[Federal Register: January 11, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 7)]
[Notices]
[Page 1738-1744]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr11ja06-28]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services; Overview
Information; Technical Assistance and Dissemination To Improve Services
and Results for Children With Disabilities--Technical Assistance Center
on Evidence-Based Practices To Improve Early Literacy and Language
Development of Young Children With Disabilities; Notice Inviting
Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2006
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.326B.
Dates: Applications Available: January 13, 2006.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: February 27, 2006.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: May 31, 2006.
Eligible Applicants: State educational agencies (SEAs), local
educational agencies (LEAs), public charter schools that are LEAs under
State law, institutions of higher education (IHEs), other public
agencies, private nonprofit organizations, outlying areas, freely
associated States, Indian tribes or tribal organizations, and for-
profit organizations.
Estimated Available Funds: The Administration has requested
$49,397,000 for the Technical Assistance and Dissemination to Improve
Services and Results for Children with Disabilities program for FY
2006, of which we intend to use an estimated $800,000 for the Technical
Assistance Center on Evidence-Based Practices to Improve Early Literacy
and Language Development of Young Children with Disabilities
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 $800,000 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: This program promotes academic achievement and
[[Page 1739]]
improves results for children with disabilities by supporting technical
assistance, model demonstration projects, dissemination of useful
information, and implementation activities that are supported by
scientifically based research.
Priority: In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(v), this priority
is from allowable activities specified in the statute (see sections 663
and 681(d) of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)).
Absolute Priority: For FY 2005 this priority is an absolute
priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3), we consider only applications that
meet this priority.
This priority is:
Technical Assistance Center on Evidence-Based Practices To Improve
Early Literacy and Language Development of Young Children With
Disabilities
Background: The process of developing literacy skills begins in the
early childhood years. A growing body of evidence shows that early
literacy skills, such as phonological processing, print awareness, and
oral language are the foundations to later reading success. The
recognition of the early childhood years as a critical period in
developing the skills needed for later school success has been well
documented in research literature. Several recent Federal initiatives,
including the Early Reading First grants, the Good Start Grow Smart
initiative, and the White House Summit on Early Childhood Cognitive
Development in 2001, have highlighted the need for evidence-based
practices that promote and support the development of school readiness
skills, including early literacy.
In an effort to develop this research base, Federal resources have
been directed to examine the impact different curricula, interventions,
and programs have on young children's readiness skills, including early
literacy and language skills (e.g., Preschool Curriculum Evaluation
Research, Head Start Impact Study, Interagency School Readiness
Consortium, and Evaluation of Early Reading First Grants). Current
efforts are also underway to synthesize and disseminate this knowledge
base (e.g., What Works Clearinghouse review of early childhood
education, National Early Literacy Panel research synthesis, Child Care
and Early Education Research Connections, and Research and Training
Center in Early Childhood Development). The ultimate challenge in
promoting the development of early literacy and language skills in
young children is ensuring the various early care and education
providers and families have access to and can utilize the most up-to-
date research and information.
One group of children particularly at-risk for experiencing later
reading difficulties is young children with developmental delays or
diagnosed disabilities. Traditionally, early intervention and early
childhood special education providers have focused on developmental and
functional goals and have not necessarily addressed early literacy
skills. The growing evidence base on the relationship between early
literacy and later reading skills highlights the importance of working
on early literacy for young children with developmental delays or
diagnosed disabilities. Early literacy skills should be targeted with
the recognition of the integrated nature of young children's
development, within the context of broader early learning and
development.
In an effort to encourage the focus on readiness skills for young
children receiving services under IDEA, the Office of Special Education
Programs (OSEP) developed child outcome indicators for programs under
Part C and Part B that States must report on annually in the State
Performance Plan (SPP) and Annual Performance Report (APR) required
under section 616 of IDEA. These indicators include a focus on early
literacy and language development. Specialized technical assistance
will be needed to ensure early intervention and early childhood special
education and related service providers are equipped with evidence-
based interventions and practices that promote the development of early
literacy and language skills in young children with disabilities.
Priority: The Technical Assistance Center on Evidence-Based
Practice to Improve Early Literacy and Language Development of Young
Children with Disabilities (the Center) is designed to build on the
existing database of evidence-based and promising intervention
practices and to identify, disseminate, and assist in the
implementation of the most successful practices available that improve
the early literacy and language outcomes of young children with
disabilities. For purposes of this priority, young children with
disabilities mean children from birth through age five with
developmental delays and diagnosed disabilities. The Center must
provide the conceptual framework and research base for intervention
practices and a cohesive decision-making model related to implementing
those practices. In carrying out its activities, the Center must take
into consideration the availability of professionals who can coordinate
and deliver an effective and practical approach to technical assistance
(TA) that providers and programs can adopt, TA efforts that support and
enhance the use of evidence-based practices, and TA efforts that
support Federal provisions for delivery of services to infants,
toddlers, and preschool children with disabilities under Part C and
Part B of IDEA.
