[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 42 (Friday, March 1, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15173-15180]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-04358]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Applications for New Awards; School-Based Mental Health Services 
Grant Program

AGENCY: Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, Department of 
Education.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Education (Department) is issuing a notice 
inviting applications for fiscal year (FY) 2024 for the School-Based 
Mental Health Services (SBMH) Grant Program, Assistance Listing Number 
(ALN) number 84.184H. This notice relates to the approved information 
collection under OMB control number 1810-0773.

DATES: 
    Applications Available: March 1, 2024.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: April 30, 2024.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: July 1, 2024.
    Pre-Application Webinar Information: The Department will hold pre-
application meetings via webinar for prospective applicants. For more 
information, please visit the program web page at: https://oese.ed.gov/offices/office-of-formula-grants/safe-supportive-schools/school-based-mental-health-services-grant-program/.

ADDRESSES: For the addresses for obtaining and submitting an 
application, please refer to our Common Instructions for Applicants to 
Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs, published in the 
Federal Register on December 7, 2022 (87 FR 75045) and available at 
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/12/07/2022-26554/common-instructions-for-applicants-to-department-of-education-discretionary-grant-programs.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Amy Banks, U.S. Department of 
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, 4th Floor, Washington, DC 20202-
6450. Telephone: (202) 453-6704. Email: 
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#d29d978197fc81b1babdbdbefc9fb7bca6b3befc9ab7b3bea6ba92b7b6fcb5bda4"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="fcb3b9afb9d2af9f94939390d2b19992889d90d2b4999d908894bc9998d29b938a">[email protected]</span></a>.
    If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability and 
wish to access telecommunications relay services, please dial 7-1-1.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Purpose of Program: The SBMH program provides competitive grants to 
State educational agencies (SEAs) (as defined in 20 U.S.C. 7801(30)), 
local educational agencies (LEAs) (as defined in 20 U.S.C. 7801(49), 
and consortia of LEAs to increase the number of credentialed (as 
defined in this document) school-based mental health services providers 
(as defined in 20 U.S.C. 7112(6)) providing mental health services to 
students in LEAs with demonstrated need (as defined in this document).

Background

    Like good physical health, positive mental health promotes success 
in life. As defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 
(CDC), ``Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and 
social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also 
helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make 
healthy choices. Mental health is important at every stage of life, 
from childhood and adolescence through adulthood.'' \1\
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    \1\ http://www.cdc.gov/mentalhealth/learn/index.htm.
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    The increases in mental health related needs, including those 
resulting from traumatic events such as the COVID-19 pandemic, 
community violence, adverse childhood experiences, and increasing 
number of instances of bullying and harassment, and the impact of 
social media, have brought on challenges for children and youth that 
impact their overall emotional, psychological, and social well-being, 
and their ability to fully engage in learning. The disruptions in 
routines, relationships, and the learning environment have led to 
increased stress and trauma, social isolation, depression and anxiety 
among students.
    The priorities for the FY 2024 competition described in this notice 
are intended to increase the number of credentialed school-based mental 
health services providers by providing grant funds to increase 
recruitment and retention-related activities and

[[Page 15174]]

