AUTHORIZATION:

Education Technical Assistance Act of 2002, Section 203.

OBJECTIVES:

This program supports 21 comprehensive centers that provide training and technical assistance, and professional development in reading, mathematics, and technology, primarily to State educational agencies. By statute, the Department is required to establish at least one center in each of the 10 geographic regions served by the Department's regional education laboratories.

TYPES OF ASSISTANCE:

Project Grants Place Cursor Here for Definition

USES AND USE RESTRICTIONS:

The Comprehensive Centers consist of 21 centers, including 16 regional centers and 5 content centers. Grantees are required to develop five-year plans for carrying out authorized activities that address state and regional needs. The 16 regional centers provide services primarily to State educational agencies to enable them to assist school districts, regional education agencies, and schools, especially low-performing schools. Each regional center provides training and technical assistance in the implementation and administration of programs authorized under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and the use of scientifically valid teaching methods and assessment tools in mathematics, science, reading and language arts. The 5 content centers focus on specific areas, with one center in each of five areas: accountability, instruction, teacher quality, innovation and improvement, and high schools. These centers supply much of the research-based information and products in the specific area that regional centers use when working with states.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

Applicant Eligibility:   Research organizations, institutions, agencies, institutions of higher education (IHEs), or partnerships among such entities, or individuals that have the expertise to provide training to States, school districts, and schools may apply.

Beneficiary Eligibility:   Agencies supporting or providing elementary and secondary education will benefit, including state and local educational agencies, schools, Indian tribes, community-based organizations, and other recipients of funds under ESEA.

Credentials/Documentation:   No Credentials or documentation are required. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-87.

Pre-application Coordination:   Preapplication coordination is not applicable. Environmental impact information is not required for this program. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.

Application Procedure:   This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-102. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-110. Applications or proposals must be prepared and submitted in accordance with applicable program announcements.

Award Procedure:   After completion of competitive review of applications, the Department makes the final decision on the approval and funding of applications.

Deadlines:   Contact the headquarters or regional office, as appropriate, for application deadlines.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time:   

Approximately 60 to 120 days.

Appeals:   

Not Applicable.

Renewals:   

Awards are made for up to five years, subject to the availablity of appropriations.

	back to top

ASSISTANCE CONSIDERATIONS:

Formula and Matching Requirements:   

This program has no statutory formula.
Matching requirements are not applicable to this program.
MOE requirements are not applicable to this program.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance:   

Grants may be awarded for up to five years subject to the availability of funds and performance by the grantee. See the following for information on how assistance is awarded/released: Electronic transfer.

POST ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS:

Reports:   Specified reporting requirements are included in the grant or cooperative agreement document. Cash reports are not applicable. Progress reports are not applicable. Expenditure reports are not applicable. Performance monitoring is not applicable.

Audits:   In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised, June 27, 2003), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations," nonfederal entities that expend financial assistance of $500,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $500,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133. As required by EDGAR, 34 CFR 74.

Records:   Records must be kept for three years after the completion of the activity that grant funds were used.

FINANCIAL INFORMATION:

Account Identification:  

91-1000-0-1-501.

Obligations:   (Project Grants) FY 08 $57,113,000; FY 09 est $57,113,000; FY 10 est $57,113,000

Range and Average of Financial Assistance:  

The Department made 22 new awards in FY 2012, 15 for regional centers and 7 for content centers. The range of awards over the entire 5 year grant period was $4.0 to $23.5 million for the regional centers (median award of $14.2 million) and $6.3 to $12.1 million for the content centers (median award of $6.9 million). The Department anticipates making new awards in FY 2017; the estimated award sizes will be listed in the notice inviting applications.

	back to top