[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 40 (Tuesday, March 1, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11218-11227]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-4553]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Training and Information for Parents of Children With
Disabilities Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services;
Overview Information; Training and Information for Parents of Children
With Disabilities; Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for
Fiscal Year (FY) 2011.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Numbers: 84.328C and
84.328M.
Note: This notice invites applications for two separate
competitions. For key dates, contact person information, and funding
information regarding each competition, see the chart in the Award
Information section of this notice.
Dates:
Applications Available: See chart.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: See chart.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: See chart.
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.
Priorities: In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(iv) and (v),
these priorities are from allowable activities specified in the
statute, or otherwise authorized in the statute (see sections 671, 672
and 681(d) of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)).
Each of the absolute priorities announced in this notice corresponds to
a separate competition as follows:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Competition
Absolute priority CFDA No.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Community Parent Resource Centers....................... 84.328C
[[Page 11219]]
Parent Training and Information Centers................. 84.328M
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Absolute Priorities: For FY 2011 and any subsequent year in which
we make awards from the list of unfunded applicants from these
competitions, these priorities are absolute priorities. Under 34 CFR
75.105(c)(3), for each competition, we consider only applications that
meet the absolute priority for that competition.
The priorities are:
Absolute Priority 1--Community Parent Resource Centers (84.328C)
Background:
Almost 30 years of research and experience has demonstrated that
the education of children with disabilities can be made more effective
by strengthening the role and responsibility of parents and ensuring
that families of such children have meaningful opportunities to
participate in the education of their children at school and at home
(see section 601(c)(5)(B) of IDEA).
This priority supports Community Parent Resource Centers (CPRCs) in
targeted communities that will provide underserved parents of children
with disabilities, including low-income parents, parents of limited
English proficient children, and parents with disabilities in that
community, with the training and information they need to enable them
to participate cooperatively and effectively in helping their children
with disabilities to--
(a) Meet developmental and functional goals, and challenging
academic achievement standards that have been established for all
children; and
(b) Be prepared to lead productive, independent adult lives, to the
maximum extent possible.
The following Web site provides further information on the work of
previously funded centers: http://www.parentcenternetwork.org.
Priority:
To be considered for funding under the CPRCs absolute priority,
applicants must meet the application requirements contained in the
priority. All projects funded under the absolute priority also must
meet the programmatic and administrative requirements specified in the
priority.
Application Requirements. An applicant must include in its
application--
(a) A plan to implement the activities described in the Project
Activities section of this priority; and
(b) A budget for attendance at the following:
(1) A three-day National Technical Assistance for Parent Centers
Conference in Washington, DC during each year of the project period.
(2) A two-day Regional Technical Assistance for Parent Centers
Conference, in the region in which the CPRC is located, during each
year of the project period. Applicants should refer to http://www.parentcenternetwork.org for a list of regions.
Project Activities. To meet the requirements of this priority, the
CPRC, at a minimum, must--
(a) Maintain a Web site that meets government or industry-
recognized standards for accessibility;
(b) Provide training and information that meets the training and
information needs of parents of children with disabilities within the
proposed targeted community to be served by the CPRC, particularly
underserved parents and parents of children who may be inappropriately
identified as having disabilities;
Note:
For purposes of this priority, ``targeted community to be
served'' refers to a geographically defined, local community whose
members experience significant isolation from available sources of
information and support as a result of cultural, economic,
linguistic, or other circumstances deemed appropriate by the
Secretary.
(c) Carry out the following activities required of parent training
and information centers:
(1) 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.
(2) Ensure that the training and information provided meet the
needs of low-income parents and parents of limited English proficient
children.
(3) Assist parents to--
(i) Better understand the nature of their children's disabilities
and their educational, developmental, and transitional needs;
(ii) Communicate effectively and work collaboratively with
personnel responsible for providing special education, early
intervention services, transition services, and related services;
(iii) 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;
(iv) Obtain appropriate information about the range, type, and
quality of--
(A) Options, programs, services, technologies, practices, and
interventions 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 and dissemination centers (http://www.tadnet.org), and
communities of practice (http://www.tacommunities.org);
(v) Understand the requirements of IDEA related to the provision of
education and early intervention services to children with
disabilities;
(vi) Participate in activities at the school level that benefit
their children; and
(vii) Participate in school reform activities.
(4) In States where the State elects to contract with the CPRCs,
contract with the State educational agencies (SEAs) 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.
