2018-10124.pdf

22036 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 92 / Friday, May 11, 2018 / Notices that written comments received in response to this notice will be considered public records.

Title of Collection: Application package for Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need (GAANN) Program.

OMB Control Number: 1840–0604.

Type of Review: A reinstatement of a previously approved information collection.

Respondents/Affected Public: Private Sector; State, Local, and Tribal Governments

Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 325.

Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 13,432.

Abstract: This information collection provides the U.S. Department of Education with information needed to evaluate, score and rank the quality of the projects proposed by institutions of higher education applying for a Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need grant. Title VII, Part A, Subpart 2 of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended, requires the collection of specific data that are necessary for applicant institutions to receive an initial competitive grant and non-competing continuation grants for the second and third years.

Dated: May 7, 2018.

Kate Mullan, Acting Director, Information Collection Clearance Division, Office of the Chief Privacy Officer, Office of Management.

[FR Doc. 2018–10019 Filed 5–10–18; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4000–01–P

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[Docket No. ED–2018–ICCD–0023]

Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Pell Grant Reporting Under the Common Origination and Disbursement (COD) System

AGENCY: Federal Student Aid (FSA), Department of Education (ED).

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, ED is proposing an extension of an existing information collection.

DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before June 11, 2018.

ADDRESSES: To access and review all the documents related to the information collection listed in this notice, please use http://www.regulations.gov by searching the Docket ID number ED– 2018–ICCD–0023. Comments submitted in response to this notice should be submitted electronically through the Federal eRulemaking Portal at http:// www.regulations.gov by selecting the Docket ID number or via postal mail, commercial delivery, or hand delivery.

Please note that comments submitted by fax or email and those submitted after the comment period will not be accepted. Written requests for information or comments submitted by postal mail or delivery should be addressed to the Director of the Information Collection Clearance Division, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, LBJ, Room 216–34, Washington, DC 20202–4537.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For specific questions related to collection activities, please contact Beth Grebeldinger, 202–377–4018.

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: Pell Grant Reporting under the Common Origination and Disbursement (COD) System.

OMB Control Number: 1845–0039.

Type of Review: An extension of an existing information collection.

Respondents/Affected Public: Private Sector; State, Local, and Tribal Governments.

Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 7,114,249.

Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 497,997.

Abstract: The Federal Pell Grant program is a student financial assistance program authorized under the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended. The program provides grant assistance to an eligible student attending an institution of higher education. The institution determines the student’s award and disburses program funds on behalf of the Department of Education (ED).

Institutions are required to report student Pell Grant payment information to ED electronically. Electronic reporting is conducted through the Common Origination and Disbursement (COD) system. The COD system is used by institutions to request, report and reconcile grant funds received from the Pell Grant program.

Dated: May 8, 2018.

Kate Mullan, Acting Director, Information Collection Clearance Division, Office of the Chief Privacy Officer, Office of Management.

[FR Doc. 2018–10053 Filed 5–10–18; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4000–01–P

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Application for New Awards; Teacher Quality Partnership Grant Program

AGENCY: Office of Innovation and Improvement, Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: The Department of Education is issuing a notice inviting applications for fiscal year (FY) 2018 for the Teacher Quality Partnership Grant Program, Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number 84.336S.

DATES:

Applications Available: May 11, 2018.

Pre-Application Webinars: The Office of Innovation and Improvement intends to post pre-recorded informational webinars designed to provide technical assistance to interested applicants for grants under the Teacher Quality Partnership (TQP) program. These informational webinars will be available on the TQP web page shortly after this notice is published in the Federal Register at http://innovation.ed.gov/ what-we-do/teacher-quality/teacher-quality-partnership/applicant-info-and-eligibility/.

Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply:

June 11, 2018.

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22037 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 92 / Friday, May 11, 2018 / Notices

Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: June 26, 2018.

Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: August 24, 2018.

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 12, 2018 (83 FR 6003) or at or at www.gpo.gov/ fdsys/pkg/FR-2018-02-12/pdf/2018- 02558.pdf.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mia Howerton, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Room 4W205, Washington, DC 20202– 5960. Telephone: (202) 205–0147.

