4000-01-U
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Applications for New Awards; Stronger Connections Technical
Assistance and Capacity Building Grant Program
AGENCY: Office of Elementary and Secondary Education,
Department of Education.
ACTION: Notice.
SUMMARY: The Department of Education (Department) is
issuing a notice inviting applications for fiscal year (FY)
2024 for new awards for the Stronger Connections Technical
Assistance and Capacity Building (SCTAC) grant program.
DATES:
Applications Available: [INSERT DATE OF PUBLICATION IN THE
FEDERAL REGISTER].
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: [INSERT DATE 60
DAYS AFTER DATE OF PUBLICATION IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER].
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: [INSERT DATE 120
DAYS AFTER DATE OF PUBLICATION IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER].
ADDRESSES:

For the addresses for obtaining and submitting

an application, please refer to our Common Instructions for
Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary Grant
Programs, published in the Federal Register on December 7,
2022 (87 FR 75045) and available at
www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/12/07/202226554/common-instructions-for-applicants-to-department-ofeducation-discretionary-grant-programs.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Hamed Negron-Perez, U.S.
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, room
4B111, Washington, DC 20202-6132.
1674.

Telephone: (202) 219-

Email: SCTAC@ed.gov.
If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech

disability and wish to access telecommunications relay
services, please dial 7–1–1.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Full Text of Announcement
I.

Funding Opportunity Description

Purpose of Program:

The purpose of the SCTAC grant program

is to advance the mental health and well-being of early
learners (as defined in this notice), school-age children
and youth, and educators and other school staff, by making
grants to State educational agencies (SEAs) to provide
technical assistance and capacity building to high-need
local educational agencies (LEAs) (as defined in this
notice).
Assistance Listing Number (ALN): 84.424H.
OMB Control Number:
Background:

1894-0006.

The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA)

allocated $1 billion in funding to States through the
Stronger Connections Grant (SCG) program; SEAs, in turn,
subgranted these funds competitively to high-need LEAs to
design and enhance initiatives to promote safer, more
inclusive, and positive school environments for all

students, educators, and school staff including through
personnel and programs to support student mental health.
The SCTAC grant program is being established with BSCA
funds from the two percent reservation for technical
assistance and capacity building under section 4103(a)(3)
of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as
amended (ESEA).

This funding is available to SEAs to

provide technical assistance and capacity building services
to high-need LEAs for evidence-based (as defined in 34 CFR
77.1) and culturally and linguistically inclusive programs
and activities related to mental health and well-being for
early learners, school-age children and youth, and
educators and other school staff.

We encourage SEAs

receiving SCTAC funds to prioritize high-need LEAs that did
not receive a Stronger Connections subgrant from the SEA
for technical assistance and capacity building services
under this program.
“Raise the Bar: Lead the World” is the Department’s
call to action to transform education and unite around what
works — based on decades of experience and research — to
advance educational equity and excellence.

As part of our

Raise the Bar efforts to boldly improve learning
conditions, the Department continues to invest in every
student’s mental health and well-being.
Recent studies show that children who experience
unaddressed mental health issues are more likely to face

challenges in school, such as being more likely to repeat a
grade and experience chronic absenteeism, and less likely
to graduate high school.1

Amid the pandemic, data from the

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) showed
that 1 in 3 high school students experienced poor mental
health, 1 in 6 adolescents experienced a major depressive
episode, and 20 percent of teens seriously considered
suicide.2

The suicide rate among Black youth similarly is

increasing faster than for any other race or ethnic group.3
Of teens seriously considering suicide, rates are
alarmingly high for LGBTQ students, with 45% of LGBTQ youth
surveyed indicating they seriously considered attempting
suicide in the past year.4
These data are consistent with research findings about
the mental health and well-being of early learners as well.
According to the CDC, 17.4 percent of children aged 2-8
years had a diagnosed mental, behavior, or developmental
disorder.5

This same report showed an increase to 22

Larson, S., Chapman, S., Spetz, J., & Brindis, C.D. Chronic childhood
trauma, mental health, academic achievement, and
school-based health center mental health services. J Sch Health. 2017;
87: 675-686. Retrieved from:
https://escholarship.org/content/qt6th2r852/qt6th2r852.pdf
2 Youth Risk Behavior Survey: Data Summary and Trends Report. Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention 2011-2021. Retrieved from:
https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/data/yrbs/pdf/YRBS_Data-SummaryTrends_Report2023_508.pdf
3 Akkas, Faranza, A. Corr. Black Adolescent Suicide Rate Reveals Urgent
Need to Address Mental Health Care Barriers. April 2024. Retrieved
from: https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-andanalysis/articles/2024/04/22/black-adolescent-suicide-rate-revealsurgent-need-to-address-mental-health-care-barriers
4 https://www.thetrevorproject.org/survey-2022/
5 Cree, R.A., Bitsko, R.H., Robinson, L.R., et al. Health Care, Family,
and Community Factors Associated with Mental, Behavioral, and

percent for children living below 100 percent of the
Federal poverty level.
Educators and other school staff are also facing
mental health and well-being challenges.

