Proposed Rule2026-04142
Proposed Priorities, Requirements, and Definitions-Comprehensive Centers Program
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Published
March 3, 2026
Issuing agencies
Education Department
Abstract
The Department of Education (Department) proposes priorities, requirements, and definitions under the Comprehensive Centers (CC) Program, Assistance Listing Numbers 84.283B and 84.283D. We may use one or more of these priorities, requirements, and definitions for competitions in fiscal year (FY) 2026 and later years. The proposed priorities, requirements, and definitions are intended to redesign the CC program to better meet its statutory purpose to provide high-quality capacity-building services to State, regional, and local educational agencies and schools that improve educational opportunities and outcomes, close achievement gaps, and improve the quality of instruction for all students.
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 41 (Tuesday, March 3, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 41 (Tuesday, March 3, 2026)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 10353-10360]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-04142]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
34 CFR Chapter II
[Docket ID ED-2026-OESE-0364]
Proposed Priorities, Requirements, and Definitions--Comprehensive
Centers Program
AGENCY: Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, Department of
Education.
ACTION: Proposed priorities, requirements, and definitions.
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SUMMARY: The Department of Education (Department) proposes priorities,
requirements, and definitions under the Comprehensive Centers (CC)
Program, Assistance Listing Numbers 84.283B and 84.283D. We may use one
or more of these priorities, requirements, and definitions for
competitions in fiscal year (FY) 2026 and later years. The proposed
priorities, requirements, and definitions are intended to redesign the
CC program to better meet its statutory purpose to provide high-quality
capacity-building services to State, regional, and local educational
agencies and schools that improve educational opportunities and
outcomes, close achievement gaps, and improve the quality of
instruction for all students.
DATES: We must receive your comments on or before April 2, 2026.
ADDRESSES: Comments must be submitted via the Federal eRulemaking
Portal at <a href="http://Regulations.gov">Regulations.gov</a>. See the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section
for more details.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Michelle Daley. Telephone: (202)
987-1057. Email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#034c4650462d406c6e7371666b666d706a756640666d776671704366672d646c75"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="9fd0daccdab1dcf0f2efedfaf7faf1ecf6e9fadcfaf1ebfaedecdffafbb1f8f0e9">[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:
Invitation to Comment: We invite you to submit comments regarding
the proposed priorities, requirements, and definitions. Comments must
be submitted via the Federal eRulemaking Portal at regulations.gov.
However, if you require an accommodation or cannot otherwise submit
your comments via regulations.gov, please contact the program contact
person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. The Department
will not accept comments by fax or by email, or comments submitted
after the comment period closes. Additionally, please include the
Docket ID at the top of your comments.
Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to <a href="http://www.Regulations.gov">www.Regulations.gov</a> to submit
your comments electronically. Information on using <a href="http://Regulations.gov">Regulations.gov</a>,
including instructions for accessing agency documents, submitting
comments, and viewing the docket, is available on the site under
``FAQ.'' Also included on <a href="http://Regulations.gov">Regulations.gov</a> is a commenter checklist that
addresses how to submit effective comments. Comments containing
personal threats will not be posted to <a href="http://Regulations.gov">Regulations.gov</a> and may be
referred to the appropriate authorities.
During and after the comment period, you may inspect public
comments about the proposed priorities, requirements, and definitions
by accessing <a href="http://Regulations.gov">Regulations.gov</a>. To inspect comments in person, please
contact the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
Privacy Note: The Department's policy is to generally make all
comments received from members of the public available for public
viewing in their entirety on the Federal eRulemaking Portal at
<a href="http://Regulations.gov">Regulations.gov</a>. Therefore, commenters should be careful to include in
their comments only information that they wish to make publicly
available. Assistance to Individuals with Disabilities in Reviewing the
Rulemaking Record: On request, we will provide an appropriate
accommodation or auxiliary aid to an individual with a disability who
needs assistance to review the comments or other documents in the
public rulemaking record for this document. If you want to schedule an
appointment for this type of accommodation or auxiliary aid, please
contact the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 9601 et seq. and 20 U.S.C. 6674.
Background: The purpose of the Comprehensive Centers (CC) program
is to provide capacity-building services to state educational agencies
(SEAs), regional educational agencies (REAs), local educational
agencies (LEAs), and schools that improve educational opportunities and
student outcomes, close achievement gaps, and improve the quality of
instruction for all
[[Page 10354]]
students, particularly for groups of students with the greatest need.
However, the Department is concerned that its technical assistance
investments, including the CC program, may be duplicative, confusing to
navigate, burdensome to SEAs, LEAs, REAs, tribal educational agency
(TEA), and school clients, and not responsive to State and local needs.
The Department believes the CC program should be redesigned to more
effectively fulfill its purpose in statute, better support the SEAs,
LEAs, REAs, TEAs, schools and students it is intended to serve and
focus its efforts to advance the Administration's priorities to return
education to the States and promote meaningful learning opportunities
to improve academic outcomes for all students.
