[Federal Register: March 3, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 41)]
[Notices]
[Page 10351-10363]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr03mr99-140]
[[Page 10351]]
_______________________________________________________________________
Part III
Department of Education
_______________________________________________________________________
Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year 1999; Notice
[[Page 10352]]
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year 1999: Special
Education--Research and Innovation To Improve Services and Results for
Children With Disabilities; and Special Education--Technical Assistance
and Dissemination To Improve Services and Results for Children With
Disabilities
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 two programs authorized by the Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), as amended. The two programs are:
(1) Special Education--Research and Innovation To Improve Services and
Results for Children With Disabilities (five priorities); and (2)
Special Education--Technical Assistance and Dissemination To Improve
Services and Results for Children 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, DC 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
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
1-5 are drawn from the EDGAR general selection criteria menu. The
specific selection criteria for each priority are included in the
funding application packet for the applicable competition.
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to institutions of
higher education only.
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.
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--National Center on Access to the General
Curriculum (84.324H)
Background
The 1997 reauthorization of the Individuals With Disabilities
Education Act (IDEA) calls for providing the greatest possible access
to the general curriculum as a means for improving educational results
for students with disabilities. Access to the general curriculum is
most readily available by providing services in the regular education
classroom. Since the 1990-1991 school year, the percentage of students
with disabilities (ages 6-21) who participate in regular education
classes, at least 80 percent of the time, has gradually increased from
33 percent to 46 percent during the 1996-1997 school year. As regular
classrooms become more inclusive, strategies for providing access to
the general curriculum are needed so that students with disabilities
are actively involved in and progress in the general curriculum within
these classrooms. Furthermore, more students with disabilities need
access to the general curriculum, regardless of their placement.
However, a number of issues must be addressed before this goal can be
achieved.
First, the research base is disorganized and incomplete regarding
the best approaches for providing access to the general curriculum. We
need to broaden our understanding of how curriculum must be designed,
developed, and taught to be accessible. We need a better understanding
of the development and application of multiple alternatives that reduce
barriers to learning, such as universal designs that allow for diverse
learning needs. Second, the general curriculum tends to undergo
recurrent analyses and changes that may affect accessibility for
students with disabilities. We need to increase our awareness of the
issues and policies, both State and local, that affect general
curriculum. Third, special education and regular education communities
have not developed a shared discourse and purpose concerning the
general curriculum and students with disabilities. We need
collaborative opportunities to define and develop a vision in public
education where all students, including students with disabilities,
actively engage in learning and progress in the general curriculum.
Access to the general curriculum must not be viewed as exclusively a
special education concern; it is dependent on factors associated with
regular education and the general curriculum. Therefore, all students
benefit when the general education curriculum becomes more accessible.
Priority
The Secretary establishes an absolute priority for a center to
provide national leadership in improving results for students with
disabilities through access to the general curriculum. The center will
focus on three broad areas: (1) Multiple strategies for access to the
general education curriculum and for achieving improved results; (2)
State and local policy and other factors associated with access to the
general curriculum and achieving improved results; and (3) national
collaborative efforts for increasing access to the general curriculum.
The center will address these three areas through research, national
leadership, and dissemination. The center must apply rigorous, State-
of-the-art techniques in
[[Page 10353]]
its research synthesis, dissemination, and communication, and
leadership activities.
Research activities of the Center must include but are not limited
to:
(a) Compiling and synthesizing relevant research findings that
focus on preferred or promising practices that affect access to the
general education curricula (e.g., universal design for learning,
supplemental aids, supports, assistive technology, instructional
methods, collaborative models of teaching); and
(b) Evaluating the current state of policy regarding access to the
general education curriculum for students with disabilities. This
evaluation study should include relevant and existing State and local
policies; the linkages between standards, assessments, accessible
curriculum, and results; and other educational reform initiatives that
affect the general education curriculum.
National dissemination activities of the Center must include but
are not limited to:
(a) Developing partnerships and communicating with leaders and key
stakeholders in special education and regular education, other OSEP
research institutes and centers, including the National Outcomes
Center, policymakers, service providers, school-level administrators,
and consumer and advocacy organizations such as the Independent Living
Centers (ILC), Parent Training and Information Centers (PTI), and the
Protection and Advocacy Organizations (P&A), to increase awareness of
and use of research-based practices to maximize access to the general
curriculum for students with disabilities and to achieve good results;
(b) Planning with regular and special education technical
assistance providers to collaboratively develop communication and
dissemination strategies, including strategies to communicate research
findings and content specific knowledge, to distribute products, and to
improve the availability of technical assistance on providing access to
the general curriculum for students with disabilities and to achieve
improved results;
(c) Developing information materials intended for all key
stakeholders and designed to increase awareness of and use of research-
based practices to maximize access to the general curriculum for
students with disabilities and to achieve good results; and
(d) Implementing strategies in collaboration with technical
assistance providers to communicate and to disseminate information and
advocacy materials to leaders and key stakeholders in special education
and general education.
Leadership activities of the Center must include but are not
limited to:
(a) Forming one or more advisory group or groups of experts and
leaders in special education, regular education curriculum, technical
assistance related to technology, and other relevant fields;
(b) Conducting consensus building activities on providing access to
the general education curriculum through relationships with ongoing
school improvement and innovation efforts and organizations, including
States and entities involved with the State Improvement Grants Program,
major professional education associations such as the American
Federation of Teachers (AFT) and the National Education Association
(NEA), Parent Teacher Associations (PTA) and PTIs, institutions of
higher education, and other relevant research, development and reform
groups;
(c) Convening regional or national conferences of special educators
and regular educators; and
(d) Funding, as project research assistants, at least three
doctoral students per year, who have concentrations in special
education. These students will assist with project facilitation,
research, and dissemination, and communication activities.