According to the

Department’s National Center for Education Statistics
February 2024 School Pulse Panel, 91 percent of public
school principals or vice principals reported some level of
concern about the mental health of the teachers or staff at
their school and 41 percent reported being “moderately” or
“extremely” concerned about this issue.6
Educator mental health and well-being carry
implications for educator retention, and thus downstream
effects on student educational opportunity and achievement,
making it a critical priority for States and LEAs.

A

recent study found that 23 percent of teachers said they
were likely to leave their job by the end of the 2022–2023
school year and Black teachers, who are more likely to
teach in under resourced schools without the necessary
student and educator support, were significantly more
likely to intend to leave than their peers.7

The same study

found that teachers who reported poor well-being as a

Developmental Disorders and Poverty Among Children Aged 2–8 Years —
United States, 2016. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2018;67:1377–1383.
Retrieved from: http:\\dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6750a1.
6 U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences,
National Center for Education Statistics, School Pulse Panel. February
2024. Retrieved from: https://nces.ed.gov/surveys/spp/results.asp.
7 Doan, S., Steiner, E., Pandey, R., & Woo, A. (June 2023). Teacher
Well-Being and Intentions to Leave: Findings from the 2023 State of the
American Teacher Survey. Rand Corporation. Retrieved from:
https://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/research_reports/RRA1100/RRA
1108-8/RAND_RRA1108-8.pdf.

reason for likely leaving their job were more likely than
their counterparts to say that they intended to leave their
job.
The SCTAC program is designed to build SEA capacity to
address the particular needs of the high-need LEAs in their
State.

In responding to the areas identified in the

absolute priority, we encourage projects that provide
technical assistance and capacity building to high-need
LEAs to address chronic absenteeism and increase student
engagement and school belonging, for example, by
implementing strong student connection and engagement
activities or school climate improvement strategies. One
evidence-based example that SEAs may consider, for example,
is mentorship programs that focus on small-group counseling
and help youth to build skills and competencies on choosing
non-violent behaviors and using de-escalation and violence
reduction strategies.8

The Department is also interested in

activities that enhance supportive services for youth
impacted by community violence such as through trauma
recovery, restorative practices, and community violence
intervention and prevention strategies. For example,
programs that use a trauma-informed approach to support
social emotional wellbeing have been reported to decrease
depression and increase self-confidence in participants.9

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved from:
https://www.cdc.gov/youth-violence/prevention/index.html.
9 https://www.youth-guidance.org/wow/

When considering these different programs and activities,
we encourage applicants to propose projects that include
strategies specific to supporting young people, with a
focus on those most historically underserved.10
Applicants may propose projects that also support the
mental health, well-being, and academic development of
early learners, for example, by providing technical
assistance and capacity building services on how to remove
barriers and increase access to social, emotional, and
mental health supports; provide support to caregivers;
strengthen family engagement activities; enhance home
visits to encourage school and attendance readiness; and
establish participatory approaches with families and
community partners.11
We also welcome applications that propose to support
educator mental health and well-being so that they are well
positioned to support their students.

For example, SEAs

may consider proposing projects to better understand and
address experiences, particularly in the school building,
that impact educator mental health and well-being.
SEAs may also propose projects that provide technical
assistance and capacity building to high-need LEAs on youth
mental health programs that include peer-to-peer support
programs, such as mental health “first aid” programs (as

Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved from:
https://www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns/aces/index.html.
11 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Retrieved
from: https://www.samhsa.gov/early-childhood-mental-health-programs

defined in this notice).

Studies of youth mental health

first aid have shown positive results in terms of providing
youth peers, and adults who work closely with youth, the
ability to recognize the signs, symptoms, and risk factors
of mental health and substance use challenges.12
Additionally, youth peer-to-peer support programs, such as
peer counseling, youth mental health peer ambassadors,
student-led clubs, and restorative justice programs, are
additional promising practices.

Broader studies of peer-

to-peer programs show a variety of positive outcomes
including reduced re-hospitalization rates, better quality
of life outcomes, higher engagement rates, and improved
whole health.13
These important activities can help high-need LEAs
create safe, welcoming, and inclusive learning environments
that support student mental health and wellbeing which is
foundational to improving academic and other outcomes for
all students.
This notice invites applications for SCTAC grants.
The Department developed budget ranges for each potential
applicant by ranking every State according to the State’s
share of their Stronger Connections Grant, Title IV, Part A

Research and Evaluation of Youth Mental Health First Aid. National
Council for Mental Wellbeing. Retrieved from:
https://www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org/wpcontent/uploads/2024/03/2024.01.05_YouthMHFA_Research-One-pager-1.pdf.
13 Evidence for Peer Support (2018). Mental Health America. Retrieved
from:
https://www.mhanational.org/sites/default/files/Evidence%20for%20Peer%2
0Support%20May%202018.pdf.

funds (see the “Award Information” section of this notice
for more information).

