[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 77 (Tuesday, April 21, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22153-22164]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-08390]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Applications for New Awards; Training and Information for Parents 
of Children With Disabilities--Parent Training and Information Centers 
and Parent Information and Training Program

AGENCY: Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, 
Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Education (Department) is issuing a notice 
inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY) 2020 for 
Training and Information for Parents of Children with Disabilities--
Parent Training and Information Centers, Catalog of Federal Domestic 
Assistance (CFDA) number 84.328M, and Parent Information and Training 
program, CFDA number 84.235F. These centers will provide objective 
information, resources, and impartial training that support parents and 
youth in working in partnership with professionals to establish and 
meet high expectations for children and youth with disabilities. This 
notice relates to approved information collections under OMB control 
numbers 1820-0018 and 1820-0028.

DATES: 
    Applications Available: April 21, 2020.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: June 22, 2020.
    Date of 84.328M Pre-Application Meeting: OSERS will conduct a pre-
application meeting specific to these competitions via webinar on May 
4, 2020, at 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time.
    In addition, no later than April 27, 2020, the Office of Special 
Education Programs (OSEP) will post a pre-recorded informational 
webinar designed to provide technical assistance to interested 
applicants. Information about the teleconference and the pre-recorded 
webinar may be found at www2.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/osep/new-osep-grants.html.
    Date of 84.235F Pre-Application Meeting: The Office of Special 
Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) will post a PowerPoint 
presentation that provides general information related to RSA's 
discretionary grant competitions and a PowerPoint presentation 
specifically related to this Parent Information and Training Program 
competition at https://ncrtm.ed.gov/RSAGrantInfo.aspx. OSERS will 
conduct a pre-application meeting specific to this competition via 
conference call in order to respond to questions on May 5, 2020 at 1:00 
p.m. Eastern Time. OSERS invites you to send questions to 
[email protected] in advance of the pre-application meeting. The 
teleconference information, including the 84.235F pre-application 
meeting summary of the questions and answers, will be available at 
https://ncrtm.ed.gov/RSAGrantInfo.aspx within 6 days after the pre-
application meeting.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: August 19, 2020.

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: For 84.328M, Carmen Sanchez, U.S. 
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Room 5162, Potomac 
Center Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-5076. Telephone: (202) 245-6595. 
Email: [email protected]. For 84.235F, Tara Jordan, U.S. Department 
of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Room 5058E, Potomac Center Plaza, 
Washington, DC 20202-5076. Telephone: (202) 245-7341. 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 Opportunities Description

    Purpose of Programs: The purpose of the Training and Information 
for Parents of Children with Disabilities--Parent Training and 
Information Centers program, CFDA number 84.328M, is to ensure that 
parents of children with disabilities receive impartial training and 
objective information to help improve outcomes and raise expectations 
for their children. The Parent Information and Training program, CFDA 
number 84.235F, is designed to support projects that provide impartial 
training and objective information to enable individuals with

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disabilities, and the parents, family members, guardians, advocates, or 
other authorized representatives of the individuals (hereafter 
collectively referred to as ``individuals with disabilities and their 
families''), to participate more effectively with professionals in 
meeting the vocational, independent living, and rehabilitation needs of 
individuals with disabilities. This program is designed to meet the 
unique training and information needs of those individuals who live in 
the area to be served, particularly those who are members of 
populations that have been unserved or underserved by programs under 
the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (Rehabilitation Act).
    Priorities: In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(iv) and (v), the 
CFDA 84.328M Absolute Priority is from allowable activities specified 
in the statute, or otherwise authorized in the statute (see sections 
671 and 681(d) of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act 
(IDEA); 20 U.S.C. 1471 and 1481). In accordance with 34 CFR 
75.105(b)(2)(v), the CFDA 84.235F Absolute Priority is from allowable 
activities specified in the statute (see section 303(c)(2) of the 
Rehabilitation Act; 29 U.S.C. 773(c)(2)).
    Absolute Priorities: For FY 2020 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 one or both of 
these priorities.
    Note: Eligible applicants may apply for both absolute priorities 
but must submit separate applications for each absolute priority. An 
applicant may apply only once under each identified region of the CFDA 
84.235F priority. An applicant may apply only once under the CFDA 
84.328M priority, except an applicant may apply for multiple regional 
centers within a single State and must submit a separate application 
for each region (see page 24 for a list of States within each region). 
For example, an applicant applying for the 84.328M grant for Idaho and 
the 84.235F grant for region D-2, which contains Idaho, must submit 
separate applications under both CFDA numbers. Or an applicant 
submitting for multiple 84.328M regions within Texas must submit 
separate applications for each region. If the applicant also applies 
for an 84.235F grant for region B-2, which contains Texas, the 
applicant must submit a separate application for the 84.235F grant. 
Applicants that apply for both absolute priority 1 and 2 are encouraged 
to address in their applications how they will work to provide seamless 
services for families and individuals with disabilities receiving 
services under both the IDEA and the Rehabilitation Act.
    These priorities are:
    CFDA 84.328M Absolute Priority--Parent Training and Information 
Centers.
    Background:
    The purpose of this priority is to fund 65 Parent Training and 
Information Centers (PTIs) designed to meet the information and 
training needs of parents \1\ of infants, toddlers, children, and youth 
with disabilities,\2\ ages birth through 26 (collectively, ``children 
with disabilities''), and the information and training needs of youth 
with disabilities living in the States or regions of the States served 
by the centers. These PTIs, consistent with statute, will provide 
individualized assistance, training, and resources to help parents work 
with schools, early childhood providers, and early childhood and 
educational systems to meet the unique needs of their children and set 
high expectations and challenging objectives for every child with a 
disability. PTIs will also provide high-quality, accurate, and 
impartial information to families of children with disabilities on the 
range of educational options that may be available in their State and 
local community and will coordinate with Community Parent Resource 
Centers (CPRCs) (CFDA 84.328C) that may be funded in their respective 
States or regions of their States.
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    \1\ The term ``parent'' includes natural, adoptive, and foster 
parents, guardians, and individuals acting in the role of ``parent'' 
as defined in section 602(23) of IDEA. (20 U.S.C. 1401(23)).
    \2\ The term ``disabilities'' refers to the full range of 
disabilities described in section 602(3) of IDEA. (20 U.S.C. 
1401(3)).
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    PTIs (www.parentcenterhub.org/find-your-center/) promote the 
effective education of children with disabilities by ``strengthening 
the role and responsibility of parents and ensuring that families of 
such children have meaningful opportunities to participate in the 
education of their children at school and at home'' (section 
601(c)(5)(B) of IDEA; 20 U.S.C. 1400(c)(5)(B)). PTIs, consistent with 
section 671(b) (20 U.S.C. 1471(b)) of IDEA, serve families of children 
who may be inappropriately identified, underserved families, families 
with limited English proficiency, and families in which a parent may 
also experience a disability. PTIs help parents (a) navigate systems 
providing early intervention, special education and related services, 
general education, and postsecondary options; (b) understand the 
educational and service options available to them and their children; 
(c) understand the nature of their children's disabilities; (d) learn 
about their rights and responsibilities under IDEA; (e) expand their 
knowledge of evidence-based practices \3\ to help their children 
succeed; (f) strengthen their collaboration with professionals; (g) 
locate resources for themselves and their children; and (h) advocate 
for improved child outcomes and student achievement, increased 
graduation rates, and improved postsecondary outcomes for all children 
through participation in program and school reform activities.
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    \3\ The term ``evidenced-based practices'' (EBPs) means, at a 
minimum, demonstrating a rationale (as defined in 34 CFR 77.1) based 
on high-quality research findings or positive evaluation that such 
activity, strategy, or intervention is likely to improve student 
outcomes or other relevant outcomes.
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    By providing parents with impartial information and individualized 
assistance and training, PTIs enable parents to (a) make informed 
decisions when choosing educational and early learning options that 
best meet the needs of their children; (b) help their children meet 
developmental and academic goals; (c) help their children meet 
challenging expectations established for all children; and (d) prepare 
their children to achieve positive postsecondary outcomes that lead to 
lives that are as productive and independent as possible. In addition, 
parent centers help youth with disabilities understand their rights and 
responsibilities and learn self-advocacy skills to prepare them to lead 
productive lives as independently as possible.
    PTIs are also valuable partners to Federal, State, and local 
agencies, providing expertise on how to better support families and 
youth with disabilities so that they can effectively and efficiently 
access IDEA services. Projects must be awarded and operated in a manner 
consistent with the nondiscrimination requirements contained in the 
U.S. Constitution and the Federal civil rights laws.
    CFDA 84.328M Priority:
    The Department intends to fund 65 grants to establish and operate 
65 PTIs. Based on the quality of applications received, the Department 
intends to fund one PTI in each of the following States: \4\ Alabama, 
Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of 
Columbia, Georgia,

