2020-10509.pdf

29691 Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 96 / Monday, May 18, 2020 / Notices

Research and Development Center, Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory.

Additional cited literature:

Lichvar R.W., N.C. Melvin, M.L. Butterwick, and W.N. Kirchner. 2012. National Wetland Plant List Indicator Rating Definitions. ERDC/CRREL TN–12–1.

Hanover, NH: U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory

Lichvar R. and W. Fertig. Epiphytes and the National Wetland Plant List.

Phytoneuron 2011–17:1–31

Environmental Documentation A decision document has been prepared for this action after all comments received were evaluated. The decision document is available through Headquarters, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Operations and Regulatory Community of Practice, 441 G Street NW, Washington, DC 20314–1000.

Authority The NWPL is utilized in conducting wetland determinations under the authority of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3801 et seq.) and wetland delineations under the authority of Section 404 of the Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C. 1344) and Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899 (33 U.S.C. 401 et seq.). The Corps has responsibility for issuing this update pursuant to the 2006 MOA.

R.D. James, Assistant Secretary of the Army (Civil Works).

[FR Doc. 2020–10630 Filed 5–15–20; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3720–58–P

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[Docket No.: ED–2020–SCC–0041]

Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget for Review and Approval; Comment Request;

RSA–509, Annual Protection and Advocacy of Individual Rights Program Performance Report

AGENCY: Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS), Department of Education (ED).

ACTION: Notice.

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

DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before June 17, 2025.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and recommendations for proposed information collection requests should be sent within 30 days of publication of this notice to www.reginfo.gov/public/ do/PRAMain. Find this particular information collection request by selecting ‘‘Department of Education’’ under ‘‘Currently Under Review,’’ then check ‘‘Only Show ICR for Public Comment’’ checkbox.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For specific questions related to collection activities, please contact Samuel Pierre, 202–245–6488.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Department of Education (ED), in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) (44 U.S.C.

3506(c)(2)(A)), provides the general public and Federal agencies with an opportunity to comment on proposed, revised, and continuing collections of information. This helps the Department assess the impact of its information collection requirements and minimize the public’s reporting burden. It also helps the public understand the Department’s information collection requirements and provide the requested data in the desired format. ED is soliciting comments on the proposed information collection request (ICR) that is described below. The Department of Education is especially interested in public comment addressing the following issues: (1) Is this collection necessary to the proper functions of the Department; (2) will this information be processed and used in a timely manner;

(3) is the estimate of burden accurate;

(4) how might the Department enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (5) how might the Department minimize the burden of this collection on the respondents, including through the use of information technology. Please note that written comments received in response to this notice will be considered public records.

Title of Collection: RSA–509, Annual Protection and Advocacy of Individual Rights Program Performance Report.

OMB Control Number: 1820–0627.

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

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

Total Estimated Number of Annual

Responses: 57.

Total Estimated Number of Annual

Burden Hours: 912.

Abstract: The Annual Protection and

Advocacy of Individual Rights (PAIR) Program Performance Report (Form RSA–509) will be used to analyze and evaluate the PAIR Program administered by eligible systems in states. These systems provide services to eligible individuals with disabilities to protect their legal and human rights. RSA uses the form to meet specific data collection requirements of Section 509 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (the Act), and its implementing federal regulations at 34 CFR part 381. PAIR programs must report annually using the RSA–509, which is due on or before December 30 each year.

The collection of information through Form RSA–509 has enabled RSA to furnish the President and Congress with data on the provision of protection and advocacy services and has helped to establish a sound basis for future funding requests. Data from the form have been used to evaluate the effectiveness of eligible systems within individual states in meeting annual priorities and objectives. These data also have been used to indicate trends in the provision of services from year-to-year.

The respondents to the RSA–509 is the protection and advocacy system in each state. These organizations are private not-for-profit organizations. RSA included the respondents and the national organization that represents them (National Disability Rights Network (NDRN)) in the initial development of this collection of information in an effort to ensure that the information requested could be provided with minimal burden to the respondents.

