Applications for New Awards; Expanding Opportunity Through Quality Charter Schools Program (CSP)-State Charter School Facilities Incentive Grants Program, 25776-25781 [2019-11517]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 107 (Tuesday, June 4, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25776-25781]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-11517]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Applications for New Awards; Expanding Opportunity Through 
Quality Charter Schools Program (CSP)--State Charter School Facilities 
Incentive Grants Program

AGENCY: Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, Department of 
Education.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Education (Department) is issuing a notice 
inviting applications for fiscal year (FY) 2019 for CSP--State Charter 
School Facilities Incentive Grants Program, Catalog of Federal Domestic 
Assistance (CFDA) number 84.282D. This notice relates to the approved 
information collection under OMB control number 1855-0012.

DATES: 
    Applications Available: June 4, 2019.
    Date of Pre-Application Meeting: The State Charter School 
Facilities Incentive Grants Program intends to hold a webinar designed 
to provide technical assistance to interested applicants. Detailed 
information regarding this webinar will be provided on the State 
Charter School Facilities Incentive Grants Program web page at https://innovation.ed.gov/what-we-do/charter-schools/state-charter-school-facilities-incentive-grants/applicant-info-and-eligibility/.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: July 19, 2019.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: September 17, 2019.

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 13, 2019 (84 FR 3768), and available at 
www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2019-02-13/pdf/2019-02206.pdf.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Clifton Jones, U.S. Department of 
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Room 3E211, Washington, DC 20202-
5970. Telephone: (202) 205-2204. Email: [email protected].
    If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) or a text 
telephone (TTY), call the Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll free, at 1-
800-877-8339.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Purpose of Program: The State Charter School Facilities Incentive 
Grants Program provides grants to eligible States to help them 
establish or enhance, and administer, a per-pupil facilities aid 
program for charter schools in the State, that is specified in State 
law, and provides annual financing, on a per-pupil basis, for charter 
school facilities.
    Priorities: This competition includes three competitive preference 
priorities. We are establishing the competitive preference priorities 
for the FY 2019 grant competition and any subsequent year in which we 
make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this 
competition, in accordance with section 437(d)(1) of the General 
Education Provisions Act (GEPA), 20 U.S.C. 1232(d)(1).
    Competitive Preference Priorities: These priorities are competitive 
preference priorities. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i) we award up to an 
additional 33 points to an application, depending on how well the 
application meets these priorities. We award up to an additional 5 
points to an applicant that addresses Competitive Preference Priority 
1; up to an additional 8 points to an applicant that addresses 
Competitive Preference Priority 2; and an additional 20 points to an 
applicant that meets Competitive Preference Priority 3.
    These priorities are:
    Competitive Preference Priority 1--Spurring Investment in 
Opportunity Zones (up to 5 points).
    (a) Services targeted to Opportunity Zones (up to 5 points).
    The extent to which the applicant would target services to a 
Qualified Opportunity Zone, as designated by the Secretary of the 
Treasury under section 1400Z-1 of the Internal Revenue Code, as amended 
by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (Pub. L. 115-97). An applicant must--
    (1) Provide the census tract number of the Qualified Opportunity 
Zone(s) in which it proposes to provide services; and
    (2) Describe how the applicant will provide services in the 
Qualified Opportunity Zone(s).
    Competitive Preference Priority 2--State Support for Charter 
Schools (up to 8 points).
    (a) High-Quality Charter School Authorizing (up to two points).
    The extent to which the State demonstrates support for high-quality 
charter school authorizing, such as through providing technical 
assistance to support each authorized public chartering agency in the 
State to improve such agency's ability to monitor the charter schools 
authorized by the agency, including by--

