[Federal Register: January 19, 2000 (Volume 65, Number 12)]
[Notices]
[Page 3059-3068]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr19ja00-151]
[[Page 3059]]
Part IV
Department of Education
_______________________________________________________________________
Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services; Grant
Applications Under Part D, Subpart 2 of the Individuals With
Disabilities Education Act Amendments of 1997; Notice
_______________________________________________________________________
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services; Grant
Applications Under Part D, Subpart 2 of the Individuals With
Disabilities Education Act Amendments of 1997
AGENCY: Department of Education.
ACTION: Notice inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year
(FY) 2000.
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SUMMARY: This notice provides closing dates and other information
regarding the transmittal of applications for FY 2000 competitions
under three programs authorized by the Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act (IDEA Amendments of 1997), as amended. The three programs
are: (1) Special Education--Research and Innovation to Improve Services
and Results for Children with Disabilities (one priority); (2) Special
Education--Personnel Preparation to Improve Services and Results for
Children with Disabilities (one priority); and (3) Special Education--
Technical Assistance and Dissemination to Improve Services and Results
for Children with Disabilities (three priorities).
This notice supports the National Education Goals by helping to
improve results for children with disabilities.
Waiver of Rulemaking
It is generally the practice of the Secretary to offer interested
parties the opportunity to comment on proposed priorities. However,
section 661(e)(2) of IDEA makes the Administrative Procedure Act (5
U.S.C. 553) inapplicable to the priorities in this notice.
General Requirements
(a) Projects funded under this notice must make positive efforts to
employ and advance in employment qualified individuals with
disabilities in project activities (see Section 606 of IDEA).
(b) Applicants and grant recipients funded under this notice must
involve individuals with disabilities or parents of individuals with
disabilities in planning, implementing, and evaluating the projects
(see Section 661(f)(1)(A) of IDEA).
(c) Projects funded under these priorities must budget for a two-
day Project Directors' meeting in Washington, D.C. during each year of
the project.
(d) In a single application, an applicant must address only one
absolute priority in this notice.
(e) Part III of each application submitted under a priority in this
notice, 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 in the ``Page Limits'' section under the
applicable priority in 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.
* 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 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.
If, to meet the page limit, you use a larger page or you use a
print size, spacing, or margins smaller than the standards in this
notice, we will reject your application.
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.
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.
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; (b) The selection criteria for the priorities under this program
are drawn from the EDGAR general selection criteria menu. The specific
selection criteria for this priority are included in the funding
application packet for this competition.
Note:
The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to institutions of higher
education only.
Priority
Under section 672 of the Act and 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3), we consider
only applications that meet the following priority:
Absolute Priority--Directed Research Projects (84.324D)
This priority provides support for projects that advance and
improve the knowledge base and improve the practice of professionals,
parents, and others providing early intervention, special education,
and related services. This includes professionals who work with
children with disabilities in regular education environments and
natural environments. Under this priority, projects must support
innovation, development, exchange of information, and use of
advancements in knowledge and practice. If the project maintains a web
site, it must include relevant information and documents in an
accessible form. Projects must (1) use rigorous quantitative or
qualitative research and evaluation methods and (2) communicate
appropriately with audiences.
Focus 1--Inclusion of Students With Disabilities in Large-Scale
Assessment Programs
The IDEA Amendments of 1997 include a number of provisions related
to State and district-wide assessment programs. These provisions call
for (1) the participation of children with disabilities in general
State and district-wide assessment programs, with appropriate
accommodations, where necessary (section 612(a)(17)(A)); (2) the
provision of alternate assessments for children with disabilities who
cannot participate in State or districtwide assessment programs
(section 612(a)(17)(A)(i) and (ii)); (3) public reporting on the
participation and performance of students with disabilities in general
assessment programs and alternate assessments (section 612(a)(17)(B));
and (4) statements in the IEP regarding
[[Page 3061]]
individual modifications needed in the administration of State and
districtwide assessments or how a child will participate in alternate
assessments (section 614(d)(1)(A)(v)).
Focus 1 supports projects that pursue systematic programs of
applied research to (a) determine how State and local educational
agencies can best meet these requirements, and (b) study the effects of
efforts made by these agencies to meet these requirements. The
Assistant Secretary is particularly interested in projects that examine
the impact of State assessment policies on students with disabilities,
specifically those projects that require students with disabilities to
demonstrate reading proficiency at a particular level in order to
graduate.
Projects may focus on one or more specific requirements or effects.
The Assistant Secretary intends to make approximately 3 awards in
Focus Area 1 with at least one award focusing on low-incidence
disabilities, i.e., a visual or hearing impairment or simultaneous
visual and hearing impairments, a significant cognitive impairment, or
any impairment for which a small number of personnel with highly
specialized skills and knowledge are needed in order for children with
that impairment to receive early intervention services or a free
appropriate public education.
