[Federal Register: February 24, 1998 (Volume 63, Number 36)]
[Notices]
[Page 9375-9387]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr24fe98-177]
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Part III
Department of Education
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Special Education and Rehabilitative Services; Grant Applications;
Notice
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Special Education and Rehabilitative Services; Grant Applications
AGENCY: Department of Education.
ACTION: Notice inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year
1998.
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SUMMARY: On June 4, 1997, the President signed into law Public Law 105-
17, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Amendments of 1997,
amending the Individual with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
This notice provides closing dates and other information regarding
the transmittal of applications for fiscal year 1998 competitions under
four programs authorized by IDEA, as amended. The four programs are:
(1) Special Education--Technical Assistance and Dissemination to
Improve Services and Results for Children with Disabilities (four
priorities); (2) Special Education--Technology and Media Services for
Individuals with Disabilities (two priorities); (3) Research and
Innovation to Improve Services and Results for Children with
Disabilities (one priority); and (4) Special Education--Personnel
Preparation to Improve Services and Results for Children with
Disabilities (one priority).
This notice supports the National Education Goals by helping to
improve results for children with disabilities.
Waiver of Rulemaking
It is generally the practice of the Secretary to offer interested
parties the opportunity to comment on proposed priorities. However,
section 661(e)(2) of IDEA makes the Administrative Procedure Act (5
U.S.C. 553) inapplicable to the priorities in this notice. In order to
make awards on a timely basis, the Secretary has decided to publish
these priorities in final under the authority of section 661(e)(2).
General Requirements
(a) Projects funded under this notice must make positive efforts to
employ and advance in employment qualified individuals with
disabilities in project activities (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); and
(c) Projects funded under these priorities must budget for a two-
day Project Directors' meeting in Washington, D.C. during each year of
the project.
(d) In a single application, an applicant is required to address
only one absolute priority in this notice.
Note: The Department of Education is not bound by any estimates
in this notice.
Special Education--Technical Assistance and Dissemination To
Improve Services and Results for Children With Disabilities
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 improve
early intervention, educational, and transitional services and results
for children with disabilities and their families, and address
systemic-change goals and priorities.
Eligible Applicants: State and local educational agencies;
institutions of higher education; other public agencies; private
nonprofit organizations; outlying areas; freely associated States;
Indian tribes or tribal organizations; and for-profit organizations.
Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 76, 77, 79,
80, 81, 82, 85, and 86; and (b) The selection criteria included in
regulations for these programs in 34 CFR part 305.31 for the Regional
Resource Centers priority, and 320.30 for the remaining three
priorities.
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to institutions of
higher education only.
Priority
Under section 685 and 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3), the Secretary gives an
absolute preference to applications that meet any one of the following
priorities. The Secretary funds under these competitions only those
applications that meet these absolute priorities:
Absolute Priority 1--Regional Resource Centers (84.326R)
Background
State educational agencies (SEAs) are increasingly being asked to
make changes to their systems for providing early intervention, special
education, and transition services to improve results for children with
disabilities and their families. Recent findings on educational change
suggest that in order to create successful and lasting ``systemic
change'': (1) decisions should be data-based; (2) multiple aspects of
the system should be considered, including policies and practices at
national, State, district, classroom, teacher, and student levels; (3)
change should be driven from both the top-down and the bottom-up; (4)
barriers to systemic change, such as fragmented policies and
complicated administrative requirements should be eliminated; and (5)
changes to one sector of the system should be directly linked to
changes in all other system sectors (for example, personnel development
and teacher certification must be linked to curriculum content and
student outcomes). Furthermore, SEAs striving for such complex
transformations will be required to establish new partnerships,
translate validated research findings into practice, and provide
personnel with specialized knowledge and skills.
In order to help States improve their special education programs,
the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) has supported Regional
Resource Centers (RRCs) which employ a variety of strategies, including
needs assessment, staff training, policy and product development, and
information dissemination. Historically, these strategies, although
requested and well received by SEAs, have focused primarily on specific
policy or program issues. They have seldom addressed the SEA's systemic
needs.
For over a decade, OSEP has supported State system change efforts
through a number of discretionary projects. These projects, although
successful, were limited in number and scope, focusing specifically on
secondary transition and the education of children with severe
disabilities. The IDEA Amendments of 1997 specifically authorize
technical assistance on assisting SEAs and their partners in planning
and implementing systemic change. In this regard, the following
priority would require the RRCs to assist SEAs and LEAs in including
general educators in systems change efforts designed to improve results
for children with disabilities.
The Regional Resource Centers will become a key component of OSEP's
expanded systems change efforts, serving not only in their traditional
capacity as technical assistance providers, but also as brokers of
technical assistance for SEAs, LEAs, and their partners. This new role
would require RRCs to serve as a link between SEAs and appropriate
technical assistance providers at national, State, and local levels
that can assist States in achieving systemic change and improving
results for children with disabilities and their families.
Consistent with the Regional Resource Centers' central mission of
helping States improve their special education
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programs, the following priority requires centers to address the
general technical assistance needs of SEAs and their partners related
to the development and implementation of State Improvement Plans under
the new State Program Improvement Grants for Children with Disabilities
(or SIG program). The SIG program supports competitive grants designed
to assist State educational agencies and their partners in reforming
and improving their systems for providing educational, early
intervention, and transitional services, including their systems for
professional development, technical assistance, and dissemination of
knowledge about best practices, in order to improve results for
children with disabilities. Because Regional Resource Centers are
funded to provide technical assistance and to serve as a resource for
information requests from all States within their regions, and must do
so on an equitable basis across those States, centers are prohibited
from helping a State draft its SIG application, providing technical
assistance on what to include in the application or how to draft the
application contents, or performing any other function that could be
viewed as providing a competitive advantage to one potential SIG
program applicant over another. On the other hand, helping States, for
example, with needs assessments, project implementation, and
evaluation, and other activities related to the State improvement plan
are consistent with the centers' general role and are authorized under
the following priority.
Priority
The Secretary establishes an absolute priority for the purpose of
supporting Regional Resource Centers. The Regional Resource Centers,
through written technical assistance agreements with SEAs, LEAs, and
other entities must--
(a) Increase the depth and utility of information in on-going and
emerging areas of priority needs as identified by States, local
educational agencies, and participants in SIG partnerships that are in
the process of making systemic changes. To expand information depth and
utility, Regional Resource Centers must, for example, cooperate with
the Federal Resource Center in collecting and sharing information on
current practices, policies, and programs relevant to State
implementation of IDEA.
(b) Promote change through a multi-State or regional framework that
benefits States, local educational agencies, and participants in SIG
partnerships pursuing systemic-changes. To promote change, Regional
Resource Centers must conduct activities such as--
(1) Identifying general and special education technical assistance
providers funded by the Department of Education at national, State, and
local levels, and linking them with SEAs to help them achieve systemic
change and improved results for children with disabilities and their
families.
