PKG00259480-instructions.docx

U.S. Department of Education Office of Elementary and Secondary Education School Choice and Improvement Programs Washington, D.C. 20202-5970

Fiscal Year 2020 Application for New Grants Under the Magnet Schools Assistance Program

CFDA 84.165A

FORM APPROVED

Approved OMB Number: 1894-0006 Expiration Date: 1/31/2021

Dated Material - Open Immediately CLOSING DATE: May 26, 2020

TABLE OF CONTENTS

LETTER TO THE APPLICANT

Dear Applicant:

Thank you for your interest in the Magnet Schools Assistance Program (MSAP), administered by the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, School Choice & Improvement Programs of the U.S. Department of Education (Department). The MSAP, authorized under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA), as amended, provides funding to local educational agencies interested in supporting the development and implementation of magnet schools to reduce, eliminate or prevent minority group isolation, to assist in the achievement of systemic reforms, and to provide all students with the opportunity to meet challenging academic content and student academic achievement standards.

Please take the time to thoroughly review the Notice Inviting Applications (NIA) for FY 2020 published in the Federal Register, especially the selection criteria, competitive preference priorities, and all of the application instructions. An application will not be evaluated for funding if the applicant does not comply with all of the procedural rules that govern the submission of the application or the application does not contain the information required under the program (EDGAR §75.216 (b) and (c)).

Using FY 2020 funds, the Department expects to award approximately $23,500,887 for new grants under this competition. We will award discretionary grants on a competitive basis for a project period of up to 60 months. Grants are expected to be awarded no later than September 30, 2020.

I invite you to take advantage of this opportunity to implement magnet schools that will promote high student academic achievement; promote diversity; reduce, eliminate, or prevent minority group isolation; and, promote a choice of curriculum delivery. Please visit our program website at https://oese.ed.gov/offices/office-of-discretionary-grants-support-services/school-choice-improvement-programs for more information about the MSAP program.

Finally, the Department will be able to develop a more efficient process for reviewing grant applications if it has a better understanding of the number of entities that intend to apply for funding under this competition. Therefore, we encourage potential applicants to notify us of their intent to submit an application by April 9. This form is also available on our website.

If you have any questions about the program after reviewing the application package, please contact Gillian Cohen-Boyer by telephone at (202) 401-1259 or via e-mail at msap.team@ed.gov.

Sincerely, Norris Dickard, Director School Choice & Improvement Programs

NOTICE INVITING APPLICATIONS

Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.165A.

Magnet Schools Assistance Program

Applications Available: March 10, 2020

Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply: April 9, 2020

Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: May 26, 2020

The full text of the Magnet Schools Assistance Program FY 2020 Notice Inviting Applications can be found on the Federal Register Website.

THE APPLICATION PROCESS

The following is a brief overview of the application process for the Magnet Schools Assistance Program (MSAP):

Getting Started

All interested applicants should first thoroughly review the Notice Inviting Applications (NIA) for FY 2020 published in the Federal Register. The NIA will orient applicants with the MSAP by providing the following information:

· Background information and purpose of the program;

· Eligibility requirements;

· Competitive Preference Priorities;

· Selection Criteria and assigned points;

· Instructions on how to electronically submit the application.

Applicants should pay close attention to the Selection Criteria as applications will be evaluated and scored against these criteria.

Pre-Application Webinar Information

The Department intends to provide technical assistance to interested applicants. Detailed information regarding this webinar/these webinars will be provided on the program website. A recording of each webinar will be available on the website following the session(s).

Completing and Submitting Your Application

A complete application consists of the following components:

· Abstract Narrative;

· Project Narrative;

· Budget Narrative;

· Appendices; and

· Required Forms:

· Standard Forms,

· Assurances and Certifications, and

· MSAP Forms

Each component is discussed in detail in the subsequent pages of this application package. Once the application is complete, it must be submitted electronically using the Grants.gov application system. A detailed discussion of Grants.gov may also be found in the subsequent pages of this application package. Applicants are encouraged to familiarize themselves with this system and to submit their applications early.

