[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 133 (Tuesday, July 13, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42044-42049]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-15840]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services; Overview 
Information; Special Education--Research and Innovation To Improve 
Services and Results for Children With Disabilities--Reading 
Interventions for Students With Mental Retardation; Notice Inviting 
Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2004

    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.324K.
    Dates: Applications Available: July 14, 2004.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: August 30, 2004.
    Eligible Applicants: State educational agencies (SEAs); local 
educational agencies (LEAs); institutions of higher education (IHEs); 
other public agencies; nonprofit private organizations; outlying areas; 
freely associated States; and Indian tribes or tribal organizations.
    Estimated Available Funds: $4,800,000.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $600,000.
    Maximum Award: We will reject any application from a single entity 
that proposes a budget exceeding $600,000 for a single budget period of 
12 months. However, we will consider proposals up to $1,000,000 per 
year if the proposal is from multiple institutions, or any other group 
of eligible parties that meet the requirements of 34 CFR 75.127 to 
75.129, and permits assembling of larger samples that address the 
priority described elsewhere in this notice. The Assistant Secretary 
for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services may change the 
maximum amount through a notice published in the Federal Register.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 8.

    Note: Given a sufficient number of approved high quality 
applications, the Department intends to fund at least one project 
addressing students with mild to moderate mental retardation, at 
least one project addressing students with moderate to

[[Page 42045]]

severe mental retardation, and at least one project addressing the 
full continuum of mild to severe mental retardation.


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

    Project Period: Up to 60 months.

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Purpose of Program: The purpose of this program is to produce, and 
advance the use of, knowledge to improve the results of education and 
early intervention for infants, toddlers, and children with 
disabilities.
    Priority: In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(iv), this priority 
is from allowable activities specified in the statute (see sections 
661(e)(2) and 672 of IDEA).
    Absolute Priority: For FY 2004 this priority is an absolute 
priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3) we consider only applications that 
meet this priority.
    This priority is:
    Reading Interventions for Students with Mental Retardation.
    Background: This priority addresses the development and evaluation 
of scientifically based reading interventions for students with mental 
retardation. This population includes students with a range of 
intellectual disabilities on a continuum from mild to severe mental 
retardation. This priority stems from the recognition that there is a 
lack of adequate scientifically based research on interventions that 
will accelerate development of reading skills in students with mental 
retardation. In addition, the extent to which progress in reading 
interventions generalizes to performance on content-based assessments 
such as those permitted in State accountability assessments is not 
established. Finally, there are questions specific to students with 
mental retardation that involve whether improvement in reading skills 
impacts functional skills, adaptive behavior, and school/community 
integration or whether improvement of reading skills in a classroom or 
curricular contexts is generalized to other settings and applications.
    One promising approach to research on reading instruction for 
students with mental retardation may be derived from research on 
interventions with established efficacy for students with intellectual 
levels in the average range. The critical question is the extent to 
which such interventions are effective with students who function at 
intellectual levels associated with mental retardation. Although many 
initial reading intervention studies excluded students with 
intellectual levels below the average range, more recent interventions 
have included many students participating in regular education classes. 
The range of intellectual levels, largely on verbal measures, typically 
includes a small number of children with scores more than two standard 