(5) 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.
(6) 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).
(7) Assist parents to understand the availability of, and how to
effectively use, procedural safeguards under IDEA.
(8) Assist parents in understanding, preparing for, and
participating in, the resolution session described in section
615(f)(1)(B) of IDEA;
(d) Establish cooperative partnerships with any Parent Training and
Information Centers (PTIs) and any other CPRCs funded in the State
under sections 671 and 672 of IDEA, respectively;
(e) Be designed to meet the specific needs of families who
experience significant isolation from available sources of information
and support;
(f) Be familiar with the provision of special education, related
services, and early intervention services in the CPRC's targeted
community to be served to help ensure that children with
[[Page 11220]]
disabilities are receiving appropriate services;
(g) Annually report to the Department on--
(1) The number and demographics of parents to whom the CPRC
provided information and training in the most recently concluded fiscal
year, including additional information regarding the parents' unique
needs and the levels of service provided to them; and
(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;
(h) Respond to requests from the OSEP-funded National and Regional
Parent Technical Assistance Centers (PTACs), and use the technical
assistance services of the National and Regional PTACs in order to
serve the families of infants, toddlers, and children with disabilities
as efficiently as possible. Regional PTACs are charged with assisting
parent centers with administrative and programmatic issues;
(i) In collaboration with OSEP and the National PTAC participate in
an annual collection of program data for the PTIs and CPRCs funded
under sections 671 and 672 of IDEA, respectively; and
(j) Maintain ongoing communication with the OSEP Project Officer
through phone conversations and email communication.
In addition, the CPRC's board of directors must meet not less than
once in each calendar quarter to review the activities for which the
award was made and submit to the Secretary a written review of the
CPRC's activities conducted during the preceding fiscal year.
Competitive Preference Priority: Within this absolute priority, we
give competitive preference to applications that meet the following
priority. For FY 2011 and any subsequent year in which we make awards
from the list of unfunded applicants from this competition, this
priority is a competitive preference priority.
Competitive Preference Priority: Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i) we
award an additional 5 points to an application that meets this
priority.
This priority is:
Applicants that propose to design a program with specific
activities and services focused on meeting the unique needs of parents
who have children enrolled in either high-poverty schools \1\ or
persistently lowest-achieving schools \2\ within the area served by the
CPRC.
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\1\ For the purposes of this priority, the term high-poverty
school means a school in which at least 50 percent of students are
eligible for free or reduced-price lunches under the Richard B.
Russell National School Lunch Act or in which at least 50 percent of
students are from low-income families as determined using one of the
criteria specified under section 1113(a)(5) of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended. For middle and high
schools, eligibility may be calculated on the basis of comparable
data from feeder schools. Eligibility as a high-poverty school under
this definition is determined on the basis of the most currently
available data.
\2\ For purposes of this priority, the term persistently lowest-
achieving schools means, as determined by the State--(i) Any Title I
school in improvement, corrective action, or restructuring that (a)
Is among the lowest-achieving five percent of Title I schools in
improvement, corrective action, or restructuring or the lowest-
achieving five Title I schools in improvement, corrective action, or
restructuring in the State, whichever number of schools is greater;
or (b) Is a high school that has had a graduation rate as defined in
34 CFR 200.19(b) that is less than 60 percent over a number of
years; and (ii) Any secondary school that is eligible for, but does
not receive, Title I funds that--(a) Is among the lowest-achieving
five percent of secondary schools or the lowest-achieving five
secondary schools in the State that are eligible for, but do not
receive, Title I funds, whichever number of schools is greater; or
(b) Is a high school that has had a graduation rate as defined in 34
CFR 200.19(b) that is less than 60 percent over a number of years.
To identify the persistently lowest-achieving schools, a State
must take into account both--(i) The academic achievement of the
``all students'' group in a school in terms of proficiency on the
State's assessments under section 1111(b)(3) of the ESEA in reading/
language arts and mathematics combined; and (ii) The school's lack
of progress on those assessments over a number of years in the ``all
students'' group.
Note: The 5 points an applicant can earn under this competitive
preference priority is in addition to those points awarded under the
selection criteria for this competition (see Selection Criteria in
section V in this notice). That is, an applicant meeting the
competitive preference priority could earn a maximum total of 105
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
points.
