[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 195 (Tuesday, October 9, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51408-51415]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-25130]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services; Grant 
Applications Under Part D, Subpart 2 of the Individuals With 
Disabilities Education Act

AGENCY: Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year 
(FY) 2002.

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SUMMARY: This notice provides closing dates and other information 
regarding the transmittal of applications for FY 2002 competitions 
under one program authorized by the Individuals with Disabilities 
Education Act (IDEA), as amended: Special Education--Personnel 
Preparation to Improve Services and Results for Children with 
Disabilities (five priorities).

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 under each applicable priority and in the 
table at the end of this notice, using the following standards:
     A ``page'' is 8.5" x 11" (on one side only) with one-inch 
margins (top, bottom, and sides).
     Double-space (no more than three lines per vertical inch) 
all text in the application narrative, including titles, headings, 
footnotes, quotations, and captions, as well as all text in charts, 
tables, figures, and graphs.
     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.
    Special Education--Personnel Preparation to Improve Services and 
Results For Children With Disabilities [CFDA 84.325]
    Purpose of Program: The purposes of this program are to (a) help 
address State-identified needs for qualified personnel in special 
education, related services, early intervention, and regular education, 
to work with children with disabilities; and (b) to ensure that those 
personnel have the skills and knowledge, derived from practices that 
have been determined through research and experience to be successful, 
that are needed to serve those children.
    Eligible Applicants: Institutions of higher education are eligible 
applicants for Absolute Priorities 1-4 under this program. Eligible 
applicants for Absolute Priority 5, Projects of National Significance, 
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) Program regulations in 34 CFR part 304; 
(b) The Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) 
in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80, 81, 82, 85, 86, 97, 98, and 99; (c) 
The selection criteria for the priorities under this program that are 
drawn from the EDGAR general selection 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.

Additional Requirement for All Personnel Preparation Program 
Priorities

    Student financial assistance is authorized only for the preservice 
preparation of special education and related services personnel who 
serve children ages 3 through 21, early intervention personnel who 
serve infants and toddlers, and leadership personnel who work in these 
areas.

Priority

    Under section 673 of the Act and 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3) we consider 
only applications that meet one of the following priorities:
    Absolute Priority 1--Preparation of Special Education, Related 
Services, and Early Intervention Personnel to Serve Infants, Toddlers, 
and Children with Low-Incidence Disabilities (84.325A)

Background

    The national demand for educational, related services, and early 
intervention personnel to serve infants, toddlers, and children with 
low-incidence disabilities exceeds available supply. However, because 
of the small number of these personnel needed in each State, 
institutions of higher education and individual States have not given 
priority to programs that train personnel to work with those with low-
incidence disabilities. Moreover, of the programs that do exist, many 
are not producing graduates with the prerequisite skills

[[Page 51409]]