All MSAP applications must be received on or before May 26, 2020.

It is mandatory for applicants to use Grants.gov. We strongly encourage you to familiarize yourself with and register for the for the Grants.gov system and submit early. Only applications submitted in a timely manner using Grants.gov will be considered for funding. Late applications will not be accepted. The Department is required to enforce the established deadline to ensure fairness to all applications.

We strongly recommend that you do not wait until the last day to submit your application. The time it takes to upload the narratives for your application will vary depending on a number of factors including the size of the files and the speed of your Internet connection. If you try to submit your application after 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the deadline date, the Grants.gov system will not accept it.

Please note that U.S. Department of Education grant application deadlines are 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time. No changes or additions to an application will be accepted after the deadline date and time.

Application Checklist

Use the checklist that follows as a guide to ensure that your application is complete and includes all of the necessary forms and information.

Assurances and Certifications Magnet Schools Assistance Program Assurances Standard Assurances for Non-Construction Programs (SF-424B) Grants.gov Lobbying Form

Instructions for ED Abstract Narrative

The abstract is to be attached to the “ED Abstract Attachment Form” in the application package in Grants.gov.

The abstract narrative must not exceed one page and should use language that will be understood by a range of audiences. For all projects, include the project title (if applicable), major project goals and objectives, the names of the magnet schools that will participate in the project, a brief description of the special curricular programs (e.g., Math and Science, Montessori, Performing Arts, etc.) that each magnet school will implement, and the number of students expected to participate in each magnet school program.

Instructions for Application/Project Narrative

Project Narrative Attachment Form (found in the Grants.gov application package) – This is where applicants will attach their narrative responses to the selection criteria and the following competitive preference priorities:

· Competitive Preference Priority 1—Need for Assistance

· Competitive Preference Priority 4—Increasing Racial Integration and Socioeconomic Diversity

This part of the application constitutes the portion of the application that is subject to the suggested page limit described in the Federal Register notice inviting applications for this competition.

To facilitate the review of the your Magnet Schools Assistance Program application, we recommend that you address the competitive preference priority for “Need for Assistance”, the competitive preference priority for “Increasing Racial Integration and Socioeconomic Diversity”, and then the selection criteria published in the application notice in the order in which they appear in the Federal Register notice inviting applications for this competition.

You will provide data needed to respond to Competitive Preference Priority 3 – “Selection of Students” in Table 5 and Competitive Preference Priority 2 - “New and Revised Magnet Schools” in Table 6. The information needed to respond to these priorities is not subject to the suggested page limit that applies to the application/project narrative part of the application.

Notes

Competitive Preference Priority 2—Revised or New Magnet Schools Projects

You are encouraged to carry out a new evidence-based (as defined in the notice) magnet school program or significantly revise an existing magnet school program using evidence-based methods and practices, as available, or replicate an existing magnet school program that has a demonstrated record of success in increasing student academic achievement and reducing isolation of minority groups.

The proposal should specify the intervention(s) in the study or studies that you plan to implement, the findings within the citations that you are requesting to be considered as evidence based, including page number(s) of specific tables if applicable. The Department will not consider a study citation or citations that you fail to clearly identify for review. No more than two studies may be submitted under this part.

In addition to referencing the study citation or citations in the application narrative, you must include a copy of the full study or studies in the Appendix. References to the citation or citations or the provision of publicly accessible links that lead to the study or studies are not, in and of themselves, sufficient. If the Department determines that an applicant has provided insufficient information, the applicant will not have an opportunity to provide additional information at a later time.

Instructions for Submitting Evidence

As a guide, we offer the following example for submitting evidence. It is suggested that you address the three following pieces (citation, citation outcome(s), and relevance to proposed project) in your response to satisfy this CPP:

Citation. Provide the full citation for each study you are putting forth for consideration. If the study has been reviewed by the WWC, please include the rating it received.

Example:

Bettinger, E.P., & Baker, R. (2011). The effects of student coaching in college: An evaluation of a randomized experiment in student mentoring. Stanford, CA: Stanford University School of Education.

