[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 95 (Monday, May 18, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27408-27432]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-13160]



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_______________________________________________________________________

Part IV





Department of Education





_______________________________________________________________________



Special Education: State Program Improvement Grants Program; Inviting 
Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year 1998; Notice

  Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 95 / Monday, May 18, 1998 / Notices  

[[Page 27408]]



DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[CFDA No.: 84.323A]


Special Education: State Program Improvement Grants Program; 
Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 1998

    Note to Applicants: This notice is a complete application 
package. Together with the statute authorizing the program and the 
applicable regulations governing this program, including the 
Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR), 
this notice contains all of the information, application forms, and 
instructions needed to apply for a grant under this program.

    Purpose of Program: The purpose of this program, newly authorized 
under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Amendments 
of 1997, is to assist State educational agencies to establish a 
partnership with local educational agencies and other State agencies 
involved in, or concerned with, reforming and improving their systems 
for providing educational, early intervention, and transitional 
services, including their systems for professional development, 
technical assistance, and dissemination of knowledge about best 
practices, to improve results for children with disabilities.
    Eligible Applicants: A State educational agency of one of the 50 
States, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico or 
an outlying area (United States Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, 
and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands).
    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); and
    (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.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: October 1, 1998.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: November 30, 1998.
    Available Funds: $21 million.
    Estimated Range of Awards: Awards will be not less than $500,000, 
nor more than $2,000,000, in the case of the 50 States, the District of 
Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico; and not less than 
$80,000, in the case of an outlying area. The Secretary sets the amount 
of each grant after considering: (1) the amount of funds available for 
making the grants; (2) the relative population of the State or outlying 
area; and (3) the types of activities proposed by the State or outlying 
area.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $1,000,000.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 21.

    Note: The Department of Education is not bound by the estimated 
size and number of awards in this notice.

    Project Period: Not less than one year and not more than five 
years.
    Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 75, 77, 79, 80, 81, 
82, 85, and 86; and (b) The selection criteria for this program are 
drawn from EDGAR in 34 CFR 75.210.

    Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to institutions of 
higher education only.

Description of Program

    The statutory authorization for this program and the application 
requirements that apply to this competition are set out in section 651-
655 of the IDEA.

Findings and Purposes

    (a) States are responding with some success to multiple pressures 
to improve educational and transitional services and results for 
children with disabilities in response to growing demands imposed by 
ever-changing factors, such as demographics, social policies, and labor 
and economic markets.
    (b) In order for States to address those demands and to facilitate 
lasting systemic change that is of benefit to all students, including 
children with disabilities, States must involve local educational 
agencies, parents, individuals with disabilities and their families, 
teachers and other service providers, and other interested individuals 
and organizations in carrying out comprehensive strategies to improve 
educational results for children with disabilities.
    (c) Targeted Federal financial resources are needed to assist 
States, working in partnership with others, to identify and make needed 
changes to address the needs of children with disabilities into the 
next century.
    (d) State educational agencies, in partnership with local 
educational agencies and other individuals and organizations, are in 
the best position to identify and design ways to meet emerging and 
expanding demands to improve education for children with disabilities 
and to address their special needs.
    (e) Research, demonstration, and practice over the past 20 years in 
special education and related disciplines have built a foundation of 
knowledge on which State and local systemic-change activities can now 
be based.
    (f) Such research, demonstration, and practice in special education 
and related disciplines have demonstrated that an effective educational 
system now and in the future must--
    (1) Maintain high academic standards and clear performance goals 
for children with disabilities, consistent with the standards and 
expectations for all students in the educational system, and provide 
for appropriate and effective strategies and methods to ensure that 
students who are children with disabilities have maximum opportunities 
to achieve those standards and goals;
    (2) Create a system that fully addresses the needs of all students, 
including children with disabilities, by addressing the needs of 
children with disabilities in carrying out educational reform 
activities;
    (3) Clearly define, in measurable terms, the school and post-school 
results that children with disabilities are expected to achieve;
    (4) Promote service integration, and the coordination of State and 
local education, social, health, mental health, and other services, in 
addressing the full range of student needs, particularly the needs of 
children with disabilities who require significant levels of support to 
maximize their participation and learning in school and the community;
    (5) Ensure that children with disabilities are provided assistance 
and support in making transitions as described in section 674(b)(3)(C) 
of the Act;
    (6) Promote comprehensive programs of professional development to 
ensure that the persons responsible for the education or a transition 
of children with disabilities possess the skills and knowledge 
necessary to address the educational and related needs of those 
children;
    (7) Disseminate to teachers and other personnel serving children 
with disabilities research-based knowledge about successful teaching 
practices and models and provide technical assistance to local 
educational agencies and schools on how to improve results for children 
with disabilities;
    (8) Create school-based disciplinary strategies that will be used 
to reduce or

[[Page 27409]]

eliminate the need to use suspension and expulsion as disciplinary 
options for children with disabilities;
    (9) Establish placement-neutral funding formulas and cost-effective 
strategies for meeting the needs of children with disabilities; and
    (10) Involve individuals with disabilities and parents of children 
with disabilities in planning, implementing, and evaluating systemic-
change activities and educational reforms.

Absolute Priority

    Under Section 653 of the Act and 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3), the Secretary 
gives an absolute preference to applications that meet the following 
priority. The Secretary funds under this competition only those 
applications that meet this absolute priority.
    This priority supports projects that assist State educational 
agencies and their partners in reforming and improving their systems 
for providing educational, early intervention, and transitional 
services, including their systems for professional development, 
technical assistance, and dissemination of knowledge about best 
practices, to improve results for children with disabilities.

State Improvement Plan

    Applicants must submit a State improvement plan that--
    (a) Is integrated, to the maximum extent possible, with State plans 
under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 and the 
Rehabilitation Act of 1973, if appropriate;
    (b) Identifies those critical aspects of early intervention, 
general education, and special education programs (including 
professional development, based on an assessment of State and local 
needs) that must be improved to enable children with disabilities to 
meet the goals established by the State under section 612(a)(16) of the 
Act. Specifically, applicants must include:
    (1) An analysis of all information, reasonably available to the 
State educational agency, on the performance of children with 
disabilities in the State, including--
    (i) Their performance on State assessments and other performance 
indicators established for all children, including drop-out rates and 
graduation rates;
    (ii) Their participation in postsecondary education and employment; 
and
    (iii) How their performance on the assessments and indicators 
compares to that of non-disabled children;
    (2) An analysis of State and local needs for professional 
development for personnel to serve children with disabilities that 
includes, at a minimum:
    (i) The number of personnel providing special education and related 
services; and
    (ii) Relevant information on current and anticipated personnel 
vacancies and shortages (including the number of individuals described 
in paragraph (b)(2)(i) with temporary certification), and on the extent 
of certification or retraining necessary to eliminate those shortages, 
that is based, to the maximum extent possible, on existing assessments 
of personnel needs;
    (3) An analysis of the major findings of the Secretary's most 
recent reviews of State compliance, as they relate to improving results 
for children with disabilities; and
    (4) An analysis of other information, reasonably available to the 
State, on the effectiveness of the State's systems of early 
intervention, special education, and general education in meeting the 
needs of children with disabilities;
    (c) Describes a partnership agreement that --
    (1) Specifies --
    (i) The nature and extent of the partnership among the State 
educational agency, local educational agencies, and other State 
agencies involved in, or concerned with, the education of children with 
disabilities, and the respective roles of each member of the 
partnership; and
    (ii) How those agencies will work in partnership with other persons 
and organizations involved in, and concerned with, the education of 
children with disabilities, including the respective roles of each of 
these persons and organizations; and
    (2) Is in effect for the period of the grant;
    (d) Describes how grant funds will be used in undertaking the 
systemic-change activities, and the amount and nature of funds from any 
other sources, including funds under part B of the Act retained for use 
at the State level under sections 611(f) and 619(d) of the Act, that 
will be committed to the systemic-change activities;
    (e) Describes the strategies the State will use to address the 
needs identified under paragraph (b), including how it will--
    (1) Change State policies and procedures to address systemic 
barriers to improving results for children with disabilities;
    (2) Hold local educational agencies and schools accountable for 
educational progress of children with disabilities;
    (3) Provide technical assistance to local educational agencies and 
schools to improve results for children with disabilities;
    (4) Address the identified needs for in-service and pre-service 
preparation to ensure that all personnel who work with children with 
disabilities (including both professional and paraprofessional 
personnel who provide special education, general education, related 
services, or early intervention services) have the skills and knowledge 
necessary to meet the needs of children with disabilities, including a 
description of how it will--
    (i) Prepare general and special education personnel with the 
content knowledge and collaborative skills needed to meet the needs of 
children with disabilities, including how the State will work with 
other States on common certification criteria;
    (ii) Prepare professionals and paraprofessionals in the area of 
early intervention with the content knowledge and collaborative skills 
needed to meet the needs of infants and toddlers with disabilities;
    (iii) Work with institutions of higher education and other entities 
that (on both a pre-service and an in-service basis) prepare personnel 
who work with children with disabilities to ensure that those 
institutions and entities develop the capacity to support quality 
professional development programs that meet State and local needs;
    (iv) Work to develop collaborative agreements with other States for 
the joint support and development of programs to prepare personnel for 
which there is not sufficient demand within a single State to justify 
support or development of such a program of preparation;
    (v) Work in collaboration with other States, particularly 
neighboring States, to address the lack of uniformity and reciprocity 
in the credentialing of teachers and other personnel;
    (vi) Enhance the ability of teachers and others to use strategies, 
such as behavioral interventions, to address the conduct of children 
with disabilities that impedes the learning of children with 
disabilities and others;
    (vii) Acquire and disseminate, to teachers, administrators, school 
board members, and related services personnel, significant knowledge 
derived from educational research and other sources, and how the State, 
if appropriate, will adopt promising practices, materials, and 
technology;
    (viii) Recruit, prepare, and retain qualified personnel, including 
personnel with disabilities and personnel from groups that are

