Applications for New Awards; Educational Technology, Media, and Materials for Individuals With Disabilities Program-Stepping-Up Technology Implementation, 6306-6313 [2013-01998]
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tools 4 that benefit students with
COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING
COMMISSION
Full Text of Announcement
Sunshine Act Meeting—Closed
Meeting
Purpose of Program: The purposes of
the Educational Technology, Media, and
Materials for Individuals With
Disabilities Program 1 are to: (1) Improve
results for students with disabilities by
promoting the development,
demonstration, and use of technology;
(2) support educational activities
designed to be of educational value in
the classroom for students with
disabilities; (3) provide support for
captioning and video description that is
appropriate for use in the classroom;
and (4) provide accessible educational
materials to students with disabilities in
a timely manner.
Priority: In accordance with 34 CFR
75.105(b)(2)(v), this priority is from
allowable activities specified in the
statute (see sections 674 and 681(d) of
the Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act (IDEA) (20 U.S.C. 1400 et
seq.)).
Absolute Priority: For FY 2013, this
priority is an absolute priority. Under 34
CFR 75.105(c)(3), we consider only
applications that meet this priority.
This priority is:
I. Funding Opportunity Description
The following notice of a closed
meeting is published pursuant to the
provisions of the Government in the
Sunshine Act, Public Law 94–409, 5
U.S.C. 552b.
AGENCY HOLDING THE MEETING:
Commodity Futures Trading
Commission.
TIME AND DATE: February 4, 2013 at 12:00
p.m.
PLACE: Three Lafayette Center, 1155 21st
St., NW., Washington, DC, 9th Floor
Commission Conference Room.
STATUS: Closed.
MATTERS TO BE CONSIDERED: Litigation
Matters. In the event that the time or
date of this meeting changes, an
announcement of the change, along with
the new time and place of the meeting
will be posted on the Commission’s
Web site at www.cftc.gov.
CONTACT PERSON FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Natise Stowe, Executive Assistant, 202–
418–5516.
Educational Technology, Media, and
Materials for Individuals With
Disabilities—Stepping-Up Technology
Implementation
Natise Stowe,
Executive Assistant.
[FR Doc. 2013–02096 Filed 1–28–13; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 6351–01–P
Background
The purpose of this priority is to fund
cooperative agreements to: (a) Identify
resources 2 needed to effectively
implement evidence-based 3 technology
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Applications for New Awards;
Educational Technology, Media, and
Materials for Individuals With
Disabilities Program—Stepping-Up
Technology Implementation
Office of Special Education and
Rehabilitative Services, Department of
Education.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
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Overview Information
Educational Technology, Media, and
Materials for Individuals With
Disabilities Program—Stepping-Up
Technology Implementation.
Notice inviting applications for new
awards for fiscal year (FY) 2013.
Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.327S.
Dates:
Applications Available: January 30,
2013.
Deadline for Transmittal of
Applications: March 18, 2013.
Deadline for Intergovernmental
Review: May 15, 2013.
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1 This program was formerly called ‘‘Technology
and Media Services for Individuals With
Disabilities.’’ The Department has changed the
name to Educational Technology, Media, and
Materials for Individuals With Disabilities and
updated the purposes of the program to more
clearly convey that the program includes accessible
educational materials. The program’s activities and
statutory authorization (20 U.S.C. 1474) remain
unchanged.
2 For the purposes of this priority, ‘‘resources’’
include, but are not limited to, school leadership
support, professional development support to
school staff, and a plan for integrating technology
into the classroom curriculum.
3 For the purposes of this priority, ‘‘evidencebased’’ is defined by the definitions published in
the Notice of Proposed Priorities for the FY 2013
Supporting Effective Educator Development (SEED)
Grant Program (77 FR 53819):
Large sample means a sample of 350 or more
students (or other single analysis units) who were
randomly assigned to a treatment or control group,
or 50 or more groups (such as classrooms or
schools) that contain 10 or more students (or other
single analysis units) and that were randomly
assigned to a treatment or control group.
Moderate evidence of effectiveness means one of
the following conditions is met:
(a) There is at least one study of the effectiveness
of the process, product, strategy, or practice being
proposed that meets the What Works Clearinghouse
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Evidence Standards without reservations; found a
statistically significant favorable impact on a
relevant outcome (as defined in this notice) (with
no statistically significant unfavorable impacts on
that outcome for relevant populations in the study
or in other studies of the intervention reviewed by
and reported on by the What Works Clearinghouse);
and includes a sample that overlaps with the
populations or settings proposed to receive the
process, product, strategy, or practice.
(b) There is at least one study of the effectiveness
of the process, product, strategy, or practice being
proposed that meets the What Works Clearinghouse
Evidence Standards with reservations, found a
statistically significant favorable impact on a
relevant outcome (as defined in this notice) (with
no statistically significant unfavorable impacts on
that outcome for relevant populations in the study
or in other studies of the intervention reviewed by
and reported on by the What Works Clearinghouse),
includes a sample that overlaps with the
populations or settings proposed to receive the
process, product, strategy, or practice, and includes
a large sample (as defined in this notice) and a
multi-site sample (as defined in this notice) (Note:
multiple studies can cumulatively meet the large
and multi-site sample requirements as long as each
study meets the other requirements in this
paragraph).
Multi-site sample means more than one site,
where site can be defined as an LEA, locality, or
State.
Relevant outcome means the student outcome or
outcomes (or the ultimate outcome if not related to
students) that the proposed project is designed to
improve, consistent with the specific goals of a
program.
Strong evidence of effectiveness means that one
of the following conditions is met:
(a) There is at least one study of the effectiveness
of the process, product, strategy, or practice being
proposed that meets the What Works Clearinghouse
Evidence Standards without reservations; found a
statistically significant favorable impact on a
relevant outcome (as defined in this notice) (with
no statistically significant unfavorable impacts on
that outcome for relevant populations in the study
or in other studies of the intervention reviewed by
and reported on by the What Works Clearinghouse);
includes a sample that overlaps with the
populations and settings proposed to receive the
process, product, strategy, or practice; and includes
a large sample (as defined in this notice) and a
multi-site sample (as defined in this notice) (Note:
multiple studies can cumulatively meet the large
and multi-site sample requirements as long as each
study meets the other requirements in this
paragraph).
(b) There are at least two studies of the
effectiveness of the process, product, strategy, or
practice being proposed, each of which meets the
What Works Clearinghouse Evidence Standards
with reservations, found a statistically significant
favorable impact on a relevant outcome (as defined
in this notice) (with no statistically significant
unfavorable impacts on that outcome for relevant
populations in the studies or in other studies of the
intervention reviewed by and reported on by the
What Works Clearinghouse), includes a sample that
overlaps with the populations and settings
proposed to receive the process, product, strategy,
or practice, and includes a large sample (as defined
in this notice) and a multi-site sample (as defined
in this notice).
4 For the purposes of this priority, ‘‘technology
tools’’ may include, but are not limited to, digital
math text readers for students with visual
impairment, reading software to improve literacy
and communication development, and text-tospeech software to improve reading performance.
These tools must assist or otherwise benefit
students with disabilities.
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disabilities, and (b) develop and
disseminate products 5 that will help a
broad range of schools to effectively
implement these technology tools.
As Congress recognized in IDEA,
‘‘almost 30 years of research and
experience has demonstrated that the
education of children with disabilities
can be made more effective by * * *
supporting the development and use of
technology, including assistive
technology devices and assistive
technology services, to maximize
accessibility for children with
disabilities’’ (section 601(c)(5)(H) of
IDEA). The use of technology, including
assistive technology devices and
assistive technology services, enhances
instruction and access to the general
education curriculum. Since 1998, the
Office of Special Education Programs
(OSEP) has supported technology and
media service projects through the
Steppingstones of Technology
Innovation for Children with
Disabilities (Steppingstones) program.
The projects funded under the
Steppingstones program developed and
evaluated numerous innovative
technology tools designed to improve
results for children with disabilities.
