[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 155 (Monday, August 12, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39819-39827]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-17217]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Applications for New Awards; Technical Assistance on State Data 
Collection--National Technical Assistance Center To Improve State 
Capacity To Collect, Report, Analyze, and Use Accurate Early Childhood 
IDEA Data

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 a National Technical Assistance Center to Improve State Capacity to 
Collect, Report, Analyze, and Use Accurate Early Childhood IDEA Data, 
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number 84.373Z. This 
notice relates to the approved information collection under OMB control 
number 1894-0006.

DATES: Applications available: August 12, 2019.
    Deadline for transmittal of applications: September 11, 2019.
    Pre-application webinar information: No later than August 19, 2019, 
OSERS will post pre-recorded informational webinars designed to provide 
technical assistance (TA) to interested applicants.
    Pre-application Q & A blog: No later than August 19, 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 will remain open until September 3, 2019. After 
the blog closes, applicants should direct questions to the person 
listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

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.
    The pre-application webinars may be found at www2.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/osep/new-osep-grants.html.
    The pre-application Q & A blog may be found at www2.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/osep/new-osep-grants.html.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Meredith Miceli, U.S. Department of 
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Room 5141, Potomac Center Plaza, 
Washington, DC 20202-5076. Telephone: (202) 245-6028. 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: Section 616 of the IDEA requires States to 
submit to the Department, and make available to the public, a State 
performance plan (SPP) and an annual performance report (APR) with data 
on how each State implements both Parts B and C of the IDEA to improve 
outcomes for infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities. 
Section 618 of the IDEA requires States to submit to the Department, 
and make available to the public, quantitative data on infants, 
toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities who are receiving early 
intervention and special education services under IDEA. The purpose of 
the Technical Assistance on State Data Collection Program is to improve 
the capacity of States to meet IDEA data collection and reporting 
requirements under sections 616 and 618 of the IDEA. Funding for the 
program is authorized under section 611(c)(1) of IDEA, which gives the 
Secretary the authority to reserve up to \1/2\ of 1 percent of the 
amounts appropriated under Part B for each fiscal year to provide TA 
activities, where needed, to improve the capacity of States to meet the 
data collection and reporting requirements under Parts B and C of IDEA. 
The maximum amount the Secretary may reserve under this set-aside for 
any fiscal year is $25,000,000, cumulatively adjusted by the rate of 
inflation. Section 616(i) of IDEA requires the Secretary to review the 
data collection and analysis capacity of States to ensure that data and 
information determined necessary for the implementation of section 616 
of IDEA are collected, analyzed, and accurately reported to the 
Secretary. It also requires the Secretary to provide TA, where needed, 
to improve the capacity of States to meet the data collection 
requirements, which include the data collection and reporting 
requirements in sections 616 and 618 of IDEA. Additionally, Division H 
of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2018 gives the Secretary the 
authority to use funds reserved under section 611(c) to ``carry out 
other services and activities to improve data collection, coordination, 
quality, and use under Parts B and C of the IDEA.'' Consolidated 
Appropriations Act, 2018; Div. H, Title III of Public Law 115-141; 132 
Stat. 745 (2018).
    Priority: This priority is from the notice of final priority and 
requirements for this program published elsewhere in this issue of the 
Federal Register.
    Background: The purpose of this priority is to establish a TA 
center to provide TA to (1) improve States' capacity to collect, 
report, analyze, and use high-quality IDEA Part C early intervention 
data (including IDEA section 618 Part C data and section 616 Part C 
data) and IDEA Part B preschool special education data (limited to 
particular Part B preschool data elements required under IDEA sections 
616); and (2) enhance, streamline, and integrate statewide, child-level 
early childhood data systems (including Part

[[Page 39820]]