[[Page 27410]]

underrepresented in the fields of regular education, special education, 
and related services;
    (ix) Integrate its plan, to the maximum extent possible, with other 
professional development plans and activities, including plans and 
activities developed and carried out under other Federal and State laws 
that address personnel recruitment and training; and
    (x) Provide for the joint training of parents and special 
education, related services, and general education personnel;
    (5) Address systemic problems identified in Federal compliance 
reviews, including shortages of qualified personnel;
    (6) Disseminate results of the local capacity-building and 
improvement projects funded under section 611(f)(4) of the Act;
    (7) Address improving results for children with disabilities in the 
geographic areas of greatest need; and
    (8) Assess, on a regular basis, the extent to which the strategies 
implemented under this subpart have been effective; and
    (9) Coordinate its improvement strategies with public and private 
sector resources.

Required Partners

    Applicants must:
    (a) Establish a partnership with local educational agencies and 
other State agencies involved in, or concerned with, the education of 
children with disabilities; and
    (b) Work in partnership with other persons and organizations 
involved in, and concerned with, the education of children with 
disabilities, including--
    (1) The Governor;
    (2) Parents of children with disabilities;
    (3) Parents of nondisabled children;
    (4) Individuals with disabilities;
    (5) Organizations representing individuals with disabilities and 
their parents, such as parent training and information centers;
    (6) Community-based and other nonprofit organizations involved in 
the education and employment of individuals with disabilities;
    (7) The lead State agency for part C of the Act;
    (8) General and special education teachers, and early intervention 
personnel;
    (9) The State advisory panel established under part B of the Act;
    (10) The State interagency coordinating council established under 
part C of the Act; and
    (11) Institutions of higher education within the State.

Optional Partners

    A partnership established by applicants may include agencies such 
as--
    (a) Individuals knowledgeable about vocational education; (b) The 
State agency for higher education;
    (c) The State vocational rehabilitation agency;
    (d) Public agencies with jurisdiction in the areas of health, 
mental health, social services, and juvenile justice; and
    (e) Other individuals.

Reporting Procedures

    Each State educational agency that receives a grant shall submit 
performance reports to the Secretary pursuant to a schedule to be 
determined by the Secretary, but not more frequently than annually. The 
reports must describe the progress of the State in meeting the 
performance goals established under Section 612(a)(16) of the Act, 
analyze the effectiveness of the State's strategies in meeting those 
goals, and identify any changes in the strategies needed to improve its 
performance. Grantees must also provide information required under 
EDGAR at 34 CFR 80.40.

Use of Funds

    Each State educational agency that receives a State Improvement 
Grant under this program--
    (a) May use grant funds to carry out any activities that are 
described in the State's application and that are consistent with the 
purpose of this program;
    (b) Shall, consistent with its partnership agreement established 
under the grant, award contracts or subgrants to local educational 
agencies, institutions of higher education, and parent training and 
information centers, as appropriate, to carry out its State improvement 
plan;
    (c) May award contracts and subgrants to other public and private 
entities, including the lead agency under part C of the Act, to carry 
out that plan;
    (d)(1) Shall use not less than 75 percent of the funds it receives 
under the grant for any fiscal year--
    (i) To ensure that there are sufficient regular education, special 
education, and related services personnel who have the skills and 
knowledge necessary to meet the needs of children with disabilities and 
developmental goals of young children; or
    (ii) To work with other States on common certification criteria; or
    (2) Shall use not less than 50 percent of those funds for these 
purposes, if the State demonstrates to the Secretary's satisfaction 
that it has the personnel described in paragraph (d)(1).

Selection Criteria

    (a)(1) The Secretary uses the following selection criteria in 34 
CFR 75.210 to evaluate applications for new grants under this 
competition.
    (2) The maximum score for all of these criteria is 100 points.
    (3) The maximum score for each criterion is indicated in 
parentheses.
    (a) Need for project. (15 points) (1) The Secretary considers the 
need for the proposed project.
    (2) In determining the need for the proposed project, the Secretary 
considers one or more of the following factors:
    (i) The magnitude of the need for the services to be provided or 
the activities to be carried out by the proposed project.
    (ii) The extent to which specific gaps or weaknesses in services, 
infrastructure, or opportunities have been identified and will be 
addressed by the proposed project, including the nature and magnitude 
of those gaps or weaknesses.
    (iii) The extent to which the proposed project will prepare 
personnel for fields in which shortages have been demonstrated.
    (b) Significance. (15 points) (1) The Secretary considers the 
significance of the proposed project.
    (2) In determining the significance of the proposed project, the 
Secretary considers one or more of the following factors:
    (i) The likelihood that the proposed project will result in system 
change or improvement.
    (ii) The extent to which the proposed project is likely to build 
local capacity to provide, improve or expand services that address the 
needs of the target population.
    (c) Quality of the project design. (15 points) (1) The Secretary 
considers the quality of the design of the proposed project.
    (2) In determining the quality of the design of the proposed 
project, the Secretary considers one or more of the following factors:
    (i) The extent to which the goals, objectives, and outcomes to be 
achieved by the proposed project are clearly specified and measurable.
    (ii) The extent to which the design of the proposed project is 
appropriate to, and will successfully address, the needs of the target 
population or other identified needs.
    (iii) The extent to which the proposed activities constitute a 
coherent, sustained program of training in the field.

