Improving Literacy through School Libraries 2011 Webinar February 14, 2011 Application Deadline: March 28, 2011 at 4:30:00 PM Eastern Time

Today’s Agenda Purpose Eligibility Updates to the Selection Criteria The Competitive Priority The Application Format & Waivers Grants.gov Overview of the Competitive Process Your Q&As

The Purpose of LSL The purpose of this program is to improve student reading skills and academic achievement by providing students with increased access to up-to-date school library materials; well-equipped, technologically advanced school library media centers; and well-trained, professionally certified school library media specialists; Eligible local educational agencies (LEAs) may use funds for the following activities: purchasing up-to-date school library media resources, including books; acquiring and using advanced technology that is incorporated into the curricula of the school in order to develop and enhance the information literacy, information retrieval, and critical-thinking skills of students; facilitating Internet links and other resource- sharing networks among schools and school library media centers, and public and academic libraries; Where possible; providing professional development for school library media specialists and providing activities that foster increased collaboration among library specialists, teachers, and administrators; and providing students with access to school libraries during non-school hours, including before and after school, weekends, and summer vacation periods.

Eligibility: Who may apply? Eligible Applicants: LEAs, including charter schools and State- administered schools that are considered LEAs under State law, in which at least 20 percent of the students served by the LEA are from families with incomes below the poverty line based on the most recent satisfactory data available from the U.S. Census Bureau at the time this notice is published. These data are Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates for school districts for income year A list of LEAs with their family poverty rates (based on these Census Bureau data) is posted on our Web site at Note: Charter schools and State-administered schools must include documentation from their State educational agency (SEA) confirming eligibility for this program.

LSL: Update to Selection Criteria Changes from the 2010 Competition and this year’s Competitive Priority

LSL: Update to Selection Criteria 2010 (a)Meeting the purpose of the statute (10 points) (b)Need for school library resources (10 points) (c)Use of funds (50 points) (d)Use of scientifically based research (10 points) (e)Broad-based involvement and coordination (5 points) (f)Evaluation of quality and impact (5 points). (g)Quality of project personnel (10 points) 2011 (a)Need for school library resources (10 points) (b)Use of funds (20 points). (c)Use of scientifically based research (10 points) (d)Broad-based involvement and coordination (10 points) (e)Quality of the project design (20 points) (f)Quality of project personnel (15 points) (g)Adequacy of resources (10 points) (h)Evaluation of quality and impact (5 points)

Selection Criteria: removed 2010 (a)Meeting the purpose of the statute (10 points) (b)Need for school library resources (10 points) (c)Use of funds (50 points) (d)Use of scientifically based research (10 points) (e)Broad-based involvement and coordination (5 points) (f)Evaluation of quality and impact (5 points). (g)Quality of project personnel (10 points) 2011 (a)Need for school library resources (10 points) (b)Use of funds (20 points). (c)Use of scientifically based research (10 points) (d)Broad-based involvement and coordination (10 points) (e)Quality of the project design (20 points) (f)Quality of project personnel (15 points) (g)Adequacy of resources (10 points) (h)Evaluation of quality and impact (5 points)

Selection Criteria: changes 2010 (a)Meeting the purpose of the statute (10 points) (b)Need for school library resources (10 points) (c)Use of funds (50 points) (d)Use of scientifically based research (10 points) (e)Broad-based involvement and coordination (5 points) (f)Evaluation of quality and impact (5 points). (g)Quality of project personnel (10 points) 2011 (a)Need for school library resources (10 points) (b)Use of funds (20 points). (c)Use of scientifically based research (10 points) (d)Broad-based involvement and coordination (10 points) (e)Quality of the project design (20 points) (f)Quality of project personnel (15 points) (g)Adequacy of resources (10 points) (h)Evaluation of quality and impact (5 points)

