FR Doc 05-5957
[Federal Register: March 25, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 57)]
[Notices]
[Page 15299-15306]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr25mr05-46]
Download: 
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services; Overview
Information; Personnel Preparation To Improve Services and Results for
Children With Disabilities--Combined Priority for Personnel
Preparation; Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal
Year (FY) 2005
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.325K.
Note: This notice includes one priority with five focus areas,
and funding information for each focus area of the competition.
Dates: Applications Available: March 28, 2005.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: May 9, 2005.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: July 8, 2005.
Eligible Applicants: Institutions of higher education.
Estimated Available Funds: $15,000,000.
For funding information regarding each of the specific focus areas
of the priority, see the chart in the Award Information section of this
notice.
Estimated Range of Awards: See chart.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: See chart.
Maximum Awards: See chart.
Estimated Number of Awards: See chart.
Project Period: Up to 48 months.
Full Text of Announcement
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Purpose of Program: The purposes of this program are to (1) help
address State-identified needs for highly qualified personnel--in
special education, related services, early intervention, and regular
education--to work with children with disabilities; and (2) ensure that
those personnel have the skills and knowledge--derived from practices
that have been determined through research and experience to be
successful--that are needed to serve those children.
Priority: In this competition, we are establishing one absolute
priority (with five focus areas), a competitive preference priority
within one of these five focus areas, and two separate competitive
preference priorities. In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(v), these
priorities are from allowable activities specified in the statute (see
section 662(d) and 681(d) of the Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act (IDEA)).
Absolute Priority: For FY 2005 this priority is, except as
otherwise specified, an absolute priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3) we
consider only applications that meet this absolute priority.
This priority is:
Combined Priority for Personnel Preparation
Background: State agencies, university training programs, local
schools, and other community-based entities confirm the importance and
difficulty of improving training programs for personnel to serve
children with disabilities or infants and toddlers with disabilities.
The national demand for fully credentialed special education,
related services and early intervention personnel to serve children
with disabilities also exceeds available supply. Thus, Federal support
is required to improve both the quality and supply of personnel who
serve children with disabilities.
Priority: The purpose of this priority is to increase the number
and quality of personnel who are fully credentialed to serve children
with disabilities, especially in areas of chronic shortage, by
supporting projects that prepare special education, early intervention,
and related services personnel at the associate, baccalaureate,
master's and specialist levels. In order to be eligible under this
priority, programs must provide training and support for students to
complete, within the term of the project, a degree and/or State
certification, professional license, or State endorsement in early
intervention, special education or related services. Programs preparing
students to be special education paraprofessionals or related services
assistants are also eligible under this priority. The Secretary is
particularly interested in programs that prepare special educators who
provide instruction in core academic areas to children with
disabilities to be highly qualified under section 602(10) of IDEA, in
accordance with State requirements. The Secretary is also particularly
interested in programs that provide enhanced support for beginning
special educators (see section 662(b)(3) of IDEA).
Absolute Priority Requirements: Projects funded under this absolute
priority must--
(a) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under
``Quality of Project Services'', how--
(1) Research that has been shown to be effective in improving
outcomes for children with disabilities is incorporated into training
requirements and reflected in required coursework for
[[Page 15300]]
the proposed training program and include relevant research citations;
(2) The program is designed to offer integrated training and
practice opportunities that will enhance the skills of appropriate
personnel who share responsibility for providing effective services to
children with disabilities;
(3) The program prepares personnel to address the specialized needs
of children with disabilities from diverse cultural and language
backgrounds, including limited English proficient children with
disabilities, by--
(i) Identifying the competencies needed for personnel to work
effectively with culturally and linguistically diverse populations; and
(ii) Infusing those competencies into early intervention, special
education, and related services training programs;
(4) The program is designed to develop or improve and implement
mutually beneficial partnerships with schools and other service
settings to promote continuous improvement in preparation programs and
in service delivery;
(5) The program includes field-based training opportunities for
students in diverse settings, such as schools and settings in high-
poverty communities, in rural areas and in urban areas;
(6) The training program equips scholars with the knowledge and
skills necessary to effectively assist children in achieving State
learning standards; and
(7) Student support systems (including tutors, mentors, and other
innovative practices) are provided to enhance student retention and
success in the program;
(b) Include in the application narrative under ``Quality of Project
Evaluation'', a clear, effective plan for evaluating the extent to
which graduates of the training program have the knowledge and skills
necessary to provide research-based instruction and services that
result in improved outcomes for children with disabilities;
(c) Communicate student evaluation results to the Office of Special
Education Programs (OSEP) in required annual performance reports for
continuation funding and the project's final performance report;
(d) Budget for a two-day Project Director's meeting in Washington,
DC, during each year of the project;
(e) If the project maintains a Web site, include relevant
information and documents in a form that meets a government or
industry-recognized standard for accessibility;
(f) Include, in the application Appendix, all course syllabi for
the proposed training program. Course syllabi must clearly reflect the
incorporation of research-based curriculum and pedagogy as required
under paragraph (a) of this section of the priority;
(g) Submit annual data on each scholar who receives grant support.
