Applications for New Awards; Training and Information for Parents of Children With Disabilities-Parent Training and Information Centers, 24395-24401 [2013-09806]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 80 (Thursday, April 25, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24395-24401]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-09806]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Applications for New Awards; Training and Information for Parents 
of Children With Disabilities--Parent Training and Information Centers

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

ACTION: Notice.

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    Overview Information: Training and Information for Parents of 
Children with Disabilities--Parent Training and Information Centers 
Notice inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY) 2013.

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.328M.

    Dates:
    Applications Available: April 25, 2013.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: June 10, 2013.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: August 8, 2013.

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Purpose of Program: The purpose of this program is to ensure that 
parents of children with disabilities receive training and information 
to help improve results for their children.
    Priority: In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(iv) and (v), this 
priority is from allowable activities specified in the statute, or 
otherwise authorized in the statute (see sections 671 and 681(d) of the 
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)).
    Absolute Priority: For FY 2013 and any subsequent year in which we 
make awards from the list of unfunded applicants from this competition, 
this is an absolute priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3), for this 
competition, we consider only applications that meet this priority.
    This priority is:
    Parent Training and Information Centers.
    Background:
    Almost 35 years of research and experience has demonstrated that 
the education of children with disabilities can be made more effective 
by strengthening the ability of parents to participate fully in the 
education of their children at school and at home (see section 
601(c)(5)(B) of IDEA).
    This notice announces a priority designed to help ensure that 
parents of children with disabilities have the training and information 
they need to participate in the education of their children.
    Parent Training and Information Centers (PTIs) are designed to meet 
the needs of parents of children with disabilities living in the 
States, regions of the States, or territories served by the PTIs, 
particularly underserved parents and parents of children who may be 
inappropriately identified as having a disability. Under this priority, 
PTIs will, consistent with section 671 of IDEA, provide parents of 
children with disabilities with the training and information they need 
to enable them to participate cooperatively and effectively in helping 
their children to--
    (a) Meet developmental and functional goals and the challenging 
academic achievement standards that have been established for all 
children; and
    (b) Be prepared to lead productive independent adult lives, to the 
maximum extent possible.
    The following Web site provides further information on the work of 
previously funded PTIs: www.parentcenternetwork.org.
    Priority:
    To be considered for funding under this absolute priority, 
applicants must meet the application requirements contained in the 
priority. All projects funded under the absolute priority also must 
meet the programmatic and administrative requirements specified in the 
priority.
    Application Requirements: An applicant must include in its 
application--
    (a) A logic model that depicts, at a minimum, the goals, 
activities, outputs, and outcomes of the proposed project. A logic 
model communicates how a project will achieve its outcomes and provides 
a framework for both the formative and summative evaluations of the 
project;

    Note: The following Web sites provide more information on logic 
models: www.researchutilization.org/matrix/logicmodel_resource3c.html and https://archive.tadnet.org/model_and_performance?format=html.

