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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 224 (Wednesday, November 20, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 91708-91715]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-27054]

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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Applications for New Awards; Gaining Early Awareness and 
Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (Partnership Grants)

AGENCY: Office of Postsecondary Education, Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Education (Department) is issuing a notice 
inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY) 2025 for the 
Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR 
UP) Partnership Grants.

DATES: 
    Applications Available: November 20, 2024.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: February 3, 2025.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: April 4, 2025.

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 
www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/12/07/2022-26554/common-instructions-for-applicants-to-department-of-education-discretionary-grant-programs.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ben Witthoefft, U.S. Department of 
Education, 5th Floor, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20202-
6450. Telephone: (202) 453-7576. Email: [email protected].

[[Page 91709]]

    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 GEAR UP program is a discretionary grant 
program that encourages eligible entities to provide support, and 
maintain a commitment, to eligible students from low-income 
backgrounds, including students with disabilities, to assist the 
students in obtaining a secondary school diploma (or its recognized 
equivalent) and to prepare for and succeed in postsecondary education. 
Under the GEAR UP program, the Department awards grants to two types of 
entities: (1) States and (2) Partnerships consisting of at least one 
degree-granting institution of higher education (IHE) and at least one 
local educational agency (LEA).
    Assistance Listing Number: 84.334A.
    OMB Control Number: 1840-0821.
    Background: In this notice, the Department invites applications for 
Partnership grants only. We will invite applications for State grants 
in another notice published in the Federal Register. Required services 
under the GEAR UP program are specified in section 404D(a) of the 
Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA) (20 U.S.C. 1070a-24(a)), 
and permissible services under the GEAR UP program are specified in 
section 404D(b) of the HEA (20 U.S.C. 1070a-24(b)). For Partnership 
grantees, activities must include providing financial aid information 
for postsecondary education, encouraging enrollment in rigorous and 
challenging coursework in order to reduce the need for remediation at 
the postsecondary education level, and implementing activities to 
improve the number of participating students who obtain a secondary 
school diploma and who complete applications for and enroll in a 
program of postsecondary education. Activities may also include 
mentoring; tutoring; supporting dual or concurrent enrollment programs; 
providing special programs or tutoring in science, technology, 
engineering, or mathematics (STEM); academic and career counseling; 
financial and economic literacy education; exposure to college 
campuses; and providing scholarships as specified in section 404E of 
the HEA.
    Priorities: This notice contains three competitive preference 
priorities. Competitive Preference Priorities 1 and 2 are from the 
Secretary's Final Supplemental Priorities and Definitions for 
Discretionary Grant Programs published in the Federal Register on 
December 10, 2021 (86 FR 70612) (Supplemental Priorities). Competitive 
Preference Priority 3 is from 34 CFR 75.226(b).
    Competitive Preference Priorities: For FY 2025 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 up to an additional 
13 points to an application depending on how well the application meets 
the competitive preference priorities.
    These priorities are:
    Competitive Preference Priority 1--Increasing Postsecondary 
Education Access, Affordability, Completion, and Post-Enrollment 
Success (up to 5 points).
    Projects that are designed to increase postsecondary access, 
affordability, completion, and success for underserved students by 
establishing a system of high-quality data collection and analysis, 
such as data on persistence, retention, completion, and post-college 
outcomes, for transparency, accountability, and institutional 
improvement.
    Competitive Preference Priority 2--Meeting Student Social, 
Emotional, and Academic Needs (up to 5 points).
    Projects that are designed to improve students' social, emotional, 
academic, and career development, with a focus on underserved students, 
through fostering partnerships, including across government agencies 
(e.g., housing, human services, employment agencies), local educational 
agencies, community-based organizations, adult learning providers, and 
postsecondary education intuitions, to provide comprehensive services 
to students and families that support students' social, emotional, 
mental health, and academic needs, and that are inclusive with regard 
to race, ethnicity, culture, language, and disability status.
    Competitive Preference Priority 3--Moderate Evidence (0 or 3 
points).
    Applications supported by evidence that meets the conditions in the 
definition of ``moderate evidence'' (as defined in this notice).