Projects funded under this priority must submit this scholar data
electronically within 60 days after the end of each grant budget year.
Applicants are encouraged to visit the Personnel Prep Data (PPD) Web
site at http://www.osepppd.org for further information. This data collection
is in addition to and does not supplant the annual grant performance
report required of each grantee for continuation funding (34 CFR
75.590); and
(h) Assure that at least 60 percent of the total requested budget
be used for student training stipends.
Statutory and Other Requirements: To be considered for an award
under this priority, applicants must also satisfy the following
requirements authorized under sections 662(e)(2) and (3), section
662(h)(1) and section 682(a)(1)(A) of IDEA:
(a) Demonstrate that the activities described in the application
will address needs identified by the State or States the applicant
proposes to serve and that the State or States intend to accept
successful completion of the proposed personnel preparation program as
meeting State personnel standards or other requirements in State law or
regulation for serving children with disabilities or serving infants
and toddlers with disabilities (see sections 662(e)(2)(A) and 662(e)(3)
of IDEA). Letters from one or more States that the project proposes to
serve could be one method for addressing this requirement;
(b) Demonstrate that the applicant and one or more State
educational agencies--or, if appropriate, State appointed lead agencies
responsible for providing early intervention services--or local
educational agencies will cooperate in carrying out and monitoring the
proposed project (see section 662(e)(2)(B) of IDEA);
(c) Involve individuals with disabilities or parents of individuals
with disabilities ages birth through 26 in planning, implementing, and
evaluating the project (see section 682(a)(1)(A) of IDEA); and
(d) Provide an assurance that the applicant will ensure that
individuals who receive financial assistance under the proposed project
agree to meet the service obligation requirements, or repay all or part
of the amount of the scholarship, in accordance with section 662(h)(1)
of IDEA and the Additional Requirements section of this notice.
Applicants must describe how they will inform scholarship recipients of
this service obligation requirement.
Focus Areas
Within this absolute priority, the Secretary intends to support
projects under the following five (5) focus areas: (a) Training of
Early Intervention and Early Childhood Personnel, (b) Training of Low-
Incidence Personnel, (c) Training of High-Incidence Personnel, (d)
Training Programs for Related Services, Speech/Language, and Adapted
Physical Education Personnel, and (e) Training Programs in Minority
Institutions. Provided that there are a sufficient number of high
quality applications, a total of up to 5 of the awards made in focus
areas (b), (c) and (e) combined will be to applicants training special
education teachers that demonstrate how grant supported scholars who
complete the proposed program will meet State certification standards
in special education and will be highly qualified under section 602(10)
of IDEA.
Provided that there are a sufficient number of high quality
applications, a total of up to 5 of the awards made in focus areas (b),
(c) and (e) combined will be to applicants training beginning special
education teachers that demonstrate how the program is designed to
carry out the activities described in one or both paragraphs (A) or (B)
in section 662(b)(3) of IDEA.
Note: Applicants must identify the focus area (i.e., (a), (b),
(c), (d), or (e)) under which they are applying as part of the
project title on the application cover sheet and may not submit the
same proposal under more than one focus area. In addition,
applicants applying under focus areas (b), (c) or (e) that are
addressing either of the categories of intended awards under the
preceding paragraphs (i.e., highly qualified and/or beginning
special educator training) must also identify the intended award
area at the beginning of the Application Abstract.
Focus Area a: Training of Early Intervention and Early Childhood
Personnel. For the purpose of this focus area, early intervention
personnel are those who are trained to provide services to infants and
toddlers with disabilities and early childhood personnel are those who
are trained to provide services to children with disabilities ages 3
through 5. In States where certification in early intervention (EI) is
combined with certification in early childhood (EC), applicants may
propose a combined EI/EC training project under this focus area.
Projects training related services, speech/
[[Page 15301]]
language and/or adapted physical education personnel are not eligible
under this focus area (see Focus Area d).
Focus Area b: Training of Low-Incidence Personnel. For the purpose
of this focus area, low-incidence personnel are special education
personnel, including paraprofessionals, trained to serve school-age
children with low-incidence disabilities including visual impairments,
hearing impairments, simultaneous vision and hearing impairments,
significant cognitive impairments (severe mental retardation),
orthopedic impairments, autism, and/or traumatic brain injury. Programs
preparing special education personnel to provide services to visually
impaired or blind children that can be appropriately provided in
Braille, must prepare those individuals to provide those services in
Braille. Projects training related services, speech/language and/or
adapted physical education personnel are not eligible under this focus
area (see Focus Area d). Projects training special education pre-school
personnel are eligible under Focus Area a.
