Applications for New Awards; Personnel Development To Improve Services and Results for Children With Disabilities-Personnel Preparation in Special Education, Early Intervention, and Related Services for Personnel Serving Children With Disabilities, 6516-6530 [2022-02392]
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Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 24 / Friday, February 4, 2022 / Notices
A Notice
of Intent to prepare this EIS was
published in the Federal Register on
September 15, 2020 (Federal Register
(FR) Doc 2020–19961) with a correction
on September 18, 2020. The DoN’s
coaction proponents for this EIS are
JBPHH and Naval Facilities Engineering
Systems Command Program
Management Office 555. The U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers, Honolulu District;
U.S. EPA, Region 9; and the National
Marine Fisheries Service, Pacific Islands
Regional Office are cooperating
agencies.
PHNSY & IMF’s mission is to repair,
maintain, and modernize DoN fastattack submarines and surface ships.
The purpose of the proposed action is
to provide appropriate dry dock
capability at PHNSY & IMF no later than
January 2028 to meet submarine depot
maintenance mission requirements, as
well as build and operate a properly
sized and configured WPF to enable
efficient submarine maintenance. The
proposed action is needed because the
existing DD3 at PHNSY & IMF does not
have the necessary length or floor
strength to accommodate current and
future class fast-attack submarines.
Additionally, an appropriately sized
and adjacent WPF is needed to reduce
lost operational days by increasing
collaboration and efficiency among the
workforce. The culmination of a
replacement DD and new WPF will
ensure that the Navy achieves necessary
efficiencies and is capable of fulfilling
scheduled maintenance requirements.
The mission need date of January 2028
is driven by current projected Fleet
maintenance schedules.
The DoN is considering four action
alternatives that meet the purpose of
and need for the proposed action, as
well as a no action alternative. Under
the No Action Alternative, Alternative
1, there would be no change from the
status quo. Action alternatives are
differentiated by the location of the
WPF relative to a new dry dock (east or
west), whether the WPF serves only that
dry dock (single support concept) or has
capability to serve more than one dry
dock (multiple support concept), and
whether the dry dock is covered or
uncovered.
In the EIS, the DoN analyzes potential
environmental impacts of the different
alternatives. Additionally, the DoN will
conduct all coordination and
consultation activities required by the
National Historic Preservation Act, the
Endangered Species Act, the
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act, the
Clean Water Act, and other laws and
regulations determined to be applicable
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SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
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to the project. The DoN will implement
mitigation and monitoring measures to
avoid or reduce environmental impacts,
as determined in cooperation with the
appropriate regulatory agencies and
consulting parties.
The DoN distributed the Draft EIS to
federal agencies and Native Hawaiian
Organizations with which the DoN is
consulting and to other stakeholders.
The DoN provided press releases to the
local newspapers and distributed letters
and postcards to stakeholders, Native
Hawaiian Organizations, and other
interested parties. Copies of the Draft
EIS are available for public review at the
following public libraries: 1. Hawaii
State Public Library and 2. Salt LakeMoanalua Public Library. The Draft EIS
is also available for electronic viewing
or download at https://www.pearlharbor
drydockeis.org.
Dated: January 28, 2022.
J.M. Pike,
Commander, Judge Advocate General’s Corps,
U.S. Navy, Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 2022–02168 Filed 2–3–22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3810–FF–P
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Applications for New Awards;
Personnel Development To Improve
Services and Results for Children With
Disabilities—Personnel Preparation in
Special Education, Early Intervention,
and Related Services for Personnel
Serving Children With Disabilities
Office of Special Education and
Rehabilitative Services, Department of
Education.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
The Department of Education
(Department) is issuing a notice inviting
applications for new awards for fiscal
year (FY) 2022 for Personnel
Development to Improve Services and
Results for Children with Disabilities—
Personnel Preparation in Special
Education, Early Intervention, and
Related Services for Personnel Serving
Children with Disabilities, Assistance
Listing Number 84.325K. This notice
relates to the approved information
collection under OMB control number
1820–0028.
DATES:
Applications Available: February 4,
2022.
Deadline for Transmittal of
Applications: April 15, 2022.
Deadline for Intergovernmental
Review: June 14, 2022.
Pre-Application Webinar Information:
No later than February 9, 2022, the
SUMMARY:
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Office of Special Education and
Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) will
post details on pre-recorded
informational webinars designed to
provide technical assistance to
interested applicants. Links to the
webinars may be found at www2.ed.gov/
fund/grant/apply/osep/new-osepgrants.html.
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 December 27, 2021
(86 FR 73264) and available at
www.federalregister.gov/d/2021-27979.
Please note that these Common
Instructions supersede the version
published on February 13, 2019, and, in
part, describe the transition from the
requirement to register in SAM.gov a
Data Universal Numbering System
(DUNS) number to the implementation
of the Unique Entity Identifier (UEI).
More information on the phase-out of
DUNS numbers is available at https://
www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ofo/
docs/unique-entity-identifier-transitionfact-sheet.pdf.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
For Absolute Priority 1 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:
Sunyoung.Ahn@ed.gov.
For Absolute Priority 1 Focus Area B:
Carlene Reid, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW,
Room 5038A, Potomac Center Plaza,
Washington, DC 20202–5076.
Telephone: (202) 245–6139. Email:
Carlene.Reid@ed.gov.
For Absolute Priority 2: Tracie
Dickson, U.S. Department of Education,
400 Maryland Avenue SW, Room 5176,
Potomac Center Plaza, Washington, DC
20202–5076. Telephone: (202) 245–
7844. Email: Tracie.Dickson@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.
ADDRESSES:
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,
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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
two absolute priorities. In accordance
with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(v), Absolute
Priority 1 and Absolute Priority 2 are
from allowable activities specified in
the statute (see sections 662 and 681 of
the Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act (IDEA) (20 U.S.C. 1462
and 1481)).
Absolute Priority: For FY 2022 and
any subsequent year in which we make
awards from the list of unfunded
applications from this competition,
these priorities are absolute priorities.
Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3), we consider
only applications that meet Absolute
Priority 1 or Absolute Priority 2. The
Department may fund out of rank order
high-quality applications to ensure that
awards are evenly funded under each
absolute priority. Applicants may apply
under both absolute priorities but must
submit two separate applications.
Applicants must clearly identify if the
proposed project addresses Absolute
Priority 1 or Absolute Priority 2.
These priorities are:
Absolute Priority 1: 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 highintensity needs.1 Under this priority, the
Department will fund high-quality
interdisciplinary 2 projects that prepare
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 evidencebased interventions).