The Center's knowledge and development activities must include but
are not limited to:
(a) Developing a conceptual framework for the work of the Center
that includes an evidence base for intervention practices that have
been shown to improve early literacy and language outcomes in the
context of broader early learning and development, and a cohesive
decision-making model related to implementing those practices.
(b) Developing a national TA network comprised of a cadre of
experts to provide TA to States in early language and literacy
development for young children with disabilities. In their
applications, applicants must describe the network and identify the
cadre of experts.
(c) In year 1 of the project period, conducting or identifying
research syntheses on interventions that have been shown to improve the
early literacy and language outcomes for young children with
disabilities, and increase the likelihood that they will enter school
ready to succeed and participate in classrooms with their typically
developing peers. To the extent possible, the Center should use
criteria from the What Works Clearinghouse and other rigorous sources
in determining what is ``evidenced-based''. The research syntheses
conducted or identified must at a minimum include research synthesis
on:
(1) Developmentally appropriate interventions for young children
with disabilities that target the critical components of early
literacy, such as phonological processing, print awareness, oral
language, and the motivational aspects of early literacy.
(2) Curricula with a research base for young children that include
a focus on early literacy and language and how these curricula can be
successfully modified, adapted, or individualized for young children
with disabilities. These curricula could primarily target early
literacy and language or be part of an integrated approach focused on
the development of language, early literacy and other pre-academic
skills, social behavior, and social-emotional
[[Page 1740]]
competence necessary for later academic learning and achievement.
(3) The delivery of evidence-based interventions and curricula
targeting early literacy and language in a variety of inclusive and
natural early childhood environments.
(4) The delivery of family-focused interventions targeting early
literacy and language for children receiving services under Part C of
IDEA.
(5) Empirically-based assessment practices, including the use of
valid and reliable curriculum-based assessments and measures (CBA/CBM)
for improving early literacy and language, monitoring individual growth
and progress, data-based decisionmaking, aggregating individual child
data to evaluate program efforts, and coordinating assessments with
State early learning or school readiness standards targeting early
literacy and language.
(6) TA strategies that lead to knowledge utilization, sustainable
changes in practice, and improved outcomes.
The Center's TA and dissemination activities must include but are
not limited to:
(a) Providing general TA and information on evidence-based
interventions and practices that promote the development of early
literacy and language skills for young children with disabilities to
all interested States and other stakeholders. This general TA must
reflect the on-going work of the Center by providing up-to-date
information on practices that enhance early literacy and language
development of young children with disabilities through a variety of TA
and dissemination activities (e.g., Web site; listserv; presentations
at national, regional, or State conferences; conducting national
training institutes, etc.). The Center's training and support must
develop the capacity of service providers to use high quality,
evidence-based interventions and practices in the various settings
where young children with disabilities are served including home,
typical early childhood settings, and early intervention/early
childhood special education settings. For children receiving services
under Part C of IDEA the focus must be on family-focused interventions.
(b) In years 1 and 2 of the project period, identifying and/or
developing and evaluating models that successfully implement evidence-
based or promising practices and interventions that promote the
development of early literacy and language in young children with
disabilities in a minimum of five local communities. Models must be
identified or developed for providers and programs serving young
children with disabilities receiving services under Part C and Part B
of IDEA. Models developed or identified must include sites where
providers and programs serve young children with disabilities in a
variety of settings and sites in various types of communities (rural,
urban, suburban, etc.) serving diverse groups of children. Models must
include the creation and implementation of professional development
plans that enhance early childhood professionals' implementation of
evidence-based and high quality interventions and practices.
Professional development plans must include early intervention and
early childhood special education providers and may include other early
care and education providers serving young children with disabilities,
such as providers in Head Start/Early Head Start, child care, Title I-
funded school-based preschool, and State funded pre-K programs. The
Center should be attentive to factors that facilitate fidelity of
implementation and are necessary to sustain the model.
(c) In years 3, 4, and 5 of the project period, facilitating the
development of State-wide or regional TA networks specifically focused
on increasing the use of evidence-based practices that improve the
early literacy and language outcomes of young children with
disabilities by scaling-up evidence-based models and practices. These
TA networks must include building a system for training and supporting
State-funded or program-funded ``coaches'' who provide TA to regional,
State, and local early intervention and early childhood special
education programs and providers and other early childhood
professionals serving young children with disabilities (such as Head
Start/Early Head Start, child care, Title I-funded school-based
preschool, and State-funded pre-K programs). These TA networks also
must include State and local early childhood program administrators
(Part C and Part B, Section 619 coordinators, child care
administrators, Head Start administrators, Pre-K administrators),
families, early childhood professional development experts (including
community colleges and other IHEs), researchers, early childhood TA
experts, and others. The Center must allocate sufficient resources and
time to develop strong TA networks and must give priority to working
with States most in need. Applicants must describe in their
applications the process and criteria for choosing the States with whom
they will work and should consider child outcome data reported on State
APRs. This selection process must involve consultation with OSEP.