Absolute Priority 2--Parent Training and Information Centers (84.328M)
Background:
Almost 30 years of research and experience have demonstrated that
the education of children with disabilities can be made more effective
by strengthening the role and responsibility of parents and ensuring
that families of such children have meaningful opportunities to
participate in the education of their children at school and at home
(see section 601(c)(5)(B) of IDEA).
This priority supports Parent Training and Information Centers
(PTIs) in the areas to be served by the 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 cooperatively and effectively in helping their
children with disabilities to--
(a) Meet developmental and functional goals, and challenging
academic achievement standards that have been established for all
children; and
(b) Be prepared to lead productive, independent adult lives, to the
maximum extent possible.
The following Web site provides more information on the work of
previously funded centers: http://www.parentcenternetwork.org.
Priority:
To be considered for funding under the PTIs absolute priority,
applicants must meet the application requirements contained in the
priority. All projects funded under the absolute priority also must
meet the programmatic and administrative requirements specified in the
priority.
Application Requirements. An applicant must include in its
application--
(a) A logic model that depicts, at a minimum, the goals,
activities, outputs, and outcomes of the proposed project. A logic
model communicates how a project will achieve its outcomes and provides
a framework for both the formative and summative evaluations of the
project;
Note: The following Web site provides more information on logic
models: http://www.tadnet.org/model_and_performance.
(b) A plan to implement the activities described in the Project
Activities section of this priority;
(c) A plan, linked to the proposed project's logic model, for a
formative evaluation of the proposed project's activities. The plan
must describe how the formative evaluation will use clear performance
objectives to ensure continuous improvement in the operation of the
proposed project, including objective measures of progress in
implementing the project and ensuring the quality of products and
services;
(d) A budget for attendance at the following:
(1) A three-day National Technical Assistance for Parent Centers
Conference in Washington, DC during each year of the project period.
(2) A two-day Regional Technical Assistance for Parent Centers
Conference, in the region in which the PTI is located, during each year
of the project period. Applicants should refer to http://www.parentcenternetwork.org for a list of regions; and
(e) A description specifying the special efforts the PTI will make
to:
[[Page 11221]]
(1) Ensure that the needs for training and information of
underserved parents of children with disabilities in the area to be
served, including parents of children attending high-poverty schools
\3\ and the State's persistently lowest-achieving schools,\4\ are
effectively met; and
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\3\ For the purposes of this priority, the term high-poverty
school means a school in which at least 50 percent of students are
eligible for free or reduced-price lunches under the Richard B.
Russell National School Lunch Act or in which at least 50 percent of
students are from low-income families as determined using one of the
criteria specified under section 1113(a)(5) of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended. For middle and high
schools, eligibility may be calculated on the basis of comparable
data from feeder schools. Eligibility as a high-poverty school under
this definition is determined on the basis of the most currently
available data.
\4\ For purposes of this priority, the term persistently lowest-
achieving schools means, as determined by the State--(i) Any Title I
school in improvement, corrective action, or restructuring that (a)
Is among the lowest-achieving five percent of Title I schools in
improvement, corrective action, or restructuring or the lowest-
achieving five Title I schools in improvement, corrective action, or
restructuring in the State, whichever number of schools is greater;
or (b) Is a high school that has had a graduation rate as defined in
34 CFR 200.19(b) that is less than 60 percent over a number of
years; and (ii) Any secondary school that is eligible for, but does
not receive, Title I funds that--(a) Is among the lowest-achieving
five percent of secondary schools or the lowest-achieving five
secondary schools in the State that are eligible for, but do not
receive, Title I funds, whichever number of schools is greater; or
(b) Is a high school that has had a graduation rate as defined in 34
CFR 200.19(b) that is less than 60 percent over a number of years.
To identify the persistently lowest-achieving schools, a State
must take into account both--(i) The academic achievement of the
``all students'' group in a school in terms of proficiency on the
State's assessments under section 1111(b)(3) of the ESEA in reading/
language arts and mathematics combined; and (ii) The school's lack
of progress on those assessments over a number of years in the ``all
students'' group.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(2) Work with community-based organizations, including those that
work with low-income parents and parents of limited English proficient
children.
