1

4000-01-U

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Applications for New Awards: Augustus F. Hawkins Centers 

of Excellence Program 

AGENCY: Office of Postsecondary Education, Department of 

Education.

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: The Department of Education (Department) is 

issuing a notice inviting applications for fiscal year (FY) 

2022 for the Augustus F. Hawkins Centers of Excellence 

(Hawkins) Program, Assistance Listing Number (ALN) 84.116K. 

This notice relates to the approved information collection 

under OMB control number 1894-0006.

DATES: 

Applications Available: [INSERT DATE OF PUBLICATION IN THE 

FEDERAL REGISTER].

Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: [INSERT DATE 45

DAYS AFTER DATE OF PUBLICATION IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER].

Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: [INSERT DATE 105

DAYS AFTER DATE OF PUBLICATION IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER].

ADDRESSES: For the addresses for obtaining and submitting

an application, please refer to our Common Instructions for 

Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary Grant 

Programs, published in the Federal Register on December 27, 
2 

2021 (86 FR 73264) and available at 

www.federalregister.gov/d/2021-27979. Please note that 

these Common Instructions supersede the version published 

on February 13, 2019, and, in part, describe the transition 

from the requirement to register in SAM.gov a Data 

Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number to the 

implementation of the Unique Entity Identifier (UEI). More 

information on the phase-out of DUNS numbers is available 

at https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ofo/docs/uniqueentity-identifier-transition-fact-sheet.pdf. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Vicki Robinson, U.S. 

Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, room 

2B136, Washington, DC 20202. Telephone: (202) 453-7907. 

Email: Vicki.Robinson@ed.gov. You may also contact Ashley 

Hillary, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, 

SW, room 2C143, Washington, DC 20202. Telephone: (202) 

453-7880. Email: Ashley.Hillary@ed.gov. 

 If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech 

disability and wish to access telecommunications relay 

services, please dial 7-1-1. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Full Text of Announcement 

I. Funding Opportunity Description 
3 

Purpose of Program: The Hawkins Program, authorized under 

Part B of Title II of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as 

amended (HEA) is designed to support centers of excellence 

at institutions of higher education (IHEs). The selected 

centers of excellence must be established at Historically 

Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs); Tribal Colleges or 

Universities (TCUs); or Minority Serving Institutions 

(MSIs), such as Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs), with 

a State-accredited teacher preparation program, to help 

increase and retain the number of well-prepared teachers 

from diverse backgrounds, resulting in a more diverse 

teacher workforce prepared to teach in our Nation’s low 

performing elementary and secondary schools and close 

achievement gaps.1 This program focuses on the various 

aspects of the teacher preparation pipeline, including the 

recruitment, preparation, support, placement, and retention 

of teachers for and in high-need local education agencies 

(LEAs) to support underserved students. Through this 

program, the Secretary seeks to fund applicants that 

propose to incorporate evidence-based components and 

practices into their teacher preparation program. 

1 Anderson, Meredith, B.L., Brian K. Bridges, Brittany A. Harris and 

Sekou Biddle. (2020). Imparting Wisdom: HBCU Lessons for K-12 

Education. Washington, DC: Frederick D. Patterson Research Institute, 

UNCF.
4 

Background: The FY 2022 Consolidated Appropriations Act 

provides $8 million in first-time funding for the Hawkins 

Program to diversify the teacher workforce, including 

supporting teaching assistant initiatives at HBCUs, TCUs, 

and MSIs that have partnerships with high-need LEAs. 

The Hawkins Program is particularly well-positioned to 

advance equity in our education system by increasing the 

access of teacher candidates, including teacher candidates 

of color, to comprehensive programs that will support them 

in developing the knowledge and skills they need to 

positively impact student achievement and outcomes. There 

is significant inequity in students’ access to wellqualified, experienced, and effective teachers,2

particularly for students from low-income backgrounds, 

students of color, children or students with disabilities, 

and English learners (ELs). 

Although HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs confer just over 12 

percent of all bachelor’s degrees in education, these 

institutions account for over 40 percent of all education 

2 Isenberg, E., Max, J., Gleason, P., Johnson, M., Deutsch, J., and 

Hansen, M. (2016). Do Low-Income Students Have Equal Access to 

Effective Teachers? Evidence from 26 Districts (NCEE 2017-4007). 

Washington, DC: National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional 

Assistance, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of 

Education.
5 

degrees awarded to teachers of color,3 and thus are a 

critical part of the solution to recruit, prepare, train, 

support, and place teachers who will provide culturally and 

linguistically relevant teaching in high-need and hard-tostaff schools. This is critical to advancing the 

Department’s mission to promote student achievement and 

preparation for global competitiveness by fostering 

educational excellence and ensuring equal access for all 

students. 