Email: Mia.Howerton@ed.gov or tqpartnership@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 purposes of the TQP program are to improve student achievement; improve the quality of prospective and new teachers by improving the preparation of prospective teachers and enhancing professional development activities for new teachers; hold teacher preparation programs at institutions of higher education (IHEs) accountable for preparing teachers who meet applicable State certification and licensure requirements; and recruit highly qualified individuals, including minorities and individuals from other occupations, into the teaching force.

Priorities: This notice contains two absolute priorities and three competitive preference priorities. In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(iv), Absolute Priority 1 is from section 202(d) of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA) and Absolute Priority 2 is from HEA section 202(e). Competitive Preference Priorities 1 and 2 are from the Department’s notice of final supplemental priorities and definitions, published in the Federal Register on March 2, 2018 (83 FR 9096) (Supplemental Priorities). Competitive Preference Priority 3 is from 34 CFR 75.225.

Absolute Priorities: For FY 2018 and any subsequent year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this competition, these priorities are absolute priorities.

Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3) we consider only applications that meet one of the two absolute priorities. All applicants must address one—and only one—of the two Absolute Priorities in order to be considered for funding.

Under this competition, there will be two funding categories. Absolute Priorities 1 and 2 each constitute their own funding category. Assuming that applications in each funding category are of sufficient quality, the Secretary intends to award grants under each funding category.

Consistent with HEA section 203(b) (20 U.S.C. 1022b(b)), applications will be peer reviewed and scored based on the TQP program’s selection criteria.

Applications will be scored and placed in rank order by funding category.

These priorities are:

Absolute Priority 1: Partnership

Grants for the Preparation of Teachers.

Under this priority, an eligible partnership must carry out an effective pre-baccalaureate teacher preparation program or a fifth-year initial licensing program that includes all of the following:

(a) Program Accountability.

Implementing reforms, described in paragraph (b) of this priority, within each teacher preparation program and, as applicable, each preparation program for early childhood education (ECE) programs, of the eligible partnership that is assisted under this priority, to hold each program accountable for—

(1) Preparing—

(i) New or prospective teachers to meet the applicable State certification and licensure requirements, including any requirements for certification obtained through alternative routes to certification, or, with regard to special education teachers, the qualifications described in section 612(a)(14)(C) of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), (including teachers in rural school districts, special educators, and teachers of students who are limited English proficient);

(ii) Such teachers and, as applicable, early childhood educators, to understand empirically-based practice and scientifically valid research related to teaching and learning and the applicability of such practice and research, including through the effective use of technology, instructional techniques, and strategies consistent with the principles of universal design for learning, and through positive behavioral interventions and support strategies to improve student achievement; and

(iii) As applicable, early childhood educators to be highly competent; and

(2) Promoting strong teaching skills and, as applicable, techniques for early childhood educators to improve children’s cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development.

Note: In addressing paragraph (a) of this priority, applicants may either discuss their implementation of reforms within all teacher preparation programs that the partner IHE administers and that would be assisted under this TQP program, or selected teacher preparation programs that need particular assistance and that would receive the TQP program funding.

(b) Required reforms. The reforms described in paragraph (a) shall include—

(1) Implementing teacher preparation program curriculum changes that improve, evaluate, and assess how well all prospective and new teachers develop teaching skills;

(2) Using empirically-based practice and scientifically valid research, where applicable, about teaching and learning so that all prospective teachers and, as applicable, early childhood educators—

(i) Understand and can implement research-based teaching practices in classroom instruction;

(ii) Have knowledge of student learning methods;

(iii) Possess skills to analyze student academic achievement data and other measures of student learning and use such data and measures to improve classroom instruction;

(iv) Possess teaching skills and an understanding of effective instructional strategies across all applicable content areas that enable general education and special education teachers and early childhood educators to—

(A) Meet the specific learning needs of all students, including students with disabilities, students who are limited English proficient, students who are gifted and talented, students with low literacy levels and, as applicable, children in ECE programs; and

(B) Differentiate instruction for such students;

