Application for New Awards; Native American and Alaska Native Children in School Program, 16154-16162 [2016-06838]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 58 (Friday, March 25, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16154-16162]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-06838]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Application for New Awards; Native American and Alaska Native 
Children in School Program

AGENCY: Office of English Language Acquisition, Department of 
Education.

ACTION: Notice.

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    Overview Information:
    Native American and Alaska Native Children in School Program Notice 
inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY) 2016.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.365C.


DATES: Applications Available: March 25, 2016.
    Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply: April 14, 2016.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: May 24, 2016.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: July 25, 2016.

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

Purpose of Program

    The purpose of the Native American and Alaska Native Children in 
School (NAM) program is to award grants to eligible entities to develop 
and enhance capacity to provide effective instruction and support to 
Native American students, including Native Hawaiian and Native American 
Pacific Islander, who are identified as English learners (ELs). The 
goal of this program is to support the teaching, learning, and studying 
of Native American languages while also increasing the English language 
proficiency of students served to meet challenging State academic 
content and achievement standards.

Background

    Through previous competitions, the NAM program has funded a range 
of grantees that are currently implementing 25 projects across the 
country. As the educational needs of Native Americans and Alaska 
Natives continue to grow, there is also a need to increase knowledge of 
what practices work to effectively improve learning outcomes for Native 
American and Alaska Native ELs.
    Congress, in the Native American Languages Act of 1990, recognized 
the fundamental importance of preserving Native American languages. 
Congress states that it is the policy of the United States to:

    Preserve, protect, and promote the rights and freedom of Native 
Americans to use, practice, and develop Native American languages.

25 U.S.C. 2903(1)
    In addition, it is the policy of the United States to encourage and 
support the use of Native American languages as a medium of instruction 
in order to encourage and support--

    (A) Native American language survival,
    (B) educational opportunity,
    (C) increased student success and performance,
    (D) increased student awareness and knowledge of their culture 
and history, and
    (E) increased student and community pride.

25 U.S.C. 2903 (3)
    This Federal policy is supported by growing recognition of the 
importance

[[Page 16155]]

