Applications for New Awards; Educational Technology, Media, and Materials for Individuals With Disabilities-Stepping-up Technology Implementation, 31125-31134 [2018-14338]
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Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 128 / Tuesday, July 3, 2018 / Notices
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE.
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perspectives on best practices for
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[FR Doc. 2018–14257 Filed 7–2–18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 5001–06–P
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Applications for New Awards;
Educational Technology, Media, and
Materials for Individuals With
Disabilities—Stepping-up Technology
Implementation
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) 2018
for Educational Technology, Media, and
Materials for Individuals with
Disabilities—Stepping-up Technology
Implementation, Catalog of Federal
Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number
84.327S.
DATES:
Applications Available: July 3, 2018.
Deadline for Transmittal of
Applications: August 2, 2018.
ADDRESSES: For the addresses for
obtaining and submitting an
application, please refer to our Common
Instructions for Applicants to
Department of Education Discretionary
Grant Programs, published in the
SUMMARY:
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Federal Register on February 12, 2018
(83 FR 6003) and available at
www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2018-02-12/
pdf/2018-02558.pdf.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Terry Jackson, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW,
Room 5158, Potomac Center Plaza,
Washington, DC 20202–5076.
Telephone: (202) 245–6039.
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
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Purpose of Program: The purposes of
the Educational Technology, Media, and
Materials for Individuals with
Disabilities Program are to: (1) Improve
results for students with disabilities by
promoting the development,
demonstration, and use of technology;
(2) support educational activities
designed to be of educational value in
the classroom for students with
disabilities; (3) provide support for
captioning and video description that is
appropriate for use in the classroom;
and (4) provide accessible educational
materials to students with disabilities in
a timely manner.1
Priority: In accordance with 34 CFR
75.105(b)(2)(v), the absolute priority and
the competitive preference priority
within this priority are from allowable
activities specified in sections
674(c)(1)(D) and 681(d) of the
Individuals with Disabilities Education
Act (IDEA), 20 U.S.C. 1474(c)(1)(D) and
1481(d).
Absolute Priority: For FY 2018 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: Stepping-up
Technology Implementation.
Background:
1 Applicants should note that other laws,
including the Americans with Disabilities Act of
1990 (42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq.; 28 CFR part 35) and
section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29
U.S.C. 794; 34 CFR part 104), may require that State
educational agencies and local educational agencies
provide captioning, video description, and other
accessible educational materials to students with
disabilities when such materials are necessary to
provide students with disabilities with equally
integrated and equally effective access to the
benefits of the educational program or activity, or
as part of a ‘‘free appropriate public education’’ as
defined in the Department of Education’s Section
504 regulation.
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The mission of the Office of Special
Education and Rehabilitative Services
(OSERS) is to improve early childhood,
educational, and employment outcomes
and raise expectations for all people
with disabilities, their families, their
communities, and the Nation.
The purpose of this priority is to fund
three cooperative agreements to:
identify strategies needed to effectively
implement evidence-based (as defined
in this notice) technology tools 2 that
benefit students with disabilities and
children or students with high needs,3
and develop and disseminate products 4
that will help a broad range of sites to
effectively implement these technology
tools. This priority is consistent with
Priority 5 of the Secretary’s Final
Supplemental Priorities and Definitions
for Discretionary Grant Programs
(Supplemental Priorities) 5—Meeting the
Unique Needs of Students and Children
With Disabilities and/or Those With
Unique Gifts and Talents; and Priority 2
of the Supplemental Priorities—
Promoting Innovation and Efficiency,
Streamlining Education With an
Increased Focus on Improving Student
Outcomes, and Providing Increased
Value to Students and Taxpayers.
Priority 5 emphasizes meeting the
unique needs of students with
disabilities, including their academic
needs, by offering students the
opportunity to meet challenging
objectives and receive an educational
program that is both meaningful and
appropriately ambitious in light of each
student’s circumstances. Priority 2
emphasizes supporting innovative
strategies or research that has the
2 For the purposes of this priority, ‘‘technology
tools’’ may include, but are not limited to, digital
math text readers for students with visual
impairments, reading software to improve literacy
and communication development, and text-tospeech software to improve reading performance.
These tools must assist or otherwise benefit
students with disabilities.
3 For the purposes of this priority, ‘‘children or
students with high needs’’ means children or
students at risk of educational failure or otherwise
in need of special assistance or support, such as
children and students who are living in poverty,
who are English Learners, who are academically far
below grade level, who have left school before
receiving a regular high school diploma, who are at
risk of not graduating with a regular high school
diploma on time, who are homeless, who are in
foster care, who have been incarcerated, or are
children or students with disabilities.
4 For the purposes of this priority, ‘‘products’’
may include, but are not limited to, instruction
manuals, lesson plans, demonstration videos,
ancillary instructional materials, and professional
development modules such as collaborative groups,
coaching, mentoring, or online supports.
5 The Secretary’s Final Supplemental Priorities
and Definitions for Discretionary Grant Programs
was published in the Federal Register on March 2,
2018 (83 FR 9096) and can be found at
www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2018-03-02/pdf/201804291.pdf.
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potential to lead to significant and widereaching improvements in the delivery
of educational services or other
significant and tangible educational
benefits to students, educators, or other
Department stakeholders.
Congress recognized in IDEA that
‘‘almost 30 years of research and
experience has demonstrated that the
education of children with disabilities
can be made more effective by . . .
supporting the development and use of
technology, including assistive
technology devices and assistive
technology services, to maximize
accessibility for children with
disabilities’’ (section 601(c)(5) of IDEA).
The use of technology, including
assistive technology devices and
assistive technology services, enhances
instruction and access to the general
education curriculum. ‘‘Innovative
technology tools, programs, and
software can be used to promote
engagement and enhance the learning
experience’’ (Brunvand & Byrd, 2011).
Innovative technology tools and
programs are especially helpful as
educators work to engage and motivate
students who struggle with the general
education curriculum. However, having
access alone does not translate to
outcomes. Judge et al. (2004) argued that
there is a rapid expansion in technology
in early childhood settings, and teachers
need support in understanding its usage
and value to ensure quality learning
experiences for young students. When
teachers receive the necessary
professional development supports to
use technology effectively, technology
integration in early childhood settings
has been demonstrated to increase
social awareness and collaborative
behaviors, improve abstract reasoning
and problem solving abilities, and
enhance visual-motor coordination
(McManis & Gunnewig, 2012).
Technologies (e.g., online careerreadiness tools, computer-based writing
tools to support literacy, web-based
curriculum to support 21st-century
learning) can support State educational
agencies (SEAs) and local educational
agencies (LEAs) by: (a) Improving
student learning and engagement; (b)
accommodating the special needs of
students; (c) facilitating student and
teacher access to digital content and
resources; and (d) improving the quality
of instruction through personalized
learning and data (Duffey & Fox, 2012;
Fletcher, Schaffhauser, & Levi, 2012;
U.S. Department of Education, 2010). As
stipulated in section 4109 of the
Elementary and Secondary Education
Act of 1965, as amended by the Every
Student Succeeds Act (ESSA),
technologies can be used to support
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LEAs and SEAs to increase student
access to personalized, rigorous learning
experiences.
Notwithstanding the potential
benefits of using technology to improve
learning outcomes, research suggests
that implementation can be a significant
challenge. For example, data from a
survey of more than 1,000 kindergarten
through grade 12 (K–12) teachers,
principals, and assistant principals
indicated that more than half of teachers
who did not use technology identified
issues of implementation (e.g.,
necessity, applicability to lessons)
rather than availability as reasons for
their non-use (Grunwald & Associates,
2010). Additionally, ‘‘research indicates
that technology must be used in ways
that align with curricular and teacher
goals, and offer students opportunities
to use these tools in their learning’’
(Center on Innovation and
Improvement, 2011). Even as schools
have started to deliver coursework
online, and the number of students
involved in online learning has grown,
many of these online learning
technologies are not readily accessible
to students with disabilities (Center on
Online Learning and Students with
Disabilities, 2012). These findings
demonstrate a need for products and
resources that can assist educators to
readily implement technology tools for
students with disabilities.
In response to this need, Stepping-up
Technology Implementation projects
have built on technology development
efforts by identifying, developing, and
disseminating products and resources
that promote the effective
implementation 6 of instructional and
assistive technology tools in early
childhood programs or K–12 settings.7
Priority:
The purpose of this priority is to fund
three cooperative agreements to: (a)
Identify strategies needed to readily
implement existing evidence-based
technology tools that benefit students
with disabilities and children or
students with high needs; and (b)
develop and disseminate products (See
footnote 3; e.g., instruction manuals,
6 In this context, ‘‘effective implementation’’
means ‘‘making better use of research findings in
typical service settings through the use of processes
and activities (such as accountable implementation
teams) that are purposeful and described in
sufficient detail such that independent observers
can detect the presence and strength of these
processes and activities’’ (Fixsen, Naoom, Blase,
Friedman, & Wallace, 2005).
7 For the purposes of this priority, ‘‘settings’’
include: General education classrooms; special
education classrooms; high-quality early childhood
programs; private schools; home education; after
school programs; juvenile justice facilities; and
settings other than those listed above in which
students may receive services under IDEA.
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lesson plans, demonstration videos,
ancillary instructional materials) that
will assist personnel in early childhood
programs or K–12 settings to readily
use, understand, and implement these
technology tools.
To be considered for funding under
this priority, applicants must meet the
application requirements. Any project
funded under this absolute priority
must also meet the programmatic and
administrative requirements specified in
the priority.
Application Requirements
An applicant must include in its
application—
(a) A project design that is evidencebased;
(b) A logic model (as defined in this
notice) or conceptual framework that
depicts at a minimum, the goals,
activities, project evaluation, methods,
performance measures, outputs, and
outcomes of the proposed project.
Note: The following websites provide more
information on logic models and conceptual
frameworks: www.osepideasthatwork.org/
logicModel; www.osepideasthatwork.org/
resources-grantees/program-areas/ta-ta/tadproject-logic-model-and-conceptualframework; www2.ed.gov/policy/elsec/leg/
essa/guidanceuseseinvestment.pdf; and
https://ies.ed.gov/pubsearch/
pubsinfo.asp?pubid=REL2015057.
