[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 186 (Tuesday, September 26, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56123-56129]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-15762]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, Overview 
Information; Training and Information for Parents of Children With 
Disabilities--Parent Training and Information Centers; Notice Inviting 
Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2007

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.328M.

    Dates: Applications Available: September 26, 2006.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: November 13, 2006.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: January 9, 2007.
    Eligible Applicants: Parent organizations, as defined in section 
III. Eligibility Information in this notice.
    Estimated Available Funds: The Administration has requested 
$25,704,000 for the Training and Information for Parents of Children 
with Disabilities program for FY 2007, of which we intend to use an 
estimated $8,957,406 for the Parent Training and Information Centers 
competition. The actual level of funding, if any, depends on final 
congressional action. However, we are inviting applications to allow 
enough time to complete the grant process if Congress appropriates 
funds for this program.
    Information concerning funding amounts for individual States is 
provided in a chart elsewhere in this notice under section II. Award 
Information.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $319,907.

[[Page 56124]]

    Estimated Number of Awards: 28.

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

    Project Period: With the exception of projects in the States of 
Alabama, Oklahoma, and Region 3 of Florida, projects will be funded for 
a period up to 60 months. Projects in Alabama and Florida--Region 3 
will be funded for a period up to 48 months; projects in Oklahoma will 
be funded for a period up to 36 months.

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Purpose of Program: The purpose of this program is to ensure that 
parents of children with disabilities receive training and information 
to help improve results for their children.
    Priority: In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(iv) and (v), this 
priority is from allowable activities specified in the statute, or 
otherwise authorized in the statute (see sections 671 and 681(d) of the 
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)).
    Absolute Priority: For FY 2007 this priority is an absolute 
priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3), we consider only applications that 
meet this priority.
    This priority is:
    Parent Training and Information Centers (PTI Centers) Background: 
This priority supports parent training and information centers that 
will provide parents of children with disabilities, including low-
income parents, parents of limited English proficient children, and 
parents with disabilities, with the training and information they need 
to enable them to participate effectively in helping their children 
with disabilities to--
    (a) Meet developmental and functional goals, and challenging 
academic achievement goals that have been established for all children; 
and
    (b) Be prepared to lead productive, independent adult lives, to the 
maximum extent possible.
    In addition, a purpose of this priority is to ensure that children 
with disabilities and their parents receive training and information on 
their rights, responsibilities, and protections under IDEA in order to 
develop the skills necessary to cooperatively and effectively 
participate in planning and decision making relating to early 
intervention, educational, and transitional services.
    Text of Priority: Each Parent Training and Information Center (PTI 
Center) assisted under this program shall--
    (a) Provide training and information that meets the needs of 
parents of children with disabilities living in the area served by the 
PTI Center, particularly underserved parents and parents of children 
who may be inappropriately identified as having a disability when they 
may not have one, to enable their children with disabilities to--
    (1) Meet developmental and functional goals and challenging 
academic achievement goals established for all children; and
    (2) Be prepared to lead productive independent adult lives, to the 
maximum extent possible;
    (b) Serve the parents of infants, toddlers, and children, from ages 
birth through 26, with the full range of disabilities described in 
section 602(3) of IDEA;
    (c) Familiarize themselves with the provision of special education, 
related services, and early intervention services in the areas they 
serve to help ensure that children with disabilities are receiving 
appropriate services;
    (d) Ensure that the training and information provided meets the 
needs of low-income parents and parents of limited English proficient 
children;
    (e) Assist parents to--
    (1) Better understand the nature of their children's disabilities 
and their educational, developmental, and transitional needs;
    (2) Communicate effectively and work collaboratively with personnel 
responsible for providing special education, early intervention 
services, transition services, and related services;
    (3) Participate in decision making processes, including those 
regarding participation in State and local assessments, and the 
development of individualized education programs under part B of IDEA 
and individualized family service plans under part C of IDEA;
    (4) Obtain appropriate information about the range, type and 
quality of--
    (A) options, programs, services, technologies, practices and 
interventions that are based on scientifically based research, to the 
extent practicable; and
    (B) resources available to assist children with disabilities and 
their families in school and at home, including information available 
through the Office of Special Education Programs' (OSEP) technical 
assistance network and Communities of Practice;
    (5) Understand the provisions of IDEA for the education of, and the 
provision of early intervention services to, children with 
disabilities;
    (6) Participate in activities at the school level that benefit 
their children; and
    (7) Participate in school reform activities.
    (f) In States where the State elects to contract with the PTI 
Center, contract with the State educational agencies to provide, 
consistent with paragraphs (B) and (D) of section 615(e)(2) of IDEA, 
individuals to meet with parents in order to explain the mediation 
process;
    (g) Assist parents in resolving disputes in the most expeditious 
and effective way possible, including encouraging the use, and 
explaining the benefits, of alternative methods of dispute resolution, 
such as the mediation process described in section 615(e) of IDEA;
    (h) Assist parents and students with disabilities to understand 
their rights and responsibilities under IDEA, including those under 
section 615(m) of IDEA upon the student's reaching the age of majority 
(as appropriate under State law);
    (i) Assist parents to understand the availability of, and how to 
effectively use, procedural safeguards under IDEA, including the 
resolution session described in section 615(e) of IDEA;
    (j) Assist parents in understanding, preparing for, and 
participating in, the resolution session described in section 
615(f)(1)(B) of IDEA;
    (k) If there is more than one PTI Center or one or more Community 
Parent Resource Centers (CPRCs) in a particular State funded under 
section 672 of IDEA, demonstrate in the application how it will 
coordinate its services and supports with the other center or centers 
to ensure the most effective assistance to parents in that State;
    (l) Network with appropriate clearinghouses, including 
organizations conducting national dissemination activities under 
section 663 of IDEA and the Institute of Education Sciences, and with 
other national, State, and local organizations and agencies, such as 
protection and advocacy agencies, that serve parents and families of 
children with the full range of disabilities described in section 
602(3) of IDEA;
    (m) Annually report to the Assistant Secretary on--
    (1) The number and demographics of parents to whom the PTI Center 
provided information and training in the most recently concluded fiscal 
year, including additional information regarding their unique needs and 
levels of service provided to them;
    (2) The effectiveness of strategies used to reach and serve 
parents, including underserved parents of children with disabilities by 
providing evidence of how those parents were served effectively; and

