Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services; Overview Information; Personnel Development To Improve Services and Results for Children With Disabilities-Leadership Preparation in Sensory Disabilities; Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2009, 36474-36479 [E9-17554]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 140 (Thursday, July 23, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36474-36479]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-17554]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services; Overview 
Information; Personnel Development To Improve Services and Results for 
Children With Disabilities--Leadership Preparation in Sensory 
Disabilities; Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal 
Year (FY) 2009

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.325V.


DATES:
    Applications Available: July 23, 2009.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: August 24, 2009.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: September 1, 2009.

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Purpose of Program: The purposes of this program are to (1) help 
address State-identified needs for highly qualified personnel--in 
special education, related services, early intervention, and regular 
education--to work with infants, toddlers, and children with 
disabilities; and (2) ensure that those personnel have the necessary 
skills and knowledge, derived from practices that have been determined 
through scientifically based research and experience, to be successful 
in serving those children.
    Priority: In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(v), this priority 
is from allowable activities specified in the statute or otherwise 
authorized in the statute (see sections 662 and 681 of the Individuals 
with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) (20 U.S.C. 1400 et seq.)).
    Absolute Priority: For FY 2009 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:
    Personnel Development to Improve Services and Results for Children 
with Disabilities--Leadership Preparation in Sensory Disabilities 
(84.325V).
    Background: During the ten-year period between 1996 and 2006 there 
was little change in the number of doctorates awarded annually in 
special education. The numbers ranged from a high of 288 doctorates 
awarded in 2004 to a low of 213 doctorates awarded in 2002; 237 
doctorates were awarded in special education in 2006, the most recent 
year reported (Hoffer, Hess, Welch, & Williams, 2007). As a general 
matter, this number of doctoral graduates is insufficient to fill 
current and anticipated future vacancies for special education faculty 
at institutions of higher education (IHEs), special education teachers, 
and special education leaders at State and local public agencies. 
(Smith, Pion, & Tyler, 2004; Smith, Pion, Tyler, Sindelar, & Rosenberg, 
2001; Wasburn-Moses & Therrien, 2008).
    The lack of doctoral graduates in special education is even more 
acute in the area of sensory disabilities (e.g., deaf and hard-of-
hearing, visual impairments and blindness, and deaf-blindness). These 
specialties have an immediate and critical need for doctoral-level 
personnel (Dilka, Haydon, & Mertens, 2007; Huebner, Merk-Adam, Stryker, 
& Wolfe, 2004; Johnson, 2003). ``The Study of Special Education 
Leadership Personnel: With Particular Attention to the Professoriate'' 
(Smith, Pion, Tyler, Sindelar, & Rosenberg, 2001) reports that one-
third of higher education faculty positions available in special 
education go unfilled every year, including many in sensory disability 
areas. For doctoral training programs in sensory disabilities that have 
only one full-time faculty on staff, the inability to fill a vacant 
position often results in the termination of the program. Because 
doctoral-level faculty also provide training for teachers and related 
services providers (e.g., orientation and mobility training) who work 
with children with sensory disabilities, faculty shortages at IHEs mean 
that there are fewer resources to train critical direct service staff.
    In 2004, the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) awarded a 
five-year cooperative agreement for the establishment of a National 
Center on Leadership in Visual Impairment (NCLVI) to address the 
ongoing shortage of doctoral-level leaders in the field of visual 
impairment and blindness. The 14 universities participating in the 
NCLVI each offer doctoral degrees with an emphasis on doctoral 
leadership training in the areas of visual impairment, blindness, or 
deaf-blindness. The NCLVI, with OSEP input, established the terms of 
the student awards, offering full tuition awards and a stipend for 
living expenses for a maximum of four years to offset additional costs 
related to full-time studies and general living expenses. Scholars were 
required to be full-time so as to ensure that they completed their 
doctoral studies as expeditiously as possible to address the immediate 
and critical need for doctoral professionals in the field.
    According to a recently published National Center of Education 
Statistics (NCES) report, ``The Condition of Education 2007,'' the 
2003-04 average annual costs for a doctorate in education were $10,700 
for tuition and $17,200 for living expenses, for a total of $27,900. 
According to NCES, the 2003-2004 average annual costs for all other 
Ph.D. programs, excluding those in education, totaled $33,600, 
including an average annual tuition amount of $14,900 and living 
expenses of approximately $18,700. Without adjusting for inflation, the 
comparable average NCLVI annual tuition amount for 2007-08 was $10,673, 
and the average stipend was $20,535, for a total average NCLVI annual 
award of $31,208. Thus, based on the most recent NCES data available,