(c) A plan to implement the activities
described in the Project Activities
section of this priority;
(d) A plan, linked to the proposed
project’s logic model, for a formative
evaluation of the proposed project’s
activities. The plan must describe how
the formative evaluation will use clear
performance objectives to ensure
continuous improvement in the
operation of the proposed project,
including objective measures of progress
in implementing the project and
ensuring the quality of products and
services;
(e) Documentation ensuring that the
final products disseminated to help sites
effectively implement technology tools
will be both open educational resources
(OER) 8 and licensed through an open
access licensing authority;
(f) Documentation that the technology
tool used by the project is fully
developed,9 evidence-based, and
8 Open educational resources (OER) are teaching
and learning materials that the public may freely
use and reuse at no cost. Unlike fixed, copyrighted
resources, OER have been authored or created by an
individual or organization that chooses to retain
few, if any, ownership rights. Retrieved from
www.oercommons.org/about.
9 A technology that is ‘‘fully developed’’ is a
completed, existing technology that is ready to be
implemented. Any enhancements or additions to
the existing technology should be minor and time-
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addresses, at a minimum, the following
principles of universal design for
learning:
(1) Multiple means of presentation so
that students can approach information
in more than one way (e.g., specialized
software and websites, screen readers
that include features such as text-tospeech, changeable color contrast,
alterable text size, or selection of
different reading levels);
(2) Multiple means of expression so
that all students can demonstrate
knowledge through options such as
writing, online concept mapping, or
speech-to-text programs, where
appropriate; and
(3) Multiple means of engagement to
stimulate interest in and motivation for
learning (e.g., options among several
different learning activities or content
for a particular competency or skill and
providing opportunities for increased
collaboration or scaffolding); 10
(g) A plan for how the project will
sustain project activities after funding
ends;
(h) A plan, which includes
appropriate consideration of sites other
than traditional public elementary and
secondary school settings, including
private schools, after school programs,
juvenile justice facilities, early
childhood programs, and settings where
students are supported under IDEA, for
recruiting and selecting 11 the following:
(1) Three development sites.
Development sites are the sites in which
iterative development 12 of the products
and resources intended to support the
implementation of technology tools will
occur. The project must start
implementing the technology tool with
one development site in year one of the
project period and two additional
development sites in year two;
(2) Four pilot sites. Pilot sites are the
sites in which try-out, formative
evaluation, and refinement of the
products and resources will occur. The
project must work with the four pilot
sites during years three and four of the
project period; and
(3) Ten dissemination sites.
Dissemination sites will be selected if
limited, and must be completed before the end of
year two.
10 For more information on the principles of
universal design, see www.udlcenter.org/aboutudl/
whatisudl/3principles.
11 For more information on recruiting and
selecting sites, refer to Assessing Sites for Model
Demonstration: Lessons Learned from OSEP
Grantees at https://mdcc.sri.com/documents/MDCC_
Site_Assessment_Brief_09-30-11.pdf.
12 For the purposes of this priority, ‘‘iterative
development’’ refers to a process of testing,
systematically securing feedback, and then revising
the educational intervention to increase the
likelihood that it will be implemented with fidelity
(Diamond & Powell, 2011).
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the project is extended for a fifth year.
Dissemination sites will be used to (a)
refine the products for use by teachers
and (b) evaluate the performance of the
tool. Dissemination sites will receive
less technical assistance (TA) from the
project than development or pilot sites.
Also, at this stage (i.e., the fifth year),
dissemination sites will extend the
benefits of the technology tool to
additional students. To be selected as a
dissemination site, eligible sites must
commit to working with the project to
implement the evidence-based
technology tool.
Note: A site may not serve in more than
one category (i.e., development, pilot,
dissemination).
Note: A minimum of two of the seven
development and pilot sites must be in
settings other than traditional public
elementary and secondary schools. A
minimum of three of the 10 dissemination
sites must be in settings other than
traditional public elementary and secondary
schools. These non-traditional sites must
otherwise meet the requirements of each
category listed earlier.
(i) School site information (e.g.,
elementary, middle, high school, or
early childhood programs, high-quality
early childhood programs, private
schools, after school programs, juvenile
justice facilities, and settings where
students are supported under IDEA;
schools identified for comprehensive or
targeted support and improvement (in
accordance with section
1111(c)(4)(C)(iii), (c)(4)(D), or (d)(2)(C)–
(D) of the ESEA) about the development,
pilot, and dissemination sites, including
student demographics (e.g., race or
ethnicity, percentage of students eligible
for free or reduced-price lunch) and
other pertinent data; and
(j) A budget for attendance at the
following:
(1) A one and one-half day kick-off
meeting to be held in Washington, DC,
after receipt of the award, and an annual
planning meeting held in Washington,
DC, with the Office of Special Education
Programs (OSEP) project officer and
other relevant staff during each
subsequent year of the project period.
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Note: Within 30 days of receipt of the
award, a post-award teleconference must be
held between the OSEP project officer and
the grantee’s project director or other
authorized representative.
(2) A three-day project directors’
conference in Washington, DC, during
each year of the project period.
(3) Two annual two-day trips to
attend Department briefings,
Department-sponsored conferences, and
other meetings, as requested by OSEP.
Project Activities:
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To meet the requirements of this
priority, the project, at a minimum,
must conduct the following activities:
(a) Recruit a minimum of three
development sites and four pilot sites in
accordance with the plan proposed
under paragraphs (h) and (i) of the
Application Requirements section of
this notice.
Note: Final site selection will be
determined in consultation with the OSEP
project officer following the kick-off meeting.
(b) Identify and develop resources and
products that, when used to support the
implementation of the technology tool,
create accessible learning opportunities
for all children, including children with
disabilities, and children or students
with high needs and support the
sustained implementation of the
selected technology tool. Development
of the products must be an iterative
process beginning in a single
development school and continuing
through repeated cycles of development
and refinement in the other
development sites, followed by a
formative evaluation and refinement in
the pilot sites. To support
implementation of the technology tool
the products and resources must, at a
minimum, include:
(1) An instrument or method for
assessing—
(i) The school staff’s current
technology uses and needs, current
technology investments, firewall issues,
and the knowledge and availability of
dedicated on-site technology personnel;
(ii) The readiness of development and
pilot sites to implement the technology
tool. Any instruments and methods for
assessing readiness may include
resource inventory checklists, school
self-study guides, and surveys of
teachers’ interests; and
(iii) Whether the technology tool has
achieved its intended outcomes.
(c) Provide ongoing professional
development activities necessary for
teachers to implement the technology
tool with fidelity and to integrate it into
the curriculum.
(d) Collect and analyze data on
whether the technology tool has
achieved its intended outcomes for early
childhood development, K–12, or
college- and career-readiness.
(e) Collect formative and summative
data from the development and pilot
sites to refine and evaluate the products.
(f) If the project is extended to a fifth
year—
(1) Provide the products and the
technology tool to no fewer than 10
dissemination sites that are not the same
used as development or pilot sites; and
(2) Collect summative data about the
success of the project’s products and
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services in supporting implementation
of the technology tool in the
dissemination sites.
(g) By the end of the project period,
provide—
(1) Information on the products and
resources, as supported by the project
evaluation, including any accessibility
features, that will enable other sites to
implement and sustain implementation
of the technology tool;
(2) Information on the technology
implementation report, including data
on how teachers used the technology,
data on how technology impacted
student outcomes, how technology was
implemented with fidelity, and features
of universal design for learning;
(3) Information on how the
technology tool contributed to changed
practices and improved early childhood
outcomes, academic achievement, or
college- and career-readiness for
children with disabilities, as well as
children or students with high needs
(e.g., data to assess how well the project
addressed the goals of the project as
described in the logic model); and
(4) A plan for disseminating the
technology tool and accompanying
products beyond the sites directly
involved in the project.
Cohort Collaboration and Support
OSEP project officer(s) will provide
coordination support among the
projects. Each project funded under this
priority must:
(a) Participate in monthly conferencecall discussions to share and collaborate
on implementation and specific project
issues; and
(b) Provide information annually
using a template that captures
descriptive data on project site
selection, processes for installation of
technology, and the use of technology
and sustainability (i.e., the process of
technology implementation).
Note: The following website provides more
information about implementation research:
https://nirn.fpg.unc.edu/learnimplementation.
Fifth Year of Project
The Secretary may extend a project
one year beyond 48 months to work
with dissemination sites if the grantee is
achieving the intended outcomes of the
project (as demonstrated by data
gathered as part of the project
evaluation) and making a positive
contribution to the implementation of
an evidence-based technology tool with
fidelity in the development and pilot
sites. Each applicant must include in its
application a plan for the full 60-month
period. In deciding whether to continue
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funding the project for the fifth year, the
Secretary will consider the requirements
of 34 CFR 75.253(a), and will consider:
(a) The recommendation of a review
team consisting of the OSEP project
officer and other experts selected by the
Secretary. This review will be held
during the last half of the third year of
the project period;
(b) The success and timeliness with
which the requirements of the
negotiated cooperative agreement have
been or are being met by the project; and
(c) The degree to which the project’s
activities have contributed to changed
practices and improved early childhood
outcomes, academic achievement, or
college- and career-readiness for
students with disabilities.
Competitive Preference Priority:
Within this absolute priority, we give
competitive preference to applications
that address the following priority. The
competitive preference priority is from
allowable activities in sections
674(c)(1)(D) and 681(d) of IDEA. Under
34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i), we award an
additional two points to an application
that meets the competitive preference
priority. Applicants should indicate in
the abstract if the competitive
preference priority is addressed and
must address the priority in the
narrative section.
This competitive preference priority
is:
Projects that Support English Learners
in Reading (Two Points).
To meet this competitive preference
priority, projects must implement an
evidence-based technology tool
designed to help teachers use culturally
responsive teaching practices 13 to meet
the cultural and linguistic needs of
English Learners (ELs) and improve
their language acquisition, language
development, and reading. To meet the
competitive preference priority, a
project must:
(a) Implement a culturally responsive
reading curriculum that provides
learning opportunities through a variety
of media; and
(b) Develop and disseminate products
and resources (e.g., instruction manuals,
lesson plans, demonstration videos,
ancillary instructional materials) that
will assist teachers in K–12 settings to
implement the technology.
