Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE): International Foreign Language Education (IFLE): International Research and Studies Program—Research, Studies and Surveys; and Specialized Instructional Materials, Assistance Listing Number 84.017A

For the addresses for obtaining and submitting an application, please refer to our Revised Common Instructions for Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs, published in the Federal Register on December 7, 2022.

Purpose of Program: The IRS program provides grants to public and private agencies, organizations, institutions, and individuals, to conduct research, studies, or surveys, or to develop specialized instructional materials, to improve and strengthen instruction and enrollment in modern foreign languages and related area studies. Under 34 CFR 660.1, research and studies may include, but are not limited to -

(a) Studies and surveys to determine needs for increased or improved instruction in modern foreign languages, area studies, or other international fields, including the demand for foreign language, area studies, and other international specialists in government, education, and the private sector;

(b) Research on more effective methods of providing instruction and achieving competency in foreign languages, area studies, or other international fields;

(c) Research on applying performance tests and standards across all areas of foreign language instruction and classroom use;

(d) Developing and publishing specialized materials for use in foreign language, area studies, and other international fields or for training foreign language, area studies, and other international specialists;

(e) Studies and surveys to assess the use of graduates of programs supported under title VI of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA) by governmental, educational, and private-sector organizations and other studies assessing the outcomes and effectiveness of supported programs;

(f) Comparative studies of the effectiveness of strategies to provide international capabilities at institutions of higher education;

(g) Evaluations of the extent to which programs assisted under title VI of the HEA that address national needs would not otherwise be offered;

(h) Studies and surveys of the use of technologies in foreign language, area studies, and international studies programs;

(i) Studies and evaluations of effective practices in the dissemination of international information, materials, research, teaching strategies, and testing techniques throughout the educational community, including elementary and secondary schools;

(j) Evaluations of the extent to which programs assisted under title VI of the HEA reflect diverse perspectives and a wide range of views and generate debate on world regions and international affairs;

(k) Systematic collection, analysis, and dissemination of data that contribute to achieving the purposes of title VI, part A of the HEA; and

(l) Support for programs or activities to make data collected, analyzed, or disseminated under this part publicly available and easy to understand.

In this competition, applicants may request support for either a Research, Studies, or Surveys Project or a Specialized Instructional Materials Project. In section 15 of the SF 424 Application for Federal Assistance, applicants must clearly identify the type of IRS project for which funding is requested. Additional submission details are included in the application package.

Assistance Listing Number (ALN) 84.017A.