[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 9 (Wednesday, January 14, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2124-2128]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-833]



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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services; Overview 
Information; State Program Improvement Grants Program; Notice Inviting 
Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2003 (To Be Awarded in 
FY 2004)

    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.323A

DATES: Applications Available: January 15, 2004.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: February 27, 2004.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: April 27, 2004.
    Eligible Applicants: A State educational agency (SEA) 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) that is 
not a current grantee as of February 1, 2004.
    Estimated Available Funds: $22,000,000.
    Estimated Range of Awards: Awards will be not less than $530,000, 
nor more than $2,243,812 in the case of the 50 States, the District of 
Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Pursuant to subsection 
655(b) of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the 
Secretary has increased the maximum award to account for inflation. In 
the case of an outlying area awards will be not less than $84,800.

    Note: 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.

    We will set 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: $1,200,000.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 20.

    Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this 
notice.

    Project Period: Not less than one year and not more than three 
years.
    Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Purpose of Program: The purpose of this program, authorized under 
IDEA, is to assist SEAs and their partners, referred to in section 
652(b) of IDEA, 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.
    Priorities: In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(iv) these 
priorities are allowable activities specified in the statute. (See 
sections 651-655 of IDEA.)
    Absolute Priority: For FY 2004 this priority is an absolute 
priority. Under section 653 of IDEA and 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3), we 
consider only applications that meet this priority.
    This priority supports projects that assist SEAs 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, as amended, 
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 
IDEA. Specifically, applicants must include:
    (1) An analysis of all information, reasonably available to the 
SEA, 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 SEA, local 
educational agencies (LEAs), 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 IDEA retained for use at 
the State level under sections 611(f) and 619(d) of IDEA, 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 LEAs and schools accountable for educational progress of 
children with disabilities;
    (3) Provide technical assistance to LEAs 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)

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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 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, 
like 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 
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 IDEA;
    (7) Address improving results for children with disabilities in the 
geographic areas of greatest need;
    (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 LEAs 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 the 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 IDEA;
    (8) General and special education teachers, and early intervention 
personnel;
    (9) The State advisory panel established under part B of IDEA;
    (10) The State interagency coordinating council established under 
part C of IDEA; and
    (11) Institutions of higher education within the State.
    Optional partners. A partnership established by applicants may also 
include--
    (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.
    Use of funds. Each SEA 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 LEAs, institutions of 
higher education, and parent training and information centers, as 
appropriate, to carry out its State improvement plan; and
    (c) May award contracts and subgrants to other public and private 
entities, including the lead State agency under part C of IDEA, 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).

    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1461.

    Applicable Regulations: The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80, 
81, 82, 85, 86, 97, 98, and 99.

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

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Discretionary Grants.
    Estimated Available Funds: $22,000,000.
    Estimated Range of Awards: Awards will be not less than $530,000, 
nor more than $2,243,812 in the case of the 50 States, the District of 
Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Pursuant to subsection 
655(b) of IDEA the Secretary has increased the maximum award to account 
for inflation. In the case of an outlying area awards will be not less 
than $84,800.

    Note: 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.

    We will set the amount of each grant after considering--
    (1) the amount of funds available for making the grants;

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    (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: $1,200,000.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 20.

    Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this 
notice.

    Project Period: Not less than one year and not more than three 
years.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: An SEA 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) that is not a current 
grantee as of February 1, 2004.
    2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This competition does not involve cost 
sharing or matching.
    3. Other: General Requirements--
    (a) The projects funded under this notice must make positive 
efforts to employ and advance in employment qualified individuals with 
disabilities (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) If a project maintains a Web site, it must include relevant 
information and documents in an accessible form.