Unfortunately, the current teacher workforce does not 

reflect the demographics of the Nation’s public school 

students, the majority of whom are students of color.4 In 

2017-18, the most recent year for which data were 

available, 79 percent of public school educators were 

white, while 21 percent were teachers of color.5 Increasing 

opportunities for comprehensive teacher preparation 

programs at HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs will help diversify the 

teacher workforce. 

 Research shows that teachers of color benefit all 

students and can have a significant positive impact on 

3 Gasman, M., Castro Samayoa, A., & Ginsberg, A. (2016). A Rich Source 

for Teachers of Color and Learning: Minority Serving Institutions. 

Philadelphia, PA: Penn Center for Minority Serving Institutions.

4 https://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/indicator/cge. 5 nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d19/tables/dt19_209.10.asp?current=yes. 
6

students of color.6 When students of color are instructed 

by teachers of color, higher levels of student achievement,7

student encouragement, students forming aspirations (e.g., 

through role modeling), teacher recommendations (for 

example, to gifted and talented programs), and rigorous 

course-taking8 have all been noted. A more diverse teacher 

workforce also increases the likelihood that students of 

color will have access to culturally and linguistically 

relevant teaching and learning and positive relationships.9

Research also demonstrates that teachers of color can be 

positive role models for all students in breaking down 

negative stereotypes and preparing students to live and 

work in a multiracial society.10 Thus, supporting teachers 

of color can be a critical strategy for advancing 

educational equity for students of color and addressing one 

6 Dee, T. (2004). Teachers, race and student achievement in a randomized 

experiment. The Review of Economics and Statistics, 86(1), 195–210; and 

Gershenson, S., Hart, C. M. D., Lindsay, C. A., & Papageorge, N. W. 

(2017). The long-run impacts of same race teachers. Bonn, Germany: IZA 

Institute of Labor Economics. Discussion Paper Series.

7 Egalite, Anna, Brian Kisida, and Marcus A. Winters. “Representation 

in the Classroom: The Effect of Own-race Teachers on Student 

Achievement,” Economics of Education Review, 45 (April 2015), 44–52. 8 Grissom, Jason, Sarah Kabourek, and Jenna Kramer. “Exposure to Samerace or Same-ethnicity Teachers and Advanced Math Course-taking in High 

School: Evidence from a Diverse Urban District,” Teachers College 

Record, 122 (2020), 1-42. 9 Blazar, David. (2021). Teachers of Color, Culturally Responsive 

Teaching, and Student Outcomes: Experimental Evidence from the Random 

Assignment of Teachers to Classes. (EdWorkingPaper: 21-501). Retrieved 

from Annenberg Institute at Brown University: 

https://doi.org/10.26300/jym0-wz02. 10 www2.ed.gov/rschstat/eval/highered/racial-diversity/state-racialdiversity-workforce.pdf.
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of the root causes of institutional barriers to equity in 

the academic environment.11 

In light of the teacher shortages that existed prior 

to the pandemic and that have worsened since, the 

Department encourages applicants to consider how their 

program design can provide clinical experience for teaching 

candidates in high-need schools facing teacher shortages. A 

number of school districts are partnering with teacher 

preparation programs, in particular those with teacher 

residencies, to provide clinical experiences that are 

mutually beneficial for teacher candidates and teachers of 

record, and their students. For example, teacher residents, 

as part of their clinical experience, can serve in schools 

as substitutes, paraprofessionals, or tutors as their 

academic schedules allow and as they complete requirements 

for teacher certification. Applicants can see this 

Department of Education fact sheet for examples of educator 

preparation programs supporting high need schools in this 

way: https://www.ed.gov/coronavirus/factsheets/teachershortage. 

A particular teacher shortage area in the Nation’s 

public schools lies in the shortage of bilingual and 

11 www2.ed.gov/rschstat/eval/highered/racial-diversity/state-racialdiversity-workforce.pdf.
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multilingual teachers prepared to teach a growing 

population of ELs. ELs are the fastest growing student 

demographic, with over 10 percent of students identified as 

ELs currently.12 Additionally, about one-quarter of all 

students speak a language other than English at home, 

whereas only 1 in 8 teachers do.13 

The bilingual and multilingual teacher shortage has 

the potential to have a negative impact on all students, 

but especially ELs. These shortages may be among the 

reasons why ELs are among students with some of the lowest 

achievement levels and graduation rates.14 During the 

pandemic, ELs were also likely to lose instructional time, 

thus experiencing setbacks in their language acquisition 

goals.15 Research suggests that, for ELs, being taught by 

bilingual and multilingual teachers who are better prepared 

to meet their needs helps improve academic outcomes.16 

12 https://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d20/tables/dt20_204.20.asp. 13 https://datacenter.kidscount.org/data/tables/81-children-who-speak-alanguage-other-than-english-athome?loc=1&loct=1#detailed/1/any/false/1729,37,871,870,573,869,36,868,8

67,133/any/396,397. 14

https://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d17/tables/dt17_219.46.asp?refer=dr

opout. 15 www.gao.gov/products/gao-21-43. 16 Benjamin Master, Susanna Loeb, Camille Whitney, and James Wyckoff. 