SEAs should develop budgets that

are appropriate to their proposed projects and consistent
with the budget range established for their State.
Department staff will review applications to determine if
an SEA met the absolute priority, addressed the application
requirements, and proposed a budget consistent with their
State’s established budget range. Peer reviewers will
review applications to determine the extent to which
applicants met the established selection criteria.
Priorities:

This competition has one absolute priority.

We are establishing this priority for this grant
competition in accordance with section 437(d)(1) of the
General Education Provisions Act (GEPA), 20 U.S.C.
1232(d)(1).
Absolute Priority:

For FY 2024 and any subsequent year in

which we make awards from the list of unfunded applications
from this competition, this priority is an absolute
priority.

Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3), we consider only

applications that meet this priority.
This priority is:
Projects to provide technical assistance and capacity
building to high-need LEAs to support inclusive, evidencebased programs and activities related to mental health and
well-being for early learners, school-age children and
youth, or educators and other school staff.

To meet this priority, applicants must propose a
project that would provide technical assistance and
capacity building to high-need LEAs to help them establish
or expand evidence-based, inclusive practices in one or
more of the following areas:
(a)

Student attendance and engagement programs

designed to reduce rates of chronic absenteeism and improve
attendance, engagement, connectedness, and wellbeing that
include, for example:
(1) Increasing family engagement and communication,
including through a variety of approaches to communication,
such as through the use of texting to share real-time data
on attendance, to more targeted engagement, such as through
home visits to identify additional student and family
supports that might be needed;
(2) Improving school climate and implementing antibullying efforts;
(3) Providing student mentorship programs, such as
student success coaches and mentors, and supportive peer
groups;
(4) Adopting early warning intervention systems and
multi-tiered systems of support; and
(5) Establishing school and local educational agency
attendance and engagement teams and providing them with
real time and actionable data.

(b) Programs for early learners that support their
mental health, well-being, and academic development through
activities such as-(1)

Increasing access for early learners to social,

emotional, and mental health supports, and reducing
barriers to access for underserved students; and
(2)

Building strong partnerships among parents,

families, caregivers, social service organizations, mental
health care personnel, personnel providing services to
students served under section 619 of the Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and community-based
organizations serving pre-kindergarten, kindergarten, and
early grade students to improve the environment,
relationships, engagement, attendance, and experiences that
impact children’s early development.
(c)

Programs to improve educator and school staff

mental health and wellbeing, so that these individuals may
better support students and are more likely to remain in
the profession, through activities such as-(1)

Developing methods, measurement tools, or

interventions for high-need LEAs to understand, and to
address the factors, including school-related factors, that
impact educator mental health and well-being. This includes
developing the methods and tools for disaggregating data
by, for example, teacher race/ethnicity and years of

experience), to get a complete understanding of the factors
and who is impacted.
(2)

Strengthening social, emotional, and behavioral

competencies among adults;
(d)

Peer-to-peer mental health or youth mental health

programs supported by schools or qualified local
organizations to reduce the impact of unaddressed mental
health challenges such as those caused by exposure to
community violence and to increase student belonging and
connection, including, for example-(1)

Implementing peer-to-peer programs that raise

awareness around core mental health concepts and
destigmatize mental health care, provide training for
students to identify protective14 and risk factors related
to mental health and well-being, and connect students to
resources and professionals for additional support; and
(2)

Implementing youth mental health first aid

programs to train students on how to identify, understand,
and respond to signs of common mental health and well-being
challenges.
(e)

Improving data collection, use, and reporting as

it relates to implementation and performance management of
an SEA's SCG program.

A characteristic at the biological, psychological, family, or
community (including peers and culture) level that is associated with a
lower likelihood of problem outcomes or that reduces the negative
impact of a risk factor on problem outcomes. Retrieved from:
https://youth.gov/youth-topics/youth-mental-health/risk-and-protectivefactors-youth

Definitions:

The following definitions apply to the FY

2024 SCTAC grant program competition and any subsequent
year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded
applications for this competition.
We are establishing definitions of “high-need LEA,”
“early learner,” and “mental health first aid” in
accordance with section 437(d)(1) of GEPA, 20 U.S.C.
1232(d)(1).

The definitions of “local educational agency”

and “State educational agency” are from section 8101 of the
ESEA (20 U.S.C. 7801).

