[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 35 (Wednesday, February 21, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13053-13059]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-03439]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Applications for New Awards; Personnel Development To Improve
Services and Results for Children With Disabilities Program--Preservice
Improvement Enhancement Grants To Support Related Service Providers To
Effectively Serve Children With Disabilities and Their Families
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) 2024 for
Personnel Development to Improve Services and Results for Children with
Disabilities Program--Preservice Improvement Enhancement Grants to
Support Related Service Providers to Effectively Serve Children with
Disabilities and Their Families, Assistance Listing Number 84.325S.
This notice relates to the approved information collection under OMB
control number 1820-0028.
DATES:
Applications Available: February 21, 2024.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: May 1, 2024.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: July 1, 2024.
Pre-Application Webinar Information: No later than February 26,
2024, the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services will
post pre-recorded informational webinars designed to provide technical
assistance to interested applicants. 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/d/2022-26554.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Yolanda Lusane, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Room 4A10, Washington, DC 20202.
Telephone: (202) 987-0146. 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:
[[Page 13054]]
Full Text of Announcement
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Purpose of Program: The purposes of this program are to (1) help
address State-identified needs for personnel preparation in special
education, early intervention, related services, and regular education
to work with children, including infants, 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.
Priority: This competition includes one absolute priority, which
includes one competitive preference priority within the absolute
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 2024 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:
Preservice Improvement Enhancement Grants to Support Related
Service Providers to Effectively Serve Children with Disabilities and
Their Families.
Background:
The shortages of related services personnel who work in early
intervention, early childhood, and school-based settings are at
critical levels, resulting in decreased numbers of personnel with the
skills and qualifications needed to serve infants, toddlers, children,
and youth with disabilities (children with disabilities) and their
families, which may ultimately prevent children with disabilities from
receiving the services they need to reach their full potential
(American Speech Language Hearing Association, n.d.; IDEA Infant and
Toddler Coordinators Association, 2021; National Coalition on Personnel
Shortages in Special Education and Related Services, n.d.).
The shortage is impacted by the low number of graduates from
related services personnel preparation programs choosing to work in
early intervention and special education systems. Related services
personnel are generally trained to serve individuals across the
lifespan and the curriculum, courses, and clinical experiences they
receive typically are based on a medical model. A medical model focuses
on diagnosing a condition and providing services to address the
condition in medical settings such as hospitals and clinics. Related
services preparation programs vary greatly in the coursework,
assignments, and clinical experiences that focus on children with
disabilities and service provision in early intervention, early
childhood, and school-based settings. As an example, a recent survey of
pediatric faculty from 80 Doctorate of Physical Therapy programs (an
earned doctorate and passing a State licensure exam is required to
practice physical therapy) reported that doctoral students (students)
engaged in a mean of only 18.8 hours of experiential learning with
children and 12.2 hours specifically with children who have movement
limitations or for whom a medical diagnosis or developmental delay
impacts their participation in daily life (Wynarczuk et al., 2022).
Additionally, there is significant variation in the extent to which
students' related services personnel preparation programs introduce
them to content that develops competencies in providing interventions
and services to children with disabilities and their families in early
intervention, early childhood, and school-based settings. For example,
to effectively work with children with disabilities, related services
providers need competencies in actively engaging and communicating with
families; collaborating with educators and other related services
providers; implementing evidence-based interventions that will support
children in achieving positive developmental, learning, and academic
outcomes; supporting children to fully participate in inclusive
settings; and understanding IDEA requirements. With limited preparation
in providing services in early intervention, early childhood, and
school-based settings, related services personnel may lack awareness of
the type of employment opportunities available in these settings or may
question whether they have the competencies needed to work with
children with disabilities, especially those with significant
disabilities.
To effectively support children with disabilities in gaining the
skills needed to access and actively participate in their learning and
educational environments, under this grant competition, the Department
plans to award grants to related services personnel preparation
programs. The grant awards are intended to expand or enhance
curriculums, courses of study, and clinical experiences to increase the
competencies of related services personnel to serve children with
disabilities and their families in early intervention, early childhood,
and educational settings. This priority also will advance the
Secretary's Supplemental Priorities 2--Promoting Equity in Student
Access to Educational Resources and Opportunities and 3--Supporting a
Diverse Educator Workforce and Professional Growth to Strengthen
Student Learning. See Secretary's Final Supplemental Priorities and
Definitions for Discretionary Grants Programs, published in the Federal
Register on December 10, 2021 (86 FR 70612).
