[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 130 (Friday, July 6, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35746-35749]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-16986]



[[Page 35745]]

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Part IV





Department of Education





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Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services; Special 
Education--Research and Innovation to Improve Services and Results for 
Children with Disabilities Program; Notice

  Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 130 / Friday, July 6, 2001 / 
Notices  

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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services; Special 
Education--Research and Innovation to Improve Services and Results for 
Children with Disabilities Program.

AGENCY: Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year 
(FY) 2001.

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SUMMARY: This notice provides closing dates and other information 
regarding the transmittal of applications for two FY 2001 competitions 
under one program authorized by the Individuals with Disabilities 
Education Act (IDEA), as amended: Special Education--Research and 
Innovation to Improve Services and Results for Children with 
Disabilities.

National Education Goals

    The eight National Education Goals focus the Nation's education 
reform efforts and provide a framework for improving teaching and 
learning.
    This priority addresses the National Education Goals by helping to 
improve results for children with disabilities.

Waiver of Rulemaking

    It is generally our practice to offer interested parties the 
opportunity to comment on proposed priorities. However, section 
661(e)(2) of IDEA makes the Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C. 553) 
inapplicable to the priorities in this notice.

General Requirements

    (a) The projects funded under this notice must make positive 
efforts to employ and advance in employment qualified individuals with 
disabilities in project activities (see section 606 of IDEA).
    (b) Applicants and grant recipients funded under this notice must 
involve individuals with disabilities or parents of individuals with 
disabilities in planning, implementing, and evaluating the projects 
(see section 661(f)(1)(A) of IDEA).
    (c) The projects funded under these priorities must budget for a 
two-day Project Directors' meeting in Washington, DC during each year 
of the project.
    (d) In a single application, an applicant must address only one 
absolute priority in this notice.
    (e) Part III of each application submitted under a priority in this 
notice, the application narrative, is where an applicant addresses the 
selection criteria that are used by reviewers in evaluating the 
application. You must limit Part III to the equivalent of no more than 
the number of pages listed in the table at the end of this notice for 
each applicable priority, using the following standards:
     A ``page'' is 8.5" x 11" (on one side only) with one-inch 
margins (top, bottom, and sides).
     Double-space (no more than three lines per vertical inch) 
all text in the application narrative, including titles, headings, 
footnotes, quotations, and captions, as well as all text in charts, 
tables, figures, and graphs.
     If using a proportional computer font, use no smaller than 
a 12-point font, and an average character density no greater than 18 
characters per inch. If using a nonproportional font or a typewriter, 
do not use more than 12 characters per inch.
    The page limit does not apply to Part I, the cover sheet; Part II, 
the budget section, including the narrative budget justification; Part 
IV, the assurances and certifications; or the one-page abstract, the 
resumes, the bibliography or references, or the letters of support. 
However, you must include all of the application narrative in Part III.
    We will reject without consideration or evaluation any application 
if--
     You apply these standards and exceed the page limit; or
     You apply other standards and exceed the equivalent of the 
page limit.

Research and Innovation to Improve Services and Results for Children 
With Disabilities [CFDA 84.324]

    Purpose of Program: To produce, and advance the use of, knowledge 
to: (a) improve services provided under IDEA, including the practices 
of professionals and others involved in providing those services to 
children with disabilities; and (b) improve educational and early 
intervention results for infants, toddlers, and children with 
disabilities.
    Eligible Applicants: For absolute priority 1, eligible applicants 
are: Institutions of higher education (IHEs), and private nonprofit 
organizations. For absolute priority 2, eligible applicants are: State 
and local educational agencies; institutions of higher education; other 
public agencies; private nonprofit organizations; outlying areas; 
freely associated States; and Indian tribes or tribal organizations.
    Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 80, 81, 
82, 85, 86, 97, 98, and 99; (b) The selection criteria for the 
priorities under this program are drawn from the EDGAR general 
selection criteria menu. The specific selection criteria for each 
priority are included in the funding application packet for the 
applicable competition.


