Applications for New Awards; Technical Assistance and Dissemination To Improve Services and Results for Children With Disabilities-Technical Assistance Center on Positive Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Outcomes for Young Children With, and at Risk for, Developmental Delays or Disabilities, 26456-26465 [2017-11842]
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the taking, importing, and exporting of
endangered and threatened species (50
CFR parts 222–226).
The applicant proposes to take
cetaceans during vessel surveys for the
Soundwatch Boater Education program
in the in-land waters of Washington to
evaluate vessel regulations and
guidelines, characterize vessel trends,
and prevent vessel disturbances to
marine mammals. The primary target
species are Southern Resident and
transient killer whales (Orcinus orca),
but additional cetaceans may include
fin (Balaenoptera physalus), gray
(Eschrichtius robustus), humpback
(Megaptera novaeangliae), and minke
(B. acutorostrata) whales, Dall’s
(Phocoenoides dalli) and harbor
(Phocoena phocoena) porpoises, and
Pacific white-sided dolphins
(Lagenorhynchus obliquidens). Research
activities would include photography,
video recording, photo-identification,
behavioral observations, and incidental
harassment. Take numbers would
include up to 100 whales of each killer
whale stock, and up to 20 individuals
each of all other cetacean species,
annually. Five species of non-listed
pinnipeds may be harassed incidental to
research activities. Please see the take
table for complete list of take numbers
by species. The permit would be valid
for five years from the date of issuance.
In compliance with the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42
U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), an initial
determination has been made that the
activity proposed is categorically
excluded from the requirement to
prepare an environmental assessment or
environmental impact statement.
Concurrent with the publication of
this notice in the Federal Register,
NMFS is forwarding copies of the
application to the Marine Mammal
Commission and its Committee of
Scientific Advisors.
Dated: June 1, 2017.
Donna S. Wieting,
Director, Office of Protected Resources,
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2017–11709 Filed 6–6–17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
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Closed Teleconference Meeting
National Assessment
Governing Board, U.S. Department of
Education.
ACTION: Notice of a closed
teleconference meeting.
AGENCY:
This notice sets forth the
agenda for a closed teleconference
SUMMARY:
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meeting of the National Assessment
Governing Board (hereafter referred to
as Governing Board) to review and take
action on nominations for Governing
Board vacancies, in accordance with the
personnel appointment actions
stipulated under § 302(d) of Public Law
107–279.
Due to the need to adhere to the
Governing Board’s established
nominations cycle for Governing Board
vacancies, this notice is being posted
less than 15 days prior to the meeting.
DATES: Thursday, June 22, 2017, from
3:00 p.m. to 3:45 p.m. EST.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Munira Mwalimu, Executive Officer/
Designated Federal Official of the
Governing Board, 800 North Capitol
Street NW., Suite 825, Washington, DC
20002, telephone: (202) 357–6938, fax:
(202) 357–6945.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Statutory Authority and Function: The
Governing Board is established under the
National Assessment of Educational Progress
Authorization Act, Title III of Public Law
107–279. Information on the Governing
Board and its work can be found at
www.nagb.gov.
The Governing Board is established to
formulate policy for the National
Assessment of Educational Progress
(NAEP). The Governing Board’s
congressionally mandated
responsibilities include developing
appropriate student achievement levels
for each grade and subject tested. Based
on recommendations from
policymakers, educators, and members
of the general public, the Governing
Board sets specific achievement levels
for each subject area and grade assessed
on The Nation’s Report Card.
Achievement levels are performance
standards that show what students
should know and be able to do. Results
are reported as percentages of students
performing at or above the Basic and
Proficient levels, and at the Advanced
level. Additional information on the
Governing Board and memberships
terms can be found at https://
www.nagb.gov.
Notice of the meeting is required
under § 10(a)(2) of the Federal Advisory
Committee Act (FACA). The discussion
during the teleconference pertains
solely to internal personnel rules and
practices of an agency and information
of a personal nature where disclosure
would constitute a clearly unwarranted
invasion of personal privacy. As such,
the discussions are protected by
exemptions 2 and 6 of § 552b(c) of Title
5 of the United States Code.
The National Assessment Governing
Board will participate in a
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teleconference meeting on Thursday,
June 22, 2017 from 3:00 p.m.–3:45 p.m.
EST. The purpose of the meeting is to
review the Nomination Committee’s
recommendations for the final slate of
candidates for the 2017 Governing
Board vacancies for terms that begin on
October 1, 2017. Following discussion,
the Governing Board will take action on
the final slate of candidates to be
submitted to the Secretary of Education.
Members of the public will have an
opportunity to provide written feedback
on the closed teleconference meeting in
advance of the call at nagb@ed.gov, with
the email subject header titled
‘‘Teleconference Feedback on
Nominations.’’ Comments must be
received no later than 12:00 p.m. EST
on June 12, 2017.
Dated: June 1, 2017.
William J. Bushaw,
Executive Director.
[FR Doc. 2017–11726 Filed 6–6–17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Applications for New Awards;
Technical Assistance and
Dissemination To Improve Services
and Results for Children With
Disabilities—Technical Assistance
Center on Positive Social, Emotional,
and Behavioral Outcomes for Young
Children With, and at Risk for,
Developmental Delays or Disabilities
Office of Special Education and
Rehabilitative Services, Department of
Education.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
The Department of Education
is issuing a notice inviting applications
for new awards for fiscal year (FY) 2017
for Technical Assistance and
Dissemination To Improve Services and
Results for Children With Disabilities—
Technical Assistance Center on Positive
Social, Emotional, and Behavioral
Outcomes for Young Children With, and
at Risk for, Developmental Delays or
Disabilities, Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance (CFDA) number 84.326B.
DATES:
Applications Available: June 7, 2017.
Deadline for Transmittal of
Applications: July 24, 2017.
Deadline for Intergovernmental
Review: September 20, 2017.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Jennifer Tschantz, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW.,
Room 5143, Potomac Center Plaza,
Washington, DC 20202–5108.
Telephone: (202) 245–6282.
SUMMARY:
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If you use a telecommunications
device for the deaf (TDD) or a text
telephone (TTY), call the Federal Relay
Service (FRS), toll free, at 1–800–877–
8339.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
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 in the
statute (see sections 663 and 681(d) of
the Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act (IDEA)).
Absolute Priority: For FY 2017 and
any subsequent year in which we make
awards from the list of unfunded
applications 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:
Technical Assistance Center on
Positive Social, Emotional, and
Behavioral Outcomes for Young
Children with, and at Risk for,
Developmental Delays or Disabilities.
Background
Young children’s social, emotional,
and behavioral development has long
been recognized as critical for school
readiness. Children who are socially
competent and exhibit positive behavior
during the early childhood years are
more successful in school and in life
(Jones, Greenberg, & Crowley, 2015).
Despite this, early childhood programs
that serve infants, toddlers, and
preschool children (young children)
with, and at risk for, developmental
delays or disabilities have struggled to
systematically promote positive social
and emotional development and reduce
challenging behaviors.
Early childhood personnel are often
not trained to adequately support young
children’s social, emotional, and
behavioral development (Buettner, Hur,
Jeon, & Andrews, 2016). As a result,
early childhood personnel frequently
report that coping with challenging
behavior is their most pressing training
need and presents a barrier to including
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young children with disabilities into
programs with their typically
developing peers (Hemmeter, Corso, &
Cheatham, 2006; Snell et al., 2012). In
fact, expulsion rates in preschool are
higher than in K–12, and preschool
expulsion and suspension rates include
stark racial and gender disparities, with
young boys of color, including those
with disabilities, being suspended and
expelled much more frequently than
other children (Gilliam, 2005; U.S.
Department of Education, 2014; U.S.
Department of Education, 2016). In
addition, young children with
disabilities and their families face
significant barriers to accessing
inclusive high-quality early childhood
programs, despite the research base on
the benefits of and the legal foundation
for inclusion.1
Early childhood multi-tiered systems
of support (MTSS) 2 focused on social,
emotional, and behavioral development
implemented in center-based early
childhood settings have shown promise
in increasing children’s social
competence and reducing challenging
behaviors. Additionally, 30 States
identified in their State Systemic
Improvement Plans (SSIPs) 3 improving
1 Section 632(4)(G) of the IDEA Part C requires
that, to the maximum extent appropriate, factoring
in each child’s routines, needs, and outcomes, early
intervention services be made available to all
eligible infants and toddlers with disabilities in
‘‘natural environments,’’ including the home, and
community settings in which children without
disabilities participate. Section 619 of the IDEA Part
B requires that to the maximum extent appropriate,
all children with disabilities, including preschool
children with disabilities, must be educated in the
least restrictive environment, and removal from the
regular education environment occurs only if the
nature and severity of the disability is such that
education in regular classes with the use of
supplementary aids and services cannot be
achieved satisfactorily.
2 An early childhood MTSS framework (also
referred to as response to intervention, or RTI)
focused on social, emotional, and behavioral
development is a framework used to organize
effective practices, interventions, and
implementation supports supported by evidence.
MTSS strategies are typically organized into three
progressively intensive tiers, with specific
interventions being executed across primary,
secondary and tertiary tiers. The first tier typically
includes practices to promote nurturing and
responsive caregiving relationships with the child
and high-quality supportive environments. The
second tier includes explicit instruction in social
skills and emotional regulation for children who
require more systematic and focused instruction.
