[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 76 (Monday, April 21, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22114-22122]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-08965]
[[Page 22114]]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Applications for New Awards; Personnel Development to Improve
Services and Results for Children With Disabilities--Leadership
Consortia in Sensory Disabilities and Disabilities Associated With
Intensive Service Needs
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--Leadership Consortia in Sensory Disabilities and
Disabilities Associated with Intensive Service Needs
Notice inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY)
2014.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.325H.
DATES: Applications Available: April 21, 2014.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: June 5, 2014.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: August 4, 2014.
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 with two
focus areas. In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(v), 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 2014 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:
Personnel Development to Improve Services and Results for Children With
Disabilities--Leadership Consortia in Sensory Disabilities and
Disabilities Associated with Intensive Service Needs
Background
Over the last two decades, the need for leadership personnel who
are prepared at the doctoral level to fill faculty positions in special
education, early intervention, and related services has increased
(Sindelar & Taylor, 1988; Smith & Lovett, 1987; Smith, Pion, & Tyler,
2004; Smith, Robb, West, & Tyler, 2010; Woods & Snyder, 2009). The need
is even greater for faculty focusing on sensory disabilities or
disabilities associated with intensive service needs. In many cases,
the difficulty of recruiting doctoral-level faculty to fill vacant
positions, combined with the high cost to universities of maintaining
highly specialized programs, often put even long-standing programs at
risk of being closed (Dilka, Haydon, & Mertens, 2007; Evans, Elliot,
Hood, Driggs, Mori, & Johnson, 2005; Huebner, Merk-Adam, Stryker, &
Wolfe, 2004; Johnson, 2003). Faculty members in these programs are
responsible for teacher and service provider preparation as well as
conducting research on best practices. These faculty shortages will
reduce the supply of effective teachers and service providers for this
high-need group of infants, toddlers, children, and youth with
disabilities while also restricting the evidence base on best practices
for supporting these populations.
Doctoral-level personnel are also needed to serve in administrative
positions in State educational agencies (SEAs), local educational
agencies (LEAs), lead agencies (LAs), and early intervention services
programs (EIS programs), where they supervise and evaluate the
implementation of evidence-based interventions and instructional
programs to make sure that State or local agencies are meeting the
needs of children with disabilities. A shortage of doctoral-level
personnel preparing service providers, conducting research on best
practices, and serving as administrators at the State and local level
can negatively affect the provision of services to children with
sensory impairments and intensive service needs.
Few university programs include specialized training in sensory
disabilities and few have training programs to address students with
disabilities with intensive service needs. Those universities that have
these programs often have only one faculty position because of
shortages of highly skilled doctoral-level personnel and the high cost
of maintaining these programs. Single-faculty programs are limited in
the number of scholars they can prepare and mentor, and they are
limited in the range of the academic curriculum and the diversity of
opportunities available to scholars. The scarcity of specialized
training programs in turn limits the opportunity for scholars to pursue
doctoral degrees in these high-need areas. Often, these programs only
admit a small number of scholars each year due to faculty constraints.
The Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) has funded
leadership preparation consortia in sensory disabilities (blind and
visually impaired, deaf-blind, and deaf and hard of hearing) since
2004. The academic and career outcomes of consortium scholars are
exceptional. The national median time to complete a doctorate in
education is 11.7 years, while median time to completion for consortium
scholars is 3.1 years (U.S. Department of Education, Institute of
Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics, 2013).
Nationally, reported rates of attrition vary from 40-70 percent for
doctoral programs in education (Washburn-Moses, 2008), compared to the
consortia rate of 6 percent. Further, all consortium scholars were
immediately employed in leadership positions following completion of
their degrees. Additional information about the consortia, the
scholars, and program outcomes is located at the following Web sites:
www.salus.edu/nclvi/ and www.salus.edu/nlcsd/.
The purpose of this priority is to support two leadership training
consortia to prepare doctoral-level leaders in special education, early
intervention, and related services. Each university consortium will
prepare doctoral-level leaders with highly specialized skills,
knowledge, and expertise in sensory disabilities or students with
disabilities with intensive service needs, respectively. The consortia
will prepare leaders who can act effectively in leadership positions in
universities, SEAs, LEAs, LAs, EIS programs, or schools.