Examples of such tools include: Webbased learning and assessment
materials, instructional software,
assistive technology devices, methods
for using off-the-shelf hardware and
software to improve learning, and
methods for integrating technology into
instruction. In addition, the
Department’s Institute of Education
Sciences (IES) now supports projects to
develop and evaluate innovative
technology tools. The Stepping-up
Technology Implementation program
will build on these technology
development efforts by identifying,
developing, and disseminating products
and resources that promote the effective
implementation 6 of evidence-based
instructional and assistive technology
tools in early childhood or kindergarten
through grade 12 (K–12) settings.7
5 For the purposes of this priority, ‘‘products’’
may include, but are not limited to, instruction
manuals, lesson plans, demonstration videos,
ancillary instructional materials, and professional
development modules such as collaborative groups,
coaching, mentoring, or online supports.
6 In this context, ‘‘effective implementation’’
means ‘‘making better use of research findings in
typical service settings through the use of processes
and activities (such as accountable implementation
teams) that are purposeful and described in
sufficient detail such that independent observers
can detect the presence and strength of these
processes and activities’’ (Fixsen, Naoom, Blase,
Friedman, & Wallace, 2005).
7 For the purposes of this priority, ‘‘settings’’
include general education classrooms, special
education classrooms or any place where schoolbased instruction occurs.
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The employment of products and
resources designed to assist with the
implementation of evidence-based
technology tools is critical to ensuring
that these tools will be effectively used
to improve early childhood outcomes,
academic achievement, and college and
career readiness of children with
disabilities. Data from a survey of more
than 1,000 K–12 teachers, principals,
and assistant principals indicated that
simply providing teachers with
technology does not ensure that it will
be used. The survey also indicated that
while newer teachers may use
technology in their personal lives more
often than veteran teachers, they do not
use it more frequently in their
classrooms than veteran teachers do. In
addition, the survey indicated that the
more often teachers use technology to
improve students’ daily classroom
engagement, the more likely teachers are
to recognize the benefits to
understanding different student learning
styles (Grunwald, 2010). Additionally,
Perlman and Redding (2011) found that
in order to be used most effectively,
technology must be implemented in
ways that align with curricular and
teacher goals and must offer students
opportunities to use these tools in their
learning. These findings demonstrate a
need for products and resources that can
ensure technology tools for students
with disabilities are implemented
effectively.
Priority:
The purpose of this priority is to fund
cooperative agreements to: (a) Identify
resources needed to effectively
implement evidence-based technology
tools that benefit students with
disabilities; and (b) develop and
disseminate products (e.g., instruction
manuals, lesson plans, demonstration
videos, ancillary instructional materials)
that will help early childhood or K–12
settings to effectively implement these
technology tools.
To be considered for funding under
this absolute priority, applicants must
meet the application requirements. Any
project funded under this absolute
priority must also meet the
programmatic and administrative
requirements specified in the priority.
Application Requirements: An
applicant must include in its
application—
(a) A logic model or conceptual
framework 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 formative
and summative evaluations of the
project;
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Note: The following Web sites provide
more information on logic models:
www.researchutilization.org/matrix/
logicmodel_resource3c.html and
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 plan for recruiting and selecting
the following:
(1) Three development schools.
Development schools are the sites in
which iterative development 8 of the
implementation of technology tools and
products will occur. The project must
start implementing the technology tool
with one development school in year
one of the project period and two
additional development schools in year
two.
(2) Four pilot schools. Pilot schools
are the sites in which try-out, formative
evaluation, and refinement of
technology tools and products will
occur. The project must work with the
four pilot schools during years three and
four of the project period.
(3) Ten dissemination schools.
Dissemination schools will be selected
if the project is extended for a fifth year.
Dissemination schools will be used to
conduct the final test of the
effectiveness of the products and the
final opportunity for the project to
refine the products for use by teachers,
but will receive less technical assistance
(TA) from the project than the
development or pilot schools. Also, at
this stage, dissemination schools will
extend the benefits of the technology
tool to additional students. To be
selected as a dissemination school,
eligible schools and local educational
agencies (LEAs) must commit to
working with the project to implement
the evidence-based technology tool. A
school may not serve in more than one
category (i.e., development, pilot,
dissemination).
8 For the purposes of this priority, ‘‘iterative
development’’ refers to a process of testing,
systematically securing feedback, and then revising
the educational intervention that leads to revisions
in the intervention to increase the likelihood that
it will be implemented with fidelity (Diamond &
Powell, 2011).
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(e) Information (e.g., early childhood
setting; elementary, middle, or high
school; persistently lowest-achieving
school; 9 priority school 10) about the
development, pilot, and dissemination
schools; their demographics (e.g.,
student race or ethnicity, percentage of
students eligible for free or reducedprice lunch); and other pertinent data.
(f) Documentation that the technology
tool is evidence-based (as defined in
this notice) and that it can be
implemented to improve early
childhood outcomes, academic
achievement, and college and career
readiness.
(g) A budget for attendance at the
following:
(1) A one and one-half day kick-off
meeting to be held in Washington, DC,
after receipt of the award, and an annual
planning meeting held in Washington,
DC, with the OSEP Project Officer and
other relevant staff during each
subsequent year of the project period.
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Note: Within 30 days of receipt of the
award, a post-award teleconference must be
held between the OSEP Project Officer and
the grantee’s project director or other
authorized representative.
9 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 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 Elementary and Secondary Education Act of
1965, as amended (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.
For the purposes of this priority, the Department
considers schools that are identified as Tier I or Tier
II schools under the School Improvement Grants
Program (see 75 FR 66363) as part of a State’s
approved FY 2009, FY 2010, or FY 2011 application
to be persistently lowest-achieving schools. A list
of these Tier I and Tier II schools can be found on
the Department’s Web site at https://www2.ed.gov/
programs/sif/.
10 The term ‘‘priority school’’ means a school that
has been identified by the State as a priority school
pursuant to the State’s approved request for ESEA
flexibility.
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(2) A three-day Project Directors’
Conference in Washington, DC, during
each year of the project period.
(3) Two two-day trips annually to
attend Department briefings,
Department-sponsored conferences, and
other meetings, as requested by OSEP.
Project Activities. To meet the
requirements of this priority, the
project, at a minimum, must conduct
the following activities:
(a) Recruit a minimum of three
development schools in one LEA and
four pilot schools across at least two
LEAs in accordance with the plan
proposed under paragraph (d) of the
Application Requirements section of
this notice.
Note: Final site selection will be
determined in consultation with the OSEP
Project Officer following the kick-off meeting.
(b) Identify resources and develop
products to support sustained
implemention of the selected
technology tool. Development of the
products must be an interactive process
beginning in a single development
school and continuing through iterative
cycles of development and refinement
in the other development schools,
followed by a formative evaluation and
refinement in the pilot schools. The
products must include, at a minimum,
the following components to support
implementation of the technology tool:
(1) An instrument or method for
assessing (i) the need for the technology
tool, and (ii) readiness to implement it.
Instruments and methods may include
resource inventory checklists, school
self-study guides, surveys of teacher
interest, detailed descriptions of the
technology tool for review by school
staff, and similar approaches used
singly or in combination.
(2) Methods and manuals to support
the implementation of the technology
tool.
(3) Professional development
activities necessary for teachers to
implement the technology tool with
fidelity and integrate it into the
curriculum.
(c) Collect and analyze data on the
effect of the technology tool on
academic achievement and college and
career readiness.
(d) Collect formative and summative
evaluation data from the development
schools and pilot schools to refine and
evaluate the products.
(e) If the project is extended to a fifth
year, provide the products and the
technology tool to no fewer than 10
dissemination schools that are not the
same schools used as development and
pilot schools.
(f) Collect summative data about the
success of the products in supporting
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implementation of the technology tool
in the dissemination schools; and
(g) By the end of the project period,
projects must provide information on:
(1) The products and resources that
will enable other schools to implement
and sustain implementation of the
technology tool.
(2) How the technology tool has
improved early childhood outcomes,
academic achievement, or college and
career readiness for children with
disabilities.
(3) A strategy for disseminating the
technology tool and accompanying
products beyond the schools directly
involved in the project.
Collaboration With the Model
Demonstration Coordination Center
(MDCC).