Meets WWC Group Design Standards without Reservations.

Citation Outcome(s). Describe: 1) the outcomes in the study presented and how those outcomes are statistically significant; and 2) how the outcomes in the evidence relate to the outcomes in your project.

Example:

This study found that students assigned to receive coaching and mentoring were significantly more likely than students in the comparison group to remain enrolled at their institutions.

The proposed project will create an institutional mentoring and support structure that trains the professional staff and faculty coaches on how and when to effectively communicate with students who are at risk for withdrawing from or failing out of school.

Relevance to Proposed Project. Briefly describe the intervention used in the study presented as evidence. How does the evidence relate to your proposed project? Will your proposed project measure the same outcomes? What link is there between the study presented and your proposed intervention and/or study? If applicable, explain how the population in your proposed project is similar to that used in the cited study.

Example:

The intervention in the study is a form of college mentoring called student coaching. Students were randomly assigned an individual coach who helped students throughout the first year of college. Coaches helped with a number of issues, including prioritizing studies and identifying barriers and ways to overcome them. Coaches were encouraged to contact their assignees by either phone, email, text messaging, or social networking sites.

Our project will train professional staff and faculty coaches on the most effective way(s) to communicate with their mentees, suggest topics for mentors to talk to their mentees, and be aware of signals to prevent withdrawal or academic failure.

The full study sample consisted of 13,555 students. The number of students examined for purposes of retention was 2,694. Sample characteristics for just these students are not presented; thus, the following characteristics are for the full sample of students in the study: control had a mean of 49% females, intervention group had a mean of 50% females and the average age for control students was 30.5, for intervention students it was 30.6.

Alpha Beta Community College has 7,000 new students every year with a retention/completion rate of 55%. Our student body has 48% males and 52% females. ABCC student body has an average age of 28.5 years.

The What Works Clearinghouse Procedures and Standards Handbook (Version 3.0), as well as the What Works Clearinghouse Handbooks released in October 2017 (Version 4.0) and January 2020 (Version 4.1), are available at: https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/Handbooks.

The Secretary has established five performance measures to assess progress toward meeting the purpose of the MSAP. Three are annual measures and two are long-term measures.

The three annual performance measures are:

(1) The number and percentage of magnet schools receiving assistance whose student enrollment reduces, eliminates, or prevents minority group isolation.

(2) The percentage increase of students from major racial and ethnic groups in magnet schools receiving assistance who score proficient or above on State assessments in reading/language arts as compared to previous year’s data.

(3) The percentage increase of students from major racial and ethnic groups in magnet schools receiving assistance who score proficient or above on State assessments in mathematics as compared to previous year’s data.

The two long-term performance measures are:

(4) The percentage of magnet schools that received assistance that are still operating magnet school programs three years after Federal funding ends.

(5) The percentage of magnet schools that received assistance that meet the State’s annual measurable objectives and, for high schools, graduation rate targets at least three years after Federal funding ends.

At the end of your project period, you must submit a final performance report, including financial information, as directed by the Secretary. If you receive a multi-year award, you must submit an annual performance report that provides the most current performance and financial expenditure information as specified by the Secretary in 34 CFR 75.118. For specific requirements on grantee reporting, please refer to the ED Grant Performance Report (ED 524-B Form) at: http://www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/appforms/appforms.html.

Instructions for Budget Narrative

The Budget Narrative Attachment Form in the Grants.gov application package is where applicants attach budget information.

Provide an itemized budget breakdown, and justification by project year, for each budget category listed in Sections A and B. For grant projects that will be divided into two or more separately budgeted major activities or sub-projects, show for each budget category of a project year the breakdown of the specific expenses attributable to each sub-project or activity.

If applicable to this program, provide the rate and base on which fringe benefits are calculated.

