Final Priorities, Requirements, and Selection Criteria-Comprehensive Centers Program (CFDA Number: 84.283B), 33574-33594 [2012-13739]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
[Docket ID ED–2012–OESE–0004]
RIN 1810–AB14
Final Priorities, Requirements, and
Selection Criteria—Comprehensive
Centers Program (CFDA Number:
84.283B)
Office of Elementary and
Secondary Education, Department of
Education.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
The Assistant Secretary for
Elementary and Secondary Education
announces priorities, requirements, and
selection criteria under the
Comprehensive Centers Program. The
Assistant Secretary may use one or more
of these priorities, requirements, and
selection criteria for competitions in
fiscal year (FY) 2012 and later years. We
take this action to focus Federal
technical assistance on identified Stateled reforms. We intend these priorities,
requirements, and selection criteria to
increase the relevance and usefulness of
Comprehensive Center technical
assistance.
SUMMARY:
Effective Date: These priorities,
requirements, and selection criteria are
effective July 6, 2012.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Fran
Walter, U.S. Department of Education,
400 Maryland Avenue SW., room
3W115, Washington, DC 20202,
Telephone: (202) 205–9198 or by email:
fran.walter@ed.gov.
If you use a telecommunications
device for the deaf (TDD) or a text
telephone (TTY), call the Federal Relay
Service, toll free, at 1–800–877–8339.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Purpose of Program: The
Comprehensive Centers program
supports the establishment of no fewer
than 20 comprehensive technical
assistance centers to provide technical
assistance to State educational agencies
(SEAs) that builds their capacity to
support local educational agencies
(LEAs or districts) and schools,
especially low-performing districts and
schools, improve educational outcomes
for all students, close achievements
gaps, and improve the quality of
instruction.
Program Authority: Title II, section
203, of the Education Technical
Assistance Act of 2002 (ETAA).
We published a notice of proposed
priorities, requirements, and selection
criteria (NPP) for this program in the
Federal Register on January 23, 2012
(77 FR 3242). The NPP contained
background information and our reasons
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for proposing the particular priorities,
requirements, and selection criteria.
Public Comment: In response to our
invitation in the NPP, 59 parties
submitted comments on the proposed
priorities, requirements, and selection
criteria. We used these comments to
revise, improve, and clarify the
priorities, requirements, and selection
criteria. We group major issues
according to subject and discuss other
substantive issues under the title of the
item to which they pertain. Generally,
we do not address technical and other
minor changes. In addition, we do not
address general comments that raised
concerns not directly related to the
proposed priorities, requirements, or
selection criteria.
Analysis of Comments and Changes:
An analysis of the comments received,
and any changes to the priorities,
requirements, and selection criteria
since publication of the NPP, follows.
General
Comment: One commenter
recommended that the U.S. Department
of Education (the Department) increase
teacher awareness of culturally and
linguistically gifted students by using
the Comprehensive Centers to develop a
cadre of teacher trainers with expertise
in culturally relevant gifted education
practices.
Discussion: While we do not identify
specific initiatives related to gifted
students, the requirements for both the
Regional Centers and the Content
Centers focus on increasing the capacity
of SEAs to support their LEAs and
schools in improving outcomes for all
students. For this reason, we do not
believe it is necessary to specifically
identify initiatives for gifted students in
the final priorities.
Changes: None.
Comment: One commenter suggested
that in order to meet the educational
needs of all students and achieve better
outcomes, our overall strategy should
focus on removing barriers for students
and teachers and moving from what the
commenter characterized as a deficitbased instructional system toward one
based on student growth.
Discussion: We have committed the
resources of the Comprehensive Centers
program to help SEAs build their
capacity to implement State-level
initiatives and support district- and
school-level initiatives that will close
achievement gaps and improve the
quality of instruction. Further, in the
requirements for all centers, we specify
that the centers will help SEAs build
organizational capacity to support
district- and school-level
implementation of effective practices to
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improve student outcomes. For
example, the centers will help SEAs
work collaboratively and productively
with districts and schools, identify and
implement a continuum of support and
interventions to address districts’ and
schools’ specific needs, and support the
implementation and scaling up of
innovative and effective strategies. We
believe these capacity-building
approaches will contribute to removing
barriers to learning for both students
and teachers. A center’s support for the
implementation and scaling up of
innovative and effective strategies could
include support for strengths-based
instruction, which focuses on student
potential and growth.
Changes: None.
Comment: One commenter
recommended that we support States’
data collection efforts, specifically in
the management and use of longitudinal
data systems and the Integrated
Postsecondary Education Data System.
Discussion: We agree with the
commenter and support States’ efforts to
effectively collect and use data. As
stated in this notice, all Regional
Centers are required to work with SEAs
to build their capacity to use data-based
decision-making to improve
instructional practices, policies, and
student outcomes and to address the
demands of implementing their
longitudinal data systems. In addition,
the Center on Innovations in Learning
will provide technical assistance to
Regional Centers and SEAs that focuses
on using State and local data systems to
identify specific areas of student need
and evaluate the effectiveness of
specific strategies that support
innovations in learning. These efforts
will support the States’ management
and use of their statewide longitudinal
data systems and other data sets as
appropriate.
Changes: None.
Comment: One commenter requested
that the final notice include the funding
available for each Center.
Discussion: In the notice inviting
applications (NIA) published elsewhere
in this issue of the Federal Register, we
identify the funding available for each
of the Regional and Content Centers.
Changes: None.
Comment: One commenter was
concerned that the Comprehensive
Centers program may violate State law,
contract law, privacy rights, and the
right of citizens to vote on governance
and tax issues.
Discussion: The ETAA authorizes
awards to Comprehensive Centers to
provide training, technical assistance,
and professional development to SEAs,
LEAs, regional educational agencies,
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and schools in the administration and
implementation of programs under the
Elementary and Secondary Education
Act of 1965 (ESEA). The priorities,
requirements, and selection criteria in
this notice are consistent with the ETAA
and, in adopting them, the Department
followed the laws and regulations that
govern rulemaking. We do not believe
that the Comprehensive Centers
program violates Federal or State law,
and nothing in this notice requires
grantees to act contrary to the law or
usurps the rights of citizens to vote on
governance or tax issues. Additionally,
all Federal and State privacy and
contract laws apply to potential
Comprehensive Center grantees.
Changes: None.
Comment: One commenter noted that
although the Department’s oversight for
the Comprehensive Centers program is
essential, States might be uncomfortable
providing adequate feedback to inform
that oversight. The commenter
suggested that we provide support for
States to work through a common entity
to identify and share challenges and
routinely communicate with the
Department to ensure that Federal
oversight of the Comprehensive Centers
is effective and focused on the right
issues.
Discussion: Although we strongly
agree with the commenter about the
importance of State feedback to the
Department on the Comprehensive
Center program, we decline the
suggestion to establish an entity to serve
as an intermediary between States and
the Department. As part of the
Department’s grant monitoring and
oversight activities, we review feedback
from SEA staff provided in each
grantee’s annual performance report and
annual evaluation. We also welcome
direct feedback from SEA staff.
As described in the application
requirements, all applicants must
provide a plan to assess the progress
and performance of the center in
meeting the educational and capacitybuilding needs of SEAs. The plan must
include a description of the methods
that will be used to monitor progress
and make mid-course corrections as
needed. Each applicant must also
provide a plan to collect and use
formative and summative data
throughout the grant period to inform
and improve service delivery. Finally,
the ETAA requires ongoing independent
evaluations of the Comprehensive
Centers program by the Institute of
Education Science’s National Center for
Education Evaluation and Regional
Assistance. We believe these established
processes and requirements ensure
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adequate feedback from States on the
progress and performance of the centers.
We also have established an option to
allow an SEA flexibility to indicate to
the Department in the second fiscal year
of the cooperative agreement, and in
each subsequent fiscal year, its desire to
affiliate with a different Regional
Center, regardless of the location of that
center. Together with our programmonitoring efforts, we believe that the
requirements and flexibility described
in this notice will ensure effective
oversight of the program.
Changes: None.
Comment: One commenter, while
strongly supporting the Department’s
focus on State-led reforms, urged us to
ensure that the centers respond to the
full range of State-led reforms, some of
which were not mentioned in the NPP.
Discussion: The priority for Regional
Centers identifies seven key State-led
reform areas within which the centers
will work to build State capacity. The
priority is clear that this is a nonexhaustive list and does not preclude a
center from working with SEAs on
initiatives in other key State-led reform
areas. Further, in partnership with the
SEAs, Regional Centers are required to
develop a plan of technical assistance
based on each SEA’s unique context,
challenges, and current capacity, which
will address specific State-led reform
initiatives. Content Centers will work to
increase State capacity in identified key
topic areas.
Changes: None.
Comment: One commenter noted that
the Center on School Turnaround would
focus its attention on issues related to
the most persistently low-achieving
schools, even though SEAs are
responsible for the improvement of all
of their districts and schools. The
commenter expressed concern that no
center would be devoted to providing
assistance to SEAs in managing
differentiated supports and
interventions for the larger number of
districts and schools in need of
improvement that are not the lowestperforming districts or schools.
Discussion: While there is not a
specific center that focuses on providing
assistance to SEAs in managing
differentiated supports and
interventions for districts or schools in
need of improvement, the purpose of
the Comprehensive Centers program is
to provide technical assistance to SEAs
that builds their capacity to support
districts and schools, especially lowperforming districts and schools;
improve educational outcomes for all
students; close achievement gaps; and
improve the quality of instruction. We
believe the centers described in this
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notice focus to a significant extent on
students in districts and schools in need
of improvement and decline to make
any change.
Changes: None.
Comment: A few commenters noted
that increasing the number of Content
Centers without additional funding for
the program will lead to a reduction in
the resources available for all centers, at
a time when the centers are likely to
receive increased requests for services
from States experiencing budget
reductions. One commenter also noted
the increased cost to Regional Centers of
coordinating and collaborating with a
larger number of Content Centers.
Discussion: We currently support 16
Regional Centers and 5 Content Centers;
we plan to support 15 Regional Centers
and 7 Content Centers under the
Comprehensive Centers 2012
competition. We acknowledge that at
current funding levels, increasing the
total number of Comprehensive Centers
by one will decrease the amount of
funding available for each center. We
also recognize the value of the Regional
Centers, as evidenced in our
expectations for their work.
However, we believe that the benefit
of establishing two additional Content
Centers to help the Regional Centers
address challenging and high-priority
topics outweighs the minimal reduction
in funds to the other Comprehensive
Centers. Five of the Content Centers will
help build SEA capacity in key reform
areas where work in many States is
already underway: Creating and
implementing high-quality standards
and assessments, ensuring college- and
career-readiness and success for
students, addressing early learning,
ensuring great teachers and leaders, and
turning around the lowest-performing
schools. The two additional centers will
help SEAs and Regional Centers focus
specifically on improving SEA
infrastructures, management processes,
and innovative approaches to teaching
and learning that we believe will
support the achievement of the
identified reforms.
Changes: None.
Comment: Some commenters were
concerned that reducing the number of
Regional Centers would result in less
service for smaller, more rural States if
they are placed in a larger region with
more densely populated States.
Discussion: We currently support 16
Regional Centers and 5 Content Centers;
we plan to support 15 Regional Centers
and 7 Content Centers under the
Comprehensive Centers 2012
competition. We recognize an
opportunity with this competition to
foster strong collaborative relationships
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between Regional Centers and the
Institute for Education Sciences’
Regional Education Labs (RELs) by
aligning the geographical areas served
by both, since both work with States to
address their needs. Therefore, in the
NIA published elsewhere in this issue of
the Federal Register, we establish one to
two Regional Centers in each REL
region. This structural change is
designed to increase both the coherence
of the Department’s technical assistance
and collaboration between
Comprehensive Centers and RELs. It
will better use resources to benefit
States, including smaller, more rural
States.
Changes: None.
Priorities
Priorities—General
Comment: Two commenters asked
that the Department give priority
consideration to small businesses or
unemployed educators as
Comprehensive Center applicants.
Discussion: Entities eligible to apply
for Comprehensive Center grants, as
identified in the ETAA, include
research organizations, institutions,
agencies, institutions of higher
education, or partnerships among such
entities, or individuals, with the
demonstrated ability or capacity to carry
out required activities. We encourage all
eligible applicants to apply, including
small businesses and educators with the
demonstrated ability or capacity to carry
out the requirements and activities of
the program, but the statute does not
provide priority consideration for them.
Therefore, we decline to provide
priority consideration as requested.
Changes: None.
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Priorities for All Centers
Comment: One commenter suggested
an absolute priority requiring
communication and collaboration across
the Content Centers and the RELs, and
across priority areas, to support a
comprehensive approach to technical
assistance. The commenter further
suggested that the Department support a
national organization to facilitate this
communication and supplement the
needs identified by individual States
with a national perspective.
Discussion: We do not agree that there
is a need for an absolute priority
requiring communication and
collaboration or to support a national
organization to facilitate
communication. We believe the
statutory requirements under section
203(f)(2) of the ETAA and the
requirement that all centers coordinate
and collaborate with other
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Comprehensive Centers (as described
under the heading ‘‘Requirements for all
Centers’’ in this notice), other
Department-funded technical assistance
providers, and other technical
assistance providers to address SEA
needs sufficiently address the
importance of communication and
collaboration among the States and
centers. Additionally, all Content
Centers are required to address national
needs as well as the needs of individual
regions and States. For these reasons,
we decline to take the suggestions.
Changes: None.
Comment: Commenters supported our
proposal that all Regional and Content
Centers address the needs of special
populations, including English Learners
and students with disabilities. One
commenter urged the Department to
include all subgroups defined in the
ESEA as priorities for the Regional and
Content Centers. The commenter
recommended adding racial and ethnic
minorities and students in poverty into
each of the sections in the notice where
categories of students are identified.
Discussion: We appreciate the support
of the commenters and strongly agree
that the needs of all students must be
addressed through the work of the
Comprehensive Centers program. To be
clear about our interest in addressing
the needs of all students, including
multiple subgroups of students, we have
revised the language in the
requirements, where applicable, to use
the term ‘‘high-need children and highneed students,’’ and we have included
its definition from the Department’s
notice of final supplemental priorities
and definitions published in the Federal
Register on December 15, 2010 (75 FR
78486), and corrected on May 12, 2011
(76 FR 27637). Under this definition,
‘‘high-need children and high-need
students’’ mean children and students at
risk of educational failure, such as
children and students who are living in
poverty, who are English Learners, who
are far below grade level or who are not
on track to becoming college- or careerready by graduation, who have left
school or college before receiving,
respectively, a regular high school
diploma or a college degree or
certificate, who are at risk of not
graduating with a diploma on time, who
are homeless, who are in foster care,
who are pregnant or parenting
teenagers, who have been incarcerated,
who are new immigrants, who are
migrant, or who have disabilities.
Changes: We have revised the
language in paragraphs II(B)(1)(e);
II(C)(1)(c); II(F)(4); and II(G)(1) of the
requirements section to include the term
‘‘high-need children and high-need
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students,’’ as applicable. We have also
revised the requirements to specify the
definition of this term.
Comment: Some commenters were
concerned that school climate issues
facing lesbian, gay, bisexual,
transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ)
students and teachers were not
identified as priorities for the
Comprehensive Centers.
Discussion: We are committed to
making sure all students feel safe and
secure in school, and are collaborating
with other Federal agencies in an effort
to combat harassment and promote
supportive and welcoming school
climates. Since 2010, the Department
has issued two ‘‘Dear Colleague’’ letters
that clarify for SEAs and LEAs their
civil rights obligations and their
responsibilities under the Equal Access
Act as they relate to LGBTQ students.
These two guidance documents explain
that when students are subjected to
harassment on the basis of their sexual
orientation or gender identity, they may
also be subjected to forms of sex
discrimination prohibited under Title
IX. The guidance documents also clarify
that gay-straight alliances, which can
play an important role in creating safer,
more welcoming school environments
for LGBTQ students, must be afforded
the same opportunities as other noncurricular student organizations to form,
to convene on school grounds, and to
access resources.
In addition to this legal guidance, we
currently fund two technical assistance
centers, the Safe and Supportive
Schools Technical Assistance Center
(SSSTAC), and the Technical Assistance
Center on Positive Behavioral
Interventions and Supports (PBIS) in
addition to 10 Equity Assistance Centers
that provide educators with the tools to
improve school climate, support student
mental health, and prevent and reduce
harassment. SSSTAC provides training,
tools, and resources to help educators
assess risk and protective factors
influencing student health and safety
within school settings and to develop
strategies to improve outcomes. More
information about the SSSTAC is
available at https://
safesupportiveschools.ed.gov. PBIS
provides schools with capacity-building
information and technical assistance for
identifying, adapting, and sustaining
effective school-wide disciplinary
practices. More information about PBIS
is available at https://www.pbis.org.
The 10 regional Equity Assistance
Centers focus more specifically on civil
rights issues, including the elimination
of harassment or bias based on race, sex,
or ethnicity. These centers respond to
requests for assistance from schools,
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districts, and States and provide at no
charge training, resources, and materials
specifically tailored to the needs of the
requester. More information about the
Equity Assistance Centers is available at
https://www2.ed.gov/programs/
equitycenters/. Because we
currently fund centers that provide
States with the support they need to
create safe school environments for
LGBTQ students, we have not added a
priority that specifically focuses on
LGBTQ issues.
Changes: None.
Comment: A few commenters
recommended that school safety be a
priority for the Comprehensive Centers
program. One commenter stressed that
classroom management and safety can
negatively affect student engagement
and instructional opportunities for all
students. Another commenter
recommended including a firm antibullying focus.
Discussion: We agree that a safe, wellmanaged school environment, free from
bullying and violence, is a critical
foundation for providing every student
the opportunity to graduate ready for
college and a career. Further, when
educators do not have sufficient
capacity and expertise to effectively
promote positive behavior, student
academic and health outcomes suffer.
Students face a higher likelihood of
victimization or are deterred from
learning by frequent classroom
disruptions by their peers.
We have revised the requirements for
the Center on Great Teachers and
Leaders to include a technical assistance
focus on building teacher and leader
capacity to create safe, productive
school environments and increase
academic engagement for all students. It
is our intent to strengthen educator
capacity to preserve instructional time
by addressing student behavior in the
classroom, and, in doing so, encourage
the use of effective alternatives to
disciplinary practices that remove
students from the classroom but do not
resolve their disruptive or threatening
behavior (e.g., suspension, expulsion,
and school-based arrests).
With regard to bullying prevention in
particular, the Department has worked
with several Federal agencies to develop
a Web site, www.stopbullying.gov, to
provide students, parents, and educators
with useful information and approaches
to address bullying in their
communities. In addition, as previously
discussed, we fund the SSSTAC and 10
Equity Assistance Centers, which
provide educators with tools to improve
school climates and prevent and reduce
harassment. Because we currently fund
centers that provide States with the
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critical support they need to create safe
school environments, we decline to
make the suggested change.
Changes: We have added a
requirement to the Center on Great
Teachers and Leaders to provide
technical assistance to Regional Centers
and SEAs that focuses on building
teacher and leader capacity to create
safe, productive school environments
and increase academic engagement for
all students.
Comment: One commenter noted that
if effective Science, Technology,
Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)
education is a priority need in the
United States, then STEM should be
articulated specifically in each priority.
The commenter states that high-quality
STEM education must begin early, as
early as pre-K and elementary grades.
Discussion: We agree that STEM
education is of primary importance and
have included in the requirements for
the Center for College and Career
Readiness and Success that it will
provide to Regional Centers and SEAs
technical assistance that focuses on
high-quality STEM instruction.
Although we have not chosen to require
technical assistance on STEM for other
Content Centers or the Regional Centers,
nothing in the requirements or the
priority language will preclude other
centers from working with SEAs on
specific initiatives related to STEM.
While we would encourage this work,
we believe it is important to allow
centers the flexibility to be responsive to
State needs.
Changes: None.
Priorities for Regional Centers
Comment: A number of commenters,
noting States’ accomplishments in
working with the current Regional
Centers, asserted that developing and
maintaining strong relationships and
successful partnerships with their SEAs
should be a top priority for Regional
Centers. One suggested that the
requirements be revised to better reflect
the value of a partnership approach.
Others urged us to take current
partnerships into account in evaluating
and scoring new proposals or, at a
minimum, to require applicants to
describe how they intend to develop an
understanding of, and establish
continuity with, work currently being
done.
Discussion: We appreciate the support
expressed for the work of the Regional
Centers and agree that productive
partnerships between center and SEA
staff are crucial to the success of their
efforts. We believe the priority and
requirements for the Regional Centers
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will foster a partnership approach and
reflect the value of such an approach.
For additional clarity, we have
strengthened the Regional Center
requirements to emphasize the
importance of partnerships between
Centers and SEAs by now requiring the
Center to work to ensure a mutual
commitment by both SEAs and Regional
Centers to devote the necessary time,
leadership, and personnel to achieve
specific goals.
Further, Regional Centers are required
to assess State needs and, in partnership
with the SEAs in their regions, develop
an annual work plan that addresses the
needs of each SEA based on its unique
context, challenges, and current
capacity. This requirement is intended
to ensure that the Regional Center
understands each State’s priorities,
which might include a desire to
continue work that began with the
current Comprehensive Centers.
Our goal is to provide SEAs with the
highest quality technical assistance
possible by selecting high-quality
grantees. The Department’s
discretionary grant competition process
is structured to ensure that each
application is reviewed and scored
based on the strength of its written
proposal. We did not choose to propose
a competitive priority or other
preferential treatment for current
grantees because providing additional
points to current grantees could unfairly
advantage them in a new competition.
Therefore, we decline the suggestion
that these relationships be taken into
account when considering applications.
Changes: We have modified the
Regional Center application
requirements to require that applicants
articulate an approach to securing an
SEA’s commitment to devote the time,
leadership, and personnel needed to
achieve specific goals, which may
include a memorandum of
understanding or similar agreement that
contains timelines and benchmarks to
ensure that the work stays on track to
achieve these goals. We have also added
the response to this requirement as a
consideration under the selection
criterion that addresses the overall
quality of the technical assistance plan.
Comment: One commenter asked for
clarification of the proposed priority for
Regional Centers. Specifically, the
commenter expressed concern that these
centers will be expected to track student
outcomes.
Discussion: We do not expect centers
to track student outcomes. The priority
and requirements for all Regional
Centers address the provision of highquality technical assistance that focuses
on key initiatives and builds the
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capacity of SEAs to implement, support,
scale up, and sustain initiatives
statewide and to lead and support their
LEAs and schools in improving school
outcomes.
Changes: None.
Comment: One commenter expressed
support for the proposed priority for the
Regional Centers but stated that literacy
should be mentioned specifically.
Discussion: The priority for the
Regional Centers states that they will
provide capacity-building technical
assistance that helps States implement,
support, scale up, and sustain key
initiatives aimed at improving student
outcomes. While we agree that literacy
is essential to students’ success in
school, we think that literacy
instruction is encompassed within this
priority and do not believe that specific
mention of literacy is necessary.
Changes: None.
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Content Centers—General
Comment: Several commenters
recommended that the Department
place a greater emphasis on parent,
family, and community engagement,
suggesting that there be a Content
Center specifically devoted to this topic.
Discussion: We agree that strong
family and community engagement is
important in the education of all
students. All centers will be required to
provide SEAs with high-quality
technical assistance that increases SEA
capacity to support their LEAs and
schools in improving student outcomes.
Building organizational capacity might
include helping SEAs develop ways to
involve key stakeholders—including
parents—in State-, district-, and
school-level decision-making that
affects the schooling of their children.
While we would encourage a focus on
family and community engagement, we
believe it is important to allow centers
flexibility to be responsive to State
needs. Therefore, we have not proposed
an additional Content Center to
specifically address parent, family, and
community engagement.
Changes: None.
Priority for Center on Enhancing Early
Learning Outcomes
Comment: One commenter suggested
that we define preschool ages and
suggested that the priority explicitly
define ‘‘preschool’’ as ‘‘birth through
grade three’’ to be consistent with the
emerging emphasis on continuity across
the early childhood span.
Discussion: We do not define the term
‘‘preschool’’ in this notice because the
term is used in different Federal and
State programs to encompass varying
age ranges. However, the priority for
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this center expressly states that the
center is to help SEAs increase the
number of children from birth to third
grade who are prepared to succeed in
school. While we decline the suggestion
to specify an age range with respect to
preschool education, we are revising the
priority to describe early learning
systems generally rather than as
‘‘preschool to third grade’’ systems.
Changes: We have revised the priority
to reflect a recognition that early
learning systems may encompass a
broad range of ages by deleting the
phrase ‘‘preschool to third grade early
learning systems’’ and replacing it with
the phrase ‘‘early learning systems.’’
Priority for Center on Great Teachers
and Leaders
Comment: One commenter
encouraged the Department to recognize
the unique roles and responsibilities of
pupil and related-service providers,
such as speech-language pathologists
and audiologists. The commenter
suggested including these educators in
the center’s efforts to support effective
instruction and leadership.
Discussion: As described in the
priority, the Center on Great Teachers
and Leaders will provide technical
assistance that will help SEAs support
their districts and schools in improving
student outcomes by supporting
effective instruction and leadership. We
agree that all educators and leaders,
including related-service providers, play
important roles in this effort. While we
do not explicitly mention these
educators in the priority or
requirements, the Center on Great
Teachers and Leaders will work with
SEAs and Regional Centers seeking
technical assistance to support effective
instruction and leadership of all
educators. However, as there are many
educators within schools who are
integral to raising student achievement,
we decline the suggestion to identify
specific types of educators in the
priority.
Changes: None.
Priority for Center on Building State
Capacity and Productivity
Comment: One commenter expressed
the opinion that the description of the
Center on Building State Capacity and
Productivity lacked a clear purpose and
was focused too narrowly on
implementing and scaling up practices
rather than addressing all important
aspects of SEA work to support districts
and schools. The commenter also stated
that building SEA capacity should be
the job of all the centers in the
Comprehensive Centers program, not
one.
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Discussion: Under the program
requirements for all centers, each center
must provide technical assistance to
help SEAs build their capacity to
implement State-level initiatives and
support district- and school-level
initiatives that improve educational
outcomes for all students, close
achievement gaps, and improve the
quality of instruction. Additionally, the
Center on Building State Capacity and
Productivity will, like other Content
Centers, provide technical assistance in
its specific area of expertise to Regional
Centers and SEAs. We do not agree that
the requirements and expertise of the
Center on Building State Capacity and
Productivity are vague or too narrow.
We believe that there are components of
SEA capacity-building that require
specialized knowledge and expertise,
and we have identified those areas in
the requirements for the Center on
Building State Capacity and
Productivity.
Changes: None.
Requirements
Requirements for All Centers
Comment: Two commenters asked the
Department to clarify the client base for
the Comprehensive Centers.
Specifically, the commenter requested
clarification about whether centers
could work only with SEAs or whether
they could also work directly with
school districts, schools, and other State
agencies.
Discussion: The primary clients for
the Regional Centers are the SEAs. The
centers help build the capacity of the
SEAs to better support their districts
and schools. We expect that center staff
will at times work alongside the SEA
staff to assist in addressing district and
school issues, but the center’s efforts
should enhance and not replace those of
the SEA. Therefore, any work with
individual school districts and schools
must involve a high leverage strategy
(reach a large number or proportion of
districts or schools; respond to a need
identified by the SEA; and be planned,
coordinated, and executed in concert
with the SEA). The centers are not
required to, but may, interact with other
State agencies but only to support their
work with SEAs.
Changes: None.
Comment: One commenter requested
clarification about whether the
proposed requirement that all centers
use a common online portal to share
and exchange information meant the
online portal would replace individual
center Web sites.
Discussion: It does not. Coordination
and collaboration among technical
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assistance providers are important and
we require both activities for all centers.