(v) Can effectively participate as a member of the individualized education program team, as defined in section 614(d)(1)(B) of the IDEA; and

(vi) Can successfully employ effective strategies for reading instruction using the essential components of reading instruction;

(3) Ensuring collaboration with departments, programs, or units of a partner institution outside of the teacher preparation program in all academic content areas to ensure that prospective teachers receive training in both teaching and relevant content areas in order to meet the applicable State certification and licensure requirements, including any requirements for certification obtained through

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22038 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 92 / Friday, May 11, 2018 / Notices alternative routes to certification, or, with regard to special education teachers, the qualifications described in section 612(a)(14)(C) of the IDEA, which may include training in multiple subjects to teach multiple grade levels as may be needed for individuals preparing to teach in rural communities and for individuals preparing to teach students with disabilities;

(4) Developing and implementing an induction program;

(5) Developing admissions goals and priorities aligned with the hiring objectives of the high-need local educational agency (LEA) in the eligible partnership; and

(6) Implementing program and curriculum changes, as applicable, to ensure that prospective teachers have the requisite content knowledge, preparation, and degree to teach Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate courses successfully.

(c) Clinical experience and interaction. Developing and improving a sustained and high-quality preservice clinical education program to further develop the teaching skills of all prospective teachers and, as applicable, early childhood educators, involved in the program. Such program shall do the following—

(1) Incorporate year-long opportunities for enrichment, including—

(i) Clinical learning in classrooms in high-need schools served by the high-need local educational agency in the eligible partnership, and identified by the eligible partnership; and

(ii) Closely supervised interaction between prospective teachers and faculty, experienced teachers, principals, other administrators, and school leaders at early childhood education programs (as applicable), elementary schools, or secondary schools, and providing support for such interaction.

(2) Integrate pedagogy and classroom practice and promote effective teaching skills in academic content areas.

(3) Provide high-quality teacher mentoring.

(4) Be offered over the course of a program of teacher preparation.

(5) Be tightly aligned with course work (and may be developed as a fifth year of a teacher preparation program).

(6) Where feasible, allow prospective teachers to learn to teach in the same local educational agency in which the teachers will work, learning the instructional initiatives and curriculum of that local educational agency.

(7) As applicable, provide training and experience to enhance the teaching skills of prospective teachers to better prepare such teachers to meet the unique needs of teaching in rural or urban communities.

(8) Provide support and training for individuals participating in an activity for prospective or new teachers described in this paragraph or paragraph

(1) or (3), and for individuals who serve as mentors for such teachers, based on each individual’s experience. Such support may include—

(i) With respect to a prospective teacher or a mentor, release time for such individual’s participation;

(ii) With respect to a faculty member, receiving course workload credit and compensation for time teaching in the eligible partnership’s activities; and

(iii) With respect to a mentor, a stipend, which may include bonus, differential, incentive, or performance pay, based on the mentor’s extra skills and responsibilities.

(d) Induction Programs for New Teachers. Creating an induction program for new teachers or, in the case of an early childhood education program, providing mentoring or coaching for new early childhood educators.

(e) Support and training for participants in early childhood education programs. In the case of an eligible partnership focusing on early childhood educator preparation, implementing initiatives that increase compensation for early childhood educators who attain associate or baccalaureate degrees in early childhood education.

(f) Teacher recruitment. Developing and implementing effective mechanisms (which may include alternative routes to State certification of teachers) to ensure that the eligible partnership is able to recruit qualified individuals to become highly qualified teachers through the activities of the eligible partnership, which may include an emphasis on recruiting into the teaching profession—

(1) Individuals from under represented populations;

(2) Individuals to teach in rural communities and teacher shortage areas, including mathematics, science, special education, and the instruction of limited English proficient students; and

(3) Mid-career professionals from other occupations, former military personnel, and recent college graduates with a record of academic distinction.

(g) Literacy training. Strengthening the literacy teaching skills of prospective and, as applicable, new elementary school and secondary school teachers—

(1) To implement literacy programs that incorporate the essential components of reading instruction;

(2) To use screening, diagnostic, formative, and summative assessments to determine students’ literacy levels, difficulties, and growth in order to improve classroom instruction and improve student reading and writing skills;

(3) To provide individualized, intensive, and targeted literacy instruction for students with deficiencies in literacy skills; and

(4) To integrate literacy skills in the classroom across subject areas.

