Language Resource Center (LRC) Technical Assistance Workshop

1. Language Resource Center (LRC) Technical Assistance Workshop

2. Welcome to Day 1 • Introductions • Schedule for Day 1: • LRC Overview • Review Process • Selection Criteria • Schedule for Day 2: • Notice Inviting Applications • General Timeline • Best Practices • Question and Answer session

3. Language Resource Centers • The Language Resource Centers Program provides assistance to establish, strengthen, and operate centers that serve as resources for improving the nation’s capacity for teaching and learning foreign languages effectively

4. Definition • “Language Resource Center” means a coordinated concentration of educational research and training resources for improving the nation’s capacity to teach and learn foreign languages

5. LRC Activities – Must Include • Effective Dissemination Efforts (whenever applicable in all authorized LRC activities)

6. LRC Activities – May Include • Research on New and Improved Teaching Methods • Development of New Teaching Materials Reflecting Research • Development and Application of Performance Testing • Training Teachers in Performance Testing, Teaching Strategies, and Use of Technologies

7. LRC Activities – May Include • Significant Focus on Teaching, Learning, Needs, and Materials for Less Commonly Taught Languages • Development of Materials for K-12 Foreign Language Teachers

8. LRC Activities – May Include • Intensive Summer Language Institutes that: • Train Advanced Foreign Language Students, • Provide Professional Development; and • Improve Language Instruction through Pre-service and In-service Language Training for Teachers

9. Eligibility • An institution of higher education or a combination of institutions of higher education • Late applications will not be accepted • Applications that disregard formatting instructions or page limits may be declared ineligible

10. Review Process • Technical Review for Eligibility • Panel Review • Scoring according to announced selection criteria • ED Review and Approval of slate of proposals to be funded

11. Selection Criteria • Plan of Operation – 15 points • Quality of Key Personnel – 10 points • Adequacy of Resources – 5 points • Need and Potential Impact – 20 points • Likelihood of Achieving Results – 10 points • Description of Final Form of Results – 10 points • Evaluation Plan – 20 points • Budget and Cost Effectiveness – 10 points • Priorities

12. Plan of Operation • Include a plan of operation for each year for which program funds are requested (or an integrated multi-year plan) • Provide an itemized budget showing federal funding requested for each year

13. Plan of Operation • High Design Quality • Effective Plan of Management • Clear Description of Project Objectives • Use of resources and personnel to achieve each objective • Describe how you will provide equal access for racial and ethnic minorities, women, handicapped persons

14. Quality of Key Personnel • Project Director • Other Key Personnel • Time Commitment (% for each) • Applications for employment from members of underrepresented groups • Demonstrate experience relevant to project

15. Adequacy of Resources • Adequate facilities in order to do the tasks proposed • Proposed or current equipment and supplies

16. Need and Potential Impact • Need of proposed materials and/or activities for the foreign languages on which the project focuses • Extent to which materials can be used throughout the U.S. • Significant contribution to strengthening, expanding, or improving programs of foreign language study in U.S.

17. Likelihood of Achieving Results • Quality of outlined methods and procedures for preparing the materials • Plans for activities are practicable and expected to produce the anticipated results

18. Description of Final Form of Results • Degree of specificity and appropriateness of the description of the expected results from the project

19. Evaluation Plan • Quality of the evaluation plan for the project • Methods of evaluation appropriate for the project and, to the extent possible, objective, and produce data that are quantifiable

20. Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) - effective FY 2014 • New measures recently approved by OMB and will be included with the application package 1. Percentage of LRC products or activities judged to be successful by LRC customers with respect to quality, usefulness, and relevance.

21. GPRA Measures 2. Percentage of LRCs products judged to be successful by an independent expert review panel with respect to quality, relevance, and usefulness. (In addition, experts could survey end users of LRC products.) • Efficiency Measure (has not changed) • Cost per high-quality, successfully-completed Language Resource Centers project.

