Source: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2015/05/18/2015-11986/applications-for-new-awards-predominantly-black-institutions-competitive-grant-program
Timestamp: 2018-03-20 16:02:02
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Federal Register :: Applications for New Awards; Predominantly Black Institutions Competitive Grant Program
Applications for New Awards; Predominantly Black Institutions Competitive Grant Program
80 FR 28248
28248-28255 (8 pages)
https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2015-11986 https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2015-11986
Predominantly Black Institutions Competitive Grant Program (PBI Program)
Applications Available: May 18, 2015.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: July 2, 2015.
Purpose of Program: The purpose of the PBI Program is to strengthen Predominantly Black Institutions (PBIs) to carry out programs in the following areas: science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM); health education; internationalization or globalization; teacher preparation; or improving educational outcomes of African-American males.
Priorities: This notice contains two competitive preference priorities. These priorities are from the Department's notice of final supplemental priorities and definitions for discretionary grant programs (Supplemental Priorities), published in the Federal Register on December 10, 2014 (79 FR 73425).
Competitive Preference Priority 1: Increasing Postsecondary Access, Affordability, and Completion (up to 3 points).
Projects that are designed to address one or both of the following:
(a) Reducing the net cost, median student loan debt, and likelihood of student loan default for high-need students who enroll in college, other postsecondary education, or other career and technical education.
(b) Supporting the development and implementation of high-quality online or hybrid credit-bearing and accessible learning opportunities that reduce the cost of higher education, reduce time to degree completion, or allow students to progress at their own pace.
Competitive Preference Priority 2: Improving Teacher Effectiveness and Promoting Equitable Access to Effective Teachers (up to 3 points).
Projects that are designed to increase the number and percentage of effective teachers in lowest-performing schools, schools in rural local educational agencies, or schools with high concentrations of students from low-income families and minority students, through such activities as:
(a) Improving the preparation, recruitment, selection, and early career development of teachers; implementing performance-based certification systems; reforming compensation and advancement systems; and reforming hiring timelines and systems.
(b) Improving the retention of effective teachers through such activities as creating or enhancing opportunities for teachers' professional growth; delivering professional development to teachers that is relevant, effective, and outcome-oriented; reforming compensation and advancement systems; and improving workplace conditions to create opportunities for successful teaching and learning.
For a State with an approved request for flexibility under the ESEA, priority schools or Tier I and Tier II schools that have been identified under the School Improvement Grants (SIG) program.
For any other State, Tier I and Tier II schools that have been identified under the SIG program.
(a)(1) Any Title I school that has been identified for improvement, corrective action, or restructuring under section 1116 of the ESEA and that—
(b) To identify the lowest-achieving schools, a State must take into account both—Start Printed Page 28250
(a) A school among the lowest five percent of Title I schools in the State based on the achievement of the “all students” group in terms of proficiency on the statewide assessments that are part of the state educational agency's (SEA's) differentiated recognition, accountability, and support system, combined, and has demonstrated a lack of progress on those assessments over a number of years in the “all students” group;
Rural local educational agency means an LEA that is eligible under the Small Rural School Achievement program or the Rural and Low-Income School program authorized under title VI, part B of the ESEA. Eligible applicants may determine whether a particular LEA is eligible for these programs by referring to information on the Department's Web site at www2.ed.gov/​nclb/​freedom/​local/​reap.html.
(a) A Title I school that has been identified as in improvement, corrective action, or restructuring under section 1116 of the ESEA and that is identified by the SEA under paragraph (a)(1) of the definition of persistently-lowest achieving school.
(a) A secondary school that is eligible for, but does not receive, title I, part A funds and is identified by the SEA under paragraph (a)(2) of the definition of persistently-lowest achieving schools.
Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General Administrative Regulations in 34 CFR parts 75, 77, 79, 82, 84, 86, 97, 98, and 99. (b) The Office of Management and Budget Guidelines to Agencies on Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension (Nonprocurement) in 2 CFR part 180, as adopted and amended as regulations of the Department in 2 CFR part 3485. (c) The Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards in 2 CFR part 200, as adopted and amended in 2 CFR part 3474. (d) The Supplemental Priorities.