Absolute Priority 2: Partnership Grants for the Establishment of Effective Teaching Residency Programs.

I. In general. Under this priority, an eligible partnership must carry out an effective teaching residency program that includes all of the following activities:

(a) Supporting a teaching residency program described in paragraph II (a) for high-need subjects and areas, as determined by the needs of the high-need LEA in the partnership;

(b) Placing graduates of the teaching residency program in cohorts that facilitate professional collaboration, both among graduates of the teaching residency program and between such graduates and mentor teachers in the receiving school;

(c) Ensuring that teaching residents who participate in the teaching residency program receive—

(1) Effective pre-service preparation as described in paragraph II;

(2) Teacher mentoring;

(3) Support required through the induction program as the teaching residents enter the classroom as new teachers; and

(4) The preparation described in paragraphs (c)(1), (2), and (3) of Absolute Priority 1.

II. Teaching Residency Programs.

(a) Establishment and design. A teaching residency program under this priority is a program based upon models of successful teaching residencies that serve as a mechanism to prepare teachers for success in the high-need schools in the eligible partnership, and must be designed to include the following characteristics of successful programs:

(1) The integration of pedagogy, classroom practice, and teacher mentoring;

(2) Engagement of teaching residents in rigorous graduate-level course work leading to a master’s degree while undertaking a guided teaching apprenticeship;

(3) Experience and learning opportunities alongside a trained and experienced mentor teacher—

(i) Whose teaching shall complement the residency program so that classroom

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22039 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 92 / Friday, May 11, 2018 / Notices clinical practice is tightly aligned with coursework;

(ii) Who shall have extra responsibilities as a teacher leader of the teaching residency program, as a mentor for residents, and as a teacher coach during the induction program for new teachers; and for establishing, within the program, a learning community in which all individuals are expected to continually improve their capacity to advance student learning; and

(iii) Who may be relieved from teaching duties as a result of such additional responsibilities;

(4) The establishment of clear criteria for the selection of mentor teachers based on measures of teacher effectiveness and the appropriate subject area knowledge. Evaluation of teacher effectiveness must be based on, but not limited to, observations of the following—

(i) Planning and preparation, including demonstrated knowledge of content, pedagogy, and assessment, including the use of formative and diagnostic assessments to improve student learning;

(ii) Appropriate instruction that engages students with different learning styles;

(iii) Collaboration with colleagues to improve instruction;

(iv) Analysis of gains in student learning, based on multiple measures that are valid and reliable and that, when feasible, may include valid, reliable, and objective measures of the influence of teachers on the rate of student academic progress; and

(v) In the case of mentor candidates who will be mentoring new or prospective literacy and mathematics coaches or instructors, appropriate skills in the essential components of reading instruction, teacher training in literacy instructional strategies across core subject areas, and teacher training in mathematics instructional strategies, as appropriate;

(5) Grouping of teaching residents in cohorts to facilitate professional collaboration among such residents;

(6) The development of admissions goals and priorities—

(i) That are aligned with the hiring objectives of the LEA partnering with the program, as well as the instructional initiatives and curriculum of such agency, in exchange for a commitment by such agency to hire qualified graduates from the teaching residency program; and

(ii) Which may include consideration of applicants that reflect the communities in which they will teach as well as consideration of individuals from underrepresented populations in the teaching profession; and

(7) Support for residents, once the teaching residents are hired as teachers of record, through an induction program, professional development, and networking opportunities to support the residents through not less than the residents’ first two years of teaching.

(b) Selection of individuals as teacher residents.

(1) Eligible Individual. In order to be eligible to be a teacher resident in a teaching residency program under this priority, an individual shall—-

(i) Be a recent graduate of a four-year IHE or a mid-career professional from outside the field of education possessing strong content knowledge or a record of professional accomplishment; and

(ii) Submit an application to the teaching residency program.

