Applications for New Awards; Comprehensive Literacy State Development, 30338-30348 [2024-08578]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 79 (Tuesday, April 23, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30338-30348]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-08578]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Applications for New Awards; Comprehensive Literacy State 
Development

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 new awards for fiscal year (FY) 2024 for the 
Comprehensive Literacy State Development (CLSD) program, Assistance 
Listing Number 84.371C. This notice relates to the approved information 
collection under OMB control number 1894-0006.

DATES: 
    Applications Available: April 23, 2024.
    Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply: May 13, 2024.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: June 24, 2024.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: August 21, 2024.
    Pre-Application Webinar Information: The Department will hold a 
pre-application meeting via webinar for prospective applicants. For 
information about the pre-application webinar, visit the CLSD website 
at: https://oese.ed.gov/offices/office-of-discretionary-grants-support-services/well-rounded-education-programs/striving-readers-comprehensive-literacy-srcl-formula-grants-84-371a-for-state-literacy-teams/.

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: Michael Berry, U.S. Department of 
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Room 4C128, Washington, DC 20202-
6450. Telephone: (202) 453-7088. 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 CLSD program awards competitive grants to 
advance literacy skills through the use of evidence-based (as defined 
in this notice) practices, activities, and interventions, including 
pre-literacy skills, reading, and writing, for children from birth 
through grade 12, with an emphasis on disadvantaged children, including 
children living in poverty, English learners (as defined in this 
notice), and children with disabilities (as defined in this notice).
    Background: The Department's ``Raise the Bar: Lead the World'' 
initiative is a call to action to transform preschool through grade 12 
education and beyond, and to unite education leaders at all levels 
around evidence-based strategies that advance educational equity and 
excellence for all students.\1\ Raising the bar in education focuses on 
building the skills that all students need to thrive inside and outside 
of school, and supporting students to excel in the classroom, in their 
careers, and in their communities.
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    \1\ https://www.ed.gov/raisethebar/.
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    Specifically, the Department is focused on improving student 
achievement, including in math and reading, as highlighted across 
Administration and Department efforts for the past several years. 
Building on the Administration's previous efforts, in January 2024, the 
Administration announced its Improving Student Achievement Agenda,\2\ 
which aims to drive proven strategies that will support academic 
success for every child in school. The strategies and evidence 
discussed in the Improving Student Achievement Agenda focus on (1) 
increasing student attendance; (2) providing high-dosage tutoring; and 
(3) increasing summer learning and extended or afterschool learning 
time. These strategies and the broader Improving Student Achievement 
Agenda, including a focus on core academic instruction, are well 
aligned with the CLSD program purpose of improving literacy outcomes, 
and the new funding to be released through the FY 2024 CLSD competition 
will help accelerate and scale up sustainable adoption of evidence-
based strategies that we expect will improve student literacy outcomes 
in the school years ahead.
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    \2\ https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/01/17/fact-sheet-biden-harris-administration-announces-improving-student-achievement-agenda-in-2024/.
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    Through the FY 2024 CLSD competition, the Department encourages 
State educational agencies (SEAs) to focus on evidence-based activities 
that provide explicit intervention and support in reading and writing 
for children from birth to grade 12, including activities that have 
been implemented in response to identified literacy gaps and that have 
positive outcome data. SEAs should take into consideration the 
resources of the What Works Clearinghouse,\3\ including the literacy-
focused Practice Guides and Intervention Reports on the most effective 
strategies for supporting student literacy and that are appropriate for 
the grade, age, and developmental level of the student. Highly 
effective, evidence-based literacy strategies covered in the Practice 
Guides, for example, include developing awareness of the segments of 
sounds in speech and how they link to letters; teaching students to 
decode words, analyze word parts, and write and recognize words; 
building students' comprehension and decoding skills so they can read 
complex multisyllabic words; and providing purposeful fluency-building 
activities to help students read effortlessly. The What Works 
Clearinghouse Intervention Reports provide a summary of the highest 
quality research to help SEA and school district personnel identify the 
literacy interventions with the strongest evidence bases. The 
Department encourages SEAs to consult these Intervention Reports to 
inform their proposals and the technical assistance they provide to 
school districts. Another resource the Department encourages SEAs to 
use is the Comprehensive Literacy State Development (CLSD) National 
Literacy Center,\4\ which has a

[[Page 30339]]

