TCT-M Masters Application

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Office of Postsecondary Education

Washington, DC 20006-8526

Fiscal Year 2010

APPLICATION FOR GRANTS UNDER

Teachers For A Competitive Tomorrow: Programs For Master’s Degrees In Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, Or

Critical Foreign Language Education (TCT-M)

CFDA NUMBER: 84.381B

Form Approved: OMB No. 1894-0006, OMB APPROVED

Dated Material – OPEN IMMEDIATELY

Application Available - _________

CLOSING DATE: Insert 30 Days after Availability

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Dear Applicant Letter ……………………….………………………………….…1

Grant Competition Highlights ………………….………………..……………..…3

e-Application Submission Procedures and Tips for Applicants ………..…..........8

Application Transmittal Instructions ………………………………………..…...11

Closing Date Notice………………………………………………………….......…13

Teachers for a Competitive Tomorrow Authorizing Legislation………..…..…..37

Important Notice to Prospective Participants in U.S. Department of Education Contract and Grant Programs ………….…………………………………....…...44

Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs: Executive Order 12372.…...45

General Education Provisions Act (GEPA) Section 427….……………….......…46

The Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA)………………………..48

Instructions for Completing the TCT-M Application Package………………….50

Instructions for Completing the Application Package ………...…………..…….51

Instructions for the Project Narrative/Selection Criteria ……………........…….54

Instructions for Standard Application Forms …………………………………...59

Instructions for the SF-424…………….…………………….…………………….60

Instructions for Department of Education Supplemental Information for

SF 424………………………………………………………………………….……62

Instructions for ED 524 ……………………………………….….……….............67

Instructions for Budget Summary Form and Itemized Line Item Budget .……69

Instructions for Completion of SF-LLL, Disclosure of Lobbying Activities …..71

Survey Instructions on Ensuring Equal Opportunity for Applicants………......73

Application Checklist ………………………………………………………….......74

Paperwork Burden Statement …………………………………………………….75

Contact Information …………………………………………….…………………76

Standard Application Forms………………………………………………………77

Application for Federal Assistance SF-424…… …………………..……………..78

Supplemental Information Required for Department of Education …………...81

U.S. Department of Education Budget Information Non-Construction

Programs.....................................................................................................................82

Certification Regarding Lobbying (formerly ED Form 80-0013) .……………...84

Assurances - Non-Construction Programs (SF 424B)…………………………....85

Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL)…….………………………………..87

Survey on Ensuring Equal Opportunity for Applicants…………………………88

United States Department of Education

Office of Postsecondary Education

Dear Applicant:

Thank you for your interest in applying for a grant under the Teachers for a Competitive Tomorrow: Programs for Master’s Degrees in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, or Critical Foreign Language Education (TCT-M program). We are pleased to provide the application booklet for the fiscal year 2010 competition. Included in this application booklet are the program statute and the instructions and forms needed to submit a complete application package to the U.S. Department of Education.

The TCT-M program provides up to five years of support for training teachers to become highly skilled in the areas of science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and/or critical foreign language, and for training professionals in these fields to earn master’s degrees in teaching that result in teacher certification.

This letter highlights some items in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2010 application package that will be important to you in applying for grants under this program. The application booklet provides information on the program and other competition details, and includes all forms and instructions essential for applying for a FY 2010 TCT-M grant. You should review the entire application package thoroughly before preparing and submitting your application. Information on the TCT-M program is also accessible at the U.S. Department of Education (Department) Web site at:

http://www.ed.gov/programs/tct

Applicants are also urged to carefully review the Statute and the Federal Register notice (the Notice) for important information concerning the critical terms used in this program. These include definitions for “high-need local educational agency” and for “children from low-income families,” since it is necessary to document your compliance with these requirements.

Please be sure to review the entire application booklet for information concerning the TCT-M program. Applicants should pay particular attention to the section entitled “Competition Highlights” that outlines the invitational priorities, as well as other program and competition details.

The Department of Education is requiring that applications for FY 2010 grants under the TCT-M program be submitted electronically using the Electronic Grant Application System (e-Application). You are urged to acquaint yourself with the requirements of e-Application early. A more thorough discussion is included in the application package. E-Application is accessible through its portal page at: http://e-grants.ed.gov.

We also urge you to consider the following extremely important administrative factors if you are planning to apply for this program:

1. We strongly encourage you to register in e-Application early.

2. We strongly recommend that you submit your application 2-3 days prior to the closing date. The time it takes to upload an application will vary depending on a number of factors, including the size of the files and the speed of your Internet connection. The application submission process must be complete prior to the deadline for transmittal of applications.

After you electronically submit your application electronically, you will receive an e-mail to confirm that your application was received, and it will include a unique application number. Please print and keep this e-mail for your records. [Reminder: applications must be submitted before 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the deadline date for applications. E-Application will not accept your application if you try to submit it after 4:30:00 on the deadline date.]

Please review carefully the enclosed materials regarding eligibility and program requirements. Also, please note TCT-M grantees are obligated to provide at least 50 percent of the total award of a TCT-M project from State, local, institutional, or private funds in the form of cash or documented in-kind contributions.

The Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards published in the Federal Register is the official document describing the requirements for applying for a TCT-M grant and provides application submission procedures. You should not rely upon any information that is inconsistent with the guidance contained within the official document.

Finally, we would like to share with you the importance of ensuring that your application includes a strong evaluation plan. The peer reviewers will be instructed to look closely at the potential of applicants to successfully reach their individual project goals, which are driven by the program’s performance indicators. The independent evaluation should include formative and summative measures, and the use of appropriate controls and appropriate evaluation methodologies. The evaluation plan should shape the development of the project from the beginning of the grant period and provide benchmarks for the monitoring of progress and measurement of that progress throughout the grant award period. The evaluation should also provide evidence that enables the differentiation between promising and seemingly ineffective practices. You should pay close attention to the information provided in the “Instructions for the Project Narrative” section of this application regarding the development of your evaluation activity.

For further information regarding the program, please contact James Davis, Team Leader, Teachers for a Competitive Tomorrow program at (202) 502-7802 or at [email protected].

Sincerely,

/signed/

Alan J. Schiff

Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary

Higher Education Programs

GRANT COMPETITION HIGHLIGHTS

1. Purpose of the TCT-M Program

The purpose of this program is to develop and implement 2- or 3-year part-time master’s degree programs in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, or critical foreign language education for teachers in order to enhance the teachers’ content knowledge and pedagogical skills, or develop and implement programs for professionals in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, or critical foreign language education that lead to a one-year master’s degree in teaching that results in teacher certification.

2. Eligible Entities to Receive a TCT-M Program Grant

Institutions of higher education (IHEs) (as defined under section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended) that apply on behalf of a department of science, technology, engineering, mathematics, or a critical foreign language, or on behalf of a department or school that offers a competency-based degree program (in those content areas) that includes teacher certification.

Eligible applicants must enter into a “partnership” that shall include:

1. An eligible recipient

2. Either of the following:

(a) A department within the eligible recipient that provides a program of study in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, or a critical foreign language; and (b) a school, department, or program of education within the eligible recipient, or a 2-year institution of higher education that has a teacher preparation program offering or a dual enrollment program with the eligible recipient;

or

(c) A department or school within the eligible recipient with a competency-based degree program (in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, or a critical foreign language) that includes teacher certification;

3. Not less than one high-need local educational agency (LEA) and a public school or a consortium of public schools served by the agency.

A partnership may include a nonprofit organization that has a demonstrated record of providing expertise or support to meet the purposes of this initiative.

3. Electronic Submission of Applications

TCT-M applications submitted for the FY 2010 competition must be submitted

electronically using e-Application, accessible through the Department’s e-Grants Web site at:

http://e-grants.ed.gov

You are urged to acquaint yourself with the requirements of e-Grants early. A more through discussion is included later in this application package. For technical support regarding e-Application, please call 1-888-336-8930. Also, refer to “e-Application Submission Procedures and Tips for Applicants” found in this application booklet.

Please remember that e-Application closes on Wednesday and on Sunday evenings. The hours of operation (Washington, DC time) are from Monday 6:00 am to Wednesday 7:00 pm and on Thursday 6:00 am to Sunday 8:00 pm. It is advised that you submit your application early to avoid any difficulty in submitting.

Electronic submission of applications is required; therefore, you must submit an electronic application unless you follow the procedures outlined in the Federal Register notice inviting applications for new awards for FY 2010 (the Notice) and qualify for one of the exceptions to the electronic submission requirements. If you think you may need an exception, you are urged to review the requirement promptly.

Please note that you must submit your application by 4:30:00 p.m. (Washington, DC 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.

4. Format of Application

Applicants must double space the application project narrative and use a font that is either 12-

point or larger. The following fonts are required to be used: Times New Roman, Courier,

Courier New, or Arial. Applications submitted in any other font, including Times Roman

and Arial Narrow will not be accepted.

All attachments must be in .DOC, .RTF, or .PDF format. Other types of files will not be

accepted.