“Different Skills? Identifying Differentially Effective Teachers of 

English Language Learners,” The Elementary School Journal, 117 (2016), 

261-284.
9 

Despite this, about a quarter of States do not require 

certification or endorsements for teachers who teach ELs.17 

Beyond the necessity to provide qualified bilingual 

and multilingual teachers to advance EL achievement, 

research also suggests that diverse classroom settings, 

such as in bilingual and multilingual education, may be 

positively associated with students’ ability to empathize 

and relate to others, have long-term career benefits, and 

result in a higher degree of literacy and a stronger 

foundation for learning additional languages in the 

future.18 Learning another language from a young age is an 

asset that prepares all students for an increasingly 

globalized economy. Fostering a culture of languagelearning for all students also communicates to 

linguistically marginalized students that their heritage 

languages and home identities are valuable and welcomed in 

school. 

 Accordingly, this program encourages HBCUs, TCUs, and 

MSIs to develop centers of excellence that will implement 

effective recruitment, preparation, and support for 

teachers, in particular those interested in serving in 

high-need LEAs and hard-to-staff schools in underserved 

17 https://reports.ecs.org/comparisons/50-state-comparison-englishlearner-policies-11. 18 https://soeonline.american.edu/blog/benefits-of-bilingual-education. 
10

communities. HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs are positioned to help 

remedy long-standing disparities that underserved students 

and communities face in receiving equal education 

opportunities. 

Priorities: This notice contains one absolute priority and 

two competitive preference priorities (up to five points 

each). We are establishing these priorities for the FY 

2022 grant competition and any subsequent year in which we 

make awards from the list of unfunded applications from 

this competition, in accordance with section 437(d)(1) of 

the General Education Provisions Act (GEPA), 20 U.S.C. 

1232(d)(1). 

Absolute Priority: This priority is an absolute priority. 

Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3), we consider only applications 

that meet this priority. 

This priority is: 

Projects that are evidence-based, comprehensive 

teacher preparation programs that provide extensive 

clinical experience. To meet this priority, the applicant 

must describe its record in graduating highly skilled, 

well-prepared and diverse teachers. The applicant must 

also address how it will -- 

(a) Examine the sources of inequity and inadequacy in 

resources and opportunity and implement pedagogical 
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practices in teacher preparation programs that are 

inclusive with regard to race, ethnicity, culture, 

language, and disability status and that prepare teachers 

to create inclusive, supportive, equitable, unbiased, and 

identity-safe learning environments for their students;

(b) Prepare teacher candidates to integrate rigorous 

academic content, including through the effective use of 

technology, instructional techniques, and strategies 

consistent with universal design for learning principles in 

pedagogical practices and classroom features to improve 

student achievement;

(c) Prepare teacher candidates to design and deliver 

instruction in ways that are engaging and provide their 

students with opportunities to think critically and solve 

complex problems, apply learning in authentic and realworld settings, communicate and collaborate effectively, 

and develop academic mindsets, including through projectbased, work-based, or other experiential learning 

opportunities; 

(d) Prepare teacher candidates to build meaningful 

and trusting relationships with their students’ families to 

support in-home, community-based, and in-school learning; 

and
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(e) Provide sustained and high-quality preservice 

clinical experiences, including teaching assistant 

initiatives that facilitate the pathway to the teaching 

credential for those with paraprofessional experience; and 

provide mentoring of teacher candidates by exemplary 

teachers, which substantially increases interaction between 

the institution’s faculty and new teachers and school site 

and district administrators in high-need LEAs or hard-tostaff schools to support and retain teachers. In providing 

such experiences, the Department encourages applicants to 

consider opportunities to provide preservice clinical 

experience earlier in the teacher preparation program, as 

is practicable, and in ways that benefit students and 

teachers. 

Competitive Preference Priorities: For FY 2022, the 

Department strongly encourages the use of Competitive 

Preference Priority 1 as part of a comprehensive effort to 

respond to and address the teacher shortage present in the 

nation’s high need-need public schools. For FY 2022 and 

any subsequent year in which we make awards from the list 

of unfunded applications from this competition, these 

priorities are competitive preference priorities. The 

Department establishes these priorities on the basis of 

section 242(b)(1) and (3) of the HEA and under the 
13

authority in section 437(d)(1) of GEPA. Under 34 CFR 

75.105(c)(2)(i), we award up to an additional 10 points to 

an application, depending on how well the application meets 

these priorities. An applicant may address one or both of 

the competitive preference priorities. The point value for 

each competitive preference priority is in parenthesis. 

 These priorities are: 

Competitive Preference Priority 1--Projects that are 

Designed to Increase and Retain the Number of Well-Prepared 

Teachers from Diverse Backgrounds (up to 5 points).