C and Part B preschool special education data systems) to address 
critical policy questions that will facilitate program improvement, 
improve compliance accountability, and improve outcomes or results for 
children served under Part C early intervention and Part B preschool 
special education programs.
    Through their State Systemic Improvement Plans (SSIPs), States 
identify data-related needs to improve outcomes of infants, toddlers, 
and young children with disabilities. In 2017, 78 percent of Part C 
State programs reported concerns or limitations with the quality or 
availability of the data used to report progress or results for the 
SSIP. Additionally, States identified limits on data system capacity as 
a barrier to implementing (1) improvement plans, (2) activities to 
improve practices, and (3) evaluation plans. In the SSIPs submitted to 
the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) in 2017, States 
reported a need for TA related to SSIP evaluation in the following 
areas: data collection procedures, data analysis, local data use, 
State-identified measurable result (SIMR) data quality, and State data 
use.
    In addition, States need to establish and implement effective early 
childhood data management and, where appropriate, data system 
integration policies and procedures to support program improvement, 
compliance accountability, and Federal and public reporting. Improved 
policies and procedures will allow States, where appropriate, to link 
or integrate child-level data in Part C data systems, Part B preschool 
special education data systems, other early learning program data 
systems, and statewide longitudinal data systems for school-aged 
children. Building robust early childhood integrated data systems 
(ECIDS) that include Part C early intervention data and Part B 
preschool special education data that can be used to respond to 
critical policy questions will facilitate program improvement and 
improve compliance accountability for Part C early intervention and 
Part B preschool special education programs. This level of integration 
will support States' efforts to implement data-driven decision-making 
for program improvement and compliance accountability and will help 
ensure that States report high-quality IDEA data to the Department and 
the public.
    ECIDS could allow States to identify what works best to improve 
outcomes for young children in their State. For instance, ECIDS could 
allow States to determine which characteristics of services are related 
to better outcomes for children and families or the relationship 
between early childhood setting and early childhood outcomes. An ECIDS 
that includes data from across various early care and education 
programs could also provide data that would better inform efforts to 
improve child find activities in the State by identifying strong 
referral sources and those where more outreach may be needed. An ECIDS 
could also help States determine the other early care and education 
programs that young children with disabilities and their families are 
participating in, allowing States to maximize efficiency in the 
operation of the early intervention or early childhood special 
education program while maintaining or improving outcomes. For more 
information on the Department's vision of integrated early childhood 
data, see The Integration of Early Childhood Data: State Profiles and a 
Report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the 
U.S. Department of Education (2016) available at https://www2.ed.gov/rschstat/eval/early-childhood-data/integration-early-childhood-data.pdf.
    However, there are challenges in integrating data systems. These 
challenges include protecting the personally identifiable information 
and privacy interests of children with disabilities and their families 
under applicable Federal and State laws, determining the appropriate 
policy questions that need answering, and identifying resources for 
developing interoperable systems. These challenges would benefit from 
the TA of experts. In addition, stakeholders, including parents of 
children with disabilities, need to be part of the discussion to 
determine the appropriate extent of integration.
    This center will provide TA to improve the capacity of States to 
meet both their identified needs and data collection requirements by 
(1) improving early childhood data management and data system 
integration policies and procedures; (2) enhancing Part C section 616 
and 618 data and Part B preschool special education data (e.g., 
preschool outcome indicators) collection processes to meet IDEA data 
reporting requirements; and (3) building and using robust ECIDS that 
include Part C early intervention data and Part B preschool special 
education data to respond to critical State-determined policy questions 
associated with program improvement and compliance accountability. This 
priority is designed to promote innovation and efficiency by funding a 
data center that will enhance, streamline, and integrate statewide, 
early childhood data systems.
    TA on collecting, reporting, analyzing, and using the other Part B 
data required under sections 616 and 618 of IDEA will be provided 
through the National Technical Assistance Center to Improve State 
Capacity to Collect, Report, Analyze, and Use Accurate IDEA Part B Data 
competition, CFDA number 84.373Y, the priority for which is published 
elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register.
    This center will focus attention on an identified national need to 
provide technical assistance (TA) to improve the capacity of States to 
meet the data collection requirements under Parts C and B of the 
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). This center will 
support States in collecting, reporting, and determining how to best 
analyze and use their data to establish and meet high expectations for 
each child with a disability and will customize its TA to meet each 
State's specific needs.
    This priority aligns with two priorities from the Supplemental 
Priorities and Definitions for Discretionary Grant Programs, published 
in the Federal Register on March 2, 2018 (83 FR 9096): Priority 2: 
Promoting Innovation and Efficiency, Streamlining Education With an 
Increased Focus on Student Outcomes, and Providing Increased Value to 
Students and Taxpayers; and Priority 5: Meeting the Unique Needs of 
Students and Children With Disabilities and/or Those With Unique Gifts 
and Talents.
    Projects under this program must be operated in a manner consistent 
with nondiscrimination requirements contained in the U.S. Constitution 
and the Federal civil rights laws.
    Absolute Priority: For FY 2019 and any subsequent year in which we 
make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this 
competition, this priority is an absolute priority. Under 34 CFR 
75.105(c)(3), we consider only applications that meet this priority.
    This priority is:
    National Technical Assistance Center to Improve State Capacity to 
Collect, Report, Analyze, and Use Accurate Early Childhood IDEA Data.
    The purpose of this priority is to fund a cooperative agreement to 
establish and operate a National Technical Assistance Center to Improve 
State Capacity to Collect, Report, Analyze, and Use Accurate Early 
Childhood IDEA Data (Center).
    The Center will focus on providing TA on collecting, reporting, 
analyzing, and using Part C data required under sections 616 and 618 of 
IDEA and Part

