Applications for New Awards; Mental Health Service Professional Demonstration Grant Program, 15180-15187 [2024-04356]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 42 (Friday, March 1, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15180-15187]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-04356]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Applications for New Awards; Mental Health Service Professional 
Demonstration Grant 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) 2024 for the Mental Health 
Service Professional (MHSP) Demonstration Grant Program, Assistance 
Listing Number 84.184X. This notice relates to the approved information 
collection under OMB control number 1810-0772.

DATES: 
    Applications Available: March 1, 2024.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: May 15, 2024.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: July 15, 2024.
    Pre-Application Webinar Information: The Department will hold a 
pre-application meeting via webinar for prospective applicants on TBD, 
at 1:00 p.m. and TBD at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time. To register, please 
visit the program website at: https://oese.ed.gov/offices/office-of-formula-grants/safe-supportive-schools/mental-health-service-professional-demonstration-grant-program/.

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 December 7, 2022 (87 FR 75045) and available at 
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/12/07/2022-26554/common-instructions-for-applicants-to-department-of-education-discretionary-grant-programs.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nicole White, U.S. Department of 
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, 4th Floor, Washington, DC 20202-6450. 
Telephone: (202) 453-6729. Email: [email protected].
    If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability and 
wish to access telecommunications relay services, please dial 7-1-1.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Purpose of Program: The MHSP Program provides competitive grants to 
support and demonstrate innovative

[[Page 15181]]

