Final Priorities, Requirements and Definitions-Rehabilitation Training: Vocational Rehabilitation Technical Assistance Center-Quality Management; and Vocational Rehabilitation Technical Assistance Center-Quality Employment, 46538-46550 [2020-16685]
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Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 149 / Monday, August 3, 2020 / Rules and Regulations
person listed in the FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT section to
coordinate protest activities so that your
message can be received without
jeopardizing the safety or security of
people, places or vessels.
List of Subjects in 33 CFR Part 165
Harbors, Marine safety, Navigation
(water), Reporting and recordkeeping
requirements, Security measures,
Waterways.
For the reasons discussed in the
preamble, the Coast Guard amends 33
CFR part 165 as follows:
PART 165—REGULATED NAVIGATION
AREAS AND LIMITED ACCESS AREAS
1. The authority citation for part 165
continues to read as follows:
■
Authority: 46 U.S.C. 70034, 70051; 33 CFR
1.05–1, 6.04–1, 6.04–6, and 160.5;
Department of Homeland Security Delegation
No. 0170.1.
Dated: July 24, 2020.
Brad W. Kelly,
Captain, U.S. Coast Guard, Captain of the
Port Detroit.
[FR Doc. 2020–16538 Filed 7–31–20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9110–04–P
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
2. Add § 165.T09–0439 to read as
follows:
34 CFR Chapter III
§ 165.T09–0439 Safety Zone; Port Huron
Float Down, St. Clair River, Port Huron, MI.
Final Priorities, Requirements and
Definitions—Rehabilitation Training:
Vocational Rehabilitation Technical
Assistance Center-Quality
Management; and Vocational
Rehabilitation Technical Assistance
Center-Quality Employment
■
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assisting the Captain of the Port Detroit
to act on his or her behalf.
(4) Vessel operators shall contact the
COTP or his or her on-scene
representative to obtain permission to
enter or operate within the safety zone.
The COTP or his or her on-scene
representative may be contacted via
VHF Channel 16 or at (313) 568–9560.
Vessel operators given permission to
enter or operate in the regulated area
must comply with all directions given to
them by the COTP or his or her on-scene
representative.
[ED–2020–OSERS–0104]
(a) Location. A safety zone is
established to include all U.S. navigable
waters of southern Lake Huron and the
St. Clair River adjacent to Port Huron,
MI, beginning at Lighthouse Beach and
encompassing all U.S. waters of the St.
Clair River bound by a line starting at
a point on land north of Coast Guard
Station Port Huron at position
43°00.416′ N; 082°25.333′ W, extending
east to the international boundary to a
point at position 43°00.416′ N;
082°25.033′ W, following south along
the international boundary to a point at
position 42°54.500′ N; 082°27.683′ W,
extending west to a point on land just
north of Stag Island at position
42°54.500′ N; 082°27.966′ W, and
following north along the U.S. shoreline
to the point of origin (NAD 83).
(b) Enforcement period. The regulated
area described in paragraph (a) will be
in enforced from 12 noon through 8
p.m. on August 16, 2020.
(c) Regulations. (1) No vessel or
person may enter, transit through, or
anchor within the safety zone unless
authorized by the Captain of the Port
Detroit (COTP), or his or her on-scene
representative.
(2) The safety zone is closed to all
vessel traffic, except as may be
permitted by the COTP or his or her onscene representative.
(3) The ‘‘on-scene representative’’ of
COTP is any Coast Guard
commissioned, warrant or petty officer
or a Federal, State, or local law
enforcement officer designated by or
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Office of Special Education and
Rehabilitative Services (OSERS),
Department of Education.
ACTION: Final priorities, requirements,
and definitions.
AGENCY:
The Department of Education
(Department) announces priorities,
requirements, and definitions under the
Rehabilitation Training program,
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance
(CFDA) numbers 84.264J and 84.264K.
The Department may use one or more of
these priorities, requirements, and
definitions for competitions in fiscal
year (FY) 2020 and later years. We take
this action to focus attention on an
identified national need to fund a
Vocational Rehabilitation Technical
Assistance Center for Quality
Management (VRTAC–QM) and a
Vocational Rehabilitation Technical
Assistance Center for Quality
Employment (VRTAC–QE). We intend
for the VRTAC–QM and VRTAC–QE to
increase the number and quality of
employment outcomes for individuals
with disabilities through training and
technical assistance to State vocational
rehabilitation (VR) agency personnel.
We expect the VRTAC–QM to enable
State VR agency personnel to manage
available resources better and improve
SUMMARY:
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service delivery, and the VRTAC–QE to
support State VR agency personnel to
implement innovative and effective
employment strategies and supporting
practices.
DATES: Effective Date: These priorities,
requirements, and definitions are
effective September 2, 2020.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For
84.264J: Douglas Zhu, U.S. Department
of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue
SW, Room 5095, Potomac Center Plaza,
Washington, DC 20202–2800.
Telephone: (202) 245–6037. Email:
84.264J@ed.gov. For 84.264K: Felipe
Lulli, U.S. Department of Education,
400 Maryland Avenue SW, Room 5101,
Potomac Center Plaza, Washington, DC
20202–2800. Telephone: (202) 245–
7425. Email: 84.264K@ed.gov.
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:
Purpose of Program: Under the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973
(Rehabilitation Act), as amended by the
Workforce Innovation and Opportunity
Act (WIOA), the Rehabilitation Services
Administration (RSA) makes grants to
States and public or nonprofit agencies
and organizations (including
institutions of higher education) to pay
part of the cost of projects to provide
State VR agency personnel with training
and technical assistance designed to
assist in increasing the numbers of, and
upgrading the skills of, qualified
personnel (especially rehabilitation
counselors), who are trained in
providing vocational, medical, social,
and psychological rehabilitation
services to individuals with disabilities.
They are also trained to assist
individuals with communication and
related disorders and to provide other
services authorized under the
Rehabilitation Act.
Program Authority: 29 U.S.C.
772(a)(1).
Applicable Program Regulations: 34
CFR part 385.
We published a notice of proposed
priorities, requirements, and definitions
(NPP) for this program in the Federal
Register on April 9, 2020 (85 FR 19908).
That notice contained background
information and our reasons for
proposing the particular priorities,
requirements, and definitions.
Except for minor editorial and
technical revisions for grammar and
clarity and three minor substantive
changes explained in the discussion of
comments that follow, there are no
differences between the proposed
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priorities, requirements, and definitions
and these final priorities, requirements,
and definitions.
Public Comment: In response to our
invitation in the NPP, 12 parties
submitted comments on the proposed
priorities, requirements, and definitions.
We group major issues according to
subject and discuss substantive issues
under each of the titles—priorities,
requirements, and definitions—to which
they pertain. Generally, we do not
address technical and other minor
changes, or suggested changes the law
does not authorize us to make. In
addition, we do not address general
comments that raise concerns not
directly related to the proposed
priorities, requirements, or definitions.
Analysis of Comments and Changes:
An analysis of the comments and of any
changes in the priorities, requirements,
and definitions since publication of the
NPP follows.
Priorities
Comment: Some commenters
expressed concern that the proposed
priorities contained what appeared to be
some conceptual overlapping of lead
responsibilities between the VRTAC–
QM and the VRTAC–QE, for example,
between improving VR service delivery
and implementing employment
strategies. One of the commenters
referenced the centers’ shared focus on
pre-employment transition services.
Another commenter pointed out that
both centers are required to engage with
the training and technical assistance
resources funded by the U.S.
Departments of Education, Labor, and
Health and Human Services. The
commenters recommended that the final
priorities provide specifics about the
nature and extent of required
coordination between the two VRTACs
to ensure that each center’s resources
are used most effectively, clearly
differentiate the lead responsibilities
among the centers, and require the
centers to coordinate their work on the
State, regional, and national levels.
Discussion: The Department
appreciates the commenters’ suggestions
and recommendations. The Department
agrees that clarity of roles and
coordination of activities between the
centers are necessary for the efficient
and cost-effective delivery of intensive
training and technical assistance to
State VR agency personnel. This is why
we require the VRTAC–QM and
VRTAC–QE to coordinate training and
technical assistance with other technical
assistance centers. Such clarity and
coordination are especially critical
because both centers will assist VR
agencies to improve the provision of VR
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services, including pre-employment
transition services and the achievement
of quality employment outcomes. The
VRTAC–QM pursues these goals
through improved program management
and resource utilization, whereas the
VRTAC–QE focuses on the
implementation of promising
employment strategies and practices.
Coordination and clarity of roles
between the VRTAC–QM and VRTAC–
QE will be pursued through RSA’s
cooperative agreement with each center,
training and technical assistance
agreements with each State VR agency,
RSA leadership and direction at the
national level, and ongoing
communication between the respective
project officers. As such, further
clarification and differentiation are not
necessary.
Changes: None.
Comment: One commenter noted that
although the WIOA Joint Rule for
Unified and Combined State Plans,
Performance Accountability, and OneStop System Joint Provisions became
effective on October 18, 2016, several
key RSA policy directives and technical
assistance circulars that have provided
guidance in implementing those
regulations were released a year or more
later. As a result, State VR agencies still
need technical assistance to ensure
effective implementation of the
requirements of the newer rules. The
commenter suggested that Priority 1,
VRTAC–QM, include a more general
focus on continued training and
technical assistance to assist State VR
agencies in implementing the
requirements of WIOA.
Discussion: The Department
appreciates the commenter’s suggestion.
As stated in the purpose of the program
in the VRTAC–QM and the VRTAC–QE
priorities, each project will provide
training and technical assistance to
State VR agency personnel to equip and
increase the number of personnel with
the necessary skills to implement the
provisions in the Rehabilitation Act as
amended by WIOA. The VRTAC–QM
and VRTAC–QE will provide training
and technical assistance to address the
need of State VR agencies to ensure
effective implementation of the
requirements of WIOA, including those
raised by the commenter.
Changes: None.
Comment: One commenter noted that
resource limitations related to States’
challenges in meeting VR program
match requirements, as well as the
requirement to reserve at least 15
percent of Federal VR program funds for
pre-employment transition services to
eligible and potentially eligible students
with disabilities, have reduced State VR
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agencies’ ability to serve all eligible
individuals with disabilities. The
commenter stated that, in the absence of
significant additional resources devoted
to serving individuals with disabilities,
the coronavirus pandemic’s current and
future impact on State budgets and labor
markets will almost certainly lead to
even fewer eligible individuals being
served and smaller numbers of
employment outcomes among VR
participants in program year 2020 and
beyond. This commenter suggested that
targeted and intensive technical
assistance can help VR agencies identify
ways to use available resources more
effectively.
Discussion: The Department
appreciates the commenter’s support for
the priorities. Under the priority for
quality management, the VRTAC–QM
will be able, through targeted and
intensive technical assistance, to help
State VR agencies to identify ways to
use available resources more effectively
and to implement program and resource
management strategies and practices
that lead to effective and efficient
service delivery and quality
employment outcomes.
Changes: None.
Comment: Several commenters
addressed the COVID–19 pandemic’s
potential impact on VRTAC–QM and
VRTAC–QE’s intensive training and
technical assistance delivery methods,
topic areas, and performance
assessments. A few of the commenters
inquired whether RSA would allow the
centers’ intensive training and technical
assistance to be delivered virtually
rather than in-person, if necessary or
advisable due to continued travel
restrictions and social distancing
requirements. One commenter
recommended that the intensive
training and technical assistance
include a focus on promoting effective
distance service delivery and
community engagement approaches,
especially in the provision of preemployment transition services.
Another commenter inquired whether
RSA would consider the pandemic’s
impact on State budgets, local
economies, employers, and, ultimately,
VR participants in its evaluation of the
centers’ performance.
Discussion: The VRTAC–QM and the
VRTAC–QE will provide training and
technical assistance to State VR agency
personnel to achieve the State VR
agency’s program management, service
delivery, and quality employment goals
in a manner consistent with the priority
and with each State’s particular
circumstances, including those related
to COVID–19. The centers’ training and
technical assistance will help VR
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personnel to assess and improve the VR
agency’s management and service
delivery systems, which may include
remote delivery of services, including
how to provide pre-employment
transition services remotely. Further,
while intensive training and technical
assistance are typically provided onsite, nothing in the priorities precludes
the VRTAC–QM and VRTAC–QE from
providing the training and technical
assistance remotely if on-site delivery is
not possible or advisable. The service
delivery and performance evaluation
considerations related to COVID–19 can
be addressed in the cooperative
agreement between RSA and the
respective technical assistance center.
To reflect that the priorities are broad
enough to encompass these activities,
RSA has revised the priorities to address
remote delivery of training and
technical assistance and to provide
technical assistance on remote delivery
of services.
Changes: We have revised the
definition of ‘‘intensive training and
technical assistance’’ under the Final
Definitions section by adding remote
delivery as needed and appropriate.
Comment: One commenter asserted
that the VRTAC–QE should not be
responsible for directly implementing
employment strategies and supporting
practices in the participating State VR
agencies.
Discussion: We agree with the
commenter that the VR agencies are
responsible for implementing specific
strategies or practices in their States.
The VRTAC–QE and VRTAC–QM are
responsible for conducting
comprehensive reviews of current and
promising strategies and practices,
presenting them as options to
participating State VR agency personnel,
and providing high-quality and relevant
intensive training and technical
assistance to State VR agency personnel
if they choose to implement selected
strategies or practices.
Changes: None.
Comment: Several commenters
expressed concern that the proposed
priorities did not sufficiently emphasize
training and technical assistance to
Community Rehabilitation Programs
(CRPs), given the importance of CRPs’
role in promoting quality employment
outcomes for individuals with
disabilities. One of the commenters
noted that the proposed priorities focus
exclusively on improving the
knowledge, skills, and capabilities of VR
personnel but devote little or no
attention to the knowledge, skills, and
capabilities of CRP personnel. One
commenter pointed out that only one of
the six listed supporting practices
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explicitly references CRPs. Another
commenter stressed the need for flexible
and innovative approaches for CRPs in
Supported Employment, in particular.
The commenters recommended that the
proposed priorities elevate the role of
CRPs and prioritize training and
technical assistance to CRP personnel.
Discussion: We agree that CRPs play
a very important role in promoting
quality employment outcomes for
individuals with disabilities. Consistent
with section 302 of the Rehabilitation
Act, as amended by WIOA, the purpose
of these priorities is to support projects
that provide training and technical
assistance designed to assist in
increasing the numbers of, and
upgrading the skills of, qualified
personnel (especially rehabilitation
counselors). The VRTAC–QM and
VRTAC–QE will provide intensive
training and technical assistance to VR
personnel according to a signed
agreement between RSA and each
participating State VR agency. The
intensive training and technical
assistance agreement includes the
specific State agency’s goals and
objectives, selected strategies and
practices, individuals or groups of
individuals to receive the training and
technical assistance, and designated
partner organizations. The intensive
training and technical assistance
provided under an agreement may
involve CRPs as partner organizations
because of their expertise in and
potential contributions to the
implementation of VRTAC–QM or
VRTAC–QE strategies and practices and
may include topics and approaches
such as those recommended by the
commenter.
Changes: We added a reference to
CRPs and other partners in both
priorities.
Comment: One commenter noted that
the employment rate of people with
intellectual and developmental
disabilities has been nationally around
20 percent for the last 10 years, and a
reasonable person would have a hard
time believing that the low rate is
because of what VR counselors are
doing or not doing, or that technical
assistance can make a positive impact.
This commenter suggested that when
starting the technical assistance centers,
it would be prudent for the centers to
include people who can analyze such
data.
Discussion: The Department agrees
that it is necessary for the technical
assistance centers to include personnel
who can analyze data. Data collection,
data analysis, and evaluation are
addressed in the proposed priorities and
project requirements and include
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activities such as analyzing case service
data, including the VR Program Case
Service Report (RSA–911) data and
other agency performance data, to
identify trends and inconsistencies in
program performance and developing
strategies to improve the quantity and
quality of employment outcomes
achieved by various groups of
individuals with disabilities served by
the VR program.
Changes: None.
Comment: A few commenters noted
that many nonprofit organizations
employ people with disabilities and
have the capacity to hire and train more
people with disabilities than they
currently hire and train. These
commenters suggested that the VRTAC–
QE assist VR agencies’ personnel to
expedite and streamline the referral of
persons with disabilities to nonprofit
organizations.
Discussion: The Department
appreciates the commenters’
suggestions. Nothing in the priorities
precludes the technical assistance
centers from providing training and
technical assistance to VR agency
personnel on topics related to
improving referrals for the purpose of
assisting individuals with disabilities to
achieve competitive integrated
employment, if it is identified as a need
by a VR agency.
Changes: None.
Comment: One commenter noted that
the way in which current program
performance measures are calculated is
important, but that it is even more
important both to understand the
limitations on the reliability and
validity of the data used to calculate the
measures and to ensure that program
performance data are used appropriately
to inform program and policy decisions.
