[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 99 (Wednesday, May 22, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23543-23552]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-10710]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Applications for New Awards; Personnel Development To Improve
Services and Results for Children With Disabilities--Preparation of
Special Education, Early Intervention, and Related Services Leadership
Personnel
AGENCY: Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services,
Department of Education.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The mission of the Office of Special Education and
Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) is to improve early childhood,
educational, and employment outcomes and raise expectations for all
people with disabilities, their families, their communities, and the
Nation. As such, the Department of Education (Department) is issuing a
notice inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY) 2019
for Personnel Development to Improve Services and Results for Children
with Disabilities--Preparation of Special Education, Early
Intervention, and Related Services Leadership Personnel, Catalog of
Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number 84.325D. This notice relates
to the approved information collection under OMB control number 1820-
0028.
Applications Available: May 22, 2019.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: July 8, 2019.
Pre-Application Webinar Information: No later than May 28, 2019,
OSERS will post pre-recorded informational webinars designed to provide
technical assistance to interested applicants. The webinars may be
found at www2.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/osep/new-osep-grants.html.
Pre-Application Q & A Blog: No later than May 28, 2019, OSERS will
open a blog where interested applicants may post questions about the
application requirements for this competition and where OSERS will post
answers to the questions received. OSERS will not respond to questions
unrelated to the application requirements for this competition. The
blog may be found at www2.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/osep/new-osep-grants.html and will remain open until June 10, 2019. After the blog
closes, applicants should direct questions to the person listed under
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: September 4, 2019
ADDRESSES: For the addresses for obtaining and submitting an
application, please refer to our Common Instructions for Applicants to
Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs, published in the
Federal Register on February 13, 2019 (84 FR 3768), and available at
www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2019-02-13/pdf/2019-02206.pdf.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Celia Rosenquist, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Room 5158, Potomac Center Plaza,
Washington, DC 20202-5076. Telephone: (202) 245-7373. Email:
[email protected].
If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) or a text
telephone (TTY), call the Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll free, at 1-
800-877-8339.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Full Text of Announcement
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Purpose of Program: The purposes of this program are to (1) help
address State-identified needs for personnel preparation in special
education, early intervention, related services, and regular education
to work with children, including infants and toddlers, with
disabilities; and (2) ensure that those personnel have the necessary
skills and knowledge, derived from practices that have been determined
through scientifically based research and experience, to be successful
in serving those children.
Priorities: This competition includes two absolute priorities and
three competitive preference priorities. In accordance with 34 CFR
75.105(b)(2)(v), the absolute priorities and competitive preference
priorities are from allowable activities specified in the statute (see
sections 662 and 681 of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
(IDEA); 20 U.S.C. 1462 and 1481).
Absolute Priorities: For FY 2019 and any subsequent year in which
we make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this
competition, these priorities are absolute priorities. Under 34 CFR
75.105(c)(3), we consider only applications that meet either
[[Page 23544]]
Absolute Priority 1 or Absolute Priority 2. Applicants may apply under
both absolute priorities but must submit separate applications.
These priorities are:
Absolute Priority 1-- Preparation of Special Education, Early
Intervention, and Related Services Faculty.
Background: The purpose of this priority is to support existing
doctoral degree programs that prepare special education, early
intervention, and related services personnel who are well-qualified
for, and can act effectively in, leadership positions as researchers
and preparers of special education, early intervention, and related
services personnel in institutions of higher education (IHEs). This
priority is consistent with Supplemental Priority 2--Promoting
Innovation and Efficiency, Streamlining Education with an Increased
Focus on Improving Student Outcomes, and Providing Increased Value to
Students and Taxpayers; Supplemental Priority 5--Meeting the Unique
Needs of Students and Children With Disabilities and/or Those with
Unique Gifts and Talents; and Supplemental Priority 8--Promoting
Effective Instruction in Classrooms and Schools.
There is a well-documented need for leadership personnel to fill
faculty positions within IHEs in special education, early intervention,
and related services (Castillo, Curtis, & Tan, 2014; Montrosse & Young,
2012; Robb, Smith, & Montrosse, 2012; Smith, Montrosse, Robb, Tyler, &
Young, 2011; Smith, Robb, West, & Tyler, 2010; Woods & Snyder, 2009).
These leaders conduct research to increase the knowledge of effective
interventions and services for children, including infants and
toddlers, and youth with disabilities. These leaders also teach
practices supported by evidence to future special education, early
intervention, related services, and regular education professionals who
will work in a variety of educational settings and provide services
directly to these children (deBettencourt, Hoover, Rude, & Taylor,
2016; Robb et al., 2012; Smith et al., 2010; West & Hardman, 2012).
Shortages in these leadership positions limit the field's capacity to
generate new knowledge of effective interventions and to prepare future
professionals to improve outcomes for children with disabilities (Smith
et al., 2011).
Leadership personnel in IHEs play an essential role in promoting
high expectations for each child with a disability and provide, or
prepare others to provide, effective interventions and services that
improve outcomes for children, including infants, toddlers, and youth
with disabilities. Critical competencies for special education, early
intervention, and related services faculty vary depending on the type
and the requirements of the preparation program but can include, for
example, skills needed for postsecondary instruction, research,
administration, policy development, professional practice, the use of
technologies to support teaching and student learning, and leadership.
However, all leadership personnel need to promote high expectations and
have current knowledge of effective interventions and services that
improve outcomes for children with disabilities, including high-need
children with disabilities. This knowledge should be applicable to
children served in a variety of educational settings (e.g., urban or
rural public schools, including charter schools, or urban or rural
private schools) or early childhood and early intervention settings
(e.g., home, community-based, Early Head Start and Head Start, child
care, or public and private preschools). The interventions and services
must include those that improve early childhood, educational, and
employment outcomes.
Priority: The purpose of this priority is to support existing
doctoral degree programs that prepare special education, early
intervention, and related services personnel at the doctoral degree
level who are well qualified for, and can act effectively in, faculty
positions in IHEs as researchers and preparers of personnel.
This priority will provide support to help address identified needs
for personnel with the knowledge and skills to establish and meet high
expectations for each child with a disability. Programs must culminate
in a doctoral degree, which may include a Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)
degree. To be considered for funding under this absolute priority,
program applicants must meet the application requirements contained in
the priority. All projects funded under this absolute priority also
must meet the programmatic and administrative requirements specified in
the priority.