References:
Brunvand, S., & Byrd, S. (2011). Using
VoiceThread to promote learning
engagement and success for all students.
13 Culturally responsive teaching practices can be
defined as ‘‘using the cultural knowledge, prior
experiences, frames of reference, and performance
styles of ethnically diverse students to make
learning encounters more relevant to and effective
for them’’ (Gay, 2010).
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Teaching Exceptional Children, 43(4),
28–37.
Center on Online Learning and Students with
Disabilities (COLSD). (2012). The
foundation of online learning for
students with disabilities (COLSD White
Paper). Lawrence, KS: Author. Retrieved
from
www.centerononlinelearning.res.ku.edu/
wp-content/uploads/2017/04/
Foundation_7_2012.pdf.
Diamond, K.E., & Powell, D.R. (2011). An
iterative approach to the development of
a professional development intervention
for Head Start teachers. Journal of Early
Intervention, 33(1), 75–93.
Duffey, D., & Fox, C. (2012). National
educational technology trends 2012:
State leadership empowers educators,
transforms teaching and learning.
Washington, DC: State Educational
Technology Directors Association.
Retrieved from https://eric.ed.gov/PDFS/
ED536746.pdf.
Fixsen, D.L., Naoom, S.F., Blase, K.A.,
Friedman, R.M., & Wallace, F. (2005).
Implementation research: A synthesis of
the literature (FMHI Publication #231).
Tampa, FL: University of South Florida,
Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health
Institute, The National Implementation
Research Network.
Fletcher, G., Schaffhauser, D. & Levi, D.
(2012). Out of print: Reimagining the K–
12 textbook in a digital age. Washington,
DC: State Educational Technology
Directors Association. Retrieved from
https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/
ED536747.pdf.
Gay, G. (2010). Culturally responsive
teaching: Theory, research, and practice
(2nd ed.). New York, NY: Teachers
College Press.
Grunwald & Associates. (2010). Educators,
technology, and 21st century skills:
Dispelling five myths. Minneapolis, MN:
Walden University, Richard W. Riley
College of Education. Retrieved from
www.waldenu.edu/-/media/Walden/
general-media/about-walden/collegesand-schools/riley-college-of-education/
educational-research/full-reportdispelling-five-myths.pdf?la=en.
Judge, S., Puckett, K., & Cabuck, B. (2004).
Digital equity: New findings from the
Early Childhood Longitudinal Study.
Journal of Research on Technology in
Education, 36(4), 383–396.
McManis, L.D., & Gunnewig, S.B. (2012).
Finding the education in educational
technology with early learners. Young
Children, 67(3), 14–24.
Perlman, C.L., & Redding, S. (Eds.). (2011).
Handbook on effective implementation
of school improvement grants. Lincoln,
IL: Center on Innovation and
Improvement. Retrieved from
www.centerii.org/handbook.
U.S. Department of Education, Office of
Educational Technology. (2010).
Transforming American education:
Learning powered by technology.
Washington, DC: Author. Retrieved from
www.ed.gov/sites/default/files/
netp2010.pdf.
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Definitions: The following definitions
are from 34 CFR 77.1:
Demonstrates a rationale means a key
project component included in the
project’s logic model is informed by
research or evaluation findings that
suggest the project component is likely
to improve relevant outcomes.
Evidence-based means the proposed
project component is supported by one
or more of strong evidence, moderate
evidence, promising evidence, or
evidence that demonstrates a rationale.
Experimental study means a study
that is designed to compare outcomes
between two groups of individuals
(such as students) that are otherwise
equivalent except for their assignment
to either a treatment group receiving a
project component or a control group
that does not. Randomized controlled
trials, regression discontinuity design
studies, and single-case design studies
are the specific types of experimental
studies that, depending on their design
and implementation (e.g., sample
attrition in randomized controlled trials
and regression discontinuity design
studies), can meet What Works
Clearinghouse (WWC) standards
without reservations as described in the
WWC Handbook:
(i) A randomized controlled trial
employs random assignment of, for
example, students, teachers, classrooms,
or schools to receive the project
component being evaluated (the
treatment group) or not to receive the
project component (the control group).
(ii) A regression discontinuity design
study assigns the project component
being evaluated using a measured
variable (e.g., assigning students reading
below a cutoff score to tutoring or
developmental education classes) and
controls for that variable in the analysis
of outcomes.
(iii) A single-case design study uses
observations of a single case (e.g., a
student eligible for a behavioral
intervention) over time in the absence
and presence of a controlled treatment
manipulation to determine whether the
outcome is systematically related to the
treatment.
Logic model (also referred to as a
theory of action) means a framework
that identifies key project components
of the proposed project (i.e., the active
‘‘ingredients’’ that are hypothesized to
be critical to achieving the relevant
outcomes) and describes the theoretical
and operational relationships among the
key project components and relevant
outcomes.
Moderate evidence means that there is
evidence of effectiveness of a key
project component in improving a
relevant outcome for a sample that
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overlaps with the populations or
settings proposed to receive that
component, based on a relevant finding
from one of the following:
(i) A practice guide prepared by the
WWC using version 2.1 or 3.0 of the
WWC Handbook reporting a ‘‘strong
evidence base’’ or ‘‘moderate evidence
base’’ for the corresponding practice
guide recommendation;
(ii) An intervention report prepared
by the WWC using version 2.1 or 3.0 of
the WWC Handbook reporting a
‘‘positive effect’’ or ‘‘potentially positive
effect’’ on a relevant outcome based on
a ‘‘medium to large’’ extent of evidence,
with no reporting of a ‘‘negative effect’’
or ‘‘potentially negative effect’’ on a
relevant outcome; or
(iii) A single experimental study or
quasi-experimental design study
reviewed and reported by the WWC
using version 2.1 or 3.0 of the WWC
Handbook, or otherwise assessed by the
Department using version 3.0 of the
WWC Handbook, as appropriate, and
that—
(A) Meets WWC standards with or
without reservations;
(B) Includes at least one statistically
significant and positive (i.e., favorable)
effect on a relevant outcome;
(C) Includes no overriding statistically
significant and negative effects on
relevant outcomes reported in the study
or in a corresponding WWC
intervention report prepared under
version 2.1 or 3.0 of the WWC
Handbook; and
(D) Is based on a sample from more
than one site (e.g., State, county, city,
school district, or postsecondary
campus) and includes at least 350
students or other individuals across
sites. Multiple studies of the same
project component that each meet
requirements in paragraphs (iii)(A), (B),
and (C) of this definition may together
satisfy this requirement.
Project component means an activity,
strategy, intervention, process, product,
practice, or policy included in a project.
Evidence may pertain to an individual
project component or to a combination
of project components (e.g., training
teachers on instructional practices for
English learners and follow-on coaching
for these teachers).
Promising evidence means that there
is evidence of the effectiveness of a key
project component in improving a
relevant outcome, based on a relevant
finding from one of the following:
(i) A practice guide prepared by WWC
reporting a ‘‘strong evidence base’’ or
‘‘moderate evidence base’’ for the
corresponding practice guide
recommendation;
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(ii) An intervention report prepared
by the WWC reporting a ‘‘positive
effect’’ or ‘‘potentially positive effect’’
on a relevant outcome with no reporting
of a ‘‘negative effect’’ or ‘‘potentially
negative effect’’ on a relevant outcome;
or
(iii) A single study assessed by the
Department, as appropriate, that—
(A) Is an experimental study, a quasiexperimental design study, or a welldesigned and well-implemented
correlational study with statistical
controls for selection bias (e.g., a study
using regression methods to account for
differences between a treatment group
and a comparison group); and
(B) Includes at least one statistically
significant and positive (i.e., favorable)
effect on a relevant outcome.
Quasi-experimental design study
means a study using a design that
attempts to approximate an
experimental study by identifying a
comparison group that is similar to the
treatment group in important respects.
This type of study, depending on design
and implementation (e.g., establishment
of baseline equivalence of the groups
being compared), can meet WWC
standards with reservations, but cannot
meet WWC standards without
reservations, as described in the WWC
Handbook.
Relevant outcome means the student
outcome(s) or other outcome(s) the key
project component is designed to
improve, consistent with the specific
goals of the program.
Strong evidence means that there is
evidence of the effectiveness of a key
project component in improving a
relevant outcome for a sample that
overlaps with the populations and
settings proposed to receive that
component, based on a relevant finding
from one of the following:
(i) A practice guide prepared by the
WWC using version 2.1 or 3.0 of the
WWC Handbook reporting a ‘‘strong
evidence base’’ for the corresponding
practice guide recommendation;
(ii) An intervention report prepared
by the WWC using version 2.1 or 3.0 of
the WWC Handbook reporting a
‘‘positive effect’’ on a relevant outcome
based on a ‘‘medium to large’’ extent of
evidence, with no reporting of a
‘‘negative effect’’ or ‘‘potentially
negative effect’’ on a relevant outcome;
or
(iii) A single experimental study
reviewed and reported by the WWC
using version 2.1 or 3.0 of the WWC
Handbook, or otherwise assessed by the
Department using version 3.0 of the
WWC Handbook, as appropriate, and
that—
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(A) Meets WWC standards without
reservations;
(B) Includes at least one statistically
significant and positive (i.e., favorable)
effect on a relevant outcome;
(C) Includes no overriding statistically
significant and negative effects on
relevant outcomes reported in the study
or in a corresponding WWC
intervention report prepared under
version 2.1 or 3.0 of the WWC
Handbook; and
(D) Is based on a sample from more
than one site (e.g., State, county, city,
school district, or postsecondary
campus) and includes at least 350
students or other individuals across
sites. Multiple studies of the same
project component that each meet
requirements in paragraphs (iii)(A), (B),
and (C) of this definition may together
satisfy this requirement.
What Works Clearinghouse Handbook
(WWC Handbook) means the standards
and procedures set forth in the WWC
Procedures and Standards Handbook,
Version 3.0 or Version 2.1 (incorporated
by reference, see 34 CFR 77.2). Study
findings eligible for review under WWC
standards can meet WWC standards
without reservations, meet WWC
standards with reservations, or not meet
WWC standards. WWC practice guides
and intervention reports include
findings from systematic reviews of
evidence as described in the Handbook
documentation.