The Center must also --
(a) Prepare research findings and products from the project in
formats that are useful for specific audiences, including educators,
school administrators, families, students, ILCs, State, and national
policymakers (See section 661(f)(2)(B) of IDEA);
(b) Meet with the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP)
project officer in the first four months of the project to review the
program of research and dissemination approaches;
(c) Budget three trips annually to Washington, DC (two trips to
meet and collaborate with U.S. Department of Education officials and
one trip, as specified in the general requirements for all projects, to
attend the two-day Office of Special Education Programs Research
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. After
the third year of the project, the Secretary will determine whether to
continue the Center for the fourth and fifth years of the project
period and will consider in addition to the requirements of 34 CFR
75.253(a):
(a) The timeliness and effectiveness with which all requirements of
the negotiated cooperative agreement have been or are being met by the
Center; and
(b) The degree to which the Center's design and methodology
demonstrate 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 $500,000 for any single
budget period of 12 months. The Secretary may change the maximum amount
through a notice published in the Federal Register.
Page Limits: 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 70 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--Center for Students With Disabilities Involved
With and at Risk of Involvement With the Juvenile Justice System
(84.324J)
Background
In general, special education services for students with
disabilities have improved since the passage of Public Law 94-142 in
1975. However, progress has been limited for children with disabilities
in the justice system. Although the estimates vary, most researchers
agree that students with
[[Page 10354]]
disabilities are over-represented in the juvenile justice system. OSEP
data for 1996 indicate that 15,930 students with disabilities were
being served in correctional facilities. This count only includes those
in correctional facilities, not the total number involved in the
justice system. Of these 15,930 students, 45 percent are classified as
having a learning disability and 42 percent are classified as
emotionally disturbed. Theories regarding the disproportionate number
of students in the juvenile justice system vary but their common
characteristic is school failure. Over the past several years, the
number of students with disabilities in correctional facilities has
risen at over twice the rate of the increase of the overall special
education population. From 1992-1993 to 1996-1997 the number of
students ages 6-21 with disabilities increased 13 percent; the number
in correctional facilities increased 28 percent. This increase is most
apparent with juveniles with learning disabilities and emotional
disturbance.
In order to meet the challenges of serving this population of
students with disabilities, States need to make significant
improvements addressing the following areas: prevention, educational
programming, and reintegration or transition. Research indicates that
students with significant antisocial behaviors can be identified fairly
accurately by age 9, with some research indicating even earlier.
However, students do not typically receive effective interventions
until they have first been unsuccessful in their current educational
setting. Research-based prevention strategies need to be implemented
with at risk children to assist in preventing later involvement with
the juvenile justice system. Once students are in the justice system,
coordination and delivery of special education services have
traditionally been inappropriate and ineffective. Even though promising
and preferred strategies exist regarding the effective provision of
educational services to students with disabilities, these strategies
and practices have not been consistently or effectively applied to
children with disabilities at risk of involvement in or in the juvenile
justice system.
Interagency coordination between education and justice agencies, at
a minimum, is needed to enhance the knowledge and use of research-based
strategies and practices in the justice system, consistent with the
provisions of IDEA. Finally, interagency efforts involving families and
communities are needed to facilitate the successful reintegration of
students with disabilities back into their home school and community
when appropriate. Research has shown that few students, once they are
involved with the justice system are able to return to their home
school and later exit school appropriately with the skills needed to be
successful within their community.
This priority represents a collaborative effort between the
Department of Education, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative
Services, Office of Special Education Programs, Office of Vocational
and Adult Education, and the Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile
Justice and Delinquency Prevention. The Office of Special Education
Programs and the Office of Juvenile Justice and Deliquency Prevention
held a focus group on students with disabilities in the Justice system.
Copies of these preceedings can be obtained by contacting Project FORUM
at the National Association of State Directors of Special Education
(703) 519-3800.
This priority is expected to have a significant impact on the
improvement of services for students with disabilities in the justice
system. Improvements in the areas of prevention, educational services,
and reintegration based on a combination of research, training, and
technical assistance will lead to improved results for children with
disabilities.
Priority
The Secretary establishes an absolute priority to support a Center
for Students With Disabilities Involved With or at Risk of Involvement
With the Juvenile Justice System that will provide guidance and
assistance to States, schools, justice programs, families, and
communities in designing, implementing, and evaluating comprehensive
educational programs, based on research validated practices, for
students with disabilities at risk of involvement or involved in the
juvenile justice system. The Center will focus on three broad areas:
(1) prevention programs, (2) educational programs, and (3)
reintegration or transition programs. The Center must address these
three areas through research, training, and technical assistance and
dissemination.
Research activities of the Center must include but are not limited
to:
(a) Evaluating the current state of policy and practice regarding
students with disabilities in the juvenile justice system. This
evaluation must include relevant State and local policies and
guidelines, cross-agency and multi-agency coordination strategies, and
existing research-validated practices;
(b) Synthesizing relevant research findings focusing on preferred
or promising practices in prevention of delinquency, educational
programming for students with disabilities, and reintegration or
transition to home schools and communities;
(c) Developing and applying criteria for identifying exemplary
programs for students with disabilities in the juvenile justice system
that address the three focus areas of the Center; and
(d) Producing four white papers, one per year beginning in the
second year, that address special issues regarding this population of
students. Two papers will cover the following topics: (1)
Disproportionate representation of minority youth with disabilities in
the juvenile justice system; and (2) coordination of services between
education, justice, and mental health agencies to promote more
effective services. The two additional topics will be suggested by the
applicant and subject to approval by the project officer.
