Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services; Overview Information; Technical Assistance and Dissemination to Improve Services and Results for Children With Disabilities-Center on Positive Behavioral Supports; Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2008., 44230-44235 [E8-17407]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 147 (Wednesday, July 30, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44230-44235]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-17407]



[[Page 44230]]

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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services; Overview 
Information; Technical Assistance and Dissemination to Improve Services 
and Results for Children With Disabilities--Center on Positive 
Behavioral Supports; Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for 
Fiscal Year (FY) 2008.

    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.326S.
    Dates:
    Applications Available: July 30, 2008.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: August 29, 2008.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: September 8, 2008.

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Purpose of Program: The purpose of the Technical Assistance and 
Dissemination to Improve Services and Results for Children With 
Disabilities program is to promote academic achievement and to improve 
results for children with disabilities by providing technical 
assistance (TA), supporting model demonstration projects, disseminating 
useful information, and implementing activities that are supported by 
scientifically based research.
    Priority: In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(v), this priority 
is from allowable activities specified or otherwise authorized in the 
statute (see sections 663 and 681(d) of the Individuals with 
Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), 20 U.S.C. 1400 et seq.).
    Absolute Priority: For FY 2008 and any subsequent year in which we 
make awards based on the list of unfunded applicants from this 
competition, this priority is an absolute priority. Under 34 CFR 
75.105(c)(3), we consider only applications that meet this priority.
    This priority is:
    Technical Assistance and Dissemination to Improve Services and 
Results for Children With Disabilities--Center on Positive Behavioral 
Supports.

Background

    The 1997 amendments to IDEA introduced the requirement that 
individualized education program (IEP) teams consider the use of 
positive behavioral interventions and supports, and other strategies, 
to address the behavior of a child with disabilities whose behavior 
impedes the child's learning or that of others. In response, the Office 
of Special Education Programs (OSEP) funded the Technical Assistance 
Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS Center 
I) in 1998 to assist State educational agencies (SEAs) and local 
educational agencies (LEAs) address this new statutory requirement.
    PBIS Center I adapted and built upon a mental health prevention 
model to address behavioral problems in schools and programs (e.g., 
early childhood and juvenile justice programs), and developed a 
framework for implementing school-wide and program-wide positive 
behavioral supports (PBS). The framework consisted of the following 
three levels of interventions: primary, secondary, and tertiary. 
Primary interventions are system-wide strategies that support the 
appropriate behavior of all students in a school or program. Secondary 
interventions are targeted interventions for students at-risk for 
behavioral problems. Tertiary interventions are the most intensive and 
consist of individualized interventions for students exhibiting more 
serious behavioral problems. PBIS Center I studied the evidence base 
for implementing primary, secondary, and tertiary interventions in 
schools and programs, and began to identify the school and program 
components (e.g., training, coaching, and leadership) needed to support 
implementation of the three levels of interventions.
    The second iteration of the PBIS Center (PBIS Center II), funded in 
2003, continued the work of PBIS Center I and strengthened the evidence 
base for implementing primary, secondary, and tertiary interventions in 
schools and programs by evaluating, documenting, and disseminating 
information on the implementation of PBS components, identified during 
PBIS Center I, in a variety of demonstration sites. PBIS Center II also 
continued to identify and further develop school and program components 
needed for successful implementation of PBS, including among others, 
systems that support training and coaching for staff supporting the 
implementation of PBS, and collecting and using data to scale up and 
sustain PBS. In addition, PBIS Center II provided TA to SEAs and LEAs 
to develop their capacity to implement and sustain these components in 
schools or programs. (For additional information on the work of PBIS 
Center II, go to https://www.pbis.org).
    PBIS Center II focused primarily on implementing, scaling up, and 
sustaining primary interventions needed to support positive behaviors 
and prevent problem behaviors in all students in a school or program, 
and identifying secondary interventions for students at risk for 
behavior problems.
    The Department seeks to fund another PBS center to continue to 
assist SEAs and LEAs with implementing, scaling up, and sustaining 
secondary interventions for students at-risk for developing behavioral 
problems and tertiary interventions for students with more serious 
behavioral problems.