A key component of this coordination is
providing easy and efficient access to
technical assistance expertise, materials
and other resources to a variety of
potential users. We intend to facilitate
the sharing of information by
maintaining a common portal, but this
does not preclude an individual center
from establishing and maintaining its
own Web site. Detailed requirements for
the use of the portal by the
Comprehensive Centers will be
established in the centers’ cooperative
agreements with the Department.
Changes: None.
Comment: One commenter requested
clarification of the requirement that all
centers make their materials and
products freely available.
Discussion: All Comprehensive
Centers are required to make all training
materials, rubrics, manuals,
presentations, and other materials
developed during the grant period
available to the public at no cost
through the online portal described in
paragraph II(A)(3) of the requirements
section of this notice. Centers may also
publish materials and products on their
own Web sites or through other means.
Changes: None.
Comment: One commenter requested
clarification of the requirement that
centers identify, track, and assess
innovative approaches and promising
practices. Specifically, the commenter
requested clarification on how and in
what ways the Content Centers will be
able to assess the value of the promising
practices and innovative approaches
that they will be expected to identify,
synthesize, and disseminate.
Discussion: We encourage applicants,
when identifying and assessing the
value of promising practices, to look, for
example, to the evidence standard of a
reasonable hypothesis as used in the
Department’s Investing in Innovation
program. Relying on the reasonable
hypothesis standard, the approach or
reported practice should suggest the
potential for efficacy for at least some
participants and settings. The center
should consider whether the proposed
practice, strategy, or program, or one
similar to it, has been attempted
previously, albeit on a limited scale or
in a limited setting, and yielded
promising results that suggest that more
formal and systematic study is
warranted. The center should also
consider whether there is a rationale for
the proposed practice, strategy, or
program that is based on research
findings or reasonable hypotheses.
Changes: None.
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Comment: One commenter supported
the focal areas for the proposed Content
Centers but wanted to ensure that all of
the centers focus on students.
Discussion: The purpose of both
Regional and Content Centers is to help
build the capacity of States to better
lead and support their LEAs and schools
in improving student outcomes. We
believe the priorities, requirements, and
selection criteria are consistent with this
purpose and thus will ensure that all of
the centers focus on students.
Changes: None.
Comment: None.
Discussion: In order to clarify that all
Comprehensive Centers must establish
an advisory board, the Department has
added a specific reference to the
statutory citation.
Changes: Under the requirements for
all centers to coordinate and collaborate,
the Department has added a specific
reference to section 203(g) of the ETAA
and its requirement that all
Comprehensive Centers establish an
advisory board.
Requirements for All Regional Centers
Comment: One commenter proposed
amending the language of the priority
and requirements for all Regional
Centers so as to require those centers to
identify related-service providers in
addition to teachers and leaders when
discussing Regional Center technical
assistance to SEAs. Doing this would
ensure that these providers are included
in overall efforts related to education
professionals.
Discussion: We agree that relatedservice providers play a key role in
supporting student achievement and
that schools and districts face many of
the same issues in recruiting,
developing, and retaining relatedservice providers as they do for
classroom teachers and other school
professionals, such as guidance
counselors and librarians. While we do
not explicitly mention these educators
in the priority or requirements, the
Regional Centers have the flexibility to
work with SEAs seeking technical
assistance to support effective
instruction and leadership of all
educators. Therefore, we decline the
suggestion to identify specific categories
of educators in the priority or
requirements for the Regional Centers.
Changes: None.
Comment: One commenter suggested
that all Regional Centers should possess
the same knowledge and understanding
that is required of applicants for the
Center on Building State Capacity and
Productivity, asserting that Regional
Centers able to draw on their own
expertise in this area will have a
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significant advantage over those that
will need to rely entirely on this
Content Center. The commenter
suggested revising the requirements for
all Regional Centers to clarify that a
grantee must provide technical
assistance that draws on the expertise of
the Center on Building State Capacity
and Productivity as well as on its own
research and experience conducted in
non-education sectors and industries.
Discussion: We agree that the work of
building SEA capacity must be the
responsibility of all Comprehensive
Centers and acknowledge that
experience in providing this type of
technical assistance is valuable.
Applicants for Regional and Content
Centers must have knowledge and
understanding of research-based
practices, emerging promising practices,
and specific expertise in providing highquality, relevant technical assistance to
States or multiple districts. We believe
that possessing this knowledge and
expertise will enable an applicant to
provide high-quality technical
assistance specifically related to
building SEA capacity. Therefore, we
decline to include an additional
requirement for Regional Center
applicants as suggested in the comment.
Changes: None.
Requirements for All Content Centers
Comment: One commenter inquired
whether the Content Centers could
develop new content, noting that
Regional Centers may not.
Discussion: The Content Centers are
expected to develop high-quality
publications, tools, and other resources
as described in the Requirements for All
Content Centers section of this notice.
Changes: None.
Comment: One commenter noted that
it appeared that of all of the Content
Centers, only applicants for the Center
on School Turnaround would be
required to address any of the affective
dimensions related to student outcomes.
The commenter suggested that
applicants for every center should be
required to specify how they will assure
that relevant equity issues are
addressed.
Discussion: As stated previously, the
purpose of the Comprehensive Centers
is to provide technical assistance in
identified priority areas to help SEAs
build their capacity to improve
educational outcomes for all students,
close achievement gaps, and improve
the quality of instruction. Nothing in
this notice would prevent a Regional or
Content Center from working with an
SEA to address the affective dimensions
of student achievement including
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relevant equity issues in order to
address one of these priority areas.
Changes: None.
Requirements for Center on Enhancing
Early Learning Outcomes
Comment: One commenter
recommended that the center be
required to address the needs of at-risk
young children and to work on
strengthening the transitions, crosssector collaborative care, and education
of pre-school children.
Discussion: As described in the
program requirements, the Center on
Enhancing Early Learning Outcomes
will provide technical assistance to
Regional Centers and SEAs that
supports coordinated statewide systems
that promote young children’s success
in school and helps SEAs align policies
and resources to increase the successful
transitions of children and to close the
achievement gap, particularly for highneed children as they enter
kindergarten. As these suggestions are
reflected in the original language, we
decline to make the recommended
changes.
Changes: None.
Comment: One commenter, while
expressing support for the creation of a
Center on Enhancing Early Learning
Outcomes, recommended expanding the
intended audiences for the center’s
technical assistance beyond SEAs, to
include agencies that oversee early
learning programs in the States, such as
Early Learning Councils and Head Start
Collaboration Offices. The commenter
stated that this expansion would be
especially important in States with new
agencies that oversee early learning and
where the SEA does not have major
responsibilities for early learning
programs.
Discussion: The ETAA authorizes the
Comprehensive Centers to provide
training, technical assistance, and
professional development to SEAs,
LEAs, regional educational agencies,
and schools only. We therefore cannot
expand the types of entities receiving
services under this program. However,
the Center on Enhancing Early Learning
Outcomes may interact with other State
agencies, such as those mentioned by
the commenters, where appropriate to
support their work with SEAs.
Changes: None.
Comment: One commenter suggested
that the Center on Enhancing Early
Learning Outcomes specifically assist
those States that have received Race to
the Top-Early Learning Challenge (RTT–
ELC) funds and those that have
successfully developed plans to increase
access to high-quality early learning
systems, especially for high-need
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children. The commenter also
recommended including additional
requirements for this center that are
aligned with the RTT–ELC program and
that focus on addressing effective
instructional practices, developmentally
appropriate learning environments,
State capacity to use data, and effective
governance structures.
Discussion: By statute, grantees under
the Comprehensive Centers program
must provide technical assistance to all
States. Therefore, we are requiring this
center to support all States, including
States that have received RTT–ELC
grants. Under the requirements in this
notice, the Center on Enhancing Early
Learning Outcomes must provide
technical assistance on using
assessment data and other information
to improve the quality of instruction in
early learning programs and to increase
the capacity of SEAs to implement
comprehensive and aligned early
learning systems. This technical
assistance may include the areas
suggested by the commenter.
Changes: None.
Comment: A number of commenters
suggested a variety of additional areas
deserving the attention of the Center for
Enhancing Early Learning Outcomes:
Addressing the needs of young English
Learners, implementing STEM curricula
and instructional strategies, supporting
the extension of standards related to
multiple domains of child development,
analyzing costs of alternative policies
and practices, ensuring that parents and
caregivers understand data, and
providing quality pre-service and inservice professional development for
teachers and related service providers.
Discussion: We agree that there are
many topics that the Center for
Enhancing Early Learning Outcomes
could address in order to help increase
the number of children who are
prepared to succeed in school. We note
that while the requirements for this
center do not list each of the areas
identified above, they also do not limit
the early learning issues that might be
addressed in the work plans developed
by the center in collaboration with
Regional Centers and SEAs. Again, we
believe it is important to allow centers
flexibility to be responsive to State
needs.
Changes: None.
Comment: One commenter
recommended that the center’s first
priority should be expanding existing
programming and increasing access for
more students.
Discussion: We strongly agree that
increasing young children’s access to
high-quality early learning
environments is critical. In this regard,
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the Center on Enhancing Early Learning
Outcomes will help SEAs increase the
quality of early learning systems and
thereby provide more opportunities for
children to learn in high-quality
environments. However, the purpose of
the Comprehensive Centers program,
consistent with the ETAA, is to provide
technical assistance to SEAs, not to take
actions that directly result in expanded
programming or increased participation
in early learning programs.
Changes: None.
Comment: One commenter asked the
Department to clarify how the center
will coordinate and collaborate with
other federally funded early childhood
technical assistance centers to avoid
duplication of effort.
Discussion: All centers will be
required to collaborate with other
technical assistance providers to
address SEA needs and to develop
strong relationships and partnerships
with leading experts and organizations
nationwide, including other federally
funded technical assistance centers. The
Center on Enhancing Early Learning
Outcomes must provide technical
assistance to Regional Centers and SEAs
that focuses on integrating and aligning
resources and policies across State
agencies and programs in order to
support a coordinated statewide system
that promotes young children’s success
in school.
Changes: None.
Requirements for the Center on School
Turnaround
Comment: One commenter suggested
modifying the requirements for the
Center on School Turnaround to require
an emphasis on parent support,
including on helping parents
understand data on low-performing
schools.
Discussion: The Center on School
Turnaround must provide technical
assistance to help increase the capacity
of SEAs to support their districts and
schools in turning around their lowperforming schools, and these
turnaround efforts often include
increasing parent and family
involvement. The overwhelming
majority of schools identified under the
School Improvement Grants program are
implementing turnaround models that
include engagement activities such as
increasing the involvement and
contributions of parents and community
partners. All centers may provide
technical assistance that builds the
capacity of SEAs to improve family and
community engagement, if SEAs
identify this as a high-priority need. For
these reasons, we have decided that it
is not necessary to add an additional
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requirement for the Center on School
Turnaround.
Changes: None.
Comment: One commenter suggested
amending the requirements for the
Center on School Turnaround to
recognize the communication needs of
students with disabilities as a nonacademic factor that affects student
achievement.
Discussion: We recognize the need for
the lowest performing schools to meet
the needs of all students by addressing
both academic and non-academic
factors that affect student achievement.
While we identify some non-academic
factors (social, emotional, and health
needs) in the requirements for the
Center on School Turnaround, we do
not present them as an exhaustive list.
Our identifying certain non-academic
factors will not preclude the center from
addressing additional non-academic
factors with SEAs, and we don’t believe
that attempting to identify all those
factors is necessary. Therefore, we
decline to amend the requirement.
Changes: None.
Requirements for the Center on
Innovations in Learning
Comment: A number of commenters
recommended that the Center on
Innovations in Learning focus on
Universal Design for Learning (UDL)
and cited the need for technical
assistance in UDL for SEAs and
Regional Centers and professional
development in UDL for educators.
Discussion: The purpose of the Center
on Innovations in Learning is to provide
technical assistance to help SEAs
identify and implement a broad array of
policies, strategies, and practices that
significantly improve, or have the
potential to significantly improve,
student outcomes. These strategies may
include UDL, which is an effective
framework for engaging learners with
different abilities, backgrounds, and
motivations. However we decline to
require the inclusion of UDL because we
believe it is important to allow centers
flexibility to be responsive to State
needs.
Changes: None.
Comment: One commenter proposed
amending the requirements for the
Center on Innovations in Learning to
specify classroom amplification systems
as an example of technologies that
support the personalization of learning.
Discussion: While recognizing the value
of classroom amplification systems for
certain students, the requirement to
help SEAs select and implement
technologies that support the
personalization of learning is intended
to apply to all students, whether or not
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they have hearing impairments. The
Center is required to help SEAs identify
and implement policies, strategies, and
practices that encourage the
identification and scaling up of new
teaching and learning strategies,
approaches, processes, or tools that have
the potential to significantly improve
student outcomes. Classroom
amplification systems may be essential
to meeting the learning needs of some
students, and, if so, those requirements
would be detailed in that student’s
Individualized Education Program.
Therefore, we decline to make the
requested change.
Changes: None.
Requirements for the Center on College
and Career Readiness and Success
Comment: One commenter asked for
clarification of how the Center on
College and Career Readiness and
Success will work with the Regional
Centers on its areas of focus.
Discussion: The Content Centers will
work to increase the depth of knowledge
and expertise available to Regional
Centers and SEAs on key topic areas
and complement the work of the
Regional Centers by providing
information, publications, tools, and
specialized technical assistance based
on research-based practices and
emerging promising-practices. The
Content Centers will identify, organize,
and communicate key research and best
practices through publications, tools,
and direct technical assistance. They
may also create opportunities for SEAs
and Regional Centers to learn from
researchers and other experts about
practical strategies for implementing
reforms related to their focal areas. The
Center on College and Career Readiness
and Success will engage in these tasks
in its area of focus as described in the
priority and program requirements.
Changes: None.
Comment: One commenter requested
clarification regarding the extent to
which the Center on College and Career
Readiness and Success could
collaborate directly with institutions of
higher education (IHEs) and systems or
facilitate SEA collaboration with them.
Discussion: We acknowledge that
some technical assistance activities
listed under the requirements for the
Center on College and Career Readiness
and Success, such as implementing
accelerated learning strategies or
developing rigorous career and
technical education programs, might
necessitate substantive collaboration
between SEAs and IHEs. However, other
areas of activity might not. However, in
order to provide technical assistance on
some of the activities, we acknowledge
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that the Center might facilitate SEA
collaboration with IHEs. We choose not
to define a minimum or maximum level
of SEA collaboration with IHEs. We will
instead rely on the center to meet the
requirements through varying levels of
collaboration between SEAs and IHEs,
as appropriate.
Changes: None.
Comment: One commenter requested
clarification on the requirement of
experience working with K–12 and
postsecondary education systems for the
Center on College and Career Readiness
and Success. The commenter
questioned whether this requirement
would address State and district K–12
systems, public and private
postsecondary systems, and the systems
of individual institutions.
Discussion: We expect that grantees
will have the experience and knowledge
necessary to successfully provide
technical assistance as described in the
program requirements. Applicants are
required to provide evidence of (1)
working with SEAs or multiple districts
to design and implement systemic,
comprehensive strategies to improve
student transitions from high school to
postsecondary degree or credential
programs, and (2) working with K–12
and postsecondary education systems to
align policies and practices in order to
improve student transitions from high
school to postsecondary degree or
credential programs. This experience
and knowledge could be gained in a
variety of ways. However, we do not
require applicants to have experience
with specific types of higher education
institutions.
Changes: None.
Comment: To help develop rigorous
career and technical education
programs, one commenter suggested
including additional examples to the list
of possible activities for the Center on
College and Career Readiness and
Success. These could include support
for collaboration with labor unions and
for enrollment in apprenticeship
programs.
Discussion: The Center on College and
Career Readiness and Success must
provide technical assistance to Regional
Centers and SEAs that focuses on SEA
development and scaling up of
statewide rigorous career and technical
education (CTE) programs that align
with college- and career-ready standards
and lead to an industry-recognized
credential or postsecondary certificate
or degree. We provide some examples of
how that might be accomplished and
recognize that many others could be
included. Nothing in the language of
this notice precludes the center from
working with SEAs and Regional
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by the commenter.
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Requirements for Center on Great
Teachers and Leaders
Comment: One commenter suggested
requiring that the Center on Great
Teachers and Leaders provide technical
assistance focused on supporting a
positive school culture, high
expectations, family and community
involvement, and community
leadership development.
Discussion: The Center on Great
Teachers and Leaders will provide
technical assistance to help SEAs and
Regional Centers support effective
instruction and leadership; improve
student outcomes; and identify,
synthesize, and disseminate researchbased practices and emerging promising
practices. The requirements for this
Center identify a number of issues that
must be addressed, including improving
instructional practices; ensuring the
equitable distribution of effective
teachers; and developing strategies to
recruit, reward, retain, and support
effective teachers and leaders. To the
degree that the issues mentioned by the
commenter are related to these
requirements and the Center’s priority,
and to the extent that the SEA seeks
assistance in addressing them, this
Center could provide needed technical
assistance. Therefore, we decline to add
the suggested requirements.
Changes: None.
Requirements for the Center on
Building State Capacity and
Productivity
Comment: One commenter suggested
that the Center on Building State
Capacity and Productivity provide
technical assistance to help SEAs hold
their LEAs accountable.
Discussion: The purpose of the Center
on Building State Capacity and
Productivity is to provide technical
assistance and identify, synthesize, and
disseminate research-based practices
and emerging promising practices that
will increase the capacity of SEAs to
implement their key initiatives
statewide and support district and
school-level implementation of effective
practices to improve student outcomes.
Therefore, nothing precludes this center
from working with an SEA on
approaches for holding its LEAs
accountable when the work is related to
implementing statewide initiatives to
improve student outcomes.
Changes: None.
Comment: One commenter suggested
that the Center on Building State
Capacity and Productivity help SEAs
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identify supports and interventions to
address not only the needs of districts
and schools but also the needs of
parents and caregivers.
Discussion: Under the requirements
for this Center, grantees are expected to
provide technical assistance that builds
the capacity of SEAs to better support
their districts and schools. This support
includes helping districts and schools
communicate more effectively with
parents and caregivers. Nothing in the
priority or requirements for this center
would prevent the Center from working
with the SEA to address this issue to the
extent that the SEA identifies it as an
area in which it could benefit from the
Center’s capacity-building technical
assistance. Therefore, we do not think it
necessary to add to the requirements.
Changes: None.
Application Requirements
General
Comment: One commenter
recommended that in addition to
demonstrating the capacity and
experience of key staff, applicants be
required to demonstrate corporate
capacity and experience. The
commenter also suggested that
experience providing technical
assistance for a variety of education
constituencies through vehicles other
than the Comprehensive Centers be
given consideration equal to that given
for work conducted through the
Comprehensive Centers.
Discussion: In the application
requirements, we identify the subjectmatter and technical expertise that
applicants must demonstrate. We
assume that the expertise of key staff
reflects the corporate capacities and
experience of the applicant that
proposes them. Additionally, the
selection criteria state that we will
evaluate not only key personnel but also
the quality of the proposed technical
assistance plan, project design, and
management plan. When reviewing
applications, we will consider all
relevant experience. We will not award
additional points or give special
consideration to applicants that
demonstrate experience conducting
technical assistance through a
Comprehensive Center.
Changes: None.
Comment: Two commenters requested
clarification of the application
requirement that centers engage the
services of an external evaluator.
Discussion: Upon further review and
consideration, we have revised the
evaluation requirements. We have
removed the requirement for a third
party evaluation. However, we do
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believe that evaluation and continuous
assessment of the Centers’ performance
are important parts of providing useful
and relevant technical assistance to
SEAs. Therefore, we still require each
applicant to include in the application
a plan to assess its own progress and
performance. Additionally, to ensure
that the evaluations are of high quality,
measurable, and comparable for all
centers, we are revising the title of this
subsection to include the word
‘‘performance’’ and to require that the
plan include results-based outcomes.
Changes: In paragraph II(A)(4) of the
Requirements for all Centers section, we
have revised the title of the subsection
to read ‘‘Performance and Evaluation’’
and deleted the requirement that a third
party perform an evaluation of the
program. Additionally, in section
III(K)(4) of the Application
Requirements, we have revised the title
of the subsection to read ‘‘Performance
and Evaluation Plan,’’ deleted the
reference to a third-party evaluator, and
included clarifying language regarding
the plan requirements. We specify that
the plan must include a set of
performance objectives the project
intends to achieve and performance
measures for each performance
objective, which must include resultsbased outcomes; explain the qualitative
and quantitative methods that will be
used to collect, analyze, and report
performance data; and describe the
methods that will be used to monitor
progress and make mid-course
corrections as needed.
Center on Enhancing Early Learning
Outcomes
Comment: A few commenters
recommended adding requirements to
the subject-matter and technicalexpertise requirements for the Center on
Enhancing Early Learning Outcomes.
One commenter advised that in addition
to the experience we proposed, grantees
would need experience with
professional development for early
childhood educators, Head Start, and
child care. A few commenters
recommended additional expertise
requirements, including participation in
early childhood collaborative efforts,
participation in projects focused on atrisk young children, and knowledge of
the developmental and learning needs
of young children. Another commenter
recommended that consideration be
given to requiring applicants to
demonstrate capacity to produce
substantive change in policy and
practice.
Discussion: We agree that in order to
provide high-quality technical
assistance that will help SEAs increase
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their capacity to implement
comprehensive and aligned early
learning systems, grantees should have
additional areas of expertise. Therefore,
we are revising the application
requirements for the Center on
Enhancing Early Learning Outcomes to
include additional requirements. We
note that the subject-matter and
technical expertise requirements for all
centers include the expectations that an
applicant demonstrate experience in
building collaborative relationships and
that an applicant provide evidence of
the effect of its technical assistance on
improving student outcomes.
Changes: We have added two
requirements to applications for the
Center on Enhancing Early Learning
Outcomes. An applicant must provide
evidence demonstrating that it possesses
knowledge and understanding of
developmentally appropriate practices
for early learning and of State early
learning systems, and an applicant must
demonstrate that the proposed center
staff have experience in working with
publicly funded early learning
programs, such as State-funded
preschool, Head Start, programs funded
under section 619 of part B of IDEA and
part C of IDEA; programs funded under
Title I of the ESEA; and programs
receiving funds from the State’s Child
Care Development Fund (CCDF).
Flexibility and Requirements for
Regional Center Assignments
Comment: Many commenters were
concerned about the proposed flexibility
requirements for Regional Center
assignments. Commenters noted that the
flexibility may deter collaboration and
communication among Regional and
Content Centers. Specifically, they were
concerned that the flexibility would
create a competitive dynamic that
would hinder cross-center and crossState collaboration.
Commenters agreed that SEAs
unhappy with the level of service by
their assigned Regional Center should
have mechanisms for obtaining quality
service. However, commenters were
concerned that reassigning States to
certain centers two years into a grant
would be difficult to implement and
affect the continuity of State work.
They noted that an SEA changing
affiliation would have to invest
additional time in developing
relationships with the new center,
possibly creating gaps in service.
Commenters were also concerned that
other States in the region might
experience gaps in service while the
Regional Center takes on the work of the
additional SEA. They noted that the
flexibility could create difficulties in the
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planning and staffing of Regional
Centers. Finally, commenters were
concerned that centers with large
marketing budgets might have an
advantage in promoting their services to
SEAs. One commenter, however,
supported our proposal, noting that
flexibility would strengthen incentives
to provide relevant and high-quality
service and would allow States to
maximize their ability to collaborate
with peer States that share their reform
goals and strategies.
Discussion: We appreciate the
concerns raised by the commenters and
acknowledge that the flexibility may
create a competitive dynamic among
centers. However, we believe that the
best way to implement a customercentered, performance-focused technical
assistance network is to allow States to
create a demand-driven market for
services. We disagree that this flexibility
will deter collaboration and
communication among Regional and
Content Centers. In order to provide
quality technical assistance sought after
by States, centers must continue to
collaborate and take advantage of the
expertise of both Content and Regional
Centers. Regional Centers that
collaborate with other centers across
regional boundaries are often better able
to provide technical assistance to their
States. Therefore, it will be in the best
interest of every center to work with
other centers to improve the quality of
technical assistance across the country.
We acknowledge that there may be
implementation challenges when a State
requests reassignment. We agree that
SEAs unsatisfied with their current
center should have more than one
mechanism for obtaining quality
service. For these reasons, the
Department has added clarifying
information about how and when a
State may request reassignment. In
addition, once a State has requested
reassignment, the current Regional
Center will have time to work with the
State to resolve any quality-of-service
issues prior to the Department
considering the request for
reassignment.
We also acknowledge that there may
be a temporary gap in services when a
State is assigned to a different Regional
Center. However, prior to requesting
reassignment, the State must obtain
documentation from the new Regional
Center indicating its willingness and
capacity to serve the additional State.
As a result of this process, the new
Regional Center should already be
effectively planning and working with
the State to develop a strategy for
continuing services to the State while
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maintaining the same level of service for
all of its current States.
Finally, we disagree with those
commenters suggesting that Regional
Centers with larger marketing budgets
have an advantage over centers with
smaller budgets. States are likely to
request reassignment in order to seek
services that they believe will best meet
their needs, regardless of location or
marketing initiatives. Further, we agree
with the comment that supports this
flexibility because it would allow States
to maximize their ability to collaborate
with peer States that share their reform
goals and strategies.
Changes: We have clarified the
process for a State to request
reassignment to a different Regional
Center. In its request, an SEA must
provide its specific reasons for
requesting reassignment. The
Department will notify the current
Regional Center immediately after
receiving the request for reassignment.
We have also added time to the process
of requesting reassignment to allow the
current Regional Center time to work
with the State to resolve any quality-ofservice issues prior to the Department
considering the request for
reassignment.
Cost Sharing or In-Kind Match
Comment: A number of commenters
objected to the proposal to establish a
competitive preference priority for
applicants that provide evidence of a
commitment of funds or an in-kind
match, or both, that totals at least 15
percent of the total grant budget. The
commenters expressed a number of
concerns.
They stated that external funders
would expect to have a significant voice
in Center decision-making, especially as
the rate of cost-sharing increased.
Commenters were also concerned that
the complexity of tracking separate
sources of funds would pose a
significant burden. Commenters noted
that the current economic climate in
general has increased the difficulty of
obtaining funds and that applicants
could find themselves in competition
with States for the limited available
funds. Commenters also stated that large
foundations would be more inclined to
fund projects with national scope and a
tangible potential product and less
likely to fund regional technical
assistance. Finally, commenters voiced
concern that applicants with an already
established relationship with
philanthropic organizations might have
an unfair advantage. One commenter
stated that the Department did not
present a strong justification explaining
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why the program would benefit from
this priority.
Discussion: The Comprehensive
Centers program represents a significant
investment in technical assistance to
SEAs. We are committed to supporting
SEAs, districts, and schools as they
work to implement their reform
priorities. Because of the importance of
these technical assistance efforts, we
believe that there is significant value in
securing additional funding to support
SEA capacity-building. Combining the
Department’s efforts and resources with
external efforts and resources provides
an opportunity to increase and extend
the reach of the Comprehensive Centers
program. For these reasons, we remain
committed to providing incentives for
additional investments in the work of
the centers.
However, we also acknowledge the
challenges of securing matching funds
and managing multiple partnerships.
Therefore, for the FY 2012 competition,
we will use this priority only as an
invitational priority. We indicate this in
the notice inviting applications
published elsewhere in this issue of the
Federal Register. We also remove the
‘‘competitive preference’’ designation
from the priority and in this notice of
final priorities, requirements, and
selection criteria (NFP). Not designating
it as absolute, competitive preference, or
invitational in the NFP will allow the
Department flexibility in using the
priority in future competitions.