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. Section 681(d) of IDEA,
however, makes the public comment
requirements of the APA inapplicable to
the priority in this notice.
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1474
and 1481.
Applicable Regulations: (a) The
Education Department General
Administrative Regulations 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
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.
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Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86
apply to institutions of higher education
(IHEs) only.
IV. Application and Submission
Information
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Cooperative
agreements.
Estimated Available Funds:
$1,500,000.
Contingent upon the availability of
funds and the quality of applications,
we may make additional awards in FY
2019 from the list of unfunded
applications from this competition.
Estimated Range of Awards: $450,000
to $500,000 per year.
Estimated Average Size of Awards:
$475,000 per year.
Maximum Award: We will not make
an award exceeding $500,000 for a
single budget period of 12 months.
Estimated Number of Awards: 3.
Note: The Department is not bound by any
estimates in this notice.
Project Period: Up to 48 months.
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III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants: SEAs; 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. Subgrantees: Under 34 CFR
75.708(b) and (c) a grantee under this
competition 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. The grantee may award
subgrants to entities it has identified in
an approved application.
4. Other: (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).
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1. Application Submission
Instructions: For information on how to
submit an application please refer to our
Common Instructions for Applicants to
Department of Education Discretionary
Grant Programs, published in the
Federal Register on February 12, 2018
(83 FR 6003) and available at
www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2018-02-12/
pdf/2018-02558.pdf.
2. Intergovernmental Review: This
competition is subject to Executive
Order 12372 and the regulations in 34
CFR part 79. However, under 34 CFR
79.8(a), we waive intergovernmental
review in order to make awards by the
end of FY 2018.
3. Funding Restrictions: We reference
regulations outlining funding
restrictions in the Applicable
Regulations section of this notice.
4. Recommended 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 the application narrative to no
more than 50 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 the application narrative,
including all text in charts, tables,
figures, graphs, and screen shots.
V. Application Review Information
1. Selection Criteria: The selection
criteria for this competition are from 34
CFR 75.210 and are as follows:
(a) Significance (10 points).
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(1) The Secretary considers the
significance of the proposed project.
(2) In determining the significance of
the proposed project, the Secretary
considers the following factors:
(i) The significance of the problem or
issue to be addressed by the proposed
project;
(ii) The magnitude or severity of the
problem to be addressed by the
proposed project;
(iii) The extent to which specific gaps
or weaknesses in services,
infrastructure, or opportunities have
been identified and will be addressed by
the proposed project, including the
nature and magnitude of those gaps or
weaknesses;
(iv) The potential contribution of the
proposed project to increased
knowledge or understanding of
educational problems, issues, or
effective strategies; and
(v) The potential replicability of the
proposed project or strategies,
including, as appropriate, the potential
for implementation in a variety of
settings.
(b) Quality of project services (25
points).
(1) The Secretary considers the
quality of the services to be provided by
the proposed project.
(2) In determining the quality of the
services to be provided by the proposed
project, the Secretary considers the
quality and sufficiency of strategies for
ensuring equal access and treatment for
eligible project participants who are
members of groups that have
traditionally been underrepresented
based on race, color, national origin,
gender, age or disability.
(3) In addition, the Secretary
considers the following factors:
(i) The extent to which the services to
be provided by the proposed project
reflect up-to-date knowledge from
research and effective practice;
(ii) The extent to which the training
or professional development services to
be provided by the proposed project are
of sufficient quality, intensity, and
duration to lead to improvements in
practice among the recipients of those
services;
(iii) The extent to which the services
to be provided by the proposed project
involve the collaboration of appropriate
partners for maximizing the
effectiveness of project services;
(iv) The extent to which the services
to be provided by the proposed project
are appropriate to the needs of the
intended recipients or beneficiaries of
those services; and
(v) The likely impact of the services
to be provided by the proposed project
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on the intended recipients of those
services.
(c) Quality of the project design (20
points).
(1) The Secretary considers the
quality of the design of the proposed
project.
(2) In determining the quality of the
design of the proposed project, the
Secretary considers the following
factors:
(i) The extent to which the goals,
objectives, and outcomes to be achieved
by the proposed project are clearly
specified and measurable;
(ii) The extent to which the design of
the proposed project includes a
thorough, high-quality review of the
relevant literature, a high-quality plan
for project implementation, and the use
of appropriate methodological tools to
ensure successful achievement of
project objectives;
(iii) The extent to which the design of
the proposed project is appropriate to,
and will successfully address, the needs
of the target population or other
identified needs;
(iv) The extent to which the design for
implementing and evaluating the
proposed project will result in
information to guide possible
replication of project activities or
strategies, including information about
the effectiveness of the approach or
strategies employed by the project; and
(v) The extent to which there is a
conceptual framework underlying the
proposed research or demonstration
activities and the quality of that
framework.
(d) Quality of the management plan
(20 points).
(1) The Secretary considers the
quality of the management plan for the
proposed project.
(2) In determining the quality of the
management plan for the proposed
project, the Secretary considers the
following factors:
(i) The adequacy of the management
plan to achieve the objectives of the
proposed project on time and within
budget, including clearly defined
responsibilities, timelines, and
milestones for accomplishing project
tasks;
(ii) The extent to which the time
commitments of the project director and
principal investigator, and other key
project personnel are appropriate and
adequate to meet the objectives of the
proposed project;
(iii) The adequacy of mechanisms for
ensuring high-quality products and
services from the proposed project;
(iv) How the applicant will ensure
that a diversity of perspectives are
brought to bear in the operation of the
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proposed project, including those of
parents, teachers, the business
community, a variety of disciplinary
and professional fields, recipients or
beneficiaries of services, or others, as
appropriate; and
(v) The adequacy of procedures for
ensuring feedback and continuous
improvement in the operation of the
proposed project.
(e) Adequacy of resources (10 points).
(1) The Secretary considers the
adequacy of resources for the proposed
project.
(2) In determining the adequacy of
resources for the proposed project, the
Secretary considers the following
factors:
(i) The adequacy of support, including
facilities, equipment, supplies, and
other resources, from the applicant
organization or the lead applicant
organization;
(ii) The relevance and demonstrated
commitment of each partner in the
proposed project to the implementation
and success of the project;
(iii) The extent to which the budget is
adequate to support the proposed
project;
(iv) The extent to which the costs are
reasonable in relation to the objectives,
design, and potential significance of the
proposed project; and
(v) The extent to which the costs are
reasonable in relation to the number of
persons to be served and to the
anticipated results and benefits.
(f) Quality of the project evaluation
(15 points).
(1) The Secretary considers the
quality of the evaluation to be
conducted of the proposed project.
(2) In determining the quality of the
evaluation, the Secretary considers the
following factors:
(i) The extent to which the methods
of evaluation are thorough, feasible, and
appropriate to the goals, objectives, and
outcomes of the proposed project;
(ii) The extent to which the methods
of evaluation include the use of
objective performance measures that are
clearly related to the intended outcomes
of the project and will produce
quantitative and qualitative data to the
extent possible;
(iii) The extent to which the methods
of evaluation provide for examining the
effectiveness of project implementation
strategies;
(iv) The extent to which the methods
of evaluation will provide performance
feedback and permit periodic
assessment of progress toward achieving
intended outcomes; and
(v) The extent to which the evaluation
plan clearly articulates the key project
components, mediators, and outcomes,
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as well as a measurable threshold for
acceptable implementation.
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
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 Specific
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 specific
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
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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 the System for
Award Management. 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. Open Licensing Requirements:
Unless an exception applies, if you are
awarded a grant under this competition,
you will be required to openly license
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to the public grant deliverables created
in whole, or in part, with Department
grant funds. When the deliverable
consists of modifications to pre-existing
works, the license extends only to those
modifications that can be separately
identified and only to the extent that
open licensing is permitted under the
terms of any licenses or other legal
restrictions on the use of pre-existing
works. Additionally, a grantee or
subgrantee that is awarded competitive
grant funds must have a plan to
disseminate these public grant
deliverables. This dissemination plan
can be developed and submitted after
your application has been reviewed and
selected for funding. For additional
information on the open licensing
requirements please refer to 2 CFR
3474.20.
4. 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.
(c) Under 34 CFR 75.250(b), the
Secretary may provide a grantee with
additional funding for data collection
analysis and reporting. In this case the
Secretary establishes a data collection
period.
5. Performance Measures: Under the
Government Performance and Results
Act of 1993, the Department has
established a set of performance
measures, including long-term
measures, that are designed to yield
information on various aspects of the
effectiveness and quality of the
Educational Technology, Media, and
Materials for Individuals with
Disabilities program. These measures
are included in the application package
and focus on the extent to which
projects are of high quality, are relevant
to improving outcomes of children with
disabilities, as well as children with
high-needs, and generate evidence of
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31133
validity and availability to appropriate
populations. 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 performance
reports and additional performance data
to the Department (34 CFR 75.590 and
75.591).
6. 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. You may access the official
edition of the Federal Register and the
Code of Federal Regulations via the
Federal Digital System at: www.gpo.gov/
fdsys. At this site you can view this
document, as well as all other
documents of this Department
published in the Federal Register, in
text or Portable Document Format
(PDF). To use PDF you must have
Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is
available free at the site.
You may also access documents of the
Department published in the Federal
Register by using the article search
feature at: www.federalregister.gov.
Specifically, through the advanced
search feature at this site, you can limit
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your search to documents published by
the Department.
Dated: June 28, 2018.
Johnny W. Collett,
Assistant Secretary for Special Education and
Rehabilitative Services.
[FR Doc. 2018–14338 Filed 7–2–18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
[Docket No.: ED–2018–ICCD–0052]
Agency Information Collection
Activities; Submission to the Office of
Management and Budget for Review
and Approval; Comment Request;
National Household Education Survey
2019 (NHES: 2019)
National Center for Education
Statistics (NCES), Department of
Education (ED).
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
In accordance with the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, ED is
proposing a revision of an existing
information collection.
DATES: Interested persons are invited to
submit comments on or before August 2,
2018.
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–
2018–ICCD–0052. 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
206–06, Washington, DC 20202–4537.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For
specific questions related to collection
activities, please contact Kashka
Kubzdela, 202–245–7377 or email
NCES.Information.Collections@ed.gov.