Priority:
The purpose of this priority is to fund Preservice Improvement
Enhancement Grants to Support Related Service Providers to Effectively
Serve Children with Disabilities and Their Families to achieve, at a
minimum, the following:
(a) Increased number of related services providers, including those
who are multilingual and from racially and ethnically diverse
backgrounds, equipped with the competencies necessary to deliver
services to children with disabilities and their families in early
intervention, early childhood, and school-based settings.
(b) Increased number of institutions of higher education (IHEs),
including Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs),\1\
Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs),\2\ and other
Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs),\3\ with related services
personnel preparation programs \4\ at the associate degree, bachelor's
degree, master's degree, educational specialist, or clinical doctorate
degree level that include sufficient coursework, assignments, and
clinical experiences in early intervention, early childhood, and
[[Page 13055]]
school-based settings to support students in developing competencies to
serve children with disabilities and their families.
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\1\ For purposes of this priority, ``Historically Black Colleges
and Universities'' means colleges and universities that meet the
criteria set out in 34 CFR 608.2.
\2\ For purposes of this priority, ``Tribally Controlled
Colleges and Universities'' has the meaning ascribed to it in
section 316(b)(3) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA).
\3\ For purposes of this priority, ``Minority-Serving
Institution'' means an institution that is eligible to receive
assistance under sections 316 through 320 of part A of title III,
under part B of title III, or under title V of the HEA. For purposes
of this priority, the Department will use the FY 2023 Eligibility
Matrix to determine MSI eligibility (see https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/idues/eligibility.html).
\4\ For the purposes of this priority, ``related services
personnel preparation programs'' include those preparing speech-
language pathologists, audiologists, physical therapists,
occupational therapists, social workers, counselors services,
including rehabilitation counselors, orientation and mobility
specialists, and sign language interpreters. See 34 CFR 300.34.
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(c) Increased capacity of related services faculty to design and
implement enhanced degree programs at the associate degree, bachelor's
degree, master's degree, educational specialist, or clinical doctorate
degree level that prepare related services providers to deliver
services to children with disabilities and their families in early
intervention, early childhood, and school-based settings.
In addition to these programmatic requirements, to be considered
for funding, applicants must meet the following application and
administrative requirements in this priority:
(a) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under
``Significance,'' how the proposed project will--
(1) Address the need in the field to increase the number of related
service providers in the proposed area, including those who are
multilingual and from racially and ethnically diverse backgrounds, who
are fully qualified and have the competencies to serve children with
disabilities and their families in early intervention, early childhood,
and school-based settings;
(2) Increase the number of related service providers, including
those who are multilingual and from racially and ethnically diverse
backgrounds, with competencies \5\ in the proposed degree area to
provide effective and equitable, evidence-based,\6\ culturally and
linguistically responsive interventions and services in early
intervention, early childhood, and school-based settings; and
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\5\ 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).
\6\ 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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(3) Increase faculty competencies to design and deliver content
that will prepare students, including those who are multilingual and
from racially and ethnically diverse backgrounds, in related services
personnel preparation programs to serve children with disabilities and
their families.
(b) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under
``Quality of project services,'' how the project will--
(1) Enhance or redesign a current related services personnel
preparation degree program to achieve the intended outcomes of the
proposed project. To address this requirement, the applicant must
describe the approach that will be used to--
(i) Develop or modify a curriculum, including courses, assignments,
and clinical experiences, for the degree program to prepare related
services personnel to provide effective, equitable, evidence-based, and
culturally and linguistically responsive instruction, interventions,
and services in early intervention and school-based settings, that
improve outcomes for children with disabilities and their families,
including those who are multilingual and from racially and ethnically
diverse backgrounds, in early intervention, early childhood, and
school-based settings. The applicant must describe--
(A) The components of the proposed or modified curriculum that show
coursework, clinical experiences, and other requirements, that will
build the competencies of related services personnel to provide
services in early intervention, early childhood, and school-based
settings;
(B) The approach that will be used to identify and incorporate
current research, evidence-based practices (EBPs), and State and
national professional organization personnel standards in the
development and delivery of the curriculum;
(C) The knowledge and competencies students will acquire in the
curriculum, including knowledge and competencies necessary to provide
effective, equitable, and evidence-based interventions and services in
early intervention and school-based settings for children with
disabilities and their families; and
(D) How coursework and clinical experience will be designed to
enable students to acquire competencies to actively engage and
communicate with families; collaborate with educators and other related
services providers; implement evidence-based interventions that will
support children's ability to obtain positive developmental, learning,
and academic outcomes; support children to fully participate in
inclusive settings; and understand requirements of the IDEA; and
(ii) Develop partnerships with early intervention, early childhood,
and school-based sites to prepare related services personnel to provide
effective, equitable, and evidence-based interventions and services in
early intervention and school-based settings to improve outcomes for
children with disabilities and their families; and
(2) Provide professional development to faculty and staff to
develop their capacity to develop and deliver courses and the
curriculum that prepares students to provide services in early
intervention, early childhood, and school-based settings.