2 For the purposes of this priority,
‘‘interdisciplinary’’ refers to preparing scholars
from two or more graduate degree programs in
special education or early intervention and one or
more related services through shared coursework,
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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 who has
high-intensity needs, in meeting high
expectations and to partner with other
providers, families, and administrators
in meaningful and effective
collaborations.
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 highneed 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
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.
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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ambitious, which is essential for
preparing them for the future.
The need for personnel with the
knowledge and skills to serve children
with disabilities, including infants,
toddlers, and youth, who have highintensity 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 with disabilities,
including infants, toddlers, and youth,
who have high-intensity needs may
require the combined expertise of
numerous professionals (including
special 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. Personnel also need
leadership skills to strengthen
professional practice and cultural and
linguistic competencies to effectively
deliver services and education for
children with disabilities who have
high-intensity needs, including those
who are racially and ethnically diverse.
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 IDEA,
personnel serving children with
disabilities, including infants, toddlers,
and youth, 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, and equitable services, both
in person and through distance learning
technologies, personnel preparation
programs need to embed content,
5 For the purposes of this priority, ‘‘evidencebased’’ 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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practices, and extensive field or clinical
experiences into preservice training that
is culturally and linguistically
responsive and aligned with an
interdisciplinary team-based approach
to effectively meet the needs of children
with high-intensity needs and their
families in ways that are culturally and
linguistically responsive. 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 highintensity 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 special
education or early intervention and one
or more related services.
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
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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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 highintensity 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 not funded as scholars, but are in
degree programs (e.g., general
education, early childhood education,
administration) that are cooperating
with 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’
program of study (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
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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.
Note: OSEP 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 Area A: Preparing Personnel to
Serve Infants, Toddlers, and PreschoolAge 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 early intervention or early childhood
special education and one or more
related services for infants, toddlers,
and preschool-age children with
disabilities or developmental delays
who have high-intensity needs.
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.
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 special education and one or more
related services for school-age children
with disabilities who have highintensity needs.
Focus Areas A and B:
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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. A
description of the proposed strategies
may include activities such as—
(1) Outlining or updating coursework,
group assignments, or extensive and
coordinated field or clinical experiences
needed to support culturally and
linguistically responsive,
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, including those
with racially and ethnically diverse
populations, 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.
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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 who
have high-intensity needs in the focus
area under which the project is
applying. To address this requirement,
the applicant must—
(i) Present data for all scholars in the
program and provide disaggregated data
for scholars of color that reflects 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 7 needed to—
7 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
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(i) Promote high expectations and
improve outcomes for children with
disabilities;
(ii) Differentiate curriculum and
instruction;
(iii) Provide intensive, evidence-based
individualized instruction and
intervention(s);
(iv) Provide culturally and
linguistically responsive instruction and
services;
(v) Provide instruction or
intervention(s) in person and through
distance learning technologies;
(vi) Collaborate with diverse
stakeholders, including those from
racially and ethnically diverse
backgrounds, 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
transition from early childhood to
elementary, elementary to secondary, or
transition to postsecondary education
and the workforce; and
(vii) Exercise leadership to improve
professional practice and services and
education for children with disabilities
who have high-intensity needs.
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 and
improve outcomes for children with
disabilities;
(2) Differentiate curriculum and
instruction;
(3) Provide intensive, evidence-based
individualized instruction and
intervention(s);
(4) Provide culturally and
linguistically responsive instruction and
services;
(5) Provide instruction or
intervention(s) in person and through
distance learning technologies;
(6) Collaborate with parents, families,
and diverse stakeholders, including
those who are from racially and
ethnically diverse backgrounds, 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
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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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;
and
(7) Exercise leadership to improve
professional practice and services and
education for children with disabilities
who have high-intensity needs and their
families;
(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 highintensity 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; 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
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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 highquality 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 inperson 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;
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(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),8 high-poverty schools,9
schools identified for comprehensive
support and improvement,10 and
schools implementing a targeted
support and improvement plan 11 for
children with disabilities; early
childhood and early intervention
8 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.
9 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.
10 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.
11 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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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
(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
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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 careerready 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 to improve 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 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
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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 OSEPfunded 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
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;
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(10) Ensure that scholar support costs
(e.g., tuition, stipends) are scholarship
assistance and not financial assistance
based on the condition that the scholar
works for the grantee (e.g., as graduate
assistants);
(11) Ensure that the budget includes
attendance of the project director at a
three-day project directors’ meeting in
Washington, DC during each year of the
project. The project must reallocate
funds for travel to the project directors’
meeting no later than the end of the
third quarter of each budget period if
the meeting is conducted virtually;
(12) 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;
(13) 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
(14) 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
34 CFR 75.110. 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 PreScholarship Agreement and Exit
Certification for each scholar funded
under an OSEP grant (see paragraph (5)
of these requirements).
Absolute Priority 2: Preparation of
Special Education, Early Intervention,
and Related Services Personnel
Attending Minority Serving Institutions
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(MSIs), including Historically Black
Colleges and Universities (HBCUs),
Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs),
Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs),
and Asian American and Pacific
Islander Serving Institutions (AAPISIs).
Background:
The purpose of this priority is to
increase the number of ethnically and
racially diverse personnel who are fully
credentialed to serve children,
including infants, toddlers, and youth
with disabilities. Under this absolute
priority, the Department will fund highquality projects within MSIs 12 that
prepare special education, early
intervention, and related services 13
personnel at the certification,14
bachelor’s degree, master’s degree,
educational specialist degree, or clinical
doctoral degree levels to serve in a
variety of settings, including natural
environments (the home and
community settings in which children
with and without disabilities
participate), early learning programs,
child care, classrooms, schools, and
distance learning.
Children of color represent a large
proportion of the children receiving
early intervention and special education
services through IDEA. In 2019,
approximately 50 percent of infants and
toddlers with disabilities, ages birth
through two are children of color;
approximately 48 percent of preschool
children with disabilities ages three
through five are children of color; while
approximately 54 percent of students
with disabilities, ages five (in
kindergarten) through 21 are children of
color (U.S. Department of Education,
2020).
Despite the fact that children of color
make up an increasing share of all
children receiving early intervention
and special education services, results
from the 2017–18 National Teacher and
Principal Survey show that teachers of
color comprised about 20 percent of the
12 For the purposes of this priority, ‘‘minority
serving institutions’’ are institutions of higher
education whose enrollment of a single minority or
a combination of minorities exceeds 50 percent of
the total enrollment (20 U.S.C. 1067k(3)).
13 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.