National dissemination and technical assistance activities of the
Center must, at a minimum:
(a) Prepare and disseminate information materials designed to
increase awareness of and use of research validated practices to a
variety of audiences (e.g., educators, justice personnel, mental health
personnel, judges, policymakers, families and other service providers).
(b) Reflect the three broad focus areas of the Center: (1)
Delinquency prevention, (2) educational programming for students with
disabilities, and (3) reintegration or transition to home schools and
communities;
(c) Establish a coordinated network of researchers, practitioners,
family members, rehabilitated individuals, associations that represent
workers in facilities, and policymakers from education, justice, and
mental health agencies who will serve as resources to States,
communities, justice programs and schools in designing, implementing,
and evaluating effective programs; and
(d) Provide for information exchanges between researchers and
practitioners who direct model programs and those seeking to design or
implement model programs. Information must be exchanged through a
variety of methods, including two regional forums during each of the
first four years of the project, and a national forum in the fifth
year. These exchanges must be designed to expand the coordinated
network, develop awareness of research-based practices, and create a
dialog about comprehensive services for students
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with disabilities in the juvenile justice system. The forums must
include examples and descriptions of model programs addressing the
three focus areas of the Center.
(e) Produce a model ``blueprint'' that would permit others to
replicate or implement preferred practices or model programs that
include alternative approaches to delivery of effective services for
students with disabilities in the justice system. The ``blueprint''
will also identify barriers to effective programming and suggest
strategies for overcoming these barriers.
Training activities of the Center must include but are not limited
to:
(a) Identifying a common core of knowledge and skills regarding
students with disabilities in the justice system that are appropriate
for personnel serving this population including: teachers,
paraprofessionals, mental health personnel, administrators, justice and
law enforcement personnel;
(b) Funding as project research assistants at least three graduate
students per year who have concentrations in special education or
criminal justice. These students will assist with project facilitation
and the center's research, and evaluation of programs; and
(c) Arranging for two results-based evaluations. The evaluation
team must consist of three experts approved by the (OSEP) project
officer. The services of the review team, including a two-day site
visit to the Center, are to be performed during the last half of the
Center's second and fourth years 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 Center's budget for years two and four. These costs are estimated
to be approximately $6,000 for each evaluation cycle.
The Center must also--
(1) Prepare the research findings and products from the project in
formats that are useful for specific audiences, including educators,
school administrators, justice employees, judges, law enforcement
personnel, public defenders, families, ILCs, PTIs, P&As, and local,
State, and national policymakers. (See section 661(f)(2)(B) of IDEA);
(2) Meet with the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP)
project officer in the first four months of the project to review the
program of research and dissemination approaches;
(3) Budget two trips annually to Washington, DC for (1) a two-day
Research Project Director's meeting; and (2) another meeting to meet
and collaborate with the OSEP project officer; and
(5) Collaborate with other relevant federally supported activities
and projects sponsored by the Department of Education, Office of
Special Education Programs, and the Department of Justice, Office of
Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, and the Department of
Health and Human Services, and develop linkages with Education
Department and Justice Department technical assistance providers to
communicate research findings and distribute products.
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 Center for the fourth and fifth
years of the project period, the Secretary and the Attorney General
will consider the requirements of 34 CFR 75.253(a), and--
(1) 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 grantee, 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;
(2) The timeliness and effectiveness with which all requirements of
the negotiated cooperative agreement have been or are being met by the
Center; and
(3) The degree to which the Center'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 $750,000 for year one and
$500,000 for years two through five, for any single budget period of 12
months. The Secretary may change the maximum amounts through a notice
published in the Federal Register.
Note: The projected funding for this project is $750,000 for
year one and $500,000 for years two through five. Funding is
contingent upon the availability of funds, including Federal
interagency support for this project from the Department of
Education, and the Department of Justice.
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 70 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 Enhance the Role of Special
Education and Children With Disabilities in Education Policy Reform
(84.324P)
Education reforms are often leveraged through enhanced
accountability for students outcomes, school improvement, and personnel
performance. Findings from the Center for Policy Research on the Impact
of General and Special Education Reform indicate that inclusion of
students with disabilities in these general accountability efforts is
one of the major forces shaping reform of special education. IDEA
reflects an increased emphasis on including students with disabilities
in accountability systems by requiring participation in general State
and district-wide assessments. The amendments also require States to
establish indicators to use in assessing progress toward achieving
goals that address the performance of children with disabilities on
assessments, drop-out rates and graduation rates.
Priority
The Secretary establishes an absolute priority for a research
institute to study the role of special education and
[[Page 10356]]
children with disabilities in educational policy reform, specifically
initiatives designed to improve student performance through increased
accountability. A project funded under this priority must--
(a) Identify and review critical gaps in the current knowledge in
the following areas:
(1) How broad education policy reforms that incorporate high-stakes
accountability mechanisms include consideration of the special
education system;
(2) The criteria for which special education has historically been
held accountable and how these criteria have been assessed;
(3) How traditional special education accountability mechanisms at
both the systems level (e.g., State improvement planning and compliance
monitoring, due process, and judicial resolution) and the individual
child or student level (e.g., large-scale assessments provided with
accommodations, alternate assessments, individualized education
programs, individualized family services plans) have impacted outcomes
for children with disabilities;
(4) How students with disabilities are impacted by the recent
large-scale, high stakes State and national accountability-based
education policy reforms (e.g., State and district assessments,
enhanced graduation and exiting requirements, governance and
professional preparation and development reforms and other standards-
based reform initiatives), including consideration of developed models
of inclusive special education accountability (e.g., models developed
by the National Association of State Directors of Special Education and
the National Center for Educational Outcomes); and
(5) How changes and reforms in special education might better align
with and support such large-scale, high stakes State and national
accountability-based education policy reforms.
