[Federal Register: January 4, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 1)]
[Notices]
[Page 351-362]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr04ja99-36]
[[Page 351]]
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Part X
Department of Education
_______________________________________________________________________
Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services; Grant Applications
Under Part D, Subpart 2 of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
Amendments of 1997; Notice
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services; Grant
Applications Under Part D, Subpart 2 of the Individuals With
Disabilities Education Act Amendments of 1997.
AGENCY: Department of Education.
ACTION: Notice inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year
1999.
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SUMMARY: This notice provides closing dates and other information
regarding the transmittal of applications for fiscal year 1999
competitions under four programs authorized by the Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), as amended. The four programs are:
(1) Special Education--Research and Innovation to Improve Services and
Results for Children with Disabilities (three priorities); (2) Special
Education--Personnel Preparation to Improve Services and Results for
Children with Disabilities (one priority); (3) Special Education--
Technical Assistance and Dissemination to Improve Services and Results
for Children with Disabilities (one priority); and (4) Special
Education--Technology and Media Services for Individuals with
Disabilities (two priorities).
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.
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);
(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; and
(d) In a single application, an applicant must address only one
absolute priority in this notice.
Note: The Department of Education is not bound by any estimates
in this notice.
Information collection resulting from this notice has been
submitted to OMB for review under the Paperwork Reduction Act and has
been approved under control number 1820-0028, expiration date July 31,
2000.
Research And Innovation To Improve Services And Results for
Children With Disabilities [CFDA 84.324]
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.
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 for Absolute Priorities
1-3 are drawn from the EDGAR general selection criteria menu. The
specific selection criteria for each of the priorities are included in
the funding application packet for the three competitions.
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to institutions of
higher education only.
Priority
Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3), the Secretary gives an absolute
preference to applications that meet the following priorities. The
Secretary funds under these competitions only applications that meet
these absolute priorities:
Absolute Priority 1--Directed Research Projects (84.324D)
This priority provides support for projects that advance and
improve the knowledge base and improve the practice of professionals,
parents, and others providing early intervention, special education,
and related services, including professionals who work with children
with disabilities in regular education environments and natural
environments, to provide those children effective instruction and
interventions that enable them to learn and develop successfully. Under
this priority, projects must support innovation, development, exchange
of information, and use of advancements in knowledge and practice
designed to contribute to the improvement of early intervention,
instruction, and learning of infants, toddlers, and children with
disabilities.
Focus 1--Inclusion of Students With Disabilities in Large-Scale
Assessment Programs
The IDEA amendments of 1997 include a number of provisions related
to State and district-wide assessment programs. These provisions call
for (1) the participation of children with disabilities in general
State and district-wide assessment programs, with appropriate
accommodations where necessary (Sec. 612(a)(17)(A)); (2) the provision
of alternate assessments for children with disabilities who cannot
participate in State or district-wide assessment programs (Sec.
612(a)(17)(A)(I)(ii)), (3) public reporting on the participation and
performance of students with disabilities in general assessment
programs and alternate assessments (Sec. 612(a)(17)(B)), and (4)
individualized decision making during the development of the IEP about
modifications in the administration of State and district-wide
assessments and participation in alternate assessments (Sec.
614(d)(1)(A)(v)).
Focus 1 supports projects that pursue systematic programs of
applied research to (a) determine how State and local educational
agencies can best meet these requirements, and/or (b) study the effects
of State and local efforts to meet these requirements. Projects may
focus on one or more specific requirements or issues.
The Secretary intends to fund at least one project focusing on low-
incidence disabilities, i.e., visual impairments (including blindness),
hearing impairments (including deafness), orthopedic impairments,
autism, traumatic brain injury, other health impairments, and multiple
and severe disabilities. The Secretary intends to make approximately 3
awards in Focus Area 1.
Focus 2--Instructional Interventions and Results for Children With
Disabilities
The successful implementation of the IDEA Amendments of 1997
requires a strong emphasis on access to and support for children with
disabilities in general education curricula. Research is needed to
describe, test, and validate instructional practices that have the
potential for generating positive results for children with
disabilities as they strive to meet State and local standards and
performance goals set for all students. The research must focus on
children in preschool, elementary, middle, or high school. The
Secretary intends to award at least 2 projects for each of the
following grade levels;
[[Page 353]]
preschool, elementary, middle, and high school.
Projects supported under Focus 2 must investigate one or more
issues related to content-area results for children with disabilities.
