2023-17226.pdf

55019 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 155 / Monday, August 14, 2023 / Notices

1 U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona laid out his vision for the direction the Department will follow in fiscal year 2023 to promote academic excellence, improve learning conditions, and prepare students for a world where global engagement is critical to our Nation’s standing.

More information is available at https:// www.ed.gov/raisethebar.

Summary Form Under Review

Title of Collection: Application for Political Risk Insurance.

Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved information collection.

Agency Form Number: DFC–003.

OMB Form Number: 3015–0003.

Frequency: Once per investor per project.

Affected Public: Business or other for-profit; not-for-profit institutions;

individuals.

Total Estimated Number of Annual Number of Respondents: 100.

Estimated Time per Respondent: 1 hour and 40 minutes.

Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 166 hours and 40 minutes.

Abstract: The Application for Political Risk Insurance will be the principal document used by DFC to determine the investor’s and the project’s eligibility for political risk insurance coverage.

Deborah Papadopoulos, Records & Information Management Specialist.

[FR Doc. 2023–17390 Filed 8–11–23; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3210–02–P

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Applications for New Awards; Perkins Innovation and Modernization Grant Program

AGENCY: Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education, Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: The Department of Education (ED or Department) is issuing a notice inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY) 2023 for the Perkins Innovation and Modernization (PIM) grant program, Assistance Listing Number 84.051F. This notice relates to the approved information collection under OMB control number 1830–0583.

DATES:

Applications Available: August 14, 2023.

Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply:

Applicants are strongly encouraged, but not required, to submit a notice of intent to apply by September 13, 2023.

Date of Pre-Application Webinar: For information about a pre-application webinar or potential future webinars, visit the Perkins Collaborative Resource Network (PCRN) at http://cte.ed.gov/.

Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: October 13, 2023.

Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: December 12, 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: Dr.

Charles ‘‘Bryan’’ Jenkins, U.S.

Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Room 4A192, Washington, DC 20202. Telephone: 202–987–0815.

Email: PIMGrants@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 the PIM grant program is to identify, support, and rigorously evaluate evidence-based and innovative strategies and activities to improve and modernize career and technical education (CTE) and ensure workforce skills taught in CTE programs funded under the Carl D.

Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006, as amended by the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (Perkins V), align with labor market needs.

Background: The PIM grant program, authorized under section 114(e) of Perkins V, supports evidence-based educational programs and practices to improve and modernize CTE. Raise the Bar: Lead the World 1 is the Department’s call to action to transform prekindergarten through grade 12 education through evidence-based practices and strategies that advance educational equity and excellence.

Within this call to action is Raise the Bar: Unlocking Career Success, an interagency initiative across the U.S.

Departments of Education, Labor, and Commerce, that reimagines how our nation’s high schools prepare all students to thrive in their future careers by providing students with accelerated and innovative opportunities to earn college credits and gain career experiences. This Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 PIM grant program competition advances the goals of Raise the Bar:

Unlocking Career Success through priorities that seek to prepare all young people more equitably and effectively for further learning and economic advancement in rewarding careers.

With this competition, the Department seeks to support applicants that will build capacity among secondary education, postsecondary education, and workforce development systems to expand access to career-connected high school programs for more students. As described below, the four strategies, or ‘‘keys,’’ to career-connected high schools are evidence-based strategies that support students in the connections and transition between high school, postsecondary education, and careers. Under Absolute Priority 1, applicants will be required to describe the extent to which they are currently implementing career-connected learning and provide a plan for how they will increase the proportion of students who graduate from high school with these four keys to unlock their career success:

• Postsecondary Education and Career Navigation System. Participation in a comprehensive postsecondary education and career navigation system that supports career exploration and education planning, provides information and assistance in pursuing further learning after high school, and includes the development and regular updating of a personalized postsecondary education and career plan (as defined in this notice) throughout high school;

• Dual or Concurrent Enrollment.

Postsecondary credits earned from dual or concurrent enrollment programs (as defined in this notice) within a clearly defined program of study (as defined in this notice) to give students a head start in earning a postsecondary credential;

• Work-Based Learning. Participation in work-based learning opportunities (as defined in this notice) for which students receive wages or academic credit, or both; and

• Industry-Recognized Credential.

Attainment of an in-demand and high-value industry-recognized credential (as defined in this notice) so that every young person can earn a living wage after high school, open more doors to pursue further education, and live independently.

VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:38 Aug 11, 2023 Jkt 259001 PO 00000 Frm 00013 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\14AUN1.SGM 14AUN1dd ru m he lle r on D

S K

0R

N

P R

O D w ith

N O

T

IC

E S https://www.ed.gov/raisethebar https://www.ed.gov/raisethebar https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/12/07/2022-26554/common-instructions-for-applicants-to-department-of-education-discretionary-grant-programs mailto:PIMGrants@ed.gov http://cte.ed.gov/ https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/12/07/2022-26554/common-instructions-for-applicants-to-department-of-education-discretionary-grant-programs https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/12/07/2022-26554/common-instructions-for-applicants-to-department-of-education-discretionary-grant-programs

55020 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 155 / Monday, August 14, 2023 / Notices

2 We published a notice of proposed priorities, requirements, definitions, and selection criteria for this program in the Federal Register on May 16, 2023 (88 FR 31196). The notice contains background information on the evidence that supports the four keys to career-connected learning.