of native language preservation in facilitating educational success for 
Native students. In a 2007 study by Teachers of English to Students of 
Other Languages (TESOL), the majority of Native youth surveyed stated 
that they value their native language, viewed it as integral to their 
sense of self, wanted to learn it, and viewed it as a means of 
facilitating their success in school and life.\1\ Collaborative efforts 
between educators, families, and communities, the study suggests, may 
be especially promising ways to ensure that all Native students have 
the critical opportunity to learn their native languages.
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    \1\ Romero-Little, M.E., McCarty, T.L., Warhol, L., and Zepeda, 
O. (2007). Language policies in practice: Preliminary findings from 
a large-scale study of Native American language shift. TESOL 
Quarterly 41:3, 607-618.
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    Not only is native language instruction critical for student 
engagement and fostering a rich sense of self, but research has shown 
that students who are bilingual have certain cognitive and social 
benefits that their monolingual peers may lack.\2\ Additionally, for 
students who are classified as ELs, well-implemented language 
instruction educational programs (as defined in this notice), including 
dual language approaches, may result in ELs performing equal to or 
better than their peers in English-only language instruction programs. 
These approaches have shown promise in increasing language acquisition 
in English and native languages, and may also promote greater 
achievement in the academic content areas, including English language 
arts and mathematics.\3\
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    \2\ Valentino, R.A., and Reardon, S.F. (2015). Effectiveness of 
four instructional programs designed to serve English language 
learners: Variation by ethnicity and initial English proficiency. 
Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, doi: 10.3102/
0162373715573310.
    \3\ Lindholm-Leary, K.J. (2001). Dual-language education (Vol. 
28). Multilingual Matters.
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    Therefore, to facilitate high-quality language instruction and 
academic success for Native American students who are classified as 
ELs, this competition includes an absolute priority for projects that 
will support the preservation and revitalization of Native American 
languages while also increasing the English language proficiency of the 
children served under the project.
    For this competition, the Department also seeks to support projects 
designed to improve early learning and development outcomes for Native 
American and Alaskan Native students across one or more of the 
essential domains of school readiness for children from birth through 
third grade and throughout the early elementary school years. 
Accordingly, this notice includes a competitive preference priority 
related to improving early learning and development outcomes.
    In addition, the Department is interested in projects designed to 
improve parental, family, and community engagement. Literature suggests 
that educators who involve families in their students' education can 
strengthen their instructional effectiveness with ELs.4 5 
Accordingly, this notice includes an invitational priority related to 
improving parent, family, and community engagement.
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    \4\ Chen, C., Kyle, D.W., and McIntyre, M. (2008). Helping 
teachers work effectively with English language learners and their 
families. The School Community Journal, 18 (1), 7-20.
    \5\ Waterman, R., and Harry, B. (2008). Building Collaboration 
Between Schools and Parents of English Language Learners: 
Transcending Barriers, Creating Opportunities. Tempe, AZ: National 
Center for Culturally Responsive Educational Systems.
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    Finally, to grow the evidence available on effective ways to 
support Native American and Alaska Native ELs, we include a selection 
criterion under which applications will be evaluated on the extent to 
which their proposed project designs are supported by strong theory, as 
defined in this notice. In addition, we include a selection criterion 
that encourages applicants to design evaluations of their projects that 
would provide them with continuous, formative feedback on their 
progress toward their project goals.
    Priorities: This notice includes one absolute priority, one 
competitive preference priority, and one invitational priority. The 
absolute priority is from section 3128 of the Elementary and Secondary 
Education Act of 1965 (ESEA), as amended by the No Child Left Behind 
Act of 2001 (NCLB) (20 U.S.C. 7801). The competitive preference 
priority is from the Department's notice of final supplemental 
priorities and definitions for discretionary grant programs 
(Supplemental Priorities), published in the Federal Register on 
December 10, 2014 (79 FR 73425).
    Absolute Priority: For FY 2016 and any subsequent year in which we 
make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this 
competition, this priority is an absolute priority. Under 34 CFR 
75.105(c)(3) we consider only applications that meet this priority.
    This priority is:
    Projects that support the teaching, learning, and studying of 
Native American languages while also increasing the English language 
proficiency of the children served.
    Competitive Preference Priority: For FY 2016 and any subsequent 
year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applications 
from this competition, this priority is a competitive preference 
priority. 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 this priority.
    This priority is:
    Improving Early Learning and Development Outcomes (0 to 5 points).
    Projects that are designed to improve early learning and 
development outcomes across one or more of the essential domains of 
school readiness for children from birth through third grade (or for 
any age group within this range) through a focus on one or both of the 
following:
    (a) Increasing access to high-quality early learning and 
development programs and comprehensive services, particularly for 
children with high needs.
    (b) Improving the coordination and alignment among early learning 
and development systems and between such systems and elementary 
education systems, including coordination and alignment in engaging and 
supporting families and improving transitions for children along the 
birth-through-third-grade continuum, in accordance with applicable 
privacy laws.
    Invitational Priority: For FY 2016 and any subsequent year in which 
we make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this 
competition, this priority is an invitational priority. Under 34 CFR 
75.105(c)(1) we do not give an application that meets this invitational 
priority a competitive or absolute preference over other applications.
    This priority is:
    Parent, Family, and Community Engagement.
    Projects that will support meaningful parent, family, and community 
engagement (as defined in this notice) to improve student achievement.
    Applicants are encouraged to design a comprehensive approach to 
leveraging sustained partnerships (as defined in this notice) with 
community-based organizations, institutions of higher education (IHEs), 
and other entities.
    Definitions: The following definitions are from 34 CFR 77.1, 34 CFR 
200.6, the Supplemental Priorities, and sections 3201 and 8101 of the 
ESEA, as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) (20 U.S.C. 
7011 and 7801), and apply to the priorities, selection criteria, and 
performance measures in this notice. The source of each definition is 
noted in parentheses following the text of the definition.

[[Page 16156]]