Selection Criteria: changes 2010: (c) Use of funds (50 points) How well the applicant will use the funds made available through the grant to carry out one or more of the following activities that meet its demonstrated needs: (1) Acquiring up-to-date school library media resources, including books. (2) Acquiring and using advanced technology, incorporated into the curricula of the school, to develop and enhance students’ skills in retrieving and making use of information and in critical thinking. (3) Facilitating Internet links and other resource-sharing networks among schools and school library media centers, and public and academic libraries. (4) Providing professional development (as described in the notice of final clarification of eligible local activities published April 5, 2004, in the Federal Register (69 FR 17894)), for school library media specialists that is designed to improve literacy in grades K-3, and for school library media specialists as described in section 1222(d)(2) of the ESEA (20 U.S.C. 6383), and providing activities that foster increased collaboration between school library media specialists, teachers, and administrators. (5) Providing students with access to school libraries during non-school hours, including the hours before and after school, during weekends, and during summer vacation periods. 2011: (b) Use of funds (20 points). In determining the quality of the proposed use of funds, the Secretary considers how well the applicant will use the funds made available through the grant to carry out one or more of the following activities that meet its demonstrated needs: (1) Acquiring up-to-date school library media resources, including books. (2) Acquiring and using advanced technology, incorporated into the curricula of the school, to develop and enhance students’ skills in retrieving and making use of information and in critical thinking. (3) Facilitating Internet links and other resource-sharing networks among schools and school library media centers, and public and academic libraries. (4) Providing professional development (as described in the notice of final clarification of eligible local activities published April 5, 2004, in the Federal Register (69 FR 17894)), for school library media specialists that is designed to improve literacy in grades K-3, and for school library media specialists as described in section 1222(d)(2) of the ESEA (20 U.S.C. 6383), and providing activities that foster increased collaboration between school library media specialists, teachers, and administrators. (5) Providing students with access to school libraries during non-school hours, including the hours before and after school, during weekends, and during summer vacation periods. Use of funds: Same criteria, different point value…

Selection Criteria: changes 2010: (c) Use of funds (50 points) How well the applicant will use the funds made available through the grant to carry out one or more of the following activities that meet its demonstrated needs: (1) Acquiring up-to-date school library media resources, including books. (2) Acquiring and using advanced technology, incorporated into the curricula of the school, to develop and enhance students’ skills in retrieving and making use of information and in critical thinking. (3) Facilitating Internet links and other resource-sharing networks among schools and school library media centers, and public and academic libraries. (4) Providing professional development (as described in the notice of final clarification of eligible local activities published April 5, 2004, in the Federal Register (69 FR 17894)), for school library media specialists that is designed to improve literacy in grades K-3, and for school library media specialists as described in section 1222(d)(2) of the ESEA (20 U.S.C. 6383), and providing activities that foster increased collaboration between school library media specialists, teachers, and administrators. (5) Providing students with access to school libraries during non-school hours, including the hours before and after school, during weekends, and during summer vacation periods. 2011: (b) Use of funds (20 points). In determining the quality of the proposed use of funds, the Secretary considers how well the applicant will use the funds made available through the grant to carry out one or more of the following activities that meet its demonstrated needs: (1) Acquiring up-to-date school library media resources, including books. (2) Acquiring and using advanced technology, incorporated into the curricula of the school, to develop and enhance students’ skills in retrieving and making use of information and in critical thinking. (3) Facilitating Internet links and other resource-sharing networks among schools and school library media centers, and public and academic libraries. (4) Providing professional development (as described in the notice of final clarification of eligible local activities published April 5, 2004, in the Federal Register (69 FR 17894)), for school library media specialists that is designed to improve literacy in grades K-3, and for school library media specialists as described in section 1222(d)(2) of the ESEA (20 U.S.C. 6383), and providing activities that foster increased collaboration between school library media specialists, teachers, and administrators. (5) Providing students with access to school libraries during non-school hours, including the hours before and after school, during weekends, and during summer vacation periods.