partnerships to train school-based mental health services providers (as 
defined in section 4102 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act 
of 1965, as amended (ESEA)) (services providers) for employment in 
schools and local educational agencies (LEAs). The goal of this program 
is to increase the number and diversity of high-quality, trained 
providers available to address the shortages of mental health services 
professionals in schools served by high-need LEAs (as defined in this 
notice). The partnerships must include (1) one or more high-need LEAs 
or a State educational agency (SEA) on behalf of one or more high-need 
LEAs and (2) one or more eligible institutions of higher education 
(eligible IHE) (as defined in this notice).
    Partnerships must provide opportunities to place postsecondary 
education graduate students in school-based mental health fields into 
high-need schools (as defined in this notice) served by the 
participating high-need LEAs to complete required field work, credit 
hours, internships, or related training, as applicable, for the degree 
or credential program of each student. In addition to the placement of 
graduate students, grantees may also develop mental health career 
pathways as early as secondary school, through career and technical 
education opportunities, or through paraprofessional support degree 
programs at local community or technical colleges.
    Background:
    Like good physical health, positive mental health promotes success 
in life. As defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 
(CDC), ``Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and 
social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also 
helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make 
healthy choices. Mental health is important at every stage of life, 
from childhood and adolescence through adulthood.'' \1\
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    \1\ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. www.cdc.gov/mentalhealth/learn/index.htm. Accessed on February 12, 2024.
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    Support for the mental health of children and youth advances 
educational opportunities by helping to create conditions for students 
to fully engage in learning. The increases in mental health related 
needs, including those resulting from traumatic events such as the 
COVID-19 pandemic, community violence, adverse childhood experiences, 
the impact of social media, and more present challenges for children 
and youth that for many impact their overall emotional, psychological, 
and social well-being and their ability to fully engage in learning.
    The priorities, requirements, and definitions used in this notice 
aim to address student mental health needs by training more school-
based mental health services providers who will be available to work in 
high-need LEAs. While the complementary K-12 mental health program, the 
School-Based Mental Health Services Program (SBMH), focuses on the 
immediate need of hiring more school-based mental health services 
providers, the MHSP program is designed to increase the overall number 
of services providers prepared to enter the workforce. Additionally, we 
aim to make more awards to eligible applicants who have not yet 
benefited from an MHSP grant, to increase the number of services 
providers from diverse backgrounds or from the school communities they 
will serve, and to ensure that all services providers are trained in 
inclusive practices, including ensuring access to services for children 
and youth who are English learners.
    In developing applications that meet the absolute priorities, we 
encourage applicants to consider the needs of individuals from diverse 
backgrounds and utilize the program's broad allowability to use funds 
to provide support services that will have a meaningful impact on 
diversifying the school-based mental health services workforce. For 
example, projects may pay for participants' tuition, provide a modest 
salary for internships, cover the cost of transportation to and from 
the high-need school where the participant is placed, pay for childcare 
while the participant is working at the high-need school, and pay for 
administrative expenses, such as background check fees that are 
necessary for placement in a participating school. Such uses of funds 
may be especially critical in supporting individuals from low-income 
backgrounds who are pursuing careers as school-based mental health 
services providers.
    Priorities: This competition has three absolute priorities and 
three competitive preference priorities. Absolute Priority 1 and the 
competitive preference priorities are from the notice of final 
priorities, requirements, and definitions for the MHSP Program 
published in the Federal Register on October 4, 2022 (87 FR 60083) (the 
NFP). Absolute Priority 2 and Absolute Priority 3 are from the 
Administrative Priorities for Discretionary Grants Programs 
(Administrative Priorities), published in the Federal Register on March 
9, 2020 (85 FR 13640).
    Absolute Priorities: For FY 2024 and any subsequent year in which 
we make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this 
competition, these priorities are absolute priorities. Under 34 CFR 
75.105(c)(3), we consider only applications that meet Absolute Priority 
1 and Absolute Priority 2 or Absolute Priority 3.
    The Secretary intends to create two funding slates for MHSP 
applications, one slate for applications that meet Absolute Priority 1 
and Absolute Priority 2 and a second slate for applications that meet 
Absolute Priority 1 and 3. As a result, the Secretary may fund 
applications out of the overall rank order.
    These priorities are:
    Absolute Priority 1--Expand Capacity of High-need LEAs.
    Projects that propose to expand the capacity of high-need LEAs in 
partnership with eligible IHEs to train school-based mental health 
services providers (as defined in this notice), with the goal of 
expanding the number of these professionals available to address the 
shortages of school-based mental health services providers in high-need 
schools.
    To meet this priority, the applicant must propose a school-based 
mental health partnership (as defined in this notice) to place the 
IHE's graduate students in school-based mental health services fields 
into high-need schools served by the participating high-need LEAs for 
the purpose of completing required field work, credit hours, 
internships, or related training necessary to complete their degree or 
obtain a credential as a school-based mental health services provider.
    Absolute Priority 2--Applications From New Potential Grantees.
    Under this priority, an applicant must demonstrate the following:
    (a) The applicant does not, as of the deadline date for submission 
of applications, have an active grant, including through membership in 
a group application submitted in accordance with 34 CFR 75.127-75.129, 
under the program from which it seeks funds.
    (b) For the purpose of this priority, a grant is active until the 
end of the grant's project or funding period, including any extensions 
of those periods that extend the grantee's authority to obligate funds.
    Absolute Priority 3--Applications from Grantees that Are Not New 
Potential Grantees.
    Under this priority, an applicant must demonstrate the following:
    (a) The applicant has, as of the deadline date for submission of