    Ambitious means promoting continued, meaningful improvement for 
program participants or for other individuals or entities affected by 
the grant, or representing a significant advancement in the field of 
education research, practices, or methodologies. When used to describe 
a performance target, whether a performance target is ambitious depends 
upon the context of the relevant performance measure and the baseline 
for that measure. (34 CFR 77.1)
    Baseline means the starting point from which performance is 
measured and targets are set. (34 CFR 77.1)
    Children with high needs means children from birth through 
kindergarten entry who are from low-income families or otherwise in 
need of special assistance and support, including children who have 
disabilities or developmental delays; who are English learners; who 
reside on ``Indian lands'' as that term is defined by section 8013(7) 
of the ESEA, as amended by NCLB; who are migrant, homeless, or in 
foster care; and who are other children as identified by the State. (34 
CFR 77.1)
    Community engagement means the systematic inclusion of community 
organizations as partners with State educational agencies (SEAs), local 
educational agencies (LEAs), or other educational institutions, or 
their school or program staff to accomplish activities that may include 
developing a shared community vision, establishing a shared 
accountability agreement, participating in shared data-collection and 
analysis, or establishing community networks that are focused on shared 
community-level outcomes. These organizations may include faith- and 
community-based organizations, IHEs (including minority-serving 
institutions eligible to receive aid under title III or title V of the 
Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA)), businesses and industries, labor 
organizations, State and local government entities, or Federal entities 
other than the Department. (Supplemental Priorities)
    English learner, when used with respect to an individual, means an 
individual--
    (A) Who is aged 3 through 21;
    (B) Who is enrolled or preparing to enroll in an elementary school 
or secondary school;
    (C)(i) Who was not born in the United States or whose native 
language is a language other than English;
    (ii)(I) Who is a Native American or Alaska Native, or a Native 
resident of the outlying areas; and
    (II) Who comes from an environment where a language other than 
English has had a significant impact on the individual's level of 
English language proficiency; or
    (iii) Who is migratory, whose native language is a language other 
than English, and who comes from an environment where a language other 
than English is dominant; and
    (D) Whose difficulties in speaking, reading, writing, or 
understanding the English language may be sufficient to deny the 
individual--
    (i) The ability to meet the State's challenging State academic 
standards;
    (ii) The ability to successfully achieve in classrooms where the 
language of instruction is English; or
    (iii) The opportunity to participate fully in society. (Section 
8101 of the ESEA, as amended by ESSA)
    Essential domains of school readiness means the domains of language 
and literacy development, cognition and general knowledge (including 
early mathematics and early scientific development), approaches toward 
learning (including the utilization of the arts), physical well-being 
and motor development (including adaptive skills), and social and 
emotional development. (Supplemental Priorities)
    Language instruction educational program means an instruction 
course--
    (A) In which an English learner is placed for the purpose of 
developing and attaining English proficiency, while meeting challenging 
State academic achievement standards; and
    (B) That may make instructional use of both English and a child's 
native language to enable the child to develop and attain English 
proficiency, and may include the participation of English proficient 
children if such course is designed to enable all participating 
children to become proficient in English and a second language. 
(Section 3201 of the ESEA, as amended by ESSA)
    Logic model (also referred to as 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 
components and outcomes, theoretically and operationally. (34 CFR 77.1)

    Note: Applicants may use resources such as the Pacific Education 
Laboratory's Education Logic Model Application (https://relpacific.mcrel.org/resources/elm-app) to help design their logic 
models.

    Native Hawaiian or Native American Pacific Islander native language 
educational organization means a nonprofit organization with--
    (A) A majority of its governing board and employees consisting of 
fluent speakers of the traditional Native American languages used in 
the organization's educational programs; and
    (B) Not less than five years successful experience in providing 
educational services in traditional Native American languages. (Section 
3201 of the ESEA, as amended by ESSA)
    Parent and family engagement means the systematic inclusion of 
parents and families, working in partnership with SEAs, State lead 
agencies (under Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education 
Act or the State's Race to the Top-Early Learning Challenge grant), 
LEAs, or other educational institutions, or their staff, in their 
child's education, which may include strengthening the ability of (A) 
parents and families to support their child's education; and (B) school 
or program staff to work with parents and families. (Supplemental 
Priorities)
    Performance target means a level of performance that an applicant 
would seek to meet during the course of a project or as a result of a 
project. (34 CFR 77.1)
    Strong theory means a rationale for the proposed process, product, 
strategy, or practice that includes a logic model. (34 CFR 77.1)
    Student achievement means--
    For grades and subjects in which assessments are required under 
section 1111(b)(3) of the ESEA, as amended by NCLB: (1) A student's 
score on such assessments; and, as appropriate (2) other measures of 
student learning, such as those described in the subsequent paragraph, 
provided that they are rigorous and comparable across schools within an 
LEA.
    For grades and subjects in which assessments are not required under 
section 1111(b)(3) of the ESEA, as amended by NCLB: (1) Alternative 
measures of student learning and performance, such as student results 
on pre-tests, end-of-course tests, and objective performance-based 
assessments; (2) student learning objectives; (3) student performance 
on English language proficiency assessments; and (4) other measures of 
student achievement that are rigorous and comparable across schools 
within an LEA. (Supplemental Priorities)
    Sustained partnership means a relationship that has demonstrably 
adequate resources and other support to continue beyond the funding 
period and that consist of community organizations as partners with an 
LEA and one or more of its schools. These organizations may include 
faith- and community-

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based organizations, IHEs (including minority-serving institutions 
eligible to receive aid under title III or title V of the HEA), 
businesses and industries, labor organizations, State and local 
government entities, or Federal entities other than the Department. 
(Supplemental Priorities)


    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 6822.

    Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 75, 77, 79, 81, 82, 
84, 86, 97, 98, and 99. (b) The Office of Management and Budget 
Guidelines to Agencies on Government-wide Debarment and Suspension 
(Nonprocurement) in 2 CFR part 180, as adopted and amended as 
regulations of the Department in 2 CFR part 3485. (c) The Uniform 
Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements 
for Federal Awards in 2 CFR part 200, as adopted and amended in 2 CFR 
part 3474. (d) The Supplemental Priorities.

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


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

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
    Estimated Available Funds: $3,223,778.
    Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of 
applications, we may make additional awards in FY 2017 or later years 
from the list of unfunded applications from this competition.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $275,000-325,000 per year.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $300,000.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 10.

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

    Project Period: 60 months.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: The following entities, when they operate 
elementary, secondary, or postsecondary schools primarily for Native 
American children (including Alaska Native children), are eligible 
applicants under this program:
    (a) Indian tribes.
    (b) Tribally sanctioned educational authorities.
    (c) Native Hawaiian or Native American Pacific Islander native 
language educational organizations.
    (d) Elementary schools or secondary schools that are operated or 
funded by the Department of the Interior's Bureau of Indian Affairs, or 
a consortium of these schools.
    (e) Elementary schools or secondary schools operated under a 
contract with or grant from the Bureau of Indian Affairs in consortium 
with another such school or a tribal or community organization.
    (f) Elementary schools or secondary schools operated by the Bureau 
of Indian Affairs and an IHE, in consortium with an elementary school 
or secondary school operated under a contract with or a grant from the 
Bureau of Indian Affairs or a tribal or community organization.

    Note: Eligible applicants applying as a consortium should read 
and follow the regulations in 34 CFR 75.127 through 75.129.

    Under section 3112(c) of the ESEA, as amended by NCLB, EL students 
served under NAM grants must not be included in the child count 
submitted by a school district under section 3114(a) for purposes of 
receiving funding under the English Language Acquisition State Grants 
program.
    2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This program does not require cost 
sharing or matching.
    3. Equitable Participation by Public and Private School Students 
and Educational Personnel in a Title III Program: An entity that 
receives a grant under the NAM program must provide for the equitable 
participation of private school children and their teachers or other 
educational personnel. To ensure that grant program activities address 
the needs of private school children, the applicant must engage in 
timely and meaningful consultation with appropriate private school 
officials during the design and development of the program. This 
consultation must take place before the applicant makes any decision 
that affects the opportunities for participation by eligible private 
school children, teachers, and other educational personnel. 
Administrative direction and control over grant funds must remain with 
the grantee. (See section 9501 of the ESEA, as amended by NCLB 
Participation by Private School Children and Teachers.)

IV. Application and Submission Information

    1. Address to Request Application Package: You can 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: www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/grantapps/. To obtain a 
copy from ED Pubs, write, fax, or call: 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. If you use a telecommunications 
device for the deaf (TDD) or a text telephone (TTY), call, toll free: 
1-877-576-7734.
    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 package from ED Pubs, be sure to 
identify this program or competition as follows: CFDA 84.365C.
    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 person listed under Accessible 
Format in section VIII of this notice.
    2. a. 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 competition. 
Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply: April 14, 2016.
    We will be able to develop a more efficient process for reviewing 
grant applications if we know the approximate number of applicants that 
intend to apply for funding under this competition. Therefore, we 
strongly encourage each potential applicant to notify us of the 
applicant's intent to submit an application by emailing NAM2016@ed.gov 
with the subject line ``Intent to Apply'' and include in the content of 
the email the following information: (1) The applicant organization's 
name and address, and (2) whether the applicant is addressing the 
competitive preference priority or the invitational priority. 
Applicants that do not provide notice of their intent to apply may 
still submit an application. 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. 
Applicants must limit the application narrative to no more than 35 
pages. Applicants are also strongly encouraged not to include lengthy 
appendices that contain information that they were unable to include 
within the page limits for the narrative.
    Applicants must use 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,

