[Federal Register: June 11, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 111)]
[Notices]
[Page 32084-32093]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr11jn07-42]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Office of Vocational and Adult Education; Overview Information;
National Research Center for Career and Technical Education; Notice
Inviting Applications for a New Award for Fiscal Year (FY) 2006
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.051A
Dates:
Applications Available: June 11, 2007.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: August 10, 2007.
Full Text of Announcement
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Purpose of Program: Section 114(d)(4) of the Carl D. Perkins Career
and Technical Education Act of 2006 (Act) authorizes the Secretary,
after consulting with the States, to establish a national research
center (Center) to carry out scientifically based research and
evaluation, and to conduct dissemination and training activities
consistent with the purposes of the Act. Further, section 114(d)(5) of
the Act authorizes the Secretary to provide technical assistance, upon
request of a State, for the purpose of developing, improving, and
identifying the most successful methods and techniques for providing
career and technical education programs assisted under the Act. Under
the authority of section 114(d)(5), the Secretary will provide
technical assistance to States through the Center.
Background Information
The Act, a reauthorization of the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and
Technical Education Act of 1998 (Perkins III), continues the commitment
to high-quality career and technical education embodied in Perkins III.
The Act continues the previous legislation's focus on developing
challenging academic and technical standards and assisting students in
meeting such standards, including through preparation for high-skill,
high-wage, or high-demand occupations in current or emerging
professions and in nontraditional fields. The Act is aligned with the
principles of the Elementary Secondary Education Act of 1965, as
amended (20 U.S.C. 6301 et seq.) (ESEA) in that it promotes the
development of services and activities that integrate rigorous and
challenging academic course work with career and technical education so
that all students can be prepared for postsecondary education and
careers.
[[Page 32085]]
Consultation Process
Pursuant to section 114(d)(4) of the Act, which requires the
Secretary to consult with States before establishing a Center, we used
several strategies to conduct consultations and provided a number of
opportunities for States and other interested parties to give
suggestions regarding the Center. For example, the Department--
(a) Used e-mail to solicit suggestions from State Directors of
career and technical education and representatives of professional
organizations and associations;
(b) Posted on the Department's Web site an invitation for the
public to provide suggestions on what the Department needs to consider
when establishing a Center;
(c) Invited State Directors, during the September 2006 Conference
of the National Association of State Directors of Career and Technical
Education Consortium, to send the Department suggestions on how the
Center could best serve their needs; and
(d) Held a meeting with State Directors of career and technical
education, representatives of career and technical education
professional organizations and associations, and members of the higher
education community to discuss their research, evaluation, and
technical assistance needs and to request suggestions on how the Center
could best serve their respective needs.
We appreciate the time that various interested parties took to
provide us with suggestions. We carefully considered the suggestions we
received as we determined the focus and activities of the Center as
described in this notice.
Required Project Activities
Through this competition, the Secretary will award a cooperative
agreement to establish a national research center for career and
technical education that implements sections 114(d)(4) and (5) of the
Act to--
(a) Carry out scientifically based research and evaluation for the
purpose of developing, improving, and identifying the most successful
methods for addressing the education, employment, and training needs of
participants, including special populations, in career and technical
education programs, including research and evaluation in activities
such as--
(1) The integration of--
(i) Career and technical instruction; and
(ii) Academic, secondary, and postsecondary instruction;
(2) Education technology and distance learning approaches and
strategies that are effective with respect to career and technical
education;
(3) State-adjusted levels of performance and State levels of
performance that serve to improve career and technical education
programs and student achievement;
(4) Academic knowledge and career and technical skills required for
employment or participation in postsecondary education; and
(5) Preparation for occupations in high-skill, high-wage, or high-
demand business and industry, including examination of--
(i) Collaboration between career and technical education programs
and business and industry; and
(ii) Academic and technical skills required for a regional or
sectoral workforce, including small businesses (20 U.S.C.
2324(d)(4)(A)(i));
(b) Carry out scientifically based research and evaluation to
increase the effectiveness and improve the implementation of career and
technical education programs that are integrated with coherent and
rigorous content aligned with challenging academic standards, including
by conducting research and development, and studies, that provide
longitudinal information or formative evaluation with respect to career
and technical education programs and student achievement (20 U.S.C.
2324(d)(4)(A)(ii));
(c) Carry out scientifically based research and evaluation that can
be used to improve the preparation and professional development of
teachers, faculty, and administrators, and to improve student learning
in the career and technical education classroom including--
(1) Effective in-service and preservice teacher and faculty
education that assists career and technical education programs in--
(i) Integrating those programs with academic content standards and
student academic achievement standards, as adopted by States under
section 1111(b)(1) of the ESEA; and
(ii) Coordinating career and technical education with industry-
recognized certification requirements;
(2) Dissemination and training activities related to the applied
research and demonstration activities described in this section of the
notice, which may also include serving as a repository for information
on career and technical skills, State academic standards, and related
materials; and
(3) The recruitment and retention of career and technical education
teachers, faculty, counselors, and administrators, including
individuals in groups underrepresented in the teaching profession (20
U.S.C. 2324(d)(4)(A)(iii));
(d) Carry out such other research and evaluation, consistent with
the purposes of the Act, as the Secretary determines appropriate to
assist State and local recipients of funds under the Act (20 U.S.C.
2324(d)(4)(A)(iv));
(e) Conduct dissemination and training activities based upon the
research performed by the Center and described in this notice (20
U.S.C. 2324(d)(4)(C)), including--
(1) Developing, for dissemination, information on promising or best
practices for enhancing student achievement and performance that are
based on scientifically based research, conducted by the Center and
others, and that are geared to administrators, teachers, counselors,
and policymakers; and
(2) Disseminating information on best practices for the purposes of
developing, improving, and identifying the most successful methods and
techniques for providing career and technical education programs
assisted under the Act (20 U.S.C. 2324(d)(5)); and
(f) Provide technical assistance upon request of a State for the
purpose of developing, improving, and identifying the most successful
methods and techniques for providing career and technical education
programs assisted under the Act (20 U.S.C. 2324(d)(5)).