The third tier is for children with persistent
challenging behaviors that are not responsive to
interventions at other tiers and involves
implementing a plan of intensive, individualized
interventions. MTSS intervention strategies should
not delay or deny the evaluation of students
suspected of having a disability or developmental
delay (see OSEP’s April 2016 memorandum on the
use of RTI in preschool available online: https://
www2.ed.gov/policy/speced/guid/idea/
memosdcltrs/oseprtipreschoolmemo4-29-16.pdf).
3 The Office of Special Education Programs
(OSEP) has redesigned its accountability framework
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the social and emotional outcomes of
infants and toddlers with disabilities
under Part C of the IDEA. However,
State and local early childhood
programs are not typically organized in
a manner that systematically supports
early childhood personnel in
implementing these interventions. State
and local programs need guidance and
resources on how to implement the
framework, especially in home-based
and community settings with young
children with, and at risk for,
developmental delays or disabilities.
To support young children’s social,
emotional, and behavioral development
and reduce their challenging behaviors,
this priority will fund a cooperative
agreement to establish and operate a
national Technical Assistance Center on
Positive Social, Emotional, and
Behavioral Outcomes for Young
Children with, and at Risk for,
Developmental Delays or Disabilities.
The center will develop an early
childhood MTSS framework, and then
support States, early childhood
programs, and personnel in
implementing this framework focused
on improving social, emotional, and
behavioral development.
Priority
The purpose of this priority is to fund
a cooperative agreement to establish and
operate a Technical Assistance Center
on Positive Social, Emotional, and
Behavioral Outcomes for Young
Children with, and at Risk 4 for,
which is designated as Results Driven
Accountability (RDA). As part of RDA, OSEP
required States to develop, and report in the Annual
Performance Report (APR), the State Systemic
Improvement Plan (SSIP). The SSIP is a
comprehensive, multi-year plan that is focused on
improving a State-identified measureable result
(SIMR). Thirty State IDEA Part C programs have
developed SSIPs that have SIMRs specifically
focused on improving the social and emotional
outcomes of infants and toddlers with disabilities.
4 Section 663(b)(1) of the IDEA gives the
Department the authority to include a focus on ‘‘atrisk’’ children in this priority: ‘‘Funds received
under this section shall be used to support activities
to improve services provided under this title,
including the practices of professionals and others
involved in providing such services to children
with disabilities, that promote academic
achievement and improve results for children with
disabilities through . . . implementing effective
strategies for addressing inappropriate behavior of
students with disabilities in schools, including
strategies to prevent children with emotional and
behavioral problems from developing emotional
disturbances that require the provision of special
education and related services.’’ Under IDEA Part
C, States have the option to serve ‘‘at-risk infants
and toddlers,’’ defined under section 632(1) as
individuals under three years of age who would be
at risk of experiencing a substantial developmental
delay if early intervention services were not
provided to the individual. Additionally, under
section 638(5) of the IDEA, States that do not serve
‘‘at-risk infants and toddlers’’ under IDEA Part C
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Developmental Delays or Disabilities to
achieve, at a minimum, the following:
(a) An early childhood multi-tiered
systems of support (MTSS) framework
focused on improving social, emotional,
and behavioral development that
explicitly integrates practices supported
by evidence (as defined in this notice);
addresses the needs of infants and
toddlers as well as preschoolers;
reduces inappropriate and
disproportionate discipline practices
affecting young children of color;
increases inclusion and ongoing
participation of young children with
disabilities in early childhood settings;
promotes family engagement; and is
relevant for various early childhood
settings (center, home, and communitybased);
(b) Improved State and local capacity,
including improved skills of personnel,
to organize the infrastructure
components (including policies,
funding, workforce, coaching, data
collection and analysis, and interagency
leadership) needed to support, scale-up,
and sustain the implementation of the
early childhood MTSS framework
described in paragraph (a) across early
childhood programs; and
(c) Increased State and local
implementation of the early childhood
MTSS framework described in
paragraph (a) with early childhood
programs and providers using reliable
and valid tools and processes for
evaluating the fidelity of the
implementation of the early childhood
MTSS framework focused on social,
emotional, and behavioral development;
and measuring improvements in young
children’s social, emotional, and
behavioral outcomes, and reductions in
behavior incidents, suspensions, and
expulsions.
In addition to these programmatic
requirements, to be considered for
funding under this priority, applicants
must meet the application and
administrative requirements in this
priority, which are:
(a) Demonstrate, in the narrative
section of the application under
‘‘Significance of the Project,’’ how the
proposed project will—
(1) Address the current and emerging
needs of States, early childhood
programs, and personnel to improve the
social, emotional, and behavioral
outcomes of young children with, and at
risk for, developmental delays or
disabilities through the implementation
may strengthen the statewide system by initiating,
expanding, or improving collaborative efforts to atrisk infants and toddlers, including establishing
linkages with appropriate public or private
community-based organizations, services, and
personnel for IDEA child find and related purposes.
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of an early childhood MTSS framework.
To meet this requirement the applicant
must—
(i) Present applicable national and
State data demonstrating the need to
address improved positive social,
emotional, and behavioral outcomes in
young children with, and at risk for,
developmental delays or disability and
the needs of States, early childhood
programs, and personnel in
implementing an early childhood MTSS
framework focused on social, emotional,
and behavioral development;
(ii) Demonstrate knowledge of current
educational issues and policy initiatives
related to: Implementing and sustaining
an early childhood MTSS framework
that promotes positive social, emotional,
and behavioral outcomes for young
children with, and at risk for,
developmental delays or disability
across early childhood settings;
reducing disproportionate discipline
practices and suspension and expulsion;
and increasing inclusive opportunities
for young children with disabilities;
(iii) Present information about the
current level of State and local
implementation of:
(A) Early childhood MTSS
frameworks focused on social,
emotional, and behavioral development;
(B) Activities to reduce
disproportionate discipline and
suspension and expulsion practices in
early childhood programs;
(C) Activities to address challenging
behavior as a barrier to inclusive
opportunities for young children with
disabilities; and
(D) IDEA Part C activities to
implement SSIPs targeting their Stateidentified measurable result (SIMR) on
the improvement of social and
emotional outcomes;
(2) Improve State and local
implementation of an early childhood
MTSS framework focused on social,
emotional, and behavioral development
and indicate the likely magnitude or
importance of the improvements.
(b) Demonstrate, in the narrative
section of the application under
‘‘Quality of the Project Services,’’ how
the proposed project will—
(1) Ensure equal access and treatment
for members of groups that have
traditionally been underrepresented
based on race, color, national origin,
gender, age, or disability. To meet this
requirement, the applicant must
describe how it will—
(i) Identify the needs of the intended
recipients for TA and information; and
(ii) Ensure that services and products
meet the needs of the intended
recipients;
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(2) Achieve its goals, objectives, and
intended outcomes. To meet this
requirement, the applicant must
provide—
(i) Measurable intended project
outcomes; and
(ii) The logic model by which the
proposed project will achieve its
intended outcomes. A logic model used
in connection with this priority
communicates how a project will
achieve its intended outcomes and
provides a framework for both the
formative and summative evaluations of
the project;
(3) Use a conceptual framework to
develop project plans and activities,
describing any underlying concepts,
assumptions, expectations, beliefs, or
theories, as well as the presumed
relationships or linkages among these
variables, and any empirical support for
this framework;
Note: Rather than use the definition of
‘‘logic model’’ in 34 CFR 77.1(c), OSEP uses
the definition in paragraph (b)(2)(ii) of these
application requirements. This definition,
unlike the definition in 34 CFR 77.1(c),
differentiates between logic models and
conceptual frameworks. The following Web
sites provide more information on logic
models: www.osepideasthatwork.org/
logicModel and www.osepideasthatwork.org/
resources-grantees/program-areas/ta-ta/tadproject-logic-model-and-conceptualframework.
(4) Be based on current research and
make use of practices supported by
evidence. To meet this requirement, the
applicant must describe—
(i) The current research on the
effectiveness of an early childhood
MTSS framework focused on social,
emotional, and behavioral development
and related practices supported by
evidence;
(ii) The current research about adult
learning principles and implementation
science or improvement science that
will inform the proposed TA; and
(iii) How the proposed project will
incorporate current research and
practices supported by evidence in the
development and delivery of its
products and services;
(5) Develop products and provide
services that are of high quality and
sufficient intensity and duration to
achieve the intended outcomes of the
proposed project. To address this
requirement, the applicant must
describe—
(i) How it proposes to identify or
develop the knowledge base on effective
practices within, and implementation
supports for, an early childhood MTSS
framework focused on social, emotional,
and behavioral development that—
(A) Improves the social, emotional,
and behavioral development of infants,
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toddlers, and preschoolers with, or at
risk for, developmental delays and
disabilities;
(B) Reduces the use of suspension and
expulsion in early childhood programs
and addresses the disproportionate
discipline practices for young children
of color;
(C) Increases the inclusion of young
children with disabilities in early
childhood programs;
(D) Integrates infant mental health
specialists and early childhood mental
health consultants in the
implementation of an early childhood
MTSS framework;
(E) Allows for the collection and use
of data to inform decision-making about
improving social, emotional, and
behavioral outcomes for young children;
and
(F) Engages families of young
children, including those from diverse
cultural and linguistic backgrounds, in
the social, emotional, and behavioral
development of their children;
(ii) Its proposed approach to
universal, general TA,5 which must
identify the intended recipients of the
products and services under this
approach and should include activities
focused on strengthening an early
childhood MTSS framework that
promotes young children’s social,
emotional, and behavioral development
including developing and strengthening
existing resources, guidance, and tools
on:
(A) Practices supported by evidence,
policies and implementation supports to
promote infant, toddlers’ and
preschoolers’ social, emotional, and
behavioral outcomes;
(B) Addressing potential disparities in
the application or effect of discipline
practices for young children of color
and reducing suspension and expulsion
in programs serving young children
with, and at risk for, developmental
delays and disabilities;
(C) Using valid and reliable tools to
measure change in social, emotional,
and behavioral outcomes at the child
level and making data-based decisions
to inform interventions; and
(D) Collecting data on progress
towards social, emotional, and
behavioral outcomes and discipline
5 ‘‘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 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.
