Federal Register, Volume 78 Issue 10 (Tuesday, January 15, 2013)

[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 10 (Tuesday, January 15, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2971-2978]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-00591]

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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Applications for New Awards; Personnel Development To Improve
Services and Results for Children With Disabilities--Preparation of
Special Education, Early Intervention, and Related Services Leadership
Personnel

AGENCY: Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services,
Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice.

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Overview Information:

Personnel Development to Improve Services and Results for Children with
Disabilities--Preparation of Special Education, Early Intervention, and
Related Services Leadership Personnel

Notice inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY)
2013.

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.325D.

DATES: Applications Available: January 15, 2013.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: March 1, 2013.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: April 30, 2013.

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

Purpose of Program: The purposes of this program are to (1) help
address State-identified needs for highly qualified personnel in
special education, related services, early intervention, and regular
education to work with children, including infants and toddlers, with
disabilities; and (2) ensure that those personnel have the necessary
skills and knowledge, derived from practices that have been determined
through scientifically based research and experience, to be successful
in serving those children.
Priorities: This competition has one absolute priority and one
competitive preference priority. In accordance with 34 CFR
75.105(b)(2)(iv), the absolute priority is from allowable activities
specified in the statute (see sections 662 and 681 of the Individuals
with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)).
Absolute Priority: For FY 2013 and any subsequent year in which we
make awards from the list of unfunded applicants from this competition,
this priority is an absolute priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3), we
consider only applications that meet this priority.
This priority is: Preparation of Special Education, Early
Intervention, and Related Services Leadership Personnel.
Background: The purpose of the Preparation of Special Education,
Early Intervention, and Related Services Leadership Personnel priority
is to support programs that prepare special education, early
intervention, and related services personnel at the graduate level who
are well-qualified for, and can act effectively in, leadership
positions in universities, State educational agencies (SEAs), lead
agencies (LAs), local educational agencies (LEAs), early intervention
services programs (EIS programs), or schools.
Over the last two decades, there has been a need for leadership
personnel who are prepared at the doctoral and postdoctoral levels to
fill faculty positions in special education, early intervention, and
related services (Sindelar & Taylor, 1988; Smith & Lovett, 1987; Smith,
Pion, & Tyler, 2004; Smith, Robb, West, & Tyler, 2010; Woods & Snyder,
2009). These leaders teach evidence-based practices to special
education, early intervention, and related services professionals who

[[Page 2972]]

work in a variety of educational settings and provide services directly
to children and youth with disabilities. They also conduct research to
increase the knowledge of effective interventions and services for
these children (Smith et al., 2010).
State and local agencies also need leadership personnel who are
prepared at the graduate level (i.e., master's, education specialist,
and doctoral degrees, depending on State certification requirements) to
fill special education and early intervention administrator positions.
These administrators supervise and evaluate the implementation of
evidence-based instructional programs to make sure that State or local
agencies are meeting the needs of children with disabilities.
Administrators also ensure that schools and programs meet Federal,
State, and local requirements for special education, early
intervention, and related services (Lashley & Boscardin, 2003).
Federal support can increase the supply of personnel who have the
necessary knowledge and skills to assume leadership positions in
special education, early intervention, and related services in
universities, SEAs, LAs, LEAs, EIS programs, or schools. Critical
competencies for special education, early intervention, and related
services personnel vary depending on the type of personnel and the
requirements of the preparation program but can include, for example,
skills needed for postsecondary instruction, administration, policy
development, professional practice, leadership, or research. However,
all leadership personnel need to have current knowledge of effective
interventions and services that improve outcomes for children with
disabilities, including high-need children with disabilities.
Priority: The purpose of the Preparation of Special Education,
Early Intervention, and Related Services Leadership Personnel priority
is to support pre-existing degree programs that prepare special
education, early intervention, and related services personnel at the
graduate level who are well-qualified for, and can act effectively in,
leadership positions in universities, SEAs, LAs, LEAs, EIS programs, or
schools. This priority supports two types of programs:
Type A programs are designed to prepare special education, early
intervention, or related services personnel to serve as higher
education faculty. Type A programs culminate in a doctoral degree or
provide postdoctoral learning opportunities.

Note: Preparation programs that lead to clinical doctoral
degrees in related services (e.g., a Doctor of Audiology (AuD)
degree or Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree) are not included
in this priority. These types of preparation programs are eligible
to apply for funding under the Personnel Preparation in Special
Education, Early Intervention, and Related Services priority (CFDA
84.325K) that the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP)
intends to fund in FY 2013.

Type B programs are designed to prepare special education or early
intervention administrators to work in SEAs, LAs, LEAs, EIS programs,
or schools. Type B programs prepare personnel for positions such as SEA
special education administrators, LEA or regional special education
directors, school-based special education directors, preschool
coordinators, and early intervention coordinators. Type B programs
culminate in a master's, education specialist, or doctoral degree.

Note: OSEP intends to fund in FY 2013 at least three high-
quality applications proposing Type B programs and may fund
applications out of rank order.

Note: The preparation of school principals is not included in
this priority.