Note: Preparation programs that lead to clinical doctoral
degrees in related services (e.g., a Doctor of Audiology degree or
Doctor of Physical Therapy degree) are not included in this
priority. These types of preparation programs are eligible to apply
for funding under the Personnel Preparation in Special Education,
Early Intervention, and Related Services priority (CFDA 84.325K)
that the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) intends to fund
in FY 2019.
Note: Applicants must demonstrate matching support for the
proposed project at 10 percent of the total amount of the grant as
specified in paragraph (d)(10) of the requirements of this priority
for an application to be reviewed and be considered eligible to
receive an award.
To meet the requirements of this priority, an applicant must--
(a) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under
``Significance,'' how--
(1) The project addresses the need for leadership personnel to
promote high expectations and provide, or prepare others to provide,
effective interventions and services that improve outcomes for children
with disabilities, including high-need children with disabilities.\1\
To address this requirement, the applicant must present--
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\1\ For purposes of this priority, ``high-need children with
disabilities'' refers to children or students (ages birth through
21, depending on the State) who are eligible for services under
IDEA, and who may be at risk of educational failure or otherwise in
need of special assistance or support because they: (1) Are living
in poverty, (2) are English learners, (3) are academically far below
grade level, (4) have left school before receiving a regular high
school diploma, (5) are at risk of not graduating with a regular
high school diploma on time, (6) are homeless, (7) are in foster
care, or (8) have been incarcerated.
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(i) Appropriate and applicable data (e.g., national, State)
demonstrating the need for the leadership personnel the applicant
proposes to prepare; and
(ii) Data demonstrating the success of the doctoral program to date
in producing faculty in special education, early intervention, or
related services, such as: The professional accomplishments of program
graduates (e.g., public service, awards, or publications) that
demonstrate their leadership in special education, early intervention,
or related services; the average amount of time it takes for program
graduates to complete the program; the number of program graduates; and
the percentage of program graduates finding employment directly related
to their preparation; and
Note: Data on the success of a doctoral program should be no
older than five years prior to the start date of the project
proposed in the application. When reporting percentages, the
denominator (i.e., the total number of scholars or program
graduates) must be provided.
(2) Scholar competencies to be acquired in the program relate to
knowledge and skills needed by the leadership personnel the applicant
proposes to prepare. To address this requirement, the applicant must--
(i) Identify the competencies needed by leadership personnel in
order to provide, or prepare others to provide,
[[Page 23545]]
effective interventions and services that improve outcomes for children
with disabilities, including high-need children with disabilities; and
(ii) Provide the conceptual framework of the leadership preparation
program, including any empirical support, that will promote the
acquisition of the identified competencies needed by leadership
personnel.
(b) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under
``Quality of project services,'' how--
(1) The applicant will recruit and support high-quality
scholars.\2\ The narrative must describe--
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\2\ For the purposes of this priority, ``scholar'' is limited to
an individual who (a) is pursuing a doctoral degree related to
special education, early intervention, or related services; (b)
receives scholarship assistance as authorized under section 662 of
IDEA (34 CFR 304.3(g)); and (c) will be able to be employed in a
position that serves children with disabilities for either 51
percent of their time or case load. See https://pdp.ed.gov/OSEP/Home/Regulation for more information.
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(i) The selection criteria the applicant will use to identify high-
quality applicants for admission in the program;
(ii) The recruitment strategies the applicant will use to attract
high-quality applicants and any specific recruitment strategies
targeting high-quality applicants from groups that are underrepresented
in the profession, including individuals with disabilities; and
(iii) The approach the applicant will use to help all scholars,
including individuals with disabilities, complete the program; and
(2) The project is designed to promote the acquisition of the
competencies needed by leadership personnel to promote high
expectations and provide, or prepare others to provide, effective
interventions and services that improve outcomes for children with
disabilities, including high-need children with disabilities. To
address this requirement, the applicant must--
(i) Describe how the components of the project, such as coursework,
internship experiences, research requirements, and other opportunities
provided to scholars will enable the scholars to acquire the
competencies needed by leadership personnel the applicant proposes to
prepare;
(ii) Describe how the components of the project are integrated in
order to support the acquisition and enhancement of the identified
competencies needed by leadership personnel the applicant proposes to
prepare;
(iii) Describe how the components of the project prepare scholars
to promote high expectations and to provide, or prepare others to
provide, effective interventions and services that improve outcomes for
children with disabilities, including high-need children with
disabilities, in a variety of educational or early childhood and early
intervention settings;
(iv) Demonstrate, through a letter of support from a public, non-
traditional public, parochial, or private partnering agency, school, or
program, that it will provide scholars with a high-quality internship
experience in a high-need LEA,\3\ a high-poverty school,\4\ a school
implementing a comprehensive support and improvement plan,\5\ a school
implementing a targeted support and improvement plan \6\ for children
with disabilities, an SEA, an early childhood and early intervention
program located within the geographical boundaries of a high-need LEA,
or an early childhood and early intervention program located within the
geographical boundaries of an LEA serving the highest percentage of
schools identified for comprehensive support and improvement or
implementing targeted support and improvement plans in the State;
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\3\ For the purposes of this priority, ``high-need LEA'' means
an LEA (a) that serves not fewer than 10,000 children from families
with incomes below the poverty line; or (b) for which not less than
20 percent of the children served by the LEA are from families with
incomes below the poverty line.
\4\ For the purposes of this priority, ``high-poverty school''
means a school in which at least 50 percent of students are from
low-income families as determined using one of the measures of
poverty specified under section 1113(a)(5) of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended (ESEA). For middle and
high schools, eligibility may be calculated on the basis of
comparable data from feeder schools. Eligibility as a high-poverty
school is determined on the basis of the most currently available
data.
\5\ For the purposes of this priority, a ``school implementing a
comprehensive support and improvement plan'' is a school identified
for comprehensive support and improvement by the State under section
1111(c)(4)(D) of the ESEA that includes (a) not less than the
lowest-performing five percent of all schools receiving funds under
Title I, Part A of the ESEA; (b) all public high schools in the
State failing to graduate one-third or more of their students; and
(c) public schools in the State described under section
1111(d)(3)(A)(i)(II) of the ESEA.
\6\ For the purposes of this priority, a ``school implementing a
targeted support and improvement plan'' means a school identified
for targeted support and improvement by a State that has developed
and is implementing a school-level targeted support and improvement
plan to improve student outcomes based on the indicators in the
statewide accountability system as defined in section 1111(d)(2) of
the ESEA.
