Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services; Personnel Preparation To Improve Services and Results for Children With Disabilities; Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2004 [OSERS]

FR Doc 04-4722
[Federal Register: March 3, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 42)]
[Notices]
[Page 10011-10018]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr03mr04-55]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services; Overview
Information; Personnel Preparation To Improve Services and Results for
Children With Disabilities; Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards
for Fiscal Year (FY) 2004

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Numbers: 84.325A,
84.325D, 84.325E, and 84.325H.

Note: This notice includes four priorities, key dates, and
funding information for each of these competitions.

DATES: For dates regarding the individual priorities, see the chart in
the Award Information section of this notice.
Applications Available: See chart.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: See chart.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: See chart.
Eligible Applicants: Institutions of higher education (IHE).
Estimated Available Funds: $14,200,796.
For funding information regarding the individual priorities, see
the chart in the Award Information section of this notice. In addition,
the allocation of funds for Absolute Priority 1 is explained in the
Award Information section of this notice.
Estimated Range of Awards: See chart.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: See chart.
Maximum Awards: See chart.
Estimated Number of Awards: See chart.
Project Period: See chart. Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

Purpose of Program: The purposes of this program are to (1) help
address State-identified needs for qualified personnel--in special
education, related services, early intervention, and regular
education--to work with children with disabilities; and (2) ensure that
those personnel have the skills and knowledge--derived from practices
that have been determined through research and experience to be
successful--that are needed to serve those children.
Priorities: In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(iv), these
priorities are from allowable activities specified in the statute (see
sections 661(e)(2) and 673 of the Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act (IDEA)).
Absolute Priorities: For FY 2004 these priorities are, except as
otherwise specified, absolute priorities. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3) we
consider only applications that meet these absolute priorities.
The priorities are:

Absolute Priority 1--Preparation of Special Education, Related
Services, and Early Intervention Personnel To Serve Infants, Toddlers,
and Children With Low-Incidence Disabilities (84.325A)

Background: The national demand for special education, related
services, and early intervention personnel, to serve infants, toddlers,
and children with low-incidence disabilities exceeds available supply.
However, because of the relatively small number of personnel needed to
serve infants, toddlers, and children with low-incidence disabilities
in each State, institutions of higher education and individual States
have limited incentive to develop and support programs that train such
personnel. Moreover, of the programs that do exist, many fail to
produce graduates with the skills necessary to meet the needs of the
low-incidence disability population. Thus, Federal support is required
to increase the supply of personnel who possess the skills and
experience necessary to serve children with low-incidence disabilities.
Priority: This priority supports projects that increase the number
and quality of personnel to serve children with low-incidence
disabilities by providing preservice preparation of special educators,
early intervention personnel, and related services personnel at the
associate, baccalaureate, master's, or specialist level. For the
purpose of this priority, the term ``low-incidence disability'' means a
visual or hearing impairment,

[[Page 10012]]