Focus Area c: Training of High-Incidence Personnel. For the purpose
of this focus area, high-incidence personnel are special education
personnel, including paraprofessionals, trained to serve school-age
children with mild and/or moderate mental retardation, emotional
disturbance, specific learning disability, other health impairment
(including children with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder) and/or
children ages 5 through 9 with developmental delay. Projects training
related services, speech/language and/or adapted physical education
personnel are not eligible under this focus area (see Focus Area d).
Projects training special education pre-school personnel are eligible
under Focus Area a.
Focus Area d: Training Programs for Related Services, Speech/
Language, and Adapted Physical Education Personnel. Programs training
related services, speech/language or adapted physical education
personnel to serve infants, toddlers, children and youth with high-
and/or low-incidence disabilities are eligible within this focus area.
For the purpose of this focus area, related services include, but are
not limited to, psychological services, physical therapy, occupational
therapy, therapeutic recreation, social work services, counseling
services, audiology services (including personnel trained at the Doctor
of Audiology level), and or speech/language services. Training programs
in States where personnel trained to serve children with speech/
language impairments are considered to be special educators are
eligible under this focus area. Training programs preparing related
services assistants are also eligible under this focus area.
Focus Area e: Training Programs in Minority Institutions. Programs
in minority institutions that are training special education, including
adapted physical education, and/or related services personnel to serve
infants, toddlers, children and youth with high- and/or low-incidence
disabilities are eligible within this focus area. Minority institutions
include institutions with a minority student enrollment of 25 percent
or more, which may include Historically Black Colleges and Universities
and Tribal Colleges. Within this focus area and for the FY 2005
competition, projects that are recommended for funding and that have
not received support under the IDEA Personnel Preparation Program in FY
2003 or FY 2004 will receive 10 competitive preference points.
Under Focus Area e, a project may budget for less than the required
percentage (60 percent) for student training support if they can
provide sufficient justification for any designation less than 60
percent for student scholarships. Sufficient justification for
proposing less than 60 percent of the budget for student support would
include support for activities such as program development, expansion
of a program, or the addition of a new area of emphasis. Some examples
include the following:
A project that is starting a new program may request up to
a year for program development and capacity building. In the initial
project year, no student support would be required. Instead, a project
could hire a new faculty member or a consultant to assist in program
development.
A project that is proposing to build capacity may hire a
field supervisor so that additional students can be trained.
A project that is expanding or adding a new emphasis area
to the program may initially need additional faculty or other resources
such as expert consultants, additional training supplies, or equipment
that would enhance the program.
Projects that are funded to develop, expand, or to add a new area
of emphasis to special education or related services programs must
provide information on how these new areas will be maintained once
Federal funding ends.
Note: The statute does not authorize the selection of trainees
on the basis of race, ethnicity, gender, or disability status.
Competitive Preference Priorities: For FY 2005, these priorities
are competitive preference priorities. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i) we
award up to an additional five points for each priority depending on
how well the application meets the priority.
These competitive preference priorities are:
Competitive Preference Priority 1: We give competitive preference
to institutions of higher education that are educating regular
education personnel to meet the needs of children with disabilities in
integrated settings and educating special education personnel to work
in collaboration with regular educators in integrated settings.
Note: Grant-supported scholarships should not be provided to
students preparing to become regular education personnel as these
students will not be able to meet the service obligation
requirements under section 662(h) of IDEA.
Competitive Preference Priority 2: We give competitive preference
to institutions of higher education based on the extent to which they
successfully recruit individuals with disabilities and individuals from
groups that are underrepresented in the profession for which they are
preparing individuals. In the case of a new project, the applicant must
submit a plan with strategies on how it will meet this competitive
preference.
Note: The statute does not authorize the selection of trainees
on the basis of race, ethnicity, gender, or disability status.
Additional Requirements: Specific provisions contained in the
regulations for this program, which are in 34 CFR part 304, no longer
apply because they have been superseded by requirements in IDEA, as
recently reauthorized and amended by the Individuals with Disabilities
Education Improvement Act of 2004. Accordingly, for purposes of this
competition, the following requirements will apply in lieu of the
regulations in 34 CFR part 304.
Note: The Secretary will be issuing a notice of proposed
rulemaking to amend part 304 to implement these recent changes in
IDEA. The Secretary does not expect the final regulations to be
substantially different from the requirements in this Additional
Requirements section. However, the competition announced in this
notice will be governed solely by the requirements in this notice.
Sec. A. Purpose.
