Applications for New Awards; Personnel Development To Improve Services and Results for Children With Disabilities, 20637-20651 [2011-8745]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 71 (Wednesday, April 13, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20637-20651]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-8745]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Applications for New Awards; Personnel Development To Improve 
Services and Results for Children With Disabilities

AGENCY: Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, 
Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice.

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    Overview Information: Notice inviting applications for new awards 
for fiscal year (FY) 2011.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Numbers: 84.325D, 
84.325K, and 84.325T.

    Note: This notice invites applications for three 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 purposes of this program are to (1) help 
address State-identified needs for highly qualified personnel--in 
special education, related services, early intervention, and regular 
education--to work with children, including infants and toddlers, with 
disabilities; and (2) ensure that those personnel have the necessary 
skills and knowledge, derived from practices that have been determined 
through scientifically-based research and experience, to be successful 
in serving those children.
    Priorities: In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(iv), these 
priorities are from allowable activities specified in the statute (see 
sections 662 and 681 of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act 
(IDEA)). Each of the absolute priorities announced in this notice 
corresponds to a separate competition as follows:

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             Absolute priority                  Competition CFDA No.
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Preparation of Special Education, Early     84.325D
 Intervention, and Related Services
 Leadership Personnel.
Personnel Preparation in Special            84.325K
 Education, Early Intervention, and
 Related Services.
Special Education Preservice Program        84.325T
 Improvement Grants.
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    Absolute Priorities: For FY 2011 and any subsequent year in which 
we make awards based on the list of unfunded applications from these 
competitions, these priorities are absolute priorities. Under 34 CFR 
75.105(c)(3), for each competition, we consider only applications that 
meet the absolute priority for that competition.
    The priorities are:
    Absolute Priority 1--Preparation of Special Education, Early 
Intervention, and Related Services Leadership Personnel (84.325D). 
Background:
    There continues to be a persistent need for special education, 
early intervention, and related services personnel who are prepared at 
the doctoral and postdoctoral levels to fill faculty and research 
positions (Smith, Pion, & Tyler, 2004; Smith, Robb, West and Tyler, 
2010; Woods & Snyder, 2009). Further, according to Lashley & Boscardin 
(2003), there is a need for personnel who are prepared at the graduate 
level (i.e., masters, education specialist, and doctoral degrees, 
depending on State certification requirements) to fill special 
education and early intervention administrator positions.
    Federal support is needed to increase the supply of these personnel 
and ensure that they have the necessary knowledge and skills to assume 
special education, early intervention, and related services leadership 
positions in universities, State educational agencies (SEAs), State 
lead agencies (State LAs), local educational agencies (LEAs), local 
lead agencies (local LAs), schools, or programs. Critical competencies 
for special education, early intervention, and related services 
leadership personnel vary depending on the type of personnel 
preparation program; however, these competencies often include teaching 
skills, administrative skills,\1\ and research skills as well as

[[Page 20638]]

current knowledge of effective interventions that improve academic and 
functional outcomes for children with disabilities, including high-need 
children with disabilities. For the purpose of this priority, ``high-
need children with disabilities'' refers to children (ages birth 
through twenty-one, depending on the State) who are eligible for 
services under IDEA, and who may be further disadvantaged and at risk 
of educational failure because they: (1) Are living in poverty, (2) are 
far below grade level, (3) are at risk of not graduating with a regular 
high school diploma on time, (4) are homeless, (5) are in foster care, 
(6) have been incarcerated, (7) are English learners, (8) are pregnant 
or parenting teenagers, (9) are new immigrants, (10) are migrant, or 
(11) are not on track to being college- or career-ready by graduation.
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    \1\ For an example of standards for administrative skills, see 
the performance-based standards for a special education 
administrator developed by the Council for Exceptional Children 
(CEC) at: https://www2.astate.edu/dotAsset/118756.pdf.
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    Priority:
    The purpose of the Preparation of Special Education, Early 
Intervention, and Related Services Leadership Personnel priority is to 
increase the quantity of special education, early intervention, and 
related services personnel who have been prepared at the graduate and 
advanced graduate levels, and who are well-qualified for, and can 
effectively carry out, leadership positions in universities, SEAs, 
State LAs, LEAs, local LAs, schools, or programs. This priority 
supports two types of programs that prepare leadership personnel:
    Type A programs are designed to prepare, at the advanced graduate 
level, higher education faculty and researchers in early intervention, 
special education, or related services. Type A programs culminate in a 
doctoral degree or provide postdoctoral learning opportunities.

    Note: Preparation that leads to clinical doctoral degrees in 
related services (e.g., a Doctor of Audiology (AuD) degree or Doctor 
of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree) are not included as part of this 
priority. Preparation programs that lead to a clinical doctoral 
degree are eligible to apply for funding under the Personnel 
Preparation in Special Education, Early Intervention, and Related 
Services priority (CFDA 84.325K) announced elsewhere in this notice.

    Type B programs are designed to prepare, at the graduate or 
advanced graduate levels, special education or early intervention 
administrators to work in SEAs, State LAs, LEAs, local LAs, schools, or 
programs. The applicant, based on State certification requirements for 
some positions, can determine whether the proposed Type B program 
prepares personnel for one or more administrative position(s). Type B 
programs prepare personnel for positions such as SEA special education 
administrators, LEA special education directors or regional directors, 
school-based special education directors, preschool coordinators, and 
early intervention coordinators. Type B programs culminate in a 
master's, education specialist, or doctoral degree. The Office of 
Special Education Programs (OSEP) intends to fund in FY 2011 at least 
three high-quality applications proposing Type B programs and may fund 
these applications out of rank order.

