Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services; Overview Information: Training and Information for Parents of Children With Disabilities; Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2009, 1194-1202 [E9-360]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 7 (Monday, January 12, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1194-1202]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-360]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services; Overview 
Information: Training and Information for Parents of Children With 
Disabilities; Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal 
Year (FY) 2009

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Numbers: 84.328C and 
84.328M.

    Note: This notice invites applications for two separate 
competitions. For key dates, contact person information, and funding 
information regarding each competition, see the chart in the Award 
Information section of this notice.

    Dates: Applications Available: See chart.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: See chart.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: See chart.

[[Page 1195]]

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Purpose of Program: The purpose of this program is to ensure that 
parents of children with disabilities receive training and information 
to help improve results for their children.
    Priorities: In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(iv) and (v), 
these priorities are from allowable activities specified in the 
statute, or otherwise authorized in the statute (see sections 671, 672 
and 681(d) of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)). 
Each of the absolute priorities announced in this notice corresponds to 
a separate competition as follows:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                             Competition
                     Absolute priority                        CFDA No.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Community Parent Resource Centers.........................       84.328C
Parent Training and Information Centers...................       84.328M
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Absolute Priorities: For FY 2009 and any subsequent year in which 
we make awards based on the list of unfunded applications from these 
competitions, these priorities are absolute priorities. Under 34 CFR 
75.105(c)(3), for each competition, we consider only applications that 
meet the absolute priority for that competition.
    These priorities are:
    Absolute Priority 1--Community Parent Resource Centers (84.328C).
    Background:
    This priority supports community parent resource centers (CPRCs) in 
targeted communities that will provide underserved parents of children 
with disabilities, including low-income parents, parents of limited 
English proficient children, and parents with disabilities in that 
community, with the training and information they need to enable them 
to participate cooperatively and effectively in helping their children 
with disabilities to--
    (a) Meet developmental and functional goals, and challenging 
academic achievement goals that have been established for all children; 
and
    (b) Be prepared to lead productive, independent adult lives, to the 
maximum extent possible.
    For further information on the work of previously-funded centers, 
see https://www.taalliance.org.
    Priority:
    To be considered for funding under the Community Parent Resource 
Centers (CPRCs) absolute priority, applicants must meet the application 
requirements contained in the priority. All projects funded under the 
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 plan to implement the activities described in the Project 
Activities section of this priority; and
    (b) A budget for attendance at the following:
    (1) A three-day National Technical Assistance for Parent Centers 
Conference in Washington, DC during each year of the project period.
    (2) A two-day Regional Technical Assistance for Parent Centers 
Conference, in the region in which the CPRC is located, during each 
year of the project period. Applicants should refer to https://
www.taalliance.org for a list of regions.
    Project Activities. To meet the requirements of this priority, the 
CPRC, at a minimum, must:
    (a) Provide training and information that meets the training and 
information needs of parents of children with disabilities within the 
proposed targeted community to be served by the CPRC, particularly 
underserved parents and parents of children who may be inappropriately 
identified as having disabilities.

    Note: For purposes of this priority, ``targeted community to be 
served'' refers to a geographically defined, local community whose 
members experience significant isolation from available sources of 
information and support as a result of cultural, economic, 
linguistic, or other circumstances deemed appropriate by the 
Secretary.