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practices at the program level, and how
to use these data to make decisions
related to practices and policies;
(iii) Its proposed approach to targeted,
specialized TA,6 which must identify—
(A) The intended recipients,
including the type and number of
recipients that will receive the products
and services under this approach;
(B) Its proposed approach to measure
the readiness of potential TA recipients
to work with the project, assessing, at a
minimum, their current infrastructure,
available resources, and ability to build
capacity at the local level;
(C) The process by which the
proposed project will collaborate with
OSEP-funded TA centers (see
www.osepideasthatwork.org/find-centeror-grant/find-a-center) and other
federally funded TA Centers; and
(D) Its proposed approach to
increasing the engagement and
leadership of State IDEA Part C and Part
B, section 619 coordinators to
collaborate with other early childhood
State leaders to significantly reduce or
eliminate suspension and expulsion
practices in early childhood programs.
(iv) Its proposed approach to
intensive, sustained TA,7 which must
identify—
(A) The intended recipients,
including the type and number of
recipients that will receive the products
and services under this approach;
(B) Its proposed approach to measure
the readiness of the recipients to work
with the project, including their
commitment to the initiative, alignment
of the initiative to their needs, current
infrastructure, available resources, and
ability to build capacity at the local
level;
(C) Its proposed plan for assisting
State early childhood agencies
(including State educational agencies
(SEAs) and lead agencies) to build
6 ‘‘Targeted, specialized TA’’ means TA services
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 laborintensive 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.
7 ‘‘Intensive, sustained TA’’ means TA 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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training systems that include
professional development based on
adult learning principles and coaching;
(D) Its proposed plan for working
across the early childhood and health
systems (e.g., child care, Head Start,
State-funded prekindergarten, Part C
and Part B section 619 of IDEA, home
visiting, mental health) and with
appropriate levels of the systems (e.g.,
State early learning agencies, regional
TA providers, districts and
communities, schools and local
programs, families) to ensure that there
is communication across programs and
between each level and that there are
systems in place to support the use of
an early childhood MTSS framework
focused on social, emotional, and
behavioral development; and
(E) The process by which the
proposed project will collaborate with
OSEP-funded centers (see
www.osepideasthatwork.org/find-centeror-grant/find-a-center) and other
federally funded TA Centers.
(6) Develop products and implement
services that maximize efficiency. To
address this requirement, the applicant
must describe—
(i) How the proposed project will use
technology to achieve the intended
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
intended project outcomes.
(c) In the narrative section of the
application under ‘‘Quality of the
Evaluation Plan,’’ include an evaluation
plan for the project as described in the
following paragraphs. The evaluation
plan must describe: Measures of
progress in implementation, including
the criteria for determining the extent to
which the project’s products and
services have met the goals for reaching
its target population; measures of
intended outcomes or results of the
project’s activities in order to evaluate
those activities; and how well the goals
or objectives of the proposed project, as
described in its logic model, have been
met.
(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, gender, age, or
disability, as appropriate;
(2) The proposed key project
personnel, consultants, and
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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 applicable; and
(ii) Timelines and milestones for
accomplishing the project tasks;
(2) Allocation of key project providers
and any consultants and subcontractors,
and how these allocations are
appropriate and adequate to achieve the
project’s intended outcomes;
(3) The proposed management plan
will ensure that the products and
services provided are of high quality,
relevant, and useful to recipients;
(4) The proposed project will benefit
from a diversity of perspectives,
including those of families, various
early childhood programs, educators,
TA providers, future leaders,
researchers, and policy makers, among
others, in its development and
operation; and
(f) Address the following application
requirements. The applicant must—
(1) Include, in Appendix A, a logic
model that depicts, at a minimum, the
goals, activities, outputs, and intended
outcomes of the proposed project.
(2) Include, in Appendix A, a
conceptual framework for the project;
(3) Include, in Appendix A,
personnel-loading charts and timelines,
as applicable, 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 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;
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(ii) A two and one-half day project
directors’ conference in Washington,
DC, during each year of the project
period;
(iii) Three trips annually to attend
Department briefings, Departmentsponsored conferences, and other
meetings, as requested by OSEP; and
(iv) A one-day intensive 3+2 review
meeting in Washington, DC, 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 and approved by the
OSEP project officer.
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;
(6) Engage doctoral students or postdoctoral fellows to increase the number
of future leaders in the field who are
knowledgeable about how to
implement, scale-up, and sustain an
early childhood MTSS framework
focused on social, emotional, and
behavioral development through
engagement with the project; and
(7) Maintain a high-quality Web site,
with an easy-to-navigate design, that
meets government or industryrecognized standards for accessibility.
Fourth and Fifth Years of the Project
In deciding whether to continue
funding the project 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 3+2
review team consisting of experts
selected by the Secretary. This review
will be conducted during a one-day
intensive meeting that will be held
during the last half of the second year
of the project period;
(b) The timeliness and assessment of
how well the 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 products and
services and the extent to which the
project’s products and services are
aligned with the project’s objectives and
likely to result in the project achieving
its intended outcomes.
References
Buettner, C.K., Hur, E.H., Jeon, L., &
Andrews, D.W. (2016, February). What
are we teaching the teachers? Child
development curricula in US higher
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education. Child & Youth Care Forum
45(1), 155–175.
Gilliam, W.S. (2005). Prekindergarteners left
behind: Expulsion rates in state
prekindergarten systems. New York, NY:
Foundation for Child Development.
Hemmeter, M.L., Corso, R., & Cheatham, G.
(2006, February). Issues in addressing
challenging behaviors in young children:
A national survey of early childhood
educators. Paper presented at the
Conference on Research Innovations in
Early Intervention. San Diego, CA.
Jones, D.E., Greenberg, M, & Crowley, M.
(2015). Early social-emotional
functioning and public health: The
relationship between kindergarten social
competence and future wellness.
American Journal of Public Health,
105(11), 2283–2290.
Snell, M.E., Voorhees, M.D., Berlin, R.A.,
Stanton-Chapman, T.L., Hadden, S., &
McCarty, J. (2012). Use of interview and
observation to clarify reported practices
of Head Start staff concerning problem
behavior: for programs and training.
Journal of Positive Behavior
Interventions, 14, 108–117.
U.S. Department of Education, Office for
Civil Rights. (2014). Data snapshot: Early
childhood education. Retrieved from:
https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/
ocr/docs/crdc-early-learningsnapshot.pdf.
U.S. Department of Education, Office for
Civil Rights. (2016). 2013–2014 civil
rights data collection: A first look.
Retrieved from: https://www2.ed.gov/
about/offices/list/ocr/docs/2013-14-firstlook.pdf.
Definitions
For the purposes of this priority:
Strong theory means a rationale for
the proposed process, product, strategy,
or practice that includes a logic model
(34 CFR 77.1).
Supported by evidence means
supported by at least strong theory.
Waiver of Proposed Rulemaking:
Under the Administrative Procedure Act
(APA) (5 U.S.C. 553) the Department
generally offers interested parties the
opportunity to comment on proposed
priorities and requirements. Section
681(d) of IDEA, however, makes the
public comment requirements of the
APA inapplicable to the priority in this
notice.
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1463
and 1481.
Applicable Regulations: (a) The
Education Department General
Administrative Regulations in 34 CFR
parts 75, 77, 79, 81, 82, 84, 86, 97, 98,
and 99. (b) The Office of Management
and Budget Guidelines to Agencies on
Governmentwide Debarment and
Suspension (Nonprocurement) in 2 CFR
part 180, as adopted and amended as
regulations of the Department in 2 CFR
part 3485. (c) The Uniform
Administrative Requirements, Cost
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Principles, and Audit Requirements for
Federal Awards in 2 CFR part 200, as
adopted and amended as regulations of
the Department in 2 CFR part 3474.
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 education (IHEs)
only.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Cooperative
agreement.
Estimated Available Funds: The
Administration has requested
$44,345,000 for the Technical
Assistance and Dissemination to
Improve Services and Results for
Children with Disabilities program for
FY 2017, of which we intend to use an
estimated $1,100,000 for this
competition. The actual level of
funding, if any, depends on final
congressional action. However, we are
inviting applications to allow enough
time to complete the grant process if
Congress appropriates funds for this
program.