Project Activities. To meet the requirements of this priority, the
PTI, at a minimum, must--
(a) Maintain a Web site that meets government or industry-
recognized standards for accessibility;
(b) Provide training and information that meets the training and
information needs of parents of children with disabilities living in
the area served by the PTI, particularly underserved parents and
parents of children who may be inappropriately identified as having
disabilities, including parents of children attending high-poverty
schools and the State's persistently lowest-achieving schools;
(c) 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;
(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--
(i) Options, programs, services, technologies, practices, and
interventions that are based on scientifically based research, to the
extent practicable; and
(ii) 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 and dissemination centers (http://www.tadnet.org), and
communities of practice (http://www.tacommunities.org);
(5) Understand the requirements of IDEA related to the provision of
education and 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 PTIs,
contract with the State educational agencies (SEAs) 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;
(j) Assist parents in understanding, preparing for, and
participating in, the resolution session described in section
615(f)(1)(B) of IDEA;
(k) Establish cooperative partnerships with any CPRCs and any other
PTIs funded in the State under sections 672 and 671 of IDEA,
respectively;
(l) Network with appropriate clearinghouses, including
organizations conducting national dissemination activities under
section 663 of IDEA and the Department's 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 Department on--
(1) The number and demographics of parents to whom the PTI provided
information and training in the most recently concluded fiscal year,
including additional information regarding the parents' unique needs
and the levels of service provided to them; and
(2) The effectiveness of strategies used to reach and serve
parents, including underserved parents of children with disabilities
such as parents of children attending high-poverty schools and the
State's persistently lowest achieving schools, by providing evidence of
how those parents were served effectively;
(n) Respond to requests from the OSEP-funded National Parent
Technical Assistance Center and Regional Parent Technical Assistance
Centers (PTACs), and use the technical assistance services of the
National and Regional PTACs in order to serve the families of infants,
toddlers, and children with disabilities as efficiently as possible.
Regional PTACs are charged with assisting parent centers with
administrative and programmatic issues;
(o) In collaboration with OSEP and the National PTAC, participate
in an annual collection of program data for the PTIs and CPRCs funded
under sections 671 and 672 of IDEA, respectively; and
(p) Maintain ongoing communication with the OSEP Project Officer
through phone conversations and email communication.
In addition, the PTI's board of directors must meet not less than
once
[[Page 11222]]
in each calendar quarter to review the activities for which the award
was made and submit to the Secretary a written review of the PTI's
activities conducted during the preceding fiscal year.
Competitive Preference Priority: Within this absolute priority, we
give competitive preference to applications that meet the following
priority. For FY 2011 and any subsequent year in which we make awards
from the list of unfunded applicants from this competition, this
priority is a competitive preference priority.
Competitive Preference Priority: Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i) we
award an additional 5 points to an application that meets this
priority.
This priority is:
Applicants that propose to use technology to enhance communication
with, and services provided to, parents of children with disabilities,
particularly underserved and hard-to-reach families in order to improve
the project's management efficiency and productivity. Applicants must
include in the project narrative a sustainable plan for how they will
use technology efficiently and innovatively in carrying out project
goals and objectives.
Note: The 5 points an applicant can earn under this competitive
preference priority is in addition to those points awarded under the
selection criteria for this competition (see Selection Criteria in
section V in this notice). That is, an applicant meeting the
competitive preference priority could earn a maximum total of 105
points.
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 and
requirements. Section 681(d) of IDEA, however, makes the public comment
requirements of the APA inapplicable to the priorities in this notice.
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1472, 1473 and 1481.
Applicable Regulations: The Education Department General
Administrative Regulations 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 Awards: Discretionary grants.
Estimated Available Funds: $6,384,325. Please refer to the
``Estimated Available Funds'' column of the chart in this section for
the estimated dollar amounts for individual competitions. Information
concerning funding amounts for individual States and target populations
for the 84.328M competition is provided in the ``Maximum Award'' column
of the chart in this section of this notice.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: See chart.
Maximum Award: See chart.
Estimated Number of Awards: See chart.
Project Period: See chart.
Individuals With Disabilities Education Act Training and Information for Parents of Children with Disabilities Program Application Notice for Fiscal Year 2011
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Estimated
Estimated average Maximum Estimated
Applications Deadline for Deadline for available size of award number of Page
CFDA No. and name available transmittal of intergovernmental funds (see awards (see Note awards Project period limit Contact person
applications review Note 2) (see Note 1) (see Note
2) 2)
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84.328C Community Parent March 1, 2011...... April 15, 2011..... June 14, 2011........ $1,000,000 $100,000 $100,000 10 Up to 60 mos...... 50 Lisa Gorove
Resource Centers. (202) 245-7357
PCP-4060
84.328M Parent Training and March 1, 2011...... April 15, 2011..... June 14, 2011........ 5,384,325 283,386 ......... 19 Up to 48 mos. (see 70 Carmen Sanchez
Information Centers. Note 3). (202) 245-6595
PCP-4055
Alabama......................... ................... ................... ..................... ........... ......... 291,281 ......... .................. ....... ..................
