Training and Information for Parents of Children With Disabilities 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) 2011., 11218-11227 [2011-4553]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 40 (Tuesday, March 1, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11218-11227]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-4553]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Training and Information for Parents of Children With 
Disabilities 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) 2011.

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
                    Absolute priority                        CFDA No.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Community Parent Resource Centers.......................         84.328C

[[Page 11219]]

 
Parent Training and Information Centers.................         84.328M
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Absolute Priorities: For FY 2011 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 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 standards 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.parentcenternetwork.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.parentcenternetwork.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 decision-making processes, including those 
regarding participation in State and local assessments, and the 
development of individualized education programs under Part B of IDEA 
and individualized family service plans under Part C of IDEA;
    (iv) Obtain appropriate information about the range, type, and 
quality of--
    (A) Options, programs, services, technologies, practices, and 
interventions 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.tadnet.org), 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

[[Page 11220]]

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 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 email 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 Priority: Within this absolute priority, we 
give competitive preference to applications that meet the following 
priority. For FY 2011 and any subsequent year in which we make awards 
from the list of unfunded applicants from this competition, this 
priority is a competitive preference priority.
    Competitive Preference Priority: Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i) we 
award an additional 5 points to an application that meets this 
priority.
    This priority is:
    Applicants that propose to design a program with specific 
activities and services focused on meeting the unique needs of parents 
who have children enrolled in either high-poverty schools \1\ or 
persistently lowest-achieving schools \2\ within the area served by the 
CPRC.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ For the purposes of this priority, the term high-poverty 
school means a school in which at least 50 percent of students are 
eligible for free or reduced-price lunches under the Richard B. 
Russell National School Lunch Act or in which at least 50 percent of 
students are from low-income families as determined using one of the 
criteria specified under section 1113(a)(5) of the Elementary and 
Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended. For middle and high 
schools, eligibility may be calculated on the basis of comparable 
data from feeder schools. Eligibility as a high-poverty school under 
this definition is determined on the basis of the most currently 
available data.
    \2\ For purposes of this priority, the term persistently lowest-
achieving schools means, as determined by the State--(i) Any Title I 
school in improvement, corrective action, or restructuring that (a) 
Is among the lowest-achieving five percent of Title I schools in 
improvement, corrective action, or restructuring or the lowest-
achieving five Title I schools in improvement, corrective action, or 
restructuring in the State, whichever number of schools is greater; 
or (b) Is a high school that has had a graduation rate as defined in 
34 CFR 200.19(b) that is less than 60 percent over a number of 
years; and (ii) Any secondary school that is eligible for, but does 
not receive, Title I funds that--(a) Is among the lowest-achieving 
five percent of secondary schools or the lowest-achieving five 
secondary schools in the State that are eligible for, but do not 
receive, Title I funds, whichever number of schools is greater; or 
(b) Is a high school that has had a graduation rate as defined in 34 
CFR 200.19(b) that is less than 60 percent over a number of years.
    To identify the persistently lowest-achieving schools, a State 
must take into account both--(i) The academic achievement of the 
``all students'' group in a school in terms of proficiency on the 
State's assessments under section 1111(b)(3) of the ESEA in reading/
language arts and mathematics combined; and (ii) The school's lack 
of progress on those assessments over a number of years in the ``all 
students'' group.

    Note:  The 5 points an applicant can earn under this competitive 
preference priority is 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 priority could earn a maximum total of 105 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
points.

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 standards 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.parentcenternetwork.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: https://www.tadnet.org/model_and_performance.