Focus 2--Instructional Interventions and Results for Children With
Disabilities
The successful implementation of the IDEA Amendments of 1997
requires a strong emphasis on supports for children with disabilities
to help them access the general education curricula. Research is needed
to describe, test, and validate instructional practices that have the
potential for generating positive results for children with
disabilities as they strive to meet State and local standards and
performance goals set for all students. The research must focus on
children in preschool, elementary, middle, or high school.
Projects supported under Focus 2 must investigate one or more
issues related to providing instruction in the general education
curriculum for children with disabilities. These issues may include,
but are not limited to:
The relationship of instructional interventions to results in the
following areas: (1) Core subjects e.g., language arts, mathematics,
science, social studies, and (2) second language acquisition;
(b) Contextual variables that influence access to the general
education curriculum for students with disabilities. Contextual
variables include, for example, classroom design, relative role of
regular educators and special educators, groupings, or management
strategies; curricular design, delivery, or materials; and family and
staff interaction;
(c) Instructional and curricular accommodations to ensure that
students with disabilities have access to the general education
curriculum;
(d) The relationship of inclusive preschool practices and child-
family transition practices to child development, readiness skills, and
preparation for participation in the primary grades; and
(e) The development of interventions that promote better results
through standards based reform and accountability.
The Assistant Secretary intends to fund approximately 12 awards in
Focus 2 with at least 2 projects for each of the following grade
levels: preschool, elementary, middle, and high school.
Focus Area 3--Early and Prescriptive Assessment of Children With
Learning or Emotional Disabilities
Children with physical, sensory, speech, and significant cognitive
disabilities are identified relatively early, and children with
learning and emotional disabilities, relatively late. Between first
grade and fourth grade, the number of children identified with learning
disabilities and emotional disturbance triples. Research has shown that
early intervention is particularly effective for children with learning
or emotional disabilities, to improve educational results and reduce
behavioral difficulties.
Attempts to explain the late identification patterns for children
with learning or emotional disabilities have targeted weaknesses in
assessment practices, and the reluctance of schools to engage in
potentially stigmatizing erroneous identification. This late
identification problem has resulted in many young children not
receiving appropriate services at the age when they would obtain the
greatest benefit from targeted interventions.
Research is needed to examine and document effective and
prescriptive assessment procedures that will contribute to the accurate
identification of young children (3 through 9 years of age) with
learning or emotional disabilities, and will lead to appropriate
services to maximize their social and educational development. The
procedures and services to be studied must incorporate multiple
assessment approaches including observational techniques, cultural and
linguistic factors, and prereferral strategies to enhance the accuracy
of assessment and prevent misidentification of children, where
appropriate. The research must document the effectiveness of methods to
accurately identify and prescribe interventions for young children with
learning or emotional disabilities, including students whose
eligibility for special education is based upon having specific
learning disabilities, emotional disturbance, development delay, or
other health impairments. Because learning and behavioral problems
often coexist in young children, research awards under this focus area
must address early assessment procedures that examine both emotional or
behavioral and learning domains.
The Assistant Secretary intends to award approximately 3 projects
in Focus 3.
Focus 4--Gender and Special Education
The purpose of this priority is to explore the influences of gender
on special education referral, placement, and service provision for
students with disabilities.
Males and females comprise equal proportions of the school-aged
population; however, males account for approximately two-thirds of all
students served in special education. In many cases, it is not clear if
females are underidentified for special education, if males are
overidentified, or if real differences exist in the prevalence of
disability between males and females. The research to date has
primarily addressed commonalities of students rather than differences
based on gender.
Some additional facts regarding gender and disabilities include:
(a) Females with disabilities have more significant disabilities
than their male peers at the time of referral;
(b) Females with disabilities have lower IQ scores than their male
counterparts at the time of referral; and
(c) Post school outcomes for females with disabilities are
significantly worse than their male peers with disabilities.
Little is known, however, about the different characteristics,
treatment and experiences of males and females with disabilities. These
differences are likely to be caused by a combination of factors.
Under this priority, a research project must pursue a systematic
program of research that focuses on one or more issues related to
gender and special education. The issues may include, but are not
limited to:
(a) The differences that may exist in the prevalence of
disabilities based on gender, and if those differences exist, why;
[[Page 3062]]
(b) The reasons for different outcomes and opportunities, (e.g.,
employment, parenting, vocational education programs) for students with
disabilities based on gender; and
(c) The factors that contribute to disproportionate representation
of males and females in special education including (i) students'
environmental, social, and learning experiences, and cultural and
linguistic characteristics; (ii) student or teacher behaviors and
interactions; (iii) teacher expectations and attitudes; and (iv) any
other relevant areas.
The Assistant Secretary intends to fund 3 awards in Focus 4.
Focus 5--Research To Improve Literacy Results for Children Who Are
Unresponsive to Effective Classroom or Schoolwide Programs in Grades K-
3
Recent reading research has focused on developing and validating
strategies and interventions to ensure that children acquire literacy
in regular education classroom settings by using effective classroom
reading programs. These programs may include explicit and intensive
instruction within or outside the classroom in small groups and, in the
most difficult cases, with individualized one-on-one tutoring. The hope
has been that all children would succeed in these circumstances;
however, there are a small number of children who do not benefit from
these interventions and who are at the highest risk for academic and
social failure.