3 National Governors Association (2023), State Education Trends for 2023 (March 14, 2023).

Retrieved from: https://www.nga.org/news/ commentary/state-education-trends-for-2023/.

4 Jamieson, C., Perez, Jr., Z., ‘‘Governors’ Top Education Priorities in 2023 State of the State Addresses.’’ Education Commission of the States and the National Governor’s Association. Retrieved from: https://www.ecs.org/wp-content/uploads/ Governors-Top-Education-Priorities-in-2023-State-of-the-State-Addresses.pdf.

5 Montana Department of Commerce (2023), Governor Gianforte: ‘‘The American Dream is Alive and Well Here in Montana’’ (February 1, 2023).

Retrieved from: https://commerce.mt.gov/News/ news-articles/Governor-Gianforte-The-American- Dream-Is-Alive-and-Well-Here-in-Montana.

6 Career Connect Washington (2023), Career Connect Washington: Overview and Updates (April 2023). Retrieved from: https://careerconnectwa.org/ plan/.

7 California Department of Education (2022), Golden State Pathways Program. Retrieved from:

https://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/gs/hs/gspp.asp.

8 Poiner, J. (2022), Ohio is making strides in education-to-workforce pathways, Ohio Gadfly Daily (June 6, 2022), Thomas B. Fordham Institute.

Retrieved from: https://fordhaminstitute.org/ohio/ commentary/ohio-making-strides-education-workforce-pathways.

9 Fink, J., Fay, M., et al. (2022), From ‘‘Random Acts’’ and ‘‘Programs of Privilege’’ to Dual Enrollment Equity Pathways, The Mixed Methods Blog (April 4, 2022), Community College Research Center. Retrieved from: https:// ccrc.tc.columbia.edu/easyblog/introducing-dual-enrollment-equity-pathways.html.

10 Jenkins, D., Lahr, H., Fink, J., and Ganga, E.

(2018), What We Are Learning About Guided Pathways: Part 1: A Reform Moves from Theory to Practice, Community College Research Center, Teachers College, Columbia University. Retrieved from: https://ccrc.tc.columbia.edu/media/k2/ attachments/guided-pathways-part-1-theory-practice.pdf.

11 Office of the President (Aug. 3, 2021), Fact Sheet: The Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act Creates Good-Paying Jobs and Supports

Workers. Retrieved from: https:// www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/08/03/fact-sheet-the-bipartisan-infrastructure-investment-and-jobs-act-creates-good-paying-jobs-and-supports-workers/.

12 Office of the President (Aug. 9, 2022), Fact Sheet: CHIPS and Science Act Will Lower Costs, Create Jobs, Strengthen Supply Chains, and Counter China. Retrieved from: https:// www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/08/09/fact-sheet-chips-and-science-act-will-lower-costs-create-jobs-strengthen-supply-chains-and-counter-china/. These include new jobs for early educators that may be created as a part of large employers’ obligation to connect their employees to accessible, affordable, reliable, and high-quality child care. https://www.nist.gov/ system/files/documents/2023/03/30/ CHIPS%20Workforce%20Development %20Planning%20Guide%20%281%29.pdf.

13 Office of the President (Aug. 19, 2022), Fact Sheet: The Inflation Reduction Act Supports Workers and Families. Retrieved from: https:// www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/08/19/fact-sheet-the-inflation-reduction-act-supports-workers-and-families/.

14 The White House (2023), Investing in America.

Retrieved from: https://www.whitehouse.gov/invest/

The four keys to career-connected learning are evidence-based 2 and have broad support. According to an analysis by the National Governors Association, at least 31 Governors focused in their 2023 State of the State addresses on expanding CTE and workforce development opportunities for high school students.3 Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin advocated for strong partnerships between community colleges and high schools so that every high school student can earn an industry-recognized or postsecondary credential in high school.4 Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt called for expanding dual enrollment programming so that high school students can more easily earn college credits. Montana Governor Greg Gianforte recommended expanding work-based learning opportunities that allow students to obtain on-the-job experience and apply that experience to their high school graduation requirements.5 They join governors, such as Washington Governor Jay Inslee, California Governor Gavin Newsom, and Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, who have championed State investments in expanding and improving college and career pathways for young people through Career Connect Washington,6 the Golden State Pathways Program,7 and College Credit Plus,8 respectively.