Individuals who receive scholarship assistance from projects funded
under the Special Education--Personnel Development to Improve Services
and Results for Children with Disabilities
[[Page 15302]]
program are required to complete a service obligation, or repay all or
part of the costs of such assistance, in accordance with section 662(h)
of IDEA and the requirements set forth in this Additional Requirements
section of this notice.
Sec. B. Definitions that apply to this program.
The following definitions apply to this program:
Academic year means--
(1) A full-time course of study--
(i) Taken for a period totaling at least nine months; or
(ii) Taken for the equivalent of at least two semesters, two
trimesters, or three quarters; or
(2) For a part-time student, the accumulation of periods of part-
time courses of study that is equivalent to an ``academic year'' under
paragraph 1 of this definition.
Early intervention services means early intervention services as
defined in section 632(4) of IDEA.
Full-time, for purposes of determining whether an individual is
employed full-time in accordance with Sec. F (All references to
``Sec.'' refer to sections in these Additional Requirements), means a
full-time position as defined by the individual's employer or by the
agencies served by the individual.
Related services means related services as defined in section
602(26) of IDEA.
Repayment means monetary reimbursement of scholarship assistance in
lieu of completion of a service obligation.
Scholar means an individual who is pursuing a degree, license,
endorsement, or certification related to special education, related
services, or early intervention services and who receives scholarship
assistance under section 662 of IDEA.
Scholarship means financial assistance to a scholar for training
under the program and includes all disbursements or credits for
tuition, fees, student stipends, and books, and travel in conjunction
with training assignments.
Service obligation means a scholar's employment obligation, as
described in section 662(h) of IDEA and Sec. F.
Special education means special education as defined in section
602(29) of IDEA.
Sec. C. Allowable costs.
In addition to the allowable costs established in EDGAR in 34 CFR
75.530 through 75.562, the following items are allowable expenditures
by projects funded under the program:
(a) Tuition and fees.
(b) Student stipends and books.
(c) Travel in conjunction with training assignments.
Sec. D. Requirements for grantees in disbursing scholarships.
Before disbursement of scholarship assistance to an individual, a
grantee must--
(a) Ensure that the scholar--
(1) Is a citizen or national of the United States;
(2) Is a permanent resident of--
(i) Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, Guam, American
Samoa, or the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands; or
(ii) The Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of
Micronesia, or the Republic of Palau (during the period in which these
entities are eligible to receive an award under the program); or
(3) Provides evidence from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security
that the individual is--
(i) A lawful permanent resident of the United States; or
(ii) In the United States for other than a temporary purpose with
the intention of becoming a citizen or permanent resident.
(b) Limit scholarship assistance to the amount by which the
individual's cost of attendance at the institution exceeds the amount
of grant assistance the scholar is to receive for the same academic
year under Title IV of the Higher Education Act; and
(c) Obtain a Certification of Eligibility for Federal Assistance
from each scholar, as prescribed in 34 CFR 75.60, 75.61, and 75.62.
Sec. E. Assurances that must be provided by a grantee.
Before receiving an award, a grantee that intends to grant
scholarships under the program must include in its application an
assurance that the following requirements will be satisfied:
(a) Requirement for agreement. Prior to granting a scholarship, the
grantee will enter into a written agreement with each scholar that
contains the terms and conditions required by Sec. F, explains the
Secretary's authority to grant deferrals and exceptions to the service
obligation pursuant to Sec. G, and provides the current Department
address.
(b) Standards for satisfactory progress. The grantee must
establish, notify students of, and apply reasonable standards for
measuring whether a scholar is maintaining satisfactory progress in the
scholar's course of study.
(c) Exit certification. The grantee must establish policies and
procedures for receiving written certification from scholars at the
time of exit from the program that identifies--
(1) The number of years the scholar needs to work to satisfy the
work requirements in Sec. F(d).
(2) The total amount of scholarship assistance received subject to
Sec. F.
(3) The time period, consistent with Sec. F(f)(1), during which the
scholar must satisfy the work requirements.
(4) As applicable, all other obligations of the scholar under Sec.
F.
(d) Information. The grantee must provide the Secretary
information, including records maintained under paragraph (c) of this
Sec. E, that is necessary to carry out the Secretary's functions under
this Additional Requirements section.
(e) Notification to the Secretary. If the grantee is aware that the
scholar has chosen not to fulfill or will be unable to fulfill the
obligation under Sec. F(d), the grantee must notify the Secretary when
the scholar exits the program.
Sec. F. Requirements for scholars.
Individuals who receive scholarship assistance from grantees funded
under this competition must:
(a) Training. Receive the training at the educational institution
or agency designated in the scholarship;
(b) Educational allowances. Not accept payment of educational
allowances from any other entity if that allowance conflicts with the
scholar's obligation under these Additional Requirements;
(c) Satisfactory progress. Maintain satisfactory progress toward
the degree, certificate, endorsement, or license as determined by the
grantee;
(d) Service obligation. Upon exiting the training program under
paragraph (a) of this Sec. F, subsequently maintain employment--
(1) On a full-time or full-time equivalent basis; and
(2) For a period of at least two years for every academic year for
which assistance was received.