Additionally, in providing explanations and comments, applicants should identify planning costs, which are subject to limitations under Section 4408 of the MSAP Statute. Specifically, planning costs are limited to 50% of the amount awarded for the first year of the project; 15% for the second year of the project; and 15% for the third year of the project. Planning costs would include, for example, any cost incurred in the first year of a project for a magnet school that would not begin to implement its program until the second year of the project. Applicants are reminded that evaluation costs and professional development costs are not considered to be planning costs.

If you are requesting reimbursement for indirect costs on line 10, specify the estimated amount of the base to which the indirect cost rate is applied and the total indirect expense. Depending on your approved Indirect Cost Rate Agreement, some direct cost budget categories in your grant application budget may not be included in the base and multiplied by your indirect cost rate. Please indicate which costs are included and which costs are excluded from the base to which the indirect cost rate is applied. Provide other explanations or comments you deem necessary.

Instructions for Other Documents & Attachments

The other documents needed for your application will include:

· Desegregation plan information

· Tables 1 through 6 that provide information about various aspects of your project, including the enrollment data required by §280.20(f) in the Magnet Schools Assistance Program regulations

· Resumes, letters of support (optional), joint applications information (if necessary) and assurances.

Tables 1-6 are located on the MSAP website at https://oese.ed.gov/offices/office-of-discretionary-grants-support-services/school-choice-improvement-programs/magnet-school-assistance-program-msap/applicant-info-and-eligibility/. Please download the forms, complete the forms, “save as” the table number, and upload the completed forms as an attachment to the rest of the application in Grants.gov.

Desegregation Plan Information Form

Check the appropriate box to indicate whether the applicant is implementing a required plan or a voluntary plan. The applicant must also attach copies of the appropriate documents (described in further detail below) based on the type of desegregation plan that the applicant is implementing.

Tables 1 – 4—Enrollment Data

These tables provide current and projected enrollment data for the applicant, the magnet schools included in the project and schools from which students would be drawn (feeder schools). Specific instructions for this set of tables are included with the tables. A separate copy of Table 3 will be needed for each magnet school included in the project. A separate copy of Table 4 will be needed for each feeder school included in the project.

Table 5—Selection of Students-Competitive Preference 3

Provide data for each magnet school included in the project. Specific instructions for this table are included with the table.

Complete a separate Table 5 for each school in the proposed project.

Table 6—New or Revised Magnet Schools Projects-Competitive Preference 2

Provide data for each magnet school identified in Tables 1 – 5. Specific instructions for this table are included with the table.

The questions are designed to help applicants identify if the schools included in the proposed project are considered new or revised programs, and if considered revised, the significance of the revision.

Complete a separate Table 6 for each school in the proposed project.

Resumes

Provide individual resumes for the proposed project directors and other key personnel described in project narrative. Provide brief resumes or, for positions that would be filled after a grant is awarded, job descriptions that include relevant qualifications for the individual(s) that the district would seek to recruit for those positions. Each resume should be limited to no more than three pages in length.

Letters of Support (Optional)

Joint Application Information (if necessary)

If the application is a joint application between two or more local educational agencies to implement an inter-district magnet schools plan, the application must provide the information described in 34 CFR 75.128 concerning the agency that will be designated as the applicant and the agreement between members of the group.

Assurances

In addition to the standard assurances contained elsewhere in the application package, a Magnet Schools Assistance Program application requires the inclusion of a signed copy of the Magnet Schools Assistance Program assurances. Download this form from the application package, sign, and upload the signed form to the narrative section tab titled- Magnet Schools Assistance Program Assurances.

DESEGREGATION PLAN INFORMATION FORMS

Type of Desegregation Plan (Check One & Attach the Appropriate Documents)

A Required Plan: A plan that is (1) implemented pursuant to a final order of a court of the United States, or a court of any State, or any other state agency or official of competent jurisdiction and (2) the order requires the desegregation of minority group segregated children or faculty in the elementary and secondary schools of that agency or those agencies.

Attach the Following Documents

· A copy of the court or agency order that demonstrated that the magnet school(s) for which assistance is sought under the grant are a part of the approved plan.

