2024-09876.pdf

41409 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 93 / Monday, May 13, 2024 / Notices and infrastructure assessments, surveys, planning, programming, design, acquisition, contract administration, construction management, and other technical services. The overall project includes over twenty facilities, including primary headquarters facilities for both civilian and military leadership, as well as any and all engineering studies, designs, construction, and construction management services necessary in order to provide a fully functioning headquarters complex.

(iv) Military Department: Army (KU–

B–HBJ)

(v) Prior Related Cases, if any: KU–B–

BAT

(vi) Sales Commission, Fee, etc., Paid, Offered, or Agreed to be Paid: None known

(vii) Sensitivity of Technology Contained in the Defense Article or Defense Services Proposed to be Sold:

None

(viii) Date Report Delivered to Congress: February 22, 2022

*As defined in Section 47(6) of the Arms Export Control Act.

Policy Justification

Kuwait—Design and Construction of the Kuwait Ministry of Defense Headquarters Complex

The Government of Kuwait has requested to buy planning, design, construction, and associated procurement of Kuwait Ministry of Defense (KMOD) Headquarters Complex in Kuwait. This includes provisions for all physical building and infrastructure construction costs. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will provide life cycle design, construction, and project management, engineering services, technical support, facility and infrastructure assessments, surveys, planning, programming, design, acquisition, contract administration, construction management, and other technical services. The overall project includes over twenty facilities, including primary headquarters facilities for both civilian and military leadership, as well as any and all engineering studies, designs, construction, and construction management services necessary in order to provide a fully functioning headquarters complex. The estimated total cost is $1 billion.

This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by helping to improve the infrastructure of a Major Non-NATO ally that has been an important force for political stability and economic progress in the Middle East.

This proposed sale will improve Kuwait’s capability to meet current and future threats by modernizing the KMOD headquarters and associated infrastructure. Kuwait will have no difficulty absorbing this infrastructure, support, and associated services into its armed forces.

The proposed sale of this infrastructure and support will not alter the basic military balance in the region.

No principal contractor has been identified for this sale. Contracts funded by this case are likely to be competitive acquisitions. The host nation has the ability to limit competition if they so choose, but has not requested to do so at this time. There are no known offset agreements proposed in connection with this potential sale.

Implementation of this proposed sale will require the assignment of as many as ten (10) additional U.S. Government or U.S. contractor representatives to Kuwait for a duration of up to seven (7) years to provide construction management and oversight. It may be possible to utilize locally available labor to provide some oversight services in lieu of the assignment of U.S. personnel to the program.

There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness as a result of this proposed sale.

[FR Doc. 2024–10384 Filed 5–10–24; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6001–FR–P

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Applications for New Awards;

Comprehensive Centers 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 new awards for fiscal year (FY) 2024 for the Comprehensive Centers (CC) Program, Assistance Listing Number 84.283B. This notice relates to the approved information collection under OMB control number 1894–0006.

DATES:

Applications Available: May 16, 2024.

Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply:

June 7, 2024. Potential applicants are strongly encouraged to notify the Department of their intent to apply to support us in planning for a more efficient review of applications.

Notification is optional and non-binding. For more information see

Section IV: Application and Submission Information.

Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: June 24, 2024.

Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: August 22, 2024.

Pre-Application Webinar Information:

No later than May 30, 2024, the Department will begin holding webinars to provide technical assistance to interested applicants on key application-related topics. Interested applicants are strongly encouraged to participate or review the accompanying materials available online. Updated information can be found on the Comprehensive Center website at https://oese.ed.gov/offices/office-of-formula-grants/program-and-grantee-support-services/comprehensive-centers-program/. Recordings of all webinars will be available on the Comprehensive Center website following the sessions.

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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr.

Michelle Daley, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Room 4B112, Washington, DC 20202– 5970. Telephone: (202) 987–1057.