Selection Criteria: changes 2010 (a)Meeting the purpose of the statute (10 points) (b)Need for school library resources (10 points) (c)Use of funds (50 points) (d)Use of scientifically based research (10 points) (e)Broad-based involvement and coordination (5 points) (f)Evaluation of quality and impact (5 points). (g)Quality of project personnel (10 points) 2011 (a)Need for school library resources (10 points) (b)Use of funds (20 points). (c)Use of scientifically based research (10 points) (d)Broad-based involvement and coordination (10 points) (e)Quality of the project design (20 points) (f)Quality of project personnel (15 points) (g)Adequacy of resources (10 points) (h)Evaluation of quality and impact (5 points)

Selection Criteria: change 2010: (e) Broad-based involvement and coordination (5 points) How well the applicant will extensively involve school library media specialists, teachers, administrators, and parents in the proposed project activities and effectively coordinate the funds and activities provided under this program with other literacy, library, technology, and professional development funds and activities. 2011: (d) Broad-based involvement and coordination (10 points) In determining the quality of the proposed plan for broad-based involvement and coordination, the Secretary considers how well the applicant will extensively involve school library media specialists, teachers, administrators, and parents in the proposed project activities and effectively coordinate the funds and activities provided under this program with other literacy, library, technology, and professional development funds and activities Broad-based involvement Same criteria, different point value…

Selection Criteria: Change 2010: (e) Broad-based involvement and coordination (5 points) How well the applicant will extensively involve school library media specialists, teachers, administrators, and parents in the proposed project activities and effectively coordinate the funds and activities provided under this program with other literacy, library, technology, and professional development funds and activities. 2011: (d) Broad-based involvement and coordination (10 points) In determining the quality of the proposed plan for broad-based involvement and coordination, the Secretary considers how well the applicant will extensively involve school library media specialists, teachers, administrators, and parents in the proposed project activities and effectively coordinate the funds and activities provided under this program with other literacy, library, technology, and professional development funds and activities

Selection Criteria: changes 2010 (a)Meeting the purpose of the statute (10 points) (b)Need for school library resources (10 points) (c)Use of funds (50 points) (d)Use of scientifically based research (10 points) (e)Broad-based involvement and coordination (5 points) (f)Evaluation of quality and impact (5 points). (g)Quality of project personnel (10 points) 2011 (a)Need for school library resources (10 points) (b)Use of funds (20 points). (c)Use of scientifically based research (10 points) (d)Broad-based involvement and coordination (10 points) (e)Quality of the project design (20 points) (f)Quality of project personnel (15 points) (g)Adequacy of resources (10 points) (h)Evaluation of quality and impact (5 points)

Selection Criteria: Change 2010: (g) Quality of project personnel (10 points) The quality of the personnel who will carry out the proposed project, including the following factors: (1) The extent to which the applicant encourages applications for employment from persons who are members of groups that have traditionally been underrepresented based on race, color, national origin, gender, age, or disability. (2) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience, of the project director or principal investigator. 2011: (f) Quality of project personnel (15 points) In determining the quality of the personnel who will carry out the proposed project, the Secretary considers the following factors: (1) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience, of key project personnel. (2) The extent to which the applicant encourages applications for employment from persons who are members of groups that have traditionally been underrepresented based on race, color, national origin, gender, age, or disability. Quality of project personnel Same criteria, different point value

Selection Criteria: Change 2010: (g) Quality of project personnel (10 points) The quality of the personnel who will carry out the proposed project, including the following factors: (1) The extent to which the applicant encourages applications for employment from persons who are members of groups that have traditionally been underrepresented based on race, color, national origin, gender, age, or disability. (2) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience, of the project director or principal investigator. 2011: (f) Quality of project personnel (15 points) In determining the quality of the personnel who will carry out the proposed project, the Secretary considers the following factors: (1) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience, of key project personnel. (2) The extent to which the applicant encourages applications for employment from persons who are members of groups that have traditionally been underrepresented based on race, color, national origin, gender, age, or disability.

