[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 75 (Wednesday, April 19, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24173-24181]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-08249]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Applications for New Awards; Personnel Development To Improve
Services and Results for Children With Disabilities--Preparation of
Early Intervention and Special Education Personnel Serving Children
With Disabilities Who Have High-Intensity Needs
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) 2023 for
Personnel Development to Improve Services and Results for Children with
Disabilities--Preparation of Early Intervention and Special Education
Personnel Serving Children with Disabilities who have High-Intensity
Needs, Assistance Listing Number (ALN) 84.325K. This notice relates to
the approved information collection under OMB control number 1820-0028.
DATES:
Applications Available: April 19, 2023.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: June 13, 2023.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: August 14, 2023.
Pre-Application Webinar Information: No later than April 24, 2023,
the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services will post
details on pre-recorded informational webinars designed to provide
technical assistance to interested applicants. Links to the webinars
may be found at https://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
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: Sunyoung Ahn, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Room 5013, Potomac Center Plaza,
Washington, DC 20202-5076. Telephone: 202-987-0141. 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 purposes of this program are to (1) help
address State-identified needs for personnel preparation in early
intervention, special education, related services, and regular
education to work with children, including infants, toddlers, and
youth, with disabilities; and (2) ensure that those personnel have the
necessary skills and knowledge, derived from practices that have been
determined through scientifically based research, to be successful in
serving those children.
Priorities: This competition includes one absolute priority and,
within that absolute priority, one competitive preference priority. In
accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(v), the absolute priority is from
allowable activities specified in the statute (see sections 662 and 681
of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) (20 U.S.C.
1462 and 1481)).
Absolute 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:
Preparation of Early Intervention and Special Education Personnel
Serving Children with Disabilities who have High-Intensity Needs.
Background:
The purpose of this priority is to prepare scholars who are fully
credentialed to serve children, including infants, toddlers, and youth,
with disabilities (children with disabilities) who have high-intensity
needs.\1\ The Department is committed to promoting equity for children
with disabilities to access educational resources and opportunities,
and a high priority for the Department is to increase the number of
personnel, including increasing the number of multilingual personnel
and personnel from racially and ethnically diverse backgrounds, who
provide services to children with disabilities. To support these goals,
under this absolute priority, the Department will fund high-quality
projects that prepare early intervention and special education
personnel at the bachelor's degree, certification, master's degree, or
educational specialist degree levels for professional practice in a
variety of education settings, including natural environments (the home
and community settings in which children with and without disabilities
participate), early childhood programs, classrooms, schools, and
distance learning environments; including increasing the number of
multilingual personnel and personnel from racially and ethnically
diverse backgrounds. Projects will also prepare such personnel to
support each child with a disability who has high-intensity needs in
meeting high expectations and to have meaningful and effective
collaborations with other providers, families, and administrators.
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\1\ For the purposes of this priority, ``high-intensity needs''
refers to a complex array of disabilities (e.g., multiple
disabilities, significant cognitive disabilities, significant
physical disabilities, significant sensory disabilities, significant
autism, significant emotional disabilities, or significant learning
disabilities, including dyslexia) or the needs of children with
these disabilities requiring intensive, individualized
intervention(s) (i.e., that are specifically designed to address
persistent learning or behavior difficulties, implemented with
greater frequency and for an extended duration than is commonly
available in a typical classroom or early intervention setting, or
which require personnel to have knowledge and skills in identifying
and implementing multiple evidence-based interventions).
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For decades, State demand for fully credentialed early intervention
and special education personnel to serve children with disabilities has
persistently exceeded the available supply (Mason-Williams et al.,
2020). The shortages have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and
are at a crisis point nationally. According to a recent survey by the
National Center for Education Statistics, most schools reported
starting the 2022-23 school year short-staffed for both instructional
and non-instructional staff, with the most severe shortages for special
education personnel (U.S. Department of Education, 2022). Recent data
related to the special education personnel pipeline also indicate
discouraging trends. Enrollment in educator preparation programs has
dropped 35 percent over the last five years, foreshadowing an
insufficient pipeline of special education personnel (Council of
Administrators of Special Education, 2020). Also, special education
personnel
[[Page 24174]]
continue to leave the teaching profession at nearly twice the rate of
their general education colleagues (Council of Administrators of
Special Education, 2020). These shortages limit the field's ability to
ensure that each child can meet challenging objectives and receive an
education that addresses individualized needs and is both meaningful
and appropriately ambitious, which is essential for preparing them for
the future.