[[Page 39821]]

B data on children with disabilities, ages 3 through 5, required under 
section 616 of IDEA for those indicators that are not solely based on 
IDEA section 618 data (e.g., Annual Performance Report (APR) Indicators 
B7 (Preschool Children with Improved Outcomes) and B12 (Transition 
Between Part C and Part B). The Center will provide TA to (1) improve 
States' capacity to collect, report, analyze, and use high-quality IDEA 
Part C data (including IDEA section 618 Part C data and IDEA section 
616 Part C data) and IDEA Part B preschool special education data; and 
(2) enhance, streamline, and integrate statewide, child-level early 
childhood data systems (including Part C and Part B preschool special 
education data systems) to address critical policy questions that will 
facilitate program improvement, improve compliance accountability, and 
improve outcomes or results for children served under Part C and Part B 
preschool special education programs. These Part C early intervention 
and Part B preschool special education data systems must allow the 
States to (1) effectively and efficiently respond to all IDEA-related 
data submission requirements (e.g., Part C section 616 and 618 data and 
Part B preschool special education data); (2) respond to critical 
policy questions that will facilitate program improvement and 
compliance accountability; and (3) comply with applicable privacy 
requirements, including the confidentiality requirements under Parts B 
and C of IDEA, the Privacy Rule under the Health Insurance Portability 
and Accountability Act (HIPAA) (45 CFR part 160 and subparts A and E of 
part 164), and the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) 
(20 U.S.C. 1232g) and its regulations at 34 CFR part 99.
    The Center must be designed to achieve, at a minimum, the following 
expected outcomes:
    (a) Increased capacity of States to collect, report, analyze, and 
use high-quality IDEA Part C data (including IDEA section 616 Part C 
data and section 618 Part C data);
    (b) Increased capacity of States to collect, report, analyze, and 
use high-quality IDEA Part B preschool special education data;
    (c) Increased number of States that use their Part C early 
intervention and Part B preschool special education data system to 
answer critical State-determined policy questions to drive program 
improvement, improve results for children with disabilities, and 
improve compliance accountability;
    (d) Increased number of States with integrated or linked Part C 
early intervention and Part B preschool special education data;
    (e) Increased number of States that use linked or integrated early 
childhood data to improve programs and compliance accountability;
    (f) Increased number of States with data system integration plans 
that allow for the linking of Part C and Part B preschool special 
education data as well as linking to other statewide longitudinal and 
early learning data systems and that comply with all applicable privacy 
laws;
    (g) Increased capacity of States to implement and document Part C 
and Part B preschool special education data management policies and 
procedures and data system integration activities and to develop a 
sustainability plan to continue this data management and data system 
integration work in the future; and
    (h) Increased capacity of States to address personnel training 
needs to meet the Part C and Part B preschool special education data 
collection and reporting requirements under sections 616 and 618 of 
IDEA through development of effective tools (e.g., training modules) 
and resources (e.g., new Part C Data Managers resources), as well as 
providing opportunities for in-person and virtual cross-State 
collaboration about Part C data (required under sections 616 and 618 of 
IDEA) and Part B preschool special education data collection and 
reporting requirements that States can use to train personnel in local 
programs and agencies.
    Requirements: The following requirements are from the NFP.
    Applicants must--
    (a) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under 
``Significance,'' how the proposed project will--
    (1) Address State challenges associated with early childhood data 
management and data system integration, including implementing early 
childhood data system integration and improvements; enhancing and 
streamlining Part C early intervention and Part B preschool special 
education data systems to respond to critical policy questions; using 
ECIDS for program improvement and compliance accountability for Part C 
early intervention and Part B preschool special education programs; and 
reporting high-quality IDEA Part C data (including IDEA section 616 
Part C data and section 618 Part C data) and IDEA Part B preschool 
special education data to the Department and the public. To meet this 
requirement the applicant must--
    (i) Present applicable national, State, or local data demonstrating 
the challenges of States to implement effective early childhood data 
management policies and procedures and data system integration 
activities, including integrating early childhood data systems across 
IDEA programs, other early learning programs, and other educational 
programs for school-aged students; linking Part C and Part B preschool 
special education program data; and using their Part C and Part B 
preschool special education data systems to respond to critical State-
determined policy questions for program improvement and compliance 
accountability;
    (ii) Demonstrate knowledge of current educational and technical 
issues and policy initiatives relating to early childhood data 
management and data system integration, data use, data privacy, Part C 
IDEA sections 616 and 618 data, Part B preschool special education 
data, and Part C and Part B preschool special education data systems; 
and
    (iii) Present information about the current level of implementation 
of integrating or linking Part C and Part B preschool special education 
data systems; integrating or linking Part C and/or Part B preschool 
special education data systems with other early learning data systems; 
using Part C and Part B preschool special education data systems to 
respond to critical State-determined policy questions; and collecting, 
reporting, analyzing, and using high-quality IDEA Part C data 
(including IDEA section 616 Part C data and section 618 Part C data) 
and IDEA Part B preschool special education data; and
    (2) Improve early childhood data management policies and procedures 
and data system integration activities used to collect, report, and 
analyze high-quality Part C and Part B preschool special education 
data; to integrate or link Part C and Part B preschool special 
education data systems as well as integrate or link these data with 
data on children participating in other early learning programs and 
data on school-aged children; and to develop and use robust early 
childhood data systems to answer critical State-determined policy 
questions and indicate the likely magnitude or importance of the 
improvements.
    (b) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under 
``Quality of project services,'' how the proposed project will--
    (1) Ensure equal access and treatment for members of groups that 
have traditionally been underrepresented