The work of the Technical Assistance
Center for Program Evaluation and
Quality Assurance (PEQA–TAC),
including the collaborative Summit
Conference in which the PEQA–TAC
has played a major role in recent years,
has been of tremendous value in
enhancing VR agencies’ use of effective
program evaluation strategies, according
to the commenter. The commenter
suggested that the VRTAC–QM focus on
enhancing VR agencies’ ability to
effectively use both performance
measurement strategies and in-depth
program evaluation processes as
recommended by the Government
Accountability Office in publications
such as GAO–05–739SP and GAO–11–
646SP.
Discussion: The Department agrees
with the commenter that the ability of
VR personnel to effectively use both
performance measurement strategies
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and in-depth program evaluation
processes is important for VR program
management. Since conducting quality
assurance and performance
improvement, including the use of data
for performance management systems
and the implementation of the common
performance measures required by
WIOA, are already included in the
priority for VRTAC–QM, there is no
need to make changes to the priority to
address this focus area.
Changes: None.
Comment: One commenter suggested
that RSA continue funding for the
existing technical assistance centers that
have effectively served VR agencies over
the past several years. The commenter
also stated that the challenges inherent
in establishing new national technical
assistance centers will inevitably result
in delays in the centers’ collective
ability to respond to the needs of State
VR agencies, as well as gaps in the
technical assistance available to VR
agencies that they can ill afford to
experience during a time of ongoing
change in State VR programs,
particularly in light of the current and
ongoing challenges that all VR agencies
face in addressing the COVID–19
pandemic. The commenter suggested
that RSA consider continuing funding
the current technical assistance centers
for at least the next two years.
Discussion: The Department agrees
with the commenter that the current
centers have performed well and
continued technical assistance is
needed. The current centers were put in
place to respond to very specific
changes WIOA made to the
Rehabilitation Act, and State VR
agencies are in a different place now
than they were five years ago with
respect to implementing the changes.
The current set of RSA-funded VR
technical assistance centers will be
reaching the end of their five-year
performance period, and the
Department believes the new priority
areas will provide the training and
technical assistance that State VR
agencies need. Given the status of the
State VR agencies in implementing the
specific changes based on WIOA, RSA
believes that State VR agency personnel
will benefit from technical assistance to
achieve the State VR agency’s program
management, service delivery, and
quality employment goals, in a manner
consistent with the priority and with
each State’s particular circumstances,
including those related to COVID–19.
RSA expects that the new technical
assistance centers will be able to
respond to the technical assistance
needs of the State VR agencies.
Changes: None.
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Comment: One commenter noted that
quality management is a pressing topic
for individuals with disabilities
accessing the State VR program for the
purpose of achieving competitive
integrated employment. This
commenter also noted that the
amendments to the Rehabilitation Act
emphasized expanding quality
employment outcomes and career
advancement for individuals with
disabilities. The commenter suggested
that the VRTAC–QM focus on fiscal and
programmatic changes to VR agency
operations that are philosophically
consistent with the emphasis on
expanding quality employment
outcomes and career advancement for as
many eligible individuals with
disabilities as possible. The commenter
also suggested that increasing the
capacity of agencies in these areas
should result in qualifying individuals
for services in a manner that does not
lead to the disqualification of other
individuals.
Discussion: The Department
appreciates the commenter’s
suggestions. The priority for the
VRTAC–QM stresses maximizing
available resources to support consumer
services and includes the types of
services and outcomes suggested by the
commenter.
Changes: None.
Project Requirements
Comment: One commenter suggested
making it mandatory to include a
representative from a CRP or a provider
association on the advisory committee
for the VRTAC–QM.
Discussion: The Department
acknowledges the important role of
CRPs in assisting individuals with
disabilities to achieve their employment
outcomes. The proposed priority for the
VRTAC–QM requires a representative of
stakeholders, which would include
CRPs, to serve on the committee.
However, given the important role of
CRPs in providing rehabilitation
services, RSA agrees with the
commenter that the committee must
include a CRP representative.
Changes: We added CRP
representatives to the list of required
members of the VRTAC–QM advisory
committee in the Project Requirements
section of Priority 1.
Comment: One commenter asked for
clarification regarding whether the
VRTAC–QM has discretion to provide
distinct intensive training and technical
assistance to State VR agencies on
resource management or programmatic
management.
Discussion: The Department believes
that the VRTAC–QM should have the
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capacity to provide intensive training
and technical assistance to VR agencies
on both program management and
resource management. The VRTAC–QM
may provide training and technical
assistance to State VR agency personnel
on topics related to program
management, resource management, or
both, based on the participating State
VR agency’s identified needs.
Changes: None.
Comment: One commenter asked
whether the state-of-the-art website and
information technology (IT) platform to
be established by the technical
assistance centers for communicating
with State VR agencies can be an
existing website specifically designed to
house and provide VR-specific
information and resources, or whether a
new site must be constructed.
Discussion: If the grantee has a
website that can be modified for the
purpose of the specific technical
assistance center and it meets all of the
final requirements, RSA may approve
that website. Otherwise, a new website
must be constructed for the purpose of
the VRTAC–QM or VRTAC–QE
exclusively.
Changes: None.
Comment: One commenter suggested
that the VRTAC–QM have three critical
management objectives: (1) Explore
strategies to respond to increased
demands for services that build capacity
through the redesign of service delivery,
including, but not limited to, virtual
counseling, outcome-based payments to
incentivize success with job placement
and worker retention, and increased
emphasis on poverty reduction that
recognizes the impact of financial stress
on physical and mental health; (2)
develop new options for collaboration
that draw additional financial and
human resources in coordination with
VR to meet expanded client demand;
and (3) expand coordination with the
employer community to build new onramps and pathways into employment
for individuals with disabilities through
inclusive apprenticeships and
entrepreneurial opportunities.
Discussion: The Department agrees
that these three objectives are
reasonable options under the priorities,
if they are among the needs identified
by the participating VR agency;
supported by the agency’s strengths,
weaknesses, opportunities for
improvement, and threats (SWOT)
quality management assessment; and
included in the corresponding training
and technical assistance agreement.
Please note that building new on-ramps
and pathways into employment for
individuals with disabilities is
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addressed through the priority for the
VRTAC–QE.
Changes: None.
Comment: One commenter suggested
that RSA establish criteria to prioritize
the State VR agencies to receive
intensive technical assistance from the
technical assistance centers. The
commenter noted that the criteria would
be based on the degree to which State
VR agencies exhibit (1) ownership of
their conditions, (2) engagement
willingness, (3) clear understanding of
technical assistance to meet needs, and
(4) partnership and communication
capacities.
Discussion: The Department agrees
that, given the limited resources of the
technical assistance centers, it is
possible that there will be multiple VR
agencies requiring training and
technical assistance from the centers.
The technical assistance centers need to
have a system in place to address this
scenario so that they can prioritize the
training and technical assistance to the
State VR agencies most in need. RSA
will work with the technical assistance
centers to prioritize which VR agencies
get technical assistance through the
cooperative agreement between RSA
and the technical assistance centers.
Changes: None.
Comment: One commenter suggested
that the Department be cautious
reaching any conclusions regarding VR
agencies’ performance that are based
primarily on data from Program Year
(PY) 2017 and PY 2018 because the
reliability, validity, and completeness of
the new performance indicator data first
reported in 2017 are limited. The
commenter noted that the current RSA–
911 reporting requirements that went
into effect on July 1, 2017, compelled
State VR agencies to make substantial,
complex, and challenging revisions to
the information collected and reported
on the individuals they serve, and to
provide significant training and support
to VR counselors who are responsible
for much of the new data collection. The
commenter stated that, in particular, the
PY 2017 and PY 2018 data on
measurable skill gains (MSG) among VR
participants enrolled in education or
training were suppressed by limitations
on the timeframe for reporting those
gains, combined with the requirement
for VR staff to verify the gains with
supporting documentation for each
reported skill gain, often under
significant time pressure. This
commenter also suggested that the
employment records for VR participants
maintained by State Unemployment
Insurance (UI) programs do not include
all VR participants who achieved
employment outcomes. The commenter
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noted that, due to State VR agencies’
limited resources for extensive ‘‘contact
tracing’’ of individuals who do not have
UI wage records, the data on
participants’ post-VR employment and
earnings will continue being
underreported for a period of time until
all State VR agencies are able to access
the cross-State UI wage data.
Discussion: The Department
appreciates the commenter’s suggestions
regarding data collection and analysis
related to VR agencies’ performance,
MSG, and post-VR employment and
earnings of VR participants. RSA has
provided, and is continuing to provide,
tools and technical assistance to VR
agencies to help improve the
completeness and accuracy of data
reported by VR agencies. These tools
and technical assistance include RSA–
911 policy directives, RSA and
Workforce Innovation Technical
Assistance Center (WINTAC) training
series on MSG and credential
attainment, and exit and post-exit data
elements. RSA believes that the
technical assistance centers will further
respond to VR agency personnel’s needs
in conducting data collection and
analyses related to VR agencies’
performance employment outcomes of
individuals with disabilities, including
MSG and post-VR employment and
earnings data addressed by the
commenter.
Changes: None.
Comment: None.
Discussion: After further review of the
project requirements, we did not want
to limit the dissemination of the
summative findings to only the fifth
year of the grant, as there are formative
findings throughout the grant period,
while the technical assistance is
occurring, that could be shared with a
larger audience. We are interested in
these additional presentations to give
centers more opportunities to share
about successes and challenges that they
have experienced in order to better
inform the work of the field in an
incremental and progressive manner.
Accordingly we are revising Project
Requirement (7) under Priority 1 and
Project Requirement (6) under Priority
2, as well as Additional Application
Requirement (b)(6) under Priorities 1
and 2, to provide that the centers must
engage in dissemination activities in all
years of the grant period, with a special
focus in the fifth year, rather than in the
fifth year alone.
Changes: We have revised Project
Requirement (7) under Priority 1 and
Project Requirement (6) under Priority
2, as well as Additional Application
Requirement (b)(6) under Priorities 1
and 2, to require the centers to present
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at a national conference or regional
forums or specialized meetings
throughout the grant period, with
special focus in the fifth year of the
grant, to disseminate the centers’
summative findings and results.
Definitions
Comment: One commenter noted that
in the proposed priority the terms
‘‘fiscal management’’ and ‘‘resource
management’’ are both used. This
commenter asked for clarification on
what these two terms relate to and
suggested that RSA define each of the
terms to distinguish the key differences
between the two.
Discussion: For these priorities,
‘‘resource management’’ refers to the
efficient and effective development of a
VR agency’s resources when they are
needed. Such resources may include
financial resources, agency personnel
skills, community rehabilitation
resources, or information technology,
including information technology for
individuals with disabilities. ‘‘Fiscal
management’’ refers to the practice of
applying general management
principles to the financial resources of
the agency or organization. Such
financial resources may include
planning, organizing, directing, and
controlling financial activities such as
the procurement and utilization of
funds of the organization. We believe
that the key differences between the two
terms are explained in the eight bullets
at the end of Priority 1 that provide
several examples of effective resource
management. Therefore, a definition is
not required.
Changes: None.
Final Priorities
Priority 1
Vocational Rehabilitation Technical
Assistance Center for Quality
Management
The purpose of this priority is to fund
a cooperative agreement to establish a
Vocational Rehabilitation Technical
Assistance Center for Quality
Management (VRTAC–QM).
The VRTAC–QM will provide
intensive training and technical
assistance, targeted training and
technical assistance, and universal
training and technical assistance to
State VR agencies on quality
management strategies that will enable
VR agencies to improve service delivery
to, and employment outcomes achieved
by, individuals with disabilities. For
States that request intensive training
and technical assistance, the training
and technical assistance will upgrade
and increase the competencies, skills,
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and knowledge of VR personnel,
enabling them to assess current VR
program performance and to identify the
strengths, weaknesses, opportunities for
improvement, and threats (SWOT) that
impact the effectiveness of VR agency
service delivery and the quality of
employment outcomes. This SWOT
assessment will be based on a review of
a wide variety of information sources,
including, but not limited to, RSA’s
monitoring findings and
recommendations; State audit reports;
consumer feedback provided in public
hearings and through consumer
satisfaction surveys; results of
comprehensive statewide needs
assessments; and input from workforce
development partners, community
rehabilitation programs, and other VR
stakeholders. Based on SWOT
assessments, the center and VR agency
personnel will develop individualized
intensive training and technical
assistance agreements designed to
provide personnel with skills and
strategies they need to address the
weaknesses identified in the SWOT
assessments to improve service delivery
and employment outcomes for
individuals with disabilities. The center
will also provide VR agency personnel
with technical assistance on evaluating
whether the quality management
strategies they adopt lead to increasing
the percentage of participants who
achieve an MSG and exit the program
with an employment outcome and to
modify those strategies, if necessary, to
achieve continuous program
improvement. In addition to the
intensive training and technical
assistance, the VRTAC–QM also will
provide targeted training and technical
assistance and universal training and
technical assistance to State VR agencies
on a broad range of quality management
strategies and practices, both
programmatic and fiscal, to address
needs common to many agencies.
With regard to program management
and performance, the VRTAC–QM’s
training and technical assistance will
support the assessment, development,
and enhancement of staff knowledge,
skills, and abilities to perform the
following functions in order to improve
service delivery and employment
outcomes for individuals with
disabilities:
• Analyzing the State VR agency’s
comprehensive system of personnel
development to identify strengths and
weaknesses in staff’s ability to
understand and address factors affecting
program performance and designing
management strategies to address these
deficits.
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• Analyzing case service data to
identify trends and inconsistencies in
program performance, and developing
strategies to improve the effectiveness
and timeliness of services provided,
including addressing inconsistencies in
the quality and quantity of employment
outcomes achieved by various groups of
individuals with disabilities served by
the program.
• Understanding statutory and
regulatory requirements related to
performance management, including
calculations for the common
performance measures required under
WIOA and factors that may be affecting
the agency’s performance on these
measures.
• Conducting quality assurance and
performance improvement, including
the use of data for performance
management systems and the
implementation of the common
performance measures required by
WIOA.
• Strategic planning to address
aspects of the SWOT assessment that
pose challenges and barriers to
improving service delivery and
employment outcomes for individuals
with disabilities, particularly students
and youth with disabilities and
individuals with significant and the
most significant disabilities.
• Implementing effective and efficient
policies for delivering pre-employment
transition services under section 113,
VR services under section 103(a), and
supported employment services under
title VI of the Rehabilitation Act.
• Understanding the relationship to
important outcomes of various cost
containment measures, such as
implementing an order of selection
giving priority for services to
individuals with the most significant
disabilities, establishing a financial
needs test for various services,
implementing policies for consumer
participation in the cost of services, and
implementing the requirement to seek
comparable services and benefits for
certain services, among others.
Under the VR program, agencies must
comply with several complex Federal
fiscal requirements related to
maintenance of effort, reallotment,
reservation of funds for pre-employment
transition services, and match, among
others. VR agencies must understand,
track, assess, and adjust, when
necessary, program activities to meet
these requirements while maximizing
program outcomes. Additionally, the
lack of knowledge and skills in fiscal
and resource management can
negatively affect the ability of VR
agency personnel to meet consumer
needs, for example, necessitating the
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46543
implementation of orders of selection
limiting the numbers of eligible
individuals served in the VR program.
With regard to effective resource
management, the training and technical
assistance will support the assessment,
development, and enhancement of staff
knowledge, skills, and abilities to
ensure that—
• Resources, including program funds
and personnel, are being used for
allowable purposes and innovative
employment strategies and supports that
maximize employment outcomes for
individuals with disabilities, including
students and youth with disabilities and
individuals with significant and the
most significant disabilities;
• Programs have sound internal
controls and reliable reporting systems
upon which to base fiscal and
programmatic decision-making to
support attainment of program goals and
objectives, including those related to
increasing the numbers and
qualifications of service delivery
personnel; and
• Resources, including program funds
and personnel, are maximized for
program needs.
The following are examples of
activities the VRTAC–QM may
undertake to address weaknesses in
resource management:
• Assess grantee financial
management processes used to support
attainment of fiscal and programmatic
outcomes (for example, whether an
agency’s fiscal processes support the
accurate tracking and reporting of nonFederal funds to maximize the
drawdown of Federal award funds to
support attainment of employment
outcomes). The assessment will be used
to identify areas for improvement in
fiscal processes that will assist the
agency in meeting program goals.
• Assess personnel training and
technical assistance needs to identify
gaps in fiscal knowledge, skills, and
abilities that prevent the agency from
effective and efficient resource
utilization necessary to achieve
employment outcomes.
• Provide intensive training and
technical assistance on financial
planning to maximize program
resources and attainment of program
goals and objectives, maximizing
opportunities for funds matching,
avoiding potential maintenance of effort
and match penalties, and meeting the
reservation of funds requirement for
pre-employment transition services in
order to increase resources available for
service delivery.