Dated: May 13, 2020.

Kate Mullan, PRA Coordinator, Strategic Collections and Clearance Governance and Strategy Division, Office of Chief Data Officer.

[FR Doc. 2020–10607 Filed 5–15–20; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4000–01–P

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Applications for New Awards; Teacher Quality Partnership Grant Program

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

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: The Department of Education is issuing a notice inviting applications for fiscal year (FY) 2020 for the Teacher Quality Partnership Grant (TQP) program, Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number 84.336S.

This notice relates to the approved information collection under OMB control number 1894–0006.

DATES:

Applications Available: May 18, 2020.

Pre-Application Webinars: The Office of Elementary and Secondary Education intends to post pre-recorded

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S http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain

29692 Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 96 / Monday, May 18, 2020 / Notices informational webinars designed to provide technical assistance to interested applicants for grants under the TQP program. These informational webinars will be available on the TQP web page shortly after this notice is published in the Federal Register at https://oese.ed.gov/offices/office-of-discretionary-grants-support-services/ effective-educator-development-programs/teacher-quality-partnership/ applicant-info-and-eligibility/. A TQP Frequently Asked Questions document will also be published on the TQP program web page as soon as it is available at https://oese.ed.gov/offices/ office-of-discretionary-grants-support-services/effective-educator-development-programs/teacher-quality-partnership/.

Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply:

Applicants are strongly encouraged, but not required, to submit a notice of intent to apply by June 17, 2020.

Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: July 2, 2020.

Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: September 15, 2020.

ADDRESSES: For the addresses for obtaining and submitting an application, please refer to our Common Instructions for Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs, published in the Federal Register on February 13, 2019 (84 FR 3768), and available at www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2019- 02-13/pdf/2019-02206.pdf.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mia Howerton, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Room 3C152, Washington, DC 20202– 5960. Telephone: (202) 205–0147.

Email: Mia.Howerton@ed.gov or TQPartnership@ed.gov.

If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) or a text telephone (TTY), call the Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll free, at 1–800–877– 8339.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description Purpose of Program: The purposes of the TQP program are to improve student achievement; improve the quality of prospective and new teachers by improving the preparation of prospective teachers and enhancing professional development activities for new teachers; hold teacher preparation programs at institutions of higher education (IHEs) accountable for preparing teachers who meet applicable State certification and licensure requirements; and recruit highly qualified individuals, including minorities and individuals from other occupations, into the teaching force.

Background: The TQP program supports eligible partnerships that must include a high-need local educational agency (LEA), a high-need school served by the LEA, or a high-need early childhood education (ECE) program; a partner institution; a school, department, or program of education within such partner institution; and a school or department of arts and sciences within such partner institution.

It may also include certain other entities. Under section 202(d) and (e) of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA), these partnerships must implement either (a) teacher preparation programs at the pre-baccalaureate or ‘‘fifth-year’’ level that include specific reforms in IHEs’ existing teacher preparation programs;

or (b) teacher residency programs for individuals who are recent graduates with strong academic backgrounds or are mid-career professionals from outside the field of education.

In the FY 2020 TQP competition, we will only support projects that prepare teachers through the implementation of teacher residency programs. The requirements for such a teacher residency program are further explained in this notice in the Absolute Priority section. We also include two competitive preference priorities: One for projects that propose to provide services in areas that overlap with a Qualified Opportunity Zone and another for applications from new potential grantees.

Competitive Preference Priority 1, Spurring Investment in Qualified Opportunity Zones, is aligned with the Department’s mission to promote equity and excellence in education by giving competitive preference to projects providing services to educators serving students and schools located in distressed communities, known as Qualified Opportunity Zones (QOZs).

Public law (Pub. L.) 115–97, colloquially known as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, authorized the designation of QOZs to promote economic development and job creation in distressed communities through preferential tax treatment for investors.