(2) Collaborating with other Department-funded programs that
address special needs related to school-based reform (e.g., school-wide
and other programs under Title I of the Elementary and Secondary
Education Act).
(3) Participating in Department of Education program coordinated
reviews whose purpose is to ensure that technical assistance activities
of the centers are coordinated with those of other technical assistance
providers to meet State identified needs in a comprehensive and
efficient manner. The program coordinated reviews conducted by the
Department focus on areas in which technical assistance is needed
across programs such as standards and assessments, parent involvement,
professional development, transition from school to work, and education
reform.
(c) Promote communication and information exchange among States,
local educational agencies, and participants in SIG partnerships based
on the needs, concerns, emerging issues, and trends identified by these
agencies and participants. Such bases may include, for example:
(1) Persistent problems that arise as States comply with IDEA
requirements (e.g., identifying appropriate settings for infants and
toddlers, transition issues, shortages of related service personnel,
alternate assessment strategies, or determining appropriate uses of
technology).
(2) Issues faced by local, regional, and State entities in
implementing systemic reform, (e.g., placement issues, training and
support for teachers, developing useful curricular materials based on
sound instructional principles, managing children who exhibit
challenging behaviors).
(3) Variance in practices, procedures, and policies of States,
local educational agencies, and participants in SIG partnerships.
(4) Accountability of States, local educational agencies and
participants in SIG partnerships for improved early intervention,
educational, and transitional results for children with disabilities.
(d) Provide technical assistance to State educational agencies and
their partners related to State improvement plans under the SIG
program. Technical assistance activities may include--
(1) Developing general models for SEAs to use in developing their
State improvement plans under the SIG program (See Sec. 653 of IDEA);
(2) Helping SEAs conduct needs assessment activities stipulated in
the State improvement plan (See Sec. 653(b) of IDEA);
(3) Helping SEAs and their partners implement systemic changes
specified in the State improvement plan (See Sec. 653(c) of IDEA);
(4) Helping to evaluate the systemic outcomes of State improvement
activities (See Sec. 653(f) of IDEA); and
(5) Serving as a technical assistance facilitator to establish
mentoring relationships between SEAs that have successfully implemented
State improvement activities under the SIG program and those seeking
funding under the SIG program.
(e) Assist States in developing and implementing strategies to
comply with IDEA requirements such as establishing performance goals
and indicators under section 612(a)(16). To assist States, the Regional
Resource Centers may conduct activities such as--
(1) Designing LEA systems for ensuring compliance, (e.g., LEA
monitoring, eligibility, complaint resolution);
(2) Developing and assisting in the implementation of corrective
action plans in response to U.S. Department of Education monitoring
findings; and
(3) Assisting in coordinated program reviews conducted by the U.S.
Department of Education.
(f) Conduct, every two years, a results-based evaluation of the
technical assistance provided. Such an evaluation must be conducted by
a review team consisting of three experts approved by the Secretary and
must measure elements such as--
(1) The type of technical assistance provided and the perception of
its quality by the target audience;
(2) The changes that occurred as a result of the technical
assistance provided; and
(3) How the changes relate to State plan goals and objectives.
The services of the review team, including a two-day site visit to
the centers are to be performed during the last half of a center's
second year and may be included in that year's evaluation required
under 34 CFR 75.590. Costs associated with the services to be performed
by the review team must also be included in the Regional Resource
Center's budget for
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year two. These costs are estimated to be approximately $4,000.
Geographic Regions:
The Secretary establishes the following geographic regions for the
RRCs:
Region 1: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New
Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont
Region 2: Delaware, District of Columbia, Kentucky, Maryland, North
Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia
Region 3: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana,
Mississippi, Oklahoma, Texas, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands
Region 4: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri,
Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin
Region 5: Arizona, Colorado, Kansas, Montana, New Mexico, Nebraska,
North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, Wyoming, Bureau of Indian Affairs
Region 6: Alaska, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon,
Washington, American Samoa, Guam, and the Northern Marianas, and the
Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands,
and the Republic of Palau--for as long as they participate under Part B
of IDEA.
In addition to the two-day Project Directors' meeting (see general
requirement (c)), the project must also budget for an additional trip
to Washington, D.C. to collaborate with the OSEP project officer.
Under this priority, the Secretary will make six awards for
cooperative agreements with a project period of up to 60 months subject
to the requirements of 34 CFR 75.253(a) for continuation awards. In
determining whether to continue the Regional Resource Centers for the
fourth and fifth years of the project period, the Secretary, in
addition to the requirements of 34 CFR 75.253(a), will consider the
timeliness and effectiveness with which all requirements of the
negotiated cooperative agreement have been or are being met by the
Regional Resource Centers.
Project Period: Up to 56 months.
Maximum Award: The Secretary rejects and does not consider an
application that proposes a budget exceeding $1,040,000 for the first
budget period of 8 months, and $1,500,000 for the subsequent 12 month
budget periods. The Secretary may change the maximum amounts through a
notice published in the Federal Register.
Page Limits: In Part III of the application, the application
narrative is where an applicant addresses the selection criteria that
are used by reviewers in evaluating an application. An applicant must
limit Part III to the equivalent of no more than 40 double-spaced
number of pages, using the following standards: (1) A ``page'' is 8\1/
2\'' x 11'' (on one side only) with one-inch margins (top, bottom, and
sides). (2) 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, must be double-spaced
(no more than 3 lines per vertical inch). If using a proportional
computer font, use no smaller than a 12-point font, and an average
character density no greater than 18 characters per inch. If using a
nonproportional font or a typewriter, do not use more than 12
characters to the 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,
resumes, bibliography, and letters of support. However, all of the
application narrative must be included in Part III. If an application
narrative uses a smaller print size, spacing, or margin that would make
the narrative exceed the equivalent of the page limit, the application
will not be considered for funding.
Absolute Priority 2--National Clearinghouse on Postsecondary Education
(84.326H)
The Secretary establishes an absolute priority to support a
National Clearinghouse on Postsecondary Education for Individuals with
Disabilities. The National Clearinghouse on Postsecondary must--
(a) Collect and disseminate information on: the characteristics of
individuals with disabilities entering and participating in education
and training programs after high school; legislation affecting such
individuals and such programs; policies, procedures, support service,
(including assistive technology and adaptations), and other resources
available or recommended to facilitate the postsecondary education of
individuals with disabilities; available educational programs and
services in postsecondary settings that include, or can be adapted to
include, individuals with disabilities; and sources of financial aid
for the postsecondary education and training of individuals with
disabilities;
(b) Identify areas, in addition to those specified in paragraph
(a), in which information is needed and provide information in those
areas;
(c) Develop a coordinated network of professionals, related
organizations and associations, mass media, other clearinghouses, and
governmental agencies at the Federal, regional, State, and local level
for purposes of disseminating information, promoting awareness of
issues related to the postsecondary education of individuals with
disabilities, and referring individuals who request information to
local resources;
(d) Respond to requests for information from individuals with
disabilities, their parents, and professionals who work with such
individuals so that persons may make informed decisions about
postsecondary education and training. All information requests should
be collected and responses disseminated, at no cost to the requester,
through multiple vehicles such as a toll free telephone number, a World
Wide Web Site, and through electronic and regular mail. The project
must link with other Federally supported technical assistance projects
in collecting and disseminating information. Information products must
be made available in accessible formats and, as appropriate, foreign
languages.