needed to meet the needs of the low-incidence disability population. 
Thus, Federal support is required to ensure an adequate supply of 
personnel to serve children with low-incidence disabilities and to 
improve the quality of appropriate training programs so that graduates 
possess necessary prerequisite skills.
    Priority: This priority supports projects that increase the number 
and quality of personnel to serve children with low-incidence 
disabilities by providing preservice preparation of special educators, 
early intervention personnel, and related services personnel at the 
associate, baccalaureate, master's, or specialist level.
    A preservice program is a program that leads toward a degree, 
certification, professional license or endorsement (or its equivalent), 
and may include the preparation of currently employed personnel who are 
seeking additional degrees, certifications, endorsements, or licenses.
    The term ``low-incidence disability'' means a visual or hearing 
impairment, or simultaneous visual and hearing impairments, a 
significant cognitive impairment, or any impairment for which a small 
number of personnel with highly specialized skills and knowledge are 
needed in order for children with that impairment to receive early 
intervention services or a free appropriate public education (IDEA, 
section 673(b)(3)). Training for personnel to serve children with mild-
moderate mental retardation, specific learning disabilities, speech or 
language disorders, or emotional and behavioral disabilities is 
addressed under the priority for the preparation of personnel to serve 
children with high-incidence disabilities (84.325H), and, therefore, is 
not supported under this priority.
    Applicants may propose to prepare one or more of the following 
types of personnel:
    (a) Early intervention personnel who serve children birth through 
age 2 (until the third birthday) with low-incidence disabilities and 
their families. For the purpose of this priority, all children who 
require early intervention services are considered to have a low-
incidence disability. Early intervention personnel include persons who 
train, or serve as consultants to, service providers and service 
coordinators;
    (b) Special educators, including early childhood, speech and 
language, adapted physical education, and assistive technology, and 
paraprofessional personnel who work with children with low-incidence 
disabilities; or
    (c) Related services personnel who provide developmental, 
corrective, and other support services (such as school psychologists, 
occupational or physical therapists, and recreational therapists) that 
assist children with low-incidence disabilities to benefit from special 
education. Both comprehensive programs, and specialty components within 
a broader discipline, that prepare personnel for work with the low-
incidence population may be supported. For the purpose of this 
priority, eligible related service providers do not include physicians.
    We particularly encourage projects that address the needs of more 
than one State, provide multi-disciplinary training, and provide for 
collaboration among several training institutions and between training 
institutions and public schools. In addition, we encourage projects 
that foster successful coordination between special education and 
regular education professional development programs to meet the needs 
of children with low-incidence disabilities in inclusive settings.
    Each project funded under this absolute priority must--
    (a) Use research-based curriculum and pedagogy to prepare personnel 
who are able to improve outcomes for students with low-incidence 
disabilities and to foster appropriate access to and achievement in the 
general education curriculum whenever appropriate;
    (b) Demonstrate how research-based curriculum and pedagogy are 
incorporated into training requirements and reflected in all relevant 
coursework for the proposed training program.
    (c) Offer integrated training and practice opportunities that will 
enhance the collaborative skills of appropriate personnel who share 
responsibility for providing effective services for children with the 
disabilities;
    (d) Prepare personnel to address the specialized needs of children 
with low-incidence disabilities from diverse cultural and language 
backgrounds by--
    (1) Determining the additional competencies needed for personnel to 
understand and work with culturally and linguistically diverse 
populations; and
    (2) Infusing those competencies into early intervention, special 
education, and related services training programs, as appropriate;
    (e) Develop or improve and implement mutually beneficial 
partnerships between training programs and schools where children are 
served to promote continuous improvement in preparation programs and in 
service delivery;
    (f) If field-based training is provided, include field-based 
training opportunities for students in schools and settings reflecting 
wide contextual and student diversity, including schools and settings 
in high poverty communities;
    (g) If the project prepares personnel to provide services to 
visually impaired or blind children that can be appropriately provided 
in Braille, prepare those individuals to provide those services in 
Braille.
    (h) Provide clear, defensible data-based methods for evaluating the 
extent to which graduates of the training program are prepared to 
provide high quality services that result in improved outcomes for 
children with disabilities; and, describe how the data-based results of 
this evaluation process will be communicated to OSEP in required annual 
continuation reports and final grant reports;
    (i) Describe how the proposed training program is aligned with 
State learning standards for children; and
    (j) Include, in the application Appendix, all course syllabi that 
are relevant to the training program proposed. Course syllabi must 
clearly reflect the incorporation of research-based curriculum and 
pedagogy as required under (b) above.
    To be considered for an award, an applicant must satisfy the 
following requirements contained in section 673(f)-(i) of the Act and 
34 CFR part 304--
    (a) Demonstrate, with letters from one or more States that the 
project proposes to serve, that such State or States need personnel in 
the area or areas in which the applicant proposes to provide 
preparation, as identified in the States' comprehensive systems of 
personnel development under Part B or C of the Act;
    (b) Demonstrate that it has engaged in a cooperative effort with 
one or more State educational agencies or, if appropriate, lead 
agencies for providing early intervention services, to plan, carry out, 
and monitor the project;
    (c) Provide letters from one or more States stating that they 
intend to accept successful completion of the proposed personnel 
preparation program as meeting State personnel standards for serving 
children with disabilities or serving infants and toddlers with 
disabilities;
    (d) Meet State and professionally-recognized standards for the 
preparation of special education, related services, or early 
intervention personnel;
    (e) Ensure that individuals who receive financial assistance under 
the proposed project will meet the service

