[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 10 (Tuesday, January 15, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2962-2971]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-00594]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Applications for New Awards; Personnel Development To Improve
Services and Results for Children With Disabilities--Personnel
Preparation in Special Education, Early Intervention, and Related
Services
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--Personnel Preparation in Special Education, Early
Intervention, and Related Services Notice inviting applications for new
awards for fiscal year (FY) 2013.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.325K.
DATES:
Applications Available: January 15, 2013.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: March 18, 2013.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: May 15, 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, early intervention, related services, 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: In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(iv), this
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
[[Page 2963]]
CFR 75.105(c)(3), we consider only applications that meet this
priority.
This priority is: Personnel Preparation in Special Education, Early
Intervention, and Related Services.
Background: The purpose of the Personnel Preparation in Special
Education, Early Intervention, and Related Services priority is to
improve the quality and increase the number of personnel who are fully
credentialed to serve children, including infants and toddlers, with
disabilities--especially in areas of chronic personnel shortage--by
supporting projects that prepare special education, early intervention,
and related services personnel at the baccalaureate, master's, and
specialist levels.
State demand for fully credentialed special education, early
intervention, and related services personnel to serve infants,
toddlers, and children with disabilities exceeds the available supply
(Bruder, 2004a; Bruder, 2004b; McLeskey & Billingsley, 2008; and
McLeskey, Tyler & Flippin, 2004). These shortages of fully credentialed
personnel can negatively affect the quality of services provided to
infants, toddlers, and children with disabilities and their families
(McLeskey et al., 2004).
Personnel preparation programs that prepare personnel to enter the
fields of special education, early intervention, and related services
as fully credentialed personnel with the necessary competencies to use
evidence-based practices are critical to overcome the personnel
shortages in these fields. Federal support of these personnel
preparation programs is needed to increase the supply of personnel with
the necessary competencies to effectively serve infants, toddlers, and
children with disabilities and their families.
Priority: Except as provided for Focus Area D projects, to be
eligible under this priority, an applicant must propose a project
associated with a pre-existing personnel preparation program that will
prepare and support scholars \1\ to complete, within the project period
of the grant, a degree, State certification, professional license, or
State endorsement in special education, early intervention, or a
related services field. Projects also can be associated with personnel
preparation programs that (a) prepare individuals to be assistants in
related services professions (e.g., physical therapist assistants,
occupational therapist assistants), or educational interpreters; or (b)
provide an alternate route to certification or that support dual
certification (special education and regular education) for teachers.
For purposes of this priority, the term ``personnel preparation
program'' refers to the program with which the applicant's proposed
project is associated.
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\1\ For the purposes of this priority, the term ``scholar''
means an individual who is pursuing a degree, license, endorsement,
or certification related to special education, related services, or
early intervention services and who receives scholarship assistance
under section 662 of IDEA (see 34 CFR 304.3(g)).
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To be considered for funding under the Personnel Preparation in
Special Education, Early Intervention, and Related Services absolute
priority, applicants must meet the application requirements contained
in the priority. All projects funded under this absolute priority also
must meet the programmatic and administrative requirements specified in
the priority. These requirements are as follows:
(a) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under
``Significance of the Project,'' how the proposed project will--
(1) Address national, State, or regional shortages of personnel who
are fully credentialed to serve children with disabilities, ages birth
through 21, including high-need children with disabilities,\2\ by
preparing special education, early intervention, or related services
personnel at the baccalaureate, master's, and specialist levels. To
address this requirement, the applicant must present--
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\2\ For the 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) Data that demonstrate a national, State, or regional need for
the personnel the applicant proposes to prepare; and
(ii) Data that demonstrate the effectiveness of the applicant's
personnel preparation program in preparing personnel in special
education, early intervention, or related services.\3\ These data could
include the average amount of time it takes program participants to
complete the program; the percentage of program graduates finding
employment related to their preparation within one year of graduation;
the effectiveness of program graduates in providing special education,
early intervention, or related services, which could include data on
the learning and developmental outcomes of children with disabilities
they serve; or the percentage of program graduates who maintain
employment for three or more years in the area for which they were
prepared and who are fully qualified under IDEA. When providing the
percentages in response to this paragraph, the applicant must also
provide the denominator or total number of program participants or
program graduates for each percentage.
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\3\ Data provided in response to this requirement must be no
older than five years from the start date of the project proposed in
the application.