Project Period: Up to 60 months.
Maximum Award: The Secretary rejects and does not consider an
application that proposes a budget exceeding $450,000 for any single
budget period of 12 months. The Secretary may change the maximum amount
through a notice published in the Federal Register.
Page Limits: In Part III of the application, the application
narrative is where an applicant addresses the selection criteria that
are used by reviewers in evaluating an application. An applicant must
limit Part III to the equivalent of no more than 40 double-spaced
number of pages, using the following standards: (1) A ``page'' is 8\1/
2\'' x 11'' (on one side only) with one-inch margins (top, bottom, and
sides). (2) 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, must be double-spaced
(no more than 3 lines per vertical inch). If using a proportional
computer font, use no smaller than a 12-point font, and an average
character density no greater than 18 characters per inch. If using a
nonproportional font or a typewriter, do not use more than 12
characters to the 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
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abstract, resumes, bibliography, and letters of support. However, all
of the application narrative must be included in Part III. If an
application narrative uses a smaller print size, spacing, or margin
that would make the narrative exceed the equivalent of the page limit,
the application will not be considered for funding.
Absolute Priority 3--National Information Center for Children With
Disabilities (84.326N)
Background
There is a need to disseminate information and provide technical
assistance on a national basis to parents, professionals, and other
interested parties who live with, and work with, infants, toddlers, and
children with disabilities. Activities such as disseminating
information and providing technical assistance are intended to support
States and local entities in building capacity to improve early
intervention, educational, and transitional services, and results for
children with disabilities and their families, and to address systemic-
change goals and priorities. Since the inception of IDEA, the
informational needs of parents, professionals, and others has greatly
increased. Public awareness of IDEA has continued to improve. As
additional parents and professionals confront issues related to IDEA
and children with disabilities, the need for information will intensify
and existing materials will have to be updated, revised, and improved
upon.
Priority
The Secretary establishes an absolute priority for the purpose of
establishing and operating a national information dissemination center
to improve early intervention results for infants and toddlers and
educational and transitional results for children with disabilities.
The center shall also address national needs for the preparation and
dissemination of information relating to eliminating barriers to
systemic change.
The national information dissemination center must--
(a) Collect, develop, and disseminate research-based information on
the characteristics of infants, toddlers, and children with
disabilities and on the programs, legislation, and services related to
early intervention or education under IDEA and other Federal laws;
(b) Develop and implement a process for reviewing materials related
to the IDEA Amendments of 1997 for accuracy and for consistency with
those Amendments. The process must be approved by OSEP prior to
implementation;
(c) Participate in programs and activities for providing outreach,
technical assistance, and collection and dissemination of information
on issues related to children with disabilities; and promote networking
between individuals and appropriate national, State, and local agencies
and organizations that deal with issues under IDEA. The center must
coordinate its activities with parent training and information centers;
community parent resource centers; early childhood, elementary,
secondary and postsecondary technical assistance centers; the technical
assistance to parent information centers project; regional resource
centers; and other national technical assistance systems and
information sources, such as the center on dispute resolution, that are
supported under IDEA. The project must create links with other
Federally supported technical assistance projects and create a World
Wide Web home page to link electronically to these projects, as
appropriate;
(d) Establish a coordinated network and conduct outreach activities
with relevant Federal, State, and local organizations and other sources
for promoting public awareness of disability issues and the
availability of relevant information, programs, and services;
(e) Collect, develop and disseminate research-based information
related to early intervention, education, and related services of
individuals with disabilities that is responsive to current and future
informational needs of parents, professionals, individuals with
disabilities, and other interested parties. Information, must be
collected and disseminated on a national, regional, and State basis as
appropriate;
(f) Provide technical assistance to national, federally supported,
regional, State, and local agencies and organizations seeking to
establish information and referral services for individuals with
disabilities and their families;
(g) Develop strategies to disseminate information to
underrepresented groups such as those with limited English proficiency,
for purposes of carrying out center activities.
Project Period: Up to 60 months.
Maximum Award: The Secretary rejects and does not consider an
application that proposes a budget exceeding $1,100,000 for any single
budget period of 12 months. The Secretary may change the maximum amount
through a notice published in the Federal Register.
Page Limits: In Part III of the application, the application
narrative is where an applicant addresses the selection criteria that
are used by reviewers in evaluating an application. An applicant must
limit Part III to the equivalent of no more than 40 double-spaced
number of pages, using the following standards: (1) A ``page'' is 8\1/
2\'' x 11'' (on one side only) with one-inch margins (top, bottom, and
sides). (2) 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, must be double-spaced
(no more than 3 lines per vertical inch). If using a proportional
computer font, use no smaller than a 12-point font, and an average
character density no greater than 18 characters per inch. If using a
nonproportional font or a typewriter, do not use more than 12
characters to the 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,
resumes, bibliography, and letters of support. However, all of the
application narrative must be included in Part III. If an application
narrative uses a smaller print size, spacing, or margin that would make
the narrative exceed the equivalent of the page limit, the application
will not be considered for funding.
Program Authority: Section 685 of the Act.
Absolute Priority 4--Linking Policy and Practice Audiences With the
1997 Amendments of IDEA (84.326A)
Background
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Amendments of 1997
(P.L. 105-17) made improvements to the IDEA that will help ensure that
each child (ages birth through 21) with a disability is provided with a
high quality individually designed program of services to meet his or
her developmental and educational needs. The IDEA Amendments of 1997
build on the original purposes of the law: each child must be ensured a
free appropriate public education, each child's education must be
determined on an individualized basis, a program must be designed to
meet the child's particular needs in the least restrictive appropriate
environment, and the rights of children and their families must be
ensured and protected through procedural safeguards.
[[Page 9380]]
The new IDEA provisions begin to shift the focus of the law from
providing access to education and early intervention services to
improving results for children with disabilities. For example, the IDEA
Amendments of 1997 include additional requirements to help ensure that
children with disabilities have access to challenging curricula, that
their developmental and educational programs are based on high
expectations, and that their progress is regularly assessed and their
parents are kept informed.
Educational and professional associations, parent organizations,
and other entities concerned with early intervention and the education
of children with disabilities played an important role in the
reauthorization of IDEA. Each supported and advocated for a clear focus
on results as well as on access. These same entities, and their
grassroots constituents, will be critical to the implementation of the
new law by helping to ensure that the changes made by the IDEA
Amendments of 1997 are understood and put into practice by their
members at the State and local levels.