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

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    (1) The three-day Leadership Conference in Washington, DC during 
each year of the project period.
    (2) The two-day Regional Technical Assistance for Parent Centers 
Conference, in the region in which the PTI is located, during each year 
of the project period. Applicants should refer to 
www.parentcenternetwork.org for a list of regions; and
    (e) A description specifying the special efforts the PTI will make 
to:
    (1) Ensure that the needs for training and information of 
underserved parents of children with disabilities in the area to be 
served, including parents of children attending high-poverty schools 
\1\ and the State's persistently lowest-achieving schools,\2\ are 
effectively met; and
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    \1\ For the purpose of this notice, the term ``high-poverty 
school'' means a school in which at least 50 percent of students are 
eligible for free or reduced-price lunches under the Richard B. 
Russell National School Lunch Act or in which at least 50 percent of 
students are from low-income families as determined using one of the 
criteria specified under section 1113(a)(5) of the Elementary and 
Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended. For middle and high 
schools, eligibility may be calculated on the basis of comparable 
data from feeder schools. Eligibility as a high-poverty school under 
this definition is determined on the basis of the most currently 
available data.
    \2\ For the purpose of this notice, 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 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 www2.ed.gov/programs/sif/.
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    (2) Work with community-based organizations, including those that 
work with low-income parents and parents of limited English proficient 
children.
    Project Activities: To meet the requirements of this priority, the 
PTI, at a minimum, must--
    (a) Maintain a Web site that contains, at a minimum, a current 
calendar of upcoming events, free informational publications for 
families, and links to webinars or other online multimedia resources. 
The Web site must also meet government or industry-recognized standards 
for accessibility. Applicants can find more information regarding Web 
site accessibility at: https://webaim.org;
    (b) Provide training and information that meets the training and 
information needs of parents of children with disabilities living in 
the area served by the PTI, particularly underserved parents and 
parents of children who may be inappropriately identified as having a 
disability and including parents of children attending high-poverty 
schools and the State's persistently lowest-achieving schools;
    (c) Serve the parents of infants, toddlers, and children from ages 
birth through 26, with the full range of disabilities described in 
section 602(3) of IDEA;
    (d) Ensure that the training and information provided meets the 
needs of low-income parents and parents of limited English proficient 
children;
    (e) Assist parents to--
    (1) Better understand the nature of their children's disabilities 
and their educational, developmental, and transitional needs;
    (2) Communicate effectively and work collaboratively with personnel 
responsible for providing special education, early intervention 
services, transition services, and related services;
    (3) Participate in decision-making processes, including those 
regarding participation in State and local assessments, and the 
development of individualized education programs under Part B of IDEA 
and individualized family service plans under Part C of IDEA;
    (4) Obtain appropriate information about the range, type, and 
quality of--
    (i) Options, programs, services, technologies, practices, and 
interventions that are based on scientifically based research, to the 
extent practicable; and
    (ii) Resources available to assist children with disabilities and 
their families in school and at home, including information available 
through the Office of Special Education's (OSEP's) technical assistance 
and dissemination centers (www.tadnet.org) and through communities of 
practice (www.tadnet.org/communities);
    (5) Understand the requirements of IDEA related to the provision of 
education and early intervention services to children with 
disabilities;
    (6) Participate in activities at the school level that benefit 
their children; and
    (7) Participate in school reform activities;
    (f) In States where the State elects to contract with the PTIs, 
contract with the State educational agency (SEA) to provide, consistent 
with subsections (B) and (D) of section 615(e)(2) of IDEA, individuals 
to meet with parents to explain the mediation process;
    (g) Assist parents in resolving disputes in the most expeditious 
and effective way possible, including encouraging the use, and 
explaining the benefits, of alternative methods of dispute resolution 
such as the mediation process described in section 615(e) of IDEA;
    (h) Assist parents and students with disabilities to understand 
their rights and responsibilities under IDEA, including those under 
section 615(m) of IDEA upon the student's reaching the age of majority 
(as appropriate under State law);
    (i) Assist parents to understand the availability of, and how to 
effectively use, procedural safeguards provided under IDEA, including 
the resolution session described in section 615(e);
    (j) Assist parents in understanding, preparing for, and 
participating in, the resolution session described in section 
615(f)(1)(B) of IDEA;
    (k) Establish cooperative partnerships with any Community Parent 
Resource Centers (CPRCs) and any other PTIs funded in the State under 
sections 672 and 671 of IDEA, respectively;
    (l) Network with appropriate clearinghouses, including 
organizations conducting national dissemination activities under 
section 663 of IDEA and the Department's Institute of Education 
Sciences, and with other national, State, and local organizations and 
agencies such as protection and advocacy agencies that serve parents 
and families of children with the full range of disabilities described 
in section 602(3) of IDEA;
    (m) Respond to requests from OSEP for information about the needs 
and experiences of parents served by the PTI to inform OSEP's analysis 
of State progress towards improving outcomes for children with 
disabilities;
    (n) Annually report to the Department on--
    (1) The number and demographics of parents to whom the PTI provided 
information and training in the most recently concluded fiscal year,

[[Page 24397]]

including additional information regarding the parents' unique needs 
and the levels of service provided to them; and
    (2) The effectiveness of strategies used to reach and serve 
parents, including underserved parents of children with disabilities 
such as parents of children attending high-poverty schools and the 
State's persistently lowest achieving schools, by providing evidence of 
how those parents were served effectively;
    (o) Respond to requests from the OSEP-funded National and Regional 
Parent Training Assistance Centers (PTACs) and use the technical 
assistance services of the National and Regional PTACs in order to 
serve the families of infants, toddlers, and children with disabilities 
as efficiently as possible. Regional PTACs are charged with assisting 
PTIs and CPRCs with administrative and programmatic issues;
    (p) In collaboration with OSEP and the National PTAC, participate 
in an annual collection of program data for the PTIs and CPRCs funded 
under sections 671 and 672 of IDEA, respectively; and
    (q) Maintain ongoing communication with the OSEP Project Officer 
through phone conversations and email communication.
    In addition, the PTI's board of directors must meet not less than 
once in each calendar quarter to review the activities for which the 
award was made, and annually submit to the Secretary a written review 
of the PTI's activities conducted during the preceding fiscal year.
    Waiver of Proposed Rulemaking: Under the Administrative Procedure 
Act (APA) (5 U.S.C. 553) the Department generally offers interested 
parties the opportunity to comment on proposed priorities and 
requirements. Section 681(d) of IDEA, however, makes the public comment 
requirements of the APA inapplicable to the priorities in this notice.