Projects that are designed to increase the number of 

well-prepared teachers and the diversity of the teacher 

workforce with a focus on increasing and retaining a 

diverse teacher workforce, and improving the preparation, 

recruitment, retention and placement of such teachers. 

Applicants must describe how their project will 

integrate multiple services or initiatives across academic 

and student affairs, such as academic advising, counseling, 

stipends, child-care, structured/guided pathways, career 

services, or student financial aid, such as scholarships, 

with the goal of increasing program completion and 

credential attainment. 

Applicants addressing this priority must include a 

plan for supporting teacher candidates underrepresented in 
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the profession, including teacher candidates of color, from 

the beginning of the preparation program through 

graduation, including program entry rates, graduation 

rates, passage rates for certification and licensure exams, 

and successful employment placement between teacher 

candidate subgroups and an institution’s overall teacher 

candidate population. 

Competitive Preference Priority 2--Increasing the 

Number of Bilingual and/or Multilingual Teachers with Full 

Certification (up to 5 points). 

Projects that are designed to prepare a new generation 

of effective and experienced bilingual and/or multilingual 

teachers for high-need schools by increasing the number of 

teachers across elementary and secondary schools who are 

fully certified to provide academic language instruction in 

a language other than English, including for ELs. These 

projects must prepare teacher candidates to lead students 

toward linguistic fluency and academic achievement in more 

than one language. 
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Applicants must describe how their project will 

integrate multiple services or initiatives across academic 

and student affairs, such as academic advising, counseling, 

stipends, child-care, structured/guided pathways, career 

services, or student financial aid, such as scholarships, 

and provide the necessary knowledge and skills so that 

teacher candidates can serve students from many different 

language backgrounds. 

Applicants addressing this priority must include a 

plan for recruiting, supporting, and retaining bilingual 

and/or multilingual teacher candidates including those who 

may have a teaching credential but have not been teaching 

in bilingual and/or multilingual education settings; 

aspiring teachers; and for teaching assistants who are 

interested in becoming bilingual and/or multilingual 

teachers. 

Definitions: The following definitions are from 34 CFR 

part 77.1 and 20 U.S.C. 1033. 

 Demonstrates a rationale means a key project component 

included in the project's logic model is informed by 

research or evaluation findings that suggest the project 

component is likely to improve relevant outcomes. 

Logic model (also referred to as a theory of action) 

means a framework that identifies key project components of 
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the proposed project (i.e., the active “ingredients” that 

are hypothesized to be critical to achieving the relevant 

outcomes) and describes the theoretical and operational 

relationships among the key project components and relevant 

outcomes. 

Note: In developing logic models, applicants may want to 

use resources such as the Regional Educational Laboratory 

Program’s (REL Pacific) Education Logic Model Application, 

available at 

https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/regions/pacific/elm.asp. 

Other sources include: 

https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/regions/pacific/pdf/REL_2014

025.pdf, 

https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/regions/pacific/pdf/REL_2014

007.pdf, and 

https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/regions/northeast/pdf/REL_20

15057.pdf. 

Project component means an activity, strategy, 

intervention, process, product, practice, or policy 

included in a project. Evidence may pertain to an 

individual project component or to a combination of project 

components (e.g., training teachers on instructional 

practices for English learners and follow-on coaching for 

these teachers). 
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Relevant outcome means the student outcome(s) or other 

outcome(s) the key project component is designed to 

improve, consistent with the specific goals of the program. 

Scientifically based reading research 

(1) Means research that applies rigorous, systemic, 

and objective procedures to obtain valid knowledge relevant 

to reading development, reading instruction, and reading 

difficulties; and 

(2) Includes research that- 

(i) Employs systemic, empirical methods that draw on 

observation or experiment; 

(ii) Involves rigorous data analyses that are adequate 

to test the stated hypotheses and justify the general 

conclusions drawn; 

(iii) Relies on measurements or observational methods 

that provide valid data across evaluators and observers and 

across multiple measurements and observations; and 

(iv) Has been accepted by a peer-reviewed journal or 

approved by a panel of independent experts through a 

comparably rigorous, objective, and scientific review. (20 

U.S.C. 1033) 

Application Requirements: The following application 

requirements for FY 2022 are from section 242(b) of the HEA 

(20 U.S.C. 1033a(b)). 
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Grants provided by the Secretary must be used to 

ensure that current and future teachers meet the applicable 

State certification and licensure requirements, including 

any requirements for certification obtained through 

alternative routes to certification, or, with regard to 

special education teachers, the qualifications described in 

section 612(a)(14)(C) of the Individuals with Disabilities 

Education Act (IDEA), by carrying out one or more of the 

following activities:

(1) Implementing reforms within teacher preparation 

programs to ensure that such programs are preparing 

teachers who meet the applicable State certification and 

licensure requirements, including any requirements for 

certification obtained through alternative routes to 

certification, or, with regard to special education 

teachers, the qualifications described in section 

612(a)(14)(C) of the IDEA, are able to understand 

scientifically valid research, and are able to use advanced 

technology effectively in the classroom, including use of 

instructional techniques to improve student academic 

achievement, by—

(i) Retraining or recruiting faculty; and

(ii) Designing (or redesigning) teacher preparation 

programs that—
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(A) Prepare teachers to serve in low-performing

schools and close student achievement gaps, and that

are based on rigorous academic content, scientifically

valid research (including scientifically based reading

research and mathematics research, as it becomes

available), and challenging State academic content

standards and student academic achievement standards; and

(B) Promote strong teaching skills.