Email: OESE.ComprehensiveCenters@ 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

Comprehensive Centers Program supports the establishment of Comprehensive Centers to provide capacity-building services to State educational agencies (SEAs), regional educational agencies (REAs), local educational agencies (LEAs), and schools that improve educational opportunities and outcomes, close achievement gaps, and improve the quality of instruction for all students, and particularly for groups of students with the greatest need, including students from low-income families and students attending schools

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E S mailto:OESE.ComprehensiveCenters@ed.gov mailto:OESE.ComprehensiveCenters@ed.gov https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/12/07/2022-26554/common-instructions-for-applicants-to-department-of-education-discretionary-grant-programs https://oese.ed.gov/offices/office-of-formula-grants/program-and-grantee-support-services/comprehensive-centers-program/ https://oese.ed.gov/offices/office-of-formula-grants/program-and-grantee-support-services/comprehensive-centers-program/ https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/12/07/2022-26554/common-instructions-for-applicants-to-department-of-education-discretionary-grant-programs

41410 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 93 / Monday, May 13, 2024 / Notices implementing comprehensive support and improvement or targeted or additional targeted support and improvement activities under section 1111(d) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended (ESEA).

Background: We have published elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register a notice of final priorities, requirements, definitions, and selection criteria (NFP) for use in this and future Comprehensive Center Program competitions. In developing priorities for this program, the Department consulted with education stakeholders, including through Regional Advisory Committees (RACs) established under section 206 of the Educational Technical Assistance Act of 2002 (ETAA), Tribes, chief State school officers, chief executive officers of States, and Regional Educational Laboratory (REL) governing boards.

Additionally, the Department received public comment on a notice of proposed priorities, requirements, definitions, and selection criteria for this program published in the Federal Register on January 23, 2024 (89 FR 4228).

The Department designed the priorities, requirements, definitions, and selection criteria for the Comprehensive Centers to support high-quality capacity-building services to State, regional, and local educational agencies and schools that improve educational opportunities and outcomes, close opportunity and achievement gaps, and improve the quality of instruction for all students. The Department seeks to maximize the ability of the Comprehensive Centers to be flexible and responsive to specific State and local client needs while also providing leadership and focused support on issues of national importance to support education systems through a time of continued challenge and transition. This approach aligns with ‘‘Raise the Bar:

Lead the World’’ (RTB)—the Department’s call to action to all stakeholders to transform pre-kindergarten through postsecondary education and unite the field around evidence-based strategies that advance educational equity and excellence for all students. Specifically, through the absolute priorities in this competition, the Department will establish a network of Comprehensive Centers (CCNetwork) comprised of a National Comprehensive Center (National Center), Regional Comprehensive Centers (Regional Centers), and Content Centers working together to support SEAs, REAs, Tribal education agencies (TEAs), LEAs, and schools to address areas of national need and advance several key focus areas, including to assist States and districts in academic achievement and excellence, to offer all students a comprehensive and rigorous education, to eliminate the educator shortage, to provide every student with a pathway to multilingualism, and to provide schools with adequate and equitable funding.

Priorities: This competition includes three absolute priorities and one competitive preference priority.

Absolute Priorities 1, 2, and 3 are from the NFP. The competitive preference priority is from the Administrative Priorities for Discretionary Grant Programs published in the Federal Register on March 9, 2020 (85 FR 13640) (Administrative 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 one of these priorities. If an applicant wishes to apply to operate more than one Center, the applicant must submit a separate application for each Center it wishes to serve. See the ‘‘Limitation on Applications’’ section for more information.

These priorities are:

Absolute Priority 1: National

Comprehensive Center.

Projects that propose to establish a

National Center to (1) provide high-quality, high-impact technical assistance and capacity-building services to the Nation that are designed to improve educational opportunities, educator practice, and student outcomes and (2) coordinate the work of the CCNetwork to effectively use program resources to support evidence use and the implementation of evidence-based (as defined in 34 CFR 77.1) practices to close opportunity gaps and improve educational outcomes, particularly accelerating academic achievement in math and literacy for all students, and particularly for groups of students with the greatest need, including students from low-income families and students attending schools implementing comprehensive support and improvement or targeted or additional targeted support and improvement activities under section 1111(d) of the ESEA, in a manner that reaches and supports as many SEAs, REAs, TEAs, LEAs, and schools in need of services as possible.

The National Center must design and implement an effective approach to providing high-quality, useful, and relevant universal, targeted, and, as appropriate and in partnership with Regional Centers, intensive capacity-building services that are likely to achieve desired recipient outcomes. The approach must be driven by adult learning principles and incorporate implementation, improvement, and systems change frameworks, and must promote alignment across interconnected areas of need, programs, and agency systems.

