Yesterday our Assistant Deputy Secretary for Innovation and Improvement, Jim Shelton, hosted a webinar to discuss the notice of proposed priorities for the $650 million Investing in Innovation Fund (i3). More than 600 people across the country in school districts, foundations, postsecondary institutions, and the private sector joined the session through an interactive web interface.
The webinar included a presentation on the notice announced in an October 6 press release and published officially in the Federal Register on October 9, 2009. The notice describes the priorities, requirements, definitions, and selection criteria that the Department of Education (ED) proposes to use for the i3 fund. A round of questions and answers followed on wide range of issues: how the peer review process will work and how ED will select peer reviewers; who is eligible to apply for i3 awards; what meets the matching funds requirement; whether for-profit organizations can participate in an application; and others. A recording of the webinar and the presentation is available for those who were unable to attend the session or for those who wish to review the discussion.
Shelton discussed the procedure for submitting public comments, which are due November 9, 2009. You may submit comments through the Federal eRulemaking Portal or via postal mail, commercial delivery, or hand delivery. We cannot accept comments by fax or by e-mail. Please submit your comments only one time in order to ensure that we do not receive duplicate copies. In addition, please include the Docket ID and the term [[Page 52215]] “Investing in Innovation” at the top of your comments. The instructions for submitting comments in either electronic or hard copy are:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov to submit your comments electronically. Information on using Regulations.gov, including instructions for accessing agency documents, submitting comments, and viewing the docket, is available on the site under “How To Use This Site.” A direct link to the docket page is also available at http://www.ed.gov/news/pressreleases/2009/10/10062009a.html.
Postal Mail, Commercial Delivery, or Hand Delivery: If you mail or deliver your comments about these proposed priorities, requirements, definitions, and selection criteria, address them to:
Office of Innovation and Improvement
(Attention: Investing in Innovation Comments)
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 4W321
Washington, DC 20202
We encourage anyone interested in i3 to read the notice carefully and submit comments for consideration. We recommend submitting your comments as early in the comment period as possible.
With i3, Race to the Top, and other ED programs, we have the chance to dramatically improve American education for all of our students. We hope you will participate!
ED Staff