Applications for New Awards; Personnel Development To Improve Services and Results for Children With Disabilities-Interdisciplinary Preparation in Special Education, Early Intervention, and Related Services for Personnel Serving Children With Disabilities Who Have High-Intensity Needs, 19232-19242 [2021-07506]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 69 (Tuesday, April 13, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19232-19242]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-07506]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Applications for New Awards; Personnel Development To Improve 
Services and Results for Children With Disabilities--Interdisciplinary 
Preparation in Special Education, Early Intervention, and Related 
Services for Personnel Serving Children With Disabilities Who Have 
High-Intensity Needs

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

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Education (Department) is issuing a notice 
inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY) 2021 for 
Personnel Development to Improve Services and Results for Children with 
Disabilities--Interdisciplinary Preparation in Special Education, Early 
Intervention, and Related Services for Personnel Serving Children with 
Disabilities who have High-Intensity Needs, Assistance Listing Number 
84.325K. This notice relates to the approved information collection 
under OMB control number 1820-0028.

DATES: 
    Applications Available: April 13, 2021.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: June 22, 2021.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: August 23, 2021.
    Pre-Application Webinar Information: The Office of Special 
Education Programs (OSEP) will conduct a pre-application informational 
webinar specific to 84.325K on April 26, 2021,

[[Page 19233]]

at 2:00 p.m., Eastern time. A recording of the webinar will be 
available at www2.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/osep/new-osep-grants.html 
within five days after the pre-application webinar.

ADDRESSES: For the addresses for obtaining and submitting an 
application, please refer to our Common Instructions for Applicants to 
Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs, published in the 
Federal Register on February 13, 2019 (84 FR 3768) and available at 
www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2019-02-13/pdf/2019-02206.pdf.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 
    For Focus Area A: Sunyoung Ahn, U.S. Department of Education, 400 
Maryland Avenue SW, Room 5012A, Potomac Center Plaza, Washington, DC 
20202-5076. Telephone: (202) 245-6460. Email: [email protected].
    For Focus Area B: LaTisha Putney, U.S. Department of Education, 400 
Maryland Avenue SW, Room 5060D, Potomac Center Plaza, Washington, DC 
20202-5076. Telephone: (202) 245-6172. Email: [email protected].
    If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) or a text 
telephone (TTY), call the Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll free, at 1-
800-877-8339.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Purpose of Program: The purposes of this program are to (1) help 
address State-identified needs for personnel preparation in special 
education, early intervention, related services, and regular education 
to work with children, including infants, toddlers, and youth with 
disabilities; and (2) ensure that those personnel have the necessary 
skills and knowledge, derived from practices that have been determined 
through scientifically based research, to be successful in serving 
those children.
    Priorities: This competition includes one absolute priority and two 
competitive preference priorities. In accordance with 34 CFR 
75.105(b)(2)(v), the absolute priority and Competitive Preference 
Priority 2 are from allowable activities specified in the statute (see 
sections 662 and 681 of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act 
(20 U.S.C. 1462 and 1481)). Competitive Preference Priority 1 is from 
the Department's Administrative Priorities for Discretionary Grant 
Programs published in the Federal Register on March 9, 2020 (85 FR 
13640) (Administrative Priorities).
    Absolute Priority: For FY 2021 and any subsequent year in which we 
make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this 
competition, this priority is an absolute priority. Under 34 CFR 
75.105(c)(3), we consider only applications that meet this priority.
    This priority is:
    Interdisciplinary Preparation in Special Education, Early 
Intervention, and Related Services for Personnel Serving Children with 
Disabilities who have High-Intensity Needs.
    Background:
    The purpose of this priority is to increase the number and improve 
the quality of personnel who are fully credentialed to serve children, 
including infants, toddlers, and youth with disabilities who have high-
intensity needs.\1\ Under this priority, the Department will fund high-
quality interdisciplinary \2\ projects that prepare special education, 
early intervention, and related services \3\ personnel at the master's 
degree, educational specialist degree, or clinical doctoral degree 
levels for professional practice in a variety of education settings, 
including natural environments (the home and community settings in 
which children with and without disabilities participate), early 
learning programs, classrooms, schools, and distance learning 
environments. The competition will also prepare personnel who have the 
knowledge and skills to support each child with a disability in meeting 
high expectations and to partner with other providers, families, and 
administrators in meaningful and effective collaborations.
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    \1\ For the purposes of this priority, ``high-intensity needs'' 
refers to a complex array of disabilities (e.g., multiple 
disabilities, significant cognitive disabilities, significant 
physical disabilities, significant sensory disabilities, significant 
autism, significant emotional disabilities, or significant learning 
disabilities, including dyslexia) or the needs of children with 
these disabilities requiring intensive, individualized 
intervention(s) (i.e., that are specifically designed to address 
persistent learning or behavior difficulties, implemented with 
greater frequency and for an extended duration than is commonly 
available in a typical classroom or early intervention setting, or 
which require personnel to have knowledge and skills in identifying 
and implementing multiple evidence-based interventions).
    \2\ For the purposes of this priority, ``interdisciplinary'' 
refers to preparing scholars from two or more graduate degree 
programs in either (a) special education or early intervention and 
one or more related services through shared coursework, group 
assignments, and extensive and coordinated field or clinical 
experiences; or (b) two or more related services through shared 
coursework, group assignments, and extensive and coordinated field 
or clinical experiences. Different graduate degree programs across 
more than one institution of higher education may partner to develop 
an interdisciplinary project.
    For the purpose of this priority, ``interdisciplinary'' does not 
include: (a) Individual scholars who receive two or more graduate 
degrees; (b) one graduate degree program that prepares scholars with 
different areas of focus; (c) one graduate degree program that 
offers interdisciplinary content but does not prepare scholars from 
two or more degree programs together; or (d) one graduate degree 
program in special education, early intervention, and related 
services partnering with a graduate degree program other than 
special education, early intervention, or related services. Programs 
in which scholars receive only a certificate or endorsement without 
a graduate degree are not eligible.
    \3\ For the purposes of this priority, ``related services'' 
includes the following: Speech-language pathology and audiology 
services; interpreting services; psychological services; applied 
behavior analysis; physical therapy and occupational therapy; 
recreation, including therapeutic recreation; social work services; 
counseling services, including rehabilitation counseling; and 
orientation and mobility services.
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    State demand for fully credentialed special education, early 
intervention, and related services personnel to serve children, 
including infants, toddlers, and youth with disabilities exceeds the 
available supply, particularly in high-need schools \4\ (Boe et al., 
2013). These shortages can negatively affect the quality of services 
provided to children, including infants, toddlers, and youth with 
disabilities and their families (Boe et al., 2013). These shortages 
limit the field's ability to ensure that each child has the opportunity 
to meet challenging objectives and receive an education that addresses 
individualized needs and is both meaningful and appropriately 
ambitious, which is essential for preparing them for the future.
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    \4\ For the purposes of this priority, ``high-need school'' 
refers to a public elementary or secondary school that is a ``high-
need local educational agency (LEA),'' ``high-poverty,'' 
``implementing a comprehensive support and improvement plan,'' or 
``implementing a targeted support and improvement plan'' as defined 
in footnotes 9, 10, 11, and 12, respectively.
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    The need for personnel with the knowledge and skills to serve 
children, including infants and toddlers, and youth with disabilities 
who have high-intensity needs is even greater because specialized or 
advanced preparation is required to collaboratively design and deliver 
evidence-based \5\ instruction and intensive individualized 
intervention(s) in person and through distance learning technologies in 
natural environments, classrooms, and schools that address the needs of 
these individuals (Boe et al., 2013; Browder et al., 2014; McLeskey & 
Brownell, 2015). Although children, including infants and toddlers, and 
youth with disabilities who have high-intensity needs may require the 
combined expertise of numerous professionals (including special

