36722 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 131 / Tuesday, July 13, 2021 / Notices 

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. 

Ian Rosenblum, 

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. 2021–14858 Filed 7–12–21; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4000–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION 

Applications for New Awards; National 

Comprehensive Center on Improving 

Literacy for Students With Disabilities 

AGENCY: Offices of Elementary and 

Secondary Education and Special 

Education and Rehabilitative Services, 

Department of Education. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: The Department of Education 

(Department) is issuing a notice inviting 

applications for a new award for fiscal 

year (FY) 2021 for a National 

Comprehensive Center on Improving 

Literacy for Students with Disabilities 

(Comprehensive Centers program), 

Assistance Listing Number 84.283D. 

This notice relates to the approved 

information collection under OMB 

control number 1894–0006. 

DATES: 

Applications available: July 13, 2021. 

Deadline for transmittal of 

applications: September 1, 2021. 

Pre-Application Webinar Information: 

No later than July 19, 2021, the Office 

of Special Education Programs (OSEP) 

will post a pre-recorded informational 

webinar designed to provide technical 

assistance (TA) to interested applicants. 

ADDRESSES: For the addresses for 

obtaining and submitting an 

application, please refer to our Common 

Instructions for Applicants to 

Department of Education Discretionary 

Grant Programs, published in the 

Federal Register on February 13, 2019 

(84 FR 3768), and available at 

www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR–2019– 

02–13/pdf/2019–02206.pdf. 

The webinar may be found at 

www2.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/osep/ 

new-osep-grants.html. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tina 

Diamond, U.S. Department of 

Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, 

Room 5142, Potomac Center Plaza, 

Washington, DC 20202–5076. 

Telephone: (202) 245–6723. Email: 

Christina.Diamond@ed.gov. 

If you use a telecommunications 

device for the deaf (TDD) or a text 

telephone (TTY), call the Federal Relay 

Service (FRS), toll free, at 1–800–877– 

8339. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Full Text of Announcement 

I. Funding Opportunity Description 

Purpose of Program: The purpose of 

the National Comprehensive Center on 

Improving Literacy for Students with 

Disabilities (Center) is to identify or 

develop evidence-based literacy 

assessment tools and professional 

development activities and identify 

evidence-based instruction, strategies, 

and accommodations for students at risk 

of not attaining full literacy skills due to 

a disability, including dyslexia 

impacting reading or writing, or 

developmental delay impacting reading, 

writing, language processing, 

comprehension, or executive 

functioning. The Center will also 

disseminate its products and 

information on evidence-based literacy 

to families, SEAs, LEAs, REAs, and 

schools. 

Priority: This priority is from the 

notice of final priority, requirement, and 

definitions (NFP) for this program 

published elsewhere in this issue of the 

Federal Register. 

Absolute Priority: For FY 2021 and 

any subsequent year in which we make 

awards from the list of unfunded 

applications from this competition, this 

priority is an absolute priority. Under 34 

CFR 75.105(c)(3), we consider only 

applications that meet this priority. 

This priority is: 

National Comprehensive Center on 

Improving Literacy for Students with 

Disabilities. 

Background: 

Section 2244 of the Elementary and 

Secondary Education Act, as amended 

(ESEA) requires the Secretary to 

establish a comprehensive center on 

students at risk of not attaining full 

literacy skills due to a disability. 

Comprehensive centers are typically 

administered by the Office of 

Elementary and Secondary Education 

(OESE). OESE is funding this Center; 

however, because of the Center’s subject 

matter, it will be administered jointly by 

OESE and OSEP in the Office of Special 

Education and Rehabilitative Services 

(OSERS). 

The project is designed to improve 

implementation of evidence-based 

literacy practices in both teacher 

classroom and remote learning 

environments. With respect to remote 

learning, the priority is intended to 

ensure that teachers have the training 

and support they need to implement 

evidence-based literacy practices during 

remote instruction for students with 

disabilities, including students with 

dyslexia impacting reading or writing, 

or developmental delay impacting 

reading, writing, language processing, 

comprehension, or executive 

functioning. Remote learning plays a 

critical role in regular instruction and 

can serve as a crucial link allowing 

high-quality teaching and learning to 

continue when regular instruction is 

disrupted. 

Priority: 

The purpose of this priority is to fund 

a cooperative agreement to establish and 

operate a National Comprehensive 

Center on Improving Literacy for 

Students with Disabilities (Center) for 

children in early childhood education 

programs through high school. The 

Center must— 

(a) Identify or develop free or low-cost 

evidence-based assessment tools for 

identifying students at risk of not 

attaining full literacy skills due to a 

disability, including dyslexia impacting 

reading or writing, or developmental 

delay impacting reading, writing, 

language processing, comprehension, or 

executive functioning; 

(b) Identify evidence-based literacy 

instruction, strategies, and 

accommodations, including assistive 

technology, designed to meet the 

specific needs of such students; 

(c) Provide families of such students 

with information to assist such students; 

(d) Identify or develop evidence-based 

professional development for teachers, 

paraprofessionals, principals, other 

school leaders, and specialized 

instructional support personnel to— 

(1) Understand early indicators of 

students at risk of not attaining full 

literacy skills due to a disability, 

including dyslexia impacting reading or 

writing, or developmental delay 

impacting reading, writing, language 

processing, comprehension, or 

executive functioning; 