5. Invitational Priorities

In the FY 2010 competition, the Department is particularly interested in

applications that meet the following program priorities:

Invitational Priorities (3):

i. Invitational Priority 1: Applicants are encouraged to include plans that propose

programs that target schools that are “struggling”.

ii. Invitational Priority 2: Applicants are encouraged to include plans that propose

programs to serve schools that have “high” high school dropout rates.

iii. Invitational Priority 3: Applicants are encouraged to include plans that propose

programs in which the primary focus is on placing participants in high-

need local educational agencies (LEAs).

Please note that these priorities are explained in detail in the Closing Date

Notice contained in this application package. You are urged to fully review the Closing

Date Notice carefully before preparing your application.

6. Definition of a High-Need Local Educational Agency

The term ‘‘high-need local educational agency’’ means a local educational

agency or educational service agency—

1. (a) That serves not fewer than 10,000 children from low-income families; or

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

(c) With a total of less than 600 students in average daily attendance at the

schools that are served by the agency and all of whose schools are designated with a school locale code of 41, 42, or 43, as determined by the Secretary; and

2. (a) For which there is a high percentage of teachers providing instruction in academic subject areas or grade levels for which the teachers are not highly qualified; or

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

NOTE: See Section III, Number 3 Other, Eligibility Information, of the Federal Register notice for further information on interpreting and documenting this requirement.

7. Page Limit

Applicants are required to adhere to the page limit in the Application Narrative Instruction

portion of the application. The “Notice Inviting Applications” for new awards for FY 2010,

published in the Federal Register, contains specific information governing page limits for

each grant type and formatting instructions. The page limit for the project narrative portion of

the application for the FY 2010 TCT-M competition is 50 pages.

8. Project Abstract

The project abstract is limited to one page, single-spaced or double- spaced. The abstract should include: applicant name, information about the project’s goals and objectives, number of participants (e.g., number of high school teachers expected each year to pursue a master’s degree in a science, technology, engineering, or math field) expected to be served, the target school district(s), a list of partners, and the activities and services that will be implemented during the up to five-year performance period.

Information provided in the TCT-M one-page abstract must be attached into the “Project Narrative – Abstract” in e-Application. Further instructions are provided in the “INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMPLETING THE APPLICATION PACKAGE” section of the application package.

9. Selection Criteria

The Secretary evaluates an application on the basis of the criteria drawn from Section 6114 of the authorizing statute and from the broad criteria in 34 CFR Part 75, sections 75.209(a) and 75.210 of the Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR). The selection criteria and maximum possible points are addressed in this application package.

10. Notice to Successful Applicants

The Department’s Office of Legislation and Congressional Affairs will inform the Congress

regarding applications approved for new TCT-M program grants. Successful applicants will

receive award notices by mail 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. Reasons that the Secretary Shall Reject an Application

Among the reasons that the Secretary shall reject an application are:

• Exceeding the page limits set forth in the Federal Register notice;

• Submitting after the 4:30:00 p.m. Washington, DC time on the designated closing date;

• Failing to include information on the proposed match;

• Requesting more than $250,000 in any budget period for which funding is sought; and/or

• Failing to provide documentation that the partnering LEA meets the “high-need” criteria as defined in the Notice.

13. Annual Performance Report Requirements

If you receive a FY 2010 grant award, you will be required to submit annual and final

performance reports during the up to five-year funding cycle using the Department’s reporting

system. This Web-based system collects narratives and data about funded projects to enable

program officers to determine if a grantee is making substantial progress toward meeting

approved project objectives. The reporting system will be accessible approximately eight

weeks prior to the report due date. Your program officer will assist you in completing this

report.

14. Contact Information

For TCT-M program-related questions and assistance, please contact:

Program Officer: Andrea Baird

Address: Teachers for a Competitive Tomorrow

U.S. Department of Education

1990 K Street, N.W., Room 6143

Washington, DC 20006-8526

Telephone: (202) 502-7797

Fax: (202) 502-7699

E-mail Address: [email protected]

For technical support regarding e-Application, please contact:

Telephone: (888) 336-8930

Helpdesk hours of operation: 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday through Friday,

Washington, DC time.

Also, refer to “e-Application Submission Procedures and Tips for Applicants” found in this

application booklet.

You are reminded that the document published in the Federal Register is the official document,

and that you should not rely upon any information that is inconsistent with the guidelines

contained within the official document.

IMPORTANT – PLEASE READ FIRST

U.S. Department of Education

e-Application Submission Procedures and Tips for Applicants

http://e-grants.ed.gov

To facilitate your use of e-Application, this document includes important application preparation and 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. Please read and follow these step-by-step directions to create and submit your application.

ATTENTION

Applicants using the Department of Education's e-Application system will need to register first to access an application package. Forms in an application package are completed on line and narratives are uploaded while logged into the system. Therefore, allow sufficient time to complete your application before the closing date. If you have not used e-Application in the past, you may want to walk through the Demo available on the e-Application homepage. If you encounter difficulties, you may also contact the e-Grants help desk on 1-888-336-8930. The following are steps you should follow to successfully complete an application with e-Application.

Step 1 – Determine if your program is accepting electronic applications. The Federal Register Notice of each program will indicate whether the program is accepting e-Applications as part of the Department's e-Application program. Here is a link to the Department's Federal Register notices: http://www.ed.gov/news/fedregister/announce/index.html. Additional information on the Department of Education's grant programs can be found at http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocfo/grants/grants.html.

Step 2 – Register in e-Application to access the application package. If you are a new user, you will need to register to use e-Application. From the e-Grants Portal Page http://e-grants.ed.gov/, click on the continue button and click the register button on the right side of the next page. Select the e-Application module and click the next button. Please provide the requested information. Your e-Grants password will be sent to the e-mail address you provide. Once you receive the e-mail, enter your username and password and click the login button.

If you already have a username and password for e-Grants, use them to login. If you have access to more than one e-Grants module, you will be directed to select which module you wish to enter. Keep in mind that this username and password will be used for all e-Grants modules. In order to update your registration for additional e-Grants modules, click the appropriate tab on the top of the screen and provide the requested information.

Note the following browser compatibility problems. The site is viewed best in Internet Explorer 5. We currently support IE 5, Netscape 6.2, Firefox 2.2 (along with later versions of IE, Netscape and Firefox). Please make sure that you have Cookies and JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Step 3 - Add Application Package to your Start Page. From your Start Page, click on the "Add" button to see the list of application packages. Click on a specific package link on the List of Application Packages to apply. The package will now appear on your Start Page. From this point forward, you will access your unique application from your Start Page (not the Packages Page).

Step 4 - Begin the Application. Click on the underlined Application Package Title on your Start Page. This brings you to a page where you will see all of the application's forms and narratives listed as underlined links.

Step 5 - Fill out Forms. Enter a form by clicking on the underlined form title in order to enter data. Remember to click the "Save" button at the bottom of the form and check the "Form Completed" box for each form as you complete it.

Step 6 - Upload File(s) for Narrative Responses. Click on an underlined narrative form title for the e-Application. Enter the title of the document, and click on the "Browse" button to locate your file. Remember to click the "Save" button after you upload the document and check the "Form Completed" box when you finish uploading your file(s). Please note for file uploads, we accept .doc, .rtf, and .pdf files only. If you are using Word 2007, please save your document in a lower version of Word before uploading into e-Application.

Step 7 - Verify Information/Print Application. Verify your information is complete and correct on all required forms and narratives. You have the option to print each form at any time by clicking on the print/view icon next to the appropriate form. After submission of the forms and narratives, you have the option to print a complete e-Application package in PDF by clicking on the “Request Complete Package in PDF” on the e-Application PR/Award page. A second window will open informing you that your request has been received and that you will be notified via e-mail once it is available. This process can take anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours. Once you receive the e-mail, click on the link in the text of the message and enter your username and password in the new window. This will open the PDF file from which you can view/print the entire package. In addition, a blank complete package in PDF will be accessible from the package page in e-Application.

Step 8 - Submit your Application. Only authorized individuals for your organization can submit an application. Please check with your Authorizing Representative or sponsored research office before submission. Click on the "Ready to submit" button at the bottom of your application. Enter and verify the Authorizing Representative information. Click the "Submit" button. You will receive an e-mail to confirm that your application was received, and it will include a unique application number. Please print and keep this e-mail for your records. [Reminder: applications must be submitted before 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the deadline date for applications. E-Application will not accept your application if you try to submit it after 4:30:00 on the deadline date.]

Step 9 - Fax the signed SF 424 Cover Page (or Program Specific Cover Page). Write your unique application number (received in step 8) on the upper right corner of your printed SF 424 Cover Page (or Program Specific Cover Page), and fax it to the Application Control Center (202) 245-6272 within 3 business days of submitting your e-Application.

NOTE: For more detailed information on submitting an e-Application, please see the User Guide. In addition, please try practicing with our e-Application Demo site by clicking on the Demo button found on the upper left corner of the e-Application Home Page. Both the User Guide and Demo can be found at http://e-grants.ed.gov.

Other Submission Tips

1. SUBMIT EARLY - 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 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time on the deadline date, the e-Application system will not accept it.

2) 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.

If electronic submission is required, you must submit an electronic application before 4:30:00 p.m., 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. (See the Federal Register notice for detailed instructions.)

