Applications for New Awards; Technical Assistance and Dissemination To Improve Services and Results for Children With Disabilities-State Technical Assistance Projects To Improve Services and Results for Children Who Are Deaf-Blind and National Technical Assistance and Dissemination Center for Children Who Are Deaf-Blind, 39260-39271 [2013-15715]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Applications for New Awards;
Technical Assistance and
Dissemination To Improve Services
and Results for Children With
Disabilities—State Technical
Assistance Projects To Improve
Services and Results for Children Who
Are Deaf-Blind and National Technical
Assistance and Dissemination Center
for Children Who Are Deaf-Blind
Office of Special Education and
Rehabilitative Services, Department of
Education.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
Overview Information:
Technical Assistance and
Dissemination to Improve Services and
Results for Children with Disabilities—
State Technical Assistance Projects to
Improve Services and Results for
Children Who Are Deaf-Blind and
National Technical Assistance and
Dissemination Center for Children Who
Are Deaf-Blind Notice inviting
applications for new awards for fiscal
year (FY) 2013.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance
(CFDA) Number: 84.326T.
DATES:
Applications Available: July 1, 2013.
Deadline for Transmittal of
Applications: August 15, 2013.
Full Text of Announcement
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I. Funding Opportunity Description
Purpose of Program: The purpose of
the Technical Assistance and
Dissemination to Improve Services and
Results for Children with Disabilities
program is to promote academic
achievement and to improve results for
children with disabilities by providing
technical assistance (TA), supporting
model demonstration projects,
disseminating useful information, and
implementing activities that are
supported by scientifically based
research.
Priority: In accordance with 34 CFR
75.105(b)(2)(v), this priority is from
allowable activities specified or
otherwise authorized in the statute (see
sections 663 and 681(d) of the
Individuals with Disabilities Education
Act (IDEA), 20 U.S.C. 1463 and
1481(d)).
Absolute Priority: For FY 2013 and
any subsequent year in which we make
awards from the list of unfunded
applicants from this competition, this
priority is an absolute priority. Under 34
CFR 75.105(c)(3) we consider only
applications that meet this priority.
This priority is:
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State Technical Assistance Projects to
Improve Services and Results for
Children Who Are Deaf-Blind and
National Technical Assistance and
Dissemination Center for Children Who
Are Deaf-Blind.
Background:
The purpose of this priority is to
support State Technical Assistance
Projects to Improve Services and Results
for Children Who Are Deaf-Blind and to
support a National Technical Assistance
and Dissemination Center for Children
Who Are Deaf-Blind. The State
Technical Assistance Projects will help
State educational agencies (SEAs), Part
C lead agencies (LAs), local educational
agencies (LEAs), early intervention
services (EIS) providers, teachers,
service providers, and families to
address the educational, related
services, transitional, and early
intervention needs of children who are
deaf-blind to ensure that these children
will graduate from high school ready for
college and a career.
The National Technical Assistance
Center will provide technical assistance
and support to the State Technical
Assistance Projects in addressing these
needs, including by working in concert
with States’ Deaf-Blind Technical
Assistance Projects, as appropriate, to
provide specialized TA, training,
dissemination, and informational
services to agencies and organizations,
professionals, families, and others
involved in providing services to
children who are deaf-blind.
The Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act (IDEA) requires that the
Secretary reserve a portion of IDEA Part
D funds each year to address the needs
of children with deaf-blindness (see
section 682(d)(1)(A) of IDEA, 20 U.S.C.
1482(d)). Authorized activities include
providing TA to professionals and
others involved in providing services
that promote academic achievement and
improved results for children who are
deaf-blind. The services to be provided
include TA on implementing evidencebased practices to schools and agencies
serving children who are deaf-blind and
their families to improve educational
results and functional outcomes. For
purposes of this notice, the term
‘‘children who are deaf-blind’’ refers to
infants, toddlers, children, youth, and
young adults (birth-21) who are deafblind.
Children who are deaf-blind are
among the most vulnerable, at-risk
students because they have varying
degrees of hearing and vision loss that
is often complicated by other
disabilities or health issues. In the early
1970s, children who were deaf-blind
were primarily served in segregated
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programs in residential schools and
State institutions.
Today, more than 60 percent of
children who are deaf-blind attend local
schools rather than separate schools or
facilities. Sixty-five percent of
elementary school-age children who are
deaf-blind spend at least a portion of
their day in a regular classroom in their
local school (National Consortium on
Deaf-Blindness, 2012). As a result,
direct, targeted, and intensive TA to
staff in LEAs, schools, EIS providers,
and classrooms is needed to ensure a
free appropriate public education
(FAPE) for children who are deaf-blind
(Kamenopoulou, 2012).
Through the projects that the Office of
Special Education Programs (OSEP) has
supported and other research, we know
that direct and intensive supports and
services are critical in order for children
who are deaf-blind to succeed in a
general education environment.
Although improvements have been
made in recent years, many of the
approximately 10,000 children who are
deaf-blind remain isolated and
disconnected from people and activities
in their homes, schools, and
communities because they are not
provided the individualized supports
necessary to access visual and auditory
information and overcome other barriers
to social inclusion and participation
(Kamenopoulou, 2012). Without these
individualized supports to access visual
and auditory information (i.e.,
environmental information, such as who
is present, what is being said, and what
activities are occurring), children who
are deaf-blind are at greater risk for not
attaining age-appropriate milestones in
communication and language, social
skills, and activities of daily living,
which in turn affects their educational
outcomes (Emerson & Bishop, 2012).
Consequently, children who are deafblind often exit school at age 22 without
viable postsecondary educational
opportunities, employment, or
independent living options (Smale,
2010).
Further, because deaf-blindness is a
very low-incidence disability, most
SEAs, LEAs, LAs, and EIS providers
lack the necessary program supports
and services, and sufficient personnel
with the specialized training,
experience, and skills, needed to
provide appropriate early intervention,
special education, and related services
to children who are deaf-blind (Bruce,
2007; National Center on Severe and
Sensory Disabilities, 2009; National
Center on Low-Incidence Disabilities,
2005). In addition, because children
who are deaf-blind are living at home
instead of in residential settings, their
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families, schools, and EIS providers
require extensive support to ensure that
these children remain in communitybased educational and living
environments (Kamenopoulou, 2012).
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State Deaf-Blind Technical Assistance
Projects
Following the enactment of IDEA in
1975, OSEP developed a national TA
system comprised of State Deaf-Blind
Technical Assistance Projects that was
designed to ensure that support was
available for children who are deafblind and who attended their local
schools.
In 2008, the Department funded 51
five-year State Deaf-Blind Technical
Assistance Projects to facilitate
collaborative partnerships among family
members of children who are deafblind; early intervention, special and
regular education, and related services
personnel; and SEAs, LEAs, LAs, and
EIS providers to develop and implement
individualized supports designed to
improve children’s educational results
and functional outcomes.
In concert with the National
Technical Assistance and Dissemination
Center for Children Who Are Deaf-Blind
(National Center), this direct, targeted,
and intensive TA provided by State
Deaf-Blind Technical Assistance
Projects to EIS providers, LEAs, schools,
and classrooms has helped to ensure
that family members, EIS providers,
special and regular education teachers,
and related services personnel have
access to the specialized training and
tools needed to address the early
intervention, educational, related
services, and secondary transition needs
of children who are deaf-blind.
National Technical Assistance and
Dissemination Center
In 2006, the Department funded the
National Center to provide specialized
TA, training, dissemination, and
informational services to State DeafBlind Technical Assistance Projects. In
2011, the Secretary extended the grant
to the National Center for an additional
two years. Working in concert with
State Deaf-Blind Technical Assistance
Projects, the National Center provides
specialized training and other supports
for SEAs, LAs, families of children who
are deaf-blind, and other agencies and
organizations that are responsible for
providing early intervention, special
education, related services, and
secondary transition services for
children through age 26 who are deafblind (Notice Inviting Applications for
New Awards for FY 2006; 70 FR 76040).
The National Center’s activities have
led to improvements in direct, targeted,
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and intensive TA services. In
cooperation with the Department, the
National Center developed training for
State Deaf-Blind Technical Assistance
Project staff in order to increase their
participation in a collaborative network
of State deaf-blind TA projects. Using
advances in communication and social
media, the National Center further
facilitated, in collaboration with the
State Deaf-Blind Technical Assistance
Projects, the delivery of TA and training
by providing critical tools for teachers
and service providers to use at the
classroom level. For further information
on the current National Center, go to
www.nationaldb.org/.
This priority seeks to build upon the
work of the State Deaf-Blind Technical
Assistance Projects and the National
Center to further improve services and
results for children who are deaf-blind.
Specifically, through this priority, our
goal is to: Ensure the delivery of highquality TA and training to personnel in
schools, classrooms, and EIS providers
where children who are deaf-blind are
served to improve their academic and
social outcomes; empower children who
are deaf-blind to engage in self-advocacy
so that they are better positioned for
independent living; increase the ability
of SEAs, LEAs, LAs, EIS providers, and
other agencies to use evidence-based
practices to improve outcomes for
children who are deaf-blind; increase
the ability of SEAs, LEAs, LAs, EIS
providers, and other agencies to identify
and adopt effective policies and
practices to appropriately identify and
serve children who are deaf-blind; and
ensure that data are gathered and
reported to the National Center for the
annual National Child Count of children
who are deaf-blind.
For the first time, we will also be
allowing eligible entities to compete to
serve multi-State regions. We hope to
improve both the quality of the TA and
other services provided through these
projects and the efficiency with which
the services are provided by giving
States the flexibility to apply directly for
funding, as they have in the past, to
participate as a member of a multi-State
consortium, or to participate in a
regional TA project.
Priority:
For the purpose of this competition,
we have separated the absolute priority
into two focus areas—State and MultiState Technical Assistance Projects
(Focus Area A) and a National
Technical Assistance and Dissemination
Center (Focus Area B). Applicants must
identify whether they are applying
under Focus Area A, Focus Area B, or
both. As the program and application
requirements for the two focus areas are
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different, applicants must ensure that
they have met all applicable
requirements.
Focus Area A: State and Multi-State
Technical Assistance Projects to
Improve Services and Results for
Children Who Are Deaf-Blind.
Under Focus Area A, the Department
will fund grants to establish and operate
State or multi-State Deaf-Blind
Technical Assistance Projects (projects)
to improve services and results for
children who are deaf-blind. Grants are
available to support projects in all
States. The District of Columbia, Puerto
Rico, the United States Virgin Islands,
and the outlying areas and freely
associated States are States for purposes
of this priority. Because the Bureau of
Indian Affairs is not a State, it will not
be eligible for a State grant under this
priority. Funds awarded under this
priority may not be used to provide
direct early intervention services under
Part C of IDEA, or direct special
education and related services under
Part B of IDEA.
Projects funded under this priority
must, at a minimum: (1) Deliver TA and
training necessary to improve outcomes
for children who are deaf-blind to
personnel in the schools, classrooms, or
EIS providers, where a child who is
deaf-blind is served; (2) through
collaboration with the federally funded
Parent Centers (National and Regional
Parent Technical Assistance Centers,
Parent Training and Information Centers
and Community Parent Resource
Centers), provide training and supports
to families of children who are deafblind so that they can successfully
advocate on behalf of their children and
help ensure that their children are better
positioned for independent living; (3)
increase the ability of SEAs, LEAs, LAs,
EIS providers, and other agencies to use
evidence-based practices to improve
outcomes for children who are deafblind, including ensuring that these
children will graduate from high school
ready for college and a career; (4)
increase the ability of SEAs, LEAs, LAs,
EIS providers, and other agencies to
develop policies and practices to
improve outcomes for children who are
deaf-blind; and (5) provide data to the
National Center for the annual National
Child Count of children who are deafblind.