(e) Eligible employment. In order to meet the requirements of
paragraph (d) of this Sec. F for any project funded under section 662
of IDEA, be employed in a position in which--
(1) A majority of the persons to whom the individual provides
services are receiving special education, related services, or early
intervention services from the individual;
(2) The individual spends a majority of his or her time providing
special education or related services to children with disabilities or
early intervention services to infants and toddlers with disabilities;
(3) If the position is supervisory, including principals, the
individual spends a majority of his or her time employed in a position
performing work
[[Page 15303]]
related to the individual's preparation under section 662 of IDEA by
providing one or both of the following:
(i) Special education or related services to children with
disabilities or early intervention services to infants and toddlers
with disabilities; and
(ii) Supervision to others on issues directly related to special
education or related services for children with disabilities or early
intervention services for infants and toddlers;
(4) If the position is postsecondary faculty, the individual spends
a majority of his or her time performing work related to the
individual's preparation under section 662 of IDEA by preparing special
education teachers and related services personnel to provide services
to improve results for children with disabilities, including early
intervention, educational, and transitional services; or
(5) If the position is in research, the individual spends a
majority of his or her time performing research related to the
individual's preparation under section 662 of IDEA that focuses on
improving results for children with disabilities, including early
intervention, educational, and transitional services.
(f) Time period. Meet the service obligation under paragraph (d) of
this Sec. F as follows:
(1) Complete the service obligation within the period ending not
more than the sum of the number of years required in paragraph (d)(2)
of this Sec. F, as appropriate, plus three additional years, from the
date the recipient completes the training for which the scholarship
assistance was awarded.
(2) Obtain employment subsequent to the completion of one academic
year of the training for which the scholarship assistance was received
that otherwise meets the requirements of Sec. F(f)(1).
(g) Part-time scholars. Meet the service obligation in this Sec. F,
as applied to a part-time scholar, based on the accumulated academic
years of training for which the scholarship is received.
(h) Information upon exit. Provide the grantee all requested
information necessary for the grantee to meet the exit certification
requirements under Sec. E(c).
(i) Information after exit. Within 60 days after exiting the
program, and as necessary thereafter for any changes, provide the
Department all information the Secretary needs to monitor the scholar's
service obligation under this Sec. F, including social security number,
address, employment setting, and employment status, via U.S. mail at
the following address: Office of Special Education Programs, Research
to Practice Division, Service Obligation Coordinator, 400 Maryland
Avenue, SW., Potomac Center Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-2600.
(j) Repayment. If not fulfilling the requirements in this Sec. F,
subject to the provisions in Sec. G regarding a deferral or exception,
repay any scholarship received, plus interest, in an amount
proportional to the service obligation not completed as follows:
(1) The Secretary charges the scholar interest on the unpaid
balance owed in accordance with 31 U.S.C. 3717.
(2)(i) Interest on the unpaid balance accrues from the date the
scholar is determined to have entered repayment status under paragraph
(4) of this subsection (j).
(ii) Any accrued interest is capitalized at the time the scholar's
repayment schedule is established.
(iii) No interest is charged for the period of time during which
repayment has been deferred under Sec. G.
(3) Under the authority of 31 U.S.C. 3717, the Secretary may impose
reasonable collection costs.
(4) A scholar enters repayment status on the first day of the first
calendar month after the earliest of the following dates, as
applicable:
(i) The date the scholar informs the grantee or the Secretary that
the scholar does not plan to fulfill the service obligation under the
agreement.
(ii) Any date when the scholar's failure to begin or maintain
employment makes it impossible for that individual to complete the
service obligation within the number of years required in this Sec. F.
(iii) Any date on which the scholar discontinues enrollment in the
course of study under Sec. F(a).
(5) The scholar must make payments to the Secretary that cover
principal, interest, and collection costs according to a schedule
established by the Secretary.
(6) Any amount of the scholarship that has not been repaid pursuant
to (1) through (5) of this paragraph will constitute a debt owed to the
United States that may be collected by the Secretary in accordance with
34 CFR part 30.
Sec. G. Requirements for obtaining a deferral or exception to
performance or repayment under an agreement.
(a) Based upon sufficient evidence to substantiate the grounds, the
Secretary may grant an exception to the repayment requirement in Sec.
F(j), in whole or part, if the scholar--
(1) Is unable to continue the course of study in Sec. F(j) or
perform the service obligation because of a permanent disability; or
(2) Has died.
(b) Based upon sufficient evidence to substantiate the grounds, the
Secretary may grant a deferral of the repayment requirement in Sec.