website that offers information and resources to support States in 
creating or revising State literacy plans and to identify opportunities 
and strategies for providing evidence-based literacy coaching for 
teachers.
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    \3\ The Department provides several resources related to 
evidence-based practices and interventions in literacy. For example, 
the Institute of Education Sciences' What Works Clearinghouse 
(https://whatworks.ed.gov) has ten practice guides that offer 
evidence-based recommendations on literacy and/or writing that are 
applicable to preschool, elementary, and secondary school settings. 
Additionally, WWC Intervention Reports review the strength of 
evidence for branded interventions supporting literacy (and other) 
outcomes. Other Department resources, including those related to the 
Best Practices Clearinghouse (https://bestpraacticesclearinghouse.gov) and Raise the Bar (https://ed.gov/raisethebar/academic-success), may also be of interest to some 
applicants.
    \4\ https://literacycenter.ed.gov/.
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    This competition includes four competitive preference priorities 
that highlight key policies on which States may focus their proposed 
projects. First, the Department gives competitive preference to 
projects that incorporate SEA partnerships with institutions of higher 
education (IHEs). Strong partnerships with IHEs strengthen educator (as 
defined in this notice) preparation programs and high-quality 
professional development (as defined in this notice) for educators, 
resulting in more effective comprehensive State literacy programs. 
Second, the Department gives competitive preference to applications 
that propose projects that are designed to address the impacts of the 
COVID-19 pandemic using evidence-based instructional approaches and 
supports to successfully meet challenging academic content standards 
without contributing to tracking or remedial courses.
    Third, the Department gives competitive preference to applications 
that propose projects designed to promote education equity and adequacy 
in resources and opportunity for underserved students (as defined in 
this notice). In responding to this priority, SEAs are encouraged to 
consider how projects can assess the literacy needs of underserved 
students, including multilingual learners, to support the screening and 
identification of reading disabilities (e.g., dyslexia), and evidence-
based instructional approaches tailored to students' specific needs. 
Fourth, the Department gives competitive preference to applications 
that propose projects that support students and their families at key 
transitional stages in their education by ensuring coordinated, high-
quality professional development for educators in these transitional 
stages. The Department is interested in projects that include high-
quality, evidence-based professional development focused on alignment 
between early childhood and elementary settings as well as older 
students who are reading significantly below grade level. Effective 
comprehensive literacy programs include strong collaboration between 
early childhood, elementary, and secondary school educators.
    Through an invitational priority, the Department encourages 
projects that support effective transition practices, continuity of 
services and supports, and aligned instruction for students as they 
transition from preschool and other early childhood settings into 
kindergarten and from kindergarten into the early grades, which 
includes supporting efforts that promote strong foundational literacy 
skills that undergird early literacy and early math success. The 
Department also encourages projects that support acceleration 
strategies for improving literacy for secondary school students who are 
reading at least 1-2 years below grade level. Additionally, the 
Department would like to highlight practices that have yielded positive 
results so that they may be shared with the wider literacy field.
    Priorities: This notice contains four competitive preference 
priorities and one invitational priority. Competitive Preference 
Priority 1 is from section 2222(f)(2) of the ESEA. Competitive 
Preference Priorities 2, 3, and 4 are from the Secretary's Supplemental 
Priorities and Definitions for Discretionary Grant Programs, published 
in the Federal Register on December 10, 2021 (86 FR 70612) 
(Supplemental Priorities).
    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 an additional 2 
points to an application that meets subpart (a) of Competitive 
Preference Priority 1 and an additional 2 points to an application that 
meets subpart (b) of Competitive Preference Priority 1; we award up to 
an additional 2 points to an application, depending on how well the 
application addresses Competitive Preference Priority 2; we award up to 
an additional 2 points to an application, depending on how well the 
application addresses Competitive Preference Priority 3; and we award 
up to an additional 2 points to an application, depending on how well 
the application addresses Competitive Preference Priority 4. An 
application may receive a total of up to 10 additional points under 
these competitive preference priorities.
    These priorities are:
    Competitive Preference Priority 1--Coordination with Institutions 
of Higher Education. (0, 2, or 4 points)
    Under this priority, an applicant must demonstrate how it will use 
the State-level reservation under section 2222(f)(2) of the ESEA to 
carry out one or more of the following activities:
    (a) Coordinate with IHEs in the State to provide recommendations to 
strengthen and enhance pre-service courses for students preparing to 
teach children from birth through grade 12 in explicit, systematic, and 
intensive instruction in evidence-based literacy methods. (2 points)
    (b) Review and update, in collaboration with teachers and IHEs, 
State licensure or certification standards in the area of literacy 
instruction in early education through grade 12. (2 points)
    Competitive Preference Priority 2--Addressing the Impact of COVID-
19 on Students, Educators, and Faculty. (0 to 2 points).
    Projects that are designed to address the impacts of the COVID-19 
pandemic, including impacts that extend beyond the duration of the 
pandemic itself, on the students most impacted by the pandemic, with a 
focus on underserved students and the educators who serve them, through 
using evidence-based instructional approaches and supports, such as 
professional development, coaching, ongoing support for educators, 
high-quality tutoring, expanded access to rigorous coursework and 
content across K-12, and expanded learning time to accelerate learning 
for students in ways that ensure all students have the opportunity to 
successfully meet challenging academic content standards without 
contributing to tracking or remedial courses.
    Competitive Preference Priority 3--Promoting Equity in Student 
Access to Educational Resources and Opportunities. (0 to 2 points)
    Projects that are designed to promote educational equity and 
adequacy in resources and opportunity for underserved students--
    (1) In one or more of the following educational settings:
    (i) Early learning programs.
    (ii) Elementary school.
    (iii) Middle school.
    (iv) High school.
    (v) Out-of-school-time settings.
    (vi) Alternative schools and programs.
    (vii) Juvenile justice system or correctional facilities.
    (viii) Adult learning.\5\
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    \5\ CLSD grantees must subgrant 95 percent of their funds to 
serve the following age/grade bands: 15 percent for birth through 
kindergarten entry; 40 percent for kindergarten through grade 5; and 
40 percent for grades 6 through 12. CLSD funds may be used for adult 
learning in settings where the adult learners are earning their high 
school diplomas.
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    (2) That examines the sources of inequity and inadequacy and 
implement responses, and that may include one or more of the following:
    (i) Establishing, expanding, or improving learning environments for 
multilingual learners, and increasing public awareness about the 
benefits of fluency in more than one language and

