[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 8 (Thursday, January 12, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2078-2088]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-00535]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Applications for New Awards; Special Education Parent Information
Centers--Technical Assistance for Parent Centers
AGENCY: Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services,
Department of Education.
ACTION: Notice. January 12, 2023.
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SUMMARY: The Department of Education (Department) is issuing a notice
inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY) 2023 for
Technical Assistance for Parent Centers, Assistance Listing Number
84.328R. This notice relates to the approved information collection
under OMB control number 1820-0028.
DATES: Applications Available: January 12, 2023.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: March 28, 2023.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: May 30, 2023.
Pre-Application Webinar Information: No later than January 17,
2023, OSERS will post pre-recorded informational webinars designed to
provide technical assistance to interested applicants. The webinars may
be found at www2.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/osep/new-osep-grants.html.
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 December 7, 2022 (87 FR 75045) and available at
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/12/07/2022-26554/common-instructions-for-applicants-to-department-of-education-discretionary-grant-programs. Please note that these Common Instructions supersede
the version published on December 27, 2021.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carmen Sanchez, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Room 5144, Potomac Center Plaza,
Washington, DC 20202-5076. Telephone: (202) 245-6595. Email:
[email protected].
If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability and
wish to access telecommunications relay services, please dial 7-1-1.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Full Text of Announcement
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Purpose of Program: The purpose of the Special Education Parent
Information Centers program is to ensure that parents of children with
disabilities receive high-quality, relevant, and useful training and
information to help improve outcomes for their children.
Priority: This competition includes one absolute priority and two
focus areas. In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(v), this priority
is from allowable activities specified in sections 670-673 and 681(d)
of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA); 20 U.S.C.
1470-1473 and 1481(d). Within focus area 1 of the absolute priority, we
include one competitive preference priority, and within focus area 2 of
the absolute priority, we include two competitive preference
priorities.
Absolute Priority: For FY 2023 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:
Technical Assistance for Parent Centers.
Background:
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.
Section 673 of IDEA authorizes technical assistance (TA) for
developing, assisting, and coordinating parent training and information
programs carried out by parent training and information centers (PTIs)
that receive assistance under section 671 of IDEA and by community
parent resource centers (CPRCs) that receive assistance under section
672 of IDEA (collectively, ``parent centers''). The purpose of this
priority is to fund five cooperative agreements to establish and
operate five parent technical assistance centers (PTACs) across two
focus areas to provide TA to parent centers. A center for parent
information and resources (CPIR) will focus on developing products for
all parent centers (Focus Area 1). Four regional parent training and
technical assistance centers (regional PTACs) will focus on
[[Page 2079]]
providing capacity-building TA to the parent centers in their regions
(Focus Area 2).
The work of the proposed centers is consistent with the following
Secretary's Supplemental Priorities, which were published in the
Federal Register on December 10, 2021 (86 FR 70612): Priority 2--
Promoting Equity in Student Access to Educational Resources and
Opportunities; Priority 4--Meeting Student Social, Emotional, and
Academic Needs; Priority 5--Increasing Postsecondary Education Access,
Affordability, Completion, and Post-Enrollment Success; and Priority
6--Strengthening Cross-Agency Coordination and Community Engagement to
Advance Systemic Change.
The 90 parent center grants (www.parentcenterhub.org/find-your-center/) currently funded by the Department promote the effective
education of infants, toddlers, children, and youth 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). For the past 40 years, parent centers,
consistent with section 671(b) of IDEA, have helped parents navigate
systems providing early intervention, special education and related
services, general education, and postsecondary options; understand the
nature of their children's disabilities; learn about their rights and
responsibilities under IDEA; expand their knowledge of evidence-based
\1\ practices (EBPs) to help their children succeed; strengthen their
collaboration with educators and other professionals; locate resources
for themselves and their children; and 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. In addition, parent centers
have helped youth with disabilities understand their rights and
responsibilities and learn self-advocacy skills.
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\1\ Evidence-based, as defined in 34 CFR 77.1, means the
proposed project component is supported by one or more of strong
evidence, moderate evidence, promising evidence, or evidence that
demonstrates a rationale.