Paragraph (b) of Absolute Priority 1, along with Program Requirements 2 and 3, challenges applicants to offer dual or concurrent enrollment courses not as one-off opportunities to explore postsecondary education, or what some have described as ‘‘random acts of dual enrollment,’’ 9 but as elements of a coherent program of study that culminates with an associate, bachelor’s, or advanced degree, or completion of a Registered Apprenticeship Program. Each academic or CTE course in the program of study should advance students toward their college and career goals by counting toward their intended postsecondary credential. Applicants are encouraged to connect their design of these programs of study with the ‘‘guided pathway’’ reform effort among community colleges and other broad-access public institutions of higher education (IHEs) to reorganize course offerings into clearly defined course sequences within ‘‘meta-majors’’ that are mapped to in-demand careers.10 Under the guided pathway model, students who are still considering their career and credential options select a meta-major like health sciences or science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, and begin taking introductory academic or CTE courses within the meta-major that count toward a number of different credentials. Dual or concurrent enrollment programs also may be organized in this way.

Statutory Application Requirement 4 requires a description of how the CTE programs or programs of study to be implemented with grant funds reflect the needs of local, regional, or State employers, as demonstrated by the comprehensive needs assessment that subrecipients of the Perkins V State formula grant program conduct every two years under section 134(c) of Perkins V. Applicants are encouraged to connect proposed project activities with efforts to strengthen and expand their local economies by attracting new industry and taking advantage of new good job opportunities like those created by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Pub. L. 117–58),11 CHIPS and Science Act (Pub. L. 117–167),12 and the Inflation Reduction Act (Pub. L.

117–169).13 The Invest.gov website has an interactive map that, for a given community, region, or State, illustrates the impact of this record-breaking level of Federal and private sector investment in critical sectors of our economy such as infrastructure, clean energy, semiconductors, and biotechnology.14 Additionally, applicants are encouraged to connect their proposed project activities with efforts to expand good jobs in foundational sectors that support healthy and productive local economies and workforces, such as health care and early education.

The Department is committed to advancing equity and examining and addressing the sources of inequities in educational opportunities. In this competition, Absolute Priority 2 is 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) and focuses on designing projects that provide opportunities and resources for underserved students (as defined in this notice). Perkins V emphasizes supports for students who are members of special populations (as defined in this notice).

The groups of students in the Perkins V definition are aligned with the groups in the definition of underserved students drawn from the Supplemental Priorities.

All applicants are required to meet both Absolute Priorities 1 and 2 to be eligible for a grant award. Through Absolute Priority 2, we focus grantee efforts on expanding participation of underserved students in the four keys to career-connected learning described in

VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:38 Aug 11, 2023 Jkt 259001 PO 00000 Frm 00014 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\14AUN1.SGM 14AUN1dd ru m he lle r on D

S K

0R

N

P R

O D w ith

N O

T

IC

E S https://www.nist.gov/system/files/documents/2023/03/30/CHIPS%20Workforce%20Development%20Planning%20Guide%20%281%29.pdf https://www.nist.gov/system/files/documents/2023/03/30/CHIPS%20Workforce%20Development%20Planning%20Guide%20%281%29.pdf https://www.nist.gov/system/files/documents/2023/03/30/CHIPS%20Workforce%20Development%20Planning%20Guide%20%281%29.pdf https://www.nist.gov/system/files/documents/2023/03/30/CHIPS%20Workforce%20Development%20Planning%20Guide%20%281%29.pdf https://commerce.mt.gov/News/news-articles/Governor-Gianforte-The-American-Dream-Is-Alive-and-Well-Here-in-Montana https://commerce.mt.gov/News/news-articles/Governor-Gianforte-The-American-Dream-Is-Alive-and-Well-Here-in-Montana https://commerce.mt.gov/News/news-articles/Governor-Gianforte-The-American-Dream-Is-Alive-and-Well-Here-in-Montana https://www.ecs.org/wp-content/uploads/Governors-Top-Education-Priorities-in-2023-State-of-the-State-Addresses.pdf https://www.ecs.org/wp-content/uploads/Governors-Top-Education-Priorities-in-2023-State-of-the-State-Addresses.pdf https://www.ecs.org/wp-content/uploads/Governors-Top-Education-Priorities-in-2023-State-of-the-State-Addresses.pdf https://fordhaminstitute.org/ohio/commentary/ohio-making-strides-education-workforce-pathways https://fordhaminstitute.org/ohio/commentary/ohio-making-strides-education-workforce-pathways https://fordhaminstitute.org/ohio/commentary/ohio-making-strides-education-workforce-pathways https://ccrc.tc.columbia.edu/media/k2/attachments/guided-pathways-part-1-theory-practice.pdf https://ccrc.tc.columbia.edu/media/k2/attachments/guided-pathways-part-1-theory-practice.pdf https://ccrc.tc.columbia.edu/media/k2/attachments/guided-pathways-part-1-theory-practice.pdf https://ccrc.tc.columbia.edu/easyblog/introducing-dual-enrollment-equity-pathways.html https://ccrc.tc.columbia.edu/easyblog/introducing-dual-enrollment-equity-pathways.html https://ccrc.tc.columbia.edu/easyblog/introducing-dual-enrollment-equity-pathways.html https://www.nga.org/news/commentary/state-education-trends-for-2023/ https://www.nga.org/news/commentary/state-education-trends-for-2023/ https://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/gs/hs/gspp.asp https://careerconnectwa.org/plan/ https://careerconnectwa.org/plan/ https://www.whitehouse.gov/invest/ https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/08/03/fact-sheet-the-bipartisan-infrastructure-investment-and-jobs-act-creates-good-paying-jobs-and-supports-workers/ https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/08/03/fact-sheet-the-bipartisan-infrastructure-investment-and-jobs-act-creates-good-paying-jobs-and-supports-workers/ https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/08/09/fact-sheet-chips-and-science-act-will-lower-costs-create-jobs-strengthen-supply-chains-and-counter-china/ https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/08/09/fact-sheet-chips-and-science-act-will-lower-costs-create-jobs-strengthen-supply-chains-and-counter-china/ https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/08/09/fact-sheet-chips-and-science-act-will-lower-costs-create-jobs-strengthen-supply-chains-and-counter-china/ https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/08/19/fact-sheet-the-inflation-reduction-act-supports-workers-and-families/ https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/08/19/fact-sheet-the-inflation-reduction-act-supports-workers-and-families/