(2) Use evidence-based screening 

assessments for early identification of 


jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 131 / Tuesday, July 13, 2021 / Notices 36723 

1Applicants are encouraged to identify or 

develop professional development for using 

evidence-based screening assessments for early 

identification of children in early childhood or 

prekindergarten programs, as well. 

such students beginning not later than 

kindergarten; 1 and 

(3) Implement evidence-based 

instruction designed to meet the specific 

needs of such students; and 

(e) Disseminate the products of the 

comprehensive center to regionally 

diverse SEAs, REAs, LEAs, and schools, 

including, as appropriate, through 

partnerships with other comprehensive 

centers established under section 203 of 

the Educational Technical Assistance 

Act of 2002 (20 U.S.C. 9602), and 

regional educational laboratories 

established under section 174 of the 

Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 

(20 U.S.C. 9564). 

In addition to these programmatic 

requirements, to be considered for 

funding under this priority, applicants 

must meet the application and 

administrative requirements in this 

priority, which are: 

(a) Demonstrate, in the narrative 

section of the application under 

‘‘Significance,’’ how the proposed 

project will— 

(1) Address current and emerging 

training and information needs of SEAs, 

REAs, LEAs, TA centers, schools, and 

practitioners to select and implement 

teacher classroom and remote learning 

environment evidence-based practices 

(EBPs) that will improve literacy 

outcomes for students with disabilities, 

including students with dyslexia 

impacting reading or writing, or 

developmental delay impacting reading, 

writing, language processing, 

comprehension, or executive 

functioning. To meet this requirement, 

the applicant must— 

(i) Demonstrate knowledge of current 

and emerging EBPs, which can be used 

in reading and literacy-related teacher 

classroom and remote learning 

environment instruction, screening, 

assessment, and identification or 

diagnosis of students at risk for not 

attaining full literacy skills due to a 

disability, including dyslexia impacting 

reading or writing, or developmental 

delay impacting reading, writing, 

language processing, comprehension, or 

executive functioning. This includes 

demonstrating knowledge of current and 

emerging reading and literacy-related 

EBPs for students who are English 

learners; students from a variety of 

settings (e.g., rural, suburban, urban); 

students from low-income families; and 

other educationally disadvantaged 

students; or 

(ii) Demonstrate knowledge of, 

previous experience with, and results of 

using creative approaches and 

implementing in-person and virtual TA 

strategies to provide capacity-building 

services and disseminate teacher 

classroom and remote learning 

environment EBPs to a variety of 

entities, including parents, SEAs, REAs, 

LEAs, schools, Head Start, and other 

early childhood programs; 

(2) Demonstrate a record of improving 

outcomes in literacy achievement for 

students at risk for not attaining full 

literacy skills due to a disability, 

including dyslexia impacting reading or 

writing, or developmental delay 

impacting reading, writing, language 

processing, comprehension, or 

executive functioning, in order to better 

prepare them to compete in a global 

economy; and 

(3) Demonstrate a record of improving 

the adoption, implementation, and 

sustainment of teacher classroom and 

remote learning environment EBPs in 

literacy instruction for students at risk 

for not attaining full literacy skills due 

to a disability, including dyslexia 

impacting reading or writing, or 

developmental delay impacting reading, 

writing, language processing, 

comprehension, or executive 

functioning. 

(b) Demonstrate, in the narrative 

section of the application under 

‘‘Quality of project services,’’ how the 

proposed project will— 

(1) Ensure equal access and treatment 

for members of groups that have 

traditionally been underrepresented 

based on race, color, national origin, 

sex, age, or disability. To meet this 

requirement, the applicant must 

describe how it will— 

(i) Identify the needs of the intended 

recipients for TA and information; and 

(ii) Ensure that products and services 

meet the needs of the intended 

recipients of the grant; 

(2) Achieve its goals, objectives, and 

intended short-term, intermediate, and 

long-term outcomes. To meet this 

requirement, the applicant must 

provide— 

(i) A five-year plan for the Center to 

identify current and emerging training 

and information needs and to address 

the priority; 

(ii) Measurable intended project 

outcomes; and 

(iii) In Appendix A, the logic model 

(as defined in 34 CFR 77.1) by which 

the proposed project will achieve its 

intended outcomes that depicts, at a 

minimum, the goals, activities, outputs, 

and intended short-term, intermediate, 

and long-term outcomes of the proposed 

project; 

(3) Use a conceptual framework (and 

provide a copy in Appendix A) to 

develop project plans and activities, and 

describe any underlying concepts, 

assumptions, expectations, or theories, 

as well as the presumed relationships or 

linkages among these variables, and any 

empirical support for this framework; 

Note: The following websites provide 

more information on logic models and 

conceptual frameworks: 

www.osepideasthatwork.org/logicModel, 

www.osepideasthatwork.org/resourcesgrantees/program-areas/ta-ta/tadproject-logic-model-and-conceptualframework, and 

www.federalregister.gov/d/2019-06583. 

