Applications for New Awards; Education Research and Special Education Research Grant Programs

Federal Register, Volume 83 Issue 98 (Monday, May 21, 2018)

Federal Register Volume 83, Number 98 (Monday, May 21, 2018)

Notices

Pages 23441-23446

From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov

FR Doc No: 2018-10802

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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Applications for New Awards; Education Research and Special Education Research Grant Programs

AGENCY: Institute of Education Sciences, Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Education is issuing a notice inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY) 2019 for the Education Research and Special

Page 23442

Education Research Grant Programs, Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) numbers 84.305A, 84.305C, 84.305D, 84.305H, 84.305L, 84.324A, 84.324B, 84.324L, and 84.324N.

DATES: The dates when applications are available and the deadlines for transmittal of applications invited under this notice are indicated in the chart at the end of this notice and in the Requests for Applications (RFAs) that are posted at the following websites: https://ies.ed.gov/funding, https://www.ed.gov/programs/edresearch/index.html, and https://www.ed.gov/programs/specialedresearch/index.html.

ADDRESSES: For the addresses for obtaining and submitting an application, please refer to our Common Instructions for Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs, published in the Federal Register on February 12, 2018 (83 FR 6003) and available at www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2018-02-12/pdf/2018-02558.pdf.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The contact person associated with a particular research competition is listed in the chart at the end of this notice, as well as in the relevant RFA and application package.

If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) or a text telephone (TTY), call the Federal Relay Service, toll free, at 1-800-

877-8339.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Full Text of Announcement

  1. Funding Opportunity Description

    Purpose of Program: In awarding these grants, the Institute of Education Sciences (Institute) intends to provide national leadership in expanding fundamental knowledge and understanding of (1) developmental and school readiness outcomes for infants and toddlers with or at risk for a disability, (2) education outcomes for all students from early childhood education through postsecondary and adult education, and (3) employment and wage outcomes when relevant (such as for students who engaged in career and technical, postsecondary, or adult education). The Institute's research grant programs are designed to provide interested individuals and the general public with reliable and valid information about education practices that support learning and improve academic achievement and access to education opportunities for all students. These interested individuals include parents, educators, students, researchers, and policymakers. In carrying out its grant programs, the Institute provides support for programs of research in areas of demonstrated national need.

    Competitions in This Notice: The Institute will conduct nine research competitions in FY 2019 through two of its centers:

    The Institute's National Center for Education Research (NCER) will hold a total of five competitions--one competition in each of the following areas: Education research; education research and development centers; statistical and reseach methodology in education; partnerships and collaborations focused on problems of practice or policy; and low-

    cost, short-duration evaluation of education interventions.

    The Institute's National Center for Special Education Research (NCSER) will hold a total of four competitions--one competition in each of the following areas: Special education research; research training programs in special education; low-cost, short-duration evaluation of special education interventions; and research networks focused on critical problems of policy and practice in special education.

    NCER Competitions

    The Education Research Competition. Under this competition, NCER will consider only applications that address one of the following topics:

    Career and Technical Education.

    Cognition and Student Learning.

    Early Learning Programs and Policies.

    Education Leadership.

    Education Technology.

    Effective Teachers and Effective Teaching.

    English Learners.

    Improving Education Systems.

    Postsecondary and Adult Education.

    Reading and Writing.

    Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Education.

    Social and Behavioral Context for Academic Learning.

    Special Topics, which include--

    Social Studies.

    Foreign Language Education.

    The Education Research and Development Centers Competition. Under this competition, NCER will consider only applications that address one of the following two topics:

    Improving Rural Education.

    Writing in Secondary Schools.

    The Statistical and Research Methodology in Education Competition. Under this competition, NCER will consider only applications that address one of the following two topics:

    Statistical and Research Methodology Grants.

    Early Career Statistical and Research Methodology Grants.

    The Partnerships and Collaborations Focused on Problems of Practice or Policy Competition. Under this competition, NCER will consider only applications that address one of the following two topics:

    Researcher-Practitioner Partnerships in Education Research.