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education, early intervention, and related services providers), it is 
often difficult for personnel from varied professional backgrounds to 
work together because they lack shared information, understanding, and 
experience.
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    \5\ For the purposes of this priority, ``evidence-based'' means, 
at a minimum, evidence that demonstrates a rationale (as defined in 
34 CFR 77.1), where a key project component included in the 
project's logic model is informed by research or evaluation findings 
that suggest the project component is likely to improve relevant 
outcomes.
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    Interdisciplinary approaches to personnel preparation provide 
scholars with experience working and learning in team environments 
similar to those in which they are likely to work once employed (Smith, 
2010). That is, when providing early intervention or special education 
services under the IDEA, personnel serving children, including infants 
and toddlers, and youth with disabilities work on interdisciplinary 
teams with parents, general and special education teachers, early 
interventionists, and related service providers with the expertise to 
design, implement, and evaluate instruction, intervention plans, 
individualized family service plans, and individualized education 
programs based on the unique learning and developmental needs of each 
child. To enable personnel to provide efficient, high-quality, 
integrated services both in person and through distance learning 
technologies, personnel preparation programs need to embed content, 
practices, and extensive field or clinical experiences into preservice 
training that is aligned with the interdisciplinary team-based 
approaches in which graduates are likely to work. This priority aims to 
fund interdisciplinary projects that will provide such preparation.
    Priority:
    The purpose of this priority is to increase the number and improve 
the quality of personnel who are fully credentialed to serve children, 
including infants and toddlers, and youth with disabilities who have 
high-intensity needs--especially in areas of chronic personnel 
shortage. The priority will fund high-quality interdisciplinary 
projects that prepare special education, early intervention, and 
related services personnel at the master's degree, educational 
specialist degree, or clinical doctoral degree levels for professional 
practice in natural environments, early learning programs, classrooms, 
school settings, and in distance learning environments serving 
children, including infants and toddlers, and youth with disabilities.
    Specifically, an applicant must propose an interdisciplinary 
project supporting scholars \6\ from two or more graduate degree 
programs in either (a) special education or early intervention and one 
or more related services; or (b) two or more related services.
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    \6\ For the purposes of this priority, ``scholar'' is limited to 
an individual who: (a) Is pursuing a master's, educational 
specialist degree, or clinical doctoral graduate degree in special 
education, early intervention, or related services (as defined in 
this notice); (b) receives scholarship assistance as authorized 
under section 662 of IDEA (34 CFR 304.3(g)); (c) will be eligible 
for a license, endorsement, or certification from a State or 
national credentialing authority following completion of the 
graduate degree program identified in the application; and (d) will 
be able to be employed in a position that serves children with 
disabilities for a minimum of 51 percent of their time or case load. 
See https://pdp.ed.gov/OSEP/Home/Regulation for more information.
    Scholars from each graduate degree program participating in the 
proposed interdisciplinary project must receive scholar support and 
be eligible to fulfill service obligation requirements following 
graduate degree program completion. Scholars from each graduate 
degree program participating in this project must complete the 
requirements of their unique graduate degree program and receive 
different graduate degrees. Individuals pursuing degrees in general 
education or early childhood education do not qualify as 
``scholars'' eligible for scholarship assistance.
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    An interdisciplinary project is a project that delivers core 
content through shared coursework, group assignments, and extensive and 
coordinated field and clinical experiences as part of two or more 
master's degree, educational specialist degree, or clinical doctoral 
degree programs for scholars. Not all requirements (e.g., courses and 
field or clinical experiences) of each participating graduate degree 
program must be shared across all degree programs participating in the 
interdisciplinary project, but the interdisciplinary project must: (a) 
Identify the competencies needed to promote high expectations and 
address the individualized needs of children with disabilities who have 
high-intensity needs using an interdisciplinary approach to service 
delivery; (b) outline how the project will build capacity in those 
areas through shared coursework, group assignments, and extensive and 
coordinated field or clinical experiences for scholars supported by the 
proposed project; and (c) identify the aspects of each graduate degree 
program that are shared across all participating degree programs and 
those that remain unique to each.
    Projects may include individuals who are in degree programs (e.g., 
general education, early childhood education, administration) and who 
are cooperating with, but not funded as scholars by, the applicant's 
proposed interdisciplinary project. These individuals may participate 
in the shared coursework, group assignments, extensive and coordinated 
field or clinical experiences, and other opportunities required of 
scholars and funded by the project (e.g., speaker series, monthly 
seminars) if doing so does not diminish the benefit for project-funded 
scholars (e.g., by reducing funds available for scholar support or 
limiting opportunities for scholars to participate in project 
activities).
    Personnel preparation degree programs that prepare all scholars to 
be dually certified can qualify under this priority by partnering with 
at least one additional graduate degree program in related services.
    Personnel preparation programs that prepare individuals to be 
educational interpreters for the deaf at the bachelor's degree level 
can qualify under this priority and are exempted from (a) the 
interdisciplinary requirement and (b) the requirement for two or more 
graduate degree programs. All other priority requirements specified for 
graduate programs will apply to the bachelor's program. While 
interdisciplinary projects are not required for educational 
interpreters, they are encouraged.
    Focus Areas:
    Within this absolute priority, the Secretary intends to support 
interdisciplinary projects under the following two focus areas: (A) 
Preparing Personnel to Serve Infants, Toddlers, and Preschool-Age 
Children with Disabilities who have High-Intensity Needs; and (B) 
Preparing Personnel to Serve School-Age Children with Disabilities who 
have High-Intensity Needs.
    Applicants must identify the specific focus area (i.e., A or B) 
under which they are applying as part of the competition title on the 
application cover sheet (SF 424, line 12). Applicants may not submit 
the same proposal under more than one focus area. Applicants may submit 
different proposals in different focus areas.
    Focus Area A: Preparing Personnel to Serve Infants, Toddlers, and 
Preschool-Age Children with Disabilities who have High-Intensity Needs. 
This focus area is for interdisciplinary projects that deliver core 
content through shared coursework, group assignments, and extensive and 
coordinated field or clinical experiences for scholars across two or 
more graduate degree programs in either: (a) Early intervention or 
early childhood special education and related services for infants, 
toddlers, and preschool-age children with disabilities or developmental 
delays who have high-intensity needs; or (b) two or more related 
services to serve infants, toddlers, and preschool-age children with 
disabilities who have high-intensity needs.