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
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES
SUMMARY:
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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: National
Household Education Survey 2019
(NHES: 2019).
OMB Control Number: 1850–0768.
Type of Review: A revision of an
existing information collection.
Respondents/Affected Public:
Individuals or Households.
Total Estimated Number of Annual
Responses: 123,177.
Total Estimated Number of Annual
Burden Hours: 12,964.
Abstract: The National Household
Education Survey (NHES) is a data
collection program of the National
Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
designed to provide descriptive data on
the education activities of the U.S.
population, with an emphasis on topics
that are appropriate for household
surveys rather than institutional
surveys. Such topics have covered a
wide range of issues, including early
childhood care and education,
children’s readiness for school, parents’
perceptions of school safety and
discipline, before- and after-school
activities of school-age children,
participation in adult and career
education, parents’ involvement in their
children’s education, school choice,
homeschooling, and civic involvement.
This request is to conduct the
NHES:2019 full scale data collection,
from December 2018 through September
2019, in conjunction with an In-Person
Study of Nonresponding Households,
designed to provide insight about
nonresponse that can help plan future
survey administrations. NHES:2019 will
use mail and web data collection modes
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and will field two surveys: The Early
Childhood Program Participation survey
(ECPP) and the Parent and Family
Involvement in Education survey (PFI).
Dated: June 28, 2018.
Kate Mullan,
Acting Director, Information Collection
Clearance Division, Office of the Chief Privacy
Officer, Office of Management.
[FR Doc. 2018–14273 Filed 7–2–18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Environmental Management SiteSpecific Advisory Board, Northern New
Mexico
Department of Energy.
Notice of open meeting.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
This notice announces a
meeting of the Environmental
Management Site-Specific Advisory
Board (EM SSAB), Northern New
Mexico. The Federal Advisory
Committee Act requires that public
notice of this meeting be announced in
the Federal Register.
DATES: Wednesday, July 25, 2018, 1:00
p.m.–5:15 p.m.
ADDRESSES: Santa Fe Community
College, Jemez Complex, 6401 Richards
Avenue, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87508.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Menice Santistevan, Northern New
Mexico Citizens’ Advisory Board
(NNMCAB), 94 Cities of Gold Road,
Santa Fe, NM 87506. Phone (505) 995–
0393; Fax (505) 989–1752 or Email:
Menice.Santistevan@em.doe.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Purpose of the Board: The purpose of
the Board is to make recommendations
to DOE–EM and site management in the
areas of environmental restoration,
waste management, and related
activities.
SUMMARY:
Tentative Agenda
• Call to Order
• Welcome and Introductions
• Approval of Agenda and Meeting
Minutes of April 18, 2018, and May
23, 2018
• Old Business
Æ Report from Nominating Committee
Æ Other Items
• New Business
Æ Election of NNMCAB Chair and
Vice-Chair for Fiscal Year 2019
Æ Other Items
• Background on Material Disposal
Area C
• Break
• Overview of Aggregate Areas
• Public Comment Period
E:\FR\FM\03JYN1.SGM
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Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 128 (Tuesday, July 3, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31125-31134]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-14338]
=======================================================================
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Applications for New Awards; Educational Technology, Media, and
Materials for Individuals With Disabilities--Stepping-up Technology
Implementation
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) 2018 for Educational
Technology, Media, and Materials for Individuals with Disabilities--
Stepping-up Technology Implementation, Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance (CFDA) number 84.327S.
DATES:
Applications Available: July 3, 2018.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: August 2, 2018.
ADDRESSES: For the addresses for obtaining and submitting an
application, please refer to our Common Instructions for Applicants to
Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs, published in the
[[Page 31126]]
Federal Register on February 12, 2018 (83 FR 6003) and available at
www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2018-02-12/pdf/2018-02558.pdf.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Terry Jackson, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Room 5158, Potomac Center Plaza,
Washington, DC 20202-5076. Telephone: (202) 245-6039.
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 purposes of the Educational Technology,
Media, and Materials for Individuals with Disabilities Program are to:
(1) Improve results for students with disabilities by promoting the
development, demonstration, and use of technology; (2) support
educational activities designed to be of educational value in the
classroom for students with disabilities; (3) provide support for
captioning and video description that is appropriate for use in the
classroom; and (4) provide accessible educational materials to students
with disabilities in a timely manner.\1\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Applicants should note that other laws, including the
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq.; 28
CFR part 35) and section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29
U.S.C. 794; 34 CFR part 104), may require that State educational
agencies and local educational agencies provide captioning, video
description, and other accessible educational materials to students
with disabilities when such materials are necessary to provide
students with disabilities with equally integrated and equally
effective access to the benefits of the educational program or
activity, or as part of a ``free appropriate public education'' as
defined in the Department of Education's Section 504 regulation.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Priority: In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(v), the absolute
priority and the competitive preference priority within this priority
are from allowable activities specified in sections 674(c)(1)(D) and
681(d) of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), 20
U.S.C. 1474(c)(1)(D) and 1481(d).
Absolute Priority: For FY 2018 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: Stepping-up Technology Implementation.
Background:
The mission of the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative
Services (OSERS) is to improve early childhood, educational, and
employment outcomes and raise expectations for all people with
disabilities, their families, their communities, and the Nation.
The purpose of this priority is to fund three cooperative
agreements to: identify strategies needed to effectively implement
evidence-based (as defined in this notice) technology tools \2\ that
benefit students with disabilities and children or students with high
needs,\3\ and develop and disseminate products \4\ that will help a
broad range of sites to effectively implement these technology tools.
This priority is consistent with Priority 5 of the Secretary's Final
Supplemental Priorities and Definitions for Discretionary Grant
Programs (Supplemental Priorities) \5\--Meeting the Unique Needs of
Students and Children With Disabilities and/or Those With Unique Gifts
and Talents; and Priority 2 of the Supplemental Priorities--Promoting
Innovation and Efficiency, Streamlining Education With an Increased
Focus on Improving Student Outcomes, and Providing Increased Value to
Students and Taxpayers. Priority 5 emphasizes meeting the unique needs
of students with disabilities, including their academic needs, by
offering students the opportunity to meet challenging objectives and
receive an educational program that is both meaningful and
appropriately ambitious in light of each student's circumstances.
Priority 2 emphasizes supporting innovative strategies or research that
has the potential to lead to significant and wide-reaching improvements
in the delivery of educational services or other significant and
tangible educational benefits to students, educators, or other
Department stakeholders.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\2\ For the purposes of this priority, ``technology tools'' may
include, but are not limited to, digital math text readers for
students with visual impairments, reading software to improve
literacy and communication development, and text-to-speech software
to improve reading performance. These tools must assist or otherwise
benefit students with disabilities.
\3\ For the purposes of this priority, ``children or students
with high needs'' means children or students at risk of educational
failure or otherwise in need of special assistance or support, such
as children and students who are living in poverty, who are English
Learners, who are academically far below grade level, who have left
school before receiving a regular high school diploma, who are at
risk of not graduating with a regular high school diploma on time,
who are homeless, who are in foster care, who have been
incarcerated, or are children or students with disabilities.
\4\ For the purposes of this priority, ``products'' may include,
but are not limited to, instruction manuals, lesson plans,
demonstration videos, ancillary instructional materials, and
professional development modules such as collaborative groups,
coaching, mentoring, or online supports.
\5\ The Secretary's Final Supplemental Priorities and
Definitions for Discretionary Grant Programs was published in the
Federal Register on March 2, 2018 (83 FR 9096) and can be found at
www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2018-03-02/pdf/2018-04291.pdf.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Congress recognized in IDEA that ``almost 30 years of research and
experience has demonstrated that the education of children with
disabilities can be made more effective by . . . supporting the
development and use of technology, including assistive technology
devices and assistive technology services, to maximize accessibility
for children with disabilities'' (section 601(c)(5) of IDEA).
The use of technology, including assistive technology devices and
assistive technology services, enhances instruction and access to the
general education curriculum. ``Innovative technology tools, programs,
and software can be used to promote engagement and enhance the learning
experience'' (Brunvand & Byrd, 2011). Innovative technology tools and
programs are especially helpful as educators work to engage and
motivate students who struggle with the general education curriculum.
However, having access alone does not translate to outcomes. Judge et
al. (2004) argued that there is a rapid expansion in technology in
early childhood settings, and teachers need support in understanding
its usage and value to ensure quality learning experiences for young
students. When teachers receive the necessary professional development
supports to use technology effectively, technology integration in early
childhood settings has been demonstrated to increase social awareness
and collaborative behaviors, improve abstract reasoning and problem
solving abilities, and enhance visual-motor coordination (McManis &
Gunnewig, 2012).
Technologies (e.g., online career-readiness tools, computer-based
writing tools to support literacy, web-based curriculum to support
21st-century learning) can support State educational agencies (SEAs)
and local educational agencies (LEAs) by: (a) Improving student
learning and engagement; (b) accommodating the special needs of
students; (c) facilitating student and teacher access to digital
content and resources; and (d) improving the quality of instruction
through personalized learning and data (Duffey & Fox, 2012; Fletcher,
Schaffhauser, & Levi, 2012; U.S. Department of Education, 2010). As
stipulated in section 4109 of the Elementary and Secondary Education
Act of 1965, as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA),
technologies can be used to support
[[Page 31127]]
LEAs and SEAs to increase student access to personalized, rigorous
learning experiences.
Notwithstanding the potential benefits of using technology to
improve learning outcomes, research suggests that implementation can be
a significant challenge. For example, data from a survey of more than
1,000 kindergarten through grade 12 (K-12) teachers, principals, and
assistant principals indicated that more than half of teachers who did
not use technology identified issues of implementation (e.g.,
necessity, applicability to lessons) rather than availability as
reasons for their non-use (Grunwald & Associates, 2010). Additionally,
``research indicates that technology must be used in ways that align
with curricular and teacher goals, and offer students opportunities to
use these tools in their learning'' (Center on Innovation and
Improvement, 2011). Even as schools have started to deliver coursework
online, and the number of students involved in online learning has
grown, many of these online learning technologies are not readily
accessible to students with disabilities (Center on Online Learning and
Students with Disabilities, 2012). These findings demonstrate a need
for products and resources that can assist educators to readily
implement technology tools for students with disabilities.