[[Page 22155]]

Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, 
Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, 
Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North 
Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto 
Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, 
Vermont, U.S. Virgin Islands, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, 
Wisconsin, Wyoming, and one PTI to serve the freely associated States 
\5\ and outlying areas in the Pacific. In addition, the Department 
intends to fund PTIs to serve regions within each of the following 
States: California, Florida, Illinois, New York, and Texas. Regional 
PTIs will be better able to provide responsive services to families in 
the largest, most diverse States.
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    \4\ Under section 602(31) of IDEA, the term ``State'' means each 
of the 50 States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of 
Puerto Rico, and each of the outlying areas. Under section 602(22) 
``outlying area'' means the United States Virgin Islands, Guam, 
American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana 
Islands.
    \5\ The freely associated States of the Federated States of 
Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic 
of Palau.
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    At a minimum, the PTIs must--(a) increase parents' capacity to help 
their children with disabilities improve their early learning, school-
aged, and postsecondary outcomes; (b) increase parents' knowledge of 
educational and early learning options; and (c) increase youth with 
disabilities' capacity to be effective self-advocates.
    In addition to these programmatic requirements, to be considered 
for funding under this priority, applicants must meet the following 
application and administrative requirements in this priority:
    (a) In the narrative section of the application under 
``Significance,''--
    (1) Present appropriate information on--
    (i) The needs of parents in the geographic diversity of its State 
or region, including, but not limited to, underserved parents, low 
income parents, parents with limited English proficiency, and parents 
with disabilities;
    (ii) The needs of youth with disabilities in the geographic 
diversity of its State or region, including, but not limited to, 
underserved youth, incarcerated youth, youth in foster care, and youth 
with limited English proficiency; and
    (iii) The variety of educational options available within the State 
and local communities, and how parents and youth are made aware of 
these options; and
    (2) Demonstrate how the proposed project will, within the 
geographic diversity in its State or region--
    (i) Address the needs of parents of children with disabilities for 
high-quality services that increase parents' capacity to help their 
children with disabilities improve their early learning, school-aged, 
and postsecondary outcomes. To meet this requirement the applicant 
must--
    (A) Demonstrate knowledge of best practices on providing training 
and information to the variety of parents in its State or region;
    (B) Demonstrate knowledge of best practices in outreach and family-
centered services;
    (C) Demonstrate knowledge of current education practices and policy 
initiatives to improve outcomes in early intervention and early 
childhood, general and special education, transition services, and 
postsecondary options; and
    (D) Demonstrate knowledge of how to identify and work with 
appropriate partners in the State, including local providers and lead 
agencies providing Part C services; State and local educational 
agencies; State child welfare agencies; disability-specific systems and 
entities serving families, such as the State's protection and advocacy 
system; vocational rehabilitation (VR) agencies; and other nonprofits 
serving families in order to improve outcomes; and
    (ii) Address the needs of youth with disabilities for high-quality 
services that increase their capacity to be effective self-advocates. 
To meet this requirement the applicant must--
    (A) Demonstrate knowledge of best practices for providing training 
and information to the variety of youth with disabilities in its State 
or region;
    (B) Demonstrate knowledge of current education practices and policy 
initiatives in self-advocacy; and
    (C) Demonstrate knowledge of how to work with appropriate partners 
serving youth with disabilities, including State and local VR agencies, 
other nonprofits, and Independent Living Centers that provide 
assistance such as postsecondary education options, employment 
training, and supports.
    (b) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under 
``Quality of project design,'' how the proposed project will--
    (1) Use a project logic model to guide the development of project 
plans and activities within its State or region;
    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.
    (2) Develop and implement an outreach plan to inform parents of 
children with disabilities of how they can benefit from the services 
provided by the PTI, including, but not limited to--
    (i) Parents of children who may be inappropriately identified;
    (ii) Underserved parents;
    (iii) Parents with limited English proficiency;
    (iv) Low-income parents; and
    (v) Parents with disabilities; and
    (3) Develop and implement an outreach plan to inform youth with 
disabilities of how they can benefit from the services provided by the 
PTI.
    (c) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under 
``Quality of project services,'' how the proposed project will--
    (1) Provide high-quality services that increase parents' capacity 
to help their children with disabilities improve their early learning, 
school-aged, and postsecondary outcomes. To meet this requirement the 
applicant must include information as to how the services will--
    (i) Increase parents' knowledge of--
    (A) The nature of their children's disabilities, including their 
children's strengths, and academic, behavioral, and developmental 
challenges;
    (B) The importance of having high expectations for their children 
and how to help them meet those expectations;
    (C) The local, State, and Federal resources available to assist 
them and their children and local resources that strengthen their 
connection to their communities;
    (D) IDEA, Federal IDEA regulations, and State regulations, 
policies, and practices implementing IDEA, including--
    (1) Their rights and responsibilities under IDEA, including 
procedural safeguards and dispute resolution;
    (2) Their role on Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) and 
Individualized Education Program (IEP) Teams and how to effectively 
participate on IFSP and IEP Teams; and
    (3) How services are provided under IDEA;
    (E) Other relevant educational and health care legislation, 
including the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as 
amended (ESEA); the Rehabilitation Act, especially section 504 of the 
Rehabilitation Act (Section 504) and the provisions established by the 
Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA); and the Americans with 
Disabilities Act (ADA);
    (F) Transition services, at all levels, including Part C early 
intervention to Part B preschool, preschool to