    Note: To address the priority, an applicant may submit up to two 
study citations that it believes supports the implementation of a 
GEAR UP authorized activity proposed in the application and that 
meet the moderate evidence standard. For Partnership grantees, 
required GEAR UP services are specified in section 404D(a) of the 
HEA (20 U.S.C. 1070a-24(a)), and permissible services are specified 
in section 404D(b) of the HEA (20 U.S.C. 1070a-24(b)).

    Applicants can cite What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) intervention 
reports, WWC practice guides, or individual studies--both those already 
listed in the Department's WWC Database of Individual Studies \1\ and 
those that have not yet been reviewed by the WWC.
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    \1\ https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/ReviewedStudies#.
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    The proposed studies must be cited in the section of the 
application that addresses Competitive Preference Priority 3 as well as 
on the Evidence Form. Applicants should also describe (1) the project 
component(s) from the cited research they intend to implement in their 
GEAR UP project, (2) the relevant outcome(s) that are included in both 
the study (or WWC practice guide or intervention report) and in the 
proposed project, (3) the research findings suggesting a favorable 
relationship between the project component and the relevant outcome, 
and (4) how the population and/or settings in the cited research 
overlap with that of the proposed project. The Department will review 
the research cited by the applicant to determine if it meets the 
requirements for moderate evidence, as well as whether it is 
sufficiently aligned with the proposed project.
    Definitions: The definitions of ``experimental study,'' ``logic 
model,'' ``moderate evidence,'' ``project component,'' ``quasi-
experimental design study,'' ``relevant outcome,'' and ``What Works 
Clearinghouse (WWC) Handbooks (WWC Handbooks)'' are from 34 CFR 
77.1(c). The definitions of ``children or students with disabilities,'' 
``disconnected youth,'' ``English learner,'' and ``underserved 
student'' are from the Supplemental Priorities.
    Experimental study means a study that is designed to compare 
outcomes between two groups of individuals (such as students) that are 
otherwise equivalent except for their assignment to either a treatment 
group receiving a project component or a control group that does not. 
Randomized controlled trials, regression discontinuity design studies, 
and single-case design studies are the specific types of experimental 
studies that, depending on their design and implementation (e.g., 
sample attrition in randomized controlled trials and regression 
discontinuity design studies), can meet What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) 
standards without reservations as described in the WWC Handbooks:
    (i) A randomized controlled trial employs random assignment of, for

[[Page 91710]]

example, students, teachers, classrooms, or schools to receive the 
project component being evaluated (the treatment group) or not to 
receive the project component (the control group).
    (ii) A regression discontinuity design study assigns the project 
component being evaluated using a measured variable (e.g., assigning 
students reading below a cutoff score to tutoring or developmental 
education classes) and controls for that variable in the analysis of 
outcomes.
    (iii) A single-case design study uses observations of a single case 
(e.g., a student eligible for a behavioral intervention) over time in 
the absence and presence of a controlled treatment manipulation to 
determine whether the outcome is systematically related to the 
treatment.
    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.

    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, to help design their 
logic models. Other sources include: https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/regions/pacific/pdf/REL_2014025.pdf, https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/regions/pacific/pdf/REL_2014007.pdf, and https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/regions/northeast/pdf/REL_2015057.pdf.

