Application for New Awards; Native American and Alaska Native Children in School Program, 12720-12725 [2018-05961]
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[FR Doc. 2018–05926 Filed 3–22–18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6353–01–P
COMMITTEE FOR PURCHASE FROM
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SEVERELY DISABLED
Committee for Purchase From
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ACTION: Additions to the Procurement
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This action adds products to
the Procurement List that will be
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have other severe disabilities.
DATES: Date added to the Procurement
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ADDRESSES: Committee for Purchase
From People Who Are Blind or Severely
Disabled, 1401 S. Clark Street, Suite
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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
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7740, Fax: (703) 603–0655, or email
CMTEFedReg@AbilityOne.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
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SUMMARY:
Additions
On 12/15/2017 (82 FR 240) and 12/
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Amy B. Jensen,
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[FR Doc. 2018–05927 Filed 3–22–18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6353–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Application for New Awards; Native
American and Alaska Native Children
in School Program
Office of English Language
Acquisition, Department of Education.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
The Department of Education
(Department) is issuing a notice inviting
applications for fiscal year (FY) 2018 for
the Native American and Native Alaska
Children in School Program, Catalog of
Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA)
number 84.365C.
DATES:
Applications Available: March 23,
2018.
Deadline for Notice of Intent To
Apply: April 12, 2018.
Deadline for Transmittal of
Applications: May 7, 2018.
Deadline for Intergovernmental
Review: July 6, 2018.
ADDRESSES: For the addresses for
obtaining and submitting an
application, please refer to our Common
Instructions for Applicants to
Department of Education Discretionary
Grant Programs, published in the
Federal Register on February 12, 2018
(83 FR 6003).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Patrice Swann, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW,
Room 5C122, Washington, DC 20202.
Telephone: (202) 401–4300. Email at
NAM2018@ed.gov.
If you use a telecommunications
device for the deaf (TDD) or a text
telephone (TTY), call the Federal Relay
Service, toll free, at 1–800–877–8339.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
SUMMARY:
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
students, who are identified as English
learners (ELs). The goal of this program
is to support the teaching, learning, and
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studying of Native American languages
while also increasing the English
language proficiency and academic
achievement of students served.
Background
Through previous competitions, the
NAM program has funded a range of
grantees that are currently
implementing 22 projects across the
country. As we are focused on closing
longstanding achievement and
attainment gaps that have continued to
grow, there is also a need to increase the
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. This
legislation provides 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.
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25 U.S.C. 2903(1)
In addition, the legislation states that
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
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, view it as
integral to their sense of self, want to
learn it, and view 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
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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students have the critical opportunity to
learn their native languages.
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
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.
In addition, the Department is
interested in projects designed to
promote literacy. Families play a critical
role in preparing their children to enter
kindergarten ready to succeed in school
and in life. Research suggests that when
families and schools work together and
support each other in their respective
roles, children have a more positive
attitude toward school and experience
more school success. Specifically,
research has found that having parents
reinforce specific literacy skills is
effective in improving children’s
literacy.4 Accordingly, this notice
includes one invitational priority
related to promoting literacy.
Addressing this priority may include
activities to build greater and more
effective family engagement in the
education of their children.
In addition, in order to grow the
evidence available on effective ways to
support Native American and Alaska
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.
4 Henderson, A.T. & Mapp, K.L. (2002). A new
wave of evidence: The impact of school, family and
community connections on student achievement.
Austin: SEDL.
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Native ELs, we include a selection
criterion to evaluate the extent to which
an applicant’s proposed project design
is supported by a logic model that
connects key project components to
outcomes relevant to the program’s
purpose. We encourage NAM program
grantees to use a portion of their budgets
to conduct high-quality evaluations of
their projects. Such evaluations help
ensure that projects contribute to
expanding the knowledge base on
effective language instruction
educational programs, including dual
language practices, that prepare Native
American and Alaska Native ELs to
achieve college, career, and life success.
Priorities: This notice includes one
absolute priority and one invitational
priority. The absolute priority is from
section 3127 of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965
(ESEA), as amended by the Every
Student Succeeds Act (20 U.S.C. 6848).