22. Evaluation Plan • Outcome based • Draws on science of evaluation and trained evaluators • Evaluation experts and content experts • Work through from beginning

23. Evaluation Plan • Focus on grant activities, or on larger program outcomes • Choose definable set of activities to evaluate and outcomes • Evaluation should help you to improve your projects and methods • Evaluation should help you to document success (and avoid repeating less effective activities)

24. Budget and Cost Effectiveness • Adequate to support the project activities • Costs are reasonable in relation to project objectives • Cost effective

25. Budget • Equipment costs may not exceed 15% of grant amount • Indirect costs must be capped at 8% • Matching Funds: If you list matching funds on your budget your institution will be responsible for providing that commitment – however, matching is not required.

26. Budget • Summary Form (ED form 524) • Itemized Budget (Showing all four years broken down by category)

27. Personnel and Fringe • Total time commitment and total salary • Breakdown with position titles, percent of time / number of months for each staff member, salary, and total salary cost charged to grant • Fringe on separate line item

28. Travel • Detail travel costs with purpose and objective • Per Diem permitted when away from home overnight • Foreign travel can be authorized • Remember to budget funds for Project Director meetings

29. Equipment • Not to exceed 15% of total budget • Justify all equipment expenses • List item, quantity, cost per unit, total cost • Examples of equipment

30. Supplies • Itemized lists and costs • Examples of supplies

31. Contractual Costs • Contractual costs are allowable

32. Other Costs • Includes consultant and evaluator costs and travel (Justify consultant roles and describe scope of work – break down travel expenses) • Space rental • Printing costs • Other direct costs

33. Competition Priorities • Competitive • Invitational

34. Potential Priorities • May include: • Specific foreign languages or world regions • Collaborative activities with Minority Serving Institutions or Community Colleges • Collaborative activities with heritage language centers/schools

35. End of Day 1 • Day 2: • Notice Inviting Applications (NIA) • Proposed 2014 timeline • Best practices • Question and Answer session

36. Welcome back to Day 2! • On Day 1, we covered: • LRC Overview • Panel review process • Selection criteria

37. Day 2 • Today we will be covering: • Notice Inviting Applications (NIA) • Proposed timeline 2014 • Best practices • Question and Answer session

38. Notice Inviting Applications (NIA) • NIA is the official announcement in the Federal Register that invites LRC application submissions • NIA is official and binding • NIA gives information about • Funding • Due date • Transmittal • Selection criteria • Priorities • Technical Requirements

39. Funding • Estimate will be provided in the NIA • Annual funding always subject to availability of federally appropriated funding • Funding continued each year based on satisfactory reporting and performance

40. Project Period • New competition for FY 2014 • IFLE intends to provide a 48-month (four year) cycle for the coming competition, if approved • FY 2014, FY 2015, FY 2016 and FY 2017

41. Timeline • Proposed 2014 Timeline • Notice of Proposed Priorities • Notice Inviting Applications • Application re-cleared through OMB

42. Read Before Writing • Program Statute and Regulations • Dear Applicant Letter • Application Instructions • Budget Instructions • Selection Criteria • Notice Inviting Applications

43. Writing the Proposal • Address all the selection criteria and sub-criteria • Follow the selection criteria in order, and clearly label the elements or sub-elements described • Describe in detail how the program will be accomplished and who it serves

44. Best Practices • Improve capacity to teach and learn LCTLs • Materials Development • Teacher Professional Development • Collaborative Projects • Assessment

45. TIPS – Get Organized • Contact Program Officer • Review abstracts of funded grantees and past successful proposals • Review Federal Register and program websites for updated information • Review FAQs on LRC website

46. TIPS – Writing Your Proposal • Hit every category and sub-category: be explicit and detailed in your narrative • Limit your narrative to activities for which you are seeking funding • Summarize each proposed activity and how it increases program impact • Submit application safely before deadline – Do not wait until the last minute!!!

47. Contact information and Website • Carly Borgmeier • Email: carly.borgmeier@ed.gov • Phone: 202-502-7691 • Tanyelle Richardson • Email: tanyelle.richardson@ed.gov • Phone: 202-502-7626 • Language Resource Center: http://www2.ed.gov/programs/iegpslrc/index.html

48. Questions?Thank you for attending!