14 For the purpose of this priority, ‘‘certification’’
refers to programs of study that lead to State
licensure, endorsement, or certification that
qualifies graduates to teach or provide services to
children with disabilities. Programs of study that
lead to a certificate of completion from the MSI, but
do not lead to State licensure, endorsement, or
certification, do not qualify.
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public school teacher workforce, which
is disproportionately low compared to
the proportion of students of color
enrolled in public schools (Taie &
Goldring, 2020).
Moreover, the demographics of
personnel entering the early
intervention and special education
fields are not aligned with the
demographics of the children and
families served under IDEA. OSEP’s
Personnel Development Program Data
Collection System data reveals that
scholars are more likely to be White.
Specifically, the race/ethnicity of
scholars obtaining a graduate degree to
serve children with disabilities is 62
percent White, 14 percent Hispanic, 9
percent Black, and 3 percent Asian.
Similarly, data from related services
professional organizations reveal that
the majority of those enrolled in related
service personnel preparation programs
are White with demonstrably smaller
percentages of scholars of color enrolled
in preservice programs (American
Occupational Therapy Association,
2020; American Physical Therapy
Association, 2020; American SpeechLanguage Hearing Association, 2021).
The data clearly demonstrates that there
is a substantial shortage of ethnically
and racially diverse special education,
early intervention, and related services
providers (Sutcher, Darling-Hammond,
& Carver-Thomas, 2016).
This is of concern, as research
indicates that increasing the diversity of
personnel can have positive impacts on
all children, and this is especially true
for children of color who demonstrate
improved academic achievement and
behavioral and social-emotional
development when they are taught by
teachers of color (Carver-Thomas, 2018).
To address the need for a more
diverse workforce, this priority aims to
fund projects at MSIs that will prepare
personnel in special education, early
intervention, or a related service at the
certification, bachelor’s degree, master’s
degree, educational specialist degree, or
clinical doctorate degree level.
Priority:
The purpose of this priority is to
increase the number of ethnically and
racially diverse personnel who have the
necessary knowledge and skills to
become fully credentialed to serve
children, including infants, toddlers,
and youth, with disabilities. The
priority will support high-quality
projects in MSIs that prepare special
education, early intervention, and
related services scholars 15 at the
15 For the purposes of this priority, ‘‘scholar’’ is
limited to an individual who: (a) Is pursuing a
certification, bachelor’s master’s, educational
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certification, bachelor’s degree, 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, toddlers,
and youth, with disabilities.
Focus Areas:
Within this absolute priority, the
Secretary intends to support projects
under the following two focus areas: (A)
Preparing Personnel to Serve Infants,
Toddlers, and Preschool-Age Children
with Disabilities; and (B) Preparing
Personnel to Serve School-Age Children
with Disabilities. 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. OSEP 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 Area A: Preparing Personnel to
Serve Infants, Toddlers, and PreschoolAge Children with Disabilities.
This focus area is for projects that
prepare early intervention, special
education, and related services
personnel who are prepared to provide
services to infants and toddler with
disabilities ages birth to two, and 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.
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 program of study
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.
Individuals pursuing degrees in general
education or early childhood education do not
qualify as ‘‘scholars’’ eligible for scholarship
assistance.
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Focus Area B: Preparing Personnel to
Serve School-Age Children with
Disabilities. This focus area is for
projects that prepare special education
and related services personnel to work
with school-age children.
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. A
description of the proposed strategies
may include activities such as—
(1) Outlining or updating coursework,
assignments, or extensive and
coordinated field or clinical experiences
needed to support preparation for
special education, early intervention, or
related services personnel serving
children with disabilities;
(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
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 early intervention,
special education, 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
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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 in the
focus area under which the project is
applying. To address this requirement,
the applicant must—
(i) Present data for all scholars in the
program and provide disaggregated data
for scholars of color that reflects the
quality of the 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) Present data on the quality of the
pedagogical approach 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, including those
from racially and ethnically diverse
backgrounds, who demonstrate the
competencies 16 needed to—
16 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
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(i) Promote high expectations and
improve outcomes for children with
disabilities;
(ii) Differentiate curriculum and
instruction;
(iii) Provide individualized, evidencebased instruction and intervention(s);
(iv) Provide culturally and
linguistically responsive instruction and
services;
(v) Provide instruction or
intervention(s) in person and through
distance learning technologies;
(vi) Collaborate with diverse
stakeholders, including those from
racially and ethnically diverse
backgrounds, to address the
individualized needs of children with
disabilities, ages birth through 21, and
designed to achieve improvements in
learning or developmental outcomes
(e.g., academic, social, emotional,
behavioral), and support the successful
transition from early childhood to
elementary, elementary to secondary, or
transition to postsecondary education
and the workforce; and
(vii) Exercise leadership to improve
professional practice and services and
education for children with disabilities,
including those from racially and
ethnically diverse backgrounds. 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 and
improve outcomes for children with
disabilities;
(2) Differentiate curriculum and
instruction;
(3) Provide individualized, evidencebased instruction and intervention(s);
(4) Provide culturally and
linguistically responsive instruction and
services;
(5) Provide instruction or
intervention(s) in person and through
distance learning technologies;
(6) Collaborate with parents, families,
and stakeholders, including those from
racially and ethnically diverse
backgrounds, 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; and maximize
the use of effective technology,
including assistive technology, to
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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deliver instruction, interventions, and
services; and
(7) Exercise leadership to improve
professional practice and services and
education for children with disabilities,
including those from racially and
ethnically diverse backgrounds;
(B) Identify the competencies that
personnel need to support inclusion of
children with disabilities 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;
(C) 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, including
those from racially and ethnically
diverse backgrounds, in a variety of
settings (e.g., natural environments;
public schools, including charter
schools; private schools; and other
nonpublic education settings, including
home education); and
(D) Provide a conceptual framework
for the proposed 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 recruit and retain high-quality
scholars into the program 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 the programs;
(ii) Recruitment strategies the
applicant will use to attract high-quality
applicants, including specific
recruitment strategies targeting highquality applicants from traditionally
underrepresented groups, including
underrepresented people of color and
individuals with disabilities; and
(iii) The approach, including
necessary supports and services that
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improve graduation rates such as, but
not limited to, culturally and
linguistically responsive mentoring and
counseling, explicit strategies and
support for standardized test taking
(e.g., Praxis tests), monitoring, and
accommodations, the applicant will use
to support scholars to complete their
program of study;
(2) Will reflect current culturally and
linguistically competent evidence-based
practices, including practices in the
areas of early learning and development,
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 culturally and
linguistically competent evidence-based
practices (including relevant research
citations) that improve outcomes for
children with disabilities into the
required coursework and extensive field
or clinical experiences for the program;
and
(ii) Use culturally and linguistically
competent evidence-based professional
development practices for adult learners
to instruct scholars through both inperson and online courses and field or
clinical experiences;
(3) 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 the program of
study, including the coursework,
assignments, and extensive and
coordinated field or clinical experiences
required for the proposed project, will
support scholars’ acquisition and
enhancement of the identified
competencies;
(ii) The components of the program of
study will be integrated to allow
scholars 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;
(iii) Scholars will be provided with
ongoing culturally and linguistically
responsive guidance, mentoring,
feedback, and other necessary supports
during training; and
(iv) The proposed project will provide
ongoing culturally and linguistically
responsive induction opportunities and
mentoring support to graduates of the
project;
(4) Will engage in meaningful and
effective collaboration with appropriate
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partners representing diverse
stakeholders, including—
(i) High-need schools, which may
include high-need LEAs,17 high-poverty
schools,18 schools identified for
comprehensive support and
improvement,19 and schools
implementing a targeted support and
improvement plan 20 for children with
disabilities; early childhood and early
intervention programs located within
the geographic boundaries of a highneed 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;
and
(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;
(5) Will use technology, as
appropriate, to promote scholar learning
and professional practice, enhance the
efficiency of the project, collaborate
with partners, and facilitate ongoing
17 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.