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(2) Increase the number of personnel who demonstrate the
competencies needed to provide high-quality instruction, evidence-based
interventions, and services for children with disabilities, ages birth
through 21, including high-need children with disabilities, that result
in improvements in learning and developmental outcomes (e.g., academic,
social, emotional, behavioral); and college and career readiness. To
address this requirement, the applicant must--
(i) Identify the competencies \4\ that special education, early
intervention, or related services personnel need in order to provide
high-quality instruction, interventions, and services that will lead to
improved learning and developmental outcomes; lead to college and
career readiness of children with disabilities, ages birth through 21,
including high-need children with disabilities; and maximize the use of
effective technology to deliver instruction, interventions, and
services; and
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\4\ For the purposes of this priority, the term ``competencies''
means what a person knows and can do: The knowledge, skills and
dispositions necessary to effectively function in a role (National
Professional Development Center on Inclusion, 2011).
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(ii) Provide the conceptual framework of the personnel preparation
program, including any empirical support, that will promote the
acquisition of the identified competencies (see paragraph (a)(2)(i) of
this priority) needed by special education, early intervention, or
related services personnel, and how these competencies relate to the
proposed project.
(b) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under
``Quality of Project Services,'' how the proposed project--
(1) Will use strategies to recruit and retain high-quality scholars
and ensure equal access and treatment for eligible project participants
who are members of groups who have traditionally been underrepresented
based on race, color, national origin, gender, age, or
[[Page 2964]]
disability. To meet this requirement, the applicant must describe--
(i) The selection criteria that it will use to identify high-
quality applicants for enrollment in the proposed project;
(ii) The recruitment strategies that it will use to attract high-
quality applicants, including any specific recruitment strategies
targeting high-quality applicants from traditionally underrepresented
groups, for enrollment in the proposed project; and
(iii) The approach, including mentoring and monitoring, that will
be used to support scholars to complete the personnel preparation
program.
(2) Reflects current research and evidence-based practices and is
designed to prepare scholars in the identified competencies. To address
this requirement, the applicant must describe how the proposed project
will--
(i) Incorporate current research and evidence-based practices that
improve outcomes for children with disabilities (including relevant
research citations) into the project's required coursework and clinical
experiences; and
(ii) Use current research and evidence-based professional
development practices for adult learners to instruct scholars.
(3) Is of sufficient quality, intensity, and duration to prepare
scholars in the identified competencies. To address this requirement,
the applicant must describe how--
(i) The components of the proposed project (e.g., coursework,
clinical experiences, or internships) will support scholars'
acquisition and enhancement of the identified competencies;
(ii) The components of the proposed project (e.g., coursework,
clinical experiences, internships) will be integrated to allow scholars
to use their content knowledge in clinical practice, and how scholars
will be provided with ongoing guidance and feedback;
(iii) The proposed project will provide ongoing induction
opportunities and support to program graduates.
(4) Will collaborate with appropriate partners, including--
(i) High-need LEAs; \5\ high-poverty schools; \6\ low-performing
schools including persistently lowest-achieving schools; \7\ priority
schools (in the case of States that have received the Department's
approval of a request for Elementary and Secondary Education Act of
1965, as amended (ESEA) flexibility),\8\ or publicly-funded preschool
programs, including Head Start programs and programs serving children
eligible for services under IDEA Part C and Part B Section 619, that
are located within the geographic boundaries of a high-need LEA. The
purpose of these partnerships is to provide clinical practice for
scholars aimed at developing the identified competencies; and
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\5\ For the 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.
\6\ For the 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).
\7\ For the 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 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 http://www2.ed.gov/programs/sif/index.html.
\8\ For the 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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(ii) Other programs on campus or at partnering universities for the
purpose of sharing resources, supporting program development and
delivery, and addressing personnel shortages.
(5) Will use technology, as appropriate, to promote scholar
learning, enhance the efficiency of the project, collaborate with
partners, and facilitate ongoing mentoring and support for scholars.
(c) Include, in the narrative section of the application under
``Quality of Project Evaluation,'' how--
(1) The proposed project will use comprehensive and appropriate
methodologies to evaluate the effectiveness of the project, including
the effectiveness of project processes and outcomes;
(2) The proposed project will collect and analyze data related to
specific and measurable goals, objectives, and outcomes of the project.