[[Page 16158]]

charts, tables, headings, footnotes, quotations, references, and 
captions.
     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.
    The page limit for the application 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, certification of eligibility, or letters of 
support of project partners if applied as a consortium. However, the 
page limit does apply to all of the application narrative section of 
the application.
    We will reject your application if you exceed the page limit.
    b. Submission of Proprietary Information:
    Given the types of projects that may be proposed in applications 
for the NAM program, your application may include business information 
that you consider proprietary. In 34 CFR 5.11 we define ``business 
information'' and describe the process we use in determining whether 
any of that information is proprietary and, thus, protected from 
disclosure under Exemption 4 of the Freedom of Information Act (5 
U.S.C. 552, as amended).
    Consistent with the process followed in the prior NAM competitions, 
we may post the project narrative section of funded NAM applications on 
the Department's Web site so you 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 believe is exempt from disclosure 
under Exemption 4. In the appropriate Appendix section of your 
application, under ``Other Attachments Form,'' please list the page 
number or numbers on which we can find this information. For additional 
information please see 34 CFR 5.11(c).
    3. Submission Dates and Times:
    Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply: April 14, 2016. 
Informational Meetings: We intend to hold Webinars to provide technical 
assistance to interested applicants. Detailed information regarding 
these meetings will be provided on the NAM Web site athttps://
www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/oela/.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: May 24, 2016.
    Applications for grants under this competition must be submitted 
electronically using the Grants.gov application site. 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 Other Submission Requirements in section IV 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: July 25, 2016.
    4. Intergovernmental Review: This competition is subject to 
Executive Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79. 
Information about Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs under 
Executive Order 12372 is in the application package for this 
competition.
    5. Funding Restrictions: We reference regulations outlining funding 
restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.
    6. Data Universal Numbering System Number, Taxpayer Identification 
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), 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 at the 
following Web site: https://fedgov.dnb.com/webform. 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 you enter into the SAM database. 
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, it may be 24 to 48 
hours before you can access the information in, and 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: 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 for the NAM 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 NAM program, CFDA number 84.365C, 
must be submitted electronically using the Governmentwide Grants.gov 
Apply site at www.Grants.gov. Through this

[[Page 16159]]

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 NAM program 
at www.Grants.gov. You must search for the downloadable application 
package for this competition by the CFDA number. Do not include the 
CFDA number's alpha suffix in your search (e.g., search for 84.365, not 
84.365C).
    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 competition 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. In addition, for specific guidance and 
procedures for submitting an application through Grants.gov, please 
refer to the Grants.gov Web site at: www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/apply-for-grants.html.
     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 read-only, non-modifiable 
Portable Document Format (PDF). Do not upload an interactive or 
fillable PDF file. If you upload a file type other than a read-only, 
non-modifiable PDF (e.g., Word, Excel, WordPerfect, etc.) or submit a 
password-protected file, we will not review that material. Please note 
that this could result in your application not being considered for 
funding because the material in question--for example, the project 
narrative--is critical to a meaningful review of your proposal. For 
that reason it is important to allow yourself adequate time to upload 
all material as PDF files. The Department will not convert material 
from other formats to PDF.
     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 receipt by the Department. Grants.gov 
will also notify you automatically by email if your application met all 
the Grants.gov validation requirements or if there were any errors 
(such as submission of your application by someone other than a 
registered Authorized Organization Representative, or inclusion of an 
attachment with a file name that contains special characters). You will 
be given an opportunity to correct any errors and resubmit, but you 
must still meet the deadline for submission of applications.
    Once your application is successfully validated by Grants.gov, the 
Department will retrieve your application from Grants.gov and send you 
an email with a unique PR/Award number for your application.
    These emails do not mean that your application is without any 
disqualifying errors. While your application may have been successfully 
validated by Grants.gov, it must also meet the Department's application 
requirements as specified in this notice and in the application 
instructions. Disqualifying errors could include, for instance, failure 
to upload attachments in a read-only, non-modifiable PDF; failure to 
submit a required part of the application; or failure to meet applicant 
eligibility requirements. It is your responsibility to ensure that your 
submitted application has met all of the Department's requirements.
     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 the 
problem

[[Page 16160]]

affected your ability to submit your application by 4:30:00 p.m., 
Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. We will contact 
you after we determine 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:
    Patrice Swann, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue 
SW., Room 5C144, Washington, DC 20202-6510. FAX: (202) 260-5496.
    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 84.365C), 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.