Through this notice, the Department proposes priorities,
requirements, and definitions to establish a redesigned CC network that
incorporates a National Center, Regional Centers, and Content Centers,
including Content Centers whose focus may be determined based on field-
initiated priorities and a National Center on Improving Literacy for
Students with Disabilities (funded under ALN 84.283D).
Through this redesign, the Department aims to ensure that States,
tribes, and local education communities are the primary voice driving
the Department's technical assistance investments; that the
Department's technical assistance resources are easier to access and
navigate, creating a centralized hub within the National Center to
access Department technical assistance under the CC program; and that
we reduce administrative burden on State agencies to receive technical
assistance from Department programs.
The three proposed priorities together reflect features of the CC
program that are required by program statute in the Educational
Technical Assistance Act of 2002 (ETAA) and the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended (ESEA). The ETAA authorizes
support for not less than 20 Comprehensive Centers to support State and
local educational systems to implement activities described in the ESEA
to improve academic opportunities and outcomes for students. Under the
ETAA, the Department must establish at least one Center in each of the
10 geographic regions served by the Department's Regional Educational
Laboratories (RELs). Additionally, the Department is required under
ESEA to fund one National Center on Improving Literacy for Students
with Disabilities (NCIL).
This set of proposed priorities, requirements, and definitions aims
to meet all required design elements while advancing the Department's
vision for the CC program.
The proposed priorities and requirements also incorporate
definitions from ESEA, a 2019 Notice of Final Priorities, Requirements,
Definition, and Performance Measures (2019 NFP) published in the
Federal Register on April 4, 2019 (84 FR 13122) and a 2024 Notice of
Final Priorities, Requirements, Definitions, and Selection Criteria
(2024 NFP) published in the Federal Register on May 13, 2024 (89 FR
41498). See the Proposed Definitions section for additional details on
these terms.
Directed Questions
In Proposed Priority 2, the Department proposes a priority for
Regional Centers that will work closely with CC clients in a subset of
States to provide intensive and targeted support to meet client needs.
As noted above, the Department must operate at least one Regional
Center per each of the 10 REL regions but has in the past operated as
many as 19 Regional Centers, with more than one Regional Center
established in certain REL regions based on need, population,
geography, and other factors. The Department received varying feedback
on the effectiveness of different approaches to Regional Center
configuration and intends for this priority to be written to be more
flexible to adapt the regional configuration based on public input as
well as in response to evolving data related to need and population. As
such, Proposed Priority 2 does not present a specific proposed Regional
Center configuration; this configuration will be identified in a
competition notice inviting applications for any year in which this
priority is used. Through this NPP, we are particularly interested in
comments, especially from States, districts, and other local partners,
about how Regional Centers can be designed to best support States and
other CC beneficiaries (such as LEAs), for example, addressing the
question if States prefer to work with Regional Centers that serve all
States in the region where they have access to work with and learn from
a larger number of States, or smaller Regional Centers that may have
less capacity yet are more focused on their specific State's needs. As
such, we invite responses to the following directed questions on this
topic:
1. What geographic configuration and size of Regional Comprehensive
Centers best meets the needs of States and other CC beneficiaries?
2. What other factors best ensure Regional Center services meet the
needs of States and other CC beneficiaries in their regions?
Proposed Priorities: We propose three priorities. We may use one or
more of these priorities for the FY 2026 CC Program competition or for
any subsequent competition.
Proposed Priority 1: National Center
Projects that propose to establish and operate a National Center to
implement and coordinate client-driven technical assistance to address
SEA, REA, TEA, and LEA priorities related to evidence use and
implementation of evidence-based practices to improve student outcomes.
The Center will streamline access to a full inventory of Department
technical assistance providers by serving as a concierge-style support
to intake, assess, and direct technical assistance requests from SEAs,
REAs, TEAs, and LEAs for Department technical assistance services
within and beyond the CC program. In this capacity, the Center will
design and implement a system to review incoming requests for technical
assistance; identify appropriate technical assistance providers, which
may include Regional Centers and Content Centers within the CC network,
other Department technical assistance providers, and national subject
matter experts as needed to meet client needs; and provide coordination
support for clients to access services from identified TA providers.
The National Center will serve as a lead coordinator across the CC
program to ensure that all technical assistance provided by Centers
reflects State-driven technical assistance priorities, reduces burdens
and barriers to service for States and beneficiaries, and reflects
efficient use of program resources. The Center must also provide high-
quality, high-impact technical assistance and capacity-building
services to address common State needs, in coordination with Regional
and Content Centers; RELs; and other Department technical assistance
providers and through avenues such as State-to-State learning
communities.
Services must be designed to improve educational opportunities,
educator practice, and student outcomes as described in section 9602(f)
of the ETAA. Services shall address: priorities identified by the
entire CC network, including clients and potential clients, such as
those identified in State Learning Agendas; common high-leverage
problems identified in Regional Center service plans; findings from
finalized Department monitoring reports or audit findings;
implementation
[[Page 10355]]
challenges faced by States and LEAs related to teaching, learning, and
development; needs of schools designated for improvement; needs to
improve core academic instruction; and emerging education topics of
national importance.