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how the coordination of language development in the school and the home 
improves student outcomes for multilingual learners.
    (ii) Expanding access to high-quality early learning, including in 
school-based and community-based settings, by removing barriers through 
implementation of programs that are inclusive with regard to race, 
ethnicity, culture, language, and disability status.
    Competitive Preference Priority 4--Supporting a Diverse Educator 
Workforce and Professional Growth To Strengthen Student Learning. (0 to 
2 points)
    Projects that are designed to increase the proportion of well-
prepared, diverse, and effective educators serving students, with a 
focus on underserved students, through supporting effective instruction 
and building educator capacity by providing high-quality job-embedded 
professional development opportunities focused on supporting students 
and their families at key transitional stages in their education as 
they enter into one or more of the following:
    (a) Early learning programs.
    (b) Elementary school.
    (c) Middle school.
    (d) High school.
    Invitational Priority: For FY 2024 and any subsequent year in which 
we make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this 
competition, this priority is an invitational priority. Under 34 CFR 
75.105(c)(1) we do not give an application that meets this invitational 
priority a competitive or absolute preference over other applications.
    This priority is:
    Supporting Effective Transition Practices, Continuity of Services 
and Supports, and Aligned Instruction, Including for Students from 
Preschool and Other Early Childhood Settings into Kindergarten; from 
Kindergarten into the Early Grades; and in Elementary and Secondary 
Education.
    Projects that--
    (a) Include developmentally appropriate practices that support 
cross-sector collaboration and family engagement across early learning 
and early elementary grades to support continuity of relationships and 
services from preschool through grade three, including practices that 
promote strong foundational literacy skills that undergird early 
literacy and early math success;
    (b) Increase and improve educational opportunities for students and 
promote academic recovery through aligning the instruction between 
preschool and grade three and supporting educators and school leaders; 
and
    (c) Increase and improve educational opportunities and outcomes for 
secondary school students who are reading below or significantly below 
grade level and promote their increased literacy through 
developmentally appropriate practices, including practices that support 
accelerated growth in literacy skills.
    Application Requirements: For FY 2024 and any subsequent year in 
which we make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this 
competition, applicants must submit an application that meets the 
following application requirements from section 2222 of the ESEA (20 
U.S.C. 6642):
    (a) State Needs Assessment.
    An SEA must include a needs assessment that analyzes literacy needs 
across the State and in high-need schools (as defined in this notice) 
and LEAs that serve high-need schools, including identifying the most 
significant gaps in literacy proficiency and inequities in student 
access to effective teachers of literacy, considering each of the 
subgroups of students, as defined in section 1111(c)(2) of the ESEA.
    (b) State Comprehensive Literacy Plan.
    An SEA must include a description of how, in collaboration with its 
State literacy team, if applicable, it will develop a State 
comprehensive literacy instruction (as defined in this notice) plan or 
will revise and update an already existing State comprehensive literacy 
instruction plan.
    (c) State Implementation Plan.
    An SEA must include an implementation plan that includes a 
description of how it will carry out the State activities described in 
section 2222(f) of the ESEA.
    (d) State Agency Early Childhood Program Collaboration.
    An SEA must collaborate with the State agency responsible for 
administering early childhood education programs and the State agency 
responsible for administering child-care programs in the State in 
writing and implementing the early childhood education portion of the 
grant application submitted for the CLSD program.
    (e) Assurances.
    An SEA must include in its application the following assurances:
    (1) State Funding Allocations.
    (a) An SEA must assure that it will subgrant not less than 95 
percent of grant funds to eligible entities (as defined in this 
notice), based on their needs assessment and a competitive application 
process, for comprehensive literacy instruction programs according to 
the funding allocations in Program Requirement (a).
    (b) An SEA must assure it will use grant funds described in section 
2222(f)(1) for comprehensive literacy instruction programs as follows:
    (i) Not less than 15 percent of such grant funds must be used for 
State and local programs and activities pertaining to children from 
birth through kindergarten entry.
    (ii) Not less than 40 percent of such grant funds must be used for 
State and local programs and activities, allocated equitably among the 
grades of kindergarten through grade 5.
    (iii) Not less than 40 percent of such grant funds must be used for 
State and local programs and activities, allocated equitably among 
grades 6 through 12.
    (2) Serving Low-Income and High-Need Students.
    An SEA must assure that it will give priority in awarding subgrants 
to eligible entities that--
    (i) Serve children from birth through age 5 who are from families 
with income levels at or below 200 percent of the Federal poverty line 
(as defined in this notice); or
    (ii) Are LEAs serving a high number or percentage of high-need 
schools.
    (3) Geographic Diversity.
    An SEA must assure that it will provide subgrants to eligible 
entities serving a diversity of geographic areas, giving priority to 
entities serving greater numbers or percentages of children from low-
income families.
    Program Requirements: For FY 2024 and any subsequent year in which 
we make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this 
competition, the following program requirements apply. These program 
requirements are from sections 2222-2225 and 2301 of the ESEA.
    (a) State Funding Allocations.
    (1) Grantees must use not less than 95 percent of grant funds to 
award subgrants to eligible entities, based on their needs assessment 
and a competitive application process;
    (2) Grantees must subgrant funds as follows:
    (i) Not less than 15 percent of the funds awarded to subgrantees 
must be used for State and local programs and activities pertaining to 
children from birth through kindergarten entry;
    (ii) Not less than 40 percent of the funds awarded to subgrantees 
must be used for State and local programs and activities, allocated 
equitably among the grades of kindergarten through grade 5; and
    (iii) Not less than 40 percent of the funds awarded to subgrantees 
must be