    Evaluation of State and Local Education Programs and Policies.

    The Low-Cost, Short-Duration Evaluation of Education Interventions Competitions. Under this competition, NCER will consider only applications that address low-cost, short-duration evaluation of education interventions.

    NCSER Competitions

    The Special Education Research Competition. Under this competition, NCSER will consider only applications that address one of the following topics:

    Autism Spectrum Disorders.

    Cognition and Student Learning in Special Education.

    Early Intervention and Early Learning in Special Education.

    Families of Children with Disabilities.

    Professional Development for Teachers and School-Based Service Providers.

    Reading, Writing, and Language Development.

    Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Education.

    Social and Behavioral Outcomes to Support Learning.

    Special Education Policy, Finance, and Systems.

    Technology for Special Education.

    Transition Outcomes for Secondary Students with Disabilities.

    Special Topics, which include--

    Career and Technical Education for Students with Disabilities.

    English Learners with Disabilities.

    Systems-Involved Students with Disabilities.

    The Research Training Programs in Special Education Competition. Under this competition, NCSER will consider only applications that address early career development and mentoring.

    The Low-Cost, Short-Duration Evaluation of Special Education Interventions Competitions. Under this competition, NCSER will consider only applications that address low-cost, short-duration evaluation of special education interventions.

    The Research Networks Focused on Critical Problems of Policy and Practice in Special Education Competition. Under this competition, NCSER will consider only applications that address research on Multi-

    Tiered Systems of Support under the following topic:

    Page 23443

    Research Team.

    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 9501 et seq.

    Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General Administrative Regulations in 34 CFR parts 77, 81, 82, 84, 86, 97, 98, and 99. In addition, the regulations in 34 CFR part 75 are applicable, except for the provisions in 34 CFR 75.100, 75.101(b), 75.102, 75.103, 75.105, 75.109(a), 75.200, 75.201, 75.209, 75.210, 75.211, 75.217(a)-

    (c), 75.219, 75.220, 75.221, 75.222, 75.230, and 75.708. (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 in 2 CFR part 3474.

    Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to institutions of higher education only.

    Note: The open licensing requirement in 2 CFR 3474.20 does not apply for this program.

  2. Award Information

    Types of Awards: Discretionary grants and cooperative agreements.

    Fiscal Information: Although Congress has not yet enacted an appropriation for FY 2019, the Institute is inviting applications for these competitions now so that applicants can have adequate time to prepare their applications. The actual level of funding, if any, depends on final congressional action. The Department may announce additional competitions later in 2018. The actual award of grants will depend on the availability of funds.

    Estimated Range of Awards: See chart at the end of this notice.

    Estimated Size and Number of Awards: The size of the awards will depend on the scope of the projects proposed. The number of awards made under each competition will depend on the quality of the applications received for that competition, the availability of funds, and the following limits on awards for specific competitions and topics set by the Institute. See the chart at the end of this notice for additional information.

    The Institute may waive any of the following limits on awards for a specific competition or topic in the special case that the peer review process results in a tie between two or more grant applications, making it impossible to adhere to the limits without funding only some of the equally ranked applications. In that case, the Institute may make a larger number of awards to include all applications of the same rank.

    For NCER's Education Research and Development competition, we intend to fund one grant under the Writing topic and up to two grants under the Rural Education topic if they are deemed complementary rather than duplicative (e.g., if the research is conducted in different States or regions of the country, and/or addressing different problems or issues in rural education).

    For NCSER's Research Networks Focused on Critical Problems of Policy and Practice in Special Education competition, we intend to fund no more than five Research Team grants.

    Contingent on the availability of funds and the quality of applications, we may make additional awards in FY 2020 from the list of highly-rated unfunded applications from the FY 2019 competitions.

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

    Project Period: See chart at the end of this notice.

  3. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: Applicants that have the ability and capacity to conduct scientifically valid research are eligible to apply. Eligible applicants include, but are not limited to, nonprofit and for-profit organizations and public and private agencies and institutions of higher education, such as colleges and universities.