[[Page 51410]]

obligation requirements, or repay all or part of the cost of that 
assistance, in accordance with section 673(h)(1) of the Act and the 
regulations in 34 CFR part 304. Applicants must describe how they will 
inform scholarship recipients of this service obligation requirement; 
and
    (f) In accordance with section 673(i) of the Act and Sec. 304.20 of 
the regulations, use at least 55 percent of the total requested budget 
for student scholarships or provide sufficient justification for any 
designation less than 55 percent of the total requested budget for 
student scholarships.
    Under this absolute priority, we plan to award approximately:
     60 percent of the available funds for projects that 
support careers in special education, including early childhood 
educators;
     10 percent of the available funds for projects that 
support careers in educational interpreter services for hearing 
impaired individuals;
     15 percent of the available funds for projects that 
support careers in related services, other than educational interpreter 
services; and
     15 percent of the available funds for projects that 
support careers in early intervention.

Competitive Preferences

    Within this absolute priority, we will give the following 
competitive preference points under section 673(g)(3)(B) 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 extent to which institutions of 
higher education are successfully recruiting and preparing individuals 
with disabilities and individuals from groups that are underrepresented 
in the profession for which they are preparing individuals.
    In addition, 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 these competitive preferences, 
applicants can be awarded up to a total of 20 points in addition to 
those awarded under the published selection criteria for this priority. 
That is, an applicant meeting these competitive preferences could earn 
a maximum total of 120 points.
    Project Period: Up to 60 months.
    Maximum Award: The maximum award amount is $300,000. 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.
    Page Limits: The maximum page limit for this priority is 50 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--Preparation of Leadership Personnel (84.325D)

    This priority supports projects that conduct the following 
preparation activities for leadership personnel:
    (a) Preparing personnel at the doctoral, and postdoctoral levels of 
training to administer, enhance, or to provide special education, 
related services, or early intervention services for children with 
disabilities; or
    (b) Master's and specialist level programs in special education 
administration.
    Projects funded under this absolute priority must--
    (a) Prepare personnel to work with culturally and linguistically 
diverse populations by--
    (1) Determining the additional competencies for personnel needed to 
understand and work with culturally diverse populations; and
    (2) Infusing those competencies into early intervention, special 
education and related services training programs.
    (b) Include coursework reflecting current research and pedagogy 
on--
    (1) Participation and achievement in the general education 
curriculum and improved outcomes for children with disabilities; or
    (2) The provision of coordinated services in natural environments 
to improve outcomes for infants and toddlers with disabilities and 
their families.
    (c) Demonstrate how research-based curriculum and pedagogy are 
incorporated into training requirements and reflected in all relevant 
coursework for the proposed training program.
    (d) Offer integrated training and practice opportunities that will 
enhance the collaborative skills of appropriate personnel who share 
responsibility for providing effective services for children with 
disabilities.
    (e) Provide clear, defensible data-based methods for evaluating the 
extent to which graduates of the training program are prepared to 
provide high quality services that result in improved outcomes for 
children with disabilities; and communicate the results of this 
evaluation process to OSEP in annual performance reports and the final 
performance report;
    (f) Describe how the proposed training program is aligned with 
State learning standards for children; and
    (g) Include, in the application Appendix, all course syllabi that 
are relevant to the training program proposed. Course syllabi must 
clearly reflect the incorporation of research based curriculum and 
pedagogy as required under (c) above.
    To be considered for an award, an applicant must satisfy the 
following requirements contained in section 673(f)-(i) of the Act and 
34 CFR part 304--
    (a) Demonstrate, with letters from one or more States that the 
project proposes to serve, that such State or States need personnel in 
the area or areas in which the applicant proposes to provide 
preparation, as identified in the States' comprehensive systems of 
personnel development under Part B or C of the Act;
    (b) Demonstrate that it has engaged in a cooperative effort with 
one or more State educational agencies or, if appropriate, lead 
agencies for providing early intervention services, to plan, carry out, 
and monitor the project;
    (c) Meet State and professionally-recognized standards for the 
preparation of leadership personnel in special education, related 
services, or early intervention fields;
    (d) Ensure that individuals who receive financial assistance under 
the proposed project will meet the service obligation requirements, or 
repay all or part of the cost of that assistance, in accordance with 
section 673(h)(2) of the Act and the regulations in 34 CFR part 304. 
Applicants must describe how they will inform scholarship recipients of 
this service obligation requirement; and
    (e) In accordance with section 673(i) of the Act and Sec. 304.20 of 
the regulations, use at least 65 percent of the total requested budget 
for student scholarships or provide sufficient justification for any 
designation less than 65 percent of the total requested budget for 
student scholarships.

