[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 243 (Thursday, December 18, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 75722-75730]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-29769]



[[Page 75721]]

Vol. 79

Thursday,

No. 243

December 18, 2014

Part III





 Department of Education





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 Applications for New Awards; Student Support Services Program; Notice

Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 243 / Thursday, December 18, 2014 / 
Notices

[[Page 75722]]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Applications for New Awards; Student Support Services Program

AGENCY: Office of Postsecondary Education, Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice.

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    Overview Information: Student Support Services Program (SSS 
Program).
    Notice inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY) 
2015.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.042A.

DATES: 
    Applications Available: December 18, 2014.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: February 2, 2015.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: April 2, 2015.

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Purpose of Program: The purpose of the SSS Program is to increase 
the number of disadvantaged, low-income college students, first-
generation college students, and college students with disabilities in 
the United States who successfully complete a program of study at the 
postsecondary level. The support services that are provided should 
increase the retention and graduation rates for these categories of 
students and facilitate their transfer from two-year to four-year 
colleges and universities. The support services should also foster an 
institutional climate that supports the success of students who are 
limited English proficient, students from groups that are historically 
underrepresented in postsecondary education, students with 
disabilities, students who are homeless children and youths, students 
who are in foster care or are aging out of the foster care system, and 
other disconnected students. Student support services should also 
improve the financial and economic literacy of students.
    Priorities: This notice contains two competitive preference 
priorities. Competitive Preference Priority 1(a) is from the 
Department's Notice of Final Supplemental Priorities and Definitions 
for Discretionary Grant Programs, published in the Federal Register on 
December 10, 2014 (79 FR 73426). Competitive Preference Priority 1(b) 
is from 34 CFR 75.266. In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(iv), 
Competitive Preference Priority 2(a) is from Section 402D(c)(1) of the 
Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA). Competitive Preference 
Priority 2(b) is from 34 CFR 75.266.

    Note:  Applicants must include, in the one-page abstract 
submitted with the application, a statement indicating which, if 
any, of the competitive preference priorities are addressed. If the 
applicant has addressed the competitive preference priorities, this 
information must also be listed on the SSS Program Profile Form.

    Competitive Preference Priorities: For FY 2015 and any subsequent 
year for which we make awards from the list of unfunded applicants from 
this competition, these priorities are competitive preference 
priorities. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i), we award up to 6 additional 
points to an application depending on how well the application meets 
these priorities.
    The competitive preference priorities are:

Competitive Preference Priority 1(a)--Influencing the Development of 
Non-Cognitive Factors (Up to 1 Additional Point)

    Background: A promising body of research suggests that non-
cognitive factors can play an important role in students' academic, 
career, and life outcomes.\1\ Non-cognitive factors include a broad 
range of behaviors, strategies, and attitudes, such as academic 
behaviors (including attendance and homework completion), academic 
mindsets (including a sense of belonging in the academic community and 
believing that academic achievement improves with effort), perseverance 
(including tenacity and self-discipline), social and emotional skills 
(including cooperation, empathy, and adaptability), and approaches 
toward learning strategies (such as executive functions, attention, 
goal-setting, curiosity, problem-solving, self-regulating learning, 
study skills, and the ability to work cooperatively with others).
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    \1\ Farrington et al. (2012); National Research Council. (2012). 
Education for Life and Work: Developing Transferable Knowledge and 
Skills in the 21st Century. Committee on Defining Deeper Learning 
and 21st Century Skills, James W. Pellegrino and Margaret L. Hilton, 
Editors. Board on Testing and Assessment and Board on Science 
Education, Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education. 
Washington, DC: The National Academies Press, pp. 4-5; Strobel, 
Karen R. (2012, May). Academic Motivation and School Engagement and 
their Links to Academic Achievement: A Follow up Report. Paper 
prepared for the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. Palo Alto, 
CA: John W. Gardner Center; Stephens, N.M., Hamedani, M.G., & 
Destin, M. (2014). Closing the social-class achievement gap: A 
difference-education intervention improves first-generation 
students' academic performance and all students' college transition. 
Psychological Science. http://www.psychology.northwestern.edu/documents/destin-achievement.pdf; Walton, G.M. & Cohen, G.L. (2011). 
A brief social-belonging intervention improves academic and health 
outcomes of minority students. Science, 331, 1447-1451. http://
web.stanford.edu/~gwalton/home/Publications_files/
Walton_Cohen_2011_Science_1.pdf.
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    The development of these skills is critical during the 
postsecondary years as students face new academic challenges, social 
comparisons, and stereotypes regarding their potential for success. How 
students negotiate these changes has major implications for their 
academic futures. For example, interventions focused on academic 
mindset have been shown to have a measurable impact on grades and 
course persistence, as well as on college enrollment and completion 
among low-income and minority students. Studies have found that 
students with positive academic mindsets work harder, engage in more 
productive academic behaviors, and persevere to overcome obstacles to 
success. Conversely, students with negative mindsets about school or 
themselves as learners are likely to withdraw from the practices that 
are essential for academic success and to give up easily when they 
encounter setbacks or difficulty. Strategies focused on strengthening 
perseverance and social and emotional skills also have demonstrated 
positive outcomes. Ideally, over the course of their K-16 school 
experience, children and young adults will come to see themselves as 
competent, productive people who are able to contribute meaningfully to 
their communities and the larger world.
    Through Competitive Preference Priority 1(a), the Department 
encourages applicants to propose strategies focused on the development 
of non-cognitive skills to improve postsecondary success. The 
Department is interested in receiving applications with strong plans to 
develop the non-cognitive skills of students. Applicants addressing 
this priority should demonstrate how their proposal will improve 
student outcomes.
    The Department is sufficiently interested in this priority topic 
that we may later seek to partner with successful applicants to conduct 
research and evaluation.
    Priority: Projects that are designed to improve students' mastery 
of non-cognitive skills and behaviors (such as academic behaviors, 
academic mindset, perseverance, self-regulation, social and emotional 
skills, and approaches toward learning strategies) and enhance student 
motivation and engagement in learning.