    (b) Carry out the following activities required of parent training 
and information centers:
    (1) Serve the parents of infants, toddlers, and children, from ages 
birth through 26, with the full range of disabilities described in 
section 602(3) of IDEA.
    (2) Ensure that the training and information provided meets the 
needs of low-income parents and parents of limited English proficient 
children.
    (3) Assist parents to--
    (i) Better understand the nature of their children's disabilities 
and their educational, developmental, and transitional needs;
    (ii) Communicate effectively and work collaboratively with 
personnel responsible for providing special education, early 
intervention services, transition services, and related services;
    (iii) Participate in decision making processes, including those 
regarding participation in State and local assessments, and the 
development of individualized education programs under Part B of IDEA 
and individualized family service plans under Part C of IDEA;
    (iv) Obtain appropriate information about the range, type, and 
quality of--
    (A) Options, programs, services, technologies, practices, and 
interventions that are based on scientifically based research, to the 
extent practicable; and
    (B) Resources available to assist children with disabilities and 
their families in school and at home, including information available 
through the Office of Special Education Programs' (OSEP) technical 
assistance and dissemination centers (https://www.ed.gov/parents/needs/
speced/resources.html), and communities of practice (https://
www.tacommunities.org);
    (v) Understand the requirements of IDEA related to the provision of 
education and early intervention services to children with 
disabilities;
    (vi) Participate in activities at the school level that benefit 
their children; and
    (vii) Participate in school reform activities.
    (4) In States where the State elects to contract with the CPRCs, 
contract with the State educational agencies (SEAs) to provide, 
consistent with paragraphs (B) and (D) of section 615(e)(2) of IDEA, 
individuals to meet with parents in order to explain the mediation 
process.
    (5) Assist parents in resolving disputes in the most expeditious 
and effective way possible, including encouraging the use, and 
explaining the benefits, of alternative methods of dispute resolution, 
such as the mediation process described in section 615(e) of IDEA.
    (6) Assist parents and students with disabilities to understand 
their rights and responsibilities under IDEA, including those under 
section 615(m) of IDEA upon the student's reaching the age of majority 
(as appropriate under State law).
    (7) Assist parents to understand the availability of, and how to 
effectively use, procedural safeguards under IDEA.
    (8) Assist parents in understanding, preparing for, and 
participating in, the resolution session described in section 
615(f)(1)(B) of IDEA.
    (c) Establish cooperative partnerships with any Parent Training and 
Information Centers (PTIs) and any other CPRCs funded in the State 
under sections 671 and 672 of IDEA, respectively.
    (d) Be designed to meet the specific needs of families who 
experience significant isolation from available sources of information 
and support.

[[Page 1196]]

    (e) Be familiar with the provision of special education, related 
services, and early intervention services in the CPRC's targeted 
community to be served to help ensure that children with disabilities 
are receiving appropriate services.
    (f) Annually report to the Department on--
    (1) The number and demographics of parents to whom the CPRC 
provided information and training in the most recently concluded fiscal 
year, including additional information regarding their unique needs and 
the levels of service provided to them; and
    (2) The effectiveness of strategies used to reach and serve 
parents, including underserved parents of children with disabilities, 
by providing evidence of how those parents were served effectively.
    (g) Respond to requests from the OSEP-funded National Technical 
Assistance Center (NTAC) and Regional Parent Technical Assistance 
Centers (PTACs), and use the technical assistance services of the NTAC 
and Regional PTACs in order to serve the families of infants, toddlers, 
and children with disabilities as efficiently as possible. Regional 
PTACS are charged with assisting parent centers with administrative and 
programmatic issues.
    (h) In collaboration with OSEP and NTAC, participate in an annual 
collection of program data for the PTIs and CPRCs funded under sections 
671 and 672 of IDEA, respectively.
    (i) If the CPRC maintains a Web site, ensure that the Web site 
meets a government or industry-recognized standard for accessibility.
    (j) Maintain ongoing communication with the OSEP Project Officer 
through phone conversations and e-mail communication.
    Competitive Preference Priorities: Within this absolute priority, 
we give competitive preference to applications that address the 
following two priorities. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i), we will award 
up to 10 additional points to an application that meets these 
priorities.

    Note: The 10 points an applicant can earn under these 
competitive preference priorities are in addition to those points 
awarded under the selection criteria for this competition (see 
Selection Criteria in section V in this notice). That is, an 
applicant meeting the competitive preference priorities could earn a 
maximum total of 110 points.