    Moderate evidence means that there is evidence of effectiveness of 
a key project component in improving a relevant outcome for a sample 
that overlaps with the populations or settings proposed to receive that 
component, based on a relevant finding from one of the following:
    (i) A practice guide prepared by the WWC using version 2.1, 3.0, 
4.0, or 4.1 of the WWC Handbooks reporting a ``strong evidence base'' 
or ``moderate evidence base'' for the corresponding practice guide 
recommendation;
    (ii) An intervention report prepared by the WWC using version 2.1, 
3.0, 4.0, or 4.1 of the WWC Handbooks reporting a ``positive effect'' 
or ``potentially positive effect'' on a relevant outcome based on a 
``medium to large'' extent of evidence, with no reporting of a 
``negative effect'' or ``potentially negative effect'' on a relevant 
outcome; or
    (iii) A single experimental study or quasi-experimental design 
study reviewed and reported by the WWC using version 2.1, 3.0, 4.0, or 
4.1 of the WWC Handbooks, or otherwise assessed by the Department using 
version 4.1 of the WWC Handbooks, as appropriate, and that--
    (A) Meets WWC standards with or without reservations;
    (B) Includes at least one statistically significant and positive 
(i.e., favorable) effect on a relevant outcome;
    (C) Includes no overriding statistically significant and negative 
effects on relevant outcomes reported in the study or in a 
corresponding WWC intervention report prepared under version 2.1, 3.0, 
4.0, or 4.1 of the WWC Handbooks; and
    (D) Is based on a sample from more than one site (e.g., State, 
county, city, school district, or postsecondary campus) and includes at 
least 350 students or other individuals across sites. Multiple studies 
of the same project component that each meet requirements in paragraphs 
(iii)(A), (B), and (C) of this definition may together satisfy the 
requirement in this paragraph (iii)(D).

    Note: The WWC Procedures and Standards Handbook (Version 4.1), 
as well as the more recent WWC Handbook released in August 2022 
(Version 5.0), are available at https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/Handbooks.

    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).
    Quasi-experimental design study means a study using a design that 
attempts to approximate an experimental study by identifying a 
comparison group that is similar to the treatment group in important 
respects. This type of study, depending on design and implementation 
(e.g., establishment of baseline equivalence of the groups being 
compared), can meet WWC standards with reservations, but cannot meet 
WWC standards without reservations, as described in the WWC Handbooks.
    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.
    Underserved student means a student in postsecondary education in 
one or more of the following subgroups:
    (a) A student who is living in poverty or is served by schools with 
high concentrations of students living in poverty.
    (b) A student of color.
    (c) A student who is a member of a federally recognized Indian 
Tribe.
    (d) An English learner.
    (e) A child or student with a disability.
    (f) A disconnected youth.
    (g) A migrant student.
    (h) A student experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity.
    (i) A lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, or 
intersex (LGBTQI+) student.
    (j) A student who is in foster care.
    (k) A pregnant, parenting, or caregiving student.
    (l) A student who is the first in their family to attend 
postsecondary education.
    (m) A student who is enrolled in or is seeking to enroll in 
postsecondary education who is eligible for a Pell Grant.
    For purposes of the definition of underserved student only--
    Children or students with disabilities means children with 
disabilities as defined in section 602(3) of the Individuals with 
Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) (20 U.S.C. 1401(3)) and 34 CFR 300.8, 
or students with disabilities, as defined in the Rehabilitation Act of 
1973 (29 U.S.C. 705(37), 705(20)(B));
    Disconnected youth means an individual, between the ages 14 and 24, 
who may be from a low-income background, experiences homelessness, is 
in foster care, is involved in the justice system, or is not working or 
not enrolled in (or at risk of dropping out of) an educational 
institution; and
    English learner means an individual who is an English learner as 
defined in section 8101(20) of the Elementary and Secondary Education 
Act of 1965, as amended, or an individual who is an English language 
learner as defined in section 203(7) of the Workforce Innovation and 
Opportunity Act.
    What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) Handbooks (WWC Handbooks) means the 
standards and procedures set forth in the WWC Procedures and Standards 
Handbook, Version 5.0, or in the WWC Standards Handbook, Version 4.0 or 
4.1, or in the WWC Procedures Handbook, Version 4.0 or 4.1, the WWC 
Procedures and Standards Handbook, Version 3.0 or Version 2.1 (all 
incorporated by reference, see Sec.  77.2). Study findings eligible for 
review under WWC standards can meet WWC standards without reservations, 
meet WWC standards with reservations, or not meet WWC standards. WWC 
practice guides and intervention reports include findings from 
systematic reviews of evidence as described in the WWC Handbooks 
documentation.