[[Page 75723]]

Competitive Preference Priority 1(b)--Strategies To Influence the 
Development of Non-Cognitive Factors Supported by Moderate Evidence of 
Effectiveness (Up to 2 Additional Points)

    In recent years, the Department has placed an increasing emphasis 
on promoting evidence-based practices through our grant competitions. 
We believe that encouraging applicants to focus on proven strategies 
can only enhance the quality of our competitions and the outcomes of 
students who participate in our programs. Accordingly, for those who 
apply under Competitive Preference Priority 1(a), Influencing the 
Development of Non-cognitive Factors, we give additional competitive 
preference to applications that submit moderate evidence of 
effectiveness supporting their proposed strategy for addressing non-
cognitive factors.
    Priority: Projects that influence the development of non-cognitive 
factors using strategies that are supported by moderate evidence of 
effectiveness (as defined in this notice).

    Note:  An applicant addressing Competitive Preference Priority 
1(a) can earn one point based on the extent to which their project 
is designed to influence the development of non-cognitive factors. 
Through Competitive Preference Priority 1(b), applicants can earn 
two additional points by demonstrating that their strategy to 
address non-cognitive factors is based on research that meets the 
moderate evidence of effectiveness standard. Applicants seeking to 
address Competitive Preference Priority 1(b) should identify a 
citation for one study that meets the definition of moderate 
evidence of effectiveness. Relevant studies will be reviewed to 
determine if they meet the definition of moderate evidence of 
effectiveness, including What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) standards, 
with or without reservations, which is necessary to fulfill the 
definition of moderate evidence of effectiveness. The WWC Procedures 
and Standards Handbook (Version 3.0, March 2014), can be found 
at:http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/pdf/reference_resources/wwc_procedures_v3_0_standards_handbook.pdf. Applicants may submit a 
citation for a study that supports the applicants' proposed 
strategies that has already been determined by the Department to 
meet the moderate evidence of effectiveness standard, or a study 
that has not yet been reviewed by the Department but that the 
applicant thinks will meet the moderate evidence of effectiveness 
standard. A summary of studies of non-cognitive strategies that the 
Department has determined meets the moderate evidence of 
effectiveness standard is provided in the Appendix to this Notice.

    Applicants proposing strategies to improve non-cognitive outcomes 
should implement the intervention from their supporting study as 
closely as possible and describe in the narrative response to the 
priority how they will do so. Where modifications to the cited 
intervention will be made to account for student or institutional 
characteristics, resource limitations, or other special factors, the 
applicant should provide a justification or basis for the modifications 
in the narrative response to the priority.
    The link for the citation submitted for Competitive Preference 
Priority 1(b) should be provided on the Abstract, as well as the SSS 
Program Profile Form. Applicants should specify in their narrative 
response to this priority the findings within the study that are cited 
as moderate evidence of effectiveness for the proposed strategies to 
address non-cognitive factors and ensure that the citation and link are 
from a publicly or readily available source.

Competitive Preference Priority 2(a)--Providing Individualized 
Counseling for Personal, Career, and Academic Matters (Up to 1 
Additional Point)

    Background: Through Competitive Preference Priority 2(a), the 
Department encourages applicants to propose strategies focused on 
individualized counseling, because emerging research suggests that 
certain kinds of such counseling can improve students' academic 
performance or persistence.\2\ The Department is interested in 
receiving applications with strong plans to provide individualized 
counseling to students for personal, career, or academic matters. 
Applicants addressing this priority should demonstrate how their 
proposal will improve student outcomes. The Department is sufficiently 
interested in this priority topic that we may later seek to partner 
with successful applicants to conduct research and evaluation.
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    \2\ See, for example, Bettinger, E.P., & Baker, R. (2011). The 
effects of student coaching in college: An evaluation of a 
randomized experiment in student mentoring. https://cepa.stanford.edu/sites/default/files/bettinger_baker_030711.pdf.
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    Priority: Projects that will provide individualized counseling for 
personal, career, and academic matters by assigned counselors.

Competitive Preference Priority 2(b)--Individual Counseling Activities 
Based on Moderate Evidence of Effectiveness (2 Additional Points)

    Background: In recent years, the Department has placed an 
increasing emphasis on promoting evidence-based practices through our 
grant competitions. We believe that encouraging applicants to focus on 
proven strategies can only enhance the quality of our competitions and 
the outcomes of students who participate in our programs. Accordingly, 
for those who apply under Competitive Preference Priority 2(a), 
Providing Individualized Counseling for Personal, Career, and Academic 
Matters, we give additional competitive preference to applications that 
submit moderate evidence of effectiveness supporting their proposed 
strategy for providing individualized counseling.
    Priority: Projects that provide individualized counseling using 
strategies supported by moderate evidence of effectiveness (as defined 
in this notice).

    Note:  An applicant addressing Competitive Preference Priority 
2(a) can earn one point based on the extent to which their project 
is designed to provide individualized counseling. Through 
Competitive Preference Priority 2(b), applicants can earn two 
additional points by demonstrating that their individualized 
counseling strategies are based on research that meets the moderate 
evidence of effectiveness standard. Applicants seeking to address 
Competitive Preference Priority 2(b) should identify a citation for 
one study that meets the definition of moderate evidence of 
effectiveness. Relevant studies will be reviewed to determine if 
they meet the definition of moderate evidence of effectiveness, 
including WWC standards, with or without reservations, which is 
necessary to fulfill the definition of moderate evidence of 
effectiveness. The WWC Procedures and Standards Handbook. The WWC 
Procedures and Standards Handbook (Version 3.0, March 2014), can be 
found at: http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/pdf/reference_resources/wwc_procedures_v3_0_standards_handbook.pdf. Applicants may submit a 
citation for a study that supports the applicants' proposed 
strategies that has already been determined by the Department to 
meet the moderate evidence of effectiveness standard, or a study 
that has not yet been reviewed by the Department but that the 
applicant thinks will meet the moderate evidence of effectiveness 
standard. A summary of studies of individualized counseling 
strategies that the Department has already determined meets the 
moderate evidence of effectiveness standard is provided in the 
Appendix to this Notice.