Proposed Priority 2: Regional Centers
Projects that propose to establish Regional Centers to provide
intensive, client-driven technical assistance aligned to State and
local priorities and needs related to selecting, implementing, and
sustaining evidence-based programs, practices, and interventions in
support of improved educator practice and student outcomes, especially
in math and literacy.
Regional Centers must effectively work with the National Center,
the REL in their region, federal technical assistance providers and
Content Centers, as relevant and needed, to assist clients, reduce
burdens and barriers to service for States and other clients, and avoid
duplicative efforts and interventions. Regional Centers must develop
cost-effective strategies to make their services available to as many
SEAs, REAs, TEAs, LEAs, and schools within the region in need of
support as possible. Services must be designed to improve educational
opportunities, educator practice, and student outcomes as described in
section 9602(f) of the ETAA.
In compliance with the requirements of Section 9602(a)(2) of the
ETAA, the Department intends to establish through this priority a
minimum of 10 Regional Centers that will each serve a subset of States,
with at least one Regional Center per REL region. For FY 2026 or any
year in which this priority is used, the Department will publish the
list of Regional Centers to be established in an application notice and
instructions. To determine the configuration of Regional Centers for
any given competition, the Department will consider the factors
outlined in the ETAA, including the school-age population, proportion
of economically disadvantaged students, the increased cost burdens of
service delivery in areas of sparse population, and the number of
schools implementing comprehensive support and improvement activities
and targeted support and improvement activities under section 1111(d)
of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 in the population
served by the local entity or consortium of such entities.
Proposed Priority 3: Content Centers
Priority: Projects that propose to establish and implement a
Content Center to provide technical assistance on a specific topic of
national or regional importance reflected across State and local needs
and priorities. Content Centers must provide high-quality, useful, and
relevant client-driven, targeted and universal capacity-building
services to SEA, REA, TEA, LEA, and, for the NCIL, family clients
designed to build State and local capacity and improve educational
opportunities, educator practice, and student outcomes (as described in
section 9602(f) of the ETAA) related to their specified topic area.
Content Centers must support Regional Centers, as needed, with subject
matter expertise to enhance the intensive capacity-building services
provided by the Regional Centers or to design universal or targeted
capacity-building services to meet identified client needs.
The project must be aligned to one of the following focus areas:
Focus Area 1: Field-Initiated: To meet this focus area, an
applicant must propose to establish and operate a Content Center to
provide technical assistance to CC clients on an education topic of
significant national or regional need, as identified by States and
other CC clients. Proposals for field-initiated Centers must clearly
identify the topic to be addressed, as described in section 9602(f) of
the ETAA, and utilize applicable regional, State, and local educational
data and needs analyses to provide evidence to demonstrate the need for
the proposed Center. Field-initiated topics may include, but are not
limited to, proposals that focus on specific educational needs, such as
improving math and literacy achievement, college and career readiness,
closing achievement gaps, or encouraging and sustaining school
improvement. Applicants may propose priority topics based on State
Learning Agendas or another similar identification of State and
regional needs and priorities set forth by SEAs, REAs, TEAs or LEAs.\1\
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\1\ In accordance with ETAA section 9606, the Secretary
established 10 Regional Advisory Committees (RACs) in 2023 to
conduct an education needs assessment and identify each region's
most critical educational needs and develop recommendations for
technical assistance to meet those needs. Final RAC reports were
published in December 2023 on the Department's website at <a href="https://www.ed.gov/grants-and-programs/regional-advisory-committees">https://www.ed.gov/grants-and-programs/regional-advisory-committees</a>.
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Field-Initiated Centers must provide high-quality, useful, and
relevant targeted and universal capacity-building services in the
designated content area of expertise to SEA, REA, TEA, and LEA clients.
Services must be designed to improve educational opportunities,
educator practice, and student outcomes as described in section 9602(f)
of the ETAA. Content Centers must identify, synthesize, and disseminate
evidence-based practices to build the capacity of practitioners,
education system leaders, schools, LEAs, and SEAs to use evidence in
the designated content area.
Focus Area 2: Emerging Need Centers: To meet this focus area, an
applicant must propose to establish and operate a Content Center to
provide technical assistance to CC clients on an education topic of
significant national or regional need. For FY 2026 or any year in which
this priority is used, the Department will identify specific topics of
emerging national or regional need for the Center; topics will be
aligned to the Secretary's Supplemental Priorities, areas of need
identified in the Regional Advisory Committee reports, the technical
assistance topics identified in the ETAA, or other critical aspects of
need related to quality implementation of programs under the ESEA.
Applicants will be required to address the identified topic areas in
order to be considered for funding under this focus area.
Proposals for Emerging Need Centers must clearly demonstrate how
the Center will address the established topic, provide data and
evidence to illustrate the technical assistance needs of CC clients
related to the topic and propose an approach to capacity-building
services that meet these technical assistance needs in the established
topic area.
Emerging Need Centers must provide high-quality, useful, and
relevant targeted and universal capacity-building services in the
designated content area of expertise to SEA, REA, TEA, and LEA clients.