In addition to these programmatic
requirements, to be considered for
funding under Focus A of this absolute
priority, applicants must meet the
following application and
administrative requirements. We
encourage innovative approaches to
meet them:
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Application Requirements. An
applicant must—
(a) Demonstrate, in the narrative
section of the application under
‘‘Significance of the Project,’’ how the
proposed project will—
(1) Provide EIS providers; special
education teachers; regular education
teachers; related services personnel; and
SEA, LEA, LA, and EIS provider
administrators with the training and
information needed to develop and
implement individualized supports to
ensure that children who are deaf-blind
have access to the general education
curriculum and will graduate from high
school ready for college and a career;
(2) Ensure that family members of
children who are deaf-blind have the
training and information needed to
maintain and improve productive
partnerships with service providers.
To address the requirements of
paragraphs (1) and (2), the applicant
must—
(i) Describe applicable State, regional,
or local data (and, in the case of an
application for a consortium or region,
data for each State that the consortium
or region proposes to serve)
demonstrating the applicant’s
knowledge of the training and
information needs of EIS providers,
special and regular education teachers,
related services personnel, and family
members identified in paragraphs (1)
and (2), taking into account the critical
needs of the diverse deaf-blind
population and the geographical
distribution of children who are deafblind;
(ii) Demonstrate knowledge of current
educational issues and policy initiatives
in educating children who are deafblind, including any State-specific
policy initiatives and how the applicant
will support their implementation; and
(iii) Describe the current state of
practice in implementing effective TA
for SEAs, LEAs, LAs, and EIS providers
and others who provide services that
promote academic achievement and
improved results for children who are
deaf-blind.
(3) Improve educational outcomes for
children who are deaf-blind, and the
likely magnitude or importance of the
outcomes.
(b) Demonstrate, in the narrative
section of the application under
‘‘Quality of the Project Services,’’ how
the proposed project will—
(1) Identify the TA and training needs
of the intended recipients;
(2) Ensure that services meet the
needs of the intended recipients and
that any products are first approved by
the OSEP project officer and then
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developed in coordination with the
National Center;
(3) Achieve its goals, objectives, and
intended outcomes. To meet this
requirement, the applicant must
provide—
(i) Measureable intended project
outcomes; and
(ii) The theory of action (i.e., logic
model) on how the proposed project
will achieve its intended outcomes.
(4) Use a conceptual framework to
guide the development of project plans
and activities, describing any
underlying concepts, assumptions,
expectations, beliefs, or theories, as well
as the presumed relationship or linkages
among these variables, and any
empirical support for this framework;
(5) Be based on current research and
evidence-based practices. To meet this
requirement, the applicant must
describe—
(i) The current research and evidencebased practices on ensuring access to
the general education curriculum and
improving educational results and
functional outcomes for children who
are deaf-blind, including graduating
from high school ready for college and
a career;
(ii) How the project will incorporate
current research and evidence-based
practices on effective training and
professional development, and how the
project will incorporate the training and
TA to the family members and
practitioners identified in paragraph (a);
and
(iii) The process the proposed project
will use to incorporate current research
and evidence-based practices in the
development and delivery of its
products and services.
(6) Develop and provide services that
are of sufficient quality, intensity, and
duration to achieve the intended
outcomes of the proposed project. To
address this requirement, the applicant
must describe—
(i) Its proposed activities to identify or
develop a knowledge base of evidencebased practices addressing the early
intervention, related services,
educational, transitional, and functional
needs of children who are deaf-blind;
(ii) Its proposed approach to
universal, general TA,1 including the
1 Within the context of State or multi-State DeafBlind Projects, ‘‘universal, general TA’’ means TA
and information provided to independent users
through their own initiative resulting in minimal
interaction with project staff and including onetime, invited or offered conference presentations by
project staff. This category of TA also includes
information or products, such as newsletters,
guidebooks, or research syntheses, downloaded
from the project’s Web site by independent users.
Brief communications by project staff with
recipients, either by telephone or email, are also
considered universal, general TA.
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intended recipients of products and
services;
(iii) Its proposed approach to targeted,
specialized TA,2 including the intended
recipients of products and services; and
(iv) Its proposed approach to
intensive, sustained TA,3 including the
intended recipients of products and
services. To address this requirement,
the applicant must describe—
(A) Its proposed approach to measure
the readiness of the SEAs, LEAs, LAs,
EIS providers, and Parent Centers to
work with the proposed project,
including their commitment to the
project initiatives, current
infrastructure, available resources,
ability to build supports for families,
and ability to enable SEAs, LEAs, LAs,
and EIS providers to provide TA and
training to teachers, EIS providers, and
other service providers;
(B) Its proposed plan for assisting
LEAs and EIS providers to build
professional development systems based
on the current research and evidencebased practices on effective training and
professional development; and
(C) Its proposed plan for working with
individuals and entities at each level of
the education system (e.g., SEAs, LEAs,
LAs, EIS providers, schools, and
families) to ensure communication
among the different groups and that
there are systems in place to support the
use of best practices for educating
children who are deaf-blind.
(7) Implement services in
collaboration with the National Center
to maximize effectiveness of the TA
within the State(s) served. To address
this requirement, the applicant must
describe—
(i) How the proposed project will use
technology to achieve the proposed
project outcomes;
2 Within the context of State or multi-State DeafBlind Projects, ‘‘targeted, specialized TA’’ means
TA service based on needs common to multiple
recipients and not extensively individualized. A
relationship is established between the TA recipient
and one or more project staff. This category of TA
includes one-time, labor-intensive events, such as
facilitating strategic planning or hosting regional or
national conferences. It can also include episodic,
less labor-intensive events that extend over a period
of time, such as facilitating a series of conference
calls on single or multiple topics that are designed
around the needs of the recipients. Facilitating
communities of practice can also be considered
targeted, specialized TA.
3 Within the context of State or multi-State DeafBlind Projects, ‘‘intensive, sustained TA’’ means TA
services often provided on-site and requiring a
stable, ongoing relationship between the project
staff and the TA recipient. ‘‘TA services’’ are
defined as a negotiated series of activities designed
to reach a valued outcome. This category of TA
should result in changes to policy, program,
practice, or operations that support increased
recipient capacity and improved outcomes at one or
more systems levels.
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(ii) With whom the proposed project
will collaborate and the intended
outcomes of this collaboration;
(iii) How the proposed project will
use non-project resources to achieve the
proposed project outcomes; and
(iv) How the applicant will facilitate
States’ ability to use and benefit from
the National Center’s initiatives,
products, and TA, including those
initiatives that cross regional and
consortium boundaries.
(c) Demonstrate, in the narrative
section of the application under
‘‘Quality of the Evaluation Plan,’’ how—
(1) The proposed project will collect
and analyze data on specific and
measurable goals, objectives, and
outcomes of the project. To address this
requirement, the applicant must
describe—
(i) The proposed evaluation
methodologies, including instruments,
data collection methods, and possible
analyses;
(ii) The proposed standards or targets
for determining effectiveness; and
(iii) The proposed methods for
collecting data on implementation
supports and fidelity of implementation.
(2) The proposed project will use the
evaluation results to examine the
effectiveness of the project’s
implementation strategies and the
progress toward achieving intended
outcomes; and
(3) The methods of evaluation will
produce quantitative and qualitative
data that demonstrate whether the
project achieved the intended outcomes.
(d) Demonstrate, in the narrative
section of the application under
‘‘Adequacy of Project Resources,’’
how—
(1) The proposed project will
encourage applications for employment
from persons who are members of
groups that have traditionally been
underrepresented based on race, color,
national origin, linguistic diversity,
gender, age, or disability, as appropriate;
(2) The proposed key project
personnel, consultants, and
subcontractors have the qualifications
and experience to carry out the
proposed activities and achieve the
project’s intended outcomes;
(3) The applicant and any key
partners have adequate resources to
carry out the proposed activities; and
(4) The proposed costs are reasonable
in relation to the anticipated results and
benefits.
(e) Demonstrate, in the narrative
section of the application under
‘‘Quality of the Management Plan,’’
how—
(1) The proposed management plan
will ensure that the project’s intended
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outcomes will be achieved on time and
within budget. To address this
requirement, the applicant must
describe—
(i) Clearly defined responsibilities for
key project personnel, consultants, and
subcontractors, as appropriate; and
(ii) Timelines and milestones for
accomplishing the project tasks.
(2) Key project personnel, and any
consultants and subcontractors, will be
allocated to the project and the
appropriateness and adequacy of these
time allocations to achieve the project’s
intended outcomes;
(3) The proposed management plan
will ensure that the products and
services provided are of high quality;
(4) The proposed project will benefit
from a diversity of perspectives,
including families, educators, TA
providers, researchers, and policy
makers, among others, in its
development and operation;
(5) If applicable, the members of a
consortium or region will receive
appropriate services; and
(6) If applicable, the proposed project
will ensure that the distribution of
resources is equitable within a
consortium or region.
(f) In the narrative under ‘‘Required
Project Assurances’’ or appendices as
directed, meet the following application
requirements—
(1) Include in Appendix A a logic
model that depicts, at a minimum, the
goals, activities, outputs, and intended
outcomes of the proposed project. A
logic model communicates how a
project will achieve its intended
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://www.tadnet.org/
pages/589;
(2) Include in Appendix A a visual
representation of the conceptual
framework, if a visual representation is
developed;
(3) Include in Appendix A charts and
timelines, as appropriate, to illustrate
the management plan described in the
narrative;
(4) Include in the budget attendance
at the following:
(i) A one-day planning meeting
preceding the project directors’
conference held in Washington, DC, in
coordination with the National Center
and an annual planning meeting with
the OSEP project officer and other
relevant staff during each subsequent
year of the project period;
(ii) A two and one-half day project
directors’ conference in Washington,
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DC, during each year of the project
period.
(5) Maintain a Web site that meets
government or industry-recognized
standards for accessibility.
Note: Any entity applying to provide
services for a region is required to propose
to serve all of the States in the region. This
regional applicant must notify the SEAs in
each of the States in the region of its
intention to apply for funding, but is not
required to obtain approval from all of the
SEAs in the region in order to be eligible to
apply for funding. A State may choose to be
served by the regional applicant in order to
participate in the program, or may apply for
funding as part of a multi-State consortium
or by itself, as discussed in more detail
below. Individual States would not have to
submit applications if they opted to be served
by the regional applicant.
States are also invited to form
consortia to apply for funding under
Focus Area A of this priority in
accordance with EDGAR in 34 CFR
75.127 to 75.129. A consortium may be
comprised of any group of States and
would not be bound by the previously
described predefined regions.
Focus Area B: National Technical
Assistance and Dissemination Center for
Children Who Are Deaf-Blind.
Under Focus Area B, the Department
will fund a cooperative agreement to
establish and operate a National Center
on Deaf-Blindness that must, at a
minimum: (1) Increase the ability of
State and multi-State deaf-blind projects
to assist personnel in SEAs, LEAs, LAs,
and EIS providers to use evidence-based
practices and products to improve
outcomes for children who are deafblind; (2) develop evidence-based tools
and broadly disseminate evidence-based
tools to State or multi-State deaf-blind
projects and individuals and entities at
each level of the education system to
improve outcomes for children who are
deaf-blind; (3) in collaboration with the
Parent Centers, increase the ability of
State or multi-State deaf-blind projects
to provide training and supports to
families of children who are deaf-blind
so that they can successfully advocate
on behalf of their children and help
ensure that their children are better
positioned for independent living; (4)
enable State or multi-State deaf-blind
projects to develop policies and
practices to improve outcomes for
children who are deaf-blind; and (5)
conduct an annual National Child Count
of children who are deaf-blind, ensuring
that accurate data to inform practice is
presented in a way that is useful to
States.