or simultaneous visual and hearing impairments, a significant cognitive
impairment, or any impairment for which a small number of personnel
with highly specialized skills and knowledge are needed in order for
children with that impairment to receive early intervention services or
a free appropriate public education (IDEA, section 673(b)(3)). Training
for personnel to serve children with mild-moderate mental retardation,
specific learning disabilities, speech or language disorders, or
emotional and behavioral disabilities is addressed under the priority
for the preparation of personnel to serve children with high-incidence
disabilities (84.325H), and, therefore, is not supported under this
priority.
A preservice program is a program that leads toward a degree,
certification, professional license, or endorsement (or its
equivalent), and may include the preparation of currently employed
personnel who are seeking additional degrees, certifications,
endorsements, or licenses.
Applicants may propose to prepare one or more of the following
types of personnel--
(a) Early intervention personnel who serve infants and toddlers and
their families. For the purpose of this priority, all children who
require early intervention services are considered to have a low-
incidence disability. Early intervention personnel include persons who
train, or serve as consultants to, service providers and service
coordinators;
(b) Special educators, including those who work in the areas of
early childhood, speech and language, adapted physical education, and
assistive technology; and paraprofessional personnel who work with
children with low-incidence disabilities and their families; or
(c) Related services personnel who provide developmental,
corrective, and other support services (such as psychological,
occupational or physical and recreational therapy) to children with
low-incidence disabilities and their families.
This priority may support both comprehensive programs and specialty
components within a broader discipline that prepare personnel for work
with the low-incidence population. A program that prepares individuals
to receive a Doctor of Audiology (DAud) degree is eligible for this
competition because the DAud is an entry-level degree. However, for the
purpose of this priority, eligible related service providers do not
include physicians.
We particularly encourage projects that address the personnel needs
of more than one State, provide multi-disciplinary training, and
provide for collaboration among several training institutions and
between training institutions and public schools. In addition, we
encourage projects that foster successful coordination between special
education and regular education professional development programs to
meet the needs of children with low-incidence disabilities in inclusive
settings. Each project funded under this absolute priority must--
(a) Use curricula and pedagogy that are shown to be effective as
demonstrated through scientifically based research, in order to prepare
personnel who are able to (1) improve outcomes for students with low-
incidence disabilities, and (2) foster appropriate access to and
achievement in the general education curricula whenever appropriate;
(b) Demonstrate how research-based curriculum and pedagogy are
incorporated into training requirements and reflected in all relevant
coursework for the proposed training program;
(c) Offer integrated training and practice opportunities that will
enhance the collaborative skills of appropriate personnel who share
responsibility for providing effective services to children with
disabilities;
(d) Prepare personnel to address the specialized needs of children
with low-incidence disabilities from diverse cultural and language
backgrounds by--
(1) Determining the competencies needed for personnel to work
effectively with culturally and linguistically diverse populations; and
(2) Infusing those competencies into early intervention, special
education, and related services training programs;
(e) Develop or improve and implement mutually beneficial
partnerships between training programs and schools to promote
continuous improvement in preparation programs and in service delivery;
(f) If field-based training is provided, include field-based
training opportunities for students in diverse settings, including
schools and settings in high-poverty communities;
(g) If the project prepares personnel to provide services to
visually impaired or blind children that can be appropriately provided
in Braille, prepare those individuals to provide those services in
Braille.
(h) Provide clear, defensible research-based methods for evaluating
the extent to which graduates of the training program are prepared to
provide high-quality services that result in improved outcomes for
children with disabilities; and communicate the results of this
evaluation process to the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP)
in required annual performance reports and the final performance
report;
(i) Describe how the proposed training program is aligned with
State learning standards for children; and
(j) Include, in the application Appendix, all course syllabi that
are relevant to the training program proposed. Course syllabi must
clearly reflect the incorporation of research-based curriculum and
pedagogy as required under paragraph (b) of this section of the
priority.
To be considered for an award, an applicant must satisfy the
following requirements in section 673(f)-(i) of IDEA and 34 CFR part
304--
(a) Demonstrate, with letters from one or more States that the
project proposes to serve, that the State or States need personnel in
the area or areas in which the applicant proposes to provide
preparation, as identified in the State's comprehensive system of
personnel development under Part B or C of IDEA;
(b) Demonstrate that it has engaged in a cooperative effort with
one or more SEAs or, if appropriate, lead agencies for providing early
intervention services, to plan, carry out, and monitor the project;
(c) Provide letters from one or more States stating that they
intend to accept successful completion of the proposed personnel
preparation program as meeting State personnel standards for serving
children with disabilities or serving infants and toddlers with
disabilities;
(d) Meet State and professionally recognized standards for the
preparation of special education, related services, or early
intervention personnel;
(e) Ensure that individuals who receive financial assistance under
the proposed project will meet the service obligation requirements, or
repay all or part of the cost of that assistance, in accordance with
section 673(h)(1) of IDEA and 34 CFR part 304. Applicants must describe
how they will inform scholarship recipients of this service obligation
requirement; and
(f) As authorized under section 673(i) of IDEA and 34 CFR 304.20,
use at least 55 percent of the total requested budget for student
scholarships.
Competitive Preference Priority: Within Absolute Priority 1, we
give competitive preference to applications that address the following
priority.
This competitive preference priority is from the program statute
(section 673(g)(3)(B) of IDEA).
Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i) we award up to 10 points to an
application,