55021 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 155 / Monday, August 14, 2023 / Notices

15 Taie, S., & Lewis, L. (2020), Dual or concurrent enrollment in public schools in the United States (NCES 2020–125, Data Point). U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved from:

https://nces.ed.gov/pubs2020/2020125.pdf.

16 Taylor, J.L., Allen, T.O., An, B.P., Denecker, C., Edmunds, J.A., Fink, J., Giani, M.S., Hodara, M., Hu, X., Tobolowsky, B.F., & Chen, W. (2022), Research priorities for advancing equitable dual enrollment policy and practice. Salt Lake City, UT:

University of Utah. Retrieved from: https:// cherp.utah.edu/_resources/documents/ publications/research_priorities_for_advancing_ equitable_dual_enrollment_policy_and_ practice.pdf.

17 Mehl, G., Wyner, J., Barnett, E.A., Fink, J., & Jenkins, D. (2020), The dual enrollment playbook:

A guide to equitable acceleration for students.

Aspen Institute and Community College Research Center. Retrieved from: https:// ccrc.tc.columbia.edu/media/k2/attachments/dual-enrollment-playbook-equitable-acceleration.pdf.

18 Please note that any proposed use of funds for supportive services must be both an allowable activity under section 114(e)(7) of Perkins and a reasonable and necessary cost of the program under the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards in 2 CFR part 200.

19 Executive Office of the President, Executive Order 14095 (April 18, 2023), Increasing Access to High-Quality Care and Supporting Caregivers, 88 FR 24669. Retrieved from: https:// www.federalregister.gov/documents/2023/04/21/ 2023-08659/increasing-access-to-high-quality-care-and-supporting-caregivers.

Absolute Priority 1 because underserved students are typically less likely to access and engage in these opportunities than their peers. For example, while dual or concurrent enrollment programs are widespread and nationally— available, by one estimate, in 82 percent of public high schools 15—students from low-income families, English learners, students with disabilities, youth in foster care, and students experiencing homelessness are all less likely to participate in dual or concurrent enrollment programs or courses.16 As a result, too many communities are not taking full advantage of the power of dual or concurrent enrollment to reduce equity gaps and promote greater college readiness and success among students who are underrepresented in postsecondary education. These and other equity gaps in career-connected learning activities are deep and persistent, but they can be closed with intentional policies and practices and by scaling up existing successful strategies.17 Absolute Priority 2 focuses grantees on such efforts by deliberately designing their projects to close equity gaps. This priority is consistent with the focus on equity in Perkins V and with the statutory directive that the Department give priority to proposed PIM projects that will predominantly serve students from low-income families.

However, while Absolute Priority 2 requires a grantee to give particular attention to improving the participation of underserved students in systematic postsecondary counseling and career advising, dual or concurrent enrollment, work-based learning, and programs that offer opportunities to earn an industry-recognized credential, we encourage applicants to implement schoolwide-approaches that may be used to serve all students. Projects may be more cohesive and sustainable if the four keys are implemented schoolwide, with appropriate supports and equity guardrails to ensure that underserved students remain the focus of these strategies. Similarly, applicants who respond to Competitive Preference 2, which gives competitive preference to applicants who submit a plan to predominantly serve students from families with low incomes, are not required to exclusively serve students from families with low incomes to meet the priority. We encourage applicants responding to this priority to design schoolwide projects where possible.

