1810-0580 PD Application Package 11-16-23 (Clean) (2)

U.S. Department of Education

Office of Elementary and Secondary Education

Office of Indian Education

Washington, D.C. 20202-6335

Fiscal Year 20XX

Application for New Grants Under

the Indian Education Professional Development

(PD) Program

ALN 84.299B

Dated Material - Open Immediately

Closing Date: [DATE]

Approved OMB Number: 1810-0580

Expiration Date: XX/XX/20XX

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 1810-0731.  Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 40 hours per response, including time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information.  The obligation to respond to this collection is required to obtain or retain benefit under 20 U.S.C. 7441.  If you have any comments concerning the accuracy of the time estimate, suggestions for improving this individual collection, or if you have comments or concerns regarding the status of your individual form, application or survey, please contact: Dr. Donna Sabis-Burns, Office of Indian Education, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20202 or email [email protected].

Note: Please do not return the completed application to this address

Table of Contents

Dear Colleague: 5

I. Program Background Information 7

Program Overview 7

Authority 7

Official Documents Notice 7

Eligible Applicants 7

Application Requirements and Priorities 8

Absolute Priorities 8

Absolute Priority 1: Pre-Service Training for Teachers 8

Absolute Priority 2: Pre-Service Administrator Training 9

Competitive Preference Priorities 9

Competitive Preference Priority 1: Tribal Applicants (Zero or Eight Points) 9

Competitive Preference Priority 2: Consortium Applicants, Non-Tribal Lead (Zero or Five Points) 9

Competitive Preference Priority 3: Pre-Service Administrator Training for Work in Tribal Educational Agencies (TEAs) (Zero or Three Points) 10

Competitive Preference Priority 4: Pre-Service Administrator Training for School Start-Ups (Zero or Three Points) 10

Competitive Preference Priority 5: Promoting Effective Instruction in Classrooms and Schools (Up to Five Points) 10

Program Contact 13

Project Period 13

Grant Award Estimations 13

Application Due Date 13

Applicant Guide 13

Selection Criteria 14

Definitions 14

Technical Assistance Workshops for Prospective Applicants 14

II. Application Submission Procedures 15

Application Transmittal Instructions 15

Helpful Reminders 15

Submission Problems – What should you do? 16

Helpful Hints When Working with Grants.gov 16

Slow Internet Connections 17

Attaching Files – Additional Tips 17

Electronic Application Submission Checklist 19

Part 1: Preliminary Documents 21

Part 2: Budget Information 22

Part 3: ED Abstract Form 24

Part 4: Project Narrative Attachment Form 25

Part 5: Budget Narrative 27

Part 6: Other Attachments 31

Part 7: Assurances and Certifications 36

III. Reporting and Accountability 39

IV. Legal and Regulatory Information 40

Notice Inviting Applications 40

Program Statute 40

Program Regulations 41

United States Department of Education

Office of Elementary and Secondary Education

OFFICE OF INDIAN EDUCATION

Dear Colleague:

Thank you for your interest in the Indian Education Professional Development (PD) grant program, administered by the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education of the U.S. Department of Education (Department). This document includes information for applicants seeking funding for new grant projects in Fiscal Year 20XX under the Indian Education Professional Development program, authorized under Title VI of the Elementary and Secondary Act, as amended. The purposes of the PD program are to increase the number of qualified Indian individuals in professions that serve Indians; and to provide training to qualified Indian individuals to become teachers and administrators.

Please take the time to review the applicable priorities, selection criteria, and all the application instructions. An application will not be evaluated for funding if the applicant does not comply with all the procedural rules that govern the submission of the application or the application does not contain the information required under the program (34 CFR§75.216 (b) and (c)).

If you are new to or would like a refresher on applying to a grant at the Department, please review our Common Instructions for Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs, published in the Federal Register on December 07, 2022 (87 FR 75045), and available at https://www.federalregister.gov/​documents/​2022/​12/​07/​2022-26554/​common-instructions-for-applicants-to-department-of-education-discretionary-grant-programs. Please note that these Common Instructions supersede the version published on December 27, 2021.

To apply for this competition, please use the government-wide website, http://www.grants.gov . We encourage that early in the process of compiling an application for submission you familiarize yourself with Grants.gov and register or identify who has access to your entity’s registration within your entity and become a user or clarify roles for submitting application using grants.gov. We recommend that you submit early. In order to successfully submit your application via Grants.gov, you must (1) register as an applicant using your UEI number and (2) be designated by your organization's E-Biz Point of Contact as an Authorized Organization Representative (AOR). Details on these steps are outlined at the following Grants.gov web page: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html .Please note, the narrative portion of an application must be submitted using either read-only, flattened Portable Document Format (PDF) or a Microsoft Word document. Please see related instructions within this application package.

Using FY 20XX funds, the Department expects to award approximately $XXXXX for new grants under this competition. These awards will be for a project period of up to 60 months. Grants are expected to be awarded in late September 20XX.

Please visit our program website at https://oese.ed.gov/offices/office-of-indian-education/indian-education-professional-development/ for further information. The program website includes helpful information, frequently asked questions, dates of future webinars or workshops, and clarifications. If you have any technical questions about the program after reviewing the application package, please contact Dr. Linda Brake via email at [email protected].

Sincerely,

Dr. Donna Sabis-Burns

Group Leader

Office of Indian Education

U.S. Department of Education

I. Program Background Information

Indian Education Professional Development (PD) Program

ALN Number: 84.299B

Program Overview

The purposes of the Indian Education Professional Development Grants program are to increase the number of qualified Indian individuals in professions that serve Indians; and to provide training to qualified Indian individuals to become teachers and administrators.

The Professional Development program requires individuals who receive training to –

1. Perform work related to the training received under the program and that benefits Indian students in an LEA that serves a high proportion of Indian students, or to repay all or a prorated part of the assistance received under the program; and

2. Periodically report to the Secretary on the individual’s compliance with the work requirement until work-related payback is complete or the individual has been referred for cash payback. (via the Professional Development Program Data Collection System).

Authority

This grant program is authorized under Section 6122 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (20 U.S.C. 7442), as amended.

