Demystifying the U.S. Department of Education

Dr. Marjorie Piechowski Director of Research Support

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee College of Engineering & Applied Science

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Overview and Learning Objectives o  Understand the purpose and structure of the U.S.

Department of Education (ED) o  Learn about the many programs available to higher

education o  Become familiar with the ED proposal development

system, the review process, and the scoring system o  Compare and contrast the ED electronic application

process with other application systems

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ED Quick Facts and why they matter o  ED a mission agency, not a research or

academic agency o  ED funds projects that improve education at

all levels o  ED not discipline-specific o  ED also collects and analyzes data o  ED subject to politics in many ways o  ED a relatively new federal agency

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ED Organization Chart

o  Note divisions and subdivisions:

Office of … White House Initiatives on … Institute of …

o  Pink boxes = grant programs o  Other boxes = administrative

n Except Institute of Education, a new research component of ED

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ED and the Budget o  ED’s budget is allocated in two ways:

n  Formula grants o  Recipients: states, municipalities, local school

systems, tribes, higher education (student financial aid)

n  Discretionary grants *** o  Recipients: individuals and institutions (higher,

secondary, elementary education, community organizations, faith-based organizations, tribes, etc.)

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ED and Your Institution o  Many relevant programs available for higher

education n  Institutional grants n  Program grants n  Group grants n  Individual-led project grants

o  Research o  Programs o  Re-grants

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Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE) o  OPE both formulates policy for higher education and

administers grant programs o  Higher Education Preparation and Support Service

n  administers eight TRIO outreach and support programs to help disadvantaged students progress from middle school to postbaccalaureate programs, and programs related to preparation for postsecondary education.

n  Upward Bound, Talent Search, Student Support Services, McNair, etc. --well established at many institutions

n  Target population: first-generation, low-income college students and low student expenditures

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OPE: Institutional Development and Undergraduate Education Programs (IDUES)

o  IDUES administers n  Title III, Strengthening Institution Programs, to help

higher education institutions that serve a large proportion of disadvantaged students improve their academic programs and administrative capabilities.

n  Title V, Developing Hispanic-Serving Institutions Program-- o  assist eligible Hispanic-serving institutions of higher education to

expand their capacity to serve Hispanic and low-income students.

n  Undergraduate incentive programs

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Title III Programs, continued… o  Separate programs for special populations:

n  American Indian Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities

n  Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions n  Asian-American and Native American Pacific Islander-

Serving Institutions n  Native American-Serving Nontribal Institutions n  Historically Black Colleges and Universities n  Predominantly Black Institutions--new program n  Minority Science and Engineering Improvement

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OPE: International Education Programs o  Title VI (HEA) domestic international education

programs, and programs authorized by the Fulbright-Hays Act. n  strengthen the capability and performance of American

education in foreign languages and in area and international studies. Overseas programs are intended to improve secondary and postsecondary teaching and research concerning other cultures and languages, training of specialists, and the American public's general understanding of the peoples of other countries.

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International Education Grants o  American Overseas Research Centers o  Business and International Education

n  Improving the business and international education curriculum of institutions to serve the needs of the business community, including the development of new programs for mid-career or part-time students;

n  Developing programs to inform the public of increasing international economic interdependence and the role of U.S. businesses within the international economic system;

n  Internationalizing curricula at the junior and community college level and at undergraduate and graduate schools of business;

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More International Education Grants n  Developing area studies and interdisciplinary international

programs; n  Establishing export education programs; n  Conducting research and developing specialized teaching

materials appropriate to business-oriented students; n  Establishing student and faculty fellowships and

internships or other training or research opportunities; n  Creating opportunities for business and professional

faculty to strengthen international skills;

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Business and International Education n  Developing research programs on issues of common

interest to IHEs and private sector organizations and associations engaged in or promoting international economic activity;

n  Establishing internships overseas to enable foreign language students to develop their foreign language skills and knowledge of foreign cultures and societies;

n  Establishing links overseas with IHEs and organizations that contribute to the education objectives of this program; and

n  Establishing summer institutes in international business, foreign areas, and other international studies designed to carry out the purposes of this program.

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Business and International Education o  Centers for International Business Education funds business

schools for n  curriculum development, research, and training on issues

of importance to U.S. trade and competitiveness. o  Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowships (FLAS)

n  academic year and summer fellowships to institutions of higher education or consortia of institutions of higher education to assist meritorious undergraduate students and graduate students undergoing training in modern foreign languages and related area or international studies.

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Business and International Education o  Each fellowship includes subsistence

allowance and institutional payment: n  Subsistence allowance 2010-2011:

o  $15,000 graduate student, $5,000 undergraduate o  Summer: $2,500 graduate and undergraduate

n  Institutional payment 2010-2011: o  $18,000 graduate student, $10,000 undergraduate o  Summer: $5,000 graduate and undergraduate

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Business and International Education

o  Fulbright-Hays Training Grants--Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad

o  Fulbright-Hays Seminars Abroad—Bilateral Projects o  Fulbright-Hays Training Grants--Faculty Research

Abroad

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Business and International Education o  Fulbright-Hays Training Grants—Group Projects Abroad

n  overseas projects in training, research, and curriculum development in modern foreign languages and area studies for teachers, students, and faculty engaged in a common endeavor. o  short-term seminars, curriculum development, group research or

study, or advanced intensive language programs. n  Projects must focus on the humanities, social sciences and

languages and on one or more of the following areas: Africa, East Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia and the Pacific, the Western Hemisphere (Central and South America, Mexico, and the Caribbean), East Central Europe and Eurasia, and the Near East.