    Note: The preparation of school principals is not included as 
part of this priority.


    Note: Applicants must identify the specific program type, A or 
B, for which they are applying for funding as part of the 
competition title on the application cover sheet (SF form 424, item 
15). Applicants may not submit the same proposal for more than one 
program type.

    To be considered for funding under the Preparation of Special 
Education, Early Intervention, and Related Services Leadership 
Personnel absolute priority, both Type A and Type B program 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.
    These requirements are as follows:
    (a) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application, under 
``Quality of Project Services,'' how--
    (1) The program prepares leadership personnel to address the 
specialized needs of high-need children with disabilities (as defined 
in the background statement for this absolute priority). To address the 
needs of this population, the proposed program must--
    (i) Identify the competencies needed by leadership personnel to 
either effectively teach others how to implement, or directly 
administer or conduct further research on, programs or interventions 
that improve the academic or functional outcomes of high-need children 
with disabilities; and
    (ii) Prepare leadership personnel to apply these competencies in a 
variety of settings, including in high-need LEAs,\2\ high-poverty 
schools,\3\ and low-performing schools, including persistently lowest-
achieving schools.\4\
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    \2\ For purposes of this priority, the term high-need LEA means 
an LEA (a) that serves not fewer than 10,000 children from families 
with incomes below the poverty line; or (b) for which not less than 
20 percent of the children served by the LEA are from families with 
incomes below the poverty line.
    \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 (https://www2.ed.gov/legislation/FedRegister/other/2010-4/121510b.html).
    \4\ For purposes of this priority, the term persistently lowest-
achieving schools is defined according to the final requirements for 
School Improvement Grants authorized under section 1003(g) of Title 
I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended 
(ESEA), which were published in the Federal Register on October 28, 
2010 (75 FR 66363). According to Section I.A.3 of these 
requirements, the term ``persistently lowest-achieving schools'' 
means, as determined by the State--
    (a)(1) Any Title I school in improvement, corrective action, or 
restructuring that--
    (i) 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
    (ii) 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
    (2) Any secondary school that is eligible for, but does not 
receive, Title I funds that--
    (i) 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
    (ii) 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.
    (b) To identify the 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.
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    (2) All relevant coursework for the proposed program reflects 
current research and pedagogy, as appropriate, on--
    (i) Participation and achievement in the general education 
curriculum and improved outcomes for all children with disabilities, 
including high-need children with disabilities;
    (ii) The provision of early intervention services in natural 
environments to improve outcomes for infants and toddlers with 
disabilities, including high-need children with disabilities and their 
families; and
    (iii) The competencies needed to work in high-need LEAs, high-
poverty

[[Page 20639]]

schools, low-performing schools, including persistently lowest-
achieving schools, and publically funded preschool programs, including 
Head Start programs and early intervention programs serving children 
eligible for services under Part C, located within the geographic 
boundaries of a high-need LEA.
    (3) The program is designed to integrate coursework with practicum 
opportunities (e.g., interning in a program or school serving high-need 
children with disabilities) that will enhance the competencies of 
leadership personnel to effectively--
    (i) Serve in a variety of positions, including positions that 
involve research, personnel preparation, or leadership at the 
university, SEA, State LA, LEA, local LA, school, or program level;
    (ii) Work in a variety of leadership settings, particularly those 
in high-need LEAs with programs and schools serving high-need children 
with disabilities;
    (iii) Collaborate and work with regular education personnel;
    (iv) Incorporate universal design for learning principles \5\ into 
curricula and instructional practice; and
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    \5\ For purposes of this priority, the term universal design for 
learning has the meaning provided for the term under the Higher 
Education Act of 1965, as amended: ``a scientifically valid 
framework for guiding educational practice that--``(A) provides 
flexibility in the ways information is presented, in the ways 
students respond or demonstrate knowledge and skills, and in the 
ways students are engaged; and (B) reduces barriers in instruction, 
provides appropriate accommodations, supports, and challenges, and 
maintains high achievement expectations for all students, including 
students with disabilities and students who are limited English 
proficient'' (20 U.S.C. 1003(24)). For consistency across U.S. 
Department of Education programs, we use this definition for 
priorities that intend to prepare personnel to teach and work in 
schools and other settings.
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    (v) Integrate instructional and assistive technologies into the 
delivery of services.
    (4) The proposed leadership program ensures that scholars \6\ are 
knowledgeable about--
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    \6\ For the purposes of this priority, the term scholar means an 
individual who is pursuing a degree, license, endorsement, or 
certification related to special education, related services, or 
early intervention services and who receives scholarship assistance 
under section 662 of IDEA (see 34 CFR 304.3(g)).
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    (i) Applicable laws that affect children with disabilities, 
including IDEA, the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as 
amended (ESEA), and the Head Start Act, as appropriate;
    (ii) The requirements for highly qualified teachers under IDEA and 
the ESEA;
    (iii) The strategies that foster collaboration among personnel 
serving children with disabilities; and
    (iv) The collection, analysis, and use of data on early learning 
outcomes,\7\ student achievement,\8\ or student growth \9\ to improve 
teaching and learning.
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    \7\ For purposes of this priority, early learning outcomes are 
defined to include information on child development in the areas of 
physical well-being and motor development, social-emotional 
development, language and literacy development, and cognition and 
general knowledge, including early numeracy and early scientific 
development.
    \8\ For the purpose of this priority student achievement means--
(a) For tested grades and subjects: (1) A student's score on the 
State's assessments under the ESEA; and, as appropriate, (2) other 
measures of student learning, such as those described in paragraph 
(b) of this definition, provided they are rigorous and comparable 
across schools. (b) For non-tested grades and subjects: Alternative 
measures of student learning and performance, such as student scores 
on pre-tests and end-of-course tests; student performance on English 
language proficiency assessments; and other measures of student 
achievement that are rigorous and comparable across schools (https://www2.ed.gov/legislation/FedRegister/other/2010-4/121510b.html).
    \9\ For the purposes of this priority student growth means the 
change in student achievement (as defined in this notice) for an 
individual student between two or more points in time. A State may 
also include other measures that are rigorous and comparable across 
classrooms (https://www2.ed.gov/legislation/FedRegister/other/2010-4/121510b.html).
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    (b) Include, in the narrative section of the application under 
``Quality of Project Evaluation,'' a clear, effective plan for 
evaluating the outcomes of the proposed leadership project. The plan 
must include a description of how the project will--
    (1) Incorporate the use of evaluation methodologies that 
demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed program, including its 
effect on the acquisition of scholar competencies described in the 
application; and
    (2) Objectively collect, analyze, and use these and other formative 
evaluation data to improve the program on an ongoing basis. In the 
application, the applicant must clearly describe how the project will 
report these evaluation results to OSEP in the grantee's annual and 
final performance reports.
    (c) Include, in the application appendix, all course syllabi, in 
their entirety, for the proposed preparation program and 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 sites provide more information on logic 
models: https://www.researchutilization.org/matrix/logicmodel_resource3c.html and www.tadnet.org/model_and_performance.