18 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.
19 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.
20 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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culturally and linguistically responsive
mentoring and support for scholars;
(6) 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
(7) 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 degree
program 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 collegeand career-ready standards), and on
growth toward these outcomes, of the
children with disabilities served by the
scholars;
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 to improve the proposed project to
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prepare special education, early
intervention, or related services
personnel to provide (a) focused
instruction; and (b) individualized
intervention(s) to improve outcomes of
children with disabilities; 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. 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) Course syllabi for all coursework in
the program, assignments, and extensive
coordinated field or clinical experiences
required of project scholars; and
(ii) Intended learning outcomes for
the 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 OSEPfunded 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
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scholar support. Applicants proposing
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 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 scholar support costs
(e.g., tuition, stipends) are scholarship
assistance and not financial assistance
based on the condition that the scholar
work (e.g., as graduate assistants);
(11) Ensure that the budget includes
attendance of the project director at a
three-day project directors’ meeting in
Washington, DC during each year of the
project. The project must reallocate
funds for travel to the project directors’
meeting no later than the end of the
third quarter of each budget period if
the meeting is conducted virtually;
(12) Ensure that the project director,
key personnel, and, as appropriate,
scholars will actively participate in
cross-project collaboration
opportunities, advanced trainings, and
other 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 service delivery models;
(13) 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
(14) 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
34 CFR 75.110. Applicants are
encouraged to visit the Personnel
Development Program Data Collection
System (DCS) website at https://
pdp.ed.gov/osep for further information
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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 PreScholarship Agreement and Exit
Certification for each scholar funded
under an OSEP grant (see paragraph (5)
of these requirements).
References:
American Occupational Therapy Association.
(2020). 2019 workforce and salary
survey. www.aota.org/EducationCareers/Advance-Career/SalaryWorkforce-Survey.aspx.
American Physical Therapy Association
(APTA). (2020). APTA physical therapy
workforce analysis. www.apta.org/
contentassets/
5997bfa5c8504df789fe4f1c01a717eb/
apta-workforce-analysis-2020.pdf.
American Speech-Language Hearing
Association. (2021). CSD education
survey. www.asha.org/siteassets/
uploadedFiles/Communication-Sciencesand-Disorders-Education-TrendData.pdf.
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/.
Carver-Thomas, D. (2018). Diversifying the
teaching profession: How to recruit and
retain teachers of color. Learning Policy
Institute.
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act,
20 U.S.C. 1400, et seq. (2004).
McLeskey, J., & Brownell, M. (2015). Highleverage practices and teacher
preparation in special education
(Document No. PR–1). https://
ceedar.education.ufl.edu/wp-content/
uploads/2016/05/High-LeveragePractices-and-Teacher-Preparation-inSpecial-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
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Education, 33(2), 131–142.
Sutcher, L., Darling-Hammond, L., & CarverThomas, D. (2016). A coming crisis in
teaching? Teacher supply, demand, and
shortages in the U.S. Learning Policy
Institute. https://learningpolicyinstitute.
org/product/coming-crisis-teaching.
Taie, S., & Goldring, R. (2020).
Characteristics of public and private
elementary and secondary school
teachers in the United States: Results
from the 2017–18 national teacher and
principal survey. First look. NCES 2020–
142. National Center for Education
Statistics.
U.S. Department of Education. (2020).
EDFacts Data Warehouse: ‘‘IDEA Part B
Child Count and Educational
Environments Collection’’ & ‘‘IDEA Part
C Child Count and Settings Collection,’’
2019–20. www2.ed.gov/programs/
osepidea/618-data/static-tables/
index.html.
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 priorities 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.
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part
86 apply to IHEs only.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
Estimated Available Funds: The
Administration has requested
$250,000,000 for the Personnel
Development to Improve Services and
Results for Children with Disabilities
program for FY 2022, of which we
intend to use an estimated $9,500,000
for this competition. The actual level of
funding, if any, depends on final
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congressional action. However, we are
inviting applications to allow enough
time to complete the grant process if
Congress appropriates funds for this
program.
Contingent upon the availability of
funds and the quality of applications,
we may make additional awards in FY
2023 from the list of unfunded
applications from this competition.
Estimated Range of Awards:
$200,000–$250,000 per year.
Estimated Average Size of Awards:
$225,000 per year.
Maximum Award: We will not make
an award exceeding $250,000 for a
single budget period of 12 months.
Estimated Number of Awards: 38.
Project Period: Up to 60 months.
Note: The Department is not bound by
any estimates in this notice.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants: For Absolute
Priority 1, eligible applicants are IHEs
and private nonprofit organizations. For
Absolute Priority 2, eligible applicants
are MSIs 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
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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
December 27, 2021 (86 FR 73264) and
available at www.federalregister.gov/d/
2021-27979, which contain
requirements and information on how to
submit an application. Please note that
these Common Instructions supersede
the version published on February 13,
2019, and, in part, describe the
transition from the requirement to
register in SAM.gov a DUNS number to
the implementation of the UEI. More
information on the phase-out of DUNS
numbers is available at https://
www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ofo/
docs/unique-entity-identifier-transitionfact-sheet.pdf.
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.
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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
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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
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
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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,
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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.