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    Early intervention personnel are those who are prepared to provide 
services to infants and toddlers with disabilities ages birth to three, 
and early childhood personnel are those who are prepared to provide 
services to children with disabilities ages three through five (and in 
States where the age range is other than ages three through five, we 
defer to the State's certification for early childhood special 
education). In States where certification in early intervention is 
combined with certification in early childhood special education, 
applicants may propose a combined early intervention and early 
childhood special education personnel preparation project under this 
focus area.
    Note: OSEP may fund out of rank order high-quality applications 
from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) \7\ and 
Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs). OSEP also may fund out of rank 
order high-quality applications to ensure that projects are funded 
across both Focus Area A and Focus Area B.
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    \7\ For the purposes of this priority, ``Historically Black 
College or University'' is as defined under section 322 of the 
Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended.
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    Focus Area B: Preparing Personnel to Serve School-Age Children with 
Disabilities who have High-Intensity Needs. This focus area is for 
interdisciplinary projects that deliver core content through shared 
coursework, group assignments, and extensive and coordinated field or 
clinical experiences to scholars across two or more graduate degree 
programs in either: (a) Special education and related services for 
school-age children with disabilities who have high-intensity needs; or 
(b) two or more related services to serve school-age children with 
disabilities who have high-intensity needs.
    Note: OSEP may fund out of rank order high-quality applications 
from HBCUs and TCUs. OSEP also may fund out of rank order high-quality 
applications to ensure that projects are funded across both Focus Area 
A and Focus Area B.
    Focus Areas A and B:
    Applicants may use up to the first 12 months of the performance 
period and up to $100,000 of the first budget period for planning 
without enrolling scholars. Applicants must clearly provide sufficient 
justification for requesting program planning time and include the 
goals, objectives, and intended outcomes of program planning in year 
one, a description of the proposed strategies and activities to be 
supported, and a timeline for the work; such as--
    (1) Outlining or updating coursework, group assignments, or 
extensive and coordinated field or clinical experiences needed to 
support interdisciplinary preparation for special education, early 
intervention, or related services personnel serving children with 
disabilities who have high-intensity needs;
    (2) Building capacity (e.g., hiring of a field supervisor, 
providing professional development for field supervisors, and training 
for faculty);
    (3) Purchasing needed resources (e.g., additional teaching supplies 
or specialized equipment to enhance instruction); or
    (4) Establishing relationships with programs or schools to serve as 
sites for field or clinical experiences needed to support delivery of 
the proposed interdisciplinary project.
    Additional Federal funds may be requested for scholar support and 
other grant activities occurring in year one of the project, provided 
that the total request for year one does not exceed the maximum award 
available for one budget period of 12 months (i.e., $250,000).
    Note: Applicants proposing projects to develop, expand, or add a 
new area of emphasis to special education, early intervention, or 
related services programs must provide, in their applications, 
information on how these new areas will be sustained in their programs 
once Federal funding ends.
    Note: Project periods under this priority may be up to 60 months. 
Projects should be designed to ensure that all proposed scholars 
successfully complete the program within 60 months of the start of the 
project. The Secretary may reduce continuation awards for any project 
in which scholars are not on track to complete the program by the end 
of that period.
    To be considered for funding under this absolute priority, all 
program applicants must meet the requirements contained in this 
priority.
    To meet the requirements of this priority an applicant must--
    (a) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under 
``Significance,'' how--
    (1) The project addresses national, State, regional, or district 
shortages of personnel who are fully qualified to serve children with 
disabilities, ages birth through 21, who have high-intensity needs. To 
address this requirement, the applicant must--
    (i) Present data on the quality of each special education, early 
intervention, or related services personnel preparation degree program 
participating in the project, in areas such as: The average amount of 
time it takes for scholars to complete the program; the percentage of 
program graduates who receive a license, endorsement, or certification 
related to special education, related services, or early intervention 
services; the percentage of program graduates finding employment 
related to their preparation after graduation; the effectiveness of 
program graduates in providing special education, early intervention, 
or related services, which could include data on the learning and 
developmental outcomes of children with disabilities they serve; the 
percentage of program graduates who maintain employment for two or more 
years in the area for which they were prepared; and the percentage of 
employers who rate the preparation of scholars who complete their 
degree program as adequate or higher; and
    (ii) If available for the degree programs participating in the 
proposed project, present data on the quality of their 
interdisciplinary approaches to the preparation of special education, 
early intervention, or related services personnel; and
    Note: Data on the quality of a personnel preparation program should 
be no older than five years prior to the start date of the project 
proposed in the application. When reporting percentages, the 
denominator (i.e., total number of scholars or program graduates) must 
be provided.
    (2) The project will increase the number of personnel who 
demonstrate the competencies \8\ needed to--
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    \8\ For the purposes of this priority, ``competencies'' means 
what a person knows and can do--the knowledge, skills, and 
dispositions necessary to effectively function in a role (National 
Professional Development Center on Inclusion, 2011). These 
competencies should ensure that personnel are able to use 
challenging academic standards, child achievement and functional 
standards, and assessments to improve instructional practices, 
services, learning and developmental outcomes (e.g., academic, 
social, emotional, behavioral), and college- and career-readiness of 
children with disabilities.
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    (i) Promote high expectations;
    (ii) Differentiate instruction;
    (iii) Provide intensive individualized instruction and 
intervention(s);
    (iv) Provide instruction or intervention(s) in person and through 
distance learning technologies; and
    (v) Collaborate with diverse stakeholders using an 
interdisciplinary team-based approach to address the individualized 
needs of children with disabilities who have high-intensity needs, ages 
birth through 21, and designed to achieve improvements in learning or 
developmental outcomes (e.g., academic, social, emotional, behavioral), 
and support the successful