Cooperative Agreement, Program Requirements, Application
Requirements, Priorities and Definitions Cooperative Agreement:
The Secretary plans to make an award to the Center under the terms
of a cooperative agreement. The Secretary expects to have substantial
involvement with the grantee during the performance of the funded
project. Substantial involvement on the part of the Department
includes:
(a) Direct operational involvement in the review and approval of
project activities.
(b) Continuing and regular participation in the project.
(c) Halting an activity immediately if detailed performance
specifications or requirements are not met.
(d) Reviewing and approving one stage of work before the Center can
begin a subsequent stage during the project period.
(e) Collaborating or participating jointly with the Center in the
assisted activities.
Program Requirements:
To ensure the high quality of the Center and the accomplishment of
the goals and purposes of sections 114(d)(4) and (5) of the Act, the
Secretary
[[Page 32086]]
establishes the following requirements for this competition:
(a) Center Director. The grantee institution must appoint a full-
time Director for the Center.
(b) Advisory Committee. (1) The grantee institution must establish
an advisory committee to provide the Center with advice and a diversity
of perspectives on the--
(i) Research, evaluation, and technical assistance needs of the
career and technical education community;
(ii) Center's scientifically based research;
(iii) Center's dissemination activities;
(iv) Center's technical assistance activities; and
(v) Other activities undertaken and materials published by the
Center, in carrying out the purposes of the Act.
(2) Each applicant must budget for, and include in its application,
preliminary plans for an advisory committee. The preliminary plans must
describe the composition of the advisory committee, including the
affiliations, professional qualifications, and proposed length of
service of potential advisory committee members.
(3) After the cooperative agreement is awarded, the Center must
provide, for the Department's approval, a detailed plan for the
advisory committee, including reasonable assurances that persons
identified as members will serve in the capacity stated in the detailed
plan.
(c) Project meetings. The applicant must plan and budget for--
(1) The Center Director to attend a two-day meeting in Washington,
DC at least once a year, for each year of the project to review
performance and discuss the Center's plans for scientifically based
research, evaluation, dissemination, professional development and
technical assistance;
(2) The Center Director and other key staff to attend the
following:
(i) A two-day post-award conference with program officials in
Washington, DC that will be held within 30 days after the date of the
grant award notice. The purpose of this conference will be to--
(A) Review and discuss the terms of the cooperative agreement
between the Center and the Department;
(B) Review and discuss the applicant's plans for the scientifically
based research, evaluation, dissemination, professional development,
and technical assistance to be carried out by the Center over the five
years of the project period;
(C) Discuss and establish how the grantee institution, the Center
and the Department will work together as partners, under the terms of
the cooperative agreement, to accomplish the purposes of the grant
award; and
(D) Establish specific lines of communication and feedback between
the Center and the Department.
(ii) A one-day annual performance review with program officials in
Washington, DC at the end of each project year.
(d) Alignment and Consultation. (1) To the extent possible, the
Center must align its professional development activities with those
professional development activities carried out--
(i) By ``eligible agencies'' and ``eligible recipients,'' as those
terms are defined in sections 3(12) and 3(14) of the Act (20 U.S.C.
2302(12) and (14)); and
(ii) Under the ESEA and the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
1001 et seq.).
(2) In order to exchange information, avoid duplication of effort,
pool resources, and improve the overall effectiveness of the Center's
activities, the Center must, to the extent possible, consult with the
sponsors of activities that are similar or related to its activities,
especially activities of the Department's Policy and Program Studies
Service (the lead office for the National Assessment of Career and
Technical Education), Office of Elementary and Secondary Education,
Office of Postsecondary Education, Office of Special Education and
Rehabilitative Services, Comprehensive Centers (particularly the
National High School Center), National Research and Development
Centers, and Regional Educational Labs. In addition, the Center must
consult with the National Science Foundation; national career and
technical education professional associations or organizations; and
other similar or related agencies, organizations, associations, and
activities.
(e) Publications. The Center must establish an effective quality
control process for all publications resulting from or used in the
Center's research, dissemination, technical assistance, and
professional development activities.
(f) Evaluation and GPRA Measures. (1) The applicant must budget for
and include preliminary plans in the application for an independent
evaluator to--
(i) Conduct an ongoing evaluation of the Center's effectiveness;
and
(ii) Annually measure and report on the GPRA measures identified in
the Performance Measures section of this notice.
(2) The preliminary plans must describe--
(i) The methods of evaluation to be used to measure the
effectiveness of the Center; and
(ii) With regard to the GPRA measures, (A) the composition of the
expert panels that the Center's evaluator will use to assess the
Center's performance under paragraphs (a) and (b) of the Performance
Measures section of this notice, including the affiliations and
professional qualifications of panel members; (B) how the Center plans
to ensure the objectivity of the expert panels; and (C) the procedures
the Center will use, as required by paragraphs (c) and (d) of the
Performance Measures section of this notice, to assess the usefulness
and quality of the technical assistance services and professional
development activities the Center provides.
(3) After the cooperative agreement is awarded, the Center must
provide, for the Department's approval, a detailed plan for conducting
the evaluation and measuring and reporting on the GPRA measures.
(4) The results of the evaluation must be submitted to the
Secretary in an interim evaluation report during the third year of the
project and in a final evaluation report during the fifth year of the
project.
(5) The results of the evaluation must be used to provide feedback
for continuous improvement in the operation of the Center.
(6) In determining the overall effectiveness of the Center, the
evaluation must take into account the Center's performance on the
Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 (GPRA) measures of
effectiveness identified in the Performance Measures section of this
notice.
