oppED-GRANTS-060718-002-cfda84.334-cid84-334A2018-1-instructions.pdf

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

OFFICE OF POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20202-6450

http://www2.ed.gov/programs/gearup/index.html

FY 2018

APPLICATION FOR GRANTS

UNDER THE

GAINING EARLY AWARENESS AND READINESS FOR

UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMS (GEAR UP)

PARTNERSHIP GRANTS

CFDA Number 84.334A

FORM APPROVED

OMB No. 1840-0821, Expiration Date: 9/30/2018

DATED MATERIAL – OPEN IMMEDIATELY

CLOSING DATE: July 13, 2018

Table of Contents

Dear Applicant Letter…………………………………….………….…………...……

Competition Highlights…….………………………….…………………..…………

Grants.gov Submission Procedures and Tips for Applicants……...……………………

Application Transmittal Instructions……….……………………………………

Notice Inviting Applications…...……………………………………………………….…

GEAR UP Authorizing Legislation……………………………..…………………………..…56

GEAR UP Program Regulations……………………………………………………………

Partnership Grants Program Overview………………….…………………………………...85

Evaluation of Project Performance………………………………………………

Selection Criteria for Partnership Grants………………………………………………

Contact Information…………………………………………………………………...….…..101

Instructions for Completing the GEAR UP Application Package

Instructions for Completing the Application Package……………………………………...102

Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs: Executive Order 12372……………….104

Notice to Applicants: The Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA)……….…105

Application Package Checklist……………………………………………………………….107

Instructions for Standard and Program Specific forms………………………………..…...108

GEAR UP Program Specific Forms

Partnership Project Profile Sheet…………………………………………………………….112

Students To Be Served Form…………………………………………………………

Project Budget Summary Form………………………………………………...……

Matching Funds Provided by Non-Federal Sources Form…………………………………118

Applicant Organization Form and Cost Share Worksheet…...…………………………….120

Partnership Identification Form and Cost Share Worksheet………………………………121

Paperwork Burden Statement………………………………………………………………..122

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

OFFICE OF POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION

June 7, 2018

Dear Applicant:

Thank you for your interest in the Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) program. We are pleased to provide the application package for the fiscal year (FY) 2018 GEAR UP Partnership grant competition. Included in this application package are the program statute and regulations, and the instructions and forms needed to submit a complete Partnership application package to the U.S. Department of Education (Department) through Grants.gov.

Please be sure to thoroughly review the entire application package for information concerning the GEAR UP program. Applicants should pay particular attention to the section entitled “Competition Highlights” that outlines program and competition details.

The Notice published in the Federal Register is the official document describing the requirements for applying for a GEAR UP Partnership grant and provides application submission procedures. You should not rely upon any information that is inconsistent with the guidance contained within the official document.

We appreciate your interest in the GEAR UP program. For further information regarding the project, please contact Karmon.Simms-Coates, the GEAR UP Program Lead, at (202) 453-7917 or karmon.simms-coates@ed.gov.

Sincerely, /Signed/

Adam Kissel

Deputy Assistant Secretary for Higher Education Programs

COMPETITION HIGHLIGHTS

1. Authorization

Title IV, Part -, Subpart -, Section 404A – 404H of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA), as amended

2. Program Website

GEAR UP statutory and regulatory requirements and additional information can be found the Department’s website at: http://www2.ed.gov/programs/triotrain/index.html.

3. Purpose of the Program

GEAR UP is a discretionary grant program which encourages applicants to provide support and maintain a commitment to eligible low-income students, including students with disabilities, to assist the students in obtaining a secondary school diploma and preparing for and succeeding in postsecondary education.

4. Eligible Applicant

An eligible applicant is a partnership consisting of one or more local educational agencies (LEA); one or more degree granting institutions of higher education (IHE); which may include not less than two other community organizations or entities, such as businesses, professional organizations, State agencies, institutions or agencies sponsoring programs authorized under subpart 4 or other public or private agencies or organizations.

Applications must be submitted by an eligible entity (LEA or IHE) and the partnership must consist of at least a LEA and IHE.

5. Absolute Priority

For FY 2018, 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. Applicants must address at least one priority activity in at least three of four categories. Addressing additional activities or addressing all four categories will not increase an applicant’s score, but applicants may choose to do so. Details regarding the absolute priority, categories and activities are included in the Notice.

