[Federal Register: July 21, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 139)]
[Notices]
[Page 43261-43270]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr21jy03-160]
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Part II
Department of Education
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Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services; Notice
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services
AGENCY: Department of Education.
ACTION: Notice inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year
(FY) 2003.
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SUMMARY: This notice announces closing dates, priorities, and other
information regarding the transmittal of grant applications for FY 2003
competitions under three programs authorized under part D, subpart 2 of
the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, as amended. The three
programs are: (1) Special Education--Technical Assistance and
Dissemination to Improve Services and Results for Children with
Disabilities (4 priorities); (2) Special Education--Technology and
Media Services for Individuals with Disabilities (1 priority) and (3)
Special Education--Training and Information for Parents of Children
with Disabilities (1 priority).
Please note that significant dates for the availability and
submission of applications, as well as important fiscal information,
are listed in a table at the end of this notice.
Waiver of Rulemaking
It is generally our practice to offer interested parties the
opportunity to comment on proposed priorities. However, section
661(e)(2) of IDEA makes the public comment requirements in the
Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C. 553) inapplicable to the
priorities in this notice.
General Requirements
(a) The projects funded under this notice must make positive
efforts to employ and advance in employment qualified individuals with
disabilities (see section 606 of IDEA).
(b) Applicants and grant recipients funded under this notice must
involve individuals with disabilities or parents of individuals with
disabilities in planning, implementing, and evaluating the projects
(see section 661(f)(1)(A) of IDEA).
(c) The projects funded under these priorities must budget for a
two-day Project Directors' meeting in Washington, DC during each year
of the project.
(d) In a single application, an applicant must address only one
absolute priority in this notice.
(e) If a project maintains a Web site, it must include relevant
information and documents in an accessible form.
Page Limit: If you are an applicant, Part III of each application,
the application narrative, is where you address the selection criteria
that are used by reviewers in evaluating the application. You must
limit Part III to the equivalent of no more than the number of pages
listed in the table at the end of this notice, using the following
standards:
[sbull] A ``page'' is 8.5'' x 11'' (on one side only) with one-inch
margins (top, bottom, and sides).
[sbull] Double-space (no more than three lines per vertical inch)
all text in the application narrative, including titles, headings,
footnotes, quotations, and captions, as well as all text in charts,
tables, figures, and graphs.
[sbull] Use a font that is either 12-point or larger or no smaller
than 10 pitch (characters per inch).
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 references, or the letters of support.
However, you must include all of the application narrative in Part III.
We will reject without consideration or evaluation any application
if --
[sbull] You apply these standards and exceed the page limit; or
[sbull] You apply other standards and exceed the equivalent of the
page limit.
Application Procedures
Note: Some of the procedures in these instructions for
transmitting applications differ from those in the Education
Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) (34 CFR
75.102). Under the Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C. 553) the
Department generally offers interested parties the opportunity to
comment on proposed regulations. However, these amendments make
procedural changes only and do not establish new substantive policy.
Therefore, under 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(A), the Secretary has determined
that proposed rulemaking is not required.
Project for Electronic Submission of Applications
In Fiscal Year 2003, the U.S. Department of Education is continuing
to expand its pilot project of electronic submission of applications to
include additional formula grant programs and additional discretionary
grant competitions. The three programs in this announcement: Technical
Assistance and Dissemination to Improve Services and Results for
Children with Disabilities--CFDA 84.326, Technology and Media Services
for Individuals with Disabilities--CFDA 84.327, and Training and
Information for Parents of Children with Disabilities--CFDA 84.328 are
included in the pilot project. If you are an applicant for a grant
under any of the three programs in this notice, you may submit your
application to us in either electronic or paper format.
The pilot project involves the use of the Electronic Grant
Application System (e-Appliyation). Users of e-Application will be
entering data on-line while completing their applications. You may not
e-mail a soft copy of a grant application to us. If you participate in
this voluntary pilot project by submitting an application
electronically, the data you enter on-line will be saved into a
database. We request your participation in e-Application. We shall
continue to evaluate its success and solicit suggestions for
improvement.
If you participate in e-Application, please note the following:
[sbull] Your participation is voluntary.
[sbull] You will not receive any additional point value because you
submit a grant application in electronic format, nor will we penalize
you if you submit an application in paper format. When you enter the e-
Application system, you will find information about its hours of
operation.
[sbull] You may submit all documents electronically, including the
Application for Federal Education Assistance (ED 424), Budget
Information--Non-Construction Programs (ED 524), and all necessary
assurances and certifications.
[sbull] After you electronically submit your application, you will
receive an automatic acknowledgement, which will include a PR/Award
number (an identifying number unique to your application).
[sbull] Within three working days after submitting your electronic
application, fax a signed copy of the Application for Federal Education
Assistance (ED 424) to the Application Control Center after following
these steps:
1. Print ED 424 from e-Application.
2. The institution's Authorizing Representative must sign this
form.
3. Place the PR/Award number in the upper right hand corner of the
hard copy signature page of the ED 424.
4. Fax the signed ED 424 to the Application Control Center at (202)
260-1349.
[sbull] We may request that you give us original signatures on all
other forms at a later date.
[sbull] Closing Date Extension in Case of System Unavailability: If
you elect to participate in the e-Application pilot for the Technical
Assistance and Dissemination to Improve Services and Results for
Children with Disabilities Program, the Technology and Media
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Services for Individuals with Disabilities Program, or the Training and
Information for Parents of Children with Disabilities Program and you
are prevented from submitting your application on the closing date
because the e-Application system is unavailable, we will grant you an
extension of one business day in order to transmit your application
electronically, by mail, or by hand delivery. For us to grant this
extension--
1. You must be a registered user of e-Application, and have
initiated an e-Application for this competition; and
2. (a) The e-Application system must be unavailable for 60 minutes
or more between the hours of 8:30 and 3:30 p.m., Washington, DC time,
on the deadline date; or
(b) The e-Application system must be unavailable for any period of
time during the last hour of operation (that is, for any period of time
between 3:30 and 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time) on the deadline date.