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(v) Describe how the project will partner with diverse stakeholders
to inform project components;
(vi) Describe how the project will use resources, as appropriate,
available through technical assistance centers, which may include
centers funded by the Department;
(vii) Describe the approach that faculty members will use to mentor
or otherwise support scholars with the goal of helping them acquire
competencies needed by leadership personnel and advancing their careers
in special education, early intervention, or related services; and
(viii) Describe how the components of the project will promote the
acquisition of scholars' critical leadership skills, including
communication, networking, and collaboration.
(c) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under
``Quality of the project evaluation,'' how the applicant will--
(1) Evaluate how well the goals or objectives of the proposed
leadership project have been met. The applicant must describe the
outcomes to be measured for both the project and the scholars,
particularly the acquisition of scholars' competencies; and the
evaluation methodologies to be employed, including proposed
instruments, data collection methods, and possible analyses;
(2) Collect, analyze, and use data on current scholars and scholars
who graduate from the program to improve the proposed program on an
ongoing basis; and
(3) Report the evaluation results to OSEP in the applicant's annual
and final performance reports.
(d) Demonstrate, in the narrative under ``Required Project
Assurances'' or appendices as directed, that the following program
requirements are met. The applicant must--
(1) Include in appendix B of the application--
(i) Course syllabi for all coursework in the major and any required
coursework for a minor;
(ii) Course syllabi for all research methods, evaluation methods,
or data analysis courses required by the degree program and elective
research methods, evaluation methods, or data analysis courses that
have been completed by more than one scholar enrolled in the program in
the last five years; and
(iii) For new coursework, proposed syllabi;
(2) Ensure that the proposed number of scholars to be recruited
into the program can graduate from the program by the end of the
project period. The described scholar recruitment strategies, including
recruitment of individuals with disabilities, the program components
and their sequence, and proposed budget must be consistent with this
requirement;
(3) Ensure scholars will not be selected based on race or national
origin/ethnicity. Per the Supreme
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Court's decision in Adarand Constructors, Inc. v. Pena, 515 U.S. 200
(1995), the Department does not allow the selection of individuals on
the basis of race or national origin/ethnicity. For this reason,
grantees must ensure that any discussion of the recruitment of scholars
based on race or national origin/ethnicity distinguishes between
increasing the pool of applicants and actually selecting scholars;
(4) Ensure that the project will meet the requirements in 34 CFR
304.23, particularly those related to (a) informing all scholarship
recipients of their service obligation commitment; and (b) disbursing
scholarships. Failure by a grantee to properly meet these requirements
is a violation of the grant award that may result in sanctions,
including the grantee being liable for returning any misused funds to
the Department;
(5) Ensure that prior approval from the OSEP project officer will
be obtained before admitting additional scholars beyond the number of
scholars proposed in the application and before transferring a scholar
to another preparation program funded by OSEP;
(6) Ensure that the project will meet the statutory requirements in
section 662(e) through (h) of IDEA;
(7) Ensure that at least 65 percent of the total budget over the
project period will be used for scholar support;
(8) Ensure that the IHE will not require scholars enrolled in the
program to work (e.g., as graduate assistants) as a condition of
receiving support (e.g., tuition, stipends) from the proposed project,
unless the work is specifically related to the acquisition of scholars'
competencies or the requirements for completion of their personnel
preparation program. This prohibition on work as a condition of
receiving support does not apply to the service obligation requirements
in section 662(h) of IDEA;
(9) Ensure that the project will be operated in a manner consistent
with nondiscrimination requirements contained in the U.S. Constitution
and the Federal civil rights laws;
(10) Demonstrate, in the budget information (ED Form 524, Section
B) and budget narrative, matching support for the proposed project at
10 percent of the total amount of the grant. Applicants must propose
the amount of cash or in-kind resources;
Note: Under 34 CFR 75.562, educational training grants under
this program have an 8 percent limit on indirect costs. The
difference between a grantee's negotiated indirect cost rate and the
8 percent limit cannot be used to meet this requirement.
Matching support can be either cash or in-kind donations. Under
2 CFR 200.306, a cash expenditure or outlay of cash with respect to
the matching budget by the grantee is considered a cash
contribution. Certain cash contributions that the organization
normally considers an indirect cost should not be counted as a
direct cost for the purposes of meeting matching support.
Unrecovered indirect costs cannot be used to meet the non-Federal
matching support. Under 2 CFR 200.434, third-party in-kind
contributions are services or property (e.g., land, buildings,
equipment, materials, supplies) that are contributed by a non-
Federal third party at no charge to the grantee.
(11) Ensure that the budget includes attendance by the project
director at a three-day project directors' meeting in Washington, DC,
during each year of the project. The budget may also provide for the
attendance of scholars at the same three-day project directors'
meetings in Washington, DC;
(12) Ensure that the project director, key personnel, and scholars
will actively participate in the cross-project collaboration, advanced
trainings, and cross-site learning opportunities (e.g., webinars,
briefings) supported by OSEP. This network is intended to promote
opportunities for participants to share resources and generate new
knowledge by addressing topics of common interest to participants
across projects including Department priorities and needs in the field;
(13) Ensure that if the project maintains a website, that it will
be of high quality, with an easy-to-navigate design, that meets
government or industry-recognized standards for accessibility;
(14) Ensure that annual progress toward meeting project goals is
posted on the project website;
(15) Ensure that scholar accomplishments (e.g., public service,
awards, publications) will be reported in annual and final performance
reports; and
(16) Ensure that annual data will be submitted on each scholar who
receives grant support (OMB Control Number 1820-0686). The primary
purposes of the data collection are to track the service obligation
fulfillment of scholars who receive funds from OSEP grants and to
collect data for program performance measure reporting under the
Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 (GPRA). Applicants are
encouraged to visit the Personnel Development Program Data Collection
System (DCS) website at https://pdp.ed.gov/osep for further information
about this data collection requirement. Typically, data collection
begins in January of each year, and grantees are notified by email
about the data collection period for their grant, although grantees may
submit data as needed, year-round. This data collection must be
submitted electronically by the grantee and does not supplant the
annual grant performance report required of each grantee for
continuation funding (see 34 CFR 75.590). Data collection includes the
submission of a signed, completed Pre-Scholarship Agreement and Exit
Certification for each scholar funded under an OSEP grant (see
paragraph (4) of this section).
Absolute Priority 2--Preparation of Special Education and Early
Intervention Administrators.