(g) Contingency Plan. During the final year of the five-year
project period, the Center must develop and be prepared to implement a
contingency plan for completing all substantive work by the end of the
eleventh month of the final project year and transferring all the
products, data, services, materials, and research studies to a
successor Center during the twelfth month of the final project year.
Application Requirements:
Applicants must plan for a 10-month project period for the first
year of the project to enable the Center to establish a July-to-June
project period for the second through the fifth year of the project and
to align the Center's activities with the academic year.
Applicants must include, in addition to the items identified in
paragraphs (b)(2), (c), and (f) of the Program
[[Page 32087]]
Requirements, the following in their applications--
(a) Research Plan. A plan that describes the strategies and
approaches the applicant intends to use to carry out the scientifically
based research and evaluation activities described in section 114(d)(4)
of the Act and in the Required Project Activities section of this
notice. The plan must be a focused program of scientifically based
research that consists of a set of tightly linked studies that build on
each other;
(1) In the research plan, applicants must include--
(i) Research studies that are fully consistent with the standards
in the definition of the term ``scientifically based research,''
contained in section 3(25) of the Act and in the Definitions section of
this notice.
(ii) Significant research studies that focus on the improvement of
teaching and student outcomes.
(iii) Research strands, that is, thematic research areas, including
the specific research studies for each strand or area for the first two
years of the project period, on which the applicant plans to focus
during the five years of the project. The proposed studies--
(A) Must represent a balance of secondary and postsecondary
studies; and
(B) Can be a mix of short-term and longitudinal research studies.
(iv) Individual research proposals for studies the applicant
intends to initiate during the first two years of the project period.
These research proposals must provide a critical review (i.e., a
discussion of the strengths and weaknesses of studies that are
reviewed) of the relevant literature, the theoretical rationale, clear
and specific research questions, and a description of the methods and
procedures, along with any instrumentation, that will be used. If a
proposed research study builds on one or more existing studies, the
applicant must include enough information for the Secretary to assess
whether--
(A) The study was well-designed and implemented, and addressed
research questions of practical and policy importance; and
(B) Scientifically based research standards were followed.
(v) Areas where further research is most likely to identify highly
effective approaches, methods, programs, models, or strategies.
(2) The application must also include information that demonstrates
the applicant's performance history in scientifically based research.
As evidence of the applicant's performance history, an applicant must
provide in the application the full study reports on two scientifically
based research studies led by key project research personnel. The study
reports must include enough information for the Secretary to be able to
assess whether the studies were well-designed and implemented, and
addressed research questions of practical and policy importance.
(b) Dissemination Activities Plan. A plan that describes the
strategies and approaches the applicant intends to use to carry out
efficiently and effectively the dissemination activities described in
the Required Project Activities section of this notice, including:
(1) A description of the procedures and methodologies (e.g., expert
panels) the applicant intends to use to identify instructional
approaches, methods, programs, models, or strategies in career and
technical education and related areas that are supported by the
strongest evidence of a meaningful, sustained effect on career and
technical education participants' education and employment outcomes.
Note: Applicants are encouraged to refer to: (1) How to evaluate
whether an intervention is backed by ``strong'' evidence of
effectiveness on the Internet at http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/pubs/evidence_based/evaluation.asp
and (2) Identifying and Implementing
Educational Practices Supported By Rigorous Evidence: A User
Friendly Guide on the Internet at http://www.ed.gov/print/rschstat/pubs/rigorousevid/guide.html
.
(2) Strategies and approaches for disseminating to the career and
technical education community (e.g., administrators, teachers,
counselors, and policy-makers) the findings, results, and reports from
the Center's research activities in order to increase the knowledge
base of programs and models proven effective in scientifically based
research.
(3) Strategies and approaches for identifying and disseminating to
the career and technical education community information from other
sources of relevant research in order to increase the knowledge base of
career and technical education programs and models that have been
proven effective in scientifically based research.
(c) Technical Assistance Plan. A plan that describes the strategies
and approaches the applicant will use to carry out the technical
assistance activities described in the Required Project Activities
section of this notice in the most cost-effective and efficient manner,
including a description of how the Center will--
(1) Respond to a need identified by a State, including how the
Center will coordinate with a State on providing the State with
appropriate technical assistance;
(2) Provide activities intended to reach a large number or
proportion of career and technical education programs, teachers, and
administrators in a State;
(3) Assist a State in implementing, identifying, or improving State
levels of performance that improve career and technical education
programs and student achievement;
(4) Assist a State to improve the data quality of its State
accountability systems, including the:
(i) Processes that strengthen the reliability, validity, and
integrity of data collection and analysis.
(ii) Accessibility of appropriate and timely data.
(iii) Accuracy of descriptions of performance.
(iv) Collection processes that yield unbiased, unprejudiced, and
impartial data results.
(v) Presentation of the data so that the data clearly provide an
accurate assessment of performance; and
(5) Provide State and local educational agencies, educators, and
other program providers with technical assistance in replicating
instructional approaches, methods, programs, models, or strategies
shown to be effective using scientifically based research.
(d) Professional Development Plan. A plan that describes the
strategies and approaches the applicant will use to carry out the
professional development activities described in the Required Project
Activities section of this notice in the most cost-effective and
efficient manner, including strategies and approaches that--
(1) Provide high-quality professional development that will improve
and increase instructional personnel's knowledge, skills, and ability
to help students meet challenging and rigorous academic and career and
technical skill proficiencies;
(2) Will advance instructional personnel's understanding of
effective instructional strategies that are supported by scientifically
based research; and
(3) Are sustained, intensive, and classroom-focused.
Priorities:
We are establishing these priorities for the FY 2006 grant
competition and any subsequent year in which we make awards from the
list of unfunded applicants from this competition, in accordance with
section 437(d)(1) of the General Education Provisions Act (GEPA), 20
U.S.C. 1232(d)(1).