These issues may include, but are not limited to:
(a) The relationship of instructional interventions in core
subjects to results. Core subjects include, for example, language arts,
mathematics, science, and social studies.
(b) The relationship of contextual variables to results. Contextual
variables include, for example, classroom design, groupings, or
management strategies; curricular design, delivery, or materials;
family and staff interaction.
(c) How to provide instructional and curricular accommodations to
ensure that students with disabilities have access to the general
education curriculum.
The Secretary intends to fund approximately 12 awards in Focus 2.
Focus Area 3--Early and Prescriptive Assessment of Children With
Learning or Emotional Disabilities
Analyses of identification rates for children with disabilities
have repeatedly documented that, in general, children with physical,
sensory, speech, and severe cognitive disabilities are recognized
relatively early, and children with learning and emotional
disabilities, relatively late. Between first grade and fourth grade the
number of children identified with learning disabilities and emotional
disturbance triples. In contrast, research has shown that early
intervention is particularly effective for children with learning or
emotional disabilities, to improve educational results and reduce
behavioral difficulties.
Attempts to explain the late identification patterns for children
with learning or emotional disabilities have targeted weaknesses in
assessment practices, and the consequent reluctance of schools to
engage in potentially stigmatizing erroneous identification.
Nevertheless, this reluctance has undoubtedly resulted in the denial of
appropriate services to many young children at the age when they would
obtain the greatest benefit from targeted interventions.
Research is needed to examine and document effective and
prescriptive assessment procedures that will contribute to the accurate
identification of young children (3 through 9 years of age) with
learning or emotional disabilities, and will lead to specification of
appropriate services to maximize their social and educational
development. The procedures and services to be studied must incorporate
multiple assessment approaches including observational techniques and,
where appropriate, prereferral strategies to enhance the accuracy of
assessment and prevent misidentification of children. The research must
document the effectiveness of methods to accurately identify and
prescribe interventions for young children with learning or emotional
disabilities, including students who may be determined eligible for
special education under the classifications of specific learning
disabilities, emotional disturbance, development delay, or other health
impaired. Given the common co-occurrence of learning and behavioral
problems in young children with any of these disabilities, and the
importance of including appropriate objectives in IEPs that cover both
of these areas when necessary, all applicants for research awards under
this focus area must conduct research on early assessment procedures
that examine both emotional/behavioral and learning domains.
The Secretary intends to award approximately 4 projects in Focus 3.
Focus 4--Improving the Delivery of Early Intervention, Special
Education or Related Services to Children With Disabilities From High
Poverty Backgrounds
The association between socioeconomic status and enrollment in
special education has been well documented. Poverty has been associated
with an increased risk of children being born with a lower than average
birth weight. Low birth weight babies are at higher risk of developing
learning disabilities, hyperactivity, emotional problems, mental
illness, neurodevelopmental problems, and visual and hearing
impairments. When poverty and low birth weight occur together, the
number of students who need special education services is greater than
would be predicted for those factors independently (Nineteenth Annual
Report to Congress on the Implementation of IDEA). Available data from
the National Longitudinal Transition Study show that 68 percent of
students in special education live in a household where the income is
less than $25,000 per year versus 39 percent of the general population
of youth.
A number of problems that affect educational outcomes for children
are associated with poverty. Children of low-income families on average
miss more days of school (Sherman, 1994). A pattern of underachievement
is also associated with children of low-income families (Carnegie
Corporation, 1996). Students from low-income families are twice as
likely to drop out of high school as their middle income peers, and 11
times more likely to drop out than their upper-income peers (Sherman,
1994).
Research projects supported under this focus must identify,
examine, and document information about the specific factors that
contribute to effective early intervention, special education, or
related services for children with disabilities from high poverty
backgrounds.
Invitational Priority
The Secretary is particularly interested in applications that
address issues related to young women and girls with disabilities from
high poverty backgrounds. However, under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(1), an
application that meets this invitational priority does not receive
competitive or absolute preference over other applications.
The Secretary intends to award approximately 3 projects in Focus 4.
Project Period for All Focus Areas: Up to 36 months.
Maximum Award for All Focus Areas: The Secretary rejects and does
not consider an application that proposes a budget exceeding $180,000
for any single budget period of 12 months. This maximum award applies
to any application for any Focus area. The Secretary may change the
maximum amount through a notice published in the Federal Register.
Eligible Applicants: State and local educational agencies;
institutions of higher education; other public agencies; private
nonprofit organizations; outlying areas; freely associated States; and
Indian tribes or tribal organizations.