[[Page 56125]]

    (3) The number of parents served who have resolved disputes through 
alternative methods of dispute resolution.
    (n) Respond to requests from the National Technical Assistance 
Center (NTAC) and Regional Parent Technical Assistance Centers (PTACs) 
and use the technical assistance services of the NTAC and PTACs in 
order to serve the families of infants, toddlers, and children with 
disabilities as efficiently as possible. PTACs are charged with 
assisting parent centers with administrative and programmatic issues;
    (o) Budget for a two-day Project Directors' meeting in Washington, 
DC during each year of the project. In addition, a project's budget 
must include funds for the center's project director to attend a 
Regional Project Directors' meeting to be held each year of the 
project;
    (p) If the PTI Center maintains a Web site, include relevant 
information and documents in a format that meets a government or 
industry-recognized standard for accessibility;
    (q) Prior to developing any new product, whether paper or 
electronic, submit for approval a proposal describing the content and 
purpose of the product to the document review board of OSEP's 
Dissemination Center;
    (r) In collaboration with OSEP and the NTAC, participate in an 
annual collection of program data for PTI Centers and CPRCs; and
    (s) Identify with specificity in its application the special 
efforts it will make to--
    (1) Ensure that the needs for training and information of 
underserved parents of children with disabilities in the area to be 
served are effectively met; and
    (2) Work with community based organizations, including those that 
work with low-income parents and parents of limited English proficient 
children.
    Waiver of Proposed Rulemaking: Under the Administrative Procedure 
Act (APA) (5 U.S.C. 553) the Department generally offers interested 
parties the opportunity to comment on proposed priorities. However, 
section 681(d) of IDEA makes the public comment requirements in the APA 
inapplicable to the priority in this notice.

    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1471.

    Applicable Regulations: The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 81, 
82, 84, 85, 97, 98, and 99.

    Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 79 apply to all applicants 
except federally recognized Indian tribes.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
    Estimated Available Funds: The Administration has requested 
$25,704,000 for the Training and Information for Parents of Children 
with Disabilities program for FY 2007, of which we intend to use an 
estimated $8,957,406 for the Parent Training and Information Centers 
competition. The actual level of funding, if any, depends on final 
congressional action. However, we are inviting applications to allow 
enough time to complete the grant process if Congress appropriates 
funds for this program.
    Information concerning funding amounts for individual States is 
provided elsewhere in this section of this notice.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $319,907.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 28.