Competitive Preference Priorities: These priorities are competitive
[[Page 32088]]
preference priorities. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i), we award each
application up to an additional 70 points (from 5 to 15 points for each
priority, as indicated) depending on how well the application meets one
or more of these priorities. The points awarded are in addition to any
points the application earns under the selection criteria for this
competition, provided elsewhere in this notice.
These priorities are:
(a) Technical Assistance Priorities
1. Use of Technical Skills Assessments Priority: We award up to 5
points to an application that proposes to--
(i) Inform States of the availability of valid and reliable
technical skills assessments; and
(ii) Assist States in selecting appropriate, valid, and reliable
technical skills assessments.
2. Enhancing Student Academic and Technical Skills Achievement and
Performance Priority: We award up to 15 points to an application that
proposes to provide educational agencies, educators, and other program
providers with technical assistance on replicating current promising or
best practices in instructional approaches, methods, programs, models,
or strategies, including approaches, methods, programs, models, or
strategies that are accepted by the field as effective for the purpose
of enhancing student academic and technical skills achievement and
performance, including the academic and technical skills achievement
and performance of students preparing for employment in nontraditional
fields, and those that have been shown to be effective using
scientifically based research.
(b) Scientifically Based Research Priorities
1. Use of Technical Skills Assessments Priority: We award up to 10
points to an application that proposes--
(i) Activities that investigate the--
(A) Availability, at the national, State, and local levels, of
valid and reliable technical skills assessments that are aligned with
industry-recognized standards; and
(B) Extent to which States and local eligible recipients use valid
and reliable technical skills assessments that are aligned with
industry-recognized standards, to measure the attainment of technical
skills proficiencies by career and technical education students; and
(ii) Activities that encourage the development of valid and
reliable technical skills assessments that are aligned with industry-
recognized standards in technical skills areas where none previously
existed.
2. Student Outcomes Priority: We award up to 15 points to an
application that proposes studies that will examine programs and
practices designed to improve student outcomes in career and technical
education.
3. Academic Achievement Priority: We award up to 15 points to an
application that proposes studies that investigate and validate whether
curricula that integrate coherent and rigorous content that is aligned
with challenging academic standards (e.g., at the secondary level,
reading and language arts, mathematics, and science) and challenging
career and technical skill proficiencies results in improvements in the
academic achievement of students, including special populations,
enrolled in career and technical education programs.
4. Programs of Study Priority: We award up to 10 points to an
application that proposes activities that--
(i) Promote improvements in career and technical education programs
of study (i.e., implementing career and technical education programs
that (A) incorporate secondary education and postsecondary elements,
(B) include coherent and rigorous content aligned with challenging
academic standards and relevant career and technical content in a
coordinated, non-duplicative progression of courses that align
secondary education with postsecondary education to adequately prepare
students to succeed in postsecondary education, (C) may include the
opportunity for secondary education students to participate in dual or
concurrent enrollment programs or other ways to acquire postsecondary
education credits, and (D) lead to an industry-recognized credential or
certificate at the postsecondary level, or an associate or
baccalaureate degree); and
(ii) Encourage States to adopt these improvements in career and
technical education programs of study statewide in programs operated by
eligible recipients and postsecondary institutions.
Definitions:
Career and technical education means organized educational
activities that--
(a) Offer a sequence of courses that--
(1) Provides individuals with coherent and rigorous content aligned
with challenging academic standards and relevant technical knowledge
and skills needed to prepare for further education and careers in
current or emerging professions;
(2) Provides technical skills proficiency, an industry-recognized
credential, a certificate, or an associate degree; and
(3) May include prerequisite courses (other than remedial courses)
that meet the requirements of this definition; and
(b) Include competency-based applied learning that contributes to
the academic knowledge, higher-order reasoning and problem-solving
skills, work attitudes, general employability skills, technical skills,
and occupation-specific skills, and knowledge of all aspects of an
industry, including entrepreneurship, of an individual. (20 U.S.C.
2302(5))
Coherent sequence of courses means a series of courses in which
career and academic education is integrated, and that directly relates
to, and leads to, both academic and occupational competencies. The term
includes competency-based education and academic education, and adult
training or retraining, including sequential units encompassed within a
single adult retraining course that otherwise meet the requirements of
this definition.
Institution of higher education means--
(a) An educational institution in any State that--
(1) Admits, as regular students, only persons having a certificate
of graduation from a school providing secondary education or the
recognized equivalent of such a certificate;
(2) Is legally authorized within such State to provide a program of
education beyond secondary education;
(3) Provides an educational program for which the institution
awards a bachelor's degree or provides not less than a two-year program
that is acceptable for full credit toward such a degree;
(4) Is a public or other nonprofit institution; and
(5) Is accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency or
association or, if not so accredited, is an institution that has been
granted preaccreditation status by such an agency or association that
has been recognized by the Secretary of Education for the granting of
preaccreditation status, and the Secretary of Education has determined
that there is satisfactory assurance that the institution will meet the
accreditation standards of such an agency or association within a
reasonable time.
(b) The term also includes--
(1) Any school that provides not less than a one-year program of
training to prepare students for gainful employment in a recognized
occupation and that meets the provisions of
[[Page 32089]]
paragraphs (a)(1), (2), (4) and (5) of this definition.
(2) A public or nonprofit private educational institution in any
State that, in lieu of the requirement in paragraph (a)(1) of this
definition, admits as regular students, persons who are beyond the age
of compulsory school attendance in the State in which the institution
is located. (20 U.S.C. 1001 and 2302(18))
Scientifically based research means research that is carried out
using scientifically based research standards, as defined in section
102 of the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 (20 U.S.C. 9501). (20
U.S.C. 2302(25))
Scientifically based research standards means research standards
that--
(a) Apply rigorous, systematic, and objective methodology to obtain
reliable and valid knowledge relevant to education activities and
programs; and
(b) Present findings and make claims that are appropriate to, and
supported by, the methods that have been employed.