[[Page 91711]]

    Note: The WWC Procedures Handbook (Version 4.0 or 4.1), the WWC 
Standards Handbook (Version 4.0 or 4.1), and the more recent WWC 
Procedures and Standards Handbook released in August 2022 (Version 
5.0), are available at https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/Handbooks.

    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1070a-21-1070a-28.

    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, 86, 
97, 98, and 99. (b) The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
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 Guidance for 
Federal Financial Assistance in 2 CFR part 200, as adopted and amended 
as regulations of the Department in 2 CFR part 3474. (d) The 
regulations for this program in 34 CFR part 694. (e) The Supplemental 
Priorities.

    Note: As of October 1, 2024, grant applicants must follow the 
provisions stated in the OMB Guidance for Federal Financial 
Assistance (89 FR 30046, April 22, 2024) when preparing an 
application. For more information about these regulations please 
visit: https://www.cfo.gov/resources-coffa/uniform-guidance/.

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

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
    Estimated Available Funds: The Administration has requested 
$398,000,000 for GEAR UP for FY 2025, of which we intend to use an 
estimated $35,000,000 for the Partnership competition. 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: $200,000-$5,000,000.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $1,200,000.
    Maximum Award: We will not fund any application for a Partnership 
grant above the maximum award of $800 per student for a single budget 
period of 12 months. Additionally, no funding will be awarded for 
increases in years two through seven.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 29.

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

    Project Period: Either 72 months or 84 months.

    Note: An applicant that wishes to seek funding for a seventh 
project year (i.e., for a project period greater than 72 months), in 
order to provide project services to GEAR UP students through their 
first year of attendance at an IHE, must propose to do so in its 
application..

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: Partnerships consisting of (a) at least one 
degree-granting IHE and (b) at least one LEA. Partnerships may include 
not less than two other community organizations or entities, such as 
businesses, professional organizations, State agencies, institutions or 
agencies sponsoring programs authorized under the Leveraging 
Educational Assistance Partnership Program authorized in part A, 
subpart 4, of title IV of the HEA (20 U.S.C. 1070c et seq.), or other 
public or private agencies or organizations (20 U.S.C. 1070a-21(c)(2)).

    Note: A Partnership under this competition must follow the 
procedures under 34 CFR 75.127 through 75.129 in developing a group 
application. This includes developing an agreement that details the 
activities that each member of the group plans to perform and binds 
each member of the group to every statement and assurance made by 
the applicant in the application. This agreement must be submitted 
with the application.

    2.a. Cost Sharing or Matching: Section 404C(b)(1) of the HEA 
requires grantees under this program to provide from State, local, 
institutional, or private funds, not less than 50 percent of the cost 
of the program (or one dollar of non-Federal funds for every one dollar 
of Federal funds awarded), which may be provided in cash or in-kind. 
The provision also specifies that the match may be accrued over the 
full duration of the grant award period, except that the grantee must 
make substantial progress towards meeting the matching requirement in 
each year of the grant award period.
    Section 404C(c) of the HEA provides that in-kind contributions may 
include (1) the amount of the financial assistance obligated under GEAR 
UP to students from State, local, institutional, or private funds, (2) 
the amount of tuition, fees, room or board waived or reduced for 
recipients of financial assistance under GEAR UP, (3) the amount 
expended on documented, targeted, long-term mentoring and counseling 
provided by volunteers or paid staff of non-school organizations, 
including businesses, religious organizations, community groups, 
postsecondary educational institutions, nonprofit and philanthropic 
organizations, and other organizations, and (4) equipment and supplies, 
cash contributions from non-Federal sources, transportation expenses, 
in-kind or discounted program services, indirect costs, and facility 
usage.
    Section 404C(b)(2) further provides that the Secretary may approve 
a Partnership's request for a reduced match percentage at the time of 
application if the Partnership demonstrates significant economic 
hardship that precludes the Partnership from meeting the matching 
requirement, or if the Partnership requests that contributions to the 
scholarship fund, if applicable, be matched on the basis of two non-
Federal dollars for every one Federal dollar of GEAR UP funds. GEAR UP 
program regulations in 34 CFR 694.8(a)-(c) address the content of an 
applicant's request for such a reduced match, and the maximum 
percentage match that the Secretary may waive. In addition, under 34 
CFR 694.8(d), the Secretary may approve a reduction in match of up to 
70 percent upon request from a Partnership that (a) includes three or 
fewer IHEs as members, (b) has a fiscal agent identified in 34 CFR 
694.8(d)(1), and (c) serves students in schools and LEAs that meet the 
poverty criteria identified in 34 CFR 694.8(d)(2) and (3).
    Given the importance of matching funds to the long-term success of 
the project, eligible entities must describe how they will meet the 
matching requirement and sources of matching funds, as required by 
General Application Requirements paragraphs (b) and (j).
    Grantees must include a budget detailing the source of the matching 
funds and must provide an outline of the types of matching 
contributions for at least the first year of the grant in their grant 
applications. Consistent with 2 CFR 200.306(b), any matching funds must 
be an allowable use of funds consistent with the GEAR UP program 
requirements and the cost principles detailed in subpart E of 2 CFR 
part 200, and not included as a contribution for any other Federal 
award.
    b. Supplement-Not-Supplant: This competition involves supplement, 
not supplant funding requirements. Under section 404B(e) of the HEA (20 
U.S.C. 1070a-22(e)), grant funds awarded