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applications, an active grant, including through membership in a group 
application submitted in accordance with 34 CFR 75.127-75.129, under 
the program from which it seeks funds.
    (b) For the purpose of this priority, a grant is active until the 
end of the grant's project or funding period, including any extensions 
of those periods that extend the grantee's authority to obligate funds.
    Competitive Preference Priorities: For FY 2024 and any subsequent 
year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applications 
from this competition, these priorities are competitive preference 
priorities. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i), we award up to an additional 
5 points for Competitive Preference Priority 1, depending on how well 
the application meets the priority. We award up to an additional 5 
points for Competitive Preference Priority 2, depending on how well the 
application meets the priority. We award an additional 5 points to an 
application that meets Competitive Preference Priority 3. The total 
number of competitive preference points an applicant may receive is 15.
    An applicant must clearly identify in the project abstract and the 
project narrative section of its application the competitive preference 
priority or priorities it wishes the Department to consider for 
purposes of earning competitive preference priority points.
    These priorities are:
    Competitive Preference Priority 1-Increase the Number of Qualified 
School Based Mental Health Services Providers in High-Need LEAs Who Are 
from Diverse Backgrounds or from Communities Served by the High-Need 
LEAs. (Up to 5 points)
    Projects that propose to increase the number of qualified school-
based mental health services providers in high-need LEAs who are from 
diverse backgrounds (i.e., backgrounds that reflect the communities, 
identities, races, ethnicities, abilities, and cultures of the students 
in the high-need LEA, including underserved students) or who are from 
communities served by the high-need LEAs.\2\
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    \2\ All strategies to increase the diversity of providers must 
comply with applicable Federal civil rights laws, including title VI 
of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
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    Applicants must describe how their proposal to increase the number 
of school-based mental health services providers who are from diverse 
backgrounds or who are from the communities served by the high-need LEA 
will help increase access to mental health services for students within 
the high-need LEA and best meet the mental health needs of the diverse 
populations of students to be served.
    Competitive Preference Priority 2-Promote Inclusive Practices. (Up 
to 5 points)
    Projects that propose to provide evidence-based (as defined in this 
notice) pedagogical practices in mental health services provider 
preparation programs or professional development programs that are 
inclusive with regard to race, ethnicity, culture, language, 
disability, and for students who identify as LGBTQI+, and that prepare 
school-based mental health services providers to create culturally and 
linguistically inclusive and identity-safe \3\ environments for 
students when providing services.
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    \3\ An identity-safe environment is a place where every student 
feels physically and emotionally safe. Perceptions of safety often 
differ across different groups of students, and each intervention 
and support measure should be designed to ensure the safety and 
belonging of all students.
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    Applicants must describe how their proposal to provide evidence-
based pedagogical practices in mental health services provider 
preparation programs or professional development programs will prepare 
school-based mental health services providers to provide inclusive 
practices and to create culturally and linguistically inclusive and 
identity-safe environments for students when providing services.
    Competitive Preference Priority 3-Partnerships with HBCUs, TCUs, or 
other MSIs. (0 or 5 points)
    Applicants that propose to implement their projects by or in 
partnership with one or more of the following entities:
    (1) Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) (as 
defined in 34 CFR 608.2).
    (2) Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs) (as defined in section 
316(b)(3) of the HEA).
    (3) Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs) (as defined in sections 
316 through 320 of part A of title III, under part B of title III, or 
under title V of the HEA).
    Note: Only institutions that the Department determined to be 
eligible through the FY 2024 process for eligible MSI designation 
(which includes HBCU and TCU designations), or which were granted a 
waiver under the process, may be considered eligible for this 
competitive preference priority.
    Requirements: These application requirements are from the NFP. 
These requirements are:
    Program Requirement: Eligible applicants for this program are high-
need LEAs, SEAs on behalf of one or more high-need LEAs, and IHEs. 
High-need LEA applicants and SEA applicants on behalf of one or more 
high-need LEAs must propose to work in partnership with an eligible 
IHE, which may include institutions that serve diverse learners such as 
an HBCU (as defined in 34 CFR 608.2), TCU (as defined in section 
316(b)(3) of the HEA), or other MSI (as defined in sections 316 through 
320 of part A of title III, under part B of title III, or under title V 
of the HEA). Eligible IHE applicants must propose to work in 
partnership with one or more high-need LEAs or an SEA.
    Application Requirements: An applicant must include the following 
in its application:
    (a) Identification of schools to be served by the proposed project.
    Applicants must identify or describe how they will identify the 
high-need schools to be served in each high-need LEA that is part of 
the school-based mental health partnership.
    (b) A description of the nature and magnitude of the problem.
    Applicants must describe how the lack of school-based mental health 
services providers is specifically affecting students in the high-need 
schools to be served by project activities. Applicants must describe 
the nature of the problem for the LEA, based on, but not limited to, 
the most recent available ratios of school-based mental health services 
providers to students enrolled in the schools in each high-need LEA 
that is part of the school-based mental health partnership (in the 
aggregate and disaggregated by profession (e.g., school social workers, 
school psychologists, and school counselors)). The description may also 
include LEA and school-level demographic data, including chronic 
absenteeism and discipline data, school climate surveys, school 
violence/crime data, data related to suicide rates, and descriptions of 
barriers to hiring and retaining services providers in the LEA.
    (c) A plan to enhance LEA capacity to provide mental health 
services to students.
    Applicants must describe the specific activities they will conduct 
to expand and improve LEA capacity to provide mental health services to 
students in high-need LEAs and ensure that students receive 
appropriate, evidence-based, and culturally and linguistically 
inclusive mental health services. To meet this requirement, the 
applicant must propose a school-based mental health partnership 
established for the purpose of placing the IHE's graduate students in 
school-based mental health fields into high-need schools served by the 
participating high-need LEAs to complete required field work, credit