incentives, particularly in LEAs and SEAs that have not yet benefited 
from an SBMH grant; promote the respecialization and professional 
retraining of existing mental health services providers so that they 
have the credentials needed to provide school-based mental health 
services in LEAs with demonstrated need; and increase the diversity, 
and cultural and linguistic competency, of school-based mental health 
services providers, including competency in providing culturally 
sustaining and asset-based services.
    Note: The provision of medical services by such services providers 
is not an allowable use of funds under this grant.
    Priorities: This competition has four absolute priorities and two 
competitive preference priorities. Absolute Priorities 1 and 2 and the 
competitive preference priorities are from the notice of final 
priorities, requirements, and definitions published in the Federal 
Register on October 4, 2022 (87 FR 60092) (NFP). Absolute Priorities 3 
and 4 are from the Administrative Priorities for Discretionary Grants 
Programs (Administrative Priorities), published in the Federal Register 
on March 9, 2020 (85 FR 13640).
    Absolute Priorities: For FY 2024 and any subsequent year in which 
we make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this 
competition, these priorities are absolute priorities. Under 34 CFR 
75.105(c)(3), we consider only applications that meet Absolute Priority 
1 and one of Absolute Priority 3 or Absolute Priority 4, or 
applications that meet Absolute Priority 2 and one of Absolute Priority 
3 or Absolute Priority 4. Absolute Priority 1 is only applicable to 
SEAs. Absolute Priority 2 is only applicable to LEAs or consortia of 
LEAs. Absolute Priorities 3 and 4 are applicable to both SEAs and LEAs 
or consortia of LEAs.
    The Secretary may create four funding slates for SBMH applications: 
one slate for applications that meet Absolute Priorities 1 and 3 (SEA 
applicants who are new potential grantees), a second slate for 
applications that meet Absolute Priorities 1 and 4 (SEA applicants who 
are not new potential grantees), a third slate for applications that 
meet Absolute Priorities 2 and 3 (LEA or a consortium of LEA applicants 
who are new potential grantees), and a fourth slate for applications 
that meet Absolute Priorities 2 and 4 (LEA or a consortium of LEA 
applicants who are not new potential grantees). As a result, the 
Secretary may fund applications out of the overall rank order.
    These priorities are:
    Absolute Priority 1--SEAs Proposing to Increase the Number of 
Credentialed School-Based Mental Health Services Providers in LEAs with 
Demonstrated Need.
    To meet this priority, an SEA must propose to increase the number 
of credentialed school-based mental health services providers by 
implementing plans that address recruitment (as defined in this 
document) and retention (as defined in this document) of services 
providers in LEAs with demonstrated need. Applicants must propose plans 
that include both of the following:
    (a) Recruitment. An applicant must propose a plan to increase the 
number of credentialed services providers serving students in LEAs with 
demonstrated need.
    (b) Retention. An applicant must also propose a plan to increase 
the likelihood that credentialed services providers providing services 
in LEAs with demonstrated need stay in their position over time.
    Absolute Priority 2--LEAs or Consortia of LEAs with Demonstrated 
Need Proposing to Increase the Number of Credentialed School-Based 
Mental Health Services Providers.
    To meet this priority, an LEA or consortium of LEAs with 
demonstrated need must propose measures to increase the number of 
credentialed school-based mental health services providers, including 
plans to address the recruitment and retention of credentialed services 
providers in the LEA(s). Applicants must propose plans that include 
both of the following:
    (a) Recruitment. An applicant must propose a plan to increase the 
number of credentialed services providers serving students in the 
LEA(s) with demonstrated need.
    (b) Retention. An applicant must also propose a plan to improve the 
likelihood that credentialed services providers providing services in 
the LEA(s) with demonstrated need stay in their position over time.
    Absolute Priority 3--Applications From New Potential Grantees.
    Under this priority, an applicant must demonstrate the following:
    (a) The applicant does not, as of the deadline date for submission 
of applications, have an active grant, including through membership in 
a group application submitted in accordance with 34 CFR 75.127-75.129, 
under the program from which it seeks funds.
    (b) For the purpose of this priority, a grant is active until the 
end of the grant's project or funding period, including any extensions 
of those periods that extend the grantee's authority to obligate funds.
    Absolute Priority 4--Applications From Grantees that Are Not New 
Potential Grantees.
    Under this priority, an applicant must demonstrate the following:
    (a) The applicant has, as of the deadline date for submission of 
applications, an active grant, including through membership in a group 
application submitted in accordance with 34 CFR 75.127-75.129, under 
the program from which it seeks funds.
    (b) For the purpose of this priority, a grant is active until the 
end of the grant's project or funding period, including any extensions 
of those periods that extend the grantee's authority to obligate funds.
    Competitive Preference Priorities: For FY 2024 and any subsequent 
year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applications 
from this competition, these priorities are competitive preference 
priorities. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i), we award an additional 5 
points to an application from an SEA that meets Competitive Preference 
Priority 1. We award up to an additional 10 points to an application 
from an SEA, LEA, or consortium of LEAs, depending on how well the 
application meets Competitive Preference Priority 2.
    The total number of competitive preference points an SEA applicant 
may compete for is 15. The total number of competitive preference 
points an LEA or consortium of LEAs applicant may compete for is 10. As 
stated previously, these entities will not be competing against one 
another.
    An applicant must clearly identify in the project abstract and the 
project narrative section of its application the competitive preference 
priority or priorities it wishes the Department to consider for 
purposes of earning competitive preference priority points.
    These priorities are:
    Competitive Preference Priority 1--SEAs Proposing Respecialization, 
Professional Retraining, or Other Preparation Plan for Existing Mental 
Health Services Providers to Qualify Them for Work in LEAs with 
Demonstrated Need. (Up to 5 points)
    To meet this priority, an applicant must propose a respecialization 
(as defined in this document), professional retraining, or other 
preparation plan that leads to a State credential as a school 
psychologist, school social worker, school counselor, or other school-
based mental health services provider and that is designed to increase 
the number of service providers qualified to serve in LEAs with 
demonstrated need.