[[Page 91712]]

under this program must be used to supplement, and not supplant, other 
Federal, State, and local funds that would otherwise be expended to 
carry out activities assisted under this program.
    c. Indirect Cost Rate Information: For projects that designate an 
LEA as the fiscal agent, the GEAR UP program regulations at 34 CFR 
694.11 limit indirect cost reimbursement to the restricted rate 
established by the LEA's negotiated indirect cost rate agreement or 
eight percent of a modified total direct cost base, whichever amount is 
less. For projects that designate an IHE as the fiscal agent, the GEAR 
UP program uses a training indirect cost rate. This rate limits 
indirect cost reimbursement to an entity's actual indirect costs, as 
determined in its negotiated indirect cost rate agreement, or eight 
percent of a modified total direct cost base, whichever amount is less. 
For more information regarding training indirect cost rates, see 34 CFR 
75.562. For more information regarding indirect costs, or to obtain a 
negotiated indirect cost rate, please see www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocfo/intro.html.
    d. Administrative Cost Limitation: This program does not include 
any program-specific limitation on administrative expenses. All 
administrative expenses must be reasonable and necessary and conform to 
Cost Principles described in 2 CFR part 200 subpart E of the Guidance 
for Federal Financial Assistance.
    3. Subgrantees: A grantee under this competition may not award 
subgrants to entities to directly carry out project activities 
described in its application.
    4. Other: General Application Requirements: All applicants must 
meet the following application requirements in order to be considered 
for funding. The application requirements are from section 404C(a) of 
the HEA (20 U.S.C. 1070a-23(a)) and from 34 CFR 75.112.
    In order for an eligible entity to qualify for a grant under the 
GEAR UP program, the eligible entity must submit to the Secretary an 
application for carrying out a GEAR UP program that--
    (a) Describes the activities for which assistance under this 
program is sought, including how the eligible entity will carry out the 
required activities described in section 404D(a) of the HEA;
    (b) Describes, in the case of an eligible entity described in 
section 404A(c)(2) of the HEA that chooses to provide scholarships, how 
the eligible entity will meet the requirements of section 404E of the 
HEA;
    (c) Describes, in the case of an eligible entity described in 
section 404A(c)(2) of the HEA that requests a reduced match percentage 
under section 404C(b)(2) of the HEA, how such reduction will assist the 
entity to provide the scholarships described in section 
404C(b)(2)(A)(ii) of the HEA;
    (d) Provides assurances that adequate administrative and support 
staff will be responsible for coordinating the activities described in 
section 404D of the HEA;
    (e) Provides assurances that activities assisted under this program 
will not displace an employee or eliminate a position at a school 
assisted under this program, including a partial displacement such as a 
reduction in hours, wages, or employment benefits;
    (f) Describes, in the case of an eligible entity described in 
section 404A(c)(1) of the HEA that chooses to use a cohort approach, or 
an eligible entity described in section 404A(c)(2) of the HEA, how the 
eligible entity will define the cohorts of the students served by the 
eligible entity pursuant to section 404B(d) of the HEA, and how the 
eligible entity will serve the cohorts through grade 12, including--
    (1) How vacancies in the program will be filled; and
    (2) How the eligible entity will serve students attending different 
secondary schools;
    (g) Describes how the eligible entity will coordinate programs 
under this program with other existing Federal, State, or local 
programs to avoid duplication and maximize the number of students 
served;
    (h) Provides such additional assurances as the Secretary determines 
necessary to ensure compliance with the requirements of this program;
    (i) Provides information about the activities that will be carried 
out by the eligible entity to support systemic changes from which 
future cohorts of students will benefit; and
    (j) Describes the sources of matching funds that will enable the 
eligible entity to meet the matching requirement described in section 
404C(b) of the HEA.
    (k) Applicants must include a logic model (as defined in 34 CFR 
77.1(c)) or other conceptual framework.

