[Federal Register: December 12, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 237)]
[Notices]
[Page 73456-73460]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr12de05-45]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services; Overview
Information; Personnel Preparation to Improve Services and Results for
Children With Disabilities--Center on High Quality Personnel in
Inclusive Preschool Settings; Notice Inviting Applications for New
Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2006
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.325S.
Dates: Applications Available: December 13, 2005.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: January 30, 2006.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: March 31, 2006.
Eligible Applicants: Institutions of higher education (IHEs).
Estimated Available Funds: The Administration has requested
$90,626,000 for the Personnel Preparation to Improve Services and
Results for Children with Disabilities program for FY 2006, of which we
intend to use an estimated $500,000 for the Center on High Quality
Personnel in Inclusive Preschool Settings 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.
Maximum Award: We will reject any application that proposes a
budget exceeding $500,000 for a single budget period of 12 months. The
Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services
may change the maximum amount through a notice published in the Federal
Register.
Number of Awards: 1.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this
notice.
Project Period: Up to 60 months.
Full Text of Announcement
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Purpose of Program: The purposes of this program are to (1) help
address State-identified needs for highly qualified personnel--in
special education, related services, early intervention, and regular
education--to work with infants or toddlers with disabilities, or
children with disabilities; and (2) ensure that those personnel have
the skills and knowledge--derived from practices that have been
determined through research and experience to be successful--that are
needed to serve those children.
Priority: In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(v), this priority
is from allowable activities specified in the statute (see sections
662(d) and 681(d) of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
(IDEA)).
Absolute Priority: For FY 2006 this priority is an absolute
priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3), we consider only applications that
meet this priority.
This priority is:
Center on High Quality Personnel in Inclusive Preschool Settings
Background
Research has demonstrated that preschoolers with and without
disabilities can make positive developmental and school readiness gains
by participating in high quality inclusive preschool programs (Odom et
al., 2003). However, simply placing a child with disabilities in an
inclusive setting does not guarantee these benefits. Adequate support
is necessary to make inclusive preschool settings successful learning
environments for all children.
Research consistently shows that teacher quality is strongly
related to outcomes for students at all educational levels. Because the
preschool years are so critical in fostering the development of skills
needed for later school success, it is extremely important that
programs serving preschoolers are staffed by personnel who are trained
to implement evidence-based inclusion models and practices. To this
end, support for such programs should include professional development
and training activities that focus on implementing evidence-based
preschool inclusion models and practices. The activities supported
through this priority have the potential to improve the quality and
accessibility of professional development and training activities
available to prepare personnel to work in inclusive preschool settings.
Priority
The purpose of this priority is to support a Center that will
increase the number of high quality early childhood personnel who serve
preschoolers with disabilities in inclusive settings. The Center will
accomplish this goal, in part, by developing State networks that are
designed to improve the quality and accessibility of rigorous, on-going
professional development and training opportunities that will prepare
personnel to work in inclusive preschool settings. Specifically, the
Center will: (1) Develop State networks that include, at a minimum,
State and local early childhood program administrators (including part
B section 619 coordinators, child care
[[Page 73457]]
administrators, and Head Start State Collaboration Offices), local
early care and education providers, early childhood teacher trainers
(IHEs and community colleges) and technical assistance providers; (2)
assist each network in developing a plan for the ongoing provision of
rigorous, research-based training and professional development
activities in inclusive preschool settings within a specific, ambitious
timeframe; and (3) coordinate the provision of research-based
professional development and training opportunities for early childhood
special educators, related services personnel, pre-Kindergarten
teachers, Head Start teachers, and child care providers.
To meet the requirements of this priority, at a minimum, the Center
must:
(a) Assist at least ten States in establishing State personnel
preparation networks that focus primarily on enhancing the quality of
inclusive preschool settings by ensuring increased availability of, and
access to, rigorous professional development and other training
opportunities for staff who work in inclusive preschool settings.
Training and professional development should focus on ensuring that
personnel who will work in inclusive preschool programs are trained to
implement evidence-based preschool inclusion models and practices. The
Center must prioritize work with States most in need;
(b) Describe in its application the process and criteria for
choosing States. This process should involve consultation with the
Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), the HHS Child Care Bureau,
Head Start Bureau, and other federal programs serving young children.