[[Page 10013]]

depending on the extent to which the application meets this priority.
This competitive preference priority is:
We give preference to IHEs based on the extent to which IHEs
successfully recruit and prepare individuals with disabilities and
individuals from groups that are underrepresented in the profession for
which they are preparing individuals. In the case of a new project, the
applicant must submit a plan with strategies on how it will meet this
competitive preference.

Absolute Priority 2--Preparation of Leadership Personnel (84.325D)

This priority supports projects that conduct the following
preparation activities for leadership personnel:
(a) Preparing personnel at the doctoral and postdoctoral levels to
administer, enhance, or to provide special education, related services,
or early intervention services for children with disabilities; or
(b) Developing master's and specialist level programs in special
education administration.

Note: Training that leads to a Doctor of Audiology (DAud) degree
is not included as part of this priority because we address it under
Absolute Priority 1 (84.325A).

Projects funded under this absolute priority must--
(a) Prepare personnel to work with culturally and linguistically
diverse populations by--
(1) Determining the competencies needed by leadership personnel to
understand and work with culturally and linguistically diverse
populations; and
(2) Infusing those competencies into early intervention, special
education, and related services training programs.
(b) Include coursework reflecting current research and pedagogy
on--
(1) Participation and achievement in the general education
curriculum and improved outcomes for children with disabilities; or
(2) The provision of coordinated services in natural environments
to improve outcomes for infants and toddlers with disabilities and
their families.
(c) Demonstrate how research-based curriculum and pedagogy are
incorporated into training requirements and reflected in all relevant
coursework for the proposed training program.
(d) Offer integrated training and practice opportunities that will
enhance the collaborative skills of all personnel who share
responsibility for providing effective services for children with
disabilities.
(e) Provide clear, defensible research-based methods for evaluating
the extent to which graduates of the training program are prepared to
provide high-quality services that result in improved outcomes for
children with disabilities. Communicate the results of this evaluation
process to OSEP in required annual performance reports and the final
performance report;
(f) Describe, if appropriate, how the proposed training program is
aligned with State learning standards for children; and
(g) Include, in the application Appendix, all course syllabi that
are relevant to the training program proposed. Course syllabi must
clearly reflect the incorporation of research-based curriculum and
pedagogy as required under paragraph (c) of this section of the
priority.
To be considered for an award, an applicant must satisfy the
following requirements contained in section 673(f)-(i) of IDEA and 34
CFR part 304--
(a) Demonstrate, with letters from one or more States that the
project proposes to serve, that each State needs personnel in the area
or areas in which the applicant proposes to provide preparation, as
identified in each State's comprehensive system of personnel
development under Part B or C of IDEA;
(b) Demonstrate that it has engaged in a cooperative effort with
one or more SEAs--or, if appropriate, lead agencies for providing early
intervention services--to plan, carry out, and monitor the project;
(c) Meet State and professionally recognized standards for the
preparation of leadership personnel in special education, related
services, or early intervention fields;
(d) Ensure that individuals who receive financial assistance under
the proposed project will meet the service obligation requirements, or
repay all or part of the cost of that assistance, in accordance with
section 673(h)(2) of IDEA and the regulations in 34 CFR part 304.
Applicants must describe how they will inform scholarship recipients of
this service obligation requirement.
(e) As authorized under section 673(i) of IDEA and 34 CFR 304.20,
use at least 65 percent of the total requested budget for student
scholarships.
Competitive Preference Priority: Within Absolute Priority 2, we
give competitive preference to applications that address the following
priority.
This competitive preference priority is from the program statute
(section 673(g)(3)(B) of IDEA).
Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i) we award up to 10 points to an
application, depending on the extent to which the application meets
this priority.
This competitive preference priority is:
We give preference to IHEs based on the extent to which IHEs
successfully recruit and prepare individuals with disabilities and
individuals from groups that are underrepresented in the profession for
which they are preparing individuals. In the case of a new project, the
applicant must submit a plan with strategies on how it will meet this
competitive preference.