Alaska.......................... ................... ................... ..................... ........... ......... 263,115 ......... .................. ....... ..................
Colorado........................ ................... ................... ..................... ........... ......... 279,445 ......... .................. ....... ..................
Florida......................... ................... ................... ..................... ........... ......... ......... ......... .................. ....... ..................
Region 1.................... ................... ................... ..................... ........... ......... 169,645 ......... .................. ....... ..................
Region 2.................... ................... ................... ..................... ........... ......... 491,973 ......... .................. ....... ..................
Region 3.................... ................... ................... ..................... ........... ......... 330,801 ......... .................. ....... ..................
Kentucky........................ ................... ................... ..................... ........... ......... 258,607 ......... .................. ....... ..................
Maine........................... ................... ................... ..................... ........... ......... 188,545 ......... .................. ....... ..................
Maryland........................ ................... ................... ..................... ........... ......... 319,295 ......... .................. ....... ..................
Nebraska........................ ................... ................... ..................... ........... ......... 224,894 ......... .................. ....... ..................
Nevada.......................... ................... ................... ..................... ........... ......... 205,054 ......... .................. ....... ..................
New York........................ ................... ................... ..................... ........... ......... ......... ......... .................. ....... ..................
Region 1.................... ................... ................... ..................... ........... ......... 632,439 ......... .................. ....... ..................
Region 2.................... ................... ................... ..................... ........... ......... 524,874 ......... .................. ....... ..................
North Dakota.................... ................... ................... ..................... ........... ......... 204,947 ......... .................. ....... ..................
Puerto Rico..................... ................... ................... ..................... ........... ......... 271,950 ......... .................. ....... ..................
Vermont......................... ................... ................... ..................... ........... ......... 189,052 ......... .................. ....... ..................
Wisconsin....................... ................... ................... ..................... ........... ......... 438,408 ......... .................. ....... ..................
Outlying Areas.................. ................... ................... ..................... ........... ......... ......... ......... .................. ....... ..................
American Samoa.............. ................... ................... ..................... ........... ......... 50,000 ......... .................. ....... ..................
[[Page 11223]]
Commonwealth of the Northern ................... ................... ..................... ........... ......... 50,000 ......... .................. ....... ..................
Marianas.
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Note 1: We will reject any application that proposes a budget
exceeding the maximum award for a single budget period of 12 months.
The Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative
Services may change the maximum amount through a notice published in
the Federal Register.
Note 2: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this
notice.
Note 3: For the Parent Training and Information Centers, CFDA
Number 84.328M competition: Project Period: 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 to PTIs in
four-year cycles for each State. In FY 2011, applications for 4-year
awards will be accepted for the following States: Alabama, Arizona,
Colorado, Florida, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Nebraska Nevada, New
York, North Dakota, Vermont, and Wisconsin, as well as the
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Awards also may be made to eligible
applicants in American Samoa and the Commonwealth of the Northern
Mariana Islands. These projects will be funded for a period up to 48
months.
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 within Florida and New York and has identified
corresponding maximum award amounts for each region. Florida and New
York applicants must complete a separate application for each region.
The Assistant Secretary took into consideration current funding
levels, population distribution, poverty rates, and low-density
enrollment 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 or Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
Alabama.................................................... $291,281
Alaska..................................................... 263,115
Colorado................................................... 279,445
Kentucky................................................... 258,607
Maine...................................................... 188,545
Maryland................................................... 319,295
Nebraska................................................... 224,894
Nevada..................................................... 205,054
North Dakota............................................... 204,947
Puerto Rico................................................ 271,950
Vermont.................................................... 189,052
Wisconsin.................................................. 438,408
In Florida one award up to the amount listed will be made to a
qualified applicant for a PTI Center to serve each identified region. A
list of the counties that are included in each region also follows.
Region 1 (Alachua, Baker, Bay, Bradford, Calhoun, Columbia, Dixie,
Escambia, Franklin, Gadsden, Gilchrist Gulf, Hamilton, Holmes, Jackson,
Jefferson, Lafayette, Leon, Liberty, Madison, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa,
Suwannee, Taylor, Union, Wakulla, Walton, and Washington Counties)
$169,645.