    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1471 and 1481.
    Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 81, 82, 84, 
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.

II. Award Information

    Type of Awards: Discretionary grants.
    Estimated Available Funds: $486,599.
    Maximum Award: We will reject any application that proposes a 
budget exceeding the following maximum amounts for a single budget 
period of 12 months:
    Arkansas: $258,634.
    Montana: $227,965.
    The Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative 
Services may change the maximum amount through a notice published in 
the Federal Register.

    Note:  We are accepting only applications that propose to serve 
Arkansas and Montana.

    Estimated Number of Awards: 2.

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

    Project Period: Up to 24 months.
    Estimated Project Awards: Project award amounts are for a single 
budget period of 12 months.
    The Department took into consideration current funding levels, 
population distribution, poverty rates, and low-density enrollment when 
determining the award amounts for grants under this competition. In the 
following States, one award may be made for up to the amounts listed to 
a qualified applicant for a PTI Center to serve the entire State.

Arkansas...................................................     $258,634
Montana....................................................     $227,965
 

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: Parent organizations.

    Note:  Section 671(a)(2) of IDEA defines a ``parent 
organization'' as a private nonprofit organization (other than an 
institution of higher education) that--
    (a) Has a board of directors--
    (1) The majority of whom are parents of children with 
disabilities ages birth through 26;
    (2) That includes--
    (i) Individuals working in the fields of special education, 
related services, and early intervention; and
    (ii) Individuals with disabilities; and
    (3) The parent and professional members of which are broadly 
representative of the population to be served, including low-income 
parents and parents of limited English proficient children; and
    (b) Has as its mission serving families of children with 
disabilities who are ages birth through 26, and have the full range 
of disabilities described in section 602(3) of IDEA.

    2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This program does not require cost 
sharing or matching.
    3. Other: General Requirements--(a) The projects funded under this 
program must make positive efforts to employ and advance in employment 
qualified individuals with disabilities (see section 606 of IDEA).
    (b) Applicants and grant recipients funded under this program must 
involve individuals with disabilities or parents of individuals with 
disabilities ages birth through 26 in planning, implementing, and 
evaluating the projects (see section 682(a)(1)(A) of IDEA).

IV. Application and Submission Information

    1. Address to Request Application Package: You can obtain an 
application package via the Internet, or from either the Education 
Publications Center (ED Pubs) or the program office.
    To obtain a copy via the Internet, use the following address: 
www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/grantapps/. To obtain a copy from 
ED Pubs, write, fax, or call the following: ED Pubs, U.S. Department of 
Education, P.O. Box 22207, Alexandria, VA 22304. Telephone, toll free: 
1-877-433-7827. FAX: (703) 605-6794. If you use a telecommunications 
device for the deaf (TDD) 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 the competition to which you want to apply, as follows: CFDA 
Number 84.328M.
    To obtain a copy from the program office, contact: Carmen Sanchez, 
U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., room 4057, 
Potomac Center Plaza (PCP), Washington DC 20202-2600. Telephone: (202) 
245-6595. If you use a TDD or TTY, call the Federal Relay Service 
(FRS), toll free, at 1-800-877-8339.
    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 70 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,

[[Page 24398]]

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, 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: April 25, 2013.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: June 10, 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: August 8, 2013.
    4. Intergovernmental Review: This program is subject to Executive 
Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79. Information about 
Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs under Executive Order 
12372 is in the application package for this competition.
    5. Funding Restrictions: We reference regulations outlining funding 
restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.
    6. 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, the Board Chair of the parent organization applying 
for a grant must (1) be designated by the organization as an Authorized 
Organization Representative (AOR); and (2) register 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 Parent Training and Information 
Centers competition, CFDA number 84.328M, 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 the Parent 
Training and Information Centers competition at www.Grants.gov. You 
must search for the downloadable application package for this program 
by the CFDA number. Do not include the CFDA number's alpha suffix in 
your search (e.g., search for 84.328, not 84.328M).
    Please note the following:
     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.

