2023-11083.pdf

33592 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 100 / Wednesday, May 24, 2023 / Notices

Title of Collection: Evaluation of Strategies to Address Unfinished Learning in Math (ReSolve Math Study).

OMB Control Number: 1850–NEW.

Type of Review: New ICR.

Respondents/Affected Public:

Individuals or Households.

Total Estimated Number of Annual

Responses: 12,640.

Total Estimated Number of Annual

Burden Hours: 2,559.

Abstract: The COVID–19 pandemic led to substantial unfinished learning in math and an important debate about how best to address it. Traditionally, policymakers and educators have advocated a ‘‘broad foundation skill building’’ approach, but an alternative ‘‘just-in-time skill building’’ approached has received more attention recently, including in the U.S. Department of Education’s COVID–19 Handbook. But there is limited evidence comparing these approaches. This evaluation will examine the effectiveness of adaptive technology products that deliver these two catch-up strategies in elementary schools, where teachers often struggle with how to teach math well and the benefits of using technology supports are understudied. The findings will provide valuable evidence, especially for low-performing schools identified under the Every Student Succeeds Act and their most underserved students.

This package requests approval for data collection activities to conduct the evaluation.

Dated: May 18, 2023.

Juliana Pearson, PRA Coordinator, Strategic Collections and Clearance, Governance and Strategy Division, Office of Chief Data Officer, Office of Planning, Evaluation and Policy Development.

[FR Doc. 2023–10997 Filed 5–23–23; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4000–01–P

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[Docket No.: ED–2023–SCC–0092]

Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request; Loan Discharge Application: Forgery

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

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, the Department is proposing an extension without change of a currently approved information collection request

(ICR).

DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before July 24, 2023.

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– 2023–SCC–0092. 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.

If the regulations.gov site is not available to the public for any reason, the Department will temporarily accept comments at ICDocketMgr@ed.gov.

Please include the docket ID number and the title of the information collection request when requesting documents or submitting comments.

Please note that comments 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 Manager of the Strategic Collections and Clearance Governance and Strategy Division, U.S.

Department of Education, 400 Maryland Ave, SW, LBJ, Room 6W203, Washington, DC 20202–8240.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Department, 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. The Department is soliciting comments on the proposed information collection request (ICR) that is described below.

The Department 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: Loan Discharge Application: Forgery.

OMB Control Number: 1845–0148.

Type of Review: Extension without change of a currently approved ICR.

Respondents/Affected Public:

Individuals or households.

Total Estimated Number of Annual

Responses: 2,786.

Total Estimated Number of Annual

Burden Hours: 2,786.

Abstract: This is a request for an extension of the information collection for the form used to obtain information from federal student loan borrowers who allege that the loans in their name were the result of a forgery. This information is used by the Secretary to make a determination of forgery for the Direct Loans, FFEL Program Loans, and Federal Perkins Loans held by the Department. This information collection stems from the common law legal principal of forgery, which is not reflected in the Department’s statute or regulations, but with which the Department must comply.

Dated: May 18, 2023.

Kun Mullan, PRA Coordinator, Strategic Collections and Clearance, Governance and Strategy Division, Office of Chief Data Officer, Office of Planning, Evaluation and Policy Development.

[FR Doc. 2023–10992 Filed 5–23–23; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4000–01–P

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Applications for New Awards; Teacher and School Leader Incentive Program

AGENCY: Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: The Department of Education (Department) is issuing a notice inviting applications for fiscal year (FY) 2023 for the Teacher and School Leader Incentive Program (TSL), Assistance Listing Number 84.374A. This notice relates to the approved information collection under OMB control number 1810–0758.

DATES:

Applications Available: May 24, 2023.

Pre-Application Webinars: The Office of Elementary and Secondary Education intends to post pre-recorded informational webinars designed to provide technical assistance to interested applicants for TSL grants.