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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
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
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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 Department 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 evidencebased 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
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Sfmt 4703
6529
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
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Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 24 / Friday, February 4, 2022 / Notices
the document published in the Federal
Register. You may access the official
edition of the Federal Register and the
Code of Federal Regulations at
www.govinfo.gov. At this site you can
view this document, as well as all other
documents of this Department
published in the Federal Register, in
text or Portable Document Format
(PDF). To use PDF you must have
Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is
available free at the site.
You may also access documents of the
Department published in the Federal
Register by using the article search
feature at www.federalregister.gov.
Specifically, through the advanced
search feature at this site, you can limit
your search to documents published by
the Department.
Katherine Neas,
Deputy Assistant Secretary, delegated the
authority to perform the functions and duties
of the Assistant Secretary for the Office of
Special Education and Rehabilitative
Services.
[FR Doc. 2022–02392 Filed 2–3–22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
[Docket No.: ED–2021–SCC–0134]
Agency Information Collection
Activities; Submission to the Office of
Management and Budget for Review
and Approval; Comment Request;
National Evaluation of the 2019
Comprehensive Centers Program
Grantees
Institute of Education Sciences
(IES), Department of Education (ED).
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
In accordance with the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, ED is
proposing a new collection.
DATES: Interested persons are invited to
submit comments on or before March 7,
2022.
ADDRESSES: Written comments and
recommendations for proposed
information collection requests should
be sent within 30 days of publication of
this notice to www.reginfo.gov/public/
do/PRAMain. Find this information
collection request by selecting
‘‘Department of Education’’ under
‘‘Currently Under Review,’’ then check
‘‘Only Show ICR for Public Comment’’
checkbox. Comments may also be sent
to ICDocketmgr@ed.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For
specific questions related to collection
activities, please contact Andrew
Abrams, 202–245–7500.
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SUMMARY:
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The
Department of Education (ED), in
accordance with the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) (44 U.S.C.
3506(c)(2)(A)), provides the general
public and Federal agencies with an
opportunity to comment on proposed,
revised, and continuing collections of
information. This helps the Department
assess the impact of its information
collection requirements and minimize
the public’s reporting burden. It also
helps the public understand the
Department’s information collection
requirements and provide the requested
data in the desired format. ED is
soliciting comments on the proposed
information collection request (ICR) that
is described below. The Department of
Education is especially interested in
public comment addressing the
following issues: (1) Is this collection
necessary to the proper functions of the
Department; (2) will this information be
processed and used in a timely manner;
(3) is the estimate of burden accurate;
(4) how might the Department enhance
the quality, utility, and clarity of the
information to be collected; and (5) how
might the Department minimize the
burden of this collection on the
respondents, including through the use
of information technology. Please note
that written comments received in
response to this notice will be
considered public records.
Title of Collection: National
Evaluation of the 2019 Comprehensive
Centers Program Grantees.
OMB Control Number: 1850–NEW.
Type of Review: New collection.
Respondents/Affected Public: Private
Sector.
Total Estimated Number of Annual
Responses: 259.
Total Estimated Number of Annual
Burden Hours: 106.
Abstract: The 2015 update to the
federal law governing K–12 schooling
gave state (SEAs) and local education
agencies (LEAs) increased
responsibilities, and, therefore, extra
demands on their time and capabilities.
The Comprehensive Centers program,
funded by the U.S. Department of
Education at over $50 million per year,
provides training, tools, and other
supports to help these agencies carry
out their education plans and take steps
to close achievement gaps. The Centers’
services aim to build individual and
organizational capacity to help identify
and solve key problems. This evaluation
will examine the delivery and
usefulness of the Centers’ technical
assistance, given potential new
stakeholder needs and changes in the
Center program that took effect with the
20 new grants awarded in in 2019.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
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Congress requires a periodic evaluation
of the Comprehensive Centers program,
with the results intended to inform
ongoing program improvements.
Dated: February 1, 2022.
Juliana Pearson,
PRA Coordinator, Strategic Collections and
Clearance, Governance and Strategy Division,
Office of Chief Data Officer, Office of
Planning, Evaluation and Policy
Development.
[FR Doc. 2022–02391 Filed 2–3–22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Project No. 6240–064]
Watson Associates; Notice Soliciting
Scoping Comments
Take notice that the following
hydroelectric application has been filed
with the Commission and is available
for public inspection.
a. Type of Application: Subsequent
Minor License.
b. Project No.: 6240–064.
c. Date Filed: August 27, 2021.
d. Applicant: Watson Associates.
e. Name of Project: Watson Dam
Project.
f. Location: On the Cocheco River in
Strafford County, New Hampshire. The
project does not occupy any federal
land.
g. Filed Pursuant to: Federal Power
Act, 16 U.S.C. 791(a)–825(r).
h. Applicant Contact: Mr. John
Webster, Watson Associates, P.O. Box
178, South Berwick, ME 03908; Phone
at (207) 384–5334, or email at
Hydromagnt@gwi.net.
i. FERC Contact: Michael Watts at
(202) 502–6123, or michael.watt@
ferc.gov.
j. Deadline for filing scoping
comments: March 2, 2022.
The Commission strongly encourages
electronic filing. Please file scoping
comments using the Commission’s
eFiling system at https://
ferconline.ferc.gov/FERCOnline.aspx.
Commenters can submit brief comments
up to 6,000 characters, without prior
registration, using the eComment system
at https://ferconline.ferc.gov/
QuickComment.aspx. You must include
your name and contact information at
the end of your comments. For
assistance, please contact FERC Online
Support at FERCOnlineSupport@
ferc.gov, (866) 208–3676 (toll free), or
(202) 502–8659 (TTY). In lieu of
E:\FR\FM\04FEN1.SGM
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 24 (Friday, February 4, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6516-6530]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-02392]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Applications for New Awards; Personnel Development To Improve
Services and Results for Children With Disabilities--Personnel
Preparation in Special Education, Early Intervention, and Related
Services for Personnel Serving Children With Disabilities
AGENCY: Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services,
Department of Education.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Department of Education (Department) is issuing a notice
inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY) 2022 for
Personnel Development to Improve Services and Results for Children with
Disabilities--Personnel Preparation in Special Education, Early
Intervention, and Related Services for Personnel Serving Children with
Disabilities, Assistance Listing Number 84.325K. This notice relates to
the approved information collection under OMB control number 1820-0028.
DATES:
Applications Available: February 4, 2022.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: April 15, 2022.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: June 14, 2022.
Pre-Application Webinar Information: No later than February 9,
2022, the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services
(OSERS) will post details on pre-recorded informational webinars
designed to provide technical assistance to interested applicants.
Links to the webinars may be found at www2.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/osep/new-osep-grants.html.