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

Priority

    Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3), we consider only applications that meet 
one of the following priorities: Absolute Priority 1--Center on 
Learning Disabilities (CFDA 84.324U)

Background

    OSEP has realized for some time that there is concern over the 
current identification and assessment procedures for children with 
learning disabilities. In the preamble to the final regulations for 
Part B of IDEA, OSEP stated; ``While there is merit to many of the 
proposed changes to definitions and terms, modifications to the 
substance of existing definitions should be subject to further review 
and discussion before changes are proposed. For example, as indicated 
in the preamble to the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) (10/22/97), 
the Department plans to carefully review research findings, expert 
opinion, and practical knowledge over the next several years to 
determine whether changes should be proposed to the procedures for 
evaluating children suspected of having a specific learning 
disability'' (Final Regulations for Assistance to States for the 
Education of Children with Disabilities (64 FR 12418--March 12, 1999)).
    Early in 2000, OSEP began to discuss developing a process to open a 
discussion on the identification of children with learning 
disabilities. The disability category ``learning disabilities'' is 
heterogeneous and multifaceted and we needed to develop a process for 
discussing learning disabilities that reflected this diversity. Two 
important decisions were made early on in our discussions on how the 
process should be structured. First, our primary goal was to synthesize 
and organize the most current and reliable research that we have on key 
issues in learning disabilities and second, we wanted to make sure that 
this process fully involved a broad variety of perspectives from other 
research agencies, national organizations, and stakeholders.
    In May of 2000, OSEP brought together a diverse workgroup of 21 
stakeholders in the area of learning disabilities representing parents, 
State and local level practitioners, representatives from policy 
organizations, and researchers. This workgroup has worked with OSEP 
since the initial meeting to: (1) Commission a

[[Page 35747]]

set of papers on critical issues and organize formal responses to each 
of the papers; (2) hold an issues conference to present and facilitate 
discussion of the issues; (3) after the conference hold a round table 
discussion of the issues with key organizations and stakeholders: (4) 
disseminate the conference proceedings and results of the process; and 
(5) facilitate another round table with key stakeholders and 
organizations following the conference and prior to publication of 
proceedings.
    Nine topics were identified for research review papers: Early 
identification, Classification Approach, Historical Perspective, 
Decision-Making, Discrepancy, Alternative Responses to Intervention, 
Processing Deficit, Clinical Judgement, and Is LD Real?. These papers 
will provide the substantive framework for the LD Issues conference in 
August of 2001. The workgroup will provide a report on the results of 
the initiative to OSEP following the conference.

Absolute Priority

    The purpose of this priority is to fund a center to conduct follow 
up research, provide training, disseminate synthesized research 
validated information, and provide national technical assistance on 
issues in the area of identification and assessment of children with 
learning disabilities.
    A project funded under this priority must:
    (a) Review and identify gaps of current knowledge in learning 
disabilities looking across the areas addressed in the nine white 
papers mentioned in the Background Statement. Additional research will 
also be conducted exploring alternative approaches to identification of 
children with learning disabilities. In the initial meeting with OSEP, 
within the first month of award, OSEP will clarify with the project a 
priority list of these issues and the level of effort for each issue;
    (b) In consultation with OSEP and the technical workgroup, design 
and conduct a strategic program of research to address identified gaps 
and additional research needs based on the LD initiative. The plan must 
be submitted within twelve (12) weeks of the award;
    (c) Conduct a review of current State practices in identification 
and assessment of children with learning disabilities and analyze the 
variance in these State policies and practices;
    (d) Conduct an analysis of the variation in identification and 
assessment of children with learning disabilities at the State and 
local level. Determine factors contributing to this variance and 
examine these factors across the 3 through 21 age range;
    (e) Design, implement, and evaluate a dissemination and technical 
assistance approach that links research to practice and promotes the 
use of current knowledge and ongoing research findings. This approach 
must establish linkages with the Department of Education technical 
assistance providers to communicate research findings and distribute 
products; and prepare the research findings and products from the 
project in formats that are useful for specific audiences, including 
general education researchers, local, State, and national policymakers, 
as well as education practitioners;
    (f) Fund as research assistants at least three graduate students 
per year who have concentrations in either policy or disability issues;
    (g) Propose members for a project technical workgroup. (Do not 
obtain letters of agreement prior to award). The final selection of 
members will be determined in consultation with OSEP at the initial 
meeting. The Center will work with the technical workgroup throughout 
the length of the project to provide expertise throughout the project 
and on all project activities. The technical workgroup will meet within 
eight (8) weeks of award for an initial planning meeting. This 
workgroup will also meet at least once a year in Washington, DC each 
year of the project;
    (h) Schedule three trips to Washington, DC the first year and two 
trips to Washington, DC each subsequent year: (1) one trip to meet with 
the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) project officer during 
this second month of the project award to clarify priority issues, 
review the program of research and technical assistance and 
dissemination approaches; (2) one trip annually (as specified in the 
``General Requirements'' section of this notice); and (3) another 
annual meeting to meet and collaborate with the OSEP project officer.
    Applicants for this priority are encouraged to attend the OSEP 
Learning Disabilities Summit August 27-28, 2001. For additional 
information please contact the competition manager.
    In deciding whether to continue this project for the fourth and 
fifth years, we will consider the requirements of 34 CFR 75.253(a), and 
in addition--
    (a) The recommendation of a review team consisting of experts 
selected by the Secretary, which review will be conducted during the 
last half of the project's second year in Washington, DC. Projects must 
budget for the travel associated with this review;
    (b) The timeliness and effectiveness with which all requirements of 
the negotiated cooperative agreement have been or are being met by the 
project; and (c) The degree to which the project's design and 
methodology demonstrate the potential for advancing significant new 
knowledge.