These informational webinars will be available on the TSL web page shortly

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33593 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 100 / Wednesday, May 24, 2023 / Notices

1 https://www.ed.gov/raisethebar.

after this notice is published in the Federal Register at oese.ed.gov/offices/ office-of-discretionary-grants-support-services/effective-educator-development-programs/teacher-and-school-leader-incentive-program/ applicant-info-eligibility/. A TSL Frequently Asked Questions document will also be published on the TSL program web page as soon as it is available at https://oese.ed.gov/offices/ office-of-discretionary-grants-support-services/effective-educator-development-programs/teacher-and-school-leader-incentive-program/.

Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply:

June 7, 2023.

Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: June 28, 2023.

Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: August 28, 2023.

ADDRESSES: For the addresses for obtaining and submitting an application, please refer to our Common Instructions for Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs, published in the Federal Register on December 7, 2022 (87 FR 75045), and available at https:// www.federalregister.gov/documents/ 2022/12/07/2022-26554/common-instructions-for-applicants-to-department-of-education-discretionary-grant-programs. Please note that these Common Instructions supersede the version published on December 27, 2021.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Cynthia Hunter, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20202–5960.

Telephone: 202–401–3584. Email:

cynthia.hunter@ed.gov or TSL@ed.gov.

If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability and wish to access telecommunications relay services, please dial 7–1–1.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description Purpose of Program: The purpose of

TSL is to assist States, local educational agencies (LEAs), and nonprofit organizations to develop, implement, improve, or expand comprehensive performance-based compensation systems (PBCS) or human capital management systems (HCMS) for teachers, principals, or other school leaders (as defined in this notice) (especially for teachers, principals, or other school leaders in high-need schools who raise student growth and academic achievement and close the achievement gap between high- and low-performing students. In addition, a portion of TSL funds may be used to study the effectiveness, fairness, quality, consistency, and reliability of PBCS or HCMS for educators. Many of the terms used here are defined terms and can be found in the ‘‘Definitions’’ section of this notice.

Background: TSL is authorized under section 2212 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended (ESEA).

The Department is committed to strengthening the education workforce through its Raise the Bar: Lead the World 1 initiative. The Department’s call to action seeks to transform P–12 education by promoting academic excellence, boldly improving learning conditions, and preparing our Nation’s students for global competitiveness.

Consistent with that call to action, the priorities used in this competition advance Raise the Bar’s goals to boldly improve learning conditions by eliminating educator shortages, including through effective teacher retention efforts such as career advancement opportunities for teachers.

The FY 2023 TSL competition is designed to support entities in implementing, improving, or expanding their HCMS, which by definition must include a PBCS; or in implementing, improving, or expanding their PBCS.

TSL is also intended to primarily serve educators in high-need schools who raise student growth and academic achievement and close the achievement gap between high- and low-performing students, although the program may also fund services for educators serving in high-need subject areas (though not necessarily in high-need schools), as determined by the LEA or by the State.

Many States and LEAs have worked to create and improve their comprehensive HCMS, and LEAs have invested in high-quality educator evaluation and support systems to improve recruitment and retention efforts, provide educators with meaningful feedback and targeted professional development, and use educator performance data to inform key school- and district-level decisions.

While an increasing number of LEAs are well-equipped to make human capital decisions that both support educators and improve student outcomes, additional work is needed to ensure that these educator evaluation and support systems are fair, reliable, and credible;

conducive to enhancing educator growth and advancement; likely to support improved student outcomes;

and seamlessly integrated into school-and district-level human capital processes. Absolute Priority 1, which focuses on human capital management systems (HCMS) or performance-based compensation systems (PBCS) and career advancement opportunities, will support LEAs in this work.

In addition, Absolute Priority 1 requires applicants to address how they will support career advancement opportunities for educators. Teacher leadership models and activities provide experienced and effective teachers leadership opportunities that allow them to have a greater impact on their school community while remaining in the classroom and being compensated for additional responsibilities. This could include, for example, distributive leadership models which allow teachers to lead alongside their principal to facilitate positive schoolwide change; teacher-led instructional improvement efforts focused on specific areas of academic content; opportunities to shape schoolwide policies and climate, and lead professional learning communities;

participation in master teacher programs, teacher mentorship programs, and job-embedded content coaching;

and the implementation of advisory systems. These leadership opportunities support academic success for students while creating career ladders that support teacher retention.