(b) In consultation with the Office of Special Education Programs
(OSEP), design and conduct a strategic program of research that
addresses knowledge gaps identified in paragraph (a) by:
(1) Conducting a rigorous research program that builds upon recent
and current research on broad education policy reforms that incorporate
high-stakes accountability mechanisms, including research by the recent
Center for Policy Research on the Impact of General and Special
Education Reform;
(2) Using a variety of methodologies designed to comprehensively
examine the breadth of accountability mechanisms;
(3) Conducting the program of research in such settings to insure
that the impact of accountability-based education policy reforms on
disabled minority, immigrant, and migrant populations, will be
examined; and
(4) Collaborating with other research institutions and studies and
evaluations supported under IDEA, including the national assessment of
special education activities (Section 674(b) of IDEA).
(c) Design, implement, and evaluate a dissemination approach that
links research to practice and promotes the use of current knowledge
and ongoing research findings. This approach must--
(1) Develop linkages with Education Department technical assistance
providers to communicate research findings and distribute products; and
(2) Prepare the research findings and products from the project in
formats that are useful for specific audiences, including general
education researchers; and local, State, and national policymakers; as
well as education practitioners.
(d) Fund at least three graduate students per year as research
assistants who have concentrations in either education policy or
disability issues;
(e) Meet with the OSEP project officer in the first four months of
the project to review the program of research and dissemination
approaches; and
(f) In addition to the annual two-day Project Directors' meeting in
Washington, DC listed in the General Requirements section of this
notice, budget for another annual two-day trip to Washington, DC to
collaborate with the OSEP project officer by sharing information and
discussing implementation and dissemination issues.
Under this priority, the Secretary will make one award for
cooperative agreements with a project period of up to 60 months subject
to the requirements of 34 CFR 75.253(a) for continuation awards.
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
amounts 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 70 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 4--Research and Training Center in Service
Coordination for Part C of IDEA (84.324L)
Background
Services to infants and toddlers with disabilities and their
families must be delivered in a timely, comprehensive manner in order
to enhance the development of the child and to meet the needs of the
family. Service coordination is a key component in ensuring that
eligible infants and toddlers and their families receive prompt,
appropriate, and coordinated services, especially where services are
provided by multiple providers from various disciplines, through both
public and private agencies, and in a variety of settings.
Early research in service coordination resulted in the
identification of personal characteristics and qualities of good
service coordinators. Training programs focused on developing skills in
communication and early intervention techniques. While these continue
to be important components in training programs for service
coordinators, changes in social policy and the growth and development
of Part C systems over the past decade have added new responsibilities
and role changes for service coordinators.
There is a lack of empirical evidence defining effective service
coordination and its components. This information is needed in order to
identify the activities of and skills needed by a service coordinator
or service coordinators and
[[Page 10357]]
to develop promising practices for training effective service
coordinators.
The purpose of this priority is to (1) establish a research and
training center to determine the components of effective service
coordination, (2) identify and disseminate promising practices in
effective service coordination, (3) prepare effective service
coordinators and trainers of service coordinators, (4) prepare
researchers to investigate issues and components of effective service
coordination and related promising practices, and (5) provide families,
service coordinators, early interventionists, trainers, researchers,
and policymakers with empirical evidence of promising practices in and
the effectiveness of service coordination.
Priority
The Secretary establishes an absolute priority for the purpose of
establishing a research and training center to (1) carry out a
coordinated, integrated, and advanced research program in service
coordination and (2) provide training in service coordination for
graduate, pre-service, and in-service practitioners, trainers, and
researchers.
The Center must examine the following areas--
(a) The critical activities and skills required to provide
effective service coordination;
(b) Promising practices for improving the quality and acquisition
of these critical activities and skills for service coordinators;
(c) Access of families to effective service coordination, with
particular attention to high density population areas, rural areas, and
areas of high poverty;
(d) Family satisfaction with service coordination;
(e) Quality measures of effective service coordination; and
(f) Reimbursement issues as they relate to the delivery of service.
The Center must perform the following activities --
(a) Disseminate its findings and curriculum for training service
coordinators to institutions of higher education (IHEs) and to agencies
that provide training and professional development activities for
service coordinators. The Center must disseminate information on
promising practices in service coordination and work with programs that
train service coordinators and individuals working in the area of early
intervention;
(b) Develop, validate, and disseminate a curriculum for training
service coordinators based on the knowledge gained from the Center's
research activities;
(c) Partner with Part C lead agencies; parent training and
information centers; community parent resource centers; professional
and advocacy organizations; IHEs including Historically Black Colleges
and Universities (HBCUs); agencies and organizations involved in
delivery of services to minority infants and toddlers with disabilities
including those who are African American, Native American, Hispanic,
and Asian American; and other agencies and organizations involved in
providing services to infants and toddlers with disabilities and their
families, in planning and implementing its research and training;
(d) Develop and disseminate informational and training materials
based on knowledge gained from the Center's research activities;
(e) Provide training and research opportunities for at least three
graduate students, including students who are from traditionally
underrepresented groups;
(f) Meet with the OSEP project officer in the first three months of
the project to review the program of research and the initial plan for
training; and
(g) Prepare the research and disseminate the research findings and
products from the Center in formats that are useful for specific
audiences, including families, administrators, early interventionists,
related service personnel, teachers, and individuals with disabilities
(See section 661(f)(2)(B) of IDEA).