deviations below the mean as well as students at the cusp of decisions 
concerning the presence of mild to moderate mental retardation. Many of 
these students would have been categorized as students with mental 
retardation in the past and are now often identified in the learning 
disability category. Irrespective of the category, little empirical 
evidence exists showing that scores on measures of intelligence are 
strongly related to responses to these interventions. In addition, this 
evidence largely involves the use of word recognition measures as 
outcomes. The extent to which such gains generalize to the other 
important domains of reading, especially fluency and comprehension, is 
not known, especially in lower performing students. Moreover, the 
findings of these studies are rarely linked to State content standards 
as exemplified by general assessments or alternate assessments based on 
grade level achievement standards or alternate achievement standards.
    A second promising approach is derived from studies utilizing 
approaches based on the functional analysis of behavior involving, for 
example, stimulus control methods, direct teaching of functional 
skills, and other promising approaches. It is recognized that such 
interventions have involved direct teaching of academic content or the 
use of functional skills that may improve access to the general 
curriculum. Also, it is important to link research on interventions to 
State content standards as exemplified by general assessments or 
alternate assessments based on grade-level achievement standards or 
alternate achievement standards.
    Comparisons of the relative efficacy of these two approaches are 
encouraged, especially in relation to improved reading abilities, 
adequate yearly progress, access to and progress in the general 
education curriculum and transfer to adaptive behavior and school/
community integration, including daily routines. It is especially 
important for these types of interventions to clearly specify the 
target behavior, timeframe for progress, prompting system, reward 
system, requirements for fading and transfer, and other components of 
the intervention. Generalization beyond the target behavior into 
components clearly representative of word recognition, fluency, and 
comprehension is critical. Although whole group instruction and 
cooperative learning activities within an inclusive environment do show 
evidence of efficacy, students with intellectual disabilities typically 
require systematic and often individualized instruction.
    Although these two approaches are readily apparent in the existing 
literature, other well-justified approaches may be proposed that 
represent combinations of principles from these two approaches or some 
other approach to instruction.
    Priority: This priority is for research on the development and 
evaluation of reading interventions involving one or both of two target 
groups addressing (1) students with performance levels in the range of 
mild to moderate mental retardation; and (2) students with performance 
levels in the range of moderate to severe mental retardation. It is 
anticipated that in order to address the first target group, currently 
existing reading interventions with evidence of efficacy will be 
evaluated and, if necessary, adapted for students. Please note that the 
sample may include children who perform somewhat above levels 
associated with mild mental retardation, especially given the nature of 
the error of measurement associated with such categorical designations. 
However, including children who obtain intelligence test scores within 
one standard deviation of the mean is not encouraged. To address the 
second target group, interventions specifically designed for 
individuals in the range of moderate to severe mental retardation may 
need to be developed and implemented.
    Applicants are allowed some startup time to organize the research, 
but should explain the rationale for the time period they begin data 
collection and budget appropriately for the startup period. Within a 
month of receiving the award, grantees will be required to meet in 
Washington, DC to develop common procedures that will permit linking of 
the funded studies. This linking may require agreement on a set of 
common identification measures for children and outcome measures 
collected by all projects that will help evaluate findings across 
studies and generalize findings.
    In addition to the following specific requirements, all 
applications must (i) provide a compelling rationale addressing the 
theoretical foundation of the research and its link to reading, 
relevant prior empirical evidence supporting the proposed project, and 
the practical importance of the proposed project; (ii) include clear, 
concise