The National Center must implement effective strategies for coordinating and collaborating with the Regional Centers and Content Centers to assess educational needs; coordinate common areas of support across Centers;

communicate about the work of the CCNetwork, including sharing and disseminating information about CCNetwork services, tools, and resources to maximize the reach of the CCNetwork across clients and education stakeholders; coordinate with other federally funded providers regarding the work of the CCNetwork and help clients navigate available support; and support the selection, implementation, scale-up, and dissemination of evidence-based practices that will improve educational opportunities and outcomes, particularly academic achievement in math and literacy, and close achievement gaps for all students, particularly for groups of students with the greatest need, including students from low-income families and students attending schools implementing comprehensive support and improvement or targeted or additional targeted support and improvement activities under section 1111(d) of the

ESEA.

Services must address: common high-leverage problems identified in Regional Center service plans (as outlined in the Program Requirements for the National Center); findings from finalized Department monitoring reports or audit findings; implementation challenges faced by States and LEAs related to teaching, learning, and development;

needs of schools designated for improvement; needs related to closing opportunity and achievement gaps;

needs to improve core academic instruction; and emerging education topics of national importance.

The National Center must provide universal and targeted capacity-building services that demonstrably assist SEAs, REAs, TEAs, LEAs, and Regional Center clients and recipients to—

(1) Implement approved ESEA Consolidated State Plans, with preference given to implementing and scaling evidence-based programs, practices, and interventions that directly benefit entities that have high percentages or numbers of students from low-income families as referenced in

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41411 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 93 / Monday, May 13, 2024 / Notices title I, part A of the ESEA (ESEA sec.

1113(a)(5));

(2) Implement and scale up evidence-based programs, practices, and interventions that lead to the increased capacity of SEAs and LEAs to address the unique educational challenges and improve outcomes of schools implementing comprehensive support and improvement activities or targeted or additional targeted support and improvement activities as referenced in title I, part A of the ESEA (ESEA sec.

1111(d)) and their students;

(3) Implement State accountability and assessment systems consistent with title I, part A of the ESEA (ESEA section 1111(b)–(d)), including the requirement for States to conduct resource allocation reviews under ESEA section 1111(d)(3)(A)(ii);

(4) Implement and scale up evidence-based programs, practices, and interventions that improve instruction and outcomes in core academic subjects, including math and literacy instruction;

(5) Address the unique educational obstacles faced by rural and Tribal students; and

(6) Implement and scale up evidence-based programs, practices, and interventions that address other emerging education topics of national importance that are not being met by another federally funded technical assistance provider (e.g., best practices in the use of education technology, student support strategies promoting digital literacy and access, or supporting asylum seekers and newly arrived immigrant children and youth or migratory students and their families).

An applicant under this priority must demonstrate how it will cultivate a network of national subject matter experts from a diverse set of perspectives or organizations to provide capacity-building support to Regional Centers and clients regarding the ESEA topical areas listed above and other emerging education issues of national importance.

Absolute Priority 2: Regional Centers.

Projects that propose to establish

Regional Centers to provide high-quality, useful, and relevant intensive capacity-building services to State and local clients and recipients to assist them in selecting, implementing, and sustaining evidence-based programs, practices, and interventions that will result in improved educator practice and student outcomes, especially in math and literacy. The approach must be driven by adult learning principles and incorporate implementation, improvement, and systems change frameworks.

Each Regional Center must provide high-quality, useful, and relevant capacity-building services that demonstrably assist clients and recipients in—

(1) Carrying out Consolidated State Plans approved under the ESEA, with preference given to the implementation and scaling up of evidence-based programs, practices, and interventions that directly benefit recipients that have high percentages or numbers of students from low-income families as referenced in title I, part A of the ESEA (ESEA sec.

1113(a)(5)) and recipients that are implementing comprehensive support and improvement activities or targeted or additional targeted support and improvement activities as referenced in title I, part A of the ESEA (ESEA sec.

1111(d)), including the requirement for States to conduct resource allocation reviews required under ESEA section 1111(d)(3)(A)(ii);

(2) Implementing, scaling up, and sustaining evidence-based programs, practices, or interventions that focus on key initiatives that lead to LEAs and schools improving student outcomes.