In response to this need, Stepping-up Technology Implementation
projects have built on technology development efforts by identifying,
developing, and disseminating products and resources that promote the
effective implementation \6\ of instructional and assistive technology
tools in early childhood programs or K-12 settings.\7\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\6\ In this context, ``effective implementation'' means ``making
better use of research findings in typical service settings through
the use of processes and activities (such as accountable
implementation teams) that are purposeful and described in
sufficient detail such that independent observers can detect the
presence and strength of these processes and activities'' (Fixsen,
Naoom, Blase, Friedman, & Wallace, 2005).
\7\ For the purposes of this priority, ``settings'' include:
General education classrooms; special education classrooms; high-
quality early childhood programs; private schools; home education;
after school programs; juvenile justice facilities; and settings
other than those listed above in which students may receive services
under IDEA.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Priority:
The purpose of this priority is to fund three cooperative
agreements to: (a) Identify strategies needed to readily implement
existing evidence-based technology tools that benefit students with
disabilities and children or students with high needs; and (b) develop
and disseminate products (See footnote 3; e.g., instruction manuals,
lesson plans, demonstration videos, ancillary instructional materials)
that will assist personnel in early childhood programs or K-12 settings
to readily use, understand, and implement these technology tools.
To be considered for funding under this priority, applicants must
meet the application requirements. Any project funded under this
absolute priority must also meet the programmatic and administrative
requirements specified in the priority.
Application Requirements
An applicant must include in its application--
(a) A project design that is evidence-based;
(b) A logic model (as defined in this notice) or conceptual
framework that depicts at a minimum, the goals, activities, project
evaluation, methods, performance measures, outputs, and outcomes of the
proposed project.
Note: The following websites provide more information on logic
models and conceptual frameworks: www.osepideasthatwork.org/logicModel; www.osepideasthatwork.org/resources-grantees/program-areas/ta-ta/tad-project-logic-model-and-conceptual-framework;
www2.ed.gov/policy/elsec/leg/essa/guidanceuseseinvestment.pdf; and
https://ies.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=REL2015057.
(c) A plan to implement the activities described in the Project
Activities section of this priority;
(d) A plan, linked to the proposed project's logic model, for a
formative evaluation of the proposed project's activities. The plan
must describe how the formative evaluation will use clear performance
objectives to ensure continuous improvement in the operation of the
proposed project, including objective measures of progress in
implementing the project and ensuring the quality of products and
services;
(e) Documentation ensuring that the final products disseminated to
help sites effectively implement technology tools will be both open
educational resources (OER) \8\ and licensed through an open access
licensing authority;
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\8\ Open educational resources (OER) are teaching and learning
materials that the public may freely use and reuse at no cost.
Unlike fixed, copyrighted resources, OER have been authored or
created by an individual or organization that chooses to retain few,
if any, ownership rights. Retrieved from www.oercommons.org/about.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(f) Documentation that the technology tool used by the project is
fully developed,\9\ evidence-based, and addresses, at a minimum, the
following principles of universal design for learning:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\9\ A technology that is ``fully developed'' is a completed,
existing technology that is ready to be implemented. Any
enhancements or additions to the existing technology should be minor
and time-limited, and must be completed before the end of year two.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1) Multiple means of presentation so that students can approach
information in more than one way (e.g., specialized software and
websites, screen readers that include features such as text-to-speech,
changeable color contrast, alterable text size, or selection of
different reading levels);
(2) Multiple means of expression so that all students can
demonstrate knowledge through options such as writing, online concept
mapping, or speech-to-text programs, where appropriate; and
(3) Multiple means of engagement to stimulate interest in and
motivation for learning (e.g., options among several different learning
activities or content for a particular competency or skill and
providing opportunities for increased collaboration or scaffolding);
\10\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\10\ For more information on the principles of universal design,
see www.udlcenter.org/aboutudl/whatisudl/3principles.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(g) A plan for how the project will sustain project activities
after funding ends;
(h) A plan, which includes appropriate consideration of sites other
than traditional public elementary and secondary school settings,
including private schools, after school programs, juvenile justice
facilities, early childhood programs, and settings where students are
supported under IDEA, for recruiting and selecting \11\ the following:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\11\ For more information on recruiting and selecting sites,
refer to Assessing Sites for Model Demonstration: Lessons Learned
from OSEP Grantees at https://mdcc.sri.com/documents/MDCC_Site_Assessment_Brief_09-30-11.pdf.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1) Three development sites. Development sites are the sites in
which iterative development \12\ of the products and resources intended
to support the implementation of technology tools will occur. The
project must start implementing the technology tool with one
development site in year one of the project period and two additional
development sites in year two;
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\12\ For the purposes of this priority, ``iterative
development'' refers to a process of testing, systematically
securing feedback, and then revising the educational intervention to
increase the likelihood that it will be implemented with fidelity
(Diamond & Powell, 2011).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(2) Four pilot sites. Pilot sites are the sites in which try-out,
formative evaluation, and refinement of the products and resources will
occur. The project must work with the four pilot sites during years
three and four of the project period; and
(3) Ten dissemination sites. Dissemination sites will be selected
if
[[Page 31128]]
the project is extended for a fifth year. Dissemination sites will be
used to (a) refine the products for use by teachers and (b) evaluate
the performance of the tool. Dissemination sites will receive less
technical assistance (TA) from the project than development or pilot
sites. Also, at this stage (i.e., the fifth year), dissemination sites
will extend the benefits of the technology tool to additional students.
To be selected as a dissemination site, eligible sites must commit to
working with the project to implement the evidence-based technology
tool.
Note: A site may not serve in more than one category (i.e.,
development, pilot, dissemination).
Note: A minimum of two of the seven development and pilot sites
must be in settings other than traditional public elementary and
secondary schools. A minimum of three of the 10 dissemination sites
must be in settings other than traditional public elementary and
secondary schools. These non-traditional sites must otherwise meet
the requirements of each category listed earlier.
(i) School site information (e.g., elementary, middle, high school,
or early childhood programs, high-quality early childhood programs,
private schools, after school programs, juvenile justice facilities,
and settings where students are supported under IDEA; schools
identified for comprehensive or targeted support and improvement (in
accordance with section 1111(c)(4)(C)(iii), (c)(4)(D), or (d)(2)(C)-(D)
of the ESEA) about the development, pilot, and dissemination sites,
including student demographics (e.g., race or ethnicity, percentage of
students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch) and other pertinent
data; and
(j) A budget for attendance at the following:
(1) A one and one-half day kick-off meeting to be held in
Washington, DC, after receipt of the award, and an annual planning
meeting held in Washington, DC, with the Office of Special Education
Programs (OSEP) project officer and other relevant staff during each
subsequent year of the project period.
Note: Within 30 days of receipt of the award, a post-award
teleconference must be held between the OSEP project officer and the
grantee's project director or other authorized representative.
(2) A three-day project directors' conference in Washington, DC,
during each year of the project period.
(3) Two annual two-day trips to attend Department briefings,
Department-sponsored conferences, and other meetings, as requested by
OSEP.
Project Activities:
To meet the requirements of this priority, the project, at a
minimum, must conduct the following activities:
(a) Recruit a minimum of three development sites and four pilot
sites in accordance with the plan proposed under paragraphs (h) and (i)
of the Application Requirements section of this notice.
Note: Final site selection will be determined in consultation
with the OSEP project officer following the kick-off meeting.
(b) Identify and develop resources and products that, when used to
support the implementation of the technology tool, create accessible
learning opportunities for all children, including children with
disabilities, and children or students with high needs and support the
sustained implementation of the selected technology tool. Development
of the products must be an iterative process beginning in a single
development school and continuing through repeated cycles of
development and refinement in the other development sites, followed by
a formative evaluation and refinement in the pilot sites. To support
implementation of the technology tool the products and resources must,
at a minimum, include:
(1) An instrument or method for assessing--
(i) The school staff's current technology uses and needs, current
technology investments, firewall issues, and the knowledge and
availability of dedicated on-site technology personnel;
(ii) The readiness of development and pilot sites to implement the
technology tool. Any instruments and methods for assessing readiness
may include resource inventory checklists, school self-study guides,
and surveys of teachers' interests; and
(iii) Whether the technology tool has achieved its intended
outcomes.
(c) Provide ongoing professional development activities necessary
for teachers to implement the technology tool with fidelity and to
integrate it into the curriculum.
(d) Collect and analyze data on whether the technology tool has
achieved its intended outcomes for early childhood development, K-12,
or college- and career-readiness.
(e) Collect formative and summative data from the development and
pilot sites to refine and evaluate the products.
(f) If the project is extended to a fifth year--
(1) Provide the products and the technology tool to no fewer than
10 dissemination sites that are not the same used as development or
pilot sites; and
(2) Collect summative data about the success of the project's
products and services in supporting implementation of the technology
tool in the dissemination sites.
(g) By the end of the project period, provide--
(1) Information on the products and resources, as supported by the
project evaluation, including any accessibility features, that will
enable other sites to implement and sustain implementation of the
technology tool;
(2) Information on the technology implementation report, including
data on how teachers used the technology, data on how technology
impacted student outcomes, how technology was implemented with
fidelity, and features of universal design for learning;
(3) Information on how the technology tool contributed to changed
practices and improved early childhood outcomes, academic achievement,
or college- and career-readiness for children with disabilities, as
well as children or students with high needs (e.g., data to assess how
well the project addressed the goals of the project as described in the
logic model); and
(4) A plan for disseminating the technology tool and accompanying
products beyond the sites directly involved in the project.
Cohort Collaboration and Support
OSEP project officer(s) will provide coordination support among the
projects. Each project funded under this priority must:
(a) Participate in monthly conference-call discussions to share and
collaborate on implementation and specific project issues; and
(b) Provide information annually using a template that captures
descriptive data on project site selection, processes for installation
of technology, and the use of technology and sustainability (i.e., the
process of technology implementation).
Note: The following website provides more information about
implementation research: https://nirn.fpg.unc.edu/learn-implementation.