IV. Application and Submission Information

    1. Application Submission Instructions: Applicants are required to 
follow the Common Instructions for Applicants to Department of 
Education Discretionary Grant Programs, published in the Federal 
Register on December 7, 2022 (87 FR 75045), and available at https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/12/07/2022-26554/common-instructions-for-applicants-to-department-of-education-discretionary-grant-programs, which contain requirements and information on how to 
submit an application.
    2. Intergovernmental Review: This program is subject to Executive 
Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79. Information about 
Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs under Executive Order 
12372 is in the application package for this program.
    3. Funding Restrictions: We reference regulations outlining funding 
restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.
    4. Content and Form of Application Submission: You must include 
your complete response to the selection criteria and the competitive 
preference priorities in the application narrative. Other requirements 
concerning the content of an application, together with the forms you 
must submit, are in the application package for this program.
    5. Recommended Page Limit: The application narrative is where you, 
the applicant, address the selection criteria that reviewers use to 
evaluate your application. We recommend that you (1) limit the 
application narrative to no more than 65 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 the text in the application narrative, including titles, headings, 
footnotes, quotations, references, 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. However, the 
recommended page limit does apply to all of the application narrative.
    We recommend that any application addressing the competitive 
preference priorities include no more than three additional pages for 
each priority addressed. Applications that do not follow the page limit 
and formatting recommendations will not be penalized.

V. Application Review Information

    1. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this competition 
are from 34 CFR 75.210 and are as follows:

[[Page 91713]]

