Opportunity Information: Apply for ED GRANTS 040910 002
Apply for ED GRANTS 040910 002
- The Department of Education in the education recovery act sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Race to the Top Fund Assessment Program High School Course Assessment Programs Grants CFDA 84.395C" and is now available to receive applicants.
- This funding opportunity was created on May 28, 2010 and posted on Apr 13, 2010.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 23, 2010 Applications Available April 9, 2010. Deadline for Notice of Intent To Apply April 29, 2010. The Department will be able to develop a more efficient process for reviewing grant applications if we have a better understanding of the number of applications we will receive. Therefore, we strongly encourage each prospective applicant to send an e mail notice of its intent to apply for funding under a grant category in this competition to the e mail address racetothetop.assessment@ed.gov by April 29, 2010. The notice of intent to apply is optional an applicant may still submit an application if it has not notified us of its intention to apply. Date of Technical Assistance Meeting for Prospective Applicants April 22, 2010. To assist prospective applicants in preparing an application and to respond to questions, the Department will host a Technical Assistance Meeting for Prospective Applicants on April 22, 2010. Detailed information about this meeting (including the meeting location) will be posted on the Departments Web site at http://www.ed.gov/programs/racetothetop assessment. Attendance at the meeting is strongly encouraged. Announcements of any other technical assistance opportunities for prospective applicants will also be available at the Web site above. Deadline for Transmittal of Applications June 23, 2010.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $30,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $30,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: State governments Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
- To be eligible for a High School Course Assessment Programs grant, an eligible applicant must include at least 5 governing States. An eligible applicant receiving a High School Course Assessment Programs grant must ensure that at least one course assessment developed under the assessment program will be implemented in each State in the consortium no later than the 2013 2014 school year and that all assessments in the assessment program will be operational no later than the 2014 2015 school year.2 The Department will not require that assessments developed with High School Course Assessment Programs grants be used to meet the assessment requirements in Title I of the ESEA. 2 By requiring that at least one course assessment developed under the assessment program be implemented in each State in the consortium no later than the 2013 2014 school year and that all assessments in the assessment program be operational no later than the 2014 2015 school year, we believe that we are providing an eligible applicant receiving a High School Course Assessment Programs grant with an appropriate amount of time to design and develop course assessment programs that meet the Absolute Priority and other requirements for this grant category.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Race to the Top Fund Assessment Program High School Course Assessment Programs Grants (CFDA 84.395C) was a U.S. Department of Education discretionary grant opportunity created under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). The central aim was to fund multi-state consortia to design and build high-quality high school course assessments that are valid and useful for teaching and learning, not just accountability. In practice, the program was meant to improve the quality and consistency of assessment information available to educators, administrators, parents, and students, so instruction can be adjusted based on clearer evidence of what students know and can do. The broader policy goal tied to this effort was strengthening college and career readiness and contributing to the national objective of increasing the number of college graduates by 2020.
A key feature of the opportunity was that it was designed for consortia rather than single states. To qualify for the High School Course Assessment Programs grant category, an applicant had to include at least five governing States. The grant also carried implementation timelines: each state in the consortium had to implement at least one course assessment developed through the program no later than the 2013-2014 school year, and the full set of assessments supported by the project had to be operational by the 2014-2015 school year. The notice also clarified an important flexibility point: assessments developed with these High School Course Assessment Programs grant funds were not required to be used to meet the Title I ESEA assessment requirements, meaning states could use them to complement existing federal accountability testing rather than replace it.
Funding for this competition was substantial but highly concentrated. The estimated total funding was $30,000,000, with an award ceiling of $30,000,000, and the expected number of awards was 1. There was no cost sharing or matching requirement. The opportunity was categorized under Education Recovery Act funding, reflecting its ARRA origin and the period when the federal government was investing heavily in state-led reform and infrastructure projects.
The application process was notably paper-centered by today’s standards. Applicants had to submit an original and one paper copy by mail or hand delivery; emailed applications were explicitly not accepted or reviewed. If an application included elements that could not reasonably be provided on paper, the applicant could include those materials on a CD-ROM or DVD-ROM, but even then the Department would only review what was physically included on the disc, not anything referenced through external links. The notice specified acceptable file formats (including Word, PDF, PowerPoint, HTML, common image formats, Excel, XML, CSV, TXT, and ZIP) and warned that any other file types would not be reviewed. Applicants were instructed not to password-protect files, to use clear file names tied to application sections, to label discs clearly, and to include 10 copies of any disc submitted along with the paper application.
Several dates structured the competition. Applications were made available April 9, 2010, and the deadline to transmit applications was June 23, 2010. The Department strongly encouraged, but did not require, a notice of intent to apply by April 29, 2010, submitted by email to racetothetop.assessment@ed.gov, mainly to help the Department plan for the volume of applications and streamline the review process. A technical assistance meeting for prospective applicants was scheduled for April 22, 2010, with details posted on the Department’s Race to the Top assessment program website, and attendance was strongly encouraged to help applicants understand expectations and requirements.
The published materials also included an administrative correction to the Federal Register notice that originally invited applications (75 FR 18171, April 9, 2010). The Department corrected the mailing address and fax number for the Education Publications Center (ED Pubs), which was the source for obtaining the application package. The corrected address was Education Publications Center, P.O. Box 22207, Alexandria, VA 22304, and the corrected fax number was (703) 605-6794. These corrections mattered because the official Federal Register notice governed the competition and applicants needed accurate contact information to request materials and avoid delays.