The need for personnel with the knowledge and skills to serve
children with disabilities who have high-intensity needs is even
greater. To effectively serve children with disabilities who have high-
intensity needs, personnel require specialized or advanced skills and
knowledge to work within a multidisciplinary team, collaboratively
design and deliver evidence-based instruction and intensive
individualized intervention(s), and provide instruction and
interventions in person and through distance learning technologies in
natural environments, classrooms, and schools that address the needs of
these individuals (Boe et al., 2013; Browder et al., 2014; McLeskey &
Brownell, 2015). Personnel also need leadership skills to strengthen
professional practice and cultural and linguistic competencies to
effectively deliver services and education for children with
disabilities who have high-intensity needs, including children who are
multilingual and children who are from racially and ethnically diverse
backgrounds.
To enable personnel to provide efficient, high-quality, integrated,
and equitable services, both in person and through distance learning
technologies, personnel preparation programs need to embed, into
preservice training in early intervention settings, early childhood
programs, and schools; content, practices, and extensive field or
clinical experiences that are evidence-based and culturally and
linguistically responsive. Therefore, this priority aims to fund high-
quality projects that prepare scholars in early intervention and
special education, including multilingual scholars and scholars from
racially, and ethnically diverse backgrounds, who are fully
credentialed to enter the field and serve children with disabilities
who have high-intensity needs.
Priority:
The purpose of this priority is to increase the number and improve
the quality of personnel, including multilingual personnel and
personnel from racially and ethnically diverse backgrounds, who are
fully credentialed to serve children who have high-intensity needs \2\
in early intervention and special education. The priority will fund
high-quality projects that prepare scholars \3\ in early intervention
and special education at the bachelor's degree, certification,\4\
master's degree, or educational specialist degree levels for
professional practice in natural environments, early childhood
programs, classrooms, school settings, and in distance learning
environments serving children with disabilities who have high-intensity
needs.
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\2\ For the purposes of this priority, ``high-intensity needs''
refers to a complex array of disabilities (e.g., multiple
disabilities, significant cognitive disabilities, significant
physical disabilities, significant sensory disabilities, significant
autism, significant emotional disabilities, or significant learning
disabilities, including dyslexia) or the needs of children with
these disabilities requiring intensive, individualized
intervention(s) (i.e., that are specifically designed to address
persistent learning or behavior difficulties, implemented with
greater frequency and for an extended duration than is commonly
available in a typical classroom or early intervention setting, or
which require personnel to have knowledge and skills in identifying
and implementing multiple evidence-based interventions).
\3\ For the purposes of this priority, ``scholar'' means an
individual who: (a) is pursuing a bachelor's, certification,
master's, or educational specialist degree in early intervention or
special education; (b) receives scholarship assistance as authorized
under section 662 of IDEA (34 CFR 304.3(g)); (c) will be eligible
for a license, endorsement, or certification from a State or
national credentialing authority following completion of the degree
program identified in the application; and (d) will be able to be
employed in a position that serves children with disabilities for a
minimum of 51 percent of their time or case load. Individuals
pursuing degrees in general education or early childhood education
do not qualify as ``scholars'' eligible for scholarship assistance.
\4\ For the purposes of this priority, ``certification'' refers
to programs of study that lead to State licensure, endorsement, or
certification that qualifies graduates to teach or provide services
to children with disabilities. Programs of study that lead to a
certificate of completion from the institution of higher education
(IHE), but do not lead to State licensure, endorsement, or
certification, do not qualify.
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Note: Projects may include individuals who are not funded as
scholars, but are in degree programs (e.g., general education, early
childhood education, administration) that are cooperating with the
grantee's project. These individuals may participate in the coursework,
assignments, field or clinical experiences, and other opportunities
required of scholars' program of study (e.g., speaker series, monthly
seminars) if doing so does not diminish the benefit for project-funded
scholars (e.g., by reducing funds available for scholar support or
limiting opportunities for scholars to participate in project
activities).
