CFR > Title 34 - Education > SUBTITLE B—Regulations of the Offices of the Department of Education > CHAPTER IV—OFFICE OF VOCATIONAL AND ADULT EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION (parts 400 to 491) > PART 411—VOCATIONAL EDUCATION RESEARCH PROGRAM > SUBPART C—How Does the Secretary Make a Grant? (§411.20 to §411.24) > 411.21—What selection criteria does the Secretary use?

411.21—What selection criteria does the Secretary use?

The Secretary uses the following criteria to evaluate an application:
(a) National need. (20 points) The Secretary reviews each application to determine the extent to which the project would make a contribution of national significance, as measured by such factors as—
(1) The need for the project in relation to any program priority announced in the Federal Register; and
(2) The likelihood that the project will make an important contribution to vocational education.
(b) Plan of operation. (25 points) The Secretary reviews each application to determine the quality of the plan of operation for the project, including—
(1) High quality in the design of the project;
(2) An effective plan of management that ensures proper and efficient administration of the project;
(3) A clear description of how the objectives of the project relate to the purposes of the program;
(4) The quality of the applicant's plans to use its resources and personnel to achieve each objective; and
(5) How the applicant will ensure that project participants who are otherwise eligible to participate are selected without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, age, or disability.
(c) Key personnel. (15 points) (1) The Secretary reviews each application to determine the quality of key personnel the applicant plans to use on the project, including—
(i) The qualifications of the project director;
(ii) The qualifications of each of the other key personnel to be used in the project;
(iii) The appropriateness of the time that each one of the key personnel, including the project director, will commit to the project; and
(iv) How the applicant, as part of its nondiscriminatory employment practices, will ensure that its personnel are selected for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, age, or disability.
(2) To determine personnel qualifications under paragraphs (c)(1)(i) and (ii) of this section, the Secretary considers—
(i) Experience and training in fields related to the objectives of the project;
(ii) Experience and training in project management; and
(iii) Any other qualifications that pertain to the quality of the project.
(d) Budget and cost effectiveness. (10 points) The Secretary reviews each application to determine the extent to which—
(1) The budget for the project is adequate to support the project activities; and
(2) Costs are reasonable and necessary in relation to the objectives of the project.
(e) Evaluation plan. (5 points) The Secretary reviews each application to determine the quality of the evaluation plan for the project, including the extent to which the applicant's methods of evaluation—
(1) Are clearly explained and appropriate to the project;
(2) To the extent possible, are objective and produce data that are quantifiable;
(3) Includes activities during the formative stages of the project to help guide and improve the project, as well as a summative evaluation that includes recommendations for replicating project activities and results;
(4) If appropriate, identifies expected outcomes of the project participants and how those outcomes will be measured;
(5) If appropriate, will provide a comparison between intended and observed results, and lead to the demonstration of a clear link between the observed results and the specific treatment of project participants; and
(6) To the extent possible, include a third party evaluation.
(f) Adequacy of resources. (5 points) The Secretary reviews each application to determine the adequacy of the resources that the applicant plans to devote to the project, including facilities, equipment, and supplies.
(g) Dissemination plan. (5 points) The Secretary reviews each application to determine the quality of the dissemination plan for the project, including—
(1) The extent to which the project is designed to yield outcomes that can be readily disseminated;
(2) A clear description of the project outcomes; and
(3) A detailed description of how information and materials will be disseminated, including—
(i) Provisions for publicizing the project at the local, State, and national levels by conducting or delivering presentations at conferences, workshops, and other professional meetings and by preparing materials for journals articles, newsletters, and brochures;
(ii) Provisions for demonstrating the methods and techniques used by the project to others interested in replicating these methods and techniques; and
(iii) Provisions for assisting others to adopt and successfully implement the project or methods and techniques used by the project.
(Approved by the Office of Management and Budget under Control No. 1830-0013)

Code of Federal Regulations

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 2402 )