Contingent upon the availability of
funds and the quality of applications,
we may make additional awards in FY
2018 from the list of unfunded
applications from this competition.
Maximum Award: We will fund a
successful application only up to
$1,100,000 for a single budget period of
12 months.
Estimated Number of Awards: 1.
Note: The Department is not bound by any
estimates in this notice.
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Project Period: Up to 60 months.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants: SEAs; State
lead agencies under Part C of the IDEA;
local educational agencies (LEAs),
including public charter schools that
operate as 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.
2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This
program does not require cost sharing or
matching.
3. Eligible Subgrantees: (a) Under 34
CFR 75.708(b) and (c) a grantee may
award subgrants—to directly carry out
project activities described in its
application—to the following types of
entities: IHEs and private nonprofit
organizations suitable to carry out the
activities proposed in the application.
(b) The grantee may award subgrants
to entities it has identified in an
approved application.
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4. Other General Requirements: (a)
Recipients of funding under this
competition 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 must, with respect to the
aspects of their proposed project
relating to the absolute priority, 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: 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 TDD or a TTY, call,
toll free: 1–877–576–7734.
You can contact ED Pubs at its Web
site, also: www.EDPubs.gov or at its
email address: edpubs@inet.ed.gov.
If you request an application package
from ED Pubs, be sure to identify this
competition as follows: CFDA number
84.326B.
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 VII
of this notice.
2. Content and Form of Application
Submission: Requirements concerning
the content and form 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. We recommend that
you—(1) limit Part III to no more than
70 pages, and (2) use 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,
reference citations, and captions, as well
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as all text in charts, tables, figures,
graphs, and screen shots.
• Use a font that is 12 point or larger.
• Use one of the following fonts:
Times New Roman, Courier, Courier
New, or Arial.
The recommended 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
abstract (follow the guidance provided
in the application package for
completing the abstract), the table of
contents, the list of priority
requirements, the resumes, the reference
list, the letters of support, or the
appendices. However, the
recommended page limit does apply to
all of Part III, the application narrative,
including all text in charts, tables,
figures, graphs, and screen shots.
3. Submission Dates and Times:
Applications Available: June 7, 2017.
Deadline for Transmittal of
Applications: July 24, 2017.
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
Other Submission Requirements in
section IV 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. If the Department provides an
accommodation or auxiliary aid to an
individual with a disability in
connection with the application
process, the individual’s application
remains subject to all other
requirements and limitations in this
notice.
Deadline for Intergovernmental
Review: September 20, 2017.
4. Intergovernmental Review: This
competition is subject to Executive
Order 12372 and the regulations in 34
CFR part 79. Information about
Intergovernmental Review of Federal
Programs under Executive Order 12372
is in the application package for this
competition.
5. Funding Restrictions: We reference
regulations outlining funding
restrictions in the Applicable
Regulations section of this notice.
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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), 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 at the following
Web site: https://fedgov.dnb.com/
webform. A DUNS number can be
created within one to two business days.
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 two to five weeks for your
TIN to become active.
The SAM registration process can take
approximately seven business days, but
may take upwards of several weeks,
depending on the completeness and
accuracy of the data you enter into the
SAM database. Thus, if you think you
might want to apply for Federal
financial assistance under a program
administered by the Department, please
allow sufficient time to obtain and
register your DUNS number and TIN.
We strongly recommend that you
register early.
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Note Once your SAM registration is active,
it may be 24 to 48 hours before you can
access the information in, and submit an
application through, Grants.gov.
If you are currently registered with
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.
Information about SAM is available at
www.SAM.gov. To further assist you
with obtaining and registering your
DUNS number and TIN in SAM or
updating your existing SAM account,
we have prepared a SAM.gov Tip Sheet,
which you can find at: www2.ed.gov/
fund/grant/apply/sam-faqs.html.
In addition, if you are submitting your
application via Grants.gov, you must (1)
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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/
web/grants/register.html.
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.
We are a participating partner in the
Governmentwide Grants.gov Apply site.
Technical Assistance Center on Positive
Social, Emotional, and Behavioral
Outcomes for Young Children with, and
at Risk for, Developmental Delays or
Disabilities competition, CFDA number
84.326B, is included in this project. We
request your participation in Grants.gov.
If you choose to submit your
application electronically, use 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 access the electronic grant
application for the Technical Assistance
Center on Positive Social, Emotional,
and Behavioral Outcomes for Young
Children with, and at Risk for,
Developmental Delays or Disabilities
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
84.326B).
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
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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. In
addition, for specific guidance and
procedures for submitting an
application through Grants.gov, please
refer to the Grants.gov Web site at:
www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/
apply-for-grants.html.
• You will not receive additional
point value because you submit your
application in electronic format, nor
will we penalize you if you submit your
application in paper format.
• If you submit your application
electronically, 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.
• If you submit your application
electronically, upload any narrative
sections and all other attachments to
your application as files in a read-only
Portable Document Format (PDF). Do
not upload an interactive or fillable PDF
file. If you upload a file type other than
a read-only PDF (e.g., Word, Excel,
WordPerfect, etc.) or submit a passwordprotected file, we will not review that
material. Please note that this could
result in your application not being
considered for funding because the
material in question—for example, the
application narrative—is critical to a
meaningful review of your proposal. For
that reason it is important to allow
yourself adequate time to upload all
material as PDF files. The Department
will not convert material from other
formats to PDF. Additional, detailed
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information on how to attach files is in
the application instructions.
• 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. Grants.gov
will also notify you automatically by
email if your application met all the
Grants.gov validation requirements or if
there were any errors (such as
submission of your application by
someone other than a registered
Authorized Organization
Representative, or inclusion of an
attachment with a file name that
contains special characters). You will be
given an opportunity to correct any
errors and resubmit, but you must still
meet the deadline for submission of
applications.
Once your application is successfully
validated by Grants.gov, the Department
will retrieve your application from
Grants.gov and send you an email with
a unique PR/Award number for your
application.
These emails do not mean that your
application is without any disqualifying
errors. While your application may have
been successfully validated by
Grants.gov, it must also meet the
Department’s application requirements
as specified in this notice and in the
application instructions. Disqualifying
errors could include, for instance,
failure to upload attachments in a readonly PDF; failure to submit a required
part of the application; or failure to meet
applicant eligibility requirements. It is
your responsibility to ensure that your
submitted application has met all of the
Department’s requirements.
• 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
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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 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 the problem affected your
ability to submit your application by
4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on
the application deadline date. We will
contact you after we determine 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.
Submission of Paper Applications by
Mail
If you submit your application by
mail (through the U.S. Postal Service or
a commercial carrier), 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
84.326B), 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.
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.
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We will not consider applications
postmarked after the application
deadline date.
c. Submission of Paper Applications
by Hand Delivery.
If you submit your applications in
paper format by hand delivery, 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
84.326B), 550 12th Street SW., Room 7039,
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 competition 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 requires
various assurances, including those
applicable to Federal civil rights laws
that prohibit discrimination in programs
or activities receiving Federal financial
assistance from the Department of
Education (34 CFR 100.4, 104.5, 106.4,
108.8, and 110.23).
3. Additional Review and Selection
Process Factors: In the past, the
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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.
4. Risk Assessment and Special
Conditions: Consistent with 2 CFR
200.205, before awarding grants under
this competition the Department
conducts a review of the risks posed by
applicants. Under 2 CFR 3474.10, the
Secretary may impose special
conditions and, in appropriate
circumstances, high risk 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 2
CFR part 200, subpart D; has not
fulfilled the conditions of a prior grant;
or is otherwise not responsible.
5. Integrity and Performance System:
If you are selected under this
competition to receive an award that
over the course of the project period
may exceed the simplified acquisition
threshold (currently $150,000), under 2
CFR 200.205(a)(2), we must make a
judgment about your integrity, business
ethics, and record of performance under
Federal awards—that is, the risk posed
by you as an applicant—before we make
an award. In doing so, we must consider
any information about you that is in the
integrity and performance system
(currently referred to as the Federal
Awardee Performance and Integrity
Information System (FAPIIS)),
accessible through SAM. You may
review and comment on any
information about yourself that a
Federal agency previously entered and
that is currently in FAPIIS.
Please note that, if the total value of
your currently active grants, cooperative
agreements, and procurement contracts
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from the Federal Government exceeds
$10,000,000, the reporting requirements
in 2 CFR part 200, Appendix XII,
require you to report certain integrity
information to FAPIIS semiannually.
Please review the requirements in 2 CFR
part 200, Appendix XII, if this grant
plus all the other Federal funds you
receive exceed $10,000,000.
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 multiyear award, you must
submit an annual performance report
that provides the most current
performance and financial expenditure
information as directed by the Secretary
under 34 CFR 75.118. The Secretary
may also require more frequent
performance reports under 34 CFR
75.720(c). For specific requirements on
reporting, please go to www.ed.gov/
fund/grant/apply/appforms/
appforms.html.
4. Performance Measures: Under the
Government Performance and Results
Act of 1993 (GPRA), the Department has
established a set of performance
measures, including long-term
measures, that are designed to yield
information on various aspects of the
effectiveness and quality of the
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Technical Assistance and Dissemination
to Improve Services and Results for
Children With Disabilities program. For
purposes of this priority, the Center will
use these measures, which focus on the
extent to which projects provide highquality 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.