Page Limits for All Focus Areas: 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 50
double-spaced 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.
[[Page 354]]
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--Model Demonstration Projects for Children with
Disabilities (84.324T)
This priority supports model demonstration projects that develop,
implement, evaluate, and disseminate new or improved approaches for
providing early intervention, special education and related services to
infants, toddlers, and children with disabilities, ages birth through
21. Projects supported under this priority are expected to be major
contributors of models or components of models for service providers
and for outreach projects funded under the Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act.
Under this absolute priority, the Secretary expects to fund
projects across the full range of age, disability, and service issue
categories. In addition, the Secretary intends, under section 661(e)(2)
of IDEA, to fund a limited number of projects in each of the focus
areas listed below.
Requirements for All Demonstration Projects
A model demonstration project must--
(a) Develop and implement the model with specific components or
strategies that are based on theory, research, or evaluation data;
(b) Evaluate the model by using multiple measures of results to
determine the effectiveness of the model and its components or
strategies. With the exception of projects under focus area 3, Local or
State Child Find, all projects must include measures of individual
child change and other indicators of the effects of the model (e.g.,
family outcomes, peer outcomes, teacher outcomes), and cost data
associated with implementing the model; and
(c) Produce detailed procedures and materials that would enable
others to replicate the model.
Federal financial participation for a project funded under this
priority will not exceed 90 percent of the total annual costs of
development, implementation, evaluation, and dissemination of the
project.
In addition to the annual two day Project Director's meeting in
Washington, D.C. mentioned in the General Requirements section of this
notice, projects must budget for another annual two-day trip to
Washington, D.C. to collaborate with the Federal project officer and
the other projects funded under this priority, to share information and
discuss project implementation issues.
Focus Areas
Focus Area 1--Instructional Models To Improve Early Reading Results
for Children With Learning Disabilities.
Children with learning disabilities typically need highly
purposeful, strategic, systematic, and carefully designed instruction
to learn to read. The purpose of this focus area is to develop models
to improve the early reading results for children with learning
disabilities in kindergarten through third grade. As a result of
research conducted over the last several years, researchers have found
that the models must incorporate research-based principles of phonemic
awareness, alphabetic understanding and knowledge, and the appreciation
of meaning. The models must also reflect research-based principles
including, creating an appreciation of the written word; developing
awareness of printed language; learning the alphabet; understanding the
relation of letters and words; understanding that language is made of
words, syllables, and phonemes; learning letter sounds; sounding out
new words; identifying words in print accurately and easily; knowing
spelling patterns; and learning to read critically.
Projects are required to evaluate their effectiveness. Where
appropriate, the Secretary particularly encourages projects under this
focus area to include information related to the following measures--
(a) Multiple measures of student's beginning reading knowledge and
skills;
(b) The extent to which children with learning disabilities access
the general education curriculum, including participation in national
and State assessments; and
(c) Descriptions of the instructional models, including basal
reading programs, supplemental materials, and instructional approaches.
The Secretary intends to make approximately 3 awards in Focus Area
1.
Focus Area 2--Appropriate Services for Children With Deaf-Blindness
This focus area supports model projects to meet the needs of
children with deaf-blindness. Projects may include, for example,
related services such as assistive technology devices, innovative
approaches, media and materials to address language and communication,
sensory functioning, and orientation and mobility skills for students
attending their local schools. Projects may address the heterogeneous
nature of the students' needs, ranging from advanced curricula for some
students to lifelong support for others. Projects are required to
evaluate their effectiveness. Where appropriate, the Secretary
particularly encourages projects under this focus area to include
information related to the following measures:
(a) Changes in family satisfaction with the provision of services
and the child's education; and
(b) Changes in the teacher's assessment of the provision of
services.
The Secretary intends to make approximately 3 awards in Focus Area
2.
Focus Area 3--Local or State Child Find
Local or State Child Find Projects under this area support
development of local or State Child Find models to identify all
eligible children under IDEA Part C (e.g., children with specific
disabilities or children with developmental delays). Projects must test
and describe the environments that promote successful child find
practices (e.g., success in identifying all eligible children with
disabilities or screening of all children for hearing loss or low birth
weight.
Projects are required to evaluate their effectiveness. Where
appropriate, the Secretary particularly encourages projects under this
focus area to include information related to the following measures--
(a) Changes in the number and proportion of children served under
Part C, ages birth to 3;
(b) Changes in the number of children referred to the State Child
Find system from all sources, public and private;
(c) Changes in the number and proportion of children served ages
birth to one year old, as measured relative to the total number of
children served under IDEA, Part C within the geographic area served by
the project; and
(d) Changes in the collaboration efforts and linkages among other
agencies in States that provide services for infants and toddlers at-
risk for disabilities.