The definitions “baseline,”

“demonstrates a rationale,” “evidence-based,” “experimental
study,” “logic model,” “moderate evidence,” “project
component,” “quasi-experimental design study,” “relevant
outcome,” and “What Works Clearinghouse Handbooks (WWC
Handbooks)” are from 34 CFR 77.1.

These definitions apply

to the FY 2024 SCTAC grant program competition and any
subsequent year in which we make awards from the list of
unfunded applications for this competition.
Baseline means the starting point from which
performance is measured and targets are set.
Demonstrates a rationale means a key project component
included in the project's logic model is informed by
research or evaluation findings that suggest the project
component is likely to improve relevant outcomes.
Early learner means any person from birth to age 8 who
is eligible for a free public education in the State.

Evidence-based means the proposed project component is
supported by one or more of strong evidence, moderate
evidence, promising evidence, or evidence that demonstrates
a rationale.
Experimental study means a study that is designed to
compare outcomes between two groups of individuals (such as
students) that are otherwise equivalent except for their
assignment to either a treatment group receiving a project
component or a control group that does not.

Randomized

controlled trials, regression discontinuity design studies,
and single-case design studies are the specific types of
experimental studies that, depending on their design and
implementation (e.g., sample attrition in randomized
controlled trials and regression discontinuity design
studies), can meet What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) standards
without reservations as described in the WWC Handbooks (as
defined in this notice):
(i) A randomized controlled trial employs random
assignment of, for example, students, teachers, classrooms,
or schools to receive the project component being evaluated
(the treatment group) or not to receive the project
component (the control group).
(ii) A regression discontinuity design study assigns
the project component being evaluated using a measured
variable (e.g., assigning students reading below a cutoff

score to tutoring or developmental education classes) and
controls for that variable in the analysis of outcomes.
(iii) A single-case design study uses observations of
a single case (e.g., a student eligible for a behavioral
intervention) over time in the absence and presence of a
controlled treatment manipulation to determine whether the
outcome is systematically related to the treatment.
High-need LEA has the meaning ascribed it by the SEA
under its Stronger Connections Grant program.
Local educational agency means a public board of
education or other public authority legally constituted
within a State for either administrative control or
direction of, or to perform a service function for, public
elementary schools or secondary schools in a city, county,
township, school district, or other political subdivision
of a State, or of or for a combination of school districts
or counties that is recognized in a State as an
administrative agency for its public elementary schools or
secondary schools.
(a) The term includes any other public institution or
agency having administrative control and direction of a
public elementary school or secondary school.
(b) The term includes an elementary or secondary
school funded by the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) but
only to the extent that including the school makes the
school eligible for programs for which specific eligibility

is not provided to the school in another provision of law
and the school does not have a student population that is
smaller than the student population of the LEA receiving
assistance under the ESEA with the smallest student
population, except that the school shall not be subject to
the jurisdiction of any SEA other than the BIE.
(c) The term includes educational service agencies and
consortia of those agencies.
(d) The term includes the SEA in a State in which the
SEA is the sole educational agency for all public schools.
Logic model (also referred to as a theory of action)
means a framework that identifies key project components of
the proposed project (i.e., the active “ingredients” that
are hypothesized to be critical to achieving the relevant
outcomes) and describes the theoretical and operational
relationships among the key project components and relevant
outcomes.
Mental health first aid means the skills needed to
recognize and respond to signs and symptoms of mental
health and substance use challenges and know how to connect
individuals to additional resources, including professional
help.
Moderate evidence means that there is evidence of
effectiveness of a key project component in improving a
relevant outcome for a sample that overlaps with the

populations or settings proposed to receive that component,
based on a relevant finding from one of the following:
(i) A practice guide prepared by the WWC using version
2.1, 3.0, 4.0, or 4.1 of the WWC Handbooks reporting a
“strong evidence base” or “moderate evidence base” for the
corresponding practice guide recommendation;
(ii) An intervention report prepared by the WWC using
version 2.1, 3.0, 4.0, or 4.1 of the WWC Handbooks
reporting a “positive effect” or “potentially positive
effect” on a relevant outcome based on a “medium to large”
extent of evidence, with no reporting of a “negative
effect” or “potentially negative effect” on a relevant
outcome; or
(iii) A single experimental study (as defined in this
notice) or quasi-experimental design study (as defined in
this notice) reviewed and reported by the WWC using version
2.1, 3.0, 4.0, or 4.1 of the WWC Handbooks, or otherwise
assessed by the Department using version 4.1 of the WWC
Handbook, as appropriate, and that—
(A) Meets WWC standards with or without reservations;
(B) Includes at least one statistically significant
and positive (i.e., favorable) effect on a relevant
outcome;
(C) Includes no overriding statistically significant
and negative effects on relevant outcomes reported in the
study or in a corresponding WWC intervention report

prepared under version 2.1, 3.0, 4.0, or 4.1 of the WWC
Handbooks; and
(D) Is based on a sample from more than one site
(e.g., State, county, city, school district, or
postsecondary campus) and includes at least 350 students or
other individuals across sites.