· Note: If the applicant is implementing a previously approved plan that does not include the magnet school(s) for which assistance is requested, the plan must be modified to include the new magnet school(s). The applicant must obtain approval of the new magnet schools, or any other modification to its desegregation plan, from the court, agency or official that originally approved the plan. The date by which proof of approval of any desegregation plan modification must be submitted to the US Department of Education is identified in the closing date notice.

Any required desegregation plan modification should be received by June 11, 2020 and should be sent to:

Gillian Cohen-Boyer U.S. Department of Education Office of Elementary and Secondary Education 400 Maryland Avenue SW Washington, DC 20202-5970

A Voluntary Plan: A plan to reduce, eliminate or prevent minority group isolation that is being implemented (or would be implemented if assistance under the Magnet Schools Assistance Program is made available) on either a voluntary basis or as required under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Attach the Following Documents

· A copy of the plan

· A copy of the school board resolution adopting and implementing the plan, or agreeing to adopt and implement the plan upon the award of assistance.

Instructions for Enrollment Data

These instructions apply to Tables 1-4. The tables are displayed in a suggested format, and applicants may provide the data in a different format if they choose to do so. However submitted, this data is needed for each magnet school included in the project. The tables that are included in this application guide packet are for demonstration only. The official enrollment data tables are located on the Magnet Schools Assistance Program website at https://oese.ed.gov/offices/office-of-discretionary-grants-support-services/school-choice-improvement-programs/magnet-school-assistance-program-msap/applicant-info-and-eligibility/. You will need to download each PDF table, complete the table, “save as” the appropriate table name, and upload each table with your application in Grants.gov.

Enrollment Data for the Local Educational Agency (LEA) – Tables 1 and 2

Provide actual enrollment data as of October 1, 2019 (or the closest date to October 1, 2019 when the LEA’s enrollment data was collected) for the grade levels (e.g., PK-8, as applicable) affected by the project that shows the enrollment disaggregated by race and ethnicity of students in the LEA’s schools. If the application is a joint application, provide data for the schools of each participating LEA.

Provide enrollment data for the grade levels affected by the magnet project that shows the projected number of students as of October 1, 2020 (Project Yr. 1: School Yr. 2020-2021), October 1, 2021 (Project Yr. 2: School Yr. 2021-2022), October 1, 2022 (Project Yr. 3: School Yr. 2022-2023), October 1, 2023 (Project Yr. 4: School Yr. 2023-2024), and October 1, 2024 (Project Yr. 5: School Yr. 2024-2025).

If the project includes any magnet schools that are existing magnet schools (i.e., schools that already implement a magnet program whether or not the magnet school or program has been previously supported with MSAP funds), identify the school year in which the school began implementation of a magnet program in Table 2. Appropriately identify the status (i.e., new, revised, etc.) of all proposed schools.

Enrollment Data for the Magnet Schools Included in the Project – Table 3

Provide actual enrollment data as of October 1, 2019 (or the closest date to October 1, 2019 when the LEA’s enrollment data was collected) by grade that shows the number of students disaggregated by race and ethnicity enrolled in each magnet school.

(Special Note: If a school has no enrollment for the 2019-2020 school year, for example because it is a new school, provide an estimate of the enrollment that the school would have had for the 2019-2020 school year if it had operated as a regular school, consistent with the applicant’s policy for assigning students to regular non-magnet schools.)

Provide projected enrollment data by grade for each magnet school that shows the projected number of students disaggregated by race and ethnicity as of October 1, 2020 (Project Yr. 1: School Yr. 2020-2021), October 1, 2021 (Project Yr. 2: School Yr. 2021-2022), October 1, 2022 (Project Yr. 3: School Yr. 2022-2023), October 1, 2023 (Project Yr. 4: School Yr. 2023-2024), and October 1, 2024 (Project Yr. 5: School Yr. 2024-2025). Projected enrollment data should show what each magnet school’s enrollment would be expected to be if the magnet program is successfully implemented.