Priority
The purpose of the Leadership Consortia in Sensory Disabilities and
Disabilities Associated with Intensive Service Needs \1\ priority is to
increase
[[Page 22115]]
the number of highly skilled doctoral leaders by funding two
cooperative agreements to support two leadership training consortia to
prepare doctoral-level leaders in special education, early
intervention, and related services in two focus areas.
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\1\ For the purpose of this absolute priority ``intensive
service needs'' or ``intensive, specialized service areas,'' refer
to cases where infants, toddlers, preschoolers and children have a
complex array of disabilities (e.g., multiple disabilities,
significant physical disabilities) or require intensive
interventions (i.e., that are specifically designed to address
persistent learning or behavior difficulties, implemented with
greater frequency and for an extended duration than is commonly
offered in a typical classroom or early intervention setting, or
which require early interventionists and educators to have knowledge
and skills in implementing multiple evidence-based interventions).
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To be considered for funding under the Leadership Consortia in
Sensory Disabilities and Disabilities Associated with Intensive Service
Needs 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 needs for leadership personnel
to administer programs or to provide, or prepare others to provide,
interventions and services that improve outcomes of children with
disabilities, ages birth through 21. To address this requirement, the
applicant must--
(i) Present appropriate and applicable data demonstrating a
national need for the leadership personnel the applicant proposes to
prepare or, in cases where national data are not available, State or
regional data demonstrating the need; and
(ii) Present data on the potential effectiveness of the proposed
project in addressing the identified need for well-trained leadership
personnel. These data could include 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, student outcome data, or publications)
that demonstrate their leadership in special education, early
intervention, or related services;
(2) Scholar competencies will be acquired through the completion of
a scholar's university program of study where each is enrolled.
Proposed consortia must also ensure that all scholars enrolled in the
Consortium program participate in and complete, in addition to the
scholar's university program of study, a unique Consortium curriculum
designed to supplement and enhance each individual Consortium
university's program of study by providing academic and professional
opportunities and instruction that will relate to knowledge and skills
needed by the leadership personnel the Consortium 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; and
(ii) Provide the conceptual framework of the Consortium model of
leadership preparation, including any empirical evidence of
effectiveness, that will promote the acquisition of the identified
competencies needed by leadership personnel and, where applicable, how
these competencies relate to the competencies required in the specific
areas of specialization and the competency requirements embedded in the
Consortium curriculum.
(b) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under
``Quality of the Project Services,'' how--
(1) The project will recruit and support a minimum of 28 high-
quality scholars. The Consortium may only recruit individuals with no
current or previous enrollment in a doctoral training program in
special education or a related service area. Consortium scholars must
be first-time enrollees in a doctoral training program in special
education or related service areas. 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, including persons with disabilities; and
(iii) Describe the approach the applicant will use to help scholars
complete the program.
(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 of children with disabilities. To address this
requirement, the applicant must--
(i) Describe how the components of the project, such as: (A) The
Consortium curriculum; (B) internship or practicum experiences; (C)
research requirements; (D) opportunities provided to scholars to
analyze data; (E) opportunities provided to scholars to critique
research and research methodologies; and (F) opportunities provided to
scholars to 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 Consortium curriculum are
integrated within and across the individual university program
curricula 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 Consortium 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;
(iv) 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;
(v) Describe how the project is designed to ensure that scholars
have opportunities to work with faculty and scholars from other
universities within the Consortium on research and analytical projects
in order to support the acquisition of the competencies identified in
paragraph (a)(2)(i); and
(vi) Describe how the project will align with and use resources, as
appropriate, available through technical assistance centers, which may
include centers funded by the Department.
(3) The project will establish and maintain an advisory committee.
The advisory committee must--
(i) Consist of no fewer than five members, at least three of whom
should be representatives of organizations or associations representing
the interests of persons with disabilities (specifically the disability
areas addressed by the project) and at least one of whom should be a
representative of an SEA,
[[Page 22116]]
LEA, or LA. Advisory committee members should be identified no later
than six weeks from the award date;
(ii) Meet no less than twice per year during the project period
with the project director and relevant project staff;
(iii) Provide feedback to project staff on the development and
implementation of project curriculum and on the progress of the project
toward meeting project goals; and
(iv) Assist in providing opportunities and mentorship for the
scholars that will enhance their understanding of disability and
provide them with experiences beyond the university setting.