6. Grant Performance Period

A Partnership applicant can design the GEAR UP project for 72 (6 years) or 84 (7 years) months of implementation. However, a project that is designed for 84 months must provide services to students through the students’ first year of attending an institution of higher education.

7. Required Activities

The GEAR UP statute outlines required and permissible activities. Partnership projects are required to implement the following activities:

Provide comprehensive mentoring, outreach, and support services;

Provide information regarding financial aid for postsecondary education for participating students;

Encourage student enrollment in rigorous or challenging curricula and coursework, in order to reduce the need for remedial coursework at the postsecondary level; and Improve the number of participating students who obtain a secondary school diploma and complete applications for and enroll in a program of postsecondary education.

8. Allowable Implementation Model

GEAR UP has two implementation models: cohort and/or priority students model. Please be advised that Partnership applicants are only allowed to implement the cohort model.

More details regarding the cohort model are provided later in the application.

9. Budgetary Information

• The maximum amount a Partnership applicant can request each year is $800 per student.

• Applicants must clearly demonstrate in the application how the matching/cost-share requirement will be satisfied. GEAR UP projects are required to provide not less than 50 percent of project costs (or $1 of non-Federal funds for every $1 of Federal funds awarded), which may be cash or in-kind. Proposed Federal and non-Federal expenditures must be provided on the Budget Summary Form, and the 6- or 7-year total (column 8, row 11) for proposed federal expenditures should equal proposed 6- or 7-year total (column 8, row 11) in non-Federal expenditures. Please note that there are provisions in the program statute and regulations that allow partnership applicants to submit a reduced match request in the application.

• Applicants will not receive more Federal funding in out-years than the amount awarded in the first year of the grant; and therefore, the Budget Summary Form should not reflect budgetary increases in years 2 through 6 or 7.

10. Electronic Submission of Applications

GEAR UP applications for FY 2018 must be submitted electronically using Grants.gov.

You are urged to acquaint yourself with the requirements of Grants.gov early as the registration procedures may require 5 or more days to complete. A more thorough discussion is included later in this application package. The requirements for obtaining an exception to the electronic submission requirement are included in the Notice for FY

2018. If you think you may need an exception, you are urged to review the requirements promptly.

Please note that you must submit your application by 4:30:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on or before the application deadline date. Late applications will not be accepted. We suggest that you submit your application several days before the deadline. The Department is required to enforce the established deadline to ensure fairness to all applicants. No changes or additions to an application will be accepted after the deadline date and time.

All attachments must be in .PDF format. Other types of files will not be accepted.

You must provide the DUNS number that was used when your organization registered with the System for Award Management (SAM), formerly Central Contractor Registry (CCR). An applicant needs a DUNS number in order to submit an application. If you do not have one, or need to renew one, this process can take weeks. Additionally, the General Services Administration (GSA) has imposed a new requirement concerning the submission of a notarized letter appointing a designated entity administrator in order to register for SAM. Successful registration in SAM is a prerequisite to being able to register in Grants.gov and submit an application electronically. Please refer to the GEAR UP Website, http://www2.ed.gov/programs/gearup/index.html, under Applicant Information for additional details regarding the new SAM requirement.

11. Recommended Page Limit

To assist the non-Federal reviewers in conducting a thorough peer review, we recommend that you limit the application narrative, which includes the absolute priorities, to no more than 40 pages and use the standards outlined in the Notice.

12. Recommended Format

We recommend that applicants double space the application narrative and use a font that is either 12-point or larger. Charts, tables, figures, and graphs can be single spaced. The following may be used: Times New Roman, Courier, Courier New, or Arial.

13. Program-Specific Forms

The following forms are specific to the GEAR UP program and should be reviewed carefully to ensure the accuracy of the information submission. Additional information on these documents is provided in this application package.

Partnership Project Profile Sheet Students To Be Served Form Project Budget Summary Form (and Detailed Budget Narrative) Applicant Organization Identification Form and Cost Share Worksheet Partner Identification Form and Cost Share Worksheet

Documentation of Student Eligibility for Free or Reduced-Price Lunch

Please note that more detailed instructions for attaching these forms are covered in the

“INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMPLETING THE APPLICATION PACKAGE” section of the application.