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used for State and local programs and activities, allocated equitably 
among grades 6 through 12.
    (b) State-Level Activities.
    (1) A grantee may reserve not more than 5 percent of the CLSD funds 
it receives for activities identified through the needs assessment and 
comprehensive literacy plan, including, at a minimum, the following 
activities:
    (i) Providing technical assistance, or engaging qualified providers 
to provide technical assistance, to eligible entities to enable the 
eligible entities to design and implement literacy programs.
    (ii) Coordinating with IHEs in the State to provide recommendations 
to strengthen and enhance pre-service courses for students preparing to 
teach children from birth through grade 12 in explicit, systematic, and 
intensive instruction in evidence-based literacy methods.
    (iii) Reviewing and updating, in collaboration with teachers and 
IHEs, State licensure or certification standards in the area of 
literacy instruction in early education through grade 12.
    (iv) Making publicly available, including on the SEA's website, 
information on promising instructional practices to improve child 
literacy achievement.
    (v) Administering and monitoring the implementation of subgrants by 
eligible entities.
    (2) After making awards to subgrantees and carrying out the State-
level activities described in this notice, an SEA may use any remaining 
amount to carry out one or more of the following activities:
    (i) Developing literacy coach training programs and training 
literacy coaches.
    (ii) Administration and evaluation of CLSD activities.
    (3) Collaboration requirement.
    A grantee must collaborate with the State agency responsible for 
administering early childhood education programs, the State agency 
responsible for administering child care programs, and, if applicable, 
the State Advisory Council on Early Childhood Education and Care 
designated or established pursuant to section 642(b(1)(A)(i) of the 
Head Start Act, in making and implementing subgrants under the early 
childhood education portion of the CLSD program, described in section 
2222(d)(2)(D)(i).
    Note: Section 2222(d)(1) of the ESEA specifically references 
childcare and early childhood programs within a State. Since the CLSD 
service population encompasses children from birth and includes pre-
literacy services, applicants may collaborate with the State agencies 
administering the Part C program for infants and toddlers under the 
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in their program 
planning, as some children being served under Part C would likely 
benefit from CLSD services.
    (c) Requirements That Apply to Subgrants to Eligible Entities in 
Support of Birth through Kindergarten Entry Literacy.
    (1) Subgrantee application requirements.
    An eligible entity desiring to receive a subgrant under CLSD must 
submit an application to the SEA, at such time, in such manner, and 
containing such information as the SEA may require. Such application 
must include a description of--
    (i) How the CLSD funds will be used to enhance the language and 
literacy development and school readiness of children, from birth 
through kindergarten entry, in early childhood education programs, 
which must include an analysis of data that support the proposed use of 
CLSD funds;
    (ii) How the CLSD funds will be used to prepare and provide ongoing 
assistance to staff in the programs, including through high-quality 
professional development;
    (iii) How the activities assisted with the CLSD funds will be 
coordinated with comprehensive literacy instruction at the kindergarten 
through grade 12 levels; and
    (iv) How the CLSD funds will be used to evaluate the success of the 
activities assisted under the subgrant in enhancing the early language 
and literacy development of children from birth through kindergarten 
entry.
    (2) Priority.
    In awarding subgrants to eligible entities in support of birth 
through kindergarten entry, sections 2222(d)(2)(E) and 2223(c) of the 
ESEA require that an SEA must provide an assurance that it will--
    (i) Give priority to an eligible entity that will use CLSD funds to 
implement evidence-based activities;
    (ii) Give priority to an eligible entity that will use CLSD funds 
to serve children from birth through age 5 who are from families with 
income levels at or below 200 percent of the Federal poverty line or is 
a local educational agency (LEA) serving a high number or percentage of 
high-need schools.
    (3) Duration.
    The term of a subgrant must be determined by the grantee and must 
not exceed five years.
    (4) Sufficient size and scope.
    Each subgrant must be of sufficient size and scope to allow the 
eligible entity to carry out high-quality early literacy initiatives 
for children from birth through kindergarten entry.
    (5) Local uses of funds.
    An eligible entity that receives a subgrant from the SEA must use 
the CLSD funds, consistent with the entity's approved application, to--
    (i) Carry out high-quality professional development opportunities 
for early childhood educators, teachers, principals, other school 
leaders (as defined in this notice), paraprofessionals, specialized 
instructional support personnel, and instructional leaders;
    (ii) Train providers and personnel to develop and administer 
evidence-based early childhood education literacy initiatives; and
    (iii) Coordinate the involvement of families, early childhood 
education program staff, principals, other school leaders, specialized 
instructional support personnel (as appropriate), and teachers in 
literacy development of children served under CLSD.
    (d) Requirements That Apply to Subgrants to Eligible Entities in 
Support of Kindergarten through Grade 12 Literacy.
    (1) Subgrantee application requirements.
    An eligible entity desiring to receive a subgrant from the SEA 
under the CLSD program must submit an application to the SEA at such 
time, in such manner, and containing such information as the SEA may 
require. Such application must include, for each school that the 
eligible entity identifies as participating in a CLSD program, the 
following information:
    (i) A description of the eligible entity's needs assessment 
conducted to identify how CLSD funds will be used to inform and improve 
comprehensive literacy instruction at the school.
    (ii) How the school, the LEA, or a provider of high-quality 
professional development will provide ongoing high-quality professional 
development to all teachers, principals, other school leaders, 
specialized instructional support personnel (as appropriate), and other 
instructional leaders served by the school.
    (iii) How the school will identify children in need of literacy 
interventions or other support services.
    (iv) An explanation of how the school will integrate comprehensive 
literacy instruction into a well-rounded education (as defined in this 
notice).
    (v) A description of how the school will coordinate comprehensive 
literacy instruction with early childhood education programs and 
activities and after-school programs and activities in the area served 
by the LEA.