Absolute Priority: For FY 2018 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.
Invitational Priority: For FY 2018 and
any subsequent years 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 an
invitational priority a competitive or
absolute preference over other
applications.
This priority is:
Promoting Literacy
Projects that are designed to address
the following priority area: Providing
families with evidence-based (as
defined in 34 CFR 77.1) strategies for
promoting literacy. This may include
providing families with access to books
or other physical or digital materials or
content about how to support their
child’s reading development, or
providing family literacy activities (as
defined in section 203(9) of the
Workforce Innovation and Opportunity
Act).
Definitions: The following definitions
are from 34 CFR 77.1, and sections 3201
and 8101 of the ESEA (20 U.S.C. 7011
and 7801), and apply to the priorities,
selection criteria, and performance
measures in this notice. The source of
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each definition is noted in parentheses
following the text of the definition.
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)
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)
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)
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Logic model (also referred to as a
theory of action) means a framework
that identifies key project components
of the proposed project (i.e., the active
‘‘ingredients’’ that are hypothesized to
be critical to achieving the relevant
outcomes) and describes the theoretical
and operational relationships among the
key project components and relevant
outcomes. (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)
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)
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.
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 institutions of higher education
(IHEs) only.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
Estimated Available Funds:
$2,300,000.
The actual level of funding, if any,
depends on final congressional action.
However, we are inviting applications to
allow enough time to complete the grant
process before the end of the current
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fiscal year, if Congress appropriates
funds for this program.
Estimated Range of Awards:
$275,000–325,000 per year.
Estimated Average Size of Awards:
$287,500.
Estimated Number of Awards: 8.
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 Education, or a consortium of
these schools.
(e) Elementary schools or secondary
schools operated under a contract with
or grant from the Bureau of Indian
Education in consortium with another
such school or a Tribal or community
organization.
(f) Elementary schools or secondary
schools operated by the Bureau of
Indian Education 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 Education 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, 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. Subgrantees: A grantee under this
competition may not award subgrants to
entities to directly carry out project
activities described in its application.
4. Equitable Participation by Public
and Private School Students and
Educational Personnel in an ESEA 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.
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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 8501 of
the ESEA, Participation by Private
School Children and Teachers.)
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IV. Application and Submission
Information
1. Application Submission
Instructions: For information on how to
submit an application please refer to our
Common Instructions for Applicants to
Department of Education Discretionary
Grant Programs, published in the
Federal Register on February 12, 2018
(83 FR 6003) and available at
www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2018-02-12/
pdf/2018-02558.pdf.
2. Submission of Proprietary
Information: Given the types of projects
that may be proposed in applications for
the NAM competition, your application
may include business information that
you consider proprietary. In 34 CFR
5.11 we define ‘‘business information’’
and describe the process we use in
determining whether any of that
information is proprietary and, thus,
protected from disclosure under
Exemption 4 of the Freedom of
Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552, as
amended).
Because (consistent with the process
followed in the FY 2016 NAM
competition) we plan to post on our
website the full application narrative
sections of all applications, you may
wish to request confidentiality of
business information.
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. 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
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is in the application package for this
competition.
4. Funding Restrictions: We reference
regulations outlining funding
restrictions in the Applicable
Regulations section of this notice.
5. Recommended Page Limit: The
application narrative is where you, the
applicant, address the selection criteria
that reviewers use to evaluate your
application. We recommend that you (1)
limit the application narrative [Part III]
to no more than 35 pages and (2) 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,
headings, footnotes, quotations,
references, and captions, as well as 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.
V. Application Review Information
1. Selection Criteria: The selection
criteria for this competition are from 34
CFR 75.210. The maximum score for all
of these criteria is 100 points. The
maximum score for each criterion is
indicated in parentheses.
(a) Quality of the project design. (up
to 40 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 demonstrates a rationale (as
defined in 34 CFR 77.1(c)).
(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
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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 30 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.
(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
eligibility requirement, the application
will not be considered for funding.
We remind potential applicants that
in reviewing applications in any
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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.