To be considered for funding under
Focus B of this absolute priority,
applicants must meet the application
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and administrative requirements
contained in this priority. We encourage
innovative approaches to meet these
requirements, which are as follows:
Application Requirements. An
applicant must—
(a) Demonstrate, in the narrative
section of the application under
‘‘Significance of the Project,’’ how the
proposed project will work
collaboratively with the State Technical
Assistance Projects to—
(1) Ensure that State and multi-state
deaf-blind projects, SEAs, LEAs, LAs,
EIS providers, and organizations serving
family members of children who are
deaf-blind have the training and
information needed to enable them to
maintain and improve productive
partnerships with EIS providers, special
education teachers, regular education
teachers, and related services personnel;
and
(2) Provide State and multi-State deafblind projects, SEAs, LEAs, LAs, EIS
providers, and organizations serving
family members of children who are
deaf-blind with the training and
information needed to ensure that EIS
providers; special education teachers;
general education teachers; related
services personnel; and SEA, LEA, LA,
and EIS provider personnel have the
skills to develop and implement
individualized supports to ensure
children who are deaf-blind have access
to the general education curriculum and
graduate from high school ready for
college and a career.
To address the requirements of
paragraphs (1) and (2) the applicant
must—
(i) Describe applicable national, State,
regional, or local data demonstrating
knowledge of the training and
information needs of family members
and EIS providers, special education
teachers, regular education teachers,
and related services personnel, taking
into account the critical needs of the
diverse deaf-blind population, the
geographical distribution of children
who are deaf-blind, and the placement
opportunities for these children in
inclusive settings;
(ii) Demonstrate knowledge of current
educational issues and policy initiatives
in educating children who are deafblind; and
(iii) Present information about the
state of implementation of effective TA
systems in SEAs, LEAs, LAs, and EIS
providers serving professionals and
others involved in providing services
that promote academic achievement and
improved results for children who are
deaf-blind; and
(3) Result in improved educational
outcomes for children who are deaf-
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blind, and the likely magnitude or
importance of the outcomes.
(b) Demonstrate, in the narrative
section of the application under
‘‘Quality of the Project Services,’’ how
the proposed project will—
(1) Identify the needs of the intended
recipients of TA and training;
(2) Ensure that services and products
meet the needs of the intended
recipients;
(3) Achieve its goals, objectives, and
intended outcomes. To meet this
requirement, the applicant must
provide—
(i) Measureable intended project
outcomes; and
(ii) The theory of action (i.e., logic
model) on how the proposed project
will achieve its intended outcomes.
(4) Use a conceptual framework to
guide the development of project plans
and activities, describing any
underlying concepts, assumptions,
expectations, beliefs, or theories; the
presumed relationship or linkages
among these variables; and any
empirical support for this framework;
(5) Be based on current research and
evidence-based practices. To meet this
requirement, the applicant must
describe—
(i) The current research and evidencebased practices on ensuring access to
the general education curriculum and
improving educational results and
functional outcomes for children who
are deaf-blind, including graduating
from high school ready for college and
a career;
(ii) How the proposed project will
incorporate the current research and
evidence-based practices on effective
training and professional development
to support training and TA to the family
members and practitioners identified in
paragraph (a); and
(iii) The process the proposed project
will use to incorporate current research
and evidence-based practices in the
development and delivery of its
products and services;
(6) Develop products and provide
services that are of sufficient quality,
intensity, and duration to achieve the
intended outcomes of the proposed
project. To address this requirement, the
applicant must describe—
(i) Its proposed activities to identify or
develop a knowledge base of evidencebased practices addressing the early
intervention, related services,
educational, transitional, and functional
needs of children who are deaf-blind;
(ii) Its proposed approach to
universal, general TA,4 including the
4 Within the context of the National Center on
Deaf-Blindness, ‘‘universal, general TA’’ means TA
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intended recipients of products and
services;
(iii) Its proposed approach to targeted,
specialized TA,5 including the intended
recipients of products and services; and
(iv) Its proposed approach to
intensive, sustained TA,6 including the
intended recipients of products and
services. To address this requirement,
the applicant must describe—
(A) Its proposed approach to measure
the readiness of State or multi-State
deaf-blind projects to work with the
proposed project, including their
commitment to the project initiatives,
current infrastructure, available
resources, ability to build supports for
families, and build skills of the LEAs
and EIS providers to provide TA and
training to teachers, EIS providers, and
other service providers;
(B) Its proposed plan for assisting
State or multi-State deaf-blind projects
to build professional development
systems for SEAs, LEAs, LAs, and EIS
providers based on the current research
and evidence-based practices on
effective training and professional
development; and
(C) Its proposed plan for working with
individuals and entities at each level of
the education system (e.g., SEAs, LAs,
Regional Resource Centers, Regional
Comprehensive Centers, LEAs, EIS
providers, schools, and families) to
ensure communication among the
different groups and that there are
systems in place to support the use of
and information provided to independent users
through their own initiative resulting in minimal
interaction with TA center staff and including onetime, invited or offered conference presentations by
TA center staff. This category of TA also includes
information or products, such as newsletters,
guidebooks, or research syntheses, downloaded
from the TA center’s Web site by independent
users. Brief communications by TA center staff with
recipients, either by telephone or email, are also
considered universal, general TA.
5 Within the context of the National Center on
Deaf-Blindness, ‘‘targeted, specialized TA’’ means
TA service based on needs common to multiple
recipients and not extensively individualized. A
relationship is established between the TA recipient
and one or more TA center staff. This category of
TA includes one-time, labor-intensive events, such
as facilitating strategic planning or hosting regional
or national conferences. It can also include
episodic, less labor-intensive events that extend
over a period of time, such as facilitating a series
of conference calls on single or multiple topics that
are designed around the needs of the recipients.
Facilitating communities of practice can also be
considered targeted, specialized TA.
6 Within the context of the National Center on
Deaf-Blindness, ‘‘intensive, sustained TA’’ means
services often provided on-site and requiring a
stable, ongoing relationship between the TA center
staff and the TA recipient. ‘‘TA services’’ are
defined as negotiated series of activities designed to
reach a valued outcome. This category of TA should
result in changes to policy, program, practice, or
operations that support increased recipient capacity
or improved outcomes at one or more systems
levels.
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best practices for educating children
who are deaf-blind.
(7) Develop products and implement
services to maximize the effectiveness of
the TA. To address this requirement, the
applicant must describe—
(i) How the proposed project will use
technology to achieve the proposed
project outcomes;
(ii) With whom the proposed project
will collaborate and the intended
outcomes of this collaboration; and
(iii) How the proposed project will
use non-project resources to achieve the
proposed project outcomes.
(c) Demonstrate, in the narrative
section of the application under
‘‘Quality of the Evaluation Plan,’’ how—
(1) The proposed project will collect
and analyze data on specific and
measurable goals, objectives, and
outcomes of the project in addressing
the educational, related services,
transitional, and early intervention
needs of children who are deaf-blind to
ensure that these children will graduate
from high school ready for college and
a career. To address this requirement,
the applicant must describe—
(i) The proposed evaluation
methodologies, including instruments,
data collection methods, and possible
analyses;
(ii) The proposed standards or targets
for determining effectiveness; and
(iii) The proposed methods for
collecting data on implementation
supports and fidelity of implementation.
(2) The proposed project will use the
evaluation results to examine the
effectiveness of the project’s
implementation strategies and the
progress toward achieving intended
outcomes; and
(3) The methods of evaluation will
produce quantitative and qualitative
data that demonstrate whether the
project achieved the intended outcomes.
(d) Demonstrate, in the narrative
section of the application under
‘‘Adequacy of Project Resources,’’
how—
(1) The proposed project will ensure
equal access and treatment in
employment of persons who are
members of groups that have
traditionally been underrepresented
based on race, color, national origin,
linguistic diversity, gender, age, or
disability, as appropriate;
(2) The proposed key project
personnel, consultants, and
subcontractors have the qualifications
and experience to carry out the
proposed activities and achieve the
project’s intended outcomes;
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(3) The applicant and any key
partners have adequate resources to
carry out proposed activities; and
(4) The proposed costs are reasonable
in relation to the anticipated results and
benefits.
(e) Demonstrate, in the narrative
section of the application under
‘‘Quality of the Management Plan,’’
how—
(1) The proposed management plan
will ensure that the project’s intended
outcomes will be achieved on time and
within budget. To address this
requirement, the applicant must
describe—
(i) Clearly defined responsibilities for
key project personnel, consultants, and
subcontractors, as appropriate; and
(ii) Timelines and milestones for
accomplishing the project tasks;
(2) Key project personnel, and any
consultants and subcontractors, will be
allocated to the project and the
appropriateness and adequacy of these
time allocations to achieve the project’s
intended outcomes;
(3) The proposed management plan
will ensure that the products and
services provided are of high quality;
(4) The proposed project will dedicate
at least one full-time staff member to
evaluating the ongoing efforts of State
and multi-State projects to ensure
children who are deaf-blind have access
to the general education curriculum and
will graduate from high school ready for
college and a career; and
(5) The proposed project will benefit
from a diversity of perspectives,
including families, educators, TA
providers, researchers, and policy
makers, among others, in its
development and operation.
(f) In the narrative under ‘‘Required
Project Assurances’’ or appendices as
directed, meet the following application
requirements—
(1) Include in Appendix A a logic
model that depicts, at a minimum, the
goals, activities, outputs, and intended
outcomes of the proposed project. A
logic model communicates how a
project will achieve its intended
outcomes and provides a framework for
both the formative and summative
evaluations of the project.
(i) 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 in Washington, DC, with the OSEP
project officer and other relevant staff, during
each subsequent year of the project period.
Note: The following Web sites provide
more information on logic models: www.
researchutilization.org/matrix/logicmodel_
resource3c.html and https://www.tadnet.org/
pages/589;
(2) Include in Appendix A a visual
representation of the conceptual framework,
if a visual representation is developed;
(3) Include in Appendix A charts and
timelines, as appropriate, to illustrate the
management plan described in the narrative;
(4) Include in the budget attendance at the
following:
Bruce, S. M. (2007). Teacher preparation for
the education of students who are deafblind: A retrospective and prospective
view. Deaf-Blind Perspectives, 14(2).
Emerson, J., & Bishop, J. (2012). Videophone
technology and students with deafblindness: A method for increasing access
and communication. Journal of Visual
Impairment & Blindness, 106(10), 622–633.
Kamenopoulou, L. (2012). A study on the
inclusion of deaf-blind young people in
mainstream schools: Key findings and
implications for research and practice.
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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;
(ii) A two and one-half day project
directors’ conference in Washington, DC,
during each year of the project period;
(iii) One trip annually to attend
Department briefings, Department-sponsored
conferences, and other meetings, as requested
by OSEP; and
(iv) A one-day intensive review meeting
that will be held during the last half of the
second year of the project period.
(5) Include in the budget a line item for an
annual set-aside of five percent of the grant
amount to support emerging needs that are
consistent with the proposed project’s
intended outcomes, as those needs are
identified in consultation with OSEP.
Note: With approval from the OSEP project
officer, the project must reallocate any
remaining funds from this annual set-aside
no later than the end of the third quarter of
each budget period; and
(6) Maintain a Web site that meets
government or industry-recognized standards
for accessibility.