Absolute Priority 2 requires applicants to concentrate TSL-funded grant project activities to support teachers, principals, or other school leaders in high-need schools. In 2021, the Department clarified and simplified the expectation that TSL-funded grant activities primarily serve high-need schools by establishing a new definition of high-need schools that modified how applicants identify high-need schools for the purposes of the TSL Program.

Through the two absolute priorities listed in this notice, the Department seeks to promote and support States and LEAs in their efforts to implement goals and objectives as well as lessons learned from close to two decades of investment and research in HCMS and PBCS. In addition to two absolute priorities, this notice includes two competitive preference priorities focused on diversifying and strengthening the educator workforce and promoting equitable access to high quality educators.

Competitive Preference Priority 1 emphasizes the importance of promoting equitable student access to educational resources and opportunities through continued professional development and enrichment opportunities that grow and retain our Nation’s best educators.

It is well established that teacher effectiveness contributes greatly to

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2 U.S. Department of Education, Office of Civil Rights, Education in a Pandemic: The Disparate Impacts of COVID–19 on America’s Students.

www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/20210608-impacts-of-covid19.pdf.

3 U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress, 2020 and 2022 Long-Term Trend Reading and Mathematics Assessments. The Nation’s Report Card, https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/ highlights/ltt/2022/.

4 Yoon, K.S., Duncan, T., Lee, S.W.-Y., Scarloss, B., & Shapley, K. (2007). Reviewing the evidence on how teacher professional development affects student achievement (Issues & Answers Report, REL 2007–No. 033). Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Regional Educational Laboratory Southwest. Retrieved from http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/ edlabs.

5 Garcia, E., Kraft, M.A., and Schwartz, H.L. Are we at a crisis point with the public teacher workforce? Education scholars share their perspectives. Brookings, 26 August 2022, https:// www.brookings.edu/blog/brown-center-chalkboard/ 2022/08/26/are-we-at-a-crisis-point-with-the-public-teacher-workforce-education-scholars-share-their-perspectives/#:∼:text=As%20of%20March%202022 %2C%2058,anticipated%20a%20%E2 %80%9Clarge%20shortage.%E2%80%9D.

6 www2.ed.gov/about/inits/ed/raise-the-bar/ executive-summary.pdf.

7 Cherng, H.Y.S., & Halpin, P.F. (2016). The importance of minority teachers: Student perceptions of minority versus White teachers.

Educational Researcher, 45(7), 407–420; Irvine, J.J.

(1988). An analysis of the problem of disappearing Black educators. Elementary School Journal, 88(5), 503–514.

8 Figlio, David. The importance of a diverse teaching force. Brookings, 16 November 2017, https://www.brookings.edu/research/the-importance-of-a-diverse-teaching-force/. Blazar, David. (2022). How and Why Do Black Teachers Benefit Students?: An Experimental Analysis of Causal Mediation. (EdWorkingPaper: 21–501).

Retrieved from Annenberg Institute at Brown University: https://doi.org/10.26300/jym0-wz02.

9 U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress, Race and Ethnicity of Public School Teachers and Their Students. Data Point, https:// nces.ed.gov/pubs2020/2020103/index.asp?utm_ content=&utm_medium=email&utm_name=&utm_ source=govdelivery&utm_term.

10 See id.

11 Carr, Sarah. Public Schools Are Struggling to

Retain Black Teachers. These Ex-Teachers Explain Why. Time, 5 January 2022, https://time.com/ 6130991/black-teachers-resigning/.

12 Steiner, Elizabeth D. and Ashley Woo, Job- Related Stress Threatens the Teacher Supply: Key Findings from the 2021 State of the U.S. Teacher Survey. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation, 2021. https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/ RRA1108-1.html.

13 Carr, Sarah. Public Schools Are Struggling to Retain Black Teachers. These Ex-Teachers Explain Why. Time, 5 January 2022, https://time.com/ 6130991/black-teachers-resigning/.

