Applications for New Awards; Personnel Development To Improve Services and Results for Children With Disabilities-Improving Retention of Special Education Teachers and Early Intervention Personnel, 35641-35647 [2020-12583]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 113 (Thursday, June 11, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35641-35647]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-12583]



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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Applications for New Awards; Personnel Development To Improve 
Services and Results for Children With Disabilities--Improving 
Retention of Special Education Teachers and Early Intervention 
Personnel

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

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Education (Department) is issuing a notice 
inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY) 2020 for 
Personnel Development to Improve Services and Results for Children with 
Disabilities--Improving Retention of Special Education Teachers and 
Early Intervention Personnel, Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance 
(CFDA) number 84.325P. This notice relates to the approved information 
collection under OMB control number 1820-0028.

DATES: 
    Applications Available: June 11, 2020.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: August 17, 2020.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: October 14, 2020.

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 
Federal Register on February 13, 2019 (84 FR 3768), and available at 
www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2019-02-13/pdf/2019-02206.pdf.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sarah Allen, U.S. Department of 
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Room 5160, Potomac Center Plaza, 
Washington, DC 20202-5076. Telephone: (202) 245-7875. Email: 
[email protected].
    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 this program are to (1) help 
address State-identified needs for personnel preparation in special 
education, early intervention, related services, and regular education 
to work with children, including infants and toddlers, and youth with 
disabilities; and (2) ensure that those personnel have the necessary 
skills and knowledge, derived from practices that have been determined 
through scientifically based research, to be successful in serving 
those children.
    Priorities: This competition includes one absolute priority and one 
competitive preference priority. In accordance with 34 CFR 
75.105(b)(2)(v), the absolute priority and competitive preference 
priority are from allowable activities specified in the statute (see 
sections 662 and 681 of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act 
(IDEA); 20 U.S.C. 1462 and 1481).
    Absolute Priority: For FY 2020 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:
    Improving Retention of Special Education Teachers and Early 
Intervention Personnel.

Background

    Many local educational agencies (LEAs) and early intervention 
service (EIS) providers face challenges with retention \1\ of qualified 
personnel who serve and support children with disabilities in schools, 
classrooms, and natural environments under IDEA (Espinoza et al., 2018; 
IDEA Infant and Toddlers Coordinators Association, 2019). Across all 
subject areas, national estimates suggest that approximately 8 percent 
of teachers leave the profession each year, and two-thirds of them 
leave for reasons other than retirement. Within special education, 
teacher turnover is estimated to exceed 14 percent annually (Carver-
Thomas & Darling-Hammond, 2017). These staffing shortages are costly 
for the systems faced with repeatedly replacing those who move out of 
the system or leave the profession. Moreover, low retention rates among 
special education teachers and early intervention personnel have 
negative implications for the development, learning, and academic 
success of infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities 
(Council for Exceptional Children, 2019). Staff turnover is disruptive 
to instructional programming and practices, which in turn decreases 
student learning and achievement (Sutcher et al., 2016).
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    \1\ For the purposes of this competition, the term ``retention'' 
means that special education teachers and early intervention service 
providers stay in their current position or field serving children 
with disabilities.
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    Efforts to improve retention of special education teachers and 
early intervention personnel require understanding factors associated 
with, or contributing to, their decisions to stay, move, or leave the 
profession. Factors impacting retention consistently include 
preparation and qualifications, support for new hires, compensation, 
school or program characteristics, working conditions, and demographic 
and nonwork influences (Billingsley & Bettini, 2019; Carver-Thomas & 
Darling-Hammond, 2017; Mason-Williams et al., 2019). Further, policies 
and practices that research has shown to improve personnel retention 
include offering service scholarships and loan forgiveness, creating 
career pathway programs that bring well-prepared candidates into 
teaching (e.g., ``Grow Your Own'' and teacher cadet programs), 
establishing teacher residency models in hard-to-staff districts, 
mentoring and induction for new hires, strengthening school principals' 
and administrators' understanding of special education, and providing 
competitive compensation (Billingsley & Bettini, 2019; Carver-Thomas & 
Darling-Hammond, 2017; Espinoza et al., 2018; Mason-Williams et al., 
2019).
    Finally, comprehensive strategies to address retention of special 
education teachers and EIS providers benefit from effective 
organizational partnerships between relevant stakeholders (Espinoza et 
al., 2018), including personnel preparation faculty and researchers, 
parents and families, professional organizations, and practitioners and 
administrators at the State, regional, and local levels. With the goal 
of ensuring alignment between preparation programs and the needs of the 
local systems serving children with disabilities, stronger partnerships 
bring stakeholders together regularly to share knowledge, address 
common challenges, and develop enduring relationships around shared 
goals. By connecting these research findings with available resources 
from technical assistance centers funded by the Office of Special 
Education Programs (OSEP), such as The Educator Shortages in Special 
Education Toolkit (Great Teachers and Leaders Center, 2020) and A 
System Framework for Building High-Quality Early Intervention and 
Preschool Special Education Programs (Early Childhood Technical 
Assistance Center, 2015), States, regional, and local systems will be 
better able to develop, implement, evaluate, scale-up, and sustain 
comprehensive retention plans, resulting in meaningful improvement in 
retention of special education teachers and early intervention 
personnel.
    Over the past year, OSEP has engaged the field in numerous 
activities related to attracting, preparing, and retaining