Effective learning and teaching strategies must also be found for
these children. These strategies need to be based on the learning
characteristics and needs of a child as well as by reasonable
expectations for the child. Some children may benefit from more
intensive interventions of longer duration, or they may benefit from a
number of new innovations, e.g., a universal design of curriculum that
has embedded modifications, adaptations and accommodations to serve
diverse student populations. Supports and supplementary aids and
services may also help these children.
Projects supported under Focus 5 must--
(a) Identify the criteria used to decide that a child is
unresponsive to interventions that are effective for most students;
(b) Identify and describe characteristics related to (i) the
environmental, social, and cultural factors each child may have
experienced, and (ii) the learning characteristics related to the
literacy of each child who is unresponsive to reading programs to which
a majority of children respond. Learning characteristics may include,
but are not limited to, specific deficits in phonological awareness,
inattentiveness and distractibility, motivation, language development,
developmental delay, and IQ;
(c) Design processes for making decisions about how to target
instruction that will be effective given the identified learning
characteristics of the child;
(d) Identify alternative methods of providing access to content for
those who have not acquired sufficient reading proficiency;
(e) Document the progress of individual children toward meeting
intervention goals, the fidelity of implementation of interventions,
the qualifications of persons who make decisions and who implement
interventions, the length and intensity of interventions, and the
settings where the interventions take place; and
(f) Evaluate the expectations that were made for each child.
The Assistant Secretary intends to fund 3 awards in Focus 5.
Focus 6--Research to Improve Reading Comprehension Results for Children
With Disabilities
In recent years, research has advanced our understanding of how
skilled readers comprehend and how instructional strategies support
children with learning disabilities to comprehend text. Comprehension
is not merely a text-based process where meaning resides in the text
and the role of the reader is to discover the meaning. To develop
successful comprehension skills, many children with learning
disabilities need an explicit instructional program that: (a) Teaches
them how to access prior knowledge through strategies such as semantic
mapping, think aloud sheets, etc.; (b) motivates and supports
persistence on task, including expressions of a student's own thoughts
when reading and writing, questioning the expert or inquiring, or using
technology or grouping practices; and (c) teaches them cognitive and
metacognitive strategies for reading with understanding, including how
to monitor one's own progress through self-regulation, summarizing,
generating questions, mnemonics, or imagery.
Under Focus 6, a research project must pursue a systematic program
of applied research that focuses on one or more issues related to
improving reading comprehension results of children with learning
disabilities related to reading. These issues include, but are not
limited to:
(a) The types of effective comprehension instruction for children
with learning disabilities in grades K-2, 3-5, and 6-8 inclusive; the
components of particularly effective programs for children with
learning disabilities, e.g., the basal materials, supplemental or
adapted materials, instructional strategies used by teachers, and how
families may support the instructional program;
(b) The types of effective questioning strategies used by teachers,
peers, and parents to encourage and develop comprehension skills; and
(c) The kinds of individualized instruction, grouping practices,
instructional strategies, and curricula that improve comprehension and
problem solving.
The Assistant Secretary intends to make approximately 3 awards in
Focus 6.
Competitive Preferences
Within this absolute priority, we will give the following
competitive preference under section 606 of IDEA and 34 CFR
75.105(c)(2)(i), to applications that are otherwise eligible for
funding under this priority:
Up to ten (10) points based on the effectiveness of the applicant's
strategies for employing and advancing in employment qualified
individuals with disabilities in project activities as required under
paragraph (a) of the General Requirements section of this notice. In
determining the effectiveness of those strategies, the Assistant
Secretary can consider the applicant's past success in pursuit of this
goal.
For purposes of this competitive preference, applicants can be
awarded up to a total of 10 points in addition to those awarded under
the published selection criteria for this priority. That is, an
applicant meeting this competitive preference could earn a maximum
total of 110 points.
Project Period for All Focus Areas
Up to 36 months.
Maximum Award for All Focus Areas
We will reject any application that proposes a budget exceeding
$180,000 for a single budget period of 12 months. This maximum award
applies to any application for any Focus area. The Assistant Secretary
for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services may change the
maximum amount through a notice published in the Federal Register.
Page Limits for All Focus Areas
The maximum page limit for this priority is 50 double-spaced pages.
[[Page 3063]]
Note: Applications must meet the required page limit standards
that are described in the General Requirements section of this
notice.
Special Education--Personnel Preparation To Improve Services and
Results for Children With Disabilities [CFDA 84.325]
Purpose of Program
The purposes of this program are to (1) help address State-
identified needs for qualified personnel in special education, related
services, early intervention, and regular education, to work with
children with disabilities; and (2) to ensure that those personnel have
the skills and knowledge, derived from practices that have been
determined through research and experience to be successful, that are
needed to serve those children.
Eligible Applicants
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.
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; (b) The selection criteria for this priority are drawn from the
EDGAR general selection criteria menu. The specific selection criteria
for this priority are included in the funding application packet for
this competition.