    (d) Include, in an application appendix, course syllabi that 
clearly incorporate research-based curriculum and pedagogy as required 
under paragraph (a) of this priority, along with the syllabi for all 
research methods, evaluation methods, or data analysis courses required 
by the degree program and elective research methods, evaluation 
methods, or data analysis courses that have been completed by more than 
one student enrolled in the program in the last four years.
    (e) Provide, in the application narrative, a detailed description 
of the program that includes the sequence of courses offered in the 
program and a comprehensive curriculum designed to meet program goals 
and obtain mastery in the following professional domains, as 
appropriate--
    (1) Research methodology;
    (2) Personnel preparation;
    (3) Policy or professional practice; or
    (4) Administration practices or techniques.
    (f) Demonstrate in the application narrative the existence of 
national, State, or regional needs using appropriate and applicable 
data. The applicant must provide evidence of the need for the 
leadership personnel they are proposing to prepare.
    (g) Certify in the application that the applicant intends that all 
scholars recruited into the program will graduate from the program by 
the end of the grant's project period.
    (h) Meet the statutory requirements in section 662(e) through 
662(h) of IDEA.
    (i) Ensure that at least 65 percent of the total requested budget 
per year will be used for scholar support or provide justification in 
the application narrative for any designation less than 65 percent. 
Examples of sufficient justification for proposing less than 65 percent 
of the budget for scholar support include:
    (1) A project servicing rural areas that provides long-distance 
personnel preparation, and requires Web Masters, adjunct professors, or 
mentors to operate effectively.
    (2) A project that is expanding or adding a new area of emphasis to 
the program and, as a result of this expansion, needs additional 
faculty or other resources, such as expert consultants, additional 
teaching supplies, or equipment that would enhance the program.

    Note: Applicants proposing projects that expand or add a new 
area of emphasis to special education, early intervention, or 
related services programs must provide, in their applications, data 
on the need for the

[[Page 20640]]

expansion and information on how these new areas will be sustained 
once Federal funding ends.

    (j) Certify in the application that the institution will not 
require scholars recruited into the program to work as a condition of 
receiving a scholarship (e.g., as graduate assistants), unless the work 
is required to complete their personnel preparation program. Please 
note that this prohibition on work as a condition of receiving a 
scholarship does not apply to the service obligation requirements in 
section 662(h) of IDEA.
    (k) Budget for attendance at a three-day Project Directors' meeting 
in Washington, DC, during each year of the project.
    (l) If the project maintains a Web site, include relevant 
information and documents in a format that meets government or 
industry-recognized standards for accessibility.
    (m) Submit annual data on each scholar who receives grant support. 
Applicants are encouraged to visit the Personnel Development Scholar 
Data Report Web site at: https://oseppdp.ed.gov for further information 
about this data collection requirement. Typically, data collection 
begins on or around November 1st of each year, and grantees are 
notified by e-mail about the data collection period for their grant. 
This data collection must be submitted electronically by the grantee 
and does not supplant the annual grant performance report required of 
each grantee for continuation funding (see 34 CFR 75.590).
    Competitive Preference Priorities: Within this absolute priority, 
we give competitive preference to applications that meet one or more of 
the following priorities. For FY 2011 and any subsequent year in which 
we make awards from the list of unfunded applicants from this 
competition, these priorities are competitive preference priorities.
    Competitive Preference Priority 1: 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 for Type A or Type B programs that demonstrate an 
established relationship with one or more high-need LEAs or publically-
funded preschool programs, including Head Start programs or early 
intervention programs serving children eligible for services under Part 
C of the IDEA, located within the geographic boundaries of a high-need 
LEA that will provide scholars with a high-quality practicum experience 
in a high-poverty school, which may include a professional development 
school, or in a publically-funded preschool or early intervention 
program.
    Competitive Preference Priority 2: 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 for Type B programs that provide a syllabus or syllabi 
for a new or existing course, or series of courses, that show(s) that 
the course or courses include or will include: (1) A discussion of 
applicable research and evaluation findings on the use of data on early 
learning outcomes, student achievement, or student growth in evaluating 
the effectiveness of early intervention providers, related services 
providers, teachers, and principals; (2) methodological and statistical 
considerations in conducting an evaluation of the effectiveness of 
these personnel based on early learning outcomes, student achievement, 
or student growth data; and (3) an opportunity for scholars to review 
and critique one or more real-world applications of evaluating the 
effectiveness of early intervention providers, related services 
providers, teachers, and principals.
    Competitive Preference Priority 3: 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 for Type A or Type B programs that prepare leadership 
personnel who will prepare others to work with children, including 
infants and toddlers, who are deaf or hard of hearing to teach them 
listening and spoken language skills.

