Applications for New Awards; Teacher Quality Partnership Grant Program, 30584-30596 [2014-12346]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 102 (Wednesday, May 28, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30584-30596]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-12346]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Applications for New Awards; Teacher Quality Partnership Grant 
Program

AGENCY: Office of Innovation and Improvement, Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice.

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Overview Information

Teacher Quality Partnership Grant Program Notice inviting applications 
for new awards for fiscal year (FY) 2014.

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.336S.

DATES: Applications Available: May 28, 2014.
    Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply: June 27, 2014.
    Date of Pre-Application Webinars (all times are Washington, DC 
time): Tuesday, June 10, 2014 at 10:00 a.m. and Thursday, June 12, 2014 
at 2:00 p.m.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: July 14, 2014.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: September 10, 2014.

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Purpose of Program: The Teacher Quality Partnership (TQP) Grant 
Program aims to increase student achievement by improving the quality 
of new prospective teachers by enhancing the preparation of prospective 
teachers and the professional development activities for current 
teachers; holding teacher preparation programs at institutions of 
higher education (IHEs) accountable for preparing highly qualified 
teachers; and recruiting effective individuals, including minorities 
and individuals from other occupations, into the teaching force.
    Background: The TQP Grant Program supports partnerships among (i) 
IHEs, (ii) high-need local educational agencies (LEAs), and (iii) high-
need schools served by such LEAs or high-need early childhood education 
(ECE) programs. These partnerships must implement (a) teacher 
preparation programs at the pre-baccalaureate or ``fifth-year'' level 
that include specific reforms in IHEs' existing teacher preparation 
programs; (b) teacher residency programs for individuals with strong 
academic or professional backgrounds but without teaching experience; 
or (c) both.
    In this competition, we are especially interested in supporting 
partnership programs that prepare teachers to teach subjects in 
science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). In his 2011 
State of the Union address, the President called for a new effort to 
prepare 100,000 STEM teachers over the next decade with strong teaching 
skills and deep content knowledge. The President's goal has been 
incorporated into an Administration-wide priority, as part of the both 
the Federal STEM Education 5-Year Strategic Plan \1\ released in May 
2013 and as a Cross Agency Priority Goal \2\ announced earlier this 
year. In addition, answering the President's call to action, nearly 200 
organizations have formed a coalition called 100Kin10, all committed to 
the goal of increasing the supply of excellent STEM teachers; hiring, 
developing, and retaining excellent STEM teachers; and building the 
100Kin10 movement.
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    \1\ Federal STEM Education 5-Year Strategic Plan, 
www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/microsites/ostp/stem_stratplan_2013.pdf.
    \2\ Cross-Agency Priority Goal, www.performance.gov/node/3404?view=public#apg.
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    As described in the President's Council of Advisors on Science and

[[Page 30585]]

Technology report ``Prepare and Inspire: K-12 Education in Science, 
Technology, Engineering, and Math for America's Future,'' \3\ being an 
effective STEM teacher requires both deep content knowledge and strong 
teaching skills. Deep understanding of content and pedagogical content 
knowledge can help teachers increase student understanding and 
achievement, for example, by helping students make connections between 
STEM subjects and compelling real-world issues, supporting students in 
approaching problems using the scientific process while addressing 
student misconceptions along the way, and better equipping students to 
pursue careers in STEM-related fields.
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    \3\ The President's Council of Advisors on Science and 
Technology (PCAST) (September 2010), Prepare and Inspire: K-12 
Education in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics 
(STEM) for America's Future. www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/microsites/ostp/pcast-stemed-report.pdf.
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    Shortages of highly effective STEM teachers are particularly acute 
in public high schools, where States report more shortages in STEM 
teachers (e.g., teachers of mathematics, biology, and physical 
sciences) than in teachers of other subjects (e.g., English and social 
studies).\4\
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    \4\ U.S. Department of Education Office of Postsecondary 
Education (March 2013), The Teacher Shortage Area Nationwide 
Listing. https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/pol/tsa.pdf.
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    Compounding the issue of STEM teacher shortages are the challenges 
regarding preparing and supporting teachers in a national context when 
most States are in the process of implementing new college- and career-
ready academic standards for elementary and secondary school students. 
Successfully implementing college- and career-ready standards will 
require, in part, improving the quality of teacher preparation and 
support. School districts and schools in States implementing new 
college- and career-ready standards will benefit from assistance to 
support educators--both pre-service and in-service--throughout the 
transition to these new standards. In this competition, we encourage 
applicants to propose projects that develop and implement teacher 
preparation and professional development programs that will prepare 
educators to teach to these standards and translate the standards into 
effective classroom practices.
    Priorities: This notice contains two absolute priorities and two 
competitive preference priorities. In accordance with 34 CFR 
75.105(b)(2)(iv), the first absolute priority is from section 202(d) of 
the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA), and the second 
absolute priority is from section 202(e) of the HEA. The competitive 
preference priorities are from the notice of final supplemental 
priorities and definitions for discretionary grant programs published 
in the Federal Register on December 15, 2010 (75 FR 78486), and 
corrected on May 12, 2011 (76 FR 27637).
    Absolute Priorities: For FY 2014 and any subsequent year in which 
we make awards from the list of unfunded applicants from this 
competition, these priorities are absolute priorities. Under 34 CFR 
75.105(c)(3) we consider only applications that meet one or both of 
these absolute priorities. Applicants may submit applications for 
projects that address both absolute priorities, but must do so in a 
single application. Addressing more than one absolute priority does not 
increase the potential points an application can receive. The Secretary 
intends to award at least one grant that addresses each absolute 
priority for which applications of sufficient quality are submitted. 
The Secretary also intends to award at least one grant that addresses 
both absolute priorities, if applications of sufficient quality are 
submitted.
    These priorities are:

Absolute Priority 1: Partnership Grants for the Preparation of Teachers

    Under this priority, an eligible partnership must carry out an 
effective pre-baccalaureate teacher preparation program or a fifth-year 
initial licensing program that includes all of the following:
    (a) Program Accountability. Implementing reforms, described in 
paragraph (b) of this priority, within each teacher preparation program 
and, as applicable, each preparation program for ECE programs, of the 
eligible partnership that is assisted under this priority, to hold each 
program accountable for--
    (1) Preparing--
    (i) New or prospective teachers to be highly qualified (including 
teachers in rural school districts who may teach multiple subjects, 
special educators, and teachers of students who are limited English 
proficient who may teach multiple subjects);
    (ii) Such teachers and, as applicable, early childhood educators, 
to understand empirically-based practice and scientifically valid 
research related to teaching and learning and the applicability of such 
practice and research, including through the effective use of 
technology, instructional techniques, and strategies consistent with 
the principles of universal design for learning, and through positive 
behavioral interventions and support strategies to improve student 
achievement; and
    (iii) As applicable, early childhood educators to be highly 
competent; and
    (2) Promoting strong teaching skills and, as applicable, techniques 
for early childhood educators to improve children's cognitive, social, 
emotional, and physical development.
    (b) Required reforms. The reforms described in paragraph (a) shall 
include--
    (1) Implementing teacher preparation program curriculum changes 
that improve, evaluate, and assess how well all prospective and new 
teachers develop teaching skills;
    (2) Using empirically-based practice and scientifically valid 
research, where applicable, about teaching and learning so that all 
prospective teachers and, as applicable, early childhood educators--
    (i) Understand and can implement research-based teaching practices 
in classroom instruction;
    (ii) Have knowledge of student learning methods;
    (iii) Possess skills to analyze student academic achievement data 
and other measures of student learning and use such data and measures 
to improve classroom instruction;
    (iv) Possess teaching skills and an understanding of effective 
instructional strategies across all applicable content areas that 
enable general education and special education teachers and early 
childhood educators in order to--
    (A) Meet the specific learning needs of all students, including 
students with disabilities, students who are limited English 
proficient, students who are gifted and talented, students with low 
literacy levels, and, as applicable, children in ECE programs; and
    (B) Differentiate instruction for such students;
    (v) Can effectively participate as a member of the individualized 
education program team, as defined in section 614(d)(1)(B) of the 
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA); and
    (vi) Can successfully employ effective strategies for reading 
instruction using the essential components of reading instruction;
    (3) Ensuring collaboration with departments, programs, or units of 
a partner institution outside of the teacher preparation program in all 
academic content areas to ensure that prospective teachers receive 
training in both teaching and relevant content areas in order to become 
highly qualified, which may include training in multiple subjects to 
teach multiple grade levels as may be needed for individuals preparing 
to teach in rural communities