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elementary school, elementary school to secondary school, secondary 
school to postsecondary education and workforce options, and re-entry 
of incarcerated youth to school and the community;
    (G) The options available within the State and their community to 
educate and help their children meet educational and developmental 
outcomes;
    (H) How their children can have access to the general education 
curriculum and inclusive early learning programs, including access to 
corresponding academic standards and assessments, extracurricular and 
enrichment opportunities, and other initiatives available to all 
children;
    (I) Early intervention and education practices that improve 
outcomes and help children meet high expectations; and
    (J) School reform efforts to improve student achievement and 
increase graduation rates; and
    (ii) Increase parents' capacity to--
    (A) Effectively support their children with disabilities and 
participate in their children's education;
    (B) Make informed decisions when choosing educational and early 
learning options that best meet the needs of their children;
    (C) Communicate effectively and work collaboratively in partnership 
with early intervention service providers, school-based personnel, 
related services personnel, and administrators;
    (D) Resolve disputes effectively; and
    (E) Participate in school reform activities to improve outcomes for 
all children;
    (2) Provide high-quality services that increase youth with 
disabilities' capacity to be effective self-advocates. To meet this 
requirement the applicant must include information as to how the 
services will--
    (i) Increase the knowledge of youth with disabilities about--
    (A) The nature of their disabilities, including their strengths, 
and of their academic, behavioral, and developmental challenges;
    (B) The importance of having high expectations for themselves and 
how to meet those expectations;
    (C) The resources available to support their success in secondary 
and postsecondary education and employment and full participation in 
their communities;
    (D) IDEA, Section 504, Rehabilitation Act, WIOA, ADA, and other 
legislation, regulations, and policies that affect people with 
disabilities;
    (E) Their rights and responsibilities while receiving services 
under IDEA, the Rehabilitation Act, and WIOA, and after transitioning 
to post-school programs, services, and employment;
    (F) How they can participate on IEP Teams;
    (G) The options available within the State and their community to 
help them meet their educational and post-transition outcomes; and
    (H) Supported decision making necessary to transition to adult 
life; and
    (ii) Increase the capacity of youth with disabilities to--
    (A) Advocate for themselves, including communicating effectively 
and working collaboratively in partnership with providers; and
    (B) Make informed decisions when choosing educational options that 
best meet their needs;
    (3) Use various methods to deliver services, including in-person 
and remotely through the use of technology;
    (4) Use best practices for providing training and information to 
adult learners and youth;
    (5) Establish cooperative partnerships with any CPRCs and any other 
PTIs funded in the State under sections 672 and 671 of IDEA, 
respectively;
    (6) Establish cooperative partnerships with the Parent Training and 
Information Centers funded under the Rehabilitation Act (CFDA 84.235F) 
in the Regional Parent Technical Assistance Center's (Regional PTAC's) 
(CFDA 84.328R) region to which they belong, and the Center for Parent 
Information and Resources (CFDA 84.328R); and
    (7) Network with local, State, and national organizations and 
agencies, such as protection and advocacy agencies and VR agencies that 
serve parents and families of children with disabilities, to better 
support families and children with disabilities to effectively and 
efficiently access IDEA and pre-employment transition services.
    (d) In the narrative section of the application under ``Quality of 
the project evaluation,'' include an evaluation plan for the project as 
described in the following paragraphs. The evaluation plan must 
describe: Measures for evaluating the quality, accuracy, and 
impartiality of project services and products; measures of progress in 
implementation, including the criteria for determining the extent to 
which the project's products and services have met the goals for 
reaching its target population; measures of intended outcomes or 
results of the project's activities in order to evaluate those 
activities; and how well the goals or objectives of the proposed 
project, as described in its logic model, have been met.
    (e) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under 
``Adequacy of resources and quality of project personnel,'' how--
    (1) The applicant and any key partners have adequate resources to 
carry out the proposed activities; and
    (2) The proposed costs are reasonable in relation to the 
anticipated results and benefits.
    (3) 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; and
    (4) 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.
    (f) 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 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, impartial, relevant, and useful 
to recipients;
    (4) The board of directors will be used to provide appropriate 
oversight to the project;
    (5) The proposed project will benefit from a diversity of 
perspectives, including those of families using a variety of education 
options, youth, educators, and State and local providers, among others, 
in its development and operation;
    (6) The proposed project will ensure that the annual performance 
reports submitted to the Department will--
    (i) Be accurate and timely;
    (ii) Include information on the projects' outputs and outcomes; and
    (iii) Include, at a minimum, the number and demographics of parents 
and youth to whom the PTI provided information and training, the 
parents' and youth's unique needs, and the levels of service provided 
to them; and