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:

1. Ensure that you only attach the Education approved file types detailed in the Federal Register application notice (.doc, .pdf or .rtf). If using Word 2007, save your file to an earlier version of Word before uploading. Also, do not upload any password-protected files to your application.

2. When attaching files, applicants should limit the size of their file names. Lengthy file names could result in difficulties with opening and processing your application. We recommend you keep your file names to less than 50 characters. In addition, applicants should avoid including special characters in their file names (for example, %, *, /, etc.) Both of these conditions (lengthy file names and/or special characters including in the file names) could result in difficulties opening and processing a submitted application.

3. 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. Please note that each file attachment in e-Application has a file size limitation, which is anywhere from 2 to 8 MB, and the limitation will be indicated on the individual screen when you upload a file. For reference, however, the average discretionary grant application package totals 1 to 2 MB. Therefore, you may want to check the size of your attachments before uploading them into e-Application.

APPLICATION TRANSMITTAL INSTRUCTIONS

Submission of Paper Applications by Mail:

If 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 84.381B)

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.

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

If your application is postmarked after the application deadline date, we will not consider your application.

Note: The U.S. Postal Service does not uniformly provide a dated postmark. Before relying on this method, you should check with your local post office.

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 84.381B)

550 12th Street, SW.

Room 7041, Potomac Center Plaza

Washington, DC 20202-4260

The Application Control Center accepts hand deliveries daily between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, except Saturdays, Sundays, and Federal holidays.

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.

4000-01-U

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Office of Postsecondary Education

Overview Information

Teachers for a Competitive Tomorrow: Programs for Master’s Degrees in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, or Critical Foreign Language Education

Notice inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY) 2010.

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number:

84.381B.

Dates:

Applications Available: [INSERT DATE OF PUBLICATION IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER]

Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: [INSERT DATE 30 DAYS AFTER PUBLICATION IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER]

Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: [INSERT DATE 90 DAYS AFTER PUBLICATION IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER]

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

Purpose of Program: The purpose of the program is to develop and implement 2- or 3-year part-time master’s degree programs in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, or critical foreign language education for teachers in order to enhance the teachers’ content knowledge and pedagogical skills; and to develop programs for professionals in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, or critical foreign language education that lead to a master’s degree in teaching that results in teacher certification.

Priorities: Under this competition, we are particularly interested in applications that address the following three invitational priorities.

Invitational Priorities: For FY 2010 and any subsequent year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applicants from this competition, these priorities are invitational priorities. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(1) we do not give an application that meets these invitational priorities a competitive or absolute preference over other applications.

These priorities are:

Invitational Priority 1

Applicants are encouraged to include plans that propose programs that target schools that are “struggling”. The Department defines “struggling schools” as schools operated by LEAs that have met the elements in paragraphs (1) and (2) of the definition of high-need LEA in Title II, PART A, Sec. 2102(3) of the ESEA, as well as Title VI, Subtitle A, Part I, Sec. 6112(3)(B)(ii) of the TCT statute for the most recent three or more consecutive (school) years.

Invitational Priority 2

Applicants are encouraged to include plans that propose programs to serve schools that have “high” high school dropout rates. For purposes of this program, an LEA has a “high” high school dropout rate if the most recent year’s event high school dropout rate for that LEA exceeds the rate for the State.

Invitational Priority 3

Applicants are encouraged to include plans that propose programs in which the primary focus is on placing participants in high-need local educational agencies (LEAs).

Definition

For purposes of this competition and any subsequent year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applicants from this competition, critical foreign languages are defined as Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Russian, Hindi, Urdu, Persian, and Turkish.

Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 9811, et seq.

Applicable Regulations: The Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80, 82, 85, 86, 97, 98, and 99.

Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 79 apply to all applicants except federally recognized Indian tribes.

Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to institutions of higher education only.

II. Award Information

Type of Award: Discretionary grants.

Estimated Available Funds: $939,000.

Estimated Range of Awards: $200,000-$250,000.

Estimated Average Size of Awards: $234,750.

Maximum Award: We will reject any application that proposes a budget exceeding $250,000 for a single budget period of 12 months. The Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education may change the maximum amount through a notice published in the Federal Register.

Estimated Number of Awards: 4.

Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice.

Project Period: Up to 60 months.

III. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants: An institution of higher education on behalf of a department of science, technology, engineering, mathematics, or a critical foreign language, or on behalf of a department or school with a competency-based degree program (in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, or a critical foreign language) that includes teacher certification. Eligible applicants must enter into a partnership that shall include:

i. An eligible applicant;

ii. (a) A department within the eligible applicant that provides a program of study in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, or a critical foreign language; and (b) A school, department, or program of education within the eligible applicant, or a two-year institution of higher education that has a teacher preparation offering or a dual enrollment program with the eligible applicant; or

iii. A department or school within the eligible applicant with a competency-based degree program (in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, or a critical foreign language) that includes teacher certification; and

iv. Not less than one high-need LEA and a public school or a consortium of public schools served by the agency. A partnership may include a nonprofit organization that has a demonstrated record of providing expertise or support to meet the purposes of this initiative.

2 a. Cost Sharing or Matching: Under 20 U.S.C. 9815(b), each grant recipient must provide, from non-Federal sources, an amount equal to 50 percent of the amount of the grant to carry out the activities supported by the grant.

b. Supplement-Not-Supplant: Under 20 U.S.C. 9815(c), grant funds provided under this program must be used to supplement, and not supplant, other Federal or State funds.

3. Other: Definition of “high-need LEA” and other eligibility information. An eligible applicant must propose a project performed by a partnership that includes one or more “high-need LEAs.” As defined in 20 U.S.C. 9812(3), the term “high-need LEA” is an LEA--

(A)(1) That serves not fewer than 10,000 children from low-income families, or (2) for which not less than 20 percent of the children served by the LEA are from low-income families, or (3) with a total of less than 600 students in average daily attendance at the schools that are served by the agency and all of whose schools are designated with a school locale code of 41, 42, or 43, as determined by the Secretary; and

(B)(1) for which there is a high percentage of teachers providing instruction in academic subject areas or grade levels for which the teachers are not highly qualified; or (2) for which there is a high teacher turnover rate or a high percentage of teachers with emergency, provisional, or temporary certification or licensure.

So that the Department may be able to confirm the eligibility of the LEAs participating in the project, applicants are expected to include information in their applications that demonstrates that each participating LEA in the partnership is a high-need LEA, as defined in 20 U.S.C. 9812(3). Generally, this information should be based on the most recent available data on the number of children from low-income families that the LEA serves. Under components (A)(1) and (A)(2) of the statutory definition of high-need LEA, an LEA must show that it serves not fewer than 10,000 children from low-income families or that not less than 20 percent of the children served by the agency are children from low-income families. Under 20 U.S.C 9812(1), the term “children from low-income families” means children described in section 1124(c)(1)(A) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA), 20 U.S.C. 6333(c)(1)(A). The eligibility of an LEA as a ”high-need LEA” under component (A)(1) or (A)(2) will be determined on the basis of the most recent U.S. Census Bureau data. U.S. Census Bureau data are available for all school districts with geographic boundaries that existed when the U.S. Census Bureau collected its information. The link to the census data is: http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/saipe/district.html. The Department also makes these data available at its Web site at: http://www.ed.gov/programs/lsl/eligibility.html.

Some LEAs, such as newly formed school districts or charter schools in States that accord them LEA status, are not included in Census Bureau poverty data. Eligibility of these particular LEAs will be determined on a case-by-case basis after review of information in the application that addresses, as well as possible, the number or percentage of children from low-income families these LEAs serve.

The school locale codes referenced in component (A)(3) of the definition of “high-need LEA” are part of a classification system designed to describe a geographic area in which a school is located. Locale codes 41, 42, and 43 relate to rural areas. General information regarding the locale classification system and information regarding the locale codes for specific LEAs is available on the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Web site at: http://nces.ed.gov/ccd/rural_locales.asp

With regard to component (B)(1) of the definition of

“high-need LEA,” for purposes of this program, an LEA has "a high percentage of teachers providing instruction in the academic subject areas or grade levels for which the teachers are not highly qualified" if the percentage of its classes taught by teachers who are not highly qualified exceeds the percentage for the State. The Department expects that LEAs that rely on component (B)(1) of the definition will demonstrate their eligibility with information regarding the percentage of teachers providing instruction in the academic subject areas or grade levels for which the teachers are not highly qualified in the LEA and the State.

For component (B)(2) of the statutory definition of ”high-need LEA,” the data that LEAs likely will find most recently available on the percentage of teachers with emergency, provisional, or temporary certification or licensing are expected by the Department to be used to demonstrate the eligibility of the LEAs. The Department will determine that an LEA with over 1.4 percent of its teachers having emergency, provisional, or temporary certification or licensing (i.e., the national average percentage of teachers in States teaching on waivers for the academic year 2007-2008), as reflected in data most currently available to the LEA, has a “high percentage” of its teachers in this category.