[[Page 30586]]

and for individuals preparing to teach students with disabilities as 
described in section 602(10)(D) of the IDEA;
    (4) Developing and implementing an induction program;
    (5) Developing admissions goals and priorities aligned with the 
hiring objectives of the high-need LEA in the eligible partnership; and
    (6) Implementing program and curriculum changes, as applicable, to 
ensure that prospective teachers have the requisite content knowledge, 
preparation, and degree to teach Advanced Placement or International 
Baccalaureate courses successfully.
    (c) Clinical experience and interaction. Developing and improving a 
sustained and high-quality preservice clinical education program to 
further develop the teaching skills of all prospective teachers and, as 
applicable, early childhood educators involved in the program. Such 
programs shall do the following--
    (1) Incorporate year-long opportunities for enrichment, including--
    (i) Clinical learning in classrooms in high-need schools served by 
the high-need LEA in the eligible partnership, and identified by the 
eligible partnership; and
    (ii) Closely supervised interaction between prospective teachers 
and faculty, experienced teachers, principals, other administrators, 
and school leaders at ECE programs (as applicable), elementary schools, 
or secondary schools, and providing support for such interaction;
    (2) Integrate pedagogy and classroom practice and promote effective 
teaching skills in academic content areas;
    (3) Provide high-quality teacher mentoring;
    (4) Be offered over the course of a program of teacher preparation;
    (5) Be tightly aligned with course work (and may be developed as a 
fifth-year of a teacher preparation program);
    (6) Where feasible, allow prospective teachers to learn to teach in 
the same LEA in which the teachers will work, learning the 
instructional initiatives and curriculum of that LEA;
    (7) As applicable, provide training and experience to enhance the 
teaching skills of prospective teachers to better prepare such teachers 
to meet the unique needs of teaching in rural or urban communities; and
    (8) Provide support and training for individuals participating in 
an activity for prospective or new teachers described in this 
paragraph, or paragraphs (a) and (b), or (d), and for individuals who 
serve as mentors for such teachers, based on each individual's 
experience. Such support may include--
    (i) With respect to a prospective teacher or a mentor, release time 
for such individual's participation;
    (ii) With respect to a faculty member, receiving course workload 
credit and compensation for time teaching in the eligible partnership's 
activities; and
    (iii) With respect to a mentor, a stipend, which may include bonus, 
differential, incentive, or performance pay, based on the mentor's 
extra skills and responsibilities.
    (d) Induction programs for new teachers. Creating an induction 
program for new teachers or, in the case of an early childhood 
education program, providing mentoring or coaching for new early 
childhood educators.
    (e) Support and training for participants in ECE programs. In the 
case of an eligible partnership focusing on early childhood educator 
preparation, implementing initiatives that increase compensation for 
early childhood educators who attain associate or baccalaureate degrees 
in ECE.
    (f) Teacher recruitment. Developing and implementing effective 
mechanisms (which may include alternative routes to State certification 
of teachers) to ensure that the eligible partnership is able to recruit 
qualified individuals to become highly qualified teachers through the 
activities of the eligible partnership, which may include an emphasis 
on recruiting into the teaching profession--
    (1) Individuals from underrepresented populations;
    (2) Individuals to teach in rural communities and teacher shortage 
areas, including mathematics, science, special education, and the 
instruction of limited English proficient students; and
    (3) Mid-career professionals from other occupations, former 
military personnel, and recent college graduates with a record of 
academic distinction.
    (g) Literacy training. Strengthening the literacy teaching skills 
of prospective and, as applicable, new elementary school and secondary 
school teachers--
    (1) To implement literacy programs that incorporate the essential 
components of reading instruction;
    (2) To use screening, diagnostic, formative, and summative 
assessments to determine students' literacy levels, difficulties, and 
growth in order to improve classroom instruction and improve student 
reading and writing skills;
    (3) To provide individualized, intensive, and targeted literacy 
instruction for students with deficiencies in literacy skills; and
    (4) To integrate literacy skills in the classroom across subject 
areas.

 Absolute Priority 2: Partnership Grants for the Establishment of 
Effective Teaching Residency Programs

    I. General. Under this priority, an eligible partnership must carry 
out an effective teaching residency program that includes all of the 
following activities:
    (a) Supporting a teaching residency program described in paragraph 
II(a) for high-need subjects and areas, as determined by the needs of 
the high-need LEA in the partnership;
    (b) Placing graduates of the teaching residency program in cohorts 
that facilitate professional collaboration, both among graduates of the 
teaching residency program and between such graduates and mentor 
teachers in the receiving school;
    (c) Ensuring that teaching residents who participate in the 
teaching residency program receive--
    (1) Effective pre-service preparation as described in paragraph II;
    (2) Teacher mentoring;
    (3) Support required through the induction program as the teaching 
residents enter the classroom as new teachers; and
    (4) The preparation described in paragraphs (c)(1), (2), and (3) of 
Absolute Priority 1.
    II. Teaching Residency Programs.
    (a) Establishment and design. A teaching residency program under 
this priority shall be a program based upon models of successful 
teaching residencies that serves as a mechanism to prepare teachers for 
success in the high-need schools in the eligible partnership, and shall 
be designed to include the following characteristics of successful 
programs:
    (1) The integration of pedagogy, classroom practice, and teacher 
mentoring;
    (2) Engagement of teaching residents in rigorous graduate-level 
course work leading to a master's degree while undertaking a guided 
teaching apprenticeship;
    (3) Experience and learning opportunities alongside a trained and 
experienced mentor teacher--
    (i) Whose teaching shall complement the residency program so that 
classroom clinical practice is tightly aligned with coursework;
    (ii) Who shall have extra responsibilities as a teacher leader of 
the teaching residency program, as a mentor for residents, and as a 
teacher coach during the induction program for new teachers; and for 
establishing, within the program, a learning community in

[[Page 30587]]