Note: Projects that partner with related services \5\ programs to
prepare early intervention or special education personnel can qualify
under this priority. In such situations, scholars in the partnering
related services degree program (e.g., bachelor's, master's, or
clinical doctorate degree) may receive scholar support to complete
their related services degree. Degree programs across more than one
institution of higher education (IHE) may partner together within a
project. Personnel preparation degree programs that prepare all
scholars to be dually certified, including dually certified in special
education and a related service, can qualify under this priority.
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\5\ For the purposes of this priority, ``related services''
includes: speech-language pathology and audiology services;
interpreting services; psychological services; applied behavior
analysis; physical therapy and occupational therapy; recreation,
including therapeutic recreation; social work services; counseling
services, including rehabilitation counseling; and orientation and
mobility services.
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Note: Applications that propose to prepare only related services
personnel are not eligible under this priority but can qualify under
Preparation of Related Services Personnel Serving Children with
Disabilities who have High-Intensity Needs priority (ALN 84.325R).
Focus Areas:
Within this absolute priority, the Secretary intends to support
projects under the following two focus areas: (A) Preparing Personnel
to Serve Infants, Toddlers, and Preschool-Age Children with
Disabilities who have High-Intensity Needs; and (B) Preparing Personnel
to Serve School-Age Children with Disabilities who have High-Intensity
Needs.
Applicants must identify the specific focus area (i.e., A or B)
under which they are applying as part of the competition title on the
application cover sheet (SF 424, line 12). Applicants may not submit
the same proposal under more than one focus area. Applicants may submit
different proposals in different focus areas.
Note: The Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) may fund out
of rank order high-quality applications to ensure that projects are
funded in both Focus Area A and Focus Area B.
Focus Area A: Preparing Personnel to Serve Infants, Toddlers, and
Preschool-Age Children with Disabilities who have High-Intensity Needs.
This focus area is for projects that prepare early intervention and
special education personnel to provide services to infants, toddlers,
and preschool children with disabilities. In States where certification
in early intervention is combined with certification in early childhood
special education, applicants may propose a combined early intervention
and early childhood special education personnel
[[Page 24175]]
preparation project under this focus area. In States where the
certification age range is other than birth through five, applicants
must propose a preparation project that complies with the State's
certification requirements for early intervention and early childhood
special education personnel.
Focus Area B: Preparing Personnel to Serve School-Age Children with
Disabilities who have High-Intensity Needs. This focus area is for
projects that prepare special education personnel to work with school-
age children with disabilities who have high-intensity needs.
Focus Areas A and B:
Applicants may, but are not required to, use up to the first 12
months of the performance period and up to $100,000 of funds awarded in
the first budget period for planning, including enhancing an existing
program, without enrolling scholars. If an applicant chooses to use the
first year for program planning, then the applicant must provide
sufficient justification for requesting program planning time and
include the goals, objectives, and intended outcomes of program
planning in year one, a description of the proposed strategies and
activities to be supported, and a timeline for the work. The proposed
strategies may include activities such as--
(1) Updating coursework, group assignments, or extensive and
coordinated field or clinical experiences in early intervention
settings, early childhood programs, and schools needed to support
preparation for early intervention and special education personnel,
including personnel from groups that are underrepresented in the field,
including personnel with disabilities, multilingual personnel, and
personnel from racially and ethnically diverse backgrounds, serving
children with disabilities who have high-intensity needs;
(2) Building capacity (e.g., hiring a field supervisor, providing
professional development for faculty and field supervisors) of the
program to prepare scholars, including scholars from groups that are
underrepresented in the field, including scholars with disabilities,
multilingual scholars, and scholars from racially and ethnically
diverse backgrounds, to serve children with disabilities with high-
intensity needs and their families;
(3) Purchasing needed resources (e.g., additional teaching supplies
or specialized equipment to enhance instruction); or
(4) Establishing relationships with early intervention and early
childhood programs or schools to serve as sites for field or clinical
experiences needed to support the project. These sites may include
high-need local educational agencies (LEAs),\6\ high-poverty
schools,\7\ schools identified for comprehensive support and
improvement,\8\ and schools implementing a targeted support and
improvement plan \9\ for children with disabilities; early childhood
and early intervention programs located within the geographic
boundaries of a high-need LEA; and early childhood and early
intervention programs located within the geographical boundaries of an
LEA serving the highest percentage of schools identified for
comprehensive support and improvement or implementing targeted support
and improvement plans in the State.