Priority
The Secretary establishes an absolute priority to support four
partnerships among associations and other entities so they can
contribute to the successful implementation of IDEA, including Part C.
These partnerships will be established in order to inform and provide
support to partnership's members and constituents in understanding the
changes to the law, the implications of these changes for their
respective roles in improving results for children with disabilities,
and how research-based best practices can be used to implement the law.
Associations and other entities forming partnerships must--
(a) Collaborate to meet the needs of one of four audiences: (1)
policy makers (e.g., chief State school officers, State boards of
education, local school boards, State directors of special education,
State directors of mental health programs, State directors of
vocational rehabilitation programs, State directors of programs for
children with special health care needs, deans of education and special
education department chairs, school superintendents, governors, State
legislators); (2) service providers, (e.g., general and special
education teachers, early childhood specialists, community-based
providers, vocational educators, related service providers,
paraprofessionals); (3) local-level administrators (e.g., elementary,
middle and secondary school principals; special education
administrators; and administrators of private schools); and (4)
families and advocates (e.g., parents and family members of general and
special education students and infants with disabilities, and
disability advocacy organizations). One partnership will be supported
for each collective audience. Each partnership must include--
(i) From 5 to 10 associations and entities representing general and
special education interests; and
(ii) One project director responsible for the leadership and
management of the partnership.
(b) Conduct needs assessments of member associations and other
entities prior to submitting an application in order to identify the
needs of their respective memberships and constituents regarding the
implementation of the amended IDEA.
Partnerships must--
(1) Describe in the application the strategies (e.g.,
questionnaires, telephone surveys, focus groups, the use of documents
in electronic formats) used to obtain input and need-based information
from their respective memberships and constituents;
(2) Provide an analysis of the needs assessment data with the
application and submit the analysis to the Coordinating Committee
described in paragraph (e) once the committee is established.
(c) Develop a joint agreement among its participating associations
and other entities to be included in the application. This agreement
must describe--
(1) The audience whose needs the partnership will address;
(2) The roles and responsibilities of each member organization or
other entity in the partnership;
(3) The activities that the partnership is proposing to conduct.
Activities must include dissemination and outreach. Each partnership
must also employ information specialists to answer questions and
provide materials to audience members and constituents upon request;
and
(4) How resources are proposed to be allocated to ensure the
success of the partnership activities.
(d) Budget for the participation of three partnership members in up
to five days of training on the IDEA Amendments of 1997. This training
will be conducted by OSEP staff in Washington DC.
(e) Propose an approach for establishing and operating a
Coordinating Committee comprised of representatives of each of the four
partnerships supported under this priority. The Coordinating Committee
shall include, at a minimum, the project director of each partnership
and appropriate OSEP staff, and may also include other partnership
staff for purposes of carrying out committee responsibilities,
including assisting partnerships in implementing their projects. The
proposal under this paragraph must address each of the committee
functions listed below and include a method for allocating partnership
resources to support committee activities. Committee members will
convene during the second month of the award to reach consensus on a
single approach based on the proposals in one or more of the
partnership's respective applications. The Coordinating Committee
shall--
(1) Provide technical assistance and develop materials to ensure
clarity, accuracy, consistency of message and efficient use of
resources across the partnerships;
(2) Provide partnerships timely information, including information
on pertinent research;
(3) Implement an external review process in which experts review
partnership materials for technical accuracy and clarity. Experts must
be knowledgeable in the IDEA Amendments of 1997, supporting legislative
history, and regulations implementing the Amendments, and also must be
familiar with related OSEP policy guidance. The external expert review
process shall be finalized in consultation with, and approved by, OSEP;
(4) Implement a joint marketing, training, dissemination, and
outreach plan, based on the results of the partnerships' needs
assessments, for reaching each of the four target audiences in an
efficient and timely manner. This plan must include a timeline and a
range of strategies, with differing degrees of intensity, to reach each
of the four audiences (e.g., mailouts to members and constituents,
training trainers, providing on-site technical assistance, preparing
and disseminating materials). The marketing plan must explain: how
partners will use funds provided under this priority to supplement
their ongoing organizational efforts to improve results for children
with disabilities; how partners intend to create a cadre of individuals
who have in-depth knowledge of the IDEA Amendments of 1997 and can
provide necessary training; how these representatives of the various
partnerships will participate in training members of other
partnerships; how partners will reach
[[Page 9381]]
their members and constituents at the local level; how partners will
address the level of awareness, knowledge, and skill of their
respective targeted audiences; and how the partners will use the
knowledge from research-based best practices to effectively implement
the IDEA Amendments of 1997; and
(5) Design and conduct a communication campaign that includes the
successful implementation of researched-based practices and that
increases public awareness of how children with disabilities are being
served appropriately and how appropriate services affect results for
children. Appropriate resources must be allocated to the communication
campaign. The communication campaign also must be based on the needs
assessments, and should use a range of strategies. Elements of the
campaign might include, but need not be limited to: an 800 number to
provide accurate answers to inquiries related to the IDEA Amendments of
1997 and to provide information about the partnerships' successes; one
or more web sites with shared information among the partnerships and
links to other information providers; a database of material developed
by the partnerships; regular information updates keeping abreast of new
developments in the law; and a media campaign highlighting the
exemplary practices of the partnerships through television, radio and
print public service announcements, a press package, regional events
and conferences, and targeted mailings. The communication campaign will
culminate in the third and fifth years with a national conference on
best practices for achieving positive results for children with
disabilities.
Project Period
Under this priority, The Secretary will make an award for a
cooperative agreement with a project period of up to 60 months subject
to the requirements of 34 CFR 75.253(a) for continuation awards. In
determining whether to continue a partnership for the fourth and fifth
years of the project period, the Secretary, in addition to the
requirements of 34 CFR 75.253(a), will consider--
(a) The recommendation of a review team consisting of three experts
selected by the Secretary. The team's review is to be performed during
the last half of the partnership's second year. The cost of this
review, which is estimated to be approximately $4,000, must be included
in the partnership's budget for year two;
(b) The quality and accuracy of materials and information provided
by the partnership, as well as the timeliness and effectiveness with
which all requirements of the negotiated cooperative agreement have
been or are being met by the partnership; and
(c) The degree to which the partnership assists audience members in
using best practices to implement the IDEA Amendments of 1997.
Number of Awards: Four partnership awards will be made: policy
maker partnership; local-level administrator partnership; service
provider partnership; and family and advocate partnership.
Review and Approval by OSEP: Information products produced under
this award may not be disseminated to outside audiences without prior
approval by OSEP.
Maximum Award: The Secretary rejects and does not consider an
application that proposes a budget exceeding $1,500,000 for any single
budget period of 12 months. The Secretary may change the maximum amount
through a notice published in the Federal Register.