which all individuals are expected to continually improve their 
capacity to advance student learning; and
    (iii) Who may be relieved from teaching duties as a result of such 
additional responsibilities;
    (4) The establishment of clear criteria for the selection of mentor 
teachers based on measures of teacher effectiveness and the appropriate 
subject area knowledge. Evaluation of teacher effectiveness shall be 
based on, but not limited to, observations of the following--
    (i) Planning and preparation, including demonstrated knowledge of 
content, pedagogy, and assessment, including the use of formative and 
diagnostic assessments to improve student learning;
    (ii) Appropriate instruction that engages students with different 
learning styles;
    (iii) Collaboration with colleagues to improve instruction;
    (iv) Analysis of gains in student learning, based on multiple 
measures that are valid and reliable and that, when feasible, may 
include valid, reliable, and objective measures of the influence of 
teachers on the rate of student academic progress; and
    (v) In the case of mentor candidates who will be mentoring new or 
prospective literacy and mathematics coaches or instructors, 
appropriate skills in the essential components of reading instruction, 
teacher training in literacy instructional strategies across core 
subject areas, and teacher training in mathematics instructional 
strategies, as appropriate;
    (5) Grouping of teaching residents in cohorts to facilitate 
professional collaboration among such residents;
    (6) The development of admissions goals and priorities--
    (i) That are aligned with the hiring objectives of the LEA 
partnering with the program, as well as the instructional initiatives 
and curriculum of such agency, in exchange for a commitment by such 
agency to hire qualified graduates from the teaching residency program; 
and
    (ii) Which may include consideration of applicants that reflect the 
communities in which they will teach as well as consideration of 
individuals from underrepresented populations in the teaching 
profession; and
    (7) Support for residents, once the teaching residents are hired as 
teachers of record, through an induction program, professional 
development, and networking opportunities to support the residents 
through not less than the residents' first two years of teaching.
    (b) Selection of individuals as teacher residents.
    (1) Eligible Individual. In order to be eligible to be a teacher 
resident in a teaching residency program under this priority, an 
individual shall--
    (i) Be a recent graduate of a four-year institution of higher 
education or a mid-career professional from outside the field of 
education possessing strong content knowledge or a record of 
professional accomplishment; and
    (ii) Submit an application to the teaching residency program.
    (2) Selection Criteria. An eligible partnership carrying out a 
teaching residency program under this priority shall establish criteria 
for the selection of eligible individuals to participate in the 
teaching residency program based on the following characteristics--
    (i) Strong content knowledge or record of accomplishment in the 
field or subject area to be taught;
    (ii) Strong verbal and written communication skills, which may be 
demonstrated by performance on appropriate tests; and
    (iii) Other attributes linked to effective teaching, which may be 
determined by interviews or performance assessments, as specified by 
the eligible partnership.
    (c) Stipends or salaries; applications; agreements; repayments.
    (1) Stipends or salaries. A teaching residency program under this 
priority shall provide a one-year living stipend or salary to teaching 
residents during the teaching residency program;
    (2) Applications for stipends or salaries. Each teacher residency 
candidate desiring a stipend or salary during the period of residency 
shall submit an application to the eligible partnership at such time, 
and containing such information and assurances, as the eligible 
partnership may require;
    (3) Agreements to serve. Each application submitted under paragraph 
(c)(2) of this priority shall contain or be accompanied by an agreement 
that the applicant will--
    (i) Serve as a full-time teacher for a total of not less than three 
academic years immediately after successfully completing the teaching 
residency program;
    (ii) Fulfill the requirement under paragraph (c)(3)(i) of this 
priority by teaching in a high-need school served by the high-need LEA 
in the eligible partnership and teach a subject or area that is 
designated as high need by the partnership;
    (iii) Provide to the eligible partnership a certificate, from the 
chief administrative officer of the LEA in which the resident is 
employed, of the employment required under paragraph (c)(3)(i) and (ii) 
of this priority at the beginning of, and upon completion of, each year 
or partial year of service;
    (iv) Meet the requirements to be a highly qualified teacher, as 
defined in section 9101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act 
of 1965, as amended (ESEA), or section 602 of the IDEA, when the 
applicant begins to fulfill the service obligation under this priority; 
and
    (v) Comply with the requirements set by the eligible partnership 
under paragraph (e) of this priority if the applicant is unable or 
unwilling to complete the service obligation required by the paragraph.
    (d) Repayments.
    (1) In general. A grantee carrying out a teaching residency program 
under this priority shall require a recipient of a stipend or salary 
under paragraph (c)(1) of this priority who does not complete, or who 
notifies the partnership that the recipient intends not to complete, 
the service obligation required by paragraph (c)(3) of this priority to 
repay such stipend or salary to the eligible partnership, together with 
interest, at a rate specified by the partnership in the agreement, and 
in accordance with such other terms and conditions specified by the 
eligible partnership, as necessary;
    (2) Other terms and conditions. Any other terms and conditions 
specified by the eligible partnership may include reasonable provisions 
for pro-rata repayment of the stipend or salary described in paragraph 
(c)(1) of this priority or for deferral of a teaching resident's 
service obligation required by paragraph (c)(3) of this priority, on 
grounds of health, incapacitation, inability to secure employment in a 
school served by the eligible partnership, being called to active duty 
in the Armed Forces of the United States, or other extraordinary 
circumstances;
    (3) Use of repayments. An eligible partnership shall use any 
repayment received under paragraph (d) to carry out additional 
activities that are consistent with the purposes of this priority.
    Competitive Preference Priorities: For FY 2014 and any subsequent 
year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applicants from 
this competition, these priorities are competitive preference 
priorities. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i) we award up to an additional 
five points to an application, depending on how well the application 
meets Competitive Preference Priority 1, and up to an additional two 
points to an application, depending on how well the application

[[Page 30588]]

meets Competitive Preference Priority 2. An applicant may receive a 
maximum of seven points for its response to these competitive 
preference priorities.

    Note: Applicants may address one or both of the competitive 
preference priorities. An applicant must identify in the project 
narrative section of its application the priority or priorities it 
wishes the Department of Education (Department) to consider for the 
purpose of earning competitive preference priority points. The 
Department will not review or award points under any competitive 
preference priority that the applicant fails to clearly identify in 
its application.

    These priorities are:

Competitive Preference Priority 1: Promoting Science, Technology, 
Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education (0-5 Points)

    Projects that are designed to address one or both of the following 
priority areas:
    (a) Increasing the opportunities for high-quality preparation of, 
or professional development for, teachers or other educators of STEM 
subjects.
    (b) Increasing the number of individuals from groups traditionally 
underrepresented in STEM, including minorities, individuals with 
disabilities, and women, who are teachers or educators of STEM subjects 
and have increased opportunities for high-quality preparation or 
professional development.

    Note:  Applicants that respond to Competitive Preference 
Priority 1 and Absolute Priority 1 are still required to implement 
the required reforms within the whole teacher preparation program, 
as reflected in sections (a) and (b) of Absolute Priority 1. In 
responding to this competitive preference priority, applicants are 
encouraged to include the following elements in their proposed 
projects:
    (1) Institutional collaboration to ensure that students in a 
college of education who intend to teach STEM courses have access to 
courses that build appropriate content knowledge. Such students 
should have access to course sequencing that is equal to the course 
sequencing for other STEM majors outside the college of education.
    (2) Emphasis on hands-on and inquiry-based STEM experiences for 
prospective teachers, including dedicated research or laboratory 
experiences, STEM discipline-specific pedagogical instruction, and 
explicit instruction in the interdisciplinary connections between 
learning sciences and STEM instruction; and
    (3) Early and multiple field-based instructional experiences for 
prospective teachers that are structured to provide exposure to a 
variety of teaching and learning environments, and that are 
coordinated and aligned with the teacher preparation curriculum.

 Competitive Preference Priority 2--Implementing Internationally 
Benchmarked, College- and Career-Ready Elementary and Secondary 
Academic Standards (0-2 Points)

    Projects that are designed to support the implementation of 
internationally benchmarked, college- and career-ready academic 
standards held in common by multiple States and to improve instruction 
and learning, including projects in the following priority areas:
    (a) The development or implementation of professional development 
or preparation programs aligned with those standards.
    (b) Strategies that translate the standards into classroom 
practice.
    Definitions: The definitions for ``Early childhood educator,'' 
``High-need early childhood education (ECE) program,'' ``High-need 
local educational agency (LEA)'', ``High-need school,'' and ``Partner 
institution'' are from section 200 of the HEA. The definitions for 
``Logic model,'' ``Relevant outcome,'' and ``Strong theory'' are from 
34 CFR 77.1.
    Early childhood educator means an individual with primary 
responsibility for the education of children in an early childhood 
education program.
    High-need early childhood education (ECE) program means an ECE 
program serving children from low-income families that is located 
within the geographic area served by a high-need LEA.
    High-need local educational agency (LEA) means an LEA)--
    (i)(A) For which not less than 20 percent of the children served by 
the agency are children from low-income families;
    (B) That serves not fewer than 10,000 children from low-income 
families;
    (C) That meets the eligibility requirements for funding under the 
Small, Rural School Achievement (SRSA) Program under section 6211(b) of 
the ESEA; or
    (D) That meets eligibility requirements for funding under the Rural 
and Low-Income School (RLIS) Program under section 6221(b) of the ESEA; 
and--
    (ii)(A) For which there is a high percentage of teachers not 
teaching in the academic subject areas or grade levels in which the 
teachers were trained to teach; or
    (B) For which there is a high teacher turnover rate or a high 
percentage of teachers with emergency, provisional, or temporary 
certification or licensure.
    High-need school means a school that, based on the most recent data 
available, meets one or both of the following:
    (i) The school is in the highest quartile of schools in a ranking 
of all schools served by an LEA, ranked in descending order by 
percentage of students from low-income families enrolled in such 
schools, as determined by the LEA based on one of the following 
measures of poverty:
    (A) The percentage of students aged 5 through 17 in poverty counted 
in the most recent census data approved by the Secretary.
    (B) The percentage of students eligible for a free or reduced price 
school lunch under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act.
    (C) The percentage of students in families receiving assistance 
under the State program funded under Part A of Title IV of the Social 
Security Act.
    (D) The percentage of students eligible to receive medical 
assistance under the Medicaid program.
    (E) A composite of two or more of the measures described in 
paragraphs (A) through (D).
    (ii) In the case of--
    (A) An elementary school, the school serves students not less than 
60 percent of whom are eligible for a free or reduced price school 
lunch under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act; or
    (B) Any other school that is not an elementary school, the other 
school serves students not less than 45 percent of whom are eligible 
for a free or reduced price school lunch under the Richard B. Russell 
National School Lunch Act.
    (iii) The Secretary may, upon approval of an application submitted 
by an eligible partnership seeking a grant under this title, designate 
a school that does not qualify as a high-need school under this 
definition, as a high-need school for the purpose of this title. The 
Secretary shall base the approval of an application for designation of 
a school under this clause on a consideration of the information 
required under section 200 (II)(B)(ii) of the HEA, and may also take 
into account other information submitted by the eligible partnership.