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effective personnel and received considerable feedback that State 
educational agencies (SEAs) and Part C lead agencies would benefit from 
investments that support their efforts to improve retention. The 
proposed investment under the absolute priority would fund efforts by 
SEAs or Part C lead agencies, in collaboration with LEAs or EIS 
providers, to plan, implement, evaluate, scale-up, and sustain a 
comprehensive retention plan that uses evidence-based policies and 
practices to address factors contributing to low retention in these 
systems. This priority is consistent with the Secretary's Supplemental 
Priority 5: Meeting the Unique Needs of Students and Children with 
Disabilities and/or Those with Unique Gifts and Talents; and 
Supplemental Priority 8: Promoting Effective Instruction in Classrooms 
and Schools.
    The projects must be awarded and operated in a manner consistent 
with nondiscrimination requirements contained in the U.S. Constitution 
and the Federal civil rights laws.

Priority

    The purpose of this priority is to fund grants to achieve, at a 
minimum, the following expected outcomes:
    (a) Increased capacity of State, regional, and local systems to 
develop, implement, evaluate, scale-up, and sustain comprehensive 
retention plans that use evidence-based policies and practices to 
address identified factors contributing to low retention of special 
education teachers and early intervention personnel. Such a plan might 
include mentorship or induction programs, career pathways programs, 
recognition and incentive programs, competitive compensation, service 
scholarships, or student loan repayment for continued service.
    (b) Increased capacity of State, regional, and local systems to 
evaluate their comprehensive retention plans and how the plans are 
implemented.
    (c) Increased capacity of State, regional, and local systems to 
effectively partner with a broad range of stakeholder groups--
including, but not limited to, the business community, personnel 
preparation programs at institutions of higher education (IHEs), parent 
training and information centers \2\ (PTIs), and other community-based 
organizations--needed to develop, implement, evaluate, scale-up, and 
sustain comprehensive retention plans that improve retention of special 
education teachers and early intervention personnel.
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    \2\ For the purpose of this priority, the term ``parent training 
and information centers'' means OSEP-funded parent training and 
information centers that serve parents of children of all ages 
(birth to 26) and all types of disabilities. Discretionary grants 
are awarded only to parent organizations as defined by IDEA under 
CFDA 84.328. For more information, including centers located in each 
State and territory, see www.parentcenterhub.org/find-your-center/.
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    (d) Improved retention of special education teachers and early 
intervention personnel.
    To be considered for funding under this priority, all applicants 
must meet the application requirements contained in the priority. All 
projects funded under this absolute priority also must meet the 
programmatic and administrative requirements specified in the priority.

    Note:  OSEP intends to fund projects that address retention of 
special education teachers and early intervention personnel. OSEP 
may fund high-quality applications out of rank order to ensure that 
projects are funded across both SEAs and Part C lead agencies.


    Note:  An applicant may submit an application that addresses 
retention of special education teachers or an application that 
addresses retention of early intervention personnel. An applicant 
may submit one application that addresses retention of both special 
education teachers and early intervention personnel. If addressing 
the retention of both special education teachers and early 
intervention personnel, the application must address all application 
requirements for each system.


    Note:  To be reviewed and be considered eligible to receive an 
award, applicants must demonstrate matching support for the proposed 
project at 10 percent of the total amount of the grant as specified 
in paragraph (f)(1) of the application requirements of this 
priority.

