§ 7243 — Applications

(a) Each statewide organization, or a consortium of such organizations, that desires a grant under this part shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time and in such manner as the Secretary may require, which shall include the information described in subsection (b). (b) Each application submitted under subsection (a) shall include, at a minimum, the following: (1) A description of the applicant’s approach to family engagement in education. (2) A description of how the State educational agency and any partner organization will support the statewide family engagement center that will be operated by the applicant including a description of the State educational agency and any partner organization’s commitment of such support. (3) A description of the applicant’s plan for building a statewide infrastructure for family engagement in education, that includes— (A) management and governance; (B) statewide leadership; or (C) systemic services for family engagement in education. (4) A description of the applicant’s demonstrated experience in providing training, information, and support to State educational agencies, local educational agencies, schools, educators, parents, and organizations on family engagement in education policies and practices that are effective for parents (including low-income parents) and families, parents of English learners, minorities, students with disabilities, homeless children and youth, children and youth in foster care, and migrant students, including evaluation results, reporting, or other data exhibiting such demonstrated experience. (5) A description of the steps the applicant will take to target services to low-income students and parents. (6) An assurance that the applicant will— (A) establish a special advisory committee, the membership of which includes— (i) parents, who shall constitute a majority of the members of the special advisory committee; (ii) representatives of education professionals with expertise in improving services for disadvantaged children; (iii) representatives of local elementary schools and secondary schools, including students; (iv) representatives of the business community; and (v) representatives of State educational agencies and local educational agencies; (B) use not less than 65 percent of the funds received under this part in each fiscal year to serve local educational agencies, schools, and community-based organizations that serve high concentrations of disadvantaged students, including students who are English learners, minorities, students with disabilities, homeless children and youth, children and youth in foster care, and migrant students; (C) operate a statewide family engagement center of sufficient size, scope, and quality to ensure that the center is adequate to serve the State educational agency, local educational agencies, and community-based organizations; (D) ensure that the statewide family engagement center will retain staff with the requisite training and experience to serve parents in the State; (E) serve urban, suburban, and rural local educational agencies and schools; (F) work with— (i) other statewide family engagement centers assisted under this part; and (ii) parent training and information centers and community parent resource centers assisted under sections 1471 and 1472 of this title; (G) use not less than 30 percent of the funds received under this part for each fiscal year to establish or expand technical assistance for evidence-based parent education programs; (H) provide assistance to State educational agencies, local educational agencies, and community-based organizations that support family members in supporting student academic achievement; (I) work with State educational agencies, local educational agencies, schools, educators, and parents to determine parental needs and the best means for delivery of services to address such needs; (J) conduct sufficient outreach to assist parents, including parents who the applicant may have a difficult time engaging with a school or local educational agency; and (K) conduct outreach to low-income students and parents, including low-income students and parents who are not proficient in English. (7) An assurance that the applicant will conduct training programs in the community to improve adult literacy, including financial literacy. (c) In awarding grants for activities described in this part, the Secretary shall give priority to statewide family engagement centers that will use funds under section 7244 of this title for evidence-based activities, which, for the purposes of this part is defined as activities meeting the requirements of section 7801(21)(A)(i) of this title.