Competitive Preference

    Within this absolute priority, we will give the following 
competitive preference under section 606 of IDEA and 34 CFR 
75.105(c)(2)(i), to applications that are otherwise eligible for 
funding under this priority:
    Up to ten (10) points based on the effectiveness of the applicant's 
strategies for employing and advancing in employment qualified 
individuals with disabilities in project activities as required under 
paragraph (a) of the ``General Requirements'' section of this notice. 
In determining the effectiveness of those strategies, we may consider 
the applicant's past success in pursuit of this goal.
    Therefore, for purposes of this competitive preference, applicants 
can be awarded up to a total of 10 points in addition to those awarded 
under the published selection criteria for this priority. That is, an 
applicant meeting this competitive preference could earn a maximum 
total of 110 points.
    Project Period: Under this priority, we will make one award for a 
cooperative agreement with a project period of 60 months subject to the 
requirements of 34 CFR 75.253(a) for continuation awards.
    Maximum Award: The maximum award amount is $700,000 for any single 
budget period of 12 months. Consistent with EDGAR 34 CFR 75.104(b), we 
will reject any application that proposes a budget funding level for 
any year that exceeds the stated maximum award amount for that year.
    Page Limits: The maximum page limits for this focus are 70 double-
spaced pages.


    Note: Applications must meet the required page limit standards 
that are described in the ``General Requirements'' section of this 
notice.

Absolute Priority 2--Center for Evidence-Based Practice: Young 
Children With Challenging Behavior (84.324Z)

    Increasing numbers of infants, toddlers, and preschool children 
experience, or are at risk for, behavioral problems that affect their 
participation, performance, and development in natural environments and 
inclusive educational and community settings. Families seek assistance 
from diverse,

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and often multiple sources including child welfare, public health, and 
mental health services; pediatricians; preschools; and early care and 
intervention programs. There have been limited opportunities for these 
agencies and providers to collaborate across agencies and disciplines 
to identify effective practices for young children with, or at risk 
for, behavioral problems and their families. For purposes of this 
priority, young children are those under the age of six years.

