Competitive Grants for State Assessments

The Competitive Grants for State Assessment program is administered by the U.S. Department of Education on behalf of the U.S. Department of Labor and is authorized under section 1203(b)(1) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. The program is designed to support State educational agencies in strengthening the quality and effectiveness of statewide assessment systems used to measure the academic achievement and growth of elementary and secondary school students. This includes improving the technical quality, accessibility, and instructional usefulness of assessments aligned to state academic standards. The primary purpose of the program is to enable States to develop, enhance, and implement innovative assessment systems and tools. These efforts may include creating new item types, improving scoring and reporting systems, developing models to measure student growth, and enhancing assessments for specific student populations such as English learners and students with disabilities. Projects are expected to demonstrate strong alignment with statutory requirements and contribute to advancing meaningful learning opportunities through improved assessment practices. Funding for this program is provided through discretionary grants, with an estimated total of 16,556,000 dollars available for the competition. Individual awards are expected to range from 1,000,000 to 4,000,000 dollars for the full project period of up to 48 months. Each State educational agency is subject to a minimum funding allocation based on its proportion of the national school-age population, and awards will not fall below those calculated minimums. There is no requirement for cost sharing or matching funds, and administrative costs must adhere to federal cost principles but are not otherwise capped by program-specific limits. Eligible applicants include State educational agencies from all 50 States, the District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, as well as consortia of such agencies. Applications from consortia must designate a single fiscal agent. Funds may not be used for subgranting to other entities to carry out project activities. Applicants are expected to propose projects that align with one or more of the allowable activities defined in statute, including improving assessment systems, developing innovative instruments, and collaborating with research institutions. The application process requires submission through Grants.gov following registration in SAM.gov and Grants.gov systems. Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit a notice of intent to apply, although it is not required. Required application components include standard federal forms, a project abstract, a detailed project narrative, a budget narrative, resumes of key personnel, and certifications. The project narrative should address selection criteria such as quality of design, management plan, adequacy of resources, and evaluation strategy. Applications are evaluated on a 100-point scale based on these criteria. Key dates for the competition include an application availability date of April 30, 2026, a recommended intent to apply deadline of May 29, 2026, and a final application deadline of June 16, 2026. Intergovernmental review is due by August 17, 2026. Awards are expected to be made following the review process, with performance reporting required throughout the grant period. The program may fund additional applications in subsequent years from the same competition pool, depending on funding availability and application quality.

Ensure strong alignment with selection criteria including measurable objectives, rigorous evaluation design, and feasibility within timeline; prioritize innovation and evidence-based rationale