(2) Selection Criteria for Teaching Residency Program. An eligible partnership carrying out a teaching residency program under this priority shall establish criteria for the selection of eligible individuals to participate in the teaching residency program based on the following characteristics—

(i) Strong content knowledge or record of accomplishment in the field or subject area to be taught;

(ii) Strong verbal and written communication skills, which may be demonstrated by performance on appropriate tests; and

(iii) Other attributes linked to effective teaching, which may be determined by interviews or performance assessments, as specified by the eligible partnership.

(c) Stipends or salaries; applications;

agreements; repayments.

(1) Stipends or salaries. A teaching residency program under this priority shall provide a one-year living stipend or salary to teaching residents during the teaching residency program;

(2) Applications for stipends or salaries. Each teacher residency candidate desiring a stipend or salary during the period of residency shall submit an application to the eligible partnership at such time, and containing such information and assurances, as the eligible partnership may require;

(3) Agreements to serve. Each application submitted under paragraph (c)(2) of this priority shall contain or be accompanied by an agreement that the applicant will—

(i) Serve as a full-time teacher for a total of not less than three academic years immediately after successfully completing the teaching residency program;

(ii) Fulfill the requirement under paragraph (c)(3)(i) of this priority by teaching in a high-need school served by the high-need LEA in the eligible partnership and teach a subject or area that is designated as high-need by the partnership;

(iii) Provide to the eligible partnership a certificate, from the chief administrative officer of the LEA in which the resident is employed, of the employment required under paragraph (c)(3)(i) and (ii) of this priority at the beginning of, and upon completion of, each year or partial year of service;

(iv) Meet the applicable State certification and licensure requirements, including any requirements for certification obtained through alternative routes to certification, or, with regard to special education teachers, the qualifications described in section 612(a)(14)(C) of the IDEA, when the applicant begins to fulfill the service obligation under this clause; and

(v) Comply with the requirements set by the eligible partnership under paragraph (d) of this priority if the applicant is unable or unwilling to complete the service obligation required by the paragraph.

(d) Repayments.

(1) In general. A grantee carrying out a teaching residency program under this priority shall require a recipient of a stipend or salary under paragraph (c)(1) of this priority who does not complete, or who notifies the partnership that the recipient intends not to complete, the service obligation required by paragraph (c)(3) of this priority to repay such stipend or salary to the eligible partnership, together with interest, at a rate specified by the partnership in the agreement, and in accordance with such other terms and conditions specified by the eligible partnership, as necessary;

(2) Other terms and conditions. Any other terms and conditions specified by the eligible partnership may include reasonable provisions for pro rata repayment of the stipend or salary described in paragraph (c)(1) of this priority or for deferral of a teaching resident’s service obligation required by paragraph (c)(3) of this priority, on grounds of health, incapacitation, inability to secure employment in a school served by the eligible partnership, being called to active duty in the Armed Forces of the United States, or other extraordinary circumstances;

(3) Use of repayments. An eligible partnership shall use any repayment received under paragraph (d) to carry out additional activities that are consistent with the purposes of this priority.

Competitive Preference Priorities: For FY 2018 and any subsequent year in

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22040 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 92 / Friday, May 11, 2018 / Notices 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 an additional three points to an application, depending on how well the applicant meets Competitive Preference Priority 1 and 2. We award up to an additional two points to an application, depending on how well the applicant meets Competitive Preference Priority 3.

An application may receive a total of up eight additional points under the competitive preference priorities.

If an applicant chooses to address one or more of the competitive preference priorities, the project narrative section of its application must identify its response to the competitive preference priorities it chooses to address. The Department will not review or award points under these competitive preference priorities unless the applicant clearly identifies its response in its application. After review of the Absolute Priorities, only applicants for which competitive preference points could enable them to be funded will have their Competitive Preference Priorities reviewed and scored. The priorities are:

Competitive Preference Priority 1:

Promoting Science, Technology, Engineering, or Math (STEM) Education, With a Particular Focus on Computer Science. (up to three points).