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\6\ For the purposes of this priority, ``high-need LEA'' means
an LEA (a) that serves not fewer than 10,000 children from families
with incomes below the poverty line; or (b) for which not less than
20 percent of the children are from families with incomes below the
poverty line.
\7\ For the purposes of this priority, ``high-poverty school''
means a school in which at least 50 percent of students are from
low-income families as determined using one of the measures of
poverty specified in section 1113(a)(5) of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended (ESEA). For middle and
high schools, eligibility may be calculated on the basis of
comparable data from feeder schools. Eligibility as a high-poverty
school under this definition is determined on the basis of the most
currently available data.
\8\ For the purposes of this priority, ``school implementing a
comprehensive support and improvement plan'' means a school
identified for comprehensive support and improvement by a State
under section 1111(c)(4)(D) of the ESEA that includes (a) not less
than the lowest performing 5 percent of all schools in the State
receiving funds under title I, part A of the ESEA; (b) all public
high schools in the State failing to graduate one third or more of
their students; and (c) public schools in the State described in
section 1111(d)(3)(A)(i)(II) of the ESEA.
\9\ For the purposes of this priority, ``school implementing a
targeted support and improvement plan'' means a school identified
for targeted support and improvement by a State that has developed
and is implementing a school-level targeted support and improvement
plan to improve student outcomes based on the indicators in the
statewide accountability system defined in section 1111(d)(2) of the
ESEA.
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Additional Federal funds may be requested for scholar support and
other grant activities occurring in year one of the project, provided
that the total request for year one does not exceed the maximum award
available for one budget period of 12 months (i.e., $250,000).
Note: Applicants proposing projects to develop, expand, or add a
new area of emphasis to early intervention or special education
programs must provide, in their applications, information on how these
new areas will be sustained once Federal funding ends.
Note: Project periods under this priority may be up to 60 months.
Projects should be designed to ensure that all proposed scholars
successfully complete the program within 60 months from the start of
the project. The Secretary may reduce continuation awards for any
project in which scholar recruitment is not on track or scholars are
not on track to complete the program within the project period.
To be considered for funding under this absolute priority, all
program applicants must meet the requirements contained in this
priority.
To meet the requirements of this priority an applicant must--
(a) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under
``Significance,'' how--
(1) The proposed project will address the need in the proposed
preparation focus area to prepare personnel who are fully qualified to
serve children with disabilities who have high-intensity needs;
(2) The proposed project will increase the number of personnel in
the proposed preparation focus area who demonstrate the competencies
\10\ needed to--
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\10\ For the purposes of this priority, ``competencies'' means
what a person knows and can do--the knowledge, skills, and
dispositions necessary to effectively function in a role (National
Professional Development Center on Inclusion, 2011).
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(i) Promote high expectations and improve outcomes for children
with disabilities who have high-intensity needs;
(ii) Differentiate curriculum and instruction;
(iii) Provide intensive, evidence-based \11\ individualized
instruction and interventions in person and through distance learning
technologies in a variety of early intervention, early childhood, and
school settings (e.g., natural environments; public schools, including
charter schools; private schools; and other nonpublic education
settings, including home education);
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\11\ For the purposes of this priority, ``evidence-based''
means, at a minimum, evidence that demonstrates a rationale (as
defined in 34 CFR 77.1), where a key project component (as defined
in 34 CFR 77.1) included in the project's logic model (as defined in
34 CFR 77.1) is informed by research or evaluation findings that
suggest the project component is likely to improve relevant outcomes
(as defined in 34 CFR 77.1).
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(iv) Provide culturally and linguistically responsive instruction
and services;
(v) Collaborate with diverse partners, including multilingual
individuals, individuals and families from racially and ethnically
diverse backgrounds, and individuals with disabilities, using a
multidisciplinary team approach to address the individualized
[[Page 24176]]
developmental, learning, and academic needs of children with
disabilities who have high-intensity needs, and support their
successful transitions from early childhood to elementary, elementary
to secondary, or transition to postsecondary education and the
workforce; and
(vi) Exercise leadership to improve professional practice and
services and education for children with disabilities who have high-
intensity needs; and
(3) The applicant has successfully graduated students in their
program, including students with disabilities, multilingual students,
and students who are from racially, and ethnically diverse backgrounds,
including data disaggregated by disability status, race, national
origin and primary language(s), and the number of students who have
graduated in the last five years.