[[Page 27411]]

    (iv) The extent to which the proposed project is designed to build 
capacity and yield results that will extend beyond the period of 
Federal financial assistance.
    (v) The extent to which the design of the proposed project reflects 
up-to-date knowledge from research and effective practice.
    (vi) The extent to which the proposed project represents an 
exceptional approach for meeting statutory purposes and requirements.
    (vii) The extent to which the proposed project will be coordinated 
with similar or related efforts, and with other appropriate community, 
State, and Federal resources.
    (viii) The extent to which the proposed project will establish 
linkages with other appropriate agencies and organizations providing 
services to the target population.
    (ix) The extent to which the proposed project is part of a 
comprehensive effort to improve teaching and learning and support 
rigorous academic standards for students.
    (d) Quality of project services. (15 points) (1) The Secretary 
considers the quality of the services to be provided by the proposed 
project.
    (2) In determining the quality of the services to be provided by 
the proposed project, the Secretary considers the quality and 
sufficiency of strategies for ensuring equal access and treatment for 
eligible project participants who are members of groups that have 
traditionally been underrepresented based on race, color, national 
origin, gender, age, or disability.
    (3) In addition, the Secretary considers one or more of the 
following factors:
    (i) The extent to which the services to be provided by the proposed 
project are appropriate to the needs of the intended recipients or 
beneficiaries of those services.
    (ii) The extent to which the services to be provided by the 
proposed project reflect up-to-date knowledge from research and 
effective practice.
    (iii) The likely impact of the services to be provided by the 
proposed project on the intended recipients of those services.
    (iv) The extent to which the training or professional development 
services to be provided by the proposed project are of sufficient 
quality, intensity, and duration to lead to improvements in practice 
among the recipients of those services.
    (v) The extent to which the training or professional development 
services to be provided by the proposed project are likely to alleviate 
the personnel shortages that have been identified or are the focus of 
the proposed project.
    (vi) The likelihood that the services to be provided by the 
proposed project will lead to improvements in the achievement of 
students as measured against rigorous academic standards.
    (vii) The extent to which the services to be provided by the 
proposed project involve the collaboration of appropriate partners for 
maximizing the effectiveness of project services.
    (viii) The extent to which the technical assistance services to be 
provided by the proposed project involve the use of efficient 
strategies, including the use of technology, as appropriate, and the 
leveraging of non-project resources.
    (ix) The extent to which the services to be provided by the 
proposed project are focused on those with greatest needs.
    (e) Quality of project personnel. (10 points) (1) The Secretary 
considers the quality of the personnel who will carry out the proposed 
project.
    (2) In determining the quality of project personnel, the Secretary 
considers the extent to which the applicant encourages applications for 
employment from persons who are members of groups that have 
traditionally been underrepresented based on race, color, national 
origin, gender, age, or disability.
    (3) In addition, the Secretary considers one or more of the 
following factors:
    (i) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience, 
of key project personnel.
    (ii) The qualifications, including relevant training and 
experience, of project consultants or subcontractors.
    (f) Adequacy of resources. (10 points) (1) The Secretary considers 
the adequacy of resources for the proposed project.
    (2) In determining the adequacy of resources for the proposed 
project, the Secretary considers one or more of the following factors:
    (i) The adequacy of support, including facilities, equipment, 
supplies, and other resources, from the applicant organization or the 
lead applicant organization.
    (ii) The relevance and demonstrated commitment of each partner in 
the proposed project to the implementation and success of the project.
    (iii) The extent to which the budget is adequate to support the 
proposed project.
    (iv) The extent to which the costs are reasonable in relation to 
the objectives, design, and potential significance of the proposed 
project.
    (v) The extent to which the costs are reasonable in relation to the 
number of persons to be served and to the anticipated results and 
benefits.
    (vi) The potential for continued support of the project after 
Federal funding ends, including, as appropriate, the demonstrated 
commitment of appropriate entities to such support.
    (vii) The potential for the incorporation of project purposes, 
activities, or benefits into the ongoing program of the agency or 
organization at the end of Federal funding.
    (g) Quality of the management plan. (10 points) (1) The Secretary 
considers the quality of the management plan for the proposed project.
    (2) In determining the quality of the management plan for the 
proposed project, the Secretary considers one or more of the following 
factors:
    (i) The adequacy of the management plan to achieve the objectives 
of the proposed project on time and within budget, including clearly 
defined responsibilities, timelines, and milestones for accomplishing 
project tasks.
    (ii) The adequacy of procedures for ensuring feedback and 
continuous improvement in the operation of the proposed project.
    (iii) The adequacy of mechanisms for ensuring high-quality products 
and services from the proposed project.
    (iv) How the applicant will ensure that a diversity of perspectives 
are brought to bear in the operation of the proposed project, including 
those of parents, teachers, the business community, a variety of 
disciplinary and professional fields, recipients or beneficiaries of 
services, or others, as appropriate.
    (h) Quality of the project evaluation. (10 points) (1) The 
Secretary considers the quality of the evaluation to be conducted of 
the proposed project.
    (2) In determining the quality of the evaluation, the Secretary 
considers one or more of the following factors:
    (i) The extent to which the methods of evaluation are thorough, 
feasible, and appropriate to the goals, objectives, and outcomes of the 
proposed project.
    (ii) The extent to which the methods of evaluation are appropriate 
to the context within which the project operates.
    (iii) The extent to which the methods of evaluation provide for 
examining the effectiveness of project implementation strategies.
    (iv) The extent to which the methods of evaluation include the use 
of objective performance measures that are clearly related to the 
intended outcomes of the project and will produce

[[Page 27412]]

quantitative and qualitative data to the extent possible.
    (v) The extent to which the methods of evaluation will provide 
performance feedback and permit periodic assessment of progress toward 
achieving intended outcomes.

Intergovernmental Review

    This program is subject to the requirements of Executive Order 
12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR Part 79.
    The objective of the Executive order is to foster an inter-
governmental partnership and a strengthened federalism by relying on 
processes developed by State and local governments for coordination and 
review of proposed Federal financial assistance.
    Applicants must contact the appropriate State Single Point of 
Contact to find out about, and to comply with, the State's process 
under Executive Order 12372. Applicants proposing to perform activities 
in more than one State should immediately contact the Single Point of 
Contact for each of those States and follow the procedure established 
in each State under the Executive Order. The addresses of individual 
State Single Point of Contact are in the Appendix to this notice.
    In States that have not established a process or chosen a program 
for review, State, areawide, regional, and local entities may submit 
comments directly to the Department.
    Any State Process Recommendation and other comments submitted by a 
State Single Point of Contact and any comments from State, areawide, 
regional, and local entities must be mailed or hand-delivered by the 
date indicated in this notice to the following address: The Secretary, 
E.O. 12372--CFDA# 84.323A, U.S. Department of Education, Room 6213, 600 
Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, D.C. 20202-0124.
    Proof of mailing will be determined on the same basis as 
applications (see 34 CFR 75.102). Recommendations or comments may be 
hand-delivered until 4:30 p.m. (Washington, D.C. time) on the date 
indicated in this notice.

    Please note that the above Address is not the same address as 
the one to which the applicant submits its completed application. Do 
not send applications to the above address.

Instructions for Transmittal of Applications

    (a) If an applicant wants to apply for a grant, the applicant 
shall--
    (1) Mail the original and three copies of the application on or 
before the deadline date to: U.S. Department of Education, Application 
Control Center, Attention: (CFDA# 84.323A), Washington, D.C. 20202-
4725; or
    (2) Hand-deliver the original and three copies of the application 
by 4:30 p.m. (Washington, D.C. time) on or before the deadline date to: 
U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Center, Attention: 
(CFDA# 84.323A), Room #3633, Regional Office Building #3, 7th and D 
Streets, SW., Washington, D.C.
    (b) An applicant must show one of the following as proof of 
mailing:
    (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.
    (4) Any other proof of mailing acceptable to the Secretary.
    (c) If an application is mailed through the U.S. Postal Service, 
the Secretary does not accept either of the following as proof of 
mailing:
    (1) A private metered postmark.
    (2) A mail receipt that is not dated by the U.S. Postal Service.

    Notes: (1) The U.S. Postal Service does not uniformly provide a 
dated postmark. Before relying on this method, an applicant should 
check with its local post office.
    (2) The Application Control Center will mail a Grant Application 
Receipt Acknowledgment to each applicant. If an applicant fails to 
receive the notification of application receipt within 15 days from 
the date of mailing the application, the applicant should call the 
U.S. Department of Education Application Control Center at (202) 
708-9495.
    (3) The applicant must indicate on the envelope and--if not 
provided by the Department--in Item 10 of the Application for 
Federal Assistance (Standard Form 424) the CFDA number and suffix 
letter, if any, of the competition under which the application is 
being submitted.