Page Limits: In Part III of the application (the application
narrative), applicants must address the selection criteria that are
used by reviewers in evaluating an application. An applicant must limit
Part III to the equivalent of no more than 40 double-spaced number of
pages, using the following standards: (1) A ``page'' is 8\1/2\'' X 11''
(on one side only) with one-inch margins (top, bottom, and sides). (2)
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, must be double-spaced (no more
than 3 lines per vertical inch). If using a proportional computer font,
use no smaller than a 12-point font, and an average character density
no greater than 18 characters per inch. If using a nonproportional font
or a typewriter, do not use more than 12 characters to the 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,
resumes, bibliography, and letters of support. However, all of the
application narrative must be included in Part III. If an application
narrative uses a smaller print size, spacing, or margin that would make
the narrative exceed the equivalent of the page limit, the application
will not be considered for funding.
Special Education--Technology and Media Services for Individuals
With Disabilities [CFDA No. 84.327]
Purpose of Program: The purpose of this program is to promote the
development, demonstration, and utilization of technology and to
support educational media activities designed to be of educational
value to children with disabilities. This program also provides support
for some captioning, video description, and cultural activities.
Eligible Applicants: State and local educational agencies;
institutions of higher education; other public agencies; private
nonprofit organizations; outlying areas; freely associated States;
Indian tribes or tribal organizations; and for-profit organizations.
Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 76, 77, 79,
80, 81, 82, 85, and 86; and (b) The selection criteria included in
regulations for these programs in 34 CFR 332.32 for the Captioned Films
and Videos Distribution System priority, and CFR 333.21 for the
Steppingstones of Technology Innovation for Students with Disabilities
priority.
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to institutions of
higher education only.
Priority
Under section 687 and 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3), the Secretary gives an
absolute preference to applications that meet any one of the following
priorities. The Secretary funds under these competitions only those
applications that meet these absolute priorities:
Absolute Priority 1--Captioned Films and Videos Distribution System
(84.327N)
Background
This priority supports the operation of a distribution system of
captioned films and videos that provides deaf and hard of hearing
individuals, as well as other individuals with disabilities, with
access to captioned educational and general interest media on a
nonprofit free-loan basis. This priority provides students and other
individuals with disabilities with captioned media so they may benefit
from the same educational media used to enrich the educational and
cultural experiences of students and other individuals who do not have
disabilities. Activities under this priority include, but are not
limited to:
(a) Improving the accessibility of all students and other
individuals to captioned media;
[[Page 9382]]
(b) Circulation of free-loan captioned media;
(c) Producing and providing printed, cd-rom, and online listings
and catalogs of available materials; and
(d) Outreach activities to promote the program to users and to
inform school systems as to the availability of educational captioned
media.
Priority
To be funded under this priority, the project must--
(a) Develop strategies and procedures to be implemented in
operating a distribution system, consisting of local and regional
centers, including depositories, and one central general interest and
educational media center. Local and regional centers may include State
schools for disabled individuals, public or private school systems,
public libraries, colleges or universities, or other distribution
points that distribute captioned media;
(b) Ensure that the system permits interdepository circulation of
free-loan captioned educational media, and allows individuals,
depositories, and local and regional centers to access booking
information from the (1) computerized depositories; and (2) general
interest and educational films and video center via on-line access;
(c) Establish and describe the computerized registration procedures
that will be used to register users, schedule captioned media retrieval
and use, and track and record consumer feedback and usage information;
(d) Develop and implement criteria and procedures for replacing
irreparable captioned media;
(e) Prepare, update, and distribute copies of a catalog listing all
captioned media available under this project, including copies of the
lesson guides as they become available;
(f) Convene an annual meeting of depository managers, librarians,
and audiovisual and other personnel from local, regional, and State
educational agencies for the purpose of training, planning, sharing,
brainstorming, and other activities related to improving the access of
individuals to captioned media. The Washington, D.C. metropolitan area
will be the site of the meeting;
(g) Implement outreach activities, especially activities that reach
out to local school systems to make them aware of the open and closed
captioned materials that are available to them under this program and
from other sources; and
(h) Submit quarterly progress reports to the project officers.
Project Period: Up to 36 months.
Maximum Award: The Secretary rejects and does not consider an
application that proposes a budget exceeding $1,350,000 for any single
budget period of 12 months. The Secretary may change the maximum amount
through a notice published in the Federal Register.
Page Limits: In Part III of the application, the application
narrative is where an applicant addresses the selection criteria that
are used by reviewers in evaluating an application. An applicant must
limit Part III to the equivalent of no more than 40 double-spaced
number of pages, using the following standards: (1) A ``page'' is 8\1/
2\'' x 11'' (on one side only) with one-inch margins (top, bottom, and
sides). (2) 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, must be double-spaced
(no more than 3 lines per vertical inch). If using a proportional
computer font, use no smaller than a 12-point font, and an average
character density no greater than 18 characters per inch. If using a
nonproportional font or a typewriter, do not use more than 12
characters to the 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,
resumes, bibliography, and letters of support. However, all of the
application narrative must be included in Part III. If an application
narrative uses a smaller print size, spacing, or margin that would make
the narrative exceed the equivalent of the page limit, the application
will not be considered for funding.
Absolute Priority 2--Steppingstones of Technology Innovation for
Students With Disabilities (84.327A)
The purpose of this priority is for the support of projects that--
(a) Select and describe a technology-based approach for achieving
one or more of the following purposes: (1) Improving literacy for
students with disabilities; (2) improving access to and participation
in the general curriculum for students with disabilities; and (3)
improving accountability and participation in educational reform for
students with disabilities. The technology-based approach must consist
of an innovative and emerging technology, and additional curriculum
materials and instructional methodologies that enable the technology to
achieve educational purposes for students with disabilities;
(b) Justify the approach on the basis of research or theory that
supports the effectiveness of the technology-based approach for
achieving one or more of the purposes presented in paragraph (a); and
(c) Conduct work in ONE of the following phases:
(1) Phase 1--Development: Projects funded under Phase 1 must
develop and refine a technology-based approach, and test its
feasibility for use with students with disabilities. Activities may
include development, adaptation, and refinement of technology,
curriculum materials, or instructional methodologies. Activities must
include formative evaluation. The primary product of Phase 1 should be
a promising technology-based approach that is suitable for field-based
evaluation of effectiveness.
(2) Phase 2--Research and Evaluation: Projects funded under Phase 2
must select a promising technology-based approach that has been
developed in a manner consistent with Phase 1, and subject the approach
to rigorous field-based research and evaluation to determine
effectiveness and feasibility in educational settings. Products of
Phase 2 include a further refinement and description of the technology-
based approach, and sound evidence that, in a defined range of real
world contexts, the approach can be effective in achieving one or more
of the purposes presented in paragraph (1).