A list of QOZs is available at www.cdfifund.gov/Pages/Opportunity- Zones.aspx; applicants may also determine whether a particular area overlaps with a QOZ using the National Center of Education Statistics’ map located at https://nces.ed.gov/programs/ maped/LocaleLookup/.

Finally, in seeking an array of potentially new ideas and perspectives, Competitive Preference Priority 2 encourages eligible partnerships that have not previously received grants under the TQP program to apply.

Priorities: This notice contains one absolute priority and two competitive preference priorities. In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(iv), the absolute priority is from section 202(e) of the HEA. Competitive Preference Priority 1 is from the notice of final priority published in the Federal Register on November 27, 2019 (84 FR 65300) (Opportunity Zones NFP). Competitive Preference Priority 2 is from the notice of final priorities published in the Federal Register on March 9, 2020 (85 FR 13640) (Administrative Priorities).

Absolute Priority: For FY 2020 and any subsequent year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this competition, this priority is an absolute priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3), we consider only applications that meet this priority.

This priority is:

Partnership Grants for the

Establishment of Effective Teaching Residency Programs.

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

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

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

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

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

(2) Teacher mentoring;

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

(4) The preparation described below:

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

(A) Clinical learning in classrooms in high-need schools served by the high-need LEA in the eligible partnership, and identified by the eligible partnership; and

(B) Closely supervised interaction between prospective teachers and faculty, experienced teachers, principals, other administrators, and school leaders at early childhood

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S http://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2019-02-13/pdf/2019-02206.pdf http://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2019-02-13/pdf/2019-02206.pdf https://nces.ed.gov/programs/maped/LocaleLookup/ https://nces.ed.gov/programs/maped/LocaleLookup/ http://www.cdfifund.gov/Pages/Opportunity-Zones.aspx http://www.cdfifund.gov/Pages/Opportunity-Zones.aspx mailto:TQPartnership@ed.gov mailto:Mia.Howerton@ed.gov https://oese.ed.gov/offices/office-of-discretionary-grants-support-services/effective-educator-development-programs/teacher-quality-partnership/applicant-info-and-eligibility/ https://oese.ed.gov/offices/office-of-discretionary-grants-support-services/effective-educator-development-programs/teacher-quality-partnership/applicant-info-and-eligibility/ https://oese.ed.gov/offices/office-of-discretionary-grants-support-services/effective-educator-development-programs/teacher-quality-partnership/ https://oese.ed.gov/offices/office-of-discretionary-grants-support-services/effective-educator-development-programs/teacher-quality-partnership/ https://oese.ed.gov/offices/office-of-discretionary-grants-support-services/effective-educator-development-programs/teacher-quality-partnership/ https://oese.ed.gov/offices/office-of-discretionary-grants-support-services/effective-educator-development-programs/teacher-quality-partnership/ https://oese.ed.gov/offices/office-of-discretionary-grants-support-services/effective-educator-development-programs/teacher-quality-partnership/

29693 Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 96 / Monday, May 18, 2020 / Notices education programs (as applicable), elementary schools, or secondary schools, and providing support for such interaction.

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

(iii) Provide high-quality teacher mentoring.

II. Teaching Residency Programs.

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

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

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

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

(i) Whose teaching must complement the residency program so that classroom clinical practice is tightly aligned with coursework;

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

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

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

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

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

(iii) Collaboration with colleagues to improve instruction.

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

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

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

(6) The development of admissions goals and priorities—

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

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

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

(b) Selection of individuals as teacher residents.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(c) Stipends or salaries; applications;

agreements; repayments.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(v) Comply with the requirements set by the eligible partnership under paragraph II–(d) of this priority if the applicant is unable or unwilling to complete the service obligation required by paragraph II–(c)(3).

(d) Repayments.