Fourth and Fifth Years of the Project for
Focus Area B:
In deciding whether to continue funding
the project for Focus Area B for the fourth
and fifth years, the Secretary will consider
the requirements of 34 CFR 75.253(a), as well
as—
(a) The recommendation of a review team
consisting of experts selected by the
Secretary. This review will be conducted
during a one-day intensive meeting in
Washington, DC, that will be held during the
last half of the second 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) The quality, relevance, and usefulness
of the project’s activities and products and
the degree to which the project’s activities
and products are aligned with the project’s
objectives and likely to result in the project
achieving its proposed outcomes.
References:
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British Journal of Special Education, 39(3),
137–145.
National Center on Low-Incidence
Disabilities. (2005, April 24). New
personnel produced by programs, 2003–
2004. Retrieved from www.nationaldb.org/
dbp/apr2007.htm.
National Center on Severe and Sensory
Disabilities. (2009). 1995–2006 graduate
and enrollment survey data for personnel
preparation in visual disabilities. Retrieved
from www.unco.edu/ncssd/research/
gradsurvey/2006–2007/
GES_Data_Reports.shtml.
National Consortium on Deaf-Blindness.
(2012). The 2011 national child count of
children and youth who are deaf-blind.
Retrieved from www.nationaldb.org/
TAChildCount.php.
Smale, K. (2010). Helping students toward
independence: The Steps Program at Utah
State School for Deaf-Blind. Odyssey: New
Directions in Deaf Education, 11(1), 47–49.
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 and
requirements in this notice.
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1463
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:
$11,600,000.
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: Focus
Area A: See chart. Focus Area B:
$2,100,000.
Estimated Average Size of Awards:
Focus Area A: $176,000. Focus Area B:
$2,100,000.
Maximum Award: Focus Area A: The
following chart lists the maximum
amount of funds for individual States
and regions for a single budget period of
12 months. A State may be served by
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only one supported project. In
determining the maximum funding
levels for each State the Secretary
considered, among other things, the
following factors:
(1) The total number of children from
birth through age 21 in the State.
(2) The number of people in poverty
in the State.
(3) The previous funding levels.
(4) The maximum and minimum
funding amounts.
FY 2013 FUNDING LEVELS BY REGION
FOR FOCUS AREA A
Region 1 ............
CT ......................
MA .....................
ME .....................
NH .....................
NJ ......................
NY ......................
PA ......................
RI .......................
VT ......................
Region 2 ............
DC .....................
DE ......................
KY ......................
MD .....................
NC .....................
SC ......................
TN ......................
VA ......................
WV .....................
Region 3 ............
AL ......................
AR ......................
FL ......................
GA .....................
LA ......................
MS .....................
OK .....................
PR ......................
TX ......................
VI .......................
Region 4 ............
IA .......................
IL ........................
IN .......................
MI .......................
MN .....................
MO .....................
OH .....................
WI ......................
Region 5 ............
AZ ......................
CO .....................
KS ......................
MT .....................
ND .....................
NE ......................
NM .....................
SD ......................
UT ......................
WY .....................
Region 6 ............
AK ......................
CA ......................
HI .......................
ID .......................
NV ......................
OR .....................
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Frm 00016
Total: $1,770,926
104,751
126,661
65,000
65,807
268,086
575,000
371,952
79,368
114,301
Total: 1,543,279
65,000
83,362
165,145
164,366
313,649
154,204
238,451
234,082
125,020
Total: 2,052,453
185,095
118,534
362,027
305,978
145,840
133,605
131,374
65,000
575,000
30,000
Total: 1,700,148
97,054
335,444
210,093
256,289
171,335
197,129
259,320
173,484
Total: 1,066,830
175,338
154,079
128,122
106,123
65,000
78,471
100,912
101,746
92,039
65,000
Total: 1,366,364
106,971
575,000
77,491
85,303
112,563
121,286
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
FY 2013 FUNDING LEVELS BY REGION
FOR FOCUS AREA A—Continued
WA .....................
Pacific** .............
195,750
92,000
**The areas to be served by this award are
the outlying areas of American Samoa, Guam,
and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands as well as the freely associated
States of the Republic of the Marshall Islands,
the Federated States of Micronesia, and the
Republic of Palau. An applicant for this award
must propose to serve all of these areas.
We will reject an application under
Focus Area A of the priority under any
of the following circumstances:
(a) A State project that proposes a
budget exceeding the funding level
listed in this notice for that State for any
single budget period of 12 months.
(b) An application for a region that
does not include every State specified
for that region as described under the
Focus Area A priority in this notice.
(c) An application for a region that
includes States outside of the
predetermined regions as described
under the Focus Area A priority in this
notice.
(d) An application for a region or
consortium that proposes a budget
exceeding the funding level for any
single budget period of 12 months of the
combined funding for each State
member of the region or consortium as
specified in the FY 2013 Funding Levels
by Region for Focus Area A chart.
We will reject an application under
Focus Area B of the priority under any
project that proposes a budget exceeding
the funding level listed in this notice for
any single budget period of 12 months.
Note: 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: Focus
Area A: 54.
Focus Area B: 1.
Note: The Department is not bound by any
estimates in this notice.
Project Period: Up to 36 months with
an optional additional 24 months based
on performance. Applications must
include plans for both the 36-month
award and the 24-month extension.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants: SEAs; LEAs,
including public charter schools that are
considered LEAs under State law; IHEs;
other public agencies; private nonprofit
organizations; freely associated States
and outlying areas; Indian tribes or
tribal organizations; and for-profit
organizations.
With respect to Focus Area A of the
priority, in order to provide SEAs with
greater flexibility in how TA is
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delivered and ensure high-quality TA,
individual States have the following
options: (1) Participating in a regional
project; (2) participating as a member of
a multi-State consortium; or (3)
applying directly for funds as a single
State. Therefore, eligible applicants for
funds awarded under Focus Area A of
this absolute priority may be an entity
serving a predetermined region of
States, a multi-State consortium, or a
single State. The predetermined regions
are the six OSEP Regional Resource
Center regions—
Region 1: Connecticut, Massachusetts,
Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey,
New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island,
and Vermont;
Region 2: District of Columbia,
Delaware, Kentucky, Maryland, North
Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee,
Virginia, and West Virginia;
Region 3: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida,
Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi,
Oklahoma, Puerto Rico, Texas, and the
Virgin Islands;
Region 4: Iowa, Illinois, Indiana,
Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio,
and Wisconsin;
Region 5: Arizona, Colorado, Kansas,
Montana, North Dakota, Nebraska, New
Mexico, South Dakota, Utah, and
Wyoming;
Region 6: Alaska, California, Hawaii,
Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Washington,
American Samoa, Guam, the
Commonwealth of the Northern
Marianas, States of the Republic of the
Marshall Islands, the Federated States of
Micronesia, and the Republic of Palau.
Eligible applicants under Focus Area
A of this priority are invited to submit
single-State applications to provide
deaf-blind TA services to individual
States, as they have done in the past. If
a State is included in more than one
application as a member of a consortium
or predefined region or submits an
individual State application, and more
than one application is determined to be
fundable for the State, the State will be
given the option under which award
(individual State, consortium, or region)
it will receive funding. It may not be
funded under multiple awards. If a
State(s) chooses not to participate in a
predetermined region, the
predetermined region’s funding would
be reduced by the amount of the
award(s) that would be made for the
individual State(s) application. The
maximum level of funding for a
consortium or region will reflect the
combined total that the eligible entities
comprising the consortium or region
would have received if they had applied
separately. For States within consortia
or regions, no State will be permitted to
receive less services or supports than it
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would have received under a previously
held Deaf-Blind State grant.
2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This
program does not require cost sharing or
matching.
3. Other General Requirements: (a)
Recipients of funding under this
program must make positive efforts to
employ and advance in employment
qualified individuals with disabilities
(see section 606 of IDEA).
(b) Each applicant for, and recipient
of, funding under this program 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: You can obtain an application
package via the Internet or from the
Education Publications Center (ED
Pubs). 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 from ED
Pubs, be sure to identify this
competition as follows: CFDA number
84.326T.
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.
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• 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,
the resumes, the bibliography, or the
letters of support. However, the page
limit does apply to all of 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: July 1, 2013.
Deadline for Transmittal of
Applications: August 15, 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.
4. Intergovernmental Review: This
program is subject to Executive Order
12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR
part 79. However, under 34 CFR 79.8(a),
we waive intergovernmental review in
order to make awards by the end of FY
2013.
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5. Funding Restrictions: We reference
regulations outlining funding
restrictions in the Applicable
Regulations section of this notice.
6. Data Universal Numbering System
Number, Taxpayer Identification
Number, and 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 System for Award
Management (SAM) (formerly the
Central Contractor Registry (CCR)), the
Government’s primary registrant
database;
c. Provide your DUNS number and
TIN on your application; and
d. Maintain an active 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 SAM registration process may
take seven or more business days to
complete. If you are currently registered
with the SAM, 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.
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Applications for grants under the
State Technical Assistance Projects to
Improve Services and Results for
Children Who Are Deaf-Blind and
National Technical Assistance and
Dissemination Center for Children Who
Are Deaf-Blind competition, CFDA
number 84.326T, 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 State Technical
Assistance Projects to Improve Services
and Results for Children Who Are DeafBlind and National Technical
Assistance and Dissemination Center for
Children Who Are Deaf-Blind
competition 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 84.326, not
84.326T).
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
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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.
• 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
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the Department has received your
application and has assigned your
application a PR/Award number (a
Department-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.
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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
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• 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 prevents 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: Jo Ann McCann, U.S.
Department of Education, 400 Maryland
Avenue SW., Room 4076, 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 84.326T) 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.
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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 84.326T), 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
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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
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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, which are designed to yield
information on various aspects of the
effectiveness and quality of the
Technical Assistance and Dissemination
to Improve Services and Results for
Children with Disabilities program.
These measures focus on the extent to
which projects provide high-quality
products and services, the relevance of
project products and services to
educational and early intervention
policy and practice, and the use of
products and services to improve
educational and early intervention
policy and practice.
Grantees will be required to report
information on their project’s
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
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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
Jo
Ann McCann, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW.,
room 4076, PCP, Washington, DC
20202–2600. Telephone: (202) 245–
7434.
If you use a TDD or a TTY, call the
Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll free, at
1–800–877–8339.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
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.
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Dated: June 26, 2013.
Michael K. Yudin,
Delegated the authority to perform the
functions and duties of the Assistant
Secretary for Special Education and
Rehabilitative Services.
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:
[FR Doc. 2013–15715 Filed 6–28–13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Applications for New Awards;
Educational Technology, Media, and
Materials Program for Individuals with
Disabilities—Center on Technology
and Disability
Office of Special Education and
Rehabilitative Services, Department of
Education.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
Overview Information: Educational
Technology, Media, and Materials
Program for Individuals with
Disabilities—Center on Technology and
Disability.
Notice inviting applications for new
awards for fiscal year (FY) 2013.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance
(CFDA) Number: 84.327F.
Applications Available: July 1,
2013.
Deadline for Transmittal of
Applications: August 15, 2013.
DATES:
Full Text of Announcement
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I. Funding Opportunity Description
Purpose of Program: The purpose of
the Educational Technology, Media, and
Materials for Individuals with
Disabilities Program 1 is to: (1) Improve
results for children with disabilities by
promoting the development,
demonstration, and use of technology;
(2) support educational media services
activities designed to be of educational
value in the classroom for children 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 children 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(b)(1),
674(b)(2)(A), and 681(d) of the
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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Educational Technology, Media, and
Materials for Individuals with
Disabilities—Center on Technology and
Disability
Background: The purpose of this
priority is to fund a cooperative
agreement to support the establishment
and operation of a Center on
Technology and Disability (Center). The
Center will increase the capacity 2 of
families and providers 3 to advocate for,
acquire, and implement effective
assistive technology (AT) 4 and
instructional technology (IT) 5 to help
infants, toddlers, children, and youth
with disabilities (collectively, ‘‘children
with disabilities’’) participate fully in
daily routines in their natural
environments, have increased access to
the general education curriculum,
improve their functional outcomes and
educational results, and meet collegeand career-ready standards.