The term includes, appropriate to the research being conducted--
(a) Employing systematic, empirical methods that draw on
observation or experiment;
(b) Involving data analyses that are adequate to support the
general findings;
(c) Relying on measurements or observational methods that provide
reliable data;
(d) Making claims of causal relationships only in random assignment
experiments or other designs (to the extent such designs substantially
eliminate plausible competing explanations for the obtained results);
(e) Ensuring that studies and methods are presented in sufficient
detail and clarity to allow for replication or, at a minimum, to offer
the opportunity to build systematically on the findings of the
research;
(f) Obtaining acceptance by a peer-reviewed journal or approval by
a panel of independent experts through a comparably rigorous,
objective, and scientific review; and
(g) Using research designs and methods appropriate to the research
question posed. (20 U.S.C. 2302(25) and 9501(18))
Special populations means--
(a) Individuals with disabilities;
(b) Individuals from economically disadvantaged families, including
foster children;
(c) Individuals preparing for nontraditional training fields;
(d) Single parents, including single pregnant women;
(e) Displaced homemakers; and
(f) Individuals with limited English proficiency.
(20 U.S.C. 2302(29))
Note: Definitions of the terms ``nonprofit,'' ``private,'' and
``public'' are in 34 CFR 77.1.
Applicants are encouraged to review all applicable definitions in
section 3 of the Act.
Waiver of Proposed Rulemaking: Under the Administrative Procedure
Act (5 U.S.C. 553), the Department generally offers interested parties
the opportunity to comment on proposed non-statutory requirements,
definitions, and selection criteria. Section 437(d)(1) of GEPA,
however, allows the Secretary to exempt from rulemaking requirements,
non-statutory requirements, definitions, and selection criteria
governing the first grant competition under a new or substantially
revised program authority. This is the first grant competition for this
program under section 114(d)(4) and (5) of the Act and, therefore,
qualifies for this exemption. In order to ensure timely grant awards,
the Secretary has decided to forgo public comment on the non-statutory
requirements, definitions, and selection criteria under the authority
of section 437(d)(1) of GEPA. These non-statutory requirements,
definitions, and selection criteria will apply to the FY 2006
competition only.
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 2324(d)(4) and (5).
Applicable Regulations: The Education Department General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 80, 81,
82, 84, 85, 86, 97, 98, and 99.
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to institutions of
higher education only.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Cooperative agreement.
Estimated Available Funds: $2,200,000 for the first 10 months of
the project, and $4,500,000 for funding 12-month project periods for
each successive 12-month budget period for years two through five.
Continuation of funding for the Center is subject to the availability
of funds and to the grantee meeting the requirements of 34 CFR 75.253.
FY 2006 funds will be used for new awards under this competition.
Estimated Number of Awards: 1.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this
notice.
Project Period: Up to 60 months.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants: The following entities are eligible to
apply under this competition:
(a) Institutions of higher education.
(b) Public or private nonprofit organizations or agencies. (See 34
CFR 75.51, ``How to prove nonprofit status.'')
(c) A consortium of institutions of higher education, or of public
or private nonprofit organizations or agencies. Eligible applicants
seeking to apply for funds as a consortium must comply with the
regulations in 34 CFR 75.127-75.129, which address group applications.
2. Cost Sharing and Matching. This competition does not require
cost sharing or matching.
IV. Application and Submission Information
1. Address to Request Application Package: Dr. Ricardo Hernandez,
U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 11137,
Potomac Center Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-7241. Telephone: (202) 245-
7818. Or Fax: (202) 245-7837 or e-mail: Ricardo.Hernandez@ed.gov.
If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), call the
Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll free, at 1-800-877-8339.
Individuals with disabilities may obtain a copy of the application
package in an alternate format (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape,
or computer diskette) by contacting the person listed under Alternative
Format in section VIII of this notice in this section.
2. Content and Form of Application Submission:
Requirements concerning the content of the application, together
with the forms you must submit, are in the application package for this
competition.
Page Limit: The application narrative is where you, the applicant,
address the selection criteria that reviewers use to evaluate your
application. There is no page limit for the application narrative;
however, you must 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 not
smaller than 10 pitch (characters per inch).
3. Submission Dates and Times:
[[Page 32090]]
Applications Available: June 11, 2007.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: August 10, 2007.
Applications for grants under this program may be submitted
electronically using the Grants.gov Apply site (Grants.gov), or in
paper format by mail or hand delivery. For information (including dates
and times) about how to submit your application electronically, or in
paper format by mail or hand delivery, please refer to section IV. 6.
Other Submission Requirements in this notice.
We do not consider an application that does not comply with the
deadline requirements.
Individuals with disabilities who need an accommodation or
auxiliary aid in connection with the application process should contact
the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT in section VII
in this notice. If the Department provides an accommodation or
auxiliary aid to an individual with a disability in connection with the
application process, the individual's application remains subject to
all other requirements and limitations in this notice.
4. Intergovernmental Review: This program is not subject to
Executive Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79.
5. Funding Restrictions: We reference regulations outlining funding
restriction in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.
6. Other Submission Requirements:
Applications for grants under this competition may be submitted
electronically or in paper format by mail or hand delivery.
a. Electronic Submission of Applications.
To comply with the President's Management Agenda, we are
participating as a partner in the Governmentwide Grants.gov Apply site.
The National Research Center for Career and Technical Education, CFDA
Number 84.051A, is included in this project. We request your
participation in Grants.gov.
If you choose to submit your application electronically, you must
use the Governmentwide Grants.gov Apply site at http://www.Grants.gov.
Through this site, you will be able to download a copy of the
application package, complete it offline, and then upload and submit
your application. You may not e-mail an electronic copy of a grant
application to us.