14 See id.

student academic outcomes, and with the learning setbacks students have experienced nationwide due to the COVID–19 pandemic, there is even more urgency to ensure that students have equitable access to effective teachers, particularly for students from low-income backgrounds, students of color, English learners, and students with disabilities, who experienced more substantial learning loss.2 In 2022, the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) studied the National Assessment of Educational Progress’s long-term trend data, which revealed that the average scores for 9-year-old students declined 5 points in reading and 7 points in mathematics between 2020 and 2022. While these scores represent the largest average score decline in reading since 1990, and the first ever score decline in mathematics, the downward trajectory in scores was even more dramatic for already lower-performing students.3 Since educators represent the most significant in-school factor for student outcomes, it is essential to attract, develop, and retain a well-qualified, experienced, effective, and diverse pool of highly skilled and effective teachers who are prepared to teach diverse groups of learners (e.g., through co-teaching models, dual certifications, universal design for learning), particularly in high-need schools.

Research funded by the Department’s Institute of Education Sciences concluded that student achievement can improve by as much as 21 percentile points when teachers participate in well-designed professional development programs.4 Because widespread teacher shortages have worsened in recent years as a result of the pandemic, schools must focus on reducing educator attrition rates by recruiting and retaining a high-quality, skilled workforce. This is especially true for high-need schools where, according to education scholars,5 teacher shortages historically have been more severe.

Competitive Preference Priority 2 supports the critical need to increase the diversity of the educator workforce.

This competitive preference priority focuses on the essential role a diverse educator workforce plays in ensuring equity in our education system and the urgency in addressing the needs of diversifying the educator pipeline, consistent with the Department’s Raise the Bar: Lead the World call to action.6 Studies suggest that all students benefit from having teachers of color. For students of color, exposure to teachers of their race or ethnicity has a positive effect on the students’ academic and social achievement, and increases attendance, the likelihood of high school graduation, and college attendance. White students also benefit academically and socially from having teachers from diverse backgrounds, who support students in gaining accurate perceptions of our society.7 8

However, despite evidence that points to the importance of a diverse educator workforce, educator representation disparities persist. NCES data indicates that more than 50 percent of public school students are students of color, yet in 2017–18, the most recent year of available data, roughly 25 percent of teachers were teachers of color.9 And despite English learners representing the fastest growing public school student demographic, most States face a shortage of bilingual and multilingual teachers prepared and certified to adequately educate English learner students.10

Teacher workforce data from the last 30 years shows that the number of teachers of color hired by the country’s schools has increased at a faster rate than the number of white teachers;

however, teachers of color leave at a much higher rate than their white counterparts.11 In its 2021 State of the U.S. Teacher Survey,12 RAND Corporation researchers found that nearly 50 percent of Black teachers reported in the winter of 2021 that they would likely vacate their positions at the conclusion of the school year, compared to 23 percent of teachers overall, citing a variety of reasons such as lack of respect, workplace discrimination, lower wages, lack of adequate resources, disenfranchisement, and unrealistic job expectations.13 The Department is interested in strategies that support a diverse workforce through recruitment, development, and retention. As such, this competitive preference priority focuses on activities designed to strengthen educator diversity through a broader lens of equity, with an emphasis on recruitment, support, and retention. We note that, although Competitive Preference Priority 2 refers to such activities in ‘‘high-poverty’’ school districts, consistent with Absolute Priority 2, all projects must be focused on ‘‘high-need schools’’.

In addition to implementing strong induction and mentoring programs, improving workplace culture by creating inclusive environments, and reducing job related stress, studies show that creating and maintaining strong relationships with organizations that prepare teachers of color is another high-yield strategy in recruiting and retaining minority educators.14 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), for example, have prepared African American educators and leaders and provide a strong pipeline for educators of color.

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15 See id.

16 Fenwick, L. (2016). Teacher preparation innovation and historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs). Teaching Works working papers. University of Michigan. http:// www.teachingworks.org/images/files/ TeachingWorks_Fenwick.pdf.