4. Integrity and Performance System:
If you are selected under this
competition to receive an award that
over the course of the project period
may exceed the simplified acquisition
threshold (currently $150,000), under 2
CFR 200.205(a)(2) we must make a
judgment about your integrity, business
ethics, and record of performance under
Federal awards—that is, the risk posed
by you as an applicant—before we make
an award. In doing so, we must consider
any information about you that is in the
integrity and performance system
(currently referred to as the Federal
Awardee Performance and Integrity
Information System (FAPIIS)),
accessible through the System for
Award Management. You may review
and comment on any information about
yourself that a Federal agency
previously entered and that is currently
in FAPIIS.
Please note that, if the total value of
your currently active grants, cooperative
agreements, and procurement contracts
from the Federal Government exceeds
$10,000,000, the reporting requirements
in 2 CFR part 200, Appendix XII,
require you to report certain integrity
information to FAPIIS semiannually.
Please review the requirements in 2 CFR
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part 200, Appendix XII, if this grant
plus all the other Federal funds you
receive exceed $10,000,000.
VI. Award Administration Information
1. Award Notices: If your application
is successful, we notify your U.S.
Representative and U.S. Senators and
send you a Grant Award Notification
(GAN). 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. Open Licensing Requirements:
Unless an exception applies, if you are
awarded a grant under this competition,
you will be required to openly license
to the public grant deliverables created
in whole, or in part, with Department
grant funds. When the deliverable
consists of modifications to pre-existing
works, the license extends only to those
modifications that can be separately
identified and only to the extent that
open licensing is permitted under the
terms of any licenses or other legal
restrictions on the use of pre-existing
works. For additional information on
the open licensing requirements please
refer to 2 CFR 3474.20(c).
4. 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://
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(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.
5. 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 English learners (ELs)
served by the project who score
proficient or above on the State reading
assessment.
• Measure 2: The number and
percentage of ELs served by the project
who have attained proficiency in
English as measured by the Stateapproved English language proficiency
assessment.
• Measure 3: The number and
percentage of students participating in
the Native language program who are
making progress in learning a Native
language, as determined by each
grantee, including through measures
such as performance tasks, portfolios,
and pre- and post-tests.
(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 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. 34 CFR 75.110.
(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.
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Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 57 / Friday, March 23, 2018 / Notices
(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.
amozie on DSK30RV082PROD with NOTICES
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 these data in making
annual continuation awards.
(1) The performance reports for all
NAM 2018 grantees must include the
following project performance data (34
CFR 75.253, 75.590, 75.591, and
75.720):
• The number of students who are
eligible to participate in the program;
• The number of participants in the
program; and
• The number of participants who
met the performance target.
(2) The performance reports for the
NAM 2018 grantees that addressed the
promoting literacy priority must also
include:
• The number of family literacy
activities including the number of or
access to books or other physical or
digital materials or content that they
provided.
(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.
6. Continuation Awards: In making a
continuation award under 34 CFR
75.253, the Secretary considers, among
other things: Whether a grantee has
made substantial progress in achieving
the goals and objectives of the project;
whether the grantee has expended funds
in a manner that is consistent with its
approved application and budget; and,
if the Secretary has established
performance measurement
requirements, 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
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21:54 Mar 22, 2018
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application, including those applicable
to Federal civil rights laws that prohibit
discrimination in programs or activities
receiving Federal financial assistance
from the Department (34 CFR 100.4,
104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).
VII. Other Information
Accessible Format: 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.
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 20, 2018.
Jose Viana,
Assistant Deputy Secretary and Director,
Office of English Language Acquisition.
[FR Doc. 2018–05961 Filed 3–22–18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Solid State Power Substation
Roadmap
Office of Electricity Delivery
and Energy Reliability, Department of
Energy.
ACTION: Request for information (RFI).
AGENCY:
The Department of Energy
(DOE), Office of Electricity Delivery and
Energy Reliability (OE), is seeking
comments and information from
interested parties to inform its
development of a Solid State Power
Substation (SSPS) Roadmap. An SSPS is
defined as the strategic integration of
high voltage power electronic converters
in substations to provide enhanced
capabilities and support the evolution of
the grid. SSPS technology can overcome
some of the current limitations within
SUMMARY:
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12725
substations by enabling control of real
and reactive power flows, management
of voltage transients and harmonic
content, and the ability to increase the
flexibility, resiliency, and security of the
electric power system.