Key initiatives may include implementing evidence-based practices to help accelerate academic achievement in math and literacy (including high-impact tutoring, high-quality summer and after-school learning and enrichment, and effective interventions to reduce chronic absenteeism and increase student engagement), improving core academic instruction, implementing innovative and promising approaches to systems of high-quality assessment (including diagnostic, formative and interim assessments to inform instructional design), addressing educator shortages (including recruitment, preparation, and retention), or developing aligned and integrated agency systems;

(3) Addressing the unique educational obstacles faced by underserved populations, including students from low-income families, students of color, students living in rural areas, Tribal students, English learners, students in foster care, migratory children, immigrant children and youth, and other student populations with specific needs defined in the ESEA, which may include neglected, delinquent, and at-risk children and youth, and homeless children and youths; and

(4) Improving implementation of ESEA programs including collecting and reporting program data and addressing corrective actions or results from audit findings and ESEA program monitoring, conducted by the Department, that are programmatic in nature, at the request of the client.

Regional Centers must effectively work with the National Center and Content Centers, as needed, to assist clients in selecting, implementing, and sustaining evidence-based programs, policies, practices, and interventions;

and must develop cost-effective strategies to make their services available to as many SEAs, REAs, TEAs, LEAs, and schools within the region in need of support as possible.

Applicants must propose to operate a Regional Center in one of the following regions:

Region 1 (Northeast): Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont

Region 2 (Islands): Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands

Region 3 (Mid-Atlantic): Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania

Region 4 (Appalachia): Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia

Region 5 (Southeast): Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina

Region 6 (Gulf): Alabama, Florida, Mississippi

Region 7 (Midwest): Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin

Region 8 (Central): Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming

Region 9 (Southwest): Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas

Region 10 (West): Arizona, California, Nevada, Utah

Region 11 (Northwest): Alaska, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana

Region 12 (Pacific 1): American Samoa, Hawaii, Republic of the Marshall Islands

Region 13 (Pacific 2): Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Guam, Palau

Region 14: Bureau of Indian Education Absolute Priority 3: Content Centers.

Projects that propose to establish

Content Centers to provide high-quality, useful, and relevant targeted and universal capacity-building services in a designated content area of expertise to SEA, REA, TEA, and LEA clients designed to improve educational opportunities, educator practice, and student outcomes.

Content Centers must be designed to build the capacity of practitioners, education system leaders, public schools serving preschool through 12th grades (P–12) (which may include Head Start and community-based preschool), LEAs, and SEAs to use evidence in the designated content area. Capacity-

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41412 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 93 / Monday, May 13, 2024 / Notices building services may include, for example, developing evidence-based products and tools, and providing services that directly inform the use of evidence in a State or local policy or program or improved program implementation to achieve desired educational outcomes. The approach must be driven by adult learning principles and incorporate implementation, improvement, and systems change frameworks. Services must promote the use of the latest evidence, including research and data;

be effectively delivered using best practices in technical assistance and training; and demonstrate a rationale for how they will result in improved recipient outcomes.

Content Centers must support Regional Centers, as needed, with subject matter expertise to enhance the intensive capacity-building services provided by the Regional Centers or to design universal or targeted capacity-building services to meet identified SEA, REA, TEA, or LEA needs.

Content Centers must effectively coordinate and align targeted and universal capacity-building services with the National Center, Regional Centers, and other federally funded providers, as appropriate, to address high-leverage problems and provide access to urgently needed services to build Centers’ capacity to support SEAs and local clients. Content Centers must effectively coordinate with the National Center, Regional Centers, and other federally funded providers to assess potential client needs, avoid duplication of services, and widely disseminate products or tools to practitioners, education system leaders, and policymakers in formats that are high quality, easily accessible, understandable, and actionable to ensure the use of services by as many SEA, REA, TEA, and LEA recipients as possible.

Applicants must propose to operate a Content Center in one of the following areas:

(1) English Learners and Multilingualism. The Center on English Learners and Multilingualism must provide universal, targeted, and, as appropriate and in partnership with Regional Centers, intensive capacity-building services designed to support SEAs and LEAs to meet the needs of English learners beginning with early language acquisition and development, meet the needs of English learners with disabilities, and increase access to high-quality language programs so that they, along with all students, have the opportunity to become multilingual.

The Center must also support the selection, implementation, and scale-up of evidence-based practices, in coordination with the National Clearinghouse for English Language Acquisition, related to meeting the needs of English learners.