Enrollment Data for Feeder Schools – Table 4

(Note: The Magnet Schools Assistance Program defines “feeder schools” as the schools from which students are drawn, that is the schools at the same grade level as the magnet school that students would have attended if they did not attend the magnet school.)

Provide actual enrollment data as of October 1, 2019 (or the closest date to October 1, 2019 when the LEA’s enrollment data was collected) for each feeder school that shows the number of students disaggregated by race and ethnicity enrolled in those schools and identifies the magnet school(s) associated with each feeder school. If the application is a joint application, provide separate data for the feeder schools from each participating LEA.

Provide projected enrollment data for the feeder schools identified above that shows the projected number of students as of October 1, 2020 (Project Yr. 1: School Yr. 2020-2021), October 1, 2021 (Project Yr. 2: School Yr. 2021-2022), October 1, 2022 (Project Yr. 3: School Yr. 2022-2023), October 1, 2023 (Project Yr. 4: School Yr. 2023-2024), and October 1, 2024 (Project Yr. 5: School Yr. 2024-2025). Projected enrollment data should show what enrollment of feeder schools would be expected to be if the magnet program is successfully implemented.

If the application is a joint application, provide separate data for the schools of each participating LEA.

STANDARD FORMS, ASSURANCES, AND CERTIFICATIONS

The standard forms used for the Magnet Schools Assistance Program grant competition are:

· Application Form for Federal Assistance (SF 424 and Supporting Documents)

· ED Supplemental Form for SF 424

· Budget Information, Non-Construction Programs (ED 524, Sections A, B, and C)

· Certification Regarding Lobby (Grants.gov)

· Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL)

· General Education Provisions Act (GEPA) Requirements – Section 427

These forms are located at http://www2.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/appforms/appforms.html.

Please Note:

· The Standard Assurance form, Non-Construction Programs is now completed in Sam.Gov.

· It is required to submit one of the lobbying forms. However, to avoid submission errors, we have made them both optional in Grants.Gov

The following forms are provided as examples.

Application for Federal Assistance SF-424

Instructions for SF-424

This is a standard form required for use as a cover sheet for submission of pre-applications and applications and related information under discretionary programs. Some of the items are required and some are optional at the discretion of the applicant or the federal agency (agency). Required fields on the form are identified with an asterisk (*) and are also specified as “Required” in the instructions below. In addition to these instructions, applicants must consult agency instructions to determine other specific requirements.

• Pre-application

• Application

• Changed/Corrected Application – Check if this submission is to change or correct a previously submitted application. Unless requested by the agency, applicants may not use this form to submit changes after the closing date.

Enter the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance number and title of the program under which assistance is requested, as found in the program announcement, if applicable.

• New – An application that is being submitted to an agency for the first time.

• Continuation - An extension for an additional funding/budget period for a project with a projected completion date. This can include renewals.

• Revision - Any change in the federal government’s financial obligation or contingent liability from an existing obligation. If a revision, enter the appropriate letter(s). More than one may be selected. If "Other" is selected, please specify in text box provided.

A. Increase Award D. Decrease Duration B. Decrease Award E. Other (specify) C. Increase Duration

(Required) Select the appropriate box. This question applies to the applicant organization, not the person who signs as the authorized representative. Categories of federal debt include; but, may not be limited to: delinquent audit disallowances, loans and taxes. If yes, include an explanation in an attachment.

f. Name and contact information of person to be contacted on matters involving this application: Enter the first and last name (Required); prefix, middle name, suffix, title. Enter organizational affiliation if affiliated with an organization other than that in 7.a. Telephone number and email (Required); fax number.