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 will consider the
requirements of 34 CFR 75.253(a), and--
(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 $500,000 for any single
budget period of 12 months. The Secretary may change the maximum amount
through a notice published in the Federal Register.
Page Limits: 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 70 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 5--Improving Post-School Outcomes: Identifying and
Promoting What Works (84.324W)
Background
With the passage of the Education of the Handicapped Act Amendments
of 1983, a Federal initiative was begun to assist high school youth
with disabilities in achieving their goals for adult life, including
postsecondary education, continuing education, competitive employment,
and independent living. This process, known as secondary transition,
has continued to be defined and developed in legislation, research and
practice; and to a large extent, has been the impetus for the shift in
special education from an emphasis on process to one of
[[Page 10358]]
achieving better results for children with disabilities. The Office of
Special Education Programs (OSEP) has funded approximately 500
secondary transition, postsecondary education, and drop out prevention
and intervention projects since 1984 to develop, refine, and validate
effective programs and practices.
The purpose of this priority is to fund one project that will--
(a) Synthesize the professional literature on improving academic
results, secondary transition practice, postsecondary educational
supports, and dropout prevention and intervention;
(b) Analyze important features, findings and outcomes of model
demonstration projects in these areas, including but not limited to,
projects funded by OSEP, the Rehabilitation Services Administration
(RSA), and the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation
Research (NIDRR); and
(c) Summarize, proactively disseminate, and publicize the results
of these studies in an effort to inform policy and practice.
Priority
The Secretary establishes an absolute priority to support a project
that will identify and promote effective policy and practice that will
improve results for secondary-aged youth and young adults with
disabilities. At a minimum, this project must--
(a) Synthesize the extant professional knowledge base in each of
four areas:
--improving academic results
--secondary transition practice
--postsecondary educational supports, and
--dropout prevention and intervention, including factors associated
with early school exit for students with disabilities.
Each synthesis must:
(1) Develop a conceptual framework around which research questions
will be posed and the synthesis conducted. Develop these research
questions with input from potential consumers of the synthesis to
enhance the usability and validity of the findings. Consumers include
technical assistance providers, policymakers, educators, other relevant
practitioners, individuals with disabilities, and parents;
(2) Identify and implement rigorous social science methods for
synthesizing the professional knowledge base (including but not limited
to, integrative reviews (Cooper, 1982), best-evidence synthesis
(Slavin, 1989), meta-analysis (Glass, 1977), multi-vocal approach
(Ogawa & Malen, 1991), and National Institute of Mental Health
consensus development program (Huberman, 1977));
(3) Implement procedures for locating and organizing the extant
literature and ensure that these procedures address and guard against
potential threats to the integrity of each synthesis, including the
generalization of findings;
(4) Establish criteria and procedures for judging the
appropriateness of each synthesis;
(5) Meet with OSEP to review the project's methodological approach
for conducting the synthesis prior to initiating the synthesis;
(6) Analyze and interpret the professional knowledge base,
including identification of general trends in the literature, points of
consensus and conflict among the findings, and areas of evidence where
the literature base is lacking. The interpretation of the literature
base must address the contributions of the findings for improving
policy, transition practice and drop out prevention and intervention,
and research priorities in the four focus areas; and
(7) Submit a draft report of the synthesis in each of the focus
areas, and based on reviews by OSEP staff and potential consumers,
revise and submit a final report.
(b) Conduct an analysis to identify effective approaches and
practices of the important features, findings and outcomes of model
demonstration projects (including, but not limited to, projects funded
by OSEP, RSA, NIDRR, and OPE) in each of four areas:
--improving academic results
--secondary transition practice
--postsecondary educational supports, and
--dropout prevention and intervention, incorporating the following
activities in each analysis:
(1) Identify the relevant projects for each analysis. Describe and
implement procedures for locating and organizing relevant information
on the individual projects, including sampling techniques, if
appropriate;
(2) Articulate a research-based conceptual framework to guide the
selection of variables to be examined within and across projects,
including demographics, target population, purpose, activities,
outcomes, and barriers. Pose research questions around which the
analysis will be conducted. Develop these research questions with input
from potential consumers of the information to enhance the usability
and validity of the research findings. Consumers include technical
assistance providers, policymakers, educators, other relevant
practitioners, individuals with disabilities, and parents;
(3) Identify and implement rigorous methods for conducting each
analysis;
(4) Meet with OSEP to review the project's research questions and
methodological approach for conducting the analysis prior to
initiation;
(5) Analyze and interpret the findings of the analysis, including
similarities and differences among project goals, activities, staffing
and costs; points of consensus and conflict among the findings or
outcomes of the demonstrations, and the characteristics of model
programs that hold significant promise for the field based upon outcome
data. In addition, the analysis must link to the synthesis on this
topic and provide direction for future policy formulation, practice
implementation, and research priorities; and
(6) Submit a draft report of the analysis in each of the focus
areas, and based on reviews by OSEP staff and potential consumers,
revise, and submit a final report.
(c) Summarize, proactively disseminate, and publicize the results
of these studies to inform policy and practice, incorporating the
following activities into the project design:
(1) Develop and implement a communication plan that includes the
types of products to be created, proposed audiences, procedures for
adapting the form and content of the products based upon the audience
or audiences, vehicles for dissemination, and timelines. In particular,
address how the project will provide updated information at regular
intervals to each of the following audiences: OSERS-funded technical
assistance and dissemination projects, the Parent Training and
Information Centers; and the State Program Improvement grantees. The
project may propose collaborative dissemination activities with one or
more of these projects.