Official Documents Notice

The official document governing this competition is the Notice Inviting Applications (NIA) published in the Federal Register on DATE, 20XX (See Legal and Regulatory Documents of this application package). The NIA is also available electronically at the following Web sites: www.FederalRegister.gov and www.gpo.gov.

Eligible Applicants

The following entities are eligible under this program:

(1) An institution of higher education, including a Tribal college or university (TCU);

(2) A State Educational Agency (SEA) in consortium with an institution of higher education;

(3) A Local Educational Agency (LEA) in consortium with an institution of higher education;

(4) An Indian Tribe or Indian organization in consortium with an institution of higher education; or

(5) A Bureau of Indian Education (BIE)-funded school, in consortium with at least one TCU, where feasible.

Eligibility of an applicant requiring a consortium with an institution of higher education requires that the institution of higher education be accredited to provide the coursework and level of degree required by the project.

An applicant applying as an Indian organization must demonstrate that the lead entity meets the definition of “Indian organization.”

If the applicant is:	Is a signed consortium agreement required for eligibility?	Who must be part of the consortium for eligibility purposes?
An IHE or TCU that has the authority to award the level of degree required by the project.	No	N/A
A Two-year IHE or Two-year TCU	Yes, unless the applicant is proposing a project only for teacher training (Absolute Priority One) in the field of Native American language instruction that does not require a four-year degree	An IHE that can award the level of degree required by the proposed project. Other eligible entities may be included but are not required.
A State Education Agency (SEA) or	Yes
A Local Education Agency (LEA),
An Indian Tribe	Yes
An Indian Organization	Yes
A Bureau of Indian Education-funded school	Yes	A TCU

Application Requirements and Priorities

There are application requirements for this FY 20XX grant competition and any subsequent year in which awards are made from the list of unfunded applications from this competition. Applicants are encouraged to thoroughly review the application requirements described in the Notice Inviting Applications (NIA) for this competition in the Federal Register.

Grant competitions may include “Absolute Priorities,” which must be clearly met in order for an application to be considered, and also “Competitive Preference” or “Invitational Priorities,” which are not required to be met but may increase the likelihood of receiving an award.

Absolute Priorities

TBD Competitive Preference Priorities

TBD Program Contact

Please contact Program Officer Linda Brake by telephone at (202) 987-0796 or via email at [email protected] after reviewing the application package if you have any questions about the program.

Project Period

The project period for this grant is for up to 60 months. grants are expected to be awarded by September 30, 20XX.

Note: Continuation of each successive grant period is subject to satisfactory performance, submission of an annual report, and availability of funds.

Grant Award Estimations

We estimate that awards will average $xxxx within the range from $xxxx to $xxxxx. We expect to award XX grants.

Application Due Date

Applications must be submitted on or before DATE, 20XX. Please note that the Department of Education (Department) grant application deadlines are 11:59:59 PM, Washington, D.C. time.

Late applications will not be accepted. We strongly 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.

Applicant Guide

Applications are entered into the Grants.gov system; applications submitted via email will not be accepted. For more information, including how to submit a paper application in cases in which electronic submission is not possible, please read the Common Instructions for Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs, published in the Federal Register on December 07, 2022 (87 FR 75045), and available at https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/12/07/2022-26554/common-instructions-for-applicants-to-department-of-education-discretionary-grant-programs. Please note that these Common Instructions supersede the version published on December 27, 2021.

A completed application will include a program narrative. The program narrative is the section of the application that directly responds to the selection criteria. The program narrative should follow the order of the selection criteria. Applicants should describe, in detail, activities planned for each of the funding periods of the grant. The program office suggests that applicants limit the program narrative to 30 pages. Narrative attachments must be submitted as files in a read-only, flattened Portable Document Format (PDF) or as a Microsoft Word document. If applicants upload a different file type or submit a password-protected file, we will not review that material.

A minimum of 3 peer reviewers will evaluate each proposal. Reviewers will be asked to review the applicants’ responses to each criterion and score each of their assigned proposals. Not responding to a specific criterion could negatively impact the score.

The Notice Inviting Applications (NIA) for this competition provides the priorities, selection criteria, application requirements, program requirements, eligibility, and definitions.

Selection Criteria

All selection criteria will be from 34 CFR 75210 and section 4303(g)(1) of the ESEA (20 U.S.C. 7221b(g)(1)).

Definitions

Definitions for this program are from the next Notice of Finalized Priorities published in the Federal Register and from the statute governing this program. These definitions apply to the FY 20XX grant competition and any subsequent year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this competition.

Technical Assistance Workshops for Prospective Applicants

The Department intends to hold a pre-application webinar designed to provide technical assistance to interested applicants. Information about webinar times and instructions for registering are on the Department Web site at https://oese.ed.gov/offices/office-of-indian-education/indian-education-professional-development/. Please check the site regularly for updates.

II. Application Submission Procedures

The deadline for submission of PD grant applications through Grants.gov is 11:59:59 PM ET on DATE, 20XX.

Application Transmittal Instructions

This program requires the electronic submission of applications--specific requirements and instructions can be found in the Federal Register notice. Please note that you must follow the Application Procedures as described in the Federal Register notice announcing the grant competition.

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

Helpful Reminders

1) REGISTER EARLY – Applicants are required to follow the Common Instructions for Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs, published in the Federal Register on December 7, 2022 (87 FR 75045), and available at https://www.federalregister.gov/​documents/​2022/​12/​07/​2022-26554/​common-instructions-for-applicants-to-department-of-education-discretionary-grant-programs. Please note that these Common Instructions supersede the version published on December 27, 2021.

Grants.gov registration involves many steps including registration on SAM (www.sam.gov), which usually takes approximately 7 to 10 business days, but can take longer depending on the completeness and accuracy of the data entered into the SAM database by an applicant. You may begin working on your application while completing the registration process, but you cannot submit an application until all of the registration steps are complete. Please note that once your SAM registration is active, it will take 24-48 hours for the information to be available in Grants.gov, and before you can submit an application through Grants.gov. For detailed information on the Registration Steps, please go to: http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html. Please note that your organization will need to update its SAM registration annually.