Projects funded under this
competition are required to submit data
on these measures as directed by OSEP.
Grantees will be required to report
information on their project’s
performance in annual and final
performance reports to the Department
(34 CFR 75.590).
5. Continuation Awards: In making a
continuation award under 34 CFR
75.253, the Secretary considers, among
other things: Whether a grantee has
made substantial progress in achieving
the goals and objectives of the project;
whether the grantee has expended funds
in a manner that is consistent with its
approved application and budget; and,
if the Secretary has established
performance measurement
requirements, the performance targets in
the grantee’s approved application.
In making a continuation award, 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. 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 Management Support
Services Team, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW.,
Room 5113, Potomac Center Plaza,
Washington, DC 20202–2500.
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
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Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 108 / Wednesday, June 7, 2017 / Notices
published in the Federal Register, in
text or 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.
Ruth E. Ryder,
Deputy Director, Office of Special Education
Programs, delegated the duties of the
Assistant Secretary for Special Education and
Rehabilitative Services.
[FR Doc. 2017–11842 Filed 6–6–17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
[Docket No.: ED–2017–ICCD–0038]
Agency Information Collection
Activities; Submission to the Office of
Management and Budget for Review
and Approval; Comment Request;
Protection and Advocacy of Individual
Rights (PAIR)
Office of Special Education and
Rehabilitative Services (OSERS),
Department of Education (ED).
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
In accordance with the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, ED is
proposing an extension of an existing
information collection.
DATES: Interested persons are invited to
submit comments on or before July 7,
2017.
ADDRESSES: To access and review all the
documents related to the information
collection listed in this notice, please
use https://www.regulations.gov by
searching the Docket ID number ED–
2017–ICCD–0038. Comments submitted
in response to this notice should be
submitted electronically through the
Federal eRulemaking Portal at https://
www.regulations.gov by selecting the
Docket ID number or via postal mail,
commercial delivery, or hand delivery.
Please note that comments submitted by
fax or email and those submitted after
the comment period will not be
accepted. Written requests for
information or comments submitted by
postal mail or delivery should be
addressed to the Director of the
Information Collection Clearance
Division, U.S. Department of Education,
400 Maryland Avenue SW., LBJ, Room
216–42, Washington, DC 20202–4537.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For
specific questions related to collection
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SUMMARY:
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activities, please contact Samuel Pierre,
202–245–6488.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
Department of Education (ED), in
accordance with the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) (44 U.S.C.
3506(c)(2)(A)), provides the general
public and Federal agencies with an
opportunity to comment on proposed,
revised, and continuing collections of
information. This helps the Department
assess the impact of its information
collection requirements and minimize
the public’s reporting burden. It also
helps the public understand the
Department’s information collection
requirements and provide the requested
data in the desired format. ED is
soliciting comments on the proposed
information collection request (ICR) that
is described below. The Department of
Education is especially interested in
public comment addressing the
following issues: (1) Is this collection
necessary to the proper functions of the
Department; (2) will this information be
processed and used in a timely manner;
(3) is the estimate of burden accurate;
(4) how might the Department enhance
the quality, utility, and clarity of the
information to be collected; and (5) how
might the Department minimize the
burden of this collection on the
respondents, including through the use
of information technology. Please note
that written comments received in
response to this notice will be
considered public records.
Title of Collection: Protection and
Advocacy of Individual Rights (PAIR).
OMB Control Number: 1820–0627.
Type of Review: An extension of an
existing information collection.
Respondents/Affected Public: Private
Sector.
Total Estimated Number of Annual
Responses: 57.
Total Estimated Number of Annual
Burden Hours: 912.
Abstract: The Annual Protection and
Advocacy of Individual Rights (PAIR)
Program Performance Report (Form
RSA–509) will be used to analyze and
evaluate the effectiveness of eligible
systems within individual states in
meeting annual priorities and
objectives. These systems provide
services to eligible individuals with
disabilities to protect their legal and
human rights. Rehabilitation Services
Administration (RSA) uses the form to
meet specific data collection
requirements of Section 509 of the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended
(the act), and its implementing federal
regulations at 34 CFR part 381. PAIR
programs must report annually using
the form, which is due on or before
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26465
December 30 each year. Form RSA–509
has enabled RSA to furnish the
President and Congress with data on the
provision of protection and advocacy
services and has helped to establish a
sound basis for future funding requests.
These data also have been used to
indicate trends in the provision of
services from year-to-year.
Dated: June 2, 2017.
Tomakie Washington,
Acting Director, Information Collection
Clearance Division, Office of the Chief Privacy
Officer, Office of Management.
[FR Doc. 2017–11802 Filed 6–6–17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
[Docket No.: ED–2017–ICCD–0037]
Agency Information Collection
Activities; Submission to the Office of
Management and Budget for Review
and Approval; Comment Request;
Annual Client Assistance Program
(CAP) Report
Office of Special Education and
Rehabilitative Services (OSERS),
Department of Education (ED).
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
In accordance with the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, ED is
proposing an extension of an existing
information collection.
DATES: Interested persons are invited to
submit comments on or before July 7,
2017.
SUMMARY:
To access and review all the
documents related to the information
collection listed in this notice, please
use https://www.regulations.gov by
searching the Docket ID number ED–
2017–ICCD–0037. Comments submitted
in response to this notice should be
submitted electronically through the
Federal eRulemaking Portal at https://
www.regulations.gov by selecting the
Docket ID number or via postal mail,
commercial delivery, or hand delivery.
Please note that comments submitted by
fax or email and those submitted after
the comment period will not be
accepted. Written requests for
information or comments submitted by
postal mail or delivery should be
addressed to the Director of the
Information Collection Clearance
Division, U.S. Department of Education,
400 Maryland Avenue SW., LBJ, Room
216–42, Washington, DC 20202–4537.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For
specific questions related to collection
activities, please contact Jim Doyle,
202–245–6630.
ADDRESSES:
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 108 (Wednesday, June 7, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26456-26465]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-11842]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Applications for New Awards; Technical Assistance and
Dissemination To Improve Services and Results for Children With
Disabilities--Technical Assistance Center on Positive Social,
Emotional, and Behavioral Outcomes for Young Children With, and at Risk
for, Developmental Delays or Disabilities
AGENCY: Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services,
Department of Education.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Department of Education is issuing a notice inviting
applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY) 2017 for Technical
Assistance and Dissemination To Improve Services and Results for
Children With Disabilities--Technical Assistance Center on Positive
Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Outcomes for Young Children With, and
at Risk for, Developmental Delays or Disabilities, Catalog of Federal
Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number 84.326B.
DATES:
Applications Available: June 7, 2017.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: July 24, 2017.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: September 20, 2017.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jennifer Tschantz, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 5143, Potomac Center Plaza,
Washington, DC 20202-5108. Telephone: (202) 245-6282.
[[Page 26457]]
If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) or a text
telephone (TTY), call the Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll free, at 1-
800-877-8339.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
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 in the statute (see sections 663
and 681(d) of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)).
Absolute Priority: For FY 2017 and any subsequent year in which we
make awards from the list of unfunded applications 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:
Technical Assistance Center on Positive Social, Emotional, and
Behavioral Outcomes for Young Children with, and at Risk for,
Developmental Delays or Disabilities.
Background
Young children's social, emotional, and behavioral development has
long been recognized as critical for school readiness. Children who are
socially competent and exhibit positive behavior during the early
childhood years are more successful in school and in life (Jones,
Greenberg, & Crowley, 2015). Despite this, early childhood programs
that serve infants, toddlers, and preschool children (young children)
with, and at risk for, developmental delays or disabilities have
struggled to systematically promote positive social and emotional
development and reduce challenging behaviors.
Early childhood personnel are often not trained to adequately
support young children's social, emotional, and behavioral development
(Buettner, Hur, Jeon, & Andrews, 2016). As a result, early childhood
personnel frequently report that coping with challenging behavior is
their most pressing training need and presents a barrier to including
young children with disabilities into programs with their typically
developing peers (Hemmeter, Corso, & Cheatham, 2006; Snell et al.,
2012). In fact, expulsion rates in preschool are higher than in K-12,
and preschool expulsion and suspension rates include stark racial and
gender disparities, with young boys of color, including those with
disabilities, being suspended and expelled much more frequently than
other children (Gilliam, 2005; U.S. Department of Education, 2014; U.S.
Department of Education, 2016). In addition, young children with
disabilities and their families face significant barriers to accessing
inclusive high-quality early childhood programs, despite the research
base on the benefits of and the legal foundation for inclusion.\1\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Section 632(4)(G) of the IDEA Part C requires that, to the
maximum extent appropriate, factoring in each child's routines,
needs, and outcomes, early intervention services be made available
to all eligible infants and toddlers with disabilities in ``natural
environments,'' including the home, and community settings in which
children without disabilities participate. Section 619 of the IDEA
Part B requires that to the maximum extent appropriate, all children
with disabilities, including preschool children with disabilities,
must be educated in the least restrictive environment, and removal
from the regular education environment occurs only if the nature and
severity of the disability is such that education in regular classes
with the use of supplementary aids and services cannot be achieved
satisfactorily.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Early childhood multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS) \2\ focused
on social, emotional, and behavioral development implemented in center-
based early childhood settings have shown promise in increasing
children's social competence and reducing challenging behaviors.