[[Page 36475]]

with no adjustments for inflation, the average costs for tuition and 
living expenses for NCLVI program fellows are slightly above the 
average annual costs for doctoral programs in education and slightly 
below the average annual costs for all other doctoral programs.
    Of the 19 NCLVI scholars, six completed their doctoral degrees in 
their third year of enrollment, three completed in their fourth year, 
and NCLVI faculty report that the remaining ten students are on 
schedule to complete their doctorates in their fourth year of 
enrollment. Assuming that these projections are accurate, the NCLVI 
average completion time is shorter than the national median time to 
completion of 7.9 years for Ph.D.s, Ed.D.s, and D.Sc.s. (Hoffer, Hess, 
Welch, & Williams, 2007). NCLVI graduates have also successfully 
secured positions in the field of visual impairment.\1\
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    \1\ The students who completed their doctorates found employment 
in leadership positions in the field of visual impairment, including 
five in university faculty positions. One graduate secured a highly 
competitive two-year post-doctoral internship at the Centers for 
Disease Control, and the three most recent graduates are actively 
interviewing for positions in IHEs, SEAs and research organizations.
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    The consortium design and curriculum used by NCLVI have facilitated 
the pooling of resources and expertise to provide high-quality training 
opportunities for NCLVI scholars, including structured research and 
learning opportunities that extend beyond those available at any of the 
individual NCLVI partner institutions. NCLVI students have the 
additional benefit of interacting with professionals and other students 
outside their home universities.
    This priority builds on OSEP's previous investment in a consortium 
model that is focused on the preparation of doctoral leaders in visual 
impairment and blindness.
    Priority: The purpose of this priority is to fund a consortium 
(Consortium) that will prepare leaders at the doctoral level to work in 
the special education field with a specialty in the following sensory 
disabilities: (1) Visual impairment and blindness; (2) deaf-blindness; 
and (3) deafness and hard-of-hearing.
    To be considered for funding under this absolute priority, 
applicants must meet the application requirements contained in this 
priority. All projects funded under this absolute priority also must 
meet the programmatic and administrative requirements specified in the 
priority.
    All scholars receiving support through this project must satisfy 
the service obligation requirement in 34 CFR Part 304, which requires 2 
years of work for every year of scholarship support. The service 
obligation requirement, however, does not create an incentive for 
scholars to obtain employment in postsecondary institutions, which is 
one of the main objectives of this priority, over other kinds of 
employment. Thus, the service obligation may indirectly be deterring 
doctoral-level graduates under this project from seeking and obtaining 
employment as higher education faculty in postsecondary institutions 
with low incidence training programs. As a result, under the authority 
of section 662(h)(2) of IDEA, which authorizes the Secretary to reduce 
or waive the service obligation in this situation, the Secretary has 
determined that scholars who complete doctoral-level degrees under this 
project and go on to obtain employment as higher education faculty at 
postsecondary institutions in the area for which they received training 
will only be required to complete 1 year of work for every year of 
scholarship support instead of 2 years of work for every year of 
scholarship support.
    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 outcome 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 on-line 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 that ensures that at least 70 percent of the total 
requested budget is used for student support, with a minimum of 30 
full-time students to be supported;
    (e) A budget for a summative evaluation to be conducted by an 
independent third party;
    (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 an 
annual planning meeting held in Washington, DC, with the OSEP Project 
Officer during each subsequent year of the project period.
    (2) A three-day Project Director's Conference in Washington, DC, 
during each year of the project period.
    (3) Three 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 
Consortium 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 
project, at a minimum, must conduct the following activities:
    (a) Establish a Consortium comprised of IHEs that prepares students 
to work as doctoral leaders in all of the following sensory disability 
areas: Visual impairment and blindness, deaf-blindness, and deafness 
and hard-of-hearing. The project must include at least two established 
IHE programs in each of the sensory disability areas. The application 
must include the following information from each proposed Consortium 
member: The name of the IHE, the specific sensory disability program or 
programs at each IHE, and a letter of commitment from each IHE. OSEP 
will approve the Consortium members within eight weeks after making the 
award.
    (b) Establish policies and procedures for the work of the 
Consortium in areas such as: Decision-making, recruitment, and 
selection of students who will be supported by the Consortium, 
distribution of tuition and stipends among participating students, 
measurement and reporting of student progress, and contingency planning 
in case of Consortium faculty losses. The Consortium must create 
standard guidelines for awarding tuition and stipends to all 
Consortium-supported students and must submit those proposed guidelines 
to the OSEP project officer for approval prior to their implementation.