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Consistent with the statute, PTACs provide support to parent
centers to carry out these statutorily required activities and thereby
help parents participate in the education of their children to improve
their children's outcomes. In addition, section 673(b) of IDEA lists
potential areas in which parent centers may also need TA from PTACs,
such as: (1) coordinating parent training efforts; (2) disseminating
evidence-based research and information; (3) promoting the use of
technology, including assistive technology devices and services; (4)
reaching underserved \2\ parents; (5) including children with
disabilities in general education programs; (6) facilitating all
transitions from early intervention through postsecondary environments;
and (7) promoting alternative methods of dispute resolution, including
mediation. Parent centers have also identified through needs assessment
that they have a need for TA to increase their capacity to reach, and
provide virtual and in-person services to, youth with disabilities and
parents of infants, toddlers, and preschool children.
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\2\ Consistent with the Secretary's Supplemental Priorities,
underserved parents include: parents living in poverty; parents of
color; parents who are members of a federally or state recognized
Indian Tribe; parents who are English learners; parents with a
disability; disconnected parents; technologically unconnected
parents; migrant parents; parents experiencing homelessness or
housing insecurity; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or
questioning, or intersex (LGBTQI+) parents; foster parents; parents
without documentation of immigration status; parents impacted by the
justice system, including formerly incarcerated parents and parents
of children in the juvenile justice system; parents in need of
improving their basic skills or with limited literacy; and military-
or veteran-connected parents.
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PTACs provide needed support to parent centers on other topics as
well, including current information on laws and policies; translating
EBPs to improve outcomes for children with disabilities and their
families; how to help parents learn about and access high-quality
education options that allow their children to meet challenging
objectives appropriate in light of the child's circumstances; and ways
to effectively engage in education reform activities, including
Federal, State, and local initiatives. Ongoing TA, responsive to the
individual needs of parent centers, can increase parent center staff's
knowledge and expertise on these topics. In addition, since many parent
centers are grassroots organizations with small budgets, they often
benefit from TA on managing a Federal grant, maximizing efficient use
of their resources, meeting complex statutory and regulatory
requirements for nonprofits, and providing professional development to
staff. External evaluation reports, as part of the PTACs' annual
performance reports (APRs), indicate that the TA they provided has
substantially increased parent centers' capacity to respond effectively
to parents and youth during disasters, including the COVID-19 pandemic.
The following website provides more information on the current
parent centers, including links to each grantee's website:
www.parentcenterhub.org.
Priority:
The purpose of this priority is to fund five cooperative agreements
to establish and operate one CPIR (Focus Area 1) and four regional
PTACs (Focus Area 2). The CPIR will develop and disseminate resources
for all parent centers to use when working with parents of children
with disabilities (hereafter ``parents'') and youth with disabilities
(hereafter ``youth''). The CPIR will also develop and disseminate
materials that all parent centers can use to train staff to effectively
reach and serve all parents and youth. The four regional PTACs will
provide TA to parent centers within their region to effectively manage
their centers and reach and serve all parents and youth. The CPIR and
regional PTACs will coordinate their efforts in order to maximize
resources and avoid duplication. An applicant may submit applications
in both focus areas; however, an applicant is limited to only one
application in each focus area (e.g., apply for only one region under
Focus Area 2).
Focus Area 1:
The CPIR will provide universal, general TA \3\ to the parent
centers across the Nation and serve as a virtual hub for collaboration
and training. The CPIR must achieve, at a minimum, the following
expected outcomes:
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\3\ ``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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(a) Increased parent centers' knowledge, through the development
and dissemination of high-quality information and products, of--
(1) Early intervention and educational EBPs and current Federal,
State, Tribal, and other laws and policies that impact children and
youth with disabilities and their families;
(2) Effective and equitable practices in carrying out parent center
activities including outreach, family-centered services, and self-
advocacy skill building; and
[[Page 2080]]
(3) Effective nonprofit management practices, to include developing
a robust infrastructure for remote service provision; hiring strategies
and succession planning; and board development.
(b) Increased parent centers' use of high-quality materials and
approaches to train--
(1) Staff in effective and equitable practices in carrying out
parent center activities including outreach, family-centered services,
and self-advocacy skill building; and
(2) Multilingual staff--in their native languages to the extent
practicable--and to ensure the accuracy of the translation of materials
they provide in languages other than English.
