OpportunityTitle: Office of Innovation and Improvement (OII): Teacher Quality Partnership Grant Program CFDA Number 84.336S
AdditionalInformationOnEligibility: 1. Eligible Applicants: An eligible applicant must be an ``eligible partnership&apos;&apos; as defined in section 200(6) of the HEA. The term ``eligible partnership&apos;&apos; means an entity that--      (1) Must include:      (i) A high-need LEA;      (ii)(A) A high-need school or consortium of high-need schools served by the high-need LEA, or      (B) As applicable, a high-need ECE program;      (iii) A partner institution;      (iv) A school, department, or program of education within such partner institution, which may include an existing teacher professional development program with proven outcomes within a four-year IHE that provides intensive and sustained collaboration between faculty and LEAs consistent with the requirements of title II of the HEA;      (v) A school or department of arts and sciences within such partner institution; and      (2) May include any of the following--      (i) The Governor of the State.      (ii) The State educational agency.      (iii) The State board of education.      (iv) The State agency for higher education.      (v) A business.      (vi) A public or private nonprofit educational organization.      (vii) An educational service agency.      (viii) A teacher organization.      (ix) A high-performing LEA, or a consortium of such LEAs, that can serve as a resource to the partnership.      (x) A charter school (as defined in section 5210 of the ESEA).      (xi) A school or department within the partner institution that focuses on psychology and human development.      (xii) A school or department within the partner institution with comparable expertise in the disciplines of teaching, learning, and child and adolescent development.      (xiii) An entity operating a program that provides alternative routes to State certification of teachers. Any of the mandatory or optional entities in the partnership may be the fiscal agent of the grant.        Note: So that the Department can confirm the eligibility of the LEA(s) that an applicant proposes to serve, applicants must include information in their applications that demonstrates that each LEA to be served by the project is a ``high-need LEA&apos;&apos; (as defined in this notice and in section 200(10) of the HEA).        Applicants should review the application package for additional information on determining whether an LEA meets the definition of ``high-need LEA.&apos;&apos;      Additionally, applicants must also partner with a school or department of arts and sciences within the partner institution. More information on eligible partnerships can be found in the TQP FAQ document found on the program Web site at http://innovation.ed.gov/what-we-do/teacher-quality/teacher-quality-partnership/.
Description: Note: Each funding opportunity description is a synopsis of information in the Federal Register application notice. For specific information about eligibility, please see the official application notice. The official version of this document is the document published in the Federal Register. Free Internet access to the official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of Federal Regulations is available on GPO Access at: http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/index.html. Please review the official application notice for pre-application and application requirements, application submission information, performance measures, priorities and program contact information. Purpose of Program: The TQP Grant Program aims to increase student achievement by improving the quality of new teachers and prospective teachers through enhanced preparation of prospective teachers and professional development activities for new teachers; holding teacher preparation programs at institutions of higher education (IHEs) accountable for preparing teachers who meet applicable State certification and licensure requirements; and recruiting individuals with strong content knowledge or a record of professional accomplishment, including minorities and individuals from occupations other than education, into the teaching force. Background: The TQP Grant Program supports partnerships among (i) IHEs, (ii) high-need local educational agencies (LEAs), and (iii) high-need schools served by such LEAs or high-need early childhood education (ECE) programs. Under section 202(d) and (e) of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA), these partnerships must implement either (a) teacher preparation programs at the pre-baccalaureate or ``fifth-year&apos;&apos; level that include specific reforms in IHEs&apos; existing teacher preparation programs and follow-up support for program completers who become teachers in partner LEAs, or (b) teacher residency programs in which individuals with strong academic or professional backgrounds but without teaching experience are teaching in high-need schools with support from mentor teachers, and concurrently enrolled in a Master&apos;s degree program. These two options are further explained in this notice under the Absolute Priorities section of this notice. In the FY 2016 TQP competition, we are especially interested in supporting TQP projects that serve or are designed to serve tribal communities and rural areas, given the need for effective educators serving these communities. On November 5, 2009, pursuant to Executive Order 13175, President Obama issued a memorandum requiring each Federal agency to prepare a detailed plan of action the agency would take to consult with tribal officials when developing policies that have implications for tribal communities. Consistent with its responsibilities under the President&apos;s memorandum, the U.S. Department of Education (Department) conducted two consultation sessions by teleconference with tribal officials about the TQP program, on January 19 and 21, 2016. During these consultations, we provided participants with an overview of the TQP program and the current TQP grantees, and facilitated a discussion around potential opportunities and challenges that this grant program may provide for tribal communities. In addition, the Department solicited feedback and questions from tribal communities over a two-week period following the calls. During this outreach, the Department received numerous comments and questions from participants. Some of these concerns were of a general nature and could affect all applicants, regardless of whether or not they serve Tribal communities. For example, participants were concerned about forming the necessary eligible partnership needed to apply, what entity should lead that effort, and what entity should serve as the lead applicant for the eligible partnership. Participants also expressed concern about whether their local LEAs or BIE-funded schools would meet the definition of a high-need LEA, as that term is defined in section 200 of HEA. Some concerns raised by participants reflected the unique challenges facing tribal communities. For example, participants raised issues related to the status of Bureau of Indian Education-funded schools (e.g., whether they are LEAs) in many tribal communities, and the role of two-year colleges in preparing and producing teachers to serve those communities. In addition, TQP staff learned that members of the Tribal community are widely familiar with the Indian Education Professional Development Grant program in the Department&apos;s Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, and sought additional information about the differences between that program and the TQP program. Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.336S. Electronic Submission of Applications. Applications for grants under the TQP Grant Program, CFDA number 84.336S, must be submitted electronically using the Governmentwide Grants.gov Apply site at www.Grants.gov. Through this site, you will be able to download a copy of the application package, complete it offline, and then upload and submit your application. You may not email an electronic copy of a grant application to us. You may access the electronic grant application for the TQP Grant Program at www.Grants.gov. You must search for the downloadable application package for this program by the CFDA number. Do not include the CFDA number&apos;s alpha suffix in your search (e.g., search for 84.336, not 84.336S).
GrantorContactEmailDescription: e-Mail: Program Mailbox
GrantorContactText: Julius Cotton &lt;br/&gt;ED Grants.gov FIND Systems Admin. &lt;br/&gt;Phone 202-245-6288 &lt;br/&gt;EducationGrantInquiries@ed.gov &lt;br/&gt;Program Manager: &lt;br/&gt;Mia Howerton, U.S. Department of  &lt;br/&gt;Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 4W205, Washington, DC 20202- &lt;br/&gt;5960. Telephone: (202) 205-0147 or by email: Mia.Howerton@ed.gov or  &lt;br/&gt;tqpartnership@ed.gov. &lt;br/&gt;
CloseDateExplanation: Applications Available: May 23, 2016.      Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply: June 22, 2016. The Department will be able to develop a more efficient process for   reviewing grant applications if it has a better understanding of the number of entities that intend to apply for funding under this competition. Therefore, the Secretary strongly encourages each potential applicant to notify the Department of its intent to submit an application for funding by completing the FY 16 Intent to Apply survey at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/tqpfy16.      Applicants that fail to complete the FY 16 Intent to Apply survey may still apply for funding.        Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: July 7, 2016.      Date of Pre-Application Webinars: The Office of Innovation and Improvement intends to hold Webinars designed to provide technical   assistance to interested applicants for grants under the Teacher Quality Partnership (TQP) Grant Program. Details regarding the dates   and times of these Webinars will be provided on the TQP Web site at   http://innovation.ed.gov/what-we-do/teacher-quality/teacher-quality-partnership/applicant-info-and-eligibility/.