    (b) A plan to implement the activities described in the Project 
Activities section of this priority;
    (c) A plan, linked to the proposed project's logic model, for a 
formative evaluation of the proposed project's activities. The plan 
must describe how the formative evaluation will use clear performance 
objectives to ensure continuous improvement in the operation of the 
proposed project, including objective measures of progress in 
implementing the project and ensuring the quality of products and 
services;
    (d) A budget for 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.parentcenternetwork.org for a list of regions; and
    (e) A description specifying the special efforts the PTI will make 
to:

[[Page 11221]]

    (1) Ensure that the needs for training and information of 
underserved parents of children with disabilities in the area to be 
served, including parents of children attending high-poverty schools 
\3\ and the State's persistently lowest-achieving schools,\4\ are 
effectively met; and
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \3\ For the purposes of this priority, the term high-poverty 
school means a school in which at least 50 percent of students are 
eligible for free or reduced-price lunches under the Richard B. 
Russell National School Lunch Act or in which at least 50 percent of 
students are from low-income families as determined using one of the 
criteria specified under section 1113(a)(5) of the Elementary and 
Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended. For middle and high 
schools, eligibility may be calculated on the basis of comparable 
data from feeder schools. Eligibility as a high-poverty school under 
this definition is determined on the basis of the most currently 
available data.
    \4\ For purposes of this priority, the term persistently lowest-
achieving schools means, as determined by the State--(i) Any Title I 
school in improvement, corrective action, or restructuring that (a) 
Is among the lowest-achieving five percent of Title I schools in 
improvement, corrective action, or restructuring or the lowest-
achieving five Title I schools in improvement, corrective action, or 
restructuring in the State, whichever number of schools is greater; 
or (b) Is a high school that has had a graduation rate as defined in 
34 CFR 200.19(b) that is less than 60 percent over a number of 
years; and (ii) Any secondary school that is eligible for, but does 
not receive, Title I funds that--(a) Is among the lowest-achieving 
five percent of secondary schools or the lowest-achieving five 
secondary schools in the State that are eligible for, but do not 
receive, Title I funds, whichever number of schools is greater; or 
(b) Is a high school that has had a graduation rate as defined in 34 
CFR 200.19(b) that is less than 60 percent over a number of years.
    To identify the persistently lowest-achieving schools, a State 
must take into account both--(i) The academic achievement of the 
``all students'' group in a school in terms of proficiency on the 
State's assessments under section 1111(b)(3) of the ESEA in reading/
language arts and mathematics combined; and (ii) The school's lack 
of progress on those assessments over a number of years in the ``all 
students'' group.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    (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, including parents of children attending high-poverty 
schools and the State's persistently lowest-achieving schools;
    (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 decision-making processes, including those 
regarding participation in State and local assessments, and the 
development of individualized education programs under Part B of IDEA 
and individualized family service plans under Part C of IDEA;
    (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.tadnet.org), 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 Department's 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 
such as parents of children attending high-poverty schools and the 
State's persistently lowest achieving schools, 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 email communication.
    In addition, the PTI's board of directors must meet not less than 
once

[[Page 11222]]

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.
    Competitive Preference Priority: Within this absolute priority, we 
give competitive preference to applications that meet the following 
priority. For FY 2011 and any subsequent year in which we make awards 
from the list of unfunded applicants from this competition, this 
priority is a competitive preference priority.
    Competitive Preference Priority: Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i) we 
award an additional 5 points to an application that meets this 
priority.
    This priority is:
    Applicants that propose to use technology to enhance communication 
with, and services provided to, parents of children with disabilities, 
particularly underserved and hard-to-reach families in order to improve 
the project's management efficiency and productivity. Applicants must 
include in the project narrative a sustainable plan for how they will 
use technology efficiently and innovatively in carrying out project 
goals and objectives.

    Note:  The 5 points an applicant can earn under this competitive 
preference priority is 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 priority could earn a maximum total of 105 
points.

    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: $6,384,325. Please refer to the 
``Estimated Available Funds'' column of the chart in this section for 
the estimated dollar amounts for individual competitions. Information 
concerning funding amounts for individual States and target populations 
for the 84.328M competition is provided in the ``Maximum Award'' column 
of the chart in this section of this notice.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: See chart.
    Maximum Award: See chart.
    Estimated Number of Awards: See chart.
    Project Period: See chart.