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    (7) The project management and staff will--
    (i) Make use of the technical assistance (TA) and products provided 
by the OSEP-funded Center on Parent Information and Resources, Regional 
PTACs, and other TA centers, as appropriate;
    (ii) Participate in developing individualized TA plans with the 
Regional PTAC, as appropriate; and
    (iii) Facilitate one site visit from the Regional PTAC during the 
grant cycle.
    (g) Address the following application requirements. The applicant 
must--
    (1) Include, in Appendix A, a logic model for the project;
    (2) Include, in Appendix A, personnel-loading charts and timelines, 
as applicable, to illustrate the management plan described in the 
narrative;
    (3) Include, in the budget, travel funds to support the project 
director's attendance at one meeting sponsored by OSEP or the Regional 
PTACs, at a minimum;
    (4) Maintain a website that meets government or industry-recognized 
standards for accessibility and that includes, at a minimum, a current 
calendar of upcoming events, free informational publications for 
families, and links to webinars or other online multimedia resources; 
and
    (5) Assure that the information provided to parents is accurate and 
impartial.
    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 priority in this notice.
    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1471 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.
    Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 79 apply to all applicants 
except federally recognized Indian Tribes.
    CFDA 84.235F Absolute Priority--Parent Information and Training 
Program.
    Background:
    The purpose of this priority is for the Rehabilitation Services 
Administration (RSA) to fund eight Parent Information and Training 
(RSA-PTI) centers, to meet the information and training needs of 
individuals with disabilities and their families, so that individuals 
with disabilities can achieve their employment and independent living 
goals. The Secretary may fund out of rank order to ensure that the RSA-
PTI centers will be distributed geographically throughout the country, 
with two RSA-PTI centers within each of the OSEP-funded Regional PTAC 
regions.\6\ Funding will be provided to the highest ranked applicant 
for each region. Applicants must propose to provide services to all 
States in a region:
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    \6\ For RSA-funded grants, ``State'' includes, in addition to 
each of the several States of the United States, the District of 
Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin 
Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern 
Mariana Islands (Rehabilitation Act, Section 7(34)). The Regional 
PTAC regions and the States in those regions can be found at 
www.parentcenterhub.org/rptacs/.
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    Region A-1: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode 
Island, Vermont.
    Region A-2: Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, 
District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands.
    Region B-1: Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, 
Tennessee, Virginia.
    Region B-2: Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, 
Texas.
    Region C-1: Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, 
West Virginia, Wisconsin.
    Region C-2: Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North 
Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming.
    Region D-1: Alaska, Hawaii, Oregon, Washington, American Samoa, the 
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam.
    Region D-2: Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, New 
Mexico, Utah.
    The RSA-PTI centers will be designed to meet the unique training 
and information needs of individuals with disabilities and their 
families who live in the area to be served, particularly those who are 
members of populations that have been unserved or underserved by other 
Rehabilitation Act programs. The RSA-PTI centers will coordinate and 
work closely with the PTI centers established under the CFDA 84.328M 
priority pursuant to section 671 of IDEA. Finally, the RSA-PTI centers 
will help to build greater and more effective family engagement in the 
education and postsecondary transition of their children and create or 
expand partnerships with community-based organizations to provide 
supports and services to students and families.
    The Department has funded RSA-PTI centers under the Rehabilitation 
Act since 1993. For individuals with disabilities and their families, 
particularly for youth of transition age, the need for information 
about postsecondary transition, VR, independent living, and other adult 
services is critical. The current Federal approach to assisting 
students with disabilities in transitioning to postsecondary education 
or the workforce necessitates that students and their parents navigate 
multiple programs and service systems in order to piece together the 
supports these students need to achieve maximum independence in 
adulthood. Under this complex arrangement, information dissemination 
and service coordination are essential (GAO, 2012).
    Furthermore, although families may be familiar with the supports 
provided while a youth with disabilities is in secondary school, they 
may not be aware of options available for postsecondary education and 
training and may be intimidated by the process to obtain financial aid 
for such options. Without accurate and timely information about 
available services, students may miss opportunities to access services 
that could mean the difference between achieving an optimal level of 
self-sufficiency and relying on public assistance to meet their basic 
needs (GAO, 2012). Finally, although many youths with disabilities 
receive work experiences while in secondary school, additional 
exploration and on-the-job training experiences provided through a VR 
services program may introduce them to career possibilities not 
previously considered.
    The RSA-PTI centers have provided information and training to 
thousands of individuals with disabilities and their families to help 
them better understand the varied eligibility requirements for, and the 
complex array of services provided by, programs that serve adults with 
disabilities. Having accurate and user-friendly information helps to 
ensure that individuals with disabilities receive the services that 
will help them achieve their employment and independent living goals. 
Projects must be awarded and operated in a manner consistent with the 
nondiscrimination requirements contained in the U.S.

[[Page 22158]]

Constitution and the Federal civil rights laws.
    References:

United States Government Accountability Office (GAO). (2012). Report to 
the Ranking Member, Committee on Education and the Workforce, House of 
Representatives. Students with Disabilities, Better Federal 
Coordination Could Lessen Challenges in the Transition from High 
School. July 2012. www.gao.gov/assets/600/592329.pdf.