Changes: We have revised the priority
for cost-sharing or matching to remove
the competitive preference designation.
Selection Criteria
Comment: One commenter suggested
that we add to the selection criteria a
criterion on the demonstrated ability to
provide analytically based technical
assistance. The commenter cited the
usefulness of technical assistance that
improves the analytic capacity of the
SEA and its contribution to data-based
decision-making.
Discussion: We acknowledge the
usefulness of technical assistance that
improves the analytic capacity of SEAs
and contributes to their skill in making
data-based decisions. Regional Centers
will be required to provide technical
assistance that builds SEA capacity to
implement, support, scale up, and
sustain initiatives that address the use
of data-based decision-making to
improve instructional practices,
policies, and student outcomes. In
addition, the requirements for the
Center on Building State Capacity and
Productivity include helping SEAs
identify research-based practices and
emerging promising practices in such
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areas as human capital management,
financial data systems, and return-oninvestment analyses that can inform
decision-making and help improve SEA
productivity. We will use the selection
criteria to determine the extent to which
applicants meet these requirements.
Therefore, we do not believe it is
necessary to add an additional selection
criterion.
Changes: None.
Comment: One commenter asked
whether the criterion that requires that
Content Centers demonstrate evidence
of in-depth knowledge and
understanding of State technical
assistance needs means that a center
must have a broad view of the kinds of
needs that all or many States have, or
an in-depth understanding of the needs
of each State.
Discussion: As described in the
requirements in this notice for all
Content Centers, each Center must both
assess national needs and take into
account the needs of SEAs and Regional
Centers in its area of expertise.
Changes: None.
FINAL PRIORITIES:
I. Priorities
This notice contains eight priorities.
The Assistant Secretary may use one or
more of these priorities for the FY 2012
Comprehensive Centers program
competition or for any subsequent
competitions.
PRIORITY FOR REGIONAL
CENTERS:
Priority 1: Regional Centers. Each
Regional Center must provide highquality technical assistance that focuses
on key initiatives, aligns with the work
of the Content Centers, and builds the
capacity of SEAs to implement, support,
scale up, and sustain initiatives
statewide and to lead and support their
LEAs and schools in improving student
outcomes. Key initiatives include: (1)
Implementing college- and career-ready
standards and aligned, high-quality
assessments for all students; (2)
identifying, recruiting, developing, and
retaining highly effective teachers and
leaders; (3) turning around the lowestperforming schools; (4) ensuring the
school readiness and success of
preschool-age children and their
successful transition to kindergarten; (5)
building rigorous instructional
pathways that support the successful
transition of all students from secondary
education to college without the need
for remediation, and careers; (6)
identifying and scaling up innovative
approaches to teaching and learning that
significantly improve student outcomes;
and (7) using data-based decisionmaking to improve instructional
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practices, policies, and student
outcomes.
PRIORITIES FOR CONTENT
CENTERS:
Priority 2: Center on Standards and
Assessments Implementation. The
Center on Standards and Assessments
Implementation must provide technical
assistance and identify, synthesize, and
disseminate research-based practices
and emerging promising practices that
will lead to the increased capacity of
SEAs to support their districts and
schools in implementing rigorous
college- and career-ready standards and
aligned high-quality assessments.
Priority 3: Center on Great Teachers
and Leaders. The Center on Great
Teachers and Leaders must provide
technical assistance and identify,
synthesize, and disseminate researchbased practices and emerging promising
practices that will lead to the increased
capacity of SEAs to support their
districts and schools in improving
student outcomes by supporting
effective instruction and leadership.
Priority 4: Center on School
Turnaround. The Center on School
Turnaround must provide technical
assistance and identify, synthesize, and
disseminate research-based practices
and emerging promising practices that
will lead to the increased capacity of
SEAs to support their districts and
schools in turning around their lowestperforming schools.
Priority 5: Center on Enhancing Early
Learning Outcomes. The Center on
Enhancing Early Learning Outcomes
must provide technical assistance and
identify, synthesize, and disseminate
research-based practices and emerging
promising practices that will lead to the
increased capacity of SEAs to
implement comprehensive and aligned
early learning systems in order to
increase the number of children from
birth through third grade who are
prepared to succeed in school.
Priority 6: Center on College and
Career Readiness and Success. The
Center on College and Career Readiness
and Success must provide technical
assistance and identify, synthesize, and
disseminate research-based practices
and emerging promising practices that
will lead to the increased capacity of
SEAs to support districts and schools in
implementing comprehensive strategies
that promote college- and careerreadiness for students in kindergarten
through grade 12 (K–12) and ensure the
successful transition of all students from
high school graduation to postsecondary
education and the workforce.
Priority 7: Center on Building State
Capacity and Productivity. The Center
on Building State Capacity and
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Productivity must provide technical
assistance and identify, synthesize, and
disseminate research-based practices
and emerging promising practices that
will increase the capacity of SEAs to
implement their key initiatives
statewide and support district- and
school-level implementation of effective
practices to improve student outcomes.
Priority 8: Center on Innovations in
Learning. The Center on Innovations in
Learning must provide technical
assistance and identify, synthesize, and
disseminate research-based practices
and emerging promising practices that
will lead to the increased capacity of
SEAs to identify and scale up
innovative approaches that significantly
improve, or have the potential to
significantly improve, student
outcomes.
PRIORITY FOR ALL CENTERS:
Priority: Cost-Sharing or Matching.
Applications that provide evidence in
the application of a commitment from
one or more entities or organizations in
the public or private sector, which may
include philanthropic organizations, of
funds or an in-kind match, or both, that
totals at least 15 percent of the total
grant budget meet this priority. The
entire amount of the matching
contribution must be non-Federal funds.
See 34 CFR 80.24. Evidence of the
commitment of the financial or in-kind
matching contribution must include the
full amount and source of the matching
contribution and the date that the funds
or in-kind contributions will be
received. Examples of such evidence
include funding agreements with a
public or private-sector entity or other
signed documents such as commitment
letters. The evidence should not include
contingencies that raise concerns about
the funding commitment other than that
the applicant must be awarded a
Comprehensive Centers grant award.
If the Department chooses to
designate this priority as competitive in
a notice inviting applications, we may
provide additional points for applicants
that provide evidence of matching funds
or in-kind contributions in excess of 15
percent of its grant budget. Additional
points may be awarded to the extent
that the applicant provides evidence of
a committed financial or in-kind
matching contribution up to 100 percent
of its grant budget. The Department
would also specify in the notice inviting
applications the number of points to be
awarded for specific ranges of matching
amounts.
Types of Priorities: When inviting
applications for a competition using one
or more priorities, and unless already
established as a specific type of priority
through regulation, we designate the
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type of each priority as absolute,
competitive preference, or invitational
through a notice in the Federal Register.
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)).
II. Comprehensive Center Requirements
The Assistant Secretary of Elementary
and Secondary Education establishes
the following requirements.1
A. Requirements for All Centers.
1. Provide high-quality technical
assistance. Each center must deliver
technical assistance that is based on
research-based practices and emerging
promising practices; highly relevant and
useful to SEAs, LEAs, and school
policymakers and practitioners; timely;
and cost efficient.
2. Provide technical assistance to
build State capacity. Each center must
provide technical assistance to help
SEAs build their capacity to implement
State-level initiatives and support
district- and school-level initiatives that
improve educational outcomes for all
students, close achievement gaps, and
improve the quality of instruction.
For the purposes of this notice, the
process of ‘‘building capacity’’ includes
helping SEAs—
a. Build internal organizational
strength through such activities as
creating sustainable organizational
1 As used in these requirements, the term ‘‘highneed children and high-need students’’ means
children and students at risk of educational failure,
such as children and students who are living in
poverty, who are English Learners, who are far
below grade level or who are not on track to
becoming college- or career-ready by graduation,
who have left school or college before receiving,
respectively, a regular high school diploma or a
college degree or certificate, who are at risk of not
graduating with a diploma on time, who are
homeless, who are in foster care, who are pregnant
or parenting teenagers, who have been incarcerated,
who are new immigrants, who are migrant, or who
have disabilities.
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structures and effective performance
management systems, building staff
expertise within those structures to
ensure that districts and schools are
provided high-quality services and
supports, and better aligning programs
and policies through strengthening
connections (e.g., communication,
collaboration) among different work
streams (e.g., divisions, grant programs);
and
b. Build organizational capacity to
support district- and school-level
implementation of effective practices to
improve student outcomes—for
example, by working collaboratively
and productively with districts and
schools; identifying and implementing a
continuum of supports and
interventions to address the needs of
districts and schools; supporting the
implementation and scaling up of
innovative and effective strategies;
sustaining effective practices; engaging
effective external service providers; and
involving key stakeholders, including
parents, in decision-making.
3. Coordination and Collaboration. In
addition to the statutory requirement
under section 203(f)(2) and (g) of the
ETAA to collaborate with the
Department and other entities and to
establish an advisory board, each center
must collaborate with other
Comprehensive Centers funded under
this program; the Institute of Education
Sciences (IES), including the What
Works Clearinghouse and the RELs;
technical assistance centers funded
under other Department programs; and
other technical assistance providers to
address SEA needs. Each center must—
a. Develop strong, ongoing
relationships and partnerships with
leading experts and organizations
nationwide to supplement and enhance,
as appropriate, center staff’s expertise,
skills, and experience and to ensure that
technical assistance is informed by
research-based practices and emerging
promising practices;
b. Coordinate center activities with
the work of other technical assistance
providers to make the best use of
available knowledge and resources and
avoid duplicating efforts; and
c. Participate in sharing and
exchanging information through a
common online portal administered by
a center funded by the Department for
the purpose of sharing technical
assistance expertise, materials, and
other applicable resources across
Comprehensive Centers, other
Department-funded technical assistance
providers, SEAs, districts, and schools.
4. Performance and Evaluation. Each
center must develop a plan to assess the
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progress and performance of the center
in meeting the educational and
capacity-building needs of the center’s
clients.
B. Requirements for All Regional
Centers. In addition to the requirements
for all centers described in this notice,
each Regional Center must—
1. Assess each State’s needs and
develop an annual work plan in
partnership with each SEA in its region
and the Content Centers, as appropriate,
that—
a. Provides technical assistance to
build SEA capacity to implement,
support, scale up, and sustain initiatives
that address the following key areas: (1)
Implementing college- and career-ready
standards and aligned, high-quality
assessments for all students; (2)
identifying, recruiting, developing, and
retaining highly effective teachers and
leaders; (3) turning around the lowestperforming schools; (4) ensuring the
school-readiness and success of
preschool-age children and their
successful transition to kindergarten
through third grade learning; (5)
building rigorous instructional
pathways that support the successful
transition of all students from secondary
education to college, without the need
for remediation, and to careers; (6)
identifying and scaling up innovative
approaches to teaching and learning that
significantly improve, or have potential
to significantly improve, student
outcomes; and (7) using data-based
decision-making to improve
instructional practices, policies, and
student outcomes;
b. Addresses the needs of each SEA in
the region based on the SEA’s unique
context, challenges, and current
capacity;
c. Articulates an approach to secure
an SEA’s commitment to devote time,
leadership, and personnel needed to
implement the work plan and achieve
specific goals, which may include a
memorandum of understanding or
similar agreement that contains
timelines and benchmarks to ensure that
the work stays on track to achieve these
goals.
d. Addresses the demands of
implementing integrated State
longitudinal data systems and using
data from these systems and other
sources to improve student outcomes, in
collaboration with RELs, as appropriate;
and
e. Addresses the needs of all students,
including English Learners, students
with disabilities, and high-need
students;
2. Deliver high-quality intensive
technical assistance to SEAs that—
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a. Provides regular virtual and on-site
support and coaching at a frequency
appropriate to ensuring high-quality
implementation of the work plan;
b. Facilitates collaborative activities
and strategies for evaluating and
continuously improving organizational
structures and processes;
c. Draws on the expertise of the
Center on Building State Capacity and
Productivity;
d. Facilitates productive SEA
interactions with LEAs and other
stakeholders to support implementation
of key initiatives focused on improving
student outcomes;
e. Helps SEAs implement researchedbased practices and emerging promising
practices identified by the Content
Centers and other leading experts and
organizations nationwide; and
f. Provides opportunities for SEAs to
meet with and learn from researchers,
experts, and each other about practical
and effective strategies for
implementing key initiatives, including
by, for example, organizing or
facilitating SEA participation in
communities of practice; and
3. Make all training materials, rubrics,
manuals, presentations, and other
materials developed during the grant
period publicly and freely available
through the online portal described in
the coordination and collaboration
requirement for all centers.
Note: The requirements for all Regional
Centers do not support the development of
new content. A Regional Center applicant
will not satisfy these requirements if it
proposes a technical assistance plan that
includes development work, such as
designing or developing curricula or
instructional materials for use in classrooms,
developing educational programs, or
conducting research, monitoring, or program
evaluations for an SEA. A Regional Center
may propose to create materials to be used
in capacity-building activities with the SEA,
such as decision matrices, written responses
to information requests, self-assessment
rubrics, or presentation materials. In
addition, to the extent that an applicant
proposes to work with individual school
districts or schools, the applicant must
propose technical assistance that reaches a
large number or proportion of districts or
schools in the State, responds to a need
identified by an SEA, and is planned,
coordinated, and executed in concert with
the SEA.
C. Requirements for All Content
Centers. In addition to the requirements
for all centers described in this notice,
each Content Center must
1. Assess national needs and develop
an annual work plan that—
a. Takes into account the needs of
SEAs and Regional Centers in its area of
expertise;
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b. Addresses its specific area of
expertise; and
c. Addresses the needs of all students,
including English Learners, students
with disabilities, and high-need
students;
2. Deliver high-quality technical
assistance to Regional Centers and SEAs
in its area of expertise that—
a. Reflects collaboration with Regional
Centers to address identified needs of
SEAs;
b. Provides opportunities for SEAs to
learn from researchers, experts, and
each other by, for example, participating
in, organizing, or facilitating SEA
participation in communities of
practice; and
c. Differentiates the delivery of
technical assistance based on the
current capacity and needs of the
Regional Centers and SEAs;
3. Translate expertise, research-based
practices and emerging promising
practices into high-quality publications,
tools, and services appropriate for SEAs,
LEAs, and school policymakers and
practitioners; and
4. Make all training materials, rubrics,
manuals, presentations, and other
materials developed during the grant
period publicly and freely available
through the online portal described in
the coordination and collaboration
requirement for all centers.
D. Requirements for the Center on
Standards and Assessments
Implementation. In addition to the
requirements for all centers and for all
Content Centers described in this notice,
the Center on Standards and
Assessments Implementation must
provide technical assistance to Regional
Centers and SEAs that focuses on—
1. State implementation of collegeand career-ready standards for students
and schools statewide, as well as State
development and administration of
aligned high-quality assessments such
as those under development by the Race
to the Top Assessment program grantees
(https://www2.ed.gov/programs/
racetothetop-assessment/)
and by General Supervision
Enhancement Grants (GSEG) program
grantees, who are developing alternate
assessments based on alternate
academic achievement standards for
students with the most significant
cognitive disabilities;
2. The instructional implications of
transitioning to new standards,
including the need for aligned, highquality instructional materials and highquality professional development and
other supports to prepare teachers to
teach all students, including English
Learners, students with disabilities, and
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low-achieving students, to college- and
career-ready standards;
3. Integrating new standards and
assessments with State accountability
systems and State, district, and school
teacher and leader support and
evaluation systems; and
4. Using assessment data and other
measures of student performance to
inform instruction, differentiate school
performance levels, and evaluate district
and school improvement policies and
activities.
E. Requirements for the Center on
Great Teachers and Leaders. In addition
to the requirements for all centers and
for all Content Centers described in this
notice, the Center on Great Teachers and
Leaders must provide technical
assistance to Regional Centers and SEAs
that focuses on—
1. Developing the knowledge and
skills of teachers and leaders, with
emphasis on improving instructional
practices that help students meet
college- and career-ready standards;
2. Strategies to ensure the equitable
distribution of effective teachers and to
meet demand in hard-to-staff schools
and subjects and in rural areas;
3. Strategies to recruit, reward, retain,
and support effective teachers and
leaders by, for example, offering
opportunities for career advancement;
4. Developing and implementing
teacher and leader human capital
management systems (e.g., systems
related to recruiting, evaluating,
developing, rewarding, and retaining
teachers and leaders), including teacher
and leader evaluation and support
systems that use multiple valid
measures of effectiveness (including
student growth and other measures of
professional performance), differentiate
performance levels, inform professional
development needs, and focus on
continuously improving instruction for
teachers in both tested and non-tested
grades and subjects, including teachers
of English Learners and students with
disabilities; and
5. Using human capital strategies,
which may include professional
development and evaluation, that build
teacher and leader capacity to create
safe, productive school environments
and increase academic engagement for
all students through positive behavior
management and appropriate discipline.
6. Using data from human capital
management systems, State longitudinal
data systems, and other sources to guide
professional development and improve
instruction.
F. Requirements for the Center on
School Turnaround. In addition to the
requirements for all centers and for all
Content Centers described in this notice,
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the Center on School Turnaround must
provide technical assistance to Regional
Centers and SEAs that focuses on—
1. Developing and strengthening
organizational systems and structures
that promote and sustain
comprehensive district and school
reforms that lead to significant gains in
student outcomes and close
achievement gaps in the lowestperforming schools;
2. Developing effective tools,
processes, and policies for States to
monitor and support district and school
efforts to turn around the lowestperforming schools; the tools, processes,
and policies could include ways to
select and monitor external providers,
support and develop turnaround
leaders, and analyze and use data;
3. Collecting and disseminating
information and resources on successful
school turnaround models;
4. Collecting and disseminating
information and resources on promising
and emerging State, district, and school
approaches to: (a) Improving student
outcomes and closing achievement gaps,
(b) addressing non-academic factors that
impact student achievement, such as
students’ social, emotional, and health
needs, and (c) sustaining improvements
across a broad spectrum (e.g., urban,
rural, high-poverty) of the lowestperforming schools and across student
populations (e.g., English Learners,
students with disabilities, high-need
students); these approaches may include
extending learning time; and
4. Facilitating support networks and
ongoing learning opportunities for
SEAs, LEAs, and school policymakers
and practitioners serving the lowestperforming schools, which may include
managing and supporting an online
community of practice.
G. Requirements for the Center on
Enhancing Early Learning Outcomes. In
addition to the requirements for all
centers and for all Content Centers, the
Center on Enhancing Early Learning
Outcomes must provide technical
assistance to Regional Centers and SEAs
that focuses on—
1. Aligning preschool and
kindergarten-through-third-grade
education policies and systems in order
to increase the number of children who
transition successfully to kindergarten
and to close the achievement gap,
particularly for high-need children;
2. Increasing knowledge and expertise
among SEA staff and among State-level
early learning program staff in
understanding the purposes and uses of
a full range of early learning assessment
strategies and instruments and in
selecting assessment instruments and
approaches that are appropriate for all
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children, including English Learners,
students with disabilities, and lowachieving students;
3. Using assessment data and other
information to improve the quality of
instruction in early learning programs;
4. Increasing the effectiveness of the
early learning workforce—for example,
by assisting SEAs in developing and
implementing statewide workforce
knowledge and competency frameworks
designed to support children’s learning
and development and improve
outcomes; supporting more robust early
childhood educator preparation and
professional development efforts; and
developing a common, statewide
progression of teaching credentials and
degrees aligned with the State
frameworks; and
5. Working to integrate and align
resources and policies across State
agencies and programs to support a
coordinated statewide system that
promotes children’s success in school.
H. Requirements for the Center on
College and Career Readiness and
Success. In addition to the requirements
for all centers and for all Content
Centers described in this notice, the
Center on College and Career Readiness
and Success must provide technical
assistance to Regional Centers and SEAs
that focuses on—
1. Policies and practices that—
a. Support the successful transition of
all students from secondary education
to college, without the need for
remediation, and to careers; and
b. Increase postsecondary enrollment,
persistence, and completion—for
example, by assisting SEAs in aligning
secondary and postsecondary learning
expectations, strengthening the rigor of
high school courses and pathways, and
providing college counseling;
2. SEA development and scaling up of
statewide rigorous career and technical
education (CTE) programs that align
with college- and career-ready standards
and lead to an industry-recognized
credential or postsecondary certificate
or degree—for example, by
implementing high-quality,
academically rigorous CTE programs
and courses; providing high school
credits for work-based learning
opportunities; providing college credit
for secondary school academic and
technical courses through statewide
secondary-postsecondary articulation
agreements; implementing career
counseling services that incorporate the
most up-to-date information on existing
and emerging in-demand industry
sectors and occupations; and aligning
CTE programs and priorities with State
and local economic development
strategies, industry standards in existing
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and emerging in-demand industry
sectors and occupations, and job growth
data;
3. High-quality science, technology,
engineering, and mathematics (STEM)
instruction that supports and challenges
students through a progression of STEM
courses and the transition to
postsecondary degree and certificate
programs in STEM fields;
4. Implementing accelerated learning
strategies such as dual-credit and early
college options, General Educational
Development (GED)-to-college
pathways, competency-based pathways,
and other programs designed to
encourage and support the successful
transition of all students, especially
disadvantaged and first-generation
college-going students, dropouts who reenter school, and students with
disabilities, from secondary school into
postsecondary education or training
programs; and
5. Effectively using data—for
example, using early warning and
college- and career-readiness indicators
to identify secondary school students
needing additional support, or
implementing approaches, consistent
with Federal, State, and local privacy
laws and regulations, to allow data to be
shared between LEAs and
postsecondary institutions to improve
student transitions.
I. Requirements for the Center on
Building State Capacity and
Productivity. In addition to the
requirements for all centers and for all
Content Centers described in this notice,
the Center on Building State Capacity
and Productivity must provide technical
assistance to Regional Centers and SEAS
that focuses on—
1. Building the internal organizational
capacity of SEAs by—
a. Supporting the implementation of
sustainable organizational structures
and effective performance management
systems that help SEAs support key
education initiatives and set priorities
for using their resources;
b. Helping SEAs build their staffs’
leadership skills and expertise so that
staff can effectively lead and support
education initiatives and ensure that
districts and schools are provided with
high-quality services and supports;
c. Helping SEAs strengthen
information sharing across
organizational units within SEAs in
order to facilitate cross-cutting work
that increases the success of State- and
district-level initiatives designed to
improve student outcomes and that
enhances the sustainability of these
initiatives;
d. Helping SEAs make more efficient
use of scarce resources—for example, by
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measuring and comparing the costs of
similar systems, processes, programs,
and products; and
e. Identifying State- and district-level
research-based practices and emerging
promising practices in such areas as
human capital management, financial
data systems, and return-on-investment
analyses that can inform decisionmaking and help SEAs improve
productivity and reduce costs across
classrooms, schools, districts, and
States; and
2. Building the organizational
capacity of SEAs to support district- and
school-level implementation of
initiatives designed to improve student
outcomes by helping SEAs—
a. Build collaborative and productive
relationships with their LEAs; provide
technical assistance that builds the
capacity of its LEAs; facilitate the
sharing of research-based practices,
emerging promising practices, and
problem-solving strategies among LEAs;
and identify ways in which the SEA can
help its LEAs scale up effective
practices;
b. Identify and implement a
continuum of supports and
interventions to address the needs of
districts and schools;
c. Develop processes to identify and
select effective external partners and
monitor their progress in achieving
stated goals and objectives; and
d. Engage and provide information to
key stakeholders, including parents, on
the implementation of key initiatives.
J. Requirements for the Center on
Innovations in Learning. In addition to
the requirements for all centers and for
all Content Centers described in this
notice, the Center on Innovations in
Learning must provide technical
assistance to Regional Centers and SEAs
that focuses on—
1. Identifying and implementing
policies, strategies, and practices that
encourage the identification and scaling
up of new teaching and learning
strategies, approaches, processes, or
tools that significantly improve, or have
the potential to significantly improve,
student outcomes—for example,
through analyzing State and district data
to identify positive trends or unique
patterns that indicate significant
improvement, or the potential for
significant improvement, in student
outcomes; helping States use
competitions to identify the most
promising innovations; helping States
rigorously evaluate promising
innovations; and supporting States’
broad adoption of the most promising
and proven innovations and the
replacement of less effective programs
and practices;
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2. Identifying and implementing
policies, strategies, and practices that
encourage improved student outcomes
through personalization of learning for
each student—for example, by helping
SEAs, LEAs, and schools provide
opportunities for self-paced learning,
implement instructional approaches and
subject matter matched to students
needs and interests, and increase access
to experts, teachers, and peers who can
address specific student needs and
interests;
3. Selecting and implementing
technologies that support the
personalization of learning—for
example, (a) data systems that allow
teachers to better differentiate
instruction and instructional resources
for maximum effectiveness and (b)
adaptive instructional systems that
enable students to optimize the pace of
learning and individualize the
instructional content they need to
achieve mastery;
4. Using State and local data systems
to identify specific areas of student need
and evaluate the effectiveness of
specific strategies that support
innovations in learning—for example,
practices that improve student learning
outcomes, that increase the number of
individuals served without increasing
resources, or that maintain educational
outcomes and the number of students
served while using fewer resources; and
5. Identifying and implementing
policies and practices that accelerate the
adoption of promising and proven
personalized learning strategies,
practices, and tools.
K. Application Requirements
1. Technical Assistance Plan. An
applicant for a Regional Center must
submit as part of its application a fiveyear plan of technical assistance that
describes how it will meet the program
requirements for all centers and for
Regional Centers. An applicant for a
Content Center must submit as part of
its application a five-year plan of
technical assistance that describes how
it will meet the program requirements
for all centers, the general requirements
for all Content Centers, and the
applicable Content Center requirements
described in this notice.
2. Subject-Matter and Technical
Expertise. An applicant for a Regional or
Content Center must provide a narrative
describing the subject-matter and
technical expertise of proposed center
staff, including any partners and
consultants. At a minimum, the
narrative must include the names and
resumes for the proposed center staff.
a. All Centers. An applicant for a
Regional or Content Center must
provide evidence in its application
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demonstrating that the proposed center
staff, including any partners and
consultants, possesses—
i. Knowledge and understanding of
the research-based practices and
emerging promising practices that will
enable the applicant to provide highquality technical assistance specifically
related to building SEA capacity to
implement State-level initiatives and to
support district- and school-level
initiatives that improve educational
outcomes for all students, close
achievement gaps, and improve the
quality of instruction; and
ii. Experience in the following:
(a) Delivering high-quality, relevant
technical assistance and sharing
expertise with SEAs or multiple
districts. An applicant must provide
evidence of the effect that its technical
assistance has had on SEAs or LEAs,
such as improved student outcomes,
increased organizational capacity, the
establishment of effective structures or
processes, or high levels of client
satisfaction.
(b) Supporting SEAs or multiple
districts in implementing key initiatives
and in making systemic changes beyond
individual districts or schools.
(c) Building collaborative
relationships with leading experts and
organizations in applicable areas of
expertise to increase the quality,
relevance, and usefulness of technical
assistance.
b. Regional Centers. In addition to the
subject-matter and technical expertise
outlined for all center applicants, an
applicant for a Regional Center must
provide evidence in its application
demonstrating that the proposed center
staff, including any partners and
consultants, possesses—
i. Knowledge and understanding of—
(a) The context and status of
education reform in each of the States
the applicant would serve;
(b) Leading research on implementing
educational initiatives and practices and
on how to help SEAs implement,
support, scale up, and sustain practices
that address identified problems;
(c) LEA support systems within States
the applicant would serve, such as
networks of educational service
agencies and third-party systems of
support, and how to use those systems
to provide high-quality support to
districts and schools; and
ii. Experience in the following:
(a) Working with SEAs or multiple
districts to implement comprehensive or
innovative plans to improve student
achievement or provide large-scale
technical assistance focused on
improving student outcomes.