DATES: Comments must be received on
or before May 7, 2018. An informational
webinar will be held on Thursday,
March 29th, 2018 from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00
p.m. ET to discuss the draft SSPS
Roadmap in more detail and provide
information on this RFI.
ADDRESSES: Comments can be submitted
by any of the following methods.
Email: DOE.SSPS.Roadmap@
hq.doe.gov, whereas the subject line of
the message is ‘‘SSPS Roadmap
Comment.’’ Please provide your full
name, title, and organization, along with
your comments in the Excel spreadsheet
provided and name the file ‘‘Your first
and last name—SSPS Roadmap
Comment.’’
Mail: Kerry Cheung, Office of
Electricity Delivery and Energy
Reliability, U.S. Department of Energy,
Forrestal Building, Room 6E–092, 1000
Independence Avenue SW, Washington,
DC 20585. Note: Delivery of the U.S.
Postal Service mail to DOE may be
delayed by several weeks due to
security screening. DOE, therefore,
encourages those wishing to comment to
submit comments electronically by
email.
Web page: The draft SSPS Roadmap,
Excel spreadsheet for comments, and
information on the upcoming webinar
can be found on the following web page:
https://energy.gov/oe/articles/solidstate-power-substation-roadmaprequest-information
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Requests for additional information
should be directed to Kerry Cheung,
Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy
Reliability, U.S. Department of Energy,
1000 Independence Avenue SW,
Washington, DC 20585 at kerry.cheung@
hq.doe.gov, 202–586–4819.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
Substations are critical points within
the vast U.S. power grid, serving a
number of functions important to the
safe, reliable, and cost-effective delivery
of electricity. Substations serve as the
entry point to the grid for electric power
generators as well as the exit point for
large industrial customers. Substations
also form the boundaries between the
high voltage transmission network and
the distribution system, enabling the
network to reconfigure to ensure
stability and reliability, and to regulate
power quality for down-stream
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 57 (Friday, March 23, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12720-12725]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-05961]
=======================================================================
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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.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Department of Education (Department) is issuing a notice
inviting applications for fiscal year (FY) 2018 for the Native American
and Native Alaska Children in School Program, Catalog of Federal
Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number 84.365C.
DATES:
Applications Available: March 23, 2018.
Deadline for Notice of Intent To Apply: April 12, 2018.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: May 7, 2018.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: July 6, 2018.
ADDRESSES: For the addresses for obtaining and submitting an
application, please refer to our Common Instructions for Applicants to
Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs, published in the
Federal Register on February 12, 2018 (83 FR 6003).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Patrice Swann, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Room 5C122, Washington, DC 20202.
Telephone: (202) 401-4300. Email at [email protected].
If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) or a text
telephone (TTY), call the Federal Relay Service, toll free, at 1-800-
877-8339.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
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 students, who are identified as English learners
(ELs). The goal of this program is to support the teaching, learning,
and
[[Page 12721]]
studying of Native American languages while also increasing the English
language proficiency and academic achievement of students served.
Background
Through previous competitions, the NAM program has funded a range
of grantees that are currently implementing 22 projects across the
country. As we are focused on closing longstanding achievement and
attainment gaps that have continued to grow, there is also a need to
increase the 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.
This legislation provides 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, the legislation states that 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 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, view it as
integral to their sense of self, want to learn it, and view 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.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\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.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
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\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\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.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
In addition, the Department is interested in projects designed to
promote literacy. Families play a critical role in preparing their
children to enter kindergarten ready to succeed in school and in life.
Research suggests that when families and schools work together and
support each other in their respective roles, children have a more
positive attitude toward school and experience more school success.
