Investing in Innovation

The U.S. Department of Education (ED) created and funded the Investing in Innovation Fund (i3) program at $650 million under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). The program provides competitive grants to applicants with a record of improving student achievement and attainment. Applicants must detail plans that will expand the implementation of, and investment in, innovative practices that demonstrate an impact on: (1) improving student achievement or student growth; (2) closing achievement gaps; (3) decreasing dropout rates; (4) increasing high school graduation rates; or (5) increasing college enrollment and completion rates. Eligible applicants include: (1) local educational agencies (LEAs) and (2) nonprofit organizations in partnership with (a) one or more LEAs or (b) a consortium of schools.

In Fiscal Year (FY) 2010, ED awarded 49 grants and announced a second competitive grant round at $150 million on June 3, 2011. The new grant round is funded from the FY 2011 budget and has some revamped rules to support "innovative approaches" that boost student achievement. This year's recipients will be awarded grants from $3 million to $25 million, depending on type of grant awarded. Applications for the FY 2011 round were due August 2, 2011. The Office of Innovation and Improvement manages the i3 program.

Grant Award Types: Applicants may apply for one or more grant types, but may not submit the same proposed project under more than one type of grant–
Development – Up to $3 million per grant to support new concepts that are deemed worthy of further study. (Reasonable hypothesis) Validation – Up to $15 million per grant for programs that have already shown promise, but need additional evidence of effectiveness. (Moderate evidence)	Scale-up – Up to $25 million per grant for programs that have already proved effectiveness and have large effect sizes, with adequate evidence to support any claims of effectiveness (Strong evidence)
Absolute Priorities: Applicants for all types of grants must select one or more of the following "absolute" priorities–
Supporting effective teachers and principals Promoting STEM education (science, technology, engineering, and math), a new "absolute" priority for 2011 Complementing the implementation of "high standards" and "high-quality assessments"	Turning around low-performing schools Improving achievement and high school graduation rates in rural local educational agencies
Competitive Preference Priorities: These can bolster a proposal's chance of receiving funding–
Supporting college access and success to improve students' chances of success in post-secondary education Addressing the unique needs of students with disabilities and limited English proficient students Improving productivity, also new for 2011, by significantly increasing efficiency in the use of time, staff, money, or other resources while improving student learning or other educational outcomes Improving student achievement or teacher effectiveness through the use of high-quality digital tools or materials

CTB Products Meeting Investing in Innovation Requirements
Acuity CTB Online Reporting System	LAS Links	Yearly ProgressPro
Download brochure detailing how each product meets Investing in Innovation requirements. (PDF, 6631 KB)

Requirements for Funding	How CTB Products Meet These Requirements
Use an independent evaluator to conduct an evaluation of the project. In determining the quality of the project evaluation to be conducted, the following factors will be considered: The adequacy of the planned experimental and/or quasi-experimental study The degree to which the plan will yield high-quality implementation data and performance feedback Whether the project permits periodic assessment of progress toward achieving intended outcomes The extent to which the evaluation will provide sufficient information about the key elements and approach of the projects to facilitate replication or testing in other settings Out of the total 100 points that could be assigned in the selection criteria, the quality of the project evaluation will account for: Scale-up grants: 20 points Validation grants: 25 points Development grants 20 points	CTB consultants have broad experience across testing programs, testing modes, and geographic regions. As an expert in educational measurement, assessment design, and project evaluation, CTB's goal is to facilitate sound policy-making by providing complete, accurate, and unbiased data regarding the scientific implications associated with project effectiveness. Through the organization's own research and development work, as well as through collaborative research relationships with testing experts throughout the world, CTB has contributed many innovations to the field of testing. Examples include: 1) the first operational implementation of item response theory methods, 2) the detection of bias in test items, and 3) the widely used Bookmark Standard Setting Procedure™. Since its beginnings in 1926, CTB customers have drawn on many years of experience in K–12 educational measurement and the organization's extensive knowledge related to the design and outcomes of many of the nation's testing programs. CTB custom-designed research studies and technical reports quantify project processes and methodologies and document adherence to the highest psychometric standards. Over half of the first states to pass Peer Review by the U.S. Department of Education worked with CTB in the design and evaluation of their state accountability assessment. CTB is also a leader in providing consultation and expertise regarding implementation of growth models in assessment programs. The organization's research scientists have worked with a number of states, such as Indiana, Georgia, West Virginia, and Colorado, to assist them in measuring and evaluating student academic growth. CTB builds its benchmark and interim assessments on solid test development principles, the highest psychometric standards, and leading edge technologies including automated test assembly, secure platforms, speech recognition, and artificial intelligence methods.
Secure matching funds or in-kind donations that account for a percentage of the grant award: Scale-up: 5 percent Validation: 10 percent Development: 15 percent	The matching funds, or in-kind donations, must come from the private, non-governmental sources. CTB/McGraw-Hill qualifies as a matching funds source.

Requirements for Funding

How CTB Products Meet These Requirements

Use an independent evaluator to conduct an evaluation of the project. In determining the quality of the project evaluation to be conducted, the following factors will be considered:

The adequacy of the planned experimental and/or quasi-experimental study
The degree to which the plan will yield high-quality implementation data and performance feedback
Whether the project permits periodic assessment of progress toward achieving intended outcomes
The extent to which the evaluation will provide sufficient information about the key elements and approach of the projects to facilitate replication or testing in other settings

Out of the total 100 points that could be assigned in the selection criteria, the quality of the project evaluation will account for:

Scale-up grants: 20 points
Validation grants: 25 points
Development grants 20 points

CTB consultants have broad experience across testing programs, testing modes, and geographic regions. As an expert in educational measurement, assessment design, and project evaluation, CTB's goal is to facilitate sound policy-making by providing complete, accurate, and unbiased data regarding the scientific implications associated with project effectiveness.

Through the organization's own research and development work, as well as through collaborative research relationships with testing experts throughout the world, CTB has contributed many innovations to the field of testing. Examples include: 1) the first operational implementation of item response theory methods, 2) the detection of bias in test items, and 3) the widely used Bookmark Standard Setting Procedure™.

Since its beginnings in 1926, CTB customers have drawn on many years of experience in K–12 educational measurement and the organization's extensive knowledge related to the design and outcomes of many of the nation's testing programs. CTB custom-designed research studies and technical reports quantify project processes and methodologies and document adherence to the highest psychometric standards. Over half of the first states to pass Peer Review by the U.S. Department of Education worked with CTB in the design and evaluation of their state accountability assessment.

CTB is also a leader in providing consultation and expertise regarding implementation of growth models in assessment programs. The organization's research scientists have worked with a number of states, such as Indiana, Georgia, West Virginia, and Colorado, to assist them in measuring and evaluating student academic growth.

CTB builds its benchmark and interim assessments on solid test development principles, the highest psychometric standards, and leading edge technologies including automated test assembly, secure platforms, speech recognition, and artificial intelligence methods.

Secure matching funds or in-kind donations that account for a percentage of the grant award:

Scale-up: 5 percent
Validation: 10 percent
Development: 15 percent

The matching funds, or in-kind donations, must come from the private, non-governmental sources. CTB/McGraw-Hill qualifies as a matching funds source.

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