Background: The purpose of this priority is to support existing
doctoral degree programs that prepare special education or early
intervention personnel who are well-qualified for, and can act
effectively in, leadership positions in traditional and non-traditional
public school systems, such as State educational agencies (SEAs),
charter management organizations (CMOs), charter school authorizers,
lead agencies (LAs), local educational agencies (LEAs), private school
networks, parochial schools, early intervention services programs (EIS
programs), or schools. This priority is consistent with Supplemental
Priority 2--Promoting Innovation and Efficiency, Streamlining Education
with an Increased Focus on Improving Student Outcomes, and Providing
Increased Value to Students and Taxpayers; Supplemental Priority 5--
Meeting the Unique Needs of Students and Children With Disabilities
and/or Those with Unique Gifts and Talents; and Supplemental Priority
8--Promoting Effective Instruction in Classrooms and Schools.
Shortages of leadership personnel at State and local agencies to
fill special education and early intervention administrator positions
have been noted (Bellamy & Iwaszuk, 2017; Billingsley, Crockett, &
Kamman, 2014). The turnover rate for leaders in State and local
agencies has also increased substantially over the past decade, which
impacts the ongoing efforts at the State and local levels to improve
educational practices (NCSI, 2018a; NCSI, 2018b). These administrators
supervise and evaluate the implementation of instructional programs to
make sure that State or local agencies are meeting the needs of
children with disabilities. Administrators also ensure that schools and
programs meet Federal, State, and local requirements for special
education, early intervention, and related services (Billingsley et
al., 2014;
[[Page 23547]]
Bruns, LaRocca, Sharp, & Sopko, 2017; Boscardin & Lashley, 2018).
Special education and early intervention administrators play an
essential role in promoting high expectations for each child with a
disability and supervising the provision of effective interventions and
services that improve outcomes for children, including infants,
toddlers, and youth with disabilities. Critical competencies for
special education or early intervention administrators vary depending
on the type of leadership personnel and the requirements of the
preparation program but can include, for example, skills needed for
implementing special education policies and laws, administration and
supervision, organizational and system change, program planning and
implementation, evaluation of educational programs, technology
implementation, and collaboration with stakeholders (Boscardin &
Lashley, 2018; Bruns et al., 2017). However, all leadership personnel
need to promote high expectations and have current knowledge of
effective interventions and services that improve outcomes for children
with disabilities, including high-need children with disabilities. This
knowledge should be applicable to children served in a variety of
educational settings (e.g., urban or rural public schools, including
charter schools, or urban or rural private schools) or early childhood
and early intervention settings (e.g., home, community-based, Early
Head Start and Head Start, child care, or public and private
preschools). The interventions and services must include those that
improve early childhood, educational, and employment outcomes.
Priority: The purpose of this priority is to support existing
doctoral degree programs that prepare special education or early
intervention personnel to work as administrators in traditional and
non-traditional public school systems such as SEAs, CMOs, charter
school authorizers, LAs, LEAs, private school networks, parochial
schools, EIS programs, or schools in positions such as SEA special
education administrators, LEA or regional special education directors,
school-based special education directors, preschool coordinators, and
early intervention coordinators.
This priority will provide support to help address identified needs
for personnel with the knowledge and skills to establish and meet high
expectations for each child with a disability. Doctoral programs in
educational administration that include a focus on special education
are eligible under this priority. Programs must culminate in a doctoral
degree, which may include a Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) degree. The
preparation of school principals is not included under this priority.
Under this priority, applicants may propose projects that enroll
scholars who are concurrently employed (e.g., as special education
teachers) while enrolled in the program. To be considered for funding
under this absolute priority, all applicants must meet all of the
application requirements contained in the priority. All projects funded
under this absolute priority also must meet all of the programmatic and
administrative requirements specified in the priority.
To meet the requirements of this priority, an applicant must--
(a) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under
``Significance,'' how--
(1) The project addresses the need for leadership personnel to
promote high expectations and supervise the provision of effective
interventions and services that improve outcomes for children with
disabilities, including high-need children with disabilities.\7\ To
address this requirement, the applicant must present--
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\7\ For purposes of this priority, ``high-need children with
disabilities'' refers to children or students (ages birth through
21, depending on the State) who are eligible for services under
IDEA, and who may be at risk of educational failure or otherwise in
need of special assistance or support because they: (1) Are living
in poverty, (2) are English learners, (3) are academically far below
grade level, (4) have left school before receiving a regular high
school diploma, (5) are at risk of not graduating with a regular
high school diploma on time, (6) are homeless, (7) are in foster
care, or (8) have been incarcerated.
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(i) Appropriate and applicable data (e.g., State, region, district,
local) demonstrating the need for the special education or early
intervention administrators the applicant proposes to prepare; and
(ii) Data demonstrating the success of the doctoral program to date
in producing special education or early intervention administrators,
such as: The professional accomplishments of program graduates (e.g.,
public service, awards) that demonstrate their leadership in special
education or early intervention; the average amount of time it takes
for program graduates to complete the program; the number of program
graduates; and the percentage of program graduates finding employment
directly related to their preparation; and
Note: Data on the success of a doctoral program should be no
older than five years prior to the start date of the project
proposed in the application. When reporting percentages, the
denominator (i.e., the total number of scholars or program
graduates) must be provided.
(2) Scholar competencies to be acquired in the program relate to
knowledge and skills needed by the leadership personnel the applicant
proposes to prepare. To address this requirement, the applicant must--
(i) Identify the competencies needed by leadership personnel to
supervise the provision of effective interventions and services that
improve outcomes for children with disabilities, including high-need
children with disabilities; and
(ii) Provide the conceptual framework of the leadership preparation
program, including any empirical support, that will promote the
acquisition of the identified competencies needed by leadership
personnel.
(b) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under
``Quality of project services,'' how--
(1) The applicant will recruit and support high-quality
scholars.\8\ The narrative must describe--
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\8\ For the purposes of this priority, ``scholar'' is limited to
an individual who (a) is pursuing a doctoral degree related to
special education, early intervention, or related services; (b)
receives scholarship assistance as authorized under section 662 of
IDEA (34 CFR 304.3(g)); and (c) will be able to be employed in a
position that serves children with disabilities for either 51
percent of their time or case load. See https://pdp.ed.gov/OSEP/Home/Regulation for more information.