To register in SAM.gov, click on the “Get Started” link under the “Register Your Entity…” heading in SAM.gov. Grantees, and other entities wanting to do business with the U.S. Department of Education (e.g., entities applying for a grant), that are not already registered in SAM.gov must complete the “Register Entity” registration option and NOT the “Get a Unique Entity ID (UEI)” option. The “Get a Unique Entity ID” option, which is not a full registration, is only available to entities for reporting purposes. Failing to complete the “Register Entity” option may result in loss of funding, loss of applicant eligibility, and/or delays in receiving a grant award. Information about SAM is available at www.SAM.gov. To further assist you with registering in SAM or updating your existing SAM registration, see the Quick Start Guide for Grant Registrations and the Entity Registration Video at https://sam.gov/content/entity-registration.

2) SUBMIT EARLY – We strongly recommend that you do not wait until the last day to submit your application. Grants.gov will put a date/time stamp on your application and then process it after it is fully uploaded. The time it takes to upload an application will vary depending on a number of factors including the size of the application and the speed of your Internet connection, and the time it takes Grants.gov to process the application will vary as well. If Grants.gov rejects your application (see step three below), you will need to resubmit successfully to Grants.gov before 11:59:59 p.m. Washington, DC time on the deadline date.

Note: To submit successfully, in order to submit your application via Grants.gov, you must (1) register as an applicant using your UEI number and (2) be designated by your organization's E-Biz Point of Contact as an Authorized Organization Representative (AOR). Details on these steps are outlined at the following Grants.gov web page: https://www.grants.gov/​web/​grants/​register.html.

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

If the date/time received is later than 11:59:59 p.m. Washington, DC Time on the deadline date, your application is late. If your application has a status of “Received” it is still awaiting validation by Grants.gov. Once validation is complete, the status will either change to “Validated” or “Rejected with Errors.” If the status is “Rejected with Errors,” your application has not been received successfully. Some of the reasons Grants.gov may reject an application can be found on the Grants.gov site: http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/encountering-error-messages.html. For more detailed information on troubleshooting Adobe errors, you can review the Adobe Reader Software Tip Sheet at https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility.html. If you discover your application is late or has been rejected, please see the instructions below. Note: You will receive a series of confirmations both online and via e-mail about the status of your application. Please do not rely solely on e-mail to confirm whether your application has been received timely and validated successfully.

Submission Problems – What should you do?

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

Helpful Hints When Working with Grants.gov

Please note, once you download an application from Grants.gov, you will be working offline and saving data on your computer. Please be sure to note where you are saving the Grants.gov file on your computer. You will need to logon to Grants.gov to upload and submit the application. Remember, to submit successfully you must (1) register as an applicant using your UEI number and (2) be designated by your organization's E-Biz Point of Contact as an Authorized Organization Representative (AOR). Details on these steps are outlined at the following Grants.gov web page: https://www.grants.gov/​web/​grants/​register.html.

Please go to http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support.html for help with Grants.gov. For additional tips related to submitting grant applications, please refer to the Grants.gov Applicant FAQs found at this Grants.gov link: http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-faqs.html as well as additional information on Workspace at https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-faqs.html#workspace.

Slow Internet Connections

When using a slow internet connection, such as 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. Failure to fully upload an application by the deadline date and time will result in your application being marked late in the G5 system. If you do not have access to a high-speed internet connection, 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 14 calendar days before the application deadline date. (See the Federal Register notice for detailed instructions and the 2022 Common Instructions.)

Attaching Files – Additional Tips

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

• Ensure that you attach .PDF files only or Microsoft Word files for any attachments to your application, and any PDFs must be in a read-only, flattened format (meaning any fillable documents must be saved and submitted as non-fillable PDF files). PDF files and Microsoft Word files are the only Education approved file type accepted as detailed in the common instructions. If an applicant submits PDF files, it must submit only individual .PDF files. Specifically, the Department will not accept any attachments that contain files within a file, such as PDF Portfolio files, or an interactive or fillable .PDF file. Any attachments uploaded that are file types other than .PDF files or Microsoft Word files, or are password protected files will not be read.

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

• When attaching files, applicants should follow the guidelines established by Grants.gov on the size and content of file names. Uploaded file names must be fewer than 50 characters, and, in general, applicants should not use any special characters. However, Grants.gov does allow for the following UTF-8 characters when naming your attachments: A-Z, a-z, 0-9, underscore, hyphen, space, period, parenthesis, curly braces, square brackets, ampersand, tilde, exclamation point, comma, semi colon, apostrophe, at sign, number sign, dollar sign, percent sign, plus sign, and equal sign. Applications submitted that do not comply with the Grants.gov guidelines will be rejected at Grants.gov and not forwarded to the Department.

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

Electronic Application Submission Checklist

It is recommended that your electronic application be organized in the following manner and include the following parts in order to expedite the review process. Instructions for all parts and forms of the application are found either on the following pages of the application package or individually for each form on Grants.gov.

Review your electronic application to ensure you have completed the following forms and sections:

Part 1: Preliminary Documents

• Application for Federal Assistance (form SF 424)

• ED Supplemental Information for SF 424

Part 2: Budget Information

• ED Budget Information Non-Construction Programs (ED Form 524)

Part 3: ED Abstract Form

• Project Abstract

Part 4: Project Narrative Attachment Form

• Application Narrative

Part 5: Budget Narrative Attachment Form

• Budget Narrative

Part 6: Other Attachments

• One or more letters of support from Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) that serve a high proportion of Indian students (see detailed information page x)

Required, if Applicable

• Memorandum of Agreement for any applicant that proposes a project with a partner. NOTE: The applicant’s Memorandum of Agreement may also serve as a consortium agreement for the purposes of requesting competitive preference priority points if it meets the requirements of 34 CFR 75.127-129

• Applicant Engagement with Indian Tribes and Tribal Organizations

• For consideration under Competitive Preference Priority 4 (which is stated in the Project Abstract), a PDF version of a signed letter of support from the appropriate entity.

• For consideration under Competitive Preference Priority 5, a detailed description of how your project will adhere to this priority.

• Indirect Cost Rate Agreement

Part 7: Assurances and Certifications

• Assurances for Non-Construction Programs (SF 424B Form)

• Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (Standard Form LLL)

• Grants.gov Lobbying Form

• General Education Provisions Act (GEPA) Requirements – Section 427 (ED GEPA427 form)

Part 1: Preliminary Documents

• Application for Federal Assistance (Form SF 424)

• ED Supplemental Information for SF 424

These forms require basic identifying information about the applicant and the application. Please provide all requested applicant information (including name, address, e-mail address and UEI number).