Additionally, 30 States identified in their State Systemic Improvement
Plans (SSIPs) \3\ improving the social and emotional outcomes of
infants and toddlers with disabilities under Part C of the IDEA.
However, State and local early childhood programs are not typically
organized in a manner that systematically supports early childhood
personnel in implementing these interventions. State and local programs
need guidance and resources on how to implement the framework,
especially in home-based and community settings with young children
with, and at risk for, developmental delays or disabilities.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\2\ An early childhood MTSS framework (also referred to as
response to intervention, or RTI) focused on social, emotional, and
behavioral development is a framework used to organize effective
practices, interventions, and implementation supports supported by
evidence. MTSS strategies are typically organized into three
progressively intensive tiers, with specific interventions being
executed across primary, secondary and tertiary tiers. The first
tier typically includes practices to promote nurturing and
responsive caregiving relationships with the child and high-quality
supportive environments. The second tier includes explicit
instruction in social skills and emotional regulation for children
who require more systematic and focused instruction. The third tier
is for children with persistent challenging behaviors that are not
responsive to interventions at other tiers and involves implementing
a plan of intensive, individualized interventions. MTSS intervention
strategies should not delay or deny the evaluation of students
suspected of having a disability or developmental delay (see OSEP's
April 2016 memorandum on the use of RTI in preschool available
online: https://www2.ed.gov/policy/speced/guid/idea/memosdcltrs/oseprtipreschoolmemo4-29-16.pdf).
\3\ The Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) has
redesigned its accountability framework which is designated as
Results Driven Accountability (RDA). As part of RDA, OSEP required
States to develop, and report in the Annual Performance Report
(APR), the State Systemic Improvement Plan (SSIP). The SSIP is a
comprehensive, multi-year plan that is focused on improving a State-
identified measureable result (SIMR). Thirty State IDEA Part C
programs have developed SSIPs that have SIMRs specifically focused
on improving the social and emotional outcomes of infants and
toddlers with disabilities.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
To support young children's social, emotional, and behavioral
development and reduce their challenging behaviors, this priority will
fund a cooperative agreement to establish and operate a national
Technical Assistance Center on Positive Social, Emotional, and
Behavioral Outcomes for Young Children with, and at Risk for,
Developmental Delays or Disabilities. The center will develop an early
childhood MTSS framework, and then support States, early childhood
programs, and personnel in implementing this framework focused on
improving social, emotional, and behavioral development.
Priority
The purpose of this priority is to fund a cooperative agreement to
establish and operate a Technical Assistance Center on Positive Social,
Emotional, and Behavioral Outcomes for Young Children with, and at Risk
\4\ for,
[[Page 26458]]
Developmental Delays or Disabilities to achieve, at a minimum, the
following:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\4\ Section 663(b)(1) of the IDEA gives the Department the
authority to include a focus on ``at-risk'' children in this
priority: ``Funds received under this section shall be used to
support activities to improve services provided under this title,
including the practices of professionals and others involved in
providing such services to children with disabilities, that promote
academic achievement and improve results for children with
disabilities through . . . implementing effective strategies for
addressing inappropriate behavior of students with disabilities in
schools, including strategies to prevent children with emotional and
behavioral problems from developing emotional disturbances that
require the provision of special education and related services.''
Under IDEA Part C, States have the option to serve ``at-risk infants
and toddlers,'' defined under section 632(1) as individuals under
three years of age who would be at risk of experiencing a
substantial developmental delay if early intervention services were
not provided to the individual. Additionally, under section 638(5)
of the IDEA, States that do not serve ``at-risk infants and
toddlers'' under IDEA Part C may strengthen the statewide system by
initiating, expanding, or improving collaborative efforts to at-risk
infants and toddlers, including establishing linkages with
appropriate public or private community-based organizations,
services, and personnel for IDEA child find and related purposes.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(a) An early childhood multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS)
framework focused on improving social, emotional, and behavioral
development that explicitly integrates practices supported by evidence
(as defined in this notice); addresses the needs of infants and
toddlers as well as preschoolers; reduces inappropriate and
disproportionate discipline practices affecting young children of
color; increases inclusion and ongoing participation of young children
with disabilities in early childhood settings; promotes family
engagement; and is relevant for various early childhood settings
(center, home, and community-based);
(b) Improved State and local capacity, including improved skills of
personnel, to organize the infrastructure components (including
policies, funding, workforce, coaching, data collection and analysis,
and interagency leadership) needed to support, scale-up, and sustain
the implementation of the early childhood MTSS framework described in
paragraph (a) across early childhood programs; and
(c) Increased State and local implementation of the early childhood
MTSS framework described in paragraph (a) with early childhood programs
and providers using reliable and valid tools and processes for
evaluating the fidelity of the implementation of the early childhood
MTSS framework focused on social, emotional, and behavioral
development; and measuring improvements in young children's social,
emotional, and behavioral outcomes, and reductions in behavior
incidents, suspensions, and expulsions.
In addition to these programmatic requirements, to be considered
for funding under this priority, applicants must meet the application
and administrative requirements in this priority, which are:
(a) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under
``Significance of the Project,'' how the proposed project will--
(1) Address the current and emerging needs of States, early
childhood programs, and personnel to improve the social, emotional, and
behavioral outcomes of young children with, and at risk for,
developmental delays or disabilities through the implementation of an
early childhood MTSS framework. To meet this requirement the applicant
must--
(i) Present applicable national and State data demonstrating the
need to address improved positive social, emotional, and behavioral
outcomes in young children with, and at risk for, developmental delays
or disability and the needs of States, early childhood programs, and
personnel in implementing an early childhood MTSS framework focused on
social, emotional, and behavioral development;
(ii) Demonstrate knowledge of current educational issues and policy
initiatives related to: Implementing and sustaining an early childhood
MTSS framework that promotes positive social, emotional, and behavioral
outcomes for young children with, and at risk for, developmental delays
or disability across early childhood settings; reducing
disproportionate discipline practices and suspension and expulsion; and
increasing inclusive opportunities for young children with
disabilities;
(iii) Present information about the current level of State and
local implementation of:
(A) Early childhood MTSS frameworks focused on social, emotional,
and behavioral development;
(B) Activities to reduce disproportionate discipline and suspension
and expulsion practices in early childhood programs;
(C) Activities to address challenging behavior as a barrier to
inclusive opportunities for young children with disabilities; and
(D) IDEA Part C activities to implement SSIPs targeting their
State-identified measurable result (SIMR) on the improvement of social
and emotional outcomes;
(2) Improve State and local implementation of an early childhood
MTSS framework focused on social, emotional, and behavioral development
and indicate the likely magnitude or importance of the improvements.
(b) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under
``Quality of the Project Services,'' how the proposed project will--
(1) Ensure equal access and treatment for members of groups that
have traditionally been underrepresented based on race, color, national
origin, gender, age, or disability. To meet this requirement, the
applicant must describe how it will--
(i) Identify the needs of the intended recipients for TA and
information; and
(ii) Ensure that services and products meet the needs of the
intended recipients;
(2) Achieve its goals, objectives, and intended outcomes. To meet
this requirement, the applicant must provide--
(i) Measurable intended project outcomes; and
(ii) The logic model by which the proposed project will achieve its
intended outcomes. A logic model used in connection with this priority
communicates how a project will achieve its intended outcomes and
provides a framework for both the formative and summative evaluations
of the project;
(3) Use a conceptual framework to develop project plans and
activities, describing any underlying concepts, assumptions,
expectations, beliefs, or theories, as well as the presumed
relationships or linkages among these variables, and any empirical
support for this framework;
Note: Rather than use the definition of ``logic model'' in 34
CFR 77.1(c), OSEP uses the definition in paragraph (b)(2)(ii) of
these application requirements. This definition, unlike the
definition in 34 CFR 77.1(c), differentiates between logic models
and conceptual frameworks. The following Web sites provide more
information on logic models: www.osepideasthatwork.org/logicModel
and www.osepideasthatwork.org/resources-grantees/program-areas/ta-ta/tad-project-logic-model-and-conceptual-framework.