The provisional Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA) Title II accountability data for the national average percentage of teachers on waivers to full State certification for the 2006-2007 reporting year was 1.5 percent. This percentage was used as the standard during the first TCT competition in 2008. For purposes of the 2010 competition, an LEA has a high percentage of teachers with emergency, provisional, or temporary certification or licensing (i.e., teachers on waivers to full State certification) if the percentage exceeds 1.4 percent. This standard is consistent with the data that show for academic year 2007-08 the national average percentage of teachers teaching in States without full State certification or licensure.

Under element (B)(2), an LEA may also demonstrate that it is “high-need” by demonstrating that it has a high teacher turnover rate. For this program, we adopt the standard used in the Teacher Quality Enhancement Grants Program, under which the Department considers “high teacher turnover” to be an attrition rate among classroom teachers of 15 percent or more over the last three school years. See 34 C.F.R. 611.1 (definition of “high-need local educational agency”). This standard is consistent with Department data that indicates that 16 percent of teachers teaching during the 2003-04 school year did not return to teach in the same school the following school year. See Marvel, J., Lyter, D.M., Peltola, P., Strizek, G.A., and Morton, B.A. (2006). Teacher Attrition and

Mobility: Results from the 2004–05 Teacher Follow-up Survey (NCES 2007–307). U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing

Office.

IV. Application and Submission Information

1. Address to Request Application Package: You can obtain an application package via the Internet by downloading the package at http://e-Grants.ed.gov.

You also may request a copy of the application package from the following: Andrea Baird, Teachers for a Competitive Tomorrow: Programs for Master’s Degrees in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, or Critical Foreign Language Education, U.S. Department of Education, 1990 K Street, NW., room 6143, Washington, DC 20006-8526. Telephone: (202) 502-7797. Email address: [email protected]

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

Individuals with disabilities can obtain a copy of the application package in an accessible format (e.g., braille, large print, audiotape, or computer diskette) by contacting the program contact person listed in this section.

2. Content and Form of Application Submission: Requirements concerning the content of an application, together with the forms you must submit, are in the application package for this program.

Page Limit: The application narrative is where you, the applicant, address the selection criteria that reviewers use to evaluate your application. You must limit the application narrative (Part III of the Application) to no more than 50 pages, using the following standards:

 A “page” is 8.5” x 11”, on one side only, with 1”

margins at the top, bottom, and both sides.

 Double space (no more than three lines per

vertical inch) all text in the application narrative, including titles, headings, footnotes, quotations, references, and captions, as well as all text in charts, tables, figures, and graphs.

 Use a font that is either 12-point or larger or

no smaller than 10 pitch (characters per inch).

 Use one of the following fonts: Times New Roman,

Courier, Courier New, or Arial. An application submitted in any other font (including Times Roman and Arial Narrow) will not be accepted.

The page limit does not apply to the cover sheet; the budget section, including the narrative budget justification; the assurances and certifications; or the one-page abstract, the resumes, the bibliography, or the letters of support.

We will reject your application if you exceed the page limit.

3. Submission Dates and Times:

Applications Available: [INSERT DATE OF PUBLICATION IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER].

Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: [INSERT DATE 30 DAYS AFTER PUBLICATION IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER].

Applications for grants under this program must be submitted electronically using the Electronic Grant Application system (e-Application) accessible through the Department’s e-Grants site. For information (including dates and times) about how to submit your application electronically, or in paper format by mail or hand delivery if you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission requirement, please refer to section IV. 6. Other Submission Requirements of this notice.

We do not consider an application that does not comply with the deadline requirements.

Individuals with disabilities who need an accommodation or auxiliary aid in connection with the application process should contact the person listed under For Further Information Contact in section VII of this notice. If the Department provides an accommodation or auxiliary aid to an individual with a disability in connection with the application process, the individual’s application remains subject to all other requirements and limitations in this notice.

Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: [INSERT DATE 90 DAYS AFTER DATE OF PUBLICATION IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER].

4. Intergovernmental Review: This program is subject to Executive Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79. Information about Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs under Executive Order 12372 is in the application package for this program.

5. Funding Restrictions: We reference regulations outlining funding restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section in this notice.

6. Other Submission Requirements: Applications for grants under this program must be submitted electronically unless you qualify for an exception to this requirement in accordance with the instructions in this section.

a. Electronic Submission of Applications.

Applications for grants under the Teachers for a Competitive Tomorrow: Programs for Master’s Degrees in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, or Critical Foreign Language Education, CFDA Number 84.381B must be submitted electronically using e-Application, accessible through the Department’s e-Grants Web site at http://e-Grants.ed.gov.

We will reject your application if you submit it in paper format unless, as described elsewhere in this section, you 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. Further information regarding calculation of the date that is two weeks before the application deadline date is provided later in this section under Exception to Electronic Submission Requirement.

While completing your electronic application, you will be entering data online that will be saved into a database. You may not e-mail an electronic copy of a grant application to us.

Please note the following:

• You must complete the electronic submission of your grant application by 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. E-Application will not accept an application for this program after 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you do not wait until the application deadline date to begin the application process.

• The hours of operation of the e-Grants Web site are 6:00 a.m. Monday until 7:00 p.m. Wednesday; and 6:00 a.m. Thursday until 8:00 p.m. Sunday, Washington, DC time. Please note that, because of maintenance, the system is unavailable between 8:00 p.m. on Sundays and 6:00 a.m. on Mondays, and between 7:00 p.m. on Wednesdays and 6:00 a.m. on Thursdays, Washington, DC time. Any modifications to these hours are posted on the e-Grants Web site.

• You will not receive additional point value because you submit your application in electronic format, nor will we penalize you if you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission requirement, as described elsewhere in this section, and submit your application in paper format.

• You must submit all documents electronically, including all information you typically provide on the following forms: the Application for Federal Assistance (SF 424), the Department of Education Supplemental Information for SF 424, Budget Information--Non-Construction Programs (ED 524), and all necessary assurances and certifications. You must attach any narrative sections of your application as files in a .DOC (document), .RTF (rich text), or .PDF (Portable Document) format. If you upload a file type other than the three file types specified in this paragraph or submit a password protected file, we will not review that material.

• Your electronic application must comply with any page limit requirements described in this notice.

• Prior to submitting your electronic application, you may wish to print a copy of it for your records.

• After you electronically submit your application, you will

receive an automatic acknowledgment that will include a PR/Award number (an identifying number unique to your application).

• Within three working days after submitting your electronic application, fax a signed copy of the SF 424 to the Application Control Center after following these steps:

(1) Print SF 424 from e-Application.

(2) The applicant’s Authorizing Representative must sign this form.

(3) Place the PR/Award number in the upper right hand corner of the hard-copy signature page of the SF 424.

(4) Fax the signed SF 424 to the Application Control Center at (202) 245-6272.

• We may request that you provide us original signatures on other forms at a later date.

Application Deadline Date Extension in Case of e-Application Unavailability: If you are prevented from electronically submitting your application on the application deadline date because e-Application is unavailable, we will grant you an extension of one business day to enable you to transmit your application electronically, by mail, or by hand delivery. We will grant this extension if--

(1) You are a registered user of e-Application and you have initiated an electronic application for this competition; and

(2) (a) E-Application is unavailable for 60 minutes or more between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date; or

(b) E-Application is unavailable for any period of time

between 3:30 p.m. and 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date.

We must acknowledge and confirm these periods of unavailability before granting you an extension. To request this extension or to confirm our acknowledgment of any system unavailability, you may contact either (1) the person listed elsewhere in this notice under For Further Information Contact (see VII. Agency Contact) or (2) the e-Grants help desk at 1-888-336-8930. If e-Application is unavailable due to technical problems with the system and, therefore, the application deadline is extended, an e-mail will be sent to all registered users who have initiated an e-Application. Extensions referred to in this section apply only to the unavailability of e-Application.

Exception to Electronic Submission Requirement: You qualify for an exception to the electronic submission requirement, and may submit your application in paper format, if you are unable to submit an application through e-Application because––

• You do not have access to the Internet; or

• You do not have the capacity to upload large documents to e-Application;

and

• No later than two weeks before the application deadline date (14 calendar days or, if the fourteenth calendar day before the application deadline date falls on a Federal holiday, the next business day following the Federal holiday), you mail or fax a written statement to the Department, explaining which of the two grounds for an exception prevents you from using the Internet to submit your application. If you mail your written statement to the Department, it must be postmarked no later than two weeks before the application deadline date. If you fax your written statement to the Department, we must receive the faxed statement no later than two weeks before the application deadline date.

Address and mail or fax your statement to: Andrea Baird, U.S. Department of Education, 1990 K Street, NW., room 6143, Washington, DC 20006-8526. FAX: (202) 502-7699.

Your paper application must be submitted in accordance with the mail or hand delivery instructions described in this notice.

b. Submission of Paper Applications by Mail.

If you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission requirement, you may mail (through the U.S. Postal Service or a commercial carrier) your application to the Department. 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 84.381B)

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.

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

If your application is postmarked after the application deadline date, we will not consider your application.

Note: The U.S. Postal Service does not uniformly provide a dated postmark. Before relying on this method, you should check with your local post office.

c. 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 84.381B)

550 12th Street, SW.