• Provide technical assistance on
implementing Federal, State, and
program fiscal requirements, including
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internal controls, in an efficient and
effective manner to reduce unnecessary
burden and to focus efforts on program
outcomes.
• Provide technical assistance on the
identification, collection, and analysis
of program and fiscal data necessary for
program management and maximizing
available resources to support consumer
services.
Priority 2
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Vocational Rehabilitation Technical
Assistance Center for Quality
Employment
The purpose of this priority is to fund
a cooperative agreement to establish a
Vocational Rehabilitation Technical
Assistance Center for Quality
Employment (VRTAC–QE).
The purpose of the VRTAC–QE is to
upgrade and increase the competencies,
skills, and knowledge of VR personnel
to implement and sustain employment
strategies and supporting practices that
enable individuals with disabilities to
achieve quality employment and career
advancement, particularly competitive
integrated employment as defined in the
Rehabilitation Act. The center will
include strategies and practices that
meet the needs and promote the quality
employment of individuals with
significant and the most significant
disabilities, students and youth with
disabilities, and traditionally
underserved populations. The VRTAC–
QE will implement a coordinated plan
to provide intensive training and
technical assistance, targeted training
and technical assistance, and universal
training and technical assistance to
State VR agencies on a broad range of
employment strategies and supporting
practices.
Employment strategies for
consideration include, but are not
limited to, the following:
(a) Career pathways education,
training, and supports in high-demand
occupations, including those in science,
technology, engineering, and
mathematics (STEM) fields.
(b) Registered and industryrecognized apprenticeships, preapprenticeships, and on-the-job
training.
(c) Supported employment and
customized employment.
(d) Customized training and
credential programs to meet employer
demand.
(e) Self-employment and
entrepreneurship, including services
available under the Randolph-Sheppard
Vending Facility Program.
(f) Business engagement and employer
supports, including dual customer
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models such as Progressive
Employment.
Supporting practices for consideration
include, but are not limited to, the
following:
(1) Practices to enhance the
employment capacity of individuals
with the most significant disabilities
receiving supported employment
services, such as the Individual
Placement and Support model.
(2) Pre-employment transition
services that prepare students with
disabilities and transition services that
prepare youth with disabilities to
identify career interests through workbased learning and early career
exploration opportunities, including
internships and job shadowing, with a
focus on high-demand and STEM
careers.
(3) Career counseling techniques and
resources, including labor market
information tools such as Career Index
Plus.
(4) Strategies involving workforce
development partners, community
rehabilitation programs, and other
community-based organizations to
provide the comprehensive support
services that individuals with
significant and the most significant
disabilities need to succeed, such as the
Integrated Resource Teams model.
(5) Approaches that encourage VR
clients to enter and remain engaged in
the VR process, such as rapid
engagement, motivational interviewing,
benefits counseling, and financial
empowerment training, and vehicles
such as the Achieving a Better Life
Experience (ABLE) tax-free accounts for
individuals with disabilities.
(6) Community outreach strategies to
expand the pool of potential VR
applicants and referral sources,
including traditionally underserved
populations.
Types of Priorities
When inviting applications for a
competition using one or more
priorities, we designate the type of each
priority as absolute, competitive
preference, or invitational through a
notice in the Federal Register. The
effect of each type of priority follows:
Absolute priority: Under an absolute
priority, we consider only applications
that meet the priority (34 CFR
75.105(c)(3)).
Competitive preference priority:
Under a competitive preference priority,
we give competitive preference to an
application by (1) awarding additional
points, depending on the extent to
which the application meets the priority
(34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i)); or (2) selecting
an application that meets the priority
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over an application of comparable merit
that does not meet the priority (34 CFR
75.105(c)(2)(ii)).
Invitational priority: Under an
invitational priority, we are particularly
interested in applications that meet the
priority. However, we do not give an
application that meets the priority a
preference over other applications (34
CFR 75.105(c)(1)).
Final Requirements
The Department establishes the
following requirements for these
priorities. We may apply these
requirements in any year in which these
priorities are in effect.
Project Requirements of Priority 1
To meet the requirements of this
priority, the VRTAC–QM must, at a
minimum, conduct one or more of the
following activities:
(1) Establish a committee on quality
management of State VR programs that
meets at least semi-annually to obtain
individual advice and recommendations
for the project.
The committee must include, but is
not limited to, individuals with
disabilities, representatives from State
VR agencies, representatives from
community rehabilitation programs,
stakeholders, and individuals with
subject matter expertise in improving
outcomes through effective program and
resource management and in
employment strategies for people with
disabilities. At a minimum, the
committee members will provide
individual input and recommendations
pertaining to the implementation of the
project and the project evaluation and
quality assurance plan.
(2) Establish a state-of-the-art website
and information technology (IT)
platform for communicating with State
VR agencies and ensure that all
products produced by the VRTAC–QM
and posted on the website meet
government and industry-recognized
standards for accessibility.
The website will become a key
training and technical assistance
delivery vehicle; a major
communication center for the VRTAC–
QM and State VR agencies; and the
central repository of information about
quality management strategies and
practices that will form the basis for
intensive training and technical
assistance, targeted training and
technical assistance, and universal
training and technical assistance.
(3) Complete a comprehensive review
of programmatic and fiscal quality
management strategies and practices for
VR services for individuals with
disabilities to achieve employment
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outcomes and develop an overarching
training and technical assistance plan
for the project. Both the review and the
plan must be made available to the
public, ensuring applicable privacy
requirements are met.
The purpose of the review is to
identify those strategies and practices
for inclusion in VRTAC–QM’s
overarching training and technical
assistance plan. The center will develop
an analytical framework and selection
criteria against which to evaluate
potential strategies and practices. The
analysis will focus on: State VR agency
needs and priorities, up-to-date
information on quality management
strategies and practices that have proven
to be effective in the field of
rehabilitation as well as other public
and private sectors of the economy that
may have applicability to the
management of VR agencies, and
quantitative and qualitative research on
the effectiveness of the identified
program and resource management
strategies and practices leading to
improved service delivery and
employment outcomes for individuals
with disabilities.
Sources of information used for this
review may include: State VR agency
interviews and consultations;
information from such sources as the
RSA–911 Case Service Report aggregate
data, general labor market data and
information, Unified or Combined State
Plans, and RSA monitoring reports; and
information and resources generated by
technical assistance centers funded by
the U.S. Departments of Education,
Labor, and Health and Human Services.
The overarching training and
technical assistance plan must include,
at a minimum—
(a) Quality management strategies and
practices that result in improved service
delivery and employment outcomes for
individuals with disabilities, including
the rationale for their selection;
(b) Conceptual framework for the
selected strategies and practices,
including key assumptions,
expectations, and presumed
relationships or linkages among
strategies and practices;
(c) Nature and scope of the intensive
training and technical assistance,
targeted training and technical
assistance, and universal training and
technical assistance to be provided in
support of the selected strategies and
practices; and
(d) Protocols and timelines for
requesting and obtaining training and
technical assistance.
(4) Provide intensive training and
technical assistance to State VR
agencies.
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Intensive training and technical
assistance will be provided to increase
State VR agencies’ capacity to adopt,
expand, or sustain programmatic and
fiscal quality management strategies and
practices that improve the quality of
service delivery and employment
outcomes. Intensive training and
technical assistance will be provided
on-site, over an extended period, under
the terms of signed intensive training
and technical assistance agreements
between the VRTAC–QM and the
participating State VR agencies.
Numerical targets for the number of
intensive training and technical
assistance agreements will be included
in the cooperative agreement between
RSA and the VRTAC–QM. Agreements
will reflect the participating VR
agencies’ needs and priorities, goals,
and objectives. They must include the
following components:
(a) Quality management strategies and
practices to be implemented by the State
VR agency and that result in improved
service delivery and employment
outcomes.
(b) Nature and scope of the training
and technical assistance to be provided
by the VRTAC–QM.
(c) Roles and responsibilities of the
VRTAC–QM, State VR agency, other
workforce development partners,
community rehabilitation programs, and
other partners, including the
commitment of resources.
(d) Logic model 1 that includes:
Performance outcomes, targets, and
baselines; project activities, inputs, and
outputs; and data collection and
analysis commitments.
The intensive training and technical
assistance agreements will be developed
based on the VRTAC–QM and
participating VR agency’s review and
analysis of such information sources as
Unified or Combined State Plans; RSA–
911 and other performance data; general
labor market data and information; RSA
monitoring reports; State audit reports;
and a review of pertinent Federal, State,
and local resources in the State,
including existing employment and
training programs.
(5) Provide targeted training and
technical assistance and universal
training and technical assistance on
programmatic and fiscal quality
management strategies and practices
that lead to effective and efficient
service delivery and quality
employment outcomes.
(6) Coordinate training and technical
assistance with other technical
assistance centers.
The VRTAC–QM must coordinate the
provision of training and technical
assistance with the Vocational
Rehabilitation Technical Assistance
Center for Quality Employment and
other RSA-funded technical assistance
and training centers. This coordination
is particularly critical when developing
intensive training and technical
assistance agreements with the VR
agencies to avoid confusion and
duplication of efforts. The VRTAC–QM
must also coordinate with other
technical assistance centers funded by
the U.S. Departments of Education,
Labor, and Health and Human Services.
(7) Present at a national conference or
regional forums or specialized meetings
throughout the grant period, with
special focus in the fifth year of the
grant to disseminate the VRTAC–QM’s
summative findings and results.
The primary objectives are to help
State VR agencies to expand and sustain
their VRTAC–QM programmatic and
fiscal management strategies and
practices that result in improved service
delivery and employment outcomes by
promoting an exchange of ideas and
experiences with other participating VR
agencies and to encourage other State
VR agencies to consider adopting
VRTAC–QM strategies and practices. In
addition, the VRTAC–QM will explore
cost-effective approaches such as virtual
convenings to engage VR agencies and
partners who may be unable to attend
in-person meetings.
(8) Develop a plan for an evaluation,
including a timeline for the evaluation
and measurement benchmarks, that will
assess the effect of the center’s training
and technical assistance on the service
delivery and employment outcomes
achieved by the VR agencies that
received the center’s services. This
should be done through an analysis of
the quality, relevance, and usefulness of
VRTAC–QM training and technical
assistance activities designed to
improve State VR agencies’ program and
resource management and lead to
improved service delivery and
achievement of high-quality
employment outcomes and career
advancement.
1 ‘‘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.
Project Requirements of Priority 2
To meet the requirements of this
priority, the VRTAC–QE must, at a
minimum, conduct one or more of the
following activities:
(1) Establish a state-of-the-art website
and IT platform for communicating with
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State VR agencies and ensure that all
products produced by the VRTAC–QE
and posted on the website meet
government and industry-recognized
standards for accessibility.
The website will become a key
training and technical assistance
delivery vehicle; a major
communication center for the VRTAC–
QE, State VR agencies, workforce
development partners, and other
professionals; and the central repository
of information about employment
strategies and practices that will form
the basis for intensive training and
technical assistance, targeted training
and technical assistance, and universal
training and technical assistance.
(2) Complete a comprehensive review
of effective strategies and practices
leading to quality employment for
individuals with disabilities and
develop an overarching training and
technical assistance plan for the project.
Both the review and the plan must be
made available to the public, ensuring
applicable privacy requirements are
met.
The purpose of the review is to
identify employment strategies and
supporting practices for inclusion in
VRTAC–QE’s overarching training and
technical assistance plan. The center
will develop an analytical framework
and selection criteria against which to
evaluate potential strategies and
practices. The analysis will focus on:
State VR agency needs and priorities;
up-to-date information on national
trends, barriers, challenges, and
opportunities regarding quality
employment for individuals with
disabilities, including factors leading to
successful employment of individuals
with significant and the most significant
disabilities, students and youth with
disabilities, and traditionally
underserved populations; and
quantitative and qualitative research on
the effectiveness of the identified
strategies and practices.
Sources of information for this review
may include, but are not limited to,
State VR agency interviews and
consultations; analyses of aggregate
RSA–911 Case Service Report data,
Unified or Combined State Plans, and
RSA monitoring reports; information
and tools generated by RSA’s vocational
rehabilitation technical assistance
centers and special demonstration
projects, available on the National
Clearinghouse of Rehabilitation
Training Materials website; and other
resources funded by the U.S.
Departments of Education, Labor, and
Health and Human Services, and
institutions of higher education.
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The overarching training and
technical assistance plan must include,
at a minimum—
(a) Employment strategies and
supporting practices, including the
rationale for their selection;
(b) Conceptual framework for the
selected strategies and practices,
including key assumptions,
expectations, and presumed
relationships or linkages among
strategies and practices;
(c) Nature and scope of the intensive
training and technical assistance,
targeted training and technical
assistance, and universal training and
technical assistance to be provided in
support of the selected strategies and
practices; and
(d) Protocols and timelines for
requesting and obtaining training and
technical assistance.
(3) Provide intensive training and
technical assistance to State VR
agencies.
Intensive training and technical
assistance will be provided to increase
the capacity of State VR agencies to
adopt, expand, or sustain employment
strategies and supporting practices that
improve the quality of employment
outcomes. Intensive training and
technical assistance will be provided
on-site, over an extended period, under
the terms of signed intensive training
and technical assistance agreements
between the VRTAC–QE and the
participating State VR agencies.
Numerical targets for the number of
intensive training and technical
assistance agreements will be included
in the cooperative agreement between
RSA and the VRTAC–QE. Agreements
will reflect the participating VR
agencies’ needs and priorities, goals,
and objectives. They must include the
following components:
(a) Employment strategies and
supporting practices to be implemented
by the State VR agency.
(b) Nature and scope of the training
and technical assistance to be provided
by the VRTAC–QE.
(c) Roles and responsibilities of the
VRTAC–QE, State VR agency, workforce
development partners, community
rehabilitation programs, and other
partners, including the commitment of
resources.
(d) Logic model 2 that includes: Statespecific performance outcomes, targets,
2 ‘‘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.
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and baselines; project activities, inputs,
and outputs; and data collection and
analysis commitments.
The intensive training and technical
assistance agreements will be developed
based on the VRTAC–QE and
participating VR agency’s review and
analysis of such information sources as
Unified or Combined State Plans; RSA–
911 and other performance data; RSA
monitoring reports; relevant labor
market information; and a review of
pertinent Federal, State, and local
resources in the State, including
existing employment and training
programs.
Intensive training and technical
assistance will be implemented in
coordination with, and leveraging the
resources of, State and local workforce
development partners and other parties
specified in the intensive training and
technical assistance agreement.
(4) Provide targeted training and
technical assistance meeting the
identified needs of a limited number of
State VR agencies, as well as universal
training and technical assistance
broadly available to all State VR
agencies and their partners.
(5) Coordinate training and technical
assistance with other technical
assistance centers.
The VRTAC–QE must coordinate the
provision of training and technical
assistance with the Vocational
Rehabilitation Technical Assistance
Center for Quality Management and
other RSA-funded training and
technical assistance investments. This
coordination is particularly critical
when developing intensive training and
technical assistance agreements with the
VR agencies to avoid confusion and
duplication of efforts. The VRTAC–QE
must also coordinate with other training
and technical assistance resources
funded by the U.S. Departments of
Education, Labor, and Health and
Human Services, and other pertinent
Federal or State organizations, and
institutions of higher education, as
appropriate.
(6) Disseminate VRTAC–QE
summative findings and results through
a national conference or regional forums
or specialized meetings throughout the
grant period, with special focus in the
fifth year of the grant. The primary
objectives are to help State VR agencies
to expand and sustain their VRTAC–QE
strategies and practices and to
encourage other State VR agencies to
consider adopting some VRTAC–QE
strategies and practices by promoting an
exchange of ideas and experiences with
other participating VR agencies. To
maximize the dissemination of project
findings and results throughout the
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grant period, with special focus in the
fifth year, the VRTAC–QE will explore
cost-effective approaches such as virtual
convenings to engage VR agencies and
partners who may be unable to attend
in-person meetings.
(7) Develop a plan for an evaluation,
including a timeline for the evaluation
and measurement benchmarks, that will
assess VRTAC–QE employment
strategies and supporting activities’
effect on VR participants’ employment
outcomes and career advancement. The
evaluation will also assess the quality,
relevance, and usefulness of the
VRTAC–QE’s training and technical
assistance in improving State VR
agencies’ ability to identify and
implement the appropriate strategies
and practices.
Application Requirements
The following application
requirements apply to both Priority 1
and Priority 2. The Department
encourages innovative approaches to
meet these requirements. Applicants
must—
(a) Demonstrate, in the narrative
section of the application under
‘‘Quality of the Evaluation Plan,’’ how
the proposed project will meet the
evaluation requirements of the priority.