Absolute Priority

    The purpose of this priority is to support a Center to: (a) 
identify effective practices to meet the needs of young children with, 
or at risk for, behavioral problems and their families; (b) foster the 
exchange of information between parents, family members, and 
practitioners, as well as Federal, State, and community-based programs 
that provide services; and (c) conduct a program of research to improve 
services and interventions. In carrying out its activities, the Center 
must collaborate with education, early care and intervention, medical, 
and mental health providers, as well as others that identify and serve 
children with, or at risk for, behavioral problems and their families. 
The Center must use existing technical assistance agencies to assure 
that training and dissemination activities are carried out.
    A project funded under this priority must:
    (a) During the first six months of project year one, review and 
synthesize current knowledge base and gaps in knowledge related to the 
referral, diagnosis, intervention, transition, and outcomes of young 
children with, or at risk for, behavioral problems that affect their 
participation and performance in natural environments and inclusive 
educational and community settings. The synthesis must include:
    (1) A review of the systems of services for young children and 
their families and ways in which the systems support or discourage 
access to effective interventions to address behavioral problems;
    (2) A review of effective practices for the full range of 
challenging behavior in young children; and
    (3) Data from educational, early care and intervention, mental 
health, medical, and other providers that identify and serve young 
children with, or at risk for, behavioral problems and their families.
    (b) Use the knowledge synthesized to finalize the research agenda 
to evaluate the effects of the behavioral, environmental, and medical 
interventions provided to young children with, or at risk for, behavior 
problems and their families by the end of the sixth month of project 
year one. The research agenda will examine the relative and interactive 
effects of the interventions. The synthesis and research agenda must be 
submitted to the Department of Education for review at the end of the 
sixth month of project year one (with annual updates in subsequent 
years).
    (c) In the first year of the project, establish working 
relationships with Federal, State, and local education, early care and 
intervention, mental health, medical, and other agencies, 
organizations, and providers to identify and foster the exchange of 
information between:
    (1) Federal, State, and community-based programs, practitioners, 
and projects to assist them in their efforts; and
    (2) Broader audiences of individuals and organizations including 
parents and family members of children with, or at risk for, behavioral 
problems.
    (d) In the first year of the project, and in subsequent project 
years, convene an Advisory Group to support, guide, and define Center 
activities. The Advisory Group must meet at least once a year in 
Washington, DC and include members representing educational service 
agencies, early care and intervention agencies, mental health agencies, 
the medical community, and other agencies that identify and serve young 
children with, or at risk for, behavioral problems and their families. 
Applicants should provide evidence of agency support for their 
proposal, but refrain from securing commitments from specific 
individuals to serve on the Advisory Group until after the award has 
been made.
    (e) Complete an externally reviewed document that provides 
authoritative guidance in the areas of referral, identification, 
intervention, transition, and outcomes for young children with, or at 
risk for, behavioral problems and their families. The document must 
provide guidance for recommended practices and standards of care that 
reflect the contributions of families, communities, educational 
agencies, early care and intervention agencies, mental health agencies, 
medical providers, and others providing services to young children 
with, or at risk for, behavioral problems and their families.
    (f) Based on the synthesis and the findings from ongoing research 
and other Center activities: (1) Iidentify effective early intervention 
and prevention strategies across agencies and disciplines; and (2) 
identify the partners with whom the Department of Education might 
collaborate.
    (g) Develop training materials that emphasize cross-agency and 
cross-discipline collaboration. Research findings and products must be 
in formats that are useful and accessible for specific audiences 
including trainers and other professional development personnel; 
parents and family members; local, State, and national policymakers; 
education, early care and intervention, medical, mental health, and 
other providers serving young children with, or at risk for, behavioral 
problems and their families.
    (h) Design and implement a dissemination plan that links research 
to practice and promotes the exchange of information and use of current 
knowledge and research findings. This approach must develop linkages 
with OSEP and other Department of Education technical assistance 
providers to communicate research findings and distribute products.
    (i) Collaborate with partners from Federal, State, and local 
agencies to assure that training and technical assistance reaches 
children and their families, as well as education, early care and 
intervention, mental health, medical providers, and other providers 
serving young children with, or at risk for, behavioral problems and 
their families.
    (j) Budget three trips to Washington, DC the first year and two 
trips to Washington, DC each subsequent year: (1) One trip to meet with 
the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) project officer during 
the first month of the project award to review the design of the 
project; (2) one trip annually (as specified in the ``General 
Requirements'' section of this notice); and (3) another trip annually 
to meet and collaborate with the OSEP project officer.
    In deciding whether to continue this project for the fourth and 
fifth years, we will consider the requirements of 34 CFR 75.253(a), and 
in addition--
    (a) The recommendation of a review team consisting of experts 
selected by the Secretary, which review will be conducted during the 
last half of the project's second year in Washington, D.C. Projects 
must budget for the travel associated with this review;
    (b) The timeliness and effectiveness with which all requirements of 
the negotiated cooperative agreement have been or are being met by the 
project; and
    (c) The degree to which the project's design and methodology 
demonstrate the potential for advancing significant new knowledge.