    To meet the requirements of this priority, an applicant must--
    (a) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under 
``Significance,'' how the proposed project will--
    (1) Address the State, regional, or local need to retain special 
education teachers or early intervention personnel across the career 
continuum and at every level of experience. To meet this requirement, 
the applicant must--
    (i) Present applicable State, regional, or local data demonstrating 
the current and projected number and percentage of special education 
teachers or early intervention personnel leaving their current 
positions (disaggregated, to the extent possible, by those retiring and 
those leaving for other reasons, such as promotion, moving to general 
education, or leaving the field);
    (ii) Present applicable State, regional, or local data 
demonstrating the impact of teachers or early intervention personnel 
leaving their systems such as impacts on fiscal or academic outcomes; 
and
    (iii) Describe factors contributing to special education teachers 
or early intervention personnel leaving their systems; and
    (2) Address the need for improved infrastructure and partnerships 
with a broad range of stakeholder groups to retain special education 
teachers or early intervention personnel. To meet this requirement, the 
applicant must--
    (i) Describe current State, regional, and local strategies that 
have been used or are being used to improve retention of special 
education teachers or early intervention personnel;
    (ii) Describe the impact of implementing the strategies identified 
in paragraph (a)(2)(i) of this section;
    (iii) Describe the changes in State, regional, and local 
infrastructure (e.g., governance, finance, personnel, coordination, 
data, and accountability and improvement) needed to improve retention 
of special education teachers or early intervention personnel;
    (iv) Describe the collaborative relationships with a broad range of 
stakeholder groups that need to be strengthened or established to 
improve retention of special education teachers or early intervention 
personnel; and
    (v) Describe the likely magnitude or importance of retaining more 
special education teachers or early intervention personnel at State, 
regional, and local levels.
    (b) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under 
``Quality of project services,'' how the proposed project will--
    (1) Ensure equal access and treatment for members of groups that 
have traditionally been underrepresented based on race, color, national 
origin, gender, age, or disability;
    (2) Achieve its goals, objectives, and intended outcomes. To meet 
this requirement, the applicant must provide--
    (i) Measurable intended project outcomes; and
    (ii) In Appendix A, the logic model \3\ by which the proposed 
project will achieve its intended outcomes that depicts, at a minimum, 
the goals,

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activities, outputs, and intended outcomes of the proposed project;
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    \3\ ``Logic model'' (34 CFR 77.1) (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.
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    (3) Use a conceptual framework (and provide a copy in Appendix A) 
to develop project plans and activities, describing any underlying 
concepts, assumptions, expectations, beliefs, or theories, as well as 
the presumed relationships or linkages among these variables, and any 
empirical support for this framework;

    Note:  The following websites provide more information on logic 
models and conceptual frameworks: www.osepideasthatwork.org/logicModel and www.osepideasthatwork.org/resources-grantees/program-areas/ta-ta/tad-project-logic-model-and-conceptual-framework.