In addition to these programmatic requirements, to be considered
for funding under this priority, applicants must meet the application
and administrative requirements in this priority, which are:
(a) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under
``Significance,'' how the proposed project will--
(1) Address parent centers' needs both for resources to effectively
reach and serve all parents and youth, including underserved parents
and youth, and for materials to train staff to effectively reach and
serve all parents and youth. To meet this requirement, the applicant
must--
(i) Present applicable national data on the needs of parent
centers; and
(ii) Demonstrate knowledge of--
(A) Current educational issues and policy initiatives relating to
early childhood (ages birth through five), general and special
education, secondary transition services, and postsecondary options;
and
(B) Best practices in--
(1) Equitable outreach; family-centered services; and self-advocacy
skill building, including effective and appropriate outreach and
service provision to underserved parents and youth in urban, suburban,
and rural communities;
(2) Staff training, including training for multilingual staff; and
(3) Nonprofit management, including remote service provision;
hiring strategies and succession planning; and board development;
(2) Increase the knowledge of parent centers on how to reach, and
provide virtual and in-person services to, all parents and youth, to
train staff using high-quality training materials, and to apply
management best practices; and
(3) Indicate the likely magnitude or importance of the improvements
in parent centers' service provision.
(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 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 parent centers for TA and
information;
Note: The methods and tools to identify needs will be finalized in
consultation with the regional PTACs and the Office of Special
Education Programs (OSEP) project officers in order to assure
coordination and avoid duplication; and
(ii) Ensure that products and services meet the needs of the parent
centers;
(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, and outputs in addition
to the 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: https://osepideasthatwork.org/sites/default/files/2021-12/ConceptualFramework_Updated.pdf 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 EBPs. To meet this
requirement, the applicant must describe--
(i) The current research on outreach, family-centered services, and
self-advocacy skill building, including effective and equitable
outreach and service provision to underserved parents and youth; staff
training, including training for multilingual staff; and nonprofit
management;
(ii) The current research about adult learning principles and
implementation science that will inform the proposed TA; and
(iii) 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 how knowledgeable the parent
centers are regarding outreach, family-centered services, and self-
advocacy skill building, including effective and appropriate outreach
and service provision to underserved parents and youth; staff training,
including training for multilingual staff; and nonprofit management;
(ii) Its proposed approach to universal, general TA, which must
identify the intended recipients within the parent centers, including
the type and number of recipients, that will receive the products and
services under this approach and must, at minimum, include how the
project will--
(A) Create, update, and maintain an online, annotated repository of
high-quality resources produced by the CPIR, OSEP-funded projects, and
other federally funded projects for parent centers' use with families,
youth, staff members, and members of the boards of directors, including
translations of materials as needed;
(B) Develop, as needed, up-to-date, family-centered resources that
parent centers can use with parents and youth in a variety of
languages, formats, and reading levels, including when providing
virtual services;
(C) Disseminate and modify, as needed, family-centered resources
developed by OSEP and other federally funded centers such as the
proposed Center on Dispute Resolution to provide all parents,
particularly underserved parents, with information on their and their
children's rights and responsibilities under IDEA and other Federal
laws;
(D) Disseminate and modify, as needed, family-centered resources
developed by OSEP and other federally funded centers to provide
families with strategies to enhance their children's academic skills,
self-advocacy, social emotional skills, and behavior and mental health
at home, to include information about accessing Federal, State, and
local programs, benefits, and resources that provide support;
(E) Disseminate and modify, as needed, family-centered resources
[[Page 2081]]
developed by OSEP and other federally funded centers to provide
families with strategies to enhance their children's preparation to
transition from school to postsecondary education and training, and the
workforce, including self-advocacy and skills needed for independent
living, to include information about accessing Federal, State, and
local programs, benefits, and resources that provide support;
(F) Compile and create materials to train staff, including
multilingual staff, to effectively provide services to underserved
parents and youth; and
(G) Compile and create materials on nonprofit management, as
needed, and develop a process for an annual orientation of new parent
center directors and other key personnel and members of the boards of
directors that provides the new personnel with the information and
resources they need to carry out their responsibilities;
(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;
(iii) How the proposed project will use existing knowledge and
expertise within parent centers to achieve intended project outcomes;
and
(iv) How the proposed project will use non-project resources to
achieve the intended project outcomes;
(7) Develop a dissemination plan that describes how the applicant
will systematically distribute information and products to parent
centers, using a variety of dissemination strategies, to promote
awareness and use of the CPIR's products and services; and
(8) Assist parent centers in the collection of annual performance
data required under section 671(b)(12) of IDEA, in consultation with
the OSEP project officer.