Some students face barriers that can make accessing and succeeding in career-connected learning activities especially difficult. Comprehensive, wraparound supportive services can play a critical role in mitigating or removing these barriers. Supportive services could include, for example, and where appropriate, child and dependent care, tools, work clothing, application fees and other costs of apprenticeship or required pre-employment training, transportation and travel to training and work sites, internet access, mental health counseling, legal assistance, financial counseling, drug treatment, reasonable accommodations, and services aimed at helping to retain underserved students like mentoring, support groups, and peer networking.18 We note that Absolute Priority 1 uses the term ‘‘career guidance and academic counseling’’ from Perkins V, which includes informing all students about the availability of support services and directly providing support services to students who are members of special populations to enable them to persist in and complete programs of study. The definition of personalized postsecondary education and career plan also requires that the plan identify any comprehensive wraparound support services a student may need to participate in programs of study and work-based learning. Applicants are encouraged to address in their applications how they will use wraparound supportive services to increase student participation in the four keys to career-connected learning.

This includes, where appropriate, child or dependent care, consistent with the President’s Executive Order on

Increasing Access to High-Quality Care and Supporting Caregivers.19

One related program requirement addresses the implementation of the four keys described in Absolute Priority

1. It requires that each grantee’s project plan include a timeline for implementation of all four keys to career-connected learning for students served by the project, by no later than the end of the fifth year of the project.

Each grantee also must submit an annual report documenting progress on the implementation plan and the timeline. We recognize that grantees are likely to be in different stages of developing and implementing the four keys described in the priority at the onset of the grant period, and that some grantees will need more time to focus on one or more of the keys; however, we also emphasize that implementing a cohesive and integrated plan for transforming high schools that incorporates all four keys for all students served is more likely to be sustainable and effective in equitably preparing students for their futures.

This requirement does not mandate that grantees achieve universal participation in the four keys to career-connected learning by the end of the grant period.

It requires instead that a grantee achieve a measurable level of student participation in the four keys by the end of the grant period. Because several of the selection criteria assess the extent to which applicants will significantly expand participation in each of the keys, we expect applicants that seek to achieve a high level of participation in the four keys and present compelling plans for achieving it will be the most competitive.

Section 114(e)(5) of Perkins V directs the Department to award no less than 25 percent of PIM grant funds to projects proposing to fund CTE activities that serve students in rural communities. To confirm that a proposed project will serve students from rural communities, Absolute Priority 3 requires an applicant to identify, by name, National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) local educational agency (LEA), identification number, and NCES locale code, the rural LEA(s) that it proposes to serve in its grant application.

Applicants from rural communities, including Tribal applicants, that wish to be considered for these focused funds, VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:38 Aug 11, 2023 Jkt 259001 PO 00000 Frm 00015 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\14AUN1.SGM 14AUN1dd ru m he lle r on D

S K

0R

N

P R

O D w ith

N O

T

IC

E S https://cherp.utah.edu/_resources/documents/publications/research_priorities_for_advancing_equitable_dual_enrollment_policy_and_practice.pdf https://cherp.utah.edu/_resources/documents/publications/research_priorities_for_advancing_equitable_dual_enrollment_policy_and_practice.pdf https://cherp.utah.edu/_resources/documents/publications/research_priorities_for_advancing_equitable_dual_enrollment_policy_and_practice.pdf https://cherp.utah.edu/_resources/documents/publications/research_priorities_for_advancing_equitable_dual_enrollment_policy_and_practice.pdf https://cherp.utah.edu/_resources/documents/publications/research_priorities_for_advancing_equitable_dual_enrollment_policy_and_practice.pdf https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2023/04/21/2023-08659/increasing-access-to-high-quality-care-and-supporting-caregivers https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2023/04/21/2023-08659/increasing-access-to-high-quality-care-and-supporting-caregivers https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2023/04/21/2023-08659/increasing-access-to-high-quality-care-and-supporting-caregivers https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2023/04/21/2023-08659/increasing-access-to-high-quality-care-and-supporting-caregivers https://ccrc.tc.columbia.edu/media/k2/attachments/dual-enrollment-playbook-equitable-acceleration.pdf https://ccrc.tc.columbia.edu/media/k2/attachments/dual-enrollment-playbook-equitable-acceleration.pdf https://ccrc.tc.columbia.edu/media/k2/attachments/dual-enrollment-playbook-equitable-acceleration.pdf https://nces.ed.gov/pubs2020/2020125.pdf

55022 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 155 / Monday, August 14, 2023 / Notices must meet Absolute Priorities 1, 2, and 3.

This competition also includes two competitive preference priorities. The first competitive preference priority has two parts. Competitive Preference Priority 1(a) seeks eligible applicants that apply as a partnership that includes an LEA, a community or technical college or another IHE, and, to ensure the project prepares students for in-demand careers, employers.