Applicants must describe the
anticipated implementation steps,
milestones, and timelines for the
development of a logic model for the
project. The logic model must include
data elements, inputs, activities,
outputs, and short-term and long-term
performance indicators regarding—
(1) Quantitative outcomes resulting
from the program management or
employment strategies and practices,
including—
(i) Quality and timeliness of the VR
processes and services;
(ii) Number and quality of
employment outcomes;
(iii) VR participants’ employment or
career-readiness;
(iv) Cost-effectiveness; and
(v) Sustainability;
(2) Quality, relevance, and usefulness
of the project’s training and technical
assistance activities;
(3) Quantitative or qualitative insights
about the relationship between
strategies, practices, and training and
technical assistance activities on critical
outcomes for VR personnel, VR clients,
and key partners, including through—
(i) Pre- and post-training assessments;
(ii) Comparison groups;
(iii) Focus groups; or
(iv) Success stories.
(b) Demonstrate, in the narrative
section of the application under
‘‘Adequacy of Project Resources,’’ how
the applicant will ensure that—
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(1) The proposed project will
encourage applications for employment
from persons who are members of
groups that have historically been
underrepresented based on race, color,
national origin, gender, age, or
disability, as appropriate;
(2) Projects will be operated in a
manner consistent with
nondiscrimination requirements
contained in the U.S. Constitution and
the Federal civil rights laws;
(3) Key project personnel, consultants,
and subcontractors have the
qualifications and experience to meet all
the requirements of the priority,
including expertise in—
(i) Programmatic areas addressed in
the Project Requirements section of the
priority;
(ii) Program and resource
management and oversight;
(iii) Knowledge translation and
dissemination, including the effective
use of communication technologies; and
(iv) Project evaluation leading to
continuous improvement, including
qualitative and quantitative
assessments;
(4) The applicant and key partners
have adequate resources to carry out the
proposed project activities, and achieve
anticipated project outcomes and
impact on the VR services to individuals
with disabilities, including assurances
that the proposed allocation of human
and financial resources for project
evaluation will be enough to meet the
requirements in section (a) of the
application requirement regarding the
‘‘Quality of the Evaluation Plan,’’ above;
and
(5) The proposed costs are reasonable
in relation to the anticipated results and
benefits.
(c) Demonstrate, in the narrative
section of the application under
‘‘Quality of the Management Plan,’’ how
the applicant will ensure that—
(1) The project’s intended outcomes,
including implementation of the
evaluation plan, will be achieved on
time and within budget, through—
(i) Clearly defined responsibilities of
key project personnel, consultants, and
contractors, as applicable;
(ii) Procedures to track and ensure
completion of the action steps,
timelines, and milestones established
for key project activities, requirements,
and deliverables, in accordance with the
cooperative agreement between RSA
and the applicant;
(iii) Internal monitoring processes to
ensure that the project is being
implemented in accordance with an
established project performance plan,
including timelines and milestones; and
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46547
(iv) Financial and budgetary oversight
processes to ensure timely obligations
and reporting of grant funds, in
accordance with the Uniform
Administrative Requirements, Cost
Principles, and Audit Requirements for
Federal Awards at 2 CFR part 200 and
the terms and conditions of the Federal
award;
(2) The allocation of key project
personnel, consultants, and
contractors—including levels of effort of
key personnel—will be appropriate and
adequate to achieve the project’s
intended outcomes, including an
assurance that key personnel will have
enough availability to ensure timely
communications with stakeholders and
RSA;
(3) The proposed management plan
will ensure that the products and
services are of high quality, relevance,
and usefulness, in both content and
delivery; and
(4) The proposed project will benefit
from a diversity of perspectives,
including those of State and local
personnel, providers, researchers, and
policy makers, among others, in its
development and operation.
Additional Application Requirements
for Priority 1
The following application
requirements apply only to priority 1
(VRTAC–QM). The Department
encourages innovative approaches to
meet these requirements. Applicants
must—
(a) Demonstrate, in the narrative
section of the application under
‘‘Significance of the Project,’’ how the
proposed project will increase State VR
agencies’ capacity to improve the
quality of VR services and employment
outcomes for individuals with
disabilities by enabling VR agencies to
develop and implement efficient and
effective program and resource
management techniques leading to
increases in the numbers and improved
skills of VR counselors and other service
delivery personnel. To meet this
requirement, the applicant must
demonstrate—
(1) Knowledge about State VR
program challenges, opportunities,
barriers, and trends regarding program
and resource management or quality
employment outcomes for individuals
with disabilities including those with
significant and the most significant
disabilities, students and youth with
disabilities, and traditionally
underserved populations;
(2) Knowledge about Federal, State,
and nongovernment initiatives to
promote program and resource
management and quality employment
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outcomes for individuals with
disabilities, particularly in response to
requirements under WIOA;
(3) The proposed project’s potential to
contribute to these Federal, State, and
nongovernment initiatives by assisting
State VR agencies in equipping
personnel with the necessary skills and
training to implement the substantive
provisions of the Rehabilitation Act
introduced by WIOA that are designed
to improve the quality of employment
outcomes for individuals with
disabilities; and
(4) How the proposed project will
increase State VR agencies’ capacity to
implement program and resource
management strategies leading to
improved VR services, employment
outcomes, and career advancement
opportunities for individuals with
disabilities.
(b) Demonstrate, in the narrative
section of the application, under
‘‘Quality of Project Services,’’ how the
proposed project will achieve the goals,
objectives, and intended outcomes of
this priority. To meet this requirement,
the applicant must describe its plan for
implementing the project, including
major implementation activities,
timelines, and milestones (particularly
for the initial fiscal year), as well as key
assumptions and expectations,
presumed relationships or linkages
among variables, and underlying
rationale and empirical support, for the
following Project Requirements of the
priority:
(1) State-of-the-art website.
Applicants must describe how the
website will serve as an effective
communication center, training and
technical assistance delivery vehicle,
and repository of information about
quality management or employment
strategies and practices, including—
(i) Expected features and capabilities,
including information-delivery and
stakeholder-convening technologies;
and
(ii) Anticipated uses of such features
and capabilities in support of the project
goals and objectives.
(2) Comprehensive review. Applicants
must describe how the comprehensive
review will provide the factual basis for
the project training and technical
assistance plan. At a minimum, the
comprehensive review must include—
(i) Input from State VR agencies about
their needs, priorities, and innovative
approaches to program and resource
management that lead to improved
service delivery;
(ii) Information regarding the latest—
(A) National trends, barriers,
challenges, and opportunities;
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(B) Effective and efficient program
and resource management strategies,
techniques, and practices that may be
applicable to State VR agencies; and
(C) Additional information that the
applicant deems relevant; and
(iii) An analytical framework for
assessing the collected information and
selecting the program and resource
management strategies and practices for
inclusion in the training and technical
assistance plans.
(3) Provision of intensive training and
technical assistance. Applicants must
describe how the intensive training and
technical assistance agreements will
increase State VR agencies’ capacity to
improve the State VR agencies’
performance and quality employment
outcomes for individuals with
disabilities, through State-appropriate—
(i) Program and resource management;
(ii) Federal, State, and local
partnerships; and
(iii) Performance outcomes, outputs,
inputs, targets, baselines, and data
collection requirements.
(4) Provision of targeted training and
technical assistance and universal
training and technical assistance.
Applicants must describe how each
training and technical assistance
modality (targeted or universal) will
help State VR agencies to adopt,
expand, and sustain program and
resource management practices. For
each training and technical assistance
modality, describe—
(i) Topics, activities, and products;
(ii) Intended audience and outreach
strategies;
(iii) Content delivery and
dissemination methods; and
(iv) Steps to ensure quality, relevance,
and usefulness.
(5) Coordination. The applicant must
describe how it will maximize
coordination between the VRTAC–QE
and the VRTAC–QM and seek
opportunities to coordinate with other
training and technical assistance
investments, including those funded by
the U.S. Departments of Education,
Labor, and Health and Human Services,
in the provision of training and
technical assistance to State VR
agencies.
(6) National conference, regional
forums, or specialized meetings
throughout the grant period, with
special focus in the fifth year of the
grant performance period. Applicants
must describe how the project will
disseminate its summative findings and
results, including cost-effective
approaches such as virtual convenings
to engage State VR agencies and other
potential Federal, State, local, and
nongovernment partners, including—
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Fmt 4700
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(i) Types of events (e.g., conferences,
forums, specialized meetings);
(ii) Target audience (e.g., by event
type, types of stakeholders with a
variety of roles and sectors); and
(iii) Convening modes (in-person,
virtual).
(c) Demonstrate, in the narrative
section of the application under
‘‘Quality of the Evaluation Plan,’’ the
applicant’s capacity and experience in
addressing the State VR agencies’
training and technical assistance needs
in the areas of program and resource
management, including but not limited
to strategic planning and performance
improvement leading to performance
improvement, including SWOT
assessment related to implementing
strategies that ensure education funds
are spent in a way that increases their
efficiency and cost-effectiveness,
including by reducing waste or
achieving better outcomes.
Additional Application Requirements
for Priority 2
The following application
requirements apply only to Priority 2
(VRTAC–QE). The Department
encourages innovative approaches to
meet these requirements. Applicants
must—
(a) Demonstrate, in the narrative
section of the application under
‘‘Significance of the Project,’’ how the
proposed project will increase State VR
agencies’ capacity to improve the
quality of VR services and employment
outcomes for individuals with
disabilities by enabling VR agencies to
develop and implement innovative
employment and support strategies that
are designed to improve employment
outcomes and career advancement for
individuals with disabilities. To meet
this requirement, the applicant must
demonstrate—
(1) Knowledge about State VR
program challenges, opportunities,
barriers, and trends regarding program
and resource management or quality
employment outcomes for individuals
with disabilities including those with
significant and the most significant
disabilities, students and youth with
disabilities, and traditionally
underserved populations;
(2) Knowledge about Federal, State,
and nongovernment initiatives to
promote program and resource
management and quality employment
outcomes for individuals with
disabilities, particularly in response to
requirements under WIOA;
(3) The proposed project’s potential to
contribute to these Federal, State, and
nongovernment initiatives by assisting
State VR agencies in equipping
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Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 149 / Monday, August 3, 2020 / Rules and Regulations
personnel with the necessary skills and
training to implement the substantive
provisions of the Rehabilitation Act
introduced by WIOA that are designed
to improve the quality of employment
outcomes for individuals with
disabilities; and
(4) How the proposed project will
increase State VR agencies’ capacity to
implement employment strategies and
supporting practices leading to
improved VR services, employment
outcomes, and career advancement
opportunities for individuals with
disabilities
(b) Demonstrate, in the narrative
section of the application, under
‘‘Quality of Project Services,’’ how the
proposed project will achieve the goals,
objectives, and intended outcomes of
this priority. To meet this requirement,
the applicant must describe its plan for
implementing the project, including
major implementation activities,
timelines, and milestones (particularly
for the initial fiscal year), as well as key
assumptions and expectations,
presumed relationships or linkages
among variables, and underlying
rationale and empirical support, for the
following Project Requirements of the
priority:
(1) State-of-the-art website.
Applicants must describe how the
website will serve as an effective
communication center, training and
technical assistance delivery vehicle,
and repository of information about
quality management or employment
strategies and practices, including—
(i) Expected features and capabilities,
including information-delivery and
stakeholder-convening technologies;
and
(ii) Anticipated uses of such features
and capabilities in support of the project
goals and objectives.
(2) Comprehensive review. Applicants
must describe how the comprehensive
review will provide the factual basis for
the project training and technical
assistance plan. At a minimum, the
comprehensive review must include—
(i) Input from State VR agencies about
their needs, priorities, and innovative
approaches to program and resource
management that lead to quality
employment and career-readiness that
lead to quality employment outcomes;
(ii) Information regarding the latest—
(A) National trends, barriers,
challenges, and opportunities;
(B) Effective employment strategies
and practices that prepare individuals
with disabilities to compete in the
global economy and designed to create
or expand innovative and affordable
paths to relevant careers through
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16:20 Jul 31, 2020
Jkt 250001
postsecondary credentials or job-ready
skills; and
(C) Additional information that the
applicant deems relevant; and
(iii) An analytical framework for
assessing the collected information and
selecting the employment and careerreadiness strategies and practices for
inclusion in the training and technical
assistance plans.
(3) Provision of intensive training and
technical assistance. Applicants must
describe how the intensive training and
technical assistance agreements will
increase State VR agencies’ capacity to
improve the State VR agencies’
performance and quality employment
outcomes for individuals with
disabilities, through State-appropriate—
(i) Employment strategies and
supporting practices;
(ii) Federal, State, and local
partnerships; and
(iii) Performance outcomes, outputs,
inputs, targets, baselines, and data
collection requirements.
(4) Provision of targeted training and
technical assistance and universal
training and technical assistance.
Applicants must describe how each
training and technical assistance
modality (targeted or universal) will
help State VR agencies to adopt,
expand, and sustain employment
strategies and practices that improve
employment outcomes and career
advancement opportunities for eligible
VR participants. For each training and
technical assistance modality,
describe—
(i) Topics, activities, and products;
(ii) Intended audience and outreach
strategies;
(iii) Content delivery and
dissemination methods; and
(iv) Steps to ensure quality, relevance,
and usefulness.
(5) Coordination. The applicant must
describe how it will maximize
coordination between the VRTAC–QE
and the VRTAC–QM and seek
opportunities to coordinate with other
technical assistance centers, including
those funded by the U.S. Departments of
Education, Labor, and Health and
Human Services, in the provision of
training and technical assistance to
State VR agencies.
(6) National conference, regional
forums, or specialized meetings
throughout the grant period, with
special focus in the fifth year of the
grant performance period. Applicants
must describe how the project will
disseminate its summative findings and
results, including cost-effective
approaches such as virtual convenings
to engage State VR agencies and other
PO 00000
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46549
potential Federal, State, local, and
nongovernment partners, including—
(i) Types of events (e.g., conferences,
forums, specialized meetings);
(ii) Target audience (e.g., by event
type, types of stakeholders with a
variety of roles and sectors); and
(iii) Convening modes (in-person,
virtual).
Final Definitions
The Department establishes the
following definitions for use with the
VRTAC–QM and VRTAC–QE priorities
to ensure that applicants have a clear
understanding of how we are using
these terms.
Intensive training and technical
assistance means training and technical
assistance provided to State VR agencies
and State VR agency personnel
primarily on-site or through remote
delivery, as needed and appropriate,
over an extended period. Intensive
training and technical assistance is
based on an ongoing relationship
between the training and technical
assistance center staff and State VR
agencies and State VR agency personnel
under the terms of a signed intensive
training and technical assistance
agreement.
Targeted training and technical
assistance means training and technical
assistance based on needs common to
one or more State VR agencies and State
VR agency personnel on a time-limited
basis and with limited commitment of
training and technical assistance center
resources. Targeted training and
technical assistance are delivered
through virtual or in-person methods
tailored to the identified needs of the
participating State VR agencies and
State VR agency personnel.
Universal training and technical
assistance means training and technical
assistance broadly available to State VR
agencies and State VR agency personnel
and other interested parties through
their own initiative, resulting in
minimal interaction with training and
technical assistance center staff.
Universal training and technical
assistance includes generalized
presentations, products, and related
activities available through a website or
through brief contacts with the training
and technical assistance center staff.
This document does not preclude us
from proposing additional priorities,
requirements, definitions, or selection
criteria, subject to meeting applicable
rulemaking requirements.
Note: This document does not solicit
applications. In any year in which we choose
to use one or more of these priorities,
requirements, and definitions, we invite
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applications through a notice in the Federal
Register.
Executive Orders 12866, 13563, and
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Regulatory Impact Analysis
Under Executive Order 12866, the
Secretary must determine whether this
regulatory action is ‘‘significant’’ and,
therefore, subject to the requirements of
the Executive order and subject to
review by the Office of Management and
Budget (OMB). Section 3(f) of Executive
Order 12866 defines a ‘‘significant
regulatory action’’ as an action likely to
result in a rule that may—
(1) Have an annual effect on the
economy of $100 million or more, or
adversely affect a sector of the economy,
productivity, competition, jobs, the
environment, public health or safety, or
State, local, or Tribal governments or
communities in a material way (also
referred to as an ‘‘economically
significant’’ rule);
(2) Create serious inconsistency or
otherwise interfere with an action taken
or planned by another agency;
(3) Materially alter the budgetary
impacts of entitlement grants, user fees,
or loan programs or the rights and
obligations of recipients thereof; or
(4) Raise novel legal or policy issues
arising out of legal mandates, the
President’s priorities, or the principles
stated in the Executive order.
This final regulatory action is not a
significant regulatory action subject to
review by OMB under section 3(f) of
Executive Order 12866.