Specifically, research has found that having parents reinforce specific
literacy skills is effective in improving children's literacy.\4\
Accordingly, this notice includes one invitational priority related to
promoting literacy. Addressing this priority may include activities to
build greater and more effective family engagement in the education of
their children.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\4\ Henderson, A.T. & Mapp, K.L. (2002). A new wave of evidence:
The impact of school, family and community connections on student
achievement. Austin: SEDL.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
In addition, in order to grow the evidence available on effective
ways to support Native American and Alaska Native ELs, we include a
selection criterion to evaluate the extent to which an applicant's
proposed project design is supported by a logic model that connects key
project components to outcomes relevant to the program's purpose. We
encourage NAM program grantees to use a portion of their budgets to
conduct high-quality evaluations of their projects. Such evaluations
help ensure that projects contribute to expanding the knowledge base on
effective language instruction educational programs, including dual
language practices, that prepare Native American and Alaska Native ELs
to achieve college, career, and life success.
Priorities: This notice includes one absolute priority and one
invitational priority. The absolute priority is from section 3127 of
the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA), as amended
by the Every Student Succeeds Act (20 U.S.C. 6848).
Absolute Priority: For FY 2018 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.
Invitational Priority: For FY 2018 and any subsequent years 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 an invitational
priority a competitive or absolute preference over other applications.
This priority is:
Promoting Literacy
Projects that are designed to address the following priority area:
Providing families with evidence-based (as defined in 34 CFR 77.1)
strategies for promoting literacy. This may include providing families
with access to books or other physical or digital materials or content
about how to support their child's reading development, or providing
family literacy activities (as defined in section 203(9) of the
Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act).
Definitions: The following definitions are from 34 CFR 77.1, and
sections 3201 and 8101 of the ESEA (20 U.S.C. 7011 and 7801), and apply
to the priorities, selection criteria, and performance measures in this
notice. The source of
[[Page 12722]]
each definition is noted in parentheses following the text of the
definition.
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)
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)
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)
Logic model (also referred to as a theory of action) means a
framework that identifies key project components of the proposed
project (i.e., the active ``ingredients'' that are hypothesized to be
critical to achieving the relevant outcomes) and describes the
theoretical and operational relationships among the key project
components and relevant outcomes. (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)
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)
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.
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 institutions of
higher education (IHEs) only.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
Estimated Available Funds: $2,300,000.
The actual level of funding, if any, depends on final congressional
action. However, we are inviting applications to allow enough time to
complete the grant process before the end of the current fiscal year,
if Congress appropriates funds for this program.
Estimated Range of Awards: $275,000-325,000 per year.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $287,500.
Estimated Number of Awards: 8.
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 Education,
or a consortium of these schools.
(e) Elementary schools or secondary schools operated under a
contract with or grant from the Bureau of Indian Education in
consortium with another such school or a Tribal or community
organization.
(f) Elementary schools or secondary schools operated by the Bureau
of Indian Education 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 Education 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, 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. Subgrantees: A grantee under this competition may not award
subgrants to entities to directly carry out project activities
described in its application.
4. Equitable Participation by Public and Private School Students
and Educational Personnel in an ESEA 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.
[[Page 12723]]
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
8501 of the ESEA, Participation by Private School Children and
Teachers.)
IV. Application and Submission Information
1. Application Submission Instructions: For information on how to
submit an application please refer to our Common Instructions for
Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs,
published in the Federal Register on February 12, 2018 (83 FR 6003) and
available at www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2018-02-12/pdf/2018-02558.pdf.
2. Submission of Proprietary Information: Given the types of
projects that may be proposed in applications for the NAM competition,
your application may include business information that you consider
proprietary. In 34 CFR 5.11 we define ``business information'' and
describe the process we use in determining whether any of that
information is proprietary and, thus, protected from disclosure under
Exemption 4 of the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552, as
amended).
Because (consistent with the process followed in the FY 2016 NAM
competition) we plan to post on our website the full application
narrative sections of all applications, you may wish to request
confidentiality of business information.
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. Intergovernmental Review: This competition is subject to
Executive Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79.
Information about Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs under
Executive Order 12372 is in the application package for this
competition.
4. Funding Restrictions: We reference regulations outlining funding
restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.