                 Individuals With Disabilities Education Act Training and Information for Parents of Children with Disabilities Program Application Notice for Fiscal Year 2011
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                                Estimated
                                                                                                    Estimated    average    Maximum   Estimated
                                      Applications         Deadline for          Deadline for       available    size of     award    number of                        Page
        CFDA No. and name              available          transmittal of      intergovernmental     funds (see    awards   (see Note    awards     Project  period    limit     Contact person
                                                           applications             review           Note 2)    (see Note      1)     (see Note
                                                                                                                    2)                    2)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
84.328C Community Parent          March 1, 2011......  April 15, 2011.....  June 14, 2011........   $1,000,000   $100,000   $100,000         10  Up to 60 mos......       50  Lisa Gorove
 Resource Centers.                                                                                                                                                            (202) 245-7357
                                                                                                                                                                              PCP-4060
84.328M Parent Training and       March 1, 2011......  April 15, 2011.....  June 14, 2011........    5,384,325    283,386  .........         19  Up to 48 mos. (see       70  Carmen Sanchez
 Information Centers.                                                                                                                             Note 3).                     (202) 245-6595
                                                                                                                                                                               PCP-4055
Alabama.........................  ...................  ...................  .....................  ...........  .........    291,281  .........  ..................  .......  ..................
Alaska..........................  ...................  ...................  .....................  ...........  .........    263,115  .........  ..................  .......  ..................
Colorado........................  ...................  ...................  .....................  ...........  .........    279,445  .........  ..................  .......  ..................
Florida.........................  ...................  ...................  .....................  ...........  .........  .........  .........  ..................  .......  ..................
    Region 1....................  ...................  ...................  .....................  ...........  .........    169,645  .........  ..................  .......  ..................
    Region 2....................  ...................  ...................  .....................  ...........  .........    491,973  .........  ..................  .......  ..................
    Region 3....................  ...................  ...................  .....................  ...........  .........    330,801  .........  ..................  .......  ..................
Kentucky........................  ...................  ...................  .....................  ...........  .........    258,607  .........  ..................  .......  ..................
Maine...........................  ...................  ...................  .....................  ...........  .........    188,545  .........  ..................  .......  ..................
Maryland........................  ...................  ...................  .....................  ...........  .........    319,295  .........  ..................  .......  ..................
Nebraska........................  ...................  ...................  .....................  ...........  .........    224,894  .........  ..................  .......  ..................
Nevada..........................  ...................  ...................  .....................  ...........  .........    205,054  .........  ..................  .......  ..................
New York........................  ...................  ...................  .....................  ...........  .........  .........  .........  ..................  .......  ..................
    Region 1....................  ...................  ...................  .....................  ...........  .........    632,439  .........  ..................  .......  ..................
    Region 2....................  ...................  ...................  .....................  ...........  .........    524,874  .........  ..................  .......  ..................
North Dakota....................  ...................  ...................  .....................  ...........  .........    204,947  .........  ..................  .......  ..................
Puerto Rico.....................  ...................  ...................  .....................  ...........  .........    271,950  .........  ..................  .......  ..................
Vermont.........................  ...................  ...................  .....................  ...........  .........    189,052  .........  ..................  .......  ..................
Wisconsin.......................  ...................  ...................  .....................  ...........  .........    438,408  .........  ..................  .......  ..................
Outlying Areas..................  ...................  ...................  .....................  ...........  .........  .........  .........  ..................  .......  ..................
    American Samoa..............  ...................  ...................  .....................  ...........  .........     50,000  .........  ..................  .......  ..................