Fifth Year of Project
The Secretary may extend a project one year beyond 48 months to
work with dissemination sites if the grantee is achieving the intended
outcomes of the project (as demonstrated by data gathered as part of
the project evaluation) and making a positive contribution to the
implementation of an evidence-based technology tool with fidelity in
the development and pilot sites. Each applicant must include in its
application a plan for the full 60-month period. In deciding whether to
continue
[[Page 31129]]
funding the project for the fifth year, the Secretary will consider the
requirements of 34 CFR 75.253(a), and will consider:
(a) The recommendation of a review team consisting of the OSEP
project officer and other experts selected by the Secretary. This
review will be held during the last half of the third year of the
project period;
(b) The success and timeliness with which the requirements of the
negotiated cooperative agreement have been or are being met by the
project; and
(c) The degree to which the project's activities have contributed
to changed practices and improved early childhood outcomes, academic
achievement, or college- and career-readiness for students with
disabilities.
Competitive Preference Priority: Within this absolute priority, we
give competitive preference to applications that address the following
priority. The competitive preference priority is from allowable
activities in sections 674(c)(1)(D) and 681(d) of IDEA. Under 34 CFR
75.105(c)(2)(i), we award an additional two points to an application
that meets the competitive preference priority. Applicants should
indicate in the abstract if the competitive preference priority is
addressed and must address the priority in the narrative section.
This competitive preference priority is:
Projects that Support English Learners in Reading (Two Points).
To meet this competitive preference priority, projects must
implement an evidence-based technology tool designed to help teachers
use culturally responsive teaching practices \13\ to meet the cultural
and linguistic needs of English Learners (ELs) and improve their
language acquisition, language development, and reading. To meet the
competitive preference priority, a project must:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\13\ Culturally responsive teaching practices can be defined as
``using the cultural knowledge, prior experiences, frames of
reference, and performance styles of ethnically diverse students to
make learning encounters more relevant to and effective for them''
(Gay, 2010).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(a) Implement a culturally responsive reading curriculum that
provides learning opportunities through a variety of media; and
(b) Develop and disseminate products and resources (e.g.,
instruction manuals, lesson plans, demonstration videos, ancillary
instructional materials) that will assist teachers in K-12 settings to
implement the technology.
References:
Brunvand, S., & Byrd, S. (2011). Using VoiceThread to promote
learning engagement and success for all students. Teaching
Exceptional Children, 43(4), 28-37.
Center on Online Learning and Students with Disabilities (COLSD).
(2012). The foundation of online learning for students with
disabilities (COLSD White Paper). Lawrence, KS: Author. Retrieved
from www.centerononlinelearning.res.ku.edu/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Foundation_7_2012.pdf.
Diamond, K.E., & Powell, D.R. (2011). An iterative approach to the
development of a professional development intervention for Head
Start teachers. Journal of Early Intervention, 33(1), 75-93.
Duffey, D., & Fox, C. (2012). National educational technology trends
2012: State leadership empowers educators, transforms teaching and
learning. Washington, DC: State Educational Technology Directors
Association. Retrieved from https://eric.ed.gov/PDFS/ED536746.pdf.
Fixsen, D.L., Naoom, S.F., Blase, K.A., Friedman, R.M., & Wallace,
F. (2005). Implementation research: A synthesis of the literature
(FMHI Publication #231). Tampa, FL: University of South Florida,
Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute, The National
Implementation Research Network.
Fletcher, G., Schaffhauser, D. & Levi, D. (2012). Out of print:
Reimagining the K-12 textbook in a digital age. Washington, DC:
State Educational Technology Directors Association. Retrieved from
https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED536747.pdf.
Gay, G. (2010). Culturally responsive teaching: Theory, research,
and practice (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Teachers College Press.
Grunwald & Associates. (2010). Educators, technology, and 21st
century skills: Dispelling five myths. Minneapolis, MN: Walden
University, Richard W. Riley College of Education. Retrieved from
www.waldenu.edu/-/media/Walden/general-media/about-walden/colleges-and-schools/riley-college-of-education/educational-research/full-report-dispelling-five-myths.pdf?la=en.
Judge, S., Puckett, K., & Cabuck, B. (2004). Digital equity: New
findings from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study. Journal of
Research on Technology in Education, 36(4), 383-396.
McManis, L.D., & Gunnewig, S.B. (2012). Finding the education in
educational technology with early learners. Young Children, 67(3),
14-24.
Perlman, C.L., & Redding, S. (Eds.). (2011). Handbook on effective
implementation of school improvement grants. Lincoln, IL: Center on
Innovation and Improvement. Retrieved from www.centerii.org/handbook.
U.S. Department of Education, Office of Educational Technology.
(2010). Transforming American education: Learning powered by
technology. Washington, DC: Author. Retrieved from www.ed.gov/sites/default/files/netp2010.pdf.
Definitions: The following definitions are from 34 CFR 77.1:
Demonstrates a rationale means a key project component included in
the project's logic model is informed by research or evaluation
findings that suggest the project component is likely to improve
relevant outcomes.
Evidence-based means the proposed project component is supported by
one or more of strong evidence, moderate evidence, promising evidence,
or evidence that demonstrates a rationale.
Experimental study means a study that is designed to compare
outcomes between two groups of individuals (such as students) that are
otherwise equivalent except for their assignment to either a treatment
group receiving a project component or a control group that does not.
Randomized controlled trials, regression discontinuity design studies,
and single-case design studies are the specific types of experimental
studies that, depending on their design and implementation (e.g.,
sample attrition in randomized controlled trials and regression
discontinuity design studies), can meet What Works Clearinghouse (WWC)
standards without reservations as described in the WWC Handbook:
(i) A randomized controlled trial employs random assignment of, for
example, students, teachers, classrooms, or schools to receive the
project component being evaluated (the treatment group) or not to
receive the project component (the control group).
(ii) A regression discontinuity design study assigns the project
component being evaluated using a measured variable (e.g., assigning
students reading below a cutoff score to tutoring or developmental
education classes) and controls for that variable in the analysis of
outcomes.
(iii) A single-case design study uses observations of a single case
(e.g., a student eligible for a behavioral intervention) over time in
the absence and presence of a controlled treatment manipulation to
determine whether the outcome is systematically related to the
treatment.
Logic model (also referred to as a theory of action) means a
framework that identifies key project components of the proposed
project (i.e., the active ``ingredients'' that are hypothesized to be
critical to achieving the relevant outcomes) and describes the
theoretical and operational relationships among the key project
components and relevant outcomes.
Moderate evidence means that there is evidence of effectiveness of
a key project component in improving a relevant outcome for a sample
that
[[Page 31130]]
overlaps with the populations or settings proposed to receive that
component, based on a relevant finding from one of the following:
(i) A practice guide prepared by the WWC using version 2.1 or 3.0
of the WWC Handbook reporting a ``strong evidence base'' or ``moderate
evidence base'' for the corresponding practice guide recommendation;
(ii) An intervention report prepared by the WWC using version 2.1
or 3.0 of the WWC Handbook reporting a ``positive effect'' or
``potentially positive effect'' on a relevant outcome based on a
``medium to large'' extent of evidence, with no reporting of a
``negative effect'' or ``potentially negative effect'' on a relevant
outcome; or
(iii) A single experimental study or quasi-experimental design
study reviewed and reported by the WWC using version 2.1 or 3.0 of the
WWC Handbook, or otherwise assessed by the Department using version 3.0
of the WWC Handbook, as appropriate, and that--
(A) Meets WWC standards with or without reservations;
(B) Includes at least one statistically significant and positive
(i.e., favorable) effect on a relevant outcome;
(C) Includes no overriding statistically significant and negative
effects on relevant outcomes reported in the study or in a
corresponding WWC intervention report prepared under version 2.1 or 3.0
of the WWC Handbook; and
(D) Is based on a sample from more than one site (e.g., State,
county, city, school district, or postsecondary campus) and includes at
least 350 students or other individuals across sites. Multiple studies
of the same project component that each meet requirements in paragraphs
(iii)(A), (B), and (C) of this definition may together satisfy this
requirement.
Project component means an activity, strategy, intervention,
process, product, practice, or policy included in a project. Evidence
may pertain to an individual project component or to a combination of
project components (e.g., training teachers on instructional practices
for English learners and follow-on coaching for these teachers).
Promising evidence means that there is evidence of the
effectiveness of a key project component in improving a relevant
outcome, based on a relevant finding from one of the following:
(i) A practice guide prepared by WWC reporting a ``strong evidence
base'' or ``moderate evidence base'' for the corresponding practice
guide recommendation;
(ii) An intervention report prepared by the WWC reporting a
``positive effect'' or ``potentially positive effect'' on a relevant
outcome with no reporting of a ``negative effect'' or ``potentially
negative effect'' on a relevant outcome; or
(iii) A single study assessed by the Department, as appropriate,
that--
(A) Is an experimental study, a quasi-experimental design study, or
a well-designed and well-implemented correlational study with
statistical controls for selection bias (e.g., a study using regression
methods to account for differences between a treatment group and a
comparison group); and
(B) Includes at least one statistically significant and positive
(i.e., favorable) effect on a relevant outcome.
Quasi-experimental design study means a study using a design that
attempts to approximate an experimental study by identifying a
comparison group that is similar to the treatment group in important
respects. This type of study, depending on design and implementation
(e.g., establishment of baseline equivalence of the groups being
compared), can meet WWC standards with reservations, but cannot meet
WWC standards without reservations, as described in the WWC Handbook.
Relevant outcome means the student outcome(s) or other outcome(s)
the key project component is designed to improve, consistent with the
specific goals of the program.