[[Page 39822]]

based on race, color, national origin, gender, age, or disability. To 
meet this requirement, the applicant must describe how it will--
    (i) Identify the needs of the intended recipients for TA and 
information; and
    (ii) Ensure that products and services meet the needs of the 
intended recipients of the grant;
    (2) Achieve its goals, objectives, and intended outcomes. To meet 
this requirement, the applicant must provide--
    (i) Measurable intended project outcomes; and
    (ii) In Appendix A, the logic model (as defined in 34 CFR 77.1) by 
which the proposed project will achieve its intended outcomes that 
depicts, at a minimum, the goals, activities, outputs, and intended 
outcomes of the proposed project;
    (3) Use a conceptual framework (and provide a copy in Appendix A) 
to develop project plans and activities, describing any underlying 
concepts, assumptions, expectations, beliefs, or theories, as well as 
the presumed relationships or linkages among these variables, and any 
empirical support for this framework;

    Note: The following websites provide more information on logic 
models and conceptual frameworks: www.osepideasthatwork.org/logicModel and www.osepideasthatwork.org/resources-grantees/program-areas/ta-ta/tad-project-logic-model-and-conceptual-framework.

    (4) Be based on current research and make use of evidence-based \1\ 
practices (EBPs). To meet this requirement, the applicant must 
describe--
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    \1\ For the purposes of this priority, ``evidence-based'' means 
the proposed project component is supported, at a minimum, by 
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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    (i) The current research on early childhood data management and 
data system integration, and related EBPs; and
    (ii) How the proposed project will incorporate current research and 
EBPs in the development and delivery of its products and services;
    (5) Develop products and provide services that are of high quality 
and sufficient intensity and duration to achieve the intended outcomes 
of the proposed project. To address this requirement, the applicant 
must describe--
    (i) How it proposes to identify or develop the knowledge base on 
early childhood data management and data system integration;
    (ii) Its proposed approach to universal, general TA,\2\ which must 
identify the intended recipients, including the type and number of 
recipients, that will receive the products and services under this 
approach;
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    \2\ ``Universal, general TA'' means TA and information provided 
to independent users through their own initiative, resulting in 
minimal interaction with TA center staff and including one-time, 
invited or offered conference presentations by TA center staff. This 
category of TA also includes information or products, such as 
newsletters, guidebooks, or research syntheses, downloaded from the 
TA center's website by independent users. Brief communications by TA 
center staff with recipients, either by telephone or email, are also 
considered universal, general TA.
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    (iii) Its proposed approach to targeted, specialized TA,\3\ which 
must identify--
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    \3\ ``Targeted, specialized TA'' means TA services based on 
needs common to multiple recipients and not extensively 
individualized. A relationship is established between the TA 
recipient and one or more TA center staff. This category of TA 
includes one-time, labor-intensive events, such as facilitating 
strategic planning or hosting regional or national conferences. It 
can also include episodic, less labor-intensive events that extend 
over a period of time, such as facilitating a series of conference 
calls on single or multiple topics that are designed around the 
needs of the recipients. Facilitating communities of practice can 
also be considered targeted, specialized TA.