[[Page 15175]]

    Competitive Preference Priority 2--Increasing the Number of 
Credentialed School-Based Mental Health Services Providers in LEAs with 
Demonstrated Need Who Are from Diverse Backgrounds or from Communities 
Served by the LEAs with Demonstrated Need. (Up to 10 Points)
    To meet this priority, applicants must propose a plan to increase 
the number of credentialed school-based mental health services 
providers in LEAs with demonstrated need who are from diverse 
backgrounds or who are from communities served by the LEAs with 
demonstrated need.\2\
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    \2\ All strategies to increase the diversity of school-based 
mental health services providers must comply with applicable Federal 
civil rights laws, including title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 
1964.
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    Applicants must describe how their proposal to increase the number 
of school-based mental health services providers who are from diverse 
backgrounds or who are from the communities served by the LEA with 
demonstrated need will help increase access to mental health services 
for students within the LEA with demonstrated need and best meet the 
mental health needs of the diverse populations of students to be 
served.
    Requirements: These requirements are from the NFP. We are 
establishing these application and program requirements for the FY 2024 
grant competition and any subsequent year in which we make awards from 
the list of unfunded applications from this competition. Application 
requirement (a) applies to SEAs only, and application requirement (b) 
applies to LEAs or a consortium of LEAs only. All of the remaining 
application requirements apply to all eligible applicants. For FY 2024 
and any subsequent year in which we make awards from the list of 
unfunded applications from this competition, the following requirements 
apply:
    Eligible Applicants: SEAs, as defined in 20 U.S.C. 7801(49), or 
LEAs, as defined in 20 U.S.C. 7801(30), including consortia of LEAs.

Program Requirements

    (a) Applicants that receive an award under this program must ensure 
that any school-based mental health services provider hired under this 
grant, including any services provider that offers telehealth services, 
is credentialed by the State to work in an elementary school (as 
defined in 20 U.S.C. 7801(19)) or secondary school (as defined in 20 
U.S.C. 7801(45)).
    (b) Applicants that receive an award under this program must ensure 
that any school-based mental health services provider offering services 
(including telehealth services) does so in an equitable manner and 
consistent with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), 
the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA), the Individuals with 
Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), section 504 of the Rehabilitation 
Act, and the Americans with Disabilities Act, as well as all other 
applicable Federal, State, and local laws and profession-specific 
ethical obligations.

Application Requirements

    (a) Describe the LEAs with demonstrated need designated by the SEA 
to be served by the proposed project.
    SEA applicants must describe the LEAs with demonstrated need 
designated to benefit from the SBMH program.
    (b) Describe how the LEA, or each LEA in the proposed consortium 
(if applicable), meets the definition of an LEA with demonstrated need.
    To meet this requirement, an LEA applicant or the lead LEA 
submitting an application on behalf of a consortium must describe how 
the LEA or each LEA in the consortium meets the definition of an LEA 
with demonstrated need.
    (c) Describe the importance and magnitude of the problem.
    Applicants must describe the lack of school-based mental health 
services providers and its effect on students in the LEA(s) to be 
served by the grant. This must include a description of the nature of 
the problem for the LEA(s), based on information, including, but not 
limited to, the most recent available ratios of school-based mental 
health services providers to students enrolled in the LEA(s), or for 
SEA applicants, the LEAs designated by the SEA to benefit from the SBMH 
program. These data must be provided in the aggregate and disaggregated 
by profession (e.g., school social workers, school psychologists, 
school counselors) as compared to local, State, or national data. The 
description may also include LEA-level or school-level demographic data 
(including rates of poverty; rates of chronic absenteeism; the 
percentage of students involved in the juvenile justice system, 
experiencing homelessness, or in foster care; and discipline data), 
school climate surveys, school violence/crime data, data related to 
suicide rates, and descriptions of barriers to hiring and retaining 
credentialed school-based mental health services providers in the LEA.
    (d) Logic Model
    The applicant must describe its approach to increase the number of 
credentialed school-based mental health services providers using a 
logic model (as defined in 34 CFR 77.1), including the key project 
components and relevant outcomes (as defined in 34 CFR 77.1). The 
description should indicate how the proposed approach taken under this 
program will improve or expand on any previous approaches, how the new 
approach will address barriers, and how the applicant will sustain the 
increased number of school-based mental health services providers after 
the performance period has ended.
    (e) Detailed project budget, including matching funds.
    To promote the sustainability of the school-based mental health 
services, all applicants must include non-Federal matching funds in the 
amount of at least 25 percent of their budgets. Budgets must describe 
how the applicant will meet the matching requirement for each budget 
period awarded under this grant and must indicate the source of the 
funds, such as State, local, or private resources. The Secretary may 
consider decreasing or waiving the matching requirement post award, on 
a case-by-case basis, if an applicant demonstrates a significant 
financial hardship.
    Budgets must also specify the portion of funds that will be used 
for respecialization, if applicable. Administrative costs for SEA 
applicants may not exceed 10 percent of the annual grant award. This 
includes funding for State-level or LEA-level administrative costs that 
promote respecialization, if applicable. Administrative costs for 
applicants that are LEAs and consortia of LEAs may not exceed 5 percent 
of the annual grant award.
    (f) Number of providers.
    Applicants must include the most recent available data on the 
number of school-based mental health services providers in the 
identified LEA(s), disaggregated by profession (e.g., school social 
workers, school psychologists, school counselors), and the projected 
number of school-based mental health services providers that will be 
placed into employment in the identified LEA(s) for each year of the 
plan using funds from this grant or matching funds. If applicable, 
applicants should provide data on the current and projected 
unduplicated numbers of school-based mental health services providers 
disaggregated by profession (e.g., school social workers, school 
psychologists, school counselors), offering telehealth services.
    (g) A plan for collaboration and coordination with related Federal, 
State, and local organizations, and school-based efforts.
    Applicants must propose a plan describing how they will collaborate