Under Executive Order 13771, for
each new rule that the Department
proposes for notice and comment or
otherwise promulgates that is a
significant regulatory action under
Executive Order 12866, and that
imposes total costs greater than zero, it
must identify two deregulatory actions.
For FY 2020, any new incremental costs
associated with a new regulation must
be fully offset by the elimination of
existing costs through deregulatory
actions. Because this regulatory action is
not significant, the requirements of
Executive Order 13771 do not apply.
We have also reviewed this final
regulatory action under Executive Order
13563, which supplements and
explicitly reaffirms the principles,
structures, and definitions governing
regulatory review established in
Executive Order 12866. To the extent
permitted by law, Executive Order
13563 requires that an agency—
(1) Propose or adopt regulations only
upon a reasoned determination that
their benefits justify their costs
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16:20 Jul 31, 2020
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(recognizing that some benefits and
costs are difficult to quantify);
(2) Tailor its regulations to impose the
least burden on society, consistent with
obtaining regulatory objectives and
taking into account—among other things
and to the extent practicable—the costs
of cumulative regulations;
(3) In choosing among alternative
regulatory approaches, select those
approaches that maximize net benefits
(including potential economic,
environmental, public health and safety,
and other advantages; distributive
impacts; and equity);
(4) To the extent feasible, specify
performance objectives, rather than the
behavior or manner of compliance a
regulated entity must adopt; and
(5) Identify and assess available
alternatives to direct regulation,
including economic incentives—such as
user fees or marketable permits—to
encourage the desired behavior, or
provide information that enables the
public to make choices.
Executive Order 13563 also requires
an agency ‘‘to use the best available
techniques to quantify anticipated
present and future benefits and costs as
accurately as possible.’’ The Office of
Information and Regulatory Affairs of
OMB has emphasized that these
techniques may include ‘‘identifying
changing future compliance costs that
might result from technological
innovation or anticipated behavioral
changes.’’
We are issuing these final priorities,
requirements, and definitions only on a
reasoned determination that their
benefits justify their costs. In choosing
among alternative regulatory
approaches, we selected those
approaches that maximize net benefits.
Based on the analysis that follows, the
Department believes that this regulatory
action is consistent with the principles
in Executive Order 13563.
We also have determined that this
regulatory action does not unduly
interfere with State, local, and Tribal
governments in the exercise of their
governmental functions.
In accordance with both Executive
orders, the Department has assessed the
potential costs and benefits, both
quantitative and qualitative, of this
regulatory action. The potential costs
are those resulting from statutory
requirements and those we have
determined as necessary for
administering the Department’s
programs and activities.
Intergovernmental Review: This
program is subject to Executive Order
12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR
part 79. One of the objectives of the
Executive order is to foster an
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intergovernmental partnership and a
strengthened federalism. The Executive
order relies on processes developed by
State and local governments for
coordination and review of proposed
Federal financial assistance.
This document provides early
notification of our specific plans and
actions for this program.
Accessible Format: Individuals with
disabilities can obtain this document 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 Adobe Portable Document
Format (PDF). To use PDF you must
have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is
available free at the site.
You may also access documents of the
Department published in the Federal
Register by using the article search
feature at: www.federalregister.gov.
Specifically, through the advanced
search feature at this site, you can limit
your search to documents published by
the Department.
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. 2020–16685 Filed 7–30–20; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 4000–01–P
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY
40 CFR Parts 9 and 721
[EPA–HQ–OPPT–2019–0495 FRL–10009–78]
RIN 2070–AB27
Significant New Use Rules on Certain
Chemical Substances (19–5.B)
Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Final rule.
AGENCY:
EPA is issuing significant new
use rules (SNURs) under the Toxic
Substances Control Act (TSCA) for
chemical substances which are the
subject of premanufacture notices
(PMNs). This action requires persons to
SUMMARY:
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 149 (Monday, August 3, 2020)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 46538-46550]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-16685]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
34 CFR Chapter III
[ED-2020-OSERS-0104]
Final Priorities, Requirements and Definitions--Rehabilitation
Training: Vocational Rehabilitation Technical Assistance Center-Quality
Management; and Vocational Rehabilitation Technical Assistance Center-
Quality Employment
AGENCY: Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services
(OSERS), Department of Education.
ACTION: Final priorities, requirements, and definitions.
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SUMMARY: The Department of Education (Department) announces priorities,
requirements, and definitions under the Rehabilitation Training
program, Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) numbers 84.264J
and 84.264K. The Department may use one or more of these priorities,
requirements, and definitions for competitions in fiscal year (FY) 2020
and later years. We take this action to focus attention on an
identified national need to fund a Vocational Rehabilitation Technical
Assistance Center for Quality Management (VRTAC-QM) and a Vocational
Rehabilitation Technical Assistance Center for Quality Employment
(VRTAC-QE). We intend for the VRTAC-QM and VRTAC-QE to increase the
number and quality of employment outcomes for individuals with
disabilities through training and technical assistance to State
vocational rehabilitation (VR) agency personnel. We expect the VRTAC-QM
to enable State VR agency personnel to manage available resources
better and improve service delivery, and the VRTAC-QE to support State
VR agency personnel to implement innovative and effective employment
strategies and supporting practices.
DATES: Effective Date: These priorities, requirements, and definitions
are effective September 2, 2020.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For 84.264J: Douglas Zhu, U.S.
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Room 5095, Potomac
Center Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-2800. Telephone: (202) 245-6037.
Email: [email protected]. For 84.264K: Felipe Lulli, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Room 5101, Potomac Center Plaza,
Washington, DC 20202-2800. Telephone: (202) 245-7425. 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:
Purpose of Program: Under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
(Rehabilitation Act), as amended by the Workforce Innovation and
Opportunity Act (WIOA), the Rehabilitation Services Administration
(RSA) makes grants to States and public or nonprofit agencies and
organizations (including institutions of higher education) to pay part
of the cost of projects to provide State VR agency personnel with
training and technical assistance designed to assist in increasing the
numbers of, and upgrading the skills of, qualified personnel
(especially rehabilitation counselors), who are trained in providing
vocational, medical, social, and psychological rehabilitation services
to individuals with disabilities. They are also trained to assist
individuals with communication and related disorders and to provide
other services authorized under the Rehabilitation Act.
Program Authority: 29 U.S.C. 772(a)(1).
Applicable Program Regulations: 34 CFR part 385.
We published a notice of proposed priorities, requirements, and
definitions (NPP) for this program in the Federal Register on April 9,
2020 (85 FR 19908). That notice contained background information and
our reasons for proposing the particular priorities, requirements, and
definitions.
Except for minor editorial and technical revisions for grammar and
clarity and three minor substantive changes explained in the discussion
of comments that follow, there are no differences between the proposed
[[Page 46539]]
priorities, requirements, and definitions and these final priorities,
requirements, and definitions.
Public Comment: In response to our invitation in the NPP, 12
parties submitted comments on the proposed priorities, requirements,
and definitions.
We group major issues according to subject and discuss substantive
issues under each of the titles--priorities, requirements, and
definitions--to which they pertain. Generally, we do not address
technical and other minor changes, or suggested changes the law does
not authorize us to make. In addition, we do not address general
comments that raise concerns not directly related to the proposed
priorities, requirements, or definitions.
Analysis of Comments and Changes: An analysis of the comments and
of any changes in the priorities, requirements, and definitions since
publication of the NPP follows.
Priorities
Comment: Some commenters expressed concern that the proposed
priorities contained what appeared to be some conceptual overlapping of
lead responsibilities between the VRTAC-QM and the VRTAC-QE, for
example, between improving VR service delivery and implementing
employment strategies. One of the commenters referenced the centers'
shared focus on pre-employment transition services. Another commenter
pointed out that both centers are required to engage with the training
and technical assistance resources funded by the U.S. Departments of
Education, Labor, and Health and Human Services. The commenters
recommended that the final priorities provide specifics about the
nature and extent of required coordination between the two VRTACs to
ensure that each center's resources are used most effectively, clearly
differentiate the lead responsibilities among the centers, and require
the centers to coordinate their work on the State, regional, and
national levels.
Discussion: The Department appreciates the commenters' suggestions
and recommendations. The Department agrees that clarity of roles and
coordination of activities between the centers are necessary for the
efficient and cost-effective delivery of intensive training and
technical assistance to State VR agency personnel. This is why we
require the VRTAC-QM and VRTAC-QE to coordinate training and technical
assistance with other technical assistance centers. Such clarity and
coordination are especially critical because both centers will assist
VR agencies to improve the provision of VR services, including pre-
employment transition services and the achievement of quality
employment outcomes. The VRTAC-QM pursues these goals through improved
program management and resource utilization, whereas the VRTAC-QE
focuses on the implementation of promising employment strategies and
practices. Coordination and clarity of roles between the VRTAC-QM and
VRTAC-QE will be pursued through RSA's cooperative agreement with each
center, training and technical assistance agreements with each State VR
agency, RSA leadership and direction at the national level, and ongoing
communication between the respective project officers. As such, further
clarification and differentiation are not necessary.
Changes: None.
Comment: One commenter noted that although the WIOA Joint Rule for
Unified and Combined State Plans, Performance Accountability, and One-
Stop System Joint Provisions became effective on October 18, 2016,
several key RSA policy directives and technical assistance circulars
that have provided guidance in implementing those regulations were
released a year or more later. As a result, State VR agencies still
need technical assistance to ensure effective implementation of the
requirements of the newer rules. The commenter suggested that Priority
1, VRTAC-QM, include a more general focus on continued training and
technical assistance to assist State VR agencies in implementing the
requirements of WIOA.
Discussion: The Department appreciates the commenter's suggestion.
As stated in the purpose of the program in the VRTAC-QM and the VRTAC-
QE priorities, each project will provide training and technical
assistance to State VR agency personnel to equip and increase the
number of personnel with the necessary skills to implement the
provisions in the Rehabilitation Act as amended by WIOA. The VRTAC-QM
and VRTAC-QE will provide training and technical assistance to address
the need of State VR agencies to ensure effective implementation of the
requirements of WIOA, including those raised by the commenter.
Changes: None.
Comment: One commenter noted that resource limitations related to
States' challenges in meeting VR program match requirements, as well as
the requirement to reserve at least 15 percent of Federal VR program
funds for pre-employment transition services to eligible and
potentially eligible students with disabilities, have reduced State VR
agencies' ability to serve all eligible individuals with disabilities.
The commenter stated that, in the absence of significant additional
resources devoted to serving individuals with disabilities, the
coronavirus pandemic's current and future impact on State budgets and
labor markets will almost certainly lead to even fewer eligible
individuals being served and smaller numbers of employment outcomes
among VR participants in program year 2020 and beyond. This commenter
suggested that targeted and intensive technical assistance can help VR
agencies identify ways to use available resources more effectively.
Discussion: The Department appreciates the commenter's support for
the priorities. Under the priority for quality management, the VRTAC-QM
will be able, through targeted and intensive technical assistance, to
help State VR agencies to identify ways to use available resources more
effectively and to implement program and resource management strategies
and practices that lead to effective and efficient service delivery and
quality employment outcomes.
Changes: None.
Comment: Several commenters addressed the COVID-19 pandemic's
potential impact on VRTAC-QM and VRTAC-QE's intensive training and
technical assistance delivery methods, topic areas, and performance
assessments. A few of the commenters inquired whether RSA would allow
the centers' intensive training and technical assistance to be
delivered virtually rather than in-person, if necessary or advisable
due to continued travel restrictions and social distancing
requirements. One commenter recommended that the intensive training and
technical assistance include a focus on promoting effective distance
service delivery and community engagement approaches, especially in the
provision of pre-employment transition services. Another commenter
inquired whether RSA would consider the pandemic's impact on State
budgets, local economies, employers, and, ultimately, VR participants
in its evaluation of the centers' performance.
Discussion: The VRTAC-QM and the VRTAC-QE will provide training and
technical assistance to State VR agency personnel to achieve the State
VR agency's program management, service delivery, and quality
employment goals in a manner consistent with the priority and with each
State's particular circumstances, including those related to COVID-19.
The centers' training and technical assistance will help VR
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personnel to assess and improve the VR agency's management and service
delivery systems, which may include remote delivery of services,
including how to provide pre-employment transition services remotely.
Further, while intensive training and technical assistance are
typically provided on-site, nothing in the priorities precludes the
VRTAC-QM and VRTAC-QE from providing the training and technical
assistance remotely if on-site delivery is not possible or advisable.
The service delivery and performance evaluation considerations related
to COVID-19 can be addressed in the cooperative agreement between RSA
and the respective technical assistance center. To reflect that the
priorities are broad enough to encompass these activities, RSA has
revised the priorities to address remote delivery of training and
technical assistance and to provide technical assistance on remote
delivery of services.
Changes: We have revised the definition of ``intensive training and
technical assistance'' under the Final Definitions section by adding
remote delivery as needed and appropriate.
Comment: One commenter asserted that the VRTAC-QE should not be
responsible for directly implementing employment strategies and
supporting practices in the participating State VR agencies.
Discussion: We agree with the commenter that the VR agencies are
responsible for implementing specific strategies or practices in their
States. The VRTAC-QE and VRTAC-QM are responsible for conducting
comprehensive reviews of current and promising strategies and
practices, presenting them as options to participating State VR agency
personnel, and providing high-quality and relevant intensive training
and technical assistance to State VR agency personnel if they choose to
implement selected strategies or practices.
Changes: None.
Comment: Several commenters expressed concern that the proposed
priorities did not sufficiently emphasize training and technical
assistance to Community Rehabilitation Programs (CRPs), given the
importance of CRPs' role in promoting quality employment outcomes for
individuals with disabilities. One of the commenters noted that the
proposed priorities focus exclusively on improving the knowledge,
skills, and capabilities of VR personnel but devote little or no
attention to the knowledge, skills, and capabilities of CRP personnel.
One commenter pointed out that only one of the six listed supporting
practices explicitly references CRPs. Another commenter stressed the
need for flexible and innovative approaches for CRPs in Supported
Employment, in particular. The commenters recommended that the proposed
priorities elevate the role of CRPs and prioritize training and
technical assistance to CRP personnel.
Discussion: We agree that CRPs play a very important role in
promoting quality employment outcomes for individuals with
disabilities. Consistent with section 302 of the Rehabilitation Act, as
amended by WIOA, the purpose of these priorities is to support projects
that provide training and technical assistance designed to assist in
increasing the numbers of, and upgrading the skills of, qualified
personnel (especially rehabilitation counselors). The VRTAC-QM and
VRTAC-QE will provide intensive training and technical assistance to VR
personnel according to a signed agreement between RSA and each
participating State VR agency. The intensive training and technical
assistance agreement includes the specific State agency's goals and
objectives, selected strategies and practices, individuals or groups of
individuals to receive the training and technical assistance, and
designated partner organizations. The intensive training and technical
assistance provided under an agreement may involve CRPs as partner
organizations because of their expertise in and potential contributions
to the implementation of VRTAC-QM or VRTAC-QE strategies and practices
and may include topics and approaches such as those recommended by the
commenter.
Changes: We added a reference to CRPs and other partners in both
priorities.
Comment: One commenter noted that the employment rate of people
with intellectual and developmental disabilities has been nationally
around 20 percent for the last 10 years, and a reasonable person would
have a hard time believing that the low rate is because of what VR
counselors are doing or not doing, or that technical assistance can
make a positive impact. This commenter suggested that when starting the
technical assistance centers, it would be prudent for the centers to
include people who can analyze such data.
Discussion: The Department agrees that it is necessary for the
technical assistance centers to include personnel who can analyze data.
Data collection, data analysis, and evaluation are addressed in the
proposed priorities and project requirements and include activities
such as analyzing case service data, including the VR Program Case
Service Report (RSA-911) data and other agency performance data, to
identify trends and inconsistencies in program performance and
developing strategies to improve the quantity and quality of employment
outcomes achieved by various groups of individuals with disabilities
served by the VR program.
Changes: None.
Comment: A few commenters noted that many nonprofit organizations
employ people with disabilities and have the capacity to hire and train
more people with disabilities than they currently hire and train. These
commenters suggested that the VRTAC-QE assist VR agencies' personnel to
expedite and streamline the referral of persons with disabilities to
nonprofit organizations.
Discussion: The Department appreciates the commenters' suggestions.
Nothing in the priorities precludes the technical assistance centers
from providing training and technical assistance to VR agency personnel
on topics related to improving referrals for the purpose of assisting
individuals with disabilities to achieve competitive integrated
employment, if it is identified as a need by a VR agency.
Changes: None.