Priority

    The purpose of this priority is to fund a cooperative agreement to 
support the establishment and operation of a Center for Positive 
Behavioral Supports (Center) that will (1) assist SEAs and LEAs in 
developing the school and program components necessary to support the 
implementation, scaling up, and sustainability of school-wide and 
program-wide PBS at the school, program, LEA, and SEA levels and (2) 
identify and disseminate evidence-based practices on implementing, 
scaling up, and sustaining PBS, with a focus on secondary and tertiary 
level behavior interventions.
    To be considered for funding under this absolute priority, 
applicants must meet the application requirements contained in this 
priority. The project funded under this absolute priority also must 
meet the programmatic and administrative requirements specified in the 
priority.
    Application Requirements. An applicant must include in its 
application--
    (a) A logic model that depicts, at a minimum, the goals, 
activities, outputs, and outcomes of the proposed project. A logic 
model communicates how a project will achieve its outcomes and provides 
a framework for both the formative and summative evaluations of the 
project;

    Note: The following Web site provides more information on logic 
models and lists multiple online resources: https://www.cdc.gov/eval/
resources.htm.

    (b) A plan to implement the activities described in the Project 
Activities section of this priority;
    (c) A plan, linked to the proposed project's logic model, for a 
formative evaluation of the proposed project's activities. The plan 
must describe how the formative evaluation will use clear performance 
objectives to ensure continuous improvement in the operation of the 
proposed project, including objective measures of progress in 
implementing the project and ensuring the quality of products and 
services;
    (d) A budget for a summative evaluation to be conducted by an 
independent third party;

[[Page 44231]]

    (e) A budget to support two full-time doctoral students to serve as 
project assistants during each year of the project period. The doctoral 
students' studies and research must have a concentration in special 
education, behavioral disorders, or a related area;
    (f) A budget for attendance at the following:
    (1) A one and one half day kick-off meeting to be held in 
Washington, DC within four weeks after receipt of the award, and at 
least two annual planning meetings held in Washington, DC with the OSEP 
Project Officer during the project period.
    (2) A three-day Project Directors' Conference in Washington, DC 
during each year of the project period.
    (3) A four-day Technical Assistance and Dissemination Conference in 
Washington, DC during each year of the project period.
    (4) Two, two-day trips annually to attend Department briefings, 
Department-sponsored conferences, and other meetings, as requested by 
OSEP; and
    (g) A line item in the proposed budget for an annual set-aside of 
five percent of the grant amount to support emerging needs that are 
consistent with the proposed project's activities, as those needs are 
identified in consultation with OSEP.

    Note: With approval from the OSEP Project Officer, the Center 
must reallocate any remaining funds from this annual set-aside no 
later than the end of the third quarter of each budget period.

    Project Activities. To meet the requirements of this priority, the 
Center, at a minimum, must conduct the following activities:

Knowledge Development Activities

    (a) Conduct an annual survey of SEAs to assess their capacity to 
support PBS at the State level and in schools, programs, and LEAs, and 
identify any policies and practices that facilitate or hinder 
implementing, scaling up, and sustaining PBS.
    (b) Identify existing or develop new model demonstration sites 
implementing school-wide PBS with a focus on secondary interventions 
for students at risk for behavioral problems, and tertiary 
interventions for students with significant behavioral problems. The 
Center must evaluate these new model demonstrations at the individual 
school or program level, in a minimum of eight sites, which must 
include high schools and schools in urban areas. Through these model 
demonstrations, the Center must identify and describe the components of 
the models (e.g., training, and use of data) that lead to improved 
student outcomes, including academic achievement, and the 
sustainability of the model. The Center must analyze the information 
from these sites and incorporate the information as appropriate, into 
the evidence base for PBS.
    (c) Review and synthesize the growing research and practice on PBS 
and prepare three state of knowledge papers on: Primary interventions, 
to be completed in the first year of the project period; secondary 
interventions, to be completed in the second year of the project 
period; and tertiary interventions, to be completed in the fourth year 
of the project period.