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transition from early childhood to elementary, elementary to secondary, 
or transition to postsecondary education and the workforce. To address 
this requirement, the applicant must--
    (A) Identify the competencies that special education, early 
intervention, or related services personnel need to--
    (1) Promote high expectations;
    (2) Differentiate instruction;
    (3) Provide intensive individualized instruction and 
intervention(s);
    (4) Provide instruction or intervention(s) in person and through 
distance learning technologies; and
    (5) Collaborate with parents, families, and diverse stakeholders 
using an interdisciplinary team-based approach designed to improve 
learning and developmental outcomes; ensure access to and progress in 
academic achievement standards or alternate academic achievement 
standards, as appropriate; lead to successful transition to college and 
career for children with disabilities, including children with 
disabilities who have high-intensity needs; and maximize the use of 
effective technology, including assistive technology, to deliver 
instruction, interventions, and services;
    (B) Identify the competencies needed by members of 
interdisciplinary teams to promote high expectations and improve early 
childhood, educational, and employment outcomes for children with 
disabilities who have high-intensity needs;
    (C) Identify the competencies that personnel need to support 
inclusion of children with disabilities who have high-intensity needs 
in the least restrictive and natural environments to the maximum extent 
appropriate by intentionally promoting high expectations and 
participation in learning and social activities to foster development, 
learning, academic achievement, friendships with peers, and sense of 
belonging;
    (D) Identify how scholars will be prepared to develop, implement, 
and evaluate evidence-based instruction and evidence-based 
interventions delivered in person and through distance learning 
technologies that improve outcomes for children with disabilities who 
have high-intensity needs in a variety of settings (e.g., natural 
environments; public schools, including charter schools; private 
schools, including parochial schools; and other nonpublic education 
settings, including home education); and
    (E) Provide a conceptual framework for the proposed 
interdisciplinary personnel preparation project, including any 
empirical support for project activities designed to promote the 
acquisition of the identified competencies (see paragraph (a)(2) of the 
requirements for this priority) needed by special education, early 
intervention, or related services personnel, and how these competencies 
relate to the proposed project;
    (b) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under 
``Quality of project services,'' how the project--
    (1) Will conduct its planning activities, if the applicant will use 
any of the allowable first 12 months of the project period for 
planning;
    (2) Will recruit and retain high-quality scholars into each of the 
graduate degree programs participating in the project and ensure equal 
access and treatment for eligible project participants who are members 
of groups that have traditionally been underrepresented based on race, 
color, national origin, gender, age, or disability. To meet this 
requirement, the applicant must describe--
    (i) Criteria the applicant will use to identify high-quality 
applicants for admission into each of the graduate degree programs 
participating in the project;
    (ii) Recruitment strategies the applicant will use to attract high-
quality applicants, including specific recruitment strategies targeting 
high-quality applicants from traditionally underrepresented groups, 
including underrepresented people of color and individuals with 
disabilities; and
    (iii) The approach, including mentoring, monitoring, and 
accommodations, the applicant will use to support scholars to complete 
their respective degree programs;
    (3) Reflects current evidence-based practices, including practices 
in the areas of literacy and numeracy development, assessment, 
behavior, instructional practices, distance learning technologies and 
pedagogy, and inclusive strategies, as appropriate, and is designed to 
prepare scholars in the identified competencies. To address this 
requirement, the applicant must describe how the project will--
    (i) Incorporate current evidence-based practices (including 
relevant research citations) that improve outcomes for children with 
disabilities who have high-intensity needs into (a) the required 
coursework and extensive field or clinical experiences for each 
graduate degree program participating in the project; and (b) the 
shared coursework, group assignments, and extensive and coordinated 
field or clinical experiences required for the interdisciplinary 
portions of the project; and
    (ii) Use evidence-based professional development practices for 
adult learners to instruct scholars through both in-person and online 
courses and field or clinical experiences;
    (4) Is of sufficient quality, intensity, and duration to prepare 
scholars in the identified competencies. To address this requirement, 
the applicant must describe how--
    (i) The components of (a) each graduate degree program 
participating in the project; and (b) the shared coursework, group 
assignments, and extensive and coordinated field or clinical 
experiences required for the interdisciplinary portions of the proposed 
project will support scholars' acquisition and enhancement of the 
identified competencies;
    (ii) The components of (a) each graduate degree program 
participating in the project; and (b) the shared coursework, group 
assignments, and extensive and coordinated field or clinical 
experiences required for the interdisciplinary portions of the proposed 
project will be integrated to allow scholars, in collaboration with 
other team members, to use their knowledge and skills in designing, 
implementing, and evaluating practices supported by evidence to address 
the learning and developmental needs of children with disabilities who 
have high-intensity needs;
    (iii) Scholars will be provided with ongoing guidance and feedback 
during training; and
    (iv) The proposed project will provide ongoing induction 
opportunities and mentoring support to graduates of each graduate 
degree program participating in the project;
    (5) Will engage in meaningful and effective collaboration with 
appropriate partners representing diverse stakeholders, including--
    (i) High-need schools, which may include high-need local 
educational agencies (LEAs),\9\ high-poverty schools,\10\ schools 
identified for comprehensive support and