(2) Meet with OSEP to review the project's communication plan prior
to implementation.
In addition to the annual two-day Project Directors' meeting in
Washington, DC listed in the General Requirements section of this
notice, projects must budget for another meeting each year in
Washington, DC with OSEP to share information and discuss project
implementation issues.
In deciding whether to continue this project for the fourth and
fifth years, the Secretary, will consider the requirements of 34 CFR
75.253(a), and--
(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 grantee, are to be performed during the last
half of the project's
[[Page 10359]]
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 $500,000 for any single
budget period of 12 months. The Secretary may change the maximum amount
through a notice published in the Federal Register.
Page Limits: Part III of the application, the application
narrative, is where an applicant addresses the selection criteria that
are used by reviewers in evaluating an application. An applicant must
limit Part III to the equivalent of no more than 60 double-spaced
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 Assitance and Dissemination to Improve
Services and Results for Children With Disabilities
Purpose of Program: The purpose of this program is to provide
technical assistance and information through such mechanisms as
institutes, regional resource centers, clearinghouses and programs that
support States and local entities in building capacity, to improve
early intervention, educational, and transitional services and results
for children with disabilities and their families, and address
systemic-change goals and priorities.
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 these priorities are
drawn from the EDGAR general selection criteria menu. The specific
selection criteria for each priority are included in the funding
application packet for the applicable competition.
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to institutions of
higher education only.
Eligible Applicants: State and local educational agencies,
institutions of higher education, other public agencies, private
nonprofit organizations, outlying areas, freely associated States,
Indian tribes or tribal organizations, and for-profit organizations.
Priority
Under section 685 of IDEA and 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 those
applications that meet one of these absolute priorities:
Absolute Priority 1--Projects for Children and Young Adults Who Are
Deaf-Blind (84.326C)
Background
IDEA includes provisions designed to ensure that each child with a
disability is provided a high-quality individual program of services to
meet their developmental and educational needs. For children who are
deaf and blind to receive such services, intensive technical assistance
must be afforded State and local educational agencies regarding
appropriate educational placements, accommodations, environmental
adaptations, support services and other matters. In addition, given the
severity of deaf-blindness and the low-incidence nature of this
population, many early intervention programs or local school districts
lack personnel with the training or experience to serve children who
are deaf-blind. For these reasons, the following priority supports
projects that provide specialized technical assistance regarding the
provision of early intervention, special education, related, and
transitional services to children who are deaf-blind.
Priority
This priority supports projects that build the capacity of State
and local agencies to facilitate the achievement of improved outcomes
by children who are deaf-blind, and their families. Two specific types
of projects are supported: State and Multi-State Projects, and Optional
Match Maker Projects.
(a) State and Multi State Projects. These projects provide
technical assistance, information, and training that address the early
intervention, special education, related services, and transitional
service needs of children with deaf-blindness and enhance State
capacity to improve services and outcomes for such children and their
families. Projects must:
(1) Identify specific project goals and objectives in providing an
appropriate array of technical assistance services;
(2) Facilitate systemic-change goals and school reform;
(3) Enhance State capacity to improve services and outcomes for
deaf-blind children and their families;
(4) Provide technical assistance, information, and training that:
(i) Focus on implementation of research-based, effective practices
that result in appropriate assessment, placement, and support services
to all children who are deaf-blind in the State;
(ii) Help administrators develop and operate effective State and
local programs for serving children who are deaf-blind;
(iii) Ensure that service providers have the necessary skills and
knowledge to effectively serve children who are deaf-blind; and
(iv) Address the needs of families of children who are deaf-blind.
(5) Maintain basic demographic information on children with deaf-
blindness in the State for program planning and evaluation purposes.
Such data should include hearing, vision, etiology, educational
placement, living arrangement, and other information necessary to
ensure a high quality program that meets the needs of the State or
States served by the project;
(6) Maintain an assessment of current needs of the State and
utilize data to determine State-wide priorities for technical
assistance services across all age ranges;
(7) Develop and implement procedures to evaluate the impact of
program activities on services and outcomes for children with deaf-
blindness and their families, and on
[[Page 10360]]
increasing State and local capacity to provide services and facilitate
improved outcomes. Such procedures must provide for--
(i) Evaluating project goals and objectives, and the effectiveness
of project strategies relative to such goals and objectives; and
(ii) Including measures of change in outcomes for children with
deaf-blindness and other indicators that document actual benefits of
conducting the project;
(8) Facilitate ongoing coordination and collaboration with State
and local educational agencies, as well as other relevant agencies and
organizations responsible for providing services to children who are
deaf-blind by--
(i) Promoting service integration that enables children with deaf-
blindness to receive services in natural environments and inclusive
settings, as appropriate; and
(ii) Encouraging systemic change efforts for addressing the needs
of children with deaf-blindness by improving education opportunities
and inter-agency cooperation, and reducing duplication of effort;
(9) Establish and maintain an advisory committee to assist in
promoting project activities. Each committee must include at least one
individual with deaf-blindness, a parent of a child with deaf-
blindness, a representative of each State educational agency and each
State lead agency under Part C of IDEA in the State (or States) served
by the project, and a limited number of professionals with training and
experience in serving children with deaf-blindness; and
(10) Budget for a three-day Project Directors' meeting in
Washington, DC during each year of the project.
Additional Requirements Related to State and Multi-State Projects
(1) The Secretary may make awards under this priority to support
single or multi-State projects. A State may be served by only one
supported project.
(2) The Secretary considers the following factors in determining
the funding level for each award for a single or multi-State project
award:
(i) The total number of children birth through age 21 in the State;
(ii) The number of children with deaf-blindness in the State;
(iii) The State per pupil cost; and
(iv) The quality of the application submitted.