Multiple studies of the

same project component that each meet requirements in
paragraphs (iii)(A), (B), and (C) of this definition may
together satisfy this requirement.
Project component means an activity, strategy,
intervention, process, product, practice, or policy
included in a project.

Evidence may pertain to an

individual project component or to a combination of project
components (e.g., training teachers on instructional
practices for English learners and follow-on coaching for
these teachers).
Promising evidence means that there is evidence of the
effectiveness of a key project component in improving a
relevant outcome, based on a relevant finding from one of
the following:
(i) A practice guide prepared by WWC reporting a
“strong evidence base” or “moderate evidence base” for the
corresponding practice guide recommendation;
(ii) An intervention report prepared by the WWC
reporting a “positive effect” or “potentially positive
effect” on a relevant outcome with no reporting of a

“negative effect” or “potentially negative effect” on a
relevant outcome; or
(iii) A single study assessed by the Department, as
appropriate, that—
(A) Is an experimental study, a quasi-experimental
design study, or a well-designed and well-implemented
correlational study with statistical controls for selection
bias (e.g., a study using regression methods to account for
differences between a treatment group and a comparison
group); and
(B) Includes at least one statistically significant
and positive (i.e., favorable) effect on a relevant
outcome.
Quasi-experimental design study means a study using a
design that attempts to approximate an experimental study
by identifying a comparison group that is similar to the
treatment group in important respects.

This type of study,

depending on design and implementation (e.g., establishment
of baseline equivalence of the groups being compared), can
meet WWC standards with reservations, but cannot meet WWC
standards without reservations, as described in the WWC
Handbooks.
Relevant outcome means the student outcome(s) or other
outcome(s) the key project component is designed to
improve, consistent with the specific goals of the program.

State educational agency (SEA) means the agency
primarily responsible for the State supervision of public
elementary schools and secondary schools.
Strong evidence means that there is evidence of the
effectiveness of a key project component in improving a
relevant outcome for a sample that overlaps with the
populations and settings proposed to receive that
component, based on a relevant finding from one of the
following:
(i)

A practice guide prepared by the WWC using

version 2.1, 3.0, 4.0, or 4.1 of the WWC Handbooks
reporting a “strong evidence base” for the corresponding
practice guide recommendation;
(ii) An intervention report prepared by the WWC using
version 2.1, 3.0, 4.0, or 4.1 of the WWC Handbooks
reporting a “positive effect” on a relevant outcome based
on a “medium to large” extent of evidence, with no
reporting of a “negative effect” or “potentially negative
effect” on a relevant outcome; or
(iii) A single experimental study reviewed and
reported by the WWC using version 2.1, 3.0, 4.0, or 4.1 of
the WWC Handbooks, or otherwise assessed by the Department
using version 4.1 of the WWC Handbooks, as appropriate, and
that—
(A) Meets WWC standards without reservations;

(B) Includes at least one statistically significant
and positive (i.e., favorable) effect on a relevant
outcome;
(C) Includes no overriding statistically significant
and negative effects on relevant outcomes reported in the
study or in a corresponding WWC intervention report
prepared under version 2.1, 3.0, 4.0, or 4.1 of the WWC
Handbooks; and
(D) Is based on a sample from more than one site
(e.g., State, county, city, school district, or
postsecondary campus) and includes at least 350 students or
other individuals across sites. Multiple studies of the
same project component that each meet requirements in
paragraphs (iii)(A), (B), and (C) of this definition may
together satisfy the requirement in this paragraph
(iii)(D).
What Works Clearinghouse Handbooks (WWC Handbooks)
means the standards and procedures set forth in the WWC
Standards Handbook, Versions 4.0 or 4.1, and WWC Procedures
Handbook, Versions 4.0 or 4.1, or in the WWC Procedures and
Standards Handbook, Version 3.0 or Version 2.1 (all
incorporated by reference, see § 77.2).

Study findings

eligible for review under WWC standards can meet WWC
standards without reservations, meet WWC standards with
reservations, or not meet WWC standards.

WWC practice

guides and intervention reports include findings from

systematic reviews of evidence as described in the WWC
Handbooks documentation.
Note: The What Works Clearinghouse Procedures and Standards
Handbook (Version 4.1), as well as the more recent What
Works Clearinghouse Handbooks released in August 2022
(Version 5.0), are available at
https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/Handbooks.
Application Requirements:

We are establishing the

following application requirements for the FY 2024 grant
competition and any subsequent year in which we make awards
from the list of unfunded applications for this
competition, in accordance with section 437(d)(1) of GEPA,
20 U.S.C. 1232(d)(1).
Applicants must include the following in their
applications:
(1)

A description of the criteria the SEA will use to

identify the high-need LEAs that will receive technical
assistance and capacity building services under this
program.
(2)

A plan (i.e., description of key activities,

milestones, timeline, resources, performance measures, and
partnerships) for providing the proposed technical
assistance and capacity building services to high-need
LEAs.