(1) In general. A grantee carrying out a teaching residency program under this priority must require a recipient of a stipend or salary under paragraph II– (c)(1) of this priority who does not complete, or who notifies the

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29694 Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 96 / Monday, May 18, 2020 / Notices partnership that the recipient intends not to complete, the service obligation required by paragraph II–(c)(3) of this priority to repay such stipend or salary to the eligible partnership, together with interest, at a rate specified by the partnership in the agreement, and in accordance with such other terms and conditions specified by the eligible partnership, as necessary.

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

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

Competitive Preference Priorities: For FY 2020 and any subsequent year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this competition, these priorities are competitive preference priorities. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i), we will award up to an additional three points to an application depending on how well the application Competitive Preference Priority 1, and we award an additional three points to an application that meets Competitive Preference Priority 2, for a maximum of six additional points.

If an applicant chooses to address one or both of the competitive preference priorities, the project narrative section of its application must identify its response to the competitive preference priorities it chooses to address. We will only review for the competitive preference priorities those applications which, after review and scoring for the absolute priority and selection criteria, are within potential funding range.

These priorities are:

Competitive Preference Priority 1—

Spurring Investment in Qualified Opportunity Zones (Up to 3 points).

Under this priority, an applicant must demonstrate that the area in which the applicant proposes to provide services overlaps with a QOZ, as designated by the Secretary of the Treasury under section 1400Z–1 of the Internal Revenue Code. An applicant must—

(a) Provide the census tract number of the QOZ(s) in which it proposes to provide services; and

(b) Describe how the applicant will provide services in the QOZ(s).

Note: To receive competitive preference points under this priority, applicants must provide the Department with the census tract number of the Qualified Opportunity Zone(s) they plan to serve and describe the services they will provide. For the purposes of this TQP competition, applicants should consider the area where the partner LEA(s) serves to be the area that must overlap with a QOZ; an LEA may be considered to overlap with a QOZ even if only one high-need school included in the project in the proposed TQP grant application is located in a QOZ.

Competitive Preference Priority 2— Applications from New Potential Grantees (0 or 3 points).

Under this priority, an applicant must demonstrate that it has never received a grant, including through membership in a group application submitted in accordance with 34 CFR 75.127–75.129, under the program from which it seeks funds.

Definitions: The definitions for ‘‘Arts and sciences,’’ ‘‘Core academic subjects,’’ ‘‘Early childhood educator,’’ ‘‘Essential components of reading instruction,’’ ‘‘Exemplary teacher,’’ ‘‘High-need early childhood education (ECE) program,’’ ‘‘High-need local educational agency (LEA),’’ ‘‘High-need school,’’ ‘‘Highly competent,’’ ‘‘Induction program,’’ ‘‘Partner institution,’’ ‘‘Principles of scientific research,’’ ‘‘Scientifically valid research,’’ ‘‘Teacher mentoring,’’ ‘‘Teaching residency program,’’ and ‘‘Teaching skills’’ are from section 200 of the HEA. The definition of ‘‘children from low-income families’’ is from section 1124(c)(1)(A) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended (ESEA). The definition of ‘‘Charter school’’ is from section 4310(2) of the ESEA. The definitions of ‘‘Educational service agency,’’ ‘‘Limited English proficient,’’ ‘‘Parent,’’ and ‘‘Professional development’’ are from section 8101 of the ESEA. The definitions for ‘‘Demonstrates a rationale,’’ ‘‘Evidence-based,’’ ‘‘Experimental study,’’ ‘‘Logic model,’’ ‘‘Moderate evidence,’’ ‘‘Project component,’’ ‘‘Promising evidence,’’ ‘‘Quasi-experimental design study,’’ ‘‘Relevant outcome,’’ ‘‘Strong evidence,’’ and ‘‘What Works Clearinghouse Handbook (WWC Handbook)’’ are from

34 CFR 77.1.

Arts and sciences means—

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

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

Core academic subjects means English, reading or language arts, mathematics, science, foreign languages, civics and government, economics, arts, history, and geography.