(3) In making awards under this priority, the Secretary shall
consider the availability and quality of existing services for children
with deaf-blindness in different areas of the country, and, to the
extent practical, will afford different geographic areas the
opportunity to receive project assistance.
(4) The project period under this priority is (up to) 48 months
subject to the requirements of 34 CFR 75.253(a) for continuation
awards. In determining whether to continue the project for the third
and fourth years of the project period, the Secretary will consider the
requirements of 34 CFR 75.253(a), and 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 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.
(5) Funds awarded under this priority may not be used for direct
early intervention, special education, or related services provided
under Parts B and C of IDEA.
(b) Optional Match Maker Projects. An applicant for a State and
Multi-State project may propose to establish a Match Maker project as
an additional component of its State or Multi-State application. Match
Maker projects are intended to expand the capacity of State and local
educational agencies, beyond that supported by the State and Multi-
State project, to effectively serve children who are deaf-blind by
developing, implementing, evaluating, and disseminating new or improved
approaches for providing early intervention, special education and
related services to infants, toddlers, and children who are deaf-blind.
Only those applications that are approved for a State and Multi-
State project can be considered for possible funding of a Match Maker
project. Applicants must submit a separate application for the State
and Multi-State project and for the Match Maker project components.
Applications for Match Maker projects must include strategies for State
or local authorities to assume responsibility for supporting the
project activities beyond the Federally-supported project period.
Match Maker projects must:
(1) Develop and implement a model for expanding the capacity of
SEAs and LEAs to effectively serve children who are deaf-blind that
includes specific strategies based on current theory, research, or
evaluation data;
(2) Evaluate the model in paragraph (a) by using multiple measures
of results to determine the effectiveness of the model and its
components. 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;
(3) Collaborate with families, relevant agencies, service
providers, and other stakeholders; and
(4) Produce detailed procedures and materials that would enable
others to replicate the model.
The Secretary particularly invites projects that propose to
provide, under its optional Match Maker component, effective practices
that address one or more of the following topics:
(1) Models for providing technical assistance regarding the
delivery of services, including alternate assessments, to children with
deaf-blindness in inclusive settings;
(2) The use of technology to enhance the dissemination of
information on effective practices for individuals who are deaf-blind;
(3) Functional behavior assessments used to provide positive
behavior supports for learners who are deaf-blind; and
(4) Integrating transition and technical assistance models within
and across appropriate agencies.
Federal financial support for a Match Maker project will not exceed
$50,000 per year for up to four years, and must be matched on a dollar-
for-dollar basis by the applicant. Funding for a Match Maker project is
in addition to the funding for the State and Multi-State project. Funds
provided for a Match Maker project may not be used for direct services
nor to supplant or replace funds awarded under the State and Multi-
State projects.
Project Period: Up to 48 months.
Estimated Range: The estimated range of awards for State and Multi-
State projects is $40,000-$550,000.
Maximum Award: The Secretary rejects and does not consider an
application for: (1) a State and Multi-State project that proposes a
budget exceeding $550,000 for any single budget period of 12 months, or
(2) an optional Match Maker project that proposes a Federally-supported
budget exceeding $50,000 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
[[Page 10361]]
no more than 50-double spaced pages or no more than 60-doubled spaced
pages if the applicant proposes to establish a match maker project,
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--Outreach Services to Minority Entities to Expand
Research Capacity (84.326M)
Background
The Congress has found that the Federal government must be
responsive to the growing needs of an increasingly more diverse society
and that a more equitable distribution of resources is essential for
the Federal government to meet its responsibility to provide an equal
educational opportunity for all individuals.
The opportunity for full participation in awards for grants,
cooperative agreements, and contracts by Historically Black Colleges
and Universities (HBCUs) and other institutions of higher education
with minority enrollments of at least 25 percent (OMIs) is essential if
we are to take full advantage of the human resources we have to improve
results for children with disabilities.
This priority focuses on assisting HBCUs and OMIs to prepare
scholars for careers in research on early intervention, special
education, and related services for infants, toddlers, and children
with disabilities, consistent with the purposes of the program,
described in Section 672 of the Act. This preparation must consist of
engaging both faculty and students at HBCUs and OMIs in special
education research activities. The activities focus on an area of
critical need which has material application in today's changing
environment and will likely be the subject of future research efforts--
the special education of children in urban and high poverty schools. By
building a cadre of experienced researchers on this important topic,
the chances for increased participation in awards for grants,
cooperative agreements and contracts by HBCUs and OMIs will be more
likely.
The association between socioeconomic status and enrollment in
special education has been well documented. Available data from the
National Longitudinal Transition Study (NLTS) 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.
This association is heightened in urban school districts and, to a
lesser extent, rural districts. NLTS data reveal that only 34 percent
of students in special education live in suburban school districts
compared to 48 percent of all students. Data from the Office for Civil
Rights indicate that 30 percent of all inner-city students live in
poverty compared to 18 percent of students in non-inner city areas.
Urban school districts face a variety of unique challenges in
meeting the educational needs of their students. Their schools often
have high per student costs and limited financial resources. Their
students are disproportionately poor and the population of individuals
with limited English proficiency is among the fastest growing
populations with special needs in some of these districts. This
disproportionate representation of poor children in special education
is also likely to be uniquely influenced by culturally diverse and
urban settings, posing both opportunities and problems in the provision
of special education services.
