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) 2010, 23254-23261 [2010-10198]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 84 (Monday, May 3, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23254-23261]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-10198]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

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) 2010

    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.

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

    Absolute Priorities: For FY 2010 and any subsequent year in which 
we make awards from the list of unfunded applicants from these 
competitions, these priorities are absolute priorities. Under 34 CFR 
75.105(c)(3), for each competition, we consider only

[[Page 23255]]

applications that meet the absolute priority for that competition.
    The priorities are:

Absolute Priority 1--Community Parent Resource Centers (84.328C)

Background
    Almost 30 years of research and experience has demonstrated that 
the education of children with disabilities can be made more effective 
by strengthening the role and responsibility of parents and ensuring 
that families of such children have meaningful opportunities to 
participate in the education of their children at school and at home 
(see section 601(c)(5)(B) of IDEA).
    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.
    The following Web site provides further information on the work of 
previously funded centers: https://www.taalliance.org.
Priority
    To be considered for funding under the 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) Maintain a Web site that meets government or industry-
recognized standards for accessibility;
    (b) 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.

    (c) 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 meet 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 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;
    (iv) Obtain appropriate information about the range, type, and 
quality of--
    (A) Options, programs, services, technologies, practices, and 
interventions 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;
    (d) 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;
    (e) Be designed to meet the specific needs of families who 
experience significant isolation from available sources of information 
and support;
    (f) 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;
    (g) 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 the parents' unique 
needs and

[[Page 23256]]

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;
    (h) Respond to requests from the OSEP-funded National and Regional 
Parent Technical Assistance Centers (PTACs), and use the technical 
assistance services of the National 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;
    (i) In collaboration with OSEP and the National PTAC participate in 
an annual collection of program data for the PTIs and CPRCs funded 
under sections 671 and 672 of IDEA, respectively; and
    (j) Maintain ongoing communication with the OSEP Project Officer 
through phone conversations and e-mail communication.
    In addition, the CPRC's board of directors must meet not less than 
once in each calendar quarter to review the activities for which the 
award was made and submit to the Secretary a written review of the 
CPRC's activities conducted during the preceding fiscal year.
    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 award 5 
points to an application that meets Competitive Preference Priority 1 
and 5 points to an application that meets Competitive Preference 
Priority 2.

    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. (The following Web site provides a list of 
areas that have been selected as Empowerment Zones, Enterprise 
Communities, or Renewal Communities: https://egis.hud.gov/egis/cpd/rcezec/ezec_open.htm.)
    To meet this priority, an applicant must indicate that it will--
    (1) Either design a program that includes special activities 
focused on the unique needs of one or more Empowerment Zones, 
Enterprise Communities, or Renewal Communities; or devote a substantial 
portion of program resources to providing services within, or meeting 
the needs of residents of, these zones and communities; and
    (2) Contribute to the strategic plan of the Empowerment Zones, 
Enterprise Communities, or Renewal Communities as appropriate, 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
    Almost 30 years of research and experience have demonstrated that 
the education of children with disabilities can be made more effective 
by strengthening the role and responsibility of parents and ensuring 
that families of such children have meaningful opportunities to 
participate in the education of their children at school and at home 
(see section 601(c)(5)(B) of IDEA).
    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.
    The following Web site provides more information on the work of 
previously funded centers: https://www.taalliance.org.
Priority
    To be considered for funding under the 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.
    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;

[[Page 23257]]

    (d) 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 PTI is located, during each year 
of the project period. Applicants should refer to https://www.taalliance.org for a list of regions; and
    (e) 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) Maintain a Web site that meets government or industry-
recognized standards for accessibility;
    (b) 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;
    (c) 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;
    (d) Ensure that the training and information provided meets the 
needs of low-income parents and parents of limited English proficient 
children;
    (e) 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 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);
    (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;
    (f) 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;
    (g) 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;
    (h) 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);
    (i) Assist parents to understand the availability of, and how to 
effectively use, procedural safeguards under IDEA;
    (j) Assist parents in understanding, preparing for, and 
participating in, the resolution session described in section 
615(f)(1)(B) of IDEA;
    (k) Establish cooperative partnerships with any CPRCs and any other 
PTIs funded in the State under sections 672 and 671 of IDEA, 
respectively;
    (l) 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;
    (m) 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 the parents' 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;
    (n) Respond to requests from the OSEP-funded National Parent 
Technical Assistance Center and Regional Parent Technical Assistance 
Centers (PTACs), and use the technical assistance services of the 
National 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;
    (o) In collaboration with OSEP and the National PTAC, participate 
in an annual collection of program data for the PTIs and CPRCs funded 
under sections 671 and 672 of IDEA, respectively; and
    (p) Maintain ongoing communication with the OSEP Project Officer 
through phone conversations and e-mail communication.
    In addition, the PTI's board of directors must meet not less than 
once in each calendar quarter to review the activities for which the 
award was made and submit to the Secretary a written review of the 
PTI's activities conducted during the preceding fiscal year.
    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: $4,805,022. Please refer to the

[[Page 23258]]

``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.