    CFDA 84.235F Priority:
    Under this priority, we provide grants for the establishment or 
continuation of projects that provide information and training to 
assist individuals with disabilities, and the parents, family members, 
guardians, advocates, or authorized representatives of the individuals 
(hereafter collectively referred to as ``individuals with disabilities 
and their families'') to participate more effectively with 
professionals in meeting the vocational, independent living, and 
rehabilitation needs of individuals with disabilities. To be considered 
for funding under this priority, an applicant must meet the 
application, programmatic, and administrative requirements of this 
priority. The applicant must address the following requirements and 
explain how it will assist individuals with disabilities, including 
youth of transition age, and their families to--
    (a) Better understand VR and independent living programs and 
services. To meet this requirement, the applicant may describe--
    (1) How it will assess the need across all States in the defined 
geographic region for information and training materials to inform 
individuals with disabilities and their families about VR and 
independent living services, particularly those that have been 
underserved in receiving the services the applicant intends to offer;
    (2) The materials and training that will be developed to explain 
the VR process and how VR is designed to lead to high-quality 
competitive employment outcomes in the integrated labor market for 
individuals with disabilities;
    (3) A plan for disseminating the materials developed across all 
States in the defined geographic region and particularly to families 
and individuals with disabilities that have been underserved in 
receiving the services the applicant intends to offer; and
    (4) A plan for evaluating the information and training materials 
disseminated.
    (b) Provide follow-up support for transition and employment 
programs. To meet this requirement, the applicant may describe--
    (1) How it will identify and provide services to families and 
individuals with disabilities across all States in the defined 
geographic region and particularly to families and individuals with 
disabilities that have been underserved in receiving the services the 
applicant intends to offer;
    (2) A plan for developing the necessary follow-up activities so 
that individuals with disabilities experience a smooth transition from 
secondary school activities to employment and other post-school 
activities;
    (3) How it will develop and disseminate training materials on 
transition services and employment programs;
    (4) A plan for evaluating the information and training materials 
disseminated on transition services and employment programs; and
    (5) How it will develop collaborative arrangements with VR service 
providers and employers in the area to be served that will facilitate 
the provision of transition services and employment programs to support 
individuals with disabilities and their families.
    (c) Communicate more effectively with transition and rehabilitation 
personnel and other relevant professionals. To meet this requirement, 
the applicant may describe--
    (1) How it will identify and provide services to families and 
individuals with disabilities across all States in the defined 
geographic region and particularly to families and individuals with 
disabilities that have been underserved in receiving the services the 
applicant intends to offer;
    (2) How training will be provided to individuals with disabilities 
and their families to help them understand the language and the frame 
of reference that rehabilitation professionals use in their work so 
that such individuals and their families will be capable of 
communicating effectively with such professionals;
    (3) How the needs of individuals with disabilities and their 
families who are from culturally diverse backgrounds or who have 
varying communication needs will be addressed; and
    (4) How the effectiveness of the training will be evaluated.
    (d) Provide support in the development of the individualized plan 
for employment (IPE). To meet this requirement the applicant may 
describe--
    (1) How it will identify and provide services to families and 
individuals with disabilities across all States in the defined 
geographic region and particularly to families and individuals with 
disabilities that have been underserved in receiving the services the 
applicant intends to offer;
    (2) How it will provide training to individuals with disabilities 
and their families to help them develop IEPs with a focus on transition 
services needed in order to achieve high-quality employment and 
independence and that will later be coordinated with the IPEs developed 
for the individuals; and
    (3) How it will provide training to individuals with disabilities 
and their families to help them develop comprehensive IPEs leading to 
employment goals consistent with the individuals' strengths, abilities, 
and informed choice.
    (e) Provide support and expertise in obtaining information about 
rehabilitation and independent living programs, services, and resources 
that are appropriate. To meet this requirement the applicant may 
describe--
    (1) How it will identify and provide services to families and 
individuals with disabilities across all States in the defined 
geographic region and particularly to families and individuals with 
disabilities that have been underserved in receiving the services the 
applicant intends to offer;
    (2) How it will develop and disseminate materials to educate 
individuals with disabilities and their families about the array of 
transition, rehabilitation, and independent living services and 
programs available in the area to be served;
    (3) How it will provide information to individuals with 
disabilities from diverse ethnic, cultural, and linguistic backgrounds 
and how it will provide information in accessible formats (e.g., 
languages other than English or in braille or large print); and
    (4) How it will develop relationships with rehabilitation and 
independent living service providers in the area to be served so that 
the information the PTI provides is current and meaningful.
    (f) Provide support and guidance in helping individuals with 
significant disabilities, including students with disabilities, 
transition to competitive integrated employment. To meet this 
requirement the applicant may describe--
    (1) How it will identify and provide services to families and 
individuals with disabilities across all States in the defined 
geographic region and particularly to families and individuals with 
disabilities that have been

[[Page 22159]]

underserved in receiving the services the applicant intends to offer;
    (2) How it will develop relationships with schools and employers to 
educate individuals with disabilities and their families about 
competitive integrated employment opportunities;
    (3) How it will provide information regarding competitive 
integrated work-based learning opportunities and employment 
opportunities to individuals with disabilities from diverse ethnic, 
cultural, and linguistic backgrounds; and
    (4) How it will develop relationships with VR services providers 
and employers in the area to be served so that the information the PTI 
provides is current and meaningful.
    (g) Understand the provisions of the Rehabilitation Act, 
particularly provisions relating to employment, supported employment, 
and independent living. To meet this requirement the applicant may 
describe--
    (1) How it would train individuals with disabilities and their 
families about how to access, and what to expect from, VR and 
independent living programs available under the Rehabilitation Act and 
how such services and programs can help individuals with disabilities 
achieve their goals in postsecondary education, independent living, and 
high-quality competitive employment in the integrated labor market, 
including supported employment; and
    (2) How it would provide information to individuals with 
disabilities and their families on the rights such individuals have to 
access these programs and their rights to due process if they are not 
satisfied with the services they receive.
    Program Authority: 29 U.S.C. 773(c).
    Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 75, 77, 79, 81, 82, 
84, 86, 97, 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.
    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

