Opportunity Information: Apply for DOL OESE 34017
The Competitive Grants for State Assessments (CGSA) program is a federal discretionary grant competition run by the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Elementary and Secondary Education. Its core purpose is to improve the quality and usefulness of statewide assessment instruments and broader assessment systems used to measure academic achievement and student growth in elementary and secondary schools. In practice, the program is aimed at helping State Education Agencies strengthen how they design, administer, score, report, and ultimately use assessments so the results are more accurate, more informative, and more supportive of better instruction and decision-making.
For the FY 2026 competition, the notice lays out a structured set of priorities and expectations that will shape what projects are considered responsive and competitive. There are two absolute priorities, meaning applicants must align their proposals to these focus areas. The first is Developing Innovative Assessment Item Types and Design Approaches, which points toward modernizing test content and formats to better capture what students know and can do, potentially including new item types and improved assessment design strategies. The second absolute priority is Meaningful Learning Opportunities, signaling that the program is not only about technical assessment upgrades, but also about ensuring assessments connect to instruction and support learning in ways that are useful to educators and students.
In addition to the required priorities, the competition includes three competitive preference priorities that can strengthen an application in the review process. These are Improving Assessment Scoring and Score Reporting, which emphasizes clearer, more timely, and more actionable reporting as well as higher-quality scoring practices; Assessing Student Growth, which focuses on approaches that better measure progress over time rather than relying only on single-point performance snapshots; and Comprehensive Academic Assessment Instruments, which points toward more complete, coherent assessment tools that can capture a wider range of academic outcomes and provide a stronger overall picture of student performance.
The notice also lists two invitational priorities, which are suggested areas of interest that the Department encourages but does not require. These are Assessment and Data Literacy, highlighting the need for educators and stakeholders to understand assessment information and use it responsibly and effectively, and Comprehensive Assessment Systems, which suggests interest in projects that connect multiple assessments and related components into a cohesive statewide system rather than treating assessments as isolated events.
Eligibility is limited to State Education Agencies in the 50 States, the District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, as well as consortia made up of these SEAs. The opportunity is listed under CFDA number 84.368 and is categorized as an education grant. The competition anticipates making around six awards, with a maximum award amount (ceiling) of $4,000,000 per award. The funding opportunity number is DOL OESE 34017, and the application deadline is June 16, 2026.Apply for DOL OESE 34017
- The Office of Elementary and Secondary Education in the education sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Competitive Grants for State Assessments" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 84.368.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2026-04-30.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-06-16. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $4,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 6 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: State governments.
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Competitive Grants for State Assessments (CGSA) - FY 2026 FAQs
What is the Competitive Grants for State Assessments (CGSA) program?
The Competitive Grants for State Assessments (CGSA) program is a federal discretionary grant competition run by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE). It is designed to improve the quality and usefulness of statewide assessment instruments and broader assessment systems used in elementary and secondary education.
What is the main purpose of CGSA funding?
The core purpose is to strengthen statewide assessments and assessment systems so they better measure academic achievement and student growth. The program emphasizes improving how assessments are designed, administered, scored, reported, and used so results are more accurate, informative, and supportive of instruction and decision-making.
Who is eligible to apply for this opportunity?
Eligibility is limited to State Education Agencies (SEAs) in the 50 States, the District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, as well as consortia made up of these eligible SEAs.
Can a consortium apply, and who can be in the consortium?
Yes. Consortia are eligible if they are made up of State Education Agencies (SEAs) from the 50 States, the District of Columbia, and/or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
Is this a formula grant or a competitive grant?
This is a competitive (discretionary) grant competition, meaning awards are made through a competitive review process rather than by formula.
How many awards does the competition expect to make?
The competition anticipates making around six awards.
What is the maximum award amount?
The maximum award amount (ceiling) is $4,000,000 per award.
When is the application deadline?
The application deadline is June 16, 2026.
What are the required (absolute) priorities for FY 2026?
The FY 2026 notice includes two absolute priorities that applicants must address:
- Developing Innovative Assessment Item Types and Design Approaches - focuses on modernizing test content and formats to better capture what students know and can do, including new item types and improved design strategies.
- Meaningful Learning Opportunities - emphasizes that assessments should connect to instruction and support learning in ways that are useful to educators and students.
What does it mean that a priority is "absolute"?
An absolute priority is required. Proposals must align with the absolute priorities to be considered responsive and competitive under the FY 2026 competition.
What are the competitive preference priorities?
The FY 2026 competition includes three competitive preference priorities that can strengthen an application during review:
- Improving Assessment Scoring and Score Reporting - focuses on higher-quality scoring practices and clearer, more timely, more actionable score reporting.
- Assessing Student Growth - supports approaches that better measure student progress over time, not only performance at a single point.
- Comprehensive Academic Assessment Instruments - encourages more complete and coherent tools that capture a wider range of academic outcomes and provide a stronger picture of student performance.
Do applicants have to address the competitive preference priorities?
No. Competitive preference priorities are optional, but addressing them can strengthen an application in the review process.
What are the invitational priorities?
The notice includes two invitational priorities, which are areas the Department encourages but does not require:
- Assessment and Data Literacy - focuses on helping educators and stakeholders understand assessment information and use it responsibly and effectively.
- Comprehensive Assessment Systems - highlights interest in projects that connect multiple assessments and related components into a cohesive statewide system rather than treating assessments as isolated events.
Do applicants have to address the invitational priorities?
No. Invitational priorities are suggested areas of interest. They are encouraged but not required.
What kinds of assessment improvements does CGSA support?
Based on the priorities described, CGSA supports projects that improve statewide assessments and systems through innovations in item types and design, stronger links between assessment and learning, improved scoring and reporting, better methods for measuring growth over time, and more comprehensive instruments and systems.
How does the program define the scope of work across the assessment lifecycle?
The program is aimed at helping State Education Agencies strengthen how they design, administer, score, report, and use assessments so results are more accurate and more useful for instruction and decision-making.
What is the CFDA number for this opportunity?
The opportunity is listed under CFDA number 84.368.
What is the funding opportunity number?
The funding opportunity number is DOL OESE 34017.
Which federal office runs this competition?
The competition is run by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE).
How is this opportunity categorized?
It is categorized as an education grant.
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