(c) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under
``Quality of the project personnel and quality of management plan,''
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 project director and key project personnel have the
qualifications and experience to carry out the proposed activities and
achieve the project's intended outcomes;
(3) The project director and other key project personnel will
manage the components of the project;
(4) The time commitments of the project director and other key
project personnel are adequate to meet the objectives of the proposed
project;
(5) The proposed management plan will ensure that the project will
meet the proposed objectives and the degree program will be of high
quality; and
(6) The proposed project will benefit from a diversity of partner
perspectives, including faculty, community partners, families of
children with disabilities, early intervention, and early childhood and
school personnel, among others, in its development and operation.
(d) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under
``Adequacy of resources,'' how--
(1) The applicant and any key partners have adequate resources to
carry out the proposed activities; and
(2) The budget is adequate for meeting the project objectives.
(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 relevant outcomes to be measured for the project,
particularly the faculty's and students' acquisition of required
competencies; and
(ii) The evaluation methodologies, data collection methods, and
data analyses that will be used; and
(2) Collect, analyze, and use data on students in the program to
inform the proposed project on an ongoing basis.
[[Page 13056]]
(f) Address the following application requirements and assurances.
The applicant must--
(1) Include, in Appendix A, charts, tables, figures, graphs, screen
shots and visuals that provide information directly relating to the
application requirements for the narrative. Appendix A should not be
used for supplementary information. Please note that charts, tables,
figures, graphs, and screen shots may be single-spaced when placed in
Appendix A;
(2) Include in Appendix B any letters of commitment or support. The
applicant must include a letter of commitment from the chair of the
department where the project will be located affirming support for the
proposal;
(3) Provide an assurance that if the project maintains a website,
it will be of high quality, with an easy-to-navigate design that meets
or exceeds government and industry-recognized standards for
accessibility;
(4) Include, in the budget, attendance at a three-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 conference is conducted virtually;
and
(5) Provide an assurance that the project will submit the enhanced
curriculum and syllabi for courses that are included in the related
services personnel preparation program.
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 three points to an application
that meets the competitive preference priority. Applicants must
indicate in the abstract if the competitive preference priority is
addressed.
The competitive preference priority is:
Applications from HBCUs, TCCUs, and other MSIs, and private
nonprofit organizations that have legal authority to enter into grants
and cooperative agreements with the Federal government on behalf of an
HBUC, TCCU, and other MSI (0 or 3 points).
References
American Speech Language Hearing Association. (n.d.). Recruiting and
retaining qualified school-based SLPs. www.asha.org/careers/recruitment/schools/.
IDEA Infant and Toddler Coordinators Association. (2021). Tipping
points survey: Demographics, challenges, and opportunities.
www.ideainfanttoddler.org/pdf/2021-Tipping-Points-Survey.pdf.
National Coalition on Personnel Shortages in Special Education.
(n.d.) About the shortage. https://specialedshortages.org/about-the-shortage/.
National Professional Development Center on Inclusion. (Aug. 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. https://npdci.fpg.unc.edu/sites/npdci.fpg.unc.edu/files/resources/NPDCI-Competencies-2011_0.pdf.
Wynarczuk, K.D., Gagnon, K., Fiss, A.L.F., Kendall, E., Schreiber,
J., & Rapport, M.J. (2022). The how and the why of including
children: Experiential learning in teaching physical therapist
students. Pediatric Physical Therapy, 34(3), 400-409. https://doi.org/10.1097/PEP.0000000000000920.
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. 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 79 apply to all applicants
except federally recognized Indian Tribes.
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to IHEs only.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
Estimated Available Funds: The Administration has requested
$250,000,000 for the Personnel Development to Improve Services and
Results for Children with Disabilities program for FY 2024, of which we
intend to use an estimated $2,000,000 for this competition. The actual
level of funding, if any, depends on final congressional action.
However, we are inviting applications to allow enough time to complete
the grant process if Congress appropriates funds for this program.
Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of
applications, we may make additional awards in FY 2025 from the list of
unfunded applications from this competition.