(2) Providing sustained and high-quality preservice 

clinical experience, including the mentoring of prospective 

teachers by exemplary teachers, substantially increasing 

interaction between faculty at IHEs and new and experienced 

teachers, principals, and other administrators at 

elementary schools or secondary schools, and providing 

support, including preparation time, for such interaction.

(3) Developing and implementing initiatives to promote 

retention of teachers who meet the applicable State 

certification and licensure requirements, including any 

requirements for certification obtained through alternative 

routes to certification, or, with regard to special 

education teachers, the qualifications described in section 

612(a)(14)(C) of the IDEA, and highly qualified principals, 

including minority teachers and principals, including

programs that provide—
20

 (i) Teacher or principal mentoring from exemplary 

teachers or principals, respectively; or 

 (ii) Induction and support for teachers and principals 

during their first 3 years of employment as teachers or 

principals, respectively. 

(4) Awarding scholarships based on financial need to 

help students pay the costs of tuition, room, board, and 

other expenses of completing a teacher preparation program, 

not to exceed the cost of attendance. 

(5) Disseminating information on effective practices 

for teacher preparation and successful teacher 

certification and licensure assessment preparation 

strategies. 

(6) Activities authorized under section 202 of the HEA 

(20 U.S.C. 1022a). 

Waiver of Proposed Rulemaking: Under the Administrative 

Procedure Act (5 U.S.C. 553), the Department generally 

offers interested parties the opportunity to comment on 

proposed priorities, selection criteria, definitions, and 

other requirements. Section 437(d)(1) of GEPA, however, 

allows the Secretary to exempt from rulemaking requirements 

regulations governing the first grant competition under a 

new or substantially revised program authority. This is 

the first grant competition for this program under 20 
21

U.S.C. 1033a of the HEA, and therefore qualifies for this 

exemption. In order to ensure timely grant awards, the 

Secretary has decided to forgo public comment on the 

priorities and funding requirements under section 437(d)(1) 

of GEPA. 

Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1033-1033a; 20 U.S.C. 1138-

1138d; the Explanatory Statement accompanying Division H of 

the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022 (Pub. L. 117-

103). 

Note: Projects will be awarded and must be operated in a 

manner consistent with the nondiscrimination requirements 

contained in Federal civil rights laws. 

Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department 

General Administrative Regulations in 34 CFR parts 75, 77, 

79, 82, 84, 86, 97, 98, and 99. (b) The Office of 

Management and Budget Guidelines to Agencies on 

Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension (Nonprocurement) in 

2 CFR part 180, as adopted and amended as regulations of 

the Department in 2 CFR part 3485. (c) The Uniform 

Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit 

Requirements for Federal Awards in 2 CFR part 200, as 

adopted and amended as regulations of the Department in 2 

CFR part 3474. 
22

Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to 

institutions of higher education only. 

II. Award Information 

Type of Award: Discretionary grant. 

Estimated Available Funds: $7,920,000. 

 Contingent upon the availability of funds and the 

quality of applications, we may make additional awards in 

subsequent years from the list of unfunded applications 

from this competition. 

Estimated Range of Awards: $1,500,000 to $1,600,000. 

Estimated Average Size of Awards: $1,584,000 

Maximum Award: Up to $1,600,000 for 4 years. 

Minimum Award: The minimum amount of each grant shall be 

$500,000. 

Note: The maximum award is based on a 4-year budget 

period. Applicants will need to prepare a multiyear budget 

request for up to 4 years. 

Estimated Number of Awards: Up to 5. 

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

notice. 

Project Period: Up to 4 years. 

III. Eligibility Information 

 1. Eligible Applicants: Eligible institutions (as 

articulated under section 241(1) of the HEA) under the 
23

Hawkins program include--

(i) An IHE that has a qualified teacher preparation 

program that is—

(A) A part B institution (as defined in section 322 of 

the HEA);

(B) A Hispanic-serving institution (as defined in

section 502 of the HEA);

(C) A Tribal College or University (as defined in

section 316 of the HEA);

(D) An Alaska Native-serving institution (as defined 

in section 317(b) of the HEA);

(E) A Native Hawaiian-serving institution (as defined 

in section 317(b) of the HEA);

(F) A Predominantly Black Institution (as defined

in section 318 of the HEA);

(G) An Asian American and Native American Pacific 

Islander-serving institution (as defined in section

320(b) of the HEA); or

(H) A Native American-serving, nontribal institution 

(as defined in section 319 of the HEA);

(ii) A consortium of institutions described in 

paragraph (i); or

(iii) An institution described in paragraph (i), or a

consortium described in paragraph (ii), in partnership with 
24

any other IHE, but only if the center of excellence 

established is located at an institution described in 

paragraph (i). 