CFDA 84.328M Absolute Priority

    Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
    Estimated Available Funds: $21,195,248.
    Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of 
applications, we may make additional awards in subsequent years from 
the list of unfunded applications from this competition.
    Information concerning funding amounts for individual States for 
this competition is provided in the ``Maximum Award'' column of the 
table in this section.
    The Department took into consideration current funding levels, 
population distribution, poverty rates, and low-density enrollment when 
determining the award amounts for grants under this competition. For 
the States listed in the funding table, one award may be made for up to 
the amounts listed in the table to a qualified applicant for a PTI to 
serve the entire State.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $103,612 to $679,768.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $326,081.
    Maximum Award: See table. We will not make an award exceeding the 
corresponding amount shown in the table for each State for a single 
budget period of 12 months.
    Applications for one five-year award will be accepted to serve the 
area in the Pacific comprised of American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth 
of the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Freely Associated States 
consisting of the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the 
Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau.
    Applications for five-year awards will also be accepted to serve 
regions in the following States:
    California:
    Region 1--Los Angeles county;
    Region 2--Imperial, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and San 
Diego counties;
    Region 3--Fresno, Inyo, Kern, Kings, Madera, Mariposa, Merced, 
Mono, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Tulare, and Ventura counties;
    Region 4--Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Monterey, Napa, San Benito, 
San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Solano, and Sonoma 
counties; and
    Region 5--Alpine, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, Colusa, Del Norte, El 
Dorado, Glenn, Humboldt, Lake, Lassen, Mendocino, Modoc, Nevada, 
Placer, Plumas, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, 
Stanislaus, Sutter, Tehama, Trinity, Tuolumne, Yolo, and Yuba counties.
    Florida:
    Region 1--Alachua, Baker, Bay, Bradford, Brevard, Calhoun, Clay, 
Columbia, Dixie, Duval, Escambia, Flagler, Franklin, Gadsden, 
Gilchrist, Gulf, Hamilton, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Lafayette, Leon, 
Levy, Liberty, Madison, Marion, Nassau, Okaloosa, Putnam, Santa Rosa, 
Seminole, St. Johns, Suwannee, Taylor, Union, Volusia, Wakulla, Walton, 
and Washington counties;
    Region 2--Charlotte, Citrus, Collier, DeSoto, Glades, Hardee, 
Hendry, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Lee, Manatee, Pasco, 
Pinellas, Sarasota, and Sumter counties; and
    Region 3--Broward, Indian River, Lake, Martin, Miami-Dade, Monroe, 
Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, Polk, and St. Lucie counties.
    Illinois:
    Region 1--Cook, DuPage, Grundy, Kane, Kendall, Lake, McHenry, and 
Will counties; and
    Region 2--The rest of the State of Illinois.
    New York:
    Region 1--Bronx, Kings, Nassau, New York, Queens, Richmond, and 
Suffolk counties; and
    Region 2--The rest of the State of New York.
    Texas:
    Region 1--Atascosa, Bandera, Bastrop, Bexar, Blanco, Burnet, 
Caldwell, Cameron, Comal, Dimmit, Fayette, Frio, Gillespie, Gonzales, 
Guadalupe, Hays, Hidalgo, Jim Hogg, Kendall, Kerr, Kinney, La Salle, 
Lee, Llano, Maverick, Medina, Real, Starr, Travis, Uvalde, Webb, 
Willacy, Williamson, Wilson, Zapata, and Zavala counties;
    Region 2--Andrews, Archer, Armstrong, Bailey, Baylor, Bell, Borden, 
Bosque, Brewster, Briscoe, Brown, Callahan, Carson, Castro, Childress, 
Clay, Cochran, Coke, Coleman, Collingsworth, Comanche, Concho, Coryell, 
Cottle, Crane, Crockett, Crosby, Culberson, Dallam, Dawson, Deaf Smith, 
Dickens, Donley, Eastland, Ector, Edwards, El Paso, Falls, Fisher, 
Floyd, Foard, Freestone, Gaines, Garza, Glasscock, Gray, Hale, Hall, 
Hamilton, Hansford, Hardeman, Hartley, Haskell, Hemphill, Hill, 
Hockley, Howard, Hudspeth, Hutchinson, Irion, Jack, Jeff Davis, Jones, 
Kent, Kimble, King, Knox, Loving, Lamb, Lampasas, Limestone, Lipscomb, 
Lubbock, Lynn, Martin, Mason, McCulloch, McLennan, Menard, Midland, 
Mills, Mitchell, Montague, Moore, Motley, Navarro, Nolan, Ochiltree, 
Oldham, Parmer, Pecos, Potter, Presidio, Randall, Reagan,

[[Page 22160]]

Reeves, Roberts, Runnels, San Saba, Schleicher, Scurry, Shackelford, 
Sherman, Stephens, Sterling, Stonewall, Sutton, Swisher, Taylor, 
Terrell, Terry, Throckmorton, Tom Green, Upton, Val Verde, Ward, 
Wheeler, Wichita, Wilbarger, Winkler, Yoakum, and Young counties;
    Region 3--Anderson, Angelina, Bowie, Camp, Cass, Cherokee, Collin, 
Cooke, Dallas, Delta, Denton, Ellis, Erath, Fannin, Franklin, Grayson, 
Gregg, Harrison, Henderson, Hood, Hopkins, Hunt, Johnson, Kaufman, 
Lamar, Marion, Morris, Nacogdoches, Palo Pinto, Panola, Parker, Rains, 
Red River, Rockwall, Rusk, Sabine, San Augustine, Shelby, Smith, 
Somervell, Tarrant, Titus, Upshur, Van Zandt, Wise, and Wood counties; 
and
    Region 4--Aransas, Austin, Bee, Brazoria, Brazos, Brooks, Burleson, 
Calhoun, Chambers, Colorado, DeWitt, Duval, Fort Bend, Galveston, 
Goliad, Grimes, Hardin, Harris, Houston, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, 
Jim Wells, Karnes, Kenedy, Kleberg, Lavaca, Leon, Liberty, Live Oak, 
Madison, Matagorda, McMullen, Milam, Montgomery, Newton, Nueces, 
Orange, Polk, Refugio, Robertson, San Jacinto, San Patricio, Trinity, 
Tyler, Victoria, Walker, Waller, Washington, and Wharton counties.
    Applicants for PTIs to serve the regions within these States must 
submit a separate application for each of the regions they propose to 
serve.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 65.
    Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice.
    Project Period: Up to 60 months.