Services must be designed to improve educational opportunities,
educator practice, and student outcomes as described in section 9602(f)
of the ETAA. Content Centers must identify, synthesize, and disseminate
evidence-based practices to build the capacity of practitioners,
education system leaders, schools, LEAs, and SEAs to use evidence in
the designated content area.
Focus Area 3: National Comprehensive Center on Improving Literacy
for Students with Disabilities (ALN 84.283D): To meet this priority, an
applicant under this focus area must propose to establish and operate a
National Comprehensive Center on Improving Literacy for Students with
Disabilities focused on children in early childhood education programs
through high school at risk of not attaining full literacy skills due
to a disability, including dyslexia impacting reading or writing, or
developmental delay impacting reading, writing, language
[[Page 10356]]
processing, comprehension, or executive functioning.
The Center must:
(a) Identify or develop free or low-cost evidence-based literacy
assessment tools for identifying students at risk of not attaining full
literacy skills due to a disability,
(b) Identify evidence-based literacy instruction, strategies, and
accommodations, including assistive technology, designed to meet the
specific needs of such students;
(c) Provide families of such students with information to assist
such students;
(d) Identify or develop evidence-based professional development for
teachers, paraprofessionals, principals, other school leaders, and
specialized instructional support personnel to: understand early
indicators of students at risk of not attaining full literacy skills
due to a disability, including dyslexia impacting reading or writing,
or developmental delay impacting reading, writing, language processing,
comprehension, or executive functioning; use evidence-based screening
assessments for early identification of such students beginning not
later than kindergarten; and implement evidence-based instruction
designed to meet the specific needs of such students; and
(e) disseminate the products of the Comprehensive Center to
regionally diverse SEAs, LEAs, REAs, and schools, including, as
appropriate, through partnerships with other CCs established under
section 9602 of this title, and RELs established under section 9564 of
this title.
Types of Priorities
When inviting applications for a competition using one or more
priorities, we designate the type of each priority as absolute,
competitive preference, or invitational through an application notice
and instructions.
The effect of each type of priority follows:
Absolute priority: Under an absolute priority, we consider only
applications that meet the priority (34 CFR 75.105(c)(3)).
Competitive preference priority: Under a competitive preference
priority, we give competitive preference to an application by (1)
awarding additional points, depending on the extent to which the
application meets the priority (34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i)); or (2)
selecting an application that meets the priority over an application of
comparable merit that does not meet the priority (34 CFR
75.105(c)(2)(ii)).
Invitational priority: Under an invitational priority, we are
particularly interested in applications that meet the priority.
However, we do not give an application that meets the priority a
preference over other applications (34 CFR 75.105(c)(1)).
Requirements
Program Requirements
The Department proposes the following program requirements for this
program. In particular, the Department proposes that CC grantees be
subject to a restricted indirect cost rate cap as requirement 5 under
Program Requirements for All Centers in order to maximize the amount of
direct costs going to support technical assistance and capacity-
building services to clients. We may apply one or more of these
requirements in any year in which this program is in effect.
Program Requirements for All Centers: National, Regional, and
Content Center grantees under this program must:
(1) Create client driven service plans annually for carrying out
the technical assistance and capacity-building services to be delivered
by the Center in response to identified educational challenges facing
students, practitioners, and education system leaders. In developing
the annual service plan, the Center must provide evidence that services
reflect State-identified needs and leadership priorities for
assistance. Plans must include: High-leverage problems to be addressed,
including identified client needs, capacity-building services to be
delivered,\2\ time-based outcomes (i.e., short-term, mid-term, long-
term), responsible personnel, key technical assistance partners,
milestones, outputs, dissemination plans, fidelity measures, if
appropriate, and any other elements specified by the Department.
Additionally, plans must demonstrate how services will prioritize
support for students and communities with the highest needs, as
described in section 9602(e) of the ETAA.\3\
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\2\ Services may include universal, targeted, and intensive
capacity-building services in any of the four dimensions of capacity
building services as defined by this program: human capacity,
organizational capacity, policy capacity, and resource capacity.
\3\ Section 9602(e) of the ETAA requires each CC to prioritize
school serving high percentages or number of students from low-
income families, including such schools in rural and urban areas and
those receiving assistance under Title I of the ESEA; LEAs with high
percentages or numbers of school-age children from low-income
families, including such LEAs in rural and urban areas; and schools
implementing comprehensive support and improvement activities or
targeted support and improvement activities under section 1111(d) of
the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 [20 U.S.C.
6311(d)].
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(2) Design and implement streamlined client-driven capacity-
building services in partnership with State and local beneficiaries to
reflect and address specific client needs.
(3) Demonstrate to the Department that it has secured client and
partner commitments to carry out proposed annual service plans.
(4) Participate in a national evaluation of the CC Program.
(5) Be subject to, and all subgrantees subject to, a negotiated
restricted indirect cost rate as described and determined under 34 CFR
75.563-34 CFR 75.569.