The Department must acknowledge and confirm these periods of
unavailability before granting you an extension. To request this
extension you must contact either (1) the person listed elsewhere in
this notice under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT or (2) the e-GRANTS
help desk at 1-888-336-8930.
You may access the electronic grant application for the Technical
Assistance and Dissemination to Improve Services and Results for
Children with Disabilities Program, the Technology and Media Services
for Individuals with Disabilities Program, or the Training and
Information for Parents of Children with Disabilities Program at:
http://e-grants.ed.gov.
We have included additional information about the e-Application
pilot project (see Parity Guidelines between Paper and Electronic
Applications) in the application packages.
Special Education--Technical Assistance and Dissemination to Improve
Services and Results for Children with Disabilities [CFDA Number
84.326]
Purpose of Program: The purpose of this program is to provide
technical assistance and information--through such mechanisms as
institutes, regional resource centers, clearinghouses, and programs
that support States and local entities in building capacity--to (1)
improve early intervention, educational, and transitional services and
results for children with disabilities and their families; and (2)
address systemic-change goals and priorities.
Eligible Applicants: State educational agencies, local educational
agencies, institutions of higher education, other public agencies,
nonprofit private organizations, for-profit organizations, outlying
areas, freely associated States, and Indian tribes or tribal
organizations.
Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80,
81, 82, 85, 86, 97, 98, and 99; and (b) The selection criteria, chosen
from the general selection criteria in 34 CFR 75.210. The specific
selection criteria for these competitions are included in the
application package for these competitions.
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 79 apply to all applicants
except federally recognized Indian tribes.
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to institutions of
higher education only.
Priorities
Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3) we consider only applications that meet
one of the following priorities:
Absolute Priority 1--Absolute Priority 1--The IDEA Partnership Project
(84.326A)
Background
In 1998 the Department of Education, Office of Special Education
Programs (OSEP), funded four projects to support partnerships among
national associations and membership organizations so that they could
contribute to the successful implementation of the Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Amendments of 1997 by making
available accurate information on the statute, as well as research-
based practices for implementing the statute, to their grass-roots
constituencies. Partnerships were funded to meet the needs of four
audiences: (1) Families and advocates, (2) policymakers, (3) service
providers, and (4) local-level administrators.
Over the last four and a half years, these four projects have made
considerable progress building trust between the participating
organizations and creating an infrastructure by which member
organizations within individual projects could collaborate, share
information, and develop activities and products to meet the needs of
their constituencies. In addition, through the Partnership Projects'
Coordinating Committee, cross-partnership collaborations were initiated
that allowed the various constituency groups to share their
perspectives and to gain insights on the perspectives of others. This
cross-stakeholder communication is essential to successfully address
the complex challenges associated with the implementation of both IDEA
and No Child Left Behind (NCLB).
Priority
The purpose of this priority is to continue, and further focus, the
work of the four Partnership Projects by supporting one partnership
among national associations and membership organizations representing
all four audiences: (1) Families, (2) policymakers, (3) service
providers, and (4) local-level administrators. This partnership project
must build upon the relationships and infrastructures created by the
four previous partnerships, but must focus its work primarily on
activities that are relevant across all four audiences. In addition,
activities conducted by this project must be designed to move national-
level collaborations down to State and local levels.
Like the previous four projects, this single partnership will be
funded as a cooperative agreement, and must inform and provide support
to its members in understanding IDEA, including Part C, and NCLB. The
project must focus on the effect these two statutes have on the
respective roles of its members in improving results for children with
disabilities. The project must also provide opportunities for members
to engage in meaningful dialogue and problem solving designed to
improve the integration of regular and special education.
Applicants may not make financial commitments to any associations
or membership organizations in designing this application. These
commitments will be negotiated during the first month of the award with
final approval by OSEP. The project must:
(a) Form a single partnership among national associations and
membership organizations from both regular and special education to
meet the collective needs of four audiences:
(1) Policymakers (e.g., associations of chief State school
officers, State boards of education, local school boards, State
directors of special education, mental health, and children with
special health care needs programs, deans of education and special
education, department chairs at institutions of higher education,
superintendents, governors, State legislators);
(2) Service providers, (e.g., associations of regular and special
education teachers, community-based
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providers, vocational educators, related service providers,
paraprofessionals);
(3) Local-level administrators (e.g., associations of elementary,
middle, and secondary school principals; regular and special education
administrators; and administrators of private schools); and
(4) Families (e.g., associations of parents and family members of
students in general, special education students, and infants with
disabilities, and disability organizations representing individuals
with disabilities).
(b) Through the project director and other relevant staff of the
partnership, collaborate with appropriate OSEP and other federally
funded researchers and technical assistance providers, including the
parent training and information centers. OSEP supports a number of
research programs and technical assistance efforts that produce
findings, information, instructional approaches, and products that
could bear upon the successful implementation of IDEA. The project must
also share information with the OSEP-funded Dissemination Center.
(c) Include information in its application on an assessment it has
conducted to identify the needs of partners regarding the
implementation of IDEA, including Part C.
(d) Establish an advisory panel that includes representation from
each of its member organizations.
(e) Report results of the needs assessment described in its
application to the advisory panel during the first three months of the
award.
(f) Based on the results of the needs assessment, with input from
the advisory panel, develop joint annual plans for training, technical
assistance, dissemination, and outreach to reach the partners' grass
roots constituencies in an efficient and timely manner. The plans,
which must be submitted to OSEP for approval, must address:
(l) How partners intend to reach members at both State and local
levels;
(2) How partners will implement research-based practices to
effectively implement IDEA, including Part C, and NCLB;
(3) How trainers, who are members of partner organizations, will be
compensated for their training time;
(4) How partners will use project funds to supplement their ongoing
efforts to improve results for children with disabilities; and
(5) How the project will leverage other resources to support
planned activities.