[[Page 355]]
The Secretary intends to make approximately 3 awards in Focus Area
3.
Focus Area 4--Services Through Age 21
Projects under this focus area support models that provide
appropriate transition services to students ages 18 through 21 who have
not exited and are not expected to exit secondary schools with
``regular'' diplomas. To the extent possible, the models should be
developed in age appropriate environments such as community-based work
settings, community colleges, or other adult learning environments.
Students included in these models are expected to remain eligible for
special education services until they reach their State's maximum age
for services. Students must be included in the IDEA Part B Child Count.
Projects are required to evaluate their effectiveness. Where
appropriate, the Secretary particularly encourages projects under this
focus area to include information related to the following measures--
(a) Participation of youth with disabilities and their families in
the planning and implementation of services;
(b) Participation of adult service agencies or providers in the
planning and implementation of services;
(c) Utilization of work incentives under the Supplemental Security
Income (SSI) Program; and
(d) Change in the percentage of students participating in
employment and other post school activities.
The Secretary intends to make approximately 3 awards in Focus Area
4.
Project Period For All Focus Areas: Up to 48 months.
Maximum Award for All Focus Areas: The Secretary rejects and does
not consider an application that proposes a budget exceeding $180,000
(exclusive of any matching funds) for any single budget period of 12
months.
The Secretary may change the maximum amount through a notice
published in the Federal Register.
Eligible Applicants: For Focus areas 1-3, eligible applicants
include, State and local educational agencies; institutions of higher
education; other public agencies; private nonprofit organizations;
outlying areas; freely associated States; and Indian tribes or tribal
organizations. For Focus area 4, eligible applicants are limited to
local educational agencies only.
Page Limits for All Focus Areas: 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 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 3--Research Institute To Improve Results for
Adolescents With Disabilities in General Education Academic Curricula
(84.324S)
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.
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 teachers 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 create significant barriers which
enable them to benefit 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 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
[[Page 356]]
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;
(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 about, 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;
(d) 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; and
(e) 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).
Under this priority, The Secretary will make one 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 the project 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 services of the review team, including a
two-day site visit to the project, are to be performed during the last
half of the project'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 project's budget for year two. These costs are estimated to be
approximately $6,000;
(b) The timeliness and effectiveness with which all requirements of
the negotiated cooperative agreement have been or are being met by the
project; and
(c) The degree to which the project's design and methodology
demonstrates the potential for advancing significant new knowledge.
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.
Eligible Applicants: State and local educational agencies;
institutions of higher education; other public agencies; private
nonprofit organizations; outlying areas; freely associated States; and
Indian tribes or tribal organizations.
Page Limits: 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 75 double-spaced
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.
[[Page 357]]
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: Local educational agencies and 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 for this priority are
drawn from the EDGAR general selection criteria menu. The specific
selection criteria for this priority are included in the funding
application packet for this competition.
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to institutions of
higher education only.
Priority: Under section 673 of the Act and 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
those applications that meet this absolute priority:
Absolute Priority 1--Partnerships To Link Personnel Training and School
Practice (84.325P)
Background: Teachers need to be prepared to provide effective
instruction across the full range of student abilities. An overwhelming
majority of all students with disabilities spend at least a portion of
their school day in a general education classroom. The movement toward
inclusive education in today's schools requires that general and
special education teachers work together to meet the needs of students
with disabilities. However, extensive data indicate that general
education teachers do not feel that they have the knowledge and skills
necessary to meet the educational needs of these students in their
classrooms and that special education teachers are required to assume
roles (e.g., consulting with general education teachers, co-teaching in
general education classrooms, and supervising paraprofessional staff)
for which they are insufficiently prepared.
In order to meet the challenge of preparing general and special
education teachers to be effective in addressing the needs, and
improving the results, of students with disabilities in inclusive
schools, teacher preparation programs must be grounded in the
structural, organizational, and instructional realities of schools,
while schools must facilitate continuous improvement of teacher
knowledge and skills. Institutions that prepare teachers and the
schools in which teachers work both have a responsibility to ensure
that teachers (special and regular education) can effectively fulfill
their roles in working with children with disabilities.
Too often the sole relationship between preparation programs and
local schools is limited to setting up practicum settings for trainees.