Competitive Preferences

    Within this absolute priority, we will give the following 
competitive preference points under section 673(g)(3)(B) of IDEA and 34 
CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i) to applications that are

[[Page 51411]]

otherwise eligible for funding under this priority:
    Up to ten (10) points based on the extent to which institutions of 
higher education are successfully recruiting and preparing individuals 
with disabilities and individuals from groups that are underrepresented 
in the profession for which they are preparing individuals.
    In addition, we will give the following competitive preference 
points 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 these competitive preferences, 
applicants can be awarded up to a total of 20 points in addition to 
those awarded under the published selection criteria for this priority. 
That is, an applicant meeting these competitive preferences could earn 
a maximum total of 120 points.
    Project Period: Up to 48 months.
    Maximum Award: The maximum award amount is $200,000. 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.
    Page Limits: The maximum page limit for this priority is 50 double-
spaced pages.

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

Absolute Priority 3--Preparation of Personnel in Minority 
Institutions (84.325E)

    This priority supports awards to institutions of higher education 
with minority student enrollments of at least 25 percent, including 
Historically Black Colleges and Universities, for the purpose of 
preparing personnel to work with children with disabilities.
    This priority supports projects that provide preservice preparation 
of special educators, early intervention personnel, and related 
services personnel at the associate, baccalaureate, master's, 
specialist, doctoral, or post-doctoral level.
    A preservice program is a program that leads toward a degree, 
certification, professional license or endorsement (or its equivalent), 
and may include the preparation of currently employed personnel who are 
seeking additional degrees, certifications, endorsements, or licenses.
    Applicants may propose to prepare one or more of the following 
types of personnel:
    (a) Special educators, including early childhood, speech and 
language, adapted physical education, and assistive technology, and 
paraprofessional personnel who work with children with disabilities;
    (b) Related services personnel who provide developmental, 
corrective, and other support services (such as school psychologists, 
occupational or physical therapists, recreational therapists) that 
assist children with disabilities to benefit from special education. 
Both comprehensive programs, and specialty components within a broader 
discipline, that prepare personnel for work with children with 
disabilities may be supported. For the purpose of this priority, 
eligible related services providers do not include physicians; or
    (c) Early intervention personnel who serve children birth through 
age 2 (until the third birthday) and their families. Early intervention 
personnel include persons who train, or serve as consultants to service 
providers and service coordinators.
    Projects funded under this absolute priority must--
    (a) Use research-based curriculum and pedagogy to prepare personnel 
who are able to improve outcomes for students with disabilities and to 
foster appropriate access to and achievement in the general education 
curriculum where appropriate;
    (b) Demonstrate how research-based curriculum and pedagogy are 
incorporated into training requirements and reflected in all relevant 
coursework for the proposed training program.
    (c) Offer integrated training and practice opportunities that will 
enhance the collaborative skills of appropriate personnel who share 
responsibility for providing effective services for children with the 
disabilities;
    (d) Prepare personnel to address the specialized needs of children 
with disabilities from diverse cultural and language backgrounds by--
    (1) Determining the additional competencies needed for personnel to 
understand and work with culturally and linguistically diverse 
populations; and
    (2) Infusing those competencies into early intervention, special 
education, and related services training programs, as appropriate;
    (e) Develop or improve and implement mutually beneficial 
partnerships between training programs and schools where children are 
served to promote continuous improvement in preparation programs and in 
service delivery;
    (f) If field-based training is provided, include field-based 
training opportunities for students in schools and settings reflecting 
wide contextual and student diversity, including schools and settings 
in high poverty communities;
    (g) Employ effective strategies for recruiting students from 
culturally and linguistically diverse populations; and
    (h) Provide student support systems (including tutors, mentors, and 
other innovative practices) to enhance student retention and success in 
the program.
    (i) Provide clear, defensible data-based methods for evaluating the 
extent to which graduates of the training program are prepared to 
provide high quality services that result in improved outcomes for 
children with disabilities; and describe how the data-based results of 
this evaluation process will be communicated to OSEP in required annual 
continuation reports and final grant reports;
    (j) Describe how the proposed training program is aligned with 
State learning standards for children; and
    (k) Include, in the application Appendix, all course syllabi that 
are relevant to the training program proposed. Course syllabi must 
clearly reflect the incorporation of research based curriculum and 
pedagogy as required under (b) above.
    To be considered for an award, an applicant must satisfy the 
following requirements contained in section 673(f)-(i) of the Act and 
34 CFR part 304--
    (a) Demonstrate, with letters from one or more States that the 
project proposes to serve, that States need personnel in the area or 
areas in which the applicant proposes to provide preparation, as 
identified in the States' comprehensive systems of personnel 
development under Part B or C of the Act;
    (b) Demonstrate that it has engaged in a cooperative effort with 
one or more State educational agencies or, if appropriate, lead 
agencies for providing early intervention services, to plan, carry out, 
and monitor the project;
    (c) Provide letters from one or more States stating that they 
intend to accept successful completion of the proposed personnel 
preparation program as meeting State personnel standards for serving 
children with disabilities or