    Applicants' proposed individualized counseling strategies should 
implement the intervention described from their supporting study as 
closely as possible and describe in the narrative response to the 
priority how they will do so. Where modifications to the cited 
intervention will be made to account for student or institutional 
characteristics, resource limitations, or other special factors, the 
applicant should provide a justification or basis for the modifications 
in the narrative response to the priority.
    The link for the citation submitted for Competitive Preference 
Priority 2(b) should be provided on the Abstract, as well as the SSS 
Program Profile Form.

[[Page 75724]]

Applicants should specify in their narrative response to this priority 
the findings within the study that are cited as moderate evidence of 
effectiveness for the proposed strategies to provide individualized 
counseling intervention and ensure that the citation and link are from 
a publicly or readily available source.
    Definitions: These definitions are from the Notice of Final 
Supplemental Priorities and Definitions for Discretionary Grant 
Programs, published in the Federal Register on December 10, 2014 (79 FR 
73426) and from 34 CFR 77.1.
    Moderate evidence of effectiveness means one of the following 
conditions is met:
    (i) There is at least one study of the effectiveness of the 
process, product, strategy, or practice being proposed that meets the 
WWC Evidence Standards without reservations,\3\ found a statistically 
significant favorable impact on a relevant outcome (with no 
statistically significant and overriding unfavorable impacts on that 
outcome for relevant populations in the study or in other studies of 
the intervention reviewed by and reported on by the WWC), and includes 
a sample that overlaps with the populations or settings proposed to 
receive the process, product, strategy, or practice.
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    \3\ The What Works Clearinghouse Procedures and Standards 
Handbook (Version 3.0, March 2014), can be found at: http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/pdf/reference_resources/wwc_procedures_v3_0_standards_handbook.pdf.
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    (ii) There is at least one study of the effectiveness of the 
process, product, strategy, or practice being proposed that meets the 
WWC Evidence Standards with reservations,\4\ found a statistically 
significant favorable impact on a relevant outcome (with no 
statistically significant and overriding unfavorable impacts on that 
outcome for relevant populations in the study or in other studies of 
the intervention reviewed by and reported on by the WWC), includes a 
sample that overlaps with the populations or settings proposed to 
receive the process, product, strategy, or practice, and includes a 
large sample and a multi-site sample (Note: Multiple studies can 
cumulatively meet the large and multi-site sample requirements as long 
as each study meets the other requirements in this paragraph).
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    \4\ Id.
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    Quasi-experimental design study means a study using a design that 
attempts to approximate an experimental design by identifying a 
comparison group that is similar to the treatment group in important 
respects. These studies, depending on design and implementation, can 
meet WWC Evidence Standards with reservations \5\ (they cannot meet WWC 
Evidence Standards without reservations).
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    \5\ Id.
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    Randomized controlled trial means a study that employs random 
assignment of, for example, students, teachers, classrooms, schools, or 
districts to receive the intervention being evaluated (the treatment 
group) or not to receive the intervention (the control group). The 
estimated effectiveness of the intervention is the difference between 
the average outcome for the treatment group and for the control group. 
These studies, depending on design and implementation, can meet WWC 
Evidence Standards without reservations.\6\
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    \6\ Id.

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    Program Authority:  20 U.S.C. 1070a-11 and 20 U.S.C. 1070a-14.

    Applicable Regulations: This NIA is being published before the 
Department adopts the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost 
Principles, and Audit Requirements in 2 CFR part 200. We expect to 
publish interim final regulations that would adopt those requirements 
before December 26, 2014, and make those regulations effective on that 
date. Because grants awarded under this NIA will likely be made after 
ED adopts the requirements in 2 CFR part 200, we list as applicable 
regulations both those that are currently effective and those that will 
be effective at the time ED makes grants.
    The current regulations follow: (a) The Education Department 
General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 
79, 80, 82, 84, 86, 97, 98, and 99. (b) The Education Department 
debarment and suspension regulations in 2 CFR part 3485.
    At the time we award grants under this NIA, the following 
regulations will apply: (a) The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 75, 77, 79, 82, 84, 
86, 97, 98, and 99. (b) The Education Department debarment and 
suspension regulations as adopted in 2 CFR part 3485 and the Uniform 
Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements 
for Federal Awards as adopted in 2 CFR part 3474.
    Regardless of the timing of publication, the following also apply 
to this NIA: (a) The regulations for this program in 34 CFR part 646 
and (b) the notice of final supplemental priorities and definitions for 
discretionary grant programs, published in the Federal Register on 
December 15, 2014 (79 FR 73426).

    Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 79 apply to all applicants 
except federally recognized Indian tribes.


    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 
$838,252,000 for the Federal TRIO Programs for FY 2015, of which we 
intend to use an estimated $265,706,546 for new SSS awards under this 
competition and $23,966,448 for continuation awards to current SSS 
grantees. 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 the Federal TRIO Programs. Contingent upon the availability 
of funds and the quality of applications, we may make additional awards 
in FY 2016 from the list of unfunded applicants from this competition.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $220,000-$360,000.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $282,000.
    Maximum Award: We will reject any application that proposes a 
budget exceeding the maximum amount listed for a single budget period 
of 12 months. The Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education may 
change the maximum award amount through a notice published in the 
Federal Register.