[[Page 36476]]

    (c) Develop and implement a single, common research-based 
curriculum for all Consortium students that aligns with each IHE 
Consortium member's course of study and that reflects scientifically 
based practices in course syllabi.
    (d) Maintain a Web site that meets government or industry-
recognized standards for accessibility and that links to the Web site 
operated by the Technical Assistance Coordination Center (TACC).
    (e) Establish and maintain an advisory committee to review the 
activities and outcomes of the Consortium and to provide programmatic 
support and advice throughout the project period. At a minimum, the 
advisory committee must meet on an annual basis in Washington, DC, and 
consist of at least one representative from each of the following:
    (1) Organizations, agencies, and associations that represent the 
interests of persons with sensory disabilities, specifically the 
disability areas addressed by the Consortium.
    (2) Persons with sensory disabilities.
    (3) Professional organizations representing the interests and work 
of faculty and administrators of IHEs; and
    (4) Students enrolled in Consortium-member universities' sensory 
disabilities doctoral leadership preparation programs. The Consortium 
must submit the names of proposed advisory committee members to OSEP 
for approval within eight weeks after receipt of the award.
    (f) Communicate and collaborate, on an ongoing basis, with other 
OSEP-funded projects, and the Technical Assistance and Dissemination 
(TA&D) Network Centers. This collaboration could include the joint 
development and implementation of curriculum activities, accessing and 
using research-based strategies and promising practices that are 
disseminated by personnel preparation centers and TA&D Network Centers, 
and planning and carrying out joint meetings and events with other 
OSEP-funded projects.
    (g) Maintain ongoing communication with the OSEP Project Officer 
through monthly phone conversations with the grantee and Consortium 
members and e-mail communication.
    Fourth and Fifth Years of the Project: In deciding whether to 
continue funding the Consortium 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 Consortium 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 
Consortium; and
    (c) The quality, relevance, and usefulness of the Consortium's 
activities and products and the degree to which the Consortium's 
activities will contribute to increasing the supply of doctoral 
leadership personnel in visual impairment and blindness, deaf-
blindness, and deafness and hard-of-hearing.