    Note: Information on how an applicant could provide alternate 
evidence to support designation of a school as high-need is included 
in the application package, and in section 200(II)(B)(ii) of the 
HEA.

    Logic model (also referred to as a theory of action) means a well-
specified conceptual framework that identifies key components of the 
proposed process, product, strategy, or practice (i.e., the active 
``ingredients'' that are hypothesized to be critical to achieving the 
relevant outcomes) and describes the relationships among the key

[[Page 30589]]

components and outcomes, theoretically and operationally.
    Partner institution means an IHE, which may include a two-year IHE 
offering a dual program with a four-year IHE, participating in an 
eligible partnership that has a teacher preparation program--
    (i) Whose graduates exhibit strong performance on State determined 
qualifying assessments for new teachers through--
    (A) Demonstrating that 80 percent or more of the graduates of the 
program who intend to enter the field of teaching have passed all of 
the applicable State qualification assessments for new teachers, which 
shall include an assessment of each prospective teacher's subject 
matter knowledge in the content area in which the teacher intends to 
teach; or
    (B) Being ranked among the highest-performing teacher preparation 
programs in the State as determined by the State--
    (1) Using criteria consistent with the requirements for the State 
Report Card under section 205(b) of the HEA before the first 
publication of the report card; and
    (2) Using the State report card on teacher preparation required 
under section 205(b), after the first publication of such report card 
and for every year thereafter; and
    (ii) That requires--
    (A) Each student in the program to meet high academic standards or 
demonstrate a record of success, as determined by the institution 
(including prior to entering and being accepted into a program), and 
participate in intensive clinical experience;
    (B) Each student in the program preparing to become a teacher to 
become highly qualified; and
    (C) Each student in the program preparing to become an early 
childhood educator to meet degree requirements, as established by the 
State, and become highly competent.

    Note:  For purposes of paragraph (ii)(C) of this definition, the 
term ``highly competent,'' under section 200(12) of the HEA, when 
used with respect to an early childhood educator, means an 
educator--
    (a) With specialized education and training in development and 
education of young children from birth until entry into 
kindergarten;
    (b) With-
    (i) A baccalaureate degree in an academic major in the arts and 
sciences; or
    (ii) An associate's degree in a related educational area; and
    (c) Who has demonstrated a high level of knowledge and use of 
content and pedagogy in the relevant areas associated with quality 
ECE.

    Relevant outcome means the student outcome (or the ultimate outcome 
if not related to students) the proposed process, product, strategy, or 
practice is designed to improve, as consistent with the specific goals 
of a program.
    Strong theory means a rationale for the proposed process, product, 
strategy, or practice that includes a logic model.

    Note: Definitions for the following terms that apply to this 
program are in section 200 of the HEA: ``arts and sciences,'' 
``highly qualified,'' ``induction program,'' ``limited English 
proficient,'' ``professional development,'' ``scientifically valid 
research,'' ``teacher mentoring,'' and ``teaching residency 
program.''


    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1021-1022(c).

Applicable Regulations

    (a) The Education Department General Administrative Regulations 
(EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80, 81, 82, 84, 86, 97, 98, and 
99. (b) The Education Department suspension and debarment regulations 
in 2 CFR part 3485.

    Note:  The regulations in 34 CFR part 79 apply to all applicants 
except federally recognized Indian tribes.


    Note:  The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to IHEs only.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
    Estimated Available Funds: $35,000,000.
    Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of 
applications, we may make additional awards in FY 2015 and subsequent 
years from the list of unfunded applicants from this competition.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $1,000,000--$2,000,000.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $1,500,000 for the first year of 
the project. Funding for the second, third, fourth, and fifth years is 
subject to the availability of funds and the approval of continuation 
awards (see 34 CFR 75.253).
    Estimated Number of Awards: 20.

    Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this 
notice.

    Project Period: Up to 60 months.

III. Eligibility Information

General Application Requirements

    All applicants must meet the following general application 
requirements in order to be considered for funding. Except as 
specifically noted in this section, the general application 
requirements are from section 202 of the HEA (20 U.S.C. 1022a).
    Each eligible partnership desiring a grant under this program must 
submit an application that contains--
    (a) A needs assessment of the partners in the eligible partnership 
with respect to the preparation, ongoing training, professional 
development, and retention of general education and special education 
teachers, principals, and, as applicable, early childhood educators;
    (b) A description of the extent to which the program to be carried 
out with grant funds, as described in Absolute Priority 1 or Absolute 
Priority 2, or both, in this notice, and, if the applicant chooses to 
do so, a Partnership Grant for the Development of Leadership Program, 
as described in section 202(f) of the HEA, will prepare prospective and 
new teachers with strong teaching skills;
    (c) A description of how such program will prepare prospective and 
new teachers to understand and use research and data to modify and 
improve classroom instruction;
    (d) A description of--
    (1) How the eligible partnership will coordinate strategies and 
activities assisted under the grant with other teacher preparation or 
professional development programs, including programs funded under the 
ESEA and IDEA and through the National Science Foundation; and
    (2) How the activities of the partnership will be consistent with 
State, local, and other education reform activities that promote 
teacher quality and student academic achievement;
    (e) An assessment that describes the resources available to the 
eligible partnership, including--
    (1) The integration of funds from other related sources;
    (2) The intended use of the grant funds; and
    (3) The commitment of the resources of the partnership to the 
activities assisted under this program, including financial support, 
faculty participation, and time commitments, and to the continuation of 
the activities when the grant ends.
    (f) A description of--
    (1) How the eligible partnership will meet the purposes of the TQP 
Grant Program as specified in section 201 of the HEA;
    (2) How the partnership will carry out the activities required 
under Absolute Priority 1 or Absolute Priority 2, or both, as described 
in this notice, based on the needs identified in paragraph (a), with 
the goal of improving student academic achievement;
    (3) If the partnership chooses to use funds under the TQP Grant 
Program for a project or activities under section

[[Page 30590]]

202(f) of the HEA [Partnership Grants for the Development of Leadership 
Programs] or section 202(g) of the HEA [Partnership with Digital 
Education Content Developer], how the partnership will carry out such 
project or required activities based on the needs identified in the 
needs assessment described in paragraph (a), with the goal of improving 
student academic achievement;

    Note: In FY 2014, the Department is not funding any grants under 
sections 202(f) or 202(g) of the HEA.