Selection Criteria: same headings 2010 (a)Meeting the purpose of the statute (10 points) (b)Need for school library resources (10 points) (c)Use of funds (50 points) (d)Use of scientifically based research (10 points) (e)Broad-based involvement and coordination (5 points) (f)Evaluation of quality and impact (5 points). (g)Quality of project personnel (10 points) 2011 (a)Need for school library resources (10 points) (b)Use of funds (20 points). (c)Use of scientifically based research (10 points) (d)Broad-based involvement and coordination (10 points) (e)Quality of the project design (20 points) (f)Quality of project personnel (15 points) (g)Adequacy of resources (10 points) (h)Evaluation of quality and impact (5 points)

Selection Criteria: same headings 2010 (a)Meeting the purpose of the statute (10 points) (b)Need for school library resources (10 points) (c)Use of funds (50 points) (d)Use of scientifically based research (10 points) (e)Broad-based involvement and coordination (5 points) (f)Evaluation of quality and impact (5 points). (g)Quality of project personnel (10 points) 2011 (a)Need for school library resources (10 points) (b)Use of funds (20 points). (c)Use of scientifically based research (10 points) (d)Broad-based involvement and coordination (10 points) (e)Quality of the project design (20 points) (f)Quality of project personnel (15 points) (g)Adequacy of resources (10 points) (h)Evaluation of quality and impact (5 points)

Selection Criteria: new 2010 (a)Meeting the purpose of the statute (10 points) (b)Need for school library resources (10 points) (c)Use of funds (50 points) (d)Use of scientifically based research (10 points) (e)Broad-based involvement and coordination (5 points) (f)Evaluation of quality and impact (5 points). (g)Quality of project personnel (10 points) 2011 (a)Need for school library resources (10 points) (b)Use of funds (20 points). (c)Use of scientifically based research (10 points) (d)Broad-based involvement and coordination (10 points) (e)Quality of the project design (20 points) (f)Quality of project personnel (15 points) (g)Adequacy of resources (10 points) (h)Evaluation of quality and impact (5 points)

Selection Criteria: new 2011: (e) Quality of the project design (20 points) In determining the quality of the design of the proposed project, the Secretary considers the following factors: (1) The extent to which the goals, objectives, and outcomes to be achieved by the proposed project are clearly specified and measurable. (2) The extent to which the design of the proposed project is appropriate to, and will successfully address, the needs of the target population or other identified needs.

Selection Criteria: new 2011: (g) Adequacy of resources (10 points) In determining the adequacy of resources for the proposed project, the Secretary considers the following factors: (1) The extent to which the budget is adequate to support the proposed project. (2) The extent to which the costs are reasonable in relation to the objectives, design, and potential significance of the proposed project.

Selection Criteria: changes 2010 (a)Meeting the purpose of the statute (10 points) (b)Need for school library resources (10 points) (c)Use of funds (50 points) (d)Use of scientifically based research (10 points) (e)Broad-based involvement and coordination (5 points) (f)Evaluation of quality and impact (5 points). (g)Quality of project personnel (10 points) 2011 (a)Need for school library resources (10 points) (b)Use of funds (20 points). (c)Use of scientifically based research (10 points) (d)Broad-based involvement and coordination (10 points) (e)Quality of the project design (20 points) (f)Quality of project personnel (15 points) (g)Adequacy of resources (10 points) (h)Evaluation of quality and impact (5 points)

The Five Point Competitive Priority

Turning Around Persistently Lowest- Achieving Schools. Projects that are designed to address one or more of the following priority areas: (a) Improving student achievement (as defined in this notice) in persistently lowest-achieving schools (as defined in this notice). (b) Increasing graduation rates (as defined in this notice) and college enrollment rates for students in persistently lowest- achieving schools (as defined in this notice). (c) Providing services to students enrolled in persistently lowest- achieving schools (as defined in this notice). Definitions: For purposes of this priority, the following definitions apply. These definitions are from the notice of final supplemental priorities and definitions for discretionary grant programs, published in the Federal Register on December 15, 2010 (75 FR 78486).

More on the Priority LSL Staff will assign the five (5) competitive points; Applicants should check with their State’s Title One office for questions regarding eligibility for persistently low performing schools.