       For Applicants Not Currently Receiving a SSS Program Grant
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                               Maximum
                      Type of project                          amount *
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Regular SSS Project Serving a Minimum of 140 Student            $220,000
 Participants..............................................
Regular SSS Project Serving a Minimum of 100 Student             220,000
 Participants with Disabilities............................
English as a Second Language (ESL) SSS Project Serving a         220,000
 Minimum of 140 Student Participants.......................
Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and      220,000
 Health Science SSS Project Serving a Minimum of 120
 Student Participants......................................
Teacher Preparation SSS Project Serving a Minimum of 140         220,000
 Student Participants......................................

[[Page 75725]]

 
Veterans SSS Project Serving a Minimum of 120 Student            220,000
 Participants..............................................
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* Note: For applicants proposing to serve fewer than the minimum number
  of student participants specified in the above table, the maximum
  award amount that may be requested is an amount equal to: $1,571 per
  student participant for Regular, ESL, and Teacher Preparation
  projects; $2,200 per student participant for Disabled projects; $1,833
  per student participant for STEM (including Health Science) and
  Veterans projects.

For Applicants Currently Receiving a SSS Program Grant

    The maximum award amount is the greater of: (a) $220,000 or (b) 100 
percent of the applicant's base award amount for FY 2012.
    For any currently funded applicant that proposes to serve fewer 
students than it served in FY 2012, the maximum award amount that may 
be requested is the amount that corresponds with the cost per 
participant previously established for the project in FY 2012.

    Note: For an applicant currently receiving an individual SSS 
Program grant that has merged into another IHE that is also 
receiving an individual SSS Program grant, the maximum award amount 
for the applicant (the merged institution) is 100 percent of the 
combined FY 2012 base grant award amounts for both institutions. For 
grantees that have merged, the applicant must propose to serve the 
combined number it served in FY 2012.

    Estimated Number of New Awards: 1,026.

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

    Project Period: Up to 60 months.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: Institutions of higher education or 
combinations of institutions of higher education.
    2. Cost Sharing or Matching: Section 402D(d)(4) of the HEA requires 
that all successful applicants that use SSS Program funds to provide 
grant aid to students pursuant to section 402D(d)(1) of the HEA must 
provide matching funds, in cash, from non-Federal funds, in an amount 
that is not less than 33 percent of the total amount of the SSS Program 
funds used for this aid. This matching requirement does not apply to a 
grant recipient that is an IHE eligible to receive funds under Part A 
or Part B of Title III or under Title V of the HEA.
    3. Other: An applicant may submit multiple applications if each 
separate application describes a project that will serve a different 
campus or a different population (Section 402(c)(5)of the HEA). Under 
section 402A(h)(1) of the HEA, the term ``different campus'' means a 
site of an IHE that--(1) is geographically apart from the main campus 
of the institution; (2) is permanent in nature and (3) offers courses 
in educational programs leading to a degree, certificate, or other 
recognized educational credential (Section 402(h)(1)of the HEA).
    Under section 402A(h)(2) of the HEA, the term ``different 
population'' means a group of individuals that an eligible entity 
desires to serve through an SSS grant that is separate and distinct 
from any other population that the entity has applied to serve using 
Federal TRIO Program funds, or, while sharing some of the same needs as 
another population that the eligible entity has applied to serve using 
Federal TRIO Program funds, has distinct needs for specialized 
services. To implement the requirement in Section 402(h)(2) of the HEA 
for this competition, the Secretary is designating the populations to 
be served as: Participants who meet the specific requirements for SSS 
services (``regular SSS grants''), participants with disabilities 
(``disabled grants''), participants who need ESL services (``ESL 
grants''), participants receiving services in the STEM fields (``STEM 
grants''), participants receiving Teacher Preparation Services 
(``Teacher Preparation grants''), and participants who have served in 
the armed forces (``Veterans grants''). These different populations 
need different types of services. Accordingly, the Secretary has 
determined that projects serving these different populations should be 
subject to different standards for the minimum number of participants. 
An applicant may submit more than one application as long as each 
application proposes to serve a different population. Any applicant 
that submits more than one application must explain why the different 
population of participants cannot be served by the project in the 
applicant's other application(s). For project types other than a 
regular SSS project, an applicant must propose to serve 100% of the 
students in the specific project type.

IV. Application and Submission Information

    1. Address to Request Application Package: ReShone Moore, Ph.D., 
U.S. Department of Education, 1990 K Street NW., Room 7000, Washington, 
DC 20006-8510. Telephone: (202) 502-7893 or by email: 
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#40322533282f2e256e2d2f2f32250025246e272f36"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="760413051e191813581b1919041336131258111900">[email protected]</span></a>.
    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.
    Individuals with disabilities can obtain a copy of the application 
package in an accessible format (e.g., braille, large print, audiotape, 
or compact disc) by contacting the program contact person listed in 
this section.
    2. Content and Form of Application Submission: Requirements 
concerning the content of an application, together with the forms you 
must submit, are in the application package for this program. Page 
Limit: The application narrative is where you, the applicant, address 
the selection criteria that reviewers use to evaluate your application. 
You must limit the project narrative (Part III), which includes the 
budget narrative, to no more than 65 pages, using the following 
standards. However, any application addressing the competitive 
preference priorities may include up to four additional pages for each 
subpart of each of these priorities (1(a) and 1(b) and 2(a) and 2(b)), 
if addressed. Those 16 additional pages, eight total for each priority 
must be used to discuss how the application meets the competitive 
preference priority. The additional pages allotted to address 
priorities cannot be used for or transferred to the project narrative 
or any section of the application.