(4) The project will establish and maintain a Web site containing
relevant information and documents relating to the academic work,
publications, presentations, and degree completion and employment
status of scholars, and information about the universities and faculty
participating in the project.
(c) Include, in the narrative section of the application under
``Significance of the Project,'' a logic model that depicts, at a
minimum, the goals, activities, outputs, and outcomes of the proposed
project. A logic model communicates how a project will achieve its
outcomes and provides a framework for both the formative and summative
evaluations of the project;
Note: The following Web sites provide more information on logic
models: www.researchutilization.org/matrix/logicmodel_resource3c.html and www.tadnet.org/pages/589.
(d) In the narrative section of the application under ``Quality of
the Project Evaluation,'' include an evaluation plan as described in
the following paragraphs. The evaluation plan must describe: Measures
of progress in implementation and measures of outcomes or results of
the project's activities in order to assess the effectiveness of those
activities.
In designing the evaluation, the project must--
(1) Designate, with the approval of the OSEP project officer, a
project liaison staff person with sufficient dedicated time, experience
in evaluation, and knowledge of the project to work in collaboration
with the Center to Improve Project Performance (CIPP),\2\ the project
director, and the OSEP project officer on the following tasks:
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\2\ The major tasks of CIPP are to guide, coordinate, and
oversee the design of formative evaluations for every large
discretionary investment (i.e., those awarded $500,000 or more per
year and required to participate in the 3 + 2 process) in OSEP's
Technical Assistance and Dissemination; Personnel Development;
Parent Training and Information Centers; and Educational Technology,
Media, and Materials programs. The efforts of CIPP are expected to
enhance individual project evaluation plans by providing expert and
unbiased technical assistance in designing the evaluations with due
consideration of the project's budget. CIPP does not function as a
third-party evaluator.
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(i) Revise, as needed, the logic model submitted in the grant
application to provide for a more comprehensive measurement of
implementation and outcomes and to reflect any changes or
clarifications to the model discussed at the kick-off meeting;
(ii) Refine the evaluation design and instrumentation proposed in
the grant application consistent with the logic model (e.g., preparing
evaluation questions about significant program processes and outcomes,
developing quantitative or qualitative data collections that permit
both the collection of progress data, including fidelity of
implementation, as appropriate, and the assessment of effectiveness,
selecting respondent samples if appropriate, designing instruments or
identifying data sources, and identifying analytic strategies); and
(iii) Revise, as needed, the evaluation plan submitted in the grant
application such that it clearly--
(A) Specifies the measures and associated instruments or sources
for data appropriate to the evaluation questions, suggests analytic
strategies for those data, provides a timeline for conducting the
evaluation, and includes staff assignments for completion of the plan;
(B) Delineates the data expected to be available by the end of the
second project year for use during the project's review for continued
funding described under the heading Fourth and Fifth Years of the
Project; and
(C) Can be used to assist the project director and the OSEP project
officer, with the assistance of CIPP, as needed, to specify the
performance measures to be addressed in the project's Annual
Performance Report;
(2) Cooperate with CIPP staff in order to accomplish the tasks
described in paragraph (1) of this section; and
(3) Dedicate sufficient funds in each budget year to cover the
costs of carrying out the tasks described in paragraphs (1) and (2) of
this section and implementing the evaluation plan.