To address this requirement, the applicant must describe--
(i) How scholar competencies and other project processes and
outcomes will be measured for formative evaluation purposes, including
proposed instruments, data collection methods, and possible analyses;
and
(ii) How data on the quality of services provided by proposed
project graduates, including data on the learning and developmental
outcomes (e.g., academic, social, emotional, behavioral), growth toward
learning and developmental outcomes, and college and career readiness
of the children with disabilities they serve, will be collected and
analyzed;
Note: Following the completion of the project period, grantees
are encouraged--but not required--to engage in ongoing data
collection activities.
(3) The methods of evaluation will produce quantitative and
qualitative data for objective performance measures that are related to
the outcomes of the proposed project; and
(4) The methods of evaluation will provide performance feedback and
allow for periodic assessment of progress towards meeting the project
outcomes. To address this requirement, the applicant must describe how-
(i) Findings from the evaluation will be used as a basis for
improving the proposed project to prepare special education, early
intervention, or related services personnel to provide high-quality
interventions and services to improve outcomes of children with
disabilities; and
(ii) The proposed project will report evaluation results to the
Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) in the annual and final
performance reports.
(d) Demonstrate, in the narrative under ``Project Assurances,'' or
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appendices, as applicable, that the following program requirements are
met. The applicant must--
(1) Include, in the application appendix, syllabi for all required
coursework of the proposed project, including syllabi for new or
proposed courses.
(2) Ensure that all scholars who enroll in the proposed project can
graduate by the end of the grant's project period.
(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 budget
over the five years will be used for scholar support.
(5) Ensure that the institution of higher education (IHE) will not
require scholars to work (e.g., as graduate assistants) as a condition
of receiving support (e.g., tuition, stipends, books) from the proposed
project unless the work is specifically required to advance scholars'
competencies or complete other requirements in their personnel
preparation program. Please note that this prohibition on work as a
condition of receiving support 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.
(7) Ensure that if the proposed project maintains a Web site,
relevant information and documents are in a format that meets
government or industry-recognized standards for accessibility.
(8) Ensure that the Project Director will submit annual data 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).
Focus Areas: Within this absolute priority, the Secretary intends
to support projects under the following four focus areas: (A) Preparing
Personnel to Serve Infants, Toddlers, and Preschool-Age Children with
Disabilities; (B) Preparing Personnel to Serve School-Age Children with
Low-Incidence Disabilities; (C) Preparing Personnel to Provide Related
Services to Children, Including Infants and Toddlers, with
Disabilities; and (D) Preparing Personnel in Minority Institutions of
Higher Education to Serve Children, Including Infants and Toddlers,
with Disabilities. Interdisciplinary projects are encouraged to apply
under Focus Area A, B, C, or D. Interdisciplinary projects are projects
that deliver core content through coursework and clinical experiences
shared across disciplines.
Note: Applicants must identify the specific focus area (i.e., A,
B, C, or D) under which they are applying as part of the competition
title on the application cover sheet (SF form 424, line 4).
Applicants may not submit the same proposal under more than one
focus area.
Focus Area A: Preparing Personnel to Serve Infants, Toddlers, and
Preschool-Age Children with Disabilities. OSEP intends to fund nine
awards under this focus area. For the purpose of Focus Area A, early
intervention personnel are those who are prepared to provide services
to infants and toddlers with disabilities ages birth to three, and
early childhood personnel are those who are prepared to provide
services to children with disabilities ages three through five (in
States where the age range is other than ages three through five, we
will defer to the State's certification for early childhood). In States
where certification in early intervention is combined with
certification in early childhood, applicants may propose a combined
early intervention and early childhood personnel preparation project
under this focus area. We encourage interdisciplinary projects under
this focus area. For purposes of this focus area, interdisciplinary
projects are projects that deliver core content through coursework and
clinical experiences shared across disciplines for early intervention
providers or early childhood special educators, and related services
personnel to serve infants, toddlers, and preschool-age children with
disabilities. Projects preparing only related services personnel to
serve infants, toddlers, and preschool-age children with disabilities
are not eligible under this focus area (see Focus Area C).
Focus Area B: Preparing Personnel to Serve School-Age Children with
Low-Incidence Disabilities. OSEP intends to fund 13 awards under this
focus area. For the purpose of Focus Area B, personnel who serve
children with low-incidence disabilities are special education
personnel prepared to serve school-age children with low-incidence
disabilities including visual impairments, hearing impairments,
simultaneous visual and hearing impairments, significant intellectual
disabilities, orthopedic impairments, autism, and traumatic brain
injury. Programs preparing special education personnel to provide
services to children with visual impairments or blindness that can be
appropriately provided in braille must prepare those individuals to
provide those services in braille. Projects preparing educational
interpreters are eligible under this focus area. We encourage
interdisciplinary projects under this focus area. For purposes of this
focus area, interdisciplinary projects are projects that deliver core
content through coursework and clinical experiences shared across
disciplines for low-incidence and related services personnel to serve
school-aged children with low incidence disabilities. Projects
preparing early intervention or preschool personnel are not eligible
under this focus area (see Focus Area A).