Region 2 (Brevard, Charlotte, Citrus, Clay, DeSoto, Duval, Flagler,
Hardee, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Indian River, Lake, Levy,
Manatee, Marion, Nassau, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola, Pasco, Pinellas,
Polk, Putnam, Sarasota, Seminole, St. Johns, St. Lucie, Sumpter, and
Volusia Counties) $491,973.
Region 3 (Broward, Collier, Glades Hendry, Lee, Martin, Miami-Dade,
Monroe, and Palm Beach Counties) $330,801.
In New York, up to three awards will be made to qualified
applicants for a PTI Center to serve Region 1 (the 5 Boroughs of New
York City) and one award will be made to a qualified applicant for a
PTI Center to serve Region 2 (the remainder of the State, including
Nassau and Suffolk Counties on Long Island) in the following amounts:
Region 1--$632,439.
Region 2--$524,874.
One award up to the amount listed may be made to a qualified
applicant from the outlying areas as follows:
American Samoa............................................. $50,000
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands............... $50,000
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.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Absolute priority Eligible applicants
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Community Parent Resource Centers Local parent organizations.
(84.328C).
Parent Training and Information Centers Parent organizations.
(84.328M).
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note: Under section 672(a)(2) of IDEA, a ``local parent
organization'' is a parent organization (as that term is defined in
section 671(a)(2) of IDEA) that--
(a) Has a board of directors, the majority of whom are parents
of children with disabilities ages birth through 26 from the
community to be served.
(b) Has as its mission serving parents of children with
disabilities from that community who (1) are ages birth through 26,
and (2) have the full range of disabilities as defined in section
602(3) of IDEA.
Section 671(a)(2) of IDEA defines a ``parent organization'' as 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;
(ii) Individuals with disabilities; and
(iii) The parent and professional members of which are broadly
[[Page 11224]]
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 program does not require cost
sharing or matching.
3. Other: General Requirements--(a) The projects funded under this
program 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 program 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: You can obtain an
application package via the Internet, from the Education Publications
Center (ED Pubs), or from the program office.
To obtain a copy via the Internet, use the following address:
http://www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/grantapps/index.html. To obtain a
copy from ED Pubs, write, fax, or call the following: ED Pubs, U.S.
Department of Education, P.O. Box 22207, Alexandria, VA 22304.
Telephone, toll free: 1-877-433-7827. FAX: (703) 605-6794. If you use a
telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), call, toll free: 1-877-
576-7734.
You can contact ED Pubs at its Web site, also: http://www.EDPubs.gov or at its e-mail address: [email protected].
If you request an application package from ED Pubs, be sure to
identify the competition to which you want to apply, as follows: CFDA
Number 84.328C or 84.328M.
To obtain a copy from the program office, contact the person listed
under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT in section VII of this notice.
Individuals with disabilities can obtain a copy of the application
package in an accessible format (e.g., braille, large print, audiotape,
or computer diskette) by contacting the person or team listed under
Accessible Format in section VIII 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 each 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 the number of pages listed under ``Page
Limit'' for that competition in the chart under II. Award Information,
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.
Use a font that is either 12 point or larger or no smaller
than 10 pitch (characters per inch).
Use one of the following fonts: Times New Roman, Courier,
Courier New, or Arial. An application submitted in any other font
(including Times Roman or Arial Narrow) will not be accepted.
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, or the letters of support.
However, the page limit does apply to all of the application narrative
section (Part III).
We will reject your application if you exceed the page limit; or if
you apply other standards and exceed the equivalent of the page limit.
3. Submission Dates and Times:
Applications Available: See chart.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: See chart.
Applications for grants under each 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 in
paper format by mail or hand delivery, please refer to section IV. 7.
Other Submission Requirements of this notice.
We do not consider an application that does not comply with the
deadline requirements.
Individuals with disabilities who need an accommodation or
auxiliary aid in connection with the application process should contact
the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT in section VII
of this notice. If the Department provides an accommodation or
auxiliary aid to an individual with a disability in connection with the
application process, the individual's application remains subject to
all other requirements and limitations in this notice.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: See chart.
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 each competition.
5. Funding Restrictions: We reference regulations outlining funding
restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.