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    (1) Assessing annual performance data of the schools, including, as 
appropriate, graduation rates, student academic growth, and rates of 
student attrition;
    (2) Reviewing the schools' independent, annual audits of financial 
statements prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting 
principles, and ensuring that any such audits are publicly reported; 
and
    (3) Holding charter schools accountable to the academic, financial, 
and operational quality controls agreed to between the charter school 
and the authorized public chartering agency involved, such as through 
renewal, non-renewal, or revocation of the school's charter.
    (b) Number of Educational Choices through Charter Schools (up to 
two points).
    The extent to which the State demonstrates progress in increasing 
the number of educational choices for students through the opening of 
new charter schools, the replication of high-quality charter schools, 
and the expansion of high-quality charter schools.
    (c) At Least One Authorized Public Chartering Agency Other Than a 
Local Educational Agency (LEA), or an Appeals Process (0 or two 
points).
    The State--
    (1) Allows at least one entity that is not a local educational 
agency (LEA) to be an authorized public chartering agency for 
developers seeking to open a charter school in the State; or
    (2) In the case of a State in which LEAs are the only authorized 
public chartering agencies, the State has an appeals process for the 
denial of an application for a charter school.
    (d) High Degree of Autonomy and Flexibility (up to two points).
    The extent to which the State ensures that each charter school 
receiving funds through the program will have a high degree of autonomy 
and flexibility, including autonomy over budget, operations, and 
personnel decisions.
    Competitive Preference Priority 3--Novice Applicants (20 points).
    Applicants that have not previously received a grant under the 
program.
    Waiver of Proposed Rulemaking: Under the Administrative Procedure 
Act (5 U.S.C. 553) the Department generally offers interested parties 
the opportunity to comment on proposed priorities and selection 
criteria. Section 437(d)(1) of GEPA, however, allows the Secretary to 
exempt from rulemaking requirements regulations governing the first 
grant competition under a new or substantially revised program 
authority. This is the first grant competition for this program under 
the substantially revised authority in section 4304(k) of the ESEA (20 
U.S.C. 7221c(k)) and therefore qualifies for this exemption. In order 
to ensure timely grant awards, the Secretary has decided to forgo 
public comment on the priorities and selection criterion under section 
437(d)(1) of GEPA. These priorities and this selection criterion will 
apply to the FY 2019 grant competition and any subsequent year in which 
we make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this 
competition.
    Definitions: The following definitions are from sections 4310(1), 
4310(2), 4304(k)(1), and 8101(48) of the ESEA (20 U.S.C. 7221i(1), 
7221i(2), 7221c(k)(1), 7801), and 34 CFR 77.1(c)
    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.
    Authorized public chartering agency means a State educational 
agency, local educational agency, or other public entity that has the 
authority pursuant to State law and approved by the Secretary to 
authorize or approve a charter school.
    Charter school means a public school that--
    (a) In accordance with a specific State statute authorizing the 
granting of charters to schools, is exempt from significant State or 
local rules that inhibit the flexible operation and management of 
public schools, but not from any rules relating to the other 
requirements in section 4310 of the ESEA;
    (b) Is created by a developer as a public school, or is adapted by 
a developer from an existing public school, and is operated under 
public supervision and direction;
    (c) Operates in pursuit of a specific set of educational objectives 
determined by the school's developer and agreed to by the authorized 
public chartering agency;
    (d) Provides a program of elementary or secondary education, or 
both;
    (e) Is nonsectarian in its programs, admissions policies, 
employment practices, and all other operations, and is not affiliated 
with a sectarian school or religious institution;
    (f) Does not charge tuition;
    (g) Complies with the Age Discrimination Act of 1975 (42 U.S.C. 
6101 et seq.), title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. 
2000d et seq.), title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (20 U.S.C. 
1681 et seq.), section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 
794), the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12101 et 
seq.), section 444 of the General Education Provisions Act (20 U.S.C. 
1232g) (commonly referred to as the ``Family Educational Rights and 
Privacy Act of 1974''), and part B of the Individuals with Disabilities 
Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1411 et seq.);
    (h) Is a school to which parents choose to send their children, and 
that--
    (i) Admits students on the basis of a lottery, consistent with 
section 4303(c)(3)(A) of the ESEA (20 U.S.C. 7221b(c)(3)(A)), if more 
students apply for admission than can be accommodated; or
    (ii) In the case of a school that has an affiliated charter school 
(such as a school that is part of the same network of schools), 
automatically enrolls students who are enrolled in the immediate prior 
grade level of the affiliated charter school and, for any additional 
student openings or student openings created through regular attrition 
in student enrollment in the affiliated charter school and the 
enrolling school, admits students on the basis of a lottery as 
described in paragraph (h)(i);
    (i) Agrees to comply with the same Federal and State audit 
requirements as do other elementary schools and secondary schools in 
the State, unless such State audit requirements are waived by the 
State;
    (j) Meets all applicable Federal, State, and local health and 
safety requirements;
    (k) Operates in accordance with State law;
    (l) Has a written performance contract with the authorized public 
chartering agency in the State that includes a description of how 
student performance will be measured in charter schools pursuant to 
State assessments that are required of other schools and pursuant to 
any other assessments mutually agreeable to the authorized public 
chartering agency and the charter school; and
    (m) May serve students in early childhood education programs or 
postsecondary students.
    Demonstrates a rationale means a key project component included in 
the project's logic model is informed by research or evaluation 
findings that suggest the project component is likely to improve 
relevant outcomes.
    Logic model (also referred to as a theory of action) means a 
framework that identifies key project components