Although these projects are not model
demonstration projects, the MDCC, an
OSEP-funded project, will provide
coordination support among the
projects. Each project funded under this
priority must—
(a) Coordinate with the MDCC and the
other projects to determine times for
cross-project collaboration conference
calls. Individual project timelines may
need to be adjusted once the crossproject collaboration calls are
established;
(b) Provide MDCC with a description
of the schools as described in paragraph
(e) of the Application Requirements
section of this notice; and
(c) Participate in conference call
discussions, organized and facilitated by
the MDCC, and, to the extent
appropriate, establish consistent project
design elements such as site selection,
evaluation design issues,
implementation strategies,
sustainability, documentation, and
dissemination.
Note: The following Web site provides
more information on the MDCC: https://
mdcc.sri.com.
Fifth Year of the Project: The
Secretary may extend a project one year
beyond 48 months to work with
dissemination schools if the grantee is
achieving the intended outcomes and
making a positive contribution to the
implementation of an evidence-based
technology tool in the development and
pilot schools. Each applicant must
include in its application a plan for the
full 60-month award. In deciding
whether to continue funding the project
for the fifth year, the Secretary will
consider the requirements of 34 CFR
75.253(a), and in addition—
(a) The recommendation of a review
team consisting of the OSEP Project
Officer and other experts selected by the
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Secretary. This review will be held
during the last half of the third year of
the project period;
(b) The timeliness and effectiveness
with which all requirements of the
negotiated cooperative agreement have
been or are being met by the project; and
(c) Evidence of the degree to which
the project’s activities have contributed
to changed practices and improved early
childhood outcomes, academic
achievement, or college and career
readiness for students with disabilities.
References
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Diamond, K.E. & Powell, D.R. (2011). An
iterative approach to the development
of a professional development
intervention for head start teachers.
Journal of Early Intervention, 33(1),
75–93.
Fixsen, D.L., Naoom, S.F., Blase, K.A.,
Friedman, R.M., & Wallace, F. (2005).
Implementation Research: A
Synthesis of the Literature. Tampa,
FL: University of South Florida, Louis
de la Parte Florida Mental Health
Institute, The National
Implementation Research Network.
Grunwald and Associates. (2010).
Educators, Technology and 21st
Century Skills: Dispelling Five Myths.
Minneapolis, MN: Walden University,
Richard W. Riley College of
Education. Retrieved from
www.WaldenU.edu/fivemyths.
Perlman, C.L. & Redding, S. (Eds).
(2011). Choosing and Implementing
Technology Wisely. Handbook on
Effective Implementation of School
Improvement Grants. Lincoln, IL:
Academic Development Institute.
Retrieved from www.centerii.org/
handbook.
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 priority in this
notice.
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1474
and 1481.
Applicable Regulations: (a) The
Education Department General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in
34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80, 81, 82,
84, 86, 97, 98, and 99. (b) The Education
Department debarment and suspension
regulations in 2 CFR part 3485.
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 79
apply to all applicants except federally
recognized Indian tribes.
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Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86
apply to institutions of higher education
(IHEs) only.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Cooperative
agreements.
Estimated Available Funds: The
Administration has requested
$29,588,000 for the Educational
Technology, Media, and Materials for
Individuals with Disabilities Program
for FY 2013, of which we intend to use
an estimated $3,000,000 for this
competition. The actual level of
funding, if any, depends on final
congressional action. However, we are
inviting applications to allow enough
time to complete the grant process if
Congress appropriates funds for this
program.
Contingent upon the availability of
funds and the quality of applications,
we may make additional awards in FY
2014 from the list of unfunded
applicants from this competition.
Estimated Range of Awards: $475,000
to $500,000.
Estimated Average Size of Award:
$500,000.
Maximum Award: We will reject any
application that proposes a budget
exceeding $500,000 for a single budget
period of 12 months. The Assistant
Secretary for Special Education and
Rehabilitative Services may change the
maximum amount through a notice
published in the Federal Register.
Estimated Number of Awards: 6.
Note: The Department is not bound by any
estimates in this notice.
Project Period: Up to 48 months with
an optional additional 12 months based
on performance. Applications must
include plans for both the 48 month
award and the 12 month extension.
III. Eligibility Information
Eligible Applicants: State educational
agencies (SEAs); LEAs, including public
charter schools that are considered
LEAs under State law; IHEs; other
public agencies; private nonprofit
organizations; outlying areas; freely
associated States; Indian tribes or tribal
organizations; and for-profit
organizations.
2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This
competition does not require cost
sharing or matching.
3. Other: General Requirements:
(a) The projects funded under this
competition must make positive efforts
to employ, and advance in employment,
qualified individuals with disabilities
(see section 606 of IDEA).
(b) The applicant and grant recipient
funded under this competition must
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involve individuals with disabilities or
parents of individuals with disabilities
ages birth through 26 in planning,
implementing, and evaluating the
project (see section 682(a)(1)(A) of
IDEA).
IV. Application and Submission
Information
1. Address to Request Application
Package: Education Publications Center
(ED Pubs), U.S. Department of
Education, P.O. Box 22207, Alexandria,
VA 22304. Telephone, toll free: 1–877–
433–7827. FAX: (703) 605–6794. If you
use a telecommunications device for the
deaf (TDD) or a text telephone (TTY),
call, toll free: 1–877–576–7734.
You can contact ED Pubs at its Web
site, also: www.EDPubs.gov or at its
email address: edpubs@inet.ed.gov.
If you request an application package
from ED Pubs, be sure to identify this
competition as follows: CFDA number
84.327S.
Individuals with disabilities can
obtain a copy of the application package
in an accessible format (e.g., braille,
large print, audiotape, or compact disc)
by contacting the person or team listed
under Accessible Format in section VIII
of this notice.
2. Content and Form of Application
Submission: Requirements concerning
the content of an application, together
with the forms you must submit, are in
the application package for this
competition.
Page Limit: The application narrative
(Part III of the application) is where you,
the applicant, address the selection
criteria that reviewers use to evaluate
your application. You must limit Part III
to the equivalent of no more than 50
pages, using the following standards:
• A ‘‘page’’ is 8.5″ x 11″, on one side
only, with 1″ margins at the top, bottom,
and both sides.
• Double space (no more than three
lines per vertical inch) all text in the
application narrative, including titles,
headings, footnotes, quotations,
references, and captions, as well as all
text in charts, tables, figures, and
graphs.
• Use a font that is either 12 point or
larger or no smaller than 10 pitch
(characters per inch).
• 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,
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the resumes, the bibliography, 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: January 30,
2013.
Deadline for Transmittal of
Applications: March 18, 2013.
Applications for grants under this
competition must be submitted
electronically using the Grants.gov
Apply site (Grants.gov). For information
(including dates and times) about how
to submit your application
electronically, or in paper format by
mail or hand delivery if you qualify for
an exception to the electronic
submission requirement, 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: May 15, 2013.
4. Intergovernmental Review: This
competition is subject to Executive
Order 12372 and the regulations in 34
CFR part 79. Information about
Intergovernmental Review of Federal
Programs under Executive Order 12372
is in the application package for this
competition.
5. Funding Restrictions: We reference
regulations outlining funding
restrictions in the Applicable
Regulations section of this notice.
6. Data Universal Numbering System
Number, Taxpayer Identification
Number, Central Contractor Registry,
and System for Award Management: 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)—and, after July 24, 2012,
with the System for Award Management
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(SAM), the Government’s primary
registrant database;
c. Provide your DUNS number and
TIN on your application; and
d. Maintain an active CCR or SAM
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 or SAM 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
registration annually. This may take
three or more business days to
complete. Information about SAM is
available at SAM.gov.
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 at the following
Grants.gov Web page: www.grants.gov/
applicants/get_registered.jsp.
7. Other Submission Requirements:
Applications for grants under this
competition must be submitted
electronically unless you qualify for an
exception to this requirement in
accordance with the instructions in this
section.
a. Electronic Submission of
Applications.
Applications for grants under the
Stepping-up Technology
Implementation competition, CFDA
number 84.327S, must be submitted
electronically using the
Governmentwide Grants.gov Apply site
at www.Grants.gov. Through this site,
you will be able to download a copy of
the application package, complete it
offline, and then upload and submit
your application. You may not email an
electronic copy of a grant application to
us.