    (4) Use up to the first 12 months of the project period to develop 
a comprehensive retention plan, or a plan to evaluate, scale-up, and 
sustain an existing comprehensive retention plan, that uses evidence-
based policies and practices that address identified factors 
contributing to low retention to retain special education teachers or 
early intervention personnel. To meet this requirement, the applicant 
must include--
    (i) Its proposed plan to collect and analyze additional data, as 
appropriate, to understand the factors, including policies and 
practices, contributing to low retention of special education teachers 
or early intervention personnel at the State, regional, and local 
levels;
    (ii) The current and additional evidence-based policies and 
practices that will guide the development of the comprehensive 
retention plan or the plan to scale-up an already existing 
comprehensive retention plan, and the proposed process the applicant 
will use to address the identified factors contributing to low 
retention;
    (iii) Its proposed process for identifying LEAs or EIS providers 
that the State will partner with to develop comprehensive retention 
plans, or plan to scale-up already existing comprehensive retention 
plans, to improve the retention of special education or early 
intervention personnel. The applicant should indicate the extent to 
which the poverty level of youth served, geography (e.g., rural, urban) 
or other demonstrated needs (e.g., staff shortages, historic pattern of 
high turnover rates) will factor into its process for identifying LEAs 
or EIS providers to partner with; and
    (iv) Its proposed plan for identifying and establishing meaningful 
partnerships, as appropriate, with a broad range of stakeholder groups, 
including but not limited to the business community, IHEs, PTIs, and 
other community-based organizations, necessary to successfully develop 
a comprehensive retention plan, or to evaluate, scale-up, and sustain 
existing comprehensive retention plans;
    (5) Implement, scale-up, and sustain a comprehensive retention plan 
that uses evidence-based policies and practices to address identified 
factors contributing to low retention of special education teachers or 
early intervention personnel. To meet this requirement, the applicant 
must include its approach to--
    (i) Ensure an infrastructure (e.g., governance, finance, personnel, 
data, and accountability and improvement) is in place to implement the 
comprehensive retention plan at the State, regional, or local level;
    (ii) Establish additional partnerships, as needed, including 
agreements that outline responsibilities, sharing of resources, and 
decision-making and communication processes among all partners;
    (iii) Recruit LEAs or EIS providers to partner with to implement, 
evaluate, scale-up, and sustain the comprehensive recruitment plan. To 
meet this requirement, the applicant must include--
    (A) The proposed process for identifying LEAs or EIS providers that 
the State will partner with to implement, evaluate, scale-up, and 
sustain the comprehensive retention plan, and expectations for 
participation, which must include the data that partners will need to 
be collected to demonstrate progress in implementing the comprehensive 
retention plan; and
    (B) The proposed process the applicant will use to identify 
additional LEAs or EIS providers that it will partner with in years 
four and five if the project period is extended; and
    (iv) The proposed process the applicant will use to sustain the 
comprehensive retention plan once Federal support ends; and
    (6) Disseminate information on the effectiveness of evidence-based 
policies and practices used within the comprehensive retention plan and 
the impact of implementing the plan to other SEAs and LEAs or Part C 
lead agencies and local service providers to support other systems in 
increasing the retention of special education teachers or early 
intervention personnel.
    (c) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under 
``Quality of the project evaluation,'' how--
    (1) The applicant will use comprehensive and appropriate 
methodologies to evaluate how well the goals or objectives of the 
proposed project have been met, including project processes and 
intended outcomes. The applicant must describe performance measures for 
the project that include retention rates for special education teachers 
or early intervention personnel; and
    (2) The applicant will collect, analyze, and use data related to 
specific and measurable goals, objectives, and intended outcomes of the 
project. To meet this requirement, the applicant must describe how--
    (i) Retention of special education teachers or early intervention 
personnel and other project processes and outcomes will be measured for 
formative evaluation purposes, including proposed instruments, data 
collection methods, and proposed analyses;
    (ii) Proposed evaluation methods will provide performance feedback 
that allows for periodic assessment of progress towards meeting the 
project outcomes;
    (iii) Results of the evaluation will be used as a basis for 
improving the proposed project; and
    (iv) Evaluation results will be reported to OSEP in its annual and 
final performance reports.
    (d) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under 
``Adequacy of resources and quality of project personnel,'' how--
    (1) The proposed project will encourage applications for employment 
from persons who are members of groups that have traditionally been 
underrepresented based on race, color, national origin, gender, age, or 
disability, as appropriate;
    (2) The proposed key project personnel, consultants, and 
subcontractors have the qualifications and experience to carry out the 
proposed activities and achieve the project's intended outcomes;
    (3) The applicant and any key partners have adequate resources to 
carry out the proposed activities; and
    (4) The proposed costs are reasonable in relation to the 
anticipated results and benefits.
    (e) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under 
``Quality of the management plan,'' how--
    (1) The proposed management plan will ensure that the project's 
intended outcomes will be achieved on time and within budget. To meet 
this requirement, the applicant must describe--
    (i) Clearly defined responsibilities for key project personnel, 
consultants, and subcontractors, as applicable; and
    (ii) Timelines and milestones for accomplishing the project tasks;

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    (2) Key project personnel and any consultants and subcontractors 
will be allocated and how these allocations are appropriate and 
adequate to achieve the project's intended outcomes;
    (3) The proposed project will benefit from a diversity of 
perspectives, including those of individuals with disabilities, 
families of students with disabilities, administrators, teachers and 
personnel, faculty, technical assistance and professional development 
providers, PTIs, researchers, business leaders, and policymakers, among 
others, in its development and operation.
    (f) Address the following application requirements. The applicant 
must--
    (1) Demonstrate, in the budget information (ED Form 524, Section B) 
and budget narrative, matching support for the proposed project at 10 
percent of the total amount of the grant;

    Note:  Matching support can be either cash or in-kind donations. 
Under 2 CFR 200.306, a cash expenditure or outlay of cash with 
respect to the matching budget by the grantee is considered a cash 
contribution. However, certain cash contributions that the 
organization normally considers an indirect cost should not be 
counted as a direct cost for the purposes of meeting matching 
support. Specifically, in accordance with 2 CFR 200.306(c), 
unrecovered indirect costs cannot be used to meet the non-Federal 
matching support. Under 2 CFR 200.434, third-party in-kind 
contributions are services or property (e.g., land, buildings, 
equipment, materials, supplies) that are contributed by a non-
Federal third party at no charge to the grantee.