(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.\4\ The evaluation plan must--
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\4\ 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 must be related to the project's proposed logic model
required in paragraph (b)(2)(ii) of this notice;
(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 in Year 2 for
the review process described under the heading, Fourth and Fifth Years
of the Project; 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; and
(4) The proposed costs are reasonable in relation to the
anticipated results and benefits.
(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 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, youth, 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 virtual kick-off meeting after receipt
of the award, and an annual virtual planning meeting 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' conference in
Washington, DC, during each year of the project period. The project
must reallocate funds for travel to the project directors' conference
no later than the end of the third quarter of each budget period if the
meeting is conducted virtually;
(iii) One annual two-day trip to attend Department briefings,
Department-sponsored conferences, and other meetings, as requested by
OSEP; and
(iv) A one-day intensive virtual 3+2 review meeting during the last
half of the second year of the project period;
(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
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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) Ensure that annual project progress toward meeting project
goals is posted on the project website; and
(6) 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 parent centers during the transition to this
new award period and at the end of this award period, as appropriate.
Fourth and Fifth Years of the Project:
In deciding whether to continue funding the project for the fourth
and fifth years, the Secretary will consider the requirements of 34 CFR
75.253(a), including--
(a) The recommendations of a 3+2 review team consisting of experts
who have experience and knowledge in family-centered services. This
review will be conducted during a one-day intensive meeting that will
be held during the last half of the second year of the project period;
(b) The timeliness with which, and how well, the requirements of
the negotiated cooperative agreement have been or are being met by the
project; and
(c) The quality, relevance, and usefulness of the project's
products and services and the extent to which the project's products
and services are aligned with the project's objectives and likely to
result in the project achieving its intended outcomes.
Under 34 CFR 75.253, the Secretary may reduce continuation awards
or discontinue awards in any year of the project period for excessive
carryover balances or a failure to make substantial progress. The
Department intends to closely monitor unobligated balances and
substantial progress under this program and may reduce or discontinue
funding accordingly.
Focus Area 2:
The four regional PTACs will provide targeted, specialized TA \5\
and intensive, sustained TA \6\ to the parent centers in their
respective areas. The regional PTACs must achieve, at a minimum, the
following expected outcomes:
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\5\ ``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.
\6\ ``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) Increased parent center capacity to inform and train parents
both virtually and in person on--
(1) Early intervention and educational EBPs;
(2) Their rights and responsibilities under Federal, State, Tribal,
and other laws and policies that impact children with disabilities and
their families; and
(3) Accessing Federal, State, and local programs, benefits, and
resources that support children with disabilities, youth with
disabilities, and their families;
(b) Increased parent center capacity to reach more parents and
youth and effectively provide equitable parent center services to help
more parents improve outcomes for their children and to help youth
build their self-advocacy skills;
(c) Increased parent center capacity to provide effective and
equitable outreach and service provision to all parents and youth; and
(d) Increased parent center capacity to effectively manage their
nonprofit organizations and projects and to provide high-quality
training to staff, including multilingual staff, to reach and serve all
parents and youth in their region.
The geographic regions served by the four regional PTACs are
generally aligned with the States served by the Equity Assistance
Centers funded under Title IV of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, while also
balancing the number of centers each regional PTAC will have in its
region. This alignment will help the regional PTACs meet the
requirement in section 673(c) of IDEA that the regional PTACs develop
collaborative agreements with the geographically appropriate centers.
The four regional PTACs will represent the following geographic
regions:
Region A PTAC: CT, DC, DE, ME, MA, MD, NH, NJ, NY, PA, Puerto
Rico, RI, U.S. Virgin Islands, VT.
Region B PTAC: AL, AR, FL, GA, LA, MS, NC, OK, SC, TN, TX, VA.
Region C PTAC: IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, ND, OH,
SD, WI, WV, WY.
Region D PTAC: AK, AZ, CA, CO, HI, ID, NM, NV, OR, UT, WA, the
outlying areas of the Pacific Basin, the Freely Associated States.