F(j) during the time the scholar--
(1) Is engaging in a full-time course of study at an institution of
higher education;
(2) Is serving on active duty as a member of the armed services of
the United States;
(3) Is serving as a volunteer under the Peace Corps Act; or
(4) Is serving as a full-time volunteer under Title I of the
Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973.
Waiver of Proposed Rulemaking: Under the Administrative Procedure
Act (APA) (5 U.S.C. 553) the Department generally offers interested
parties the opportunity to comment on proposed priorities and
requirements. Section 681(d) of IDEA makes the public comment
requirements of the APA inapplicable to the priority in this notice.
With Respect to the Additional Requirements, section 437(d)(1) of the
General Education Provisions Act exempts from the APA's notice and
comment requirement rules that apply to the first competition under a
new or substantially revised program authority. This is the first
competition under section 662 of IDEA (the Personnel Development to
Improve Services and Results for Children with Disabilities program),
which was substantially revised by the Individuals with Disabilities
Education Improvement Act of 2004. These Additional Requirements will
apply to the FY 2005 grant competition only.
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1462 and 1481.
Applicable Regulations: The Education Department General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80,
81, 82, 84, 85, 86, 97, 98, and 99.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
Estimated Available Funds: $15,000,000.
For funding information regarding each of the specific focus areas
of the priority, see the chart in this section of this notice.
Estimated Range of Awards: See chart.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: See chart.
Maximum Awards: See chart.
Estimated Number of Awards: See chart.
[[Page 15304]]
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this
notice.
Project Period: Up to 48 months.
Personnel Preparation to Improve Services and Results for Children With Disabilities Application Notice for
Fiscal Year 2005
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Estimated Estimated
CFDA No. and name Estimated range of average size Maximum award number of
awards of awards (per year)* awards
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
84.325K Combination Priority for Personnel
Preparation:
Focus Area a: Training of Early $172,000-$200,000 $196,250 $200,000 11
Intervention and Early Childhood
Personnel.............................
Focus Area b: Training of Low-Incidence 194,969-200,000 196,200 200,000 23
Personnel.............................
Focus Area c: Training of High- 163,848-200,000 196,840 200,000 19
Incidence Personnel...................
Focus Area d: Training Programs for 163,848-200,000 196,840 200,000 9
Related Services, Speech/Language, and
Adapted Physical Education Personnel..
Focus Area e: Training Programs in 186,234-200,000 196,450 200,000 13
Minority Institutions.................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*The Secretary does not intend to fund an application that proposes a budget exceeding the maximum award
specified for a single budget period of 12 months.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants: Institutions of higher education.
2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This competition does not involve cost
sharing or matching.
IV. Application and Submission Information
1. Address to Request Application Package: Education Publications
Center (ED Pubs), P.O. Box 1398, Jessup, MD 20794-1398. Telephone (toll
free): 1-877-433-7827. FAX: (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
this competition as follows: CFDA Number 84.325K.
Individuals with disabilities may obtain a copy of the application
package in an alternative format (e.g., Braille, large print,
audiotape, or computer diskette) by contacting the Grants and Contracts
Services Team listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT in section
VII of this notice.
2. Content and Form of Application Submission: Requirements
concerning the content of an application, together with the forms you
must submit, are in the application package for this competition.
Page Limit: The application narrative (Part III of the application)
is where you, the applicant, address the selection criteria that
reviewers use to evaluate your application. You must limit Part III to
the equivalent of no more than 50 pages, using the following standards:
A ``page'' is 8.5'' x 11'', on one side only, with 1''
margins at the top, bottom, and both sides.
Double space (no more than three lines per vertical inch)
all text in the application narrative, including titles, headings,
footnotes, quotations, references, and captions, as well as all text in
charts, tables, figures, and graphs.
Use a font that is either 12-point or larger or no smaller
than 10 pitch (characters per inch).
The page limit does not apply to Part I, the cover sheet; Part II,
the budget section, including the narrative budget justification; Part
IV, the assurances and certifications; or the one-page abstract, the
resumes, the bibliography, the references, or the letters of support.
However, you must include all of the application narrative in Part III.
We will reject your application if--
You apply these standards and exceed the page limit; or
You apply other standards and exceed the equivalent of the
page limit.
3. Submission Dates and Times:
Applications Available: March 28, 2005.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: May 9, 2005.
Applications for grants under this competition may be submitted
electronically using the Grants.gov Apply site (Grants.gov), or in
paper format by mail or hand delivery. For information (including dates
and times) about how to submit your application electronically, or by
mail or hand delivery, please refer to section IV. 6. Other Submission
Requirements in this notice.
We do not consider an application that does not comply with the
deadline requirements.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: July 8, 2005.
4. Intergovernmental Review: This program is subject to Executive
Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79. Information about
Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs under Executive Order
12372 is in the application package for this competition.