(2) Early School Success: The Center for Early School Success must provide universal, targeted, and, as appropriate, and in partnership with Regional Centers, intensive capacity-building services designed to support SEAs and LEAs to implement comprehensive and aligned preschool to third-grade (PK–3) early learning systems in order to increase the number of children who experience success in early learning and achievement, including by increasing the number of children who meet challenging State academic standards;

supporting effective transitions to kindergarten; partnerships with parents and families on everyday school attendance; and developmentally informed and evidence-based instructional practices in social and emotional development, early literacy, and math. The Center must support the selection, implementation, and scale-up of programs, policies, and practices, informed by research on child development, that can strengthen the quality of PK–3 learning experiences and support social, emotional, cognitive, and physical development.

(3) Fiscal Equity: The Center on Fiscal Equity must provide universal, targeted, and, as appropriate, and in partnership with Regional Centers, intensive capacity-building services designed to support SEAs and LEAs in strengthening equitable and adequate resource allocation strategies, including the allocation of State and local resources; improving the quality and transparency of fiscal data at the school level; and prioritizing supports for students and communities with the greatest need, including schools implementing comprehensive support and improvement or targeted or additional targeted support and improvement activities under section 1111(d) of the ESEA in collaboration with the National Center. The Center must support the selection, implementation, and scale-up of evidence-based programs, policies, and practices that promote responsible fiscal planning and management, and effective and permissible uses of ESEA formula funds, including through combining those funds with other available and allowable Federal, State, and local funds (‘‘blending and braiding’’) and considering how ESEA funds may interact with and complement other Federal programs, such as IDEA, Medicaid, and Head Start to improve student opportunities and outcomes.

(4) Strengthening and Supporting the Educator Workforce: The Center on Strengthening and Supporting the Educator Workforce must provide universal, targeted, and, as appropriate and in partnership with Regional Centers, intensive capacity-building services designed to support SEAs to support their LEAs, schools, and their partners (e.g., educator preparation programs, workforce boards, labor unions) in designing and scaling practices that establish and enhance high-quality, comprehensive, evidence-based, and affordable educator pathways, including educator residency and Grow Your Own programs, as well as emerging pathways into the profession such as registered apprenticeship programs for teachers;

and in improving educator diversity, recruitment, and retention. The Center must support the selection, implementation, and scale-up of evidence-based programs, policies, and practices that will support States, LEAs, and their partners in addressing educator shortages and providing all students with highly qualified educators across the P–12 continuum, including through increased compensation and improved working conditions; high-quality, comprehensive, evidence-based, and affordable educator preparation, including educator residency and Grow Your Own programs, as well as emerging pathways into the profession such as registered apprenticeship programs for teachers; providing opportunities for teacher leadership and career advancement; ongoing professional learning throughout educators’ careers, including implementing evidence-based strategies for effective teaching and learning;

strengthening novice teacher induction;

and supporting and diversifying the educator workforce, as well as other actions to improve learning conditions and educator well-being.

Competitive Preference Priority: For FY 2024 and any subsequent year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this competition, this priority is a competitive preference priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i) we award an additional 3 points to an application that meets this priority.

This priority is:

Applications From New Potential

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41413 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 93 / Monday, May 13, 2024 / Notices under the program from which it seeks funds.

Requirements: For FY 2024 and any subsequent year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this competition, the following program requirements and application requirements apply. These requirements are from the NFP.

Program Requirements: Grantees must meet the following program requirements.

Program Requirements for All Centers: National, Regional, and Content Center grantees under this program must:

(1) Develop service plans annually for carrying out the technical assistance and capacity-building activities to be delivered by the Center in response to educational challenges facing students, practitioners, and education system leaders. Plans must include: High-leverage problems to be addressed, including identified client needs, capacity-building services to be delivered, time-based outcomes (i.e., short-term, mid-term, long-term), responsible personnel, key technical assistance partners, milestones, outputs, dissemination plans, fidelity measures, if appropriate, and any other elements specified by the Department. The annual service plans must be an update to the Center’s five-year plan submitted as part of the initial grant application and account for changes in client needs.

(2) Develop and implement capacity-building services, including tools and resources, in partnership with State and local clients and recipients to reflect and address specific client needs and contexts and promote sustainable evidence utilization to address identified educational challenges.

(3) Develop and implement an effective performance management and evaluation system that integrates continuous improvement to promote effective achievement of client outcomes. The system must include methods to measure and monitor progress towards agreed upon outcomes, outputs, and milestones and to measure the reach, use, and impact of the services being delivered to ensure capacity-building services are implemented as intended, reaching intended clients and recipients, and achieving desired results. Progress monitoring must include periodic assessment of client satisfaction and timely identification of changes in State contexts that may impact the project’s success. The performance management system must include strategies to report on defined program performance measures.