Application Instructions and Forms

    The appendix to this notice is divided into three parts, plus a 
statement regarding estimated public reporting burden, additional non-
regulatory guidance, and various assurances, certifications, and 
required documentation. These parts and additional materials are 
organized in the same manner that the submitted application should be 
organized. The parts and additional materials are as follows:
    Part I: Application for Federal Assistance (Standard Form 424 (Rev. 
4-88)) and instructions.
    Part II: Budget Information--Non-Construction Programs (ED Form No. 
524) and instructions.
    Part III: Application Narrative.

Additional Materials

    The following forms and other items must be included in the 
application:
    a. Estimated Public Reporting Burden.
    b. Assurances--Non-Construction Programs (Standard Form 424B) and 
instructions.
    c. Certifications Regarding Lobbying; Debarment, Suspension, and 
Other Responsibility Matters; and Drug-Free Workplace Requirements (ED 
80-0013) and instructions.
    d. Certification Regarding Debarment, Suspension, Ineligibility and 
Voluntary Exclusion--Lower Tier Covered Transactions (ED 80-0014, 9/90) 
and instructions. (NOTE: This form is intended for the use of grantees 
and should not be transmitted to the Department.)
    e. Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (Standard Form LLL) (if 
applicable) and instructions. The document has been marked to reflect 
statutory changes. See the notice published by the Office of Management 
and Budget in the Federal Register (61 FR 1413) on (January 19, 1996).
    f. Addresses of the individual State Single Point of Contact.
    g. Table of Contents.
    An applicant may submit information on a photostatic copy of the 
application and budget forms, the assurances, and the certifications. 
However, the application form, the assurances, and the certifications 
must each have an original signature. All applicants must submit one 
original signed application, including ink signatures on all forms and 
assurances, and three copies of the application. Please mark each 
application as ``original'' or ``copy''. No grant may be awarded unless 
a completed application has been received.

For Applications and General Information Contact

    Requests for applications and general information should be 
addressed to the Grants and Contracts Services Team, 600 Independence 
Avenue, SW, room 3317, Switzer Building, Washington, DC 20202-2641. The 
preferred method for requesting information is to FAX your request to: 
(202) 205-8717. Telephone: (202) 260-9182. Individuals who use a 
telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the TDD number: 
(202) 205-8953.
    Individuals with disabilities may obtain a copy of this notice or 
the application packages referred to in this notice in an alternate 
format (e.g. Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer diskette) by 
contacting the

[[Page 27413]]

Department as listed above. However, the Department is not able to 
reproduce in an alternate format the standard forms included in the 
application package.

Electronic Access to This Document

    Anyone may view this document, as well as all other Department of 
Education documents published in the Federal Register, in text or 
portable document format (pdf) on the World Wide Web at either of the 
following sites:

http://ocfo.ed.gov/fedreg.htm
http://www.ed.gov/news.html

    To use the pdf you must have the Adobe Acrobat Reader Program with 
Search, which is available free at either of the previous sites. If you 
have questions about using the pdf, call the U.S. Government Printing 
Office toll free at 1-888-293-6498.
    Anyone may also view these documents in text copy only on an 
electronic bulletin board of the Department. Telephone: (202) 219-1511 
or, toll free, 1-800-222-4922. The documents are located under Option 
G--Files/Announcements, Bulletins, and Press Releases.

    Note: The official version of a document is the document 
published in the Federal Register.

    Dated: May 13, 1998.
Judith E. Heumann,
Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.

Instructions for Estimated Public Reporting Burden

    According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are 
required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a 
valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this 
information collection is OMB No. 1820-0620. The time required to 
complete this information collection is estimated to average between 
50-130 hours per response, including the time to review instructions, 
search existing data resources, gather the data needed, and complete 
and review the information collection. If you have any comments 
concerning the accuracy of the time estimate or suggestions for 
improving this form, please write to: U.S. Department of Education, 
Washington, D.C. 20202-4651. If you have any comments or concerns 
regarding the status of your individual submission of this form, write 
directly to: Office of Special Education Programs, U.S. Department of 
Education, 600 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, D.C. 20202-2641.

Application Narrative

    The narrative should address fully all aspects of the selection 
criteria in the order listed and should give detailed information 
regarding each criterion. Do not simply paraphrase the criteria. 
Provide position descriptions, not resumes.

Budget

    Budget line items must support the goals and objectives of the 
proposed project and be directly applicable to the program design and 
all other project components.

Final Application Preparation

    Use the above checklist to verify that all items are addressed. 
Prepare one original with an original signature, and include six 
additional copies. Do not use elaborate bindings or covers. The 
application must be mailed to the Application Control Center (ACC) and 
postmarked by the deadline date of October 1, 1998.

Notice to All Applicants

    Thank you for your interest in this program. The purpose of this 
enclosure is to inform you about a new provision in the Department of 
Education's General Education Provisions Act (GEPA) that applies to 
applicants for new grant awards under Department programs.
    This provision is Section 427 of GEPA, enacted as part of the 
Improving America's Schools Act of 1994 (Pub. L. 103-382).

To Whom Does This Provision Apply?

    Section 427 of GEPA affects applicants for new discretionary grant 
awards under this program.

    All applicants for new awards must include information in their 
applications to address this new provision in order to receive 
funding under this program.

What Does This Provision Require?

    Section 427 requires each applicant for funds (other than an 
individual person) to include in its application a description of the 
steps the applicant proposes to take to ensure equitable access to, and 
participation in, its Federally-assisted program for students, 
teachers, and other program beneficiaries with special needs.
    This section allows applicants discretion in developing the 
required description. The statute highlights six types of barriers that 
can impede equitable access or participation that you may address: 
gender, race, national origin, color, disability, or age. Based on 
local circumstances, you can determine whether these or other barriers 
may prevent your students, teachers, etc. from equitable access or 
participation. Your description need not be lengthy; you may provide a 
clear and succinct description of how you plan to address those 
barriers that are applicable to your circumstances. In addition, the 
information may be provided in a single narrative, or, if appropriate, 
may be discussed in connection with related topics in the application.
    Section 427 is not intended to duplicate the requirements of civil 
rights statutes, but rather to ensure that, in designing their 
projects, applicants for Federal funds address equity concerns that may 
affect the ability of certain potential beneficiaries to fully 
participate in the project and to achieve to high standards. Consistent 
with program requirements and its approved application, an applicant 
may use the Federal funds awarded to it to eliminate barriers it 
identifies.

What Are Examples of How an Applicant Might Satisfy the Requirements of 
This Provision?

    The following examples may help illustrate how an applicant may 
comply with Section 427.
    (1) An applicant that proposes to carry out an adult literacy 
project serving, among others, adults with limited English proficiency, 
might describe in its application how it intends to distribute a 
brochure about the proposed project to such potential participants in 
their native language.
    (2) An applicant that proposes to develop instructional materials 
for classroom use might describe how it will make the materials 
available on audio tape or in braille for students who are blind.
    (3) An applicant that proposes to carry out a model science program 
for secondary students and is concerned that girls may be less likely 
than boys to enroll in the course, might indicate how its intends to 
conduct ``outreach'' efforts to girls, to encourage their enrollment.
    We recognize that many applicants may already be implementing 
effective steps to ensure equity of access and participation in their 
grant programs, and we appreciate your cooperation in responding to the 
requirements of this provision.

Estimated Burden Statement

    According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are 
required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a 
valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this 
information collection is 1820-0620 (Exp. 10/31/98).

[[Page 27414]]

The time required to complete this information collection is estimated 
to vary from 1 to 3 hours per response, with an average of 1.5 hours, 
including the time to review instructions, search existing data 
sources, gather and maintain the data needed, and complete and review 
the information collection. If you have any comments concerning the 
accuracy of the time estimate(s) or suggestions for improving this 
form, please write to: U.S. Department of Education, Washington, DC 
20202-4651.