     These priorities are:Competitive Preference Priority 1--
Empowerment Zones, Enterprise Communities, or Renewal Communities.
    We will award five points to an application that proposes to 
provide services to one or more Empowerment Zones, Enterprise 
Communities, or Renewal Communities that are designated within the 
areas served by the center. (A list of areas that have been selected as 
Empowerment Zones, Enterprise Communities, or Renewal Communities can 
be found at https://egis.hud.gov/egis/cpd/rcezec/ezec_open.htm)
    To meet this priority, an applicant must indicate that it will--
    (1) Either (i) design a program that includes special activities 
focused on the unique needs of one or more Empowerment Zones, 
Enterprise Communities, or Renewal Communities; or (ii) devote a 
substantial portion of program resources to providing services within, 
or meeting the needs of residents of, these zones and communities; and
    (2) As appropriate, contribute to the strategic plan of the 
Empowerment Zones, Enterprise Communities, or Renewal Communities and 
become an integral component of the Empowerment Zone, Enterprise 
Community, or Renewal Community activities.
    Competitive Preference Priority 2--Novice Applicants.
    We will award an additional five points to an application from a 
novice applicant. This priority is from 34 CFR 75.225. The term 
``novice applicant'' means any applicant for a grant from the U.S. 
Department of Education that--
    (1) Has never received a grant or subgrant under the program from 
which it seeks funding;
    (2) Has never been a member of a group application, submitted in 
accordance with 34 CFR 75.127 through 75.129, that received a grant 
under the program from which it seeks funding; and
    (3) Has not had an active discretionary grant from the Federal 
Government in the five years before the deadline date for applications 
under this program (Training and Information for Parents of Children 
with Disabilities--Community Parent Resource Centers). For the purposes 
of this requirement, 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.
    In the case of a group application submitted in accordance with 34 
CFR 75.127 through 75.129, all group members must meet the requirements 
described in this priority to qualify as a novice applicant.
    Absolute Priority 2--Parent Training and Information Centers 
(84.328M).
    Background:
    This priority supports parent training and information centers 
(PTIs) in the areas to be served by the centers that will provide 
parents of children with disabilities, including low-income parents, 
parents of limited English proficient children, and parents with 
disabilities, with the training and information they need to enable 
them to participate cooperatively and effectively in helping their 
children with disabilities to--
    (a) Meet developmental and functional goals, and challenging 
academic achievement goals that have been established for all children; 
and
    (b) Be prepared to lead productive, independent adult lives, to the 
maximum extent possible.
    For further information on the work of previously funded centers, 
see https://www.taalliance.org.
    Priority:
    To be considered for funding under the Parent Training and 
Information Centers (PTIs) absolute priority, applicants must meet the 
application requirements contained in the priority. All projects funded 
under the absolute priority also must meet the programmatic and 
administrative requirements specified in the priority.
    In addition to awards for States under this absolute priority, the 
Secretary intends to fund one award that focuses on the needs of Native 
American families who have children with disabilities and one award 
that focuses on the needs of military families who have children with 
disabilities. In addition to meeting the other requirements specified 
in this absolute priority, an eligible entity applying for either of 
these awards must propose a project that will focus nationally on the 
provision of services that meet the unique training and information 
needs of its specific population. A project funded under either of 
these awards also must work with the National and Regional Parent 
Technical Assistance Centers and the individual PTIs and Community 
Parent Resource Centers (CPRCs) to increase the capacity of the PTIs 
and CPRCs to carry out their required activities when working with 
these unique populations.
    Application Requirements. An applicant must include in its 
application--
    (a) A plan to implement the activities described in the Project 
Activities section of this priority;
    (b) A budget for attendance at the following:

[[Page 1197]]