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hours, internships, or related training as applicable for the degree or 
credential program of each student. If the applicant intends to 
establish a program that directly benefits an individual graduate 
student, such as through a stipend or tuition credit, the applicant 
must describe its approach to implementing a service obligation for 
such graduate student as a school-based mental health services provider 
in a high-need LEA commensurate with the level of support the graduate 
student receives.
    (d) A memorandum of understanding (MOU), a memorandum of agreement 
(MOA), or letter of agreement between the LEA or SEA, and the IHE.
    Applicants must include with their application an MOU, MOA, or 
letter of agreement that is signed by the authorized representatives of 
the LEA or SEA, and the IHE. The MOU, MOA, or letter of agreement must 
provide details regarding the roles and responsibilities of each entity 
in the partnership and include a description of how the partnership 
will place graduate students into high-need schools served by the 
participating high-need LEAs to complete required field work, credit 
hours, internships, or related training necessary to complete their 
degree or obtain a credential as a school-based mental health services 
provider. Additionally, SEA and LEA applicants must describe in the 
MOU, MOA, or letter of agreement how leaders across all levels of the 
project will be engaged in the implementation and evaluation of the 
project. The MOU, MOA, or letter of agreement must also include the 
estimated number of mental health services providers that will be 
placed into employment in high-need schools and high-need LEAs on an 
annual basis.
    (e) A plan for collaboration and coordination with related Federal, 
State, and local initiatives.
    Applicants must propose a plan that describes:
    (1) The activities to be carried out in coordination with the 
national, State, or local mental health, public health, child welfare, 
and other community agencies, which may include school-based health 
centers, to achieve the plan goals and objectives of establishing a 
pipeline program to train and expand the capacity of school-based 
mental health services providers in high-need LEAs; and
    (2) How they will leverage other available Federal, State, and 
local resources to achieve project goals and objectives and sustain 
investments beyond the budget period. Applicants must identify these 
other available resources and describe how they will be used to promote 
success across programs.
    Evidence of collaboration and coordination described in paragraph 
(e)(1) must be provided through letters of support or MOAs/MOUs from 
State or local organizations or agencies, where applicable.
    (f) A description of the process to identify students for mental 
health services.
    Applicants must describe the specific process and activities they 
will use to ensure students in high-need LEAs who need school-based 
mental health services are properly identified, assessed, and provided 
the appropriate school-based mental health services by qualified 
personnel in consultation with educators, including school leaders, and 
parents and families, as appropriate. To meet this requirement, 
applicants must also describe how they will ensure that services are 
evidence-based and inclusive with regard to race, ethnicity, culture, 
language, disability, homelessness, and for students who identify as 
LGBTQI+, and are accessible to all. Further, applicants must describe 
how LEAs will engage parents and families for the purposes of raising 
awareness about the availability of services and connecting students to 
services.
    Definitions: The definitions of ``eligible institution of higher 
education,'' ``high-need LEA,'' ``high-need school,'' ``school-based 
mental health partnership,'' and ``students/children from low-income 
backgrounds'' are from the NFP. The definitions of ``evidence-based'' 
(20 U.S.C. 7801(21), ``institution of higher education'' (20 U.S.C. 
7801(29), ``local educational agency'' (20 U.S.C. 7801(30)), ``State 
educational agency'' (20 U.S.C. 7801(49)), and ``school-based mental 
health services provider'' (20 U.S.C. 7112(6)) are from the Elementary 
and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended (ESEA). The definitions 
of ``ambitious,'' ``baseline,'' ``demonstrates a rationale,'' ``logic 
model,'' ``project component,'' and ``relevant outcome'' are from 34 
CFR 77.1. These definitions apply to the FY 2024 MHSP Program 
competition and any subsequent year in which we make awards from the 
list of unfunded applications from this competition.
    These definitions are:
    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.
    Baseline means the starting point from which performance is 
measured and targets are set.
    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.
    Eligible institution of higher education means an institution of 
higher education that offers a program of study that leads to a 
master's degree or other graduate degree--
    (a) In school psychology that prepares students in such program for 
a State credential as a school psychologist;
    (b) In school counseling that prepares students in such program for 
a State credential in school counseling;
    (c) In school social work that prepares students in such program 
for a State credential in school social work;
    (d) In another school-based mental health field that prepares 
students in such program for a State credential to deliver school-based 
mental health services; or
    (e) In any combination of study described in paragraphs (a) through 
(d).
    Evidence-based, when used with respect to a State, local 
educational agency, or school activity, means an activity, strategy, or 
intervention that--(a) demonstrates a statistically significant effect 
on improving student outcomes or other relevant outcomes based on--(i) 
strong evidence from at least 1 well-designed and well-implemented 
experimental study; (ii) moderate evidence from at least 1 well-
designed and well-implemented quasi-experimental study; or (iii) 
promising evidence from at least 1 well-designed and well-implemented 
correlational study with statistical controls for selection bias; or 
(b)(i) demonstrates a rationale based on high-quality research findings 
or positive evaluation that such activity, strategy, or intervention is 
likely to improve student outcomes or other relevant outcomes; and (ii) 
includes ongoing efforts to examine the effects of such activity, 
strategy, or intervention.
    High-need local educational agency (LEA) means an LEA--
    (a)(1) For which at least 20 percent of the children served by the 
agency are children from low-income backgrounds;
    (2) That serves at least 10,000 children from low-income 
backgrounds;
    (3) That meets the eligibility requirements for funding under the 
Small, Rural School Achievement