 2. a. Cost Sharing or Matching: This competition 

does not require cost sharing or matching. 

 b. Supplement-Not-Supplant: This competition 

involves supplement-not-supplant funding requirements, 

which are being established under the waiver authority of 

section 437(d)(1) of GEPA. Grant funds must be used so 

that they supplement and, to the extent practical, increase 

the funds that would otherwise be available for the 

activities to be carried out under this grant. 

 c. Indirect Cost Rate Information: This program uses 

the waiver authority of section 437(d)(1) of GEPA to limit 

a grantee’s indirect cost reimbursement to eight percent (8 

percent) of a modified total direct cost base. For more 

information regarding indirect costs, or to obtain a 

negotiated indirect cost rate, please see 

www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocfo/intro.html. 

 d. Administrative Cost Limitation: In accordance 

with section 242(e) of the HEA, an eligible institution 

that receives a grant under this program may use not more 

than 2 percent of the funds provided to administer the 

grant. All administrative expenses must be reasonable and 
25

necessary and conform to Cost Principles described in 2 CFR 

part 200 subpart E of the Uniform Guidance. 

 3. Subgrantees: A grantee under this competition may 

not award subgrants to entities to directly carry out 

project activities described in its application. 

IV. Application and Submission Information 

 1. Application Submission Instructions: Applicants 

are required to follow the Common Instructions for 

Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary Grant 

Programs, published in the Federal Register on December 27, 

2021 (86 FR 73264) and available at 

www.federalregister.gov/d/2021-27979, which contain 

requirements and information on how to submit an 

application. Please note that these Common Instructions 

supersede the version published on February 13, 2019, and, 

in part, describe the transition from the requirement to 

register in SAM.gov a DUNS number to the implementation of 

the UEI. More information on the phase-out of DUNS numbers 

is available at 

https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ofo/docs/uniqueentity-identifier-transition-fact-sheet.pdf. 2. 

Intergovernmental Review: This program is subject to 

Executive Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 

79. Information about Intergovernmental Review of Federal 
26

Programs under Executive Order 12372 is in the application 

package for this program. 

 3. Funding Restrictions: We reference regulations 

outlining funding restrictions in the Applicable 

Regulations section of this notice. 

 4. Recommended Page Limit: The application narrative 

is where you, the applicant, address the selection criteria 

that reviewers use to evaluate your application. We 

recommend that you (1) limit the application narrative to 

no more than 50 pages and (2) use the following standards:

 ● A “page” is 8.5" x 11", on one side only, with 1" 

margins at the top, bottom, and both sides. 

 ● Double space (no more than three lines per vertical 

inch) all text in the application narrative, except titles, 

headings, footnotes, quotations, references, and captions. 

 ● Use a font that is either 12 point or larger or no 

smaller than 10 pitch (characters per inch). 

 ● Use one of the following fonts: Times New Roman, 

Courier, Courier New, or Arial. 

The recommended page limit does not apply to the cover 

sheet; the budget section, including the narrative budget 

justification; the assurances and certifications; or the 

one-page abstract. However, the recommended page limit 

does apply to all the application narrative. 
27

V. Application Review Information 

1. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for 

this competition are from 34 CFR 75.210. The points 

assigned to each criterion are indicated in the parentheses 

next to the criterion. An applicant may earn up to a total 

of 100 points based on the selection criteria and up to 10 

additional points under the competitive preference 

priorities, for a total score of up to 110 points. All 

applications will be evaluated based on the selection 

criteria as follows: 

 (a) Quality of the Project Design. (Maximum 30 

points) 

The Secretary considers the quality of the design of 

the proposed project. In determining the quality of the 

design of the proposed project, the Secretary considers the 

following factors: 

(1) The extent to which the proposed project is part 

of a comprehensive effort to improve teaching and learning 

and support rigorous academic standards for students. (Up 

to 10 points) 

(2) The extent to which the design of the proposed 

project reflects up-to-date knowledge from research and 

effective practice. (Up to 5 points) 

(3) The extent to which the goals, objectives, and 
28

outcomes to be achieved by the proposed project are clearly 

specified and measurable. (Up to 5 points) 

(4) The extent to which the design of the proposed 

project is appropriate to, and will successfully address, 

the needs of the target population or other identified 

needs. (Up to 5 points) 

(5) The extent to which the proposed project 

demonstrates a rationale (as defined in this notice). (Up 

to 5 points) 

(b) Significance. (Maximum 20 points) 