[[Page 42046]]

hypotheses or research questions; (iii) present a clear description of 
the sample or study participants, including justification for exclusion 
and inclusion criteria and, where groups or conditions are involved, 
strategies for assigning participants to groups; (iv) provide clear 
descriptions and a rationale for all data collection procedures and 
measures to be used; and (v) present a detailed data analysis plan that 
justifies and explains the selected analytic strategy, shows clearly 
how the measures and analyses relate to the hypotheses or research 
questions, and indicates how the results will be interpreted. 
Quantitative studies should include a power analysis to provide some 
assurance that the sample is of sufficient size. Innovation is 
encouraged provided the rationale is clearly outlined, there is some 
evidence suggesting that the approach has promise, and the study design 
permits a rigorous evaluation of the approach.
    In addition, proposals must:
    (a) Address the conceptual basis and critical elements of the 
reading interventions, particularly in terms of the components of 
reading that are addressed. It is recommended that the components be 
consistent with reports that address the empirical evidence supporting 
the nature of proficient reading, such as the National Reading Panel, 
the National Research Council's Preventing Reading Difficulties in 
Young Children, and the Rand Reading Comprehension reports.
    (b) Address the duration of the interventions. Students with mental 
retardation may require longer periods of intervention in order to 
respond. Applicants must provide a rationale for: (1) The duration of 
the interventions, (2) how the interventions with evidence of efficacy 
need to be modified, and (3) if applicable, the manipulation of 
duration and intensity of the intervention as a component of the 
research. Some evidence from studies not specifically targeting 
children with mental retardation suggests that students with severe 
reading problems respond to interventions on highly targeted reading 
skills over short periods of time (e.g., eight weeks) when the 
intervention is delivered with high intensity (e.g., two hours per 
day). However, longer term interventions may be needed to promote 
transfer, generalization, and improved access to and progress in the 
general education curriculum. These are empirical questions that could 
be the focus of a sequence of studies conducted under this application.
    (c) Clearly define the populations of interest so that results can 
be replicated and questions concerning factors related to response to 
intervention can be addressed. The etiologies of children with mental 
retardation are diverse and often occur in association with a variety 
of genetic and environmental factors as well as with other 
disabilities, such as autism and pervasive developmental disorders. No 
subdivision of the children with mental retardation is intended for the 
purposes of this competition. Applicants are encouraged to assemble 
diverse samples, so long as etiological factors, co-morbidities, and 
indices of mild to severe mental retardation are carefully documented 
as possible variables in explaining variations in response to reading 
interventions. Defining the population may include providing data on 
the intellectual and adaptive behavior levels of the students as 
formally assessed.
    (d) Evaluate multiple reading outcomes through the use of reliable 
and valid assessment instruments that establish whether gains 
generalize to domains involving word recognition, fluency, and 
comprehension. To the extent practicable, such assessments should 
include both norm referenced and criterion-referenced assessments, the 
latter related to established benchmarks, such as State content 
standards and alternate achievement standards as they are developed. A 
strong theoretical basis for selecting and measuring outcomes is 
important.
    (e) Propose follow-up evaluation intervals of sufficient length to 
evaluate the maintenance and generalization of gains in different 
reading skills. Although the specification of the follow-up intervals 
may depend on the nature of the intervention, it is important to 
carefully address maintenance and generalization in terms of 
sufficiently long follow-up intervals and the impact on word 
recognition, fluency, comprehension, and improved access to and 
progress in the general education curriculum. Several years of follow-
up may be important depending on the nature of the intervention and the 
goals of the research; however, only a maximum of five years of funding 
is available through this competition. For some smaller scale projects, 
where the goal is simply to determine the efficacy of an existing 
intervention in the sample of interest, long-term follow-up may not be 
essential. Larger projects utilizing more established interventions 
will need longer follow-ups, especially if the goal is to link the 
intervention to mastery of State content standards or alternate 
achievement standards. These interventions could occur across one or 
more school years as a sequence of interventions addressing different 
components of the reading process.
    (f) Specifically evaluate the extent to which gains in reading 
skills are associated with (1) progress in the general education 
curriculum, and (2) changes in functional skills (including language 
and communication), and adaptive behavior (including level of 
independent function and integration into the general education 
classroom and, if applicable, community).
    (g) Summarize and build upon the empirical evidence on the efficacy 
of an intervention for the population of interest.
    (h) Utilize experimental designs appropriate for questions 
involving efficacy. In particular, the Department encourages designs 
involving random assignment to intervention and appropriate comparison 
groups, but recognizes that other designs may be appropriate, such as 
the use of multiple baseline designs for students with severe cognitive 
disabilities. Even in the latter instance, the use of comparison 
subjects randomly assigned at some point not to receive the 
intervention should be considered. When appropriate, the sample size 
should be large enough to indicate adequate power for detecting small 
to moderate effects of the intervention, to permit generalization to 
other contexts, and to permit examination of factors that predict 
response to intervention. Applicants proposing to use other approaches, 
such as quasi-experiments with matched groups and statistical controls, 
should carefully justify their approach in terms of the ability to make 
causal inferences, and provide a compelling rationale for why random 
assignment is not practical or appropriate. Observational, survey, or 
qualitative methodologies are encouraged as a complement to 
experimental methodologies to assist in the identification of factors 
that may explain the effectiveness or ineffectiveness of the 
intervention. Mediating and moderating variables that are measured in 
the intervention condition that are also likely to affect outcomes in 
the comparison condition should be measured in the comparison condition 
(e.g., student time-on-task, teacher experience/time in position).
    (i) Provide detailed descriptions of data analysis procedures. For 
quantitative data, specific statistical procedures should be cited. For 
qualitative data, the specific methods used to index, summarize, and 
interpret data should be delineated. In addition, documentation of the 
resources required to implement the program and a cost analysis must be 
part of the study.
    (j) Provide information documenting the credentials and level of 
preparation