[[Page 51412]]

serving infants and toddlers with disabilities;
    (d) Meet State and professionally-recognized standards for the 
preparation of special education, related services, or early 
intervention personnel, if the purpose of the project is to assist 
personnel in obtaining degrees;
    (e) Ensure that individuals who receive financial assistance under 
the proposed project will meet the service obligation requirements, or 
repay all or part of the cost of that assistance, in accordance with 
section 673(h)(1) of the Act and the regulations in 34 CFR part 304. 
Applicants must describe how they will inform scholarship recipients of 
this service obligation requirement; and
    (f) In accordance with section 673(i) of the Act and Sec. 304.20 of 
the regulations, use at least 55 percent of the total requested budget 
for student scholarships or provide sufficient justification for any 
designation less than 55 percent of the total requested budget for 
student scholarships.
    Sufficient justification for proposing less than 55 percent of the 
budget for student support would include activities such as program 
development, expansion of a program, or the addition of a new emphasis 
area. Examples include:
     A project that is starting a new program may request up to 
a year for program development and capacity building. In the initial 
project year, no student support would be required. Instead, a project 
could hire a new faculty member, or a consultant to assist in program 
development;
     A project that is proposing to build capacity may hire a 
field supervisor so that additional students can be trained; and
     A project that is expanding or adding a new emphasis area 
to the program may initially need additional faculty or other resources 
such as expert consultants, additional training supplies or equipment 
that would enhance the program.
    Projects that are funded to develop, expand, or to add a new 
emphasis area to special education or related services programs must 
provide information on how these new areas will be institutionalized 
once Federal funding ends.

Competitive Preferences

    Within this absolute priority, we will give the following 
competitive preference points under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i) to applicant 
institutions that are otherwise eligible for funding under this 
priority:
    Up to ten (10) points to applicant institutions that have not 
received a FY 2001 or FY 2002 award under the IDEA personnel 
preparation program.
    In addition, we will give the following competitive preference 
points under section 673(g)(3)(B) of IDEA and 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i) to 
applicant institutions that are otherwise eligible for funding under 
this priority:
    Up to ten (10) points based on the extent to which institutions of 
higher education are successfully recruiting and preparing individuals 
with disabilities and individuals from groups that are underrepresented 
in the profession for which they are preparing individuals.
    In addition, we will also give the following competitive preference 
points 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 these competitive preferences applicants 
can be awarded up to a total of 30 points in addition to those awarded 
under the published selection criteria for this priority. That is, an 
applicant meeting all of these competitive preferences could earn a 
maximum total of 130 points.
    Project Period: Up to 48 months.
    Maximum Award: The maximum award amount is $200,000. 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.
    Page Limits: The maximum page limit for this priority is 50 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 4--Improving the Preparation of Personnel To 
Serve Children With High-Incidence Disabilities (84.325H)