    Note: For the purpose of determining compliance with the page 
limit, each page on which there is text or graphics will be counted 
as one full page.
    <bullet> A ``page'' is 8.5'' x 11'', on one side only, with 1'' 
margins at the top, bottom, and both sides. Page numbers and an 
identifier may be within the 1'' margin.
    <bullet> Double space (no more than three lines per vertical 
inch) all text in the project narrative.
    <bullet> Single space is appropriate for titles, headings, 
footnotes, quotations, references, and captions, as well as all text 
in figures, charts and graphs.
    <bullet> You should also include a table of contents in the 
project narrative, which will not be counted toward the page limit.
    <bullet> Use a font that is either 12 point or larger, or no 
smaller than 10 pitch (characters per inch).
    <bullet> Use one of the following fonts: Times New Roman, 
Courier, Courier New, or Arial. An application submitted in any 
other font (including Times Roman and Arial Narrow) will not be 
accepted.

    The page limit does not apply to Part I--the Application for 
Federal Assistance face sheet (SF 424); Part II--the Budget Information 
Summary form (ED Form 524); Part III-A--the SSS Program Profile Form; 
Part III-B--the one-page Project Abstract form; and Part

[[Page 75726]]

IV--the Assurances and Certifications. If you include any attachments 
or appendices, these items will be counted as part of Part III--the 
Project Narrative for the purpose of the page-limit requirement. You 
must include your complete response to the selection criteria and 
priorities in Part III--the Project Narrative.
    We will reject your application if you exceed the page limit, or if 
you apply other standards and exceed the equivalent of the page limit.
    3. Submission Dates and Times:
    Applications Available: December 18, 2014.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: February 2, 2015.
    Applications for grants under this program must be submitted 
electronically using the Grants.gov Apply site (Grants.gov). For 
information (including dates and times) about how to submit your 
application electronically, or in paper format by mail or hand delivery 
if you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission 
requirement, please refer to section IV. 7. Other Submission 
Requirements of this notice.
    We do not consider an application that does not comply with the 
deadline requirements.
    Individuals with disabilities who need an accommodation or 
auxiliary aid in connection with the application process should contact 
one of the program contact persons listed under For Further Information 
Contact in ssection VII of this notice. If the Department provides an 
accommodation or auxiliary aid to an individual with a disability in 
connection with the application process, the individual's application 
remains subject to all other requirements and limitations in this 
notice.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: April 2, 2015.
    4. 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.
    5. Funding Restrictions: We specify unallowable costs in 34 CFR 
646.31. We reference additional regulations outlining funding 
restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.
    6. Data Universal Numbering System Number, Taxpayer Identification 
Number, and System for Award Management: To do business with the 
Department of Education, you must--
    a. Have a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number and a 
Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN);
    b. Register both your DUNS number and TIN with the System for Award 
Management (SAM) (formerly the Central Contractor Registry (CCR)), the 
Government's primary registrant database;
    c. Provide your DUNS number and TIN on your application; and
    d. Maintain an active SAM registration with current information 
while your application is under review by the Department and, if you 
are awarded a grant, during the project period.
    You can obtain a DUNS number from Dun and Bradstreet. A DUNS number 
can be created within one to two business days.
    If you are a corporate entity, agency, institution, or 
organization, you can obtain a TIN from the Internal Revenue Service. 
If you are an individual, you can obtain a TIN from the Internal 
Revenue Service or the Social Security Administration. If you need a 
new TIN, please allow two to five weeks for your TIN to become active.
    The SAM registration process can take approximately seven business 
days, but may take upwards of several weeks, depending on the 
completeness and accuracy of the data entered into the SAM database by 
an entity. Thus, if you think you might want to apply for Federal 
financial assistance under a program administered by the Department, 
please allow sufficient time to obtain and register your DUNS number 
and TIN. We strongly recommend that you register early.

    Note: Once your SAM registration is active, you will need to 
allow 24 to 48 hours for the information to be available in 
Grants.gov. and before you can submit an application through 
Grants.gov.

    If you are currently registered with SAM, you may not need to make 
any changes. However, please make certain that the TIN associated with 
your DUNS number is correct. Also note that you will need to update 
your registration annually. This may take three or more business days.
    Information about SAM is available at www.SAM.gov. To further 
assist you with obtaining and registering your DUNS number and TIN in 
SAM or updating your existing SAM account, we have prepared a SAM.gov 
Tip Sheet, which you can find at: http://www2.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/sam-faqs.html.
    In addition, if you are submitting your application via Grants.gov, 
you must (1) be designated by your organization as an Authorized 
Organization Representative (AOR); and (2) register yourself with 
Grants.gov as an AOR. Details on these steps are outlined at the 
following Grants.gov Web page: www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html.
    7. Other Submission Requirements: Applications for grants under 
this program must be submitted electronically unless you qualify for an 
exception to this requirement in accordance with the instructions in 
this section.
    a. Electronic Submission of Applications.
    Applications for grants under the SSS Program, CFDA Number 84.042A, 
must be submitted electronically using the Governmentwide Grants.gov 
Apply site at www.Grants.gov. Through this site, you will be able to 
download a copy of the application package, complete it offline, and 
then upload and submit your application. You may not email an 
electronic copy of a grant application to us.
    We will reject your application if you submit it in paper format 
unless, as described elsewhere in this section, you qualify for one of 
the exceptions to the electronic submission requirement and submit, no 
later than two weeks before the application deadline date, a written 
statement to the Department that you qualify for one of these 
exceptions. Further information regarding calculation of the date that 
is two weeks before the application deadline date is provided later in 
this section under Exception to Electronic Submission Requirement.
    You may access the electronic grant application for the Student 
Support Services Program at www.Grants.gov. You must search for the 
downloadable application package for this program by the CFDA number. 
Do not include the CFDA number's alpha suffix in your search (e.g., 
search for 84.042, not 84.042A).
    Please note the following:
    <bullet> When you enter the Grants.gov site, you will find 
information about submitting an application electronically through the 
site, as well as the hours of operation.
    <bullet> Applications received by Grants.gov are date and time 
stamped. Your application must be fully uploaded and submitted and must 
be date and time stamped by the Grants.gov system no later than 4:30:00 
p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. Except as 
otherwise noted in this section, we will not accept your application if 
it is received--that is, date and time stamped by the Grants.gov 
system--after 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application 
deadline date. We do not consider an application