Faculty members at Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs) are most
often minimally involved in practicum supervision. Yet, universities
and schools can no longer afford to work in isolation. Similarly,
training regular and special education teachers can no longer be viewed
as separate functions. The following priority is intended to develop
models for building and enhancing partnerships between training
institutions and local schools in order to strengthen the quality and
effectiveness of preservice preparation programs and ongoing
professional development activities for teachers and instructional
leaders (both special and regular education) who serve children with
disabilities.
The power of the partnerships supported through this priority
should not be underestimated. The Secretary expects projects to develop
models that connect preservice and inservice development for
professional personnel and will have a significant impact on the
improvement of educational practices that will lead to better results
for children. It is intended that these models will provide a means by
which local schools and IHEs can simultaneously improve their work and
effectiveness.
Priority
The Secretary establishes an absolute priority to support projects
that develop, implement, and evaluate innovative models for engaging
general education and special education faculty in IHEs and general
education and special education teachers and instructional leaders in
local schools and districts in a dynamic and enduring partnership to
enhance and simultaneously improve the quality of preservice
preparation and ongoing professional development of teachers and
instructional leaders. Partnership activities must be designed to
ensure that both special education and regular education professionals
have the knowledge and skills necessary to improve results for children
with disabilities.
Projects funded under this priority must:
(a) Develop a partnership model for linking IHE personnel training
programs with local school practice that is guided by a conceptual
framework incorporating relevant, research-based knowledge and
practice. The partnership model must include the following features:
(1) A systematic approach to professional development at all stages
of the training continuum by focusing on continuous learning by
teachers, instructional leaders, and faculties of IHE education
programs;
(2) The integration of theory and practice to produce more
practical, contextualized theory and more theoretically grounded,
broadly informed practice;
(3) A strong commitment to research-based change that is
continually responsive to personnel needs and to advances in the
knowledge base; and
(4) A description of the benefits that will accrue to all
stakeholders, including, but not limited to, IHE faculty, teachers-in-
training, practicing professionals in local schools, and students with
disabilities, as a result of the implementation of the proposed
partnership model.
(b) Provide substantial evidence that the proposed model will serve
a broad-based need.
(c) Establish an advisory panel of relevant stakeholders and
potential users to provide guidance that will help to assure the model
developed has broad applicability.
(d) Include the following partnerships activities:
(1) Identification of a common core of knowledge and skills that
are appropriate for all prospective general and special education
teachers, are aligned with critical teaching standards and with high
student content and performance standards, and for which there is broad
based support among all stakeholders;
(2) Clarification of the current and emerging roles and
responsibilities of special educators in inclusive schools, including
identification of the specialized knowledge and skill competencies that
these educators must perform effectively, and for which there is broad
based support among all stakeholders;
(3) Modification of curricula and materials used for preservice
preparation of general and special education teachers that is
consistent
[[Page 358]]
with the requirements under paragraph (a) and is conducted through
collaboration between IHEs and schools or districts; and
(4) Development of an approach for providing intensive, ongoing
professional development that will advance the career-long learning of
school and IHE personnel and ensure that children with disabilities
achieve to high standards.
(e) Conduct ongoing formative evaluations of project activities,
and a final evaluation to assess the success of the partnership model
in enhancing the skills, knowledge, and practices of professional
personnel that will lead to improved results for children with
disabilities.
(f) Develop a plan for sustaining implementation of the model
beyond the period of Federal funding for this project.
(g) Produce a model ``blueprint'' or case study that would permit
others to replicate or implement the model and includes comprehensive
information related to paragraphs (a) through (d) and comprehensive
outcomes of the final evaluation required under paragraph (e).
(h) In addition to the annual two day Project Directors' meeting in
Washington, D.C. listed in the General Requirements section of this
notice, budget for another annual two-day trip to Washington, D.C. to
collaborate with the Federal project officer and other projects funded
under this priority by sharing information and discussing model
development, implementation, and dissemination issues, including the
carrying out of cross-project dissemination activities.
To be considered for an award, an applicant must satisfy the
following requirements:
(a) Any applicant that is not a local educational agency or a State
educational agency must 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 Section 673 (f)(2)(B) of
the Act;
(b) Projects that provide student financial assistance may only
provide such assistance for the preservice preparation of special
education, related services, early intervention, and leadership
personnel to serve children ages 3 through 21, and early intervention
personnel who serve infants and toddlers; and
(c) Ensure that individuals who receive student financial
assistance under the proposed project will subsequently provide,
special education and related services to children with disabilities,
or early intervention services to infants and toddlers 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. 1473(h)(1)). The requirement
must be implemented consistently with section 673(h)(1) of the Act and
with applicable regulations in effect prior to the awarding of grants
under this priority.