Absolute Priority 3--Preparation of Personnel in Minority Institutions
(84.325E)

This priority supports awards to IHEs with minority student
enrollments of at least 25 percent, including Historically Black
Colleges and Universities, for the purpose of preparing personnel to
work with children with disabilities.
This priority supports projects that provide preservice preparation
of special educators, early intervention personnel, and related
services personnel at the associate, baccalaureate, master's,
specialist, doctoral, or post-doctoral level.
A preservice program is a program that leads toward a degree,
certification, professional license or endorsement (or its equivalent),
and may include the preparation of currently employed personnel who are
seeking additional degrees, certifications, endorsements, or licenses.
Applicants may propose to prepare one or more of the following
types of personnel--
(a) Special educators, including those who work in the areas of
early childhood, speech and language, adapted physical education, and
assistive technology; and paraprofessional personnel who work with
children with disabilities;
(b) Related services personnel who provide developmental,
corrective, and other support services (such as psychological,
occupational or physical and recreational therapy) to children with
disabilities. Comprehensive programs and specialty components within a
broader discipline that are designed to prepare personnel for work with
children with disabilities may be supported. For the purpose of this
priority, eligible related service providers do not include physicians;
or
(c) Early intervention personnel who serve infants and toddlers and
their families. Early intervention personnel include persons who train,
or serve as consultants to, service providers and service coordinators.

[[Page 10014]]