(g) Convene the advisory panel, at a minimum, on a semi-annual
basis to assess the implementation of the plan.
(h) With input from the advisory panel, develop strategies to
address the fragmentation and facilitate the integration of regular and
special education. Examples of such strategies could include, but are
not limited to, technical assistance activities designed to help States
and districts develop seamless accountability systems.
(i) Create opportunities for the project's member organizations to
engage in meaningful dialogue and problem solving designed to identify
supports and impediments to improved results for children with
disabilities. The project must develop strategies to eliminate the
impediments.
(j) Prior to developing any new product, whether paper or
electronic, submit for approval a proposal describing the content and
purpose of the product to OSEP's Dissemination Center for which OSEP
plans to fund this year. However, product development is not a primary
function of this project.
(k) When OSEP has funded a technical assistance center in the
content area of the proposed product, but no product currently exists
that will meet the needs of the project's partners, work with that
center to ensure that the content of the product is of the highest
quality.
(l) Before submitting a new product to OSEP's Dissemination Center
for review, have that product thoroughly reviewed by individuals
representing each of the four constituency groups represented in the
partnership.
(m) Review the new product for technical accuracy and clarity by
vetting through an approach determined in consultation with OSEP.
(n) Establish:
(1) A toll free telephone number;
(2) A Web site with links to other information and technical
assistance providers;
(3) A database of products and activities; and
(4) Regular information updates to keep partner organizations
abreast of new developments in the law.
(o) Employ an information specialist to answer questions and mail
materials upon request.
(p) Make all information products accessible electronically and
available in alternative formats.
(q) Conduct an evaluation of project activities that is based on
clear, measurable performance objectives that include measures of
collaboration and, if possible, are clearly linked to improving
results.
(r) Conduct OSEP-specified technical assistance to States. This
effort may include participation in: (1) Collaborative Web-based
technical assistance activities, (2) coordination of and participation
in State-to-State communities of practice, or (3) direct technical
assistance to OSEP-specified States through partnerships between OSEP
and selected States. Staff time and project resources dedicated to
provide technical assistance to OSEP-specified States will be
negotiated with OSEP as part of the cooperative agreement within 30
days of the project award (OSEP anticipates that technical assistance
to OSEP-specified States could average approximately $40,000 per year.
Budgets should be developed with this in mind).
Fourth and Fifth Years of Project
In deciding whether to continue this project for the fourth and
fifth years, the Secretary will consider the requirements of 34 CFR
75.253(a) for continuation awards.
The Secretary will also consider the following:
(a) The recommendation of a review team consisting of experts
selected by the Secretary. The team will conduct its review in
Washington, DC during the last half of the project's second year. A
project must budget for the travel associated with this one-day
intensive review;
(b) The timeliness and effectiveness with which all requirements of
the negotiated cooperative agreement have been or are being met by the
project;
(c) The degree to which the project is making a positive
contribution--and its strategies are demonstrating the potential for
disseminating significant knowledge to State and local constituencies--
to improve collaboration and the implementation of IDEA; and
(d) Evidence of the degree to which the project's activities have
contributed to changed practice and improved student outcomes.
Competitive Preference
Within this absolute priority, we will give the following
competitive preference points under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i) to
applicants that are otherwise eligible for funding under this priority:
Ten points will be awarded to any application that is submitted
from a national association or national membership organization.
Therefore, for purposes of this competitive preference applicants
can be awarded a total of 10 points in addition to those awarded under
the published selection criteria for this priority. That is, an
applicant meeting this competitive preference could receive a maximum
possible score of 110 points.
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Absolute Priority 2--National Center on Dispute Resolution (84.326D)
Background
Alternative dispute resolution processes such as mediation
represent a less costly means of resolving complaints than due process
hearings, can help minimize adverse effects on a child's progress in
school, and are more apt to foster positive relationships between
families and educators than would litigation. In 1998 the Office of
Special Education Programs (OSEP) funded a technical assistance center
on alternative dispute resolution to give States assistance on
mediation and other effective dispute resolution procedures that
support the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). This
priority follows up on the investment in this area to continue the work
of the past five years. For further information on the past work in
this area go to http://www.directionservice.org/cadre.
Priority
This priority will support a cooperative agreement to continue a
national technical assistance center to provide technical assistance on
all dispute resolution and complaint management procedures.
The Center's activities must include, but are not limited, to the
following:
(a) Providing technical assistance on dispute resolution and
complaint management procedures to all States, outlying areas, Freely
Associated States, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and localities, as
appropriate, as they implement early intervention services under Part C
and educational and related services under Part B of the IDEA
including, at a minimum, (1) Conducting annual needs assessments, (2)
Developing technical assistance agreements for each entity, and (3)
Providing focused technical assistance to States as requested by OSEP.
(b) Conducting an annual survey of States to determine the current
status of due process hearings and use of mediation and alternative
dispute resolution. The project must:
(i) Maintain a database for collecting and analyzing information
from States on the use and outcomes of due process hearings, mediation,
mediator training, and alternative dispute resolution procedures.
(ii) Analyze the data and develop reports on trends and patterns
related to the use of alternative dispute resolution and other topics
as requested by OSEP.
(c) Providing technical assistance to States based on needs
identified in the annual needs assessments.
(d) Establishing a mechanism for assessing and synthesizing the
research base on alternative dispute resolution. A team of researchers
must assist the Center in the analysis and synthesis of the current and
emerging research on alternative dispute resolution.