Note: Applicants must identify the specific program type, A or
B, for which they are applying for funding as part of the
competition title on the application cover sheet (SF form 424, item
15). Applicants may not submit the same proposal for more than one
program type.

To be considered for funding under the Preparation of Special
Education, Early Intervention, and Related Services Leadership
Personnel absolute priority, all program applicants must meet the
application requirements contained in the priority. All projects funded
under the absolute priority also must meet the programmatic and
administrative requirements specified in the priority.
The requirements of this priority are as follows:
(a) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application, under
``Significance of the Project'' how--
(1) The project addresses national, State, or regional needs for
leadership personnel to administer programs or provide, or prepare
others to provide, interventions and services that improve outcomes of
children with disabilities, ages birth through 21, including high-need
children with disabilities.\1\ To address this requirement, the
applicant must--
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\1\ For purposes of this priority, ``high-need children with
disabilities'' refers to children (ages birth through 21, depending
on the State) who are eligible for services under IDEA, and who may
be further disadvantaged and at risk of educational failure because
they: (1) Are living in poverty, (2) are far below grade level, (3)
are at risk of not graduating with a regular high school diploma on
time, (4) are homeless, (5) are in foster care, (6) have been
incarcerated, (7) are English learners, (8) are pregnant or
parenting teenagers, (9) are new immigrants, (10) are migrant, or
(11) are not on track to being college- or career-ready by
graduation.
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(i) Present appropriate and applicable national, State, or regional
data demonstrating the need for the leadership personnel the applicant
proposes to prepare; and
(ii) Present data on the effectiveness of the graduate program to
date in areas such as: the effectiveness of program graduates as
educators of teachers, service providers, or administrators, including
any results from evaluating the impact of those teachers, service
providers, or administrators on the outcomes of children with
disabilities; the average amount of time it takes for program graduates
to complete the program; the percentage of program graduates finding
employment directly related to their preparation; and the professional
accomplishments of program graduates (e.g., public service, honors, or
publications) that demonstrate their leadership in special education,
early intervention, or related services; and

Note: Data on the effectiveness of a graduate program should be
no older than five years prior to the start date of the project
proposed in the application. When reporting percentages, the
denominator (i.e., the total number of students) must be provided.

(2) Scholar competencies to be acquired in the program relate to
knowledge and skills needed by the leadership personnel the applicant
proposes to prepare, including knowledge of technologies designed to
provide instruction. To address this requirement, the applicant must--
(i) Identify the competencies needed by leadership personnel in
postsecondary instruction, administration, policy development,
professional practice, leadership, or research in order to administer
programs or provide, or prepare others to provide, interventions and
services that improve outcomes of children with disabilities, ages
birth through 21, including high-need children with disabilities; and
(ii) Provide the conceptual framework of the leadership preparation
program, including any empirical support, that will promote the
acquisition of the identified competencies needed by leadership
personnel and, where applicable, how these competencies relate to the
project's specialized preparation area.

[[Page 2973]]