    (a) Need for project. (up to 10 points)
    (1) The Secretary considers the need for the proposed project.
    (2) In determining the need for the proposed project, the Secretary 
considers:
    (i) The data presented (including a comparison to local, State, 
regional, national, or international data) that demonstrates the issue, 
challenge, or opportunity to be addressed by the proposed project (up 
to 4 points);
    (ii) The extent to which the proposed project will focus on serving 
or otherwise addressing the needs of underserved populations; (up to 3 
points) and
    (iii) The extent to which the specific nature and magnitude of gaps 
or challenges are identified and the extent to which these gaps or 
challenges will be addressed by the services, supports, infrastructure, 
or opportunities described in the proposed project (up to 3 points).
    (b) Quality of the project design. (up to 30 points)
    (1) The Secretary considers the quality of the design of the 
proposed project.
    (2) In determining the quality of the design of the proposed 
project, the Secretary considers:
    (i) The extent to which the goals, objectives, and outcomes to be 
achieved by the proposed project are clearly specified, measurable, and 
ambitious yet achievable within the project period, and aligned with 
the purposes of the grant program (up to 8 points);
    (ii) The quality of the logic model or other conceptual framework 
underlying the proposed project, including how inputs are related to 
outcomes (up to 8 points);
    (iii) How the applicant will ensure that a diversity of 
perspectives, including those from underserved populations, are brought 
to bear in the design, implementation, operation, evaluation, and 
improvement of the proposed project, including those of parents, 
educators, community-based organizations, civil rights organizations, 
the business community, a variety of disciplinary and professional 
fields, recipients or beneficiaries of services, or others, as 
appropriate (up to 7 points); and
    (iv) The likelihood that the proposed project will result in 
systemic change that supports continuous, sustainable, and measurable 
improvement (up to 7 points).
    (c) Adequacy of resources. (up to 15 points)
    (1) The Secretary considers the adequacy of resources for the 
proposed project.
    (2) In determining the adequacy of resources for the proposed 
project, the Secretary considers:
    (i) The adequacy of support for the project, including facilities, 
equipment, supplies, and other resources, from the applicant or the 
lead applicant organization (up to 5 points);
    (ii) The relevance and demonstrated commitment of each partner in 
the proposed project to the implementation and success of the project 
(up to 5 points); and
    (iii) The extent to which the budget is adequate to support the 
proposed project and the costs are reasonable in relation to the 
objectives, design, and potential significance of the proposed project 
(up to 5 points).
    (d) Quality of project personnel. (up to 20 points)
    (1) The Secretary considers the quality of the personnel who will 
carry out the proposed project.
    (2) In determining the quality of project personnel, the Secretary 
considers the extent to which the applicant demonstrates that it has 
project personnel or a plan for hiring of personnel who are members of 
groups that have historically encountered barriers, or who have 
professional or personal experiences with barriers, based on one or 
more of the following: economic disadvantage; disability; living in a 
rural location; experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity (up to 
5 points).
    (3) In addition, the Secretary considers:
    (i) The extent to which the project director or principal 
investigator, when hired, has the qualifications required for the 
project, including formal training or work experience in fields related 
to the objectives of the project and experience in designing, managing, 
or implementing similar projects for the target population to be served 
by the project (up to 5 points);
    (ii) The extent to which the key personnel in the project, when 
hired, have the qualifications required for the proposed project, 
including formal training or work experience in fields related to the 
objectives of the project and represent or have lived experiences of 
the target population (up to 5 points); and
    (iii) The extent to which the time commitments of the project 
director and principal investigator and other key project personnel are 
appropriate and adequate to meet the objectives of the proposed project 
(up to 5 points).
    (e) Quality of the project evaluation. (up to 25 points)
    (1) The Secretary considers the quality of the evaluation to be 
conducted of the proposed project.
    (2) In determining the quality of the project evaluation, the 
Secretary considers the following factors:
    (i) The extent to which the methods of evaluation or other 
evidence-building include the use of objective performance measures 
that are clearly related to the intended outcomes of the project and 
will produce quality data that are quantitative and qualitative (up to 
10 points);
    (ii) The extent to which the methods of evaluation or other 
evidence-building will provide performance feedback and provide 
formative, diagnostic, or interim data that is a periodic assessment of 
progress toward achieving intended outcomes (up to 10 points); and
    (iii) The extent to which the methods of evaluation include an 
experimental study, a quasi-experimental design study, or a 
correlational study with statistical controls for selection bias (such 
as regression methods to account for differences between a treatment 
group and a comparison group) to assess the effectiveness of the 
project on relevant outcomes (up to 5 points).

    Note:
    For the selection criterion ``Quality of personnel'' in 
paragraph (d), applicants are encouraged to include in their 
application that they are committed to paying their staff a living 
wage for the local area and providing benefits.

    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.
    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).
    As required by 20 U.S.C. 1070-a23(d), a panel of non-Federal 
reviewers will review each application in accordance with the 
procedures described in 34 CFR 75.217. The individual scores of the 
reviewers will be added and the sum divided by the number of reviewers 
to determine the peer review score received in the review process.