(b) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under
``Quality of project services,'' how--
(1) The project will conduct its planning activities, if the
applicant will use any of the allowable first 12 months of the project
period for planning;
(2) The project will recruit and retain scholars. To meet this
requirement, the applicant must describe--
(i) The selection criteria the project will use to identify
applicants for admission in the program;
(ii) The specific recruitment strategies the project will use to
attract applicants, including from groups that are underrepresented in
the field, including applicants with disabilities, multilingual
applicants, and applicants from racially and ethnically diverse
backgrounds to ensure a diverse pool of applicants; and
Note: Applicants should engage in focused outreach and recruitment
to increase the number of applicants from groups that are traditionally
underrepresented in the field, including applicants with disabilities,
multilingual applicants, and applicants from racial and ethnic
diversity backgrounds, but the selection criteria the applicant intends
to use must ensure equal access and treatment of all applicants seeking
admission to the program and must be consistent with applicable law,
including Federal civil rights law.
(iii) The approach that will be used to mentor and support all
scholars, and any specific approaches to supporting groups that are
underrepresented in the field, including individuals with disabilities,
multilingual scholars, and scholars from racially and ethnically
diverse backgrounds, for retention and completion of the program within
the project period and preparing them for careers in early intervention
or special education; and
(3) The project will be designed to promote the acquisition of the
competencies needed by early intervention or special education
personnel to support improved outcomes for children with disabilities
with high-intensity needs. To address this requirement, the applicant
must--
(i) Describe how the proposed components, such as coursework; field
or clinical experiences in early intervention, early childhood, and
school settings; work-based experiences; or other opportunities
provided to scholars, and sequence of the project components will
enable the scholars to acquire the competencies needed by personnel
working with children with disabilities with high-intensity needs;
(ii) Describe how the proposed project will reflect current
evidence-based practices (EBPs) to prepare scholars to provide
effective and equitable evidence-based culturally and linguistically
responsive instruction, interventions, and services that improve
outcomes for children with disabilities with high-intensity needs, in a
variety of educational or early childhood and early intervention
settings, including in-person and remote settings; and
(iii) Describe how the proposed project will engage partners,
including: multilingual individuals and individuals and families from
racially and ethnically diverse backgrounds; public or private
partnering agencies, schools, or programs; centers or organizations
that provide services to children with disabilities and their families;
and individuals with disabilities and their families, to inform and
support project components.
(c) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under
``Quality of the project personnel and management plan,'' how--
(1) The project director and other key project personnel are
qualified to prepare scholars in the project's preparation focus area;
(2) The project director and other key project personnel will
manage the components of the project; and
(3) The time commitments of the project director and other key
project personnel are adequate to meet the objectives of the proposed
project.
(d) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under
``Adequacy of resources,'' how--
(1) Information regarding the types of accommodations and resources
available to fully support scholars' well-being and a work-life balance
(e.g., university and community mental health supports, counseling
services, health resources, housing resources, child care) will be
disseminated and how the project will support scholars to access those
accommodations and resources in a timely basis, if needed, while the
scholar is in the program;
(2) The types of accommodations and resources provided to support
scholars' well-being and a work-life balance will be individualized
based on scholars' cultural, academic, and social emotional needs with
the goal of supporting them to complete the program; and
(3) The budget is adequate for meeting the project objectives and
mitigating financial burden to scholars in completing the program of
study.
Note: Scholar support does not need to be uniform for all scholars
and should be customized for individual scholars based on scholars'
financial needs, including consideration of all costs associated with
the cost of attendance, even if that means enrolling fewer scholars.
Scholar support can include support for cost of attendance (i.e.,
tuition and fees; university student health insurance; an allowance for
books, materials, and supplies; an allowance for miscellaneous personal
expenses; an allowance for dependent care, such as child care; and/or
an allowance for room and board), travel in conjunction with training
assignments including conference registration, and stipends to support
scholars' completion of the program. Projections for scholar support
should consider tuition increases and cost of living increases over the
project period.