8. Project Abstract

The project abstract is limited to one page, single spaced. The abstract should include:

applicant name, information about the project’s goals and objectives, number of students to be served, the target school(s), a list of partners, and the activities and services that will be implemented during the six- or seven-year performance period.

9. Selection Criteria

The selection criteria in EDGAR 34 CFR part 75 sections 75.209(a) and 75.210 are used to evaluate the quality of applications. The selection criteria and maximum possible points are included in the Notice.

10. Notice to Successful Applicants

The Department’s Office of Legislation and Congressional Affairs will inform the Congress regarding applications approved for new GEAR UP program grants.

Successful applicants will receive award notices electronically shortly after the Congress is notified. No funding information will be released before the Congress is notified.

11. Notice to Unsuccessful Applicants

Unsuccessful applicants will be notified in writing following the notice to successful applicants.

12. Contact Information

For GEAR UP program-related questions and assistance, please contact:

Program Lead: Karmon Simms-Coates Address: Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate

Programs U.S. Department of Education 400 Maryland Ave., S.W., Room 5W250 Washington, D.C. 20202

Telephone: (202) 453-7917 Fax: (202) 260-7464 E-mail Address: karmon.simms-coates@ed.gov

For technical support regarding Grants.gov, please contact:

Telephone: (800) 518-4726 Email: support@grants.gov Grants.gov Contact Center is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, except federal holidays. Also, refer to “Grants.gov Submission Procedures and Tips for Applicants” found in this application booklet.

You are reminded that the information published in the Notice is the official document, and that you should not rely upon any information that is inconsistent with the guidelines contained within the official document.

mailto:support@grants.gov

IMPORTANT – PLEASE READ FIRST

U.S. Department of Education Grants.gov Submission Procedures and Tips for Applicants

To facilitate your use of Grants.gov, this document includes important submission procedures you need to be aware of to ensure your application is received in a timely manner and accepted by the Department of Education.

Browser Support

The latest versions of Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE), Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, and Apple Safari are supported for use with Grants.gov. However, these web browsers undergo frequent changes and updates, so we recommend you have the latest version when using Grants.gov. Legacy versions of these web browsers may be functional, but you may experience issues.

For additional information or updates, please see the Grants.gov Browser information in the Applicant FAQs: http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-faqs.html#browser.

ATTENTION – Workspace, Adobe Forms and PDF Files Required

Grants.gov applicants can apply online using Workspace. Workspace is a shared, online environment where members of a grant team may simultaneously access and edit different web forms within an application. For each funding opportunity announcement (FOA), you can create individual instances of a workspace.

Below is an overview of applying on Grants.gov. For access to complete instructions on how to apply for opportunities, refer to:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/workspace-overview.html.

1) Create a Workspace: Creating a workspace allows you to complete it online and route it through your organization for review before submitting.

2) Complete a Workspace: Add participants to the workspace to work on the application together, complete all the required forms online or by downloading PDF versions, and check for errors before submission. The Workspace progress bar will display the state of your application process as you apply. As you apply using Workspace, you may click the blue question mark icon near the upper-right corner of each page to access context-sensitive help.

a. Adobe Reader: If you decide not to apply by filling out web forms, you can download individual PDF forms in Workspace. The individual PDF forms can be downloaded and saved to your local device storage, network drive(s), or external drives, then accessed through Adobe Reader.

NOTE: Visit the Adobe Software Compatibility page on Grants.gov to download the appropriate version of the software at:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility.html.

b. Mandatory Fields in Forms: In the forms, you will note fields marked with an asterisk and a different background color. These fields are mandatory fields that must be completed to successfully submit your application.

c. Complete SF-424 Fields First: The forms are designed to fill in common required fields across other forms, such as the applicant name, address, and DUNS Number. Once it is completed, the information will transfer to the other forms.

3) Submit a Workspace: An application may be submitted through workspace by clicking the Sign and Submit button on the Manage Workspace page, under the Forms tab. Grants.gov recommends submitting your application package at least 24-48 hours prior to the closing date to provide you with time to correct any potential technical issues that may disrupt the application submission.