The Secretary considers the significance of the 

proposed project. In determining the significance of the 

proposed project, the Secretary considers the following 

factors: 

(1) The likelihood that the proposed project will 

result in system change or improvement. (Up to 10 points) 

(2) The extent to which the results of the proposed 

project are to be disseminated in ways that will enable 

others to use the information or strategies. (Up to 10 

points) 

(c) Quality of the Project Services. (Maximum 25 

points) 

The Secretary considers the quality of the services to 

be provided by the proposed project. 
29

(1) In determining the quality of the services to be 

provided by the proposed project, the Secretary considers 

the quality and sufficiency of strategies for ensuring 

equal access and treatment for eligible project 

participants who are members of groups that have 

traditionally been underrepresented based on race, color, 

national origin, gender, age, or disability. (Up to 10 

points) 

(2) In addition, the Secretary considers the 

following factors: 

(i) The likely impact of the services to be provided 

by the proposed project on the intended recipients of those 

services. (Up to 10 points) 

(ii) The extent to which the services to be provided 

by the proposed project involve the collaboration of 

appropriate partners for maximizing the effectiveness of 

project services. (Up to 5 points) 

(d) Quality of the Management Plan. (Maximum 5 

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 adequacy of the management plan to 

achieve the objectives of the proposed project on time and 
30

within budget, including clearly defined responsibilities, 

timelines, and milestones for accomplishing project tasks. 

(e) Quality of the Project Evaluation. (Maximum 20 

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 evaluation will provide 

guidance about effective strategies suitable for 

replication or testing in other settings. (Up to 10 

points) 

(2) The extent to which the methods of evaluation 

will provide performance feedback and permit periodic 

assessment of progress toward achieving intended outcomes. 

(Up to 10 points) 

 2. Review and Selection Process: We remind potential 

applicants that in reviewing applications in any 

discretionary grant competition, the Secretary may 

consider, under 34 CFR 75.217(d)(3), the past performance 

of the applicant in carrying out a previous award, such as 

the applicant’s use of funds, achievement of project 

objectives, and compliance with grant conditions. The 

Secretary may also consider whether the applicant failed to 
31

submit a timely performance report or submitted a report of 

unacceptable quality.

In addition, in making a competitive grant award, the 

Secretary requires various assurances, including those 

applicable to Federal civil rights laws that prohibit 

discrimination in programs or activities receiving Federal 

financial assistance from the Department (34 CFR 100.4, 

104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23). 

The Secretary will select applications for funding in 

rank order, according to the average score received from 

the peer review and from the competitive preference 

priorities addressed by the applicant. If the Secretary 

has insufficient funding to award multiple applications 

with the same score, in making a selection, the first 

tiebreaker will be to select the applicant with the highest 

average score under Competitive Priority One. If a tie 

still exists after applying the first tiebreaker, the 

Secretary will select the applicant with the highest 

average score under Quality of the Project Design. If a 

third tiebreaker is required, the Secretary will select the 

applicant with the highest average score under Quality of 

the Project Services. Finally, if a fourth tiebreaker is 

required, the Secretary will select the applicant based on 
32

the number of fully certified teachers that the applicant’s 

project is designed to produce. 

 3. Risk Assessment and Specific Conditions: 

Consistent with 2 CFR 200.206, before awarding grants under 

this competition, the Department conducts a review of the 

risks posed by applicants. Under 2 CFR 200.208, the 

Secretary may impose specific conditions and, under 2 CFR 

3474.10, in appropriate circumstances, high-risk conditions 

on a grant if the applicant or grantee is not financially 

stable; has a history of unsatisfactory performance; has a 

financial or other management system that does not meet the 

standards in 2 CFR part 200, subpart D; has not fulfilled 

the conditions of a prior grant; or is otherwise not 

responsible. 

 4. Integrity and Performance System: If you are 

selected under this competition to receive an award that 

over the course of the project period may exceed the 

simplified acquisition threshold (currently $250,000), 

under 2 CFR 200.206(a)(2) we must make a judgment about 

your integrity, business ethics, and record of performance 

under Federal awards--that is, the risk posed by you as an 

applicant--before we make an award. In doing so, we must 

consider any information about you that is in the integrity 

and performance system (currently referred to as the 
33

Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information 

System (FAPIIS)), accessible through the System for Award 

Management. You may review and comment on any information 

about yourself that a Federal agency previously entered and 

that is currently in FAPIIS. 

 Please note that, if the total value of your currently 

active grants, cooperative agreements, and procurement 

contracts from the Federal Government exceeds $10,000,000, 

the reporting requirements in 2 CFR part 200, Appendix XII, 

require you to report certain integrity information to 

FAPIIS semiannually. Please review the requirements in 2 

CFR part 200, Appendix XII, if this grant plus all the 

other Federal funds you receive exceed $10,000,000. 