Transforming high schools to equip students with the knowledge and skills they will need to succeed in college and in jobs is likely to be more cohesive if it is carried out through a partnership that includes, at a minimum, leadership and commitment from secondary education, postsecondary education, and business and industry. Other relevant community stakeholders, such as local workforce development boards (as defined in this notice), qualified intermediaries (as defined in this notice), labor-management partnerships, youth-serving organizations, local teachers unions or school staff unions or other representatives of teachers and faculty, and nonprofit organizations, may also be engaged. Applicants are required to provide a preliminary memorandum of understanding (MOU) or partnership agreement among all the identified partner entities that describes the roles and responsibilities of each partner in carrying out the proposed project. Recognizing that some implementation decisions are likely to take more time or additional partners, the notice also requires PIM partnership grantees to submit a formal MOU that includes all members of the partnership 120 days after the grant is awarded.

Competitive Preference Priority 1(b) is from the Supplemental Priorities and establishes a competitive priority for applicants whose postsecondary partner is a Historically Black college or university, Tribal College or University, or a minority-serving institution (all respectively defined in this notice).

Applicants that choose to address Competitive Preference Priority 1(a) may also address Competitive Preference Priority 1(b). To be considered for the maximum number of points for this competitive preference priority (7), an applicant must address both parts. An applicant may choose, however, to address only Competitive Preference 1(a) and receive 5 points.

Section 114(e)(4) of Perkins V instructs the Secretary to give priority to PIM grant projects that will predominantly serve students from low-income families. To encourage and support efforts to increase the number of innovative and high-quality programs available to students from families with low incomes, particularly in our Nation’s high-poverty communities, Competitive Preference Priority 2 operationalizes this statutory priority by seeking applicants with a strong plan to serve students from families with low incomes and provide evidence that a specific minimum percentage of students from families with low incomes will be served by the project over the course of the grant project period.

Priorities: This notice contains three absolute priorities and two competitive preference priorities. Absolute Priorities 1 and 3 and Competitive Preference Priorities 1(a) and 2 are from the notice of final priorities, requirements, definitions, and selection criteria for the PIM grant program published in the Federal Register on August 14, 2023 (NFP). Absolute Priority 2 and Competitive Preference Priority 1(b) are from the Supplemental Priorities.

Absolute Priorities: For FY 2024 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 Absolute Priority 1 and Absolute Priority 2; or Absolute Priority 1, Absolute Priority 2 and Absolute Priority 3.

Absolute Priority 3 constitutes its own funding category under Absolute Priorities 1 and 2. Under section 114(e)(5) of Perkins V, the Department must use at least 25 percent of PIM program grant funds per fiscal year to make awards to applicants serving rural communities, contingent on receipt of a sufficient number of applications of sufficient quality. For purposes of this competition, we will consider an applicant, including Tribal applicants, as rural if the applicant meets the qualifications for rural applicants established in section 114(e)(5)(A) of Perkins V, and the applicant addresses Absolute Priority 3. Consequently, there will be separate funding slates for each of the following categories of applications:

• Absolute Priorities 1 and 2;

• Absolute Priorities 1 and 2 and 3.

Note: As a result of the statutory requirement that the Department award no less than 25 percent of PIM grant funds to projects proposing to fund CTE activities that serve students in rural communities, the Department may fund applicants out of the overall rank order, provided applications of sufficient quality are submitted, but the Department is not bound to do so.

These priorities are:

Absolute Priority 1—Career- Connected High Schools.

To meet this priority, an applicant must submit a detailed 5-year implementation plan to increase the alignment and integration of high school and the first 2 years of postsecondary education in one or more high schools that describes the extent to which the applicant is currently implementing career-connected learning, with supporting data if available; and describes how the applicant will substantially increase the proportion of students who graduate from high school with the following four keys for career connected learning:

(a) Education and career goals documented in a personalized postsecondary education and career plan that was updated at least once in each year of high school through a system of career guidance and academic counseling (as defined by this notice) and postsecondary education navigation supports that offers college and career coaching from trained advisors that is culturally responsive and informed by accurate and current labor market information;

(b) Postsecondary credits earned from dual or concurrent enrollment programs that are part of a program of study that culminates with an associate, bachelor’s, or advanced degree, or completion of a Registered Apprenticeship Program;

(c) Work experience gained through participation in one or more work-based learning opportunities for which they received wages, academic credit, or both; and

(d) An in-demand and high-value industry-recognized credential.

Absolute Priority 2—Promoting Equity in Student Access to Educational Resources and Opportunities.

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 in high school that examines the sources of inequity and inadequacy and implements responses, and that includes rigorous, engaging, and well-rounded (e.g., that includes music and the arts) approaches to learning that are inclusive with regard to race, ethnicity, culture, language, and disability status and prepare students for college, career, and civic life, including the following:

(a) Advanced courses and programs, including dual enrollment and early college programs.

(b) Project-based and experiential learning, including service and work-based learning.

VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:38 Aug 11, 2023 Jkt 259001 PO 00000 Frm 00016 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\14AUN1.SGM 14AUN1dd ru m he lle r on D

S K

0R

N

P R

O D w ith

N O

T

IC

E S

55023 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 155 / Monday, August 14, 2023 / Notices

20 The U.S. Census Bureau LEA poverty estimates are available at: www.census.gov/data/datasets/ 2017/demo/saipe/2017-school-districts.html.