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(SRSA) program under section 5211(b) of the ESEA; or
    (4) That meets the eligibility requirements for funding under the 
Rural and Low-Income School (RLIS) program under section 5221(b) of the 
ESEA; and--
    (b) For which there is a high student to qualified mental health 
services provider ratio as compared to other LEAs statewide or 
nationally.
    High-need school means a school that, based on the most recent data 
available, meets at least one of the following:
    (a) The school is in the highest quartile of all schools served by 
an LEA ranked in descending order by percentage of students from low-
income backgrounds enrolled in such schools, as determined by the LEA 
based on one of the following measures of poverty:
    (1) The percentage of students aged 5 through 17 in poverty counted 
in the most recent census data approved by the Secretary.
    (2) The percentage of students eligible for a free or reduced-price 
school lunch under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act 
based on the most recently available data.
    (3) The percentage of students in families receiving assistance 
under the State program funded under part A of title IV of the Social 
Security Act.
    (4) The percentage of students eligible to receive medical 
assistance under the Medicaid program.
    (5) A composite of two or more of the measures described in 
paragraphs (a)(1) through (4).
    (b) In the case of--
    (1) An elementary school, the school serves students not less than 
60 percent of whom are eligible for a free or reduced-price school 
lunch under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act based on 
the most recently available data; or
    (2) Any other school that is not an elementary school, the other 
school serves students not less than 45 percent of whom are eligible 
for a free or reduced-price school lunch under the Richard B. Russell 
National School Lunch Act based on the most recently available data.
    Institution of higher education has the meaning given to such term 
in section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001).
    Local educational agency means a public board of education or other 
public authority legally constituted within a State for either 
administrative control or direction of, or to perform a service 
function for, public elementary schools or secondary schools in a city, 
county, township, school district, or other political subdivision of a 
State, or of or for a combination of school districts or counties that 
is recognized in a State as an administrative agency for its public 
elementary schools or secondary schools.
    (b) The term includes any other public institution or agency having 
administrative control and direction of a public elementary school or 
secondary school.
    (c) The term includes an elementary school or secondary school 
funded by the Bureau of Indian Education but only to the extent that 
including the school makes the school eligible for programs for which 
specific eligibility is not provided to the school in another provision 
of law and the school does not have a student population that is 
smaller than the student population of the local educational agency 
receiving assistance under this Act with the smallest student 
population, except that the school shall not be subject to the 
jurisdiction of any State educational agency other than the Bureau of 
Indian Education.
    (d) The term includes educational service agencies and consortia of 
those agencies.
    (e) The term includes the State educational agency in a State in 
which the State educational agency is the sole educational agency for 
all public schools.
    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.
    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.
    School-based mental health partnership means the formal 
relationship, established for the purpose of training school-based 
mental health services providers for employment in schools and LEAs, 
between--
    (a) One or more high-need LEAs or an SEA on behalf of one or more 
high-need LEAs; and
    (b) One or more eligible IHEs, including HBCUs (as defined in 34 
CFR 608.2), MSIs (as defined in sections 316 through 320 of part A of 
title III, under part B of title III, or under title V of the HEA), and 
TCUs (as defined in section 316(b)(3) of the HEA).
    School-based mental health services provider means a State-licensed 
or State-certified school counselor, school psychologist, school social 
worker, or other State licensed or certified mental health professional 
qualified under State law to provide mental health services to children 
and adolescents.
    Students/children from low-income backgrounds means students whose 
families meet any of the poverty thresholds established in section 1113 
of the ESEA for the relevant grade level.
    State educational agency means the agency primarily responsible for 
the State supervision of public elementary schools and secondary 
schools.
    Program Authority: Section 4631(a)(1)(B) of the ESEA (20 U.S.C. 
7281).
    Note: Projects will be awarded and must be operated in a manner 
consistent with the nondiscrimination requirements contained in Federal 
civil rights laws.
    Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations in 34 CFR parts 75, 77, 81, 82, 84, 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 NFP. (e) The Administrative Priorities.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
    Estimated Available Funds: $19,000,000.
    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 if Congress appropriates funds for this 
program.
    Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of 
applications, we may make additional awards in subsequent years from 
the list of unfunded applications from this competition.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $400,000 to $1,000,000.