States that are selected to work with the Center should demonstrate a
commitment to developing State personnel preparation networks and plans
for improving inclusive preschool training and professional development
opportunities;
(c) Develop a State preschool inclusion needs assessment plan that
focuses on the area(s) of training and professional development that
will guide the State preschool inclusion networks;
(d) Describe in its application a proposed model for the State
preschool inclusion networks. States may choose to coordinate with
other early childhood networks that exist in that State;
(e) Establish a cadre of national training consultants and a system
for communication and interaction among the States developing preschool
inclusion networks;
(f) Describe in its application the research-based professional
development and other training activities that will be promoted through
the Center;
(g) Describe in its application the research-based preschool
inclusion models and practices that will be promoted through the
Center;
(h) Prepare and disseminate reports, documents, and training and
professional development materials on ``best practices'' in preschool
inclusion and related topics for specific audiences, such as early
childhood special educators, related services personnel, pre-
Kindergarten teachers, Head Start teachers, child care personnel, early
childhood program administrators, trainers of early care and education
personnel, and technical assistance providers. This content would also
be made available for use by the Information and Technical Assistance
Providers funded by the Head Start and HHS Child Care Bureaus, as well
as Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies. This effort must include
the development and dissemination of materials to assist local
communities in increasing the number of high quality early childhood
personnel who serve young children with disabilities in inclusive
settings. These materials must also assist early childhood technical
assistance providers in developing training materials;
(i) Maintain communication and collaboration with early childhood
technical assistance providers (including those funded by OSEP, Head
Start, and the HHS Child Care Bureau) and organizations (including the
Council for Exceptional Children's Division of Early Childhood, the
National Association for the Education of Young Children, and others);
(j) Establish, maintain, and meet at least annually in Washington
DC with an advisory committee. The advisory committee should consist of
representatives from State and local agencies and programs serving
preschool-age children, trainers of early care and education personnel
(including representatives from IHEs and community colleges), early
childhood technical assistance providers, parents of young children
with disabilities, early care and education providers, professional
organizations, advocacy groups, researchers, and other appropriate
stakeholders;
(k) Conduct an evaluation of the State preschool inclusion networks
to: (1) Identify and document the most effective ways to improve the
quality of training and professional development for staff in inclusive
preschool settings; and (2) identify, examine, and document the most
promising strategies for increasing the number of high quality early
childhood personnel who serve preschoolers with disabilities in
inclusive settings;
(l) Prior to developing any new product, paper or electronic,
submit a proposal to OSEP for approval describing the content and
purpose of the product to a designated OSEP Project Officer and to the
document review board at OSEP's Dissemination Center;
(m) Budget for a three-day Project Directors' meeting in
Washington, DC during each year of the project; and
(n) Maintain a Web site that includes relevant information and
documents in a format that meets government or industry-recognized
standards for accessibility.
Statutory Requirements: To be considered for an award, an applicant
must also satisfy the following requirements contained in section
662(e) through (f) of the IDEA:
(a) Demonstrate that the activities described in the application
will address needs identified by the State or States the applicant
proposes to serve and that the State or States intend to accept
successful completion of the proposed personnel preparation program as
meeting State personnel standards or other requirements in State law or
regulation for serving children with disabilities or serving infants
and toddlers with disabilities (see sections 662(e)(2)(A) and 662(f)(2)
of the IDEA). Letters from the State or States that the project
proposes to serve could be one method for addressing this requirement;
and
(b) Demonstrate that the applicant and one or more State
educational agencies--or, if appropriate, State appointed lead agencies
responsible for providing early intervention services--or local
educational agencies will cooperate in carrying out and monitoring the
proposed project (see section 662(e)(2)(B) of IDEA).
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 a proposed priority. However,
section 681(d) of IDEA makes the public comment requirements under the
APA inapplicable to the priority in this notice.
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1462 and 1481(d).
Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General
[[Page 73458]]
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80,
81, 82, 84, 85, 86, 97, 98, and 99.
(b) The regulations for this program in 34 CFR part 304.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Cooperative agreement.
Estimated Available Funds: The Administration has requested
$90,626,000 for the Personnel Preparation to Improve Services and
Results for Children with Disabilities program for FY 2006, of which we
intend to use an estimated $500,000 for the Center on High Quality
Personnel in Inclusive Preschool Settings 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.