We will reject your application if you
submit it in paper format unless, as
described elsewhere in this section, you
qualify for one of the exceptions to the
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electronic submission requirement and
submit, no later than two weeks before
the application deadline date, a written
statement to the Department that you
qualify for one of these exceptions.
Further information regarding
calculation of the date that is two weeks
before the application deadline date is
provided later in this section under
Exception to Electronic Submission
Requirement.
You may access the electronic grant
application for Stepping-up Technology
Implementation at www.Grants.gov. You
must search for the downloadable
application package for this competition
by the CFDA number. Do not include
the CFDA number’s alpha suffix in your
search (e.g., search for 84.327, not
84.327S).
Please note the following:
• 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 competition
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 www.G5.gov.
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• You will not receive additional
point value because you submit your
application in electronic format, nor
will we penalize you if you qualify for
an exception to the electronic
submission requirement, as described
elsewhere in this section, and submit
your application in paper format.
• You must submit all documents
electronically, including all information
you typically provide on the following
forms: the Application for Federal
Assistance (SF 424), the Department of
Education Supplemental Information for
SF 424, Budget Information—NonConstruction Programs (ED 524), and all
necessary assurances and certifications.
• You must upload any narrative
sections and all other attachments to
your application as files in a PDF
(Portable Document) read-only, nonmodifiable format. Do not upload an
interactive or fillable PDF file. If you
upload a file type other than a readonly, non-modifiable PDF or submit a
password-protected file, we will not
review that material. Additional,
detailed information on how to attach
files is in the application instructions.
• 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 email.
This second notification indicates that
the Department has received your
application and has assigned your
application a PR/Award number (an EDspecified 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
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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.
Exception to Electronic Submission
Requirement: You qualify for an
exception to the electronic submission
requirement, and may submit your
application in paper format, if you are
unable to submit an application through
the Grants.gov system because—
• You do not have access to the
Internet; or
• You do not have the capacity to
upload large documents to the
Grants.gov system; and
• No later than two weeks before the
application deadline date (14 calendar
days or, if the fourteenth calendar day
before the application deadline date
falls on a Federal holiday, the next
business day following the Federal
holiday), you mail or fax a written
statement to the Department, explaining
which of the two grounds for an
exception prevent you from using the
Internet to submit your application.
If you mail your written statement to
the Department, it must be postmarked
no later than two weeks before the
application deadline date. If you fax
your written statement to the
Department, we must receive the faxed
statement no later than two weeks
before the application deadline date.
Address and mail or fax your
statement to: Terry Jackson, U.S.
Department of Education, 400 Maryland
Avenue SW., room 4081, Potomac
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Center Plaza (PCP), Washington, DC
20202–2600. FAX: (202) 245–7617.
Your paper application must be
submitted in accordance with the mail
or hand delivery instructions described
in this notice.
b. Submission of Paper Applications
by Mail.
If you qualify for an exception to the
electronic submission requirement, you
may mail (through the U.S. Postal
Service or a commercial carrier) your
application to the Department. 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 84.327S), LBJ Basement
Level 1, 400 Maryland Avenue SW.,
Washington, DC 20202–4260.
You must show proof of mailing
consisting of one of the following:
(1) A legibly dated U.S. Postal Service
postmark.
(2) A legible mail receipt with the
date of mailing stamped by the U.S.
Postal Service.
(3) A dated shipping label, invoice, or
receipt from a commercial carrier.
(4) Any other proof of mailing
acceptable to the Secretary of the U.S.
Department of Education.
If you mail your application through
the U.S. Postal Service, we do not
accept either of the following as proof
of mailing:
(1) A private metered postmark.
(2) A mail receipt that is not dated by
the U.S. Postal Service.
If your application is postmarked after
the application deadline date, we will
not consider your application.
Note: The U.S. Postal Service does not
uniformly provide a dated postmark. Before
relying on this method, you should check
with your local post office.
c. Submission of Paper Applications
by Hand Delivery.
If you qualify for an exception to the
electronic submission requirement, you
(or a courier service) may deliver your
paper application to the Department by
hand. You 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 84.327S), 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.
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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, achievement of project
objectives, 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 section 682(b) of
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
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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; or we may send you an email
containing a link to access an electronic
version of your 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
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information as directed by the Secretary
under 34 CFR 75.118. The Secretary
may also require more frequent
performance reports under 34 CFR
75.720(c). For specific requirements on
reporting, please go to www.ed.gov/
fund/grant/apply/appforms/
appforms.html.
4. Performance Measures: Under the
Government Performance and Results
Act of 1993 (GPRA), the Department has
established a set of performance
measures, including long-term
measures, that are designed to yield
information on various aspects of the
effectiveness and quality of the
Educational Technology, Media, and
Materials for Individuals with
Disabilities Program. These measures
are included in the application package
and focus on the extent to which
projects are of high quality, are relevant
to improving outcomes of children with
disabilities, contribute to improving
outcomes for children with disabilities,
and generate evidence of validity and
availability to appropriate populations.
Projects funded under this competition
are required to submit data on these
measures as directed by OSEP. Grantees
also will be required to report
information on their projects’
performance in annual and final
performance reports to the Department
(34 CFR 75.590).
5. Continuation Awards: In making a
continuation award, the Secretary may
consider, under 34 CFR 75.253, the
extent to which a grantee has made
‘‘substantial progress toward meeting
the objectives in its approved
application.’’ This consideration
includes the review of a grantee’s
progress in meeting the targets and
projected outcomes in its approved
application, and whether the grantee
has expended funds in a manner that is
consistent with its approved application
and budget. In making a continuation
grant, the Secretary also considers
whether the grantee is operating in
compliance with the assurances in its
approved application, including those
applicable to Federal civil rights laws
that prohibit discrimination in programs
or activities receiving Federal financial
assistance from the Department (34 CFR
100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).
VII. Agency Contact
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Terry Jackson, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW.,
room 4081, PCP, Washington, DC
20202–2600. Telephone: (202) 245–
6039.
If you use a TDD or a TTY, call the
Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll free, at
1–800–877–8339.
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VIII. Other Information
Accessible Format: Individuals with
disabilities can obtain this document
and a copy of the application package in
an accessible format (e.g., braille, large
print, audiotape, or compact disc) by
contacting the Grants and Contracts
Services Team, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW.,
room 5075, PCP, Washington, DC
20202–2550. Telephone: (202) 245–
7363. If you use a TDD or a TTY, call
the FRS, toll free, at 1–800–877–8339.
Electronic Access to This Document:
The official version of this document is
the document published in the Federal
Register. Free Internet access to the
official edition of the Federal Register
and the Code of Federal Regulations is
available via the Federal Digital System
at: www.gpo.gov/fdsys. At this site you
can view this document, as well as all
other documents of this Department
published in the Federal Register, in
text or Adobe Portable Document
Format (PDF). To use PDF you must
have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is
available free at the site.
You may also access documents of the
Department published in the Federal
Register by using the article search
feature at: www.federalregister.gov.
Specifically, through the advanced
search feature at this site, you can limit
your search to documents published by
the Department.
Dated: January 24, 2013.
Michael Yudin,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Special
Education and Rehabilitative Services.
[FR Doc. 2013–01998 Filed 1–29–13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Docket No. CP13–38–000]
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with
Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company,
L.L.C.; Notice of Application
Take notice that on January 14, 2013,
Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company,
L.L.C. (Tennessee), 1001 Louisiana
Street, Houston, Texas 77002, filed an
application in Docket No. CP13–38–000
pursuant to section 7(b) of the Natural
Gas Act (NGA) and Part 157 of the
Commission’s regulations, requesting
authorization to abandon in place the
northern portion of Line No. 523M–
2300 (Triple T Line) consisting of
approximately 15.76 miles of 30-inch
diameter pipeline extending from
Eugene Island Block 299 to the Ship
Shoal Block 198 Central Gathering
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Platform, located in Federal offshore
waters of the Outer Continental Shelf,
Louisiana. Tennessee states that the
facilities have been out of service since
January 27, 2011, all as more fully set
forth in the application which is on file
with the Commission and open to
public inspection.