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

    Project Period: With the exception of projects in the States of 
Alabama, Oklahoma, and Region 3 of Florida, projects will be funded for 
a period up to 60 months. Projects in Alabama and Florida--Region 3 
will be funded for a period up to 48 months; projects in Oklahoma will 
be funded for a period up to 36 months. As explained elsewhere in this 
notice, the Assistant Secretary makes awards to groups of States in 
five-year cycles. We are proposing shorter project periods for Alabama, 
Oklahoma, and Florida--Region 3 in order to align the funding cycle for 
these areas with those of other States in their groups. Alabama, 
Oklahoma, and Florida--Region 3 did not receive awards with their 
groups in previous competitions.
    In order to allocate resources equitably, create a unified system 
of service delivery, and provide the broadest coverage for the parents 
and families in every State, the Assistant Secretary is making awards 
in five-year cycles for each State. In FY 2007, applications for 5-year 
awards will be accepted for the following States: Arkansas, California, 
Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Michigan, Montana, New Jersey, 
New Mexico, Ohio, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas, and Utah. Exceptions 
to the 5-year awards will be in the States of Alabama, Oklahoma and 
Region 3 of Florida. Applications for projects in Alabama and Florida--
Region 3 will be accepted for 4-year awards and applications for 
projects in Oklahoma will be accepted for a 3-year award. Awards also 
may be made to eligible applicants in Guam, the Commonwealth of the 
Northern Mariana Islands, and the freely associated States.
    Estimated Project Awards: Project award amounts are for a single 
budget period of 12 months. To ensure maximum coverage for this 
competition, the Assistant Secretary has adopted regional designations 
established by California, Florida, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, and Texas 
and has identified corresponding maximum award amounts for each region. 
Any applicant that applies for grants for more than one region must 
complete a separate application for each region.
    The Assistant Secretary took into consideration current funding 
levels and population distribution when determining the award amounts 
for grants under this competition.
    In the following States, one award may be made for up to the 
amounts listed in the chart to a qualified applicant for a PTI Center 
to serve the entire State:

 
 
 
Alabama....................................................     $273,959
Arkansas...................................................      258,634
Connecticut................................................      276,016
Georgia....................................................      469,482
Kansas.....................................................      292,033
Montana....................................................      227,965
New Jersey.................................................      454,176
New Mexico.................................................      277,918
Oregon.....................................................      283,548
South Carolina.............................................      288,215
Utah.......................................................      246,148
Oklahoma...................................................     249,215
 
 (These figures represent the maximum amounts the Assistant Secretary
  will award. In addition, the Assistant Secretary has not specified
  maximum amounts for Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana
  Islands, and the Freely Associated States).

    In the following States with the exception of Illinois, one award 
will be made in the following amounts to a qualified applicant for a 
PTI Center to serve each identified region. In Illinois, the Assistant 
Secretary will make up to two awards for Region 1. The total of these 
two awards for Illinois' Region 1 will not exceed the maximum amount 
listed for that region in the chart below. A list of the counties that 
are included in each region also follows.

 
 
 
California:
  Region 1.................................................     $633,165
  Region 2.................................................      519,072
  Region 3.................................................      176,732
  Region 4.................................................      462,011
  Region 5.................................................      176,732
Florida:
  Region 3.................................................      190,154
Illinois:
  Region 1.................................................      548,708
  Region 2.................................................      281,878
Michigan:
  Region 1.................................................      239,170
  Region 2.................................................      403,970
Ohio:

[[Page 56126]]

 
  Region 1.................................................      220,569
  Region 2.................................................      427,224
Texas:
  Region 1.................................................      421,347
  Region 2.................................................      421,347
  Region 3.................................................      238,015
 

    Consistent with 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.