Projects designed to improve student achievement or other educational outcomes in one or more of the following areas: science, technology, engineering, math, or computer science.

These projects must address the following priority area:

Increasing the number of educators adequately prepared to deliver rigorous instruction in STEM fields, including computer science, through recruitment, evidence-based (as defined in 34 CFR 77.1) professional development strategies for current STEM educators, or evidence-based retraining strategies for current educators seeking to transition from other subjects to STEM fields.

Competitive Preference Priority 2:

Promoting Effective Instruction in Classrooms and Schools. (up to three points).

Projects that are designed to support the recruitment or retention of educators who are effective and increase diversity (including, but not limited to, racial and ethnic diversity).

Competitive Preference Priority 3:

Novice Applicants. (up to two points).

Projects submitted by applicants that meet the definition of novice applicant at the time they submit their application.

Definitions: The definitions for ‘‘Arts and sciences,’’ ‘‘Early childhood educator,’’ ‘‘Essential components of reading instruction,’’ ‘‘Exemplary teacher,’’ ‘‘High-need early childhood education (ECE) program,’’ ‘‘High-need local educational agency (LEA),’’ ‘‘High-need school,’’ ‘‘Highly competent,’’ ‘‘Induction program,’’ ‘‘Partner institution,’’ Scientifically valid research,’’ and ‘‘Teacher mentoring’’ are from section 200 of the HEA. The definitions for ‘‘Charter School,’’ ‘‘Limited English proficient’’ and ‘‘Professional development’’ are from section 8101 of the ESEA. The definitions for ‘‘Demonstrates a rationale,’’ ‘‘Evidence-based,’’ ‘‘Experimental study,’’ ‘‘Logic model,’’ ‘‘Moderate evidence,’’ ‘‘Project component,’’ ‘‘Promising evidence,’’ ‘‘Quasi-experimental design study,’’ ‘‘Relevant outcome,’’ ‘‘Strong Evidence,’’ and ‘‘What Works Clearinghouse Handbook (WWC Handbook)’’ are from 34 CFR 77.1. The definition for ‘‘Novice applicant’’ is from 34 CFR 75.225. The definition for ‘‘computer science’’ is from the Supplemental Priorities.

Arts and sciences means—

(a) When referring to an organizational unit of an institution of higher education, any academic unit that offers one or more academic majors in disciplines or content areas corresponding to the academic subject matter areas in which teachers provide instruction; and

(b) When referring to a specific academic subject area, the disciplines or content areas in which academic majors are offered by the arts and sciences organizational unit.

Charter School means a public school that—

(A) In accordance with a specific State statute authorizing the granting of charters to schools, is exempt from significant State or local rules that inhibit the flexible operation and management of public schools, but not from any rules relating to the other requirements of this paragraph;

(B) Is created by a developer as a public school, or is adapted by a developer from an existing public school, and is operated under public supervision and direction;

(C) Operates in pursuit of a specific set of educational objectives determined by the school’s developer and agreed to by the authorized public chartering agency;

(D) Provides a program of elementary or secondary education, or both;

(E) Is nonsectarian in its programs, admissions policies, employment practices, and all other operations, and is not affiliated with a sectarian school or religious institution;

(F) Does not charge tuition;

(G) Complies with the Age

Discrimination Act of 1975 [42 U.S.C.

6101 et seq.], title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 [42 U.S.C. 2000d et seq.], title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 [20 U.S.C. 1681 et seq.], section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 [29 U.S.C. 794], the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq.), section 1232g of this title (commonly referred to as the ‘‘Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974’’), and part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act [20 U.S.C. 1411 et seq.];

(H) Is a school to which parents choose to send their children, and that—

(i) Admits students on the basis of a lottery, consistent with section 7221b(c)(3)(A) of this title, if more students apply for admission than can be accommodated; or

(ii) In the case of a school that has an affiliated charter school (such as a school that is part of the same network of schools), automatically enrolls students who are enrolled in the immediate prior grade level of the affiliated charter school and, for any additional student openings or student openings created through regular attrition in student enrollment in the affiliated charter school and the enrolling school, admits students on the basis of a lottery as described in clause (i);

(I) Agrees to comply with the same Federal and State audit requirements as do other elementary schools and secondary schools in the State, unless such State audit requirements are waived by the State;

(J) Meets all applicable Federal, State, and local health and safety requirements;

(K) Operates in accordance with State law;

(L) Has a written performance contract with the authorized public chartering agency in the State that includes a description of how student performance will be measured in charter schools pursuant to State assessments that are required of other schools and pursuant to any other assessments mutually agreeable to the authorized public chartering agency and the charter school; and

(M) May serve students in early childhood education programs or postsecondary students.