(e) Developing informational exchanges about dispute resolution
procedures between the Center and other technical assistance and
information dissemination systems.
(f) Coordinating with the Parent Technical Assistance Projects to
provide technical assistance to all OSEP-funded parent training and
information centers and community parent resource centers on dispute
resolution procedures. Evidence of coordination and proposed outcomes
of the coordination must be reported to the Federal project officer.
(g) Coordinating with the National Dissemination Center, which OSEP
expects to fund this year, to ensure timely and accurate dissemination
of dispute resolution information. Evidence of coordination and
proposed outcomes of the coordination must be reported to the Federal
project officer.
(h) Collaborating and communicating with other OSEP-funded projects
such as the Regional Resource Centers, the IDEA Partnership Project,
Project Forum, the Access Center, the National Early Childhood
Technical Assistance Center and other projects as appropriate. Evidence
of collaboration and proposed outcomes of the collaboration must be
reported to the Federal project officer.
(i) Maintaining a Web site with relevant information available in
both English and Spanish and accessible to individuals with
disabilities.
(j) Conducting biennial symposia that identify the unique features
of alternative dispute resolution procedures, the strengths of the
procedures, potential application of the procedures, and related issues
as requested by OSEP.
(k) Preparing and disseminating reports and documents on
alternative dispute resolution and related topics as requested by OSEP.
(l) Developing partnerships with relevant programs and
organizations to assist with long-term implementation of alternative
dispute resolution procedures. At a minimum, partners shall include
State Improvement grantees, General Supervision Enhancement grantees,
and the National Center for Special Education Accountability
Monitoring.
The Center must also:
(a) Prior to developing any new product, whether paper or
electronic, submit for approval a proposal describing the content and
purpose of the product to the document review board of the National
Dissemination Center.
(b) Provide OSEP-specified technical assistance to States. This
effort may include the following: (1) Collaborative Web-based technical
assistance activities, (2) coordination of and participation in State-
to-State communities of practice, and (3) direct technical assistance
to OSEP-specified States through partnerships between OSEP and selected
States. The Center must plan for assistance to three OSEP identified
States per year.
Note:
Staff time and project resources dedicated to provide technical
assistance to OSEP-specified States will be negotiated with OSEP as
part of the cooperative agreement within 30 days of the project
award (OSEP anticipates that technical assistance to OSEP-specified
States could average approximately $40,000 per year. Budgets should
be developed with this in mind).
(c) Establish, maintain, and meet at least annually with an
advisory group of persons with complementary expertise on alternative
dispute resolution procedures to advise the Center on its technical
assistance activities.
(d) Fund as project assistants three doctoral students per year who
have concentrations in relevant topics such as special education or
conflict resolution.
(e) Evaluate annually the impact of the Center's technical
assistance system and its components relative to (1) meeting the
assessed needs of States and jurisdictions, (2) meeting the needs of
parents, and (3) linkages with other technical assistance and
information dissemination systems. The Center must report its
evaluation findings annually to the Federal project officer.
(f) Maintain communication with the Federal project officer through
monthly phone conversations and e-mail communication as needed. The
Center must submit annual performance reports and provide additional
written materials as needed for the Federal project officer to monitor
the Center's work.
(g) In addition to the 2-day Project Directors' meeting listed in
the General Requirements section of this notice, budget for an
additional annual 2-day project meeting to attend the Research Project
Directors' meeting; two 2-day annual planning meetings; and at least
eight 2-day trips annually as requested by OSEP such as Department
briefings, Department-sponsored conferences, and other events.
Fourth and Fifth Years of Project
In deciding whether to continue this project for the fourth and
fifth years, the
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Secretary will consider the requirements of 34 CFR 75.253(a), and in
addition--
(a) The recommendation of a review team consisting of experts
selected by the Secretary which review will be conducted during the
last half of the project's second year in Washington, DC. Projects must
budget for the travel associated with this one-day intensive review;
(b) The timeliness and effectiveness with which all requirements of
the negotiated cooperative agreement have been or are being met by the
Center; and
(c) Evidence of the degree to which the Center's activities have
contributed to a changed practice and improved student outcomes.
Absolute Priority 3--The National Coordination and Dissemination Center
To Improve Strategies for the Recruitment and Retention of Qualified
Personnel for Children With Disabilities (84.326P)
Background
The National Commission on Teaching for America's Future (NCTAF)
and the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) emphasize the importance of
well-qualified teachers to ensuring student achievement. NCLB, in fact,
defines what is required for a teacher to be ``highly qualified'' and
establishes deadlines for the employment of highly qualified teachers.
State reported data indicate persistent shortages of special
education teachers including large numbers of vacant positions or
positions filled by teachers who were not fully certified.
The characteristics of children with disabilities have also
changed, adding complexity to the task of providing appropriate
services. There are more children who have entered life with marked
disabilities, who are expected to continue to thrive, and who require
interdisciplinary approaches that provide essential support.
Additionally, the cultural and linguistic characteristics of the
student population have changed significantly.
In 1998, the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation
Services (OSERS) funded the National Clearinghouse on Careers and
Professions Related to Early Intervention and Education for Children
with Disabilities (Professions Clearinghouse). At one time,
clearinghouses took the passive role of providing information to those
who requested it, but as national needs changed, a more proactive
approach was necessary. The Professions Clearinghouse took the first
steps towards this approach by providing technical assistance to
several States to help them improve their recruitment and retention
plans, and targeting recruitment campaigns toward new populations of
potential teachers and related services providers. These technical
assistance and support activities need to be extended and additional
creative strategies must be designed and implemented so that more
highly qualified personnel are available to meet the needs of children
with disabilities and their families.