In addition to these programmatic requirements, to be considered
for funding under this priority, applicants must meet the application
and administrative requirements in this priority, which are:
(a) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under
``Significance,'' how the proposed project will--
(1) Address the needs of parent centers in its region for TA to
increase their capacity to reach, and provide virtual and in-person
services to, parents and youth in their areas, including underserved
parents and youth; build youth's self-advocacy skills; train staff; and
effectively manage their centers. To meet this requirement the
applicant must--
(i) Present applicable information on the needs of parent centers
in the region; and
(ii) Demonstrate knowledge of--
(A) Current early intervention and educational issues and policy
initiatives relating to early childhood, general and special education,
secondary transition services, and postsecondary options; and
(B) Best practices in--
(1) Equitable outreach; family-centered services; and self-advocacy
skill building, including effective and appropriate outreach and
service provision to underserved parents and youth in urban, suburban,
and rural communities;
(2) Staff training, including training for multilingual staff; and
(3) Nonprofit management, including remote service provision;
hiring strategies and succession planning; and board development; and
(2) Increase the capacity of parent centers to reach, and provide
virtual and in-person services to, all parents and youth, train staff,
and manage their projects; 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 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 parent centers in the proposed region
for TA and information;
Note: The methods and tools to identify needs will be finalized in
consultation with the CPIR, other regional PTACs, and the OSEP project
[[Page 2083]]
officers in order to assure coordination and avoid duplication; and
(ii) Ensure that products and services meet the needs of the
intended parent centers;
(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, and outputs in addition
to the 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: https://osepideasthatwork.org/sites/default/files/2021-12/ConceptualFramework_Updated.pdf 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 EBPs. To meet this
requirement, the applicant must describe--
(i) The current research on outreach, family-centered services, and
self-advocacy skill building, including effective and equitable
outreach and service provision to underserved parents and youth; staff
training, including training for multilingual staff; and nonprofit
management;
(ii) The current research about adult learning principles and
implementation science that will inform the proposed TA; and
(iii) 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 work with the CPIR to identify the materials
and products on parental and child rights under Federal laws, outreach,
family-centered services, and self-advocacy skill building, including
effective and equitable outreach and virtual and in-person service
provision to underserved parents and youth; staff training, including
training for multilingual staff; and nonprofit management;
(ii) Its proposed approach to targeted, specialized TA \7\ to the
parent centers in the regions and how the project will--
(A) Conduct at least one in-person, on-site visit to each parent
center in the region during the course of the five-year project period;
(B) Increase parent centers' capacity to reach and provide services
to all parents and youth, including underserved parents and youth;
(C) Increase parent centers' capacity to train staff, including
multilingual staff, to provide effective and appropriate outreach and
services to underserved parents and youth; and
(D) Increase parent centers' capacity to effectively manage
nonprofit organizations, including: developing the board of directors
so that parent centers have the organizational policies, procedures,
and structure in place to manage their grants effectively; providing
remote services; developing and implementing hiring strategies; and
developing succession plans; and
(iii) Its proposed approach to intensive, sustained TA,\8\ which
must identify--
(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 the parent
centers to work with the project;
(C) Its proposed plan for assisting parent centers to build or
enhance their staff training and professional development based on
adult learning principles and coaching; and
(D) Its proposed approach to providing intensive TA to parent
centers when requested by OSEP project officers;
(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;
(iii) How the proposed project will use existing knowledge and
expertise within parent centers to achieve intended project outcomes;
(iv) How the proposed project will use the resources housed in and
developed by the CPIR and build on the CPIR's universal TA; and
(v) How the proposed project will use non-project resources to
achieve the intended project outcomes; and
(7) Develop a dissemination plan that describes how the applicant
will systematically distribute information, products, and services to
the parent centers in the region, using a variety of dissemination
strategies, to promote awareness and use of the regional PTAC's
products and services.
(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.\9\ The evaluation plan must--
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\9\ 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 must be related to the project's proposed logic model
required in paragraph (b)(2)(ii) of this notice;
(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.
Note: The evaluations for all the regional PTACs will be developed
in consultation with the regional PTACs and OSEP project officers for
the regional PTACs.
[[Page 2084]]
(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; and
(4) The proposed costs are reasonable in relation to the
anticipated results and benefits.