Technical Assistance and Dissemination Activities

    (a) Provide TA to SEAs and LEAs to assist them in developing the 
components to support the implementation, scaling up, and 
sustainability of PBS at the school, program, LEA, and SEA levels. The 
Center must use the knowledge gained from the research syntheses and 
the model demonstrations to inform its TA.
    (b) Develop and expand, as appropriate, an evaluation protocol that 
schools, programs, LEAs, and SEAs can use to evaluate their 
implementation of school-wide and program-wide PBS.
    (c) Develop, maintain, and expand, as appropriate, an Internet-
based database that schools, programs, LEAs, and SEAs can use to input 
and analyze data on behavioral measures, such as office discipline 
referrals, so that they can track their progress and make data-based 
decisions on their implementation of PBS. The Center must develop 
training materials for schools, programs, LEAs, and SEAs on how to use 
the database. The Center also must aggregate and analyze the data in 
the database to discern trends and patterns related to the 
implementation of PBS, as requested by OSEP.
    (d) Develop and coordinate a national TA network comprised of a 
cadre of experts that the Center will use to provide TA to SEAs and 
LEAs to assist them in developing school and program components 
necessary to support PBS and in implementing, scaling-up, and 
sustaining PBS.
    (e) Conduct national and regional meetings, including large-scale 
dissemination conferences on PBS, focused forums for those who train or 
coach school and program personnel on implementing PBS, topical 
symposia, and other meetings on related issues, as requested by OSEP. 
At a minimum, the Center must hold a national forum for those who train 
or coach school personnel on implementing, scaling up and sustaining 
PBS every year of the project period. The purpose of these meetings is 
to increase the knowledge and skills of State level PBS implementers 
through presentations on the critical components of PBS, and to provide 
networking opportunities and skill-building workshops related to 
training and coaching techniques.
    (f) Develop partnerships with relevant local, State, and national 
organizations, such as teacher, school administrator, teacher trainer, 
and parent organizations, to increase their awareness and understanding 
of PBS so that they can support schools, programs, LEAS, and SEAs in 
implementing, scaling-up, and sustaining PBS.
    (g) Maintain a Web site that meets a government or industry-
recognized standard for accessibility and that links to the Web site 
operated by the Technical Assistance Coordination Center (TACC), which 
OSEP intends to fund in FY 2008.
    (h) Prepare and disseminate products, reports, documents, and other 
materials on evidence-based practices and interventions that promote 
the implementation, scaling up, and sustainability of school-wide and 
program-wide PBS and related topics, as requested by OSEP, for specific 
audiences including families, educators, administrators, policymakers, 
and researchers. In consultation with the OSEP Project Officer, make 
selected reports, documents, products, and other materials publicly 
available in both English and Spanish.
    (i) Develop materials and guidance for SEAs and provide targeted TA 
related to the performance and compliance indicator(s) on their IDEA 
Annual Performance Reports (APRs) and IDEA State Performance Plans 
(SPPs), as requested by OSEP.

Leadership and Coordination Activities

    (a) Compile and share data on States' APRs and updated SPPs for 
IDEA Part B indicator 4 (Suspension and Expulsion) by--
    (1) Reviewing relevant sections of each State's APR and updated SPP 
and summarizing the data on this indicator;
    (2) Developing a summary report for this indicator that includes 
information about States' progress in meeting targets for the 
indicator, as well as any revisions made to States' monitoring and data 
systems, measurement systems, or improvement strategies; and
    (3) Providing this summary report to OSEP in a timely manner and 
participating in OSEP-requested teleconferences to discuss the findings 
of the summary report.