(3)

A plan for developing and disseminating the

technical assistance and capacity building products and
resources the SEA develops, as applicable.
Waiver of Proposed Rulemaking:

Under the Administrative

Procedure Act (5 U.S.C. 553), the Department generally
offers interested parties the opportunity to comment on
proposed priorities, requirements, and definitions.
Section 437(d)(1) of GEPA, however, allows the Secretary to
exempt from rulemaking requirements regulations governing
the first grant competition under a new or substantially
revised program authority.

This is the first grant

competition for this program under section 4103(a)(3) of
the ESEA and therefore qualifies for this exemption.

In

order to ensure timely grant awards, the Secretary has
decided to forgo public comment on the priority,
requirements, and definitions under section 437(d)(1) of
GEPA.

These requirements and definitions will apply to the

FY 2024 grant competition and any subsequent year in which
we make awards from the list of unfunded applications from
this competition.
Program Authority:

Section 4103(a)(3) of the ESEA; Pub. L.

117-159 (enacted June 25, 2022), Bipartisan Safer
Communities Act, Division B, Title II, School Improvement
Programs.
Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department
General Administrative Regulations in 34 CFR parts 75, 77,

79, 81, 82, 84, 97, 98, and 99. (b) The Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) Guidelines to Agencies on
Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension (Nonprocurement) in
2 CFR part 180, as adopted and amended as regulations of
the Department in 2 CFR part 3485. (c) The Guidance for
Federal Financial Assistance in 2 CFR part 200, as adopted
and amended as regulations of the Department in 2 CFR part
3474.
Note: The Department will implement the provisions included
in the OMB final rule, OMB Guidance for Federal Financial
Assistance, which amends 2 CFR parts 25, 170, 175, 176,
180, 182, 183, 184, and 200, on October 1, 2024.

Grant

applicants that anticipate a performance period start date
on or after October 1, 2024 should follow the provisions
stated in the OMB Guidance for Federal Financial Assistance
(89 FR 30046) when preparing an application.

For more

information about these updated regulations please visit:
https://www.cfo.gov/resources/uniform-guidance/.
Note:

The regulations in 34 CFR part 79 apply to all

applicants except federally recognized Indian Tribes.
II. Award Information
Type of Award:
Available Funds:
Project Period:

Discretionary grants.
$10,930,000.
Up to 36 months.

Budgets should be

developed for a single project period of up to 36 months.

Maximum Awards:

An SEA may initially request no more than

the maximum amount (as noted below in the designated
category ranges) for its project period.

If funds remain

available after funding each successful applicant at its
requested amount, the Department may, to the extent
appropriate, increase the awards for successful applicants.
If available funds are insufficient to fully award each
successful applicant at its requested amount, the
Department will ratably reduce the awards for all
successful applicants.

The budget ranges are as follows:

Category 1 - $500,000-$1,000,000: California, Texas,
New York, Florida.
Category 2 - $250,000-$500,000: Illinois,
Pennsylvania, Georgia, Ohio, North Carolina, Michigan, New
Jersey.
Category 3 - $120,000-250,000: Arizona, Louisiana,
Tennessee, Virginia, Maryland, South Carolina, Alabama,
Kentucky, Indiana, Washington, Missouri, Massachusetts,
Mississippi, Wisconsin, Oklahoma.
Category 4 - $60,000-$150,000: Arkansas, Minnesota,
Colorado, Nevada, Connecticut, Oregon, New Mexico, Kansas,
Iowa, West Virginia.
Category 5 - $50,000-$100,000: Alaska, Delaware,
Hawaii, Idaho, Maine, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire,
North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont,

Wyoming, Bureau of Indian Education, District of Columbia,
Puerto Rico.
Category 6 - $25,000-$50,000: The Outlying Areas of
Guam, American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands, the
United States Virgin Islands.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants:

SEAs, as defined in 20 U.S.C.

7801(49); and the Bureau of Indian Education.

(Section

437(d)(1) of GEPA)
2.

a.

Cost Sharing or Matching:

This program does

not require cost sharing or matching.
b.

Supplement-Not-Supplant:

This competition

involves supplement-not-supplant funding requirements.
Grantees must use SCTAC funds to supplement, and not
supplant, other non-Federal funds that would otherwise be
used to pay for activities authorized under the SCTAC
program.
c.

Indirect Cost Rate Information:

a restricted indirect cost rate.

This program uses

For more information

regarding indirect costs, or to obtain a negotiated
indirect cost rate, please see
www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocfo/intro.html.
d.

Administrative Cost Limitation:

This program does

not include any program-specific limitation on
administrative expenses.