(4) Develop and implement a stakeholder engagement system to regularly communicate, engage, and coordinate, using feedback to inform improvement, across organizational levels (Federal, State, and local), and facilitate regular engagement of stakeholders involved in or affected by proposed services. This system must provide regular and ongoing opportunities for outreach activities (e.g., ongoing promotion of services and products to potential and current recipients, particularly at the local level) and regular opportunities for engagement with potential beneficiaries or participants involved in or impacted by proposed school improvement activities (e.g., students, parents, educators, administrators, Tribal leaders) to ensure services reflect their needs.

(5) Develop and implement a high-quality personnel management system to efficiently obtain and retain the services of nationally recognized technical and content experts and other consultants with direct experience working with SEAs, REAs, and LEAs.

The Center must ensure that personnel have the appropriate expertise to deliver high-quality capacity-building services that meet client and recipient need and be staffed at a level sufficient for achieving the goals of its assigned projects and responsibilities.

(6) Develop and implement a comprehensive communication and dissemination plan that includes strategies to disseminate information in multiple formats and mediums (e.g., evidence-based practice tool kits, briefs, informational webinars) including through CCNetwork websites, social media, and other methods as appropriate, and strategies to measure and monitor the use of the information it disseminates. The plan must include approaches to determine, at the outset of each project, in consultation with clients, the most effective modality and methodology for capturing evidence-based practices and lessons learned, dissemination strategies customized and based on needs of the targeted audience(s), and strategies to monitor and measure audience engagement and use of information and products of the Center. Centers must work with partners to disseminate products through networks in which the targeted audiences are most likely to seek or receive information, with the goal of expanding the reach of Centers to the largest number of recipients possible.

(7) Identify and enter into partnership agreements with federally funded providers, State and national organizations, businesses, and industry experts, as applicable, to support States in the implementation and scaling-up of evidence-based programs, practices, and interventions, as well as reduce duplication of services and engagement burden to States. Where appropriate, the agreements should document how the partnerships might advance along a continuum to effectively meet program and client goals.

(8) Within 90 days of receiving funding for an award, demonstrate to the Department that it has secured client and partner commitments to carry out proposed annual service plans.

(9) Participate in a national evaluation of the Comprehensive Centers Program.

Program Requirements for National Comprehensive Center: In addition to the requirements for all Centers, National Center grantees under this program must:

(1) Design and implement robust needs-sensing activities and processes to consult with and integrate feedback from the Department, Regional and Content Centers, and advisory boards that surface high-leverage problems that could be effectively addressed in developing the national annual service plan.

(2) Collaborate with Regional and Content Centers to implement universal and targeted services for recipients to address high-leverage problems identified in the annual service plan. In providing targeted services (e.g., multi- State and cross-regional peer-to-peer exchanges or communities of practice on problems), the National Center must provide opportunities for recipients to learn from their peers and subject matter experts and apply evidence-based practices and must define tangible, achievable capacity-building outcomes for recipient participation. Universal services must be grounded in evidence-based practices, be produced in a manner that recipients are most likely to use, be shared via multiple digital platforms, such as the CCNetwork website, social media, and other channels as appropriate, and be relevant for a variety of education stakeholders, including the general public.

(3) Develop and implement a strategy to recruit and retain a comprehensive cadre of national subject matter experts that includes qualified education practitioners, researchers, policy professionals, and other consultants with (1) direct experience working in or with SEAs, REAs, TEAs and LEAs and

(2) in-depth expertise in specific subject areas with an understanding of State contexts available to support universal and targeted services of the National Center and intensive capacity-building services of Regional Centers. Cadre

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41414 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 93 / Monday, May 13, 2024 / Notices experts must have a proven record of designing and implementing effective capacity-building services, using evidence effectively, and delivering quality adult learning experiences or professional development experiences that meet client and recipient needs and must have recognized subject matter expertise including publishing in peer-reviewed journals and presenting at national conferences on the ESEA programs or content areas for which they are engaged as experts to provide universal, targeted, or intensive capacity building.

(4) Reserve not less than one half of the annual budget to provide universal, targeted, and, as needed, intensive services to address topics 1–5 enumerated in the priority for this Center and as approved by the Department in the annual service plan.