IV. Application and Submission Information

    1. Address to Request Application Package: Education Publications 
Center (ED Pubs), P.O. Box 1398, Jessup, MD 20794-1398. Telephone (toll 
free): 1-877-433-7827. FAX: 1-301-470-1244. If you use a 
telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may call (toll free): 
1-877-576-7734.
    You may also contact ED Pubs at its Web site: www.ed.gov/pubs/edpubs.html or you may contact ED Pubs at its e-mail address: 
[email protected]
    If you request an application from ED Pubs, be sure to identify 
this competition as follows: CFDA number 84.323A.
    Individuals with disabilities may obtain a copy of the application 
package in an alternative format (e.g., Braille, large print, 
audiotape, or computer diskette) by contacting the program contact 
persons listed in section VII of this notice. However, the Department 
is not able to reproduce in an alternative format the standard forms 
included in the application package.
    2. Content and Form of Application Submission: Requirements 
concerning the content of an application, together with the forms you 
must submit, are in the application package for this competition.
    Page Limit: The application narrative (Part III of the application) 
is where you, the applicant, address the selection criteria that 
reviewers use to evaluate your application. You must limit Part III to 
the equivalent of no more than 100 pages, using the following 
standards:
    [sbull] A ``page'' is 8.5'' x 11'' (on one side only) with 1'' 
margins at the top, bottom, and both sides.
    [sbull] 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.
    [sbull] Use a font that is either 12-point or larger or no smaller 
than 10 pitch (characters per inch).
    The page limit does not apply to Part I, the cover sheet; Part II, 
the budget section, including the narrative budget justification; Part 
IV, the assurances and certifications; or the one-page abstract, the 
resumes, the bibliography, references, or the letters of support. 
However, you must include all of the application narrative in Part III.
    We will reject your application if--
    [sbull] You apply these standards and exceed the page limit; or
    [sbull] You apply other standards and exceed the equivalent of the 
page limit.
    3. Submission Dates and Times: Applications Available: January 15, 
2004.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: February 27, 2004.
    The dates and times for the transmittal of applications by mail or 
by hand (including a courier service or commercial carrier) are in the 
application package for this program. The application package also 
specifies the hours of operation of the e-Application Web site. We do 
not consider an application that does not comply with the deadline 
requirements.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: April 27, 2004.
    4. Intergovernmental Review: This program is subject to Executive 
Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79. Information about 
Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs under Executive Order 
12372 is in the application package for this program.
    5. Funding Restrictions: We reference additional regulations 
outlining funding restrictions in the Applicable Regulations heading, 
in section I of this notice.
    6. Other Submission Requirements: Instructions and requirements for 
the transmittal of applications by mail or by hand (including a courier 
service or commercial carrier) are in the application package for this 
program.
    Application Procedures:

    Note: Some of the procedures in these instructions for 
transmitting applications differ from those in the Education 
Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) (34 CFR 
75.102). Under the Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C. 553) the 
Department generally offers interested parties the opportunity to 
comment on proposed regulations. However, these amendments make 
procedural changes only and do not establish new substantive policy. 
Therefore, under 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(A), the Secretary has determined 
that proposed rulemaking is not required.

Pilot Project for Electronic Submission of Applications
    We are continuing to expand our pilot project for electronic 
submission of applications to include additional formula grant programs 
and additional discretionary grant competitions. Special Education--
State Program Improvement Grants Program--CFDA 84.323A is one 
of the programs included in the pilot project. If you are an applicant 
under the State Program Improvement Grants Program, you may submit your 
application to us in either electronic or paper format.
    The pilot project involves the use of the Electronic Grant 
Application System (e-Application). If you use e-Application, you will 
be entering data online while completing your application. You may not 
e-mail an electronic copy of a grant application to us. If you 
participate in this voluntary pilot project by submitting an 
application electronically, the data you enter online will be saved 
into a database. We request your participation in e-Application. We 
shall continue to evaluate its success and solicit suggestions for its 
improvement.
    If you participate in e-Application, please note the following:
    [sbull] Your participation is voluntary.
    [sbull] When you enter the e-Application system, you will find 
information about its hours of operation. We strongly recommend that 
you do not wait until the application deadline date to initiate an e-
Application package.
    [sbull] You will not receive additional point value because you 
submit a grant