You must provide the UEI on your application that was used when you registered as an Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) on Grants.gov. This UEI is assigned to your organization in SAM at the time your organization registers in SAM. If you do not enter the UEI assigned by SAM on your application, Grants.gov will reject your application.

Applicants are advised to complete the Application for Federal Assistance (Form SF 424) first. Grants.gov will automatically insert the correct CFDA and program name automatically wherever needed on other forms.

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 only review materials/files attached in accordance with the instructions provided within this application.

 

Part 2: Budget Information

• ED Budget Information Non-Construction Programs (ED Form 524)

This part of your application contains information about the Federal funding you are requesting. Remember that you must provide all requested budget information for each year of the project (up to 60 months) and the total column in order to be considered for Federal funding. Specific instructions for completing the budget forms are provided within this application package.

Instructions for completing ED Form 524 Section A:

Name of Institution/Organization: Enter the name of the applicant in the space provided.

Personnel (line 1): Enter project personnel salaries and wages only. Include fees and expenses for consultants on line 6 (Contractual).

Fringe Benefits (line 2): The institution’s normal fringe benefits contribution may be charged to the program. Leave this line blank if fringe benefits applicable to direct salaries and wages are treated as part of the indirect cost.

Travel (line 3): Indicate the travel costs of employees and participants only. Applicants must budget funds for a representative to accompany the project director in attending a Project Director’s Meeting..

Equipment (line 4): Indicate the cost of tangible, non-expendable personal property that has a usefulness greater than one year and acquisition costs that are the lesser of the capitalization level established by the applicant entity for financial statement purposes or $5,000 per article. Lower limits may be established to maintain consistency with the applicant’s policy.

Supplies (line 5): Show all tangible, expendable personal property. Direct supplies and materials differ from equipment in that they are consumable, expendable, and of a relatively low unit cost. Supplies purchased with grant funds should directly benefit the grant project and be necessary for achieving the goals of the project.

Contractual (line 6): The contractual category should include all costs specifically incurred with actions that the applicant takes in conjunction with an established internal procurement system. Include consultant fees, expenses, and travel costs in this category if the consultant’s services are obtained through a written binding agreement or contract.

Construction (line 7): Not applicable.

Other (line 8): Indicate all direct costs not covered on lines 1-6. For example, include costs such as space rental, required fees, honoraria and travel (where a contract is not in place for services), training, and communication and printing costs. Do not include costs that are included in the indirect cost rate.

Total Direct Costs (line 9): The sum of lines 1-8.

Note: Direct administrative costs are limited by statute to 5% of the total grant award.

Indirect Costs (line 10):

The Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) limit reimbursement of indirect costs under training grants to non-governmental grantees. These grantees may recover indirect costs under training grants up to the grantee’s actual indirect costs as determined by the grantee’s negotiated indirect cost agreement or 8 percent of MTDC, whichever rate is lower.

Note: This limitation does not apply to State agencies, local governments or federally-recognized Indian tribal governments. [EDGAR §75.562(c)(2)]

If an applicant selected for funding under this program has not already established a current indirect cost rate with its cognizant agency, and is not subject to the 8% limit described above, the Department of Education (ED) generally will authorize the grantee to use a temporary rate of 10 percent of budgeted direct salaries and wages authorized under EDGAR §75.560, or a de minimis rate of 10 percent of MTDC, as authorized under 2 CFR 200.414(f).

Training Stipends (line 11): The training stipend line item only pertains to costs associated with long term training programs and college or university coursework, not workshops or short-term training supported by this program. Under the program’s regulations, this may include the cost of tuition, books, and required fees; health insurance required by the institution of higher education; stipend; dependent allowance; technology costs; program required travel; and instructional supplies (34 CFR 263.4).

Salary stipends paid to teachers and other school personnel for participating in short-term professional development should be reported in Personnel (line 1).

Total Cost (line 12): This should equal to sum of lines 9-11 (total direct costs + indirect + stipends). The sum for column one, labeled Project Year 1 (a), should also be equal to item 15a on the application cover sheet (SF Form 424).

Part 3: ED Abstract Form

This section should be attached as a single document to the ED Abstract Form in accordance with the instructions found on Grants.gov and should be organized in the following manner and include the following parts in order to expedite the review process.

Ensure that you only attach the Education approved file types detailed in the Federal Register application notice (read-only, non-modifiable .pdf files). Also, do not upload any password-protected files to your application.

Please note that Grants.gov cannot process an application that includes two or more files that have the same name within a grant submission.

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 your file names be less than 50 characters.

• Project Abstract

The project abstract should not exceed two double-spaced pages and should identify the applicant, including all consortium members if applicable, and should concisely describe the following:

• The purpose and expected outcomes of the project

• Applicable absolute and competitive preference priorities

• Number of participants to be served

• The number and location of proposed site(s)

• How the project will conduct recruitment activities, induction services, and how they will assist participants with completing their service payback obligations

• The Indian Tribe(s), if any, involved in the project

Note: Grants.gov may include a note that indicated that the project abstract may not exceed one page; however, an abstract of more than one page may be uploaded.

Part 4: Project Narrative Attachment Form

This section should be attached as a single document to the Project Narrative Attachment Form in accordance with the instructions found on Grants.gov and should be organized in the following manner and include the following parts in order to expedite the review process.

Ensure that you only attach the Education approved file types detailed in the Common Instructions for Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs, published in the Federal Register on December 7, 2022 (87 FR 75045), and available at https://www.federalregister.gov/​documents/​2022/​12/​07/​2022-26554/​common-instructions-for-applicants-to-department-of-education-discretionary-grant-programs. Also, do not upload any password-protected files to your application.

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 your file names be less than 50 characters.

• Table of Contents

The Table of Contents shows where and how the important sections of your proposal are organized and should not exceed one double-spaced page.

• Application Narrative

The application narrative responds to the selection criteria found in this package and should follow the order of the selection criteria.

We encourage applicants to limit this section of the application to the equivalent of no more than 30 pages and adhere to the following guidelines:

• 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.