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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.
    Performance measure means any quantitative indicator, statistic, or 
metric used to gauge program or project performance.
    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.
    Per-pupil facilities aid program means a program in which a State 
makes payments, on a per-pupil basis, to charter schools to provide the 
schools with financing--
    (a) That is dedicated solely to funding charter school facilities; 
or
    (b) A portion of which is dedicated for funding charter school 
facilities.
    Project component means an activity, strategy, intervention, 
process, product, practice, or policy included in a project. Evidence 
may pertain to an individual project component or to a combination of 
project components (e.g., training teachers on instructional practices 
for English learners and follow-on coaching for these teachers).
    Relevant outcome means the student outcome(s) or other outcome(s) 
the key project component is designed to improve, consistent with the 
specific goals of the program.
    State means each of the 50 States, the District of Columbia, the 
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and each of the outlying areas.
    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 7221c.
    Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations 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 Governmentwide 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 as regulations of the Department in 2 CFR 
part 3474. (d) The regulations for this program in 34 CFR part 226.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
    Estimated Available Funds: $10,000,000.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $1,000,000 to $10,000,000.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $5,000,000.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 1-3.
    Note:The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice.
    Project Period: Up to 60 months.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: States. In order to be eligible to receive 
a grant, a State shall establish or enhance, and administer, a per-
pupil facilities aid program for charter schools in the State, that--
    (a) Is specified in State law; and
    (b) Provides annual financing, on a per-pupil basis, for charter 
school facilities.
    Note: A State that is required under State law to provide charter 
schools with access to adequate facility space, but that does not have 
a per-pupil facilities aid program for charter schools specified in 
State law, is eligible to receive a grant if the State agrees to use 
the funds to develop a per-pupil facilities aid program consistent with 
the requirements in this notice inviting applications.
    2.a. Cost Sharing or Matching: Under section 4304(k)(2)(C) of the 
ESEA, a State must provide a State share of the total cost of the 
project. The minimum State share of the total cost of the project 
increases each year of the grant, from 10 percent the first year to 80 
percent in the fifth year.
    Note: A State may partner with one or more organizations, and such 
organizations may provide up to 50 percent of the State share of the 
cost of establishing or enhancing, and administering, the per-pupil 
facilities aid program.
    Applicants that are provisionally selected to receive grants will 
not receive grant funds unless they demonstrate, by September 1, 2019, 
that they are, or will be able to, provide the State share required 
under this program.
    b. Supplement-Not-Supplant: This program involves supplement-not-
supplant funding requirements. Under section 4110 of the ESEA (20 
U.S.C. 7120), program funds must be used to supplement, and not 
supplant, State and local public funds expended to provide per-pupil 
facilities aid programs, operations financing programs, or other 
programs, for charter schools. Therefore, the Federal funds provided 
under this program, as well as the matching funds provided by the 
grantee, must be in addition to the State and local funds that would 
otherwise be used for this purpose in the absence of this Federal 
program. The Department generally considers that State and local funds 
would be available for this purpose at least in the amount of the funds 
that was available in the preceding year and that the Federal funds and 
matching funds under this program would supplement that amount.
    3. Other: The charter schools that a grantee selects to benefit 
from this program must meet the definition of charter school in the CSP 
authorizing statute throughout the grant period. The definitions of 
charter school, per-pupil facilities aid programs, and authorized 
public chartering agency are in sections 4310(2), 4304(k)(1), and 
4310(1) of the ESEA (20 U.S.C. 7221), and included in this notice.