All administrative expenses must

be reasonable and necessary and conform to Cost Principles

described in 2 CFR part 200 subpart E of the Uniform
Guidance.
3.

Subgrantees:

A grantee under this competition may

not award subgrants to entities to directly carry out
project activities described in its application.
4.

Equitable Services: (a) Grantees must ensure that

equitable services are provided to eligible students and
teachers in non-public schools as required under section
8501 of the ESEA, including through timely and meaningful
consultation with representatives of non-public schools.
(b)

The SEA must ensure that a public agency will

maintain control of SCTAC funds used to provide services
and assistance to non-public school students and teachers.
(c)

The SEA must ensure that a public agency will

have title to materials, equipment, and property purchased
with SCTAC funds.
(d)

The SEA must ensure that services to non-public

school students and teachers with SCTAC funds will be
provided by a public agency directly, or through contract
with, another public or private entity.
Note:

This section (4) is not applicable to the BIE.
5.

Funding Restrictions:

We reference regulations

outlining funding restrictions in the Applicable
Regulations section of this notice.

In addition, we remind

applicants that sections 4001(a) and 4001(b) of the ESEA
(20 U.S.C. 7101) apply to this program.

Section 4001(a)

requires entities receiving funds under this program to
obtain prior, written, informed consent from the parent of
each child who is under 18 years of age to participate in
any mental-health assessment or service that is funded
under this program and conducted in connection with an
elementary or secondary school.

Section 4001(b) prohibits

the use of funds for medical services or drug treatment or
rehabilitation, except for integrated student supports,
specialized instructional support services, or referral to
treatment for impacted students, which may include students
who are victims of, or witnesses to, crime or who illegally
use drugs.

This prohibition does not preclude the use of

funds to support mental health counseling and support
services, including those provided by a mental health
services provider outside of school, so long as such
services are not medical.
IV. Submission Information
1.

Application Submission Instructions:

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/2022/12/07/202226554/common-instructions-for-applicants-to-department-ofeducation-discretionary-grant-programs, which contain

requirements and information on how to submit an
application.
2.

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 competition.
3.

Recommended Page Limit:

The project narrative is

where you, the applicant, address the absolute priority and
application requirements.

We recommend that you (1) limit

the application narrative to the equivalent of no more than
10 pages and (2) use 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.
The recommended page limit applies to the project
narrative.
V.

Application Review Information

1.

Selection Criteria:

The selection criteria for

this program are from 34 CFR 75.210.
all selection criteria is 100 points.

The maximum score for
The points assigned

to each criterion are indicated in parentheses.

Non-

Federal peer reviewers will evaluate and score each
application program narrative against the following
selection criteria:
(a)

Quality of the project design (up to 60 points)

The Secretary considers the quality of the design of
the proposed project.

In determining the quality of the

design of the proposed project, the Secretary considers the
following factors:
(1)

The extent to which the goals, objectives, and

outcomes to be achieved by the proposed project are clearly
specified and measurable.
(2)

(Up to 30 points)

The extent to which the design of the proposed

project is appropriate to, and will successfully address,
the needs of the target population or other identified
needs.
(b)

(Up to 30 points)
Quality of the management plan (Up to 30 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 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.
(c)

Adequacy of resources (Up to 10 points)

The Secretary considers the adequacy of the resources
for the proposed project.

In determining the adequacy of

resources for the proposed project, the Secretary considers
the potential for continued support of the project after
Federal funding ends, including, as appropriate, the
demonstrated commitment of appropriate entities to such
support.
2.

Review and Selection Process:

Non-Federal peer

reviewers will review applications to determine the extent
to which the applications address the selection criteria.
We remind potential applicants that, in reviewing
applications in any discretionary grant competition, the
Secretary may consider, under 34 CFR 75.217(d)(3), the past
performance of the applicant in carrying out a previous
award, such as the applicant’s use of funds, achievement of
project objectives, and compliance with grant conditions.
The Secretary may also consider whether the applicant
failed to submit a timely performance report or submitted a
report of unacceptable quality.
In addition, in making a competitive grant award, the
Secretary requires various assurances including those
applicable to Federal civil rights laws that prohibit
discrimination in programs or activities receiving Federal

financial assistance from the Department (34 CFR 100.4,
104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).
3.

Risk Assessment and Specific Conditions:

Consistent with 2 CFR 200.205, before awarding grants under
this program, the Department conducts a review of the risks
posed by applicants.

Under 2 CFR 3474.10, the Secretary

may impose specific conditions, and, in appropriate
circumstances, high-risk conditions on a grant if the
applicant or grantee is not financially stable; has a
history of unsatisfactory performance; has a financial or
other management system that does not meet the standards in
2 CFR part 200, subpart D; has not fulfilled the conditions
of a prior grant; or is otherwise not responsible.
4.