    (1) A three-day National Technical Assistance for Parent Centers 
Conference in Washington, DC during each year of the project period.
    (2) A two-day Regional Technical Assistance for Parent Centers 
Conference, in the region in which the PTI is located, during each year 
of the project period. Applicants should refer to https://
www.taalliance.org for a list of regions; and
    (c) A description specifying the special efforts the PTI will make 
to--
    (1) Ensure that the needs for training and information of 
underserved parents of children with disabilities in the area to be 
served are effectively met; and
    (2) Work with community based organizations, including those that 
work with low-income parents and parents of limited English proficient 
children.
    Project Activities. To meet the requirements of this priority, the 
PTI, at a minimum, must:
    (a) Provide training and information that meets the training and 
information needs of parents of children with disabilities living in 
the area served by the PTI, particularly underserved parents and 
parents of children who may be inappropriately identified as having 
disabilities.
    (b) Serve the parents of infants, toddlers, and children from ages 
birth through 26, with the full range of disabilities described in 
section 602(3) of IDEA.
    (c) Ensure that the training and information provided meets the 
needs of low-income parents and parents of limited English proficient 
children.
    (d) Assist parents to--
    (1) Better understand the nature of their children's disabilities 
and their educational, developmental, and transitional needs;
    (2) Communicate effectively and work collaboratively with personnel 
responsible for providing special education, early intervention 
services, transition services, and related services;
    (3) Participate in decisionmaking processes, including those 
regarding participation in State and local assessments, and the 
development of individualized education programs under Part B of IDEA 
and individualized family service plans under Part C of IDEA;
    (4) Obtain appropriate information about the range, type and 
quality of--
    (i) Options, programs, services, technologies, practices, and 
interventions that are based on scientifically based research, to the 
extent practicable; and
    (ii) Resources available to assist children with disabilities and 
their families in school and at home, including information available 
through OSEP's technical assistance and dissemination centers (https://
www.ed.gov/parents/needs/speced/resources.html ), and communities of 
practice (https://www.tacommunities.org);
    (5) Understand the requirements of IDEA related to the provision of 
education and early intervention services to children with 
disabilities;
    (6) Participate in activities at the school level that benefit 
their children; and
    (7) Participate in school reform activities.
    (e) In States where the State elects to contract with the PTIs, 
contract with the State educational agencies (SEAs) to provide, 
consistent with paragraphs (B) and (D) of section 615(e)(2) of IDEA, 
individuals to meet with parents in order to explain the mediation 
process.
    (f) Assist parents in resolving disputes in the most expeditious 
and effective way possible, including encouraging the use, and 
explaining the benefits, of alternative methods of dispute resolution, 
such as the mediation process described in section 615(e) of IDEA.
    (g) Assist parents and students with disabilities to understand 
their rights and responsibilities under IDEA, including those under 
section 615(m) of IDEA upon the student's reaching the age of majority 
(as appropriate under State law).
    (h) Assist parents to understand the availability of, and how to 
effectively use, procedural safeguards under IDEA.
    (i) Assist parents in understanding, preparing for, and 
participating in, the resolution session described in section 
615(f)(1)(B) of IDEA.
    (j) Establish cooperative partnerships with any CPRCs and any other 
PTIs funded in the State under sections 672 and 671 of IDEA, 
respectively.
    (k) Network with appropriate clearinghouses, including 
organizations conducting national dissemination activities under 
section 663 of IDEA and the Institute of Education Sciences, and with 
other national, State, and local organizations and agencies, such as 
protection and advocacy agencies, that serve parents and families of 
children with the full range of disabilities described in section 
602(3) of IDEA.
    (l) Annually report to the Department on--
    (1) The number and demographics of parents to whom the PTI provided 
information and training in the most recently concluded fiscal year, 
including additional information regarding their unique needs and the 
levels of service provided to them; and
    (2) The effectiveness of strategies used to reach and serve 
parents, including underserved parents of children with disabilities, 
by providing evidence of how those parents were served effectively.
    (m) Respond to requests from the OSEP-funded National Technical 
Assistance Center (NTAC) and Regional Parent Technical Assistance 
Centers (PTACs), and use the technical assistance services of the NTAC 
and Regional PTACs in order to serve the families of infants, toddlers, 
and children with disabilities as efficiently as possible. Regional 
PTACs are charged with assisting parent centers with administrative and 
programmatic issues.
    (n) In collaboration with OSEP and NTAC, participate in an annual 
collection of program data for the PTIs and CPRCs funded under sections 
671 and 672 of IDEA, respectively.
    (o) Ensure that the PTI's board of directors meets not less than 
once in each calendar quarter to review the activities for which the 
award was made.
    (p) Ensure that the PTI's board of directors submits to the 
Secretary a written review of the PTI's activities conducted during the 
preceding fiscal year.
    (q) If the PTI maintains a Web site, ensure that the Web site meets 
a government or industry-recognized standard for accessibility.
    (r) Maintain ongoing communication with the OSEP Project Officer 
through phone conversations and e-mail communication.
    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 priorities in this notice.
    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1472, 1473 and 1481.
    Applicable Regulations: The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 81, 82, 84, 
85, 97, 98, and 99.

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

II. Award Information

    Type of Awards: Discretionary grants.
    Estimated Available Funds: The Administration has requested 
$26,528,000 for the Training and Information for Parents of Children 
with

[[Page 1198]]

Disabilities program for FY 2009, of which we intend to use an 
estimated $6,002,237 for the competitions announced in this notice. 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. 
Please refer to the ``Estimated Available Funds'' column of the chart 
in this section for the estimated dollar amounts for individual 
competitions Information concerning funding amounts for individual 
States and target populations for the 84.328M competition is provided 
in the ``Maximum Award'' column of the chart in this section of this 
notice.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: See chart.
    Maximum Award: See chart.
    Estimated Number of Awards: See chart.
    Project Period: See chart.
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN12JA09.044

BILLING CODE 4000-01-C

    Note 1: We will reject any application that proposes a budget 
exceeding the maximum award 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 2: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this 
notice.