Background

    State agencies, university training programs, local schools, and 
other community-based agencies and organizations confirm both the 
importance and the challenge of improving training programs for 
personnel to serve children with high-incidence disabilities and of 
meeting the staffing needs of localities experiencing chronic shortages 
of these personnel.
    This priority is intended to improve personnel preparation programs 
throughout the nation and help meet shortages in particular areas. A 
number of important factors that are common to effective personnel 
preparation programs are:
    (a) Collaboration among governmental, educational and community-
based organizations on the Federal, State, and local levels in meeting 
personnel needs;
    (b) Field-based training opportunities for students to use acquired 
knowledge and skills in demographically diverse schools;
    (c) Multi-disciplinary training of teachers, including regular and 
special education teachers, and related services personnel;
    (d) Coordinating personnel preparation programs aimed at addressing 
chronic personnel shortages with State practices for addressing those 
needs;
    (e) Addressing shortages of teacher's in particular geographic and 
content areas;
    (f) Integration of research-based curriculum and pedagogical 
knowledge and practices; and
    (g) Meeting the needs of trainees, and of children with 
disabilities, from diverse backgrounds.

Priority

    Consistent with section 673(e) of the Act, the purpose of this 
priority is to develop or improve, and implement, programs that provide 
preservice preparation for special and regular education teachers and 
related services personnel in order to meet the diverse needs of 
children with high incidence disabilities and to enhance the supply of 
well-trained personnel to serve these children in areas of chronic 
shortage. For the purpose of this priority, high-incidence disabilities 
include mild or moderate mental retardation, speech or language 
impairments, emotional disturbance, or specific learning disability. 
Training of early intervention personnel is addressed under the 
priority for the preparation of personnel to serve children with low-
incidence disabilities (84.325A), and, therefore, is not included as 
part of this priority).
    A preservice program is a program that leads toward a degree, 
certification, professional license or endorsement (or its equivalent), 
and may include the preparation of currently employed personnel who are 
seeking additional

[[Page 51413]]