Focus Area C: Preparing Personnel to Provide Related Services to
Children, Including Infants and Toddlers, with Disabilities. OSEP
intends to fund nine awards under this focus area. Programs preparing
related services personnel to serve children, including infants and
toddlers, with disabilities are eligible within Focus Area C. For the
purpose of this focus area, related services include, but are not
limited to, psychological services, physical therapy (including therapy
provided by personnel prepared at the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT)
level), adapted physical education, occupational therapy, therapeutic
recreation, social work services, counseling services, audiology
services (including services provided by personnel prepared at the
Doctor of Audiology (AudD) level), and speech and language services.
Preparation programs in States where personnel prepared to serve
children with speech and language impairments are considered to be
special educators are eligible under this focus area. We encourage
interdisciplinary projects under this focus area. For purposes of this
focus area, interdisciplinary projects are projects that deliver core
content through coursework and clinical experiences shared across
disciplines for related services personnel who serve children,
including infants and toddlers, with disabilities. Projects preparing
educational interpreters are not eligible under this focus area (see
Focus Area B).
Focus Area D: Preparing Personnel in Minority Institutions of
Higher Education to Serve Children, Including Infants and Toddlers,
with Disabilities.
[[Page 2966]]
OSEP intends to fund 12 awards under this focus area. Programs in
minority institutions of higher education (IHEs) are eligible under
Focus Area D if they prepare one of the following: (a) Personnel to
serve infants, toddlers, and preschool-age children with disabilities;
(b) personnel to serve school-age children with low-incidence
disabilities; or (c) personnel to provide related services to children,
including infants and toddlers, with disabilities. Minority IHEs
include IHEs with a minority enrollment of 25 percent or more, which
may include Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Tribal
Colleges, and Predominantly Hispanic Serving Colleges and Universities.
We encourage interdisciplinary projects under this focus area. For
purposes of this focus area, interdisciplinary projects are projects
that deliver core content through coursework and clinical experiences
shared across disciplines for: (a) Early intervention providers or
early childhood special educators and related services personnel who
serve infants, toddlers, and preschool-age children with disabilities;
(b) low-incidence and related services personnel who serve school-age
children with low-incidence disabilities; or (c) related services
personnel who serve children, including infants and toddlers, with
disabilities. Programs in minority IHEs preparing personnel in Focus
Area A, B, or C are eligible within Focus Area D. Programs preparing
high-incidence special education personnel are not eligible under this
priority (for the purpose of this priority, ``high-incidence
disabilities'' refers to learning disabilities, emotional disturbance,
or intellectual disabilities).
Note: A project funded under Focus Area D may budget for less
than 65 percent, the required percentage, for scholar support if the
applicant can provide sufficient justification for any designation
less than this required percentage. Sufficient justification for
proposing less than 65 percent of the budget for scholar support
would include support for activities such as program development,
program expansion, or the addition of a new area of emphasis. Some
examples of projects that may be eligible to designate less than 65
percent of their budget for scholar support include the following:
(1) A project that is proposing to develop and deliver a newly
established personnel preparation program or add a new area of
emphasis may request up to a year of funding for program development
(e.g., hiring of a new faculty member or consultant to assist in
course development, providing professional development and training
for faculty). In the initial project year, scholar support would not
be required. The project must demonstrate that the newly established
program or area of emphasis is approved and ready for implementation
in order to receive continuation funds in year two.
(2) A project that is proposing to expand or enhance an existing
program may request funding for capacity building (e.g., hiring of a
clinical practice supervisor, providing professional development and
training for faculty), or purchasing needed resources (e.g.,
additional teaching supplies or specialized equipment to enhance
instruction).
Note: Applicants proposing projects to develop, expand, or add
a new area of emphasis to special education or related services
programs must provide, in their applications, information on how
these new areas will be sustained once Federal funding ends.
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.
Competitive Preference Priority 1: Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i) we
award 5 points to an application that meets this priority.
