The U.S. Department of Education (ED) has released its list of final priorities approved for use in any upcoming discretionary grant programs. The final priorities are listed below:

Priority 1—Empowering Families and Individuals To Choose a High-Quality Education That Meets Their Unique Needs

Priority 2—Promoting Innovation and Efficiency, Streamlining Education With an Increased Focus on Improving Student Outcomes, and Providing Increased Value to Students and Taxpayers

Priority 3—Fostering Flexible and Affordable Paths to Obtaining Knowledge and Skills

Priority 4—Fostering Knowledge and Promoting the Development of Skills That Prepare Students To Be Informed, Thoughtful, and Productive Individuals and Citizens

Priority 5—Meeting the Unique Needs of Students and Children With Disabilities and/or Those With Unique Gifts and Talents

Priority 6—Promoting Science, Technology, Engineering, or Math (STEM) Education, With a Particular Focus on Computer Science

Priority 7—Promoting Literacy Projects that are designed to address one or more of the following priority areas:

Priority 8—Promoting Effective Instruction in Classrooms and Schools

Priority 9—Promoting Economic Opportunity

Priority 10—Protecting Freedom of Speech and Encouraging Respectful Interactions in a Safe Educational Environment

Priority 11—Ensuring That Service Members, Veterans, and Their Families Have Access to High-Quality Educational Options

Each of these eleven final priorities are approved to appear in upcoming ED solicitations as one of the following priority types: Absolute Priority, which all applicants must address; Competitive Preference Priority, which provides an advantage to applications and which GRC recommends all applicants address; and Invitational Priority, which ED encourages applicants to address even though these do not provide any competitive advantage (though keep your eyes on these as they may show up as absolute or competitive preference priorities in future competitions).