   Individuals With Disabilities Education Act Application Notice for
                            Fiscal Year 2007
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                           Maximum award
                  CFDA number and name                     (per year)**
------------------------------------------------------------------------
84.328M Parent Training and Information Centers :*
Alabama.................................................        $273,959
Arkansas................................................         258,634
Connecticut.............................................         276,016
Georgia.................................................         469,482
Kansas..................................................         292,033
Montana.................................................         227,965
New Jersey..............................................         454,176
New Mexico..............................................         277,918
Oregon..................................................         283,548
South Carolina..........................................         288,215
Utah....................................................         246,148
Oklahoma................................................         249,215
California:
  Region 1..............................................         633,165
  Region 2..............................................         519,072
  Region 3..............................................         176,732
  Region 4..............................................         462,011
  Region 5..............................................         176,732
Florida:
  Region 3..............................................         190,154
Illinois:
  Region 1..............................................         548,708
  Region 2..............................................         281,878
Michigan:
  Region 1..............................................         239,170
  Region 2..............................................         403,970
Ohio:
  Region 1..............................................         220,569
  Region 2..............................................         427,224
Texas:
  Region 1..............................................         421,347
  Region 2..............................................         421,347
  Region 3..............................................         238,015
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Listing of States/Regions/Counties

California Regions

    Region 1 includes the following counties: Los Angeles, Ventura, 
Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo.
    Region 2 includes the following counties: Mono, Inyo, San 
Bernadino, Orange, Riverside, San Diego, Imperial.
    Region 3 includes the following counties: Madera, Stanislaus, 
Mercer, Mariposa, San Benito, Monterey, Fresno, Kings, Tulare, Kern.
    Region 4 includes the following counties: Sonoma, Napa, Yolo, 
Solano, Marin, Contra Costa, San Joaquin, Alameda, San Mateo, Santa 
Clara, Santa Cruz, San Francisco.
    Region 5 includes the following counties: Del Norte, Humboldt, 
Mendocino, Sisklyou, Trinity, Shasta, Modoc, Lassen, Tehama, Lake, 
Glenn, Colusa, Butte, Sutter, Yuba, Sacramento, Nevada, Plumas, Sierra, 
Placer, El Dorado, Amador, Calavaras, Alpine, Tuolumne.

Florida Region

    Region 3 includes the following counties: Dade, Broward, Palm 
Beach, Monroe, Collier, Lee, Hendry, Martin, Glades.

Illinois Regions

    Region 1 includes the following counties: Cook, DuPage, Grundy, 
Kane, Kendall, Lake, McHenry, Will.
    Region 2 includes the remainder of the State.

Ohio Regions

    Region 1 includes the following counties: Darke, Preble, Butler, 
Hamilton, Clermont, Brown, Adams, Scioto, Lawrence, Jackson, Pike, 
Ross, Fayette, Greene, Clark, Champaign, Logan, Shelby, Miami, 
Montgomery, Warren, Clinton, Highland.
    Region 2 includes the remainder of the State.

Michigan Regions

    Region 1 includes the following counties: Oakland, Macomb, Wayne.
    Region 2 includes the remainder of the State.