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to institutions
of higher education only.
Priority
Under section 673(d) of the Act and 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3), we
consider only those applications that meet the following priority:
Absolute Priority--Projects of National Significance (84.325N)
The Assistant Secretary establishes an absolute priority to support
projects that address issues of national significance and have broad
applicability. Projects supported under this priority must develop,
evaluate, and disseminate innovative models. These models must be
designed to serve as blueprints for systemic improvement in the
recruitment, preparation, induction, retention, or ongoing professional
development of personnel who have responsibility for ensuring that
children with disabilities achieve to high standards and become
independent, productive citizens. These personnel include early
intervention personnel, regular and special education teachers,
administrators, related service personnel, and paraprofessionals. If
the project maintains a web site, it must include relevant information
and documents in an accessible form.
Projects must (1) Use current research-validated practices and
materials and (2) communicate appropriately with target audiences.
Applicants should note that:
(a) The purpose of this priority is model development. Thus, it is
not expected that student stipends will be supported. However, release
time for staff for development activities is appropriate; and
(b) It is expected that projects funded under this priority will
incorporate a systemic approach to dissemination to relevant training
and technical assistance entities.
Invitational Priorities
Within this absolute priority, the Assistant Secretary is
particularly interested in applications that meet one or more of the
following priorities. However, under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(1) an application
that meets one or more of these invitational priorities does not
receive competitive or absolute preference over other applications:
(a) Projects that are designed to reduce personnel shortages by
developing innovative models for promoting the transferability, across
State and local jurisdictions, of licensure and certification of
personnel serving infants, toddlers, and children with disabilities;
(b) Projects that are designed to increase the quantity, quality,
and diversity of personnel who serve infants, toddlers, or children
with disabilities by developing innovative, proactive models for
recruiting personnel into training programs or professional positions;
(c) Projects that are designed to increase the retention of new
personnel by developing innovative, multi-year, developmental induction
models;
(d) Projects that are designed to improve the learning of children
with disabilities in the general education curricula by developing
innovative models for collaborative training of regular and special
education personnel, including paraprofessionals;
(e) Projects that are designed to enhance professional development
curricula for personnel serving infants, toddlers, or children with
disabilities by developing case or problem-based training modules that
can be integrated into training curricula. It is expected that these
projects will incorporate state of the art technology in the design and
dissemination of the modules;
(f) Projects that are designed to enhance teaching and learning
through the development of innovative training models that incorporate
state of the art assistive, instructional and communicative technology
knowledge and use; and
(g) Projects that are designed to enhance professional development
curricula for teachers and administrators serving infants, toddlers, or
children with disabilities by developing modules for individualized
education program (IEP) decisionmaking, particularly with regard to a
child's participation in assessments.
Competitive Preference
Within this absolute priority, we will give the following
competitive preference under section 606 of IDEA and 34 CFR
75.105(c)(2)(i), to applications that are otherwise eligible for
funding under this priority:
Up to ten (10) points based on the effectiveness of the applicant's
strategies for employing and advancing in employment qualified
individuals with disabilities in project activities as required under
paragraph (a) of the General Requirements section of this notice. In
determining the effectiveness of those strategies, the Assistant
Secretary can consider the applicant's past success in pursuit of this
goal.
For purposes of this competitive preference, applicants can be
awarded up to a total of 10 points in addition to those awarded under
the published selection criteria for this priority. That is, an
applicant meeting this competitive preference could earn a maximum
total of 110 points.
Project Period
Up to 36 months.
Maximum Award
We will reject any application that proposes a budget exceeding
$200,000 for any single budget period of 12 months. This maximum award
applies to any application. The Assistant Secretary for Special
Education and Rehabilitative Services may change the maximum amount
through a notice published in the Federal Register.
Page Limits
The maximum page limit for this priority is 40 double-spaced pages.
Note: Applications must meet the required page limit standards
that are described in the General Requirements section of this
notice.
[[Page 3064]]
Special Education--Technical Assistance 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 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, 86, 97, 98, and
99; (b) The selection criteria for the priorities under this program
are drawn from the EDGAR general selection criteria menu. The specific
selection criteria for each of these priorities 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.
Additional Requirements for all Technical Assistance and Dissemination
Priorities
Projects funded under this program must (1) use current research-
validated practices and materials and (2) communicate appropriately
with target audiences.
Priority
Under section 685 of IDEA and 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3) we consider only
applications that meet one of the following priorities:
Absolute Priority 1--Linking Policy and Practice Audiences to the IDEA
Amendments of 1997 (84.326A)
Background
The continued, effective implementation of the IDEA Amendments of
1997 is dependent, in part, on the active participation of educational
and professional associations, parent organizations, advocacy groups,
and other entities concerned with the early intervention and education
for children with disabilities. In 1998, the Office of Special
Education Programs funded four partnerships among these associations
and other entities to address the information and training needs of
four specific audiences: families and advocates; policy makers; local
administrators; and services providers.