Questions and Answers

    Following is a series of questions and answers that will serve as 
guidance for State Educational Agency in completing the grant 
application for a State Improvement Grant (SIG) as authorized by the 
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The questions were 
chosen to provide additional insight into the statutory requirements 
contained in the grant application. The questions were generated from a 
number of sources including parents of students with disabilities, 
Regional Resource Centers, the Federal Resource Center, State Directors 
of Special Education, State Educational Agency staff and staff from the 
Office of Special Education Programs.

Eligible Applicants

1. Who May Apply for a State Improvement Grant?
    A State Educational Agency of one of the 50 States, the District of 
Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico or an outlying area 
(United States Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the 
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands).1 (Sections 
602(18), 602(27), 652(a), and 655(a)(1)(2)).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ Unless otherwise noted, the term ``state'' refers to the 50 
States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico 
and the outlying areas (United States Virgin Islands, Guam, American 
Samoa and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

2. Can Two or More SEAs Apply Jointly for a SIG?
    No. A State applying for a State Improvement Grant shall submit an 
individual application. However, included in the application will be a 
description of how: (1) the State will work to develop collaborative 
agreements with other States for the joint support and development of 
programs to prepare personnel for which there is not sufficient demand 
within a single State to justify support or development of such a 
program of preparation; and (2) the State will work in collaboration 
with other States, particularly neighboring States, to address the lack 
of uniformity and reciprocity in the credentialing of teachers and 
other personnel (Section 653(c)(3)(D)(iv) and (v)).

Partners

3. With Whom Is the State Supposed To Form Partnerships and How Are 
Such Partnerships Structured?
    Part D Subpart 1--State Program Improvement Grants for Children 
with Disabilities, Section 652 (b) describes three types of State 
partners. In order to be considered for a State Improvement Grant, a 
State educational agency must establish a partnership with individuals 
and organizations considered ``Required Partners.'' Required partners 
are made up of two subsets of partners--those called ``Contractual 
partners'' and those called ``Other partners.'' The SEA's contractual 
partners are local educational agencies and other State agencies 
involved in, or concerned with, the education of children with 
disabilities. These partners are called contractual because they must 
be parties to a formal ``partnership agreement'' that is explained 
further below in question four. The ``other partners'' are individuals 
and organizations involved in, and concerned with, the education of 
children with disabilities, with whom the SEA must work in partnership 
to implement the State improvement grant. Other partners may be, but 
the SEA is not required to make them, parties to the formal partnership 
agreement. Those ``other partners'' must include the Governor; parents 
of children with disabilities; parents of nondisabled children; 
individuals with disabilities; organizations representing individuals 
with disabilities and their parents, such as parent training and 
information centers; community-based and other nonprofit organizations 
involved in the education and employment of individuals with 
disabilities; the lead State agency for Part C; general and special 
education teachers, and early intervention personnel; the State 
advisory panel established under Part B; the State interagency 
coordinating council established under Part C; and institutions of 
higher education within the State.
    In addition to required partners, the SEA, at its option, may 
include as partners individuals and organizations called ``Optional 
Partners.'' The SEA may include ``optional partners'' as parties to the 
formal partnership agreement or work in partnership with them, without 
them being parties to the partnership agreement. Those optional 
partners may include individuals knowledgeable about vocational 
education, the State agency for higher education, the State vocational 
rehabilitation agency, public agencies with jurisdiction in the areas 
of health, mental health, social services, and juvenile justice and 
other individuals.
4. What is the Partnership Agreement and What Must It Include?
    Each State Improvement Plan submitted with the State's application 
shall include a description of the partnership agreement entered into 
by the SEA with its contractual partners and with any ``other'' and 
``optional'' partners who will be parties to the partnership agreement. 
As specified in the grant application package, the partnership 
agreement must specify the nature and extent of the partnership among 
the SEA, the LEAs, and other State agencies involved in, or concerned 
with, the education of children with disabilities. It must specify the 
respective roles of each member of the partnership in the 
implementation of the State improvement plan. The partnership agreement 
must also specify how the SEA, LEAs, and other State agencies 
identified above, will work in partnership with other persons and 
organizations involved in, and concerned with, the education of 
children with disabilities (these would be the ``other partners'' and 
any ``optional partners''), and must specify the respective roles of 
each of these persons and organizations (Section 653(c)(1)(B)).
    The partnership agreement must indicate that it is in effect for 
the period of the grant. The terms of the partnership agreement will 
determine whether the SEA will award subgrants or contracts to any of 
the partners listed in Section 654(a)(2)(A).
5. What Is the Connection Between the Partnership Agreement and the 
SEA's Use of Funds?
    The SEA shall, as appropriate, award contracts or subgrants to 
LEAs, IHEs, and parent training and information centers identified in 
the partnership agreement to carry out the State improvement plan. To 
carry out the State improvement plan, the SEA may also award contracts 
and subgrants to other public and private entities, including the lead 
agency under Part C and other agencies that are partners, as well as 
public and private entities that are not partners. It is anticipated 
that an SEA will need and desire the resources of other individuals and 
organizations to develop and implement all of the systemic change, 
technical assistance, in-service and pre-service training,

[[Page 27415]]

dissemination and assessment activities designated in the State 
improvement plan. There is, however, no required amount of funds that 
must be used for contracts or subgrants (Section 654(a)(2)).

Funding availability and levels

6. What Are the Grant Amounts to States?
    The Secretary shall make a grant to each State educational agency 
whose application the Secretary has selected for funding under this 
subpart in an amount for each fiscal year that is: (1) not less than 
$500,000, nor more than $2,000,000, in the case of the 50 States, the 
District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico; and (2) not 
less than $80,000, in the case of an outlying area (United States 
Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa and the Commonwealth of the 
Northern Mariana Islands (Section 655(a)).
    Beginning with fiscal year 1999, the Secretary may increase the 
maximum amount under (1) to account for inflation.
7. How Will Decisions Be Made Regarding the Amount of Funds That States 
Will Receive if Approved for a State Improvement Grant?
    The Secretary will set the amount of each grant, within the limits 
outlined in the response to question 6, after considering: (1) the 
relative population of the State; (2) the types of activities proposed 
by the State; and (3) the amount of funds available for making the 
grants (Section 655(c)).
8. How Will the Connection Between Grant Amounts and ``Need'' Be 
Determined?
    As previously stated in the response to question 7, the Secretary 
shall set the amount of each grant after considering: (1) the relative 
population of the State; (2) the types of activities proposed by the 
State or outlying area; and (3) the amount of funds available for 
making the grants. ``Need'' will be determined through the quality of 
the needs assessment performed under Section 653(b) including: (i) an 
analysis of all information, reasonably available to the State 
educational agency, on the performance of children with disabilities in 
the State; (ii) an analysis of State and local needs for professional 
development for personnel to serve children with disabilities; (iii) an 
analysis of the major findings of the Secretary's most recent reviews 
of State compliance, as they relate to improving results for children 
with disabilities; and (iv) an analysis of other information, for 
example, findings made by the Secretary's Office for Civil Rights, 
reasonably available to the State, on the effectiveness of the State's 
systems of early intervention, special education, and general education 
in meeting the needs of children with disabilities.
9. What Will the Secretary Consider in Making an Award on a Competitive 
Basis?
    Using the selection criteria identified elsewhere in this 
application package, the Secretary expects to select for funding 
applications from States that demonstrate a need for improvement and 
effective strategies to meet those State needs. The application should 
show how the State plans to fulfill the purpose of the State 
Improvement Grant, which is to assist State educational agencies and 
their partners in reforming and improving their systems for providing 
educational, early intervention, and transitional services, including 
their systems for professional development, technical assistance, and 
dissemination of knowledge about best practices, to improve results for 
children with disabilities. The Secretary may give priority to 
applications on the basis of need, as indicated by such information as 
the findings of Federal compliance reviews (Section 653(d)).
10. When Will Funds Be Available?
    First year funds to support the State Improvement Grant will become 
available for obligation by the Federal Government on July 1, 1998 and 
must be obligated by the Federal Government by September 30, 1999.