References

Dilka, K., Haydon, D., & Mertens, D. M. (2007). Program faculty 
demographics of deaf and hard of hearing teacher preparation 
programs. Paper presented at the Association of College Educators-
Dear Hard-of-Hearing.
Hoffer, T.B., Hess, M., Welch, V. Jr., & Williams, K. (2007). 
Doctorate recipients from United States universities: Summary report 
2006. Chicago: National Opinion Research Center.
Huebner, M. K., Merk-Adam, B., Stryker, D., & Wolfe, K. E. (2004). 
The national agenda for the education of children and youths with 
visual impairments, including those with multiple disabilities--
revised. New York: American Foundation for the Blind.
Johnson, H.A. (2003). U.S. deaf education teacher preparation 
programs: A look at the present and a vision for the future (COPSSE 
Document No. IB-9). Gainesville, FL: University of Florida, Center 
of Personnel Studies in Special Education.
National Center for Education Statistics: (2007). The condition of 
education 2007 (ED-NCES 2007-064). Washington, DC: U.S. Government 
Printing Office.
Sindelar (Eds.), Critical Issues in Special Education: Access, 
Diversity, and Accountability (pp. 258-276). New York: Pearson Allyn 
and Bacon.
Smith, D.S., Pion, G., Tyler, N.C., Sindelar, P., & Rosenberg, M. 
(2001). The study of special education leadership personnel: With 
particular attention to the professoriate. Vanderbilt University, 
Nashville, TN, University of Florida at Gainesville, Gainesville, 
FL, and Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD.
Smith, D.D., Pion, G.M., Tyler, N.C. (2004) Leadership personnel in 
special education: Can persistent shortage be resolved? In A. McCray 
Sorrells, H.J. Rieth, & P.T.
Smith, D.D. (March, 2009). Special Education Faculty Needs 
Assessment Brief: A comparison of doctoral funding levels across 
Federal programs. Claremont Graduate University: Claremont, CA.
Wasburn-Moses, L. & Therrien, W.J. (2008). The impact of Leadership 
Personnel Grants on the doctoral student population in special 
education. Teacher Education in Special Education. 31(2), 65-76.

    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 the IDEA, however, makes the public 
comment requirements of the APA inapplicable to the priorities in this 
notice.
    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1462 and 1481.
    Applicable Regulations: (a) 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. (b) The regulations for this 
program in 34 CFR part 304.

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

II. Award Information

    Type of Awards: Cooperative agreements.
    Estimated Available Funds: $1,000,000.
    Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of 
applications, we may make additional awards in FY 2010 from the list of 
unfunded applicants from this competition.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $1,000,000.
    Maximum Award: We will reject any application that proposes a 
budget exceeding $1,000,000 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.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 1.

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

    Project Period: Up to 60 months.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: IHEs.
    2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This program 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 
the IDEA).
    (b) Applicants and grant 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 project (see section 682(a)(1)(A) of the IDEA).

[[Page 36477]]

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: https://www.ed.gov/pubs/edpubs.html or at its e-mail address: edpubs@inet.ed.gov.
    If you request an application from ED Pubs, be sure to identify the 
competition as follows: CFDA number 84.325V.
    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 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 Part III to 
the equivalent of no more than 50 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. 
However, you must include all of the application narrative in 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: July 23, 2009.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: August 24, 2009.
    Applications for grants under this competition may be submitted 
electronically using the Electronic Grant Application System (e-
Application) accessible through the Department's e-Grants system, or in 
paper format by mail or hand delivery. For information (including dates 
and times) about how to submit your application electronically, or 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 process, the individual's application remains subject to 
all other requirements and limitations in this notice.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: September 1, 2009.
    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 competition may be submitted electronically or in paper format by 
mail or hand delivery.
    a. Electronic Submission of Applications.
    If you choose to submit your application to us electronically, you 
must use e-Application, accessible through the Department's e-Grants 
portal page at: https://e-grants.ed.gov.
    While completing your electronic application, you will be entering 
data online that will be saved into a database. You may not e-mail an 
electronic copy of a grant application to us.
    Please note the following:
     Your participation in e-Application is voluntary.
     You must complete the electronic submission of your grant 
application by 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application 
deadline date. E-Application will not accept an application for this 
competition after 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application 
deadline date. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you do not wait 
until the application deadline date to begin the application process.
     The hours of operation of the e-Grants Web site are 6 a.m. 
Monday until 7 p.m. Wednesday; and 6 a.m. Thursday until 8 p.m. Sunday, 
Washington, DC time. Please note that, because of maintenance, the 
system is unavailable between 8 p.m. on Sundays and 6 a.m. on Mondays, 
and between 7 p.m. on Wednesdays and 6 a.m. on Thursdays, Washington, 
DC time. Any modifications to these hours are posted on the e-Grants 
Web site.
     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.
     You must submit all documents electronically, including 
all information you typically provide on the following forms: the 
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. 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.
     Prior to submitting your electronic application, you may 
wish to print a copy of it for your records.
     After you electronically submit your application, you will 
receive an automatic acknowledgment that will include a PR/Award number 
(an identifying number unique to your application).
     Within three working days after submitting your electronic 
application, fax a signed copy of the SF 424 to the Application Control 
Center after following these steps:
    (1) Print SF 424 from e-Application.
    (2) The applicant's Authorizing Representative must sign this form.
    (3) Place the PR/Award number in the upper right hand corner of the 
hard-copy signature page of the SF 424.
    (4) Fax the signed SF 424 to the Application Control Center at 
(202) 245-6272.
     We may request that you provide us original signatures on 
other forms at a later date.