(e) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under
``Quality of the project evaluation,'' how the applicant will--
(1) Evaluate how well the goals or objectives of the proposed
project have been met. To meet this requirement, the applicant must
describe--
(i) The outcomes to be measured for both the project and the
scholars, particularly the acquisition of scholars' competencies; and
(ii) The evaluation methodologies, data collection methods, and
data analyses that will be used; and
(2) Collect, analyze, and use data on scholars supported by the
project to inform the project on an ongoing basis.
(f) Demonstrate, in the appendices or narrative under ``Required
project assurances'' as directed, that the following requirements are
met. The applicant must--
(1) Include in appendix A of the application--
(i) Charts, tables, figures, graphs, screen shots, and visuals that
provide information directly relating to the application requirements
for the
[[Page 24177]]
narrative. Appendix A should not be used for supplementary information.
Please note that charts, tables, figures, graphs, and screen shots can
be single-spaced when placed in appendix A; and
(ii) A letter of support from a public or private partnering
agency, school, or program, that states it will provide scholars with a
field or clinical experience in a high-need LEA, a high-poverty school,
a school implementing a comprehensive support and improvement plan, a
school implementing a targeted support and improvement plan for
children with disabilities, an SEA, an early childhood and early
intervention program located within the geographical boundaries of a
high-need LEA, or an early childhood and early intervention program
located within the geographical boundaries of an LEA serving the
highest percentage of schools identified for comprehensive support and
improvement or implementing targeted support and improvement plans in
the State;
(2) Include in appendix B of the application--
(i) A table that lists the project's required coursework and
includes the course title, brief description, learning goals, and
relevant State or national professional organization personnel
standards for each course;
(ii) Four exemplar course syllabi required by the degree program
that reflect EBPs across the areas of assessment; social, emotional,
and behavior development and learning; inclusive practices;
instructional strategies; and literacy as appropriate;
(3) Include in the application budget attendance by the project
director at a three-day project directors' meeting in Washington, DC,
during each year of the project; and
(4) Provide an assurance that--
(i) The project will meet the requirements in 34 CFR 304.23,
particularly those related to (i) informing all scholarship recipients
of their service obligation commitment; and (ii) disbursing
scholarships. Failure by a grantee to properly meet these requirements
is a violation of the grant award that may result in the grantee being
liable for returning any misused funds to the Department;
(ii) The project will meet the statutory requirements in section
662(e) through (h) of IDEA;
(iii) The project will be operated in a manner consistent with
nondiscrimination requirements contained in Federal civil rights laws;
(iv) All the syllabi for the project's required coursework will be
provided if requested by OSEP;
(v) At least 65 percent of the total award over the project period
(i.e., up to 5 years) will be used for scholar support;
(vi) Scholar support provided by the project (e.g., tuition and
fees; university student health insurance; an allowance for books,
materials, and supplies; an allowance for miscellaneous personal
expenses; an allowance for dependent care, such as child care; and an
allowance for room and board) is not based on the condition that the
scholar work for the grantee (e.g., personnel at the IHE);
(vii) The project director, key personnel, and scholars will
actively participate in learning opportunities (e.g., webinars,
briefings) supported by OSEP. This is intended to promote opportunities
for participants to understand reporting requirements, share resources,
and generate new knowledge by addressing topics of common interest to
participants across projects including Department priorities and needs
in the field;
(viii) The project website, if applicable, will be of high quality,
with an easy-to-navigate design that meets government or industry-
recognized standards for accessibility;
(ix) Scholar accomplishments (e.g., public service, awards,
publications, conference presentations) will be reported in annual and
final performance reports; and
(x) Annual data will be submitted on each scholar who receives
grant support (OMB Control Number 1820-0686). The primary purposes of
the data collection are to track the service obligation fulfillment of
scholars who receive funds from OSEP grants and to collect data for
program performance measure reporting under 34 CFR 75.110. Data
collection includes the submission of a signed, completed pre-
scholarship agreement and exit certification for each scholar funded
under an OSEP grant (see paragraph (f)(4)(i) of this priority).
Applicants are encouraged to visit the Personnel Development Program
Data Collection System website at https://pdp.ed.gov/osep for further
information about this data collection requirement.