(5) Include in the communications and dissemination plan, and implement processes for outreach activities (e.g., regular promotion of services and products to clients and potential and current recipients), use of feedback loops across organizational levels (Federal, State, and local), regular engagement and coordination with the Department, Regional Centers, and partner organizations (e.g., federally funded providers), and engagement of stakeholders involved in or impacted by proposed school improvement activities.

(6) Design and implement communications and dissemination vehicles for the CCNetwork, including maintaining the CCNetwork website with an easy-to-navigate design that meets government or industry recognized standards for accessibility, including compliance with section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and maintain a consistent media presence, in collaboration with Regional and Content Centers and the Department Communications office, that promotes increased engagement.

(7) Develop peer learning opportunities for Regional and Content Center staff (and other partners, as appropriate) to address implementation challenges and scale effective practices to improve service delivery across the CCNetwork.

(8) Collect and share information about services provided through the CCNetwork for the purpose of coordination, collaboration, and communication across Centers and other providers, including an annual analysis of service plans to identify and disseminate information about services rendered across the CCNetwork.

(9) Ensure that the Project Director is capable of managing all aspects of the

Center and is either staffed at 1 FTE or there are two Co-Project Directors each at a minimum of 0.75 FTE. The Project Director or Co-Project Directors and all key personnel must be able to provide services at the intensity, duration, and modality appropriate to achieving agreed-upon milestones, outputs, and outcomes described in annual service plans.

(10) Reserve not less than one third of the budget to address the program requirements for CCNetwork coordination (requirements 5 through 8).

Program Requirements for Regional Centers: In addition to the requirements for all Centers, Regional Center grantees under this program must:

(1) Actively coordinate and collaborate with the REL serving their region. Coordination must include annual joint need sensing in a manner designed to comprehensively inform service delivery across both programs while reducing burden on State agencies. The goals of this coordination and collaboration are to share, synthesize, and apply information, ideas, and lessons learned; to enable each type of provider to focus on its designated role; to ensure that work is non-duplicative; to streamline and simplify service provision to States and LEAs; and to collaborate on projects to better support regional stakeholders.

(2) Consult with a broad range of stakeholders, including chief State school officers and other SEA leaders, TEAs, LEAs, educators, students, and parents, and integrate their feedback in developing the annual service plan to reflect the needs of all States (and to the extent practicable, of LEAs) within the region to be served.

(3) In developing the annual service plan, ensure services are provided to support students and communities with the highest needs, including recipients:

(i) that have high percentages or numbers of students from low-income families as referenced in title I, part A of the ESEA (ESEA sec. 1113(a)(5)); (ii) that are implementing comprehensive support and improvement activities or targeted or additional targeted support and improvement activities as referenced in title I, part A of the ESEA (ESEA sec. 1111(d)); (iii) in rural areas;

and (iv) serving student populations with demonstrated needs unmet or under-met through other Federal, State, or local interventions.

(4) Explore and provide opportunities to connect peers within and across regions.

(5) Collaborate with the National Center and Content Centers, as appropriate, including to support client and recipient participation in targeted capacity-building services, and obtain and retain the services of nationally recognized content experts through partnership with the National Center, Content Centers, or other federally funded providers.

(6) Support the participation of Regional Center staff in CCNetwork peer learning opportunities, including sharing information about effective practices in the region, to extend the Center’s reach to as many SEAs, REAs, TEAs, LEAs, and schools in need of services as possible while also learning about effective capacity-building approaches to enhance the Center’s ability to provide high-quality services.

(7) Within 90 days of receiving funding for an award, provide to the Department copies of partnership agreements with the REL(s) in the region that the Center serves and, as appropriate, other Department-funded technical assistance providers that are charged with supporting comprehensive, systemic changes in States or Department-funded technical assistance providers with particular expertise (e.g., early learning or instruction for English language learners) relevant to the region’s service plan. Partnership agreements must define processes for coordination and support collaboration to meet relevant program requirements.

(8) Be located in the region the Center serves. The Project Director must be capable of managing all aspects of the Center and be either at a minimum of

0.75 FTE or there must be two Co-

Project Directors each at a minimum of

0.5 FTE. The Project Director or Co-

Project Directors and key personnel must also be able to provide on-site services at the intensity, duration, and modality appropriate to achieving agreed-upon milestones, outputs, and outcomes described in annual service plans.