[[Page 75727]]

that does not comply with the deadline requirements. When we retrieve 
your application from Grants.gov, we will notify you if we are 
rejecting your application because it was date and time stamped by the 
Grants.gov system after 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the 
application deadline date.
    <bullet> The amount of time it can take to upload an application 
will vary depending on a variety of factors, including the size of the 
application and the speed of your Internet connection. Therefore, we 
strongly recommend that you do not wait until the application deadline 
date to begin the submission process through Grants.gov.
    <bullet> You should review and follow the Education Submission 
Procedures for submitting an application through Grants.gov that are 
included in the application package for this program to ensure that you 
submit your application in a timely manner to the Grants.gov system. 
You can also find the Education Submission Procedures pertaining to 
Grants.gov under News and Events on the Department's G5 system home 
page at www.G5.gov.
    <bullet> You will not receive additional point value because you 
submit your application in electronic format, nor will we penalize you 
if you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission 
requirement, as described elsewhere in this section, and submit your 
application in paper format.
    <bullet> You must submit all documents electronically, including 
all information you typically provide on the following forms: The 
Application for Federal Assistance (SF 424), the Department of 
Education Supplemental Information for SF 424, Budget Information--Non-
Construction Programs (ED 524), and all necessary assurances and 
certifications.
    <bullet> You must upload any narrative sections and all other 
attachments to your application as files in a PDF (Portable Document 
Format) read-only, non-modifiable format. Do not upload an interactive 
or fillable PDF file. If you upload a file type other than a read-only, 
non-modifiable PDF or submit a password-protected file, we will not 
review that material.
    <bullet> Your electronic application must comply with any page-
limit requirements described in this notice.
    <bullet> After you electronically submit your application, you will 
receive from Grants.gov an automatic notification of receipt that 
contains a Grants.gov tracking number. (This notification indicates 
receipt by Grants.gov only, not receipt by the Department.) The 
Department then will retrieve your application from Grants.gov and send 
a second notification to you by email. This second notification 
indicates that the Department has received your application and has 
assigned your application a PR/Award number (an ED-specified 
identifying number unique to your application).
    <bullet> We may request that you provide us original signatures on 
forms at a later date.
    Application Deadline Date Extension in Case of Technical Issues 
with the Grants.gov System: If you are experiencing problems submitting 
your application through Grants.gov, please contact the Grants.gov 
Support Desk, toll free, at 1-800-518-4726. You must obtain a 
Grants.gov Support Desk Case Number and must keep a record of it.
    If you are prevented from electronically submitting your 
application on the application deadline date because of technical 
problems with the Grants.gov system, we will grant you an extension 
until 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, the following business day to 
enable you to transmit your application electronically or by hand 
delivery. You also may mail your application by following the mailing 
instructions described elsewhere in this notice.
    If you submit an application after 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC 
time, on the application deadline date, please contact one of the 
program contact persons listed under For Further Information Contact in 
section VII of this notice and provide an explanation of the technical 
problem you experienced with Grants.gov, along with the Grants.gov 
Support Desk Case Number. We will accept your application if we can 
confirm that a technical problem occurred with the Grants.gov system 
and that that problem affected your ability to submit your application 
by 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. 
The Department will contact you after a determination is made on 
whether your application will be accepted.

    Note: The extensions to which we refer in this section apply 
only to the unavailability of, or technical problems with, the 
Grants.gov system. We will not grant you an extension if you failed 
to fully register to submit your application to Grants.gov before 
the application deadline date and time or if the technical problem 
you experienced is unrelated to the Grants.gov system.

    Exception to Electronic Submission Requirement: You qualify for an 
exception to the electronic submission requirement, and may submit your 
application in paper format, if you are unable to submit an application 
through the Grants.gov system because--
    <bullet> You do not have access to the Internet; or
    <bullet> You do not have the capacity to upload large documents to 
the Grants.gov system;
    and
    <bullet> No later than two weeks before the application deadline 
date (14 calendar days; or, if the fourteenth calendar day before the 
application deadline date falls on a Federal holiday, the next business 
day following the Federal holiday), you mail or fax a written statement 
to the Department, explaining which of the two grounds for an exception 
prevents you from using the Internet to submit your application.
    If you mail your written statement to the Department, it must be 
postmarked no later than two weeks before the application deadline 
date. If you fax your written statement to the Department, we must 
receive the faxed statement no later than two weeks before the 
application deadline date.
    Address and mail or fax your statement to: Eileen S. Bland, U.S. 
Department of Education, 1990 K Street NW., Room 7000, Washington, DC 
20006-8510. FAX: (202) 502-7857.
    Your paper application must be submitted in accordance with the 
mail or hand delivery instructions described in this notice.
    b. Submission of Paper Applications by Mail.
    If you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission 
requirement, you may mail (through the U.S. Postal Service or a 
commercial carrier) your application to the Department. You must mail 
the original and two copies of your application, on or before the 
application deadline date, to the Department at the following address: 
U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Center, Attention: 
(CFDA Number 84.042A), LBJ Basement Level 1, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., 
Washington, DC 20202-4260.
    You must show proof of mailing consisting of one of the following:
    (1) A legibly dated U.S. Postal Service postmark.
    (2) A legible mail receipt with the date of mailing stamped by the 
U.S. Postal Service.
    (3) A dated shipping label, invoice, or receipt from a commercial 
carrier.
    (4) Any other proof of mailing acceptable to the Secretary of the 
U.S. Department of Education.
    If you mail your application through the U.S. Postal Service, we do 
not accept either of the following as proof of mailing:
    (1) A private metered postmark.
    (2) A mail receipt that is not dated by the U.S. Postal Service.