[[Page 15176]]

and coordinate with related Federal, State, and local organizations, 
and school-based efforts (e.g., professional associations; colleges or 
universities, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities, 
Minority Serving Institutions, and Tribal Colleges and Universities; 
local mental health, public health, child welfare, or other community 
agencies, including school-based health centers), to achieve plan goals 
and objectives of increasing the number of school-based mental health 
services providers in LEAs with demonstrated need. The plan must 
include a description of how such collaboration and coordination will 
promote program success across multiple programs.
    (h) Use of grant funds to supplement, and not supplant, existing 
school-based mental health services funds and to expand, not duplicate, 
efforts to increase the number of providers.
    Applicants must describe how project funds will supplement, and not 
supplant, non-Federal funds that would otherwise be available for 
activities funded under this program.
    Applicants must describe how they will use the SBMH program funds 
to expand, rather than duplicate, existing or new efforts to increase 
the number of credentialed school-based mental health services 
providers in LEAs with demonstrated need and how they will integrate 
existing funding streams and efforts to support the plan.
    (i) Plan for prompt delivery of services to students.
    For SEA applicants, applicants must describe their plan to ensure 
the prompt delivery of services to students (i.e., as soon as possible, 
but no later than 180 days from award), including via subgrants to 
LEAs, as appropriate. For LEA applicants and consortia of LEAs, 
applicants must describe their plan to ensure the prompt delivery of 
services to students (i.e., as soon as possible, but no later than 180 
days from award). Additionally, SEA and LEA applicants must describe 
how leaders across all levels of the project will be engaged in the 
implementation and evaluation of the project.

Definitions

    The definitions of ``credentialed,'' ``LEA with demonstrated 
need,'' ``recruitment,'' ``respecialization,'' ``retention,'' and 
``telehealth'' are from the NFP. The definitions of ``ambitious,'' 
``baseline,'' ``logic model,'' ``project component,'' and ``relevant 
outcome'' are from 34 CFR 77.1, and the definitions of ``local 
educational agency'' and ``State educational agency'' are from 20 
U.S.C. 7801. The definition of ``school-based mental health services 
provider'' is from 20 U.S.C. 7112.
    These definitions apply to the FY 2024 School-Based Mental Health 
Services Grant competition and any subsequent year in which we make 
awards from the list of unfunded applications from this competition.
    Ambitious means promoting continued, meaningful improvement for 
program participants or for other individuals or entities affected by 
the grant, or representing a significant advancement in the field of 
education research, practices, or methodologies. When used to describe 
a performance target, whether a performance target is ambitious depends 
upon the context of the relevant performance measure and the baseline 
for that measure.
    Baseline means the starting point from which performance is 
measured and targets are set.
    Credentialed means an individual who possesses a valid license or 
certificate from the SEA or relevant regulatory body as a school 
psychologist, school counselor, or a school social worker, or other 
mental health services provider, approved by the State to provide 
school-based mental health services.
    Local educational agency means a public board of education or other 
public authority legally constituted within a State for either 
administrative control or direction of, or to perform a service 
function for, public elementary schools or secondary schools in a city, 
county, township, school district, or other political subdivision of a 
State, or of or for a combination of school districts or counties that 
is recognized in a State as an administrative agency for its public 
elementary schools or secondary schools.
    (1) The term includes any other public institution or agency having 
administrative control and direction of a public elementary school or 
secondary school.
    (2) The term includes an elementary or secondary school funded by 
the Bureau of Indian Education but only to the extent that including 
the school makes the school eligible for programs for which specific 
eligibility is not provided to the school in another provision of law 
and the school does not have a student population that is smaller than 
the student population of the LEA receiving assistance under the 
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended (ESEA) with 
the smallest student population, except that the school shall not be 
subject to the jurisdiction of any SEA other than the Bureau of Indian 
Education.
    (3) The term includes educational service agencies and consortia of 
those agencies.
    (4) The term includes the SEA in a State in which the SEA is the 
sole educational agency for all public schools.
    LEA with demonstrated need means an LEA that has a significant need 
for additional school-based mental health services providers based on--
    (1) High student to mental health services provider ratios as 
compared to other LEAs statewide or nationally;
    (2) High rates of community violence (including hate crimes), 
poverty, substance use (including opioid use), suicide, or trafficking; 
or
    (3) A significant number of students who are migratory, 
experiencing homelessness, have a family member deployed in the 
military or with a military-service connected disability (including 
veterans), have experienced a natural or man-made disaster or a 
traumatic event, or have other adverse childhood experiences, such as 
repeated disciplinary exclusions from the learning environment.
    Logic model (also referred to as a theory of action) means a 
framework that identifies key project components of the proposed 
project (i.e., the active ``ingredients'' that are hypothesized to be 
critical to achieving the relevant outcomes) and describes the 
theoretical and operational relationships among the key project 
components and relevant outcomes.
    Project component means an activity, strategy, intervention, 
process, product, practice, or policy included in a project. Evidence 
may pertain to an individual project component or to a combination of 
project components (e.g., training teachers on instructional practices 
for English learners and follow-on coaching for these teachers).
    Recruitment means strategies that help attract and hire 
credentialed school-based mental health services providers, including 
by doing at least one of the following:
    (1) Providing an annual salary or stipend for school-based mental 
health services providers who maintain an active national 
certification.
    (2) Providing payment toward the school loans accrued by the 
school-based mental health services provider.
    (3) Creating pathways to grant cross-State credentialing 
reciprocity for school-based mental health services providers.
    (4) Providing incentives and supports to help mitigate shortages. 
These may include, for example, increasing pay; offering monetary 
incentives for relocation to high-need areas; providing