Improvement Strategies and Use of Funds

11. Can Funds From the State Improvement Grants be Distributed to LEAs 
on a Competitive Basis?
    Yes. The statute does not provide a particular method for States to 
use when distributing State Improvement Grant funds to LEAs or other 
entities. When awarding and administering subgrants, under 34 CFR 
Sec. 80.37(a), the State must follow state law and procedures. As long 
as the SEA's plan to contract or subgrant SIG funds is consistent with 
the partnership agreement and the funds are used to support the 
activities specified in the approved grant application, there is no 
statutory prohibition against the funds being distributed to LEAs on a 
competitive basis.
12. Can Charter Schools Be Involved as Partners in the State 
Improvement Grant?
    Yes. Charter schools are schools under contract--or charter--
between a public agency and groups of parents, teachers, community 
leaders or others who want to create alternatives and choice within the 
public school system. Charter schools can be involved as partners in 
the State Improvement Grant, either as an LEA or as part of an existing 
LEA, consistent with the State charter schools law.
13. Does the ``Service Obligation'' Apply to the Use of State 
Improvement Grant Funds if They Are Being Used for Scholarships?
    No. The ``service obligation'' contained under the Personnel 
Preparation discretionary grant program provides that a recipient of a 
scholarship funded by the Personnel Preparation program under Section 
673(b), (c), (e), and to the extent appropriate (d), shall subsequently 
perform work in the field in which they were trained or repay the cost 
of the financial assistance. The service obligation only applies to 
scholarships awarded under the Personnel Preparation program.
14. Can Funds Be Used To Prepare Early Intervention Personnel?
    Yes, but only in limited circumstances. Under Section 654(b)(1) a 
State educational agency that receives a grant shall use not less than 
75 percent of the funds it receives under the grant for any fiscal year 
to work with other States on common certification criteria or to ensure 
that there are sufficient regular education, special education, and 
related services personnel who have the skills and knowledge necessary 
to meet the needs of children with disabilities and developmental goals 
of young children. This Section ensures that based on the needs 
assessment, the State focuses at least 75% of the funds received under 
the State Improvement Grant on the professional development and 
training of regular education, special education, or related services 
personnel. Only 50% of the funds must be used on professional 
development if the State can demonstrate to the Secretary that it has 
sufficient personnel. Training that prepares personnel to deliver early 
intervention services that could not also be considered regular 
education, special education, or related services would not be a 
permissible use of the 75%, or 50% as the case may be, of the funds. 
However, it would be permissible for early intervention personnel to 
participate in training in those areas of

[[Page 27416]]

special education and related services that would be useful to them, 
even if the training is funded using the 75% of the funds. There is no 
limitation on the use of the remaining 25% of the funds received under 
the SIG; it can be used to train personnel to provide early 
intervention services or for any other activity in an approved SIG 
plan.
15. What Is the Relationship of the SIG to the State Set Aside Under 
Part B?
    In order to carry out the activities proposed in the State's SIG 
application, a State may choose to supplement the State Improvement 
Grant award with funds from the IDEA Part B State set aside (i.e., the 
portion of the IDEA, Part B grant awards retained for use by the SEA 
under Sections 611(f) and 619(d) of the Act for discretionary 
purposes).
16. Can Funds From Sources Other Than the SIG Be Used to Support the 
Required Activities for Awards Under This Program?
    Yes. In addition to the SIG award, funds from other sources (e.g., 
other IDEA discretionary grants, Part B State set aside funds, 
preschool grants) may be used, so long as those activities are 
permissible under the funding statute and regulations to carry out any 
activities described in the State's SIG application. States may also 
use funds from private sources (e.g., foundations) to carry out 
activities described in the State's application. In its State 
Improvement Plan, the State must describe the amount and nature of 
funds from any other sources, including the Part B funds retained for 
use under Sections 611(f) and 619(d) of the Act and Part D 
discretionary funds that will be committed to the SIG program.
17. Can SIG Funds Be Used for Direct Services to Children With 
Disabilities?
    Yes. The statute does not forbid the use of SIG funds for direct 
services to children with disabilities; however, funding for these 
services must come from the 25% or 50% of the grant award, as the case 
may be, not obligated by statute to fund professional development 
activities or to work with other States on common certification 
criteria. In addition, the need for direct services must be one of the 
critical aspects of early intervention, general education and special 
education identified in the State's needs assessment. The direct 
services improvement strategy must be described in the State's 
application and be consistent with the purpose of the grant, which is 
to assist State educational agencies and their partners in reforming 
and improving their systems for providing educational, early 
intervention, and transitional services, including their systems for 
professional development, technical assistance, and dissemination of 
knowledge about best practices, to improve results for children with 
disabilities.

Strategies Used To Address Identified Needs

18. Is interstate Personnel Preparation Mandatory?
    No. The State is required to describe how it will work to develop 
collaborative agreements with other States for the joint support and 
development of programs to prepare personnel for which there is not 
sufficient demand within the State to justify support or development of 
such a program of preparation (Section 653(c)(3)(D)(iv)). If the State 
demonstrates, through its needs assessment, that there is sufficient 
demand within the State to support its own personnel preparation 
programs, then interstate collaborative agreements are not required.
19. Is Training of General Education Personnel Required?
    Yes. In its application, the State is required to include a 
description of how the State will prepare general as well as special 
education personnel with the content knowledge and collaborative skills 
needed to meet the needs of children with disabilities (Section 
653(c)(3)(D)(i)).
20. Is Training of Parents Required?
    Yes. In its application, the State is required to include a 
description of how the State will provide for the joint training of 
parents and special education, related services, and general education 
personnel (Section 653(c)(3)(D)(x)).

Role of Regional Resource Center/Technical Assistance and Dissemination 
Projects

21. What Role Can the Regional Resource Center (RRC) Play in the 
Development of the State Improvement Plan and Grant Application?
    The RRC is encouraged to provide general technical assistance to 
States in the development of their State Improvement Plans. An RRC is 
funded to provide technical assistance and resources to all states 
within its region and must do so on an equitable basis across those 
States. Helping States improve their special education programs is the 
central mission of the RRCs and many State activities related to the 
State Improvement Grant program will be crucial in these improvement 
efforts. It would be inappropriate, however, for an RRC to help a State 
in drafting its grant application or even to provide technical 
assistance on strategies to improve the competitiveness of a State's 
application because it could be viewed as providing a competitive 
advantage to one potential applicant over another. On the other hand, 
helping States, for example, with data analyses, needs assessments, and 
facilitating meetings concerning planning the States' improvement 
activities could be, except as noted above, a part of the RRC's 
technical assistance activities to the States in their region. RRCs can 
also assist States in their implementation of a State Improvement Grant 
once those grants are awarded.
22. Can the State Use SIG Funds to Subcontract or Contract With the 
University or Entity in Which the RRC is Located To Carry Out SIG 
Activities?
    Yes. The State can use SIG funds to subgrant or contract with the 
University or entity in which the RRC is located to carry out SIG 
activities. However, the University or other entity would need to 
ensure that personnel time and other resources covered by the RRC's 
cooperative agreement with the Department are not used to work on SIG 
activities performed under such a subgrant or contract and that work 
done under such other subcontract or contract is not represented as 
being performed as part of the cooperative agreement with the 
Department of Education.
23. Can Technical Assistance and Dissemination (TA&D) Projects Funded 
by OSEP Play a Role in SIG Activities?
    Similar to RRCs, TA&D projects funded by OSEP must ensure that the 
services they provide are fairly and evenhandedly available to their 
respective audience (under the terms of their OSEP funding agreement/
grant/contract) in all States, that the proposed SIG activity is 
permissible under the terms of the particular Project's funding 
agreement/grant/contract/with OSEP and that Projects do not accept SIG 
funds under contract or grant with an SEA for activities they are 
currently receiving Federal funds to provide. In addition, TA&D 
projects, like the RRCs, should not engage in activities that could be 
seen as providing a competitive advantage to any one State over others 
in the SIG competition.