[[Page 44232]]


    Note: (For further information on Indicator 4, go to https://
www.rrfcnetwork.org/content/view/248/358/).

    (b) Communicate and collaborate, on an ongoing basis, with OSEP-
funded projects, including the Center on State Implementation and 
Scaling-up of Evidence-based Practices, the Response to Intervention 
Center, the Progress Monitoring Center, the IDEA Partnership Project, 
the Regional Resource Centers, and the National Parent Technical 
Assistance Center. This collaboration could include the joint 
development of products, the coordination of TA services, and the 
planning and carrying out of TA meetings and events.
    (c) Participate in, organize, or facilitate, as appropriate, OSEP 
communities of practice (https://www.tacommunities.org/) that are 
aligned with the Center's objectives as a way to support discussions 
and collaboration among key stakeholders.
    (d) Prior to developing any new product, whether paper or 
electronic, submit to the OSEP Project Officer and the Proposed Product 
Advisory Board at OSEP's TACC for approval, a proposal describing the 
content and purpose of the product.
    (e) Coordinate with the Dissemination Center, which OSEP intends to 
fund in FY 2008, to develop an efficient and high-quality dissemination 
strategy that reaches target audiences. The Center must report to the 
OSEP Project Officer the outcomes of these coordination efforts.
    (f) Contribute, on an ongoing basis, updated information on the 
Center's services to OSEP's Technical Assistance and Dissemination 
Matrix (https://matrix.rrfcnetwork.org/), which provides current 
information on Department-funded TA services to a range of 
stakeholders.
    (g) Maintain ongoing communication with the OSEP Project Officer 
through monthly phone conversations and e-mail communication.

Fourth and Fifth Years of the Project

    In deciding whether to continue funding the Center for the fourth 
and fifth years, the Secretary will consider the requirements of 34 CFR 
75.253(a), and in addition--
    (a) The recommendation of a review team consisting of experts 
selected by the Secretary. This review will be conducted during a one-
day intensive meeting in Washington, DC that will be held during the 
last half of the second year of the project period. The Center must 
budget for travel expenses associated with this one-day intensive 
review;
    (b) The timeliness and effectiveness with which all requirements of 
the negotiated cooperative agreement have been or are being met by the 
Center; and
    (c) The quality, relevance, and usefulness of the Center's 
activities and products and the degree to which the Center's activities 
and products have contributed to changed practice and improved 
implementation of PBS.

References

Coie, J. D., & Dodge, K. A. (1983). Continuities and changes in 
children's social status: A five-year longitudinal study. Merrill-
Palmer Quarterly, 29, 261-282.
Gresham, F. M. (2002). Teaching social skills to high risk children 
and youth: Preventive and remedial strategies. In M. Shinn, H. 
Walker, & G. Stoner (Eds.), Interventions for academic and behavior 
problems II: Preventive and remedial strategies (pp. 403-432). 
Bethesda, MD: National Association of School Psychologists.
Wagner, M., Cameto, R. (2004). The Characteristics, Experiences, and 
Outcomes of Youth with Emotional Disturbances. A Report from the 
National Longitudinal Transition Study-2. Volume 3, Issue 2. 
National Center on Secondary Education and Transition, University of 
Minnesota (NCSET). (ED484283)
Wagner, M., Cameto, R., & Newman, L. (2003). Youth with 
disabilities: A changing population. A report of findings from the 
National Longitudinal Transition Study (NLTS) and the National 
Longitudinal Transition Study-2 (NLTS2). Menlo Park, CA: SRI 
International.
Wagner, M., Newman, L., Cameto, R. (2005). Changes over Time in the 
Secondary School Experiences of Students with Disabilities. A Report 
of Findings from the National Longitudinal Transition Study (NLTS) 
and the National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 (NLTS2). Menlo 
Park, CA: SRI International.
Wagner, M., Newman, L., Cameto, R., & Levine, P. (2005). Changes 
over time in the early postschool outcomes of youth with 
disabilities. A report of findings from the National Longitudinal 
Transition Study (NLTS) and the National Longitudinal Transition 
Study-2 (NLTS2). Menlo Park, CA: SRI International.