Under this priority, the project period is up to 60 months subject
to the requirements of 34 CFR 75.253(a) for continuation awards. In
determining whether to continue the project 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 services of the review team, including a
two-day site visit to the project, are to be performed during the last
half of the project'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 project's budget for year two. These costs are estimated to be
approximately $6,000;
(b) The timeliness and effectiveness with which all requirements of
the grant have been or are being met by the project; and
(c) The degree to which the project's design and methodology
demonstrates the potential for advancing significant new knowledge.
Project Period: Up to 60 months.
Maximum Award: The Secretary rejects and does not consider an
application that proposes a budget exceeding $300,000 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: 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 50 double-spaced
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-Technical Assistance and Dissemination To Improve
Services and Results for Children With Disabilities [CFDA 84.326]
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, 77, 79, 80,
81, 82, 85, and 86; and (b) The selection criteria for this priority
are drawn from the EDGAR general selection criteria menu. The specific
selection criteria for this priority are included in the funding
application packet for this competition.
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to institutions of
higher education only.
Priority: Under section 685 of the Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act and 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3), the Secretary gives an absolute
preference to applications that meet the following priority. The
Secretary funds under this
[[Page 359]]
competitions only those applications that meet this absolute priority:
Absolute Priority--National Clearinghouse on Deaf-Blindness (84.326U)
Background
As a result of the uniqueness and complexity of serving children
and young adults with deaf-blindness, there is a significant need to
provide and disseminate information on a national basis to those with
deaf-blindness and to their families, stakeholders, service providers,
and other interested parties. The current trend of these children to
live and attend neighborhood schools has caused an increase in the
number and variety of individuals who require access to current,
organized, authoritative, and synthesized information pertaining to
deaf-blindness.
In an effort to effectively address this informational need and to
improve results for children who are deaf-blind, the following priority
supports a national clearinghouse that will make widely available
specialized knowledge, effective practices, research, and other
informational resources related to deaf-blindness.
Priority
The Secretary proposes an absolute priority for the purpose of
establishing and operating a national clearinghouse on deaf-blindness
to improve outcomes for children and individuals who are deaf-blind.
The clearinghouse must --
(a) Identify, collect, organize, and disseminate information
related to deaf-blindness, including research-based and other practices
that are supported by statistical or narrative data establishing their
effectiveness in improving results for children who are deaf-blind.
Information made available through the clearinghouse shall relate, at a
minimum, to the following items--
(1) Early intervention, special education, and related services,
for children with deaf-blindness;
(2) Related medical, health, social, and recreational services;
(3) The nature of deaf-blindness and the barriers to education and
employment that it causes;
(4) Identified legal issues that are currently affecting persons
with deaf-blindness; and
(5) Postsecondary education for individuals with deaf-blindness.
(b) Disseminate research and information on deaf-blindness to a
wide variety of audiences employing multiple dissemination mechanisms
and approaches, including the establishment and maintenance of a user-
friendly Web site that permits the downloading of all clearinghouse
information data bases and incorporates hotlinks to other relevant
information sources. The data bases must also include national
bibliographic, personnel, and organizational resources;
(c) Employ state-of-the-art technology, while linking researchers
with practitioners in order to identify, collect, develop, and
disseminate information;
(d) Assist State and local educational agencies, and other related
agencies and organizations, in developing and implementing systemic-
change goals for children with deaf-blindness;
(e) Respond to information requests from professionals, parents,
students, institutions of higher education, and other interested
individuals. The clearinghouse shall also develop and implement
appropriate strategies for disseminating information to under-
represented groups, including those with limited English proficiency;
(f) Carry out clearinghouse activities by collaborating with
appropriate agencies, organizations, and consumer groups that have
specific expertise in addressing the needs of children with deaf-
blindness and building capacity to improve results for these children;
(g) Develop a broad, 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 promoting awareness of issues related to deaf-blindness
and referring individuals to appropriate resources;
(h) Expand and broaden the use of current informational resources
by developing materials that synthesize established and emerging
knowledge into easily understandable products with accessible formats;
and
(i) Establish and implement a comprehensive system of evaluation to
annually determine the impact of the clearinghouse activities on
children with deaf-blindness, identify relevant achievements, and
identify strategies for improvement.