Priority
This priority supports a project whose purpose is to increase the
participation of HBCUs and OMIs in discretionary research and
development grant activities authorized under IDEA, and to increase the
capacity of individuals at these institutions to conduct research and
development activities in early intervention, special education, and
related services. The project must implement Congress' direction in
section 661(d)(2)(A)(i) to provide outreach and technical assistance to
these institutions to increase their participation in competitions for
research, demonstration and outreach grants, cooperative agreements,
and contracts funded under the IDEA. Activities must include:
(a) Conducting research activities at HBCUs and OMIs as explained
below that link scholars at HBCUs and OMIs with researchers at
institutions with an established research capacity in a mentoring
relationship to develop both individual and institutional research
capacity at those HBCUs and OMIs with a demonstrated need for capacity
development; and
(b) Providing linkages between HBCUs and OMIs with a demonstrated
need for capacity development and institutions with an established
research capacity to provide opportunities for researchers at those
HBCUs and OMIs to develop first hand experience in the grants and
contracts application process.
(c) Providing outreach and technical assistance to doctoral
students at HBCUs and OMIs to increase their participation in
competitions for grant awards to support student-initiated research in
early intervention, special education, and related services.
All research activities must be conducted for the purpose of
capacity building. The research project must include one or more
components focused on issues related to improving the delivery of
special education services to, and educational results for, children
with disabilities in urban and high poverty schools. Other possible
research topics may include:
(a) Effective intervention strategies that make a difference in the
provision of a free appropriate public education to children with
disabilities;
(b) Practices to promote the successful inclusion of children with
disabilities in the least restrictive environment;
(c) Strategies for establishing high expectations for children with
disabilities and increasing their participation in the general
curriculum provided to all children;
(d) Strategies for promoting effective parental participation in
the educational process, especially among parents who have difficulty
in participating due to linguistic, cultural, or economic differences;
(e) Effective disciplinary approaches, including behavioral
management strategies, for ensuring a safe and disciplined learning
environment;
(f) Strategies to improve educational results for students with
disabilities in secondary education settings and promote their
successful transition to postsecondary settings; or
[[Page 10362]]
(g) Effective practices for promoting the coordination of special
education services with health and social services for children with
disabilities and their families.
The project must ensure that findings are communicated in
appropriate formats for researchers. The project must also ensure that
findings of importance to other audiences, such as teachers,
administrators, and parents, are made available to the Department of
Education's technical assistance, training and dissemination projects
for distribution to those audiences.
The project must demonstrate experience and familiarity in research
on children with disabilities in urban and high poverty schools with
predominantly minority enrollments. The project must also demonstrate
experience in capacity development in special education research, as
well as a thorough understanding of the strengths and needs of HBCUs
and OMIs.
In addition to the annual two day Project Directors' meeting in
Washington, DC listed in the General Requirements section of this
notice, the project must budget for another annual two-day trip to
Washington, DC to collaborate with the Federal project officer and
other projects funded under this priority by sharing information and
discussing implementation, and dissemination issues, including the
carrying out of cross-project dissemination activities.
Project Period: Up to 60 months.
Maximum Award: The Secretary rejects and does not consider an
application that proposes a budget exceeding $1,000,000 for any single
budget period of 12 months to support one cooperative agreement. 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 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.
For Applications and General Information Contact: Requests for
applications and general information should be addressed to the Grants
and Contracts Services Team, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, room 3317,
Switzer Building, Washington, DC 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
The Technical Assistance and Dissemination program in this notice
is 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
this program.
Individuals With Disabilities Education Act Application Notice for Fiscal Year 1999
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Deadline for Estimated
CFDA No. and name Applications Application intergovernmental Maximum award Project period Page number of
available deadline date review (per year)\1\ limit \2\ awards
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
84.324H National Center on 3/8/99 4/23/99 5/24/99 $500,000 Up to 60 mos................. 70 1
Accessing the General
Curriculum.
84.324J Center for Students 3/8/99 4/23/99 5/24/99 750,000 Up to 60 mos................. 70 1
With Disabilities Involved With
and at Risk of Involvement With
the Juvenile Justice System.
84.324P Research Institute to 3/8/99 4/23/99 5/24/99 700,000 Up to 60 mos................. 70 1
Enhance the Role of Special
Education and Children With
Disabilities in Education
Policy Reform.
84.324L Research and Training 3/8/99 4/23/99 5/24/99 500,000 Up to 60 mos................. 70 1
Center in Service Coordination
for Part C of IDEA.
[[Page 10363]]
84.324W Improving Post-School 3/8/99 4/23/99 5/24/99 500,000 Up to 60 mos................. 60 1
Outcomes: Identifying and
Promoting What Works.
84.326C Project for Children 3/8/99 4/30/99 5/31/99 550,000 Up to 48 mos................. 50 48
and Young Adults Who are Deaf-
Blind.
Optional Match Maker Project 3/8/99 4/30/99 5/31/99 50,000 Up to 48 mos................. 60 10
84.326M Outreach Services to 3/8/99 4/23/99 5/24/99 1,000,000 Up to 60 mos................. 75 1
Minority Entities to Expand
Research Capacity.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ The Secretary rejects and does not consider an application that proposes a budget exceeding the amount listed for each priority for any single
budget period of 12 months, except for the Center for Students with Disabilities Involved with and at Risk of Involvement with the Juvenile Justice
System priority. For this priority, the Secretary rejects and does not consider an application that proposes a budget exceeding $750,000 for year one
and $500,000 for years two through five, for any single budget period of 12 months.
\2\ Applicants must limit the Application Narrative, Part III of the Application, to the page limits noted above. Please refer to the ``Page Limit''
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: February 25, 1999.
Judith E. Heumann,
Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.
[FR Doc. 99-5246 Filed 3-2-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P