    (4) The partnership's evaluation plan under section 204(a) of the 
HEA;
    (5) How the partnership will align the teacher preparation program 
with the--
    (i) State early learning standards for ECE programs, as 
appropriate, and with the relevant domains of early childhood 
development; and
    (ii) Student academic achievement standards and academic content 
standards under section 1111(b)(1) of the ESEA, established by the 
State in which the partnership is located;
    (6) How the partnership will prepare general education teachers to 
teach students with disabilities, including training related to 
participation as a member of individualized education program teams, as 
defined in section 614(d)(1)(B) of the IDEA;
    (7) How the partnership will prepare general education and special 
education teachers to teach students who are limited English 
proficient;
    (8) How faculty at the partner institution will work during the 
term of the grant, with highly qualified teachers in the classrooms of 
high-need schools served by the high-need LEA in the partnership to--
    (i) Provide high-quality professional development activities to 
strengthen the content knowledge and teaching skills of elementary 
school and secondary school teachers; and
    (ii) Train other classroom teachers to implement literacy programs 
that incorporate the essential components of reading instruction;
    (9) How the partnership will design, implement, or enhance a year-
long and rigorous teaching preservice clinical program component;
    (10) How the partnership will support in-service professional 
development strategies and activities; and
    (11) How the partnership will collect, analyze, and use data on the 
retention of all teachers and early childhood educators in schools and 
ECE programs located in the geographic area served by the partnership 
to evaluate the effectiveness of the partnership's teacher and educator 
support system.
    (g) With respect to the induction program required as part of the 
activities carried out under Absolute Priority 1 or Absolute Priority 
2, or both--
    (1) A demonstration that the schools and departments within the IHE 
that are part of the induction program will effectively prepare 
teachers, including providing content expertise and expertise in 
teaching, as appropriate;
    (2) A demonstration of the eligible partnership's capability and 
commitment to, and the accessibility to and involvement of faculty in, 
the use of empirically-based practice and scientifically valid research 
on teaching and learning;
    (3) A description of how the teacher preparation program will 
design and implement an induction program to support, through not less 
than the first two years of teaching, all new teachers who are prepared 
by the teacher preparation program in the partnership and who teach in 
the high-need LEA in the partnership, and, to the extent practicable, 
all new teachers who teach in such high-need LEA, in the further 
development of the new teachers' teaching skills, including the use of 
mentors who are trained and compensated by such program for the 
mentors' work with new teachers; and
    (4) A description of how faculty involved in the induction program 
will be able to substantially participate in an ECE program or 
elementary school or secondary school classroom setting, as applicable, 
including release time and receiving workload credit for such 
participation.
    1. Eligible Applicants: An eligible applicant must be an ``eligible 
partnership'' as defined in section 200(6) of the HEA. The term 
``eligible partnership'' means an entity that--
    (1) Shall include:
    (i) A high-need LEA;
    (ii)(A) A high-need school or consortium of high-need schools 
served by the high-need LEA, or
    (B) As applicable, a high-need ECE program;
    (iii) A partner institution;
    (iv) A school, department, or program of education within such 
partner institution, which may include an existing teacher professional 
development program with proven outcomes within a four-year IHE that 
provides intensive and sustained collaboration between faculty and LEAs 
consistent with the requirements of title II of the HEA;
    (v) A school or department of arts and sciences within such partner 
institution; and
    (2) May include any of the following--
    (i) The Governor of the State.
    (ii) The State educational agency.
    (iii) The State board of education.
    (iv) The State agency for higher education.
    (v) A business.
    (vi) A public or private nonprofit educational organization.
    (vii) An educational service agency.
    (viii) A teacher organization.
    (ix) A high-performing LEA, or a consortium of such LEAs, that can 
serve as a resource to the partnership.
    (x) A charter school (as defined in section 5210 of the ESEA).
    (xi) A school or department within the partner institution that 
focuses on psychology and human development.
    (xii) A school or department within the partner institution with 
comparable expertise in the disciplines of teaching, learning, and 
child and adolescent development.
    (xiii) An entity operating a program that provides alternative 
routes to State certification of teachers. Any of the mandatory or 
optional entities in the partnership may be the fiscal agent of the 
grant.

    Note: So that the Department can confirm the eligibility of the 
LEAs that applicants propose to serve, applicants must include 
information in their applications that demonstrates that each LEA to 
be served by the project is a ``high-need LEA'' (as defined in this 
notice and in section 200(10) of the HEA).

    Applicants should refer to the application package for additional 
information on determining whether an LEA meets the definition of 
``high-need LEA.''
    2.a. Cost Sharing or Matching:
    Under section 203(c) of the HEA (20 U.S.C. 1022b), each grant 
recipient must provide, from non-Federal sources, an amount equal to 
100 percent of the amount of the grant, which may be provided in cash 
or in-kind, to carry out the activities supported by the grant. 
Grantees must budget their matching contributions on an annual basis 
relative to each annual award of TQP Grant Program funds.
    The HEA also authorizes the Secretary to waive this matching 
requirement for any fiscal year for an eligible partnership if the 
Secretary determines that applying the matching requirement to the 
eligible partnership would result in serious hardship or an inability 
to carry out the authorized activities described in section 202 of the 
HEA. Applicants that wish to apply for a waiver for year one or for 
future years of the project may include a request in their application 
that describes how the 100 percent matching requirement would cause 
serious hardship or an

[[Page 30591]]

inability to carry out project activities. Further information about 
applying for waivers can be found in the application package. However, 
given the importance of matching funds to the long-term success of the 
project, at this time, the Secretary fully expects projects to identify 
appropriate matching funds.
    b. Supplement-Not-Supplant: This program involves supplement-not-
supplant funding requirements. In accordance with section 202(k) of the 
HEA, funds made available under this program must be used to 
supplement, and not supplant, other Federal, State, and local funds 
that would otherwise be expended to carry out activities under this 
program.

IV. Application and Submission Information

    1. Address to Request Application Package: Christine Miller, U.S. 
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 4C119, 
Washington, DC 20202. Telephone: (202) 453-5680 or by email: 
tqpartnership@ed.gov.
    You can also obtain an application package via the Internet or from 
the Education Publications Center (ED Pubs). To obtain a copy via the 
Internet, use the following address: https://www2.ed.gov/programs/tqpartnership/applicant.html. To obtain a copy from ED Pubs, write, 
fax, or call the following: ED Pubs, U.S. Department of Education, P.O. 
Box 22207, Alexandria, VA 22304. Telephone, toll free: 1-877-433-7827. 
FAX: (703) 605-6794.
    You can contact ED Pubs at its Web site, also: www.EDPubs.gov or at 
its email address: edpubs@inet.ed.gov.
    If you request an application from ED Pubs, be sure to identify 
this program or competition as follows: CFDA number 84.336S.
    If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) or a text 
telephone (TTY), call the TDD/TTY number at 1-877-576-7734.
    Individuals with disabilities can obtain a copy of the application 
package in an accessible format (e.g., braille, large print, audiotape, 
or compact disc) by contacting the program contact person listed in 
this section.
    2. Content and Form of Application Submission: Requirements 
concerning the content of an application, together with the forms you 
must submit, are in the application package for this program.

Notice of Intent to Apply: June 27, 2014.

    The Department will be able to develop a more efficient process for 
reviewing grant applications if it has a better understanding of the 
number of entities that intend to apply for funding under this 
competition. Therefore, the Secretary strongly encourages each 
potential applicant to notify the Department by sending a short email 
message indicating the applicant's intent to submit an application for 
funding. The email need not include information regarding the content 
of the proposed application, only the applicant's intent to submit it. 
The Secretary requests that this email notification be sent to 
Christine Miller at TQPartnership@ed.gov. Applicants that fail to 
provide this email notification may still apply for funding.
    Page Limit: The application narrative (Part III of the application) 
is where you, the applicant, address the selection criteria that 
reviewers use to evaluate your application. It is recommended that the 
application narrative (Part III) be no more than 50 pages, using the 
following standards:
     A ``page'' is 8.5'' x 11'', on one side only, with 1'' 
margins at the top, bottom, and both sides.
     Double space (no more than three lines per vertical inch) 
all text in the application narrative, including titles, headings, 
footnotes, quotations, references, and captions. However, you may 
single space all text in charts, tables, figures, and graphs.
     Use a font that is either 12 point or larger or no smaller 
than 10 pitch (characters per inch).
     Use one of the following fonts: Times New Roman, Courier, 
Courier New, or Arial. An application submitted in any other font 
(including Times Roman or Arial Narrow) will not be accepted.
    The recommended page limit does not apply to Part I, the cover 
sheet; Part II, the budget section, including the narrative budget 
justification; Part IV, the assurances and certifications; or the one-
page abstract, the resumes, the bibliography, or the letters of 
support. However, the recommended page limit does apply to all of the 
application narrative section (Part III).
    b. Submission of Proprietary Information: Given the types of 
projects that may be proposed in applications for the TQP Grant 
Program, some applications may include business information that 
applicants consider proprietary. The Department's regulations define 
``business information'' in 34 CFR 5.11.
    Because we plan to post the project narrative section of funded TQP 
Grant Program applications on the Department's Web site, applicants may 
wish to request confidentiality of business information. Identifying 
proprietary information in the submitted application will help 
facilitate this public disclosure process.
    Consistent with Executive Order 12600, please designate in your 
application any information that you feel is exempt from disclosure 
under Exemption 4 of the Freedom of Information Act. In the appropriate 
Appendix section of your application, under ``Other Attachments Form,'' 
please list the page number or numbers on which we can find this 
information. For additional information please see 34 CFR 5.11(c).
    3. Submission Dates and Times: Applications Available: May 28, 
2014. Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply: June 27, 2014. Date of 
Pre-Application Webinars (all times are Washington, DC time): Tuesday, 
June 10, 2014 at 10:00 a.m. and Thursday, June 12, 2014 at 2:00 p.m. 
Further information will be available at: www2.ed.gov/programs/tqpartnership/applicant.html. Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: 
July 14, 2014.
    Applications for grants under this program must be submitted 
electronically using the Grants.gov Apply site (Grants.gov). For 
information (including dates and times) about how to submit your 
application electronically, or in paper format by mail or hand delivery 
if you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission 
requirement, please refer to section IV. 7. Other Submission 
Requirements of this notice.
    We do not consider an application that does not comply with the 
deadline requirements.
    Individuals with disabilities who need an accommodation or 
auxiliary aid in connection with the application process should contact 
the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT in section VII 
of this notice. If the Department provides an accommodation or 
auxiliary aid to an individual with a disability in connection with the 
application process, the individual's application remains subject to 
all other requirements and limitations in this notice. Deadline for 
Intergovernmental Review: September 10, 2014.
    4. Intergovernmental Review: This program is subject to Executive 
Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79. Information about 
Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs under Executive Order 
12372 is in the application package for this program.
    5. Funding Restrictions: We specify unallowable costs in 34 CFR 
74.27 and 80.22.
    6. Data Universal Numbering System Number, Taxpayer Identification