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    (2) Priority.
    In awarding subgrants to eligible entities, sections 2222(d)(2)(E) 
and 2223(c) of the ESEA require that an SEA must provide an assurance 
that it will--
    (i) Give priority to an LEA that will use CLSD funds to implement 
evidence-based activities; and
    (ii) Give priority to an LEA serving a high number or percentage of 
high-need schools.
    (3) Duration.
    The term of a subgrant must be determined by the grantee and must 
not exceed five years.
    (4) Sufficient size and scope.
    Each subgrant must be of sufficient size and scope to allow the 
eligible entity to carry out high-quality comprehensive literacy 
instruction in each grade level for which the CLSD funds are provided.
    (5) Local uses of funds for kindergarten through grade 5.
    An eligible entity that receives a subgrant from the SEA under the 
CLSD program must use the CLSD funds to carry out the following 
activities pertaining to children in kindergarten through grade 5:
    (i) Developing and implementing a comprehensive literacy 
instruction plan across content areas for such children that--
    (A) Serves the needs of all children, including children with 
disabilities and English learners, especially children who are reading 
or writing below grade level;
    (B) Provides intensive, supplemental, accelerated, and explicit 
intervention and support in reading and writing for children whose 
literacy skills are below grade level; and
    (C) Supports activities that are provided primarily during the 
regular school day but that may be augmented by after-school and out-
of-school time instruction.
    (ii) Providing high-quality professional development opportunities 
for teachers, literacy coaches, literacy specialists, English as a 
second language specialists (as appropriate), principals, other school 
leaders, specialized instructional support personnel, school 
librarians, paraprofessionals, and other program staff.
    (iii) Training principals, specialized instructional support 
personnel, and other LEA personnel to support, develop, administer, and 
evaluate high-quality kindergarten through grade 5 literacy 
initiatives.
    (iv) Coordinating the involvement of early childhood education 
program staff, principals, other instructional leaders, teachers, 
teacher literacy teams, English as a second language specialists (as 
appropriate), special educators, school personnel, and specialized 
instructional support personnel (as appropriate) in the literacy 
development of children served.
    (v) Engaging families and encouraging family literacy experiences 
and practices to support literacy development.
    (6) Local uses of funds for grades 6 through 12.
    An eligible entity that receives a subgrant from the SEA under CLSD 
must use CLSD funds to carry out the following activities pertaining to 
children in grades 6 through 12:
    (i) Developing and implementing a comprehensive literacy 
instruction plan across content areas for such children that--
    (A) Serves the needs of all children, including children with 
disabilities and English learners, especially children who are reading 
or writing below grade level;
    (B) Provides intensive, supplemental, accelerated, and explicit 
intervention and support in reading and writing for children whose 
literacy skills are below grade level; and
    (C) Supports activities that are provided primarily during the 
regular school day but that may be augmented by after-school and out-
of-school time instruction.
    (ii) Training principals, specialized instructional support 
personnel, school librarians, and other LEA personnel to support, 
develop, administer, and evaluate high-quality comprehensive literacy 
instruction initiatives for grades 6 through 12.
    (iii) Assessing the quality of adolescent comprehensive literacy 
instruction as part of a well-rounded education.
    (iv) Providing time for teachers to meet to plan evidence-based 
adolescent comprehensive literacy instruction to be delivered as part 
of a well-rounded education.
    (v) Coordinating the involvement of principals, other instructional 
leaders, teachers, teacher literacy teams, English as a second language 
specialists (as appropriate), paraprofessionals, special educators, 
specialized instructional support personnel (as appropriate), and 
school personnel in the literacy development of children served.
    (7) Additional local allowable uses of funds for kindergarten 
through grade 12.
    An eligible entity that receives a subgrant from an SEA under CLSD 
may, in addition to carrying out the activities described in paragraphs 
5 and 6 of this requirement, use subgrant funds to carry out the 
following activities pertaining to children in kindergarten through 
grade 12:
    (i) Recruiting, placing, training, and compensating literacy 
coaches.
    (ii) Connecting out-of-school learning opportunities to in-school 
learning in order to improve children's literacy achievement.
    (iii) Training families and caregivers to support the improvement 
of adolescent literacy.
    (iv) Providing for a multi-tier system of supports (as defined in 
this notice) for literacy services.
    (v) Forming a school literacy leadership team to help implement, 
assess, and identify necessary changes to the literacy initiatives in 1 
or more schools to ensure success.
    (vi) Providing time for teachers (and other literacy staff, as 
appropriate, such as school librarians or specialized instructional 
support personnel) to meet to plan comprehensive literacy instruction.
    (e) Supplement not Supplant.
    Grantees must use CLSD funds to supplement, and not supplant, non-
Federal funds that would otherwise be used for activities authorized 
under the CLSD program.
    (f) Cooperation with National Evaluation.
    Grantees must cooperate with a national evaluation of the CLSD 
program (34 CFR 75.591). The evaluation will include high-quality 
research that applies rigorous and systematic procedures to obtain 
valid knowledge relevant to the implementation and effect of the CLSD 
program. The evaluation will directly coordinate with individual State 
evaluations of the CLSD program implementation.
    Definitions: The definitions of ``comprehensive literacy 
instruction,'' ``eligible entity,'' and ``high-need school'' are from 
section 2221 of the ESEA. Except as otherwise specified, the 
definitions of ``child with a disability,'' ``English learner,'' 
``evidence-based,'' ``multi-tier system of supports,'' ``poverty 
line,'' ``professional development,'' ``school leader,'' and ``well-
rounded education'' are from section 8101 of the ESEA. The definitions 
of ``disconnected youth,'' ``early learning,'' ``educator,'' 
``military- or veteran-connected student,'' and ``underserved student'' 
are from, and apply to, the Supplemental Priorities.
    Child with a disability has the meaning given to the term in 
section 602 of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.
    Comprehensive literacy instruction means instruction that--

[[Page 30343]]