[[Page 15185]]

    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $700,000 for each 12-month 
period.
    Estimated Number of Awards: Between 23-33 awards.
    Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice.
    Project Period: Up to 60 months.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: High-need LEAs, SEAs on behalf of one or 
more high-need LEAs, and IHEs. High-need LEA applicants and SEA 
applicants on behalf of one or more high-need LEAs must propose to work 
in partnership with an eligible IHE, which may include institutions 
that serve diverse learners such as an HBCU (as defined in 34 CFR 
608.2), TCU (as defined in section 316(b)(3) of the HEA), or other MSI 
(as defined in sections 316 through 320 of part A of title III, under 
part B of title III, or under title V of the HEA). Eligible IHE 
applicants must propose to work in partnership with one or more high-
need LEAs or a SEA.
    2. a. Cost Sharing or Matching: This competition does not require 
cost sharing or matching.
    b. Indirect Cost Rate Information: This program uses an 
unrestricted indirect cost rate. For more information regarding 
indirect costs, or to obtain a negotiated indirect cost rate, please 
see www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocfo/intro.html.
    c. Administrative Cost Limitation: This program does not include 
any program-specific limitation on administrative expenses. All 
administrative expenses must be reasonable and necessary and conform to 
Cost Principles described in 2 CFR part 200 subpart E of the Uniform 
Guidance.
    3. Subgrantees: A grantee under this competition may not award 
subgrants to entities to directly carry out project activities 
described in its application.
    4. Limitation on Awards: The Department will make only one award 
that serves any individual LEA.