Priority
The purpose of this priority is to fund a cooperative agreement to
support a national coordination and dissemination center to enhance the
Nation's capacity to recruit, prepare, and retain a highly qualified,
diverse work force of early intervention personnel, educators, and
related service personnel to improve services and outcomes for infants,
toddlers, and children with disabilities. To accomplish this objective,
the Center must:
(a) Conduct nationwide outreach activities to encourage
individuals, including individuals with disabilities and individuals
from diverse cultural and economic backgrounds, to pursue careers in
early intervention, special education, and related services, including
paraeducators and related services assistants. The Center must develop,
implement and maintain comprehensive and coordinated communication
campaigns that:
(1) Utilize a wide range of media outlets; and
(2) Are customized to attract individuals from culturally and
economically diverse backgrounds, individuals with disabilities, and
individuals across a broad age range including mid-career changers.
(b) Assist individuals interested in pursuing a career in early
intervention, special education, or related services by helping them to
identify positions in high demand and providing information about
specific training opportunities appropriate to their needs. The Center
must:
(1) Develop and regularly update information on ongoing and
emerging areas of personnel need identified by States, LEAs, early
intervention service providers, and other entities;
(2) Develop and maintain a comprehensive, up-to-date, easily
accessible, database of personnel preparation opportunities available
across the country. This database must reflect the full range of
preparation opportunities, including both traditional and alternative
routes and both professional and paraprofessional programs;
(3) Develop and regularly update information on available trainee
financial support including ED-supported financial assistance, Federal
loans, and other public and private sources of trainee support; and
(4) Conduct broad-based outreach efforts and establish effective
linkages with other information providers to ensure widespread use of
the Center services by interested individuals, including individuals
with disabilities as well as culturally and linguistically diverse
individuals.
(c) Provide assistance to State educational agencies (SEAs), local
educational agencies (LEAs), institutions of higher education (IHEs),
community colleges (CCs), agencies that administer IDEA Part C
programs, and other appropriate entities by disseminating information
that will help them to improve the quality of professionals and
paraprofessionals who serve infants, toddlers, and children with
disabilities, including children with limited English proficiency and
children from culturally diverse backgrounds. The Center must:
(1) Synthesize, and disseminate information on research-based
approaches to professional preparation and career development for
special education, related services, and early intervention personnel
with a particular focus on evidence-based mentoring and induction
strategies to promote personnel retention. In particular, in
collaboration with the Urban Special Education Leadership
Collaborative, the Center must coordinate activities with urban
districts;
(2) Disseminate information on national and State professional
certification and licensure standards, with a particular focus on how
standards are changing to reflect research-based knowledge and practice
and new legal requirements such as those in the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act;
(3) Disseminate information on effective strategies for promoting
the credentialing of currently practicing personnel who are less than
fully qualified for their positions;
(4) In collaboration with appropriate entities, develop and
disseminate guidelines for instituting certification standards for
paraeducators where such standards do not yet exist; and,
(5) Develop and disseminate periodic highlights or reviews of
pressing issues, trends, and emerging research regarding preparation
and career development for early intervention, special education, and
related services personnel.
[[Page 43267]]
(d) Conduct timely updates of all Center information and databases
to ensure that information disseminated is accurate and current.
(e) Establish diverse advisory groups to provide recommendations to
the Center relative to the activities or products described above and
to ensure that all constituency needs are met.
(f) Employ effective technology and multiple strategies of
communication for receiving and disseminating current information and
research-based practices including, but not limited to, the
establishment and maintenance of an easily accessible, user-friendly
Web site that ensures seamless links to and from other relevant data
and information sources. The Web site must address early intervention
and special education professions, including paraeducators; related
services careers, including related services assistants; preparation
programs across the country, including alternate route programs;
research related to the special education workforce; and surveys and
links to research relevant to developing and sustaining a diverse,
qualified workforce including individuals with disabilities as well as
individuals from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.
(g) Establish and maintain effective communication and
collaboration with other OSERS-funded projects, such as the OSEP
Regional Resource Centers, the IDEA partnership projects, parent
information centers, the Center on Personnel Studies in Special
Education (COPSSE), the Center for Early Intervention/Early Childhood
Special Education Personnel Preparation, the IRIS Center, and other
technical assistance and research projects as appropriate.
(h) Conduct and participate in national and regional meetings
including dissemination conferences, topical symposia and other
meetings on recruitment and retention of qualified personnel as
requested by OSEP.
(i) Contract with a third party evaluator to develop and conduct a
comprehensive system for evaluating all aspects of the Center's work.
The evaluation design must include both formative evaluation elements
to identify strategies for improving the Center's work and summative
evaluation elements with clearly measurable outcome and impact data.
(j) Submit for approval, prior to developing any new product,
whether paper or electronic, a proposal describing the content and
purpose of the product to the document review board of OSEP's
Dissemination Center which OSEP expects to fund this year.
(k) Provide OSEP-specified technical assistance to States. This
effort may include participation in: (1) Collaborative Web-based
technical assistance activities, (2) coordination of and participation
in State-to-State communities of practice, and (3) direct technical
assistance to OSEP-specified States through partnerships between OSEP
and selected States. Staff time and project resources dedicated to
provide technical assistance to OSEP-specified States will be
negotiated with OSEP as part of the cooperative agreement within 30
days of the project award (OSEP anticipates that technical assistance
to OSEP-specified States could average approximately $40,000 per year.
Budgets should be developed with this in mind).
Fourth and Fifth Years of Project
In deciding whether to continue this project for the fourth and
fifth years, the Secretary will consider the requirements of 34 CFR
75.253(a), and in addition--
(a) The recommendation of a review team consisting of experts
selected by the Secretary which review will be conducted during the
last half of the project's second year in Washington, DC. Projects must
budget for the travel associated with this one-day intensive review;
(b) The timeliness and effectiveness with which all requirements of
the negotiated cooperative agreement have been or are being met by the
Center; and
(c) Evidence of the degree to which the Center's activities have
contributed to a changed practice and improved student outcomes.