4) Track a Workspace Submission: After successfully submitting a workspace application, a Grants.gov Tracking Number (GRANTXXXXXXXX) is automatically assigned to the application. The number will be listed on the Confirmation page that is generated after submission. Using the tracking number, access the Track My Application page under the Applicants tab or the Details tab in the submitted workspace.

For additional training resources, including video tutorials, refer to https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-training.html.

Helpful Reminders

1) REGISTER EARLY – Grants.gov registration involves many steps including registration on SAM (www.sam.gov) which may take approximately one week to complete, but could take upwards of several weeks to complete, depending upon the completeness and accuracy of the data entered into the SAM database by an applicant.

You may begin working on your application while completing the registration process, but you cannot submit an application until all of the Registration steps are complete.

Please note that once your SAM registration is active, it will take 24-48 hours for the information to be available in Grants.gov, and before you can submit an application through Grants.gov. For detailed information on the Registration Steps, please go to:

http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html. [Note: Your organization will need to update its SAM registration annually.]

Primary information about SAM is available at www.sam.gov. However, to further assist you with obtaining and registering your DUNS number and TIN in SAM or updating your existing SAM account, the Department of Education has prepared a SAM.gov Tip Sheet which you can find at: http://www2.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/sam-faqs.html.

2) SUBMIT EARLY – We strongly recommend that you do not wait until the last day to submit your application. Grants.gov will put a date/time stamp on your application and then process it after it is fully uploaded. The time it takes to upload an application will vary depending on a number of factors including the size of the application and the speed of your Internet connection, and the time it takes Grants.gov to process the application will vary as well. If Grants.gov rejects your application (see step three below), you will need to resubmit successfully to Grants.gov before 4:30:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on the deadline date.

Note: To submit successfully, you must provide the DUNS number on your application that was used when you registered as an Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) on Grants.gov. This DUNS number is typically the same number used when your organization registered with the SAM. If you do not enter the same DUNS number on your application as the DUNS you registered with, Grants.gov will reject your application.

3) VERIFY SUBMISSION IS OK – You will want to verify that Grants.gov received your application submission on time and that it was validated successfully. To see the date/time your application was received, login to Grants.gov and click on the Track My Application link. For a successful submission, the date/time received should be earlier than 4:30:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on the deadline date, AND the application status should be: Validated, Received by Agency, or Agency Tracking Number Assigned. Once the Department of Education receives your application from Grants.gov, an Agency Tracking Number (PR/award number) will be assigned to your application and will be available for viewing on Grants.gov’s Track My Application link.

If the date/time received is later than 4:30:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on the deadline date, your application is late. If your application has a status of “Received” it is still awaiting validation by Grants.gov. Once validation is complete, the status will either change to “Validated” or “Rejected with Errors.” If the status is “Rejected with Errors,” your application has not been received successfully. Some of the reasons Grants.gov may reject an application can be found on the Grants.gov site:

http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/encountering-error-messages.html. For more detailed information on troubleshooting Adobe errors, you can review the Adobe Reader Software Tip Sheet at: http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility.html. If you discover your application is late or has been rejected, please see the instructions below. Note: You will receive a series of confirmations both online and via e-mail about the status of your application. Please do not rely solely on e-mail to confirm whether your application has been received timely and validated successfully.

Submission Problems – What should you do?

If you have problems submitting to Grants.gov before the closing date, please contact Grants.gov Customer Support at 1-800-518-4726 or email at: support@grants.gov or access the Grants.gov Self-Service Knowledge Base web portal at: https://grants-portal.psc.gov/Welcome.aspx?pt=Grants.

If electronic submission is required, you must submit an electronic application before 4:30:00 p.m., Eastern Time, unless you follow the procedures in the Federal Register notice and qualify for one of the exceptions to the electronic submission requirement and submit, no later than two weeks before the application deadline date, a written statement to the Department that you qualify for one of these exceptions. If electronic submission is optional and you have problems that you are unable to resolve before the deadline date and time for electronic applications, please follow the transmittal instructions for hard copy applications in the Federal Register notice and get a hard copy application postmarked by midnight on the deadline date. (See the Federal Register notice for detailed instructions.)

Helpful Hints When Working with Grants.gov

Please go to http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support.html for help with Grants.gov.