Charter school means a public school that-

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

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

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

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

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

(f) Does not charge tuition;

(g) Complies with the Age

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

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

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

(1) Admits students on the basis of a lottery, consistent with 20 U.S.C.

7221b(c)(3)(A) if more students apply for admission than can be accommodated; or

(2) In the case of a school that has an affiliated charter school (such as a school that is part of the same network of schools), automatically enrolls students who are enrolled in the immediate prior grade level of the affiliated charter school and, for any

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29695 Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 96 / Monday, May 18, 2020 / Notices additional student openings or student openings created through regular attrition in student enrollment in the affiliated charter school and the enrolling school, admits students on the basis of a lottery as described in clause (1);

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

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

(k) Operates in accordance with State law;

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

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

Children from low-income families means children as described in section 1124(c)(1)(A) of the ESEA.

Demonstrates a rationale means a key project component included in the project’s logic model is informed by research or evaluation findings that suggest the project component is likely to improve relevant outcomes.

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

Educational service agency means a regional public multiservice agency authorized by State statute to develop, manage, and provide services or programs to LEAs.

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

(a) Phonemic awareness;

(b) Phonics;

(c) Vocabulary development;

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

(e) Reading comprehension strategies.

Evidence-based means the proposed project component is supported by one or more of strong evidence, moderate evidence, promising evidence, or evidence that demonstrates a rationale.

Exemplary teacher means a teacher who—

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

(b) Has been teaching for at least five years in a public or private school or

IHE;

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

LEA.

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

(a)(1) For which not less than 20 percent of the children served by the agency are children from low-income families;

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

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

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

(b)(1) For which there is a high percentage of teachers not teaching in the academic subject areas or grade levels in which the teachers were trained to teach; or

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(5) A composite of two or more of the measures described in paragraphs (1) through (4).

(b) In the case of—

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

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

(c) The Secretary may, upon approval of an application submitted by an

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29696 Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 96 / Monday, May 18, 2020 / Notices

1 ESEA uses the term ‘‘English learner’’; however, the term cross-referenced from the HEA is ‘‘limited English proficient.’’ eligible partnership seeking a grant under title II of the HEA, designate a school that does not qualify as a high-need school under this definition, as a high-need school for the purpose of this competition. The Secretary must base the approval of an application for designation of a school under this clause on a consideration of the information required under section 200(11)(B)(ii) of the HEA and may also take into account other information submitted by the eligible partnership.

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

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

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

(b) With—

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

or

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

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

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

(a) High-quality teacher mentoring.

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

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

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

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

(f) Faculty who—

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

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

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

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

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

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

(a) Who is aged 3 through 21;

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

(c)(1) Who was not born in the United States or whose native language is a language other than English;

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

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

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

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

(1) The ability to meet the challenging State academic standards;

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

(3) The opportunity to participate fully in society.

Logic model (also referred to as a theory of action) means a framework that identifies key project components of the proposed project (i.e., the active ‘‘ingredients’’ that are hypothesized to be critical to achieving the relevant outcomes) and describes the theoretical and operational relationships among the key project components and relevant outcomes.

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

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

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

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

(1) Meets WWC standards with or without reservations;

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

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

(4) Is based on a sample from more than one site (e.g., State, county, city, school district, or postsecondary campus) and includes at least 350 students or other individuals across sites. Multiple studies of the same project component that each meet requirements in paragraphs (c)(1), (2), and (3) of this definition may together satisfy this requirement.

Parent includes a legal guardian or other person standing in loco parentis (such as a grandparent or stepparent with whom the child lives, or a person who is legally responsible for the child’s welfare).