Waiver of Proposed Rulemaking

    Under the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) (5 U.S.C. 553), the 
Department generally offers interested parties the opportunity to 
comment on proposed priorities and requirements. Section 681(d) of 
IDEA, however, makes the public comment requirements of the APA 
inapplicable to the priority in this notice.
    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1463 and 1481.
    Applicable Regulations: The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80, 
81, 82, 84, 85, 86, 97, 98, and 99.

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


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

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Cooperative agreements.
    Estimated Available Funds: $1,700,000.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $1,700,000.
    Number of Awards: 1.
    Maximum Awards: We will reject any application that proposes a 
budget exceeding $1,700,000 for a single budget period of 12 months. 
The Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative 
Services may change the maximum amount through a notice published in 
the Federal Register.

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

    Project Period: Up to 60 months.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: SEAs; LEAs, including public charter 
schools that are considered LEAs under State law; IHEs; other public 
agencies; private nonprofit organizations; outlying areas; freely 
associated States; Indian tribes or tribal organizations; and for-
profit organizations.
    2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This competition does not require cost 
sharing or matching.
    3. Other: General Requirements--(a) The projects funded under this 
competition must make positive efforts to employ and advance in 
employment qualified individuals with disabilities (see section 606 of 
IDEA).
    (b) Applicants and award recipients funded under this competition 
must involve individuals with disabilities or parents of individuals 
with disabilities ages birth through 26 in planning, implementing, and 
evaluating the projects (see section 682(a)(1)(A) of IDEA).

IV. Application and Submission Information

    1. Address To Request Application Package: Education Publications 
Center (ED Pubs), P.O. Box 1398, Jessup, MD 20794-1398. Telephone, 
toll-free: 1-877-433-7827. FAX: (301) 470-1244. If you use a 
telecommunications device

[[Page 44233]]