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(i) The selection criteria the applicant will use to identify high-
quality applicants for admission in the program;
(ii) The recruitment strategies the applicant will use to attract
high-quality applicants and any specific recruitment strategies
targeting high-quality applicants from groups that are underrepresented
in the profession, including individuals with disabilities; and
(iii) The approach the applicant will use to help all scholars,
including individuals with disabilities, complete the program; and
(2) The project is designed to promote the acquisition of the
competencies needed by leadership personnel to promote high
expectations and supervise the provision of effective interventions and
services that improve outcomes for children with disabilities,
including high-need children with disabilities. To address this
requirement, the applicant must--
(i) Describe how the components of the project, such as coursework,
work-based experiences aligned with project components (e.g.,
internships, current employment), program evaluation, and other
opportunities provided to scholars, will enable the scholars to
[[Page 23548]]
acquire the competencies needed by leadership personnel the applicant
proposes to prepare;
(ii) Describe how the components of the project are integrated in
order to support the acquisition and enhancement of the identified
competencies needed by leadership personnel the applicant proposes to
prepare;
(iii) Describe how the components of the project prepare scholars
to promote high expectations and to supervise the provision of
effective interventions and services that improve outcomes for children
with disabilities, including high-need children with disabilities, in a
variety of educational or early childhood and early intervention
settings;
(iv) Demonstrate, through a letter of support from a public, non-
traditional public, parochial, or private partnering agency, school, or
program, that it will provide scholars with a high-quality internship
experience in a high-need LEA,\9\ a high-poverty school,\10\ a school
implementing a comprehensive support and improvement plan,\11\ a school
implementing a targeted support and improvement plan \12\ for children
with disabilities, an SEA, an early childhood and early intervention
program located within the geographical boundaries of a high-need LEA,
or an early childhood and early intervention program located within the
geographical boundaries of an LEA serving the highest percentage of
schools identified for comprehensive support and improvement or
implementing targeted support and improvement plans in the State;
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\9\ For the purposes of this priority, ``high-need LEA'' means
an LEA (a) that serves not fewer than 10,000 children from families
with incomes below the poverty line; or (b) for which not less than
20 percent of the children served by the LEA are from families with
incomes below the poverty line.
\10\ For the purposes of this priority, ``high-poverty school''
means a school in which at least 50 percent of students are from
low-income families as determined using one of the measures of
poverty specified under section 1113(a)(5) of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended (ESEA). For middle and
high schools, eligibility may be calculated on the basis of
comparable data from feeder schools. Eligibility as a high-poverty
school is determined on the basis of the most currently available
data.
\11\ For the purposes of this priority, a ``school implementing
a comprehensive support and improvement plan'' is a school
identified for comprehensive support and improvement by the State
under section 1111(c)(4)(D) of the ESEA that includes (a) not less
than the lowest-performing five percent of all schools receiving
funds under Title I, Part A of the ESEA; (b) all public high schools
in the State failing to graduate one-third or more of their
students; and (c) public schools in the State described under
section 1111(d)(3)(A)(i)(II) of the ESEA.
\12\ For the purposes of this priority, a ``school implementing
a targeted support and improvement plan'' means a school identified
for targeted support and improvement by a State that has developed
and is implementing a school-level targeted support and improvement
plan to improve student outcomes based on the indicators in the
statewide accountability system as defined in section 1111(d)(2) of
the ESEA.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(v) Describe how the project will partner with diverse stakeholders
to inform project components;
(vi) Describe how the project will use resources, as appropriate,
available through technical assistance centers, which may include
centers funded by the Department;
(vii) Describe the approach that faculty members will use to mentor
or otherwise support scholars, including scholars who are pursuing a
degree on a part-time basis or are concurrently employed on a full-time
basis, with the goal of helping them acquire competencies needed by
leadership personnel and advancing their careers in special education
or early intervention administration; and
(viii) Describe how the components of the project will promote the
acquisition of scholars' critical leadership skills, including
communication, networking, and collaboration.
(c) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under
``Quality of the project evaluation,'' how the applicant will--
(1) Evaluate how well the goals or objectives of the proposed
leadership project have been met. The applicant must describe the
outcomes to be measured for both the project and the scholars,
particularly the acquisition of scholars' competencies; and the
evaluation methodologies to be employed, including proposed
instruments, data collection methods, and possible analyses;
(2) Collect, analyze, and use data on current scholars and scholars
who graduate from the program to improve the proposed program on an
ongoing basis; and
(3) Report the evaluation results to OSEP in the applicant's annual
and final performance reports.
(d) Demonstrate, in the narrative under ``Required Project
Assurances'' or appendices as directed, that the following program
requirements are met. The applicant must--
(1) Include in appendix B of the application--
(i) Course syllabi for all coursework in the major and any required
coursework for a minor;
(ii) Course syllabi for all evaluation methods or data analysis
courses required by the degree program and for all elective evaluation
methods or data analysis courses that have been completed by more than
one scholar enrolled in the program in the last five years; and
(iii) For new coursework, proposed syllabi;
(2) Ensure that the proposed number of scholars to be recruited
into the program can graduate from the program by the end of the
project period. The described scholar recruitment strategies, including
recruitment of individuals with disabilities, the program components
and their sequence, and proposed budget must be consistent with this
requirement;
(3) Ensure scholars will not be selected based on race or national
origin/ethnicity. Per the Supreme Court's decision in Adarand
Constructors, Inc. v. Pena, 515 U.S. 200 (1995), the Department does
not allow the selection of individuals on the basis of race or national
origin/ethnicity. For this reason, grantees must ensure that any
discussion of the recruitment of scholars based on race or national
origin/ethnicity distinguishes between increasing the pool of
applicants and actually selecting scholars;
(4) Ensure that the project will meet the requirements in 34 CFR
304.23, particularly those related to (a) informing all scholarship
recipients of their service obligation commitment; and (b) disbursing
scholarships. Failure by a grantee to properly meet these requirements
is a violation of the grant award that may result in sanctions,
including the grantee being liable for returning any misused funds to
the Department;