[[Page 27417]]

Relationship Between State Improvement Plan and other Federal statutes 
and requirements

24. What is the Link Between the Comprehensive System of Personnel 
Development (CSPD) and the SIG? What Are the Similarities and 
Differences?
    The requirements for a CSPD as amended by IDEA 97 must be 
implemented by July 1, 1998 regardless of whether or not a State 
receives a SIG. Under Section 612(a)(14) of IDEA, in order to be 
eligible for funding under Part B, a State must have in effect a 
comprehensive system of personnel development that is designed to 
ensure an adequate supply of qualified special education, regular 
education, related services, and early intervention personnel and that 
meets the requirements contained in the personnel development sections 
of the State Improvement Plan addressing needs assessment and 
improvement strategies. It is intended that the CSPD meet the SIG 
personnel development requirements so that it may serve as the 
framework for the State's personnel development part of a SIG grant 
application.
25. To What Extent Does This Plan Have To Be Linked to the Elementary 
and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) and the Rehabilitation Act 
of 1973?
    To the ``maximum extent possible'' State Improvement Plans must be 
linked to State plans under ESEA and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. 
The IDEA Amendments of 1997 emphasize that children with disabilities 
have access to the general curriculum and general educational reforms. 
Although the legislation does not mention integration with any other 
state plans under any other Federal statute, because the State 
Improvement Plan is focused on systems change for students with 
disabilities, integration with relevant state plans or projects would 
be beneficial (Section 653(a)(2)(A)).
26. What Is the Relationship Between the Performance Goals and 
Indicators a State Must Have to be Eligible for Part B and the State 
Improvement Plan?
    Under Part B (612(a)(16)), in order to be eligible to receive 
financial assistance under Part B, the State must have in place by July 
1, 1998 performance goals for children with disabilities that must 
promote the purposes of the IDEA and be consistent, to the maximum 
extent appropriate, with other goals and standards developed for 
children established by the State and performance indicators to assess 
progress toward achieving those goals. A State must have developed 
those performance goals and indicators in order to apply for a State 
Improvement Grant because in conducting the needs assessment required 
as part of its application, the State shall identify those critical 
aspects of early intervention, general education, and special education 
programs that must be improved to enable children with disabilities to 
meet the performance goals and indicators established by the State for 
the performance of children with disabilities under Section 612(a)(16). 
In submitting the required SIG performance reports to the Secretary 
under Section 653(f), the State shall describe the progress of the 
State in meeting the performance goals established under section 
612(a)(16), analyze the effectiveness of the State's strategies in 
meeting those goals, and identify any changes in the strategies needed 
to improve its performance.

Monitoring and Corrective Action Plans

27. How Is the State Improvement Grant Aligned With Federal Compliance 
Reviews?
    There are three areas in which the State Improvement Grant aligns 
with Federal compliance reviews. First, the State improvement plan must 
include an analysis of the major findings of the Secretary's most 
recent reviews of State compliance, as they relate to improving results 
for children with disabilities (Section 653(b)(2)(C). The second is 
that the State improvement plan must include a description of 
strategies that will address systemic problems identified in Federal 
compliance reviews, including shortages of qualified personnel (Section 
653(c)(3)(E). The third area of alignment with monitoring is that in 
determining competitive awards the Secretary may give priority to 
applications on the basis of need, as indicated by such information as 
the findings of Federal compliance reviews (Section 653(d)(2)).
28. Can the State Improvement Grant Funds be Used To Address 
Deficiencies Identified in Federal Compliance Reviews?
    Yes, if the activities to address the deficiencies are consistent 
with the purposes of the grant and described in the State's 
application. If, for example, a Federal compliance review identified 
that a personnel shortage impacted on the provision of a free 
appropriate public education to students with disabilities, then it 
would be consistent with the purposes of the grant to use grant funds 
to address the personnel shortage.

Applications, Length of Awards, and Reapplication

29. Can the First Grant be Written as a Planning Grant?
    No. The purpose of the SIG program is to assist State educational 
agencies, and their partners referred to in Section 652(b), in 
reforming and improving their systems for providing educational, early 
intervention, and transitional services, including their systems for 
professional development, technical assistance, and dissemination of 
knowledge about best practices, to improve results for children with 
disabilities. In order to be funded a State must include in its 
application improvement strategies that were developed to address State 
and local needs identified in the State needs assessment. The purpose 
of the needs assessment is to provide the necessary information to 
facilitate the development of a State improvement plan that identifies 
those critical aspects of early intervention, general education, and 
special education programs that must be improved to enable children 
with disabilities to meet the goals established by the State under 
Section 612(a)(16). In conjunction with the needs assessment, the 
improvement strategies (Section 653(c)) subsumed in the State 
Improvement Plan constitute the State's plan for the use of SIG funds.
30. Is There a Page Limitation for the Application?
    No. There is no page limitation for first year applications. 
However, in order to facilitate the peer review process, applicants are 
advised to submit applications that address all of the requirements of 
the application and are well written, organized, succinct, and address 
each of the selection criteria. It is also suggested that the 
requirements be addressed in the order in which they appear in the 
application package.
31. What Grant Period Can a State Request in its Initial Application?
    A state may request a grant of from one to five years. However, the 
Secretary may award a grant that is shorter than the state requests, 
but not less than one year, if the state's application does not 
sufficiently justify the full requested duration.
32. If a Project is Funded for Less Than Five Years, can it Be Extended 
Later?
    No, with the exception of relatively short ``no-cost'' extensions 
that are sometimes given to allow the completion of project activities. 
These

[[Page 27418]]

extensions do not award new funds or approve new activities.
33. After a State Completes One State Program Improvement Grant, Can it 
Apply for Another? If so, Will it Compete Against all Applicants or 
Only Against Other States That Have Received Previous Grants?
    Yes, a state can apply for another SIG after it completes one. It 
will be in competition with all applicants, not just those with 
previous grants. The Secretary may give priority to applications on the 
basis of need (Section 653(d)(2)).
34. If a State Applies Unsuccessfully in One Year, Will It Be Able To 
Apply Again?
    Yes.
35. Will a Project Be Approved and Funded All at Once or a Year at a 
Time?
    At the time of the initial grant award, the project duration of one 
to five years will be determined and budgets for all years of the grant 
will be established. However, funds can only be awarded one year at a 
time. States receiving multi-year grants will submit annual performance 
reports to demonstrate that their grants are making ``substantial 
progress.'' Funding for project years after the first will be based, in 
part, on these reports. This is not part of the competitive process of 
awarding funds, and it is expected that funding will be continued each 
year for the duration of the project, provided that substantial 
progress is demonstrated and that Congress continues to fund the 
program.
36. Does Funding Have To Be the Same for All Years of the Project?
    No.

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BILLING CODE 4000-01-C

[[Page 27431]]

State Single Points of Contact (as of December 2, 1997)

    Note: In accordance with Executive Order 12372, 
Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs, this listing 
represents the designated State Single Points of Contact (SPOCs). 
Because participation is voluntary, some States and territories no 
longer participate in the process. These include: Alabama, Alaska, 
American Samoa, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, 
Louisiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, 
Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, 
Vermont, Virginia, and Washington.
    The jurisdictions not listed no longer participate in the 
process. However, an applicant is still eligible to apply for a 
grant or grants even if its respective State, Territory, 
Commonwealth, etc. does not have a SPOC.