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    (A) The intended recipients, including the type and number of 
recipients, that will receive the products and services under this 
approach;
    (B) Its proposed approach to measure the readiness of potential TA 
recipients to work with the project, assessing, at a minimum, their 
current infrastructure, available resources, and ability to build 
capacity at the State and local levels; and
    (C) The process by which the proposed project will collaborate with 
OSEP-funded centers and other federally funded TA centers to develop 
and implement a coordinated TA plan when they are involved in a State;
    (iv) Its proposed approach to intensive, sustained TA \4\ which 
must identify--
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    \4\ ``Intensive, sustained TA'' means TA services often provided 
on-site and requiring a stable, ongoing relationship between the TA 
center staff and the TA recipient. ``TA services'' are defined as 
negotiated series of activities designed to reach a valued outcome. 
This category of TA should result in changes to policy, program, 
practice, or operations that support increased recipient capacity or 
improved outcomes at one or more systems levels.
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    (A) The intended recipients, including the type and number of 
recipients, that will receive the products and services under this 
approach;
    (B) Its proposed approach to addressing States' challenges 
associated with limited resources to engage in early childhood data 
system integration and enhancement activities that streamline the 
established Part C and Part B preschool special education data systems 
to respond to critical policy questions and to report high-quality IDEA 
data to the Department and the public, which should, at a minimum, 
include providing on-site consultants to the State lead agency (LA) or 
State educational agency (SEA) to--
    (1) Model and document data management and data system integration 
policies, procedures, processes, and activities within the State;
    (2) Develop and adapt tools and provide technical solutions to meet 
State-specific data needs; and
    (3) Develop a sustainability plan for the State to continue the 
data management and data system integration work in the future;
    (C) Its proposed approach to measure the readiness of the State LA 
and SEA personnel to work with the project, including their commitment 
to the initiative, alignment of the initiative to their needs, current 
infrastructure, available resources, and ability to build capacity at 
the State and local program and district levels;
    (D) Its proposed approach to prioritizing TA recipients with a 
primary focus on meeting the needs of States with known ongoing data 
quality issues, as measured by OSEP's review of the quality of the IDEA 
sections 616 and 618 data;
    (E) Its proposed plan for assisting State LAs and SEAs to build or 
enhance training systems that include professional development based on 
adult learning principles and coaching;
    (F) Its proposed plan for working with appropriate levels of the 
education system (e.g., State LAs, SEAs, regional TA providers, 
districts, local programs, families) to ensure that there is 
communication between each level and that there are systems in place to 
support the collection, reporting, analysis, and use of high-quality 
IDEA Part C data (including IDEA section 616 Part C data and section 
618 Part C data) and IDEA Part B preschool special education data as 
well as early childhood data management and data system integration; 
and
    (G) Its proposed plan for collaborating and coordinating with the 
National Technical Assistance Center to Improve State Capacity to 
Collect, Report, Analyze, and Use Accurate IDEA Part B Data, 
Department-funded TA investments, other federally funded TA 
investments, and Institute of Education Sciences/National Center for 
Education Statistics research and development investments, where 
appropriate, in order to align complementary work and jointly develop 
and implement products and services to meet the purposes of this