17 See id.

Although they make up only 3 percent of the Nation’s colleges and universities, for example, HBCUs prepare nearly 50 percent of the Nation’s African American teachers.15 HBCUs are indispensable to producing and advancing educational opportunities for students of color, first-generation, and underrepresented students who are interested in the teaching profession.16 In many urban and rural communities, HBCUs produce high numbers of teachers who work in the local school divisions.17 Leveraging the HBCU network to recruit teachers of color is a high impact way to diversify the educator pipeline and, in turn, advance student growth and achievement.

Priorities: This notice contains two absolute priorities and two competitive preference priorities. In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(v), Absolute Priority 1 is from ESEA section 2212(e)(1) and (2)(F); and Absolute Priority 2 is from the TSL Notice of Final Priority and Definition, published in the Federal Register on July 9, 2021 (86 FR 36220) (TSL NFP). In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(ii), Competitive Preference Priorities 1 and 2 are from the Secretary’s Supplemental Priorities and Definitions for Discretionary Grants Programs, published in the Federal Register on December 10, 2021 (86 FR 70612) (Supplemental Priorities).

Absolute Priorities: For FY 2023 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 both absolute priorities.

These priorities are:

Absolute Priority 1—Human Capital

Management Systems (HCMS) or Performance Based Compensation Systems (PBCS) and Career Advancement Opportunities.

Under this priority, eligible applicants must propose a project to (1) develop, implement, improve, or expand, in collaboration with teachers, principals, other school leaders, and members of the public, a PBCS or HCMS; and (2) institute career advancement opportunities characterized by increased responsibility and pay that reward and recognize effective teachers, principals, or other school leaders in high-need schools and enable them to expand their leadership and results, such as through teacher-led professional development, mentoring, coaching, hybrid roles, administrative duties, and career ladders.

Applicants that propose to use grant funds, under ESEA section 2212(e)(2)(A), to develop or improve an evaluation and support system as part of an HCMS, in responding to this priority, must describe how such system—

(a) Reflects clear and fair measures of educator performance, based in part on demonstrated improvement in student academic achievement; and

(b) Provides educators with ongoing, differentiated, targeted, and personalized support and feedback for improvement, including professional development opportunities designed to increase effectiveness.

Absolute Priority 2—High-Need Schools.

Under this priority, eligible applicants must concentrate proposed activities on teachers, principals, or other school leaders serving in high-need schools.

In order to demonstrate that the TSL project is concentrated in high-need schools, the applicant must—

(a) Provide the requested data in paragraph (c) of this priority to demonstrate that at least the majority of the schools participating in the proposed project are high-need schools and describe how the TSL-assisted grant activities are focused on those schools;

(b) Include a list of all schools in which the proposed TSL-funded project would be implemented and indicate which schools are high-need schools;

and

(c) Provide the most recently available school-level data supporting each school’s designation as a high-need school.

Competitive Preference Priorities: For FY 2023 and any subsequent year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this competition, these priorities are competitive preference priorities. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i), we award up to 5 points to an application, depending on how well the application meets Competitive Preference Priority 1. We award up to an additional 5 points to an application depending on how well the application meets Competitive Preference Priority 2. An application may be awarded a maximum of 10 additional points under the competitive preference priorities.

These priorities are:

Competitive Preference Priority 1—

Promoting Equity in Student Access to Educational Resources and Opportunities. (up to 5 points)

Under this priority, an applicant must demonstrate that the applicant proposes a project designed to promote educational equity and adequacy in resources and opportunity for underserved students—

(a) In one or more of the following educational settings:

(1) Elementary school.

(2) Middle school.

(3) High school.

(4) Career and technical education programs.

(b) That examines the sources of inequity and inadequacy and implement responses, and that may include one or more of the following:

(1) Increasing the number and proportion of experienced, fully certified, in-field, and effective educators, and educators from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds or the communities they serve, to ensure that underserved students have educators from those backgrounds and communities and are not taught at disproportionately higher rates by uncertified, out-of-field, and novice teachers compared to their peers.

