FR Doc 04-10003
[Federal Register: May 3, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 85)]
[Notices]
[Page 24137-24140]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr03my04-50]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services; Overview
Information; Technology and Media Services for Individuals With
Disabilities--Technology and Standards-Based Reform; Notice Inviting
Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2004
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.327B.
Dates:
Applications Available: May 4, 2004.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: June 7, 2004.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: August 6, 2004.
Eligible Applicants: State educational agencies (SEAs); and local
educational agencies (LEAs); institutions of higher education (IHEs);
other public agencies; nonprofit private organizations; outlying areas;
freely associated States; Indian tribes or tribal organizations; and
for-profit organizations.
Estimated Available Funds: $1,200,000.
Estimated Range of Awards: $200,000-$300,000 per year.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $300,000 per year.
Maximum Award: We will reject any application that proposes a
budget exceeding $300,000 for a single budget period of 12 months. The
Assistant Secretary for the Office of Special Education and
Rehabilitative Services may change the maximum amount through a notice
published in the Federal Register.
Estimated Number of Awards: 4.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this
notice.
Project Period: Up to 36 months.
Full Text of Announcement
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Purpose of Program: The purpose of this program is to: (1) Improve
results for children with disabilities by promoting the development,
demonstration, and use of technology; (2) support educational media
activities designed to be of educational value to children with
disabilities; and (3) provide support for some captioning, video
description, and cultural activities.
Priority: In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(iv), this priority
is from allowable activities specified in the statute (see sections
661(e)(2) and 687 of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
(IDEA)).
Absolute Priority: For FY 2004 this priority is an absolute
priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3), we consider only applications that
meet this priority.
This priority is:
Technology and Media Services for Individuals With Disabilities--
Technology and Standards-Based Reform.
Background: Current Federal and State educational initiatives
(including the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB)) apply
principles of standards-based reform as a means for improving student
achievement. Standards-based reform is premised on a ``theory of
action'' in which standards, assessments, and accountability lead to
improved curriculum and clear expectations for students and schools,
which in turn lead to professional development and improved teaching,
which ultimately lead to higher levels of student learning (Elmore and
Rothman, Eds., 1999, available at http://www.nap.edu/catalog/9609.html
). This theory suggests that, certain areas should be
addressed in order to maximize benefits for students with disabilities.
Among these are the following--(1) Assessments must be accessible and
valid for the widest possible range of students with disabilities (with
valid and reliable alternate assessments available for students with
disabilities who cannot participate in general assessments even with
accommodations); (2) information on assessment results must be
available to all appropriate parties in a timely fashion and must be
applicable to instruction as well as to accountability; (3) students
should receive coherent standards-based instruction, and progress
toward meeting standards must be monitored; (4) principles of universal
design should be applied to standards, assessments, curriculum, and
instruction; and (5) connections must be maintained between the
components of the system, including standards, assessments, reporting,
instructional planning, professional development, and instruction.
Technology can play a vital role in improving the academic achievement
of students with disabilities.
Priority: This priority supports research projects to determine how
technology can best be used to maximize the benefits of standards-based
reform for children with disabilities. Technologies may include, but
are not limited to, technology-based assessments, computerized
curriculum-based measurement aligned with State academic content
standards, technology-based instruction aligned with State content
standards, and technology-based systems for managing and analyzing
information. The research must address one or more of the areas
identified above in order to improve the achievement of students with
disabilities as discussed in the Background section of this priority.
Projects must:
(a) Conduct (1) rigorous research on existing products and
approaches to determine their effectiveness, feasibility, and
sustainability, or (2) research-based development and evaluation of
approaches for using technology to maximize the benefits of standards-
based reform for students with disabilities.
(b) Conduct the majority of research and development activities in
actual school settings.
(c) Apply sound research methods.
(d) Budget for a two-day Project Directors' meeting in Washington,
DC during each year of the project.
(e) Budget for one additional trip annually to Washington, DC to
attend
[[Page 24138]]
the Technology Project Directors' meeting.