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(b) Developing and implementing
performance and project management
systems on a large scale or in large,
complex, public-sector institutions.
(c) Facilitating communities of
practice within and across States.
c. Center on Standards and
Assessments Implementation. In
addition to the subject-matter and
technical expertise outlined for all
centers, an applicant for the Center on
Standards and Assessments
Implementation must provide evidence
in its application demonstrating that the
proposed center staff, including any
partners and consultants, possesses—
i. Knowledge and understanding of—
(a) The Common Core State Standards
and other college- and career-ready
standards that States have adopted,
including detailed knowledge and
understanding of the differences in
expectations embedded in these
standards compared to those embedded
in current State standards;
(b) The work of the Smarter Balanced
assessment consortium and the
Partnership for Assessment of Readiness
for College and Careers (PARCC)
assessment consortium, as well as other
State-developed assessments that are
linked to college- and career-ready
standards, including assessment designs
and the status of efforts to develop and
pilot the new assessments; and
(c) Instructional strategies and highquality curricula that are aligned with
rigorous college- and career-ready
standards and support the teaching and
learning of all students, including
English Learners, students with
disabilities, and low-achieving students;
and
ii. Experience in the following:
(a) Working successfully with SEAs or
multiple districts on the
implementation of new standards or
assessments.
(b) Working with experts and
practitioners involved in college- and
career-ready assessment efforts
supported by States, such as the Smarter
Balanced or PARCC assessment
consortia.
(c) Working with SEAs or multiple
districts in aligning curricular and
instructional options, as well as teacher
and leader professional development,
with new, more rigorous standards.
(d) Working with SEAs, LEAs, or
school policymakers and practitioners
on the interpretation and appropriate
use of assessment data.
d. Center on Great Teachers and
Leaders. In addition to the subjectmatter and technical expertise outlined
for all centers, an applicant for the
Center on Great Teachers and Leaders
must provide evidence in its application
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demonstrating that the proposed center
staff, including any partners and
consultants, possesses—
i. Knowledge and understanding of—
(a) Teacher and leader professional
development that improves instruction
and helps students meet college- and
career-ready standards;
(b) Strategies to improve teacher and
leader recruitment and retention;
(c) Designing or improving teacher
and leader human capital management
systems, including teacher and leader
evaluation and support systems, that are
based in significant part on student
growth, differentiate performance,
include multiple measures of
effectiveness, inform professional
development, and focus on continuous
improvement of instruction; and
(d) The broad range of SEA and
district teacher and leader human
capital management systems, State
policies that facilitate or hinder the
development of such high-quality
systems, and possible barriers to the
equitable distribution of effective
teachers and leaders; and
ii. Experience in the following:
(a) Working successfully with SEAs or
multiple districts on improving the
quality of instruction statewide or
across multiple districts.
(b) Working collaboratively with
teacher and leader preparation
organizations, institutions of higher
education, charter management
organizations, or other teacher and
leader preparation and development
groups to develop, implement, or
improve teacher and leader human
capital management systems, including
teacher and leader evaluation and
support systems.
e. Center on School Turnaround. In
addition to the subject-matter and
technical expertise outlined for all
centers, an applicant for the Center on
School Turnaround must provide
evidence in its application
demonstrating that the proposed center
staff, including any partners and
consultants, possesses—
i. Knowledge and understanding of—
(a) The approaches States, districts,
and schools are taking to turn around
their lowest-performing schools,
including efforts under the School
Improvement Grants and Race to the
Top programs; and
(b) Emerging promising practices,
including non-academic practices that
impact student outcomes, for improving
student outcomes in the lowestperforming schools, particularly those
engaged in school turnaround efforts;
and
ii. Experience working with SEAs or
multiple districts on school turnaround
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efforts, including helping SEAs or
multiple districts develop and
implement structures or systems that
promote and sustain comprehensive
district and school reforms and
processes and tools to monitor
turnaround efforts.
f. Center on Enhancing Early Learning
Outcomes. In addition to the subjectmatter and technical expertise outlined
for all centers, an applicant for the
Center on Enhancing Early Learning
Outcomes must provide evidence in its
application demonstrating that the
proposed center staff, including any
partners and consultants, possesses—
i. Knowledge and understanding of—
(a) Developmentally appropriate
practices for early learning;
(b) State early learning and
development standards that define what
children should know and be able to do
from birth through third grade;
(c) Principles and approaches to
appropriately assess young children’s
knowledge and skills from birth through
third grade, including expertise in the
field of psychometrics;
(d) The issues related to improving
the workforce serving children from
birth through third grade, including
issues related to workforce
competencies, certifications, and
compensation; and
(e) State early learning systems; and
ii. Experience in the following:
(a) Providing technical assistance to
SEAs or multiple districts on selecting,
using, and interpreting the results of
early childhood assessments.
(b) Assisting SEAs or multiple
districts on building an effective early
childhood workforce; and
(c) Working with publically funded
early learning programs, such as Statefunded preschool; Head Start; programs
funded under section 619 of part B of
IDEA and part C of IDEA; programs
funded under Title I of the ESEA; and
programs receiving funds from the
State’s Child Care Development Fund
(CCDF).
g. Center on College and Career
Readiness and Success. In addition to
the subject-matter and technical
expertise outlined for all centers, an
applicant for the Center on College and
Career Readiness and Success must
provide evidence in its application
demonstrating that the proposed center
staff, including any partners and
consultants, possess—
i. Knowledge and understanding of—
(a) Research-based practices and
emerging promising practices that
support the successful transition of all
students from secondary education to
college, without the need for
remediation, and to careers;
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(b) Rigorous career and technical
education programs of study that align
with college- and career-ready
standards; and
(c) High-quality STEM instructional
pathways that lead to a postsecondary
degree or certification in STEM fields;
and
ii. Experience in the following:
(a) Working with SEAs or multiple
districts to design and implement
systemic, comprehensive strategies that
promote college- and career-readiness
for K–12 students and students’
successful transition from high school
graduation to postsecondary education
and the workforce.
(b) Helping SEAs address the systemic
needs and challenges they and their
LEAs face in ensuring that all students
graduate from high school prepared for
college and careers, particularly in highpoverty, high-minority, urban, and rural
settings.
(c) Working with K–12 and
postsecondary education systems to
align policies and practices in order to
improve student transitions from high
school to postsecondary degree or
credential programs.
h. Center on Building State Capacity
and Productivity. In addition to the
subject-matter and technical expertise
outlined for all centers, an applicant for
the Center on Building State Capacity
and Productivity must provide evidence
in its application demonstrating that the
proposed center staff, including any
partners and consultants, possesses—
i. Knowledge and understanding of—
(a) SEA organizational structures that
are effective in supporting district- and
school-level implementation of effective
practices to improve student outcomes;
(b) The relationship of an SEA to its
LEAs and the differing resources and
capacities that exist across LEAs;
(c) Research-based practices and
emerging promising practices in using
LEA support systems in States, such as
networks of educational service
agencies and third-party systems of
support, in order to provide high-quality
support to districts and schools; and
(d) Leading research in performance
and project management, including
research conducted in non-education
sectors and industries; and
ii. Experience in the following:
(a) Working with SEAs to successfully
implement programs or initiatives
statewide or in multiple districts.
(b) Providing in-depth coaching and
advice to SEA leaders on improving
internal organizational capacity or the
capacity to support district- and schoollevel implementation of effective
practices in order to improve student
outcomes.
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(c) Facilitating communities of
practice within and across States.
(d) Working with large-scale
organizations, especially public-sector
organizations that work with multiple
constituencies and stakeholders, on
performance and project management.
i. Center on Innovations in Learning.
In addition to the subject-matter and
technical expertise outlined for all
centers, an applicant for the Center on
Innovations in Learning must provide
evidence in its application
demonstrating that the proposed center
staff, including any partners and
consultants, possesses—
i. Knowledge and understanding of—
(a) Policies, strategies, and practices
that encourage the identification and
scaling up of new teaching and learning
strategies, approaches, processes, or
tools that significantly improve, or have
the potential to significantly improve,
student outcomes; and
(b) Policies, strategies, and practices
that encourage improved student
outcomes through personalization of
learning and through implementing
technologies that support the
personalization of learning; and
ii. Experience in the following:
(a) Working with SEAs on identifying
and implementing policies, strategies,
and practices that encourage the
identification and scaling up of new
teaching and learning strategies,
approaches, processes, or tools that
significantly improve, or have the
potential to significantly improve,
student outcomes.
(b) Working with SEAs or LEAs on
identifying and implementing policies,
strategies, and practices that encourage
improved student outcomes through
personalization of learning, including
selecting or developing and
implementing technologies that support
personalized learning.
3. Management Plan.
An applicant must submit a
management plan that describes the
responsibilities of key personnel,
timelines, and milestones for
accomplishing project tasks; the time
commitment of key personnel; and the
adequacy and allocation of resources,
including financial or in-kind matching
contributions from an entity or
organization in the public or private
sector, if any. If an applicant’s proposed
budget includes matching contributions,
the application must include evidence
of a commitment for the full amount of
the matching contribution, inclusive of
the source of the funds or in-kind
contributions and the date(s) they will
be received.
4. Performance and Evaluation Plan.
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Each applicant must provide a plan to
assess the progress and performance of
the center in meeting the educational
and capacity-building needs of SEAs.
The plan must identify a set of
performance objectives the project
intends to achieve and performance
measures for each performance
objective, which must include resultsbased outcomes; explain the qualitative
and quantitative methods that will be
used to collect, analyze, and report
performance data; and describe the
methods that will be used to monitor
progress and make mid-course
corrections as needed. Each center must
also provide a plan to collect and use
reliable formative and summative data
throughout the grant period to inform
and improve service delivery.
III. Flexibility and Requirements for
Regional Center Assignments
Requirements. In the second fiscal
year of the cooperative agreement, and
in each subsequent fiscal year, an SEA
could indicate to the Department its
desire to affiliate with a different
Regional Center, regardless of the
geographic location of that Center. A
State could exercise this option only
once in any two-year period.
To exercise this option, a State must
notify the Department in writing, not
later than six months prior to the end of
the fiscal year, that it wishes to affiliate
with a different Regional Center noting
the specific reasons for requesting
reassignment. The Department will
notify the current Regional Center
immediately after receiving the request
for reassignment. In order to allow time
for the grantee to address quality-ofservice issues and for the Department to
evaluate whether reassignment is in the
best interest of the program, the
Department will provide the State’s
current Regional Center a specified
period of time to address the concerns
articulated by the State before the
Department considers the State request.
The State must provide—
A. Documentation from the proposed
Regional Center with which it wants to
affiliate that indicates the Center’s
willingness and capacity to serve the
additional State; and
B. Other information that the
Department requests.
After considering the documentation
and other information, the Department
could approve a request if it is
consistent with the requirements in
section 203(a) of ETAA that (1) there be
no fewer than 20 Comprehensive
Centers and that (2) there be at least one
Comprehensive Center in each of the 10
geographic regions served by the RELs.
If the Department approves the request,
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the Department will re-designate regions
served by each Regional Center to reflect
any changes in regional membership.
The Department will re-allocate the
funding to each center, taking into
account changes in the number of
students served by each Regional Center
and other such factors it deems
appropriate. The Department will
provide notification of any changes
through a notice published in the
Federal Register.
IV. Selection Criteria
Selection Criteria: In any competition
under this program, the Secretary may
use one or more of the selection criteria
proposed in this notice, any of the
selection criteria in 34 CFR 75.210,
criteria based on the statutory
requirements for the Comprehensive
Centers program in accordance with 34
CFR 75.209, or any combination of
these. This includes the authority to
reduce the number of selection criteria.
The Secretary may apply one or more
of these criteria in any year in which
this program is in effect. The Secretary
may also select one or more of these
selection criteria to review preapplications, if the Secretary decides to
invite pre-applications in accordance
with 34 CFR 75.103. In the notice
inviting applications, the application
package, or both, we will announce the
maximum possible points assigned to
each criterion.
A. Technical Assistance Plan.
1. Overall quality of the technical
assistance plan. In determining the
overall quality of the technical
assistance plan for the proposed center
and the likelihood of the center
contributing to improved State
outcomes, the Secretary considers—
a. The extent to which the proposed
technical assistance plan presents an
exceptional approach that will likely
result in building SEA capacity to
implement State-level initiatives and
support district- and school-level
initiatives that improve educational
outcomes for all students, close
achievement gaps, and improve the
quality of instruction;
b. The potential contribution of the
center to increasing the knowledge and
understanding of effective strategies in
the center’s area of expertise; and
c. The extent to which the proposed
technical assistance plan presents an
approach that will result in the sharing
of high-quality, relevant, useful
information, materials, and other
applicable resources across SEAs,
districts, and schools, within and
outside of a region.
d. In the case of an applicant for a
Regional Center, the extent to which the
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proposed technical assistance plan
presents an approach that is likely to
secure an SEA’s commitment to devote
the time, leadership, and personnel
needed to implement the work plan and
achieve specific goals, which may
include a memorandum of
understanding or similar agreement that
contains timelines and benchmarks to
ensure that the work stays on track to
achieve these goals.
2. Quality of the Project Design. In
determining the quality of the project
design of the proposed center for which
the applicant is applying, the Secretary
considers—
a. The extent to which the applicant’s
technical assistance plan proposes an
exceptional approach to meeting the
requirements for all centers, which
includes—
i. Providing high-quality technical
assistance that is based on up-to-date
knowledge and understanding of
research-based practices and emerging
promising practices; is highly relevant
and useful to SEAs, LEAs, and school
policymakers and practitioners; and is
delivered in a timely, cost-efficient
manner;
ii. Focusing technical assistance on
helping SEAs build capacity to
implement State-level initiatives and
support district- and school-level
initiatives that improve educational
outcomes for all students, close
achievement gaps, and improve the
quality of instruction; and
iii. Coordinating and collaborating
with national experts and technical
assistance providers to ensure that the
technical assistance is informed by
leading-edge research and innovative
approaches and avoids duplicating
efforts;
b. In the case of an applicant for a
Regional Center, the extent to which the
applicant’s technical assistance plan
proposes an exceptional approach to
meeting the requirements for all
Regional Centers; and
c. In the case of an applicant for a
Content Center, the extent to which the
applicant’s technical assistance plan
proposes an exceptional approach to
meeting the requirements for all Content
Centers, as well as the requirements for
the specific Content Center for which
the applicant is applying.
3. Knowledge of State Technical
Assistance Needs. In determining the
applicant’s ability to meet State
technical assistance needs, the Secretary
considers the extent to which the
proposed technical assistance plan
provides strategies that address the
technical assistance needs of States in
key areas, as evidenced by in-depth
knowledge and understanding of—
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a. In the case of an applicant for a
Regional Center, the specific
educational goals and priorities of the
States to be served by the applicant,
including emerging priorities based on
State-led reform efforts;
b. In the case of an applicant for a
Regional Center, the applicable State
and regional demographics, policy
contexts, and other factors and their
relevance to improving student
outcomes, closing achievement gaps,
and improving instruction; and
c. In the case of an applicant for a
Content Center, State technical
assistance needs, and research-based
practices and emerging promising
practices related to the Content Center
for which the applicant is applying.
B. Subject-Matter and Technical
Expertise.
Quality of Key Project Personnel. In
determining the subject-matter and
technical expertise of key project
personnel, the Secretary considers the
extent to which the applicant
encourages applications for employment
from persons who are members of
groups that have traditionally been
underrepresented based on race, color,
national origin, gender, age, or
disability. In addition, the Secretary
considers—
1. The knowledge, understanding, and
experience of key project personnel as
outlined under the subject-matter and
technical expertise requirements for all
centers;
2. In the case of an applicant for a
Regional Center, in addition to the
knowledge, understanding, and
experience outlined under subjectmatter and technical expertise
requirements for all centers, the subjectmatter and technical expertise of key
personnel outlined under the
requirements for Regional Centers;
3. In the case of an applicant for a
Content Center, in addition to the
knowledge, understanding, and
experience outlined under subjectmatter and technical expertise
requirements for all centers, the subjectmatter and technical expertise of key
personnel outlined under the
requirements for the specific Content
Center for which the applicant is
applying;
4. The extent to which the applicant
has demonstrated experience providing
high-quality technical assistance to
SEAs or multiple districts;
5. The extent to which the applicant
has demonstrated the ability to develop
ongoing partnerships with leading
experts and organizations nationwide
that inform high-quality technical
assistance and subject-matter expertise;
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6. The extent to which the applicant
has prior relevant experience operating
a project of the scope required for the
purposes of the center being proposed;
and
7. The extent to which the applicant
proposes an advisory board membership
in accordance with the requirements of
the ETAA and includes reasonable
assurance of proposed board members’
commitment to serve.
C. Management and Evaluation Plans.
1. Quality of the Management Plan. In
determining the quality of the
management plan for the proposed
center, the Secretary considers—
a. The adequacy of the management
plan to achieve the objectives of the
project on time and within budget,
including clearly defined
responsibilities, timelines, and
milestones for accomplishing project
tasks;
b. The extent to which the time
commitments of the project director and
other key project personnel, including
any partners or consultants, are
appropriate and adequate to meet the
objectives of the proposed project;
c. The extent to which resources are
allocated within a region for Regional
Centers, and across regions for Content
Centers, in a manner that reflects the
need for technical assistance; and
d. The adequacy of the resources for
the proposed project, including whether
the applicant proposes facilities and
equipment to successfully carry out the
purposes and activities of the proposed
center.
2. Quality of the Project Evaluation
Plan. In determining the quality of the
evaluation plan, the Secretary
considers—
a. The extent to which the applicant
demonstrates a strong capacity to
provide reliable formative and
summative data on performance
measures;
b. The extent to which the
performance goals and objectives for the
project are clearly specified and
measurable in terms of the project
activities to be accomplished and their
stated outcomes;
c. The extent to which the methods
for monitoring performance and
evaluating the effectiveness of project
strategies in terms of outcomes for
SEAs, districts, and schools are
thorough, feasible, and appropriate to
the objectives and outcomes of the
proposed project;
d. The extent to which the methods of
evaluation will provide continuous
performance feedback and encourage
the continuous assessment of progress
toward achieving intended outcomes;
and
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e. The extent to which the applicant
has a high-quality plan to use both
formative and summative data from
evaluations to inform and improve
service delivery over the course of the
grant.
Note: This notice does not solicit
applications. In any year in which we choose
to use one or more of these priorities,
requirements, and selection criteria, we
invite applications through a notice in the
Federal Register.
Executive Orders 12866 and 13563:
Under Executive Order 12866, the
Secretary must determine whether this
regulatory action is ‘‘significant’’ and
therefore subject to the requirements of
the Executive Order and subject to
review by the Office of Management and
Budget (OMB). Section 3(f) of Executive
Order 12866 defines a ‘‘significant
regulatory action’’ as an action likely to
result in a rule that may (1) have an
annual effect on the economy of $100
million or more, or adversely affect a
sector of the economy, productivity,
competition, jobs, the environment,
public health or safety, or State, local or
tribal governments, or communities in a
material way (also referred to as an
‘‘economically significant’’ rule); (2)
create serious inconsistency or
otherwise interfere with an action taken
or planned by another agency; (3)
materially alter the budgetary impacts of
entitlement grants, user fees, or loan
programs or the rights and obligations of
recipients thereof; or (4) raise novel
legal or policy issues arising out of legal
mandates, the President’s priorities, or
the principles set forth in the Executive
Order.
Pursuant to the Executive Order, it
has been determined that this regulatory
action is significant and subject to OMB
review under section 3(f)(4) of the
Executive Order.
We have also reviewed these
regulations under Executive Order
13563, which supplements and
explicitly reaffirms the principles,
structures, and definitions governing
regulatory review established in
Executive Order 12866. To the extent
permitted by law, Executive Order
13563 requires that an agency—
(1) Propose or adopt regulations only
on a reasoned determination that their
benefits justify their costs (recognizing
that some benefits and costs are difficult
to quantify);
(2) Tailor its regulations to impose the
least burden on society, consistent with
obtaining regulatory objectives and
taking into account—among other things
and to the extent practicable—the costs
of cumulative regulations;
(3) In choosing among alternative
regulatory approaches, select those
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approaches that maximize net benefits
(including potential economic,
environmental, public health and safety,
and other advantages; distributive
impacts; and equity);
(4) To the extent feasible, specify
performance objectives, rather than the
behavior or manner of compliance a
regulated entity must adopt; and
(5) Identify and assess available
alternatives to direct regulation,
including economic incentives—such as
user fees or marketable permits—to
encourage the desired behavior, or
provide information that enables the
public to make choices.
Executive Order 13563 also requires
an agency ‘‘to use the best available
techniques to quantify anticipated
present and future benefits and costs as
accurately as possible.’’ The Office of
Information and Regulatory Affairs of
OMB has emphasized that these
techniques may include ‘‘identifying
changing future compliance costs that
might result from technological
innovation or anticipated behavioral
changes.’’
We are issuing these priorities,
requirements, and selection criteria only
on a reasoned determination that their
benefits justify their costs. In choosing
among alternative regulatory
approaches, we selected those
approaches that maximize net benefits.
Based on the analysis that follows, the
Department believes that this regulatory
action is consistent with the principles
in Executive Order 13563.
Need for Federal Regulatory Action:
These priorities, requirements, and
selection criteria are needed to
implement the Comprehensive Centers
program because the authorizing
language in the ETAA provides only
broad parameters to govern the program.
The Department does not believe that
the statute, by itself, provides a
sufficient level of detail to ensure that
all States can build their capacity to
improve educational outcomes for all
students. The priorities, requirements,
and selection criteria in this notice
clarify the types of centers the
Department seeks to fund and permit
the Department to evaluate proposed
centers using selection criteria that are
based on the purpose of the program
and are closely aligned with the
Department’s priorities. In the absence
of specific selection criteria for the
Comprehensive Centers program, the
Department would use the general
selection criteria in 34 CFR 75.210 of
the Education Department General
Administrative Regulations in selecting
grant recipients. The Department does
not believe the use of those general
criteria would be sufficient for a
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Comprehensive Centers program
competition because they do not focus
specifically on the objectives of the
program, especially the role of the
centers in providing technical assistance
to SEAs so that they can build their
capacity to assist LEAs and schools and,
in turn, improve educational outcomes
for students.
Regulatory Alternatives Considered:
The Department considered a variety of
possible priorities, requirements, and
selection criteria before deciding on
those included in this notice. For
example, the Department considered a
priority to support knowledge
management and dissemination across
all Comprehensive Centers. It chose
instead to require each center to
collaborate with other Departmentfunded centers engaged in that type of
activity.
The priorities, requirements, and
selection criteria reflect and promote the
purpose of the Comprehensive Centers
program. They also align the program,
where possible and permissible, with
other Presidential and Departmental
priorities. We believe that the priorities,
requirements, and selection criteria in
this notice appropriately balance the
need for specific programmatic
guidance while providing each
applicant with flexibility to design and
propose an innovative and effective
Comprehensive Center.
Summary of Costs and Benefits: The
Department believes that these
priorities, requirements, and selection
criteria do not impose significant costs
on eligible research organizations,
institutions, agencies, institutions of
higher education, or partnerships among
such entities, or individuals that would
receive assistance through the
Comprehensive Centers program. We
also believe that the benefits of
implementing the priorities and
requirements contained in this notice
justify any associated costs.
The Department believes that the
priorities, requirements, and selection
criteria will result in the selection of
high-quality applications to establish
centers that are most likely to build the
capacity of SEAs in order to improve
educational outcomes for all students.
Through these priorities, requirements,
and selection criteria, we clarify the
scope of activities we expect to support
with program funds and the expected
burden of work involved in preparing
an application and implementing a
center under the program. A potential
applicant would need to consider
carefully the effort that would be
required to prepare a strong application
and its capacity to implement a project
successfully.
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The Department further believes that
the costs imposed on an applicant by
the priorities, requirements, and
selection criteria are largely limited to
paperwork burden related to preparing
an application and that the benefits of
preparing an application and receiving
an award will justify any costs incurred
by the applicant. This is because, during
the project period, the costs of actually
establishing a center and carrying out
activities under a Comprehensive
Centers program grant would be paid for
with program funds and any matching
funds. Thus, the costs of establishing a
Comprehensive Center using these
priorities, requirements, and selection
criteria will not be a significant burden
for any eligible applicant, including a
small entity.
Accounting Statement: As required by
OMB Circular A–4 (available at https://
www.Whithouse.gov/omb/Circulars/
a004/a-4.pdf), in the following table, we
have prepared an accounting statement
showing the classification of the
expenditures associated with the
provisions of this regulatory action. This
table provides our best estimate of the
Federal payments to be made to eligible
applicants under this program as a
result of this regulatory action. This
table is based on funds the Department
has requested for new awards for this
program for FY 2012. The actual level
of funding, if any, depends on final
congressional action. Expenditures are
classified as transfers to those entities
listed.
Accounting Statement Classification
of Estimated Expenditures:
Transfers
(in millions)
Category
Annual Monetized Transfers.
From Whom to
Whom.
$51.2
Federal Government to
research organizations,
institutions, agencies,
institutions of higher
education, or partnerships among such entities, or individuals.
Regulatory Flexibility Act
Certification: The Secretary certifies that
this regulatory action will not have a
significant economic impact on a
substantial number of small entities.
The small entities that this regulatory
action may affect are eligible research
organizations, institutions, agencies,
institutions of higher education, or
partnerships among such entities, or
individuals. The Secretary believes that
the costs imposed on an applicant by
the priorities, requirements, and
selection criteria would be limited to
paperwork burden related to preparing
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an application and that the benefits of
implementing them would outweigh
any costs incurred by the applicant.
Participation in the Comprehensive
Centers program is voluntary. For this
reason, the priorities, requirements, and
selection criteria will impose no burden
on small entities unless they apply for
funding under the Comprehensive
Centers program using the priorities,
requirements, and selection criteria in
this notice. We expect that in
determining whether to apply for
Comprehensive Center funds, an eligible
entity would evaluate the requirements
of preparing an application and
implementing a Comprehensive Center,
and any associated costs, and weigh
them against the benefits likely to be
achieved by implementing a center. An
eligible entity would probably apply
only if it determines that the likely
benefits exceed the costs of preparing an
application and implementing a project.
The likely benefits of applying for a
Comprehensive Center program grant
include the potential receipt of a grant
as well as other benefits that may accrue
to an entity through its development of
an application, such as the use of such
application to create partnerships with
other entities in order to assist State
educational agencies.
The U.S. Small Business
Administration (SBA) Size Standards
define ‘‘small entities’’ as for-profit or
nonprofit institutions with total annual
revenue below $7,000,000 or, if they are
institutions controlled by small
governmental jurisdictions (that are
comprised of cities, counties, towns,
townships, villages, school districts, or
special districts), with a population of
less than 50,000.
The Secretary believes that the
priorities, requirements, and selection
criteria in this notice do not impose any
additional burden on a small entity
applying for a grant than the entity
would face in the absence of the
proposed action. That is, the length of
the applications those entities would
submit in the absence of this regulatory
action and the time needed to prepare
an application would likely be the same.
Further, this regulatory action may
help a small entity determine whether it
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has the interest, need, or capacity to
implement activities under the program
and, thus, prevent a small entity that
does not have such an interest, need, or
capacity from absorbing the burden of
applying.
This regulatory action will not have a
significant economic impact on a small
entity once it receives a grant because it
will be able to meet the costs of
compliance using the funds provided
under this program.
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995
As part of its continuing effort to
reduce paperwork and respondent
burden, the Department conducts a
preclearance consultation process to
provide the public and Federal agencies
with an opportunity to comment on
proposed and continuing collections of
information in accordance with the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA)
(44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)). This helps
ensure that: The public understands the
Department’s collection instructions,
respondents can provide the requested
data in the desired format, reporting
burden (time and financial resources) is
minimized, collection instruments are
clearly understood, and the Department
can properly assess the impact of
collection requirements on respondents.