Texas Regions

    Region 1 includes the following counties: Hardeman, Foard, Knox, 
Wilbarger, Baylor, Throckmorton, Wichita, Archer, Young, Clay, Jack, 
Montague, Cooke, Wise, Palo Pinto, Eralh, Parker, Hood, Somerveil, 
Denton, Tarrant, Johnson, Grayson, Collin, Dallas, Ellis, Fannin, Hunt, 
Rockwall, Kaufman, Lamar, Delta, Hopkins, Red River, Franklin, Titus, 
Camp, Morris, Bowie, Casa, Cass, Marion, Bosque, Hamilton, Mills, 
Lampaas, Coryell, Hill, McLennan, Bell, Navarro, Freestone, Limestone, 
Falls, Burnet, Llano, Gillespie, Kendall, Comal, Blanco, Williamson, 
Travis, Hays, Lee, Bastrop, Caldwell, Guadalupa, Fayette, Gonzales, 
Leon, Robertson, Millam, Burleston, Washington, Austin, Brazoa, 
Madison, Grimes, Houston, Trinity, Walker, Montgomery, Polk, San 
Jacinto, Tyler, Hardin, Jefferson, Orange, Jasper, Newton, Raine, Van 
Zandt, Henderson, Anderson, Wood, Smith, Cherokee, Upshur, Gregg, Rusk, 
Nacogdoches, Angelina, Harrison, Panola, Shelby, San Augustine, Sabine.
    Region 2 includes the following counties: Kerr, Real, Kinney, 
Maverik, Uvalde, Zavala, Dimmit, Bandera, Medina, Frio, La Salle, 
Boxer, Atascosa, Wilson, Webb, Zapata, Jim Hogg, Staarr, Hidalgo, 
Willsoy, Cameron, McMullen, Duval, Live Oak, Jim Wells, Brooke, Nueces, 
Kisberg, Kenedy, San Patricio, Aransas, Bee, Karnes, Gollad, Dewitt, 
Lavaca, Colorado, Wharton, Malagorda, Jackson, Victoria, Refugio, 
Calhoun, Waller, Fort Bond, Brezoria, Harris, Galveston, Liberty, 
Chambers.
    Region 3 includes the following counties: El Paso, Hudspeth, 
Culberson, Jeff Davis, Presidio, Reeves, Brewster, Pecos, Terrell, 
Dallam, Hartley, Oldham, Deaf Smith, Parmer, Bailey, Cochran, Yoakum, 
Gaines, Andrews, Loving, Winkler, Ward, Sharman, Moore, Potter, 
Randall, Castro, Swisher, Lamb, Hockley, Terry, Ector, Crane, Upton, 
Reagan, Midland, Glasscook, Dawson, Martin, Borden, Howard, Hansford, 
Hutchinson, Carson, Armstrong, Briscoe, Ochiltree, Roberts, Gray, 
Donley, Hall, Lipscomb, Hemphill, Wheeler, Collingsworth, Childress, 
Hale, Lubbock, Lynn, Floyd, Crosby, Garza, Motley, Dickens, Kent, 
Cottle, King, Scurry, Mitchell, Stonewall, Fisher, Nolan, Haskall, 
Jones, Taylor, Shackelford, Callahan, Stephens, Eastland, Sterling, 
Irion, Crockett, Val Verde, Coke, Tom Green, Schlelcher, Sutton, 
Edwards, Runnels, Concho, Menard, Kimble, Coleman, McCulloch, Mason, 
Brown, San Sabe.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: Parent organizations, as defined in section 
671(a)(2) of IDEA. A parent organization is a private nonprofit 
organization (other than an institution of higher education) that--
    (a) Has a board of directors--
    (1) The majority of whom are parents of children with disabilities 
ages birth through 26;
    (2) That includes--
    (i) Individuals working in the fields of special education, related 
services, and early intervention; and
    (ii) Individuals with disabilities; and
    (iii) The parent and professional members of which are broadly 
representative of the population to be served including low-income 
parents and parents of limited English proficient children; and
    (b) Has as its mission serving families of children with 
disabilities who are ages birth through 26, and have the full range of 
disabilities described in section 602(3) of IDEA.
    2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This competition does not involve cost 
sharing or matching.

[[Page 56127]]