(f) If the project maintains a Web site, it must include relevant
information and documents in an accessible form.
Waiver of Proposed Rulemaking: Under the Administrative Procedure
Act (5 U.S.C.), the Department generally offers interested parties the
opportunity to comment on proposed priorities. However, section
661(e)(2) of IDEA makes the public comment requirements inapplicable to
the priority in this notice.
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1487.
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 institutions of
higher education only.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
Estimated Available Funds: $1,200,000.
Estimated Range of Awards: $200,000--$300,000 per year.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $300,000 per year.
Maximum Award: We will reject any application that proposes a
budget exceeding $300,000 for a single budget period of 12 months. The
Assistant Secretary for the Office of Special Education and
Rehabilitative Services may change the maximum amount through a notice
published in the Federal Register.
Estimated Number of Awards: 4.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this
notice.
Project Period: Up to 36 months.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants: SEAs; LEAs; IHEs; other public agencies;
nonprofit private 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
notice must make positive efforts to employ and advance in employment
qualified individuals with disabilities (see section 606 of IDEA).
(b) Applicants and grant recipients funded under this notice must
involve individuals with disabilities or parents of individuals with
disabilities in planning, implementing, and evaluating the projects
(see section 661(f)(1)(A) of IDEA).
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 84.327B.
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 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 50 pages, using the following standards:
A ``page'' is 8.5'' x 11'', on one side only,
with 1'' margins at the top, bottom, and both sides.
Double space (no more than three lines per
vertical inch) all text in the application narrative, including titles,
headings, footnotes, quotations, references, and captions, as well as
all text in charts, tables, figures, and graphs.
Use a font that is either 12 point or larger or
no smaller than 10 pitch (characters per inch).
The page limit does not apply to Part I, the cover sheet; Part II,
the budget section, including the narrative budget justification; Part
IV, the assurances and certifications; or the one-page abstract, the
resumes, the bibliography, the references, the letters of support, or
the appendix. 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: May 4, 2004.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: June 7, 2004.
The dates and times for the transmittal of applications by mail or
by hand (including a courier service or commercial carrier) are in the
application package for this competition. The application package also
specifies the hours of operation of the e-Application Web site.
We do not consider an application that does not comply with the
deadline requirements.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: August 6, 2004.
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: Instructions and requirements for
the transmittal of applications by mail or by hand (including a courier
service or commercial carrier) are in the application package for this
competition.
Application Procedures:
Note: Some of the procedures in these instructions for
transmitting applications differ from those in the Education
Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) (34 CFR
75.102). Under the Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C. 553) the
Department generally offers interested parties the opportunity to
comment on proposed regulations. However, these amendments make
procedural changes only and do not establish new substantive policy.
Therefore, under 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(A), the Secretary has determined
that proposed rulemaking is not required.
Pilot Project for Electronic Submission of Applications: We are
continuing to expand our pilot project for electronic submission of
applications to include additional formula grant programs and
additional discretionary grant competitions. The Special Education--
Technology and Media Services for Individuals with Disabilities
Program--Technology and Standards Based Reform competition--CFDA Number
84.327B is one of the competitions included in this project. If you are
an applicant under the Special Education--
[[Page 24139]]
Technology and Media Services for Individuals with Disabilities
Program--Technology and Standards Based Reform competition, you may
submit your application to us in either electronic or paper format.
The pilot project involves the use of the Electronic Grant
Application System (e-Application). If you use e-Application, you will
be entering data online while completing your application. You may not
e-mail an electronic copy of a grant application to us. If you
participate in this voluntary pilot project by submitting an
application electronically, the data you enter online will be saved
into a database. We request your participation in e-Application. We
shall continue to evaluate its success and solicit suggestions for its
improvement.
If you participate in e-Application, please note the following:
Your participation is voluntary.
When you enter the e-Application system, you
will find information about its hours of operation. We strongly
recommend that you do not wait until the application deadline date to
initiate an e-Application package.