(b) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application, under
``Quality of the Project Services,'' how--
(1) The project will recruit and support high-quality scholars. The
narrative must--
(i) Describe the selection criteria the applicant will use to
identify high-quality applicants for admission in the program;
(ii) Describe the recruitment strategies the applicant will use to
attract high-quality applicants and any specific recruitment strategies
targeting high-quality applicants from traditionally underrepresented
groups; and
(iii) Describe the approach the applicant will use to help scholars
complete the program; and
(2) The project is designed to promote the acquisition of the
competencies needed by leadership personnel to administer programs or
provide, or prepare others to provide, interventions and services that
improve outcomes, including college and career readiness of children
with disabilities. To address this requirement, the applicant must--
(i) Describe how the components of the project, such as coursework,
internship or practicum experiences, research requirements, and other
opportunities provided to scholars to analyze data, critique research
and methodologies, and practice newly acquired knowledge and skills,
will enable the scholars to acquire the competencies needed by
leadership personnel for postsecondary instruction, administration,
policy development, professional practice, leadership, or research in
special education, early intervention, or related services;
(ii) Describe how the components of the project are integrated in
order to support the acquisition and enhancement of the identified
competencies needed by leadership personnel in special education, early
intervention, or related services;
(iii) Describe how the components of the project prepare scholars
to administer programs or provide, or prepare others to provide,
interventions and services that improve outcomes, including college and
career readiness, of children with disabilities in a variety of
settings, including in high-need LEAs,\2\ high-poverty schools,\3\ low-
performing schools, including persistently lowest-achieving schools,\4\
priority schools (in the case of States that have received the
Department's approval of a request for ESEA flexibility),\5\ and early
childhood programs located within the geographical boundaries of a
high-need LEA; and
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\2\ For purposes of this priority, the term ``high-need LEA''
means an LEA (a) that serves not fewer than 10,000 children from
families with incomes below the poverty line; or (b) for which not
less than 20 percent of the children served by the LEA are from
families with incomes below the poverty line.
\3\ For purposes of this priority, the term ``high-poverty
school'' means a school in which at least 50 percent of students are
eligible for free or reduced-price lunches under the Richard B.
Russell National School Lunch Act or in which at least 50 percent of
students are from low-income families as determined using one of the
criteria specified under section 1113(a)(5) of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended (ESEA). For middle and
high schools, eligibility may be calculated on the basis of
comparable data from feeder schools. Eligibility as a high-poverty
school under this definition is determined on the basis of the most
currently available data (www2.ed.gov/legislation/FedRegister/other/2010-4/121510b.html).
\4\ For purposes of this priority, the term ``persistently
lowest-achieving schools'' means, as determined by the State--
(a)(1) Any Title I school in improvement, corrective action, or
restructuring that--
(i) Is among the lowest-achieving five percent of Title I
schools in improvement, corrective action, or restructuring or the
lowest-achieving five Title I schools in improvement, corrective
action, or restructuring in the State, whichever number of schools
is greater; or
(ii) Is a high school that has had a graduation rate as defined
in 34 CFR 200.19(b) that is less than 60 percent over a number of
years; and
(2) Any secondary school that is eligible for, but does not
receive, Title I funds that--
(i) Is among the lowest-achieving five percent of secondary
schools or the lowest-achieving five secondary schools in the State
that are eligible for, but do not receive, Title I funds, whichever
number of schools is greater; or
(ii) Is a high school that has had a graduation rate as defined
in 34 CFR 200.19(b) that is less than 60 percent over a number of
years.
(b) To identify the persistently lowest-achieving schools, a
State must take into account both--
(i) The academic achievement of the ''all students'' group in a
school in terms of proficiency on the State's assessments under
section 1111(b)(3) of the ESEA in reading/language arts and
mathematics combined; and
(ii) The school's lack of progress on those assessments over a
number of years in the ``all students'' group.
For the purposes of this priority, the Department considers
schools that are identified as Tier I or Tier II schools under the
School Improvement Grants Program (see 75 FR 66363) as part of a
State's approved FY 2009, FY 2010, or FY 2011 application to be
persistently lowest-achieving schools. A list of these Tier I and
Tier II schools can be found on the Department's Web site at
www2.ed.gov/programs/sif/index.html.
\5\ For purposes of this priority, the term ``priority school''
means a school that has been identified by the State as a priority
school pursuant to the State's approved request for ESEA
flexibility.
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(iv) Demonstrate, through a letter of support from the partnering
agency, school, or program, a relationship with one or more high-need
LEAs; publicly funded preschool programs, including Head Start
programs, located within the geographic boundaries of a high-need LEA;
or programs serving children eligible for services under Part C or Part
B, section 619 of IDEA located within the geographic boundaries of a
high-need LEA that it has agreed to provide scholars with a high-
quality internship or practicum experience in a school in a high-need
LEA, publicly funded preschool, or early intervention program.
(v) Describe the approach that faculty members will use to mentor
scholars with the goal of helping them acquire competencies needed by
leadership personnel and promote career goals in special education,
early intervention, or related services.
(c) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application, under
``Quality of the Project Evaluation,'' how--
(1) The applicant will evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed
leadership project. The applicant must describe the outcomes to be
measured for both the project and the scholars, particularly the
acquisition of scholar competencies and their impact on the services
provided by future teachers, service providers, or administrators; the
evaluation methodologies to be employed, including proposed
instruments, data collection methods, and possible analyses; and the
proposed standards or targets for determining effectiveness;
(2) The applicant will collect and use data on current scholars and
scholars who graduate from the program to improve the proposed program
on an ongoing basis; and
(3) The grantee will report the evaluation results to OSEP in its
annual and final performance reports.
(d) Include, in the narrative under ``Required Project
Assurances,'' or appendices as directed, that the following program
requirements are met. The applicant must--
(1) Include in the application appendix--
(i) Course syllabi for all coursework in the major and any required
coursework for a minor;
(ii) Course syllabi for all research methods, evaluation methods,
or data analysis courses required by the degree program and elective
research methods, evaluation methods, or data analysis courses that
have been completed by more than one student enrolled in the program in
the last five years; and
(iii) For new coursework, proposed syllabi;
(2) Ensure that all scholars recruited into the program can
graduate from the program by the end of the grant's project period. The
described scholar recruitment strategies, the program components and
their sequence, and proposed budget must be consistent with this
project requirement;

[[Page 2974]]