Comment: One commenter noted that the way in which current program
performance measures are calculated is important, but that it is even
more important both to understand the limitations on the reliability
and validity of the data used to calculate the measures and to ensure
that program performance data are used appropriately to inform program
and policy decisions. The work of the Technical Assistance Center for
Program Evaluation and Quality Assurance (PEQA-TAC), including the
collaborative Summit Conference in which the PEQA-TAC has played a
major role in recent years, has been of tremendous value in enhancing
VR agencies' use of effective program evaluation strategies, according
to the commenter. The commenter suggested that the VRTAC-QM focus on
enhancing VR agencies' ability to effectively use both performance
measurement strategies and in-depth program evaluation processes as
recommended by the Government Accountability Office in publications
such as GAO-05-739SP and GAO-11-646SP.
Discussion: The Department agrees with the commenter that the
ability of VR personnel to effectively use both performance measurement
strategies
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and in-depth program evaluation processes is important for VR program
management. Since conducting quality assurance and performance
improvement, including the use of data for performance management
systems and the implementation of the common performance measures
required by WIOA, are already included in the priority for VRTAC-QM,
there is no need to make changes to the priority to address this focus
area.
Changes: None.
Comment: One commenter suggested that RSA continue funding for the
existing technical assistance centers that have effectively served VR
agencies over the past several years. The commenter also stated that
the challenges inherent in establishing new national technical
assistance centers will inevitably result in delays in the centers'
collective ability to respond to the needs of State VR agencies, as
well as gaps in the technical assistance available to VR agencies that
they can ill afford to experience during a time of ongoing change in
State VR programs, particularly in light of the current and ongoing
challenges that all VR agencies face in addressing the COVID-19
pandemic. The commenter suggested that RSA consider continuing funding
the current technical assistance centers for at least the next two
years.
Discussion: The Department agrees with the commenter that the
current centers have performed well and continued technical assistance
is needed. The current centers were put in place to respond to very
specific changes WIOA made to the Rehabilitation Act, and State VR
agencies are in a different place now than they were five years ago
with respect to implementing the changes. The current set of RSA-funded
VR technical assistance centers will be reaching the end of their five-
year performance period, and the Department believes the new priority
areas will provide the training and technical assistance that State VR
agencies need. Given the status of the State VR agencies in
implementing the specific changes based on WIOA, RSA believes that
State VR agency personnel will benefit from technical assistance to
achieve the State VR agency's program management, service delivery, and
quality employment goals, in a manner consistent with the priority and
with each State's particular circumstances, including those related to
COVID-19. RSA expects that the new technical assistance centers will be
able to respond to the technical assistance needs of the State VR
agencies.
Changes: None.
Comment: One commenter noted that quality management is a pressing
topic for individuals with disabilities accessing the State VR program
for the purpose of achieving competitive integrated employment. This
commenter also noted that the amendments to the Rehabilitation Act
emphasized expanding quality employment outcomes and career advancement
for individuals with disabilities. The commenter suggested that the
VRTAC-QM focus on fiscal and programmatic changes to VR agency
operations that are philosophically consistent with the emphasis on
expanding quality employment outcomes and career advancement for as
many eligible individuals with disabilities as possible. The commenter
also suggested that increasing the capacity of agencies in these areas
should result in qualifying individuals for services in a manner that
does not lead to the disqualification of other individuals.
Discussion: The Department appreciates the commenter's suggestions.
The priority for the VRTAC-QM stresses maximizing available resources
to support consumer services and includes the types of services and
outcomes suggested by the commenter.
Changes: None.
Project Requirements
Comment: One commenter suggested making it mandatory to include a
representative from a CRP or a provider association on the advisory
committee for the VRTAC-QM.
Discussion: The Department acknowledges the important role of CRPs
in assisting individuals with disabilities to achieve their employment
outcomes. The proposed priority for the VRTAC-QM requires a
representative of stakeholders, which would include CRPs, to serve on
the committee. However, given the important role of CRPs in providing
rehabilitation services, RSA agrees with the commenter that the
committee must include a CRP representative.
Changes: We added CRP representatives to the list of required
members of the VRTAC-QM advisory committee in the Project Requirements
section of Priority 1.
Comment: One commenter asked for clarification regarding whether
the VRTAC-QM has discretion to provide distinct intensive training and
technical assistance to State VR agencies on resource management or
programmatic management.
Discussion: The Department believes that the VRTAC-QM should have
the capacity to provide intensive training and technical assistance to
VR agencies on both program management and resource management. The
VRTAC-QM may provide training and technical assistance to State VR
agency personnel on topics related to program management, resource
management, or both, based on the participating State VR agency's
identified needs.
Changes: None.
Comment: One commenter asked whether the state-of-the-art website
and information technology (IT) platform to be established by the
technical assistance centers for communicating with State VR agencies
can be an existing website specifically designed to house and provide
VR-specific information and resources, or whether a new site must be
constructed.
Discussion: If the grantee has a website that can be modified for
the purpose of the specific technical assistance center and it meets
all of the final requirements, RSA may approve that website. Otherwise,
a new website must be constructed for the purpose of the VRTAC-QM or
VRTAC-QE exclusively.
Changes: None.
Comment: One commenter suggested that the VRTAC-QM have three
critical management objectives: (1) Explore strategies to respond to
increased demands for services that build capacity through the redesign
of service delivery, including, but not limited to, virtual counseling,
outcome-based payments to incentivize success with job placement and
worker retention, and increased emphasis on poverty reduction that
recognizes the impact of financial stress on physical and mental
health; (2) develop new options for collaboration that draw additional
financial and human resources in coordination with VR to meet expanded
client demand; and (3) expand coordination with the employer community
to build new on-ramps and pathways into employment for individuals with
disabilities through inclusive apprenticeships and entrepreneurial
opportunities.
Discussion: The Department agrees that these three objectives are
reasonable options under the priorities, if they are among the needs
identified by the participating VR agency; supported by the agency's
strengths, weaknesses, opportunities for improvement, and threats
(SWOT) quality management assessment; and included in the corresponding
training and technical assistance agreement. Please note that building
new on-ramps and pathways into employment for individuals with
disabilities is
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addressed through the priority for the VRTAC-QE.
Changes: None.
Comment: One commenter suggested that RSA establish criteria to
prioritize the State VR agencies to receive intensive technical
assistance from the technical assistance centers. The commenter noted
that the criteria would be based on the degree to which State VR
agencies exhibit (1) ownership of their conditions, (2) engagement
willingness, (3) clear understanding of technical assistance to meet
needs, and (4) partnership and communication capacities.
Discussion: The Department agrees that, given the limited resources
of the technical assistance centers, it is possible that there will be
multiple VR agencies requiring training and technical assistance from
the centers. The technical assistance centers need to have a system in
place to address this scenario so that they can prioritize the training
and technical assistance to the State VR agencies most in need. RSA
will work with the technical assistance centers to prioritize which VR
agencies get technical assistance through the cooperative agreement
between RSA and the technical assistance centers.
Changes: None.
Comment: One commenter suggested that the Department be cautious
reaching any conclusions regarding VR agencies' performance that are
based primarily on data from Program Year (PY) 2017 and PY 2018 because
the reliability, validity, and completeness of the new performance
indicator data first reported in 2017 are limited. The commenter noted
that the current RSA-911 reporting requirements that went into effect
on July 1, 2017, compelled State VR agencies to make substantial,
complex, and challenging revisions to the information collected and
reported on the individuals they serve, and to provide significant
training and support to VR counselors who are responsible for much of
the new data collection. The commenter stated that, in particular, the
PY 2017 and PY 2018 data on measurable skill gains (MSG) among VR
participants enrolled in education or training were suppressed by
limitations on the timeframe for reporting those gains, combined with
the requirement for VR staff to verify the gains with supporting
documentation for each reported skill gain, often under significant
time pressure. This commenter also suggested that the employment
records for VR participants maintained by State Unemployment Insurance
(UI) programs do not include all VR participants who achieved
employment outcomes. The commenter noted that, due to State VR
agencies' limited resources for extensive ``contact tracing'' of
individuals who do not have UI wage records, the data on participants'
post-VR employment and earnings will continue being underreported for a
period of time until all State VR agencies are able to access the
cross-State UI wage data.
Discussion: The Department appreciates the commenter's suggestions
regarding data collection and analysis related to VR agencies'
performance, MSG, and post-VR employment and earnings of VR
participants. RSA has provided, and is continuing to provide, tools and
technical assistance to VR agencies to help improve the completeness
and accuracy of data reported by VR agencies. These tools and technical
assistance include RSA-911 policy directives, RSA and Workforce
Innovation Technical Assistance Center (WINTAC) training series on MSG
and credential attainment, and exit and post-exit data elements. RSA
believes that the technical assistance centers will further respond to
VR agency personnel's needs in conducting data collection and analyses
related to VR agencies' performance employment outcomes of individuals
with disabilities, including MSG and post-VR employment and earnings
data addressed by the commenter.
Changes: None.
Comment: None.
Discussion: After further review of the project requirements, we
did not want to limit the dissemination of the summative findings to
only the fifth year of the grant, as there are formative findings
throughout the grant period, while the technical assistance is
occurring, that could be shared with a larger audience. We are
interested in these additional presentations to give centers more
opportunities to share about successes and challenges that they have
experienced in order to better inform the work of the field in an
incremental and progressive manner. Accordingly we are revising Project
Requirement (7) under Priority 1 and Project Requirement (6) under
Priority 2, as well as Additional Application Requirement (b)(6) under
Priorities 1 and 2, to provide that the centers must engage in
dissemination activities in all years of the grant period, with a
special focus in the fifth year, rather than in the fifth year alone.
Changes: We have revised Project Requirement (7) under Priority 1
and Project Requirement (6) under Priority 2, as well as Additional
Application Requirement (b)(6) under Priorities 1 and 2, to require the
centers to present at a national conference or regional forums or
specialized meetings throughout the grant period, with special focus in
the fifth year of the grant, to disseminate the centers' summative
findings and results.
Definitions
Comment: One commenter noted that in the proposed priority the
terms ``fiscal management'' and ``resource management'' are both used.
This commenter asked for clarification on what these two terms relate
to and suggested that RSA define each of the terms to distinguish the
key differences between the two.
Discussion: For these priorities, ``resource management'' refers to
the efficient and effective development of a VR agency's resources when
they are needed. Such resources may include financial resources, agency
personnel skills, community rehabilitation resources, or information
technology, including information technology for individuals with
disabilities. ``Fiscal management'' refers to the practice of applying
general management principles to the financial resources of the agency
or organization. Such financial resources may include planning,
organizing, directing, and controlling financial activities such as the
procurement and utilization of funds of the organization. We believe
that the key differences between the two terms are explained in the
eight bullets at the end of Priority 1 that provide several examples of
effective resource management. Therefore, a definition is not required.
Changes: None.
Final Priorities
Priority 1
Vocational Rehabilitation Technical Assistance Center for Quality
Management
The purpose of this priority is to fund a cooperative agreement to
establish a Vocational Rehabilitation Technical Assistance Center for
Quality Management (VRTAC-QM).
The VRTAC-QM will provide intensive training and technical
assistance, targeted training and technical assistance, and universal
training and technical assistance to State VR agencies on quality
management strategies that will enable VR agencies to improve service
delivery to, and employment outcomes achieved by, individuals with
disabilities. For States that request intensive training and technical
assistance, the training and technical assistance will upgrade and
increase the competencies, skills,
[[Page 46543]]
and knowledge of VR personnel, enabling them to assess current VR
program performance and to identify the strengths, weaknesses,
opportunities for improvement, and threats (SWOT) that impact the
effectiveness of VR agency service delivery and the quality of
employment outcomes. This SWOT assessment will be based on a review of
a wide variety of information sources, including, but not limited to,
RSA's monitoring findings and recommendations; State audit reports;
consumer feedback provided in public hearings and through consumer
satisfaction surveys; results of comprehensive statewide needs
assessments; and input from workforce development partners, community
rehabilitation programs, and other VR stakeholders. Based on SWOT
assessments, the center and VR agency personnel will develop
individualized intensive training and technical assistance agreements
designed to provide personnel with skills and strategies they need to
address the weaknesses identified in the SWOT assessments to improve
service delivery and employment outcomes for individuals with
disabilities. The center will also provide VR agency personnel with
technical assistance on evaluating whether the quality management
strategies they adopt lead to increasing the percentage of participants
who achieve an MSG and exit the program with an employment outcome and
to modify those strategies, if necessary, to achieve continuous program
improvement. In addition to the intensive training and technical
assistance, the VRTAC-QM also will provide targeted training and
technical assistance and universal training and technical assistance to
State VR agencies on a broad range of quality management strategies and
practices, both programmatic and fiscal, to address needs common to
many agencies.
With regard to program management and performance, the VRTAC-QM's
training and technical assistance will support the assessment,
development, and enhancement of staff knowledge, skills, and abilities
to perform the following functions in order to improve service delivery
and employment outcomes for individuals with disabilities:
Analyzing the State VR agency's comprehensive system of
personnel development to identify strengths and weaknesses in staff's
ability to understand and address factors affecting program performance
and designing management strategies to address these deficits.
Analyzing case service data to identify trends and
inconsistencies in program performance, and developing strategies to
improve the effectiveness and timeliness of services provided,
including addressing inconsistencies in the quality and quantity of
employment outcomes achieved by various groups of individuals with
disabilities served by the program.
Understanding statutory and regulatory requirements
related to performance management, including calculations for the
common performance measures required under WIOA and factors that may be
affecting the agency's performance on these measures.
Conducting quality assurance and performance improvement,
including the use of data for performance management systems and the
implementation of the common performance measures required by WIOA.
Strategic planning to address aspects of the SWOT
assessment that pose challenges and barriers to improving service
delivery and employment outcomes for individuals with disabilities,
particularly students and youth with disabilities and individuals with
significant and the most significant disabilities.
Implementing effective and efficient policies for
delivering pre-employment transition services under section 113, VR
services under section 103(a), and supported employment services under
title VI of the Rehabilitation Act.
Understanding the relationship to important outcomes of
various cost containment measures, such as implementing an order of
selection giving priority for services to individuals with the most
significant disabilities, establishing a financial needs test for
various services, implementing policies for consumer participation in
the cost of services, and implementing the requirement to seek
comparable services and benefits for certain services, among others.
Under the VR program, agencies must comply with several complex
Federal fiscal requirements related to maintenance of effort,
reallotment, reservation of funds for pre-employment transition
services, and match, among others. VR agencies must understand, track,
assess, and adjust, when necessary, program activities to meet these
requirements while maximizing program outcomes. Additionally, the lack
of knowledge and skills in fiscal and resource management can
negatively affect the ability of VR agency personnel to meet consumer
needs, for example, necessitating the implementation of orders of
selection limiting the numbers of eligible individuals served in the VR
program. With regard to effective resource management, the training and
technical assistance will support the assessment, development, and
enhancement of staff knowledge, skills, and abilities to ensure that--
Resources, including program funds and personnel, are
being used for allowable purposes and innovative employment strategies
and supports that maximize employment outcomes for individuals with
disabilities, including students and youth with disabilities and
individuals with significant and the most significant disabilities;
Programs have sound internal controls and reliable
reporting systems upon which to base fiscal and programmatic decision-
making to support attainment of program goals and objectives, including
those related to increasing the numbers and qualifications of service
delivery personnel; and
Resources, including program funds and personnel, are
maximized for program needs.
The following are examples of activities the VRTAC-QM may undertake
to address weaknesses in resource management:
Assess grantee financial management processes used to
support attainment of fiscal and programmatic outcomes (for example,
whether an agency's fiscal processes support the accurate tracking and
reporting of non-Federal funds to maximize the drawdown of Federal
award funds to support attainment of employment outcomes). The
assessment will be used to identify areas for improvement in fiscal
processes that will assist the agency in meeting program goals.
Assess personnel training and technical assistance needs
to identify gaps in fiscal knowledge, skills, and abilities that
prevent the agency from effective and efficient resource utilization
necessary to achieve employment outcomes.
Provide intensive training and technical assistance on
financial planning to maximize program resources and attainment of
program goals and objectives, maximizing opportunities for funds
matching, avoiding potential maintenance of effort and match penalties,
and meeting the reservation of funds requirement for pre-employment
transition services in order to increase resources available for
service delivery.
Provide technical assistance on implementing Federal,
State, and program fiscal requirements, including
[[Page 46544]]
internal controls, in an efficient and effective manner to reduce
unnecessary burden and to focus efforts on program outcomes.
Provide technical assistance on the identification,
collection, and analysis of program and fiscal data necessary for
program management and maximizing available resources to support
consumer services.
Priority 2
Vocational Rehabilitation Technical Assistance Center for Quality
Employment
The purpose of this priority is to fund a cooperative agreement to
establish a Vocational Rehabilitation Technical Assistance Center for
Quality Employment (VRTAC-QE).