    Note 3: For the Parent Training and Information Centers, 84.328M 
competition:
    Project Period: In order to allocate resources equitably, create 
a unified system of service delivery, and provide the broadest 
coverage for the parents and families in every State, the Assistant 
Secretary is making awards in five-year cycles for each State. In FY 
2009, applications for 5-year awards will be accepted for the 
following States: Arizona, Delaware, Indiana, Iowa, Massachusetts, 
Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, South Dakota, Virginia, 
Washington, and Wyoming, and the District of Columbia. Awards also 
may be made to eligible applicants in American Samoa, Guam, and the 
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. These projects will be 
funded for a period up to 60 months.
    In FY 2009, applications for 3-year awards will be accepted for 
Regions 1 and 2 in Michigan. We are proposing shorter project 
periods for Regions 1 and 2 in Michigan in order to align the 
funding cycle for these areas with those of other States in their 
groups.
    Estimated Project Awards: Project award amounts are for a single 
budget period of 12 months. To ensure maximum coverage for this 
competition, the Assistant Secretary has adopted regional 
designations established by Michigan and has identified 
corresponding maximum award amounts for each region. Michigan 
applicants must complete a separate application for each region.

    The Assistant Secretary took into consideration current funding 
levels, population distribution, poverty rates, and low-density 
enrollment when determining the award amounts for grants under this 
competition. In the following States, one award may be made for up to 
the amounts listed in the chart to a qualified applicant for a PTI 
Center to serve the entire State or District of Columbia.

[[Page 1199]]



 
 
 
Arizona......................................................    364,556
Delaware.....................................................    208,975
District of Columbia.........................................    182,061
Indiana......................................................    360,626
Iowa.........................................................    251,929
Massachusetts................................................    358,318
Minnesota....................................................    338,572
Mississippi..................................................    266,988
Missouri.....................................................    342,171
South Dakota.................................................    204,562
Virginia.....................................................    392,689
Washington...................................................    350,567
Wyoming......................................................    174,507
 

    In the following State one award up to the amount listed will be 
made to a qualified applicant for a PTI Center to serve each identified 
region. A list of the counties that are included in each region also 
follows.

 
 
 
Michigan:
  Region 1 (Oakland, Macomb, Wayne Counties).................    239,170
  Region 2 (All other counties in Michigan)..................    403,970
 

    In addition, one award up to the amount listed will be made to a 
qualified applicant for a National PTI Center to serve families in each 
identified category.

 
 
 
Military Families............................................    243,788
Native American Families.....................................    243,788
 

    One award up to the amount listed may be made to a qualified 
applicant from the outlying areas as follows:

 
 
 
American Samoa...............................................     25,000
Guam.........................................................     25,000
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.................     25,000
 

    Consistent with 34 CFR 75.104(b), we will reject any application 
that proposes a project funding level for any year that exceeds the 
stated maximum award amount for that year.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
             Absolute priority                   Eligible applicants
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Community Parent Resource Centers           Local parent organizations.
 (84.328C).
Parent Training and Information Centers     Parent organizations.
 (84.328M).
------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Note: Under section 672(a)(2) of IDEA, a ``local parent 
organization'' is a parent organization (as that term is defined in 
section 671(a)(2) of IDEA) that--
    (a) Has a board of directors, the majority of whom are parents 
of children with disabilities ages birth through 26 from the 
community to be served.
    (b) Has as its mission serving parents of children with 
disabilities from that community who (1) are ages birth through 26, 
and (2) have the full range of disabilities as defined in section 
602(3) of IDEA.