(e) Demonstrate, in the narrative under ``Required Project
Assurances'' or appendices, as directed, that the following program
requirements are met. The applicant must--
(1) Ensure that all scholars recruited into the Consortium 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;
(2) Ensure that the project will meet the requirements in 34 CFR
304.23, particularly those related to informing all scholarship
recipients of their service obligation commitment. Failure by a grantee
to properly meet these requirements would be a violation of the grant
award that could result in sanctions, including the grantee being
liable for returning any misused funds to the department. Specifically,
the grantee must prepare, and ensure that each scholarship recipient
sign, the following two documents:
(i) A Pre-Scholarship Agreement prior to the scholar receiving a
scholarship for an eligible program (OMB 1820-0686); and
(ii) An Exit Certification immediately upon the scholar leaving,
completing, or otherwise exiting that program (OMB 1820-0686);
(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;
(5) Ensure that scholars work (e.g., as graduate assistants) no
more than 20 hours per week while receiving scholarship support, and
that, if they work, the work is specifically related to the acquisition
of scholars' competencies and the requirements for their doctoral
programs. Please note that nothing in this provision prohibits a
scholar from meeting the service obligation requirements under section
662(h) of IDEA;
(6) Ensure that scholars are full-time, reside in close proximity
to the university, and remain active in their degree programs until
completion of their degrees or until grant funding ends;
(7) 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 should also provide for the
attendance of scholars at the three-day project directors' meeting in
Washington, DC, during at least one year of the project period;
(8) Ensure that the budget includes two in-person meetings for
project scholars and faculty each year of the project. One meeting per
year must be scheduled in Washington, DC. One meeting per year may be
scheduled to coincide with a professional conference or meeting but
must include designated
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time for a meeting of project scholars and faculty; and
(9) Ensure that data will be submitted annually about 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).
Fourth and Fifth Years of the Project
In deciding whether to continue funding the project for the fourth
and fifth years, the Secretary will consider the requirements of 34 CFR
75.253(a), as well as--
(a) The recommendation of a review team consisting of experts
selected by the Secretary. This review will be conducted during a one-
day intensive meeting that will be held during the last half of the
second year of the project period;
(b) The timeliness and effectiveness with which all requirements of
the negotiated cooperative agreement have been or are being met by the
project; and
(c) The quality, relevance, and usefulness of the project's
products and services and the extent to which the project's products
and services are aligned with the project's objectives and likely to
result in the project achieving its intended outcomes.
Focus Areas
Within this absolute priority, the Secretary intends to support two
cooperative agreements, one under Focus Area A and one under Focus Area
B.
Focus Area A: Sensory Disabilities. In addition to the application
requirements listed above, applicants submitting applications under
Focus Area A must address the following requirements in the application
narrative:
(a) Establish a Consortium comprised of institutions of higher
education (IHEs) with existing programs that prepare scholars to work
as doctoral leaders in the following sensory disability areas: Visual
impairment and blindness, deaf-blindness, and deafness and hard of
hearing;
(b) Include at least two IHEs with programs preparing scholars in
each of the three areas of sensory disabilities listed in paragraph
(a); and
(c) Include a letter of commitment from each proposed Consortium
member stating the IHE's desire to be part of the proposed Consortium.
OSEP will approve the Consortium members within six weeks after making
the award; and
(d) Establish policies, procedures, standards, and guidelines for
the work of the Consortium in the following areas: (1) Recruitment and
selection of students who will be supported by the Consortium; (2)
distribution of tuition and stipends among participating students; (3)
measurement and reporting of student progress; (4) contingency planning
in case of Consortium faculty losses; and (5) governance of the
Consortium. The Consortium must submit these proposed policies,
procedures, standards, and guidelines to the OSEP project officer for
approval prior to their implementation.
Focus Area B: Disabilities Associated with Intensive Service Needs.
The Secretary is interested in increasing the number of high-quality
training programs in disability areas associated with intensive service
needs by pairing new applicants with programs in these high-need areas
with more experienced applicants in order to aid new applicants in
expanding and improving their training programs and to increase the
competitiveness of any future applications under the Department's
leadership program (CFDA 84.325D). Under the consortium model, new
applicants and their scholars should benefit from the experience of
working collaboratively with applicants and their faculty members who
have more experience with developing and writing applications, program
improvement, program implementation, grants administration, and grants
implementation. Given the results of the 2004 consortium, and the
preliminary results of the 2009 consortium, we anticipate that
university faculty and scholars in both new and more experienced
university programs will continue to benefit from the experiences after
the consortium project has ended.