Absolute Priority 4--Federal Resource Center for Special Education
(84.326V)
Background
In 1984 the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) established
the Federal Resource Center for Special Education (FRC) as a mechanism
for ensuring the organized and consistent provision of high quality
technical assistance by the OSEP-funded Regional Resource Centers
(RRCs). The FRC was designed to coordinate the work of RRCs, identify
emerging issues and trends in special education, and assist in linking
State-identified needs with appropriate technical assistance providers.
Significant challenges are facing State and local educational
agencies, such as: the need to meet the high standards established in
the No Child Left Behind Act; a changing and more diverse population of
children with disabilities; and persistent shortages in qualified and
culturally competent personnel to serve these students. The FRC,
through coordinating RRC technical assistance activities and
initiatives, is designed to assist States to meet these challenges
through strengthening their capacity to include all children with
disabilities in high quality instruction that improves performance and
prepares all children to leave school equipped for a meaningful life.
Priority
This priority provides support for a cooperative agreement for a
coordinating technical assistance center, which shall be called the
Federal Resource Center (FRC). The purpose of the FRC is to: (1) Serve
as a special education technical assistance center to align the work of
the six RRCs with OSEP policy and strategic initiatives; (2) enhance
each RRC's capacity to promote systems change initiatives in States
through the provision of strategic training and professional
development; (3) increase the depth and utility of information in
ongoing and emerging areas of priority needs as identified by RRCs and
OSEP; (4) support the RRCs' efforts to provide ongoing technical
assistance to enhance States' participation in OSEP's Continuous
Improvement and Focused Monitoring System (CIFMS); (5) ensure that the
RRCs operate in a non-duplicative and efficient manner; and (6) assist
with the provision of technical assistance and support to the State
Improvement Grant (SIG) program.
Specifically, the FRC project must:
(a) Support the RRCs' efforts to promote improved results for
children with disabilities in States, especially those with performance
challenges identified through the CIFMS, by providing strategic
training, professional development, and technical support. This effort
must include: (1) Coordination of communities of practice that target
State performance improvement areas identified through the CIFMS; and
(2) facilitation of RRCs' technical assistance initiatives including
the development of State performance measurement systems that use
accurate, valid, and reliable data for program improvement and data-
based decisionmaking.
(b) Coordinate RRCs' information services functions to ensure the
provision of timely, relevant, and accurate information as requested by
States and other entities. The Center must: (1) Consolidate the
information services function previously maintained by each RRC by
establishing centralized information services; and (2) consolidate
individual RRC Web sites into a centralized Web site that will
[[Page 43268]]
ensure efficiency across the RRCs and avoid duplicative activities.
This effort must include up to one year of planning and must be fully
implemented within the next two years.
(c) Develop and maintain mechanisms that support coordinated and
non-redundant development and delivery of technical assistance by RRCs
within the OSEP-funded technical assistance network. This effort must
involve: (1) Facilitating current RRC topical workgroups, such as the
workgroup on monitoring, to ensure the RRCs develop consistent
technical assistance approaches; (2) coordinating with OSEP's
Dissemination Center, which OSEP plans to fund this year, on product
development and dissemination; and (3) proactively helping RRCs
identify potential areas for collaboration with the National Center for
Special Education Accountability Monitoring and other technical
assistance centers, to support State improvement initiatives.
(d) Maintain and enhance electronic linkages among RRCs. This must
include the development, maintenance, and enhancement of listserves;
the technical assistance information system (TAIS) of the RRCs; and
other electronic mechanisms.
(e) Coordinate the RRCs' professional development, including
planning and conducting meetings for training and coordination
activities among RRCs.
(f) Provide technical assistance to the SIG program including: (1)
Development and maintenance of a Web site; (2) development and
maintenance of a listserve; (3) facilitation of information sharing
among projects; (4) providing information, upon request, to individual
projects; (5) coordination/support for the annual project directors'
meeting; and (6) other assistance as determined by the Project Officer.
(g) Provide support for the Annual OSEP Leadership Conference, the
Annual Technical Assistance and Dissemination (TA&D) Conference, and
other OSEP activities such as task forces and panels.
(h) Promote improved results for children with disabilities by
supporting the development of partnerships that link: (1) RRCs with
parent organizations, especially the Parent Training and Information
Centers (PTIs), the six Regional Parent Technical Assistance Centers,
and the National Parent Technical Assistance Center, which OSEP plans
to fund this year, in order to improve collaboration and coordination
of effort between the RRCs and the PTIs; and (2) Department of
Education and other government agency funded technical assistance and
dissemination centers.
(i) Regularly inform OSEP staff of the progress of initiatives that
involve multiple RRCs.
(j) Submit for approval to the Document Review Board of OSEP's
Dissemination Center a proposal describing the content and purpose of
any new paper or electronic product before developing the product.
(k) Support OSEP-specified national initiatives by developing
models to be used by RRCs for: (1) Development or enhancement of State
and/or local operated technical assistance and dissemination (TA&D)
structures that support the dissemination of scientifically based
research and best practices; (2) development or enhancement of Web-
based technical assistance activities; (3) development or enhancement
of systems change strategies; and (4) development or enhancement of
State-to-State communities of practice.
Fourth and Fifth Years of Project
In deciding whether to continue this project for the fourth and
fifth years, the Secretary will consider the requirements of 34 CFR
75.253(a), and in addition--
(a) The recommendation of a review team consisting of experts
selected by the Secretary which review will be conducted during the
last half of the project's second year in Washington, DC. Projects must
budget for the travel associated with this one-day intensive review;
(b) The timeliness and effectiveness with which all requirements of
the negotiated cooperative agreement have been or are being met by the
Center; and
(c) Evidence of the degree to which the Center's activities have
contributed to a changed practice and improved student outcomes.