    3. Other: General Requirements--(a) The projects funded under this 
competition 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 competition 
must involve individuals with disabilities or parents of individuals 
with disabilities ages birth through 26 in planning, implementing, and 
evaluating the projects (see section 682(a)(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: http://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 84.328M.
    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 Grants and Contracts 
Services Team 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 60 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).
    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; the one-page abstract, the 
resumes, the bibliography, the references, or the letters of support. 
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: September 
26, 2006. Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: November 13, 2006.
    Applications for grants under this competition may be submitted 
electronically using the Grants.gov Apply site (Grants.gov), or in 
paper format by mail or hand delivery. For information (including dates 
and times) about how to submit your application electronically, or by 
mail or hand delivery, please refer to section IV.6. Other Submission 
Requirements in this notice.
    We do not consider an application that does not comply with the 
deadline requirements.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: January 9, 2007.
    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 competition.
    5. Funding Restrictions: We reference regulations outlining funding 
restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.
    6. Other Submission Requirements: Applications for grants under 
this competition may be submitted electronically or in paper format by 
mail or hand delivery.
    a. Electronic Submission of Applications.
    We have been accepting applications electronically through the 
Department's e-Application system since FY 2000. In order to expand on 
those efforts and comply with the President's Management Agenda, we are 
continuing to participate as a partner in the new government wide 
Grants.gov Apply site in FY 2007. Parent Training and Information 
Centers--CFDA Number 84.328M is one of the competitions included in 
this project. We request your participation in Grants.gov.
    If you choose to submit your application electronically, you must 
use the Grants.gov Apply site at http://www.Grants.gov. Through this 
site, you will be able to download a copy of the application package, 
complete it offline, and then upload and submit your application. You 
may not e-mail an electronic copy of a grant application to us.
    You may access the electronic grant application for Parent Training 
and Information Centers--CFDA Number 84.328M competition at: http://
www.grants.gov. You must search for the downloadable application 
package for this program by the CFDA number. Do not include the CFDA 
number's alpha suffix in your search.
    Please note the following:
     Your participation in Grants.gov is voluntary.
     When you enter the Grants.gov site, you will find 
information about submitting an application electronically through the 
site, as well as the hours of operation.
     Applications received by Grants.gov are time and date 
stamped. Your application must be fully uploaded and submitted, and 
must be date/time stamped by the Grants.gov system no later than 4:30 
p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. Except as 
otherwise noted in this section, we will not consider your application 
if it is date/time stamped by the Grants.gov system later than 4:30 
p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. When we 
retrieve your application from Grants.gov, we will notify you if we are 
rejecting your application because it was date/time stamped by the 
Grants.gov system after 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the 
application deadline date.
     The amount of time it can take to upload an application 
will vary depending on a variety of factors including the size of the 
application and the speed of your Internet connection. Therefore, we 
strongly recommend that you do not wait until the application deadline 
date to begin the application process through Grants.gov.
     You should review and follow the Education Submission 
Procedures for submitting an application through Grants.gov that are 
included in the application package for this competition to ensure that 
you submit your application in a timely manner to the Grants.gov 
system. You can also find the Education Submission Procedures 
pertaining to Grants.gov at http://e-Grants.ed.gov/help/GrantsgovSubmissionProcedures.pdf.
     To submit your application via Grants.gov, you must 
complete all of the steps in the Grants.gov registration

[[Page 56128]]

process (see http://www.grants.gov/applicants/get_registered.jsp). 
These steps include (1) Registering your organization, (2) registering 
yourself as an Authorized Organization Representative (AOR), and (3) 
getting authorized as an AOR by your organization. Details on these 
steps are outlined in the Grants.gov 3-Step Registration Guide (see 
http://www.grants.gov/section910/Grants.govRegistrationBrochure.pdf). 
You also must provide on your application the same D-U-N-S Number used 
with this registration. Please note that the registration process may 
take five or more business days to complete, and you must have 
completed all registration steps to allow you to successfully submit an 
application via Grants.gov.
     You will not receive additional point value because you 
submit your application in electronic format, nor will we penalize you 
if you submit your application in paper format.
     You may submit all documents electronically, including all 
information typically included on the following forms: Application for 
Federal Assistance (SF 424), the Department of Education Supplemental 
Information for SF 424, Budget Information--Non-Construction Programs 
(ED 524), and all necessary assurances and certifications. Please note 
that two of these forms--the SF 424 and the Department of Education 
Supplemental Information for SF 424--have replaced the ED 424 
(Application for Federal Education Assistance). If you choose to submit 
your application electronically, you must attach any narrative sections 
of your application as files in a .DOC (document), .RTF (rich text), or 
.PDF (portable document) format. If you upload a file type other than 
the three file types specified above or submit a password protected 
file, we will not review that material.
     Your electronic application must comply with any page 
limit requirements described in this notice.
     After you electronically submit your application, you will 
receive an automatic acknowledgment from Grants.gov that contains a 
Grants.gov tracking number. The Department will retrieve your 
application from Grants.gov and send you a second confirmation by e-
mail that will include a PR/Award number (an ED-specified identifying 
number unique to your application).
     We may request that you provide us original signatures on 
forms at a later date.

Application Deadline Date Extension in Case of System Unavailability

    If you are prevented from electronically submitting your 
application on the application deadline date because of technical 
problems with the Grants.gov system, we will grant you an extension 
until 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, the following business day to 
enable you to transmit your application electronically, or by hand 
delivery. You also may mail your application by following the mailing 
instructions as described elsewhere in this notice. If you submit an 
application after 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the deadline date, 
please contact the person listed elsewhere in this notice under For 
Further Information Contact, and provide an explanation of the 
technical problem you experienced with Grants.gov, along with the 
Grants.gov Support Desk Case Number (if available). We will accept your 
application if we can confirm that a technical problem occurred with 
the Grants.gov system and that that problem affected your ability to 
submit your application by 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the 
application deadline date. The Department will contact you after a 
determination is made on whether your application will be accepted.