The purpose of the VRTAC-QE is to upgrade and increase the
competencies, skills, and knowledge of VR personnel to implement and
sustain employment strategies and supporting practices that enable
individuals with disabilities to achieve quality employment and career
advancement, particularly competitive integrated employment as defined
in the Rehabilitation Act. The center will include strategies and
practices that meet the needs and promote the quality employment of
individuals with significant and the most significant disabilities,
students and youth with disabilities, and traditionally underserved
populations. The VRTAC-QE will implement a coordinated plan to provide
intensive training and technical assistance, targeted training and
technical assistance, and universal training and technical assistance
to State VR agencies on a broad range of employment strategies and
supporting practices.
Employment strategies for consideration include, but are not
limited to, the following:
(a) Career pathways education, training, and supports in high-
demand occupations, including those in science, technology,
engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields.
(b) Registered and industry-recognized apprenticeships, pre-
apprenticeships, and on-the-job training.
(c) Supported employment and customized employment.
(d) Customized training and credential programs to meet employer
demand.
(e) Self-employment and entrepreneurship, including services
available under the Randolph-Sheppard Vending Facility Program.
(f) Business engagement and employer supports, including dual
customer models such as Progressive Employment.
Supporting practices for consideration include, but are not limited
to, the following:
(1) Practices to enhance the employment capacity of individuals
with the most significant disabilities receiving supported employment
services, such as the Individual Placement and Support model.
(2) Pre-employment transition services that prepare students with
disabilities and transition services that prepare youth with
disabilities to identify career interests through work-based learning
and early career exploration opportunities, including internships and
job shadowing, with a focus on high-demand and STEM careers.
(3) Career counseling techniques and resources, including labor
market information tools such as Career Index Plus.
(4) Strategies involving workforce development partners, community
rehabilitation programs, and other community-based organizations to
provide the comprehensive support services that individuals with
significant and the most significant disabilities need to succeed, such
as the Integrated Resource Teams model.
(5) Approaches that encourage VR clients to enter and remain
engaged in the VR process, such as rapid engagement, motivational
interviewing, benefits counseling, and financial empowerment training,
and vehicles such as the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) tax-
free accounts for individuals with disabilities.
(6) Community outreach strategies to expand the pool of potential
VR applicants and referral sources, including traditionally underserved
populations.
Types of Priorities
When inviting applications for a competition using one or more
priorities, we designate the type of each priority as absolute,
competitive preference, or invitational through a notice in the Federal
Register. The effect of each type of priority follows:
Absolute priority: Under an absolute priority, we consider only
applications that meet the priority (34 CFR 75.105(c)(3)).
Competitive preference priority: Under a competitive preference
priority, we give competitive preference to an application by (1)
awarding additional points, depending on the extent to which the
application meets the priority (34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i)); or (2)
selecting an application that meets the priority over an application of
comparable merit that does not meet the priority (34 CFR
75.105(c)(2)(ii)).
Invitational priority: Under an invitational priority, we are
particularly interested in applications that meet the priority.
However, we do not give an application that meets the priority a
preference over other applications (34 CFR 75.105(c)(1)).
Final Requirements
The Department establishes the following requirements for these
priorities. We may apply these requirements in any year in which these
priorities are in effect.
Project Requirements of Priority 1
To meet the requirements of this priority, the VRTAC-QM must, at a
minimum, conduct one or more of the following activities:
(1) Establish a committee on quality management of State VR
programs that meets at least semi-annually to obtain individual advice
and recommendations for the project.
The committee must include, but is not limited to, individuals with
disabilities, representatives from State VR agencies, representatives
from community rehabilitation programs, stakeholders, and individuals
with subject matter expertise in improving outcomes through effective
program and resource management and in employment strategies for people
with disabilities. At a minimum, the committee members will provide
individual input and recommendations pertaining to the implementation
of the project and the project evaluation and quality assurance plan.
(2) Establish a state-of-the-art website and information technology
(IT) platform for communicating with State VR agencies and ensure that
all products produced by the VRTAC-QM and posted on the website meet
government and industry-recognized standards for accessibility.
The website will become a key training and technical assistance
delivery vehicle; a major communication center for the VRTAC-QM and
State VR agencies; and the central repository of information about
quality management strategies and practices that will form the basis
for intensive training and technical assistance, targeted training and
technical assistance, and universal training and technical assistance.
(3) Complete a comprehensive review of programmatic and fiscal
quality management strategies and practices for VR services for
individuals with disabilities to achieve employment
[[Page 46545]]
outcomes and develop an overarching training and technical assistance
plan for the project. Both the review and the plan must be made
available to the public, ensuring applicable privacy requirements are
met.
The purpose of the review is to identify those strategies and
practices for inclusion in VRTAC-QM's overarching training and
technical assistance plan. The center will develop an analytical
framework and selection criteria against which to evaluate potential
strategies and practices. The analysis will focus on: State VR agency
needs and priorities, up-to-date information on quality management
strategies and practices that have proven to be effective in the field
of rehabilitation as well as other public and private sectors of the
economy that may have applicability to the management of VR agencies,
and quantitative and qualitative research on the effectiveness of the
identified program and resource management strategies and practices
leading to improved service delivery and employment outcomes for
individuals with disabilities.
Sources of information used for this review may include: State VR
agency interviews and consultations; information from such sources as
the RSA-911 Case Service Report aggregate data, general labor market
data and information, Unified or Combined State Plans, and RSA
monitoring reports; and information and resources generated by
technical assistance centers funded by the U.S. Departments of
Education, Labor, and Health and Human Services.
The overarching training and technical assistance plan must
include, at a minimum--
(a) Quality management strategies and practices that result in
improved service delivery and employment outcomes for individuals with
disabilities, including the rationale for their selection;
(b) Conceptual framework for the selected strategies and practices,
including key assumptions, expectations, and presumed relationships or
linkages among strategies and practices;
(c) Nature and scope of the intensive training and technical
assistance, targeted training and technical assistance, and universal
training and technical assistance to be provided in support of the
selected strategies and practices; and
(d) Protocols and timelines for requesting and obtaining training
and technical assistance.
(4) Provide intensive training and technical assistance to State VR
agencies.
Intensive training and technical assistance will be provided to
increase State VR agencies' capacity to adopt, expand, or sustain
programmatic and fiscal quality management strategies and practices
that improve the quality of service delivery and employment outcomes.
Intensive training and technical assistance will be provided on-site,
over an extended period, under the terms of signed intensive training
and technical assistance agreements between the VRTAC-QM and the
participating State VR agencies. Numerical targets for the number of
intensive training and technical assistance agreements will be included
in the cooperative agreement between RSA and the VRTAC-QM. Agreements
will reflect the participating VR agencies' needs and priorities,
goals, and objectives. They must include the following components:
(a) Quality management strategies and practices to be implemented
by the State VR agency and that result in improved service delivery and
employment outcomes.
(b) Nature and scope of the training and technical assistance to be
provided by the VRTAC-QM.
(c) Roles and responsibilities of the VRTAC-QM, State VR agency,
other workforce development partners, community rehabilitation
programs, and other partners, including the commitment of resources.
(d) Logic model \1\ that includes: Performance outcomes, targets,
and baselines; project activities, inputs, and outputs; and data
collection and analysis commitments.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ ``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.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The intensive training and technical assistance agreements will be
developed based on the VRTAC-QM and participating VR agency's review
and analysis of such information sources as Unified or Combined State
Plans; RSA-911 and other performance data; general labor market data
and information; RSA monitoring reports; State audit reports; and a
review of pertinent Federal, State, and local resources in the State,
including existing employment and training programs.
(5) Provide targeted training and technical assistance and
universal training and technical assistance on programmatic and fiscal
quality management strategies and practices that lead to effective and
efficient service delivery and quality employment outcomes.
(6) Coordinate training and technical assistance with other
technical assistance centers.
The VRTAC-QM must coordinate the provision of training and
technical assistance with the Vocational Rehabilitation Technical
Assistance Center for Quality Employment and other RSA-funded technical
assistance and training centers. This coordination is particularly
critical when developing intensive training and technical assistance
agreements with the VR agencies to avoid confusion and duplication of
efforts. The VRTAC-QM must also coordinate with other technical
assistance centers funded by the U.S. Departments of Education, Labor,
and Health and Human Services.
(7) Present at a national conference or regional forums or
specialized meetings throughout the grant period, with special focus in
the fifth year of the grant to disseminate the VRTAC-QM's summative
findings and results.
The primary objectives are to help State VR agencies to expand and
sustain their VRTAC-QM programmatic and fiscal management strategies
and practices that result in improved service delivery and employment
outcomes by promoting an exchange of ideas and experiences with other
participating VR agencies and to encourage other State VR agencies to
consider adopting VRTAC-QM strategies and practices. In addition, the
VRTAC-QM will explore cost-effective approaches such as virtual
convenings to engage VR agencies and partners who may be unable to
attend in-person meetings.
(8) Develop a plan for an evaluation, including a timeline for the
evaluation and measurement benchmarks, that will assess the effect of
the center's training and technical assistance on the service delivery
and employment outcomes achieved by the VR agencies that received the
center's services. This should be done through an analysis of the
quality, relevance, and usefulness of VRTAC-QM training and technical
assistance activities designed to improve State VR agencies' program
and resource management and lead to improved service delivery and
achievement of high-quality employment outcomes and career advancement.
Project Requirements of Priority 2
To meet the requirements of this priority, the VRTAC-QE must, at a
minimum, conduct one or more of the following activities:
(1) Establish a state-of-the-art website and IT platform for
communicating with
[[Page 46546]]
State VR agencies and ensure that all products produced by the VRTAC-QE
and posted on the website meet government and industry-recognized
standards for accessibility.
The website will become a key training and technical assistance
delivery vehicle; a major communication center for the VRTAC-QE, State
VR agencies, workforce development partners, and other professionals;
and the central repository of information about employment strategies
and practices that will form the basis for intensive training and
technical assistance, targeted training and technical assistance, and
universal training and technical assistance.
(2) Complete a comprehensive review of effective strategies and
practices leading to quality employment for individuals with
disabilities and develop an overarching training and technical
assistance plan for the project. Both the review and the plan must be
made available to the public, ensuring applicable privacy requirements
are met.
The purpose of the review is to identify employment strategies and
supporting practices for inclusion in VRTAC-QE's overarching training
and technical assistance plan. The center will develop an analytical
framework and selection criteria against which to evaluate potential
strategies and practices. The analysis will focus on: State VR agency
needs and priorities; up-to-date information on national trends,
barriers, challenges, and opportunities regarding quality employment
for individuals with disabilities, including factors leading to
successful employment of individuals with significant and the most
significant disabilities, students and youth with disabilities, and
traditionally underserved populations; and quantitative and qualitative
research on the effectiveness of the identified strategies and
practices.
Sources of information for this review may include, but are not
limited to, State VR agency interviews and consultations; analyses of
aggregate RSA-911 Case Service Report data, Unified or Combined State
Plans, and RSA monitoring reports; information and tools generated by
RSA's vocational rehabilitation technical assistance centers and
special demonstration projects, available on the National Clearinghouse
of Rehabilitation Training Materials website; and other resources
funded by the U.S. Departments of Education, Labor, and Health and
Human Services, and institutions of higher education.
The overarching training and technical assistance plan must
include, at a minimum--
(a) Employment strategies and supporting practices, including the
rationale for their selection;
(b) Conceptual framework for the selected strategies and practices,
including key assumptions, expectations, and presumed relationships or
linkages among strategies and practices;
(c) Nature and scope of the intensive training and technical
assistance, targeted training and technical assistance, and universal
training and technical assistance to be provided in support of the
selected strategies and practices; and
(d) Protocols and timelines for requesting and obtaining training
and technical assistance.
(3) Provide intensive training and technical assistance to State VR
agencies.
Intensive training and technical assistance will be provided to
increase the capacity of State VR agencies to adopt, expand, or sustain
employment strategies and supporting practices that improve the quality
of employment outcomes. Intensive training and technical assistance
will be provided on-site, over an extended period, under the terms of
signed intensive training and technical assistance agreements between
the VRTAC-QE and the participating State VR agencies. Numerical targets
for the number of intensive training and technical assistance
agreements will be included in the cooperative agreement between RSA
and the VRTAC-QE. Agreements will reflect the participating VR
agencies' needs and priorities, goals, and objectives. They must
include the following components:
(a) Employment strategies and supporting practices to be
implemented by the State VR agency.
(b) Nature and scope of the training and technical assistance to be
provided by the VRTAC-QE.
(c) Roles and responsibilities of the VRTAC-QE, State VR agency,
workforce development partners, community rehabilitation programs, and
other partners, including the commitment of resources.
(d) Logic model \2\ that includes: State-specific performance
outcomes, targets, and baselines; project activities, inputs, and
outputs; and data collection and analysis commitments.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\2\ ``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.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The intensive training and technical assistance agreements will be
developed based on the VRTAC-QE and participating VR agency's review
and analysis of such information sources as Unified or Combined State
Plans; RSA-911 and other performance data; RSA monitoring reports;
relevant labor market information; and a review of pertinent Federal,
State, and local resources in the State, including existing employment
and training programs.
Intensive training and technical assistance will be implemented in
coordination with, and leveraging the resources of, State and local
workforce development partners and other parties specified in the
intensive training and technical assistance agreement.
(4) Provide targeted training and technical assistance meeting the
identified needs of a limited number of State VR agencies, as well as
universal training and technical assistance broadly available to all
State VR agencies and their partners.
(5) Coordinate training and technical assistance with other
technical assistance centers.
The VRTAC-QE must coordinate the provision of training and
technical assistance with the Vocational Rehabilitation Technical
Assistance Center for Quality Management and other RSA-funded training
and technical assistance investments. This coordination is particularly
critical when developing intensive training and technical assistance
agreements with the VR agencies to avoid confusion and duplication of
efforts. The VRTAC-QE must also coordinate with other training and
technical assistance resources funded by the U.S. Departments of
Education, Labor, and Health and Human Services, and other pertinent
Federal or State organizations, and institutions of higher education,
as appropriate.
(6) Disseminate VRTAC-QE summative findings and results through a
national conference or regional forums or specialized meetings
throughout the grant period, with special focus in the fifth year of
the grant. The primary objectives are to help State VR agencies to
expand and sustain their VRTAC-QE strategies and practices and to
encourage other State VR agencies to consider adopting some VRTAC-QE
strategies and practices by promoting an exchange of ideas and
experiences with other participating VR agencies. To maximize the
dissemination of project findings and results throughout the
[[Page 46547]]
grant period, with special focus in the fifth year, the VRTAC-QE will
explore cost-effective approaches such as virtual convenings to engage
VR agencies and partners who may be unable to attend in-person
meetings.
(7) Develop a plan for an evaluation, including a timeline for the
evaluation and measurement benchmarks, that will assess VRTAC-QE
employment strategies and supporting activities' effect on VR
participants' employment outcomes and career advancement. The
evaluation will also assess the quality, relevance, and usefulness of
the VRTAC-QE's training and technical assistance in improving State VR
agencies' ability to identify and implement the appropriate strategies
and practices.
Application Requirements
The following application requirements apply to both Priority 1 and
Priority 2. The Department encourages innovative approaches to meet
these requirements. Applicants must--
(a) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under
``Quality of the Evaluation Plan,'' how the proposed project will meet
the evaluation requirements of the priority. Applicants must describe
the anticipated implementation steps, milestones, and timelines for the
development of a logic model for the project. The logic model must
include data elements, inputs, activities, outputs, and short-term and
long-term performance indicators regarding--
(1) Quantitative outcomes resulting from the program management or
employment strategies and practices, including--
(i) Quality and timeliness of the VR processes and services;
(ii) Number and quality of employment outcomes;
(iii) VR participants' employment or career-readiness;
(iv) Cost-effectiveness; and
(v) Sustainability;
(2) Quality, relevance, and usefulness of the project's training
and technical assistance activities;
(3) Quantitative or qualitative insights about the relationship
between strategies, practices, and training and technical assistance
activities on critical outcomes for VR personnel, VR clients, and key
partners, including through--
(i) Pre- and post-training assessments;
(ii) Comparison groups;
(iii) Focus groups; or
(iv) Success stories.
(b) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under
``Adequacy of Project Resources,'' how the applicant will ensure that--
(1) The proposed project will encourage applications for employment
from persons who are members of groups that have historically been
underrepresented based on race, color, national origin, gender, age, or
disability, as appropriate;
(2) Projects will be operated in a manner consistent with
nondiscrimination requirements contained in the U.S. Constitution and
the Federal civil rights laws;
(3) Key project personnel, consultants, and subcontractors have the
qualifications and experience to meet all the requirements of the
priority, including expertise in--
(i) Programmatic areas addressed in the Project Requirements
section of the priority;
(ii) Program and resource management and oversight;
(iii) Knowledge translation and dissemination, including the
effective use of communication technologies; and
(iv) Project evaluation leading to continuous improvement,
including qualitative and quantitative assessments;
(4) The applicant and key partners have adequate resources to carry
out the proposed project activities, and achieve anticipated project
outcomes and impact on the VR services to individuals with
disabilities, including assurances that the proposed allocation of
human and financial resources for project evaluation will be enough to
meet the requirements in section (a) of the application requirement
regarding the ``Quality of the Evaluation Plan,'' above; and
(5) The proposed costs are reasonable in relation to the
anticipated results and benefits.