(3) Phase 3--Implementation and Validation: Projects funded under
Phase 3 must select a technology-based approach that has been evaluated
for effectiveness and feasibility in a manner consistent with Phase 2,
and must study the implementation of the approach in multiple, complex
settings to acquire an improved understanding of the range of contexts
in which the approach can be used effectively, and the factors that
determine the effectiveness and sustainability of the approach in this
range of contexts. Factors to be studied in Phase 3 include factors
related to the technology, curriculum materials and instructional
methodologies that constitute the technology-based approach. Phases 2
and 3 can be contrasted as follows: Phase 2 studies the effectiveness
the approach can have, while Phase 3 studies the effectiveness the
approach is likely to have in sustained use in a range of typical
educational settings. The primary product of Phase 3 should be a
detailed blueprint that can be used in dissemination and utilization of
the technology-based approach. Also to be studied in Phase 3 are
contextual factors associated with students, teacher
[[Page 9383]]
attitudes skills and actions, physical setting, curriculum and
instruction, resources, and professional development and policy
supports, etc.;
(d) In addition to the annual two-day Research to Practice Division
Project Directors' meeting in Washington, D.C. mentioned above in the
General Requirements section of this notice, budget for another annual
trip to Washington, D.C. to collaborate with the Federal project
officer and the other projects funded under this priority, and to share
information and discuss findings and methods of dissemination; and
(e) Prepare products from the project in formats that are useful
for specific audiences as appropriate, including parents,
administrators, teachers, early intervention personnel, related
services personnel, researchers, and individuals with disabilities.
Project Period: The Secretary intends to fund at least one project
in each phase. Projects funded under Phase 1 will be funded for up to
24 months. Projects funded under Phase 2 will be funded for up to 24
months. Projects funded under Phase 3 will be funded for up to 36
months. During the final year of projects funded under Phase 3, the
Secretary will determine whether or not to fund an optional six-month
period for additional dissemination activities.
Maximum Award: The Secretary rejects and does not consider an
application that proposes a budget exceeding $200,000 for any single
budget period of 12 months. The Secretary may change the maximum amount
through a notice published in the Federal Register.
Page Limits: In Part III of the application, the application
narrative is where an applicant addresses the selection criteria that
are used by reviewers in evaluating an application. An applicant must
limit Part III to the equivalent of no more than 40 double-spaced
number of pages, using the following standards: (1) A ``page'' is 8\1/
2\'' x 11'' (on one side only) with one-inch margins (top, bottom, and
sides). (2) 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, must be double-spaced
(no more than 3 lines per vertical inch). If using a proportional
computer font, use no smaller than a 12-point font, and an average
character density no greater than 18 characters per inch. If using a
nonproportional font or a typewriter, do not use more than 12
characters to the 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,
resumes, bibliography, and letters of support. However, all of the
application narrative must be included in Part III. If an application
narrative uses a smaller print size, spacing, or margin that would make
the narrative exceed the equivalent of the page limit, the application
will not be considered for funding.
Research and Innovation To Improve Services and Results for
Children With Disabilities
Purpose of Program: To produce, and advance the use of, knowledge
to: (1) improve services provided under IDEA, including the practices
of professionals and others involved in providing those services to
children with disabilities; and (2) improve educational and early
intervention results for infants, toddlers, and children with
disabilities.
Eligible Applicants: State and local educational agencies;
institutions of higher education; other public agencies; private
nonprofit organizations; outlying areas; freely associated States;
Indian tribes or tribal organizations; and for-profit organizations.
Priority
Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3), the Secretary gives an absolute
preference to applications that meet the following priority. The
Secretary funds under this competition only applications that meet this
absolute priority:
Absolute Priority--Research Institute To Improve Results for
Adolescents With Disabilities in General Education Academic Curricula
Background
The purpose of this priority is to support an institute that will
conduct research and development activities aimed at improving results
for secondary school-aged (grades 9 through 12) students with
disabilities participating in the general education academic curricula.
Research must be conducted on how students with disabilities learn
challenging academic content, as well as on a broad array of
instructional and contextual variables that influence skill acquisition
among high school students with disabilities. The institute must also
develop approaches to disseminating effective research-based
information and practices to secondary education teachers who serve
high school students with disabilities participating in general
education academic curricula.
Although various school reforms have been implemented that are
intended to help all students succeed academically, multiple and
significant challenges face both general and special educators. For
example, findings from the National Longitudinal Transition Study
indicate that students with disabilities are spending, on average,
nearly 70 percent of their school day in regular education classrooms
where exposure to general education academic curricula is most common.
However, it is uncertain if academic content is learned when fewer than
one-quarter of students with disabilities move on to two or four-year
colleges. Furthermore, when special education and other related
services are being increasingly provided in regular education
classrooms, a stronger collaboration among general and special
educators is needed. For example, general educators play an
increasingly prominent role in the education of students with
disabilities, not only as classroom teacher for academic content, but
also in the IEP process. Therefore, the redefinition of
responsibilities for both general and special educators will require
the learning of new content and new strategies for teaching and
assessing students.
Furthermore, many high school students with disabilities have
significant skill deficiencies that prevent them from benefiting from
instruction offered in the general education academic curricula.
Studies are needed to develop instructional strategies that enable
students with disabilities to understand, remember, and integrate
content information contained in academic curricula, and to examine
factors which define the instructional dynamic within high school
classrooms between teachers and students and between groups of
students.
Some of the specific questions about which more knowledge is needed
include: Are current practices sufficient for teaching complex, high
school subject content within the context of restructured high schools
to students with disabilities, including students who live in poverty?
How do classroom teachers best structure and deliver content
information? How can teachers best organize instruction within an
academically diverse class to ensure that all students master and can
generalize targeted content? What are the critical instructional and
contextual variables that influence skill acquisition among adolescents
with disabilities? How can this knowledge inform the improvement of
instructional practice?
For real change to occur, secondary special and general education
teachers who serve children with disabilities in the general education
academic
[[Page 9384]]
curricula need to know of, and be able to use, research-based
practices. Moreover, it is necessary to develop effective ways of
disseminating research results and effective research-based practices
to teachers and other school personnel. This calls for ambitious,
innovative, and collaborative approaches to infuse research findings
into professional practice. Effective approaches for translating
research to secondary school practice can help ensure that students
with disabilities have access to and achieve success in general
education curricula with high, measurable standards, and that they will
be prepared to succeed in post-secondary education.