  Training and Information for Parents of Children With Disabilities--
Parent Training and Information Centers (84.328M) Application Notice for
                                 FY 2020
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                        State                            Maximum award
------------------------------------------------------------------------
ALABAMA..............................................           $298,602
ALASKA...............................................            200,000
ARIZONA..............................................            402,873
ARKANSAS.............................................            200,000
CALIFORNIA...........................................  .................
CA Region 1..........................................            532,105
CA Region 2..........................................            660,910
CA Region 3..........................................            307,981
CA Region 4..........................................            406,987
CA Region 5..........................................            294,664
COLORADO.............................................            306,283
CONNECTICUT..........................................            200,000
DELAWARE.............................................            200,000
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.................................            200,000
FLORIDA..............................................  .................
FL Region 1..........................................            283,230
FL Region 2..........................................            262,640
FL Region 3..........................................            490,620
GEORGIA..............................................            639,236
HAWAII...............................................            200,000
IDAHO................................................            200,000
ILLINOIS.............................................  .................
IL Region 1..........................................            480,387
IL Region 2..........................................            227,148
INDIANA..............................................            403,124
IOWA.................................................            200,000
KANSAS...............................................            200,000
KENTUCKY.............................................            273,114
LOUISIANA............................................            293,313
MAINE................................................            200,000
MARYLAND.............................................            317,529
MASSACHUSETTS........................................            348,565
MICHIGAN.............................................            572,037
MINNESOTA............................................            314,959
MISSISSIPPI..........................................            200,590
MISSOURI.............................................            355,206
MONTANA..............................................            200,000
NEBRASKA.............................................            200,000
NEVADA...............................................            200,000
NEW HAMPSHIRE........................................            200,000
NEW JERSEY...........................................            456,033
NEW MEXICO...........................................            200,000
NEW YORK.............................................  .................
NY Region 1..........................................            595,579
NY Region 2..........................................            463,700
NORTH CAROLINA.......................................            609,015
NORTH DAKOTA.........................................            200,000
OHIO.................................................            660,275
OKLAHOMA.............................................            248,200
OREGON...............................................            219,788
PACIFIC..............................................            200,000
PENNSYLVANIA.........................................            679,768
PUERTO RICO..........................................            202,373
RHODE ISLAND.........................................            200,000
SOUTH CAROLINA.......................................            293,497
SOUTH DAKOTA.........................................            200,000
TENNESSEE............................................            395,568
TEXAS................................................  .................
TX Region 1..........................................            430,303
TX Region 2..........................................            245,844
TX Region 3..........................................            558,001
TX Region 4..........................................            550,550
U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS..................................            103,612
UTAH.................................................            210,656
VERMONT..............................................            200,000
VIRGINIA.............................................            471,006
WASHINGTON...........................................            400,789
WEST VIRGINIA........................................            200,000
WISCONSIN............................................            328,588
WYOMING..............................................            200,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------

CFDA 84.235F Absolute Priority

    Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
    Estimated Available Funds: $2,400,000.
    Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of 
applications, we may make additional awards in subsequent years from 
the list of unfunded applications from this competition.
    Maximum Award: $300,000.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 8. Funding will be provided to the top-
ranked applicant that provides services to all of the States listed in 
each of the identified regions as outlined in the following table.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                         Maximum award
            Region               States within region        amount
------------------------------------------------------------------------
A-1...........................  Connecticut, Maine,             $300,000
                                 Massachusetts, New
                                 Hampshire, Rhode
                                 Island, Vermont.
A-2...........................  Delaware, Maryland,              300,000
                                 New Jersey, New
                                 York, Pennsylvania,
                                 District of
                                 Columbia, Puerto
                                 Rico, U.S. Virgin
                                 Islands.
B-1...........................  Florida, Georgia,                300,000
                                 North Carolina,
                                 South Carolina,
                                 Tennessee, Virginia.
B-2...........................  Alabama, Arkansas,               300,000
                                 Louisiana,
                                 Mississippi,
                                 Oklahoma, Texas.
C-1...........................  Illinois, Indiana,               300,000
                                 Kentucky, Michigan,
                                 Minnesota, Ohio,
                                 West Virginia,
                                 Wisconsin.
C-2...........................  Iowa, Kansas,                    300,000
                                 Missouri, Montana,
                                 Nebraska, North
                                 Dakota, South
                                 Dakota, Wyoming.
D-1...........................  Alaska, Hawaii,                  300,000
                                 Oregon, Washington,
                                 American Samoa, the
                                 Commonwealth of the
                                 Northern Mariana
                                 Islands, Guam.
D-2...........................  Arizona, California,             300,000
                                 Colorado, Idaho,
                                 Nevada, New Mexico,
                                 Utah.
------------------------------------------------------------------------


[[Page 22161]]

    Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice.
    Project Period: Up to 60 months.

III. Eligibility Information

CFDA 84.328M Absolute Priority

    1. Eligible Applicants: Parent organizations.
    Note: Section 671(a)(2) of IDEA defines a ``parent organization'' 
as a private nonprofit organization (other than an IHE) that--
    (a) Has a board of directors--
    (1) The majority of whom are parents of children with disabilities 
ages birth through 26;
    (2) That includes--
    (i) Individuals working in the fields of special education, related 
services, and early intervention; and
    (ii) Individuals with disabilities; and
    (3) The parent and professional members of which are broadly 
representative of the population to be served, including low-income 
parents and parents of limited English proficient children; and
    (b) Has as its mission serving families of children with 
disabilities who are ages birth through 26, and have the full range of 
disabilities described in section 602(3) of IDEA.
    2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This program does not require cost 
sharing or matching.
    3. Subgrantees: Under 34 CFR 75.708(b) and (c), a grantee under 
this competition may award subgrants--to directly carry out project 
activities described in its application--to the following types of 
entities: IHEs and private nonprofit organizations suitable to carry 
out the activities proposed in the application.
    The grantee may award subgrants to entities it has identified in an 
approved application.
    4. Other General Requirements: (a) Recipients of funding under this 
program must make positive efforts to employ and advance in employment 
qualified individuals with disabilities (see section 606 of IDEA).
    (b) Each applicant for, and recipient of, funding under this 
program must 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).