In addition to the application requirements listed above,
applicants submitting applications under Focus Area B must address the
following requirements in the application narrative:
(a) Establish a Consortium comprised of IHEs that prepare scholars
to work as doctoral leaders in special education, early intervention,
and related services with students or children with disabilities who
have high needs and require intensive intervention services. Programs
in sensory disabilities are not included in this focus area;
(b) Include at least three IHEs that have received funding under at
least one grant award under CFDA 84.325D since fiscal year (FY) 2004 in
the specific high-need area under which the Consortium plans to prepare
scholars;
(c) Include at least three doctoral preparation programs that have
not received funding under CFDA 84.325D since FY 2004 in the specific
high-need area under which the IHEs propose to prepare scholars;
(d) Include a letter of commitment from each proposed consortium
member stating the IHE's desire to be part of the proposed Consortium.
OSEP will approve the Consortium members within six weeks after making
the award; and
(e) Establish policies, procedures, standards, and guidelines for
the work of the Consortium in the following areas: (1) Recruitment and
selection of students who will be supported by the Consortium; (2)
distribution of tuition and stipends among participating students; (3)
measurement and reporting of student progress; (4) contingency planning
in case of Consortium faculty losses; and (5) governance of the
Consortium. The Consortium must submit these proposed policies,
procedures, standards, and guidelines to the OSEP project officer for
approval prior to their implementation.
Note: Applicants must identify the specific focus area, Focus
Area A or Focus Area B, under which they are applying for funding as
part of the competition title on the application cover sheet (SF
form 424, item 15). Programs in sensory disabilities may not submit
an application or be included as a participating university program
in an application under Focus Area B. Applicants may not submit the
same proposal for more than one focus area. The Secretary will not
consider either application if an applicant applies under both focus
areas.
Note: For additional information regarding group applications,
refer to 34 CFR 75.127, 75.128, and 75.129.
References
Dilka, K., Haydon, D., & Mertens, D.M. (2007). Program faculty
demographics of deaf and hard of hearing teacher preparation
programs. Paper presented at the Association of College Educators--
Deaf & Hard of Hearing.
Evans, S., Eliot, M., Hood, J., Driggs, M., Mori, A., and Johnson,
T. (2005, Fall). Assessing the special education faculty shortage:
The crisis in California--A statewide study of the professoriate.
Teachers and Teacher Education Research: A Publication of the
California Council on Teacher Education, 32, 7-21.
[[Page 22118]]
Huebner, M.K., Merk-Adam, B., Stryker, D., & Wolfe, K.E. (2004). The
national agenda for the education of children and youths with visual
impairments, including those with multiple disabilities--revised.
New York: American Foundation for the Blind.
Johnson, H.A. (2003). U.S. deaf education teacher preparation
programs: A look at the present and a vision for the future (COPSSE
Document No. IB-9). Gainesville, FL: University of Florida, Center
of Personnel Studies in Special Education.
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.
U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences,
National Center for Education Statistics. (2013). Table 324.80.
Statistical profile of persons receiving doctor's degrees, by field
of study and selected characteristics: 2009-10 and 2010-11. In U.S.
Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National
Center for Education Statistics (Ed.), Digest of Education
Statistics (2013 ed.). Retrieved from http://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d13/tables/dt13_324.80.asp.
Wasburn-Moses, L. (2008). Satisfaction among current doctoral
students in special education. Remedial and Special Education,
29(5), 259-268.
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 IHEs only.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Cooperative agreements.
Estimated Available Funds: $3,000,000.
Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of
applications, we may make additional awards in FY 2015 from the list of
unfunded applicants from this competition.
Estimated Range of Awards: $1,250,000-$1,500,000 per year.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $1,275,000 per year.
Maximum Award: We will reject any application that proposes a
budget exceeding $1,500,000 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: One award per Focus Area.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this
notice.
Project Period: Up to 36 months with an optional additional 24
months based on performance. Applications must include plans for both
the 36-month award and the 24-month extension.
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) Recipients of funding 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 for, and recipient of, funding 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 or from the Education Publications
Center (ED Pubs). 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: [email protected].
If you request an application from ED Pubs, be sure to identify
this competition as follows: CFDA number 84.325H.