Estimated Available Funds: $13,920,000.
1. Eligible Applicants: To qualify as an eligible institution under the PBI Program, an institution of higher education (IHE) must—
(a) Have an enrollment of needy students, as defined by section 371(c)(3) of the HEA (20 U.S.C. 1067q(c)(3)).
The term enrollment of needy students means the enrollment at the eligible IHE with respect to which not less than 50 percent of the undergraduate students enrolled in an academic program leading to a degree—
(i) In the second fiscal year preceding the fiscal year for which the determination is made, were Federal Pell Grant recipients for such year;
(ii) Come from families that receive benefits under a means-tested Federal benefit program (as defined in section 371(c)(5) of the HEA, 20 U.S.C. 1067q(c)(5));
(iii) Attended a public or nonprofit private secondary school that—
(A) Is in the school district of an LEA that was eligible for assistance under part A of title I of the ESEA (20 U.S.C. 6311 et seq.), for any year during which the student attended such secondary school; and
(B) For the purpose of this paragraph and for that year, was determined by the Secretary (pursuant to regulations and after consultation with the SEA of the State in which the school is located) to be a school in which the enrollment of children counted under a measure of poverty described in section 1113(a)(5) of the ESEA (20 U.S.C. 6313(a)(5)) exceeds 30 percent of the total enrollment of such school; or
(iv) Are first-generation college students, as that term is defined in section 402A(h) of the HEA (20 U.S.C. 1070a-11(h)), and a majority of such first-generation college students are low-income individuals, as that term is defined in section 402A(h) of the HEA (20 U.S.C. 1070a-11(h));
(b) Have an average educational and general expenditure that is low, per full-time equivalent (FTE) undergraduate student, in comparison with the average educational and general expenditure per FTE undergraduate student of IHEs that offer similar instruction. The Secretary may waive this requirement, in accordance with section 392(b) of the HEA (20 U.S.C. 1068a(b)), in the same manner as the Secretary applies the waiver requirements to grant applicants under section 312(b)(1)(B) of the HEA (20 U.S.C. 1058(b)(1)(B));Start Printed Page 28251
(c) Have an enrollment of undergraduate students—
(iii) Of which not less than 50 percent of the undergraduate students enrolled at the institution are low-income individuals, as that term is defined in section 402A(h) of the HEA (20 U.S.C. 1070a-11(h)), or first-generation college students, as that term is defined in section 402A(h) of the HEA (20 U.S.C. 1070a-11(h)); and
(d) Be legally authorized to provide, and provide, within the State an educational program for which the IHE awards a bachelor's degree or, in the case of a junior or community college, an associate's degree;
(e) Be accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency or association determined by the Secretary to be a reliable authority as to the quality of training offered, or be, according to such an agency or association, making reasonable progress toward accreditation; and
(f) Not be receiving assistance under part B of title III or part A of title V of the HEA or an annual authorization of appropriations under the Act of March 2, 1867 (20 U.S.C. 123).
The notice for applying for designation as an eligible institution was published on November 3, 2014 (75 FR 65197) and applications were due on December 22, 2014. Only institutions that submitted applications by the deadline date and that the Department determined are eligible may apply for a grant.
Applicants must provide, as an attachment to the application, the documentation the institution relied upon to determine that at least 40 percent of the institution's undergraduate enrollment are Black American students. The 40 percent requirement applies only to undergraduate Black American students and is calculated based upon unduplicated undergraduate enrollment. Instructions for formatting and submitting the verification documentation are in the application package for this competition.
1. Address to Request Application Package: You can obtain an application via the Internet at Grants.gov. If you do not have access to the Internet, please contact Bernadette D. Miles, U.S. Department of Education, 1990 K Street NW., Washington, DC 20006-8513. Telephone: (202) 502-7616.
Page Limit: The application narrative (Part III of the application) is where you, the applicant, address the selection criteria and the competitive preference priorities that reviewers use to evaluate your application. We have established the following mandatory page limits. You must limit the section of the application narrative that addresses:
The selection criteria to no more than 40 pages.