for the deaf (TDD), call, toll-free: 1-877-576-7734.
    You can contact ED Pubs at its Web site, also: https://www.ed.gov/
pubs/edpubs.html or at its e-mail address: edpubs@inet.ed.gov.
    If you request an application package from ED Pubs, be sure to 
identify this program or competition as follows: CFDA Number 84.326S.
    Individuals with disabilities can obtain a copy of the application 
package in an alternative format (e.g., Braille, large print, 
audiotape, or computer diskette) by contacting the person or team 
listed under Alternative Format in section VIII of this notice.
    2. Content and Form of Application Submission: Requirements 
concerning the content of an application, together with the forms you 
must submit, are in the application package for this competition.
    Page Limit: The application narrative (Part III of the application) 
is where you, the applicant, address the selection criteria that 
reviewers use to evaluate your application. You must limit the 
application narrative to the equivalent of no more than 70 pages, using 
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, references, and captions, as well as all text in 
charts, tables, figures, and graphs.
     Use a font that is either 12 point or larger, or no 
smaller than 10 pitch (characters per inch).
    The page limit does not apply to Part I, the cover sheet; Part II, 
the budget section, including the narrative budget justification; Part 
IV, the assurances and certifications; or the one-page abstract, the 
resumes, the bibliography, the references, or the letters of support. 
The page limit, however, does apply to the application narrative in 
Part III.
    We will reject your application if you exceed the page limit or if 
you use other standards and exceed the equivalent of the page limit.
    3. Submission Dates and Times:
    Applications Available: July 30, 2008.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: August 29, 2008.
    Applications for grants under this competition may be submitted 
electronically using the Grants.gov Apply site (Grants.gov), or in 
paper format by mail or hand delivery. For information (including dates 
and times) about how to submit your application electronically, or in 
paper format by mail or hand delivery, please refer to section IV.6. 
Other Submission Requirements in this notice.
    We do not consider an application that does not comply with the 
deadline requirements.
    Individuals with disabilities who need an accommodation or 
auxiliary aid in connection with the application process should contact 
the person listed under For Further Information Contact in section VII 
in this notice. If the Department provides an accommodation or 
auxiliary aid to an individual with a disability in connection with the 
application process, the individual's application remains subject to 
all other requirements and limitations in this notice.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: September 8, 2008.
    4. 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.
    5. Funding Restrictions: We reference regulations outlining funding 
restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section in this notice.
    6. Other Submission Requirements: Applications for grants under 
this competition may be submitted electronically or in paper format by 
mail or hand delivery.
    a. Electronic Submission of Applications.
    To comply with the President's Management Agenda, we are 
participating as a partner in the Governmentwide Grants.gov Apply site. 
The Center on Positive Behavioral Supports competition, CFDA Number 
84.326S, is included in this project. We request your participation in 
Grants.gov.
    If you choose to submit your application electronically, you must 
use the Governmentwide Grants.gov Apply site at https://www.Grants.gov. 
Through this site, you will be able to download a copy of the 
application package, complete it offline, and then upload and submit 
your application. You may not e-mail an electronic copy of a grant 
application to us.
    You may access the electronic grant application for the Center on 
Positive Behavioral Supports competition at https://www.Grants.gov. You 
must search for the downloadable application package for this 
competition by the CFDA number. Do not include the CFDA number's alpha 
suffix in your search (e.g., search for 84.326, not 84.326S).
    Please note the following:
     Your participation in Grants.gov is voluntary.
     When you enter the Grants.gov site, you will find 
information about submitting an application electronically through the 
site, as well as the hours of operation.
     Applications received by Grants.gov are date and time 
stamped. Your application must be fully uploaded and submitted and must 
be date and time stamped by the Grants.gov system no later than 4:30:00 
p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. Except as 
otherwise noted in this section, we will not accept your application if 
it is received--that is, date and time stamped by the Grants.gov 
system--after 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application 
deadline date. We do not consider an application that does not comply 
with the deadline requirements. When we retrieve your application from 
Grants.gov, we will notify you if we are rejecting your application 
because it was date and time stamped by the Grants.gov system after 
4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date.
     The amount of time it can take to upload an application 
will vary depending on a variety of factors, including the size of the 
application and the speed of your Internet connection. Therefore, we 
strongly recommend that you do not wait until the application deadline 
date to begin the submission process through Grants.gov.
     You should review and follow the Education Submission 
Procedures for submitting an application through Grants.gov that are 
included in the application package for this competition to ensure that 
you submit your application in a timely manner to the Grants.gov 
system. You can also find the Education Submission Procedures 
pertaining to Grants.gov at https:// e-Grants.ed.gov/help/
GrantsgovSubmissionProcedures.pdf.
     To submit your application via Grants.gov, you must 
complete all steps in the Grants.gov registration process (see https://
www.grants.gov/applicants/get_registered.jsp). These steps include (1) 
Registering your organization, a multi-part process that includes 
registration with the Central Contractor Registry (CCR); (2) 
registering yourself as an Authorized Organization Representative 
(AOR); and (3) getting authorized as an AOR by your organization. 
Details on these steps are outlined in the Grants.gov 3-Step 
Registration Guide (see https://www.grants.gov/section910/
Grants.govRegistrationBrochure.pdf). You also must provide on your