The Application Process

Content and Form of Application Submission The application narrative is where you, the applicant, address the selection criteria that reviewers use to evaluate your application. You must limit the application narrative to no more than 15 pages, using the following standards; A “page” is 8.5" x 11", on one side only, with 1" margins at the top, bottom, and both sides; Double space (no more than three lines per vertical inch) all text in the application narrative, including titles, headings, footnotes, quotations, references, and captions, as well as all text in charts, tables, figures, and graphs; Use a font that is either 12 point or larger or no smaller than 10 pitch (characters per inch); Use one of the following fonts: Times New Roman, Courier, Courier New, or Arial. List an employee of the school district as Project Director on the SF 424 form.

More on Application Submission The page limit does not apply to the cover sheet; the budget section, including the recommended five-page budget narrative; the one-page abstract; the assurances and certifications; and the other attachments, including the resumes, endnotes, indirect cost rate agreements, if applicable, and the program eligibility form. Please note the page limit does apply to all of the application narrative section. Our reviewers will not read any pages of your application that exceed the page limit. None of the material sent as appendices to the narrative, with the exception of resumes and endnotes, will be sent to the reviewers.

Grant.gov Grants.gov Contact Center: or

Grants.gov Applications for grants under this competition must be submitted electronically using the Grants.gov Apply site (Grants.gov) at What is Grants.gov? A Federal portal that allows users to electronically find, apply for and manage Federal Grant Opportunities Grants.gov is THE single access point for over 1000 grant programs offered by 26 Federal Granting Agencies. It is part of the President’s Management Agenda and E-Government Initiatives.

Grants.gov (cont.) It allows the grant community to: search for available grant opportunities and related application packages receive automatic notices about new grant opportunities from the Department or other agencies download application packages submit completed application packages track the status of submitted applications

Getting Started

Getting Started (cont.) Adobe compatibility: A compatible version of Adobe Reader is required (Adobe Reader or higher is recommended) for anyone who will be participate in the preparation of the proposal. Grants.gov offers a tool that will verify whether you have an acceptable version of Adobe installed on your computer. The link to this tool is: ngTestonly.jsp ngTestonly.jsp

Registration Process Registration in Brief: Step 1: Obtain a DUNS Number Step 2: Register with Central Contractor Registry (CCR) Step 3: Username & Password Step 4: AOR Authorization Step 5: Track AOR Status Registration takes approximately 3-5 business days, but allow 4 weeks for completion of all steps. Grants.gov Contact Center: or

Register with Grants.gov - Step 1 STEP 1: Obtain DUNS Number Same day. If requested by phone ( ) DUNS is provided immediately. If your organization does not have one, you will need to go to the Dun & Bradstreet website at [EXIT Disclaimer] to obtain the number. *Information for Foreign Registrants. [EXIT Disclaimer]Information for Foreign Registrants *Webform requests take 1-2 business days.

Register with Grants.gov - Step 2 STEP 2: Register with CCR Three to five business days or up to two weeks. If you already have a TIN, your CCR registration will take 3-5 business days to process. If you are applying for an EIN please allow up to 2 weeks. Ensure that your organization is registered with the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) at [EXIT Disclaimer]. If your organization is not, an authorizing official of your organization must register. Disclaimer]

Register with Grants.gov - Step 3 STEP 3: Username & Password Same day. Complete your AOR (Authorized Organization Representative) profile on Grants.gov and create your username and password. You will need to use your organization’s DUNS Number to complete this step.

Register with Grants.gov - Step 4 STEP 4: AOR Authorization Same day. The E-Business Point of Contact (E-Biz POC) at your organization must login to Grants.gov to confirm you as an Authorized Organization Representative (AOR). Please note that there can be more than one AOR for your organization. In some cases the E-Biz POC is also the AOR for an organization. *Time depends on responsiveness of your E-Biz POC.