[[Page 36478]]

    Application Deadline Date Extension in Case of System 
Unavailability: If you are prevented from electronically submitting 
your application on the application deadline date because e-Application 
is unavailable, we will grant you an extension of one business day to 
enable you to transmit your application electronically, by mail, or by 
hand delivery. We will grant this extension if--
    (1) You are a registered user of e-Application and you have 
initiated an electronic application for this competition; and
    (2) (a) E-Application is unavailable for 60 minutes or more between 
the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the 
application deadline date; or
    (b) E-Application is unavailable for any period of time between 
3:30 p.m. and 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application 
deadline date.
    We must acknowledge and confirm these periods of unavailability 
before granting you an extension. To request this extension or to 
confirm our acknowledgment of any system unavailability, you may 
contact either (1) the person listed elsewhere in this notice under FOR 
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT (see VII. Agency Contact) or (2) the e-
Grants help desk at 1-888-336-8930. If e-Application is unavailable due 
to technical problems with the system and, therefore, the application 
deadline is extended, an e-mail will be sent to all registered users 
who have initiated an e-Application.
    Extensions referred to in this section apply only to the 
unavailability of e-Application. If e-Application is available, and, 
for any reason, you are unable to submit your application 
electronically or you do not receive an automatic acknowledgment of 
your submission, you may submit your application in paper format by 
mail or hand delivery in accordance with the instructions in this 
notice.
    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 84.325V), 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 
84.325V), 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 program are 
from 34 CFR 75.210 and are listed in the application package.
    2. Review and Selection Process: 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 the 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 https://www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/appforms/appforms.html.

[[Page 36479]]

    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 Personnel Development to Improve Services and Results 
for Children with Disabilities program. These measures include: (1) The 
percentage of projects that incorporate scientifically based practices 
into the curriculum; (2) the percentage of scholars who exit training 
programs prior to completion due to poor academic performance; (3) the 
percentage of degree or certification recipients who are working in the 
area(s) for which they were trained upon program completion; (4) the 
percentage of degree or certification recipients who are working in the 
area(s) for which they were trained upon program completion and are 
fully qualified under the IDEA; (5) the percentage of scholars 
completing the IDEA-funded training programs who are knowledgeable and 
skilled in scientifically based practices for infants, toddlers, and 
children with disabilities; (6) the percentage of low incidence 
positions that are filled by personnel who are fully qualified under 
the IDEA; and (7) the percentage of program graduates who maintain 
employment for three or more years in the area(s) for which they were 
trained.
    Grantees may be asked to participate in assessing and providing 
information on these aspects of program quality.

VII. Agency Contact

    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Glinda Hill, U.S. Department of 
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 4063, Potomac Center Plaza 
(PCP), Washington, DC 20202-2550. Telephone: (202) 245-7376.
    If you use a TDD, call the 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: 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/.

    Delegation of Authority: The Secretary of Education has delegated 
authority to Andrew J. Pepin, Executive Administrator for the Office of 
Special Education and Rehabilitative Services to perform the functions 
of the Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative 
Services.

    Dated: July 17, 2009.
Andrew J. Pepin,
Executive Administrator for Special Education and Rehabilitative 
Services.
[FR Doc. E9-17554 Filed 7-22-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P