[[Page 30592]]

Number, and System for Award Management: To do business with the 
Department of Education, you must--
    a. Have a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number and a 
Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN);
    b. Register both your DUNS number and TIN with the System for Award 
Management (SAM) (formerly the Central Contractor Registry (CCR)), the 
Government's primary registrant database;
    c. Provide your DUNS number and TIN on your application; and
    d. Maintain an active SAM registration with current information 
while your application is under review by the Department and, if you 
are awarded a grant, during the project period.
    You can obtain a DUNS number from Dun and Bradstreet. A DUNS number 
can be created within one to two business days.
    If you are a corporate entity, agency, institution, or 
organization, you can obtain a TIN from the Internal Revenue Service. 
If you are an individual, you can obtain a TIN from the Internal 
Revenue Service or the Social Security Administration. If you need a 
new TIN, please allow two-to-five weeks for your TIN to become active.
    The SAM registration process can take approximately seven business 
days, but may take upwards of several weeks, depending on the 
completeness and accuracy of the data entered into the SAM database by 
an entity. Thus, if you think you might want to apply for Federal 
financial assistance under a program administered by the Department, 
please allow sufficient time to obtain and register your DUNS number 
and TIN. We strongly recommend that you register early.

    Note:  Once your SAM registration is active, you will need to 
allow 24 to 48 hours for the information to be available in 
Grants.gov and before you can submit an application through 
Grants.gov.

    If you are currently registered with SAM, you may not need to make 
any changes. However, please make certain that the TIN associated with 
your DUNS number is correct. Also note that you will need to update 
your registration annually. This may take three or more business days.
    Information about SAM is available at www.SAM.gov. To further 
assist you with obtaining and registering your DUNS number and TIN in 
SAM or updating your existing SAM account, we have prepared a SAM.gov 
Tip Sheet, which you can find at: https://www2.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/sam-faqs.html.
    In addition, if you are submitting your application via Grants.gov, 
you must (1) be designated by your organization as an Authorized 
Organization Representative (AOR); and (2) register yourself with 
Grants.gov as an AOR. Details on these steps are outlined at the 
following Grants.gov Web page: www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html.
    7. Other Submission Requirements: Applications for grants under 
this program must be submitted electronically unless you qualify for an 
exception to this requirement in accordance with the instructions in 
this section.
    a. Electronic Submission of Applications. Applications for grants 
under the TQP Grant Program, CFDA number 84.336S, must be submitted 
electronically using the Government wide Grants.gov Apply site at 
www.Grants.gov. Through this site, you will be able to download a copy 
of the application package, complete it offline, and then upload and 
submit your application. You may not email an electronic copy of a 
grant application to us.
    We will reject your application if you submit it in paper format 
unless, as described elsewhere in this section, you qualify for one of 
the exceptions to the electronic submission requirement and submit, no 
later than two weeks before the application deadline date, a written 
statement to the Department that you qualify for one of these 
exceptions. Further information regarding calculation of the date that 
is two weeks before the application deadline date is provided later in 
this section under Exception to Electronic Submission Requirement.
    You may access the electronic grant application for the TQP Grant 
Program at www.Grants.gov. You must search for the downloadable 
application package for this program [competition] by the CFDA number. 
Do not include the CFDA number's alpha suffix in your search (e.g., 
search for 84.336, not 84.336S).
    Please note the following:
     When you enter the Grants.gov site, you will find 
information about submitting an application electronically through the 
site, as well as the hours of operation.
     Applications received by Grants.gov are date and time 
stamped. Your application must be fully uploaded and submitted and must 
be date and time stamped by the Grants.gov system no later than 4:30:00 
p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. Except as 
otherwise noted in this section, we will not accept your application if 
it is received--that is, date and time stamped by the Grants.gov 
system--after 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application 
deadline date. We do not consider an application that does not comply 
with the deadline requirements. When we retrieve your application from 
Grants.gov, we will notify you if we are rejecting your application 
because it was date and time stamped by the Grants.gov system after 
4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date.
     The amount of time it can take to upload an application 
will vary depending on a variety of factors, including the size of the 
application and the speed of your Internet connection. Therefore, we 
strongly recommend that you do not wait until the application deadline 
date to begin the submission process through Grants.gov.
     You should review and follow the Education Submission 
Procedures for submitting an application through Grants.gov that are 
included in the application package for this program to ensure that you 
submit your application in a timely manner to the Grants.gov system. 
You can also find the Education Submission Procedures pertaining to 
Grants.gov under News and Events on the Department's G5 system home 
page at www.G5.gov.
     You will not receive additional point value because you 
submit your application in electronic format, nor will we penalize you 
if you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission 
requirement, as described elsewhere in this section, and submit your 
application in paper format.
     You must submit all documents electronically, including 
all information you typically provide on the following forms: The 
Application for Federal Assistance (SF 424), the Department of 
Education Supplemental Information for SF 424, Budget Information--Non-
Construction Programs (ED 524), and all necessary assurances and 
certifications.
     You must upload any narrative sections and all other 
attachments to your application as files in a PDF (Portable Document) 
read-only, non-modifiable format. Do not upload an interactive or 
fillable PDF file. If you upload a file type other than a read-only, 
non-modifiable PDF or submit a password-protected file, we will not 
review that material.
     Your electronic application must comply with any page-
limit requirements described in this notice.
     After you electronically submit your application, you will 
receive from Grants.gov an automatic notification of receipt that 
contains a Grants.gov tracking number. (This notification indicates 
receipt by Grants.gov only, not

[[Page 30593]]

receipt by the Department.) The Department then will retrieve your 
application from Grants.gov and send a second notification to you by 
email. This second notification indicates that the Department has 
received your application and has assigned your application a PR/Award 
number (an ED-specified identifying number unique to your application).
     We may request that you provide us original signatures on 
forms at a later date.
    Application Deadline Date Extension in Case of Technical Issues 
with the Grants.gov System: If you are experiencing problems submitting 
your application through Grants.gov, please contact the Grants.gov 
Support Desk, toll free, at 1-800-518-4726. You must obtain a 
Grants.gov Support Desk Case Number and must keep a record of it.
    If you are prevented from electronically submitting your 
application on the application deadline date because of technical 
problems with the Grants.gov system, we will grant you an extension 
until 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, the following business day to 
enable you to transmit your application electronically or by hand 
delivery. You also may mail your application by following the mailing 
instructions described elsewhere in this notice.
    If you submit an application after 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC 
time, on the application deadline date, please contact the person 
listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT in section VII of this 
notice and provide an explanation of the technical problem you 
experienced with Grants.gov, along with the Grants.gov Support Desk 
Case Number. We will accept your application if we can confirm that a 
technical problem occurred with the Grants.gov system and that that 
problem affected your ability to submit your application by 4:30:00 
p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. The 
Department will contact you after a determination is made on whether 
your application will be accepted.