    (a) Includes developmentally appropriate, contextually explicit, 
and systematic instruction, and frequent practice, in reading and 
writing across content areas;
    (b) Includes age-appropriate, explicit, systematic, and intentional 
instruction in phonological awareness, phonic decoding, vocabulary, 
language structure, reading fluency, and reading comprehension;
    (c) Includes age-appropriate, explicit instruction in writing, 
including opportunities for children to write with clear purposes, with 
critical reasoning appropriate to the topic and purpose, and with 
specific instruction and feedback from instructional staff;
    (d) Makes available and uses diverse, high-quality print materials 
that reflect the reading and development levels, and interests, of 
children;
    (e) Uses differentiated instructional approaches, including 
individual and small group instruction and discussion;
    (f) Provides opportunities for children to use language with peers 
and adults in order to develop language skills, including developing 
vocabulary;
    (g) Includes frequent practice of reading and writing strategies;
    (h) Uses age-appropriate, valid, and reliable screening 
assessments, diagnostic assessments, formative assessment processes, 
and summative assessments to identify a child's learning needs, to 
inform instruction, and to monitor the child's progress and the effects 
of instruction;
    (i) Uses strategies to enhance children's motivation to read and 
write and children's engagement in self-directed learning;
    (j) Incorporates the principles of universal design for learning;
    (k) Depends on teachers' collaboration in planning, instruction, 
and assessing a child's progress and on continuous professional 
learning; and
    (l) Links literacy instruction to the challenging State academic 
standards, including the ability to navigate, understand, and write 
about complex print and digital subject matter.
    Disconnected youth means an individual, between the ages 14 and 
24,\6\ who may be from a low-income background, experiences 
homelessness, is in foster care, is involved in the justice system, or 
is not working or not enrolled in (or at risk of dropping out of) an 
educational institution.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \6\ CLSD serves youth from birth to grade 12. To the extent that 
State laws include youth up to age 24 in grade 12, those students 
may be served.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Early learning means any (a) State-licensed or State-regulated 
program or provider, regardless of setting or funding source, that 
provides early care and education for children from birth to 
kindergarten entry, including, but not limited to, any program operated 
by a child care center or in a family child care home; (b) program 
funded by the Federal Government or State or local educational agencies 
(including any IDEA-funded program); (c) Early Head Start and Head 
Start program; (d) non-relative child care provider who is not 
otherwise regulated by the State and who regularly cares for two or 
more unrelated children for a fee in a provider setting; and (e) other 
program that may deliver early learning and development services in a 
child's home, such as the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home 
Visiting Program; Early Head Start; and Part C of IDEA.
    Educator means an individual who is an early learning educator, 
teacher, principal or other school leader, specialized instructional 
support personnel (e.g., school psychologist, counselor, school social 
worker, early intervention service personnel), paraprofessional, or 
faculty.
    Eligible entity means an entity that consists of--
    (a) One or more LEAs that serve a high percentage of high-need 
schools and--
    (1) Have the highest number or proportion of children who are 
counted under section 1124(c) of the ESEA, in comparison to other LEAs 
in the State;
    (2) Are among the LEAs in the State with the highest number or 
percentages of children reading or writing below grade level, based on 
the most currently available State academic assessment data under 
section 1111(b)(2) of the ESEA; or
    (3) Serve a significant number or percentage of schools that are 
implementing comprehensive support and improvement activities and 
targeted support and improvement activities under section 1111(d) of 
the ESEA;
    (b) One or more early childhood education programs serving low-
income or otherwise disadvantaged children, which may include home-
based literacy programs for pre-school-aged children, that have a 
demonstrated record of providing comprehensive literacy instruction for 
the age group such program proposes to serve; or
    (c) An LEA, described in paragraph (a), or consortium of such LEAs, 
or an early childhood education program, which may include home-based 
literacy programs for preschool-aged children, acting in partnership 
with one or more public or private nonprofit organizations or agencies 
(which may include early childhood education programs) that have a 
demonstrated record of effectiveness in--
    (1) Improving literacy achievement of children, consistent with the 
purposes of participation under the CLSD program, from birth through 
grade 12; and
    (2) Providing professional development in comprehensive literacy 
instruction.
    English learner 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 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.
    Evidence-based, when used with respect to a State, LEA, or school 
activity, means an activity, strategy, or intervention that 
demonstrates a statistically significant effect on improving student 
outcomes or other relevant outcomes based on--
    (a) Strong evidence from at least one-well designed and well-
implemented experimental study;
    (b) Moderate evidence from at least one well-designed and well-
implemented quasi-experimental study; or
    (c) Promising evidence from at least one well-designed and well-
implemented correlational study with statistical controls for selection 
bias.
    High-need school means--
    (a)(i) An elementary school or middle school in which not less than 
50 percent of the enrolled students are children from low-income 
families; or
    (ii) A high school in which not less than 40 percent of the 
enrolled students are children from low-income families, which may be 
calculated using comparable data from the schools that feed into the 
high school.

[[Page 30344]]