Program Requirements for National Comprehensive Center: In addition
to the requirements for all Centers, National Center grantees under
this program must:
(1) Design and implement a coordinated process with Regional
Centers and RELs to work with individual States to develop or refine,
as appropriate, and implement a multi-year State Learning Agenda to
identify needs and set priorities for evidence building and educational
program implementation and that will serve as a key input in annual
service plans and capacity-building services.
(2) Design and implement a coordinated process to consult with and
integrate ongoing feedback from the Department, Regional Centers, and
Content Centers to continually improve service delivery and identify
emerging high-leverage problems that could be effectively addressed
through the client driven annual service plans.
(3) Design effective services to meet demonstrated collective needs
with tangible, achievable capacity-building outcomes resulting from
beneficiary participation. Provide opportunities for beneficiaries,
including States, to learn from their peers and subject matter experts
through targeted and universal capacity-building services. Universal
services must be produced in a manner that beneficiaries are most
likely to use, be shared via multiple digital platforms, such as the CC
Network website, social media, and other channels as appropriate, and
be relevant for a variety of education stakeholders, including the
general public.
(4) Recruit and retain an expansive and comprehensive cadre of
national subject matter experts that includes qualified education
practitioners, researchers, policy professionals, and other
implementation consultants with (i) direct experience working in or
with SEAs, REAs, TEAs and LEAs and (ii) in-depth expertise in specific
subject areas available to support universal, targeted and intensive
services in a variety of
[[Page 10357]]
content areas as reflected by State and local priorities and other
emerging needs to be made available to support State needs for any
National, Regional Center, REL or Content Center projects.
(5) Design and implement a concierge-style service to intake and
assess technical assistance requests from CC clients, including States,
and direct client requests for technical assistance to their Regional
Center, REL, and other Department technical assistance providers to
streamline the process for clients to access technical assistance while
maintaining client autonomy in selecting the technical assistance
services, provider, and supports received. This service must encompass
systems to review incoming requests for technical assistance from CC
clients; to identify appropriate technical assistance providers, which
may include Regional Centers and Content Centers within the CC network,
other Department technical assistance providers, and national subject
matter experts as needed to meet client needs; and to provide
coordination support for clients to access services from identified TA
providers. This service must encompass Department technical assistance
investments within and beyond the CC network.
(6) Design, operate and maintain communications and dissemination
vehicles for the CC Network, including maintaining the CC Network
website with an easy-to-navigate design that meets government or
industry recognized standards for accessibility, including compliance
with section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and maintain a
consistent media presence, in collaboration with Regional and Content
Centers and the Department, that promotes increased access and
engagement.
(7) Create peer learning opportunities for CC Network staff (and
other partners, as appropriate) to address implementation challenges
and scale effective best practices to improve service delivery across
the CC Network.
(8) Ensure that the Project Director can manage all aspects of the
Center and is either staffed at 1 FTE or the Project Director and Co-
Director or Deputies are staffed at a minimum of 1.5 FTE collectively.
Dedicate sufficient resources within the Center's annual budget to meet
all aspects of the priority and program requirements, including
sufficient capacity for direct services and coordination
responsibilities.
Program Requirements for Regional Centers: In addition to the
requirements for all Centers, Regional Center grantees under this
program must:
(1) Actively coordinate and collaborate with the REL serving their
region to implement technical assistance in response to needs and
priorities of shared clients. Coordination must include annual joint
planning and establishment of a joint advisory board that meets the
requirements under the ETAA Sec 203(g) (20 U.S.C. 9602). The joint
advisory board must be designed to inform and improve service delivery
across both programs while reducing burden on State agencies.
(2) Partner with the National Center and the REL(s) serving their
region to work with each State in the region to develop or refine, as
appropriate, and implement a multi-year State Learning Agenda to
identify needs and set priorities for evidence building and educational
program implementation. The Center must develop the annual service plan
from the priorities established by States in their Learning Agendas, as
well as other relevant feedback from stakeholders, including chief
State school officers and other SEA leaders, TEAs, LEAs, educators,
students, and parents, to reflect the most pressing needs of all States
(and to the extent practicable, of LEAs) within the region to be
served.
(3) Partner with clients to identify the subject matter expertise
needed to provide effective capacity building services for all annual
service plan projects, including utilizing the National Center cadre of
subject matter experts, to procure expertise from a broad range of
sources.
(4) Establish and provide the Department copies of partnership
agreements with the REL(s) in the region that the Center serves, the
National Center, and as appropriate, other Department-funded technical
assistance providers. Partnership agreements must define processes to
meet relevant program requirements.
(5) Be located in the region served. The Project Director must be
capable of managing all aspects of the Center and be either at a
minimum of 0.75 FTE or there must be two Co-Project Directors at a
minimum of 1.0 FTE collectively. Program Requirements for Content
Centers: In addition to the requirements for all Centers, grantees
under this program must:
(1) Consult and integrate feedback from States, CC clients
(including, for the NCIL, families), the Department, National and
Regional Centers, and other stakeholders and Department technical
assistance Centers, as relevant to the Center's content area in
developing the annual service plan to inform high-quality tools,
resources, and overall technical assistance in priority areas.