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 December 7, 2022 (87 FR 75045), and available at https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/12/07/2022-26554/common-instructions-for-applicants-to-department-of-education-discretionary-grant-programs, which contain requirements and information on how to 
submit an application. Please note that these Common Instructions 
supersede the version published on December 7, 2021.
    2. Intergovernmental Review: This program is subject to Executive 
Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79. Information about 
Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs under Executive Order 
12372 is in the application package for this competition.
    3. Funding Restrictions: We reference regulations outlining funding 
restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice. In 
addition, we remind applicants that sections 4001(a) and 4001(b) of the 
ESEA (20 U.S.C. 7101) apply to this program. Section 4001(a) requires 
entities receiving funds under title IV of the ESEA to obtain prior, 
written, informed consent from the parent of each child who is under 18 
years of age to participate in any mental-health assessment or service 
that is funded under title IV of the ESEA and conducted in connection 
with an elementary or secondary school. Section 4001(b) prohibits the 
use of funds for medical services or drug treatment or rehabilitation, 
except for integrated student supports, specialized instructional 
support services, or referral to treatment for impacted students, which 
may include students who are victims of, or witnesses to, crime or who 
illegally use drugs. This prohibition does not preclude the use of 
funds to support mental health counseling and support services, 
including those provided by a mental health services provider outside 
of school, so long as such services are not medical.

V. Application Review Information

    1. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this program are 
from 34 CFR 75.210. The maximum score for all selection criteria is 100 
points. The points assigned to each criterion are indicated in 
parentheses. Non-Federal peer reviewers will evaluate and score each 
application program narrative against the following selection criteria:
    (a) Need for the Project and Significance (Up to 15 points)
    (1) The Secretary considers the need for the proposed project. In 
determining the need for the proposed project, the Secretary considers 
the extent to which specific gaps or weaknesses in services, 
infrastructure, or opportunities have been identified and will be 
addressed by the proposed project, including the nature and magnitude 
of those gaps or weaknesses. (Up to 10 points)
    (2) The Secretary considers the significance of the proposed 
project. In determining the significance of the proposed project, the 
Secretary considers the extent to which the proposed project is likely 
to build local capacity to provide, improve, or expand services that 
address the needs of the target population. (Up to 5 points)
    (b) Quality of the project design (Up to 25 points)
    (1) The Secretary considers the quality of the design of the 
proposed project.
    (2) In determining the quality of the design of the proposed 
project, the Secretary considers the following factors:
    (i) The extent to which the design of the proposed project includes 
a thorough, high-quality review of the relevant literature, a high-
quality plan for project implementation, and the use of appropriate 
methodological tools to ensure successful achievement of project 
objectives. (Up to 15 points)
    (ii) The extent to which the proposed project represents an 
exceptional approach to the priority or priorities established for the 
competition. (Up to 5 points)
    (iii) The extent to which the proposed project demonstrates a 
rationale (as defined in 34 CFR 77.1(c)). (Up to 5 points)
    (c) Quality of project services (Up to 30 points)
    (1) The Secretary considers the quality of the services to be 
provided by the proposed project.
    (2) In determining the quality of the services to be provided by 
the proposed project, the Secretary considers the quality and 
sufficiency of strategies for ensuring equal access and treatment for 
eligible project participants who are members of groups that have 
traditionally been underrepresented based on race, color, national 
origin, gender, age, or disability. (Up to 15 points)
    (3) In addition, the Secretary considers the extent to which the 
training or professional development services to be provided by the 
proposed project are likely to alleviate the personnel shortages that 
have been identified or are the focus of the proposed project. (Up to 
15 points)
    (d) Management Plan and Adequacy of Resources (Up to 20 points).
    (1) The Secretary considers the management plan and the adequacy of 
resources for the proposed project.
    (2) In determining the quality of the management plan and the 
adequacy of resources for the proposed project, the Secretary 
considers:

[[Page 15186]]