Room 7041, Potomac Center Plaza

Washington, DC 20202-4260

The Application Control Center accepts hand deliveries daily between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, except Saturdays, Sundays, and Federal holidays.

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 grant 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.

V. Application Review Information

Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this program are from section 6114 of the America COMPETES Act, 20 U.S.C. 9814 and from 34 CFR 75.209(a) and 75.210 of EDGAR and are listed in the application package.

VI. Award Administration Information

1. Award Notices: If your application is successful, we notify your U.S. Representative and U.S. Senators and send you a Grant Award Notice (GAN). We may notify you informally, also.

If your application is not evaluated or not selected for funding, we notify you.

2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements: We identify administrative and national policy requirements in the application package and reference these and other requirements in the Applicable Regulations section in this notice.

We reference the regulations outlining the terms and conditions of an award in the Applicable Regulations section in this notice and include these and other specific conditions in the GAN. The GAN also incorporates your approved application as part of your binding commitments under the grant.

3. Reporting: 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 directed by the Secretary in 34 CFR 75.118. The Secretary may also require more frequent performance reports under 34 CFR 75.720(c). For specific requirements on reporting, please review section 6114(d) of the America COMPETES Act, 20 U.S.C. 9814(d), and go to: www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/appforms/appforms.html

4. Performance Measures: The objective of Teachers for a Competitive Tomorrow: Programs for Master’s Degrees in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, or Critical Foreign Language Education is to train program participants as highly qualified teachers in these subject areas and to place them in high-need LEAs. Under the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA), the following measures will be used by the Department in assessing the performance of the program.

(1) The percentage of program participants who earn a Master's degree and certification or licensure in a science, technology, engineering, mathematics, or critical foreign language area (includes previously licensed teachers who receive a Master’s degree).

(2) The percentage of program participants who become or remain a teacher of record in a science, technology, engineering, mathematics, or critical foreign language area in a high-need school.

(3) The percentage of program participants who remain teaching in the science, technology, engineering, mathematics/critical foreign language area in a high-need school for two or more years.

(4) The cost per program participant who remains in teaching in the science, technology, engineering, mathematics/critical foreign language area in a high-need school for two or more years.

If funded, you will be asked to collect and report data on these measures in your project's annual performance report (EDGAR, 34 CFR 75.590). Applicants are also advised to consider these measures in conceptualizing the design, implementation, and evaluation of their proposed projects because of their importance in the application review process. Collection of data on these measures should be a part of the evaluation plan, along with measures of progress on goals and objectives that are specific to your project.

VII. Agency Contact

For Further Information Contact: Andrea Baird, Teachers for a Competitive Tomorrow: Programs for Master’s Degrees in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, or Critical Foreign Language Education, U.S. Department of Education, 1990 K Street, NW., room 6143, Washington, DC 20006-8526. Telephone: (202) 502-7797 or e-mail [email protected].

If you use a TDD, call the FRS, toll free, at 1-800-877-8339.

VIII. Other Information

Accessible Format: Individuals with disabilities can obtain this document and a copy of the application package in an accessible format (e.g., braille, large print, audiotape, or computer diskette) on request to the program contact person listed under For Further Information Contact in section VII in this notice.

Electronic Access to This Document: You can view this document, as well as all other documents of this Department published in the Federal Register, in text or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) on the Internet at the following site: www.ed.gov/news/fedregister. To use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available free at this site.

Note: The official version of this document is the document published in the Federal Register. Free Internet access to the official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of Federal Regulations is available on GPO Access at: www.gpoaccess.gov/nara/index.html.

Delegation of Authority: The Secretary of Education has delegated authority to Daniel T. Madzelan, Director, Forecasting and Policy Analysis for the Office of Postsecondary Education to perform the functions of the Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education.

Dated:

_________________________________

Daniel T. Madzelan,

Director,

Forecasting and Policy Analysis.

AUTHORIZING LEGISLATION

AMERICA COMPETES ACT OF 2007

TITLE VI, Subtitle A

PART I – Teachers for a Competitive Tomorrow

AUTHORIZING LEGISLATION

HIGHER EDUCATION ACT OF 1965,

AS AMENDED

TITLE VII – GRADUATE AND POSTSECONDARY

IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMS

PART D – Programs to Provide Students With Disabilities With a Quality Higher Education

Subpart 2 – Transition Programs for Students with Intellectual Disabilities Into Higher Education

AUTHORIZING LEGISLATION

PUBLIC LAW 110-69 – AMERICA COMPETES ACT OF 2007

TITLE VI—EDUCATION

Subtitle A—Teacher Assistance

PART I—TEACHERS FOR A COMPETITIVE

TOMORROW

SEC. 6111. PURPOSE.

The purpose of this part is—

(1) to develop and implement programs to provide integrated courses of study in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, or critical foreign languages, and teacher education, that lead to a baccalaureate degree in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, or a critical foreign language, with concurrent teacher certification;

(2) to develop and implement 2- or 3-year part-time master’s degree programs in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, or critical foreign language education for teachers

in order to enhance the teachers’ content knowledge and pedagogical skills; and

(3) to develop programs for professionals in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, or critical foreign language education that lead to a master’s degree in teaching that results in teacher certification.

SEC. 6112. DEFINITIONS.

In this part:

(1) CHILDREN FROM LOW-INCOME FAMILIES.—The term ‘‘children

from low-income families’’ means children described in section 1124(c)(1)(A) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6333(c)(1)(A)).

(2) ELIGIBLE RECIPIENT.—The term ‘‘eligible recipient’’ means an institution of higher education that receives grant funds under this part on behalf of a department of science, technology, engineering, mathematics, or a critical foreign language, or on behalf of a department or school with a competency-based degree program (in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, or a critical foreign language) that includes teacher certification, for use in carrying out activities

assisted under this part.

(3) HIGH-NEED LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCY.—The term ‘‘high-need local educational agency’’ means a local educational agency or educational service agency—

(A)(i) that serves not fewer than 10,000 children from low-income families;

(ii) for which not less than 20 percent of the children served by the agency are

children from low-income families;

or

(iii)with a total of less than 600 students in average daily attendance at the schools

that are served by the agency and all of whose schools are designated with a

school locale code of 41, 42, or 43, as determined by the Secretary; and

(B)(i) for which there is a high percentage of teachers providing instruction in academic

subject areas or grade levels for which the teachers are not highly qualified; or

(ii) for which there is a high teacher turnover rate or a high percentage of teachers

with emergency, provisional, or temporary certification or licensure.

(4) HIGHLY QUALIFIED.—The term ‘‘highly qualified’’ has the meaning given such term in section 9101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801) and, with respect to special education teachers, in section 602 of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C.1401).

(5) PARTNERSHIP.—The term ‘‘partnership’’ means a partnership

that—

(A) shall include—

(i) an eligible recipient;

(a) a department within the eligible recipient that provides a program

of study in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, or a critical

foreign language; and

(b) a school, department, or program of education within the eligible

recipient, or a 2-year institution of higher education that has a teacher preparation offering or a dual enrollment program with the eligible recipient; or

(ii)

a department or school within the eligible recipient with a competency-based degree program (in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, or a critical foreign language) that includes teacher certification; and

(iii) not less than 1 high-need local educational agency and a public school or a

consortium of public schools served by the agency; and

(B) may include a nonprofit organization that has a demonstrated record of providing expertise or support to meet the purposes of this part.

(6) TEACHING SKILLS.—The term ‘‘teaching skills’’ means the ability to—

(A) increase student achievement and learning and increase a student’s ability to apply knowledge;

(B) effectively convey and explain academic subject matter;

(C) employ strategies grounded in the disciplines of teaching and learning that—

(i) are based on scientifically valid research;

(ii) are specific to academic subject matter; and

(iii) focus on the identification of students’ specific learning needs, particularly

students with disabilities, students who are limited English proficient, students who are gifted and talented, and students with low literacy levels, and the tailoring of academic instruction to such needs;

(D) conduct ongoing assessment of student learning;

(E) effectively manage a classroom; and

(F) communicate and work with parents and guardians, and involve parents and guardians in their children’s education.

SEC. 6113. PROGRAMS FOR BACCALAUREATE DEGREES IN SCIENCE,

TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, MATHEMATICS, OR CRITICAL

FOREIGN LANGUAGES, WITH CONCURRENT

TEACHER CERTIFICATION.

(Not Applicable to this competition)

SEC. 6114. PROGRAMS FOR MASTER’S DEGREES IN SCIENCE,

TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, MATHEMATICS, OR CRITICAL

FOREIGN LANGUAGE EDUCATION.

(a) PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.—From the amounts made available to carry out this section under section 6116(2) and not reserved under section 6115(d) for a fiscal year, the Secretary is authorized to award grants, on a competitive basis, to eligible recipients to

enable the partnerships served by the eligible recipients to develop and implement—

(1) 2- or 3-year part-time master’s degree programs in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, or critical foreign language education for teachers in order to enhance the

teacher’s content knowledge and teaching skills; or

(2) programs for professionals in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, or a critical foreign language that lead to a 1-year master’s degree in teaching that results in

teacher certification.