(2) Partner with the National Center and Regional Centers to
directly support their States in the development and implementation of
State Learning Agendas, as needed; to address requests for assistance
from States within the regions; and to strengthen Regional Center staff
knowledge and expertise on the evidence base and effective practices as
appropriate based on the Content Center's specific focus area.
(3) Establish and provide copies to the Department of partnership
agreements with the National Center, Regional Centers, as needed, and
Department-funded technical assistance providers with expertise
relevant to the Center's area. Partnership agreements must define
processes to meet relevant CC program requirements.
(4) The Project Director must be capable of managing all aspects of
the Center and be either at a minimum of 0.75 FTE or there must be two
Co-Project Directors at a minimum of 1.0 FTE collectively.
Application Requirements
Application Requirements for All Centers
(1) Describe its proposed approach to capacity-building services.
This must include a logic model, as well as a description of the
evidence base and strategies that support its approach to capacity
building services; evidence of the applicant's ability to provide
effective capacity building services, such as relevant expertise in
similar projects and demonstrated expertise of key personnel; the
impact the Center plans to achieve and how they will measure that
impact; and the proposed approach to providing capacity-building
services to students with the greatest need as described in Sec.
9602(e) of the ETAA, to address the needs of all SEAs, REAs, TEAs,
LEAs, and, as appropriate, schools served.
(2) Describe the proposed process to identify, in partnership with
CC clients, the most urgent educational challenges to be addressed,
including how the Center will ensure that the challenges to be
addressed are supported by data and evidence and reflected by State and
local needs and priorities.
(3) Describe the proposed approach to measure and monitor client
progress or success in overcoming the challenges to be addressed,
including how the Center will use data and evidence to demonstrate
outcomes of universal, targeted, and intensive capacity building
services, as applicable.
[[Page 10358]]
(4) Demonstrate expertise in providing highly relevant and highly
effective technical assistance, including by demonstrating expertise in
the current research on adult learning principles, coaching, and
implementation science.
(5) Include in the budget narrative explanation of and estimated
costs for intensive, targeted, and universal capacity-building
services. Describe how the Center will promote cost-effectiveness of
services, including ensuring that the estimated costs are aligned to
market expectations for similar services.
(6) Include in the budget a line item for an annual set-aside of
five percent of the grant amount to support emerging needs that are
consistent with the proposed project's intended outcomes.
Application Requirements for the National Center: In addition to
meeting the application requirements for all Centers, a National Center
applicant must:
(1) Propose an approach to leading coordination and collaboration
of the entire CC Network, including how the Center will fulfill the
requirement to serve as a concierge-level point of entry to Department
technical assistance for States and other CC clients to reduce client
burden in navigating Department technical assistance services and how
the Center will develop and administer access to a cadre of subject
matter experts to increase access to a broad range of high-quality,
relevant expertise and support across the CC network.
(2) Demonstrate a high-level expertise in leading communication and
digital engagement strategies to attract and sustain the involvement of
a wide range of education stakeholders. Provide an approach to creating
a robust web and social media presence, overseeing customer relations
management, providing editorial support to Regional and Content
Centers, and utilizing web analytics to improve content engagement.
(3) Propose an approach to providing targeted and universal
capacity-building services to support beneficiaries in addressing
common high-leverage problems, including how the applicant intends to
collaborate with Regional Centers to identify potential beneficiaries,
and to maximize how many SEAs, REAs, TEAs, and LEAs it has the capacity
to reach with available services.
Application Requirements for Regional Centers
In addition to meeting the application requirements for all
Centers, a Regional Center applicant must--
(1) Propose an approach to intensive capacity-building services,
including identification of intended beneficiaries based on available
data for specific regions, and details on how the Center will ensure
proposed capacity-building services are driven by client needs and co-
developed with client input.
Application Requirements for Content Centers: In addition to
meeting the application requirements for all Centers, a Content Center
applicant must--
(1) Propose an approach to carry out capacity-building services
that address client needs and priorities (to include those of families,
for applicants to NCIL) that amplify the use of evidence-based
practices, products or tools amongst practitioners, education system
leaders, elementary schools and secondary schools, LEAs, REAs and TEAs,
and SEAs.
(2) Propose an approach to providing universal capacity-building
services, including how the Center will develop and widely disseminate
evidence-based products or tools; outreach to practitioners, education
system leaders, and policymakers in formats that are high quality,
easily accessible, and understandable; identify intended beneficiaries;
and ensure that proposed capacity-building services are driven by
client needs and co-developed with client input.
(3) Describe the educational challenges to be addressed, including
how the challenges to be addressed are supported by data and evidence
and reflected by State and local needs and priorities. The description
must utilize applicable regional, State, and local educational data to
demonstrate the identified needs that could be addressed through the
proposed capacity-building approach to implement and scale up evidence-
based programs, practices, and interventions. Proposed Definitions: The
Secretary proposes the following definition of ``beneficiary'' for use
in this program in any year in which this program is in effect. We
propose the definition to aid applicants in understanding the intent
and purpose of the priorities and requirements. We also propose to use
in the proposed priorities and requirements the following terms, which
are defined in the ESEA: ``evidence-based'' and ``tribal educational
agency'' and the term ``logic model'', which is defined in CFR 77.1.