The Center will achieve these results
by: (1) Compiling and disseminating
accurate and current information on
evidence-based AT and IT for families
and providers in formats that are usable
and accessible and that address the
needs of diverse families and providers;
(2) providing technical assistance (TA)
to State educational agencies (SEAs) to
enable SEAs to effectively increase the
capacity of their local educational
agencies (LEAs) to support families and
providers in acquiring and
implementing appropriate AT and IT;
(3) providing TA to other projects
funded by the Office of Special
2 ‘‘Capacity’’ means possessing essential
knowledge, skills, and competencies to act
effectively.
3 ‘‘Providers’’ denotes teachers, therapists,
paraprofessionals, and other professionals
providing services to children with disabilities
under Parts B and C of IDEA. The term includes
general educators serving children in inclusive
settings.
4 Section 602 of IDEA defines an ‘‘assistive
technology device’’ as ‘‘any item, piece of
equipment, or product system, whether acquired
commercially off the shelf, modified or customized,
that is used to increase, maintain, or improve the
functional capabilities of a child with a disability;’’
and an ‘‘assistive technology service’’ as ‘‘any
service that directly assists a child with a disability
in the selection, acquisition, or use of an assistive
technology device.’’ For purposes of this priority,
‘‘AT’’ refers to any assistive technology device or
assistive technology service.
5 IDEA does not provide a definition for IT, but
for the purposes of this priority, ‘‘IT’’ is defined as
technology processes and resources that facilitate
learning and improve student performance for all
students.
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Education Programs (OSEP) to enable
these projects to more effectively train
families and providers on how to
advocate for, acquire, and implement
AT and IT for children with disabilities;
and (4) providing TA to personnel
development projects funded by OSEP
to enable them to better prepare
providers on effective AT and IT use by
children with disabilities.
Almost 30 years of research and
experience have demonstrated that
supporting the development and use of
AT and IT to maximize accessibility for
children with disabilities can enhance
the education and development of
children with disabilities (section
601(c)(5)(H) of IDEA). With the
increased use of appropriate AT and IT,
more children with disabilities will to
the maximum extent possible
participate fully in daily routines in
their natural environments, have access
to the general education curriculum, be
prepared to meet college- and careerready standards, and lead productive
and independent adult lives.
Providers play a key role in ensuring
that AT and IT are used effectively by
children with disabilities. However,
research shows that these providers
often lack knowledge about AT and IT;
and, furthermore, this lack of knowledge
has been identified as a critical barrier
to effective technology use by children
with disabilities (Smith & Robinson,
2003; Lee & Vega, 2005; Bausch, Ault,
Evmenova, & Behrmann, 2008; Zhou,
Parker, Smith, & Griffin-Shirley, 2011;
U.S. Department of Education, 2010).
Families also often lack knowledge of
effective AT and IT, and how they can
support their children’s use of AT and
IT. Informed parents actively involved
in their children’s development and
education contribute significantly to
positive educational outcomes (Caspe &
Lopez, 2006). Studies suggest that
parents of children with disabilities
want to be involved in planning AT and
IT for their children (Long, Huang,
Woodbridge, Woolverton, & Minkel,
2003; Parette & McMahan, 2002; Lee &
Templeton, 2008) and that a lack of
family involvement may lead to misuse
and disuse of AT and IT (Alper &
Raharinirina, 2006; Zabala & Carl, 2005).
To increase their knowledge of
effective, evidence-based AT and IT and
to actively support children’s use of AT
and IT, both families and providers
need ongoing, reliable, accurate, and
current information (Marino, Marino, &
Shaw, 2006). The information must help
families and providers make sense of
the rapid proliferation of new
technologies, products, and approaches
developed for all users and specifically
for children with disabilities. The
E:\FR\FM\01JYN1.SGM
01JYN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 126 (Monday, July 1, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39260-39271]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-15715]
[[Page 39260]]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Applications for New Awards; Technical Assistance and
Dissemination To Improve Services and Results for Children With
Disabilities--State Technical Assistance Projects To Improve Services
and Results for Children Who Are Deaf-Blind and National Technical
Assistance and Dissemination Center for Children Who Are Deaf-Blind
AGENCY: Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services,
Department of Education.
ACTION: Notice.
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Overview Information:
Technical Assistance and Dissemination to Improve Services and
Results for Children with Disabilities--State Technical Assistance
Projects to Improve Services and Results for Children Who Are Deaf-
Blind and National Technical Assistance and Dissemination Center for
Children Who Are Deaf-Blind Notice inviting applications for new awards
for fiscal year (FY) 2013.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.326T.
DATES:
Applications Available: July 1, 2013.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: August 15, 2013.
Full Text of Announcement
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Purpose of Program: The purpose of the Technical Assistance and
Dissemination to Improve Services and Results for Children with
Disabilities program is to promote academic achievement and to improve
results for children with disabilities by providing technical
assistance (TA), supporting model demonstration projects, disseminating
useful information, and implementing activities that are supported by
scientifically based research.
Priority: In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(v), this priority
is from allowable activities specified or otherwise authorized in the
statute (see sections 663 and 681(d) of the Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), 20 U.S.C. 1463 and 1481(d)).
Absolute Priority: For FY 2013 and any subsequent year in which we
make awards from the list of unfunded applicants from this competition,
this priority is an absolute priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3) we
consider only applications that meet this priority.
This priority is:
State Technical Assistance Projects to Improve Services and Results
for Children Who Are Deaf-Blind and National Technical Assistance and
Dissemination Center for Children Who Are Deaf-Blind.
Background:
The purpose of this priority is to support State Technical
Assistance Projects to Improve Services and Results for Children Who
Are Deaf-Blind and to support a National Technical Assistance and
Dissemination Center for Children Who Are Deaf-Blind. The State
Technical Assistance Projects will help State educational agencies
(SEAs), Part C lead agencies (LAs), local educational agencies (LEAs),
early intervention services (EIS) providers, teachers, service
providers, and families to address the educational, related services,
transitional, and early intervention needs of children who are deaf-
blind to ensure that these children will graduate from high school
ready for college and a career.
The National Technical Assistance Center will provide technical
assistance and support to the State Technical Assistance Projects in
addressing these needs, including by working in concert with States'
Deaf-Blind Technical Assistance Projects, as appropriate, to provide
specialized TA, training, dissemination, and informational services to
agencies and organizations, professionals, families, and others
involved in providing services to children who are deaf-blind.
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires
that the Secretary reserve a portion of IDEA Part D funds each year to
address the needs of children with deaf-blindness (see section
682(d)(1)(A) of IDEA, 20 U.S.C. 1482(d)). Authorized activities include
providing TA to professionals and others involved in providing services
that promote academic achievement and improved results for children who
are deaf-blind. The services to be provided include TA on implementing
evidence-based practices to schools and agencies serving children who
are deaf-blind and their families to improve educational results and
functional outcomes. For purposes of this notice, the term ``children
who are deaf-blind'' refers to infants, toddlers, children, youth, and
young adults (birth-21) who are deaf-blind.
Children who are deaf-blind are among the most vulnerable, at-risk
students because they have varying degrees of hearing and vision loss
that is often complicated by other disabilities or health issues. In
the early 1970s, children who were deaf-blind were primarily served in
segregated programs in residential schools and State institutions.
Today, more than 60 percent of children who are deaf-blind attend
local schools rather than separate schools or facilities. Sixty-five
percent of elementary school-age children who are deaf-blind spend at
least a portion of their day in a regular classroom in their local
school (National Consortium on Deaf-Blindness, 2012). As a result,
direct, targeted, and intensive TA to staff in LEAs, schools, EIS
providers, and classrooms is needed to ensure a free appropriate public
education (FAPE) for children who are deaf-blind (Kamenopoulou, 2012).
Through the projects that the Office of Special Education Programs
(OSEP) has supported and other research, we know that direct and
intensive supports and services are critical in order for children who
are deaf-blind to succeed in a general education environment. Although
improvements have been made in recent years, many of the approximately
10,000 children who are deaf-blind remain isolated and disconnected
from people and activities in their homes, schools, and communities
because they are not provided the individualized supports necessary to
access visual and auditory information and overcome other barriers to
social inclusion and participation (Kamenopoulou, 2012). Without these
individualized supports to access visual and auditory information
(i.e., environmental information, such as who is present, what is being
said, and what activities are occurring), children who are deaf-blind
are at greater risk for not attaining age-appropriate milestones in
communication and language, social skills, and activities of daily
living, which in turn affects their educational outcomes (Emerson &
Bishop, 2012). Consequently, children who are deaf-blind often exit
school at age 22 without viable postsecondary educational
opportunities, employment, or independent living options (Smale, 2010).
Further, because deaf-blindness is a very low-incidence disability,
most SEAs, LEAs, LAs, and EIS providers lack the necessary program
supports and services, and sufficient personnel with the specialized
training, experience, and skills, needed to provide appropriate early
intervention, special education, and related services to children who
are deaf-blind (Bruce, 2007; National Center on Severe and Sensory
Disabilities, 2009; National Center on Low-Incidence Disabilities,
2005). In addition, because children who are deaf-blind are living at
home instead of in residential settings, their
[[Page 39261]]
families, schools, and EIS providers require extensive support to
ensure that these children remain in community-based educational and
living environments (Kamenopoulou, 2012).
State Deaf-Blind Technical Assistance Projects
Following the enactment of IDEA in 1975, OSEP developed a national
TA system comprised of State Deaf-Blind Technical Assistance Projects
that was designed to ensure that support was available for children who
are deaf-blind and who attended their local schools.
In 2008, the Department funded 51 five-year State Deaf-Blind
Technical Assistance Projects to facilitate collaborative partnerships
among family members of children who are deaf-blind; early
intervention, special and regular education, and related services
personnel; and SEAs, LEAs, LAs, and EIS providers to develop and
implement individualized supports designed to improve children's
educational results and functional outcomes.
In concert with the National Technical Assistance and Dissemination
Center for Children Who Are Deaf-Blind (National Center), this direct,
targeted, and intensive TA provided by State Deaf-Blind Technical
Assistance Projects to EIS providers, LEAs, schools, and classrooms has
helped to ensure that family members, EIS providers, special and
regular education teachers, and related services personnel have access
to the specialized training and tools needed to address the early
intervention, educational, related services, and secondary transition
needs of children who are deaf-blind.
National Technical Assistance and Dissemination Center
In 2006, the Department funded the National Center to provide
specialized TA, training, dissemination, and informational services to
State Deaf-Blind Technical Assistance Projects. In 2011, the Secretary
extended the grant to the National Center for an additional two years.
Working in concert with State Deaf-Blind Technical Assistance Projects,
the National Center provides specialized training and other supports
for SEAs, LAs, families of children who are deaf-blind, and other
agencies and organizations that are responsible for providing early
intervention, special education, related services, and secondary
transition services for children through age 26 who are deaf-blind
(Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for FY 2006; 70 FR 76040).