(4) Be based on current research and 

make use of EBPs in the development 

and delivery of its products and 

services. To meet this requirement, the 

applicant must describe— 

(i) The current research on teacher 

classroom and remote learning 

environment EBPs for literacy 

instruction for students at risk for not 

attaining full literacy skills due to a 

disability, including dyslexia impacting 

reading or writing, or developmental 

delay impacting reading, writing, 

language processing, comprehension, or 

executive functioning; 

(ii) The current research on teacher 

classroom and remote learning 

environment EBPs for assessing 

students at risk for not attaining full 

literacy skills due to a disability, 

including dyslexia impacting reading or 

writing, or developmental delay 

impacting reading, writing, language 

processing, comprehension, or 

executive functioning. This should 

include the current research on 

screening assessments for dyslexia and 

other literacy-related disabilities that are 

evidence-based, psychometrically valid, 

free or low-cost, efficient to scale, and 

readily available for use; and 

(iii) The current research about adult 

learning principles in in-person and 

virtual settings and implementation 

science that will inform the proposed 

TA; and 

(5) Develop products or refine or 

update publicly available existing 

products and provide in-person and 

virtual services that are of high quality 

and sufficient intensity and duration to 

achieve the intended measurable 

outcomes of the proposed project. To 

address this requirement, the applicant 

must describe— 

(i) How it proposes to identify or 

develop the knowledge base in teacher 

classroom and remote learning 

environment literacy instruction for 

students at risk of not attaining full 

literacy skills due to a disability; 


jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with NOTICES
36724 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 131 / Tuesday, July 13, 2021 / Notices 

(ii) Its proposed approach to 

universal, general TA, which must 

identify the intended recipients, 

including the type and number of 

recipients, that will receive the products 

and services under this approach; 

(iii) Its proposed approach to targeted, 

specialized TA, which must identify— 

(A) The intended recipients, 

including the type and number of 

recipients, that will receive the products 

and services under this approach, a 

description of new or existing publicly 

available products that may be used and 

services that the Center proposes to 

make available, and the expected impact 

of those products and services under 

this approach; and 

(B) Its proposed approach to measure 

the readiness of potential TA recipients 

to work with the project, assessing, at a 

minimum, their current infrastructure, 

available resources, and ability to build 

capacity at the local level; and 

(iv) Its proposed approach to 

intensive, sustained TA, which must 

identify— 

(A) The intended recipients, 

including the type and number of 

recipients, that will receive the products 

and services, a description of new or 

existing publicly available products that 

may be used and services that the 

Center proposes to make available, and 

the expected impact of those products 

and services under this approach; 

(B) Its proposed approach to measure 

the readiness of the target audiences to 

work with the project, including their 

commitment to the initiative, alignment 

of the initiative to their needs, current 

infrastructure, available resources, and 

ability to build capacity at the SEA, 

REA, LEA, school, and early childhood 

education program levels; 

(C) Its proposed plan for assisting 

SEAs, REAs, and LEAs to build or 

enhance in-person and virtual training 

systems that include capacity-building 

services and professional development 

based on adult learning principles and 

coaching; and 

(D) Its proposed plan for working with 

appropriate levels of the education 

system (e.g., SEAs, regional TA 

providers, districts, schools, early 

childhood education programs, families) 

to ensure that there is communication 

between each level and that there are 

systems in place to support the use of 

teacher classroom and remote learning 

environment EBPs for literacy 

instruction; 

(6) Partner with the National 

Comprehensive Center and at least one 

of the other federally funded 

comprehensive centers, regional 

educational laboratories, equity 

assistance centers, OSEP- and other 

related federally funded TA Centers, 

parent training and information and 

community parent resource centers 

funded by the Department and OSEP 

(e.g., Center for Parent Information and 

Resources and Parent Technical 

Assistance Centers), and other related 

organizations to refine or develop 

products and implement services that 

maximize efficiency. To address this 

requirement, the applicant must 

describe— 

(i) How the proposed project will use 

technology to achieve the intended 

project outcomes; 

(ii) With whom the proposed project 

will collaborate and the intended 

outcomes of this collaboration; and 

(iii) How the proposed project will 

use non-project resources to achieve the 

intended project outcomes; and 

(7) Develop a dissemination plan that 

describes how the applicant will 

systematically distribute information, 

products, and services to varied 

intended audiences, using a variety of 

in-person and virtual dissemination 

strategies, to promote awareness and use 

of the Center’s products and services. 

(c) In the narrative section of the 

application under ‘‘Quality of the 

project evaluation,’’ include an 

evaluation plan for the project 

developed in consultation with and 

implemented by a third-party evaluator. 

The evaluation plan must— 

(1) Articulate formative and 

summative evaluation questions, 

including important process and 

outcome evaluation questions, that are 

linked directly to the project’s proposed 

logic model required in paragraph 

(b)(2)(iii) of this notice; 

(2) Describe how progress in and 

fidelity of implementation, as well as 

project short-term, intermediate, and 

long-term outcomes, will be measured 

to answer the evaluation questions. 

Specify the measures and associated 

instruments or sources for data 

appropriate to the evaluation questions. 