The proposed priorities, requirements, and definitions also incorporate
the following terms established for use in this program by the 2019
NFP: ``milestone'' and ``outputs'' and the following terms established
for use in this program by the 2024 NFP: ``capacity-building
services,'' ``client,'' ``collaboration'', ``coordination'', ``four
dimensions of capacity-building services,'' ``high-leverage problems,''
``intensive capacity-building services'', ``key personnel'',
``outcomes'', ``regional educational agency'', ``targeted capacity-
building services,'' and ``universal capacity-building services.'' We
have included the definitions of those terms in Appendix 1 to this
document.
Beneficiary means organizations including, but not limited to,
SEAs, LEAs, REAs, TEAs, and schools that have received ``intensive''
and ``targeted'' capacity-building services and products from Regional
Centers, or that received ``targeted'' or ``universal'' capacity-
building services and products from the National Center or Content
Centers.
Evidence-based has the meaning ascribed in section 7801(21) of the
ESEA.
Logic model has the meaning ascribed in 34 CFR 77.1(c).
Tribal educational agency has the meaning ascribed in section
6132(b)(3) of the ESEA.
Final Priorities, Requirements, and Definitions: The Department
will announce the final priorities, requirements, and definitions in a
document in the Federal Register. We will determine the final
priorities, requirements, and definitions after considering responses
to the proposed priorities, requirements, and definitions and other
information available to the Department. This document does not
preclude us from proposing additional priorities, requirements, or
definitions, subject to meeting applicable rulemaking requirements. If
the Department publishes a Notice of Final Priorities this fiscal year,
the Department may decide to run a grant competition that awards new
grants that replace existing CC awards.
Note: This document does not solicit applications.
In any year in which we choose to use any of the final priorities,
requirements, and definitions, we invite applications through an
application notice and instructions.
Executive Orders 12866, 13563, and 14192 Regulatory Impact
Analysis
This proposed regulatory action is not a significant regulatory
action subject to review by OMB under section 3(f) of Executive Order
12866. Since this regulatory action is not a significant regulatory
action under section 3(f) of Executive Order 12866, it is not
considered an ``Executive Order 14192 regulatory action.''
[[Page 10359]]
We have also reviewed this proposed regulatory action under
Executive Order 13563. We are issuing the proposed priorities,
requirements, and definitions only on a reasoned determination that
their benefits would justify their minimal costs. The Department
believes that this regulatory action is consistent with the principles
in Executive Order 13563.
We also have determined that this regulatory action would not
unduly interfere with State, local, and Tribal governments in the
exercise of their governmental functions.
In accordance with these Executive orders, the Department has
assessed the potential costs and benefits, both quantitative and
qualitative, of this regulatory action. The potential costs are those
resulting from statutory requirements and those we have determined are
necessary for administering the Department's programs and activities.
Discussion of Costs and Benefits
The proposed priority would impose no or minimal costs on entities
that receive discretionary grant award funds from the Department.
Additionally, the benefits of implementing the proposed priority
outweigh any associated costs, to the extent these de minimis costs
even exist, because the proposed priority would result in higher
quality grant application submissions.
Application submission and participation in competitive grant
programs that might use these proposed priorities, requirements, and
definitions is voluntary. We believe, based on the Department's
administrative experience, that entities preparing an application would
not need to expend more resources than they otherwise would have in the
absence of this proposed priority. Therefore, any potential costs to
applicants would be de minimis. Because the costs of carrying out
activities would be paid for with program funds, the costs of
implementation would not be a burden for any eligible applicants that
earn a grant award, including small entities. We invite the public to
comment on this discussion of estimated costs and benefits.
Intergovernmental Review: This action is subject to Executive Order
12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79.
This document provides early notification of our specific plans and
actions for this program.
Regulatory Flexibility Act Certification
This section considers the effects that the final regulations may
have on small entities in the educational sector as required by the
Regulatory Flexibility Act, 5 U.S.C. 601 et seq. The Secretary
certifies that this proposed regulatory action would not have a
substantial economic impact on a substantial number of small entities.
The U.S. Small Business Administration Size Standards define
proprietary institutions as small businesses if they are independently
owned and operated, are not dominant in their field of operation, and
have total annual revenue below $7,000,000. Nonprofit institutions are
defined as small entities if they are independently owned and operated
and not dominant in their field of operation. Public institutions are
defined as small organizations if they are operated by a government
overseeing a population below 50,000. Participation in this program is
voluntary. For this reason, the proposed priorities, requirements, and
definitions would impose no burden on small entities unless they
applied for funding under the program. We expect that in determining
whether to apply for any project under the CC program funds, an
eligible applicant would evaluate the requirements of preparing an
application and any associated costs and weigh them against the
benefits likely to be achieved by receiving a CC grant. Eligible
applicants most likely would apply only if they determine that the
likely benefits exceed the costs of preparing an application. The
likely benefits include the potential receipt of a grant as well as
other benefits that may accrue to an entity through its development of
an application.