    Note: The extensions to which we refer in this section apply 
only to the unavailability of, or technical problems with, the 
Grants.gov system. We will not grant you an extension if you failed 
to fully register to submit your application to Grants.gov before 
the application deadline date and time or if the technical problem 
you experienced is unrelated to the Grants.gov system.

    Exception to Electronic Submission Requirement: You qualify for an 
exception to the electronic submission requirement, and may submit your 
application in paper format, if you are unable to submit an application 
through the Grants.gov system because--
     You do not have access to the Internet; or
     You do not have the capacity to upload large documents to 
the Grants.gov system; and
     No later than two weeks before the application deadline 
date (14 calendar days or, if the fourteenth calendar day before the 
application deadline date falls on a Federal holiday, the next business 
day following the Federal holiday), you mail or fax a written statement 
to the Department, explaining which of the two grounds for an exception 
prevents you from using the Internet to submit your application.
    If you mail your written statement to the Department, it must be 
postmarked no later than two weeks before the application deadline 
date. If you fax your written statement to the Department, we must 
receive the faxed statement no later than two weeks before the 
application deadline date.
    Address and mail or fax your statement to: Christine Miller, U.S. 
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 4C119, 
Washington, DC 20202. FAX: (202) 401-8446.
    Your paper application must be submitted in accordance with the 
mail or hand delivery instructions described in this notice.
    b. Submission of Paper Applications by Mail.
    If you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission 
requirement, you may mail (through the U.S. Postal Service or a 
commercial carrier) your application to the Department. You must mail 
the original and two copies of your application, on or before the 
application deadline date, to the Department at the following address:

    U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Center, 
Attention: (CFDA Number 84.336S), LBJ Basement Level 1, 400 Maryland 
Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20202-4260.

    You must show proof of mailing consisting of one of the following:
    (1) A legibly dated U.S. Postal Service postmark.
    (2) A legible mail receipt with the date of mailing stamped by the 
U.S. Postal Service.
    (3) A dated shipping label, invoice, or receipt from a commercial 
carrier.
    (4) Any other proof of mailing acceptable to the Secretary of the 
U.S. Department of Education.
    If you mail your application through the U.S. Postal Service, we do 
not accept either of the following as proof of mailing:
    (1) A private metered postmark.
    (2) A mail receipt that is not dated by the U.S. Postal Service.
    If your application is postmarked after the application deadline 
date, we will not consider your application.

    Note: The U.S. Postal Service does not uniformly provide a dated 
postmark. Before relying on this method, you should check with your 
local post office.

    c. Submission of Paper Applications by Hand Delivery.
    If you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission 
requirement, you (or a courier service) may deliver your paper 
application to the Department by hand. You must deliver the original 
and two copies of your application by hand, on or before the 
application deadline date, to the Department at the following address: 
U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Center, Attention: 
(CFDA Number 84.336S), 550 12th Street SW., Room 7039, Potomac Center 
Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-4260.

    The Application Control Center accepts hand deliveries daily 
between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, except 
Saturdays, Sundays, and Federal holidays.

    Note for Mail or Hand Delivery of Paper Applications: 

    If you mail or hand deliver your application to the Department--
    (1) You must indicate on the envelope and--if not provided by the 
Department--in Item 11 of the SF 424 the CFDA number, including suffix 
letter, if any, of the competition under which you are submitting your 
application; and
    (2) The Application Control Center will mail to you a notification 
of receipt of your grant application. If you do not receive this 
notification within 15 business days from the application deadline 
date, you should call the U.S. Department of Education Application 
Control Center at (202) 245-6288.

V. Application Review Information

    1. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this program are 
from 34 CFR 75.210. An applicant may earn up to a total of 100 points 
based on the selection criteria. The maximum score for each criterion 
is indicated in parentheses. Each criterion also includes the factors 
that the reviewers will consider in determining how well an application 
meets the criterion. A note following a selection criterion is guidance 
to help applicants in preparing their applications, and is not required 
by statute or regulations. The criteria are as follows:
    (a) Significance (up to 15 points).
    (1) The Secretary considers the significance of the proposed 
project.

[[Page 30594]]

    (2) In determining the significance of the proposed project, the 
Secretary considers the following factors--
    (i) The extent to which the proposed project is likely to build 
local capacity to provide, improve, or expand services that address the 
needs of the target population.
    (ii) The likelihood that the proposed project will result in system 
change or improvement.
    (iii) The extent to which the proposed project will prepare 
personnel for fields in which shortages have been demonstrated.
    (b) Quality of the Project Design (up to 45 points).
    (1) The Secretary considers the quality of the design of the 
proposed project.
    (2) In determining the quality of the design of the proposed 
project, the Secretary considers the extent to which the proposed 
project consists of a comprehensive plan that includes a description 
of--
    (i) The extent to which the proposed project is supported by strong 
theory (as defined in this notice).
    (ii) The extent to which the training or professional development 
services to be provided by the proposed project are of sufficient 
quality, intensity, and duration to lead to improvements in practice 
among the recipients of those services.
    (iii) The extent to which the proposed activities constitute a 
coherent, sustained program of training in the field.
    (iv) The extent to which the services to be provided by the 
proposed project involve the collaboration of appropriate partners for 
maximizing the effectiveness of project services.
    (v) The extent to which the applicant demonstrates that it has the 
resources to operate the project beyond the length of the grant, 
including a multi-year financial and operating model and accompanying 
plan; the demonstrated commitment of any partners; evidence of broad 
support from stakeholders (e.g., State educational agencies, teachers' 
unions) critical to the project's long-term success; or more than one 
of these types of evidence.

    Note: In order to address this criterion, applicants are 
encouraged to develop logic models to demonstrate their project's 
theory of action. Applicants should connect available evidence of 
past history of successful outcomes to their logic models. 
Applicants may use resources such as the Pacific Education 
Laboratory's Education Logic Model Application 
(www.relpacific.mcrel.org/PERR.html) or the Northeast and Island's 
REL Skill Builder Workshops (www.relnei.org/events/skill-builder-archive.html) to help design their logic models. In addressing this 
criterion, applicants are also encouraged to connect the project 
design to the intended impact of the project, including an 
explanation of how the project will affect the preparation, 
placement, retention, induction, and professional development of 
teachers, and ultimately student achievement. Finally, applicants 
are encouraged to discuss the role and commitment of each partner 
and how the IHE and LEA(s) plan to sustain their partnership beyond 
the life of the grant.

    (c) Quality of the Management Plan (up to 20 points).
    (1) The Secretary considers the quality of the management plan for 
the proposed project.
    (2) In determining the quality of the management plan for the 
proposed project, the Secretary considers the following factors--
    (i) The adequacy of the management plan to achieve the objectives 
of the proposed project on time and within budget, including clearly 
defined responsibilities, timelines, and milestones for accomplishing 
project tasks.
    (ii) The qualifications, including relevant training and 
experience, of key project personnel.
    (iii) The extent to which performance feedback and continuous 
improvement are integral to the design of the proposed project.

    Note: In order to address this criterion, applicants are 
encouraged to include in the application narrative a clear, well 
thought-out implementation plan that includes annual timelines, key 
project milestones, and a schedule of activities with sufficient 
time for developing an adequate implementation plan, as well as a 
description and qualifications of the personnel who would be 
responsible for each activity and the level of effort each activity 
entails. Applicants may also describe how the partnering 
organizations will communicate and coordinate in order to achieve 
project goals.

    (d) Quality of the Project Evaluation (up to 20 points).
    (1) The Secretary considers the quality of the evaluation to be 
conducted of the proposed project.
    (2) In determining the quality of the evaluation, the Secretary 
considers--
    (i) The extent to which the methods of evaluation provide valid and 
reliable performance data on relevant outcomes.

    Note: In response to this selection factor, applicants are 
encouraged to include data on student learning.

    (ii) The extent to which the methods of evaluation are thorough, 
feasible, and appropriate to the goals, objectives, and outcomes of the 
proposed project.
    (iii) The extent to which the methods of evaluation will provide 
performance feedback and permit periodic assessment of progress toward 
achieving intended outcomes.

    Note: In addressing this criterion, applicants are encouraged to 
include a plan for how the project's evaluation will address the TQP 
Grant Program performance measures established by the Department 
under the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 (GPRA), as 
well as the measures established in section 204(a) of the HEA. (The 
specific performance measures established for the overall TQP Grant 
Program are discussed under Performance Measures in section VI of 
this notice.) Further, applicants are encouraged to describe how the 
applicant's evaluation plan will be designed to collect both output 
data and outcome data, including benchmarks, to monitor progress. 
Finally, each applicant is encouraged to select an independent, 
objective evaluator who has experience in evaluating educational 
programs and who will play an active role in the design and 
implementation of the project's evaluation.