Include information regarding reliability 

and validity of measures where 

appropriate; 

(3) Describe strategies for analyzing 

data and how data collected as part of 

this plan will be used to inform and 

improve service delivery over the course 

of the project and to refine the proposed 

logic model and evaluation plan, 

including subsequent data collection; 

(4) Provide a timeline for conducting 

the evaluation and include staff 

assignments for completing the plan. 

The timeline must indicate that the data 

will be available annually for the annual 

performance report (APR); and 

(5) Dedicate sufficient funds in each 

budget year to cover the costs of 

developing or refining the evaluation 

plan in collaboration with a third-party 

evaluator and the costs associated with 

the implementation of the evaluation 

plan by the third-party evaluator. 

(d) Demonstrate, in the narrative 

section of the application under 

‘‘Adequacy of resources and quality of 

project personnel,’’ how— 

(1) The proposed project will ensure 

equal access for employment for all, 

including those who are members of 

groups that have traditionally been 

underrepresented based on race, color, 

national origin, sex, age, religion, or 

disability; 

(2) The proposed key project 

personnel, consultants, and 

subcontractors have the qualifications, 

subject-matter expertise, and technical 

experience to carry out the proposed 

activities, achieve the project’s intended 

outcomes, and develop ongoing 

partnerships with leading experts and 

organizations nationwide to inform 

project activities; 

(3) The applicant and any key 

partners have adequate resources to 

carry out the proposed activities; and 

(4) The proposed costs are reasonable 

in relation to the anticipated results and 

benefits. 

(e) Demonstrate, in the narrative 

section of the application under 

‘‘Quality of the management plan,’’ 

how— 

(1) The proposed management plan 

will ensure that the project’s intended 

outcomes will be achieved on time and 

within budget. To address this 

requirement, the applicant must 

describe— 

(i) Clearly defined responsibilities for 

key project personnel, consultants, and 

subcontractors, as applicable; and 

(ii) Timelines and milestones for 

accomplishing the project tasks; 

(2) Key project personnel and any 

consultants and subcontractors will be 

allocated and how these allocations are 

appropriate and adequate to achieve the 

project’s intended outcomes. The 

identified project director should be, at 

minimum, 0.5 full-time equivalency 

throughout the project period; 

(3) The proposed management plan 

will ensure that the products and 

services provided are of high quality, 

relevant, and useful to recipients; and 

(4) The proposed project will benefit 

from a diversity of perspectives, 

including those of families, general and 

special education teachers, 

paraprofessionals, principals, other 

school leaders, specialized instructional 

support personnel, TA providers, 

researchers, institutions of higher 

education (IHEs), and policy makers, 


jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 131 / Tuesday, July 13, 2021 / Notices 36725 

among others, in its development and 

operation. 

(f) Address the following additional 

application requirements. The applicant 

must— 

(1) Include, in Appendix A, 

personnel-loading charts and timelines, 

as applicable, to illustrate the 

management plan described in the 

narrative; 

(2) Include, in the budget, attendance 

at the following: 

(i) A one and one-half day kick-off 

meeting in Washington, DC, or virtually, 

after receipt of the award, and an annual 

planning meeting in Washington, DC, or 

virtually, with the OSEP project officer, 

OESE staff, and other relevant staff 

during each subsequent year of the 

project period. 

Note: Within 30 days of receipt of the 

award, a post-award teleconference 

must be held between the OSEP project 

officer and the grantee’s project director 

or other authorized representative; 

(ii) A two and one-half day project 

directors’ conference in Washington, 

DC, or a virtual conference, during each 

year of the project period; 

(iii) Two annual two-day trips to 

attend Department briefings, 

Department-sponsored conferences, and 

other meetings, as requested by OSEP; 

and 

(iv) At least monthly, communicate 

and collaborate with other Departmentfunded centers to achieve project 

objectives; 

(3) Include, in the budget, a line item 

for an annual set-aside of 5 percent of 

the grant amount to support emerging 

needs that are consistent with the 

proposed project’s intended outcomes, 

as those needs are identified in 

consultation with, and approved by, the 

OSEP project officer. With approval 

from the OSEP project officer, the 

project must reallocate any remaining 

funds from this annual set-aside no later 

than the end of the third quarter of each 

budget period; 

(4) Include a plan for maintaining a 

high-quality website, with an easy-tonavigate design, that meets government 

or industry-recognized standards for 

accessibility; 

(5) Include a plan for ensuring that 

annual project progress toward meeting 

project goals is posted on the project 

website; 

(6) Include, in Appendix A, a letter of 

agreement from each partnering 

organization or consultant. The letter of 

agreement should clearly specify the 

role of the partnering organization or 

consultant and the time needed to fulfill 

the commitment to the project; and 

(7) Include, in Appendix A, an 

assurance to assist OSEP and OESE with 

the transfer of pertinent resources and 

products and to maintain the continuity 

of services to target audiences during 

the transition to this new award period 

and at the end of this award period, as 

appropriate. 

Definitions: 

The following definitions apply to 

this competition. We provide the source 

of the definitions in parentheses. 