For additional tips related to submitting grant applications, please refer to the Grants.gov Applicant FAQs found at this Grants.gov link:

http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-faqs.html as well as additional information on Workspace at https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-faqs.html#workspace.

Dial-Up Internet Connections

When using a dial up connection to upload and submit your application, it can take significantly longer than when you are connected to the Internet with a high-speed connection, e.g. cable modem/DSL/T1. While times will vary depending upon the size of your application, it can take a few minutes to a few hours to complete your grant submission using a dial up connection. If you do not have access to a high-speed connection and electronic submission is required, you may want to consider following the instructions in the Federal Register notice to obtain an exception to the electronic submission requirement no later than two weeks before the application deadline date.

(See the Federal Register notice for detailed instructions.)

Attaching Files – Additional Tips

Please note the following tips related to attaching files to your application, especially the requirement that applicants only include read-only, flattened .PDF files in their application:

• Ensure that you attach PDF files only for any attachments to your application, and they must be in a read-only, flattened format. PDF files are the only Education approved file type accepted as detailed in the Federal Register application notice. Applicants must submit individual .PDF files only when attaching files to their application. Specifically, the Department will not accept any attachments that contain files within a file, such as

PDF Portfolio files, or an interactive or fillable .PDF file. Any attachments uploaded that are not .PDF files or are password protected files will not be read.

• Grants.gov cannot process an application that includes two or more files that have the same name within a grant submission. Therefore, each file uploaded to your application package should have a unique file name.

• When attaching files, applicants should follow the guidelines established by Grants.gov on the size and content of file names. Uploaded file names must be fewer than 50 characters, and, in general, applicants should not use any special characters.

However, Grants.gov does allow for the following UTF-8 characters when naming your attachments: A-Z, a-z, 0-9, underscore, hyphen, space, period, parenthesis, curly braces, square brackets, ampersand, tilde, exclamation point, comma, semi colon, apostrophe, at sign, number sign, dollar sign, percent sign, plus sign, and equal sign. Applications submitted that do not comply with the Grants.gov guidelines will be rejected at Grants.gov and not forwarded to the Department.

• Applicants should limit the size of their file attachments. Documents submitted that contain graphics and/or scanned material often greatly increase the size of the file attachments and can result in difficulties opening the files. For reference, the average discretionary grant application package with all attachments is less than 5 MB.

Therefore, you may want to check the total size of your package before submission.

APPLICATION SUBMISSION PROCEDURES AND REQUIREMENTS

This program requires the electronic submission of applications.

According to the instructions found in the Federal Register Notice, those requesting and qualifying for an exception to the electronic submission requirement may submit an application by mail, commercial carrier or by hand delivery.

If you want to apply for a grant and be considered for funding, you must meet the following deadline requirements:

Applications Submitted Electronically:

You must submit your grant application through the Internet using the software provided on the Grants.gov Web site (http://www.grants.gov) by 4:30:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on or before the deadline date.

If you submit your application through the Internet via the Grants.gov Web site, you will receive an automatic acknowledgement when we receive your application.

For more information on using Grants.gov, please refer to the Grants.gov information found in this application package and visit http://www.grants.gov.

Submission of Paper Applications by Mail:

If you qualify for an exemption to the electronic submission requirement and you submit your application in paper format by mail (through the U.S. Postal Service or a commercial carrier), you must mail the original and two copies of your application, on or before the application deadline date, to the Department at the following address:

U.S. Department of Education Application Control Center Attention: CFDA Number 84.334A LBJ Basement Level 1 400 Maryland Avenue, SW Washington, DC 20202-4260

You must show proof of mailing consisting of one of the following:

(1) A legibly dated U.S. Postal Service postmark.

(2) A legible mail receipt with the date of mailing stamped by the U.S. Postal Service.

(3) A dated shipping label, invoice, or receipt from a commercial carrier.

(4) Any other proof of mailing acceptable to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education.

If you mail your application through the U.S. Postal Service, we do not accept either of the following as proof of mailing:

1. A private metered postmark.

http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/

2. A mail receipt that is not dated by the U.S. Postal Service.

An applicant should note that the U.S. Postal Service does not uniformly provide a dated postmark. Before relying on this method, an applicant should check with its local post office.