(2) Improving the retention of fully certified, experienced, and effective educators in high-need schools or shortage areas.

Competitive Preference Priority 2— Supporting a Diverse Educator Workforce and Professional Growth to Strengthen Student Learning. (up to 5 points)

Projects that are designed to increase the proportion of well-prepared, diverse, and effective educators serving students, with a focus on underserved students, through building or expanding high-poverty school districts’ capacity to hire, support, and retain an effective and diverse educator workforce, by developing data systems, timelines, and action plans for promoting inclusive and bias-free human resources practices that promote and support development of educator diversity.

Application Requirements: For FY 2023 and any subsequent year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this competition, the following application requirements from ESEA section 2212(c) apply.

Each eligible applicant desiring a grant under this program must submit an application that contains—

(i) A description of the PBCS or HCMS that the eligible entity proposes to develop, implement, improve, or expand through the grant;

(ii) A description of the most significant gaps or insufficiencies in student access to effective educators in high-need schools, including gaps or

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33596 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 100 / Wednesday, May 24, 2023 / Notices inequities in how effective educators are distributed across the LEA, as identified using factors such as data on school resources, staffing patterns, school environment, educator support systems, and other school-level factors;

(iii) A description and evidence of the support and commitment from educators, which may include charter school leaders, in the school (including organizations representing educators), the community, and the LEA to the activities proposed under the grant;

(iv) A description of how the eligible entity will develop and implement a fair, rigorous, valid, reliable, and objective process to evaluate educator performance under the system that is based in part on measures of student academic achievement, including the baseline performance against which evaluations of improved performance will be made;

(v) A description of the LEAs or schools to be served under the grant, including student academic achievement, demographic, and socioeconomic information;

(vi) A description of the effectiveness of educators in the LEA and the schools to be served under the grant and the extent to which the system will increase the effectiveness of educators in such schools;

(vii) A description of how the eligible entity will use grant funds under section 2212 of the ESEA in each year of the grant, including a timeline for implementation of such activities;

(viii) A description of how the eligible entity will continue the activities assisted under the grant after the grant period ends;

(ix) A description of the State, local, or other public or private funds that will be used to supplement the grant, including funds under Title II, part A of the ESEA, and sustain the activities assisted under the grant after the end of the grant period;

(x) A description of—

(A) The rationale for the project;

(B) How the proposed activities are evidence-based (as defined in this notice); and

(C) If applicable, the prior experience of the eligible entity in developing and implementing such activities.

Definitions: The definitions of ‘‘human capital management system’’ and ‘‘performance-based compensation system’’ are from section 2211 of the ESEA. The definitions of ‘‘evidence-based’’ and ‘‘school leader’’ are from section 8101 of the ESEA. The definitions of ‘‘demonstrates a rationale,’’ ‘‘experimental study,’’ ‘‘logic model,’’ ‘‘moderate evidence,’’ ‘‘project component,’’ ‘‘promising evidence,’’

‘‘quasi-experimental design study,’’ ‘‘relevant outcome,’’ ‘‘strong evidence,’’ and ‘‘What Works Clearinghouse Handbooks (WWC Handbooks)’’ are from 34 CFR 77.1. The definition of ‘‘high-need school’’ is from the TSL NFP. The definitions of ‘‘children or students with disabilities,’’ ‘‘disconnected youth,’’ ‘‘educator,’’ ‘‘English learner,’’ and ‘‘underserved student’’ are from the Supplemental Priorities. These definitions apply to the FY 2023 grant competition and any subsequent year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this competition.

Children or students with disabilities means children with disabilities as defined in section 602(3) of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) (20 U.S.C. 1401(3)) and 34 CFR 300.8, or students with disabilities, as defined in the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 705(37), 705(202)(B)).

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.

Disconnected youth means an individual, between the ages 14 and 24, who may be from a low-income background, experiences homelessness, is in foster care, is involved in the justice system, or is not working or not enrolled in (or at risk of dropping out of) an educational institution.