The four partnership projects include the: (1) Families and
Advocates Partnership for Education (FAPE), which addresses the needs
of families and advocates; (2) Policy Maker Partnership (PMP), which
addresses the needs of education policy makers; (3) IDEA Local
Implementation by Local Administrators Partnership (ILIAD), which
addresses the needs of local education administrators; and (4)
Association of Service Providers Implementing IDEA Reforms in Education
Partnership (ASPIIRE), which addresses the needs of the services
providers, including teachers and related service providers.
Three of the four partnership projects, FAPE, ILIAD, and ASPIIRE
were funded for three years with an option for two additional years of
funding. Since the PMP was funded for only two years, the following
priority is needed in order to continue that partnership for up to 3
additional years.
Priority
The Assistant Secretary establishes an absolute priority to support
one partnership among associations of education policy makers and other
entities so they can contribute to the successful implementation of the
IDEA Amendments of 1997, including those related to Part C of IDEA.
This partnership will be established in order to inform and provide
support to the partnership's members and constituents in understanding
the law, the implications of the law for their respective roles in
improving results for children with disabilities, and how research-
based best practices can be used to implement the law.
The partnerships must--
(a) Collaborate to meet the needs of policy makers (e.g., chief
State school officers, State boards of education, local school boards,
State directors of special education, State directors of mental health
programs, State directors of vocational rehabilitation programs, State
directors of programs for children with special health care needs,
deans of education and special education department chairs, school
superintendents, governors, State legislators);
(b) Include--
(1) from 5 to 10 associations and entities representing regular and
special education interests; and
(2) one project director responsible for the leadership and
management of the partnership;
(c) Conduct needs assessments of member associations and other
entities prior to submitting an application in order to identify the
needs of their respective memberships and constituents regarding the
implementation of the IDEA Amendments of 1997;
(d) Describe in the application the strategies (e.g.,
questionnaires, telephone surveys, focus groups, the use of documents
in electronic formats) used to obtain needs assessment data from their
respective memberships and constituents;
(e) Provide an analysis of the needs assessment data with the
application and submit the analysis to the Coordinating Committee
described in paragraph (h);
(f) Develop a joint agreement among the participating associations
and other entities to be included in the application. This agreement
must describe--
(1) The audience whose needs the partnership will address and the
roles and responsibilities of each member organization or other entity
in the partnership;
(2) The activities that the partnership is proposing to conduct.
Activities must include dissemination of information and outreach. The
partnership must also employ information specialists to answer
questions and provide materials to audience members and constituents
upon request; and
(3) How resources are to be allocated to ensure the success of the
partnership activities;
(g) Implement an external review process in which experts review
partnership materials for technical accuracy and clarity. Experts must
be knowledgeable in the IDEA Amendments of 1997, supporting legislative
history, and regulations implementing the Amendments, and also must be
familiar with related OSEP policy guidance. The external expert review
process shall be finalized in consultation with, and approved by, OSEP.
Information products produced under this award may not be disseminated
to outside audiences without prior approval by OSEP;
(h) Describe how the project will be involved in the Partnership
Projects' Coordinating Committee, described below, which is comprised
of representatives of each of the four partnerships described in the
[[Page 3065]]
Background section of this priority. The Coordinating Committee
includes, at a minimum, the project director of each partnership and
appropriate OSEP staff, and may also include other partnership staff
for purposes of carrying out committee responsibilities, including
assisting partnerships in implementing their projects. The proposal
under this paragraph must address each of the ongoing committee
functions listed below and include a method for allocating partnership
resources to support committee activities. The Coordinating Committee--
(1) Provides technical assistance across the four partnerships and
develops cross-partnership materials to ensure clarity, accuracy,
consistency of message and efficient use of resources across the
partnerships;
(2) Provides the partnerships timely information, including
information on pertinent research;
(3) Develops and implements a joint marketing, training,
dissemination, and outreach plan based on the results of the
partnerships' needs assessments, for reaching each of the four target
audiences in an efficient and timely manner; and
(4) Designs and conducts a media campaign that includes the
successful implementation of researched-based practices and that
increases public awareness of how children with disabilities are being
served appropriately and how appropriate services affect results for
children; and
(i) Maintain a world wide web site with relevant information and
documents in an accessible form.
Competitive Preference:
Within this absolute priority, we will give the following
competitive preference under section 606 of IDEA and 34 CFR
75.105(c)(2)(i), to applications that are otherwise eligible for
funding under this priority:
Up to ten (10) points based on the effectiveness of the applicant's
strategies for employing and advancing in employment qualified
individuals with disabilities in project activities as required under
paragraph (a) of the General Requirements section of this notice. In
determining the effectiveness of those strategies, the Assistant
Secretary can consider the applicant's past success in pursuit of this
goal.
For purposes of this competitive preference, applicants can be
awarded up to a total of 10 points in addition to those awarded under
the published selection criteria for this priority. That is, an
applicant meeting this competitive preference could earn a maximum
total of 110 points.
Project Period
Under this priority, the Assistant Secretary will make an award for
a cooperative agreement with a project period of up to 36 months
subject to the requirements of 34 CFR 75.253(a) for continuation
awards.
