[Federal Register: July 8, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 130)]
[Notices]
[Page 45277-45281]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr08jy02-148]
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Part IV
Department of Education
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Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services; Notice
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services
AGENCY: Department of Education.
ACTION: Notice inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year
(FY) 2002.
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SUMMARY: This notice announces closing dates, applicable priorities,
and other information regarding the transmittal of grant applications
for FY 2002 competitions under two programs authorized under part D,
subpart 2 of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), as
amended. The two programs are: (1) Special Education--Personnel
Preparation to Improve Services and Results for Children with
Disabilities (one priority); and (2) Special Education--Technology and
Media Services for Individuals with Disabilities (one priority).
Please note that significant dates for the availability and
submission of applications, important fiscal information, and page
limits for application narratives are listed in a table following
information on individual programs and priorities.
Waiver of Rulemaking
It is generally our practice to offer interested parties the
opportunity to comment on proposed priorities. However, section
661(e)(2) of IDEA makes the rulemaking procedures in the Administrative
Procedure Act (5 U.S.C. 553) inapplicable to the priorities in this
notice.
General Requirements
(a) The projects funded under this notice must make positive
efforts to employ and advance in project activities qualified
individuals with disabilities (see section 606 of IDEA).
(b) Applicants and grant recipients funded under this notice must
involve individuals with disabilities or parents of individuals with
disabilities in planning, implementing, and evaluating the projects
(see section 661(f)(1)(A) of IDEA).
(c) The projects funded under these priorities must budget for a
two-day Project Directors' meeting in Washington, DC during each year
of the project.
(d) In a single application, an applicant must address only one
absolute priority in this notice.
Page Limit
Part III of each application, the application narrative, is where
an applicant addresses the selection criteria that are used by
reviewers in evaluating the application. You must limit Part III to the
equivalent of no more than the number of pages listed under each
applicable priority and in the table at the end of this notice, using
the following standards:
A ``page'' is 8.5'' x 11'' (on one side only) with one-
inch margins (top, bottom, and sides).
Double-space (no more than three lines per vertical inch)
all text in the application narrative, including titles, headings,
footnotes, quotations, and captions, as well as all text in charts,
tables, figures, and graphs.
Use a font that is either 12-point or larger or no smaller
than 10 pitch (characters per inch).
The page limit does not apply to Part I, the cover sheet; Part II,
the budget section, including the narrative budget justification; Part
IV, the assurances and certifications; or the one-page abstract, the
resumes, the bibliography or references, or the letters of support.
However, you must include all of the application narrative in Part III.
We will reject any application if--
You apply these standards and exceed the page limit; or
You apply other standards and exceed the equivalent of the
page limit.
Instructions for Transmittal of Applications
Some of the procedures in these instructions for transmitting
applications differ from those in the Education Department General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) (34 CFR 75.102). Under the
Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C. 553) the Department generally
offers interested parties the opportunity to comment on proposed
regulations. However, these amendments make procedural changes only and
do not establish new substantive policy. Therefore, under 5 U.S.C.
553(b)(A), the Secretary has determined that proposed rulemaking is not
required.
Pilot Project for Electronic Submission of Applications
In FY 2002, the U.S. Department of Education is continuing to
expand its pilot project of electronic submission of applications to
include additional formula grant programs and additional discretionary
grant competitions. The two programs in this announcement: Personnel
Preparation to Improve Services and Results for Children with
Disabilities-CFDA 84.325L, and Technology and Media Services for
Individuals with Disabilities-CFDA 84.327L are included in the pilot
project. If you are an applicant for a grant under either of the
programs, you may submit your application to us in either electronic or
paper format.
The pilot project involves the use of the Electronic Grant
Application System (e-APPLICATION, formerly e-GAPS) portion of the
Grant Administration and Payment System (GAPS). We request your
participation in this pilot project. We shall continue to evaluate its
success and solicit suggestions for improvement.
If you participate in this e-APPLICATION pilot, please note the
following:
Your participation is voluntary.
You will not receive any additional point value or penalty
because you submit a grant application in electronic or paper format.
You can submit all documents electronically, including the
Application for Federal Assistance (ED 424), Budget Information--Non-
Construction Programs (ED 524), and all necessary assurances and
certifications.