[[Page 91714]]

    If there are insufficient funds for all applications with the same 
total scores, the Secretary will select applications serving LEA(s) 
with the highest poverty rate, using the most recent data available 
from the Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates Program (SAIPE) data 
(age range 5-17) or from the decennial census data for outlying areas, 
as appropriate. For applications that include multiple LEAs, the 
Department will aggregate data across LEAs to produce a simple poverty 
rate. For applications that include eligible charter schools as their 
LEA partners, the Department will use the State-derived equivalent of 
SAIPE data that the State uses to make allocations under Part A of 
Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as 
amended.
    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 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.

VI. Award Administration Information

    1. Award Notices: If your application is successful, we notify your 
U.S. Representative and U.S. Senators and send you a Grant Award 
Notification (GAN), or we may send you an email containing a link to 
access an electronic version of your GAN. We also may notify you 
informally.
    If your application is not evaluated or not selected for funding, 
we notify you.
    2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements: We identify 
administrative and national policy requirements in the application 
package and reference these and other requirements in the Applicable 
Regulations section of this notice.
    We reference the regulations outlining the terms and conditions of 
an award in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice and 
include these and other specific conditions in the GAN. The GAN also 
incorporates your approved application as part of your binding 
commitments under the grant.
    3. Open Licensing Requirements: Unless an exception applies, if you 
are awarded a grant under this competition, you will be required to 
openly license to the public grant deliverables created in whole, or in 
part, with Department grant funds. When the deliverable consists of 
modifications to pre-existing works, the license extends only to those 
modifications that can be separately identified and only to the extent 
that open licensing is permitted under the terms of any licenses or 
other legal restrictions on the use of pre-existing works. 
Additionally, a grantee or subgrantee that is awarded competitive grant 
funds must have a plan to disseminate these public grant deliverables. 
This dissemination plan can be developed and submitted after your 
application has been reviewed and selected for funding. For additional 
information on the open licensing requirements please refer to 2 CFR 
3474.20.
    4. Reporting: (a) If you apply for a grant under this competition, 
you must ensure that you have in place the necessary processes and 
systems to comply with the reporting requirements in 2 CFR part 170 
should you receive funding under the competition. See the standards in 
2 CFR 170.105 to determine whether you are covered by 2 CFR part 170.
    (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: The performance measures for the GEAR UP 
Program are established for purposes of Department reporting under 34 
CFR 75.110. The objectives of the GEAR UP program are (1) to increase 
the academic performance and preparation for postsecondary education of 
participating students; (2) to increase the rate of high school 
graduation and participation in postsecondary education of 
participating students; and (3) to increase educational expectations 
for participating students and increase student and family knowledge of 
postsecondary education options, preparation, and financing.
    The effectiveness of this program depends on the rate at which 
program participants complete high school and enroll in and complete a 
postsecondary education. We developed the following performance 
measures to track progress toward achieving the program's goals:
    1. The percentage of GEAR UP students who pass Algebra 1 or its 
equivalent by the end of ninth grade.
    2. The percentage of GEAR UP students who graduate from high 
school.
    3. The percentage of GEAR UP students who complete the Free 
Application for Federal Student Aid.
    4. The percentage of GEAR UP students and former GEAR UP students 
who are enrolled at an IHE.
    5. The percentage of current GEAR UP students and former GEAR UP 
students who enrolled at an IHE and persisted to the second year of 
postsecondary education at the initial or a subsequent IHE.
    In addition, to assess the efficiency of the program, we track the 
average cost, in Federal funds, of achieving a successful outcome, 
where success is defined as enrollment in a program of undergraduate 
instruction at an IHE of GEAR UP students immediately after high school 
graduation. These performance measures constitute GEAR

[[Page 91715]]

UP's indicators of the success of the program. Accordingly, we request 
that applicants include these performance measures in conceptualizing 
the design, implementation, and evaluation of their proposed projects.
    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 Department documents 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 Department documents 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.

Nasser H. Paydar,
Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education.
[FR Doc. 2024-27054 Filed 11-19-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P
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