The National Center's activities have led to improvements in
direct, targeted, and intensive TA services. In cooperation with the
Department, the National Center developed training for State Deaf-Blind
Technical Assistance Project staff in order to increase their
participation in a collaborative network of State deaf-blind TA
projects. Using advances in communication and social media, the
National Center further facilitated, in collaboration with the State
Deaf-Blind Technical Assistance Projects, the delivery of TA and
training by providing critical tools for teachers and service providers
to use at the classroom level. For further information on the current
National Center, go to www.nationaldb.org/.
This priority seeks to build upon the work of the State Deaf-Blind
Technical Assistance Projects and the National Center to further
improve services and results for children who are deaf-blind.
Specifically, through this priority, our goal is to: Ensure the
delivery of high-quality TA and training to personnel in schools,
classrooms, and EIS providers where children who are deaf-blind are
served to improve their academic and social outcomes; empower children
who are deaf-blind to engage in self-advocacy so that they are better
positioned for independent living; increase the ability of SEAs, LEAs,
LAs, EIS providers, and other agencies to use evidence-based practices
to improve outcomes for children who are deaf-blind; increase the
ability of SEAs, LEAs, LAs, EIS providers, and other agencies to
identify and adopt effective policies and practices to appropriately
identify and serve children who are deaf-blind; and ensure that data
are gathered and reported to the National Center for the annual
National Child Count of children who are deaf-blind.
For the first time, we will also be allowing eligible entities to
compete to serve multi-State regions. We hope to improve both the
quality of the TA and other services provided through these projects
and the efficiency with which the services are provided by giving
States the flexibility to apply directly for funding, as they have in
the past, to participate as a member of a multi-State consortium, or to
participate in a regional TA project.
Priority:
For the purpose of this competition, we have separated the absolute
priority into two focus areas--State and Multi-State Technical
Assistance Projects (Focus Area A) and a National Technical Assistance
and Dissemination Center (Focus Area B). Applicants must identify
whether they are applying under Focus Area A, Focus Area B, or both. As
the program and application requirements for the two focus areas are
different, applicants must ensure that they have met all applicable
requirements.
Focus Area A: State and Multi-State Technical Assistance Projects
to Improve Services and Results for Children Who Are Deaf-Blind.
Under Focus Area A, the Department will fund grants to establish
and operate State or multi-State Deaf-Blind Technical Assistance
Projects (projects) to improve services and results for children who
are deaf-blind. Grants are available to support projects in all States.
The District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin
Islands, and the outlying areas and freely associated States are States
for purposes of this priority. Because the Bureau of Indian Affairs is
not a State, it will not be eligible for a State grant under this
priority. Funds awarded under this priority may not be used to provide
direct early intervention services under Part C of IDEA, or direct
special education and related services under Part B of IDEA.
Projects funded under this priority must, at a minimum: (1) Deliver
TA and training necessary to improve outcomes for children who are
deaf-blind to personnel in the schools, classrooms, or EIS providers,
where a child who is deaf-blind is served; (2) through collaboration
with the federally funded Parent Centers (National and Regional Parent
Technical Assistance Centers, Parent Training and Information Centers
and Community Parent Resource Centers), provide training and supports
to families of children who are deaf-blind so that they can
successfully advocate on behalf of their children and help ensure that
their children are better positioned for independent living; (3)
increase the ability of SEAs, LEAs, LAs, EIS providers, and other
agencies to use evidence-based practices to improve outcomes for
children who are deaf-blind, including ensuring that these children
will graduate from high school ready for college and a career; (4)
increase the ability of SEAs, LEAs, LAs, EIS providers, and other
agencies to develop policies and practices to improve outcomes for
children who are deaf-blind; and (5) provide data to the National
Center for the annual National Child Count of children who are deaf-
blind.
In addition to these programmatic requirements, to be considered
for funding under Focus A of this absolute priority, applicants must
meet the following application and administrative requirements. We
encourage innovative approaches to meet them:
[[Page 39262]]
Application Requirements. An applicant must--
(a) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under
``Significance of the Project,'' how the proposed project will--
(1) Provide EIS providers; special education teachers; regular
education teachers; related services personnel; and SEA, LEA, LA, and
EIS provider administrators with the training and information needed to
develop and implement individualized supports to ensure that children
who are deaf-blind have access to the general education curriculum and
will graduate from high school ready for college and a career;
(2) Ensure that family members of children who are deaf-blind have
the training and information needed to maintain and improve productive
partnerships with service providers.
To address the requirements of paragraphs (1) and (2), the
applicant must--
(i) Describe applicable State, regional, or local data (and, in the
case of an application for a consortium or region, data for each State
that the consortium or region proposes to serve) demonstrating the
applicant's knowledge of the training and information needs of EIS
providers, special and regular education teachers, related services
personnel, and family members identified in paragraphs (1) and (2),
taking into account the critical needs of the diverse deaf-blind
population and the geographical distribution of children who are deaf-
blind;
(ii) Demonstrate knowledge of current educational issues and policy
initiatives in educating children who are deaf-blind, including any
State-specific policy initiatives and how the applicant will support
their implementation; and
(iii) Describe the current state of practice in implementing
effective TA for SEAs, LEAs, LAs, and EIS providers and others who
provide services that promote academic achievement and improved results
for children who are deaf-blind.
(3) Improve educational outcomes for children who are deaf-blind,
and the likely magnitude or importance of the outcomes.
(b) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under
``Quality of the Project Services,'' how the proposed project will--
(1) Identify the TA and training needs of the intended recipients;
(2) Ensure that services meet the needs of the intended recipients
and that any products are first approved by the OSEP project officer
and then developed in coordination with the National Center;
(3) Achieve its goals, objectives, and intended outcomes. To meet
this requirement, the applicant must provide--
(i) Measureable intended project outcomes; and
(ii) The theory of action (i.e., logic model) on how the proposed
project will achieve its intended outcomes.
(4) Use a conceptual framework to guide the development of project
plans and activities, describing any underlying concepts, assumptions,
expectations, beliefs, or theories, as well as the presumed
relationship or linkages among these variables, and any empirical
support for this framework;
(5) Be based on current research and evidence-based practices. To
meet this requirement, the applicant must describe--
(i) The current research and evidence-based practices on ensuring
access to the general education curriculum and improving educational
results and functional outcomes for children who are deaf-blind,
including graduating from high school ready for college and a career;
(ii) How the project will incorporate current research and
evidence-based practices on effective training and professional
development, and how the project will incorporate the training and TA
to the family members and practitioners identified in paragraph (a);
and
(iii) The process the proposed project will use to incorporate
current research and evidence-based practices in the development and
delivery of its products and services.
(6) Develop and provide services that are of sufficient quality,
intensity, and duration to achieve the intended outcomes of the
proposed project. To address this requirement, the applicant must
describe--
(i) Its proposed activities to identify or develop a knowledge base
of evidence-based practices addressing the early intervention, related
services, educational, transitional, and functional needs of children
who are deaf-blind;
(ii) Its proposed approach to universal, general TA,\1\ including
the intended recipients of products and services;
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Within the context of State or multi-State Deaf-Blind
Projects, ``universal, general TA'' means TA and information
provided to independent users through their own initiative resulting
in minimal interaction with project staff and including one-time,
invited or offered conference presentations by project staff. This
category of TA also includes information or products, such as
newsletters, guidebooks, or research syntheses, downloaded from the
project's Web site by independent users. Brief communications by
project staff with recipients, either by telephone or email, are
also considered universal, general TA.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(iii) Its proposed approach to targeted, specialized TA,\2\
including the intended recipients of products and services; and
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\2\ Within the context of State or multi-State Deaf-Blind
Projects, ``targeted, specialized TA'' means TA service based on
needs common to multiple recipients and not extensively
individualized. A relationship is established between the TA
recipient and one or more project staff. This category of TA
includes one-time, labor-intensive events, such as facilitating
strategic planning or hosting regional or national conferences. It
can also include episodic, less labor-intensive events that extend
over a period of time, such as facilitating a series of conference
calls on single or multiple topics that are designed around the
needs of the recipients. Facilitating communities of practice can
also be considered targeted, specialized TA.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(iv) Its proposed approach to intensive, sustained TA,\3\ including
the intended recipients of products and services. To address this
requirement, the applicant must describe--
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\3\ Within the context of State or multi-State Deaf-Blind
Projects, ``intensive, sustained TA'' means TA services often
provided on-site and requiring a stable, ongoing relationship
between the project staff and the TA recipient. ``TA services'' are
defined as a negotiated series of activities designed to reach a
valued outcome. This category of TA should result in changes to
policy, program, practice, or operations that support increased
recipient capacity and improved outcomes at one or more systems
levels.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(A) Its proposed approach to measure the readiness of the SEAs,
LEAs, LAs, EIS providers, and Parent Centers to work with the proposed
project, including their commitment to the project initiatives, current
infrastructure, available resources, ability to build supports for
families, and ability to enable SEAs, LEAs, LAs, and EIS providers to
provide TA and training to teachers, EIS providers, and other service
providers;
(B) Its proposed plan for assisting LEAs and EIS providers to build
professional development systems based on the current research and
evidence-based practices on effective training and professional
development; and
(C) Its proposed plan for working with individuals and entities at
each level of the education system (e.g., SEAs, LEAs, LAs, EIS
providers, schools, and families) to ensure communication among the
different groups and that there are systems in place to support the use
of best practices for educating children who are deaf-blind.
(7) Implement services in collaboration with the National Center to
maximize effectiveness of the TA within the State(s) served. To address
this requirement, the applicant must describe--
(i) How the proposed project will use technology to achieve the
proposed project outcomes;
[[Page 39263]]
(ii) With whom the proposed project will collaborate and the
intended outcomes of this collaboration;
(iii) How the proposed project will use non-project resources to
achieve the proposed project outcomes; and
(iv) How the applicant will facilitate States' ability to use and
benefit from the National Center's initiatives, products, and TA,
including those initiatives that cross regional and consortium
boundaries.
(c) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under
``Quality of the Evaluation Plan,'' how--
(1) The proposed project will collect and analyze data on specific
and measurable goals, objectives, and outcomes of the project. To
address this requirement, the applicant must describe--
(i) The proposed evaluation methodologies, including instruments,
data collection methods, and possible analyses;
(ii) The proposed standards or targets for determining
effectiveness; and
(iii) The proposed methods for collecting data on implementation
supports and fidelity of implementation.
(2) The proposed project will use the evaluation results to examine
the effectiveness of the project's implementation strategies and the
progress toward achieving intended outcomes; and
(3) The methods of evaluation will produce quantitative and
qualitative data that demonstrate whether the project achieved the
intended outcomes.
(d) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under
``Adequacy of Project Resources,'' how--
(1) The proposed project will encourage applications for employment
from persons who are members of groups that have traditionally been
underrepresented based on race, color, national origin, linguistic
diversity, gender, age, or disability, as appropriate;
(2) The proposed key project personnel, consultants, and
subcontractors have the qualifications and experience to carry out the
proposed activities and achieve the project's intended outcomes;
(3) The applicant and any key partners have adequate resources to
carry out the proposed activities; and
(4) The proposed costs are reasonable in relation to the
anticipated results and benefits.
(e) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under
``Quality of the Management Plan,'' how--
(1) The proposed management plan will ensure that the project's
intended outcomes will be achieved on time and within budget. To
address this requirement, the applicant must describe--
(i) Clearly defined responsibilities for key project personnel,
consultants, and subcontractors, as appropriate; and
(ii) Timelines and milestones for accomplishing the project tasks.
(2) Key project personnel, and any consultants and subcontractors,
will be allocated to the project and the appropriateness and adequacy
of these time allocations to achieve the project's intended outcomes;
(3) The proposed management plan will ensure that the products and
services provided are of high quality;
(4) The proposed project will benefit from a diversity of
perspectives, including families, educators, TA providers, researchers,
and policy makers, among others, in its development and operation;
(5) If applicable, the members of a consortium or region will
receive appropriate services; and
(6) If applicable, the proposed project will ensure that the
distribution of resources is equitable within a consortium or region.