Integrity and Performance System:

If you receive

an award under this grant program that, over the course of
the project period, may exceed the simplified acquisition
threshold (currently $250,000), under 2 CFR 200.205(a)(2),
we must make a judgment about your integrity, business
ethics, and record of performance under Federal awards-that is, the risk posed by you as an applicant--before we
make an award.

In doing so, we must consider any

information about you that is in the integrity and
performance system (currently referred to as the Federal
Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System
(FAPIIS)), accessible through the System for Award
Management.

You may review and comment on any information

about yourself that a Federal agency previously entered and
that is currently in FAPIIS.
Please note that, if the total value of your currently
active grants, cooperative agreements, and procurement
contracts from the Federal Government exceeds $10,000,000,
the reporting requirements in 2 CFR part 200, Appendix XII,
require you to report certain integrity information to
FAPIIS semiannually.

Please review the requirements in 2

CFR part 200, Appendix XII, if this grant plus all the
other Federal funds you receive exceed $10,000,000.
5.

In General:

In accordance with the Guidance for

Federal Financial Assistance located at 2 CFR part 200, all
applicable Federal laws, and relevant Executive guidance,
the Department will review and consider applications for
funding pursuant to this notice inviting applications in
accordance with:
(a)

Selecting recipients most likely to be

successful in delivering results based on the program
objectives through an objective process of evaluating
Federal award applications (2 CFR 200.205);
(b)

Prohibiting the purchase of certain

telecommunication and video surveillance services or
equipment in alignment with section 889 of the
National Defense Authorization Act of 2019 (Pub. L.
115-232) (2 CFR 200.216);

(c)

Providing a preference, to the extent

permitted by law, to maximize use of goods, products,
and materials produced in the United States (2 CFR
200.322); and
(d)

Terminating agreements in whole or in part

to the greatest extent authorized by law if an award
no longer effectuates the program goals or agency
priorities (2 CFR 200.340).
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 Notification (GAN), or we may send
you an email containing a link to access an electronic
version of your GAN. We also may notify you informally.
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 of this
notice.

We reference the regulations outlining the terms

and conditions of a grant in the Applicable Regulations
section of this notice.

The Grant Award Notification (GAN)

also incorporates your approved application as part of your
binding commitments under the grant.

3.

Reporting: (a) If you apply for a grant under this

competition, you must ensure that you have in place the
necessary processes and systems to comply with the
reporting requirements in 2 CFR part 170 should you receive
funding.

This does not apply if you have an exception

under 2 CFR 170.110(b).
(b)

At the end of your project period, you must

submit a final performance report, including financial
information, as directed by the Secretary.

The Secretary

may also require more frequent performance reports under 34
CFR 75.720(c).

For specific requirements on reporting,

please go to
www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/appforms/appforms.html.
4.

Performance Measures:

For the purpose of

Department reporting under 34 CFR 75.110, we have
established the following performance measures for the
SCTAC grant program:
(a)

The number of technical assistance and capacity-

building services provided to assist high-need LEAs.
(b)

The number and percentage of high-need LEAs

reporting that the technical assistance provided was highquality, relevant, and useful.
(c)

The number and percentage of high-need LEAs

reporting an increase in capacity as a result of technical
assistance and capacity building services provided.

These measures constitute the Department’s indicators
of success for this program.

Consequently, we advise an

applicant for a grant under this program to consider these
measures in conceptualizing the approach and evaluation for
its proposed project.

Each grantee must provide, in its

performance reports, data about its progress in meeting
these measures.
Consistent with 34 CFR 75.591, grantees funded under
this program must comply with the requirements of any
evaluation of the program conducted by the Department or an
evaluator selected by the Department.
VII. Other Information
Accessible Format: On request to the program contact person
listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT, individuals
with disabilities can obtain this document and a copy of
the application package in an accessible format.

The

Department will provide the requestor with an accessible
format that may include Rich Text Format (RTF) or text
format (txt), a thumb drive, an MP3 file, braille, large
print, audiotape, compact disc, or other accessible format.
Electronic Access to This Document:

The official version

of this document is the document published in the Federal
Register.

You may access the official edition of the

Federal Register and the Code of Federal Regulations at
www.govinfo.gov.

At this site, you can view this document,

as well as all other Department documents published in the

Federal Register, in text or PDF.

To use PDF, you must

have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available free at the
site.
You may also access Department documents published in
the Federal Register by using the article search feature at
www.federalregister.gov.

Specifically, through the

advanced search feature at this site, you can limit your
search to documents published by the Department.
Adam Schott,
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy and
Programs, Delegated the Authority to Perform the Functions
and Duties of the Assistant Secretary, Office of Elementary
and Secondary Education.
[FR Doc. 2024-14000 Filed: 6/25/2024 8:45 am; Publication Date: 6/26/2024]