[[Page 24399]]

     The amount of time it can take to upload an application 
will vary depending on a variety of factors, including the size of the 
application and the speed of your Internet connection. Therefore, we 
strongly recommend that you do not wait until the application deadline 
date to begin the submission process through Grants.gov.
     You should review and follow the Education Submission 
Procedures for submitting an application through Grants.gov that are 
included in the application package for this program to ensure that you 
submit your application in a timely manner to the Grants.gov system. 
You can also find the Education Submission Procedures pertaining to 
Grants.gov under News and Events on the Department's G5 system home 
page at www.G5.gov.
     You will not receive additional point value because you 
submit your application in electronic format, nor will we penalize you 
if you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission 
requirement, as described elsewhere in this section, and you submit 
your application in paper format.
     You must submit all documents electronically, including 
all information you typically provide on the following forms: the 
Application for Federal Assistance (SF 424), the Department of 
Education Supplemental Information for SF 424, Budget Information--Non-
Construction Programs (ED 524), and all necessary assurances and 
certifications.
     You must 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: Carmen Sanchez, U.S. 
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 4057, 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 84.328M), LBJ Basement Level 1, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., 
Washington, DC 20202-4260.
    You must show proof of mailing consisting of one of the following:
    (1) A legibly dated U.S. Postal Service postmark.
    (2) A legible mail receipt with the date of mailing stamped by the 
U.S. Postal Service.
    (3) A dated shipping label, invoice, or receipt from a commercial 
carrier.
    (4) Any other proof of mailing acceptable to the Secretary of the 
U.S. Department of Education.
    If you mail your application through the U.S. Postal Service, we do 
not accept either of the following as proof of mailing:
    (1) A private metered postmark.
    (2) A mail receipt that is not dated by the U.S. Postal Service.
    If your application is postmarked after the application deadline 
date, we will not consider your application.

    Note:  The U.S. Postal Service does not uniformly provide a 
dated postmark. Before

[[Page 24400]]

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) 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 84.328M), 550 12th Street SW., Room 7041, Potomac Center Plaza, 
Washington, DC 20202-4260.
    The Application Control Center accepts hand deliveries daily 
between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, except 
Saturdays, Sundays, and Federal holidays.

    Note for Mail or Hand Delivery of Paper Applications: If you 
mail or hand deliver your application to the Department--
    (1) You must indicate on the envelope and--if not provided by 
the Department--in Item 11 of the SF 424 the CFDA number, including 
suffix letter, if any, of the competition under which you are 
submitting your application; and
    (2) The Application Control Center will mail to you a 
notification of receipt of your grant application. If you do not 
receive this notification within 15 business days from the 
application deadline date, you should call the U.S. Department of 
Education Application Control Center at (202) 245-6288.

V. Application Review Information

    1. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this program are 
from 34 CFR 75.210 and are listed in the application package.
    2. Review and Selection Process: We remind potential applicants 
that in reviewing applications in any discretionary grant competition, 
the Secretary may consider, under 34 CFR 75.217(d)(3), the past 
performance of the applicant in carrying out a previous award, such as 
the applicant's use of funds, 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, the Department has established a set of 
performance measures, including long-term measures, that are designed 
to yield information on various aspects of the effectiveness and 
quality of the Training and Information for Parents of Children with 
Disabilities program. The measures focus on the extent to which 
projects provide high-quality materials, the relevance of project 
products and services to educational and early intervention policy and 
practice, and the usefulness of products and services to improve 
educational and early intervention policy and practice.
    Grantees will be required to provide information related to these 
measures in annual reports submitted to the Department.
    Grantees also will be required to report information on their 
projects' performance in annual reports to the Department (34 CFR 
75.590).
    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 award, the Secretary also considers 
whether the grantee is operating in

[[Page 24401]]

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 Contacts

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carmen Sanchez, U.S. Department of 
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 4057, PCP, Washington, DC 
20202-2600. Telephone: (202) 245-6595.
    If you use a TDD or a TTY, call the FRS, toll free, at 1-800-877-
8339.

VIII. Other Information

    Accessible Format: Individuals with disabilities can obtain this 
document and a copy of the application package in an accessible format 
(e.g., braille, large print, audiotape, or computer 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: April 22, 2013.
Michael Yudin,
Delegated the authority to perform the functions and duties of the 
Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.
[FR Doc. 2013-09806 Filed 4-24-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P