Projects funded under this absolute priority must--

(a) Use curricula and pedagogy that are shown to be effective as
demonstrated through scientifically-based research, in order to prepare
personnel who are able to (1) improve outcomes for students with
disabilities, and (2) foster appropriate access to and achievement in
the general education curricula as appropriate;
(b) Demonstrate how research-based curriculum and pedagogy are
incorporated into training requirements and reflected in all relevant
coursework for the proposed training program;
(c) Offer integrated training and practice opportunities that will
enhance the collaborative skills of appropriate personnel who share
responsibility for providing effective services to children with
disabilities;
(d) Prepare personnel to address the specialized needs of children
with disabilities from diverse cultural and language backgrounds by--
(1) Determining the competencies needed for personnel to work
effectively with culturally and linguistically diverse populations; and
(2) Infusing those competencies into early intervention, special
education, and related services training programs;
(e) Develop or improve and implement mutually beneficial
partnerships between training programs and schools to promote
continuous improvement in preparation programs and in service delivery;
(f) If field-based training is provided, include field-based
training opportunities for students in diverse settings, including
schools and settings in high-poverty communities;
(g) Employ effective strategies for recruiting students from
culturally and linguistically diverse populations;
(h) Provide student support systems (including tutors, mentors, and
other innovative practices) to enhance student retention and success in
the program;
(i) Provide clear, defensible research-based methods for evaluating
the extent to which graduates of the training program are prepared to
provide high-quality services that result in improved outcomes for
children with disabilities. Communicate the results of this evaluation
process to OSEP in required annual performance reports and the final
performance report;
(j) Describe how the proposed training program is aligned with
State learning standards for children; and
(k) Include, in the application Appendix, all course syllabi that
are relevant to the training program proposed. Course syllabi must
clearly reflect the incorporation of research-based curriculum and
pedagogy as required under paragraph (b) of this section of this
priority.
To be considered for an award, an applicant must satisfy the
following requirements contained in section 673(f) through (i) of IDEA
and 34 CFR part 304--
(a) Demonstrate, with letters from one or more States that the
project proposes to serve, that each State needs personnel in the area
or areas in which the applicant proposes to provide preparation, as
identified in the State's comprehensive system of personnel development
under Part B or C of IDEA;
(b) Demonstrate that it has engaged in a cooperative effort with
one or more State educational agencies--or, if appropriate, lead
agencies for providing early intervention services--to plan, carry out,
and monitor the project;
(c) Provide letters from one or more States stating that they
intend to accept successful completion of the proposed personnel
preparation program as meeting State personnel standards for serving
children with disabilities or serving infants and toddlers with
disabilities;
(d) Meet State and professionally-recognized standards for the
preparation of special education, related services, or early
intervention personnel, if the purpose of the project is to assist
personnel in obtaining degrees;
(e) Ensure that individuals who receive financial assistance under
the proposed project will meet the service obligation requirements, or
repay all or part of the cost of that assistance, in accordance with
section 673(h)(1) of IDEA and 34 CFR part 304. Applicants must describe
how they will inform scholarship recipients of this service obligation
requirement; and
(f) As authorized under section 673(i) of IDEA and 34 CFR 304.20,
use at least 55 percent of the total requested budget for student
scholarships or provide sufficient justification for any designation
less than 55 percent for student scholarships.
Sufficient justification for proposing less than 55 percent of the
budget for student support would include support for activities such as
program development, expansion of a program, or the addition of a new
area of emphasis area. Examples include:
[sbull] A project that is starting a new program may request up to
a year for program development and capacity building. In the initial
project year, no student support would be required. Instead, a project
could hire a new faculty member or a consultant to assist in program
development.
[sbull] A project that is proposing to build capacity may hire a
field supervisor so that additional students can be trained.
[sbull] A project that is expanding or adding a new emphasis area
to the program may initially need additional faculty or other resources
such as expert consultants, additional training supplies, or equipment
that would enhance the program.
Projects that are funded to develop, expand, or to add a new area
of emphasis to special education or related services programs must
provide information on how these new areas will be institutionalized
once Federal funding ends.
Competitive Preference Priority: Within Absolute Priority 3, we
give competitive preference to applications that address the following
priority.
This competitive preference priority is from the program statute
(section 673(g)(3)(B) of IDEA).
Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i) we award up to 10 points to an
application, depending on the extent to which the application meets
this priority.
This competitive preference priority is:
We give preference to IHEs based on the extent to which IHEs
successfully recruit and prepare individuals with disabilities and
individuals from groups that are underrepresented in the profession for
which they are preparing individuals. In the case of a new project, the
applicant must submit a plan with strategies on how it will meet this
competitive preference.

Absolute Priority 4--Improving the Preparation of Personnel to Serve
Children With High-Incidence Disabilities (84.325H)

Background: State agencies, university training programs, local
schools, and other community-based agencies and organizations confirm
the importance and the difficulty of improving training programs for
personnel to serve children with high-incidence disabilities.
Localities nationwide are experiencing chronic shortages of such
personnel.
Priority: Consistent with section 673(e) of IDEA, the purposes of
this priority are (1) 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 (2) to enhance
the supply of well-trained personnel to serve these children in areas
of chronic shortage.
For the purpose of this priority, the term high-incidence
disability includes