[[Page 11223]]

 
    Commonwealth of the Northern  ...................  ...................  .....................  ...........  .........     50,000  .........  ..................  .......  ..................
     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 2011, applications for 4-year 
awards will be accepted for the following States: Alabama, Arizona, 
Colorado, Florida, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Nebraska Nevada, New 
York, North Dakota, Vermont, and Wisconsin, as well as the 
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Awards also may be made to eligible 
applicants in American Samoa 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 Florida and New York and has identified 
corresponding maximum award amounts for each region. Florida and New 
York 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 Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

 
 
 
Alabama....................................................     $291,281
Alaska.....................................................      263,115
Colorado...................................................      279,445
Kentucky...................................................      258,607
Maine......................................................      188,545
Maryland...................................................      319,295
Nebraska...................................................      224,894
Nevada.....................................................      205,054
North Dakota...............................................      204,947
Puerto Rico................................................      271,950
Vermont....................................................      189,052
Wisconsin..................................................      438,408
 

    In Florida 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.
    Region 1 (Alachua, Baker, Bay, Bradford, Calhoun, Columbia, Dixie, 
Escambia, Franklin, Gadsden, Gilchrist Gulf, Hamilton, Holmes, Jackson, 
Jefferson, Lafayette, Leon, Liberty, Madison, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, 
Suwannee, Taylor, Union, Wakulla, Walton, and Washington Counties) 
$169,645.
    Region 2 (Brevard, Charlotte, Citrus, Clay, DeSoto, Duval, Flagler, 
Hardee, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Indian River, Lake, Levy, 
Manatee, Marion, Nassau, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola, Pasco, Pinellas, 
Polk, Putnam, Sarasota, Seminole, St. Johns, St. Lucie, Sumpter, and 
Volusia Counties) $491,973.
    Region 3 (Broward, Collier, Glades Hendry, Lee, Martin, Miami-Dade, 
Monroe, and Palm Beach Counties) $330,801.
    In New York, up to three awards will be made to qualified 
applicants for a PTI Center to serve Region 1 (the 5 Boroughs of New 
York City) and one award will be made to a qualified applicant for a 
PTI Center to serve Region 2 (the remainder of the State, including 
Nassau and Suffolk Counties on Long Island) in the following amounts:

Region 1--$632,439.
Region 2--$524,874.

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

 
 
 
American Samoa.............................................      $50,000
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands...............      $50,000
 

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

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants:

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


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

    Section 671(a)(2) of IDEA defines a ``parent organization'' as a 
private nonprofit organization (other than an institution of higher 
education) that--
    (a) Has a board of directors--
    (1) The majority of whom are parents of children with disabilities 
ages birth through 26;
    (2) That includes--
    (i) Individuals working in the fields of special education, related 
services, and early intervention;
    (ii) Individuals with disabilities; and
    (iii) The parent and professional members of which are broadly

[[Page 11224]]

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: You can obtain an 
application package via the Internet, from the Education Publications 
Center (ED Pubs), or from the program office.
    To obtain a copy via the Internet, use the following address: 
https://www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/grantapps/. To obtain a 
copy from ED Pubs, write, fax, or call the following: 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.
    To obtain a copy from the program office, contact the person listed 
under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT in section VII of this notice.
    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.
     Use a font that is either 12 point or larger or no smaller 
than 10 pitch (characters per inch).
     Use one of the following fonts: Times New Roman, Courier, 
Courier New, or Arial. An application submitted in any other font 
(including Times Roman or Arial Narrow) will not be accepted.
    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 Grants.gov Apply site (Grants.gov), or in 
paper format by mail or hand delivery. For information (including dates 
and times) about how to submit your application electronically, or in 
paper format by mail or hand delivery, please refer to section IV. 7. 
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: 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. Data Universal Numbering System Number, Taxpayer Identification 
Number, and Central Contractor Registry: To do business with the 
Department of Education, you must--
    a. Have a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number and a 
Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN);
    b. Register both your DUNS number and TIN with the Central 
Contractor Registry (CCR), the Government's primary registrant 
database;
    c. Provide your DUNS number and TIN on your application; and
    d. Maintain an active CCR registration with current information 
while your application is under review by the Department and, if you 
are awarded a grant, during the project period.
    You can obtain a DUNS number from Dun and Bradstreet. A DUNS number 
can be created within one business day.
    If you are a corporate entity, agency, institution, or 
organization, you can obtain a TIN from the Internal Revenue Service. 
If you are an individual, you can obtain a TIN from the Internal 
Revenue Service or the Social Security Administration. If you need a 
new TIN, please allow 2-5 weeks for your TIN to become active.
    The CCR registration process may take five or more business days to 
complete. If you are currently registered with the CCR, you may not 
need to make any changes. However, please make certain that the TIN 
associated with your DUNS number is correct. Also note that you will 
need to update your CCR registration on an annual basis. This may take 
three or more business days to complete.
    In addition, if you are submitting your application via Grants.gov, 
you must (1) be designated by your organization as an Authorized 
Organization Representative (AOR); and (2) register yourself with 
Grants.gov as an AOR. Details on these steps are outlined in the 
Grants.gov 3-