Maximum Award: We will reject any application that proposes a
budget exceeding $500,000 for a single budget period of 12 months. The
Assistant Secretary for the Office of Special Education and
Rehabilitative Services may change the maximum amount through a notice
published in the Federal Register.
Number of Awards: 1.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this
notice.
Project Period: Up to 60 months.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants: IHEs.
2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This competition does not involve cost
sharing or matching.
3. Other: General Requirements--(a) The project funded under this
competition 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 ages birth through 26 in planning, implementing, and
evaluating the projects (see section 682(a)(1)(A) of IDEA).
IV. Application and Submission Information
1. Address to Request Application Package: Education Publications
Center (ED Pubs), P.O. Box 1398, Jessup, MD 20794-1398. Telephone (toll
free): 1-877-433-7827. FAX: (301) 470-1244. If you use a
telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may call (toll free):
1-877-576-7734.
You may also contact ED Pubs at 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
this competition as follows: CFDA Number 84.325S.
Individuals with disabilities may obtain a copy of the application
package in an alternative format (e.g., Braille, large print,
audiotape, or computer diskette) by contacting the program contact
person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT in section VII of
this notice.
2. Content and Form of Application Submission: Requirements
concerning the content of an application, together with the forms you
must submit, are in the application package for this competition.
Page Limit: The application narrative (part III of the application)
is where you, the applicant, address the selection criteria that
reviewers use to evaluate your application. You must limit part III to
the equivalent of no more than 70 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).
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; the one-page abstract, the
resumes, the bibliography, the references, or the letters of support.
However, you must include all of the application narrative in part III.
We will reject your application if:
You apply these standards and exceed the page limit; or
You apply other standards and exceed the equivalent of the
page limit.
3. Submission Dates and Times:
Applications Available: December 13, 2005.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: January 30, 2006.
Applications for grants under this competition may be submitted
electronically using the Grants.gov Apply site (Grants.gov), or in
paper format by mail or hand delivery. For information (including dates
and times) about how to submit your application electronically, or by
mail or hand delivery, please refer to section IV. 6. Other Submission
Requirements in this notice.
We do not consider an application that does not comply with the
deadline requirements.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: March 31, 2006.
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 competition.
5. Funding Restrictions: We reference regulations outlining funding
restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.
6. Other Submission Requirements: Applications for grants under
this competition may be submitted electronically or in paper format by
mail or hand delivery.
a. Electronic Submission of Applications. We have been accepting
applications electronically through the Department's e-Application
system since FY 2000. In order to expand on those efforts and comply
with the President's Management Agenda, we are continuing to
participate as a partner in the new government wide Grants.gov Apply
site in FY 2006. The Center on High Quality Personnel in Inclusive
Preschool Settings-CFDA Number 84.325S is one of the competitions
included in this project. We request your participation in Grants.gov.
If you choose to submit your application electronically, you must
use the Grants.gov Apply site at http://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 e-mail an electronic copy of a grant application to us.
You may access the electronic grant application for The Center on
High Quality Personnel in Inclusive Preschool Settings at: http://www.grants.gov.
You must search for the downloadable application
package for this program by the CFDA number. Do not include the CFDA
number's alpha suffix in your search.
Please note the following:
Your participation in Grants.gov is voluntary.
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.
[[Page 73459]]
Applications received by Grants.gov are time and date
stamped. Your application must be fully uploaded and submitted, and
must be date/time stamped by the Grants.gov system no later than 4:30
p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. Except as
otherwise noted in this section, we will not consider your application
if it is date/time stamped by the Grants.gov system later than 4:30
p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. When we
retrieve your application from Grants.gov, we will notify you if we are
rejecting your application because it was date/time stamped by the
Grants.gov system after 4:30 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 application 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 at http://e-Grants.ed.gov/help/GrantsgovSubmissionProcedures.pdf
.
To submit your application via Grants.gov, you must
complete all of the steps in the Grants.gov registration process (see
http://www.Grants.gov/GetStarted). These steps include (1) registering
your organization, (2) registering yourself as an Authorized
Organization Representative (AOR), and (3) getting authorized as an AOR
by your organization. Details on these steps are outlined in the
Grants.gov 3-Step Registration Guide (see http://www.grants.gov/assets/GrantsgovCoBrandBrochure8X11.pdf
). You also must provide on your
application the same D-U-N-S Number used with this registration. Please
note that the registration process may take five or more business days
to complete, and you must have completed all registration steps to
allow you to successfully submit an application via Grants.gov.