CFDA 84.235F Absolute Priority

    1. Eligible Applicants: Private nonprofit organizations that meet 
the requirements in section 303(c)(4) of the Rehabilitation Act. An 
applicant must--
    (a) Include information demonstrating the capacity and expertise of 
the organization to--
    (i) Coordinate training and information activities with Centers for 
Independent Living;
    (ii) Coordinate and work closely with PTIs established pursuant to 
section 671 of IDEA, the CPRCs established pursuant to section 672 of 
IDEA, and the eligible entities receiving awards under section 673 of 
IDEA; and
    (iii) Effectively conduct the training and information activities 
authorized in section 303 of the Rehabilitation Act;
    (b) Be governed by a board of directors that--
    (i) Includes professionals in the VR field; and on which a majority 
of the members are individuals with disabilities or the parents, family 
members, guardians, advocates, or authorized representatives of the 
individuals; or
    (ii) Has a membership that represents the interests of individuals 
with disabilities; and establishes a special governing committee to 
operate a training and information program under section 303(c)(4) of 
the Rehabilitation Act that includes professionals in the VR field and 
on which a majority of the members are individuals with disabilities or 
the parents, family members, guardians, advocates, or authorized 
representatives of the individuals; and may include representatives 
from special education and other public and private agencies on the 
board, as appropriate; and
    (c) Serve, and demonstrate the capacity for serving, individuals 
with a full range of disabilities, and the parents, family members, 
guardians, advocates, or authorized representatives of the individuals.
    2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This program does not require cost 
sharing or matching.

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.
    Eligible applicants may apply for both absolute priorities but must 
submit separate applications for each absolute priority. An applicant 
may apply only once under each identified region of the CFDA 84.235F 
priority. An applicant may apply only once under the CFDA 84.328M 
priority, except an applicant may apply for multiple regional centers 
within a single State and must submit a separate application for each 
region. For example, an applicant applying for the 84.328M grant for 
Idaho and the 84.235F grant for region D-2, which contains Idaho, must 
submit separate applications under both CFDA numbers. Or an applicant 
submitting for multiple 84.328M regions within Texas must submit 
separate applications for each region. If the applicant also applies 
for an 84.235F grant for region B-2, which contains Texas, the 
applicant must submit a separate application for the 84.235F grant.
    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 22162]]

V. Application Review Information

    1. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for these 
competitions are from 34 CFR 75.210 and are as follows:
    CFDA 84.328M Absolute Priority and CFDA 84.235F Absolute Priority
    (a) Significance. (15 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; and
    (ii) The importance or magnitude of the results or outcomes likely 
to be attained by the proposed project.
    (b) Quality of the project design. (10 points)
    (1) The Secretary considers the quality of the design of the 
proposed project.
    (2) In determining the quality of the design of the proposed 
project, 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; 
and
    (ii) The extent to which there is a conceptual framework underlying 
the proposed research or demonstration activities and the quality of 
that framework.
    (c) Quality of project services. (25 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 services to be provided by the proposed 
project reflect up-to-date knowledge from research and effective 
practice;
    (ii) The extent to which the services to be provided by the 
proposed project are appropriate to the needs of the intended 
recipients or beneficiaries of those services;
    (iii) The extent to which the services to be provided by the 
proposed project involve the collaboration of appropriate partners for 
maximizing the effectiveness of project services; and
    (iv) 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.
    (d) 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 are appropriate 
to the context within which the project operates;
    (iii) The extent to which the methods of evaluation will provide 
performance feedback and permit periodic assessment of progress toward 
achieving intended outcomes; and
    (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.
    (e) Adequacy of resources and quality of project personnel. (20 
points)
    (1) The Secretary considers the adequacy of resources and quality 
of project personnel for the proposed project.
    (2) In determining the adequacy of resources and quality of project 
personnel for the proposed project, the Secretary considers the 
following factors:
    (i) The adequacy of support, including facilities, equipment, 
supplies, and other resources, from the applicant organization or the 
lead applicant organization;
    (ii) The extent to which the costs are reasonable in relation to 
the objectives, design, and potential significance of the proposed 
project;
    (iii) 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;
    (iv) The qualifications, including relevant training and 
experience, of key project personnel;
    (v) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience, 
of project consultants or subcontractors; and
    (vi) The relevance and demonstrated commitment of each partner in 
the proposed project to the implementation and success of the project.
    (f) Quality of the management plan. (15 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; and
    (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 of Education 
(34 CFR 100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).
    3. Additional Review and Selection Process Factors: In the past, 
the Department has had difficulty finding peer reviewers for certain 
competitions because so many individuals who are

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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.
    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 or subgrantee 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.
    (c) Under 34 CFR 75.250(b), the Secretary may provide a grantee 
with additional funding for data collection analysis and reporting. In 
this case, the Secretary establishes a data collection period.
    5. Performance Measures:
    CFDA 84.328M Absolute Priority:
    Under the Government Performance Results Modernization Act of 2010 
(GPRA 2010), the Department has established a set of performance 
measures, including long-term measures, that are designed to yield 
information on the quality, relevance, and usefulness of the materials, 
products, and services of the Training and Information for Parents of 
Children with Disabilities program. These measures are:
     Program Performance Measure 1: The percentage of materials 
used by projects that are deemed to be of high quality;
     Program Performance Measure 2: The percentage of products 
and services deemed to be of high relevance to educational and early 
intervention policy and practice; and
     Program Performance Measure 3: The percentage of all 
products and services deemed to be useful to improve educational or 
early intervention policy or practice.
     Program Performance Measure 4: The percentage of 
individuals with disabilities and their families receiving PTI services 
who report enhanced knowledge and understanding of IDEA services.
    Grantees will be required to report information on their project's 
performance in annual reports to the Department (34 CFR 75.590).
    CFDA 84.235F Absolute Priority:
    GPRA 2010 directs Federal departments and agencies to improve the 
effectiveness of programs by engaging in strategic planning, setting 
outcome-related goals for programs, and measuring program results 
against those goals. The required annual report must include 
information on two measures:

[[Page 22164]]

     Program Performance Measure 1: The percentage of 
individuals with disabilities and their families receiving PTI services 
who report enhanced knowledge and understanding of VR services; and
     Program Performance Measure 2: The percentage of all 
products and services developed to improve VR service utilization 
deemed to be useful by individuals with disabilities and their families 
receiving PTI services.
    The data needed to support these measures will be collected by 
grantees via survey, assessed, and reported in the aggregate to RSA. 
Grantees will negotiate targets with RSA after the first year, which 
will be used to establish a baseline.
    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) on request to 
the program contact persons listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION 
CONTACT.
    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.

Mark Schultz,
Commissioner, Rehabilitation Services Administration. Delegated the 
authority to perform the functions and duties of the Assistant 
Secretary for the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative 
Services.
[FR Doc. 2020-08390 Filed 4-20-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P