Partner institution means an IHE, which may include a two-year IHE offering a dual program with a four-year IHE, participating in an eligible partnership that has a teacher preparation program—

(a) Whose graduates exhibit strong performance on State-determined qualifying assessments for new teachers through—

(1) Demonstrating that 80 percent or more of the graduates of the program

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29697 Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 96 / Monday, May 18, 2020 / Notices who intend to enter the field of teaching have passed all of the applicable State qualification assessments for new teachers, which must include an assessment of each prospective teacher’s subject matter knowledge in the content area in which the teacher intends to teach; or

(2) Being ranked among the highest-performing teacher preparation programs in the State as determined by the State—

(i) Using criteria consistent with the requirements for the State report card under section 205(b) of the HEA before the first publication of the report card;

and

(ii) Using the State report card on teacher preparation required under section 205(b), after the first publication of such report card and for every year thereafter; and

(b) That requires—

(1) Each student in the program to meet high academic standards or demonstrate a record of success, as determined by the institution (including prior to entering and being accepted into a program), and participate in intensive clinical experience;

(2) Each student in the program preparing to become a teacher who meets the applicable State certification and licensure requirements, including any requirements for certification obtained through alternative routes to certification, or, with regard to special education teachers, the qualifications described in section 612(a)(14)(C) of the IDEA; and

(3) Each student in the program preparing to become an early childhood educator to meet degree requirements, as established by the State, and become highly competent.

Principles of scientific research means principles of research that—

(a) Apply rigorous, systematic, and objective methodology to obtain reliable and valid knowledge relevant to education activities and programs;

(b) Present findings and make claims that are appropriate to, and supported by, the methods that have been employed; and

(c) Include, appropriate to the research being conducted—

(i) Use of systematic, empirical methods that draw on observation or experiment;

(ii) Use of data analyses that are adequate to support the general findings;

(iii) Reliance on measurements or observational methods that provide reliable and generalizable findings;

(iv) Strong claims of causal relationships, only with research designs that eliminate plausible competing explanations for observed results, such as, but not limited to, random-assignment experiments;

(v) Presentation of studies and methods in sufficient detail and clarity to allow for replication or, at a minimum, to offer the opportunity to build systematically on the findings of the research;

(vi) Acceptance by a peer-reviewed journal or critique by a panel of independent experts through a comparably rigorous, objective, and scientific review; and

(vii) Consistency of findings across multiple studies or sites to support the generality of results and conclusions.

Professional development means activities that—

(a) Are an integral part of school and LEA strategies for providing educators (including teachers, principals, other school leaders, specialized instructional support personnel, paraprofessionals, and, as applicable, early childhood educators) with the knowledge and skills necessary to enable students to succeed in a well-rounded education and to meet the challenging State academic standards; and

(b) Are sustained (not stand-alone, one-day, or short term workshops), intensive, collaborative, job-embedded, data-driven, and classroom-focused, and may include activities that—

(1) Improve and increase teachers’—

(i) Knowledge of the academic subjects the teachers teach;

(ii) Understanding of how students learn; and

(iii) Ability to analyze student work and achievement from multiple sources, including how to adjust instructional strategies, assessments, and materials based on such analysis;

(2) Are an integral part of broad schoolwide and districtwide educational improvement plans;

(3) Allow personalized plans for each educator to address the educator’s specific needs identified in observation or other feedback;

(4) Improve classroom management skills;

(5) Support the recruitment, hiring, and training of effective teachers, including teachers who became certified through State and local alternative routes to certification;

(6) Advance teacher understanding of—

(i) Effective instructional strategies that are evidence-based; and

(ii) Strategies for improving student academic achievement or substantially increasing the knowledge and teaching skills of teachers;

(7) Are aligned with, and directly related to, academic goals of the school or LEA;

(8) Are developed with extensive participation of teachers, principals, other school leaders, parents, representatives of Indian Tribes (as applicable), and administrators of schools to be served under the ESEA;

(9) Are designed to give teachers of English learners, and other teachers and instructional staff, the knowledge and skills to provide instruction and appropriate language and academic support services to those children, including the appropriate use of curricula and assessments;

(10) To the extent appropriate, provide training for teachers, principals, and other school leaders in the use of technology (including education about the harms of copyright piracy), so that technology and technology applications are effectively used in the classroom to improve teaching and learning in the curricula and academic subjects…