    (i) The adequacy of mechanisms for ensuring high-quality products 
and services from the proposed project. (Up to 10 points)
    (ii) The relevance and demonstrated commitment of each partner in 
the proposed project to the implementation and success of the project. 
(Up to 10 points)
    (e) Quality of the project evaluation (Up to 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. (Up to 5 points)
    (ii) The extent to which the methods of evaluation will provide 
performance feedback and permit periodic assessment of progress toward 
achieving intended outcomes. (Up to 5 points)
    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).
    3. Risk Assessment and Specific Conditions: Consistent with 2 CFR 
200.206, before awarding grants under this program the Department 
conducts a review of the risks posed by applicants. Under 2 CFR 
200.208, the Secretary may impose specific conditions and, under 2 CFR 
3474.10, 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 200.206(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.
    5. In General: In accordance with the Office of Management and 
Budget's guidance located at 2 CFR part 200, all applicable Federal 
laws, and relevant Executive guidance, the Department will review and 
consider applications for funding pursuant to this notice inviting 
applications in accordance with:
    (a) Selecting recipients most likely to be successful in delivering 
results based on the program objectives through an objective process of 
evaluating Federal award applications (2 CFR 200.205);
    (b) Prohibiting the purchase of certain telecommunication and video 
surveillance services or equipment in alignment with section 889 of the 
National Defense Authorization Act of 2019 (Pub. L. 115-232) (2 CFR 
200.216);
    (c) Providing a preference, to the extent permitted by law, to 
maximize use of goods, products, and materials produced in the United 
States (2 CFR 200.322); and
    (d) Terminating agreements in whole or in part to the greatest 
extent authorized by law if an award no longer effectuates the program 
goals or agency priorities (2 CFR 200.340).

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 will 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.
    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

[[Page 15187]]

reporting, please go to www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/appforms/appforms.html.
    (c) Under 34 CFR 75.250(b), 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: The Department has established the 
following performance measures for Department reporting under 34 CFR 
75.110 for the Mental Health Service Professional Demonstration Grant 
Program:
    (a) The unduplicated, cumulative number of school-based mental 
health services providers trained by the grantee under the project to 
provide school-based mental health services in high-need LEAs.
    (b) The unduplicated, cumulative number of school-based mental 
health services providers placed in a practicum or internship by the 
grantee in high-need LEAs to provide school-based mental health 
services.
    (c) The unduplicated, cumulative number of school-based mental 
health services providers hired by high-need LEAs to provide school-
based mental health services.
    (d) For grantees that addressed Competitive Preference Priority 1, 
the number of such grantees that met their goal of increasing the 
diversity of school-based mental health services providers.
    These measures constitute the Department's indicators of success 
for this program. Consequently, we advise an applicant for a grant 
under this program to give careful consideration to these measures in 
conceptualizing the approach and evaluation for its proposed project. 
Each grantee will be required to provide, in its annual performance and 
final reports, data about its progress in meeting these measures. This 
data will be considered by the Department in making potential 
continuation awards.
    Consistent with 34 CFR 75.591, grantees funded under this program 
shall cooperate in any evaluation of the program conducted by the 
Department or an evaluator selected by the Department.
    Performance measure targets: The applicant must propose annual 
targets for the measures listed above in their application. 
Applications must also provide the following information as directed 
under 34 CFR 75.110(b) and (c):
    (1) An explanation of how each proposed performance target is 
ambitious (as defined in this notice) yet achievable compared to the 
baseline (as defined in this notice) for the performance measure.
    (2) An explanation of 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
    (3) An explanation of 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 the 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.
    The reviewers of each application will score related selection 
criteria on the basis of how well an applicant has considered these 
measures in conceptualizing the approach and evaluation of the project.
    All grantees must submit an annual performance report and final 
performance report with information that is responsive to these 
performance measures.
    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, whether 
the grantee has made substantial progress in achieving 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: On request to the program contact person listed 
under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT, individuals with disabilities 
can obtain this document in an accessible format. The Department will 
provide the requestor with an accessible format that may include Rich 
Text Format (RTF) or text format (txt), a thumb drive, an MP3 file, 
braille, large print, audiotape, or compact disc, or other accessible 
format.
    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.

Adam Schott,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy and Programs, Delegated the 
Authority to Perform the Functions and Duties of the Assistant 
Secretary, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education.
[FR Doc. 2024-04356 Filed 2-29-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P