(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 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 virtual kick-off meeting after receipt
of the award, and an annual virtual planning meeting 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' conference in
Washington, DC, or virtually, during each year of the project period.
The project must reallocate funds for travel to the project directors'
conference no later than the end of the third quarter of each budget
period if the meeting is conducted virtually; and
(iii) One annual two-day trip, or virtually, 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) Ensure that annual project progress toward meeting project
goals is posted on the project website; and
(6) 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 parent centers in the center's region during
the transition to this new award period and at the end of this award
period, as appropriate.
Competitive Preference Priorities:
Within this absolute priority, we give competitive preference to
applications that address the following priorities. Under 34 CFR
75.105(c)(2)(i), for an application under Focus Area 1, we will award
five additional points if the application meets Competitive Preference
Priority 1. For an application under Focus Area 2, we will award five
additional points if the application meets Competitive Preference
Priority 1 and five additional points if the application meets
Competitive Preference Priority 2, for a total of 10 possible
additional points.
These priorities are:
Competitive Preference Priority 1--Applicants That Are Parent
Organizations (5 Points).
Applicants under Focus Area 1 or Focus Area 2 that are ``parent
organizations.'' A ``parent organization'' is a private nonprofit
organization (other than an institution of higher education) that--
(a) Has a board of directors--
(1) The majority of whom are parents of children with disabilities
ages birth through 26;
(2) That includes--
(i) Individuals working in the fields of special education, related
services, and early intervention; and
(ii) Individuals with disabilities; and
(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--
(1) Are ages birth through 26; and
(2) Have the full range of disabilities described in section 602(3)
of IDEA. (Section 671(a)(2) of IDEA)
Competitive Preference Priority 2--Location (5 Points).
Applicants under Focus Area 2 that are located in the region they
propose to serve.
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. 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. 1470-1473 and 1481.
Note: Projects will be awarded and must be operated in a manner
consistent with the nondiscrimination requirements contained in Federal
civil rights laws.
Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General
Administrative Regulations in 34 CFR parts 75, 77, 79, 81, 82, 84, 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.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Cooperative agreements.
Available Funds: $2,940,000.
Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of
applications, we may make additional awards in FY 2024 from the list of
unfunded applications from this competition.
[[Page 2085]]
Maximum Award:
Focus Area 1: We will not make an award exceeding $840,000 for a
single budget period of 12 months.
Focus Area 2: We will not make an award exceeding $525,000 for a
single budget period of 12 months.
Estimated Number of Awards:
Focus Area 1: 1.
Focus Area 2: 4.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice.
Project Period: Up to 60 months.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants: Private nonprofit organizations.
Note: If you are a nonprofit organization, under 34 CFR 75.51, you
may demonstrate your nonprofit status by providing: (1) proof that the
Internal Revenue Service currently recognizes the applicant as an
organization to which contributions are tax deductible under section
501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code; (2) a statement from a State
taxing body or the State attorney general certifying that the
organization is a nonprofit organization operating within the State and
that no part of its net earnings may lawfully benefit any private
shareholder or individual; (3) a certified copy of the applicant's
certificate of incorporation or similar document if it clearly
establishes the nonprofit status of the applicant; or (4) any item
described above if that item applies to a State or national parent
organization, together with a statement by the State or parent
organization that the applicant is a local nonprofit affiliate.
2. a. Cost Sharing or Matching: This competition does not require
cost sharing or matching.
b. Indirect Cost Rate Information: This program uses an
unrestricted indirect cost rate. For more information regarding
indirect costs, or to obtain a negotiated indirect cost rate, please
see www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocfo/intro.html.
c. Administrative Cost Limitation: This program does not include
any program-specific limitation on administrative expenses. All
administrative expenses must be reasonable and necessary and conform to
Cost Principles described in 2 CFR part 200 subpart E of the Uniform
Guidance.
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 General Requirements:
(a) Recipients of funding under this competition must make positive
efforts to employ and advance in employment qualified individuals with
disabilities (see section 606 of IDEA).
(b) Applicants for, and recipients of, funding must, with respect
to the aspects of their proposed project relating to 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 December 7, 2022 (87 FR 75045) and available at https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/12/07/2022-26554/common-instructions-for-applicants-to-department-of-education-discretionary-grant-programs, which contain requirements and information on how to
submit an application. Please note that these Common Instructions
supersede the version published on December 27, 2021.