[[Page 35749]]

Competitive Preference

    Within this absolute priority, we will give the following 
competitive preference under section 606 of IDEA and 34 CFR 
75.105(c)(2)(i), to applications that are otherwise eligible for 
funding under this priority: Up to ten (10) points based on the 
effectiveness of the applicant's strategies for employing and advancing 
in employment qualified individuals with disabilities in project 
activities as required under paragraph (a) of the ``General 
Requirements'' section of this notice. In determining the effectiveness 
of those strategies, we may consider the applicant's past success in 
pursuit of this goal.
    Therefore, for purposes of this competitive preference, applicants 
can be awarded up to a total of 10 points in addition to those awarded 
under the published selection criteria for this priority. That is, an 
applicant meeting this competitive preference could earn a maximum 
total of 110 points.
    Project Period: Under this priority, we will make one award for a 
cooperative agreement with a project period of 60 months subject to the 
requirements of 34 CFR 75.253(a) for continuation awards.
    Maximum Award: The maximum award amount is $750,000 during the 
first year of the project and up to $1.5 million for each of the four 
subsequent years of the project. Consistent with EDGAR 34 CFR 
75.104(b), we will reject any application that proposes a budget 
funding level for any year that exceeds the stated maximum award amount 
for that year.
    Page Limits: The maximum page limit for this priority is 70 double-
spaced pages.


    Note: Applications must meet the required page limit standards 
that are described in the ``General Requirements'' section of this 
notice.


    For Applications Contact: Education Publications Center (ED Pubs), 
P.O. Box 1398, Jessup, Maryland 20794-1398. Telephone (toll free): 1-
877-4ED-Pubs (1-877-433-7827). FAX: 301-470-1244. Individuals who use a 
telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call (toll free) 1-
877-576-7734.
    You may also contact Ed Pubs via its Web site (http://www.ed.gov/pubs/edpubs.html) or its E-mail address ([email protected]).
    If you request an application from ED Pubs, be sure to identify 
these competitions as follows: CFDA 84.324U and CFDA 84.324Z.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Grants and Contracts Services Team, 
U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, S.W., room 3317, 
Switzer Building, Washington, DC 20202-2550. Telephone: (202) 260-9182.
    If you use a TDD you may call the Federal Information Relay Service 
(FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339.
    Individuals with disabilities may obtain this document in an 
alternative format (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer 
diskette) on request to the contact persons listed in the preceding 
paragraph.
    Individuals with disabilities may obtain a copy of the application 
package in an alternative format by contacting the Department as listed 
above. However, the Department is not able to reproduce in an 
alternative format the standard forms included in the application 
package.

                                   Individuals With Disabilities Education Act Application Notice for Fiscal Year 2001
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                                                                                                                                             Estimated
                    CFDA No. and name                      Applications     Application    Maximum award      Project      Page  limit 2     number of
                                                             available     deadline date   (per year) 1       period                          awards
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84.324U Center on Learning Disabilities.................        07/13/01        08/24/01        $700,000          60 mos              70               1
84.324Z Center for Evidence-based Practice: Young               07/13/01        08/24/01  ..............          60 mos              70               1
 Children with Challenging Behavior.....................
    First Year of Project...............................  ..............  ..............        $750,000  ..............  ..............  ..............
    Each of the Subsequent Four Years of Project........  ..............  ..............      $1,500,000  ..............  ..............  ..............
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 Consistent with EDGAR 34 CFR 75.104(b), we will reject any application that proposes a project funding level for any year that exceeds the stated
  maximum award amount for that year.
2 Applicants must limit the Application Narrative, Part III of the Application, to the page limits noted. Please refer to the ``Page Limit''
  requirements included under each priority description and the page limit standards described in the ``General Requirements'' section. We will reject
  and will not consider an application that does not adhere to this requirement.

Electronic Access to This Document

    You may view this document, as well as all other Department of 
Education documents published in the Federal Register, in text or 
portable document format (PDF) on the internet at the following site: 
www.ed.gov/legislation/FedRegister. To use PDF you must have Adobe 
Acrobat Reader, which is available free at the previous site. If you 
have questions about using PDF, call the U.S. Government Printing 
Office (GPO), toll free, at 1-888-293-6498; or in the Washington, DC, 
area at (202) 512-1530.


    Note: The official version of this document is the document 
published in the Federal Register. Free Internet access to the 
official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of Federal 
Regulations is available on GPO Access at: http://www.access.gpo/nara/index.html.


    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1472.

    Dated: July 2, 2001.
Francis V. Corrigan,
Deputy Director, National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation 
Research.
[FR Doc. 01-16986 Filed 7-5-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P