    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.

    We will not consider applications postmarked after the application 
deadline date.
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 84.365C), 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 competition 
are from section 75.210 of EDGAR. The maximum score for all of these 
criteria is 100 points (not including competitive preference priority 
points). The maximum score for each criterion is indicated in 
parentheses.
    (a) Quality of the project design. (up to 45 points)
    The Secretary considers the quality of the design of the proposed 
project. In determining the quality of the design of the proposed 
project, the Secretary considers the following factors:
    (1) The extent to which the goals, objectives, and outcomes to be 
achieved by the proposed project are clearly specified and measurable.
    (2) The extent to which the design for implementing and evaluating 
the proposed project will result in information to guide possible 
replications of project activities or strategies including information 
about the effectiveness of the approach or strategies employed by the 
project.
    (3) The extent to which the proposed project is supported by strong 
theory (as defined in this notice).
    (b) Quality of project personnel. (up to 10 points)
    The Secretary considers the quality of the personnel who will carry 
out the proposed project. In determining the quality of project 
personnel, the Secretary considers the following factors:
    (1) 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.
    (2) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience, 
of key project personnel.
    (c) Quality of the management plan. (up to 25 points)
    The Secretary considers the quality of the management plan for the 
proposed project. In determining the quality of the management plan for 
the proposed project, the Secretary considers the following factors:
    (1) The adequacy of the management plan to achieve the objectives 
of the proposed project on time and within budget, including clearly 
defined responsibilities, timelines, and milestones for accomplishing 
project tasks.

[[Page 16161]]

    (2) The extent to which the time commitments of the project 
director and the principal investigator and other key project personnel 
are appropriate and adequate to meet the objectives of the proposed 
project.
    (d) Quality of the project evaluation. (up to 20 points)
    The Secretary considers the quality of the evaluation to be 
conducted of the proposed project. In determining the quality of the 
evaluation, the Secretary considers the following factors:
    (1) The extent to which the methods of evaluation are thorough, 
feasible, and appropriate to the goals, objectives, and outcomes of the 
proposed project.
    (2) The extent to which the methods of evaluation will provide 
performance feedback and permit periodic assessment of progress toward 
achieving intended outcomes.
    2. Review and Selection Process: The Department will screen 
applications that are submitted for NAM grants in accordance with the 
requirements in this notice and determine which applications meet the 
eligibility and other requirements. Peer reviewers will review all 
eligible applications for NAM grants that are submitted by the 
established deadline on the four selection criteria.
    Applicants should note, however, that we may screen for eligibility 
at multiple points during the competition process, including before and 
after peer review; applicants that are determined to be ineligible will 
not receive a grant award regardless of peer reviewer scores or 
comments. If we determine that a NAM grant application does not meet a 
NAM requirement, the application will not be considered for funding.
    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. Risk Assessment and Special Conditions: Consistent with 2 CFR 
200.205, before awarding grants under this program the Department 
conducts a review of the risks posed by applicants. Under 2 CFR 
3474.10, the Secretary may impose special conditions and, in 
appropriate circumstances, high-risk conditions on a grant if the 
applicant or grantee is not financially stable; has a history of 
unsatisfactory performance; has a financial or other management system 
that does not meet the standards in 2 CFR part 200, subpart D; has not 
fulfilled the conditions of a prior grant; or is otherwise not 
responsible.

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). We may notify you informally, also.
    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 multiyear award, you must submit an annual 
performance report that provides the most current performance and 
financial expenditure information as directed by the Secretary under 34 
CFR 75.118. The Secretary may also require more frequent performance 
reports under 34 CFR 75.720(c). For specific requirements on reporting, 
please go to https://www2.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/appforms/appforms.html.
    (c) The Secretary may provide a grantee with additional funding for 
data collection analysis and reporting. In this case the Secretary 
establishes a data collection period.
    4. Performance Measures: Under the Government Performance and 
Results Act (GPRA), Federal departments and agencies must clearly 
describe the goals and objectives of programs, identify resources and 
actions needed to accomplish goals and objectives, develop a means of 
measuring progress made, and regularly report on achievement. One 
important source of program information on successes and lessons 
learned is the project evaluation conducted under individual grants.
    (a) Measures. The Department has developed the following GPRA 
performance measures for evaluating the overall effectiveness of the 
NAM program:
    Measure 1: The number and percentage of ELs served by the program 
who score proficient or above on the State reading assessment.
    Measure 2: The number and percentage of ELs served by the program 
who are making progress in learning English as measured by the State-
approved English language proficiency assessment.
    Measure 3: The number and percentage of ELs served by the program 
who are attaining proficiency in English as measured by the State-
approved English language proficiency assessment.