    (b) For the purposes of paragraph (a) of this definition, the term 
``low-income family'' means a family--
    (i) In which the children are eligible for a free or reduced-price 
lunch under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 
1751 et seq.);
    (ii) Receiving assistance under the program of block grants to 
States for temporary assistance for needy families established under 
part A of title IV of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 601 et seq.); 
or
    (iii) In which the children are eligible to receive medical 
assistance under the Medicaid program under title XIX of the Social 
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq.).
    Military- or veteran-connected student means one or more of the 
following:
    (a) A child participating in an early learning program, a student 
enrolled in preschool through grade 12, or a student enrolled in career 
and technical education or postsecondary education who has a parent or 
guardian who is a member of the uniformed services (as defined by 37 
U.S.C. 101), in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, 
Space Force, National Guard, Reserves, National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration, or Public Health Service or is a veteran of the 
uniformed services with an honorable discharge (as defined by 38 U.S.C. 
3311).
    (b) A student who is a member of the uniformed services, a veteran 
of the uniformed services, or the spouse of a service member or 
veteran.
    (c) A child participating in an early learning program, a student 
enrolled in preschool through grade 12, or a student enrolled in career 
and technical education or postsecondary education who has a parent or 
guardian who is a veteran of the uniformed services (as defined by 37 
U.S.C. 101).
    Multi-tier system of supports means a comprehensive continuum of 
evidence-based, systemic practices to support a rapid response to 
students' needs, with regular observation to facilitate data-based 
instructional decisionmaking.
    Poverty line means the poverty line (as defined by the Office of 
Management and Budget and revised annually in accordance with section 
673(2) of the Community Services Block Grant Act) applicable to a 
family of the size involved.
    Professional development means activities that--
    (a) Are an integral part of school and LEA strategies for providing 
educators (including teachers, principals, other school leaders, 
specialized instructional support personnel, paraprofessionals, and as 
applicable, early childhood educators) with the knowledge and skills 
necessary to enable students to succeed in a well-rounded education and 
to meet the challenging State academic standards; and
    (b) Are sustained (not stand-alone, one-day, or short-term 
workshops), intensive, collaborative, job-embedded, data-driven, and 
classroom-focused, and may include activities that--
    (1) Improve and increase teachers'--
    (i) Knowledge of the academic subjects the teachers teach;
    (ii) Understanding of how students learn; and
    (iii) Ability to analyze student work and achievement from multiple 
sources, including how to adjust instructional strategies, assessments, 
and materials based on such analysis;
    (2) Are an integral part of broad schoolwide and districtwide 
educational improvement plans;
    (3) Allow personalized plans for each educator to address the 
educator's specific needs identified in observation or other feedback;
    (4) Improve classroom management skills;
    (5) Support the recruitment, hiring, and training of effective 
teachers, including teachers who became certified through State and 
local alternative routes to certification;
    (6) Advance teacher understanding of--
    (i) Effective instructional strategies that are evidence-based; and
    (ii) Strategies for improving student academic achievement or 
substantially increasing the knowledge and teaching skills of teachers;
    (7) Are aligned with, and directly related to, academic goals of 
the school or LEA;
    (8) Are developed with extensive participation of teachers, 
principals, other school leaders, parents, representatives of Indian 
tribes (as applicable), and administrators of schools to be served 
under this program;
    (9) Are designed to give teachers of English learners, and other 
teachers and instructional staff, the knowledge and skills to provide 
instruction and appropriate language and academic support services to 
those children, including the appropriate use of curricula and 
assessments;
    (10) To the extent appropriate, provide training for teachers, 
principals, and other school and community-based early childhood 
program leaders in the use of technology (including education about the 
harms of copyright piracy), so that technology and technology 
applications are effectively used in the classroom to improve teaching 
and learning in the curricula and academic subjects in which the 
teachers teach;
    (11) As a whole, are regularly evaluated for their impact on 
teacher effectiveness and student academic achievement, with the 
findings of the evaluations used to improve the quality of professional 
development;
    (12) Are designed to give teachers of children with disabilities or 
children with developmental delays, and other teachers and 
instructional staff, the knowledge and skills to provide instruction 
and academic support services to those children, including positive 
behavioral interventions and supports, multi-tier system of supports, 
and use of accommodations;
    (13) Include instruction in the use of data and assessments to 
inform classroom practice;
    (14) Include instruction in ways that teachers, principals, other 
school leaders, specialized instructional support personnel, and school 
administrators may work more effectively with parents and families;
    (15) Involve the forming of partnerships with institutions of 
higher education, including, as applicable, Tribal Colleges and 
Universities as defined in section 316(b) of the Higher Education Act 
of 1965, as amended (HEA) (20 U.S.C. 1059c(b)), to establish school-
based teacher, principal, and other school leader training programs 
that provide prospective teachers, novice teachers, principals, and 
other school leaders with an opportunity to work under the guidance of 
experienced teachers, principals, other school leaders, and faculty of 
such institutions;
    (16) Create programs to enable paraprofessionals (assisting 
teachers employed by an LEA receiving assistance under part A of title 
I of the ESEA) to obtain the education necessary for those 
paraprofessionals to become certified and licensed teachers;
    (17) Provide follow-up training to teachers who have participated 
in activities described in this paragraph that are designed to ensure 
that the knowledge and skills learned by the teachers are implemented 
in the classroom; and
    (18) Where practicable, provide jointly for school staff and other 
early childhood education program providers, to address the transition 
to elementary school, including issues related to school readiness.
    School leader means a principal, assistant principal, or other 
individual who is--
    (a) An employee or officer of an elementary school or secondary 
school, LEA, or other entity operating an elementary school or 
secondary school; and

[[Page 30345]]

    (b) Responsible for the daily instructional leadership and 
managerial operations in the elementary school or secondary school 
building.
    Underserved student means a student (which may include children in 
early learning environments and students in K-12 programs, as 
appropriate) in one or more of the following subgroups:
    (a) A student who is living in poverty or is served by schools with 
high concentrations of students living in poverty.
    (b) A student of color.
    (c) A student who is a member of a federally recognized Indian 
Tribe.
    (d) An English learner.
    (e) A child or student with a disability.
    (f) A disconnected youth.
    (g) A migrant student.
    (h) A student experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity.
    (i) A student who is in foster care.
    (j) A student without documentation of immigration status.
    (k) A pregnant, parenting, or caregiving student.
    (l) A student impacted by the justice system, including a formerly 
incarcerated student.
    (m) A student performing significantly below grade level.
    (n) A military- or veteran- connected student. For the purpose of 
this definition only--
    Children or students with disabilities means children with 
disabilities as defined in section 602(3) of the Individuals with 
Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) (20 U.S.C. 1401(3)) and 34 CFR 300.8, 
or students with disabilities, as defined in the Rehabilitation Act of 
1973 (29 U.S.C. 705(37), 705(202)(B)).
    English learner means an individual who is an English learner as 
defined in section 8101(20) of the Elementary and Secondary Education 
Act of 1965, as amended, or an individual who is an English language 
learner as defined in section 203(7) of the Workforce Innovation and 
Opportunity Act.
    Well-rounded education means courses, activities, and programming 
in subjects such as English, reading or language arts, writing, 
science, technology, engineering, mathematics, foreign languages, 
civics and government, economics, arts, history, geography, computer 
science, music, career and technical education, health, physical 
education, and any other subject, as determined by the State or LEA, 
with the purpose of providing all students access to an enriched 
curriculum and educational experience.
    Program Authority: Sections 2221-2225 and 2301 of the ESEA.
    Note: Projects will be awarded and must be operated in a manner 
consistent with the nondiscrimination requirements contained in the 
Federal civil rights laws.
    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 Supplemental Priorities.
    Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 79 apply to all applicants 
except federally recognized Indian Tribes.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
    Estimated Available Funds: $185,000,000.
    Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of 
applications, we may make additional awards in FY 2025 from the list of 
unfunded applications from this competition.
    Estimated Range of Awards (Annual): $9,500,000-$12,000,000.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards (Annual): $11,000,000.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 15-20.
    Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice.
    Project Period: 60 months. The Secretary may renew a grant for an 
additional two-year period upon the termination of the initial grant 
period if the grant recipient demonstrates to the satisfaction of the 
Secretary that (1) the State has made adequate progress; and (2) 
renewing the grant for an additional two-year period is necessary to 
carry out the objectives of the grant detailed in section 2222(d) of 
the ESEA.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: SEAs of the 50 States, the District of 
Columbia, and Puerto Rico (also referred to in this notice as States).
    2. a. Cost Sharing or Matching: This competition does not require 
cost sharing or matching.
    b. Supplement-Not-Supplant: This competition involves supplement-
not-supplant funding requirements. Section 2301 of the ESEA provides 
that funds made available under this program must be used to 
supplement, and not supplant, non-Federal funds that would otherwise be 
used for CLSD program activities by grantees and subgrantees.
    c. Indirect Cost Rate Information: This program uses a restricted 
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.
    d. 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: Under 34 CFR 75.708(b) and (c), a grantee under 
this competition may award subgrants--to directly carry out project 
activities described in its application--to eligible entities.
    The grantee must award subgrants to entities it selects through a 
competition under procedures established by the grantee and consistent 
with sections 2222-2224 of the ESEA.