Accordingly, under no circumstances may the application narrative exceed 46 pages. Please include a separate heading for each competitive preference priority that you address.
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” margins.
Double space (no more than three lines per vertical inch) all text in the application narrative, except titles, headings, footnotes, quotations, references, captions, and all text in charts, tables, figures, and graphs. These items may be single-spaced. Charts, tables, figures, and graphs in the application narrative count toward the page limit.
The page limit does not apply to Part I, the cover sheet SF 424; Part II, the budget section, including the narrative budget justification; or Part IV, the assurances and certifications. The page limit also does not apply to the table of contents, the one-page abstract, the resumes, the bibliography, or the letters of support. If you include any attachments or appendices not specifically requested, these items will be counted as part of the application narrative for purposes of the page-limit requirement. You must include your complete response to the selection criteria and priorities in the application narrative.
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 Start Printed Page 28252is in the application package for this competition.
Applications for grants under the PBI Program, CFDA number 84.382A, 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.
You may access the electronic grant application for the PBI Program at www.Grants.gov. You must search for the downloadable application package for this competition by the CFDA number. Do not include the CFDA number's alpha suffix in your search (e.g., search for 84.382, not 84.382A).
You must upload any narrative sections and all other attachments to your application as files in a PDF (Portable Document) 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. Additional, detailed information on how to attach files is in the application instructions.Start Printed Page 28253
Address and mail or fax your statement to: Bernadette D. Miles, U.S. Department of Education, 1990 K Street NW., Room 6025, Washington, DC 20006-8513. Fax: (202) 502-7861.
U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Center, Attention: (CFDA Number 84.382A) LBJ Basement Level 1, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20202-4260.
U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Center, Attention: (CFDA Number 84.382A), 550 12th Street SW., Room 7039, Potomac Center Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-4260.
1. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this program are from 34 CFR 75.210. Applicants must address each of the following selection criteria. We will award up to 100 points to an application under the selection criteria; the total possible points for each selection criterion are noted in parentheses.
a. Need for project. (Maximum 15 points) The Secretary considers the Start Printed Page 28254need for the proposed project. In determining the need for the proposed project, the Secretary considers:
1. The magnitude of the need for the services to be provided or the activities to be carried out by the proposed project. (5 points)
b. Quality of the project design. (Maximum 30 points) The Secretary considers the quality of the design of the proposed project. In determining the quality of the design of the proposed project, the Secretary considers the following factors:
2. The extent to which the design of the proposed project is appropriate to, and will successfully address, the needs of the target population or other identified needs. (10 points)
1. 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. (5 points)
3. Reporting: (a) If you apply for a grant under this competition, you must ensure that you have in place the Start Printed Page 28255necessary 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). Please see the application package for details of annual and final reporting requirements. For specific requirements on reporting, please go to www.ed.gov/​fund/​grant/​apply/​appforms/​appforms.html.
4. Performance Measures: The Secretary has established the following key performance measures for assessing the effectiveness of the PBI Program:
(a) The percentage of change in the number of full-time, degree-granting undergraduate students enrolled at PBIs.
(b) The percentage of first-time, full-time, degree-seeking undergraduate students at four-year PBIs who were in their first year of postsecondary enrollment in the previous year and are enrolled in the current year at the same four-year PBI.
(c) The percentage of first-time, full-time, degree-seeking undergraduate students at two-year PBIs who were in their first year of postsecondary enrollment in the previous year and are enrolled in the current year at the same two-year PBI.
(d) The percentage of first-time, full-time, degree-seeking undergraduate students enrolled at four-year PBIs who graduate within six years of enrollment.
(e) The percentage of first-time, full-time, degree-seeking undergraduate students enrolled at two-year PBIs who graduate within three years of enrollment.
For Further Information Contact: Bernadette D. Miles, U.S. Department of Education, 1990 K Street NW., Room 6025, Washington, DC 20006-8513. Telephone: (202) 502-7616 or by email: bernadette.miles@ed.gov.
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.
[FR Doc. 2015-11986 Filed 5-15-15; 8:45 am]