(3) Ensure that the project will meet the statutory requirements in
section 662(e) through 662(h) of IDEA;
(4) Ensure that at least 65 percent of the total requested annual
budget will be used for scholar support or provide justification in the
application narrative for any designation less than 65 percent.
Examples of sufficient justification for proposing less than 65 percent
of the budget for scholar support include--
(i) A project servicing rural areas that provides long-distance
coursework, and requires information technology personnel, adjunct
professors, or site-based mentors to operate effectively; and
(ii) A project that expands or adds a new area of emphasis to
special education, early intervention, or related services, and
includes data on the need for the expansion and information on how
these expanded or new areas will be sustained once Federal funding
ends.
(5) Ensure that the institution will not require scholars enrolled
in the program to work (e.g., as graduate assistants) as a condition of
receiving a scholarship, unless the work is specifically related to the
acquisition of scholars' competencies and the requirements for
completion of their personnel preparation program. Please note that
this prohibition on work as a condition of receiving a scholarship does
not apply to the service obligation requirements in section 662(h) of
IDEA;
(6) Ensure that the budget includes attendance of the project
director at a three-day Project Directors' meeting in Washington, DC,
during each year of the project. The budget may also provide for the
attendance of scholars at the three-day Project Directors' meeting in
Washington, DC;
(7) Ensure that if the project maintains a Web site, relevant
information and documents are in a format that meets government or
industry-recognized standards for accessibility; and
(8) Ensure that annual data will be submitted on each scholar who
receives grant support. Applicants are encouraged to visit the
Personnel Development Program Scholar Data Report Web site at: http://oseppdp.ed.gov for further information about this data collection
requirement. Typically, data collection begins in January of each year,
and grantees are notified by email about the data collection period for
their grant. This data collection must be submitted electronically by
the grantee and does not supplant the annual grant performance report
required of each grantee for continuation funding (see 34 CFR 75.590).
Competitive Preference Priority: Within this absolute priority, we
give competitive preference to applications that meet the following
priority. For FY 2013 and any subsequent year in which we make awards
from the list of unfunded applicants from this competition, this
priority is a competitive preference priority. Under 34 CFR
75.105(c)(2)(i) we award an additional 5 points to an application that
meets this priority.
This priority is:
Applicants for Type B programs that provide a syllabus or syllabi
for a new or existing course, or series of courses, that show(s) that
the course or courses include or will include: (1) A discussion of
applicable research and evaluation findings on the use of data on early
learning outcomes, student achievement, or growth in student
achievement in evaluating the effectiveness of early intervention
providers, related services providers, teachers, or principals; (2)
methodological and statistical considerations in conducting an
evaluation of the effectiveness of these personnel using data on early
learning outcomes, student achievement, or growth in student
achievement; and (3) an opportunity for scholars to review, critique,
and, as appropriate, participate in one or more evaluations of the
effectiveness of early intervention providers, related services
providers, teachers, or principals.

References

Lashley, C., & Boscardin, M. L. (2003). Special education
administration at the crossroads: Availability, licensure, and
preparation of special education administrators. Gainesville, FL:
Center on Personnel Studies in Special Education, University of
Florida. Retrieved from www.coe.ufl.edu/copsse/docs/IB-8/1/IB-8.pdf.
Sindelar, P. T., & Taylor, C. (1988). Supply and demand for doctoral
personnel in special education and communication disorders. Teacher
Education and Special Education, 11, 162-167.
Smith, D. D., & Lovett, D. (1987). The supply and demand of special
education faculty members: Will the supply meet the demand? Teacher
Education and Special Education, 11, 162-167.
Smith, D. D., Pion, G. M., & Tyler, N. C. (2004). Leadership
personnel in special education: Can persistent shortages be
resolved? In A. M. Sorells, H. J., Rieth & P. T. Sindelar (Eds.),
Critical Issues in Special Education: Access, Diversity, and
Accountability (pp. 258-276). New York: Pearson, Allyn & Bacon.
Smith, D. D., Robb, S. M., West, J., & Tyler, N. C. (2010). The
changing education landscape: How special education leadership
preparation can make a difference for teachers and their students
with disabilities. Teacher Education and Special Education, 33(1),
25-43.
Woods, J., & Snyder, P. (2009). Interdisciplinary doctoral
leadership training in early intervention. Infants & Young Children,
22(1), 32-34.

Waiver of Proposed Rulemaking: Under the Administrative Procedure
Act (APA) (5 U.S.C. 553) the Department generally offers interested
parties the opportunity to comment on proposed priorities and
requirements. Section 681(d) of IDEA, however, makes the public comment
requirements of the APA inapplicable to the priorities in this notice.
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1462 and 1481.
Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80,
81, 82, 84, 86, 97, 98, and 99. (b) The Education Department debarment
and suspension regulations in 2 CFR part 3485. (c) The regulations for
this program in 34 CFR part 304.

Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 79 apply to all applicants
except federally recognized Indian tribes.

Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to institutions
of higher education (IHEs) only.

II. Award Information

Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
Estimated Available Funds: The Administration has requested
$85,799,000 for the Personnel Development to Improve Services and
Results for Children with Disabilities program for FY 2013, of which we
intend to use an estimated $4,250,000 for this competition. The actual
level of funding, if any, depends on final congressional action.
However, we are inviting applications to allow enough time to complete
the grant process if Congress appropriates funds for this program.
Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of
applications, we may make additional awards in FY 2014 from the list of
unfunded applicants from this competition.
Estimated Range of Awards: $225,000-$250,000.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $237,500.
Maximum Award: We will reject any application that proposes a
budget exceeding $250,000 for a single budget period of 12 months. The
Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services
may change the maximum amount through a notice published in the Federal
Register.
Estimated Number of Awards: 17.