(c) High-quality CTE courses, pathways, and industry-recognized credentials that are integrated into the curriculum.

Absolute Priority 3—Rural Communities.

To meet this priority, an applicant must demonstrate that the proposed project will serve students residing in rural communities and identify by name, National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) LEA identification number, and NCES locale code, the rural LEA(s) that it proposes to serve in its grant application. Applicants may retrieve locale codes from the NCES School District search tool (nces.ed.gov/ ccd/districtsearch/).

Competitive Preference Priorities:

These priorities are competitive preference priorities. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i), we award an additional 5 points to an application that meets Competitive Preference Priority 1(a), and we award an additional 2 points to an application that meets Competitive Preference Priority 1(b), as applicable.

Only applicants that meet Competitive Preference Priority 1(a) are eligible for consideration under Competitive Preference Priority 1(b), and an applicant must address both parts of the priority to receive consideration for the full 7 points under Competitive Preference Priority 1. We award up to an additional 8 points to an application, depending on how well the application meets Competitive Preference Priority 2.

The total maximum points we may award an application that chooses to address all of the Competitive Preference Priorities is 115 for applicants applying under only Absolute Priorities 1 and 2. For applicants serving rural communities under Absolute Priority 3, who are eligible to receive up to an additional 10 points under the Selection Criteria, the total maximum points we may award an application that chooses to address all of the Competitive Preference Priorities is 125.

Competitive Preference Priority 1— Partnership Applications (up to 7 points total).

Competitive Preference Priority 1(a)— Partnership Requirements (5 points).

To meet this priority, an application—

(1) Must be submitted by an applicant that includes one or more partners in each of the following categories:

(A) A LEA (including a public charter school LEA), an area CTE school, an educational service agency serving secondary school students, an Indian Tribe, Tribal organization, or Tribal educational agency, eligible to receive assistance under section 131 of Perkins V;

(B) A community or technical college or other IHE eligible to receive assistance under section 132 of Perkins V; and

(C) Two or more business or industry representative partners, which may include representatives of local or regional businesses or industries;

(2) May include any other relevant community stakeholders, such as local workforce development boards, labor-management partnerships, youth-serving organizations, nonprofit organizations, qualified intermediaries, local teachers unions or school staff unions or other representatives of teachers and faculty, and afterschool and summer learning programs; and

(3) Must include a partnership agreement or proposed MOU among all members of the application, identified at the time of the application, that describes the role of each partner in carrying out the proposed project and the process for a formal MOU to be established.

Competitive Preference Priority 1(b)— Promoting Equity in Student Access to Educational Resources and Opportunities (2 points).

Under this priority, an applicant must demonstrate that the project’s partnership described in Competitive Preference Priority 1(a) will be implemented by or in partnership with one or more of the following entities:

(1) Historically Black colleges and universities.

(2) Tribal Colleges and Universities.

(3) Minority-serving institutions.

Competitive Preference Priority 2—

Serving Students from Families with Low Incomes (up to 8 points).

To meet this priority, applicants must submit a plan to predominantly serve students from families with low incomes.

The plan must include—

(a) The specific activities the applicant proposes to ensure that the project will predominantly serve students from low-income families, including how the project will recruit and retain students and the supports it will provide to students to promote retention and completion;

(b) The timeline for implementing the activities;

(c) The parties responsible for implementing the activities;

(d) The key data sources and measures demonstrating that the project is designed to predominantly serve students from low-income families; and

(e) Evidence that at least 51 percent of the students to be served by the project are from low-income families.

(1) When demonstrating that the project is designed to predominantly serve secondary students from low-income families, the applicant must use one or more of the following data sources and measures:

(A) Children aged 5 through 17 in poverty counted in the most recent census data approved by the Secretary; 20

(B) Students eligible for a free or reduced-price lunch under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq.);

(C) Students whose families receive assistance under the State program funded under part A of title IV of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 601 et seq.);

(D) Students who are eligible to receive medical assistance under the Medicaid program;

(E) Residence in a Census tract, a set of contiguous Census tracts, an American Indian Reservation, Oklahoma Tribal Statistical Area (as defined by the U.S. Census Bureau), Alaska Native Village Statistical Area or Alaska Native Regional Corporation Area, Native Hawaiian Homeland Area, or other Tribal land as defined by the Secretary of Labor in guidance, or a county, that has a poverty rate of at least 25 percent as set every 5 years using American Community Survey 5-year data; or

(F) A composite of such indicators.

(2) When demonstrating that the project is designed to predominantly serve secondary students from low-income families, applicants may use data from elementary or middle schools that feed into a secondary school to establish that 51 percent of the students to be served by the project are students from low-income families.

Program Requirements:

The five program requirements for this program are from the NFP.