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
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, reference citations, and captions, as well as
all text in charts, tables, figures, graphs, and screen shots.
Use a font that is 12 point or larger.
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 and double-spacing requirement 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 abstract (follow the guidance provided in the
application package for completing the abstract), the table of
contents, the list of priority requirements, the resumes, the reference
list, the letters of support, or the
[[Page 22119]]
appendices. However, the page limit and double-spacing requirement does
apply to all of Part III, the application narrative, including all text
in charts, tables, figures, graphs, and screen shots.
We will reject your application if you exceed the page limit in the
application narrative section; or if you apply standards other than
those specified in the application package.
3. Submission Dates and Times:
Applications Available: April 21, 2014.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: June 5, 2014.
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: August 4, 2014.
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, 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 System for Award
Management (SAM) (formerly the Central Contractor Registry (CCR)), the
Government's primary registrant database;
c. Provide your DUNS number and TIN on your application; and
d. Maintain an active 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-to-two business days.
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 SAM registration process can take approximately seven business
days, but may take upwards of several weeks, depending on the
completeness and accuracy of the data entered into the SAM database by
an entity. Thus, if you think you might want to apply for Federal
financial assistance under a program administered by the Department,
please allow sufficient time to obtain and register your DUNS number
and TIN. We strongly recommend that you register early.
Note: Once your SAM registration is active, you will need to
allow 24 to 48 hours for the information to be available in
Grants.gov and before you can submit an application through
Grants.gov.
If you are currently registered with SAM, 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.
Information about SAM is available at www.SAM.gov. To further
assist you with obtaining and registering your DUNS number and TIN in
SAM or updating your existing SAM account, we have prepared a SAM.gov
Tip Sheet, which you can find at: http://www2.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/sam-faqs.html.
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 steps are outlined at the
following Grants.gov Web page: www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html.
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 Leadership Consortia in Sensory
Disabilities and Disabilities Associated with Intensive Service Needs
competition, CFDA number 84.325H, 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 the Leadership
Consortia in Sensory Disabilities and Disabilities Associated with
Intensive Service Needs competition at www.Grants.gov. You must search
for the downloadable application package for this competition by the
CFDA number. Do not include the CFDA number's alpha suffix in your
search (e.g., search for 84.325, not 84.325H).
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
[[Page 22120]]
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 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: Glinda Hill, U.S.
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 4063, Potomac
Center Plaza (PCP), Washington, DC 20202-2600. FAX: (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 84.325H), 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:
[[Page 22121]]
(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 84.325H), 550 12th Street SW., Room 7039, 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); or we may send you an email containing a link to
access an electronic version of your 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 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 Special Education Personnel Development projects that
incorporate evidence-based practices into their curriculum; (2) the
percentage of scholars completing Special Education Personnel
Development-funded programs who are knowledgeable and skilled in
evidence-based practices for infants, toddlers, children, and youth
with disabilities; (3) the percentage of Special Education Personnel
Development-funded scholars who exit preparation programs prior to
completion due to poor academic performance; (4) the percentage of
Special Education Personnel Development-funded degree/certification
recipients who are working in the area(s) for which they were prepared
upon program completion; (5) the percentage of Special Education
[[Page 22122]]
Personnel Development-funded degree/certification recipients who are
working in the area(s) for which they were prepared upon program
completion and who are fully qualified under IDEA; (6) the percentage
of Special Education Personnel Development degree/certification
recipients who maintain employment in the area(s) for which they were
prepared for three or more years and who are fully qualified under
IDEA; and (7) the Federal cost per fully qualified degree/certification
recipient.
In addition, the Department will be gathering information on the
following outcome measures: (1) The number and percentage of degree/
certification recipients who are employed in high-need schools; (2) the
number and percentage of degree/certification recipients who are
employed in a school for at least three years; and (3) the number and
percentage of degree/certification recipients whose employers are
satisfied with the performance of the individuals.
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: Glinda Hill, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 4063, PCP, Washington, DC
20202-2600. Telephone: (202) 245-7376.
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: April 14, 2014.
Michael K. Yudin,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative
Services.
[FR Doc. 2014-08965 Filed 4-18-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P