[[Page 10015]]

mild or moderate mental retardation, speech or language impairments,
emotional disturbance, or specific learning disabilities. Training of
early intervention personnel is addressed under the priority for the
preparation of personnel to serve children with low-incidence
disabilities (84.325A) and, therefore, is not included as part of this
priority.
A preservice program is a program that leads toward a degree,
certification, professional license or endorsement (or its equivalent),
and may include the preparation of currently employed personnel who are
seeking additional degrees, certifications, endorsements, or licenses.
Applicants may propose to prepare one or more of the following
types of personnel:
(a) Special educators, including those who work in the areas of
early childhood, speech and language, adapted physical education,
assistive technology; and paraprofessional personnel who work with
children with high-incidence disabilities.
(b) Related services personnel, who provide developmental,
corrective, and other support services (such as psychological,
occupational or physical and recreational therapy) to children with
high-incidence disabilities. For the purpose of this priority, eligible
related service providers do not include physicians. Comprehensive
programs and specialty components within a broader discipline that are
designed to prepare personnel for work with the high-incidence
population may be supported.
Projects funded under this priority must--
(a) Use curricula and pedagogy that are shown to be effective as
demonstrated through scientifically-based research in order to prepare
personnel equipped to improve outcomes for students with disabilities;
(b) Demonstrate how research-based curriculum and pedagogy are
incorporated into training requirements and reflected in all relevant
coursework for the proposed training program;
(c) Offer integrated training and practice opportunities that will
enhance the collaborative skills of all personnel who share
responsibility for providing effective services for children with high-
incidence disabilities;
(d) Prepare personnel to work with culturally and linguistically
diverse populations by--
(1) Determining the competencies needed for personnel to work
effectively with students with high-incidence disabilities from
culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds; and
(2) Infusing those competencies into special education or related
services training;
(e) Develop or improve and implement partnerships that are mutually
beneficial to grantees and LEAs in order to promote continuous
improvement of preparation programs;
(f) Include field-based training opportunities for students in
diverse settings, including schools and high-poverty communities;
(g) Provide clear, defensible research-based methods for evaluating
the extent to which graduates of the training program are prepared to
provide high-quality services that result in improved outcomes for
children with disabilities. Communicate the results of this evaluation
process to OSEP in required annual performance reports and the final
performance report;
(h) Describe how the proposed training program is aligned with
State learning standards for children; and
(i) Include, in the application Appendix, all course syllabi that
are relevant to the training program proposed. Course syllabi must
clearly reflect the incorporation of research based curriculum and
pedagogy as required under paragraph (b) of this section of the
priority.
An applicant must satisfy the following requirements contained in
section 673(f) through (i) of IDEA and 34 CFR part 304--
(a) Demonstrate, with letters from one or more States that the
project proposes to serve, that each State needs personnel in the area
or areas in which the applicant proposes to provide preparation, as
identified in the State's comprehensive system of personnel development
under Part B of IDEA;
(b) Demonstrate that it has engaged in a cooperative effort with
one or more SEAs to plan, carry out, and monitor the project;
(c) Provide letters from one or more States stating that they
intend to accept successful completion of the proposed personnel
preparation program as meeting State personnel standards for serving
children with disabilities;
(d) Meet State and professionally-recognized standards for the
preparation of special education and related services personnel;
(e) Ensure that individuals who receive financial assistance under
the proposed project will meet the service obligation requirements, or
repay all or part of the cost of that assistance, in accordance with
section 673(h)(1) of IDEA and the regulations in 34 CFR part 304.
Applicants must describe how they will inform scholarship recipients of
this service obligation requirement; and
(f) As authorized under section 673(i) of IDEA and 34 CFR 304.20,
use at least 65 percent of the total requested budget for student
scholarships.
Competitive Preference Priority: Within Absolute Priority 4, we
give competitive preference to applications that address the following
priority.
This competitive preference priority is from the program statute
(section 673(g)(3)(B) of IDEA).
Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i) we award up to 10 points to an
application, depending on the extent to which the application meets
this priority.
This competitive preference priority is:
We give preference to IHEs based on the extent to which the IHE
successfully recruits and prepares individuals with disabilities and
individuals from groups that are underrepresented in the profession for
which they are preparing individuals. In the case of a new project, the
applicant must submit a plan with strategies on how it will meet this
competitive preference.