5. Funding Restrictions: We reference regulations outlining funding
restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.
6. Other Submission Requirements: Applications for grants under
this competition may be submitted electronically or in paper format by
mail or hand delivery.
a. Electronic Submission of Applications.
We have been accepting applications electronically through the
Department's e-Application system since FY 2000. In order to expand on
those efforts and comply with the President's Management Agenda, we are
continuing to participate as a partner in the new government wide
Grants.gov Apply site in FY 2005. The Combined Priority for Personnel
Preparation-CFDA Number 84.325K competition is one of the competitions
included in this project.
If you choose to submit your application electronically, you must
use the Grants.gov Apply site (Grants.gov). Through this site, you will
be able to download a copy of the application package, complete it
offline, and then upload and submit your application. You may not e-
mail an electronic copy of a grant application to us. We request your
participation in Grants.gov.
You may access the electronic grant application for the Combined
Priority for Personnel Preparation-CFDA Number 84.325K competition at:
http://www.grants.gov. You must search for the downloadable application
package for this program by the CFDA
[[Page 15305]]
number. Do not include the CFDA number's alpha suffix in your search.
Please note the following:
Your participation in Grants.gov is voluntary.
When you enter the Grants.gov site, you will find
information about submitting an application electronically through the
site, as well as the hours of operation.
Applications received by Grants.gov are time and date
stamped. Your application must be fully uploaded and submitted with a
date/time received by the Grants.gov system no later than 4:30 p.m.,
Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. We will not
consider your application if it was received by the Grants.gov system
later than 4:30 p.m. on the application deadline date. When we retrieve
your application from Grants.gov, we will notify you if we are
rejecting your application because it was submitted after 4:30 p.m. on
the application deadline date.
If you experience technical difficulties on the
application deadline date and are unable to meet the 4:30 p.m.,
Washington, DC time, deadline, print out your application and follow
the instructions in this notice for the submission of paper
applications by mail or hand delivery.
The amount of time it can take to upload an application
will vary depending on a variety of factors including the size of the
application and the speed of your Internet connection. Therefore, we
strongly recommend that you do not wait until the application deadline
date to begin the application process through Grants.gov.
You should review and follow the Education Submission
Procedures for submitting an application through Grants.gov that are
included in the application package for this competition to ensure that
your application is submitted timely to the Grants.gov system.
To use Grants.gov, you, as the applicant, must have a D-U-
N-S Number and register in the Central Contractor Registry (CCR). You
should allow a minimum of five business days to complete the CCR
registration.
You will not receive additional point value because you
submit your application in electronic format, nor will we penalize you
if you submit your application in paper format.
You may submit all documents electronically, including all
information typically included on the Application for Federal Education
Assistance (ED 424), Budget Information--Non-Construction Programs (ED
524), and all necessary assurances and certifications. Any narrative
sections of your application should be attached as files in a .DOC
(document), .RTF (rich text) or .PDF (Portable Document) format.
Your electronic application must comply with any page
limit requirements described in this notice.
After you electronically submit your application, you will
receive an automatic acknowledgement from Grants.gov that contains a
Grants.gov tracking number. The Department will retrieve your
application from Grants.gov and send you a second confirmation by e-
mail that will include a PR/Award number (an ED-specified identifying
number unique to your application).
We may request that you provide us original signatures on
forms at a later date.
b. Submission of Paper Applications by Mail.
If you submit your application in paper format by mail (through the
U.S. Postal Service or a commercial carrier), you must mail the
original and two copies of your application, on or before the
application deadline date, to the Department at the applicable
following address:
By mail through the U.S. Postal Service: U.S. Department of
Education, Application Control Center, Attention: (CFDA Number
84.325K), 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20202-4260;
or
By mail through a commercial carrier: U.S. Department of Education,
Application Control Center `` Stop 4260, Attention: (CFDA Number
84.325K), 7100 Old Landover Road, Landover, MD 20785-1506.
Regardless of which address you use, you must show proof of mailing
consisting of one of the following:
(1) A legibly dated U.S. Postal Service postmark,
(2) A legible mail receipt with the date of mailing stamped by the
U.S. Postal Service,
(3) A dated shipping label, invoice, or receipt from a commercial
carrier, or
(4) Any other proof of mailing acceptable to the Secretary of the
U.S. Department of Education.
If you mail your application through the U.S. Postal Service, we do
not accept either of the following as proof of mailing:
(1) A private metered postmark, or
(2) A mail receipt that is not dated by the U.S. Postal Service.
If your application is postmarked after the application deadline
date, we will not consider your application.
Note: The U.S. Postal Service does not uniformly provide a dated
postmark. Before relying on this method, you should check with your
local post office. c. Submission of Paper Applications by Hand
Delivery.