[[Page 75728]]

    If your application is postmarked after the application deadline 
date, we will not consider your application.

    Note: The U.S. Postal Service does not uniformly provide a dated 
postmark. Before relying on this method, you should check with your 
local post office.

    c. Submission of Paper Applications by Hand Delivery.
    If you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission 
requirement, you (or a courier service) may deliver your paper 
application to the Department by hand. You must deliver the original 
and two copies of your application by hand, on or before the 
application deadline date, to the Department at the following address: 
U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Center, Attention: 
(CFDA Number 84.042A), 550 12th Street SW., Room 7039, Potomac Center 
Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-4260.
    The Application Control Center accepts hand deliveries daily 
between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, except 
Saturdays, Sundays, and Federal holidays.

    Note for Mail or Hand Delivery of Paper Applications: If you 
mail or hand deliver your application to the Department--
    (1) You must indicate on the envelope and--if not provided by 
the Department--in Item 11 of the SF 424 the CFDA number, including 
suffix letter, if any, of the competition under which you are 
submitting your application; and
    (2) The Application Control Center will mail to you a 
notification of receipt of your grant application. If you do not 
receive this notification within 15 business days from the 
application deadline date, you should call the U.S. Department of 
Education Application Control Center at (202) 245-6288.

V. Application Review Information

    1. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this program are 
in 34 CFR 646.21 and are listed in the application package.

    Note: Under the ``Objectives'' selection criterion, 34 CFR 
646.21(b), worth eight (8) points, applicants must address the 
standardized objectives in 34 CFR 646.21(b)(1) through (4) related 
to the participants' academic achievements, including retention, 
good academic standing, graduation, and transfer rates. The 
graduation objective should be measured by cohorts of students who 
become SSS Program participants in each year of the project and 
should be compared to a relevant and valid comparison group. The 
graduation, certificate, and transfer rates for two-year 
institutions should be measured over a four-year period and that of 
four-year institutions should be measured over a six-year period.

    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 
also 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 
of Education (34 CFR 100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).
    For this competition, a panel of non-Federal reviewers will review 
each application in accordance with the selection criteria in 34 CFR 
646.21. 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. Additionally, in accordance with 
34 CFR 646.22, the Secretary will award prior experience points to 
applicants that have conducted a SSS Program project within the last 
three Federal government fiscal years, based on their documented 
experience. Prior experience points, if any, will be added to the 
application's averaged reader score to determine the total score for 
each application. Of the applications that address competitive 
preference priorities 1(b) and 2(b), highly rated applications from the 
review process, which at a minimum will include those whose funding 
outcomes could be affected by the awarding of points under competitive 
preference priorities 1(b) and 2(b), will then have their supporting 
studies reviewed to determine if the cited studies submitted by the 
applicant meet the Moderate Evidence of Effectiveness standard and are 
relevant to the proposed strategies to address non-cognitive factors 
and/or individualized counseling under competitive preference 
priorities 1(a) and 2(a).
    If there are insufficient funds for all applications with the same 
total scores, the Secretary will choose among the tied applications so 
as to serve geographical areas that have been underserved by the SSS 
Program.
    3. Special Conditions: Under current 34 CFR 74.14 and 80.12 and, 
when grants are made under this NIA, 2 CFR 3574.10, the Secretary may 
impose specific conditions and, 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 34 CFR 
parts 74 or 80, as applicable or, when grants are awarded, the 
standards in 2 CFR part 200, subpart D; has not fulfilled the 
conditions of a prior grant; or is otherwise not responsible.

V. 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. 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 multi-year award, you must submit an annual 
performance report that provides the most current performance and 
financial expenditure information as directed by the Secretary under 34 
CFR 75.118. The Secretary may also require more frequent performance 
reports under 34 CFR 75.720(c). For specific requirements on reporting, 
please go to http://www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/appforms/appforms.html.
    4. Performance Measures: The success of the SSS Program is measured 
by the percentage of SSS participants that complete a program of 
postsecondary education. The following performance measures have been 
developed to track

[[Page 75729]]

progress toward achieving program success:
    1. The percentage of SSS Program participants who are still 
enrolled at the beginning of the next academic year or have earned a 
degree at the grantee institution or transferred from a two-year to a 
four-year institution.
    2. The percentage of first-time college students served by the SSS 
Program who graduate from the grantee institution on time--within four 
years for the bachelor's degree and within two years for the 
associate's degree.
    3. The percentage of SSS participants taking one or more remedial 
course(s) who attain an associate's degree or transfer from a two-year 
to a four-year institution within three years or graduate with a 
bachelor's degree within five years from the grantee institution.
    4. The cost per successful outcome.
    All SSS Program grantees are required to submit an annual 
performance report documenting the persistence and degree attainment of 
their participants. Since students take different amounts of time to 
complete their degrees, multiple years of performance report data are 
needed to determine the degree completion rates of SSS Program 
participants. The Department will aggregate the data provided in the 
annual performance reports from all grantees to determine the overall 
program accomplishment level.
    5. Continuation Awards: In making a continuation award, the 
Secretary may consider, under 34 CFR 75.253, the extent to which a 
grantee has made substantial progress toward meeting the objectives in 
its approved application. This consideration includes the review of a 
grantee's progress in meeting the targets and projected outcomes in its 
approved application, and whether the grantee has expended funds in a 
manner that is consistent with its approved application and budget. In 
making a continuation grant, 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).