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22041 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 92 / Friday, May 11, 2018 / Notices

Computer science means the study of computers and algorithmic processes and includes the study of computing principles and theories, computational thinking, computer hardware, software design, coding, analytics, and computer applications.

Computer science often includes computer programming or coding as a tool to create software, including applications, games, websites, and tools to manage or manipulate data; or development and management of computer hardware and the other electronics related to sharing, securing, and using digital information.

In addition to coding, the expanding field of computer science emphasizes computational thinking and interdisciplinary problem-solving to equip students with the skills and abilities necessary to apply computation in our digital world.

Computer science does not include using a computer for everyday activities, such as browsing the internet; use of tools like word processing, spreadsheets, or presentation software;

or using computers in the study and exploration of unrelated subjects.

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.

Early childhood educator means an individual with primary responsibility for the education of children in an ECE program.

Essential components of reading instruction means explicit and systematic instruction in—

(a) Phonemic awareness;

(b) Phonics;

(c) Vocabulary development;

(d) Reading fluency, including oral reading skills; and

(e) Reading comprehension strategies.

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.

Exemplary teacher means a teacher who—

(a) Is a highly qualified teacher such as a master teacher;

(b) Has been teaching for at least five years in a public or private school or institution of higher education;

(c) Is recommended to be an exemplary teacher by administrators and other teachers who are knowledgeable about the individual’s performance;

(d) Is currently teaching and based in a public school; and

(e) Assists other teachers in improving instructional strategies, improves the skills of other teachers, performs teacher mentoring, develops curricula, and offers other professional development.

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 Handbook:

(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.

High-need early childhood education (ECE) program means an ECE program serving children from low-income families that is located within the geographic area served by a high-need

LEA.

High-need local educational agency (LEA) means an LEA—

(i)(A) For which not less than 20 percent of the children served by the agency are children from low-income families;

(B) That serves not fewer than 10,000 children from low-income families;

(C) That meets the eligibility requirements for funding under the Small, Rural School Achievement (SRSA) program under section 5211(b) of the ESEA; or

(D) That meets eligibility requirements for funding under the Rural and Low-Income School (RLIS) program under section 5221(b) of the ESEA; and—

(ii)(A) For which there is a high percentage of teachers not teaching in the academic subject areas or grade levels in which the teachers were trained to teach; or

(B) For which there is a high teacher turnover rate or a high percentage of teachers with emergency, provisional, or temporary certification or licensure.

Note: Information on how an applicant may demonstrate that a partner LEA meets this definition is included in the application package.

High-need school means a school that, based on the most recent data available, meets one or both of the following:

(i) The school is in the highest quartile of schools in a ranking of all schools served by an LEA, ranked in descending order by percentage of students from low-income families enrolled in such schools, as determined by the LEA based on one of the following measures of poverty:

(A) The percentage of students aged 5 through 17 in poverty counted in the most recent census data approved by the Secretary.

(B) The percentage of students eligible for a free or reduced-price school lunch under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act.

(C) The percentage of students in families receiving assistance under the State program funded under part A of title IV of the Social Security Act.

(D) The percentage of students eligible to receive medical assistance under the Medicaid program.

(E) A composite of two or more of the measures described in paragraphs (A) through (D).

(ii) In the case of—

(A) An elementary school, the school serves students not less than 60 percent of whom are eligible for a free or reduced-price school lunch under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act; or

(B) Any other school that is not an elementary school, the other school serves students not less than 45 percent of whom are eligible for a free or reduced-price school lunch under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act.