Within three working days of submitting your electronic
application, fax a signed copy of the Application for Federal
Assistance (ED 424) to the Application Control Center after following
these steps:
1. Print ED 424 from the e-APPLICATION system.
2. Make sure that the institution's Authorizing Representative
signs this form.
3. Before faxing this form, submit your electronic application via
the e-APPLICATION system. You will receive an automatic
acknowledgement, which will include a PR/Award number (an identifying
number unique to your application).
4. Place the PR/Award number in the upper right hand corner of ED
424.
5. Fax ED 424 to the Application Control Center at (202) 260-1349.
We may request that you give us original signatures on all
other forms at a later date.
You may access the electronic grant application for the Personnel
Preparation to Improve Services and Results for Children with
Disabilities, and the Technology and Media Services for Individuals
with Disabilities programs at:
http://e-grants.ed.gov
We have included additional information about the e-APPLICATION
pilot project (see Parity Guidelines between Paper and Electronic
Applications) in the application package.
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Special Education--Personnel Preparation to Improve Services and
Results for Children With Disabilities [CFDA Number 84.325L]
Purposes of Program: The purposes of this program are to (1) help
address State-identified needs for qualified personnel--in special
education, related services, early intervention, and regular education-
-to work with children with disabilities; and (2) ensure that these
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 these children.
Eligible Applicants: Institutions of higher education (IHEs).
Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80,
81, 82, 85, 86, 97, 98, and 99; and (b) The regulations for this
program in 34 CFR part 304; and (c) The selection criteria chosen from
the general selection criteria in 34 CFR 75.210. The specific selection
criteria for this priority are included in the application package for
this competition.
Priority
Under section 673 of IDEA and 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3) we consider only
applications that meet the following priority:
Absolute Priority--Interdisciplinary Preservice Programs In Large-Scale
Special Education Research (CFDA Number 84.325L)
Background
Building on the momentum of previous reauthorizations of IDEA, as
well as the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA), the 1997
Amendments to IDEA mandated a national assessment of IDEA (section
674(b)). OSEP responded by designing and implementing several child-
focused (by age-range) and policy-focused studies that are gathering a
large amount of nationally representative evaluative data on all
aspects of special education and early intervention. These data can be
used to inform policy and practice decisions and improve results for
children with disabilities.
The Assistant Secretary is interested in improving research
activities by awarding grants to IHEs to establish doctoral training
programs that focus on large-scale research methodology in early
intervention, special education and related services.
Priority
This priority supports individuals--at both the doctoral and
postdoctoral levels--to (1) develop or refine their expertise in large-
scale research methods; and (2) conduct secondary analyses of the data
bases associated with national assessment studies or similar studies
that are national in scope.
Postdoctoral fellows must have completed a doctoral degree in a
relevant discipline such as education, psychology, sociology,
economics, or statistics.
The first year of the program must, focus on developing the
training program. This includes developing the curriculum and syllabus
through interdisciplinary and collaborative cooperation with
participating agencies, institutions, departments, etc.
Application Information
An applicant under the proposed project must do the following:
(a) Demonstrate the willingness of one or more entities conducting
large-scale longitudinal research on special education or early
intervention such as that funded by the Department of Education,
another Federal agency, or a university to collaborate in providing
postdoctoral training.
(b) Include course syllabi that may currently be relevant to the
proposed training program. Course syllabi must clearly reflect the
incorporation of large-scale research-based curriculum and pedagogy
that ordinarily are not part of a traditional doctoral training
program.
(c) Describe how it will inform scholarship recipients of their
service obligation requirement.
As part of its activities, the proposed project must do the
following:
(a) Develop at the doctoral level extensive coursework that
reflects current research and pedagogy on large-scale research studies.
(b)(1) Use clear, defensible, data-based methods for evaluating the
extent to which recipients of training are prepared to conduct high
quality large-scale research; and (2) communicate the results of this
evaluation to OSEP in annual performance reports and the final
performance report.
(c) Develop among students competencies: (1) In methodological
areas such as group research design, sampling or weighting, survey
methods, statistical analyses; and (2) in topical areas such as special
education law, special education or education policy, economics of
human capital, or school finance.
(d) Provide that postsecondary fellows carry out research
activities, at the direction of collaborating entities, that extend
beyond the activities for which funding to these entities has already
been provided. The project must also require fellows to conduct their
own research using data made available by collaborating entities from
large-scale longitudinal studies.