Under this priority, the project period is up to 60 months subject
to the requirements of 34 CFR 75.253(a) for continuation awards. In
determining whether to continue the project 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 services of the review team, including a
two-day site visit to the project, are to be performed during the last
half of the project'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 project's budget for year two. These costs are estimated to be
approximately $6,000;
(b) The timeliness and effectiveness with which all requirements of
the grant have been or are being met by the project; and
(c) The degree to which the project's design and methodology
demonstrates the potential for advancing significant new knowledge.
Project Period: Up to 60 months.
Maximum Award: The Secretary rejects and does not consider an
application that proposes a budget exceeding $400,000 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: 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
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.
[[Page 360]]
Special Education--Technology and Media Services for Individuals With
Disabilities [CFDA 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, 77, 79, 80,
81, 82, 85, and 86; and (b) The selection criteria for the Local News
and Public Information and Closed Captioned Spanish Television Programs
priorities are drawn from the EDGAR general selection criteria menu.
The specific selection criteria for this priority are included in the
funding application packet for this competition.
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 the following
priority. The Secretary funds under this competition only those
applications that meet this absolute priority:
Absolute Priority 1--Closed Captioned Television Programs--Local News
and Public Information (84.327L)
Background
The wide availability of closed captioning services for local
television programming desired by individuals who are deaf or hard of
hearing has been limited by the lack of start-up funds for equipment
and real-time captioning by local captioning agencies. This effort to
provide real-time captioning of local programming is further hampered
by difficulties in the training, recruitment, and retention of
stenocaptioners who are sufficiently skilled to provide captioning for
on-air broadcast.
Priority
This activity will support cooperative agreements to provide funds
for start up costs and for the captioning of local television
programming utilizing the real-time stenographic method preferred by
consumers who are deaf or hard of hearing, and will result in an
increase of the capacity of the industry to respond to demands for
accurate real-time captioning.
To be considered for funding under this competition, a project
must--
(1) Include procedures and criteria for selecting programs for
captioning that take into account the preferences of consumers who are
deaf or hard of hearing;
(2) Provide and maintain back-up systems that will ensure
successful, timely captioning service;
(3) Identify and support a consumer advisory group, which would
meet at least annually, to provide the captioning agency and program
providers ongoing feedback regarding the quality of captioning;
(4) Identify the total number of hours and cost per hour for each
of the programs captioned;
(5) Identify for each program to be captioned, the source, and
amount of any private or other public support, if any;
(6) Provide a plan for ongoing training for stenocaptioners which
may include mentoring and;
(7) Implement procedures for monitoring the extent to which the
project provides full and accurate captioning and uses this information
to make refinements in captioning operations.
Captions produced under these awards may be reformatted or
otherwise adapted by owners or rights holders of programming, including
networks, and syndicators, for future airings or other distributions.
Competitive preference: Within this absolute priority, the
Secretary will give the following competitive preference: An additional
20 points to an applicant who, during 1998, was not a grantee or a
subcontractor of a grantee under the captioning program of IDEA and
does not propose to use a subcontractor who was a grantee or a
subcontractor of a grantee under this program during the same period of
time.
Project Period: Up to 36 months.
Maximum Award: The Secretary rejects and does not consider an
application that proposes a budget exceeding $80,000 for Local News and
Public Information, for any single budget period of 12 months. The
Secretary rejects and does not consider an application that proposes a
budget exceeding this maximum amount. The Secretary may change the
maximum amount through a notice published in the Federal Register.
Page Limits: Part III of the application, the application
narrative, is where an applicant addresses the selection criteria that
are used by reviewers in evaluating the application. An applicant must
limit Part III to the equivalent of no more than 40 double-spaced
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--Closed-Captioned Spanish Television Programs
(84.327F)
Background
Individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing, including children,
teens, and late-deafened adults are found in every segment of society,
including the Latino community which is the fastest growing minority
group within the United States. Currently, Latino individuals who are
deaf or hard of hearing lack access to widely available television
programming originally broadcast in Spanish.
Priority
This priority supports cooperative agreements to provide for a
variety of programs, including, educational, sports, and national news
and public information programs broadcast or cablecast in Spanish to be
captioned in that language so that Latino individuals who are deaf or
hard of hearing can have access to those same programs as their family
and friends.