(5) Ensure that prior approval from the OSEP project officer will
be obtained before admitting additional scholars beyond the number of
scholars proposed in the application and before transferring a scholar
to another preparation program funded by OSEP;
(6) Ensure that the project will meet the statutory requirements in
section 662(e) through (h) of IDEA;
(7) Ensure that at least 65 percent of the total budget over the
project period will be used for scholar support;
(8) Ensure that the IHE will not require scholars enrolled in the
program to work (e.g., as graduate assistants) as a condition of
receiving support (e.g., tuition, stipends) from the proposed project,
unless the work is specifically related to the acquisition of scholars'
competencies or the requirements for completion of their personnel
preparation program. This prohibition on work as a condition of
receiving support does not apply to the service obligation requirements
in section 662(h) of IDEA;
(9) Ensure that the project will be operated in a manner consistent
with
[[Page 23549]]
nondiscrimination requirements contained in the U.S. Constitution and
the Federal civil rights laws;
(10) Ensure that the budget includes attendance by the project
director at a three-day project directors' meeting in Washington, DC,
during each year of the project. The budget may also provide for the
attendance of scholars at the same three-day project directors'
meetings in Washington, DC;
(11) Ensure that the project director, key personnel, and scholars
will actively participate in the cross-project collaboration, advanced
trainings, and cross-site learning opportunities (e.g., webinars,
briefings) supported by OSEP. This network is intended to promote
opportunities for participants to share resources and generate new
knowledge by addressing topics of common interest to participants
across projects including Department priorities and needs in the field;
(12) Ensure that if the project maintains a website, that it will
be of high quality, with an easy-to-navigate design, that meets
government or industry-recognized standards for accessibility;
(13) Ensure that annual progress toward meeting project goals is
posted on the project website;
(14) Ensure that scholar accomplishments (e.g., public service,
awards, program implementation demonstrating improved child outcomes)
will be reported in annual and final performance reports; and
(15) Ensure that annual data will be submitted on each scholar who
receives grant support (OMB Control Number 1820-0686). The primary
purposes of the data collection are to track the service obligation
fulfillment of scholars who receive funds from OSEP grants and to
collect data for program performance measure reporting under the
Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 (GPRA). Applicants are
encouraged to visit the Personnel Development Program Data Collection
System (DCS) website at https://pdp.ed.gov/osep for further information
about this data collection requirement. Typically, data collection
begins in January of each year, and grantees are notified by email
about the data collection period for their grant, although grantees may
submit data as needed, year-round. This data collection must be
submitted electronically by the grantee and does not supplant the
annual grant performance report required of each grantee for
continuation funding (see 34 CFR 75.590). Data collection includes the
submission of a signed, completed Pre-Scholarship Agreement and Exit
Certification for each scholar funded under an OSEP grant (see
paragraph (4) of this section).
Competitive Preference Priorities: Within Absolute Priorities 1 and
2, we give competitive preference to applications that address
Competitive Preference Priorities 1, 2, and 3. Under 34 CFR
75.105(c)(2)(i), we award an additional 5 points to an application that
meets Competitive Preference Priority 1, up to an additional 5 points
to an application that meets Competitive Preference Priority 2,
depending on how well the application meets Competitive Preference
Priority 2, and we award an additional 3 points to an application that
meets Competitive Preference Priority 3. The total maximum points we
may award an application that chooses to address all of the competitive
preference priorities is 13. Applicants should indicate in the abstract
which competitive preference priorities are addressed.
These priorities are:
Competitive Preference Priority 1 (0 or 5 points).
An application that proposes a partnership consisting of two or
three IHEs in a high-need area of leadership shortages. To meet the
competitive preference priority, a project must--
(a) Establish a partnership comprised of two or three IHEs with
existing doctoral programs that prepare scholars to work as doctoral-
level leaders in the high-need area proposed;
(b) Address in the project narrative the high-need area (e.g.,
early childhood behavior, secondary transition, or special education
administration) in which the partnership proposes to prepare scholars;
(c) Address in the project narrative how the opportunities provided
to scholars through the partnership activities will promote the
competencies needed by leaders the project proposes to prepare; and
(d) Address in the project narrative how policies, procedures,
standards, and fiscal management of the partnership will be
established.
Note: For additional information regarding group applications,
refer to 34 CFR 75.127, 75.128, and 75.129.
Competitive Preference Priority 2 (Up to 5 points).
An application that demonstrates matching support for the proposed
project at--
(a) 20 percent of the requested Federal award (1 point);
(b) 40 percent of the total amount of the requested Federal award
(2 points);
(c) 60 percent of the total amount of the requested Federal award
(3 points);
(d) 80 percent of the total amount of the requested Federal award
(4 points); or
(e) 100 percent of the total amount of the requested Federal award
(5 points).
Applicants must address this competitive preference priority in the
budget information (ED Form 524, Section B) and budget narrative.
Competitive Preference Priority 3 (0 or 3 points).
Projects proposed by applicants that have not had an active grant
award under this program (CFDA number 84.325D) at any point in the
preceding five fiscal years (i.e., FY 2014-FY 2018).
References
Bellamy, T., & Iwaszuk, W. (2017, October). Responding to the need
for new local special education administrators: A case study.
Retrieved from http://ceedar.education.ufl.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Case-Study-SPED-10-29-17.pdf.
Billingsley, B.S., Crockett, J., & Kamman, M.L. (2014). Recruiting
and retaining teachers and administrators in special education. In
P.T. Sindelar, E.D. McCray, M.T. Brownell, & B. Lignugaris/Kraft
(Eds.), Handbook of research on special education teacher
preparation (pp. 94-112). New York, NY: Routledge.
Boscardin, M.L., & Lashley, C.L. (2018). Expanding the leadership
framework to support socially just special education policy,
preparation, and standards. In J.B. Crockett, B.S. Billingsley, &
M.L. Boscardin (Eds.), The handbook of leadership and administration
for special education. New York, NY: Routledge.
Bruns, D.A., LaRocco, D.J., Sharp, O.L., & Sopko, K.M. (2017).
Leadership competencies in U.S. early intervention/early childhood
special education service systems: A national survey. Infants and
Young Children, 30, 304-319.
Castillo, J.M., Curtis, M.J., & Tan, S.Y. (2014). Personnel needs in
school psychology: A 10-year follow-up study on predicted personnel
shortages. Psychology in the Schools, 51, 832-849.
deBettencourt, L.U., Hoover, J.J., Rude, H.A., & Taylor, S.S.
(2016). Preparing special education higher education faculty: The
influence of contemporary education issues and policy
recommendations. Teacher Education and Special Education, 39, 121-
133.
Montrosse, B.E., & Young, C.J. (2012). Market demand for special
education faculty. Teacher Education and Special Education, 35, 140-
153.
Nagro, S.A., Sheperd, K.G., West, J.E., & Nagy, S.J. (2018).