We estimate that each applicant will
spend approximately 176 hours of staff
time to address the priorities,
requirements, and selection criteria;
prepare the application; and obtain
necessary clearances. Based on the
number of applications the Department
received in the last competition it held
under this program (in FY 2005), we
expect to receive approximately 65
applications for these funds. The total
number of hours for all expected
applicants is an estimated 11,440 hours.
We estimate the total cost per hour of
the applicant-level staff who will carry
out this work to be $57 per hour. The
total estimated cost for all applicants
will be $652,080.
In the Notice of Proposed Priorities
we invited comment on the paperwork
burden estimated for this collection. We
did not receive any comments.
The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995
does not require you to respond to a
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collection of information unless it
displays a valid OMB control number.
The OMB control number assigned to
this information collection is 1810–
0709.
Intergovernmental Review: This
program is subject to Executive Order
12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR
part 79. One of the objectives of the
Executive order is to foster an
intergovernmental partnership and a
strengthened federalism. The Executive
order relies on processes developed by
State and local governments for
coordination and review of proposed
Federal financial assistance.
This document provides early
notification of our specific plans and
actions for this program.
Accessible Format: Individuals with
disabilities can obtain this document in
an accessible format (e.g., braille, large
print, audiotape, or compact disc) on
request to the program contact person
listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT.
Electronic Access to This Document:
The official version of this document is
the document published in the Federal
Register. Free Internet access to the
official edition of the Federal Register
and the Code of Federal Regulations is
available via the Federal Digital System
at: www.gpo.gov/fdsys. At this site you
can view this document, as well as all
other documents of this Department
published in the Federal Register, in
text or Adobe Portable Document
Format (PDF). To use PDF you must
have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is
available free at the site.
You may also access documents of the
Department published in the Federal
Register by using the article search
feature at: www.federalregister.gov.
Specifically, through the advanced
search feature at this site, you can limit
your search to documents published by
the Department.
Dated: June 1, 2012.
Deborah S. Delisle,
Assistant Secretary for Elementary and
Secondary Education.
[FR Doc. 2012–13739 Filed 6–5–12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000–01–P
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Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 109 (Wednesday, June 6, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33574-33594]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-13739]
[[Page 33573]]
Vol. 77
Wednesday,
No. 109
June 6, 2012
Part III
Department of Education
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Final Priorities, Requirements, and Selection Criteria--Comprehensive
Centers Program (CFDA Number: 84.283B); Notice
Federal Register / Vol. 77 , No. 109 / Wednesday, June 6, 2012 /
Notices
[[Page 33574]]
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
[Docket ID ED-2012-OESE-0004]
RIN 1810-AB14
Final Priorities, Requirements, and Selection Criteria--
Comprehensive Centers Program (CFDA Number: 84.283B)
AGENCY: Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, Department of
Education.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education
announces priorities, requirements, and selection criteria under the
Comprehensive Centers Program. The Assistant Secretary may use one or
more of these priorities, requirements, and selection criteria for
competitions in fiscal year (FY) 2012 and later years. We take this
action to focus Federal technical assistance on identified State-led
reforms. We intend these priorities, requirements, and selection
criteria to increase the relevance and usefulness of Comprehensive
Center technical assistance.
DATES: Effective Date: These priorities, requirements, and selection
criteria are effective July 6, 2012.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Fran Walter, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., room 3W115, Washington, DC 20202,
Telephone: (202) 205-9198 or by email: fran.walter@ed.gov.
If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) or a text
telephone (TTY), call the Federal Relay Service, toll free, at 1-800-
877-8339.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Purpose of Program: The Comprehensive Centers program supports the
establishment of no fewer than 20 comprehensive technical assistance
centers to provide technical assistance to State educational agencies
(SEAs) that builds their capacity to support local educational agencies
(LEAs or districts) and schools, especially low-performing districts
and schools, improve educational outcomes for all students, close
achievements gaps, and improve the quality of instruction.
Program Authority: Title II, section 203, of the Education
Technical Assistance Act of 2002 (ETAA).
We published a notice of proposed priorities, requirements, and
selection criteria (NPP) for this program in the Federal Register on
January 23, 2012 (77 FR 3242). The NPP contained background information
and our reasons for proposing the particular priorities, requirements,
and selection criteria.
Public Comment: In response to our invitation in the NPP, 59
parties submitted comments on the proposed priorities, requirements,
and selection criteria. We used these comments to revise, improve, and
clarify the priorities, requirements, and selection criteria. We group
major issues according to subject and discuss other substantive issues
under the title of the item to which they pertain. Generally, we do not
address technical and other minor changes. In addition, we do not
address general comments that raised concerns not directly related to
the proposed priorities, requirements, or selection criteria.
Analysis of Comments and Changes: An analysis of the comments
received, and any changes to the priorities, requirements, and
selection criteria since publication of the NPP, follows.
General
Comment: One commenter recommended that the U.S. Department of
Education (the Department) increase teacher awareness of culturally and
linguistically gifted students by using the Comprehensive Centers to
develop a cadre of teacher trainers with expertise in culturally
relevant gifted education practices.
Discussion: While we do not identify specific initiatives related
to gifted students, the requirements for both the Regional Centers and
the Content Centers focus on increasing the capacity of SEAs to support
their LEAs and schools in improving outcomes for all students. For this
reason, we do not believe it is necessary to specifically identify
initiatives for gifted students in the final priorities.
Changes: None.
Comment: One commenter suggested that in order to meet the
educational needs of all students and achieve better outcomes, our
overall strategy should focus on removing barriers for students and
teachers and moving from what the commenter characterized as a deficit-
based instructional system toward one based on student growth.
Discussion: We have committed the resources of the Comprehensive
Centers program to help SEAs build their capacity to implement State-
level initiatives and support district- and school-level initiatives
that will close achievement gaps and improve the quality of
instruction. Further, in the requirements for all centers, we specify
that the centers will help SEAs build organizational capacity to
support district- and school-level implementation of effective
practices to improve student outcomes. For example, the centers will
help SEAs work collaboratively and productively with districts and
schools, identify and implement a continuum of support and
interventions to address districts' and schools' specific needs, and
support the implementation and scaling up of innovative and effective
strategies. We believe these capacity-building approaches will
contribute to removing barriers to learning for both students and
teachers. A center's support for the implementation and scaling up of
innovative and effective strategies could include support for
strengths-based instruction, which focuses on student potential and
growth.
Changes: None.
Comment: One commenter recommended that we support States' data
collection efforts, specifically in the management and use of
longitudinal data systems and the Integrated Postsecondary Education
Data System.
Discussion: We agree with the commenter and support States' efforts
to effectively collect and use data. As stated in this notice, all
Regional Centers are required to work with SEAs to build their capacity
to use data-based decision-making to improve instructional practices,
policies, and student outcomes and to address the demands of
implementing their longitudinal data systems. In addition, the Center
on Innovations in Learning will provide technical assistance to
Regional Centers and SEAs that focuses on using State and local data
systems to identify specific areas of student need and evaluate the
effectiveness of specific strategies that support innovations in
learning. These efforts will support the States' management and use of
their statewide longitudinal data systems and other data sets as
appropriate.
Changes: None.
Comment: One commenter requested that the final notice include the
funding available for each Center.
Discussion: In the notice inviting applications (NIA) published
elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register, we identify the
funding available for each of the Regional and Content Centers.
Changes: None.
Comment: One commenter was concerned that the Comprehensive Centers
program may violate State law, contract law, privacy rights, and the
right of citizens to vote on governance and tax issues.
Discussion: The ETAA authorizes awards to Comprehensive Centers to
provide training, technical assistance, and professional development to
SEAs, LEAs, regional educational agencies,
[[Page 33575]]
and schools in the administration and implementation of programs under
the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA). The
priorities, requirements, and selection criteria in this notice are
consistent with the ETAA and, in adopting them, the Department followed
the laws and regulations that govern rulemaking. We do not believe that
the Comprehensive Centers program violates Federal or State law, and
nothing in this notice requires grantees to act contrary to the law or
usurps the rights of citizens to vote on governance or tax issues.
Additionally, all Federal and State privacy and contract laws apply to
potential Comprehensive Center grantees.
Changes: None.
Comment: One commenter noted that although the Department's
oversight for the Comprehensive Centers program is essential, States
might be uncomfortable providing adequate feedback to inform that
oversight. The commenter suggested that we provide support for States
to work through a common entity to identify and share challenges and
routinely communicate with the Department to ensure that Federal
oversight of the Comprehensive Centers is effective and focused on the
right issues.
Discussion: Although we strongly agree with the commenter about the
importance of State feedback to the Department on the Comprehensive
Center program, we decline the suggestion to establish an entity to
serve as an intermediary between States and the Department. As part of
the Department's grant monitoring and oversight activities, we review
feedback from SEA staff provided in each grantee's annual performance
report and annual evaluation. We also welcome direct feedback from SEA
staff.
As described in the application requirements, all applicants must
provide a plan to assess the progress and performance of the center in
meeting the educational and capacity-building needs of SEAs. The plan
must include a description of the methods that will be used to monitor
progress and make mid-course corrections as needed. Each applicant must
also provide a plan to collect and use formative and summative data
throughout the grant period to inform and improve service delivery.
Finally, the ETAA requires ongoing independent evaluations of the
Comprehensive Centers program by the Institute of Education Science's
National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance. We
believe these established processes and requirements ensure adequate
feedback from States on the progress and performance of the centers.
We also have established an option to allow an SEA flexibility to
indicate to the Department in the second fiscal year of the cooperative
agreement, and in each subsequent fiscal year, its desire to affiliate
with a different Regional Center, regardless of the location of that
center. Together with our program-monitoring efforts, we believe that
the requirements and flexibility described in this notice will ensure
effective oversight of the program.
Changes: None.
Comment: One commenter, while strongly supporting the Department's
focus on State-led reforms, urged us to ensure that the centers respond
to the full range of State-led reforms, some of which were not
mentioned in the NPP.
Discussion: The priority for Regional Centers identifies seven key
State-led reform areas within which the centers will work to build
State capacity. The priority is clear that this is a non-exhaustive
list and does not preclude a center from working with SEAs on
initiatives in other key State-led reform areas. Further, in
partnership with the SEAs, Regional Centers are required to develop a
plan of technical assistance based on each SEA's unique context,
challenges, and current capacity, which will address specific State-led
reform initiatives. Content Centers will work to increase State
capacity in identified key topic areas.
Changes: None.
Comment: One commenter noted that the Center on School Turnaround
would focus its attention on issues related to the most persistently
low-achieving schools, even though SEAs are responsible for the
improvement of all of their districts and schools. The commenter
expressed concern that no center would be devoted to providing
assistance to SEAs in managing differentiated supports and
interventions for the larger number of districts and schools in need of
improvement that are not the lowest-performing districts or schools.
Discussion: While there is not a specific center that focuses on
providing assistance to SEAs in managing differentiated supports and
interventions for districts or schools in need of improvement, the
purpose of the Comprehensive Centers program is to provide technical
assistance to SEAs that builds their capacity to support districts and
schools, especially low-performing districts and schools; improve
educational outcomes for all students; close achievement gaps; and
improve the quality of instruction. We believe the centers described in
this notice focus to a significant extent on students in districts and
schools in need of improvement and decline to make any change.
Changes: None.
Comment: A few commenters noted that increasing the number of
Content Centers without additional funding for the program will lead to
a reduction in the resources available for all centers, at a time when
the centers are likely to receive increased requests for services from
States experiencing budget reductions. One commenter also noted the
increased cost to Regional Centers of coordinating and collaborating
with a larger number of Content Centers.
Discussion: We currently support 16 Regional Centers and 5 Content
Centers; we plan to support 15 Regional Centers and 7 Content Centers
under the Comprehensive Centers 2012 competition. We acknowledge that
at current funding levels, increasing the total number of Comprehensive
Centers by one will decrease the amount of funding available for each
center. We also recognize the value of the Regional Centers, as
evidenced in our expectations for their work.
However, we believe that the benefit of establishing two additional
Content Centers to help the Regional Centers address challenging and
high-priority topics outweighs the minimal reduction in funds to the
other Comprehensive Centers. Five of the Content Centers will help
build SEA capacity in key reform areas where work in many States is
already underway: Creating and implementing high-quality standards and
assessments, ensuring college- and career-readiness and success for
students, addressing early learning, ensuring great teachers and
leaders, and turning around the lowest-performing schools. The two
additional centers will help SEAs and Regional Centers focus
specifically on improving SEA infrastructures, management processes,
and innovative approaches to teaching and learning that we believe will
support the achievement of the identified reforms.
Changes: None.
Comment: Some commenters were concerned that reducing the number of
Regional Centers would result in less service for smaller, more rural
States if they are placed in a larger region with more densely
populated States.
Discussion: We currently support 16 Regional Centers and 5 Content
Centers; we plan to support 15 Regional Centers and 7 Content Centers
under the Comprehensive Centers 2012 competition. We recognize an
opportunity with this competition to foster strong collaborative
relationships
[[Page 33576]]
between Regional Centers and the Institute for Education Sciences'
Regional Education Labs (RELs) by aligning the geographical areas
served by both, since both work with States to address their needs.
Therefore, in the NIA published elsewhere in this issue of the Federal
Register, we establish one to two Regional Centers in each REL region.
This structural change is designed to increase both the coherence of
the Department's technical assistance and collaboration between
Comprehensive Centers and RELs. It will better use resources to benefit
States, including smaller, more rural States.
Changes: None.
Priorities
Priorities--General
Comment: Two commenters asked that the Department give priority
consideration to small businesses or unemployed educators as
Comprehensive Center applicants.
Discussion: Entities eligible to apply for Comprehensive Center
grants, as identified in the ETAA, include research organizations,
institutions, agencies, institutions of higher education, or
partnerships among such entities, or individuals, with the demonstrated
ability or capacity to carry out required activities. We encourage all
eligible applicants to apply, including small businesses and educators
with the demonstrated ability or capacity to carry out the requirements
and activities of the program, but the statute does not provide
priority consideration for them. Therefore, we decline to provide
priority consideration as requested.
Changes: None.
Priorities for All Centers
Comment: One commenter suggested an absolute priority requiring
communication and collaboration across the Content Centers and the
RELs, and across priority areas, to support a comprehensive approach to
technical assistance. The commenter further suggested that the
Department support a national organization to facilitate this
communication and supplement the needs identified by individual States
with a national perspective.
Discussion: We do not agree that there is a need for an absolute
priority requiring communication and collaboration or to support a
national organization to facilitate communication. We believe the
statutory requirements under section 203(f)(2) of the ETAA and the
requirement that all centers coordinate and collaborate with other
Comprehensive Centers (as described under the heading ``Requirements
for all Centers'' in this notice), other Department-funded technical
assistance providers, and other technical assistance providers to
address SEA needs sufficiently address the importance of communication
and collaboration among the States and centers. Additionally, all
Content Centers are required to address national needs as well as the
needs of individual regions and States. For these reasons, we decline
to take the suggestions.
Changes: None.
Comment: Commenters supported our proposal that all Regional and
Content Centers address the needs of special populations, including
English Learners and students with disabilities. One commenter urged
the Department to include all subgroups defined in the ESEA as
priorities for the Regional and Content Centers. The commenter
recommended adding racial and ethnic minorities and students in poverty
into each of the sections in the notice where categories of students
are identified.
Discussion: We appreciate the support of the commenters and
strongly agree that the needs of all students must be addressed through
the work of the Comprehensive Centers program. To be clear about our
interest in addressing the needs of all students, including multiple
subgroups of students, we have revised the language in the
requirements, where applicable, to use the term ``high-need children
and high-need students,'' and we have included its definition from the
Department's notice of final supplemental priorities and definitions
published in the Federal Register on December 15, 2010 (75 FR 78486),
and corrected on May 12, 2011 (76 FR 27637). Under this definition,
``high-need children and high-need students'' mean children and
students at risk of educational failure, such as children and students
who are living in poverty, who are English Learners, who are far below
grade level or who are not on track to becoming college- or career-
ready by graduation, who have left school or college before receiving,
respectively, a regular high school diploma or a college degree or
certificate, who are at risk of not graduating with a diploma on time,
who are homeless, who are in foster care, who are pregnant or parenting
teenagers, who have been incarcerated, who are new immigrants, who are
migrant, or who have disabilities.
Changes: We have revised the language in paragraphs II(B)(1)(e);
II(C)(1)(c); II(F)(4); and II(G)(1) of the requirements section to
include the term ``high-need children and high-need students,'' as
applicable. We have also revised the requirements to specify the
definition of this term.
Comment: Some commenters were concerned that school climate issues
facing lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ)
students and teachers were not identified as priorities for the
Comprehensive Centers.
Discussion: We are committed to making sure all students feel safe
and secure in school, and are collaborating with other Federal agencies
in an effort to combat harassment and promote supportive and welcoming
school climates. Since 2010, the Department has issued two ``Dear
Colleague'' letters that clarify for SEAs and LEAs their civil rights
obligations and their responsibilities under the Equal Access Act as
they relate to LGBTQ students. These two guidance documents explain
that when students are subjected to harassment on the basis of their
sexual orientation or gender identity, they may also be subjected to
forms of sex discrimination prohibited under Title IX. The guidance
documents also clarify that gay-straight alliances, which can play an
important role in creating safer, more welcoming school environments
for LGBTQ students, must be afforded the same opportunities as other
non-curricular student organizations to form, to convene on school
grounds, and to access resources.
In addition to this legal guidance, we currently fund two technical
assistance centers, the Safe and Supportive Schools Technical
Assistance Center (SSSTAC), and the Technical Assistance Center on
Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) in addition to 10
Equity Assistance Centers that provide educators with the tools to
improve school climate, support student mental health, and prevent and
reduce harassment. SSSTAC provides training, tools, and resources to
help educators assess risk and protective factors influencing student
health and safety within school settings and to develop strategies to
improve outcomes. More information about the SSSTAC is available at
https://safesupportiveschools.ed.gov. PBIS provides schools with
capacity-building information and technical assistance for identifying,
adapting, and sustaining effective school-wide disciplinary practices.
More information about PBIS is available at https://www.pbis.org.
The 10 regional Equity Assistance Centers focus more specifically
on civil rights issues, including the elimination of harassment or bias
based on race, sex, or ethnicity. These centers respond to requests for
assistance from schools,
[[Page 33577]]
districts, and States and provide at no charge training, resources, and
materials specifically tailored to the needs of the requester. More
information about the Equity Assistance Centers is available at https://www2.ed.gov/programs/equitycenters/. Because we currently
fund centers that provide States with the support they need to create
safe school environments for LGBTQ students, we have not added a
priority that specifically focuses on LGBTQ issues.
Changes: None.
Comment: A few commenters recommended that school safety be a
priority for the Comprehensive Centers program. One commenter stressed
that classroom management and safety can negatively affect student
engagement and instructional opportunities for all students. Another
commenter recommended including a firm anti-bullying focus.
Discussion: We agree that a safe, well-managed school environment,
free from bullying and violence, is a critical foundation for providing
every student the opportunity to graduate ready for college and a
career. Further, when educators do not have sufficient capacity and
expertise to effectively promote positive behavior, student academic
and health outcomes suffer. Students face a higher likelihood of
victimization or are deterred from learning by frequent classroom
disruptions by their peers.
We have revised the requirements for the Center on Great Teachers
and Leaders to include a technical assistance focus on building teacher
and leader capacity to create safe, productive school environments and
increase academic engagement for all students. It is our intent to
strengthen educator capacity to preserve instructional time by
addressing student behavior in the classroom, and, in doing so,
encourage the use of effective alternatives to disciplinary practices
that remove students from the classroom but do not resolve their
disruptive or threatening behavior (e.g., suspension, expulsion, and
school-based arrests).
With regard to bullying prevention in particular, the Department
has worked with several Federal agencies to develop a Web site,
www.stopbullying.gov, to provide students, parents, and educators with
useful information and approaches to address bullying in their
communities. In addition, as previously discussed, we fund the SSSTAC
and 10 Equity Assistance Centers, which provide educators with tools to
improve school climates and prevent and reduce harassment. Because we
currently fund centers that provide States with the critical support
they need to create safe school environments, we decline to make the
suggested change.
Changes: We have added a requirement to the Center on Great
Teachers and Leaders to provide technical assistance to Regional
Centers and SEAs that focuses on building teacher and leader capacity
to create safe, productive school environments and increase academic
engagement for all students.
Comment: One commenter noted that if effective Science, Technology,
Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education is a priority need in the
United States, then STEM should be articulated specifically in each
priority. The commenter states that high-quality STEM education must
begin early, as early as pre-K and elementary grades.
Discussion: We agree that STEM education is of primary importance
and have included in the requirements for the Center for College and
Career Readiness and Success that it will provide to Regional Centers
and SEAs technical assistance that focuses on high-quality STEM
instruction. Although we have not chosen to require technical
assistance on STEM for other Content Centers or the Regional Centers,
nothing in the requirements or the priority language will preclude
other centers from working with SEAs on specific initiatives related to
STEM. While we would encourage this work, we believe it is important to
allow centers the flexibility to be responsive to State needs.
Changes: None.
Priorities for Regional Centers
Comment: A number of commenters, noting States' accomplishments in
working with the current Regional Centers, asserted that developing and
maintaining strong relationships and successful partnerships with their
SEAs should be a top priority for Regional Centers. One suggested that
the requirements be revised to better reflect the value of a
partnership approach. Others urged us to take current partnerships into
account in evaluating and scoring new proposals or, at a minimum, to
require applicants to describe how they intend to develop an
understanding of, and establish continuity with, work currently being
done.
Discussion: We appreciate the support expressed for the work of the
Regional Centers and agree that productive partnerships between center
and SEA staff are crucial to the success of their efforts. We believe
the priority and requirements for the Regional Centers will foster a
partnership approach and reflect the value of such an approach.
For additional clarity, we have strengthened the Regional Center
requirements to emphasize the importance of partnerships between
Centers and SEAs by now requiring the Center to work to ensure a mutual
commitment by both SEAs and Regional Centers to devote the necessary
time, leadership, and personnel to achieve specific goals.
Further, Regional Centers are required to assess State needs and,
in partnership with the SEAs in their regions, develop an annual work
plan that addresses the needs of each SEA based on its unique context,
challenges, and current capacity. This requirement is intended to
ensure that the Regional Center understands each State's priorities,
which might include a desire to continue work that began with the
current Comprehensive Centers.
Our goal is to provide SEAs with the highest quality technical
assistance possible by selecting high-quality grantees. The
Department's discretionary grant competition process is structured to
ensure that each application is reviewed and scored based on the
strength of its written proposal. We did not choose to propose a
competitive priority or other preferential treatment for current
grantees because providing additional points to current grantees could
unfairly advantage them in a new competition. Therefore, we decline the
suggestion that these relationships be taken into account when
considering applications.
Changes: We have modified the Regional Center application
requirements to require that applicants articulate an approach to
securing an SEA's commitment to devote the time, leadership, and
personnel needed to achieve specific goals, which may include a
memorandum of understanding or similar agreement that contains
timelines and benchmarks to ensure that the work stays on track to
achieve these goals. We have also added the response to this
requirement as a consideration under the selection criterion that
addresses the overall quality of the technical assistance plan.
Comment: One commenter asked for clarification of the proposed
priority for Regional Centers. Specifically, the commenter expressed
concern that these centers will be expected to track student outcomes.
Discussion: We do not expect centers to track student outcomes. The
priority and requirements for all Regional Centers address the
provision of high-quality technical assistance that focuses on key
initiatives and builds the
[[Page 33578]]
capacity of SEAs to implement, support, scale up, and sustain
initiatives statewide and to lead and support their LEAs and schools in
improving school outcomes.
Changes: None.
Comment: One commenter expressed support for the proposed priority
for the Regional Centers but stated that literacy should be mentioned
specifically.
Discussion: The priority for the Regional Centers states that they
will provide capacity-building technical assistance that helps States
implement, support, scale up, and sustain key initiatives aimed at
improving student outcomes. While we agree that literacy is essential
to students' success in school, we think that literacy instruction is
encompassed within this priority and do not believe that specific
mention of literacy is necessary.
Changes: None.
Content Centers--General
Comment: Several commenters recommended that the Department place a
greater emphasis on parent, family, and community engagement,
suggesting that there be a Content Center specifically devoted to this
topic.
Discussion: We agree that strong family and community engagement is
important in the education of all students. All centers will be
required to provide SEAs with high-quality technical assistance that
increases SEA capacity to support their LEAs and schools in improving
student outcomes. Building organizational capacity might include
helping SEAs develop ways to involve key stakeholders--including
parents--in State-, district-, and school-level decision-making that
affects the schooling of their children. While we would encourage a
focus on family and community engagement, we believe it is important to
allow centers flexibility to be responsive to State needs. Therefore,
we have not proposed an additional Content Center to specifically
address parent, family, and community engagement.
Changes: None.
Priority for Center on Enhancing Early Learning Outcomes
Comment: One commenter suggested that we define preschool ages and
suggested that the priority explicitly define ``preschool'' as ``birth
through grade three'' to be consistent with the emerging emphasis on
continuity across the early childhood span.
Discussion: We do not define the term ``preschool'' in this notice
because the term is used in different Federal and State programs to
encompass varying age ranges. However, the priority for this center
expressly states that the center is to help SEAs increase the number of
children from birth to third grade who are prepared to succeed in
school. While we decline the suggestion to specify an age range with
respect to preschool education, we are revising the priority to
describe early learning systems generally rather than as ``preschool to
third grade'' systems.
Changes: We have revised the priority to reflect a recognition that
early learning systems may encompass a broad range of ages by deleting
the phrase ``preschool to third grade early learning systems'' and
replacing it with the phrase ``early learning systems.''
Priority for Center on Great Teachers and Leaders
Comment: One commenter encouraged the Department to recognize the
unique roles and responsibilities of pupil and related-service
providers, such as speech-language pathologists and audiologists. The
commenter suggested including these educators in the center's efforts
to support effective instruction and leadership.
Discussion: As described in the priority, the Center on Great
Teachers and Leaders will provide technical assistance that will help
SEAs support their districts and schools in improving student outcomes
by supporting effective instruction and leadership. We agree that all
educators and leaders, including related-service providers, play
important roles in this effort. While we do not explicitly mention
these educators in the priority or requirements, the Center on Great
Teachers and Leaders will work with SEAs and Regional Centers seeking
technical assistance to support effective instruction and leadership of
all educators. However, as there are many educators within schools who
are integral to raising student achievement, we decline the suggestion
to identify specific types of educators in the priority.
Changes: None.
Priority for Center on Building State Capacity and Productivity
Comment: One commenter expressed the opinion that the description
of the Center on Building State Capacity and Productivity lacked a
clear purpose and was focused too narrowly on implementing and scaling
up practices rather than addressing all important aspects of SEA work
to support districts and schools. The commenter also stated that
building SEA capacity should be the job of all the centers in the
Comprehensive Centers program, not one.
Discussion: Under the program requirements for all centers, each
center must provide technical assistance to help SEAs build their
capacity to implement State-level initiatives and support district- and
school-level initiatives that improve educational outcomes for all
students, close achievement gaps, and improve the quality of
instruction. Additionally, the Center on Building State Capacity and
Productivity will, like other Content Centers, provide technical
assistance in its specific area of expertise to Regional Centers and
SEAs. We do not agree that the requirements and expertise of the Center
on Building State Capacity and Productivity are vague or too narrow. We
believe that there are components of SEA capacity-building that require
specialized knowledge and expertise, and we have identified those areas
in the requirements for the Center on Building State Capacity and
Productivity.