[[Page 2975]]

Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this
notice.

Project Period: Up to 60 months.

III. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants: IHEs, private nonprofit organizations.
2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This program does not require cost
sharing or matching.
3. Other: General Requirements--(a) The projects funded under this
program must make positive efforts to employ and advance in employment
qualified individuals with disabilities (see section 606 of IDEA).
(b) Each applicant and grant recipient funded under this program
must involve individuals with disabilities or parents of individuals
with disabilities ages birth through 26 in planning, implementing, and
evaluating the project (see section 682(a)(1)(A) of IDEA).

IV. Application and Submission Information

1. Address To Request Application Package: You can obtain an
application package via the Internet, from the Education Publications
Center (ED Pubs), or from the program office. To obtain a copy via the
Internet, use the following address: www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/grantapps/index.html. To obtain a copy from ED Pubs, write, fax, or
call the following: ED Pubs, U.S. Department of Education, P.O. Box
22207, Alexandria, VA 22304. Telephone, toll free: 1-877-433-7827. FAX:
(703) 605-6794. If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf
(TDD) or a text telephone (TTY), call, toll free: 1-877-576-7734.
You can contact ED Pubs at its Web site, also: www.EDPubs.gov or at
its email address: edpubs@inet.ed.gov.
If you request an application from ED Pubs, be sure to identify
this competition as follows: CFDA number 84.325D.
To obtain a copy from the program office, contact the person listed
under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT in section VII of this notice.
Individuals with disabilities can obtain a copy of the application
package in an accessible format (e.g., braille, large print, audiotape,
or compact disc) by contacting the person or team listed under
Accessible Format in section VIII of this notice.
2. Content and Form of Application Submission: Requirements
concerning the content of an application, together with the forms you
must submit, are in the application package for this competition.
Page Limit: The application narrative (Part III of the application)
is where you, the applicant, address the selection criteria that
reviewers use to evaluate your application. You must limit Part III to
the equivalent of no more than 50 pages, using the following standards:
A ``page'' is 8.5'' x 11'', on one side only, with 1''
margins at the top, bottom, and both sides.
Double space (no more than three lines per vertical inch)
all text in the application narrative, including titles, headings,
footnotes, quotations, references, and captions.
Use a font that is either 12 point or larger or no smaller
than 10 pitch (characters per inch).
Use one of the following fonts: Times New Roman, Courier,
Courier New, or Arial. An application submitted in any other font
(including Times Roman or Arial Narrow) will not be accepted.
The page limit does not apply to Part I, the cover sheet; Part II,
the budget section, including the narrative budget justification; Part
IV, the assurances and certifications; or the one-page abstract, the
resumes, the bibliography, or the letters of support. However, the page
limit does apply to all of the application narrative section (Part
III).
We will reject your application if you exceed the page limit; or if
you apply other standards and exceed the equivalent of the page limit.
3. Submission Dates and Times:
Applications Available: January 15, 2013.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: March 1, 2013.
Applications for grants under this competition must be submitted
electronically using the Grants.gov Apply site (Grants.gov). For
information (including dates and times) about how to submit your
application electronically, or in paper format by mail or hand delivery
if you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission
requirement, please refer to section IV. 7. Other Submission
Requirements of this notice.
We do not consider an application that does not comply with the
deadline requirements.
Individuals with disabilities who need an accommodation or
auxiliary aid in connection with the application process should contact
the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT in section VII
of this notice. If the Department provides an accommodation or
auxiliary aid to an individual with a disability in connection with the
application process, the individual's application remains subject to
all other requirements and limitations in this notice.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: April 30, 2013.
4. Intergovernmental Review: This program is subject to Executive
Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79. Information about
Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs under Executive Order
12372 is in the application package for this program.
5. Funding Restrictions: We reference regulations outlining funding
restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.
6. Data Universal Numbering System Number, Taxpayer Identification
Number, Central Contractor Registry, and System for Award Management:
To do business with the Department of Education, you must--
a. Have a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number and a
Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN);
b. Register both your DUNS number and TIN with the Central
Contractor Registry (CCR)--and, after July 24, 2012, with the System
for Award Management (SAM), the Government's primary registrant
database;
c. Provide your DUNS number and TIN on your application; and
d. Maintain an active CCR or SAM registration with current
information while your application is under review by the Department
and, if you are awarded a grant, during the project period.
You can obtain a DUNS number from Dun and Bradstreet. A DUNS number
can be created within one business day.
If you are a corporate entity, agency, institution, or
organization, you can obtain a TIN from the Internal Revenue Service.
If you are an individual, you can obtain a TIN from the Internal
Revenue Service or the Social Security Administration. If you need a
new TIN, please allow 2-5 weeks for your TIN to become active.
The CCR or SAM registration process may take five or more business
days to complete. If you are currently registered with the CCR, you may
not need to make any changes. However, please make certain that the TIN
associated with your DUNS number is correct. Also note that you will
need to update your registration annually. This may take three or more
business days to complete. Information about SAM is available at
SAM.gov.
In addition, if you are submitting your application via Grants.gov,
you must (1) be designated by your organization as an Authorized
Organization Representative (AOR); and (2) register yourself with
Grants.gov as an AOR. Details on these