[[Page 42047]]

required to deliver the intervention (e.g., certified teacher, 
paraprofessional) and the nature and extent of professional 
development, coaching, and monitoring required in order to implement 
the intervention effectively. In addition, other components found to be 
effective in previous studies, including team planning, positive 
behavior supports, parental involvement, administrative leadership, and 
related factors should be considered and documented.
    (k) Provide information about and a rationale concerning the 
education setting and environment in which the intervention is 
effective (e.g., regular education inclusion classroom, regular 
education classroom with pull-out support, self-contained classroom, 
community setting). The size of the instructional group is an important 
consideration, especially given the emerging evidence that small group 
instruction is as effective as 1:1 instruction in the reading area.
    (l) Include in the research designs components that permit the 
identification and assessment of factors impacting the fidelity of 
implementation and quality of instruction (if applicable) through 
quantitative and qualitative approaches and specifically address 
relations of fidelity and quality of implementation and outcomes.
    (m) Provide methods and rationale that permit systematic, empirical 
evaluation of factors that predict differential response to 
intervention. Qualitative analyses of these types of process variables 
are entirely appropriate, particularly as they relate to the context 
and environment in which the intervention is differentially successful, 
so long as qualitative methods are not proposed for questions of 
efficacy.
    (n) Provide a plan for potentially sustaining the intervention and 
scaling it to other settings. Scaling is not required, but the 
potential for scaling should be considered.
    (o) Address the use of technology, including augmentative and 
alternative communication (AAC) devices, and other forms of assistive 
technology, if appropriate, especially for students with moderate to 
severe mental retardation or with severe oral language disorders. If 
such devices are used, the link with enhanced reading must be 
demonstrated. Interventions that involve the use of computers are also 
appropriate.
    (p) Budget for a two-day Project Directors' meeting in Washington, 
DC during each year of the project.
    (q) If the project has a Web site, include relevant information and 
documents in an accessible form.

Waiver of Proposed Rulemaking

    Under the Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C. 553) the 
Department generally offers interested parties the opportunity to 
comment on proposed priorities. However, section 661(e)(2) of the IDEA 
makes the public comment requirements inapplicable to the priority in 
this notice.

    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1461 and 1472.

    Applicable Regulations: The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 80, 81, 
82, 84, 85, 86, 97, 98, and 99.

    Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to IHEs only.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Cooperative agreement.
    Estimated Available Funds: $4,800,000.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $600,000.
    Maximum Award: We will reject any application that proposes a 
budget exceeding $600,000 for a single budget period of 12 months. 
However, we will consider proposals up to $1,000,000 per year if the 
proposal is from multiple institutions, or any other group of eligible 
parties that meet the requirements of 34 CFR 75.127 to 75.129, and 
permits assembling of larger samples that address this initiative. The 
Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services 
may change the maximum amount through a notice published in the Federal 
Register.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 8.

    Note: Given a sufficient number of approved high quality 
applications, the Department intends to fund at least one project 
addressing students with mild to moderate mental retardation, at 
least one project addressing students with moderate to severe mental 
retardation, and at least one project addressing the full continuum 
of mild to severe mental retardation.


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

    Project Period: Up to 60 months.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: SEAs; LEAs; IHEs; other public agencies; 
nonprofit private organizations; outlying areas; freely associated 
States; and Indian tribes or tribal organizations.
    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).

IV. Application and Submission Information

    1. Address to Request Application Package: Education Publications 
Center (ED Pubs), P.O. Box 1398, Jessup, MD 20794-1398. Telephone (toll 
free): 1-877-433-7827. Fax: (301) 470-1244. If you use a 
telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may call (toll free): 
1-877-576-7734.
    You may also contact ED Pubs at its Web site: 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 84.324K.
    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 person listed under 
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT in section VII of this notice.
    2. Content and Form of Application Submission: Requirements 
concerning the content of an application, together with the forms you 
must submit, are in the application package for this competition.
    Page Limit: The application narrative (Part III of the application) 
is where you, the applicant, address the selection criteria that 
reviewers use to evaluate your application. You must limit Part III to 
the equivalent of no more than 70 pages using the following standards:
     A ``page'' is 8.5'' x 11'', on one side only, with 1'' 
margins at the top, bottom, and both sides.
     Double space (no more than three lines per vertical inch) 
all text in the application narrative, including titles, headings, 
footnotes, quotations, references, and captions, as well as all text in 
charts, tables, figures, and graphs.
     Use a font that is either 12 point or larger or no smaller 
than 10 pitch (characters per inch).