[[Page 44234]]

application the same D-U-N-S Number used with this registration. Please 
note that the registration process may take five or more business days 
to complete, and you must have completed all registration steps to 
allow you to submit successfully an application via Grants.gov. In 
addition you will need to update your CCR registration on an annual 
basis. This may take three or more business days to complete.
     You will not receive additional point value because you 
submit your application in electronic format, nor will we penalize you 
if you submit your application in paper format.
     If you submit your application electronically, you must 
submit all documents electronically, including all information you 
typically provide on the following forms: Application for Federal 
Assistance (SF 424), the Department of Education Supplemental 
Information for SF 424, Budget Information--Non-Construction Programs 
(ED 524), and all necessary assurances and certifications. Please note 
that two of these forms--the SF 424 and the Department of Education 
Supplemental Information for SF 424--have replaced the ED 424 
(Application for Federal Education Assistance).
     If you submit your application electronically, you must 
attach any narrative sections of your application as files in a. DOC 
(document), .RTF (rich text), or .PDF (Portable Document) format. If 
you upload a file type other than the three file types specified in 
this paragraph or submit a password-protected file, we will not review 
that material.
     Your electronic application must comply with any page-
limit requirements described in this notice.
     After you electronically submit your application, you will 
receive from Grants.gov an automatic notification of receipt that 
contains a Grants.gov tracking number. (This notification indicates 
receipt by Grants.gov only, not receipt by the Department.) The 
Department then will retrieve your application from Grants.gov and send 
a second notification to you by e-mail. This second notification 
indicates that the Department has received your application and has 
assigned your application a PR/Award number (an ED-specified 
identifying number unique to your application).
     We may request that you provide us original signatures on 
forms at a later date.
    Application Deadline Date Extension in Case of Technical Issues 
with the Grants.gov System: If you are experiencing problems submitting 
your application through Grants.gov, please contact the Grants.gov 
Support Desk, toll free, at 1-800-518-4726. You must obtain a 
Grants.gov Support Desk Case Number and must keep a record of it.
    If you are prevented from electronically submitting your 
application on the application deadline date because of technical 
problems with the Grants.gov system, we will grant you an extension 
until 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, the following business day to 
enable you to transmit your application electronically or by hand 
delivery. You also may mail your application by following the mailing 
instructions described elsewhere in this notice.
    If you submit an application after 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC 
time, on the application deadline date, please contact the person 
listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT in section VII in this 
notice and provide an explanation of the technical problem you 
experienced with Grants.gov, along with the Grants.gov Support Desk 
Case Number. We will accept your application if we can confirm that a 
technical problem occurred with the Grants.gov system and that that 
problem affected your ability to submit your application by 4:30:00 
p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. The 
Department will contact you after a determination is made on whether 
your application will be accepted.

    Note: The extensions to which we refer in this section apply 
only to the unavailability of, or technical problems with, the 
Grants.gov system. We will not grant you an extension if you failed 
to fully register to submit your application to Grants.gov before 
the application deadline date and time or if the technical problem 
you experienced is unrelated to the Grants.gov system.

    b. Submission of Paper Applications by Mail.
    If you submit your application in paper format by mail (through the 
U.S. Postal Service or a commercial carrier), you must mail the 
original and two copies of your application, on or before the 
application deadline date, to the Department at the applicable 
following address:
    By mail through the U.S. Postal Service: U.S. Department of 
Education, Application Control Center, Attention: (CFDA Number 
84.326S), 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20202-4260; or
    By mail through a commercial carrier: U.S. Department of Education, 
Application Control Center, Stop 4260, Attention: (CFDA Number 
84.326S), 7100 Old Landover Road, Landover, MD 20785-1506.
    Regardless of which address you use, you must show proof of mailing 
consisting of one of the following:
    (1) A legibly dated U.S. Postal Service postmark.
    (2) A legible mail receipt with the date of mailing stamped by the 
U.S. Postal Service.
    (3) A dated shipping label, invoice, or receipt from a commercial 
carrier.
    (4) Any other proof of mailing acceptable to the Secretary of the 
U.S. Department of Education.
    If you mail your application through the U.S. Postal Service, we do 
not accept either of the following as proof of mailing:
    (1) A private metered postmark.
    (2) A mail receipt that is not dated by the U.S. Postal Service.
    If your application is postmarked after the application deadline 
date, we will not consider your application.

