Augustus F. Hawkins Centers of Excellence—Teacher Preparation and Development

 

This program focuses on the various aspects of the teacher preparation pipeline, including the recruitment, preparation, support, placement, and retention of teachers for and in high-need local education agencies (LEAs) to support underserved students.

Active 84.428 Department of Education B - Project Grants Fiscal Year 2022 In FY 2022, the Department received $8 million for Hawkins Centers of Excellence appropriated under the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (CFDA 84.116). We funded 12 new awards.
Fiscal Year 2023 In FY 2023, the Department received $15 million for Hawkins Centers of Excellence, which was used to complete funding for 12 awards initially made in 2022 and to fund 3 additional awards. The Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA) is designed to support centers of excellence at institutions of higher education (IHEs)., Title II, Part B, Subpart 2 Not applicable. Not applicable. 2 CFR 200, Subpart E - Cost Principles applies to this program. Preapplication coordination is required. This program is eligible for coverage under E.O. 12372, "Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs." An applicant should consult the office or official designated as the single point of contact in his or her State for more information on the process the State requires to be followed in applying for assistance, if the State has selected the program for review. 2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards applies to this program. The Department requires submission of grant applications through Grants.gov, an Internet-based electronic system, unless the applicant has grounds for a waiver. A detailed description of the system is included in the application package. The application process can be time consuming if an applicant has not used it before. The applicant should allow ample time to submit the electronic application by the deadline. We suggest that the applicant submit its application several days before the deadline date. Grants.gov is accessible through its portal page at: https://grants.gov. Proposals are reviewed by non-federal reviewers. Applications are required to be submitted using Grants.gov. The application then goes through a screening process and is peer reviewed following the Department of Education's Discretionary Handbook. Notification usually is made within 4-6 months of the deadline for submission of applications. Not applicable. A no cost extension is available at the end of the 4-year performance period. Not applicable. The Hawkins Centers of Excellence program is designed to support a diverse and well-prepared pipeline of effective educators by expanding and reforming teacher education programs at Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs), Historically Black Colleges or Universities (HBCUs), Historically Black Graduate Institutions, Hispanic-serving Institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges or Universities, Alaska Native-serving Institutions, Native Hawaiian-serving Institutions, Predominantly Black Institutions, Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-serving Institutions, and Native American-serving Nontribal Institutions. The program authorizes competitive awards of up to 4 years in length to eligible institutions of higher education to strengthen and expand their teacher preparation programs by establishing centers of excellence. The minimum grant amount is $500,000. Grants must be used for one or more of the following activities: • Implementing reforms within teacher preparation programs to ensure that such programs are preparing teachers who meet applicable State certification and licensure requirements, which may include qualifications related to meeting the needs of students with disabilities, through retraining or recruiting faculty and designing evidence-based programs that promote effective teaching skills and prepare teachers to serve in under resourced schools and close student opportunity and academic achievement gaps. • Providing extensive, sustained, and high-quality preservice clinical experience, including the mentoring of prospective teachers by exemplary teachers. • Developing and implementing initiatives to promote retention of teachers and principals of color, such as programs that provide teacher or principal mentoring or induction and support for teachers and principals during their first 3 years of employment. • Awarding scholarships based on financial need to help students pay the costs of tuition, room, board, and other expenses of completing a teacher preparation program, not to exceed the cost of attendance. • Disseminating information on effective practices for teacher preparation and successful teacher certification and licensure assessment preparation strategies. Performance Reports: (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 under the competition. 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. If you receive a multiyear award, you must submit an annual performance report that provides the most current performance and financial expenditure information as directed by the Secretary under 34 CFR 75.118. 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. In accordance with the provisions of 2 CFR 200, Subpart F - Audit Requirements, nonfederal entities that expend financial assistance of $750,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Non-Federal entities that expend less than $750,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in 2 CFR 200.503. Maintain all records during the grant and for a period of 3 years after the project ends. Internal Controls Manual (SOPs) Personnel files Signed copies of purchases, travel receipts, contracts, etc. Supply and equipment inventory Communications with Program Specialist IPR, APRs, and FPR Organizational chart GANs Eligibility documents Evaluation reports Meeting agendas Justifications for decisions made under Expanded Authorities Audit reports Use PR Award # for tagging literature, websites, etc. (*not the Department logo) Up-to-date budget spreadsheet Statutory formula is not applicable to this assistance listing.

Matching requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.

MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing. Assistance is available from the preapplication webinar until the completion of the grant to ensure that funded projects are of high quality and comply with the Federal requirements. The money awarded should be spent during the 4-year performance period. Discretionary grant awards with the maximum award based on a 4-year budget period. Grantees prepare a multiyear budget request for up to 4 years. Funds are awarded as a lump sum; however, funds can only be spent per budget period. Method of awarding/releasing assistance: Lump. None/Not specified. Vicki Robinson
Department of Education, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, 400 Maryland Ave., SW, Room 2B136
Washington, DC 20202 US
vicki.robinson@ed.gov
Phone: (202) 453-7907

Ashley Hillary
Department of Education, OPE Augustus F. Hawkins Centers of Excellence (Hawkins) Program
400 Maryland Avenue, SW, Room 2C143
Washington, DC 20202 USA
ashley.hillary@ed.gov
Phone: (202) 453-7880 https://www2.ed.gov/programs/afhce/index.html 91-0201-0-1-502 (Project Grants) FY 22$0.00; FY 23 est $15,000,000.00; FY 24 est $15,000,000.00; - Project Grants (B) - The funding, for fixed or known periods, of specific projects. Project grants can include fellowships, scholarships, research grants, training grants, traineeships, experimental and demonstration grants, evaluation grants, planning grants, technical assistance grants, survey grants, and construction grants. Estimated Range of Awards: $1,500,000 to $1,600,000. Estimated Average Size of Awards: $1,584,000 Maximum Award: Up to $1,600,000 for 4 years. Minimum Award: The minimum amount of each grant shall be $500,000. Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General Administrative Regulations in 34 CFR parts 75, 77, 79, 82, 84, 86, 97, 98, and 99. (b) The Office of Management and Budget 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 Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards in 2 CFR part 200, as adopted and amended as regulations of the Department in 2 CFR part 3474. The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to institutions of higher education only. All grants awarded under the Hawkins Centers of Excellence Program are designated as training grants. The Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) limit reimbursement to grantees for indirect costs they incur under training grants to the grantee's actual indirect costs as determined by the grantee's negotiated indirect cost agreement or a maximum of 8 percent of a modified total direct cost base, whichever is less. (NOTE: This limitation does not apply to State agencies, or local governments, or federally recognized Indian tribal governments. [?75.562(c) (2)]). Fiscal Year 2022 1. Recruit prospective teachers, the majority of whom will be Hispanic/Latinx, especially into the high-needs certification areas of bilingual education and special education to build and sustain the Hispanic teacher pipeline by providing high-quality preparation to teacher candidates through aligned, research-based curricula and coaching-intensive, year-long paid residency in high-needs partner schools that serve predominantly students of color through wrap-around supports to candidates in bilingual education and ESL pathways in order to increase the bilingual and ESL certification rates of program completers. 2. Increase the supply of certified teachers of color with career paths in high need schools; increase the supply of bilingual teachers of color to serve dual language students through paid residencies, stipends, and a suite of wrap-around support services, supervised enhanced preparation to fill shortage areas in high need schools; and increase teacher effectiveness in research-based interdisciplinary instruction and culturally responsive pedagogy and practice. 3. Establish multi-pathway teacher residency programs designed to increase the access and success of diverse paraprofessionals and teaching assistants in three high need districts. Implement evidence-based practices to prepare and retain a diverse, effective and stable cadre of teachers qualified to fill shortage areas in high-need settings. To increase and disseminate the knowledge base on effective residency practices for non-traditional candidates. 4. Increase educators’ knowledge and application of instructional strategies and integration to improve students’ social, emotional, and academic learning through evidence-based practices. Retain highly effective teachers in traditionally underserved LEAs. Increase teachers’ culturally responsive classroom-ready leadership behaviors. Increase the number of teachers prepared to fill shortage-area positions in traditionally underserved LEAs. Increase teacher diversity. Increase teachers’ knowledge of evidence-based instructional practices and integration of social, emotional, and academic needs with the focus on underserved students. Support teachers during years 1-3 through a novice teacher induction system. Increase teachers’ perceptions of success and development of teacher leadership qualities. Increase teachers’ perceptions of diversity and success during and after their residencies. Increase the number of teachers prepared through additional pathways including paraprofessional and nontraditional pathways. Increase collaboration with district/university partnerships that support diverse, clinical experiences by facilitating a pathway to full teaching credentials for those with paraprofessional experience or additional teaching credentials for those seeking bilingual or multilingual certifications. 5. Respond to a critical need for Black male teachers in early childhood/special education (EC/SPED), elementary education (ELED), or secondary education (SCED) who are highly effective in implementing evidence-based culturally grounded academic and behavioral interventions for minoritized students at the national, state, and local levels.
Fiscal Year 2023 1: Recruit and support a diverse pool of teacher candidates, including bilingual and multilingual teachers. Increase teacher capacity by certifying 60 generalist preservice and paraprofessional teachers in bilingual and/or ESL education. 2: Provide training and development, including a pathway to ESL endorsement to prepare teacher candidates to support bilingual and multilingual students. Increase 30 in service teachers' capacity by completing a micro credential to lead to ESL Endorsement. 3: Implement a two-year induction model and alumni network to support and retain a diverse teaching workforce. Increase teacher capacity of para-professionals’ (pre-service teachers) awareness and motivation to pursue bilingual education certification and/or ESL endorsement. 4: Increase the awareness of 120 middle school and high school professional teaching professions in bilingual and multilingual fields. Promote the bilingual education classroom skills, teaching competencies, Culturally Responsive Pedagogy, and support during a year-long clinically intensive teacher preparation model for Bilingual Certified teachers.