    The Secretary does not, as a general matter, anticipate waiving 
this requirement in the future. Furthermore, given the importance of 
cost share or matching funds to the long-term success of the project, 
eligible entities must identify appropriate cost share or matching 
funds in the proposed three-year budget.
    (2) Include, in Appendix A, personnel-loading charts and timelines, 
as applicable, to illustrate the management plan described in the 
narrative; and
    (3) Include, in the budget, attendance at a two- and one-half day 
meeting in conjunction with either the OSEP project directors' 
conference or the OSEP leadership conference in Washington, DC, during 
each year of the project period.

Fourth and Fifth Year of Project

    The Secretary may extend a project two years beyond the initial 36 
months if the grantee is achieving the intended outcomes of the project 
(as demonstrated by data gathered as part of the project evaluation). 
Each applicant must include in its application a plan and a budget for 
the full 60-month period. In deciding whether to extend funding the 
project for the fourth and fifth years, the Secretary will consider the 
requirements of 34 CFR 75.253(a) and will consider the success and 
timeliness with which the intended outcomes of the project requirements 
have been or are being met by the project.
    Competitive Preference Priority: Within this absolute priority, we 
give competitive preference to applications that address the following 
competitive preference priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i), we award 
up to an additional 5 points to an application, depending on how well 
the application meets the competitive preference priority.
    This priority is:
    Matching Support (Up to 5 points).
    An application that demonstrates matching support for the proposed 
project at--
    (a) 20 percent of the requested Federal award (1 point);
    (b) 40 percent of the total amount of the requested Federal award 
(2 points);
    (c) 60 percent of the total amount of the requested Federal award 
(3 points);
    (d) 80 percent of the total amount of the requested Federal award 
(4 points); or
    (e) 100 percent of the total amount of the requested Federal award 
(5 points).
    Applicants must address this competitive preference priority in the 
budget information (ED Form 524, Section B) and budget narrative.

References

Billingsley, B., & Bettini, E. (2019). Special education teacher 
attrition and retention: A review of the literature. Review of 
Educational Research. Advance Online Publication. https://doi.org/10.3102/0034654319862495.
Carver-Thomas, D., & Darling-Hammond, L. (2017). Teacher turnover: 
Why it matters and what we can do about it. Learning Policy 
Institute. https://learningpolicyinstitute.org/product/teacher-turnover.
Council for Exceptional Children. (2019). Special education 
legislative summit.
Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center. (2015). A system 
framework for building high-quality early intervention and preschool 
special education programs. https://ectacenter.org/~pdfs/pubs/ecta-
system_framework.pdf.
Espinoza, D., Saunders, R., Kini, T., & Darling-Hammond, L. (2018). 
Taking the long view: State efforts to solve teacher shortages by 
strengthening the profession. Learning Policy Institute. https://learningpolicyinstitute.org/product/long-view.
Great Teachers and Leaders Center. (2020). Educator shortages in 
special education: Toolkit for developing local strategies. https://gtlcenter.org/technical-assistance/toolkits/educator-shortages-special-education.
IDEA Infant and Toddler Coordinators Association. (2019). 2019 
Tipping points annual survey: State challenges. 
www.ideainfanttoddler.org/pdf/2019-ITCA-State-Challenges-Report.pdf.
Mason-Williams, L., Bettini, E., Peyton, D., Harvey, A., Rosenberg, 
M., & Sindelar, P. (2019). Rethinking shortages in special 
education: Making good on the promise of an equal opportunity for 
students with disabilities. Teacher Education and Special Education, 
1-18.
Sutcher, L., Darling-Hammond, L., & Carver-Thomas, D. (2016). A 
coming crisis in teaching? Teacher supply, demand, and shortages in 
the U.S. Learning Policy Institute. https://learningpolicyinstitute.org/product/coming-crisis-teaching.

    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. 1462 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. (d) The regulations for this program in 34 CFR part 304.

    Note:  The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to IHEs only.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
    Estimated Available Funds: $4,000,000.
    Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of 
applications, we may make additional awards in FY 2021 from the list of 
unfunded applications from this competition.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $700,000-$750,000.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $725,000.
    Maximum Award: We will not make an award exceeding $750,000 for a

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project period of 36 months for applications addressing the retention 
of either special education teachers or early intervention personnel. 
We will not make an award exceeding $1,500,000 for a project period of 
36 months for applications addressing retention of both special 
education teachers and early intervention personnel.