6. Data Universal Numbering System Number, Taxpayer Identification
Number, and Central Contractor Registry: To do business with the
Department of Education, you must--
a. Have a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number and a
Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN);
b. Register both your DUNS number and TIN with the Central
Contractor Registry (CCR), the Government's primary registrant
database;
c. Provide your DUNS number and TIN on your application; and
d. Maintain an active CCR registration with current information
while your application is under review by the Department and, if you
are awarded a grant, during the project period.
You can obtain a DUNS number from Dun and Bradstreet. A DUNS number
can be created within one business day.
If you are a corporate entity, agency, institution, or
organization, you can obtain a TIN from the Internal Revenue Service.
If you are an individual, you can obtain a TIN from the Internal
Revenue Service or the Social Security Administration. If you need a
new TIN, please allow 2-5 weeks for your TIN to become active.
The CCR registration process may take five or more business days to
complete. If you are currently registered with the CCR, you may not
need to make any changes. However, please make certain that the TIN
associated with your DUNS number is correct. Also note that you will
need to update your CCR registration on an annual basis. This may take
three or more business days to complete.
In addition, if you are submitting your application via Grants.gov,
you must (1) be designated by your organization as an Authorized
Organization Representative (AOR); and (2) register yourself with
Grants.gov as an AOR. Details on these steps are outlined in the
Grants.gov 3-
[[Page 11225]]
Step Registration Guide (see http://www.grants.gov/section910/Grants.govRegistrationBrochure.pdf).
7. Other Submission Requirements: Applications for grants under
each competition announced in this notice may be submitted
electronically or in paper format by mail or hand delivery.
a. Electronic Submission of Applications.
We are participating as a partner in the Governmentwide Grants.gov
Apply site. The Training and Information for Parents of Children with
Disabilities Program competitions, CFDA numbers 84.328C and 84.328M,
are included in this project. We request your participation in
Grants.gov.
If you choose to submit your application electronically, you must
use the Governmentwide 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 the Training
and Information for Parents of Children with Disabilities Program
competitions, CFDA numbers 84.328C and 84.328M 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 (e.g., search for 84.328, not
84.328M).
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 date and time
stamped. Your application must be fully uploaded and submitted and must
be date and time stamped by the Grants.gov system no later than 4:30:00
p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. Except as
otherwise noted in this section, we will not accept your application if
it is received--that is, date and time stamped by the Grants.gov
system--after 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application
deadline date. We do not consider an application that does not comply
with the deadline requirements. When we retrieve your application from
Grants.gov, we will notify you if we are rejecting your application
because it was date and time stamped by the Grants.gov system after
4:30:00 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 submission 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 program 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 under News and Events on the Department's G5 system home
page at http://www.G5.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.
If you submit your application electronically, you must
submit all documents electronically, including all information you
typically provide on the following forms: the 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.
If you submit your application electronically, you must
attach any narrative sections of your application as files in a .PDF
(Portable Document) format only. If you upload a file type other than a
.PDF 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 from Grants.gov an automatic notification of receipt that
contains a Grants.gov tracking number. (This notification indicates
receipt by Grants.gov only, not receipt by the Department.) The
Department then will retrieve your application from Grants.gov and send
a second notification to you by e-mail. This second notification
indicates that the Department has received your application and has
assigned your application 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 Technical Issues
with the Grants.gov System: If you are experiencing problems submitting
your application through Grants.gov, please contact the Grants.gov
Support Desk, toll free, at 1-800-518-4726. You must obtain a
Grants.gov Support Desk Case Number and must keep a record of it.
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 4:30:00 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 described elsewhere in this notice.
If you submit an application after 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC
time, on the application deadline date, please contact the person
listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT in section VII of this
notice and provide an explanation of the technical problem you
experienced with Grants.gov, along with the Grants.gov Support Desk
Case Number. 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 4:30:00
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: The extensions to which we refer 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 application 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 following address:
U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Center, Attention:
(CFDA Number 84.328C or 84.328M), LBJ Basement Level 1, 400 Maryland
Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20202-4260.
You must show proof of mailing consisting of one of the following:
(1) A legibly dated U.S. Postal Service postmark.
[[Page 11226]]
(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.
(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.
(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 84.328C or 84.328M), 550 12th Street, SW., Room 7041,
Potomac Center Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-4260.
The Application Control Center accepts hand deliveries daily
between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30:00 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, including
suffix letter, if any, of the competition under which you are
submitting your application; and
(2) The Application Control Center will mail to you a
notification of receipt of your grant application. If you do not
receive this notification 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
1. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this program are
from 34 CFR 75.210 and are listed in the application package.