[[Page 15177]]

services via telehealth; creating hybrid roles that allow for 
leadership, academic, or research opportunities; developing induction 
programs; developing paid internship programs; focusing on recruitment 
and support of underrepresented populations; and offering service 
scholarship programs such as those that provide grants in exchange for 
a commitment to serve in the LEA for a minimum number of years.
    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.
    Respecialization means strategies that provide opportunities for 
professional retraining and alternative pathways to obtain a State 
credential, aligned with the standards of the relevant professional 
organization, as a school-based mental health services provider for 
individuals who hold, at a minimum, a degree in a related field (e.g., 
special education, clinical psychology, community counseling), 
including by doing one or more of the following:
    (1) Revising, updating, or streamlining requirements for such 
individuals so that additional training or other requirements focus 
only on training needed to obtain a credential as a school-based mental 
health services provider.
    (2) Providing a stipend or making a payment to support the training 
needed to obtain a credential as a school- based mental health services 
provider.
    (3) Offering flexible options for completing training that leads 
such professionals to meet State credentialing requirements as a 
school-based mental health services provider.
    (4) Establishing a provisional, time-limited, and nonrenewable 
credential to allow individuals seeking respecialization to provide 
school-based mental health services under the direct supervision of a 
fully credentialed school-based mental health services provider of the 
same profession.
    (5) Offering other meaningful activities that result in existing 
mental health services providers obtaining a State credential as a 
school-based mental health services provider.
    Retention means strategies to help ensure that credentialed 
individuals stay in their position to avoid gaps in service and 
unfilled positions, including by--
    (1) Providing opportunities for advancement or leadership, such as 
career pathways programs, recognition and award programs, and 
mentorship programs; and
    (2) Offering incentives and supports to help mitigate shortages. 
These may include, for example, increasing pay; making payments toward 
student loans; offering monetary incentives for relocation to high-need 
areas; providing services via telehealth; offering service scholarship 
programs, such as those that provide grants in exchange for a 
commitment to serve in the LEA for a minimum number of years; and 
developing paid internship programs.
    School-based mental health services provider means a State-licensed 
or State-certified school counselor, school psychologist, school social 
worker, or other State-licensed or certified mental health professional 
qualified under State law to provide mental health services to children 
and adolescents.
    State educational agency means the agency primarily responsible for 
the State supervision of public elementary schools and secondary 
schools.
    Telehealth means the use of electronic information and 
telecommunication technologies to support and promote long- distance 
clinical health care, patient and professional health-related 
education, public health, and health administration. Technologies 
include videoconferencing, the internet, store-and-forward imaging, 
streaming media, and landline and wireless communications.
    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 7281.
    Note: Projects will be awarded and must be operated in a manner 
consistent with the nondiscrimination requirements contained in Federal 
civil rights laws.
    Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations in 34 CFR parts 75, 77, 79, 81, 82, 84, 97, 
98, and 99. (b) The Office of Management and Budget Guidelines to 
Agencies on Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension (Nonprocurement) in 
2 CFR part 180, as adopted and amended as regulations of the Department 
in 2 CFR part 3485. (c) The Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost 
Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards in 2 CFR part 
200, as adopted and amended as regulations of the Department in 2 CFR 
part 3474. (d) The NFP.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
    Estimated Available Funds: $19,000,000.
    The actual level of funding, if any, depends on final congressional 
action. However, we are inviting applications to allow enough time to 
complete the grant process if Congress appropriates funds for this 
program.
    Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of 
applications, we may make additional awards in subsequent years from 
the list of unfunded applications from this competition.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $500,000 to 3,000,000.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $1,750,000.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 15-25 awards.
    Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice.
    Project Period: Up to 60 months.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: SEAs, as defined in 20 U.S.C. 7801(49), or 
LEAs, as defined in 20 U.S.C. 7801(30), including consortia of LEAs.
    2. Cost Sharing or Matching: a. This program requires cost sharing 
or matching requirements. See ``Application Requirements'' in Section 
I.
    b. Indirect Cost Rate Information: This program uses an 
unrestricted indirect cost rate. For more information regarding 
indirect costs, or to obtain a negotiated indirect cost rate, please 
see www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocfo/intro.html.
    c. Administrative Cost Limitation: This program involves 
administrative costs for SEAs, LEAs and consortia of LEAs. See 
``Application Requirements'' in Section I.
    3. Supplement-Not-Supplant: This program involves supplement-not-
supplant funding requirements. See ``Application Requirements'' in 
Section I.
    4. Limitation on Awards: The Department will make only one award 
that serves any individual LEA.
    5. Subgrantees: Under 34 CFR 75.708(b) and (c) an SEA grantee under 
this competition may award subgrants to directly carry out project 
activities described in its application to the following types of 
entities: LEAs. The SEA grantee may award subgrants to entities it has 
identified in an approved application or that it selects through a 
competition under procedures established by the grantees. However, an 
SEA grantee is not required to award subgrants and may instead 
administer the program directly. Additionally, under 34 CFR 75.708 (b) 
and (c) LEAs are not authorized to make subgrants.