Paperwork Reduction Act
The proposed priorities, requirements, and definitions do not
contain information collection requirements or affect any currently
approved data collection.
Accessible Format: On request to the program contact person listed
under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT, individuals with disabilities
can obtain this document 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 another accessible
format.
Kirsten Baesler,
Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education.
Appendix I
The proposed priorities, requirements, and definitions
incorporate the following terms established for use in this program
by the 2019 and 2024 NFPs:
Capacity-building services means assistance that strengthens an
individual's or organization's ability to engage in continuous
improvement and achieve expected outcomes. (2024 NFP)
Client means the organization with which the Center enters into
agreement for negotiated capacity-building services. The client is
engaged in defining the high-leverage problems, capacity-building
services, and time-based outcomes for each project noted in the
Center's annual service plan. Representatives of clients include but
are not limited to Chief State School Officers or their designees,
LEA leaders, and other system leaders. (2024 NFP)
Collaboration means exchanging information, altering activities,
and sharing in the creation of ideas and resources to enhance the
capacity of one another for mutual benefit to accomplish a common
goal. (2024 NFP)
Coordination means exchanging information, altering activities,
and synchronizing efforts to make unique contributions to shared
goals. (2024 NFP)
Four dimensions of capacity-building services are:
(1) Human capacity means development or improvement of
individual knowledge, skills, technical expertise, and ability to
adapt and be resilient to policy and leadership changes.
(2) Organizational capacity means structures that support clear
communication and a shared understanding of an organization's
visions and goals and delineated individual roles and
responsibilities in functional areas.
(3) Policy capacity means structures that support alignment,
differentiation, or enactment of local, State, and Federal policies
and initiatives.
(4) Resource capacity means tangible materials and assets that
support alignment and use of Federal, State, private, and local
funds. (2024 NFP)
High-leverage problems means problems that (1) if addressed
could result in substantial improvements for groups of students with
the greatest need, including for students from low-income families
and for students attending schools implementing comprehensive
support and improvement or targeted or additional targeted support
and improvement activities under ESEA section 1111(d)); (2) are
priorities for education policymakers, particularly at the State
level; and (3) require intensive capacity-building services to
achieve outcomes that address the problem. (2024 NFP)
Intensive capacity-building services means assistance often
provided on-site and requiring a stable, ongoing relationship
between the Comprehensive Center and its clients and recipients, as
well as periodic reflection, continuous feedback, and use of
evidence-based improvement strategies. This category of capacity-
building services should support increased recipient capacity in
more than one dimension of capacity-building services and result in
medium-term and long-term outcomes at one or more system levels.
(2024 NFP)
[[Page 10360]]
Key personnel means any personnel considered to be essential to
the work being performed on the project. (2024 NFP)
Milestone means an activity that must be completed. Examples
include: Identifying key district administrators responsible for
professional development, sharing key observations from needs
assessment with district administrators and identified stakeholders,
preparing a logic model, planning for State-wide professional
development, identifying subject matter experts, and conducting
train-the-trainer sessions. (2019 NFP)
Outcomes means demonstrable effects of receiving capacity-
building services and must reflect the result of capacity built in
at least one of the four dimensions of capacity building.
``Outcomes'' includes short-term outcomes, medium-term outcomes, and
long-term outcomes:
(1) Short-term outcomes means effects of receiving capacity-
building services after 1 year.
(2) Medium-term outcomes means effects of receiving capacity-
building services after 2 to 3 years.
(3) Long-term outcomes means effects of receiving capacity-
building services after 4 or more years. (2024 NFP)
Outputs means products and services that must be completed.
Examples include: Needs assessment, logic model, training modules,
evaluation plan, and 12 workshop presentations. (2024 NFP)
Note: A product output under this program would be considered a
deliverable under the open licensing regulations at 2 CFR 3474.20.
Regional educational agency means educational agencies that
serve regional areas within a State. (2024 NFP)
Targeted capacity-building services means assistance based on
needs common to multiple clients and recipients and not extensively
individualized. A relationship is established between the
recipient(s), the National Center or Content Center, and Regional
Center(s), as appropriate. This category of capacity-building
services includes one-time, labor-intensive events, such as
facilitating strategic planning or hosting national or regional
conferences. It can also include services that extend over a period
of time, such as facilitating a series of conference calls, virtual
or in-person meetings, or learning communities on single or multiple
topics that are designed around the needs of the recipients.
Facilitating communities of practice can also be considered targeted
capacity-building services. (2024 NFP)
Universal capacity-building services means assistance and
information provided to independent users through their own
initiative, involving minimal interaction with National or Content
Center staff. This category of capacity-building services includes
information or products, such as newsletters, guidebooks, policy
briefs, or research syntheses, downloaded from the Center's website
by independent users, and may include one-time, invited or offered
webinar or conference presentations by National or Content Center
staff. Brief communications or consultations by National or Content
Center staff with recipients, either by telephone or email, are also
considered universal services. (2024 NFP)
[FR Doc. 2026-04142 Filed 3-2-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P
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