VI. Agency Contacts

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: ReShone Moore, Ph.D., U.S. Department 
of Education, 1990 K Street NW., Room 7000, Washington, DC 20006-8510. 
Telephone: (202) 502-7893 or by email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#364453455e595853185b5959445376535218515940"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="b6c4d3c5ded9d8d398dbd9d9c4d3f6d3d298d1d9c0">[email protected]</span></a> or, if 
unavailable, Lavelle Wright, U.S. Department of Education, 1990 K 
Street NW., Room 7000, Washington, DC 20006-8510. Telephone: (202) 502-
7674 or by email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#206c4156454c4c450e5752494748546045440e474f56"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="074b6671626b6b622970756e606f7347626329606871">[email protected]</span></a>.
    If you use a TDD or a TTY, call the FRS, toll free, at 1-800-877-
8339.

VII. Other Information

    Accessible Format: Individuals with disabilities can obtain this 
document and a copy of the application package in an accessible format 
(e.g., braille, large print, audiotape, or compact disc) on request to 
one of the program contact persons listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION 
CONTACT in section VII of this notice.
    Electronic Access to This Document: The official version of this 
document is the document published in the Federal Register. Free 
Internet access to the official edition of the Federal Register and the 
Code of Federal Regulations is available via the Federal Digital System 
at: www.gpo.gov/fdsys. 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 Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF). To use PDF, 
you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available free at the 
site.
    You may also access documents of the Department published in the 
Federal Register by using the article search feature at: 
www.federalregister.gov. Specifically, through the advanced search 
feature at this site, you can limit your search to documents published 
by the Department.

    Dated: December 16, 2014.
Lynn B. Mahaffie,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education.

Appendix

Summaries of Relevant Studies Reviewed by the Department and That Meet 
the Standard for Moderate Evidence of Effectiveness

Strategies To Develop Non-Cognitive Factors

Walton, G.M. & Cohen, G.L. (2011). A brief social-belonging 
intervention improves academic and health outcomes of minority 
students. Science, 331, 1447-1451. http://web.stanford.edu/~gwalton/
home/Publications_files/Walton_Cohen_2011_Science_1.pdf.

    This study examined the effects of a series of connected 
activities, together lasting about an hour, that aimed to strengthen 
college freshmen's sense of social belonging and academic 
performance. First, the freshmen were given a narrative that 
described social adversity as an experience common to students from 
different racial-ethnic and gender groups and short lived during the 
college-adjustment process. Second, they read a survey report 
describing how older students of different racial-ethnicity and 
gender backgrounds overcame their freshmen year worries about 
whether they belonged in college. Finally, to encourage the ``saying 
is believing'' phenomenon, the freshmen were asked to write an essay 
about and video-record how their experiences in college were similar 
to those described in the survey report.
    The combination of activities had a positive impact on the grade 
point averages (GPA) of African-American students (though not white 
students) in the years afterwards, tripling the percentage of 
African American students earning GPAs in the top 25 percent of 
their class and reducing the percentage performing in the bottom 25 
percent. Three years after the intervention, at the end of their 
time in college, participating African American students reported 
less belonging uncertainty, self-doubt, and tendency to associate 
their college experiences to racial stereotypes.

Stephens, N.M., Hamedani, M.G., & Destin, M. (2014). Closing the 
social-class achievement gap: A difference-education intervention 
improves first-generation students' academic performance and all 
students' college transition. Psychological Science. http://www.psychology.northwestern.edu/documents/destin-achievement.pdf.

    Researchers investigated the impact of attending a moderated 
panel discussion for incoming freshmen on their adjustment to 
college. The panel featured demographically diverse college seniors 
who responded to questions about their experience of and adjustment 
to college. All incoming first-generation college students in this 
study, students whose parents did not have 4-year college degrees, 
and a sample of incoming non-first-generation college students were 
invited to participate in the study.
    Students attended one of eight moderated panel discussions, all 
featuring the same panel of eight demographically diverse college 
seniors (three were first generation, five were non-first 
generation). Panelists were instructed to respond to questions 
differently depending upon the group of students in attendance. For 
the students in the intervention group, the panelists' responses 
illustrated how their social class backgrounds both positively and 
negatively shaped their college experiences and influenced the 
strategies they adopted for success in college. For students in the 
comparison group, the panelists' stories included general content 
and did not highlight the students' different backgrounds. After the 
panel, all students were invited to complete a survey and create a 
video testimonial about the panel's main teachings.
    At the end of their freshman year, the mean GPA of first-
generation students receiving the intervention was 3.47 in 
comparison to 3.17 for first-generation students that did not 
receive the intervention.

Strategies To Provide Individualized Counseling

Bettinger, E.P., & Baker, R. (2011). The effects of student coaching 
in college: An evaluation of a randomized experiment in student 
mentoring. https://cepa.stanford.edu/sites/default/files/bettinger_baker_030711.pdf.


[[Page 75730]]


    This study examined whether InsideTrack, a personalized student 
coaching service for college students, increased rates of staying in 
and graduating from college. Each participating institution selected 
potential students to participate based on their own criteria (e.g. 
full-time or part-time, new students or upperclassmen, etc.).
    Coaches contacted students via phone, email, text messages, and 
social networking sites over the course of two semesters to identify 
strategies for overcoming barriers to academic success. Coaches used 
predictive algorithms that took into account students' constraints 
inside and outside of school (e.g. personal time commitments, 
primary caregiving responsibilities, and financial obligations) to 
guide and personalize conversations with students. Potential 
students were randomly assigned to receive InsideTrack and compared 
to similar students who did not receive additional services.
    The study found that students assigned to receive InsideTrack 
were significantly more likely than students in the comparison group 
to remain enrolled at their institutions. After six months, 81 
percent of students who received InsideTrack were still enrolled, 
compared to 77 percent of students who did not. The proportions 
enrolled were 66 percent and 51 percent, respectively, after 12 
months and 44 percent and 37 percent after 18 months.

[FR Doc. 2014-29769 Filed 12-17-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P


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