Program Requirement 1—Matching

Contributions.

(a) A grantee must provide from non-

Federal sources (e.g., State, local, or private sources), an amount equal to not less than 50 percent of funds provided under the grant, which may be provided in cash or through in-kind contributions, to carry out activities supported by the grant, except that the Secretary may waive the matching funds requirement, on a case-by-case basis, upon a showing of exceptional circumstances, such as (but not limited to)—

(1) The difficulty of raising matching funds for a program to serve a rural area.

(2) The difficulty of raising matching funds on Tribal land.

VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:38 Aug 11, 2023 Jkt 259001 PO 00000 Frm 00017 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\14AUN1.SGM 14AUN1dd ru m he lle r on D

S K

0R

N

P R

O D w ith

N O

T

IC

E S http://www.census.gov/data/datasets/2017/demo/saipe/2017-school-districts.html http://www.census.gov/data/datasets/2017/demo/saipe/2017-school-districts.html

55024 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 155 / Monday, August 14, 2023 / Notices

(3) The difficulty of raising matching funds in areas with a concentration of local educational agencies or schools with a high percentage of students aged 5 through 17—

(A) who are living in poverty, as counted in the most recent census data approved by the Secretary;

(B) who are eligible for a free or reduced-price lunch under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq.);

(C) whose families receive assistance under the State program funded under part A of title IV of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 601 et seq.); or

(D) who are eligible to receive medical assistance under the Medicaid program.

(4) The difficulty of raising matching funds by an IHE that, during the current or preceding year, has been granted a waiver by the Department of certain non-Federal cost-sharing requirements under the Federal Work Study program, the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants program, or the TRIO Student Support Services program because it has low education and general expenditures and serves a large proportion of students receiving need-based assistance under title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA).

(b) Non-Federal funds used by a grantee to support activities allowable under this program prior to its receipt of the grant may be used to meet the matching requirements of this program.

The prohibition against supplanting non-Federal funds in section 211(a) of Perkins V applies to grant funds provided under this program but does not apply to the matching requirement.

(c) Matching funds provided by a grantee may be met over the full duration of the grant award period, rather than per year, except that the grantee must make progress toward meeting the matching requirement in each year of the grant award period.

Program Requirement 2—Programs of Study.

By no later than the end of the first year of the project, courses in programs of study offered by grantees to students for completion during high school must be designed to meet the entrance requirements and expectations for placement in credit-bearing coursework at public, in-state IHEs. Dual enrollment courses confer postsecondary credit.

The programs of study offered to students by grantees may include opportunities to attain an industry-recognized credential or a postsecondary certificate that participating students may earn during high school, but must culminate with an associate, bachelor’s, or advanced degree, or completion of a Registered Apprenticeship Program upon completion of additional postsecondary education after high school graduation.

Program Requirement 3— Independent Evaluation.

(a) The independent evaluation supported by a grantee must, in accordance with instructions and definitions provided by the Secretary, report annually the number and percentage of students who graduated from high schools served by the proposed project who, prior to or upon graduation—

(1) Earned, through their successful participation in dual or concurrent enrollment programs in academic or CTE subject areas—

(i) any postsecondary credits; and, separately,

(ii) 12 or more postsecondary credits that are part of a program of study that culminates with an associate, bachelor’s, or advanced degree, or completion of a Registered Apprenticeship Program.

(2) Completed 40 or more hours of work-based learning for which they received wages or academic credit, or both.

(3) Attained an industry-recognized credential that is in-demand in the local, regional, or State labor market and associated with one or more jobs with median earnings that exceed the median earnings of a high school graduate.

(4) Met, in each year of high school, with a school counselor, college adviser, career coach, or other appropriately trained adult for education and career counseling during which they reviewed and updated a personalized postsecondary educational and career plan.

(b) The outcomes described in paragraph (a) must be disaggregated by—

(1) Subgroups of students, described in section 1111(c)(2)(B) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA);

(2) Special populations;

(3) Sex; and

(4) Each CTE program and program of study.

(c) The independent evaluation supported by a grantee must report annually on the extent to which CTE participants and CTE concentrators in each CTE program or program of study reflect the demographics of the school, including sex, major racial and ethnic groups, and special populations status.

(d) The independent evaluation supported by a grantee must also report annually on the average number of postsecondary credits earned by students through their successful participation in dual or concurrent enrollment programs in academic or career and technical education subject areas and any project-specific indicators identified by the grantee.

Program Requirement 4—Final MOU.

Within 120 days of receipt of its grant award, each grantee that submitted a partnership application must submit a final MOU among all partner entities that describes the roles and responsibilities of the partners in carrying out the project and its activities.

Program Requirement 5—Project Implementation Plan and Timeline.

Each grantee must have a project plan that includes an implementation timeline with benchmarks to implement the four keys to career-connected learning for students served by the project, as described in Absolute Priority 1, by no later than the end of the fifth year of the project.