A. State Government B. County Government C. City or Township Government D. Special District Government E. Regional Organization F. U.S. Territory or Possession G. Independent School District H. Public/State Controlled Institution of Higher Education I. Indian/Native American Tribal Government (Federally Recognized) J. Indian/Native American Tribal Government (Other than Federally Recognized) K. Indian/Native American Tribally Designated Organization L. Public/Indian Housing Authority M. Nonprofit N. Private Institution of Higher Education O. Individual P. For-Profit Organization (Other than Small Business) Q. Small Business R. Hispanic-serving Institution S. Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) T. Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs) U. Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions V. Non-US Entity W. Other (specify)

Supplemental Information for the SF-424

U.S. Department of Education

1. Project Director:

Prefix: * First Name: Middle Name: * Last Name: Suffix:

Address:

* Street1:

Street2:

* City:

County:

* State: * Zip Code: Country:

* Phone Number (give area code): Fax Number (give area code):

* Email Address:

2. Novice Applicant:

Are you are a novice applicant as defined in the regulations in 34 CFR 75.225 (and included in the definitions page in the attached instructions)?

Yes No

3. Human Subjects Research:

a. Are any research activities involving human subjects planned at any time during the proposed Project Period?

Yes No

b. Are ALL the research activities proposed designated to be exempt from the regulations?

Yes Provide Exemption(s) # (s): 1 2 3 4 5 6

No Provide Assurance #(s), if available:

c. If applicable, please attach your “Exempt Research” or “Nonexempt Research” narrative to this form as indicated in the definitions page in the attached instructions.

OMB Number: 1894-0006 Expiration Date: 1/31/2021 Supplemental Information Instructions for the SF-424

1. Project Director. Name, address, telephone and fax numbers, and e-mail address of the person to be contacted on matters involving this application. Items marked with an asterisk (*) are mandatory.

2. Novice Applicant. Check “Yes” if you meet the definition for novice applicants specified in the regulations in 34 CFR 75.225 and included on the attached page entitled “Definitions for U.S. Department of Education Supplemental Information for the SF-424”). By checking “Yes” the applicant certifies that it meets these novice applicant requirements. Check “No” if you do not meet the definition for novice applicants.

This novice applicant information will be used by ED to: 1) determine the amount and type of technical assistance that a novice might need, if funded, and 2) determine novice applicant eligibility in discretionary grant competitions that give special consideration to novice applications. Certain ED discretionary grant programs give special consideration to novice applications, either by establishing a special competition for novice applicants or by giving competitive preference to novice applicants under the procedures in 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2). If special consideration is being given to novice applications under a particular discretionary grant competition, the application notice for the competition published in the Federal Register will specify this information

3. Human Subjects Research. (See I. A. “Definitions” in attached page entitled “Definitions for U.S. Department of Education Supplemental Information for the SF-424.”)

3a. If Not Human Subjects Research. Check “No” if research activities involving human subjects are not planned at any time during the proposed project period. The remaining parts of Item 3 are then not applicable.

3a. If Human Subjects Research. Check “Yes” if research activities involving human subjects are planned at any time during the proposed project period, either at the applicant organization or at any other performance site or collaborating institution. Check “Yes” even if the research is exempt from the regulations for the protection of human subjects. (See I. B. “Exemptions” in attached page entitled “Definitions for U.S. Department of Education Supplemental Information for SF-424.”)

3b. If Human Subjects Research is Exempt from the Human Subjects Regulations. Check “Yes” if all the research activities proposed are designated to be exempt from the regulations. Check the exemption number(s) corresponding to one or more of the six exemption categories listed in I. B. “Exemptions.” In addition, follow the instructions in II. A. “Exempt Research Narrative” in the attached page entitled “Definitions for U.S. Department of Education Supplemental Information for the SF-424.”

3b. If Human Subjects Research is Not Exempt from Human Subjects Regulations. Check “No” if some or all of the planned research activities are covered (not exempt). In addition, follow the instructions in II. B. “Nonexempt Research Narrative” in the attached page entitled “Definitions for U.S. Department of Education Supplemental Information for the SF-424.”

3b. Human Subjects Assurance Number. If the applicant has an approved Federal Wide Assurance (FWA) on file with the Office for Human Research Protections (OHRP), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, that covers the specific activity, insert the number in the space provided. (A list of current FWAs is available at: http://ohrp.cit.nih.gov/search/search.aspx?styp=bsc) If the applicant does not have an approved assurance on file with OHRP, enter “None.” In this case, the applicant, by signature on the SF-424, is declaring that it will comply with 34 CFR 97 and proceed to obtain the human subjects assurance upon request by the designated ED official. If the application is recommended/selected for funding, the designated ED official will request that the applicant obtain the assurance within 30 days after the specific formal request.