Capacity-building services means 

assistance that strengthens an 

individual’s or organization’s ability to 

engage in continuous improvement and 

achieve expected outcomes. (NFP) 

Demonstrates a rationale means a key 

project component included in the 

project’s logic model is informed by 

research or evaluation findings that 

suggest the project component is likely 

to improve relevant outcomes. (34 CFR 

77.1) 

Evidence-based means the proposed 

project component is supported by one 

or more of strong evidence, moderate 

evidence, promising evidence, or 

evidence that demonstrates a rationale. 

(34 CFR 77.1) 

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 

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. (34 CFR 77.1) 

Fidelity means the delivery of 

instruction in the way in which it was 

designed to be delivered. (NFP) 

Intensive, sustained TA means TA 

services often provided on-site and 

requiring a stable, ongoing relationship 

between the TA center staff and the TA 

recipient. This category of TA should 

result in changes to policy, program, 

practice, or operations that support 

increased recipient capacity or 

improved outcomes at one or more 

systems levels. (NFP) 

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. (34 CFR 77.1) 

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 


jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with NOTICES
36726 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 131 / Tuesday, July 13, 2021 / Notices 

(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). (34 CFR 77.1) 

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). (34 CFR 77.1) 

Promising evidence means that there 

is evidence of the effectiveness of a key 

project component in improving a 

relevant outcome, based on a relevant 

finding from one of the following: 

(i) A practice guide prepared by WWC 

reporting a ‘‘strong evidence base’’ or 

‘‘moderate evidence base’’ for the 

corresponding practice guide 

recommendation; 

(ii) An intervention report prepared 

by the WWC reporting a ‘‘positive 

effect’’ or ‘‘potentially positive effect’’ 

on a relevant outcome with no reporting 

of a ‘‘negative effect’’ or ‘‘potentially 

negative effect’’ on a relevant outcome; 

or 

(iii) A single study assessed by the 

Department, as appropriate, that— 

(A) Is an experimental study, a quasiexperimental design study, or a welldesigned and well-implemented 

correlational study with statistical 

controls for selection bias (e.g., a study 

using regression methods to account for 

differences between a treatment group 

and a comparison group); and 

(B) Includes at least one statistically 

significant and positive (i.e., favorable) 

effect on a relevant outcome. (34 CFR 

77.1) 

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. (34 CFR 77.1) 

Regional educational agency, for the 

purposes of this program, means ‘‘Tribal 

Educational Agency’’ as defined in 

ESEA section 6132(b)(3), as well as 

other educational agencies that serve 

regional areas. (NFP) 

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. (34 CFR 77.1) 

Strong evidence means that there is 

evidence of the effectiveness of a key 

project component in improving a 

relevant outcome for a sample that 

overlaps with the populations and 

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’’ 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’’ 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 

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 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 this requirement. (34 CFR 77.1) 

TA services are defined as negotiated 

series of activities designed to reach a 

valued outcome. (NFP) 

Targeted, specialized TA means TA 

services based on needs common to 

multiple recipients and not extensively 

individualized. A relationship is 

established between the TA recipient 

and one or more TA center staff. This 

category of TA includes one-time, laborintensive events, such as facilitating 

strategic planning or hosting regional or 

national conferences. It can also include 

episodic, less labor-intensive events that 

extend over a period of time, such as 

facilitating a series of conference calls 

on single or multiple topics that are 

designed around the needs of the 

recipients. Facilitating communities of 

practice can also be considered targeted, 

specialized TA. (NFP) 

Third-party evaluator is an 

independent and impartial program 

evaluator who is contracted by the 

grantee to conduct an objective 

evaluation of the project. This evaluator 

must not have participated in the 

development or implementation of any 

project activities, except for the 

evaluation activities, nor have any 

financial interest in the outcome of the 

evaluation. (NFP) 

Universal, general TA means TA and 

information provided to independent 

users through their own initiative, 

resulting in minimal interaction with 

TA center staff and including one-time, 

invited or offered conference 

presentations by TA center staff. This 

category of TA also includes 

information or products, such as 

newsletters, guidebooks, or research 

syntheses, downloaded from the TA 

center’s website by independent users. 

Brief communications by TA center staff 

with recipients, either by telephone or 

email, are also considered universal, 

general TA. (NFP) 

What Works Clearinghouse 

Handbooks (WWC Handbooks) means 

the standards and procedures set forth 

in the WWC Standards Handbook, 

Versions 4.0 or 4.1, and WWC 

Procedures Handbook, Versions 4.0 or 

4.1, or in the WWC Procedures and 

Standards Handbook, Version 3.0 or 

Version 2.1 (all incorporated by 

reference, see § 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. (34 CFR 

77.1) 

Program Authority: Section 203 of the 

Educational Technical Assistance Act of 

2002 (ETAA) (20 U.S.C. 9602) and 

section 2244 of the ESEA (20 U.S.C. 

6674). 

Note: The project will be awarded and 

must be operated in a manner consistent 

with the nondiscrimination 

requirements contained in Federal civil 

rights laws. 


jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 131 / Tuesday, July 13, 2021 / Notices 36727 

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 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. 

Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 

86 apply to IHEs only. 

II. Award Information 

Type of Award: Cooperative 

agreement. 

Estimated Available Funds: 

$1,475,000 in year one; $1,500,000 in 

years two through five. 