You may access the electronic grant application for the National
Research Center for Career and Technical Education at http://www.Grants.gov.
You must search for the downloadable application
package for this competition by the CFDA number. Do not include the
CFDA number's alpha suffix in your search (e.g., search for 84.051, not
84.051A).
Please note the following:
Your participation in Grants.gov is voluntary.
When you enter the Grants.gov site, you will find
information about submitting an application electronically through the
site, as well as the hours of operation.
Applications received by Grants.gov are date and time
stamped. Your application must be fully uploaded and submitted and must
be date and time stamped by the Grants.gov system no later than 4:30
p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. Except as
otherwise noted in this section, we will not consider your application
if it is date and time stamped by the Grants.gov system later than 4:30
p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. When we
retrieve your application from Grants.gov, we will notify you if we are
rejecting your application because it was date and time stamped by the
Grants.gov system after 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the
application deadline date.
The amount of time it can take to upload an application
will vary depending on a variety of factors, including the size of the
application and the speed of your Internet connection. Therefore, we
strongly recommend that you do not wait until the application deadline
date to begin the submission process through Grants.gov.
You should review and follow the Education Submission
Procedures for submitting an application through Grants.gov that are
included in the application package for this competition to ensure that
you submit your application in a timely manner to the Grants.gov
system. You can also find the Education Submission Procedures
pertaining to Grants.gov at http://e-Grants.ed.gov/help/GrantsgovSubmissionProcedures.pdf
.
To submit your application via Grants.gov, you must
complete all steps in the Grants.gov registration process (see http://www.grants.gov/applicants/get_registered.jsp
). These steps include (1)
registering your organization, a multi-part process that includes
registration with the Central Contractor Registry (CCR); (2)
registering yourself as an Authorized Organization Representative
(AOR); and (3) getting authorized as an AOR by your organization.
Details on these steps are outlined in the Grants.gov 3-Step
Registration Guide (see http://www.grants.gov/section910/Grants.govRegistrationBrochure.pdf
). You also must provide on your
application the same D-U-N-S Number used with this registration. Please
note that the registration process may take five or more business days
to complete, and you must have completed all registration steps to
allow you to submit successfully an application via Grants.gov. In
addition you will need to update your CCR registration on an annual
basis. This may take three or more business days to complete.
You will not receive additional point value because you
submit your application in electronic format, nor will we penalize you
if you submit your application in paper format.
If you submit your application electronically, you must
submit all documents electronically, including all information you
typically provide on the following forms: Application for Federal
Assistance (SF 424), the Department of Education Supplemental
Information for SF 424, Budget Information--Non-Construction Programs
(ED 524), and all necessary assurances and certifications. Please note
that two of these forms--the SF 424 and the Department of Education
Supplemental Information for SF 424--have replaced the ED 424
(Application for Federal Education Assistance).
If you submit your application electronically, you must
attach any narrative sections of your application as files in a .DOC
(document), .RTF (rich text), or .PDF (Portable Document) format. If
you upload a file type other than the three file types specified in
this paragraph or submit a password-protected file, we will not review
that material.
Your electronic application must comply with any page-
limit requirements described in this notice.
After you electronically submit your application, you will
receive from Grants.gov an automatic notification of receipt that
contains a Grants.gov tracking number. (This notification indicates
receipt by Grants.gov only, not receipt by the Department.) The
Department then will retrieve your application from Grants.gov and send
a second notification to you by e-mail. This second notification
indicates that the Department has received your application and has
assigned your application a PR/Award number (an ED-specified
identifying number unique to your application).
We may request that you provide us original signatures on
forms at a later date.
[[Page 32091]]
Application Deadline Date Extension in Case of Technical Issues
with the Grants.gov System: If you are experiencing problems submitting
your application through Grants.gov, please contact the Grants.gov
Support Desk, toll free, at 1-800-518-4726. You must obtain a
Grants.gov Support Desk Case Number and must keep a record of it.
If you are prevented from electronically submitting your
application on the application deadline date because of technical
problems with the Grants.gov system, we will grant you an extension
until 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, the following business day to
enable you to transmit your application electronically or by hand
delivery. You also may mail your application by following the mailing
instructions described elsewhere in this notice.
If you submit an application after 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time,
on the application deadline date, please contact the person listed
under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT in section VII in this notice and
provide an explanation of the technical problem you experienced with
Grants.gov, along with the Grants.gov Support Desk Case Number. We will
accept your application if we can confirm that a technical problem
occurred with the Grants.gov system and that that problem affected your
ability to submit your application by 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time,
on the application deadline date. The Department will contact you after
a determination is made on whether your application will be accepted.
Note: The extensions to which we refer in this section apply
only to the unavailability of, or technical problems with, the
Grants.gov system. We will not grant you an extension if you failed
to fully register to submit your application to Grants.gov before
the application deadline date and time or if the technical problem
you experienced is unrelated to the Grants.gov system.
b. Submission of Paper Applications by Mail.
If you submit your application in paper format by mail (through the
U.S. Postal Service or a commercial carrier), you must mail the
original and two copies of your application, on or before the
application deadline date, to the Department at the applicable
following address:
By mail through the U.S. Postal Service: U.S. Department of
Education, Application Control Center, Attention: (CFDA Number
84.051A), 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20202-4260; or
By mail through a commercial carrier: U.S. Department of Education,
Application Control Center, Stop 4260, Attention: (CFDA Number
84.051A), 7100 Old Landover Road, Landover, MD 20785-1506.
Regardless of which address you use, you must show proof of mailing
consisting of one of the following:
(1) A legibly dated U.S. Postal Service postmark.
(2) A legible mail receipt with the date of mailing stamped by the
U.S. Postal Service.
(3) A dated shipping label, invoice, or receipt from a commercial
carrier.