    Note:  Five is the maximum amount of competitive preference 
points an applicant can receive. Applicants must include in the one-
page abstract submitted with the application a statement indicating 
which competitive preference priorities they have addressed.

    References:

Lashley, C., & Boscardin, M.L. (2003). Special education 
administration at the crossroads: Availability, licensure, and 
preparation of special education administrators. Gainesville, FL: 
Center on Personnel Studies in Special Education, University of 
Florida. Retrieved February 24, 2010, from https://www.coe.ufl.edu/copsse/docs/IB-8/1/IB-8.pdf.
National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (2009). What 
is a professional development school? Retrieved June 29, 2009, from 
https://www.ncate.org/public/.
Smith, D. D., Pion, G. M., & Tyler, N. C. (2004). Leadership 
personnel in special education: Can persistent shortages be 
resolved? In A.M. Sorells, H.J., Rieth and P. T. Sindelar (Eds.), 
Critical Issues in Special Education: Access, Diversity, and 
Accountability (pp. 258-276). New York: Pearson, Allyn & Bacon.
Smith, D. D., Robb, S. M., West, J., & Tyler, N. C. (2010). The 
changing education landscape: How special education leadership 
preparation can make a difference for teachers and their students 
with disabilities. Teacher Education and Special Education, 33(1), 
25-43.
Wasburn-Moses, L., & Therrien, W.J. (2008). The impact of Leadership 
Personnel Grants on the doctoral student population in special 
education. Teacher Education and Special Education, 31(2), 1-12.
Woods, J., & Snyder, P. (2009). Interdisciplinary doctoral 
leadership training in early intervention. Infants & Young Children, 
(22)1, 32-4.

    Absolute Priority 2--Personnel Preparation in Special Education, 
Early Intervention, and Related Services (84.325K).
    Background: State demand for fully credentialed early intervention, 
special education, and related services personnel to serve infants, 
toddlers, and children with disabilities exceeds the available supply 
(Bruder, 2004a; Bruder 2004b; McLeskey & Billingsley, 2008; and 
McLeskey, Tyler & Flippin, 2004). For example, the existing 65 deaf or 
hard of hearing teacher preparation programs, generating teachers at 
their current rate, will not be able to adequately address the 
increasing number of students qualifying for such services. Personnel 
shortages can negatively impact the quality of services provided to 
infants, toddlers, and children with disabilities and their families 
when positions are not filled by fully credentialed personnel (McLeskey 
et.al, 2004).
    Personnel preparation programs that prepare personnel to enter the 
fields of early intervention, special education, and related services 
with the necessary skills and knowledge to implement evidence-based 
practices are critical to meet the personnel shortages in the field. 
Federal support of personnel preparation programs is needed to increase 
the supply of personnel with the necessary skills and knowledge to 
successfully serve infants, toddlers, and children with disabilities 
and their families.
    Priority: The purpose of the Personnel Preparation in Special 
Education, Early Intervention, and Related Services priority is to 
improve the quality and increase the number of personnel who are fully 
credentialed to serve children, including infants and toddlers, with 
disabilities--especially in areas of chronic personnel shortage--by 
supporting projects that prepare early intervention, special education, 
and related services personnel at the

[[Page 20641]]

associate, baccalaureate, master's, and specialist levels. In order to 
be eligible under this priority, programs must prepare and support 
scholars \10\ to complete, within the project period of the grant, a 
degree, State certification, professional license, or State endorsement 
in early intervention, special education, or a related services field. 
Programs preparing scholars to be special education paraprofessionals, 
assistants in related services professions (e.g., physical therapist 
assistants, occupational therapist assistants), or educational 
interpreters are also eligible under this priority.
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    \10\ For the purposes of this priority the term scholar means an 
individual who is pursuing a degree, license, endorsement, or 
certification related to special education, related services, or 
early intervention services and who receives scholarship assistance 
under section 662 of IDEA (see 34 CFR 304.3(g)).
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    Programs that provide an alternate route to certification or that 
support dual certification (special education and regular education) 
for teachers are eligible as well.
    To be considered for funding under the Personnel Preparation in 
Special Education, Early Intervention, and Related Services absolute 
priority, applicants must meet the application requirements contained 
in the priority. All projects funded under this absolute priority also 
must meet the programmatic and administrative requirements specified in 
the priority. These requirements are as follows:
    (a) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under 
``Quality of Project Services,'' how--
    (1) Personnel preparation requirements and required coursework for 
the proposed program incorporate research-based practices that improve 
outcomes for children with disabilities (including relevant research 
citations);
    (2) The program is designed to integrate coursework with practicum 
opportunities that will enhance the competencies of special education 
personnel to effectively--
    (i) Serve and instruct children with disabilities;
    (ii) Collaborate and work with regular education personnel;
    (iii) Incorporate universal design for learning principles \11\ 
into curricula and instructional practice;
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    \11\ For purposes of this priority, the term universal design 
for learning has the meaning provided for the term under the Higher 
Education Act of 1965, as amended: ``a scientifically valid 
framework for guiding educational practice that--``(A) provides 
flexibility in the ways information is presented, in the ways 
students respond or demonstrate knowledge and skills, and in the 
ways students are engaged; and (B) reduces barriers in instruction, 
provides appropriate accommodations, supports, and challenges, and 
maintains high achievement expectations for all students, including 
students with disabilities and students who are limited English 
proficient.'' (20 U.S.C. 1003(24)) For consistency across U.S. 
Department of Education programs, we use this definition for 
priorities that intend to prepare personnel to teach and work in 
schools and other settings.
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    (iv) Integrate instructional and assistive technologies into the 
delivery of services;
    (v) Collect, analyze, and use data on early learning outcomes,\12\ 
student achievement,\13\ or student growth \14\ in order to improve 
instructional practices and interventions; and
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    \12\ For purposes of this priority, early learning outcomes are 
defined to include information on child development in the areas of 
physical well-being and motor development, social-emotional 
development, language and literacy development, and cognition and 
general knowledge, including early numeracy and early scientific 
development.
    \13\ For the purpose of this priority student achievement 
means--(a) For tested grades and subjects: (1) A student's score on 
the State's assessments under the ESEA; and, as appropriate, (2) 
other measures of student learning, such as those described in 
paragraph (b) of this definition, provided they are rigorous and 
comparable across schools. (b) For non-tested grades and subjects: 
Alternative measures of student learning and performance, such as 
student scores on pre-tests and end-of-course tests; student 
performance on English language proficiency assessments; and other 
measures of student achievement that are rigorous and comparable 
across schools (https://www2.ed.gov/legislation/FedRegister/other/2010-4/121510b.html).
    \14\ For the purposes of this priority student growth means the 
change in student achievement (as defined in this notice) for an 
individual student between two or more points in time. A State may 
also include other measures that are rigorous and comparable across 
classrooms (https://www2.ed.gov/legislation/FedRegister/other/2010-4/121510b.html).
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    (vi) Support and work with parents and families of children with 
disabilities;
    (3) The program prepares personnel to address the specialized needs 
of high-need children with disabilities.