Competitive Preference Priority: Within this absolute priority, we
give competitive preference to applications that address the following
priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i), we award an additional 3 points
to an application that meets the Competitive Preference Priority.
Applicants should indicate in the abstract if they are addressing the
competitive preference priority.
The priority is:
Competitive Preference Priority--Applications from New Potential
Grantees (0 or 3 points).
(a) Under this priority, an applicant must demonstrate that the
applicant (e.g., the IHE) has not had an active discretionary grant
under the program from which it seeks funds, in the last five years
before the deadline date for submission of applications under the
84.325K program.
(b) For the purpose of this priority, a grant is active until the
end of the grant's project or funding period, including any extensions
of those periods that extend the grantee's authority to obligate funds.
References:
Boe, E. E., deBettencourt, L., Dewey, J. F., Rosenberg, M. S.,
Sindelar, P. T., & Leko, C. D. (2013). Variability in demand for
special education teachers: Indicators, explanations, and impacts.
Exceptionality, 21(2), 103-125.
Browder, D. M., Wood, L., Thompson, J., & Ribuffo, C. (2014).
Evidence-based practices for students with severe disabilities
(Document No. IC-3). http://ceedar.education.ufl.edu/tool/innovation-configurations/.
Council of Administrators of Special Education (2020). Proceedings
of Special Education Legislative Summit 2020. https://exceptionalchildren.org/sites/default/files/2020-07/AllBriefs_2020.pdf.
Mason-Williams, L., Bettini, E., Peyton, D., Harvey, A., Rosenberg,
M., & Sindelar, P. T. (2020). Rethinking shortages in special
education: Making good on the promise of an equal opportunity for
students with disabilities. Teacher Education and Special Education,
43(1), 45-62.
McLeskey, J., & Brownell, M. (2015). High-leverage practices and
teacher preparation in special education (Document No. PR-1). http://ceedar.education.ufl.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/High-Leverage-Practices-and-Teacher-Preparation-in-Special-Education.pdf.
National Professional Development Center on Inclusion. (August,
2011). Competencies for early childhood educators in the context of
inclusion: Issues and guidance for States. The University of North
Carolina, FPG Child Development Institute.
U.S. Department of Education. (2022). Institute of Education
Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics. School Pulse
Panel (2021-22). https://ies.ed.gov/schoolsurvey/spp/.
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 priorities in this notice.
[[Page 24178]]
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1462 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, 86,
97, 98, and 99. (b) The Office of Management and Budget Guidelines to
Agencies on Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension (Nonprocurement) in
2 CFR part 180, as adopted and amended as regulations of the Department
in 2 CFR part 3485. (c) The Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost
Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards in 2 CFR part
200, as adopted and amended as regulations of the Department in 2 CFR
part 3474. (d) The regulations for this program in 34 CFR part 304.
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to IHEs only.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
Estimated Available Funds: $6,750,000.
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.
Estimated Range of Awards: $200,000-$250,000 per year.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $225,000 per year.
Maximum Award: We will not make an award exceeding $250,000 for a
single budget period of 12 months.
Estimated Number of Awards: 27.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice.
Project Period: Up to 60 months.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants: Eligible applicants are IHEs and 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: Cost sharing or matching is not
required for this competition.
b. Indirect Cost Rate Information: This program uses a training
indirect cost rate. This limits indirect cost reimbursement to an
entity's actual indirect costs, as determined in its negotiated
indirect cost rate agreement, or eight percent of a modified total
direct cost base, whichever amount is less. For more information
regarding training indirect cost rates, see 34 CFR 75.562. For more
information regarding indirect costs, or to obtain a negotiated
indirect cost rate, please see https://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: 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, nonprofit organizations suitable to carry out the
activities proposed in the application, and public agencies. The
grantee may award subgrants to entities it has identified in an
approved application or that it selects through a competition under
procedures established by the grantee, consistent with 34 CFR
75.708(b)(2).
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
www.federalregister.gov/content/pkg/FR-2022-12-07/pdf/2022-26554.pdf,
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 40 pages; (2) limit the whole
application to no more than 100 pages; and (3) 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.
[[Page 24179]]
V. Application Review Information
1. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this competition
are from 34 CFR 75.210 and are as follows:
(a) Significance (10 points).