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improvement,\11\ and schools implementing a targeted support and 
improvement plan \12\ for children with disabilities; early childhood 
and early intervention programs located within the geographic 
boundaries of a high-need LEA; and early childhood and early 
intervention programs located within the geographical boundaries of an 
LEA serving the highest percentage of schools identified for 
comprehensive support and improvement or implementing targeted support 
and improvement plans in the State. The purpose of these partnerships 
is to provide extensive field or clinical practice for scholars aimed 
at developing the identified competencies as members of 
interdisciplinary teams; and
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    \9\ For the purposes of this priority, ``high-need LEA'' means 
an LEA (a) that serves not fewer than 10,000 children from families 
with incomes below the poverty line; or (b) for which not less than 
20 percent of the children are from families with incomes below the 
poverty line.
    \10\ For the purposes of this priority, ``high-poverty school'' 
means a school in which at least 50 percent of students are from 
low-income families as determined using one of the measures of 
poverty specified under section 1113(a)(5) of the Elementary and 
Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended (ESEA). For middle and 
high schools, eligibility may be calculated on the basis of 
comparable data from feeder schools. Eligibility as a high-poverty 
school under this definition is determined on the basis of the most 
currently available data.
    \11\ For the purposes of this priority, ``school implementing a 
comprehensive support and improvement plan'' means a school 
identified for comprehensive support and improvement by a State 
under section 1111(c)(4)(D) of the ESEA that includes (a) not less 
than the lowest performing 5 percent of all schools in the State 
receiving funds under Title I, Part A of the ESEA; (b) all public 
high schools in the State failing to graduate one third or more of 
their students; and (c) public schools in the State described under 
section 1111(d)(3)(A)(i)(II) of the ESEA.
    \12\ For the purposes of this priority, ``school implementing a 
targeted support and improvement plan'' means a school identified 
for targeted support and improvement by a State that has developed 
and is implementing a school-level targeted support and improvement 
plan to improve student outcomes based on the indicators in the 
statewide accountability system as defined in section 1111(d)(2) of 
the ESEA.
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    (ii) Other personnel preparation programs on campus or at 
partnering universities for the purpose of sharing resources, 
supporting program development and delivery, and addressing personnel 
shortages;
    (6) Will use technology, as appropriate, to promote scholar 
learning and professional practice, enhance the efficiency of the 
project, collaborate with partners, and facilitate ongoing mentoring 
and support for scholars;
    (7) Will ensure that scholars understand how to use technology to 
support children's in-person and distance learning and children's use 
of educational and assistive technology; and
    (8) Will align with and use resources, as appropriate, available 
through technical assistance centers, which may include centers funded 
by the Department;
    Note: Use the ``Find a Center or Grant'' link at https://osepideasthatwork.org for information about OSEP-funded technical 
assistance centers.
    (c) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under 
``Quality of the project evaluation,'' how--
    (1) The applicant will use comprehensive and appropriate 
methodologies to evaluate how well the goals or objectives of the 
proposed project have been met, including the project processes and 
outcomes;
    (2) The applicant will collect, analyze, and use data related to 
specific and measurable goals, objectives, and outcomes of the project. 
To address this requirement, the applicant must describe how--
    (i) Scholar competencies and other project processes and outcomes 
will be measured for formative evaluation purposes, including proposed 
instruments, data collection methods, and possible analyses; and
    (ii) It will collect and analyze data on the quality of services 
provided by scholars who complete the graduate degree programs involved 
in this interdisciplinary project and are employed in the field for 
which they were trained, including data on the learning and 
developmental outcomes (e.g., academic, social, emotional, behavioral, 
meeting college- and career-ready standards), and on growth toward 
these outcomes, of the children with disabilities who have high-
intensity needs;
    Note: Following the completion of the project period, grantees are 
encouraged to engage in ongoing data collection activities.
    (3) The methods of evaluation will produce quantitative and 
qualitative data for objective performance measures that are related to 
the outcomes of the proposed project; and
    (4) The methods of evaluation will provide performance feedback and 
allow for periodic assessment of progress towards meeting the project 
outcomes. To address this requirement, the applicant must describe 
how--
    (i) Results of the evaluation will be used as a basis for improving 
the proposed project to prepare special education, early intervention, 
or related services personnel to provide (a) focused instruction; and 
(b) intensive individualized intervention(s) in an interdisciplinary 
team-based approach to improve outcomes of children with disabilities 
who have high-intensity needs; and
    (ii) The grantee will report the evaluation results to OSEP in its 
annual and final performance reports;
    (d) Demonstrate, in the narrative under ``Project Assurances'' or 
in the applicable appendices, that the following program requirements 
are met. The applicant must--
    (1) Provide scholar support for participants from two or more 
graduate degree programs partnering in the proposed interdisciplinary 
personnel preparation project. Consistent with 34 CFR 304.30, each 
scholar must (a) receive support for no less than one academic year, 
and (b) be eligible to fulfill service obligation requirements 
following degree program completion. Funding across degree programs may 
be applied differently;
    (2) Include in Appendix B of the application--
    (i) Table(s) that summarize the required program of study for each 
degree program and that clearly delineate the shared coursework, group 
assignments, and extensive and coordinated field or clinical 
experiences required of all project scholars to support 
interdisciplinary practice;
    (ii) Course syllabi for all coursework in the major of each degree 
program and all shared courses, group assignments, and extensive 
coordinated field or clinical experiences required of project scholars; 
and
    (iii) Learning outcomes for proposed coursework;
    (3) Ensure that a comprehensive set of completed syllabi, including 
syllabi created or revised as part of a project planning year, are 
submitted to OSEP by the end of year one of the grant;
    (4) Ensure that efforts to recruit a diverse range of scholars, 
including diversity of race, ethnicity, or national origin, are 
consistent with applicable law. For instance, grantees may engage in 
focused outreach and recruitment to increase the diversity of the 
applicant pool prior to the selection of scholars;
    (5) Ensure that the project will meet all requirements in 34 CFR 
304.23, particularly those related to (a) informing all scholarship 
recipients of their service obligation commitment and (b) disbursing 
scholar support. Failure by a grantee to properly meet these 
requirements would be a violation of the grant award that could result 
in sanctions, including the grantee being liable for returning any 
misused funds to the Department;
    (6) Ensure that prior approval from the OSEP project officer will 
be obtained before admitting additional scholars beyond the number of 
scholars proposed in the application and before transferring a scholar 
to another OSEP-funded grant;
    (7) Ensure that the project will meet the statutory requirements in 
section 662(e) through (h) of IDEA;
    (8) Ensure that at least 65 percent of the total award over the 
project period (i.e., up to 5 years) will be used for scholar support. 
Applicants proposing

[[Page 19238]]

to use year one for program development may budget for less than 65 
percent of the total requested budget over the 5 years for scholar 
support; such applicants must ensure that 65 percent of the total award 
minus funds allocated for program development will be used for scholar 
support;
    (9) Ensure that the institution of higher education (IHE) at which 
scholars are enrolled in the program will not require those scholars to 
work (e.g., as graduate assistants) as a condition of receiving support 
(e.g., tuition, stipends) from the proposed project, unless the work is 
specifically related to the acquisition of scholars' competencies or 
the requirements for completion of their personnel preparation program. 
This prohibition on work as a condition of receiving support does not 
apply to the service obligation requirements in section 662(h) of IDEA;
    (10) Ensure that the budget includes attendance of the project 
director at a three-day project directors' meeting in Washington, DC, 
or virtually, during each year of the project;
    (11) Ensure that the project director, key personnel, and, as 
appropriate, scholars will actively participate in the cross-project 
collaboration, advanced trainings, and cross-site learning 
opportunities (e.g., webinars, briefings) organized by OSEP. This 
network will be used to build capacity of participants, increase the 
impact of funding, and promote innovative and interdisciplinary service 
delivery models across projects;
    (12) Ensure that if the project maintains a website, relevant 
information and documents are in a format that meets government or 
industry-recognized standards for accessibility; and
    (13) Ensure that annual data will be submitted on each scholar who 
receives grant support (OMB Control Number 1820-0686). The primary 
purposes of the data collection are to track the service obligation 
fulfillment of scholars who receive funds from OSEP grants and to 
collect data for program performance measure reporting under the 
Government Performance and Results Modernization Act of 2010 (GPRA). 
Applicants are encouraged to visit the Personnel Development Program 
Data Collection System (DCS) website at https://pdp.ed.gov/osep for 
further information about this data collection requirement. Typically, 
data collection begins in January of each year, and grantees are 
notified by email about the data collection period for their grant, 
although grantees may submit data as needed, year round. This data 
collection must be submitted electronically by the grantee and does not 
supplant the annual grant performance report required of each grantee 
for continuation funding (see 34 CFR 75.590). Data collection includes 
the submission of a signed, completed Pre-Scholarship Agreement and 
Exit Certification for each scholar funded under an OSEP grant (see 
paragraph (5) of these requirements).
    Competitive Preference Priorities: Within this absolute priority, 
we give competitive preference to applications that address the 
following priorities. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i), we award an 
additional 3 points to an application that meets Competitive Preference 
Priority 1, and an additional 2 points to an application that meets 
Competitive Preference 2. The maximum amount of competitive preference 
priority points an application can receive under this competition is 5. 
Applicants should indicate in the abstract which, if any, competitive 
preference priorities are addressed.
    These priorities are:
    Competitive Preference Priority 1--Applications from New Potential 
Grantees (0 or 3 points).
    (a) Under this priority, an applicant must demonstrate that the 
applicant has not had an active discretionary grant under the 84.325K 
program from which it seeks funds, including through membership in a 
group application submitted in accordance with 34 CFR 75.127-75.129, 
five years before the deadline date for submission of applications 
under the program.
    (b) For the purpose of this priority, a grant or contract is active 
until the end of the grant's or contract's project or funding period, 
including any extensions of those periods that extend the grantee's or 
contractor's authority to obligate funds.
    Competitive Preference Priority 2--Preparing Nontraditional 
Scholars (0 or 2 points).
    Projects that are designed to intentionally recruit, prepare, and 
support nontraditional scholars \13\ to obtain their degree in early 
intervention, special education, or related services.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \13\ For the purpose of this priority, ``nontraditional 
scholars'' refer to individuals who are career switchers, para-
educators, former members of the military, returning to the 
workforce, or returning from the Peace Corps, and who hold a 
bachelor's degree in an area other than in education or related 
services.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