Estimated Range of Awards: $125,000 to $150,000 per year.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $135,000 per year.
Maximum Award: We will not make an award exceeding $450,000 per
project for a project period of 36 months.
Note: Applicants must describe, in their applications, the amount
of funding being requested for each 12-month budget period.
Estimated Number of Awards: 13.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice.
Project Period: Up to 36 months.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants: IHEs and private nonprofit organizations
that have legal authority to enter into grants and cooperative
agreements with the Federal government on behalf of an IHE.
Note: Applicants with an active 84.325K, 84.325M, or 84.325R grant
in the discipline degree program being proposed for enhancement are not
eligible to apply for this award. 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.
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
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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
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 other 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.
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/d/2022-26554, which contain requirements and
information on how to submit an application.
2. Intergovernmental Review: This competition is subject to
Executive Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79.
Information about Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs under
Executive Order 12372 is in the application package for this
competition.
3. Funding Restrictions: We reference regulations outlining funding
restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.
4. Recommended Page Limit: The application narrative 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 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 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 (45 points).
(1) The Secretary considers the quality of the services to be
provided by the proposed project.
(2) In determining the quality of the services to be provided by
the proposed project, the Secretary considers the quality and
sufficiency of strategies for ensuring equal access and treatment for
eligible project participants who are members of groups that have
traditionally been underrepresented based on race, color, national
origin, gender, age, or disability.
(3) In addition, the Secretary considers the following factors:
(i) The extent to which the goals, objectives, and outcomes to be
achieved by the proposed project are clearly specified and measurable;
(ii) The extent to which the services to be provided by the
proposed project reflect up-to-date knowledge from research and
effective practice; and
(iii) 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.
(c) Quality of project personnel and quality of management plan (20
points).
(1) The Secretary considers the quality of the personnel who will
carry out the proposed project and the quality of the management plan
for the proposed project.
(2) In determining the quality of project personnel, the Secretary
considers the extent to which the applicant encourages applications for
employment from persons who are members of groups that have
traditionally been underrepresented based on race, color, national
origin, gender, age, or disability.
(3) In addition, the Secretary considers the following factors:
(i) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience,
of key project personnel;
(ii) The adequacy of the management plan to achieve the objectives
of the proposed project on time and within budget, including clearly
defined responsibilities, timelines, and milestones for accomplishing
project tasks;
(iii) The extent to which the time commitments of the project
director and principal investigator and other key project personnel are
appropriate and adequate to meet the objectives of the proposed
project; and
(iv) The adequacy of mechanisms for ensuring high-quality products
and services from the proposed project.
[[Page 13058]]
(d) Adequacy of resources (10 points).
(1) The Secretary considers the adequacy of resources for the
proposed project.
(2) In determining the adequacy of resources for the proposed
project, the Secretary considers the following factors:
(1) The adequacy of support, including facilities, equipment,
supplies, and other resources, from the applicant organization or the
lead applicant organization; and
(2) 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 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
[[Page 13059]]
terms of any licenses or other legal restrictions on the use of pre-
existing works.
Additionally, a grantee or subgrantee that is awarded competitive
grant funds must have a plan to disseminate these public grant
deliverables. This dissemination plan can be developed and submitted
after your application has been reviewed and selected for funding. For
additional information on the open licensing requirements please refer
to 2 CFR 3474.20.
4. Reporting: (a) If you apply for a grant under this competition,
you must ensure that you have in place the necessary processes and
systems to comply with the reporting requirements in 2 CFR part 170
should you receive funding under the competition. This does not apply
if you have an exception under 2 CFR 170.110(b).
(b) At the end of your project period, you must submit a final
performance report, including financial information, as directed by the
Secretary. If you receive a multiyear award, you must submit an annual
performance report that provides the most current performance and
financial expenditure information as directed by the Secretary under 34
CFR 75.118. The Secretary may also require more frequent performance
reports under 34 CFR 75.720(c). For specific requirements on reporting,
please go to www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/appforms/appforms.html.
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 research or EBPs into their curricula; and (2) the percentage of
scholars completing the preparation program who are knowledgeable and
skilled in EBPs that improve outcomes for children with disabilities.
The measures apply to projects funded under this competition, and
grantees are required to submit data on these measures as directed by
the Office of Special Education Programs.
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 project meet needs identified by
stakeholders and may require the project 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).
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.
Glenna Wright-Gallo,
Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.
[FR Doc. 2024-03439 Filed 2-20-24; 8:45 am]
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