IV. Application and Submission Information

    1. Application Submission Instructions: Applicants are required to 
follow the Common Instructions for Applicants to Department of 
Education Discretionary Grant Programs, published in the Federal 
Register on February 13, 2019 (84 FR 3768), and available at 
www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2019-02-13/pdf/2019-02206.pdf, which 
contain requirements and information on how to submit an application.
    2. Submission of Proprietary Information: Given the types of 
projects that may be proposed in applications for the State Charter 
School Facilities Incentive Grants 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).
    Because we plan to make successful applications available to the 
public, you may wish to request confidentiality of business 
information.
    Consistent with Executive Order 12600, please designate in your 
application any information that you feel 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 program is subject to Executive 
Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79. Information about 
Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs under Executive Order 
12372

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is in the application package for this competition.
    4. Funding Restrictions: Under section 4304(k)(3)(B) of the ESEA, 
from the amount made available to a State through a grant under this 
program for a fiscal year, the State may reserve not more than five 
percent to carry out evaluations, to provide technical assistance, and 
to disseminate information. We reference additional 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 to 40 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.
    Furthermore, applicants are strongly encouraged to include a table 
of contents that specifies where each required part of the application 
is located.

V. Application Review Information

    1. Selection Criteria: We are establishing the selection criterion 
(d)(3) for the FY 2019 and any subsequent year in which we make awards 
from the list of unfunded applications from this competition, in 
accordance with section 437(d)(1) of GEPA, 20 U.S.C. 1232(d)(1), and 
the remainder of the selection criteria for this program are from 34 
CFR 226.12 and 34 CFR 75.210. The maximum score for addressing all of 
the selection criteria is 100 points. The maximum score for addressing 
each criterion is indicated in parentheses.
    (a) Need for facility funding (30 points).
    (1) The need for per-pupil charter school facility funding in the 
State.
    (2) The extent to which the proposal meets the need to fund charter 
school facilities on a per-pupil basis.
    (b) Quality of plan (40 points).
    (1) The likelihood that the proposed grant project will result in 
the State either retaining a new per-pupil facilities aid program or 
continuing to enhance such a program without the total amount of 
assistance (State and Federal) declining over a five-year period.
    (2) The flexibility charter schools have in their use of facility 
funds for the various authorized purposes.
    (3) The quality of the plan for identifying charter schools and 
determining their eligibility to receive funds.
    (4) The per-pupil facilities aid formula's ability to target 
resources to charter schools with the greatest need and the highest 
proportions of students in poverty.
    (5) For projects that plan to reserve funds for evaluation, the 
quality of the applicant's plan to use grant funds for this purpose.
    (6) For projects that plan to reserve funds for technical 
assistance, dissemination, or personnel, the quality of the applicant's 
plan to use grant funds for these purposes.
    (7) The extent to which the proposed project demonstrates a 
rationale.
    Note: The applicant should review the Performance Measures section 
of this notice for information on the requirements for developing 
project-specific performance measures and targets consistent with the 
objectives of the program.
    (c) The grant project team (10 points).
    (1) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience, 
of the project manager and other members of the grant project team, 
including employees not paid with grant funds, consultants, and 
subcontractors.
    (2) The adequacy and appropriateness of the applicant's staffing 
plan for the grant project.
    (d) The budget (10 points).
    (1) The extent to which the requested grant amount and the project 
costs are reasonable in relation to the objectives, design, and 
potential significance of the proposed grant project.
    (2) The extent to which the costs are reasonable in relation to the 
number of students served and to the anticipated results and benefits.
    (3) The extent to which the non-Federal share exceeds the minimum 
percentages (which are based on the percentages under section 
4304(k)(2)(C) of the ESEA), particularly in the initial years of the 
program.
    (e) Quality of the project evaluation (10 points).
    (1) The Secretary considers the quality of the evaluation to be 
conducted of the proposed project.
    (2) In determining the quality of the evaluation, the Secretary 
considers the following factors--
    (i) The extent to which the methods of evaluation are thorough, 
feasible, and appropriate to the goals, objectives, and outcomes of the 
proposed project.
    (ii) The extent to which the methods of evaluation will provide 
performance feedback and permit periodic assessment of progress toward 
achieving intended outcomes.
    (iii) The extent to which the methods of evaluation will provide 
valid and reliable performance data on relevant outcomes.
    2. Review and Selection Process: We remind potential applicants 
that in reviewing applications in any discretionary grant competition, 
the Secretary may consider, under 34 CFR 75.217(d)(3), the past 
performance of the applicant in carrying out a previous award, such as 
the applicant's use of funds, achievement of project objectives, and 
compliance with grant conditions. The Secretary may also consider 
whether the applicant failed to submit a timely performance report or 
submitted a report of unacceptable quality.
    In addition, in making a competitive grant award, the Secretary 
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 
(34 CFR 100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).
    Note: As described in 34 CFR 226.14(c), the Secretary may elect to 
consider the points awarded under the competitive preference priorities 
only for proposals that exhibit sufficient quality to warrant funding 
under the selection criteria.
    3. Risk Assessment and Specific Conditions: Consistent with 2 CFR 
200.205, before awarding grants under this competition the Department 
conducts a review of the risks posed by applicants. Under 2 CFR 
3474.10, the Secretary may impose specific 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 
$250,000), under 2 CFR 200.205(a)(2) we must make a judgment about your 
integrity, business ethics, and record of performance under