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 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 the cover sheet; the
budget section, including the narrative budget justification; 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 listed below:
(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 one or more of 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 one or more of 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 2086]]
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.
(c) Quality of the project evaluation (20 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 one or more of 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.
(d) Adequacy of resources and quality of project personnel (15
points).
(1) The Secretary considers the adequacy of resources for the
proposed project and 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 determining the adequacy of resources and quality of project
personnel for the proposed project, the Secretary considers one or more
of the following factors:
(i) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience,
of key project personnel.
(ii) The qualifications, including relevant training and
experience, of project consultants or subcontractors.
(iii) The adequacy of support, including facilities, equipment,
supplies, and other resources, from the applicant organization or the
lead applicant organization.
(iv) The relevance and demonstrated commitment of each partner in
the proposed project to the implementation and success of the project.
(v) 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 (20 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 one or more of 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
200.206, before awarding grants under this competition the Department
conducts a review of the risks posed by applicants. Under 2 CFR
200.208, the Secretary may impose specific conditions, and under 2 CFR
3474.10, 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 200.206(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,
[[Page 2087]]
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.
6. In General: In accordance with the Office of Management and
Budget's guidance located at 2 CFR part 200, all applicable Federal
laws, and relevant Executive guidance, the Department will review and
consider applications for funding pursuant to this notice inviting
applications in accordance with:
(a) Selecting recipients most likely to be successful in delivering
results based on the program objectives through an objective process of
evaluating Federal award applications (2 CFR 200.205);
(b) Prohibiting the purchase of certain telecommunication and video
surveillance services or equipment in alignment with section 889 of the
National Defense Authorization Act of 2019 (Pub. L. 115-232) (2 CFR
200.216);
(c) Providing a preference, to the extent permitted by law, to
maximize use of goods, products, and materials produced in the United
States (2 CFR 200.322); and
(d) Terminating agreements in whole or in part to the greatest
extent authorized by law if an award no longer effectuates the program
goals or agency priorities (2 CFR 200.340).
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 APR
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: For the purposes of Department reporting
under 34 CFR 75.110, we have established a set of performance measures,
including long-term measures, that are designed to yield information on
various aspects of the effectiveness and quality of the Special
Education Parent Information Centers program. These measures are:
Program Performance Measure #1: The percentage of
materials used by Special Education Parent Information Centers Program
projects deemed to be of high quality by an independent review panel of
experts qualified to review the substantive content of the products or
services.
Program Performance Measure #2: The percentage of Special
Education Parent Information Centers products and services deemed to be
of high relevance to educational and early intervention policy or
practice by an independent review panel of experts qualified to review
the substantive content of the products or services.
Program Performance Measure #3: The percentage of all
Special Education Parent Information Centers products and services
deemed by an independent review panel of qualified experts to be useful
to improve educational or early intervention policy or practice.
Program Performance Measure #4: An index of the Federal
cost per unit of output provided by the Special Education Parent
Information Centers.
The following measures are collected through a survey of parent
centers, as part of the CPIR data collection referenced in this notice.
Long-term Program Performance Measure #1: Parents served
by Special Education Parent Information Centers investments will be
knowledgeable about their IDEA rights and responsibilities.
Long-term Program Performance Measure #2: Parents served
by the Special Education Parent Information Centers will be able to
work with schools and service providers effectively in meeting the
needs of their children.
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).
The Department will also closely monitor the extent to which the
products and services provided by the Center meet needs identified by
stakeholders and may require the Center to report on such alignment in
its annual and final performance reports.
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, whether
the grantee has made substantial progress in achieving 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).
[[Page 2088]]
VII. Other Information
Accessible Format: On request to the program contact person listed
under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT, individuals with disabilities
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accessible format. The Department will provide the requestor with an
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format (txt), a thumb drive, an MP3 file, braille, large print,
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Electronic Access to This Document: The official version of this
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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
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You may also access documents of the Department published in the
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feature at this site, you can limit your search to documents published
by the Department.
Katherine Neas,
Deputy Assistant Secretary. Delegated the authority to perform the
functions and duties of the Assistant Secretary for the Office of
Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.
[FR Doc. 2023-00535 Filed 1-11-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P