Special Education--Technology and Media Services for Individuals With
Disabilities [CFDA Number 84.327]
Purpose of Program: To: (1) Improve results for children with
disabilities by promoting the development, demonstration, and use of
technology; (2) support educational media activities designed to be of
educational value to children with disabilities; and (3) provide
support for some captioning, video description, and cultural
activities.
Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80,
81, 82, 85, 86, 97, 98, and 99; and (b) the selection criteria for this
priority are chosen from the EDGAR general selection criteria in 34 CFR
75.210. The specific selection criteria for this competition are
included in the application package for this competition.
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.
Eligible Applicants: State and local educational agencies; IHEs;
other public agencies; nonprofit private organizations; outlying areas;
Freely Associated States; Indian tribes or tribal organizations; and
for-profit organizations.
Priority
Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3), we consider only applications that meet
the following priority:
Absolute Priority--Research on Educational Captioning (84.327H)
This priority supports innovative research on the use of various
approaches to captioning in specific settings such as educational,
recreational, or home settings. Research must study the educational
effects of captioning on enhancing the reading or literacy skills of
deaf and hard of hearing children in kindergarten through grade 12.
Media and technologies explored or used by a project may include,
but are not limited to (1) realtime captioning (remote or on-site); (2)
voice writing; and (3) media and multi-media technologies such as
interactive videodiscs, CD-ROMs, and DVDs.
Projects must--
(a) Identify specific approaches and settings that would be
investigated;
(b) Carry out the research within a conceptual framework that
provides a basis for the strategies to be studied, the research design,
and target population;
(c) Conduct the research in realistic residential, inclusive
schools, community, classroom, home, or other settings, as appropriate;
and
(d) Conduct the research using methodological procedures that will
produce unambiguous findings regarding the effects of approaches and
effects of the interaction among particular approaches, groups of
children, and settings.
Special Education--Training and Information for Parents of Children
With Disabilities [CFDA Number 84.328]
Purpose of Program: The purpose of this program is to ensure that
parents of children with disabilities receive
[[Page 43269]]
training and information to help improve results for their children.
Eligible Applicants: Parent organizations, as defined in section
682(g) of IDEA. In order to demonstrate its eligibility to receive a
grant, an entity must demonstrate that it is a parent organization
under this section. A parent organization is a private nonprofit
organization (other than an institution of higher education) that:
(a) Has a board of directors, the parent and professional members
of which are broadly representative of the population to be served and
the majority of whom are parents of children with disabilities, that
includes individuals with disabilities and individuals working in the
fields of special education, related services, and early intervention;
or
(b) Has a membership that represents the interests of individuals
with disabilities and has established a special governing committee
meeting the requirements for a board of directors in paragraph (a) and
has a memorandum of understanding between this special governing
committee and the board of directors of the organization that clearly
outlines the relationship between the board and the committee and the
decisionmaking responsibilities and authority of each.
In addition, any parent organization that establishes a special
governing committee must demonstrate that the bylaws of its
organization allow the governing committee to be responsible for
operating the project (consistent with existing fiscal policies of its
organization).
Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80,
81, 82, 85, 97, 98, and 99; and (b) The selection criteria, chosen from
the EDGAR general selection criteria in 34 CFR 75.210. The specific
selection criteria for this competition are included in the application
package for this competition.
Priority
Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3), we consider only applications that meet
the following priority:
Absolute Priority--Parent Training and Information Center for Texas--
Region 2 (84.328M)
Background
In Fiscal Year 2002, a competition was held for Parent Training and
Information Centers that included awards for Texas. All of the awards
made for Texas were made for a period of five years except for the
award to serve Region 2 of the State. Because of the quality of
applications to serve this region, an award was made for only one year.
This priority provides for a competition to continue services in Region
2 for an additional 4 years.
Priority
The purpose of this priority is to support a Parent Training and
Information Center in Texas--Region 2. A Parent Training and
Information Center must--
(a) Provide training and information that meets the training and
information needs of parents of children with disabilities in the area
served by the Center, particularly underserved parents and parents of
children who may be inappropriately identified, including those who are
not identified at all;
(b) Assist parents to understand the availability of, and how to
effectively use, procedural safeguards under IDEA, including
encouraging the use, and explaining the benefits, of alternative
methods of dispute resolution, such as the mediation process described
in IDEA;
(c) Serve the parents of infants, toddlers, and children with the
full range of disabilities;
(d) Assist parents to--
(1) Better understand the nature of their children's disabilities
and their educational and developmental needs;
(2) Communicate effectively with personnel responsible for
providing special education, early intervention, and related services;
(3) Participate in decisionmaking processes and the development of
individualized education programs and individualized family service
plans;
(4) Obtain appropriate information about the range of options,
programs, services, and resources available to assist children with
disabilities and their families;
(5) Understand the provisions of IDEA for the education of, and the
provision of early intervention services to, children with
disabilities; and
(6) Participate in school reform activities;
(e) Contract with the State educational agency, if the State elects
to contract with the Parent Training and Information Center, for the
purpose of meeting with parents who choose not to use the mediation
process to encourage the use, and explain the benefits, of mediation
consistent with section 615(e)(2)(B) and (D) of IDEA;
(f) Establish cooperative relations with the Community Parent
Resource Center or Centers in their State in accordance with section
683(b)(3) of IDEA;
(g) Network with appropriate clearinghouses, including
organizations conducting national dissemination activities under
section 685(d) of IDEA, and with other national, State, and local
organizations and agencies, such as protection and advocacy agencies,
that serve parents and families of children with the full range of
disabilities;
(h) Annually report to the Assistant Secretary on--
(1) The number of parents to whom the Parent Training and
Information Center provided information and training in the most
recently concluded fiscal year, and
(2) The effectiveness of strategies used to reach and serve
parents, including underserved parents of children with disabilities;
and
(i) If there is more than one parent center in a particular State,
coordinate its activities with the other center or centers to ensure
the most effective assistance to parents in that State.