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

• Selection Criteria for Project Narrative

The maximum score for all criteria is XXX points. The points or weight assigned to each criterion are indicated in parentheses and found in the published Notice Inviting Applicants. Non-Federal peer reviewers will review each application. They will be asked to evaluate and score each program narrative against selection criteria. The applicant must address all the listed criteria, which come from 34 CFR 75.210 as well as the Notice of Final Regulations, published in the Federal Register on [insert date].

Panel readers will award points only for an applicant’s response to a given selection criterion that is contained within the section of the application designated to address that particular selection criterion. Readers will not review, or award points for responses to a given selection criterion that are in any other section of the application or appendices. However, readers will use the information contained within the Budget and Budget Narrative sections of the application to award points for relevant selection criteria responses.

In describing the proposed project, applicants should address the selection criteria in the order in which they are listed. The selection criteria, sub-criteria, and corresponding points are provided in the NIA available at [insert link].

Part 5: Budget Narrative

This section should be attached as a single document to the Budget Narrative Attachment Form in accordance with the instructions found on Grants.gov. It should be organized in the following manner and include the following parts in order to expedite the review process.

Ensure that you only attach the Education approved file types detailed in the Common Instructions for Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs, published in the Federal Register on December 7, 2022 (87 FR 75045), and available at https://www.federalregister.gov/​documents/​2022/​12/​07/​2022-26554/​common-instructions-for-applicants-to-department-of-education-discretionary-grant-programs.

Also, do not upload any password-protected files to your application.

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 your file names be less than 50 characters.

Each application must also provide a Budget Narrative (which serves to meet the requirements of ED Form 524, Section C) for requested Federal funds. The Budget Narrative for requested Federal funds should provide a justification of how the money requested for each budget item will be spent.

This section requires an itemized budget breakdown for each project year and the basis for estimating the costs of personnel salaries, benefits, project staff travel, materials and supplies, consultants and subcontracts, indirect costs and any other projected expenditures. Be sure to complete an itemized budget breakdown and narrative for each year of the proposed project (up to 60 months).

The Budget Narrative provides an opportunity for the applicant to identify the nature and amount of the proposed expenditures. The applicant should provide sufficient detail to enable reviewers and project staff to understand how requested funds will be used, how much will be expended, and the relationship between the requested funds and project activities and outcomes.

In accordance with 34 CFR 75.232, Department of Education staff perform a cost analysis of each recommended project to ensure that costs relate to the activities and objectives of the project, are reasonable, allowable and allocable. We may delete or reduce costs from the budget during this review.

Important Notes

Applicants are encouraged to review the Electronic Code of Federal Regulations Uniform Guidance, Cost Principles in preparing their budget and budget narrative.

The Uniform Guidance may be found at the following link: https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?tpl=/ecfrbrowse/Title02/2cfr200_main_02.tpl

Suggested Guidelines for the Budget Narrative

In accordance with 34 CFR 75.232, Department staff perform a cost analysis of each recommended project to ensure that costs relate to the activities and objectives of the project and are reasonable, allowable and allocable. We may delete or reduce costs from the budget during this review.

To facilitate the review of your Budget Narrative, we encourage each applicant to include the following information for each year of the project:

1. Personnel

• Provide the title and duties of each position to be compensated under this project.

• Provide the salary for each position under this project.

• Provide the amounts of time, such as hours or percentage of time to be expended by each position under this project.

• Explain the importance of each position to the success of the project.

• Provide the basis for cost estimates or computations.

1. Fringe Benefits

• Give the fringe benefit percentages of all personnel included under Personnel.

• Provide the rate and base on which fringe benefits are calculated.

1. Travel

• Explain the purpose of the travel, how it relates to project success, how it aligns with the project goals and objectives and which program participants or staff will participate.

• Submit an estimate for the number of trips, points of origin and destination, and purpose of travel.

• Submit an itemized estimate of transportation and/or subsistence costs for each trip.

• Provide the basis for cost estimates or computations.

1. Equipment

• Indicate the estimated unit cost for each item to be purchased.

• Identify each type of equipment.

• Provide adequate justification of the need for items of equipment to be purchased.

• Explain the purpose of the equipment, and how it relates to project success.

• Provide the basis for cost estimates or computations.

1. Supplies

• Provide an itemized estimate of materials and supplies by nature of expense or general category (e.g., instructional materials, office supplies, etc.).

• Explain the purpose of the supplies and how they relate to project success.

• Provide the basis for cost estimates or computations.

1. Contractual

• Provide the purpose and relation to project success.

• Describe the products to be acquired, and/or the professional services to be provided.

• Provide a brief justification for the use of the contractors selected.

• Identify the name(s) of the contracting party, including consultants, if available.

• Provide the cost per contractor.

• Provide the amount of time that the project will be working with the contractor(s).

• For professional services contracts, provide the amounts of time to be devoted to the project, including the costs to be charged to this proposed grant award.

• Provide the basis for cost estimates or computations.

Note: see Important Information Regarding Professional Services Contracts below.

7. Construction

• Not applicable.

1. Other

• List and identify items by major type or category (e.g., communications, printing, postage, equipment rental, etc.).

• Provide the cost per item (e.g., printing = $500, postage = $750).

• Provide the purpose for the expenditures and relation to project success.

• Provide the basis for cost estimates or computations.

1. Total Direct Costs

• The sum of expenditures, per budget category, of lines 1-8.

1. Indirect Costs

• Identify indirect cost rate (if the applicant will charge indirect costs to the grant)

Note: Remember to provide a copy of the most recent approved indirect cost rate agreement in the Other Attachments section of the application. Additionally, see Important Information Regarding Indirect Costs below.

11. Training Stipends

The PD program may include, as training costs, assistance to fully finance a student’s educational expenses, including: tuition, books, and required fees; health insurance required by the IHE; stipend; dependent allowance; technology costs; program required travel; and instructional supplies; or assistance to supplement other financial aid, including Federal funding other than loans, meeting a student’s educational expenses. Regulatory requirements may be found in 34 CFR 263.4.

12. Total Costs

• Sum total of direct costs, indirect costs, and stipends.

• Please provide total costs for each year of the project as well as grand total cost for the entire project period (up 60 months)

Statutory Administrative Cost Limit

• Due to a statutory limitation, budgets cannot include direct administrative costs that exceed 5% of the total costs of the grant.