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 December 27, 2021 (86 FR 73264) and available at
www.federalregister.gov/d/2021-27979. Please note that these Common
Instructions supersede the version published on February 13, 2019, and,
in part, describe the transition from the requirement to register in
SAM.gov a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number to the
implementation of the Unique Entity Identifier (UEI). More information
on the phase-out of DUNS numbers is available at https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ofo/docs/unique-entity-identifier-transition-fact-sheet.pdf.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
For Absolute Priority 1 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 Absolute Priority 1 Focus Area B: Carlene Reid, U.S. Department
of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Room 5038A, Potomac Center Plaza,
Washington, DC 20202-5076. Telephone: (202) 245-6139. Email:
[email protected].
For Absolute Priority 2: Tracie Dickson, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Room 5176, Potomac Center Plaza,
Washington, DC 20202-5076. Telephone: (202) 245-7844. 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,
[[Page 6517]]
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 two absolute priorities. In
accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(v), Absolute Priority 1 and
Absolute Priority 2 are from allowable activities specified in the
statute (see sections 662 and 681 of the Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act (IDEA) (20 U.S.C. 1462 and 1481)).
Absolute Priority: For FY 2022 and any subsequent year in which we
make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this
competition, these priorities are absolute priorities. Under 34 CFR
75.105(c)(3), we consider only applications that meet Absolute Priority
1 or Absolute Priority 2. The Department may fund out of rank order
high-quality applications to ensure that awards are evenly funded under
each absolute priority. Applicants may apply under both absolute
priorities but must submit two separate applications. Applicants must
clearly identify if the proposed project addresses Absolute Priority 1
or Absolute Priority 2.
These priorities are:
Absolute Priority 1: 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 who has high-intensity needs, in meeting high expectations
and to partner with other providers, families, and administrators in
meaningful and effective collaborations.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\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 special education or early intervention and one 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.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\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.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The need for personnel with the knowledge and skills to serve
children with disabilities, including infants, toddlers, and youth, 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).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\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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Although children with disabilities, including infants, toddlers,
and youth, who have high-intensity needs may require the combined
expertise of numerous professionals (including special 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.
Personnel also need leadership skills to strengthen professional
practice and cultural and linguistic competencies to effectively
deliver services and education for children with disabilities who have
high-intensity needs, including those who are racially and ethnically
diverse.
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 IDEA, personnel serving children with disabilities,
including infants, toddlers, and youth, 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, and equitable services, both in person and through distance
learning technologies, personnel preparation programs need to embed
content,
[[Page 6518]]
practices, and extensive field or clinical experiences into preservice
training that is culturally and linguistically responsive and aligned
with an interdisciplinary team-based approach to effectively meet the
needs of children with high-intensity needs and their families in ways
that are culturally and linguistically responsive. 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 special education or early intervention and one 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 not funded as scholars,
but are in degree programs (e.g., general education, early childhood
education, administration) that are cooperating with 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' program of study (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.
Note: OSEP 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 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 early intervention or early childhood
special education and one or more related services for infants,
toddlers, and preschool-age children with disabilities or developmental
delays who have high-intensity needs.
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.
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 special education and one or more related services for
school-age children with disabilities who have high-intensity needs.
Focus Areas A and B:
[[Page 6519]]
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. A description of the proposed
strategies may include activities such as--
(1) Outlining or updating coursework, group assignments, or
extensive and coordinated field or clinical experiences needed to
support culturally and linguistically responsive, 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, including
those with racially and ethnically diverse populations, 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 who have high-intensity needs in the focus area under
which the project is applying. To address this requirement, the
applicant must--
(i) Present data for all scholars in the program and provide
disaggregated data for scholars of color that reflects 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 \7\ needed to--
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\7\ 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 and improve outcomes for children
with disabilities;
(ii) Differentiate curriculum and instruction;
(iii) Provide intensive, evidence-based individualized instruction
and intervention(s);
(iv) Provide culturally and linguistically responsive instruction
and services;
(v) Provide instruction or intervention(s) in person and through
distance learning technologies;
(vi) Collaborate with diverse stakeholders, including those from
racially and ethnically diverse backgrounds, 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 transition from early childhood to elementary,
elementary to secondary, or transition to postsecondary education and
the workforce; and
(vii) Exercise leadership to improve professional practice and
services and education for children with disabilities who have high-
intensity needs.
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 and improve outcomes for children
with disabilities;
(2) Differentiate curriculum and instruction;
(3) Provide intensive, evidence-based individualized instruction
and intervention(s);
(4) Provide culturally and linguistically responsive instruction
and services;
(5) Provide instruction or intervention(s) in person and through
distance learning technologies;
(6) Collaborate with parents, families, and diverse stakeholders,
including those who are from racially and ethnically diverse
backgrounds, 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
[[Page 6520]]
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; and
(7) Exercise leadership to improve professional practice and
services and education for children with disabilities who have high-
intensity needs and their families;
(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; 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),\8\ high-poverty schools,\9\ schools
identified for comprehensive support and improvement,\10\ and schools
implementing a targeted support and improvement plan \11\ for children
with disabilities; early childhood and early intervention
[[Page 6521]]
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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\8\ 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.
\9\ 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.
\10\ 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.
\11\ 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 to improve 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 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 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;
[[Page 6522]]
(10) Ensure that scholar support costs (e.g., tuition, stipends)
are scholarship assistance and not financial assistance based on the
condition that the scholar works for the grantee (e.g., as graduate
assistants);
(11) Ensure that the budget includes attendance of the project
director at a three-day project directors' meeting in Washington, DC
during each year of the project. The project must reallocate funds for
travel to the project directors' meeting no later than the end of the
third quarter of each budget period if the meeting is conducted
virtually;
(12) 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;
(13) 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
(14) 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 34 CFR
75.110. 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).
Absolute Priority 2: Preparation of Special Education, Early
Intervention, and Related Services Personnel Attending Minority Serving
Institutions (MSIs), including Historically Black Colleges and
Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs), Tribal
Colleges and Universities (TCUs), and Asian American and Pacific
Islander Serving Institutions (AAPISIs).
Background:
The purpose of this priority is to increase the number of
ethnically and racially diverse personnel who are fully credentialed to
serve children, including infants, toddlers, and youth with
disabilities. Under this absolute priority, the Department will fund
high-quality projects within MSIs \12\ that prepare special education,
early intervention, and related services \13\ personnel at the
certification,\14\ bachelor's degree, master's degree, educational
specialist degree, or clinical doctoral degree levels to serve in a
variety of settings, including natural environments (the home and
community settings in which children with and without disabilities
participate), early learning programs, child care, classrooms, schools,
and distance learning.