Special Note: Due to potential disruption to normal mail delivery, the Department encourages you to consider using an alternative delivery method (for example, a commercial carrier, such as Federal Express or United Parcel Service; U.S. Postal Service Express Mail; or a courier service) to transmit your application for this competition to the Department. If you use an alternative delivery method, please obtain the appropriate proof of mailing under “Applications Delivered by Mail,” and then follow the instructions for “Applications Delivered by Hand.”

Submission of Paper Applications by Hand Delivery:

If you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission requirement, you (or a courier service) may deliver your paper application to the Department by hand. You must deliver the original and two copies of your application by hand, on or before the application deadline date, to the Department at the following address:

U.S. Department of Education Application Control Center Attention: CFDA Number 84.334A 550 12th Street, SW.

Room 7041, Potomac Center Plaza Washington, DC 20202-4260

Note for Mail or Hand Delivery of Paper Applications:

If you mail or hand deliver your application to the Department—

1. You must indicate on the envelope and--if not provided by the Department--in Item 11 of the SF 424 the CFDA number, including suffix letter, if any, of the competition under which you are submitting your application; and

2. The Application Control Center will mail to you a notification of receipt of your grant application. If you do not receive this notification within 15 business days from the application deadline date, you should call the U.S. Department of Education Application Control Center at (202) 245-6288.

Application Control Center Hours of Operation:

The Application Control Center accepts application deliveries daily between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. (Washington, D.C. time) except Saturdays, Sundays, and Federal holidays.

Late Applications

If your application is late, we will notify you that we will not consider the application.

4000-01-U

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Applications for New Awards; Gaining Early Awareness and

Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (Partnership Grants)

AGENCY: Office of Postsecondary Education, Department of

Education.

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: The Department of Education is issuing a notice inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY) 2018 for the Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate

Programs (GEAR UP) Partnership Grants, Catalog of Federal

Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number 84.334A.

DATES:

Applications Available: June 7, 2018.

Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: [INSERT DATE 36 DAYS

AFTER DATE OF PUBLICATION IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER].

Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: [INSERT DATE 96 DAYS

AFTER DATE OF PUBLICATION IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER].

ADDRESSES: For the addresses for obtaining and submitting an application, please refer to our Common Instructions for

Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary Grant

Programs, published in the Federal Register on February 12, 2018

(83 FR 6003) and available at www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2018-02-

12/pdf/2018-02558.pdf.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Karmon Simms-Coates, U.S.

Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 278-54, Washington, DC 20202-6450. Telephone: (202) 453-7917. Email:

Karmon.Simms-Coates@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:

I. Funding Opportunity Description

Purpose of Program: The GEAR UP program is a discretionary grant program that encourages eligible entities to provide support, and maintain a commitment, to eligible low-income students, including students with disabilities, to assist the students in obtaining a secondary school diploma (or its recognized equivalent) and to prepare for and succeed in postsecondary education. Under the GEAR UP program, the

Department awards grants to two types of entities: (1) States and (2) partnerships consisting of at least one institution of higher education (IHE) and at least one local educational agency

(LEA).

In this notice, the Department invites applications for partnership grants only. We will invite applications for State grants in another notice published in the Federal Register.

Required services under the GEAR UP program are specified in sections 404D(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended

(HEA) (20 U.S.C. 1070a-24(a)), and permissible services under the GEAR UP program are specified in section 404D(b) of the HEA

(20 U.S.C. 1070a-24(b)). For partnership grantees, activities must include providing financial aid information for postsecondary education, encouraging enrollment in rigorous and challenging coursework in order to reduce the need for remediation at the postsecondary level, implementing activities to improve the number of participating students who obtain a secondary school diploma and who complete applications for and enroll in a program of postsecondary education. Activities may also include mentoring, tutoring, supporting dual or concurrent enrollment programs that support participating students in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM), academic and career counseling, financial and economic literacy education, and exposure to college campuses.