    Note: For the purpose of this priority, ``high-need children 
with disabilities'' refers to children (ages birth through twenty-
one, depending on the State) who are eligible for services under 
IDEA, and who may be further disadvantaged and at risk of 
educational failure because they: (1) Are living in poverty, (2) are 
far below grade level, (3) are at risk of not graduating with a 
regular high school diploma on time, (4) are homeless, (5) are in 
foster care, (6) have been incarcerated, (7) are English learners, 
(8) are pregnant or parenting teenagers, (9) are new immigrants, 
(10) are migrant, or (11) are not on track to being college- or 
career-ready by graduation.

    The program prepares personnel to work with this particular 
population by--
    (i) Identifying the competencies needed by early intervention, 
special education, and related services personnel to work with high-
need children with disabilities;
    (ii) Preparing personnel to apply these competencies in a variety 
of settings, including in high-need LEAs,\15\ high-poverty schools,\16\ 
low-performing schools, including the persistently lowest-achieving 
schools,\17\ and publically-funded preschool programs, including Head 
Start programs and early intervention programs serving children 
eligible for services under Part C, located within the geographic 
boundaries of a high-need LEA, as appropriate.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \15\ For purposes of this priority, the term high-need LEA means 
an LEA (a) that serves not fewer than 10,000 children from families 
with incomes below the poverty line; or (b) for which not less than 
20 percent of the children served by the LEA are from families with 
incomes below the poverty line.
    \16\ 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 (https://www2.ed.gov/legislation/FedRegister/other/2010-4/121510b.html).
    \17\ For purposes of this priority, the term persistently 
lowest-achieving schools is defined according to the final 
requirements for School Improvement Grants authorized under section 
1003(g) of Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 
1965, as amended (ESEA), which were published in the Federal 
Register on October 28, 2010 (75 FR 66363). According to Section 
I.A.3 of these requirements, the term ``persistently lowest-
achieving schools'' means, as determined by the State--
    (a)(1) Any Title I school in improvement, corrective action, or 
restructuring that--
    (i) 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
    (ii) 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
    (2) Any secondary school that is eligible for, but does not 
receive, Title I funds that--
    (i) 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
    (ii) 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.
    (b) To identify the 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.

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[[Page 20642]]

    (4) The program is designed to provide extended clinical learning 
opportunities,\18\ field experiences, or supervised practica (such as 
an additional year), and ongoing high-quality mentoring and induction 
opportunities for scholars (as defined in 34 CFR 304.3(g));
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \18\ For the purposes of this priority, the term clinical 
learning opportunities are a method of instruction for students to 
apply knowledge and skills in highly controlled or simulated 
situations to ensure that they possess needed skills and 
competencies prior to entering actual or typical environments with 
children with disabilities.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    (5) The preparation program will--
    (i) Enable scholars to be highly qualified, in accordance with 
section 602(10) of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act 
(IDEA) and 34 CFR 300.18, in the State(s) to be served by the 
applicant; and
    (ii) Ensure that scholars are equipped with the knowledge and 
skills necessary to assist children in meeting State academic 
achievement standards; and
    (6) The preparation program provides support to scholars through 
innovative strategies that are designed to enhance scholar retention 
and success in the program, such as using tutors or mentors or 
providing extended clinical learning opportunities or other field 
experiences.
    (b) Include, in the narrative section of the application under 
``Quality of Project Evaluation,'' a clear, effective plan for 
evaluating project outcomes. This plan must include a description of 
how the project will--
    (1) Collect and analyze data on scholars' competencies;
    (2) Collect and analyze data on the quality of services provided by 
program graduates, including data on their students' outcomes (e.g., 
academic, social, emotional, behavioral) and growth; and
    (3) Use the results and findings from this evaluation as a basis 
for improving the program for future scholars. Applicants also must 
clearly describe how the project will report these evaluation results 
to OSEP in the grantee's annual and final performance reports.