You will not receive additional point value because you
submit your application in electronic format, nor will we penalize you
if you submit your application in paper format.
You may submit all documents electronically, including all
information typically included on the Application for Federal Education
Assistance (ED 424), Budget Information--Non-Construction Programs (ED
524), and all necessary assurances and certifications. If you choose to
submit your application electronically, you must attach any narrative
sections of your application as files in a .DOC (document), .RTF (rich
text) or .PDF (Portable Document) format. If you upload a file type
other than the three file types specified above or submit a password
protected file, we will not review that material.
Your electronic application must comply with any page
limit requirements described in this notice.
After you electronically submit your application, you will
receive an automatic acknowledgment from Grants.gov that contains a
Grants.gov tracking number. The Department will retrieve your
application from Grants.gov and send you a second confirmation by e-
mail that will include 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 System
Unavailability. 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 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 as described elsewhere in this notice. If you submit an
application after 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the deadline date,
please contact the person listed elsewhere in this notice under FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT, and provide an explanation of the
technical problem you experienced with Grants.gov, along with the
Grants.gov Support Desk Case Number (if available). 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 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: Extensions referred to 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 deadline date
and time or if the technical problem you experienced is unrelated to
the Grants.gov system.
b. Submission of Paper Applications by Mail. If you submit your
application in paper format by mail (through the U.S. Postal Service or
a commercial carrier), you must mail the original and two copies of
your application, on or before the application deadline date, to the
Department at the applicable following address:
By mail through the U.S. Postal Service: U.S. Department of
Education, Application Control Center, Attention: (CFDA Number
84.325S), 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20202-4260;
or
By mail through a commercial carrier: U.S. Department of Education,
Application Control Center--Stop 4260, Attention: (CFDA Number
84.325S), 7100 Old Landover Road, Landover, MD 20785-1506.
Regardless of which address you use, you must show proof of mailing
consisting of one of the following:
(1) A legibly dated U.S. Postal Service postmark,
(2) A legible mail receipt with the date of mailing stamped by the
U.S. Postal Service,
(3) A dated shipping label, invoice, or receipt from a commercial
carrier, or
(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, or
(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 submit
your application in paper format by hand delivery, you (or a courier
service) 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:
[[Page 73460]]
(CFDA Number 84.325S), 550 12th Street, SW., Room 7041, Potomac Center
Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-4260.
The Application Control Center accepts hand deliveries daily
between 8 a.m. and 4:30 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 4 of ED 424 the CFDA number--and suffix
letter, if any--of the competition under which you are submitting
your application.
(2) The Application Control Center will mail a grant application
receipt acknowledgment to you. If you do not receive the grant
application receipt acknowledgment 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
Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this competition are
from 34 CFR 75.210 and are listed in the application package.
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 also notify you informally.
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: 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 specified by the Secretary in
34 CFR 75.118.
4. Performance Measures: The Department intends to document the
effectiveness of the activities supported under the priority
established in this notice in a variety of ways. If funded, in addition
to conducting the required evaluation(s), applicants will be required
to collect and report data on grant-supported activities annually.
These data will include: (1) The number of States that have established
State personnel preparation networks that meet all of the requirements
established in this priority; (2) the number(s) of individuals who
participate in, and complete, research-based training and professional
development in each State as a result of the State's network
activities; and (3) the extent to which the curricula of training
programs funded under this competition reflect the current knowledge
base of effective practices.
We will notify grantees of any additional data collection and
reporting requirements once they are developed.
VII. Agency Contact
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Beth Caron, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 4052, Potomac Center Plaza,
Washington, DC 20202-2550. Telephone: (202) 245-7293.
If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may
call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) 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 by contacting the following office: The Grants and
Contracts Services Team, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland
Avenue, SW., Potomac Center Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-2550.
Telephone: (202) 245-7363.
VIII. Other Information
Electronic Access to This Document: You may 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) on the
Internet at the following site: http://www.ed.gov/news/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.gpoaccess.gov/nara/index.html
.
Dated: December 7, 2005.
John H. Hager,
Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.
[FR Doc. E5-7238 Filed 12-9-05; 8:45 am]
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