5. Recommended Page Limit: The application narrative is where you,
the applicant, address the selection criteria that reviewers use to
evaluate your application. We recommend that you (1) limit the
application narrative [Part III] to no more than 35 pages and (2) 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, headings,
footnotes, quotations, references, and captions, as well as 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.
V. Application Review Information
1. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this competition
are from 34 CFR 75.210. The maximum score for all of these criteria is
100 points. The maximum score for each criterion is indicated in
parentheses.
(a) Quality of the project design. (up to 40 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 demonstrates a
rationale (as defined in 34 CFR 77.1(c)).
(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 30 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.
(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 eligibility requirement, the application will not be considered for
funding.
We remind potential applicants that in reviewing applications in
any
[[Page 12724]]
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.
4. Integrity and Performance System: If you are selected under this
competition to receive an award that over the course of the project
period may exceed the simplified acquisition threshold (currently
$150,000), under 2 CFR 200.205(a)(2) we must make a judgment about your
integrity, business ethics, and record of performance under Federal
awards--that is, the risk posed by you as an applicant--before we make
an award. In doing so, we must consider any information about you that
is in the integrity and performance system (currently referred to as
the Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System
(FAPIIS)), accessible through the System for Award Management. You may
review and comment on any information about yourself that a Federal
agency previously entered and that is currently in FAPIIS.
Please note that, if the total value of your currently active
grants, cooperative agreements, and procurement contracts from the
Federal Government exceeds $10,000,000, the reporting requirements in 2
CFR part 200, Appendix XII, require you to report certain integrity
information to FAPIIS semiannually. Please review the requirements in 2
CFR part 200, Appendix XII, if this grant plus all the other Federal
funds you receive exceed $10,000,000.
VI. Award Administration Information
1. Award Notices: If your application is successful, we notify your
U.S. Representative and U.S. Senators and send you a Grant Award
Notification (GAN). 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. Open Licensing Requirements: Unless an exception applies, if you
are awarded a grant under this competition, you will be required to
openly license to the public grant deliverables created in whole, or in
part, with Department grant funds. When the deliverable consists of
modifications to pre-existing works, the license extends only to those
modifications that can be separately identified and only to the extent
that open licensing is permitted under the terms of any licenses or
other legal restrictions on the use of pre-existing works. For
additional information on the open licensing requirements please refer
to 2 CFR 3474.20(c).
4. 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.
5. 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 English learners
(ELs) served by the project who score proficient or above on the State
reading assessment.
Measure 2: The number and percentage of ELs served by the
project who have attained proficiency in English as measured by the
State-approved English language proficiency assessment.
Measure 3: The number and percentage of students
participating in the Native language program who are making progress in
learning a Native language, as determined by each grantee, including
through measures such as performance tasks, portfolios, and pre- and
post-tests.
(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 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. 34 CFR 75.110.
(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.
[[Page 12725]]
(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 these data in making annual continuation awards.
(1) The performance reports for all NAM 2018 grantees must include
the following project performance data (34 CFR 75.253, 75.590, 75.591,
and 75.720):
The number of students who are eligible to participate in
the program;
The number of participants in the program; and
The number of participants who met the performance target.
(2) The performance reports for the NAM 2018 grantees that
addressed the promoting literacy priority must also include:
The number of family literacy activities including the
number of or access to books or other physical or digital materials or
content that they provided.
(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.
6. Continuation Awards: In making a continuation award under 34 CFR
75.253, the Secretary considers, among other things: Whether a grantee
has made substantial progress in achieving the goals and objectives of
the project; whether the grantee has expended funds in a manner that is
consistent with its approved application and budget; and, if the
Secretary has established performance measurement requirements, the
performance targets in the grantee's approved application.
In making a continuation award, the Secretary also considers
whether the grantee is operating in compliance with the assurances in
its approved application, including those applicable to Federal civil
rights laws that prohibit discrimination in programs or activities
receiving Federal financial assistance from the Department (34 CFR
100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).
VII. Other Information
Accessible Format: 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.
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 20, 2018.
Jose Viana,
Assistant Deputy Secretary and Director, Office of English Language
Acquisition.
[FR Doc. 2018-05961 Filed 3-22-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P