(4) Any other proof of mailing acceptable to the Secretary of the
U.S. Department of Education.
If you mail your application through the U.S. Postal Service, we do
not accept either of the following as proof of mailing:
(1) A private metered postmark.
(2) A mail receipt that is not dated by the U.S. Postal Service.
If your application is postmarked after the application deadline
date, we will not consider your application.
Note: The U.S. Postal Service does not uniformly provide a dated
postmark. Before relying on this method, you should check with your
local post office.
c. Submission of Paper Applications by Hand Delivery.
If you submit your application in paper format by hand delivery,
you (or a courier service) must deliver the original and two copies of
your application by hand, on or before the application deadline date,
to the Department at the following address: U.S. Department of
Education, Application Control Center, Attention: (CFDA Number
84.051A), 550 12th Street, SW., Room 7041, Potomac Center Plaza,
Washington, DC 20202-4260.
The Application Control Center accepts hand deliveries daily
between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, except Saturdays,
Sundays, and Federal holidays.
Note for Mail or Hand Delivery of Paper Applications: If you
mail or hand deliver your application to the Department--
(1) You must indicate on the envelope and--if not provided by
the Department--in Item 11 of the SF 424 the CFDA number, including
suffix letter, if any, of the competition under which you are
submitting your application; and
(2) The Application Control Center will mail to you a
notification of receipt of your grant application. If you do not
receive this notification within 15 business days from the
application deadline date, you should call the U.S. Department of
Education Application Control Center at (202) 245-6288.
V. Application Review Information
Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this program are as
follows. The maximum score for each criterion is indicated in
parentheses. The maximum score for all the criteria is 105 points.
(a) Quality of project design (30 points). The Secretary considers
the quality of the project design.
In determining the quality of the design of the proposed project,
the Secretary considers the following factors:
(1) The extent to which the proposed project activities represent
a--
(i) Coherent, sustained approach that is exceptional for each of
the required research, evaluation, development, dissemination,
professional development, and technical assistance activities described
in the Required Project Activities section of this notice; and
(ii) Balance between secondary and postsecondary education.
(2) The significance or magnitude of the scientifically based
research proposed by the project, especially as it relates to
improvement in teaching and student outcomes.
(3) The extent to which the proposed research design includes--
(i) A model in which multiple investigators conduct studies that
are coordinated around the research strands or thematic areas on which
the applicant proposes to focus; and
(ii) The use of appropriate theoretical models and scientifically
based research standards that represent the most rigorous designs
appropriate to the research being proposed.
(4) The extent to which the proposed dissemination plan includes:
(i) A thorough, high-quality review of the relevant literature to
identify current promising or best practices that are accepted by the
field as effective and are based on scientifically based research; (ii)
a comparably rigorous, objective, and scientific review of
instructional approaches, methods, programs, models, or strategies to
be disseminated; (iii) a high-quality plan for dissemination
activities; and (iv) the use of a variety of effective approaches.
(5) The extent to which the project proposes models for
dissemination that incorporate approaches that meet the needs of
different communities of users.
(6) The extent to which the professional development activities
proposed by the project are of sufficient quality, intensity, and
duration to lead to improvements in practice among the recipients of
those services.
(7) The extent to which the proposed technical assistance plan
reflects in-
[[Page 32092]]
depth knowledge and understanding of available scientifically valid,
research-based practice, evidence-based practice, or both, to improve
student achievement in academic and career and technical education, and
demonstrates knowledge of, and access to, reliable sources for
obtaining such knowledge on an ongoing basis.
(8) The extent to which the proposed project will consult with
sponsors of similar or related efforts, and with other appropriate
community, State, and Federal resources, such as those of the
Department's Policy and Program Studies Service, Comprehensive Centers
(particularly the National High School Center), National Research and
Development Centers, and Regional Educational Labs.
(b) Institutional capability (15 points). The Secretary considers
the institutional capability of the applicant or of consortium members,
if the applicant is a consortium. In assessing institutional
capability, the Secretary reviews the application to determine the
extent to which the applicant understands the state of knowledge and
practice related to career and technical education, as evidenced by the
depth and breadth of its documented experience in and capacity for--
(1) Conducting scientifically based research, development,
evaluation, dissemination, professional development, and technical
assistance activities of the type described in the Required Program
Activities section of this notice; and
(2) Delivering technical assistance across a range of urban and
rural educational settings.
(c) Quality of the management plan (20 points). The Secretary
considers the quality of the management plan for the proposed project.
In determining the quality of the management plan for the proposed
project, the Secretary considers the following factors:
(1) The extent to which the goals, objectives, and outcomes to be
achieved by the proposed project are clearly specified and measurable.
(2) The adequacy of the management plan to achieve the objectives
of the proposed project on time and within budget, including clearly
defined responsibilities, timeliness and milestones for accomplishing
project tasks, and a clearly articulated plan for continuous
improvement.
(3) The adequacy of procedures for coordination and communication
among staff, subcontractors, members of the consortium, if any, and the
Department, in particular, for the frequent and detailed communication
that will be required under the cooperative agreement between the
Center and the Department's Office of Vocational and Adult Education.
(4) The adequacy of mechanisms for ensuring high-quality research
and evaluation, dissemination, technical assistance, and professional
development from the proposed project.
(5) The adequacy of the plans for an objective independent
assessment, in accordance with the Program Requirements section of this
notice, of the Center's performance on the GPRA measures.
(d) Quality of personnel (20 points). The Secretary considers the
quality of the personnel who will carry out the proposed project. In
determining the quality of project personnel, the Secretary considers
the following:
(1) The extent to which the application presents evidence of the
Center Director and key personnel having a history of conducting high-
quality scientifically based research, including whether the studies
described as evidence of the applicant's performance history were well-
designed and implemented, and addressed research questions of practical
and policy importance.