• We note that certain costs, such as travel, the project director salary, and evaluation, may not necessarily all be administrative but may be partly direct program cost and partly administrative.

• Please describe in sufficient detail the costs and the parts of the budget lines that you include in the calculation of administrative costs.

Important Information Regarding Professional Services Contracts

Generally, applicants other than states must comply with the procurement requirements in 2 CFR 200.318 through 200.326 and must follow the same policies and procedures they use for procurements from their non-Federal funds.

However, there are two exceptions: Under 34 CFR 75.135(a), an applicant may contract, without regard to the procurement procedures in 2 CFR part 200, to obtain services from an entity that provides a site or sites where the applicant would conduct the project activities. Also, under 34 CFR 75.135(b), an applicant may use the small purchase procedures authorized under 2 CFR 200.320(b) to procure data collection, data analysis, evaluation services, or other essential services that are needed to meet a statutory, regulatory, or priority requirement related to the competition.

If either of these exceptions will be considered, please contact Donna Sabis-Burns via email at [email protected] for additional guidance.

Important Information Regarding Indirect Costs

The Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) limit reimbursement of indirect costs under training grants to non-governmental grantees. These grantees may recover indirect costs under training grants up to the grantee’s actual indirect costs as determined by the grantee’s negotiated indirect cost agreement or 8 percent of MTDC, whichever rate is lower.

Note: This limitation does not apply to State agencies, local governments or federally-recognized Indian tribal governments. [EDGAR §75.562(c)(2)]

If an applicant selected for funding under this program has not already established a current indirect cost rate with its cognizant agency, the Department of Education (ED) generally will authorize the grantee to use a temporary rate of 10 percent of budgeted direct salaries and wages authorized under EDGAR §75.560, or a de minimis rate of 10 percent of MTDC, as authorized under 2 CFR 200.414(f).

Applicants with questions about charging indirect costs on this program should contact the program contact person noted elsewhere in this application package.

Part 6: Other Attachments

Attach one or more documents to the Other Attachments Form in accordance with the instructions found on Grants.gov. You may provide all of the required information in a single document, or in multiple documents.

Ensure that you only attach the Education approved file types detailed in the Common Instructions for Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs, published in the Federal Register on December 7, 2022 (87 FR 75045), and available at https://www.federalregister.gov/​documents/​2022/​12/​07/​2022-26554/​common-instructions-for-applicants-to-department-of-education-discretionary-grant-programs.

Also, do not upload any password-protected files to your application.

Please note that Grants.gov cannot process an application that includes two or more files that have the same name within a grant submission.

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 your file names be less than 50 characters

Required of All Applicants

• One or more letters of support from Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) that serve a high proportion of Indian students. Each letter must include –

  • A statement that the LEA agrees to consider program graduates for employment;

  • Evidence that the LEA meets the definition of “LEA that serves a high proportion of Indian students”; and

  • The signature of an authorized representative of the LEA.

Required if Applicable

• Memorandum of Agreement: Any applicant that proposes to work with a partner to carry out the proposed project must include a signed and dated memorandum of agreement, signed within the four months before the application deadline, that describes the roles and responsibilities of each partner to participate in the grant, including—

• A description of how each partner will implement the project according to the timelines described in the grant application;

• The roles and responsibilities of each partner related to ensuring the data necessary to report on the performance indicators; and

• The roles and responsibilities of each partner related to ensuring that Native American language instructors can be recruited, retained, and trained, as appropriate, in a timely manner.

The applicant’s Memorandum of Agreement may also serve as a consortium agreement for the purposes of requesting competitive preference priority points if it meets the requirements of 34 CFR 75.127-129

• Applicant Engagement with Indian Tribes and Tribal Organizations: All non-Tribal applicants must engage with appropriate officials from Tribe(s) located in the area served by the project, or with a local Tribal organization, prior to submission of an application. The engagement must provide for the opportunity for officials from Tribes or Tribal organizations to meaningfully and substantively contribute to the application. Non-Tribal applicants must submit evidence of either Tribal engagement or a letter of support from one or more Tribes.

• Request for Competitive Preference Priority 4 Attachment: Applicants that request this priority must submit a PDF version of a signed letter of support from the appropriate entity.

• Request for Competitive Preference Priority 5 Attachment: Applicants that request this priority must submit a detailed description of how your project will adhere to this priority (if it has not been included in the project narrative).

• Indirect Cost Rate Agreement: If the budget includes indirect costs, the applicant must attach a copy of its current Indirect Cost Rate (ICR) Agreement.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM CONSORTIUM AGREEMENT

SAMPLE TEMPLATE

Certain entities that apply to the Professional Development Program are required to do so as consortium applicants, and must enter into a binding agreement with each other. To assist consortium applicants, the Department has prepared a sample consortium agreement. Consortia are not required to use this sample and should consult with their attorneys on what is most appropriate for their consortia. The following sample is an example of a consortium agreement between an institution of higher education and an Indian tribe, but there are other entities that may enter into a consortium. As stated in the Notice Inviting Applications for this competition, the eligible entities are:

(1) An institution of higher education, including a Tribal College or University (TCU);

(2) A State educational agency in consortium with an institution of higher education;

(3) A local educational agency (LEA) in consortium with an institution of higher education;

(4) An Indian Tribe or Indian organization in consortium with an institution of higher education; or

(5) A Bureau of Indian Education (BIE)-funded school, in consortium with at least one TCU, where feasible.

I. General Agreement

This agreement is between University A and Tribe B.

University A certifies that it is a Institution of Higher Education (as defined by 34 CFR § 263.3).

Tribe B certifies that it is a Indian tribe.

Both parties are applying in consortium for the Professional Development Program Grant in Fiscal Year (FY) 18 in accordance with 34 CFR § 75.127-129.

II. Designated Lead Applicant

University A agrees to act on behalf of both parties as the designated lead applicant (as required by 34 CFR §75.128(a)(1)).

III. Legal Responsibilities

Both parties acknowledge that they are legally responsible to do the following if they are selected to receive the grant:

(a) Carry out the activities in Section IV below; and

(b) Use the funds that it receives under the agreement in accordance with 34 CFR § 263 and all other Federal requirements that apply to the grant.