To be considered for funding under this competition, a project
must--
(1) Include procedures and criteria for selecting programs for
captioning that take into account the preferences of consumers,
parents, students, and educators, for particular programs, the
[[Page 361]]
diversity of programming available, and the contribution of programs to
the general educational and cultural experiences of individuals who are
deaf or hard of hearing;
(2) Provide and maintain back-up systems that will ensure
successful, timely captioning service;
(3) Identify the extent to which the programming is widely
available;
(4) Identify and support a consumer advisory group, which would
meet at least annually, to provide the captioning agency and program
providers ongoing feedback regarding the quality of captioning;
(5) Identify the total number of hours captioned, the captioning
method used, and the captioning cost per hour for each of the programs
captioned;
(6) Identify for each program to be captioned the source, and
amount of any private or other public support, if any;
(7) Provide assurances from program providers clarifying the extent
to which programs captioned under this project will air, and will
continue to air, without modification; and
(8) Implement procedures for monitoring the extent to which the
project provides full and accurate captioning and uses this information
to make refinements in captioning operations; and
Captions produced under these awards may be reformatted or
otherwise adapted by owners or rights holders of programming, including
networks, and syndicators, for future airings or other distributions.
Project Period: Up to 36 months.
Maximum Award: The Secretary rejects and does not consider an
application that proposes a budget exceeding $200,000 for Closed
Captioned Spanish Television Programs, for any single budget period of
12 months. The Secretary rejects and does not consider an application
that proposes a budget exceeding this maximum amount. The Secretary may
change the maximum amount through a notice published in the Federal
Register.
Page Limits: Part III of the application, the application
narrative, is where an applicant addresses the selection criteria that
are used by reviewers in evaluating the application. An applicant must
limit Part III to the equivalent of no more than 40 double-spaced
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.
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 the Research and Innovation
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 programs.
Individuals With Disabilities Education Act--Application Notice for Fiscal Year 1999
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Application Deadline for Maximum Estimated
CFDA No. and name Applications deadline intergovernmental award (per Project period Page number of
available date review year)* limit** awards
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
84.324 Directed Research Projects:
Focus 1--Inclusion of Students with 1/15/98 3/8/98 5/7/99 $180,000 Up to 36 mos.................... 50 3
Disabilities in Large-Scale
Assessment Programs.
Focus 2--Instructional 1/15/98 3/8/98 5/7/99 .......... ................................ ........ 12
Interventions and Results for
Children with Disabilities.
Focus 3--Early Prescriptive 1/15/98 3/8/98 5/7/99 .......... ................................ ........ 4
Assessment of Children with
Learning or Emotional Disabilities.
Focus 4--Improving the Delivery of 1/15/98 3/8/98 5/7//99 .......... ................................ ........ 3
Early Intervention, Special
Education or Related Services to
Children with Disabilities from
High Poverty Backgrounds.
84.324T Model Demonstration Projects:
[[Page 362]]
Focus 1--Instructional Models to 1/15/98 3/1/98 4/30/99 180,000 Up to 48 mos.................... 40 3
Improve Early Reading Results for
Children with Learning
Disabilities.
Focus 2--Appropriate Services for 1/15/98 3/1/98 4/30/99 .......... ................................ ........ 3
Children with Deaf-Blindness.
Focus 3--Local or State Child Find. 1/15/98 3/1/98 4/30/99 .......... ................................ ........ 3
Focus 4--Services Through Age 21... 1/15/98 3/1/98 4/30/99 .......... ................................ ........ 3
84.324S Research Institute to Improve 1/15/98 3/1/98 4/30/99 700,000 Up to 60 mos.................... 75 1
Results for Adolescents with
Disabilities in General Education
Academic Curricula.
84.325P Partnerships to Link Personnel 1/15/98 3/1/98 4/30/99 300,000 Up to 60 mos.................... 50 4
Training and School Practice.
84.326U National Clearinghouse on Deaf- 1/15/98 3/8/98 5/7/99 400,000 Up to 60 mos.................... 40 1
Blindness.
84.327L Closed Captioned Television 1/15/98 3/1/98 4/30/99 80,000 Up to 36 mos.................... 40 10
Programs--Local News and Public
Information.
84.327F Closed Captioned Spanish TV 1/15/98 3/1/98 4/30/99 200,000 Up to 36 mos.................... 40 3
Programs.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* 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.
** Applicants must limit the Application Narrative, Part III of the Application, to the page limits noted above. Please refer to the ``Page Limit''
requirements included under each priority and competition description in this notice. The Secretary rejects and does not consider an application that
does not adhere to this requirement.
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 at (202) 512-1530 or, 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.
Dated: December 28, 1998.
Judith E. Heumann,
Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.
[FR Doc. 98-34752 Filed 12-31-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P