Maximum Award
We reject any application that proposes a budget exceeding
$1,500,000 for any single budget period of 12 months. The Assistant
Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services may change
the maximum amount through a notice published in the Federal Register.
Page Limits
The maximum page limit for this priority is 60 double-spaced pages.
Note: Applications must meet the required page limit standards
that are described in the General Requirements section of this
notice.
Absolute Priority 2--State and Federal Policy Forum for Program
Improvement. (84.326F)
Background
Access to information is critical for decisionmakers and policy
officials to ensure that appropriate and effective education and early
intervention services are provided to all infants, toddlers, and
children with disabilities. State and Federal decisionmakers
responsible for the implementation of the IDEA Amendments of 1997 must
have access to valid statistics, research findings, and policy options,
as well as current information on trends in providing special education
and related services.
The Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) within the U.S.
Department of Education has responsibility for the Federal
administration of IDEA. State educational agencies (SEAs), or other
designated State agencies under Part C of IDEA, oversee the
administration of IDEA at the State and local level. The project
supported under the following priority will provide access to and
analysis of administrative and policy information generated by the
States and other jurisdictions, and will facilitate coordination
between OSEP and State and local IDEA administrators.
Priority
The Assistant Secretary establishes a priority to facilitate
communication between the U.S. Department of Education and State and
local administrators of IDEA, and to synthesize national program
information that will improve the management, administration, delivery,
and effectiveness of programs and services provided under IDEA. The
cooperative agreement funded under this priority will provide the
Department with a mechanism and resources for analyzing policies and
emerging issues that are of significant national concern.
The project must--
(a) Through expert knowledge, research reviews, and other types of
needs assessment, identify national and State program improvement
information that is needed to obtain better results for infants,
toddlers, and children with disabilities receiving educational and
early intervention settings;
(b) Organize, synthesize, interpret, and integrate information
needed for program improvement using a variety of methods and formats;
(c) Analyze emerging policy or program issues regarding the
administration of IDEA at the Federal, State, and local levels;
(d) Facilitate the flow of information at the Federal, State, and
local levels related to program improvement for infants, toddlers, and
children with disabilities, via existing information resources and
communication networks;
(e) Maintain a world wide web site with relevant information and
documents in an accessible form;
(f) Organize, coordinate, and maintain a data base of laws,
policies, and regulations that govern special education within the
States and other jurisdictions; communicate, on a regular basis, with
State educational agencies to identify emerging policy issues; and
convene meetings between special education administrators, outside
experts, and others to review, plan, and provide leadership in
recommending multi-level actions that respond to the emerging issues;
(g) Maintain communication and collaboration with technical
assistance providers funded under the Linking Policy and Practice
Audiences to the IDEA Amendments of 1997 priority and the Technical
Assistance Project for the Parent Training and Information Centers
priority to help inform OSEP of emerging policy or program issues
related to IDEA that the technical assistance providers are addressing
or have identified; and
(h) Communicate regularly with OSEP to provide information that may
assist OSEP in improving its efficiency in administering IDEA.
In addition to the annual two-day Project Director's meeting in
Washington, DC listed in the General Requirements section of this
notice, the project must budget for another annual
[[Page 3066]]
two-day trip to Washington, DC to meet and collaborate with the OSEP
project officer and other funded projects for purposes of cross-project
collaboration and information exchange.
Project Period
Under this priority, the Assistant 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. During the second year of the project, the Assistant 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 recommendation of a review team consisting of three experts
selected by the Assistant Secretary. The services of the review team,
including a two-day site visit to the project, are to be performed
during the last half of the project's second year and may be included
in that year's evaluation required under 34 CFR 75.590. Costs
associated with the services to be performed by the review team must
also be included in the project's budget for year two. These costs are
estimated to be approximately $6,000;
(b) The timeliness and effectiveness with which all requirements of
the negotiated cooperative agreement have been or are being met by the
project; and
(c) The degree to which the project's design and technical
strategies are disseminating significant new knowledge.
Competitive Preferences
Within this absolute priority, we will give the following
competitive preference under section 606 of IDEA and 34 CFR
75.105(c)(2)(i), to applications that are otherwise eligible for
funding under this priority:
Up to ten (10) points based on the effectiveness of the applicant's
strategies for employing and advancing in employment qualified
individuals with disabilities in project activities as required under
paragraph (a) of the General Requirements section of this notice. In
determining the effectiveness of those strategies, the Assistant
Secretary can consider the applicant's past success in pursuit of this
goal.
For purposes of this competitive preference, applicants can be
awarded up to a total of 10 points in addition to those awarded under
the published selection criteria for this priority. That is, an
applicant meeting this competitive preference could earn a maximum
total of 110 points.
Maximum Award
We reject any application that proposes a budget exceeding $400,000
for any single budget period of 12 months. This maximum amount applies
to any application. The Assistant Secretary for Special Education and
Rehabilitative Services may change the maximum amount through a notice
published in the Federal Register.