[[Page 39823]]

priority and to develop and implement a coordinated TA plan when they 
are involved in a State;
    (6) Develop products and implement services that maximize 
efficiency. To address this requirement, the applicant must describe--
    (i) How the proposed project will use technology to achieve the 
intended project outcomes;
    (ii) With whom the proposed project will collaborate and the 
intended outcomes of this collaboration; and
    (iii) How the proposed project will use non-project resources to 
achieve the intended project outcomes.
    (c) In the narrative section of the application under ``Quality of 
the project evaluation,'' include an evaluation plan for the project 
developed in consultation with and implemented by a third-party 
evaluator.\5\ The evaluation plan must--
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    \5\ A ``third-party'' evaluator is an independent and impartial 
program evaluator who is contracted by the grantee to conduct an 
objective evaluation of the project. This evaluator must not have 
participated in the development or implementation of any project 
activities, except for the evaluation activities, nor have any 
financial interest in the outcome of the evaluation.
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    (1) Articulate formative and summative evaluation questions, 
including important process and outcome evaluation questions. These 
questions should be related to the project's proposed logic model 
required in paragraph (b)(2)(ii) of these requirements;
    (2) Describe how progress in and fidelity of implementation, as 
well as project outcomes, will be measured to answer the evaluation 
questions. Specify the measures and associated instruments or sources 
for data appropriate to the evaluation questions. Include information 
regarding reliability and validity of measures where appropriate;
    (3) Describe strategies for analyzing data and how data collected 
as part of this plan will be used to inform and improve service 
delivery over the course of the project and to refine the proposed 
logic model and evaluation plan, including subsequent data collection;
    (4) Provide a timeline for conducting the evaluation and include 
staff assignments for completing the plan. The timeline must indicate 
that the data will be available annually for the APR; and
    (5) Dedicate sufficient funds in each budget year to cover the 
costs of developing or refining the evaluation plan in consultation 
with a third-party evaluator, as well as the costs associated with the 
implementation of the evaluation plan by the third-party evaluator.
    (d) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under 
``Adequacy of resources and quality of project personnel,'' how--
    (1) The proposed project will encourage applications for employment 
from persons who are members of groups that have traditionally been 
underrepresented based on race, color, national origin, gender, age, or 
disability, as appropriate;
    (2) The proposed key project personnel, consultants, and 
subcontractors have the qualifications and experience to carry out the 
proposed activities and achieve the project's intended outcomes;
    (3) The applicant and any key partners have adequate resources to 
carry out the proposed activities;
    (4) The proposed costs are reasonable in relation to the 
anticipated results and benefits, and funds will be spent in a way that 
increases their efficiency and cost-effectiveness, including by 
reducing waste or achieving better outcomes; and
    (5) The applicant will ensure that it will recover the lesser of: 
(A) Its actual indirect costs as determined by the grantee's negotiated 
indirect cost rate agreement with its cognizant Federal agency; and (B) 
40 percent of its modified total direct cost (MTDC) base as defined in 
2 CFR 200.68.

    Note: The MTDC is different from the total amount of the grant. 
Additionally, the MTDC is not the same as calculating a percentage 
of each or a specific expenditure category. If the grantee is 
billing based on the MTDC base, the grantee must make its MTDC 
documentation available to the program office and the Department's 
Indirect Cost Unit. If a grantee's allocable indirect costs exceed 
40 percent of its MTDC costs as defined in 2 CFR 200.68, the grantee 
may not recoup the excess by shifting the cost to other grants or 
contracts with the U.S. Government, unless specifically authorized 
by legislation. The grantee must use non-Federal revenue sources to 
pay for such unrecovered costs.