Register with Grants.gov - Step 5 STEP 5: TRACK AOR STATUS STEP 5: TRACK AOR STATUS At any time, you can track your AOR status by logging in with your username and password. Login as an Applicant (enter your username & password you obtained in Step 3) using the following link: applicant_profile.jspapplicant_profile.jsp

Grants.gov Helpful Hints If you are a corporate entity, agency, institution, or organization, you can obtain a TIN from the Internal Revenue Service. If you are an individual, you can obtain a TIN from the Internal Revenue Service or the Social Security Administration. If you need a new TIN, please allow 2-5 weeks for your TIN to become active. The CCR registration process may take five or more business days to complete. If you are currently registered with the CCR, you may not need to make any changes. However, please make certain that the TIN associated with your DUNS number is correct. Also note that you will need to update your CCR registration on an annual basis. This may take three or more business days to complete.

Grants.gov Helpful Hints (cont.) For additional information on the registration process please view the overview tutorial located on the Grants.gov website. Grants.gov Contact Center: or

U.S. Department of Education’s G5 System Applicants must use Grants.gov to submit applications for this competition. Applications are moved electronically to the U.S. Department of Education’s G5 System. Please Note: G5 Website Temporary Shutdown To allow for the G5 Phase 3 implementation of the Grants Management System, the G5 website will be unavailable to all users beginning at 3 PM Eastern Time, Friday, March 4, 2011 through 6 AM Eastern Time, on Monday, March 14, We recommend you apply prior to March 4 or after March 14, This means your application will be accepted but you will not get an from the U.S. Department of Education during this time documenting acceptance of your application.

Exception to Electronic Submission Requirement You qualify for an exception to the electronic submission requirement, and may submit your application in paper format, if you are unable to submit an application through the Grants.gov system because–– You do not have access to the Internet; or You do not have the capacity to upload large documents to the Grants.gov system;

Exception to Electronic Submission No later than two weeks before the application deadline date (14 calendar days or, if the fourteenth calendar day before the application deadline date falls on a Federal holiday, the next business day following the Federal holiday), you mail or fax a written statement to the Department, explaining which of the two grounds for an exception prevents you from using the Internet to submit your application. The Deadline for requests is COB March 14, 2011.

Waiver Requests Requests for waivers from electronic submission must be mailed or faxed to the following: Peter Eldridge or David Miller US Department of Education 400 Maryland Avenue SW Washington, DC Fax: (202)

The 2011 Competition

We anticipate approximately 500 applications; Applications will be screened for completeness and eligibility; In conjunction with our contractor (Synergy Inc.) we will distribute applications to the panels; We anticipate the panels will read applications

2011 Competition Continued Each application will be read by a panel of three individuals. Panels will be made up of individuals drawn of librarians, educators, research and evaluation specialists, university faculty and the business community. We have found that a diverse group of panelist give the best results in terms of review quality.

2011 Competition Continued Each application will be read by a panel of three; Panels will be made up of individuals drawn from librarians, educators, research and evaluation specialists, academia and community members; We have found that a diverse group of panelists give the best results in terms of review quality.

Following the Review Scores will be entered into G-5 for “standardization.” Standardization is a methodology the Department of Education relies on for the peer review process in granting funds under all of its competitive discretionary programs. We have learned from long experience that, despite the training we provide to our peer reviewers on how to score applications, it is necessary for us to compensate for the personal bias to score either consistently low or high inherent in many reviewers. The procedure we use standardizes the judgments of individual reviewers (rather than the scores of the entire panel), and ensures that the highest- rated applications for each reviewer are the ones most likely to be funded. Reviewers are instructed to judge applications based on the criteria, and do not compare applications to each other.

More on Standardization The sole purpose of the standardization process is to use a statistical procedure to correct the effect of any possible “bias” introduced by differing reviewer approaches to assigning raw scores. Currently, the system uses a standard deviation of 16 points, which is the national average. The standardization process then produces a rank order of application to fund Once the application rank is determined we create a funding slate. The slate goes strictly in rank order until funds are exhausted.

Following the Review Continued Once the slate is created staff begins to review applications for completeness. The budget review process is conducted by staff. A slate memo is completed and sent for Executive approval. Once the memo is approved the winner’s Congressional offices are notified followed by LSL staff.

Questions and Answers

The LSL Team Peter Eldridge (202) Almita Reed (202) David Miller (202)