(4) Be based on current research and make use of practices
supported by evidence. To meet this requirement, the applicant must
describe--
(i) The current research on the effectiveness of an early childhood
MTSS framework focused on social, emotional, and behavioral development
and related practices supported by evidence;
(ii) The current research about adult learning principles and
implementation science or improvement science that will inform the
proposed TA; and
(iii) How the proposed project will incorporate current research
and practices supported by evidence in the development and delivery of
its products and services;
(5) Develop products and provide services that are of high quality
and sufficient intensity and duration to achieve the intended outcomes
of the proposed project. To address this requirement, the applicant
must describe--
(i) How it proposes to identify or develop the knowledge base on
effective practices within, and implementation supports for, an early
childhood MTSS framework focused on social, emotional, and behavioral
development that--
(A) Improves the social, emotional, and behavioral development of
infants,
[[Page 26459]]
toddlers, and preschoolers with, or at risk for, developmental delays
and disabilities;
(B) Reduces the use of suspension and expulsion in early childhood
programs and addresses the disproportionate discipline practices for
young children of color;
(C) Increases the inclusion of young children with disabilities in
early childhood programs;
(D) Integrates infant mental health specialists and early childhood
mental health consultants in the implementation of an early childhood
MTSS framework;
(E) Allows for the collection and use of data to inform decision-
making about improving social, emotional, and behavioral outcomes for
young children; and
(F) Engages families of young children, including those from
diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds, in the social, emotional,
and behavioral development of their children;
(ii) Its proposed approach to universal, general TA,\5\ which must
identify the intended recipients of the products and services under
this approach and should include activities focused on strengthening an
early childhood MTSS framework that promotes young children's social,
emotional, and behavioral development including developing and
strengthening existing resources, guidance, and tools on:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\5\ ``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.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(A) Practices supported by evidence, policies and implementation
supports to promote infant, toddlers' and preschoolers' social,
emotional, and behavioral outcomes;
(B) Addressing potential disparities in the application or effect
of discipline practices for young children of color and reducing
suspension and expulsion in programs serving young children with, and
at risk for, developmental delays and disabilities;
(C) Using valid and reliable tools to measure change in social,
emotional, and behavioral outcomes at the child level and making data-
based decisions to inform interventions; and
(D) Collecting data on progress towards social, emotional, and
behavioral outcomes and discipline practices at the program level, and
how to use these data to make decisions related to practices and
policies;
(iii) Its proposed approach to targeted, specialized TA,\6\ which
must identify--
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\6\ ``Targeted, specialized TA'' means TA services 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.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(A) The intended recipients, including the type and number of
recipients that will receive the products and services under this
approach;
(B) Its proposed approach to measure the readiness of potential TA
recipients to work with the project, assessing, at a minimum, their
current infrastructure, available resources, and ability to build
capacity at the local level;
(C) The process by which the proposed project will collaborate with
OSEP-funded TA centers (see www.osepideasthatwork.org/find-center-or-grant/find-a-center) and other federally funded TA Centers; and
(D) Its proposed approach to increasing the engagement and
leadership of State IDEA Part C and Part B, section 619 coordinators to
collaborate with other early childhood State leaders to significantly
reduce or eliminate suspension and expulsion practices in early
childhood programs.
(iv) Its proposed approach to intensive, sustained TA,\7\ which
must identify--
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\7\ ``Intensive, sustained TA'' means TA 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.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(A) The intended recipients, including the type and number of
recipients that will receive the products and services under this
approach;
(B) Its proposed approach to measure the readiness of the
recipients to work with the project, including their commitment to the
initiative, alignment of the initiative to their needs, current
infrastructure, available resources, and ability to build capacity at
the local level;
(C) Its proposed plan for assisting State early childhood agencies
(including State educational agencies (SEAs) and lead agencies) to
build training systems that include professional development based on
adult learning principles and coaching;
(D) Its proposed plan for working across the early childhood and
health systems (e.g., child care, Head Start, State-funded
prekindergarten, Part C and Part B section 619 of IDEA, home visiting,
mental health) and with appropriate levels of the systems (e.g., State
early learning agencies, regional TA providers, districts and
communities, schools and local programs, families) to ensure that there
is communication across programs and between each level and that there
are systems in place to support the use of an early childhood MTSS
framework focused on social, emotional, and behavioral development; and
(E) The process by which the proposed project will collaborate with
OSEP-funded centers (see www.osepideasthatwork.org/find-center-or-grant/find-a-center) and other federally funded TA Centers.
(6) Develop products and implement services that maximize
efficiency. To address this requirement, the applicant must describe--
(i) How the proposed project will use technology to achieve the
intended 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 intended project outcomes.
(c) In the narrative section of the application under ``Quality of
the Evaluation Plan,'' include an evaluation plan for the project as
described in the following paragraphs. The evaluation plan must
describe: Measures of progress in implementation, including the
criteria for determining the extent to which the project's products and
services have met the goals for reaching its target population;
measures of intended outcomes or results of the project's activities in
order to evaluate those activities; and how well the goals or
objectives of the proposed project, as described in its logic model,
have been met.
(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, gender, age, or
disability, as appropriate;
(2) The proposed key project personnel, consultants, and
[[Page 26460]]
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 applicable; and
(ii) Timelines and milestones for accomplishing the project tasks;
(2) Allocation of key project providers and any consultants and
subcontractors, and how these allocations are appropriate and adequate
to achieve the project's intended outcomes;
(3) The proposed management plan will ensure that the products and
services provided are of high quality, relevant, and useful to
recipients;
(4) The proposed project will benefit from a diversity of
perspectives, including those of families, various early childhood
programs, educators, TA providers, future leaders, researchers, and
policy makers, among others, in its development and operation; and
(f) Address the following application requirements. The applicant
must--
(1) Include, in Appendix A, a logic model that depicts, at a
minimum, the goals, activities, outputs, and intended outcomes of the
proposed project.
(2) Include, in Appendix A, a conceptual framework for the project;
(3) Include, in Appendix A, personnel-loading charts and timelines,
as applicable, 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 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) Three trips annually to attend Department briefings,
Department-sponsored conferences, and other meetings, as requested by
OSEP; and
(iv) A one-day intensive 3+2 review meeting in Washington, DC,
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 and approved by the OSEP
project officer.
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;
(6) Engage doctoral students or post-doctoral fellows to increase
the number of future leaders in the field who are knowledgeable about
how to implement, scale-up, and sustain an early childhood MTSS
framework focused on social, emotional, and behavioral development
through engagement with the project; and
(7) Maintain a high-quality Web site, with an easy-to-navigate
design, that meets government or industry-recognized standards for
accessibility.
Fourth and Fifth Years of the Project
In deciding whether to continue funding the project 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 3+2 review team consisting of experts
selected by the Secretary. This review will be conducted during a one-
day intensive meeting that will be held during the last half of the
second year of the project period;
(b) The timeliness and assessment of how well the 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
products and services and the extent to which the project's products
and services are aligned with the project's objectives and likely to
result in the project achieving its intended outcomes.
References
Buettner, C.K., Hur, E.H., Jeon, L., & Andrews, D.W. (2016,
February). What are we teaching the teachers? Child development
curricula in US higher education. Child & Youth Care Forum 45(1),
155-175.
Gilliam, W.S. (2005). Prekindergarteners left behind: Expulsion
rates in state prekindergarten systems. New York, NY: Foundation for
Child Development.
Hemmeter, M.L., Corso, R., & Cheatham, G. (2006, February). Issues
in addressing challenging behaviors in young children: A national
survey of early childhood educators. Paper presented at the
Conference on Research Innovations in Early Intervention. San Diego,
CA.
Jones, D.E., Greenberg, M, & Crowley, M. (2015). Early social-
emotional functioning and public health: The relationship between
kindergarten social competence and future wellness. American Journal
of Public Health, 105(11), 2283-2290.
Snell, M.E., Voorhees, M.D., Berlin, R.A., Stanton-Chapman, T.L.,
Hadden, S., & McCarty, J. (2012). Use of interview and observation
to clarify reported practices of Head Start staff concerning problem
behavior: for programs and training. Journal of Positive Behavior
Interventions, 14, 108-117.
U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights. (2014). Data
snapshot: Early childhood education. Retrieved from: https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/crdc-early-learning-snapshot.pdf.
U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights. (2016). 2013-
2014 civil rights data collection: A first look. Retrieved from:
https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/2013-14-first-look.pdf.
Definitions
For the purposes of this priority:
Strong theory means a rationale for the proposed process, product,
strategy, or practice that includes a logic model (34 CFR 77.1).
Supported by evidence means supported by at least strong theory.
Waiver of Proposed Rulemaking: Under the Administrative Procedure
Act (APA) (5 U.S.C. 553) the Department generally offers interested
parties the opportunity to comment on proposed priorities and
requirements. Section 681(d) of IDEA, however, makes the public comment
requirements of the APA inapplicable to the priority in this notice.
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1463 and 1481.
Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General
Administrative Regulations in 34 CFR parts 75, 77, 79, 81, 82, 84, 86,
97, 98, and 99. (b) The Office of Management and Budget Guidelines to
Agencies on Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension (Nonprocurement) in
2 CFR part 180, as adopted and amended as regulations of the Department
in 2 CFR part 3485. (c) The Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost
[[Page 26461]]
Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards in 2 CFR part
200, as adopted and amended as regulations of the Department in 2 CFR
part 3474.
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
education (IHEs) only.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Cooperative agreement.
Estimated Available Funds: The Administration has requested
$44,345,000 for the Technical Assistance and Dissemination to Improve
Services and Results for Children with Disabilities program for FY
2017, of which we intend to use an estimated $1,100,000 for this
competition. The actual level of funding, if any, depends on final
congressional action. However, we are inviting applications to allow
enough time to complete the grant process if Congress appropriates
funds for this program.
Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of
applications, we may make additional awards in FY 2018 from the list of
unfunded applications from this competition.
Maximum Award: We will fund a successful application only up to
$1,100,000 for a single budget period of 12 months.
Estimated Number of Awards: 1.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this
notice.
Project Period: Up to 60 months.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants: SEAs; State lead agencies under Part C of
the IDEA; local educational agencies (LEAs), including public charter
schools that operate as 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.