Any questions concerning this
application may be directed to Thomas
G. Joyce, Manager, Certificates,
Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company,
L.L.C. 1001 Louisiana Street, Houston,
Texas 77002, by telephone at (713) 420–
3299, by facsimile at (713) 420–1605, or
by email at
tom_joyce@kindermorgan.com; Susan T.
Halbach, Senior Counsel, Tennessee Gas
Pipeline Company, L.L.C. 1001
Louisiana Street, Houston, Texas 77002,
by telephone at (713) 420–5751, or by
email at
susan_halbach@kindermorgan.com; or
Debbie Kalisek, Regulatory Analyst,
Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company,
L.L.C. 1001 Louisiana Street, Houston,
Texas 77002, by telephone at (713) 420–
3292, by facsimile at (713) 420–1605, or
by email at
debbie_kalisek@kindermorgan.com.
There are two ways to become
involved in the Commission’s review of
this project. First, any person wishing to
obtain legal status by becoming a party
to the proceedings for this project
should, on or before the comment date
stated below, file with the Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission, 888
First Street NE., Washington, DC 20426,
a motion to intervene in accordance
with the requirements of the
Commission’s Rules of Practice and
Procedure (18 CFR 385.214 or 385.211)
and the Regulations under the NGA (18
CFR 157.10). A person obtaining party
status will be placed on the service list
maintained by the Secretary of the
Commission and will receive copies of
all documents filed by the applicant and
by all other parties. A party must submit
an original and 7 copies of filings made
with the Commission and must mail a
copy to the applicant and to every other
party in the proceeding. Only parties to
the proceeding can ask for court review
of Commission orders in the proceeding.
However, a person does not have to
intervene in order to have comments
considered. The second way to
participate is by filing with the
Secretary of the Commission, as soon as
possible, an original and two copies of
comments in support of or in opposition
to this project. The Commission will
consider these comments in
determining the appropriate action to be
taken, but the filing of a comment alone
will not serve to make the filer a party
to the proceeding. The Commission’s
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6313
rules require that persons filing
comments in opposition to the project
provide copies of their protests only to
the party or parties directly involved in
the protest.
The Commission strongly encourages
electronic filings of comments, protests
and interventions in lieu of paper using
the ‘‘eFiling’’ link at https://
www.ferc.gov. Persons unable to file
electronically should submit an original
and 7 copies of the protest or
intervention to the Federal Energy
regulatory Commission, 888 First Street
NE., Washington, DC 20426. This filing
is accessible on-line at https://
www.ferc.gov, using the ‘‘eLibrary’’ link
and is available for review in the
Commission’s Public Reference Room in
Washington, DC. There is an
‘‘eSubscription’’ link on the Web site
that enables subscribers to receive email
notification when a document is added
to a subscribed docket(s). For assistance
with any FERC Online service, please
email FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov, or
call (866) 208–3676 (toll free). For TTY,
call (202) 502–8659.
Comment Date: February 13, 2013.
Dated: January 23, 2013.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2013–01925 Filed 1–29–13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Project No. 96–042]
Pacific Gas and Electric Company;
Notice of Application Accepted for
Filing, Soliciting Comments, Motions
To Intervene, and Protests
Take notice that the following
hydroelectric application has been filed
with the Commission and is available
for public inspection:
a. Types of Application: Amendment
of License.
b. Project No.: 96–042.
c. Date Filed: November 27, 2012.
d. Applicant: Pacific Gas and Electric
Company.
e. Name of Project: Kerckhoff
Hydroelectric Project.
f. Location: on the San Joaquin River
in Fresno and Madera Counties,
California, and affects lands of the
United States.
g. Filed Pursuant to: Federal Power
Act, 16 U.S.C. 791a–825r.
h. Applicant Contact: Alvin Thoma,
Director Hydro Licensing, Pacific Gas
and Electric Company, P.O. Box 770000,
E:\FR\FM\30JAN1.SGM
30JAN1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 20 (Wednesday, January 30, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6306-6313]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-01998]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Applications for New Awards; Educational Technology, Media, and
Materials for Individuals With Disabilities Program--Stepping-Up
Technology Implementation
AGENCY: Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services,
Department of Education.
ACTION: Notice.
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Overview Information
Educational Technology, Media, and Materials for Individuals With
Disabilities Program--Stepping-Up Technology Implementation.
Notice inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY)
2013.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.327S.
Dates:
Applications Available: January 30, 2013.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: March 18, 2013.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: May 15, 2013.
Full Text of Announcement
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Purpose of Program: The purposes of the Educational Technology,
Media, and Materials for Individuals With Disabilities Program \1\ are
to: (1) Improve results for students with disabilities by promoting the
development, demonstration, and use of technology; (2) support
educational activities designed to be of educational value in the
classroom for students with disabilities; (3) provide support for
captioning and video description that is appropriate for use in the
classroom; and (4) provide accessible educational materials to students
with disabilities in a timely manner.
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\1\ This program was formerly called ``Technology and Media
Services for Individuals With Disabilities.'' The Department has
changed the name to Educational Technology, Media, and Materials for
Individuals With Disabilities and updated the purposes of the
program to more clearly convey that the program includes accessible
educational materials. The program's activities and statutory
authorization (20 U.S.C. 1474) remain unchanged.
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Priority: In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(v), this priority
is from allowable activities specified in the statute (see sections 674
and 681(d) of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
(20 U.S.C. 1400 et seq.)).
Absolute Priority: For FY 2013, this priority is an absolute
priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3), we consider only applications that
meet this priority.
This priority is:
Educational Technology, Media, and Materials for Individuals With
Disabilities--Stepping-Up Technology Implementation
Background
The purpose of this priority is to fund cooperative agreements to:
(a) Identify resources \2\ needed to effectively implement evidence-
based \3\ technology tools \4\ that benefit students with
[[Page 6307]]
disabilities, and (b) develop and disseminate products \5\ that will
help a broad range of schools to effectively implement these technology
tools.
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\2\ For the purposes of this priority, ``resources'' include,
but are not limited to, school leadership support, professional
development support to school staff, and a plan for integrating
technology into the classroom curriculum.
\3\ For the purposes of this priority, ``evidence-based'' is
defined by the definitions published in the Notice of Proposed
Priorities for the FY 2013 Supporting Effective Educator Development
(SEED) Grant Program (77 FR 53819):
Large sample means a sample of 350 or more students (or other
single analysis units) who were randomly assigned to a treatment or
control group, or 50 or more groups (such as classrooms or schools)
that contain 10 or more students (or other single analysis units)
and that were randomly assigned to a treatment or control group.
Moderate evidence of effectiveness means one of the following
conditions is met:
(a) There is at least one study of the effectiveness of the
process, product, strategy, or practice being proposed that meets
the What Works Clearinghouse Evidence Standards without
reservations; found a statistically significant favorable impact on
a relevant outcome (as defined in this notice) (with no
statistically significant unfavorable impacts on that outcome for
relevant populations in the study or in other studies of the
intervention reviewed by and reported on by the What Works
Clearinghouse); and includes a sample that overlaps with the
populations or settings proposed to receive the process, product,
strategy, or practice.
(b) There is at least one study of the effectiveness of the
process, product, strategy, or practice being proposed that meets
the What Works Clearinghouse Evidence Standards with reservations,
found a statistically significant favorable impact on a relevant
outcome (as defined in this notice) (with no statistically
significant unfavorable impacts on that outcome for relevant
populations in the study or in other studies of the intervention
reviewed by and reported on by the What Works Clearinghouse),
includes a sample that overlaps with the populations or settings
proposed to receive the process, product, strategy, or practice, and
includes a large sample (as defined in this notice) and a multi-site
sample (as defined in this notice) (Note: multiple studies can
cumulatively meet the large and multi-site sample requirements as
long as each study meets the other requirements in this paragraph).
Multi-site sample means more than one site, where site can be
defined as an LEA, locality, or State.
Relevant outcome means the student outcome or outcomes (or the
ultimate outcome if not related to students) that the proposed
project is designed to improve, consistent with the specific goals
of a program.