[[Page 11225]]

Step Registration Guide (see https://www.grants.gov/section910/Grants.govRegistrationBrochure.pdf).
    7. Other Submission Requirements: Applications for grants under 
each competition announced in this notice may be submitted 
electronically or in paper format by mail or hand delivery.
    a. Electronic Submission of Applications.
    We are participating as a partner in the Governmentwide Grants.gov 
Apply site. The Training and Information for Parents of Children with 
Disabilities Program competitions, CFDA numbers 84.328C and 84.328M, 
are included in this project. We request your participation in 
Grants.gov.
    If you choose to submit your application electronically, you must 
use the Governmentwide Grants.gov Apply site at https://www.Grants.gov. 
Through this site, you will be able to download a copy of the 
application package, complete it offline, and then upload and submit 
your application. You may not e-mail an electronic copy of a grant 
application to us.
    You may access the electronic grant application for the Training 
and Information for Parents of Children with Disabilities Program 
competitions, CFDA numbers 84.328C and 84.328M at https://www.Grants.gov. You must search for the downloadable application 
package for this program by the CFDA number. Do not include the CFDA 
number's alpha suffix in your search (e.g., search for 84.328, not 
84.328M).
    Please note the following:
     Your participation in Grants.gov is voluntary.
     When you enter the Grants.gov site, you will find 
information about submitting an application electronically through the 
site, as well as the hours of operation.
     Applications received by Grants.gov are date and time 
stamped. Your application must be fully uploaded and submitted and must 
be date and time stamped by the Grants.gov system no later than 4:30:00 
p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. Except as 
otherwise noted in this section, we will not accept your application if 
it is received--that is, date and time stamped by the Grants.gov 
system--after 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application 
deadline date. We do not consider an application that does not comply 
with the deadline requirements. When we retrieve your application from 
Grants.gov, we will notify you if we are rejecting your application 
because it was date and time stamped by the Grants.gov system after 
4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date.
     The amount of time it can take to upload an application 
will vary depending on a variety of factors, including the size of the 
application and the speed of your Internet connection. Therefore, we 
strongly recommend that you do not wait until the application deadline 
date to begin the submission process through Grants.gov.
     You should review and follow the Education Submission 
Procedures for submitting an application through Grants.gov that are 
included in the application package for this program to ensure that you 
submit your application in a timely manner to the Grants.gov system. 
You can also find the Education Submission Procedures pertaining to 
Grants.gov under News and Events on the Department's G5 system home 
page at https://www.G5.gov.
     You will not receive additional point value because you 
submit your application in electronic format, nor will we penalize you 
if you submit your application in paper format.
     If you submit your application electronically, you must 
submit all documents electronically, including all information you 
typically provide on the following forms: 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.
     If you submit your application electronically, you must 
attach any narrative sections of your application as files in a .PDF 
(Portable Document) format only. If you upload a file type other than a 
.PDF or submit a password-protected file, we will not review that 
material.
     Your electronic application must comply with any page-
limit requirements described in this notice.
     After you electronically submit your application, you will 
receive from Grants.gov an automatic notification of receipt that 
contains a Grants.gov tracking number. (This notification indicates 
receipt by Grants.gov only, not receipt by the Department.) The 
Department then will retrieve your application from Grants.gov and send 
a second notification to you by e-mail. This second notification 
indicates that the Department has received your application and has 
assigned your application a PR/Award number (an ED-specified 
identifying number unique to your application).
     We may request that you provide us original signatures on 
forms at a later date.
    Application Deadline Date Extension in Case of Technical Issues 
with the Grants.gov System: If you are experiencing problems submitting 
your application through Grants.gov, please contact the Grants.gov 
Support Desk, toll free, at 1-800-518-4726. You must obtain a 
Grants.gov Support Desk Case Number and must keep a record of it.
    If you are prevented from electronically submitting your 
application on the application deadline date because of technical 
problems with the Grants.gov system, we will grant you an extension 
until 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, the following business day to 
enable you to transmit your application electronically or by hand 
delivery. You also may mail your application by following the mailing 
instructions described elsewhere in this notice.
    If you submit an application after 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC 
time, on the application deadline date, please contact the person 
listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT in section VII of this 
notice and provide an explanation of the technical problem you 
experienced with Grants.gov, along with the Grants.gov Support Desk 
Case Number. We will accept your application if we can confirm that a 
technical problem occurred with the Grants.gov system and that that 
problem affected your ability to submit your application by 4:30:00 
p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. The 
Department will contact you after a determination is made on whether 
your application will be accepted.

