicated in parentheses.
(a) Quality of the project design (Up to 26 points). In determining
the quality of the design of the proposed project, we consider the
following factors:
(1) The extent to which the proposed project proposes specific,
measurable targets, connected to strategies, activities, resources,
outputs, and outcomes, and uses reliable administrative data to measure
progress and inform continuous improvement. (34 CFR 75.210(c)(2)(v)).
(Up to 16 points).
(2) The extent to which the design of the proposed project is
appropriate to and will successfully address the needs of the target
population or other identified needs (as evidenced by such data as
local labor market demand, occupational trends, and surveys). (Notice
of Final Requirements). (Up to 10 points).
(b) Quality of the project services (Up to 30 points). In
determining the quality of the services to be provided by the proposed
project, we consider the following factors:
(1) The quality and sufficiency of strategies for ensuring
equitable and adequate access and participation for project
participants who experience barriers based on one or more of the
following: economic disadvantage; gender; race; ethnicity; color;
disability; age; language; living in a rural location; experiencing
homelessness or housing insecurity; involvement with the justice
system; pregnancy, parenting, or caregiver status. This determination
includes the steps developed and described in the form Equity For
Students, Teachers, And Other Program Beneficiaries (OMB Control No.
1894-0005) (section 427 of the General Education Provisions Act (20
U.S.C. 1228a)). (34 CFR 75.210(d)(2)). (Up to 12 points).
(2) The extent to which the services to be provided by the proposed
project will create and offer activities that focus on enabling
participants to obtain the skills necessary to gain employment in high-
skill, high-wage, and high-demand occupations in emerging fields or in
a specific career field (Notice of Final Requirements). (Up to 10
points).
(3) The extent to which the training or professional development
services to be provided by the proposed project are of sufficient
quality, intensity, and duration to build recipient and project
capacity in ways that lead to improvements in practice among the
recipients of those services. (34 CFR 75.210(d)(3)(v)). (Up to 8
points).
(c) Adequacy of resources (Up to 22 points). In determining the
adequacy of resources for the proposed project, we consider the
following factors:
(1) The extent to which the budget is adequate to support the
proposed project and the costs are reasonable in relation to the
objectives, design, and potential significance of the proposed project.
(34 CFR 75.210(f)(2)(iii)). (Up to 8 points).
(2) The adequacy of support, including facilities, equipment,
supplies, and other resources, from the applicant organization(s) and
the entities to be served, including the evidence and relevance of
commitments (e.g., articulation agreements, memoranda of understanding,
letters of support, or commitments to employ project participants) of
the applicant, local employers, or entities to be served by the
project. (Notice of Final Requirements). (Up to 7 points).
(3) The extent to which the costs are reasonable in relation to the
number of persons to be served, the depth and intensity of services,
and the anticipated results and benefits. (34 CFR 75.210(f)(2)(iv)).
(Up to 7 points).
(d) Quality of the management plan (Up to 22 points). In
determining the quality of the management plan for the proposed
project, we consider the following factors:
(1) The feasibility of the management plan to achieve project
objectives and goals on time and within budget, including clearly
defined responsibilities, timelines, and milestones for accomplishing
project tasks. (34 CFR 75.210(g)(2)(i)). (Up to 10 points).
(2) The extent to which the time commitments of the project
director and other key project personnel, including instructors, are
appropriate and adequate to meet the objectives of the proposed
project. (Notice of Final Requirements). (Up to 5 points).
(3) The extent to which the proposed project team maximizes diverse
perspectives, for example by reflecting the lived experiences of
project participants, or relevant experience working with the target
population. (34 CFR 75.210(e)(3)(iv)). (Up to 7 points).
3. 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
[[Page 1468]]
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).
4. Risk Assessment and Special Conditions: Consistent with 2 CFR
200.206, before awarding grants under this competition, the Department
conducts a review of the risks posed by applicants. Under 2 CFR
200.208, the Secretary may impose special 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.
5. 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 (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.
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 also notify you
informally.
If your application is not evaluated or not selected for funding,
we notify you.
4. 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.
5. Open Licensing Requirement: 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.
The 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.
6. 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. See the standards in
2 CFR 170.105 to determine whether you are covered by 2 CFR part 170.
(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.
7. Performance Measures: The Department has established the
following performance measures for purposes of Department reporting
under 34 CFR 75.110, which it will use to evaluate the overall
performance of the grantee's project, as well as NHCTEP as a whole:
(a) At the secondary level: An increase in--
(1) The percentage of CTE concentrators who graduate high school,
as measured by--
(A) The four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate (defined in
section 8101 of ESEA); and
(B) At the grantee's discretion, the extended-year adjusted cohort
graduation rate (defined in section 8101 of ESEA);
(2) The percentage of CTE concentrators graduating from high school
having attained postsecondary credits in the relevant CTE program
earned through a dual or concurrent enrollment program or another
credit transfer agreement;
(3) The percentage of CTE concentrators graduating from high school
having participated in work-based learning;
(4) The percentage of CTE concentrators graduating from high school
having attained a recognized postsecondary credential; and
(5) The percentage of CTE concentrators who, after exiting from
secondary education, are in postsecondary education or advanced
training, military service, or a service program, or are employed.
(b) At the postsecondary level: An increase in--
(1) The percentage of CTE concentrators who remain enrolled in
postsecondary education, are in advanced training, military service, or
a service program, or are employed; and
(2) The percentage of CTE concentrators who receive a recognized
postsecondary credential.
Project-Specific Performance Measures:
In addition to the performance measures noted above, applicants may
propose project-specific performance measures and performance targets
consistent with the objectives of the proposed project. Examples of
such project-specific performance measures
[[Page 1469]]
could include student recruitment, student participation in work-based
learning at the postsecondary level, and teacher and faculty
participation in professional development.
Note: All grantees will be expected to submit a semi-annual and an
annual performance report addressing these performance measures, to the
extent that these performance measures apply to each grantee's NHCTEP
project.
6. 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).
VII. 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, 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.
Luke Rhine,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Career, Technical, and Adult Education.
[FR Doc. 2025-00209 Filed 1-7-25; 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.