    (e) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under 
``Quality of the management plan,'' how--
    (1) The proposed management plan will ensure that the project's 
intended outcomes will be achieved on time and within budget. To 
address this requirement, the applicant must describe--
    (i) Clearly defined responsibilities for key project personnel, 
consultants, and subcontractors, as applicable; and
    (ii) Timelines and milestones for accomplishing the project tasks;
    (2) Key project personnel and any consultants and subcontractors 
will be allocated to the project and how these allocations are 
appropriate and adequate to achieve the project's intended outcomes;
    (3) The proposed management plan will ensure that the products and 
services provided are of high quality, relevant, and useful to 
recipients; and
    (4) The proposed project will benefit from a diversity of 
perspectives, including those of families, educators, TA providers, 
researchers, and policy makers, among others, in its development and 
operation.
    (f) Address the following application requirements. The applicant 
must--
    (1) Include, in Appendix A, personnel-loading charts and timelines, 
as applicable, to illustrate the management plan described in the 
narrative;
    (2) Include, in the budget, attendance at the following:
    (i) A one and one-half day kick-off meeting in Washington, DC, 
after receipt of the award, and an annual planning meeting in 
Washington, DC, with the OSEP project officer and other relevant staff 
during each subsequent year of the project period.

    Note: Within 30 days of receipt of the award, a post-award 
teleconference must be held between the OSEP project officer and the 
grantee's project director or other authorized representative;

    (ii) A two and one-half-day project directors' meeting in 
Washington, DC, during each year of the project period; and
    (iii) Three annual two-day trips to attend Department briefings, 
Department-sponsored conferences, and other meetings, as requested by 
OSEP;
    (3) Include, in the budget, a line item for an annual set-aside of 
5 percent of the grant amount to support emerging needs that are 
consistent with the proposed project's intended outcomes, as those 
needs are identified in consultation with, and approved by, the OSEP 
project officer. With approval from the OSEP project officer, the 
project must reallocate any remaining funds from this annual set-aside 
no later than the end of the third quarter of each budget period;
    (4) Maintain a high-quality website, with an easy-to-navigate 
design, that meets government or industry-recognized standards for 
accessibility;
    (5) Include, in Appendix A, an assurance to assist OSEP with the 
transfer of pertinent resources and products and to maintain the 
continuity of services to States during the transition to this new 
award period and at the end of this award period, as appropriate; and

[[Page 39824]]

    (6) Budget at least 50 percent of the grant award for providing 
targeted and intensive TA to States.
    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1411(c), 1416(i), 1418(c), 1442, and 
the Department of Education Appropriations Act, 2018; Div. H, Title III 
of Public Law 115-141, Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018; 132 Stat. 
745 (2018).
    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 program regulations in 34 CFR 300.702. (e) The NFP.

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


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

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Cooperative agreement.
    Estimated Available Funds: $6,500,000.
    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.
    Maximum Award: We will not make an award exceeding $6,500,000 for a 
single budget period of 12 months.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 1.

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

    Project Period: Up to 60 months.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: SEAs; local educational agencies (LEAs), 
including public charter schools that operate as LEAs under State law; 
IHEs; other public agencies; private nonprofit organizations; freely 
associated States and outlying areas; Indian Tribes or Tribal 
organizations; and for-profit organizations.
    2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This program does not require cost 
sharing or matching.
    3. Subgrantees: A grantee under this competition may not award 
subgrants to entities to directly carry out project activities 
described in its application. Under 34 CFR 75.708(e), a grantee may 
contract for supplies, equipment, and other services in accordance with 
2 CFR part 200.
    4. Other: (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 the absolute 
priority, 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. However, 
under 34 CFR 79.8(a), we waive intergovernmental review in order to 
make an award by the end of FY 2019.
    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 70 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.