University A acknowledges that, if the consortium is awarded funds, as the designated lead applicant it is legally responsible for the following:

(a) The use of all grant funds;

(b) Ensuring that the program is carried out by the group in accordance with Federal requirements; and

(c) Ensuring that indirect cost funds are determined as required under 34 CFR § 75.564(e).

IV. Activities

As required under 20 USC § 7442(d), grant funds must be used for activities that provide support and training for Indian individuals in a manner consistent with the purpose of the Professional Development Program. Below are the activities both parties have agreed to perform:

University A agrees to:

(Please list the program-specific activities that your organization agrees to perform. The activities below are examples of possible activities.)

(1) Provide teacher training that will lead to a bachelor’s degree in education before the end of the award period, and that enables the individuals to meet the requirements for full State certification or licensure as a teacher; and

(2) Train teachers in specialized teaching areas.

Tribe B agrees to:

(Please list the program-specific activities that your organization agrees to perform. The activities below are examples of possible activities.)

(1) Recruit potential students to enter into the Professional Development program;

(2) Assist students with job placement in local education agencies (including BIE-funded schools) that serve a high proportion of Indian students;

(3) Consult with University A to carefully select a pedagogy of teachers and elders to participate in the two year induction service; and

(4) Act as the liaison with local BIE-funded schools.

Both parties agree to:

(These activities may be included in every agreement, and additional ones can be added.)

(1) Have regular meetings with one another;

(2) Cooperate in developing and implementing the project; and

(3) Ensure that all students in the program are aware of and understand the pay-back requirements and conditions of participating in the Professional Development Program.

V. Modification

This agreement may be amended only by written agreement signed by each of the parties involved, and in consultation with the U.S. Department of Education.

VI. Applicable Period

The consortium agreement will remain valid for the life of the grant, including the initial project period and any approved no-cost extension.

VII. Authorization

Designated Lead Applicant | Authorized Representative Signature:

University A has authorized me to sign on its behalf to participate in this consortium agreement. I certify to the best of my knowledge that the information provided in this agreement is accurate, and that University A will comply with the provisions of the Professional Development Grant program. As a member of the consortium agreement, University A agrees to be bound by all of the requirements and assurances of this agreement. University A understands that it is legally responsible for carrying out the activities it has agreed to perform in this agreement and use the funds it receives under this agreement in accordance with all Federal requirements applicable to the Professional Development Grant.

____________________________________________

Signature of Designated Lead Applicant Authorized Representative

____________________________________________

Printed Name and Title

_________________

Date

Entity Applying in Consortium | Authorized Representative Signature:

Tribe B has authorized me to sign on its behalf to participate in this consortium agreement. I certify to the best of my knowledge that the information provided in this agreement is accurate, and that Tribe B will comply with the provisions of the Professional Development Grant program. As a member of the consortium agreement, Tribe B agrees to be bound by all of the requirements and assurances of this agreement. Tribe B understands that it is legally responsible for carrying out the activities it has agreed to perform in this agreement and using the funds it receives under this agreement in accordance with the Federal requirements for the Professional Development Grant.

____________________________________________

Signature of Entity Applying in Consortium Authorized Representative

____________________________________________

Printed Name and Title

_________________

Date

Part 7: Assurances and Certifications

Be certain to complete all required assurances and certification in Grants.gov, and include all required information in the appropriate place on each form.

The following assurances and certifications required for this application are:

• Assurances for Non-Construction Programs (SF 424B Form)

• Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF LLL Form)

• Certification Regarding Lobbying (ED 80-0013 Form)

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

INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMPLETION OF SF-LLL, DISCLOSURE OF LOBBYING ACTIVITIES

This disclosure form shall be completed by the reporting entity, whether subawardee or prime Federal recipient, at the initiation or receipt of a covered Federal action, or a material change to a previous filing, pursuant to title 31 U.S.C. section 1352. The filing of a form is required for each payment or agreement to make payment to any lobbying entity for influencing or attempting to influence an officer or employee of any agency, a Member of Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an employee of a Member of Congress in connection with a covered Federal action. Complete all items that apply for both the initial filing and material change report. Refer to the implementing guidance published by the Office of Management and Budget for additional information.

1. Identify the type of covered Federal action for which lobbying activity is and/or has been secured to influence the outcome of a covered Federal action.

2. Identify the status of the covered Federal action.

3. Identify the appropriate classification of this report. If this is a follow up report caused by a material change to the information previously reported, enter the year and quarter in which the change occurred. Enter the date of the last previously submitted report by this reporting entity for this covered Federal action.

4. Enter the full name, address, city, State and zip code of the reporting entity. Include Congressional District, if known. Check the appropriate classification of the reporting entity that designates if it is, or expects to be, a prime or subaward recipient. Identify the tier of the subawardee, e.g., the first subawardee of the prime is the 1st tier. Subawards include but are not limited to subcontracts, subgrants and contract awards under grants.

5. If the organization filing the report in item 4 checks “Subawardee,” then enter the full name, address, city, State and zip code of the prime Federal recipient. Include Congressional District, if known.

6. Enter the name of the federal agency making the award or loan commitment. Include at least one organizational level below agency name, if known. For example, Department of Transportation, United States Coast Guard.

7. Enter the Federal program name or description for the covered Federal action (item 1). If known, enter the full Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number for grants, cooperative agreements, loans, and loan commitments.

8. Enter the most appropriate Federal identifying number available for the Federal action identified in item 1 (e.g., Request for Proposal (RFP) number; Invitations for Bid (IFB) number; grant announcement number; the contract, grant, or loan award number; the application/proposal control number assigned by the Federal agency). Included prefixes, e.g., “RFP-DE-90-001.”

9. For a covered Federal action where there has been an award or loan commitment by the Federal agency, enter the Federal amount of the award/loan commitment for the prime entity identified in item 4 or 5.

10. (a) Enter the full name, address, city, State and zip code of the lobbying registrant under the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 engaged by the reporting entity identified in item 4 to influence the covered Federal action.

(b) Enter the full names of the individual(s) performing services and include full address if different from 10(a). Enter Last Name, First Name, and Middle Initial (MI).