    Note: The U.S. Postal Service does not uniformly provide a dated 
postmark. Before relying on this method, you should check with your 
local post office.

    c. Submission of Paper Applications by Hand Delivery.
    If you submit your application in paper format by hand delivery, 
you (or a courier service) must deliver the original and two copies of 
your application by hand, on or before the application deadline date, 
to the Department at the following address: U.S. Department of 
Education, Application Control Center, Attention: (CFDA Number 
84.326S), 550 12th Street, SW., Room 7041, Potomac Center Plaza, 
Washington, DC 20202-4260.
    The Application Control Center accepts hand deliveries daily 
between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, except 
Saturdays, Sundays, and Federal holidays.
    Note for Mail or Hand Delivery of Paper Applications: If you mail 
or hand deliver your application to the Department--
    (1) You must indicate on the envelope and--if not provided by the 
Department--in Item 11 of the SF 424 the CFDA number, including suffix 
letter, if any, of the competition under which you are submitting your 
application; and
    (2) The Application Control Center will mail to you a notification 
of receipt of your grant application. If you do not receive this 
notification within 15 business days from the application deadline 
date, you should call the U.S. Department of Education Application 
Control Center at (202) 245-6288.

V. Application Review Information

    1. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this competition 
are from 34

[[Page 44235]]

CFR 75.210 and are listed in the application package.
    2. Peer Review: 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 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 the 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. However, if the 
Department decides to select an equal number of applications in each 
group for funding, this may result in different cut-off points for 
fundable applications in each group.

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 Notice 
(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 in this notice.
    We reference the regulations outlining the terms and conditions of 
an award in the Applicable Regulations section in 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. Reporting: 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 multi-year 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 https://www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/appforms/
appforms.html.
    4. Performance Measures: Under the Government Performance and 
Results Act of 1993 (GPRA), 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 Technical Assistance and Dissemination to Improve 
Services and Results for Children With Disabilities program. These 
measures focus on the extent to which projects provide high quality 
products and services, the relevance of project products and services 
to educational and early intervention policy and practice, and the use 
of products and services to improve educational and early intervention 
policy and practice.
    Grantees also will be required to report information on their 
project's performance, including information related to the performance 
measures in this section, in annual reports to the Department (34 CFR 
75.590).

VII. Agency Contact

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Renee Bradley, U.S. Department of 
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 4103, Potomac Center Plaza 
(PCP), Washington, DC 20202-2550. Telephone: (202) 245-7277.
    If you use a TDD, call the Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll free, 
at 1-800-877-8339.

VIII. Other Information

    Alternative Format: Individuals with disabilities can obtain this 
document and a copy of the application package in an alternative format 
(e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer diskette) by 
contacting the Grants and Contracts Services Team, U.S. Department of 
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 5075, PCP, Washington, DC 
20202-2550. Telephone: (202) 245-7363. If you use a TDD, call the FRS, 
toll free, at 1-800-877-8339.
    Electronic Access to This Document: You can view this document, as 
well as all other documents of this Department published in the Federal 
Register, in text or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) on the 
Internet at the following site: https://www.ed.gov/news/fedregister.
    To use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available 
free at this site. If you have questions about using PDF, call the U.S. 
Government Printing Office (GPO), toll free, at 1-888-293-6498; or in 
the Washington, DC, area at (202) 512-1530.

    Note: The official version of this document is the document 
published in the Federal Register. Free Internet access to the 
official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of Federal 
Regulations is available on GPO Access at: https://www.gpoaccess.gov/
nara/.


    Dated: July 24, 2008.
Tracy R. Justesen,
Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.
 [FR Doc. E8-17407 Filed 7-29-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P