    2. Cost Sharing or Matching: These programs do not require cost sharing or matching.

  4. Application and Submission Information

    1. Application Submission Instructions: For information on how to submit an application please refer to our Common Instructions for Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs, published in the Federal Register on February 12, 2018 (83 FR 6003) and available at www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2018-02-12/pdf/2018-02558.pdf.

    2. Other Information: Information regarding program and application requirements for the competitions will be contained in the NCER and NCSER RFAs, which will be available on or before May 31, 2018, on the Institute's website at: https://ies.ed.gov/funding/. The dates on which the application packages for these competitions will be available are indicated in the chart at the end of this notice.

    3. Content and Form of Application Submission: Requirements concerning the content of an application are contained in the RFA for the specific competition. The forms that must be submitted are in the application package for the specific competition.

    4. Submission Dates and Times: The deadline date for transmittal of applications for each competition is indicated in the chart at the end of this notice and in the RFAs for the competitions.

      We do not consider an application that does not comply with the deadline requirements.

    5. Intergovernmental Review: These competitions are not subject to Executive Order 12372 and the regulations in CFR part 79.

    6. Funding Restrictions: We reference regulations outlining funding restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.

  5. Application Review Information

    1. Selection Criteria: For all of its grant competitions, the Institute uses selection criteria based on a peer-review process that has been approved by the National Board for Education Sciences. The Peer Review Procedures for Grant Applications can be found on the Institute's website at https://ies.ed.gov/director/sro/peer_review/application_review.asp.

      For the 84.305A, 84.305D, 84.324A, and 84.324N competitions, peer reviewers will be asked to evaluate the significance of the application, the quality of the research plan, the qualifications and experience of the personnel, and the resources of the applicant to support the proposed activities. These criteria are described in greater detail in the RFAs.

      For the 84.324B competition, peer reviewers will be asked to evaluate the significance of the application, the quality of the research plan, the quality of the career development plan, the qualifications and experience of the personnel, and the resources of the applicant to support the proposed activities. These criteria are described in greater detail in the RFA.

      For the 84.305C competition, peer reviewers will be asked to evaluate the significance of the application, the quality of the research plan for the focused program of research, the quality of the plans for other center activities, the quality of the management and institutional resources, and the qualifications and experience of the personnel. These criteria are described in greater detail in the RFA.

      For the 84.305H, 84.305L, and 84.324L competitions, peer reviewers

      Page 23444

      will be asked to evaluate the significance of the application, the quality of the partnership, the quality of the research plan, the qualifications and experience of the personnel, and the resources of the applicant to support the proposed activities. These criteria are described in greater detail in the RFAs.

      For all of the Institute's competitions, applications should include budgets no higher than the relevant maximum award as set out in the relevant RFA. The Institute will not make an award exceeding the relevant maximum award amount as set out in the relevant RFA.

    2. Review and Selection Process: We remind potential applicants that in reviewing applications in any discretionary grant competition, the Institute 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 Institute 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 Institute also requires various assurances including those applicable to Federal civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination in programs or activities receiving Federal financial assistance from the Department of Education (34 CFR 100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).

    3. Risk Assessment and Specific Conditions: Consistent with 2 CFR 200.205, before awarding grants under these competitions the Department conducts a review of the risks posed by applicants. Under 2 CFR 3474.10, the Institute may impose specific conditions and, in appropriate circumstances, high-risk conditions on a grant if the applicant or grantee is not financially stable; has a history of unsatisfactory performance; has a financial or other management system that does not meet the standards in 2 CFR part 200, subpart D; has not fulfilled the conditions of a prior grant; or is otherwise not responsible.

    4. Integrity and Performance System: If you are selected under this competition to receive an award that over the course of the project period may exceed the simplified acquisition threshold (currently $150,000), under 2 CFR 200.205(a)(2) we must make a judgment about your integrity, business ethics, and record of performance under Federal awards--that is, the risk posed by you as an applicant--before we make an award. In doing so, we must consider any information about you that is in the integrity and performance system (currently referred to as the Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System (FAPIIS)), accessible through the System for Award Management. You may review and comment on any information about yourself that a Federal agency previously entered and that is currently in FAPIIS.