    2. Review and Selection Process: We remind potential applicants 
that in reviewing applications in any discretionary grant competition, 
the Secretary may consider, under 34 CFR 75.217(d)(3), the past 
performance of the applicant in carrying out a previous award, such as 
the applicant's use of funds, achievement of project objectives, and 
compliance with grant conditions. The Secretary may also consider 
whether the applicant failed to submit a timely performance report or 
submitted a report of unacceptable quality.
    In addition, in making a competitive grant award, the Secretary 
also requires various assurances including those applicable to Federal 
civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination in programs or 
activities receiving Federal financial assistance from the Department 
of Education (34 CFR 100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).
    3. Special Conditions: Under 34 CFR 74.14 and 80.12, the Secretary 
may impose special conditions on a grant if the applicant or grantee is 
not financially stable; has a history of unsatisfactory performance; 
has a financial or other management system that does not meet the 
standards in 34 CFR parts 74 or 80, as applicable; has not fulfilled 
the conditions of a prior grant; or is otherwise not responsible.

VI. Award Administration Information

    1. Award Notices: If your application is successful, we notify your 
U.S. Representative and U.S. Senators and send you a Grant Award 
Notification (GAN); or we may send you an email containing a link to 
access an electronic version of your GAN. We may notify you informally, 
also.

[[Page 30595]]

    If your application is not evaluated or not selected for funding, 
we notify you.
    2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements: We identify 
administrative and national policy requirements in the application 
package and reference these and other requirements in the Applicable 
Regulations section of this notice.
    We reference the regulations outlining the terms and conditions of 
an award in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice and 
include these and other specific conditions in the GAN. The GAN also 
incorporates your approved application as part of your binding 
commitments under the grant.
    3. Reporting: (a) If you apply for a grant under this competition, 
you must ensure that you have in place the necessary processes and 
systems to comply with the reporting requirements in 2 CFR part 170 
should you receive funding under the competition. This does not apply 
if you have an exception under 2 CFR 170.110(b).
    (b) At the end of your project period, you must submit a final 
performance report, including financial information, as directed by the 
Secretary. If you receive a multi-year award, you must submit an annual 
performance report that provides the most current performance and 
financial expenditure information as directed by the Secretary under 34 
CFR 75.118. The Secretary may also require more frequent performance 
reports under 34 CFR 75.720(c). For specific requirements on reporting, 
please go to www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/appforms/appforms.html.
    4. Performance Measures: The objective of the TQP Grant Program is 
to increase student achievement in K-12 schools by developing highly 
qualified teachers. Under GPRA, the following measures will be used by 
the Department in assessing the performance of this program:
    (a) Performance Measure 1: Graduation. The percentage of program 
completers who--
    (1) Attain initial certification/licensure by passing all necessary 
certification/licensure assessments and attain a bachelor's degree 
(pre-baccalaureate teacher preparation program) or initial license 
(fifth-year initial licensing program), within six years of beginning 
the program or a master's degree (residency program) within two years 
of beginning the program; or
    (2) Attain Highly Competent Early Childhood Educator status by 
earning a bachelor's degree within six years of beginning the program 
or an associate's degree within three years of beginning the program;
    (b) Performance Measure 2: Employment Retention. The percentage of 
beginning teachers who are retained in teaching in the partner high-
need LEA or high-need ECE program three years after being hired by the 
high-need LEA or high-need ECE program;
    (c) Performance Measure 3: Improved Scores. The percentage of 
grantees that report improved scaled scores on assessments for initial 
State certification or licensure of teachers;
    (d) Performance Measure 4: Student Learning. The percentage of 
grantees that report improved aggregate learning outcomes of students 
taught by new teachers. These data can be calculated using a student 
growth measure, a teacher evaluation measure, or both.
    (d) Efficiency Measure: Employment Retention. The cost of a 
successful outcome where success is defined as retention of the teacher 
in the partner high-need LEA or high-need ECE program three years after 
the teacher is hired by the high-need LEA or high-need ECE program;
    (e) Short-Term Performance Measures. Because the performance 
measures already listed would not provide data for a number of years, 
the Department has also established the following two measures that 
will provide data in a shorter timeframe--
    (1) Short-Term Performance Measure 1: Persistence. The percentage 
of program participants who were not scheduled to graduate in the 
previous reporting period and persisted in the postsecondary program in 
the current reporting period; and
    (2) Short-Term Performance Measure 2: Employment Retention. The 
percentage of beginning teachers who are retained in teaching in the 
partner high-need LEA or high-need ECE program one year after being 
hired by the LEA or high-need ECE program.
    Applicants must also address the evaluation requirements in section 
204(a) of the HEA. This section asks applicants to develop objectives 
and measures for increasing:
    (i) Achievement for all prospective and new teachers, as measured 
by the eligible partnership;
    (ii) Teacher retention in the first three years of a teacher's 
career;
    (iii) Improvement in the pass rates and scaled scores for initial 
State certification or licensure of teachers; and
    (d)(1) The percentage of highly qualified teachers hired by the 
high-need LEA participating in the eligible partnership;
    (2) The percentage of highly qualified teachers hired by the high-
need LEA who are members of underrepresented groups;
    (3) The percentage of highly qualified teachers hired by the high-
need LEA who teach high-need academic subject areas (such as reading, 
mathematics, science, and foreign language, including less commonly 
taught languages and critical foreign languages);
    (4) The percentage of highly qualified teachers hired by the high-
need LEA who teach in high-need areas (including special education, 
language instruction educational programs for limited English 
proficient students, and early childhood education);
    (5) The percentage of highly qualified teachers hired by the high-
need LEA who teach in high-need schools, disaggregated by the 
elementary school and secondary school levels;
    (6) As applicable, the percentage of early childhood education 
program classes in the geographic area served by the eligible 
partnership taught by early childhood educators who are highly 
competent; and
    (7) As applicable, the percentage of teachers trained--
    (i) To integrate technology effectively into curricula and 
instruction, including technology consistent with the principles of 
universal design for learning; and
    (ii) To use technology effectively to collect, manage, and analyze 
data to improve teaching and learning for the purpose of improving 
student academic achievement.

    Note: If funded, you will be asked to collect and report data on 
these measures in your project's annual performance report (34 CFR 
75.590). Applicants are also advised to consider these measures in 
conceptualizing the design, implementation, and evaluation of their 
proposed projects because of their importance in the application 
review process. Collection of data on these measures should be a 
part of the evaluation plan, along with measures of progress on 
goals and objectives that are specific to your project.

    All grantees will be expected to submit an annual performance 
report documenting their success in addressing these performance 
measures.
    5. Continuation Awards: In making a continuation award, the 
Secretary may consider, under 34 CFR 75.253, the extent to which a 
grantee has made ``substantial progress toward meeting the objectives 
in its approved application.'' This consideration includes the review 
of a grantee's progress in meeting the targets and projected outcomes 
in its approved application, and whether the grantee has expended funds 
in a manner that is

[[Page 30596]]

consistent with its approved application and budget. In making a 
continuation grant, the Secretary also considers whether the grantee is 
operating in compliance with the assurances in its approved 
application, including those applicable to Federal civil rights laws 
that prohibit discrimination in programs or activities receiving 
Federal financial assistance from the Department (34 CFR 100.4, 104.5, 
106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).

VII. Agency Contact

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Christine Miller, U.S. Department of 
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 4C119, Washington, DC 20202-
5950. Telephone: (202) 453-5680 or by email: tqpartnership@ed.gov.
    If you use a TDD or a TTY, call the TDD/TTY number at 1-877-576-
7734.

VIII. Other Information

    Accessible Format: Individuals with disabilities can obtain this 
document and a copy of the application package in an accessible format 
(e.g., braille, large print, audiotape, or compact disc) on request to 
the program contact person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT 
in section VII of this notice.
    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: May 21, 2014.
Nadya Chinoy Dabby,
Assistant Deputy Secretary for Innovation and Improvement.
[FR Doc. 2014-12346 Filed 5-27-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P