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\12\ For the purposes of this priority, ``minority serving
institutions'' are institutions of higher education whose enrollment
of a single minority or a combination of minorities exceeds 50
percent of the total enrollment (20 U.S.C. 1067k(3)).
\13\ 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.
\14\ For the purpose of this priority, ``certification'' refers
to programs of study that lead to State licensure, endorsement, or
certification that qualifies graduates to teach or provide services
to children with disabilities. Programs of study that lead to a
certificate of completion from the MSI, but do not lead to State
licensure, endorsement, or certification, do not qualify.
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Children of color represent a large proportion of the children
receiving early intervention and special education services through
IDEA. In 2019, approximately 50 percent of infants and toddlers with
disabilities, ages birth through two are children of color;
approximately 48 percent of preschool children with disabilities ages
three through five are children of color; while approximately 54
percent of students with disabilities, ages five (in kindergarten)
through 21 are children of color (U.S. Department of Education, 2020).
Despite the fact that children of color make up an increasing share
of all children receiving early intervention and special education
services, results from the 2017-18 National Teacher and Principal
Survey show that teachers of color comprised about 20 percent of the
public school teacher workforce, which is disproportionately low
compared to the proportion of students of color enrolled in public
schools (Taie & Goldring, 2020).
Moreover, the demographics of personnel entering the early
intervention and special education fields are not aligned with the
demographics of the children and families served under IDEA. OSEP's
Personnel Development Program Data Collection System data reveals that
scholars are more likely to be White. Specifically, the race/ethnicity
of scholars obtaining a graduate degree to serve children with
disabilities is 62 percent White, 14 percent Hispanic, 9 percent Black,
and 3 percent Asian. Similarly, data from related services professional
organizations reveal that the majority of those enrolled in related
service personnel preparation programs are White with demonstrably
smaller percentages of scholars of color enrolled in preservice
programs (American Occupational Therapy Association, 2020; American
Physical Therapy Association, 2020; American Speech-Language Hearing
Association, 2021). The data clearly demonstrates that there is a
substantial shortage of ethnically and racially diverse special
education, early intervention, and related services providers (Sutcher,
Darling-Hammond, & Carver-Thomas, 2016).
This is of concern, as research indicates that increasing the
diversity of personnel can have positive impacts on all children, and
this is especially true for children of color who demonstrate improved
academic achievement and behavioral and social-emotional development
when they are taught by teachers of color (Carver-Thomas, 2018).
To address the need for a more diverse workforce, this priority
aims to fund projects at MSIs that will prepare personnel in special
education, early intervention, or a related service at the
certification, bachelor's degree, master's degree, educational
specialist degree, or clinical doctorate degree level.
Priority:
The purpose of this priority is to increase the number of
ethnically and racially diverse personnel who have the necessary
knowledge and skills to become fully credentialed to serve children,
including infants, toddlers, and youth, with disabilities. The priority
will support high-quality projects in MSIs that prepare special
education, early intervention, and related services scholars \15\ at
the
[[Page 6523]]
certification, bachelor's degree, 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, toddlers, and youth, with disabilities.
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\15\ For the purposes of this priority, ``scholar'' is limited
to an individual who: (a) Is pursuing a certification, bachelor's
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 program of study 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.
Individuals pursuing degrees in general education or early
childhood education do not qualify as ``scholars'' eligible for
scholarship assistance.
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Focus Areas:
Within this absolute priority, the Secretary intends to support
projects under the following two focus areas: (A) Preparing Personnel
to Serve Infants, Toddlers, and Preschool-Age Children with
Disabilities; and (B) Preparing Personnel to Serve School-Age Children
with Disabilities. 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. OSEP 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 Area A: Preparing Personnel to Serve Infants, Toddlers, and
Preschool-Age Children with Disabilities.
This focus area is for projects that prepare early intervention,
special education, and related services personnel who are prepared to
provide services to infants and toddler with disabilities ages birth to
two, and 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.
Focus Area B: Preparing Personnel to Serve School-Age Children with
Disabilities. This focus area is for projects that prepare special
education and related services personnel to work with school-age
children.
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. A description of the proposed
strategies may include activities such as--
(1) Outlining or updating coursework, assignments, or extensive and
coordinated field or clinical experiences needed to support preparation
for special education, early intervention, or related services
personnel serving children with disabilities;
(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 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 early intervention, special education, 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 in the focus area under which the project is applying. To
address this requirement, the applicant must--
(i) Present data for all scholars in the program and provide
disaggregated data for scholars of color that reflects the quality of
the 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) Present data on the quality of the pedagogical approach 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, including
those from racially and ethnically diverse backgrounds, who demonstrate
the competencies \16\ needed to--
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\16\ 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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[[Page 6524]]
(i) Promote high expectations and improve outcomes for children
with disabilities;
(ii) Differentiate curriculum and instruction;
(iii) Provide individualized, evidence-based instruction and
intervention(s);
(iv) Provide culturally and linguistically responsive instruction
and services;
(v) Provide instruction or intervention(s) in person and through
distance learning technologies;
(vi) Collaborate with diverse stakeholders, including those from
racially and ethnically diverse backgrounds, to address the
individualized needs of children with disabilities, ages birth through
21, and designed to achieve improvements in learning or developmental
outcomes (e.g., academic, social, emotional, behavioral), and support
the successful transition from early childhood to elementary,
elementary to secondary, or transition to postsecondary education and
the workforce; and
(vii) Exercise leadership to improve professional practice and
services and education for children with disabilities, including those
from racially and ethnically diverse backgrounds. 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 and improve outcomes for children
with disabilities;
(2) Differentiate curriculum and instruction;
(3) Provide individualized, evidence-based instruction and
intervention(s);
(4) Provide culturally and linguistically responsive instruction
and services;
(5) Provide instruction or intervention(s) in person and through
distance learning technologies;
(6) Collaborate with parents, families, and stakeholders, including
those from racially and ethnically diverse backgrounds, 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; and maximize the use of
effective technology, including assistive technology, to deliver
instruction, interventions, and services; and
(7) Exercise leadership to improve professional practice and
services and education for children with disabilities, including those
from racially and ethnically diverse backgrounds;
(B) Identify the competencies that personnel need to support
inclusion of children with disabilities 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;
(C) 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,
including those from racially and ethnically diverse backgrounds, in a
variety of settings (e.g., natural environments; public schools,
including charter schools; private schools; and other nonpublic
education settings, including home education); and
(D) Provide a conceptual framework for the proposed 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 recruit and retain high-quality scholars into the program
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 the programs;
(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 necessary supports and services that
improve graduation rates such as, but not limited to, culturally and
linguistically responsive mentoring and counseling, explicit strategies
and support for standardized test taking (e.g., Praxis tests),
monitoring, and accommodations, the applicant will use to support
scholars to complete their program of study;
(2) Will reflect current culturally and linguistically competent
evidence-based practices, including practices in the areas of early
learning and development, 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 culturally and linguistically competent
evidence-based practices (including relevant research citations) that
improve outcomes for children with disabilities into the required
coursework and extensive field or clinical experiences for the program;
and
(ii) Use culturally and linguistically competent evidence-based
professional development practices for adult learners to instruct
scholars through both in-person and online courses and field or
clinical experiences;
(3) 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 the program of study, including the
coursework, assignments, and extensive and coordinated field or
clinical experiences required for the proposed project, will support
scholars' acquisition and enhancement of the identified competencies;
(ii) The components of the program of study will be integrated to
allow scholars 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;
(iii) Scholars will be provided with ongoing culturally and
linguistically responsive guidance, mentoring, feedback, and other
necessary supports during training; and
(iv) The proposed project will provide ongoing culturally and
linguistically responsive induction opportunities and mentoring support
to graduates of the project;
(4) Will engage in meaningful and effective collaboration with
appropriate
[[Page 6525]]
partners representing diverse stakeholders, including--
(i) High-need schools, which may include high-need LEAs,\17\ high-
poverty schools,\18\ schools identified for comprehensive support and
improvement,\19\ and schools implementing a targeted support and
improvement plan \20\ 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; and
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\17\ 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.