Strong evidence of effectiveness means that one of the following
conditions is met:
(a) There is at least one study of the effectiveness of the
process, product, strategy, or practice being proposed that meets
the What Works Clearinghouse Evidence Standards without
reservations; found a statistically significant favorable impact on
a relevant outcome (as defined in this notice) (with no
statistically significant unfavorable impacts on that outcome for
relevant populations in the study or in other studies of the
intervention reviewed by and reported on by the What Works
Clearinghouse); includes a sample that overlaps with the populations
and settings proposed to receive the process, product, strategy, or
practice; and includes a large sample (as defined in this notice)
and a multi-site sample (as defined in this notice) (Note: multiple
studies can cumulatively meet the large and multi-site sample
requirements as long as each study meets the other requirements in
this paragraph).
(b) There are at least two studies of the effectiveness of the
process, product, strategy, or practice being proposed, each of
which meets the What Works Clearinghouse Evidence Standards with
reservations, found a statistically significant favorable impact on
a relevant outcome (as defined in this notice) (with no
statistically significant unfavorable impacts on that outcome for
relevant populations in the studies or in other studies of the
intervention reviewed by and reported on by the What Works
Clearinghouse), includes a sample that overlaps with the populations
and settings proposed to receive the process, product, strategy, or
practice, and includes a large sample (as defined in this notice)
and a multi-site sample (as defined in this notice).
\4\ For the purposes of this priority, ``technology tools'' may
include, but are not limited to, digital math text readers for
students with visual impairment, reading software to improve
literacy and communication development, and text-to-speech software
to improve reading performance. These tools must assist or otherwise
benefit students with disabilities.
\5\ For the purposes of this priority, ``products'' may include,
but are not limited to, instruction manuals, lesson plans,
demonstration videos, ancillary instructional materials, and
professional development modules such as collaborative groups,
coaching, mentoring, or online supports.
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As Congress recognized in IDEA, ``almost 30 years of research and
experience has demonstrated that the education of children with
disabilities can be made more effective by * * * supporting the
development and use of technology, including assistive technology
devices and assistive technology services, to maximize accessibility
for children with disabilities'' (section 601(c)(5)(H) of IDEA). The
use of technology, including assistive technology devices and assistive
technology services, enhances instruction and access to the general
education curriculum. Since 1998, the Office of Special Education
Programs (OSEP) has supported technology and media service projects
through the Steppingstones of Technology Innovation for Children with
Disabilities (Steppingstones) program. The projects funded under the
Steppingstones program developed and evaluated numerous innovative
technology tools designed to improve results for children with
disabilities. Examples of such tools include: Web-based learning and
assessment materials, instructional software, assistive technology
devices, methods for using off-the-shelf hardware and software to
improve learning, and methods for integrating technology into
instruction. In addition, the Department's Institute of Education
Sciences (IES) now supports projects to develop and evaluate innovative
technology tools. The Stepping-up Technology Implementation program
will build on these technology development efforts by identifying,
developing, and disseminating products and resources that promote the
effective implementation \6\ of evidence-based instructional and
assistive technology tools in early childhood or kindergarten through
grade 12 (K-12) settings.\7\
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\6\ In this context, ``effective implementation'' means ``making
better use of research findings in typical service settings through
the use of processes and activities (such as accountable
implementation teams) that are purposeful and described in
sufficient detail such that independent observers can detect the
presence and strength of these processes and activities'' (Fixsen,
Naoom, Blase, Friedman, & Wallace, 2005).
\7\ For the purposes of this priority, ``settings'' include
general education classrooms, special education classrooms or any
place where school-based instruction occurs.
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The employment of products and resources designed to assist with
the implementation of evidence-based technology tools is critical to
ensuring that these tools will be effectively used to improve early
childhood outcomes, academic achievement, and college and career
readiness of children with disabilities. Data from a survey of more
than 1,000 K-12 teachers, principals, and assistant principals
indicated that simply providing teachers with technology does not
ensure that it will be used. The survey also indicated that while newer
teachers may use technology in their personal lives more often than
veteran teachers, they do not use it more frequently in their
classrooms than veteran teachers do. In addition, the survey indicated
that the more often teachers use technology to improve students' daily
classroom engagement, the more likely teachers are to recognize the
benefits to understanding different student learning styles (Grunwald,
2010). Additionally, Perlman and Redding (2011) found that in order to
be used most effectively, technology must be implemented in ways that
align with curricular and teacher goals and must offer students
opportunities to use these tools in their learning. These findings
demonstrate a need for products and resources that can ensure
technology tools for students with disabilities are implemented
effectively.
Priority:
The purpose of this priority is to fund cooperative agreements to:
(a) Identify resources needed to effectively implement evidence-based
technology tools that benefit students with disabilities; and (b)
develop and disseminate products (e.g., instruction manuals, lesson
plans, demonstration videos, ancillary instructional materials) that
will help early childhood or K-12 settings to effectively implement
these technology tools.
To be considered for funding under this absolute priority,
applicants must meet the application requirements. Any project funded
under this absolute priority must also meet the programmatic and
administrative requirements specified in the priority.
Application Requirements: An applicant must include in its
application--
(a) A logic model or conceptual framework 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 formative and summative
evaluations of the project;
Note: The following Web sites provide more information on logic
models: www.researchutilization.org/matrix/logicmodel_resource3c.html and 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 plan for recruiting and selecting the following:
(1) Three development schools. Development schools are the sites in
which iterative development \8\ of the implementation of technology
tools and products will occur. The project must start implementing the
technology tool with one development school in year one of the project
period and two additional development schools in year two.
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\8\ For the purposes of this priority, ``iterative development''
refers to a process of testing, systematically securing feedback,
and then revising the educational intervention that leads to
revisions in the intervention to increase the likelihood that it
will be implemented with fidelity (Diamond & Powell, 2011).
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(2) Four pilot schools. Pilot schools are the sites in which try-
out, formative evaluation, and refinement of technology tools and
products will occur. The project must work with the four pilot schools
during years three and four of the project period.
(3) Ten dissemination schools. Dissemination schools will be
selected if the project is extended for a fifth year. Dissemination
schools will be used to conduct the final test of the effectiveness of
the products and the final opportunity for the project to refine the
products for use by teachers, but will receive less technical
assistance (TA) from the project than the development or pilot schools.
Also, at this stage, dissemination schools will extend the benefits of
the technology tool to additional students. To be selected as a
dissemination school, eligible schools and local educational agencies
(LEAs) must commit to working with the project to implement the
evidence-based technology tool. A school may not serve in more than one
category (i.e., development, pilot, dissemination).
[[Page 6308]]
(e) Information (e.g., early childhood setting; elementary, middle,
or high school; persistently lowest-achieving school; \9\ priority
school \10\) about the development, pilot, and dissemination schools;
their demographics (e.g., student race or ethnicity, percentage of
students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch); and other pertinent
data.
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\9\ 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 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 Elementary and Secondary Education Act of
1965, as amended (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.
For the purposes of this priority, the Department considers
schools that are identified as Tier I or Tier II schools under the
School Improvement Grants Program (see 75 FR 66363) as part of a
State's approved FY 2009, FY 2010, or FY 2011 application to be
persistently lowest-achieving schools. A list of these Tier I and
Tier II schools can be found on the Department's Web site at https://www2.ed.gov/programs/sif/.
\10\ The term ``priority school'' means a school that has been
identified by the State as a priority school pursuant to the State's
approved request for ESEA flexibility.
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(f) Documentation that the technology tool is evidence-based (as
defined in this notice) and that it can be implemented to improve early
childhood outcomes, academic achievement, and college and career
readiness.
(g) A budget for attendance at the following:
(1) A one and one-half day kick-off meeting to be held in
Washington, DC, after receipt of the award, and an annual planning
meeting held in Washington, DC, with the OSEP Project Officer and other
relevant staff during each subsequent year of the project period.
Note: Within 30 days of receipt of the award, a post-award
teleconference must be held between the OSEP Project Officer and the
grantee's project director or other authorized representative.
(2) A three-day Project Directors' Conference in Washington, DC,
during each year of the project period.