2. Review and Selection Process: We remind potential applicants
that in reviewing applications in any discretionary grant competition,
the Secretary may consider, under 34 CFR 75.217(d)(3), the past
performance of the applicant in carrying out a previous award, such as
the applicant's use of funds, and compliance with grant conditions. The
Secretary may also consider whether the applicant failed to submit a
timely performance report or submitted a report of unacceptable
quality.
In addition, in making a competitive grant award, the Secretary
also requires various assurances including those applicable to Federal
civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination in programs or
activities receiving Federal financial assistance from the Department
of Education (34 CFR 100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).
3. Additional Review and Selection Process Factors: In the past,
the Department has had difficulty finding peer reviewers for certain
competitions because so many individuals who are eligible to serve as
peer reviewers have conflicts of interest. The Standing Panel
requirements under IDEA also have placed additional constraints on the
availability of reviewers. Therefore, the Department has determined
that, for some discretionary grant competitions, applications may be
separated into two or more groups and ranked and selected for funding
within specific groups. This procedure will make it easier for the
Department to find peer reviewers, by ensuring that greater numbers of
individuals who are eligible to serve as reviewers for any particular
group of applicants will not have conflicts of interest. It also will
increase the quality, independence, and fairness of the review process,
while permitting panel members to review applications under
discretionary grant competitions for which they also have submitted
applications. However, if the Department decides to select an equal
number of applications in each group for funding, this may result in
different cut-off points for fundable applications in each group.
4. Special Conditions: Under 34 CFR 74.14 and 80.12, the Secretary
may impose special conditions on a grant if the applicant or grantee is
not financially stable; has a history of unsatisfactory performance;
has a financial or other management system that does not meet the
standards in 34 CFR parts 74 or 80, as applicable; has not fulfilled
the conditions of a prior grant; or is otherwise not responsible.
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 notify you informally, also.
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: (a) If you apply for a grant under this competition,
you must ensure that you have in place the necessary processes and
systems to comply with the reporting requirements in 2 CFR part 170
should you receive funding under the competition. This does not apply
if you have an exception under 2 CFR 170.110(b).
(b) 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 directed by the Secretary under 34
CFR 75.118. The Secretary may also require more frequent performance
reports under 34 CFR 75.720(c). For specific requirements on reporting,
please go to http://www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/appforms/appforms.html.
4. Performance Measures: Under the Government Performance and
Results Act of 1993, the Department has established a set of
performance measures, including long-term measures, that are designed
to yield information on various aspects of the effectiveness and
quality of the Training and Information for Parents of Children with
Disabilities program. The measures 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 in annual reports submitted to the Department.
Grantees also will be required to report information on their
projects'
[[Page 11227]]
performance in annual reports to the Department (34 CFR 75.590).
5. Continuation Awards: In making a continuation award, the
Secretary may consider, under 34 CFR 75.253, the extent to which a
grantee has made ``substantial progress toward meeting the objectives
in its approved application.'' This consideration includes the review
of a grantee's progress in meeting the targets and projected outcomes
in its approved application, and whether the grantee has expended funds
in a manner that is consistent with its approved application and
budget. In making a continuation grant, the Secretary also considers
whether the grantee is operating in compliance with the assurances in
its approved application, including those applicable to Federal civil
rights laws that prohibit discrimination in programs or activities
receiving Federal financial assistance from the Department (34 CFR
100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).
VII. Agency Contact
For Further Information Contact: See the chart in the II.
Award Information section in this notice for the name, room number,
and telephone number of the contact person for each competition. You
can write to the contact person at the following address: U.S.
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Potomac Center Plaza
(PCP), Washington, DC 20202-2550.
If you use a TDD, call the Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll free,
at 1-800-877-8339.
VIII. Other Information
Accessible Format: Individuals with disabilities can obtain this
document and a copy of the application package in an accessible format
(e.g., braille, large print, audiotape, or computer diskette) by
contacting the Grants and Contracts Services Team, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 5075, PCP, Washington, DC
20202-2550. Telephone: (202) 245-7363. If you use a TDD, call the FRS,
toll free, at 1-800-877-8339.
Electronic Access to This Document: You can 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.
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: February 24, 2011.
Alexa Posny,
Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.
[FR Doc. 2011-4553 Filed 2-28-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P