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application in electronic format, nor will we penalize you if you 
submit an application in paper format.
    [sbull] You may submit all documents electronically, including the 
Application for Federal Education Assistance (ED 424), Budget 
Information--Non-Construction Programs (ED 524), and all necessary 
assurances and certifications.
    [sbull] Your e-Application must comply with any page limit 
requirements described in this notice.
    [sbull] After you electronically submit your application, you will 
receive an automatic acknowledgement, which will include a PR/Award 
number (an identifying number unique to your application).
    [sbull] Within three working days after submitting your electronic 
application, fax a signed copy of the Application for Federal Education 
Assistance (ED 424) to the Application Control Center after following 
these steps:
    1. Print ED 424 from e-Application.
    2. The institution's Authorizing Representative must sign this 
form.
    3. Place the PR/Award number in the upper right hand corner of the 
hard copy signature page of the ED 424.
    4. Fax the signed ED 424 [or enter the name of your program 
specific cover page] to the Application Control Center at 1-202-260-
1349.
    [sbull] We may request that you give us original signatures on 
other forms at a later date.
    Application Deadline Date Extension in Case of System 
Unavailability: If you elect to participate in the e-Application pilot 
for the State Program Improvement Grants Program and you are prevented 
from submitting your application on the application deadline date 
because the e-Application system is unavailable, we will grant you an 
extension of one business day in order to transmit your application 
electronically, by mail, or by hand delivery. We will grant this 
extension if--
    1. You are a registered user of e-Application, and you have 
initiated an e-Application for this competition; and
    2. (a) The e-Application system is unavailable for 60 minutes or 
more between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, 
on the application deadline date; or
    (b) The e-Application system is unavailable for any period of time 
during the last hour of operation (that is, for any period of time 
between 3:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time) on the 
application deadline date.
    We must acknowledge and confirm these periods of unavailability 
before granting you an extension. To request this extension or to 
confirm our acknowledgement of any system unavailability, you may 
contact either (1) the persons listed elsewhere in this notice under 
For Further Information Contact (see VII. Agency Contact) or (2) the e-
GRANTS help desk at 1-888-336-8930.
    You may access the electronic grant application for the State 
Program Improvement Grants Program at: http://e-grants.ed.gov

V. Application Review Information

    Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this competition are 
listed in 34 CFR 75.210 of EDGAR. The specific selection criteria to be 
used for this competition are in the application package.

VI. Award Administration Information

    1. Award Notices: If your application is successful, we notify your 
U.S. Representative and U.S. Senators and send you a Grant Award 
Notification (GAN). We may also notify you informally.
    If your application is not evaluated or not selected for funding, 
we notify you.
    2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements: We identify 
administrative and national policy requirements in the application 
package and reference these and other requirements under the Applicable 
Regulations heading, in section I of this notice.
    We reference the regulations outlining the terms and conditions of 
an award under the Applicable Regulations heading, in section I of this 
notice and include these and other specific conditions in the GAN. The 
GAN also incorporates your approved application as part of your binding 
commitments under the grant.
    3. Reporting: At the end of your project period, each SEA that 
receives a grant must submit a final performance report, including 
financial information, as directed by the Secretary. If you receive a 
multi-year award, you must submit an annual performance report that 
provides the most current performance and financial expenditure 
information as specified by the Secretary in 34 CFR 75.118.
    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.
    4. Performance Measures: The goal of the State Program Improvement 
Grants Program is to reform and improve State systems for providing 
educational, early intervention, and transitional services consistent 
with State-identified needs. The applicant's proposed project 
evaluation must describe 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 
quantitative and qualitative data on the project's contribution to the 
reform and improvement of such systems.
    If funded, the applicant will be expected to report such data in 
the projects' annual performance reports (EDGAR, 34 CFR 75.590). Data 
should reflect how States have used SIG funding, in addition to state 
resources, to achieve changes and improvements in the systems for 
providing services.

VII. Agency Contact

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  The Grants and Contracts Services 
Team, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 
3317, Switzer Building, Washington, DC 20202-2550. Telephone: 1-202-
205-8207.
    If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (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 Grants and Contracts Services Team listed 
in this section.

VIII. Other Information

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

    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: www.gpoaccess.gov/nara/index.html.



[[Page 2128]]


    Dated: January 8, 2004.
Troy R. Justesen,
Acting Deputy Assistant, Secretary for Special Education and 
Rehabilitative Services.
[FR Doc. 04-833 Filed 1-13-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P