    Note: Extensions referred to in this section apply only to the 
unavailability of or technical problems with the Grants.gov system. 
We will not grant you an extension if you failed to fully register 
to submit your application to Grants.gov before the deadline date 
and time or if the technical problem you experienced is unrelated to 
the grants.gov system.

    b. Submission of Paper Applications by Mail.
    If you submit your application in paper format by mail (through the 
U.S. Postal Service or a commercial carrier), you must mail the 
original and two copies of your application, on or before the 
application deadline date, to the Department at the applicable 
following address: By mail through the U.S. Postal Service: U.S. 
Department of Education, Application Control Center, Attention: (CFDA 
Number 84.328M), 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20202-4260, 
or
    By mail through a commercial carrier: U.S. Department of Education, 
Application Control Center--Stop 4260, Attention: (CFDA Number 
84.328M), 7100 Old Landover Road, Landover, MD 20785-1506.
    Regardless of which address you use, you must show proof of mailing 
consisting of one of the following:
    (1) A legibly dated U.S. Postal Service postmark,
    (2) A legible mail receipt with the date of mailing stamped by the 
U.S. Postal Service,
    (3) A dated shipping label, invoice, or receipt from a commercial 
carrier, or
    (4) Any other proof of mailing acceptable to the Secretary of the 
U.S. Department of Education.
    If you mail your application through the U.S. Postal Service, we do 
not accept either of the following as proof of mailing:
    (1) A private metered postmark, or
    (2) A mail receipt that is not dated by the U.S. Postal Service.
    If your application is postmarked after the application deadline 
date, we will not consider your application.

    Note: The U.S. Postal Service does not uniformly provide a dated 
postmark. Before relying on this method, you should check with your 
local post office.

    c. Submission of Paper Applications by Hand Delivery.
    If you submit your application in paper format by hand delivery, 
you (or a courier service) must deliver the original and two copies of 
your application by hand, on or before the application deadline date, 
to the Department at the following address: U.S. Department of 
Education, Application Control Center, Attention: (CFDA Number 
84.328M), 550 12th Street, SW., Room 7041, Potomac Center Plaza, 
Washington, DC 20202-4260.
    The Application Control Center accepts hand deliveries daily 
between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, except Saturdays, 
Sundays and Federal holidays.

    Note for Mail or Hand Delivery of Paper Applications: If you 
mail or hand deliver your application to the Department:
    (1) You must indicate on the envelope and--if not provided by 
the Department--in Item 11 of the SF 424 the CFDA number--and suffix 
letter, if any--of the competition under which you are submitting 
your application.
    (2) The Application Control Center will mail a grant application 
receipt acknowledgment to you. If you do not receive the grant 
application receipt acknowledgment within 15 business days from the 
application deadline date, you should call the U.S. Department of 
Education Application Control Center at (202) 245-6288.

V. Application Review Information

    Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this competition are 
from 34 CFR 75.210 and are listed in the application package.

VI. Award Administration Information

    1. Award Notices: If your application is successful, we notify your 
U.S.

[[Page 56129]]

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 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 of 1993 (GPRA), the Department has developed measures that 
will yield information on various aspects of the quality of the 
Training and Information for Parents of Children with Disabilities 
program. The measures will focus on: the extent to which projects 
provide high quality materials, the relevance of project products and 
services to educational and early intervention policy and practice, and 
the usefulness of products and services to improve educational and 
early intervention policy and practice.
    Grantees will be required to provide information related to these 
measures.
    Grantees also will be required to report information on their 
projects' performance in annual reports to the Department (34 CFR 
75.590).

VII. Agency Contact

    For Further Information Contact: Lisa Gorove, U.S. Department of 
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Room 4056, Potomac Center Plaza, 
Washington, DC 20202-2550. Telephone: (202) 245-7357.
    If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may 
call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) 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: (202) 245-7363.

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


    Dated: September 20, 2006.
John H. Hager,
Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.
 [FR Doc. E6-15762 Filed 9-25-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P