Educator means an individual who is an early learning educator, teacher, principal or other school leader, specialized instructional support personnel (e.g., school psychologist, counselor, school social worker, early intervention service personnel), paraprofessional, or faculty.

English learner means an individual who is an English learner as defined in section 8101(20) of the ESEA or an individual who is an English language learner as defined in section 203(7) of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act.

Evidence-based, when used with respect to a State, LEA, or school activity, means an activity, strategy, or intervention that—

(i) Demonstrates a statistically significant effect on improving student outcomes or other relevant outcomes based on—

(A) Strong evidence from at least one well-designed and well-implemented experimental study;

(B) Moderate evidence from at least one well-designed and well-implemented quasi-experimental study;

or

(C) Promising evidence from at least one well-designed and well-implemented correlational study with statistical controls for selection bias; or

(ii)(A) Demonstrates a rationale based on high-quality research findings or positive evaluation that such activity, strategy, or intervention is likely to improve student outcomes or other relevant outcomes; and

(B) Includes ongoing efforts to examine the effects of such activity, strategy, or intervention.

Experimental study means a study that is designed to compare outcomes between two groups of individuals (such as students) that are otherwise equivalent except for their assignment to either a treatment group receiving a project component or a control group that does not. Randomized controlled trials, regression discontinuity design studies, and single-case design studies are the specific types of experimental studies that, depending on their design and implementation (e.g., sample attrition in randomized controlled trials and regression discontinuity design studies), can meet What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) standards without reservations as described in the WWC Handbooks:

(i) A randomized controlled trial employs random assignment of, for example, students, teachers, classrooms, or schools to receive the project component being evaluated (the treatment group) or not to receive the project component (the control group).

(ii) A regression discontinuity design study assigns the project component being evaluated using a measured variable (e.g., assigning students reading below a cutoff score to tutoring or developmental education classes) and controls for that variable in the analysis of outcomes.

(iii) A single-case design study uses observations of a single case (e.g., a student eligible for a behavioral intervention) over time in the absence and presence of a controlled treatment manipulation to determine whether the outcome is systematically related to the treatment.

High-need school means a school with 50 percent or more of its enrollment from low-income families as calculated using—

(a) The number of children eligible for a free or reduced-price lunch under the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) (or, if an LEA does not participate in the NSLP, comparable data from another source such as a survey);

(b) If an LEA has one or more schools that participate in the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) of the NSLP, for any of its schools (i.e., CEP and non-

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33597 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 100 / Wednesday, May 24, 2023 / Notices

CEP schools), the method in paragraph

(a) of this definition or an alternative method approved by the Department;

and

(c) For middle and high schools, data from feeder schools that can establish that the middle or high school is a high-need school under paragraph (a) or (b) of this definition.

Human Capital Management System (HCMS) means a system—

(i) By which an LEA makes and implements human capital decisions, such as decisions on preparation, recruitment, hiring, placement, retention, dismissal, compensation, professional development, tenure, and promotion; and

(ii) That includes a performance-based compensation system.

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.

Moderate evidence means that there is evidence of effectiveness of a key project component in improving a relevant outcome for a sample that overlaps with the populations or settings proposed to receive that component, based on a relevant finding from one of the following:

(i) A practice guide prepared by the WWC using version 2.1, 3.0, 4.0, or 4.1 of the WWC Handbooks reporting a ‘‘strong evidence base’’ or ‘‘moderate evidence base’’ for the corresponding practice guide recommendation;

(ii) An intervention report prepared by the WWC using version 2.1, 3.0, 4.0, or 4.1 of the WWC Handbooks reporting a ‘‘positive effect’’ or ‘‘potentially positive effect’’ on a relevant outcome based on a ‘‘medium to large’’ extent of evidence, with no reporting of a ‘‘negative effect’’ or ‘‘potentially negative effect’’ on a relevant outcome;

or

(iii) A single experimental study or quasi-experimental design study reviewed and reported by the WWC using version 2.1, 3.0, 4.0, or 4.1 of the WWC Handbooks, or otherwise assessed by the Department using version 4.1 of the WWC Handbooks, as appropriate, and that—