An applicant must identify the strategies it will undertake--
(a) To ensure that the needs for training and information for
underserved parents of children with disabilities in the areas to be
served are effectively met, particularly in underserved areas of the
State; and
(b) To work with the community-based organizations, particularly in
the underserved areas of the State.
A Parent Training and Information Center that receives assistance
under this absolute priority may also conduct the following
activities--
(a) Provide information to teachers and other professionals who
provide special education and related services to children with
disabilities;
(b) Assist students with disabilities to understand their rights
and responsibilities on reaching the age of majority, as stated in
section 615(m) of IDEA; and
(c) Assist parents of children with disabilities to be informed
participants in the development and implementation of the State
improvement plan under IDEA.
In addition to the annual Project Directors' meeting included in
the ``General Requirements'' section of this notice, a project's budget
must include funds to attend a regional Project Directors' meeting to
be held each year of the project.
Current funding levels and number of school age children were
factors in determining the funding level for this grant. OSEP
identifies the Regions in Texas by using the educational services
breakdown operational within the State. Applications for this award
will be accepted to fund one parent center in
[[Page 43270]]
Region 2 only. Region 2 includes the following counties: Aransas,
Atascosa, Bandera, Bee, Boxer, Brezoria, Brooke, Calhoun, Cameron,
Chambers, Colorado, Dewitt, Dimmit, Duval, Fort Bond, Frio, Galveston,
Gollad, Harris, Hidalgo, Jackson, Jim Hogg, Jim Wells, Karnes, Kenedy,
Kerr, Kinney, Kisberg, La Salle, Lavaca, Liberty, Live Oak, Malagorda,
Maverik, McMullen, Medina, Nueces, Real, Refugio, San Patricio, Staarr,
Uvalde, Victoria, Waller, Webb, Wharton, Wilson, Willsoy, Zapata, and
Zavala.
Individuals With Disabilities Education Act Application Notice for Fiscal Year 2003
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Application Deadline for Estimated Maximum award Estimated
CFDA number and name Applications deadline intergovernmental available (per Project period Page number of
available date review funds year)[hairsp]* limit awards
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
84.326A The IDEA Partnership 07/21/03 08/20/03 09/19/03 $2,000,000 $2,000,000 Up to 60 mos............. 70 1
Project.
84.326D National Center on 07/21/03 08/20/03 09/19/03 500,000 500,000 Up to 60 mos............. 70 1
Dispute Resolution.
84.326P The National 07/21/03 08/20/03 09/19/03 500,000 500,000 Up to 60 mos............. 70 1
Coordination and Dissemination
Center to Improve Strategies
for the Recruitment and
Retention of Qualified
Personnel for Children with
Disabilities.
84.326V Federal Resource Center 07/21/03 08/20/03 09/19/03 800,000 800,000 Up to 60 mos............. 70 1
for Special Education.
84.327H Research on Educational 07/21/03 08/20/03 09/19/03 360,000 180,000 Up to 36 mos............. 50 2
Captioning.
84.328M Parent Training and 07/21/03 08/20/03 09/19/03 432,085 432,085 Up to 48 mos............. 50 1
Information Center for Texas--
Region 2.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* We will reject any application that proposes a budget exceeding the maximum award for a single budget period of 12 months.
Note: The Department of Education is not bound by any estimates in this notice.
For Applications Contact: If you want an application for any
competition in this notice, contact Education Publications Center (ED
Pubs), P.O. Box 1398, Jessup, Maryland 20794-1398. Telephone (toll
free): 1-877-4ED-Pubs (1-877-433-7827). FAX: 301-470-1244. Individuals
who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call (toll
free) 1-877-576-7734.
You may also contact Ed Pubs via its Web site: http://www. ed. gov/
pubs/ edpubs. html or you may contact ED Pubs at its e-mail address:
edpubs @ inet. ed. gov.
If you request an application from ED Pubs, be sure to identify the
competition by the appropriate CFDA number.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you want an additional information
about any competition in this notice, contact the Grants and Contracts
Services Team, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW.,
room 3317, Switzer Building, Washington, DC 20202-2550. Telephone:
(202) 205-8207.
If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may
call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339.
Individuals with disabilities may obtain this document in an
alternative format (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer
diskette) on request to the Grants and Contracts Services Team under
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. However, the Department is not able to
reproduce in an alternative format the standard forms included in the
application package.
Intergovernmental Review
All programs in this notice (except for the Research and Innovation
to Improve Services and Results for Children with Disabilities Program)
are subject to the requirements of Executive Order 12372 and the
regulations in 34 CFR part 79. One of the objectives of the Executive
Order is to foster an intergovernmental partnership and a strengthened
federalism. The Executive order relies on processes developed by State
and local governments for coordination and review of proposed Federal
financial assistance. This document provides early notification of our
specific plans and actions for these programs.
Electronic Access to This Document
You may view this document, as well as all other Department of
Education documents published in the Federal Register, in text or Adobe
Portable Document Format (PDF) on the internet at the following site:
http://www. ed. gov/ legislation /FedRegister.
To use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available
free at this site. If you have questions about using PDF, call the U.S.
Government Printing Office (GPO), toll free, at 1-888-293-6498; or in
the Washington, DC, area at (202) 512-1530.
Note: 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 on GPO Access at: http://www. access. gpo/
nara/ index. html.
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1405, 1461, 1485, and 1487.
Dated: July 16, 2003.
Robert H. Pasternack,
Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.
[FR Doc. 03-18485 Filed 7-18-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P