(b) APPLICATION.—Each eligible recipient desiring a grant under this section shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time and in such manner as the Secretary may require. Each application shall describe—

6581 E:\PUBLAW\PUBL069.

(1) how a department of science, technology, engineering, mathematics, or a critical foreign language will ensure significant collaboration with a school, department, or program of education in the development of the master’s degree programs authorized under subsection (a), or how a department or school with a competency-based degree program has ensured, in the development of a master’s degree program, the provision of

rigorous studies in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, or a critical foreign language that enhance the teachers’ content knowledge and teaching skills;

(2) the role of the local educational agency in the partnership in developing and administering the program and how feedback from the local educational agency, school, and participants will be used to improve the program;

(3) how the program will help increase the percentage of highly qualified mathematics, science, or critical foreign language teachers, including increasing the percentage of such

teachers teaching in schools determined by the partnership to be most in need;

(4) how the program will—

(A) improve student academic achievement in mathematics, science, and, where applicable, technology and engineering and increase the number of students taking upper-level courses in such subjects; or

(B) increase the numbers of elementary school and secondary school students enrolled and continuing in critical foreign language courses;

(5) how the program will prepare participants to become more effective science, technology, engineering, mathematics, or critical foreign language teachers;

(6) how the program will prepare participants to assume leadership roles in their schools;

(7) how teachers (or science, technology, engineering, mathematics, or critical foreign language professionals) who are members of groups that are underrepresented in the

teaching of science, technology, engineering, mathematics, or critical foreign languages and teachers from schools determined by the partnership to be most in need will be encouraged to apply for and participate in the program;

(8) the ongoing activities and services that will be provided to graduates of the program;

(9) how the partnership will continue the activities assisted under the grant when the grant period ends;

(10) how the partnership will assess, during the program, the content knowledge and teaching skills of the program participants; and

(11) methods to ensure applicants to the master’s degree program for professionals in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, or a critical foreign language demonstrate

advanced knowledge in the relevant subject.

(c) AUTHORIZED ACTIVITIES.—Each eligible recipient receiving a grant under this section shall use the grant funds to develop and implement a 2- or 3-year part-time master’s degree program in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, or critical foreign language education for teachers in order to enhance the teachers’ content knowledge and teaching skills, or programs for professionals in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, or a critical foreign language that lead to a 1-year master’s degree in teaching that results in teacher certification. The program shall—

(1) promote effective teaching skills so that program participants become more effective science, technology, engineering, mathematics, or critical foreign language teachers;

(2) prepare teachers to assume leadership roles in their schools by participating in activities such as teacher mentoring, development of curricula that integrate state of the art applications of science, technology, engineering, mathematics, or critical

foreign language into the classroom, working with school administrators in establishing in-service professional development of teachers, and assisting in evaluating data and assessments to improve student academic achievement;

(3) use high-quality research, laboratory, or internship experiences for program participants that are integrated with coursework;

(4) provide student teaching or clinical classroom experience;

(5) if implementing a program in which participants are prepared to teach science, technology, engineering, mathematics, or critical foreign language courses, provide strategies for improving student literacy;

(6) align the content knowledge in the master’s degree program with challenging student academic achievement standards and challenging academic content standards established

by the State in which the program is conducted;

(7) encourage the participation of—

(A) individuals who are members of groups that are underrepresented in the teaching of science, technology, engineering, mathematics, or critical foreign languages;

(B) members of the Armed Forces who are transitioning to civilian life; and

(C) teachers teaching in schools determined by the partnership to be most in need;

(8) offer tuition assistance, based on need, as appropriate;

(9) create opportunities for enhanced and ongoing professional development for teachers that improves the science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and critical foreign language content knowledge and teaching skills of such teachers; and

(10) evaluate and report on the impact of the program, in accordance with subsection (d).

(d) EVALUATION AND REPORT.—Each eligible recipient receiving a grant under this section shall evaluate, using measurable objectives and benchmarks, and provide an annual report to the Secretary regarding, the extent to which the program assisted under

this section succeeded in the following:

(1) Increasing the number and percentage of science, technology, engineering, mathematics, or critical foreign language teachers who have a master’s degree and meet 1 or more of the following requirements:

(A) Are teaching in schools determined by the partnership to be most in need, and taught in such schools prior to participation in the program.

(B) Are teaching in schools determined by the partnership to be most in need, and did not teach in such schools prior to participation in the program.

(C) Are members of a group underrepresented in the teaching of science, technology, engineering, mathematics, or a critical foreign language.

(2) Bringing professionals in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, or a critical foreign language into the field of teaching.

(3) Retaining teachers who participate in the program.

SEC. 6115. GENERAL PROVISIONS.

(a) DURATION OF GRANTS.—The Secretary shall award each grant under this part for a period of not more than 5 years.

(b) MATCHING REQUIREMENT.—Each eligible recipient that receives a grant under this part shall provide, from non-Federal sources, an amount equal to 50 percent of the amount of the grant (which may be provided in cash or in kind) to carry out the activities supported by the grant.

(c) SUPPLEMENT, NOT SUPPLANT.—Grant funds provided under this part shall be used to supplement, and not supplant, other Federal or State funds.

(d) EVALUATION.—From amounts made available for any fiscal year under section 6116, the Secretary shall reserve such sums as may be necessary—

(1) to provide for the conduct of an annual independent evaluation, by grant or by contract, of the activities assisted under this part, which shall include an assessment of the

impact of the activities on student academic achievement; and

(2) to prepare and submit an annual report on the results of the evaluation described in paragraph (1) to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate, the Committee on Education and Labor of the House of Representatives, and the Committees on Appropriations of the Senate and House of Representatives.

IMPORTANT NOTICE TO PROSPECTIVE PARTICIPANTS

IN U.S. Department of Education CONTRACT AND GRANT PROGRAMS

GRANTS

Applicants for grants from the U.S. Department of Education (ED) have to compete for limited funds.

Deadlines assure all applicants that they will be treated fairly and equally, without last minute haste.

For these reasons, ED must set strict deadlines for grant applications. Prospective applicants can avoid disappointment if they understand that

Failure to meet a deadline will mean that an applicant will be rejected

without any consideration whatever.

The rules, including the deadline, for applying for each grant are published, individually, in the Federal Register. A one-year subscription to the Register may be obtained by sending $340.00 to: Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402-9371. (Send check or money order only, no cash or stamps.)

The instructions in the Federal Register must be followed exactly. Do not accept any other advice you may receive. No ED employee is authorized to extend any deadline published in the Register.

Questions regarding submission of applications may be addressed to:

U.S. Department of Education

Application Control Center

Washington, D.C. 20202-4725

CONTRACTS

Competitive procurement actions undertaken by the ED are governed by the Federal Procurement Regulations and implementing ED Procurement Regulations.

Generally, prospective competitive procurement actions are synopsized in the Commerce Business Daily (CBD). Prospective offerors are therein advised of the nature of the procurement and where to apply for copies of the Request for Proposals (RFP).

Offerors are advised to be guided solely by the contents of the CBD synopsis and the instructions contained in the RFP. Questions regarding the submission of offers should be addressed to the Contracting Specialist identified on the face page of the RFP.

Offers are judged in competition with others, and failure to conform with any substantive requirements of the RFP will result in rejection of the offer without any consideration whatever.

Do not accept any advice you receive that is contrary to instructions contained in either the CBD synopsis or the RFP. No ED employee is authorized to consider a proposal which is non-responsive to the RFP.

A subscription to the CBD is available for $208.00 per year via second class mailing or $261.00 per year via first class mailing. Information included in the Federal Acquisition Regulations is contained in Title 48, Code of Federal Regulations, Chapter 1 ($49.00). The foregoing publication may be obtained by sending your check or money order only, no cash or stamps, to:

Superintendent of Documents

U.S. Government Printing Office

Washington, D.C. 20402-9371

In an effort to be certain this important information is widely disseminated, this notice is being included in all ED mail to the public. You may, therefore, receive more than one notice. If you do, we apologize for any annoyance it may cause you.

ED FORM 5348, 8 '92 REPLACES ED FORM 5348, 6 '86, WHICH IS OBSOLETE

INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVIEW OF FEDERAL PROGRAMS

EXECUTIVE ORDER 12372

This program falls under the rubric of Executive Order 12372 (Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs) and the regulations in 34 CFR Part 79. One of the objectives of the Executive order is to strengthen federalism--or the distribution of responsibility between localities, States, and the Federal government--by fostering intergovernmental partnerships. This idea includes supporting processes that State or local governments have devised for coordinating and reviewing proposed Federal financial grant applications.

The process for doing this requires grant applicants to contact State Single Points of Contact for information on how this works. Multi-state applicants should follow procedures specific to each state.

Further information about the State Single Point of Contact process and a list of names by State can be found at:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/spoc.pdf

Absent specific State review programs, applicants may submit comments directly to the Department. All recommendations and comments must be mailed or hand-delivered by the date indicated in the actual application notice to the following address: The Secretary, EO 12372--CFDA# [commenter must insert number--including suffix letter, if any], U.S. Department of Education, room 7E200. 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20202.