Page Limits
The maximum page limit for this priority is 60 double-spaced pages.
Note: Applications must meet the required page limit standards
that are described in the General Requirements section of this
notice.
Absolute Priority 3--Center on Achieving Results in Education for
Students With Disabilities (84.326G)
Background
The IDEA Amendments of 1997 introduced a number of provisions
related to large-scale assessment and accountability. These provisions
called for the participation of students with disabilities in State and
district-wide assessments, with appropriate accommodations or alternate
assessments provided when necessary. States must publicly report on the
performance and participation of students with disabilities on regular
and alternate assessments, and must establish goals and performance
indicators that address, among other things, the performance of
students with disabilities on assessments. Individualized education
programs (IEPs) must reflect individual decisions about modifications
in administration of State and district-wide assessments, and
participation in alternate assessments.
These requirements reflect the importance of ensuring that students
with disabilities have access to the general curriculum and that they
benefit from State and local efforts toward accountability and
standards-based reform. In addition, State and district-wide
assessments may provide a valuable source of national and State
information about educational results for students with disabilities,
provided those students are sufficiently included.
Recent evidence suggests that States are making progress in
implementing these assessment and accountability requirements. However,
a number of technical and policy challenges must be overcome before the
requirements can yield all of their potential benefits for students
with disabilities.
Priority
The Assistant Secretary establishes an absolute priority for a
center to provide national leadership in improving results for students
with disabilities by improving their participation in State and local
assessment and accountability systems. The Center must accomplish this
mission through a combination of research, technical assistance,
dissemination, collaboration, and other leadership functions.
The Center's research activities must include, but are not limited
to:
(a) Conducting an annual survey of States to determine their
current status in implementing the assessment and accountability
provisions of IDEA;
(b) Evaluating State and local policies and practices to determine
the best approaches for promoting meaningful participation of students
with disabilities in assessment and accountability activities;
(c) Conducting an annual review of State reports and assessment
data to track the participation and performance levels of students with
disabilities in large-scale assessments;
(d) Synthesizing research on relevant topics such as assessment
accommodations, alternate assessments, data analysis and reporting, and
other related areas; and
(e) Conducting, collaborating in, or commissioning focused research
studies on topics related to assessment and accountability.
The Center's technical assistance and dissemination activities must
include, but are not limited to:
(a) Preparing and disseminating reports and documents on research
findings and related topics;
(b) Maintaining a world wide web site with relevant information and
documents in an accessible form;
(c) Conducting national and regional meetings, in collaboration
with other centers such as the Regional Resource Centers, to assist
States and local education agencies in continuing the implementation of
the assessment and accountability provisions of IDEA;
(d) Working directly with States and other stakeholders to improve
the participation of students with disabilities in State and local
assessment and accountability systems; and
(e) Developing and applying strategies for dissemination of
information to specific audiences, including teachers, families,
administrators, policymakers and researchers. Such strategies must
involve collaboration with other technical assistance providers,
organizations, and researchers as described below.
The Center's collaboration and other leadership activities must
include, but are not limited to:
[[Page 3067]]
(a) Maintaining communication and collaboration with other
technical assistance providers (including the Regional Resource
Centers, Federal Resource Center, Centers funded under the ``Linking
Policy and Practice Audiences with the 1997 Amendments of IDEA''
priority, Educational Labs, Parent Training and Information Centers,
Technical Assistance Project for the Parent Training and Information
Centers priority, and others) and organizations (including the National
Association of State Directors of Special Education, the Council for
Exceptional Children, the Council of Chief State School Officers and
others, as well as projects funded by the Office of Bilingual Education
and Minority Languages Affairs and the Office of Elementary and
Secondary Education) concerning assessment and accountability related
activities;
(b) Maintaining a network of researchers (including the Research
Institute to Enhance the Role of Special Education and Children With
Disabilities in Education Policy Reform; the Urban Special Education
Collaborative; and the Outreach Services to Minority Entities to Expand
Research Capacity project) studying assessment, accountability, and
related topics to facilitate communication and collaboration among
researchers and to promote the use of research findings and products;
and
(c) Convening conferences, at the request of OSEP, on topics
related to assessment and accountability.
The Center must also:
(a) Establish, maintain, and meet at least annually with an
advisory committee consisting of representatives of State and local
educational agencies, individuals with disabilities, parents,
educators, professional organizations and advocacy groups, researchers,
and other appropriate groups to review and advise on the Center's
activities and plans. The committee must include membership that
represents urban schools and underrepresented populations;
(b) Fund as project assistants at least three doctoral students per
year who have concentrations in relevant topics such as special
education, assessment, educational policy, and administration;
(c) In addition to the two-day Project Directors Meeting listed in
the General Requirements section of this notice, budget for two
additional two-day trips annually to Washington, DC, to attend an
additional Project Director meeting and to attend an OSEP Leadership
Conference; and
(d) Budget for at least a monthly trip to attend appropriate
meetings convened by the Department of Education (such as the regional
Improving America's Schools conferences), the Council of Chief State
School Officers (such as meetings of the State Collaborative on
Assessment and Student Standards, and the Large Scale Assessment
Conference), and other Centers and organizations.