    Note:  Under this evaluation requirement, grantees are 
encouraged--but not required--to engage in data collection 
activities after the completion of the grant.

    (c) Include, in the application appendix, all course syllabi, in 
their entirety, for the proposed preparation program and 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 sites provide more information on logic 
models: https://www.researchutilization.org/matrix/logicmodel_resource3c.html and https://www.tadnet.org/model_and_performance.

    (d) Ensure that course syllabi for the preparation program 
incorporate research-based curriculum and pedagogy as required under 
paragraph (a) of this priority.
    (e) Certify in the application that the applicant intends that all 
scholars recruited into the program will graduate from the program by 
the end of the grant's project period.
    (f) Certify in the application that the institution will not 
require scholars recruited into the program to work as a condition of 
receiving a scholarship (e.g., as graduate assistants), unless the work 
is required to complete their preparation program. Please note that 
this prohibition on work as a condition of receiving a scholarship does 
not apply to the service obligation requirements in section 662(h) of 
IDEA.
    (g) Meet the statutory requirements contained in section 662(e) 
through 662(h) of IDEA.
    (h) Ensure that at least 65 percent of the total requested budget 
per year be used for scholar support.
    (i) Budget for attendance at a three-day Project Directors' meeting 
in Washington, DC, during each year of the project.
    (j) If the project maintains a Web site, include relevant 
information and documents in a form that meets government or industry-
recognized standards for accessibility.
    (k) Submit annual data on each scholar who receives grant support. 
Applicants are encouraged to visit the Personnel Development Scholar 
Data Report Web site at https://oseppdp.ed.gov for further information 
about this data collection requirement. Typically, data collection 
begins on or around November 1st of each year, and grantees are 
notified by e-mail about the data collection period for their grant. 
This data collection must be submitted electronically by the grantee 
and does not supplant the annual grant performance report required of 
each grantee for continuation funding (see 34 CFR 75.590).
    Focus Areas: Within this absolute priority, the Secretary intends 
to support projects under the following five focus areas: (A) Preparing 
Personnel to Serve Infants, Toddlers, and Preschool-Age Children with 
Disabilities; (B) Preparing Personnel to Serve School-Age Children with 
Low-Incidence Disabilities; (C) Preparing Personnel to Provide Related 
Services to Children, Including Infants and Toddlers, with 
Disabilities; (D) Preparing Personnel in Minority Institutions to Serve 
Children, Including Infants and Toddlers, with Disabilities; and (E) 
Preparing Personnel to Provide Secondary Transition Services to School-
Age Children with Disabilities.

    Note: Applicants must identify the specific focus area (i.e., A, 
B, C, D, or E) under which they are applying as part of the 
competition title on the application cover sheet (SF form 424, line 
4). Applicants may not submit the same proposal under more than one 
focus area.

    Focus Area A: Preparing Personnel to Serve Infants, Toddlers, and 
Preschool-Age Children with Disabilities. OSEP intends to fund 9 awards 
under this focus area. For the purpose of Focus Area A, early 
intervention personnel are those who are prepared to provide services 
to infants and toddlers with disabilities ages birth to three, and 
early childhood personnel are those who are prepared to provide 
services to children with disabilities ages three through five (in 
States where the age range is other than ages three through five, we 
will defer to the State's certification for early childhood). In States 
where certification in early intervention is combined with 
certification in early childhood, applicants may propose a combined 
early intervention and early childhood personnel preparation project 
under this focus area. We encourage interdisciplinary projects under 
this focus area. For purposes of this focus area, interdisciplinary 
projects are projects that implement common core content and practicum 
experiences across disciplines for early intervention providers or 
early childhood special educators, and related services personnel to 
serve infants, toddlers, and preschool-age children with disabilities. 
Projects preparing only related services personnel to serve infants, 
toddlers, and preschool-age children with disabilities are not eligible 
under this focus area (see Focus Area C).
    Focus Area B: Preparing Personnel to Serve School-Age Children with 
Low-Incidence Disabilities. OSEP intends to fund 11 awards in this 
focus area. For the purpose of Focus Area B, personnel who serve 
children with low-incidence disabilities are special education 
personnel, including paraprofessionals, prepared to serve school-age 
children with low-incidence disabilities including visual impairments, 
hearing impairments, simultaneous vision and hearing impairments, 
significant intellectual disabilities, orthopedic

[[Page 20643]]