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Business and International Education o  Institute for International Public Policy o  International Research and Studies o  Language Resource Centers o  National Resource Centers o  Technological Innovation/Cooperation for

Foreign Information Access o  Undergraduate International Studies and Foreign

Language Program

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Teacher and Student Development o  Planning, policy development, and grant

administration functions for teacher preparation programs, graduate fellowship programs, early intervention programs, and minority-serving institutions programs. n  Teacher Preparation Programs

o  Teachers for a Competitive Tomorrow o  Teacher Quality Enhancement Grants for States and

Partnerships o  Demonstration Projects to Ensure Students with

Disabilities Receive a Quality Higher Education

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Teacher and Student Development o  Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need

(GAANN) – last competition in 2012 o  ED decides the eligible academic areas: previous:

n  Area Studies n  Biology/Life Sciences, Chemistry, Physics,

Mathematics n  Computer and Information Sciences, Engineering n  Foreign Languages and Literature n  Nursing n  Educational Assessment, Evaluation and Research

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Teacher and Student Development o  Graduate Fellowships Programs, continued…

o  Institution/ department application o  $30,000 annual fellowships for each student plus

expenses: tuition, travel, supplies o  5 or more fellows required per grant o  Strong faculty research involvement o  U.S. citizenship required o  5-year grants o  Required cost-sharing and institutional support

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Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS)

o  Goal: improving results and outcomes for people with disabilities of all ages.

o  Wide array of support to parents and individuals, school districts and states in three main areas: n  special education n  vocational rehabilitation n  research

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National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR)

o  Comprehensive and coordinated programs of research and related activities to assist in the achievement of the full inclusion, social integration, employment and independent living of people with disabilities.

Funding categories include: o  Rehabilitation Research and Training Centers o  Rehabilitation Engineering Research Centers o  NIDDR Scholars Program

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National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR)…

o  Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects

o  Field-Initiated Projects o  Advanced Rehabilitation Research Training

Projects o  Mary E. Switzer Fellowships o  Small Business Innovation Research o  Model Systems of Care

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Office of English Language Acquisition (OELA)

o  Foreign Language Assistance Program n  Funds Local Educational Agencies (LEA) with

Institutions of Higher Education (IHE) n  Innovative model programs providing for the

establishment, improvement, or expansion of foreign language study for elementary and secondary school students into and through college

n  5-year grants, $200k average per year n  Goal: more students become competent in English and in

other languages

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Institute of Education Sciences (IES)

ies.ed.govies.ed.gov

Organizational  Structure

Office of the Director

National Board for Education

Sciences

National Center for Education Evaluation

National Center for Education Statistics

National Center for Education Research

National Center for

Special Education Research

3

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Institute of Education Sciences (IES) o  New unit, modeled on NIH applications and reviews o  Examples of competitive research programs:

n  Education Research Programs n  Special Education Research Programs n  Statistical and Research Methodology in Education n  Special Education Initiative: Accelerating Academic

Achievement of Students with Learning Disabilities n  Evaluation of State and Local Education Programs n  Researcher-Practitioner Partnerships in Research n  and…Unsolicited Grant Opportunities

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Institute of Education Sciences (IES) o  Research Training Programs:

n  Postdoctoral Training Program in the Education Sciences

n  Researcher and Policymaker Training Program in the Education Sciences

n  Research Training Program in Special Education: Early Career Development and Mentoring Program

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So how do you apply? ED Proposal Process

o  Federal Register announcement o  Long, legalistic, detailed RFP based on federal

statutes and authorizing legislation o  Few or no established application dates o  Competitions may be annual or sporadic o  Minimum 30-day notice required o  Electronic submission process:

n  Varies between grants.gov or ED’s own e-grants system

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ED Proposal Development o  Typical Proposal Components: 100 total points

n  Meeting the authorizing legislation n  Need for project n  Objectives n  Quality of project design n  Quality of project personnel** n  Quality of management plan n  Quality of project evaluation n  Adequacy of resources (budget and budget narrative included

as part of proposal narrative)**

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Submission Process Precise proposal requirements:

o  Fonts, margins, page numbers, line spacing, illustrations, tables

o  Abstract and Table of Contents o  Usually no attachments o  Uploaded by section, PDF format o  Federal face page and budget forms o  Certifications and representations o  GEPA statement--for institution

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Overview of ED Review Process o  Applicant receives three reviews with individual scores

and comments plus summary score o  First notice may go to politicians o  Cover letter indicates total score, cut-off score, and

funding decision o  Awards made in numerical order, starting at 100 + more o  Ties are broken by announced formulas or other

unannounced factors (award amount, geography, politics, demographics, grant history of project or institution, focus of project activities, project director, etc.)

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ED Reviewers o  Chosen by ED program officers from ED database o  Each reviewer reads up to 10 proposals, usually over

three to five working days, usually at home o  Usually paid $100/proposal + $100 for copying o  Some panels also meet in Washington, D.C. o  Total possible score of 100 points

n  Each required section has a specific point value n  Each reviewer separately scores each proposal read n  Program officer holds panel discussion to reconcile deviations

in scores for each section and total points n  Each reviewer must fill in something for both strengths and

weaknesses even for perfect scores

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For Questions and Follow-up:

Dr. Marjorie Piechowski piechow4@uwm.edu

414-229-3721