Project Period
Under this priority, the Assistant Secretary will make one award
for a cooperative agreement for a project period of up to 60 months
subject to the requirements of 34 CFR 75.253(a) for continuation
awards. During the second year of the project, the Assistant 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 recommendation of a review team consisting of three experts
selected by the Assistant Secretary. The services of the review team,
including a two-day site visit to the project, are to be performed
during the last half of the project's second year and may be included
in that year's evaluation required under 34 CFR 75.590. Costs
associated with the services to be performed by the review team must
also be included in the project's budget for year two. These costs are
estimated to be approximately $6,000;
(b) The timeliness and effectiveness with which all requirements of
the negotiated cooperative agreement have been or are being met by the
Center; and
(c) The degree to which the Center is making a positive
contribution to the participation of students with disabilities in
State and local assessment and accountability systems.
Competitive Preferences
Within this absolute priority, we will give the following
competitive preference under section 606 of IDEA and 34 CFR
75.105(c)(2)(i), to applications that are otherwise eligible for
funding under this priority:
Up to ten (10) points based on the effectiveness of the applicant's
strategies for employing and advancing in employment qualified
individuals with disabilities in project activities as required under
paragraph (a) of the General Requirements section of this notice. In
determining the effectiveness of those strategies, the Assistant
Secretary can consider the applicant's past success in pursuit of this
goal.
For purposes of this competitive preference, applicants can be
awarded up to a total of 10 points in addition to those awarded under
the published selection criteria for this priority. That is, an
applicant meeting this competitive preference could earn a maximum
total of 110 points.
Maximum Award
We reject any application that proposes a budget exceeding $700,000
for any single budget period of 12 months. We reject and do not
consider an application that proposes a budget exceeding this maximum
amount. The Assistant Secretary for Special Education and
Rehabilitative Services may change the maximum amounts through a notice
published in the Federal Register.
Page Limits
The maximum page limit for this priority is 60 double-spaced pages.
Note: Applications must meet the required page limit standards
that are described in the General Requirements section of this
notice.
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. Individuals who use a
telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call (toll free) 1-
877-576-7734.
You may also contact Ed Pubs via its Web site (http://www.ed.gov/
pubs/edpubs.html) or its E-mail address (edpubs&@inet.ed.gov).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Grants and Contracts Services Team,
U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, S.W., room 3317,
Switzer Building, Washington, D.C. 20202-2550. Telephone: (202) 260-
9182.
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
alternate format (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer
diskette) on request to the contact persons listed in the preceding
paragraph.
Individuals with disabilities may obtain a copy of the application
package in an alternate format by contacting the Department as listed
above. However, the Department is not able to reproduce in an alternate
format the standard forms included in the application package.
Intergovernmental Review
All programs in this notice (except for Research and Innovation)
are subject to the requirements of Executive Order 12372 and the
regulations in 34 CFR Part 79. The objective of the Executive
[[Page 3068]]
order is to foster an intergovernmental 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, we intend this document to provide
early notification of the Department's specific plans and actions for
those programs.
Available Funds
The Administration has requested funds for these programs for
Fiscal Year 2000. The actual level of funding, if any, depends on final
congressional action. However, we are inviting applications to allow
enough time to complete the grant process before the end of the fiscal
year, provided Congress appropriates funds for these programs.
Individuals With Disabilities Education Act Application Notice For Fiscal Year 2000
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Deadline for Estimated
CFDA No. and name Applications Application intergovernmental Maximum award Project period Page limit number of
available deadline date review (per year)* ** awards
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
84.324D Directed Research Projects 01/26/00 03/20/00 05/19/00 $180,000 Up to 36 mos.......... 50 27
84.325N Projects of National 01/26/00 03/10/00 05/09/00 200,000 Up to 36 mos.......... 40 12
Significance.
84.326A Linking Policy and 01/26/00 03/10/00 05/09/00 1,500,000 Up to 36 mos.......... 60 1
Practice Audiences to the 1997
Amendments of IDEA.
84.326F State and Federal Policy 01/26/00 03/10/00 05/09/00 400,000 Up to 60 mos.......... 60 1
Forum for Program Improvement.
84.326G Center on Achieving 01/26/00 03/10/00 05/09/00 700,000 Up to 60 mos.......... 60 1
Results in Education for Students
with Disabilities.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* The Assistant Secretary rejects and does not consider an application that proposes a budget exceeding the amount listed for each priority for any
single budget period of 12 months. ** Applicants must limit the Application Narrative, Part III of the Application, to the page limits noted above.
Please refer to the ``Page Limit'' requirements included in the General Requirements section of this notice. The Assistant Secretary rejects and does
not consider an application that does not adhere to this requirement.
Note: The Department of Education is not bound by any estimates in this notice.
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 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 (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.gov/nara/index.html.
Dated: January 12, 2000.
Judith E. Heumann,
Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.
[FR Doc. 00-1121 Filed 1-18-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-U