IV. Application and Submission Information

    1. Application Submission Instructions: Applicants are required to 
follow the Common Instructions for Applicants to Department of 
Education

[[Page 15178]]

Discretionary Grant Programs, published in the Federal Register on 
December 7, 2022 (87 FR 75045) and available at https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/12/07/2022-26554/common-instructions-for-applicants-to-department-of-education-discretionary-grant-programs, which contain requirements and information on how to 
submit an application.
    2. Intergovernmental Review: This competition is subject to 
Executive Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79. 
Information about Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs under 
Executive Order 12372 is in the application package for this 
competition.
    3. Funding Restrictions: We reference regulations outlining funding 
restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice. In 
addition, we remind applicants that sections 4001(a) and 4001(b) of the 
ESEA (20 U.S.C. 7101) apply to this program. Section 4001(a) requires 
entities receiving funds under this program to obtain prior, written, 
informed consent from the parent of each child who is under 18 years of 
age to participate in any mental-health assessment or service that is 
funded under this program and conducted in connection with an 
elementary or secondary school. Section 4001(b) prohibits the use of 
funds for medical services or drug treatment or rehabilitation, except 
for integrated student supports, specialized instructional support 
services, or referral to treatment for impacted students, which may 
include students who are victims of, or witnesses to, crime or who 
illegally use drugs. This prohibition does not preclude the use of 
funds to support mental health counseling and support services, 
including those provided by a mental health services provider outside 
of school, so long as such services are not medical.
    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 25 pages and (2) use the 
following standards:
    A ``page'' is 8.5'' x 11'', on one side only, with 1' margins at 
the top, bottom, and both sides.
    Double space (no more than three lines per vertical inch) all text 
in the application narrative, including titles, headings, footnotes, 
quotations, references, and captions, as well as all text in charts, 
tables, figures, and graphs.
    Use a font that is either 12 point or larger or no smaller than 10 
pitch (characters per inch).
    Use one of the following fonts: Times New Roman, Courier, Courier 
New, or Arial.
    The recommended page limit does not apply to the cover sheet; the 
budget section, including the narrative budget justification; the 
assurances and certifications; or the one-page abstract, the resumes, 
the bibliography, or the letters of support. However, the recommended 
page limit does apply to all of the application narrative.

V. Application Review Information

    1. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this program are 
from 34 CFR 75.210. The maximum score for all selection criteria is 100 
points. The points assigned to each criterion are indicated in 
parentheses. Non-Federal peer reviewers will evaluate and score each 
application program narrative against the following selection criteria:
    (a) Need for the Project (10 points).
    The Secretary considers the need for the proposed project. In 
determining the need for the proposed project, the Secretary considers 
the extent to which specific gaps or weaknesses in services, 
infrastructure, or opportunities have been identified and will be 
addressed by the proposed project, including the nature and magnitude 
of those gaps or weaknesses. (Up to 10 points)
    (b) Quality of Project Personnel (30 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 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. (Up to 15 points)
    In addition, the Secretary considers the qualifications, including 
relevant training and experience, of key project personnel. (Up to 15 
points)
    Note: For purposes of this competition, key project personnel 
include school-based mental health providers hired as consultants or 
subcontractors.
    (c) Quality of Project Design and Project Services (35 points).
    (1) The Secretary considers the quality of the design of the 
proposed project and the quality of the services to be provided by the 
proposed project. In determining the quality of the design of the 
proposed project, the Secretary considers the extent to which the 
goals, objectives, and outcomes to be achieved by the proposed project 
are clearly specified and measurable. (Up to 10 points)
    (2) In determining the quality of the services to be provided by 
the proposed project, the Secretary considers the quality and 
sufficiency of strategies for ensuring equal access and treatment for 
eligible project participants who are members of groups that have 
traditionally been underrepresented based on race, color, national 
origin, gender, age, or disability. (Up to 10 points)
    (3) In addition, the Secretary considers the extent to which the 
training or professional development services to be provided by the 
proposed project are likely to alleviate the personnel shortages that 
have been identified or are the focus of the proposed project. (Up to 
15 points)
    (d) Management Plan and Adequacy of Resources (25 points).
    The Secretary considers the management plan and adequacy of 
resources for the proposed project. In determining the quality of the 
management plan and the adequacy of resources for the proposed project, 
the Secretary considers:
    (1) The adequacy of mechanisms for ensuring high-quality products 
and services from the proposed project. (Up to 10 points)
    (2) The relevance and demonstrated commitment of each partner in 
the proposed project to the implementation and success of the project. 
(Up to 5 points)
    (3) The potential for continued support of the project after 
Federal funding ends, including, as appropriate, the demonstrated 
commitment of appropriate entities to such support. (Up to 5 points)
    (4) The adequacy of procedures for ensuring feedback and continuous 
improvement in the operation of the proposed project. (Up to 5 points)
    2. Review and Selection Process: We remind potential applicants 
that in reviewing applications in any discretionary grant competition, 
the Secretary may consider, under 34 CFR 75.217(d)(3), the past 
performance of the applicant in carrying out a previous award, such as 
the applicant's use of funds, achievement of project objectives, and 
compliance with grant conditions. The Secretary may also consider 
whether the applicant failed to submit a timely performance report or 
submitted a report of unacceptable quality.