[[Page 2976]]

steps are outlined at the following Grants.gov Web page:
www.grants.gov/applicants/get_registered.jsp.
7. Other Submission Requirements: Applications for grants under
this competition must be submitted electronically unless you qualify
for an exception to this requirement in accordance with the
instructions in this section.
a. Electronic Submission of Applications.
Applications for grants under the Preparation of Special Education,
Early Intervention, and Related Services Leadership Personnel
competition, CFDA number 84.325D, must be submitted electronically
using the Governmentwide Grants.gov Apply site at www.Grants.gov.
Through this site, you will be able to download a copy of the
application package, complete it offline, and then upload and submit
your application. You may not email an electronic copy of a grant
application to us.
We will reject your application if you submit it in paper format
unless, as described elsewhere in this section, you qualify for one of
the exceptions to the electronic submission requirement and submit, no
later than two weeks before the application deadline date, a written
statement to the Department that you qualify for one of these
exceptions. Further information regarding calculation of the date that
is two weeks before the application deadline date is provided later in
this section under Exception to Electronic Submission Requirement.
You may access the electronic grant application for Preparation of
Special Education, Early Intervention, and Related Services Leadership
Personnel at www.Grants.gov. You must search for the downloadable
application package for this program by the CFDA number. Do not include
the CFDA number's alpha suffix in your search (e.g., search for 84.325,
not 84.325D).
Please note the following:
When you enter the Grants.gov site, you will find
information about submitting an application electronically through the
site, as well as the hours of operation.
Applications received by Grants.gov are date and time
stamped. Your application must be fully uploaded and submitted and must
be date and time stamped by the Grants.gov system no later than 4:30:00
p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. Except as
otherwise noted in this section, we will not accept your application if
it is received--that is, date and time stamped by the Grants.gov
system--after 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application
deadline date. We do not consider an application that does not comply
with the deadline requirements. When we retrieve your application from
Grants.gov, we will notify you if we are rejecting your application
because it was date and time stamped by the Grants.gov system after
4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date.
The amount of time it can take to upload an application
will vary depending on a variety of factors, including the size of the
application and the speed of your Internet connection. Therefore, we
strongly recommend that you do not wait until the application deadline
date to begin the submission process through Grants.gov.
You should review and follow the Education Submission
Procedures for submitting an application through Grants.gov that are
included in the application package for this competition to ensure that
you submit your application in a timely manner to the Grants.gov
system. You can also find the Education Submission Procedures
pertaining to Grants.gov under News and Events on the Department's G5
system home page at www.G5.gov.
You will not receive additional point value because you
submit your application in electronic format, nor will we penalize you
if you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission
requirement, as described elsewhere in this section, and submit your
application in paper format.
You must submit all documents electronically, including
all information you typically provide on the following forms: The
Application for Federal Assistance (SF 424), the Department of
Education Supplemental Information for SF 424, Budget Information--Non-
Construction Programs (ED 524), and all necessary assurances and
certifications.
You must upload any narrative sections and all other
attachments to your application as files in a PDF (Portable Document)
read-only, non-modifiable format. Do not upload an interactive or
fillable PDF file. If you upload a file type other than a read-only,
non-modifiable PDF or submit a password-protected file, we will not
review that material. Additional, detailed information on how to attach
files is in the application instructions.
Your electronic application must comply with any page-
limit requirements described in this notice.
After you electronically submit your application, you will
receive from Grants.gov an automatic notification of receipt that
contains a Grants.gov tracking number. (This notification indicates
receipt by Grants.gov only, not receipt by the Department.) The
Department then will retrieve your application from Grants.gov and send
a second notification to you by email. This second notification
indicates that the Department has received your application and has
assigned your application a PR/Award number (an ED-specified
identifying number unique to your application).
We may request that you provide us original signatures on
forms at a later date.
Application Deadline Date Extension in Case of Technical Issues
with the Grants.gov System: If you are experiencing problems submitting
your application through Grants.gov, please contact the Grants.gov
Support Desk, toll free, at 1-800-518-4726. You must obtain a
Grants.gov Support Desk Case Number and must keep a record of it.
If you are prevented from electronically submitting your
application on the application deadline date because of technical
problems with the Grants.gov system, we will grant you an extension
until 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, the following business day to
enable you to transmit your application electronically or by hand
delivery. You also may mail your application by following the mailing
instructions described elsewhere in this notice.
If you submit an application after 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC
time, on the application deadline date, please contact the person
listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT in section VII of this
notice and provide an explanation of the technical problem you
experienced with Grants.gov, along with the Grants.gov Support Desk
Case Number. We will accept your application if we can confirm that a
technical problem occurred with the Grants.gov system and that that
problem affected your ability to submit your application by 4:30:00
p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. The
Department will contact you after a determination is made on whether
your application will be accepted.