Changes: None.
Requirements
Requirements for All Centers
Comment: Two commenters asked the Department to clarify the client
base for the Comprehensive Centers. Specifically, the commenter
requested clarification about whether centers could work only with SEAs
or whether they could also work directly with school districts,
schools, and other State agencies.
Discussion: The primary clients for the Regional Centers are the
SEAs. The centers help build the capacity of the SEAs to better support
their districts and schools. We expect that center staff will at times
work alongside the SEA staff to assist in addressing district and
school issues, but the center's efforts should enhance and not replace
those of the SEA. Therefore, any work with individual school districts
and schools must involve a high leverage strategy (reach a large number
or proportion of districts or schools; respond to a need identified by
the SEA; and be planned, coordinated, and executed in concert with the
SEA). The centers are not required to, but may, interact with other
State agencies but only to support their work with SEAs.
Changes: None.
Comment: One commenter requested clarification about whether the
proposed requirement that all centers use a common online portal to
share and exchange information meant the online portal would replace
individual center Web sites.
Discussion: It does not. Coordination and collaboration among
technical
[[Page 33579]]
assistance providers are important and we require both activities for
all centers. A key component of this coordination is providing easy and
efficient access to technical assistance expertise, materials and other
resources to a variety of potential users. We intend to facilitate the
sharing of information by maintaining a common portal, but this does
not preclude an individual center from establishing and maintaining its
own Web site. Detailed requirements for the use of the portal by the
Comprehensive Centers will be established in the centers' cooperative
agreements with the Department.
Changes: None.
Comment: One commenter requested clarification of the requirement
that all centers make their materials and products freely available.
Discussion: All Comprehensive Centers are required to make all
training materials, rubrics, manuals, presentations, and other
materials developed during the grant period available to the public at
no cost through the online portal described in paragraph II(A)(3) of
the requirements section of this notice. Centers may also publish
materials and products on their own Web sites or through other means.
Changes: None.
Comment: One commenter requested clarification of the requirement
that centers identify, track, and assess innovative approaches and
promising practices. Specifically, the commenter requested
clarification on how and in what ways the Content Centers will be able
to assess the value of the promising practices and innovative
approaches that they will be expected to identify, synthesize, and
disseminate.
Discussion: We encourage applicants, when identifying and assessing
the value of promising practices, to look, for example, to the evidence
standard of a reasonable hypothesis as used in the Department's
Investing in Innovation program. Relying on the reasonable hypothesis
standard, the approach or reported practice should suggest the
potential for efficacy for at least some participants and settings. The
center should consider whether the proposed practice, strategy, or
program, or one similar to it, has been attempted previously, albeit on
a limited scale or in a limited setting, and yielded promising results
that suggest that more formal and systematic study is warranted. The
center should also consider whether there is a rationale for the
proposed practice, strategy, or program that is based on research
findings or reasonable hypotheses.
Changes: None.
Comment: One commenter supported the focal areas for the proposed
Content Centers but wanted to ensure that all of the centers focus on
students.
Discussion: The purpose of both Regional and Content Centers is to
help build the capacity of States to better lead and support their LEAs
and schools in improving student outcomes. We believe the priorities,
requirements, and selection criteria are consistent with this purpose
and thus will ensure that all of the centers focus on students.
Changes: None.
Comment: None.
Discussion: In order to clarify that all Comprehensive Centers must
establish an advisory board, the Department has added a specific
reference to the statutory citation.
Changes: Under the requirements for all centers to coordinate and
collaborate, the Department has added a specific reference to section
203(g) of the ETAA and its requirement that all Comprehensive Centers
establish an advisory board.
Requirements for All Regional Centers
Comment: One commenter proposed amending the language of the
priority and requirements for all Regional Centers so as to require
those centers to identify related-service providers in addition to
teachers and leaders when discussing Regional Center technical
assistance to SEAs. Doing this would ensure that these providers are
included in overall efforts related to education professionals.
Discussion: We agree that related-service providers play a key role
in supporting student achievement and that schools and districts face
many of the same issues in recruiting, developing, and retaining
related-service providers as they do for classroom teachers and other
school professionals, such as guidance counselors and librarians. While
we do not explicitly mention these educators in the priority or
requirements, the Regional Centers have the flexibility to work with
SEAs seeking technical assistance to support effective instruction and
leadership of all educators. Therefore, we decline the suggestion to
identify specific categories of educators in the priority or
requirements for the Regional Centers.
Changes: None.
Comment: One commenter suggested that all Regional Centers should
possess the same knowledge and understanding that is required of
applicants for the Center on Building State Capacity and Productivity,
asserting that Regional Centers able to draw on their own expertise in
this area will have a significant advantage over those that will need
to rely entirely on this Content Center. The commenter suggested
revising the requirements for all Regional Centers to clarify that a
grantee must provide technical assistance that draws on the expertise
of the Center on Building State Capacity and Productivity as well as on
its own research and experience conducted in non-education sectors and
industries.
Discussion: We agree that the work of building SEA capacity must be
the responsibility of all Comprehensive Centers and acknowledge that
experience in providing this type of technical assistance is valuable.
Applicants for Regional and Content Centers must have knowledge and
understanding of research-based practices, emerging promising
practices, and specific expertise in providing high-quality, relevant
technical assistance to States or multiple districts. We believe that
possessing this knowledge and expertise will enable an applicant to
provide high-quality technical assistance specifically related to
building SEA capacity. Therefore, we decline to include an additional
requirement for Regional Center applicants as suggested in the comment.
Changes: None.
Requirements for All Content Centers
Comment: One commenter inquired whether the Content Centers could
develop new content, noting that Regional Centers may not.
Discussion: The Content Centers are expected to develop high-
quality publications, tools, and other resources as described in the
Requirements for All Content Centers section of this notice.
Changes: None.
Comment: One commenter noted that it appeared that of all of the
Content Centers, only applicants for the Center on School Turnaround
would be required to address any of the affective dimensions related to
student outcomes. The commenter suggested that applicants for every
center should be required to specify how they will assure that relevant
equity issues are addressed.
Discussion: As stated previously, the purpose of the Comprehensive
Centers is to provide technical assistance in identified priority areas
to help SEAs build their capacity to improve educational outcomes for
all students, close achievement gaps, and improve the quality of
instruction. Nothing in this notice would prevent a Regional or Content
Center from working with an SEA to address the affective dimensions of
student achievement including
[[Page 33580]]
relevant equity issues in order to address one of these priority areas.
Changes: None.
Requirements for Center on Enhancing Early Learning Outcomes
Comment: One commenter recommended that the center be required to
address the needs of at-risk young children and to work on
strengthening the transitions, cross-sector collaborative care, and
education of pre-school children.
Discussion: As described in the program requirements, the Center on
Enhancing Early Learning Outcomes will provide technical assistance to
Regional Centers and SEAs that supports coordinated statewide systems
that promote young children's success in school and helps SEAs align
policies and resources to increase the successful transitions of
children and to close the achievement gap, particularly for high-need
children as they enter kindergarten. As these suggestions are reflected
in the original language, we decline to make the recommended changes.
Changes: None.
Comment: One commenter, while expressing support for the creation
of a Center on Enhancing Early Learning Outcomes, recommended expanding
the intended audiences for the center's technical assistance beyond
SEAs, to include agencies that oversee early learning programs in the
States, such as Early Learning Councils and Head Start Collaboration
Offices. The commenter stated that this expansion would be especially
important in States with new agencies that oversee early learning and
where the SEA does not have major responsibilities for early learning
programs.
Discussion: The ETAA authorizes the Comprehensive Centers to
provide training, technical assistance, and professional development to
SEAs, LEAs, regional educational agencies, and schools only. We
therefore cannot expand the types of entities receiving services under
this program. However, the Center on Enhancing Early Learning Outcomes
may interact with other State agencies, such as those mentioned by the
commenters, where appropriate to support their work with SEAs.
Changes: None.
Comment: One commenter suggested that the Center on Enhancing Early
Learning Outcomes specifically assist those States that have received
Race to the Top-Early Learning Challenge (RTT-ELC) funds and those that
have successfully developed plans to increase access to high-quality
early learning systems, especially for high-need children. The
commenter also recommended including additional requirements for this
center that are aligned with the RTT-ELC program and that focus on
addressing effective instructional practices, developmentally
appropriate learning environments, State capacity to use data, and
effective governance structures.
Discussion: By statute, grantees under the Comprehensive Centers
program must provide technical assistance to all States. Therefore, we
are requiring this center to support all States, including States that
have received RTT-ELC grants. Under the requirements in this notice,
the Center on Enhancing Early Learning Outcomes must provide technical
assistance on using assessment data and other information to improve
the quality of instruction in early learning programs and to increase
the capacity of SEAs to implement comprehensive and aligned early
learning systems. This technical assistance may include the areas
suggested by the commenter.
Changes: None.
Comment: A number of commenters suggested a variety of additional
areas deserving the attention of the Center for Enhancing Early
Learning Outcomes: Addressing the needs of young English Learners,
implementing STEM curricula and instructional strategies, supporting
the extension of standards related to multiple domains of child
development, analyzing costs of alternative policies and practices,
ensuring that parents and caregivers understand data, and providing
quality pre-service and in-service professional development for
teachers and related service providers.
Discussion: We agree that there are many topics that the Center for
Enhancing Early Learning Outcomes could address in order to help
increase the number of children who are prepared to succeed in school.
We note that while the requirements for this center do not list each of
the areas identified above, they also do not limit the early learning
issues that might be addressed in the work plans developed by the
center in collaboration with Regional Centers and SEAs. Again, we
believe it is important to allow centers flexibility to be responsive
to State needs.
Changes: None.
Comment: One commenter recommended that the center's first priority
should be expanding existing programming and increasing access for more
students.
Discussion: We strongly agree that increasing young children's
access to high-quality early learning environments is critical. In this
regard, the Center on Enhancing Early Learning Outcomes will help SEAs
increase the quality of early learning systems and thereby provide more
opportunities for children to learn in high-quality environments.
However, the purpose of the Comprehensive Centers program, consistent
with the ETAA, is to provide technical assistance to SEAs, not to take
actions that directly result in expanded programming or increased
participation in early learning programs.
Changes: None.
Comment: One commenter asked the Department to clarify how the
center will coordinate and collaborate with other federally funded
early childhood technical assistance centers to avoid duplication of
effort.
Discussion: All centers will be required to collaborate with other
technical assistance providers to address SEA needs and to develop
strong relationships and partnerships with leading experts and
organizations nationwide, including other federally funded technical
assistance centers. The Center on Enhancing Early Learning Outcomes
must provide technical assistance to Regional Centers and SEAs that
focuses on integrating and aligning resources and policies across State
agencies and programs in order to support a coordinated statewide
system that promotes young children's success in school.
Changes: None.
Requirements for the Center on School Turnaround
Comment: One commenter suggested modifying the requirements for the
Center on School Turnaround to require an emphasis on parent support,
including on helping parents understand data on low-performing schools.
Discussion: The Center on School Turnaround must provide technical
assistance to help increase the capacity of SEAs to support their
districts and schools in turning around their low-performing schools,
and these turnaround efforts often include increasing parent and family
involvement. The overwhelming majority of schools identified under the
School Improvement Grants program are implementing turnaround models
that include engagement activities such as increasing the involvement
and contributions of parents and community partners. All centers may
provide technical assistance that builds the capacity of SEAs to
improve family and community engagement, if SEAs identify this as a
high-priority need. For these reasons, we have decided that it is not
necessary to add an additional
[[Page 33581]]
requirement for the Center on School Turnaround.
Changes: None.
Comment: One commenter suggested amending the requirements for the
Center on School Turnaround to recognize the communication needs of
students with disabilities as a non-academic factor that affects
student achievement.
Discussion: We recognize the need for the lowest performing schools
to meet the needs of all students by addressing both academic and non-
academic factors that affect student achievement. While we identify
some non-academic factors (social, emotional, and health needs) in the
requirements for the Center on School Turnaround, we do not present
them as an exhaustive list. Our identifying certain non-academic
factors will not preclude the center from addressing additional non-
academic factors with SEAs, and we don't believe that attempting to
identify all those factors is necessary. Therefore, we decline to amend
the requirement.
Changes: None.
Requirements for the Center on Innovations in Learning
Comment: A number of commenters recommended that the Center on
Innovations in Learning focus on Universal Design for Learning (UDL)
and cited the need for technical assistance in UDL for SEAs and
Regional Centers and professional development in UDL for educators.
Discussion: The purpose of the Center on Innovations in Learning is
to provide technical assistance to help SEAs identify and implement a
broad array of policies, strategies, and practices that significantly
improve, or have the potential to significantly improve, student
outcomes. These strategies may include UDL, which is an effective
framework for engaging learners with different abilities, backgrounds,
and motivations. However we decline to require the inclusion of UDL
because we believe it is important to allow centers flexibility to be
responsive to State needs.
Changes: None.
Comment: One commenter proposed amending the requirements for the
Center on Innovations in Learning to specify classroom amplification
systems as an example of technologies that support the personalization
of learning. Discussion: While recognizing the value of classroom
amplification systems for certain students, the requirement to help
SEAs select and implement technologies that support the personalization
of learning is intended to apply to all students, whether or not they
have hearing impairments. The Center is required to help SEAs identify
and implement policies, strategies, and practices that encourage the
identification and scaling up of new teaching and learning strategies,
approaches, processes, or tools that have the potential to
significantly improve student outcomes. Classroom amplification systems
may be essential to meeting the learning needs of some students, and,
if so, those requirements would be detailed in that student's
Individualized Education Program. Therefore, we decline to make the
requested change.
Changes: None.
Requirements for the Center on College and Career Readiness and Success
Comment: One commenter asked for clarification of how the Center on
College and Career Readiness and Success will work with the Regional
Centers on its areas of focus.
Discussion: The Content Centers will work to increase the depth of
knowledge and expertise available to Regional Centers and SEAs on key
topic areas and complement the work of the Regional Centers by
providing information, publications, tools, and specialized technical
assistance based on research-based practices and emerging promising-
practices. The Content Centers will identify, organize, and communicate
key research and best practices through publications, tools, and direct
technical assistance. They may also create opportunities for SEAs and
Regional Centers to learn from researchers and other experts about
practical strategies for implementing reforms related to their focal
areas. The Center on College and Career Readiness and Success will
engage in these tasks in its area of focus as described in the priority
and program requirements.
Changes: None.
Comment: One commenter requested clarification regarding the extent
to which the Center on College and Career Readiness and Success could
collaborate directly with institutions of higher education (IHEs) and
systems or facilitate SEA collaboration with them.
Discussion: We acknowledge that some technical assistance
activities listed under the requirements for the Center on College and
Career Readiness and Success, such as implementing accelerated learning
strategies or developing rigorous career and technical education
programs, might necessitate substantive collaboration between SEAs and
IHEs. However, other areas of activity might not. However, in order to
provide technical assistance on some of the activities, we acknowledge
that the Center might facilitate SEA collaboration with IHEs. We choose
not to define a minimum or maximum level of SEA collaboration with
IHEs. We will instead rely on the center to meet the requirements
through varying levels of collaboration between SEAs and IHEs, as
appropriate.
Changes: None.
Comment: One commenter requested clarification on the requirement
of experience working with K-12 and postsecondary education systems for
the Center on College and Career Readiness and Success. The commenter
questioned whether this requirement would address State and district K-
12 systems, public and private postsecondary systems, and the systems
of individual institutions.
Discussion: We expect that grantees will have the experience and
knowledge necessary to successfully provide technical assistance as
described in the program requirements. Applicants are required to
provide evidence of (1) working with SEAs or multiple districts to
design and implement systemic, comprehensive strategies to improve
student transitions from high school to postsecondary degree or
credential programs, and (2) working with K-12 and postsecondary
education systems to align policies and practices in order to improve
student transitions from high school to postsecondary degree or
credential programs. This experience and knowledge could be gained in a
variety of ways. However, we do not require applicants to have
experience with specific types of higher education institutions.
Changes: None.
Comment: To help develop rigorous career and technical education
programs, one commenter suggested including additional examples to the
list of possible activities for the Center on College and Career
Readiness and Success. These could include support for collaboration
with labor unions and for enrollment in apprenticeship programs.
Discussion: The Center on College and Career Readiness and Success
must provide technical assistance to Regional Centers and SEAs that
focuses on SEA development and scaling up of statewide rigorous career
and technical education (CTE) programs that align with college- and
career-ready standards and lead to an industry-recognized credential or
postsecondary certificate or degree. We provide some examples of how
that might be accomplished and recognize that many others could be
included. Nothing in the language of this notice precludes the center
from working with SEAs and Regional
[[Page 33582]]
Centers on the activities recommended by the commenter.
Changes: None.
Requirements for Center on Great Teachers and Leaders
Comment: One commenter suggested requiring that the Center on Great
Teachers and Leaders provide technical assistance focused on supporting
a positive school culture, high expectations, family and community
involvement, and community leadership development.
Discussion: The Center on Great Teachers and Leaders will provide
technical assistance to help SEAs and Regional Centers support
effective instruction and leadership; improve student outcomes; and
identify, synthesize, and disseminate research-based practices and
emerging promising practices. The requirements for this Center identify
a number of issues that must be addressed, including improving
instructional practices; ensuring the equitable distribution of
effective teachers; and developing strategies to recruit, reward,
retain, and support effective teachers and leaders. To the degree that
the issues mentioned by the commenter are related to these requirements
and the Center's priority, and to the extent that the SEA seeks
assistance in addressing them, this Center could provide needed
technical assistance. Therefore, we decline to add the suggested
requirements.
Changes: None.
Requirements for the Center on Building State Capacity and Productivity
Comment: One commenter suggested that the Center on Building State
Capacity and Productivity provide technical assistance to help SEAs
hold their LEAs accountable.
Discussion: The purpose of the Center on Building State Capacity
and Productivity is to provide technical assistance and identify,
synthesize, and disseminate research-based practices and emerging
promising practices that will increase the capacity of SEAs to
implement their key initiatives statewide and support district and
school-level implementation of effective practices to improve student
outcomes. Therefore, nothing precludes this center from working with an
SEA on approaches for holding its LEAs accountable when the work is
related to implementing statewide initiatives to improve student
outcomes.
Changes: None.
Comment: One commenter suggested that the Center on Building State
Capacity and Productivity help SEAs identify supports and interventions
to address not only the needs of districts and schools but also the
needs of parents and caregivers.
Discussion: Under the requirements for this Center, grantees are
expected to provide technical assistance that builds the capacity of
SEAs to better support their districts and schools. This support
includes helping districts and schools communicate more effectively
with parents and caregivers. Nothing in the priority or requirements
for this center would prevent the Center from working with the SEA to
address this issue to the extent that the SEA identifies it as an area
in which it could benefit from the Center's capacity-building technical
assistance. Therefore, we do not think it necessary to add to the
requirements.
Changes: None.
Application Requirements
General
Comment: One commenter recommended that in addition to
demonstrating the capacity and experience of key staff, applicants be
required to demonstrate corporate capacity and experience. The
commenter also suggested that experience providing technical assistance
for a variety of education constituencies through vehicles other than
the Comprehensive Centers be given consideration equal to that given
for work conducted through the Comprehensive Centers.
Discussion: In the application requirements, we identify the
subject-matter and technical expertise that applicants must
demonstrate. We assume that the expertise of key staff reflects the
corporate capacities and experience of the applicant that proposes
them. Additionally, the selection criteria state that we will evaluate
not only key personnel but also the quality of the proposed technical
assistance plan, project design, and management plan. When reviewing
applications, we will consider all relevant experience. We will not
award additional points or give special consideration to applicants
that demonstrate experience conducting technical assistance through a
Comprehensive Center.
Changes: None.
Comment: Two commenters requested clarification of the application
requirement that centers engage the services of an external evaluator.
Discussion: Upon further review and consideration, we have revised
the evaluation requirements. We have removed the requirement for a
third party evaluation. However, we do believe that evaluation and
continuous assessment of the Centers' performance are important parts
of providing useful and relevant technical assistance to SEAs.
Therefore, we still require each applicant to include in the
application a plan to assess its own progress and performance.
Additionally, to ensure that the evaluations are of high quality,
measurable, and comparable for all centers, we are revising the title
of this subsection to include the word ``performance'' and to require
that the plan include results-based outcomes.
Changes: In paragraph II(A)(4) of the Requirements for all Centers
section, we have revised the title of the subsection to read
``Performance and Evaluation'' and deleted the requirement that a third
party perform an evaluation of the program. Additionally, in section
III(K)(4) of the Application Requirements, we have revised the title of
the subsection to read ``Performance and Evaluation Plan,'' deleted the
reference to a third-party evaluator, and included clarifying language
regarding the plan requirements. We specify that the plan must include
a set of performance objectives the project intends to achieve and
performance measures for each performance objective, which must include
results-based outcomes; explain the qualitative and quantitative
methods that will be used to collect, analyze, and report performance
data; and describe the methods that will be used to monitor progress
and make mid-course corrections as needed.
Center on Enhancing Early Learning Outcomes
Comment: A few commenters recommended adding requirements to the
subject-matter and technical-expertise requirements for the Center on
Enhancing Early Learning Outcomes. One commenter advised that in
addition to the experience we proposed, grantees would need experience
with professional development for early childhood educators, Head
Start, and child care. A few commenters recommended additional
expertise requirements, including participation in early childhood
collaborative efforts, participation in projects focused on at-risk
young children, and knowledge of the developmental and learning needs
of young children. Another commenter recommended that consideration be
given to requiring applicants to demonstrate capacity to produce
substantive change in policy and practice.
Discussion: We agree that in order to provide high-quality
technical assistance that will help SEAs increase
[[Page 33583]]
their capacity to implement comprehensive and aligned early learning
systems, grantees should have additional areas of expertise. Therefore,
we are revising the application requirements for the Center on
Enhancing Early Learning Outcomes to include additional requirements.
We note that the subject-matter and technical expertise requirements
for all centers include the expectations that an applicant demonstrate
experience in building collaborative relationships and that an
applicant provide evidence of the effect of its technical assistance on
improving student outcomes.
Changes: We have added two requirements to applications for the
Center on Enhancing Early Learning Outcomes. An applicant must provide
evidence demonstrating that it possesses knowledge and understanding of
developmentally appropriate practices for early learning and of State
early learning systems, and an applicant must demonstrate that the
proposed center staff have experience in working with publicly funded
early learning programs, such as State-funded preschool, Head Start,
programs funded under section 619 of part B of IDEA and part C of IDEA;
programs funded under Title I of the ESEA; and programs receiving funds
from the State's Child Care Development Fund (CCDF).
Flexibility and Requirements for Regional Center Assignments
Comment: Many commenters were concerned about the proposed
flexibility requirements for Regional Center assignments. Commenters
noted that the flexibility may deter collaboration and communication
among Regional and Content Centers. Specifically, they were concerned
that the flexibility would create a competitive dynamic that would
hinder cross-center and cross-State collaboration.
Commenters agreed that SEAs unhappy with the level of service by
their assigned Regional Center should have mechanisms for obtaining
quality service. However, commenters were concerned that reassigning
States to certain centers two years into a grant would be difficult to
implement and affect the continuity of State work.
They noted that an SEA changing affiliation would have to invest
additional time in developing relationships with the new center,
possibly creating gaps in service. Commenters were also concerned that
other States in the region might experience gaps in service while the
Regional Center takes on the work of the additional SEA. They noted
that the flexibility could create difficulties in the planning and
staffing of Regional Centers. Finally, commenters were concerned that
centers with large marketing budgets might have an advantage in
promoting their services to SEAs. One commenter, however, supported our
proposal, noting that flexibility would strengthen incentives to
provide relevant and high-quality service and would allow States to
maximize their ability to collaborate with peer States that share their
reform goals and strategies.
Discussion: We appreciate the concerns raised by the commenters and
acknowledge that the flexibility may create a competitive dynamic among
centers. However, we believe that the best way to implement a customer-
centered, performance-focused technical assistance network is to allow
States to create a demand-driven market for services. We disagree that
this flexibility will deter collaboration and communication among
Regional and Content Centers. In order to provide quality technical
assistance sought after by States, centers must continue to collaborate
and take advantage of the expertise of both Content and Regional
Centers. Regional Centers that collaborate with other centers across
regional boundaries are often better able to provide technical
assistance to their States. Therefore, it will be in the best interest
of every center to work with other centers to improve the quality of
technical assistance across the country.
We acknowledge that there may be implementation challenges when a
State requests reassignment. We agree that SEAs unsatisfied with their
current center should have more than one mechanism for obtaining
quality service. For these reasons, the Department has added clarifying
information about how and when a State may request reassignment. In
addition, once a State has requested reassignment, the current Regional
Center will have time to work with the State to resolve any quality-of-
service issues prior to the Department considering the request for
reassignment.
We also acknowledge that there may be a temporary gap in services
when a State is assigned to a different Regional Center. However, prior
to requesting reassignment, the State must obtain documentation from
the new Regional Center indicating its willingness and capacity to
serve the additional State. As a result of this process, the new
Regional Center should already be effectively planning and working with
the State to develop a strategy for continuing services to the State
while maintaining the same level of service for all of its current
States.
Finally, we disagree with those commenters suggesting that Regional
Centers with larger marketing budgets have an advantage over centers
with smaller budgets. States are likely to request reassignment in
order to seek services that they believe will best meet their needs,
regardless of location or marketing initiatives. Further, we agree with
the comment that supports this flexibility because it would allow
States to maximize their ability to collaborate with peer States that
share their reform goals and strategies.
Changes: We have clarified the process for a State to request
reassignment to a different Regional Center. In its request, an SEA
must provide its specific reasons for requesting reassignment. The
Department will notify the current Regional Center immediately after
receiving the request for reassignment. We have also added time to the
process of requesting reassignment to allow the current Regional Center
time to work with the State to resolve any quality-of-service issues
prior to the Department considering the request for reassignment.
Cost Sharing or In-Kind Match
Comment: A number of commenters objected to the proposal to
establish a competitive preference priority for applicants that provide
evidence of a commitment of funds or an in-kind match, or both, that
totals at least 15 percent of the total grant budget. The commenters
expressed a number of concerns.
They stated that external funders would expect to have a
significant voice in Center decision-making, especially as the rate of
cost-sharing increased. Commenters were also concerned that the
complexity of tracking separate sources of funds would pose a
significant burden. Commenters noted that the current economic climate
in general has increased the difficulty of obtaining funds and that
applicants could find themselves in competition with States for the
limited available funds. Commenters also stated that large foundations
would be more inclined to fund projects with national scope and a
tangible potential product and less likely to fund regional technical
assistance. Finally, commenters voiced concern that applicants with an
already established relationship with philanthropic organizations might
have an unfair advantage. One commenter stated that the Department did
not present a strong justification explaining
[[Page 33584]]
why the program would benefit from this priority.
Discussion: The Comprehensive Centers program represents a
significant investment in technical assistance to SEAs. We are
committed to supporting SEAs, districts, and schools as they work to
implement their reform priorities. Because of the importance of these
technical assistance efforts, we believe that there is significant
value in securing additional funding to support SEA capacity-building.
Combining the Department's efforts and resources with external efforts
and resources provides an opportunity to increase and extend the reach
of the Comprehensive Centers program. For these reasons, we remain
committed to providing incentives for additional investments in the
work of the centers.
However, we also acknowledge the challenges of securing matching
funds and managing multiple partnerships. Therefore, for the FY 2012
competition, we will use this priority only as an invitational
priority. We indicate this in the notice inviting applications
published elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register. We also
remove the ``competitive preference'' designation from the priority and
in this notice of final priorities, requirements, and selection
criteria (NFP). Not designating it as absolute, competitive preference,
or invitational in the NFP will allow the Department flexibility in
using the priority in future competitions.