impairments, autism, and traumatic brain injury. Programs preparing 
special education personnel to provide services to visually impaired or 
blind children that can be appropriately provided in braille must 
prepare those individuals to provide those services in braille. 
Projects preparing educational interpreters are eligible under this 
focus area. Projects preparing other related services, speech and 
language, or adapted physical education personnel are not eligible 
under this focus area (see Focus Area C). Projects preparing special 
education, early intervention, or preschool personnel are not eligible 
under this focus area (see Focus Area A).
    Focus Area C: Preparing Personnel to Provide Related Services to 
Children, Including Infants and Toddlers, with Disabilities. OSEP 
intends to fund 9 awards in this focus area. Programs preparing related 
services personnel to serve children, including infants and toddlers, 
with disabilities are eligible within Focus Area C. For the purpose of 
this focus area, related services include, but are not limited to, 
psychological services, physical therapy (including therapy provided by 
personnel prepared at the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) level), 
adapted physical education, occupational therapy, therapeutic 
recreation, social work services, counseling services, audiology 
services (including services provided by personnel prepared at the 
Doctor of Audiology (DAud) level), and speech and language services. 
Preparation programs in States where personnel prepared to serve 
children with speech and language impairments are considered to be 
special educators are eligible under this focus area. Projects 
preparing educational interpreters are not eligible under this focus 
area (see Focus Area B).
    Focus Area D: Preparing Personnel in Minority Institutions to Serve 
Children, Including Infants and Toddlers, with Disabilities. OSEP 
intends to fund 10 awards in this focus area. Programs in minority 
institutions are eligible under Focus Area D if they prepare: (a) 
Personnel to serve one or more of the following: infants, toddlers, and 
preschool-age children with disabilities; (b) personnel to serve 
school-age children with low-incidence disabilities; (c) personnel to 
provide related services to children, including infants and toddlers, 
with disabilities; or (d) personnel to provide secondary transition 
services to school-age children with disabilities. Minority 
institutions include institutions with a minority enrollment of 25 
percent or more, which may include Historically Black Colleges and 
Universities, Tribal Colleges, and Predominantly Hispanic Serving 
Colleges and Universities. Programs in minority institutions preparing 
personnel in Focus Areas A, B, C, and E are eligible within Focus Area 
D. Programs that are preparing high-incidence special education 
personnel are not eligible under this priority (for the purpose of this 
priority ``high-incidence disabilities'' refers to learning 
disabilities, emotional disturbance, or intellectual disabilities). 
However, programs that are preparing high-incidence special education 
personnel are eligible under Absolute Priority 3 described elsewhere in 
this notice.


    Note: A project funded under Focus Area D may budget for less 
than 65 percent, the required percentage, for scholar support if the 
applicant can provide sufficient justification for any designation 
less than this required percentage. Sufficient justification for 
proposing less than 65 percent of the budget for scholar support 
would include support for activities such as program development, 
program expansion, or the addition of a new area of emphasis. Some 
examples of projects that may be eligible to designate less than 65 
percent of their budget for scholar support include the following:
    (1) A project that is proposing to start a new program may 
request up to a year for program development and capacity building. 
In the initial project year, no scholar support would be required. 
Instead, a project could hire a new faculty member or a consultant 
to assist in program development.
    (2) A project that is proposing to build capacity may hire a 
field supervisor so that additional scholars can be prepared.
    (3) A project that is proposing to expand or add a new area of 
emphasis to the program may hire additional faculty or obtain other 
resources such as expert consultants, additional teaching supplies, 
or equipment that would enhance the program.


    Note: Applicants proposing projects to develop, expand, or add a 
new area of emphasis to special education or related services 
programs must provide, in their applications, information on how 
these new areas will be sustained once Federal funding ends.

    Focus Area E: Preparing Personnel to Provide Secondary Transition 
Services to School-Age Children with Disabilities. OSEP intends to fund 
9 awards in this focus area. Programs that offer a sequence of career, 
vocational, or secondary transition courses or that enable personnel to 
meet State requirements for a credential or endorsement in secondary 
transition services for children with disabilities are eligible under 
Focus Area E. Eligible applicants must establish partnerships with the 
appropriate personnel in the institution's vocational rehabilitation 
counseling and career and technical education programs, if those 
programs are offered at the institution. Funds may be used to support 
faculty from those programs for their involvement in the activities 
outlined in this priority. Applicants must also provide documentation 
of the partnership in the form of a letter from the Dean or Department 
Chair. This letter must describe how the faculty from those programs 
will be involved in the partnership (e.g., involvement in the design 
and delivery of courses and the supervision of scholar practicum 
experiences).
    Competitive Preference Priorities: Within this absolute priority, 
we give competitive preference to applications that meet one or more of 
the following priorities. For FY 2011 and any subsequent year in which 
we make awards from the list of unfunded applicants from this 
competition, these priorities are competitive preference priorities.
    Competitive Preference Priority 1: Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i) we 
award an additional 5 points to an application that meets this 
priority.
    Applicants that demonstrate an established relationship with one or 
more high-need LEAs (as defined in this absolute priority) or 
publically funded preschool programs, including Head Start programs or 
early intervention programs serving children who are eligible for 
services under Part C of the IDEA, located within the geographic 
boundaries of a high-need LEA that will provide scholars with a high-
quality practicum experience in a high-poverty school (as defined in 
this absolute priority), which may include a professional development 
school, or a publically funded preschool program or early intervention 
program and provide opportunities for research-based professional 
development on strategies to better serve high-need children with 
disabilities.
    Competitive Preference Priority 2: Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i) we 
award an additional 5 points to an application that meets this 
priority.
    This priority is:
    In Focus Area D, applicants that document that they are 
institutions with minority enrollment of 50 percent or more.
    Competitive Preference Priority 3: Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i) we 
award an additional 5 points to an application that meets this 
priority.
    This priority is:
    In Focus Areas A, B, C, and D, applicants that prepare personnel 
who work with children, including infants and toddlers, who are deaf or 
hard of

[[Page 20644]]

hearing to teach them listening and spoken language skills.

    Note: Five is the maximum amount of competitive preference 
points an applicant can receive. Applicants must include in the one-
page abstract submitted with the application, a statement indicating 
which competitive preference priorities they have addressed.

    References:

Bruder, M.B. (December, 2004a). The National Landscape of Early 
Intervention in Personnel Preparation Standards under Part C of the 
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). A.J. Pappanikou 
Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities, Farmington, CT. 
Available at: https://www.uconnucedd.org/projects/per_prep/per_prep_resources.html.
Bruder, M.B. (December, 2004b). The National Landscape of Early 
Intervention and Early Childhood Special Education: 619 Data Report. 
A.J. Pappanikou Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities, 
Farmington, CT. Available at: https://www.uconnucedd.org/projects/per_prep/per_prep_resources.html.
McLeskey, J. Billingsley, B. (2008). How does the quality and 
stability of the teaching force influence the research-to-practice 
gap? Remedial and Special Education, 29 (5), 293-305.
McLeskey, J., Tyler, N., & Flippin, S.S. (2004). The supply and 
demand for special education teachers: A review of research 
regarding the chronic shortage of special education teachers. 
Journal of Special Education, 38 (1), 5-21.