3c. If applicable, please attach your “Exempt Research” or “Nonexempt Research” narrative to your submission of the U.S Department of Education Supplemental Information for the SF-424 form as instructed in item II, “Instructions for Exempt and Nonexempt Human Subjects Research Narratives” in the attached page entitled “Definitions for U.S. Department of Education Supplemental Information for the SF-424.”

Note about Institutional Review Board Approval. ED does not require certification of Institutional Review Board approval with the application. However, if an application that involves non-exempt human subjects research is recommended/selected for funding, the designated ED official will request that the applicant obtain and send the certification to ED within 30 days after the formal request.

No covered human subjects research can be conducted until the study has ED clearance for protection of human subjects in research.

Paperwork Burden Statement According to the Paperwork reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is: 1894-0006. Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to 20 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data resources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. The obligation to respond to this collection is voluntary. If you have comments or concerns regarding the status of your individual submission of this application, please contact (Magnet Schools Assistance Program, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, 3E303, Washington D.C. 20202-5970) directly. Note: Please do not return the completed application this address.

Definitions for Supplemental Information for the SF-424

Definitions:

Novice Applicant (See 34 CFR 75.225)

For discretionary grant programs, novice applicant means any applicant for a grant from ED that—

· Has never received a grant or subgrant under the program from which it seeks funding;

· Has never been a member of a group application, submitted in accordance with 34 CFR 75.127-75.129, that received a grant under the program from which it seeks funding; and

· Has not had an active discretionary grant from the Federal government in the five years before the deadline date for applications under the program. For the purposes of this requirement, a grant is active until the end of the grant’s project or funding period, including any extensions of those periods that extend the grantee’s authority to obligate funds.

In the case of a group application submitted in accordance with 34 CFR 75.127-75.129, a group includes only parties that meet the requirements listed above.

PROTECTION OF HUMAN SUBJECTS IN RESEARCH

I. Definitions and Exemptions

A. Definitions.

A research activity involves human subjects if the activity is research, as defined in the Department’s regulations, and the research activity will involve use of human subjects, as defined in the regulations.

—Research

The ED Regulations for the Protection of Human Subjects, Title 34, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 97, define research as “a systematic investigation, including research development, testing and evaluation, designed to develop or contribute to generalizable knowledge. Activities which meet this definition constitute research whether or not they are conducted or supported under a program that is considered research for other purposes. For example, some demonstration and service programs may include research activities.

—Human Subject

The regulations define human subject as “a living individual about whom an investigator (whether professional or student) conducting research obtains (1) data through intervention or interaction with the individual, or (2) identifiable private information.” (1) If an activity involves obtaining information about a living person by manipulating that person or that person’s environment, as might occur when a new instructional technique is tested, or by communicating or interacting with the individual, as occurs with surveys and interviews, the definition of human subject is met. (2) If an activity involves obtaining private information about a living person in such a way that the information can be directly or indirectly linked to that individual), the definition of human subject is met [Private information includes information about behavior that occurs in a context in which an individual can reasonably expect that no observation or recording is taking place, and information which has been provided for specific purposes by an individual and which the individual can reasonably expect will not be made public (for example, a school health record).]

B. Exemptions.

Research activities in which the only involvement of human subjects will be in one or more of the following six categories of exemptions are not covered by the regulations:

(1) Research conducted in established or commonly accepted educational settings, involving normal educational practices, such as (a) research on regular and special education instructional strategies, or (b) research on the effectiveness of or the comparison among instructional techniques, curricula, or classroom management methods. If an educational practice is being introduced to the site and is not widely used for similar populations, it is not covered by this exemption.

(2) Research involving the use of educational tests (cognitive, diagnostic, aptitude,…