Note: The extensions to which we refer in this section apply
only to the unavailability of, or technical problems with, the
Grants.gov system. We will not grant you an extension if you failed
to fully register to submit your application to Grants.gov before
the application deadline date and time or if the technical problem
you experienced is unrelated to the Grants.gov system.

Exception to Electronic Submission Requirement: You qualify for an
exception to the electronic submission requirement, and may submit your
application in paper format, if you are

[[Page 2977]]

unable to submit an application through the Grants.gov system because--
You do not have access to the Internet; or
You do not have the capacity to upload large documents to
the Grants.gov system; and
No later than two weeks before the application deadline
date (14 calendar days or, if the fourteenth calendar day before the
application deadline date falls on a Federal holiday, the next business
day following the Federal holiday), you mail or fax a written statement
to the Department, explaining which of the two grounds for an exception
prevent you from using the Internet to submit your application.
If you mail your written statement to the Department, it must be
postmarked no later than two weeks before the application deadline
date. If you fax your written statement to the Department, we must
receive the faxed statement no later than two weeks before the
application deadline date.
Address and mail or fax your statement to Patricia Gonzalez: U.S.
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., room 4082, Potomac
Center Plaza (PCP), Washington, DC 20202-2600. Fax: (202) 202-245-7617.
Your paper application must be submitted in accordance with the
mail or hand delivery instructions described in this notice.
b. Submission of Paper Applications by Mail.
If you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission
requirement, you may mail (through the U.S. Postal Service or a
commercial carrier) your application to the Department. You must mail
the original and two copies of your application, on or before the
application deadline date, to the Department at the following address:

U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Center, Attention:
(CFDA Number 325D), LBJ Basement Level 1, 400 Maryland Avenue SW.,
Washington, DC 20202-4260.

You must show proof of mailing consisting of one of the following:
(1) A legibly dated U.S. Postal Service postmark.
(2) A legible mail receipt with the date of mailing stamped by the
U.S. Postal Service.
(3) A dated shipping label, invoice, or receipt from a commercial
carrier.
(4) Any other proof of mailing acceptable to the Secretary of the
U.S. Department of Education.
If you mail your application through the U.S. Postal Service, we do
not accept either of the following as proof of mailing:
(1) A private metered postmark.
(2) A mail receipt that is not dated by the U.S. Postal Service.
If your application is postmarked after the application deadline
date, we will not consider your application.

Note: The U.S. Postal Service does not uniformly provide a dated
postmark. Before relying on this method, you should check with your
local post office.

c. Submission of Paper Applications by Hand Delivery.
If you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission
requirement, you (or a courier service) may deliver your paper
application to the Department by hand. You must deliver the original
and two copies of your application by hand, on or before the
application deadline date, to the Department at the following address:

U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Center, Attention:
(CFDA Number 325D), 550 12th Street, SW., Room 7041, Potomac Center
Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-4260.

The Application Control Center accepts hand deliveries daily
between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, except
Saturdays, Sundays, and Federal holidays.

Note for Mail or Hand Delivery of Paper Applications: If you
mail or hand deliver your application to the Department--
(1) You must indicate on the envelope and--if not provided by
the Department--in Item 11 of the SF 424 the CFDA number, including
suffix letter, if any, of the competition under which you are
submitting your application; and
(2) The Application Control Center will mail to you a
notification of receipt of your grant application. If you do not
receive this notification within 15 business days from the
application deadline date, you should call the U.S. Department of
Education Application Control Center at (202) 245-6288.

V. Application Review Information

1. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this program are
from 34 CFR 75.210 and are listed in the application package.
2. Review and Selection Process: We remind potential applicants
that in reviewing applications in any discretionary grant competition,
the Secretary may consider, under 34 CFR 75.217(d)(3), the past
performance of the applicant in carrying out a previous award, such as
the applicant's use of funds, achievement of project objectives, and
compliance with grant conditions. The Secretary may also consider
whether the applicant failed to submit a timely performance report or
submitted a report of unacceptable quality.
In addition, in making a competitive grant award, the Secretary
also requires various assurances including those applicable to Federal
civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination in programs or
activities receiving Federal financial assistance from the Department
of Education (34 CFR 100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).
3. Additional Review and Selection Process Factors: In the past,
the Department has had difficulty finding peer reviewers for certain
competitions because so many individuals who are eligible to serve as
peer reviewers have conflicts of interest. The Standing Panel
requirements under section 682(b) of IDEA also have placed additional
constraints on the availability of reviewers. Therefore, the Department
has determined that for some discretionary grant competitions,
applications may be separated into two or more groups and ranked and
selected for funding within specific groups. This procedure will make
it easier for the Department to find peer reviewers by ensuring that
greater numbers of individuals who are eligible to serve as reviewers
for any particular group of applicants will not have conflicts of
interest. It also will increase the quality, independence, and fairness
of the review process, while permitting panel members to review
applications under discretionary grant competitions for which they also
have submitted applications. However, if the Department decides to
select an equal number of applications in each group for funding, this
may result in different cut-off points for fundable applications in
each group.
4. Special Conditions: Under 34 CFR 74.14 and 80.12, the Secretary
may impose special conditions on a grant if the applicant or grantee is
not financially stable; has a history of unsatisfactory performance;
has a financial or other management system that does not meet the
standards in 34 CFR parts 74 or 80, as applicable; has not fulfilled
the conditions of a prior grant; or is otherwise not responsible.