(2) The extent to which the application presents evidence of
professional preparation and successful prior experience of the
Center's director and other key personnel, including contractors, key
consultants, and partners, if any, that indicate that each has the
knowledge, skills, and ability to carry out successfully the
responsibilities they are assigned under the project, including the--
(i) Center Director's and key personnel's expertise and
demonstrated successful experience with scientifically based research,
effective technical assistance, and other activities similar to those
that are to be carried out under the project; and
(ii) Demonstrated effectiveness of the Center Director and key
personnel in providing technical assistance that utilizes
scientifically based research and improves the academic and technical
skill proficiencies of career and technical education students.
(3) The extent to which the time commitments of the Center Director
and key personnel are appropriate and adequate to meet proposed project
objectives.
(4) The extent to which the Center Director has prior relevant
experience operating a project of the size and scope required for the
purposes of the Center.
(5) The extent to which the applicant encourages applications for
employment from persons who are members of groups that have
traditionally been underrepresented based on race, color, national
origin, gender, age, or disability.
(e) Adequacy of resources (10 points). The Secretary considers the
adequacy of resources for the proposed project. In determining the
adequacy of resources for the proposed project, the Secretary considers
the following factors:
(1) The adequacy of resources for the proposed project, including
facilities, equipment, supplies, and other resources needed to carry
out successfully the purpose and activities of the proposed project.
(2) The extent to which the budget is adequate to support the
proposed project.
(3) The extent to which the costs are reasonable in relation to the
objectives, design, and significance of the proposed project.
(f) Evaluation (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 the following
factors:
(1) The extent to which the methods of evaluation are thorough,
feasible, and appropriate to the goals, objectives, and outcomes of the
proposed project.
(2) The extent to which the methods of evaluation provide for
examining the effectiveness of project implementation strategies.
(3) The extent to which the methods of evaluation will provide
timely guidance for quality assurance.
(4) The extent to which the methods of evaluation--
(i) Include the use of objective performance measures that are
clearly related to the intended outcomes of the project;
(ii) In determining the overall effectiveness of the Center, take
into account the Center's performance on the GPRA measures in the
Performance Measures section of this notice; and
(iii) Will produce quantitative and qualitative data, to the extent
possible.
(5) The extent to which the methods of evaluation will ensure
feedback on performance and continuous improvement in the operation of
the proposed project.
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 Notice
(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
[[Page 32093]]
requirements in the application package and reference these and other
requirements in the Applicable Regulations section in this notice.
We reference the regulations outlining the terms and conditions of
an award in the Applicable Regulations section in 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 Center grant.
3. Reporting. (a) 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 multi-year 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 http://www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/appforms/appforms.html
.
(b) In addition, the Center must submit to the Secretary the
following reports:
(1) Monthly exception reports that describe--
(i) Any problems, delays, or adverse conditions that materially
impair the ability of the Center to accomplish its purposes, along with
an explanation of any action taken or contemplated to resolve the
difficulties; and
(ii) Any favorable developments that will permit the Center to
accomplish its purposes sooner, at less cost, or more effectively than
projected.
(2) Semi-annual performance reports.
(3) During the first 10 months of the project, financial status
reports within 30 days of the 90th day, 180th day, and 270th day of the
project period.
(4) Three printed copies and one electronic copy (pdf) of all
substantive reports and products.
(5) An interim evaluation report in the third year of the project
period and a final evaluation report in the fifth year of the project
period.
(6) An annual report on the GPRA measures identified in the
Performance Measures section of this notice.
(c) The Center must annually prepare a report of the key research
findings of the Center and submit copies of the report to the
Secretary, the relevant committees of Congress, the Library of
Congress, and each ``eligible agency,'' as defined in section 3(12) of
the Act.
4. Performance Measures: Under GPRA, Federal departments and
agencies must clearly describe the goals and objectives of programs,
identify resources and actions needed to accomplish goals and
objectives, develop a means of measuring progress made, and regularly
report on achievement. One important source of program information on
successes and lessons learned is the project evaluation conducted under
individual grants. In evaluating the overall effectiveness of the
Center, the Center must also be prepared to measure and report annually
on the following measures of effectiveness:
a. The percentage of scientifically based research studies
conducted by the Center that are of high relevance to career and
technical education practices as determined by expert panels.
b. The percentage of products (e.g., instructional approaches,
methods, programs, models, and strategies) disseminated to
practitioners by the Center that are judged by expert panels to be of
high quality.
c. The percentage of technical assistance services that are judged
by target audiences to be of high usefulness to educational policy or
practice.
d. The percentage of professional development activities offered by
the Center that are judged by participants to be of high quality.
VII. Agency Contacts
For Further Information Contact: Dr. Ricardo Hernandez, U.S.
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 11137, Potomac
Center Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-7241. Telephone: (202) 245-7818,
Fax: (202) 245-7837, or by e-mail: Ricardo.Hernandez@ed.gov.
If you use a TDD, call the FRS at 1-800-877-8339.
VIII. Other Information
Alternative Format: Individuals with disabilities can obtain this
document and a copy of the application package in an alternative format
(e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer diskette) on
request to the program contact person listed under FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT in section VII in this notice.
Electronic Access to This Document: You may view this document, as
well as all other documents of the Department published in the Federal
Register, in text or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) on the
Internet at the following site: http://www.ed.gov/news/fedregister.
To use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available
free at this site. If you have questions about using PDF, call the U.S.
Government Printing Office (GPO), toll free, at 1-888-293-6498; or in
the Washington, DC, area at (202) 512-1530.
Note: The official version of this document is the document
published in the Federal Register. Free Internet access to the
official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of Federal
Regulations is available on GPO Access at: http://www.gpoaccess.gov/nara/index.html
.
Troy R. Justesen,
Assistant Secretary for Vocational and Adult Education.
[FR Doc. E7-11135 Filed 6-8-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P