[[Page 25780]]

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); or we may send you an email containing a link to 
access an electronic version of your 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. 
Additionally, a grantee or subgrantee that is awarded competitive grant 
funds must have a plan to disseminate these public grant deliverables. 
This dissemination plan can be developed and submitted after your 
application has been reviewed and selected for funding. 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 www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/appforms/appforms.html.
    5. Performance Measures:
    (a) Program Performance Measures. The performance measure for this 
program is the ratio of funds leveraged by States for charter school 
facilities to funds awarded by the Department under the program. 
Grantees must provide information that is responsive to this measure as 
part of their annual performance reports.
    (b) Project-Specific Performance Measures. Applicants must propose 
project-specific performance measures and performance targets 
consistent with the objectives of the project and program. Applicants 
must provide the following information as directed under 34 CFR 
75.110(b):
    (1) Project Performance Measures. How each proposed project-
specific performance measure would accurately measure the performance 
of the project and how the proposed project-specific performance 
measure would be consistent with the performance measures established 
for the program funding the competition.
    (2) Project Performance Targets. Why each proposed performance 
target is ambitious yet achievable compared to the baseline for the 
performance measure and when, during the project period, the applicant 
would meet the performance target(s).
    Note: The Secretary encourages applicants to consider measures and 
targets tied to their grant activities during the grant period. For 
instance, if an applicant is using eligibility for free and reduced-
price lunch to measure the number of low-income families served by the 
project, the applicant could provide a percentage for students 
qualifying for free and reduced-price lunch. If an applicant is 
targeting services to a Qualified Opportunity Zone, the applicant could 
provide the census tract number of the Qualified Opportunity Zone(s)in 
which it proposes to provide services. The measures should be 
sufficient to gauge the progress throughout the grant period, and show 
results by the end of the grant period.
    (3) Data Collection and Reporting. (i) The data collection and 
reporting methods the applicant would use and why those methods are 
likely to yield reliable, valid, and meaningful performance data; and 
(ii) 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 applicants do not have experience with collection and 
reporting of performance data through other projects or research, they 
should provide other evidence of their capacity to successfully carry 
out data collection and reporting for their proposed project.
    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

[[Page 25781]]

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. You may 
access the official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of 
Federal Regulations at www.govinfo.gov. 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 Portable Document Format (PDF). To 
use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available free at 
the site.
    You may also access documents of the Department published in the 
Federal Register by using the article search feature at 
www.federalregister.gov. Specifically, through the advanced search 
feature at this site, you can limit your search to documents published 
by the Department.

Frank T. Brogan,
Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education.
[FR Doc. 2019-11517 Filed 6-3-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4000-01-P