Contingent upon the availability of 

funds and the quality of applications, 

we may make additional awards in FY 

2022 from the list of unfunded 

applications from this competition. 

Maximum Award: We will not make 

an award exceeding $1,475,000 for a 

single budget period of 12 months in 

year one and $1,500,000 for a single 

budget period of 12 months in years two 

through five. 

Estimated Number of Awards: 1. 

Note: The Department is not bound by 

any estimates in this notice. 

Project Period: Up to 60 months. 

III. Eligibility Information 

1. Eligible Applicants: Research 

organizations, institutions, agencies, 

IHEs, or partnerships among such 

entities, or individuals, with the 

demonstrated ability or capacity to carry 

out the activities described in this 

notice, including regional entities that 

carried out activities under the 

Educational Research, Development, 

Dissemination, and Improvement Act of 

1994 (as such Act existed on the day 

before November 5, 2002) and title XIII 

of the Elementary and Secondary 

Education Act of 1965 (as such title 

existed on the day before January 8, 

2002). 

Note: If you are a nonprofit 

organization, under 34 CFR 75.51, you 

may demonstrate your nonprofit status 

by providing: (1) Proof that the Internal 

Revenue Service currently recognizes 

the applicant as an organization to 

which contributions are tax deductible 

under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal 

Revenue Code; (2) a statement from a 

State taxing body or the State attorney 

general certifying that the organization 

is a nonprofit organization operating 

within the State and that no part of its 

net earnings may lawfully benefit any 

private shareholder or individual; (3) a 

certified copy of the applicant’s 

certificate of incorporation or similar 

document if it clearly establishes the 

nonprofit status of the applicant; or (4) 

any item described above if that item 

applies to a State or national parent 

organization, together with a statement 

by the State or parent organization that 

the applicant is a local nonprofit 

affiliate. 

2. a. Cost Sharing or Matching: This 

competition does not require cost 

sharing or matching. 

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 does not include any 

program-specific limitation on 

administrative expenses. All 

administrative expenses must be 

reasonable and necessary and conform 

to the Cost Principles described in 2 

CFR part 200 subpart E of the Uniform 

Guidance. 

3. Subgrantees: A grantee under this 

competition may not award subgrants to 

entities to directly carry out project 

activities described in its application. 

Under 34 CFR 75.708(e), a grantee may 

contract for supplies, equipment, and 

other services in accordance with 2 CFR 

part 200. 

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 

February 13, 2019 (84 FR 3768), and 

available at www.govinfo.gov/content/ 

pkg/FR-2019-02-13/pdf/2019-02206.pdf, 

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. However, under 34 CFR 

79.8(a), we waive intergovernmental 

review in order to make an award/ 

awards by the end of FY 2021. 

3. Funding Restrictions: We reference 

regulations outlining funding 

restrictions in the Applicable 

Regulations section of this notice. 

4. Recommended Page Limit: The 

application narrative is where you, the 

applicant, address the selection criteria 

that reviewers use to evaluate your 

application. We recommend that you (1) 

limit the application narrative to no 

more than 70 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, 

reference citations, and captions, as well 

as all text in charts, tables, figures, 

graphs, and screen shots. 

• Use a font that is 12 point or larger. 

• 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 abstract (follow the 

guidance provided in the application 

package for completing the abstract), the 

table of contents, the list of priority 

requirements, the resumes, the reference 

list, the letters of support, or the 

appendices. However, the 

recommended page limit does apply to 

all of the application narrative, 

including all text in charts, tables, 

figures, graphs, and screen shots. 

V. Application Review Information 

1. Selection Criteria: The selection 

criteria for this competition are from 34 

CFR 75.210 and are as follows: 

(a) Significance (10 points). 

(1) The Secretary considers the 

significance of the proposed project. 

(2) In determining the significance of 

the proposed project, the Secretary 

considers the following factors: 

(i) 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; and 

(ii) The importance or magnitude of 

the results or outcomes likely to be 

attained by the proposed project. 

(b) Quality of project services (30 

points). 

(1) The Secretary considers the 

quality of the services to be provided by 

the proposed project. 

(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 


jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with NOTICES
36728 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 131 / Tuesday, July 13, 2021 / Notices 

members of groups that have 

traditionally been underrepresented 

based on race, color, national origin, 

gender, age, or disability. 

(3) In addition, the Secretary 

considers the following factors: 

(i) The extent to which the goals, 

objectives, and outcomes to be achieved 

by the proposed project are clearly 

specified and measurable; 

(ii) The extent to which there is a 

conceptual framework underlying the 

proposed research or demonstration 

activities and the quality of that 

framework; 

(iii) The extent to which the services 

to be provided by the proposed project 

reflect up-to-date knowledge from 

research and effective practice; 

(iv) The extent to which the training 

or professional development services to 

be provided by the proposed project are 

of sufficient quality, intensity, and 

duration to lead to improvements in 

practice among the recipients of those 

services; and 

(v) The extent to which the TA 

services to be provided by the proposed 

project involve the use of efficient 

strategies, including the use of 

technology, as appropriate, and the 

leveraging of non-project resources. 

(c) Quality of the project evaluation 

(20 points). 