Additional Fiscal Information
(a) In accordance with section 673(i) of IDEA and 34 CFR 304.20, a
grantee must use at least 65 percent of the total requested budget for
student scholarships in years two, three, and four or provide
sufficient justification for any designation less than 65 percent of
the total requested budget for student scholarships.
(b) Because the first year of the project will be for developmental
purposes, there will be no student support unless some students are
required to participate in program development. Therefore, the grant
funds available for the first year will be significantly less than the
following three years.
Technology and Media Services for Individuals With Disabilities [CFDA
Number 84.327L]
Purposes of Program: To: (1) Improve results for children with
disabilities by promoting the development, demonstration, and use of
technology; (2) support educational media activities designed to be of
educational value to children with disabilities; and (3) provide
support for some captioning, video description, and cultural
activities.
This competition focuses on captioning and video description
activities.
Applicable Regulations: (a) EDGAR in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79,
80, 81, 82, 85, 86, 97, 98, and 99; and (b) The selection criteria are
chosen from the general selection criteria in 34 CFR 75.210. The
specific selection criteria for this priority are included in the
application package for this competition.
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to institutions of
higher education only.
Eligible Applicants: State educational agencies (SEAs); local
educational agencies (LEAs); institutions of higher education (IHEs);
other public agencies; nonprofit private organizations; outlying areas;
freely associated States; Indian tribes or tribal organizations; and
for-profit organizations.
Priority
Under section 687 of IDEA and 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3), we consider only
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applications that meet the following priority:
Absolute Priority--Television Access (84.327L)
This priority supports cooperative agreements to provide captioning
of a variety of types of television programs: (1) National news and
public information programs; (2) local news and public information
programs; (3) Spanish language programs; and (4) accessible children's
television programs. For the purpose of this competition, program hours
or the costs of captioning associated with those programs that are
funded by promotional billboards shall not be considered as an in-kind
cost, or a private sector match, for Federal funds.
To be considered for funding under this competition, a project must
do the following:
(a) Include criteria for selecting programs that take into account
the preference of educators, students, and parents; the diversity of
the type of programming available; and the contribution of the
programming to the general educational experience of students who have
disabilities in the areas of vision or hearing.
(b) Identify and support a consumer advisory group, including
parents and educators, that would meet at least annually.
(c) Use the expertise of this consumer advisory group to certify
that each program captioned or described with project funds is
educational, news, or informational programming.
(d) Identify the extent to which the programming is widely
available.
(e) Identify the total number of program hours the project will
make accessible and the cost per hour for description or captioning or
both.
(f) For each program to be described or captioned or both, identify
the source of any private or other public support, and the projected
dollar amount of that support, if any.
(g) Demonstrate the willingness of program providers or owners of
programs to permit and facilitate the description or captioning or both
of their programs.
(h) Provide assurances from program providers or owners of programs
stating that programs made accessible under this project will air, and
will continue to air, with descriptions or captions or both.
(i) Implement procedures for monitoring the extent to which full
accessibility is provided, and use this information to make refinements
in project operations.
(j) Identify the anticipated shelf-life and range of distribution
of the captioned or described programs that is possible without further
costs to the project beyond the initial captioning costs.
An application may address only one type of the following programs
--
(1) National News and Public Information Programs. To be funded
under this type of programming, a project must continue and expand the
captioning of national news and 9 public information programs. This is
intended to enable persons who are deaf or hard of hearing to have
access to up-to-date national morning, evening, and weekend news, as
well as information concerning current events and other significant
public information.
(2) Local News and Public Information Programs. A project funded
under this type of programming is expected to increase the capacity of
the television captioning industry to respond to demands for accurate
real-time captioning. To be funded a project must caption local news
and public information programs using the real-time stenographic method
preferred by consumers who are deaf or hard of hearing.
(3) Spanish Language Programs. To be funded under this type of
programming, a project must caption in Spanish a variety of
educational, news, and informational programs--including these types of
programs for children--broadcast or cablecast in Spanish.
(4) Accessible Children's Television Programs. To be funded under
this type of programming, a project must describe and caption widely
available educational, news, and informational programs for children--
including programs suitable for young adults--shown on broadcast, 10
satellite, or cable systems. Captioning must provide a visual
representation of the audio portion of the programming while video
description must provide a narrative of what takes place visually on
the screen.