You will not receive additional point value
because you submit a grant application in electronic format, nor will
we penalize you if you submit an application in paper format.
You may submit all documents electronically,
including the Application for Federal Education Assistance (ED 424),
Budget Information--Non-Construction Programs (ED 524), and all
necessary assurances and certifications.
Your e-Application must comply with any page
limit requirements described in this notice.
After you electronically submit your
application, you will receive an automatic acknowledgement, which will
include a PR/Award number (an identifying number unique to your
application).
Within three working days after submitting your
electronic application, fax a signed copy of the Application for
Federal Education Assistance (ED 424) to the Application Control Center
after following these steps:
1. Print ED 424 from e-Application.
2. The institution's Authorizing Representative must sign this
form.
3. Place the PR/Award number in the upper right hand corner of the
hard copy signature page of the ED 424.
4. Fax the signed ED 424 to the Application Control Center at (202)
260-1349.
We may request that you give us original
signatures on other forms at a later date.
Application Deadline Date Extension in Case of System
Unavailability: If you elect to participate in the e-Application pilot
for the Special Education--Technology and Media Services for
Individuals with Disabilities Program--Technology and Standards Based
Reform competition and you are prevented from submitting your
application on the application deadline date because the e-Application
system is unavailable, we will grant you an extension of one business
day in order to transmit your application electronically, by mail, or
by hand delivery. We will grant this extension if--
1. You are a registered user of e-Application, and you have
initiated an e-Application for this competition; and
2. (a) The e-Application system is unavailable for 60 minutes or
more between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., Washington, DC time,
on the application deadline date; or
(b) The e-Application system is unavailable for any period of time
during the last hour of operation (that is, for any period of time
between 3:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time) on the
application deadline date.
We must acknowledge and confirm these periods of unavailability
before granting you an extension. To request this extension or to
confirm our acknowledgement of any system unavailability, you may
contact either (1) the person listed elsewhere in this notice under FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT (see VII. Agency Contact) or (2) the e-
GRANTS help desk at 1-888-336-8930.
You may access the electronic grant application for the Special
Education--Technology and Media Services for Individuals with
Disabilities Program--Technology and Standards Based Reform competition
at: http://www.grants.gov.
V. Application Review Information
Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this competition are
listed in 34 CFR 75.210 of EDGAR. The specific selection criteria to be
used for this competition are 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 is currently developing measures
that will yield information on various aspects of the quality of the
Technology and Media Services to Improve Services and Results for
Children with Disabilities program (e.g., the extent to which projects
are of high quality, are relevant to the needs of children with
disabilities, and contribute to improving results for children with
disabilities). Data on these measures will be collected from the
projects funded under this notice.
Grantees will also be required to report information on their
projects' performance in annual reports to the Department (EDGAR, 34
CFR 75.590).
VII. Agency Contact
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dave Malouf, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 4624, Switzer Building,
Washington, DC 20202-2550. Telephone: (202) 205-8111.
If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may
call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339.
Individuals with disabilities may obtain this document in an
alternative format (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer
diskette) on request by contacting the following office: the Grants and
Contracts Services Team, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland
Avenue, SW., room 3317, Switzer Building, Washington, DC 20202-2550.
Telephone: (202) 205-8207.
[[Page 24140]]
VIII. Other Information
Electronic Access to This Document: You may view this document, as
well as all other documents of this Department published in the Federal
Register, in text or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) on the
Internet at the following site: http://www.ed.gov/news/fedregister.
To use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available
free at this site. If you have questions about using PDF, call the U.S.
Government Printing Office (GPO), toll free, at 1-888-293-6498; or in
the Washington, DC, area at (202) 512-1530.
Note: The official version of this document is the document
published in the Federal Register. Free Internet access to the
official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of Federal
Regulations is available on GPO Access at: http://www.gpoaccess.gov/nara/index.html.
Dated: April 27, 2004.
Andrew J. Pepin,
Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Special Education and
Rehabilitative Services.
[FR Doc. 04-10003 Filed 4-30-04; 8:45 am]
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