Waiver of Proposed Rulemaking

Under the Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C. 553) 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 priorities in
this notice.
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1461, and 1473.
Applicable Regulations: (a) 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; and (b) The regulations for this
program in 34 CFR part 304.

II. Award Information

Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
Estimated Available Funds: $14,200,796.
For funding information regarding the individual priorities, see
the chart in the Award Information section of this notice. In addition,
the allocation of funds for Absolute Priority 1 is explained in the
chart.
Estimated Range of Awards: See chart.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: See chart.
Maximum Awards: See chart.
Estimated Number of Awards: See chart.
Project Period: See chart.

[[Page 10016]]

Individuals With Disabilities Education Act Application Notice for Fiscal Year 2004
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Estimated
Deadline for transmittal Deadline for Estimated Estimated average Maximum Estimated
CFDA number and name Applications available of applications intergovernmental available range of size of award (per number of Project period
review funds awards awards year)\*\ awards
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
84.325A Preparation of Special March 4, 2004........... April 16, 2004.......... June 15, 2004......... $6,000,000 $200,000-$2 $224,440 $250,000 24 Up to 60
Education, Related Services, and 50,000 months.
Early Intervention Personnel to
Serve Infants, Toddlers, and
Children with Low-Incidence
Disabilities\**\.
84.325D Preparation of Leadership March 4, 2004........... April 9, 2004........... June 8, 2004.......... 3,174,000 171,969-200 196,200 200,000 16 Up to 48
Personnel. ,000 months.
84.325E Preparation of Personnel March 4, 2004........... April 9, 2004........... June 8, 2004.......... 2,000,000 186,234-200 196,450 200,000 10 Up to 48
in Minority Institutions. ,000 months.
84.325H Improving the Preparation March 4, 2004........... April 5, 2004........... June 1, 2004.......... 3,026,796 163,848-200 196,840 200,000 15 Up to 48
of Personnel to Serve Children ,000 months.
with High-Incidence Disabilities.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\*\ We will reject any application that proposes a budget exceeding the maximum award for a single budget period of 12 months.
Note: The Department of Education is not bound by any estimates in this notice.
\**\ Under this absolute priority, we plan to award approximately:
60 percent of the available funds for projects that support careers in special education, including early childhood educators;
10 percent of the available funds for projects that support careers in educational interpreter services for hearing impaired individuals;
15 percent of the available funds for projects that support careers in related services, other than educational interpreter services; and
15 percent of the available funds for projects that support careers in early intervention.

III. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants: IHEs.
2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This competition does not involve cost
sharing or matching.
3. Other: General Requirements--(a) The projects funded under this
program must make positive efforts to employ and advance in employment
qualified individuals with disabilities (see section 606 of IDEA).
(b) Each applicant and grant recipient funded under this program
must involve individuals with disabilities or parents of individuals
with disabilities in planning, implementing, and evaluating the project
(see section 661(f)(1)(A) of IDEA).
(c) Applicants funded under this program must submit annual data on
each scholar who receives grant support. The scholar data will be due
within 60 days after the end of each grant budget year and will be
submitted electronically. Applicants are encouraged to visit the
Personnel Prep Data (PPD) Web site at
http://www.osepppd.org for further

information.
(d) Each project funded under this program must budget for a two-
day Project Directors' meeting in Washington, DC, during each year of
the project.
(e) In a single application an applicant may address only one
absolute priority.
(f) If a project maintains a Web site, it must include relevant
information and documents in an accessible form.