    Note:  Applicants must describe, in their applications, the 
amount of funding being requested for each 12-month budget period.

    Estimated Number of Awards: 16.
    Project Period: Up to 36 months.

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

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: SEAs and Part C lead agencies are the only 
eligible applicants.
    2. Cost Sharing or Matching: Cost sharing or matching is required 
for this competition.
    3. Subgrantees: A grantee under this competition may not award 
subgrants to entities to directly carry out project activities 
described in its application. Under 34 CFR 75.708(e), a grantee may 
contract for supplies, equipment, and other services in accordance with 
2 CFR part 200.
    4. Other General Requirements: (a) Recipients of funding under this 
competition must make positive efforts to employ and advance in 
employment qualified individuals with disabilities (see section 606 of 
IDEA).
    (b) Applicants for, and recipients 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: Applicants are required to 
follow the Common Instructions for Applicants to Department of 
Education Discretionary Grant Programs, published in the Federal 
Register on February 13, 2019 (84 FR 3768), and available at 
www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2019-02-13/pdf/2019-02206.pdf, which 
contain requirements and information on how to submit an application. 
Grants.gov has relaxed the requirement for applicants to have an active 
registration in the System for Award Management (SAM) in order to apply 
for funding during the COVID-19 pandemic. An applicant that does not 
have an active SAM registration can still register with Grants.gov, but 
must contact the Grants.gov Support Desk, toll-free, at 1-800-518-4726, 
in order to take advantage of this flexibility.
    2. Intergovernmental Review: This competition is subject to 
Executive Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79. 
Information about Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs under 
Executive Order 12372 is in the application package for this 
competition.
    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 
if addressing retention of either special education teachers or early 
intervention personnel or 90 pages if addressing retention of both 
special education teachers and early intervention personnel in one 
application 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 (15 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 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.
    (ii) The importance or magnitude of the results or outcomes likely 
to be attained by the proposed project, especially improvements in 
teaching and student achievement.
    (b) Quality of project services (35 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 goals, objectives, and outcomes to be 
achieved by the proposed project are clearly specified and measurable.
    (ii) The extent to which the services to be provided by the 
proposed project reflect up-to-date knowledge from research and 
effective practice.
    (iii) 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.
    (iv) 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.
    (v) The extent to which the proposed activities constitute a 
coherent, sustained program of training in the field.
    (c) Quality of the project evaluation (20 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.

[[Page 35646]]

    (ii) The extent to which the goals, objectives, and outcomes to be 
achieved by the proposed project are clearly specified and measurable.
    (iii) 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.
    (iv) The extent to which the methods of evaluation will provide 
performance feedback and permit periodic assessment of progress toward 
achieving intended outcomes.
    (d) Adequacy of resources and quality of project personnel (15 
points).
    (1) The Secretary considers the adequacy of resources and quality 
of project personnel for the proposed project.
    (2) In determining the quality of project personnel, the Secretary 
considers the extent to which the applicant encourages applications for 
employment from persons who are members of groups that have 
traditionally been underrepresented based on race, color, national 
origin, gender, age, or disability.
    (3) In addition, the Secretary considers the following factors:
    (i) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience, 
of key project personnel.
    (ii) The adequacy of support, including facilities, equipment, 
supplies, and other resources, from the applicant organization or the 
lead applicant organization.
    (iii) The extent to which the costs are reasonable in relation to 
the objectives, design, and potential significance of the proposed 
project.
    (e) Quality of the management plan (15 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.
    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 
(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 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 
$250,000), 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

[[Page 35647]]

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 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: We have established the following 
performance measures for this grant program (84.325P):
    (a) Number and percent of special education teachers and early 
intervention service providers that participated in project-funded 
activities that are retained in their current position, or continuing 
to primarily serve children with disabilities in early intervention or 
school settings; and
    (b) Retention rate for special education teachers or EIS providers 
at the State, regional, or local system level that participated in 
project-funded activities compared to the historical retention of 
providers in the same State, regional, or local system(s) in years 
prior to participation in the proposed project.
    Grantees will be required to report information on their project's 
performance in annual and final performance reports to the Department 
(34 CFR 75.590).
    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) on request to 
the program contact person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION 
CONTACT.
    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 at www.govinfo.gov. 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 your search to documents published 
by the Department.

Mark Schultz,
Commissioner, Rehabilitation Services Administration, Delegated the 
authority to perform the functions and duties of the Assistant 
Secretary for the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative 
Services.
[FR Doc. 2020-12583 Filed 6-10-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P