This priority is:
In Focus Area D, applicants that document that they are IHEs with
minority enrollment of 50 percent or more.
References
Bruder, M.B. (December, 2004a). The National Landscape of Early
Intervention in Personnel Preparation Standards under Part C of the
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). A.J. Pappanikou
Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities, Farmington, CT.
Available at: www.uconnucedd.org/projects/per_prep/resources.html.
Bruder, M.B. (December, 2004b). The National Landscape of Early
Intervention and Early Childhood Special Education: 619 Data Report.
A.J. Pappanikou Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities,
Farmington, CT. Available at: www.uconnucedd.org/projects/per_prep/resources.html.
McLeskey, J. & Billingsley, B. (2008). How does the quality and
stability of the teaching force influence the research-to-practice
gap? Remedial and Special Education, 29(5), 293-305.
McLeskey, J., Tyler, N., & Flippin, S.S. (2004). The supply and
demand for special education teachers: A review of research
regarding the chronic shortage of special education teachers.
Journal of Special Education, 38(1), 5-21.
National Professional Development Center on Inclusion. (August,
2011). Competencies for early childhood educators in the context of
inclusion: Issues and guidance for states. Chapel Hill, NC: The
University of North Carolina, FPG Child Development Institute,
Authors.
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 priority 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, 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: 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 $10,750,000 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: See chart.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: See chart.
Maximum Award: See chart.
Estimated Number of Awards: See chart.
Project Period: See chart.
[[Page 2967]]
Personnel Development To Improve Services and Results for Children With Disabilities (84.325K)
Application Notice for Fiscal Year 2013
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Maximum
Deadline for Deadline for Estimated Estimated award Estimated
CFDA No. and name Applications available transmittal of intergovernmental range of average (budget number of Project period Contact person
applications review awards size of period of awards
awards 12 months)
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84.325K Personnel Preparation in January 15, 2013 March 18, 2013 May 15, 2013 .......... .......... .......... .......... ..............
Special Education, Early
Intervention, and Related
Services.
Focus Area A: Preparing Personnel ....................... ....................... ...................... $225,000-$ $237,500 \*\$250,00 9 Up to 60 mos. Maryann McDermott,
to Serve Infants, Toddlers, and 250,000 0 202-245-7439,
Pre-school Age Children with maryann.mcdermott@
Disabilities. ed.gov PCP, Room
4062.
Focus Area B: Preparing Personnel ....................... ....................... ...................... $225,000-$ $237,500 \*\$250,00 13 Up to 60 mos. Maryann McDermott,
to Serve School-Age Children 250,000 0 202-245-7439,
with Low-Incidence Disabilities. [email protected] PCP, Room
4062.
Focus Area C: Preparing Personnel ....................... ....................... ...................... $225,000-$ $237,500 \*\$250,00 9 Up to 60 mos. Sarah Allen, 202-
to Provide Related Services to 250,000 0 245-7875,
Children, Including Infants and [email protected]
Toddlers, with Disabilities. , PCP, Room 4105.
Focus Area D: Preparing Personnel ....................... ....................... ...................... $225,000-$ $237,500 \*\$250,00 12 Up to 60 mos. Dawn Ellis, 202-245-
in Minority Institutions of 250,000 0 6417,
Higher Education to Serve [email protected],
Children, Including Infants and PCP, Room 4092.
Toddlers, with Disabilities.
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* We will reject any application that proposes a budget exceeding the maximum award 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.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this
notice.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants: Institutions of higher education (IHEs) and
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 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 84.325K.
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.
[[Page 2968]]
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, as well as all text in
charts, tables, figures, and graphs.
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 18, 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: May 15, 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 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 Personnel Preparation in Special
Education, Early Intervention, and Related Services competition, CFDA
number 84.325K, 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 Personnel
Preparation in Special Education, Early Intervention, and Related
Services 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 84.325K).
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
[[Page 2969]]
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 http://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: Maryann McDermott, U.S.
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., room 4062, 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 84.325K) 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.
[[Page 2970]]
(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 84.325K) 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: (a) 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.
(b) 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 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
[[Page 2971]]
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 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.
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 Contacts
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: See chart in the Award Information
section in this notice for the name, room number, telephone number, and
email address of the contact person for each Focus Area of this
competition. You can write to the Focus Area contact person at the
following address: U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue
SW., Potomac Center Plaza (PCP), Washington, DC 20202-2600.
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. 2013-00594 Filed 1-14-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P