2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This program does not require cost
sharing or matching.
3. Eligible Subgrantees: (a) Under 34 CFR 75.708(b) and (c) a
grantee may award subgrants--to directly carry out project activities
described in its application--to the following types of entities: IHEs
and private nonprofit organizations suitable to carry out the
activities proposed in the application.
(b) The grantee may award subgrants to entities it has identified
in an approved application.
4. Other General Requirements: (a) Recipients of funding under this
competition 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 must, with
respect to the aspects of their proposed project relating to the
absolute priority, 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: 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 TDD or a TTY, call,
toll free: 1-877-576-7734.
You can contact ED Pubs at its Web site, also: www.EDPubs.gov or at
its email address: edpubs@inet.ed.gov.
If you request an application package from ED Pubs, be sure to
identify this competition as follows: CFDA number 84.326B.
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 VII of this notice.
2. Content and Form of Application Submission: Requirements
concerning the content and form 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. We recommend that you--(1)
limit Part III to no more than 70 pages, and (2) use 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, reference citations, and captions, as well as
all text in charts, tables, figures, graphs, and screen shots.
Use a font that is 12 point or larger.
Use one of the following fonts: Times New Roman, Courier,
Courier New, or Arial.
The recommended 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
abstract (follow the guidance provided in the application package for
completing the abstract), the table of contents, the list of priority
requirements, the resumes, the reference list, the letters of support,
or the appendices. However, the recommended page limit does apply to
all of Part III, the application narrative, including all text in
charts, tables, figures, graphs, and screen shots.
3. Submission Dates and Times:
Applications Available: June 7, 2017.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: July 24, 2017.
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 Other Submission Requirements in section
IV 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. If the
Department provides an accommodation or auxiliary aid to an individual
with a disability in connection with the application process, the
individual's application remains subject to all other requirements and
limitations in this notice.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: September 20, 2017.
4. Intergovernmental Review: This competition is subject to
Executive Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79.
Information about Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs under
Executive Order 12372 is in the application package for this
competition.
5. Funding Restrictions: We reference regulations outlining funding
restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.
[[Page 26462]]
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), 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 at the
following Web site: https://fedgov.dnb.com/webform. A DUNS number can be
created within one to two business days.
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 two to five weeks for your TIN to become active.
The SAM registration process can take approximately seven business
days, but may take upwards of several weeks, depending on the
completeness and accuracy of the data you enter into the SAM database.
Thus, if you think you might want to apply for Federal financial
assistance under a program administered by the Department, please allow
sufficient time to obtain and register your DUNS number and TIN. We
strongly recommend that you register early.
Note Once your SAM registration is active, it may be 24 to 48
hours before you can access the information in, and submit an
application through, Grants.gov.
If you are currently registered with 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.
Information about SAM is available at www.SAM.gov. To further
assist you with obtaining and registering your DUNS number and TIN in
SAM or updating your existing SAM account, we have prepared a SAM.gov
Tip Sheet, which you can find at: www2.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/sam-faqs.html.
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/web/grants/register.html.
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.
We are a participating partner in the Governmentwide Grants.gov
Apply site. Technical Assistance Center on Positive Social, Emotional,
and Behavioral Outcomes for Young Children with, and at Risk for,
Developmental Delays or Disabilities competition, CFDA number 84.326B,
is included in this project. We request your participation in
Grants.gov.
If you choose to submit your application electronically, use 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 access the electronic grant application for the Technical
Assistance Center on Positive Social, Emotional, and Behavioral
Outcomes for Young Children with, and at Risk for, Developmental Delays
or Disabilities 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 84.326B).
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. In addition, for specific guidance and
procedures for submitting an application through Grants.gov, please
refer to the Grants.gov Web site at: www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/apply-for-grants.html.
You will not receive additional point value because you
submit your application in electronic format, nor will we penalize you
if you submit your application in paper format.
If you submit your application electronically, submit all
documents electronically, including all information you typically
provide on the following forms: the Application for Federal Assistance
(SF 424), the Department of Education Supplemental Information for SF
424, Budget Information--Non-Construction Programs (ED 524), and all
necessary assurances and certifications.
If you submit your application electronically, upload any
narrative sections and all other attachments to your application as
files in a read-only Portable Document Format (PDF). Do not upload an
interactive or fillable PDF file. If you upload a file type other than
a read-only PDF (e.g., Word, Excel, WordPerfect, etc.) or submit a
password-protected file, we will not review that material. Please note
that this could result in your application not being considered for
funding because the material in question--for example, the application
narrative--is critical to a meaningful review of your proposal. For
that reason it is important to allow yourself adequate time to upload
all material as PDF files. The Department will not convert material
from other formats to PDF. Additional, detailed
[[Page 26463]]
information on how to attach files is in the application instructions.
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. Grants.gov
will also notify you automatically by email if your application met all
the Grants.gov validation requirements or if there were any errors
(such as submission of your application by someone other than a
registered Authorized Organization Representative, or inclusion of an
attachment with a file name that contains special characters). You will
be given an opportunity to correct any errors and resubmit, but you
must still meet the deadline for submission of applications.
Once your application is successfully validated by Grants.gov, the
Department will retrieve your application from Grants.gov and send you
an email with a unique PR/Award number for your application.
These emails do not mean that your application is without any
disqualifying errors. While your application may have been successfully
validated by Grants.gov, it must also meet the Department's application
requirements as specified in this notice and in the application
instructions. Disqualifying errors could include, for instance, failure
to upload attachments in a read-only PDF; failure to submit a required
part of the application; or failure to meet applicant eligibility
requirements. It is your responsibility to ensure that your submitted
application has met all of the Department's requirements.
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 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 the problem affected your ability to
submit your application by 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the
application deadline date. We will contact you after we determine
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.
Submission of Paper Applications by Mail
If you submit your application by mail (through the U.S. Postal
Service or a commercial carrier), 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 84.326B), 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.
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.
We will not consider applications postmarked after the application
deadline date.
c. Submission of Paper Applications by Hand Delivery.
If you submit your applications in paper format by hand delivery,
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 84.326B), 550 12th Street SW., Room 7039, 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 competition
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
requires various assurances, including those applicable to Federal
civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination in programs or
activities receiving Federal financial assistance from the Department
of Education (34 CFR 100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).
3. Additional Review and Selection Process Factors: In the past,
the
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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.
4. Risk Assessment and Special Conditions: Consistent with 2 CFR
200.205, before awarding grants under this competition the Department
conducts a review of the risks posed by applicants. Under 2 CFR
3474.10, the Secretary may impose special conditions and, in
appropriate circumstances, high risk 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 2 CFR part 200, subpart D; has not
fulfilled the conditions of a prior grant; or is otherwise not
responsible.
5. Integrity and Performance System: If you are selected under this
competition to receive an award that over the course of the project
period may exceed the simplified acquisition threshold (currently
$150,000), under 2 CFR 200.205(a)(2), we must make a judgment about
your integrity, business ethics, and record of performance under
Federal awards--that is, the risk posed by you as an applicant--before
we make an award. In doing so, we must consider any information about
you that is in the integrity and performance system (currently referred
to as the Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System
(FAPIIS)), accessible through SAM. You may review and comment on any
information about yourself that a Federal agency previously entered and
that is currently in FAPIIS.
Please note that, if the total value of your currently active
grants, cooperative agreements, and procurement contracts from the
Federal Government exceeds $10,000,000, the reporting requirements in 2
CFR part 200, Appendix XII, require you to report certain integrity
information to FAPIIS semiannually. Please review the requirements in 2
CFR part 200, Appendix XII, if this grant plus all the other Federal
funds you receive exceed $10,000,000.
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 multiyear award, you must submit an annual
performance report that provides the most current performance and
financial expenditure information as directed by the Secretary under 34
CFR 75.118. The Secretary may also require more frequent performance
reports under 34 CFR 75.720(c). For specific requirements on reporting,
please go to www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/appforms/appforms.html.
4. Performance Measures: Under the Government Performance and
Results Act of 1993 (GPRA), the Department has established a set of
performance measures, including long-term measures, that are designed
to yield information on various aspects of the effectiveness and
quality of the Technical Assistance and Dissemination to Improve
Services and Results for Children With Disabilities program. For
purposes of this priority, the Center will use these measures, which
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.
Projects funded under this competition are required to submit data
on these measures as directed by OSEP.
Grantees will be required to report information on their project's
performance in annual and final performance reports to the Department
(34 CFR 75.590).
5. Continuation Awards: In making a continuation award under 34 CFR
75.253, the Secretary considers, among other things: Whether a grantee
has made substantial progress in achieving the goals and objectives of
the project; whether the grantee has expended funds in a manner that is
consistent with its approved application and budget; and, if the
Secretary has established performance measurement requirements, the
performance targets in the grantee's approved application.
In making a continuation award, 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. 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 Management Support Services Team, U.S. Department of Education, 400
Maryland Avenue SW., Room 5113, Potomac Center Plaza, Washington, DC
20202-2500. 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
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published in the Federal Register, in text or 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.
Ruth E. Ryder,
Deputy Director, Office of Special Education Programs, delegated the
duties of the Assistant Secretary for Special Education and
Rehabilitative Services.
[FR Doc. 2017-11842 Filed 6-6-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P