degrees, certifications, endorsements, or licenses.
    Applicants may propose to prepare one or more of the following 
types of personnel:
    (a) Special educators, including early childhood, speech and 
language, adapted physical education, assistive technology, and 
paraprofessional personnel who work with children with high-incidence 
disabilities.
    (b) Related services personnel, who provide developmental, 
corrective, and other support services (such as school psychologists, 
occupational or physical therapists, recreational therapists) that 
assist children with high-incidence disabilities to benefit from 
special education. For the purpose of this priority, eligible related 
service providers do not include physicians. Both comprehensive 
programs, and specialty components within a broader discipline that 
prepare personnel for work with the high incidence population, may be 
supported.
    Projects funded under this priority must--
    (a) Use research-based curriculum and pedagogy to prepare personnel 
who are able to assist students with disabilities in achieving in the 
general education curricula and to improve student outcomes;
    (b) Demonstrate how research-based curriculum and pedagogy are 
incorporated into training requirements and reflected in all relevant 
coursework for the proposed training program.
    (c) Offer integrated training and practice opportunities that will 
enhance the collaborative skills of appropriate personnel who share 
responsibility for providing effective services for children with high-
incidence disabilities;
    (d) Prepare personnel to work with culturally and linguistically 
diverse populations by--
    (1) Determining the additional competencies needed for personnel to 
understand and work with culturally and linguistically diverse students 
with high-incidence disabilities; and
    (2) Infusing those competencies into special education or related 
services training;
    (e) Develop or improve and implement partnerships that are mutually 
beneficial to grantees and LEAs in order to promote continuous 
improvement of preparation programs; and
    (f) Include field-based training opportunities for students in 
schools reflecting wide contextual and student diversity, including 
high poverty schools;
    (g) Provide clear, defensible data-based methods for evaluating the 
extent to which graduates of their training program are prepared to 
provide high quality services that result in improved outcomes for 
children with disabilities; and, describe how the data-based the 
results of this evaluation process will be communicated to OSEP in 
required annual continuation reports and final grant reports;
    (h) Describe how the proposed training program is aligned with 
State learning standards for children; and
    (i) Include, in the application Appendix, all course syllabi that 
are relevant to the training program proposed. Course syllabi must 
clearly reflect the incorporation of research based curriculum and 
pedagogy as required under (b) above.
    An applicant must satisfy the following requirements contained in 
section 673(f)-(i) of the Act and 34 CFR part 304:
    (a) Demonstrate, with letters from one or more States that the 
project proposes to serve, that such State or States need personnel in 
the area or areas in which the applicant proposes to provide 
preparation, as identified in the States' comprehensive systems of 
personnel development under Part B of the Act;
    (b) Demonstrate that it has engaged in a cooperative effort with 
one or more State educational agencies to plan, carry out, and monitor 
the project;
    (c) Provide letters from one or more States stating that they 
intend to accept successful completion of the proposed personnel 
preparation program as meeting State personnel standards for serving 
children with disabilities;
    (d) Meet State and professionally-recognized standards for the 
preparation of special education and related services personnel;
    (e) Ensure that individuals who receive financial assistance under 
the proposed project will meet the service obligation requirements, or 
repay all or part of the cost of that assistance, in accordance with 
section 673(h)(1) of the Act and the regulations in 34 CFR part 304. 
Applicants must describe how they will inform scholarship recipients of 
this service obligation requirement; and
    (f) In accordance with section 673(i) of the Act and Sec. 304.20 of 
the regulations, use at least 65 percent of the total requested budget 
for student scholarships or provide sufficient justification for any 
designation less than 65 percent of the total requested budget for 
student scholarships.

Competitive Preferences

    Within this absolute priority we will give the following 
competitive preference points under section 673(g)(3)(B) 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 extent to which institutions of 
higher education are successfully recruiting and preparing individuals 
with disabilities and individuals from groups that are underrepresented 
in the profession for which they are preparing individuals.
    In addition, we will give the following competitive preference 
points 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 these competitive preferences applicants 
can be awarded up to a total of 20 points in addition to those awarded 
under the published selection criteria for this priority. That is, an 
applicant meeting each of these competitive preferences could earn a 
maximum total of 120 points.
    Project Period: Up to 48 months.
    Maximum Award: The maximum award amount is $200,000. 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.
    Page Limits: The maximum page limit for this priority is 50 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 5--Projects of National Significance (84.325N)

    We establish an absolute priority to support projects that address 
issues of national significance and have broad applicability. Projects 
supported under this priority must develop, evaluate, and disseminate 
innovative models. These models must be designed to serve as blueprints 
for systemic improvement in the recruitment, preparation, induction, 
retention, or ongoing professional development of personnel who have 
responsibility for ensuring that children with disabilities achieve to 
high standards and become independent,

[[Page 51414]]

productive citizens. These personnel include early intervention 
personnel, regular and special education teachers, administrators, 
related service personnel, and paraprofessionals. If the project 
maintains a web site, it must include relevant information and 
documents in an accessible form.
    Projects must (1) use current research-validated practices and 
materials and (2) communicate appropriately with target audiences.
    Applicants must note that:
    (a) The purpose of this priority is model development. Thus, we do 
not expect that student scholarships will be supported. However, 
release time for staff for development activities is appropriate; and
    (b) We expect that projects funded under this priority will 
incorporate a systemic approach to dissemination to relevant training 
and technical assistance entities.