Priority
The Secretary establishes an absolute priority for a research
institute to improve results for high school students with disabilities
by enhancing learning in general education academic curricula. A
project funded under this priority must--
(a) Review and identify the critical gaps in the current knowledge
in the following areas:
(1) How high school students with disabilities learn challenging
academic content, specifically in core high school courses (e.g., math,
science, English, social studies, and foreign language);
(2) How teachers learn and use effective and efficient, research-
based instructional practices including necessary instructional
accommodations and supports to help students with disabilities achieve
in a rigorous, standards-based curriculum. We know that certain
teaching strategies (e.g., intensive instruction; individualized,
instructional decision-making and planning; curriculum that provides
contextualized learning opportunities) enable students to learn in a
more efficient manner; and
(3) How contextual factors in secondary classrooms and schools
influence teaching and learning. For example, scheduling, cross-
disciplinary teaching and cooperative teaching approaches, and the use
of technology to support instruction and learning are often-cited
factors that improve learning for all students;
(b) Design and conduct a strategic program of research that
addresses knowledge gaps identified in paragraph (a) by:
(1) Conducting a rigorous research program and employing
collaborative research team models (e.g., teacher-researcher
partnership research, action research);
(2) Conducting the program of research in organizationally and
demographically diverse high school settings, including high poverty
rural and urban schools; and
(3) Collaborating with other research institutes supported under
the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and other experts and
researchers in related subject matter and methodological fields in
designing and conducting the activities of the institute; and
(c) Design, implement, and evaluate a dissemination approach that
links research to practice and promotes the use of current knowledge
and ongoing research findings in the professional development of
teachers. This approach must--
(1) Serve as a ``blueprint'' for maximizing the use of research-
based knowledge to improve and sustain effective and efficient
instructional practices of general and special education teachers in
high school academic courses;
(2) Actively engage teachers, administrators, and related service
personnel in learning, adapting, and evaluating research;
(3) Be comprehensive, flexible and responsive to new knowledge and
to changing school environments;
(4) Include a rigorous evaluation methodology with multiple outcome
measures to assess its effectiveness across diverse sites;
(5) Be implemented and evaluated in organizationally and
demographically diverse settings including high poverty urban and rural
high schools; and
(6) Be developed in coordination with other U. S. Department of
Education-sponsored efforts and technical assistance providers,
including other research institutes, centers, and information
clearinghouses; and
(d) The project must budget three trips annually to Washington, D.
C. (two trips to meet with U.S. Department of Education officials and
one trip, as specified in the general requirements for all projects, to
attend the Office of Special Education Programs Project Director's
Conference).
Program Authority: Sections 672 and 685 of IDEA.
Project Period: Up to 60 months.
Maximum Award: The Secretary rejects and does not consider an
application that proposes a budget exceeding $700,000 for any single
budget period of 12 months. The Secretary may change the maximum amount
through a notice published in the Federal Register.
Page Limits: In Part III of the application, the application
narrative is where an applicant addresses the selection criteria that
are used by reviewers in evaluating an application. An applicant must
limit Part III to the equivalent of no more than 60 double-spaced
number of pages, using the following standards: (1) A ``page'' is 8\1/
2\'' x 11'' (on one side only) with one-inch margins (top, bottom, and
sides). (2) 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, must be double-spaced
(no more than 3 lines per vertical inch). If using a proportional
computer font, use no smaller than a 12-point font, and an average
character density no greater than 18 characters per inch. If using a
nonproportional font or a typewriter, do not use more than 12
characters to the 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,
resumes, bibliography, and letters of support. However, all of the
application narrative must be included in Part III. If an application
narrative uses a smaller print size, spacing, or margin that would make
the narrative exceed the equivalent of the page limit, the application
will not be considered for funding.
Special Education--Personnel Preparation To Improve Services and
Results for Children With Disabilities [CFDA 84.325]
Purpose of Program: The purposes of this program are to (1) help
address State-identified needs for qualified personnel in special
education, related services, early intervention, and regular education,
to work with children with disabilities; and (2) to 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.
Eligible Applicants: Institutions of higher education.
Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80,
81, 82, 85, and 86; (b) The selection criteria included in regulations
in 34 CFR Part 318.22; and (c) 34 CFR Part 318.31-318.33.
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to institutions of
higher education only.
Priority
Under section 673 and 34 CFR 75.105 (c)(3), the Secretary gives an
absolute preference to applications that meet the
[[Page 9385]]
following priority. The Secretary funds under this competition only
those applications that meet this absolute priority:
Absolute Priority--Improving the Preparation of Personnel To Serve
Children With High-Incidence Disabilities
Background
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Amendments of 1997
clearly reflect the importance of ensuring that personnel working with
children with disabilities have the skills and knowledge that are
needed to effectively serve such children. Pursuant to this objective,
the Department of Education supports grants to improve the preparation
of personnel serving children with the full range of disabilities. A
priority supporting programs for personnel to serve children with low-
incidence disabilities was announced in the Federal Register on August
4, 1997. The following priority addresses the preparation of personnel
serving children with high-incidence disabilities.
State agencies, university training programs, local schools, and
other community-based agencies and organizations confirm both the
importance and the challenge of improving training programs for
personnel to serve children with high-incidence disabilities and of
meeting the staffing needs of localities experiencing chronic shortages
of these personnel.
This priority is intended to improve personnel preparation programs
throughout the Nation and help meet shortages in particular areas. The
project requirements in conjunction with competitive priorities also
reflect a number of important factors that are common to effective
personnel preparation programs. These factors are:
(a) Collaboration among governmental, educational and community-
based organizations on the Federal, State and local levels in meeting
personnel needs;
(b) Field-based training opportunities for students to use acquired
knowledge and skills in schools reflecting wide contextual and student
diversity, including high poverty schools;
(c) Multi-disciplinary training of teachers, including regular and
special education teachers, and related services personnel;
(d) Coordinating personnel preparation programs aimed at addressing
chronic personnel shortages with State practices for addressing such
needs;
(e) Addressing shortages of teachers in particular geographic and
content areas;
(f) Integration of research based curriculum and pedagogical
knowledge and practices; and
(g) Meeting the needs of trainees, and of children with
disabilities, from diverse backgrounds.
Priority
Consistent with section 673(e) of IDEA, the purpose of this
priority is to develop or improve, and implement, programs that provide
preservice preparation for special and regular education teachers and
related services personnel in order to meet the diverse needs of
children with high incidence disabilities and to enhance the supply of
well-trained personnel to serve these children in areas of chronic
shortage. Student financial assistance is authorized only for the
preservice preparation of special educators and related services
personnel to serve children ages 3 through 21 with high-incidence
disabilities. The term ``high-incidence disabilities'' includes
disabilities such as mild or moderate mental retardation, speech or
language impairments, emotional disturbance, or specific learning
disability. Training of para-professionals to serve children with high-
incidence disabilities is authorized under this priority. Training of
early intervention personnel is not authorized under this priority.
A preservice program is defined as one that leads toward a degree,
certification, or professional licence or standard, and may be
supported at the associate, baccalaureate, master's or specialist
level. A preservice program may include the preparation of currently
employed personnel who are seeking additional degrees, certifications,
endorsements, or licences.