(3) Two two-day trips annually to attend Department briefings,
Department-sponsored conferences, and other meetings, as requested by
OSEP.
Project Activities. To meet the requirements of this priority, the
project, at a minimum, must conduct the following activities:
(a) Recruit a minimum of three development schools in one LEA and
four pilot schools across at least two LEAs in accordance with the plan
proposed under paragraph (d) of the Application Requirements section of
this notice.
Note: Final site selection will be determined in consultation
with the OSEP Project Officer following the kick-off meeting.
(b) Identify resources and develop products to support sustained
implemention of the selected technology tool. Development of the
products must be an interactive process beginning in a single
development school and continuing through iterative cycles of
development and refinement in the other development schools, followed
by a formative evaluation and refinement in the pilot schools. The
products must include, at a minimum, the following components to
support implementation of the technology tool:
(1) An instrument or method for assessing (i) the need for the
technology tool, and (ii) readiness to implement it. Instruments and
methods may include resource inventory checklists, school self-study
guides, surveys of teacher interest, detailed descriptions of the
technology tool for review by school staff, and similar approaches used
singly or in combination.
(2) Methods and manuals to support the implementation of the
technology tool.
(3) Professional development activities necessary for teachers to
implement the technology tool with fidelity and integrate it into the
curriculum.
(c) Collect and analyze data on the effect of the technology tool
on academic achievement and college and career readiness.
(d) Collect formative and summative evaluation data from the
development schools and pilot schools to refine and evaluate the
products.
(e) If the project is extended to a fifth year, provide the
products and the technology tool to no fewer than 10 dissemination
schools that are not the same schools used as development and pilot
schools.
(f) Collect summative data about the success of the products in
supporting implementation of the technology tool in the dissemination
schools; and
(g) By the end of the project period, projects must provide
information on:
(1) The products and resources that will enable other schools to
implement and sustain implementation of the technology tool.
(2) How the technology tool has improved early childhood outcomes,
academic achievement, or college and career readiness for children with
disabilities.
(3) A strategy for disseminating the technology tool and
accompanying products beyond the schools directly involved in the
project.
Collaboration With the Model Demonstration Coordination Center (MDCC).
Although these projects are not model demonstration projects, the
MDCC, an OSEP-funded project, will provide coordination support among
the projects. Each project funded under this priority must--
(a) Coordinate with the MDCC and the other projects to determine
times for cross-project collaboration conference calls. Individual
project timelines may need to be adjusted once the cross-project
collaboration calls are established;
(b) Provide MDCC with a description of the schools as described in
paragraph (e) of the Application Requirements section of this notice;
and
(c) Participate in conference call discussions, organized and
facilitated by the MDCC, and, to the extent appropriate, establish
consistent project design elements such as site selection, evaluation
design issues, implementation strategies, sustainability,
documentation, and dissemination.
Note: The following Web site provides more information on the
MDCC: https://mdcc.sri.com.
Fifth Year of the Project: The Secretary may extend a project one
year beyond 48 months to work with dissemination schools if the grantee
is achieving the intended outcomes and making a positive contribution
to the implementation of an evidence-based technology tool in the
development and pilot schools. Each applicant must include in its
application a plan for the full 60-month award. In deciding whether to
continue funding the project for the fifth year, the Secretary will
consider the requirements of 34 CFR 75.253(a), and in addition--
(a) The recommendation of a review team consisting of the OSEP
Project Officer and other experts selected by the
[[Page 6309]]
Secretary. This review will be held during the last half of the third
year of the project period;
(b) The timeliness and effectiveness with which all requirements of
the negotiated cooperative agreement have been or are being met by the
project; and
(c) Evidence of the degree to which the project's activities have
contributed to changed practices and improved early childhood outcomes,
academic achievement, or college and career readiness for students with
disabilities.
References
Diamond, K.E. & Powell, D.R. (2011). An iterative approach to the
development of a professional development intervention for head start
teachers. Journal of Early Intervention, 33(1), 75-93.
Fixsen, D.L., Naoom, S.F., Blase, K.A., Friedman, R.M., & Wallace, F.
(2005). Implementation Research: A Synthesis of the Literature. Tampa,
FL: University of South Florida, Louis de la Parte Florida Mental
Health Institute, The National Implementation Research Network.
Grunwald and Associates. (2010). Educators, Technology and 21st Century
Skills: Dispelling Five Myths. Minneapolis, MN: Walden University,
Richard W. Riley College of Education. Retrieved from www.WaldenU.edu/fivemyths.
Perlman, C.L. & Redding, S. (Eds). (2011). Choosing and Implementing
Technology Wisely. Handbook on Effective Implementation of School
Improvement Grants. Lincoln, IL: Academic Development Institute.
Retrieved from www.centerii.org/handbook.
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 priority in this notice.
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1474 and 1481.
Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80,
81, 82, 84, 86, 97, 98, and 99. (b) The Education Department debarment
and suspension regulations in 2 CFR part 3485.
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 79 apply to all applicants
except federally recognized Indian tribes.
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to institutions of
higher education (IHEs) only.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Cooperative agreements.
Estimated Available Funds: The Administration has requested
$29,588,000 for the Educational Technology, Media, and Materials for
Individuals with Disabilities Program for FY 2013, of which we intend
to use an estimated $3,000,000 for this competition. The actual level
of funding, if any, depends on final congressional action. However, we
are inviting applications to allow enough time to complete the grant
process if Congress appropriates funds for this program.
Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of
applications, we may make additional awards in FY 2014 from the list of
unfunded applicants from this competition.
Estimated Range of Awards: $475,000 to $500,000.
Estimated Average Size of Award: $500,000.
Maximum Award: We will reject any application that proposes a
budget exceeding $500,000 for a single budget period of 12 months. The
Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services
may change the maximum amount through a notice published in the Federal
Register.
Estimated Number of Awards: 6.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this
notice.
Project Period: Up to 48 months with an optional additional 12
months based on performance. Applications must include plans for both
the 48 month award and the 12 month extension.
III. Eligibility Information
Eligible Applicants: State educational agencies (SEAs); LEAs,
including public charter schools that are considered LEAs under State
law; IHEs; other public agencies; private nonprofit organizations;
outlying areas; freely associated States; Indian tribes or tribal
organizations; and for-profit organizations.
2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This competition does not require cost
sharing or matching.
3. Other: General Requirements:
(a) The projects funded under this competition must make positive
efforts to employ, and advance in employment, qualified individuals
with disabilities (see section 606 of IDEA).
(b) The applicant and grant recipient funded under this competition
must involve individuals with disabilities or parents of individuals
with disabilities ages birth through 26 in planning, implementing, and
evaluating the project (see section 682(a)(1)(A) of IDEA).
IV. Application and Submission Information
1. Address to Request Application Package: Education Publications
Center (ED Pubs), U.S. Department of Education, P.O. Box 22207,
Alexandria, VA 22304. Telephone, toll free: 1-877-433-7827. FAX: (703)
605-6794. If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) or
a text telephone (TTY), call, toll free: 1-877-576-7734.
You can contact ED Pubs at its Web site, also: www.EDPubs.gov or at
its email address: edpubs@inet.ed.gov.
If you request an application package from ED Pubs, be sure to
identify this competition as follows: CFDA number 84.327S.
Individuals with disabilities can obtain a copy of the application
package in an accessible format (e.g., braille, large print, audiotape,
or compact disc) by contacting the person or team listed under
Accessible Format in section VIII of this notice.
2. Content and Form of Application Submission: Requirements
concerning the content of an application, together with the forms you
must submit, are in the application package for this competition.
Page Limit: The application narrative (Part III of the application)
is where you, the applicant, address the selection criteria that
reviewers use to evaluate your application. You must limit Part III to
the equivalent of no more than 50 pages, using the following standards:
A ``page'' is 8.5'' x 11'', on one side only, with 1''
margins at the top, bottom, and both sides.
Double space (no more than three lines per vertical inch)
all text in the application narrative, including titles, headings,
footnotes, quotations, references, and captions, as well as all text in
charts, tables, figures, and graphs.
Use a font that is either 12 point or larger or no smaller
than 10 pitch (characters per inch).