Strong evidence means that there is evidence of the effectiveness
of a key project component in improving a relevant outcome for a sample
that overlaps with the populations and settings proposed to receive
that component, based on a relevant finding from one of the following:
(i) A practice guide prepared by the WWC using version 2.1 or 3.0
of the WWC Handbook reporting a ``strong evidence base'' for the
corresponding practice guide recommendation;
(ii) An intervention report prepared by the WWC using version 2.1
or 3.0 of the WWC Handbook reporting a ``positive effect'' on a
relevant outcome based on a ``medium to large'' extent of evidence,
with no reporting of a ``negative effect'' or ``potentially negative
effect'' on a relevant outcome; or
(iii) A single experimental study reviewed and reported by the WWC
using version 2.1 or 3.0 of the WWC Handbook, or otherwise assessed by
the Department using version 3.0 of the WWC Handbook, as appropriate,
and that--
(A) Meets WWC standards without reservations;
(B) Includes at least one statistically significant and positive
(i.e., favorable) effect on a relevant outcome;
(C) Includes no overriding statistically significant and negative
effects on relevant outcomes reported in the study or in a
corresponding WWC intervention report prepared under version 2.1 or 3.0
of the WWC Handbook; and
(D) Is based on a sample from more than one site (e.g., State,
county, city, school district, or postsecondary campus) and includes at
least 350 students or other individuals across sites. Multiple studies
of the same project component that each meet requirements in paragraphs
(iii)(A), (B), and (C) of this definition may together satisfy this
requirement.
What Works Clearinghouse Handbook (WWC Handbook) means the
standards and procedures set forth in the WWC Procedures and Standards
Handbook, Version 3.0 or Version 2.1 (incorporated by reference, see 34
CFR 77.2). Study findings eligible for review under WWC standards can
meet WWC standards without reservations, meet WWC standards with
reservations, or not meet WWC standards. WWC practice guides and
intervention reports include findings from systematic reviews of
evidence as described in the Handbook documentation.
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. Section
681(d) of IDEA, however, makes the public comment requirements of the
APA inapplicable to the priority in this notice.
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1474 and 1481.
Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General
Administrative Regulations 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
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.
[[Page 31131]]
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to institutions of
higher education (IHEs) only.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Cooperative agreements.
Estimated Available Funds: $1,500,000.
Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of
applications, we may make additional awards in FY 2019 from the list of
unfunded applications from this competition.
Estimated Range of Awards: $450,000 to $500,000 per year.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $475,000 per year.
Maximum Award: We will not make an award exceeding $500,000 for a
single budget period of 12 months.
Estimated Number of Awards: 3.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this
notice.
Project Period: Up to 48 months.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants: SEAs; 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. Subgrantees: Under 34 CFR 75.708(b) and (c) a grantee under this
competition 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. The grantee may award
subgrants to entities it has identified in an approved application.
4. Other: (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. Application Submission Instructions: For information on how to
submit an application please refer to our Common Instructions for
Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs,
published in the Federal Register on February 12, 2018 (83 FR 6003) and
available at www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2018-02-12/pdf/2018-02558.pdf.
2. Intergovernmental Review: This competition is subject to
Executive Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79. However,
under 34 CFR 79.8(a), we waive intergovernmental review in order to
make awards by the end of FY 2018.
3. Funding Restrictions: We reference regulations outlining funding
restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.
4. Recommended 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 the application narrative to no more than 50 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 the application narrative, including all text in charts, tables,
figures, graphs, and screen shots.
V. Application Review Information
1. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this competition
are from 34 CFR 75.210 and are as follows:
(a) Significance (10 points).
(1) The Secretary considers the significance of the proposed
project.
(2) In determining the significance of the proposed project, the
Secretary considers the following factors:
(i) The significance of the problem or issue to be addressed by the
proposed project;
(ii) The magnitude or severity of the problem to be addressed by
the proposed project;
(iii) The extent to which specific gaps or weaknesses in services,
infrastructure, or opportunities have been identified and will be
addressed by the proposed project, including the nature and magnitude
of those gaps or weaknesses;
(iv) The potential contribution of the proposed project to
increased knowledge or understanding of educational problems, issues,
or effective strategies; and
(v) The potential replicability of the proposed project or
strategies, including, as appropriate, the potential for implementation
in a variety of settings.
(b) Quality of project services (25 points).
(1) The Secretary considers the quality of the services to be
provided by the proposed project.
(2) In determining the quality of the services to be provided by
the proposed project, the Secretary considers the quality and
sufficiency of strategies for ensuring equal access and treatment for
eligible project participants who are members of groups that have
traditionally been underrepresented based on race, color, national
origin, gender, age or disability.
(3) In addition, the Secretary considers the following factors:
(i) The extent to which the services to be provided by the proposed
project reflect up-to-date knowledge from research and effective
practice;
(ii) The extent to which the training or professional development
services to be provided by the proposed project are of sufficient
quality, intensity, and duration to lead to improvements in practice
among the recipients of those services;
(iii) The extent to which the services to be provided by the
proposed project involve the collaboration of appropriate partners for
maximizing the effectiveness of project services;
(iv) The extent to which the services to be provided by the
proposed project are appropriate to the needs of the intended
recipients or beneficiaries of those services; and
(v) The likely impact of the services to be provided by the
proposed project
[[Page 31132]]
on the intended recipients of those services.
(c) Quality of the project design (20 points).
(1) The Secretary considers the quality of the design of the
proposed project.
(2) In determining the quality of the design of the proposed
project, the Secretary considers the following factors:
(i) The extent to which the goals, objectives, and outcomes to be
achieved by the proposed project are clearly specified and measurable;
(ii) The extent to which the design of the proposed project
includes a thorough, high-quality review of the relevant literature, a
high-quality plan for project implementation, and the use of
appropriate methodological tools to ensure successful achievement of
project objectives;
(iii) The extent to which the design of the proposed project is
appropriate to, and will successfully address, the needs of the target
population or other identified needs;
(iv) The extent to which the design for implementing and evaluating
the proposed project will result in information to guide possible
replication of project activities or strategies, including information
about the effectiveness of the approach or strategies employed by the
project; and
(v) The extent to which there is a conceptual framework underlying
the proposed research or demonstration activities and the quality of
that framework.
(d) Quality of the management plan (20 points).
(1) The Secretary considers the quality of the management plan for
the proposed project.
(2) In determining the quality of the management plan for the
proposed project, the Secretary considers the following factors:
(i) The adequacy of the management plan to achieve the objectives
of the proposed project on time and within budget, including clearly
defined responsibilities, timelines, and milestones for accomplishing
project tasks;
(ii) The extent to which the time commitments of the project
director and principal investigator, and other key project personnel
are appropriate and adequate to meet the objectives of the proposed
project;
(iii) The adequacy of mechanisms for ensuring high-quality products
and services from the proposed project;
(iv) How the applicant will ensure that a diversity of perspectives
are brought to bear in the operation of the proposed project, including
those of parents, teachers, the business community, a variety of
disciplinary and professional fields, recipients or beneficiaries of
services, or others, as appropriate; and
(v) The adequacy of procedures for ensuring feedback and continuous
improvement in the operation of the proposed project.
(e) Adequacy of resources (10 points).
(1) The Secretary considers the adequacy of resources for the
proposed project.
(2) In determining the adequacy of resources for the proposed
project, the Secretary considers the following factors:
(i) The adequacy of support, including facilities, equipment,
supplies, and other resources, from the applicant organization or the
lead applicant organization;
(ii) The relevance and demonstrated commitment of each partner in
the proposed project to the implementation and success of the project;
(iii) The extent to which the budget is adequate to support the
proposed project;
(iv) The extent to which the costs are reasonable in relation to
the objectives, design, and potential significance of the proposed
project; and
(v) The extent to which the costs are reasonable in relation to the
number of persons to be served and to the anticipated results and
benefits.
(f) Quality of the project evaluation (15 points).
(1) The Secretary considers the quality of the evaluation to be
conducted of the proposed project.
(2) In determining the quality of the evaluation, the Secretary
considers the following factors:
(i) The extent to which the methods of evaluation are thorough,
feasible, and appropriate to the goals, objectives, and outcomes of the
proposed project;
(ii) The extent to which the methods of evaluation include the use
of objective performance measures that are clearly related to the
intended outcomes of the project and will produce quantitative and
qualitative data to the extent possible;
(iii) The extent to which the methods of evaluation provide for
examining the effectiveness of project implementation strategies;
(iv) The extent to which the methods of evaluation will provide
performance feedback and permit periodic assessment of progress toward
achieving intended outcomes; and
(v) The extent to which the evaluation plan clearly articulates the
key project components, mediators, and outcomes, as well as a
measurable threshold for acceptable implementation.
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 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 Specific 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 specific 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
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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 the System for Award Management. 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. Open Licensing Requirements: Unless an exception applies, if you
are awarded a grant under this competition, you will be required to
openly license to the public grant deliverables created in whole, or in
part, with Department grant funds. When the deliverable consists of
modifications to pre-existing works, the license extends only to those
modifications that can be separately identified and only to the extent
that open licensing is permitted under the terms of any licenses or
other legal restrictions on the use of pre-existing works.
Additionally, a grantee or subgrantee that is awarded competitive grant
funds must have a plan to disseminate these public grant deliverables.
This dissemination plan can be developed and submitted after your
application has been reviewed and selected for funding. For additional
information on the open licensing requirements please refer to 2 CFR
3474.20.
4. 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.
(c) Under 34 CFR 75.250(b), the Secretary may provide a grantee
with additional funding for data collection analysis and reporting. In
this case the Secretary establishes a data collection period.
5. Performance Measures: Under the Government Performance and
Results Act of 1993, the Department has established a set of
performance measures, including long-term measures, that are designed
to yield information on various aspects of the effectiveness and
quality of the Educational Technology, Media, and Materials for
Individuals with Disabilities program. These measures are included in
the application package and focus on the extent to which projects are
of high quality, are relevant to improving outcomes of children with
disabilities, as well as children with high-needs, and generate
evidence of validity and availability to appropriate populations.
Projects funded under this competition are required to submit data on
these measures as directed by OSEP.
Grantees will be required to report information on their project's
performance in annual performance reports and additional performance
data to the Department (34 CFR 75.590 and 75.591).
6. 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. You may
access the official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of
Federal Regulations via the Federal Digital System at: www.gpo.gov/fdsys. At this site you can view this document, as well as all other
documents of this Department published in the Federal Register, in text
or Portable Document Format (PDF). To use PDF you must have Adobe
Acrobat Reader, which is available free at the site.
You may also access documents of the Department published in the
Federal Register by using the article search feature at:
www.federalregister.gov. Specifically, through the advanced search
feature at this site, you can limit
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your search to documents published by the Department.
Dated: June 28, 2018.
Johnny W. Collett,
Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.
[FR Doc. 2018-14338 Filed 7-2-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P