Changes: We have revised the priority for cost-sharing or matching
to remove the competitive preference designation.
Selection Criteria
Comment: One commenter suggested that we add to the selection
criteria a criterion on the demonstrated ability to provide
analytically based technical assistance. The commenter cited the
usefulness of technical assistance that improves the analytic capacity
of the SEA and its contribution to data-based decision-making.
Discussion: We acknowledge the usefulness of technical assistance
that improves the analytic capacity of SEAs and contributes to their
skill in making data-based decisions. Regional Centers will be required
to provide technical assistance that builds SEA capacity to implement,
support, scale up, and sustain initiatives that address the use of
data-based decision-making to improve instructional practices,
policies, and student outcomes. In addition, the requirements for the
Center on Building State Capacity and Productivity include helping SEAs
identify research-based practices and emerging promising practices in
such areas as human capital management, financial data systems, and
return-on-investment analyses that can inform decision-making and help
improve SEA productivity. We will use the selection criteria to
determine the extent to which applicants meet these requirements.
Therefore, we do not believe it is necessary to add an additional
selection criterion.
Changes: None.
Comment: One commenter asked whether the criterion that requires
that Content Centers demonstrate evidence of in-depth knowledge and
understanding of State technical assistance needs means that a center
must have a broad view of the kinds of needs that all or many States
have, or an in-depth understanding of the needs of each State.
Discussion: As described in the requirements in this notice for all
Content Centers, each Center must both assess national needs and take
into account the needs of SEAs and Regional Centers in its area of
expertise.
Changes: None.
FINAL PRIORITIES:
I. Priorities
This notice contains eight priorities. The Assistant Secretary may
use one or more of these priorities for the FY 2012 Comprehensive
Centers program competition or for any subsequent competitions.
PRIORITY FOR REGIONAL CENTERS:
Priority 1: Regional Centers. Each Regional Center must provide
high-quality technical assistance that focuses on key initiatives,
aligns with the work of the Content Centers, and builds the capacity of
SEAs to implement, support, scale up, and sustain initiatives statewide
and to lead and support their LEAs and schools in improving student
outcomes. Key initiatives include: (1) Implementing college- and
career-ready standards and aligned, high-quality assessments for all
students; (2) identifying, recruiting, developing, and retaining highly
effective teachers and leaders; (3) turning around the lowest-
performing schools; (4) ensuring the school readiness and success of
preschool-age children and their successful transition to kindergarten;
(5) building rigorous instructional pathways that support the
successful transition of all students from secondary education to
college without the need for remediation, and careers; (6) identifying
and scaling up innovative approaches to teaching and learning that
significantly improve student outcomes; and (7) using data-based
decision-making to improve instructional practices, policies, and
student outcomes.
PRIORITIES FOR CONTENT CENTERS:
Priority 2: Center on Standards and Assessments Implementation. The
Center on Standards and Assessments Implementation must provide
technical assistance and identify, synthesize, and disseminate
research-based practices and emerging promising practices that will
lead to the increased capacity of SEAs to support their districts and
schools in implementing rigorous college- and career-ready standards
and aligned high-quality assessments.
Priority 3: Center on Great Teachers and Leaders. The Center on
Great Teachers and Leaders must provide technical assistance and
identify, synthesize, and disseminate research-based practices and
emerging promising practices that will lead to the increased capacity
of SEAs to support their districts and schools in improving student
outcomes by supporting effective instruction and leadership.
Priority 4: Center on School Turnaround. The Center on School
Turnaround must provide technical assistance and identify, synthesize,
and disseminate research-based practices and emerging promising
practices that will lead to the increased capacity of SEAs to support
their districts and schools in turning around their lowest-performing
schools.
Priority 5: Center on Enhancing Early Learning Outcomes. The Center
on Enhancing Early Learning Outcomes must provide technical assistance
and identify, synthesize, and disseminate research-based practices and
emerging promising practices that will lead to the increased capacity
of SEAs to implement comprehensive and aligned early learning systems
in order to increase the number of children from birth through third
grade who are prepared to succeed in school.
Priority 6: Center on College and Career Readiness and Success. The
Center on College and Career Readiness and Success must provide
technical assistance and identify, synthesize, and disseminate
research-based practices and emerging promising practices that will
lead to the increased capacity of SEAs to support districts and schools
in implementing comprehensive strategies that promote college- and
career-readiness for students in kindergarten through grade 12 (K-12)
and ensure the successful transition of all students from high school
graduation to postsecondary education and the workforce.
Priority 7: Center on Building State Capacity and Productivity. The
Center on Building State Capacity and
[[Page 33585]]
Productivity must provide technical assistance and identify,
synthesize, and disseminate research-based practices and emerging
promising practices that will increase the capacity of SEAs to
implement their key initiatives statewide and support district- and
school-level implementation of effective practices to improve student
outcomes.
Priority 8: Center on Innovations in Learning. The Center on
Innovations in Learning must provide technical assistance and identify,
synthesize, and disseminate research-based practices and emerging
promising practices that will lead to the increased capacity of SEAs to
identify and scale up innovative approaches that significantly improve,
or have the potential to significantly improve, student outcomes.
PRIORITY FOR ALL CENTERS:
Priority: Cost-Sharing or Matching. Applications that provide
evidence in the application of a commitment from one or more entities
or organizations in the public or private sector, which may include
philanthropic organizations, of funds or an in-kind match, or both,
that totals at least 15 percent of the total grant budget meet this
priority. The entire amount of the matching contribution must be non-
Federal funds. See 34 CFR 80.24. Evidence of the commitment of the
financial or in-kind matching contribution must include the full amount
and source of the matching contribution and the date that the funds or
in-kind contributions will be received. Examples of such evidence
include funding agreements with a public or private-sector entity or
other signed documents such as commitment letters. The evidence should
not include contingencies that raise concerns about the funding
commitment other than that the applicant must be awarded a
Comprehensive Centers grant award.
If the Department chooses to designate this priority as competitive
in a notice inviting applications, we may provide additional points for
applicants that provide evidence of matching funds or in-kind
contributions in excess of 15 percent of its grant budget. Additional
points may be awarded to the extent that the applicant provides
evidence of a committed financial or in-kind matching contribution up
to 100 percent of its grant budget. The Department would also specify
in the notice inviting applications the number of points to be awarded
for specific ranges of matching amounts.
Types of Priorities: When inviting applications for a competition
using one or more priorities, and unless already established as a
specific type of priority through regulation, we designate the type of
each priority as absolute, competitive preference, or invitational
through a notice in the Federal Register. 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)).
II. Comprehensive Center Requirements
The Assistant Secretary of Elementary and Secondary Education
establishes the following requirements.\1\
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\1\ As used in these requirements, the term ``high-need children
and high-need students'' means children and students at risk of
educational failure, such as children and students who are living in
poverty, who are English Learners, who are far below grade level or
who are not on track to becoming college- or career-ready by
graduation, who have left school or college before receiving,
respectively, a regular high school diploma or a college degree or
certificate, who are at risk of not graduating with a diploma on
time, who are homeless, who are in foster care, who are pregnant or
parenting teenagers, who have been incarcerated, who are new
immigrants, who are migrant, or who have disabilities.
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A. Requirements for All Centers.
1. Provide high-quality technical assistance. Each center must
deliver technical assistance that is based on research-based practices
and emerging promising practices; highly relevant and useful to SEAs,
LEAs, and school policymakers and practitioners; timely; and cost
efficient.
2. Provide technical assistance to build State capacity. Each
center must provide technical assistance to help SEAs build their
capacity to implement State-level initiatives and support district- and
school-level initiatives that improve educational outcomes for all
students, close achievement gaps, and improve the quality of
instruction.
For the purposes of this notice, the process of ``building
capacity'' includes helping SEAs--
a. Build internal organizational strength through such activities
as creating sustainable organizational structures and effective
performance management systems, building staff expertise within those
structures to ensure that districts and schools are provided high-
quality services and supports, and better aligning programs and
policies through strengthening connections (e.g., communication,
collaboration) among different work streams (e.g., divisions, grant
programs); and
b. Build organizational capacity to support district- and school-
level implementation of effective practices to improve student
outcomes--for example, by working collaboratively and productively with
districts and schools; identifying and implementing a continuum of
supports and interventions to address the needs of districts and
schools; supporting the implementation and scaling up of innovative and
effective strategies; sustaining effective practices; engaging
effective external service providers; and involving key stakeholders,
including parents, in decision-making.
3. Coordination and Collaboration. In addition to the statutory
requirement under section 203(f)(2) and (g) of the ETAA to collaborate
with the Department and other entities and to establish an advisory
board, each center must collaborate with other Comprehensive Centers
funded under this program; the Institute of Education Sciences (IES),
including the What Works Clearinghouse and the RELs; technical
assistance centers funded under other Department programs; and other
technical assistance providers to address SEA needs. Each center must--
a. Develop strong, ongoing relationships and partnerships with
leading experts and organizations nationwide to supplement and enhance,
as appropriate, center staff's expertise, skills, and experience and to
ensure that technical assistance is informed by research-based
practices and emerging promising practices;
b. Coordinate center activities with the work of other technical
assistance providers to make the best use of available knowledge and
resources and avoid duplicating efforts; and
c. Participate in sharing and exchanging information through a
common online portal administered by a center funded by the Department
for the purpose of sharing technical assistance expertise, materials,
and other applicable resources across Comprehensive Centers, other
Department-funded technical assistance providers, SEAs, districts, and
schools.
4. Performance and Evaluation. Each center must develop a plan to
assess the
[[Page 33586]]
progress and performance of the center in meeting the educational and
capacity-building needs of the center's clients.
B. Requirements for All Regional Centers. In addition to the
requirements for all centers described in this notice, each Regional
Center must--
1. Assess each State's needs and develop an annual work plan in
partnership with each SEA in its region and the Content Centers, as
appropriate, that--
a. Provides technical assistance to build SEA capacity to
implement, support, scale up, and sustain initiatives that address the
following key areas: (1) Implementing college- and career-ready
standards and aligned, high-quality assessments for all students; (2)
identifying, recruiting, developing, and retaining highly effective
teachers and leaders; (3) turning around the lowest-performing schools;
(4) ensuring the school-readiness and success of preschool-age children
and their successful transition to kindergarten through third grade
learning; (5) building rigorous instructional pathways that support the
successful transition of all students from secondary education to
college, without the need for remediation, and to careers; (6)
identifying and scaling up innovative approaches to teaching and
learning that significantly improve, or have potential to significantly
improve, student outcomes; and (7) using data-based decision-making to
improve instructional practices, policies, and student outcomes;
b. Addresses the needs of each SEA in the region based on the SEA's
unique context, challenges, and current capacity;
c. Articulates an approach to secure an SEA's commitment to devote
time, leadership, and personnel needed to implement the work plan and
achieve specific goals, which may include a memorandum of understanding
or similar agreement that contains timelines and benchmarks to ensure
that the work stays on track to achieve these goals.
d. Addresses the demands of implementing integrated State
longitudinal data systems and using data from these systems and other
sources to improve student outcomes, in collaboration with RELs, as
appropriate; and
e. Addresses the needs of all students, including English Learners,
students with disabilities, and high-need students;
2. Deliver high-quality intensive technical assistance to SEAs
that--
a. Provides regular virtual and on-site support and coaching at a
frequency appropriate to ensuring high-quality implementation of the
work plan;
b. Facilitates collaborative activities and strategies for
evaluating and continuously improving organizational structures and
processes;
c. Draws on the expertise of the Center on Building State Capacity
and Productivity;
d. Facilitates productive SEA interactions with LEAs and other
stakeholders to support implementation of key initiatives focused on
improving student outcomes;
e. Helps SEAs implement researched-based practices and emerging
promising practices identified by the Content Centers and other leading
experts and organizations nationwide; and
f. Provides opportunities for SEAs to meet with and learn from
researchers, experts, and each other about practical and effective
strategies for implementing key initiatives, including by, for example,
organizing or facilitating SEA participation in communities of
practice; and
3. Make all training materials, rubrics, manuals, presentations,
and other materials developed during the grant period publicly and
freely available through the online portal described in the
coordination and collaboration requirement for all centers.
Note: The requirements for all Regional Centers do not support
the development of new content. A Regional Center applicant will not
satisfy these requirements if it proposes a technical assistance
plan that includes development work, such as designing or developing
curricula or instructional materials for use in classrooms,
developing educational programs, or conducting research, monitoring,
or program evaluations for an SEA. A Regional Center may propose to
create materials to be used in capacity-building activities with the
SEA, such as decision matrices, written responses to information
requests, self-assessment rubrics, or presentation materials. In
addition, to the extent that an applicant proposes to work with
individual school districts or schools, the applicant must propose
technical assistance that reaches a large number or proportion of
districts or schools in the State, responds to a need identified by
an SEA, and is planned, coordinated, and executed in concert with
the SEA.
C. Requirements for All Content Centers. In addition to the
requirements for all centers described in this notice, each Content
Center must
1. Assess national needs and develop an annual work plan that--
a. Takes into account the needs of SEAs and Regional Centers in its
area of expertise;
b. Addresses its specific area of expertise; and
c. Addresses the needs of all students, including English Learners,
students with disabilities, and high-need students;
2. Deliver high-quality technical assistance to Regional Centers
and SEAs in its area of expertise that--
a. Reflects collaboration with Regional Centers to address
identified needs of SEAs;
b. Provides opportunities for SEAs to learn from researchers,
experts, and each other by, for example, participating in, organizing,
or facilitating SEA participation in communities of practice; and
c. Differentiates the delivery of technical assistance based on the
current capacity and needs of the Regional Centers and SEAs;
3. Translate expertise, research-based practices and emerging
promising practices into high-quality publications, tools, and services
appropriate for SEAs, LEAs, and school policymakers and practitioners;
and
4. Make all training materials, rubrics, manuals, presentations,
and other materials developed during the grant period publicly and
freely available through the online portal described in the
coordination and collaboration requirement for all centers.
D. Requirements for the Center on Standards and Assessments
Implementation. In addition to the requirements for all centers and for
all Content Centers described in this notice, the Center on Standards
and Assessments Implementation must provide technical assistance to
Regional Centers and SEAs that focuses on--
1. State implementation of college- and career-ready standards for
students and schools statewide, as well as State development and
administration of aligned high-quality assessments such as those under
development by the Race to the Top Assessment program grantees (https://www2.ed.gov/programs/racetothetop-assessment/) and by General
Supervision Enhancement Grants (GSEG) program grantees, who are
developing alternate assessments based on alternate academic
achievement standards for students with the most significant cognitive
disabilities;
2. The instructional implications of transitioning to new
standards, including the need for aligned, high-quality instructional
materials and high-quality professional development and other supports
to prepare teachers to teach all students, including English Learners,
students with disabilities, and
[[Page 33587]]
low-achieving students, to college- and career-ready standards;
3. Integrating new standards and assessments with State
accountability systems and State, district, and school teacher and
leader support and evaluation systems; and
4. Using assessment data and other measures of student performance
to inform instruction, differentiate school performance levels, and
evaluate district and school improvement policies and activities.
E. Requirements for the Center on Great Teachers and Leaders. In
addition to the requirements for all centers and for all Content
Centers described in this notice, the Center on Great Teachers and
Leaders must provide technical assistance to Regional Centers and SEAs
that focuses on--
1. Developing the knowledge and skills of teachers and leaders,
with emphasis on improving instructional practices that help students
meet college- and career-ready standards;
2. Strategies to ensure the equitable distribution of effective
teachers and to meet demand in hard-to-staff schools and subjects and
in rural areas;
3. Strategies to recruit, reward, retain, and support effective
teachers and leaders by, for example, offering opportunities for career
advancement;
4. Developing and implementing teacher and leader human capital
management systems (e.g., systems related to recruiting, evaluating,
developing, rewarding, and retaining teachers and leaders), including
teacher and leader evaluation and support systems that use multiple
valid measures of effectiveness (including student growth and other
measures of professional performance), differentiate performance
levels, inform professional development needs, and focus on
continuously improving instruction for teachers in both tested and non-
tested grades and subjects, including teachers of English Learners and
students with disabilities; and
5. Using human capital strategies, which may include professional
development and evaluation, that build teacher and leader capacity to
create safe, productive school environments and increase academic
engagement for all students through positive behavior management and
appropriate discipline.
6. Using data from human capital management systems, State
longitudinal data systems, and other sources to guide professional
development and improve instruction.
F. Requirements for the Center on School Turnaround. In addition to
the requirements for all centers and for all Content Centers described
in this notice, the Center on School Turnaround must provide technical
assistance to Regional Centers and SEAs that focuses on--
1. Developing and strengthening organizational systems and
structures that promote and sustain comprehensive district and school
reforms that lead to significant gains in student outcomes and close
achievement gaps in the lowest-performing schools;
2. Developing effective tools, processes, and policies for States
to monitor and support district and school efforts to turn around the
lowest-performing schools; the tools, processes, and policies could
include ways to select and monitor external providers, support and
develop turnaround leaders, and analyze and use data;
3. Collecting and disseminating information and resources on
successful school turnaround models;
4. Collecting and disseminating information and resources on
promising and emerging State, district, and school approaches to: (a)
Improving student outcomes and closing achievement gaps, (b) addressing
non-academic factors that impact student achievement, such as students'
social, emotional, and health needs, and (c) sustaining improvements
across a broad spectrum (e.g., urban, rural, high-poverty) of the
lowest-performing schools and across student populations (e.g., English
Learners, students with disabilities, high-need students); these
approaches may include extending learning time; and
4. Facilitating support networks and ongoing learning opportunities
for SEAs, LEAs, and school policymakers and practitioners serving the
lowest-performing schools, which may include managing and supporting an
online community of practice.
G. Requirements for the Center on Enhancing Early Learning
Outcomes. In addition to the requirements for all centers and for all
Content Centers, the Center on Enhancing Early Learning Outcomes must
provide technical assistance to Regional Centers and SEAs that focuses
on--
1. Aligning preschool and kindergarten-through-third-grade
education policies and systems in order to increase the number of
children who transition successfully to kindergarten and to close the
achievement gap, particularly for high-need children;
2. Increasing knowledge and expertise among SEA staff and among
State-level early learning program staff in understanding the purposes
and uses of a full range of early learning assessment strategies and
instruments and in selecting assessment instruments and approaches that
are appropriate for all children, including English Learners, students
with disabilities, and low-achieving students;
3. Using assessment data and other information to improve the
quality of instruction in early learning programs;
4. Increasing the effectiveness of the early learning workforce--
for example, by assisting SEAs in developing and implementing statewide
workforce knowledge and competency frameworks designed to support
children's learning and development and improve outcomes; supporting
more robust early childhood educator preparation and professional
development efforts; and developing a common, statewide progression of
teaching credentials and degrees aligned with the State frameworks; and
5. Working to integrate and align resources and policies across
State agencies and programs to support a coordinated statewide system
that promotes children's success in school.
H. Requirements for the Center on College and Career Readiness and
Success. In addition to the requirements for all centers and for all
Content Centers described in this notice, the Center on College and
Career Readiness and Success must provide technical assistance to
Regional Centers and SEAs that focuses on--
1. Policies and practices that--
a. Support the successful transition of all students from secondary
education to college, without the need for remediation, and to careers;
and
b. Increase postsecondary enrollment, persistence, and completion--
for example, by assisting SEAs in aligning secondary and postsecondary
learning expectations, strengthening the rigor of high school courses
and pathways, and providing college counseling;
2. SEA development and scaling up of statewide rigorous career and
technical education (CTE) programs that align with college- and career-
ready standards and lead to an industry-recognized credential or
postsecondary certificate or degree--for example, by implementing high-
quality, academically rigorous CTE programs and courses; providing high
school credits for work-based learning opportunities; providing college
credit for secondary school academic and technical courses through
statewide secondary-postsecondary articulation agreements; implementing
career counseling services that incorporate the most up-to-date
information on existing and emerging in-demand industry sectors and
occupations; and aligning CTE programs and priorities with State and
local economic development strategies, industry standards in existing
[[Page 33588]]
and emerging in-demand industry sectors and occupations, and job growth
data;
3. High-quality science, technology, engineering, and mathematics
(STEM) instruction that supports and challenges students through a
progression of STEM courses and the transition to postsecondary degree
and certificate programs in STEM fields;
4. Implementing accelerated learning strategies such as dual-credit
and early college options, General Educational Development (GED)-to-
college pathways, competency-based pathways, and other programs
designed to encourage and support the successful transition of all
students, especially disadvantaged and first-generation college-going
students, dropouts who re-enter school, and students with disabilities,
from secondary school into postsecondary education or training
programs; and
5. Effectively using data--for example, using early warning and
college- and career-readiness indicators to identify secondary school
students needing additional support, or implementing approaches,
consistent with Federal, State, and local privacy laws and regulations,
to allow data to be shared between LEAs and postsecondary institutions
to improve student transitions.
I. Requirements for the Center on Building State Capacity and
Productivity. In addition to the requirements for all centers and for
all Content Centers described in this notice, the Center on Building
State Capacity and Productivity must provide technical assistance to
Regional Centers and SEAS that focuses on--
1. Building the internal organizational capacity of SEAs by--
a. Supporting the implementation of sustainable organizational
structures and effective performance management systems that help SEAs
support key education initiatives and set priorities for using their
resources;
b. Helping SEAs build their staffs' leadership skills and expertise
so that staff can effectively lead and support education initiatives
and ensure that districts and schools are provided with high-quality
services and supports;
c. Helping SEAs strengthen information sharing across
organizational units within SEAs in order to facilitate cross-cutting
work that increases the success of State- and district-level
initiatives designed to improve student outcomes and that enhances the
sustainability of these initiatives;
d. Helping SEAs make more efficient use of scarce resources--for
example, by measuring and comparing the costs of similar systems,
processes, programs, and products; and
e. Identifying State- and district-level research-based practices
and emerging promising practices in such areas as human capital
management, financial data systems, and return-on-investment analyses
that can inform decision- making and help SEAs improve productivity and
reduce costs across classrooms, schools, districts, and States; and
2. Building the organizational capacity of SEAs to support
district- and school-level implementation of initiatives designed to
improve student outcomes by helping SEAs--
a. Build collaborative and productive relationships with their
LEAs; provide technical assistance that builds the capacity of its
LEAs; facilitate the sharing of research-based practices, emerging
promising practices, and problem-solving strategies among LEAs; and
identify ways in which the SEA can help its LEAs scale up effective
practices;
b. Identify and implement a continuum of supports and interventions
to address the needs of districts and schools;
c. Develop processes to identify and select effective external
partners and monitor their progress in achieving stated goals and
objectives; and
d. Engage and provide information to key stakeholders, including
parents, on the implementation of key initiatives.
J. Requirements for the Center on Innovations in Learning. In
addition to the requirements for all centers and for all Content
Centers described in this notice, the Center on Innovations in Learning
must provide technical assistance to Regional Centers and SEAs that
focuses on--
1. Identifying and implementing policies, strategies, and practices
that encourage the identification and scaling up of new teaching and
learning strategies, approaches, processes, or tools that significantly
improve, or have the potential to significantly improve, student
outcomes--for example, through analyzing State and district data to
identify positive trends or unique patterns that indicate significant
improvement, or the potential for significant improvement, in student
outcomes; helping States use competitions to identify the most
promising innovations; helping States rigorously evaluate promising
innovations; and supporting States' broad adoption of the most
promising and proven innovations and the replacement of less effective
programs and practices;
2. Identifying and implementing policies, strategies, and practices
that encourage improved student outcomes through personalization of
learning for each student--for example, by helping SEAs, LEAs, and
schools provide opportunities for self-paced learning, implement
instructional approaches and subject matter matched to students needs
and interests, and increase access to experts, teachers, and peers who
can address specific student needs and interests;
3. Selecting and implementing technologies that support the
personalization of learning--for example, (a) data systems that allow
teachers to better differentiate instruction and instructional
resources for maximum effectiveness and (b) adaptive instructional
systems that enable students to optimize the pace of learning and
individualize the instructional content they need to achieve mastery;
4. Using State and local data systems to identify specific areas of
student need and evaluate the effectiveness of specific strategies that
support innovations in learning--for example, practices that improve
student learning outcomes, that increase the number of individuals
served without increasing resources, or that maintain educational
outcomes and the number of students served while using fewer resources;
and
5. Identifying and implementing policies and practices that
accelerate the adoption of promising and proven personalized learning
strategies, practices, and tools.
K. Application Requirements
1. Technical Assistance Plan. An applicant for a Regional Center
must submit as part of its application a five-year plan of technical
assistance that describes how it will meet the program requirements for
all centers and for Regional Centers. An applicant for a Content Center
must submit as part of its application a five-year plan of technical
assistance that describes how it will meet the program requirements for
all centers, the general requirements for all Content Centers, and the
applicable Content Center requirements described in this notice.
2. Subject-Matter and Technical Expertise. An applicant for a
Regional or Content Center must provide a narrative describing the
subject-matter and technical expertise of proposed center staff,
including any partners and consultants. At a minimum, the narrative
must include the names and resumes for the proposed center staff.
a. All Centers. An applicant for a Regional or Content Center must
provide evidence in its application
[[Page 33589]]
demonstrating that the proposed center staff, including any partners
and consultants, possesses--
i. Knowledge and understanding of the research-based practices and
emerging promising practices that will enable the applicant to provide
high-quality technical assistance specifically related to building SEA
capacity to implement State-level initiatives and to support district-
and school-level initiatives that improve educational outcomes for all
students, close achievement gaps, and improve the quality of
instruction; and
ii. Experience in the following:
(a) Delivering high-quality, relevant technical assistance and
sharing expertise with SEAs or multiple districts. An applicant must
provide evidence of the effect that its technical assistance has had on
SEAs or LEAs, such as improved student outcomes, increased
organizational capacity, the establishment of effective structures or
processes, or high levels of client satisfaction.
(b) Supporting SEAs or multiple districts in implementing key
initiatives and in making systemic changes beyond individual districts
or schools.
(c) Building collaborative relationships with leading experts and
organizations in applicable areas of expertise to increase the quality,
relevance, and usefulness of technical assistance.
b. Regional Centers. In addition to the subject-matter and
technical expertise outlined for all center applicants, an applicant
for a Regional Center must provide evidence in its application
demonstrating that the proposed center staff, including any partners
and consultants, possesses--
i. Knowledge and understanding of--
(a) The context and status of education reform in each of the
States the applicant would serve;
(b) Leading research on implementing educational initiatives and
practices and on how to help SEAs implement, support, scale up, and
sustain practices that address identified problems;
(c) LEA support systems within States the applicant would serve,
such as networks of educational service agencies and third-party
systems of support, and how to use those systems to provide high-
quality support to districts and schools; and
ii. Experience in the following:
(a) Working with SEAs or multiple districts to implement
comprehensive or innovative plans to improve student achievement or
provide large-scale technical assistance focused on improving student
outcomes.
(b) Developing and implementing performance and project management
systems on a large scale or in large, complex, public-sector
institutions.
(c) Facilitating communities of practice within and across States.
c. Center on Standards and Assessments Implementation. In addition
to the subject-matter and technical expertise outlined for all centers,
an applicant for the Center on Standards and Assessments Implementation
must provide evidence in its application demonstrating that the
proposed center staff, including any partners and consultants,
possesses--
i. Knowledge and understanding of--
(a) The Common Core State Standards and other college- and career-
ready standards that States have adopted, including detailed knowledge
and understanding of the differences in expectations embedded in these
standards compared to those embedded in current State standards;
(b) The work of the Smarter Balanced assessment consortium and the
Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC)
assessment consortium, as well as other State-developed assessments
that are linked to college- and career-ready standards, including
assessment designs and the status of efforts to develop and pilot the
new assessments; and
(c) Instructional strategies and high-quality curricula that are
aligned with rigorous college- and career-ready standards and support
the teaching and learning of all students, including English Learners,
students with disabilities, and low-achieving students; and
ii. Experience in the following:
(a) Working successfully with SEAs or multiple districts on the
implementation of new standards or assessments.