      Please note that, if the total value of your currently active grants, cooperative agreements, and procurement contracts from the Federal Government exceeds $10,000,000, the reporting requirements in 2 CFR part 200, Appendix XII, require you to report certain integrity information to FAPIIS semiannually. Please review the requirements in 2 CFR part 200, Appendix XII, if this grant plus all the other Federal funds you receive exceed $10,000,000.

  6. Award Administration Information

    1. Award Notices: If your application is successful, we notify your U.S. Representative and U.S. Senators and send you a Grant Award Notification (GAN); or we may send you an email containing a link to access an electronic version of your GAN. We may notify you informally, also.

      If your application is not evaluated or not selected for funding, we notify you.

    2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements: We identify administrative and national policy requirements in the application package and reference these and other requirements in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.

      We reference the regulations outlining the terms and conditions of an award in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice and include these and other specific conditions in the GAN. The GAN also incorporates your approved application as part of your binding commitments under the grant.

    3. Grant Administration: Applicants should budget for an annual two-day meeting for project directors to be held in Washington, DC.

    4. Reporting: (a) If you apply for a grant under one of the competitions announced in this notice, 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 Institute. 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 Institute under 34 CFR 75.118. The Institute 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: To evaluate the overall success of its education research and special education research grant programs, the Institute annually assesses the percentage of projects that result in peer-reviewed publications, the number of newly developed or modified interventions with evidence of promise for improving student education outcomes, and the number of Institute-supported interventions with evidence of efficacy in improving student outcomes including school readiness outcomes for young children and student academic outcomes and social and behavioral competencies for school-age students. School readiness outcomes include pre-reading, reading, pre-writing, early mathematics, early science, and social-emotional skills that prepare young children for school. Student academic outcomes include learning and achievement in core academic content areas (reading, writing, math, and science) and outcomes that reflect students' successful progression through the education system (e.g., course and grade completion; high school graduation; postsecondary enrollment, progress, and completion). Social and behavioral competencies include social and emotional skills, attitudes, and behaviors that are important to student's academic and post-academic success. Additional education outcomes for students with or at risk of a disability (as defined in the relevant RFA) include developmental outcomes for infants and toddlers (birth to age three) pertaining to cognitive, communicative, linguistic, social, emotional, adaptive, functional, or physical development; and developmental and functional outcomes that improve education outcomes, transition to employment, independent living, and postsecondary education for students with disabilities.

    6. Continuation Awards: In making a continuation award under 34 CFR 75.253, the Institute considers, among other things: Whether a grantee has made substantial progress in meeting 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 Institute has established performance measurement requirements, whether the grantee has

      Page 23445

      met the performance targets in the grantee's approved application.

      In making a continuation award, the Institute 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. Other Information

    Accessible Format: Individuals with disabilities can obtain this document and a copy of the RFA in an accessible format (e.g., braille, large print, audiotape, or compact disc) on request to the appropriate program contact person listed in the chart at the end of this notice.

    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 via the Federal Digital System at: www.gpo.gov/fdsys. At this site you can view this document, as well as all other documents of this Department published in the Federal Register, in text or Portable Document Format (PDF). To use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available free at this site.

    You may also access documents of the Department published in the Federal Register by using the article search feature at: www.federalregister.gov. Specifically, through the advanced search feature at this site, you can limit your search to documents published by the Department.

    Dated: May 16, 2018.

    Mark Schneider,

    Director, Institute of Education Sciences.