(iii) The Secretary may, upon approval of an application submitted by an eligible partnership seeking a grant under this title, designate a school that does not qualify as a high-need school under this definition, as a high-need school for the purpose of this competition. The Secretary shall base the approval of an application for designation of a school under this clause on a consideration of the information required under section

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22042 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 92 / Friday, May 11, 2018 / Notices

1 ESEA uses the term ‘‘English learner;’’ however, the cross-reference from the HEA is the term ‘‘limited English proficient.’’

200(11)(B)(ii) of the HEA, and may also take into account other information submitted by the eligible partnership.

Note: Information on how an applicant may demonstrate that a partner LEA meets this definition is included in the application package.

Highly competent when used with respect to an early childhood educator, means an educator—

(a) With specialized education and training in development and education of young children from birth until entry into kindergarten;

(b) With—

(i) A baccalaureate degree in an academic major in the arts and sciences;

or

(ii) An associate’s degree in a related educational area; and

(c) Who has demonstrated a high level of knowledge and use of content and pedagogy in the relevant areas associated with quality early childhood education.

Induction program means a formalized program for new teachers during not less than the teachers’ first two years of teaching that is designed to provide support for, and improve the professional performance and advance the retention in the teaching field of, beginning teachers. Such program shall promote effective teaching skills and shall include the following components:

(a) High-quality teacher mentoring.

(b) Periodic, structured time for collaboration with teachers in the same department or field, including mentor teachers, as well as time for information-sharing among teachers, principals, administrators, other appropriate instructional staff, and participating faculty in the partner institution.

(c) The application of empirically-based practice and scientifically valid research on instructional practices.

(d) Opportunities for new teachers to draw directly on the expertise of teacher mentors, faculty, and researchers to support the integration of empirically-based practice and scientifically valid research with practice.

(e) The development of skills in instructional and behavioral interventions derived from empirically-based practice and, where applicable, scientifically valid research.

(f) Faculty who—

(i) Model the integration of research and practice in the classroom; and

(ii) Assist new teachers with the effective use and integration of technology in the classroom.

(g) Interdisciplinary collaboration among exemplary teachers, faculty, researchers, and other staff who prepare new teachers with respect to the learning process and the assessment of learning.

(h) Assistance with the understanding of data, particularly student achievement data, and the applicability of such data in classroom instruction.

(i) Regular and structured observation and evaluation of new teachers by multiple evaluators, using valid and reliable measures of teaching skills.

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.

Limited English proficient 1 when used with respect to an individual, means an individual—

(A) Who is aged 3 through 21;

(B) Who is enrolled or preparing to enroll in an elementary school or secondary school;

(C)(i) Who was not born in the United States or whose native language is a language other than English;

(ii)(I) Who is a Native American or Alaska Native, or a native resident of the outlying areas; and

(II) Who comes from an environment where a language other than English has had a significant impact on the individual’s level of English language proficiency; or

(iii) Who is migratory, whose native language is a language other than English, and who comes from an environment where a language other than English is dominant; and

(D) Whose difficulties in speaking, reading, writing, or understanding the English language may be sufficient to deny the individual—

(i) The ability to meet the State’s proficient level of achievement on State assessments described in section 1111(b)(3);

(ii) The ability to successfully achieve in classrooms where the language of instruction is English; or

(iii) The opportunity to participate fully in society.

Novice applicant means any applicant for a grant from the Department that—

(i) Has never received a grant or subgrant under the program from which it seeks funding;

(ii) Has never been a member of a group application, submitted in accordance with 34 CFR 75.127–75.129, that received a grant under the program from which it seeks funding; and

(iii) Has not had an active discretionary grant from the Federal Government in the five years before the deadline date for applications under the program.

(2) In the case of a group application submitted in accordance with 34 CFR 75.127–75.129, a group that includes only parties that meet the requirements of paragraph (1) of this definition.

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 or 3.0 of the WWC Handbook 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 or 3.0 of the WWC Handbook 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 or 3.0 of the WWC Handbook, or otherwise assessed by the Department using version 3.0 of the WWC Handbook, 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…