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.
    2. Submission of Proprietary Information: Given the types of 
projects that may be proposed in applications for the CLSD 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 believe is exempt from disclosure 
under Exemption 4. In the appropriate Appendix section of your 
application,

[[Page 30346]]

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 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 to no more than 50 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.
    The recommended page limit does not apply to the cover sheet; the 
budget section, including the narrative budget justification; the 
assurances and certifications; or the one-page abstract, resumes, 
bibliography, logic model, or letters of support. However, the 
recommended page limit does apply to all of the application narrative.
    6. Notice of Intent to Apply: The Department will be able to review 
grant applications more efficiently if we know the approximate number 
of applicants that intend to apply. Therefore, we strongly encourage 
each potential applicant to notify us of their intent to submit an 
application. To do so, please email the program contact person listed 
under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT with the subject line ``Intent to 
Apply,'' and include the applicant's name and a contact person's name 
and email address. Applicants that do not submit a notice of intent to 
apply may still apply for funding; applicants that do submit a notice 
of intent to apply are not bound to apply or bound by the information 
provided.

V. Application Review Information

    1. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this competition 
are from 34 CFR 75.210. The maximum possible score for addressing all 
criteria is 100 points. The maximum possible score for addressing each 
criterion is indicated in parentheses. The selection criteria for this 
competition are as follows:
    (a) Need for project (0 to 5 points).
    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.
    (b) Quality of the project design (0 to 30 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:
    (1) The extent to which the goals, objectives, and outcomes to be 
achieved by the proposed project are clearly specified and measurable. 
(10 points)
    (2) 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. (10 points).
    (3) The extent to which the proposed project is supported by 
promising evidence (as defined in 34 CFR 77.1(c)). (10 points).
    (c) Quality of management plan (0 to 40 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:
    (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. (10 points).
    (2) The adequacy of procedures for ensuring feedback and continuous 
improvement in the operation of the proposed project. (10 points).
    (3) The extent to which the time commitments of the project 
director and principal investigator and other key project personnel are 
appropriate and adequate to meet the objectives of the proposed 
project. (10 points).
    (4) The adequacy of mechanisms for ensuring high-quality products 
and services from the proposed project. Note: Applicants may consider 
subrecipient monitoring as an example of a mechanism in addressing this 
sub-criterion. (10 points).
    (d) Quality of project services (0 to 15 points).
    The Secretary considers the quality of the project services to be 
provided by the proposed project. In determining the quality of project 
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. In addition, the 
Secretary considers:
    (1) The likely impact of the services to be provided by the 
proposed project on the intended recipients of those services; (5 
points) and
    (2) The extent to which the training or professional development 
services to be provided by the proposed project are of sufficient 
quality, intensity, and duration to lead to improvements in practice 
among the recipients of those services. (5 points).
    (3) The extent to which the services to be provided by the proposed 
project reflect up-to-date knowledge from research and effective 
practice. (5 points).
    (e) Quality of project evaluation (0 to 10 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:
    (1) The extent to which the methods of evaluation are thorough, 
feasible, and appropriate to the goals, objectives, and outcomes of the 
proposed project. (5 points).
    (2) The extent to which the methods of evaluation will provide 
performance feedback and permit periodic assessment of progress toward 
achieving intended outcomes. (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.

[[Page 30347]]

    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 also may notify you 
informally.
    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.
    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: For purposes of Department reporting under 
34 CFR 75.110, the Department has established the following performance 
measures for the CLSD program:
    (1) The percentage of participating four-year-old children who 
achieve significant gains in oral language skills, as determined by a 
State-approved measure.
    (2) The percentage of participating fifth-grade students who meet 
or exceed proficiency on State reading/language arts assessments under 
section 1111(b)(2)(B)(v)(I) of the ESEA.
    (3) The percentage of participating eighth-grade students who meet 
or exceed proficiency on State reading/language arts assessments under 
section 1111(b)(2)(B)(v)(I) of the ESEA.
    (4) The percentage of participating high school students who meet 
or exceed proficiency on State reading/language arts assessments under 
section 1111(b)(2)(B)(v)(I) of the ESEA.
    All grantees will be expected to submit an annual performance 
report that includes data addressing these performance measures to the 
extent that they apply to the grantee's project. Performance targets 
will be established by each grantee and must be made for each year of 
the performance period, not to exceed five years.
    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;

[[Page 30348]]

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).
    7. Annual Project Directors' Meetings: Applicants approved for 
funding under this competition must attend a meeting for project 
directors at a location to be determined in the continental United 
States during each year of the project. Applicants may include, if 
applicable, the cost of attending this meeting in their proposed 
budgets as allowable administrative costs.

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 and a copy of the application package 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,
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Delegated the Authority to 
Perform the Functions and Duties of the Assistant Secretary, Office of 
Elementary and Secondary Education.
[FR Doc. 2024-08578 Filed 4-22-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P