References

Boe, E.E., deBettencourt, L., Dewey, J.F., Rosenberg, M.S., 
Sindelar, P.T., & Leko, C.D. (2013). Variability in demand for 
special education teachers: Indicators, explanations, and impacts. 
Exceptionality, 21(2), 103-125.
Browder, D.M., Wood, L., Thompson, J., & Ribuffo, C. (2014). 
Evidence-based practices for students with severe disabilities 
(Document No. IC-3). https://ceedar.education.ufl.edu/tool/innovation-configurations/.
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 20 U.S.C. 1400, et seq. 
(2004).
McLeskey, J., & Brownell, M. (2015). High-leverage practices and 
teacher preparation in special education (Document No. PR-1). https://ceedar.education.ufl.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/High-Leverage-Practices-and-Teacher-Preparation-in-Special-Education.pdf.
National Professional Development Center on Inclusion. (August, 
2011). Competencies for early childhood educators in the context of 
inclusion: Issues and guidance for States. The University of North 
Carolina, FPG Child Development Institute.
Smith, J. (2010). An interdisciplinary approach to preparing early 
intervention professionals: A university and community collaborative 
initiative. Teacher Education and Special Education, 33(2), 131-142.

    Waiver of Proposed Rulemaking: Under the Administrative Procedure 
Act (APA) (5 U.S.C. 553) the Department generally offers interested 
parties the opportunity to comment on proposed priorities. Section 
681(d) of IDEA, however, makes the public comment requirements of the 
APA inapplicable to the absolute priority and Competitive Preference 
Priority 2 in this notice.
    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1462 and 1481.
    Note: Projects will be awarded and must be operated in a manner 
consistent with the nondiscrimination requirements contained in Federal 
civil rights laws.
    Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations in 34 CFR parts 75, 77, 79, 81, 82, 84, 86, 
97, 98, and 99. (b) The Office of Management and Budget Guidelines to 
Agencies on Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension (Nonprocurement) in 
2 CFR part 180, as adopted and amended as regulations of the Department 
in 2 CFR part 3485. (c) The Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost 
Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards in 2 CFR part 
200, as adopted and amended as regulations of the Department in 2 CFR 
part 3474. (d) The regulations for this program in 34 CFR part 304. (e) 
The Administrative Priorities.
    Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to IHEs only.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Discretionary grants.

[[Page 19239]]

    Estimated Available Funds: $8,000,000.
    Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of 
applications, we may make additional awards in FY 2022 from the list of 
unfunded applications from this competition.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $200,000-$250,000.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $225,000.
    Maximum Award: We will not make an award exceeding $250,000 for a 
single budget period of 12 months.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 32.
    Project Period: Up to 60 months.
    Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: IHEs and private nonprofit organizations.
    Note: If you are a nonprofit organization, under 34 CFR 75.51, you 
may demonstrate your nonprofit status by providing: (1) Proof that the 
Internal Revenue Service currently recognizes the applicant as an 
organization to which contributions are tax deductible under section 
501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code; (2) a statement from a State 
taxing body or the State attorney general certifying that the 
organization is a nonprofit organization operating within the State and 
that no part of its net earnings may lawfully benefit any private 
shareholder or individual; (3) a certified copy of the applicant's 
certificate of incorporation or similar document if it clearly 
establishes the nonprofit status of the applicant; or (4) any item 
described above if that item applies to a State or national parent 
organization, together with a statement by the State or parent 
organization that the applicant is a local nonprofit affiliate.
    2. a. Cost Sharing or Matching: Cost sharing or matching is not 
required for this competition.
    b. Indirect Cost Rate Information: This program uses a training 
indirect cost rate. This limits indirect cost reimbursement to an 
entity's actual indirect costs, as determined in its negotiated 
indirect cost rate agreement, or eight percent of a modified total 
direct cost base, whichever amount is less. For more information 
regarding training indirect cost rates, see 34 CFR 75.562. For more 
information regarding indirect costs, or to obtain a negotiated 
indirect cost rate, please see www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocfo/intro.html.
    c. Administrative Cost Limitation: This program does not include 
any program-specific limitation on administrative expenses. All 
administrative expenses must be reasonable and necessary and conform to 
Cost Principles described in 2 CFR part 200 subpart E of the Uniform 
Guidance.
    3. Subgrantees: A grantee under this competition may not award 
subgrants to entities to directly carry out project activities 
described in its application. Under 34 CFR 75.708(e), a grantee may 
contract for supplies, equipment, and other services in accordance with 
2 CFR part 200.
    4. Other General Requirements:
    a. Recipients of funding under this competition must make positive 
efforts to employ and advance in employment qualified individuals with 
disabilities (see section 606 of IDEA).
    b. Applicants for, and recipients of, funding must, with respect to 
the aspects of their proposed project relating to the absolute 
priority, involve individuals with disabilities, or parents of 
individuals with disabilities ages birth through 26, in planning, 
implementing, and evaluating the project (see section 682(a)(1)(A) of 
IDEA).