Invitational Priorities

    Within this absolute priority, we are particularly interested in 
applications that meet one or more of the following priorities. 
However, under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(1) an application that meets one or 
more of these invitational priorities does not receive competitive or 
absolute preference over other applications:
    (a) Projects that are designed to reduce personnel shortages by 
developing innovative models for promoting the transferability, across 
State and local jurisdictions, of licensure and certification of 
personnel serving infants, toddlers, and children with disabilities;
    (b) Projects that are designed to increase the quantity, quality, 
and diversity of personnel who serve infants, toddlers, or children 
with disabilities by developing innovative, proactive models for 
recruiting personnel into training programs or professional positions;
    (c) Projects that are designed to increase the retention of new 
personnel by developing innovative, multi-year, developmental induction 
models;
    (d) Projects that are designed to improve the learning of children 
with disabilities in the general education curricula by developing 
innovative models for collaborative training of regular and special 
education personnel, including paraprofessionals;
    (e) Projects that are designed to enhance professional development 
curricula for personnel serving infants, toddlers, or children with 
disabilities by developing case or problem-based training modules that 
can be integrated into training curricula. We expect that these 
projects would incorporate state-of-the-art technology in the design 
and dissemination of the modules;
    (f) Projects that are designed to enhance teaching and learning 
through the development of innovative training models that incorporate 
state-of-the-art assistive, instructional and communicative technology 
knowledge and use; and
    (g) Projects that are designed to enhance professional development 
curricula for teachers and administrators serving infants, toddlers, or 
children with disabilities by developing modules for individualized 
education program (IEP) decisionmaking, particularly with regard to a 
child's participation in assessments.

Competitive Preference

    Within this absolute priority, we will give the following 
competitive preference points 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: Up to 36 months.
    Maximum Award: The maximum award amount is $200,000. 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.
    Page Limits: The maximum page limit for this priority is 50 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 the 
competition by the appropriate CFDA number.
    For Further Information Contact: Grants and Contracts Services 
Team, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 
3317, Switzer Building, Washington, 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.

Intergovernmental Review

    All programs in this notice (except for the Research and Innovation 
to Improve Services and Results for Children with Disabilities Program) 
are 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 intergovernmental partnership and a strengthened 
federalism by relying on processes developed by State and local 
governments for coordination and review of proposed Federal financial 
assistance.
    In accordance with the order, we intend this document to provide 
early notification of the Department's specific plans and actions for 
those programs.

[[Page 51415]]



                                  Individuals With Disabilities Education Act, Application Notice for Fiscal Year 2002
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                     Application     Deadline for                                                              Estimated
          CFDA No. and name            Applications    deadline   intergovernmental   Maximum award          Project period            Page    number of
                                         available       date           review        (per year) 1                                   limit 2     awards
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
84.325A  Preparation of Special            10/09/01     01/11/02        03/12/02           $300,000  Up to 60 mos.................         50         30
 Education, Related Services, and
 Early Intervention Personnel to
 Serve Infants, Toddlers, and
 Children with Low-Incidence
 Disabilities.
84.325D  Preparation of Leadership         10/09/01     01/04/02        03/05/02            200,000  Up to 48 mos.................         50         13
 Personnel.
84.325D  Preparation of Personnel in       10/09/01     02/01/02        04/02/02            200,000  Up to 48 mos.................         50         16
 Minority Institutions.
84.325H  Improving the Preparation of      10/09/01     01/18/02        03/19/02            200,000  Up to 48 mos.................         50         26
 Personnel to Serve Children with
 High-Incidence Disabilities.
84.325N  Projects of National              10/09/01     01/25/02        03/26/02            200,000  Up to 36 mos.................         50        10
 Significance.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\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 above. Please refer to the ``Page Limit''
  requirements and the page limit standards described in the ``General Requirements'' section included under each priority description. 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 Adobe 
Portable Document Format (PDF) on the internet at the following site: 
www.ed.gov/legislation/FedRegister
    To use the PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is 
available free at this site. If you have questions about using the PDF, 
call the U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO), toll free, at 1-888-
293-6498; or in the Washington, DC, area at (202) 512-1530.

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


    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1405, 1461, and 1473.

    Dated: September 28, 2001.
Robert H. Pasternack,
Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.
[FR Doc. 01-25130 Filed 10-5-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-U