Activating policy and advocacy skills: A strategy for tomorrow's
special education leaders. The Journal of Special Education, https://doi.org/10.1177/0022466918800705.
National Center for Systemic Improvement (NCSI). (2018a). Leadership
turnover:
[[Page 23550]]
The impact on State special education systems. Retrieved from
https://ncsi-library.wested.org/resources/201.
National Center for Systemic Improvement (NCSI). (2018b). Leadership
turnover: The impact on State early intervention systems. Retrieved
from https://ncsi-library.wested.org/resources/200.
Robb, S.M., Smith, D.D., & Montrosse, B.E. (2012). A context of the
demand for special education faculty: A study of special education
teacher preparation programs. Teacher Education and Special
Education, 35, 128-139.
Smith, D.D., Montrosse, B.E., Robb, S.M., Tyler, N.C., & Young, C.
(2011). Assessing trends in leadership: Special education's capacity
to produce a highly qualified workforce. Claremont, CA: IRIS@CGU,
Claremont Graduate University.
Smith, D.D., Robb, S.M., West, J., & Tyler, N.C. (2010). The
changing education landscape: How special education leadership
preparation can make a difference for teachers and their students
with disabilities. Teacher Education and Special Education, 33, 25-
43.
West, J.E., & Hardman, H.L. (2012). Averting current and future
special education faculty shortages: Policy implications and
recommendations. Teacher Education and Special Education, 35, 154-
160.
Woods, J., & Snyder, P. (2009). Interdisciplinary doctoral
leadership training in early intervention. Infants & Young Children,
22(1), 32-34.
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. 1462 and 1481.
Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General
Administrative Regulations in 34 CFR parts 75, 77, 79, 81, 82, 84, 86,
97, 98, and 99. (b) The Office of Management and Budget Guidelines to
Agencies on Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension (Nonprocurement) in
2 CFR part 180, as adopted and amended as regulations of the Department
in 2 CFR part 3485. (c) The Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost
Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards in 2 CFR part
200, as adopted and amended as regulations of the Department in 2 CFR
part 3474. (d) The regulations for this program in 34 CFR part 304.
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to IHEs only.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
Note: In accordance with 34 CFR 75.200(b)(4), the Department
may award a cooperative agreement under this program if the
Secretary determines that substantial involvement between the
Department and the recipient is necessary to carry out a
collaborative project.
Estimated Available Funds: $4,250,000.
Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of
applications, we may make additional awards in FY 2020 from the list of
unfunded applications from this competition.
Estimated Range of Awards: $225,000-$250,000 per year for an
individual IHE; $450,000-$500,000 per year for a two-IHE group
application; and $675,000-$750,000 for a three-IHE group application.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $237,500 per year for an
individual IHE; $475,000 per year for a two-IHE group application; and
$712,500 per year for a three-IHE group application.
Maximum Award: For a single budget period of 12 months, we will not
make an award exceeding: For an individual IHE, $250,000; for a two-IHE
group application, $500,000; and, for a three-IHE group application,
$750,000.
Estimated Number of Awards: Up to 17 awards for individual IHEs but
the number of awards may change depending on the number of group
application awards. OSEP intends to fund in FY 2019 at least 7 high-
quality applications meeting the requirements for Absolute Priority 2.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this
notice.
Project Period: Up to 60 months.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants: IHEs and private nonprofit organizations.
2. Cost Sharing or Matching: Cost sharing or matching is required
for Absolute Priority 1.
3. Subgrantees: A grantee under this competition may not award
subgrants to entities to directly carry out project activities
described in its application.
4. Other General Requirements: (a) Recipients of funding under this
competition must make positive efforts to employ and advance in
employment qualified individuals with disabilities (see section 606 of
IDEA).
(b) Applicants for, and recipients of, funding must, with respect
to the aspects of their proposed project relating to Absolute Priority
1 or 2, involve individuals with disabilities, or parents of
individuals with disabilities ages birth through 26, in planning,
implementing, and evaluating the project (see section 682(a)(1)(A) of
IDEA).
IV. Application and Submission Information
1. Application Submission Instructions: Applicants are required to
follow the Common Instructions for Applicants to Department of
Education Discretionary Grant Programs, published in the Federal
Register on February 13, 2019 (84 FR 3768), and available at
www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2019-02-13/pdf/2019-02206.pdf, which
contain requirements and information on how to submit an application.
2. Intergovernmental Review: This competition 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.
3. Funding Restrictions: We reference regulations outlining funding
restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.
4. Recommended 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. We recommend
that you (1) limit the application narrative to no more than 50 pages
and (2) use 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, reference citations, and captions, as well as
all text in charts, tables, figures, graphs, and screen shots.
Use a font that is 12 point or larger.
Use one of the following fonts: Times New Roman, Courier,
Courier New, or Arial.
The recommended 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
abstract (follow the guidance provided in the application package for
completing the abstract), the table of contents, the list of priority
requirements, the resumes, the reference list, the letters of support,
or the appendices. However, the recommended page limit does apply to
all of the application narrative, including all text in charts, tables,
figures, graphs, and screen shots.
[[Page 23551]]
V. Application Review Information
1. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this competition
are from 34 CFR 75.210 and are as follows:
(a) Significance (10 points).
(1) The Secretary considers the significance of the proposed
project.
(2) In determining the significance of the proposed project, the
Secretary considers the following factors:
(i) The extent to which the proposed project will prepare personnel
for fields in which shortages have been demonstrated;
(ii) The importance or magnitude of the results or outcomes likely
to be attained by the proposed project; and
(iii) The extent to which there is a conceptual framework
underlying the proposed research or demonstration activities and the
quality of that framework.
(b) Quality of project services (45 points).
(1) The Secretary considers the quality of the services to be
provided by the proposed project.
(2) In determining the quality of the services to be provided by
the proposed project, the Secretary considers the quality and
sufficiency of strategies for ensuring equal access and treatment for
eligible project participants who are members of groups that have
traditionally been underrepresented based on race, color, national
origin, gender, age, or disability.
(3) In addition, the Secretary considers the following factors:
(i) The extent to which the training or professional development
services to be provided by the proposed project are of sufficient
quality, intensity, and duration to lead to improvements in practice
among the recipients of those services;
(ii) The extent to which the proposed activities constitute a
coherent, sustained program of training in the field; and
(iii) The extent to which the services to be provided by the
proposed project reflect up-to-date knowledge from research and
effective practice.
