U.S. Department of Education: Indian Education Discretionary Grants Programs — Professional Development Grants Program

The purposes of the Indian Education Professional Development Grants program are to:

• Increase the number of qualified Indian individuals in professions that serve Indians
• Provide training to qualified Indian individuals to become teachers, administrators, teacher aides, social workers, and ancillary educational personnel
• Improve the skills of qualified Indian individuals who serve in the education field

This competition contains two absolute priorities (one of which must be met in order to apply), and three competitive preference priorities, as follows.

Absolute Priority 1: Pre-Service Training for Teachers. Projects that:

• Provide support and training to Indian individuals to complete a pre-service education program before the end of the award period that enables the individuals to meet the requirements for full State certification or licensure as a teacher through: a) Training that leads to a degree in education; b) For States allowing a degree in a specific subject area, training that leads to a degree in the subject area; or c) Training in a current or new specialized teaching assignment that requires a degree and in which a documented teacher shortage exists;
• Provide one year of induction services, during the award period, to participants after graduation, certification, or licensure, while they are completing their first year of work as teachers in schools with significant Indian student populations; and
• Include goals for the: a) Number of participants to be recruited each year; b) Number of participants to continue in the project each year; c) Number of participants to graduate each year; and c) Number of participants to find qualifying jobs within twelve months of completion.

Absolute Priority 2: Pre-Service Administrator Training. Projects that:

• Provide support and training to Indian individuals to complete a graduate degree in education administration that is provided before the end of the award period and that allows participants to meet the requirements for State certification or licensure as an education administrator;
• Provide one year of induction services, during the award period, to participants after graduation, certification, or licensure, while they are completing their first year of work as administrators in schools with significant Indian student populations; and
• Include goals for the: a) Number of participants to be recruited each year; b) Number of participants to continue in the project each year; c) Number of participants to graduate each year; and d) Number of participants to find qualifying jobs within twelve months of completion.

Competitive Preference Priorities:

• Competitive Preference Priority 1 (five additional points): An application that includes a letter of support signed by the authorized representative of a local educational agency (LEA) or Department of the Interior Bureau of Indian Education-funded school or other entity in the applicant’s service area that agrees to consider program graduates for qualifying employment.
• Competitive Preference Priority 2 (five additional points): An application submitted by an Indian tribe, Indian organization, or Indian institution of higher education (Indian IHE) that is eligible to participate in the Professional Development program.
• Competitive Preference Priority 3 (three additional points): A consortium application of eligible entities whose lead is non-tribal that: Meets the requirements of 34 CFR 75.127 through 75.129 and includes an Indian tribe, Indian organization, or Indian IHE; and is not eligible to receive a preference under Competitive Preference Priority 2.

Amount: $6,000,000 is available for awards ranging from $300,000-$400,000 each.

Eligibility: An institution of higher education, including an Indian IHE; a State educational agency in consortium with an institution of higher education; an LEA in consortium with an institution of higher education; an Indian tribe or Indian organization in consortium with an institution of higher education; or a Bureau of Indian Education-funded school. Bureau-funded schools are eligible applicants for an in-service training program; and a pre-service training program when the Bureau-funded school applies in consortium with an institution of higher education that is accredited to provide the coursework and level of degree required by the project. Eligibility of an applicant requiring a consortium with an institution of higher education, including Indian IHEs, requires that the institution of higher education be accredited to provide the coursework and level of degree required by the project.

Link: https://federalregister.gov/a/2016-11606

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