 5. In General: In accordance with the Office of 

Management and Budget’s guidance located at 2 CFR part 200, 

all applicable Federal laws, and relevant Executive 

guidance, the Department will review and consider 

applications for funding pursuant to this notice inviting 

applications in accordance with-- 

 (a) Selecting recipients most likely to be successful 

in delivering results based on the program objectives 

through an objective process of evaluating Federal award 

applications (2 CFR 200.205); 
34

 (b) Prohibiting the purchase of certain 

telecommunication and video surveillance services or 

equipment in alignment with section 889 of the National 

Defense Authorization Act of 2019 (Pub. L. No. 115—232) (2 

CFR 200.216); 

 (c) Providing a preference, to the extent permitted 

by law, to maximize use of goods, products, and materials 

produced in the United States (2 CFR 200.322); and 

 (d) Terminating agreements in whole or in part to the 

greatest extent authorized by law if an award no longer 

effectuates the program goals or agency priorities (2 CFR 

200.340). 

VI. Award Administration Information 

 1. Award Notices: If your application is successful, 

we notify your U.S. Representative and U.S. Senators and 

send you a Grant Award Notification (GAN); or we may send 

you an email containing a link to access an electronic 

version of your GAN. We may notify you informally, also. 

 If your application is not evaluated or not selected 

for funding, we notify you. 

 2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements: 

We identify administrative and national policy requirements 

in the application package and reference these and other 
35

requirements in the Applicable Regulations section of this 

notice. 

 We reference the regulations outlining the terms and 

conditions of an award in the Applicable Regulations 

section of this notice and include these and other specific 

conditions in the GAN. The GAN also incorporates your 

approved application as part of your binding commitments 

under the grant. 

 3. Open Licensing Requirements: Unless an exception 

applies, if you are awarded a grant under this competition, 

you will be required to openly license to the public grant 

deliverables created in whole, or in part, with Department 

grant funds. When the deliverable consists of 

modifications to pre-existing works, the license extends 

only to those modifications that can be separately 

identified and only to the extent that open licensing is 

permitted under the terms of any licenses or other legal 

restrictions on the use of pre-existing works. 

Additionally, a grantee or subgrantee that is awarded 

competitive grant funds must have a plan to disseminate 

these public grant deliverables. This dissemination plan 

can be developed and submitted after your application has 

been reviewed and selected for funding. For additional 
36

information on the open licensing requirements please refer 

to 2 CFR 3474.20. 

 4. Reporting: (a) If you apply for a grant under this 

competition, you must ensure that you have in place the 

necessary processes and systems to comply with the 

reporting requirements in 2 CFR part 170 should you receive 

funding under the competition. This does not apply if you 

have an exception under 2 CFR 170.110(b). 

 (b) At the end of your project period, you must 

submit a final performance report, including financial 

information, as directed by the Secretary. If you receive 

a multiyear award, you must submit an annual performance 

report that provides the most current performance and 

financial expenditure information as directed by the 

Secretary under 34 CFR 75.118. The Secretary may also 

require more frequent performance reports under 34 CFR 

75.720(c). For specific requirements on reporting, please 

go to www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/appforms/appforms.html. 

 5. Performance Measures: Under 34 CFR 75.110, the 

Department will use the following performance measures to 

evaluate the success of the Hawkins program grants: 

 (a) The number and percentage of teacher candidates 

who complete the teacher preparation program, disaggregated 

by race. 
37

 (b) The number and percentage of teacher candidates, 

disaggregated by race, served by the funded program who 

become fully certified and are placed as teachers of record 

in high-need LEAs or hard-to-staff schools. 

(c) The number and percentage of bilingual and/or 

multilingual teacher candidates who complete the teacher 

preparation program. 

(d) The number and percentage of bilingual and/or 

multilingual teacher candidates, served by the funded 

program who become fully certified and are placed as 

teachers of record in high-need LEAs or hard-to-staff 

schools. 

VII. Other Information 

Accessible Format: On request to the program contact 

person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT, 

individuals with disabilities can obtain this document and 

a copy of the application package in an accessible format. 

The Department will provide the requestor with an 

accessible format that may include Rich Text Format (RTF) 

or text format (txt), a thumb drive, an MP3 file, braille, 

large print, audiotape, compact disc, or other accessible 

format. 

Electronic Access to This Document: The official version 

of this document is the document published in the Federal 
38

Register. You may access the official edition of the 

Federal Register and the Code of Federal Regulations at 

www.govinfo.gov. At this site you can view this document, 

as well as all other documents of this Department published 

in the Federal Register, in text or Portable Document 

Format (PDF). To use PDF, you must have Adobe Acrobat 

Reader, which is available free at the site. 

 You may also access documents of the Department 

published in the Federal Register by using the article 

search feature at www.federalregister.gov. Specifically, 

through the advanced search feature at this site, you can 

limit your search to documents published by the Department. 

Dated: 

__________________________ 

Michelle Asha Cooper, 

Acting Assistant Secretary 

for the Office of 

Postsecondary Education.