Projects funded under this priority must--
(a) Develop or improve, and implement, partnerships that are
mutually beneficial to grantees and LEAs in order to promote continuous
improvement of preparation programs;
(b) Use research-based curriculum and pedagogy to prepare personnel
able to assist students with disabilities in achieving under the
general education curricula and able to improve student outcomes;
(c) Develop or improve, and implement, strategies for instructing
students on how special education, related services, and regular
education personnel can collaborate to improve results for children
with disabilities; and
(d) Include field-based training opportunities for students in
schools reflecting wide contextual and student diversity, including
high poverty schools;
An applicant must satisfy the following requirements contained in
Section 673(f)-(h) of IDEA:
(a) Demonstrate, through letters from one or more States that the
project proposes to serve, that the States:
(1) Intend to accept successful completion of the proposed
personnel preparation program as meeting State personnel standards for
serving children with disabilities; and
(2) Need personnel in the area or areas in which the applicant
proposes to provide preparation, as identified in the States'
comprehensive systems of personnel development under Part B of the Act;
(b) Demonstrate that it has engaged in a cooperative effort with
one or more State educational agencies to plan the project, and will
cooperate with such agency or agencies in carrying out and monitoring
the project;
(c) Meet State and professionally-recognized standards for the
preparation of special education and related service personnel if the
project provides financial assistance to assist personnel in obtaining
degrees; and,
(d) Ensure that individuals who receive financial assistance under
the proposed project will subsequently provide special education and
related services to children with disabilities for a period of two
years for every year for which assistance was received or repay all or
part of the cost of that assistance. Applicants must describe how they
will notify scholarship recipients of this work or repay requirement
which is specified under section 673(h)(1) of the Act (20 U.S.C.
1474(h)(1)). The requirement must be implemented consistent with
section 673(h)(1) and with applicable regulations in effect prior to
the awarding of grants under this priority.
Competitive preferences: Within this absolute priority the
Secretary will give the following competitive preferences:
(a) Up to ten (10) points to an application that includes
strategies for recruiting students from under-represented populations,
including students with disabilities; and
(b) Up to ten (10) points to an application that demonstrates that
a majority of the graduates of its program consistently enter jobs in
which they serve children with disabilities in high poverty rural or
inner city areas.
Applicants who fulfill the requirements of each of the two
competitive preferences can be awarded
[[Page 9386]]
a total of 20 points in addition to those awarded under the published
selection criteria for this priority. That is, an applicant meeting
both of these competitive preferences could earn a maximum total of 120
points.
Project Period: The maximum funding period for awards is 36 months.
Maximum Award: The Secretary rejects and does not consider an
application that proposes a budget exceeding $200,000 in Federal
funding for any single budget period of twelve months.
Page Limit Requirements for All Applications: In Part III of the
application, the application narrative is where an applicant addresses
the selection criteria that are used by reviewers in evaluating an
application. An applicant must limit Part III to the equivalent of no
more than 40 double-spaced number of pages, using the following
standards: (1) A ``page'' is 8\1/2\'' x 11'' (on one side only) with
one-inch margins (top, bottom, and sides). (2) 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, must be double-spaced (no more than 3
lines per vertical inch). If using a proportional computer font, use no
smaller than a 12-point font, and an average character density no
greater than 18 characters per inch. If using a nonproportional font or
a typewriter, do not use more than 12 characters to the 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,
resumes, bibliography, and letters of support. However, all of the
application narrative must be included in Part III. If an application
narrative uses a smaller print size, spacing, or margin that would make
the narrative exceed the equivalent of the page limit, the application
will not be considered for funding.
Program Authority: Section 673 of IDEA.
For Applications and General Information Contact: Requests for
applications and general information should be addressed to the Grants
and Contracts Services Team, 600 Independence Avenue, S.W., room 3317,
Switzer Building, Washington, D.C. 20202-2641. The preferred method for
requesting information is to FAX your request to: (202) 205-8717.
Telephone: (202) 260-9182.
Individuals who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD)
may call the TDD number: (202) 205-8953. Individuals with disabilities
may obtain a copy of this notice or the application packages referred
to in this notice in an alternate format (e.g. Braille, large print,
audiotape, or computer diskette) by contacting the Department as listed
above. However, the Department is not able to reproduce in an alternate
format the standard forms included in the application package.
Intergovernmental Review
All programs in this notice (except for Research and Innovation
Projects) are subject to the requirements of Executive Order 12372 and
the regulations in 34 CFR Part 79. The objective of the Executive order
is to foster an inter-governmental partnership and a strengthened
federalism by relying on processes developed by State and local
governments for coordination and review of proposed Federal financial
assistance.
In accordance with the order, this document is intended to provide
early notification of the Department's specific plans and actions for
those program.
Individuals With Disabilities Education Act--Application Notice for Fiscal Year 1998
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Application Deadline for Maximum Estimated
CFDA No. and name Applications deadline intergovernmental award (per Page number of
available Date review year) \1\ limit \2\ awards
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
84.326R Regional Resource
Centers...................... 3/6/98 6/5/98 8/5/98 \3\ $1,040,0
00 40 6
84.326H National Postsecondary
Clearinghouse................ 3/6/98 4/24/98 6/24/98 450,000 40 1
84.326N National Information
Center....................... 3/6/98 4/24/98 6/24/98 1,100,000 40 1
84.326A IDEA Implementation--
Associations................. 3/6/98 4/24/98 6/24/98 1,500,000 40 4
84.327N Captioned Films and
Videos Distribution.......... 3/6/98 4/24/98 6/24/98 1,350,000 40 1
84.327A Steppingstones of
Technology Innovation for
Students with Disabilities... 3/6/98 5/8/98 7/8/98 200,000 40 15
84.324S Research Institute to
Improve Results for
Adolescents with Disabilities
in General Education Academic
Curricula.................... 3/6/98 4/24/98 6/24/98 700,000 60 1
84.325H Professional
Development--High Incidence.. 3/6/98 5/1/98 7/1/98 200,000 40 32
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ The Secretary rejects and does not consider an application that proposes a budget exceeding the amount
listed for each priority for any single budget period of 12 months.
\2\ Applicants must limit the Application Narrative, Part III of the Application, to the page limits noted
above. Please refer to the ``Page Limit'' section of this notice for the specific requirements. The Secretary
rejects and does not consider an application that does not adhere to this requirement.
\3\ The first budget period will be 8 months, and the subsequent budget periods will be 12 months. The maximum
award for the first budget period will be $1,040,000. The maximum award for the subsequent 12-month periods
will be $1,500,000.
Electronic Access to This Document
Anyone may view this document, as well as all other Department of
Education documents published in the Federal Register, in text or
portable document format (pdf) on the World Wide Web at either of the
following sites:
http://ocfo.ed.gov/fedreg.htm
http://www.ed.gov/news.html
To use the pdf you must have the Adobe Acrobat Reader Program with
Search, which is available free at either of the previous sites. If you
have questions about using the pdf, call the U.S. Government Printing
Office toll free at 1-888-293-6498.
Anyone may also view these documents in text copy only on an
electronic bulletin board of the Department. Telephone: (202) 219-1511
or, toll free, 1-800-222-4922. The documents are located under Option
G--Files/Announcements, Bulletins, and Press Releases.
Note: The official version of a document is the document
published in the Federal Register.
[[Page 9387]]
Dated: January 29, 1998.
Judith E. Heumann,
Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.
[FR Doc. 98-4577 Filed 2-23-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P