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

    b. Submission of Paper Applications by Mail.
    If you submit your application in paper format by mail (through the 
U.S. Postal Service or a commercial carrier), you must mail the 
original and two copies of your application, on or before the 
application deadline date, to the Department at the 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.

[[Page 11226]]

    (2) A legible mail receipt with the date of mailing stamped by the 
U.S. Postal Service.
    (3) A dated shipping label, invoice, or receipt from a commercial 
carrier.
    (4) Any other proof of mailing acceptable to the Secretary of the 
U.S. Department of Education.
    If you mail your application through the U.S. Postal Service, we do 
not accept either of the following as proof of mailing:
    (1) A private metered postmark.
    (2) A mail receipt that is not dated by the U.S. Postal Service.
    If your application is postmarked after the application deadline 
date, we will not consider your application.

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

    c. Submission of Paper Applications by Hand Delivery.
    If you submit your application in paper format by hand delivery, 
you (or a courier service) must deliver the original and two copies of 
your application by hand, on or before the application deadline date, 
to the Department at the following address:

U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Center, Attention: 
(CFDA Number 84.328C or 84.328M), 550 12th Street, SW., Room 7041, 
Potomac Center Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-4260.

    The Application Control Center accepts hand deliveries daily 
between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30:00 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: We remind potential applicants 
that in reviewing applications in any discretionary grant competition, 
the Secretary may consider, under 34 CFR 75.217(d)(3), the past 
performance of the applicant in carrying out a previous award, such as 
the applicant's use of funds, and compliance with grant conditions. The 
Secretary may also consider whether the applicant failed to submit a 
timely performance report or submitted a report of unacceptable 
quality.
    In addition, in making a competitive grant award, the Secretary 
also requires various assurances including those applicable to Federal 
civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination in programs or 
activities receiving Federal financial assistance from the Department 
of Education (34 CFR 100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).
    3. Additional Review and Selection Process Factors: In the past, 
the Department has had difficulty finding peer reviewers for certain 
competitions because so many individuals who are eligible to serve as 
peer reviewers have conflicts of interest. The Standing Panel 
requirements under 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.
    4. Special Conditions: Under 34 CFR 74.14 and 80.12, the Secretary 
may impose special conditions on a grant if the applicant or grantee is 
not financially stable; has a history of unsatisfactory performance; 
has a financial or other management system that does not meet the 
standards in 34 CFR parts 74 or 80, as applicable; has not fulfilled 
the conditions of a prior grant; or is otherwise not responsible.

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: (a) If you apply for a grant under this competition, 
you must ensure that you have in place the necessary processes and 
systems to comply with the reporting requirements in 2 CFR part 170 
should you receive funding under the competition. This does not apply 
if you have an exception under 2 CFR 170.110(b).
    (b) At the end of your project period, you must submit a final 
performance report, including financial information, as directed by the 
Secretary. If you receive a 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 in