(1) The Secretary considers the significance of the proposed
project.
(2) In determining the significance of the proposed project, the
Secretary considers the following factors:
(i) The extent to which the proposed project will prepare personnel
for fields in which shortages have been demonstrated; and
(ii) The importance or magnitude of the results or outcomes likely
to be attained by the proposed project, especially improvements in
teaching and student achievement.
(b) Quality of project services (35 points).
(1) The Secretary considers the quality of the services to be
provided by the proposed project.
(2) In determining the quality of the services to be provided by
the proposed project, the Secretary considers the quality and
sufficiency of strategies for ensuring equal access and treatment for
eligible project participants who are members of groups that have
traditionally been underrepresented based on race, color, national
origin, gender, age, or disability.
(3) In addition, the Secretary considers the following factors:
(i) The extent to which the services to be provided by the proposed
project reflect up-to-date knowledge from research and effective
practice;
(ii) 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;
(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 proposed activities constitute a
coherent, sustained program of training in the field.
(c) Quality of project personnel and quality of the management plan
(20 points).
(1) The Secretary considers the quality of the project personnel
and the quality of the management plan.
(2) In determining the quality of project personnel, the Secretary
considers the extent to which the applicant encourages applications for
employment from persons who are members of groups that have
traditionally been underrepresented based on race, color, national
origin, gender, age, or disability.
(3) In addition, the Secretary considers the following factors:
(i) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience,
of key project personnel;
(ii) The adequacy of the management plan to achieve the objectives
of the proposed project on time and within budget, including clearly
defined responsibilities, timelines, and milestones for accomplishing
project tasks; and
(iii) The extent to which the time commitments of the project
director and principal investigator and other key project personnel are
appropriate and adequate to meet the objectives of the proposed
project.
(d) Adequacy of resources (20 points).
(1) The Secretary considers the adequacy of resources of the
proposed project.
(2) In determining the adequacy of resources of 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; and
(ii) 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 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; and
(ii) The extent to which the methods of evaluation will provide
performance feedback and permit periodic assessment of progress toward
achieving intended outcomes.
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
[[Page 24180]]
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.
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 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: For the purposes of Department reporting
under 34 CFR 75.110, the Department has established a set of
performance measures, including long-term measures, that are designed
to yield information on various aspects of the effectiveness and
quality of the Personnel Development to Improve Services and Results
for Children with Disabilities program. These measures include (1) the
percentage of preparation programs that incorporate scientifically
based practices or EBPs into their curricula; (2) the percentage of
scholars completing the preparation program who are knowledgeable and
skilled in EBPs that improve outcomes for children with disabilities;
(3) the percentage of scholars who exit the preparation program prior
to completion due to poor academic performance; (4) the percentage of
scholars completing the preparation program who are working in the
area(s) in which they were prepared upon program completion; (5) the
Federal cost per scholar who completed the preparation program; (6) the
percentage of scholars who completed the preparation program and are
employed in high-need districts; and (7) the percentage of scholars who
completed the preparation program and who are rated effective by their
employers.
In addition, the Department will gather information on the
following outcome measures: the number and percentage of scholars
proposed by the grantee in their application that were actually
enrolled and making satisfactory academic progress in the current
academic year; the number and percentage of enrolled scholars who are
on track to complete the training program by the end of the project's
original grant period; and the percentage of scholars who completed the
preparation program and are employed in the field of special education
for at least two years.
Grantees may be asked to participate in assessing and providing
information on these aspects of program quality.
6. Continuation Awards: In making a continuation award under 34 CFR
75.253, the Secretary considers, among other things: whether a grantee
has made substantial progress in achieving the goals and objectives of
the project; whether the grantee has expended funds in a manner that is
consistent with its approved application and budget; and, if the
Secretary has established performance measurement requirements, 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
[[Page 24181]]
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: On request to the program contact person listed
under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT, individuals with disabilities
can obtain this document and a copy of the application package in an
accessible format. The Department will provide the requestor with an
accessible format that may include Rich Text Format (RTF) or text
format (txt), a thumb drive, an MP3 file, braille, large print,
audiotape, or compact disc, or other accessible format.
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.
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. 2023-08249 Filed 4-18-23; 8:45 am]
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