If you submit your application in paper format by hand delivery,
you (or a courier service) must deliver the original and two copies of
your application by hand, on or before the application deadline date,
to the Department at the following address: U.S. Department of
Education, Application Control Center, Attention: (CFDA Number
84.325K), 550 12th Street, SW., Room 7041, Potomac Center Plaza,
Washington, DC 20202-4260.
The Application Control Center accepts hand deliveries daily
between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, except Saturdays,
Sundays and Federal holidays.
Note for Mail or Hand Delivery of Paper Applications: If you mail
or hand deliver your application to the Department:
(1) You must indicate on the envelope and `` if not provided by the
Department `` in Item 4 of the Application for Federal Education
Assistance (ED 424) the CFDA number `` and suffix letter, if any `` of
the competition under which you are submitting your application.
(2) The Application Control Center will mail a grant application
receipt acknowledgment to you. If you do not receive the grant
application receipt acknowledgment within 15 business days from the
application deadline date, you should call the U.S. Department of
Education Application Control Center at (202) 245-6288.
V. Application Review Information
1. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this competition
are from 34 CFR 75.210 of EDGAR and are listed in the application
package.
2. Treating A Priority As Two Separate Competitions: In the past,
there have been problems in finding peer reviewers without conflicts of
interest for competitions in which many entities throughout the country
submit applications. The Standing Panel requirements under IDEA also
have placed additional constraints on the availability of reviewers.
Therefore, the Department has determined that, for some discretionary
priorities, applications may be separated into two or more groups and
ranked and selected for funding within the specific group. This
procedure will ensure the availability of a much larger group of
reviewers without conflicts of interest. It also will increase the
quality, independence and fairness of the review process and permit
panel members to review applications under discretionary
[[Page 15306]]
priorities for which they have also submitted applications. However, if
the Department decides to select for funding an equal number of
applications in each group, this may result in different cut-off points
for fundable applications in each group.
VI. Award Administration Information
1. Award Notices: If your application is successful, we notify your
U.S. Representative and U.S. Senators and send you a Grant Award
Notification (GAN). We may also notify you informally.
If your application is not evaluated or not selected for funding,
we notify you.
2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements: We identify
administrative and national policy requirements in the application
package and reference these and other requirements in the Applicable
Regulations section of this notice.
We reference the regulations outlining the terms and conditions of
an award in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice and
include these and other specific conditions in the GAN. The GAN also
incorporates your approved application as part of your binding
commitments under the grant.
3. Reporting: At the end of your project period, you must submit a
final performance report, including financial information, as directed
by the Secretary. If you receive a multi-year award, you must submit an
annual performance report that provides the most current performance
and financial expenditure information as specified by the Secretary in
34 CFR 75.118. In addition, to satisfy the requirements of the priority
in this notice, you must submit annual data on each scholar who
receives grant support through this program.
4. Performance Measures: Under the Government Performance and
Results Act (GPRA), the Department has established a set of performance
measures that are designed to yield information on the effectiveness of
the Personnel Preparation program. These measures include the extent to
which scholars are successfully completing their program and the extent
to which they are employed in the area(s) trained upon program
completion.
If funded, applicants will be required to collect and report data
on grant-supported students through the PPD Web site at http://www.oespppd.org
(see paragraph (g) under the Absolute Priority section
of this notice).
Beyond the performance measures specifically described in this
notice, the Department is also currently developing measures that will
be designed to yield information on various aspects of program quality
(e.g., the extent to which the curricula of training programs funded
under this competition reflect the current knowledge base on effective
practices; and the extent to which program graduates maintain
employment for three or more years in the area(s) for which they were
trained). Grantees will be asked to participate in assessing and
providing information on program quality.
We will notify grantees of the performance measures once they are
developed.
VII. Agency Contact
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Maryann McDermott, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 4062, Potomac Center Plaza,
Washington, DC 20202-2600. Telephone: (202) 245-7439.
If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may
call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) 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 by contacting the following office: The Grants and
Contracts Services Team, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland
Avenue, SW., Potomac Center Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-2550.
Telephone: (202) 245-7363.
VIII. Other Information
Electronic Access to This Document: You may view this document, as
well as all other documents of this Department published in the Federal
Register, in text or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) on the
Internet at the following site: http://www.ed.gov/news/fedregister.
To use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available
free at this site. If you have questions about using PDF, call the U.S.
Government Printing Office (GPO), toll free, at 1-888-293-6498; or in
the Washington, DC, area at (202) 512-1530.
Note: The official version of this document is the document
published in the Federal Register. Free Internet access to the
official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of Federal
Regulations is available on GPO Access at: http://www.gpoaccess.gov/nara/index.html
.
Dated: March 3, 2005.
John H. Hager,
Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.
[FR Doc. 05-5957 Filed 3-24-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P