                 Individuals With Disabilities Education Act Training and Information for Parents of Children With Disabilities Program Application Notice for Fiscal Year 2010
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                             Estimated
                                                        Deadline for         Deadline for       Estimated     average      Maximum     Estimated
       CFDA No. and name            Applications       transmittal of      intergovernmental    available     size of     award (See   number of     Project period     Page     Contact person
                                      available         applications            review          funds (See  awards (See    Note 1)    awards (See                      limit
                                                                                                 Note 2)      Note 2)                   Note 2)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
84.328C Community Parent         May 3, 2010.......  June 17, 2010.....  August 16, 2010.....   $1,000,000     $100,000     $100,000           10  Up to 60 mos.....       50  Carmen Sanchez,
 Resource Centers.                                                                                                                                                              (202) 245-6595,
                                                                                                                                                                                PCP-4055.
84.328M Parent Training and      May 3, 2010.......  June 17, 2010.....  August 16, 2010.....    3,805,022      253,668  ...........           17  Up to 48 mos.           70  Marsha Goldberg,
 Information Centers.                                                                                                                               (See Note 3).               (202) 245-6468,
                                                                                                                                                                                PCP-4052.
District of Columbia...........  ..................  ..................  ....................  ...........  ...........      182,061
Hawaii.........................  ..................  ..................  ....................  ...........  ...........      205,444
Idaho..........................  ..................  ..................  ....................  ...........  ...........      203,592
Louisiana......................  ..................  ..................  ....................  ...........  ...........      328,626
Mississippi....................  ..................  ..................  ....................  ...........  ...........      266,988
New Hampshire..................  ..................  ..................  ....................  ...........  ...........      203,415
North Carolina.................  ..................  ..................  ....................  ...........  ...........      538,997
Oklahoma.......................  ..................  ..................  ....................  ...........  ...........      249,215
Pennsylvania
    Region 1...................  ..................  ..................  ....................  ...........  ...........      393,285
    Region 2...................  ..................  ..................  ....................  ...........  ...........      262,172
Rhode Island...................  ..................  ..................  ....................  ...........  ...........      204,196
Tennessee......................  ..................  ..................  ....................  ...........  ...........      357,103
Virgin Islands.................  ..................  ..................  ....................  ...........  ...........      129,515
West Virginia..................  ..................  ..................  ....................  ...........  ...........      205,413
Outlying Areas
    American Samoa.............  ..................  ..................  ....................  ...........  ...........       25,000
    Guam.......................  ..................  ..................  ....................  ...........  ...........       25,000
    Commonwealth of the          ..................  ..................  ....................  ...........  ...........       25,000
     Northern Marianas.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    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, CFDA 
Number 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 to PTIs in four-year cycles for each 
State. In FY 2010, applications for 4-year awards will be accepted 
for the following States: Hawaii, Idaho, Louisiana, Mississippi, New 
Hampshire, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania (Region 1 and 
Region 2), Rhode Island, Tennessee, Virgin Islands, West Virginia, 
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 48 months.

    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 within Pennsylvania and has identified corresponding 
maximum award amounts for each region. Pennsylvania 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.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
District of Columbia........................................    $182,061
Hawaii......................................................     205,444
Idaho.......................................................     203,592
Louisiana...................................................     328,626
Mississippi.................................................     266,988
New Hampshire...............................................     203,415
North Carolina..............................................     538,997
Oklahoma....................................................     249,215
Rhode Island................................................     204,196
Tennessee...................................................     357,103
Virgin Islands..............................................     129,515
West Virginia...............................................     205,413
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    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.
    Pennsylvania:
    Region 1 (Adams, Berks, Bucks, Carbon, Chester, Cumberland, 
Dauphin, Delaware, Lackawanna, Lancaster, Lebanon, Lehigh, Luzerne, 
Monroe, Montgomery, Northampton, Perry, Philadelphia, Pike, Schuylkill, 
Susquehanna, Wayne, Wyoming, and York Counties) $393,285

[[Page 23259]]

    Region 2 (Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Bedford, Blair, Bradford, 
Butler, Cambria, Cameron, Centre, Clarion, Clearfield, Clinton, 
Columbia, Crawford, Elk, Erie, Fayette, Forest, Franklin, Fulton, 
Greene, Huntingdon, Indiana, Jefferson, Juniata, Lawrence, Lycoming, 
McKean, Mercer, Mifflin, Montour, Northumberland, Potter, Snyder, 
Somerset, Sullivan, Tioga, Union, Venango, Warren, Washington, and 
Westmoreland Counties) $262,172
    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      Local parent organizations.
 Centers (84.328C).
Parent Training and            Parent organizations.
 Information Centers
 (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), U.S. Department of Education, P.O. Box 22207, 
Alexandria, VA 22304. Telephone, toll free: 1-877-433-7827. FAX: (703) 
605-6794. 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.EDPubs.gov 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.
    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 II. 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; or the one-page abstract, the 
resumes, the bibliography, the references, or the letters of support. 
However, the page limit 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 each competition may be submitted 
electronically using the Electronic Grant Application System (e-
Application) accessible through the Department's e-Grants site, 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 process, the individual's application remains subject to 
all other

[[Page 23260]]

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 each 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 
each 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 
Web site 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 these 
competitions 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 6:00 
a.m. Monday until 7:00 p.m. Wednesday; and 6:00 a.m. Thursday until 
8:00 p.m. Sunday, Washington, DC time. Please note that, because of 
maintenance, the system is unavailable between 8:00 p.m. on Sundays and 
6:00 a.m. on Mondays, and between 7:00 p.m. on Wednesdays and 6:00 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.
    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 a 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 84.328C 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

[[Page 23261]]

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 4:30:00 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 grant 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. 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 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.
    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.
    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 II. 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: https://www.ed.gov/news/fedregister. To 
use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available free at 
this site.

    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: April 26, 2010.
Alexa Posny,
Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.
[FR Doc. 2010-10198 Filed 4-30-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P