VI. Award Administration Information

1. Award Notices: If your application is successful, we notify your
U.S. Representative and U.S. Senators and send you a Grant Award
Notification (GAN). We may notify you informally, also.
If your application is not evaluated or not selected for funding,
we notify you.
2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements: We identify
administrative and national policy

[[Page 2978]]

requirements in the application package and reference these and other
requirements in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.
We reference the regulations outlining the terms and conditions of
an award in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice and
include these and other specific conditions in the GAN. The GAN also
incorporates your approved application as part of your binding
commitments under the grant.
3. Reporting: (a) If you apply for a grant under this competition,
you must ensure that you have in place the necessary processes and
systems to comply with the reporting requirements in 2 CFR part 170
should you receive funding under the competition. This does not apply
if you have an exception under 2 CFR 170.110(b).
(b) At the end of your project period, you must submit a final
performance report, including financial information, as directed by the
Secretary. If you receive a multi-year award, you must submit an annual
performance report that provides the most current performance and
financial expenditure information as directed by the Secretary under 34
CFR 75.118. The Secretary may also require more frequent performance
reports under 34 CFR 75.720(c). For specific requirements on reporting,
please go to www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/appforms/appforms.html.
4. Performance Measures: Under the Government Performance and
Results Act of 1993 (GPRA), the Department has established a set of
performance measures, including long-term measures, that are designed
to yield information on various aspects of the effectiveness and
quality of the Personnel Development to Improve Services and Results
for Children with Disabilities Program. These measures include: (1) The
percentage of projects that incorporate evidence-based practices into
the curriculum; (2) the percentage of scholars completing Personnel
Development to Improve Services and Results for Children with
Disabilities-funded programs who are knowledgeable and skilled in
evidence-based practices for children, including infants and toddlers,
with disabilities; (3) the percentage of Personnel Development to
Improve Services and Results for Children with Disabilities-funded
scholars who exit preparation programs prior to completion due to poor
academic performance; (4) the percentage of Personnel Development to
Improve Services and Results for Children with Disabilities-funded
degree/certification recipients who are working in the area(s) in which
they were prepared upon program completion; (5) the percentage of
Personnel Development to Improve Services and Results for Children with
Disabilities-funded degree/certification recipients who are working in
the area(s) for which they were prepared upon program completion and
are fully qualified under IDEA; (6) the percentage of Personnel
Development to Improve Services and Results for Children with
Disabilities degree/certification recipients who maintain employment
for three or more years in the area(s) for which they were prepared and
who are fully qualified under IDEA; and (7) the Federal cost per fully
qualified degree/certification recipient.
Grantees may be asked to participate in assessing and providing
information on these aspects of program quality.
5. Continuation Awards: In making a continuation award, the
Secretary may consider, under 34 CFR 75.253, the extent to which a
grantee has made ``substantial progress toward meeting the objectives
in its approved application.'' This consideration includes the review
of a grantee's progress in meeting the targets and projected outcomes
in its approved application, and whether the grantee has expended funds
in a manner that is consistent with its approved application and
budget. In making a continuation grant, the Secretary also considers
whether the grantee is operating in compliance with the assurances in
its approved application, including those applicable to Federal civil
rights laws that prohibit discrimination in programs or activities
receiving Federal financial assistance from the Department (34 CFR
100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).

VII. Agency Contact

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Patricia Gonzalez, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., room 4082, PCP, Washington, DC
20202-2600. Telephone: (202) 245-7355.
If you use a TDD or a TTY, call the Federal Relay Service (FRS),
toll free, at 1-800-877-8339.

VIII. Other Information

Accessible Format: Individuals with disabilities can obtain this
document and a copy of the application package in an accessible format
(e.g., braille, large print, audiotape, or compact disc) by contacting
the Grants and Contracts Services Team, U.S. Department of Education,
400 Maryland Avenue SW., room 5075, PCP, Washington, DC 20202-2550.
Telephone: (202) 245-7363. If you use a TDD or a TTY, call the FRS,
toll free, at 1-800-877-8339.
Electronic Access to This Document: The official version of this
document is the document published in the Federal Register. Free
Internet access to the official edition of the Federal Register and the
Code of Federal Regulations is available via the Federal Digital System
at: www.gpo.gov/fdsys. At this site you can view this document, as well
as all other documents of this Department published in the Federal
Register, in text or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF). To use PDF
you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available free at the
site.
You may also access documents of the Department published in the
Federal Register by using the article search feature at:
www.federalregister.gov. Specifically, through the advanced search
feature at this site, you can limit your search to documents published
by the Department.

Dated: January 9, 2013.
Michael Yudin,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative
Services.
[FR Doc. 2013-00591 Filed 1-14-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P