Arizona

Joni, Saad, Arizona State Clearinghouse, 3800 N. Central Avenue, 
Fourteenth Floor, Phoenix, Arizona 85012, Telephone: (602) 280-1315, 
FAX: (602) 280-8144

Arkansas

Mr. Tracy L. Copeland, Manager, State Clearinghouse, Office of 
Intergovernmental Services, Department of Finance and Administration, 
1515 W. 7th Street, room 412, Little Rock, Arkansas 72203, Telephone: 
(501) 682-1074, FAX: (501) 682-5206

California

Grants Coordinator, Office of Planning and Research, 1600 Ninth Street, 
room 250, Sacramento, California 95814, Telephone: (916) 323-7480, FAX: 
(916) 323-3018
Block Grants only that pertain to Mental Health Substance Abuse
PATH

Delaware

Francine Booth, State Single Point of Contact, Executive Department, 
Office of the Budget, Thomas Collins Building, P.O. Box 1401, Dover, 
Delaware 19903, Telephone: (302) 739-3326, FAX: (302) 739-5661

District of Columbia

Charles Nichols, State Single Point of Contact, Office of Grants 
Management & Development, 717 14th Street, NW., suite 400, Washington 
D.C. 20005, Telephone: (202) 727-6554, FAX: (202) 727-1617

Florida

Florida State Clearinghouse, Department of Community Affairs, 2740 
Centerview Drive, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-2100, Telephone: (904) 
922-5438, FAX: (904-487-2899

Georgia

Tom L. Reid, III, Coordinator, Georgia State Clearinghouse, 270 
Washington Street, S.W.--8th Floor, Atlanta, GA 30334, Telephone: (404) 
656-3855, FAX: (404) 656-3828

Illinois

Ms. Virginia Bova, Single Point of Contact, Illinois Department of 
Commerce and Community Affairs, James R. Thompson Center, 100 West 
Randolph, Suite 3-400, Chicago, IL 60601, Telephone: (312) 814-6028, 
FAX: (312) 814-1800

Indiana

Frances Williams, State Budget Agency, 212 State House, Indianapolis, 
Indiana 46204-2796, Telephone: (317) 232-5619, FAX: (317) 239-3323

Iowa

Steven R. McCann, Division for Community Assistance, Iowa Department of 
Economic Development, 200 East Grand Avenue, Des Monies, Iowa 50309, 
Telephone: (515) 242-4719, FAX: (515) 242-4809

Kentucky

Kevin J. Goldsmith, Director, John-Mark Hack, Deputy Director, Sandra 
Brewer, Executive Secretary, Intergovernmental Affairs, Office of the 
Governor, 700 Capitol Avenue, Frankfort, Kentucky 40601, Telephone: 
(502) 564-2611, FAX: (502) 564-2849
Maine
Joyce Benson, State Planning Office, 184 State Street, 38 State House 
Station, Augusta, Maine 04333, Telephone: (207) 287-3261, FAX: (207) 
287-6489

Maryland

William G. Carroll, Manager, Plan & Project Review, Maryland Office of 
Planning, 301 W. Preston Street, room 1104, Baltimore, Maryland 21201-
2365, Staff Contact: Linda Janey, Telephone: (410) 767-4490, FAX: (410) 
767-4480

Michigan

Richard Pfaff, Southeast Michigan Council of Governments, 660 Plaza 
Drive, suite 1900, Detroit, Michigan 48226, Telephone: (313) 961-4266, 
FAX: (313) 961-4869

Mississippi

Cathy Mallette, Clearinghouse Officer, Department of Finance and 
Administration, 455 North Lamar Street, Jackson, Mississippi 39302-
3087, Telephone: (601) 359-6762, FAX: (601) 359-6764

Missouri

Lois Pohl, Federal Assistance Clearinghouse, Office of Administration, 
P.O. Box 809, Room 760, Truman Building, Jefferson City, Missouri 
65102, Telephone: (314) 751-4834, FAX: (314) 751-7819

Nevada

Department of Administration, State Clearinghouse, Capitol Complex, 
Carson City, Nevada 89710, Telephone: (702) 687-4065, FAX: (702) 687-
3983

New Hampshire

Jeffrey H. Taylor, Director, New Hampshire Office of State Planning, 
Attn: Mike Blake, Intergovernmental Review Process, 2\1/2\ Beacon 
Street, Concord, New Hampshire 03301, Telephone: (603) 271-2155, FAX: 
(603) 271-1728

New Mexico

Robert Peters, State Budget Division, Room 190, Bataan Memorial 
Building, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87503, Telephone: (505) 827-3640

New York

New York State Clearinghouse, Division of the Budget, State Capitol, 
Albany, New York 12224, Telephone: (518) 474-1605, FAX: (518) 486-5617

North Carolina

Chrys Baggett, Director, N.C. State Clearinghouse, Office of the 
Secretary of Admin., 116 West Jones Street, suite 5106, Raleigh, North 
Carolina 27603-8003, Telephone: (919) 733-7232, FAX: (919) 733-9571

North Dakota

North Dakota Single Point of Contact, Office of Intergovernmental 
Assistance, 600 East Boulevard Avenue, Bismarck, North Dakota 58505-
0170, Telephone: (701) 224-2094, FAX: (701) 224-2308

Rhode Island

Kevin Nelson, Review Coordinator, Department of Administration, 
Division of Planning, One Capitol Hill, 4th floor, Providence, Rhode 
Island 02908-5870, Telephone: (401) 277-2656, FAX: (401) 277-2083

South Carolina

Rodney Grizzle, State Single Point of Contact, Grant Services, Office 
of the Governor, 1205 Pendleton Street, room 331, Columbia, South 
Carolina

[[Page 27432]]

29201, Telephone: (803) 734-0494, FAX: (803) 734-0356

Texas

Tom Adams, Governors Office, Director, Intergovernmental Coordination, 
P.O. Box 12428, Austin, Texas 78711, Telephone: (512) 463-1771, FAX: 
(512) 463-1880

Utah

Carolyn Wright, Utah State Clearinghouse, Office of Planning and 
Budget, Room 116, State Capitol, Salt Lake City, Utah 84114, Telephone: 
(801) 538-1535, FAX: (801) 538-1547

West Virginia

Fred Cutlip, Director, Community Development Division, W. Virginia 
Development Office, Building #6, room 553, Charleston, West Virginia 
25305, Telephone: (304) 558-4010, FAX: (304) 558-3248

Wisconsin

Jeff Smith, Section Chief, State/Federal Relations, Wisconsin 
Department of Administration, 101 East Wilson Street, 6th floor, P.O. 
Box 7868, Madison, Wisconsin 53707, Telephone: (608) 266-0267, FAX: 
(608) 267-6931

Wyoming

Matthew Jones, State Single Point of Contact, Office of the Governor, 
200 West 24th Street, State Capitol, room 124, Cheyenne, Wyoming 82002, 
Telephone: (307) 777-7446, FAX: (307) 632-3909.

Territories

Guam

Mr. Giovanni T. Sgambelluri, Director, Bureau of Budget and Management 
Research, Office of the Governor, P.O. Box 2950, Agana, Guam 96910, 
Telephone: 011-671-472-2285, FAX: 011-671-472-2825.

Puerto Rico

Norma Burgos/Jose E. Caro, Chairwoman/Director, Puerto Rico Planning 
Board, Federal Proposals Review Office, Minillas Government Center, 
P.O. Box 41119, San Juan, Puerto Rico 00940-1119, Telephone: (809) 727-
4444; (809) 723-6190, FAX: (809) 724-3270; (809) 724-3103.

North Mariana Islands

Mr. Alvaro A. Santos, Executive Officer, Office of Management and 
Budget, Office of the Governor, Saipan, MP 96950, Telephone: (670) 664-
2256, FAX: (670) 664-2272, Contact person: Ms. Jacoba T. Seman, Federal 
Programs Coordinator, Telephone: (670) 664-2289, FAX: (670) 664-2272.

Virgin Islands

Nellon Bowry, Director, Office of Management and Budget, #41 Norregade 
Emancipation Garden Station, Second Floor, Saint Thomas, Virgin Islands 
00802. Please direct all questions and correspondence about 
intergovernmental review to: Linda Clarke, Telephone: (809) 774-0750, 
FAX: (809) 776-0069.

    Note: This list is based on the most current information 
provided by the States. Information on any changes or apparent 
errors should be provided to Donna Rivelli (Telephone: (202) 395-
5858) at the Office of Management and Budget and to the State in 
question. Changes to the list will only be made upon formal 
notification by the State. The list is updated every six months and 
is also published biannually in the Catalogue of Federal Domestic 
Assistance. The last changes made were Kentucky (12-2-97) and 
California telephone and FAX numbers (1-29-98).

[FR Doc. 98-13160 Filed 5-15-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P