11. The certifying official shall sign and date the form, print his/her name, title, and telephone number.

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act, as amended, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control Number. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is OMB No. 0348-0046. Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 10 minutes per response, including time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding the burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to the Office of Management and Budget, Paperwork Reduction Project (0348-0046), Washington, DC 20503

Instructions for Meeting the General Education Provisions Act (GEPA) Section 427 Requirements

The NOTICE TO ALL APPLICANTS: EQUITY FOR STUDENTS, EDUCATORS, AND OTHER PROGRAM BENEFICIARIES is a standard form used by the U.S. Department of Education (the Department) for applicants seeking Federal assistance under the Department’s grant programs. Applicants submit in their grant application a description of steps that they propose to take to ensure equitable access to, and participation in, their Federal grant as required by the General Education Provisions Act (GEPA) Section 427.

GEPA Section 427 highlights six types of barriers that can impede equitable access or participation: gender, race, national origin, color, disability, or age. Applicants based on the design of their proposed grant project, the participants and community the project proposes to serve, and local circumstances determine whether these or other barriers may prevent all beneficiaries such access or participation. General instructions for completing the standard form are contained below.

o Applicants may identify any barriers that may impede equitable access and participation in the proposed project or activity, including, but not limited to, barriers based on economic disadvantage, gender, race, ethnicity, color, national origin, disability, age, language, migrant status, rural status, homeless status or housing insecurity, pregnancy, parenting, or caregiving status, and sexual orientation.

o Applicants must respond to each question using the associated text box. Each text box allows approximately 4000 characters; therefore, if copying and pasting into the text box from another document be sure to check that everything copied.

o Applicants will receive an error message if any response is missing and will not be able to submit the application due to the missing information.

o Applicants that have already undertaken steps to address barriers must provide an explanation and/or description of the steps already taken in each text box, as appropriate.

o Applicants that believe no barriers exist must provide an explanation and/or description to each question to validate that perception and satisfy the GEPA Section 427 requirement

III. Reporting and Accountability

Successful applicants with multi-year grants must submit an annual performance report (APR) demonstrating their progress in meeting approved project objectives. Grantees must also provide the most current financial and performance measure data for each year of the project.

At the end of the project period, applicants will also be required to submit a final performance report (FPR).

IV. Legal and Regulatory Information

Notice Inviting Applications

[Link to NIA]

Program Statute

SEC. 6122. (20 U.S.C. 7442) PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR TEACHERS AND EDUCATION PROFESSIONALS.  

(a) PURPOSES.—The purposes of this section are—  

(1) to increase the number of qualified Indian teachers and administrators serving Indian students;  

(2) to provide pre- and in-service training and support to qualified Indian individuals to enable such individuals to become effective teachers, principals, other school leaders, administrators, paraprofessionals, counselors, social workers, and specialized instructional support personnel;  

(3) to improve the skills of qualified Indian individuals who serve in the capacities described in paragraph (2); and  

(4) to develop and implement initiatives to promote retention of effective teachers, principals, and school leaders who have a record of success in helping low-achieving Indian students improve their academic achievement, outcomes, and preparation for postsecondary education or employment.  

(b) ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.—For the purpose of this section, the term ‘‘eligible entity’’ means—  

(1) an institution of higher education, including a Tribal College or University, as defined in section 316(b) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1059c(b));  

(2) a State educational agency or local educational agency, in consortium with an institution of higher education;  

(3) an Indian tribe or organization, in consortium with an institution of higher education; and  

(4) a Bureau-funded school (as defined in section 1146 of the Education Amendments of 1978) in a consortium with at least one Tribal College or University, as defined in section 316(b) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1059c(b)), where feasible.  

(c) PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.—The Secretary is authorized to award grants to eligible entities having applications approved under this section to enable those entities to carry out the activities described in subsection (d).  

(d) AUTHORIZED ACTIVITIES.—  

(1) IN GENERAL.—Grant funds under this section shall be used for activities to provide support and training for Indian individuals in a manner consistent with the purpose of this section. Such activities may include— (A) continuing education programs, symposia, workshops, and conferences; (B) teacher mentoring programs, professional guidance, and instructional support provided by educators, local traditional leaders, or cultural experts, as appropriate for teachers during their first 3 years of employment as teachers; (C) direct financial support; and (D) programs designed to train traditional leaders and cultural experts to assist those personnel referenced in subsection (a)(2), as appropriate, with relevant Native language and cultural mentoring, guidance, and support.  

(2) SPECIAL RULES.—  

(A) TYPE OF TRAINING.—For education personnel, the training received pursuant to a grant under this section may be inservice or preservice training.  

(B) PROGRAM.—For individuals who are being trained to enter any field other than teaching, the training received pursuant to a grant under this section shall be in a program that results in a graduate degree.  

(e) APPLICATION.—Each eligible entity desiring a grant under this section shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time and in such manner as the Secretary may reasonably require. At a minimum, an application under this section shall describe how the eligible entity will—  

(1) recruit qualified Indian individuals, such as students who may not be of traditional college age, to become teachers, principals, or school leaders;  

(2) use funds made available under the grant to support the recruitment, preparation, and professional development of Indian teachers or principals in local educational agencies that serve a high proportion of Indian students; and  

(3) assist participants in meeting the requirements under subsection (h).  

(f) SPECIAL RULE.—In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary—  

(1) may give priority to Tribal Colleges and Universities;  

(2) shall consider the prior performance of the eligible entity; and  

(3) may not limit eligibility to receive a grant under this section on the basis of the length of any period for which the eligible entity has received a grant.  

(g) GRANT PERIOD.—The Secretary shall award grants under this section for an initial period of not more than 3 years, and may renew such grants for an additional period of not more than 2 years if the Secretary finds that the grantee is achieving the objectives of the grant.  

(h) SERVICE OBLIGATION.—  

(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall require, by regulation, that an individual who receives training pursuant to a grant made under this section— (A) perform work— (i) related to the training received under this section; and (ii) that benefits Indian students in a local educational agency that serves a high proportion of Indian students; or (B) repay all or a prorated part of the assistance received. 

(2) REPORTING.—The Secretary shall establish, by regulation, a reporting procedure under which a grant recipient under this section shall, not later than 12 months after the date of completion of the training, and periodically thereafter, provide information concerning compliance with the work requirement under paragraph (1). 

Program Regulations

34 CFR part 263

85 FR 41372

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