(1) The Secretary considers the 

quality of the evaluation to be 

conducted of the proposed project. 

(2) In determining the quality of the 

evaluation, the Secretary considers the 

following factors: 

(i) The extent to which the methods 

of evaluation are thorough, feasible, and 

appropriate to the goals, objectives, and 

outcomes of the proposed project; 

(ii) The extent to which the methods 

of evaluation provide for examining the 

effectiveness of project implementation 

strategies; 

(iii) The extent to which the methods 

of evaluation will provide performance 

feedback and permit periodic 

assessment of progress toward achieving 

intended outcomes; and 

(iv) The extent to which the methods 

of evaluation include the use of 

objective performance measures that are 

clearly related to the intended outcomes 

of the project and will produce 

quantitative and qualitative data to the 

extent possible. 

(d) Adequacy of resources and quality 

of project personnel (20 points). 

(1) The Secretary considers the 

adequacy of resources for the proposed 

project and 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 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. 

(3) In addition, the Secretary 

considers the following factors: 

(i) The qualifications, including 

relevant training and experience, of the 

project director or principal 

investigator; 

(ii) The qualifications, including 

relevant training and experience, of key 

project personnel; 

(iii) The qualifications, including 

relevant training and experience, of 

project consultants or subcontractors; 

(iv) The qualifications, including 

relevant training, experience, and 

independence, of the evaluator; 

(v) The adequacy of support, 

including facilities, equipment, 

supplies, and other resources, from the 

applicant organization or the lead 

applicant organization; 

(vi) The relevance and demonstrated 

commitment of each partner in the 

proposed project to the implementation 

and success of the project; 

(vii) The extent to which the budget 

is adequate to support the proposed 

project; and 

(viii) The extent to which the costs are 

reasonable in relation to the objectives, 

design, and potential significance of the 

proposed project. 

(e) Quality of the management plan 

(20 points). 

(1) The Secretary considers the 

quality of the management plan for the 

proposed project. 

(2) In determining the quality of the 

management plan for the proposed 

project, the Secretary considers the 

following factors: 

(i) The adequacy of the management 

plan to achieve the objectives of the 

proposed project on time and within 

budget, including clearly defined 

responsibilities, timelines, and 

milestones for accomplishing project 

tasks; 

(ii) 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; 

(iii) The adequacy of mechanisms for 

ensuring high-quality products and 

services from the proposed project; and 

(iv) How the applicant will ensure 

that a diversity of perspectives are 

brought to bear in the operation of the 

proposed project, including those of 

parents, teachers, the business 

community, a variety of disciplinary 

and professional fields, recipients or 

beneficiaries of services, or others, as 

appropriate. 

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). 

3. Additional Review and Selection 

Process Factors: In the past, the 

Department has had difficulty finding 

peer reviewers for certain competitions 

because so many individuals who are 

eligible to serve as peer reviewers have 

conflicts of interest. Therefore, the 

Department has determined that for 

some discretionary grant competitions, 

applications may be separated into two 

or more groups and ranked and selected 

for funding within specific groups. This 

procedure will make it easier for the 

Department to find peer reviewers by 

ensuring that greater numbers of 

individuals who are eligible to serve as 

reviewers for any particular group of 

applicants will not have conflicts of 

interest. It also will increase the quality, 

independence, and fairness of the 

review process, while permitting panel 

members to review applications under 

discretionary grant competitions for 

which they also have submitted 

applications. 

4. 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. 

5. Integrity and Performance System: 

If you are selected under this 


jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 131 / Tuesday, July 13, 2021 / Notices 36729 

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. 

6. 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 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. This 

does not apply if you have an exception 

under 2 CFR 170.110(b). 

(b) At the end of your project period, 

you must submit a final performance 

report, including financial information, 

as directed by the Secretary. If you 

receive a multiyear award, you must 

submit an annual performance report 

that provides the most current 

performance and financial expenditure 

information as directed by the Secretary 

under 34 CFR 75.118. The Secretary 

may also require more frequent 

performance reports under 34 CFR 

75.720(c). For specific requirements on 

reporting, please go to www.ed.gov/ 

fund/grant/apply/appforms/ 

appforms.html. 

5. Performance Measures: For the 

purposes of the Government 

Performance and Results Act of 1993 

(GPRA) and reporting under 34 CFR 

75.110, the Department will use the 

following measures to evaluate the 

effectiveness of the Center, as well as 

the Comprehensive Centers program as 

a whole: 

• Program Performance Measure 1: 

The extent to which Comprehensive 

Center clients are satisfied with the 

quality, usefulness, and relevance of 

services provided. 

• Program Performance Measure 2: 

The extent to which Comprehensive 

Centers provide services and products 

to a wide range of recipients. 

• Program Performance Measure 3: 

The extent to which Comprehensive 

Centers demonstrate that capacitybuilding services were implemented as 

intended. 

• Program Performance Measure 4: 

The extent to which Comprehensive 

Centers demonstrate recipient outcomes 

were met. 

The measures apply to projects 

funded under this competition, and 

grantees are required to submit data on 

these measures as directed by OSEP and 

OESE. 

Grantees will be required to report 

information on their project’s 

performance in annual and final 

performance reports to the Department 

(34 CFR 75.590). 