(b) Working with experts and practitioners involved in college- and
career-ready assessment efforts supported by States, such as the
Smarter Balanced or PARCC assessment consortia.
(c) Working with SEAs or multiple districts in aligning curricular
and instructional options, as well as teacher and leader professional
development, with new, more rigorous standards.
(d) Working with SEAs, LEAs, or school policymakers and
practitioners on the interpretation and appropriate use of assessment
data.
d. Center on Great Teachers and Leaders. In addition to the
subject-matter and technical expertise outlined for all centers, an
applicant for the Center on Great Teachers and Leaders must provide
evidence in its application demonstrating that the proposed center
staff, including any partners and consultants, possesses--
i. Knowledge and understanding of--
(a) Teacher and leader professional development that improves
instruction and helps students meet college- and career-ready
standards;
(b) Strategies to improve teacher and leader recruitment and
retention;
(c) Designing or improving teacher and leader human capital
management systems, including teacher and leader evaluation and support
systems, that are based in significant part on student growth,
differentiate performance, include multiple measures of effectiveness,
inform professional development, and focus on continuous improvement of
instruction; and
(d) The broad range of SEA and district teacher and leader human
capital management systems, State policies that facilitate or hinder
the development of such high-quality systems, and possible barriers to
the equitable distribution of effective teachers and leaders; and
ii. Experience in the following:
(a) Working successfully with SEAs or multiple districts on
improving the quality of instruction statewide or across multiple
districts.
(b) Working collaboratively with teacher and leader preparation
organizations, institutions of higher education, charter management
organizations, or other teacher and leader preparation and development
groups to develop, implement, or improve teacher and leader human
capital management systems, including teacher and leader evaluation and
support systems.
e. Center on School Turnaround. In addition to the subject-matter
and technical expertise outlined for all centers, an applicant for the
Center on School Turnaround must provide evidence in its application
demonstrating that the proposed center staff, including any partners
and consultants, possesses--
i. Knowledge and understanding of--
(a) The approaches States, districts, and schools are taking to
turn around their lowest-performing schools, including efforts under
the School Improvement Grants and Race to the Top programs; and
(b) Emerging promising practices, including non-academic practices
that impact student outcomes, for improving student outcomes in the
lowest-performing schools, particularly those engaged in school
turnaround efforts; and
ii. Experience working with SEAs or multiple districts on school
turnaround
[[Page 33590]]
efforts, including helping SEAs or multiple districts develop and
implement structures or systems that promote and sustain comprehensive
district and school reforms and processes and tools to monitor
turnaround efforts.
f. Center on Enhancing Early Learning Outcomes. In addition to the
subject-matter and technical expertise outlined for all centers, an
applicant for the Center on Enhancing Early Learning Outcomes must
provide evidence in its application demonstrating that the proposed
center staff, including any partners and consultants, possesses--
i. Knowledge and understanding of--
(a) Developmentally appropriate practices for early learning;
(b) State early learning and development standards that define what
children should know and be able to do from birth through third grade;
(c) Principles and approaches to appropriately assess young
children's knowledge and skills from birth through third grade,
including expertise in the field of psychometrics;
(d) The issues related to improving the workforce serving children
from birth through third grade, including issues related to workforce
competencies, certifications, and compensation; and
(e) State early learning systems; and
ii. Experience in the following:
(a) Providing technical assistance to SEAs or multiple districts on
selecting, using, and interpreting the results of early childhood
assessments.
(b) Assisting SEAs or multiple districts on building an effective
early childhood workforce; and
(c) Working with publically funded early learning programs, such as
State-funded preschool; Head Start; programs funded under section 619
of part B of IDEA and part C of IDEA; programs funded under Title I of
the ESEA; and programs receiving funds from the State's Child Care
Development Fund (CCDF).
g. Center on College and Career Readiness and Success. In addition
to the subject-matter and technical expertise outlined for all centers,
an applicant for the Center on College and Career Readiness and Success
must provide evidence in its application demonstrating that the
proposed center staff, including any partners and consultants,
possess--
i. Knowledge and understanding of--
(a) Research-based practices and emerging promising practices that
support the successful transition of all students from secondary
education to college, without the need for remediation, and to careers;
(b) Rigorous career and technical education programs of study that
align with college- and career-ready standards; and
(c) High-quality STEM instructional pathways that lead to a
postsecondary degree or certification in STEM fields; and
ii. Experience in the following:
(a) Working with SEAs or multiple districts to design and implement
systemic, comprehensive strategies that promote college- and career-
readiness for K-12 students and students' successful transition from
high school graduation to postsecondary education and the workforce.
(b) Helping SEAs address the systemic needs and challenges they and
their LEAs face in ensuring that all students graduate from high school
prepared for college and careers, particularly in high-poverty, high-
minority, urban, and rural settings.
(c) Working with K-12 and postsecondary education systems to align
policies and practices in order to improve student transitions from
high school to postsecondary degree or credential programs.
h. Center on Building State Capacity and Productivity. In addition
to the subject-matter and technical expertise outlined for all centers,
an applicant for the Center on Building State Capacity and Productivity
must provide evidence in its application demonstrating that the
proposed center staff, including any partners and consultants,
possesses--
i. Knowledge and understanding of--
(a) SEA organizational structures that are effective in supporting
district- and school-level implementation of effective practices to
improve student outcomes;
(b) The relationship of an SEA to its LEAs and the differing
resources and capacities that exist across LEAs;
(c) Research-based practices and emerging promising practices in
using LEA support systems in States, such as networks of educational
service agencies and third-party systems of support, in order to
provide high-quality support to districts and schools; and
(d) Leading research in performance and project management,
including research conducted in non-education sectors and industries;
and
ii. Experience in the following:
(a) Working with SEAs to successfully implement programs or
initiatives statewide or in multiple districts.
(b) Providing in-depth coaching and advice to SEA leaders on
improving internal organizational capacity or the capacity to support
district- and school-level implementation of effective practices in
order to improve student outcomes.
(c) Facilitating communities of practice within and across States.
(d) Working with large-scale organizations, especially public-
sector organizations that work with multiple constituencies and
stakeholders, on performance and project management.
i. Center on Innovations in Learning. In addition to the subject-
matter and technical expertise outlined for all centers, an applicant
for the Center on Innovations in Learning must provide evidence in its
application demonstrating that the proposed center staff, including any
partners and consultants, possesses--
i. Knowledge and understanding of--
(a) Policies, strategies, and practices that encourage the
identification and scaling up of new teaching and learning strategies,
approaches, processes, or tools that significantly improve, or have the
potential to significantly improve, student outcomes; and
(b) Policies, strategies, and practices that encourage improved
student outcomes through personalization of learning and through
implementing technologies that support the personalization of learning;
and
ii. Experience in the following:
(a) Working with SEAs on identifying and implementing policies,
strategies, and practices that encourage the identification and scaling
up of new teaching and learning strategies, approaches, processes, or
tools that significantly improve, or have the potential to
significantly improve, student outcomes.
(b) Working with SEAs or LEAs on identifying and implementing
policies, strategies, and practices that encourage improved student
outcomes through personalization of learning, including selecting or
developing and implementing technologies that support personalized
learning.
3. Management Plan.
An applicant must submit a management plan that describes the
responsibilities of key personnel, timelines, and milestones for
accomplishing project tasks; the time commitment of key personnel; and
the adequacy and allocation of resources, including financial or in-
kind matching contributions from an entity or organization in the
public or private sector, if any. If an applicant's proposed budget
includes matching contributions, the application must include evidence
of a commitment for the full amount of the matching contribution,
inclusive of the source of the funds or in-kind contributions and the
date(s) they will be received.
4. Performance and Evaluation Plan.
[[Page 33591]]
Each applicant must provide a plan to assess the progress and
performance of the center in meeting the educational and capacity-
building needs of SEAs. The plan must identify a set of performance
objectives the project intends to achieve and performance measures for
each performance objective, which must include results-based outcomes;
explain the qualitative and quantitative methods that will be used to
collect, analyze, and report performance data; and describe the methods
that will be used to monitor progress and make mid-course corrections
as needed. Each center must also provide a plan to collect and use
reliable formative and summative data throughout the grant period to
inform and improve service delivery.
III. Flexibility and Requirements for Regional Center Assignments
Requirements. In the second fiscal year of the cooperative
agreement, and in each subsequent fiscal year, an SEA could indicate to
the Department its desire to affiliate with a different Regional
Center, regardless of the geographic location of that Center. A State
could exercise this option only once in any two-year period.
To exercise this option, a State must notify the Department in
writing, not later than six months prior to the end of the fiscal year,
that it wishes to affiliate with a different Regional Center noting the
specific reasons for requesting reassignment. The Department will
notify the current Regional Center immediately after receiving the
request for reassignment. In order to allow time for the grantee to
address quality-of-service issues and for the Department to evaluate
whether reassignment is in the best interest of the program, the
Department will provide the State's current Regional Center a specified
period of time to address the concerns articulated by the State before
the Department considers the State request. The State must provide--
A. Documentation from the proposed Regional Center with which it
wants to affiliate that indicates the Center's willingness and capacity
to serve the additional State; and
B. Other information that the Department requests.
After considering the documentation and other information, the
Department could approve a request if it is consistent with the
requirements in section 203(a) of ETAA that (1) there be no fewer than
20 Comprehensive Centers and that (2) there be at least one
Comprehensive Center in each of the 10 geographic regions served by the
RELs. If the Department approves the request, the Department will re-
designate regions served by each Regional Center to reflect any changes
in regional membership. The Department will re-allocate the funding to
each center, taking into account changes in the number of students
served by each Regional Center and other such factors it deems
appropriate. The Department will provide notification of any changes
through a notice published in the Federal Register.
IV. Selection Criteria
Selection Criteria: In any competition under this program, the
Secretary may use one or more of the selection criteria proposed in
this notice, any of the selection criteria in 34 CFR 75.210, criteria
based on the statutory requirements for the Comprehensive Centers
program in accordance with 34 CFR 75.209, or any combination of these.
This includes the authority to reduce the number of selection criteria.
The Secretary may apply one or more of these criteria in any year
in which this program is in effect. The Secretary may also select one
or more of these selection criteria to review pre-applications, if the
Secretary decides to invite pre-applications in accordance with 34 CFR
75.103. In the notice inviting applications, the application package,
or both, we will announce the maximum possible points assigned to each
criterion.
A. Technical Assistance Plan.
1. Overall quality of the technical assistance plan. In determining
the overall quality of the technical assistance plan for the proposed
center and the likelihood of the center contributing to improved State
outcomes, the Secretary considers--
a. The extent to which the proposed technical assistance plan
presents an exceptional approach that will likely result in building
SEA capacity to implement State-level initiatives and support district-
and school-level initiatives that improve educational outcomes for all
students, close achievement gaps, and improve the quality of
instruction;
b. The potential contribution of the center to increasing the
knowledge and understanding of effective strategies in the center's
area of expertise; and
c. The extent to which the proposed technical assistance plan
presents an approach that will result in the sharing of high-quality,
relevant, useful information, materials, and other applicable resources
across SEAs, districts, and schools, within and outside of a region.
d. In the case of an applicant for a Regional Center, the extent to
which the proposed technical assistance plan presents an approach that
is likely to secure an SEA's commitment to devote the time, leadership,
and personnel needed to implement the work plan and achieve specific
goals, which may include a memorandum of understanding or similar
agreement that contains timelines and benchmarks to ensure that the
work stays on track to achieve these goals.
2. Quality of the Project Design. In determining the quality of the
project design of the proposed center for which the applicant is
applying, the Secretary considers--
a. The extent to which the applicant's technical assistance plan
proposes an exceptional approach to meeting the requirements for all
centers, which includes--
i. Providing high-quality technical assistance that is based on up-
to-date knowledge and understanding of research-based practices and
emerging promising practices; is highly relevant and useful to SEAs,
LEAs, and school policymakers and practitioners; and is delivered in a
timely, cost-efficient manner;
ii. Focusing technical assistance on helping SEAs build capacity to
implement State-level initiatives and support district- and school-
level initiatives that improve educational outcomes for all students,
close achievement gaps, and improve the quality of instruction; and
iii. Coordinating and collaborating with national experts and
technical assistance providers to ensure that the technical assistance
is informed by leading-edge research and innovative approaches and
avoids duplicating efforts;
b. In the case of an applicant for a Regional Center, the extent to
which the applicant's technical assistance plan proposes an exceptional
approach to meeting the requirements for all Regional Centers; and
c. In the case of an applicant for a Content Center, the extent to
which the applicant's technical assistance plan proposes an exceptional
approach to meeting the requirements for all Content Centers, as well
as the requirements for the specific Content Center for which the
applicant is applying.
3. Knowledge of State Technical Assistance Needs. In determining
the applicant's ability to meet State technical assistance needs, the
Secretary considers the extent to which the proposed technical
assistance plan provides strategies that address the technical
assistance needs of States in key areas, as evidenced by in-depth
knowledge and understanding of--
[[Page 33592]]
a. In the case of an applicant for a Regional Center, the specific
educational goals and priorities of the States to be served by the
applicant, including emerging priorities based on State-led reform
efforts;
b. In the case of an applicant for a Regional Center, the
applicable State and regional demographics, policy contexts, and other
factors and their relevance to improving student outcomes, closing
achievement gaps, and improving instruction; and
c. In the case of an applicant for a Content Center, State
technical assistance needs, and research-based practices and emerging
promising practices related to the Content Center for which the
applicant is applying.
B. Subject-Matter and Technical Expertise.
Quality of Key Project Personnel. In determining the subject-matter
and technical expertise of key project personnel, the Secretary
considers the extent to which the applicant encourages applications for
employment from persons who are members of groups that have
traditionally been underrepresented based on race, color, national
origin, gender, age, or disability. In addition, the Secretary
considers--
1. The knowledge, understanding, and experience of key project
personnel as outlined under the subject-matter and technical expertise
requirements for all centers;
2. In the case of an applicant for a Regional Center, in addition
to the knowledge, understanding, and experience outlined under subject-
matter and technical expertise requirements for all centers, the
subject-matter and technical expertise of key personnel outlined under
the requirements for Regional Centers;
3. In the case of an applicant for a Content Center, in addition to
the knowledge, understanding, and experience outlined under subject-
matter and technical expertise requirements for all centers, the
subject-matter and technical expertise of key personnel outlined under
the requirements for the specific Content Center for which the
applicant is applying;
4. The extent to which the applicant has demonstrated experience
providing high-quality technical assistance to SEAs or multiple
districts;
5. The extent to which the applicant has demonstrated the ability
to develop ongoing partnerships with leading experts and organizations
nationwide that inform high-quality technical assistance and subject-
matter expertise;
6. The extent to which the applicant has prior relevant experience
operating a project of the scope required for the purposes of the
center being proposed; and
7. The extent to which the applicant proposes an advisory board
membership in accordance with the requirements of the ETAA and includes
reasonable assurance of proposed board members' commitment to serve.
C. Management and Evaluation Plans.
1. Quality of the Management Plan. In determining the quality of
the management plan for the proposed center, the Secretary considers--
a. The adequacy of the management plan to achieve the objectives of
the project on time and within budget, including clearly defined
responsibilities, timelines, and milestones for accomplishing project
tasks;
b. The extent to which the time commitments of the project director
and other key project personnel, including any partners or consultants,
are appropriate and adequate to meet the objectives of the proposed
project;
c. The extent to which resources are allocated within a region for
Regional Centers, and across regions for Content Centers, in a manner
that reflects the need for technical assistance; and
d. The adequacy of the resources for the proposed project,
including whether the applicant proposes facilities and equipment to
successfully carry out the purposes and activities of the proposed
center.
2. Quality of the Project Evaluation Plan. In determining the
quality of the evaluation plan, the Secretary considers--
a. The extent to which the applicant demonstrates a strong capacity
to provide reliable formative and summative data on performance
measures;
b. The extent to which the performance goals and objectives for the
project are clearly specified and measurable in terms of the project
activities to be accomplished and their stated outcomes;
c. The extent to which the methods for monitoring performance and
evaluating the effectiveness of project strategies in terms of outcomes
for SEAs, districts, and schools are thorough, feasible, and
appropriate to the objectives and outcomes of the proposed project;
d. The extent to which the methods of evaluation will provide
continuous performance feedback and encourage the continuous assessment
of progress toward achieving intended outcomes; and
e. The extent to which the applicant has a high-quality plan to use
both formative and summative data from evaluations to inform and
improve service delivery over the course of the grant.
Note: This notice does not solicit applications. In any year in
which we choose to use one or more of these priorities,
requirements, and selection criteria, we invite applications through
a notice in the Federal Register.
Executive Orders 12866 and 13563: Under Executive Order 12866, the
Secretary must determine whether this regulatory action is
``significant'' and therefore subject to the requirements of the
Executive Order and subject to review by the Office of Management and
Budget (OMB). Section 3(f) of Executive Order 12866 defines a
``significant regulatory action'' as an action likely to result in a
rule that may (1) have an annual effect on the economy of $100 million
or more, or adversely affect a sector of the economy, productivity,
competition, jobs, the environment, public health or safety, or State,
local or tribal governments, or communities in a material way (also
referred to as an ``economically significant'' rule); (2) create
serious inconsistency or otherwise interfere with an action taken or
planned by another agency; (3) materially alter the budgetary impacts
of entitlement grants, user fees, or loan programs or the rights and
obligations of recipients thereof; or (4) raise novel legal or policy
issues arising out of legal mandates, the President's priorities, or
the principles set forth in the Executive Order.
Pursuant to the Executive Order, it has been determined that this
regulatory action is significant and subject to OMB review under
section 3(f)(4) of the Executive Order.
We have also reviewed these regulations under Executive Order
13563, which supplements and explicitly reaffirms the principles,
structures, and definitions governing regulatory review established in
Executive Order 12866. To the extent permitted by law, Executive Order
13563 requires that an agency--
(1) Propose or adopt regulations only on a reasoned determination
that their benefits justify their costs (recognizing that some benefits
and costs are difficult to quantify);
(2) Tailor its regulations to impose the least burden on society,
consistent with obtaining regulatory objectives and taking into
account--among other things and to the extent practicable--the costs of
cumulative regulations;
(3) In choosing among alternative regulatory approaches, select
those
[[Page 33593]]
approaches that maximize net benefits (including potential economic,
environmental, public health and safety, and other advantages;
distributive impacts; and equity);
(4) To the extent feasible, specify performance objectives, rather
than the behavior or manner of compliance a regulated entity must
adopt; and
(5) Identify and assess available alternatives to direct
regulation, including economic incentives--such as user fees or
marketable permits--to encourage the desired behavior, or provide
information that enables the public to make choices.
Executive Order 13563 also requires an agency ``to use the best
available techniques to quantify anticipated present and future
benefits and costs as accurately as possible.'' The Office of
Information and Regulatory Affairs of OMB has emphasized that these
techniques may include ``identifying changing future compliance costs
that might result from technological innovation or anticipated
behavioral changes.''
We are issuing these priorities, requirements, and selection
criteria only on a reasoned determination that their benefits justify
their costs. In choosing among alternative regulatory approaches, we
selected those approaches that maximize net benefits. Based on the
analysis that follows, the Department believes that this regulatory
action is consistent with the principles in Executive Order 13563.
Need for Federal Regulatory Action: These priorities, requirements,
and selection criteria are needed to implement the Comprehensive
Centers program because the authorizing language in the ETAA provides
only broad parameters to govern the program. The Department does not
believe that the statute, by itself, provides a sufficient level of
detail to ensure that all States can build their capacity to improve
educational outcomes for all students. The priorities, requirements,
and selection criteria in this notice clarify the types of centers the
Department seeks to fund and permit the Department to evaluate proposed
centers using selection criteria that are based on the purpose of the
program and are closely aligned with the Department's priorities. In
the absence of specific selection criteria for the Comprehensive
Centers program, the Department would use the general selection
criteria in 34 CFR 75.210 of the Education Department General
Administrative Regulations in selecting grant recipients. The
Department does not believe the use of those general criteria would be
sufficient for a Comprehensive Centers program competition because they
do not focus specifically on the objectives of the program, especially
the role of the centers in providing technical assistance to SEAs so
that they can build their capacity to assist LEAs and schools and, in
turn, improve educational outcomes for students.
Regulatory Alternatives Considered: The Department considered a
variety of possible priorities, requirements, and selection criteria
before deciding on those included in this notice. For example, the
Department considered a priority to support knowledge management and
dissemination across all Comprehensive Centers. It chose instead to
require each center to collaborate with other Department-funded centers
engaged in that type of activity.
The priorities, requirements, and selection criteria reflect and
promote the purpose of the Comprehensive Centers program. They also
align the program, where possible and permissible, with other
Presidential and Departmental priorities. We believe that the
priorities, requirements, and selection criteria in this notice
appropriately balance the need for specific programmatic guidance while
providing each applicant with flexibility to design and propose an
innovative and effective Comprehensive Center.
Summary of Costs and Benefits: The Department believes that these
priorities, requirements, and selection criteria do not impose
significant costs on eligible research organizations, institutions,
agencies, institutions of higher education, or partnerships among such
entities, or individuals that would receive assistance through the
Comprehensive Centers program. We also believe that the benefits of
implementing the priorities and requirements contained in this notice
justify any associated costs.
The Department believes that the priorities, requirements, and
selection criteria will result in the selection of high-quality
applications to establish centers that are most likely to build the
capacity of SEAs in order to improve educational outcomes for all
students. Through these priorities, requirements, and selection
criteria, we clarify the scope of activities we expect to support with
program funds and the expected burden of work involved in preparing an
application and implementing a center under the program. A potential
applicant would need to consider carefully the effort that would be
required to prepare a strong application and its capacity to implement
a project successfully.
The Department further believes that the costs imposed on an
applicant by the priorities, requirements, and selection criteria are
largely limited to paperwork burden related to preparing an application
and that the benefits of preparing an application and receiving an
award will justify any costs incurred by the applicant. This is
because, during the project period, the costs of actually establishing
a center and carrying out activities under a Comprehensive Centers
program grant would be paid for with program funds and any matching
funds. Thus, the costs of establishing a Comprehensive Center using
these priorities, requirements, and selection criteria will not be a
significant burden for any eligible applicant, including a small
entity.
Accounting Statement: As required by OMB Circular A-4 (available at
https://www.Whithouse.gov/omb/Circulars/a004/a-4.pdf), in the following
table, we have prepared an accounting statement showing the
classification of the expenditures associated with the provisions of
this regulatory action. This table provides our best estimate of the
Federal payments to be made to eligible applicants under this program
as a result of this regulatory action. This table is based on funds the
Department has requested for new awards for this program for FY 2012.
The actual level of funding, if any, depends on final congressional
action. Expenditures are classified as transfers to those entities
listed.
Accounting Statement Classification of Estimated Expenditures:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Category Transfers (in millions)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Annual Monetized Transfers................ $51.2
From Whom to Whom......................... Federal Government to
research organizations,
institutions, agencies,
institutions of higher
education, or partnerships
among such entities, or
individuals.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Regulatory Flexibility Act Certification: The Secretary certifies
that this regulatory action will not have a significant economic impact
on a substantial number of small entities. The small entities that this
regulatory action may affect are eligible research organizations,
institutions, agencies, institutions of higher education, or
partnerships among such entities, or individuals. The Secretary
believes that the costs imposed on an applicant by the priorities,
requirements, and selection criteria would be limited to paperwork
burden related to preparing
[[Page 33594]]
an application and that the benefits of implementing them would
outweigh any costs incurred by the applicant.
Participation in the Comprehensive Centers program is voluntary.
For this reason, the priorities, requirements, and selection criteria
will impose no burden on small entities unless they apply for funding
under the Comprehensive Centers program using the priorities,
requirements, and selection criteria in this notice. We expect that in
determining whether to apply for Comprehensive Center funds, an
eligible entity would evaluate the requirements of preparing an
application and implementing a Comprehensive Center, and any associated
costs, and weigh them against the benefits likely to be achieved by
implementing a center. An eligible entity would probably apply only if
it determines that the likely benefits exceed the costs of preparing an
application and implementing a project. The likely benefits of applying
for a Comprehensive Center program grant include the potential receipt
of a grant as well as other benefits that may accrue to an entity
through its development of an application, such as the use of such
application to create partnerships with other entities in order to
assist State educational agencies.
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Size Standards define
``small entities'' as for-profit or nonprofit institutions with total
annual revenue below $7,000,000 or, if they are institutions controlled
by small governmental jurisdictions (that are comprised of cities,
counties, towns, townships, villages, school districts, or special
districts), with a population of less than 50,000.
The Secretary believes that the priorities, requirements, and
selection criteria in this notice do not impose any additional burden
on a small entity applying for a grant than the entity would face in
the absence of the proposed action. That is, the length of the
applications those entities would submit in the absence of this
regulatory action and the time needed to prepare an application would
likely be the same.
Further, this regulatory action may help a small entity determine
whether it has the interest, need, or capacity to implement activities
under the program and, thus, prevent a small entity that does not have
such an interest, need, or capacity from absorbing the burden of
applying.
This regulatory action will not have a significant economic impact
on a small entity once it receives a grant because it will be able to
meet the costs of compliance using the funds provided under this
program.
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995
As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent
burden, the Department conducts a preclearance consultation process to
provide the public and Federal agencies with an opportunity to comment
on proposed and continuing collections of information in accordance
with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) (44 U.S.C.
3506(c)(2)(A)). This helps ensure that: The public understands the
Department's collection instructions, respondents can provide the
requested data in the desired format, reporting burden (time and
financial resources) is minimized, collection instruments are clearly
understood, and the Department can properly assess the impact of
collection requirements on respondents.
We estimate that each applicant will spend approximately 176 hours
of staff time to address the priorities, requirements, and selection
criteria; prepare the application; and obtain necessary clearances.
Based on the number of applications the Department received in the last
competition it held under this program (in FY 2005), we expect to
receive approximately 65 applications for these funds. The total number
of hours for all expected applicants is an estimated 11,440 hours. We
estimate the total cost per hour of the applicant-level staff who will
carry out this work to be $57 per hour. The total estimated cost for
all applicants will be $652,080.
In the Notice of Proposed Priorities we invited comment on the
paperwork burden estimated for this collection. We did not receive any
comments.
The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 does not require you to respond
to a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control
number. The OMB control number assigned to this information collection
is 1810-0709.
Intergovernmental Review: This program is subject to Executive
Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79. One of the
objectives of the Executive order is to foster an intergovernmental
partnership and a strengthened federalism. The Executive order relies
on processes developed by State and local governments for coordination
and review of proposed Federal financial assistance.
This document provides early notification of our specific plans and
actions for this program.
Accessible Format: Individuals with disabilities can obtain this
document in an accessible format (e.g., braille, large print,
audiotape, or compact disc) on request to the program contact person
listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
Electronic Access to This Document: The official version of this
document is the document published in the Federal Register. Free
Internet access to the official edition of the Federal Register and the
Code of Federal Regulations is available via the Federal Digital System
at: www.gpo.gov/fdsys. At this site you can view this document, as well
as all other documents of this Department published in the Federal
Register, in text or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF). To use PDF
you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available free at the
site.
You may also access documents of the Department published in the
Federal Register by using the article search feature at:
www.federalregister.gov. Specifically, through the advanced search
feature at this site, you can limit your search to documents published
by the Department.
Dated: June 1, 2012.
Deborah S. Delisle,
Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education.
[FR Doc. 2012-13739 Filed 6-5-12; 8:45 am]
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