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: 1-301-470-1244. 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
each competition by its respective CFDA number as follows: CFDA number
84.325A, 84.325D, 84.325E, or 84.325H.
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 Contract
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 for each absolute priority,
using the following standards:
[sbull] A ``page'' is 8.5'' x 11'', on one side only, with 1''
margins at the top, bottom, and both sides.
[sbull] 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.
[sbull] Use a font that is either 12-point or larger or no smaller
than 10 pitch (characters per inch).
The page limit does not apply to Part I, the cover sheet; Part II,
the budget section, including the narrative budget justification; Part
IV, the assurances and certifications; or the one-page abstract, the
resumes, the bibliography, 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--
[sbull] You apply these standards and exceed the page limit; or
[sbull] You apply other standards and exceed the equivalent of the
page limit.

[[Page 10017]]

3. Submission Dates and Times: Applications Available: See chart.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: See chart. 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 program. 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: See chart.
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 these competitions.
5. Funding Restrictions: We reference additional 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
program.

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 Personnel
Preparation To Improve Services and Results for Children with
Disabilities program--CFDA Numbers 84.325A, D, E, and H is one of the
programs included in the pilot project. If you are an applicant for a
grant under the Personnel Preparation To Improve Services and Results
for Children With Disabilities program, 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:
[sbull] Your participation is voluntary.
[sbull] 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.
[sbull] 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.
[sbull] You may submit all documents electronically, including the
Application for Federal Education Assistance (ED 424), Budget
Information--Non-Construction Programs (ED 524), and all necessary
assurances and certifications.
[sbull] Your e-Application must comply with any page limit
requirements described in this notice.
[sbull] After you electronically submit your application, you will
receive an automatic acknowledgement, which will include a PR/Award
number (an identifying number unique to your application).
[sbull] Within three working days of 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 1-
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 Personnel Preparation to Improve Services and Results for
Children with Disabilities program 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 hand delivery. We will grant this extension
if--
1. You are a registered user of e-Application, and 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 persons 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 Personnel
Preparation to Improve Services and Results for Children with
Disabilities program at http://e-grants.ed.gov.

V. Application Review Information

Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for these competitions
are listed in 34 CFR 75.210. The specific selection criteria to be used
for these competitions will be provided 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 Notice
(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.

[[Page 10018]]

3. Reporting: At the end of your project period, you must submit a
final performance report, including financial information, as directed
by the Secretary. If you receive a multi-year award, you must submit an
annual performance report that provides the most current performance
and financial expenditure information as specified by the Secretary in
34 CFR 75.118.
4. Performance Measures: Under the Government Performance and
Results Act (GPRA), the Department has established a set of performance
measures that are designed to yield information on the effectiveness of
the Personnel Preparation program. These measures address: (1) the
percentage of scholars that complete their program; and (2) the
percentage of scholars employed upon program completion in the area
trained.
If funded, applicants will be asked to collect and report data
through the Personnel Preparation Data (PPD) Web site at
http://www.osepppd.org (see section III.3.(c) of this notice for further

information on the PPD) and in their required annual performance
reports. The PPD and annual performance reports are designed, in part,
to provide an opportunity for grantees to document their success in
addressing these performance measures.
Beyond the performance measures previously described, the
Department is also currently developing measures that will be designed
to yield information on various aspects of program quality (e.g., the
extent to which programs support scholars who are highly qualified for
the position for which they are trained; the extent to which the
curricula of training programs reflect the current knowledge base on
effective practices; and the percentage of program completers
maintaining employment for three or more years in the area(s) for which
they were trained) for projects funded under this notice. If funded,
applicants will also be asked to participate in assessing and providing
information on program quality.

VII. Agency Contact

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The Grants and Contracts Services
Team, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room
3317, Switzer Building, Washington, DC 20202-2550. Telephone: 1-202-
205-8207.
If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may
call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339.
Individuals with disabilities may obtain this document in an
alternative format (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer
diskette) on request to the Grants and Contracts Services Team listed
in this section.

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 1-202-512-1530.

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: February 24, 2004.
Troy R. Justesen,
Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Special Education and
Rehabilitative Services.
[FR Doc. 04-4722 Filed 3-2-04; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4000-01-P