Proof of mailing will be determined on the same basis as applications (see 34 CFR §75.102). Recommendations or comments may be hand-delivered until 4:30:00 p.m. (eastern time) on the closing date indicated in this notice.

Important note: The above address is not the same address as the one to which the applicant submits its completed applications. Do not send applications to the above address.

GOVERNMENT PERFORMANCE AND RESULTS ACT (GPRA)

What is GPRA?

The Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 (GPRA) is a straightforward statute that requires all Federal agencies to manage their activities with attention to the consequences of those activities. Each agency is to clearly state what it intends to accomplish, identify the resources required, and periodically report their progress to the Congress. In so doing, it is expected that the GPRA will contribute to improvements in accountability for the expenditures of public funds, improve Congressional decision-making through more objective information on the effectiveness of Federal programs, and promote a new government focus on results, service delivery, and customer satisfaction.

How has the Department of Education Responded to the GPRA Requirements?

As required by GPRA, the Department of Education has prepared a strategic plan for 2007-2012. This plan reflects the Department’s priorities and integrates them with its mission and program authorities and describes how the Department will work to improve education for all children and adults in the U.S. The Department’s goals, as listed in the plan, are:

Goal 1: Improve Student Achievement, With a Focus on Bringing All Students To Grade Level in Reading and Mathematics by 2014.

Goal 2: Increase the Academic Achievement of All High School Students.

Goal 3: Ensure the Accessibility, Affordability, and Accountability of Higher Education, and Better Prepare Students and Adults for Employment and Future Learning.

What are the Performance Indicators for the Teachers for a Competitive Tomorrow: Programs for Master’s Degrees in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, or Critical Foreign Language Education (TCT-M program)?

The TCT-M Program is part of the Department’s plan for meeting Goals 2 and 3: “Increase the Academic Achievement of All High School Students” and “…Better Prepare Students and Adults for Employment and Future Learning.”

Among the Department’s objectives for Goal 2 is that we “promote advanced proficiency in science and mathematics for all students” and that we “increase proficiency in critical-need foreign languages.” Among the Department’s objectives for Goal 3 is to “increase success in and completion of quality postsecondary education;” among the implementation strategies for this objective is to “prepare more graduates for employment in areas of vital interest to the United States, especially in critical-need languages, mathematics, and the sciences.”

The Department’s specific goal for the TCT-M Program “is to place program completers in high-need local educational agencies.” The performance indicators are as follows:

1. The percentage of program participants who earn a Master's degree and certification or licensure in a science, technology, engineering, mathematics, or critical foreign language area (includes previously licensed teachers who receive a Master’s degree).

2. The percentage of program participants who become or remain a teacher of record in a science, technology, engineering, mathematics, or critical foreign language area in a high-need school.

3. The percentage of program participants who remain teaching in the science, technology, engineering, mathematics/ critical foreign language area in a high-need school for two or more years.

4. The cost per program participant who remains in teaching in the science, technology, engineering, mathematics/ critical foreign language area in a high-need school for two or more years.

How does the Department of Education determine whether performance goals have been met?

An applicant that receives a grant award will be required to submit annual progress reports and a final report as a condition of the award. The reports will document the extent to which project goals and objectives are met.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR

COMPLETING THE

TCT-M

APPLICATION PACKAGE

INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMPLETING

THE APPLICATION PACKAGE

Teachers for a Competitive Tomorrow: Programs for Master’s Degrees in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, or Critical Foreign Language Education consists of four parts. These parts are organized in the same manner that the submitted application should be organized. The parts are as follows:

Part I: 424 Forms

Application for Federal Assistance – (SF424)

Department of Education Supplemental Information Form for SF424

*Note:

Please do not attach any narratives, supporting files, or application components to the Standard Form (SF 424). Although the form accepts attachments, the Department of Education will only review materials/files attached to the forms listed below.

Part II ED 524 Forms

Department of Education Budget Summary Form (ED 524)

Sections A & B

(Section C-Budget Narrative should be included in Part III:

Project Narrative-Budget Narrative)

Part III: Project Narrative

Project Narrative - Abstract

Project Narrative – includes the narrative sections addressing the program

selection criteria.

Project Narrative-Budget Narrative (no specific form)

Project Narrative-Appendices

The Project Narrative-Abstract is where you attach your project abstract. The abstract should include: applicant name, information about the project’s goals and objectives, number of participants (e.g., number of high school teachers expected each year to pursue a master’s degree in a science, technology, engineering, or math field) expected to be served, the target school district(s), a list of partners, and the activities and services that will be implemented during the up to five-year performance period.

Formatting Requirements:

Information provided in the one-page abstract may be single-spaced or double-spaced. However, the font requirements in the Project Narrative also apply to the Project Abstract, which must be attached as follows:

The document to be included in the abstract must be attached electronically. Applicants should save the document in Microsoft Word as either a .DOC (document), .RTF (rich text), or .PDF (Portable Document). Once the document has been saved, the applicant must attach the document to the “Project Narrative - Abstract” in e-Application.

Note the following:

• A “page” is 8.5 inches by 11 inches, on one side only, with 1-inch margins at the top, bottom, and both sides. Page numbers and an identifier may be within

1-inch margin.

• Applicants may use one of the following fonts: Times New Roman, Courier, Courier New, or Arial only. Applications submitted in any other font (including Times Roman and Arial Narrow) will not be accepted. Do not use anything smaller than a 12-point font.

The Project Narrative includes the narrative sections addressing the selection criteria that reviewers use to evaluate your application submitted for this competition. As a guide for reviewers, applicants are encouraged to label each section in the narrative by its associated criterion. You must limit the project narrative to no more than 50 double-spaced pages. Applications that exceed this page limit will not be considered for funding and will be returned to the applicant. A page is 8.5 inches by 11 inches, on one side only, with 1-inch margins at the top, bottom, and both sides. Page numbers and an identifier may be within the 1-inch margin. Double space all text in the application narrative, including titles, headings, footnotes, quotations, references, and captions, as well as all text in charts, tables, figures and graphs. Use a font that is 12-point or larger. The page limits do not apply to the Budget Summary Form and Narrative, the one-page abstract, other application forms attached in the “Project Narrative-Appendices” section, or the Assurances and Certifications. We will reject your application if you do not apply these standards and exceed the page limit.

Applicants must one of the following fonts: Times New Roman, Courier, Courier New, or Arial only. Applications submitted in any other font (including Times Roman and Arial Narrow) will not be accepted. Do not use anything smaller than a 12-point font.

The Project Narrative-Budget Narrative is where you describe your proposed multiyear project activities and present a multiyear budget. Section 75.112(b) of the Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) requires that applications include “a narrative that describes how and when, in each budget period of the project, the applicant plans to meet each objective of the project.” In addition, projects must complete form ED 524 for both Sections A and B for all budget years of the proposed project, and you must include proposed annual spending for cost share/match for each project year. Further instructions are available in the budget form found in this package.

The match on TCT-M grants is 50 percent of the Federal award. Applications that do not include a proposed cost share budget and narrative will be rejected.

The indirect cost rate on TCT-M awards is limited to eight percent or to the applicant’s negotiated rate, whichever is lower. In addition, applicants should submit proof of their negotiated indirect cost rate with the Federal Government.

Please note there is no specific form or format for the Detailed Budget Narrative, but this information has to be saved in Microsoft Word as either a .DOC (document), .RTF (rich text), or .PDF (Portable Document). Once the document is saved, the applicant must attach the document to the “Project Narrative-Budget Narrative”section in e-Application.

The Project Narrative-Appendices is where you attach curricula vitae of key personnel, position descriptions for proposed project personnel, letters of support, and documentation that your LEA meets the criteria for a “high-need” LEA (that serves children from low-income families) as defined in the statute. All attachments must be in .DOC, .RTF, or .PDF format. Other types of files will not be accepted.

Applicants should copy and paste these files for this application package into Microsoft Word (separate files) and save the new documents as either a .DOC (document), .RTF (rich text), or .PDF (Portable Document) files in landscape format. Other types of files will not be accepted. Once the forms have been completed and saved, the applicant must attach the documents to the “Project Narrative-Appendices” in the e-Application system.

Part IV: Assurances, Certifications, and Survey Forms

GEPA Section 427 Requirement

Certification Regarding Lobbying (formerly ED Form 80-0013)

Assurances – Non-Construction Programs (SF 424B)

Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL)

Survey on Ensuring Equal Opportunity for Applicants

INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE PROJECT NARRATIVE

Before preparing the program narrative, applicants should review the Dear Applicant Letter, the Federal Register notice, Competition Highlights, and program statute for specific guidance and requirements. Note that applications will be evaluated according to the specific selection criteria specified in this package. The page limit for the project narrative is 50 pages, double-spaced.

The application narrative addresses the selection criteria that reviewers will use to evaluate your application. It is expected that applicants will use the selection criteria to frame their project narratives.