Background: On March 2, 2018, the Secretary published in the

Federal Register the Final Supplemental Priorities and

Definitions for Discretionary Grant Programs (83 FR 9096)

(Supplemental Priorities). In order to advance many of these priorities, this notice contains an absolute priority that encompasses several of the supplemental priorities. Because the https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2018/03/02/2018-04291/secretarys-final-supplemental-priorities-and-definitions-for-discretionary-grant-programs https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2018/03/02/2018-04291/secretarys-final-supplemental-priorities-and-definitions-for-discretionary-grant-programs absolute priority includes many categories from which an applicant may choose, and because projects occur over a period of many years, we believe applicants have ample opportunity to address these priorities in their projects.

Priority: This notice contains one absolute priority with several categories. The absolute priority is from the

Supplemental Priorities.

Absolute Priority: For FY 2018 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. Applicants must address at least one priority area in at least three of the following four categories. Addressing additional activities or addressing all four categories will not increase an applicant’s score, but applicants may choose to do

so. Applicants must clearly indicate on their application the specific priority area and categories their project addresses.

The four categories under this priority are:

Category 1: Fostering Flexible and Affordable Paths to

Obtaining Knowledge and Skills.

Projects that are designed to address one or more of the following priority areas:

(a) Developing or implementing pathways to recognized postsecondary credentials (as defined in section 3(52) of the

Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014 (WIOA)) focused on career and technical skills that align with in-demand industry sectors or occupations (as defined in section 3(23) of

WIOA). Students may obtain such credentials through a wide variety of education providers, such as: IHEs eligible for

Federal student financial aid programs, nontraditional education providers (e.g., apprenticeship programs or computer coding boot camps), and providers of self-guided learning;

(b) Providing work-based learning experiences (such as internships, apprenticeships, and fellowships) that align with in-demand industry sectors or occupations (as defined in section

3(23) of WIOA);

(c) Creating or expanding innovative paths to a recognized postsecondary credential or obtainment of job-ready skills that align with in-demand industry sectors or occupations (as defined in section 3(23) of WIOA), such as through career pathways (as defined in section 3(7) of WIOA). Such credentials may be offered to students through a wide variety of education providers, such as providers eligible for Federal student financial aid programs, nontraditional education providers, and providers of self-guided learning; or

(d) Creating or expanding opportunities for students to obtain recognized postsecondary credentials in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, or computer science (as defined in this notice).

Category 2: Promoting Science, Technology, Engineering, or Math

(STEM) Education, With a Particular Focus on Computer Science.

Projects designed to improve student achievement or other educational outcomes in one or more of the following areas:

science, technology, engineering, math, or computer science (as defined in this notice). These projects may address one or more of the following priority areas:

(a) Supporting student mastery of key prerequisites (e.g., Algebra I) to ensure success in all STEM fields, including computer science (as defined in this notice); exposing children or students to building-block skills (such as critical thinking and problem-solving, gained through hands-on, inquiry-based learning); or supporting the development of proficiency in the use of computer applications necessary to transition from a user of technologies, particularly computer technologies, to a developer of them;

(b) Increasing access to STEM coursework, including computer science (as defined in this notice), and hands-on learning opportunities, such as through expanded course offerings, dual-enrollment, high-quality online coursework, or other innovative delivery mechanisms;

(c) Creating or expanding partnerships between schools, LEAs, State educational agencies, businesses, not-for-profit organizations, or IHEs to give students access to internships, apprenticeships, or other work-based learning experiences in

STEM fields, including computer science (as defined in this notice);

(d) Other evidence-based (as defined in 34 CFR 77.1 and in this notice) and innovative approaches to expanding access to high-quality STEM education, including computer science (as defined in this notice); or

(e) Utilizing technology for educational purposes in communities served by rural local educational agencies (as defined in this notice) or other areas identified as lacking sufficient access to such tools and resources.

Category 3: Protecting Freedom of Speech and Encouraging

Respectful Interactions in a Safe Educational Environment, or

Fostering Knowledge and Promoting the Development of Skills that

Prepare Students to be Informed, Thoughtful, and Productive

Individuals and Citizens.

Projects that are designed to address one or more of the following priority areas:

(a) Protecting free speech in order to allow for the discussion of diverse ideas or viewpoints; or

(b) Fostering knowledge of the common rights and responsibilities of American citizenship and civic participation, such as through civics education consistent with section 203(12) of WIOA.

Category 4: Fostering Knowledge and Promoting the Development of Skills that Prepare Students to be Informed, Thoughtful, and

Productive Individuals and Citizens.