IV. Application and Submission Information

    1. Application Submission Instructions: Applicants are required to 
follow the Common Instructions for Applicants to Department of 
Education Discretionary Grant Programs, published in the Federal 
Register on February 13, 2019 (84 FR 3768), and available at 
www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2019-02-13/pdf/2019-02206.pdf, which 
contain requirements and information on how to submit an application.
    2. Intergovernmental Review: This competition is subject to 
Executive Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79. 
Information about Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs under 
Executive Order 12372 is in the application package for this 
competition.
    3. Funding Restrictions: We reference regulations outlining funding 
restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.
    4. Recommended Page Limit: The application narrative is where you, 
the applicant, address the selection criteria that reviewers use to 
evaluate your application. We recommend that you (1) limit the 
application narrative to no more than 50 pages and (2) use the 
following standards:
     A ``page'' is 8.5'' x 11'', on one side only, with 1'' 
margins at the top, bottom, and both sides.
     Double-space (no more than three lines per vertical inch) 
all text in the application narrative, including titles, headings, 
footnotes, quotations, reference citations, and captions, as well as 
all text in charts, tables, figures, graphs, and screen shots.
     Use a font that is 12 point or larger.
     Use one of the following fonts: Times New Roman, Courier, 
Courier New, or Arial.
    The recommended page limit does not apply to the cover sheet; the 
budget section, including the narrative budget justification; the 
assurances and certifications; or the abstract (follow the guidance 
provided in the application package for completing the abstract), the 
table of contents, the list of priority requirements, the resumes, the 
reference list, the letters of support, or the appendices. However, the 
recommended page limit does apply to all of the application narrative, 
including all text in charts, tables, figures, graphs, and screen 
shots.

V. Application Review Information

    1. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this competition 
are from 34 CFR 75.210 and are as follows:
    (a) Significance (10 points).
    (1) The Secretary considers the significance of the proposed 
project.
    (2) In determining the significance of the proposed project, the 
Secretary considers the following factors:
    (i) The extent to which the proposed project will prepare personnel 
for fields in which shortages have been demonstrated; and
    (ii) The importance or magnitude of the results or outcomes likely 
to be attained by the proposed project, especially improvements in 
teaching and student achievement.
    (b) Quality of project services (45 points).
    (1) The Secretary considers the quality of the services to be 
provided by the proposed project.
    (2) In determining the quality of the services to be provided by 
the proposed project, the Secretary considers the quality and 
sufficiency of strategies for ensuring equal access and treatment for 
eligible project participants who are members of groups that have 
traditionally been underrepresented based on race, color, national 
origin, gender, age, or disability.
    (3) In determining the quality of the project services, the 
Secretary considers the following factors:
    (i) The extent to which the services to be provided by the proposed 
project reflect up-to-date knowledge from research and effective 
practice;
    (ii) The extent to which the training or professional development 
services to be provided by the proposed project are

[[Page 19240]]

of sufficient quality, intensity, and duration to lead to improvements 
in practice among the recipients of those services;
    (iii) The extent to which the services to be provided by the 
proposed project involve the collaboration of appropriate partners for 
maximizing the effectiveness of project services; and
    (iv) The extent to which the proposed activities constitute a 
coherent, sustained program of training in the field.
    (c) Quality of the project evaluation (25 points).
    (1) The Secretary considers the quality of the evaluation to be 
conducted of the proposed project.
    (2) In determining the quality of the evaluation, the Secretary 
considers the following factors:
    (i) The extent to which the methods of evaluation are thorough, 
feasible, and appropriate to the goals, objectives, and outcomes of the 
proposed project;
    (ii) The extent to which the goals, objectives, and outcomes to be 
achieved by the proposed project are clearly specified and measurable;
    (iii) The extent to which the methods of evaluation include the use 
of objective performance measures that are clearly related to the 
intended outcomes of the project and will produce quantitative and 
qualitative data to the extent possible; and
    (iv) The extent to which the methods of evaluation will provide 
performance feedback and permit periodic assessment of progress toward 
achieving intended outcomes.
    (d) Quality of project personnel, quality of the management plan, 
and adequacy of resources (20 points).
    (1) The Secretary considers the quality of the project personnel, 
the quality of the management plan, and the adequacy of resources for 
the proposed project.
    (2) In determining the quality of project personnel, the Secretary 
considers the extent to which the applicant encourages applications for 
employment from persons who are members of groups that have 
traditionally been underrepresented based on race, color, national 
origin, gender, age, or disability.
    (3) In addition, the Secretary considers the following factors:
    (i) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience, 
of key project personnel;
    (ii) The adequacy of the management plan to achieve the objectives 
of the proposed project on time and within budget, including clearly 
defined responsibilities, timelines, and milestones for accomplishing 
project tasks;
    (iii) The extent to which the time commitments of the project 
director and principal investigator and other key project personnel are 
appropriate and adequate to meet the objectives of the proposed 
project;
    (iv) The adequacy of support, including facilities, equipment, 
supplies, and other resources, from the applicant organization or the 
lead applicant organization; and
    (v) The extent to which the costs are reasonable in relation to the 
objectives, design, and potential significance of the proposed project.
    2. Review and Selection Process: We remind potential applicants 
that in reviewing applications in any discretionary grant competition, 
the Secretary may consider, under 34 CFR 75.217(d)(3), the past 
performance of the applicant in carrying out a previous award, such as 
the applicant's use of funds, achievement of project objectives, and 
compliance with grant conditions. The Secretary may also consider 
whether the applicant failed to submit a timely performance report or 
submitted a report of unacceptable quality.
    In addition, in making a competitive grant award, the Secretary 
requires various assurances, including those applicable to Federal 
civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination in programs or 
activities receiving Federal financial assistance from the Department 
(34 CFR 100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).
    3. Additional Review and Selection Process Factors: In the past, 
the Department has had difficulty finding peer reviewers for certain 
competitions because so many individuals who are eligible to serve as 
peer reviewers have conflicts of interest. The standing panel 
requirements under section 682(b) of IDEA also have placed additional 
constraints on the availability of reviewers. Therefore, the Department 
has determined that for some discretionary grant competitions, 
applications may be separated into two or more groups and ranked and 
selected for funding within specific groups. This procedure will make 
it easier for the Department to find peer reviewers by ensuring that 
greater numbers of individuals who are eligible to serve as reviewers 
for any particular group of applicants will not have conflicts of 
interest. It also will increase the quality, independence, and fairness 
of the review process, while permitting panel members to review 
applications under discretionary grant competitions for which they also 
have submitted applications.
    4. Risk Assessment and Specific Conditions: Consistent with 2 CFR 
200.206, before awarding grants under this competition the Department 
conducts a review of the risks posed by applicants. Under 2 CFR 
200.208, the Secretary may impose specific conditions, and under 2 CFR 
3474.10, in appropriate circumstances, high-risk conditions on a grant 
if the applicant or grantee is not financially stable; has a history of 
unsatisfactory performance; has a financial or other management system 
that does not meet the standards in 2 CFR part 200, subpart D; has not 
fulfilled the conditions of a prior grant; or is otherwise not 
responsible.
    5. Integrity and Performance System: If you are selected under this 
competition to receive an award that over the course of the project 
period may exceed the simplified acquisition threshold (currently 
$250,000), under 2 CFR 200.206(a)(2) we must make a judgment about your 
integrity, business ethics, and record of performance under Federal 
awards--that is, the risk posed by you as an applicant--before we make 
an award. In doing so, we must consider any information about you that 
is in the integrity and performance system (currently referred to as 
the Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System 
(FAPIIS)), accessible through the System for Award Management. You may 
review and comment on any information about yourself that a Federal 
agency previously entered and that is currently in FAPIIS.
    Please note that, if the total value of your currently active 
grants, cooperative agreements, and procurement contracts from the 
Federal Government exceeds $10,000,000, the reporting requirements in 2 
CFR part 200, Appendix XII, require you to report certain integrity 
information to FAPIIS semiannually. Please review the requirements in 2 
CFR part 200, Appendix XII, if this grant plus all the other Federal 
funds you receive exceed $10,000,000.
    6. In General: In accordance with the Office of Management and 
Budget's guidance located at 2 CFR part 200, all applicable Federal 
laws, and relevant Executive guidance, the Department will review and 
consider applications for funding pursuant to this notice inviting 
applications in accordance with--
    (a) Selecting recipients most likely to be successful in delivering 
results based on the program objectives through an objective process of 
evaluating Federal award applications (2 CFR 200.205);
    (b) Prohibiting the purchase of certain telecommunication and video 
surveillance services or equipment in