Formatting

A “page” is 8.5 inches x 11 inches, on one side only, with 1-inch margins at the top, bottom, and both sides. Page numbers and an identifier may be within 1-inch margin. Double-space all text in the application narrative, including titles and headings. All text in charts, tables, graphs, footnotes, quotations, references, and captions must be double spaced. Applicants may use one of the following fonts: Times New Roman, Courier, Courier New or Arial, only. Applications submitted in any other font (including Times Roman and Arial Narrow) will not be accepted. Do not use anything smaller than a 12-point font.

SELECTION CRITERIA

The Secretary evaluates an application on the basis of criteria drawn from Section 6114 of the authorizing statute and from 34 CFR Part 75, sections 75.209(a) and 75.210 of the Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR).

The selection criteria outlined below will be used to evaluate the quality of applications submitted for funding. Within each criterion, there are specific factors that will be used in evaluating the criterion.

The maximum score that an applicant can earn for the selection criteria is 110 points. The maximum score for each criterion is indicated in parenthesis following that criterion.

Quality of Project Design (35)

Quality of Program Design (25)

Quality of Project Personnel (10)

Adequacy of Resources (10)

Quality of the Management Plan (5)

Quality of Project Evaluation (25)

I. QUALITY OF THE PROJECT DESIGN (35 Points)

The Secretary considers the quality of the design of the proposed project. In considering the quality of the project design the Secretary considers the extent to which the project design describes—

A. How a department of science, technology, engineering, mathematics, or a critical foreign language will ensure significant collaboration with a school, department, or program of education in the development of the master’s degree program; or

How a department or school with a competency-based degree program has ensured, in the development of a master’s degree program, the provision of rigorous studies in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, or a critical foreign language that enhance the teachers’ content knowledge and teaching skills. (7 points)

B. The role of the local educational agency in the partnership in developing and administering the program and how feedback from the local educational agency, school, and participants will be used to improve the program. (4 points)

C. How the program will help increase the percentage of highly qualified mathematics, science, or critical foreign language teachers, including increasing the percentage of such teachers teaching in schools determined by the partnership to be most in need. (4 points)

D. How the program will improve student academic achievement in mathematics, science, and, where applicable, technology and engineering and increase the number of students taking upper-level courses in such subjects; or

How the program will increase the numbers of elementary school and secondary school students enrolled and continuing in critical foreign language courses. (4 points)

E. How the program will prepare participants to become more effective science, technology, engineering, mathematics, or critical foreign language teachers. (4 points)

F. How the program will encourage the participation of:

(a) individuals who are members of groups that are underrepresented in the teaching of science, technology, engineering, mathematics, or critical foreign languages;

(b) members of the Armed Forces who are transitioning to civilian life; and

(c) teachers teaching in schools determined by the partnership to be most in need. (4 points)

G. How the partnership will continue the activities assisted under the grant when the grant period ends. (4 points)

H. How the partnership will assess, during the program, the content knowledge and teaching skills of the program participants. (4 points)

II. QUALITY OF THE PROGRAM DESIGN (25 Points)

The Secretary considers the quality of the program design of the proposed project. In determining the quality of the program design the Secretary considers the extent to which the program design shall—

A. Promote effective teaching skills so that program participants become more effective science, technology, engineering, mathematics, or critical foreign language teachers. (7 points)

B. Align the content knowledge in the master’s degree program with challenging student academic achievement standards and challenging academic content standards established by the State in which the program is conducted. (6 points)

C. Prepare teachers to assume leadership roles in their schools. (3 points)

D. Use high-quality research, laboratory, or internship experiences for program participants that are integrated with coursework. (3 points)

E. Provide student teaching or clinical classroom experience. (3 points)

F. Provide ongoing activities and services to graduates of the program. (3 points)

III. QUALITY OF PROJECT PERSONNEL (10 points)

The Secretary considers the quality of the personnel who will carry out the proposed project. In determining the quality of project personnel, the Secretary considers—

A. The extent to which the applicant encourages applications for employment from persons who are members of groups that have traditionally been underrepresented based on race, color, national origin, gender, age, or disability. (3 points)

B. The qualifications, including relevant training and experience, of the project director or principal investigator. (4 points)

C. The qualifications, including relevant training and experience, of key project personnel. (3 points )

IV. ADEQUACY OF RESOURCES (10 points)

The Secretary considers the adequacy of resources for the proposed project. In determining the adequacy of resources for the proposed project the Secretary considers the following factors—

A. The adequacy of support, including facilities, equipment, supplies, and other resources, from the applicant organization or the lead applicant organization. (3 points)

B. The extent to which the costs are reasonable in relation to the objectives, design, and potential significance of the proposed project. (7 points)

V. QUALITY OF THE MANAGEMENT PLAN (5 points)

The Secretary considers the quality of the management plan for the proposed project. In determining the quality of the management plan for the proposed project, the Secretary considers the following factors—

A. The adequacy of the management plan to achieve the objectives of the proposed project on time and within budget, including clearly defined responsibilities, timelines, and milestones for accomplishing project tasks. (3 points)

B. The extent to which the time commitments of the project director and principal investigator and other key project personnel are appropriate and adequate to meet the objectives of the proposed project. (2 points)

VI. QUALITY OF THE PROJECT EVALUATION (25 Points)

The Secretary considers the quality of evaluation to be conducted of the proposed project. In determining the quality of the evaluation, the Secretary considers the following factors—

A. The extent to which the methods of evaluation include the use of objective performance measures that are clearly related to the intended outcomes of the project and will produce quantitative and qualitative data to the extent possible. (13 points)

B. The extent to which the methods of evaluation will provide performance feedback and permit periodic assessment of progress toward achieving intended outcomes. (12 points)

110 POINTS TOTAL

PROJECT EVALUATION

Applicants are required to address the evaluation component in the selection criteria. If a grant is awarded, grantees are required to carry out the evaluation activities as described in their funded grant.

Project evaluation should be used, as appropriate, to shape the development of the project from the beginning of the grant period. Project evaluation should include baseline data and benchmarks to monitor progress toward meeting specific project objectives based on this program’s performance indicators. Specifically, project evaluation should include the identification of the individual or organization that has agreed to serve as evaluator for the project and describe the qualifications of the evaluator.

In this application, be sure to describe the evaluation design, indicating: (1) what types of data will be collected; (2) when various types of data will be collected; (3) what methods will be used; (4) what instruments will be developed and when; (5) how the data will be analyzed; (6) when reports and outcomes will be available; and (7) how you will use the information collected through your project evaluation to monitor the progress of your project (if funded). If funded, applicants are encouraged to devote an appropriate level of resources to project evaluation. The use of an outside evaluator is encouraged but not required.

Applicants should be certain to illustrate how they will collect the data required by the statute’s reporting requirements. Successful applicants will be expected to report annually on the progress of each project or study included in the grant, including a description of preliminary or key findings and an explanation of any changes in goals, objectives, methodology, or planned products or publications.

APPLICATION PACKAGE CHECKLIST

Before you submit the application package, please review the following list to ensure that you have attached all required materials/files in the prescribed format.

Part I: 424 Forms

Application for Federal Assistance – SF 424

Department of Education Supplemental Information Form for SF 424

Part II: ED 524 Forms

Department of Education Budget Summary Form – ED 524 Sections A&B

Department of Education Budget Summary Form (ED 524) Sections A&B (Section C- Budget Narrative should be included in the “Project Narrative – Budget Narrative” attachment located in Part III.)

Part III: Project Narrative

Project Narrative - Abstract

Project Narrative – includes the narrative sections addressing the program

selection criteria.

Project Narrative-Budget Narrative (no specific form)

Project Narrative-Appendices

curricula vitae

position descriptions

letters of support

documentation that the partner local educational agency (LEA)

meets the statutory requirement for a high-need LEA that serves children from low-income families

NOTE: Please do not attach any narratives, supporting files, or application components to the Standard Form (SF 424). Although this form accepts attachments, the Department of Education will review only materials/files attached to the attachment forms listed above.

Attachments must be submitted in one of the following file types: .DOC, .RTF, or .PDF format.

Part IV: Assurances, Certifications, and Survey Forms

GEPA Section 427 Requirement

Certification Regarding Lobbying (formerly ED Form 80-0013)

Assurances – Non-Construction Programs (SF 424B)

Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL)

Survey on Ensuring Equal Opportunity for Applicants

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. The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average 205 hours per response, including the time to review instructions, search existing data resources, gather the data needed, and complete and review the information collection.

If you have any comments concerning the accuracy of the time estimate(s) or suggestions for improving this form, please write to: U.S. Department of Education, Washington, DC 20202-8513. If you have comments or concerns regarding the status of your individual submission of this form, write directly to:

Teachers for a Competitive Tomorrow: Programs for Master’s Degrees in

Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, or Critical Foreign Language Education

(TCT-M program)

Office of Postsecondary Education

U.S. Department of Education

1990 K Street NW Room 6143

Washington, DC 20006-8526

Contact Information

Teachers for a Competitive Tomorrow Team Leader

James Davis

Program Staff

Andrea Baird

David Howe

Teachers for a Competitive Tomorrow

Grant Programs

U.S. Department of Education

1990 K Street N.W., Room 6143

Washington, DC 20006-8526

Phone: 202-502-7797

Fax: 202-502-7699

Web Page: http://www.ed.gov/programs/tct