    Note: Data from local assessments are acceptable for evaluation 
under a performance measure only in cases in which a grantee is in a 
State that is undergoing an assessment transition.

    Measure 4: The number and percentage of students served by the 
program who are enrolled in Native American language instruction 
programs.
    Measure 5: The number and percentage of students making progress in 
learning a Native American language, as determined by each grantee, 
including through measures such as performance tasks, portfolios, and 
pre- and post-tests.
    Measure 6: The number and percentage of students who are attaining 
proficiency in a Native American language as determined by each 
grantee, including through measures such as performance tasks, 
portfolios, and pre- and post-tests.
    Measure 7: For programs that received competitive preference 
points, the number and percentage of preschool children ages three and 
four enrolled in the program.
    Measure 8: For programs that received competitive preference 
points, the number and percentage of preschool children ages three and 
four who are screened for developmental or cognitive delays.

[[Page 16162]]

    Measure 9: For programs that received competitive preference 
points, the number and percentage of coordination contacts between 
elementary schools and early learning programs to improve coordination 
and transition of children from preschool to kindergarten.
    (b) Baseline data. Applicants must provide baseline data for each 
of the GPRA performance measures listed in paragraph (a) and include 
why each proposed baseline (as defined in this notice) is valid; or, if 
the applicant has determined that there are no established baseline 
data for a particular performance measure, explain why there is no 
established baseline and explain how and when, during the project 
period, the applicant will establish a valid baseline for the 
performance measure.
    (c) Performance measure targets. In addition, the applicant must 
propose in its application annual targets for the measures listed in 
paragraph (a). Applications must also include the following information 
as directed under 34 CFR 75.110(b) and (c):
    (1) Why each proposed performance target (as defined in this 
notice) is ambitious (as defined in this notice) yet achievable 
compared to the baseline for the performance measure.
    (2) The data collection and reporting methods the applicant would 
use and why those methods are likely to yield reliable, valid, and 
meaningful performance data.
    (3) The applicant's capacity to collect and report reliable, valid, 
and meaningful performance data, as evidenced by high-quality data 
collection, analysis, and reporting in other projects or research.

    Note: If the applicant does not have experience with collection 
and reporting of performance data through other projects or 
research, the applicant should provide other evidence of capacity to 
successfully carry out data collection and reporting for its 
proposed project.

    (d) Performance Reports. All grantees must submit an annual 
performance report and final performance report with information that 
is responsive to these performance measures. The Department will 
consider this data in making annual continuation awards.
    (e) Department Evaluations. Consistent with 34 CFR 75.591, grantees 
funded under this program must comply with the requirements of any 
evaluation of the program conducted by the Department or an evaluator 
selected by the Department.
    5. Continuation Awards: In making a continuation award under 34 CFR 
75.253, the Secretary considers, among other things: Whether a grantee 
has made substantial progress in achieving the goals and objectives of 
the project; whether the grantee has expended funds in a manner that is 
consistent with its approved application and budget; and, if the 
Secretary has established performance measurement requirements, the 
performance targets in the grantee's approved application.
    In making a continuation award, the Secretary also considers 
whether the grantee is operating in compliance with the assurances in 
its approved application, including those applicable to Federal civil 
rights laws that prohibit discrimination in programs or activities 
receiving Federal financial assistance from the Department (34 CFR 
100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).

VII. Agency Contact

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Francisco Javier Lopez, U.S. 
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 5E112, 
Washington, DC 20202. Telephone: (202) 401-4300. FAX: (202) 205-1229 or 
by email at NAM2016@ed.gov.
    If you use a TDD or a TTY, call the Federal Relay Service, toll 
free, at 1-800-877-8339.

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 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: March 22, 2016.
Libia S. Gil,
Assistant Deputy Secretary and Director for the Office of English 
Language Acquisition.
[FR Doc. 2016-06838 Filed 3-24-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P