[[Page 15179]]

    In addition, in making a competitive grant award, the Secretary 
requires various assurances, including those applicable to Federal 
civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination in programs or 
activities receiving Federal financial assistance from the Department 
(34 CFR 100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).
    3. Risk Assessment and Specific Conditions: Consistent with 2 CFR 
200.206, before awarding grants under this program the Department 
conducts a review of the risks posed by applicants. Under 2 CFR 
200.208, the Secretary may impose specific conditions and, under 2 CFR 
3474.10, in appropriate circumstances, high-risk conditions on a grant 
if the applicant or grantee is not financially stable; has a history of 
unsatisfactory performance; has a financial or other management system 
that does not meet the standards in 2 CFR part 200, subpart D; has not 
fulfilled the conditions of a prior grant; or is otherwise not 
responsible.
    4. Integrity and Performance System: If you are selected under this 
competition to receive an award that over the course of the project 
period may exceed the simplified acquisition threshold (currently 
$250,000), under 2 CFR 200.206(a)(2) we must make a judgment about your 
integrity, business ethics, and record of performance under Federal 
awards--that is, the risk posed by you as an applicant--before we make 
an award. In doing so, we must consider any information about you that 
is in the integrity and performance system (currently referred to as 
the Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System 
(FAPIIS)), accessible through the System for Award Management. You may 
review and comment on any information about yourself that a Federal 
agency previously entered and that is currently in FAPIIS.
    Please note that, if the total value of your currently active 
grants, cooperative agreements, and procurement contracts from the 
Federal Government exceeds $10,000,000, the reporting requirements in 2 
CFR part 200, appendix XII, require you to report certain integrity 
information to FAPIIS semiannually. Please review the requirements in 2 
CFR part 200, appendix XII, if this grant plus all the other Federal 
funds you receive exceed $10,000,000.
    5. In General: In accordance with the Office of Management and 
Budget's guidance located at 2 CFR part 200, all applicable Federal 
laws, and relevant Executive guidance, the Department will review and 
consider applications for funding pursuant to this notice inviting 
applications in accordance with:
    (a) Selecting recipients most likely to be successful in delivering 
results based on the program objectives through an objective process of 
evaluating Federal award applications (2 CFR 200.205);
    (b) Prohibiting the purchase of certain telecommunication and video 
surveillance services or equipment in alignment with section 889 of the 
National Defense Authorization Act of 2019 (Pub. L. 115-232) (2 CFR 
200.216);
    (c) Providing a preference, to the extent permitted by law, to 
maximize use of goods, products, and materials produced in the United 
States (2 CFR 200.322); and
    (d) Terminating agreements in whole or in part to the greatest 
extent authorized by law if an award no longer effectuates the program 
goals or agency priorities (2 CFR 200.340).