(f) In the narrative under ``Required Project Assurances'' or
appendices as directed, meet the following application requirements--
(1) Include in Appendix A a logic model that depicts, at a minimum,
the goals, activities, outputs, and intended outcomes of the proposed
project. A logic model communicates how a project will achieve its
intended 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://www.tadnet.org/pages/589;
(2) Include in Appendix A a visual representation of the conceptual
framework, if a visual representation is developed;
(3) Include in Appendix A charts and timelines, as appropriate, to
illustrate the management plan described in the narrative;
(4) Include in the budget attendance at the following:
(i) A one-day planning meeting preceding the project directors'
conference held in Washington, DC, in coordination with the National
Center and an annual planning meeting with the OSEP project officer and
other relevant staff during each subsequent year of the project period;
(ii) A two and one-half day project directors' conference in
Washington, DC, during each year of the project period.
(5) Maintain a Web site that meets government or industry-
recognized standards for accessibility.
Note: Any entity applying to provide services for a region is
required to propose to serve all of the States in the region. This
regional applicant must notify the SEAs in each of the States in the
region of its intention to apply for funding, but is not required to
obtain approval from all of the SEAs in the region in order to be
eligible to apply for funding. A State may choose to be served by
the regional applicant in order to participate in the program, or
may apply for funding as part of a multi-State consortium or by
itself, as discussed in more detail below. Individual States would
not have to submit applications if they opted to be served by the
regional applicant.
States are also invited to form consortia to apply for funding
under Focus Area A of this priority in accordance with EDGAR in 34 CFR
75.127 to 75.129. A consortium may be comprised of any group of States
and would not be bound by the previously described predefined regions.
Focus Area B: National Technical Assistance and Dissemination
Center for Children Who Are Deaf-Blind.
Under Focus Area B, the Department will fund a cooperative
agreement to establish and operate a National Center on Deaf-Blindness
that must, at a minimum: (1) Increase the ability of State and multi-
State deaf-blind projects to assist personnel in SEAs, LEAs, LAs, and
EIS providers to use evidence-based practices and products to improve
outcomes for children who are deaf-blind; (2) develop evidence-based
tools and broadly disseminate evidence-based tools to State or multi-
State deaf-blind projects and individuals and entities at each level of
the education system to improve outcomes for children who are deaf-
blind; (3) in collaboration with the Parent Centers, increase the
ability of State or multi-State deaf-blind projects to provide training
and supports to families of children who are deaf-blind so that they
can successfully advocate on behalf of their children and help ensure
that their children are better positioned for independent living; (4)
enable State or multi-State deaf-blind projects to develop policies and
practices to improve outcomes for children who are deaf-blind; and (5)
conduct an annual National Child Count of children who are deaf-blind,
ensuring that accurate data to inform practice is presented in a way
that is useful to States.
To be considered for funding under Focus B of this absolute
priority, applicants must meet the application
[[Page 39264]]
and administrative requirements contained in this priority. We
encourage innovative approaches to meet these requirements, which are
as follows:
Application Requirements. An applicant must--
(a) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under
``Significance of the Project,'' how the proposed project will work
collaboratively with the State Technical Assistance Projects to--
(1) Ensure that State and multi-state deaf-blind projects, SEAs,
LEAs, LAs, EIS providers, and organizations serving family members of
children who are deaf-blind have the training and information needed to
enable them to maintain and improve productive partnerships with EIS
providers, special education teachers, regular education teachers, and
related services personnel; and
(2) Provide State and multi-State deaf-blind projects, SEAs, LEAs,
LAs, EIS providers, and organizations serving family members of
children who are deaf-blind with the training and information needed to
ensure that EIS providers; special education teachers; general
education teachers; related services personnel; and SEA, LEA, LA, and
EIS provider personnel have the skills to develop and implement
individualized supports to ensure children who are deaf-blind have
access to the general education curriculum and graduate from high
school ready for college and a career.
To address the requirements of paragraphs (1) and (2) the applicant
must--
(i) Describe applicable national, State, regional, or local data
demonstrating knowledge of the training and information needs of family
members and EIS providers, special education teachers, regular
education teachers, and related services personnel, taking into account
the critical needs of the diverse deaf-blind population, the
geographical distribution of children who are deaf-blind, and the
placement opportunities for these children in inclusive settings;
(ii) Demonstrate knowledge of current educational issues and policy
initiatives in educating children who are deaf-blind; and
(iii) Present information about the state of implementation of
effective TA systems in SEAs, LEAs, LAs, and EIS providers serving
professionals and others involved in providing services that promote
academic achievement and improved results for children who are deaf-
blind; and
(3) Result in improved educational outcomes for children who are
deaf-blind, and the likely magnitude or importance of the outcomes.
(b) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under
``Quality of the Project Services,'' how the proposed project will--
(1) Identify the needs of the intended recipients of TA and
training;
(2) Ensure that services and products meet the needs of the
intended recipients;
(3) Achieve its goals, objectives, and intended outcomes. To meet
this requirement, the applicant must provide--
(i) Measureable intended project outcomes; and
(ii) The theory of action (i.e., logic model) on how the proposed
project will achieve its intended outcomes.
(4) Use a conceptual framework to guide the development of project
plans and activities, describing any underlying concepts, assumptions,
expectations, beliefs, or theories; the presumed relationship or
linkages among these variables; and any empirical support for this
framework;
(5) Be based on current research and evidence-based practices. To
meet this requirement, the applicant must describe--
(i) The current research and evidence-based practices on ensuring
access to the general education curriculum and improving educational
results and functional outcomes for children who are deaf-blind,
including graduating from high school ready for college and a career;
(ii) How the proposed project will incorporate the current research
and evidence-based practices on effective training and professional
development to support training and TA to the family members and
practitioners identified in paragraph (a); and
(iii) The process the proposed project will use to incorporate
current research and evidence-based practices in the development and
delivery of its products and services;
(6) Develop products and provide services that are of sufficient
quality, intensity, and duration to achieve the intended outcomes of
the proposed project. To address this requirement, the applicant must
describe--
(i) Its proposed activities to identify or develop a knowledge base
of evidence-based practices addressing the early intervention, related
services, educational, transitional, and functional needs of children
who are deaf-blind;
(ii) Its proposed approach to universal, general TA,\4\ including
the intended recipients of products and services;
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\4\ Within the context of the National Center on Deaf-Blindness,
``universal, general TA'' means TA and information provided to
independent users through their own initiative resulting in minimal
interaction with TA center staff and including one-time, invited or
offered conference presentations by TA center staff. This category
of TA also includes information or products, such as newsletters,
guidebooks, or research syntheses, downloaded from the TA center's
Web site by independent users. Brief communications by TA center
staff with recipients, either by telephone or email, are also
considered universal, general TA.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(iii) Its proposed approach to targeted, specialized TA,\5\
including the intended recipients of products and services; and
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\5\ Within the context of the National Center on Deaf-Blindness,
``targeted, specialized TA'' means TA service based on needs common
to multiple recipients and not extensively individualized. A
relationship is established between the TA recipient and one or more
TA center staff. This category of TA includes one-time, labor-
intensive events, such as facilitating strategic planning or hosting
regional or national conferences. It can also include episodic, less
labor-intensive events that extend over a period of time, such as
facilitating a series of conference calls on single or multiple
topics that are designed around the needs of the recipients.
Facilitating communities of practice can also be considered
targeted, specialized TA.
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(iv) Its proposed approach to intensive, sustained TA,\6\ including
the intended recipients of products and services. To address this
requirement, the applicant must describe--
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\6\ Within the context of the National Center on Deaf-Blindness,
``intensive, sustained TA'' means services often provided on-site
and requiring a stable, ongoing relationship between the TA center
staff and the TA recipient. ``TA services'' are defined as
negotiated series of activities designed to reach a valued outcome.
This category of TA should result in changes to policy, program,
practice, or operations that support increased recipient capacity or
improved outcomes at one or more systems levels.
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(A) Its proposed approach to measure the readiness of State or
multi-State deaf-blind projects to work with the proposed project,
including their commitment to the project initiatives, current
infrastructure, available resources, ability to build supports for
families, and build skills of the LEAs and EIS providers to provide TA
and training to teachers, EIS providers, and other service providers;
(B) Its proposed plan for assisting State or multi-State deaf-blind
projects to build professional development systems for SEAs, LEAs, LAs,
and EIS providers based on the current research and evidence-based
practices on effective training and professional development; and
(C) Its proposed plan for working with individuals and entities at
each level of the education system (e.g., SEAs, LAs, Regional Resource
Centers, Regional Comprehensive Centers, LEAs, EIS providers, schools,
and families) to ensure communication among the different groups and
that there are systems in place to support the use of
[[Page 39265]]
best practices for educating children who are deaf-blind.
(7) Develop products and implement services to maximize the
effectiveness of the TA. To address this requirement, the applicant
must describe--
(i) How the proposed project will use technology to achieve the
proposed project outcomes;
(ii) With whom the proposed project will collaborate and the
intended outcomes of this collaboration; and
(iii) How the proposed project will use non-project resources to
achieve the proposed project outcomes.
(c) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under
``Quality of the Evaluation Plan,'' how--
(1) The proposed project will collect and analyze data on specific
and measurable goals, objectives, and outcomes of the project in
addressing the educational, related services, transitional, and early
intervention needs of children who are deaf-blind to ensure that these
children will graduate from high school ready for college and a career.
To address this requirement, the applicant must describe--
(i) The proposed evaluation methodologies, including instruments,
data collection methods, and possible analyses;
(ii) The proposed standards or targets for determining
effectiveness; and
(iii) The proposed methods for collecting data on implementation
supports and fidelity of implementation.
(2) The proposed project will use the evaluation results to examine
the effectiveness of the project's implementation strategies and the
progress toward achieving intended outcomes; and
(3) The methods of evaluation will produce quantitative and
qualitative data that demonstrate whether the project achieved the
intended outcomes.
(d) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under
``Adequacy of Project Resources,'' how--
(1) The proposed project will ensure equal access and treatment in
employment of persons who are members of groups that have traditionally
been underrepresented based on race, color, national origin, linguistic
diversity, gender, age, or disability, as appropriate;
(2) The proposed key project personnel, consultants, and
subcontractors have the qualifications and experience to carry out the
proposed activities and achieve the project's intended outcomes;
(3) The applicant and any key partners have adequate resources to
carry out proposed activities; and
(4) The proposed costs are reasonable in relation to the
anticipated results and benefits.
(e) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under
``Quality of the Management Plan,'' how--
(1) The proposed management plan will ensure that the project's
intended outcomes will be achieved on time and within budget. To
address this requirement, the applicant must describe--
(i) Clearly defined responsibilities for key project personnel,
consultants, and subcontractors, as appropriate; and
(ii) Timelines and milestones for accomplishing the project tasks;
(2) Key project personnel, and any consultants and subcontractors,
will be allocated to the project and the appropriateness and adequacy
of these time allocations to achieve the project's intended outcomes;
(3) The proposed management plan will ensure that the products and
services provided are of high quality;
(4) The proposed project will dedicate at least one full-time staff
member to evaluating the ongoing efforts of State and multi-State
projects to ensure children who are deaf-blind have access to the
general education curriculum and will graduate from high school ready
for college and a career; and
(5) The proposed project will benefit from a diversity of
perspectives, including families, educators, TA providers, researchers,
and policy makers, among others, in its development and operation.