[[Page 19241]]

alignment with section 889 of the National Defense Authorization Act of 
2019 (Pub. L. 115--232) (2 CFR 200.216);
    (c) Providing a preference, to the extent permitted by law, to 
maximize use of goods, products, and materials produced in the United 
States (2 CFR 200.322); and
    (d) Terminating agreements in whole or in part to the greatest 
extent authorized by law if an award no longer effectuates the program 
goals or agency priorities (2 CFR 200.340).

VI. Award Administration Information

    1. Award Notices: If your application is successful, we notify your 
U.S. Representative and U.S. Senators and send you a Grant Award 
Notification (GAN); or we may send you an email containing a link to 
access an electronic version of your GAN. We may notify you informally, 
also.
    If your application is not evaluated or not selected for funding, 
we notify you.
    2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements: We identify 
administrative and national policy requirements in the application 
package and reference these and other requirements in the Applicable 
Regulations section of this notice.
    We reference the regulations outlining the terms and conditions of 
an award in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice and 
include these and other specific conditions in the GAN. The GAN also 
incorporates your approved application as part of your binding 
commitments under the grant.
    3. Open Licensing Requirements: Unless an exception applies, if you 
are awarded a grant under this competition, you will be required to 
openly license to the public grant deliverables created in whole, or in 
part, with Department grant funds. When the deliverable consists of 
modifications to pre-existing works, the license extends only to those 
modifications that can be separately identified and only to the extent 
that open licensing is permitted under the terms of any licenses or 
other legal restrictions on the use of pre-existing works. 
Additionally, a grantee that is awarded competitive grant funds must 
have a plan to disseminate these public grant deliverables. This 
dissemination plan can be developed and submitted after your 
application has been reviewed and selected for funding. For additional 
information on the open licensing requirements please refer to 2 CFR 
3474.20.
    4. Reporting: (a) If you apply for a grant under this competition, 
you must ensure that you have in place the necessary processes and 
systems to comply with the reporting requirements in 2 CFR part 170 
should you receive funding under the competition. This does not apply 
if you have an exception under 2 CFR 170.110(b).
    (b) At the end of your project period, you must submit a final 
performance report, including financial information, as directed by the 
Secretary. If you receive a multiyear award, you must submit an annual 
performance report that provides the most current performance and 
financial expenditure information as directed by the Secretary under 34 
CFR 75.118. The Secretary may also require more frequent performance 
reports under 34 CFR 75.720(c). For specific requirements on reporting, 
please go to www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/appforms/appforms.html.
    (c) Under 34 CFR 75.250(b), the Secretary may provide a grantee 
with additional funding for data collection analysis and reporting. In 
this case the Secretary establishes a data collection period.
    5. Performance Measures: For the purposes of the Government 
Performance and Results Act of 1993 (GPRA) and reporting under 34 CFR 
75.110, the Department has established a set of performance measures, 
including long-term measures, that are designed to yield information on 
various aspects of the effectiveness and quality of the Personnel 
Development to Improve Services and Results for Children with 
Disabilities program. These measures include: (1) The percentage of 
preparation programs that incorporate scientifically or evidence-based 
practices into their curricula; (2) the percentage of scholars 
completing the preparation program who are knowledgeable and skilled in 
evidence-based practices that improve outcomes for children with 
disabilities; (3) the percentage of scholars who exit the preparation 
program prior to completion due to poor academic performance; (4) the 
percentage of scholars completing the preparation program who are 
working in the area(s) in which they were prepared upon program 
completion; (5) the Federal cost per scholar who completed the 
preparation program; (6) the percentage of scholars who completed the 
preparation program and are employed in high-need districts; and (7) 
the percentage of scholars who completed the preparation program and 
who are rated effective by their employers.
    In addition, the Department will gather information on the 
following outcome measures: The number and percentage of scholars 
proposed by the grantee in their application that were actually 
enrolled and making satisfactory academic progress in the current 
academic year; the number and percentage of enrolled scholars who are 
on track to complete the training program by the end of the project's 
original grant period; and the percentage of scholars who completed the 
preparation program and are employed in the field of special education 
for at least two years.
    Grantees may be asked to participate in assessing and providing 
information on these aspects of program quality.
    6. Continuation Awards: In making a continuation award under 34 CFR 
75.253, the Secretary considers, among other things: Whether a grantee 
has made substantial progress in achieving the goals and objectives of 
the project; whether the grantee has expended funds in a manner that is 
consistent with its approved application and budget; and, if the 
Secretary has established performance measurement requirements, the 
performance targets in the grantee's approved application.
    In making a continuation award, the Secretary also considers 
whether the grantee is operating in compliance with the assurances in 
its approved application, including those applicable to Federal civil 
rights laws that prohibit discrimination in programs or activities 
receiving Federal financial assistance from the Department (34 CFR 
100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).

VII. Other Information

    Accessible Format: On request to the program contact person listed 
under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT, individuals with disabilities 
can obtain this document and a copy of the application package in an 
accessible format. The Department will provide the requestor with an 
accessible format that may include Rich Text Format (RTF) or text 
format (txt), a thumb drive, an MP3 file, braille, large print, 
audiotape, or compact disc, or other accessible format.
    Electronic Access to This Document: The official version of this 
document is the document published in the Federal Register. You may 
access the official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of 
Federal Regulations at www.govinfo.gov. At this site you can view this 
document, as well as all other documents of this Department published 
in the Federal Register, in text or Portable Document Format (PDF). To 
use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available free at 
the site.
    You may also access documents of the Department published in the 
Federal Register by using the article search feature at 
www.federalregister.gov.

[[Page 19242]]

Specifically, through the advanced search feature at this site, you can 
limit your search to documents published by the Department.

David Cantrell,
Deputy Director, Office of Special Education Programs. Delegated the 
authority to perform the functions and duties of the Assistant 
Secretary for the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative 
Services.
[FR Doc. 2021-07506 Filed 4-12-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P