[[Page 42048]]

    The page limit does not apply to Part I, the cover sheet; Part II, 
the budget section, including the narrative budget justification; Part 
IV, the assurances and certifications; or the one-page abstract, the 
resumes, the bibliography, the references, the letters of support, or 
the appendix. However, you must include all of the application 
narrative in Part III.
    We will reject your application if--
     You apply these standards and exceed the page limit; or
     You apply other standards and exceed the equivalent of the 
page limit.
    3. Submission Dates and Times:
    Applications Available: July 14, 2004.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: August 30, 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 competition. 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.
    4. Intergovernmental Review: This program is not subject to 
Executive Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79.
    5. Funding Restrictions: We reference regulations outlining funding 
restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section 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 
competition.
    Application Procedures:

    Note: Some of the procedures in these instructions for 
transmitting applications differ from those in 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--
Research and Innovation to Improve Services and Results for Children 
with Disabilities Program--Reading Interventions for Students with 
Mental Retardation--CFDA Number 84.324K is one of the competitions 
included in this project. If you are an applicant under the Special 
Education--Research and Innovation to Improve Services and Results for 
Children with Disabilities Program--Reading Interventions for Students 
with Mental Retardation, 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:
     Your participation is voluntary.
     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.
     You will not receive additional point value because you 
submit a grant application in electronic format, nor will we penalize 
you if you submit an application in paper format.
     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.
     Your e-Application must comply with any page limit 
requirements described in this notice.
     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).
     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 to the Application Control Center at (202) 
245-6272.
     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 Special Education--Research and Innovation to Improve Services 
and Results for Children with Disabilities Program--Reading 
Interventions for Students with Mental Retardation competition 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 person 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 Special 
Education--Research and Innovation to Improve Services and Results for 
Children with Disabilities Program--Reading Interventions for Students 
with Mental Retardation at: http://www.grants.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

[[Page 42049]]

send you a Grant Award Notification (GAN). We may also notify you 
informally.
    If your application is not evaluated or not selected for funding, 
we notify you.
    2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements: We identify 
administrative and national policy requirements in the application 
package and reference these and other requirements in the Applicable 
Regulations section of this notice.
    We reference the regulations outlining the terms and conditions of 
an award in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice and 
include these and other specific conditions in the GAN. The GAN also 
incorporates your approved application as part of your binding 
commitments under the grant.
    3. Reporting: At the end of your project period, you must submit a 
final performance report, including financial information, as directed 
by the Secretary. If you receive a multi-year award, you must submit an 
annual performance report that provides the most current performance 
and financial expenditure information as specified by the Secretary in 
34 CFR 75.118.
    4. Performance Measures: Under the Government Performance and 
Results Act (GPRA), the Department is currently developing indicators 
and measures that will yield information on various aspects of the 
quality of the Research and Innovation to Improve Services and Results 
for Children with Disabilities program. Included in these indicators 
and measures will be those that assess the quality and relevance of 
newly funded research projects. Two indicators will address the quality 
of new projects. First, an external panel of eminent senior scientists 
will review the quality of a randomly selected sample of newly funded 
research applications, and the percentage of new projects that are 
deemed to be of high quality will be determined. Second, because much 
of the Department's work focuses on questions of effectiveness, newly 
funded applications will be evaluated to identify those that address 
causal questions and then to determine what percentage of those 
projects use randomized field trials to answer the causal questions. To 
evaluate the relevance of newly funded research projects, a panel of 
experienced education practitioners and administrators will review 
descriptions of a randomly selected sample of newly funded projects and 
rate the degree to which the projects are relevant to practice.
    Other indicators and measures are still under development in areas 
such as the quality of project products and long-term impact. Data on 
these measures will be collected from the projects funded under this 
notice. Grantees will also be required to report information on their 
projects' performance in annual reports to the Department (EDGAR, 34 
CFR 75.590).
    We will notify grantees of the performance measures once they are 
developed.

VII. Agency Contact

    For Further Information Contact: Kristen Lauer, U.S. Department of 
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 4077, Potomac Center Plaza, 
Washington, DC 20202-2550. Telephone: (202) 245-7412.
    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 by contacting the following office: The Grants and 
Contracts Services Team, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland 
Avenue, SW., Potomac Center Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-2550. 
Telephone: 1-202-205-8207.

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 (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.


    Dated: July 8, 2004.
Troy R. Justesen,
Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Special Education and 
Rehabilitative Services.
[FR Doc. 04-15840 Filed 7-12-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P