(c) Quality of project evaluation (25 points).
(1) The Secretary considers the quality of the evaluation to be
conducted of the proposed project.
(2) In determining the quality of the evaluation, the Secretary
considers the following factors:
(i) The extent to which the methods of evaluation are thorough,
feasible, and appropriate to the goals, objectives, and outcomes of the
proposed project;
(ii) The extent to which the goals, objectives, and outcomes to be
achieved by the proposed project are clearly specified and measurable;
(iii) The extent to which the methods of evaluation include the use
of objective performance measures that are clearly related to the
intended outcomes of the project and will produce quantitative and
qualitative data to the extent possible; and
(iv) The extent to which the methods of evaluation will provide
timely guidance for quality assurance.
(d) Quality of the management plan and adequacy of resources (20
points).
(1) The Secretary considers the quality of the management plan and
the adequacy of resources for the proposed project.
(2) In determining the quality of the management plan and the
adequacy of resources, the Secretary considers the following factors:
(i) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience,
of key project personnel;
(ii) The adequacy of the management plan to achieve the objectives
of the proposed project on time and within budget, including clearly
defined responsibilities, timelines, and milestones for accomplishing
project tasks;
(iii) The extent to which the time commitments of the project
director and principal investigator and other key project personnel are
appropriate and adequate to meet the objectives of the proposed
project;
(iv) The adequacy of support, including facilities, equipment,
supplies, and other resources, from the applicant organization or the
lead applicant organization; and
(v) The extent to which the budget is adequate to support the
proposed project.
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, achievement of project objectives, 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
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
(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 section 682(b) of 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.
4. Risk Assessment and Specific Conditions: Consistent with 2 CFR
200.205, before awarding grants under this competition the Department
conducts a review of the risks posed by applicants. Under 2 CFR
3474.10, the Secretary may impose specific conditions and, in
appropriate circumstances, high-risk 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 2 CFR part 200, subpart D; has not
fulfilled the conditions of a prior grant; or is otherwise not
responsible.
5. Integrity and Performance System: If you are selected under this
competition to receive an award that over the course of the project
period may exceed the simplified acquisition threshold (currently
$250,000), under 2 CFR 200.205(a)(2) we must make a judgment about your
integrity, business ethics, and record of performance under Federal
awards--that is, the risk posed by you as an applicant--before we make
an award. In doing so, we must consider any information about you that
is in the integrity and performance system (currently referred to as
the Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System
(FAPIIS)), accessible through the System for Award Management. You may
review and comment on any information about yourself that a Federal
agency previously entered and that is currently in FAPIIS.
[[Page 23552]]
Please note that, if the total value of your currently active
grants, cooperative agreements, and procurement contracts from the
Federal Government exceeds $10,000,000, the reporting requirements in 2
CFR part 200, Appendix XII, require you to report certain integrity
information to FAPIIS semiannually. Please review the requirements in 2
CFR part 200, Appendix XII, if this grant plus all the other Federal
funds you receive exceed $10,000,000.
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); or we may send you an email containing a link to
access an electronic version of your 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. Open Licensing Requirements: Unless an exception applies, if you
are awarded a grant under this competition, you will be required to
openly license to the public grant deliverables created in whole, or in
part, with Department grant funds. When the deliverable consists of
modifications to pre-existing works, the license extends only to those
modifications that can be separately identified and only to the extent
that open licensing is permitted under the terms of any licenses or
other legal restrictions on the use of pre-existing works.
Additionally, a grantee that is awarded competitive grant funds must
have a plan to disseminate these public grant deliverables. This
dissemination plan can be developed and submitted after your
application has been reviewed and selected for funding. For additional
information on the open licensing requirements please refer to 2 CFR
3474.20.
4. 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 multiyear 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 www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/appforms/appforms.html.
5. Performance Measures: Under GPRA, the Department has established
a set of performance measures, including long-term measures, that are
designed to yield information on the quality of the Personnel
Development to Improve Services and Results for Children with
Disabilities program. These measures include: (1) The percentage of
preparation programs that incorporate scientifically or evidence-based
\13\ practices into their curricula; (2) the percentage of scholars
completing preparation programs who are knowledgeable and skilled in
evidence-based practices for children with disabilities; (3) the
percentage of scholars who exit preparation programs prior to
completion due to poor academic performance; (4) the percentage of
scholars completing preparation programs who are working in the area(s)
in which they were prepared upon program completion; and (5) the
Federal cost per scholar who completed the preparation program.
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\13\ For the purposes of this priority, ``evidence-based''
means, at a minimum, evidence that demonstrates a rationale (as
defined in 34 CFR 77.1), where a key project component included in
the project's logic model is informed by research or evaluation
findings that suggest the project component is likely to improve
relevant outcomes.
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In addition, the Department will gather information on the
following outcome measures: (1) The percentage of scholars who
completed the preparation program and are employed in high-need
districts; (2) the percentage of scholars who completed the preparation
program and are employed in the field of special education for at least
two years; and (3) the percentage of scholars who completed the
preparation program and who are rated effective by their employers.
Grantees may be asked to participate in assessing and providing
information on these aspects of program quality.
6. Continuation Awards: In making a continuation award under 34 CFR
75.253, the Secretary considers, among other things: Whether a grantee
has made substantial progress in achieving the goals and objectives of
the project; whether the grantee has expended funds in a manner that is
consistent with its approved application and budget; and, if the
Secretary has established performance measurement requirements, the
performance targets in the grantee's approved application.
In making a continuation award, 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. 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 compact disc) by contacting
the Management Support Services Team, U.S. Department of Education, 400
Maryland Avenue SW, Room 5074A, Potomac Center Plaza, Washington, DC
20202-2500. Telephone: (202) 245-7363. If you use a TDD or a TTY, call
the FRS, toll free, at 1-800-877-8339.
Electronic Access to This Document: The official version of this
document is the document published in the Federal Register. You may
access the official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of
Federal Regulations at www.govinfo.gov. At this site you can view this
document, as well as all other documents of this Department published
in the Federal Register, in text or Portable Document Format (PDF). To
use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available free at
the site.
You may also access documents of the Department published in the
Federal Register by using the article search feature at
www.federalregister.gov. Specifically, through the advanced search
feature at this site, you can limit your search to documents published
by the Department.
Johnny W. Collett,
Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.
[FR Doc. 2019-10710 Filed 5-21-19; 8:45 am]
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