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    For further

    CFDA No. and name Application package Deadline for transmittal Estimated range of awards * Project period information

    available of applications contact

    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    National Center for Education Research (NCER)

    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    84.305A Education Research...

    ssquf Career and

    Technical Education

    ssquf Cognition and

    Student Learning

    ssquf Early Learning

    Programs and Policies

    ssquf Education

    Leadership

    ssquf Education

    Technology

    ssquf Effective

    Teachers and Effective

    Teaching

    ssquf English Learners

    ssquf Improving June 21, 2018........... August 23, 2018......... $100,000 to $760,000........... Up to 5 years...... Molly Faulkner-

    Education Systems Bond

    Molly.Faulkner-

    email protected

    ssquf Postsecondary and

    Adult Education

    ssquf Reading and

    Writing

    ssquf Science,

    Technology, Engineering,

    and Mathematics

    Education

    ssquf Social and

    Behavioral Context for

    Academic Learning

    ssquf Special Topics

    cir Social Studies

    cir Foreign

    Language Education

    84.305C Education Research

    and Development Centers.

    ssquf Improving Rural June 21, 2018........... August 9, 2018.......... $1,000,000 to $2,000,000....... Up to 5 years...... Corinne Alfed

    Education email protected

    d.gov.

    ssquf Writing in

    Secondary Schools

    84.305D Statistical and

    Research Methodology in

    Education.

    ssquf Statistical and June 21, 2018........... August 23, 2018......... $40,000 to $300,000............ Up to 3 years...... Phill Gagne

    Research Methodology email protected

    Grants gov.

    ssquf Early Career

    Statistical and Research

    Methodology Grants

    84.305H Partnerships and

    Collaborations Focused on

    Problems of Practice or

    Policy.

    ssquf Researcher- June 21, 2018........... August 23, 2018......... $50,000 to $1,000,000.......... Up to 5 years...... Allen Ruby

    Practitioner email protected

    Partnerships in ov.

    Education Research

    ssquf Evaluation of

    State and Local

    Education Programs and

    Policies

    84.305L Low-Cost, Short- January 10, 2019........ March 7, 2019........... $50,000 to $125,000............ Up to 2 years...... Phill Gagne

    Duration Evaluation of email protected

    Education Interventions. gov.

    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    National Center for Special Education Research (NCSER)

    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    84.324A Special Education

    Research.

    Page 23446

    ssquf Autism Spectrum

    Disorders

    ssquf Cognition and

    Student Learning in

    Special Education

    ssquf Early

    Intervention and Early

    Learning in Special

    Education

    ssquf Families of

    Children with

    Disabilities

    ssquf Professional

    Development for Teachers

    and School-Based Service

    Providers

    ssquf Reading, Writing,

    and Language Development

    ssquf Science,

    Technology, Engineering,

    and Mathematics

    Education

    ssquf Social and June 21, 2018........... August 23, 2018......... $100,000 to $760,000........... Up to 5 years...... Amy Sussman

    Behavioral Outcomes to email protected

    Support Learning gov.

    ssquf Special Education

    Policy, Finance, and

    Systems

    ssquf Technology for

    Special Education

    ssquf Transition

    Outcomes for Secondary

    Students with

    Disabilities

    ssquf Special Topics

    cir Career and

    Technical Education for

    Students with

    Disabilities

    cir English Learners

    with Disabilities

    cir Systems-Involved

    Students with

    Disabilities

    84.324B Research Training June 21, 2018........... August 23, 2018......... $50,000 to $125,000............ Up to 4 years...... Katherine

    Programs in Special Taylor

    Education. Katherine.Taylo

    email protected

    ssquf Early Career

    Development and

    Mentoring

    84.324L Low-Cost, Short- January 10, 2019........ March 7, 2019........... $50,000 to $125,000............ Up to 2 years...... Sarah Brasiel

    Duration Evaluation of email protected

    Special Education d.gov.

    Interventions.

    84.324N Research Networks June 21, 2018........... August 9, 2018.......... $300,000 to $1,000,000......... Up to 5 years...... Amy Sussman

    Focused on Critical Problems email protected

    of Policy and Practice in gov.

    Special Education.

    ssquf Research Team

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    * These estimates are annual amounts.

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

    Note: If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) or a text telephone (TTY), call the Federal Relay Service, toll free, at 1-800-877-8339.

    FR Doc. 2018-10802 Filed 5-18-18; 8:45 am

    BILLING CODE 4000-01-P

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