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 specific gaps or weaknesses in services, 
infrastructure, or opportunities have been identified and will be 
addressed by the proposed project, including the nature and magnitude 
of those gaps or weaknesses.
    (ii) The importance or magnitude of the results or outcomes likely 
to be attained by the proposed project.
    (b) Quality of project services (35 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 goals, objectives, and outcomes to be 
achieved by the proposed project are clearly specified and measurable.
    (ii) The extent to which there is a conceptual framework underlying 
the proposed research or demonstration activities and the quality of 
that framework.
    (iii) The extent to which the services to be provided by the 
proposed project

[[Page 39825]]

reflect up-to-date knowledge from research and effective practice.
    (iv) 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.
    (v) The extent to which the TA services to be provided by the 
proposed project involve the use of efficient strategies, including the 
use of technology, as appropriate, and the leveraging of non-project 
resources.
    (vi) The adequacy of mechanisms for ensuring high-quality products 
and services from the proposed project.
    (c) Quality of the project evaluation (15 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 methods of evaluation provide for 
examining the effectiveness of project implementation strategies.
    (iii) The extent to which the methods of evaluation will provide 
performance feedback and permit periodic assessment of progress toward 
achieving intended outcomes.
    (iv) 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.
    (d) Adequacy of resources and quality of project personnel (15 
points).
    (1) The Secretary considers the adequacy of resources for the 
proposed project and the quality of the personnel who will carry out 
the proposed project.
    (2) In determining the quality of project personnel, the Secretary 
considers the extent to which the applicant encourages applications for 
employment from persons 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 qualifications, including relevant training and experience, 
of the project director or principal investigator.
    (ii) The qualifications, including relevant training and 
experience, of key project personnel.
    (iii) The qualifications, including relevant training and 
experience, of project consultants or subcontractors.
    (iv) The qualifications, including relevant training, experience, 
and independence, of the evaluator.
    (v) The adequacy of support, including facilities, equipment, 
supplies, and other resources, from the applicant organization or the 
lead applicant organization.
    (vi) The relevance and demonstrated commitment of each partner in 
the proposed project to the implementation and success of the project.
    (vii) The extent to which the budget is adequate to support the 
proposed project.
    (viii) The extent to which the costs are reasonable in relation to 
the objectives, design, and potential significance of the proposed 
project.
    (e) Quality of the management plan (25 points).
    (1) The Secretary considers the quality of the management plan for 
the proposed project.
    (2) In determining the quality of the management plan for the 
proposed project, the Secretary considers the following factors:
    (i) 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.
    (ii) 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.
    (iii) The adequacy of mechanisms for ensuring high-quality products 
and services from the proposed project.
    (iv) How the applicant will ensure that a diversity of perspectives 
are brought to bear in the operation of the proposed project, including 
those of parents, teachers, the business community, a variety of 
disciplinary and professional fields, recipients or beneficiaries of 
services, or others, as appropriate.
    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

[[Page 39826]]

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.
    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 the Government Performance and 
Results Act of 1993, the Department has established a set of 
performance measures that are designed to yield information on various 
aspects of the effectiveness and quality of the Technical Assistance on 
State Data Collection program. These measures are:
     Program Performance Measure #1: The percentage of 
technical assistance and dissemination products and services deemed to 
be of high quality by an independent review panel of experts qualified 
or individuals with appropriate expertise to review the substantive 
content of the products and services.
     Program Performance Measure #2: The percentage of 
technical assistance and dissemination products and services deemed by 
an independent review panel of qualified experts or members of the 
target audiences to be of high relevance to educational and early 
intervention policy or practice.
     Program Performance Measure #3: The percentage of all 
technical assistance and dissemination products and services deemed by 
an independent review panel of qualified experts or members of the 
target audiences to be useful in improving educational or early 
intervention policy or practice.
     Program Performance Measure #4: The cost efficiency of the 
Technical Assistance on State Data Collection Program includes the 
percentage of milestones achieved in the current annual performance 
report period and the percentage of funds spent during the current 
fiscal year.
    The measures apply to projects funded under this competition, and 
grantees are required to submit data on these measures as directed by 
OSEP.
    Grantees will be required to report information on their project's 
performance in annual and final performance reports to the Department 
(34 CFR 75.590).
    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 5081A, Potomac Center Plaza, Washington, DC 
20202-5076. 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.

[[Page 39827]]

    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. 2019-17217 Filed 8-7-19; 4:15 pm]
 BILLING CODE 4000-01-P