VI. Award Administration Information

    1. Award Notices: If your application is successful, we notify your 
U.S. Representative and U.S. Senators and send you a Grant Award 
Notification (GAN); or we may send you an email containing a link to 
access an electronic version of your GAN. We may notify you informally, 
also.
    If your application is not evaluated or not selected for funding, 
we notify you.
    2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements: We identify 
administrative and national policy requirements in the application 
package and reference these and other requirements in the Applicable 
Regulations section of this notice.
    We reference the regulations outlining the terms and conditions of 
an award in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice and 
include these and other specific conditions in the GAN. The GAN also 
incorporates your approved application as part of your binding 
commitments under the grant.
    3. Open Licensing Requirements: Unless an exception applies, if you 
are awarded a grant under this competition, you will be required to 
openly license to the public grant deliverables created in whole, or in 
part, with Department grant funds. When the deliverable consists of 
modifications to pre-existing works, the license extends only to those 
modifications that can be separately identified and only to the extent 
that open licensing is permitted under the terms of any licenses or 
other legal restrictions on the use of pre-existing works.
    Additionally, a grantee or subgrantee that is awarded competitive 
grant funds must have a plan to disseminate these public grant 
deliverables. This dissemination plan can be developed and submitted 
after your application has been reviewed and selected for funding. For 
additional information on the open licensing requirements please refer 
to 2 CFR 3474.20.
    4. Reporting: (a) If you apply for a grant under this competition, 
you must ensure that you have in place the necessary processes and 
systems to comply with the reporting requirements in 2 CFR part 170 
should you receive funding under this 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.
    (c) Under 34 CFR 75.250(b), the Secretary may provide a grantee 
with additional funding for data collection analysis and reporting. In 
this case the Secretary establishes a data collection period.
    5. Performance Measures: For the purpose of Department reporting 
under 34 CFR 75.110, we have established the following performance 
measures for the School-Based Mental Health Services Grant Program:
    (a) The unduplicated, cumulative number of new school-based mental 
health services providers hired for each LEA with demonstrated need as 
a result of the grant.
    (b) The unduplicated, cumulative number of school- based mental 
health services providers retained in LEAs with demonstrated need as a 
result of the grant.
    (c) The ratio of students to school-based mental health services 
providers for each LEA with demonstrated need served by the grant, and 
the numbers of school-based mental health services providers and 
students used to calculate the ratio.
    (d) The attrition rate of school-based mental health services 
providers for each LEA with a demonstrated need that is participating 
in the grant.
    (e) The total number of students who received school-based mental 
health services as a result of the grant.
    (f) For grantees that addressed Competitive Preference Priority 2, 
the number of such grantees that met their goal of increasing the 
diversity of

[[Page 15180]]

school-based mental health services providers.
    These measures constitute the Department's indicators of success 
for this program. Consequently, we advise an applicant for a grant 
under this program to give careful consideration to these measures in 
conceptualizing the approach for its proposed project plan. Each 
grantee will be required to provide, in its annual performance and 
final reports, data about its progress in meeting these measures. These 
data will be considered by the Department in making potential 
continuation awards.
    Consistent with 34 CFR 75.591, grantees funded under this program 
must meet the requirements of any evaluation of the program conducted 
by the Department or an evaluator selected by the Department.
    Performance measure targets: The applicant must propose annual 
targets for the measures listed above in their application. Applicants 
must also provide the following information as directed under 34 CFR 
75.110(b) and (c):
    (1) An explanation of how each proposed performance target is 
ambitious (as defined in this notice) yet achievable compared to the 
baseline (as defined in this notice) for the performance measure.
    (2) An explanation of the data collection and reporting methods the 
applicant would use and why those methods are likely to yield reliable, 
valid, and meaningful performance data.
    (3) An explanation of the applicant's capacity to collect and 
report reliable, valid, and meaningful performance data, as evidenced 
by high-quality data collection, analysis, and reporting in other 
projects or research.
    Note: If the applicant does not have experience with collection and 
reporting of performance data through other projects or research, the 
applicant should provide other evidence of capacity to successfully 
carry out data collection and reporting for its proposed project.
    The reviewers of each application will score related selection 
criteria on the basis of how well an applicant has considered these 
measures in conceptualizing the approach and evaluation of the project.
    All grantees must submit an annual performance report and final 
performance report with information that is responsive to these 
performance measures.
    6. Continuation Awards: In making a continuation award under 34 CFR 
75.253, the Secretary considers, among other things, whether a grantee 
has made substantial progress in achieving the goals and objectives of 
the project; whether the grantee has expended funds in a manner that is 
consistent with its approved application and budget; and, if the 
Secretary has established performance measurement requirements, whether 
the grantee has made substantial progress in achieving the performance 
targets in the grantee's approved application.
    In making a continuation award, the Secretary also considers 
whether the grantee is operating in compliance with the assurances in 
its approved application, including those applicable to Federal civil 
rights laws that prohibit discrimination in programs or activities 
receiving Federal financial assistance from the Department (34 CFR 
100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).

VII. Other Information

    Accessible Format: On request to the program contact person listed 
under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT, individuals with disabilities 
can obtain this document 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 Register. You may 
access the official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of 
Federal Regulations at www.govinfo.gov. At this site you can view this 
document, as well as all other documents of this Department published 
in the Federal Register, in text or Portable Document Format (PDF). To 
use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available free at 
the site.
    You may also access documents of the Department published in the 
Federal Register by using the article search feature at 
www.federalregister.gov. Specifically, through the advanced search 
feature at this site, you can limit your search to documents published 
by the Department.

Adam Schott,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy and Programs, Delegated the 
Authority to Perform the Functions and Duties of the Assistant 
Secretary Office of Elementary and Secondary Education.
[FR Doc. 2024-04358 Filed 2-29-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P


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