(c) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under
``Quality of the Management Plan,'' how the applicant will ensure
that--
(1) The project's intended outcomes, including implementation of
the evaluation plan, will be achieved on time and within budget,
through--
(i) Clearly defined responsibilities of key project personnel,
consultants, and contractors, as applicable;
(ii) Procedures to track and ensure completion of the action steps,
timelines, and milestones established for key project activities,
requirements, and deliverables, in accordance with the cooperative
agreement between RSA and the applicant;
(iii) Internal monitoring processes to ensure that the project is
being implemented in accordance with an established project performance
plan, including timelines and milestones; and
(iv) Financial and budgetary oversight processes to ensure timely
obligations and reporting of grant funds, in accordance with the
Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit
Requirements for Federal Awards at 2 CFR part 200 and the terms and
conditions of the Federal award;
(2) The allocation of key project personnel, consultants, and
contractors--including levels of effort of key personnel--will be
appropriate and adequate to achieve the project's intended outcomes,
including an assurance that key personnel will have enough availability
to ensure timely communications with stakeholders and RSA;
(3) The proposed management plan will ensure that the products and
services are of high quality, relevance, and usefulness, in both
content and delivery; and
(4) The proposed project will benefit from a diversity of
perspectives, including those of State and local personnel, providers,
researchers, and policy makers, among others, in its development and
operation.
Additional Application Requirements for Priority 1
The following application requirements apply only to priority 1
(VRTAC-QM). The Department encourages innovative approaches to meet
these requirements. Applicants must--
(a) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under
``Significance of the Project,'' how the proposed project will increase
State VR agencies' capacity to improve the quality of VR services and
employment outcomes for individuals with disabilities by enabling VR
agencies to develop and implement efficient and effective program and
resource management techniques leading to increases in the numbers and
improved skills of VR counselors and other service delivery personnel.
To meet this requirement, the applicant must demonstrate--
(1) Knowledge about State VR program challenges, opportunities,
barriers, and trends regarding program and resource management or
quality employment outcomes for individuals with disabilities including
those with significant and the most significant disabilities, students
and youth with disabilities, and traditionally underserved populations;
(2) Knowledge about Federal, State, and nongovernment initiatives
to promote program and resource management and quality employment
[[Page 46548]]
outcomes for individuals with disabilities, particularly in response to
requirements under WIOA;
(3) The proposed project's potential to contribute to these
Federal, State, and nongovernment initiatives by assisting State VR
agencies in equipping personnel with the necessary skills and training
to implement the substantive provisions of the Rehabilitation Act
introduced by WIOA that are designed to improve the quality of
employment outcomes for individuals with disabilities; and
(4) How the proposed project will increase State VR agencies'
capacity to implement program and resource management strategies
leading to improved VR services, employment outcomes, and career
advancement opportunities for individuals with disabilities.
(b) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application, under
``Quality of Project Services,'' how the proposed project will achieve
the goals, objectives, and intended outcomes of this priority. To meet
this requirement, the applicant must describe its plan for implementing
the project, including major implementation activities, timelines, and
milestones (particularly for the initial fiscal year), as well as key
assumptions and expectations, presumed relationships or linkages among
variables, and underlying rationale and empirical support, for the
following Project Requirements of the priority:
(1) State-of-the-art website. Applicants must describe how the
website will serve as an effective communication center, training and
technical assistance delivery vehicle, and repository of information
about quality management or employment strategies and practices,
including--
(i) Expected features and capabilities, including information-
delivery and stakeholder-convening technologies; and
(ii) Anticipated uses of such features and capabilities in support
of the project goals and objectives.
(2) Comprehensive review. Applicants must describe how the
comprehensive review will provide the factual basis for the project
training and technical assistance plan. At a minimum, the comprehensive
review must include--
(i) Input from State VR agencies about their needs, priorities, and
innovative approaches to program and resource management that lead to
improved service delivery;
(ii) Information regarding the latest--
(A) National trends, barriers, challenges, and opportunities;
(B) Effective and efficient program and resource management
strategies, techniques, and practices that may be applicable to State
VR agencies; and
(C) Additional information that the applicant deems relevant; and
(iii) An analytical framework for assessing the collected
information and selecting the program and resource management
strategies and practices for inclusion in the training and technical
assistance plans.
(3) Provision of intensive training and technical assistance.
Applicants must describe how the intensive training and technical
assistance agreements will increase State VR agencies' capacity to
improve the State VR agencies' performance and quality employment
outcomes for individuals with disabilities, through State-appropriate--
(i) Program and resource management;
(ii) Federal, State, and local partnerships; and
(iii) Performance outcomes, outputs, inputs, targets, baselines,
and data collection requirements.
(4) Provision of targeted training and technical assistance and
universal training and technical assistance. Applicants must describe
how each training and technical assistance modality (targeted or
universal) will help State VR agencies to adopt, expand, and sustain
program and resource management practices. For each training and
technical assistance modality, describe--
(i) Topics, activities, and products;
(ii) Intended audience and outreach strategies;
(iii) Content delivery and dissemination methods; and
(iv) Steps to ensure quality, relevance, and usefulness.
(5) Coordination. The applicant must describe how it will maximize
coordination between the VRTAC-QE and the VRTAC-QM and seek
opportunities to coordinate with other training and technical
assistance investments, including those funded by the U.S. Departments
of Education, Labor, and Health and Human Services, in the provision of
training and technical assistance to State VR agencies.
(6) National conference, regional forums, or specialized meetings
throughout the grant period, with special focus in the fifth year of
the grant performance period. Applicants must describe how the project
will disseminate its summative findings and results, including cost-
effective approaches such as virtual convenings to engage State VR
agencies and other potential Federal, State, local, and nongovernment
partners, including--
(i) Types of events (e.g., conferences, forums, specialized
meetings);
(ii) Target audience (e.g., by event type, types of stakeholders
with a variety of roles and sectors); and
(iii) Convening modes (in-person, virtual).
(c) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under
``Quality of the Evaluation Plan,'' the applicant's capacity and
experience in addressing the State VR agencies' training and technical
assistance needs in the areas of program and resource management,
including but not limited to strategic planning and performance
improvement leading to performance improvement, including SWOT
assessment related to implementing strategies that ensure education
funds are spent in a way that increases their efficiency and cost-
effectiveness, including by reducing waste or achieving better
outcomes.
Additional Application Requirements for Priority 2
The following application requirements apply only to Priority 2
(VRTAC-QE). The Department encourages innovative approaches to meet
these requirements. Applicants must--
(a) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under
``Significance of the Project,'' how the proposed project will increase
State VR agencies' capacity to improve the quality of VR services and
employment outcomes for individuals with disabilities by enabling VR
agencies to develop and implement innovative employment and support
strategies that are designed to improve employment outcomes and career
advancement for individuals with disabilities. To meet this
requirement, the applicant must demonstrate--
(1) Knowledge about State VR program challenges, opportunities,
barriers, and trends regarding program and resource management or
quality employment outcomes for individuals with disabilities including
those with significant and the most significant disabilities, students
and youth with disabilities, and traditionally underserved populations;
(2) Knowledge about Federal, State, and nongovernment initiatives
to promote program and resource management and quality employment
outcomes for individuals with disabilities, particularly in response to
requirements under WIOA;
(3) The proposed project's potential to contribute to these
Federal, State, and nongovernment initiatives by assisting State VR
agencies in equipping
[[Page 46549]]
personnel with the necessary skills and training to implement the
substantive provisions of the Rehabilitation Act introduced by WIOA
that are designed to improve the quality of employment outcomes for
individuals with disabilities; and
(4) How the proposed project will increase State VR agencies'
capacity to implement employment strategies and supporting practices
leading to improved VR services, employment outcomes, and career
advancement opportunities for individuals with disabilities
(b) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application, under
``Quality of Project Services,'' how the proposed project will achieve
the goals, objectives, and intended outcomes of this priority. To meet
this requirement, the applicant must describe its plan for implementing
the project, including major implementation activities, timelines, and
milestones (particularly for the initial fiscal year), as well as key
assumptions and expectations, presumed relationships or linkages among
variables, and underlying rationale and empirical support, for the
following Project Requirements of the priority:
(1) State-of-the-art website. Applicants must describe how the
website will serve as an effective communication center, training and
technical assistance delivery vehicle, and repository of information
about quality management or employment strategies and practices,
including--
(i) Expected features and capabilities, including information-
delivery and stakeholder-convening technologies; and
(ii) Anticipated uses of such features and capabilities in support
of the project goals and objectives.
(2) Comprehensive review. Applicants must describe how the
comprehensive review will provide the factual basis for the project
training and technical assistance plan. At a minimum, the comprehensive
review must include--
(i) Input from State VR agencies about their needs, priorities, and
innovative approaches to program and resource management that lead to
quality employment and career-readiness that lead to quality employment
outcomes;
(ii) Information regarding the latest--
(A) National trends, barriers, challenges, and opportunities;
(B) Effective employment strategies and practices that prepare
individuals with disabilities to compete in the global economy and
designed to create or expand innovative and affordable paths to
relevant careers through postsecondary credentials or job-ready skills;
and
(C) Additional information that the applicant deems relevant; and
(iii) An analytical framework for assessing the collected
information and selecting the employment and career-readiness
strategies and practices for inclusion in the training and technical
assistance plans.
(3) Provision of intensive training and technical assistance.
Applicants must describe how the intensive training and technical
assistance agreements will increase State VR agencies' capacity to
improve the State VR agencies' performance and quality employment
outcomes for individuals with disabilities, through State-appropriate--
(i) Employment strategies and supporting practices;
(ii) Federal, State, and local partnerships; and
(iii) Performance outcomes, outputs, inputs, targets, baselines,
and data collection requirements.
(4) Provision of targeted training and technical assistance and
universal training and technical assistance. Applicants must describe
how each training and technical assistance modality (targeted or
universal) will help State VR agencies to adopt, expand, and sustain
employment strategies and practices that improve employment outcomes
and career advancement opportunities for eligible VR participants. For
each training and technical assistance modality, describe--
(i) Topics, activities, and products;
(ii) Intended audience and outreach strategies;
(iii) Content delivery and dissemination methods; and
(iv) Steps to ensure quality, relevance, and usefulness.
(5) Coordination. The applicant must describe how it will maximize
coordination between the VRTAC-QE and the VRTAC-QM and seek
opportunities to coordinate with other technical assistance centers,
including those funded by the U.S. Departments of Education, Labor, and
Health and Human Services, in the provision of training and technical
assistance to State VR agencies.
(6) National conference, regional forums, or specialized meetings
throughout the grant period, with special focus in the fifth year of
the grant performance period. Applicants must describe how the project
will disseminate its summative findings and results, including cost-
effective approaches such as virtual convenings to engage State VR
agencies and other potential Federal, State, local, and nongovernment
partners, including--
(i) Types of events (e.g., conferences, forums, specialized
meetings);
(ii) Target audience (e.g., by event type, types of stakeholders
with a variety of roles and sectors); and
(iii) Convening modes (in-person, virtual).
Final Definitions
The Department establishes the following definitions for use with
the VRTAC-QM and VRTAC-QE priorities to ensure that applicants have a
clear understanding of how we are using these terms.
Intensive training and technical assistance means training and
technical assistance provided to State VR agencies and State VR agency
personnel primarily on-site or through remote delivery, as needed and
appropriate, over an extended period. Intensive training and technical
assistance is based on an ongoing relationship between the training and
technical assistance center staff and State VR agencies and State VR
agency personnel under the terms of a signed intensive training and
technical assistance agreement.
Targeted training and technical assistance means training and
technical assistance based on needs common to one or more State VR
agencies and State VR agency personnel on a time-limited basis and with
limited commitment of training and technical assistance center
resources. Targeted training and technical assistance are delivered
through virtual or in-person methods tailored to the identified needs
of the participating State VR agencies and State VR agency personnel.
Universal training and technical assistance means training and
technical assistance broadly available to State VR agencies and State
VR agency personnel and other interested parties through their own
initiative, resulting in minimal interaction with training and
technical assistance center staff. Universal training and technical
assistance includes generalized presentations, products, and related
activities available through a website or through brief contacts with
the training and technical assistance center staff.
This document does not preclude us from proposing additional
priorities, requirements, definitions, or selection criteria, subject
to meeting applicable rulemaking requirements.
Note: This document does not solicit applications. In any year
in which we choose to use one or more of these priorities,
requirements, and definitions, we invite
[[Page 46550]]
applications through a notice in the Federal Register.
Executive Orders 12866, 13563, and 13771
Regulatory Impact Analysis
Under Executive Order 12866, the Secretary must determine whether
this regulatory action is ``significant'' and, therefore, subject to
the requirements of the Executive order and subject to review by the
Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Section 3(f) of Executive Order
12866 defines a ``significant regulatory action'' as an action likely
to result in a rule that may--
(1) Have an annual effect on the economy of $100 million or more,
or adversely affect a sector of the economy, productivity, competition,
jobs, the environment, public health or safety, or State, local, or
Tribal governments or communities in a material way (also referred to
as an ``economically significant'' rule);
(2) Create serious inconsistency or otherwise interfere with an
action taken or planned by another agency;
(3) Materially alter the budgetary impacts of entitlement grants,
user fees, or loan programs or the rights and obligations of recipients
thereof; or
(4) Raise novel legal or policy issues arising out of legal
mandates, the President's priorities, or the principles stated in the
Executive order.
This final regulatory action is not a significant regulatory action
subject to review by OMB under section 3(f) of Executive Order 12866.
Under Executive Order 13771, for each new rule that the Department
proposes for notice and comment or otherwise promulgates that is a
significant regulatory action under Executive Order 12866, and that
imposes total costs greater than zero, it must identify two
deregulatory actions. For FY 2020, any new incremental costs associated
with a new regulation must be fully offset by the elimination of
existing costs through deregulatory actions. Because this regulatory
action is not significant, the requirements of Executive Order 13771 do
not apply.
We have also reviewed this final regulatory action under Executive
Order 13563, which supplements and explicitly reaffirms the principles,
structures, and definitions governing regulatory review established in
Executive Order 12866. To the extent permitted by law, Executive Order
13563 requires that an agency--
(1) Propose or adopt regulations only upon a reasoned determination
that their benefits justify their costs (recognizing that some benefits
and costs are difficult to quantify);
(2) Tailor its regulations to impose the least burden on society,
consistent with obtaining regulatory objectives and taking into
account--among other things and to the extent practicable--the costs of
cumulative regulations;
(3) In choosing among alternative regulatory approaches, select
those approaches that maximize net benefits (including potential
economic, environmental, public health and safety, and other
advantages; distributive impacts; and equity);
(4) To the extent feasible, specify performance objectives, rather
than the behavior or manner of compliance a regulated entity must
adopt; and
(5) Identify and assess available alternatives to direct
regulation, including economic incentives--such as user fees or
marketable permits--to encourage the desired behavior, or provide
information that enables the public to make choices.
Executive Order 13563 also requires an agency ``to use the best
available techniques to quantify anticipated present and future
benefits and costs as accurately as possible.'' The Office of
Information and Regulatory Affairs of OMB has emphasized that these
techniques may include ``identifying changing future compliance costs
that might result from technological innovation or anticipated
behavioral changes.''
We are issuing these final priorities, requirements, and
definitions only on a reasoned determination that their benefits
justify their costs. In choosing among alternative regulatory
approaches, we selected those approaches that maximize net benefits.
Based on the analysis that follows, the Department believes that this
regulatory action is consistent with the principles in Executive Order
13563.
We also have determined that this regulatory action does not unduly
interfere with State, local, and Tribal governments in the exercise of
their governmental functions.
In accordance with both Executive orders, the Department has
assessed the potential costs and benefits, both quantitative and
qualitative, of this regulatory action. The potential costs are those
resulting from statutory requirements and those we have determined as
necessary for administering the Department's programs and activities.
Intergovernmental Review: This program is subject to Executive
Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79. One of the
objectives of the Executive order is to foster an intergovernmental
partnership and a strengthened federalism. The Executive order relies
on processes developed by State and local governments for coordination
and review of proposed Federal financial assistance.
This document provides early notification of our specific plans and
actions for this program.
Accessible Format: Individuals with disabilities can obtain this
document 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 Adobe Portable Document Format
(PDF). To use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is
available free at the site.
You may also access documents of the Department published in the
Federal Register by using the article search feature at:
www.federalregister.gov. Specifically, through the advanced search
feature at this site, you can limit your search to documents published
by the Department.
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. 2020-16685 Filed 7-30-20; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P