Competitive Preference Priority
Within the Local News and Public Information Programs segment of
this absolute priority, we award under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i) an
additional 20 points to an application from an applicant that --
(a) During FY 2001, was not a grantee or a subcontractor of a
grantee under the Technology and Media Services for Individuals with
Disabilities program; and
(b) Won't use a subcontractor who was a grantee or a subcontractor
of a grantee under this program during FY 2001.
Thus, an applicant meeting this competitive preference could
receive a maximum possible score of 120 points.
Fiscal Information
Under this priority, we intend to make one or more awards in each
of the four areas of activity identified.
Funds provided under the National News and Public Information
Programs segment of this priority may be used to support no more than
50 percent of the captioning costs.
Individuals With Disabilities Education Act--Application Notice for Fiscal Year 2002
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Estimated
Applications Application Estimated available Deadline for Maximum award (per Estimated range of average Page Estimated
CFDA No. and name available deadline funds intergovernmental year)* awards size of Project period limit** number of
date review awards awards
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84.325L Interdisciplinary 07/08/02 08/08/02 $150,000 09/30/02 $150,000 $130,000-$150,000 $148,000 Up to 48 mos. 30 2
Preservice Programs In Large- (year one) (year one)
Scale Special Education
Research.
$500,000 $500,000 $450,000-$500,000 ......... ................. ....... .........
(years two, three & (years two, three &
four) four)
84.327L Television Access....... 07/08/02 08/08/02 09/30/02 Up to 36 mos. 40 .........
--National News and Public $250,000 $250,000 $230,000-$250,000 $249,000 6
Information Programs.
--Local News and Public $130,000 $130,000 $100,000-$130,000 $125,000 16
Information Programs.
--Spanish Language Programs..... $115,000 $115,000 $100,000-$115,000 $113,000 2
--Accessible Children's $500,000 $500,000 $450,000-$500,000 $480,000 5
Television Programs.
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* We will reject any application that proposes a budget exceeding the amounts shown for a single budget period of 12 months.
** Please refer to the ``Page Limit'' requirements under the ``General Requirements'' section.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice.
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For Applications Contact: Education Publications Center (ED Pubs),
P.O. Box 1398, Jessup, Maryland 20794-1398. Telephone (toll free): 1-
877-4ED-Pubs (1-877-433-7827). FAX: 301-470-1244. If you use a
telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may call (toll free):
1-877-576-7734.
You may also contact Ed Pubs at its Web site: http://www.ed.gov/
pubs/edpubs.html or you may contact ED Pubs at its e-mail address:
edpubs@inet.ed.gov
If you request an application from ED Pubs, be sure to identify the
competition by the appropriate CFDA number.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Grants and Contracts Services Team,
U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 3317,
Switzer Building, Washington, D.C. 20202-2550. Telephone: (202) 205-
8207. If you use a TDD, you may call the Federal Information Relay
Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339.
Individuals with disabilities may obtain this document in an
alternative format (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer
diskette) on request to the contact number listed in the preceding
paragraph.
Individuals with disabilities may obtain a copy of the application
package in an alternative format by contacting the Department as listed
above. However, the Department is not able to reproduce in an
alternative format the standard forms included in the application
package.
Intergovernmental Review
This program is subject to the requirements of Executive Order
12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79. One of the objectives of
the Executive order is to foster an intergovernmental partnership and a
strengthened federalism. The Executive Order relies on processes
developed by State and local governments for coordination and review of
proposed Federal financial assistance. This document provides early
notification of our specific plans and actions for this program.
Electronic Access to This Document
You may view this document, as well as all other Department of
Education documents published in the Federal Register, in text or Adobe
Portable Document Format (PDF) on the internet at the following site:
www.ed.gov/legislation/FedRegister
To use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available
free at this site. If you have questions about using PDF, call the U.S.
Government Printing Office (GPO), toll free, at 1-888-293-6498; or in
the Washington, DC, area at (202) 512-1530.
Note: The official version of this document is the document
published in the Federal Register. Free Internet access to the
official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of Federal
Regulations is available on GPO Access at: http://www.access.gpo/
nara/index.html
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1405, 1461, 1473 and 1487.
Dated: July 1, 2002.
Robert H. Pasternack,
Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.
[FR Doc. 02-16959 Filed 7-5-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P