    Absolute Priority 3--Special Education Preservice Program 
Improvement Grants (84.325T).
    Background: State educational agencies (SEAs), institutions of 
higher education (IHEs), and local educational agencies (LEAs) 
consistently report that personnel preparation programs for 
kindergarten through grade 12 (K-12) special education teachers should 
be restructured or redesigned so that graduates of these programs meet 
the highly qualified teacher (HQT) requirements in the Individuals with 
Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). To accomplish this goal, personnel 
preparation programs must ensure that their graduates who expect to be 
providing instruction in a core academic subject are able to meet State 
special education certification or licensure requirements, as well as 
have the necessary content knowledge, consistent with the HQT 
requirements in IDEA.
    In A Blueprint for Reform: The Reauthorization of the Elementary 
and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) (Blueprint),\19\ the Department 
notes that ``[r]esearch shows that top-performing teachers can make a 
dramatic difference in the achievement of their students, and suggests 
that the impact of being assigned to top-performing teachers year after 
year is enough to significantly narrow achievement gaps.'' Reflecting 
this research, in both the Department's Notice of Final Supplemental 
Priorities \20\ and the Blueprint, the Department has called for 
evaluating teacher effectiveness using multiple measures, including, in 
significant part, the academic growth of a teacher's students. High-
quality information on teacher effectiveness that is based on multiple 
measures can be used to provide feedback to teachers for on-going 
improvement and support teachers' access to effective preparation, on-
going support, recognition, and the collaboration opportunities 
teachers need to succeed.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \19\ The following Web site provides more information on A 
Blueprint for Reform: The Reauthorization of the Elementary and 
Secondary Education Act (ESEA): https://www2.ed.gov/policy/elsec/leg/blueprint/blueprint.pdf.
    \20\ The following link provides more information on the 
Supplemental Priorities for Discretionary Grants, published in the 
Federal Register on December 15, 2010 (75 FR 78486): https://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/pdf/2010-31189.pdf.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Priority: The purpose of this priority is to support the 
improvement and restructuring (through expansion or redesign) of K-12 
special education teacher preparation programs to ensure that program 
graduates meet the HQT requirements in IDEA and effectively serve 
children with high-incidence disabilities. For the purposes of this 
priority, the term high-incidence disabilities refers to learning 
disabilities, emotional disturbance, or intellectual disabilities. In 
order to be eligible under this priority, applicants must currently 
prepare special education personnel (at the baccalaureate or master's 
level) to serve school-age children with high-incidence disabilities.

    Note 1: This priority only supports the improvement or 
restructuring of existing programs for high-incidence personnel (for 
example, the expansion of a program for elementary school teachers 
to include a program for secondary school teachers serving children 
with high-incidence disabilities). This priority does not support 
the development of new programs for high-incidence personnel. In 
addition, this priority does not support the improvement of programs 
in IHEs that are preparing preschool teachers.


    Note 2: No more than one cooperative agreement will be awarded 
under this priority per IHE during the five-year project period.

    To be considered for funding under the Special Education Preservice 
Program Improvement Grants 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. These 
requirements are as follows:
    (a) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under 
``Quality of Project Services,'' how--
    (1) The first year of the project period will be used for planning 
an improved or restructured K-12 teacher preparation program that 
includes induction and mentoring for program participants in LEAs. The 
planning activities during the first year must include revising the 
curriculum, integrating evidence-based interventions that improve 
outcomes for children with high-incidence disabilities into the 
improved or restructured program (including providing research 
citations for those evidence-based interventions), and utilizing 
existing high-quality training resources on evidence-based 
interventions, such as those developed by OSEP-funded Centers (e.g., 
IDEA '04 and Research For Inclusive Settings Center for Training 
Enhancements (see https://www.iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu); National 
Center on Response to Intervention (see https://www.rti4success.org)). 
Applicants must describe first-year activities, document the specific 
evidence-based interventions to be included in the improved or 
restructured program, and include a five-year timeline and 
implementation plan in their applications. This plan must describe the 
proposed project activities associated with implementation of the 
improved or restructured program. Implementation of the plan may not 
begin without approval from OSEP;
    (2) The improved or restructured program is designed to integrate 
coursework with practicum opportunities that will enhance the 
competencies of beginning special education teachers to--
    (i) Collaborate and work with regular education teachers and other 
personnel to:
    (A) Provide effective services and instruction in academic subjects 
to children with high-incidence disabilities in K-12 regular education 
classrooms.
    (B) Address the challenges of serving high-need children with 
disabilities;

    Note: For the purpose of this priority, ``high-need children 
with disabilities'' refers to children (ages birth through twenty-
one, depending on the State) who are eligible for services under 
IDEA, and who may be further disadvantaged and at risk of 
educational failure because they: (1) Are living in poverty, (2) are 
far below grade level, (3) are at risk of not graduating with a 
regular high school diploma on time, (4) are homeless, (5)

[[Page 20645]]

are in foster care, (6) have been incarcerated, (7) are English 
learners, (8) are pregnant or parenting teenagers, (9) are new 
immigrants, (10) are migrant, or (11) are not on track to being 
college- or career-ready by graduation.

    (ii) Incorporate universal design for learning principles \21\ into 
curricula and instructional practice;
---------------------------