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,
[[Page 6310]]
the resumes, the bibliography, 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: January 30, 2013.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: March 18, 2013.
Applications for grants under this competition must be submitted
electronically using the Grants.gov Apply site (Grants.gov). For
information (including dates and times) about how to submit your
application electronically, or in paper format by mail or hand delivery
if you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission
requirement, 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: May 15, 2013.
4. Intergovernmental Review: This competition is subject to
Executive Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79.
Information about Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs under
Executive Order 12372 is in the application package for this
competition.
5. Funding Restrictions: We reference regulations outlining funding
restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.
6. Data Universal Numbering System Number, Taxpayer Identification
Number, Central Contractor Registry, and System for Award Management:
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)--and, after July 24, 2012, with the System
for Award Management (SAM), the Government's primary registrant
database;
c. Provide your DUNS number and TIN on your application; and
d. Maintain an active CCR or SAM 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 or SAM 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 registration annually. This may take three or more
business days to complete. Information about SAM is available at
SAM.gov.
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 at the
following Grants.gov Web page: www.grants.gov/applicants/get_registered.jsp.
7. Other Submission Requirements: Applications for grants under
this competition must be submitted electronically unless you qualify
for an exception to this requirement in accordance with the
instructions in this section.
a. Electronic Submission of Applications.
Applications for grants under the Stepping-up Technology
Implementation competition, CFDA number 84.327S, must be submitted
electronically using the Governmentwide Grants.gov Apply site at
www.Grants.gov. Through this site, you will be able to download a copy
of the application package, complete it offline, and then upload and
submit your application. You may not email an electronic copy of a
grant application to us.
We will reject your application if you submit it in paper format
unless, as described elsewhere in this section, you qualify for one of
the exceptions to the electronic submission requirement and submit, no
later than two weeks before the application deadline date, a written
statement to the Department that you qualify for one of these
exceptions. Further information regarding calculation of the date that
is two weeks before the application deadline date is provided later in
this section under Exception to Electronic Submission Requirement.
You may access the electronic grant application for Stepping-up
Technology Implementation at www.Grants.gov. You must search for the
downloadable application package for this competition by the CFDA
number. Do not include the CFDA number's alpha suffix in your search
(e.g., search for 84.327, not 84.327S).
Please note the following:
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 competition 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 www.G5.gov.
[[Page 6311]]
You will not receive additional point value because you
submit your application in electronic format, nor will we penalize you
if you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission
requirement, as described elsewhere in this section, and submit your
application in paper format.
You must submit all documents electronically, including
all information you typically provide on the following forms: the
Application for Federal Assistance (SF 424), the Department of
Education Supplemental Information for SF 424, Budget Information--Non-
Construction Programs (ED 524), and all necessary assurances and
certifications.
You must upload any narrative sections and all other
attachments to your application as files in a PDF (Portable Document)
read-only, non-modifiable format. Do not upload an interactive or
fillable PDF file. If you upload a file type other than a read-only,
non-modifiable PDF or submit a password-protected file, we will not
review that material. Additional, detailed information on how to attach
files is in the application instructions.
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 email. 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.
Exception to Electronic Submission Requirement: You qualify for an
exception to the electronic submission requirement, and may submit your
application in paper format, if you are unable to submit an application
through the Grants.gov system because--
You do not have access to the Internet; or
You do not have the capacity to upload large documents to
the Grants.gov system; and
No later than two weeks before the application deadline
date (14 calendar days or, if the fourteenth calendar day before the
application deadline date falls on a Federal holiday, the next business
day following the Federal holiday), you mail or fax a written statement
to the Department, explaining which of the two grounds for an exception
prevent you from using the Internet to submit your application.
If you mail your written statement to the Department, it must be
postmarked no later than two weeks before the application deadline
date. If you fax your written statement to the Department, we must
receive the faxed statement no later than two weeks before the
application deadline date.
Address and mail or fax your statement to: Terry Jackson, U.S.
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., room 4081, Potomac
Center Plaza (PCP), Washington, DC 20202-2600. FAX: (202) 245-7617.
Your paper application must be submitted in accordance with the
mail or hand delivery instructions described in this notice.
b. Submission of Paper Applications by Mail.
If you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission
requirement, you may mail (through the U.S. Postal Service or a
commercial carrier) your application to the Department. 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 84.327S), LBJ Basement Level 1, 400 Maryland Avenue SW.,
Washington, DC 20202-4260.
You must show proof of mailing consisting of one of the following:
(1) A legibly dated U.S. Postal Service postmark.
(2) A legible mail receipt with the date of mailing stamped by the
U.S. Postal Service.
(3) A dated shipping label, invoice, or receipt from a commercial
carrier.
(4) Any other proof of mailing acceptable to the Secretary of the
U.S. Department of Education.
If you mail your application through the U.S. Postal Service, we do
not accept either of the following as proof of mailing:
(1) A private metered postmark.
(2) A mail receipt that is not dated by the U.S. Postal Service.
If your application is postmarked after the application deadline
date, we will not consider your application.
Note: The U.S. Postal Service does not uniformly provide a dated
postmark. Before relying on this method, you should check with your
local post office.
c. Submission of Paper Applications by Hand Delivery.
If you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission
requirement, you (or a courier service) may deliver your paper
application to the Department by hand. You 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 84.327S), 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.
[[Page 6312]]
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, achievement of project objectives, 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 section 682(b) of 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; or we may send you an email containing a link to
access an electronic version of your 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 www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/appforms/appforms.html.
4. Performance Measures: Under the Government Performance and
Results Act of 1993 (GPRA), the Department has established a set of
performance measures, including long-term measures, that are designed
to yield information on various aspects of the effectiveness and
quality of the Educational Technology, Media, and Materials for
Individuals with Disabilities Program. These measures are included in
the application package and focus on the extent to which projects are
of high quality, are relevant to improving outcomes of children with
disabilities, contribute to improving outcomes for children with
disabilities, and generate evidence of validity and availability to
appropriate populations. Projects funded under this competition are
required to submit data on these measures as directed by OSEP. Grantees
also will be required to report information on their projects'
performance in annual and final performance reports to the Department
(34 CFR 75.590).
5. Continuation Awards: In making a continuation award, the
Secretary may consider, under 34 CFR 75.253, the extent to which a
grantee has made ``substantial progress toward meeting the objectives
in its approved application.'' This consideration includes the review
of a grantee's progress in meeting the targets and projected outcomes
in its approved application, and whether the grantee has expended funds
in a manner that is consistent with its approved application and
budget. In making a continuation grant, the Secretary also considers
whether the grantee is operating in compliance with the assurances in
its approved application, including those applicable to Federal civil
rights laws that prohibit discrimination in programs or activities
receiving Federal financial assistance from the Department (34 CFR
100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).
VII. Agency Contact
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Terry Jackson, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., room 4081, PCP, Washington, DC
20202-2600. Telephone: (202) 245-6039.
If you use a TDD or a TTY, call the Federal Relay Service (FRS),
toll free, at 1-800-877-8339.
[[Page 6313]]
VIII. Other Information
Accessible Format: Individuals with disabilities can obtain this
document and a copy of the application package in an accessible format
(e.g., braille, large print, audiotape, or compact disc) by contacting
the Grants and Contracts Services Team, U.S. Department of Education,
400 Maryland Avenue SW., room 5075, PCP, Washington, DC 20202-2550.
Telephone: (202) 245-7363. If you use a TDD or a TTY, call the FRS,
toll free, at 1-800-877-8339.
Electronic Access to This Document: The official version of this
document is the document published in the Federal Register. Free
Internet access to the official edition of the Federal Register and the
Code of Federal Regulations is available via the Federal Digital System
at: www.gpo.gov/fdsys. At this site you can view this document, as well
as all other documents of this Department published in the Federal
Register, in text or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF). To use PDF
you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available free at the
site.
You may also access documents of the Department published in the
Federal Register by using the article search feature at:
www.federalregister.gov. Specifically, through the advanced search
feature at this site, you can limit your search to documents published
by the Department.
Dated: January 24, 2013.
Michael Yudin,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative
Services.
[FR Doc. 2013-01998 Filed 1-29-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P