(d) Developing and implementing a plan for involving and
communicating with families in the work of the Center. This plan must
be developed in collaboration with OSEP-funded parent programs,
including representatives from both the Parent Training and Information
Centers and the Community Parent Resource Centers funded by the
Department under sections 671 and 672 of IDEA, and must include
strategies to ensure involvement and communication with diverse and
hard-to-reach families.
The Center also must--
(a) Coordinate the Center's and the TA networks' activities with
existing and future IDEA-funded early intervention and early childhood
special education TA and research centers. The Center must build on the
work of other successful federally funded early childhood projects
where applicable. The Center must coordinate activities with the
National Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center (NECTAC), the
Regional Resource Centers (RRCs), and the Early Childhood Outcomes
(ECO) Center, and build on the work of the Research and Training Center
in Early Childhood Development;
(b) Coordinate the Center's and the TA networks' activities with
other national, regional, State, and local early childhood training and
TA efforts, including but not limited to such efforts targeting Head
Start/Early Head Start, child care, Title I school-based preschool
programs, and State-funded pre-K programs;
(c) Establish, maintain, and meet at least annually with a national
advisory group that includes families, early intervention and early
childhood special education providers, early literacy experts, national
early childhood organizations, and community members involved with
young children with disabilities. The national advisory group will be
responsible for providing annual feedback on the plans, activities, and
accomplishments of the Center;
(d) Evaluate the Center's and TA networks' activities. The Center
must measure the impact of TA activities on early childhood
professionals and families. Specifically, the Center must document what
practitioners and families learn and how TA affected their interactions
with young children with disabilities;
(e) Maintain a Web site that is available to early childhood
professionals and families and includes all TA materials prepared by
the Center in a format that meets a government or
[[Page 1741]]
industry-recognized standard for accessibility; and
(f) Maintain on-going communication with the OSEP project officer,
including monthly conference calls. Budget for a three-day Project
Directors' meeting in Washington, DC during each year of the project
plus additional two-day trips annually to Washington, DC to attend
additional national meetings and to meet and collaborate with the OSEP
Project Officer and other funded projects for purposes of cross-project
collaboration and information exchange.
Fourth and Fifth Years of the Project: In deciding whether to
continue funding the Center 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 travel expenses 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) The degree to which the project promotes best practices in the
area of services to young children with disabilities.
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. 1463 and 1481(d).
Applicable Regulations: The Education Department General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80,
81, 82, 84, 85, 86, 97, 98, and 99.
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 79 apply to all applicants
except federally recognized Indian tribes.
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to IHEs only.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Cooperative agreement.
Estimated Available Funds: The Administration has requested
$49,397,000 for the Technical Assistance and Dissemination to Improve
Services and Results for Children with Disabilities program for FY
2006, of which we intend to use an estimated $800,000 for the Technical
Assistance Center on Evidence-Based Practices to Improve Early Literacy
and Language Development of Young Children with Disabilities
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 $800,000 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.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants: SEAs, LEAs, public charter schools that are
LEAs under State law, IHEs, other public agencies, private nonprofit
organizations, outlying areas, freely associated States, Indian tribes
or tribal organizations, and for-profit organizations.
2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This competition does not involve cost
sharing or matching.
3. Other: General Requirements--(a) The projects 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 competition
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 84.326B.
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 Grants and Contracts
Services Team 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: January 13, 2006.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: February 27, 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.
[[Page 1742]]
We do not consider an application that does not comply with the
deadline requirements.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: May 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 Technical Assistance Center on Evidence-Based
Practices to Improve Early Literacy and Language Development of Young
Children with Disabilities-CFDA Number 84.326B 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 Technical
Assistance Center on Evidence-Based Practices to Improve Early Literacy
and Language Development of Young Children with Disabilities 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.
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.
[[Page 1743]]
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
84.326B), 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
84.326B), 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: (CFDA Number 84.326B), 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: Under the Government Performance and
Results Act (GPRA), the Department has developed measures that will
yield information on various aspects of the Technical Assistance and
Dissemination to Improve Services and Results for Children with
Disabilities program. These measures focus on: the extent to which
projects provide high quality products and services, the relevance of
project products and services to educational and early intervention
policy and practice, and the use of products and services to improve
educational and early intervention policy and practice.
We will notify grantees if they will be required to provide any
information related to these measures.
Grantees will also be required to report information on their
projects' performance in annual reports to the Department (34 CFR
75.590).
VII. Agency Contact
For Further Information Contact: Jennifer Tschantz, U.S. Department
of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 4055, Potomac Center
Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-2550. Telephone: (202) 245-7556.
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
.
[[Page 1744]]
Dated: January 5, 2006.
John H. Hager,
Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.
[FR Doc. E6-163 Filed 1-10-06;8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P