Projects that are designed to address supporting instruction in personal financial literacy, knowledge of markets and economics, knowledge of higher education financing and repayment (e.g., college savings and student loans), or other skills aimed at building personal financial understanding and responsibility.

Definitions: These definitions are from the Supplemental

Priorities and 34 CFR 77.1(c).

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

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

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

Computer science does not include using a computer for everyday activities, such as browsing the internet; use of tools like word processing, spreadsheets, or presentation software; or using computers in the study and exploration of unrelated subjects.

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

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.

Experimental study means a study that is designed to compare outcomes between two groups of individuals (such as students) that are otherwise equivalent except for their assignment to either a treatment group receiving a project component or a control group that does not. Randomized controlled trials, regression discontinuity design studies, and single-case design studies are the specific types of experimental studies that, depending on their design and implementation (e.g., sample attrition in randomized controlled trials and regression discontinuity design studies), can meet

What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) standards without reservations as described in the WWC Handbook:

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

(ii) A regression discontinuity design study assigns the project component being evaluated using a measured variable

(e.g., assigning students reading below a cutoff score to tutoring or developmental education classes) and controls for that variable in the analysis of outcomes.

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

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

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

(i) A practice guide prepared by the WWC using version 2.1 or 3.0 of the WWC Handbook reporting a “strong evidence base” or

“moderate evidence base” for the corresponding practice guide recommendation;

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

(iii) A single experimental study or quasi-experimental design study reviewed and reported by the WWC using version 2.1 or 3.0 of the WWC Handbook, or otherwise assessed by the

Department using version 3.0 of the WWC Handbook, as appropriate, and that--

(A) Meets WWC standards with or without reservations;

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

(C) Includes no overriding statistically significant and negative effects on relevant 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

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

Project component means an activity, strategy, intervention, process, product, practice, or policy included in a project. Evidence may pertain to an individual project component or to a combination of project components (e.g., training teachers on instructional practices for English learners and follow-on coaching for these teachers).

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

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

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

“potentially negative effect” on a relevant outcome; or

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

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

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

Quasi-experimental design study means a study using a design that attempts to approximate an experimental study by identifying a comparison group that is similar to the treatment group in important respects. This type of study, depending on design and implementation (e.g., establishment of baseline equivalence of the groups being compared), can meet WWC standards with reservations, but cannot meet WWC standards without reservations, as described in the WWC Handbook.

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

Rural local educational agency means a local educational agency that is eligible under the Small Rural School Achievement

(SRSA) program or the Rural and Low-Income School (RLIS) program authorized under Title V, Part B of the Elementary and Secondary

Education Act of 1965, as amended. Eligible applicants may determine whether a particular district is eligible for these programs by referring to information on the Department’s website at www2.ed.gov/nclb/freedom/local/reap.html.

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

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

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

“potentially negative effect” on a relevant outcome; or

(iii) A single experimental study reviewed and reported by the WWC using version 2.1 or 3.0 of the WWC Handbook, or otherwise assessed by the Department using version 3.0 of the

WWC Handbook, as appropriate, and that—

(A) Meets WWC standards without reservations;

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

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

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

What Works Clearinghouse Handbook (WWC Handbook) means the standards and procedures set forth in the WWC Procedures and

Standards Handbook, Version 3.0 or Version 2.1 (incorporated by reference, see 34 CFR 77.2). Study findings eligible for review under WWC standards can meet WWC standards without reservations, meet WWC standards with reservations, or not meet WWC standards.

WWC practice guides and intervention reports include findings from systematic reviews of evidence as described in the Handbook documentation.

Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1070a-21—-1070a-28.

Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General

Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 75, 77, 79, 81, 82, 84, 86, 97, 98, and 99. (b) The Office of Management and Budget Guidelines to Agencies on Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension (Nonprocurement) in 2 CFR part 180, as adopted and amended as regulations of the Department in 2 CFR part 3485.

(c) The Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards in 2 CFR part 200, as adopted and amended as regulations of the Department in 2 CFR part 3474. (d) The regulations for this program in 34 CFR part

694.

Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to IHEs only.

II. Award Information

Type of Award: Discretionary grants.

Estimated Available Funds: The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018…