\18\ 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.
\19\ 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.
\20\ 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;
(5) Will use technology, as appropriate, to promote scholar
learning and professional practice, enhance the efficiency of the
project, collaborate with partners, and facilitate ongoing culturally
and linguistically responsive mentoring and support for scholars;
(6) 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
(7) 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 degree program 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 served by the
scholars;
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 to improve the proposed
project to prepare special education, early intervention, or related
services personnel to provide (a) focused instruction; and (b)
individualized intervention(s) to improve outcomes of children with
disabilities; 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. 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) Course syllabi for all coursework in the program, assignments,
and extensive coordinated field or clinical experiences required of
project scholars; and
(ii) Intended learning outcomes for the 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
[[Page 6526]]
scholar support. Applicants proposing 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 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 scholar support costs (e.g., tuition, stipends)
are scholarship assistance and not financial assistance based on the
condition that the scholar work (e.g., as graduate assistants);
(11) Ensure that the budget includes attendance of the project
director at a three-day project directors' meeting in Washington, DC
during each year of the project. The project must reallocate funds for
travel to the project directors' meeting no later than the end of the
third quarter of each budget period if the meeting is conducted
virtually;
(12) Ensure that the project director, key personnel, and, as
appropriate, scholars will actively participate in cross-project
collaboration opportunities, advanced trainings, and other 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 service delivery models;
(13) 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
(14) 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 34 CFR
75.110. 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).
References:
American Occupational Therapy Association. (2020). 2019 workforce
and salary survey. www.aota.org/Education-Careers/Advance-Career/Salary-Workforce-Survey.aspx.
American Physical Therapy Association (APTA). (2020). APTA physical
therapy workforce analysis. www.apta.org/contentassets/5997bfa5c8504df789fe4f1c01a717eb/apta-workforce-analysis-2020.pdf.
American Speech-Language Hearing Association. (2021). CSD education
survey. www.asha.org/siteassets/uploadedFiles/Communication-Sciences-and-Disorders-Education-Trend-Data.pdf.
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/.
Carver-Thomas, D. (2018). Diversifying the teaching profession: How
to recruit and retain teachers of color. Learning Policy Institute.
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.
Sutcher, L., Darling-Hammond, L., & Carver-Thomas, D. (2016). A
coming crisis in teaching? Teacher supply, demand, and shortages in
the U.S. Learning Policy Institute. https://learningpolicyinstitute.org/product/coming-crisis-teaching.
Taie, S., & Goldring, R. (2020). Characteristics of public and
private elementary and secondary school teachers in the United
States: Results from the 2017-18 national teacher and principal
survey. First look. NCES 2020-142. National Center for Education
Statistics.
U.S. Department of Education. (2020). EDFacts Data Warehouse: ``IDEA
Part B Child Count and Educational Environments Collection'' &
``IDEA Part C Child Count and Settings Collection,'' 2019-20.
www2.ed.gov/programs/osepidea/618-data/static-tables/.
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 priorities 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.
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to IHEs only.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
Estimated Available Funds: The Administration has requested
$250,000,000 for the Personnel Development to Improve Services and
Results for Children with Disabilities program for FY 2022, of which we
intend to use an estimated $9,500,000 for this competition. The actual
level of funding, if any, depends on final
[[Page 6527]]
congressional action. However, we are inviting applications to allow
enough time to complete the grant process if Congress appropriates
funds for this program.
Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of
applications, we may make additional awards in FY 2023 from the list of
unfunded applications from this competition.
Estimated Range of Awards: $200,000-$250,000 per year.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $225,000 per year.
Maximum Award: We will not make an award exceeding $250,000 for a
single budget period of 12 months.
Estimated Number of Awards: 38.
Project Period: Up to 60 months.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants: For Absolute Priority 1, eligible
applicants are IHEs and private nonprofit organizations. For Absolute
Priority 2, eligible applicants are MSIs 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 December 27, 2021 (86 FR 73264) and available at
www.federalregister.gov/d/2021-27979, which contain requirements and
information on how to submit an application. Please note that these
Common Instructions supersede the version published on February 13,
2019, and, in part, describe the transition from the requirement to
register in SAM.gov a DUNS number to the implementation of the UEI.
More information on the phase-out of DUNS numbers is available at
https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ofo/docs/unique-entity-identifier-transition-fact-sheet.pdf.
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
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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 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.
[[Page 6529]]
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 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 Department 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
[[Page 6530]]
the document published in the Federal Register. You may access the
official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of Federal
Regulations at www.govinfo.gov. At this site you can view this
document, as well as all other documents of this Department published
in the Federal Register, in text or Portable Document Format (PDF). To
use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available free at
the site.
You may also access documents of the Department published in the
Federal Register by using the article search feature at
www.federalregister.gov. Specifically, through the advanced search
feature at this site, you can limit your search to documents published
by the Department.
Katherine Neas,
Deputy Assistant Secretary, delegated the authority to perform the
functions and duties of the Assistant Secretary for the Office of
Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.
[FR Doc. 2022-02392 Filed 2-3-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P