(f) In the narrative under ``Required Project Assurances'' or
appendices as directed, meet the following application requirements--
(1) Include in Appendix A a logic model that depicts, at a minimum,
the goals, activities, outputs, and intended outcomes of the proposed
project. A logic model communicates how a project will achieve its
intended 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://www.tadnet.org/pages/589;
(2) Include in Appendix A a visual representation of the
conceptual framework, if a visual representation is developed;
(3) Include in Appendix A charts and timelines, as appropriate,
to illustrate the management plan described in the narrative;
(4) Include in the budget attendance at the following:
(i) 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 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;
(ii) A two and one-half day project directors' conference in
Washington, DC, during each year of the project period;
(iii) One trip annually to attend Department briefings,
Department-sponsored conferences, and other meetings, as requested
by OSEP; and
(iv) A one-day intensive review meeting that will be held during
the last half of the second year of the project period.
(5) Include in the budget a line item for an annual set-aside of
five percent of the grant amount to support emerging needs that are
consistent with the proposed project's intended outcomes, as those
needs are identified in consultation with OSEP.
Note: With approval from the OSEP project officer, the project
must reallocate any remaining funds from this annual set-aside no
later than the end of the third quarter of each budget period; and
(6) Maintain a Web site that meets government or industry-
recognized standards for accessibility.
Fourth and Fifth Years of the Project for Focus Area B:
In deciding whether to continue funding the project for Focus
Area B for the fourth and fifth years, the Secretary will consider
the requirements of 34 CFR 75.253(a), as well as--
(a) The recommendation of a review team consisting of experts
selected by the Secretary. This review will be conducted during a
one-day intensive meeting in Washington, DC, that will be held
during the last half of the second 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) The quality, relevance, and usefulness of the project's
activities and products and the degree to which the project's
activities and products are aligned with the project's objectives
and likely to result in the project achieving its proposed outcomes.
References:
Bruce, S. M. (2007). Teacher preparation for the education of
students who are deaf-blind: A retrospective and prospective view.
Deaf-Blind Perspectives, 14(2).
Emerson, J., & Bishop, J. (2012). Videophone technology and students
with deaf-blindness: A method for increasing access and
communication. Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness, 106(10),
622-633.
Kamenopoulou, L. (2012). A study on the inclusion of deaf-blind
young people in mainstream schools: Key findings and implications
for research and practice.
[[Page 39266]]
British Journal of Special Education, 39(3), 137-145.
National Center on Low-Incidence Disabilities. (2005, April 24). New
personnel produced by programs, 2003-2004. Retrieved from
www.nationaldb.org/dbp/apr2007.htm.
National Center on Severe and Sensory Disabilities. (2009). 1995-
2006 graduate and enrollment survey data for personnel preparation
in visual disabilities. Retrieved from www.unco.edu/ncssd/research/gradsurvey/2006-2007/GES_Data_Reports.shtml.
National Consortium on Deaf-Blindness. (2012). The 2011 national
child count of children and youth who are deaf-blind. Retrieved from
www.nationaldb.org/TAChildCount.php.
Smale, K. (2010). Helping students toward independence: The Steps
Program at Utah State School for Deaf-Blind. Odyssey: New Directions
in Deaf Education, 11(1), 47-49.
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 and requirements
in this notice.
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1463 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: $11,600,000.
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: Focus Area A: See chart. Focus Area B:
$2,100,000.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: Focus Area A: $176,000. Focus
Area B: $2,100,000.
Maximum Award: Focus Area A: The following chart lists the maximum
amount of funds for individual States and regions for a single budget
period of 12 months. A State may be served by only one supported
project. In determining the maximum funding levels for each State the
Secretary considered, among other things, the following factors:
(1) The total number of children from birth through age 21 in the
State.
(2) The number of people in poverty in the State.
(3) The previous funding levels.
(4) The maximum and minimum funding amounts.
FY 2013 Funding Levels by Region for Focus Area A
------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Region 1................................. Total: $1,770,926
CT....................................... 104,751
MA....................................... 126,661
ME....................................... 65,000
NH....................................... 65,807
NJ....................................... 268,086
NY....................................... 575,000
PA....................................... 371,952
RI....................................... 79,368
VT....................................... 114,301
Region 2................................. Total: 1,543,279
DC....................................... 65,000
DE....................................... 83,362
KY....................................... 165,145
MD....................................... 164,366
NC....................................... 313,649
SC....................................... 154,204
TN....................................... 238,451
VA....................................... 234,082
WV....................................... 125,020
Region 3................................. Total: 2,052,453
AL....................................... 185,095
AR....................................... 118,534
FL....................................... 362,027
GA....................................... 305,978
LA....................................... 145,840
MS....................................... 133,605
OK....................................... 131,374
PR....................................... 65,000
TX....................................... 575,000
VI....................................... 30,000
Region 4................................. Total: 1,700,148
IA....................................... 97,054
IL....................................... 335,444
IN....................................... 210,093
MI....................................... 256,289
MN....................................... 171,335
MO....................................... 197,129
OH....................................... 259,320
WI....................................... 173,484
Region 5................................. Total: 1,066,830
AZ....................................... 175,338
CO....................................... 154,079
KS....................................... 128,122
MT....................................... 106,123
ND....................................... 65,000
NE....................................... 78,471
NM....................................... 100,912
SD....................................... 101,746
UT....................................... 92,039
WY....................................... 65,000
Region 6................................. Total: 1,366,364
AK....................................... 106,971
CA....................................... 575,000
HI....................................... 77,491
ID....................................... 85,303
NV....................................... 112,563
OR....................................... 121,286
WA....................................... 195,750
Pacific**................................ 92,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------
**The areas to be served by this award are the outlying areas of
American Samoa, Guam, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana
Islands as well as the freely associated States of the Republic of the
Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic
of Palau. An applicant for this award must propose to serve all of
these areas.
We will reject an application under Focus Area A of the priority
under any of the following circumstances:
(a) A State project that proposes a budget exceeding the funding
level listed in this notice for that State for any single budget period
of 12 months.
(b) An application for a region that does not include every State
specified for that region as described under the Focus Area A priority
in this notice.
(c) An application for a region that includes States outside of the
predetermined regions as described under the Focus Area A priority in
this notice.
(d) An application for a region or consortium that proposes a
budget exceeding the funding level for any single budget period of 12
months of the combined funding for each State member of the region or
consortium as specified in the FY 2013 Funding Levels by Region for
Focus Area A chart.
We will reject an application under Focus Area B of the priority
under any project that proposes a budget exceeding the funding level
listed in this notice for any single budget period of 12 months.
Note: 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: Focus Area A: 54.
Focus Area B: 1.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this
notice.
Project Period: Up to 36 months with an optional additional 24
months based on performance. Applications must include plans for both
the 36-month award and the 24-month extension.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants: SEAs; LEAs, including public charter
schools that are considered LEAs under State law; IHEs; other public
agencies; private nonprofit organizations; freely associated States and
outlying areas; Indian tribes or tribal organizations; and for-profit
organizations.
With respect to Focus Area A of the priority, in order to provide
SEAs with greater flexibility in how TA is
[[Page 39267]]
delivered and ensure high-quality TA, individual States have the
following options: (1) Participating in a regional project; (2)
participating as a member of a multi-State consortium; or (3) applying
directly for funds as a single State. Therefore, eligible applicants
for funds awarded under Focus Area A of this absolute priority may be
an entity serving a predetermined region of States, a multi-State
consortium, or a single State. The predetermined regions are the six
OSEP Regional Resource Center regions--
Region 1: Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, New
Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont;
Region 2: District of Columbia, Delaware, Kentucky, Maryland, North
Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia;
Region 3: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana,
Mississippi, Oklahoma, Puerto Rico, Texas, and the Virgin Islands;
Region 4: Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri,
Ohio, and Wisconsin;
Region 5: Arizona, Colorado, Kansas, Montana, North Dakota,
Nebraska, New Mexico, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming;
Region 6: Alaska, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon,
Washington, American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern
Marianas, States of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated
States of Micronesia, and the Republic of Palau.
Eligible applicants under Focus Area A of this priority are invited
to submit single-State applications to provide deaf-blind TA services
to individual States, as they have done in the past. If a State is
included in more than one application as a member of a consortium or
predefined region or submits an individual State application, and more
than one application is determined to be fundable for the State, the
State will be given the option under which award (individual State,
consortium, or region) it will receive funding. It may not be funded
under multiple awards. If a State(s) chooses not to participate in a
predetermined region, the predetermined region's funding would be
reduced by the amount of the award(s) that would be made for the
individual State(s) application. The maximum level of funding for a
consortium or region will reflect the combined total that the eligible
entities comprising the consortium or region would have received if
they had applied separately. For States within consortia or regions, no
State will be permitted to receive less services or supports than it
would have received under a previously held Deaf-Blind State grant.
2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This program does not require cost
sharing or matching.
3. Other General Requirements: (a) Recipients of funding under this
program must make positive efforts to employ and advance in employment
qualified individuals with disabilities (see section 606 of IDEA).
(b) Each applicant for, and recipient of, funding under this
program 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: You can obtain an
application package via the Internet or from the Education Publications
Center (ED Pubs). 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 from ED Pubs, be sure to identify
this competition as follows: CFDA number 84.326T.
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, 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 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: July 1,
2013.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: August 15, 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.
4. Intergovernmental Review: This program is subject to Executive
Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79. However, under 34
CFR 79.8(a), we waive intergovernmental review in order to make awards
by the end of FY 2013.
[[Page 39268]]
5. Funding Restrictions: We reference regulations outlining funding
restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.
6. Data Universal Numbering System Number, Taxpayer Identification
Number, and 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 System for Award
Management (SAM) (formerly the Central Contractor Registry (CCR)), the
Government's primary registrant database;
c. Provide your DUNS number and TIN on your application; and
d. Maintain an active 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 SAM registration process may take seven or more business days
to complete. If you are currently registered with the SAM, 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 State Technical Assistance
Projects to Improve Services and Results for Children Who Are Deaf-
Blind and National Technical Assistance and Dissemination Center for
Children Who Are Deaf-Blind competition, CFDA number 84.326T, 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 State
Technical Assistance Projects to Improve Services and Results for
Children Who Are Deaf-Blind and National Technical Assistance and
Dissemination Center for Children Who Are Deaf-Blind competition 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 84.326, not
84.326T).
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.
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
[[Page 39269]]
the Department has received your application and has assigned your
application a PR/Award number (a Department-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
prevents 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: Jo Ann McCann, U.S.
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 4076, 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 84.326T) 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 84.326T), 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
[[Page 39270]]
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, which are designed
to yield information on various aspects of the effectiveness and
quality of the Technical Assistance and Dissemination to Improve
Services and Results for Children with Disabilities program. These
measures focus on the extent to which projects provide high-quality
products and services, the relevance of project products and services
to educational and early intervention policy and practice, and the use
of products and services to improve educational and early intervention
policy and practice.
Grantees will be required to report information on their project's
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 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: Jo Ann McCann, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., room 4076, PCP, Washington, DC
20202-2600. Telephone: (202) 245-7434.
If you use a TDD or a TTY, call the Federal Relay Service (FRS),
toll free, at 1-800-877-8339.
VIII. Other Information
Accessible Format: Individuals with disabilities can obtain this
document and a copy of the application package in an accessible format
(e.g., braille, large print, audiotape, or 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.
[[Page 39271]]
Dated: June 26, 2013.
Michael K. Yudin,
Delegated the authority to perform the functions and duties of the
Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.
[FR Doc. 2013-15715 Filed 6-28-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P