Program Requirements for Content Centers: In addition to the requirements for all Centers, Content Center grantees under this program must:

(1) Consult and integrate feedback from the Department and National and Regional Centers in developing the annual service plan to inform high-quality tools, resources, and overall technical assistance in priority areas.

(2) Collaborate with Regional Centers to address specific requests for assistance from States within the regions and strengthen Regional Center staff knowledge and expertise on the evidence base and effective practices within its specific content area.

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41415 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 93 / Monday, May 13, 2024 / Notices organize, select, and translate existing key research knowledge and Department guidance related to the Center’s content area and examples of workable strategies and systems for implementing provisions and programs that have produced positive outcomes for schools and students, and communicate the information in ways that are highly relevant and useful to State- and local-level policymakers, practitioners, and relevant stakeholders.

(4) Collaborate with the National Center and Regional Centers to convene States and LEAs, researchers, and other experts, including other Federal entities and providers of technical assistance as identified by the Department, to learn from each other about practical strategies for implementing ESEA provisions and programs related to the Center’s area of focus.

(5) Support the participation of Content Center staff in CCNetwork peer learning opportunities with the goal of providing high-quality services while reaching as many SEAs, REAs, TEAs, LEAs, and schools in need of services as possible.

(6) Within 90 days of receiving funding for an award, provide copies to the Department of partnership agreements with Department-funded technical assistance providers that are charged with supporting comprehensive, systemic changes in States or Department-funded technical assistance providers with particular expertise relevant to the Center’s content area. Partnership agreements must define processes for coordination and support collaboration to meet relevant program requirements.

(7) The Project Director must be capable of managing all aspects of the Center and be either at a minimum of

0.75 FTE or there must be two Co-

Project Directors each at a minimum of

0.5 FTE. The Project Director or Co-

Project Directors and all key personnel must be able to provide services at the intensity, duration, and modality appropriate to achieving agreed-upon milestones, outputs, and outcomes described in annual service plans.

Application Requirements:

Applicants must meet the following application requirements.

Application Requirements for All Centers:

(1) Present an approach to the proposed project for operating the Comprehensive Center that clearly establishes the critical educational challenges proposed to be addressed by the Center, the impact the Center plans to achieve, including the proposed scope of services in relation to the number of SEAs, REAs, TEAs, LEAs, and, as appropriate, schools served, with respect to specific State and local outcomes that would represent significant achievement in advancing the efforts of State and local systems to improve educational opportunities and student outcomes, and proposes how the Center will efficiently and effectively provide appropriate capacity-building services to achieve the desired outcomes.

(2) Present applicable regional, State, and local educational needs, including relevant data demonstrating the identified needs, and including the perspectives of underrepresented groups, that could be addressed through the proposed capacity-building approach to implement and scale up evidence-based programs, practices, and interventions.

(3) Demonstrate how key personnel possess subject matter expert knowledge of statutory requirements, regulations, and policies related to ESEA programs, current education issues, and policy initiatives for supporting the implementation and scaling up of evidence-based programs, practices, and interventions.

(4) Demonstrate expertise in providing highly relevant and highly effective technical assistance (e.g., that is co-designed with clients;

demonstrably addresses authentic needs based on needs-sensing activities; is timely, relevant, useful, clear and measurable; and results in demonstrable improvements or outcomes), including by demonstrating expertise in the current research on adult learning principles, coaching, and implementation science that will drive the applicant’s capacity-building services; how the applicant has successfully supported clients to achieve desired outcomes; and how the applicant will promote self-sufficiency and sustainability of State- and local-led school improvement activities.

(5) Present a logic model (as defined in this notice) informed by research or evaluation findings that demonstrates a rationale (as defined in 34 CFR 77.1) explaining how the project is likely to improve or achieve relevant and expected outcomes. The logic model must communicate how the proposed project would achieve its expected outcomes (short-term, mid-term, and long-term), and provide a framework for both the formative and summative evaluations of the project consistent with the applicant’s performance management plan. Include a description of underlying concepts, assumptions, expectations, beliefs, and theories, as well as the relationships and linkages among these variables, and any empirical support for this framework.

(6) Present a management plan that describes the applicant’s proposed approach to managing the project to meet all program requirements related to needs assessment, stakeholder engagement, communications and dissemination, personnel management, and partnerships.

(7) Present a performance management and evaluation plan that describes the applicant’s proposed approach to meeting the program requirements related to performance management, including the applicant’s proposed strategy to report on defined…