For support and points of contact, the notice listed both technical and program contacts. Julius Cotton was identified as the ED Grants.gov FIND Systems Administrator (202-245-6140; julius.cotton@ed.gov) for applicants having difficulty accessing the full announcement electronically, while James Butler was listed as the Program Manager at the U.S. Department of Education in Washington, DC (telephone 202-453-7246). Overall, the opportunity was structured as a one-time, high-investment grant intended to accelerate the development and rollout of shared high school course assessments across multiple states, with explicit timelines and strict submission rules anchored in the official Federal Register application notice.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the Race to the Top Fund Assessment Program High School Course Assessment Programs grant (CFDA 84.395C)?
It was a U.S. Department of Education discretionary grant competition created under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). The specific High School Course Assessment Programs category focused on funding multi-state consortia to design and build high-quality high school course assessments.
What was the main purpose of this grant opportunity?
The central aim was to fund the development of high-quality high school course assessments that are valid and useful for teaching and learning, not just accountability. In practice, the program sought to improve the quality and consistency of assessment information available to educators, administrators, parents, and students so instruction could be adjusted based on clearer evidence of what students know and can do.
How did this opportunity connect to broader policy goals?
The broader policy goal described in the notice was strengthening college and career readiness and contributing to the national objective of increasing the number of college graduates by 2020.
Who was eligible to apply?
The opportunity was designed for consortia rather than single states. To qualify under the High School Course Assessment Programs grant category, an applicant had to include at least five governing States.
How many states were required in a consortium?
At least five governing States were required for eligibility under this grant category.
Was this grant intended for a single award or multiple awards?
The expected number of awards was 1, indicating the funding was highly concentrated in a single awardee consortium.
What was the estimated total funding available?
The estimated total funding for the competition was $30,000,000.
What was the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The award ceiling was $30,000,000.
Was cost sharing or matching required?
No. The notice stated there was no cost sharing or matching requirement.
What type of funding was this classified as?
The opportunity was categorized under Education Recovery Act funding, reflecting its ARRA origin.
Were the assessments required to be used for Title I ESEA assessment requirements?
No. The notice clarified that assessments developed with these High School Course Assessment Programs grant funds were not required to be used to meet Title I ESEA assessment requirements. States could use them to complement existing federal accountability testing rather than replace it.
What were the required implementation timelines for consortium states?
Each state in the consortium had to implement at least one course assessment developed through the program no later than the 2013-2014 school year.
By when did the full set of assessments need to be operational?
The full set of assessments supported by the project had to be operational by the 2014-2015 school year.
When were applications made available?
Applications were made available on April 9, 2010.
What was the deadline to submit (transmit) applications?
The deadline to transmit applications was June 23, 2010.
Was a notice of intent to apply required?
No. The Department strongly encouraged, but did not require, a notice of intent to apply.
When was the notice of intent to apply due, and how was it submitted?
The encouraged notice of intent to apply date was April 29, 2010, and it was to be submitted by email to racetothetop.assessment@ed.gov.
Why did the Department encourage a notice of intent to apply?
The notice of intent was encouraged mainly to help the Department plan for the volume of applications and streamline the review process.
Was there any technical assistance opportunity for prospective applicants?
Yes. A technical assistance meeting for prospective applicants was scheduled for April 22, 2010, with details posted on the Department's Race to the Top assessment program website. Attendance was strongly encouraged to help applicants understand expectations and requirements.
How were applications required to be submitted?
The process was paper-centered. Applicants had to submit an original and one paper copy by mail or hand delivery.
Were email submissions accepted?
No. Emailed applications were explicitly not accepted or reviewed.
Could applicants include non-paper materials, and if so, how?
Yes. If an application included elements that could not reasonably be provided on paper, applicants could include those materials on a CD-ROM or DVD-ROM.
Would the Department review content linked externally (for example, a website link) if referenced in the application?
No. The Department would only review what was physically included on the disc, not anything referenced through external links.
What file formats were acceptable for materials submitted on CD-ROM or DVD-ROM?
The notice listed acceptable file formats including Word, PDF, PowerPoint, HTML, common image formats, Excel, XML, CSV, TXT, and ZIP. It also warned that any other file types would not be reviewed.
Were password-protected files allowed?
No. Applicants were instructed not to password-protect files.
Were there guidance requirements for naming files on the disc?
Yes. Applicants were instructed to use clear file names tied to application sections.
Were there guidance requirements for labeling discs?
Yes. Applicants were instructed to label discs clearly.
How many copies of a CD-ROM or DVD-ROM were required if discs were submitted?
The notice instructed applicants to include 10 copies of any disc submitted along with the paper application.
Was there an official correction issued related to this competition?
Yes. The published materials included an administrative correction to the Federal Register notice that originally invited applications (75 FR 18171, April 9, 2010).
What was corrected in the Federal Register notice?
The Department corrected the mailing address and fax number for the Education Publications Center (ED Pubs), which was the source for obtaining the application package.
What was the corrected mailing address for the Education Publications Center (ED Pubs)?
The corrected address was: Education Publications Center, P.O. Box 22207, Alexandria, VA 22304.
What was the corrected fax number for ED Pubs?
The corrected fax number was (703) 605-6794.
Why did the ED Pubs correction matter for applicants?
The correction mattered because the official Federal Register notice governed the competition and applicants needed accurate contact information to request materials and avoid delays.
Who could applicants contact for help accessing the full announcement electronically?
Julius Cotton was identified as the ED Grants.gov FIND Systems Administrator for applicants having difficulty accessing the full announcement electronically. Contact: 202-245-6140; julius.cotton@ed.gov.
Who was listed as the Program Manager contact at the U.S. Department of Education?
James Butler was listed as the Program Manager at the U.S. Department of Education in Washington, DC. Telephone: 202-453-7246.
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