    Section 671(a)(2) of IDEA defines a ``parent organization'' as a 
private nonprofit organization (other than an institution of higher 
education) that--
    (a) Has a board of directors--
    (1) The majority of whom are parents of children with disabilities 
ages birth through 26;
    (2) That includes--
    (i) Individuals working in the fields of special education, related 
services, and early intervention;
    (ii) Individuals with disabilities; and
    (iii) The parent and professional members of which are broadly 
representative of the population to be served, including low-income 
parents and parents of limited English proficient children; and
    (b) Has as its mission serving families of children with 
disabilities who are ages birth through 26, and have the full range of 
disabilities described in section 602(3) of IDEA.
    2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This program does not require cost 
sharing or matching.
    3. Other: General Requirements--(a) The projects funded under this 
program must make positive efforts to employ and advance in employment 
qualified individuals with disabilities (see section 606 of IDEA).
    (b) Applicants and grant recipients funded under this program 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 for the deaf (TDD), call, toll free: 1-877-
576-7734.
    You can contact ED Pubs at its Web site, also: 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 the competition to which you want to apply, as follows: CFDA 
Number 84.328C or 84.328M.
    Individuals with disabilities can obtain a copy of the application 
package in an accessible format (e.g., braille, large print, audiotape, 
or computer diskette) by contacting the person or team listed under 
Accessible 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 each competition 
announced in this notice.
    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 Part III to 
the equivalent of no more than the number of pages listed under ``Page 
Limit'' for that competition in the chart under Award Information, 
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; the two-page abstract, the 
resumes, the bibliography, the references, or the letters of support. 
The page limit, however, does apply to all of the application narrative 
section [Part III].
    We will reject your application if you exceed the page limit or if 
you apply other standards and exceed the equivalent of the page limit.
    3. Submission Dates and Times:
    Applications Available: See chart.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: See chart.
    Applications for grants under this program 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 of 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 
of this notice. If the Department provides an accommodation or 
auxiliary aid to an individual with a disability in connection with the 
application

[[Page 1200]]

process, the individual's application remains subject to all other 
requirements and limitations in this notice.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: See chart.
    4. Intergovernmental Review: This program 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 of this notice.
    6. Other Submission Requirements: Applications for grants under 
this program may be submitted electronically or in paper format by mail 
or hand delivery.
    a. Electronic Submission of Applications.
    We are participating as a partner in the Governmentwide Grants.gov 
Apply site. The Training and Information for Parents of Children with 
Disabilities competitions, CFDA Numbers 84.328C and 84.328M, announced 
in this notice are 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 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 Training 
and Information for Parents of Children with Disabilities program 
competitions_CFDA numbers 84.328C and 84.328M at www.Grants.gov. You 
must search for the downloadable application package for these 
competitions by the CFDA number. Do not include the CFDA number's alpha 
suffix in your search (e.g., search for 84.328, not 84.328C or 
84.328M).
    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 
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 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 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 the competition to which you 
are applying 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 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 
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 www.grants.gov/section910/
Grants.govRegistrationBrochure.pdf). You also must provide on your 
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.
     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 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 p.m., Washington, DC time, 
on the

[[Page 1201]]

application deadline date, please contact the person listed under FOR 
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT in section VII of 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 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 following address:
    U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Center, 
Attention: (CFDA Number 84.328C or 84.328M) LBJ Basement Level 1, 400 
Maryland Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20202-4260.
    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 84.328C or 84.328M) 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 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 program are 
from 34 CFR 75.210 and are listed in the application package for each 
competition announced in this notice.
    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 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 
Notification (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. 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 www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/appforms/
appforms.html.
    4. Performance Measures: Under the Government Performance and 
Results Act of 1993, 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 Training and Information for Parents of Children with 
Disabilities program. The measures focus on the extent to which 
projects provide high-quality materials, the relevance of project 
products and services to educational and early intervention policy and 
practice, and the usefulness of products and services to improve 
educational and early intervention policy and practice.

[[Page 1202]]

    Grantees will be required to provide information related to these 
measures in annual reports submitted to the Department.
    Grantees also will be required to report information on their 
projects' performance in annual reports to the Department (34 CFR 
75.590).

VII. Agency Contact

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: See the chart in the Award Information 
section in this notice for the name, room number, and telephone number 
of the contact person for each competition. You can write to the 
contact person at the following address: U.S. Department of Education, 
400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Potomac Center Plaza (PCP), Washington, DC 
20202-2550.
    If you use a TDD, call the Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll-free, 
at 1-800-877-8339.

VIII. Other Information

    Accessible Format: Individuals with disabilities can obtain this 
document and a copy of the application package in an accessible format 
(e.g., braille, large print, audiotape, or 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: 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: www.gpoaccess.gov/nara/
index.html.


    Dated: January 7, 2009.
Tracy R. Justesen,
Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.
 [FR Doc. E9-360 Filed 1-9-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P