The Department will also closely 

monitor the extent to which the 

products and services provided by the 

Center meet needs identified by 

stakeholders and may require the Center 

to report on such alignment in their 

annual and final performance reports. 

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 


jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with NOTICES
36730 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 131 / Tuesday, July 13, 2021 / Notices 

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, or 

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. 

David Cantrell, 

Deputy Director, Office of Special Education 

Programs. Delegated the authority to perform 

the functions and duties of the Assistant 

Secretary for the Office of Special Education 

and Rehabilitative Services. 

Ian Rosenblum, 

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. 2021–14864 Filed 7–9–21; 11:15 am] 

BILLING CODE 4000–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION 

[Docket No.: ED–2021–SCC–0070] 

Agency Information Collection 

Activities; Submission to the Office of 

Management and Budget for Review 

and Approval; Comment Request; 

Performance Report for Graduate 

Assistance in Areas of National Need 

(GAANN) Program 

AGENCY: Office of Postsecondary 

Education (OPE), Department of 

Education (ED). 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: In accordance with the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, ED is 

proposing an extension without change 

of a currently approved collection. 

DATES: Interested persons are invited to 

submit comments on or before August 

12, 2021. 

ADDRESSES: Written comments and 

recommendations for proposed 

information collection requests should 

be sent within 30 days of publication of 

this notice to www.reginfo.gov/public/ 

do/PRAMain. Find this information 

collection request by selecting 

‘‘Department of Education’’ under 

‘‘Currently Under Review,’’ then check 

‘‘Only Show ICR for Public Comment’’ 

checkbox. Comments may also be sent 

to ICDocketmgr@ed.gov. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For 

specific questions related to collection 

activities, please contact Rebecca Ell, 

202–453–6348. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

Department of Education (ED), in 

accordance with the Paperwork 

Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) (44 U.S.C. 

3506(c)(2)(A)), provides the general 

public and Federal agencies with an 

opportunity to comment on proposed, 

revised, and continuing collections of 

information. This helps the Department 

assess the impact of its information 

collection requirements and minimize 

the public’s reporting burden. It also 

helps the public understand the 

Department’s information collection 

requirements and provide the requested 

data in the desired format. ED is 

soliciting comments on the proposed 

information collection request (ICR) that 

is described below. The Department of 

Education is especially interested in 

public comment addressing the 

following issues: (1) Is this collection 

necessary to the proper functions of the 

Department; (2) will this information be 

processed and used in a timely manner; 

(3) is the estimate of burden accurate; 

(4) how might the Department enhance 

the quality, utility, and clarity of the 

information to be collected; and (5) how 

might the Department minimize the 

burden of this collection on the 

respondents, including through the use 

of information technology. Please note 

that written comments received in 

response to this notice will be 

considered public records. 

Title of Collection: Performance report 

for Graduate Assistance in Areas of 

National Need (GAANN) Program. 

OMB Control Number: 1840–0748. 

Type of Review: An extension without 

change of a currently approved 

collection. 

Respondents/Affected Public: Private 

Sector; State, Local, and Tribal 

Governments . 

Total Estimated Number of Annual 

Responses: 291. 

Total Estimated Number of Annual 

Burden Hours: 3,274. 

Abstract: GAANN grantees must 

submit a performance report annually. 

In addition, grantees are required to 

submit a supplement to the final 

performance report two years after 

submission of their final report. The 

reports are used to evaluate grantee 

performance. Further, the data from the 

reports will be aggregated to evaluate 

the accomplishments and impact of the 

GAANN Program as a whole. Results 

will be reported to the Secretary in 

order to respond to GPRA requirements. 

Dated: July 7, 2021. 

Juliana Pearson, 

PRA Coordinator, Strategic Collections and 

Clearance, Governance and Strategy Division, 

Office of Chief Data Officer, Office of 

Planning, Evaluation and Policy 

Development. 

[FR Doc. 2021–14786 Filed 7–12–21; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4000–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY 

Advanced Scientific Computing 

Advisory Committee 

AGENCY: Office of Science, Department 

of Energy. 

ACTION: Notice of open meeting. 

SUMMARY: This notice announces a 

meeting of the Advanced Scientific 

Computing Advisory Committee 

(ASCAC). The Federal Advisory 

Committee Act requires that public 

notice of these meetings be announced 

in the Federal Register. 

DATES: Thursday, July 29, 2021; 1:00 

p.m. to 6:00 p.m. EDT. 

ADDRESSES: Teleconference: Remote 

attendance of the ASCAC meeting will 

be possible via Zoom. Instructions will 

be posted on the Committee’s website 

at: (https://science.energy.gov/ascr/ 

ascac/) prior to the meeting and can also 

be obtained by contacting Christine 

Chalk by email at (christine.chalk@

science.doe.gov), or by phone at (301) 

903–7486. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Christine Chalk, Office of Advanced 

Scientific Computing Research; SC–31/ 

Germantown Building; U.S. Department 

of Energy; 1000 Independence Avenue 

SW; Washington, DC 20585–1290; 

Telephone (301) 903–7486; email: 

christine.chalk@science.doe.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 


jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with NOTICES