(A) Meets WWC standards with or without reservations;

(B) Includes at least one statistically significant and positive (i.e., favorable) effect on a relevant outcome;

(C) Includes no overriding statistically significant and negative effects on relevant outcomes reported in the study or in a corresponding WWC intervention report prepared under version 2.1, 3.0, 4.0, or 4.1 of the WWC Handbooks; and

(D) Is based on a sample from more than one site (e.g., State, county, city, school district, or postsecondary campus) and includes at least 350 students or other individuals across sites. Multiple studies of the same project component that each meet requirements in paragraphs (iii)(A), (B), and (C) of this definition may together satisfy the requirement in this paragraph (iii)(D).

Performance-Based Compensation System (PBCS) means a system of compensation for teachers, principals, or other school leaders—

(i) That differentiates levels of compensation based in part on measurable increases in student academic achievement; and

(ii) Which may include—

(A) Differentiated levels of compensation, which may include bonus pay, on the basis of the employment responsibilities and success of effective teachers, principals, or other school leaders in hard-to-staff schools or high-need subject areas; and

(B) Recognition of the skills and knowledge of teachers, principals, or other school leaders as demonstrated through—

(I) Successful fulfillment of additional responsibilities or job functions, such as teacher leadership roles; and

(II) Evidence of professional achievement and mastery of content knowledge and superior teaching and leadership skills.

Project component means an activity, strategy, intervention, process, product, practice, or policy included in a project.

Evidence may pertain to an individual project component or to a combination of project components (e.g., training teachers on instructional practices for English learners and follow-on coaching for these teachers).

Promising evidence means that there is evidence of the effectiveness of a key project component in improving a relevant outcome, based on a relevant finding from one of the following:

(i) A practice guide prepared by WWC reporting a ‘‘strong evidence base’’ or ‘‘moderate evidence base’’ for the corresponding practice guide recommendation;

(ii) An intervention report prepared by the WWC reporting a ‘‘positive effect’’ or ‘‘potentially positive effect’’ on a relevant outcome with no reporting of a ‘‘negative effect’’ or ‘‘potentially negative effect’’ on a relevant outcome;

or

(iii) A single study assessed by the Department, as appropriate, that—

(A) Is an experimental study, a quasi-experimental design study, or a well-designed and well-implemented correlational study with statistical controls for selection bias (e.g., a study using regression methods to account for differences between a treatment group and a comparison group); and

(B) Includes at least one statistically significant and positive (i.e., favorable) effect on a relevant outcome.

Quasi-experimental design study means a study using a design that attempts to approximate an experimental study by identifying a comparison group that is similar to the treatment group in important respects.

This type of study, depending on design and implementation (e.g., establishment of baseline equivalence of the groups being compared), can meet WWC standards with reservations, but cannot meet WWC standards without reservations, as described in the WWC Handbooks.

Relevant outcome means the student outcome(s) or other outcome(s) the key project component is designed to improve, consistent with the specific goals of the program.

School leader means a principal, assistant principal, or other individual who is—

(i) An employee or officer of an elementary school or secondary school, LEA, or other entity operating an elementary school or secondary school;

and

(ii) Responsible for the daily instructional leadership and managerial operations in the elementary school or secondary school building.

Strong evidence means that there is evidence of the effectiveness of a key project component in improving a relevant outcome for a sample that overlaps with the populations and settings proposed to receive that component, based on a relevant finding from one of the following:

(i) A practice guide prepared by the WWC using version 2.1, 3.0, 4.0, or 4.1 of the WWC Handbooks reporting a ‘‘strong evidence base’’ for the corresponding practice guide recommendation;

(ii) An intervention report prepared by the WWC using version 2.1, 3.0, 4.0, or 4.1 of the WWC Handbooks reporting a ‘‘positive effect’’ on a relevant outcome based on a ‘‘medium to large’’ extent of evidence, with no reporting of a ‘‘negative effect’’ or ‘‘potentially negative effect’’ on a relevant outcome;

or

(iii) A single experimental study reviewed and reported by the WWC

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